A vertical unipolar component formed in a semiconductor substrate, comprising vertical fingers made of a conductive material surrounded with silicon oxide, portions of the substrate being present between the fingers and the assembly being coated with a conductive layer. The component periphery includes a succession of fingers arranged in concentric trenches, separated from one another by silicon oxide only, the upper surface of the fingers of at least the innermost rank being in contact with said conductive layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vertical unipolar components and more specifically to the periphery of such components.
The following description more specifically aims, as an example only, at the case of components of Schottky diode type made in vertical form in silicon substrates. However, the present invention also applies to any vertical unipolar structure and to its monolithic forming in a semiconductor substrate, and especially to the forming of MOS-type vertical transistors having a smaller on-state resistance and a greater reverse breakdown voltage in the off state.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Conventionally, a Schottky diode comprises a heavily-doped semiconductor substrate, typically made of single-crystal silicon. A cathode layer more lightly doped than the substrate covers the substrate. A metal layer or more currently a metal silicide forms a Schottky contact with the cathode and forms the diode anode.
The forming of such unipolar components comes up against two opposite constraints. Said components must exhibit the lowest possible on-state resistance (Ron) while having a high breakdown voltage. Minimizing the on-state resistance requires minimizing the thickness of the less doped layer and maximizing the doping of this layer. Conversely, to obtain a high reverse breakdown voltage, the doping of the less doped layer should be minimized and its thickness should be maximized, while avoiding creation of areas in which the equipotential surfaces are strongly bent.
Various solutions have been provided to reconcile these opposite constraints, which has led to the obtaining of MOS-capacitance Schottky diode structures, currently designated as TMBS, for Trench MOS Barrier Schottky. In an example of such structures, conductive areas, for example, heavily-doped N-type polysilicon areas, are formed in an upper portion of a thick cathode layer less heavily N-type doped than an underlying substrate. An insulating layer insulates the conductive areas from the thick layer. An anode layer covers the entire structure, contacting the upper surface of the insulated conductive areas and forming a Schottky contact with the cathode.
In reverse biasing, the insulated conductive areas cause a lateral depletion of the cathode layer, which modifies the distribution of the equipotential surfaces in this layer. This increases the cathode layer doping, and thus reducing the on-state resistance with no adverse effect on the reverse breakdown voltage.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are partial views of examples of TMBS Schottky diodes of prior art. In these two drawings, a portion of the component has been shown on the right-hand side and the component periphery intended to ensure its voltage capacity has been shown on the right-hand side.
In these two drawings, the component shown on the right-hand side is formed from a heavily-doped N-type silicon wafer 1 on which is formed a lightly-doped N-type epitaxial layer 2. In this epitaxial layer, in the area corresponding to the actual component, are formed trenches having their walls coated with an oxide layer 3 and which are filled with polysilicon 4 doped to be conductive. Conventionally, the oxidation may be a thermal oxidation and the polysilicon filling may be performed by conformal deposition, these filling steps being followed by a planarization step. After this, a metal, for example, nickel capable of forming a silicide 5 above the single-crystal silicon regions and 6 above the polysilicon filling areas, is deposited. Once the silicide has been formed, the metal which has not reacted with the silicon is removed by selective etch. After this, a metal anode deposition 7 is formed.
FIG. 1 illustrates a first example of a peripheral structure enabling spreading of the field lines and the voltage hold of the device. In this example, at the same time as the trenches of the active area, a wider trench 10 is dug at the periphery. The walls of trench 10 are coated with an oxide 13 and with polysilicon 14 formed at the same time as oxide 3 and polysilicon 4. If the polysilicon is conformally deposited and the excess polysilicon is eliminated by anisotropic etch, there only remains polysilicon 14 on the sides of trench 10. The forming of the periphery thus requires no additional step with respect to the forming of the active diode portion. On forming of the silicide, silicide areas also form on external periphery 15 of the component and on polysilicon walls 14 on the trench sides to provide a silicide 16. Then, anode metal layer 7 is deposited and etched so that it comprises an extension which substantially stops in the middle of wide trench 10.
This method for forming the structure of FIG. 1, though apparently simple, however has two disadvantages. On the one hand, it is not easy to etch metal layer 7, for example, aluminum, at the bottom of trench 10. On the other hand, in a practical case where the trench has a depth on the order of from 3 to 10 μm and metal layer 7 has a thickness on the order of from 5 to 10 μm, the metal may poorly deposit on sides 17 of the trench and split. The metal continuity between the upper portion and the bottom of the trench is no longer ensured and the device is not operational.
Another example of a peripheral protection structure according to prior art is shown in FIG. 2. This time, the structure periphery comprises an insulator layer 23, formed, for example at the same time as silicon oxide 2 of the trench walls. Metallization 7 comprises an extension 27 which partially covers this insulation layer. This structure is operative but requires an additional mask level to delimit insulation layer 23.


The present invention provides a curable composition allowing a cured product having high aesthetic quality, strength and durability along with having high surface lubricating property. A curable composition in the present invention comprises: an inorganic powder and a polymerizable monomer, wherein the inorganic powder contains a spherical composite powder, the spherical composite powder has a complex of silicon dioxide and at least one of alumina and zirconia, and an amorphous part and a crystalline part are mixed in the spherical composite powder. A refractive index difference is not more than 0.05 between the spherical composite powder and a cured product obtained by curing only a compound excluded the spherical composite powder.

In order to obtain teeth crown materials, prosthetic materials, artificial teeth and the like for dental use (hereafter, collectively referred to as dental materials), generally, curable composition and cured product thereof are used, containing an inorganic powder such as silica (silicon dioxide); a polymerizable monomer of the (meth)acrylate series; and a photopolymerization catalyst, a heat-curing catalyst or the like. Such dentistry materials are required to have esthetics, strength and durability for the substitution from natural teeth. In prior art, the use of a variety of inorganic powders has been proposed to confer a variety of capabilities to dental materials.
For example, the patent document 1 discloses a filler for dental composite in which silicon dioxide and another metal oxide are aggregated and then heat-treated at a lower temperature than the crystallization temperature of those oxides, to thereby form independent amorphous layers with silicon dioxide and the other metal oxide.
Patent document 2 describes a dental complex composition comprising a polymerizable monomer, a filler and a polymerization initiator, wherein a heat-treated aggregate of silica and another metal oxide, of which average particle size, refractive index, pore volume, BET specific surface area and primary particle size are controlled, is used as the filler.
Patent document 3 described a dental filling glass which contains SiO2, B2O3, Al2O3, P2O5, BeO, MgO, CaO, X-ray contrasting element oxide, alkaline metal oxide, and F in specific proportions, and in which Si, B and Al elements forming the glass framework are contained at specific molar ratios.

Curable composition and cured product for dental use


A transmitter includes a first measurement unit configured to measure a radio wave environment between the transmitter and a receiver for an individual wireless resource, a transmission control unit configured to determine the wireless resource and a parameter on a basis of the measurement result of the radio wave environment, an encoder unit configured to perform distributed coding of the bit sequence on a basis of the parameter, and a transmission unit configured to transmit information representing the determined wireless resource and the distributed coded bit sequence, by using the determined wireless resource. The receiver includes a second measurement unit configured to measure the radio wave environment for the individual wireless resource, a reception control unit configured to estimate the parameter on a basis of the measurement result of the radio wave environment, a reception unit configured to receive the information representing the determined wireless resource and the distributed coded bit sequence, by using the determined wireless resource, and a decoder unit configured to decode the received bit sequence on a basis of the parameter.

Markets related to Internet of Things (IoT) have been significantly growing. In the IoT, transmitters may access to networks by wireless communication using radio waves. Limiting communication ranges of the transmitters is difficult because the communication ranges are ranges where the radio waves cover. Interceptors, communication terminals of third parties, are capable of receiving radio waves transmitted from the transmitters in the communication ranges of the transmitters. To prevent communication contents of the received radio waves from being intercepted by the interceptors, the transmitters may encrypt the communication contents with secret keys or the like. Transmitters and receivers of wireless communication systems require to share private keys or public keys (hereafter referred to as "encryption keys") used for encryption before communication contents are encoded and decoded.
In Non-Patent Literature 1, a transmitter and a receiver create an encryption key to share on a basis of radio wave propagation characteristics (characteristics of a wireless multipath propagation path). This allows the transmitter and the receiver to share the encryption key before communication contents are encoded and decoded (see Non-Patent Literature 1).

Wireless communication system, communication method, transmitter and receiver

NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION


A projection blackboard having both of an excellent blackboard function and an excellent screen function, and a process for producing the same. The surface enamel layer that is an outermost layer of the enamel layers is formed by using a enameling upper glaze wherein at least titanium oxide coated particles, or a titanium oxide glaze together therewith is blended into a transparent mat glaze, so as to render the layer an enamel layer having a predetermined color tone, a surface characteristic that the Rz is from 5 to 25 μm and a reflective characteristic that the peak gain is 0.28 or more, or having these properties and a glossiness Gs (75°) of 1 to 30%. This makes it possible to produce a blackboard excellent in both of blackboard function and screen function. The titanium oxide coated particles are preferably particles wherein surfaces of mica particles are coated with titanium oxide.

Hitherto, blackboards (chalk boards) have a function that characters, pictures or the like are erasably written/drawn on the surface thereof with a chalk, and have been used to assist various explanations, lectures, speeches or the like. Thus, in conventional blackboards (chalk boards) as prescribed in JIS S 6007, the surface thereof has appropriately roughness in order that characters, pictures or the like can easily be written/drawn with a chalk or can easily be erased, and further dark color material has been used for the surface thereof in order that the written/drawn characters, pictures or the like can easily be watched.
In recent years, however, it has been become general that various projectors such as lantern slides or OHPs are used to project materials prepared in advance onto a screen and then an explanation is made while either one of the projected images is pointed with a pointer or the like. In the case of making an explanation or the like using various projectors, it is necessary to prepare both of a projecting screen and a blackboard, on which characters or the like can be written/drawn with a chalk and can be erased to make a supplementary explanation and thus, considerably much time is required for the arrangement thereof and the settlement thereof. The reason therefor is as follows: when images are projected to a conventional blackboard with any one of various projectors, the quality of the projected images are dark and unclear, thus, no conventional blackboard has been used as a screen.
On the other hand, in reflection screens, a main object of which is that images through various projectors is projected thereon, material in white color or a highly bright color is used therefore in order to improve the reflective property. Accordingly, when writing or drawing is made onto such a screen with a chalk (which chalk), a low contrast is given. Thus, the recognizable property of characters, pictures or the like decreases. Ordinary screens such as beads or white mats have a low surface hardness; thus, when writing or drawing is made thereon with a chalk (white chalk) and the resultant is erased, a problem that the screens are worn away is caused. Therefore, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 02-153080 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 04-229299, screens are not used as chalk boards although the screens are used as marker boards, on which writing or drawing with a marker and erasing are made.
Against such problems, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open (JP-U) No. 57-183190 suggests an enamel blackboard which is also used as a projecting screen, having a rough-surface enamel layer on its surface which informed on a steel sheet using a glaze containing a blue dye and have a brightness of 4 to 8 on a steel sheet.

Process for producing a projection blackboard


A novel composition useful for golf ball covers that comprises a blend of a dilsocyanate/polyol polyurethane prepolymer with a curing agent comprising a blend of slow-reacting diamine with a fast-reacting diamine such as dimethylthio 2,4-toluenediamine and diethyl 2,4-toluenediamine, respectively. A golf ball cover made with this composition exhibits the characteristic feel and playability of a balata cover with superior durability characteristics (cut and shear resistance) which exceed those of a balata or ionomer cover.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to novel chemical compositions for golf ball covers that provide improved manufacturability and playability characteristics.
2. Description of the Related Art
Until the late 1960's, most golf balls were constructed with a thread wound core and a cover of compounds based on natural (balata and gutta percha) or synthetic transpolyisoprene. These golf balls have been and are still known to provide good flight distance. Additionally, due to the relative softness of the balata cover, skilled golfers can impart various spins on the ball in order to control the ball's flight path (e.g., "fade" or "draw") and "bite" characteristics upon landing on a green.
"Fade" is the term used in golf to describe a particular golf ball flight path that is characterized by a curved or arched flight exhibited towards the latter portion of the flight path that veers off from the center line of the initial flight path to the right of a right-handed golfer. Upon contact with the ground, a ball hit with "fade" will stop in a relatively short distance. "Fade" results from imparting clockwise sidespin on the golf ball.
"Draw" is the term used in golf to describe a particular golf ball flight path that is characterized by a curved or arched flight exhibited towards the latter portion of the flight path that veers off from the center line of the initial flight path to the left of a right-handed golfer. Upon contact with the ground, a ball hit with "draw", unlike a ball hit with "fade", will roll for a considerable distance until coming to rest. "Draw" results from imparting counter-clockwise sidespin on the golf ball.
"Bite" is the term used in golf to describe the effect of imparting a substantial amount of backspin to an approach shot to a green which causes the golf ball to stop abruptly upon contact with the green.
Another desirable feature of balata-based compounds is that they are readily adaptable to molding. These compounds therefor can be easily compression molded about a spherical core to produce golf balls.
Though possessing many desirable properties, there are substantial drawbacks to use of balata or transpolyisoprene-based compounds for golf ball covers. From a manufacturing standpoint, balata-type materials are expensive and the manufacturing procedures used are time consuming and labor-intensive, thereby adding to the material expense. From a player's perspective, golf balls constructed with balata-based covers are very susceptible to being cut from mishits and being sheared from "sharp" grooves on a club face. As a result, they have a relatively short life span.
In response to these drawbacks to balata-based golf ball covers, the golf ball manufacturing industry has shifted to the use of synthetic thermoplastic materials, most notably ionomers sold by E. I. DuPont De Nemours & Company under the name SURLYN.
Thread wound balls with ionomer covers are less costly to manufacture than balls with balata covers. They are more durable and produce satisfactory flight distance. However, these materials are relatively hard compared to balata and thus lack the "click" and "feel" of a balata covered golf ball. "Click" is the sound emitted from the impact of a golf club head on a golf ball. "Feel" is the overall sensation transmitted to the golfer through the golf club after striking a golf ball.
In an attempt to overcome the negative factors of the hard ionomer covers, DuPont introduced low modulus SURLYN ionomers in the early 1980's. These SURLYN ionomers have a flexural modulus of from about 3000 to about 7000 PSI and hardness of from 25 to about 40 as measured on the Shore D scale—ASTM 2240. The low modulus ionomers are terpolymers, typically of ethylene, methacrylic acid and n-or iso-butylacrylate, neutralized with sodium, zinc, magnesium or lithium cations. E.I. DuPont De Nemours & Company has disclosed that the low modulus ionomers can be blended with other grades of previously commercialized ionomers of high flexural modulus from about 30,000 to 55,000 PSI to produce balata-like properties. However, "soft" blends, typically 52 Shore D and lower (balata-like hardness), are still prone to cut and shear damage.
The low modulus ionomers when used without blends, produce covers with very similar physical properties to those of balata, including poor cut and shear resistance. Worse, wound balls with these covers tend to go "out-of-round" quicker than wound balls with balata covers. Blending with hard SURLYN ionomers was found to improve these properties.
Another approach taken to provide a golf ball cover that has the playing characteristics of balata is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,673 ("the '673 patent") assigned to the Acushnet Company. The '673 patent discloses a cover composition comprising a diisocyanate, a polyol and a slow-reacting polyamine curing agent. The diisocyanates claimed in the '673 patent are relatively fast reacting. Due to this fact, catalysts are not needed to lower the activation energy threshold. However, since relatively fast-reacting prepolymer systems are used, the reaction rate cannot be easily controlled thereby requiring the implementation of substantial processing controls and precise reactant concentrations in order to obtain a desired product.
To avoid the problems associated with fast-reacting prepolymer systems, slow-reacting systems such as Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) prepolymer systems can be employed. However, these systems, while avoiding the problems associated with fast-reacting systems, present similar problems, albeit for different reasons. The most noteworthy problem with slow-reacting pre-polymer systems is the requirement for a catalyst.
By introducing a catalyst into the system, processing problems similar to those associated with fast-reacting pre-polymer systems are virtually inevitable. As is well known in the art, the use of a catalyst can severely restrict the ability to control the speed of the reaction, which is undesirable.
It has now been discovered that a blend of diamine curing agents with slow-reacting prepolymer systems eliminates the problems associated with catalysts while maintaining the advantages associated with slow-reacting prepolymer systems. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a golf ball cover composition that does not require a catalyst.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a golf ball having a synthetic cover material that achieves the click, feel, playability and flight performance qualities of balata covered golf balls.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a polyurethane formula that achieves hardness characteristics similar to those associated with balata without compromising the durability of the polyurethane material. In contrast, polyurethane systems such as those disclosed in the '673 patent produce relatively high hardness ranges that obviate the possibility of providing a polyurethane system that can truly mimic the feel and playability of a balata-based product.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball cover material that has improved process manufacturing as well as improved durability and resilience over balata.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Polyurethane material for two and three piece golf balls and method


Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and system for archiving and compacting data in a data storage array. In one embodiment, a plurality of archivable files are identified, archived, and removed from a data storage array. A first configuration of the data storage array is then determined in which the free space on each of a plurality of data storage devices in the data storage array is calculated. A process is performed for moving a plurality of files from a first of the data storage devices to other data storage devices in the data storage array. The moving process is repeated to create a second configuration of the data storage array. In the second configuration, the first data storage device has a greater amount of free space than in the first configuration.

For many organizations, managing data storage resources is a time consuming process which is frequently prone to error. Data storage systems can quickly fill with redundant or outdated files which are occasionally purged from the system. Frequently, it is difficult to determine the ownership of the files being purged or whether those files are actually still needed. This results in mistakenly removing needed files or allowing outdated or redundant files to remain on the data storage array. Furthermore, it is a time consuming process for a person to examine these files and try to determine which files should be purged and which files should remain on the storage array.
For example, software development is frequently performed by teams of developers working in geographically separated locations. These development teams will use a centralized data storage area for storing the particular software component they are working on. Typically, these components resemble directories having hundreds of subdirectories and files. Other software development teams can access this data to ensure their components work together, to import dependencies, as well as in the final integration of the software components.
During the development cycle, there are frequent updates to the components, as well as patches of previous component versions, and/or multiple component versions to allow for the dependencies of other software components. Thus, in a short amount of time the centralized data storage area can fill with redundant or outdated files which must be purged. Occasionally, older files may be extremely stable components and are still considered the most current version. This complicates manually selecting and purging files because the age of the file is not an accurate indicator of whether the file should be purged. Additionally, this complicates identifying files which may be candidates for archival.
Often a list is distributed of the files which are to be purged. This allows developers to identify files which should remain in the centralized data storage area. However, it is a time consuming task for the developers to search the data component hierarchy to determine which files should be purged. This is increasingly true as directory structures become larger and more complex.
Thus, prior art methods for managing centralized data storage systems are time consuming and prone to error. Specifically, there is no method for automatically identifying files which are candidates for archival or removal from the data storage array.
Additionally, there is no method for consolidating files across multiple storage devices (e.g., multiple disk drives in a data storage array). Currently, compacting data in data storage arrays involves compacting each data storage device in the data storage array as a separate resulting in haphazard distribution of available free space among the separate devices. This results in less than optimal utilization of the free space in the data storage array. For example, collectively the free space in the data storage array may be large enough to accommodate large files and directories. However, prior art methods for compacting data result in multiple smaller areas of free space which, individually, may not be large enough to accommodate the larger files.

Method and system for archiving and compacting data in a data storage array


A testing apparatus is described with a housing, a power source, a carrier assembly, and a backbone connecting the carrier assembly to the power source. A resource board is disposed on the carrier assembly and is connected thereto, thereby receiving power from the power source through the carrier assembly. The resource board is adapted to perform a test on a device under test and to generate data reflecting results of the test on the device under test. A test pin assembly is disposed at one end of the resource board and is connectable with a loadboard. A controller operatively connects to the power supply, the carrier assembly, and the resource board. The controller is adapted to communicate with the resource board to execute instructions to test the device under test. The controller also receives the result data from the resource board, permitting analysis of the device under test.

The prior art is replete with various different types of equipment designed to test the operability and functionality of electronic and electrical components and combinations of components.
Several difficulties are known to exist with respect to prior art testing apparatuses, methods, and systems.
Testing devices are employed for many different reasons. Among them, testing devices are used to validate the acceptability of electronic or electrical devices during the manufacture of those electrical or electronic components or the commercial products in which these components are incorporated.
In one example, it is known to test semiconductor chips before they are incorporated into other devices, such as computers. The acceptability of these semiconductor components may require several different tests, arranged in a test sequence, to be performed on the semiconductor components.
One deficiency associated with the prior art lies in the design and construction of known testing devices. Specifically, to test a particular component, a manufacturer is required to build (or contract with a third party to have built) a testing device for the component to be tested.
To test a variety of components, the testing device typically is over-designed, which means that the testing device includes components and hardware that are not used during every test sequence. As a result, in many cases, at least a portion of the testing device remains idle. In a worst-case scenario, the entire testing device remains idle, and the manufacturer must employ an entirely different testing device. In such a case, a manufacturer may be required to purchase a number of different testing devices to meet different testing demands during the year. Each testing device can be quite costly to the manufacturer.
As should be appreciated by those skilled in the art, few manufacturers make only one electronic component during the course of a manufacturing year. In fact, it is quite common for a manufacturer to make several different electronic components during the course of a year.
Each time the manufacturer switches to the manufacture of a different component, the manufacturer utilizes different parts of the testing device for that component. It is also possible that the manufacturer may need to add or exchange parts of the testing device when testing a different component. Alternatively still, a manufacturer may need to switch to another testing device altogether.
As a result of this, manufacturers often find that at least a portion of the testing device remains idle for long periods of time. In other cases, the entire testing device may remain idle. In either case, electronic manufacturers spend large sums of money on testing devices, parts of which are used only for short periods of time, parts of which are used only periodically, or parts of which are used only for a particular production run. The cost of these testing devices is passed onto the consumer and is reflected in the cost of the electronics that are sold.
As a result of this approach to testing, there has developed a need for a greater amount of granularity in the design of testing devices. In other words, a need has developed for testing devices where portions of the testing device may be substituted to adapt the testing device for different components, so that the testing device is more easily configured for a particular component under test. In addition, a need has developed for less expensive testing devices. These needs remain unaddressed by the prior art.
Another difficulty with the prior art lies in the length of time needed to test an individual electronic or electrical component.
Currently, testers rely on a non-pipelined approach to testing. What this means is that current testing devices do not apply a testing methodology where the handling of the component to be tested and the gathering of data are handled separately from the processing of the gathered data as a result of the testing of the component. In the prior art methodology, gathering data, processing data, and handling occur consecutively for each tested component or groups of tested components.
After the test is complete, the testing device analyzes the results of the test and generates an evaluation report for that component or group of components.
In the simplest example, after the test sequence is completed, the testing device will assess the operability of the component and assign a "pass" or "fail" result to the component. The analysis is performed while the component is connected to the testing device so that prompt action may be taken with respect to that component at the conclusion of the test sequence. As would be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a component that "passes" will be sold to the consumer or will proceed to the next manufacturing step. If the component "fails" the test, the component will be discarded or returned for further processing, as needed.
This non-pipelined approach to testing presents a number of issues. Among them, the total test time needed to test components and return a report may negatively impact the manufacturing process, because the length of the test sequence may occupy a significant part of the manufacturing process.
Among others, the deficiencies noted above with respect to the prior art remain unresolved.

Apparatus, method and system for testing electronic components


The fixed light for bends for a motor vehicle comprises at least two light sources, means sensitive to the path of the vehicle for supplying a signal dependent on the nature of the road followed by the vehicle, and means for controlling successive switching on the sources according to the signal delivered and providing an effect of light sweeping towards the inside of the bend. Each light source consists of one or more modules with light-emitting diodes.

Such a light is provided for illuminating as well as possible towards the inside of the bend the portions of road which the vehicle will approach.
EP-A-0 864 462 proposes a lighting system comprising at least two lights of the fog type and means for controlling the supply power to the lights according to vehicle wheel turning information. These control means increase the supply power of only one light for bends which is on the side toward which the vehicle is turned, so as to accentuate the illumination on this side. Proportionality to the bend is thus obtained by modulating the intensity of the beam; the effect perceived by the driver may be considered to be a moderate service.
In order to obtain a more satisfactory effect, it is possible to provide a following of the bend by rotational driving of an optical system, which involves moving parts, actuators and control electronics, and therefore a high cost.
The aim of the invention is above all to provide a fixed light for bends which, whilst remaining of an acceptable cost, makes it possible to obtain an effect of following the bend.

Fixed light for bends for a motor vehicle


A gas turbine engine provides mechanical shaft power. Two parameters relating to engine operation are sensed that are representative of two different pressures, two different temperatures, or a pressure and a temperature associated with the engine. A value representative of the shaft power is determined during engine operation as a function of these two parameters. This value may be used for engine monitoring including making one or more adjustments to operational aspects of the engine, regulating/controlling engine function, and/or providing one or more power indicators.

The present invention relates to gas turbine engine operation, and more particularly, but not exclusively relates to determining a control system value representative of rotational shaft power.
For gas turbine engines primarily dedicated to the supply of mechanical power through a rotating shaft, it is sometimes desired to control one or more aspects of engine operation based on shaft power output. Unfortunately, for at least some of these situations, direct sensing of the power generated by a rotating shaft is impractical and/or is not cost-effective. Thus, there is an ongoing demand for further contributions in this area of technology.

Determination of a signal indicative of shaft power


For swift and secure determination of a measurement error a first digital image is obtained using an image sensor, wherein a line of sight of an optical arrangement is oriented in a first face direction. A characteristic image area in the first digital image on an image sensor is determined. A second digital image is then taken with a line of sight of the image sensor oriented in a second face and the characteristic image area defined in the first image is searched in the second digital image, the first or the second digital image is rotated in the image plane by 180° . Then in the second digital image the position of the characteristic image area is determined. And offset between the characteristic image area in the first digital image and the characteristic image area in the second digital image is determined.

The present invention relates to determining a measurement error of a measurement device.
Measurement devices, such as for example for optical surveying generally include an arrangement of optical elements are, that may me be used to aim at a target. Based on associated measurement scales angles, positions or other measurements can be carried out, for example related to the position of the object relative to the measurement device.
Such measurement devices generally include optical instruments, for example tachymeters, video-tachymeters or total stations. The optical arrangement of the measurement instrument may be a telescope allowing to aim at an object with the help of an ocular. The optical instrument may also include a camera or video camera, to obtain a representation of the object.
FIG. 11 illustrates in an exemplary manner such a measurement device, generally designated by reference numeral 1100. The optical arrangement 1101 of the measurement device is rotatable in a vertical plane around a preferably horizontal axis 1150, the so-called tilting axis or trunnion axis, so that it is possible to aim at objects in different elevations with respect to the measurement device. Besides this the optical arrangement 1101 is pivotable around a preferably vertically oriented axis 1151, also vertical axis, such as on a tripod plate 1102, enabling aiming at objects in different horizontal directions from the measurement device 1100. Analog or digital measurement scales are provided at the measurement device for example for the measured angles. Furthermore means for measuring or estimating a distance to the object may be provided.
Measurements on objects need to be carried out with highest accuracy to obtain the required accuracy for example in construction applications.
The measurement devices in the real world, however, are not infinitely accurate, such that each measurement on an object leads to measurement results that are affected by errors. These errors may perpetuate into the further processing and may lead to problems.
Due to manufacturing tolerances the rotational axes of the measurement device do not run fully vertical to one another, but only with certain deviations. The deviation of the angle between the tilting axis and the vertical axis from 90° generally is termed tilting axis error. The deviation of the angle between the tilting axis and the aiming axis, i.e. line of sight from 90° is generally termed side collimation error. Herein the aiming axis/line of sight is a predetermined optical axis of a telescope or other optical arrangement of the measurement device.
When measuring and angle to an object using the measurement device, these the deviations between the actual angle to the object and the angle indicated by the measurement device, that is the tilting axis error and the side collimation error, leads to an angle and rapport a measurement error, for example in horizontal or vertical direction. Therefore the measurement units often are adjusted or calibrated upon starting operation or during operation in certain intervals.
According to a known method for calibrating the measurement scales, the measurement device is first deployed and then oriented towards an object. Then the respective angle measurements are carried out in a so-called first face or face orientation, for example a measurement of a horizontal angle and a particular angle to towards the object. Then the optical device, for example the telescope of the measurement device, as illustrated in FIG. 11 by reference numeral 1101, is rotated by 180° around the vertical axis 1151, and furthermore by an angle of 360° minus a vertical angle, for example the zenith angle, between the telescope and be vertical axis, around the horizontal axis 1150. This process of internally tilting the measurement device is termed to snap through the measurement device. In this process the measurement device or rather the optical arrangement of the measurement device is transferred from a first face, in which the first measurement of the object was carried out, into a second to face. In the second face the second measurement of the object is carried out.
From the angle measurements in the first face and the second face of the tilting axis and the side collimation error may be derived. Calibration can be carried out by correcting the measurement scales of the measurement device on the basis of the tilting axis error and the side collimation error, such that for each subsequence measurement the measurement error is eliminated. A calibration may be carried out once, or before a series of measurements, or intervals between measurements.
Furthermore an object may generally also be measured in both face orientations of the instrument, such that for each measurement the errors may be corrected.
Calibration may, the more frequent it is carried out, require a considerable amount of time, which should be avoided.


At a communication server, a first computer device and a second computer device are connected to a collaborative support session configured to support audio communications, screen sharing, and control of the first computer device by the second computer device. Screen sharing video image content is converted to a text sequence with timestamps. A text log with timestamps is generated from the text sequence. Using a command-based machine learning model, a sequence of commands and associated parameters, with timestamps, are determined from the text log. Audio is analyzed to produce speech-based information with timestamps. The command sequence is time-synchronized with the speech-based information based on the timestamps of the command sequence and the timestamps of the speech-based information. A knowledge report for the collaborative support session is generated. The knowledge report includes entries each including a timestamp, commands and associated parameters, and speech-based information that are time-synchronized to the timestamp.

Network-based collaboration tools are commonly used to conduct remote troubleshooting and support during web-based collaboration support sessions (also referred to as "troubleshooting sessions"). Such tools allow customers and support specialists to communicate via audio and video, permit screen sharing, and/or allow control over a remote computer device. Such troubleshooting sessions contain valuable knowledge, such as discussions of symptoms and intents, problem clarifications, hypothesis definition and testing, and solution testing. Unfortunately, gathering concise information from the troubleshooting sessions and digitizing specifically useful information from the sessions for future use presents many challenges. Such challenges make standard and generic tools incompetent for extracting the ingrained knowledge from the troubleshooting sessions in an efficient manner.

Extracting knowledge from collaborative support sessions


An auxiliary device attachable to a bicycle to aid in learning the stunt known as "popping wheelies" balance on the rear wheel of the bicycle, the device including a rearwardly extending support frame, a rear frame pivotally attached at one end to the support frame and pivotally attached at the other end to a member that is lengthwise adjustably attached to the support frame with a pair of wheels on an axle flexibly attached to the rear frame.

This invention involves an auxiliary device to aid in the training of doing wheelies on a bicycle.
One of the common stunts learned by skilled bicycle riders is the trick of doing "wheelies" wherein the rider balances the bike on the rear wheel raising the front wheel off the ground while moving. With increasing attention to bicycle safety, a variety of devices have been provided directed to preventing the person from going too far and tipping over backwards or in some cases aiding in learning how to accomplish the feat of doing wheelies. These devices are described in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 2,629,611 to Covington, 3,321,047 to Ryan et al, 3,437,351 to Newbern, 4,012,054 to Anderson, 4,772,037 to Jones, and 4,886,294 to Nachachewski. Most of these devices include a single wheel or a drag member to prevent the bike from going too far when the rider is attempting "popping wheelies". While these devices are satisfactory to varying degrees, none allow the rider to effectively balance the bike in a "wheelie" position and also maneuver the bike effectively. None of these devices provide that balance of maneuverability and safety sufficient to encourage a person to attempt and develop the skills necessary to execute the stunt.


A signal transmission method, a terminal device and a network device are provided. The method includes: a terminal device receives downlink control information, (DCI), the DCI carries resource reservation indication information, and the resource reservation indication information indicates the terminal device whether reserve a physical resource is to be reserved in a time-domain resource unit; the terminal device determines a first physical resource used for transmitting a first signal in the time-domain resource unit according to the resource reservation indication information, or determines a second physical resource used for an uplink and downlink guard period in the time-domain resource unit according to the resource reservation indication information.

In a scenario in which a Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) is transmitted aperiodically in Long Term Evolution (LTE), generally a network device pre-configures an SRS resource to a terminal device. Regardless of whether the SRS resource is used for transmitting the SRS, the terminal device needs to reserve the SRS resource for the SRS, and the reserved SRS resource cannot be used for transmissions of other data. For example, when a bandwidth for Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) transmission of the terminal conflicts with a bandwidth of the SRS resource, the terminal device may truncate the PUCCH and still reserve the last Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol for SRS transmission.
However, since in the scenario in which the SRS is transmitted aperiodically, the terminal device transmits the SRS after receiving a trigger signaling, that is, the SRS resource reserved by the terminal device may be not used to transmit the SRS, thus the reserved SRS resource causes a waste of resources.

Signal transmission method, terminal device and network device for resource reservation

GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.


A control system for a plant includes a sensor for detecting an output from the plant, an adaptive controller for controlling a manipulated variable applied to control of the plant in a manner such that an output from the sensor becomes equal to a desired value, and an adaptive parameter-adjusting device for adjusting adaptive parameters used by the adaptive controller. The adaptive controller is configured in a manner adapted to a predetermined dead time shorter than an actual dead time which the plant and the detection means possess. Sampling timing of an input vector input to the adaptive parameter-adjusting device corresponds to the actual dead time.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a control system for plants, which controls a plant by means of feedback control based on an adaptive control theory.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, an air-fuel ratio control system for internal combustion engines is known, e.g. from Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 7-247886, in which a parameter-adjusting mechanism calculates adaptive parameters and an adaptive controller carries out feedback control of the air-fuel ratio of a mixture supplied to the engine to a desired air-fuel ratio by using the adaptive parameters. In the known air-fuel ratio control system, an air-fuel ratio sensor arranged in the exhaust system of the engine detects the air-fuel ratio of the mixture and supplies a signal indicative of the detected air-fuel ratio to the adaptive controller, which in turn determines an amount of fuel to be supplied to the engine such that the detected air-fuel ratio becomes equal to a desired air-fuel ratio. In this case, the internal combustion engine is a plant as an object to be controlled, while the amount of fuel to be supplied to the engine and the desired air-fuel ratio are a manipulated variable and a desired value to which an operation of the plant is to be controlled, respectively.
In general, the adaptive controller can exhibit a desired performance when it is designed to be adapted to an actual dead time (i.e. delay before the feedback control takes effect) which the plant and means for detecting the output from the plant possess. In the above-mentioned publication, an embodiment is described in which it is assumed that the actual dead time of the internal combustion engine and the air-fuel ratio sensor is as long as three control cycles.
If the actual dead time of the engine and the air-fuel ratio sensor increases due to a modification of the specifications of the engine and the sensor or the like, however, the orders of terms of equations applied to the adaptive controller and the adaptive parameter-adjusting mechanism are increased when the adaptive controller per se is adapted to the increased dead time, resulting in a drastic increase in the amount of arithmetic operations required to obtain the manipulated variable. This makes it difficult to carry out high-accuracy control so as to cope with an increase in the dead time unless the computer constituting the adaptive controller and the adaptive parameter-adjusting mechanism is replaced by one with higher computing performance.


A magnetoresistive transducer includes at least one magnetoresistive element having a transverse easy axis. The use of a transverse easy axis prevents magnetic domains from forming in the magnetoresistive elements and results in a noise-free device. Various techniques for producing a transverse easy axis include the use of stress, and a magneto strictive material, during the formation of the element to orient the anisotropy of the element transverse to orient the anisotropy of the element transverse to the element, formation of the element in the presence of a magnetic field, high temperature anneal of the element, or any other method of forming the element with a prebiased state.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to magnetoresistive transducers. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved magnetoresistive read transducer having a transverse easy axis for biasing and domain stabilization.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Continuing advances in magnetic media technology allow increasing data storage densities. One active area of development is that of reading transducers. As such transducers are made smaller, data densities are increased. Magnetoresistive (MR) thin film technology has provided a particularly promising area of inquiry with regard to producing smaller reading transducers. In such technology, conductive thin films are formed on a substrate using techniques analogous to those of the semiconductor arts.
The present state of the art teaches the use of magnetoresistive elements having an easy axis in-plane and along the length of the MR elements. In this configuration, magnetic poles exist at the ends of the stripes and thus result in instabilities, unwanted domain states, and unpredictable response curves. This arrangement is currently in use for the three basic geometries which employ MR technology: single layer structures, soft adjacent layer (SAL) structures where an additional magnetic film is provided to help in biasing the transducer, and dual stripe structures in which both films are magnetoresistive.
Magnetoresistive memory elements have been discussed by Pohm and Comstock, IEEE Trans. Mag. 26, 2529 (1990), which use transverse anisotropy in coupled magnetic films for storing digital information, but not for sensing magnetic fields. However, there is yet to be taught any technique for applying this approach to magnetoresistive transducers, nor is there any recognition that such teachings would be useful in the transducer arts.

Improved magnetoresistive transducer with substantially perpendicular easy axis


A method for monitoring the functioning of a field device, wherein the field device provides a complex measurement signal, which is produced from a number of individual measurements following one another in time, comprising method steps as follows: the complex measurement signals are stored within a predetermined time window; the occurrence of a predetermined event is monitored in the field device; the stored complex measurement signals are overwritten for the case, in which the predetermined event does not occur within the predetermined time window; for the case, in which the predetermined event occurs within the predetermined time window, both a first defined number of complex measurement signals, which were ascertained in time directly before the occurrence of the event, are frozen, as well as a second defined number of complex measurement signals, which were ascertained in time directly after the occurrence of the predetermined event, are stored.

In connection with the invention, a complex measurement signal is understood to be composed of a number of individual measurements following one another in time. Concretely, a complex measurement signal is, for example, an echo curve, an envelope curve or spectral values. Echo curves or envelope curves are used for determining or monitoring the fill level of a fill substance in a container by using a travel time method. A spectrum or spectral values, which compose a spectrum, generally serve for the analysis of the composition of a medium. Field devices serving to register and/or influence process variables are often applied in process automation technology as well as in manufacturing automation technology. Measuring devices such as, for example, fill level measuring devices, flow measuring devices, pressure and temperature measuring devices, pH measuring devices, conductivity measuring devices, etc. are applied to register process variables and ascertain the corresponding process variables fill level, flow, pressure, temperature, pH value, and conductivity, respectively. For influencing process variables, actuators, such as valves or pumps, are used, via which e.g. the flow of a liquid in a pipeline or the fill level of a medium in a container is changed. All types of measuring devices and actuators are subsumed under the term 'field devices' used in connection with the invention. In relation to the invention in general it can be said that all devices, which are applied near to the process and deliver or process process-relevant information, are referred to as field devices. In addition to the measuring devices/sensors and actuators named above, units, which are connected directly to a fieldbus and serve for communication with a superordinated unit, such as e.g. remote I/Os, gateways, linking devices and wireless adapters or radio adapters, are also generally referred to as field devices. The Endress+Hauser Group provides a large number of such field devices.
If problems temporarily occur in a field device or in the process, in which the field device is applied, then it is important for service personnel to have measuring signals, which were ascertained during the problem, available, since the measuring signals can possibly include information concerning the irregularities. A diagnostic system for a field device in a process control system is described in U.S. Pat No. 7,516,043 B2, wherein a sensor is connected to a process control apparatus. Furthermore, a computing unit is provided, to which the data of the sensor are fed and which monitors the occurrence of a predetermined event in the process. If there is an event, the data before the occurrence of the event and after the occurrence of the event are stored in a memory unit for a predetermined time span.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,516,043 B2, one dimensional measured values, such as pressure measurement values, are stored. Such a procedure is not applicable in a fill level measurement, which is based on the travel time principle, or in a spectral analysis. U.S. Pat. No. 7,516,043 B2 presents no solution for having information concerning the functional ability of the corresponding field device available, even at a still later point in time.

Method for monitoring the functioning of a field device


A differential signal detecting device includes a secondary amplifier; a front-end receiver and a final amplifier which are respectively connected to the secondary amplifier; and a signal outputter which is connected to the final amplifier. The front-end receiver receives two externally inputted channels of differential signals and an externally inputted reference threshold voltage, differentiates and transduces the two channels of differential signals. The secondary amplifier receives and amplifies the signals which are outputted by the front-end receiver, and outputs the signals amplified again. The final amplifier differentiates and amplifies the signals outputted by the secondary amplifier and outputs the two channels of differentiated signals. The signal outputter receives the two channels of differentiated signals which are outputted by the final amplifier and processes the two channels of differentiated signals with a logical conjunction before outputting.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a field of signal detection, and more particularly to a differential signal detecting device.
2. Description of Related Arts
The differential signal detecting devices are for detecting the differential signals. As is known to the ones skilled in the art, the physically connected devices of the differential signal detecting device may introduce the noises, which is inimical to the signal receivers. Usually, in order to filter the noises, it is necessary to process the differential signals with a threshold detection, i.e., only the differential signals whose amplitudes surpass the preset threshold value are recognized as valid and then normally received; the differential signals whose amplitudes is lower than the preset threshold value are recognized as invalid and then rejected by the receiver.
According to the prior arts, the differential signal detecting device is unable to highly precisely detect the amplitude of the high-speed differential signals whose frequencies are over gigahertz and thus is unable to satisfy the requirements of the high precision and the high speed simultaneously. It is quite common to sacrifice the detection precision to satisfy the requirement of the high speed.
Thus it is necessary to provide a differential signal detecting device which overcomes the above disadvantages.

IPGoal Microelectronics (Sichuan) Co., Ltd.


A silver-based powder is surface-treated with an oxidation inhibitor by means of a mechanochemical reaction. A method of preparation of the silver-based powder includes using an organic solution of the oxidation inhibitor as a lubricating agent, applying mechanical energy to the silver-based powder, and subjecting the silver-based powder to surface treatment with said oxidation inhibitor by means of a mechanochemical reaction.

It has been shown in Japanese Official Patent Publications (hereinafter referred to as Kokoku) No. S62-53033, No. S62-53034, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publications (hereinafter referred to as Kokai) No. S58-103565, No. S58-103566, Kokoku No. S62-53035, and Kokai S58-104970 that coating of the surface of a silver-alloy powder with benzotriazole improves migration-resistant properties. However, when the silver powder surface-coated with benzotriazole or a commonly available silver powder is compounded with a curable organic resin composition, the powder impairs curability of the composition in storage.
Silver powders are used with curable silicone compositions as electrically conductive and thermally conductive fillers that improve electrical and thermal conductivity of the compositions. However, the surfaces of commonly available silver powders normally contain some residual lubricants used in the manufacturing process, such as higher fatty acids, metal soaps, higher aliphatic alcohols or their esters, higher aliphatic amines, higher aliphatic amides, polyethylene waxes, etc. The presence of these residuals on the surfaces of the fillers significantly impairs curability of the curable silicone compositions during storage and some time later may lead to complete loss of curability.
Kokai No. H7-109501, Kokai No. H7-150048, and Kokai No. H8-302196 contain some proposals aimed at a solution of problems associated with the use of a silver powder surface-treated with an organosilicon compound and of a curable silicone composition compounded with a silver powder. However, the aforementioned proposals still appeared to be insufficient for restricting the decrease of curability in storage of the aforementioned curable silicone compositions.
It is an object of this invention to provide: a silver-based powder that, when compounded with a curable organic resin composition, does not decrease curability of the composition in storage; a method for preparation of the silver-based powder with high efficiency; and a curable silicone composition that is characterized by reduced changes in curability over time during storage and by an ability to be cured into a cured product with electrical properties that have minimal changes over time.

Silver-based powder, method of preparation thereof, and curable silicone composition


The invention concerns a gradient system of a magnetic resonance apparatus comprising an additional, rigidly mechanically coupled highly conductive shielding cylinder which dampens excitation of mechanical vibrations of the apparatus during gradient switching.

This application claims Paris Convention priority of DE 199 47 539.3 filed Oct. 2, 1999 the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The invention concerns a gradient coil arrangement for a magnetic resonance apparatus comprising a main field magnet system having a pipe-shaped opening for receiving the object to be examined, a gradient coil system located in said opening, and a pipe-shaped shielding cylinder surrounding the gradient coil system, being surrounded by the main field magnet system, and having a large electrical conductive value. The electrical conductive value is defined as the product between the electric conductivity and the wall thickness of the cylinder.
An arrangement of this type is disclosed in DE 39 00 725 A1. The main field magnet system described therein comprises a superconducting cylindrically-symmetric main field coil cooled to the boiling temperature of liquid helium. It is installed in a helium tank containing liquid helium consisting in general of non-magnetic stainless steel, and has the shape of a hollow cylinder. The tank is surrounded by at least one cooled radiation shield which consists in general of sheet metal having a large electric conductivity, e.g. aluminium, but can also consist of non-magnetic steel with poor electric conductivity. The helium tank and also the radiation shields are installed in the outer vacuum case - a metallic, evacuated outer shell having a pipe-shaped axial opening. The outer vacuum case forms, together with the installed radiation shields and tanks, the cryostat of the magnet system. The superconducting main field coil has an optimized geometric design such that the main field coil generates a homogeneous magnetic field Bz in an approximately spherical examination volume about the geometric center of the opening in the direction of the axis of the room temperature pipe (z axis) which is suitable for magnetic resonance examinations. The diameter of the examination volume is generally approximately half the size of the diameter of the room temperature pipe. The relative deviations of the magnetic field from its average value are frequently only a few ppm (parts per million) in the examination volume, e.g.  less than 10 ppm. The pipe-shaped gradient system is located in the room temperature bore of the cryostat which also surrounds the examination volume. The gradient system contains, in general, three gradient coils to which temporally varying electric currents can be fed for generating corresponding temporally varying magnetic gradient fields, dBz/dz, dBz/dy and dBz/dx in the examination volume. X and y are thereby perpendicular to each other and to the z axis. The electric currents are generally switched on and off in the gradient coils to thereby switch the associated gradient coils on and off within a few 100 microseconds. The gradient coils are generally rigidly mechanically connected to a supporting structure, e.g. a supporting pipe.
Gradient coils of older design generate magnetic stray fields in the area of the metallic radiation shields of the cryostat of the main field magnet. Subsequently, during switching of the currents in the gradient coils, temporally varying eddy currents are induced in the metallic structures whose magnetic fields are superimposed on the magnetic field of the gradients as undesired temporal and spatial disturbances. Gradient coils of newer design, e.g. according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,135 are actively shielded and only generate very small stray fields in the area of the main field magnet and its metal structure to considerably reduce this problem. With these coils, one radially inner gradient coil is basically surrounded by an encasing radially outer shielding coil through which the same current flows and whose conductor paths are disposed such that the entire field of this arrangement theoretically or approximately vanishes in the volume radially out side of the shielding coil.
When calculating the optimum geometric course of the conductor paths of an active shielding coil, one generally tries to approximate the path of the electric current density in a layered xe2x80x9cidealxe2x80x9d shielding. A theoretically ideal shielding in this sense is an infinitely long shielding cylinder with infinitely large electric conductivity which surrounds the gradient coil at a certain radial separation. During charging of a gradient coil, an electric current density distribution is induced in this shielding cylinder which completely compensates for the magnetic field of the gradient coil in the entire volume outside of the shielding cylinder, i.e. in the area of the cryostat and the main field coil. The same current density distribution is also given in a shielding cylinder having finite conductivity, if the gradient coil is operated with alternating current for the limiting case of infinitely large frequencies. To obtain ideal shielding, the shielding cylinder must not be a circular cylinder. Any structure is suitable which divides the volume into two completely separate half-volumes, an inner and an outer half-volume, wherein the gradient coil is located in the inner half-volume. There are no fields present in the outer half-volume. Examples thereof are elliptic shielding cylinders or also dented pipes. Since the axial length of the gradient coils is limited, such an xe2x80x9cidealxe2x80x9d shielding cylinder does not have to be infinitely long but only slightly longer than the gradient coil. The publication Sh. Shvartsman, R. Brown, H. Fujita, M. Morich, L. Petropoulos, J. Willig, xe2x80x9cA New Supershielding Method Applied to the Design of Gradient Coilsxe2x80x9d, Proceedings ISMRM 1999, Philadelphia, US describes gradient coils with which an ideally functioning shielding cylinder can have a finite, relatively small length.
The infinitely large electric conductivity can indeed only be realized with superconducting materials which must currently, even for the case of high temperature superconductors, be cooled to temperatures of less than 100 K and, as described e.g. in DE 39 00 725 A1 , are mounted to or in the helium tank. In the case of high temperature superconductors, such a shielding cylinder can also be mounted on a radiation shield of the cryostat.
As mentioned above, one attempts, with actively shielded gradient coils, to approximate an ideal shielding cylinder or an inductively generated current density path through a conductor extending in windings and carrying the same current as the gradient coil. This conductor path is thereby generally produced by grooves milled or cut into a cylindrical copper pipe. This produces a very good, however, due to mechanical tolerances, nevertheless imperfect shielding effect, which is comparable to that of an ideal shielding cylinder. In addition to DE 39 00 725 A1, numerous other publications describe a shielding cylinder with large finite or infinitely large electrical conductive value, e.g. PCT application WO 99/28757 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,035. The shielding cylinder is always a component of the cryostat, mainly since shielding cylinders having the desired high conductive values are particularly easy to realize at the low temperatures within a cryostat or since it must be mechanically decoupled from the gradient coil system itself for fundamental reasons (e.g. WO 99/28757).
Switching of currents in the gradient coils in the strong magnetic field of the main field magnet creates Lorentz forces acting on the electric conductors of the gradient coil and on the radiation shields in the cryostat of the main field magnet through which eddy currents flow. The sum of the Lorentz forces acting on all electric conductors of a gradient coil can be, depending on the detailed geometric design of the gradient coil, translational or rotational. Often, the translational and rotational forces acting on the supporting structure of the gradient coil vanish due to their symmetry. In this case, only xe2x80x9cinternal forcesxe2x80x9d occur which neither displace nor turn but deform the supporting structure.
Translational and rotational forces acting on the gradient system act in an inverse direction on the main field magnet (action=reaction). Since actively shielded gradient coils theoretically do not generate a stray field outside of the shielding coil, these coils cannot exert any force on the main field magnet. Consequently (action=reaction), the sum of all translational and rotational forces which the main field magnet exerts on the gradient coil and its supporting structure also vanishes. Irrespective thereof, Lorentz forces act on each conductor element of such a gradient coil. These forces, however, can merely mechanically deform the supporting structure and not displace or turn it.
The x- or y- head gradient coil known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,148 is an example of a gradient coil, wherein, in the absence of active shielding, particularly strong rotational forces or torques become effective. Without shielding, such coils have the tendency to rotate through 90xc2x0. With actively shielded coils of this type, the torque vanishes for the reason mentioned, i.e. the torques acting on the gradient coil and the shielding coil are opposite and equal. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,148, it is therefore important that both coils are rigidly mechanically connected, e.g. cast together with glass fiber-reinforced plastic resin.
If such a gradient coil is not actively shielded such as e.g. in the preferred embodiment known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,442, eddy current distributions of a similar geometry are also induced in the radiation shields of the cryostat during gradient switching, such that considerable torques also act on the radiation shields. In a realistic, actively shielded head gradient coil, the remaining torques and forces acting on the gradient coil and also on the radiation shields and on the main field magnet are indeed minimal, however, they do not completely disappear due to mechanical tolerances of the shielding coil.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,085 discloses a compact shield gradient coil system having a first set of gradient coils surrounded by a conducting shield. A second set of gradient coils is provided around the outside of the conducting shield. The first and second set of gradient coils and the conducting shield produce a linear gradient field inside the imaging volume and protect the imaging volume from interference, such as eddy current interference. However, a careful analysis of this arrangement shows that the conducting shield between the two sets of coils generates large temporal disturbances of the magnetic field due to eddy currents, itself and, furthermore, does not prevent the generation of eddy currents in the metallic components of the cryostat.
The present invention is directed towards solving the following problem. During gradient switching, e.g. with the head gradient coil, force impulses and torque impulses of small strength are generated in the gradient system itself and also in the radiation shields of the cryostat and in the main field coil due to imperfect active shielding which lead to mechanical vibrations of these components. The frequencies of such vibrations lie in a range above 50 Hz in a mechanically well-supported magnet system. If e.g. a metallic radiation shield vibrates mechanically in the strong background field of the main field magnet, secondary eddy currents are thereby induced in the radiation shield which, on the one hand, dampen the mechanical vibrations and on the other hand cause further small oscillatory disturbances of the magnetic field which can lead to reduced performance in magnetic resonance apparatus having high performance requirements.
It is the object of the present invention to present a gradient coil arrangement for a magnetic resonance apparatus having better shielding than conventional arrangements which does not cause any or which considerably reduces mechanical vibration of components of the arrangement.
The object is achieved in that the pipe-shaped shielding cylinder surrounding the gradient system and having a high electrical conductive value is rigidly mechanically connected with the gradient coil system and is preferably an integral mechanical component of the gradient system.
In this fashion, all high frequency parts of the magnetic field of a gradient coil are perfectly shielded during switching of the gradient current for both actively shielded and unshielded gradient coils and the transition from this perfect shielding effect to the actual shielding effect of an actively shielded gradient systemxe2x80x94or to the state of completely non-existing shielding in case of non-actively shielded gradient coilsxe2x80x94is gradual. Consequently, the introduction of all forces and torques into the entire gradient system mechanically containing the cylinder, into the radiation shields, and into the main field magnet is correspondingly slow. This prevents excitation of high-frequency mechanical vibrations of these components which lead to oscillatory magnetic field disturbances.
The shielding effect of such a system is perfect for highfrequency changes in the gradient strength, in dependent of whether the shielding cylinder has a perfect geometric construct i on. The actual electrical conductive values for such shielding cylinders made from copper or aluminium, at room temperature, are considerably smaller than those which can be realized with pure metals or superconducting materials within a cryostat but generally large enough to prevent or considerably reduce excitation of mechanical vibrations during gradient switching.
In a preferred embodiment, the various partial coils of the gradient coil and the shielding cylinder are cast together with a rigid and hardened casting compound to form one single mechanical unit. This provides particularly good mechanical connection between the shielding cylinder and the gradient system.
In a further preferred embodiment, the casting compound is a hardened plastic resin reinforced with glass fibers or carbon fibers. This effects a particularly hard mechanical connection between the shielding cylinder and the gradient coil using well tested technology.
In a preferred embodiment, the shielding cylinder is made from copper or aluminium. These materials are inexpensive and have a particularly large electric conductivity at room temperature which allows realization of relatively large electrical conductive values with relatively small wall thicknesses of the shielding cylinder.
In a preferred embodiment, the product of cylinder radius of the shielding cylinder and its electrical conductive value is at least 20000 Siemens m thereby exciting only highly weakened mechanical vibrations during gradient switching above a relatively low limiting frequency of 10 Hz. When copper having an electric conductivity of 5.8 * 107 Siemens/m and a cylinder radius of 0.3 m is used, the wall thickness of the shielding cylinder must only be approximately 1.15 mm.
In a further preferred embodiment, the product of the cylinder radius of the shielding cylinder and its electrical conductive value is at least 40000 Siemens m. In this case, only highly weakened mechanical vibrations are excited during gradient switching above a still smaller limiting frequency of 5 Hz. When using copper having an electric conductivity of 5.8*107 Siemens/m and a cylinder radius of 0.3 m, the wall thickness of the shielding cylinder must be approximately 2.3 mm.
In a preferred embodiment, those metallic pipe-shaped components of the cryostat which have a larger electrical conductive value than the shielding cylinder of the gradient arrangement have a diameter which is at least 10% larger than that of the shielding cylinder of the gradient arrangement. In this fashion, despite the generally relatively fast inductive coupling processes (see DE 39 00 725 A1) from the radially inner metal pipes to radially outer metal pipes, the coupling of eddy currents into the metal pipes of the cryostat is nevertheless effected at a sufficiently slow rate.
In an embodiment, the gradient coils are not actively shielded. In this unfavorable case, excitation of mechanical vibrations during gradient switching is strongly reduced with respect to conventional gradient systems.
In an alternative, preferred embodiment, the gradient coils are actively shielded. The eddy currents induced in the shielding cylinder during gradient switching are thereby very small. They merely compensate for errors in the shielding coils relative to an ideal shielding arrangement. In this embodiment, the magnetic field in the examination volume of the magnetic resonance apparatus caused by the eddy currents in the shielding coil is of very little strength and can be easily compensated for using the methods described in the publication P. Jehenson, M. Westphal, N. Schuff, Journal of Magnetic Resonance 90, pages 264-278 (1990).
In a preferred embodiment, the shielding cylinder is longer in the axial direction than the gradient and shielding coils of the gradient system. This produces a particularly good shielding effect. On the other hand, the elongated shielding cylinder does, in practice, not impair patient access to the examination volume, since it has a larger diameter than the patient opening in the gradient system.
In a particular embodiment, the shielding cylinder is a seamless metal pipe, wherein the above described ideal shielding cylinder is particularly well-realized.
In an alternative embodiment, the shielding cylinder consists of a metal foil wound in several layers about the gradient system. This is a particularly simple production method for the shielding cylinder which, due to the inductive coupling of the various layers with one another, does not lose its shielding effect even when the layers wound on top of one another have no electric contact. Inductive coupling of such a shielding body with the main field magnet is, however, low. This has the advantage that it is possible to install and remove gradient coils having such a shielding cylinder into and out of the magnet when the main field magnet is charged without excessively large magnetic forces. For the case of a seamless metal cylinder, this requires great effort due to the eddy currents induced in the metal cylinder during installation and removal and the forces acting thereon.
In a further alternative embodiment, the shielding cylinder consists of several separated sheets of metal with large overlapping areas. The advantages are similar to those of a shielding cylinder consisting of a metal foil wound in several layers.
In a preferred embodiment, the inner fixtures of the radiation shields and of the main field magnet within the cryostat and the fixtures of the gradient system to the cryostat are designed such that the mechanical resonance frequencies of the gradient coil and of the oscillating metal components within the cryostat are as high as possible and are above approximately 10 Hz. In this case, excitation of mechanical vibrations of these components is prevented particularly effectively during gradient switching. Further advantages can be extracted from the drawing and the description. The features mentioned above and below can be used in accordance with the invention either individually or collectively in any arbitrary combination. The embodiments shown and described are not to be understood as exhaustive enumeration but rather have exemplary character for describing the invention. It should be emphasized that the invention provides advantages not only in connection with superconducting main field magnets. In particular, actively shielded gradient arrangements of the type described herein exhibit nearly ideal behavior during switching processes having substantial frequency components sufficiently above a certain limiting frequency, irrespective of the magnet system type in which they are operated. The advantages of the invention are not necessarily limited to the reduction of mechanical vibrations. The ideal shielding effect of such a gradient arrangement at high switching frequencies offers further advantages for operation of such a system.
The invention is illustrated in the drawing and explained in more detail by means of embodiments.

Gradient coil arrangement comprising dampening of inner mechanical vibrations


An amorphous polyester resin of the invention is obtained by reaction between a polyester resin (A), obtained by reaction between a polyhydric alcohol component and a first poly-carboxylic acid component, either or both including a 3 or higher valent component, and having a weight-average molecular weight of 6,000 to 40,000 and a hydroxyl value of 15 to 70 mgKOH/g, and a second poly-carboxylic acid component (a), under conditions satisfying the following equations (1), (2) and (3), and the amorphous polyester resin satisfying the following equation (4).(AVB−AVA)/AVa=0.5-0.7  (1)MwB/MwA=1.1-2.0  (2)OHVB/AVB=1.0-6.0  (3)MwB/MnB=3.0-15.0  (4)

In recent years, with the development of OA appliances and the increasingly widespread use of computers, it is becoming common for ordinary households, personal offices and office units to carry out high-resolution commercial printing such as high-resolution color photograph printing, posters, pamphlets and the like, which conventionally had been done in specialized printing works, and demand is increasing for higher-quality and higher-speed printing techniques.
Such printing techniques that are employed include printing techniques based on electrostatic charge image development, such as electrophotographic methods, electrostatic recording methods and electrostatic printing methods. Generally speaking, fixed images are formed through a plurality of steps in which a photoconductive substance is used to form an electrostatic charge image on a photosensitive body by various means, the electrostatic charge image is then developed with toner, and the toner image is transferred to a print medium such as paper and heated and pressed with a roller to fix the image. The toner remaining on the photosensitive body is cleaned off if necessary by any of various methods and the aforementioned plurality of steps are repeated to accomplish printing.
Recently in the field of electrophotography, there is ever increasing demand not only for higher speed and higher reliability of devices but also for high image quality and color tone for copies that are equivalent to those of printed matter, and there is a need for toner having a high hot offset-generating temperature (excellent hot offset resistance) and excellent image gloss properties (gloss), in order to satisfy such demand. With the increasing importance of energy savings in recent years, it has become a major goal to reduce power consumption in the fixing step, which requires the highest electric power consumption during the electrophotography process. Therefore, toners with low fixing temperatures, i.e. toners with excellent low-temperature fixing properties, are desired.
In the past, polyester resins have been used as binders to improve the low-temperature fixing properties of toners (see Patent documents 1 and 2). Also, binder resins comprising crystalline polyesters and amorphous polyesters have been proposed with the aim of obtaining an excellent low-temperature fixing property (see Patent document 3). In addition, in order to ensure OHP translucency, fixing properties and offset resistance, there has been disclosed an image-fixing method employing color toner comprising, as the binder component, a resin having a number-average molecular weight Mn of 1,000 to 4,000, and a weight-average molecular weight Mw and number-average molecular weight Mn ratio, Mw/Mn, of 45 or greater, as measured by gel permeation chromatography (hereunder, GPC) (see Patent document 4).
On the other hand, as the particle diameter of toner continues to decrease with advancing high image quality, blocking during toner storage has become a problem. With toner having a low fixing temperature, a greater disadvantage is presented in terms of blocking resistance. Research has long been conducted on toner for electrostatic image development exhibiting excellent hot storage properties. For example, for production of chemical toner suited for small toner particle diameters, there has been disclosed a method for producing toner by subjecting an amorphous polyester resin and a crystalline polyester resin dissolved in an organic solvent to phase inversion emulsification in an aqueous medium, and aggregating and coalescing the obtained resin particle dispersion (see Patent document 5).

Non-crystalline polyester resin, and binder resin and binder resin dispersion for toner


In a plasma display device having a reduced discharge-current-induced voltage fluctuation and an expanded drive margin and being successful in preventing the display characteristics from being degraded, a Y-electrode drive circuit and an X-electrode drive circuit for supplying a drive voltage to the capacitance which represents a display cell are configured using parallel circuits in which first switching elements having a high-speed-switching performance and second switching elements having a low-saturation-voltage performance are connected in parallel, so that the second switching elements having the low-saturation-voltage performance are turned on at least during a period that discharge current flows therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional plasma display devices, power MOSFET (Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) has been a most general output element for their sustain circuits. In contrast to this, some of recent sustain circuits of the plasma display devices phase into use of IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) having both of input characteristic, which is an advantage of power MOSFET, and low-saturation voltage characteristic, which is an advantage of bipolar transistor, with a shortened turn-off time (for example, see Patent Document. 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-330514)).
Another proposal is made on an IGBT-incorporated driver IC for driving the plasma displays in which a power MOSFET and an IGBT are connected in a form of totem pole connection (for example, see Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 8-4605.3)).
The IGBT, characterized by its conductivity modification effect just like bipolar transistors, can lower the saturation voltage under current supply. The IGBT can thus realize a basic operation as an output device of the sustain circuit of the plasma display devices through reduction in the turn-off time. The IGBTs currently commercialized are certainly reduced in the turn-off time as compared with the conventional ones, but are still inferior to the power MOSFET because they are longer both in the turn-on time and turn-off time, and are thus disadvantageous in the switching loss.
In consideration of the above situation, a proposal has been made on an inverter for air conditioners, which comprises a power MOSFET which is brought into a conduction state when applied with a first drive voltage, and an IGBT which is brought into a conduction state when applied with a second drive voltage having a different level from that of the first drive voltage, where the power MOSFET and the IGBT are connected in parallel with respect to current supplied to a load (for example, see Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-16486)). In the above-described inverter for air conditioners, the first drive voltage, which drives the power MOSFET only, is applied to the gate electrode when the current to be supplied to the load is relatively small, whereas the second drive voltage, which drives mainly the IGBT and is larger than the first drive voltage is applied to the gate electrode when the current to be supplied to the load is relatively large.
In the technology disclosed in the Patent Document 3, both of the power. MOSFET and IGBT are driven during a large-current driving (start-up) of the inverter for air conditioners or the like. Whereas during a small-current driving (stationary driving) of the inverter for air conditioners or the like, the IGBT is turned off, and only the power MOSFET is driven so as to reduce the power loss during the stationary driving.
The circuit disclosed in the Patent Document 3 applied to the plasma display devices operates during the stationary driving so as to turn off the IGBT and activate only the power MOSFET, so that it can ensure only a small drive margin as being affected by voltage fluctuation due to discharge current. This may consequently result in degradation in the display characteristics which is typified by generation of noise or flicker. In particular the plasma display devices having a screen size of typically 42 inches or larger tend to suffer from a large voltage fluctuation ascribable to the discharge current, and are highly causative of degradation in the display characteristics.


An injection system designed to deliver a chemical solution into a reactor through feedwater system taps during normal operating condition of a power reactor is disclosed. The process of delivery is via positive displacement pumps. Injection of chemical is in a concentrated solution form, which is internally diluted by the system prior to discharging from the skid. The injection system minimizes chemical loss due to deposition on the transit line, enables a higher concentrated solution to be used as the injectant, eliminates the time consuming laborious process of chemical dilution, raises chemical solution to the pressure required for injection, prevents solid precipitations out of solution at the injection pump head through the use of a flush solution, and deposits fresh chemical on new crack surfaces that develop during a power reactor start-up, shutdown and operation.

It is known to use noble metal chemicals in conjunction with hydrogen gas injection to mitigate intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) in nuclear power reactors. As a catalyst, noble metal solution is injected into a reactor to assist in the recombination of oxygen and hydrogen. Delivery of noble metals for power reactors is typically done during hot standby, mode 3. No power is generated during this mode when the noble metal is being injected, resulting in a substantial loss of expensive critical path time.
In addition, during the startup period of a power reactor, hydrogen cannot be injected with the current system configuration. Under the normal water chemistry conditions, an insufficient concentration of hydrogen is available to recombine with radiolytic oxygen. As a consequence, any existing crack will propagate, leading to a portion of the crack that is not treated with noble metal, and hence not mitigated against IGSCC. The on-line injection system of the present invention solves this problem by providing the ability to inject a chemical solution after reactor startup to treat the reactor internals.
Several attempts were made in the chemical delivery process to a power reactor during normal operation. Although each attempt was relatively successful in its outcome, there were major setbacks and improvements with each attempt.
Since main steam line radiation increase is a concern with injecting chemical solutions into the reactor, the injection amount used was very closely monitored with the process controller. The initial injection solution needed to be very dilute to minimize its effect on main steam. With a diluted solution, the storage tank was frequently depleted, requiring multiple labor intensive mixing processes to refill the storage tank. The dilution process was also required every time a concentration change is needed.
To avoid performing the cumbersome solution mixing process, a higher solution concentration was used. However, a higher concentration equates to an increase in the solution's aggressive characteristic, which may have adverse effects on the wetted components of the pump interior. Along with the harsh ambient temperature of 100+° F. in the reactor turbine building, the conventional off-the-shelf injection pumps (several manufacturer tested) failed within hours of operation.
Another concern with the delivery process is loss of chemical due to deposition in the transit line. A shorter residence time in the line would result in less chemical loss. With limited control over volume, boosting the volumetric discharge flowrate with a DI water stream decreased solution residence time in the transit line. This approach also allowed auto-dilution of the chemical, a new feature added to the injection skid.
The on-line injection system of the present invention overcomes the adversities described above to provide uninterrupted delivery of chemical solution into an operating power reactor.

Chemical injection system and chemical delivery process/method of injecting into an operating power reactor