A combustion system having a combustion chamber having a fuel inlet, a preheating chamber surrounding the combustion chamber, an air inlet for tangentially feeding combustion air to the preheating chamber, the combustion chamber having an elongate slot for tangentially admitting preheated air in circulating motion to the combustion chamber, a plasma chamber coupled to the combustion chamber having an inlet aperture for receiving combusting fuel-air plasma from the combustion chamber, and an outlet aperture for expelling combusted gas, the plasma chamber having an inverted end wall surrounding the outlet aperture operative for forming an imploding vortex in the plasma chamber.

An imploding plasma energy converter was previously developed by the present applicant and is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,966, issued on Nov. 1, 1994. This prior converter, although highly efficient and practical, does not entirely maximize combustion vortex turbulence and it lacks a convenient means for finely adjusting the air-fuel ratio after full operating temperature has been reached.
As noted in this previous patent, earlier inventors have disclosed heating systems based on the principle of burning fuel in a vortex. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,747,526, shows a cyclone furnace in which a granular solid fuel is directed into a high velocity stream of super-atmospheric pressure air directed tangentially into a fluid cooled cyclone chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,141 discloses a burner for gaseous, liquid fuel, which has a tubular burer structure of a rotationally symmetrical shape, and which has nozzles for supplying combustion air tangentially into the combustion chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,093 discloses a combustion method which can reduce the emission of nitrous oxide and smoke by means of a specific flow pattern of fuel and combustion air in the combustion chamber, and in which secondary air is injected to create a swirling air flow.
None of the prior art, however, shows the use of applicant's concept of the so-called imploding plasma vortex, in which a vortex of burning gases is configured such that the vortex of burning gas plasma is sustained in a plasma chamber such that the vortex is "folded back" into itself, creating a double helix of burning gases at very high temperature combined with preheating of the fuel and combustion air. The principle of the imploding plasma vortex leads to a combustion process of very high thermal conversion efficiency and to a very complete combustion that minimizes polluting emissions.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an imploding plasma vortex combustion system which maximizes vortex formation within the system for much improved fuel efficiency.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a system which optionally includes means for precisely adjusting the air-fuel ratio after full operational temperature has been reached to further improve fuel efficiency.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a system which enhances ionization of the air-fuel mixture before and during combustion for still greater fuel efficiency.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a combustion system which includes means for preheating air in an air-passing and rotating combustion chamber for smooth operational transition to a plasma burning mode.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a combustion system which is economical to construct and operate, which produces no harmful exhaust by-products and which requires very little to no cleaning or other maintenance.


Near net-shapeable nanostructured ceramic nitride powder and a process for producing the same by nitriding molecular precursor powder in a nitrogen containing atmosphere, e.g., in ammonia, to form nanostructured ceramic nitride powder.

1. Field of the Invention
The purpose of the present invention is to make nanostructured ceramic nitride powders at low processing temperatures by nitriding molecular precursors in a nitrogen containing environment including ammonia. The resultant nanostructured ceramic nitride powders can be plastically deformed, making them very desirable for thermo-management material, as for example, in electronic applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nitrides, such as aluminum nitride, have exceptional electronic and structural properties. Aluminum nitride (AlN) ceramics have exceptional properties for electronic and structural applications. With a high thermal conductivity and electrical resistivity, a permittivity almost the same as alumina and a low thermal expansion, AlN ceramics are attractive materials for electronic substrates.
Most advanced functional and structural ceramic parts are fabricated by consolidation and densification of powders. For this purpose it is desirable that the starting powders have a small particle size (preferably submicron) and a controlled size distribution.
There has therefore been a growing interest in nanoscale ceramic powders (particle diameter <1000 nm and preferably less than 100 nm), and in the possibility of consolidating these nanoscale ceramic particles to full density utilizing lower processing pressures and temperatures than those required using conventional larger diameter powders.
There has also been a growing interest in the possibility of processing bulk ceramics consisting of consolidated nanoscale particles using near net-shape forming techniques, embossing or pressing rather than grinding, cutting or etching, because of the enhanced ductility of small-grain solids.
Currently, ceramic powders with sizes which are several microns or larger cannot be used in near net-shape forming due to the brittle nature of densified bulk material. Near net-shape forming is forming a product to a final shape by using an appropriate die in a pressure-assisted, thermally activated consolidation process. If a ceramic part having a complex geometry can be formed to near net-shape during processing, the conventional methods of costly precision machining can be avoided.
Nanostructured powders have been prepared by physical vapor deposition, mechanical blending and mixing, and by using chemical routes. However, vapor methods are not cost effective and are used to make small amounts of material. The mechanical blending route often introduces impurities into the final product.
Industrial AlN has been produced by the reaction of nitrogen with aluminum or by the carbothermal reduction of alumina. However, in these processes, the precursor powders are typically very large (i.e., -325 mesh, 45 microns or smaller) and the final powders are not suitable for near net-shape forming. Additionally, these processes require the use of temperatures as high as 2000.degree. C. The resulting material needs to be milled in order to obtain the final finer powder. The milling process generates powders with a wide size distribution and impurities from the mill. While the carbothermal process produces a smaller grain sized material than the direct nitridation of Al, it leaves carbonaceous material mixed with the AlN which needs to be removed.
Other approaches for AlN synthesis include vapor deposition and conversion of chemically derived precursors such as metallo-organic or sol-gel derived. By using chemical methods, composites exhibiting molecular and homogeneous mixing may result. Nanocomposite powders of AlN-BN derived by the pyrolysis of a precomposite gel prepared from an aqueous solution containing the constituent salts have also been studied by Chow et al. Tuesel and Russel have shown that coatings of AlN on SiC can be prepared by the pyrolysis of a polymeric polyiminoalane precursor at 900.degree. C. in ammonia.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a process for making nanostructured aluminum nitride powders in bulk quantity.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a process for making nanostructured aluminum nitride powders that can be formed into dense AlN substrates by near net-shape forming.
It is another object of the present invention to produce large quantities of material while achieving chemical homogeneity due to the mixing of constituents at the molecular or atomic level.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a process for forming nanostructured aluminum nitride powders utilizing lower temperatures.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a process for making aluminum nitride powders utilizing chemical routes which do not require extensive processing equipment, keeping the cost of production low.

Nanostructured ceramic nitride powders and a method of making the same

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A crane apparatus is installed on a pier, wharf, bulkhead wharf or other foundation extending into the water for directly transshipping containers from a vessel moored alongside the foundation to another transportation mode without necessity of ground placement of the containers. The crane apparatus includes a parent crane displaceable along the foundation for unloading containers from a vessel moored alongside the foundation and placing the containers on a first platform of the parent crane, and a sibling crane displaceable along the foundation beneath the parent crane independently of displacement of the parent crane for loading containers from the first platform onto over-the-ground vehicles. The parent crane has a first trolley/spreader hoist movable along a first boom for unloading containers from the vessel and placing them on either the first platform or a second platform of the parent crane, and a second trolley/spreader hoist movable along a second boom for loading containers from the second platform onto another vessel or over-the-ground vehicles.

The present invention relates generally to container cranes, and more particularly to a crane apparatus for directly transshipping containers between transportation modes without the need for placing the containers on the ground.
The volume of worldwide containerized cargo is increasing faster than is the capacity of many of the world's conventional marine container terminals. The problem is being compounded by a shortage of terminal space and increasing congestion caused by traditional, ship/stack/trailer-truck type operations. In addition, air pollution problems in and around marine terminals, most notably in older port cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Rotterdam and Hamburg, now dictate that major changes are needed in the method of handling marine container cargoes.
One solution to these problems would come from logistics systems that enable the direct transshipment of containers between transportation modes, i.e., without the need for their ground placement before they leave the terminal. For example, direct transshipment between container ships and feeder vessels, barges, ferries, etc., and direct transshipment between container ships and container unit-trains.
Modern examples of port/rail container terminal facilities are those in Los Angeles (Pier 400 and the Alameda Rail Corridor Project) and ECT at Maasvlacht. The ECT project is being linked to the Ruhr District in Germany by a new rail tunnel and railroad being constructed in connection with Deutsche Bahn.
Both these terminals, however, currently involve indirect ship to unit-train transshipment container logistics systems, i.e., the dockside cranes move the containers from the ship via one or more types of ground transportation units to a container stacking yard. Such ground transportation units are either manned (driver driven) or automated transfer systems. Examples are: Gaussin S.A.'s multi-trailer sets (MTS); BUISCAR's system; automated guided vehicles (AGVs) such as those of Siemens/Demag and, more recently, 1-over-1 shuttle straddle carriers such as those of Kalmar Industries. Because these transfer systems move the containers from dockside to intermediate container stacking areas within the marine terminal, they are classed as INDIRECT, as against DIRECT, transshipment systems.
Various types of mobile container lifting equipment, such as rubber tired gantries (RTGs) or rail mounted gantries (RMGs), then transfer the containers from these ground transportation systems and stack the containers in the terminal's stack, or storage, areas. Here the containers wait until a unit-train comes into, or near-by, the marine terminal, at which time various types of mobile container lifting equipment again lift the containers and load them onto the rail-cars. There are therefore a minimum of three handlings of the container in such an indirect "on-dock" rail transshipment logistics system. Often the need to sort containers between stacks can lead to a further two or three additional handlings of a container.
One recent advance has been to automate the container stacking/unstacking functions within the terminal. This is exemplified by the Hessenatie/Siemens/Demag overhead automated bridge crane stacking system now being built in the Port of Antwerp and by the PSA automated terminal system in Singapore.
These systems, while certainly increasing container handling productivity within terminals, whether manned or automated, are still only component parts of indirect transshipment systems.
By contrast, DIRECT, as against INDIRECT, transshipment of containers between ship and other transportation modes (such as container feeder vessels, barges and/or container unit-trains and other over-the-ground equipment) requires that such multiple handling be avoided. This can only be done if the quayside container crane is designed to move the container to these other transportation modes directly, without the necessity of ground placement, thereby eliminating, to the maximum extent possible, the need for container stacking within the terminal.
In turn, this can only be done by a totally new system of container handling and logistics. Specifically by the use of multiple hoists (together with one or more platforms) within a "parent" quayside container crane. In addition, for the direct transshipment of containers between ship and container unit-trains and other over-the-ground equipment, an independent but associated "sibling" crane must work in conjunction with its parent quayside container crane.
Such a sibling crane must be able to move independently under and on either side of its parent crane. As such, by moving independently along the quay, or wharf, it can load rail-cars (or other over-the-ground equipment) even though its parent crane has to remain in a fixed position while unloading any particular cell of a container vessel.
The mobile parent quayside container cranes working in conjunction with their associated sibling cranes according to this invention, hereinafter sometimes referred to as the Poseidon™ crane system, achieve the direct transfer of containers between all these transportation modes without the necessity of ground placement, within the shortest possible cycle distance, and in the shortest possible cycle time.
The sibling cranes in this invention can be either rubber-tired gantry cranes (RTGs) or rail-mounted gantry cranes (RMGs). In practice, however, because of the narrow conditions, and for control and safety reasons, the optimal cranes to use should be RMGs.
Another major consideration is that, as the size and draft requirements of container vessels continue to increase, many relatively shallow ports are no longer able to receive such vessels. This is particularly true on the U.S. East and Gulf coasts. The economies of scale achievable by the use of these larger ships, however, is forcing a dramatic change in planning for the future. The concept of centralized hub terminals, dedicated to a single shipping company or Alliance, and capable of taking the deepest draft container ships, which then transship containers to container unit-trains and/or to feeder vessels and/or barges for their movement to shallower ports, is now being actively explored by shipping companies, terminal companies and port authorities around the world. In the the United States, this trend is exemplified by Maersk/Sealand's decision to possibly leave its major U.S. East Coast hub in the Port of New York/New Jersey for a deep-water, 568 acre, site they have purchased in Portsmouth, Virginia, a decision being forced by the multi-billion dollar cost of trying to deepen the channel to its existing facilities in Port Elizabeth, N.J.
As a result of these changes in marine container logistics systems, there is a parallel need being generated for new types of container handling and transshipping equipment. This invention, for a parent quayside container crane with its associated sibling crane, is designed to enable the direct transshipment of marine containers without the necessity of ground placement. The invention is particularly useful for direct transshipment of marine containers between container ships and (1) other marine modes such as feeder ships, barges, ferries, etc. and (2) over-the-ground vehicle modes including (a) railway modes, such as single-stack and double-stack container unit-trains, (b) all types of wheeled over-the-ground equipment, manned or automated, and (c) trailer-trucks and multi-trailer sets.
The crane apparatus comprised of cooperating parent and sibling cranes according to the present invention is designed to operate optimally on piers, including "J" "L" and "T" piers, wharves, bulkhead wharves, etc.

Crane apparatus for direct transshipment of marine containers between transportation modes without need of ground placement


In a conventional abnormality detecting apparatus, it is impossible to judge a breakdown before the breakdown actually takes place. An abnormality detecting apparatus for an automatic speed changer includes a speed change controlling unit for controlling the automatic speed changer; a learn controlling device for optimizing an rpm change at the time of speed change control by the speed change controlling device; and an abnormality detection controlling device for judging whether a learned value of the learn controlling device falls within a range between an upper limit and a lower limit and if the learned value falls out of the range, storing the condition as abnormal. Thus, it is possible to detect the abnormal condition of constituents such as a clutch in the automatic speed changer before the actual breakdown.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an abnormality detecting apparatus for a stepped type automatic speed changer.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional abnormality detecting apparatus for an automatic speed changer will now be described with reference to a drawing. FIG. 8 is a view showing a structure of the conventional abnormality detecting apparatus for an automatic speed changer.
In FIG. 8, reference numeral 1 denotes an engine, numeral 2 denotes a torque converter, numeral 3 denotes an input shaft rpm sensor, numeral 4 denotes an automatic speed changer, numeral 5 denotes an output shaft rpm sensor and numeral 6 denotes a readout unit. Numeral 10 denotes a control unit (abnormality detecting apparatus for the automatic speed changer), numeral 11 denotes an input shaft rpm detecting means, numeral 12 denotes an output shaft rpm detecting means, numeral 13 denotes a breakdown detection controlling means, numeral 14 denotes a breakdown information storage controlling means, numeral 15 denotes a speed change controlling means for controlling the automatic speed changer 4 and numeral 16 denotes a learn controlling means for optimizing an rpm change at the time of controlling the speed change.
The operation of the conventional abnormality detecting apparatus for the automatic speed changer will now be described with reference to the drawing.
In general, in the automatic speed changer, the speed change is effected by means of constituents of an internal clutch. However, in the case where the clutch is kept in an abnormal condition and the coupling of the constituents is incomplete, there is a fear that the clutch would be damaged by frictional heat or the like or the automatic speed changer as a whole would be damaged due to the coupling condition that is different from the normal condition.
Accordingly, in general, in the automatic speed changer, the abnormality detection of the speed change condition is effected. As shown in FIG. 8, the abnormal detection is effected on the basis of information on an input shaft rpm speed, i.e., NT of the automatic speed changer 4 and an output shaft rpm speed, i.e., NO thereof.
That is, it is possible for the breakdown detection controlling means 13 of the control unit 10 to calculate a theoretical NT by multiplying the NO by the current gear ratio. This theoretical NT and the detected NT at the same time are compared with each other so that it is possible to judge that the condition is normal in the case where the NTs are the same or close to each other whereas it is possible to judge that the condition is abnormal in the case where there is a difference in rpm exceeding a predetermined level.
Then, the breakdown detection controlling means 13 recognizes this abnormal condition as a breakdown that is out of a speed change synchronism and at the same time records it onto the breakdown information storage means 14. After the breakdown is recognized, the speed change controlling means 15 of the control unit 10 causes the speed change control to stop and fixes the system to a speed change step that is a fail safe condition of the automatic speed changer 4.
In the above-described conventional abnormality detecting apparatus for the automatic speed changer, means which can make a decision only after it is actually brought into the breakdown condition is used. For this reason, when the control unit 10 recognizes an abnormality, the automatic speed changer 4 has already been in the breakdown condition and can not perform the speed change operation. Accordingly, there is a problem that the drivability is deteriorated for the user.
Also, in the case where the abnormality of the automatic speed changer 4 gradually develops, even if a periodical inspection is positively performed by using a repair and inspection method of current general standards, there is a problem that it is difficult to detect the abnormal condition.

Abnormality detecting apparatus for automatic speed changer


A method includes receiving image data from a camera coupled to an air intake system of a gas turbine engine. The image data corresponds to an air passage of the air intake system. The method also includes comparing the received image data to reference image data of the air intake system. The method also includes generating an icing notification based at least in part on the comparison when a difference between the received image data and reference image data is greater than an icing threshold.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to gas turbine systems, and, more particularly, to an anti-icing system for a gas turbine engine.
Gas turbine systems generally include a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine. The compressor compresses air from an air intake, and subsequently directs the compressed air to the combustor. In the combustor, the compressed air received from the compressor is mixed with a fuel and is combusted to create combustion gases. The combustion gases are directed into the turbine. In the turbine, the combustion gases pass across turbine blades of the turbine, thereby driving the turbine blades, and a shaft to which the turbine blades are attached, into rotation. The rotation of the shaft may further drive a load, such as an electrical generator, that is coupled to the shaft. Gas turbine systems may be exposed to various environmental conditions. For example, a gas turbine system may operate in cold ambient temperature and high humidity that may cause ice formation at various locations on or within the gas turbine system (e.g., an inlet). Ice formation and accumulation may adversely affect performance of the gas turbine system and/or damage components (e.g., compressor blades) of the gas turbine system.

Imaging assisted gas turbine anti-icing system


A multi-functional apparatus employs a power transmission mechanism for generating intermittent motion having a specific range of motion and angular velocity profile for selectively actuating a mechanical device operably coupled to the power transmission mechanism. An electromagnetic device selectively causes movement of the power transmission mechanism. In another aspect of the present invention, a single electric motor selectively actuates a plurality of intermittent rotary motion mechanisms thereby causing separate mechanical devices coupled thereto to operate within an automotive vehicle.

This invention relates generally to multi-functional apparatuses and specifically to a multi-functional apparatus employing an intermittent motion mechanism for use in an automotive vehicle.
Almost all automotive vehicles have a single or a pair of windshield wiper assemblies. These assemblies traditionally include rubber wiper blades mounted upon claw brackets. These claw brackets are attached to wiper arms mounted upon rotating shafts. These shafts are either directly driven by electric motors or driven by a single electric motor which actuates series or parallel-coupled four-bar linkage mechanisms. It is further known to provide a wiper system, in combination with a wash device, to clean headlamps for automotive vehicles.
It is also common to employ a window wiper assembly for cleaning rear windows of automotive vehicles. Typically, these types of rear window wiper assemblies include a wiper blade mounted upon a bracket which is coupled to a wiper arm. The wiper arm is attached to a wiper shaft rotatably driven in a cyclical oscillating manner by a helical gear. A reversible, fractional horsepower, dc electric motor serves to actuate the helical gear through an armature shaft-mounted worm gear enmeshed therewith. This type of rear window wiper arrangement is usually mounted upon a pivoting liftgate of a minivan, station wagon, sport-utility vehicle or the like. Examples of conventional window wiper assemblies and motor mechanisms are disclosed with the following U.S. Patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,039 entitled "Windshield Wiper Motor" which issued to Isii on Jan. 9, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,398 entitled "Driving Device for Window Wiper of Motor Vehicles" which issued to Heinrich on Nov. 7, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,482 entitled "Rear Window Wiper Motor Control" which issued to Goertler et al. on Jun. 22, 1982; U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,624 entitled "Arrangement for Wiping a Vehicle Window" which issued to Seibicke on Mar. 31, 1981; U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,723 entitled "Motor Vehicle Windshield Wiper Having a Parking Position Outside the Wiper Area" which issued to Schneider et al. on Sep. 26, 1972; and, U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,772 entitled "Windshield Wiper Motor Link Depressed Park Mechanism" which issued to Beard et al. on May 30, 1972. All of these patents are incorporated by reference herewithin.
Some conventional vehicles also provide a rear window release lock or latch, actuated by a solenoid, which can be unlocked to allow for upward pivotal movement of the rear window in relation to the otherwise stationary liftgate. In combination therewith, a separate liftgate lock is often mounted upon the liftgate door for fastening the liftgate to the body to prevent inadvertent pivotal opening. This liftgate lock is traditionally operated by manual key or handle rotation, or through a separate electric motor or solenoid.

Multi-functional apparatus employing an intermittent motion mechanism


A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a source structure and a drain structure formed on the substrate. At least one nanowire structure interconnects the source structure and drain structure and serves as a channel therebetween. A gate structure is formed over said at least one nanowire structure to provide a control of a conductivity of carriers in the channel, and the nanowire structure includes a center core serving as a backbias electrode for the channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a NanoWire Field Effect Transistor (NWFET) or a finFET in which a channel core is modified to incorporate a feature for controlling threshold voltage. More specifically, the core of the nanowire channel of the NWFET or the core of the fin of the finFET is filled with an electrode material to which can be applied a backbias voltage.
2. Description of the Related Art
A recent trend in integrated circuit (IC) design is the use of nanowire transistors. FIG. 1 shows exemplarily a conventional nanowire field effect transistor (NWFET) configuration 100, wherein the nanowire 101 serves as the channel interconnecting the source 102 and drain 103. The gate 104 serves to control conductivity of the channel nanowire 101.
As shown in FIG. 1A, a gate-all-around nanowire FET 110 has a gate structure 111 that encircles the nanowire 101, as then further covered by a doped polysilicon structure 112. An example of a gate-all-around nanowire FET is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,173,993 to Bangsaruntip, et al., the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIG. 2 shows exemplarily a conventional finFET 200, wherein the fin 201 serves as the channel interconnecting the source 202 and drain 203, with gate 204 serving to control the channel conductivity. Unlike the fin of the finFET, the nanowire channel of the NWFET 100 is typically roughly circular in cross-sectional view and is typically supported to be above the substrate, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 1A.
To optimize chip performance and leakage, multi-Vt technology is used, wherein different devices have different Ion/Ioff due to their different Vts.
However, particularly with the miniaturization of electronic devices, as exemplified by the use of NWFETs and finFETs and using conventional fabrication methods, it is difficult to achieve multiple Vt's for NWFETs and finFETs without increasing transistor variability.
That is, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 3, the conventional planar device receives an impurity implant in a planar manner so as to achieve a uniform impurities profile 301. In contrast, in a nanowire/finFET device 310, the implantation of a channel region 311 is non-planar, so that the non-uniform impurities profile can result in transistor variability 312 at the region surrounded by the gate dielectric layer and the gate layer (G).

Field effect transistor with channel core modified for a backgate bias and method of fabrication


A new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant named xe2x80x98Oribaxe2x80x99, characterized by its numerous large dark pink-colored flowers; upright, uniform and compact plant habit; freely branching growth habit; dark green glossy leaves; early flowering; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Oriba.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Oribaxe2x80x99.
The new Kalanchoe is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new freely-branching and freely-flowering Kalanchoe cultivars with attractive foliage and flower coloration.
The new Kalanchoe originated from a cross made by the Inventor in 1997 of the Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Lokon, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Santorini, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Oriba was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands.
Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe by terminal vegetative cuttings taken at De Lier, The Netherlands, since 1999 has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Oriba has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Oribaxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Oribaxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Numerous large dark pink-colored flowers.
2. Upright, uniform and compact plant habit.
3. Freely branching growth habit.
4. Dark green glossy leaves.
5. Early flowering.
6. Excellent postproduction longevity.
Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Lokon. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of the cultivar Lokon in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were larger than plants of the cultivar Lokon.
2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more freely branching than plants of the cultivar Lokon.
3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had larger leaves than plants of the cultivar Lokon.
4. Flower color of plants of the new Kalanchoe was lighter than flower color of plants of the cultivar Lokon.
Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the male parent, the cultivar Santorini. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of the cultivar Santorini in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more compact than plants of the cultivar Santorini.
2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more uniform in habit than plants of the cultivar Santorini.
3. Flower color of plants of the new Kalanchoe was dark pink whereas flower color of plants of the cultivar Santorini was dark orange.
Plants of the new Kalanchoe can also be compared to plants of the Kalanchoe cultivar Kerinci, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,031. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of the cultivar Kerinci in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more compact than plants of the cultivar Kerinci.
2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had smaller leaves than plants of the cultivar Kerinci.
3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Kerinci.
4. Flower color of plants of the new Kalanchoe was brighter pink than flower color of plants of the cultivar Kerinci.
5. Plants of the new Kalanchoe flowered earlier than plants of the cultivar Kerinci.


A user equipment (UE) is described. The UE may include a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) receiver that is configured to detect multiple PDCCHs in a subframe i−K, the multiple PDCCHs including a first PDCCH. The UE may also include a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmitter that is configured to transmit multiple PUSCHs, the multiple PUSCHs being transmitted in a license-assisted access (LAA) cell, the multiple PUSCHs including a PUSCH which is scheduled by the first PDCCH, the PUSCH being transmitted in a subframe i. A transmit power of the PUSCH may be derived using a value indicated by a transmit power control (TPC) command field which is included in the first PDCCH.

Wireless communication devices have become smaller and more powerful in order to meet consumer needs and to improve portability and convenience. Consumers have become dependent upon wireless communication devices and have come to expect reliable service, expanded areas of coverage and increased functionality. A wireless communication system may provide communication for a number of wireless communication devices, each of which may be serviced by a base station. A base station may be a device that communicates with wireless communication devices.
As wireless communication devices have advanced, improvements in communication capacity, speed, flexibility and/or efficiency have been sought. However, improving communication capacity, speed, flexibility and/or efficiency may present certain problems.
For example, wireless communication devices may communicate with one or more devices using a communication structure. However, the communication structure used may only offer limited flexibility and/or efficiency. As illustrated by this discussion, systems and methods that improve communication flexibility and/or efficiency may be beneficial.

User equipments, base stations, and methods


A mower blade with a trailing sweeping edge that projects below the cutting edge serves to brush, cut particles deposited on the grass surface down between the grass blades and up into the air stream within the mower deck. As the cut particles are recirculated in the air stream, they are recut in a mulching action. The particles forced down between the grass blades reduce the amount of cut grass that has to be discharged. As a result, the amount of cut grass particles left on the lawn is reduced, thereby providing an improved appearance.

The present invention relates to mower decks for cutting grass and similar vegetation and more specifically to a blade that improves discharge of cut material from the deck and reduces the accumulation of cut material on the surface of the lawn.
The great majority of yard and landscaped grasses are cut with mower decks. When the grass to be cut is long and/or wet, the cut particles may not be as efficiently discharged from the deck.
To reduce the inconvenience associated with discharging and/or collecting cut grass, mulching decks have grown in favor. With a mulching deck, the grass is recirculated within the air stream of the cutting chamber, causing it to be recut several times into smaller and smaller pieces and then forced by the air stream down and into the spaces between the standing blades of grass. While this mulching process eliminates the need to keep the long and/or wet grass particles airborne long enough to discharge them, it can leave clipping drops or clumps of cut grass on the surface of the lawn.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a mower blade that helps to recirculate cut particles so that they can be recut, more easily remain airborne and more efficiently be discharged.
Further, it would be desirable to provide a blade that would reduce the incidence of clipping drops or clumps left on the cut grass surface.
Toward these ends, there is provided a blade for use in a rotary mower deck for cutting grass and similar vegetation. The blade includes a sweeping edge along the surface trailing the cutting edge. The sweeping edge projects below the horizontal plane of the cutting edge to brush the top portion of the cut grass blades and lift some portion of the cut particles laying thereon back into the swirling air stream within the cutting chamber. As the cut grass particles are lifted to be recirculated and recut, they are lighter and it is easier to keep them airborne for discharge. The brushing effect of the sweeping edge further serves to force cut grass particles downwardly into the spaces between the blades of uncut grass. As a result, the finished appearance of the cut lawn is improved as is the discharge of cut material.


There are provided systems, devices and methods for operating a light source with a light sensor to provide a desired light output. In particular, in one embodiment, there is provided a light control system. The light control system includes a light source and a light sensor that share a common light pathway. Additionally, the light control system includes a controller electrically coupled to the light source and the light sensor. The controller operates the light source and the light sensor alternatively during a periodic cycle having a frequency of approximately 60 Hz or greater to achieve a desired visual effect based on ambient lighting conditions.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to light sources and, more particularly, to light sources with light sensors.
2. Background Discussion
Most electronic devices, such as computers, DVD players, DVRs, televisions, surround sound receivers, etc. have lighting elements to illuminate certain parts of the device. For example, many devices have status indicator lights that may indicate that the device is powered on, communicating with another device or performing a particular function, among other things. Typically the indicator lights are light emitting diodes (LEDs) that are typically only operated in two modes: on or off. Generally, when on, the LEDs provide a high level of luminance. In some ambient lighting conditions, the level of luminance may be distracting or inadequate. For example, if the electronic device is located in a bedroom, a bright indicator light may make it difficult to sleep. Additionally, if the electronic device is located near a television or a projection screen, the indicator light may distract from content being displayed on the television of projections screen, particularly if the room is darkened.


Impending rollover events are detected based on vehicle roll rate, roll angle and lateral acceleration, and an assessment of the relative polarities of vehicle roll rate and lateral acceleration. When the vehicle roll rate and lateral acceleration are opposite in polarity, the roll rate vs. roll angle thresholds used to distinguish between rollover events and non-rollover events are more sensitive than for conditions for which the vehicle roll rate and lateral acceleration are of the same polarity. Additionally, the roll rate vs. roll angle thresholds are adaptively modified based on roll angle and lateral acceleration to provide increased detection sensitivity under conditions that typically precede a rollover event, and reduced detection sensitivity under conditions for which a rollover event is unlikely.

Various rollover detection methodologies have been developed for activating electrically deployed rollover safety devices such as air bags, side curtains, seat belt pretensioners and pop-up roll bars. Additionally or alternatively, the system may activate visual, auditory or haptic warnings. A representative algorithm for detecting an impending rollover event is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,542,792 to Schubert et al. In the disclosed algorithm, an angular rate sensor measures the vehicle attitude rate of change or angular roll rate, and an impending rollover event is detected based on a comparison of the roll rate and the corresponding roll angle. Other input signals pertaining to vehicle speed, steering wheel angle, yaw rate and side-slip angle may also be utilized. With any such algorithm, the objective is to discriminate between rollover events and non-rollover events as early as possible and as reliably as possible so that the warnings are issued and the safety devices deployed in a timely fashion, and only when actually needed.


A work is suction-held by an upper suction chuck stage from the surface side of a supporting member, is moved upward to a predetermined height, and is heated in a state where the thickness direction of a both-faced adhesive sheet is not restricted, and a dicing tape is cooled. After lapse of predetermined heating time, the work is separated from the both-faced adhesive sheet whose adhesive strength is weaken, and drops to a lower suction chuck stage.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer separating method for joining a dicing tape to a semiconductor wafer to which a supporting member is joined via a double-faced adhesive sheet, fixing the resultant to a dicing frame, and separating the semiconductor wafer integrally with the dicing frame from the supporting member, and to a separating apparatus used for the method.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In resent years, with rapid progress of an application, reduction in thickness of a semiconductor wafer to 100 μm to 50 μm, in some occasions, even to 25 μm is demanded. Such a thin semiconductor wafer is brittle and easily distorted and its handling is extremely difficult. Consequently, the semiconductor wafer is held by being joined to the surface side of a supporting member having strength such as a glass plate via a both-faced adhesive sheet. After the semiconductor wafer is reinforced by backing with the supporting member as described above, the back grind process is performed on the back face of the semiconductor wafer, and the semiconductor wafer is separated from the supporting member.
Hitherto, means for separating a semiconductor wafer held by being joined to a supporting member via a both-faced adhesive sheet is performed as follows. A both-faced adhesive sheet of an ultraviolet curing type whose adhesive strength is weakened by irradiation with an ultraviolet ray is used. First, by irradiation with ultraviolet rays, the adhesive strength is preliminarily decreased. In the subsequent process, the semiconductor wafer is sandwiched by upper and lower two tables and heated in a vacuumed state so as to be shrink-deformed, thereby reducing the contact area between the both-faced adhesive sheet and the semiconductor wafer, and the semiconductor wafer is floated.
After completion of the shrinking and separation of the both-faced adhesive sheet, suction of the upper table is cancelled and the upper table is withdrawn to the upper side. After that, in a state where the semiconductor wafer is suction-fixed on the lower table, a holding member is sucked and moved by a transport arm, thereby separating the semiconductor wafer from the both-faced adhesive sheet. Such means is proposed and carried out (see, for example, JP-A 2001-7179).
As the both-faced adhesive sheet used, not only a both-faced adhesive sheet of the ultraviolet curing type but also a both-faced adhesive sheet having heating separability which foams when heated and whose adhesive strength decreases are used.
The conventional means has the following problems.
In the case where a both-faced adhesive sheet has heating separability such that the sheet foams when being heated and its adhesive strength disappears, if a semiconductor wafer is restrained by being sandwiched by upper and lower two tables, foaming (expansion) of the both-faced adhesive sheet is disturbed and the adhesive strength cannot be sufficiently reduced. As a result, a problem occurs such that the semiconductor wafer cannot be smoothly separated from the supporting member.
For example, when the both-faced adhesive sheet whose adhesive strength has not disappeared is separated together with the supporting member from the semiconductor wafer, there is a possibility in that local separation stress acts on the semiconductor wafer and a warp or breakage may occur. There is also a problem that an adhesive remains on the surface of semiconductor wafer.

Method for separating semiconductor wafer from supporting member, and apparatus using the same


A tubular stabbing protector includes: a plurality of body sections together forming a first opening and a second opening, the first opening sized to be secured over a pin end of an oilfield tubular and the second opening sized to fit over a connection to which the pin end of the tubular is to be engaged and opening away from the first opening; and a releasable lock between each adjacent body section of the plurality of body sections, the releasable lock being automatically releasable when the second opening is fit over the connection to permit the plurality of body sections to separate sufficiently to release the pin end.

During the drilling of a borehole and the lining of the borehole once drilled, tubulars, such as drill tubular and casing, must be connected into a tubular string. The tubular string is extended into a borehole by connection of joints of tubular at a drilling rig.
For example, when running or drilling with casing a top drive can be used in a drilling rig for handling the casing string. In some well operations, an engaging apparatus, including an internal or external casing gripping mechanism, can be connected below the top drive to grip a joint of casing so that the engaging apparatus and casing can be driven axially and/or rotationally by the top drive.
In a drilling rig, the top drive can be hung in the mast with the engaging apparatus connected in drive communication and in substantial axial alignment therebelow. The top drive and engaging apparatus are hung in the mast above the well center, the top drive and engaging apparatus define a main axis of the drilling rig that is aligned with well center. Joints of casing, for connection into the drill or liner string, can be supported, for example in a V-door, adjacent the main axis of the drilling rig. For connection into the drill or liner string, the casing can be engaged by an elevator and brought under the drive system for engagement and handling. Generally, the elevator is supported on link arms suspended from the top drive or the engaging apparatus or cables extending from the top drive link arms.
To pick up a casing joint, the top drive is lowered to permit the elevator, either on conventional link arms or with the cables attached to the link arms, to be moved over and engaged about a casing joint on the V-door. The top drive is then hoisted to pull the casing off the V-door. Once free of the V-door, the tubular joint can be swung by gravity under the engaging apparatus. Then the top drive is lowered so that the tubular joint can be supported in a stump of the casing string, which is supported in the rotary table. Then the gripping mechanism can engage the tubular joint and drive the casing joint into the threaded connection exposed on the stump.
In this handling, the casing thread can be damaged and the tubular dope can be lost. In addition, it is sometimes difficult to align the free end of the casing joint with the stump.


Disclosed is a video laryngoscope having a body, an insertion section extending from the body generally parallel to a median plane of the laryngoscope extending through the body, and a display screen assembly extending from the body generally perpendicular to the median plane, the body comprising a grip portion intermediate the display screen assembly and the insertion section. The display screen assembly, comprising a display screen, extends laterally from the body and the inner edge of the display screen falls within the lateral extent of the body. The grip portion is also of a minimum size to allow an adult to grip the laryngoscope, the hand abutting the screen assembly.

Laryngoscopes have been in use for a very long period of time to enable a view to be obtained of the larynx, and to lift tissue adjacent to the epiglottis, or to lift the epiglottis directly, to enable an endotracheal tube to be inserted into a patient's trachea. The first laryngoscopes were direct laryngoscopes, enabling a user to obtain a direct line of sight to the patient's trachea, and direct laryngoscopes are typically straight, curved or angled. Indirect laryngoscopes include a viewing device to enable an indirect view of the trachea to be provided to a user. Early indirect laryngoscopes used a prism, lenses or a series of reflecting mirrors. Later, fibreoptics devices were employed and then video cameras were mounted on the laryngoscope blade (the part which extends into a patient's oral cavity in use) once they became sufficiently small and cost-effective.
Within this specification and the appended claims, by a video laryngoscope, we refer to laryngoscopes including a video camera for obtaining a view before or during the intubation process. Video laryngoscopes may include a video camera as part of the blade. Alternatively, they may include a fibreoptic arrangement which conducts light from a suitable viewing position to a video camera location on the blade or in another part of the laryngoscope, such as the handle, or conceivably remotely from the laryngoscope. By a video display region we refer to a surface area on which video images are shown, excluding boundaries, supports etc.
Video laryngoscopes are known which output video signals to a remote display through a wired or wireless video output interface. The present invention relates to those which include a display for displaying video images obtained from the video camera. The display may be permanently mounted to the laryngoscope, or demountable.
Video laryngoscopes typically have both a handle and a blade, which may be separable or integral to each other. The handle may be at any of a range of angles to the blade, such as around 90°, or generally coaxial with the blade. Blades can be curved, straight and include one of more bends, which may be defined or arise from the smooth changes in curvature. In each case, the term distal is used within this specification and the appended claims to refer to the end of the device which extends furthest towards the larynx in use—typically the end of the blade, and the term proximal is used within this specification and the appended claims to refer to the opposite end of the device, typically an end of the handle opposite the blade.
It is known to provide a video display region which is coplanar with the centre line of video laryngoscopes which have generally bilateral symmetry and located at the most proximal end of the laryngoscope handle. For example, this arrangement is known from the products marketed as Pentax AWS-100 and Coopdech C-Scope (Daiken Medical). A disadvantage of these arrangements is that the relatively high mass of the video screen and supporting electronics can provide a relatively large and bulky device in which the centre of gravity is out of the hand and which is harder to manoeuvre than traditional laryngoscopes.
It is also known to provide a video display region which is entirely laterally offset from the handle of a video laryngoscope, and located at the most proximal end of the laryngoscope handle. This is known from the McGrath Series 5 laryngoscope (McGrath is a trade mark of Aircraft Medical Limited). This works well with the laterally offset blade of the laryngoscope but does increase the overall size of the device.
It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,178 (Berall) to provide a screen located distally on the handle of a video laryngoscope, very close to the blade. However, this design is impractical as it prevents a user from forming a good grip around the blade. The grip is obscured by the screen.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The gene sequence for ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) large subunit (LS) .sup..epsilon. N-methyltransferase (protein methylase III or Rubisco LSMT) from a plant which has a des(methyl) lysyl residue in the LS is disclosed. In addition, the full-length cDNA clones for Rubisco LSMT are disclosed. Transgenic plants and methods of producing same which have the Rubisco LSMT gene inserted into the DNA are also provided. Further, methods of inactivating the enzymatic activity of Rubisco LSMT are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) large subunit (LS) .sup..epsilon. N-methyltransferase (protein methylase III or Rubisco LSMT). This enzyme catalyzes methylation of the .epsilon.-amine of lysine-14 in the large subunit of Rubisco. Many plant species contain methylated Lys-14 in the LS of Rubisco but some do not (i.e., a des(methyl) lysyl residue in the LS). In addition, the present invention relates to a gene and full-length cDNA clones for Rubisco LSMT. The present invention further relates to transgenic plants and methods of producing same which have the Rubisco LSMT gene inserted into the DNA. This invention also relates to a four amino acid insert (WVQQ) which inactivates the enzymatic activity of Rubisco LSMT and thereby accounts for the subsequent absence of trimethyllysine-14 in the LS of Rubisco.
2. Description of the Related Art
Protein methylation is a widespread and common post-translational modification catalyzed by several different protein methyltransferases (Paik et al., "Protein methylation," in Freedman et al. (eds), The Enzymology of Posttranslational Modifications of Proteins, vol. 2, pp. 187-228, Academic Press, London (1985)). Proteins which contain trimethyllysyl residues include cytochrome c (Cessay et al., "The relationship between the trimethylation of lysine 77 and cytochrome c metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae," Int. J. Biochem. 26(5):721-734 (1994); Cessay et al., "Further investigations regarding the role of trimethyllysine for cytochrome c uptake into mitochondria," Int. J. Biochem. 23(7,8): 761-768 (1991); DiMaria et al., "Cytochrome c specific methylase from wheat germ," Biochemistry 21:1036-1044 (1982); Farooqui et al., "Effect of Methylation on the Stability of Cytochrome c of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in vivo," J. Biol. Chem. 256(10):5041-5045 (1981); and Farooqui et al., "In vivo studies on yeast cytochrome c methylation in relation to protein synthesis, "J. Biol. Chem. 255(10):4468-4473 (1980)), calmodulin (Han et al., "Isolation and kinetic characterization of the calmodulin methyltransferase from sheep brain," Biochemistry 32:13974-13980 (1993); and Rowe et al., "Calmodulin N-methyltransferase," J. Biol. Chem. 261(15):7060-7069 (1986)), histone-H1 (Sarnow et al., "A histone H4-specific methyltransferase properties, specificity and effects on nucleosomal histones," Biochim. Biophys. Acta 655:349-358 (1981); and Tuck et al., "Two histone H1-specific protein-lysine N-methyltransferases from Euglena gracilis," J. Biol. Chem. 260(11):7114-7121 (1985)), and ribosomal proteins (Chang et al., "Purification and properties of a ribosomal protein methylase from Escherichia coli Q13," Biochemistry 14(22):4994-4998 (1975); Lobet et al., "Partial purification and characterization of the specific protein-lysine N-methyltransferase of YL32, a yeast ribosomal protein," Biochim. Biophy. Acta 997:224-231 (1989)). However, the biological function of post-translational protein methylation in all but a few systems remains obscure. Trimethyllysine can serve as a metabolic precursor to carnitine (Paik et al., "Carnitine biosynthesis via protein methylation," TIBS 2: 159-162 (1977)), while carboxyl methylation of bacterial membrane proteins plays a major role in chemotaxis (Clarke, "Protein carboxyl methyltransferases: Two distinct classes of enzymes," Ann. Rev. Biochem. 54: 479-506 (1985)). Evidence suggests that methylation of Lys-115 in calmodulin affects certain activities including in vitro NAD kinase activation (Roberts et al., "Trimethyllysine and protein function," J. Biol. Chem. 261(4): 1491-1494 (1986)), and in vivo susceptibility to ubiquitination (Gregori et al., "Bacterially synthesized vertebrate calmodulin is a specific substrate for ubiquitination," J. Biol. Chem. 262(6):2562-2567 (1987); and Gregori et al., "Specific recognition of calmodulin from Dictyostelium discoideum by the ATP ubiquitin-dependent degradative pathway," J. Biol. Chem. 260(9):5232-5235 (1985); but see also Ziegenhagen et al., "Multiple ubiquitination of calmodulin results in one polyubiquitin chain linked to calmodulin," FEBS Lett. 271(1,2):71-75 (1990); and Ziegenhagen et al., "Plant and fungus calmodulins are polyubiquitinated at a single site in a Ca.sup.2+ -dependent manner," FEBS Lett. 273(1,2):253-256 (1990)). Conflicting reports (Farooqui et al., "Effect of Methylation on the Stability of Cytochrome c of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in vivo," J. Biol. Chem. 256(10):5041-5045 (1981); Frost et al., "Cytochrome c methylation," Protein methylation, Ch. 4, pp. 59-76 (1990); and Frost et al., "Effect of enzymatic methylation of cytochrome c on its function and synthesis," Int. J. Biochem. 22(10):1069-1074 (1990); versus Cessay et al., "The relationship between the trimethylation of lysine 77 and cytochrome c metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae," Int. J. Biochem. 26(5):721-734 (1994); Cessay et al., "Further investigations regarding the role of trimethyllysine for cytochrome c uptake into mitochondria," Int. J. Biochem. 23(7,8):761-768 (1991)) also implicate methylation of Lys-77 in cytochrome c as having a role in protein stability, heme incorporation, and mitochondrial transport. A major limitation to elucidating the biological role of lysine methylation in eukaryotes has been the absence of a protein methylase III gene. Hence, molecular studies of the physiological and biochemical function performed by methylation of protein bound lysyl residues have been restricted to site-directed mutational analysis of the methylation site in the target protein (Ceesay et al., "The relationship between the trimethylation of lysine 77 and cytochrome c metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae," Int. J. Biochem. 26(5):721-734 (1994); Cessay et al., "Further investigations regarding the role of trimethyllysine for cytochrome c uptake into mitochondria," Int. J. Biochem. 23(7,8):761-768 (1991); and Roberts et al., "Expression of a calmodulin methylation mutant affects the growth and development of transgenic tobacco plants," Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 89:8394-8398 (1992)). These studies have been inconclusive as to the exact biological role of methylation of the .epsilon.-amine of protein bound lysyl residues.
Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (Rubisco) catalyzes the reduction of atmospheric CO.sub.2 during photosynthesis. A great deal is known about the quaternary structure, catalytic mechanism, active site residues, in vivo regulatory mechanisms, and gene expression for this abundant enzyme, see, for example, Andrews et al., "Rubisco: Structure, Mechanisms, and Prospects for Improvement, " in Hatch et al. (eds), The Biochemistry of Plants, vol. 10, pp. 131-218. Academic Press, New York (1987); Dean et al., "Structure, evolution, and regulation of rbcS genes in higher plants," Annu. Rev. Plant. Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 40: 415-439 (1989); and Mullet, "Chloroplast development and gene expression," Annu. Rev. Plant. Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 39: 475-502 (1988). Higher plant Rubisco is a hexadecameric protein composed of eight chloroplast-encoded large subunits (referred to herein as "LS") and eight nuclear-encoded small subunits (referred to herein as "SS"). Synthesis of the LS is accompanied by post-translational processing of the N-terminal domain (Houtz et al., "Post-translational modifications in the large subunit of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:1855-1859 (1989); and Mulligan et al., "Reaction-intermediate analogue binding by ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase causes specific changes in proteolytic sensitivity: The amino-terminal residue of the large subunit is acetylated proline," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:1513-1517 (1988)). The N-terminal Met-1 and Ser-2 are removed and Pro-3 acetylated. Additionally, the LS of Rubisco from tobacco, muskmelon, pea, and several other species is post-translationally modified by trimethylation of the .epsilon.-amine of Lys-14 (Houtz et al., "Posttranslational modifications in the amino-terminal region of the large subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from several plant species," "Plant Physiol. 98:1170-1174 (1992); Houtz et al., "Post-translational modifications in the large subunit of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:1855-1859 (1989)). The enzyme responsible for this latter modification is a highly specific chloroplast-localized S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet):protein (lys) .sup..epsilon. N-methyltransferase (protein methylase III, Rubisco LSMT, EC 22.214.171.124) (Houtz et al., "Post-translational modifications in the large subunit of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:1855-1859 (1989)).
Rubisco LSMT has been affinity purified .about.8000-fold from pea chloroplasts and identified as a monomeric protein with a molecular mass of .about.57 kDa (Wang et al., "Affinity Purification of Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase Large Subunit .sup..epsilon. N-Methyltransferase," accepted by Protein Expression and Purification (1995)). Recently, Rubisco LSMT cDNAs have been cloned and sequenced from pea and tobacco (Klein et al., "Cloning and developmental expression of pea ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit N-methyltransferase," Plant Molecular Biol. 27:249-261 (1995); Ying et al., "Organization and characterization of the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit .sup..epsilon. N-methyltransferase gene in tobacco," Plant Molecular Biology (In press)). The deduced amino acid sequences of tobacco Rubisco LSMT has 64.5% identity and 75.3% similarity with the sequence of pea Rubisco LSMT, and both proteins contain several copies of a conserved imperfect leucine-rich repeat motifs (Ying et al., "Organization and characterization of the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit .sup..epsilon. N-methyltransferase gene in tobacco," Plant Molecular Biology (In press)).
Rubisco LSMT has high specific specificity, methylating only Rubisco and only lysyl residue 14 in the LS. Of many plant species examined several contain methylated Lys-14 in the LS of Rubisco, such as pea and tobacco, but some do not, such as spinach and alfalfa (Houtz et al., "Post-translational modifications in the large subunit of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:1855-1859 (1989); Houtz et al., "Posttranslational modifications in the amino-terminal region of the large subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from several plant species," Plant Physiol. 98:1170-1174 (1992); and unpublished data). There has been no explanation for the existence of Lys-14 in the LS of Rubisco in a non-methylated state (i.e., a des(methyl) lysyl residue in the LS). Further, since some plant species, such as spinach, wheat, corn (maize) and lettuce do not contain methylated Lys-14 in the LS of Rubisco (Houtz et al. "Posttranslational modifications in the amino-terminal region of the large subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from several plant species," Plant Physiol. 98:1170-1174 (1992); and unpublished data), it was once assumed that these same plant species did not possess the Rubisco LSMT gene.

Isolated spinach ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit .sup..epsilon. N-methyltransferase and method of inactivating ribulose-1,5-bisphosphatase carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit .sup..epsilon. N-methyltransferase activity

University of Kentucky Research Foundation


A partial response (PR) waveform generator generates a digital value sequence of an expected PR waveform based on the output of a soft-decision Viterbi detector included in, for example, a first-stage decoder unit incorporated in an iterative decoder. The generator also generates flag information indicative of whether reliability of the digital value sequence is low or high, in parallel with the generation of the digital value sequence. An error detector detects error values in a PR equalized sample value sequence, needed for feedback control of a control target, using the digital value sequence of the expected PR waveform as a digital value sequence of a reference waveform. An error output controller controls the output of the error values detected by the error detector in accordance with the state of the flag information generated by the generator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk drive using a disk as a recording medium, and more particularly to a signal processing device which is suitable for feedback control based on soft-decision values output from a soft-decision Viterbi detector incorporated in an iterative decoder, and which utilizes partial response maximum likelihood detection.
2. Description of the Related Art
Magnetic disk drives (HDDs) as typical disk drives utilizing disks as recording mediums are known. As described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,341,249 and 6,249,398, signal processing devices for use in recent magnetic disk drives utilize digital signal processing called "partial response maximum likelihood (PRML) detection". In the signal processing devices described in these documents, write data is encoded into a run length limited (RLL) code. The encoded data is recorded on a disk with the timing of the recorded waveform corrected. The data recorded on the disk is read by a head. The read data or signal is amplified by a read amplifier (pre-amplifier). The amplified analog signal (read signal) is input to a variable gain amplifier. The variable gain amplifier is controlled so as to make the amplitude of the read signal constant. The read signal output from the variable gain amplifier is input to an A/D converter via an analog filter. The A/D converter converts the read signal into a quantized discrete-time sample-value sequence in synchrony with a sampling clock (read clock). This sample value sequence is equalized toward a desired response by a digital FIR (Finite Impulse Response) filter. The equalized sample value sequence is detected as a binary sequence by a Viterbi detector. The detected binary sequence is decoded by a decoder (channel code decoder) into data identical to the data written to the disk.
The signal processing devices perform feedback control for adjusting the gain of the variable gain amplifier to make the amplitude of a read signal constant. They also perform feedback control for timing adjustment (timing recovery) of a sampling clock for the A/D converter, and feedback control for adaptive control of the FIR filter. Concerning these feedback control processes, see, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-344903, as well as the above-mentioned documents. In the feedback control disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-344903, a system (ideal PR (partial Response) system) equivalent to the FIR filter generates a digital value sequence of a waveform equalized in an expected response (i.e., an expected PR value sequence). More specifically, an expected PR value sequence is generated by convolution integration of a binary sequence (hard-decision values) as the output of the Viterbi detector, and PR values determined from predetermined PR parameters (7, 4, −4, −5, −2). The expected PR value sequence is used as a reference PR value sequence, and compared with the output of the FIR filter, i.e., an actual sample value sequence of a PR waveform (PR equalized waveform), thereby detecting error values for each target subjected to feedback control. On the basis of the detected error values, each target is feedback-controlled.
In recent magnetic disk drives, a signal processing technique utilizing turbo coding and iterative decoding has come to be employed to compensate for reduction of an S/N ratio (signal-to-noise ratio) caused in accordance with increases in the recording density of the disk drives. This signal processing technique is described in J. Hagenauer and P. Hoeher, "A Viterbi Algorithm with Soft-Decision Outputs and its Applications" (Proc. of IEEE Globecom, p. 1680-1689, 1989) (hereinafter referred to as "document 1"), P. Pakzad, B. Nikolic and V. Anantharam, "VLSI Architectures for Iterative Decoders in Magnetic Recording Channels" (IEEE Trans. Magn., Vol. 37, No. 2, p. 748-751, March 2001), and M. Isaka and H. Imai, "A tutorial on "parallel concatenated (Turbo) coding", "Turbo (iterative) decoding" and related topics", TECHNICAL REPORT OF IEICE, IT98-51, P.7-11, December 1998) (hereinafter referred to as "document 2"). The signal processing technique is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,388 (hereinafter referred to as "document 3"). Decoders for iterative decoding are called iterative decoders. An iterative decoder comprises a soft-decision Viterbi decoder (inner code decoder), de-interleaver and outer code decoder. Unlike standard Viterbi detectors, the soft-decision Viterbi detector outputs soft-decision values (outer codes) instead of a binary sequence (hard-decision values). The soft-decision values represent likelihood information that indicates the reliability of each bit forming the binary sequence. The soft-decision outputs of the soft-decision Viterbi detector are input to the outer code decoder via the de-interleaver, and are again decoded by it. The iterative decoder iterates decoding of a sample value sequence (inner codes) indicative of a PR equalized waveform, using the soft-decision Viterbi detector, and decoding of outer codes using the outer code decoder. As a result of iteration of decoding, the rate of errors that occur when data is read from a disk is reduced. The iterative decoder compares, with a threshold value, the soft-decision values obtained after the iteration of decoding, thereby outputting hard-decision values (binary sequence).
However, the iteration of decoding utilizing both the soft-decision Viterbi decoder (inner code decoder) and outer code decoder involves a data time delay. The time delay of data is a problem in a disk drive that is required to show a high throughput. To overcome this, magnetic disk drives utilizing turbo coding and iterative decoding employ an iterative decoder of a pipeline or cascade structure, as described in the documents 1 and 3. Further, documents 1 and 2 describe a Viterbi algorithm called "SOVA (Soft Output Viterbi Algorithm)" (soft-decision Viterbi detector) as a Viterbi algorithm (Viterbi detector) used in an iterative decoder. SOVA comprises only forward iterative processing, and does not need backward iterative processing performed after each forward iterative processing. Accordingly, the SOVA shows a low detection performance because of its approximate calculation, but does not require a large memory capacity and hence causes only a short data time delay.
As described above, in conventional disk drives, a PR value sequence of a reference PR waveform needed for feedback control of a predetermined control target is generated on the basis of a binary sequence (hard-decision values) as the output of a Viterbi detector. On the other hand, in disk drives utilizing iterative decoding, an iterative decoder (turbo decoder) iterates decoding (detection) of a sample value sequence of a PR equalized waveform (inner codes) utilizing an inner code decoder (soft-decision Viterbi detector), and decoding of outer codes utilizing an outer code decoder, thereby reducing the error rate.
Therefore, to perform the above-described feedback control, the disk drives utilizing iterative decoding require the Viterbi output obtained after decoding iteration to have a low error count, i.e., the output (soft-decision values) of the iterative decoder, as a Viterbi output for generating a PR value sequence of a reference PR waveform (a digital value sequence of a reference PR waveform). However, if the output of an iterative decoder is used, a large time delay occurs due to feedback control.

Signal processing device utilizing partial response maximum likelihood detection


Yeast includes an introduced gene coding a Homo sapiens- or frog-derived L-lactate dehydrogenase. It is possible to produce lactic acid, which has a variety of applications, efficiently and more cost-effectively by using the yeast and the method of producing lactic acid by using the yeast.

In recently increasing interest by society on effective use and reuse of resources, especially polymers produced from plant raw materials are attracting attention. In particular, polylactic acid, a product from a plant-derived raw material, is known recently to have superior properties.
Lactic acid, the raw material for polylactic acid, has been produce by cultivation of a microorganism, generally called lactic bacterium. Typical examples of the lactic bacteria include Lactobacillus and Lactococcus species. Because these lactic bacteria generally show an excellent yield to sugar, but are less resistant to acid, for accumulation of an acidic substance lactic acid in a great amount, the cultivation should be carried out, while the cultivation solution is neutralized for example with an alkali such as calcium carbonate, ammonium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide.
However, such a process gives a lactate salt such as sodium lactate or calcium lactate by neutralization processing with an alkali, requiring processing to convert the lactate salt back to lactic acid in the later purification step and thus additional cost.
Thus, for reduction of the neutralization cost, lactic acid production by acid-resistant yeast was proposed (see Japanese Patent Application Laid Open (JP-A) No. 2001-204464, JP-A No. 2001-204468, Japanese Patent Application National Publication (Laid-Open) No. 2001-516584, JP-A No. 2003-93060 and JP-A No. 2003-259878 and Danilo Porro et al., Biotechnol. Prog., 11: p. 294-298 (1955), Danilo Porro et al., Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 65 (9): p. 4211-4211 (1999) and Satoshi Saitoh et al., Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 71 (5): p. 2789-2792 (2005)). Yeasts naturally do not produce lactic acid and, thus, for lactic acid production by yeast, a gene coding a L-lactate dehydrogenase, an enzyme converting pyruvic acid into L-lactic acid, (hereinafter, abbreviated as L-ldh gene) should be introduced into the yeast by a gene recombination technique.
Bovine-derived L-ldh genes have been studied as the L-ldh gene for introduction to yeast (see Japanese Patent Application National Publication (Laid-Open) No. 2001-516584 and JP-A No. 2003-259878 and Danilo Porro et al., Biotechnol. Prog., 11: p. 294-298 (1955), Danilo Porro et al., Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 65(9): p. 4211-4211 (1999) and Satoshi Saitoh et al., Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 71(5): p. 2789-2792 (2005)), and are reported to be more favorable than lactic bacterium-derived L-ldh genes. The bovine-derived L-ldh genes have a lower yield to sugar of L-lactic acid and, thus, there was a need for further improvement of yield to sugar (see Satoshi Saitoh et al., Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 71(5): p. 2789-2792 (2005)). In addition, improvement of L-lactic acid productivity by mutation of the yeast-derived gene has also been studied. However, mutation of yeast-derived gene often resulted in disadvantages such as elongation of fermentation period and deterioration in sugar-consumption rate (see Japanese Patent Application National Publication (Laid-Open) No. 2001-516584 and JP-A No. 2006-006271).
As described above, L-lactic acid production by yeast is a useful method. However, there exists a need for further improvement in its productivity.

Yeast and method of producing L-lactic acid


Sulfur compounds poison catalysts, such as the anode catalysts and reformer catalysts within molten carbonate fuel cell systems. This poisoning is eliminated using a sulfur scrubber 29 located prior to the inlet of the cathode chamber 13. Anode exhaust 19 which contains water, carbon dioxide and possibly sulfur impurities, is combined with a cathode exhaust recycle stream 22 and an oxidant stream 25 and burned in a burner 33 to produce water, carbon dioxide. If sulfur compounds are present in either the anode exhaust, cathode exhaust stream, or oxidant stream, sulfur trioxide and sulfur dioxide are produced. The combined oxidant-combustion stream 27 from the burner 33 is then directed through a sulfur scrubber 29 prior to entering the cathode chamber 13. The sulfur scrubber 29 absorbs sulfur compounds from the combined oxidant-combustion stream 27. Removal of the sulfur compounds at this point prevents concentration of the sulfur in the molten carbonate fuel cell system. Therefore, neither the reformer catalysts nor the anode 17 experience sulfur poisoning.

Molten carbonate fuel cell systems can be used in the production of electricity. These systems typically comprise a reformer for converting hydrocarbon fuels to hydrogen and byproducts, a burner, and a plurality of molten carbonate fuel cells. The fuel cells operate such that oxygen contained in an oxidant stream reacts with carbon dioxide and free electrons at a cathode to produce carbonate ions. These carbonate ions migrate across a molten carbonate electrolyte to an anode where they react with hydrogen contained in a fuel stream to produce water, carbon dioxide, and free electrons. The free electrons pass through an external load back to the cathode, thereby producing electricity, while the carbon dioxide, water, and any remaining hydrogen exit the anode in the fuel stream.
In molten carbonate fuel cell systems, the fuel and oxidant streams are often contaminated or can become contaminated with sulfur compounds such as sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, and hydrogen sulfide. These sulfur compounds can poison various components of the fuel cell system including the anode and the catalyst used in the reformer. The anode is readily poisoned by contact with sulfur compounds in amounts exceeding about 1 to 2 parts per million (ppm) by volume while the reformer catalyst is poisoned at very low sulfur concentrations, even below about 0.1 ppm by volume. Poisoning the anode reduces its activity and therefore its ability to convert hydrogen and carbonate ions to water, carbon dioxide, and free electrons while poisoning the reformer catalyst reduces its activity and therefore its ability to convert hydrocarbon fuels to hydrogen. As a result of this poisoning, the activity of the anode and the reformer catalyst, and the life of the molten carbonate fuel cell system are all reduced.
Reformer catalyst poisoning has conventionally been eliminated by purifying the fuel stream prior to its introduction to the reformer. However, the fuel stream is not the only source of sulfur. In a molten carbonate fuel cell sulfur is also introduced by the oxidant stream. This sulfur can concentrate within the molten carbonate fuel cell and poison the anode or reformer catalyst within the molten carbonate fuel cell system. In the molten carbonate fuel cell system, the oxidizing conditions at the cathode cause the molten carbonate electrolyte to have a high affinity for sulfur compounds. As a result, the amount of sulfur trapped within the molten carbonate fuel cell system increases with time.
Sulfur is typically introduced to the molten carbonate fuel cell system in the oxidant stream which is directed to the cathode where it is converted to sulfate ions. The sulfate ions migrate across the molten carbonate electrolyte to the anode where they are converted with hydrogen to hydrogen sulfide and released into the fuel stream. The fuel stream then exits the anode and is directed to a burner where it is burned. Within the burner, the hydrogen sulfide is converted to sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide. The burned stream is then directed along with the oxidant stream back to the cathode. Although a portion of the stream exiting the cathode is generally vented, the high affinity and capture of sulfur at the cathode results in an essentially sulfur-free cathode exhaust stream. Therefore, none of the sulfur is vented. The sulfur concentration simply continues to build up within the molten carbonate fuel cell system, thereby compounding the sulfur poisoning problem.
What is needed in the art is a means for removing sulfur compounds from a molten carbonate fuel cell system to prevent contamination of the reformer catalyst and the anode.

Molten carbonate fuel cell sulfur scrubber and method using same


An application model automates deployment of an application. In one embodiment, the application model includes a static description of the application and a run-time description of the application. Deployment phases, such as installation, configuration and activation of the application are executed according to the application model.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the deployment of applications in a multitier compute infrastructure, including those that host multitier applications. In a specific embodiment, it relates to the deployment of multitier applications that are based on a software component architecture, for example the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE)™ or .NET™ (J2EE is a Trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. and .NET is a trademark of Microsoft Corp.)
2. Description of the Related Art
With advances in computing, networking and software technology, an increasing number of applications are implemented on multitier compute infrastructures. For example, many Internet applications are implemented on a compute infrastructure that can be divided into three tiers: network, compute and application. One advantage of a multitier compute infrastructure is that different tiers can function at different "levels" while still interoperating with each other. In the three-tier example, the network tier operates at the "lowest" level of the infrastructure, the compute tier operates on top of that, and the application tier operates at the "highest" level. As a result, enterprise and other applications can be distributed among the tiers in a fashion that results in greater optimization and utilization of the infrastructure. For example, if a certain functionality is desired, it is not required that the functionality be implemented in a monolithic piece of software installed on a particular computer in a specific location within the network. Rather, the overall functionality can be distributed among different components within the multitier compute infrastructure.
Software component architectures, such as Java 2, Enterprise Edition (J2EE)™ and .NET™, are one approach that takes advantage of this flexibility. Software functionality is divided among different software components, each of which can run on a different computer located at a different network address. Each of the software components, computers and the network topology can be optimized for efficiency, security, scalability or other factors. For example, in the monolithic approach, a single code base and a single computer may be called upon to handle user requests for enhanced images, retrieve raw images from a large image warehouse and perform complex calculations to enhance the images. With the component approach, one software component and server could handle user requests, another could retrieve images, and a third could perform the calculations. Each of these can be optimized for its specific task and the same components can be used for more than one application. The overall enterprise is also more scalable since incremental capacity can be added by adding more components.
One drawback of the multitier and software component approaches is that, typically, many components are used in order to implement the desired functionality. For example, the software portion can be implemented by a large number of software components, each possibly executing on a different server, with the servers located on different networks. Software components may not even be executing on the same server each time. The real-time execution load can be load balanced among a server farm, for example. Currently, it is not uncommon for an enterprise application to have thousands of moving parts, many of which must work in tandem with each other in order for the overall enterprise application to function properly. In addition, multiple relationships between components exist within each tier, as well as across tiers of the compute infrastructure. For example, in the application tier, a web server and application server might work together to handle user requests. Cross-tier relationships, such as those linking the web server, DNS server and access router with each other, can be more complex but these often are the relationships that have a direct bearing on the availability, performance and security of the overall application.
Due to this increased complexity, managing a multitier compute infrastructure and the applications implemented on the infrastructure is more difficult. Tasks such as installing, configuring, activating, updating and monitoring enterprise functions are more complex compared to a situation where a monolithic piece of code executes on a single computer in a fixed network location. This is aggravated by the fact that the component approach can significantly reduce the development cycle time. It is not uncommon to have a J2EE™ application undergo ten to twelve updates each calendar year, with two of those being major upgrades to underlying functionality. In the meantime, it is increasingly more difficult to manage the application and its updates, including for example the tasks of merely installing and correctly configuring the updates.
Enterprise management capability has not kept pace with the shorter development cycle. For example, the task of updating the deployment of an application is largely a manual task, even today. Initially, the deployment team assembles the various software components that make up the application (i.e., the software packages), manually scans configuration files, and checks them against system documentation and physical network and compute configurations for consistency and completeness. The product of this effort is an inventory that should pinpoint omissions or conflicts prior to staging of the application. However, as the scope of enterprise applications expands and the different tiers become more distributed, the likelihood of uncovering all issues and of successfully deploying an application on the first try decreases.
Problems in an unsuccessful deployment typically are addressed by troubleshooting after the deployment. But troubleshooting can be time-consuming as the root causes may depend on complex cross-tier relationships. Not only does this add expense but it can also result in lost revenue as successful deployment of the application is delayed. In addition, cross-tier troubleshooting and, more generally, the management of a multitier compute infrastructure are most effectively performed by dedicated teams whose members are skilled in the application, compute and network tiers. It can be difficult to find these people and the IT headcount can be the limiting factor on scaling up an enterprise operation.
Part of the problem is that currently available management tools are mostly limited to a single tier. This is because many of these tools were developed for system administrators who were responsible only for a single tier. That is, one system administrator would be responsible for networking, another for computers, and another for software loaded on the computers. Single-tier tools would give some visibility into the tier for which the system administrator had responsibility, but did not, give visibility into cross-tier relationships or interactions. This is problematic since the trend is towards more numerous and more complex cross-tier relationships. For example, single-tier tools typically are not sophisticated enough to enable an application deployment team to anticipate and avoid problems in the deployment of applications since many of these problems may be the result of cross-tier relationships. An alternative is to manually piece together the required relationships, one tier at a time, and often using knowledge that resides only in some key employee's head. But this is both time-consuming and risky—for example, if the key employee were to leave the company.
Others are attempting to address these shortcomings. For example, some efforts focus on fast and/or automated installation of software. Loudcloud and CenterRun are two companies that appear to have efforts in this area. These tools automate some of the software installation process. For example, if a patch is to be distributed to 100 instances of an operating system, this tool might automate that process. However, in order to use this tool, someone must know where the 100 instances are located and how to properly configure the patches. Furthermore, if the patch itself requires an update in some other piece of software in order to run properly, someone must also remember that. Hence, these tools might reduce the cost and error of physically installing the patches, but they do not increase cross-tier visibility. Nor do they provide a complete ability to fully deploy an application. For example, these tools have limited or no capability to configure software once installed, to verify that the installation and configuration were performed properly, and/or to verify that the correct versions of supporting hardware and/or software are available.
Thus, there is a need for better tools and techniques for deploying applications in a multitier compute infrastructure, including applications that are implemented based on a software component architecture.

Deployment of applications in a multitier compute infrastructure

International Business Machines Corporation


In communication of data between a first base station and a mobile terminal, a second base station may handle uplink transmissions from the mobile terminal. For this purpose, the first base station sends, to the second base station, a request to handle the uplink transmissions from the mobile terminal. The handling of the uplink transmissions to be performed by the second base station includes scheduling of the uplink transmissions so as to obtain uplink scheduling information. Via a backhaul link, the second base station transmits the uplink scheduling information to the first base station. The first base station includes the uplink scheduling information into downlink transmissions to the mobile terminal.

In mobile communication networks, such as 3GPP networks (3GPP: Third Generation Partnership Project) there is a continuing need for higher throughputs. In UL communication, i.e., in communication from a mobile terminal to the network, transmit power limitations in mobile terminals and constraints on the UL budget mean that such higher throughputs typically necessitate smaller cell sizes than is typically deployed for present cellular systems. For example, in heterogeneous networks, also referred to as HetNet, conventional base stations (BSs), referred to as Macro BSs, are complemented by further BSs, which are usually deployed closer to the end users, e.g., on street level. As compared to the Macro BSs, these further BSs typically transmit at a lower power. In the following, these further BSs will also be referred to as Pico BSs. The Pico BSs can use carrier frequencies from the same spectrum as the Macro BSs or may use carrier frequencies from another spectrum.
In current cellular networks, e.g., 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE), cell association is based on a Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) measurement by the mobile terminal. That is to say, the respective RSRPs as measured for different BSs are used as a basis for selecting a serving BS of the mobile terminal, which then sends DL transmissions to the mobile terminal and receives UL transmissions from the mobile terminal. The RSRP depends on the transmit (Tx) power of the respective BS. In the case of a heterogeneous network deployment, there may be a large imbalance in the Tx power between a Macro BS and a Pico BS. Specifically, Macro BSs usually transmit at a high Tx power level, e.g., 46 dBm, whereas Pico BSs may use a much lower Tx power level, e.g., 30 dBm, or even less. Thus, the difference in Tx power between transmitted reference signals can be 16 dB or more. The RSRP is indicative of a DL channel quality between the BS and the mobile terminal. As compared to that, the UL channel quality between the mobile terminal and the BS depends on the signal damping, also referred to as pathloss, between the mobile terminal and the BS.
In conventional homogeneous networks, the BS that provides the highest RSRP is identical to the BS that yields the lowest average pathloss. However, this is not the case in heterogeneous networks. The imbalance in the Tx power among the different types of BSs may lead to a situation where a mobile measures a higher RSRP from a Macro BS, although it is located closer to a Pico BS and its pathloss to the Pico BS is smaller than the pathloss to the Macro BS. In this case, it would be preferable for the mobile terminal to receive data from the BS with the highest RSRP, i.e., from the Macro BS, and to transmit data to the BS with the lowest pathloss, i.e., to the Pico BS.
Accordingly, in a heterogeneous network conventional RSRP-based cell association may result in suboptimal performance in the UL.
A suggested way to balance the performance between DL and UL in a heterogeneous network is to use independent DL and UL connections, i.e., to use one BS for the DL and another BS for the UL. Specifically the UL transmissions of mobile terminals located at a cell border of a Macro BS may then benefit from the improved UL channel quality to a Pico BS which is closer to the mobile terminal than the Macro BS.
Accordingly, there is a need for techniques which allow for efficiently implementing independent DL and UL connections to a mobile terminal.

Communication of data using independent downlink and uplink connections