A compact electronic projector has separate optics and electronics compartments which are thermally and electromagnetically isolated from each other. In this manner closely spaced components are prevented from electrically or thermally interfering with each other, and high quality projected images can be maintained. The optics compartment contains a display assembly, such as a liquid crystal display panel and associated Fresnel lenses, which is mounted inside the projector so as to rotate between a storage position in which the display assembly is generally parallel with the projection axis of the device, and an operational position in which the display assembly is disposed at an oblique angle with relative to the projection axis. The assembly can thus be rotated to occupy the voids needed for expansion and contraction of the optical beams when the projector is in use, but which have no useful function when the projector is not in use.

The introduction of portable computing devices such as laptop computers and the development of sophisticated presentation software for use on computers has resulted in a need for similarly compact and portable projection devices for use in what is commonly known as an electronic presentation. One early and still common manner of projecting an electronic presentation has been the use of a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,547, on a conventional overhead projector (OHP). These panels are electronically addressable, i.e., the appearance of the final image is controlled by electronic signals sent to the panel. The electronic signals may come from a computer, or may be standard video (NTSC) signals, or from other suitable devices.
The use of such a LCD panel is illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,231,434 and 4,846,694. The LCD panel and the overhead projector are independent devices used together for the duration of the presentation only. The LCD panel is placed on the overhead projector stage, and light passing from the stage through the LCD panel is projected onto a viewing surface by the overhead projector.
As the convenience of electronically generated and stored presentations has become appreciated, a new class of presentation devices has appeared, often referred to as "integrated projectors." An integrated projector unit is capable of taking input from a computer or other signal source and projecting an image onto a screen. Modern integrated projectors are capable of projecting useful images even in high ambient light conditions. Such units have developed a patent literature of their own, a few examples of which are outlined below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,154 shows a projector that has three "light valves" (a particular form of an addressable liquid crystal display), and a complicated optical path intended to allow the output of a white-light source to be split into red, green and blue components, imaged with the three light valves (one for each color) and then recombined for projection through a single lens. Such optical systems are complicated to manufacture, assemble and maintain, occupy a considerable amount of space, weigh a substantial amount, and have potential efficiency problems. Other examples of this type of device are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,374,968 and 4,018,509.
An alternative method of projecting an image is to have a single LCD panel, optical path, and lens, and interpose in succession red, green and blue filters. As each filter moves into the optical path, the appropriate color image is formed on the LCD. Such units have been limited by the ability of the LCD to rapidly respond to changing input signals. They also need a well engineered filter wheel and associated hardware. For these reasons this method has found little use.
It is also possible to use what is known as a three-color LCD. This panel has an array of micro-filters (red, green and blue) printed onto the face of the display, and these filters are addressed appropriately by the liquid crystal array mounted to register with them. This type of LCD, while slightly more complicated to manufacture, has the advantage of needing only a single optical system. In addition, the filters and control elements can never lose alignment, and the weight of the LCD need be little more than the weight of a single color unit, thus economizing on weight and space. Additional weight savings are also achieved in the elimination of prisms, filters, mirrors, etc., and their mounts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,450 describes a projector exemplifying these principles. By the use of mirrors and an angled LCD, a low profile is achieved. A lens having its optical axis vertically disposed is used for projection, and a final mirror (that can be folded down) redirects the light along a horizontal path. This mirror is the only component that is moved for storage, and the space savings is minor. Another such device is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,436 which shows a light source, a transmission LCD panel and a projection lens. Also illustrated in this patent are folded optics which are desirable to reduce the total volume or footprint of the unit.
There are limitations to further size reduction in these devices. As requirements for high brightness projectors evolve, more powerful light sources must be incorporated. When powerful sources are to be incorporated into small-sized devices, problems arise over the removal of waste heat (generated by most light sources, and particularly by Tungsten filament, quartzhalogen and arc sources). Thus, efficient heat removal systems must be designed. Also, there is a very substantial danger that the heat generated by the light source will cause a degradation of the performance of sensitive electronic components needed for the operation of these devices. U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,234 addresses this problem by having designed "hot" and "cold" compartments. The lamp source and cooling means are contained in the "hot" compartment, while the LCD panel and the projection lens are contained in the "cold" compartment.
Related and co-pending applications U.S. Ser. No. 08/673,292, U.S. Ser. No. 08/623,729 and U.S. Ser. No. 08/787,075, owned by the assignee of the present application, disclose further ways to reduce the size of such projectors. U.S. Ser. No. 08/673,292 discloses an efficient lamp cooling means that permits the placement of LCD panels in close proximity to powerful light sources. U.S. Ser. No. 08/623,729 and U.S. Ser. No. 08/787,075 disclose means for rotating the LCD between a storage position and an operative position, thereby reducing the storage volume of the projector. It is possible, by these means, to produce conveniently sized projectors which are easily portable and still capable of excellent optical performance.
However, as the size of integrated projectors decreases, new problems arise. In particular, the close proximity of sensitive electronic components and powerful light sources provides the opportunity for undesired electromagnetic and thermal interactions to occur between the components. These interactions are capable of degrading the performance of the projector system to such an extent that it is unacceptable for high quality presentations.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to devise a compact and portable integrated projector which took advantage of unused space within the projector, which minimized electromagnetic and thermal interference between components, and which allows for quick and easy deployment for use.

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A new pillow with photograph displays for displaying favorite photographs on a pillow for viewing. The inventive device includes removable cover for receiving a foam rubber padding within an open end thereof. A plurality of clear pockets are secured to a front surface of the removable cover. The pockets each have a clear front window and peripheral side walls and a bottom wall. The pockets each have an open upper end for receiving photographs therethrough for displaying through the clear front window.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to photograph displays and more particularly pertains to a new pillow with photograph displays for displaying favorite photographs on a pillow for viewing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of photograph displays is known in the prior art. More specifically, photograph displays 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 photograph displays include U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,187 to Wilson; U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,224 to Gintling; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 338,362 to Schlosser; U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,586 to Benner; U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,206 to Asprey; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,266 to Frank et al.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new Pillow with photograph displays. The inventive device includes a removable cover for receiving a foam rubber padding within an open end thereof. A plurality of clear pockets are secured to a front surface of the removable cover. The pockets each have a clear front window and peripheral side walls and a bottom wall. The pockets each have an open upper end for receiving photographs therethrough for displaying through the clear front window.
In these respects, the pillow with photograph displays 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 displaying favorite photographs on a pillow for viewing.


The present invention is directed to a cabinet latch that may be used with a slave door. The latch includes a handle member and a bearing member at substantially right angles to one another. The bearing member includes an upper bearing surface and camming end portion which which engages a channel in the frame of the enclosure and aids in aligning and retaining the slave door in a closed position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door latch for a cabinet and in particular, to a latch that is reversibly mountable, substantially hidden from view when engaged, and provides alignment of the door.
2. Prior Art
Cabinets such as for electrical equipment typically have opposed doors hinged along an outer vertical edge which close and latch along a center line. Such doors typically latch together along their center line with a latch handle at approximately the midpoint of the doors. The doors typically overlap slightly, the outer door being referred to as the "Master" door and the covered door being referred to as the "Slave" door. The handle may include a linkage for engaging the cabinet frame at both the top and bottom for improved multipoint latching.
However, it can be appreciated that improved latching is accomplished with independently actuatable latches placed at both the top and bottom of the doors. In particular, it can be appreciated that the slave door, the door which must be closed first, should be latchable to improve cabinet rigidity and door alignment. Having the first closed door retained also improves the safety and ease of use for closing the second door and aligning the latching system. It can also be appreciated that for aesthetic reasons, such a latch should be hidden and easily mountable to the inside of the slave door. By hiding the latches, it is also easier to maintain edge seals and create a dust free sealed enclosure.
It can be seen then, that a new improved latch for a double door cabinet is needed. Such a latch should be easily mountable to provide a sealed interior by latching at both the top and bottom of the door. Such a latch should be reversible to mount to either left-handed or right-handed opening doors at either the top or bottom. In addition, such a latch should provide for being hidden from view when both doors are closed for improved aesthetics. The latch should also provide for alignment at both the top and bottom. The present invention addresses these as well as other problems associated with cabinet door latches.


A telephone interface system for the transmission and reproduction of an audio performance, particularly a musical performance, at separate locations utilizing an amplitude modulated carrier frequency is disclosed. The system serves to both transmit a performance at one instant location to one or more remote locations and to receive and reproduce a similar performance from the remote location(s) transmitted to the instant location. The performer(s) at a first location each hear the audio output of the performance(s) at the other location(s) as though such other performer(s) were actually present at the first location and vice versa.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention resides in the field of telephone circuitry and more particularly relates to the simultaneous presentation of sound, particularly music, generated by separate performers at separate locations utilizing amplitude modulated carrier frequencies.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Systems which provide means for separate performers, particularly musicians, to interact from different locations by way of the telephone have been the subject of two separate patents by the present inventor. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,101 to Brotz et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,278 to Brotz, there are disclosed musicians telephone interface units which enable separate performers to play at separate locations and for each to hear the other's performance simultaneously at his own location. In each patent, a system is disclosed to exclude the transmitted signal from the received signal so that the received signal at each location can be amplified to simulate the presence of the performer at the remote location as being at the instant location. In the first patent listed above, a comparator is used and in the second, frequency division multiplexing is used to exclude the transmitted signal from audio reproduction at the originating location.

Telephone interface for simultaneous audio presentation at separate locations utilizing amplitude modulated carrier signals


A system and method are used to determine connectivity and/or cable faults of a cable. A signal transmitting and receiving system is coupled to the cable. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) coupled to the signal transmitting and receiving system. A TDR system coupled to the ADC and a memory, and a controlling system coupled to at least one of the ADC, the TDR system, and the signal receiving and transmitting system. The controlling system includes a controller and one or more state machines that are used to control the TDR system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to time domain reflectometry and applications for using the same.
2. Background Art
Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) can be used to determine characteristics (e.g., length, status (open or short), connectivity (connected or not connected, etc.) about a cable. Typically, in TDR a test pulse is sent into a cable and characteristics about the cable are determined through detection (or not detecting) a return signal (e.g., a reflection).

Cable diagnostics using time domain reflectometry and application using the same


Described herein are interconnected mutilayer boards and their fabrication processes. Multilayer conductor lines of a skeleton structure are formed by conducting multilayer metallization while including all resist layers and metallic under-conductive layers and then removing the resist layers and metallic under-conductive layers at once. Spaces between the multilayer conductor lines of the skeleton structure are then filled with a solventless varnish so that insulating layers are formed. Modules making use of such interconnected multilayer boards and computers having such modules are also described.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to thin-film, interconnected multilayer boards for packaging very-large-scale integrated circuits (VLSI circuits), terminal resistors, capacitors, etc. at a high density and also to processes for their fabrication. Further, this invention is concerned with modules making use of such interconnected multilayer boards and also with computers having such modules.
2) Description of the Related Art
A conventional process for the fabrication of an interconnected multilayer board will first be described, taking by way of example the flow chart shown in FIGS. 9(a) through 9(g).
As is illustrated in FIG. 9(a), a metallic under-conductor layer 92 which can also serve as an electrode for plating is formed over the entire area of an upper surface of a substrate 91. On the upper surface of the metallic under-conductor layer 92, a resist 93 windowed in the form of a desired conductor line pattern is formed as depicted in FIG. 9(b). Plating is then conducted using, as electrodes, the metallic under-conductor layer 92 exposed in channels 94 so that, as shown in FIG. 9(c), the channels 94 in the resist 93 are selectively filled with a conductor to form conductors, via-hole conductors, of ground conductors 95. After the resist 93 is next removed to expose the conductors 95 as depicted in FIG. 9(d), the metallic under-conductor layer 92 is removed at portions other than the portions facing and contacting the conductors 95 as shown in FIG. 9(a). Next, as is illustrated in FIG. 9(f), an insulating layer 96 is formed with a polymer over the entire upper surface of the substrate 91 such that the conductors 95 are covered by the insulating layer 96. As is depicted in FIG. 9(g), by grinding or the like, the upper surfaces of the conductors 95 are exposed and the surface of the insulating layer 96 is formed into a flat surface. The above steps are repeated successively a plurality of times, whereby an interconnected multilayer board is fabricated.
Relevant technology is disclosed, for example, in Proceedings of the 34th ECC (Electronic Component Conference), 82-87 (1984).
The most serious problem of the above-described conventional technique resides in the need for the steps of forming and removing a resist, the steps of forming and removing a metallic under-conductor layer, the step of forming an insulating layer and the step of making the insulating layer flat for each of layers such as conductor layer, ground layer and via-hole conductor layer. The conventional technique therefore includes many steps, resulting in long lead time and poor mass productivity.
The conventional technique is accompanied not only by the need for such many steps but also by many other problems such as the inclusion of technically troublesome steps, for example, the need for grinding and polishing of an insulating polymer layer and the difficulties in the elimination of dust particles such as grinding and polishing powder by washing.

Interconnected multilayer boards and fabrication processes thereof


A method for optimizing the provision of a predictive eHorizon in a driver assistance system. A method for providing a predictive eHorizon in a driver assistance system is provided, wherein a horizon provider in a driver assistance system makes information about an expected route course available to an assistance application. The horizon provider creates a planning table including information about the expected route course and/or including data to be provided as a function of the route course, associated with an expected position of the vehicle in the planning table. The planning table data to be provided by the assistance system application are taken at least partially from the planning table as a function of the current position of the vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for optimizing the provision of a predictive EHORIZON™ (Computer software and hardware for integrating navigational map data with electronic vehicle controls and software for providing driver alerts and control system inputs based upon vehicle parameters and navigational data) in a driver assistance system. In particular, the invention specifies a method suitable for making available an EHORIZON™ (Computer software and hardware for integrating navigational map data with electronic vehicle controls and software for providing driver alerts and control system inputs based upon vehicle parameters and navigational data) with sufficient accuracy in the case of changing available processor power in a driver assistance system.
2. Description of Prior Art
Driver assistance systems such as lane departure warning systems or adaptive cruise control (ACC) are known. Navigation systems are also finding widespread application both in the field of passenger cars and utility vehicles. A new generation of driver assistance systems make available to the driver and/or the vehicle information about the route lying ahead of the vehicle. This information, which is referred to as EHORIZON™ (Computer software and hardware for integrating navigational map data with electronic vehicle controls and software for providing driver alerts and control system inputs based upon vehicle parameters and navigational data), can comprise information about any bend courses, gradients, speed restrictions, or the like. As a result it is possible to inform the driver of hazardous situations clearly before such situations occur. This can lead to an improvement in safety and also to a reduction in the fuel consumption by virtue of the fact that it influences the engine management and/or the shift strategy of an automatic transmission. An EHORIZON™ (Computer software and hardware for integrating navigational map data with electronic vehicle controls and software for providing driver alerts and control system inputs based upon vehicle parameters and navigational data) can therefore transmit information about a bend lying directly ahead or an imminent gradient to an automatic transmission which, on the basis of this information, does not shift correspondingly until later into a higher gear speed and can therefore maintain rotational speed in an optimized range. Such an EHORIZON™ (Computer software and hardware for integrating navigational map data with electronic vehicle controls and software for providing driver alerts and control system inputs based upon vehicle parameters and navigational data) can also influence electrical energy management of a vehicle and also activate or deactivate functions in accordance with the route lying ahead. In an ACC an EHORIZON™ (Computer software and hardware for integrating navigational map data with electronic vehicle controls and software for providing driver alerts and control system inputs based upon vehicle parameters and navigational data) can be used to adapt the acceleration behavior of the vehicle to the course of the road.
In a driver assistance system of the type described above, an EHORIZON™ (Computer software and hardware for integrating navigational map data with electronic vehicle controls and software for providing driver alerts and control system inputs based upon vehicle parameters and navigational data) is provided by a horizon provider that precisely calculates the respective vehicle position based on stored digital maps, GPS information, gyroscope information, and/or wheel speed information, and transmits information continuously about the further course of the road into a BUS system (for example CAN bus) of the vehicle electronics. Further control systems, such as the engine management system, a transmission management system or an ACC, which are connected to this BUS system, build up the virtual picture of the road from the information provided using what is referred to as a reconstructor, and orient their control strategy to the expected course of the road.
To provide an EHORIZON™ (Computer software and hardware for integrating navigational map data with electronic vehicle controls and software for providing driver alerts and control system inputs based upon vehicle parameters and navigational data), the provider checks the position and possibly the route of the vehicle at fixed time intervals, determines the associated map detail of a digital map and the relevant roads, and provides necessary data via the BUS system. Such a procedure is configured for as constant as possible utilization of computing power. This requires a correspondingly large amount of computing power to be made available to ensure a sufficient provision of information of the provider into the BUS system even in situations with increased calculation expenditure such as change of route. This high level of available computing power is not called up and not required in the major part of the operating time.


Systems and methods for performing efficient network address (NAT) translation are described herein. In some aspects, partial NAT entries are created for data packets before all the IP fragments of the data packets are received. Further, the IP fragments are transmitted before all the IP fragments of the data packets are received. In some aspects, unique IP-IDs are generated for IP fragments and/or data packets at a NAT device.

1. Field
The present application relates generally to communications, and more specifically to systems, methods, and device (such as routers) for efficient processing of internet protocol (IP) fragments using network address translation (NAT) functionality.
2. Background
Communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication (e.g., voice, data, multimedia services, etc.) between communication devices (e.g., mobile handsets, PDAs (Personal Data Assistants), personal computers, smart phones, servers, or any other electronic device capable of communicating via a network). The devices may transmit/receive data between each other via a network of interconnected devices. For example, client devices may exchange data with server devices over a network.
Due to the limited availability of IPv4 addresses for devices, client devices may access a network through another device, such as a device running network address translation (NAT) functionality (herein referred to as a "NAT device"). NAT devices may provide public domain access to a group of client devices (which may be grouped in a local area network (LAN)). A single publicly routeable IPv4 address may be assigned to the NAT device for the group of client devices to access the public network, instead of each client device having its own publicly routeable IPv4 address. This saves on the assignment of IPv4 addresses. Further, using a NAT device allows security protocols to be established at the NAT device that help protect all the client devices, since all the traffic flows through the NAT device.
For the client devices to communicate with a server device, the data sent from client devices to the server device is routed through the NAT device. For the server to communicate with the client devices, the server devices send data to the NAT device, and the NAT device sends the data to the client devices.
The NAT device may perform network address translation for the data exchanged between the client devices and server devices. Utilizing NAT, the NAT device may modify the internet protocol (IP) addresses of data packets from the client devices before sending the data packets to the server. Similarly, the NAT device may modify the IP addresses of data packets from the server before sending the data packets to the clients.
For example, the client devices may be part of a local network that uses "private" IP addresses for each of the client devices to communicate within the local network. These private IP addresses, however, may not enable the client devices to communicate with devices that reside on a "public" network, such as server devices that reside on the Internet. The NAT device, however, may be associated with a public IP address and enabled to communicate with devices on the public network. Accordingly, the NAT device may receive data packets from the client devices with private IP address, the packets being destined for devices on the public network. The NAT device may modify the private IP addresses of the data packets to reflect the public IP address of the NAT device and send the data packets to a server on the public network. The NAT device (e.g., a symmetric NAT device) may further modify other information in the data packets, such as transport layer port information in order to, for example, monitor multiple traffic flows from a single client device. The server may then send data packets in response to the NAT device using the public IP address. The NAT device must then determine to which client devices each response data packet belongs, and modify the response data packets to have the appropriate private IP addresses of the client devices.
In order to be able to perform NAT, the NAT device may need to wait before all the IP fragments of a data packet have arrived at the NAT from a client device before performing NAT and sending the data packet to the server, which may lead to delay sin communication and increased memory buffering requirements in the NAT device. This may be especially true where IP fragments arrive at the NAT device out of order with the first IP fragment arriving at the NAT device last as further discussed herein.
Further, in some instances, two or more client devices that are associated with the same NAT device may send IP datagrams or fragments to the same server using the same IP-ID for the datagrams or fragments. In such instances, after NAT is performed by the NAT device and the datagrams or fragments are sent to the server, the server may may not be able to distinguish between the datagrams or fragments from a first client and a second client device sent via the NAT device. This leads to inefficiencies and errors in communications. Thus, enhanced systems and methods of performing NAT are needed.

Systems and methods for data packet processing


A method has been discovered for the epoxidation of a compound having at least one carbon-carbon double bond, the method involves reacting a compound having at least one carbon-carbon double bond, a solvent, an oxidant, and membrane bound peroxygenase. Also discovered is a method for preparing the membrane bound peroxygenase involving grinding seeds containing peroxygenase to produce ground seeds, homogenizing the ground seeds in a buffer to form a slurry, centrifuging the slurry to produce a first supernatant, centrifuging the first supernatant to produce a second supernatant, and filtering said second supernatant through a protein-binding membrane filter to produce membrane bound peroxygenase; optionally the second supernatant is filtered through a hydrophilic membrane filter prior to filtering the second supernatant through a protein-binding membrane filter.

The present invention relates to a method for the epoxidation of a compound having at least one carbon-carbon double bond, the method involves reacting a compound having at least one carbon-carbon double bond, a solvent, an oxidant, and membrane bound peroxygenase. The present invention also relates to a method for preparing the membrane bound peroxygenase involving grinding seeds containing peroxygenase to produce ground seeds, homogenizing the ground seeds in a buffer to form a slurry, centrifuging the slurry to produce a first supernatant, centrifuging the first supernatant to produce a second supernatant, and filtering said second supernatant through a protein-binding membrane filter to produce membrane bound peroxygenase; optionally the second supernatant is filtered through a hydrophilic membrane filter prior to filtering the second supernatant through the protein-binding membrane filter.
Fats and oils (e.g., soybean oil and the esters of tall oil fatty acids) are renewable materials that are used as feed stocks for the production of industrial materials such as paints, varnishes, emulsifiers, and lubricants. To achieve a formulation with the desired properties, it is usually necessary to chemically modify the fat or oil. For unsaturated fats and oils, one common modification is epoxidation which leads to a material with increased polarity and enhanced reactivity (Carlson, K. D., et al., J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc., 62: 934-939 (1985); Piazza, G. J., Some Recent Advances in Epoxide Synthesis, IN Recent Developments in the Synthesis of Fatty Acid Derivatives, edited by G. Knothe and J. T. P. Derksen, AOCS Press, Champaign, 1999, pp. 182-195)). Epoxidized oils are used as plasticizers and are generated on an industrial scale using peracids (Gan, L. H., et al., J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc., 69: 347-351 (1992)). The latter are generated by reacting formic or acetic acid with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a strong acid catalyst. A disadvantage of this procedure is that the strong acid catalyzes epoxide ring opening, causes equipment corrosion, and it must be recycled or neutralized before discharge into the environment. Also the peracid intermediate is unstable, and explosive conditions are possible.
The use of enzymes offers the possibility of developing an environmentally benign and more selective epoxidation reaction. One enzyme that might be useful for this purpose is termed peroxygenase. This enzyme catalyzes the heterolytic cleavage of a peroxygen bond and transfers the liberated oxygen to an oxidizable functional group, such as a carbon-carbon double bond, to give an epoxide product. Thus, in the presence of organic hydroperoxide, oleic acid 1 is converted to the 9,10-epoxide 2 by peroxygenase isolated from soybean, broad bean, and oat (FIG. 1) (Hamberg, M., et al., Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 283: 409-416 (1990); Hamberg, M., et al., Plant Physiol., 110: 807-815 (1996); Hamberg, M., et al., Plant. Physiol., 99: 987-995 (1992); Blxc3xa9e, E., et al., J. Biol. Chem., 268: 1708-1715 (1993); Blxc3xa9e, E., Phytooxylipins: The Peroxygenase Pathway, IN Lipoxygenase and Lipoxygenase Pathway Enzymes, edited by G. J. Piazza, AOCS Press, Champaign, 1996, pp. 138-161)). Similarly linoleic acid afforded the 9,10-and 12,13-epoxy derivatives. Studies with peroxygenase from soybean and broad bean show that cis-double bonds are the preferred substrates of peroxygenase (Hamberg, M., et al., Plant. Physiol., 99: 987-995 (1992); Blxc3xa9e, E., et al., J. Biol. Chem., 265: 12887-12894 (1990)). Peroxygenase can also catalyze internal epoxidation if the peroxygen group is contained in a molecule with a double bond. Thus when the peroxygenases from soybean and broad bean were presented with the enzymatically-generated hydroperoxide of linoleic acid 3 (13(S)-hydroperoxy-9(Z),11(E)-octadecadienoic acid, HPODE), products were 13(S)-hydroxy-9(Z),11(E)-octadecadienoic acid 4 and 9,10-epoxy-13(S)-hydroxy-11(E)-octadecenoic acid 5 (Hamberg, M., et al., Biochem. Biophys., 283: 409-416 (1990); Hamberg, M., et al., Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 283: 409-416 (1990); Blxc3xa9e, E., et al., J. Biol. Chem., 268:1708-1715 (1993); Piazza, G. J., et al., J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc., 76: 551-555 (1999)). Recently it has been demonstrated that a peroxygenase from oat seeds can catalyze the epoxidation of oleic acid using hydrogen peroxide as the oxygen donor (Hamberg, M., et al., Plant Physiol., 110: 807-815 (1996)).
Traditional methods for using an enzyme for synthesis require two separate steps: isolation/purification of the enzyme from its biological source and chemical or physical immobilization. In the study described herein, a simple, rapid method for immobilizing oat seed peroxygenase on filter membranes is described. The activity and reusability of the immobilized peroxygenase preparation also was investigated, and the pH and temperature dependence of epoxidation by membrane-bound peroxygenase was examined to determine optimal reaction conditions.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method for the epoxidation of a compound having at least one carbon-carbon double bond, the method involves reacting a compound having at least one carbon-carbon double bond, a solvent, an oxidant, and membrane bound peroxygenase. There is also provided a method for preparing the membrane bound peroxygenase involving grinding seeds containing peroxygenase to produce ground seeds, homogenizing the ground seeds in a buffer to form a slurry, centrifuging the slurry to produce a first supernatant, centrifuging the first supernatant to produce a second supernatant, and filtering said second supernatant through a protein-binding membrane filter to produce membrane bound peroxygenase; optionally the second supernatant is filtered through a hydrophilic membrane filter prior to filtering the second supernatant through the protein-binding membrane filter.

Epoxidation of carbon-carbon double bond with membrane bound peroxygenase

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture


There is provided a solid-state imaging device that includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a transfer gate, a floating diffusion unit, and a transistor. The photoelectric conversion unit produces a charge according to incident light. The transfer gate has a columnar shape having an opening that is continuous in a vertical direction, and transfers the charge from the photoelectric conversion unit. The floating diffusion unit is formed extending to a region surrounded by the opening of the transfer gate, and converts the transferred charge into a voltage signal. The transistor is electrically connected to the floating diffusion unit via a diffusion layer.

In a solid-state imaging device, a charge produced in a photoelectric conversion unit is converted into a voltage signal and transferred to a transistor. At this time, with a reduction in pixel size, it is required to enhance the charge transfer efficiency at the time of reading. Thus, for example, there has been proposed an image sensor in which the charge transfer efficiency is raised by surrounding a charge transfer path in a vertical direction with a vertical gate (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Solid-state imaging device, method of manufacturing solid-state imaging device, and electronic apparatus

SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION


A grounding conductor 1 is composed of a conductive metal portion 2 and a conductive casing portion 3 that covers the conductive metal portion 2. The conductive casing portion 3 has a specific resistance of 0.01 to 0. (Ω·m). Since the grounding conductor 1 is composed of the conductive metal portion 2 and the conductive casing portion 3 that covers the conductive metal portion 2, the conductive metal portion 2 is connected to the earth via the conductive casing portion 3. The conductive metal portion 2 does not contact directly with the earth but is electrically connected to the earth via the conductive casing portion 3.

A bare copper material is conventionally used as a grounding conductor constituting a grounding device. Bare copper materials serving as grounding conductors are arranged in a trench dug in the earth to a predetermined depth, and the copper materials are arranged in a grid pattern in a vertical and horizontal directions. This constitutes a mesh electrode. By way of example, a grounding device having such a mesh electrode is disclosed in the Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication (Tokkai-Sho) No. 59-211975.
However, with the conventional grounding device employing metal conductors such as bare copper materials as grounding conductors constituting a mesh electrode as described above, the grounding conductors comprising bare metal conductors are arranged directly in the earth. Accordingly, the corrosion of the grounding conductors comprising bare metal conductors is facilitated by moisture in the soil, the acidity of the soil, the concentration of salt in the soil, and the like. Thus, disadvantageously, the grounding conductors installed in the earth may be subjected to a disconnection or the like, thus spoiling the grounding function of the grounding device.
If the grounding conductors comprising bare metal conductors are covered with a grounding resistance reducing material comprising carbon and cement, the disconnection or the like caused by the corrosion attributed to the soil is unlikely to occur compared to grounding conductors arranged directly in the earth.
These grounding conductors also have a long lifetime. However, the specific resistance of the soil changes rapidly in areas in which the grounding conductors comprising bare metal conductors are not completely covered with the grounding resistance reducing material and in areas in which leaders extend from the ground conductors, and the carbon is very unlikely to be ionized. Consequently, in an electrolytic state such as the one in the soil, contact with the carbon causes the grounding conductors comprising bare metal conductors to be corroded by a battery action resulting from a difference in potential (what is called galvanic corrosion). Disadvantageously, this may cause the disconnection or the like.
Moreover, it has been found that the corrosion is facilitated in areas of the earth in which a direct current is flowing. This is another problem with the conventional grounding conductors comprising bare metal conductors.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems with the conventional grounding conductors.

Abstract: This prevents the conductive metal portion 2 from being corroded. It is also possible to avoid a disconnection in the conductive metal portion 2.


To provide an arrangement structure for bearings which overlap in the axial direction. A driven shaft and an intermediate shaft are linked to each other and are disposed to be substantially parallel with respect to each other. The driven shaft and the intermediate shaft are rotatably supported via the radial ball bearings, respectively with the respective radial ball bearings being disposed so as to overlap partly with each other in an axial view. An inner wall portion for supporting the respective radial ball bearings is provided with the respective radial ball bearings being mounted to the inner wall portion substantially in the same direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an arrangement of bearings for a plurality of torque transmission elements.
2. Description of Background Art
FIG. 3 of Japanese Patent No. 3,039,168 discloses a structure for bearings in which a plurality of power transmission shafts are linked to each other and are arranged to be substantially parallel to each other for rotatably supporting the respective power transmission shafts via the bearings respectively.
This technology has a structure in which the respective bearings are mounted to wall portions which support the bearings from both sides, so that the respective bearings are partly overlapped when viewed in an axial view.
However, in the structure of bearings as described above, although the center distance between the power transmission shafts can be reduced, since the bearings which are overlapped with each other in an axial view are mounted to the wall portion from the opposite directions, the assembly of a unit including these bearings may present problems. When considering maintenance of the bearings or the like by disassembling the unit, since the structure of the wall portions is complicated, the maintenance may present problems.


A video and audio signal recorder for recording signals on tracks records signals of each editorial unit (e.g. video or audio signals of a field) on a recording medium so as to form a recording area composed of recorded tracks and a guarding area provided between two recording areas, and erases recorded data from a recording area isolated by the guarding area using two kinds of erase heads consisting of: a first erase head having a track width which is twice as wide as the track width and movable in a track length direction so as to track the full width of the single track forming the audio record area and a half width of the non-recorded track in each of the guarding areas adjacent to the audio record area at opposite sides of the audio record area for erasing the audio samples recorded in the audio record area; and a second erase head having a width which is n times as wide as said specific track width (n is an integer larger than two), and movable in the track length direction so as to trace the full width of each of specific consecutive (n-1) tracks in the video record area and a half width of each of two tracks adjacent to the specific consecutive (n-1) tracks at opposite sides of the specific consecutive (n-1) tracks for erasing the video samples recorded in the video record area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for recording signals onto slant tracks of a recording medium with a rotary head, and more particularly to an apparatus having an erase head arranged for erasing recorded signals from narrow recording tracks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Thanks to improvements in magnetic tapes and recording heads, a magnetic record/playback apparatus having a rotary head has been enhanced in its high density recording capability. For high density recording, various methods are proposed in which the width of each recording track is minimized and the number of tracks to be scanned by the rotary head during a given time is increased. It is usual to decrease the track width for increasing the recording density.
In erasing an editing track by an erase head, problems caused by mechanical error, track deviation, and tape traveling speed variation cause a part of a track adjacent to the editing track to be erased to reduce the track width and cause a part of the editing track to not be erased. Such a reduction in the track width or erasing failure appears more significant as the track becomes narrow. Accordingly, the signals retrieved from the beginning and concluding ends of an editing area of narrow tracks will be attenuated, thus producing a reduced quality image.
A method for minimizing a decline in the quality of a reproduced image of signals for data editing is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication 1-106382 (1989), in which data of each television frame as an editorial unit is recorded on a group of 15 consecutive tracks of a recording medium. In particular, one guarding track is interposed between two groups of tracks and each track is scanned for erasing by an erase head, which has an erasing width 2.5 times greater than the width of the track, so that any two adjacent erased regions are overlap each other by 1/2 track width. According to the method, the guarding track is scanned 3/4 by the erase head during erasing at the beginning and last portions of each editing area, thus leaving 1/4 track width as a margin of the guarding track width for the reduction of track width and erasing failure. However, the margin of the guarding track width should be optimumly 1/2 track width.

Video and audio signal recording apparatus with editing-use erase heads

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A lamp support includes a clamp, a ratchet member, a lamp housing and a latch member. The clamp is capable of being attached to a human body. The clamp has a circular receiving groove. A plurality of ratchet grooves is formed at a bottom face of the receiving groove along a first rotation direction. The ratchet member is rotatably received in the receiving groove along the first rotation direction. The ratchet member has a ratchet projection selectively inserted into the ratchet grooves. The lamp housing is rotatably connected to the ratchet member along a second rotation direction substantially perpendicular to the first rotation direction. The lamp housing has an inner space for receiving a lamp. The lamp housing has a plurality of latch grooves arranged along the second rotation direction. The latch member is fixed to the ratchet member. The latch member is selectively inserted into the latch grooves.

1. Field of the Invention
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to a lamp support. More particularly, example embodiments of the present invention relate to a lamp support capable of being attached to a human body.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a user may grasp a lamp with one hand to illuminate a desired place. However, since the hand used to grasp the lamp cannot be used for other uses, there exist many inconveniences related to the lamp.
To overcome the above-mentioned inconveniences, a lamp support capable of being attached to the human body of the user, for example, the head of the user, is proposed. In the lamp support, a light-irradiation angle of the lamp may be determined in accordance with a direction in which the head is pointed. Thus, it may be difficult to illuminate the desired place. Therefore, a mechanism for changing the light-irradiation angle of the lamp and for maintaining a set light-irradiation angle of the lamp without altering the posture of the user may be provided to the lamp support.
However, in a conventional lamp support, the light-irradiation angle of the lamp may be changed along only one rotation direction. For example, the light-irradiation angle of the lamp may be changed along only a rotation direction from the head to the feet of the user. Therefore, the light-irradiation angle of the lamp may be changed along upward and downward directions without moving the head of the user. In contrast, it may be impossible to change the light-irradiation angle of the lamp along left and right directions without moving the head of the user. As a result, to change the light-irradiation angle of the lamp along the left and right directions, it may be required to move the head of the user along the left and right directions.


A circuit and method for driving a field effect transistor is disclosed. A switching circuit includes a driver device having a signal input, a supply voltage input, and an output. The driver output is coupled to a JFET. A converter couples to the JFET and provides an output of the switching circuit. When enabled, a switching device couples this switching circuit output to the gate of the JFET, thus causing the JFET to be driven into conduction.

Field Effect Transistors (FET) include metal oxide semiconductor FET (MOSFET) devices and junction FET (JFET) devices. Historically, the use of MOSFETs has been more widespread than that of JFETs. As a result of their widespread use, driver circuits and other circuits for MOSFETs are readily and economically available. One such circuit is a MOSFET based converter circuit.
A schematic of a typical MOSFET converter circuit 100 is shown in Prior Art FIG. 1. MOSFET converter circuit 100 includes a driver circuit 110, which functions as a gate driver. MOSFET gate driver 110 is configured to drive high side MOSFET Q102 and low side Q1 MOSFET Q101. Driver 110 generates high peak currents for switching the MOSFETs Q101 and Q102 on and off.
Resistors R111 and R112 are typically relatively small value resistors. Resistors R111 and R112 deter oscillations. The high side gate switching waveform V2 is in phase with the driver input signal V1. The low side gate switching waveform V3 is out of phase with input signal V1. A high output from driver U110 turns on the MOSFETs Q102 and Q101.
Converter circuit 103 has an output inductor L131 and output filter capacitor C141. The inductive-capacitive network of converter 103 convert the switching waveform of Q101 and Q102 to a DC output voltage Vo.
Although significant bias current is not needed at the gates of MOSFETs Q102 and Q101, in applying their full bias voltage, power is dissipated in resistors R111 and R112. This dissipation of power reduces the efficiency of driver circuit 100.
Junction field effect transistors (JFETs) are majority carrier devices that conduct current through a channel that is controlled by the application of a bias voltage to a p-n junction. Minimal on state drain-source resistance (RDSOn) characterizes efficient device performance. Low RDSOn is typically achieved with a significant DC driving current IBias providing the voltage to bias the FET.
Although MOSFET based circuitry is readily and economically available, a growing demand for JFET based circuitry has developed. In part, this is understandable from advances that have accompanied the adoption of submicron processes for device fabrication, such as operationally higher speeds and lower voltages. For instance, greater current demands in integrated circuits have resulted in JFET based circuitry, such as in power conditioning. Exemplary circuits include buck converters and switching power supplies.
Switching mode regulators are preferred to linear devices due to considerations related to efficiency. For instance, efficiency can be increased by operating a switch (e.g., the transistor) so that it is either fully on or fully off. Circuits used to drive a transistor for a switching application are designed with the goal of providing a fast transition between the "on" and "off" states of the transistor switch.
JFETs are capable of being driven by low voltages while maintaining excellent breakdown characteristics when compared to MOSFETs. There is no insulator associated with gate/drain and gate/source interfaces of a JFET (e.g., these interfaces comprise p-n junctions). Thus, forward bias results in conduction at voltages that are very low compared to the reverse bias that the device is capable of withstanding. JFETs also have a much greater resistance to damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD) than MOSFETs. Thus, JFET circuit use may be preferable to MOSFET circuits for a particular application.
Due to the fundamental differences between MOSFETs and JFETs, conventional MOSFET drivers such as circuit 100 are not well suited for driving JFETs. For instance, while MOSFETs may be biased without significant bias current IBias, modern JFET bias currents range from 1 to 200 mA.
One approach to providing sufficient JFET biasing current has been to provide a direct drive from a gate driver circuit. The voltage of such drivers can range in some applications from 5 to 12 V. A schematic of a conventional JFET direct drive gate driver circuit 200 is depicted in prior art FIG. 2. Direct JFET driver circuit 200 supplies high peak switching currents as well as the DC bias current in the range of 1 ma to 200 ma.
Circuit 200 directly drives JFET transistors Q203 and Q204 in that the DC bias current is supplied from the voltage driver U210 itself. Circuit 200 also provides negative voltage to the gates when the JFETs Q203 and Q204 are in an "off" state. This negative voltage keeps the JFET in a low leakage off state, which supports proper operation for depletion JFETs.
Capacitors C222 and C223 in the gate circuits 224 and 225, respectively, provide the high peak switching drive currents. Resistors 8233 and R234 set the DC gate bias currents. The negative voltage is generated because the positive voltage at the gate is clamped by a gate to source diode effect within each JFET when the driver voltage goes positive. MOSFETs, such as Q101 and Q102 (FIG. 1) do not have this built in diode effect between gate and source.
The high side gate switching waveform V4 is in phase with the driver input signal V1. The low side gate switching waveform V5 is out of phase with input signal V1. When the driver voltage swings to 0V, the voltage at the JFET gate swings to a negative voltage because it was clamped at +0.7V when the driver output voltage was high.
Converter circuit 203 has an output inductor L231 and output filter capacitor C241. The inductive-capacitive network of converter 203 converts the switching waveform of Q203 and Q204 to a DC output voltage Vo.
Circuit 200 functions to drive the JFETs Q203 and Q204. However, driving IBias directly can consume significant power, which can adversely affect the efficiency of the power supply. For instance, in applying full bias voltage to JFETs Q203 and Q204, the bias currents may dissipate significant power in resistors R233 and R234, which thus typically have relatively high wattage ratings.
This dissipation of power reduces the efficiency of such a conventional driver circuit. Further, their relatively high wattages render biasing resistors in such a driver circuit concomitantly large and require apparatus in which the circuit is disposed or deployed to dissipate the heat they generate. This can require larger size (e.g., form factor), heavier weight, and more robust thermal design for such an apparatus, all of which can reduce its economical manufacture and utility. These factors may thus delimit the range of application for such a circuit. Thus, the direct drive approach to biasing a JFET converter circuit can be inefficient, power intensive, and restrictive.

Circuit and method for driving a junction field effect transistor


A powered gate operator includes an electric motor coupled by a drive train to a movable gate in order to drive the gate between opened and closed positions. The gate may also be moved manually between these opened and closed positions, or may be moved by powered operation of the gate operator under manual input control of velocity and acceleration of the gate. The gate operator includes a control system with a learning mode allowing a human to move the gate either manually or under powered operation with manual control, and during which the control system learns desired accelerations, deceleration's, pauses, etc., along with start and finish positions for the gate movement in each direction of movement for the gate between opened and closed positions. Thereafter, during powered operation of the gate by the operator the desired movement profile taught by a human to the operator during a learning mode experience is replicated. In the event that no preferred gate movement profile is available to the gate operator from a learning mode experience, it uses a default gate movement profile. Various default profiles of gate movement may be stored in memory and may be selected by an owner of the gate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of method and apparatus for power-operation of a gate. More particularly, the present invention relates to a power-drive apparatus for selectively moving a gate between opened and closed positions, and which has a mode of operation in which a human may manually teach the gate operator both a fully opened and fully closed position for the gate, as well as a desired profile of accelerations, decelerations, and velocities for the gate as it moves between these fully opened and fully closed positions.
2. Related Technology
It is conventional to move a gate, such as a gate controlling vehicular access to a parking lot, to a gated community, or to private land, for example, by means of a power-drive unit which moves the gate between fully opened and fully closed positions. The gate may swing about a vertical hinge axis to open and close, or may move horizontally along a guide way. Ordinarily, the power-drive unit for such gates includes an electric motor with a speed reduction drive train coupled to the gate to effect its movement between the opened and closed positions.
Conventionally, the limits of movement of a gate are set using conventional limit switches. Alternatively, the mechanism of the gate operator may be configured such that opened and closed position for the gate are set by the mechanical operation constraints of the mechanism itself. That is, a physical abutment or gate movement stop may be used to set the limits of movement of the gate at one or both of the fully opened and fully closed positions. When the gate encounters the physical stops, the drive motor stalls, the stalled motor draws an increased level of current, and a current sensing circuit associated with the drive motor senses this stall-current and shuts off the drive motor. Alternatively, an encoder providing a pulse train indicative of gate movement may be used. In this case, when the gate encounters a physical movement stop, the pulse train also stops, and the end of this pulse train can be sensed by, for example, using a time-out timer to detect when the interval between pulses exceeds a certain threshold. In this case, a controller for the gate will determine the locations of the physical gate movement stops in terms of pulse count numbers, and use this information in future operations of the gate.
Owners of gate operators which depend upon contact of the gate with a physical gate movement stop will likely object to the jarring and noise such impact produces. Many owners are quite unhappy with the conventional gate operator mechanisms because the gate literally bangs or slams against the stops with each operation of the gate between opened and closed positions. Even the gate operators which reset the positions of the limit stops and use an encoder will hang against the stops on the first operations of the gate, or after a system reset.
Conventional power-drive gate operators are seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,234,833; 4,429,264; 4,916,860; 5,136,809; and 5,230,179. Of these conventional teachings, the '833 patent purports to disclose a gate operator with a form of motor shaft rotation encoder formed by flats on the drive motor shaft, which flats are viewed by an optical sensor. The sensor generates an output signal indicative of gate movement as represented by rotation of the drive motor shaft. Apparently, the owner of this device must determine the extent of gate movement between its fully opened and fully closed positions, and program this movement information into the gate operator in the form of an encoder pulse count number.
The '860, '809, and '179 patents are related to one another and appear to use a form of encoder employing magnetic sensors mounted to a stationary plate member and cooperative magnets mounted to a pulley rotating with an output shaft of the gate operator. The drive shaft of the motor for this device appears to be connected to the gate at all times. This device does not appear to have a self-teaching function.
The '264 patent appears to relate to a gate operator which employs an encoder to determine gate movement between its fully opened and fully closed positions, and which does not employ any limit switches. This gate operator appears also not to have a teaching mode. In this gate operator, the gate is initially driven against its physical stops in order to stall the motor of the gate operator and to allow the control system for this gate operator to set beginning and end values for a full-travel pulse count register entry. Thereafter, the gate operator counts encoder pulses as the gate moves between its fully opened and fully closed positions, counting pulses up in each direction of gate movement until the pulse count matches the value in the full-travel register. This gate operator does not appear to have any provision for easing into contact with physical stops, or for easing through a potential obstruction contact zone at a reduced speed so that contacts with physical objects (i.e., with the physical stops or an obstruction) are not at full gate speed. The gate of this '264 patent thus may crash against the physical stops or an obstruction, and may even "bounce off" such objects, as the patent explains.
None of the gate operators in the related technology allow a human to simply teach the gate operator where the physical stops of gate movement are located, to show the gate operator where selected limits (limit positions, not physical movement stops) of gate movement are located for fully open and fully closed positions, or to show the gate operator the speed of movement desired for the gate, or the locations and magnitudes of accelerations and decelerations desired for the gate by manually moving the gate between these positions and at velocities and accelerations which are the human's choice to be replicated by the gate operator. Also, none of the convention gate operators appear to provide for an alternative mode of learning for such an operator in which a human who perhaps is too frail to physically move the gate in a preferred velocity and acceleration profile, or who simply doesn't want to have to physically move the gate to teach the operator a desired profile, can instead use a manual input device to the gate operator so that in a learning mode the gate is power driven according to a profile input from the manual input device, and the gate operator learns this profile for future use. Further, none of the conventional gate operators provide for a variety of preprogrammed default gate movement profiles which can be selected by the user in the event that a user-programmed profile is not used.

Gate operator apparatus and method with learning-mode


The present invention provides novel polynucleotides encoding MGAT3 polypeptides, fragments and homologues thereof. Also provided are vectors, host cells, antibodies, and recombinant and synthetic methods for producing MGAT3 polypeptides, fragments, and homologues thereof. The invention further relates to diagnostic and therapeutic methods for applying these novel MGAT3 polypeptides to the diagnosis, treatment, and/or prevention of various diseases and/or disorders related to these polypeptides, such as obesity. The invention further relates to screening methods for identifying agonists and antagonists of the polynucleotides and polypeptides of the present invention.

Triacylglycerol (TAG), an important molecule for eukaryotic fuel storage, is synthesized by two major pathways, the glycerol 3-phosphate pathway and the monacylglycerol pathway. The glycerol 3-phosphate pathway is present in all tissues whereas the monoacylglycerol pathway is restricted to the enterocytes of the small intestine (Bell, R. M. and R. A. Coleman, Annu. Rev. Biochem. (1980). 49:459-87). The monoacylglyerol pathway is believed to be critical for the packaging of dietary fat into chylomicron lipoprotein particles (Levy, E., Can. J. Physiol. Pharmacol. (1992) 70(4):413-9).
Acyl coenzyme A:monoacylglycerol acyltransferase ("MGAT") (EC 18.104.22.168) is an enzyme best known for its role in initiating the first step for the monoacylglycerol pathway (Lehner, R. and A. Kuksis, Prog. Lipid Res. (1996) 35(2):169-201). In order for insoluble dietary fat such as TAG to be absorbed by the intestine, dietary fat molecules must first be digested by pancreatic lipase into soluble free fatty acids and 2-monoacylglycerol. These products are quickly absorbed into enterocytes, within minutes of their appearance in the lumen of the small intestine, MGAT uses these molecules as substrates to form diacylglycerol (DAG). DAG is further acylated by diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) to re-form TAG. The newly formed TAG molecules are then packaged with other complex lipids such as cholesterol ester, phospholipids and small amount of protein to form round lipoprotein particles called chylomicrons. Chylomicrons, 90% of which are comprised of TAG, are quickly secreted into the lymph where they served as energy supplies for the body (Lehner, R. and A. Kuksis, supra).
Similar to other neutral lipid synthesis proteins, MGAT is an intrinsic membrane protein which to date has not been purified to homogeneity from any sources. The molecular identity of the gene encoding the intestinal MGAT has been elusive. The first cDNA clone shown to possess MGAT enzyme activity, designated MGAT1, was identified by Yen et al. (Yen, C. L., et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (2002) 99(13):8512-7). However, MGAT1 is expressed in stomach, kidney, white adipose and brown adipose tissue, but not in small intestine. Therefore, MGAT1 cannot account for the high intestinal MGAT enzyme activity that is important for the physiology of fat absorption (Yen, C. L., et al., supra).
It is known that drugs that inhibit the absorption of dietary fat can be efficacious for obesity treatment (Zhi, J., et al. (1995) J. Clin. Pharmacol., 35(11):1103-8; Lucas, K. H. and B. Kaplan-Machlis (2001) Ann. Pharmacother., 35(3):314-28). However the mechanism for such drugs includes the inhibition of pancreatic lipase, which leads to the undesirable side effect of faecal leakage (Kolanowski, J. (1999) Drug Saf., 20(2):119-31). An alternative approach is to allow for the digestion of fat to fatty acids in the gut, and then block the uptake or the packaging of fatty acids into chylomicron particles.
As intestinal MGAT is a critical enzyme for this pathway, there is a continuing need to identify genes responsible for MGAT intestinal enzyme activity, and therefore responsible for the absorption of dietary fat. The modulation of such genes will provide methods for the treatment of obesity. The present invention is directed to such a need.

Polynucleotide encoding a novel acyl coenzyme A, monoacylglycerol acyltransferase-3 (MGAT3), and uses thereof


Apparatus for producing electrical power from mechanical power, includes an electric generator with a rotor and with a stator. The electric generator is configured for conversion of mechanical power into a polyphase alternating current. The polyphase alternating current has more than three phases. The stator has a stator core with a stator bore. The stator core provides a plurality of stator slots arranged at a distance from one another. A plurality of coil portions are inserted in the stator slots, and the coil portions are connected to form coils. The coils include a plurality of Z-shaped portions and are laid out in a wave pattern.

An electric generator comprises a rotor arranged inside a stator. The rotor turns at a frequency
                                                        f              mech                                                  [              rpm              ]                                =                                    2              ·                                                f                  el                                                                  [                  Hz                  ]                                            ·              60                        P                          ,                            (        1        )
Where P is the number of poles of the machine and fel is the electrical frequency of the network. Electric generators are typically synchronous machines, so the electrical frequency would be fel=50 Hz or 60 Hz. Consequently, the rotor of a two-pole electric generator (P=2) turns at 3000 rpm in 50 Hz networks and at 3600 rpm in 60 Hz networks. The rotor of a four-pole electric generator (P=4) will turn at 1500 rpm in 50 Hz networks and at 1800 rpm in 60 Hz networks.
The stator comprises a stator core with a plurality of slots. The slots are arranged in between teeth. Both the teeth and the slots are essentially parallel to the axis of the rotor. The rotor is arranged inside a cylindrical bore in the center of the stator core. That bore is often referred to as the stator bore. The stator slots are open towards the stator bore.
When the electric generator is a three-phase synchronous machine, the number of slots is often a multiple of six. Typically, a stator comprises 36, 42, 48, 54, or 60 slots and an equal number of teeth.
The winding of a stator is typically made up of stator bars arranged inside the slots. Most windings of large electric generators are double-layer windings. A double-layer winding provides a top position and a bottom position inside each slot. In stators with double-layer windings, a coil comprises two stator bars and typically occupies the top position of a first slot and the bottom position of a second slot.
Each stator bar comprises conductors which carry the current. On one side of the stator, the two stator bars of the same coil leave their stator slots and are electrically connected. This pairwise electrical connection is commonly referred to as the end-winding and electrically closes the circuit. On the other side of the stator, a lead is brought out from each stator bar. The leads are then used to complete the stator winding by connecting the stator bars among each other. They leads may also be used to connect the three-phase output of the generator.
Different schemes exist to connect the coils of a stator winding. When the winding is arranged as a lap winding, several of the coils of each phase are electrically connected in series.
A modest increase in the mechanical frequency of the rotor often yields a reduction in size and improved efficiency of an electric generator. An increased frequency fmech of the rotor would, however, also result in an increase of the electrical frequency fel of the three-phase output of the generator. To vary the electrical frequency fel, a combination of an electric generator and of frequency conversion through AC/AC conversion provides a technical solution. The application WO 2006/103159 discloses such a combination of an electric generator and of AC/AC conversion. FIG. 3b of WO 2006/103159 discloses a polygonal winding, with a plurality of series-connected (lap-wound) coils. The embodiment shown on FIG. 3b of WO 2006/103159 shows a winding with 54 slots and 18 bidirectional switches. In other words, the polygonal winding of FIG. 3b consists of groups of three series-connected coils. Each of these groups provides one phase of the polyphase (18-phase) output of the winding. To generator three-phase output, the groups of series-connected coils are connected to three busbars through a total of 18 bidirectional switches.
The arrangement of 18 bidirectional switches feeding three busbars is also referred to as an 18×3 matrix converter. The 18×3 matrix converter provides AC/AC conversion by connecting and disconnecting the individual phases of the polyphase output to and from the three-phase output of the electric generator.
The matrix converter of WO 2006/103159 converts the electrical frequency of the three-phase output of the electric generator downwards. The embodiment disclosed by WO 2006/103159 can thus be used to convert 60 Hz three-phase output to 50 Hz three-phase output. To generate 60 Hz output, an electrical frequency fel of 100 Hz needs to be converted to 60 Hz.
According to equation (1) the rotor of a two-pole electric generator (P=2) would have to rotate at fmech=6000 rpm in order to provide fel=100 Hz. In gas-powered plants, the electric generator is driven by a gas-turbine or steam turbine. A mechanical frequency of fmech=6000 rpm would then require not only modifications of the electric generator but also a gas-turbine engine designed for fmech=6000 rpm. There is thus a need to obtain three-phase output at fel=60 Hz from an electric generator whose rotor turns at fmech=3000 rpm.
Equation (1) implies an electrical frequency fel of 100 Hz can readily be obtained by increasing the number of poles from P=2 to P=4. The electrical frequency of 100 Hz could then be converted to fel=60 Hz through a matrix converter. It is, however, not straightforward to modify the stator winding accordingly. A change from a two-pole rotor to a four-pole rotor also impacts on the symmetry of the stator winding. Opposite sides of the stator winding will now experience the same value and direction of magnetic flux. Corresponding coils on opposite sides of the stator should thus either be connected in parallel or in series. If opposite coils were not connected together to form one phase, then twice as many bidirectional switches would be necessary to maintain the same number of switches per pole. In applied to the winding shown on FIG. 3b of WO2006/103159, the result would be a winding with 36 bidirectional switches. There would also be a fractional number of (1.5) series-connected coils per bidirectional switch.
If corresponding coils on opposite sides of the stator were connected in parallel, the number of series-connected coils per bidirectional switch would be cut in half. Consequently, the three-phase output voltage would be lower by a factor two and the current would be higher by the same factor. Since the forces between conductors follow the square of the current, a winding scheme which delivers twice the current would need additional mechanical reinforcement and an especially got cooling system to compensate for the losses causes by the high current.
If the bidirectional switches were made of thyristors, any misalignment of the switching of those thyristors would create additional difficulty. In particular, any delay between the thyristors arranged on opposite sides of the winding would result in asymmetrical (eddy) currents the rotor surface.
To avoid the above issues with thyristors, a plurality of long conductors could be used to bridge opposite parts of the winding. The plurality of long conductors could actually be used to connect opposite parts of the winding in series or in parallel. Each of those long conductors would span half the circumference of the stator. The scheme shown on FIG. 3b of WO2006/103159 would require nine such conductors and nine bidirectional switches. Each of those conductors would need mechanical support and add another part of the stator winding that may eventually fail. That solution would be complex and impair the reliability of the electric generator.
The present disclosure is oriented towards providing the aforementioned needs and towards overcoming the aforementioned difficulties.


Systems and methods are disclosed for intelligent data caching behavior. In an embodiment, a method may comprise receiving an indication a user has selected specific data for caching, and storing the specific data to a cache memory. In another embodiment, a system may comprise a host device including a driver configured to monitor the system for an indication a user has selected specific data for caching, and store the specific data to a cache memory. In yet another embodiment, an apparatus may a data storage device including a nonvolatile data storage medium, a cache memory, and a processor. The Processor may be configured to receive an indication a user has selected specific data for caching, and copy the specific data form the nonvolatile data storage medium to the cache memory.

The performance of data storage devices (DSDs) may be limited by the information available to the device from a host system. In some data storage systems, the data storage device receives very limited information from the host, such as file size and a Logical Block Address. Therefore, systems and methods are needed for improving data storage device performance.


A multipoint communication server for establishing multipoint communication between a plurality of endpoints, the multipoint communication server comprising: a data repository containing the set of endpoints identifiers wherein each endpoint identifier corresponds to a participating endpoint, a media processing unit configured to receive an upstream media stream from an emitting endpoint, the media processing unit being further configured to generate a plurality of downstream media streams for the participating endpoints, wherein the data repository further contains a replication inhibition set which consists of a subset of the set of endpoint identifiers and comprises at least the endpoint identifier of the emitting endpoint, wherein the media processing unit is configured to generate the downstream media stream for each participating endpoint whose endpoint identifier belongs to the replication inhibition set so that the downstream media stream does not replicate the upstream media stream.

Along with the increase of bandwidth capabilities in communication systems, audio and/or video communication systems have become increasingly popular in both business and residential applications. Indeed, in the case of geographically distributed team collaboration, these systems avoid the travelling of the team collaborators and increase flexibility.
Audio or videoconferencing technologies use video and/or audio communication to allow a plurality of people to communicate at a same time, for instance for meeting activities. Furthermore, besides the audio and/or visual transmission of meeting activities, videoconferencing technologies can be used to share documents and display information.
Each user participating to an audio and/or videoconference is recorded and/or filmed by a microphone and/or a camera at an endpoint. The microphone and/or camera generates an audio stream of the voice of the user and/or a video stream representing the user in his/her own environment.

Multipoint communication system and method


An apparatus and method to internally provide apertures inside polyvinyl chloride (PVC), high density polyethylene (HDPE), or any polymeric pie, plastic pipe-riser (blank casing) in existing landfill gas recovery wells (extraction wells) that have been installed at Municipal Solid Waste Facilities are described. By creating additional apertures in landfill gas recovery well risers, landfill gas derived from the decomposition of waste is allowed to enter the existing riser and extraction/recovery system. This process saves time and cost associated with drilling additional wells to capture landfill gas from subsequent layers of the waste body. The process assists in maintaining regulatory compliance by capturing landfill gas and preventing it from being emitted into the atmosphere.

Methane is a primary constituent of landfill gas (LFG) and a potent contributor to greenhouse gasses. MSWF are the largest source of human-related (anthropogenic) methane emissions in the United States. In 2004, for example, MSWF accounted for about 25 percent of the methane emissions in the United States. Additionally, escaping LFG emissions are a lost opportunity to capture and use a significant energy source. Substantial economic and environmental benefits are achieved by capturing LFG prior to release, while subsequently reducing greenhouse gasses. LFG capture projects improve energy independence while lowering energy costs, contribute to the creation of jobs, and help local economies. LFG is currently recovered from landfills using a series of wells and a vacuum system that consolidates the collected gas for transportation and processing. LFG is then used for a variety of purposes including, but not limited to, motor vehicle fuel, generator fuel, biodiesel production, natural gas supplement, as well as and a green power source.
Currently, MSWF bury waste in layers in excavations over time (See FIG. 1A). The basic structure is a floor and sidewalls of compacted clay, typically covered with a high density polyethylene (HDPE) polymer liner, filled with layers of waste alternated with clay or soil layers covering the waste layers (See FIG. 1B). Once a landfill has reached a certain capacity, LFG recovery wells are installed and LFG is extracted from the decay and decomposition of waste layers. The original pipe which is placed in the LFG recovery well has a perforated end so that LFG can be recovered. The perforated end is sometimes referred to as a screen section. The perforated end or screen section may have holes drilled into it or slots cut into it. As the waste in the landfill increases in height, non-apertured "riser pipe", "pipe", "casing", "riser", "extended riser", or "vertical pipe" is added to the existing well. These terms may be used interchangeably for the tubular members extending into the waste body and includes tubular members that are perforated to form a screen section. Once the waste body reaches the design height or capacity it is covered with compacted soil, topsoil, or in some cases liner material and the surface is subsequently replanted with natural vegetation and the waste body left to decompose. LFG is created as the organic fraction of solid waste decomposes in a landfill. LFG consists of about 50 percent methane (CH4), the primary component of natural gas, about 40-49% percent carbon dioxide (CO2), and a small amount of non-methane organic compounds. Landfills must be monitored over time to ensure that LFG emissions, leachate, and waste from the solid waste unit are not being released and impacting the environment. Methane extraction and recovery captures LFG and prevents or decreases emission of these air contaminants. LFG is first produced in the older, lower levels of decomposing waste bodies. Subsequent layers of waste produce LFG at different times and rates. Currently, to recover LFG from these additional layers, wells are drilled to a desired depth or elevation and LFG is extracted using a vacuum system. If not captured, the LFG escapes through the landfill cap and into the atmosphere. As decomposition continues, shallower wells are required to capture LFG generated in the upper waste bodies (See FIG. 1C). This is currently accomplished by the advancement of new wells into the upper waste bodies, which can be a capital intensive process.
Captured LFG can be used for energy generation to produce electricity with engines, turbines, microturbines, or similar technologies. LFG is also used as an alternative to fossil fuels and can be refined and injected into a natural gas pipeline. The capture and application of LFG in these ways yields substantial energy, economic, environmental, and public health benefits. Internationally, significant opportunities exist for the expansion and increase of LFG recovery and use while reducing harmful emissions of greenhouse gases. LFG recovery and use is a reliable and renewable fuel option that represents a largely untapped and environmentally friendly energy source at thousands of landfills in the United States and abroad.
Traditional attempts to enter non-functional or under-producing methane recovery wells for rehabilitation purposes have been unsuccessful for many various reasons. For example, such wells are often on side slopes or uneven ground which makes access to the wells with traditional equipment (i.e. a drill rig) very difficult and sometimes impossible. Additionally, the pipes used for such wells in MSWF are made from a material that often bends and deviates after well installation and during waste placement resulting in wells that are no longer vertical. This makes traditional re-entry attempts very difficult. Couplers, lag screws, or similar type fasteners used to connect additional pipes or risers generate obstructions inside the wells, making re-entry near impossible at depths necessary for successful well rehabilitation. These reasons among others severely limit the available methods to successfully rehabilitate a methane gas recovery well. Since at least 1993, the need to rehabilitate existing LFG recovery wells has been a recognized unsolved problem. An internal pipe aperture tool and a method of use is needed to successfully re-enter and rehabilitate flooded, clogged, obstructed, and otherwise rendered inoperable LFG recovery wells as well as adding apertures to riser pipe that has been added on to existing LFG recovery wells.

Tool for enhancing the extraction of landfill gas