The composition is constituted by a mixture comprising a thermoplastic material, a hydrolysable silane compound, an elastomer, and a peroxide, said thermoplastic material and said silane compound carrying respective groups that react with each other. The composition including a filler containing superficial hydroxyl groups. The composition is suitable for sheathing electric cables and wires.

Document EP-A-0324430 discloses a composition that is extrudable and curable, comprising a continuous matrix of a thermoplastic polymer material containing hydrolysable silane groups and fine particles of a vulcanized (or cured, or cross-linked) rubber which are dispersed in said continuous matrix.
The extruded composition is cured in the presence of water. It then presents excellent mechanical properties and is very temperature stable because of its curing. It can be used particularly, but not exclusively, for making the sheaths of electric cables and wires.
According to that document, the thermoplastic polymer material containing the hydrolysable silane groups is preferably initially grafted by an unsaturated and hydrolysable silane compound. The thermoplastic polymer material used for silane grafting is, in particular, a polyethylene or a copolymer of ethylene and at least one .alpha. olefin containing 2 to 6 carbon atoms, or a copolymer of ethylene and an unsaturated ester of a carboxylic acid. The unsaturated and hydrolysable silane compound used may be, for example, vinyl trimethoxy silane, vinyl triethoxy silane, or a vinyl tri(methoxy and ethoxy) silane. It is grafted on the thermoplastic polymer material in the presence of a peroxide.
The material is cured by hydrolysis and condensation of the alkoxy groups. In order for such curing to take place, the sample is immersed in water at 90.degree. C. containing a catalyst for condensing the silane groups. In another variant, the sample is stocked in moist air for several weeks to cure it. Under such conditions, curing is caused by a catalyst for condensation of silane groups, added in the form of a master mixture to the base composition.
In a variant, the thermoplastic polymer material containing the hydrolysable silane groups is a copolymer of at least one a monolefin preferably containing 6 to 8 carbon atoms, and a silane that is unsaturated and hydrolysable. A preferred such copolymer is an ethylene-vinyl silane copolymer.
In the majority of examples given in that document, the composition is fabricated in two steps: the first for grafting silane on the thermoplastic polymer material, and the second for dynamic curing of the rubber and for dispersion thereof in fine particles within the continuous matrix of the thermoplastic polymer material containing the hydrolysable silane groups.
In one of the examples given in that document, the composition is fabricated in a single step, by placing together in a mixer, a mixture of thermoplastic polymer material, hydrolysable unsaturated silane, and peroxide, in particular high density polyethylene, vinyl triethoxy silane, and peroxide, and a mixture of natural rubber with a vulcanizing agent, and processing them together at 180.degree. C. for several minutes. Nevertheless, fabricating the composition in a single step in accordance with that example gives rise to the problem of reactional interference between firstly the thermoplastic polymer material and the elastomer and secondly the other ingredients of the two mixtures. A priori, the properties of the composition fabricated in that way are not analogous to those of compositions fabricated by starting from the thermoplastic polymer material initially grafted with silane, but are substantially degraded relative thereto.
In document EP-A-0 181 735, the curable composition is composed of a nitrile rubber and a thermoplastic including hydrolysable silane groups. That composition is cured, as before, in the presence of water and of a catalyst for condensing the hydrolysable groups. In a variant, the thermoplastic contains polymerized units, and a hydrolysable silane compound is added to the mixture to react with the thermoplastic and to include hydrolysable silane groups in the thermoplastic. Curing takes place as before and is very lengthy.

Composition that is extrudable and curable in air

Alcatel Alsthom Compagnie Generale D'Electricite


A reconstruction processing unit includes a filtering unit which applies a filter for correcting a motion blur attributable to a relative movement of an image pickup system and an object to a transmission image when performing an operation of back-projecting a pixel on the transmission image to a cell on a reconstructed image. A filter that the filtering unit uses when a pixel on a first transmission image is back-projected to a first cell on the reconstructed image is different from a filter that the filtering unit uses when the pixel on the first transmission image is back-projected to a second cell existing at coordinates that differ from those of the first cell.

As a method for obtaining a three-dimensional image or a tomographic image of the inside of an object, a technique referred to as a CT (Computed Tomography) scan or simply CT has been known. X-ray CT using X-rays is being commercially utilized in medical examination apparatuses and industrial inspection apparatuses.
In X-ray CT, an object is arranged between a light source (an X-ray source) and a detector arranged so as to face each other, and a plurality of transmission images (also referred to as projection data) are photographed by the detector while changing X-ray projection directions. Subsequently, on the basis of the plurality of transmission images with different projection directions, an inverse problem is solved by computer processing to reconstruct a three-dimensional image of the inside of the object. While a so-called Stop & Go system in which photography of a transmission image and a change to the projection direction (a relative movement of the object and the detector) are repetitively alternated has been the mainstream in conventional X-ray CT, recently, more and more apparatuses are adopting a system (referred to as a consecutive image pickup system) in which, in order to reduce photography time, transmission images of respective projection directions are consecutively photographed while relatively moving the object and the detector.
With a consecutive image pickup system, a positional relationship between a detector and an object changes during exposure. In other words, an object with a motion is to be photographed. Therefore, there is a problem in that a movement blur (referred to as a motion blur) occurs in a transmission image and causes quality of a reconstruction result to decline.
As conventional art devised in consideration with the problem described above, for example, PTL 1 proposes a method which, in a CT apparatus adopting a system which picks up images by having a detector rotate around an object, reduces an effect of a motion blur by measuring MTF characteristics in advance for all angles θ and rotational speeds V at which photography is to be performed and subjecting transmission images to a filtering process using a blur mask filter f (V, θ) created on the basis of the MTF characteristics.

Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program


Methods, systems and apparatus are provided for purging an adsorptive material of entrapped particulates. Methods, systems and apparatus rely upon a reverse loop for reversing the flow of medium within an adsorption material, allowing particulates caught within the adsorption material to be preferentially moved through and out of the adsorption material.

A. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to methods, systems and apparatus for removal of a contaminate from an aqueous medium. More specifically, the invention provides methods, systems and apparatus for minimizing back-pressure in an adsorption material constrained within a housing, the adsorption material used to remove contaminates from a flowing aqueous medium.
B. Background Art
Cities and towns throughout the world depend on having clean potable water. The dependence on clean potable water has increased as the population of the world has increased, especially as industrial use of fresh water resources have become commonplace. Increased industrial use of fresh water resources has resulted in a corresponding deterioration of water quality throughout the world, due partly to industrial related release of contaminates into the water. In addition, contaminates are also naturally present in various fresh water resources, for example, high uranium content in fresh water resources throughout areas of Colorado, New Mexico and Texas.
The decrease in water quality is contravening to the world's increased dependence on clean potable water supplies, requiring a concerted effort toward both minimizing the release, and removing existing contaminates, from water supplies throughout the world (whether the contaminates are natural or released as industrial pollution).
Conventional water treatment facilities are often equipped with specialized systems for removal of specific contaminates from a water supply. For example, water treatment facilities can be equipped to contact the water supply with an affinity material having sorptive qualities toward a specific contaminate. Typically, these sorptive materials are constrained in a column, or other like housing, that receives the water source, treats the water source, and passes the water source back to a traditional water treatment facility.
A number of target contaminates can be removed from a water source when contacted to a sorptive material. For example, removal of uranium from an aqueous medium has previously been described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/619,369, filed Oct. 15, 2004.
Conventionally, removal of contaminates using sorptive materials is often accomplished through the use of down- or up-flow media adsorption. Aqueous medium is released onto the adsorptive material and flows through the material in a given direction. One problem facing the water treatment industry is the clogging of these large volume housing units with suspended particulates in the aqueous medium. Clogged adsorption material leads to increased pressures required to "force" the water through the adsorption and particulate material. The clogging ultimately results in more costly water treatment and shut down to either replace the adsorption material or to perform costly backwash, where the aqueous medium and clogging particles are forced through and out of the column in the opposite direction of normal flow, carrying the particulates out of the column for disposal.
In particularly problematic cases, the particulates have a low level of radioactivity, for example, the particulates may have a low amount of uranium. When radioactive particulates are concentrated within an adsorption material they often must be disposed of at a low level radioactive repository. In contrast, under normal flow through conditions, the radioactive material in the particulates is often at such low concentrations, that it is allowed to pass onto the end user of the water, to a sewer system, or to a water treatment facility.
Against this backdrop the present invention was developed.

Methods for purging absorptive materials used in the removal of contaminates from an aqueous medium


The invention provides a PLL circuit which can form a phase difference between input and output signals with a high degree of accuracy without employing a current source for a very weak current and eliminates dependency of the phase difference upon the input signal frequency. In the PLL circuit, phase difference forming current is added within a term of a fixed period to a selected one of charge-up current and charge-down current, selected by a phase comparison circuit, of a charge pump circuit, which charges up or charges down a loop filter under the control of an output signal of a phase comparison circuit, to form a phase difference between input and output signals of the PLL circuit which are to be compared in phase by the phase comparison circuit. The magnitude of the phase difference depends upon and is controlled by a term within which the phase difference forming current.

This invention relates to a PLL circuit, and more particularly to a PLL circuit which can control the phase difference between an input signal and an output signal thereof and a signal processing apparatus using the same.
It is sometimes required for a PLL circuit which produces an output signal of a frequency f.sub.out which is N (a positive number such as, for example, 2,000) times the frequency f.sub.in of an input signal that it be capable of controlling the phase difference between the input and output signals thereof.
FIGS. 1A to 1C show a PLL circuit as a related art which can form a phase difference between an input signal and an output signal thereof which has some utility, and wherein FIG. 1A is a circuit diagram of the PLL circuit, FIG. 1B is a signal waveform diagram of the PLL circuit of FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1C is a diagram illustrating a principle of production of a phase difference by the PLL circuit of FIG. 1A.
Referring first to FIG. 1A, the PLL circuit is generally denoted at 10 and includes a phase comparison circuit 4 which compares the phases of an input signal (that is, a synchronizing signal Sync) to the PLL circuit 10 with an output signal C of a counter 7 which divides an output signal B (that is, a dot clock signal Dot Clock) of the PLL circuit 10 by 1/N (for example, to 1/2,000).
The PLL circuit 10 further includes a charge pump circuit 8 which in turn includes a charging down current source I.sub.down, a switch element 5 for connecting the charging down current source I.sub.down to a loop filter 2, a charging up current source I.sub.up, a switch element 6 for connecting the charging up current source I.sub.up to the loop filter 2, and a phase difference forming current source I1.
The charging down current source I.sub.down discharges a capacitor of the loop filter 2 via the switch element 5, which is controlled by an output signal D of the phase comparison circuit 4. The charging up current source Iup charges the capacitor of the loop filter 2 via the switch element 6, which is controlled by the other output signal of the phase comparison circuit 4. The phase difference forming current source I1 always charges up the loop filter 2.
The PLL circuit 10 further includes a voltage controlled oscillation circuit (VCO) 3 which is controlled by an output of the loop filter 2 to produce a pulse signal of a frequency corresponding to the voltage, that is, a clock pulse signal Dot Clock.
The frequency f.sub.out of the output signal B of the PLL circuit 10 depends upon the count value N of the counter 7 and is given by f.sub.out =N.f.sub.in. At a point T2 of time in FIG. 1B, both of the signal B (output signal of the PLL circuit 10) and the signal C (output signal of the counter 7) rise, and the time difference .tau.d between the rising edges of the signals B and C and a rising edge of the input signal A (at another point T1 of time) makes the phase difference between the input and output signals. In an ordinary PLL circuit, the phase difference .tau.d depends upon the current values of the charging up-current source I.sub.up and the charging down current source I.sub.down and periods within which the switch elements 5 and 6 which pass the currents therethrough are on. However, in the PLL circuit 10 shown in FIG. 1A, since it includes a current source which supplies the source I1 for always charging up on the charge-up side, the charging down current source I.sub.down flows so that it may cancel the phase difference forming current source I1.
Accordingly, since phase comparison is performed for each period (1/f.sub.in) of the input signal A as seen from FIG. 1C, a phase difference .tau.d of I1/(f.sub.in.I.sub.down) is produced, and a locked state is established with the phase difference .tau.d. This is the reason why the phase difference .tau.d is produced.
The PLL circuit having such a construction as described above with reference to FIGS. 1A to 1C has such problems as described below.
In particular, where the PLL circuit 10 is employed for a liquid crystal display apparatus, since the input signal frequency f.sub.in is, for example, 70 KHz and the output signal frequency f.sub.out is, for example, 140 MHz, if it is tried to set the phase difference .tau.d, for example, to 1 nS (nanosecond), then the current of the phase difference forming current source I1 must be set to a value equal to 1/14,285 the value of the current of the charging down current source I.sub.down. In other words, the current of the phase difference forming current source I1 must be set to a very low value comparing with the current of the charging down current source I.sub.down. In the example just mentioned, if I.sub.down =1 mA, then the current of the phase difference forming current source I1 must be set to I1=0.07 .mu.A.
However, it is really considerably difficult to produce such a weak current with a high degree of accuracy, and accordingly, it is difficult to finely control the phase difference .tau.d.
The PLL circuit is disadvantageous also in that, as apparently seen from the expression I1/(f.sub.in.I.sub.down), the phase difference .tau.d is fluctuated by a variation of the input signal frequency f.sub.in.

PLL circuit having a switched charge pump for charging a loop filter up or down and signal processing apparatus using the same


An object of the present invention is to provide an interlocking mechanism of panels of a guide rail for roof panel and a guide rail for sunshade panel even in a case where both guide rails are mutually different in curvature. The interlocking mechanism enables the sunshade panel to move independently in an opening direction in either case of opening and closing of the roof panel, and prevent the sunshade panel from moving independently in a closing direction relative to the roof panel. The interlocking mechanism comprises an engaging member provided in the roof panel and an engaged member provided in the sunshade panel to engage with the engaging member. The engaging member and the engaged member are constituted to engage with each other in an upper-and-lower direction such that a relative position thereof varies according to a change of positional deviation between the first guide rail and the second guide rail.

Conventionally, as this kind of device, the sunroof device has been known or disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3,315,179 (hereinafter, referred to as a literature) (paragraph [0024]), which is designed to enable an opening or closing of a sunshade panel to operate by mechanically interlocking to an opening or closing of the roof panel and to enable an opening or closing of the sunshade panel to operate manually.
An interlocking means (an engaging member 19 of the panel side and an engaging member 20 of the sunshade side in the above literature) has been described in the above literature. The interlocking means is designed to move for opening or closing the sunshade panel manually and independently at the time of full closing condition of the roof panel, and to move the sunshade panel in an opening direction by interlocking to the roof panel at the time of moving the roof panel in an opening direction.

Interlocking mechanism of sunshade panel in a sunroof device


A connector assembly comprises a first connector (1) and a second connector (2) adapted to be mated with the first connector. Each connector has two spaced rows of contact elements (4,10) arranged at a given pitch, each of the contact elements having a contact face (6). In the first connector (1) at least two adjacent contact elements (4) of one row of contact elements are made integral as one first power contact element (13) having two contact faces (6) at the given pitch. In the second connector (2) at least one contact element (10) of one row of contact elements can be made integral with an opposite contact element (10) of the other row of contact elements as one second power contact element (14).

The present invention generally relates to a connector assembly, for example a board-to-board connector assembly, and to power contact elements to be used in such a connector assembly.
In connector assemblies, in particular in board-to-board connector assemblies, used in telephone and computer systems for example, it is important to miniaturize the connectors and contact elements. With increasing miniaturization, the size of the contact elements may become too small to meet the power requirements of the electronic components connected through the connector assembly.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a connector assembly wherein relatively high power requirements can be met despite the small size of the contact elements used and the small pitch of the contact elements.

Connector assembly and power contact element


Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a method for interacting with an application and an electronic apparatus. When an electronic apparatus detects that a to-be-operated object in an application is selected, the electronic apparatus may display a selection identifier. The electronic apparatus may detect whether an input track is generated. The electronic apparatus may determine an operation type corresponding to the input track when the electronic apparatus detects the input track and detects that the input track ends. The electronic apparatus may operate the to-be-operated object according to the operation type.

When a user interacts with an application of an electronic apparatus, a function icon or button may be displayed on the electronic apparatus. Therefore, the user may interact with the application via operating the function icon or button. Taking a smartphone for example, different function buttons are set for different applications on the smartphone, such as a micro-blog application, an E-mail or a Social Networking Site (SNS). Taking the micro-blog application for example, a "repost" icon, a "comment" icon and a "bookmark" icon, etc., may be displayed on an interface of the micro-blog application. For instance, if a user wants to execute a function, such as repost a piece of micro-blog, the user needs to click and select the to-be-reposted micro-blog with his/her finger or a touch pen. Then, the finger of the user or the touch pen is temporarily moved away from the interface of the micro-blog application. Then, the user may re-click and re-select the "repost" icon via his/her finger or the touch pen to call out a reposting operation interface to repost the micro-blog.

Electronic apparatus and method for interacting with application in electronic apparatus

TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED


Aspects of the invention are directed to a power module including a metal base, an insulating substrate which is attached to the metal base, a semiconductor chip and a control terminal which are attached to a circuit pattern of the insulating substrate, and a resin case which is attached to the metal base. The control terminal can include a penetration portion which penetrates a cover of the resin case, an L-shaped processed portion which is connected to the penetration portion, and a connection portion which is connected to the L-shaped processed portion. A protrusion portion can be installed in a portion of the control terminal, which penetrates the cover. The protrusion portion can be in contact with a protrusion receiving portion which is configured with a front surface of the cover. The L-shaped processed portion can be in contact with a convex portion in a rear surface of the cover.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to semiconductor devices such as power semiconductor modules (hereinafter, simply referred to as a power modules), where a plurality of semiconductor chips are contained in the same package.
2. Related Art
FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram illustrating a power module in the related art. As illustrated in FIG. 14, a package 501 of a power module 500 is configured to include a metal base 51, an insulating substrate 52, a main terminal 55 and a control terminal 56 which are attached to a circuit pattern 52a of the insulating substrate 52, and a resin case 57. In the power module 500, a semiconductor chip 54 including semiconductor elements is attached on the insulating substrate 52 of the package 501.
In the insulating substrate 52, the circuit pattern 52a is installed on the front-surface side of an insulating layer 52b, and a rear copper foil 52c is installed on the rear-surface side thereof. The front surface of the metal base 51 is attached to the rear copper foil 52c of the insulating substrate 52 through solder (not illustrated). The rear surface of the semiconductor chip 54, one end of the main terminal 55, and one end of the control terminal 56 are attached to the circuit pattern 52a of the insulating substrate 52 through solder (not illustrated).
Electrodes of the semiconductor elements (not illustrated) installed on the front surface of the semiconductor chip 54 and the circuit patterns 52a are electrically connected to each other through bonding wires 60, and the circuit patterns 52a are electrically connected to each other through bonding wires 60. A resin case 57 is adhered to a circumference of the metal base 51 so as to cover the front-surface side of the metal base 51. The resin case 57 is configured so that a sidewall 58 and cover 59 are integrally formed. Each of the other ends of the main terminal 55 and the control terminal 56 penetrates the cover 59 of the resin case 57 to be exposed to an outer side of the resin case 57.
Next, a configuration of a vicinity M of the control terminal 56 of the power module 500 will be described in detail. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating main components in a vicinity of the control terminal of the power module illustrated in FIG. 14. In FIG. 15, the insulating substrate 52 configured to include the circuit pattern 52a, the insulating layer 52b, and the rear copper foil 52c are simplified in the illustration. The control terminal 56 is formed so as to be integrated with a control terminal block 61. The control terminal block 61 is fit into the resin case 57.
The control terminal 56 has a bent portion T at the portion which is closer to the insulating substrate 22 than the control terminal block 61 integrated with the control terminal 56. The control terminal 56 functions as a spring due to elasticity of the bent portion T to press down the insulating substrate 52, so that the control terminal 56 secures a conduction state with respect to the circuit pattern 52a of the insulating substrate 52. The end portion of the control terminal 56, which is exposed to the outer side of the resin case 57, is connected to an external wire line through a connector (not illustrated).
At the time of attachment/detachment of the connector, a stress is exerted on the control terminal 56 in the direction facing the insulating substrate 52 or in the direction being separated from the insulating substrate 52. Therefore, at the time of attachment of the connector, the stress is exerted on the control terminal 56 in the direction facing the insulating substrate 52. However, since the control terminal 56 is fit into the resin case 57 through the control terminal block 61, the stress exerted on the control terminal 56 is prevented from being transferred to the insulating substrate 52 through the control terminal 56. Accordingly, no stress is exerted on the insulating substrate 52.
As a power module where the control terminal and the control terminal block are integrally formed and the control terminal block is fit into the resin case in this manner, the following apparatus is proposed. Lead pins of signal terminals are retained in a signal terminal block, and the signal terminal block is retained in an outer case. The lead pin has a bent portion between the portion where the lead pin is retained and the distal end portion thereof in the package. When the outer case is mounted on a metal base plate, the lead pin of which the free length (before compression) is set to be longer than the compressed length is compressed so as to press the circuit substrate (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1 listed below).
FIGS. 16(a) and 16(b) are cross-sectional diagrams illustrating main components of a power module in another example of the related art. The power module 600 illustrated in FIGS. 16(a) and 16(b) is different from the power module 500 illustrated in FIG. 14 in terms of a configuration of a vicinity M of control terminal 56. FIG. 16(a) illustrates a cross-sectional diagram of main components in the vicinity M of the control terminal 56 of the power module 600. FIG. 16(b) illustrates a cross-sectional diagram of the main components as the vicinity M of the control terminal 56 illustrated in FIG. 16(a) is seen from the side of the sidewall 58 of the resin case 57 (in the direction indicated by a white leftward arrow N).
As illustrated in FIGS. 16(a) and 16(b), the front surface of the metal base 51 is attached to the rear copper foil 52c of the insulating substrate 52 through solder 53. The control terminal 56 is configured to include a penetration portion 56a which penetrates a penetration hole 59a of a cover 59 of the resin case 57, an L-shaped processed portion 56b which is connected to an end of the penetration portion 56a to constitute an L-shaped cross section together with the penetration portion 56a, and a connection portion 56c of which the one end is connected to the L-shaped processed portion 56b and of which the other end is fixed to the insulating substrate 52 by soldering. The other end of the connection portion 56c is perpendicularly bent, and the perpendicularly-bent end of the connection portion 56c is attached to the insulating substrate 52 through solder 62.
The end of the penetration portion 56a opposite to the end of the penetration portion 56a, which is connected to the L-shaped processed portion 56b, is exposed to the outer side of the resin case 57. A protrusion portion 63 which is in contact with the rear surface 59c of the cover 59 of the resin case 57 after the completion of assembly of the power module 600 is installed in the portion of the penetration portion 56a, which penetrates the resin case 57. Since the protrusion portion 63 is in contact with the rear surface 59c of the cover 59 of the resin case 57, the control terminal 56 is not pulled out in the direction from the resin case 57 to the outer side (in the direction indicated by a white upward arrow P of FIG. 16(b)).
An external wire line is connected to the end of the penetration portion 56a of the control terminal 56, which is exposed to the outer side of the resin case 57, through the connector 64. Although not illustrated in FIGS. 16(a) and 16(b), the penetration portion 56a of the control terminal 56 is connected into a socket 64a of the connector 64. In the case of detaching the connector 64 from the penetration portion 56a of the control terminal 56, a stress is exerted on the control terminal 56 in the direction P being separated from the insulating substrate 52 (in the direction indicated by a white upward arrow P).
Because the protrusion portion 63 formed in the control terminal 56 is in contact with the rear surface 59c of the cover 59 of the resin case 57, the stress exerted on the control terminal 56 in the direction P being separated from the insulating substrate 56 may be prevented. Therefore, in the case of detaching the connector 64 from the penetration portion 56a of the control terminal 56, the stress exerted on the control terminal 56 is not transferred to the insulating substrate 56 through the control terminal 56.
As a power module having the configuration where no stress is exerted on the insulating substrate at the time of detaching the connector from the control terminal in this manner, the following apparatus is proposed. A spring is installed in the end of the control terminal, which is closer to the insulating substrate, and the control terminal is in contact with the insulating substrate by compressing the spring. Alternatively, a member having the same operation as a spring is installed in the end of the control terminal, which is closer to the insulating substrate, and the control terminal is in contact with the insulating substrate by using the member. In addition, a hook is installed in the control terminal to prevent the control terminal from being moved in the direction being separated from the insulating substrate. On the other hand, as a power module having the configuration where no pressure is exerted on the insulating substrate through the control terminal at the time of attaching the connector to the control terminal, an apparatus where the portion of the control terminal, which is exposed to the outer side of the resin case, is allowed to be bent to be in contact with the surface of the resin case is proposed. For example, refer to US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0217756 (also referred to herein as "Patent Literature 2").
However, in the power module disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. JP 2000-208686 (also referred to herein as "Patent Literature 1") and the power module 500 illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15 described above, a process for integrally formed the control terminal 56 in the control terminal block 61 and a process for fitting the control terminal block 61 into the resin case 57 are required, so that production cost is increased.
In addition, in the power module 600 illustrated in FIGS. 16(a) and 16(b), at the time of attaching the connector 64, a stress is exerted on the control terminal 56 in the direction (white downward arrow) Q facing the insulating substrate 52. Therefore, at the time of attaching the connector 64, the stress exerted on the control terminal 56 is transferred to the insulating substrate 52 through the control terminal 56, so that the pressure is exerted on the insulating substrate 52. Accordingly, at the portion R corresponding to the control terminal 56 of the insulating substrate 52, the insulating substrate 52 is fractured, so that dielectric strength is decreased. Otherwise, the insulating substrate 52 is depressed, and thus, that the control terminal 56 is displaced, so that the solder 62 attaching the control terminal 56 and the insulating substrate 52 is damaged. Therefore, there is a problem in that the reliability of the power module 600 is deteriorated.
In addition, in the power module disclosed in Patent Literature 2 described above, in the case of attaching the connector to the control terminal, it is not disclosed that the pressure exerted on the insulating substrate through the control terminal is blocked by the protrusion portion installed in the control terminal. Therefore, in the case of attaching the connector to the control terminal, the pressure exerted on the insulating substrate cannot be suppressed.
Thus, there is a need in the art for an improved semiconductor device.


A method of radiochemical analysis comprises the steps of providing a solid phase extraction sheet material comprising ion-specific sorptive or reactive particles and a porous matrix as carrier for the particles, and providing a fluid including an ion-containing radiochemical analyte comprising the specific ion, contacting the sheet material with the fluid for a time sufficient for the particles to selectively extract the analyte from the fluid, and analyzing the sheet material in a direct mode for quantitative or qualitative data relating to the radiochemical analyte. Solid phase extraction sheet materials and methods for their preparation are also disclosed.

The U.S. Department of Energy faces one of the largest environmental challenges in the world. The Department's Environmental Restoration and Waste Management program has responsibility for identifying and reducing risks and managing waste at 137 sites in 34 states and territories where nuclear energy or weapons research and product resulted in radioactive and hazardous waste contamination.
Tests to quantify radionuclide contamination of soil, sediments, and groundwater will need to precede the remediation activities. Monitoring activities will continue even after completion of remediation activities. The number of radiochemical analyses being performed per year in the United States exceeds one million samples per year.
Radiochemical analyses involve specific isotopes or groups of isotopes. Tests are performed to determine quantities of radioisotopes of uranium, plutonium, cesium, radium, strontium, americium, iodine and a number of less frequently analyzed elements.
Radioactive strontium (isotopes Sr.sup.89 and Sr.sup.90) is one of the more frequent radionuclide contaminants found in groundwater or soils and sediments. Procedures for the analysis of strontium isotopes are documented in "DOE Methods for Evaluating Environmental and Waste Management Samples," U.S. Department of Energy, RP-500, March, 1993.
A common feature of all current radiochemical analyses is the labor-intensive nature of the tests, requiring the involvement of highly trained technicians. In the case of the analysis of radioactive strontium, the procedure involves one of several pre-concentration methods, a method to isolate and purify the Sr-fraction, and detection methods. Strontium is chemically separated from other sample constituents using a strontium selective chemical precipitation method. Repeated preconcentration, precipitation and extraction chromatography steps contribute to preparation time of several hours per sample. The use of columns of Sr-Spec.TM. extraction chromatography resin, supplied by Eichrom Industries, Inc., Darien, Ill., has somewhat simplified the isolation and purification of the Sr-fraction without substantially reducing the time required for the total analysis.
A solid phase extraction disk for use in direct analysis by solid-state luminescence has been described by E. J. Poziomek, "Solid State Extraction and Solid-State Spectroscopy for Monitoring Water Pollution," (Analytical Letters, 24(10), 913-1921 (1991). The extraction disk of the reference involves C-18 modified silica particles in a Teflon.TM. matrix.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,932 describes a method of analyzing cation-containing liquids in which a solution is passed through filter paper comprising fibers having cation-exchange functional groups. The cation-loaded filter paper is analyzed directly by, e.g., X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, or the cation is eluted from the filter paper for subsequent analysis. Selectivity for specific cations is not described.
U.S. Patent Nos. 4,142,020, 4,460,474, and 4,943,375, 5,344,624, and others, relate to the selective removal of ions including, e.g., strontium, uranium, plutonium, cesium, or yttrium, from aqueous solutions containing other ions by means of solid phase extraction columns comprising crown ether derivatives coated on solid supporting media, or by means of liquid-liquid extraction using crown ether derivatives.

Solid phase extraction using composite sheet for direct measurement of radioactivity


An apparatus that automatically adjusts authorized bandwidth allocated to a user communicating through an Ethernet network. The apparatus includes a usage monitor in communication with a network gateway or network management system to monitor bandwidth consumed by the user, an evaluator responsive to bandwidth usage that automatically determines bandwidth needs based on historical usage or a demand threshold, and a controller responsive to the evaluator to initiate an examination of surplus bandwidth available at various junctions between the user and a destination. The controller may optionally obtain user verification prior to effecting an automatic increase or decrease in allocated or authorized bandwidth. Allocated bandwidth authorization may also be decreased according to network loading and/or a class of service assignment. A corresponding method is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to data communication, but more particularly to a method and an apparatus that provides automatic adjustment of authorized bandwidth of an Ethernet network.
In today's network environment, a subscriber's need for bandwidth or data throughput capacity may vary dramatically from a low level to support such services as email, database access, and news items to a high level to support, for example, video conferencing, streaming audio or video, graphic file transfers, large amounts of data, etc. Ethernet is becoming a growing choice for networking application due to its versatility, installed base of compatible equipment, and cost. Because Ethernet protocols inherently lack bandwidth allocation capability, the front end of such switches have been modified to accommodate metering control of subscriber usage by a network operations center. Metering is usually accomplished manually by personnel at a network operation center, who send a message (typically an IP message) to the front end switch controller. The controller then regulates the amount of bandwidth or throughput based on the subscriber's identification that is embedded within the data packets sent and received by the subscriber's terminal.
When determining a class of service needed to support his or her needs, the subscriber typically estimates peak demand and, based on that estimated demand, subscribes to a class of service level, within desired financial constraints, to meet that demand. The network operation center sets the authorized bandwidth level based on the subscriber's request and bills the subscriber accordingly. This approach often requires the subscriber to pay for more bandwidth than is actually needed.
In a network that includes Ethernet, some service providers have begun to enable subscribers to adjust their bandwidth capacity or maximum data throughput levels by requesting a temporary or permanent increase via a telephone call to a network operations center serving the subscriber or by making the same request via a web site. Because network operations personnel perform adjustments of authorized levels manually, the subscriber typically obtains the requested increase within a couple of hours or the next day after making the request.

System and method for bandwidth monitoring and allocation in networks


A massage apparatus device with circular plates, which is compact enough to fit into a laptop bag yet versatile enough to engage the five elements of fitness training. It is an improvement over prior art that focuses on only one or two fitness elements. A top and bottom circular plate each having a tapered circular hole in the center of each plate and holes located around the circumference of each plate; and a flexible covering with rods wherein the rods removably engage the circular holes of each circular plate when folded in a cylindrical shape for massage. It is designed to easily disassemble and re-assemble. The top and bottom circular plates also function as double-sided discs used to perform exercises such as gliding. Further, the top and bottom circular plates when placed on a first and second ball are used to stand on to improve one's stability and coordination.

Currently there are a number of solutions for an exercise tool whose emphasis is on flexibility. Some of these solutions attempt to incorporate strength and aerobic training as additional components. And then there are other devices that attempt to place their emphasis on balance. All of these solutions are incomplete due to the limited scope of the type of exercises they emphasize and facilitate when it comes to addressing the full spectrum of a complete fitness program.
It is desirable to have a device that is compact and portable and facilitates the performance of a wide variety of exercises. One that is both small in its overall size but also requires a small amount of floor space to fully utilize. Such a device is desirable to meet the needs of fitness-minded individuals who want to exercise when they travel, and compactness is an important consideration as well as for those whose residence is limited on space. It is also desirable to have a device that can be disassembled and re-assembled for ease of packing and transporting.
There exists a need in the exercise industry for a portable device that is both compact in its size and space required for use, as well as, comprehensive in the fitness elements it is designed to train. The disclosed device advantageously fills this need and addresses the aforementioned deficiencies by providing a portable multi-functional exercise device that can be utilized to address the five main fitness elements namely flexibility, balance, strength, core and aerobic fitness, and when utilized will maximize the training impact for the time invested. It is an improvement over prior art that focuses on only one or two fitness elements because it engages all five.


The instant disclosure describes methods for treating diseases and conditions of the central and peripheral nervous system by stimulating or increasing neurogenesis. The disclosure includes compositions and methods based on use of a 5HTR agent, optionally in combination with one or more other neurogenic agents, to stimulate or activate the formation of new nerve cells.

Neurogenesis is a vital process in the brains of animals and humans, whereby new nerve cells are continuously generated throughout the life span of the organism. The newly born cells are able to differentiate into functional cells of the central nervous system and integrate into existing neural circuits in the brain. Neurogenesis is known to persist throughout adulthood in two regions of the mammalian brain: the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricles and the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. In these regions, multipotent neural progenitor cells (NPCs) continue to divide and give rise to new functional neurons and glial cells (for review Gage Mol Psychiatry. 2000 May; 5(3):262-9). It has been shown that a variety of factors can stimulate adult hippocampal neurogenesis, e.g., adrenalectomy, voluntary exercise, enriched environment, hippocampus dependent learning and anti-depressants (Yehuda. J Neurochem. 1989 July; 53(1):241-8, van Praag. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1999 Nov. 9; 96(23):13427-31, Brown. J Eur J Neurosci. 2003 May; 17(10):2042-6, Gould. Science. 1999 Oct. 15; 286(5439):548-52, Malberg. J Neurosci. 2000 Dec. 15; 20(24):9104-10, Santarelli. Science. 2003 Aug. 8; 301(5634):805-9). Other factors, such as adrenal hormones, stress, age and drugs of abuse negatively influence neurogenesis (Cameron. Neuroscience. 1994 July; 61(2):203-9, McEwen. Neuropsychopharmacology. 1999 October; 21(4):474-84, Kuhn. J Neurosci. 1996 Mar. 15; 16(6):2027-33, Eisch. Am J Psychiatry. 2004 March; 161(3):426).
Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT or 5HT) has been proposed to assert its effects through a number of membrane-bound receptors. The 5-HT or 5HT family of receptors include multiple subtypes. The 5HT1a (or serotonin) receptor subtype is one member of the 5HT1 receptor family. Many members of the family, including 5HT1a, belong to the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily. According to some studies, 5HT1a receptor agonists are thought to inhibit activation of adenylate cyclase in some cells, leading to decreases in cAMP. Another study suggests that the 5HT1a receptor is coupled to N- and L-type calcium channels in some ganglion cells (see Cardenas et al. J. Neurophysiol. 77(6):3284-96, 1997).
5HT1a receptors are distributed in the CNS, and their activation has been shown to lead to neuronal hyperpolarization. The role of 5HT1a receptors has been thought to relate to modulation of anxiety, in part because knockout mice lacking 5HT1a receptors display increased anxiety. The animals also display reduced immobility in forced swimming and tail suspension tests. Agonists of 5HT1a, such as buspirone or gepirone, have been used as anxiolytics (see Tunnicliff Pharmacol. Toxicol. 69:149, 1991; and Den Boer et al. Hum Phychopharmacol. 15:315, 2000). Another 5HT1a agonist is 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino), where the R(+)-isomer is a full agonist and the S(−)-enantiomer is a partial agonist.
Antagonists of 5HT1a may be used to accelerate the effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and enhance their clinical efficacy (see Arborelius et al. Naunyn-Schmeiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 353:630-640, 1996). Examples of 5HT1a antagonists include spiperone and pindolol.
The 5HT4 receptor is another subtype, with multiple C-terminal splice variants having been described as 5HT4A through 5HT4H (see Blondel et al. (1997) FEBS Lett. 412:465; Blondel et al. (1998) J. Neurochem 70:2252; Claeysen et al. (1997) Neuroreport 8:3189; Claeysen et al. (1999) Mol. Pharmacol. 55:910; Van Den Wyngaert et al. (1997) J. Neurochem. 69:1810; Mialet et al. (2000) Br. J. Pharmacol. 129:771; and Mialet et al. (2000) Br. J. Pharmacol. 131:827. Most members of the family, including 5HT4, belong to the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily. According to some studies, 5HT4 receptor agonists have been observed as leading to increases in cAMP. The splice variants have been reported to couple positively to adenylyl cyclase and have been observed to have similar pharmacological properties.
5HT4 receptors have been reported as displaying constitutive, agonist-independent, activity. The activity has been observed at relatively low receptor levels which may explain detected silent or inverse agonist activity by some putative antagonists.
Citation of the above documents is not intended as an admission that any of the foregoing is pertinent prior art. All statements as to the date or representation as to the contents of these documents is based on the information available to the applicant and does not constitute any admission as to the correctness of the dates or contents of these documents.


Virtual reality method intended to be implemented in a virtual reality system, the method including the production of a stimulus in the system during a period of stimulation, the stimulus including: a projection of an image sequence; a production of a first sound signal including a soundtrack linked to the progress of the image sequence; a production of a second sound signal having a first frequency and a third sound signal having a second frequency, the second sound signal being audible from one ear and the third sound signal being audible from the other ear of the user; a production of a fourth sound signal including a spoken presentation; during an initial portion of said predetermined period, the stimulus further including an induction signal; and during a final portion of said predetermined period, the intensity of the sound signals decreasing in intensity until a zero intensity, and the image sequence decreasing in intensity until a zero intensity.

The use is known of a device for supporting a user or a patient so as to lead them into a deep altered state of consciousness until a deep state of hypnosis.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,517,912 describes a medical hypnosis device for controlling a hypnosis experience in a patient. The device includes output means for providing a first type of content that may be a virtual reality type of representation.
US Patent Application No. 2006247489 describes a device and a method of relaxation and meditation by hypnosis in a virtual environment. The device includes an audiovisual headset connectable to a portable DVD player for playing movies from DVD media so as to lead the user into a state of relaxation until a deep state of hypnosis. The device may include a 2D or 3D monitor.
US Patent Application No. 2015174362 describes an apparatus including a virtual reality module and a method for inducing a state of hypnosis. The apparatus includes a head-mounted display for delivering a virtual reality audiovisual signal to the patient and collecting their biological signals.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of virtual reality system and implementing such method


A method to form a protective overlay with wear resistant particles applied in well-defined patterns by applying wear resistant particles on a surface, bonding a part of the wear resistant particles with a binder preferably applied with a digital drop application head and removing the non-bonded wear resistant particles from the surface.

The following description is used to describe the background and products, materials and production methods that may comprise specific parts of preferred embodiments in the disclosure of this disclosure.
The majority of all laminate floors are produced according to a production method generally referred to as Direct Pressed Laminate (DPL). Such laminated floors have a core of 6-12 mm fibreboard, a 0.2 mm thick upper decorative surface layer of laminate and a 0.1-0.2 mm thick lower balancing layer.
The surface layer of a laminate floor is characterized in that the decorative and wear properties are generally obtained with two separate layers of paper, one above the other. The decorative layer is generally a melamine formaldehyde (hereafter shortened to melamine) impregnated printed paper and the wear layer is a melamine impregnated transparent overlay paper, which comprises small wear resistant aluminium oxide particles such as corundum, hereafter shortened to aluminium oxide.
The overlay paper is made of pure cellulose, which is based on delignified pulp. The overlay paper becomes almost completely transparent after lamination and the appearance of the decor paper is visible. Thicker overlay papers with a considerable amount of aluminium oxide particles may give a high wear resistance. The disadvantage is that they are less transparent and a grey layer that disturbs the printed pattern covers the decorative pattern.
The wear resistant aluminium oxide particles may be included in an overlay paper in several ways during impregnation. They may be mixed into the liquid melamine resin or scattered on the wet overlay paper. Paper based overlay may be replaced with a liquid overlay comprising a mix of aluminium oxide particles and liquid melamine resin that is applied on the impregnated décor paper.
The printed decorative paper and the overlay are laminated to a HDF core in large discontinuous or continuous laminate presses where the resin cures under high heat (about 170° C.) and pressure (40-60 bars) and the papers are laminated to the core material. An embossed press plate or steal belt forms the surface structure. Sometimes a structured paper is used as a press matrix. The embossing is in high quality floors made in register with the design.
Laminated floors may also be produced with direct printing technology. Hydro printing inks are used to print the décor by a multicolour printing press. The print is covered with a protective transparent wear layer that may be an overlay, a plastic foil or a lacquer that may comprise wear resistant particles.
Direct printing technology may be replaced with digital printing technology that is much more flexible and small production volumes can be economically manufactured. The difference between these two methods is mainly the printing step where the printing rollers are replaced by a digital non-contact printing process.
Recently new "paper free" floor types have been developed with solid surfaces comprising a substantially homogenous powder mix of fibres, binders and wear resistant particles hereafter referred to as WFF (Wood Fibre Floor).
The powder mix may comprise aluminium oxide particles, melamine resins and wood fibres. In most applications colour pigments are included in the mix and all these materials are applied in dry form as a mixed powder on a HDF core and cured under heat and pressure to a 0.1-1.0 mm solid layer.
Several advantages over known technology and especially over conventional laminate floorings may be obtained such as increased wear and impact resistance, deep embossing, increased production flexibility and lower costs. Digital powder printing has been developed and it is possible to create very advanced designs by injecting ink into the powder prior to pressing. The powder layer may include one or several powder based base colours and digital ink jet printing may only produce a small part of the total décor. A powder overlay comprising a mix of transparent fibres, wear resistant particles and melamine powder may be used to increase the wear resistance of the digital print. Such protective layer is applied even on the base layer where it is not needed since abase layer comprising wear resistant particles have sufficient wear resistance.
Wood floors are delivered as pre finished floors with a wood surface that is coated with several transparent layers in the factory. The coating may be made with UV cured polyurethane that comprises wear restante particles.
Ceramic tiles are one of the major materials used for flooring and wall coverings. A tile body comprising clay minerals is covered with one or several layers of glaze that may comprise wear resistant particles.
Luxury Vinyl Tiles, generally referred to as LVT floorings, are constructed as a layered product. The base layer is made primarily of PVC mixed with chalk filler in order to reduce material costs. The base layer has a high quality printed decorative PVC foil on the upper side. A transparent wear layer of vinyl with a thickness of 0.2-0.6 mm is generally applied on the decorative foil. The transparent layer may include a coating of polyurethane, which provides additional wear and stain resistance. Such polyurethane layer may comprise wear resistant particles.
As a summary it may be mentioned that wear resistant particles, especially aluminium oxide, are used in many floor types in order to increase the wear resistance of the floor surface.


A synchronous burst-access memory latches a row address strobe signal, a column address strobe signal, and address signals in synchronization with a clock signal. Data are stored in rows and columns in a memory cell array. Data in a selected row are input and output in serial bursts in synchronization with the clock signal, starting from a selected column. The row and initial column address are provided as external inputs; subsequent column addresses are generated by an internal address counting circuit.. A word-line driving circuit for a synchronous memory uses transparent latches to latch the row address strobe signal and address signals, enabling row address decoding to be completed prior to synchronization with the clock signal.

This invention relates to a type of dynamic random-access memory (dynamic RAM, or DRAM) that is written and read in high-speed bursts synchronized with a clock signal. This novel type of memory will be referred to below as a synchronous burst-access memory.
A synchronous burst-access memory can be compared to the well-known dual-port random-access memory (dual-port RAM). A dual-port RAM basically comprises an array of DRAM memory cells and a data register. The memory cells can be accessed "at random" by latching a row address, then a column address, and reading or writing the bit or bits located at the intersection of the row and column. Alternatively, an entire row of bits can be transferred at once to the data register, then read serially in synchronization with a clock signal. Some dual-port RAMs enable data to be written serially as well as read. Serial and random access can be carried out simultaneously, and serial access can be performed at high speed.
Dual-port RAM has often been used to store image data which are read serially to generate a video signal for a raster-scan display. More recently, dual-port RAM has been used in systems employing processors of the reduced instruction-set type (so-called RISC processors), which run at high speeds and often require access to a series of bits.
A drawback of dual-port RAM is that complex on-chip circuitry is required to control two ports simultaneously. This leads to chip sizes 40% to 50% larger than general-purpose DRAM, and increases the cost of manufacturing and testing the chip.
Another drawback is that the control and address signals supplied to dual-port RAM have stringent and interrelated setup, hold, and other timing requirements, which are not easily satisfied at high operating speeds. This problem is particularly acute when the same control signals are supplied to a plurality of memory devices on a printed circuit board. Board design becomes difficult and powerful signal drivers become necessary; but these drivers generate unwanted electrical noise that can cause other devices on the board to malfunction.
Timing would be easier if all control and address signals were synchronized to a single clock signal, but existing dual-port RAM devices make no provision for this type of synchronization; the clock signal is used only to synchronize serial data output, or serial input and output. Synchronous static RAM devices are known, but their synchronization schemes are not directly applicable to dynamic RAM because row and column addresses are multiplexed in dynamic RAM, whereas they are not multiplexed in static RAM. In addition, if existing static RAM synchronization schemes were to be applied to dynamic RAM, operations such as row address decoding would not begin until after input of the synchronizing clock edge, which would lead to delays inappropriate for a burst-access device.


A power factor correcting power supply includes an input stage power converter and an output stage power converter. The input stage power converter includes a plurality of series connected boost switches and a power factor correction controller. The power factor correction controller may direct the operation of the boost switches with series interleave phasing to perform power factor correction and voltage regulation. The boost switches are supplied input voltage and input current from a power source. The input voltage is converted to a DC boost voltage by high frequency series interleaved switching of the boost switches. The DC boost voltage is converted to a DC output voltage by the output stage power converter. The DC output voltage is provided on a DC rail for a load of the power factor correcting power supply.

1. Technical Field
The invention generally relates to power supplies and, more particularly, to a power supply that performs power factor correction with series interleaved phasing.
2. Related Art
Power supplies are utilized as a source of power in many electrical devices including most devices having electronic circuits. A power supply may utilize input power from a single phase or a multiple phase alternating current source to produce output power. The output power may be produced at one or more predetermined voltages with a determined range of output current. The output power may be alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) of almost any magnitude depending on the load the power supply is serving.
Some power supplies and associated electrical device loads may be classified as non-linear power electronic loads. Such non-linear power electronic loads typically include rectifier/capacitor input stages that are characterized by an undesirably low power factor due to excessive load current harmonics. Load current harmonics cause an increase in the magnitude of RMS current supplied to such a non-linear power electronic load. Harmonic currents result in a reduction in power factor since harmonic currents do not provide useful power to the non-linear power electronic load.
Multiple kilowatt non-linear power electronic loads, such as a high power audio amplifier or a magnetic resonance imaging gradient amplifier, place significant current demands on a source of input power. A power feed from a source of input power may be supplied to a load from a circuit breaker with limited current carrying capacity. For example, a power feed that is a single phase power distribution system may be supplied from a circuit breaker that is rated for fifteen amps of sustained RMS current at near unity power factor. When a load with a low power factor is present, the RMS current requirement is higher, and the circuit breaker may open the power feed even though the load is not productively utilizing substantial power.
Power factor correction (PFC) may be used to decrease the magnitude of additional RMS current resulting from harmonics. Power factor correction may involve working to maintain the sinusoidal waveform of current drawn from an AC power source in phase with the sinusoidal waveform of voltage drawn from the AC power source. For non-linear power electronic loads, there are passive and active power factor correction approaches. Passive approaches include series inductor filters and resonant filters. Active approaches include boost derived converters and other switch mode based systems.
In general, boost derived converters utilize switching frequencies higher than the frequency of the source of input power (typically 50–60 Hz) to control the shape of the input current waveform. The higher switching frequencies may result in undesirably high levels of ripple frequencies (e.g. distortion). In addition to power factor correction, boost derived converters that are referred to as universal input boost converters have the capability to accept a range of input voltages such as 100 VAC nominal (Japan), 120 VAC nominal (United States) and 230 VAC nominal (Europe). Boost derived converters may also provide voltage regulation of the output voltage of the converter.
Power supplies that include a boost derived converter may include a bridge rectifier, a second stage, and a first stage that includes an inductor, a switch, a diode and a capacitor. AC power is rectified by the rectifier and used to magnetize the inductor. The switch is opened and closed with a high frequency time varying duty cycle to magnetize and demagnetize the inductor. The capacitor is charged with the energy discharged from the inductor during the demagnetization portion of the duty cycle. The voltage across the capacitor is a DC boost voltage that is provided to the second stage. The second stage converters the DC boost voltage to a DC output voltage of the power supply.
One type of boost converter known as a three-level boost converter may include an output having a capacitor voltage divider. The three-level boost converter includes an inductor and a pair of boost sub-circuits. The pair of boost sub-circuits are electrically connected in series and each include a switch, a capacitor and a diode. The series connection allows reduction in the voltage rating of the boost derived converter to half that of other boost derived converters since each boost sub-circuit operates to provide half of the boost voltage. At light loads, however, equal voltage may not be produced across the capacitors. The voltage imbalance may result in unbalanced operation of the three level boost converter resulting in stress on the boost sub-circuits.
Some PFC boost derived converters operate in a discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) with switch mode operation. To minimize ripple current associated with such switch mode operation, some boost derived converters, such as the three-level boost converter, operate with interleave. Interleave operation involves multiple switches in the boost derived converter that are operated sequentially during a switching period to increase ripple frequency while reducing ripple magnitude. The reduction in ripple magnitude further decreases undesirable line currents and therefore improves power factor. Increased ripple frequency results in cancellation of ripple current at the switching frequency, at sidebands of the switching frequency, at odd harmonics of the switching frequency and at sidebands of the odd harmonics. The reduced magnitude of ripple current, however, still creates undesirable load currents. In addition, with the previously discussed unbalanced conditions of the three-level boost converter, reduction in ripple current may be adversely affected due to incomplete ripple cancellation.
Therefore a need exists for a power factor correcting power supply with greater power efficiency and lower ripple currents that does not suffer from internal voltage imbalances.

Series interleaved boost converter power factor correcting power supply

Harman International Industries, Incorporated


The present disclosure includes methods, devices, modules, and systems for operating memory cells. One method embodiment includes applying sensing voltages to selected access lines for sensing selected memory cells. The method also includes applying a dynamic pass voltage to unselected access lines while the sensing voltages are applied.

Memory devices are typically provided as internal, semiconductor, integrated circuits in computers or other electronic devices. There are many different types of memory including random-access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), and flash memory, among others.
Flash memory devices are utilized as non-volatile memory for a wide range of electronic applications. Flash memory devices typically use a one-transistor memory cell that allows for high memory densities, high reliability, and low power consumption.
Uses for flash memory include memory for personal computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, cellular telephones, portable music players, e.g., MP3 players, and movie players. Program code and system data, such as a basic input/output system (BIOS), are typically stored in flash memory devices. This information can be used in personal computer systems, among others. Some uses of flash memory may include multiple reads of data programmed to a flash memory device without erasing the data.
Two common types of flash memory array architectures are the "NAND" and "NOR" architectures, so called for the logical form in which the basic memory cell configuration of each is arranged.
A NAND array architecture arranges its array of floating gate memory cells in a matrix such that the gates of each floating gate memory cell in a "row" of the array are coupled to an access line, which is commonly referred to in the art as a "word line". However each memory cell is not directly coupled to a data line (which is commonly referred to as a digit line, e.g., a bit line, in the art) by its drain. Instead, the memory cells of the array are coupled together in series, source to drain, between a source line and a bit line, where the memory cells commonly coupled to a particular bit line are referred to as a "column".
Memory cells in a NAND array architecture can be programmed to a desired state. That is, electric charge can be placed on or removed from the floating gate of a memory cell to put the cell into a number of programmed states. For example, a single level cell (SLC) can represent two states, e.g., 1 or 0. Flash memory cells can also store more than two states, e.g., 1111, 0111, 0011, 1011, 1001, 0001, 0101, 1101, 1100, 0100, 0000, 1000, 1010, 0010, 0110, and 1110. Such cells may be referred to as multi state memory cells, multidigit cells, or multilevel cells (MLCs). MLCs can allow the manufacture of higher density memories without increasing the number of memory cells since each cell can represent more than one digit, e.g., more than one bit. MLCs can have more than two programmed states, e.g., a cell capable of representing four digits can have sixteen programmed states. For some MLCs, one of the sixteen programmed states can be an erased state. For these MLCs, the lowermost program state is not programmed above the erased state, that is, if the cell is programmed to the lowermost state, it remains in the erased state rather than having a charge applied to the cell during a programming operation. The other fifteen states can be referred to as "non-erased" states.

Memory device having a negatively ramping dynamic pass voltage for reducing read-disturb effect


A method of providing dispersion compensation includes providing a dispersion signal indicative of an amount of dispersion for at least one channel of a multi-channel optical signal. A dispersion compensator is controlled in accordance with the dispersion signal to optically compensate for the dispersion of the optical signal.

Optical fiber communications experience degradation due to various physical properties of the optical fiber. Other network elements may also contribute to the degradation of the signal. This degradation tends to limit the distance over which information can be effectively communicated. For example, the propagation velocity of an optical signal within an optical fiber is wavelength dependent. Due to the spectral content of a pulse, the optical pulses tend to become spread out or broadened through a phenomenon referred to as material or chromatic dispersion.
Various compensation techniques have been developed to mitigate the effects of dispersion. Optical dispersion compensation modules (ODCMs) are sometimes used in an effort to compensate for unwanted chromatic dispersion. One type of ODCM utilizes spools of dispersion compensating fiber (DCF) to ameliorate the chromatic dispersion contributed by the primary optical fiber.
One disadvantage of this approach is the labor-intensive nature of determining and implementing the appropriate compensation. A technician must select the appropriate length DCF spool for the ODCM. Another disadvantage of such ODCMs is the need to rely on commercially available spools of pre-determined lengths of DCF rather than custom-length DCF. The granularity of commercially available spool lengths leads to less-than-optimal compensation.
Perhaps most importantly, changes to the amount of compensation inherently require the undesirable interruption of data transport. Changes require technician scheduling lead time and interruption of data transport to exchange DCF spools. The static nature of DCF compensation is also incapable of handling time-varying dispersion.


A trailer for transporting a harvester header comprises a chassis, a rear axle assembly and a front axle assembly. A steering force transfer mechanism is arranged to transfer a steering force hydraulically from a first one steerable wheel supported on the front axle assembly to a second one steerable wheel supported on the rear axle assembly. A steering movement of the first one steerable wheel to one side effects a steering movement of the second one steerable wheel to the opposite side.

1. Field of invention
The invention relates to trailers suitable for transporting harvester headers.
2. Background
As self-propelled harvesting machines get larger to cater for the demands of modern farmers, the headers become wider too. It is well known to detach the header of, say, a combine harvester when moving from field to field, especially when travelling on roads is required, due to the excessive width. For the transport operation, a dedicated header trailer is typically employed to carry the header lengthwise.
FIG. 1 schematically represents a combine harvester 10 towing a header trailer 12 on top of which is shown the detached harvester header 14. Although shown as being towed by a combine 10 it will be appreciated that the header trailer may be towed by any suitable vehicle, most commonly an agricultural tractor.
The example header trailer 12 shown includes a chassis 16 with a front towing hitch 18 for attachment to the towing vehicle 10 and a rear axle assembly 20 which supports a pair of rear wheels 22. A front axle assembly 24 comprises a pony truck which is provided to support one or more front wheels 26. The provision of one or more front wheels 26 maintains the chassis 16 at a constant level to ease attachment and detachment of the header 14 from the feeder house 28 of combine 10. Furthermore, the provision of front pony truck reduces the vertical load on the front hitch 18 thus placing less strain on primitive towing hitches often provided at the rear of combine harvesters.
Harvester headers today can reach operating widths of up to 15 meters which require long header trailers in the region of 18 meters in length. The lengths involved can make manoeuvrability and particularly tight turns troublesome because the rear wheels 22 of the header trailer 12 take the shortest route when following the towing machine.


A paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser for storing rolls of paper and dispensing towels therefrom in a space-saving manner. The paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser includes a container assembly including a container having a bottom wall, side walls, a front wall, and an open top; and also including a lid assembly including a lid being hingedly attached to the container and being closeable over the open top, and also including a handle securely attached to the lid; and further includes a bracket assembly being securely attached to the container for supporting a roll of paper thereupon.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper towel storage and dispenser and more particularly pertains to a new paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser for storing rolls of paper and dispensing towels therefrom in a space-saving manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of a paper towel storage and dispenser is known in the prior art. More specifically, a paper towel storage and dispenser heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,887,818; 4,177,958; 2,991,951; 4,363,454; 3,039,709; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 293,056.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser. The inventive device includes a container assembly including a container having a bottom wall, side walls, a front wall, and an open top; and also including a lid assembly including a lid being hingedly attached to the container and being closeable over the open top, and also including a handle securely attached to the lid; and further includes a bracket assembly being securely attached to the container for supporting a roll of paper thereupon.
In these respects, the paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of storing rolls of paper and dispensing towels therefrom in a space-saving manner.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of paper towel storage and dispenser now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser construction wherein the same can be utilized for storing rolls of paper and dispensing towels therefrom in a space-saving manner.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser which has many of the advantages of the paper towel storage and dispenser mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art paper towel storage and dispenser, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a container assembly including a container having a bottom wall, side walls, a front wall, and an open top; and also including a lid assembly including a lid being hingedly attached to the container and being closeable over the open top, and also including a handle securely attached to the lid; and further includes a bracket assembly being securely attached to the container for supporting a roll of paper thereupon.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser which has many of the advantages of the paper towel storage and dispenser mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art paper towel storage and dispenser, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser for storing rolls of paper and dispensing towels therefrom in a space-saving manner.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser which includes a container assembly including a container having a bottom wall, side walls, a front wall, and an open top; and also including a lid assembly including a lid being hingedly attached to the container and being closeable over the open top, and also including a handle securely attached to the lid; and further includes a bracket assembly being securely attached to the container for supporting a roll of paper thereupon.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser that provides convenient and quick access to paper rolls and towels when needed.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser that is easy and convenient to use in small kitchens and in hosptials where storage space is a premium.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

Paper roll storage and paper towel dispenser


The present invention is directed to a silicon carbide field effect transistor. The FET is formed on a silicon carbide monocrystalline substrate. An insulative material gate having a pair of spaced apart sidewalls is patterned on the substrate. The insulative material comprises a first insulation material overlayed by an electrically conductive layer. Within the substrate is lightly doped base regions located partially under the sidewalls of the gate and extending into the exposed substrate. Associated with the lightly doped base regions are heavily doped source regions aligned with the exposed substrate. On the underside of the substrate is a drain region to form the FET. Further in accordance with the present invention, a method to fabricate a field effect transistor is disclosed. The transistor is formed in a monocrystalline substrate of silicon carbide. Forming a transistor on the silicon carbide substrate entails depositing a first electrically insulative layer over the substrate. Next, an electrically conductive layer is deposited over the first insulative layer and then a second electrically insulative layer is deposited over the conductive layer. The following step includes partially removing the second insulative layer and exposing a portion of the first conductive layer to obtain two spaced apart regions of the silicon carbide substrate for forming lightly doped base regions. Then the substrate aligned with the exposed portion of the first conductive layer is lightly implanted with a dopant to form lightly doped base regions. Next, a layer of a third insulative material is formed on the sidewalls of the second insulative material. The following step entails removing the exposed conductive layer not aligned with the second insulative material and third insulative material. Thereby, exposing portions of the first insulating layer and defining a second set of spaced regions of the substrate. The second set of spaced regions are then heavily implanted to form heavily doped source regions. The second insulative material and third insulative material are then removed to form a gate.

Silicon carbide as a substrate is an excellent material for power devices due to its wideband gap and high blocking voltage. However, dopants do not readily diffuse in silicon carbide substrate. Typically, dopants have been implanted into a silicon carbide substrate to form lightly doped base regions and heavily doped source regions by using two separate masks.
An example of this typical technique is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,945 (the"'945 Patent"). In the summary of the invention, the '945 Patent discloses "the base region of the silicon carbide field effect transistor is formed by amorphizing a first portion of a silicon carbide substrate, providing an implant of the base region dopant ions into the first portion and then recrystallizing the first portion to thereby create a substantially monocrystalline base region." The '945 Patent further discloses "Next, the source region is formed by amorphizing a second portion of the substantially monocrystalline base region, providing an implant of the source region dopant ions and then recrystallizing the second portion to thereby create a substantially monocrystalline source region in the base region." In other words, implanting dopants into a silicon carbide substrate has required at least two separate masks. The two mask technique is costly because two masks are used instead of one. More importantly, the two mask technique is difficult to use because the two masks must be properly aligned.

Self-aligned power field effect transistor in silicon carbide


Described are methods and systems for treating a patient to modify a body passage of the patient. The methods may involve removing tissue from a luminal surface of a body passage such as the esophagus or stomach, for the purpose of inducing a healing response that will result in a reshaping of the body passage.

The present invention relates generally to the field of medicine and in particular aspects to methods and apparatuses for reshaping the esophagus or other body lumens.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has been described as an improper functioning of the lower or inferior esophageal sphincter (LES) in which stomach contents are able to leak back, or reflux, abnormally into the esophagus. When refluxed stomach acid contacts the lining of the esophagus, it causes a burning sensation in the chest or throat called heartburn. Reports show that as many as 10 percent of Americans have daily episodes of heartburn and that up to 44 percent have symptoms at least once a month. While occasional heartburn is common and does not necessarily mean that the subject has GERD, chronic heartburn may signify GERD and can lead to more serious health problems.
Esophagitis, a complication of GERD, can become a relapsing chronic condition. Other complications of GERD include strictures, ulcerations and Barrett's esophagus (progressive replacement of distal eroded squamous mucosa with metaplastic intestinal epithelium). Treatment of GERD may include medication and/or surgery.
Morbid obesity (clinically severe obesity) has been described as a condition in which a person's weight creates major primary or threatened secondary effects on the patient's health and well being. Unfortunately, morbid obesity often results in early death. A 12-year follow-up of 336,442 men and 419,060 women found that the mortality rate increased approximately two-fold for men having a 50% above-average weight, while the mortality rate increased 5-fold for diabetics and 4-fold for those with digestive tract disease in this same group. In a similar group of women, the overall mortality rate also increased two-fold, while the mortality rate increased 8-fold for diabetics and 3-fold for those with digestive tract disease.
Associations between the average weight of population groups and the prevalence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes have also been repeatedly observed. Reports show that the risk of developing diabetes increases about two-fold in the mildly obese, five-fold in the moderately obese and ten-fold in severely obese persons. It is also known that the duration of obesity is an important determinant of the risk for developing diabetes. Further, studies show increases in cancer mortality rates in severely obese females, e.g., endometrium (5.4 times), gall bladder (3.6 times), uterine cervix (2.4 times), ovary (1.6 times) and breast (1.5 times). As well, studies show increases in cancer mortality rates in severely obese males, e.g., colorectal (1.7 times) and prostate (1.3 times).
There remains a need for improved and/or alternative methods and apparatuses that are useful for treating GERD, obesity and other medical conditions. The present invention is addressed to those needs.

Methods and apparatuses for reshaping the esophagus and other body lumens

Indiana University Research & Technology Corporation


A toner cartridge, a developing device, and an image forming apparatus, in which a memory is provided in the cartridge to be accessible by an image forming apparatus are disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes a developing device detachably attached to the body the image forming apparatus, and a toner cartridge detachably disposed in the developing cartridge, which includes a memory accessible from a surface of the toner cartridge exposed outside the developing cartridge when the toner cartridge is installed in the developing cartridge.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a replaceable toner cartridge having a memory, a developing cartridge, a developing device, and an image forming apparatus having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
General image forming apparatuses such as, e.g., printers, copy machines, fax machines, or multifunctional peripherals print images on printing media using a quantity of toner.
The more pages are printed, the more toner is consumed, and thus the toner needs to be periodically replenished. The toner may be accommodated in a developing cartridge removably installed in the body of the image forming apparatus, together with other components, e.g., a developing roller and/or a supply roller.
To replenishing toner, when the entire developing cartridge is replaced, not only the toner, but also other components, such as, e.g., the developing roller and/or supply roller are also replaced, causing the cost of operational and/or maintenance cost of the image forming apparatus to increase.
The developing cartridge may include a memory such as, e.g., a customer replaceable unit monitor (CRUM), that stores information that can be used to determine, for example, whether the developing cartridge is mounted, the amount of toner remaining, and/or other printing related information.
As various internal components and the driving mechanism to drive these internal components are also disposed in or about the developing cartridge, the placement of the memory device, e.g., a CRUM, at a location that does not contribute greatly to the overall size of the developing cartridge and/or the image forming apparatus, and that also allows the memory device to transmit and/or receive signals to and/or from the image forming apparatus, is desirable.

Memory, toner cartridge, developing device and image forming apparatus having the same