A leakage current control circuit with a single low voltage power supply is provided. The circuit includes a first power supply line, a second power supply line, a ground line, a high voltage generating circuit, a power transistor and a control circuit. The high voltage generating circuit generates a voltage in response to an internal sleep signal. The gate electrode of the power transistor is connected to the output of the high-voltage generating circuit such that the power transistor is controlled by the high voltage generating circuit. When the power transistor turns on, the circuit is in operation mode; when the power transistor is off, the circuit is in sleep mode. The control circuit connects to the first power line, the second power line, and the ground line to output the internal sleep signal in response to the sleep signal.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates a CMOS circuit, more specifically, a CMOS leakage current control circuit with a single low-voltage power supply.
2. Related Art
The control of leakage current is very important in the design of IC (Integrated Circuit), especially in the design of low-power and low-voltage IC.
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art leakage current control circuit, namely, a super cut-off CMOS (SCCMOS), having an active mode and a sleep mode. The active mode means that the core circuit is in an operating state. After receiving an external sleep mode control signal (SLP), the core circuit will stop operation and shift into an idle status (i.e., a sleep mode) to lower power consumption. As shown in the drawing, the prior art leakage current control circuit includes a high-voltage generating circuit 102, a switch circuit, for example a power transistor, 104, a sleep-control circuit 106, a plurality of flip-flops 110, 113 and 116, and a plurality of combinational circuits 112 and 115. Each of the flip-flops 110, 113 and 116 has a corresponding memory device 111, 114 and 117, respectively, which back up the data in the flip-flops 110, 113 and 116 when the circuit is in a sleep mode. The operation of the control circuit will be detailed below.
A first end of the transistor 104 is connected to a first power supply line VDD, and a second end of the transistor is connected to a second power supply line VDDV, and the gate electrode of the transistor 104 is connected to the output of the high-voltage generating circuit 102. In response to an internal sleep signal (SLPI), the high-voltage generating circuit 102 generates and supplies a high-voltage VGP higher than the supply voltage VDD to the gate electrode of the transistor 104. This is called the super cutoff mechanism. The flip-flops 110, 113, and 116 are connected between the second power supply line VDDV and the first ground line GND. The memory devices 111, 114 and 117 are connected between the first power supply line VDD and the second ground line VSS. The combinational circuits 112 and 115 are connected between the second power supply line VDDV and the first ground line GND. The control circuit 106 is connected to the first power supply line VDD and the second power supply line VDDV. After the control circuit 106 receives an external sleep mode control signal SLP, it outputs a corresponding internal sleep mode signal SLPI. It also outputs an internal clock signal CK to the flip-flops 110, 113 and 116 in response to an external clock signal CKE. Meanwhile, the wordline signal WL controls the operation of the memory device 111, 114, and 117.
The circuit shown in the FIG. 1 applies the super cutoff mechanism to the power transistor 104 to limit the leakage current in the sleep mode to an average of pico-ampere each gate. By applying the super cutoff scheme, the supply voltage VDD can also be reduced to a very low voltage, say 0.5V. However, because each of the flip-flops has an extra memory device for data backup in the sleep mode, and because the memory devices are high threshold-voltage elements that cannot operate under low-voltage, an extra voltage of −0.5V (VSS) besides a power supply of 0.5V (VDD) has to be provided to activate the memory devices. Further, the wakeup time of the entire circuit from the sleep mode to the active mode is long.
In order to solve the problems described above, the prior art provides another circuit, as shown in FIG. 2, an zigzag super cut-off CMOS (ZSCCMOS), including a high-voltage generating circuit 201, a low-voltage generating circuit 202, a first switch circuit, for example a P-channel power transistor, 203, a second switch circuit, for example an N-channel power transistor, 204, a control circuit 206, a plurality of flip-flops 210 and 218, and a plurality of combinational circuits 212, 214, and 216. The flip-flops 210 and 218 have different properties. The operation of the circuit is detailed below.
A first end of the first P-channel power transistor 203 is connected to a first power supply line VDD, a second end of the power transistor 203 is connected to a second power supply line VDDV, and the gate electrode of the power transistor 203 receives the output of a high-voltage generating circuit 201. A first end of the second N-channel power transistor 204 is connected to the first ground line GND, a second end of the power transistor 204 is connected to a second ground line GNDV, and the gate electrode of the power transistor 204 receives the output of a low-voltage generating circuit 202. In response to an internal sleep mode signal SLPI, the high-voltage generating circuit 201 generates an output voltage VGP higher than the power supply voltage VDD and supplies the output voltage VGP to the gate electrode of the first transistor 203. In response to an internal sleep mode signal SLPI#, the low-voltage generating circuit 202 generates an output voltage VGN lower than the voltage GND and supplies the sleep signal SLPI# to the gate electrode of the second transistor 204. The flip-flops 210 and 218 must be connected to VDD, VDDV, VGP, GND, GNDV, and VGN. The combinational circuits 212 and 216 are connected between the second power supply line VDDV and the first ground line GND. The combinational circuit 214 is connected between the first power supply line VDD and the second ground line GNDV. The control circuit 206 generates internal sleep mode signals SPLI and SLPI# in response to an external sleep mode signal SLP. It also outputs an internal clock signal CK in response to an external clock signal CKE to the flip-flops 210 and 218. In the sleep mode, the input of the combinational circuit 212 is maintained at a high level and the output of the combinational circuit 212 is maintained at a low level, the input of the combinational circuit 214 is maintained at a low level and the output of the combinational circuit 214 is maintained at a high level, the input of the combinational circuit 216 is maintained at a high level and the output of the combinational 216 is maintained at a low level.
The circuit shown in FIG. 2 may reduce the wakeup time. However, because each pipeline stage needs a special flip-flop (flip-flop 210) as an input phase-locking circuit and an ordinary flip-flop (flip-flop 218) as an output terminal to save data when in the sleep mode, each pipeline stage of the circuit includes two kinds of flip-flops. This means the circuit may not be used in a typical consecutive pipeline system or the circuit shown in FIG. 2 can only be used at a specific pipeline stage. Although ZSCCMOS is single low-voltage circuit, its flip-flops use more wires to control the operation in the sleep mode. Therefore, more wire resources are needed.

Leakage current control circuit with a single low voltage power supply and method thereof

Industrial Technology Research Institute


An apparatus for transferring products, such as fruit, onto, and supplying the same to, a conveyor, preferably a roller conveyor. The apparatus is provided with two flat endless conveyor belts positioned obliquely relative to a vertical plane, continuous in the conveying direction, functioning as a V-channel. The endless conveyor belts first extend substantially parallel to the conveyor in the conveying direction, wherein from a well-defined location, the endless conveyor belts bear off the conveyor and continue at different angles relative to the conveying direction, with the conveyor belts diverging mutually. The apparatus accommodates a stream of food products, such as fruit, with greatly varying sizes, to be transferred gradually and in the proper sequential order onto the conveyor, thereby considerably reducing injuries to the food product during transfer.

A prior feeding apparatus is described in JP61111221, which describes the conveyance of products such as fruit situated in file. With a first conveyor, randomly arranged products are supplied to a second conveyor. This second conveyor consists of two brushes rotating in opposite senses, which provide for a continuous movement of the products in the conveying direction. As indicated in the drawing, in order to transfer the products situated behind and against each other to a roller conveyor, the products are gradually supplied to and onto the rollers by means of an intermediate section. This intermediate section is formed by two flat continuous conveyor belts, positioned obliquely relative to a vertical plane, which, directly after the brushes, function either as a V-channel (FIG. 4) or, starting as a V-channel, diverge to some extent (FIG. 1). At an appropriate speed of the conveyor belts, the products will, respectively, end up on the rollers with some spread, or not only continue in the conveying direction but moreover move down gradually between the belts.
Ideally, the sequential order effected will be preserved. However, when products such as fruits, nearly always having a greater or lesser spread in size, are being conveyed, their falling from between the flat belts will proceed less uniformly than expected. In fact, the sequential order may even be disturbed, or fruits may end up side by side between two rollers, thus forming 'doubles'.

Feeding apparatus for products such as fruits


Phyto material tablets, tablet vaporizers, methods and apparatus for forming phyto material tablets. The tablets are formed to increase vaporization efficiency. Tablets can include break regions to facilitate fracturing into multiple pieces for vaporization. The tablets can also include multiple layers of different phyto material mixtures. Compression molds are used to shape the tablets. The compression molds can be provided on a rotational assembly to facilitate rapid manufacturing of multiple tablets. The vaporizers include heating chambers that are configured to increase the surface area of the tablets exposed for vaporization. The heating chambers include compression or fracture members that compress and/or encourage fracturing of the tablets to assist vaporization.

The following is intended to introduce the reader to the detailed description that follows and not to define or limit the claimed subject matter.
Various methods of vaporizing phyto materials, such as cannabis products, are known. For instance, PCT Publication No. WO2016/187695A1 of Davis purports to describe a vaporizer apparatus for a compressed tablet formed from a plant source material containing medicinal ingredients of therapeutic efficacy. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes: a holder for a compressed tablet; a microprocessor; a controlled air flow; and a controlled heat source; wherein the microprocessor is adapted to control the air flow and the heat source to vaporize the compressed tablet received in the compressed tablet holder at a desired rate. In another embodiment, the vaporizer apparatus includes a carousel for receiving a disc cartridge containing packaged compressed tablets. In still another embodiment, the vaporizer apparatus is adapted to recognize a type of compressed tablet placed into the holder, and to control an air flow and a heat source based on selected therapeutic compounds desired to be released from the recognized type of compressed tablet.
PCT Publication No. WO2016/187696A1 of Davis purports to describe a compressed vaporizer tablet and method. In an embodiment, the method comprises: obtaining one or more plant source materials containing one or more active medicinal ingredients; compressing the one or more plant source materials under pressure and heat into a tablet; and forming one or more through holes in the tablet, whereby the through holes provide increased tablet surface area during vaporization. The tablet may further include one or more ribbed edges to further increase the tablet surface area. The tablet is preferably individually sealed in a blister pack to increase shelf life of the tablet, and to provide safety and convenience features for use.

Phyto material tablet, method and apparatus


A storage rack for storing nuclear fuel rod assemblies is provided with an array of cell housings having support elements which are preloaded against the adjacent corner of the adjacent cell housing. The support elements are fixed to the outer corner of one cell housing and have pads which are preloaded or biased against the adjacent corner of the adjacent cell housing. The interface between the pads of the support elements and the adjacent cell housing provide a coulomb damping function which is effective in absorbing vibration from rough handling or seismic events. The cell housings can be located in alternating positions in the array and additional cell locations can be formed from the outer walls of the surrounding cell housings. The cell housings are held together in the array by support bars which are affixed to the top and bottom ends of the cell housings. The support bars may include recesses to align the cell housings.

The invention relates to storage racks for storing nuclear fuel assemblies both during transport and during stationary storage. Preferably, the racks are highly overdamped, enabling them to best withstand vibrations caused by seismic events or rough handling.
Fuel for nuclear reactors is typically configured in the form of elongated fuel rods, which may be separate, stand-alone elements, or may be positioned within canisters. Hereinafter, the fuel rods and rod/canister combinations are referred to as fuel assemblies. Both before and following use, the fuel assemblies must be stored and/or transported with great care. To assure that such care is achieved, storage racks are often used to support a plurality of fuel assemblies in a generally parallel, spaced-apart configuration, while maintaining the fuel assemblies in a subcritical array environment. During storage, the racks and the fuel assemblies contained therein, may be completely submerged in a pool of water. The water provides cooling and additional shielding from nuclear radiation.
The fuel storage racks of the prior art typically consist of an assembly of hollow cells, each defined by an array of elongated rectangular cross-section boxes or compartments. The boxes are typically made by forming sheets of stainless steel into elongated rectangular cross-section tubes (typically 9 inches square by 14 feet long and welding the corners of the elongated tubes together to form a matrix of elongated hollow cells, each adapted the receive a single fuel assembly. Typically, the tubes are joined at their corners to common rod segments that are located at various positions along the adjacent corners of the tubes. Exemplary storage racks are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,695,424, 4,857,263, 4,948,553, and 4,366,115. Alternatively, the tubes can be held in place by support bars that are welded or otherwise affixed to the top and bottom ends of each tube such as disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,813 entitled Highly Damped Storage Rack for Nuclear Fuel Assemblies, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
A neutron absorbing (or "poison") material, such as borated stainless steel, is typically welded or otherwise rigidly affixed to each of the walls of the boxes to absorb neutron flux from the fuel assemblies which may be positioned within the boxes, thereby avoiding an undesirable concentration of neutrons. Alternatively, the neutron absorbing material can preloaded against the walls of the tube as described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,813 in order provide a coulomb damping function for improved resistance to vibration damage.
One of the problems associated with assembling prior art storage racks is that the tolerance variation of the longitudinal bow for the tubes can vary up to .+-.0.1875 inches. After assembling the tubes together at their ends, any bow over the fourteen foot length of the tube makes it difficult to weld rod segments at positions intermediate to the ends. In addition, if the bow were to increase over time, the adjacent corners could bear against each other, potentially causing premature failure of the storage rack.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved storage and/or transport rack for nuclear fuel assemblies.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved storage rack for nuclear fuel assemblies which is highly overdamped to enable the rack to withstand the vibration of seismic events or rough handling such as may be encountered during transportation of the rack.
It is another object to provide a storage rack for nuclear fuel assemblies which has improved torsional and crush strength.
A further object is to provide an improved storage rack for nuclear fuel assemblies which may be easily and inexpensively manufactured.
It is yet another object to provide a storage rack for nuclear fuel assemblies which is resistant to failure due to the bowing of the tubes of the storage rack.
It is yet a further object to provide a storage rack for nuclear fuel assemblies which is resistant to failure due to the bowing of the individual cell tubes of the storage rack by providing support elements that are positioned between adjacent cell tubes of the storage rack in order to facilitate alignment of the cell tubes and resist bowing by biasing the support elements against adjacent cell tubes to distribute the forces attributable to bowing over the adjacent cells.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

Damped storage rack for nuclear fuel assemblies


A fixing device includes a heating source, a pressing member, a heating member, a nip pressure switching mechanism, a separating member and a restricting piece. The pressing member comes in pressure-contact with the heating member and forms a fixing nip. The nip pressure switching mechanism moves the pressing member between a first position and a second position. The separating member is movable between a separating position where the separating member is in contact with the heating member or faces the heating member and a cleaning position separated away from the heating member farther than the separating position. The restricting piece restricts the movement of the separating member under a state where the pressing member is at the first position and permits the movement of the separating member under a state where the pressing member is at the second position.

The present disclosure relates to a fixing device configured to fix a toner image on a sheet and an image forming apparatus provided with the fixing device.
An electrographic image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine and a printer, is usually provided with a fixing device configured to fix a toner image on a sheet. The fixing device includes a heating member (for example, a heating roller or a heating belt) and a pressing member (for example, a pressing roller or a pressing belt) configured to come in pressure-contact with the heating member. And, by heating and pressing the sheet and the toner image at a fixing nip formed between the heating member and the pressing member, the toner image is fixed on the sheet.
The fixing device of such a configuration is provided with a separating member which comes in contact with the heating member or faces the heating member at intervals. And, the sheet with the fixed toner image is separated from the heating member by using the separating member.
In the fixing device of such a configuration, the toner (developer)) on the sheet may be attached and then deposited on the separating member. When the toner is deposited on the separating member in this way, the deposited toner may move to the heating member and cause a damage to the heating member. Alternatively, the toner deposited on the separating member may move to the sheet and cause an image degradation.
Thus, there is a configuration that both a front surface (a surface configured to guide the sheet) and a back surface (a surface configured to face the heating member) of the separating member are coated with fluoroethylene resin to prevent attaching of the toner on the separating member. Alternatively, there is another configuration that a sheet member is attached on the separating member to prevent attaching of the toner on the separating member.
In the configuration that the both the front and back surfaces of the separating member are coated with fluoroethylene resin, when a part of the back surface of the separating member is not coated with fluoroethylene resin, the toner may attach and deposit on the part having no fluoroethylene resin coating. And, it is difficult to coat the front surface and the back surface of the separating member with a constant thickness at a time. In addition, when the coating of the front surface and the back surface of the separating member would be carried out at a time, a coating pool may be caused easily. Therefore, in order to coat the front surface and the back surface of the separating member with a consistent thickness without causing a coating pool, it is necessary to carry out the coating in several times. This leads a complication of the coating process and increase of a unit price of the separating member.
On the other hand, the configuration that the sheet member is attached on the separating member requires use of the sheet member in addition to the separating member, causing increase of the number of members and cost.
Furthermore, if the configuration that the both surfaces of the separating member are coated with fluoroethylene resin and another configuration that the sheet member is attached on the separating member may be applied, it is difficult to perfectly prevent attaching of the toner on the separating member and thereby it is required to clean the separating member. When the cleaning of the separating member may be not easily carried out, the toner deposited on the separating member may move to the heating member and cause a damage to the heating member. Alternatively, the toner deposited on the separating member may move to the sheet and cause an image degradation.

Fixing device and image forming apparatus


Disclosed is a composite sliding material consisting of a back metal, a porous alloy layer which is formed on the surface of the back metal by sintering a copper alloy powder, and a resin layer which is formed so as to impregnate into and cover the porous alloy layer. The alloy layer consists of sintered copper alloy particles and has a thickness of superimposed plural particles. The copper alloy powder has an average particle size of 25 to 100 xcexcm so that the composite sliding material has smallersliding-contact resistance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composite sliding material applicable to bearings and so on.
2. Brief description of the Art
JP-A-10-212534 (which is a Japanese patent application filed by the same assignee) discloses a composite sliding material, as shown in FIG. 3, which consists of a back metal 1, a porous alloy layer 2 and a resin layer 3, wherein the porous alloy layer is formed on the surface of the back metal by sintering an alloy powder and the resin layer is formed so as to impregnate into and cover the porous alloy layer. The alloy layer 2 is provided on the back metal 1 in order to firmly bond the resin layer 3 to the back metal since the resin layer is not strongly bonded to the back metal. The alloy layer consists of sintered alloy particles having an average particle size of 125 xcexcm and has a thickness of superimposed about three alloy particles.
Whereas, recently, a composite material, of the same type as stated above but having smaller sliding-contact resistance, has been required. Under such a requirement, the inventors noted that there is a significant relationship between a degree of the sliding-contact resistance and a recession depth of the resin layer resulted from deformation by a load exerted on the resin layer, and examined a sliding material with a resin-layer filled with a hard material. However, the hard material is liable to attack the mating member. Although it is possible to reduce the deformation degree or the recession depth of the resin layer by making the resin layer thin, the alloy layer is liable to be exposed due to a small wear loss of the thin resin layer, whereby a problem of durability arises.
On the other hand, the inventors found by trial and error that the recession depth of the resin layer resulted from deformation under loading is affected also by elastic deformation of the alloy layer. However, taking this finding into consideration, if the number of superimposed alloy particles is reduced, bonding strength of the resin layer to the back metal is decreased resulting in that a separation may occur.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a composite sliding material comprising a back metal, a porous alloy layer which is formed on the surface of the back metal by sintering an alloy powder, and a resin layer which is formed so as to impregnate into and cover the porous alloy layer, which has a lower sliding-contact resistance, while ensuring enough bonding strength of the resin layer to the back metal, by making alloy particles constituting the alloy layer to have a smaller particle size.
According to a key aspect of the invention, there is provided a composite sliding material comprising a back metal, a porous alloy layer which is formed on the surface of the back metal by sintering a copper alloy powder, and a resin layer which is formed so as to impregnate into and cover the porous alloy layer, wherein the copper alloy powder has an average particle size of 25 to 100 xcexcm, and the alloy layer, consisting of sintered copper alloy particles, has a thickness of superimposed plural particles.
According to an application manner of the composite sliding material, such as a wet or dry condition of operation, optionally the resin layer may be thermoplastics including fluorocarbon polymer (such as PTFE), polyacetal (such as POM) and aromatic polyether ketone (such as PEEK); thermosetting resin including phenol and polyimide; an admixture thereof; or any one of these into which graphite or molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) is added.
The copper alloy constituting the alloy layer may comprise typically Sn, P or Pb. Since a much amount of Sn makes the alloy layer hard, Sn is limited to an amount range of 6 to 15 mass %, desirably 8 to 12 mass %. Regarding P (phosphorus), it is desirably added into the copper alloy in order to improve sintering capability. But, since a much amount of P makes the alloy layer hard to have high attack property against the mating member, the amount of P is limited to less than 0.6 mass %. Regarding Pb, in the case where the composite sliding material is used under a wet condition, 3 to 12 mass % of additive Pb improves sliding-contact property of the material. Thus, the additive alloying elements may be optionally selected as a combination thereof or a single element taking an application manner of the material into consideration.
While the alloy layer is formed to be porous by sintering the copper alloy powder, if the porosity thereof is small, the amount of resin impregnation into the porous alloy layer becomes smaller resulting in separation of the resin layer from the alloy layer. Thus, the alloy layer has desirably a porosity of not less than 20%.
The smaller the average particle size of the copper alloy particles constituting the alloy layer is, the smaller the sliding-contact resistance becomes. Taking this into consideration, the average particle size is limited to a range of 25 to 100 xcexcm. The lower limit is set because, if the average particle size is less than 25 xcexcm, the bonding strength of the resin layer to the alloy layer is inferior.
Further, with respect to the thickness of superimposed alloy particles or the number of superimposed alloy particles which constitute the alloy layer, the smaller the number is, the smaller the sliding-contact resistance becomes. But, if the number is xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d, the bonding strength of the resin layer to the alloy layer is inadequate leading to liability to separation of the both layers, and the composite sliding material will have high attack property against the mating member. Thus, the alloy layer is defined to have a thickness of superimposed plural alloy particles. Preferably, the alloy particles are superimposed in the thickness direction by the particle number of 2 to 4 taking the sliding-contact resistance into consideration. Although the respective alloy particles has desirably a spherical form, it may have other forms.
As defined in claim 1, the composite sliding material comprises a back metal, a porous alloy layer which is formed on the surface of the back metal by sintering a copper alloy powder, and a resin layer which is formed so as to impregnate into and cover the porous alloy layer, wherein the copper alloy powder has an average particle size of 25 to 100 xcexcm; and the alloy layer, consisting of sintered copper alloy particles, has a thickness of superimposed plural particles, whereby it does not so damage the mating member and has a smaller sliding-contact resistance.


A complex multiplying section multiplies a receiving signal by a complex weighting factor of a weighting factor controlling section. The output is added by an adding circuit, and decoded by a decoding circuit so as to obtain a received signal. The weighting factor of the weighting factor controlling section is set using only the weighting factor calculated by a synchronous burst having a different unique word pattern. On one hand, it is assumed that an interference station having the same unique word pattern exists. Then, a decision feedback adaptive array antenna receiving circuit 400, which does not update the weighting factor using the unique word pattern, performs a signal reception. On the other hand, it is assumed that no interference station having the same unique word pattern exists. Then, the conventional decision feedback adaptive array antenna receiving circuit 500, which updates the weighting factor using the unique word pattern, performs a signal reception. Thereafter, a correct signal is selected from either one of the circuits. Thereby, the complex weighting factor of the adaptive array antenna is appropriately updated, so that a received signal can be extracted from the desired signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adaptive array antenna receiving apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a conventional adaptive array antenna receiving apparatus. The adaptive array antenna receiving apparatus receives carrier frequency signals from antennas a, b, and c. Then, receiving RF sections 1301, 1302, and 1303 down convert these carrier frequency signals to intermediate frequency signals, thereafter demodulate into base band signals which are in-phase component (I-ch), and an orthogonal component(Q-ch), respectively. A/D converters 1304 to 1309 convert the base band signals to digital signals, respectively.
Complex multiplying circuits 1310,1311, and 1312 carry out a complex multiplication of outputs signals of the A/D converters 1304 to 1309 in accordance with an output of a weighting factor controlling circuit 1313, respectively and the multiplication results are added by an adding circuit 1314. Thus the adaptive array antenna reception is carried out by above procedure. Then, a decoding circuit 1315 decodes the received signal.
The weighting factor of the weighting factor controlling circuit 1313 is updated using a unique word when a synchronous burst is received. At a unique word receiving interval, a switch SWa 1316 is closed and the signals digitized by the A/D converters 1304 to 1309 are transferred to the weighting factor controlling circuit 1313.
Resultant signals received by the adaptive array antenna, serving as added outputs, are transferred to a differential circuit 1318 when a switch SWb 1317 is closed. The unique word for synchronous burst is transferred to a modulating circuit 1320 when a switch SWc 1319 is closed.
The modulating circuit 1320 modulates a unique word pattern of the synchronous burst. The differential circuit 1318 subtracts a signal, which is obtained by modulating the unique word pattern, from the resultant signals received by the adaptive array antenna, thereby calculating an error between these signals.
The weighting factor controlling circuit 1313 calculates a new weighting factor based on the error signal, the received signal from each antenna, and the weighting factor previously sampled, updating the weighting factor of the weighting factor controlling circuit 1313.
In the adaptive array antenna receiving apparatus of this figure, the switch SWc 1319 is connected to the unique word side at the unique word receiving interval, and connected to a decoding result of a message at a message-receiving interval. By such an operation, this receiving apparatus updates the weighting factor using both the unique word and message intervals.
In order to obtain more proper the weighting factor, there is a decision feedback typed adaptive array antenna receiving apparatus which feeds back the output of the decoder shown in FIG. 13 to the modulator.
FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing such a conventional decision feedback typed adaptive array antenna receiving apparatus. In this decision feedback typed adaptive array antenna receiving apparatus of this figure, a switch SWc 1419 is connected to the unique word side at the unique word receiving interval, and connected to the decoding result of the message at the message-receiving interval. By such an operation, the receiving apparatus updates the weighting factor using both the unique word and message intervals.
In this apparatus, a known symbol sequence such as a unique word is used as a reference signal, thereby updating the weighting factor, while the decision feedback of a decode signal Sfb of a message is performed and the signal is used as a reference signal, updating the weighting factor.
In a normal case, since the message portion is not the known symbol sequence, such a portion is not used as a reference signal. However, in a case that an error rate of the message portion is about 10.sup.-2, the number of errors in one slot is small. As a result, the decided symbol is regarded as substantially a correct symbol, and the signal of the message portion is used as a reference symbol.
Thus, in the conventional decision feedback typed adaptive array antenna receiving apparatus, the weighting factor of the weighting factor controlling circuit 1313 was updated by use of the unique word, thereafter the weighting factor was updated by use of the message portion as an auxiliary way.
In these conventional adaptive array antenna receiving systems, however, a discrimination between a desired station and an interference station cannot be made when the unique word of the desired station and that of the interference station are the same. As a result, a wave directivity, which should be directed to the desired station as shown in FIG. 15, will be directed to both the desired station and the interference station as shown in FIG. 16. In other words, the adaptive array antenna has the technique in which the desired station and the interference station are separated by directivity. However, in the above case, the unique word cannot be correctly received from the desired station because of the interference caused by receiving the waves of the desired station and the interference station simultaneously.
An object of the present invention is to provide an adaptive array antenna receiving apparatus, which can extract a signal of a desired station from receiving signals even if there is an interference station having the same known signal pattern as that of the desired station.

Adaptive array antenna receiving apparatus


Raggedness of thin lines or edges is suppressed to improve straightness. For each of the pixels forming image data, each pixel in the image data is assigned to a printing element for outputting a pixel value of the pixel. A control unit controls printing of the image data by driving the plurality of printing elements by time-division driving in which a different driving timing is set to each printing element according to assignment. The control unit drives the printing elements such that the printing elements included in a printing element array are associated with a plurality of different driving timings and further a plurality of printing element arrays have different orders of driving timings for the respective printing elements in an arrangement direction. Distribution information assigns to the pixel a printing element driven at a reference driving timing or a driving timing close to the reference driving timing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control device for a printing apparatus, a control method, and a storage medium, and more particularly to time-division driving of a plurality of print heads and distribution of print data to the plurality of print heads.
2. Description of the Related Art
Printing apparatuses such as printers or copiers are configured to print images (including letters, symbols, and the like) on print media such as paper by using color material based on print information. The printing apparatuses are classified into an ink jet type, a wire dot type, a thermal type, an electrophotography type (a laser exposure type and an LED exposure type), and the like according to their printing systems. Of these types, a printing apparatus of an ink jet type (an ink jet printing apparatus) performs printing by using an ink jet print head to eject ink droplets from ejection ports of the print head toward a print medium.
Printing methods for the ink jet printing apparatus fall roughly into two types: a multipass system and a full line system. The multipass system repeats the operation of conveying a print medium by a predetermined amount in a direction crossing a direction in which a print head scans the print medium to perform printing over the entire area of the print medium. In the multipass system, the print head performs print scanning multiple times with respect to the same area on the print medium to print an image on the print medium. This can achieve a high image quality at relatively low cost. Therefore, ink jet printing apparatuses for consumers often use this system.
In the full line system, a print head has a printing width corresponding to the width of a print medium, and a print medium is moved so that an image is printed on the print medium. In this case, the print head performs print scanning once on the print medium. Such a print head having a long length and used in the full line system generally often has a configuration in which a plurality of print chips having a short length are arranged in a printing width direction. As compared to the ink jet printing apparatus of the multipass system, the cost of the apparatus body is higher, but it is possible to obtain an output product of a high image quality at high speed. Therefore, the full line system is often used in the ink jet printing apparatuses for POD (Print on Demand) or the like. Today, there is a need for high speed printing of print materials of a high image quality equivalent to that in offset printing, for example, at a high resolution of 1200 dpi×1200 dpi or greater, at a rate of several hundreds of pages to several thousands of pages per minute on a print medium having a Kiku size (152 mm×218 mm). Such a printing apparatus of the full line system is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-292859.
For a print head mounted on the printing apparatus of the full line system, a so-called multi-array head is often used, in which a plurality of arrays of printing elements that can print the same color material are arranged in parallel. Providing a plurality of printing element arrays associated with the same color material can print image data associated with a specific color material by a plurality of printing elements. This can suppress degradation in image quality caused by variations in landing positions of dots formed by ink droplets from respective printing elements or by variations in ejection amounts. Furthermore, since a time difference can be made between landings of adjacent dots on the print medium, it is possible to suppress degradation in image quality caused when dots which have landed on the print medium coalesce into one to form an inappropriate shape.
Each of the printing elements provided for the plurality of printing element arrays generally has a system using an electrothermal transducer element (heater) or a system using a piezoelectric element. Both systems control ejection of ink droplets by electric signals.
Printing elements in printing element arrays are arranged at a high density of, for example, 600 dpi. To downsize power sources for driving heads and members for power sources such as connectors and cables, the printing elements are often driven by a time-division driving system. In the time-division driving system, a plurality of printing elements are divided into sections, each including a predetermined number of printing elements. Then, each section is segmented into a plurality of driving blocks and the printing elements for each driving block are divided by time to be driven.
With reference to the attached drawings, the case of driving a print head by the time-division driving system will be described in detail.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of ejection port arrays of a print head, driving signals for ejection ports, and ink droplets ejected from the ejection ports. In FIG. 1, an ejection port array 1 of a print head consists of 32 ejection ports, for example, and these ejection ports are divided into four sections, each section including eight ejection ports. Furthermore, each of the eight ejection ports in each section belongs to one of eight driving blocks, and is time-division driven for each driving block in printing. More specifically, ejection ports belonging to the same driving block in different sections are simultaneously driven.
In an example shown in FIG. 1, the number of segments is 8, and ejection ports are periodically assigned to one of the driving blocks, for example, four ejection ports (1st, 9th, 17th, and 25th ejection ports) in the ejection port array 1 to a first driving block, and another four ejection ports (2nd, 10th, 18th, and 26th ejection ports) to an eighth driving block. Then, the ejection ports from the first driving block to the eighth driving block are sequentially driven by pulse driving signals as shown in FIG. 1, and ink droplets 3 as shown in FIG. 1 are ejected from the respective ejection ports in response to the driving signals.
Time-division driving by pulse driving signals 2 with a time difference in ejection timings of ink droplets between driving blocks causes ink droplets to be ejected at different timings as shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, a time difference also occurs between timings at which dots by the ink droplets land on the print medium. As a result, dots shift from their ideal landing positions, and image quality may degrade. In particular, a thin line in a direction along an ejection port array direction may be misaligned due to variations in driving timings, and deterioration in image quality may easily be recognized.
As described, the technique of solving the problem of ragged lines is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2007-276353 and 2007-090714.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-276353 discloses a printing method in which the number of blocks driven in a single printing element array is reduced to 1/N and portions to be printed by the printing elements in a non-driven block are assigned to another print pass or another ejection port array for the same ink color. In this method, a time difference of block driving occurring in a single printing element array is reduced to 1/N, so as to reduce a shift of a landing position from an ideal position.
Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-090714 discloses a driving method in which a plurality of printing element arrays are driven in different block driving orders. This method can reduce raggedness of lines.
Today, however, in ink jet printing apparatuses for POD printing or the like, there is an increasing need for high-definition output of image data, like offset printing. The above-described related art can reduce raggedness of thin lines, but a further improvement is required for such a need.
With respect to such a need, the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-276353 can reduce raggedness of vertical lines, but variations in positions caused by a time difference in block driving after restriction still remain, and thus it cannot be said that the raggedness can be sufficiently reduced. As N increases, load on processing to another pass (another ejection port array in the full line system) and the number of passes increase. Therefore, it is difficult to indiscriminately increase a value of N in actuality.
With respect to such a need, the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-090714 can reduce raggedness of vertical lines like Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-276353, but raggedness of thin lines still remains since block driving orders are different between printing element arrays.

Control device for printing apparatus, control method, and storage medium


A segment announcing system is disclosed that contains one or more segment announcement receivers that receive one or more announcements over a network connection and/or other communication connection. The announcements contain content information about the content of broadcast information being broadcast, e.g., to a television. The segment announcement receivers have one or more control outputs to perform a function, typically to control the segment announcement receivers during processing of information called a content stream.

Television displays a stream of program segments, sometimes including commercial messages, to users/viewers. This information is received by the television by any number of well known transmission methods including: direct broadcast, cable, fiber optics, etc.
In some of the prior art, some control of the programming is given to the user. For example, there are "pay per view" features in certain cable television networks that provide a particular program to a television viewer only if the viewer agrees to pay for the program, either as a periodic subscription or as a per use payment. Certain subscription services provide specific types of programming (e.g. nature or children's programming) or programming with a limited number or no commercial messages.
In certain information processing systems, e.g., a video recorder, devices can be controlled by characteristics of the signal itself. For example, a dark screen occurring in a television program being recorded indicates that a commercial is about to begin (end) and that the record speed of the video recorder should be slowed down (sped up).
However, in much of the prior art, there is a limited amount of automatic control that the user has over his television based on the content of the information being received by the television. Therefore, there is a need for an improved way to control the content outputted by a television (either to the television monitor and/or to an attached processing device like a video recorder) in standard television programming that is based on the content of the information that is being received by/sent to the television.

Control of a system for processing a stream of information based on information content

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for processing a substrate including a pre-cleaning etch and reduced pressure process is disclosed. The pre-cleaning process involves introducing a substrate into a processing chamber; flowing an etching gas into the processing chamber; processing at least a portion of the substrate with the etching gas to remove a contaminated or damaged layer from a substrate surface; stopping flow of the etching gas; evacuating the processing chamber to achieve a reduced pressure in the chamber; and processing the substrate surface at the reduced pressure. Epitaxial deposition is then used to form an epitaxial layer on the substrate surface.

Embodiments of the present invention pertain to methods of pre-cleaning substrates in epitaxy chambers, systems, and apparatus. In particular, epitaxial deposition methods, systems, and apparatus that involve a cleaning process used to remove surface defects and contaminants prior to the epitaxy process are disclosed.
An epitaxial layer is a crystalline film grown over a crystalline substrate. The underlying substrate acts as a template for the growing film, so that the crystallographic characteristics of the epitaxial layer are defined by the underlying crystalline substrate. That is, the crystalline substrate provides a crystallographic seed for the epitaxial growth. The substrate may be, for example, monocrystalline silicon, silicon germanium, or an SOI wafer.
Growth of the epitaxial layer is commonly achieved using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The substrate wafer is loaded into a CVD reactor, which is then purged with a non-reactive gas such as He, Ar, N2, or H2. The temperature of the reactor is ramped up, and a mixture of a carrier gas and a reactive gas is introduced into the reactor. Reactive gases may include, but are not limited to, silane (SiH4), disilane (Si2H6), trisilane (Si3H8), dichlorosilane (SiH2Cl2), trichlorosilane (SiHCl3), and silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4). Dopant gases may also be introduced, such as arsine (AsH3), phosphine (PH3) and diborane (B2H6). The carrier gas is typically hydrogen. When a desired thickness of the epitaxial layer has been achieved, non-reactive gases are again used to purge the reactor, and the temperature is ramped down.
However, for the epitaxial process to perform successfully, it is important that the amount of defects and contaminants present on the crystalline substrate be minimized. Crystallinity damage and contaminants on the crystalline substrate may arise during processing steps such as, for example, implantation, spacer etching, wet cleaning, and any other wafer fabrication step. The damaged and/or contaminated layer should be removed to avoid defects prior to the epitaxial deposition process. In one cleaning method, for example, the substrate may be annealed in a hydrogen atmosphere at a temperature in excess of about 850° C. to 1000° C., using what may be referred to in the art as a hydrogen pre-bake. However, such high temperature processes are expensive in terms of thermal budgeting. After the pre-bake step, the epitaxial deposition process may be performed.
It is desirable, therefore, to provide processes that reduce the thermal load during epitaxy. There is also a need for pre-clean processes that are performed at epitaxial growth conditions.

Pre-cleaning of substrates in epitaxy chambers


A rack system is provided that includes a plurality of trays configured to hold a respective plurality of battery-powered UAVs, and a frame configured to support the plurality of trays in a vertical arrangement. Each tray of the plurality of trays includes a platform, bumper and first plurality of electrical contacts. The platform may be configured to carry a UAV of the plurality of battery-powered UAVs. The bumper may be sized and positioned on the platform to guide the UAV to a resting position on the platform. And the first plurality of electrical contacts may be connected to a battery-charging apparatus, and configured to physically and electrically contact a respective second plurality of electrical contacts connected to a respective plurality of batteries on the UAV at the resting position on the platform. A related battery-charging apparatus including a charge switching system for charging battery-powered UAVs is also provided.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is an aircraft that flies without human operators being present in the aircraft. These UAVs may be controlled from a remote location. At this remote location, a human operator or a program executed by a computer generates commands for the UAV. Or in other examples, a program running on a computer or other controller on the UAV may generate commands for the UAV.
UAVs may be used for a number of different purposes. Currently, the largest use is for military applications, such as reconnaissance missions, attack missions or other suitable types of missions. UAVs also may be used in a number of civilian applications, such as to perform surveying, firefighting or other suitable types of missions. In one more particular example of a civilian application, UAVs may be used in agricultural applications to provide a remotely-sensed imagery-based decision product that aids farmers by determining the health and status of their crops.
UAVs may come in a number of different shapes and sizes. For example, UAVs may take the form of fixed wing aircraft, helicopters, ornithopters, or some other suitable type of device capable of flying. And the sizes of these UAVs may vary greatly, some of which may have a wing span from about a few inches to about 200 feet.
In a number of applications it may be desirable to operate UAVs and more often smaller UAVs in large numbers, which may increase the monitoring that can be performed for a particular area. Smaller UAVs, however, present a number of challenges as compared to their larger counterparts. Storage and transport of smaller UAVs may be more involved. And their range is often shorter, requiring more frequent charging or refueling.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an apparatus and method that takes into account one or more of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues.

Charging system for battery-powered unmanned aerial vehicles


A glove has fingers. The glove include a spaced thumb. The glove includes an arcuate lower edge. The glove includes an opening located centrally. The glove has upwardly projecting side edges. A web is secured between the thumb and fingers. In this manner an arcuate upper edge is formed. The glove has an insert. The insert has limited flexibility. The insert is in an arcuate configuration. The insert is secured within the glove. The insert has ends. A width line is provided between the ends. An enlarged pocket is provided in the glove. Stiffener is provided below and a width line above.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a practice glove system and more particularly pertains to training baseball players to field balls properly in a safe and reliable manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of glove systems of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, glove systems of known designs and configurations previously devised and utilized for the purpose of training baseball players to field balls through known methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,292,946 issued Sep. 25, 2001 to Angione relates to a Non-Resilient Insert for Catching Glove. U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,036 issued Nov. 2, 1999 to Jackson relates to a Baseball Glove Insert Training Aid. U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,824 issued Oct. 24, 1978 to Hirschfield relates to a Baseball Training Glove. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,141,173 issued Jul. 21, 1964 to Jackson relates to a Catcher's Mitt.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a practice glove system that allows for training baseball players to field balls properly in a safe and reliable manner.
In this respect, the practice glove system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of training baseball players to field balls properly in a safe and reliable manner.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved practice glove system which can be used for training baseball players to field balls properly in a safe and reliable manner. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A semiconductor device capable of maintaining data even after instantaneous power reduction or interruption. The semiconductor device includes first to sixth transistors. The first and fourth transistors are p-channel transistors. The second and fifth transistors are n-channel transistors. In the third and sixth transistors, a channel formation region is included in an oxide semiconductor layer. A high voltage is applied to one of a source and a drain of the first transistor and one of a source and a drain of the fourth transistor. A low voltage is applied to one of a source and a drain of the second transistor and one of a source and a drain of the fifth transistor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an object, a method, or a manufacturing method. In addition, the present invention relates to a process, a machine, manufacture, or a composition of matter. In particular, the present invention relates to, for example, a semiconductor device, a display device, a light-emitting device, a power storage device, a driving method thereof, or a manufacturing method thereof. The present invention particularly relates to a semiconductor device, a display device, or a light-emitting device each including an oxide semiconductor, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
Patent Document 1 discloses a logic circuit that maintains data even after instantaneous power reduction or interruption.

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


This invention provides a semiconductor film manufacturing method using a new separation technique and applications thereof. The semiconductor film manufacturing method of this invention includes a separation layer forming a step of hetero-epitaxially growing a separation layer (2) on a seed substrate (1), a semiconductor film forming step of forming a semiconductor film (3) on the separation layer (2), and a separation step of separating, by using the separation layer (2), the semiconductor film (3) from a composite member (Ia) formed in the semiconductor film forming step.

A method is described in patent references 1 to 3 and non-patent references 1 to 3, in which a GaN layer is epitaxially grown on an Al2O3 substrate, and the back surface of the Al2O3 substrate is irradiated with a pulse laser to decompose GaN near the interface between the Al2O3 substrate and the GaN layer, thereby separating the GaN layer from the Al2O3 substrate (this method will be referred to as a laser lift-off method hereinafter).    [Patent Reference 1] U.S. Pat. No. 6,559,075    [Patent Reference 2] U.S. Pat. No. 6,071,795    [Patent Reference 3] Japanese Patent No. 3518455    [Non-Patent Reference 1] O. Ambacher et al., Materials Research Society Symposium, Vol. 617 (2000), pp. J1.7.1-J1.7.12    [Non-Patent Reference 2] W. S. Wong et al., Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 75, No. 10, 6 Sep. 1999, pp. 1360-1362    [Non-Patent Reference 3] D. Morita et al., Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 41 (2002), pp. L1434-L1436
In the laser lift-off method, when the GaN layer is separated by pulse laser irradiation, the Al2O3 substrate can crack due to the pressure of N2 gas generated by decomposition of GaN. This can cause damage such as microcracks to the GaN layer. The microcracks cause degradation in characteristic or a decrease in yield of devices formed later in the damaged GaN layer.
In the laser lift-off method, separation takes a long time because the whole surface of the substrate must be scanned by the pulse laser.
In the laser lift-off method, a three-dimensional pattern as a trace of pulse laser scanning is generated on the separated surface of the GaN layer. To remove this three-dimensional pattern, an additional step such as polishing is necessary. This makes the operation cumbersome. In addition, the increase in number of manufacturing steps can lead to a decrease in yield.
In the laser lift-off method, the substrate used to grow a semiconductor film is limited to a transparent substrate such as an Al2O3 substrate that passes a laser beam. It is hence difficult to apply a nontransparent substrate such as an SiC substrate, GaAs substrate, or Ge substrate.
As described above, to introduce the substrate separation method by the laser lift-off method to mass production of semiconductor devices, still more technological development to, e.g., increase the yield has been demanded.

Semiconductor film manufacturing method and substrate manufacturing method


A rotationally vibrating imaging catheter and method of utilization has an array of ultrasound or optical transducers and an actuator along with signal processing, display, and power subsystems. The actuator of the preferred embodiment is a solid-state nitinol actuator. The actuator causes the array to oscillate such that the tip of the catheter is rotated through an angle equal to or less than 360 degrees. The tip is then capable of rotating back the same amount. This action is repeated until the desired imaging information is acquired. The rotationally vibrating catheter produces more imaging points than a non-rotating imaging catheter and eliminates areas of missing information in the reconstructed image.

Intravascular ultrasound is a rapidly evolving imaging technique most commonly employed in coronary and iliofemoral arteries. The technique has the potential to facilitate the study of aneurysm progression, atherosclerosis or dissection and to outline the effect of endovascular intervention in more detail than angiography.
The presently used intravascular ultrasound systems fall into two categories: stationary electronic systems and mechanically driven rotating transducer systems. In both systems, an acoustic element or transducer is used to transmit a signal, which impinges upon, and reflects from, surfaces of different acoustic densities, which the signal encounters. An acoustic transducer receives the reflected wave. These data are sent to a processing system via an electrical cable where they are manipulated and displayed as an image. The systems are mounted to catheters, or axially elongate structures, which are routed through body lumens such as arteries to reach the site of imaging.
The non-rotating or stationary catheter of the stationary electronic system houses an array of small acoustic elements, which are positioned cylindrically at the catheter tip. After positioning the catheter in a vessel, body lumen or cavity, subgroups of acoustic elements together generate an echo image. The spacing between the acoustic elements in the transducer array creates areas where the acoustic signal is neither transmitted nor received. When the data is processed, gaps of missing information occur, resulting in a poor quality image. The advantage of the stationary electronic system is that the catheter is very flexible and a central lumen is available for guidewire insertion. No distortion of the image, due to inhomogeneous mechanical rotation, is present. The stationary catheters are reliable and inexpensive but produce a poor quality image.
The mechanical intravascular ultrasound-imaging catheter comprises a mechanically rotating catheter shaft with a single ultrasound transducer. Either the acoustic element rotates or the acoustic element is stationary and a mirror rotates. In this manner, the acoustic signal is transmitted and received in a continuous 360-degree sweep. There are no gaps in the data and a higher quality image results. Realizing a driving mechanism while keeping the catheter fully flexible and steerable as well as miniature are challenging problems. Distortion of the image due to an unequal rotation of the element or mirror at the catheter tip is a limitation of these systems. Advantages of the mechanical probes include high-resolution imaging and absence of near field artifact. The mechanically rotating devices produce an acceptable image but are unreliable and expensive.
Both stationary electronic systems and mechanical systems typically operate with acoustic frequencies from 10 to 30 MHz.
Medical interventions are often performed using endovascular techniques. These interventions include balloon dilatation, atherectomy, stent or device placement and removal, drug delivery, thrombolytic therapy, thrombectomy, vessel irradiation, embolic device delivery and thermal therapy by radio waves or microwaves. Guidance of these endovascular interventions is preferably accomplished using intravascular ultrasound imaging.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Resolution optical and ultrasound devices for imaging and treatment of body lumens

Abstract: Rotationally vibrating catheters offer higher image resolution than stationary array catheters and greater flexibility and lower costs than mechanically rotating imaging catheters.

Abstract: The rotationally vibrating array carried on a catheter is vibrated or rocked forward and backward to allow for acquisition of three-dimensional information within a region around the transducer array.

Abstract: The addition of adjunctive therapies to the imaging catheter enhances the utility of the instrument. Examples of such therapies include atherectomy, stent placement, thrombectomy, embolic device placement, and irradiation.


A high access rate flash control provided for accessing more than one flash memory chip having different access timing specifications is disclosed. The controller comprises a read/write(R/W) pulse generator, a R/W delay chain circuit, a sampling delay chain circuit, a bi-directional feedback pad (PAD1), a data bus sampler, and a second pad (PAD 2). In an embodiment, the flash controller using a fix clock to generate synchronized Read/Write pulse which is then appropriated adjusted by the R/W delay chain circuit to provide optimum R/W control signal. The adjusted R/W signal is than outputted by a bi-directional pad to flash memory chips. With the external signal feedback function, the bi-directional pad has associated with the sampling delay chain, the time latency due to pads can be eliminated nearly. Thus, the flash controller can approach high rate to access flash chips.

Sync circuit is widely used in the field of integrated circuit (IC) design. Owe to sync circuit operated based on clock, it is thus readily to a circuit design engineer use EDA Tool as a auxiliary tool of circuit design so as to design and analyze the circuit.
Since the interface between flash memory and conventional, flash controller is typically asynchronies and the flash controllers may be sold to many flash memory chip (hereinafter called flash chip) supplier who may use the flash controllers to control the flash chips of which access time or parameters may different due to manufacturer are different or memory types or capacities are various, even they are produced by the same manufacturer. Consequently, a major rate bottleneck for a large capacity of flash disk package which use a flash controller to control flash chips, may often be determined by the aforementioned interface. Generally, flash chip at data bus has lower drive capability, and a flash disk is composed of a plurality of flash chips, thus the data bus loading is heavy. The rate of data access is thus restrained by the drive capability. To access data correctly from a large flash disk, a typical strategy is implemented by reducing the working frequency.
Due to the drive capability is usually a main rate bottleneck while accessing a flash disk, high access rate flash control is only using in those flash disk having small capacity, otherwise, to access high capacity, the working frequency has to be down so as to ensure access data correctly.
An object of the present invention is to overcome above problems.


Cotton-like aggregates (B) including grinding chips from an iron-based metal and a grinding fluid containing oil and water are compression molded for forming a brittle compact (C) having the fibrous grinding chips roughly sheared and excessive water and oil removed therefrom. The brittle compact (C) is crushed for further finely shearing the grinding chips and the resultant grinding chips are mixed with a solidification assistant (D) for producing an iron-based powder material (E) containing the solidification assistant (D).

Grinding chips which occur in the machining of an iron-based metal such as bearing steel, carburized steel and the like (hereinafter, the term "machining" will be used to represent a concept also including grinding, super-finishing grinding, lapping and the like) are recovered in the form of cotton-like (fibrous) aggregates including a grinding fluid containing water and oil, abrasive grains, and the like. Since the cotton-like aggregates contain a considerable quantity of pure iron, there have been made attempts to reuse the aggregates as steelmaking material. Unfortunately, however, the cotton-like aggregates contain such a large quantity of water as to cause bumping (phreatic explosion) if the aggregates are directly charged into a blast furnace. It may be contemplated to remove the water from the cotton-like aggregates by centrifugation or the like. In this case, however, the oil contained in the cotton-like aggregates is also removed along with the water and hence, the pure iron as a component of the grinding chips is converted to iron oxide due to the self heating of the cotton-like aggregates. Therefore, the resultant aggregates need be reduced so as to be reused as steelmaking material. The use of a reducing agent results in increased costs.
On the other hand, the grinding chips with the oil adhered thereto are less prone to adhere to each other. In the case of cotton-like aggregates containing a large quantity of grinding chips from an iron-based metal containing not less than 0.2 wt % of carbon, great springback is encountered when the aggregates are compression molded. Hence, the compression molding of the cotton-like aggregates involves difficulty about accomplishing solidification to a desired strength. Accordingly, if such compacted cotton-like aggregates are charged into the blast furnace, the aggregates are scatteringly carried upward so that most of them is collected by a dust collector.
In addition, the fibrous grinding chips contained in the cotton-like aggregates are hard to crush by means of a hammer mill or the like and hence, the cotton-like aggregates cannot be sheared finely. This leads to a difficulty of processing the cotton-like aggregates into briquettes or the like.
In reality, therefore, the cotton-like aggregates are not put to reuse but committed to a waste processing contractor for landfill disposal.
In a steel making process including a smelting step and the like, on the other hand, there occur dusts bearing iron and heavy metals. Hence, it is a general practice to collect such dusts as recovery dusts (OG dusts) (see, for example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No.7 (1995)-97638). Unfortunately, if such recovery dusts are directly charged into the blast furnace, the dusts are scatteringly carried upward to be collected by the dust collector again. As a result, the dusts are not put to reuse but committed to the landfill disposal.
However, the landfill disposal is undesirable from the standpoint of the effective utilization of resources. Furthermore, the landfill disposal entails the environmental deterioration as well as the increase of the disposal costs. The recovery dusts, in particular, requires an even greater disposal cost because the dusts contain heavy metals and must be committed to the landfill disposal as special industrial wastes.
It is an object of the invention to provide a brittle compact and iron-based powder material providing an effective reuse of grinding chips, as well as a method for producing the same.
It is another object of the invention to provide an iron-based powder material providing an effective reuse of the grinding chips together with the recovery dusts, as well as a method for producing the same.

Brittle formed product and iron-based power material and method for manufacturing these materials


In a device for coupling a winding shaft pin with a drive shaft pin, the latter is provided with a radial recess, in which the winding shaft pin is held by a latching means in such a manner as to prevent relative rotation. In order to ensure centered running of the winding shaft pin even after prolonged use a self-aligning bearing (4) is mounted on the winding shaft pin, whose outer ring and is adapted to pivot about a transverse axis in relation to the inner ring and is able to be held and latched in the radial recess (14). The winding shaft pin (3) is connected with the drive shaft pin (12) at the end for transmission of the torque.

In the case of a known device in accordance with the German patent 2,932,895, of this type the winding shaft pin is provided with lateral flats which are parallel to each other or with a terminal member which is triangular or square in cross section, which are held in recess, the recess assuming a form, which is complementary to the end provided with the flats, of the winding shaft or the terminal member after fastening the locking device. Owing to bending of the winding shaft and to other unavoidable relative movements of the terminal member provided with flats, of the winding shaft pin or of the terminal member there is wear in the recess constituting the one half of the coupling, in the drive shaft pin, rendering a replacement of parts of the coupling necessary. In order to increase its length of life, there is consequently a provision in the case of the known device for the coupling parts of the drive shaft pin to be provided with a lining for the recess, which may be replaced after wear has occurred without the entire drive shaft pin provided with the coupling part having to be replaced. Owing to the unavoidable wear a certain degree of play does however occur in the known coupling device between the terminal or end part provided with the flats, of the winding shaft pin or the terminal member and the retaining lining of the drive shaft pin, such play then impairing centering of the bearing effect and, in connection with it, true running on center of the winding shaft. However, true, centered running is absolutely essential for a satisfactory winding action and in order to maintain a completely regular tension in the web during the winding operation.

Device for coupling a winding shaft pin with a drive shaft pin


A vessel body has an interior cavity in which a liquid is to be contained, an upper hole that communicates with the interior cavity, and a lower hole that communicates with the interior cavity. A spring inside the vessel body is in a pre-loaded condition and that also plugs the upper hole and the lower hole. When the liquid is to be dispensed, the spring is further loaded to thereby simultaneously vent through the upper hole and pour through the lower hole. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Existing liquid containers that rely on gravity to create a liquid flow (gravity fed dispensers) generally have a vent hole that prevents the creation of a vacuum as the liquid pours itself out of the container (without assistance from a pump). This is needed because a vacuum or a partial vacuum will inhibit the outward flow of the liquid. A vent hole also needs a valve or a cap in order to stop leakage through it, when the container is not in use.
Some liquid containers are made of a flexible material, which can be squeezed to create pressure and thereby improve the flow of the liquid. That method, however, produces erratic flow characteristics depending upon how hard a person squeezes the container. In addition, a flexible container typically works more efficiently when it is full of liquid, but as the bottle empties liquid flow becomes more difficult and erratic. As the container empties, a larger vacuum is created thereby creating more suction upon the remaining liquid in the container (and also because there is no vent hole and as such no help from the available atmospheric pressure).


Disclosed is a fuel conveying device including a valve housing in which a pressure release valve and a non-return valve are arranged parallel to one another, the pressure release valve having a first inlet, which downstream of a valve seat opens into a valve chamber in which a valve body is movably arranged and which is in fluid connection with a second inlet for the non-return valve via a first outlet. The device improves the control response of the pressure release valve by providing the first outlet at the periphery of the valve chamber and in the axial direction with respect to a valve axis such that when the pressure release valve is open the flow from the valve chamber into the second inlet is a substantially radial flow.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to an improved fuel conveying device of the type used, for example, for supplying fuel to an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A fuel conveying device known from DE 195 27 134 A1 is equipped with a valve housing in which a pressure relief valve and a check valve are situated in parallel with each other; the pressure relief valve has a first inlet that, downstream of a valve seat, opens into a valve chamber in which a valve member is movably arranged and which, via a first outlet, is flow connected to a second inlet for the check valve. It is disadvantageous that the first outlet is situated in the valve chamber in a way that produces an axial outflow from the valve chamber of the pressure relief valve. The axial outflow exerts only a comparatively slight impulse force on the valve member, which therefore executes only a comparatively small opening stroke for a given volumetric flow. This results in a control response that is less than optimal.


An object of the present invention is to reduce costs while maintaining safety in exhausting hydrogen sulfide gas. In exhaust facilities of a plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas, the concentrations of hydrogen sulfide gas leaking from a reaction facility, a cooling facility, and a sulfur removal facility, respectively, are measured by a measuring apparatus, and when a detected concentration is less than a predetermined concentration, a valve is controlled to exhaust hydrogen sulfide gas from a first exhaust pipe into the air, on the contrary, when a detected concentration is not less than a predetermined concentration, the valve is controlled to exhaust hydrogen sulfide gas from a second exhaust pipe to a gas treatment facility.

For example, in a hydrometallurgical method for nickel oxide ore, a sulfurization treatment is performed in such a manner that hydrogen sulfide gas is blown into a solution obtained by neutralizing a leach solution of nickel oxide ore or a solution for nickel recovery from which impurities are removed, whereby a metal sulfide is formed.
The hydrogen sulfide gas to be used at this treatment is manufactured, for example, by a plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas configured to manufacture hydrogen sulfide. The plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas includes a facility configured to manufacture hydrogen sulfide gas, a facility configured to cool generated hydrogen sulfide gas, a facility configured to recover sulfur contained in the hydrogen sulfide gas, and the like. Such plants for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide are mainly classified into two, namely, plants which use a catalyst as illustrated in FIG. 3 and plants which use no catalyst as illustrated in FIG. 4.
Specifically, a plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 50 illustrated in FIG. 3 includes: a reaction facility 51 configured to generate hydrogen sulfide gas from supplied sulfur and supplied hydrogen gas; a cooling facility 52 configured to cool the hydrogen sulfide gas; a washing facility 53 configured to wash sulfur contained in the hydrogen sulfide gas; and a drying facility 54 configured to dry hydrogen sulfide gas after the washing to remove moisture therefrom. Furthermore, the plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 50 includes incidental facilities, namely, a storage facility 55 configured to store produced hydrogen sulfide gas and a supply facility 56 configured to supply the hydrogen sulfide gas.
In the plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 50, a catalyst is used inside a reactor of the reaction facility 51 in order to reduce activation energy. Furthermore, in the plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 50, sulfur contained in manufactured hydrogen sulfide gas is removed by the washing facility 53, and then, moisture is removed by the drying facility 54, whereby the corrosion of facilities due to moisture is prevented.
Furthermore, in the plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 50, using the supply facility 56 such as a compressor, the pressure of manufactured hydrogen sulfide gas is increased to a required pressure, and the hydrogen sulfide gas having the increased pressure is supplied to, for example, a plant which uses hydrogen sulfide gas in a dezincification step, a sulfurization step, or the like in the foregoing hydrometallurgical method of nickel oxide ore.
In the plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 50, as conditions for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas, for example, at a pressure of approximately 5 kPaG and a temperature of approximately 380° C., operations are carried out. In this plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 50, a catalyst is used for the reaction facility 51, and therefore, operations can be carried out under low pressures and low temperatures, and this point constitutes an operational advantage.
However, in the plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 50, it is necessary to periodically replace a catalyst in the reaction facility 51, and besides, from a viewpoint of the life of a catalyst, it is necessary to strictly control the quality of sulfur, that is, a raw material of hydrogen sulfide gas.
On the other hand, a plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 60 illustrated in FIG. 4 is a plant which does not use a catalyst in a reactor. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 60 includes: a reaction facility 61 (a reactor 66, a quench tower 67, a heater 68) configured to generate hydrogen sulfide gas from sulfur and hydrogen gas; cooling facilities 62 (62A, 62B) configured to cool the hydrogen sulfide gas; a knockout facility 63 configured to remove sulfur contained in the hydrogen sulfide gas and supply the hydrogen sulfide gas; and a blowdown facility 64 configured to recover the sulfur removed from the hydrogen sulfide gas and supply the sulfur to a sulfur treatment plant or the like. Furthermore, the plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 60 includes a facility 65, as an incidental facility, configured to cool the temperature of sulfur to adjust a heat balance.
In the plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 60, molten sulfur is stored in the reactor 66 of the reaction facility 61, and hydrogen gas is supplied from the lower portion of the reactor 66, whereby, during hydrogen gas passes the molten sulfur, a formation reaction of hydrogen sulfide gas proceeds. It should be noted that sulfur, which is decreased by the reaction, is supplied from the upper portion of the reaction facility 61. Most of the hydrogen sulfide gas formed in the reaction facility 61 is hydrogen sulfide, but, the hydrogen sulfide gas contains sulfur steam which is caught when hydrogen gas passes through the inside of the reactor.
Furthermore, in the plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 60, as conditions for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas, for example, under high pressure and temperature, that is, at a pressure of approximately 800 kPaG and a temperature of approximately 470° C., operations are carried out. The temperature of formed hydrogen sulfide gas decreases to approximately 150° C. at the time when the gas leaves the quench tower 67 constituting the reaction facility 61, and furthermore, the gas is cooled to approximately 50° C. (a temperature used in a supply destination facility) by the cooling facility 62, and transported to the knockout facility 63.
Furthermore, a great operational-trouble is caused when most of sulfur contained in hydrogen sulfide gas generated in the reaction facility 61 adheres to valves, such as a control valve and a manual valve, and meters, such as a thermometer and a pressure gauge, in a plant or the like which is a supply destination and uses hydrogen sulfide gas. Therefore, the gas is solidified once by the knockout facility 63, and sulfur deposited on the bottom of the knockout facility 63 is heated by steam via a jacket provided in the lower perimeter of the knockout facility 63, thereby being melted and recovered. The recovered sulfur is stored in the blowdown facility 64, and then, using a supply pump 69, the sulfur is supplied to a sulfur treatment plant to be processed or repeatedly used.
In this manner, sulfur contained in hydrogen sulfide gas generated in the plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 60 is separated from the hydrogen sulfide gas by a knockout drum, and then, the hydrogen sulfide gas is supplied to, for example, a plant which uses hydrogen sulfide gas in a dezincification step, a sulfurization step, or the like in the foregoing hydrometallurgical method of nickel oxide ore.
In the plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 60, operations are controlled in a state in which a pressure in a system is maintained high, and therefore, facilities, such as a compressor and a chiller, are unnecessary, whereby an initial investment can be reduced. Furthermore, the plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 60 has an advantage that periodic catalyst replacement like the foregoing one performed in the plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 50, costs for this replacement, and maintenance costs including the quality control of sulfur are not required, whereby operation costs can be reduced.
However, in the plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 60, operations are performed under high pressure and temperature, and therefore, the danger associated with gas leakage is increased.
Since hydrogen sulfide gas is a very hazardous substance, it is necessary to take measures against gas leakage, and for example, it is necessary to enclose a hydrogen sulfide gas manufacturing facility by a building, a shelter, or the like, or to take the direction of wind into consideration.
Hydrogen sulfide gas is usually treated by a detoxifying tower, a scrubber, or a flare facility. In the case of a treatment using a flare facility, hydrogen sulfide gas is burned to generate SOx, and consequently, an environmental problem arises. On the other hand, in the case of a treatment using a detoxifying tower or a scrubber, an environmental problem does not arise, but, a neutralizer such as caustic soda is needed to neutralize hydrogen sulfide gas, and accordingly the cost of a neutralizer is required. A detoxifying facility, a scrubber, and a flare facility are operated even when hydrogen sulfide gas does not leak. Hence, in the case of a detoxifying facility and a scrubber, a neutralizer is additionally required for that operation, thereby leading to higher costs.
In the plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas 60, it has been desired that, while safety in exhausting hydrogen sulfide gas is maintained, the amount of a neutralizer used is reduced to achieve cost reduction.

Plant for manufacturing hydrogen sulfide gas and method for exhausting hydrogen sulfide gas


A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided. The apparatus may comprise a transceiver configured to transmit uplink frames and receive downlink frames in a first transaction slot of a super-frame. The one or more of the uplink frames and the downlink frames are associated with over-allocated network allocation vectors that reserve a transmission time which exceeds a time required to transmit acknowledgements of the one or more downlink frames or receive acknowledgement of the one or more uplink frames, respectively. The apparatus may comprise a processing system configured to cause the transceiver to transmit a first uplink frame to the access point with a first over-allocated NAV, to establish a start-time for the super-frame and to extract data from two or more downlink frames in a burst received from the access point.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to communication systems, and more particularly, to handoffs between access points in wireless networks.
2. Background
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various telecommunication services such as telephony, video, data, messaging, and broadcasts. Typical wireless communication systems may employ multiple-access technologies capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power). Examples of such multiple-access technologies include IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), IEEE 802.20, code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems such as Flash-OFDMA, single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) systems, and time division synchronous code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA) systems.
These multiple access technologies have been adopted in various telecommunication standards to provide a common protocol that enables different wireless devices to communicate on a municipal, national, regional, and even global level. However, as the demand for mobile broadband access continues to increase, there exists a need for further improvements in the underlying technology. Preferably, these improvements should be applicable to various multi-access technologies and the telecommunication standards that employ these technologies.
For example, there is significant interest in systems and methods for offloading certain services delivered by cellular networks to Wi-Fi networks. However, certain issues are observable, including issues related to interruptions causes by handoffs between access points (APs). The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) have promulgated certain standards, such as IEEE 802.11r, that introduce mechanisms for "fast handoff" across managed APs. However, these and other standards assume that there is a trust relationship across the APs involved in handoffs, and the APs used for cellular offload may not be in the same trusted network. Accordingly, the standards-based approaches cannot be used.