Olefins are polymerized in the presence of catalysts prepared by combining a heat activated supported organophosphoryl chromium compound with an alkyl borane which has been pretreated with hydrogen.

Peters et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 2,892,826 describe the polymerization of olefins in the presence of diborane, other hydrides of boron, or lower boron alkyls adsorbed or absorbed on a group 5a oxide.
The use of chromium compounds in the polymerization of olefins is also well-known. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,825,721 and 2,951,816 teach the use of CrO.sub.3 supported on an inorganic material such as silica, alumina or combinations of silica and alumina, and activated by heating in reducing atmospheres, to polymerize olefins. When, however, a catalyst system of this type is used in techniques such as the well-known particle-form process, the resins produced, while useful in many applications, are unsatisfactory for others because of a deficiency in certain properties such as melt index.
Attempts to improve the properties of polyolefins produced using supported, heat-activated chromium oxide catalysts have been made by adding various compounds to the supported chromium oxide prior to the heat activation thereof. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,428 discloses adding boranes or alkyl-substituted boranes to such a catalyst, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,011 refers to the use of alkyl esters of boron.
It is also known to utilize other chromium compounds as catalysts for the polymerization of olefins. Such compounds include various silyl chromate and polyalicyclic chromate esters as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,324,095; 3,324,101; 3,642,749; and 3,704,287. The use of phosphorus-containing chromate esters in olefin polymerization catalysts has also been disclosed in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,287; and in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,474,080 and 3,985,676. Other such catalysts are described in copending and commonly assigned application Ser. No. 759,213 filed Jan. 13, 1977 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,104. Copending and commonly assigned application Ser. No. 693,803 of Rekers now U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,340 claims catalysts comprising reaction products of chromium trioxide and an organoborate compound such as triethyl borate.
Certain of these catalytic materials may be employed in Ziegler-type coordination catalyst systems, or in supported form, alone or in conjunction with metallic or organometallic reducing agents such as, for example, trialkyl aluminum compounds or alkyl boranes. Catalyst systems incorporating supported chromium compound catalysts and organometallic reducing agents, particularly organoaluminum compounds, are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,324,101; 3,642,749; 3,704,287; 3,806,500; 3,985,676; and 4,100,104.
It has also been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,984,351 and 4,049,896, owned by the assignee of the present invention, that the properties of olefin polymers, e.g., melt indexes, may be substantially improved by the use of a catalyst prepared by depositing chromium and aluminum compounds on an inorganic support material and heat-activating the supported composition in a non-reducing, preferably oxygen-containing atmosphere, at a temperature of from about 300.degree. C. (572.degree. F.) up to the decomposition temperature of the support. The resulting material, as preferably combined with a metallic and/or non-metallic reducing agent, e.g., a trialkyl borane, provides a catalyst system capable of producing polymers having improved flow properties and shear responses in addition to increased melt indexes.
It is among the objects of the present invention to provide yet a further improved technique for preparing catalytic materials, especially olefin polymerization catalysts, and a polymerization process utilizing the same which results in the formation of polymers having increased melt indexes, and improved flow properties, shear response and other desired characteristics.

Process for polymerizing olefins and polymerization catalysts used therefor


A light measuring apparatus comprising a photoelectric element exposed to incident light and coupled to a plurality of parallel-connected capacitors which integrate the photoelectric current output from the element. Control means successively switch each of the capacitors in parallel as the photoelectric current charges a first previously switched capacitors in accordance with the voltage integrated on the capacitors as sensed by a comparator. After a predetermined time, the parallel charged capacitors are discharged through a constant current source, with the discharge time being digitally monitored to produce a digital output proportional to the incident light level.

The present invention relates to a light measuring system useful in determining the proper exposure in a photographic device such as a camera, a printer of photographic papers and the like or useful in measuring the average intensity of light incident to a device in which the light is utilized for the operation thereof.
Heretofore, a number of light measuring systems have been developed. However, almost all such systems incorporate analogue circuits therein so that the accuracy in the measurement of light, the range of the measurement of various intensity of the light, the capability of adjustment in various operations of the device and operational functions are insufficient and render the constructions to be complicated and expensive when the performance of the device is to be improved.
Further, in the prior art light measuring system, a single capacitor is usually used for charging or discharging the electric charge charged therein by a current from a photoelectric element which receives the light so as to generate the current indicative of the intensity thereof in order to measure the intensity of the light. In such a system, the accuracy of the measurement is deteriorated if the intensity of the light is low with respect to the capacity of the capacitor, while the accurate measurement of a high intensity of the light is made impossible if a capacitor used is of a small capacity because of the saturation of the charged voltage.
In order to broaden the range of measurement of the light having widely variable intensity, methods for performing logarithmic compression and expansion of the intensity of light have also been proposed. However, such logarithmic compression and expansion methods for measuring the intensity of light have led to deterioration in the accuracy of the measurement.
The present invention aims at avoiding the above described disadvantages of the prior art light measuring systems.


A centrifugal device for pumping and heating fluids is described. The centrifugal device includes a cylindrical rotor positioned in a cylindrical cavity. The rotor rotates within the cavity and includes bores equally spaced and arranged on the front surface of the rotor according to a predetermined pattern. When a fluid is directed through the device, the fluid is subjected to vortex formation to produce fluid heating.

The present invention relates to devices or apparatus which are used to heat fluids and, more particularly, the present invention relates to a centrifugal device for pumping and heating fluids including a cylindrical rotor featuring a number of bores arranged in a certain pattern where fluid is subjected to relative motion thereby producing fluid heating.
The prior art designs of known devices such as stirrers, rotors and scrapers make use of the transfer of kinetic energy to a moving fluid by means of a rotary member. Such devices result in heat generation of a fluid which is due to phenomena, for example:
(1) A water hammer, which is a pressure increase in a pipe, caused by a sudden change in fluid rate or by holding up fluid in the flow;
(2) A shockwave, which refers to a completely developed compressional wave of great amplitude, through which density, pressure and rate of the particles drastically change; or
(3) A fluid friction, wherein the fluid flow mechanical energy is converted into calorific energy.
In order to provide heat generation in the fluid, the prior art devices are necessarily mechanically complex devices which require extensive maintenance and servicing due to wear. One example of such a device is U.S. Pat. No. 3,198,191, issued to Wyszormirski, where rotary vanes drive the liquid against cavities in the casing of the housing. The resultant stirring and friction cause the fluid to be heated. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,639 issued to Frenette, a rotary rotor and a casing are described, which structure friction heats the lubricant. Also, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,483,277 and 4,501,231 issued to Perkins, the same principle of a rotary rotor is used for generating heat by friction. Also, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,575 issued to Perkins, rotary rotors are described having fluid inlets in the center thereof with nearly radial bores extending to the surface thereof, wherein the restriction bores produce heating of the fluid by way of friction.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,769 issued to Poppe, a rotary rotor is described having nearly radial bores for causing friction through outlet restrictions. The liquid is driven by a centrifugal force to produce heating of the liquid. Also, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,090 issued to Griggs, a rotary cylindrical rotor featuring surface bores produces turbulence within the casing cavity. The bores cause shockwaves and the fluid completes a cavitation process or the formation of bores or cavities in a liquid. Usually, the prior art devices require assistance, which means that the fluid to be processed is required to have a certain inflow pressure. Additionally, such prior art devices generally do not increase the fluid outflow pressure.
In the development of the present invention, between the rotor and the casing there is a typical Taylor-Couette fluid flow created. This flow has been the subject matter of several studies related to the development of normal instability due to turbulence when a fluid rate increases excessively due to an increase in the peripheral speed of the rotor. When the rise in the Reynolds number exceeds a critical value, instability of the fluid occurs.
It is an object of the present invention to provide conditions and structure for developing fluid internal friction, without exceeding a laminar boundary of the fluid.
It is another object of the present invention to improve upon such prior art devices, which results in a constant rotary movement that creates internal friction and a centrifugal force in the liquid based upon the rotary speed of the device. The higher the rotary speed of the device, the higher the temperature and the centrifugal force. Such conventional treatments have a drawback arising from the fact that when rotary movement is created in a liquid, there is a rate limit that may be reached before the fluid is inevitably exposed to an instability created by vortex formation. As the rotary force increases, the vortexes (unipole, bipole, tripole) finally destabilize the fluid thereby resulting in a limited temperature and a limited fluid pressure.
To overcome the drawbacks of the prior art structures, in the present invention there is a proposed rotor design, which is preferably a flattened, cylindrically shaped rotor featuring front bores with an optional cluster of bores on the cylindrical peripheral wall. The fluid flow is maintained within the laminar boundary before flowing into the instability of the Taylor-Couette flow, which is due to a rise in the fluid rate and a rise in the peripheral speed of the rotor.
The device, in accordance with the present invention, comprises a housing having a fixed casing surrounding an inner cavity. Positioned within the inner cavity is a cylindrical rotary rotor or member structurally arranged to rotate therein. On the rotor""s front rotor""s face, opposite the fluid inlet, the rotor facing features a number of identical hollows, recesses, irregularities or bores symetrically positioned thereon. It is preferred that five recesses in a regular pentagonal pattern be positioned on the rotor""s front face. These recesses may be complemented by a cluster of bores or recesses, preferably three in each cluster on the cylindrical peripheral wall of the rotor.
Accordingly, in accordance with the present invention, the critical value of the Reynolds number is higher than those achieved in prior art devices. Thus, the device of the present invention may be smaller in size than the prior art devices. With the present design, the device achieves higher heating temperatures as well as a higher centrifugal force.

Centrifugal device for heating and pumping fluids


Architecture that comprises a mediation component which identifies engaged applications and, gathers and actively monitors information from the engaged applications (e.g., text displayed directly to the user, text embedded in photos, fingerprint of songs, etc.) to infer the working context of a user. The inferred context can then be handed over to one of the applications, such as a browser (in a form which does not cross the privacy barrier) to provide improved ranking for the suggested queries through the preferred search provider. Since the context is inferred into concepts, no PII (personally-identifiable information) is communicated without user consent—only very high-level contextual concepts are provided to the search engines.

Efficiency in task completion is measured through how much time it takes for a user to complete their task. One major contributor to task completion is query formulation. The less time the user has to spend typing a query, looking over results, and then refining subsequent queries just to find the ideal result, the better. One such extreme case is an intelligent personal voice recognition assistant where the user no longer has to type a query on a small touch keyboard, but simply to speak the query. However, speech is not always a preferred way to input text due to various reasons (e.g., privacy).
People use multiple desktop applications in order to complete a single task. For example, if a user is researching the topic of "dancing" for school, the user will use a first application to write things down as well as a second application such as a browser, to search different styles of dancing. However, in existing systems, the two applications are completely disconnected from each other. The first application does not provide the browser implicit hints as to what the user might be seeking when there is a switch from the first application to the second application. The user perceives tasks in the totality. However, since applications are typically disconnected, and not mediated in any way by the operating system (OS), the computing system has no idea as to the overall goal of the user.


A novel composite diamond film comprising of a relatively thick layer of UNCD (Ultrananocrystalline Diamond) with a Young's modulus of less than 900 GPa and a relatively thin MCD (microcrystalline diamond) outermost layer with a Young's modulus of greater than 900 GPa, has been shown to exhibit superior delamination resistance under extreme shear stress. It is hypothesized that this improvement is due to a combination of stress relief by the composite film with a slightly “softer” UNCD layer, a disruption of the fracture mechanism through the composite layer(s), and the near ideal chemical and thermal expansion coefficient match between the two diamond layers. The combination of a thick but “softer” underlying UNCD layer with a thin but harder overlying MCD layer provides an excellent compromise between the low deposition cost and smoothness of UNCD with the extreme hardness and unparalleled chemical, electrochemical and immunological inertness of even a thin layer of MCD. The MCD layer's roughness is minimized and its adhesion maximized by the use of a thin layer of MCD and its deposition on the smooth surface of the chemically nearly identical underlying UNCD layer. The composite film can be applied to any application currently utilizing a diamond or a similar hard film, including cutting tools, abrasive surfaces, electrochemistry, biomedical applications such as human implants or thermally conductive films and the like, requiring superior durability, chemical resistance and/or immunological inertness.

The synthesis of diamond materials is inherently expensive, and the nature of the typical deposition technologies involved make it difficult to coat a given surface with diamond in a manner that is economically attractive while also maintaining high functionality. Also, there are many examples in which functionality can be achieved but the durability of the coating is so poor as to again undermine the commercial viability of the technology:
Wear resistant coatings—The diamond must survive high shear stresses without delaminating from the substrate, yet be both smooth (low friction) and hard (wear resistant) across a broad spectrum of harsh conditions (face pressures, media containing abrasive substances/chemicals/particles, etc.)
Electrochemical electrodes—In order to reduce cost and to improve compatibility with other materials, diamond coatings must typically be integrated with conducting metal substrates with much higher thermal expansion coefficients as compared to diamond, and also with characteristics generally unfavorable for the nucleation and adhesion of diamond to the substrates (i.e. not good carbide-forming materials). Also the films must be pin-hole free to avoid electrochemical reactions to occur at the diamond/substrate interface which also can lead to delamination of the film from the substrate. The diamond must be doped with boron or other dopant to make it conductive, and the surface of the diamond that will drive most of the electrochemical reactions, (for which diamond is attractive) must consist of a large sp3-bonded fraction. The surface of the diamond must not consist of large amounts of sp2-bonded (graphitically bonded) carbon that can reduce the over-potential for oxygen evolution in water-based reactions, or reduce the chemical inertness of the film that is important in all electrochemical applications, including those that occur in aqueous environments.
Biomedical Devices—Commonly used biomedical materials such as Ti-alloys, high-density graphite, and ferrous alloys present unique challenges for the initial nucleation of diamond in order to produce films that will survive for long periods of time, in the body, without the need for replacement. Again, the chemistry that optimizes the properties of the interface between the diamond and the substrate are usually not those that optimize the surface of the diamond for the applications. For hip/knee replacements the diamond must be bio-inert, bio-stable, and resistant to wear and fouling, as well as being smooth and free from surface features that would lead to excessive wear of the counterface material (such as, Ultra High Molecular Weight PolyEthylene—UHMWPE or Cobalt-Chrome alloys). Heart valves consisting of pyrolytic carbon coated with diamond also must be optimized in a similar manner, with the use of pre-processing and initial growth chemistries that promote enhanced chemical and mechanical adhesion to the substrate, but are then changed during the deposition process so that the terminal surface of the diamond coating is optimized to be anti-thrombogenic.
Biosensors—again the adhesion to the substrate is important, but the terminal surface must promote the attachment of targeted biomolecules typically used to impart bioselectivity to the surface. An example is the covalent attachment of antibodies specific to E coli. H157 for the detection of this weaponized pathogen.
MEMS devices & Diamond-based micro-machines—For diamond thin films to be optimized for these applications, the films must be deposited on substrates than can be etched away to fabricate suspended structures of diamond (micro-cantilevers, comb-structures, etc.), yet the overall film must have a net zero residual film stress. These films may also need to be post-polished to deliver near atomic smoothness so that subsequence layers of other thin film materials can be deposited onto them. Extreme adhesion is required between the diamond layer and the substrate to prevent delamination during polishing, other processing and during operation of such MEMS devices.
A common element for the development of thin diamond coatings that are technically and commercially successful is the need to develop a series of process steps that optimize two critical attributes: the diamond/substrate interface—achieved through a combination of choice of substrate, pre-processing of the substrate (e.g. by roughening the surface and "seeding" it with diamond particles of a particular size), and a choice of initial diamond growth chemistry to maximize the chemical and mechanical bonding of the diamond to the substrate and also the uniformity of the growth across the substrate, which can be relatively large in dimension in comparison to the thickness of the film.
The terminal diamond surface achieved by a combination of growth chemistry (different from that of the chemistry used during the initial nucleation and growth) and post-processing of the film (i.e. lapping, polishing, chemical functionalization to terminate the surface with chemical species to further optimize its functionality for different applications).
Central to the innovation described here is the concept of functional, commercially viable synthetic diamond films that optimize both the diamond/substrate interface and the terminal diamond surface to enhance their attractiveness for actual applications of interest. The use of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) tools such as hot-filament CVD, microwave plasma CVD, and other CVD tools, allows for the chemistry of the diamond film being deposited to be adjusted during the growth so as to overcome the issues described above. Pre- and post-processing must also be used in order to accomplish the objective.
Diamond is well known to be a hard material by those unskilled in the art. For those skilled in the art it is generally well known that the properties of diamond thin films grown using conventional chemical vapor deposition technologies can be adjusted and optimized for different applications. Choices of deposition chemistries can, for instance, dramatically change the optical transparency or thermal conductivity of the material. In most cases engineering of the film for a particular property, results in the diminishment of other important film properties. High thermal conductivity requires growth chemistries that yield larger diamond grains, which have an overall negative impact on the differential stress of the film and the cost as well, i.e. slower deposition rates. Fine grain diamond materials that are well suited to achieve superior film adhesion and lower film stress yield less favorable thermal conductivities and are also not as optically transparent. Films grown to be highly thermally conductive are less smooth and are less desirable for applications that require low friction and high wear resistance. Therefore, there is a need to develop a novel diamond film which can simultaneously deliver several of the required properties without an increase in deposition cost.

Extreme durability composite diamond film


A multiprocessor system includes a plurality of processors each of which selects one resource from a plurality of executable resources and processes the selected resource. A memory stores priority levels of the executable resources for each of the processors. A resource selector selects a resource to be processed by each of the processors from among the executable resources, on the basis of the priority levels stored in the memory. A resource is selected based on a highest priority level corresponding from among the executable resources. Executable resources are processes or pages of a memory.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system and method for managing resources such as processes or memories in a computer system containing resources and entities that operate the resources.
2. Description of the Related Art
The history of computer systems started with simple single processors and has been developing into small-scale multiprocessor systems containing several processors. The types of multiprocessor systems include the UMA (Uniform Memory Access) type where the access time required for each processor to access each memory is uniform, and the NORMA (No Remote Memory Access) type where each processor can access local memories only. For instance, a common memory multiprocessor system called "Dash" has been disclosed in an article titled "The Stanford Dash Multiprocessor," IEEE COMPUTER, March, 1992. Since conventional operating systems, particularly systems for managing resources such as processes or memories, have still been employing a resource management method using a simple single processor, they have the disadvantage of being unable to perform resource management efficiently on a multiprocessor system. Specifically, with a conventional multi-processor system composed of n processors, each process has the same priority when viewed from any processor. Consequently, each of the n processors attempts to carry out the same process. This permits a single process to be effected by more than one processor. However, because each processor has its own cache memory, each time the same process is executed by more than one processor, the contents of each cache memory must be copied back, which not only makes the processing complicated, but also fails to utilize the locality of each processor.


In an associative memory comprising a function to extend data width, for which match retrieval is to be conducted, up to a plurality of words, that is, a function to detect total match data when match is respectively detected for a plurality of continuous retrievals, power consumption can be reduced by making active only the necessary areas under the condition that the whole circuit is no longer required to be made active through execution of the current retrieval only to the blocks for which match is detected in the preceding retrieval during a plurality of continuous retrieving operations and/or its adjacent blocks.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an associative memory comprising a function to extend a width of data to be retrieved for match detection to a plurality of words, that is, a function to detect an integrated match condition in such a case that the match conditions are respectively detected during continual retrievals for several times.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An associative memory (Content Addressable Memory) which stores each digital data in each one of a plurality of arranged memory words and receives, as an input, a retrieval data in order to retrieve memory words which have stored digital data having bit patterns matched with the entire part of the inputted retrieval data or a predetermined part of the bit pattern has been proposed.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the circuit illustrating an example of the associative memory.
This associative memory 10 is provided with many memory words 11.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2, . . . 11.sub.-- n which are composed of memory cells of m bits which are arranged each other in the lateral direction of the figure to form one word. Moreover, this associative memory 10 is provided with a retrieval data register 12 to which a retrieval data of one word is inputted and latched. Thereby, matching or mismatching between the entire part of the retrieval data latched in the retrieval data register 12 or a predetermined part of the bit pattern and the bit pattern corresponding to such bit pattern among the storage data stored in the memory words 11.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2, . . . 11.sub.-- n is detected to output a coincident signal of logic "1" (assumed as 5 V, in this case) to the match lines 14.sub.-- 1, 14.sub.-- 2, . . . , 14.sub.-- n corresponding to the memory words 11.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2, . . . 11.sub.-- n of which bit patterns are matched among the match lines 14.sub.-- 1, 14.sub.-- 2, . . . , 14.sub.-- n provided corresponding to the respective memory words 11.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2, . . . 11.sub.-- n. The other match lines 14.sub.-- 1, 14.sub.-- 2, . . . , 14.sub.-- n are maintained at the logic "0" (assumed as 0 V, in this case).
The signals outputted to these match lines 14.sub.-- 1, 14.sub.-- 2, . . . , 14.sub.-- n are stored in each flag register 15.sub.-- 1, 15.sub.-- 2, . . . , 15.sub.-- n. Here, it is assumed, as an example, as illustrated in the figure, that "0", "1", "1", "0", . . . , "0", "0" are respectively stored in each flag register 15.sub.-- 1, 15.sub.-- 2, . . . , 15.sub.-- n. The signals stored in these flag registers 15.sub.-- 1, 15.sub.-- 2, . . . , 15.sub.-- n are then inputted to a priority encoder 16. To the priority encoder 16, an encode pulse EP is inputted. For each input of the encode pulse EP, an address signal AD corresponding to a flag register having higher priority among the flag registers (two flag registers of 15.sub.-- 2 and 15.sub.-- 3, in this case) in which the logic "1" is stored is sequentially outputted in accordance with the predetermined priority. Here, a younger subscript means a higher priority. Therefore, when only one encode pulse EP is inputted, a memory address corresponding to the flag register 15.sub.-- 2 is outputted. An address signal AD outputted from the priority encoder 16 is then inputted as required to an address decoder 17. The address decoder 17 decodes this input address signal AD and outputs an access signal (a signal of logic "1", in this case) to the desired one word line (word line 18.sub.-- 2, in this case) corresponding to the inputted address signal AD among the word lines 18.sub.-- 1, 18.sub.-- 2, . . . , 18.sub.-- n provided respectively corresponding to each memory word 11.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2, . . . , 11.sub.-- n. Thereby, the storage data stored in the memory word 11.sub.-- 2 corresponding to the word line 18.sub.-- 2 to which the access signal is outputted is read by an output register 19.
Next, when another encode pulse EP is also inputted, an address of the memory word 11.sub.-- 3 corresponding to the flag register 15.sub.-- 3 can, in turn, be obtained.
As explained above, an associative memory 10 is structured to retrieve the data stored in many memory words. 11.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2, . . . , 11.sub.-- n using whole part or predetermined part of the retrieval data in order to obtain the address of memory word having the coincident storage data and to read the data as a whole stored in such memory word as required.
For the associative memory having the basic structure as described above, the technology for expanding data width as the match retrieval object up to two or more words has been proposed.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the associative memory having a data width expanding function. The composing elements corresponding to that of the associative memory illustrated in FIG. 1 are denoted by the reference numerals like those in FIG. 1 and explanation about these elements is not repeated here.
Match lines 14.sub.-- 1, 14.sub.-- 2, . . . expanding from the memory words 11.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2, . . . are respectively connected to one input terminals of AND gates 20.sub.-- 1, 20.sub.-- 2, . . . Moreover, output terminals of OR gates 21.sub.-- 2, 21.sub.-- 3, . . . are connected to the other input terminals of the AND gates 20.sub.-- 1, 20.sub.-- 2, . . . and input terminals of the OR gates 21.sub.-- 2, 21.sub.-- 3, . . . are connected to a first retrieval control line 22. However, the OR gate corresponding to the upper most AND gate 20.sub.-- 1 of the figure is omitted and the first retrieval control line 22 is connected in direct to the input terminal of such AND gate 20.sub.-- 1.
Output terminals of the AND gates 20.sub.-- 1, 20.sub.-- 2, . . . are connected to data input terminals of first flag registers 23.sub.-- 1, 23.sub.-- 2, . . . , while output terminals of the first flag registers 23.sub.-- 1, 23.sub.-- 2, . . . are connected to input terminals of second flag registers 24.sub.-- 1, 24.sub.-- 2, . . . Output terminals of the second flag registers 24.sub.-- 1, 24.sub.-- 2, . . . are connected to the priority encoder 16 illustrated in FIG. 1 (not illustrated in FIG. 2) and also connected to the input terminals of the OR gates 21.sub.-- 2, 21.sub.-- 3, . . . corresponding to adjacent memory words illustrated in the lower part of FIG. 2.
Each pair among the first and second flag registers 23.sub.-- 1, 24.sub.-- 1 . . . ; 23.sub.-- 2, 24.sub.-- 2, . . . corresponding with each other corresponds to the flag registers 15.sub.- 1, 15.sub.-- 2, . . . shown in FIG. 1.
A match result latch signal S1 to be outputted to a match result latch control line 25 is inputted to both of the first flag registers 23.sub.-- 1, 23.sub.-- 2, . . . and the second flag registers 24.sub.-- 1, 24.sub.-- 2, . . . This match result latch signal S1 latches an input data inputted from each of the data input terminal. More specifically, an input data at the rise timing "a" of the match result latch signal S1 is latched in the first flag registers 23.sub.-- 1, 23.sub.-- 2, . . . , while an input data at the fall timing "b" of the match result latch signal S1 is latched in the second flag registers 24.sub.-- 1, 24.sub.-- 2, . . .
In the associative memory configurated as explained above, match is retrieved as explained hereunder. Here, as illustrated in the figure, the data A, B, C, D, C, F, . . . are assumed to be stored in the memory words 11.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2, 11.sub.-- 3, 11.sub.-- 4, 11.sub.-- 5, 11.sub.-- 6, . . . , respectively.
Here, on the occasion of individually retrieving each stored data, a first retrieval timing signal S2 is outputted to the first retrieval control line 22 at the time of inputting the retrieval data REF.sub.-- DATA for the purpose of retrieval operation. When the data "B" is assumed to be inputted as the retrieval data REF.sub.-- DATA, a match signal of logic "1" is outputted to the match line 14.sub.-- 2 corresponding to the memory word 11.sub.-- 2 in which the data "B" is stored and is then outputted to the AND gate 20.sub.-- 2. Simultaneously, the first retrieval timing signal S2 is also inputted to the AND gate 20.sub.-- 2 via the OR gate 21.sub.-- 2, causing the AND gate 20.sub.-- 2 to output a signal of logic "1". In this case, since a signal of logic "0" is outputted to the other match lines 14.sub.-- 1; 14.sub.-- 3, 14.sub.-- 4, . . . , the corresponding other AND gates 20.sub.-- 1; 20.sub.-- 3, 20.sub.-- 4, . . . output a signal of logic "0".
The signal of logic "1" outputted from the AND gate 20.sub.- 2 is latched in the first flag register 23.sub.-- 2 at the rise timing "a" of the match result latch signal S1 outputted to the match result latch control line 25 and is also latched in the second flag register 24.sub.-- 2 at the subsequent fall timing "b" of the match result latch signal S1.
Moreover, a signal of logic "0" is latched in the other first flag registers 23.sub.-- 1; 23.sub.-- 3, 23.sub.-- 4 . . . and the other second flag registers 24.sub.-- 1; 24.sub.-- 3, 24.sub.-- 4 . . . at each timing where a signal of logic "1" is latched in the first flag register 23.sub.-- 2 and the second flag register 24.sub.-- 2.
The signals of logic "0", "1", "0", . . . latched in the second flag registers 24.sub.-- 1, 24.sub.-- 2, 24.sub.-- 3, . . . are inputted to the priority encoder 16 illustrated in FIG. 1 as described above and thereby the address signal AD of the memory word 11.sub.-- 2 can be obtained.
Next, the retrieval for data of the extended width will then be explained. Here, the retrieval operation for data of two words composed of data "B" and data "C" which are extended to two words will be explained.
In this case, retrieval is performed first for the data "B" like the case explained above. Thereby, a signal of logic "1" is latched in the first and second flag registers 23.sub.-- 2, 24.sub.-- 2 corresponding to the memory word 11.sub.-- 2. Next, the retrieval is performed by inputting the data "C" as the retrieval data REF.sub.-- DATA. In this case, the first retrieval timing signal S2 is not outputted to the first retrieval control line 22, maintaining this line in the state of logic "0". When the retrieval is performed by inputting the data "C" as the retrieval data REF.sub.-- DATA, a match signal of logic "1" is outputted to the match lines 14.sub.-- 3, 14.sub.-- 5 corresponding respectively to a couple of memory words 11.sub.-- 3, 11.sub.-- 5 illustrated in the figure. However, since the signal of logic "1" latched in the second flag register 24.sub.-- 2 is inputted to the OR gate 21.sub.-- 3, the match signal of the match line 14.sub.-- 3 passes the AND gate 20.sub.-- 3 and the signal of logic "1" indicating the match condition is latched in the first and second flag registers 23.sub.-- 3, 24.sub.-- 3. On the other hand, since a signal of logic "0" latched in the second flag register 24.sub.-- 4 is inputted to the OR gate 21.sub.-- 5, a match signal of the match line 14.sub.-- 5 is cut off with the AND gate 20.sub.-- 5 and a signal of logic "0" indicating mismatch is latched in the first and second flag registers 23.sub.-- 5, 24.sub.-- 5. As described, match of two words data consisting of a pair of data "B" and data "C" can be detected. Coincidence of data of three or more words can also be detected in the same manner.
The associative memory illustrated in FIG. 2 is provided with a data width expanding function, but the data to be extended up to two or three words, etc. must be stored in the predetermined sequence in the adjacent memory words. Therefore, if a plurality of data to be retrieved are stored in the memory words separated from each other or if stored in the inverse sequence, that is, stored in the sequence of data "C" and data "B", detection of match of a plurality of combined data is no longer possible.
Example of a data format which requires the retrieval described above is illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 illustrates a data format wherein four data sets given respectively the attributes I, II, III, IV form one data group. As an example, in view of making obvious the concept of the data group and attributes, each data group of each group number 1, 2, 3, 4, . . . indicates the data belonging to an individual, while the attribute I indicates a name of a person and II, date of birth, and III, address . . .
Here, an example of retrieving data group of the group number 1, for example, while retrieving the data group consisting of a plurality of data given the attributes I, II, III, IV stored in the associative memory, will be explained. In this case, it is necessary that not only the remaining data "C", "D" of the match data group are read by sequentially retrieving the data "A" and data "B", but also the remaining data "B", "C" are read by retrieving the data "A" and "D" and moreover the data "A" is retrieved after retrieving the data "B".
However, the retrieval explained above is impossible for the aforementioned associative memory (refer to FIG. 2) provided with the word width expanding function. Moreover, in the associative memory described above, when the data "A" and data "B" are retrieved, it is impossible to discriminate a pair of data "A" having the attribute I and the data "B" having the attribute II in the column of the group number 1 illustrated in FIG. 3 from a pair of data "A" having the attribute II and the data "B" having the attribute III in the column of the group number 4. For instance, when it is required, on the basis of the attribute I indicating "name" and attribute II indicating "date of birth" to know the attributes III and IV of particular persons whose attribute I and the attribute II are matched, noise other than the necessary information such as detection of match of a pair of the attributes II and III may be mixed.
An associative memory which has solved the problem explained above has been proposed by the same applicant of the present invention (refer to Japanese Patent Application No. HEI 5-248121). This patent is not yet published as the laid-open patent but an associative memory incorporated to this application will be explained as the related art.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the associative memory incorporated to above patent application. The composing elements same as those of the associative memory illustrated in FIG. 2 are designated by the reference numerals like those given in FIG. 2 and only different points will be explained.
Each memory words 11.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2, . . . is composed of an attribute storing part 11.sub.-- 1.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2.sub.-- 1, . . . for storing attributes and a data storing part 11.sub.-- 1.sub.-- 2, 11.sub.-- 2.sub.-- 2, . . . for storing data to respectively store data consisting of a pair of attribute and data corresponding with each other. Here, as illustrated in the figure, data "A" of the attribute I; data "B" of the attribute II; data "C" of the attribute III and data "D" of the attribute IV belonging to the group number 1 illustrated in FIG. 3 are respectively stored in the memory words 11.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2, 11.sub.-- 3 and 11.sub.-- 4. Moreover, data "C" of the attribute I; data "F" of the attribute II, . . . belonging to the group number 2 illustrated in FIG. 3 are stored respectively in the memory words 11.sub.-- 5, 11.sub.-- 6, . . . For the retrieval operation, the retrieval data REF.sub.-- DATA consisting of a pair of attribute and data is inputted.
The memory words 11.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2 are provided with match lines 14.sub.-- 1, 14.sub.-- 2, . . . to which a match signal is outputted when the storage data (both attribute and data) stored in the memory word is matched with the input retrieval data (both attribute and data) and attribute match lines 30.sub.-- 1, 30.sub.-- 2, . . . to which only attribute match/mismatch signal is outputted. Match of only attribute and match of both attribute and data can be detected with the circuit having the similar structure to the match detection circuit of the prior art. Since the match detection circuit of the prior art is obvious for those skilled in the art of the associative memory, it is neither illustrated nor explained here.
Corresponding to the memory words 11.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2, third flag registers 31.sub.-- 1, 31.sub.-- 2, . . . are prepared and the attribute match lines 30.sub.-- 1, 30.sub.-- 2, . . . are extended to data input terminals of the corresponding third flag registers 31.sub.-- 1, 31.sub.-- 2, . . . Moreover, this associative memory is provided with data lines 32.sub.-- 1, 32.sub.-- 2, . . . one by one respectively for a memory word group consisting of a plurality of memory words to which data belonging to each data group illustrated in FIG. 3 is stored and also provided with first switches 33.sub.-- 1, 33.sub.-- 2, . . . between the data lines 32.sub.-- 1, 32.sub.-- 2, . . . and the output terminals of second flag registers 24.sub.-- 1, 24.sub.-- 2, . . . These first switches 33.sub.-- 1, 33.sub.-- 2, . . . are practically formed of transistors, etc. The other switches explained later are also formed in the same manner. The first switches 33.sub.-- 1, 33.sub.-- 2, . . . are switched on when a signal of logic "1" is latched in the corresponding third flag registers 31.sub.-- 1, 31.sub.-- 2, . . . and are cut off when a signal of logic "0" is latched therein. The third flag registers 31.sub.-- 1, 31.sub.-- 2, . . . latch the signals of the corresponding attribute match lines 30.sub.-- 1, 30.sub.-- 2, . . . at the fall timing "b" of the match result latch signal S1 outputted to the match result latch control line 25.
In addition, second switches 34.sub.-- 1, 34.sub.-- 2, . . . are also prepared between the data lines 32.sub.-- 1, 32.sub.-- 2, . . . and the input terminals of the OR gates 21.sub.-- 1, 21.sub.-- 2, . . . and these second switches 34.sub.-- 1, 34.sub.-- 2, . . . are controlled by the signal from the corresponding attribute match lines 30.sub.-- 1, 30.sub.-- 2, . . . to be switched on when the signal is logic "1" indicating the match condition or to be cut off when the signal is logic "0" indicating mismatch condition. Different from the associative memory illustrated in FIG. 2, an OR gate 21.sub.-- 1 is also provided in the preceding stage of the AND gate 20.sub.-- 1 corresponding to the memory word 11.sub.-- 1 at the upper most stage of the figure in the associative memory illustrated in FIG. 4.
In the associative memory configurated as explained above, retrieval of match is performed as explained hereunder.
Since individual data retrieval of one word and the first retrieval among the retrievals of a plurality of continuous words is performed in the same manner as the associative memory with the word expanding function of the prior art illustrated in FIG. 2, explanation about the first retrieval is omitted here. Here it is assumed that logic "1" is latched, during the first retrieval, in the first and second flag registers 23.sub.-- 2, 24.sub.-- 2 corresponding to the memory word 11.sub.-- 2 with the retrieval data REF.sub.-- DATA consisting of the attribute II and data "B". In this case, a signal of logic "1" is outputted, upon matching of the attribute, to the attribute match line 30.sub.-- 2 corresponding to the memory word 11.sub.-- 2 and thereby a signal of logic "1" is also latched in the corresponding third flag register 31.sub.-- 2. Accordingly, the corresponding first switch 33.sub.-- 2 is switched on and a signal of logic "1" indicating match of both attribute and data stored in the corresponding second flag register 24.sub.-- 2 is outputted-to the data line 32.sub.-- 1. Simultaneously, the corresponding second switch 34.sub.-- 2 is also switched on, but it is useless operation in the first retrieval operation.
Next, it is assumed that the retrieval is performed by inputting the retrieval data REF.sub.-- DATA consisting of the attribute IV and data "D". In this case, like the associative memory of FIG. 2, the first retrieval control line 22 is maintained at the logic "0". In this timing, upon reception of signal indicating match of attribute, a signal of logic "1" is outputted to the attribute match line 30.sub.-- 4 corresponding to the memory word 11.sub.-- 4 and thereby the corresponding second switch 34.sub.-- 4 is turned on, inputting a signal of logic "1" of the second flag register 24.sub.-- 2 corresponding to the memory word 11.sub.-- 2 being outputted to the data line 32.sub.-- 1 is then inputted to the AND gate 20.sub.-- 4 via the OR gate 21.sub.-- 4. Therefore, match of both attribute IV and data "D" is detected by the memory word 11.sub.-- 4 and a match signal of logic "1" is outputted to the match line 14.sub.-- 4. Then a signal of logic "1" is latched in the corresponding first and second flag registers 23.sub.-- 4, 24.sub.-- 4 with the match result latch signal S1 outputted to the match result latch control line 25. Also, in this case, a signal of logic "1" outputted to the attribute match line 30.sub.-- 4 is latched in the corresponding third flag register 31.sub.-- 4, the corresponding first switch 33.sub.-- 4 is turned on and a signal of logic "1" of the second flag register 24.sub.-- 4 is outputted to the data line 32.sub.-- 1. In this second retrieval, since logic "0" indicating mismatch of attribute is outputted to the attribute match line 30.sub.-- 2 corresponding to the memory word 11.sub.-- 2, "0" is stored in the corresponding third flag register 31.sub.-- 2 and the first switch 33.sub.-- 2 corresponding to the memory word 11.sub.-- 2 turns off.
Thereby, a signal of logic "1" of the second flag register 24.sub.-- 4 corresponding to the memory word 11.sub.-- 4 is inputted to the priority encoder 16 (refer to FIG. 1) and an address of the memory word 11.sub.-- 4 can be obtained. However, it is previously known that the attribute IV is stored in the memory word 11.sub.-- 4 and if it is requested to read data, for example, of the attribute III in the same group, an address of the memory word 11.sub.-- 3 is obtained by subtracting one from the address obtained and this address is then inputted to the address decoder 17 to read contents of the memory word 11.sub.-- 3.
Meanwhile, when retrieval is carried out with a retrieval data consisting, for example, of the attribute IV and data "B", in place of the retrieval data consisting of the attribute IV and data "D" as the second retrieval operation, the second switch 34.sub.-- 4 is switched on because of match of attribute and a signal of logic "1" outputted on the data line 32.sub.-- 1 is fetched for the memory word 11.sub.-- 4, but since data is different, the logic "0" indicating mismatch of data is outputted to the match line 14.sub.-- 4 and the logic "0" indicating mismatch is latched in the first and second flag registers 23.sub.-- 4 and 24.sub.-- 4. Moreover, attribute is mismatched for the memory word 11.sub.-- 2 for which the data "B" is matched and thereby both attribute and data are not matched.
As described, in the associative memory illustrated in FIG. 4, the retrieval may be performed in the same group even when it is conducted for the data stored in the memory words separated from each other or the data in the inverse sequence.
Here, the data lines 32.sub.-- 1, 32.sub.-- 2, . . . of the associative memory illustrated in FIG. 4 are fixed in the length thereof under the supposition that the number of data belonging to one group is predetermined, but when the data lines of the fixed length are provided, the maximum number of data belonging to one group must be estimated to provide the data lines corresponding to such maximum number of data. As a result, useless memory words may be generated in such a case that data group is formed with the number of data smaller than the maximum number of data. Therefore, it is preferable that the data lines are set in the variable length in accordance with the number of data belonging to one group.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating a system for realizing variable length data lines.
The data line 32 is extended over a plurality of memory words 11.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2, 11.sub.-- 3, . . . and is provided with switches 40.sub.-- 1, 40.sub.-- 2, 40.sub.-- 3, . . . connected in series corresponding respectively to the other memory words 11.sub.-- 2, 11.sub.-- 3, . . . except for the upper most memory word 11.sub.-- 1. The switches 40.sub.-- 2, 40.sub.-- 3, 40.sub.-- 4, . . . are arranged between the corresponding memory words 11.sub.-- 2, 11.sub.-- 3, 11.sub.-- 4, . . . and the adjacent memory words 11.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2, 11.sub.-- 3, . . . provided at just upper stage of the corresponding ones. The every other switches 40.sub.-- 2, 40.sub.-- 4, 40.sub.-- 6, . . . among the switches 40.sub.-- 2, 40.sub.-- 3, 40.sub.-- 4, . . . are switched on with the first switch control signal outputted to the first control line 41 and every fourth switches 40.sub.-- 3, 40.sub.-- 7, . . . are switched on with the second switch control signal outputted to the second control line 42 and the every ninth switches 40.sub.-- 5, . . . among the remaining switches are switched on with the third switch control signal outputted to the third control line 43.
When the number of data forming one data group is 2, every other switches 40.sub.-- 2, 40.sub.-- 4, 40.sub.-- 6, . . . are switched on by outputting the first switch control signal to the first control line 41. Thereby, the data lines disconnected for every two memory words 11.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2; 11.sub.-- 3, 11.sub.-- 4; 11.sub.-- 5, 11.sub.-- 6; . . . are formed. In addition, when the number of data forming one data group is 4, the first switch control signal is outputted to the first control line 41 and the second switch control signal is outputted to the second control line 42. Thereby, the data lines disconnected for every four memory words 11.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2, 11.sub.-- 3, 11.sub.-- 4; 11.sub.-- 5, 11.sub.-- 6, . . . are formed. In the same manner, the number of data forming one data group is 8, the first and second switch control signals are outputted respectively to the first control line 41 and the second control line 42 and the third switch control signal is outputted to the third control line 43. Thereby, the data lines disconnected for every eight memory words 11.sub.-- 1, . . . , 11.sub.-- 8; 11.sub.-- 9, . . . are formed.
According to this system, when the number of data forming one data group is 2.sup.n, any vacant one is generated in the memory words, but such number is, for example, 3, 5, 9, etc., other than 2.sup.n, vacant memory words may be generated. When a structure is formed so that many switches 40.sub.-- 2, 40.sub.-- 3, . . . can be switched on or off as desired in order to avoid generation of vacant memory words, the number of control lines increases and the control circuit for outputting switch control signals to these control lines may be complicated. Therefore, the system illustrated in FIG. 5 is not suitable for perfect control of the data line length.
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating another system for realizing variable length data lines.
This system is similar to FIG. 5 in the points that the data line 32 is extended over many memory words and is provided with the switches 40.sub.-- 2, 40.sub.-- 3, 40.sub.-- 4, . . . connected in series with each other corresponding respectively to the memory words other than the memory word at the upper most end. Each memory word is provided with each attribute storing part 11.sub.-- 1.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 3.sub.-- 1, . . . to respectively store each attribute I, II, III, IV illustrated in the figure. This example is structured so that the corresponding switch is controlled for on or off state depending on that the attribute stored in the attribute storing part 11.sub.-- 1.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 2.sub.-- 1, 11.sub.-- 3.sub.-- 1, . . . is attribute I or other attributes II, III, IV, that is, the corresponding switch is maintained in the off state when the attribute is I or is switched on when the attribute is II, III or IV. This structure automatically enables formation of data lines disconnected for the right number of memory words by arranging the data of attribute I at the leading part of each data group without relation to the number of data forming one data group or even if data group of different number of data is mixed.
FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram illustrating an example of an attribute deciding circuit for deciding whether the attribute is I or not.
In this case, "000" is assigned for the attribute I and when the attribute stored in the attribute storing part 11.sub.-- i.sub.-- l is I ("000"), "0" is outputted from the OR gate. Therefore, the switch formed of a transistor 40 is turned off and both data lines of the transistor 40' are electrically disconnected. When the attribute stored in the attribute storing part 11.sub.-- i.sub.-- l is other than I, "1" is outputted from the OR gate, the transistor 40 is turned on, and the data lines in both sides of the transistor are connected.
As described, length of the data lines 32.sub.-- 1, 32.sub.-- 2, . . . can be adjusted depending on the number of data forming one data group in the associative memory illustrated in FIG. 4. Here, it is of course possible to adjust the length of data lines by controlling the switches with the exclusive control lines, in place of utilizing attribute data.
An associative memory is accompanied by requirement for reduction of power consumption like the other ordinary RAM memory, etc. In an ordinary RAM memory, an address is inputted for making access to memory words of such address. Therefore, reduction of power consumption can be realized by dividing many memory words into many blocks and then making active, depending on the input address, only the block including the memory word designated by such input address.
However, an associative memory retrieves the memory words, by inputting a retrieval data, in which the data matching with the input retrieval data is stored. Therefore, if the memory words are divided into blocks, it is unknown in which memory word of which block match can be detected. Accordingly, all blocks must be made active and it is impossible to reduce power consumption only with dividing memory words into many blocks.
The Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. HEI 3-212896 describes that an associative memory array is divided for every plural arrangements of one direction to form blocks, a block selecting means of selecting any one block is provided so that power consumption of the associative memory can be reduced by comparing only the block selected by this block selecting means with the retrieval data.
However, this technique described in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. HEI 3-212896 has disadvantages that a memory block selecting information must be previously set at a part of the input address for the retrieval operation and moreover an extra hardware and processing time are required for attaining such requirement.


A handicraft assisting tool for folding a fabric into a configuration having rotational symmetry is provided. The handicraft assisting tool includes a flexible sheet body adhered to the fabric and a folding facilitator formed at the sheet body. The folding facilitator facilitates an operation of folding an overlapped product, which is obtained by adhering the fabric to the sheet body, along a predetermined folding line. The folding facilitator includes, for example, a plurality of slits disposed along the predetermined folding line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handicraft assisting tool suitably used in patchwork and other handicraft field.
2. Description of the Related Art
An origami quilt has been conventionally known in a handicraft field. An origami quilt is for creating a motif by folding a fabric material as in origami (see, for example, "Quiltagami", Mary Jo Hiney, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.). A motif is created, for example, by the following procedure. First, marks are put on cut sections of a fabric using a paper pattern, and then the fabric is cut into a predetermined size. Next, the fabric is folded a plurality of times according to a predetermined procedure. In so doing, the folded sections are ironed to form creases. An appropriate section is stitched subsequently to these folding work and ironing work to obtain a desired motif.
In the creation of a motif using the above-described conventional method, however, the fabric needs to be ironed in every folding step, thereby requiring extremely long time to create one motif. Moreover, because the fabric is weak in stiffness, it is difficult to form appropriate creases using an iron.


In one aspect, the invention includes a fader controller comprised of a longitudinally extending track having a portion thereof extending over an image area of an electronic display, and a fader cap joined to the track for longitudinal sliding translation therealong. A plurality of permanent magnets are spaced along the track, and the fader cap includes at least one electromagnet. Conductive rails extend longitudinally on the track, and the fader cap includes contacts that electrically engage the conductive rails. The electromagnets are actuated to translate the fader cap distally or proximally along the track. In another aspect, the invention provides a magnetic arrangement for removably joining one or more controller device to a flat panel electronic display, whereby controllers such as switches, knobs, and faders (slide controllers) may be superposed on the display.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to computer input devices and, more particularly, to mechanical controller devices that may be combined with computer graphic displays and/or touch screen input devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Touch screen devices have become a commonplace user interface for electronic devices, computers, and the like. Touch screens are typically combined with a display screen which is in close proximity to the touch screen or which projects images through the touch screen. Under software control, the display may present images, video, alphanumeric information, and various combinations thereof. Moreover, the display may define corresponding areas of the touch screen as control input areas, through the presentation of control command words, iconic or graphic representations of controls, or the like. Thereafter, an operator touch at an appropriate portion of the touch screen causes the software to correlate the touch position with the control command defined by the display at that position, and to act on that command.
It is well known in the prior art to employ controller devices in conjunction with touch screen devices and computer displays to emulate the sensation and feel of mechanical input devices, such as knobs, joysticks, and sliding (fader) controls. Such touch screen controller devices are described, for example, in the following U.S. patents issued to the present inventors:                U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,239        U.S. Pat. No. 5,977,955        U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,146        U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,145        U.S. Pat. No. 5,936,613        U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,115
There are various arrangements known in the prior art to removably secure such controller devices to a touch screen, computer display, or a superstrate placed over either of these devices. One object of the present invention is to use magnetic assemblies to adhere controller devices to flat panel displays, with or without the combined use of touch screen devices. A further object of the invention is the use of a linear magnetic drive in a fader controller to translate the fader cap under machine control, whereby automatic fader controllers may be applied to flat panel displays, touch screens, and computer displays in general.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Moveable magnetic devices for electronic graphic displays


A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for an audio system in a media device, such as a portable media device or smart phone, may be operated to turn off portions of the DAC to reduce power consumption. Segments of a segment-able DAC may be powered off when the output level of the DAC is lower than the full scale output of the DAC. For example, DAC elements within a finite impulse response (FIR) DAC may be turned off when a desired output level can be obtained with less than all DAC elements of the FIR DAC.

Power consumption within mobile devices is a continuing challenge. As mobile devices decrease in size, the battery also decreases in size to further limit the available runtime of the mobile device. Demand on functionality of the mobile devices is also continuing to increase, and that additional functionality often comes at the cost of increased power consumption, which again reduces the available run time of the mobile device. In particular, performance of audio systems in mobile devices are increasing to allow for playback of high-fidelity music and high-definition voice telephone calls. Higher performance audio requires higher performance digital-to-analog converters (DACs). DACs that produce the analog audio output for a speaker or headphones from digital audio files. Further, some higher quality headphones and speakers have larger impedances, and thus require larger output voltages from the DACs, which further increases power consumption.
Shortcomings mentioned here are only representative and are included simply to highlight that a need exists for improved electrical components, particularly for audio systems employed in consumer-level devices, such as mobile phones. Embodiments described herein address certain shortcomings but not necessarily each and every one described here or known in the art. Furthermore, embodiments described herein may present other benefits than, and be used in other applications than, those of the shortcomings described above. For example, reduced power consumption may benefit other audio systems, such as home stereo systems.

Power-saving current-mode digital-to-analog converter (DAC)


Techniques are described for using an electrical motor to slow down or stop a propulsor during an operation mode where the engine is to be otherwise running but the speed of the propulsor should be low or the propulsor should be stopped.

For safety, a turbine engine limits the thrust generated by a propeller, rotor, or fan in certain modes such as when the aircraft that includes the gas turbine engine is on the ground. One or more electrical generators coupled to one or more shafts of the gas turbine engine, and rotation of the shafts provides the mechanical power for the one or more electrical generators to generate electrical power.

Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.


Systems and techniques for authenticating joint friends of users of wireless devices. An authenticating authority delivers a token to a wireless device for each party identified as a friend of a user of the wireless device, such as through relationships in an online social network. Two wireless devices can use information relating to the tokens to determine information relating to joint friends of the users of the devices, such as the identities of joint friends or simply the numbers of joint friends. Tokens can be further refined to allow for analysis that provides information relating to the degree of intimacy of the relationship between a user and a party identified as a friend.

As the use of data processing devices and services has become more and more widespread, the ability and use of such devices and services to manage many aspects of users' lives has continued to grow. One significant feature of the widespread use of data processing devices and services has been their increasing use to manage users' social contacts. Large amounts of information relating to users' contacts are stored both locally on users' devices and remotely, such as by social networking websites. Particularly in the case of close or intimate friends, the association of a user's friends with an activity or person contributes to the confidence a user is likely to have in the activity or person. One significant contributor to confidence in an unknown user is to identify friends in common with the unknown user. However, obtaining information identifying common friends presents privacy risks, and also presents risks of resting unjustified confidence in an unknown user who falsely claims to share friends with a user seeking assurances.

Methods and apparatus for reliable and privacy protecting identification of parties' mutual friends and common interests


A variable-rigidity, small-gauge illuminator is disclosed, one embodiment being a small-gauge illumination surgical system comprising: a light source for providing a light beam; an optical cable, optically coupled to the light source for receiving and transmitting the light beam; a handpiece, operably coupled to the optical cable; an optical fiber, operably coupled to the handpiece, wherein the optical fiber is optically coupled to the optical cable to receive and transmit the light beam to illuminate an area; and a cannula, operably coupled to the handpiece, for housing and directing the optical fiber, wherein the cannula is operable to extend and retract from the handpiece to vary the length of the cannula extending from the handpiece, and wherein the optical fiber is operably connected to the cannula.

In ophthalmic surgery, and in particular in vitreo-retinal surgery, it is desirable to use a wide-angle surgical microscope system to view as large a portion of the retina as possible. Wide-angle objective lenses for such microscopic systems exist, but they require a wider illumination field than that provided by the cone of illumination of a typical fiber-optic probe. As a result, various technologies have been developed to increase the beam spreading of the relatively incoherent light provided by a fiber-optic illuminator. These known wide-angle illuminators can thus illuminate a larger portion of the retina as required by current wide-angle surgical microscope systems. Currently existing wide-angle illuminators, however, display several disadvantages.
One disadvantage of prior art small gauge, wide-angle illuminators for ophthalmic surgery is the lack of rigidity of the cannula that is inserted into and extends into the eye. In ophthalmic surgery, such as vitreo-retinal surgery, the primary function of an illumination probe is to provide illumination for the surgical area. A secondary function is to manipulate portions of the eye near the surgical area to provide an unobstructed view and to allow access to a surgical area, such as the periphery of the retina. However, to manipulate tissue within the eye, the illuminator cannula must have a certain rigidity. Due to their larger diameter, the cannulas of 20 gauge devices provide adequate rigidity for surgeons to manipulate tissue in the eye. However, 25 gauge devices have a smaller diameter cannula (e.g., 0.0205 inches) with thin walls resulting in a much more flexible probe (cannula) than a same length 20 gauge cannula. Prior art small-gauge illuminaters (<20 gauge) do not, therefore, provide sufficient rigidity to effectively manipulate tissue in the eye in the manner of larger gauge illuminators.
Therefore, a need exists for a small-gauge wide-angle illuminator for illumination of a surgical field that can reduce or eliminate the problem of lack of rigidity for manipulating eye tissue associated with prior art small gauge, wide-angle illuminators.


A polymerizable composition contains unsaturated urethane shown by Formula (1) given below, vinyl monomer which is copolymerizable with this unsaturated urethane, and an inorganic powder filler at weight ratio of (unsaturated urethane)/(vinyl monomer)=10/90-90/10, the inorganic powder filler being 30-300 weight parts with respect to 100 weight parts of the sum of the unsaturated urethane and vinyl monomer: ##STR1## where X is a residual group obtained by removing isocyanate groups from polyisocyanate; Y is a residual group obtained by removing hydroxyl groups from polyol; R.sup.1 is a residual group obtained by removing hydroxyl group from non-radical polymerizable mono-ol having aliphatic hydrocarbon group with 6-22 carbon atoms; R.sup.2 is H or CH.sub.3 ; and p, q and r are each an integer 1-3 such that 2.ltoreq.p+q.ltoreq.4 and qr.gtoreq.2. In-mold cured products obtained from such a polymerizable composition have superior external appearance and water-resistance, and their mold shrinkage is small.

This invention relates to polymerizable compositions and in-mold cured products obtained from such compositions.
Polymerizable compositions containing polymerizable liquid resins are widely in use. For example, molded products using polymerizable compositions containing unsaturated polyester resin, which is a representative kind of polymerizable liquid resin, are being used as external panels and accessories of automobiles. There are a number of molding methods available for obtaining in-mold cured objects from polymerizable compositions, including the compression molding which uses sheet molding compound (SMC), the injection molding which uses bulk molding compound (BMC), the hand lay-up method whereby polymerizable compositions impregnate a reinforcing fiber mat, textile or strands and are hardened, the pultrusion method, and the resin transfer molding (RTM) and reaction injection molding (RIM) methods whereby a polymerizable composition is introduced into a mold for quick in-mold curing.
As examples of prior art polymerizable compositions containing unsaturated urethane, Japanese Patent Publication Tokkai 57-182312 and Japanese Patent Publication Tokkai 61-225210 have disclosed compositions containing polymerizable liquid resins comprising unsaturated urethane and alkyl (meth)acrylate obtained from polyisocyanate and hydroxyl alkyl (meth)acrylate.
The aforementioned prior art polymerizable compositions, however, have the following disadvantages because of their use of unsaturated urethane obtained from polyisocyanate and hydroxy alkyl (meth)acrylate:
(1) Since unsaturated urethane and alkyl (meth)acrylate, which are obtained together by such a prior art method, are not sufficiently compatible with respect to each other, sedimentation and separation are likely to occur especially at low temperatures; PA1 (2) Since unsaturated urethane thus obtained contains many urethane bonds within its molecule, it is inferior in water resistance, like most other kinds of polyurethane liquid resin, as compared to other thermosetting polymerizable compositions. This limits the use of the in-mold cured products obtained therefrom; and PA1 (3) Since the density of cross-links is high in such in-mold cured products, mold shrinkage at the time of their curing is large compared to unsaturated polyester liquid resins. As a result, generation of cracks and appearance of fiber patterns are prominently observed. Low shrinkage agents may be used for preventing such phenomena but they are not very effective.

Polymerizable compositions and in-mold cured products using same


A method performs global routing of a power line network and a ground line network on an integrated circuit. Pre-formed segments of the ground line network are placed adjacent to functional blocks of the integrated circuit. Ground lines of the functional blocks are connected to the pre-formed segments of the ground line network. In addition, pre-formed segments of the power line network are placed adjacent to the functional blocks of the integrated circuit. Power lines of the functional blocks are connected to the pre-formed segments of the power line network. Once the pre-formed segments have all been placed, the pre-formed segments of the ground line network are connected together and the pre-formed segments of the power line network are connected together.

The present invention concerns the use of adaptable topologies in the routing of ground and power networks on an integrated circuit. The invention can also be used in the placement of other special networks such as those used to connect networks which provide a clock signal to component blocks within the integrated circuit.
Once the logic circuitry for a very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuit has been designed, placement algorithms are used to place the VLSI circuit logic efficiently upon a chip. The integrated circuit is generally divided into component blocks of logic circuits. The logic circuits are often referred to as logic cells. Each of the component blocks occupies a fixed area when placed on the chip. Each component block is connected to other component blocks through wire networks, also called connection networks. The connection networks include connection networks which supply a power signal and a ground signal to each of the component blocks. Connection networks which supply a power signal may be referred to as a power line network. Connection networks which supply a ground signal may be referred to as a ground line network.
Connection networks have a measurable width and take up space on the integrated circuit which is directly proportional to their length. Therefore, when routing connection networks between component blocks, it is desirable to find a routing path which minimizes the total length of the connection networks.
For examples of the routing of power line networks and ground line networks in the prior art, see for example, Andrew Strout Moulton, Routing the Power and Ground Wires on a VLSI Chip, a Masters Thesis for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT/LCS/TR-322, May, 1984. See also Xiao-Ming Xiong and Ernest S. Kuh, The Scan Line Approach to Power and Ground Routing, IEEE, 1986; S. Chowdhury, An Automated Design of Minimum-Area IC Power/Ground Nets, 24th/ACM/IEEE Design Automation Conference, 1987; and Shinichiro Haruyama and Don Fussell, A New Area-Efficient Power Routing Alcorithm for VLSI Layout, IEEE, 1987.
The routing of power line networks and ground line networks on an integrated circuit is more idiosyncratic that normal routing. Depending on the particular circuit and technology being used, there can be constraints on the maximum number of pins connected to a single source, or the amount of overlap allowed between power and ground routing. In addition, a circuit designer may need a particular topology such as power and ground rings to shield the integrated circuit, or such as ladder routing to connect power or ground routing to a pad ring. Such topologies cannot be generated with a generic router, and therefore, special case routers are usually constructed. In situations where the special routers are inadequate or cannot be constructed in time, the circuit designer must manually route the power and ground line networks. However, such manual routing can be extremely complicated as, in a typical case, power and networks may have hundreds of connections.

Adaptable topologies used in routing of ground and power networks on integrated circuits


Precious metal values, particularly gold and silver, are liberated from refractory, carbonate ores by adjusting the molar ratio of sulfide to total acid consumers to between about 1.2 and about 3.2 in the ore feed to a pressure oxidation process. The ore is contacted with oxygen to oxidize sulfide in the ore with at least about 65 percent of the sulfide oxidation occurring in a first oxidation zone at a temperature above about 360.degree. F. The oxidation of sulfide forms at least about 5 grams of free sulfuric acid in the first oxidation zone. The oxidation process is continued in subsequent oxidation zones. A gas stream is removed from the oxidation zones and oxygen is separated from carbon dioxide and other inerts in the gas stream and the purified oxygen is recycled to the oxidation zones.

Many gold and silver-bearing ores are resistant to conventional cyanidation recovery procedures. These ores are commonly referred to as "refractory" ores. As used herein, the term "refractory ore" refers to an ore in which less than about 80 weight percent of the gold in the ore can be recovered by conventional cyanidation procedures.
Pretreatment of such refractory ores by pressure oxidation to make the ores more amenable to subsequent precious metal recovery is known. Operating conditions for a pressure oxidation process are generally disclosed by Hedley, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 2,777,764 and U.S. Defensive Publication T104001 of Kunter, et al. A number of modifications of the pressure oxidation process have been reported. For example, Mason, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,589 (1985) disclosed the alkaline pressure oxidation of a refractory ore slurry followed by cyanidation and precious metal extraction with activated charcoal. Weir in U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,763 (1986) disclosed a pressure oxidation process which used a first compartment having a specific size range to produce autogeneous oxidation of sulfidic materials.
A summary of the various methods of treating refractory gold ores is provided in a paper entitled "Process Options For The Treatment Of Refractory Gold Ores And Concentrates" by P.G. Mason and P.T. O'Kane, presented at the annual meeting Alberta/B.C. Branch Canadian Mineral Processors Vancouver, British Columbia, Nov. 29, 1985, incorporated herein by reference.
Refractory ores which contain high levels of carbonates present particular problems in recovering precious metals from such ores. As used herein, the term "carbonate" ore refers to a gold-bearing ore normally containing from about 0.05 to about 0.25 ounces of gold per ton, commonly small amounts of silver, and from about 1 to about 9 percent by weight total carbon. Most of the carbon present in the ore is in the form of inorganic carbon compounds, principally metal carbonates such as calcite and limestone. The carbonate content of the ore can range up to about 35 percent by weight (based on CO.sub.3). The non-carbonate carbon content of the ore is usually less than 3 percent by weight.
The carbonate content of an ore is commonly determined by measuring carbon dioxide evolved. A typical procedure is described by E. Huffman, Jr. in "Performance of a New Automatic Carbon Dioxide Coulometer" in the Microchemical Journal, Vol. 22, pp. 567-573, 1977, incorporated herein by reference. These ores normally contain up to about 15 weight percent total sulfur primarily in the form of sulfides of iron, arsenic, and other metals. The sulfide content of an ore can be determined by any appropriate method, for example, that described by J.C. Ingles in "Manual of Analytical Methods for the Uranium Concentrating Plant", Dept. of Mines and Technical Surveys, Mines Branch, Ottawa, Monograph 866, incorporated herein by reference.
Some of the problems associated with the acid treatment of an ore which is high in carbonates is described in the paper entitled "Pressure Oxidation -- A New Tool For Refractory Gold Ores And Concentrates" by L.S. Gormely and P.T. O'Kane, presented at the annual Alberta/British Columbia meeting, Canadian Mineral Processors Vancouver, British Columbia, Nov. 30, 1984. As described in this paper, the pressure oxidation under acidic conditions generates carbon dioxide gas which interferes with maintenance of the desired oxygen partial pressure in the oxidation system. In order to minimize the effect of the carbon dioxide production, it is disclosed that (a) a portion of the gas in the vapor space can be bled to prevent carbon dioxide build-up; (b) the ore can be preleached in sulfuric acid to reduce the carbon dioxide generation in the primary pressure oxidation process; or (c) the ore can be charged to the pressure oxidation process and a large tail gas stream can be recycled through an acid gas scrubber to remove the carbon dioxide. Individually, however, these procedures can result in significant economic penalties in loss of reactants and in added equipment.
Matson, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,532 (1981) disclosed an oxidation process for treating carbonaceous ores using an oxidation step with oxygen followed by chlorination. The disclosed process requires the use of an alkaline pH medium. Due to the formation of acidic materials during the oxidation, alkaline material must be added to the process to maintain alkaline pH. This patent discloses that the use of acidic oxidation is unsuitable for treating calcium carbonate containing ores.
Weir, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,263 (1986) disclosed a method for treating refractory auriferous sulfidic concentrates using pressure oxidation. The method involves pretreating the concentrate with aqueous sulfuric acid to decompose carbonate and acid consuming gange compounds before the pressure oxidation step. There is no suggestion in this patent of a process for the pressure oxidation of carbonate containing ore.
In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to have an acidic pressure oxidation process which minimizes consumption of sulfuric acid and oxygen while allowing substantial recovery of precious metals from the carbonate containing ore.

Precious metals recovery from refractory carbonate ores


A data multiplexer and a method thereof for multiplexing audio data, video data and additional data for digital television broadcasting. Size information for such data may be obtained and supplied by way of a CPU bus to a CPU which utilizes such size information in controlling a multiplexing operation. The audio, video and additional data may be multiplexed under the control of the CPU without being supplied to the CPU. As a result, high speed multiplexing may be performed.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for multiplexing video data, audio data and additional data such as subtitles and generating a transport stream for transmission, wherein the video data and audio data may be compressed and encoded according to a MPEG standard or the like.
In digital television broadcasting systems, audio data and video data may be processed for particular applications such as movies or music promotions. More specifically, in such digital television broadcasting systems, data may be processed into data suitable for a so-called surround system, audio data may be processed so as to presented in several languages, or audio data, video data and additional data may be multiplexed so as to generate a transport stream wherein a dialogue may be superimposed in a number of languages, and broadcasted to viewers.

Data multiplexing apparatus and method thereof


An exercise method and an exercise device providing rebounding for the lower body, punching bag training for the upper body, and a combination of the two, with additional optional devices. The exercise device includes a rebounding device having a rebounding surface and a housing, a frame about the rebounding device having a support member extending horizontally above the rebounding device, and at least three double-ended punching bags. The punching bags can be positioned in a triangular configuration, as viewed from above. The exercise method includes positioning oneself between the three punching bags, bouncing on the rebounding device while punching the punching bags, and shuffling on the rebounding device to avoid being hit by one or more of the punching bags rebounding from being punched. While shuffling on the rebounding device to avoid being hit by a rebounding punching bag, a user continues to punch the punching bags.

Although work-out regimens and exercise equipment are popular and widely available, very few offer both upper and lower body conditioning, simultaneous aerobic and anaerobic training, and fewer offer mixed activity for muscle confusion (i.e., providing varied muscle stress over time, by varying exercise, sets, repetitions and resistance, to avoid muscle accommodation. The present invention provides rebounding for the lower body, punching bag training for the upper body, and a combination of the two, with additional optional devices, to add coordination, balance and agility to an otherwise directed speed, power and endurance work-out.


Liquid telechelic polymers are made from dienes and are produced via anionic polymerization. While having low molecular weight, for example less than 15,000, the telechelic polymers are generally gel-free, have high amounts of trans-1,4 structure, low vinyl unsaturation and low bulk viscosities. The liquid telechelic polymers are made utilizing a trimetallic initiator comprised of (1) an organopolylithium compound and (2) a complex of a trialiphatic substituted aluminum compound or derivative thereof and a barium salt of an aromatic alcohol.

Heretofore, telechelic polymers made from dienes had various shortcomings or limitations arising from the polymerization process such as high solution viscosity, high bulk viscosity, high vinyl content which increased with lower molecular weight of the telechelic polymer, and the like. Often, gelation occurred. Such telechelic polymers were generally prepared utilizing only an organopolylithium initiator and a polar solvent to facilitate dissolution.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,278,508, to Kahle et al. relates to the polymerization of conjugated dienes such as 1,3-isoprene to form rubbery polymers having a high percentage of cis-1,4-addition product and reduced solution viscosities utilizing an initiator of an organolithium in combination with an organoaluminum compound for producing high molecular weight polymers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,321,487, to P. Chini et al. relates to organo-aluminum compounds derived from acetylene.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,178, to C. Kamienski et al. relates to preparation of lithium-conjugated polyene hydrocarbon adducts by providing a mixture containing (a) a dispersion of finely divided lithium in an inert liquid, (b) a volatile liquid aromatic hydrocarbon, and (c) an inert liquid ether, gradually adding a conjugated polyene hydrocarbon while maintaining the reaction mixture at a low temperature, preferably below 0.degree. C., said reaction being advantageously carried out in the presence of a catalyst in the form of a lithium-conjugated polyene hydrocarbon adduct added to the reaction mixture in the form of a solution in a volatile liquid aromatic hydrocarbon, passing an inert gas over the reaction product mixture to purge the same of the ether, then adding an additional quantity of a volatile liquid hydrocarbon and warming the reaction product mixture, and then filtering to remove unreacted lithium metal whereby to produce a clear solution of the lithium-conjugated polyene hydrocarbon adduct in said volatile liquid hydrocarbon.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,642, to F. Mueller et al. relates to alkene oxides which are polymerized alone or copolymerized with acrylic acid esters, methacrylic acid esters, lactones, or other alkene oxides in the presence of an organoalkaline earth compound and an organoaluminum compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,629,213, to A. Onishi et al. relates to conjugated diene polymers having a desirable microstructure for a rubbery elastomer produced by contacting at least one conjugated diene or a mixture of a conjugated diene with a vinyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon with a catalyst consisting of an organolithium compound and a barium compound. In the polymers of at least one conjugated diene, the polymers having a low content of 1,2- or 3,4-structure and a high trans-1,4-structure in conjugated diene unit can be obtained by adjusting the ratio of the catalyst components and in the copolymers of a conjugated diene and a vinyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,989, to Petrov et al. relates to a method of preparing a homopolymer or a copolymer having terminal functional groups from a conjugated diene or optionally with a styrene type monomer having a pre-set molecular weight wherein the polymerization is carried out in the presence of an alkali metal catalyst such as lithium, and a modifier obtained by reacting an alkali metal with a conjugated hydrocarbon and an organoaluminum compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,301, to Mueller et al. relates to a polymerization initiator formed on admixing an organoalkaline earth compound and an organoaluminum compound, wherein the organoalkaline earth compound is the reaction product of an alkaline earth metal with a pyridine-type compound, polynuclear aromatic compound, or polyaryl-substituted ethylenic compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,100, to Halasa et al. relates to alkali metal aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon acetals and ketals which are initiators for the polymerization of conjugated dienes and copolymerization of conjugated diene and vinyl monomers. Mono-acetal and mono-ketal polymers are produced by termination of the foregoing polymers and copolymers with methanol, isopropanol, etc., diacetal and diketal polymers are produced by terminating said polymers and copolymers with a joining agent, e.g., Cl.sub.2 Si(CH.sub.3).sub.2, and polyacetal and polyketal polymers and copolymers are produced by terminating said polymers and copolymers with a polyfunctional joining agent, e.g., Cl.sub.3 SICH.sub.3. Other mono-acetal and mono-ketal polymers are prepared by terminating said polymers and copolymers with ethylene oxide or carbon dioxide. The terminally reactive acetal polymers can be converted to other polymeric products.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,474, to Goldenberg et al. relates to conjugated diolefins which are first converted to polymers in the presence of specific derivatives of transition metal carboxylates, for example an etherate of trifluoracetato nickel halide. The crude polymer containing catalyst residues is admixed with a reducing metal compound, for example triethylaluminum, and a hydrogen pressure is applied thereto. The final product is a partially or totally hydrogenated polymer. Specific hydrogenated butadiene polymers may be obtained therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,988, to Bach et al. relates to a recirculation process and apparatus for the preparation of normally liquid telomers derived from the reaction of a gaseous taxogen with a solution in a liquid telogen, such as toluene, of an organometal telomerization initiator, such as a mixture or complex of n-butyllithium and potassium t-butoxide, in a container, wherein a controlled stream of the gaseous taxogen is continuously passed through fine apertures, as in a screen, into the liquid telogen solution of said initiator while said telogen solution is passed from said container through a reaction zone in a reaction chamber, whereby to produce the normally liquid telomer, and, thereafter, said liquid telomer is continuously returned to co-mingle with the solution in the container of said telogen and initiator, and continuously recirculating the contents of said container into said reaction zone for further reaction with said gaseous taxogen until the desired concentration of liquid telomer is produced.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,732, to Bach et al. relates to a continuous process and apparatus for the preparation of normally liquid telomers derived from the reaction of a liquid telogen, such as toluene, with a polymerizable monomeric taxogen in gaseous form, such as 1,3-butadiene monomer, in the presence of an organometal telomerization initiator, such as a mixture or complex of n-butyllithium and potassium t-butoxide, wherein a controlled stream of the gaseous taxogen is continuously passed through fine apertures, as in a screen, into the liquid telogen containing said initiator disposed in a reaction zone in a reaction chamber, whereby to produce the normally liquid telomer, and, thereafter said telomer is continuously passed through a conduit into an additional reaction zone or zones and reacted in similar manner with additional gaseous taxogen until the desired concentration of liquid telomer is produced. The process is most desirably carried out in a controlled manner to prevent any undesirable excess of the taxogen from accumulating during the chain transfer step of the telomerization process.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,268, to deZarauz relates to polymers of conjugated dienes and copolymers of conjugated dienes with vinyl aromatic compounds or with other conjugated dienes having a high content of trans-1,4 linkages and a low content of 1,2 or 3,4 linkages and an elastomeric character are prepared by use of a catalytic composition which comprises (a) an organolithium initiator and (b) a co-catalyst system comprising a compound of barium or strontium and an organometallic compound of a metal of Group IIB or IIIA of the Mendeleev periodic table of elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,753, to Richards et al. relates to a process for the anionic polymerization of a conjugated diene in the presence of RLi and a hindered triaryl boron or aluminum derivatives.
British Patent No. 1,294,890, to Petrov et al. relates to the production of hydrocarbon polymers containing functional end groups by treating a conjugated diene polymer containing at the chain ends thereof organometallic groups of a metal of Group II or Group III of the Periodic Table but excluding a transitional metal, with a reagent selected from an alkylene oxide, carbon dioxide, oxygen, sulfur, and epichlorohydrin.
An article, "Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Diene Oligomers in View of Their Practical Applications," Die Angewandte Makromolekulare Chemie, 70. (1978)9-30 (Nr. 1032), relates to the utilization of various initiators for butadiene oligomerization.
An article, "Functionally Terminal Polymers via Anionic Methods," Schulz, Sanda and Willoughby, Chapter 27, Anionic Polymerization, Kinetics, Mechanisms and Synthesis, Symposium Series No. 166, American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C., 1981, relates to reacting monoacetal polybutadienyl lithium with ethylene oxide or carbon dioxide. Dihydroxy or hydroxy-carboxy terminated polymers are produced.

Liquid telechelic polymers having high 1,4-diene structure


Various examples are provided for digital sound reconstruction using piezoelectric array elements. In one example, a digital loudspeaker includes a fixed frame and an array of transducers disposed on the fixed frame. Individual transducers of the array of transducers can include a flexible membrane disposed on a piezoelectric actuation element positioned over a corresponding opening that extends through the fixed frame. In another example, a method includes forming a flexible membrane structure on a substrate and backetching the substrate opposite the flexible membrane structure. The flexible membrane structure can be formed by disposing a first electrode layer on a substrate, disposing a piezoelectric layer on the first electrode layer and disposing a second electrode layer on the piezoelectric layer. A flexible membrane layer (e.g., polyimide) can be disposed on the second electrode layer.

The consumer electronics industry constantly evolves with changes in market demand and the desire to provide higher quality products. Improvements including smaller dimensions, low power consumption and better quality of components such as speakers, microphones, humidity sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and cameras are in high demand. In the area of digital audio technology, the elimination of components that introduce noise when digital signals are converted to analog signals, which are normally reproduced by commercial speaker drivers, can provide improved performance.

Piezoelectric array elements for sound reconstruction with a digital input

KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY