A method and apparatus for heat stress testing medicament aerosol inhalation devices, such as a metered dose inhaler, is described. An electrical induction work coil is used to heat the inhalers to 55° C.±5° C. Heated inhalers are subsequently weighed to detect and reject nonconforming inhalers where a nonconforming amount of propellant has leaked.

In the art of manufacturing medicament aerosol inhalation devices, recent attention has been aimed at detecting and rejecting potential and actual nonconforming devices. For example, a small percentage of aerosol inhalation devices leak or will leak due to manufacturing defects, such as broken or torn gaskets, loss of proper sealing, defective valve, swollen gasket(s), etc. Such defects cause a loss of aerosol propellant, which adversely affects or otherwise alters the performance of the inhalation device.
Recently, the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") has become very concerned with leaking (or otherwise nonconforming or defective) aerosol inhalation devices, particularly MDI's. The performance of an MDI can be significantly altered when the propellant leaks, particularly where the propellant leaks in significantly amounts or at a significant rate. For example, a "gross leaker" may not deliver the medicament at all to the patient. MDI's that leak at more than an insignificant rate may under deliver the medicament. In other words, the medicament delivery from a leaking MDI does not conform to the dosing regimen set forth and approved by the FDA. In that case, the patient may not even realize that the insufficient medicament is being delivered to the lungs.
As a result, the FDA has begun requiring manufacturers to stress test aerosol inhalation devices and subsequently weigh the stressed devices to detect actual and potential nonconforming devices. Leaking MDI's will weigh less than what they are supposed to weigh. Stressed MDI's that lose a predetermined amount of propellant are rejected as nonconforming. The FDA has set conforming standards. The FDA has also set a temperature standard of 55° C.±5° C. for heat stress testing the MDI's.
Many methods and apparatus are available for heating MDI's. The present invention involves using electromagnetic induction heating to heat the electro-conductive materials present in the MDI, such as primarily the aluminum canister. Electromagnetic induction is a method of henerating heat within a metal part. Any electrical conductor can be heated by electromagnetic induction. As alternating current from the generator flows through the inductor, or work coil, a highly concentrated, rapidly alternating magnetic field is established within the coil. The magnetic field thus induces an electric potential in the part to be heated. The part represents a closed circuit. The induced voltage causes current to flow within the part. Eddy currents are typically established. The resistance of the part to the flow of the induced current causes heating.
The pattern of heating obtained by induction is determined by a number of factors: the shape of the induction coil producing the magnetic field, the number of turns in the coil, the operating frequency, the alternating current power input, and the nature of the work pieces. The rate of heating obtained by the coils depends on the strength of the magnetic field to which the part is exposed. In the work piece, this becomes a function of the induced currents and the resistance to electrical flow.
The depth of current penetration depends upon work piece permeability, resistivity, and the alternating current frequency. Since the first two factors vary comparatively little, the greatest variable is frequency. Depth of current penetration decreases as frequency increases. High frequency current is generally used when shallow heating is desired. Intermediate and low frequencies are used in applications requiring deeper heating.
The induction coil and associated components and the processes thereof of the present invention are advantageous. The present invention advantageously heats and stress tests MDI's in a relatively short period of time (i.e., dwell time), which permits in-line processing at high throughput. The present invention also advantageously employs a few relatively simple processing and material handling equipment resulting in low investment, reduced maintenance, high efficiency, and reliability. The present invention is further advantageous in that only the electroconductive portions of the MDI are heated significantly reducing the heating of plastic components (e.g., gaskets and valve components) that are susceptible to being unnecessarily damaged by heat. Still further, the present invention advantageously heat stress tests the MDI's without exposing the MDI's to steam or moisture (except any negligible moisture associated with the sealed heat exchangers) which can ingress into the MDI reducing product performance. Further benefits and advantages of the present invention are set forth herein.

Method and apparatus to stress test medicament inhalation aerosol device by inductive heating


A heatable battery includes a battery cell with an anode, a cathode, an anode connection which is connected to the anode, and a cathode connection which is connected to the cathode. The battery cell has a heating element and a connection for applying a voltage potential to the heating element. The heating element is connected to one of the components of the anode connection and the cathode connection. The battery cell further has a controllable switch which is arranged between the connection for applying the voltage potential to the heating element and the other of the components of the anode connection and the cathode connection.

The invention relates to a heatable battery, which can be used, for example, as a vehicle battery.
A battery conventionally comprises a plurality of individual galvanic cells, the so-called battery cells. In order to construct a battery from the battery cells, the individual battery cells can be electrically connected in series.
Modern generations of drive batteries in vehicles, for example electric vehicles, exhibit temperature-dependent fluctuations in their power. Large power losses of the battery cells, which losses are caused by the internal resistance of the battery cells that is increased as a result of temperature, can often be identified, in particular at very low temperatures, for example temperatures lower than 0° C. This leads to a reduced power of the battery, which is thus also available for the vehicle to only a reduced extent, and indirectly to a reduced amount of energy that can be drawn on account of overpotentials.
An objective of the present invention is to provide a heatable battery, which has the simplest possible interconnection of the components thereof for the purpose of heating the battery.
One embodiment of a heatable battery comprises a battery cell. The battery cell has an anode and a cathode, an anode terminal, which is connected to the anode, and a cathode terminal, which is connected to the cathode. The battery cell furthermore has a heating element and a terminal for applying a voltage potential to the heating element. The heating element is connected to one of the anode terminal and the cathode terminal. The battery cell further has a controllable switch, which is arranged between the terminal for applying the voltage potential to the heating element and the other of the anode terminal and the cathode terminal.
In the present battery design, the heating of the cells is actuated directly in a configuration of the heating element. The actuation is carried out here by use of the controllable switch, which is arranged directly between the terminal for applying a voltage potential to the heating element, the so-called high-resistance terminal, and the one of the anode terminal and the cathode terminal.
The controllable switch is closed (turned on) only in the heating-up phase and is turned off in normal operation. When the heating element is connected to the cathode, for example is arranged on the cathode, a current flows in heating operation from the anode terminal via the controllable switch, which is turned on, and the heating element to the cathode terminal. When the heating element is connected to the anode, for example is arranged on the anode, a current flows in heating operation from the anode and the heating element arranged thereon via the controllable switch, which is turned on, to the cathode terminal. The voltage required for the flow of current is generated by the battery cell itself between the anode and cathode terminal. The heating element can be designed, for example, as a surface resistor, which is arranged on the surface of the anode or the cathode. When a current is flowing through the heating element, the heating element heats up, wherein the heat generated is dissipated to the battery.
In the normal operating state, when the temperature of the battery cell is sufficiently high, in order to provide the required voltage for operating a load, the controllable switch is turned off or blocked. In this case, no current flows through the heating element. The battery cell generates a voltage between its anode and cathode terminal, which voltage is required to operate the load arranged between the anode and the cathode terminal.
A battery can include a plurality of battery cells, which are connected to one another in series. In this series circuit, the cathode terminal of a battery cell can be connected to the anode terminal of the adjacent battery cell.
According to one possible embodiment, in a battery construction composed of a plurality of battery cells, each battery cell can be assigned its own controllable switch. The controllable switch is arranged in each battery cell between the terminal of said battery cell for applying a voltage potential to the heating element and the anode or cathode terminal of said battery cell. When the heating element is connected to the cathode, for example is arranged on the cathode, the controllable switch is arranged between the anode terminal and the terminal for applying the voltage potential to the heating element. When the heating element is connected to the anode, for example is arranged on the anode, the controllable switch is arranged between the terminal for applying the voltage potential to the heating element and the cathode terminal. Each battery cell can thus be actuated and heated individually by way of appropriate control of the controllable switch.
According to a further design in which a plurality of battery cells are likewise connected in series with one another by virtue of the cathode terminal of a battery cell being connected to the anode terminal of a further battery cell, only one controllable switch is provided, by way of which one controllable switch all of the heating elements of the individual cells are switched on or off. In a design of this kind, each battery cell has a heating element. In addition to the (first) terminal for applying a (first) voltage potential to the heating element, each battery cell furthermore comprises another further (second) terminal for applying a further, second voltage potential to the heating element.
In a battery design of this kind, the controllable switch can be connected, for example, between one of the anode and cathode terminal of the first battery cell and the first terminal for applying the first voltage potential to the heating element. The further battery cells are interconnected with one another by virtue of the other of the anode and cathode terminal of the first battery cell being connected to one of the anode terminal and the cathode terminal of the further battery cell. The second terminal for applying the second voltage potential to the heating element of the first battery cell is furthermore connected to the first terminal for applying the first voltage potential to the heating element of the adjacent battery cell.
According to a further embodiment of the battery, the terminal for applying the voltage potential to the heating element can be the housing of the battery. In this embodiment, a terminal for applying a voltage potential to the heating element, which terminal is provided separately therefor, is omitted. The heating element is electrically connected to the housing and the controllable switch is likewise connected to the housing as well. The controllable switch is arranged, in particular, between the anode or cathode terminal of a battery cell and the housing. When the heating element is connected to the cathode, a current flows in the on state of the controllable switch from the anode via the closed controllable switch and the housing of the battery cell to the heating element. When the heating element is connected to the anode, a current flows in the on state of the controllable switch from the anode and the heating element via the housing to the controllable switch and from there to the cathode.
The battery is characterized by a low degree of cabling complexity and by reduced demands on the controllable switch with respect to the current-carrying capacity thereof.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


The present invention provides novel topically-applied skin and face coating and paint compositions comprising near infrared reflecting pigments and hydrogels swollen with aqueous solution and/or with simulated sweat. The invention further provides methods of making and using the compositions. The novel compositions protect the skin of the wearer from damage due to intense external heat or thermal flux and simultaneously divert thermal energy to a complementary evaporative cooling mechanism. The compositions protect skin from external thermal fluxes, conform to skin chemistry, and are easy to apply and remove.

The present invention in a preferred embodiment utilizes novel compositions to be applied to a wearer's skin to protect the skin from external heat fluxes applied naturally or artificially. These compositions comprise reflecting pigments and hydrogels for simultaneously reflecting heat away from the skin and diverting thermal energy to a complementary evaporative cooling mechanism. Further, methods of making the compositions and methods of use are also disclosed.
Current technologies exist that provide skin and face paint having camouflage and/or thermal reflective characteristics. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,406 discloses a face paint material for application to the skin of the human body. The face paint comprises metallic particles embedded in a gel, such as petroleum jelly. This invention is directed to the avoidance of detection of a soldier's face by thermal imaging devices, but would not protect against the burning of skin by intense thermal flux because its metal particles would typically conduct heat to the surface of the skin and gels like petroleum jelly would be ignited by such a thermal flux, therefore exacerbating heat injury and burns.
U.S. patent application 20090081453 discloses a low emissive camouflage paint comprising metal flakes having thermal reflective properties. The metal flakes are coated in a colored coating that is transparent in the thermal radiation range. It is notable that in this disclosure the colored moiety is transparent in the thermal radiation range. Moreover, the application is directed to a skin paint that provides thermal camouflage by reflecting the human body's infrared signal back to the skin instead of outwards to an infrared detection device. The metal powders are thermally conducting and would be expected to conduct the heat of an external intense flux directly to the skin of the wearer. Such skin paints would be unlikely to protect the skin from damage caused by intense thermal fluxes.
Infrared reflective pigments are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,174,360; 6,454,848; and 6,989,056. These disclosed pigments reflect heat in the near infrared region, typified by 0.001 to 3 microns. Such pigments are available commercially under the trade names Cool Colors™ and Eclipse™ IR Heat and Energy Saving Pigments from Ferro Corporation and Arctic infrared reflecting pigments from Shepherd Color Corporation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,811,180 discloses heat reflective pigments that mitigate or prevent ignition of combustible substances by near-infrared radiation. This patent does not teach one skilled in the art of camouflage 'make-up' or how to make or apply compositions to living skin for the purpose of meeting the much higher challenge of preventing a burn injury when the skin is exposed to a ballistic heat flux. U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,241,500 and 7,452,598 disclose shingles comprising infrared reflective pigments that mitigate the absorption of solar heat and have resistance to thermal stresses. These patents do not disclose use of thermally-reflective pigments in skin paints.
The use of hydrogels to prevent or extinguish fire is well-known. For example, U.S. patent application 20060157668 discloses fire-fighting compositions comprising a water-insoluble superabsorbent polymer, a colorant and an opacifier. Protection of structures from the effect of an explosion by covering all or part of the structure with a water gel is described in U.S. patent application 20080229969. The prevention of combustion by the application of a reversible or degradable superabsorbent polymer and water is disclosed in U.S. patent application 20070001156. Fire retardant compositions comprising the potassium salts of carboxylate polymers are disclosed in U.S. patent application 20070262290. Fire retarding and/or extinguishing compositions based on at least one water absorbing polymer are described in U.S. patent application 20070289752. U.S. patent application 20030159836 describes thermosensitive hydrogels that have low viscosity at ambient temperature that can gel or solidify at high temperature to act as fire extinguishers.
Based on the prior art, there exists a need for novel topically-applied paint compositions and methods that efficiently protect skin from external thermal fluxes, conform to skin chemistry, and are easy to apply and/or to remove. The present invention provides such compositions and methods.

Compositions and methods for protection of skin against thermal insult


A piezoelectric thin-film resonator includes a lower electrode provided on a substrate, a piezoelectric thin film provided on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode provided on the piezoelectric thin film. A membrane region is defined by a region where the upper electrode and the lower electrode overlap each other to sandwich the piezoelectric thin film therebetween and has an elliptical shape, and the lower electrode is also provided at an outer side of the membrane region in a region in which neither an extraction electrode of the upper electrode nor an extraction electrode of the lower electrode is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to piezoelectric thin-film resonators and filters, and more particularly, to a piezoelectric thin-film resonator and a filter having the same, in which an upper electrode and a lower electrode are provided to overlap each other and sandwich a piezoelectric thin film therebetween in a region having an elliptical shape.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the rapid spread of high-frequency wireless devices, as represented by mobile telephones, there is more demand for small-sized and lightweight high frequency filters for use in high frequency bands of 900 MHz to 5 GHz. Filters that mainly include surface acoustic wave devices are utilized in the afore-mentioned field. In these days, however, an attention is being focused on a piezoelectric thin-film resonator and a filter having the same, because the device is excellent in high frequency characteristics, can be downsized, and can be fabricated onto a monolithic substrate.
The piezoelectric thin-film resonators include, for example, Film Bulk Acoustic Resonators (FBAR) and Solidly Mounted Resonator (SMR). A FBAR type piezoelectric thin-film resonator (hereinafter, referred to as Conventional Art 1) is disclosed in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 60-189307. A lower electrode, a ZnO film that serves as a piezoelectric thin film, and an upper electrode are formed on a silicon substrate having silicon oxide films on both surfaces thereof. Below a region in which the upper electrode and the lower electrode overlap each other, and sandwich the piezoelectric thin film (hereinafter, referred to as membrane region), there is a space arranged in the substrate to include the membrane region. According to Conventional Art 1, a via hole is provided to piece through the substrate. The via hole is formed by wet etching from a bottom surface of the silicon substrate.
Another piezoelectric thin-film resonator (hereinafter, referred to as Conventional Art 2) is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-204239. The via hole is provided below the lower electrode by dry etching the silicon substrate. Yet another piezoelectric thin-film resonator (hereinafter, referred to as Conventional Art 3) is disclosed in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 of Conventional Art 1 and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-69594. A cavity is provided below the membrane region, as a space in the substrate, instead of the via hole.
When a high frequency electrical signal is applied between the upper electrode and the lower electrode in the FBAR type piezoelectric thin-film resonator, an elastic wave is excited by the inverse piezoelectric effect in the piezoelectric thin film sandwiched between the upper electrode and the lower electrode in the membrane region. Meanwhile, the distortion made by the elastic wave is converted into the electrical signal by the piezoelectric effect. The elastic wave is wholly reflected by surfaces of the upper electrode and the lower electrode that are respectively in contact with air. A resonance occurs in a frequency that a total film thickness of the upper electrode, the piezoelectric thin film, and the lower electrode equals to an integral multiple of ½ of a wavelength of the elastic wave. The piezoelectric thin-film resonator or the filter having desired frequency characteristics is available by controlling a resonance frequency on the basis of the film thickness. It is preferable that the membrane region is included in the space in the substrate, since the resonance of the elastic wave occurs in the membrane region.
The SMR type piezoelectric thin-film resonator has a structure in which a film having a high acoustic impedance and a film having a low acoustic impedance are alternately deposited with a film thickness of ¼ of the wavelength of the elastic wave, so as to use as an acoustic reflection film instead of the space in the substrate.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-312611, there is a piezoelectric thin-film resonator (hereinafter, referred to as Conventional Art 4) that includes a membrane region having a rectangular shape, the lower electrode provided to include the membrane region, and the via hole having a rectangular shape. Also, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-223144, there is a piezoelectric thin-film resonator (hereinafter, referred to as Conventional Art 5) that includes a membrane region having a rectangular shape, the lower electrode provided to include the membrane region, and the cavity having a rectangular shape.
There exist problems, however, in Conventional Art 1, Conventional Art 2, and Conventional Art 3, in that the resonance characteristics and the filter characteristics vary depending on the variation caused by the fabrication process. In addition, there exist other problems in Conventional Art 4 and Conventional Art 5 in that the resonance characteristics and the filter characteristics are degraded. Furthermore, Conventional Arts 1 through 5 suffer from a common problem of low reliability. Moreover, if the resonance characteristics and the filter characteristics are further improved, resonance characteristics and the filter characteristics vary and the reliability is lowered.

Piezoelectric thin-film resonator and filter having the same


Methods and associated structures of forming a microelectronic device are described. Those methods comprise providing a substrate comprising a first transistor structure comprising an n-type gate material and second transistor structure comprising a p-type gate material, selectively removing the n-type gate material to form a recess in the first gate structure, and then filling the recess with an n-type metal gate material.

Microelectronic devices are often manufactured in and on silicon wafers and on other types other substrates. Such integrated circuits may include millions of transistors, such as metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) field effect transistors, as are well known in the art. MOS transistors typically comprise source, drain and gate regions, in which the gate material may typically comprise polysilicon. Polysilicon gates, however, can be susceptible to depletion effects, wherein an electric field applied to a polysilicon gate sweeps away carriers (holes in a p-type doped polysilicon, or electrons in an n-type doped polysilicon) so as to create a depletion of carriers in the area of the polysilicon gate near an underlying gate dielectric of the transistor. The depletion effect can add to the overall gate dielectric thickness in the MOS device. Recently, silicon germanium source and drain regions have been incorporated within transistors utilizing polysilicon gates, which greatly improves the performance of such transistors since the strained lattice of the silicon germanium regions enhance the electron and hole mobility within the channel of such a transistor, as is well known in the art.
Metal gates, on the other hand, are not as susceptible to depletion effects as gates comprising polysilicon. Typical prior art microelectronic processes, however, do not incorporate both metal gates and polysilicon gates within the same device or integrated circuit. This is due, in part, to the complexity and cost of developing a microelectronic process that can reliably form both a metal gate structure and a polysilicon gate structure within the same microelectronic device or integrated circuit. It would therefore be advantageous to incorporate both a metal gate structure and a polysilicon gate structure with silicon germanium source and drain regions. The methods and structures of the present invention provide such a process.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods for integrating replacement metal gate structures


A method and apparatus for introducing therapeutic and/or diagnostic devices through a balloon dilatation catheter and to an occlusion site, while longitudinally moving the dilatation balloon proximally from the occlusion area. This may enable, for example, an Intra-Vascular Ultra-Sonic (IVUS) device to produce non-distorted images of an occluded site between balloon dilatations of an angioplasty procedure.

Intravascular therapeutic techniques, such as angioplasty procedures, have been developed as alternatives to bypass surgery for treating vascular diseases or other conditions that occlude or reduce the lumen size of portions of a patient's vascular system. During a balloon angioplasty procedure, a balloon catheter is typically inserted intravascularly into a patient through a relatively small puncture, which may be located proximate the groin, and navigated by a treating physician to the occluded vascular site.
A balloon catheter typically includes a balloon or dilating member at the distal end which is placed adjacent the vascular occlusion. Intravascular inflation of the dilating member by sufficient pressures, on the order of 5 to 12 atmospheres or so, causes the balloon to displace the occluding matter. It is known that a number of sequential balloon dilatations may be required to properly revascularize the occluded lumen and restore substantially normal blood flow therethrough. Because the effectiveness of any one balloon dilatation may not be known, it is desirable to view the vascular site after selected balloon dilations to monitor the progress and to determine if any adjustments should be made to the procedure.
One known method for viewing the vascular site is to inject a radiopaque die into the patient's vasculature. X-rays or the like may then be used to view the revascularized portion of the vessel. A disadvantage of this approach is that extended exposure to X-rays can be harmful to both the patient and the treating personnel.
Another more recent approach for viewing occluded sites during an angioplasty procedure is to use an Intra-Vascular Ultra-Sonic (IVUS) device that is attached to the distal end of a guide member, guide wire or the like. The IVUS device can be advanced down the guide wire lumen of a balloon dilatation catheter until the IVUS device is adjacent the dilatation balloon. After a selected balloon dilatation, the IVUS device may provide an image of the revascularized portion of the vessel. A limitation of this approach is that the dilatation balloon often distorts the ultra-sonic image of the vessel, and thus the usefulness of the images provided by the IVUS device are negated.

Catheter having extendable guide wire lumen


A wireless communication device monitors a radio frequency (RF) resource for a signal from a remote terminal. The wireless communications device detects the absence of the signal in the monitored RF resource. If the signal is not present in the RF resource, the wireless communications device reallocates processing resources reserved to process the signal to process data from another remote terminal.

Wireless communication systems such as cellular voice and data radio systems typically have several base stations in different locations available for use by mobile or fixed remote terminals. Remote terminals (e.g., telephones, personal digital assistants, and wireless web devices) allow one or more users to establish communications links with a base station over a radio frequency (RF) resource. The term remote terminal also includes a device or application attached to the remote terminal. A base station is a communications device that allows one or more remote terminals to access a larger communication system (e.g., a cellular telephone network, the Internet, etc.). A subscriber is a person or entity owning or using a remote terminal. A radio frequency (RF) resource may be an RF carrier; a timeslot, for example, in a time division multiple access system (TDMA); a frame; a code, for example, in a code division multiple access (CDMA) system; a frequency, for example, in a frequency division multiple access system (FDMA); or some combination thereof.
Conventional base stations employ paging schemes to periodically inform remote terminals that the base stations have information to transmit to the remote terminals. Users (through a remote terminal) periodically monitor an RF resource to determine whether a relevant page is being transmitted. Remote terminals are typically powered by batteries and those batteries are fractionally depleted each time a remote terminal monitors the RF resource. If the remote terminal is infrequently monitoring the RF resource, however, the user will likely wait longer before determining that the base station wants to establish a stream with the user.
Therefore, it is advantageous to strike a balance between depleting a battery by monitoring an RF resource and yet still monitoring the RF resource often enough to receive a page in a timely manner. Typically, a base station will periodically transmit a page burst for a particular user until the user (through a remote terminal) responds or until the base station determines that it is no longer appropriate to page the user. The length of time it takes to determine that the base station is transmitting a page burst is called paging latency.
FIG. 1 is a signal diagram illustrating certain elements of conventional wireless communication system 100. Remote terminal 110 and base station 120 establish communication channel 130. Communication channel 130 consists of three uplink/downlink timeslot pairs, which together form a frame. Uplink/downlink timeslot pairs are typically allocated together to a particular user in conventional wireless communication system 100. Remote terminal 110 transmits uplink burst 140 during the first uplink timeslot.
Base station 120 receives uplink burst 140 and determines whether the uplink burst includes a desired signal. The desired signal may be a training sequence, a request for information, or another signal that base station 120 recognizes as an indicator that it is appropriate to transmit downlink burst 150. If uplink burst 140 does not include the desired signal or if uplink burst 140 is not transmitted, base station 120 does not typically transmit downlink burst 150. Since uplink burst 140 and downlink burst 150 are allocated as a pair, the processing resources required to transmit downlink burst 150 may be wasted if the desired signal is not detected in uplink burst 140. Processing resources may include machine cycles, clock cycles, arithmetic logic unit resources, control unit resources, memory resources, or some combination thereof.

Efficient usage of hardware processing resources


A napkin dispenser has a container body for holding a stack of napkins, and a pair of interchangeable face plates each connectable to the container body. One of the face plates has a first elongated dispensing opening exposing a bottom region of the napkin stack, for one-by-one dispensing, and the other face plate has a second elongated dispensing opening exposing an edge region of the napkin stack, for dispensing a plurality of napkins simultaneously.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a dispenser having interchangeable face plates for providing plural dispensing modes for folded absorbent sheet products.
2. Description of Related Art
Various solutions have been proposed to provide dual dispensing modes in a dispenser for folded paper products. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,074, a carton of facial tissue is provided with a single opening configured to permit withdrawing tissues one-by-one from the top of the carton, or in a group from the side of the carton.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,949 describes a cartridge filled with paper napkins, used as an insert into a surrounding housing structure. The cartridge is reversible within the housing structure such that, when inserted one way, a first dispensing throat is exposed through which the napkins are withdrawn one-by-one, and, when inserted the opposite way, a second dispensing throat is exposed through which napkins may be withdrawn in groups.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,561 describes a napkin dispenser with interchangeable face plates, but these are configured merely to permit a single dispenser to store various styles and/or sizes of folded paper napkins, rather than to provide plural dispensing modes.
The approach taken to dual dispensing modes in U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,949 has the disadvantage that it requires the napkins to be supplied in pre-filled cartridges. That approach has a tendency to increase the ratio of waste product to useable product, in that, if it is desired to refill the dispenser before it has completely run out of napkins, the remaining napkins in the nearly spent cartridge will typically be discarded, as adding them to another cartridge would require the user to rip open the old and new cartridges.

Absorbent sheet products dispenser having interchangeable face plates


This invention deals with a new and novel plate for rigidly mounting a video monitor on video equipment such that the monitor moves commensurately with the video equipment. The configuration of the plate allows it to have a universal fit with almost any tripod/camera combination.

This invention deals with a new and novel device for rigidly mounting a video monitor on video equipment such that the monitor moves commensurately with the video equipment.
The device is a single flat member having a rectangular configuration which contains two slots through its edges to allow its insertion between a camera and/or an adapter quick disconnect or tripod mounting plate. One slot in the plate passes along both sides of, and contains the mounting bolt of the camera, while the second slot passes along both sides and contains a post. The post prevents the movement of the plate in a circular motion around the mounting bolt of the camera.
One of the unique features of the plate is the way that the plate is configured with the grooves and the arcuate notch which provides for a universal fit of the plate on any tripod and camera combination on the market.

Monitor mounting plate for video equipment


An improved combination key and transporter assembly is provided whereby the head of the key includes an elongated slot that passes through the head. A carrier is molded into the slot disposed in the key head which includes a hollow interior bound by a plurality of tabs for frictionally retaining a transponder in the carrier. After the transponder is inserted into the carrier, the key head, carrier and transponder are inserted into a mold and an outer sheath is molded around the head, carrier and transponder. The resulting assembly has a slim profile and may be mounted onto a standard sized key chain or key holder. The assembly may be manufactured using an automated process without hand sub-assembly steps.

It is known to equip keys used for rotating the tumblers of mechanical locks with electronic devices such as small lights or transponders for sending signals to electronic anti-theft devices or electronic lock mechanisms. Typically, the transponders are encased in a plastic housing which is mounted to the head of the key. However, two additional assembly steps are required. Specifically, the transponder must be assembled to the housing and the housing then must be attached or otherwise assembled to the key head. Further, currently-available housings that attach a transponder to a key head are large and bulky and are not amenable to attachment to a standard key chain.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved combination key and transponder whereby the transponder is attached to the key in an efficient manner using automated equipment and whereby the size of the key head, transponder and housing or casing is relatively small so that the combination easily fits on a standard key ring. Further, there is a need for an improved combination key and transponder which can be manufactured using automated equipment and which will not require any sub-assembly steps to be carried out manually.


A system and method for helping ensure that a user of a computer is set up to optimally view the computer monitor under optimal conditions in order to minimize eyestrain. The system includes determining an optimal viewing distance and monitoring the distance of a user from the computer monitor during use of the computer. The system further includes notifying the user when they stray from the optimal viewing distance and further may include testing various aspects of the user's eyesight during use of the computer monitor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for helping ensure that a user of a computer is properly positioned to view a monitor, and more particularly, to systems and methods for helping ensure that a user of a computer is set up to optimally view the computer monitor under optimal conditions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A common problem of many computer users is that they often sit too close to the computer monitor. This is especially true of young children. It is well known that if one sits too close to the computer monitor, the eye will intently focus on what is many times a stationary image. This can lead to eyestrain.
Additionally, many users sit too long in front of a computer without taking a break. This is true for many workers who must operate a computer for almost the entire work day. It is often difficult to ascertain when one has spent too much time in front of a computer without taking a break. Additionally, many times the lighting in the room where the computer is located may not be optimal. This may lead to glare and other problems that also result in eyestrain.
Recent medical literature clearly shows an increase in eyestrain-related problems, especially in children. Use of computers is rapidly growing among children and improper use of computers is thought to be a contributing factor to the increase in eyestrain related problems in children.

System and method for optimal viewing of computer monitors to minimize eyestrain


A chimeric protein formed of a small peptide antigen inserted into an exposed surface region of the B subunit of heat-labile enterotoxin of E. coli useful as an immunogenic vaccine composition.

The development of vaccines based on small antigenic epitopes is hampered by the inability of the small antigen to elicit a good immune response in a host animal. The use of carrier immunogens provides some assistance in the immune response, but often decreases the specific activity and yield of the response against the desired antigen. Methods for conjugation of antigens to carrier agents are costly, and generally utilize hazardous chemicals. Covalent coupling of antigen to a carrier protein is inherently variable, resulting in an antigen with an imprecise structure, compromising vaccine potency. The use of adjuvants also tends to decrease the yield of specific antibodies and can be harmful to the animal host, causing abcesses, skin lesions, and hypersensitivity. These factors are unacceptable for the production of a commercially useful vaccine.
Chimeric molecules formed of large carrier proteins with attached peptide epitopes have been suggested as useful vaccines for small peptide antigens. However, added peptides extending from a three-dimensional protein are generally susceptible to proteolytic degradation. Insertion of an antigenic peptide into an interior portion of a carrier protein may avoid degradation problems, but disruption of the carrier protein's native sequence can alter the carrier's three dimensional structure and thus its function, including its ability to act as an efficient immunogen.
The non-toxic beta subunit of cholera toxin (CTB) and the related B subunit of heat-labile enterotoxin from E. coli (LTB) are powerful immunogens that have been suggested for use as carriers of foreign epitopes. In studies testing the activity of CTB, antigenic peptides have been genetically fused to either the N- or C-terminus and tested for activity. These constructs were generally susceptible to rapid proteolytic degradation of the terminally fused peptide. (European Patent Application No: 89312713.4, published Jun. 13, 1990.) In other studies, a CTB-peptide molecule having a 10 amino acid peptide from the HIV-1 gp120 envelope protein substituted for eight amino acids in CTB at positions 56-63 was shown to be resistant from proteolytic degradation as compared with an N-tenninal CTB-peptide product. However, only a detectable response to the substituted gp120 epitope was obtained, and only in some, not all animal hosts. (Backstrom, et al., 1994, Gene 149:211-217.)
It is therefore highly desirable to develop an efficient and commercially useful process for producing immunogenic molecules containing antigenic peptide epitopes for use as vaccines, where the immunogenic molecule permits good recognition of the epitope as antigenic without high susceptibility to proteolytic degradation and produces a good immune response against the inserted antigen when administered to a host animal in the absence of adjuvant.


A method of fabricating an image sensor is provided. The method includes comprises forming a deep trench in a semiconductor substrate, performing a first plasma doping process to form a first impurity region a portion of in the semiconductor substrate adjacent to inner sidewalls and a bottom surface of the deep trench, the first impurity region being doped with first impurities of a first conductivity type, and performing an annealing process to diffuse the first impurities from the first impurity region into the semiconductor substrate to form a photoelectric conversion part.

The present disclosure relates to a method of fabricating an image sensor.
An image sensor is a semiconductor device to convert optical images into electrical signals. An image sensor can be classified into a charge-coupled device (CCD) type and a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) type. A CMOS-type image sensor (CIS) has a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixels. Each of the pixels includes a photodiode that converts incident light into electrical signals.


The present invention is concerned with flash-spinning a surface-modified structure such as a plexifilimentary yarn or a microcellular foam.

As described in Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Fourth Edition, volume 17, pages 353-355, the term "plexifilamentary yarn" refers to a yarn or strand characterized by a morphology substantially consisting of a three-dimensional integral network of thin, ribbon-like, film-fibril elements of random length that have a mean film thickness of less than about 4 microns and a median fibril width of less than 25 microns, and that are generally coextensively aligned with the longitudinal axis of the yarn. In plexifilamentary yarns, the film-fibril elements intermittently unite and separate at irregular intervals in various places throughout the length, width and thickness of the yarn thereby forming the three-dimensional network.
A plexifilimentary yarn is produced by flash-spinning of polyethylene or other polymers. Flash spinning is well-known in the art as a process for preparing plexifilimentary yarns and the non-woven fabrics made therefrom, as well as microcellular foams. Whether a plexifilimentary yarn or a microcellular foam is obtained depends upon the particulars of the spinning process, as described below. In flash-spinning, a polymer, usually polyethylene, is dispersed in a non-solvent, known as a spin agent. The dispersion so formed is then subject to elevated temperature and pressure to form a homogeneous solution, and the solution is then fed to an orifice at lower pressure. At the orifice, the highly pressurized solvent phase separates and rapidly vaporizes, leaving behind a unique three dimensional structure which may be a plexifilimentary yarn or a microcellular foam.
The morphology of, and means for preparing, a plexifilimentary yarn and a microcellular foam are described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,081,519, which is incorporated in its entirety as a part hereof. The use of plexifilimentary yarns in the formation of non-woven fabrics is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,169,899 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,442,740. Plexifilamentary yarns have found widespread commercial value primarily in the form of flash-spun high density polyethylene non-woven fabrics, most notably Tyvek® non-woven fabric, which is manufactured by the DuPont Company.
There have been numerous reports in the art of efforts directed at achieving one or another modification of the properties of flash-spun polyethylene by employing other polymers, either alone or in combination with polyethylene. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,672 discloses flash-spinning of blends of polyethylene and polypropylene. In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,911 discloses flash-spinning of blends of partially fluorinated copolymers such as polyvinylidene fluoride or ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene with 12-30% by weight of polyethylene.
In another approach to achieving modified properties in flash spun polyethylene, GB 891,944 discloses radiation induced grafting of so-called organic modifiers on to the surface of plexifilimentary yarns and non-woven fabrics produced therefrom. Suitable organic modifiers include ethylenically unsaturated monomers, including fully and partially fluorinated monomers. Also included are unsaturated and saturated polymers. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,421, a maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene was used as a modifier for ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer.

Surface-modified plexifilamentary structures, and compositions therefor


A draft gear assembly includes a yoke and a coupler follower disposed within the yoke. A front compressible resilient member is disposed intermediate the yoke and the coupler follower. A rear compressible resilient member engages a back wall of the yoke at one end and engages a rear follower at a distal end. A center rod extends through the rear compressible resilient member and the rear follower and engages a shortening member. A plurality of stops members are attached to the back wall of the yoke for limiting compression of the rear compressible resilient member during buff travel. The stop members may be extended toward the coupler follower for limiting compression of the front compressible resilient member during draft travel. Alternatively, a center rod or elastomeric pads may be adapted for limiting compression of the resilient compressible members during buff and draft travel. Stops for limiting compression may be also attached to a center sill.

The following background information is provided to assist the reader to understand the environment in which the invention will typically be used. The terms used herein are not intended to be limited to any particular narrow interpretation unless specifically stated otherwise in this document.
Draft gear assemblies are widely used in United States railway industry to provide protection to a railway car by absorbing shocks in both draft and buff conditions.
The draft gears are installed in alignment with a railway car center sill and typically include a housing having a closed rear end and an open front end, a compressible cushioning means positioned within the closed rear end and a friction cushioning element adopted in the front end and associated with a spring release mechanism for continuously urging the friction cushioning element outwardly from the compressible cushioning means thereby releasing such friction cushioning element after compression of such draft gears.
The commonly used compressible cushioning means is typically either of an all spring configuration as taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,152,409, 5,590,797 and 6,488,162 or of a spring and hydraulic assembly combination as taught by U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,698.
Lately, a new type of draft gear assembly utilizing an elastomeric energy absorbing material has been introduced into service. A particular type of such draft gear assembly, called Twin-Pac, taught by U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,820, utilizes elastomeric pad stacks for absorbing shocks in both draft and buff conditions.
This design includes a rear compressible resilient member disposed between a rear follower and a yoke portion and a front compressible resilient member disposed within the yoke and associated with a coupler follower. A center rod extends through the yoke portion, through the rear compressible resilient member and through the rear follower. Both the front and rear compressible resilient members are comprised of a stack of elastomeric pads. The design does not utilize a steel housing and steel friction members, thus resulting in reduced draft gear assembly weight.
In draft, only the front stack of pads is loaded, as yoke is moving toward the coupler follower which is abutting a pair of front stops, however in buff, both stacks of pads are loaded as the coupler follower is first moving toward the yoke and further causing the yoke to move in a direction of the rear follower which is abutting a pair of rear stops. This design allows for a different amount of draft and buff travel but still falls within the 6.5-inches of total travel required by the AAR M-901 specification. The integral yoke portion can be configured for interface with an E-coupler, an F-coupler, or a rotary dump type coupler.
Testing of the Twin-Pac draft gears according to paragraphs 6.0 and 9.0 of AAR standard M-901G-00 and involving two 70-ton nominal capacity covered hopper cars loaded to maximum gross weight of 220,000 pounds with dry sand resulted in draft gears failure at a speed being over 8 miles per hour and coupler force approaching 1,000,000 pounds. Event though the speed and force parameters exceed requirements of the AAR standard M-901G-00, it is well known that they are applicable during operation on the track.
It has been determined that the draft gear assembly failure was due to over-compression of the elastomeric pad stacks.
Since the design offers an advantage of reduced weight, it is desirable to provide an overtravel protection preventing over-compression of the elastomeric pad stacks and enabling a more reliable operation of the draft gear assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,007 to Kaufhold et al. entitled "Slackless Railway Coupler With Draft/Buff Gear" discloses use of the rear compressible resilient member to absorb impact energy during buff conditions in combination with a plurality of guide bars for limiting the compression of the rear compressible resilient member. However, the slackless type coupler does not utilize the yoke as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,820 and does not utilize the front resilient compression member to absorb impact energy in draft conditions.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an overtravel protection preventing over-compression of the elastomeric pad stacks in both buff and draft conditions.
It is further desirable to achieve such overtravel protection in the most economical method of retrofitting existing draft gears.

Arrangement for preventing energy absorbing material degradation on draft gears


In one embodiment, an optical component assembly includes an active component substrate, an active component positioned on the active component substrate, a collar and a fiber securing device. The collar is coupled to the active component substrate, and the fiber securing device is configured to mate with the collar such that a signal surface of the fiber securing device is located at a predetermined distance from the surface of the active component substrate, and a signal aperture of the fiber securing device is substantially located at a predetermined optical coupling location with respect to the active optical component. In another embodiment, an optical transceiver assembly includes an optically transmissive fiber securing device coupled to and aligned with a surface of the active component substrate using first and second alignment apertures that are aligned with first and second alignment locations of the active component substrate, respectively.

Fiber optic cables are an attractive alternative to bulky traditional conductor cables (e.g., copper), especially as data rates increase. As the use of fiber optics migrates into numerous consumer electronics applications, such as connecting computer peripherals by the use of fiber optic cable assemblies, there will be a consumer-driven expectation for cables having improved performance, compatibility with future communication protocols, and a broad range of use. For example, it is likely that consumer demand will be for a fiber optic cable that is compatible with universal serial bus specification version 3.0 (USB 3.0). Devices that communicate using electronic communication protocols (e.g., USB 3.0) require an electro-mechanical interface, such as a USB plug. However, conventional fiber-coupled transceivers have industry standardized connections to define an opto-mechanical interface for the installation and removal of fiber optic cables using standardized plugs and jacks.
Accordingly, alternative optical component assemblies, such as optical transceiver assemblies, and active optical cable assemblies that enable electro-mechanical interfaces with electronics devices are desired.


The present invention is directed to compositions and methods regarding the signaling for the presence of DNA damage or replication stress and activating cell cycle checkpoints. Specifically, ATRIP was identified as an interactor with ATR, a member of the phosphatidylinositol kinase-related protein family that includes ATM and DNA-PK. In some embodiments, the present invention is directed to ATRIP and ATR acting as mutually dependent partners in cell cycle checkpoint signaling pathways.

Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad-3-related (ATR) is a member of the phosphatidylinositol kinase-related protein family that includes ATM and DNA-PK. These kinases are essential for signaling the presence of DNA damage or replication blocks and activating cell cycle checkpoints (Durocher and Jackson, 2001; Shiloh, 2001). ATR is the sequence and functional homologue of the Rad3 and Mec1 checkpoint proteins from S. pombe and S. cerevisiae respectively (Bentley et al., 1996; Cimprich et al., 1996).
The function of ATM has been extensively studied in cell lines derived from A-T patients that lack expression of the ATM protein. The lack of comparable cell lines for ATR has impaired analysis of its specific activities. Overexpression of catalytically-inactive versions of ATR indicates that it is required for checkpoint responses following treatment of cells with agents that cause various forms of DNA damage or block replication (Wright et al., 1998; Cliby et al., 1998; Tibbetts et al., 1999; Tibbetts et al., 2000). Furthermore, homozygous deletion of ATR in mice causes early embryonic lethality, suggesting that ATR has essential functions during development (Brown and Baltimore, 2000; de Klein et al., 2000).
Rad3 and Mec1 function in cooperation with the Rad26 and DDC2 (also called LCD1 or PIE1) proteins respectively (Edwards et al., 1999; Paciotti et al., 2000; Rouse and Jackson, 2000; Wakayama et al., 2001). Rad26 binds to and is phosphorylated by Rad3, whereas DDC2 binds to and is phosphorylated by Mec1. Mutations in either Rad3 or Rad26 yield almost identical phenotypes, as do mutations in either Mec1 or DDC2. As yet, the functional roles of Rad26 and DDC2 are unclear. However, Rad3 and DDC2 are essential for transducing checkpoint signals to downstream proteins such as the Chk1 protein kinase (Edwards et al., 1999; Paciotti et al., 2000; Rouse and Jackson, 2000; Wakayama et al., 2001).
The present invention is directed to an ATR-interaction gene product defined as ATRIP, and compositions and methods related thereto are described herein.

Methods and compositions in checkpoint signaling


Air conditioning systems and techniques are described that include passing a fluid through a slab. The fluid is cooled in the slab and the cooled fluid is circulated to a coil. The coil is arranged in an airflow such that ambient air passes over the coil, thereby reducing the relative humidity of the ambient air. A control unit may also be provided to selectively operate a pump to control the flow of the fluid through the slab.

Electronic components generate heat. In many conventional applications, these heat-generating electronic components are arranged in a room, such as a data center, and that room is cooled to guard against overheating and/or malfunctioning of the components. The burden on cooling systems in data centers has increased. Specifically, as electronic components have become smaller, they are more densely packed into the datacenter. And, as their respective processing power has increased, the amount of heat each generates has also increased.


Statistical movement analysis method that includes defining one or more movement signature types, wherein a movement signature type includes a set of movement parameters and values for the set of movement parameters and receiving data for objects monitored by a radar system at a plurality of times, the data including values acquired for the set of movement parameters. The method also includes discriminating the data for the monitored objects by comparing movement signatures of two or more of the monitored objects for a difference of statistical significance and characterizing the monitored objects based on the movement signatures of the monitored objects. The method also includes identifying one or more of the monitored objects by comparing the received data for a monitored object with the movement signature type to determine if any of the objects monitored by the radar system are moving consistent with the movement signature type.

Existing ground moving target indicator (GMTI) analysis methods measure and display data. An analyst uses his/her eyes to determine signatures and meaning from the data. The results provided by the analysts are influenced by factors other than the fidelity of the data, such as experience, training, or organization bias. A need therefore exists for improved methods and systems for analyzing target movement.


A fuel cell system having flow fields capable to operate like interdigitated flow fields, but in the same time allowing the removal of liquid water collected in the high-pressure channels, throughout individual exhaust passages. In a preferred embodiment, the channels follow radial-circumferential trajectories, each channel being provided with individual exhaust passages. In another preferred embodiment, each channel is provided with a valve control in both individual supply passages and individual exhaust passages allowing the system to operate alternatively as an interdigitated flow field as well as an open-channel flow field.

Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that convert directly the chemical energy of the reactant and oxidant into low voltage direct current electricity. The proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is the most promising of all fuel cell systems, its features making it an attractive candidate for stationary and automotive applications. The basic single cell PEMFC consists of an anode and a cathode bipolar plate, each provided with a network of channels, hereafter flow-field, formed in the electrically conductive material mass. The flow field is usually formed in the central portion of the bipolar plate, while the peripheral portion of the bipolar plate that surrounds the flow field is generally used to support sealing gaskets. The planar sides of the bipolar plates containing the flow fields are in contact with the gas diffusers, which generally consist of a porous electrically conductive material that may be carbon fiber paper or carbon fiber cloth, most of the times impregnated with mixtures of black carbon and PTFE. The gas diffusers delimit the forth side of the channels where the gaseous reactants flow. The solid matrix of the gas diffusers provides path for the electrons to be transported between the bipolar plates and the catalyst coated membrane (CCM). The CCM generally consists of a solid, ion conducting, polymer membrane impermeable to gases and two catalyst layers bounded on each side of the membrane. The catalyst layers are mixtures of electrically conductive carbon grains, platinum supported on carbon as catalyst, ionomer soaked with water as solid electrolyte and possibly PTFE as binder and hydrophobizing agent.
The sandwich defined by these elements is enclosed between two distribution-compression plates that provide inlet and outlet manifolds for the reactants and coolant, as well as an adequate compression level for the stack. The compression level of the stack is adjusted by threaded tie rod-nut assemblies, generally placed along the peripheral part of the fuel cell stack. An adequate stack compression level is required in order to insure a low interface resistance between the fuel cell components, as well as an optimum sealing compression for the gaskets.
In a PEM fuel cell, hydrogen rich fuel is fed through the anode flow-field, while atmospheric air, or substantially pure oxygen is fed through the cathode flow-field. The gaseous reactants are transported by convection and diffusion throughout the channels and, depending on the technical solution of the flow fields—solely by diffusion (continuous-channel flow fields) or both by convection and diffusion (discontinuous, or interdigitated flow fields) throughout the gas diffusers, towards the CCM. The hydrogen molecules break into protons and electrons in the anode catalyst layer. Electricity is generated when the electrons pass through an outer electrical circuit and the positive ions pass through the solid polymer membrane towards the cathode catalyst layer and react with the oxygen to produce water.
In order to improve the ion transport across the CCM, the gaseous reactants are generally humidified upstream of the fuel cell inlet manifolds.
The planar area defined by the intersection of the projections of both flow fields, gas diffusers and catalyst layers areas on the membrane, is generally known as the active area of the fuel cell. This area is electrochemically active. The effective active area of a fuel cell may actually be smaller during fuel cell operation if the gas flow channels become partially filled with liquid water.
Prior art flow-fields generally consist of a plurality of parallel, continuous channels extending from a supply passage at one end, to an exhaust passage at the other end (continuous-channel flow fields). The continuous channels may follow a serpentine trajectory (see e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,988,583 and 5,108,849) or other trajectories (see e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,686,199; 5,773,160; 6,586,128B1; 2003/0077501; U.S. Pat. No. 6,541,145B2). A common characteristic of all the continuous-channel flow fields is that the reactants are transported only by diffusion in the gas diffuser, excepting the thin boundary layer at the interface between the channels and the gas diffuser, where convection is still present (Gurau et al.: "Two-Dimensional Model for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells" AIChE, Vol. 44, No. 11, pp 2410-2422, 1998). As a consequence, liquid water may be removed from the gas diffusers only due to capillary forces, which cannot be controlled during the fuel cell operation; this results in a low effective porosity of the gas diffuser, which affects negatively the reactant diffusive transport. Another common characteristic of the continuous-channel flow fields is the decrease of the reactant concentration along the channels from the supply passage to the exhaust passage, which determines a non-uniform reaction rate over the active area, and therefore a non-uniform utilization of the fuel cell.
An alternative to the continuous-channel flow fields are the discontinuous, or interdigitated flow fields (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,300,370; 5,641,586; 6,551,736B1) consisting of a plurality of parallel high-pressure channels extending from a supply passage to a dead or closed end, alternating between parallel low-pressure channels extended from a dead or closed end to an exhaust passage. The major characteristic of the discontinuous, or interdigitated flow fields is that the gaseous reactants are transported from the high-pressure channels to the low-pressure channels throughout the gas diffusers, mainly by convection. This results in a two-phase drag of the liquid water out of the gas diffuser and in a better transport of the reactant-reach gaseous mixtures towards the catalyst layer, both having a direct positive influence on the fuel cell performance. The interdigitated flow fields are also characterized by a more uniform current density, due to an even distribution of the reactants along the catalyst layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,551,736,B1 discloses an interdigitated flow field consisting of only two channels in a spiral configuration, with the low-pressure channel placed at a lower radius than the high-pressure channel. In this configuration, the shorter low-pressure channel will be adjacent both sides to the same, longer high-pressure channel this resulting in an improved liquid water removal from the flow field.
The advantages of the interdigitated flow fields over the continuous-channel flow fields are hindered by the impossibility to remove the liquid water accumulated in time at the high-pressure channel dead or closed ends during accidental over-humidification of the reactants, or as a consequence of vapor condensation in the flow field during non-operating time periods.
The pressure differential Δp necessary to displace a fluid of dynamic viscosity μ with velocity u along a distance d through a porous gas diffuser material of porosity ε and a permeability to that fluid k is:
      Δ                          p    =            d      ɛ                  μ      k            u  Since the value of the ratio
  μ  kfor liquid water is many orders of magnitude higher than that for gasses, the pressure differential necessary to force the liquid water accumulated in the high-pressure channels through the gas diffuser would be many orders of magnitude higher than the pressure differentials affordable during fuel cell operations. The liquid water accumulated in time in the high-pressure channels determines a decrease of the fuel cell effective active area.
The advantages of the interdigitated flow fields over the open-channel flow fields are not noticeable at low current densities, when the performance of the fuel cell is dictated by polarization limitations instead of mass transfer limitations. Since the interdigitated flow fields require higher pressures at the fuel cell inlet then the open-channel flow fields, the use of interdigitated flow fields for fuel cells operating at low current densities is not justified. Of great interest would be a flow field able to operate as an open-channel flow field at low current densities and as an interdigitated flow field at higher current densities.

Fuel cell system with flow field capable of removing liquid water from the high-pressure channels


Methods and structures provide a shielded multi-layer package for use with multi-chip modules and the like. A substrate (102) (e.g., chip carrier) has an adhesive layer (104), where electronic components (106, 108) are attached. An insulating layer (110) is formed over the plurality of electronic components, and a conductive encapsulant structure (115) is formed over the insulating layer. The adhesive layer is detached from the electronic components, and multi-layer circuitry (140) is formed over, and in electrical communication with, the plurality of electronic components. A shielding via (150) is formed through the multilayer circuitry such that it contacts the conductive encapsulant.

Semiconductor devices continue to decrease in size and increase in power-density, resulting in a number of challenges for system designers. One of the primary challenges relates to electromagnetic interference (EMI)—i.e., how to shield the internal components from each other as well as from external sources. Such shielding is particularly important in the context of multi-chip and multi-module RF integration.
Chip-to-chip and module-to-module shielding is often provided using an embedded shield structure, a metal can cover, conformal shielding structures, or the like. However, such solutions tend to increase the size of the component, and generally require additional processing steps and cost.
Accordingly, there is a need for high-performance, low-cost shielding techniques for use with multi-chip and multi-module assemblies. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Methods and apparatus for EMI shielding in multi-chip modules


A door closer power adjusting device for a door closer having a spindle driven by a compressed spring with a movable plate for adjusting spring compression, or with a screw for adjusting spring compression, between a high and low level of compression. A powered unit moves the plate in a first direction to achieve the low level of compression and in a second direction to achieve the high level of compression. A switch activates the powered unit in the first direction and a first switch is engaged when the spring is compressed to the low level of compression to deactivate the powered unit. A timing circuit activates the powered unit in a second direction after passage of a predetermined time. A second switch is engaged when the spring is compressed to the high level of compression to deactivate the powered unit.

The present invention relates to spring powered door closers, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,246,362, 4,064,589, and 5,666,692, which disclosures are incorporated herein by reference. In such closers it is known that the closing power or force required to open the door against the spring force of the closer can be adjusted by providing greater or lesser compression of the springs in the closer. This can be accomplished by rotating a screw that moves a plate internally of the closer body that further compresses the spring, or allows the spring to expand, depending upon the direction of rotation of the screw. Such an arrangement is disclosed in the '692 patent.


An improved liquid crystal device and manufacturing method for same are described. In the device, a pair of substrates, between which a liquid crystal layer is disposed, is joined with pillars inbetween functioning as spacers which are provided of photocurable resin by photolithography. With this structure, the spacers can be in surface contact with the inside surfaces of the substrates on which electrode arrangement and active devices are formed.

The present invention relates to a liquid crystal device and a method for manufacturing same.
A prior art photoelectric device with liquid crystal is illustrated in FIG. 1. The device, such as a liquid crystal display, comprises a pair of substrates 1 and 1xe2x80x2 joined to each other with a suitable distance inbetween, a liquid crystal layer 5 disposed between the pair of substrates 1 and 1xe2x80x2, opposed electrodes 2 and 2xe2x80x2 formed on the opposed inside surfaces of the substrates 1 and 1xe2x80x2 in the form of a matrix, and oriented coating 3 and 3xe2x80x2 on the opposed insides contiguous to the liquid crystal layer 5. By virtue of application of a voltage to the electrodes 2 and 2xe2x80x2, the optical characteristics of the liquid crystal 5 is changed under the electric field induced by the applied voltage. Namely, the device can be controlled by applying a voltage selectively to each pixel of the matrix to display an image or picture or storing information in terms of encoded signals.
The distance between the opposed substrates 1 and 1xe2x80x2 is about 10 microns, while devices with the distance of 5 microns are now being developed. Although devices having twisted nematic liquid crystal can be constructed with the distances of this scale, the distance is demanded to be decreased to less than 3 microns, generally 2xc2x10.5 microns, when making use of a ferroelectric liquid crystal for the device in place of a nematic liquid crystal.
Conventionally, the distance has been kept by disposing spacers 7 and 4 between the pair of substrates 1 and 1xe2x80x2. In the figure, two kinds of spacers are illustrated; one being mixed with a sealing member 6 and the other being disposed between the opposed electrodes 2 and 2xe2x80x2. For example, the spacers 4 are a plurality of spherical particles made of an organic resin such as Micro Pearl SP-210 having the average diameter of 10.0xc2x10.5 microns made of a bridged polymer of divinyl benzene. The spacers of Micro Pearl SP-210 are perfect spheres. The spacers 4 prevent the substrates 1 and 1xe2x80x2 from contact due to unevenness of the substrates or due to external stress.
However, the spacers 4 and the electrodes 2 and 2xe2x80x2 are in point contact so that the electrodes 2 and 2xe2x80x2 are subjected to concentrated stress. In cases where active devices are provided near the electrode 2 and 2xe2x80x2, the concentrated stress may destroy the active devices or disconnect electrode circuits, and therefore make the liquid device defective. Further, even with the spacers 7 and 4, it is very difficult to obtain a constant distance between the substrates because the spacers, when distributed between the substrates, tend to aggregate to local positions on the substrates and because the diameters of spacers are not constant. Even if uniform distribution of the spacers is obtained between the substrates, the distribution is disturbed during filling process of liquid crystal. Especially, when a ferroelectric liquid crystal is disposed between the substrates with 3 microns or less in distance, the liquid crystal is charged into the distance by virtue of capillary action from an opening provided on a portion of sealed-off perimeter of the substrates in the manner that the entrance is dipped in an amount of liquid crystal in a vacuum condition and then the pressure is increased so that the liquid crystal is caused to enter the device through the opening by the differential pressure. So, the stream of the liquid crystal tends to move the distributed spacers. Because of this unevenness of the distance, color shade appears on a display with a ferroelectric liquid crystal which utilizes birefringence. The defect can appear only due to external stress, such as pushing with a finger.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal device with no color shade.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device at high yield.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal device having resistance against external impact.
It is still further object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device at a low cost.
It is yet still further object of the present invention to provide a facilitated method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device.

Liquid crystal device and method for manufacturing same with spacers formed by photolithography

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


The system has a uniform system architecture that is designed for an access authorization request both with and without the use of a transponder. Should a transponder be used, only a corresponding transponder must be fitted in the key that can interact with an immobilizer coil specially provided for this in a receiving unit of the motor vehicle. In this case, the corresponding system requirements have also already been taken into consideration in the system architecture. As a result, the different system requirements for access and right of use systems to a great extent provide flexibility.

In the simplest case, such an access authorization and right of use system consists of one or several locks and appropriate keys. This simple access authorization and right of use system can open the doors of the motor vehicle or start the engine by means of the corresponding access authorization request (or the right of use request). An access authorization request follows as a result of the fact that the key fitting the relevant lock is actuated. Typically, these access authorization systems also have an anti-theft protection or an immobilizer that is implemented in the control device and processes and evaluates the access authorization request.
In addition to this simplest form of an access authorization system, an access authorization can also be implemented e.g. by means of a remote control in modem motor vehicles. Modem access authorization systems in motor vehicles use electronic protection systems, for example, by using the transponder method. In the case of such electronic systems, data is communicated between a transceiver fitted in the motor vehicle and a transponder fitted for example in a key or on a key fob of the user of the motor vehicle. Before the motor vehicle is opened or put into operation, coded data that ensures a proper access authorization for example by the owner of the motor vehicle is first of all exchanged.
Which one of these access authorization systems is fitted in a motor vehicle, very often depends on the corresponding requirements of the respective country for which the relevant motor vehicles are determined. Whereas in many countries, in addition to mechanical access authorization, electronic access authorization systems had already been solely prescribed for insurance reasons, such specifications do not exist in many countries. There the simplest mechanical access authorization systems are often quite sufficient so that the cost-intensive transponder method can be abandoned there.
The problem with the above is the fact that the relevant manufacturers must distinguish which motor vehicles are designed for which countries and which access authorization systems must subsequently be allocated to this motor vehicle. This distinction of the access authorization systems in each case requires different system architectures of the different access authorization systems that in each case vary to a lesser or greater extent for the different countries. This is very costly for the manufacturer of the motor vehicle or for the supplier of such access authorization systems because he has to design his production for the different access authorization systems. In order to minimize this additional cost and particularly also for manufacturing and flexibility reasons there is the need to possibly provide a single system architecture for all the access authorization systems that is particularly the same for such access authorization systems both with and without a transponder.

Access authorization and right of use system, of a motor vehicle


As one example, a method of coding video data includes storing one or more decoding units of video data in a picture buffer. The method further includes obtaining a respective buffer removal time for the one or more decoding units, wherein obtaining the respective buffer removal time comprises receiving a respective signaled value indicative of the respective buffer removal time for at least one of the decoding units. The method further includes removing the decoding units from the picture buffer in accordance with the obtained buffer removal time for each of the decoding units. The method further includes coding video data corresponding to the removed decoding units, wherein coding the video data comprises decoding the at least one of the decoding units.

Digital video capabilities can be incorporated into a wide range of devices, including digital televisions, digital direct broadcast systems, wireless broadcast systems, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop or desktop computers, digital cameras, digital recording devices, digital media players, video gaming devices, video game consoles, cellular or satellite radio telephones, video teleconferencing devices, and the like. Video coding standards include ITU-T H.261, ISO/IEC MPEG-1 Visual, ITU-T H.262 or ISO/IEC MPEG-2 Visual, ITU-T H.263, ISO/IEC MPEG-4 Visual and ITU-T H.264 (also known as ISO/IEC MPEG-4 AVC), including its Scalable Video Coding (SVC) and Multiview Video Coding (MVC) extensions. In addition, High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) is a video coding standard being developed by the Joint Collaboration Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC) of ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG) and ISO/IEC Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG). A recent draft of the upcoming HEVC standard, referred to as "HEVC Working Draft 6" or "HEVC WD6," is described in document JCTVC-H1003, Bross et al., "High efficiency video coding (HEVC) text specification draft 6," Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC) of ITU-T SG16 WP3 and ISO/IEC JTC1/SC29/WG11, 8th Meeting: San Jose, Calif., USA, February, 2012, which, as of May 1, 2012, is downloadable from http://phenix.int-evey.fr/jct/doc_end_user/documents/8_San%20Jose/wg11/JCTVC-H1003-v22.zip.
Video compression techniques perform spatial prediction and/or temporal prediction to reduce or remove redundancy inherent in video sequences. For block-based video coding, a video frame or slice may be partitioned into macroblocks. Each macroblock can be further partitioned. Macroblocks in an intra-coded (I) frame or slice are encoded using spatial prediction with respect to neighboring macroblocks. Macroblocks in an inter-coded (P or B) frame or slice may use spatial prediction with respect to neighboring macroblocks in the same frame or slice or temporal prediction with respect to other reference frames.

Low-delay video buffering in video coding


Method and catalyst for producing methylbenzyl alcohol from ethanol by catalytic conversion. A route and corresponding catalysts for directly producing methylbenzyl alcohols through catalytic conversion starting from ethanol, providing an important alternative route for increasing the production of aromatic oxygenates. The selectivity of the methylbenzyl alcohols is up to 60%. At the same time, the prepared catalysts have excellent stability. Moreover, this innovative reaction route produces hydrogen as co-product without CO, thus can be directly used in chemical reactions and fuel cells. In addition, the route also produces high carbon number alcohols which can be used as fuels or oil additives to partially replace petroleum-based products, thus partly reducing the dependence on petroleum.

Methylbenzyl alcohol with oxygen containing groups, shows high reaction performance in oxidation and polymerization, in comparison with aromatics. Therefore, these aromatic alcohols are promising to be used directly to produce pharmaceuticals and to replace xylene as a feedstock for phthalic acid and phthalic anhydride production. At present, methylbenzyl alcohol are produced via petroleum-based methods, mainly including xylene oxidation, toluene carbonylation, etc. [Catal. Rev., 1991, 33, 319]. Xylene and toluene are produced by steam cracking or catalytic reforming of naphthol derived from petroleum. However, the target products shift of the oil refinery to gasoline, causing global shortage of aromatic feedstock [Science 2014, 344, 616; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52, 11980]. Therefore, it is urgent to develop a route to produce methylbenzyl alcohols from other alternative feedstocks through catalytic conversion directly.
The ethanol comes from a wide range of sources, and has a global output of up to 100 million tons (2015) through fermentation of biomass and/or stale grain. Furthermore, its availability is further increased on basis of the industrialization of ethanol production from syngas, which can be produced by selective oxidation of daily wastes, biomass and fossil fuels. [US Patent US2016/0311740 A1]. The ethanol as an available platform molecule with oxygen groups can be converted into high carbon number oxygenates through C—C coupling. However, the currently reported catalysts show poor selectivity for high chain products, especially the methylbenzyl alcohol (<3%), because of the co-existence of several complicated competition reactions during the ethanol chain growth process. The development of a route for direct conversion of ethanol to methylbenzyl alcohol meets the urgent demand for sustainable energy development and then, can possibly replace or partially replace the petroleum-based routes. On the other hand, a direct production technology also contributes to alleviate aromatics shortage and ensure the safety and stability of economic and social development in China.


A valve timing control apparatus includes a driving-side rotating member, a driven-side rotating member, a fluid pressure chamber defined by the driving-side rotating member and the driven-side rotating member and divided into a retarded angle chamber and an advanced angle chamber by a parting portion, an angle detecting portion detecting a relative angle of the driven-side rotating member relative to the driving-side rotating member, a fluid control mechanism controlling a supply and a discharge of an operation fluid to and from the fluid pressure chamber, an acceleration operation quantity detecting mechanism detecting an acceleration operation quantity, and a control portion setting either a normal drive mode or an acceleration drive mode as a control mode relative to the fluid control mechanism based on the acceleration operation quantity, and controlling the fluid control mechanism so that the relative angle corresponds to a target angle determined based on the set control mode.

Generally, a valve timing control apparatus is configured so that a relative angle of a driven-side rotating member is changed in a manner where a fluid control mechanism is controlled so that an amount of an operation fluid within a retarded angle chamber and an advanced angle chamber is changed. Accordingly, an opening and closing timing of a valve is adjusted, so that an amount of air suitable to a driving condition is suppliable/dischargeable relative to an internal combustion engine.
For example, a valve timing control apparatus disclosed in JPH07-139380A includes a variable valve timing mechanism, a driving state detecting means, a valve timing determining means, a driving control means and a driving speed condition determining means. The variable valve timing mechanism is torsionally driven in order to continuously vary an opening and closing timing of at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve. The driving state detecting means detects a driving state of an internal combustion engine. The valve timing determining means determines a valve timing target value on the basis of a detection result of the driving state detecting means. The driving control means controls an actuation of the variable valve timing mechanism on the basis of the valve timing target value in order to control the opening and closing timing of at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve. The driving speed condition determining means determines whether or not a speed should be changed on the basis of a detection result of the driving state detecting means. Furthermore, the driving control means is configured so as to stop the control of the valve timing to correspond to the valve timing target value in response to the driving state during a period of time from when a speed shift is started until the speed shift is ended on the basis of a detection result of the driving speed condition determining means. Still further, the driving control means is configured so as to execute a control of the internal combustion engine on the basis of a maximum cam phase target value, which is set in an operation state at a point of time when the speed shift is completed, in a direction reverse to a direction where the variable valve timing mechanism is moved by a cam rotational torque as a target value.
According to the valve timing control apparatus of the internal combustion engine disclosed in JPH07-139380A, the control is executed on the basis of the maximum cam phase target value in the direction reverse to the direction in which the variable valve timing mechanism is moved in response to the cam rotational torque upon the driving condition when the speed shift is completed, instead of the target value corresponding to the driving condition, during the period of time when the speed shift is started until the speed shift is completed. Accordingly, a responsiveness of the valve timing control apparatus while the shift speed is changed may be increased.
A control apparatus for a variable valve mechanism disclosed in JP2009-085139A includes a variable valve mechanism, a target value calculating means, a reference response value calculating means, a feedforward control amount calculating means, a feedback control amount calculating means, and an operation amount calculating means. The variable valve mechanism is configured so as to change a valve opening characteristic of an engine valve. The target value calculating means calculates a target value of the variable valve mechanism corresponding to a target value of the valve opening characteristic of the engine valve. The reference response value calculating means calculates a reference response value in a case where the variable valve mechanism is actuated in response to a reference response characteristic. The feedforward control amount calculating means calculates a feedforward control amount for responding the variable valve mechanism on the basis of the reference response characteristic. The feedback control amount calculating means calculates a feedback control amount for eliminating a deviation between the reference response value of the variable valve mechanism and an actual response value thereof. The operation amount calculating means calculates an operation amount outputted to a driving means of the variable valve mechanism on the basis of the feedforward control amount and the feedback control amount. Furthermore, the variable valve mechanism disclosed in JP2009-085139A includes a deviation calculating means for calculating the deviation between the target value of the variable valve mechanism and the reference response value thereof, and an integration calculation terminating means for terminating a calculation using an integral element when the feedback control amount is calculated, in a case where the deviation between the target value of the variable valve mechanism and the reference response value thereof is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.
According to the variable valve mechanism disclosed in JP2009-085139A, the calculation using the integral element when the feedback control amount is calculated is terminated when the deviation between the target value of the variable valve mechanism and the reference response value thereof becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined value. Accordingly, an overshoot occurring as a result of an integral value becoming excessive may be avoided, so that the reference response value is smoothly converged into (corresponds to) the target value.
According to the valve timing control apparatus of the internal combustion engine disclosed in JPH07-139380A and the variable valve mechanism disclosed in JP2009-085139A, the opening and closing timing of the valve under a normal driving condition may be appropriately controlled. However, a control to be executed when a vehicle is suddenly accelerated is not considered. Therefore, even if the control disclosed in JPH07-139380A and JP2009-085139A is adapted in the case where the vehicle is suddenly accelerated, a sufficient acceleration performance may not be achieved.
A need thus exists to provide a valve timing control apparatus which is not susceptible to the drawback mentioned above.


An automated fault injection testing and analysis approach drives fault injection into a processor driven instruction sequence to quantify and define susceptibility to external fault injections for manipulating instruction execution and control flow of a set of computer instructions. A fault injection such as a voltage or electromagnetic pulse directed at predetermined locations on a processor (Central Processing Unit, or CPU) alters a result of a processor instruction to change values or execution paths. One or more quantified injections define an injection chain that causes a predictable or repeatable deviant result from an expected execution path through the code executed by the processor. Based on accumulation of fault injections and results, a repeatable injection chain and probability identifies an external action taken on a processing device to cause unexpected results that differ from an expected execution of a program or set of computer instructions.

Computer programs in various forms have become readily deployed in recent decades for performing manual tasks and information storage and arrangement. One advantage to computer driven tasks derives from the repeatability of software instruction. Computers following a program are deemed to always generate a consistent result based on given inputs. Computer programs do not make "human" errors such as typos, misspellings, or inconsistent placement of robotically controlled effectors. There is a perception that computer software will deterministically execute a given instruction sequence the same way every time, and this repeatability of results is the basis for substantial trust in the information and actions entrusted to computer driven operations.