A slide-bead coating technique utilizes an inclined slide surface terminating at a coating lip. A continuous liquid layer is supplied to the slide surface from a supply source so as to form a liquid bridge between the coating lip and a substrate disposed adjacent the coating lip. The substrate is conveyed past the lip and continuously depletes liquid from the liquid bridge onto the substrate. The technique includes supplying an air flow that impinges upon an upper surface of the liquid layer opposite the slide surface between the liquid supply source and the coating lip.

Slide-bead coating is known in the art for supplying a flowing liquid layer or plurality of liquid layers down a slide surface to an efflux end, or lip, at which a liquid bridge, or bead, is formed in the gap between the lip and a moving substrate. The moving substrate carries away liquid from the liquid inventory in the bead in the same layered structure as that established on the slide. Exemplary examples are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,761,791 and 2,761,419 issued to Russell et al.
Initiation of the slide-bead coating process is customarily accomplished in the following sequence, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIG. 1, the flow of coating solutions 1 and 2 is initially established with a coating roll 7 and coating plate 3 far enough apart so as to allow the coating solutions 1 and 2 to flow as a moving film of liquid over the face of the coating plate 3 and into a chamber 14 from which it is drained through a tube 16 into a sump 17. The coating plate 3 with associated assembly and coating roll 7 are then brought into close proximity to establish a flow across a coating gap 5 between the coating plate 3 and a substrate 6 supported by the coating roll 7, as shown in FIG. 2. Typically, the start-up coating is thicker than the steady-state coating that follows due to a brief shearing flow transient occurring upon initial dynamic wetting of the substrate. Several problems occur as a result of the initial thick flow, such as streaks, material loss and the like. Dynamic wetting is typically not identical across the substrate, thereby causing an uneven start of the coating process. This generates material loss due to uncoated sections of the substrate, as shown in FIG. 3, wherein A represents unsuitable material which occurs prior to establishment of a steady state, and B represents the desired steady-state coating. In severe cases, dynamic wetting does not occur at all and steady-state coating is not established. This typically occurs with viscosities that are inappropriate, coating rates that are inappropriate, and the like, as known in the art. Furthermore, bubbles, gel particles and other materials tend to generate streaks which often continue well into the steady-state coating.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,877 discloses a method using higher-than-normal differential pressure for inducing high air-flow rates down across the coater face as the coating roll is moved near the coating plate. The beneficial result is a reduction in the excess coating thickness at coating starts. Other technologies claiming this result include U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,444 issued to Yamazaki et.al, a method and apparatus for rapidly moving the coating roll between positions of coating and non-coating, and U. S. Pat. No. 4,877,639 issued to Willemsens et.al., a method consisting of at least two distinct liquid layers with different viscosities and with different flow rates. These inventions may have a beneficial effect in reducing the excess coating thickness at coating start. However, the coating start can also detrimentally affect the uniformity of the coating even after the normal coating thickness is established.
Continuous coating typically requires a transition from the lag end of a first substrate to the lead end of a second substrate in sequence. To decrease the amount of time required to change substrates, it is desirable to physically connect the lag end of the first substrate to the lead end of the second substrate to form a continuous moving substrate. The physical connection is generally done, as known in the art, by a splicing tape preferably overlapping both the lag and lead ends of the corresponding substrates with a spliced seam. As the spliced seam transits through the liquid bridge, the steady state flow characteristics are disturbed, causing defects in the coating. Flow disturbances can themselves reach a steady state which causes defects, such as streaks, well into the steady-state portion of the coating. Methods to eliminate disturbances from a spliced seam include rapidly reversing the aforementioned initiation process just prior to the splice, and reinitiating the process just after the splice. Such a method is inferior for the same reasons mentioned above for coating initiation.
Methods for improving the coatability of splices have been advanced by U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,001, issued to Heetderks, which teaches a two-piece splice tape. Disturbances still occur with the two-piece splice tape, albeit at a lower frequency, and the operation of splicing is complicated by an additional step. U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,302, issued to Takagi, et.al., teaches projecting discontinuous areas on the second substrate, which requires an additional step for preparation of the substrate surface and further complicates the manufacturing operation.
Yet another problem in coating continuous substrates is the presence of a foreign particle or aberration on the surface of the substrate. As these aberrations pass through the coating gap, disturbances occur in a manner analogous to a splice. These disturbances are typically sporadic and unexpected, which severely complicates efforts to prevent their occurrence. The present invention provides a single method for decreasing the material loss due to coating initiation, substrate splices and substrate surface aberrations.


Clock gating analysis of a target circuit having a plurality of clock gates, involves the calculation of a clock gate function for each of the clock gates. The clock gate functions indicate an activation state of the clock gates and a combination of output values from sequential circuit elements in the target circuit are substituted into each of the clock gate functions to obtained clock gate function values. Combinations of the clock gate function values form individual clock gating states. Each clock gating state indicates an activation state of each of the local clocks, collectively. A table indicating correlations between the combinations of output values and the clock gating states is generated and from the conversion table, a group that includes all of the clock gating states possible is output.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for analyzing clock gating in large-scale integrated (LSI) semiconductor circuits.
2. Description of the Related Art
Clock gating (function) is a common technique for reducing power consumption of LSI circuits and involves terminating, as close as possible to the source, clock signals for an inactive portion of an LSI circuit to reduce power consumption resulting from the propagation of unnecessary clock signals. Conventionally, since clock gating was manually inserted in large blocks, designers could completely comprehend the operation of the clock gating function. Conventional clock gating verification includes timing verification of clock system signals, i.e., verifying whether the arrival timing of a control signal of individual clock gates falls within a range of normal operation, (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication Nos. 8-202569 and 11-259554), and timing verification of data system signals with consideration of the clock gate function (see, for example, M. Kawarabayashi, et al., "A Verification Technique for Gated Clock", Proceedings of the Design Automation Conference, pp. 123-127, 1993).
With regard to clock gating verification other than by timing verification, tools have been disclosed to the extent of extracting and depicting a partial circuit related to the clock gating (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 10-283381).
However, demand for further reductions in the power consumption of LSI circuits has increased and clock gating has been inserted in smaller blocks or automatically. The number of inserted clock gates has increased considerably, and overall comprehension of the relationships between individual clock gates has become nearly impossible for designers.
Under such circumstances, verification oversights of the clock gate function itself has become problematic. Specifically, if a clock is not terminated at a point where the clock must be terminated or if a clock is terminated at a point where the clock must not be terminated, this emerges as a function bug and, therefore, poor design due to the verification oversight becomes a problem. If a clock is not terminated at a point where the clock should be terminated, even when no function bug emerges, it is problematic in that electric power is wastefully consumed. Recently, strict limitations are placed on power consumption and a slight increase in consumption often becomes problematic as the target electric power is exceeded.

Clock gating analyzing apparatus, clock gating analyzing method, and computer product


The present invention is a process for purifying a liquid stream having an aqueous phase with polyaromatics, and optionally an organic phase. The process can include sending the liquid stream to a mixing tank and introducing an aromatic component to produce a mixture of an organic phase and of an aqueous phase. The mixture can be sent to a decanter to recover a clean aqueous phase and an organic phase. The clean aqueous phase can go through a stripper to remove a substantial part of any remaining organic component. The liquid stream can be the whole or a fraction of an aqueous phase recovered by condensation of an effluent gas leaving an ethylbenzene dehydrogenation reactor.

The dehydrogenation has been described in various prior arts. U.S. Pat. No. 3,256,355 relates to the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to make styrene. In said prior art, referring to the stream leaving the ethylbenzene dehydrogenation reactor, the latent heat of condensation of the contained steam is used to heat the reboilers of distillation columns in the overall process. Said stream is firstly washed with hot water to remove tars, then compressed and sent to the reboilers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,234 describes an ethylbenzene dehydrogenation wherein the stream leaving the ethylbenzene dehydrogenation reactor is introduced in a cooling zone containing one or more cooling steps and a compression step. The remaining gases, essentially hydrogen, are washed with ethylbenzene and then polyethylbenzene to remove aromatics.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,136 describes an ethylbenzene dehydrogenation wherein the stream leaving the ethylbenzene dehydrogenation reactor is introduced in a conventional cooling zone where are recovered (i) a gaseous phase (essentially hydrogen), (ii) an organic phase (ethylbenzene and styrene) and (iii) an aqueous phase. Said aqueous phase is further mixed with fresh ethylbenzene then is vaporized while condensing the reflux of the ethylbenzene/styrene distillation column and then sent to the dehydrogenation catalyst.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,388,155 relates to a process for the production of styrene monomer from ethylbenzene comprising the steps of:
a) catalytically dehydrogenating said ethylbenzene in the presence of steam thereby catalytically producing a dehydrogenation effluent gas containing unreacted ethylbenzene and lighter components and styrene monomer and heavier components;
b) scrubbing said effluent gas with reflux to remove at least a portion of said styrene monomer and heavier components from said effluent gas;
c) condensing said scrubbed effluent gas thereby producing a liquid organic dehydrogenation mixture, an aqueous phase and a gaseous phase; and
d) using a portion of said liquid organic dehydrogenation mixture as said reflux for said step b) of scrubbing.
In the bottoms of said scrubber of step b) an aqueous phase and an organic phase are recovered, said aqueous phase is mixed with aqueous phase recovered at step c) and said organic phase is fed to a distillation column for separation of the ethylbenzene and styrene monomer.
In said processes there are water streams containing small amounts of various polymeric materials and condensed heavy components. The polymeric materials are essentially coming from polymerization of divinylbenzene with styrene. The condensed heavy components are produced in small amounts in the dehydrogenation process. By simplification, in the following description and claims, these polymeric materials and condensed heavy components are often called polyaromatics. When said aqueous phase containing polyaromatics goes through vessels, heat exchangers, boilers etc. . . . there is a serious risk of fouling of said equipment by the polyaromatics. Moreover because these polyaromatics might be originated from divinylbenzene, a cross-linking might occur.
It has been discovered that introduction of an aromatic component, advantageously ethylbenzene or benzene or toluene or mixture thereof cause the migration of polyaromatics to an organic phase. Said organic phase is then separated from the aqueous phase in a decanter. This leads to a clean aqueous phase leaving the decanter. "Clean aqueous phase" means that said aqueous phase leaving the decanter will not induce fouling or random polymerizations in the vessels, pipes and any piece of equipment.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Process for purification of an aqueous phase containing polyaromatics


Embodiments of an eNodeB and method for Machine Type Communication in a Wireless Network are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a method performed by circuitry of an evolved Node B (eNodeB) can include receiving, by the eNodeB, a notification that a User Equipment (UE) is configured to be used for Machine Type Communication (MTC). The method can include determining whether the UE is in a Radio Resource Control Connected (RRC_Connected) state and determining whether the UE can enter a power saving mode. The method can include configuring the UE to change to an RRC Deep Idle mode, in response to determining that the UE is in the RRC_Connected state and the UE can enter the power saving mode.

User Equipment (UE) that is used for Machine Type Communication (MTC) or MTC applications, such as a smart meter, have certain characteristics such as being nomadic, having low mobility, having low priority data transmissions, or sending small amounts of MO (Mobile Originated) or MT (Mobile Terminated) data very infrequently or according to a schedule. Given the wide array of possibilities of MTC applications and devices, it is expected that there will be trillions of Machine to Machine (M2M) communications. Accordingly, the various data generated by the M2M communications is intended to be transferred efficiently and use minimum power consumption from the UE in order to increase the life of the UE.
In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numerals can describe similar components in different views. Like numerals having different letter suffixes can represent different instances of similar components. The drawings illustrate generally, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, various embodiments discussed in the present document.

Power saving mode optimizations and related procedures


Apparatus for completing a subterranean well and associated methods provide economical and efficient well completions. In one described embodiment, a well completion apparatus includes a packer which is settable by application of a compressive axial force thereto. The packer sealingly engages a wellbore of the well when set therein, but does not anchor to the wellbore. The apparatus further includes a screen and an attachment device. The attachment device permits the apparatus to be attached to another packer previously set and anchored within the wellbore.

The present invention relates generally to completion operations performed in subterranean wells and, in an embodiment described herein, more particularly provides a gravel packing apparatus and methods.
Downhole assemblies utilized in formation fracturing and/or gravel packing operations in subterranean wells typically include a sealing device, such as a packer specially designed for the purpose, a filtration device, such as a screen or slotted liner, and various other items of equipment for controlling fluid flow therethrough. In general, the packer is set in a wellbore of the well prior to commencement of fluid or slurry flow in the formation fracturing or gravel packing operation. In some cases, the assembly is sealingly engaged at its lower end with a sump packer set in the wellbore below a formation intersected by the wellbore.
It is usually the case that, after the completion operation is concluded, a production tubing string is connected to the assembly and the special purpose packer becomes, in effect, a production packer. Unfortunately, the special purpose packer is generally much more expensive than a normal production packer. Thus, the well operator is required to pay the higher cost of the special purpose packer even though, after the completion operation is concluded, all that is needed is a normal production packer. Therefore, it would be quite desirable to provide a packer which may be utilized in completion operations, such as formation fracturing and gravel packing, but which may be produced at or below the cost of a normal production packer.
Additionally, it is common for special purpose packers utilized in formation fracturing and gravel packing operations to be provided with slips for anchoring the packer to the wellbore (or anchoring to protective casing lining the wellbore). These slips are generally formed of hardened material, so that they are able to bite into and thereby deform the inner surface of the wellbore. As used herein, the term "anchoring" is used to describe this operation whereby one or more elements of a packer or other sealing device bite into the inner surface of the wellbore or wellbore lining. As used herein, the term "setting" is used to describe an operation in which a packer or other sealing device is sealingly engaged with the inner surface of the wellbore or wellbore lining. Additionally, if the packer or other sealing device includes elements, such as slips, for biting into the inner surface of the wellbore or wellbore lining, the term "setting" also includes anchoring.
Unfortunately, the slips, or other anchoring devices, are difficult to mill when subsequent operations require removal of the packer from the wellbore. Of course, the packer may be provided as a retrievable type, wherein the slips are retractable for ease of removal of the packer, but such retrievable packers typically cost more than a normal production packer, due to the added expense of the retrieving mechanism. Thus, it would be desirable to provide the packer for use in the completion operation with the packer being free of slips for anchoring the packer to the wellbore. Additionally, it would be desirable to provide the packer made partially or wholly of easily millable materials, such as aluminum, plastic, etc.
To prevent axial movement of the assembly during, and subsequent to, the completion operations, the assembly could be attached to the sump packer, or abutted against a surface in the wellbore, such as the bottom of the wellbore. Therefore, it would also be desirable to provide the assembly having an attachment member or an abutment member connected thereto. Furthermore, it would be desirable for the packer to be settable in the wellbore by application of a compressive axial force thereto, the force being resisted by the sump packer or the wellbore surface contacted by the abutment member.
In addition, the above considerations are applicable, with appropriate modifications, to other sealing devices used in subterranean wells. For example, it would be desirable to provide a casing patch which is free of slips for anchoring the casing patch to the wellbore or wellbore lining, which is made partially or wholly of easily millable materials, which has an attachment member or an abutment member connected thereto, and/or which is settable by application of a compressive axial force thereto.


An image display apparatus has light beam emitting units (304L, 304R) which emit light beams based on image information and a set operating frequency, and MEMS mirrors (305L, 305R) which deflect the emitted light beams by deflection operations based on the operating frequency, in correspondence with the right and left eyes. Resonance frequency detection units (306L, 306R) respectively detect the resonance frequencies of the MEMS mirrors (305L, 305R). A control unit (307) sets the operating frequency of the MEMS mirrors (305L, 305R) based on the detected resonance frequencies.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image display technique.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, some Head Mounted Displays or Hand Held Displays, which display a virtual image by guiding image light to the pupils of an observer, have been proposed. Of these displays, an image display apparatus which displays an image based on light rays reflected by an oscillating reflecting surface is disclosed in patent reference 1.
The image display apparatus disclosed in patent reference 1 includes one horizontal scanning unit (common to the right and left eyes) and two vertical scanning units. Light beams coming from two light sources for the right and left eyes are scanned by the horizontal and vertical scanning units via collimator lenses, and are guided to the eyeballs via optical systems.
An image display apparatus disclosed in patent reference 2 uses a two-dimensional scanning mirror, and attains an optical size reduction.
In case of a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) mirror which uses the resonance phenomenon of a silicon substrate, the Young's modulus of the silicon substrate changes due to a change in temperature, and the resonance characteristic (maximum resonance frequency) changes accordingly. For this reason, assuming that the driving frequency is constant (the frequency of an AC voltage to be applied is constant), the deflection angle of a micromirror varies due to a change in temperature, thus posing a problem. For example, even when the temperature of the micromirror has changed, the oscillating frequency does not change unless the frequency of an AC voltage to be applied is changed. However, as the temperature of the micromirror rises, the deflection angle of the micromirror becomes smaller. In this way, when the deflection angle of the micromirror varies, the scanning range of reflected light of a light beam irradiated toward the micromirror varies. Therefore, if there are a time period in which both light beams for the right and left eyes are emitted and a time period in which they are not emitted, the temperature of the MEMS mirror varies along with an elapse of time, and such temperature variation appears as an image distortion.
Techniques that solve the problems caused by the change in resonance frequency are disclosed in patent references 3 and 4.
An optical scanning apparatus disclosed in patent reference 3 is as follows. That is, based on the waveform of a back electromotive force generated in a coil equipped on one of a movable plate and main body depending on the oscillating state of the movable plate which is axially supported by the main body to be oscillatable, a sinusoidal exciting current to be supplied to the coil is stopped for a predetermined period. During this period, the resonance frequency is detected. After that, the movable plate is driven by the sinusoidal exciting current of the detected resonance frequency, thus controlling the movable plate to follow a change in resonance frequency, and stabilizing the amplitude.
An optical scanning apparatus disclosed in patent reference 4 measures the deflection frequency upon sinusoidal oscillation of the deflection plane of a deflection unit that deflects a light beam, and adjusts a time period from the end of scanning of a forward path until the start of scanning of a backward path in accordance with the measured deflection frequency. Then, a light beam emitting unit is controlled so that a time period from the start of scanning until the end of scanning of the forward path matches that from the start of scanning until the end of scanning of the backward path.
[Patent Reference 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-95144
[Patent Reference 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-162780
[Patent Reference 3] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-177347
[Patent Reference 4] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-230277
However, the aforementioned related arts suffer the following problems.
As is known, the MEMS mirror suffers variations of the resonance characteristics of individual devices even when it is a device produced by the processes under identical conditions in the manufacturing process or a device formed on a single substrate. That is, even when the manufacturing process and operating condition remain the same, individual MEMS mirrors which are being driven have different resonance frequencies. Therefore, when an image display apparatus which displays images using a plurality of MEMS mirrors is to be implemented, a large difference is often generated between the resonance frequencies of the individual MEMS mirrors due to a change in resonance frequency caused by a change in operating temperature at the time of driving in addition to variations in the manufacturing process. When the image display apparatus using the plurality of MEMS mirrors adopts respective units disclosed in patent references 3 and 4, it is possible to optimally drive individual micromirror scanners to follow changing resonance frequencies. However, the individual MEMS mirrors are driven at different driving frequencies.
For example, in an image display apparatus which guides deflected beams by different MEMS mirrors to the right and left eyes, different display timings of right and left images due to different refresh rates of right and left images result in unnatural feeling experienced by an observer. In an image display apparatus which makes a tiling display that forms one frame by combining individual images formed by deflected beams guided by a plurality of MEMS mirrors, the boundaries between a plurality of images becomes conspicuous due to different refresh rates. As a result, the observer feels an unnatural sensation.

Image display apparatus and image display method


An automatic driving proposal device or an automatic driving proposal method is used for a vehicle that selects either a state of an automatic driving or a state of a manual driving by an occupant. The automatic driving proposal device or the automatic driving proposal method performs a driving change request to the occupant in the state of the automatic driving, determines whether the automatic driving is possible in the state of the manual driving, calculates a calculation value corresponding to a distance or a prediction time or calculates a change index, and proposes the automatic driving to the occupant on a necessary condition of determining that the automatic driving is possible and also determining that the calculation value is higher than a threshold value or determining that the change index is lower than a threshold value.

Currently, vehicles having a limited automatic driving function of maintaining a vehicle lane on a highway are commercialized. In the future, the automatic driving function may be used not only on the highway but also on an ordinary road. A technology related to the automatic driving on the ordinary road has been proposed.

Automatic driving proposal device and automatic driving proposal method


The present invention describes a method of selective peptide isolation for the identification and quantitative analysis of proteins in complex mixture. The method comprises the selective isolation from every protein of those peptides that neither contain arginine nor histidine (NHNR peptides), and the determination of the relative concentrations of one or several proteins in different samples from the ratio between the areas of the estimated theoretical spectra for the NHNR peptides labeled with different isotopes in each sample. The determination of the relative concentration of proteins is valid for any type of isotopic label of the NHNR peptides. The method avoids the separation and purification of the proteins present in a complex mixture, and the analysis of all peptides generated from the enzymatic digest of the samples. The method is applicable to the identification of proteins with vacunal, therapeutic and diagnostic aims.

The present invention relates to the biotechnology field, in particular with proteomics. Proteomics is defined as a group of tools, techniques and methods very close related to the proteomes studies. The term proteome is used to define the protein complement of the genome.
Nowadays the combination of separation technologies with mass spectrometry and automatic database search has made possible the high-trough put identification of proteins in complex mixtures.
Most of the emerging techniques analyze the peptides generated by hydrolysis of the proteins by the combination of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry.
In 1999 Link et al. (Link, A. J. et al. Direct analysis of protein complexes using mass spectrometry. Nat. Biotechnol. 17, 676-682, 1999), developed a method based in two dimensional liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). For this purpose they packed a microcapillary column with ion exchange and reverse phase media. By this way, all proteolytic peptides are initially absorbed by the ion exchanger. Then, a single fraction of peptides is transferred to the reverse phase using a discontinuing salt gradient. Finally, the peptides are directly eluted from the reverse phase to the mass spectrometer using an increased gradient of acetonitrile. The described procedure is repeated several times using increased salts concentration in order to released additional fractions of peptides from the ion exchanger. This method is better known as MudPiT (Multidimensional Protein Identification Technology). Using the MudPiT, Washburn M. P. et al. identified 1484 proteins from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Washburn M. P. et al. Large-scale analysis of the yeast proteome by multidimensional protein identification technology, Nature Biotechnology 19, 242-247, 2001). Although the MudPiT dramatically accelerated the proteins identification procedure, the relative quantitation of proteins could not be easily achieved. In this sense, Washburn M P et al., (Analysis of quantitative proteomic data generated via multidimensional protein identification technology. Analytical Chemistry. 74:1650-1656, 2002), quantified the proteins by the metabolic labeling of two Saccharomyces cerevisiae cultures. Cells were grown in enriched nitrogen-14/15 (14N/15N) media in a similar way to the previous studies of Oda et. al. (Accurate quantitation of protein expression and site-specific phosphorylation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96, 6591-6596, 1999). These authors identified the proteins using two dimensional electrophoresis while Washburn M P et al. used MudPiT. For both cases the relative quantitation of proteins was done taking into account the relative intensities of the mass spectrum signals of a given labeled peptide according to the conditions cultures of its original sample.
Due to the high cost of reagents and media needed, the metabolic labeling is mainly applied to organisms such as bacteria and yeast. Moreover, in this kind of labeling all the nitrogen atoms of the proteins are labeled: the nitrogens atoms of the peptide bond as well as those of the amino acids side chains, which make impossible to predict the mass difference of homolog labeled peptides without the knowledge of the amino acid sequence.
An important step was taken by a group of authors using a different kind of metabolic labeling. In this case labeled essential amino acids are introduced to the cells cultures and hence they are incorporated to every expressed protein. This strategy was named SILAC (stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture) and its potentialities have been proved using labeled amino such as leucine (1H/2D) and lysine (12C/13C) (S. E. Ong, B. Blagoev, I. Kratchmarova, D. B. Kristensen, H. Steen, A. Pandey, M. Mann, Mol. Cell Proteomics 1, 2002, 376-386); (Berger S J, Lee S W, Anderson G A, Lijiana P T, Tolić N, Shen Y, Zhao R, Smith R D, 2002, High-throughput Global Peptide Proteomic Analysis by Combining Stable Isotope Amino Acid Labeling and Data-Dependent Multiplexed-MS/MS. Analytical Chemistry 74:4994-5000); and (Precise Peptide Sequencing and Protein Quantification in the Human Proteome Through In Vivo Lysine-Specific Mass Tagging, J Am Soc Mass Spectrom 2003, 14, 1-7).
The enzymatic labeling of peptides has also been suggested and employed during the proteolytic digestion of the protein mixtures in the presence of water and oxygen-18 enriched water (H218O). In the latest case, one or two atoms of oxygen-18 are incorporated to the carboxy terminus of generated peptides. The comparative proteomic study is conducted mixing the samples of labeled and non-labeled peptides and analyzing by mass spectrometry, the pairs of homolog peptides. The ratio between the areas of the signals of a given peptide is proportional to the concentration ratio of the corresponding protein in the analyzed samples.
With this labeling technique there is not enough separation between the mass signals to avoid the overlapping of the isotopic envelops. Additionally, the incorporation of one or two 18O atoms produces a complex pattern which makes difficult the analysis. In this sense Yao et al. (Yao X, Afonso C, Fenselau C. Dissection of proteolytic 18O labeling: endoprotease-catalyzed 16O-to-18O exchange of truncated peptide substrates. J Proteome Res. 2003, 2,147-52) proposed a procedure to catalyze the complete incorporation of two 18O atoms to the C-terminus of peptides.
Besides the additional steps and experimental procedures, these methods are not saved from the possible appearance of other peptide(s) sharing part of the mass range covered by the isotopic envelope.
The inverse labeling methodology proposes a scheme to accentuate and emphasizes those ion signals that reflect the differential expression of proteins, by means of two experiments executed in parallel where each one use an inverse labeled respect to the other. The subtraction of the two mass spectra allows focusing the attention on those mass-changing-signals in one experiment respect to the other. The inverse labeling offers several advantages such as the identification of proteins which extreme expression changes and the detection of post-translational modifications. Furthermore, this methodology significantly reduces the time and efforts dedicated to the analysis of peptides MS/MS as well as protein identification and quantification. However, subtle changes in protein expression may no be detected by visual examination, especially when the differences do not exceed the noise of the mass spectra. In addition, the filtering and/or smoothing of the spectra results in lost of resolution and of relevant information in region of low signal-to-noise ratio. Another disadvantage of the inverse labeling method is the need of two experiments which certainly reduce the sensitivity.
Taking in to account the current resolution power of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry systems, the analysis of all peptides generated during the hydrolysis of a complex mixture of protein results impracticable. For this reason, other alternatives of quantitative analysis of proteomes have emerged. In the new methods, the identification and quantification of protein is achieved by the selective isolation and analysis of a reduced group of peptides per protein present in the mixture.
An example of the emerging alternatives is the ICAT (isotope-code affinity tags) methodology (Quantitative analysis of complex protein mixtures using isotope-coded affinity tags. Gygi, S. P., Rist, B., Gerber, S. A., Turecek, F., Gelb, M. H., and Aebersold, R. Nat. Biotechnol. 17, 994-999, 1999). With ICAT, only cysteine containing peptides are isolated and analyzed through the use of reagent of three functional elements: an specific chemical reactivity, an isotopically coded linker and an affinity tag. In this method the free thiol of cysteines of a protein sample representative of a given cellular stage are modified with a light isotopically version of the ICAT reagent, while the sample representative of a second cellular stage is modified with the heavy version of the ICAT reagent. The two samples are combined, enzymatically digested and the cysteine contained peptides are isolated by affinity chromatography and analyzed by μLC-MS/MS.
The differential protein expression is quantify by measuring the relative intensities of the mass signals of the paired of peptides with identical sequences, but labeled with light and heavy isotopic version of the ICAT reagent.
An algorithm which reconstructs the spectra by means of a smoothing filter is used to determine the ratio of intensities. By this way the location and intensity of the local maxims (peaks) are identified. Finally, the average of the intensities of all identified peptides is determined to each protein.
The following limitations have been ascribed on the ICAT methodology:                proteins not containing cysteines residues are excluded from the analysis.        the size of the ICAT reagent causes interferences during the ionization and the mass spectra interpretation.        peptides labeled with the light and heavy versions of the ICAT reagent (H8/D8) could eluted significantly separated on RP-HPLC systems, a fact that could mislead the quantification process.        the quantification process could not be applied to labeling techniques that do not provide enough mass separation to avoid the overlapping of the isotopic distributions.        the quantification process could not offer reliable results if there is an overlapping of the isotopic distributions of a given peptide with the isotopic distributions of any of the pair (light/heavy) of homolog labeled peptides.
In spite of the limitations described for this method, it continues being necessary to identify and determine relative levels of proteins expressions in complex mixtures, through the selective and specific isolation of a small group of peptide per protein, i.e. the previous simplification of the mixture of proteolytic peptides before the mass spectrometry analysis. The reduction of sample complexity would allow the identification of proteins poorly represented in the mixture, and would avoid the sequencing of many peptides from the same protein. Additionally, it is also necessary the development of methods to analyze and process the spectra of overlapped mass signals without complicating the experimental procedures.

Method of selective peptide isolation for the identification and quantitative analysis of proteins in complex mixtures

Centro de Ingenieria Genetica y Biotecnologia


A memory life extension system and method is provided for managing operation of rewritable memory used to store a monotonically increasing sequence of multiple-byte binary values in a set of one or more memory locations in the rewritable memory. A first value is read in from a set of one or more memory locations. On detection of an instruction to store an incremented value, the incremented value is permuted by applying an encoding, in which a value of a least significant bit changes only on every second increment, to two least significant bits of the incremented value. On overflow of a least significant byte as a result of the increment, a cyclic byte-wise shift is applied to the incremented value. The permuted incremented value is then stored in the one or more memory locations.

Some wireless systems involving the transmission of commands between sending and receiving devices may be vulnerable to attack by malicious third parties who attempt to spoof one of the devices and send commands from an untrusted or insecure device. Several techniques, such as encryption, have been developed to mitigate the risk of third-party attacks. However, while these techniques improve security, they may also tax the wireless system's processing, power, or memory resources.
In particular, security solutions that require the transmission and storage of changing values between devices may result in a significant increase in write-erase cycles undertaken in the memory of the participating devices. While the lifetime of some memory components may run to the millions of cycles, including such durable memory in a relatively low-cost device may increase the manufacturing cost of the device beyond acceptable limits.


An earphone structure including one or more composite chambers is described. Each of the composite chambers includes sub-speakers. The sounds generated by these sub-speakers are uniformly distributed in the composite chamber and a composite sound field is generated by these sub-speakers. The sound field generated by each of these sub-speakers can be adjusted by re-locating the position of the sub-speaker, for example, by re-locating the sub-speaker, or by re-locating the sub-speaker in different angles, to generate the composite sound field. The sound field generated by the main speaker and the composite sound field generated by these sub-speakers can form a spatial sound with very good quality. By using of its physical characteristics of locations of these sub-speakers, the sound generated by the earphone has an uniformly diffusion sound pressure and a surround effect, which allows a user of the earphone to enjoy a sound field similar to that in a theater.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an earphone, and more particularly, to an earphone structure with a composite sound field.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with the progress of the digital technology, people's entertainment also becomes digitalized. For example, the digital video disc (DVD) player is a commonly used video playing apparatus in family life nowadays. Since the DVD player basically supports Dolby Digital or Digital Theater System (DTS) decoding functions, it can decode the digital signal and provide the analog signal to speakers for sounding.
In order to have a high quality digital AV entertainment life, a multi-channel speaker is a mandatory device, and the 5.1 channel speakers are a base of the multi-channel speaker.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a home theater with 5.1 channel speakers. Referring to FIG. 1, when a DVD player 100 is playing an AV title, different sound signals are respectively provided to a left speaker 102a of the front main channel, a right speaker 102b of the front main channel, a center speaker 104, a left speaker 106a of the surround channel, a right speaker 106b of the surround channel, and a subwoofer speaker 108, so as to generate a 3D sound effect and to provide an environment for simulating a real theater effect.
However, an earphone is required for listening audio when it is not suitable to use the speaker (e.g. to prevent from disturbing others). Referring to FIG. 2A, since a general earphone 200a only has one speaker 210 at its left and right side portion respectively, it is not possible for a user to enjoy the multi-channel sound effect provided by the DVD player.
Therefore, an earphone with more speakers as shown in FIG. 2B is disclosed in the prior art. The earphone 200b comprises a front main speaker 202, a center speaker 204, and a surround speaker 206 at both sides of the earphone 200b. A special design plug 208 is also provided, such that the DVD player can provide the audio signal of different channel to different speaker via the plug 208 to generate the home theater sound effect by the 5.1 channel speakers as shown in FIG. 1. However, the conventional earphone 200b uses a digital design (e.g. digital circuit design) to control a delay time of the output audio signal, thus the sound field is rather poor. Comparing to the home theater sound effect of the 5.1 channel speakers as shown in FIG. 1, its sound effect is far behind and is too poor to express the quality and effect of the multi-channel surround sound.
An earphone with a plurality of internal speakers as shown in FIGS. 2C, 2D, and 2E is further disclosed in the prior art. It is a new invention for improving the earphone structure disclosed in ROC patent no. 534566. As shown in FIGS. 2C, 2D, and 2E, each of the channel speakers 21, 22, 23, and 24 inside the case 10 is isolated respectively by its individual room 11, 12, 13, and 15, so as to have its independent sound field. The independent sound field can prevent the sound generated by each of the channel speakers 21, 22, 23, and 24 from mixing up with the sound generated by other channel speakers. In addition, each of the channel speakers 21, 22, 23, and 24 can express the characteristic of its individual speaker via different angles. However, the conventional earphone structure in which each channel speaker having its individual room has its physical disadvantage. For example, since the sound generated by each channel speaker is limited in the individual room first, and then directly propagated to user's ear, a can-tone effect is generated accordingly. In other word, a noise similar to a tone propagated via a can is generated. The more of the channel speakers and their individual rooms, the more serious the can-tone effect. As a result, the quality of the multi-channel surround effect is undesirable, and the efficiency is not acceptable.

Earphone structure with a composite sound field


A sun shade apparatus of the present invention has a pair of cables provided so as to be movable in outer tubes. A curtain has its opposite ends connected to ends of each cable and is stretched with the movement of the cables. At least one of the outer tubes is divided into a first tube and a second tube between which a length adjusting mechanism is interposed. The length adjusting mechanism consists of a first connecting member having a female thread formed therein, and a second connecting member having a male thread formed on its outer surface and having a cylindrical portion which is screwed into the female thread of the first connecting member. A fastening nut member which abuts against an end surface of the first connecting member is provided on the cylindrical portion.

A motor-driven type of vehicle door sun shade apparatus drives a motor to perform an operation to force out or draw in a cable. With this operation, a curtain connected to the cable is stretched. A window portion of a vehicle door is shielded by stretching the curtain in this way to prevent an increase in temperature in the vehicle compartment using a sunshade and protect a privacy in the vehicle compartment. See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2005-96529 and 2005-319958.
In the technique disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, both ends of a frame provided on the upper end of a curtain are connected to separate cables to achieve stretching. That is, the cables are respectively provided on front and rear sides of a window portion and a device for simultaneously forcing out drawing in both ends of the frame by means of the cables is provided.
Each cable slides in an outer tube (guide member, cable guide). At the time of assembly of the sun shade apparatus on a vehicle door, however, there is a possibility of occurrence of variation in the slide of each cable due to an error in assembly of the cables provided on the front and rear sides of the window portion. A technique to provide a length adjusting mechanism, for example, on one of the outer tubes to prevent the occurrence of such slide variation is known.
The amount of drawing out of each of the cables provided on the front and rear sides of the window portion can be adjusted by adjusting the length of the outer tube with such length adjusting mechanism. However, if the length adjusting mechanism is easily operable, a variation in length adjustment may be caused by inadvertently touching the adjusting mechanism at the time of assembly on the window portion for example. In such a case, failure to smoothly stretching the curtain and a fault such as a deterioration in external appearance due to slanting of the curtain may occur.


A control system for a vehicle includes an engine controller operable to determine a requested engine torque in response to a cruise control set command and a cruise control offset value, determine an engine torque command in response to the requested engine torque and a torque limit, and control operation of an engine in response to the engine torque command. The control system also includes a platooning controller operable to determine and provide to the engine controller the cruise control set command, the cruise control offset value and the torque limit effective to cause the engine controller to control the engine to provide a desired following distance between the vehicle and a second vehicle.

The present application relates to interfaces for engine controllers and autonomous controllers. Vehicle platooning offers to the possibility of decreased fuel consumption and greater fuel economy through the coordinated operation of a group of vehicles traveling along a route. For example, controlling operation of a following vehicle to maintain a specified following distance from a leading vehicle may reduce aerodynamic losses experienced by the following vehicle. To provide such operation a controller may be operated to provide torque commands to the engine in order to achieve a specified following distance. The commands provided by the controller may override or take precedence over other commands used by the engine controller. However, the interface between an autonomous controller and an engine controller can create a number of unintended and undesirable consequences including effects impacting communication between an engine controller and a transmission controller or effects impacting transmission shifting. There remains a significant unmet need for the unique apparatuses, methods and systems disclosed herein.

Interfaces for engine controller and platooning controller


This invention relates to compounds, compositions, uses and methods for inhibiting viral and retroviral replication and for treating viral and retroviral infections via the administration of various compounds, including antioxidants, preferably compounds corresponding to the formula ##STR1## wherein n=1, 2, 3, or 4; m=0 or 1; X is O, S or CH.sub.2 ; R.sub.1 is hydrogen or tertiary butyl or lower alkyl of from one to six carbon atoms, inclusive; R.sub.2 is tertiary butyl or lower alkyl of from one to six carbon atoms, inclusive; and R.sub.3 is hydrogen or alkyl or aryl or mixed alkyl/aryl, containing a total of 5-25 carbon atoms.

Diseases associated with viral and retroviral infections are major medical, veterinary and agricultural problems in the United States and worldwide. Diseases of known viral origin include chicken pox, the common cold, cytomegalovirus disease (CMV), dengue fever, encephalitis, hoof-and-mouth disease, herpes infections, influenza, keratoconjunctivitis, measles, mumps, Newcastle disease, poliomyelitis, rabies, rubella, scrapie, shingles, smallpox, tick fever, West Nile Fever, and yellow fever, to name but a few. An especially serious problem at the present time is the rapid escalation in reported cases of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), whose causative agent is strongly suspected to be HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus).
There are urgent and compelling reasons for the development of more efficacious and safer treatments of viral and retroviral infections. It is estimated that at least one and a half million people in the United States alone have been infected with the human immunodeficiency (HIV) or AIDS virus. HIV causes a decay of a major arm of the immune system, the immune helper cells (T4 helper or CD4.sup.+ helper cells). This decay leads to a wide spectrum of diseases, generally called HIV disease, of which AIDS is the most serious and devastating form. It is anticipated that over one third of the budget for medical care in the U.S. will be consumed on HIV disease. There is an escalating incidence of other viral diseases as well. For example, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is rapidly increasing in the teenage population of the United States.
We have noted that two commonly-used antioxidants and preservatives, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) have been reported to have some efficacy in ameliorating some viral infections. Some of these reports are summarized below:
______________________________________ VIRUS REFERENCE ______________________________________ Newcastle Disease Brugh, M., "Chemical Regulation Virus of Immunity", in Veterinary Med., A. R. Liss, 1984, pp. 229-234; Brugh, M., Science 197: 1291 (1977); Winston, et al., Am. J. Vet. Res. 41: 391 (1980). HIV Reimund, E., Medical (HIV) Hypotheses 23: 39 (1987); Aloia, et al., PNAS 85: 900 (1988). Bacteriophage PM2 Cupp, J., et al., Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 8: 698 (1975). Pseudorabies Virus Pirtle, E. C., et al., Am. J. Vet. (PRV) Res. 47: 1892 (1986). Bacteriophage (.phi.6) Wanda, P., et al., Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 10: 96 (1976). Herpes Simplex Virus Keith, A. D., et al., Proc. Soc. (HSV-1) Exptl. Biol. & Med. 170: 237 (1982). Herpes Simplex Freeman, D. J., et al., Clin. Labialis (HSL) Pharmacol. Ther. 38: 56 (1985). Semliki Forest Virus Kim, K. S., et al., J. Infec. (SFV) Dis. 138: 91 (1985). Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Kim, K. S., et al., J. Infec. Dis. 138: 91 (1985). ______________________________________
It has been observed that certain viruses and retroviruses including, for example, cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus, herpes zoster virus, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Newcastle Disease virus, Semliki Forest virus, influenza viruses, pseudorabies virus, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), are of the lipid membrane variety. Further, we have hypothesized that BHT, BHA, and/or the compounds of the present invention may have some impact upon said membranes, albeit other mechanisms not presently known may be responsible for the unanticipated efficacy of the compounds of the present invention.
In addition, it has been theorized that free oxygen radicals may be involved in the pathogenesis of certain viral infections (see Oda, et al., Science 244: 974-976 (1989), and that antioxidants may have an impact upon viral or retroviral infections (see Hendler, S., "The Oxygen Breakthrough," William Morrow and Company, Inc., New York, 1989; or Hendler, S., "The Complete Guide to Anti-Aging Nutrients," Simon and Schuster, New York, 1984.)
As a result of our independent observations, we believe there might be substances possessing the ability to fluidize viral membranes, or otherwise affect their structures, in ways that make them less capable of infecting cells. It is to be expressly understood that the invention disclosed herein is not limited to or by a particular theory of operation, however.
In recent years, many investigators have proposed novel treatments for combating insidious forms of disease, many involving viruses or retroviruses as the causative agents. Due to the many differences that separate these pathogens--including, for example, their structure, their method of replication and their susceptibility to or resistance to various treatment modalities--one might not expect a single method of inhibiting the development of viral and retroviral infections o be feasible. Nevertheless, such a methodology is now available, due to the unanticipated efficacy of known and novel compounds in affecting membrane fluidity, among other things.
Therefore, in response to this pervasive need for safer and more efficacious treatments of viral and retroviral infections, and in light of our observations, we undertook to design and synthesize a variety of new molecules and to propose methods for their use, in order to further explore the relationship of structure and activity, in the hope of discovering even more highly effective antiviral substances.
The present invention also relates to methods for inhibiting viral and retroviral infections via use of known compounds with unexpected efficacy in combating viral and retroviral infections. The present invention also suggests the use of novel compounds to inhibit these infections, as well as methods for their use in living organisms.


A method is for producing a TiAl-based intermetallic sintered compact. The method includes mixing Ti powder, Al powder, and a binder to yield a mixture; molding the mixture into a molded product having a predetermined shape with a metal injection molder; placing the molded product in a preliminary sintering die having a storage space inside; performing sintering at a predetermined preliminary sintering temperature to produce a preliminary sintered compact; releasing the preliminary sintered compact from the preliminary sintering die; and performing sintering at a sintering temperature higher than the preliminary sintering temperature to form the TiAl-based intermetallic sintered compact.

A TiAl-based intermetallic compound is an intermetallic compound (alloy) in which Ti (titanium) and Al (aluminum) are bonded and is applied to structures for high-temperature use, such as engines and aerospace instruments, because of its light weight and high strength at high temperatures. The TiAl-based intermetallic compound is difficult to be shaped by forging or casting for its low ductility and other reasons and is sometimes shaped by sintering. Patent Literature 1 discloses that a sintered compact of a TiAl-based intermetallic compound is produced by mixing Ti powder and Al powder and pressure-sintering the mixture.

Method for producing TiAl-based intermetallic sintered compact

MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES AERO ENGINES, LTD.


The present invention relates to a milling cutting insert having an upper side, a bottom side, and flank surfaces connecting the upper and bottom sides. At each operative cutting corner there is a projection which is depressed relative to the adjacent main cutting edge and corner cutting edge. At the front upper edge of the projection is the wiper edge that generates the surface on the workpiece. By tipping the cutting insert axially positively and radially negatively, the horizontally located wiper edge may be tipped frontwards into contact with the workpiece, while the vertically located wiper edge is tipped backwardly, so that it does not reach the workpiece. In this way an improved axial clearance is made possible and an undesired groove in the workpiece is avoided, which would otherwise be caused by the vertically located wiper edge.

Often cutting tools with indexable cutting inserts for the milling of right-angled corners in a workpiece have had cutting inserts of a rhombic or triangular shape. They have only two or three cutting edges but for a long time they were considered to be the only ones which make it possible to cut right-angular corners with sufficient side clearance. When a conventional right-angled indexable cutting insert is used for milling or turning of an internal side surface, it cannot be positioned with a radial or axial angle without its lower inner corner trailing on the generated surface. Hence, when cutting an inner 90.degree. shoulder it has been common practice to use either an insert with an acute angle between the main cutting edge and the secondary cutting edge or the parallel land, respectively, or also right-angled cutting inserts inserted into the tool body with a negative radial angle and a positive axial angle.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,607 an indexable cutting insert is disclosed with a square basic shape for the milling of right-angled corners, which insert comprises four main cutting edges, thus realizing a substantially improved cutting economy. This is achieved by the fact that each main cutting edge has an appurtenant secondary cutting edge which is arranged outside the square basic shape upon a protrusion that sticks out in a direction mainly parallel to the appurtenant main cutting edge. This cutting insert works satisfactorily at a total cutting depth less than the length of the main cutting edge. However, if one intends to arrive at a total cutting depth that exceeds the length of the main cutting edge by performing several runs, then a protrusion will cause an undesired groove in the workpiece.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,827 a further indexable cutting insert for milling is disclosed having a square basic shape. The insert is intended to be inclined axially positively and radially negatively in the milling cutter body. Sufficient axial clearance is obtained by inclining the insert radially negatively. Each flank surface is shaped with a planar relief surface, whose width increases in a direction towards one of the corners of the insert. Sufficient radial clearance between the parallel land and the main cutting edge is intended to be obtained by the angle between the parallel land and the adjacent main cutting edge of about 0 to 2.degree.. However, since the relatively short parallel land has to support considerable stress, it may become worn, whereby also the main cutting edge comes into contact with the generated surface on the workpiece, resulting in decreased surface smoothness, increased heat production and increased cutting forces.


The sliding feed door for horse trailer is a door panel having lower and upper ends and a window. The feed door has a latching handle to secure the door in open and closed positions. Door hinges are pivotally attached to the upper sides of the feed door. A spring torsion assembly, including a torsion axle, is disposed horizontally along an upper inside trailer wall. Spools having spooled cables are attached to the torsion axle near either end. Free ends of the cables are attached to the feed door hinges. Two guide tracks are spaced apart and vertically disposed within the trailer wall. Two guide wheels are rotatably attached to the feed door hinges and adapted to being vertically slidable in the guide tracks so that spring torsion applied through the cables slides the door into a normally closed position over an opening in the trailer wall.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to horse trailers, and particularly to a sliding feed door for a horse trailer.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is often necessary to transport horses by automobile. A great many horse trailers have been developed for this purpose, some very simple, others offering more options for the convenience and comfort of both the horse and the owner. While some trailers are only equipped with feed bags, others are equipped with feed bins or mangers that are accessible by feed doors mounted on the side of the trailer. Such feed doors are usually hinged, and may either drop down or open to the sides. Usually the doors are mounted high on the sides of the vehicle, as it may be uncomfortable for the horse to bend or crane the neck when feeding, and to make maximum available use of trailer space.
While this architecture is effective, nevertheless, the position of the feed door and the pivotal attachment of the feed door are inconvenient for children and vertically challenged adults. Quite often shorter individuals either cannot reach the door handle and latches without standing on a stool or other support, or the short person bangs his or her head when swinging open a drop down feed door. Although a great many types of doors have been provided for other types of trailers and mobile homes, none are satisfactory enough to provide an effective solution for permitting short people easy-access and easily opened feed doors for a horse trailer.
Thus a sliding feed door for horse trailer solving the aforementioned problems is desired.


Systems and methods for securely pairing a transmitting device with a receiving device are described. The systems and methods may communicate with a first device via a first communication method over a wireless communication network. The systems and methods may transmit, to the first device via a second communication method, a first sensory pattern representing a first key. In addition, the system and methods may communicate with the first device via the first communication method using the first key.

Recent advances in technology often require a connection to be established between two devices. Establishing a connection between two devices is often referred to as pairing. To pair, devices often use communication protocols, such as Bluetooth™ or Wireless, that enable the devices to communicate with each other in order to establish the connection. Typically, the process for pairing devices requires the devices to authenticate with each other by sharing security keys via these communication protocols. A security key, which is alternatively often referred to as a private key or secret key, must remain secret between the communicating parties if it is intended that future communication, including long range communication, between the communicating paired devices is to remain private.
However, communication protocols, such as Bluetooth™ or Wireless, are often vulnerable to attacks by untrusted third parties. For example, an untrusted third-party may uncover the content of messages using specialized sniffing programs or techniques, such as blueprinting, bluesnarfing, bluebugging, bluejacking, bluesmacking, man-in-the-middle attacks, address resolution protocol spoofing, etc. An untrusted third-party may use one or more of these specialized techniques to uncover the security keys that are shared between the two devices, which, therefore, makes the connection between the two devices unsecure.
In some existing systems, a trusted authority may issue a certificate or other technique for communicating the secret key. Thus, the trusted authority may hide the secret from anyone listening to a network using complexed protocols and procedures. In addition, by requiring a trusted authority, these systems often increase the storage overhead as well as decrease the speed of pairing between the devices.
Thus, a new technique for sharing security keys between two devices is needed to reduce the risks of untrusted third parties from intercepting the security key when the security key is shared in the clear (i.e., unencrypted, or in an open environment using one or more of the communication protocols), increase the security and speed of pairing between the two devices, and reduce the amount of overhead that is required to share security keys. In view of these and other shortcomings and problems with securely pairing transmitting devices with receiving devices, improved systems and techniques for pairing devices are desirable.

Systems and methods for securely pairing a transmiting device with a receiving device


A method for the operation and for the evaluation of signals of an eddy cent probe wherein a transmitting coil is supplied with alternating current with preferably three frequency components. The receiving coil signal corresponding to an a.c. voltage is broken down into corresponding frequency components and by phase-control rectification projection signals are formed corresponding to a real part or an imaginary part of the coil signal. From at least two, optionally individually amplified projection signals of the same type (real or imaginary signal) differential signals are formed. Finally, by the combination of at least two differential signals a combination signal is formed and evaluated. In particular, quotients and amount or value sums of differential signals are formed. The method offers decisive advantages in seeking mines in connection with the suppression of disturbing ground or soil signals and in the identification and classification of mines on the basis of signals from an eddy current probe. The method also makes it possible to use an eddy current probe as the ground probe.

Metal detection by eddy current probes has long been known in connection with the search for mines. A search coil system of an eddy current probe, which has a transmitting coil connected to an alternating current source and at least one receiving coil, is moved over the ground in the vicinity thereof. On approaching a piece of metal in or on the ground, eddy currents are induced in the metal by the electromagnetic alternating field of the transmitting coil, which act by mutual induction on the receiving coil and there produce a coil signal corresponding to an a.c. voltage. This is supplied to a signal evaluating device and evaluated. A following display or indicating means can optically and/or acoustically indicate or display the presence of a metal piece in the vicinity of the search coil system. The search area can then be more precisely investigated for the presence of a mine.
In practice, considerable difficulties arise when seeking mines, e.g. due to the fact that the search objects are hidden in magnetizable and/or electrically conductive soils, whose conductivity may be further increased by salt water. The soil or ground material can produce disturbance variables as a result of its characteristics which can be up to 500 times greater than the wanted signal caused by a metal piece.
Special operating and evaluating methods have been developed with which it is possible to suppress such unwanted signals. Examples of methods for suppressing unwanted signals in the case of metal detection in disturbing environments are described in international patent application WO 87/04801 and Swedish specification 82 02 094-2 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,644 which claims priority from the referenced Swedish specification. The basic "two-frequency method", in which the transmitting coil is excited with two discrete frequencies, is described in conjunction with FIG. 1.
Whilst the two-frequency method yields good results if the environment is exclusively magnetizable or substantially only electrically conductive, but not magnetizable, the case frequently occurs in practice where a soil is both magnetizable and also electrically conductive, in which case limits are encountered in the capacity to suppress ground or soil signals.
In addition, hitherto it has not been possible to gather from the coil signal information as to the nature of the metal involved, the size of the metal piece and the depth which it is buried in the ground.
Another major difficulty in connection with seeking mines by eddy current probes is the false alarm rate. In a search area where mines are assumed to exist, there are also frequency harmless metal objects distributed over or in the ground such as fragments, projectiles, cartridge cases, nails, crown corks, etc. Each of these metal articles can give rise to a search signal in the eddy current probe, without it being possible to decide whether the signal is attributable to a harmless object or a mine. This is particularly problematical in seeking plastic mines which, apart from a plastic body filled with explosive explosive only have a few, small metal parts. These can on the one hand only be detected with sensitive eddy current probes, but on the other, due to their small volume, produce similar signals to those of said small harmless metal objects. In order to obviate a hazard by plastic mines, it has hitherto been necessary when a metal signal occurs to investigate the search area more accurately and optionally manually for the presence of a plastic mine. This greatly slows down the search for mines and therefore reduces the effectiveness of the search.
An object of the invention is to provide a method for the operation of an eddy current probe and for the evaluation of the coil signals, which obviates the aforementioned disadvantages. It is in particular to be possible to carry out an identification of metal pieces, e.g. according to the nature of the metal. Preferably also the effectiveness of the mine search in the presence of plastic mines is to be increased:

Method for the operation and for the evaluation of signals from an eddy current probe and device for performing the method

Institut Dr. Friedrich Foerster Pruefgeraetebau GmbH & Co. KG


A method of operating a memory device adapted for determining a program/erase state of a memory cell in the memory device. The method includes applying a drain operation voltage to a drain of the memory cell so that the memory cell generates a working voltage. The working voltage is a function of the drain operation voltage. Then, the working voltage to the drain operation voltage is differentiated to obtain a slope of the working voltage to the drain operation voltage. The program/erase state of the memory cell is determined according to the slope.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory device and operating method thereof, and more particularly, to a memory device and operating method thereof having a program/erase state defined differently from that of the conventional.
2. Description of Related Art
Nitride storage non-volatile memory (NVM) is a type of memory that allows many times of data writing, reading and erasing operations. Furthermore, the stored data will be retained even after power to the device is removed. With these advantages, nitride storage NVM has been broadly applied in personal computer and other electronic devices.
A typical nitride storage NVM uses a charge-trapping layer instead of the polysilicon floating gate in a conventional NVM. The charge-trapping layer is fabricated by silicon nitride, for example. The silicon nitride charge-trapping layer is sandwiched between an upper silicon oxide layer and a lower silicon oxide layer, thereby forming an oxide/nitride/oxide (ONO) composite layer. The most common NVM devices are silicon/oxide/nitride/oxide/silicon (SONOS) devices and metal/oxide/nitride/oxide/silicon (MONOS) devices.
The conventional method of determining program or erase state of a memory cell having the ONO structure includes applying an operating voltage on the drain, the gate and the source of the memory cell so that a threshold voltage (or a working voltage) is produced in the charge-trapping layer of the memory cell. Through hot electron or hot hole injection, the memory cell can be erased or programmed.
FIG. 1 is a graph with curves showing the relation between the working voltage Vth and the drain operation voltage VD of a memory cell. As shown in FIG. 1, the curves 101 and 103 represent the relationship between the operating voltage Vth and the drain operation voltage VD for the erase and the program state of a brand-new memory cell. According to FIG. 1, it can be clearly seen that, as the voltage VD at the drain of the memory cell is about 0.24V, the operating voltage difference OM1 between the curves 101 and 103 is about 3V (3.6V−1.6V). Conventionally, this operating voltage difference is used to define the program/erase state of the memory cell. Obviously, when the voltage VD at the drain is about 1.8V, the operating voltage difference OM2 between the curves 101 and 103 is reduced to about 0.46V (1.66V−1.2V) due to the drain inductance barrier lowering (DIBL) effect. Therefore, operating at a higher drain voltage will lead to a retraction of the operating boundary.
In addition, it can be observed from FIG. 1 that when the memory device has completed one cycle of the program/erase operations (set to 1000 operations in FIG. 1), the curve 101 will migrate from its original location up to the curve 105 and the curve 103 will migrate from its original location up to the curve 107. From the standpoint of the drain operation voltage Vd set to 0.24V, the operating boundary (OM3) of the program and erase state has retracted from the original 3V to 2V (4.8V−2.8V). Thus, after the memory device has performed a cycle of operations, a retraction of the operating boundary will occur. Therefore, the memory device is more vulnerable to produce erroneous actions.

Memory device and operating method thereof