Lead-free phosphate glass compositions are provided which can be used to immobilize low level and/or high level radioactive wastes in monolithic waste forms. The glass composition may also be used without waste contained therein. Lead-free phosphate glass compositions prepared at about 900.degree. C. include mixtures from about 1 mole % to about 6 mole %.iron (III) oxide, from about 1 mole % to about 6 mole % aluminum oxide, from about 15 mole % to about 20 mole % sodium oxide or potassium oxide, and from about 30 mole % to about 60 mole % phosphate. The invention also provides phosphate, lead-free glass ceramic glass compositions which are prepared from about 400.degree. C. to about 450.degree. C. and which includes from about 3 mole % to about 6 mole % sodium oxide, from about 20 mole % to about 50 mole % tin oxide, from about 30 mole % to about 70 mole % phosphate, from about 3 mole % to about 6 mole % aluminum oxide, from about 3 mole % to about 8 mole % silicon oxide, from about 0.5 mole % to about 2 mole % iron (III) oxide and from about 3 mole % to about 6 mole % potassium oxide. Method of making lead-free phosphate glasses are also provided.

The present invention relates to low temperature, lead-free, phosphate glass compositions which can be used to encapsulate and immobilize radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes. Specifically, the present invention concerns the development of novel phosphate glass compositions having reduced processing temperatures and improved chemical durability when compared with existing conventional borosilicate and phosphate glass formulations. The new materials of the present invention have been developed primarily for use in vitrifying radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes, but can also be used in other industrial glass applications.
Industrial, utility, military nuclear operations produce radioactive hazardous and mixed wastes which must be treated in an appropriate manner before disposal to prevent environmental contamination.
Vitrification has been selected for immobilization of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) because glass is highly stable, very durable and has the ability to incorporate a wide variety of chemical contaminants. However, requirements for storage and disposal of low-level radioactive (LLW) and mixed wastes differ from those for HLW. In addition, LLW and mixed waste contaminants have waste chemistries which can vary from those typically found in HLW. Thus, evaluation of vitrification or immobilization of these wastes must consider these differences.
In the past, most research on vitrification of mixed waste has focused on borosilicate glass formulations originally developed for HLW. Although borosilicate glass has demonstrated good long-term chemical durability and is both thermally and physically stable, it requires relatively high process temperatures (1200.degree.-1500.degree. C.) for effective encapsulation of waste. These high temperatures are a major drawback because of volatilization of certain isotopes such as .sup.99 Tc and .sup.137 Cs and heavy metals, such as Pb and Cd. To capture and stabilize the off-gas contaminants high temperature processes require the use of secondary treatment systems. Further, borosilicate glass processing is incompatible with even minor amounts (>1.5 mole %) of P.sub.2 O.sub.5 in a waste stream. Insoluble phosphate phases form depending on the amount of CaO and rare earth oxides present. Further, wastes containing more than about 0.3 mole % Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3, more than about 16 mole % Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, or more than about 19 mole % Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 have also been flagged as outside the borosilicate glass concentration envelope. Therefore, alternative vitrification processes or products are desirable for improved treatment of these wastes.
In recent years, most research on low temperature glass processes focused on phosphate glass. Phosphate glasses are network-forming materials, structurally similar to silicate glasses, whose basic building blocks are PO.sub.4 tetrahedra. Compared with silicate glasses, phosphate glasses offer significant advantages for waste vitrification, such as lower melting and softening temperatures and low melt viscosities. Use of phosphate glasses as final waste forms has been previously proposed, however interest in their development waned as durability of the glass matrix was found to be poor when compared with silicate glasses. Further, new process technologies and materials would have been required to handle their production.
Early work to develop phosphate glass as a nuclear waste form was pioneered at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) under contract with the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, beginning in the late 1950's and continuing through the late 1960's as described by Tuthill, et al. in "Development of the Phosphate Glass Process for Ultimate Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Wastes," BNL 50130(T-505) (1968). Work at BNL focused on development of a continuous glass-melting process for the treatment of Purex-type wastes, nitric acid solutions of the fission products and residual salts from the extraction of uranium and plutonium, together with corrosion products. Development of the BNL process was carried out through pilot-scale testing using simulated waste solutions. A plant-scale demonstration using actual Purex HLW was conducted during the mid to late 1960's as part of the Waste Solidification Engineering Prototypes (WSEP) program at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) as described by McElroy, et al., in "Evaluation of WSEP High-Level Waste Solidification Processes" Waste Solidification Program Summary Report, Vol. 11, BNWL-1667 (1972).
In the BNL process aqueous Purex wastes were evaporated, forming primarily nitrate salts of Fe, Na, Al, Cr. and Ni, SiO.sub.2, SO.sub.4, and PO.sub.4 anions were also present in the waste, along with fission products, nominally in the concentration range of 10.sup.-3 M. Good glass formation was reportedly observed at P.sub.2 O.sub.5 compositions greater than 65 mole %, for the Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 --Na.sub.2 O--P.sub.2 O.sub.5 ternary system, and at greater than 70 mol % for the Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 --Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 --Na.sub.2 O--P.sub.2 O.sub.5 quaternary system. However, the Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 --Na.sub.2 O--P.sub.2 O.sub.5 system, all glasses with less than 60 mole % P.sub.2 O.sub.5 devitrified. For the Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 --Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 --Na.sub.2 O--P.sub.2 O.sub.5 system, all glasses with less than 70 mole % P.sub.2 O.sub.5 devitrified.
Glass formulations were melted at 1100.degree.-1200.degree. C., with temperatures reduced to 800.degree.-900.degree. C. during idling periods to prevent volatilization of phosphate. Metal ions were typically retained at more than 99.9% of their original amounts. Exceptions were ruthenium (94-99%) and cerium (99%), which appeared in the off-gas condensate, which was mainly H.sub.2 SO.sub.4. The melt vessel was constructed of Inconel 702 with a Pt liner. Corrosion of the Pt liner was not a problem, although cracks did develop on several occasions, corroding the container. Inconel in contact with the molten phosphate reacted to form elemental phosphorus which, in turn, combined with Pt to form alloys with lower melting points.
In Europe, in another example of a waste solidification process, phosphate glasses were investigated for solidification and metal embedding of liquid radioactive wastes as described by Van Geel, et al. in "Solidification of High Level Liquid Waste to Phosphate Glass-Metal Matrix Blocks," IAEA-SM-207/83, Vol. 1, pp. 341-359, (1976). Glass was melted at about. 1100.degree. C. using a refractory lined melter with a liquid waste feed. Glasses were prepared as small beads to avoid devitrification problems. Low-alkali or alkali-free iron-aluminum phosphate glasses were found to have improved chemical durability, even better than that of borosilicate glasses. Soxhlet (dynamic) leachabilities were found to be about 5.times.10.sup.-5 g/cm.sup.2 /d, although at temperatures above 100.degree. C., leachability increased rapidly. Glasses were nominally 5 wt % Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, 15 wt % Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, and 50 wt % P.sub.2 O.sub.5, containing about 30 wt % waste oxides.
Lead-iron phosphate (LIP) glass nuclear waste forms were introduced and characterized in detail by Sales and Boatner in the mid 1980's. While lead phosphate glasses had been studied since the mid 1950's, their poor durability in water made them of little commercial interest. Vitrified waste forms containing iron oxide, however, were found to fare favorably compared with borosilicate glass waste forms, rekindling new interest in phosphate glass waste materials. LIP glasses could be processed at temperatures 100.degree. C.-250.degree. C. lower than borosilicate glasses using glass melting technology similar to that developed for borosilicate glasses. Solidified forms had dissolution rates in water about 1000 times lower than comparable borosilicate formulations, at 90.degree. C. in solutions with a pH between 5 and 9.
The addition of iron to lead phosphate glass was found to dramatically increase chemical durability of the glass, by a factor of about 10.sup.4 for a 9 wt % iron oxide addition. Also, the tendency for the glass to crystallize on cooling or reheating was greatly suppressed. Without the iron modifier, lead metaphosphate glasses completely crystallized in air at 300.degree. C. within a few hours. In contrast, LIP glasses were heated for several hundred hours at 500.degree. C. without any signs of devitrification. A variety of metal oxide modifiers were investigated for similar effects MgO, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, CaO, Sc.sub.2 O.sub.3, TiO.sub.2, VO.sub.2, Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3, MnO.sub.2, CoO, NiO, Cu.sub.2 O, ZnO, Ga.sub.2 O.sub.3, Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, ZrO.sub.2, In.sub.2 O.sub.3, La.sub.2 O.sub.3, CeO.sub.2, and Gd.sub.2 O.sub.3), although none were as effective. Compositional ranges for the three major components were: PbO (37-60 wt %), Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 (6-13 wt %), and P.sub.2 O.sub.5 (32-44 wt %), where waste loadings ranged from 14-19 wt %. Practical concentration ranges for glass matrix formation were given to be: PbO (40-66 wt %), Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 (0-12 wt %), and P.sub.2 O.sub.5 (30-60 wt %). Glasses were melted at temperatures between 900.degree. and 1050.degree. C.
Structure of LIP glass was characterized extensively, using Mossbauer spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, Raman and infrared spectroscopy, EXAFS (Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure), low-angle X-ray scattering, liquid chromatography, and transmission electron microscopy. For glasses prepared below 900.degree. C., iron was incorporated in the glass as Fe.sup.+3. Average polyphosphate chain length was reduced from more than 15 for iron-free glasses, to about 2.6 for glass with 9 wt % Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3. Thus the improvement in durability was related to strengthened cross bonding between polyphosphate chains.
PNL conducted an evaluation of LIP glasses as part of the Second Generation HLW Technology Subtask of the Nuclear Waste Treatment Program. Their review found LIP glasses to have substantially better chemical durability than borosilicate glass, although severe devitrification (leading to reduced chemical durability) would result if glass waste forms were prepared in large canisters. A processing method would be required to rapidly cool the material to quench the vitreous structure. Similarly, LIP glasses were examined for their potential applicability for Savannah River Plant (SRP) waste. Phosphate glasses were found to be highly durable, however, the glass melts were highly corrosive with existing glass melting equipment. Thermal stability and waste component solubility were lower than for high-silica glasses. As a result, borosilicate glasses were found to be, overall, more favorable for SRP waste treatment.
Ultra low melting temperature lead-tin fluorophosphate glasses were investigated by Tick, P. A. in "Water Durable Glass with Ultra Low Melting Temperatures," Physics and Chemistry of Glass, Vol. 26, No. 6, pp. 149-154 (December 1984) showing glass transition temperatures of 75.degree. C.-150.degree. C. with good resistance to water attack. Reported compositional ranges investigated were 50-61 atomic percent (atomic %) Sn, 3.0-5.7 atomic % Pb, and 34-48 atomic % P, with fluorine and oxygen contents of 35-74 and 114-149 atoms per 100 cations, respectively. Glass melting was done in air at 450.degree. C. Although lead additions had little effect on glass transition temperature, lead-tin phosphate glasses were readily devitrified without lead as glass component, suggesting that lead has a significant effect on the bonding character in the glass. With regard to chemical durability, four distinct corrosion behaviors were noted for the glass formulations tested, corresponding to very high (>10 mg/cm.sup.2 day) to relatively low (<0.1 mg/cm.sup.2 day) dissolution rates. Best durability was associated with the compositional window defined by 8<Sn/Pb<13 and 1<Sn/P<2, with F/Sn=1.+-.0.2. Outside this region, phase separation was suspected, producing swelling or accelerated dissolution. There are no reports about their chemical stability in acid or basic solutions so far.
Few recent advances in phosphate glass waste forms have been reported as current interest seems to be focused on phosphate glass laser development and associated optical and electronic characterization. Structure models continue to be updated, using high performance liquid chromatography and x-ray spectrometry to analyze glass samples. Chemical durability improvements in alkali phosphate glasses were proposed in a patent application by Day and Wilder in "Chemically Durable Phosphate Glasses and a Method for Their Preparation; Patent Application," Department of Energy, Washington, D.C., PAT-APPL-6-447 847, 1982. Glasses containing 10-60 mole % of Li.sub.2 O, NaO, or K.sub.2 O; 5-40 mole % of BaO or CaO; 0-10 mole % of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; and 40-70 mole % of P.sub.2 O.sub.5 were improved by incorporating up to 23 wt % of nitrogen. Nitrides were the favored additives.
Other phosphate containing formulations proposed for nuclear waste immobilization have been glass ceramics. Certain glass-ceramics or glass-composites may possess higher chemical durabilities than single phase glasses with respect to dissolution in water or corrosion resistance in harsh environments. Glass-ceramics or glass-composites may be formulated for vitrification, consisting of a major, thermodynamically stable crystalline phase and a relatively durable, vitreous matrix.
Various combinations of phosphate glass-ceramic matrices have been manufactured at research level. For example, new castable glass-ceramic dental materials have the potential for use in many phases of restorative dentistry. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,732,087 and 4,431,420 disclose work which been carried out at Corning Glass Works on glass-ceramics based on crystallization of the parent glass. Bio-compatible calcium phosphate glass-ceramics were developed in Japan, possessing extremely high toughness and flexibility. These new materials were described as being durable in both acid and alkaline solutions by Abe, Y., et al. in "Calcium Phosphate Glass Ceramics for Biomedical and Biotechnological Applications," Asahi Glass Foundation for Industrial Technology, PB91-167056, PC A16/MF A02, (1990). In Canada, glass-ceramics based on partial crystallization of precursor glasses from the system Na.sub.2 O--Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 --CaO--TiO.sub.2 --SiO.sub.2 --X (where X is waste oxides or minor processing additives) were developed for the possible solidification of fuel recycle waste was described by Hayward, P. J. in "Review of Progress in the Development of Sphere-based Glass Ceramics," Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management, IX Vol 50, Ed L. O. Werme (1986). Temperatures>1250.degree. C. were required to create the glass; the ceramic phase was then recrystallized during sustained heating at 900.degree.-1050.degree. C. Similar results were obtained in the U.S. for R.sub.2 O--RO--P.sub.2 O.sub.5 and R.sub.2 O--Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 --P.sub.2 O.sub.5 glasses (where alkali metals are Na or Li, and alkaline earth metals are Ca or Ba) doped with 1 mol % of TiO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2, Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, La.sub.2 O.sub.3, or Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5. Glass-ceramics from the system SiO.sub.2 --Cs.sub.2 O--Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 --(La, Ce).sub.2 O.sub.3 --P.sub.2 O.sub.5 --Zr were described for high level waste immobilization at processing temperatures of <1600.degree. C. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,909 to Beall, G. H., et al. While these glass-cerarnics exhibit good chemical durabilities, high melting temperatures and associated losses of volatile fission products from the melts would restrict potential commercial use of these materials.
The glass compositions and vitrification process described above have many drawbacks. Processes relying on borosilicate glass formulations are incompatible with certain single-shell tank waste components, such as phosphates, calcium oxide and rare earth oxides (Wiemers, et al, PNL-7918 Report, p. 4.5). Moreover, borosilicate compositions require high-temperatures for processing which causes high loss of volatile hazardous metals requiring additional expensive off gas treatment. While lead-iron phosphate glasses appear to offer advantages of reduced process temperature and improved chemical durability compared with borosilicate glass, their lead content is considerable (40-60 wt %), posing the potential for excessive toxic releases from the glass matrix.
Accordingly, there is still a need in the art of waste disposal for a composition and method for encapsulation and immobilization of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a composition and process for permanent storage radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes by encapsulation in low temperature, lead-free phosphate glass compositions. Another object of the present invention is to provide durable waste forms which can withstand delocalization by ecological forces. Another object of the present invention is to develop an encapsulating process which does not cause volatilization of hazardous material.

Phosphate glasses for radioactive, hazardous and mixed waste immobilization


The present invention relates to a process for producing a metal oxide catalyst which is suitable for production of acrylic acid or acrylonitrile in one stage by a catalytic oxidation reaction of propane in a high yield.

In general, acrylic acid is produced by a two-stage oxidation reaction of undergoing catalytic reaction of propylene with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst to produce acrlolein and undergoing catalytic reaction of the resulting acrlolein with oxygen.
In the recent years, due to a price difference between propane and propylene and for the purpose of overcoming problems such as complexity in the process involving the two-stage oxidation, a process for producing acrylic acid in one stage by using propane as a starting raw material is studied, and there have been made a number of proposals with respect to catalysts to be used therefor. As representative examples thereof, there are enumerated catalysts made of a composite metal oxide such as [V, P, Te] bases, [Mo, Te, V, Nb] bases, and [Mo, Sb, V, Nb] bases.
Recently, there have been filed some applications for patent with respect to further improvements of the foregoing metal oxide catalysts. JP-A-10-137585 discloses a process for producing a catalyst by mixing an aqueous solution obtained by allowing a molybdenum compound, a vanadium compound and an antimony compound to react in an aqueous medium at 70° C. or higher with a niobium compound, evaporating to dryness the resulting mixture, and further calcining it at a high temperature.
JP-A-10-230164 describes that in heating the respective metal compounds in the aqueous medium described in the foregoing JP-A-10-137585, a gas containing molecular oxygen is introduced into the aqueous medium. Furthermore, it is described that when the catalyst as produced in this process is used for vapor phase catalytic oxidation reaction of propane, the yield of acrylic acid is enhanced.
Also, JP-A-11-285636 describes that hydrogen peroxide is added to a reaction liquid of the respective metal compounds in the aqueous medium during heating and reaction, or after the reaction as described in the foregoing JP-A-10-137585 and JP-A-10-230164.
However, even in the case of using the catalysts as described in all of the foregoing patent documents, the yield of acrylic acid as obtained in one-stage oxidation of propane does not reach a practical level required in the acrylic acid production.
JP-A-11-226408 discloses a method for allowing a metallic tellurium power to react with an oxonic acid salt (oxometalate) of other element, such as ammonium metavanadate, molybdic acid, and ammonium paramolybdate, in an aqueous medium, thereby dissolving the subject metal powder in a reaction liquid and using the resulting reaction liquid as a raw material of a metal oxide catalyst. However, the particle size of the tellurium particle to be used in the invention as described in the subject patent document exceeded 100 μm, and a long period of time was required for the reaction in the aqueous medium. Furthermore, when the resulting metal oxidation catalyst is used in ammoxidation of propane, it is possible to produce acrylonitrile in a propane conversion of from 25 to 30% and a selectivity of approximately 60%. However, when used for the reaction for producing acrylic acid from propane, there was no drastic advance in performance as compared with conventionally known catalysts.

Process for producing metal oxide catalyst

Abstract: The present invention is characterized by using a fine particle of metallic tellurium obtained by reducing a Te compound with a reductant as a raw material for producing an oxide catalyst including metal elements Mo—V—Nb—Te. The fine particle of metallic tellurium is preferably one containing primary particles having a particle size of not more than 4.0 μm. By using a metal oxide obtained by the process of the present invention, acrylic acid can be produced from propane by a one-stage oxidation reaction in a higher yield not less than 40%.


A light source device includes a first light source, a fluorescent material, a second light source, and a synthesis member. The synthesis member includes a visible light reflecting film, and a transmitting window which is disposed in the visible light reflecting film to transmit the visible light. The second light source, the fluorescent material and the synthesis member are mutually arranged in such positional relations that the transmitting window is positioned along optical axis of light emitted from the second light source and that generated light emitted from the fluorescent material is reflected in an optical axis direction of the light emitted from the second light source by the visible light reflecting film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light source device and a projector provided with the light source device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nowadays, data projectors are often used as image projecting devices for projecting images, such as displays of personal computers, video images and, images of image data stored in memory cards, on screens. Each of these projectors gathers light projected from light sources on a micromirror display device called a digital micromirror device (DMD®) or a liquid crystal display panel, to display color images on a screen.
Heretofore, in this type of projector, a discharge lamp having a high luminance has been mainly used as a light source, but in recent years, there have been made developments and suggestions of employing a light emitting diode, a laser diode, an organic EL or a fluorescent material as the light source. For example, in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2011-13320, a light source device has been suggested which emits blue light obtained by dispersing an excitation light from a laser light source for emitting the excitation light having a blue wavelength, red light from a red color emitting diode for emitting the red light, and green light from a fluorescent material for emitting the green light by receiving the excitation light from the laser light source. In this light source device, a dichroic mirror is used which can transmit or reflect an arbitrary wavelength, to synthesize the blue light, the green light and the red light from the respective light sources on one image display device.
In the dichroic mirror disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2011-13320, the light can be synthesized with a high efficiency, if each wavelength of the synthesized light is a single-wavelength or a narrowband wavelength. However, when a light having an extensive wavelength distribution is synthesized, a portion of the wavelength bandwidth is not synthesized sometimes to cause a loss.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a light emitting distribution of a yttrium.alminum.garnett (YAG) fluorescent material which can be utilized as a light source for the green light. As shown in the drawing, on the short wavelength side of the light emitting distribution of the fluorescent material, any light emitting component is not present in a wavelength bandwidth of about 440 nm to about 460 nm which is used in a blue light source. On the other hand, on the long wavelength side, the light emitting component is present in a wavelength bandwidth of about 620 nm to about 640 nm which is used in a red light source.
In synthesizing the red light and the blue light with the light emitted by such a fluorescent material, the synthesis is possible by use of a dichroic filter having characteristics of reflecting the light of 500 to 600 nm at a 45° incidence and transmitting wavebands of the red color and the blue color, for example, as shown in FIG. 2. In a transition wavelength bandwidth having the reflecting and transmitting characteristics of the dichroic mirror which synthesizes the light having wavelengths by use of such a dichroic filter, the characteristics are usually moderately varied in a wavelength width of 30 to 40 cm, in consideration of costs and manufacturing yield. Therefore, when the emitted light from the fluorescent material shown in FIG. 1 is synthesized with the red light and the blue light by use of the dichroic filter shown in FIG. 2, a reflectance gradually deteriorates from about 580 nm, and most of the light emitting components of 620 nm or more are transmitted, with the result that the synthesis with the red light and the blue light is not accomplished. Accordingly, in this example, about 7% of the emitted light from the fluorescent material is not synthesized unnecessarily.


Upon searching for a digital document of a document image, if information indicating a security level “vector conversion of objects is NG” is embedded in the document of interest, information of objects to be used in the search is deficient, thus disturbing satisfactory search processing. To solve this problem, a document image is read, and the read image is divided in accordance with the attributes of image regions. Designation of an image region whose image is to be vector-converted of the divided image regions is accepted, and additional information included in the designated image region is extracted. Search processing of a data file corresponding to the document image is controlled in accordance with the presence/absence of the additional information or the interpretation result of the additional information.

Along with the digitization of information, it has become easier to share and use information over a broad range. Especially, needs for reusing paper-based documents as digital data (digital documents) are increasing. As a method of generating a digital document from a paper-based document (original), a method of reading a document image to search for an original digital document has been proposed (Japanese Patent No. 3,017,851).
As an example that improves the search efficiency in the above proposal, a system that reads a document image, then vector-converts objects of the image for respective blocks, and searches for a digital document based on layout information of the document image and vector information for respective blocks has been proposed.
Furthermore, when a document image is vector-converted and is reused as digital data, the necessity for falsification prevention and security protection is increasing. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-164538 describes a method of determining whether or not a document, the image of which is read, is a confidential document. That is, with this technique, the copy-forgery-prohibit-pattern of a confidential document is registered in advance, and it is checked if the copy-forgery-prohibit-pattern of the read document image matches the registered copy-forgery-prohibit-pattern, thus checking whether or not the read image is that of a confidential document.
Also, a proposal that changes security levels for respective documents is available. However, upon searching for a digital document of a document image, if information indicating a security level "vector conversion of objects is NG" is embedded in the document of interest, information of objects to be used in the search is deficient, thus disturbing satisfactory search processing. Or an enormously long search time is often required.

Image processing apparatus and its method


An air cleaning system for a vehicle includes an inertial separator for filtering contaminated air, which then enters a vehicle cooling system positioned to receive the filtered air exiting from the inertial separator, and a clean air diverter positioned to receive a portion of the filtered air and to direct the filtered air to an engine and/or cab. The system may also include a pulley arrangement to increase the speed of a second inertial separator which further filters the air directed to the engine and/or cab.

Off-road vehicles including construction and agricultural machinery are commonly operated in an environment with high levels of air-borne contaminants. Harvesting machines, such as cotton, sugar cane, grain and forage harvesters are typically operated in environments with various straw, seeds, dust and other air-borne contaminants. These machines are accordingly fitted with expensive air filters to protect the engine. In some machines, for example, a typical paper air filter may have a 15 inch diameter and a length of 2 feet.
These machines are also typically equipped with precleaners, which aid in removing some of the air contaminants entering the engine. However, the precleaners are only about 70%-90% efficient. Accordingly, a percentage of the contaminants are constantly entering the paper air filter and shortening the life of the filter.
The typical off-road vehicle also has a cooling system which may include an oil cooling system, a fuel cooling system, an air conditioner condenser, a radiator, and a charge air cooler. A self-cleaning rotary screen is typically used to keep out most large air contaminants from entering the cooling system. On occasion, however, the radiators and other cooling systems may become clogged due to larger particles passing through or around the seal of the rotary screen.
Air contaminants may also penetrate the interior cab of these machines through fresh air vents. As a result, paper filters are used to filter outside air as it passes through the vents. However, these filters occasionally become clogged due to excessive amounts of contaminants passing through the filters.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a vehicle air cleaning system which would efficiently operate to provide clean air to the cooling system, engine, and cab to extend the life of the paper filters and engine, and to reduce down time due to overheating caused by cooling system clogs.

Air cleaning system for vehicle cooling system and engine and cab


The present disclosure generally relates to an analog mixed-signal (AMS) design verification system. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a system and method for system verification. One example method includes: obtaining an electronic representation of the circuit design; generating at least a portion of a waveform using the electronic representation of the circuit to obtain a first segment of the waveform associated with the circuit; converting, via the one or more processors, one or more measurement functions to code for performing the one or more computations on the first segment of the waveform; performing one or more computations on the first segment of the waveform using the code; and identifying when a behavior of the circuit violates a design specification based on whether a result of the one or more computations meets a threshold.

In analog mixed-signal (AMS) design verification, a signal waveform is generated using simulation or emulation of a circuit representation, and various values (also referred to as measurements) may be determined. For example, typical measurements include signal amplitude, frequency and phase, average, root mean square (RMS), minimal and maximal values, and duty cycle of the waveform. The values are subsequently checked for correctness against specified bounds to determine whether the behavior of the circuit violates a design specification.

On-the-fly computation of analog mixed-signal (AMS) measurements


A cast-cutter for use in removing a cast from a patient comprises a body (20), cutting means (18, 148, 230) supported by the body (20), and a protection member (16, 204, 206, 236, 244) supported by the body (20) and adapted to be positioned between the cutting means (18, 148, 230) and the patient, to protect the skin of the patient. In one disclosed embodiment the cutting means cuts a cast by a shearing action. In another disclosed embodiment the cutting means cuts a cast by an abrading action.

Typical "plaster" casts for use in immobilising limbs or other parts of the body are composed of a padded fibre layer surrounded by a plaster or fibre glass tape layer. Conventional cast-cutters remove such casts by cutting through the plaster or fibre glass layer, with the padded layer subsequently being cut using scissors, or other like instruments. This is normally repeated at opposing sides of the cast to enable the cast to be removed in two sections.
Conventional cast-cutters typically comprise an oscillating blade or disc which abrades or saws the plaster or fibre glass. As a result, large quantities of dust may be produced and dispersed within the air. In order to minimise the release of dust particles, a dust extraction device may be required, which may be cumbersome and adds additional expense to the cutting device.
Furthermore, conventional cutters are generally noisy in operation due to the action of the blade and a high speed motor, and the presence of the extraction device, which can be distressing, particularly to young patients. As a result, patients may become agitated, which makes removal of the cast without causing injury more difficult.
Additionally, in use, the blades of conventional cutters may become heated due to friction between the blade and the cast, which introduces the risk of burning the skin of the patient.
Due to the above problems, cast cutters which involve cutting the cast by a sawing action, even when operated by a skilled operator, may result in distress and injury to the patient.


Provided are a crucible which prevents polycrystal formation to easily allow growth of optical part material single crystals, and a single crystal growth method employing the crucible. The crucible has a smooth surface of about Rmax 3.2s as the surface roughness of the wall surface 1H, concave curved plane 1J, cone surface 1F and convex curved plane 1L of the starting material carrying section 1D and the wall surface 1K of the seed carrying section 1E, which constitute the inner surface of the crucible of a crucible body 1A.

The Vertical Bridgman (VB) method is a known method for producing single crystals of calcium fluoride. The VB method involves moving a crucible carrying a calcium fluoride material vertically through a crystal growth furnace which has a temperature gradient near the melting point of the calcium fluoride material. In other words, first the crucible is raised to melt the calcium fluoride material, and then it is gradually lowered in temperature (i.e. cooled) for gradual crystallization from bottom to top to grow a single crystal of the calcium fluoride. In some methods, the calcium fluoride material is melted by simple temperature control of the heater of the crystal growth furnace, without raising the temperature of the crucible.
As an example of a crucible used for the VB method there may be mentioned the crucible described in patent document 1. The crucible disclosed in patent document 1 has a construction such that the calcium fluoride grows in a single crystal along the crystal plane of the seed (seed crystal), and it comprises a large-diameter starting material carrying section in which the calcium fluoride material is loaded, and a small-diameter seed carrying section situated below the starting material carrying section, wherein the calcium fluoride seed is loaded; the starting material carrying section and seed carrying section are connected via a tapered cone surface.

Crucible and method of growing single crystal by using crucible


The present invention relates to hybrid transparent conducting electrode comprising reduced graphene oxide film, metal mesh and textured glass, wherein the reduced graphene oxide film is coated on the textured glass embedded with the metal mesh or the reduced graphene oxide film is sandwiched between the textured glass and the metal mesh. The present invention also relates to a process of preparing the hybrid conducting transparent conducting electrode. The said transparent conducting electrode exhibits transparency ranging from about 70% to 85% with sheet resistance ranging from about 5 Ω/sq to 100 Ω/sq.

Transparent conducting electrode is the cynosure of the optical devices industry. The astute need of the transparent conducting electrodes is expressively acknowledged across the optical device industry involving solar panels, smartphone, computer, televisions, windshields and the like, owing to the consistent effort to develop better devices.
Indium tin oxide (ITO) is the highly preferred material to obtain transparent conducting electrodes, however this has challenges due to cost and brittle nature of ITO. Many alternatives are being developed with metal wire meshes, graphene reduced graphene coatings and carbon nano tubes. Each technology poses challenge to be addressed for optimum benefit. The direct growth of graphene on non-catalytic substrates like quartz and glass involves the conventional CVD process for graphene growth at higher temperature about 900° C. to 1050° C. and need longer time duration for graphene growth from about 2 hour to 6 hours. The said process also uses combustible gases like methane, methanol as precursor. Further, CVD system requires catalytic nano particles such as Nickel and Copper as seed layer for graphene growth and uses argon as carrier gas and H2 for promoting graphene growth.
Various substrates are being explored to coat and obtain conducting transparent materials and amongst them glass occupies premium position with its unique properties.
However, the adoption of metal wire mesh, graphene, reduced graphene and the like on textured glass is a challenge as the available technologies fail to get the desired product at the level of texturing of glass embedded with metal wire mesh, and reduced graphene oxide or vice versa.


This disclosure describes digitally generating sub-carriers (SCs) to provide isolation and dynamic allocation of bandwidth between uplink and downlink traffic between transceivers that are communicatively coupled via a bidirectional link including one or more segments of optical fiber. Separate uplink and downlink communication channels may be created using digitally generated SCs and using the same transmitter laser. In some implementations, one or more of the nodes include a transceiver having at least one laser and one digital signal processing (DSP) operable for digitally generating at least two SCs and detecting at least two SCs. The transceiver can transmit selected SCs, and can receive other SCs. Accordingly, the transceiver can facilitate bidirectional communication, for example, over a single optical fiber link. In some instances, techniques can facilitate dynamic bandwidth assignment by facilitating adding or blocking of optical subcarriers from transmission in an uplink or downlink direction.

Optical fiber communication facilitates transmitting information from one location to another by sending, for example, light signals through an optical fiber. The light forms an electromagnetic carrier wave that can be modulated to carry information. Conventionally, optical fibers are provided for communication to the edge of an optical communication network.
Single fiber bidirectional optical transmission refers to the capability of transmitting optical signals in the same fiber but in opposite directions. Compared to a two fiber system, in which each of two separate fibers is used to perform single directional transmission, the number of optical fibers to be used can be reduced.


A folding mechanism operatable between an extended position and a received position is disclosed to include a rack for supporting thereon a table machine, a pair of first legs and a pair of second legs respectively pivoted to the rack for supporting the rack above the floor, two first links respectively pivoted to the rack, two sliding units slidably and respectively sleeved onto the first legs and pivotally and respectively connected with the first links, and two second links respectively pivoted to the sliding units and the second legs. The first and second links and the sliding units are moved with the second legs toward the first legs upon folding the folding mechanism from the extended position to the received position, and at the same time the sliding units are slid along the first legs, assuring safety and stability of the folding action.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to foldable support means for supporting a table machine, and more particularly, to a folding mechanism for supporting a table machine, which can effectively convert the weight of the table machine that is supported on the folding mechanism into a force necessary for folding the folding mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a conventional mobile stand 2 for supporting a table machine, for example, table saw 1 is shown in these drawings. The mobile stand 2 comprises a platform 3 for carrying the table saw 1, a pair of first legs 4 each having one end respectively pivoted to the platform 3 by a pin 2a and connected to a handle 4a and the other end terminating in a bearing portion 4b for touching the floor, a pair of second legs 5 each having one end respectively and pivotally connected to the first legs 4 by a pin 2b and terminating in an extension 5b and the other end mounted with a wheel 5a, and a pair of connecting members 6 each having the two distal ends respectively pivoted to the platform 3 and the extension 5b of the second legs 5 by pins 2c and 2d. By means of the aforesaid arrangement, the mobile stand 2 can be alternately set between an extended position shown in FIG. 1 and a received position shown in FIG. 3.
The design of the aforesaid mobile stand 2 allows utilization of the weight of the table saw 1 to share the force F1 necessary for folding the mobile stand 2 into the received position. However, when the bearing portions 4b of the first legs 4 are stopped at the floor, the table saw 1 is kept in a tilted position, and the center of gravity W of the table saw 1 is offset from the pivot points, i.e. pins 2b, between the first legs 4 and the second legs 5 (see FIG. 2), if the grasp force F2 applied by the user to the handle 4a cannot sustain the downward pressure of the table saw 1, the second legs 5 will be forced to move toward the first legs 4 rapidly, and the elastic force of the springs 7 between the first legs 4 and the second legs 5 will accelerate the movement of the second legs 5 toward the first legs 4, resulting in a potential accident.
Further, when the mobile stand 2 is extended out, the shank 8a of each T-shaped lock member 8 is respectively inserted through a through hole 4c on each first leg 4 and a through hole 9a on a respective locating plate 9 that is respectively welded to each of the second legs 5 to lock the first legs 4 and the second legs 5, preventing movement of the second legs 5 toward the first legs 4. When the mobile stand 2 is in the received position, the shanks 8a of the T-shaped lock members 8 are respectively stopped at the extensions 5b of the second legs 5, preventing movement of the second legs 5 relative to the first legs 4. The T-shaped lock members 8 provide a locking and positioning function. However, it is difficult to align the through holes 4c of the first legs 4 with the through holes 9a on the locating plates 9 at the second legs 5. Further, the T-shaped lock members 8 must be pulled out of the locking position or pushed into the locking position when the mobile stand 2 is extended out or received. Further, a shearing force may be produced between the first legs 4 and the second legs 5 due to an accidental impact of the mobile stand 2, thereby damaging the T-shaped lock members 8.
Therefore, the aforesaid conventional mobile stand having the above-mentioned drawbacks is needed to be further improved.

Folding mechanism for supporting table machine


There is provided a switching power supply device of hysteresis current mode control system which assures excellent response characteristic for change of output current and reduction of power consumption. In a switching regulator of hysteresis current mode control system, a sense resistor connected in series to a coil is eliminated, a serially connected resistor and a capacitor are connected in parallel to a coil in place of such sense resistor. Thereby, a potential of a connection node of these resistor and capacitor is inputted to a comparator circuit having the hysteresis characteristic for comparison with the reference voltage. Accordingly, a switch may be controlled for ON and OFF states.

The present invention relates to the technology which may be effectively applied to a power supply device to generate a DC voltage and moreover to a switching regulator which is required to have the excellent transient response characteristic for change of output current, for example, to the technology which may be effectively applied to a power supply device to be mounted to a system which results in large variation of current dissipation.
In recent years, a microprocessor is often mounted as a system control device into an electronic device. Moreover, an operation frequency of the microprocessor (hereinafter, referred to as CPU) tends to be more and more increased and the maximum operation current also increases depending on increase in the operation frequency. For a portable electronic device or the like comprising a built-in CPU, a system is often employed, in which a battery voltage is stepped up or down with a switching regulator to supply the operation current to the CPU, but since the battery is very much consumed in this system, when operation of the CPU is not required, the entire circuit of the CPU or the partial circuit thereof is stopped to operate. Therefore, changing range of current dissipation of the CPU tends to increase with increase of the maximum operation current of the CPU. Therefore, as a power supply device to supply the operation current to the CPU, those having excellent transient response characteristic for change of output current have been required.
As a switching regulator having excellent transient response characteristic, the regulator called the hysteresis current mode control system regulator is known (for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,825,165).
The proposed switching regulator of the hysteresis current control system comprises a current sense resistor connected in series to a coil for detecting current flowing through the coil and an error amplifier for outputting a current proportional to an error voltage between the voltage (feedback voltage) obtained by dividing an output voltage with a resistance dividing circuit and the reference voltage. The switching regulator of the structure described above compares an error voltage expressed with product of a value of the resistor connected between a connecting node of the coil and sense resistor and an output terminal of the error amplifier and an output current of the error amplifier with an output voltage with a comparator having the hysteresis characteristic and switches a main switch, which supplies a current to the coil when a voltage-drop at the sense resistor exceeds "error voltage+hystereris voltage", to OFF from ON and also switches a synchronous switch, which operates to reduce a current to the coil synchronously with the main switch, to ON from OFF. Moreover, this switching regulator switches the main switch to ON from OFF when the voltage-drop at the sense resistor becomes lower than the error voltage, and also controls the output voltage to the constant value by turning the synchronous switch to OFF from ON.
Such switching regulator of the hysteresis current mode control system is capable of maintaining the output voltage to the constant value through quick response against change of the output current by elongating the ON period of the main switch when the output current increases and shortening the ON period of the main switch when the output current decreases, in order to provide the feedback effect to elongate the ON period of the synchronous switch.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Switching power supply device and switching power supply system


A computer-implemented method includes capturing visual data of an environment using an image sensor of an electronic device and non-visual data of the environment using one or more non-image sensors of the electronic device. Feature descriptors of one or more objects in the environment are generated using the visual data of the environment and the non-visual data of the environment. A map of the environment is generated using the feature descriptors of the one or more objects. One or more virtual objects are anchored to at least one of the objects using the map. The visual data, the non-visual data, and the map are combined in a digital multimedia container file. The digital multimedia container file is stored on the electronic device or on another electronic device connected to the electronic device.

Augmented reality (AR) is an interactive experience of a real-world environment where the real world is enhanced by adding computer-generated objects and information, also referred to as virtual objects and information. Augmented reality is used to enhance natural environments or situations and offer perceptually enriched experiences. It is desirable to share these enriched experiences among users.

Augmented reality content experience sharing using digital multimedia files


The present invention provides an electromagnetic energy spot curing method and system which integrates the UV radiation with an inert gas to disperse the gas and the radiation energy simultaneously to cure an adhesive surface on a target or work piece. The system provides a means to cure the adhesive surface during photoinitiation to expel the atmospheric oxygen which otherwise would interfere with the curing cycle.

Ultraviolet (UV) lamps are well-known in the art to cure certain curable compounds such as adhesives and the like. UV spot curing systems are used in various applications including the curing of industrial sealants for potting electronics, bonding plastics in the medical industry and the curing of dental filling materials, disk drive industry amongst other applications. Generally, the presence of air would reduce curing of the adhesive. During photopolymerization, as you radiate UV energy or light, the free radicals that are formed during curing are destroyed by reaction with oxygen from the air. Therefore, it is desired to integrate an inert gas with an UV irradiance onto the adhesive surface during the curing cycle. This integration of the inert gas overcomes oxygen inhibition associated with photopolymerization of acrylate/methacrylate products.
UV curing devices for curing adhesive between two layers of an information carrier, used particularly for disk drive industry, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,361,846; 6,170,172; 6,148,542 and 6,108,933. The devices described in these patents is a device that cures the adhesive by means of UV radiation in an inert-gas atmosphere. These devices include a curing chamber or enclosure filled with inert gas that isolates the adhesive from the atmospheric oxygen. However, such devices do not have the ability to accurately focus the light to a confined area or location. Also, the reactive material is required to be enclosed in a chamber. Finally, the curing is performed at a low irradiation intensity making the curing process slow and inefficient.
Therefore, a need exists to provide a spot curing system which overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art.

Integrated inert gas for electromagnetic energy spot curing system


Crux detection in search definition sets is provided herein. Crux detection can include generating a hierarchical representation of a search definition set. The hierarchical representation can be reduced by removing search definitions unrelated to a target search definition. The search definitions in the reduced hierarchical representation can be focused by removing inapplicable elements or operations in the search definitions. Focusing the search definitions in the reduced hierarchical representation can include removing context-irrelevant elements and/or removing search-definition-irrelevant elements. The focused reduced hierarchical representation can be analyzed to identify implementation cruxes in the search definitions. Cruxes can include performance-impacting elements of the search definitions. The cruxes can be tagged and provided for redevelopment or analysis.

The amount of data in database and enterprise systems continues to increase at a high pace. Generally, pre-defined searches are used to access such data. Often, such pre-defined searches are complex, and need to be analyzed, tested, or otherwise reviewed by developers, administrators, or users for correctness or efficiency. Such analysis is generally done manually, which can be prohibitively difficult, time-consuming, or expensive, thus leading to incorrect or inefficient searches. Thus, there is room for improvement.


A mechanism is provided for automatic testing a software product comprising a plurality of software packages that are to be installed or de-installed in defined order. Software package dependency and prerequisite information is analyzed for each software package and a dependency abstraction level matrix is created for the software packages. The dependency abstraction level matrix is reduced by searching for software packages assigned to more than one abstraction level, determining the highest abstraction level the software package is assigned to, and deleting the software package from lower abstraction levels that the software package is assigned to. Possible software package test combinations of the software product are determined based on the reduced dependency abstraction level matrix. An installation or de-installation procedure of software packages is performed based on the software package test combinations to test installation or de-installation order of the software packages.

The present invention relates in general to the field of software product testing, and in particular to a method for automatic testing a software product comprising a plurality of software packages, and a corresponding test environment for automatic testing a software product comprising a plurality of software packages. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a data processing program and a computer program product for automatic testing a software product comprising a plurality of software packages.
Software products consist generally of several software packages. Some of those packages are used for core functionality of this software product and some of them are optional. Each installation of a new package (mandatory or not) can possibly have influence on already installed packages, for example, through creation of links or through creating of new files or directories in already existing directories, etc. To be sure that a software product is working properly it is important to follow a specific procedure during installation.
To protect the users against wrong installation, the software vendors furnish each package of a software product with installation prerequisites against the other packages inside this software product. This happens during the packaging process as a part of software development. All files needed for a program are combined in such a package. Among other things—like version—the builder specifies also the prerequisites of this software package.
Before the product gets to a customer, it is necessary to test the outcome of the build and packaging process. It is a four-eye principle. A properly developed software product should be able to get installed correctly and should be fully operational afterwards. If there is the need to uninstall a product, this should be possible in a proper way. This should be tested during the installation verification test (IVT). During this installation verification test (IVT), also the dependencies of the product should be verified and tested.
During the installation verification test (IVT) it is important to install or uninstall the software packages of any software product in a certain order, as recommended in the manual. If the dependencies of the packages have been set correctly, the software installation process should be canceled with a helpful error, when a customer is trying to install the packages in the wrong order. Same is true for the dependencies of the packages during uninstallation. The uninstallation routine should also quit with a helpful error, in case of an incorrect order.
There are usually six to eight software packages in one software product. It is not desirable to use a method that calculates all theoretically possible combinations of the package. For eight software packages, for example, there are already 40320 possible combinations, only for the installation on one platform. This number of combinations will rise also for the removal on one platform. Test should try a number of possible combinations of installing and uninstalling. So with every change in the packaging, test needs to retry and change also the combinations of installing and uninstalling tests. Changes of the packaging can occur during every release or program temporary fix (PTF) several times. This leads to massive testing efforts during the installation verification test (IVT).

Automatic testing a software product comprising a plurality of software packages

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to a new mutant Rhizobium etli CNPAF 512 strain, having an inactivated raiI gene. Inactivation of the raiI gene leads to increased nodule number in beans upon inoculation thereof with the mutant strain. Based on this specific strain other strains can be mutated in the similar gene(s) in order to enable nodule increase and nitrogen fixation in other Leguminosae species.

The present invention relates to a new mutant Rhizobium strain that is deficient in a gene involved in autoinducer synthesis. The invention also relates to a method of increasing the nitrogen fixation in Leguminosae and a method of providing a Rhizobium strain having a mutation in a gene involved in autoinducer synthesis and the product of this method.
Autoinduction is a highly conserved mechanism of differential gene expression in many Gram-negative bacteria. The key trigger of this system is the concentration of small diffusible molecules, termed autoinducers in respect to their biological activity. All autoinducers so far identified are N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs). They are synthesized by an autoinducer synthase, the product of a luxI-homologous gene, and are thought to bind to a protein belonging to the LuxR-family of transcriptional activators. This autoinducer-protein complex activates the expression of defined genes or sets of genes. As this gene activation occurs only when a required threshold concentration of AHLs is attained, the onset of specific genes is dependent on the cell density of bacteria. Consequently, autoinduction allows bacteria to monitor their own population density and to discriminate between high and low cell density. It can also be understood as a cell-cell communication system.
The physiological processes regulated by autoinduction are diverse, as exemplified by the following systems: bioluminescence in Vibrio fischeri, plasmid conjugal transfer in Agrobacterium tumefaciens, antibiotic production in Erwinia carotovora, and synthesis of exoenzymes in plant and animal pathogens like E. carotovora and Pseudomonas aeruqinosa. In Escherichia coli, a LuxR-homologue is involved in the regulation of cell division.
Rhizobium etli CNPAF512 (formerly classified as R. leguminosarum bv. Phaseoli CNPAF512) forms nitrogen-fixing nodules on the roots of common bean. Within this structure bacteria are densely packed and differentiate into their symbiotic state, the bacteroids, able to reduce atmospheric dinitrogen into ammonia. In view of the high cell density during bacteria-plant interaction, autoinduction may be involved at some stage of symbiosis.
Since the nitrogen-fixation that occurs in the nodules is important for plants, it is always desirable to be able to increase the nitrogen-fixing capacity per plant.
In the research that led to the present invention a Rhizobium etli CNPAF512 gene has now been identified by which the Rhizobium strain containing the gene is able to control the number of nodules formed per plant. Based on this information a mutant could be developed in which this particular gene is inactivated and inactivation of this gene led to a significant increase in the number of nodules formed per plant.
The invention thus relates to a new mutant Rhizobium etli CNPAF512 strain, in which the biological function of the raiI gene is inactivated. More in particular the invention relates to a mutant Rhizobium etli CNPAF512 strain having a gusA-Km insertion in its raiI gene. More in particular, the invention provides a mutant Rhizobium etli CNPAF512 strain, herein designated as FAJ1328 and having a gusA-Km insertion in the XhoI restriction site of the raiI gene. The nucleotide sequence of the raiI gene is given in FIG. 1.
Based on the identification of the raiI gene in Rhizobium etli CNPAF512 it became possible according to the invention to create other mutant rhizobia strains by:
a) identifying a gene that is at least 40% similar with the raiI gene of Rhizobium etli CNPAF512 strain in any rhizobia strain; and
b) inactivating the biological function of the gene similar to raiI. In this application the term xe2x80x98similarxe2x80x99 intends to encompass both situations in which sequence homology exists and situations wherein a similar biological function (autoinduction) exists
Inactivation of the biological function can be achieved in various ways.
First, the gene similar to raiI can be mutated by either an insertion of any DNA sequence that is capable of disrupting the reading frame or by deletion of a part of the coding sequence, for example also leading to disruption of the reading frame. Mutations that lead to an internal stop codon can also be used to inactivate the biological function.
Second, the biological function of the raiI gene or other genes encoding autoinducer synthases can be inactivated by interfering with their transcription regulation factors. This interference leads to a complete or partial lack of transcription of the raiI gene. xe2x80x9cBiological functionxe2x80x9d is to be understood as comprising both the direct biological function of the gene, i.e. synthesis of the gene product encoded by the gene and the effect thereof, or its indirect biological function, e.g. synthesis of other molecules like autoinducers, the synthesis of which is dependent on the expression of the raiI gene, and the effect of the synthesis of those molecules. For example, for Rhizobium etli CNPAF512, one of the ultimate biological functions of the non-mutated raiI gene is limitation of the number of nodules formed upon infection of a species of the Leguminosae.
The rhizobia component of the nodules of Leguminosae is specific at least to the genus of the Leguminosae family members. A skilled person will very well be capable of selecting a suitable rhizobia species for the plant in which the nodule number should be increased. Starting from this rhizobia species mutants can be created in which the biological function of the raiI (homologous) gene or other genes encoding autoinducer synthases is inactivated. The rhizobia encompass inter alia the genus Rhizobium and the genus Bradyrhizobium.
The invention further relates to rhizobia strains being deficient in the biological function of their raiI gene or raiI homologous gene or other genes encoding an autoinducer synthases, obtainable by the method as described above.
According to a further aspect thereof, the invention relates to such mutant rhizobia strains for use in increasing the number of nodules in their corresponding host plants and to a method for increasing the nitrogen fixation in Leguminosae, comprising inoculating Leguminosae plants with a mutant strain and providing circumstances suitable for the rhizobia strain to induce nodules.
In a first preferred embodiment of the invention the Leguminosae plant is a bean plant and the rhizobia strain is a strain modulating bean such as Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar phaseoli.
In a second preferred embodiment the Leguminosae plant is a Phaseolus plant and the rhizobia strain is Rhizobium etli CNPAF512.
In a third preferred embodiment the Leguminosae plant is a Glycine max plant and the rhizobia strain is soy-bean nodulating strain selected from Bradyrhizobium japonicum CB1809 and Bradyrhizobium elkani BR29W.
According to still a further aspect of the invention there is provided the raiI gene of Rhizobium etli CNPAF512 in substantially isolated form, comprising a coding nucleotide sequence that is identical to the coding sequence of the nucleotide sequence depicted in FIG. 1 or at least 90% similar to this sequence, or the complementary sequence of either of these. This raiI gene can be used as a probe for screening other rhizobia strains for the presence of a gene that is at least 40% similar to raiI of Rhizobium etli CNPAF512.
The present invention will be further illustrated by the following examples. First it is demonstrated how the presence of the raiI gene was detected through its biological function. Then the relevant genes are isolated (Example 2). Creation of the mutant is described in Example 3, whereas Example 4 illustrates the effect of the mutation on the biological function. Example shows the detection of raiI similar genes in Bradyrhizobium. Example 6 shows mutagenesis of genes encoding autoinducer synthase in other rhizobia species. Example 7 shows the use of raiI as a probe for screening other rhizobia strains.

Increase of nodule number and nitrogen fixation in leguminosae


Conditions in a fluidized bed are measured with a probe and a circuit. The bed can be a polymerization reactor's reaction chamber, and the conditions can result in "sheeting" which is the build up of polymer on the chamber walls. The probe protrudes into the bed and detects a current which generally is a function of at least the impact and charge of particulates in the bed. The current detected by the probe is related to the conditions in the bed. The circuit measures the detected current. The probe has an inner probe piece of metallic material within an insulator of polymeric material. A portion of the insulator protrudes a first distance into the bed, and a portion of the inner probe piece protrudes a second distance into the bed. The first distance is less than or equal to the second distance. The insulator typically does not extend as far into the bed as the inner probe piece.

"Sheeting" is known to occur in the reaction chamber of gas phase polymerization reactors. Sheeting is the adherence of fused catalyst and reactant particles to the walls of the reaction chamber. Sheeting generally is undesirable because it can disrupt temperature control of the reactor, can result in the creation of "chunks" of polymer material that fall off of the walls and clog a distribution plate (which maintains a gas stream for a fluidized bed in the reactor), and can result in the creation of "off-specification" polymer material that mixes with "on-specification" polymer material to provide an unacceptable batch of polymer material.
It is known to reduce sheeting during polymerization (i.e., polymer preparation) in a fluidized bed by introducing an additional substance to the materials used to create the polymer. The materials used to create the polymer typically are the reactant (e.g., a monomer) and the catalyst. The additional substance is introduced only to reduce sheeting. Additional substances that have been used to reduce sheeting are: charge-generating chemical additives such as magnesium oxide and vandium oxide; inert materials in particle or powder form such as silica; water; methanol; chromium-containing compounds; and "anti-stats" which are antistatic materials having a small amount of conductive material to aid in charge dissipation. Some of these substances, such as water and methanol, are known reaction poisons. It also is known to reduce sheeting during polymer preparation in a fluidized bed by introducing a tangential flow into the reaction chamber to remove build-up on the walls of the chamber.
Before sheeting is reduced in any of the ways mentioned in the preceding paragraph, it generally first must be detected. It is known to detect sheeting in a reaction chamber of a polymerization reactor by measuring the "static electricity" voltage in the reaction chamber with a fragile probe and a voltage divider circuit. The fragile probe generally is expensive to manufacture. It is believed, and generally described in the prior art, that high static voltages (e.g., 10 kilovolts or more) in the reaction chamber are indications of sheeting and/or other problems occurring or about to occur in the chamber. One end of the probe, which typically is a metal rod surrounded by a fragile insulating ceramic, protrudes into the reaction chamber and the other end of the probe connects to the circuit. The function of the circuit is to divide down most of the large voltage and thus allow a small voltage to be measured. The higher the voltage measured with the circuit, the higher the static voltage in the reaction chamber and the more sheeting in the reaction chamber that may result.
It also is known to use the fragile probe and voltage divider circuit combination described above to measure the static electricity voltage in fluidized beds generally. High voltages in a fluidized bed are believed to cause, or contribute to, problems with the functioning of the bed and problems with the material being mixed or created with the bed. Fluidized beds are used in a variety of industries including pharmaceutical, food, and metal to mix and react substances and make various drugs, foods, and other products.
Because it is believed that high static voltages are possible in the fluidized beds, the insulator used for the probe is a high quality insulating material, such as ceramic which is expensive and fragile and thus prone to breakage, to prevent arcing from the probe to ground. Also, because of the high static voltages, special safety equipment must be used such as a grounding bar outside the reactor to prevent accidental shocks to anyone making a connection to the reactor and to prevent sparks or arcing which might result in an explosion of various substances in the vicinity and atmosphere near these reactors. It is typical to have ignitable or explosive substances (e.g., gases, chemicals, etc.) near the reactor.
A way is needed to detect problems in fluidized beds (e.g., sheeting in a reaction chamber of a polymerization reactor) without using expensive-to-manufacture, fragile insulating materials such as ceramics on the probe and without the need for special safety equipment such as grounding bars and spark protectors.

Apparatus and method for measuring conditions in fluidized beds


An integrated circuit including a sense amplifier connected to a sense line is provided. The sense amplifier is configured to end a precharge phase of the sense line based on a state of the sense amplifier. A single-ended sense amplifier determines its own precharge level, ends the precharge phase, and starts evaluation as soon as precharge is ended, without waiting for a globally timed signal to end the precharge phase.

Single ended sensing is often used with a matchline (ML) in Content Addressable Memory (CAM) and a bitline in eight-transistor Static Random-Access Memory (8T SRAM). Often, these lines are held low when idle to save leakage power. To perform an operation, the matchlines or bitlines are precharged and then evaluated (e.g., sensed).
As technology scales to submicron geometries, random device variation (RDV) is becoming more prominent. RDV of parameters such as transistor length, transistor width and transistor threshold voltage could be significant even in identically designed neighboring devices. The effects of RDV are especially evident in the design of semiconductor memories. Because most memories rely on sense amplifiers to detect small voltage signals on largely capacitive array lines, RDV in the memory cells as well as sense-amplifier devices can produce incorrect results. To improve reliability, memory designers tune their sensing circuits conservatively, thereby trading off performance in order to maintain a large sensing margin for reliable operation.
In advanced technologies (i.e. 100 nm and smaller gate geometry) RDV is becoming a major bottleneck for improving performance. As device variation increases, timing uncertainty for signal arrival and data capture increases, requiring larger data capture margins, and therefore limiting performance.
Due to its single-ended nature, the ML sensing performed during the CAM search operation is even more sensitive to RDV than the differential sensing used in the SRAM read circuitry. Thus, to maintain reliable operation, most ML sensing schemes employ full-swing sensing which is both slow and power-inefficient.
Self-referenced sense amplifiers address the problems associated with RDV by performing a self-calibration to their respective thresholds to reduce effects of random device variation between adjacent sense amplifiers. However, conventional self-referenced sense amplifiers require a globally timed signal, i.e., a clock-based signal that is applied to plural sense amplifiers, to stop the precharge phase and begin the evaluation phase. Using a globally timed signal causes a plurality of sense amplifiers to have the same amount of precharge time. However, due to process variations, some sense amplifiers may not require the full precharge time in order to reach their particular precharge level. This results in some sense amplifiers sitting idle in the precharge phase after they have reached their precharge level but before the globally timed signal turns off the precharge.

Self-timed, single-ended sense amplifier


Provided are embodiments of a flame resistant covered conductor cable, including a conductor wire, a conductor shield disposed about the conductor wire, an inner insulation disposed about the conductor shield, and a flame resistant outer jacket formed of a flame resistant cross-linked polyethylene (FR-XLPE) disposed about the inner insulation.

Electrical cables are employed in a variety of context to transfer electrical power or signals. An electrical cable typically includes one or more conductor wires arranged to carry electric current along the cable. The conductor wires are usually formed of solid or stranded wire formed of an electrically conductive material, such as aluminum or copper. Stranded wire may include smaller individual wires twisted or braided together to produce larger wires, and is often more flexible than solid wires of similar size.
Electrical cables used for electric power transmission and distribution (often referred to as "electrical transmission lines," "transmission lines," "overhead power lines" or "power lines") typically include bare conductor wires that are suspended between support structures, such as towers or poles. These types of electrical cables are typically formed of stranded wire formed of aluminum or copper. Aluminum conductors are used in many instances for aluminum's relatively low cost and lightweight in comparison to similarly conductive copper conductors. Copper conductors are also used in some instances in view of copper's relatively high electric conductivity in comparison to similarly sized aluminum conductors. Examples of common conductors used in electrical transmission lines include aluminum conductor steel reinforced (ACSR), all aluminum conductor (AAC) and all-aluminum-alloy conductor (AAAC).
In some instances, electrical transmission lines include insulation (often referred to as an "insulated" line) or coverings (often referred to as a "tree wire", "covered line wire" or a "spacer cable"). Insulated lines include insulation around the conductor. This may enable the electrical transmission line to be directly connected to a supporting structure without the use of insulating supports between the line and the structure. Covered lines include a cover around the conductor that inhibits direct contact with the conductor. For example, some electrical transmission lines include a thermoplastic or cross-linked polyethylene covering around the conductor that forms an exterior of the transmission line. Although the covering may not provide insulation that is sufficient to forgo the use of insulating supports between the line and a supporting structure, the covering may inhibit direct contact with wildlife and tree limbs, or other things that may come into brief contact with the line. Covered lines are most often used in heavily wooded areas where tree-line contact is likely.


The present invention relates to a continuous furnace system for heat treating a metal component, in particular an aluminium strip. The continuous furnace system has a first heating unit, in which the metal component is heatable for solution annealing up to a first temperature in the range of from 350° C. to 700° C., a cooling unit, in which the metal component is coolable from 300° C. to 750° C. down to 70° C. to 250° C., and a second heating unit, in which the metal component is heatable up to from 150° C. to 290° C. The first heating unit, the cooling unit, and the second heating unit both have a common support structure, on which the first heating unit, the cooling unit, and the second heating unit are fixed together. Furthermore, the continuous furnace system has a common conveyor track, which extends through the first heating unit, the cooling unit, and the second heating unit, wherein the conveyor track is configured in such a way that the metal component is passable along the conveyor track in the conveying direction through the first heating unit, the cooling unit, and the second heating unit for heat treatment.

In many industrial sectors, such as for example the automotive industry, it is a concern to use lighter components without having to dispense with sufficient stability. For this reason, lighter materials, such as aluminium or magnesium alloys, are used, because these have a high specific strength and rigidity.
In order to use these advantageous lightweight materials, suitable heat treatment processes must be carried out in order to set the desired (micro)structural properties of the component to be produced. The execution of the heat treatment processes is time-consuming, which limits the efficiency of corresponding heat treatment facilities.


A compound that includes at least Si, N and C in any combination, such as compounds of formula (R—NH)4-nSiXn wherein R is an alkyl group (which may be the same or different), n is 1, 2 or 3, and X is H or halogen (such as, e.g., bis-tertiary butyl amino silane (BTBAS)), may be mixed with silane or a silane derivative to produce a film. A polysilicon silicon film may be grown by mixing silane (SiH4) or a silane derviative and a compound including Si, N and C, such as BTBAS. Films controllably doped with carbon and/or nitrogen (such as layered films) may be grown by varying the reagents and conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to integrated circuit manufacture, and more particularly to thin films and their production.
2. Background Description
In logic technologies at a size of 90 nm and smaller, the quality and characteristics of polysilicon is a major factor in determining the gate dielectric scalability. In order to reduce depletion capacitance of gate polysilicon, higher doping concentration at the polysilicon and gate oxide interface has been strongly required. This requirement has been met by increasing poly dopant dose and higher temperature activation. However, this approach may create serious gate dopant penetration into the channel which results in threshold voltage shift, surface punch-through, and device instability.
In recent literature, L. Jalabert et al., "Reduction of boron penetration through thin silicon oxide with a nitrogen doped silicon layer," Microelectronics Reliability, 41, 981–985 (2001), have shown that reduction of boron diffusion is obtained by having nitrogen doped silicon layer at the gate dieletric and gate conductor interface. Jalabert et al. obtained the nitrogen doped interface by reacting disilane and ammonia (NH3) in a low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) furnace. Furthermore, it has been shown in the literature that an amorphous silicon layer reduces boron diffusion. There is also evidence that having low carbon concentration (less than 1020/cm−3) in the silicon-germanium (SiGe) region of SiGe hetero bipolar transistors (HBT) can significantly suppress boron out-diffusion caused by later thermal processing steps. Thus, it has been desired to control the introduction of carbon into films.
In most cases, carbon is introduced in the film by adding an organic material in the gas mixture during the deposition of silicon or silicon-germanium films. Carbon also can be implanted in the film, although implantation damage may be caused.
Conventionally, various films have been produced.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,268,299 (Jul. 31, 2001) discloses formation of silicon-rich silicon nitride films used for barrier application. The silicon nitride films are deposited using various silicon containing precursors, e.g., bis-tertiary butyl amino silane (BTBAS), HCD, SiH4, etc., and NH3. The silicon to nitrogen ratio is modulated by changing the flow ratio of the silicon-containing precursor and NH3. The deposition takes place in LPCVD batch furnaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,486,015 (Nov. 26, 2002) discloses carbon-rich oxynitride, with reactive ion etching (RIE) selectivity due to carbon in the oxynitride film.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,500,772 (Dec. 31, 2002) discloses plasma enhanced growth of oxynitride and nitride using BTBAS and N2O and NH3. Carbon is incorporated in the nitride and oxynitride films.
U.S. Pat. App. 2003/0020108 (Jan. 30, 2003) discloses decreasing the etch rate of silicon oxide films by doping the film with carbon (p 0038). Silicon oxide films are formed with varying amounts of oxygen, carbon and nitrogen.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,518,626 (Feb. 11, 2003) discloses oxynitride films, with carbon incorporation and etch rate as a function of N2O/O2 ratio, in a batch furnace. Film deposition is by BTBAS and N2O (with or without O2).
The conventional films and methods for producing films have not necessarily provided all of the film characteristics that may be desirable for responding to the challenges of 90-nm and sub-90 nm technology. Nor are there adequately simple, feasible production methodologies for making films to have desired characteristics.

Deposition of carbon and nitrogen doped poly silicon films, and retarded boron diffusion and improved poly depletion


Methods and apparatuses are provided for enabling a communication intended for a device to be automatically conveyed to a group of other devices within proximity of the device. A method may include determining at least one communication directed to at least one device and one or more other devices within a proximity of the at least one device. The method also comprises causing a conveying of the at least one communication to at least one of the one or more other devices based, at least in part, on a determination of a request to receive the at least one communication by the at least one of the one or more other devices.

Service providers (e.g., wireless, cellular, etc.) and device manufacturers are continually challenged to deliver value and convenience to consumers by, for example, providing compelling network services. In particular, these include services for sharing information, content and communications among select users (e.g., group sharing). By way of example, a recipient of a phone call or other communication at their mobile device may wish to have the call, and all future calls, shared with a group of peer mobile device users. Unfortunately, there is currently no solution for enabling a communication intended for one recipient to be automatically shared with a group of other mobile devices via a cellular network.

Method and apparatus for sharing a communication among wireless devices


This invention is an implementation of a congestion control mechanism, especially for ATM networks supporting data services or other nonreserved bandwidth traffic, e.g. in multimedia applications. It reacts immediately upon detection of a traffic bottleneck by selectively and temporarily holding back the data traffic that is to pass the bottleneck (5). A congested node (3) transmits congestion notifications (36) containing routing label information and deferment information to upstream nodes (2), thus enabling selective, temporary throttling action. If congestions persist, further notifications may be spread backwards step by step, eventually reaching the sources. A specific implementation is given for PRIZMA type switching nodes.

Communication in switch-based ATM networks is connection-oriented and all ATM cells belonging to a connection follow the same path by swapping their routing labels at the input port of each switch 1,2!. Thus, the actual routing decisions take only place during connection set-up, and routing is not considered as a critical issue in the ATM environment. In contrast, congestion control is already today considered to be one of the difficult challenges that must be solved. This is particularly true for the envisioned LAN emulation service.
The principle to throttle or hold back cells selectively is quite natural and in some sense it has been reported already since the early days of packet switching. Still, only recently the advance in technology has made it possible to realize this idea economically and in a more sophisticated manner. Recent studies in this direction have been reported in 3,4,5!. Reference 5! compares the behavior of a hop-by-hop congestion control mechanism with an end-to-end control mechanism. Simulation results clearly show its superiority over the slow reacting end-to-end control in terms of higher throughput, lower delay, smaller loss probability, and smaller buffer requirements. Reference 3! shows the use of a dedicated Trafic Regulator & Scheduler (TRS) at each output port. If a switch's queue is congested, its TRS can send control information backwards to some previous nodes along the paths to produce selective back-pressure. A TRS uses back-pressure signals from a congested node to selectively throttle traffic by reducing the average transmission rates of congested routes.
In a data environment, congestion cannot be resolved by discarding cells. Discarding cells owing to buffer overflow is a practice that originates from the telecommunication culture with a strong bias to real-time voice and video connections, which all require reserved bandwidth. Whereas for real-time applications, discarded cells are annoying for the user, it has no negative effect on the network. Discarding however a single cell belonging to a data frame triggers definitely all the frame cells to be retransmitted, so that the network may become flooded by additional traffic without an increase in user throughput. Thus, discarding cells belonging to nonreserved traffic potentially consume a significant part of the network capacity without any benefit.
It is a general object of this invention to avoid these different drawbacks of the prior art and to devise an implementation of a congestion control mechanism for information networks that reacts immediately upon detection of a traffic bottleneck by selectively and temporarily holding back the data traffic that is to pass the bottleneck. It is another object to provide such a mechanism which allows lossless operation especially for the nonreserved traffic. It is a further object to improve a network node by implementing in it a congestion control mechanism according to the invention. It is further intended to disclose an input-port module enabling immediate reaction through dedicated label bookkeeping, label searching, label filtering, and linked-list queueing.

Selective congestion control mechanism for information networks

International Business Machines Corporation