A device for checking the concentration of clear rinsing agent in a rinsing liquid circulated in the means for retaining water of a household appliance is provided. The device includes a processing unit operatively connectable to a sensor having at least one transmitting element that emits an optical signal and at least one receiving element that receives the optical signal emitted by the transmitting element. The processing unit determines the wetting of the sensor with clear rinsing liquid and renders an estimate of the concentration of clear rinsing agent in the clear rinsing liquid as a function of the wetting of the sensor with clear rinsing liquid based upon the energy level emitted by the transmitting element and received by the receiving element.

The washing program of a program-controlled dishwashing machine comprises several cleaning and rinsing processes which are completed with a clear rinsing process. In this case, a clear rinsing liquid provided with a clear rinsing agent is supplied to the cleaned crockery located in the washing container. The clear rinsing agent is frequently metered by the customer, in which case, however, the adjusted quantity is merely a rough value. On the one hand this can therefore result in overdosing and an unnecessarily high consumption of clear rinsing agent. If the dosing is inadequate, on the other hand, the desired clear rinsing effect is frequently not achieved. Manual dosing of the clear rinsing agent also cannot take into account the quality of the clear rinsing agent used.
Alternatively, so-called "3-in-1" combination preparations have been available for some time for use in dishwashing machines, these comprising a cleaning substance, a softening substance and a clear rinsing substance and being supplied simultaneously to the washing container of the dishwashing machine at a specific time. The combination preparations are available in compressed tablet form (so-called "tabs") and also in powder form. They can be inserted in dosing devices provided in the dishwashing machine. In this case, they are added to the washing container at a particular time which is determined by the washing program sequence of the dishwashing machine.
However, the known "3-in-1" combination preparations have the disadvantage that they dissolve differently depending on various parameters and accordingly have their highest efficiency at different times. For example, there are combination preparations which work according to a so-called "dilution principle", i.e. the combination preparation is added at the beginning of the cleaning process and begins to dissolve. In this case, the clear rinse agent is initially added in a high concentration, i.e., overdosed and it is assumed that as a consequence of entrainment in washing water residues and adhesion of the dissolved clear rinse agent on the items to be washed, on the walls of the washing container and also in the supply pipes, the concentration in the clear rinsing process is still sufficient to achieve a good drying result. However, combination preparations of this type have the disadvantage that when a plurality of washing program sections are carried out before the clear rinsing process, the combination preparation dissolves too quickly and as a result of the repeated change of rinsing liquid, said preparation is no longer present in sufficient concentration in the actual clear rinsing process.
Other combination preparations are designed so that initially only the cleaner and the softener dissolve and the clear rinse agent which is encapsulated in the combination preparation, e.g. in the form of a wax-sheathed pearl, only dissolves during the clear rinsing depending on the temperature and/or the pH. However, when using a washing program which already operates at high temperatures in the cleaning program section and/or where the duration of the cleaning process is selected to be very long, the clear rinse agent is already dissolved before the actual clear rinsing process.
To solve the problems described above, DE 102 57 826 A1 provides the use of at least one optical sensor which can detect the type of combination preparation used. Changes in concentration and/or pH and/or variations in the degree of hardness of the rinsing liquid are detected, allowing conclusions to be drawn on the concentration of the individual active substances.
In order to be able to encounter a particular concentration of clear rinsing agent in the clear rinsing process step, a defined volume of rinsing liquid is supplied to the washing container. This can be fixedly determined in advance or adjusted in a variable manner depending on various parameters. The concentration of the clear rinsing agent actually present in the rinsing liquid is used as an important quantity since this directly influences the clear rinsing result and therefore the drying result of the items to be washed. If the concentration of clear rinse agent at the beginning of the clear rinsing program section is low, as little rinsing liquid as possible is added, optionally depending on the degree of turbidity of the rinsing liquid. On the other hand, if the concentration of clear rinsing agent at the beginning of the clear rinsing program section is above-average or sufficiently high, the concentration of the clear rinsing agent can be adjusted to a pre-determined concentration by supplying a definedly adjustable volume of rinsing liquid.
In order to prevent overdosing of clear rinsing agents, DE 100 45 151 C2 proposes that the foam concentrations of the clear rinsing liquid is monitored by means of an optical sensor and compared with a set point for the foam concentration. When the predefined set point of the foam concentration is reached, the supply of clear rinsing agent is automatically reduced.
Furthermore, DE 100 34 546 A1 proposes the use of a radar sensor to determine the droplet size or shape or the status data of a test body wetted with the rinsing liquid in order to make predictions on the state of the rinsing liquid, for example, its content in the rinsing liquid.

Method for supplying clear rinsing agents in a program-controlled dishwasher


An information processing apparatus includes a first controller, a data editor, and a second controller. The first controller is configured to display a data editable preview window based on job data created from input data and receive data editing operation through the preview window. The data editor is configured to edit the job data in accordance with the data editing operation received through the preview window. The second controller is configured to transmit, to an output device, output data converted from the edited job data and request the output device to execute job processing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for editing data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent print-on-demand (POD) services, for example, data to be printed and printing conditions have been diversified. Thus, printing companies have to meet a wide variety of printing requests from customers. For example, one of the requests is to edit data to be printed. More specifically, customers may request to insert one piece of data into another particular piece of data to produce one piece of print data (job data). Such a data editing function is provided as a function of editing software. For example, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-122893 is a technique in which when a paper size is changed during data editing, the drawn position of an image is automatically determined by taking into account the relative position of the image on the paper size for re-layout.
However, in the conventional data editing, the drawn position of an image is automatically determined in accordance with a predetermined condition, so that the operator cannot make an adjustment while checking the finished image.
As described above, since the POD data editing is required to meet a wide variety of printing requests, it is desirable for the operator to be capable of adjusting the layout position of an image while checking the finished image.
Therefore, there is a need for an information processing apparatus and a data editing method that allow document data to be edited so as to satisfy requests for printing.

Information processing apparatus, data editing method, and computer program product


A method for reducing the particle size of amino acid crystals using ultrasound is discussed.

There is scattered evidence in the literature for the use of ultrasound in crystallization methodologies. By and large, ultrasound is used in crystallization methods to avoid metastable supersaturations (e.g., with highly viscous melts), to increase the formation of isometric crystals (e.g., adipic acid), and to micronize particle sizes (e.g., in precipitation processes). Such effects from the application of ultrasound in crystallization processes are thought to result from the occurrence of cavitation bubbles that, on collapse, give rise to microscopic water jets that may destroy agglomerates or enforce turbulent mixing in otherwise static diffusion layers around crystals. Until now there is no consistent meaningful model that accounts for all effects observed.
Although the chemical effects of ultrasound have been known for a long time, intensive modern study in this area only began at the beginning of the 1980s. Ultrasound can intensify the heat transfer, the nucleation rate (N. Enomoto et al., J. Mater. Sci. 27, 5239 (1992)) and the growth rate of crystals. Nucleation can be induced in a crystal-free solution below the supersaturation point at which primary nucleation would normally occur. Ultrasound can also generate substantial quantities of secondary nuclei. One mechanism involves cavitation, which tends to be focused at discontinuities in the liquid medium, and so takes place on or near the crystal surfaces. The intense forces of the collapse of cavitation bubbles can result in significant secondary nucleation. The mechanism by which ultrasound affects crystal growth is less well understood, but there may be a significant effect of acoustic streaming, providing enhanced mass transfer close to the crystal surface. More recently, it has been suggested that high-intensity sound initiates nucleation and helps to control crystal size and habit to yield products that better meet users' specifications (L. J. McCausland, Chem. Eng. Progress, pp. 56-61 (July 2001)).
In the pharmaceutical industry, there is a need for a low cost, efficient and effective large-scale method for reducing the particle size of pharmaceutically active ingredients. The particle size of a pharmaceutical ingredient may advantageously affect the properties of the ingredient, for example, by permitting preparation of dosage forms with improved dissolution or content uniformity.

Crystallization of amino acids using ultrasonic agitation


A laterally configured electrooptical device including: a substrate having a surface; a first semiconductor layer of a first type semiconductor material; a second semiconductor layer formed of a second type semiconductor material different from the first type semiconductor material; a first electrode; and a second electrode. The lower surface of the first semiconductor layer is coupled to a section of the surface of the substrate. The lower surface of the second semiconductor layer is coupled to the upper surface of the first semiconductor layer to form a junction. The first electrode is directly electrically coupled to one side of the first semiconductor layer and the second electrode is directly electrically coupled to an opposite side of the second semiconductor layer. These electrodes are configured such that the lower surface of the first semiconductor layer and/or the upper surface of the second semiconductor layer are substantially unoccluded by them.

Present light emitting diode and/or photovoltaic devices are typically formed vertically on substrates, i.e. the layers (cathode, anode, semiconductor) are fabricated on top of one another so as to be stacked normal to the substrate. This is done because it is easier to fabricate a large PN junction region in this manner.
However, in this configuration, the layers of the semiconductor material are typically relatively thick, typically >>100 nm, to substantially avoid short circuits in the electrooptical device. This is because of the potential for voids in overly thin semiconductor layers that may allow an electrode formed on top of the semiconductor layer(s) to contact an electrode formed below the semiconductor layer(s). Due to these thick semiconductor layers, the efficiency of typical electrooptical devices is decreased due to light blocked by the electrode. Also, in photovoltaic (PV) devices, the excess thickness of the semiconductor may lead to significant loss due to charge recombination before the charge can be separated by the junction; and, in electroluminescent (EL) devices, photons may be reabsorbed before they traverse the thick semiconductor material layer(s). In addition, if the stacked structure includes a charge generation layer (electrode), this layer may cause processing difficulties and/or may block incoming or outgoing light.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention overcome these and other issues associated with the fabrication of electrooptical devices.

Laterally configured electrooptical devices


A cutting tool, particularly hedge shears, comprising a first elongated handle member, a second elongated handle member pivotally connected to the first handle member at a first pivot point, a first blade member having a cutting edge and being pivotally connected to the first handle member at a second pivot point, a second blade member having a cutting edge and being pivotally connected to the second handle member at a third pivot point, the first and the second blade members being pivotally connected to each other at a fourth pivot point, the blade members being turnable relative to the fourth pivot point so that their cutting edges move in a scissor-like manner between an open and a closed position, the first, second, third and fourth pivot points forming a quadrangle in which an angle the vertex of which is formed by the first pivot point is approaching but not reaching 180xc2x0 when the blade members are approaching their closed position, whereby the work done to close the shears creates a force which tends to close the blade members and is the bigger the closer the blades are to their closed position.

The present invention relates to a cutting tool in general and to hedge shears in particular.
Conventional manual hedge shears, most often used for cutting shrubs and hedges, comprise two handles with blades arranged as axial extensions of the handles. These handle-and-blade combinations are pivoted together at one point, the pivot point being typically located on the blades, close to the point where the blades are attached to the handles. The blades are arranged to cross so that, when they are moved back and forth, a cutting scissor action is produced. The cutting force that can be applied to the branches to be cut with these conventional hedge shears is directly proportional to the force used for bringing the handles toward each other. This is based on a typical lever construction where the cutting force can be increased by extending the length of the handles, i.e. the operating levers; however, this is only possible to a very limited extent without the shears becoming unreasonably clumsy to use. Due to direct force transmission, manual hedge shears are relatively heavy to use, particularly on shrubs with even slightly thicker branches.
It is an object of the invention to present a cutting tool, particularly hedge shears, where an improved cutting force has been achieved without the tool becoming unreasonably clumsy or structurally complex and unreliable. This is achieved with the a cutting tool, particularly hedge shears, of the invention comprising
a first elongated handle member;
a second elongated handle member pivotally connected to the first handle member at a first pivot point;
a first blade member having a cutting edge and being pivotally connected to the first handle member at a second pivot point; and
a second blade member having a cutting edge and being pivotally connected to the second handle member at a third pivot point, the first and the second blade member being pivotally connected to each other at a fourth pivot point, the blade members being turnable relative to the fourth pivot point so that their cutting edges move in a scissor-like manner between an open and a closed position, the first, second, third and fourth pivot point forming a quadrangle in which an angle the vertex of which is formed by the first pivot point is approaching but not reaching 180xc2x0 when the blade members are approaching their closed position, whereby the work done to close the shears creates a force which tends to close the blade members and is the bigger the closer the blades are to their closed position.
The idea of the invention is to provide a pivot mechanism which allows the cutting force to be significantly increased particularly towards the end of the cutting operation, without increasing the strain experienced by the user.
Other advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific embodiments are only given by way of illustration since, from this detailed description, various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.


An iodine adsorbent of an embodiment includes: a carrier modified with a functional group represented by a formula (1); and a silver ion supported on the carrier,

Due to the development of industry and increase in population, effective utilization of water resources has been required. Thus, reuse of waste water is very important. In order to achieve the effective utilization and reuse, it is necessary to purify the water, namely, to separate other substances from the water. As a method of separating other substances from liquid, various methods have been known, and there can be cited, for example, membrane separation, centrifugal separation, active carbon adsorption, ozonation, and aggregation, with which the removal of suspended solids or the like is conducted. Such methods make it possible to remove chemical substances such as iodine and nitrogen contained in water, which greatly affect on the environment, and to remove oil, clay and so on dispersed in water.
Meanwhile, in recent years, technologies of recovery and removal of iodine have been drawing an attention. A usage range of iodine is wide, and iodine is used in a wide range of fields such as a chemical field in which iodine is used in a chemical fiber and a thermal stabilizer, in addition to a medicinal field in which iodine is used in a disinfectant and the like. Iodine has many isotopes, in which iodine131 (131I) is a radioisotope, which is generated as a daughter nucleus when uranium235 (235U) undergoes fission.
Therefore, there is a case where the radioiodine is contained also in a radioactive material discharged in a large amount when a problem occurs in a nuclear power plant, and such radioiodine may be mixed in the air or in waste water. Therefore, the removal of radioiodine when the radioiodine is mixed in the air or in the waste water, has become a task.
As a method of removing iodine, there is a method of removing iodine by using an adsorbent in which, for example, silver is supported on zeolite, and calcium ions are eccentrically located on a peripheral portion of the resultant. In this case, it is possible to apply an apatite coating to a surface of the adsorbent, so that it is possible to suppress an elution of silver supported on zeolite from the adsorbent under a high temperature condition.
However, zeolite and silver are not firmly chemically bonded, so that there is a disadvantage that silver is eluted when a treated solution takes an acidic pH value, for example. Further, since zeolite is a powder with several μm and has a crystallinity, it is difficult to generate zeolite with a large particle size, and thus a size of the adsorbent to be obtained corresponds to a particle size of several μm, so that a handling is difficult, which is also a disadvantage. In order to solve the latter problem, it can be considered to perform granulation using a binder or the like, but, a new problem has arisen such that the number of manufacturing processes of the adsorbent increases, resulting in that a manufacturing cost of the adsorbent increases.

Iodine adsorbent and column for water treatment using iodine adsorbent

Abstract: where R1 is a polyol group.


A one-channel transmission of information on a bus system within an automation system is provided. Data transmission, in compliance with safety integrity level 2 according to IEC 618508, is achieved with reduced hardware outlay. The information to be transmitted via the bus system contains net data, which is present within a processing unit in two channels in the form of a first data set and in the form of a second data set that differs from the first data set at least in the form of representation. The processing unit generates a transmission telegram suitable for one-channel transmission on the bus system from the two data sets, whereby the net data present in the form of the first data set is stored in a first data area of the transmission telegram and a checksum generated on the basis of the second data set is stored in a second data area of the transmission telegram.

Such a system or method is for example used in industrial automation systems, in which safety-relevant data is maintained.
Known fail-safe systems are disclosed inter alia in standards such as IEC 61508 "Functional Safety of Electrical/Electronic/Programmable Electronic Safety-Related Systems". According to IEC 61508 in a fail-safe automation system measures must be taken to prevent error and control error according to a Safety Integrity Level (SIL).
To transmit safety-relevant data on a bus system a telegram is generated, which in addition to the pure net data to be transmitted also contains a checksum, which a recipient can use to check the transmitted net data for any errors. This checksum must always match the net data. If there is no such correspondence, this signals to the recipient that an error has occurred. The so-called Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) is implemented for example to generate the checksum.
To achieve a safety integrity level of 2 according to IEC 61508 in an automation system, all the safety-relevant data, in particular IO data, is maintained in duplicate. To transmit the data on the bus system according to the prior art a telegram is generated by a two-channel communication driver, in which the data present in both channels is used. To this end the data is provided by one of the two channels via a controller and the checksum is calculated and provided from the data of the other channel by means of a second controller. When the data leaves the communication driver for the bus, the telegram allows an error occurring in one of the two controllers that are redundant in respect of each other to be identified, by checking the correspondence of the checksum and the net data. This allows safety integrity level 2 to be achieved in the communication protocol, even though the two-channel data only appears/is present on a system with one-channel hardware.


A catadioptric projection lens for imaging a pattern arranged in an object plane onto an image plane, preferably while creating a real intermediate image, including a catadioptric first lens section having a concave mirror and a physical beamsplitter having a beamsplitting surface, as well as a second lens section that is preferably refractive and follows the beamsplitter, between its object plane and image plane. Positive refractive power is arranged in an optical near-field of the object plane, which is arranged at a working distance from the first optical surface of the projection lens. The beamsplitter lies in the vicinity of low marginal-ray heights, which allows configuring projection lenses that are fully corrected for longitudinal chromatic aberration, while employing small quantities of materials, particularly those materials needed for fabricating their beamsplitters.

The invention relates to a catadioptric projection lens for imaging a pattern arranged in an object plane onto an image plane.
Projection lenses of that type are employed on projection exposure systems, in particular wafer scanners or wafer steppers, used for fabricating semiconductor devices and other types of microdevices and serve to project patterns on photomasks or reticles, hereinafter referred to as "masks" or "reticles," onto an object having a photosensitive coating with ultrahigh resolution on a reduced scale.
In order create even finer structures, it is desired to both increase the image-end numerical aperture (NA) of the projection lens and to employ shorter wavelengths, preferably ultraviolet light with wavelengths less than about 260 nm.
However, there are very few materials, in particular, synthetic quartz glass and crystalline fluorides, such as calcium fluoride, barium fluoride, magnesium fluoride, lithium-calcium-aluminum fluoride, lithium-strontium-aluminum fluoride, lithium fluoride, and similar, that are sufficiently transparent in that wavelength region available for fabricating the optical elements required. Since the Abbé numbers of those materials that are available lie rather close to one another, it is difficult to provide purely refractive systems that are sufficiently well color-corrected (corrected for chromatic aberrations). Although this problem might well be solved by employing purely reflective systems, fabricating such mirror systems involves substantial expense and effort.
In view of the aforementioned problems, catadioptric systems that combine refracting and reflecting elements, in particular, lenses and mirrors, are usually employed for configuring high-resolution projection lenses of the aforementioned type.
Whenever imaging reflective surfaces are involved, it is beneficial to employ beam-deflecting devices if images free of obscurations and vignetting are to be achieved. Both systems having geometric beamsplitters and systems having physical beamsplitters are known. A system having geometric beamsplitting achieved with the aid of a pair of beam-deflecting mirrors is disclosed in European Patent EP 0 989 434, which corresponds to U.S. Ser. No. 09/364,382. Whereas systems having geometric beamsplitting have the disadvantage that they are necessarily off-axis systems due to the geometric beamsplitting, employing a physical beamsplitter will allow configuring on-axis systems.
A system having a physical beamsplitter is known from European Patent EP-A-0 475 020, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,763. That system has at least one catadioptric entrance system and a dioptric exit system. The mask to be imaged lies directly on a beamsplitter that is configured in the form of a beamsplitter cube (BSC) and deflects part of the light reflected by the catadioptric system to the dioptric system. However, arranging the object to be imaged directly on the beamsplitter limits opportunities for correcting the entire system. Moreover, the object end of this system is nontelecentric.
Another catadioptric system having a physical beamsplitter and an intermediate image is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,241, where a lens group having a positive refractive power is arranged between the object plane and the beamsplitter, which is remote from the object plane.
A catadioptric projection lens that has no intermediate image wherein a first lens group is provided between the object plane and a physical beamsplitter, a second lens group is provided between the physical beamsplitter and a concave mirror, and a third lens group is provided between the physical beamsplitter and the image plane is known from European Patent Application EP-A-0 350 955, which corresponds to U.S. patent application U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,960. The lens group arranged between the beamsplitter and the concave mirror are intended to correct for low-order coma and spherical aberrations of the concave mirror, as well as Gaussian errors, where a low negative refractive power will be sufficient to compensate for longitudinal chromatic aberration of the refractive groups.
A catadioptric projection lens that has a physical beamsplitter and no intermediate image and allows image-end high numerical apertures of at least 0.5, combined with a beneficial design and low sensitivity to alignment errors is Known from German Patent Application DE-A-42 03 464, which corresponds to U.S. patent application U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,267. This system is largely characterized by the fact that no lens group is arranged between the concave mirror and beamsplitter, and that the concave mirror has a strong reduction effect, i.e., a strong image demagnification. Longitudinal chromatic aberration (CHL) is primarily corrected by employing a highly convergent beam in the beamsplitter cube and may result in full achromatization of longitudinal chromatic aberration. The beam ahead of the concave mirror, i.e., that undergoing its first pass of the beamsplitter, is nearly, or substantially, collimated, while the beam following the concave mirror, i.e., that undergoing its second pass of the beamsplitter, is normally highly convergent. The system stop is preferably situated at the concave mirror and defined by its perimeter. This stop may also be defined on the surface of the beamsplitter facing the concave mirror or by inserting a stop between the concave mirror and the beamsplitter. Other benefits provided by the highly convergent beam following reflection at the concave mirror are that only a slight amount of refractive power must be provided following the beamsplitter and that relatively small beam heights occur in that vicinity, which means that adverse effects on chromatic aberration due to large beam heights in that vicinity are avoided.
The benefits provided by lenses of that type are counteracted by a disadvantage, namely that the beam incident on the beamsplitting surface is convergent, particularly on the second pass, following reflection at the concave mirror, which means that the range of incidence angles occurring at its surface is very broad, which imposes stringent demands on the quality of its beamsplitting coating. The sharp convergence of the beam following reflection at the concave mirror causes also means that very little space is available for lenses following the beamsplitter and thus that few means for correcting for aberrations remain available. Further increasing image-end numerical aperture would both necessitate employing a larger beamsplitter cube and shift the image plane closer to the beamsplitter. Such projection lenses are thus also regarded as "aperture-limited." Another of their disadvantages is that they require employing relatively large beamsplitters, which are expensive, due to the limited availability of materials suitable for their fabrication.
Fundamentally similar problems also arise in the case of projection lenses that are configured in fashions similar to, and have beam paths similar to, that depicted in German Patent Application DE-A-42 03 464. Included thereunder are, for example, those projection lenses depicted in U.S. patent applications U.S. Pat. No. 6,118,596, U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,140, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,047. Large incidence angles on beamsplitting surfaces may also occur in the case of systems, such as those depicted in U.S. Patents U.S. Pat. No. 5,808,805, U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,333, or U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,997, where an intermediate image is created in the vicinity of their beamsplitting surface.
A catadioptric projection lens that has a physical beamsplitter and no intermediate image, wherein the beam is slightly divergent on its first pass of the beamsplitting coating and is collimated on its second pass of that coating, i.e., following reflection at the concave mirror, which is intended to allow avoiding deteriorations in image quality due to the dependence of the reflectance of the beamsplitting coating on angle of incidence, is known from U.S. patent application U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,125. The light reflected by that coating is collimated by keeping the refractive power of the lens group that includes the concave mirror relatively low. However, in the case of the system depicted in European Patent Application EP-A-0 602 923, which corresponds to U.S. patent application U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,084, a positive lens is arranged ahead of the physical beamsplitter in order to collimate the beam incident on the beamsplitting coating on its first pass of that coating. The beam is convergent following reflection at the concave mirror. Such systems require use of large beamsplitters.
In the case of a catadioptric projection system having a physical beamsplitter and no intermediate image, German Patent Application DE-A-44 17 489, which corresponds to U.S. patent application U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,436, proposes arranging at least one condenser lens, i.e. a lens with postive refractive power for collimating the beam incident on the beamsplitting coating on its object end, ahead of the physical beamsplitter, in order to minimize the incidence angles on the beamsplitting coating, and a scattering lens group having a negative lens following the physical beamsplitter in its catadioptric lens section, i.e., between the beamsplitter and the concave mirror, in order to compensate for the effect of the condenser lens ahead of the beamsplitter and correct for longitudinal chromatic aberration. Under this design, the beam is substantially collimated for both directions of propagation through the beamsplitter cube. The system stop normally follows the beamsplitter cube in the optical train. Since the beam is substantially collimated for both directions of propagation through the beamsplitter cube, problems that arise for broad ranges of incidence angles thereon are avoided. Another benefit of this collimated beam on the second pass, following reflection at the concave mirror, is that sufficient space remains available on the image side of the beamsplitter for incorporating means for correcting for aberrations. The disadvantage of the arrangement in accordance with German Patent Application DE-A-44 17 489 is that its overcorrected catadioptric lens section is incapable of fully correcting for longitudinal chromatic aberration (CHL). That arrangement also requires employment of relatively large beamsplitters, which is a disadvantage due to the limited availability of materials suitable for their fabrication.
European Patent EP 1 102 100, which corresponds to U.S. Ser. No. 09/711,256, describes a catadioptric reduction lens that differs from the design depicted in German Patent DE 44 17 489 in that, among other things, it allows fully correcting for longitudinal chromatic aberration. That system has a first lens section having a positive refractive power, a physical beamsplitter having a beamsplitting surface, a second lens section that is arranged between the physical beamsplitter and a concave lens, and a third lens section that is arranged between the beamsplitter and its image plane, between its object plane and its image plane, in that order. At least two lenses having negative refractive powers re arranged within its second lens section. That concentration of high negative refractive power, in particular, in the vicinity of the concave mirror, benefits fully correcting for longitudinal chromatic aberration and allows configuring systems that have working distances, both between their object plane and their first lens section and between their third lens section and their image plane, that are sufficiently large to allow their employment in microlithographic applications Such systems also allow providing a largely collimated beam in the vicinity of their beamsplitting surface for both directions of propagation through their beamsplitting surface in order that the angles incidence on their beamsplitting surface will be confined to a narrow range, which will allow largely avoiding the aforementioned disadvantages of widely varying angles of incidence. That patent describes embodiments having an intermediate image, combined with numerical apertures, NA, ranging up to about NA=0.7. The disadvantage involved there is that relatively large quantities of materials that, in suitable qualities, are in short supply, are required for fabricating their beamsplitters.
Among other things, U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,338 B1 describes systems having physical beamsplitters fabricated from crystalline fluoride materials.
In the case of the aforementioned systems having physical beamsplitters, their respective beamsplitting surfaces are inclined at an angle of 45° with respect to a segment of their optical axis orthogonal to their image plane. Any deflecting or folding mirrors that may be present, in particular, in their second lens section, are also inclined at an angle of 45° with respect to their optical axis in order to fold their optical axis through a right angle, which allows achieving an orthogonal or parallel arrangement of their object plane and image plane, whichever may be preferred, where the latter arrangement is particularly beneficial for scanner operation.


A disc valve assembly includes a disc element housed within a housing, the disc element having an inlet facing side and a second side opposite to the inlet facing side, and flow pathways configured as a plurality of different pressure zones with the flow pathways extending axially along a longitudinal axis of the disc element from at or adjacent to the inlet facing side to the second side. The valve housing that houses the disc element includes porting configured as part of the plurality of different pressure zones respectively in fluid communication with the flow pathways of the disc element. The disc element is configured to rotate to control a flow of hydraulic fluid through the disc valve assembly. The different pressure zones are isolated from each other using a plurality of annular sealing rings located on the inlet facing side of the disc element.

Hydraulic fluid systems are utilized to generate power in a variety of industries. Mining and drilling equipment, construction equipment, motor vehicle transmission systems, and various other industrial applications employ such hydraulic systems. In hydraulic driving or control, a hydraulic pump pumps hydraulic fluid to a hydraulic motor with an output shaft that drives rotation of an end use element (e.g., wheel axle, gear box, rotating fan, or other suitable usage). The motor output that drives the output shaft is regulated through the control of hydraulic fluid flow through the system by a suitable hydraulic valve system.
One configuration of a hydraulic valve system is a disc valve system or assembly. A disc valve assembly generally incorporates a disc element that rotates in response to hydraulic pressure within the system. Disc valve assemblies are commonly utilized in conjunction with a hydraulic gerotor or geroler motor. In a basic configuration of a hydraulic gerotor or geroler motor, a rotating rotor set rotates relative to an outer element or stator. Depending upon the precise motor type, the rotor set may include lobes that rotate against vanes on an inner surface of the stator (or vice versa the stator may have lobes and the rotor set may have vanes). These lobe and vane surface features on the diameter surfaces of the rotor set relative to the stator create variable displacement windows or motor pockets for the entry and exit of hydraulic fluid that is pumped through the motor via the action of a hydraulic fluid pump. Pressure differentials among the windows or motor pockets cause the rotor set to rotate relative to the stator, and such rotation of the rotor set in turn drives the rotation of the output shaft.
Disc valve assemblies include porting for the control of hydraulic fluid flow into and out from the motor pockets of the hydraulic gerotor or geroler motor. Rotation of the disc element in particular controls fluid flow through porting in a timed manner by the sequential alignment of porting in the disc element with the inlet to and outlet from the motor.
The disc element may include two sets of ports including high pressure side ports and low pressure side ports that are isolated from each other by sealing elements. The high pressure side provides a forward flow through a manifold into the motor pockets, and the low pressure side provides a return flow from the motor pockets back through the manifold and disc valve assembly to complete the hydraulic flow circuit. The rotation of the disc element of the disc valve assembly provides a proper timing of the flow through the manifold to and from specific motor pockets to maintain proper rotation of the motor's rotor set. Generally, therefore, rotational positioning of the disc element of the disc valve assembly causes the porting through the manifold to supply different motor pockets with hydraulic fluid in a progressive manner to the rotor set in such a way as to maintain a pressure differential across the correct motor pockets to maintain further motion of the rotor set. In this manner, the controlled flow resulting by the operation of the disc valve assembly results in hydraulic fluid flow being provided to the different motor pockets with precise timing so as to cause a desired resultant rotation of the rotor set of the motor. The disc element further may include an additional flow pathway that permits leakage of excess fluid to drain from the system.
Although disc valve assemblies provide effective control of a hydraulic fluid flow, they conventionally are expensive and difficult to manufacture. To achieve the requisite hydraulic fluid flow, complex machining processes are used to provide multi-directional porting and flow pathways. As a result, separate or sequential drilling and machining processes are employed for inlet and outlet pathways through the disc element, as well as drilling an additional leakage pathway for the drain of excess hydraulic fluid. Complex sealing elements also have been required in conventional configurations to seal and isolate the separate flow paths from each other. In one typical configuration, a spring loaded metal disc seal in combination with additional secondary sealing elements are employed to provide mechanical seals to separate the different flow pathways. Accordingly, manufacturing costs and complexities have limited the usage of disc valve assemblies for hydraulic fluid flow control.


To perform erasure detection for an intermittently active transport channel with unknown format, a receiver determines an energy metric and a symbol error rate (SER) for a received block with CRC failure. The receiver computes uncorrelated random variables u and v for the received block based on the energy metric and SER, the estimated means and standard deviations of the energy metric and SER, and a correlation coefficient indicative of the correlation between the energy metric and SER. The receiver then evaluates the uncorrelated random variables u and v based on at least one decision criterion and declares the received block to be an erased block or a DTX block based on the result of the evaluation. The decision criterion may be defined based on a target probability of false alarm and adjusted based on another metric, such as a zero state bit, for the received block.

I. Field
The present invention relates generally to communication, and more specifically to techniques for performing erasure detection in a wireless communication system.
II. Background
In a wireless communication system, a wireless device (e.g., a cellular phone) communicates with one or more base stations via transmissions on the downlink and uplink. The downlink (or forward link) refers to the communication link from the base stations to the wireless devices, and the uplink (or reverse link) refers to the communication link from the wireless devices to the base stations. In a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, a base station can transmit data to multiple wireless devices simultaneously. The total transmit power available at the base station determines the downlink capacity of the base station. A portion of the total transmit power is allocated to each active wireless device such that the aggregate transmit power used for all active wireless devices is less than or equal to the total transmit power.
To maximize downlink capacity, a power control mechanism is typically used for each wireless device. The power control mechanism is normally implemented with two power control loops, which are often called an "inner" loop and an "outer" loop. The inner loop adjusts the transmit power used for data transmission to the wireless device such that the received signal quality, which may be quantified by a signal-to-noise-plus-interference ratio (SIR), is maintained at an SIR target. The outer loop adjusts the SIR target to achieve a desired level of performance, which may be quantified by a block error rate (BLER) target and/or some other performance criterion.
The outer loop adjusts the SIR target based on the status of data blocks received by the wireless device. The outer loop typically decreases the SIR target by a small DOWN step if a "good" data block is received and increases the SIR target by a large UP step if a "bad" data block is received. The DOWN and UP steps are selected based on the BLER target and possibly other factors. This SIR target adjustment assumes that the status of each received data block can be reliably determined. This can normally be achieved by generating and appending a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) value to each data block prior to transmission. The wireless device can then check each received data block based on its CRC value to determine whether the data block was decoded correctly (good) or in error (bad).
A CDMA system may support data transmission using multiple transport channels and/or with multiple formats. One transport channel may carry data blocks continually and may use formats that require a CRC value to be appended to each data block sent on that transport channel. Another transport channel may be operated in a non-continuous manner so that data blocks are not transmitted some or most of the time on that transport channel. This non-continuous transmission is commonly called discontinuous transmission (DTX). No data blocks are transmitted on the transport channel during periods of no transmission, and the non-transmitted blocks are called DTX blocks. Power control for a data transmission on an intermittently active transport channel is challenging. This is because it may be difficult to accurately ascertain the true status of each received block on such a transport channel—whether the received block is a good block, a DTX block, or a bad block.
There is therefore a need in the art for techniques to reliably determine the status of each received block for an intermittently active transport channel.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Erasure detection for a transport channel with an unknown format


A meat aging chamber suitable for residential or portable use is provided. An aging apparatus comprises a refrigerated aging cabinet having a climate created by environmental apparatus. A server in a cloud resource communicates with a control circuit in the aging apparatus and with a portable interactive device. In a setup mode the portable interactive device communicates with a control circuit in the aging apparatus via a communications interface to identify the user to the control circuit. In an operating mode the communications interface enables communication between the cloud resource and the control circuit. A sensor module provides current values to the cloud resource for controlling operation in accordance with a software program embodying the aging protocol. The cloud resource can inform the smartphone of aging progress and alarm conditions. Physical features enable embodying the functions of a commercial aging chamber in a residential sized unit.

Aging of meat is a process in which moisture is reduced and in which natural enzymes are allowed to tenderize the meat. Prior art methods do not provide for control of the process other than providing a linear set of steps that are timed and followed. Meat aging apparatus has not been built in a manner to be readily accessible to consumers. Typical meat tenderizing apparatus is large enough to handle commercial qualities of meat.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,998,517 discloses a process for dry aging meat in an enclosed, atmosphere-controlled room with forced circulation, containing a stainless steel salt rack with a salt brick stack covering one wall. A plurality of unwrapped and uncovered meat is placed on a meat rack. During the aging process, the meat pieces are moved toward the salt rack in steps. Each step lasts a preselected number of days. The process continues to the end of the aging period. Due to complication of construction and operation, this aging process is unsuitable for general consumer use.
United States Patent Application Publication Number 2014/0037829 discloses a method of dry aging meat including covering an exposed portion of the meat with at least one layer of fat and/or bone that is separate from the meat. The layer of fat and/or bone is kept on the meat for duration of aging. The need to cover the meat increases expense and decreases reliability.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,480 discloses controlling the aging or maturing of edible material such as meats, fish, dairy products, cereals, etc. by keeping the edible material in the presence of a freezing point depressing agent and an extract from the edible material at a temperature ranging from 0° C. to the freezing point of the material in order to accomplish aging. This aging process is unsuitable for general consumer use.
Refrigerated meat aging chambers originated with meat processing facilities. Large meat aging chambers are built into large restaurants. Residential-sized aging chambers have not been provided. The direction in the art has not been to design a residential meat aging chamber. Designs for residential use have started with the use of a refrigerator and adapting the residential refrigerator for use for meat aging.
The prior art is replete with journal articles teaching consumers how to adapt a residential refrigerator for use as an aging chamber. While forms of aging can be performed with this adaptation, it is still a refrigerator. A refrigerator, even if modified, is not a reliable aging apparatus. An aging chamber requires a substantially constant temperature. A nominal temperature for aging is 36° F. Various factors render a refrigerator unsuitable for this purpose. A refrigerator is opened and closed frequently. Each time a refrigerator door is opened and then closed, refrigerator temperature will change. Even precise thermostatic control will not compensate for temperature variations due to opening and closing of the refrigerator.
The thermostat turns the compressor on when the temperature reaches a first, higher level and turns the compressor off at a second, lower temperature. Nominal temperature swings may be, for example, 6° F. A hysteresis loop must be created because it is highly undesirable in a residential refrigerator to maintain a tight temperature tolerance because "cycling" will result. In other words the compressor will turn on and off frequently. A proper nominal temperature range varies ±1° F.
A refrigerator is subject to contamination by airborne bacteria when it is opened and also subject to contamination by foodborne bacteria in food placed on a shelf. Mold or other forms of bacterial deposits may form. The meat being aged may be rendered inedible. It may also become a health hazard. An aging chamber maintains a substantially constant airflow. A humidifier may be included in the aging chamber in order to maintain moisture at a desired level and to avoid an excess moisture level which could contribute to culturing bacteria.

Meat aging chamber and system utilizing a communications network


A heat-generating apparatus includes a frame assembly and a securement assembly carried by the frame assembly. The securement assembly includes a panel member arranged in a first vertical plane for supporting a target material parallel to the first vertical plane. The heat-generating apparatus also includes a heating support assembly adjustably supported by the frame and including at least one heating element arranged in a second vertical plane that is parallel to and offset from the first vertical plane. The heating support assembly is adjustable along a horizontal first adjustment axis that is perpendicular to each of the first and second vertical planes and along a second adjustment axis that is disposed in or adjacent to the second vertical plane.

In the performance testing of smoke detectors or other devices, it is necessary to repeatably generate a consistent amount of smoke and solid particulate resulting from the smoldering of a target material, such as a foam or wood material. In the past, open sources of heat, such as cigarettes or heat wires, were used to initiate smoldering of the target material. However, the open source typically generated inconsistent amounts of smoke and solid particulate, which made repeatable testing difficult. In response, radiant heat sources were employed to initiate smoldering in target materials. One or more radiant heat sources were typically positioned offset from and directly above a target material to provide some consistent amount of heat to the target material, and more consistency in smoke and particle generation was achieved. However, because the radiant heat sources were positioned directly over the area to be heated, the resulting rising smoke and particles contacted the radiant heat sources. Such contact resulted in inconsistency in the generated heat, failure of the radiant heat sources, and even fires caused by the igniting of the particulate.
To prevent contact with the smoke and particulate, the radiant heat sources were positioned to be remote from the generated smoke and particulate. For example, four radiant heat sources were positioned at right angles to form a square shape that formed a perimeter around the target material. The resulting smoke and particulate would rise in the space between the radiant heat sources, thereby eliminating the problems associated with direct contact. The radiant heat sources were fixed to a structure that supported them in the square-shaped configuration, and adjusting the position of the radiant heat sources to adjust heat intensity was difficult or impossible. Moreover, the square-shape provided non-uniform heating in the target material, resulting in inconsistent smoke generation.

Heat-generating apparatus and method of generating smoke


An active charge pump circuit may include a charge pump circuit, a control circuit, and a charge transfer circuit. The charge pump circuit may generate a charge pumping voltage in response to an active enable signal. The control circuit may generate a charge transfer control signal varying between a ground voltage and a boosted power supply voltage that is twice as much as a power supply voltage in response to the active enable signal. The charge transfer circuit may output the charge pumping voltage as an active voltage in response to the charge transfer control signal.

1. Technical Field
Example embodiments relate to a voltage generator, and more particularly, to a voltage generator including an active charge pump circuit and a semiconductor device including the voltage generator.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, as a system on a chip (SOC) is developed, the memory devices included in the SOC need to be faster, lighter, and smaller. Therefore, a pseudo static random access memory (PSRAM) is generally used in the SOC. The PSRAM is implemented by embedded dynamic random access memory (eDRAM). A structure of PSRAM is substantially the same as a structure of a DRAM but the PSRAM operates as a SRAM as seen from an exterior. The PSRAM has the high density feature of the DRAM. However, the data cells in the PSRAM may be periodically refreshed to prevent or reduce a data retention failure in a standby mode, and thus, the PSRAM may increase power consumption.
The eDRAM typically requires two types of power supply voltages including a voltage for the standby mode and a voltage for an active mode. To reduce the power consumption, the voltage for the standby mode may be smaller than the voltage for the active mode. Circuit elements included in a voltage generator for generating the voltage for the active mode may be damaged by high operation voltages and also operate unstably due to a variance of a threshold voltage caused by a body effect. Therefore, a voltage generator having increased reliability and efficiency is required.

Voltage generating circuit and semiconductor device having the same


The present invention relates to a method for producing encapsulated nanoparticles by dispersing said nanoparticles and an encapsulating medium in a common solvent to form a first solution system and treating said first solution system with a stimulus suitable to induce simultaneous aggregation of the nanoparticles and the encapsulating medium.

Fluorescent dye-containing beads have been used for many years in diagnostics testing, microscope- and flow cytometry-based assays, and combinatorial library synthesis. As such they can be routinely manufactured with a variety of surface modifications which enable many classes of molecules to be coupled and subsequently read and manipulated using commercially available instrumentation. The fluorescent organic dye molecules suffer from a number of disadvantages however including photo-bleaching, different excitation irradiation frequencies and broad emissions. Alternatives to conventional fluorescent materials have therefore been investigated. The substitution of the fluorescent organic molecules with luminescent compound semiconductor nanoparticles or "quantum dots" (QDs) is one approach which is intended to circumvent many of these limitations.
The size of a QD dictates the electronic properties of the material; the band gap energy being inversely proportional to the size of the QDs as a consequence of quantum confinement effects. Different sized QDs may be excited by irradiation with a single wavelength of light to give a discrete fluorescence emission of narrow band width. Further, the large surface area to volume ratio of the QDs has a profound impact upon the physical and chemical properties of the QD.
Nanoparticles that comprise a single semiconductor material usually have modest physical/chemical stability and consequently relatively low fluorescence quantum efficiencies. These low quantum efficiencies arise from non-radiative electron-hole recombinations that occur at defects and dangling bonds at the surface of the nanoparticle.
Core-shell nanoparticles comprise a semiconductor core with a shell material of typically wider band-gap and similar lattice dimensions grown epitaxially on the surface of the core. The shell eliminates defects and dangling bonds from the surface of the core, which confines charge carriers within the core and away from surface states that may function as centers for non-radiative recombination. More recently, the architecture of semiconductor nanoparticles has been further developed to include core/multi-shell nanoparticles in which the core semiconductor material is provided with two or more shell layers to further enhance the physical, chemical and/or optical properties of the nanoparticles. To add further stability, a compositionally graded alloy layer can be grown epitaxially on to the nanoparticle core to alleviate lattice strain between adjacent layers that could otherwise lead to defects and reduce the photoluminescence (PL) emission of the QDs. The emission and absorption properties of the QDs can also be manipulated by doping wide band gap materials with certain metals or luminescence activators to further tune the PL and electroluminescence (EL) at energies even lower than the band gap of the bulk semiconductor material, whereas the quantum size effect can be exploited to tune the excitation energy by varying the size of the QDs without having a significant affect on the energy of the activator-related emission.
The surfaces of core and core/(multi)shell semiconductor nanoparticles often possess highly reactive dangling bonds, which can be passivated by coordination of a suitable ligand, such as an organic ligand compound. The ligand compound is typically either dissolved in an inert solvent or employed as the solvent in the nanoparticle core growth and/or shelling procedures that are used to synthesize the QDs. Either way, the ligand compound chelates the surface of the QD by donating lone pair electrons to the surface metal atoms, which inhibits aggregation of the particles, protects the particle from its surrounding chemical environment, provides electronic stabilization and can impart solubility in relatively non-polar media.


The present invention is an MRI system for imaging small superficial volumes, such as skin samples. Structurally, the present invention includes a permanent magnet formed to establish a channel. The permanent magnet establishes a static magnetic field within the channel having an imaging volume that is much smaller than the channel. The present invention also includes a probe having a tip. A gradient and radio frequency coil and a radio frequency sensing coil are mounted at the tip of the probe. Functionally, an object such as a human hand, is placed within the channel with the selected skin volume placed against the tip of the probe. Once so placed, atomic nuclei within the object become aligned with the static magnetic field. The gradient and radio frequency coils are then selectively enabled and disabled causing the atomic nuclei to alternately realign and relax. During relaxation, the atomic nuclei produce a characteristic signal which is sensed by the radio frequency sensing coil and assembled into a digital image of the object being imaged.

The use of nuclear magnetic resonance phenomena for the purpose of producing images is becoming increasingly well known. This is particularly true in the medical and diagnostic arts where magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems have become a commonplace and often indispensable tool for the diagnosis of many conditions.
A typical MRI system, of the type used for medical diagnosis, includes four major components. The first of these components is a large fixed-pole magnet. The fixed-pole magnet is formed to establish a channel dimensioned to receive a patient's entire body. The fixed-pole magnet may be of the permanent or electromagnetic type. Increasingly, however, the fixed-pole magnet is constructed as a cryogenic superconducting magnet, due largely to the ability of such magnets to provide a strong, stable magnetic field without the great mass associated with permanent magnets or the high power consumption associated with electromagnets. Functionally, the fixed-pole magnet operates to establish a strong and highly homogeneous static magnetic field within the channel established by the magnet.
The second major component of a typical MRI system is a system of gradient and radio frequency coils. Functionally, these coils, which may be implemented using a wide range of differing designs and types, operate to direct weak magnetic fields into the channel established by the fixed-pole magnet. The coils are positioned so that the weak magnetic fields are directed along a three-axis coordinate system. Additionally, the coils include a control mechanism that allows the fields to be alternately enabled and disabled.
The third and fourth major components found in a typical MRI system are a radio sensing system and a computer imaging system. The radio sensing system is, in simple terms, an antenna, which operates to collect radio frequency energy emitted by atomic nuclei under conditions created by the combined magnetic fields present in the MRI system. The computer imaging system is connected to the radio sensing system and performs various convolutions on the signals gathered by the radio sensing system to produce visual images corresponding to those signals.
In the operation of a typical MRI system, a patient, or other object, is positioned in the channel established by the fixed-pole magnet. Once positioned, the static magnetic field produced by the fixed-pole magnet interacts with some of the atomic nuclei contained within the tissues of the patient. As a result of the interaction caused by the static magnetic field, these atomic nuclei will tend to become aligned with the static magnetic field. The result is that the static magnetic field will tend to impart a net magnetic orientation to the atomic nuclei contained within the tissues of the patient.
While the patient is positioned within the channel established by the fixed-pole magnet, the gradient and radio frequency coils are selectively enabled and disabled to establish a series of weak magnetic fields within the channel. Not unexpectedly, the atomic nuclei which have become aligned by the static magnetic field become realigned under the influence of the weak magnetic fields. The alignment produced by the weak magnetic fields is, however, temporary and each atomic nuclei regains its normal orientation when the weak magnetic fields are disabled.
The return of the atomic nuclei to their normal orientation is known as spin relaxation and is accompanied by a release of radio energy from the atomic nuclei. The energy emitted during spin relaxation is known as a spin echo and is received by the radio sensing system providing the sensing system with information about the location of each nuclei that undergoes the process of relaxation. By alternately enabling and disabling weak magnetic fields, the location of the atomic nuclei may be accurately recorded by the radio sensing system. The information gathered by the radio sensing system is transmitted to the imaging computer system where the location of each atomic nuclei may be plotted in a three-dimensional image of the patient's tissues.
The basic MRI technology, as described above, has proven to be a highly effective tool for medical and other diagnostic purposes. In fact, the effectiveness of this technology has lead to the widespread use of MRI systems, making such systems somewhat commonplace in the medical field. Not unexpectedly, the success of MRI technology has also spurred numerous efforts to produce improvements to the basic MRI system. Many of these efforts have been directed at the production of MRI systems which produce high resolution images of large anatomical objects viewed.
One way of enhancing MRI image quality is the use of magnetic systems which produce highly uniform, or homogeneous, magnetic fields within the channel. Unfortunately, it has long been recognized that no magnetic field is perfectly homogeneous. Instead, the strength of the field produced by a magnet, or flux density B.sub.0, varies as a function of position in relation to the magnet's two poles. For example, if it is assumed that an axis Z passes through the north and south poles of a magnet, it will be the case that the flux density B.sub.z will reach a maximum value at locations on the axis Z which are immediately adjacent to the north or south poles. At the same time, B.sub.z will reach a minimum value at the point on the Z axis which is midway between the north and south poles. Mathematically, saying that B.sub.z reaches a minimum value at the point midway between the north and south poles is equivalent to saying that the first derivative of B.sub.z or ##EQU1## is zero at that point.
MRI manufactures have long appreciated that more extensive homogeneous magnetic fields may be produced by using larger magnets to increase the volume, or sweet spot, around the midpoint where ##EQU2## is zero, or nearly zero. At the same time, it has been recognized that even this objective also achieved by fields whose higher order derivatives of B.sub.z, such as ##EQU3## are also zero. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,786 which issued to Allis for an invention entitled "MRI Magnets" is directed at a specific arrangement of magnets and shims intended to produce a substantially homogeneous magnetic field. In any event, with an increase in the relative size of the homogenous field region, a larger anatomical volume of tissue may be imaged.
The present invention recognizes that large volumes of tissue do not always need to be imaged. Indeed, MRI systems may be constructed which are usefully directed at the production of relatively small images such as a small sample of the skin tissue. MRI systems of this type may be constructed by utilizing a static magnetic field which exhibits less extensive, homogeneity having a sweet spot where ##EQU4## is zero but wherein higher order derivatives, such as ##EQU5## are non-zero. Potentially, low-cost MRI systems of this type might be directed at imaging human skin, both for diagnostic as well as educational purposes.
In light of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an MRI system which is useful for the in vivo imaging of very small superficial volumes of tissue, such as skin samples. Another object of the present invention is to provide an MRI system whose imaging volume is small in comparison to the overall size of the system. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an MRI system which is relatively simple to manufacture, easy to use, and comparatively cost effective.


In one embodiment, a method includes accessing global positioning system (GPS) data indicating a raw location associated with the computing system; accessing, based on the raw location, environmental model data including one or more structures; generating GPS correction data by processing the GPS data and the environmental model data using a machine-learning (ML) model that has been trained to compensate inaccurate GPS readings due to environmental interference; and determining an accurate location by correcting the raw location using the GPS correction data.

The global-positioning system (GPS) is a system that provides users positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services. UPS uses a constellation of satellites transmitting one-way radio signals to a GPS receiver device of a user. The satellites in the GPS constellation are arranged in equally-spaced orbital planes surrounding the Earth. Each plane contains four "slots" occupied by GPS satellites. This arrangement theoretically provides GPS receiver devices access to at least four GPS satellites from virtually any point on the ground. GPS satellites broadcast radio signals providing their location, status, and time from on-board atomic clocks. A GPS receiver device receives the radio signals, noting the time of the GPS signals are received, and uses these times to calculate the distance from the GPS satellites. The distance calculation is based on the difference between the time the GPS signal is transmitted by the GPS satellite and the time the signal is received by the GPS receiver device. Once a GPS receiver device knows the distance between the receiver device and at least four satellites, the location of the GPS receiver device may be determined in three dimensions.
As described in more detail above, determining the location of a GPS receiver device is dependent on determining the distance between the GPS receiver and the GPS satellites providing the GPS signals. Determining the distance, in turn, depends on accurately determining the time between the GPS satellite transmitting the signal and when the signal is received by the GPS receiver device. Any unaccounted changes in this travel time may lead to inaccurate GPS localization. As an example and not by way of limitation, reflections of GPS signals off of tall structures may delay reception of the GPS signals by the GPS receiver device, as compared to the GPS signals being received directly by the GPS satellites. This unaccounted delay in the time may provide a location that is in a different block or hundreds of yards away from the actual location of the GPS receiver device.
A number of applications are dependent on accurate location information. As an example and not by way of limitation, reliable navigation is dependent on having an accurate location determination. For example, a navigation system of a vehicle would need to know how to navigate to the destination based on its current location. Having an inaccurate location reading may lead to a vehicle missing a turn or having a collision with an obstacle. As another example, automated farm equipment used for harvesting crops may harvest an incorrect field if the farm equipment is provided with inaccurate location readings.

Modeling effects of structures on global-positioning system localization


This invention relates to a device and a method for allowing performance of several separate treatment of a teat of an animal. The device includes a cup-shaped body (1) having a surface (2) defining an inner space (3), which is arranged to receive the teat of the animal. The device also includes a first delivery mechanism arranged to provide a first treatment by supplying a first medium (4) to the teat via at least a first passage having a plurality of openings (10, 18) to the inner space (3) and at least one additional delivery mechanism arranged to provide an additional medium (13, 26, 28) to the teat, via at least an additional passage having a plurality of openings (10,18) to the inner space(3). Thereby, the device provides at least two different treatments of the teats at different occasions.

The present invention relates to a device and a method for allowing performance of several separate treatments of a teat of an animal, wherein the device comprises a cup-shaped body having a surface defining an inner space, which is arranged to receive a teat of the animal and first means arranged to provide a first treatment by supplying a first medium to the teat via at least a first passage having a plurality of openings to the inner space.
It is usual to treat the teats of an animal after a milking process with a mixture comprising an antiseptic medium and a softener, which may be a skin conditioner. The object of the antiseptic means is to prevent bacteria and other micro-organisms from infecting the udder quarter after the milking process is finished. This treatment may be performed by means of a so-called dip-cup. The dip-cup is an open container, filled with a liquid medium comprising an antiseptic means and a softener. Each of the teats of an animal is dipped into the disinfecting medium after the milking process is finished. The dip-cup has to be kept steadily in an upright position during the whole treatment in order to prevent the disinfecting medium in the dip-cup from splash over.
EP 0 945 057 shows a device for supplying a cleaning and/or disinfecting liquid to the teat of an animal by spraying. Spraying elements are provided at an upper part of a teat cup. The liquid is sprayed to the teat, when the teatcup being in a position below the teat. In such a manner, the cleaning and/or disinfecting liquid will be concentrated to the lower part of the teat and the area around the outlet of the teat canal. However, in some cases, it is desired to distribute a treatment medium to the whole surface of the teat, for example, when the medium comprises a softener. Furthermore, it is difficult to spray a treatment medium in a desired direction with a high precision and supply an exactly desired quantity of the medium to the surface of the teat.
WO 01/17337 shows a device comprising a teat-cleaning cup, having an inner space arranged to receive a teat of an animal. The walls of the teat cleaning cup comprises channels having a plurality of orifices provided in a surface, defining the inner space. During a cleaning treatment of a teat, a cleaning liquid is supplied through the channels and is distributed, via the orifices, to substantially the whole surface of the teat. Consequently, such a device provides an effective cleaning of the teat before a milking process.
WO 99/27775 shows a teat cleaning device arranged to perform a cleaning treatment of a teat of an animal in combination with a pre-milking process. The teat cleaning device comprises, in one embodiment, a cylindrical teat cup for receiving the teat and cleaning means in the form of a hose ending in an inlet nozzle through which a cleaning liquid is arranged to be sprayed to the teat. Furthermore, there is mentioned in the application that a sterilising fluid also may be supplied to the teats by the cleaning device before or after the supply of the cleaning liquid. However, the cleaning liquid and sterilising fluid constitutes two different cleaning mediums, which are supplied during the same cleaning treatment of the teat before a milking process of the animal is started.

Device and a method for allowing performance of several separate treatments of a teat of an animal


The present invention concerns a receiver terminal and method at the receiver for requesting a missing symbol from a repair service, the method comprising the steps of receiving from a first server a list of at least one repair server and at least one transmission mode used by the at least one repair server, receiving from a second server a file comprising a plurality of symbols, checking the correct reception of the symbols, and if a missing has been identified, selecting a repair server and a transmissions mode and requesting the repair server to transmit missing symbols using the transmission mode.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art, which may be related to various aspects of the present invention that are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
The IETF RFC 3926 defines the File Delivery over Unidirectional Transport protocol, noted FLUTE. The protocol defined in this standard is well adapted to answer the problems of scalability in terms of number of clients and heterogeneity in terms of bandwidth supported by the clients. The standard DVB-H IP Data-casting standard, <<ETSI TS 102 472 V1.2.1 (2006-12), Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB); IP Datacast over DVB-H; Content Delivery Protocols (CDP)>>, noted CDP standard hereinafter, defines a file repair mechanism. This mechanism is further explained in a second document, ETSI TS 102 591 1.1.1, Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB); IP Datacast over DVB-H: Content Delivery Protocols (CDP) Implementation Guidelines.
The file repair strategy adopted in DVB-H IP Data-casting standard is a one level file repair strategy and adopts the centralized client-server "File Repair" mode. It uses a file repair mechanism to assist the FLUTE protocol for achieving reliable file delivery over broadcast/multicast networks. Once it has detected the reception of an incomplete file, the FLUTE receiver launches a file repair mechanism. It consists in requesting the packets that are missing or corrupted. According to the FLUTE terminology, these packets are named symbols. The request is sent to a repair file server using a point-to-point connection. The request gathers basically the name of the file to be repaired and the list of missing symbols.
Inside such a system several repair servers, each containing one or more repair services may coexist. The list of all possible repair services is published in an "associated delivery procedure configuration file". This is an XML file that contains one URL for each usable repair service. When a repair server is needed, the client randomly chooses one of these services and addresses over the point to point link a repair request containing the list of requested symbols. The repair service either sends some or all of the requested symbols over the point to point link, or redirects the request to a different service. This redirection may indicate, instead of another repair server, the description of the FLUTE session over which the missing-or-corrupted received symbols are broadcasted again.
The file repair procedure is initiated by a client through the point-to-point link, and is further achieved using again a point-to-point link, or the broadcast channel, or even using a mix of these links. The client asks for all the missing symbols. After analyzing the list of symbols, the repair server selects the distribution mode. For efficient use of the resources, some symbols are distributed over the broadcast link and other symbols are sent over the point to point link.
An example of such a repair combining point-to-point and broadcast link usage is as follows. A client submits a repair query to a server. That server then answers to the repair request with a subset of the requested symbols over the point-to-point link. Then the repair client sends a second request for the still missing symbols to a repair server (that may be the same as previous). This time that repair server redirects it to the broadcast session where the remaining symbols may be recovered.
The distribution over the broadcast channel has the advantage of using less resource if a same symbol is requested by several client terminals. It may not be the best solution in certain conditions. For example, if a terminal has only access to the point-to-point network (after the loss of access to the broadcast channel), it will not receive any more content distributed in that broadcast channel. In the example of mixed repair depicted above, it will not be able to receive all the symbols requested in the repair query, as only part of the repair symbols are then distributed over the point-to-point network, while others are sent over the broadcast network. It would be desirable to provide a repair method for such devices that can receive content only in a specific manner (point to point only, mix mode, . . . ) or over specific networks, if, e.g., the terminal is connected via two different point-to-point links.

Method for requesting a file repair distribution mode


A method and mechanism to set a platen glass of an image reader by demounting the platen glass after the platen glass has previously been position-adjusted and positioning means have been fixed to this adjusted position and then achieving the desired positioning by these positioning means before the platen glass is mounted again on the image reader. Upon completion of optical adjustment, the platen glass is temporarily fixed to a casing of the image reader and then the platen glass is position-adjusted until image data formed on a test chart sheet coincide with predetermined image data. After the adjustment, positioning blocks are secured to top-plates of the casing and a glass retaining plate is secured to these top-plates. Subsequently, the platen glass may be mounted on the image reader in operative association with these positioning blocks to set the platen glass to the adjusted position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reader for a stationary original placed on a platen glass irradiated with light beams emitted from a light source lamp for reading an image recorded on the original on the basis of light beams reflected from the original and particularly to a mechanism for positioning the platen glass of such an image reader.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image reader such as copying machine or scanner adapted to read an original image data recorded on paper sheet or the like for subsequent various kinds of processing is generally constructed so that the original is irradiated with light beams emitted from a light source lamp such as fluorescent lamp. Light beams reflected on the original are guided to enter a light receiving station provided with a photoelectric converter device such as CCD (Charge-Coupled Device). In the case of the image reader for a stationary original, the original is placed on the platen glass and is irradiated with light beams emitted from said light source lamp which is moved relative to said original. Not only the light source lamp but also a reflector and the other components adapted to guide the light beams reflected on the original to the light receiving station must be moved along the original in order to maintain a optical path length from the original to the light receiving station even when the position at which the original is irradiated with the light beams varies.
The position from which the light source lamp, the reflector and the other components start to move is constant independent of various factors including the size of the original. Unless the original placed on the platen glass is set to a predetermined position, the position from which the image recorded on said original starts to be read will not coincide with the end position of the image and it may become impossible for the image reader to read the image recorded on the entire area of the original. If the original is oriented out of alignment with the predetermined direction in which the light source lamp, the reflector and the other components move, a correspondingly misaligned image will be picked up. In order to ensure that the image can be read starting from the end of the original and the original is properly aligned with said predetermined direction, it is essential to set the original to the predetermined position on the platen glass.
Conventionally, a structure provided with a guide member against which an end of the original is placed as the original is placed on the platen glass has been used for positioning of the original and such positioning guide for the original is described, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Gazette No. 2000-258857. The positioning guide for the original comprises a narrow plate-like member having a datum edge against which the end of the original is placed and a mounting projection formed along the other edge of said narrow plate-like member. The mounting projection is formed with threaded holes, U-shaped notches and tapered regions, on one hand, and a top opening of the image reader's frame is formed along its peripheral edge with threaded holes in alignment with the threaded holes of said mounting piece and projections adapted to seat in the respective U-shaped notches, on the other hand. The tapered regions communicate with the U-shaped depressions and have inner diameters gradually enlarged as these tapered regions go away from the U-shaped depressions. The platen glass (contact glass) on which the original is placed is mounted on the image reader so that one end of said platen glass overlaps said datum edge of said narrow plate-like member.
When the image recorded on the original is read by the image reader provided with such positioning guide for the original, the original is set by placing its one end against the datum edge of said narrow plate-like member.
With the positioning guide for the original described in the above-cited Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Gazette No. 2000-258857, the projections formed on the image reader's frame are engaged in the U-shaped notches to achieve positioning of said narrow plate-like member. However, these projections are formed on the image reader's frame and therefore may raise problems as follow. As has previously been described above, the position to which the original is set depends on the position from which the light source lamp, the reflector and the other components start to move. In order to set this position from which the components such as the light source lamp and the reflector start to move at high accuracy, the image reader's frame and the other components must be installed at correspondingly high precision. In consequence, the cost for installing them correspondingly increases. To avoid this, the end of the original as well as the position from which said components start to move has practically been adjusted basically by adjusting the position to which the original should be set. In other words, such positioning guide of the original of prior art has usually made a certain allowance for the setting accuracy of the position from which said components should start to move. In order that such adjustment can be effectively carried out, a certain play must be defined between said projections of the image reader's frame and the associated U-shaped notches. As a result, when the platen glass and the positioning guide for the original having been demounted once are installed again, the position at which said positioning guide of the original is fixed must be adjusted again with much labor and time.

Method and device for positioning of platen glass of image reader


According to one embodiment, in a processing system and determining method, a X-ray intensity of character X-rays generated by irradiating a catalytic layer of a noble metal formed on a surface of a substrate with X-rays is detected. In the processing system and the determining method, either the detected X-ray intensity or a parameter calculated using the X-ray intensity is obtained as a determination parameter. In the processing system and the determining method, based at least on the determination parameter, whether or not the catalytic layer has been formed into a state suitable for etching the surface of the substrate is determined.

The MacEtch (Metal-Assisted Chemical. Etching) method has been gaining attention as an etching method of the surface of substrates such as semiconductor substrates. Etching with the MacEtch method is done by, for example, forming a discontinuous catalytic layer of a noble metal onto a substrate, and then using the noble metal of the catalytic layer as a catalyst. The MacEtch method makes it possible to, for example, form deep grooves with a high aspect ratio into the substrate. When etching by the MacEtch method, it is important that the catalytic layer of the noble metal be formed properly onto the surface of the substrate.

Processing system for a catalytic layer of a noble metal formed on a surface of a substrate


A pitch command display method includes identifying touchdown of an aircraft, identifying a first value representing an actual pitch reduction rate of the aircraft, identifying a second value representing a target pitch reduction rate of the aircraft, determining a difference between the first value and the second value, and displaying a pitch command when the difference between the first value and second value is greater than a threshold amount and the aircraft has touched down.

During landing, an aircraft's pitch may be increased to slow its descent. This maneuver is typically called "flaring" the aircraft. When an aircraft is flared, it is typically deflared after touchdown. Aircraft accidents and cargo damage are frequently caused by incorrectly executed deflares.
Overzealous pitch reduction during deflare may result in aircraft or cargo damage. By contrast, when pitch reduction rate is too slow, the aircraft may be unable to safely land within the length of the runway.
Inexperienced pilots may sometimes have difficulty judging the correct rate of pitch reduction. Even experienced pilots may have difficulty when landing larger aircraft.
Poorly executed landings may also "bounce" an aircraft. A bounce may result when the aircraft approaches the runway at improper attitude, approaches at an improper rate of sink, and/or has a sudden increase in angle of attack. A bounce may force the entire aircraft back into the air or may cause the nose of the aircraft to oscillate up and down.
In some cases, experienced pilots may be able to salvage the landing by properly adjusting pitch. In other cases, the only solution is to execute a "go-around."


Methods of controlling a nitrification reaction in a biological nitrogen removal reactor to favor partial nitrification of ammonia to nitrite instead of complete oxidation of ammonia to nitrate are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods include the following: maintaining a pH in the reactor within a range that promotes growth of ammonia oxidizing bacteria; maintaining a concentration of dissolved oxygen in the reactor within a range that limits the ammonia oxidizing bacteria from completing nitrification; selecting an operational solids retention time within a range suitable for maintaining increasing concentrations of the ammonia oxidizing bacteria in the reactor while reducing concentrations of nitrite oxidizing bacteria in the reactor; and increasing a concentration of free ammonia in the reactor thereby inhibiting growth of the nitrite oxidizing bacteria in the reactor.

Nitrogen containing compounds, primarily ammonia, are a serious water pollutant, which governments have begun regulating more strictly. Combined with increasing population pressures, the need for an efficient method for removing nitrogen from sewage is growing. Nature's own nitrogen cycle employs specialized bacteria to convert ammonia to nitrites and nitrates. Different bacteria then convert these products into inert, atmospheric nitrogen gas. Waste treatment plants employ these same bacteria to perform "biological nitrogen removal" (BNR).
Conventional BNR is achieved by complete oxidation of ammonia to nitrate (nitrification) followed by the reduction of nitrate to dinitrogen gas (denitrification). The typical removal of ammonia involves its oxidation by nitrifying bacteria into nitrite (NO2−), which is then further oxidized into nitrate (NO32−). The result is a mixture of nitrite and nitrate. Denitrifying bacteria then covert both nitrite and nitrate into nitrogen gas (N2). The overall result is the conversion of ammonia, a harmful water pollutant, into harmless nitrogen gas, the major component of Earth's atmosphere. Each step of nitrification/oxidation and denitrification/reduction requires resources, in the form of energy, aerated oxygen, and an electron source such as methanol.
The annual costs of treating U.S. wastewater alone are estimated to be $25 billion and escalating. It is also estimated that many more billions will be needed in future decades to maintain and replace ageing infrastructure. Furthermore, expanding wastewater infrastructure to accommodate an increasing population adds to this cost. Globally, there is an urgent need for lower-cost water treatment technologies in developing countries and rural areas.
If engineering based control of nitrification could be achieved to result in partial oxidation of ammonia solely to nitrite, it is estimated that a 25% savings in aeration cost could be realized. Correspondingly, denitrification based on nitrite rather than nitrate could result in up to a 40% savings on electron donor costs.

Systems and methods for achieving partial nitrification in a biological nitrogen removal reactor

The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York