Precise control of pyrocarbon being coated upon an object in a fluidized particle bed is achieved by monitoring the weight change of the fluidized particle bed over a period of time. Measurement of such weight change is truly representative of bed size in such a coater, which is a most important factor in achieving the desired characteristics of the pyrocarbon being deposited. By monitoring the bed size by repeatedly determining such changes in the weight, compensating adjustments are made by either adding additional particles to the bed or by changing the rate at which particles are withdrawn so that precise coating characteristics are achieved, and coatings can be deposited within very close thickness tolerances.

Pyrolytic carbon may be deposited by thermally decomposing gaseous hydrocarbons or other carbonaceous substances in vaporous form in the presence of a substrate whereupon the deposition will take place. It is well known to coat substrates with layers of pyrolytic carbon for various different purposes. In this respect, the coating may oftentimes completely envelop the substrate, and the composite coated substrate may be the desired end product. In other instances, a disposable object or mandrel may be used as the substrate and be coated with a fairly thick layer of pyrolytic carbon; subsequently, the mandrel is machined away or otherwise removed whereby the monolithic coating becomes the desired end product, e.g., European Patent No. 0 055 406, inventors: Bokros et al., incorporated herein by reference. The present invention is suitable for use with all such instances, even if the underlying substrate is eventually removed.
When pyrolytic carbon is deposited in a fluidized bed apparatus, one of the variables upon which the structure of the pyrolytic carbon will be dependent is the available deposition surface area, relative to the volume of the furnace enclosure wherein the deposition is occurring. Pyrolytic carbon which has a microstructure that is free of growth features will be deposited when the relative amount of deposition surface area is fairly high. Thus, when relatively large objects, for example, objects having at least one dimension equal to 5 mm or more, are being coated, an ancillary bed of small particles (usually of a size measured in hundreds of microns) are included within the furnace enclosure together with the larger object or objects. This arrangement provides sufficient available total surface area to assure that pyrolytic carbon having the desired crystalline form will be deposited. In addition, the random motion of large objects in fluidized beds provide for a relatively uniform deposition of carbon on all surfaces.
However, whenever such submillimeter particles are being coated in a fluidized bed, the total surface area of the particles begins to increase significantly as the diameters of the pyrolytic carbon-coated particles grow. This change in the available deposition surface area in the fluidized bed will result in a change in the physical characteristics of the pyrolytic carbon being deposited if the other coating variables are held constant, e.g., coating temperature, gas flow rate and gas composition; and moreover, when the bed reaches some maximum size, it will collapse and thus limit the thickness of the carbon coating that can be deposited on levitated substrates under constant conditions. Changes in the physical characteristics of the carbon deposited may be undesirable for any of a number of reasons.
It has been found that pyrolytic carbon having good structural strength and uniform physical properties can be deposited as relatively thick coatings upon relatively large objects in the accompaniment of particles if the available fluidized bed surface area is maintained relatively constant by withdrawing particles which have become enlarged in size as a result of coating and feeding smaller size particles into the deposition enclosure. Very generally, the availability of a relatively large amount of deposition surface area in a furnace enclosure of a given volume facilitates the efficient deposition of pyrolytic carbon which is either isotropic or laminar in microstructure and without growth features. In contrast when carbon is deposited on a fixed substrate (e.g., a mandrel) in a chamber without a bed of particles, large gradients in gas composition are established at the gas-solid interfaces where the deposition is occurring, and growth features develop in the microstructure of the deposited carbon. Illustrations and theoretical considerations are reviewed in J. C. Bokros, "The Preparation, Structure, and Properties of Pyrolytic Carbon," in Chemistry and Physics of Carbon, Vol. 5, P. L. Walker (ed.) Marcel Dekker, New York, 1969, Chapter 1.
The crystalline structure, the density and other physical properties, such as the coefficient of thermal expansion, of pyrolytic carbon deposited by the thermal decomposition of a vaporous carbonaceous substance are dependent upon several independently variable operating conditions within the coating apparatus being employed. These conditions include the temperature of the substrate surfaces upon which the deposition is occurring, the overall chemical composition of the atmosphere from which deposition is occurring, the partial pressure of the vaporous carbonaceous substance, the surface area to volume ratio in the active deposition region of the coating apparatus, and the contact time (a parameter based upon the gas flow rate and cross sectional area of the furnace enclosure). Although various of these conditions can be easily regulated and therefore maintained at a constant desired value in many different types of coating apparatus, the surface area to volume ratio is inherently subject to constant change because there is a continuous gradual increase in the total surface area as the items being coated grow in size as the result of the deposition thereupon. When a bed of small spheroids or the like, having an average size between about 50 microns and 600 microns, is present in the active deposition surface region (either because they are the products being coated, e.g., in the case of nuclear fuel particles, or because they are associated with other objects being coated so as to increase the total surface area to void volume ratio), such small particles increase relatively rapidly in surface area as the diameters of these particles grow during deposition of pyrolytic carbon.
A desired surface area to volume ratio is initially provided by starting with an appropriate amount of particles of a particular average size to constitute the fluidized bed. Preferably, an initial surface area to volume ratio is provided near the lower end of the range that produces crystalline pyrolytic carbon having the physical properties desired. Thereafter, as the growing thickness of the deposited pyrolytic carbon layers causes the total surface area to increase, withdrawal of some of the coated particles is initiated so as to decrease the total number of particles to thereby maintain a specific surface area or to regulate its increase in a controlled manner, and replacement of the particles being withdrawn with particles of much smaller size is also begun.
In coating operations where it is desirable to employ a relatively large surface area to volume ratio, a coating apparatus is of course employed that can maintain such a bed of particles in motion and in association with any larger objects that may also be coated. Examples of suitable coating apparatus of this type include, fluidized bed coaters and rotating drum coaters.
One example of a suitable coating apparatus is shown in Bokros, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,399,969 incorporated herein by reference, which points out that the pyrocarbon coating of relatively large objects, such as objects having a dimension of about 5 millimeters or greater, in the presence of an ancillary bed of small particles (i.e. of a size measured in tens or hundreds of microns), is best controlled by controlling the available deposition surface area relative to the volume of the coating enclosure wherein the actual deposition is taking place.
In Bokros and Akins U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,896 and Akins, incorporated herein by reference, an improved process was described and illustrated for depositing pyrolytic carbon coatings of substantial thickness which would have a very uniform crystallinity throughout the entire thickness of the pyrocarbon deposited. Such uniformity was achieved by maintaining the total deposition surface area within the coating enclosure relatively constant by adding particles of small size to the coater while coated particles (which have grown in size) are being removed from the enclosure at a controlled rate by regulating the rate of flow of an inert gas stream upward through a conduit through which the particles exit.
Subsequent to the issuance of the '896 patent, Brooks U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,012 incorporated herein by reference, which teaches an improved fluidized bed apparatus for coating such a relatively large object in association with a bed of particles being levitated, which maintains a constant bed size from a volumetric standpoint by employing a weir tube having a spillover entrance hole to define the maximum upper level of the fluidized bed by its location at a desired vertical level within the coating enclosure. Preferably the weir tube is closed at its top and has its spillover hole facing away from the centerline of the coating enclosure. Sufficient purge flow of inert gas upward through the tube is maintained so as to prevent any substantial quantity of dust from gravitating down the tube with the coated particles being withdrawn. Brooks U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,270 incorporated herein by reference, and shows an apparatus for removing particles from a desired level within such a fluidized bed within which a larger object is being levitated and coated by pyrolytic decomposition. This patent teaches the employment of a vertically slidable sampling tube, preferably controlled from the exterior of the furnace, which can be located so as to have its opening at a desired vertical level from which the sample is to be withdrawn. Flow of inert gas through the sampling tube is controlled so as to selectively allow particles to be withdrawn from the bed when the tube is at the desired vertical level.
Although the foregoing patents disclose acceptable processes for controlling pyrolytic deposition within a fluidized bed system, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to determine the actual size of the bed surface area at any moment, and as coating processes become more sophisticated, there is a desire to be able to even more precisely control the characteristics of the pyrocarbon being deposited. As a result, more improved methods of control have been sought.

Precise regulation of fluidized bed weight in pyrolytically coating substrates


A signal processing apparatus receives a time divisional multiplexed signal including a plurality of kinds of data. The signal processing apparatus includes a processing unit for processing plural kinds of operations corresponding to the data of the time divisional multiplexed signal, and a changing unit for changing the operation of the processing unit to one of the operations, corresponding to the data at the timing of the transit of the data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to signal processing apparatuses, and more particularly relates to a signal processing apparatus capable of executing a process on time divisional multiplexed data in accordance with the type of the data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Apparatuses that can execute a plurality of processes without altering the basic hardware configuration thereof have been developed.
However, an apparatus which receives time divisional multiplexed data and which switches a process to be executed in accordance with the type of the received data has not been disclosed.


A mobile terminal for receiving a message and a control method thereof are provided. The mobile terminal includes: a wireless communication unit configured to receive at least one of authentication information and a message from an external electronic device; an authenticating unit configured to perform user authentication by using the authentication information received from the electronic device; and a controller configured to perform a control operation in response to a control command included in the received message when the user authentication is performed, and transmit a message indicating the result of performing the control operation to the electronic device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal and, more particularly, to a mobile terminal capable of receiving a message, and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, terminals may be divided into a mobile terminal and stationary terminal according to whether or not terminals are movable. In addition, mobile terminals may be divided into a handheld terminal and a vehicle mount terminal according to whether or not users can directly carry it around.
As such functions become more diversified, the mobile terminal can support more complicated functions such as capturing images or video, reproducing music or video files, playing games, receiving broadcast signals, and the like. By comprehensively and collectively implementing such functions, the mobile terminal may be embodied in the form of a multimedia player or device. Efforts are ongoing to support and increase the functionality of mobile terminals. Such efforts include software and hardware improvements, as well as changes and improvements in the structural components which form the mobile terminal.
Supported by such improvements, technologies of controlling a terminal by using an external electronic device have been developed. However, in order to control a terminal by using an electronic device, the electronic device and the terminal are required to be connected through a fixed line. If the electronic device and the terminal are away from each other, a complicated user authentication procedure is required to control a terminal by using an electronic device, causing user inconvenience.

Mobile terminal and control method thereof


A probe for measuring a depth of a periodontal pocket includes an emitting device for emitting, from a position at a distance from the periodontal pocket, a light beam toward the periodontal pocket, a receiving device for receiving, at a position at another distance from the periodontal pocket, the light beam after being reflected on a bottom of the periodontal pocket, and an analyzing device for displaying the depth of the periodontal pocket after a calculation thereof on the basis of an analysis of the light beam received at the receiving device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a probe for measuring the periodontal pocket and, in particular to a probe which can establish such a measurement without being engaged with a gum.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known that before diagnosing periodontal disease, the depth of the periodontal pocket along an outer surface of a tooth has to be measured. For measuring the depth, a mechanical dental probe is used. One of the conventional probes is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,940. This probe includes a tip. When the tip rests on the bottom of the periodontal pocket after an insertion of the probe into the periodontal pocket, the tip is locked and the exposed length of the tip is measured for representing the depth of the periodontal pocket.
However, in the aforementioned measurement using the conventional probe, during the insertion of the tip of the probe into the periodontal pocket the dentist or technician slides the tip along the outer surface of the tooth from one location to another without withdrawing the tip unless the patient complains about discomfort or the pain.
Thus, determining the depth of the periodontal pocket often cannot be established without the patient's complaint or pain.

Probe for measuring periodontal pocket depth


Methods are described for the preparation of tapered styrene-butadiene copolymers for use as partial or full oil replacements in rubber compositions. The resulting rubber compositions exhibit improved storage modulus and wear resistance properties.

Wear and storage modulus (G′) are properties of rubber that have an impact on tire performance. Generally, as the temperature of a tire increase, G′ decreases. As a result, there may be a decrease in handling.
Inorganic fillers, such as silica, impart improved wet traction and improved snow traction when used within tire treads. Mixing silica into a tire stock, however, is difficult because silica particles agglomerate and therefore they are not easily dispersed. In response, processing and dispersing aids, such as processing oils, are used during compounding. Unfortunately, the use of these processing and dispersing aids may enhance the decrease in modulus that is typically observed at high temperatures.
Because inorganic fillers are technologically useful, there is a need to overcome the difficulties associated with the change of G′ at elevated temperatures in tire treads containing inorganic fillers.
It is an objective of the present disclosure to alleviate or overcome one or more difficulties related to the prior art. It has been found that low molecular weight styrene-butadiene copolymers can be used as a partial or full oil replacement in rubber compounds to provide enhanced wear improvement and storage modulus (G′).

Synthesis of low molecular weight tapered styrene-butadiene copolymer and its use in tires


A method is provided for producing a thin-film photovoltaic device which has a rear electrode including a transparent conductive rear layer and a light-reflective metallic layer. In forming the light-reflective metallic layer, a first plasma region including fine particles of zinc oxide and a second plasma region including fine particles of silver are formed in a chamber at a sputtering gas pressure of about 0.1 to about 0.27 Pa. Then, the substrate is passed over the first and second plasma regions formed in the chamber to form a bonding layer comprising the zinc oxide and a light-reflective metallic layer comprising the silver, thereby providing the rear electrode having the transparent conductive rear layer, the bonding layer and the light-reflective metallic layer.

The present invention relates to a method of producing a thin-film photovoltaic device, and more particularly to a method of producing a thin-film photovoltaic device having a rear electrode excellent in strength of bonding with a photovoltaic conversion unit.
Recently, thin-film photovoltaic devices having a semiconductor thin film as a photovoltaic conversion film, such as solar cells, have been developed briskly. Generally, such thin-film photovoltaic devices have, on an insulating substrate, a rear electrode, a thin-film photovoltaic conversion unit having a pin or nip junction structure and provided in front of the rear electrode, and a transparent front electrode provided in front of the photovoltaic conversion unit. These thin-film photovoltaic devices have been expected to find applications in various fields such as optical sensors, in addition to solar cells.
Various improvements have been proposed to enhance the photovoltaic conversion amount of the thin-film photovoltaic devices. For example, it has been proposed to form the rear electrode from silver. Silver has a very high light-reflectivity. The light entering the photovoltaic conversion unit repeats reflection between the high light-reflectivity silver rear electrode and the transparent front electrode. The repeated reflection increases light absorption by the photovoltaic conversion layer, thus enhancing the photovoltaic conversion amount.
Further, a number of the photovoltaic devices have recently been proposed in which a transparent electrically conductive layer made of, e.g., zinc oxide (hereinafter referred to as transparent conductive rear layer) is disposed between a light-reflective metallic layer and a silicon-based photovoltaic conversion unit (see, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 3-99477, and Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 7-263731). By disposing the transparent conductive rear layer between the light-reflective metallic layer of the rear electrode and the photovoltaic conversion unit, the thermal strain, which may be caused by a difference in thermal expansion coefficient between them, is alleviated, and the diffusion of the metal atoms into the silicon-based photovoltaic conversion unit is prevented. As a result, not only the yield and reliability of the photovoltaic device products are increased, but also the optical sensitivity of the devices is enhanced, leading to improved photovoltaic characteristics.
However, silver has an inferior bonding strength with respect to thin-film semiconductors and ceramics. The bonding strength of silver is not so great that silver can be practically used as the material of the rear electrode in the thin-film photovoltaic devices. As described above, if the transparent conductive rear layer is provided between the silver rear electrode and the photovoltaic conversion unit, the bonding strength may be slightly increased. However, such an increase in the bonding strength is not practically sufficient at all, and still the above-noted effects, which the transparent conductive rear layer inherently has, cannot be utilized sufficiently.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing a thin-film photovoltaic device having a silver-based rear electrode excellent in bonding strength with respect to the transparent conductive rear layer.
The present inventors have conducted extensive studies in an attempt to achieve the above-noted object, during which they have paid attention to a technique disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 8-107225 filed by the assignee of the present application. According to this technique, firstly, a transparent electrode layer, a thin-film semiconductor layer and a first transparent conductive metallic compound layer are successively formed on an insulating transparent substrate. Then, the substrate is passed first over a first plasma region of transparent conductive metallic compound and then a second plasma region of metal, which are formed in a sputter chamber. As a result, a second transparent conductive metallic compound layer and a metal layer are formed on the first transparent conductive metallic compound layer. The first transparent conductive metallic compound layer and the metallic layer are bonded with each other firmly through the second transparent conductive metallic compound layer, thus forming an integral rear electrode.
The present inventors have studied this technique, and found out that (1) if silver is selected as the material of the metal layer, zinc oxide is optimum as the material of the first transparent conductive metallic compound layer in view of bondability with silver, (2) zinc oxide is also optimum as the material of the second transparent conductive metallic compound layer which acts as a bonding layer, and (3) more importantly, a pressure inside the sputter chamber during forming the zinc oxide layer and the silver layer is closely related to the bonding strength between the zinc oxide layer and the silver layer. The present invention is based on these findings.
According to the present invention, there is provided a method of producing a thin-film photovoltaic device which has a rear electrode including a transparent conductive rear layer comprising zinc oxide, and a light-reflective metallic layer comprising silver and provided in the rear of the conductive rear layer. The method according to the invention comprises the steps of forming, on a substrate, a transparent front electrode, a thin-film photovoltaic conversion unit provided in the rear of the front electrode, and the conductive rear layer provided in the rear of the photovoltaic conversion unit. In forming the light-reflective metallic layer, a first plasma region comprising fine particles of zinc oxide and a second plasma region comprising fine particles of silver are formed in a chamber at a sputtering gas pressure of about 0.1 to about 0.27 Pa. Then, the substrate is passed over the first and second plasma regions formed in the chamber to form a bonding layer comprising the zinc oxide and a light-reflective metallic layer comprising the silver, thereby providing the rear electrode comprising the transparent conductive rear layer, the bonding layer and the light-reflective metallic layer.
Where a thin-film photovoltaic device having a thin-film photovoltaic conversion unit of a pin junction structure is produced according to the present invention, the transparent front electrode, thin-film photovoltaic conversion unit and transparent conductive rear layer are formed successively on the substrate, and then the substrate is passed first over the first plasma region and then over the second plasma region to form the bonding layer and the light-reflective metallic layer successively over the transparent conductive rear layer.
Where a thin-film photovoltaic device having a thin-film photovoltaic conversion unit of a nip junction structure is produced according to the present invention, the substrate is passed first over the second plasma region and then over the first plasma region to form the light-reflective metallic layer and the bonding layer on the substrate, and thereafter the transparent conductive rear layer, thin-film photovoltaic conversion unit and transparent front electrode are formed successively over the light-reflective metallic layer.
Preferably, the first plasma region is formed by applying a discharge power to a zinc oxide sputter target which may contain a dopant, while the second plasma region is formed by applying a discharge power to a silver sputter target. In such a case, it is preferred that the power density of the discharge power applied to the zinc oxide sputter target is about 0.1 to 4 W/cm2, and the power density of the discharge power applied to the silver target is about 1 to about 20 W/cm2.
In the present invention, the first plasma region and the second plasma region may be formed such that they partially overlap each other to such an extent that the reflectivity of the light-reflective metallic layer formed at the second plasma region is not substantially decreased.
In a preferred embodiment, the zinc oxide-based transparent conductive rear layer is formed by sputtering a zinc oxide target at a temperature of 150xc2x0 C. or more and a sputtering gas pressure of 1 Pa or more.
In another preferred embodiment, the thin-film photovoltaic conversion unit has an n-type semiconductor layer composed of silicon and containing phosphorus, as an impurity, in an amount of 2 to 8 atomic percent based on the silicon, and the transparent conductive rear layer is composed of zinc oxide and contains aluminum in an amount of 1 to 5% by weight.
In this specification, the term xe2x80x9cfrontxe2x80x9d refers to a light incident side of the device, while the term xe2x80x9crearxe2x80x9d refers to the opposite side of the device. Further, the terms xe2x80x9cnip junction structurexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cpin junction structurexe2x80x9d refer to the order of a p-type semiconductor layer, an i-type semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer from the substrate. More specifically, the nip junction structure is a structure having an n-type semiconductor layer, an i-type semiconductor layer and a p-type semiconductor layer which are disposed in this order on the substrate. On the other hand, the pin junction structure is a structure having a p-type semiconductor layer, an i-type semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer in this order on the substrate.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.

Method of producing a thin-film photovoltaic device


A new and distinct variety of peach Prunus persica, tree substantially as illustrated and described which produces large and attractive fruit which are mature for commercial harvesting and shipment approximately August 23 to September 8, nearly 2 weeks before ‘Prima Gattie’ peach tree (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,085), in the San Joaquin Valley of central California.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of peach tree, which will hereinafter be denominated varietally as 'GP-27' peach tree, and, more particularly, to a peach tree which produces fruit, which are mature for commercial harvesting and shipment approximately August 23 to September 8 in the San Joaquin Valley of central California.
Commercially acceptable fruit is abundant in the case of many varieties of fruit trees. This is particularly true of peach trees. The plentiful quantities of such commercially acceptable fruit result in there being a substantial market for such fruit throughout most of a comparatively long growing season.
However, commercially acceptable fruit is relatively rare at the initiation and termination of the growing season. Most such early or late ripening peach varieties produce fruit which is only marginally acceptable on a commercial basis in that it is small in size, or possesses poor skin coloration, or lacks desirable flavor, or has poor handling characteristics, or any combination of these and other negative characteristics. Accordingly, new peach varieties producing fruit which ripens early or late in the season, but which possesses characteristics more typical of fruit ripening more nearly at the height of the growing season are of significant commerical value. The new variety of peach tree of the present invention appears to be such a variety, as will hereinafter be set forth in greater detail.


A receiver and method for the same are provided. In the receiver, a decoder may decode an equalized signal to generate symbol decisions and a soft information signal. An equalizer may select boundary levels for non-uniform quantization using a soft information signal delayed by a symbol interval. The equalized signal may be generated from a feedback-filtered signal using the symbol decisions.

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-0101534, filed on Dec. 4, 2004, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to equalizers, decoders, receivers, and methods for the same.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
Broadcasting systems may utilize OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) based DVB-T (Terrestrial Digital Video Broadcasting) or VSB (Vestigial Sideband Broadcasting), for example, as defined by the ATSC (Advanced Television Subcommittee). A VSB digital television receiver may utilize a more robust receiver capable of receiving a VSB signal including inter-symbol interference through a multi-path channel, more stably demodulating, and/or more stably decoding the received VSB signal.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional digital television receiver 100, which may process a VSB signal. Referring to FIG. 1, the digital television receiver 100 includes a tuner 110, a demodulator 120, an equalizer 130, and a TCM (Trellis-coded Modulation) decoder 140. TCM coding may use an error correction technique, which may improve system robustness against thermal noise. TCM decoding may have more robust performance ability and/or a simpler decoding algorithm. The output signal OUT of the TCM decoder 140 may be processed by a signal processor and output as multimedia signals (e.g., display signals and/or audio signals).
FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a conventional decision-feedback equalizer (DFE) 200, which may be used as the equalizer 130 of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, the DFE 200 includes a feed-forward filter 210, an adder 220, a slicer 230, and a feedback filter 240. The DFE 200 may receive the output signal of the demodulator 110 of FIG. 1 as an input signal INPUT, equalize distortion of the received signal and output the equalized signal to the TCM decoder 140 of FIG. 1. The DFE 200 may be positioned, for example, prior to the TCM decoder and may use uncoded symbols to perform a feedback process. However, the uncoded symbols may have lower reliability.
FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional digital television receiver 300 having a DFE 310 combined with a TCM decoder 320. Referring to FIG. 3, the DFE 310 may include a feed-forward filter 311, an adder 312, a slicer 313, and a feedback filter 314. The TCM decoder 320 may decode the output signal EQO of the DFE 310, and may generate symbol decisions H1, H2, H3, . . . , using a branch metric computation and traceback procedure that may be the reverse of the TCM encoding process. The symbol decisions H1, H2, H3, . . . , which may be fed back to the feedback filter 314, may have higher reliability because they may be generated from a more (e.g., the most) probable surviving path.
However, the TCM decoder 320 generating the symbol decisions H1, H2, H3, . . . , may utilize a higher system clock rate to operate with suppressed (e.g., without) delay, which may increase hardware complexity and/or power consumption. In the alternative, a more hardware efficient TCM decoder 320 may introduce delays in the decoding process. For example, the first available decision from TCM decoder 320 (H1) may be delayed by D symbols, where D may be, for example, 2 to 7 symbols. To suppress performance degradation, a first D taps of the feedback filter 314 may be filled with decisions produced by the slicer 313. The remaining taps may be filled with the symbol decisions H1, H2, H3, . . . produced by TCM decoder 320.
A transmitting device transmitting a VSB signal may include a TCM encoder 400 shown in FIG. 4. Referring to FIG. 4, the TCM encoding device 400 used in a broadcasting system (e.g., an ATSC broadcasting system) includes a first switch 410, twelve parallel TCM encoders 420, 430 and 440, and a second switch 450. The first TCM encoder 420 may TCM-encode a first symbol group of input data, for example, the first, thirteenth and twenty-fifth symbols. The second TCM encoder 430 may TCM-encode a second symbol group of the input data, for example, the second, fourteenth and twenty-sixth symbols. The twelfth TCM encoder 440 may TCM-encode a twelfth symbol group of the input data, for example, the twelfth, twenty-fourth and thirty-sixth symbols. This code interleaving operation of the TCM encoding device 400 may generate a twelve symbol interval between output data items.
The TCM decoder 320 of FIG. 3 may have the same, or substantially the same, configuration as illustrated in FIG. 5. Referring to FIG. 5, the TCM decoder 320 used in the broadcasting system includes a first switch 321, twelve parallel TCM decoders 322, 323 and 324, and a second switch 325. The TCM decoders 322, 323 and 324 may each perform the branch metric computation and traceback procedure to generate symbol decisions H1, H2, H3, . . . , from a more (e.g., the most) probable surviving path. There may be a twelve symbol interval between adjacent symbol decisions.

Decision feedback equalizer and method used in digital television receiver


A neurostimulation device is provided comprising an input, a neurostimulation probe, a stimulation unit and a distribution calculation module. At the input stimulation data is received comprising information relating to a stimulation preferability and an orientation of at least one fiber bundle. The neurostimulation probe comprises an array of stimulation electrodes which are coupled to the stimulation unit. The stimulation unit, in accordance with a specified current distribution, provides currents to the respective stimulation electrodes for generating an electric field gradient. The distribution calculation module is coupled to the input and the stimulation unit for based on the stimulation data determining a preferred position and orientation for the electric field gradient, and based on the preferred position and orientation for the electric field gradient, calculating the specified current distribution.

Systems for providing neurostimulation via an implanted probe are used for treatment of disorders such as chronic pain, Parkinson's disease, tremor and dystonia. Neurostimulation is used for stimulating neural tissue in the brain, the spinal cord and peripheral nerves. In the following, neurostimulation of brain tissue will be discussed. However, the system and method according to the invention can also be used for neurostimulation of, e.g., the spinal cord and peripheral nerves. The probe is surgically implanted in the brain, close to the brain tissue that is to be stimulated. When using neurostimulation it is important to stimulate the tissue that needs stimulation and to avoid stimulation of other nearby tissue. Correct placement of the probe thus is an important step in a successful neurostimulation treatment. In known systems for planning implantation of the probe, imaging techniques such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are used to visualize the target region. The surgeon tries to locate the structures that need stimulation and tries to define a surgical plan to implant the probe in the identified structure.
A known way of trying to stimulate the correct tissue region is to implant a probe with a plurality of electrodes and to select only a subset of these electrodes so as to stimulate only specific tissue regions. This is, e.g., described in U.S. patent applications US 2008/0215125 and U.S. 2010/0030298. These U.S. applications describe a probe with a plurality of electrodes which is implanted close to the region of interest. Electrical charges are supplied to a subset of these electrodes to selectively stimulate specific tissue regions. Also in U.S. Pat. No. 7,442,183 a subset of a plurality of electrodes is activated to steer an electrical field to the target region. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,442,183, it is noted that the selective activation of a subset of the electrodes makes the precise probe location relative to the target structure less critical.
Although the use of electrode arrays does enable steering 3D electric field distributions to specific tissue regions, the full range of 3D stimulation patterns that can be created is still dependent on the exact position and orientation of the probe. For optimal therapy delivery options and tuning flexibility thereof an optimal lead positioning should be arranged in the therapy planning phase.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The invention is a method for manufacturing a felt belt having a support which is embedded in a fiber matrix and is made up of at least two yarn layers arranged one above another, at least one is a longitudinal yarn layer made up of longitudinal yarns extending in parallel fashion, and at least one is a transverse yarn layer made up of transverse yarns extending in parallel fashion, transverse yarns being present that are continuous over the width of the felt belt. For each longitudinal yarn layer, a first support module is manufactured, by means of a first auxiliary support web, at a width that is less than the width of the completed felt belt, the first auxiliary support web being wound in helical fashion, before, during, or after the application of yarns, to a width that corresponds to the width necessary for manufacture of the completed felt belt.

In the field of paper machine belts in particular, felt belts are known in which a support made up of textile plastic yarns is embedded in a fiber matrix of plastic fibers. Paper machine belts of this kind are used chiefly as press felts in the press section of a paper machine. The fiber matrix is manufactured in such a way that one or more nonwoven fabric layers are needle-felted onto the support on one or both sides.
In the felt belt of the species, the support is made up not of a woven fabric but of at least two yarn layers arranged one above another. A yarn layer has yarns that are arranged in parallel fashion at a distance from one another and that, unlike in woven and knitted fabrics, are not engaged into one another. The yarn layers are arranged so that the yarns of adjacent yarn layers intersect, generally in such a way that one yarn layer is embodied as a longitudinal yarn layer having longitudinal yarns extending in the longitudinal direction of the felt belt, and one yarn layer is embodied as a transverse yarn layer having transverse yarns proceeding in the transverse direction.
A felt belt of this kind in the form of an endless press felt is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,967. For manufacture of the felt belt, firstly modules are formed that are made up either entirely of a fiber layer or of a combination of fiber layer and yarn layer. Regarding the manufacture of these modules, the reader is referred to U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,258. The individual modules are then laid onto one another and joined to one another without the use of binding yarns, in part using extruded polymer material. The manner in which an endless felt belt results from the joining of the individual modules is not evident from U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,967.
Because hot-melt adhesive fibers or adhesive is used, the press felts according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,967 are relatively dense (cf. U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,985 B1, col. 1, lines 38 to 47) and stiff. This limits the usability of such felt belts in paper machines.
EP 1 359 251 A1 likewise discloses a support made up of at least two yarn layers arranged one above another, in which context the support can also be covered with a fiber layer. Manufacture of the support proceeds in such a way that the longitudinal yarns are stretched parallel to one another between two yarn beams, and the transverse yarns are then laid over the longitudinal yarns. The transverse yarns are then fused to the longitudinal yarns by being heated (in a manner confined to their intersection points) to melting temperature. Heating of the yarns can be accomplished by means of a laser beam when the yarns are equipped with an additive that promotes absorption of the laser beam.
Although a highly dimensionally stable support is obtained with this method, a prerequisite therefore is that the longitudinal and transverse yarns abut one another in planar fashion, which requires a specific yarn shape. This yarn shape in turn conflicts with embedding of the support into a fiber matrix by means of needle-felting of nonwoven fabric layers. Such supports are therefore of only limited suitability for the manufacture of press felts, and are intended chiefly for use in the dryer section of a paper machine, and in that case without a fiber layer or fiber matrix.
EP 0 464 258 A1 describes a method for manufacturing a felt belt, in particular as a press felt, in which the support is built up by the fact that a support web strip whose width is substantially less than the intended width of the support is wound in helical or screw-shaped fashion onto two spaced-apart rollers until the intended width of the support is reached. Simultaneously or subsequently, the support is covered in the same way with nonwoven fabric strips, and the nonwoven fabric web thus formed is needle-felted to the support. The oblique side edges of a felt belt constructed in this fashion are then trimmed so as to yield straight side edges that extend in the machine direction.
With this manner of manufacturing the support, the longitudinal yarns extend, because of the winding process, at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the felt belt, and continuous transverse yarns are not obtained, so that the transverse strength of the felt belt is not very high. In order to obtain better transverse strength, it has been proposed to join the edges of the support web strips to one another, for example by stitching (U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,656). In the context of supports manufactured from yarn layers, the edges of the support web strips are, according to EP 0 947 623 A1, joined to one another by the fact that the transverse yarns of the transverse yarn layer engage into one another at the edges, and a joining yarn is laid on there and is welded to the portions of the transverse yarns that interengage. This has the disadvantage, however, that in the region of the edges a strip is created that, because of the differing arrangement and density of the yarns, has properties that are different from those of the other surfaces of the felt belt, in particular lower permeability. This can result in marks on the paper.
To remedy this, it is proposed in EP 1 209 283 A1 to embody the edges of the support web strips in meander fashion with successive projections and indentations, and to abut the support web strips against one another in such a way that the projections and indentations interengage, such that the projections completely fill the indentations. The edges are then joined via joining means, for example stitched seams or adhesive strips. This too, however, results in changes in the properties of the completed felt belt in the region of the interengaging edges.

Method for manufacturing a felt belt, and felt belt


A method for rendering a shadow cast from an object illuminated by at least one light source onto at least another object on a graphical computer display. The preferred embodiment enables the rendering of accurate and realistic shadows in real-time, consequently providing a realistic view of three-dimensional objects in two dimensions. The shadow can also provide more visual clues than are otherwise available from ambient light sources. In this way, more visual information is provided to an observer.

1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to displaying realistic images on a graphical display. More specifically, the present invention relates to the rendering of realistic shadows cast by displayed objects relative to the objects and a perceived light source to thereby provide greater realism or image enhancement to an image shown on a graphical display.
2. The State of the Art
The ability to accurately and rapidly render images on a graphical display is much sought after. Accordingly, a definition or understanding which will be useful in describing the invention is that the image of concern is not just a picture showing three-dimensional objects which cannot be manipulated; rather in the image of the present invention, at least one object which can be viewed on a graphical display may be manipulated by computational means. In other words, the objects we are concerned with are three-dimensional "things" which can be displayed realistically as a two-dimensional image.
A less abstract example which clarifies the definition above is shown in FIG. 1. Here a two-dimensional image is illustrated because it is drawn on a two-dimensional piece of paper. Likewise, FIG. 1 does not differ significantly from what would be displayed on a computer graphical display. However, despite being a two-dimensional image, the image appears to have depth because the image is rendered with perspective. In FIG. 1, the rendered image shows terrain or landscaping 10, a light source 12 and a three-dimensional object 14 which is disposed perpendicular to the underlying terrain 10. Given the location of the object 14 and the location of the light source 12, the object should cast a shadow relative to the light source 12. The area 16 shaded by the object 14 is simply shown for the sake of identifying the area 16 which should be shaded. The shaded area 16, however, is not yet rendered with a shadow.
FIG. 1 illustrates the concept that a perspective view of an object 14 gives an observer a sense of depth so that the object appears to be more real than a two-dimensional image. In other words, the purpose of a perspective view is to make a two-dimensional image appear three-dimensional. The relevance of this last statement is that an object 14 can appear to be more realistic and accurate if rendered properly.
The importance of rendering a realistic or more life-like image comes from the advantages to be gained from visualizing objects or scenes that do not exist, do not yet exist, or which exist but do not provide enough information (visual clues as to what is being viewed) when seen in reality. Particular examples will be described later. What should be remembered, however, is that a vital component of any realistic or enhanced image rendering process, and which is often ignored, is the casting and rendering of shadows. A shadow not only provides an obvious clue as to the direction of a light source, more importantly for displayed computer images, it enhances visual reality to help the mind believe what it is seeing.
Thus, while the importance of shadows in rendering realistic images on a computer display has long been recognized, the ability to accurately render them has been difficult. This difficulty can be summarized as a problem with rendering accurate shadows, realistic shadows and rendering shadows in real-time.
The subject of rendering of shadows has been researched since the early days of computer graphics. For example, the published papers of Frank Crow in Shadow Algorithms for Computer Graphics, and Lance Williams in Casting Curved Shadows on Curved Surfaces, addressed handling of shadow edges, or penumbra, to improve realism and to prevent aliasing. In 1987, William Reeves, et al. published Rendering Antialiased Shadows with Depth Maps, where an algorithm for antialiasing shadows with depth maps was presented. Andrew Woo, et al. presented a survey of shadow rendering techniques which had been implemented up to 1990. Those techniques included hard and soft edged shadowing, scanline approaches, using shadow volumes, area subdivision, depth buffering, ray tracing, cone tracing, radiosity, etc. The survey even addressed various culling schemes, transparency effects, and shadows caused by bumpy surfaces.
While rendering realistic shadows is difficult, the problem is compounded when the objects and/or scene are modeled by complex databases which contain a mathematical description of three-dimensional objects. In the past, non-real-time techniques have often turned to ray tracing or radiosity techniques to achieve realism. However, these techniques are not directly applicable to systems requiring fast rendering, such as in real-time or interactive image generators.
In 1992, Mark Segal, et al. introduced an algorithm for using texture mapping hardware to render shadows. The algorithm is based on the work of William Reeves and what others have done with depth maps. Segal showed that a rendering pipeline could be used in multiple passes to render the image from both the light source's perspective and the observer's perspective. The texture mapping hardware is used to transform from one space to another. More specifically, a scene is first rendered from the perspective of the light source. The resulting depth values are then transferred from a frame buffer to a texture memory. When rendering the scene from the observer's perspective, each pixel is transformed via the texture hardware into the light source's space where it is compared with the depth stored in the texture memory. If the image's depth is further than the texture depth, the pixel is in a shadow.
While the technique above has generated some impressive demos, it is not a useful technique for complex applications. For example, when rendering a scene from the light source's perspective, the level of detail may be completely different than the level of detail seen by the observer. This can cause inconsistencies in the shadows produced. These inconsistencies could even appear and disappear in sequential images, thereby causing distracting effects, as the eye position or light source moves. In addition, the cost of the hardware is doubled or tripled in order to accomplish the multiple passes.
Another problem is that because the resultant depth map must be converted to a texture map, it is very limited in its resolution. This can result in very coarse shadow images. This can be amplified if the light source is omni-directional. An omni-directional light source can illuminate any point in an image database, so the first pass rendering must have a field-of-view which completely encloses the observers field-of-view. This can severely limit the applied resolution.
Another problem is that the use of textures for the depth map increases the number of texture maps that must be applied to the polygon. The result is an increase in the rendering time which may exceed the limits of the hardware.
A last notable problems is that the depth texture map must be applied to the entire terrain model. This process involves complex clipping for any terrain triangle that is not completely enclosed by the shadow's texture map.
In summary, while many of the published shadow rendering techniques provide robust, general purpose solutions, none of the general solutions can be implemented in real-time hardware. What is needed is a shadow rendering technique which can be used to generate realistic and accurate shadows for display in real-time or interactively to thereby avoid the common problems cited above.

Method for rendering shadows on a graphical display


A projector including an ultrasonic speaker that includes an ultrasonic transducer capable of oscillating an acoustic signal in a wide frequency band and reproduces signal sound in the audio frequency band, and a projector main body that includes a projecting optical system that projects a video image on a projecting surface. The ultrasonic speaker and the projector main body are integrated with each other.

A conventional projector is mainly used for presentations at, for example, a conference, and therefore there is little need for the projector main body to have a speaker. This is because the presenter usually explains the data projected on a screen using a microphone. As such, the speech is audible as audio information in a conference hall or the like through speakers.
However, as DVD system use spreads in the future, users will probably prefer larger screens. When a projector is used as a large screen image device, an acoustic system is necessary. In certain use environments, however, there is hardly space to provide a stereo surround system or a 5.1 channel surround system. Further, such a sound system is costly. As such, the value of a projector as a tool for providing a home theater or for showing educational materials is almost nonexistent.
A speaker that allows the projector to be used as if it is a radio-cassette player could be installed in the projector main body. A general loudspeaker, however, is insufficient in volume and cannot provide enough acoustic sound if installed in the projector. That is, if a speaker is provided in the projector main body and sound is generated from it, the positional difference between the sound source and the screen that actually shows images inevitably makes the viewers feel that the sound and the action on the screen are not exactly synchronized.
The idea of storing an ultrasonic speaker using an ultrasonic transducer in a projector has been suggested. Such a conventional ultrasonic speaker is shown in FIG. 8. The ultrasonic speaker includes an audio frequency wave oscillating source 81 that generates a signal in the audio frequency band, a carrier wave oscillating source 82 that generates a carrier wave, a modulator 83, a power amplifier 84, and an ultrasonic transducer 85.
In the above conventional ultrasonic speaker, a carrier wave in the ultrasonic frequency band output from the carrier wave oscillating source 82 is modulated, with a signal output from the audio frequency wave oscillating source 81 by the modulator 83. The modulated signal amplified by the power amplifier 84 drives the ultrasonic transducer 85. In this manner, the modulated signal is converted into a sound wave in a finite amplitude level by the ultrasonic transducer 85, and the sound wave is radiated into a medium (air), so that the non-linear effect of the medium (air) allows signal sound in the original audio frequency band to be reproduced.
In this case, the range of reproducing the signal in the audio frequency band corresponds to a beam-shaped range in the direction of the radiation axis from the ultrasonic transducer 85.
The construction of such a conventional ultrasonic transducer used in an ultrasonic speaker is shown in FIG. 9. The conventional ultrasonic transducer is mostly a resonant type, using piezoelectric ceramic as an oscillating element. The ultrasonic transducer shown in FIG. 9 uses piezoelectric ceramic as the oscillating element to convert an electric signal into an ultrasonic wave and vice versa (transmits/receives an ultrasonic wave). The bimorph ultrasonic transducer shown in FIG. 9(A) includes two pieces of piezoelectric ceramic 91 and 92, a cone 93, a case 94, leads 95 and 96, and a screen 97.
The pieces of piezoelectric ceramic 91 and 92 are joined with each other and the leads 95 and 96 are connected to the surfaces opposing the joining surface.
A unimorph ultrasonic transducer, shown in FIG. 9(B), includes a piece of piezoelectric ceramic 101, a case 102, leads 103 and 104, an internal interconnection 105, and a glass part 106. The piece of piezoelectric ceramic 101 is connected with the lead 103 through the internal interconnection 105 and grounded to the case 102.
The resonant ultrasonic transducer takes advantage of the resonance of the piezoelectric ceramic, and therefore the transmitting/receiving characteristics for the ultrasonic waves are good only in several relatively narrow frequency bands around the resonance frequency. Therefore, the quality of the generated sound is not high.


The present invention provides a method of operating a flushing system for efficient waste removal from and cleaning of a toilet bowl. In the disclosed method, a flushing system is provided that includes a pumping means having each of a rim diverter means and a jet diverter means in fluid communication therewith; a sensor means; a control means; a switching means; and a spray means. Activation of the switching means initiates at least a single flush schedule that comprises the steps of initiating operation of the pumping means; opening the jet diverter means for delivery of water to a jet delivery means in fluid communication therewith; subsequently closing the jet diverter means and simultaneously opening the rim diverter means; and directing water from the rim diverter means to a toilet rim in fluid communication therewith for terminal delivery of the water through the spray means.

The excessive consumption of potable water remains a dilemma for water agencies, commercial building owners, homeowners, residents and sanitaryware manufacturers. An increasing global population has negatively affected the amount and quality of suitable water. In response to this global dilemma, many local and federal authorities have enacted regulations that reduce the water demand required by toilet flushing operations. In the United States, for instance, government agencies that regulate water usage have gradually reduced the threshold for fresh water use in toilets, from 7 gallons/flush (GPF)(26.5 liters/flush (LPF)) prior to the 1950s to 5.5 GPF (20.8 LPF) by the end of the 1960s to 3.5 GPF (13.3 LPF) in the 1980s. The National Energy Policy Act of 1992 now mandates that toilets sold in the United States can only use 1.6 GPF (6 LPF) (see "Toilets", www.urbanedge.org/green-housing). Other countries through North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia have enacted similar restrictions in recognition of global water conservation objectives.
In the sanitary industry, however, a toilet must successfully perform two operations within prescribed legislative limits for water usage. The toilet must not only achieve unimpeded removal of all waste from a toilet bowl, but also effect complete removal of surface markings from the bowl interior. Even with water usage restrictions, consumers expect successful completion of both functions without the need for successive, redundant flushes and/or redundant brushing and scrubbing.
Prior to inception of water restriction regulations, contemporary toilets employed principals of gravity to complete these functions. Such toilets operated essentially by pouring a large amount of water into the bowl and relying upon the inherent low-pressure flow for sufficient operation thereof. The significant reduction of available flush water, however, prompted radical design changes to then-existing toilets designs and impeded the ability to achieve an effective flush. For example, reduction of flush water volume from 3.5 gallons (10 liters) to 1.6 gallons (6.0 liters) in the United States revealed the poor hydraulic design inherent in existing toilets and forced sanitaryware manufacturers to reduce the diameter of the toilet exhaust pipe by up to 1.5″ (3.8 cm). This design modification produced a funnel whereby the toilet aided the siphon function. The reduced exhaust pipe parameter, however, exacerbated clogging and required multiple flushes for complete elimination of waste and surface markings from the bowl interior, thus eliminating any water reduction benefits.
Although the above problems are not applicable to gravity-fed toilets, water restriction regulations also incurred problems in Europe, where such gravity-fed, non-siphoning toilets are configured for installation in floor or wall outlets (thereby ensuring compliance with regional codes). Unlike American designs, such non-siphoning configurations typically have deep bowls, small water spots and enhanced exhaust pipe diameters from about 2.5″ (6.4 cm) to about 3″ (7.6 cm), inclusive, that are not prone to clogging. The small water spot, however, increases the dry surface area of the ceramic bowl that is exposed to soil. This increased surface area inhibits bowl cleanliness and exacerbates the need for consistent manual bowl cleansing.
Sanitaryware manufacturers, learning from their initial mistakes, thereafter made significant progress in toilet design and operation to perform the waste removal and cleaning functions described hereinabove. Most manufacturers employed new features in these designs, namely, a very powerful jet that helped to arrange the siphon at a larger exhaust diameter (in siphoning toilet models typically found in the united States and Asia); and a constant diameter exhaust pipe with almost no restrictions (in siphoning and non-siphoning models). In the United States, for instance, multiple toilet models emerged that incorporated improved hydraulic design, often fed by 3″ (7.6 cm) discharge valves in the toilet tank to create a powerful jet. Such toilets remove a demonstrably larger load within the 1.6 GPF (6 LPF) water limit when compared to their predecessors (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,124 for "Automatic, Self-Cleaning, Water-Saving Toilet System"; U.S. Pat. No. 6,115,853 for "Toilet Bowl"; U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,229 for "Automated Flap and Cup Cleaner Water-Saving Toilet"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,505 for "Water Efficient Toilet").
A common drawback of conventional gravity-force dynamic toilets is the removal of the majority of water by a strong jet during the flush function. The powerful jets employed thereby use a significant portion of available water for the flush, leaving a minimal amount of water for a rim wash and correspondingly little capability for sufficient cleaning of the bowl interior. Such toilets additionally have problems with consistent excess noise during use and often incur uncomfortable splashing of toilet water. It is therefore desirable to explore other energy sources that exhibit enhanced toilet performance and water conservation benefits.
Line pressure as an energy source provides simple, reliable performance without the need for electricity and without the need for a tank (if direct flow from a 1″ (2.5 cm) line is used). Conversely, line pressure is not immediately available in many markets (and in Europe, legislation exists to prevent the use of line pressure). In addition, line pressure as an energy source requires use of a heavy and expensive water control valve with dependence on inherent line pressure and undesirable noise and water flow characteristics. This type of energy source is not compatible with residential applications where the line is ½″ (1.3 cm).
In the alternative, pressure accumulators are used for toilets to provide sufficient flushing performance without the need for electricity. These toilets require an additional tank and exhibit dependence upon preexisting line pressure. Because the water pressure changes significantly during discharge (producing high water pressure at the initiation of water discharge yet low water pressure at the end of such discharge), the average pressure during the flush cycle is approximately half of the line pressure or the pressure regulator pressure. The need for a pressurized vessel results in excessive noise and water flow control, presenting the consumer with a sub-optimal solution (see "Toilets: Comfortable and Efficient", Consumer Reports, August 2005).
Both pressure line and pressure accumulator systems simultaneously direct water to a toilet rim and jet simultaneously (using either option still requires optimum distribution of water flow between the jet and the rim, although hydraulic water control devices devised for this purpose remain complicated, expensive, inflexible and incapable of proper water flow distribution.). The pressurized jet pushes out the sump load quickly, and this event is comparatively silent because the energy of the jet is damped by water in the sump. When the sump becomes empty, pressurized water shoots out of the jet into the air, thereby creating a high decibel noise (the noise level in pressure assisted toilets is about 85 dB, slightly louder than the 80 dB noise level of a conventional vacuum cleaner, as compared with a noise level at or about 78 dB for conventional gravity toilets). To prevent such noise, the jet flow must be stopped when the sump is empty. Excessive noise is an important factor in toilet selection, as installation of noisy toilets is limited to public places and not appropriate for private residences or places of relaxation (i.e., hotels, spas, hospitals, residential care facilities, etc.).
In addition, pressurized jets in these systems create splashing of water that has not yet evacuated the bowl. As a consequence, splashing on the rim creates an unhygienic condition and also fails to adequately remove surface markings of waste from the bowl interior.
Flexible electrical controls and electric pumps are an alternative to line pressure for energizing toilets. Despite the fact that toilets with electric pumps have been known for some time (see, for instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,986,216; 3,932,901; 4,185,337 and 5,010,602, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein), few toilets currently on the market have an electric pump. Examples of this type of toilet include one-piece embodiments with a very low tank within which the pump resides and induces flow (see, for example, the product specification for Kohler's "Trocadero" toilet) and a tankless toilet that hides water storage in a shroud beneath the tank (see, for example, the advertisement and product specification for Kohler's "Purist Hatbox" toilet). In the latter example, a pump pushes water into the jet and rim, and electric and water supply lines disposed beneath the toilet support surface enter the toilet from a bottom portion thereof. Such compact construction is aesthetically pleasing and accommodates flushing under a strong pressurized jet action. This example, however, lacks proper timing and distribution control of water between the rim and the jet. The result is a weak bowl wash due to the lack of sufficient water delivery at the rim. In addition, splashes caused by the jet escape the bowl interior, causing likely discomfort to the user. The jet continues to run when the sump is already empty, and excessive noise is prevalent during the flushing action.
Conventional toilet designs still use a significant amount of water to complete a flush cycle, especially in consideration of contemporary water conservation efforts. Applicant of the instant application has addressed the need for powerful, cleansing flushes in 1.6 GPF/6.0 LPF embodiments (see Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,728,975 and Applicant's pending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/231,977, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein). Applicant's disclosures provide a toilet with an exhaust pipe having a diameter of about 2 and ⅜″, thereby obviating most clogging conditions. In the commercial embodiment of Applicant's disclosed toilet, 1.2 gallons (4.5 liters) of water is discharged from the tank in about 0.7 seconds, and a complete flush takes about 3 seconds. This device may be integrated with electronic timers integrated into a control circuit, such timers being more adjustable and cost effective than analog mechanical flow control devices.
Applicants have observed, however, that it is desirable to provide a toilet having an improved flushing system and operating method therefor, such flushing system using an alternative energy means with minimal water consumption and without any detriment to flushing performance. Such a flushing system operating method is desirably employed in a plurality of siphoning and non-siphoning toilet configurations for global applications (desirably using a water volume at about or below 1.6 gallons (6 liters)). Such an operating method should ensure load removal from the sump with minimal flushing noise but with comprehensive bowl cleaning without the need for plungers and/or brushes. The employed flushing system can be readily installed in cooperation with any preexisting water supply line (including ½″ (1.3 cm) diameter residential water supply lines). The desired flushing system configuration will permit compact toilet designs to facilitate installation and maintenance thereof and affordability for a wide range of commercial and residential consumers. By using minimal water amounts to achieve an effective flush and thereby maintain optimal bowl cleanliness, such an operating method desirably reduces consumption of potable water without compromising sanitation.

Multi-phase, high energy flushing system


A ventilated rotor of a high-power turbogenerator for the production of electricity has a shaft extending along an axis; a plurality of axial slots obtained in the shaft; a plurality of conductor bars arranged at least partly in the slots; a plurality of axial channels suitable for ventilating the conductor bars; a plurality of subslots, each of which is arranged below a slot to distribute a ventilating gas; a plurality of axial portions traveled over by respective flows of ventilating gas along each axial channel; and at least one radial channel, which is intended to convey directly the ventilating gas from the subslot to the outer surface of the rotor via the conductor bars and is arranged between two consecutive and adjacent axial portions of an axial channel.

The development of high-power turbogenerators for the production of electricity has evolved with the aim of increasing unitary power, for a given ventilating gas, until reaching maximum dimensions and weight for handling, transport and installation of the turbogenerators.
Therefore, having established the type of ventilating gas and having reached the dimensional limits, increase in performance can be obtained by improving the ventilation methods and, therefore, cooling of the rotor electrical winding. A known ventilation method provides, in a ventilated rotor of a high-power turbogenerator for the production of electricity comprising a shaft extending along an axis, a plurality of axial slots obtained in the shaft, a plurality of conductor bars arranged at least partly in the slots, a plurality of axial channels suitable for ventilating the conductor bars and a plurality of subslots, for the ventilating gas to be distributed by the subslots to the axial channels and expelled from the latter at the level of the outer surface of the rotor.
The ventilated rotor of the type described has the drawback that, in order to increase the power of the turbogenerator, it is necessary to increase the dimensions of the rotor, for example the length, consequently lengthening the axial channels and increasing the temperature of the conductor bars.
In order not to exceed the temperatures established by the current regulations, increase in the length of the axial channels must be accompanied by an appropriate reduction in the losses per unit of length and, therefore, in the rotor current. This means that the specific power that can be delivered by the generator in terms of MVA/m3 (power of the generator/volume of active parts) decreases as the dimensions increase. In other words, the increase in power of the turbogenerator is not directly correlated with the increase in dimensions.

Ventilated rotor of high-power turbogenerator for production of electricity


An electronic control unit (ECU) and a database (DB) of a travel assist device specify and store a deceleration end point of a vehicle on the basis of information relating to an absolute position independent from a structure on the ground. Further, the ECU and the DB of the travel assist device stores a deceleration end area which is an area within a predetermined range from the deceleration end point.

A proposal in which data obtained by learning the drive operation of a driver is applied to many applications has been made. For example, in Patent Literature 1, a map information creation apparatus is disclosed which includes driver operation change detection means for detecting a driver operation change of a driver who drives a vehicle, position information acquisition means for acquiring position information of the vehicle such as latitude and longitude when the driver operation change detection means detects the driver operation change, and map information creation means for associating and storing the driver operation change with the position information, when there is the driver operation change.

Information processing device for vehicle and database


A vacuum pump having shock absorption and controlled rotation for use in an artificial limb. The pump includes a housing having a first chamber, and a shaft configured to be received by and to reciprocate within the first chamber, the housing and shaft forming a pump chamber. A piston may be coupled to the shaft and positioned within the pump chamber, and intake and exhaust ports are fluidly coupled to the pump chamber. Rotational structure is mounted with respect to the pump to provide controlled rotation of the shaft relative to the housing, and shock absorption structure is included within the pump to provide shock absorption for the shaft. Both a pneumatic spring and a mechanical spring element may be provided for the shock absorption structure. An optional adapter couples the shaft to the pylon of an integral pylon prosthetic foot.

An amputee is a person who has lost part of an extremity or limb such as a leg or arm, the remainder of which commonly may be termed as a residual limb. Residual limbs come in various sizes and shapes with respect to the stump. That is, most new amputations are either slightly bulbous or cylindrical in shape while older amputations that may have had a lot of atrophy are generally more conical in shape. Residual limbs may further be characterized by their various individual problems or configurations including the volume and shape of a stump and possible scar, skin graft, bony prominence, uneven limb volume, neuroma, pain, edema or soft tissue configurations.
Referring to FIG. 1, a below the knee residual limb 50 is shown and described as a leg 51 having been severed below the knee terminating in a stump 52. In this case, the residual limb 50 includes soft tissue as well as the femur 54, knee joint 55, and severed tibia 56 and fibula 57. Along these bone structures surrounded by soft tissue are nerve bundles and vascular routes which must be protected against external pressure to avoid neuromas, numbness and discomfort as well as other kinds of problems. A below the knee residual limb 50 has its stump 52 generally characterized as being a more bony structure while an above the knee residual limb may be characterized as including more soft tissue as well as the vascular routes and nerve bundles.
Referring to FIG. 2, amputees who have lost a part of their arm 60, which terminates in a stump 62 also may be characterized as having vascular routes, nerve bundles as well as soft and bony tissues. The residual limb 60 includes the humerus bone 64 which extends from below the shoulder 61 to the elbow 63 from which the radius 65 and ulna 66 bones may pivotally extend to the point of severance. Along the humerus bone 64 are the biceps muscle 67 and the triceps muscle 68 which still yet may be connected to the radius 65 and the ulna 66, respectively.
In some respects, the residual limb amputee that has a severed arm 60 does not have the pressure bearing considerations for an artificial limb but rather is concerned with having an artificial limb that is articulable to offer functions typical of a full arm, such as bending at the elbow and grasping capabilities. An individual who has a paralyzed limb would also have similar considerations wherein he or she would desire the paralyzed limb to having some degree of mobility and thus functionality.
Historically, artificial limbs typically used by a leg amputee were for the most part all made out of wood, such as an Upland Willow. The limbs were hand carved with sockets for receiving the stump 52 of the residual limb 50. Below the socket would be the shin portion with the foot below the shin. These wooden artificial limbs were covered with rawhide which often were painted. The sockets of most wood limbs were hollow as the limbs were typically supported in the artificial limb by the circumferential tissue adjacent the stump 52 rather than at the distal end of the stump 52.
Some artificial limbs in Europe were also made from forged pieces of metal that were hollow. Fiber artificial limbs were also used which were stretched around a mold after which they were permitted to dry and cure. Again, these artificial limbs were hollow and pretty much supported the residual limb about the circumferential tissue adjacent the stump 52.
All of these various artificial limbs have sockets into which the amputee's stump 52 is put. There are generally two categories of sockets. There are hard sockets wherein the stump 52 is placed into the socket and actually touches the socket wall without any type of liner or stump sock. Another category of sockets is a socket that utilizes a liner or insert. Both categories of sockets typically were open ended sockets having a hollow chamber in the bottom and no portion of the socket touched the distal end of the stump 52. So, the stump 52 was supported about its circumferential surface as it fit against the inside wall of the sockets.
These types of sockets caused a lot of shear force on the stump 52, as well as had pressure or restriction problems on the nerve bundles and vascular flow of fluid by way of the circumferential pressure effect of the socket on the limb. This pressure effect could cause a swelling into the ends of the socket where an amputee may develop severe edema and draining nodules at the end of their stump 52.
With time, it was learned that by filling in the socket's hollow chamber and encouraging a more total contact between the stump 52 and the socket, the swelling and edema problems could be eliminated. However, problematic tissue configurations, such as bony prominences, required special consideration, such as the addition of soft or pliable materials to be put into the socket.
Today, most artificial limbs are constructed from thermoplastics such as polyester resins, acrylic resins, polypropylenes and polyethylenes, which are often laminated over a nylon stockinette that also may be impregnated by the various resins.
In the past, most artificial limbs were suspended from the amputee's body by some form of pulley, belt or strap suspension often used with various harnesses and perhaps leather lacers or lacings. Another method of suspending artificial limbs is known as the wedge suspension wherein an actual wedge is built into the socket which is more closed at its top opening. The wedge in the socket cups a portion of the femur. Yet another form of suspension is referred to as the shuttle system, or a mechanical hookup or linkup wherein a thin suction liner is donned over the stump that has a docking device on the distal end which mechanically links up with its cooperative part in the bottom of the socket chamber. Sleeve suspensions were also used wherein the amputee may use a latex rubber tube which forms into a rubber-like sleeve which would be rolled on over both the top of the artificial limb and onto the amputee's thigh. The sleeve suspensions have been used in combination with other forms of suspensions techniques.
Both the use of a positive pressure system and the use of a negative pressure system (or a hypobaric closed chamber or a vacuum) have been utilized in the field of prosthetics. At one time, for positive pressure systems "inflatable inner tubes" were used to fit into sockets. Presently, there are pneumatic "bags" which are strategically placed over what people consider to be good weight-bearing areas to increase pressure to help accommodate for volume changes within the socket.
Some of the problems with these positive pressure systems are that they use a very specific pressure at specific locations resulting in the creation of atrophy and loss of tissue dramatically over these high pressure areas. None of these systems employs positive pressure distributed over the total contact area between the residual limb and the artificial limb socket to accommodate volume changes within the socket.
One system using negative pressure utilized a closed chamber with a socket that is donned by pulling on with a sock, pulling the sock out of the socket and then closing the opening with a valve. This creates a seal at the bottom and the stump is held into the socket by the hypobaric seal.
The older systems were initially started in Germany. They were an open-ended socket, meaning there was an air chamber in the bottom of the socket. This did not work particularly well because it would cause swelling of the residual limb into the chamber created by the negative draw of suspending the weight of the leg and being in a confined area. This would lead to significant edema which would be severe enough to cause stump breakdown and drainage.
It was later discovered in the United States that total contact is important between the residual limb and the socket to reduce uneven force distribution. Once total contact is achieved, the weight was distributed evenly or the suspension was distributed over the whole surface of the limb rather than just over the open chamber portion of the socket.
The human body as a whole is under approximately one atmosphere of pressure at sea level. It keeps and maintains a normal fluid system throughout the body. When an amputee dons a prosthesis and begins taking the pressures of transmitting the weight of the body through the surface area of the residual limb to the bone, there is increased pressure on the residual limb equal to one atmosphere plus whatever additional pressures are created by weight bearing. This increased pressure causes the eventual loss of fluids within the residual limb to the larger portion of the body which is under less pressure. This loss of fluids causes the volume of the residual limb to decrease during the day. It varies from amputee to amputee. The more "fleshy" and the softer the residual limb, the more volume fluctuation there will be. The greater the weight and the smaller the surface area, the greater the pressure will be and the more "swings" there will be in fluids. In the past, the amputee compensated for this volume decrease by removing the artificial limb and donning additional stump socks to make up for the decreased residual limb volume.

Vacuum pump with shock absorption and controlled rotation for prosthetic devices


A method may include a obtaining a first data model instance comprising an identifier string and a set of attributes associated with a set of attribute name strings. The method may include obtaining an ontology graph that includes a first label, a second label, and an association between them. The method may include using a prediction model to select the first label based on the first data model instance and determining the second label based on the relationship. The method may include determining a selected set of labels that includes the first label and the second label to associate with the first data model instance. The method may include associating the selected set of labels with the first data model instance in a dataset that includes a plurality of records, where each record is associated with a different data model instance.

Modern information systems are often populated with vast quantities of data stored in data lakes. A significant amount of computations may occur to analyze the datasets stored in these data lakes. The efficient analysis and use of these datasets may be guided by a data catalog, which may provide information about the purpose, collection strategy, or other information associated with these datasets. The data catalog may be stored as its own set of records and may provide an efficient means of retrieving and using a plurality of datasets. Such efficiency and increased accuracy may be beneficial for a variety of enterprise-scale data retrieval and analysis operations.


A 5-membered cyclic compound of the formula:

A method of inducing immediate asthmatic response (IAR) by inhalation of an allergen in a patient with atopic asthma has been employed as an experimental model for respiratory distress in bronchial asthma. Namely, when a patient with atopic asthma inhales an allergen, then the patient has an asthmatic response (broncho-constriction) after about 20 minutes, and further 2 hours thereafter, the symptom returns to the original condition. Then, keeping on observation of the patient who had immediate asthmatic response, it has been confirmed that about half of the patients who have immediate asthmatic response showed again a bronchoconstriction 6 to 10 hours thereafter, and it was named as late asthmatic response (LAR) (cf., Booji-Noord, H, et al., J. Allergy Clin. Immunol., 48, 344-354, 1971). In late asthmatic response, the bronchial obstruction lasts for a long period, and pulmonary overexpansion is accompanied thereto, but this response is strongly suppressed by corticosteroids. From this fact, the above bronchial asthma induced by an allergen has been recognized as an important clinical model for steroid-dependent respiratory distress of serious bronchial asthma. Immediate asthmatic response has been considered as type I allergy induced as a result of a mast cell activation by IgE antibody, while late asthmatic response has been considered as T lymphocyte- and eosinophilic-induced allergic responses (eosinophilic inflammation). It has been clarified that these immediate asthmatic response and late asthmatic response are also induced in the allergic rhinitis or atopic dermatitides (cf., OKUDAIRA Hirokazu, medicina 34, p. 200-203 (1997)). In addition, the bronchoalveolar eosinophilia during allergen-induced late asthmatic reactions has been reported in a patient with bronchial asthma (cf., De Monchy, J. G., et al., Am. Rev. Respir. Dis., 131, 373-376 (1985)). From the increase of eosinophils in the peripheral blood and sputum of many patients with bronchial asthma, massive infiltration by eosinophils in the pulmonary tissue of a patient who died by asthma, and the deposition of major basic protein (MBP) at bronchial wall and mucous plug of patients, which is a tissue toxic protein derived from eosinophils, certain product derived from eosinophils has been considered to play an important role in bronchial epithelium injury accompanying to late asthmatic response (cf., Filley, W. V., et al., Lancet. 2 (8288), 11-6 (1982)).
At present, the concept of developing bronchial asthma has been considered as a chronic inflammatory disease from a simple reversible bronchial spasm, and according to this change of the concept, a method for treatment thereof should also have been changed. US National Institute of Health National Heart Lung Blood Institute (NIH/NHLBI) and WHO announced a Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) for controlling and preventing asthma in 1995, and it has been an international guidance for treatment of a patient with bronchial asthma. As mentioned above, until comparatively lately, bronchial asthma had been considered as type 1 allergy in which IgE antibody participates, and a medicament for treatment thereof had been developed based on a role of mast cell in the mechanism of pathogeny thereof. However, at present, as shown in the opinion of NIH/NHLBI, bronchial asthma is positioned to be an inflammatory disease at airway, and bronchial asthma is considered to be "chronic epithelium desquamative eosinophilic infiltrative bronchial infection" as inflammation of airway induced by inflammatory cells which are mainly eosinophils/T lymphocytes (cf., Miwa MISAWA, Folia Pharmacologica Japonica, 111, 193-194 (1998)). In the above-mentioned GINA, conventional methods in Europe and the United States for treatment of asthma have mainly been employed, and inhaled corticosteroids are used as a primary choice. According to this guide line, there is established a guide line for treatment of asthma having inhaled corticosteroids as basal medication in Japan (cf., under the editorship of Sohei MAKINO, Japanese Society of Allergology, Guide Line for treatment of Allergic diseases, p. 3-65, Life Science Medica (1995)).
Corticosteroids are considered to be the only remedy for serious bronchial asthma and atopic dermatitis, but they exhibit their potent effects as well as side effects such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, immune suppression, cataracta, mental disorder, atrophy cutis, etc. Inhaled corticosteroids have been developed in order to reduce such systemic side effects of steroids, but it is difficult to prove that corticosteroids administered by inhalation do not circulate in entire body, and fears for inherent side effects of corticosteroids cannot be eradicated. Recently, side effects of inhaled corticosteroids have been reported in Europe and the United States, and FDA of the United States instructs to attach a warning as to the risk of side effects to inhalant corticosteroids for treatment of bronchial asthma and nasal inhalant corticosteroids for treatment of allergic rhinitis (Konig, P., Allergol. Int., 49, 1-6 (2000)).
As mentioned above, the infiltration by eosinophils into lesion plays an important role in the onset and exacerbation of late response of not only bronchial asthma but also of allergic dermatitis or rhinitis. However, by suppressing the infiltration and activation of eosinophils, only corticosteroids are specific remedies for treatment of allergic diseases, for example, bronchial asthma, and in the clinical field, it has been desired to develop an anti-inflammatory agent, which can take the place of corticosteroids, and have fewer side effects and also can be orally administered. For example, as a trial of developing an agent for suppressing eosinophilic inflammation, an antibody neutralizing interleukin-5 (anti-IL-5 neutralization antibody), which induces the proliferation-differentiation of eosinophilic precursor cell, extension of survival of mature eosinophils (cf., Garlisi, C. G., Pulm. Pharmacol. Ther., 12, 81-85 (1999)), a low molecular inhibitor of Very Late Antigen 4 (VLA-4), which is an adhesive factor being specific to eosinophil (cf., Haworth, D., et al., Br. J. Pharmacol., 126, 1751-1760 (1999)), a low molecular antagonist against CCR3, a receptor of eotaxin, which is a chemokine being specific to eosinophil and induces eosinophil migration (cf., Wells, T. N. C., et al., Inflammation Res., 48, 353-62, (1999)) have been studied, but they cannot take the place of corticosteroids yet.
On the other hand, L-threo-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-N-[3-(4-fluorophenyl)propyl]serinepyrrolidinamide has been known to exhibit an inhibitory effect of eosinophil migration (cf., Sugasawa, T. and Morooka, S., Recent Advances in Cellular and Molecular Biology, 3, 223-227, Peeters Press, Leuven, Belgium (1992), Sugasawa, T. et al., J. Biol. Chem., 272, 21244-21252 (1997), WO 98/26065). The in vivo specific binding site of this L-threo-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-N-[3-(4-fluorophenyl)propyl]serinepyrrolidinamide is a receptor-like membrane protein and referred to as SMBS protein (SMBP) (cf., Sugasawa, T. et al., J. Biol. Chem., 267, 21244-21252 (1997), WO 98/26065).
Therefore, if the eosinophil migration can be inhibited by binding to this SMBS protein, then it may be possible to treat allergic diseases such as asthma, etc.

Abstract: wherein X is oxygen or sulfur, R1 is hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, etc., R2 is hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, etc., Y1 is a direct bond, substituted or unsubstituted alkylene, —CO(CH2)n—, etc., the wavy line means (E)-configuration or (Z)-configuration, R3 is substituted or unsubstituted aryl, etc., Y2 is substituted or unsubstituted alkylene, etc., R4 is hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted alkanoyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, etc., R5 is hydrogen, etc., or a salt thereof, these compound being able to inhibit infiltration of leukocytes such as eosinophils and lymphocytes, by which being useful for the treatment of various kinds of inflammation.


Dual action lethal containers, systems and methods and novel compositions and formulas which are used to kill mosquitoes and their larvae. Generally pyramid shaped containers can have combined interior larvacidal and adultacidal coatings above and below a side opening in the container. A removable inclined grate cap can also allow for mosquitoes to enter into the container. Inclined stacked walls inside the container form attractive surfaces for mosquitoes to breed. Water-holding containers, such as flower pots, water holding dishes used under plant pots, vases, bird baths, and fountains and storm water inlets, can be coated with novel larvicide and/or adulticide coatings. Small objects can be coated with larvicide or larvicide and adulticide combination, which can be dropped in water-holding containers which can leach out pesticide over time which prevents mosquitoes from breeding in the water-holding containers.

Over the years, ovitrap type containers have been used and deployed to control mosquitoes. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,557 to Perich et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,861 to Perich; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,740 to Perich et al.; and Zeichner, Brian C. "The lethal ovitrap: a response to the resurgence of dengue and chikungunya", U.S. Army Medical Journal, July-September 2011. These types of ovitraps have generally used a paper strip having insecticide that hangs within a cup filled with water up to a series of drain holes. The insecticide strip will hang into the water, with the intention of killing female mosquitoes as they land on the ovitrap to lay eggs. However, these types of Ovitraps have limitations due to the insecticide on the paper breaking down rapidly because of water contact, and also the trap is not designed to kill larvae.
For example, these traps have lacked the use of a timed release of insecticide, and the water ended up breaking down the insecticide to become ineffective or not killing fast enough to prevent egg laying because of insecticide resistance in the mosquito population. A study in Key West, Fla. that used thousands of ovitraps ended up producing mosquitoes from these water filled containers. Additionally, the ovitraps only used an adulticide, which was not effective in killing mosquito larvae.
Still furthermore, Mosquito ovitraps available in the market do not contain larvicide and only adulticide so if eggs are laid larvae can develop. The addition of larvicide would prevent that problem.
Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art.

Mosquito control devices using durable coating-embedded pesticides

University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.