A disk information recording medium is loaded on a tray. The tray is loaded in a frame and rotated when information is read from the disk information recording medium. The tray projects from the frame and causes the disk information recording medium to be exposed from the frame when the disk information recording medium is replaced with another one. A braking member is provided on the frame in a position such that the braking member comes into contact with the disk information recording medium when the tray having the disk information recording medium loaded thereon projects from the frame and exposes the disk information recording medium from the frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk device, in particular, to a disk device in which a disk loaded on a tray is rotated at high speed and information recorded in a recording surface of the disk is read.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, as a recording medium for storing therein information such as database and software, a compact disk from which information is reproduced through a laser pickup is used. For this purpose, a built-in CD(Compact Disk)-ROM drive device has been developed. The built-in CD-ROM is a CD-ROM which can be built into a case of a miniaturized notebook personal computer and therefor.
FIG. 1 shows a plan view of an example of the built-in CD-ROM drive device as a kind of a disk device in the related art.
In such a kind of device, a tray 1 on which a disk (not shown in the figure) is loaded, is provided, forward-and-backward (in A, B directions) slidably. The tray 1 is manually slidable. Further, below an opening 1a of the tray 1, a turntable 2 and a pickup unit 3 are provided. The turntable 2 is used for clamping the disk thereon, is driven and thus rotated by a spindle motor (not shown in the figure). The pickup unit 3 optically detects information recorded on the disk.
An ejecting mechanism incorporated in the above-described CD-ROM drive device will now be described. An ejecting operation is performed in response to an ejecting button 4 provided in a front bezel 1b of the tray 1 being pressed. When the tray 1 is loaded in the CD-ROM drive device, a holding lever 5 supported on a bottom surface of the tray 1 is held by a pin 6 provided on a chassis 10.
This holding lever 5 is L-shaped and has one end with a holding portion 5a which holds the pin 6 and the other end with a contacting portion 5b which comes into contact with the ejecting button 4. The holding lever 5 is rotatably supported by a shaft 5c and has a clockwise force applied thereto by a coil spring 7 so that the holding lever 5 tends to holds the pin 6.
At a rear portion of the tray 1, a pressing mechanism which presses the tray 1 in the A direction is provided. This pressing mechanism thus moves the tray 1 a predetermined distance so that an operator may easily draw out the tray 1 by holding a thus-projecting end of the tray 1. A projection 1c projecting downward from the bottom surface of the tray 1 has a pressing lever 8 slidably mounted thereon. The pressing lever 8 has a force applied thereto in the B direction by a coil spring 9.
In the pressing mechanism, in a process in which the tray 1 is loaded in the CD-ROM drive device, an end portion 8a of the pressing lever 8 comes into contact with a rear inner wall 10a of the chassis 10. Thereby, an operator's operation of loading the tray 1 in the CD-ROM drive device causes the coil spring 9 to be elongated by an amount of a projecting length of the end portion 8a by a pulling operation.
As shown in FIG. 2, when the ejecting button 4 is pressed by an operator, the holding lever 5 is rotated in a releasing direction (counterclockwise). Thereby, the holding of the pin 6 provided on the chassis 10 side below the tray 1 is released. The holding lever 8 thus performs a releasing operation in response to the ejecting button 4 being pressed. The force of the coil spring 9 applied to the pressing lever 5 presses the rear inner wall 10a of the chassis 10. A reaction force thereof causes the tray 1 to be pressed out in an ejecting direction (A direction) in response to the releasing operation of the holding lever 5.
As shown in FIG. 3, the front bezel 1b of the tray 1 is spaced from the chassis 10 by a predetermined distance L as a result of the above-described ejecting operation being performed. Thereby, an operator can hold the thus-projecting end of the tray 1 and draw it out. Then, the operator draws out the tray 1 having the disk loaded thereon to a disk replacement position such that the loaded disk is exposed in the disk replacement position. Then, the operator may replace the disk with a new one.
In the built-in CD-ROM drive device in the related art, when the ejecting button is pressed, a power supply to the spindle motor which drives and rotates the turntable 2 is automatically stopped. However, inertia causes a rotor of the spindle motor and the turntable 2 to continue to turn. In order to stop the continuous rotation of the turntable 2, a back electromotive force is applied to the spindle motor and the spindle motor is braked. Thus, the rotation of turntable 2 tends to stop. The disk loaded on the turntable 2 is ejected with the tray 1 after the rotation of the turntable has been stopped.
In such a built-in CD-ROM drive device, in order to improve a rate of reading information from the disk, disk rotation speed is increased to six times or eight times. In such a case of disk rotation speed increase to six times or eight times, a long time is required for the turntable 2 to stop after power supply to the spindle motor is stopped in response to the ejecting button being pressed by an operator. Therefore, when reading of information from the disk is finished and the ejecting button 4 is pressed, the tray 1 may be moved to the ejecting direction before the rotation of the disk due to inertia is completely stopped. In such a case, the disk is ejected while the disk is still turning.


In accordance with some embodiments, memory modules containing phase change memory elements may be organized so that each memory integrated circuit includes both data and error correcting code. As a result of including the error correcting code in each integrated circuit, extra accesses of the memory module to extract the error correcting code can be avoided, improving the performance of the overall memory module in some embodiments.

This relates generally to memory modules.
A memory module typically includes a plurality of integrated circuit memories. Memory modules typically include either non-volatile memory integrated circuits or dynamic random access memory (DRAM) integrated circuits. In DRAM memory integrated circuits in memory modules, single or multiple errors are isolated to one single integrated circuit in the module. In non-volatile memory modules, such as phase change memory modules, errors may not be isolated to a single device. Multiple integrated circuits in the module can contain errors.
Thus, an error correction scheme in non-volatile memories needs to not only correct for multiple errors across multiple devices in the module but also to protect against any one of the devices failing completely. Memory integrated circuits may be built for 16-byte wide accesses. Given that cache line accesses require 64 bytes of data, a reliability scheme in a memory module with four memory integrated circuits plus one exclusive OR device requires two accesses. The first access is 16-byte wide access for data. The second access is one 16-byte wide access to access error correction bytes. The exclusive OR device protects against complete failure of a device.


Disclosed is a support bar for mounting a circuit board to a housing or case. The support bar includes top and bottom, spaced apart, parallel, substantially straight legs. A base connects the legs so that the legs and the base form a U-shaped groove for receiving a portion of a side of a circuit board. A tab extends outwardly from each end of the top leg of the support bar at an acute angle from the longitudinal axis of the top leg. The tabs have a hole formed therein receiving a releasable connection pin. A hole is formed in the circuit board corresponding to the location of the hole in each of the tabs. The case include platform shoulders for supporting the support bar. The platform shoulders have holes formed therein corresponding to the location of the hole formed in the tab. Releasable connection pins are inserted through the holes in the tab of the circuit board and the housing platform to securely hold the support bar and circuit board in place with reference to the housing. The support bar reduces the deflection of the circuit board due to induced forces or in a random vibration environment such as a moving automobile.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to support bars, and more particularly to support bars for circuit boards effective in reducing circuit board deflection due to induced forces or in a random vibration environment.
2. Description of Related Art
Severe deflection of a circuit board can result in a reduced working life of the circuit or even immediate failure. A circuit board may be subjected to deflection during both insertion and removal of socket devices such as programmable EPROM modules or connectors. Circuit boards can also be subjected to deflection in a random vibration environment. The deflection of the circuit board if severe enough or frequent enough can cause solder joints to break, causing electrical contact to be lost and/or electrical component to be worked loose from the circuit. The present invention overcomes this prior circuit board deflection problem.


The invention relates to a memory component having memory cells based on an active solid electrolyte material which can be changed in terms of its resistance value. The active solid electrolyte material is embedded between a bottom and top electrode, can be switched between an on state with a low resistance and an off state with a high resistance by comparison therewith by application of a suitable electric field between said electrodes. A resistance material is embedded in parallel with the solid electrolyte material between the electrodes.

The invention relates to a memory component (CBRAM) having memory cells based on an active solid electrolyte material having a changeable resistance value and which, embedded between a bottom and top electrode, can be switched between an on state with a low resistance and an off state with a high resistance by comparison therewith by application of a suitable electric field between said electrodes, and to a fabrication method therefor.
Various semiconductor memory technologies based on the principle of switching the electrical resistance are currently being researched intensively. One promising concept based on a solid electrolyte material is also known in the literature as PMC (Programmable Metallization Cell) or CBRAM (Conductive Bridging Random Access Memory) (cf.: M. N. Kozicki, M. Yun, L. Hilt, A. Singh, Applications of programmable resistance changes in metal-doped chalcogenides, Electrochemical Society Proc., Vol. 99-13 (1999) 298; R. Neale, Micron to look again at non-volatile amorphous memory, Electron Engineering Design (2002); B. Prince, Emerging Memories—Technologies and Trends, Kluwer Academic Publishers (2002); R. Symanczyk et al. Electrical Characterization of Solid State Ionic Memory Elements, Proceedings Non-Volatile Memory Technology Symposium (2003) 17-1).
The functional principle makes use of the formation and the clearing of a low-resistance channel in a high-resistance solid electrolyte material upon application of suitable electrical fields. A resistive switching between the high-resistance state and a low-resistance state is thereby possible. The two resistance values can respectively be assigned a logic state.
Very high ratios of the off resistance to the on resistance are achieved in the case of the abovementioned CBRAM memory cells, due to the very high-resistance state of the solid electrolyte material in the non-programmed state. Typical values are R(off)/R(on)>106 given R(off)>1010Ω and an active cell area <1 μm2. At the same time, this technology is characterized by low switching voltages of less than 100 mV for initiating the erase operation and less than 300 mV for the write operation.
When realizing a cell array with evaluation and drive logic, however, the high resistance values are associated with a number of disadvantages:                sensitivity toward interference voltages;        large feedback resistance in a typical sense amplifier and thus a high area requirement in the case of embodiment in CMOS technology; and        high RC time constants.
The interference susceptibility of a cell with extremely high R(off) is particularly critical. Since even the resistance of a switched-off field effect transistor is in the region of 1010Ω, a circuit node between such a transistor and a high-resistance CBRAM memory cell is practically completely isolated and thus very sensitive toward instances of capacitive coupling in. Moreover, even extremely low leakage currents lead to the build-up of interference voltages. Both effects may result in an undesirable programming of the CBRAM cell.
Furthermore, the cells exhibit degradation of the off state over the service life, particularly under stress conditions such as endurance tests. This degradation is manifested in a reduction of the off resistance and means an undesirable inhomogeneity of the cell characteristic values in a memory array and over the operation period of the component.
Further memory concepts exist which are based on memory cells that can be switched in terms of their resistance value, such as, for example, MRAM or PCRAM memories. In the case of these concepts, the off/on resistance ratio and also the switch-off resistance are significantly lower in comparison with a CBRAM. The problem area described here does not occur in this form in these other memory concepts. Off/on resistance ratios of up to 70% are achieved in an MRAM, and in a PCRAM the values are typically in the region of less than 103 with an R(off) of less than 1 MΩ.

Memory component with memory cells having changeable resistance and fabrication method therefor


Improved techniques are disclosed for processing transactions or requests in a data processing system. For example, a method for processing requests in a system including a plurality of nodes includes the following steps. At least two nodes of the plurality of nodes receive a plurality of requests. The two nodes exchange information to determine an order for processing requests. The two nodes process the requests in accordance with the order. The order may include a total order or a partial order.

With respect to data processing systems that process high rates of requests or transactions (also referred to herein as transaction processing systems), it is known that such transaction processing systems need to be fault tolerant. In order to handle failure of a single processing node, the system typically utilizes multiple processing nodes. That way, if one node fails, at least one other node is available to continue processing requests.
In general, the nodes processing requests may have state. In order for a node n2 to take over for a failed node n1, the state of n2 has to be updated with the state of n1. One way this has been done in the past is to have a primary node along with a back-up node that follows the same transactions as the primary node, but a few steps behind. That way, if the primary fails, the back-up can take over for the primary.
A key problem with this approach is that some work needs to be done in the event of a failure of the primary, both in detecting the primary failure and then in getting the back-up to take over for the primary. In many mission-critical environments, this disruption in the event of a failed primary is not acceptable.
Accordingly, what is needed is improved techniques for processing transactions in a data processing system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for bonding a solder wire is provided wherein a lower ball end of a material solder wire is first bonded to a first bonding portion of a workpiece. Then, the material solder wire is thermally cut to provide a solder wire segment held bonded to the first bonding portion and having an upper ball end. Finally, the upper ball end is bonded to a second bonding portion of the workpiece. All of the wire bonding process steps are performed in an oxygen-free atmosphere to prevent oxidation of the solder wire.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the wire bonding technology in general. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for electrically connecting between two different portions of a workpiece (e.g. a leadframe or printed circuit board to which electronic components are mounted) by a solder wire.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In electronic circuits or components, it is usually necessary to electrically connect between two different portions of a workpiece. For instance, a lead of a semiconductor chip device need be electrically connected to a relevant bonding pad of the chip body through a metal wire.
In wire bonding, generally, a gold or aluminum wire is melted at both ends to form balls which are subsequently utilized for strong attachment to two different portions of a workpiece. Such a wire bonding method, which is called "ball bonding", is possible because either gold or aluminum has a high melting point and is reluctantly oxidized.
If the melting point of a metal wire is low, it is difficult to control ball formation (with respect to the ball diameter for example) at the time of thermally cutting a material metal wire by a gas torch (burning with hydrogen gas for example). Further, if the metal wire is easily oxidized at the time of ball formation, the metal wire fails to provide a sufficiently strong and reliable connection to the workpiece.
On the other hand, it has been recently proposed to use a solder wire for wire bonding in place of a gold or aluminum wire, because solder is known to be less costly than either gold or aluminum. Further, a solder wire is also advantageous in that it can be made to have an additional function as a temperature fuse (or as a combined temperature/overcurrent fuse) since the melting point of solder is relatively low.
However, the low melting point of solder makes it difficult to control ball formation at both ends of a solder wire. Further, solder is known to be oxidized very easily at the time of melting. Thus, it has been believed impractical to applying the ball bonding method to the solder wire.
In a wire bonding method using a solder wire, therefore, two different methods are conventionally used for bonding the solder wire. A first method is the soldering method wherein a separate bonding solder layer is formed between each end of the solder wire and a relevant portion of a workpiece. A second method is the so-called "wedge bonding" method wherein each end of the solder wire is compressed by a bonding tool for flattening at the time of bonding to the workpiece.
However, the soldering method requires the use of solder in addition to the solder wire itself to result in a material waste. More importantly, the wire bonding process cannot be performed quickly and efficiently by the soldering method. Further, the soldering method cannot be applied when the interval between the bonding points is narrow.
On the other hand, the wedge bonding method has no problem of material waste and is applicable even when the interval between the bonding points is narrow. However, compared with the ball bonding method, there is a greater limitation in increasing the bonding area by flattening the wire end, so that it is difficult to obtain a sufficient bonding strength. Further, the flattened end portion of the wire is rather thin and easy to break, resulting in a quality deterioration of the products.

Method and apparatus for performing wire bonding by using solder wire


A high-intensity discharge lamp ballast includes a lamp operation unit configured to supply power from a power source to a high-intensity discharge lamp, a lamp voltage detector configured to detect a voltage applied to the high-intensity discharge lamp, a lamp status determination unit configured to determine whether the high-intensity discharge lamp is in a turned-on state, based on the voltage detected by the lamp voltage detector, an auxiliary lamp switching element configured to connect the power source and an auxiliary lamp having a rated voltage, and a controller configured to control the auxiliary lamp switching element so as to apply to the auxiliary lamp a voltage substantially equal to the rated voltage of the auxiliary lamp when the high-intensity discharge lamp is supplied with the power and the lamp status determination unit determines that the high-intensity discharge lamp is not in the turned-on state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high-intensity discharge lamp ballast and a method for operating a high-intensity discharge lamp.
2. Discussion of the Background
A high-intensity discharge lamp is a light source which allows brighter lighting with higher light output and is operated with a device called ballast in order to achieve more steady lighting. There are two types of ballasts: a magnetic ballast composed mainly of inductors, and an electronic ballast having the electronic circuit which provides switching control, and the electronic ballast is more popular these days for the energy-saving objective.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,426,597 discloses an electronic ballast for operating a gas discharge lamp, and this electronic ballast has a circuit arrangement comprised of four switches interconnected to form a full bridge.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,448,720 discloses a discharge lamp driving circuit having a tank circuit and a DC-AC inverter, and the DC-AC inverter has a bridge circuit in which MOSFETs are configured in a full bridge arrangement.
Incidentally, when a driving circuit starts operating a high-intensity discharge lamp, since the temperature and the pressure inside the lamp are still low, the lamp does not generate sufficient light output. When the temperature and the pressure become considerably high, the lamp begins its steady operation, but at this point, if the high-intensity discharge lamp is turned off, it takes time to restart the lamp. For example, it may take several minutes or several tens of minutes until the temperature and the pressure become lower again. Thus, if the high-intensity discharge lamp is switched off due to a blackout, for example, and even if the power gets back immediately after, the lamp may not restart its operation with sufficient light output for several tens of minutes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,489,729 discloses an auxiliary lighting device which turns on an auxiliary lamp while a high-intensity discharge lamp is turned off. The auxiliary lighting device is provided with an HID lamp status circuit, a phase control circuit, a TRIAC, an auxiliary light source, a rectifier circuit and an amplifier. When the HID lamp status circuit receives a signal indicating that the high-intensity discharge lamp is "OFF", the HID lamp status circuit sends a signal to the phase control circuit to turn on the auxiliary light source. The rectifier circuit and the amplifier form a feedback circuit, and the rectifier circuit outputs a voltage signal having a magnitude of the voltage applied to the auxiliary light source. The amplifier compares the voltage signal with a reference voltage, and outputs to the phase control circuit an error signal representing the difference between the voltage signal and the reference voltage. Based on the error signal, the phase control circuit controls the TRIAC so that a target voltage is applied to the auxiliary light source. However, this auxiliary lighting device requires the detection of the voltage across the auxiliary light source followed by the feedback control based on the detected voltage, and therefore the performance of the auxiliary lighting device may be less efficient, and its circuit structure tends to be more complicated and costly.
The contents of the U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,426,597, 6,448,720 and 6,489,729 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

High-intensity discharge lamp ballast and method for operating high-intensity discharge lamp


A portable convection heater for removing ice from a side walk including a cart assembly with an axle and a pair wheels rotatably coupled thereto for allowing the pushing of the cart assembly. Further included is a heat blower housing having a heat blower adapted to blow air downwardly upon the receipt of power and a plurality of heating coils coupled below the blower for heating the air passing therethrough upon the receipt of power. For allowing ideal spacing with respect to the ground, the housing is slidably coupled to the cart assembly thus allowing relative vertical movement thereof. Finally, a plurality of control switches are connected to the blower, heating coils, and a power source for selectively providing power thereto.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to snow plows and blowers and more particularly pertains to a new HOT AIR SNOW AND ICE REMOVER for removing snow and ice from side walks with a convection heater.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of snow plows and blowers is known in the prior art. More specifically, snow plows and blowers heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art snow plows and blowers include U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,055; U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,370; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 360,503; U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,561; U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,681; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,966.
In these respects, the HOT AIR SNOW AND ICE REMOVER according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of removing snow and ice from side walks with a convection heater.


A method for execution on a computing device includes transmitting first identification information to a server processing circuit via the Internet. The server processing circuit identifies a plurality of geographically dispersed systems corresponding to the first identification information. Information including geographical coordinates and system status information is received for each system. A set of geographical boundary coordinates are determined. Moreover, a visible characteristic value for each system is determined based on the corresponding system status information. A map presentation function executed by a second processing circuit displays a map based on the geographic boundary coordinates, and displays a plurality of visible indicators on the map. Each of the plurality of visible indicators has a position on the map corresponding the geographical coordinates of a corresponding system. Each of the plurality of visible indicators has a visible characteristic corresponding to the visible characteristic value of the corresponding system.

Building automation systems include lighting systems, security systems, fire safety systems, and comfort control systems, also known as heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Such systems can include controllers, valves, ventilation damper boxes, ductwork, sensors, and air handing equipment. In larger buildings with hundreds or thousands of such components, building automation systems include distributed control systems and communication networks.
In order to monitor and control these distributed control systems, larger building automation systems often incorporate a centralized user interface to the system. The centralized user interface is part of a centralized system control station, which may be the form of a desktop computer. The control station communicates with various elements of the building automation system to allow retrieval of data therefrom, and the provision of control commands thereto. Many control stations, such as the INSIGHT™ model control station available from Siemens Building Systems, allow a user in one location to monitor, supervise, command, and analyze building system data from systems that can include thousands of data points. Such control stations can further provide an interface to the Internet that allows for remote monitoring and control of a building automation system.
For small building systems, such as those located in fast food restaurants or other similar establishments, the building automation systems are much less complex. In such systems, it is neither practical nor necessary to implement a full computer-based control station. Instead, a data interface panel can provide sufficient control and monitoring functionality. Nevertheless, even with the simplicity of small systems, it is still desirable to provide Internet accessibility. Accordingly, small data interface panels with an Internet interface have been developed for this purpose. In particular, the model Ecoview™ energy management system available from Siemens Industry, Inc. includes building system control components designed for smaller facilities. One of the components is a touch screen data panel that provides a user interface to the system. This touch screen data panel also includes Internet connectivity. In one configuration, the touch screen data panel is configured to provide system data to a data server in a cloud computing network. As a consequence, the system data may be accessed remotely over the Internet from the cloud.
While ability to access system data for small businesses over the Internet is helpful, there nevertheless exists a need for more efficient ways of accessing building system data, particularly for smaller facilities that lack sophisticated on-site computer control stations.

System for monitoring multiple building automation systems


A system and method for reconfiguring a peripheral device connected by a computer bus and port to a host from a first generic configuration to a second manufacturer specific configuration is provided in which the configuration of a peripheral device may be electronically reset. A peripheral interface device for a standardized computer peripheral device bus and port is also provided in which a physical disconnection and reconnection of the peripheral device is emulated to reconfigure the bus and port for a particular peripheral device.

This invention relates generally to a system and method for connecting a computer system to a computer bus and in particular to a system and method for interfacing a computer system to a standard universal serial peripheral device bus.
In a typical computer system, a computer having a microprocessor may be connected to a plurality of peripheral devices, such as a printer or a modem, by one or more electrical buses and several different communications ports. Different peripheral devices have interfaces with different form factors and electrical characteristics, and these communications ports are used for a variety of different peripheral devices. A typical desktop computer may have a modem, a printer, a keyboard and a mouse connected to it. The modem may be connected to a serial port, the printer may be connected to a parallel port, the keyboard may be connected to a dedicated keyboard port and the mouse may be connected to a dedicated mouse port. Each of these communication ports may have different electrical characteristics, require different connectors and each has a different cable that runs from the peripheral device to the connector which connects to the computer communications port. For example, the serial port, the parallel port, the keyboard port and the mouse port all have different characteristics, cables and different connectors. The result is a large number of diverse interfaces and cables that must be used. In addition, the electrical design of these communications ports typically requires that the computer be turned off before connecting and/or disconnecting a peripheral device from the port because the port may be permanently damaged otherwise. This prompted the design of a single standardized peripheral interface connection system which reduces the need for multiple connectors and cables, and permits the connection and disconnection of a peripheral device while the computer is turned on.
A new emerging technology called the Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a system intended to create a single standardized peripheral device connection system. The USB makes the task of connecting peripheral devices to computers easier and more reliable since it uses a standardized connector and form factor, and makes operating those peripheral devices with the computer, easier and more reliable than with the various different types of communication ports. The computer to which these peripheral devices are connected by the USB is known as the xe2x80x9chost computerxe2x80x9d. The USB replaces the multiple cable and connector types with a single standardized connection system. The USB also permits the connection and disconnection of USB compatible peripheral devices while the computer is turned on which eliminates the typical turning off and rebooting of the computer in order to connect or disconnect a peripheral device to the computer.
When a peripheral device is first connected to the USB and the host computer through a standard USB communications port, the presence of the connected peripheral device is detected and a configuration process of the USB for the connected peripheral device, known as device enumeration, begins. The enumeration process assigns a unique USB address to the connected peripheral device, queries the connected peripheral device about its requirements and capabilities, writes data about the connected peripheral device into the host computer""s operating system, and loads the appropriate software device driver from a storage location into the host computer""s operating system. During the query, a data table stored in the peripheral device, which contains the particular peripheral device""s configuration information, is read from the peripheral device into the host computer""s memory. Upon completion of the enumeration process, the connected peripheral device is recognized by the host computer""s operating system and may be used by application software being executed by the microprocessor of the host computer. The association of the device with the software device driver cannot be subsequently changed.
In a serial bus system, such as the USB, the only opportunity for associating software device drivers with a peripheral device is at the time when the peripheral device is plugged into the USB and the enumeration process occurs. Thus, to alter the configuration or personality of a peripheral device, such as downloading new code or configuration information into the memory of the peripheral device, the host computer system must detect a peripheral device connection or a disconnection and then a reconnection.
The USB provides a number of advantages, as described above, over standard peripheral device connection techniques. The USB, however, does not provide a system and method for easily altering the configuration data for a peripheral device. In addition, the USB also does not provide a method for easily changing the software device driver associated with a particular peripheral device.
Thus, there is a need for a system and method for interfacing to a universal serial bus which avoids these and other problems of known systems and methods, and it is to this end that the present invention is directed.
The invention provides a universal serial bus interface system and method in which the configuration information for a plurality of different peripheral devices may be stored in the host computer rather than in the peripheral devices themselves. The flexibility of the universal serial bus is thereby increased because each peripheral device does not need to store configuration information. In addition, the configuration information for any peripheral device may be easily modified to accommodate changes in the peripheral devices or to take advantage of other peripheral device features because it is located in the file system of the host computers. The configuration information may include configuration data, microprocessor code to be executed on the CPU in the peripheral device, and logic configuration data. The configuration information may be downloaded from the host computer into the peripheral device.
In addition, the universal serial bus interface system and method permits the configuration information associated with the peripheral device to be electronically altered to match changes in the peripheral devices. Instead of physically disconnecting and reconnecting a peripheral device to reconfigure it, a peripheral device may be electronically disconnected and then reconnected to the USB (e.g. the disconnect/connect cycle may be electrically simulated) so that a change in the configuration information for a particular peripheral device may be implemented. One of many advantages of the electrical simulation of the disconnect and reconnect cycle is that since the peripheral device is physically connected to the bus during the electrical simulation, the peripheral device may utilize the electrical power supplied by the bus to operate the peripheral device. If the peripheral device is physically disconnected as in a conventional USB system, the peripheral device would require its own electrical power source. Thus, the computer system may, without human assistance, reconfigure a peripheral device connected to the USB.
In addition, the universal serial bus interface system and method may be a single semiconductor chip which may be incorporated into a plurality of peripheral devices made by a plurality of manufacturers. The chip may initially have a generic configuration (e.g., not specific to a particular peripheral device). Then, the appropriate configuration information for a particular peripheral device and manufacturer may be downloaded to the chip, an electronic simulation of the disconnection and reconnection of the peripheral device occurs, the peripheral device is recognized as a new, manufacturer specific peripheral device and the appropriate software device driver is loaded into the memory of the host computer.
In accordance with the invention, a system and method for reconfiguring a peripheral device connected by a computer bus and port to a host computer is provided in which a host computer detects a peripheral device connected to the port in which the peripheral device has a first configuration. A second set of configuration information may be downloaded from the host computer into the peripheral device over the computer bus, and the configuration of the peripheral device is electronically reset from said first configuration to a second configuration based on the second set of configuration information.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a peripheral interface device for a standardized computer peripheral device bus and port is provided in which a peripheral device is physically connected to a computer system through a computer peripheral bus and port and the peripheral device has a first configuration. A second set of configuration information may be received from a computer system, and a physical disconnection and reconnection of the peripheral device is simulated to reconfigure the peripheral device to a second configuration based on the second configuration information.

System for reconfiguring a peripheral device by downloading information from a host and electronically simulating a physical disconnection and reconnection to reconfigure the device


Transparent monolithic aerogels based on silica, the bioderived polymer chitosan, and coordinated ions are employed to serve as a three-dimensional scaffold decorated with metal ions such as Au, Pt and Pd ions. It has also been found that the metal aerogels, such as Au(III) aerogels, can be imaged photolytically to produce nanoparticles.

An aerogel is a gel which has a lower density than the fully condensed form of the material comprising the gel. Aerogels typically are produced by replacing the liquid of a gel by air or another gas without allowing complete collapse of the structure. The seminal report on this was made by Kistler in 1931 (Nature, 127, 741(1931)), who described the goal of the research as being "to test the hypothesis that the liquid in a jelly can be replaced by a gas with little or no shrinkage". This early work led to aerogels through the use of supercritical fluids to extract liquid, and it led to the hypothesis that the gel structure itself can be preserved in the supercritical drying process, as disclosed by Marshall in U.S. Pat. No. 285,449 (1942).
There have been many successes in the aerogel field, as disclosed in the scientific and technical literature and in patents. Of relevance to the current disclosure is the area known in some contexts as Organically Modified Ceramics, referred to as ORMOCERS or called CERAMERS, which have been widely studied. A descriptive review of this area is that of R. C. Mehrotra (Present Status and Future Potential of the Sol-Gel Process, Chapter 1 in Chemistry, Spectroscopy and Applications of Sol-Gel Glasses, Structure and Bonding Series 77, Eds. R Reisfeld and C. K. Jorgensen, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1992). This reference points to the distinction between composite materials that are mixed at the molecular level and those that have mechanically combined components. This reference also discusses work directed to organically modified gels in the form of aerogels and their subsequently dried, fused, oxidized and otherwise treated forms. Also of relevance are works concerning aerogels and their applications. The book Aerogels edited by J. Fricke (Springer Proceeding in Physics 6, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1985), the book Sol-Gel Science, The Physics and Chemistry of Sol-Gel Processing by C. J. Brinker and G. W. Scherer (Academic Press, Inc. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publ., New York, 1990) and the book Sol-Gel Technology for Thin Films, Fibers, Preforms, Electronics and Specialty Shapes, Ed. L. C. Klein (Noyes, Park Ridge, N.J., 1988) are of relevance and show the great importance attached to the formation of aerogels with specific properties and functions.
Examples of aerogels which contain or have added to them, metal ions or metal containing species are known. Those known fall into several categories, including: (1) a silica aerogel that has been dipped into a solution or dispersion containing the metal ion source; (2) a polymer matrix aerogel, such as a polyacrylonitrile aerogel, that contains metal ions added to the aerogel or to the gel before formation of the aerogel (e.g. L. M. Hair, L. Owens, T. Tillotson, M. Froba, J. Wong, G, J. Thomas, and D. L. Medlin, J. Non-Crystalline Solids, 186, 168 (1995), and S. Ye, A. K. Vijh, Z-Y Wang, and L. H. Dao, Can. J. Chem. 75, 1666 (1997)); or (3) a silica aerogel having metal ions (e.g. M. A. Cauqui, J. J. Calvino, G. Cifredo, L. Esquivias, and J. M. Rodriguez-Izquierdo, J. Non-Crystalline Solids, 147&148, 758 (1992)) or small metal compounds bound in it (e.g. Y. Yan, A. M. Buckley and M. Greenblatt, J. Non-Crystalline Solids, 180, 180 (1995)).
The use of supported metal and metal ions for catalysis is known, and many reports exist in the scientific, technical, engineering, and patent literature. Relevant studies include "The Chemistry of Ruthenium in PSSA Ionomer: Reactions of Ru-PSSA with CO, H2 and O2 and Alcohols" (I. W. Shim, V. D. Mattera, Jr., and W. M. Risen, Jr., Journal of Catalysis, 94, 531 (1985), which includes a report of a static Fischer-Tropsch reaction catalysis by supported ruthenium under mild conditions of 150° C. and 600 Torr total pressure, "A Kinetic Study of the Catalytic Oxidation of CO over Nafion-Supported Rhodium, Ruthenium, and Platinum", by V. D. Mattera, Jr., D. M. Barnes, S. N. Chaudhuri, W. M. Risen, Jr., and R. D. Gonzalez, Journal of Physical Chemistry, 90, 4819 (1986), which shows this catalysis, and "Chemistry of Metals in Ionomers: Reactions of Rhodium-PSSA with CO, H2, and H2O", Inorganic Chemistry, 23, 3597 (1984), which shows relationships between spectroscopic observations on supports that have been exposed to these gases and the compounds formed and the oxidation states of rhodium species.
Additionally, metal nanoparticles, formed as colloids by reactions in solutions and suspensions, are also known. They have been produced by chemical reductions and photolytically induced-reductions applied to solutions of salts of Au(III), Pt(II), Pd(II) and other metal ions. Chemical reductions are the most common, with such reactions as the citric acid reduction of Au(III) salts being among the most frequently used methods to obtain gold nanoparticles, but photolytic methods using γ-ray or ultraviolet irradiation have been reported as well. For example, ultra fine metal particles have been prepared by Itakura et al., T. Itakura, K. Torigoe and K. Esumi, Langmuir, 11,4129-4134 (1995), by UV irradiation of salts dissolved in ethanol. The reaction is accelerated by using benzoin as a photoinitiator; indeed, the observed gold nanoparticle size changes from 7 nm to 17 nm with increasing benzoin concentration.
Nanoparticles have been formed in solid matrices of soft materials as well. For example, nanoparticles of Pt, Rh, Ru and Ag, have been obtained by chemical reduction in ionomer matrices, V. D. Mattera, Jr., D. M. Barnes, S. N. Chaudhuri, and W. M. Risen, Jr., J. Phys. Chem., 90,4819 (1986); and, D. M. Barnes, S. N. Chaudhuri, G. D. Chryssikos, V. D. Mattera, Jr., S. L. Peluso, I. W. Shim, A. T. Tsatsas, and W. M. Risen, Jr., ACS Symposium Ser. No. 302, 66 (1986).
Studies of gold nanoparticles have been quite helpful for understanding molecular adsorption onto their surfaces and for utilizing these adsorption reactions for detection and other applications. In some cases, the adsorption reactions are used to control or at least found to control the sizes of the particles formed during the reduction process, because the adsorbed molecules can compete with the growth process for the addition of atoms to the surface of nucleated Au(0) clusters. For example, a gold sol was obtained by Pal, A. Pal, Talanta, 46, 583-587 (1998), by UV irradiation of HAuCl4 in aqueous Triton X-100, which acts as both a reductant and a stabilizer. Without it, gold (III) failed to form gold particles after extensive irradiation. In addition, Au colloids have been prepared by reduction of metal salts with UV irradiation in the presence of dendrimers. Thus, Esumi et al., K. Esumi, A. Suzuki, N. Aihara, K. Usui, and K. Torigoe, Langmuir 14,3157-3159 (1998), studied their production in the presence of poly(amidoamine), which has surface amino groups. The average particle size decreased with increasing concentration of surface amino groups. At a surface amino group to HAuCl4 mole ratio of 1:1, the particle size was in the 2-18 nm range, with a broad distribution, but when the ratio was increased to 4:1, monodispersed gold particles of less than 1 nm were obtained because the colloids were protected by the dendrimers from aggregation.
Prior studies have shown that it is possible to obtain gold particles in aerogels by other methods, but none known to the inventors has lead to the light-induced production of Au(0) from coordinated Au(III) ions in an aerogel. Among the earlier studies is formation of noble metal clusters (Ag, Au) in a silica aerogel matrix by γ-irradiation of its hydrogel precursors loaded with an aqueous solution containing Ag ion or [AuCl4]− ions, J. F. Hund, M. F. Bertino, G. Zhang, C. Sotiriou-Leventis, N. Leventis, A. T. Tokuhiro, and J. Farmer, J. Phys. Chem B, 107, 465-469 (2003). This work by Hund, et al. showed that clusters and particles in the 10 to 200 nm range could be formed. Gold nanoparticles dispersed inside the pores of monolithic mesoporous silica were prepared by soaking it in a gold (III) ion solution and subsequently subjecting it to ultrasonic irradiation. In that work by Fu et al., G. Fu, W. Cai, C. Kan, C. Li, and Q. Fang, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 36 1382-1387(2003), it was found that the nanoparticles actually were formed in solution first and then diffused into the pores. Anderson et al., M. A. Anderson, C. A. Morris, R. M. Stroud, C. I. Merzbecher, D. R. Rolison, Langmuir, 15, 674 (1999), presented a direct method to incorporate Au colloidal particles (either 5 or 28 nm) in a silica aerogel network structure by simply adding an Au sol, prepared by citrate reduction of HAuCl4, to a silica sol and then converting this to a composite.
Nanoparticles in colloidal suspensions or spread on surfaces, are available for further reaction, including reactions to carry out diagnostic assays and protein research. For instance, biotinylated thiol formed self-assembled monolayers on gold colloids and the composites produced were used for molecular recognition of avidin, based on the specific binding between biotin and avidin (streptavidin) (L. Haussling, H. Ringsdorf, F. J. Schmitt and W. Knoll, Langmuir, Vol. 7, No. 9 (1991) and C.-M. Pradier, M. Salmain, Z. Liu and C. Methivier, Surface and interface analysis 34, 67-71 (2002)). Niemeyer et al. (C. M. Niemeyer and B. Ceyhan, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 40, No. 19, 3685-3688 (2001)) reported a DNA-directed absorption of proteins on colloidal gold. This is part of an approach to using the protein coated gold compounds as reagents to detect proteins in an immunoassay. In the same vein, Mirkin and coworkers (R. Elghanian, J. J. Storhoff, R. C. Mucic, R. I. Letsinger, Chad A. Mirkin, Science, 277, 1078-1081 (1997)) reported a selective calorimetric polynucleotide detection method, based on the optical properties of gold nanoparticles.
There are a number of potential applications, especially in medicine, for small particles that are both ferromagnetic (or superparamagnetic) and can interact in such a selective manner with biologically active molecules. A particular one involves binding a molecule of interest in the blood or other physiologically interesting fluid system to the particles and then separating these particles from that system by magnetic separation. One approach to forming a material that will achieve this is to form magnetic particles, coat them in a biocompatible coating, such as Au or a polymer, and then derivatize the outer surface so that they will bind to the molecule(s) of interest (Berry, C. C and Custins, A. S. G., Phys. D: Appl. Phys 36(13) R198 (2003) and P, Gould, Materials Today, February 36 (2004)). Another application involves enhancement of magnetic resonance images (MRI) in diagnosis, while another involves selectively locating treatment agents, whether chemical or radiological, in particular areas to be treated.
As promising as the prior work has been, challenges remain. Some are associated with the size of nanoparticles and attendant issues, such as their removal and their potential deleterious transport in mammalian systems. Others have to do with the instability, indeed combustibility, of nanoscale metal particles in air, and their tendency to clump together.
In the present invention, a way to achieve the goal of obtaining a generally and selectively absorptive material that is ferromagnetic has been discovered. It combines (1) the generalized absorption capacity of silica-based polymer-silica hybrid aerogel with (2) the discovery that gold nanoparticles with specific adsorption capability can be produced directly by ultraviolet irradiation of Au ion-containing aerogels and (3) the discovery that well-dispersed ferromagnetic particles can be produced in these aerogels and their particles. The aerogel particles can be of any size from about the 100 nm range up to larger monolithic structures.
It also has been discovered that gold nanoparticles can be produced in or on the polymer-silica hybrid aerogel monoliths by ultraviolet irradiation so that spatially controlled arrays of such particles can be produced. It has further been discovered that gold ion-containing aerogel particles can be irradiated with ultraviolet light to produce aerogel particles comprising Au nanoparticles.
These and other aspects and/or objects of the disclosure are more particularly described below.

Photo-formed metal nanoparticles and aerogel materials comprising the same


Methods for forming a layer of semiconductor material and a semiconductor-on-insulator structure are provided. A substrate including one or more devices or features formed therein is provided. A seed layer is bonded to the substrate, where the seed layer includes a crystalline semiconductor structure. A first portion of the seed layer that is adjacent to an interface between the seed layer and the substrate is amorphized. A second portion of the seed layer that is not adjacent to the interface is not amorphized and maintains the crystalline semiconductor structure. Dopant implantation is performed to form an N-type conductivity region or a P-type conductivity region in the first portion of the seed layer. A solid-phase epitaxial growth process is performed to crystallize the first portion of the seed layer. The SPE growth process uses the crystalline semiconductor structure of the second portion of the seed layer as a crystal template.

In bulk semiconductor substrates, an active semiconductor region of a transistor may be disposed in a well region, where the well region is located within a bulk semiconductor region. In such structures, junction capacitance between the well region and the bulk semiconductor region may impact device performance. By contrast, some microelectronic devices place active semiconductor regions in an upper semiconductor layer of a semiconductor-on-insulator ("SOI") substrate. The upper semiconductor layer may be separated from a bulk semiconductor region of the substrate by an insulating layer such as a buried oxide ("BOX") layer. The insulating layer may improve device performance by eliminating junction capacitance between the upper semiconductor layer and the bulk semiconductor region.

Semiconductor-on-insulator structure and method of fabricating the same

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited


In a mobile communication system 1 having a radio base station 2, and mobile stations 5, 6 configured to communicate with the base station 2 and segmented into a plurality of mobile station groups, the base station 5 provides a broadcast channel with first instruction information to notify the mobile station 5 of whether or not to receive the broadcast channel, provides a paging channel with second instruction information to notify the mobile station 5 of the presence/absence of paging information, and performs such a channel transmission control as to intermittently transmit the broadcast channel and the paging channel on a control channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication system, a radio base station, a mobile station, and a channel transmission control method and a channel transmission control program.
2. Related Background Art
In the mobile communication systems, there has been a tendency toward lower power
consumption of mobile stations in connection with realization of fast transmission. For this reason, there was the known technology of effecting battery saving at mobile stations, by noting that data is intermittently (burstlike) transmitted in packet communication and by letting the mobile stations intermittently receive control signals from a radio base station (intermittent reception) in periods of transmitting or receiving no data between transmission timings of packet (e.g., cf. Non-patent Document 1).
In this Non-patent Document 1, three states of the mobile stations are set: a state in communication (active mode), a state of no communication (idle mode), and a state of effecting battery saving even in the active mode (battery saving mode: BSM). Two types of packets are set: real time packet and non real time packet; and two types of transmission forms are also set: real time transmission and non real time transmission. A permissible delay time for packet is define-d according to either of the transmission forms (a packet is discarded after the passage of the delay time), and a transition timing into BSM and an intermittent reception period at the mobile stations are defined according to the delay time.
Also disclosed was PDC (Personal Digital Cellular: digital automobile telephone system) having a subframe of a 3-slot configuration, assigning one predetermined slot out of the three slots for transmission of control signal, and configuring a system in time division (e.g., cf. Non-patent Document 2).
There was also another known technology in a mobile communication system in which a base station transmitted a termination control channel having grouped slots to each of grouped mobile stations and in which each mobile station was able to intermittently receive a slot containing termination information of a group of its own, wherein there were provided a plurality of intermittent reception modes with different transmission intervals of the slot containing the termination information (e.g., cf. Patent Document 1).
Furthermore, there was still another known technology in which a base station transmitted an indicator for notifying a mobile station of the presence/absence of termination, in a paging channel to each of grouped mobile stations and in which only when a mobile station in a standby state was notified of termination by an indicator, it received the paging channel in a radio frame on a common channel corresponding to the indicator (e.g., cf. Non-patent Document 3).
[Non-patent Document 1] Adaptive battery saving control methods in multimedia radio packet communications, Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, Information Network Study Group, March 2002
[Non-patent Document 2] Digital Automobile Telephone System Standards ARIB RCR-STD-27H version
[Non-patent Document 3] W-CDMA mobile telecommunications systems, p114, published by Maruzen
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-75528

Mobile communication system, radio base station, mobile station, channel transmission control method, and channel transmission control program


A catalyst system for the reduction of NOx comprises a catalyst comprising a metal oxide catalyst support, a catalytic metal oxide comprising at least one of gallium oxide or silver oxide, and at least one promoting metal selected from the group consisting of silver, cobalt, molybdenum, tungsten, indium, bismuth and mixtures thereof. The catalyst system further comprises a gas stream comprising an organic reductant, and a compound comprising sulfur. A method for reducing NOx utilizing the said catalyst system is also provided.

This invention relates generally to a catalyst system and method for the reduction of nitrogen oxide emissions and more particularly to a catalyst system that comprises a multi-component catalyst, a reductant and a compound comprising sulfur.
Methods have long been sought to reduce the deleterious effects of air pollution caused by byproducts resulting from the imperfect high-temperature combustion of organic materials. When combustion occurs in the presence of excess air and at high temperatures, harmful byproducts, such as nitrogen oxides, commonly known as NOx are created. NOx and subsequent derivatives have been suggested to play a major role in the formation of ground-level ozone that is associated with asthma and other respiratory ailments. NOx also contributes to soot formation, which is linked to a number of serious health effects, as well as to acid rain and the deterioration of coastal estuaries. As a result, NOx emissions are subject to many regulatory provisions limiting the amount of NOx that may be present in effluent gas vented into the surrounding environment.
One known method for dealing with NOx involves the use of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) to reduce NOx to nitrogen gas (N2) using ammonia (NH3) as a reductant. However, as ammonia's own hazardous consequences are well known, the use of NH3 in an SCR system presents additional environmental and other problems that must also be addressed. As regulatory agencies continue to drive limits on NOx emission lower, other regulations are also driving down the permissible levels of NH3 that may be emitted into the atmosphere. Because of regulatory limits on ammonia slip, the use of hydrocarbons and their oxygen derivatives for NOx reduction in a SCR process is very attractive. Numerous catalysts have been suggested for this purpose including zeolites, perovskites, and metals on metal oxide catalyst support. However, existing catalyst systems have either low activity or narrow region of working temperatures or low stability to water, which are detrimental to practical use. Furthermore catalysts active in NOx reduction are very sensitive to sulfur and lose their activity when sulfur is present in the system. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,703,343 teaches catalyst systems for use in NOx reduction. However, these catalyst systems require a specially synthesized metal oxide catalyst support with very low level of impurities. In addition, these catalyst systems are specifically sensitive to sulfur poisoning. Therefore there is a need for an effective catalyst system to reduce NOx emissions, which system is stable, operates at a wide range of temperatures, and operates effectively in the presence of sulfur.

Catalyst system and method for the reduction of NO


A device for division of a non-Newtonian liquid, for example a molten synthetic material, flowing through a passage (1, 21), and comprising a flow-conditioned viscosity decreasing outward in cross section in flow through a T-shaped passage branching (T) deflecting and dividing the liquid flow. In a first embodiment of the device, before the end of the supply passage (1), a partition (11) is installed in the passage branching (T) dividing the liquid counterflow from the supply passage (1) into two halves, the angular position of the partition (11) assuming a setting adapted to the distribution of the differentially viscous components of the liquid in the supply passage (1). In a second embodiment of the device, in the passage branching (T), a deflector (23) is installed, so fashioned that essentially the central (viscous) component of the liquid from the supply passage (21), prior to its deflection into the discharge passages (22a, 22b), is divided into two components and these are so deflected that the two components preferably flow diametrally towards each other in the region ahead of the discharge passages (22a, 22b).

In injection molding, molten synthetic materials (such as thermoplastic materials) are passed, for example, through a hot passage manifold system in which there are branches at certain points, into which the molten material supplied in one passage is divided between two discharge passages. These branchings are predominantly of T-shaped configuration.
In the case of a Newtonian liquid flowing through a circular passage, a parabolic flow velocity distribution of the liquid, subdivided into imaginary concentric hollow cylindrical layers sets in, the flow velocity being a maximum in the center of the passage. In such a liquid, the shear between the several imaginary hollow cylindrical layers of the liquid is approximately equal.
On the other hand, a non-Newtonian liquid, such as for example (hot) liquid plastic, behaves differently. In this case, the viscosity is dependent on the shear, which is a maximum near the wall of the circular passage. The less the viscosity, the greater the shear. As a result, the viscosity near the wall of the circular passage is at a minimum. The viscosity distribution of the melt over the cross section resembles a sharply flattened parabola. In a simplified approximate view, this means that in the central region of the passage, the relatively viscous flowing melt behaves like a plug, with a flow velocity approximately independent of the radial location, whereas in the peripheral region the melt is more fluid, owing to the greater shear, and flows more slowly.
This behavior is illustrated in FIGS. 1a-1c. FIG. 1a shows a circular passage through which a non-Newtonian liquid flows, for example a plastic melt. FIG. 1b shows the distribution of the flow velocity "V" over the cross section, and FIG. 1c shows that of the shear. The region "d" corresponds more or less to the aforementioned plug.
If a non-Newtonian liquid flow of the type shown in FIG. 1 is diverted in a rectangular (T-shaped) branching T1 of the passage and divided into two separate flows S1 and S2, as shown in FIG. 2, then the high-viscosity portion and the fluid portion of the liquid will be distributed over the cross section of the passage. The distribution over the cross-section is shown in FIGS. 3a-3c where area HV represents the liquid of high viscosity and the remaining area LV represents the liquid of low viscosity. On the coordinate system drawn in FIGS. 2 to 5, the coordinates x and y lie in the plane of the drawing and the coordinate z runs perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. Thus, the high-viscosity HV portion of the non-Newtonian liquid will collect substantially in the lower portion (in the sense of the drawing) of the passage segments 2a and 2b shown in FIG. 2. This is easily seen, since the viscous fluid (melt) supplied from the central region of the passage segment 1 will advance to the bottom 6 of the Tee, and only then be deflected to the left and right in the sense of FIG. 2, as indicated by the arrows "a" in FIG. 2, while the more fluid liquid flowing in the peripheral region of the passage 1 will be deflected at the very beginning of the branching of the passage, as indicated by the arrows "b".
If the passage segments 2a and 2b shown in FIG. 2 were very long, then gradually the natural distribution shown in FIG. 3a would gradually be reestablished. In practice, however, the passage segments are short, so that approximately the distribution shown in FIGS. 3b and 3c would be preserved as far as the next deflection in a Tee.
If the liquid flowing in the passage segment 2a encounters the Tee T2, whose lengthwise axis runs in y-direction, the distribution shown in FIG. 4 establishes itself in the discharge passages 3a and 3b. The view here is in flow direction of the discharge passage in question. In the discharge passages, we see a marked inequality of viscous and fluid portions as well as a marked asymmetry of these portions with respect to the centers of the passages.
The Tee T3 in FIG. 2 has two discharge passages 4a and 4b running perpendicular to the plane of the drawing (in z-direction). See FIG. 2a, which shows a top view of this portion of FIG. 2. After deflection in this Tee T2, the separations of viscous and fluid portions of the liquid as shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b result. In the discharge passage 4b emerging upward from the plane of the drawing in FIG. 2, the distribution according to FIG. 5c is established, and in the passage 4b entering the plane of the drawing in FIG. 2, the distribution according to FIG. 5b is established, the view being again defined by the Tee in flow direction of the discharge passage.
In injection molding, if the injection nozzles connected to an injection molding tool (mold) are supplied from passages in which the quantity distribution of melt components of different viscosity is unequal (for example FIGS. 4b and 4c), and/or in which the distribution of the melt is no longer rotationally symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of the passage (for example FIGS. 3b and 5b), this may lead to defects in the cast injection molding products.
If we assume that a plate is injected by way of a plurality of nozzles distributed over the area of the plate, the following defects may occur.
If the portion of the fluid melt from the nozzles in the outer region of the plate is greater than from the nozzles in the inner region of the plate, then under the instant pressure of the entering melt, more melt will be forced into the injection tool (injection mold) in the outer region of the plate than in the middle region. This means that the plate will be supplied with more material per unit area in the outer region than in the inner region, with the result that the cast plate will comprise undular edges. If, conversely, more fluid melt is forced into the injection mold in the inner region, then after cooling of the melt, the greater quantity of melt per unit area in the interior will lead to a bulging of the plate in the inner region.
Similar situations, though less troublesome, arise if the melt portions in the passage segments supplying the nozzle are distributed asymmetrically.
If, for example, each of the several injection nozzles of a hot passage manifold system injects a cup, then the unequal quantity distribution of viscous and fluid melt among various nozzles has the result that the cups will have different wall thicknesses. An asymmetrical distribution of the melt components may lead to that side of the cup which contains preferentially fluid melt becoming thicker than the opposed side of the cup, resulting in a bulged cup, and/or, where viscous melt enters into the mold, it does not get to the bottom of the mold.

Device for division of a non-Newtonian liquid flowing through a passage


The present invention provides a conditional shuttle phasmid constructed by inserting a cosmid into a non-essential region of the TM4 mycobacteriophage that introduces DNA of interest into mycobacteria, especially M. tuberculosis complex organisms and other slow growing mycobacteria. The present invention provides a recombinant mycobacterium which expresses a DNA of interest incorporated into its chromosome by a TM4 conditional shuttle phasmid containing the DNA of interest. The present invention further provides a mycobacterial auxotrophic mutant and a method of generating auxotrophic mutants.

In April 1993 tuberculosis was declared as a global health emergency--the first such designation in the history of the World Health Organization. The distinction is regrettably justified because tuberculosis remains one of the largest burdens of disease and death in the world (Murray, C., et al. (1990) Bull. Int. Union Tuberc. Lung Disorders 65, 6-26; Murray, C., et al. (1997) in Global Burden of Diseases (Harvard Univ. Press, Cambridge, Mass.) p. 273) due in part to the increased susceptibility of HIV infected individuals and the ominous emergence of multi-drug resistant strains in both industrialized and developing countries. Effective new tuberculosis control and prevention strategies will require additional knowledge of the causative agent and its interaction with the human host. To systematically delineate virulence determinants, identify the metabolic pathways and discover novel drug targets for M. tuberculosis, a methodology generating libraries of mutants will be essential. Although mutant isolation and gene transfer strategies have been successfully employed for fast-growing non-virulent mycobacteria, such as M. smegmatis (Tokunaga, T., Mizuguchi, Y., & Suga, K. (1973) J. Bacteriol. 113, 1104-1111; Sudaraj, C. V. & Ramakrishnan, T. (1971) Nature (London) 228, 280-281), determining the genetic basis of phenotypes for M. tuberculosis has been frustrated by the lack of a natural gene transfer system in this pathogen. Furthermore, traditional mutational analyses based on the characterization of colonies arising from single cells following treatment with DNA damaging agents is of limited value for slow-growing mycobacteria, since the frequency of mutants is very low, multiple mutations occur in the same cells, and the mycobacteria tend to clump. Also, since M. tuberculosis or BCG have slow generation times (20 h-24 h), three to four weeks are required to visualize colonies arising from single cells, and many mutants are likely to grow even more slowly.
Transposon mutagenesis has been successfully used in diverse genera of bacteria (Berg, C. M., et al. (1989) In: Mobile DNA. American Society of Microbiology, Washington D.C. pp. 879-925). The first transposition events in M. smegmatis were reported using Tn610(Martin, C., et al. (1990) Nature (London) 21, 739-743), followed by transposons engineered from insertion elements IS900 and IS986 (Fomukong, N. G. & Dale, J. W. (1993) Gene 130, 99-105; England, P. M., Wall, Q., & McFadden, J. (1991) Mol. Microbiol. 5, 2047-2052). Transposition in BCG (McAdam, R.A., (1995) Infect. Immunol. 63 1004-1012) was reported using a transposon constructed from the insertion element IS1096 (Cirillo, J. D., et al. (1991) J. Bacteriol. 173, 7772-7780). Remarkably, the only reports of successful isolation of auxotrophic mutants for mycobacteria of the M. tuberculosis group have employed the use of insertional mutagenesis systems: illegitimate recombination (Kalpana, V. G., et al. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88, 5433-5437), transposon mutagenesis (M.sup.c Adam, R. A., et al., (1995) Infect. Immun. 63, 1004-1012), and allelic exchange (Balasubramanian, V., et al. (1996) J. Bacteriol. 178, 273-279). A very promising approach to deliver transposons into M. smegmatis is the use of a conditionally replicating vector which is able to replicate at 30.degree. C., but not at 37.degree. C. (Guilhot, C., et al. (1994) J. Bacteriol. 176, 535-539). A library of 30,000 Tn611 insertion mutants was obtained from three independent experiments yielding 80 auxotrophic mutants with 15 different phenotypes. However, this system had not yet been applied to the slow-growing mycobacteria such as M. tuberculosis.
Conditionally replicating phage systems have proven to be very efficient systems for transposon mutagenesis in numerous bacterial species (Kleckner, N., et al. (1991) Methods Enzymol. 204 139-180). One of the great advantages of a phage delivery system is that essentially every cell in the bacterial population can be infected with the transposon-carrying phage, generating large numbers of independent mutants. Shuttle phasmid vectors, chimeric molecules that replicate in E. coli as plasmids and in mycobacteria as phages, were the first recombinant DNA vectors engineered for mycobacteria (Jacobs, Jr., W. R., Tuckman, M., & Bloom, B. R. (1987) Nature (London) 327, 532-536). Various phasmids, constructed from different mycobacteriophages, such as TM4, L1, and D29, have proven useful for the development of transformation systems for mycobacteria (Snapper, S. B., (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85, 6987-6991) and the development of luciferase reporter phages for rapid diagnosis and drug susceptibility testing of M. tuberculosis clinical isolates (Jacobs, W. R., et al. (1993) Science 260, 819-822; Pearson, R. E., et al. (1996) Gene 183, 129-136).
Because the creation of mutants in M. tuberculosis and BCG is of essential importance in the analysis of gene function, it is desirable to develop effective means and methods for delivering foreign DNA into M. tuberculosis and BCG. The insertion of foreign DNA into M. tuberculosis and BCG mycobacteria would provide the necessary tools for understanding the mechanisms by which these mycobacteria survive and replicate. In addition, it would provide valuable tools for the development of vaccines and new drugs effective in the treatment of infection caused by M. tuberculosis and BCG.

TM4 conditional shuttle phasmids and uses thereof

Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University


A hard hat attachment system is described with front, back, and side mounts to support various accessories. Mounts of hard hat receive slots of a bracket that fit around the ridges. Auxiliary ridges receive clips within ports. The user customizes the hard hat for the particular task with the preferred accessories used to complete the job. For example, lamps, face-shields, reflectors, tool carriers, and eyeglass holders are interchangeably releasably coupled to mounting and/or auxiliary ridges on the hard hat. In this way, the hard hat is customized and/or modified to support a wide variety of accessories that are securely and releasably attached to mounting and/or auxiliary ridges without destructive alterations to the hard hat. Brackets couple to mounts and clips couple to ports to secure and/or lock various accessories in place during operation and prevent accidental knocks or jarring the accessory loose.

The present invention relates generally to the field of safety equipment. The present invention relates specifically to a hard hat, ear protection, face mask, and/or hard hat lamp attachment system. Hard hats are often used in loud or poorly illuminated areas. Hard hat use in high-risk environments for head or face injury may use added equipment (e.g., earmuffs or a face protector) to provide added protection. A lamp or flashlight may assist with vision in poorly lit or low visibility environments. Ear protection is used to protect a user's hearing in noisy environments.

Hard hat attachment system and safety equipment


An energy storage container ventilation system and an energy storage container are provided according to the present disclosure. The ventilation system includes an air conditioner, an air duct, and multiple columns of battery racks, and each battery rack includes multiple lines of battery boxes, and an air outlet of the air conditioner is communicated with the air duct, a communicating part of each battery box and the air duct is provided with a ventilation plate with the same structure or different structures. The energy storage container ventilation system of the present disclosure uses an air conditioner to dissipate heat. Ventilation plates are provided at communicating parts of the air duct and each battery box. The structure of each ventilation plate is the same or different, so as to control an air intake volume flowing into each battery box.

With the rapidly increasing proportion of the renewable energy such as solar energy in the power system, the stability of grid connection thereof has become a key issue for new energy power generation technology. The use of the energy storage system may effectively eliminate the day-night peak and off-peak difference, smooth the load, and improve the stability of the grid system operation and the power quality of the grid. With the gradual increase in the application requirements of energy storage system, requirements such as small space occupation, high power density, and mobility have been put forward, so a container energy storage system rises in response to the proper time and conditions. The so-called container energy storage system is to centrally arrange a battery system, an AC/DC converter, a monitoring system in one or more standard containers, and multiple products are delivered to users in an integrated form, which is convenient to be transported and easy to be installed.
The battery system in the energy storage container may generate heat during the charging and discharging process. If the heat cannot be dissipated in time, a battery temperature may continue to rise, which may inevitably affect the stable operation of the system. A current mainstream cooling method is to provide an air duct on the top of a battery pack, which realizes cooling by using coolant input from the air conditioner to absorb heat.
The energy storage container is provided with multiple columns of battery racks, each row of the battery racks includes multiple columns of battery boxes, and the battery boxes are provided with energy storage batteries. In a layout of energy storage container, a single air conditioner is usually used to cool multiple columns of battery racks at the same time, which may inevitably cause uneven air volume distribution among battery racks. In order to evenly distribute the air, designers usually design the top air duct as a stepped or divergent air duct, which is very complicated in structure, and difficult to make optimization adjustments based on actual test results, so the applicability is not desirable.
In addition, an air duct on the back of a current battery rack is usually a cavity. When cold air flows in from the top, a large amount of cold air may accumulate on the bottom of the battery rack due to inertia, resulting in uneven air distribution between the upper and lower battery boxes, which may cause an uneven cooling of each energy storage battery, thus temperature is inconsistent between the energy storage batteries, which aggravates the difference in internal resistance and capacity between the energy storage batteries. After a long time accumulation, the energy storage battery may be overcharged or over-discharged, which may affect the life of the energy storage battery and result in safety hazards.

Ventilation system of energy storage container and energy storage container