A device for separation of liquid from a gas-liquid mixture has a vortex tube through which a gas-liquid mixture flows at speeds generating centrifugal forces with accelerations >50 g, which cause liquid droplets to precipitate on the interior walls of the vortex tube. The vortex tube has an inlet facility, particularly inlet nozzles, in the inlet area of the tube for introducing the gas-liquid mixture into the vortex tube and setting the gas-liquid mixture into a rotary motion within the tube. Circular evacuation ports are arranged one behind the other in a direction of flow of the gas-liquid mixture for discharge of the precipitated liquid. The ports each have a constant width s over their length l, wherein the length l of each evacuation port is constructed as to maintain a laminar flow of the precipitated liquid. Each evacuation port forms a maximum angle .alpha. of 10.degree. with the longitudinal axis of the vortex tube.

The invention relates to a device for separating liquid from a gas-liquid mixture with a vortex tube through which the gas-liquid flows for generating centrifugal forces with acceleration >50 g, the vortex tube having evacuation ports for discharge of the liquid to be separated, and a supply facility, particularly inlet nozzles, located in the inlet area of the vortex tube, with which the gas-liquid mixture is introduced into the the vortex tube and set in rotary motion in the tube. The vortex tube has a plurality of circular evacuation ports arranged one behind the other in the direction of flow and having a constant width over their length.
For separating liquids from gas-liquid mixtures, as for example natural gas, which mostly still contains certain portions of water, special separation devices are used which have a vortex tube. Such a vortex tube separator is described in German published patent applications DE-OS 2850020 and DE-OS 2850019 and consists of a double casing tube, inlet nozzles and regulating cone. The gas or gas mixture is introduced tangentially into the casing area through the inlet nozzles. In most cases, the gas already attains here the speed of sound, which depends upon the relationship between inlet and exit pressure. By precise layout and exact construction of the vortex tube, a vortex can be generated therein, in which centrifugal forces occur which are up to several million times greater than the acceleration due to gravity g (e.g., 50 to 5 million g). The maximum forces generated in a multiple cyclone separator with about fifty times the acceleration due to gravity are comparatively small.
On account of the Hilsch effect, a warm and a cold gas current are generated in the vortex tube. A regulating cone is situated at the end of the vortex tube, which permits separating the warm from the cold gas. These two gas currents can have temperature differences of up to 80.degree. K. To be sure, this is determined by the pressure ratio, the quantitative relationship between warm and cold gas, as well as by the gas composition.
During the almost isentropic expansion of the gas through the inlet nozzles, a condensation of components dissolved in the gas takes place. These are flung against the tube wall by the centrifugal forces occurring on account of the vortex. At the same time, the gas moves from the tube wall in the direction of the tube interior and thereby cools. By separating the liquid phase from the vortex tube, one obtains two circumscribed gas and liquid phases.
An interesting phenomenon of the vortex tube separator is that it can bring about a separation of heavy components from a gas stream despite a phase imbalance. This can be explained by the influence of the specific weight at high gravitational forces. After entering through the inlet nozzle, the liquid drops move together with the gas in a centrifugal field. This throws the liquid drops onto the tube wall. The liquid phase is separated before it can be heated up in the warm gas zone, or is separated in the cold gas stream. In this way, it is possible to obtain a separation of the condensate from the gas stream, although both phases are in imbalance. For drawing the liquid component off, one drainage opening is provided on each of the front and back ends of the vortex tube, through which the liquid-gas stream is pressed out on account of the high pressure. One of the drainage openings can be situated in the area of an immersion tube inserted into the interior of the vortex tube. In a separator connected to the drainage openings, the definitive separation of the liquid component from the gas part then takes place.
The path of the liquid drops depends upon their size. Larger liquid drops fly to the vortex tube wall in a short time and there likewise move axially in a spiral-shaped path. Depending upon the gas-liquid ratio and the physical properties of the liquid, the liquid current on the interior wall of the vortex tube is also changed. If, for example, little water is contained in an air-water mixture, the water does not form a film, and the drops basically move separately from one another. This is, for example, different with certain proportions of hydrocarbons and water, as for example with fuels, which form a fine film on the interior of the vortex tube wall.
The surface of the liquid film is not smooth on account of the adjacent gas current, so that due to the overlying wave structure, liquid drops can under certain conditions break away from this surface and get back into the gas-liquid mixture. It is necessary, therefore, among other things, also not to let the thickness of the liquid film being formed rise to such values that the surface of the liquid film becomes unstable and consequently leads to the separation of liquid drops.
From U.S. Pat. No. 3,884,660, a device is known in wherein the vortex tube consists of several tube segments between which ring-shaped evacuation ports are arranged. The gas-liquid mixture to be freed of the liquid is introduced through a supply facility into the inlet area of the vortex tube, which has guide vanes arranged at a predetermined angle, so that the gas-liquid mixture within the vortex tube executes a screw-shaped motion. On account of the centrifugal forces which arise (which, however, in contrast to the previously described vortex separators are much smaller) the liquid contained in the gas-liquid mixture precipitates on the interior wall of the tube segment and is guided out through the evacuation ports. The tube sections, which are fitted into one another and between which the evacuation ports are formed, can either have the same interior diameter, or each succeeding tube segment has a smaller interior diameter than the preceding tube segment. In both cases, the inserted end of the respective tube segment has a type of stripping edge in order to be able to undertake a separation of the liquid film from the gas-liquid mixture. Owing to the low centrifugal forces, the differential pressures between the inside and outside of the vortex tube are small (0.05-0.08 bar), so that the width of the evacuation ports which diminish toward the exterior, have to be selected very large. It has been shown that with wide evacuation ports, relatively high gas losses occur, and that narrowing the evacuation ports leads to a backup and to a negative influence on the laminar flow of the liquid film, so that only a part of the liquid film which has precipitated on the interior of the tube segment can actually be separated. The consequence of this is that the separated liquid drops enrich the gas-liquid mixture again. Since the evacuation ports form angles of >20.degree. with the longitudinal axis of the vortex tube, a relatively abrupt deflection of the liquid film takes place, which likewise exerts a disadvantageous influence on the surface of the liquid film. It turns out that liquid drops separate from the surface upon abrupt deflections and return to the gas-liquid mixture.
The same also holds for the vortex tube known from UK Patent 1,146,262, whose evacuation ports to be sure have a constant width, whose axis however, likewise forms a large angle with the evacuation ports. In addition to this, the evacuation ports are short and empty into circular chambers for collecting the separated liquid.

Device for separating liquid from a gas-liquid mixture


A method, system, and apparatus are provided for virtual machine management. According to one embodiment, processor state information associated with a processor is evaluated, and the processor state information is used to manage one or more virtual machines.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to virtual machine management, and more particularly to efficient scheduling of virtual machines using processor state information.
2. Description of the Related Art
Virtualization of machine resources has been of significant interest for some time; however, with processors becoming more diverse and complex, such as processors that are deeply pipelined/super pipelined, hyperthreaded, and processors having Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing (EPIC) architecture, and with larger instruction and data caches, virtualization of machine resources is becoming an even greater interest.
Many attempts have been made to make virtualization more efficient. For example, some vendors offer software products that have a virtual machine system that permits a machine to be partitioned, such that the underlying hardware of the machine appears as one or more independently operating virtual machines (VM). Typically, a Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM) may be a thin layer of software running on a computer and presenting to other software an abstraction of one or more VMs. Each VM, on the other hand, may function as a self-contained platform, running its own operating system (OS), or a copy of the OS, and/or a software application. Software executing within a VM is collectively referred to as "guest software".
A typical VMM, which is considered the host of the VMs, may enhance performance of a VM by permitting direct access to the underlying physical machine in some situations. This may be especially appropriate when an operation is being performed in non-privileged mode in the guest software, which limits access to the physical machine or when operations will not make use of hardware resources in the physical machine to which the VMM seeks to retain control. The VMM may swap guest software state in and out of the processor, devices, memory, and the registers of the physical machine, while the processor may swap some state in and out during transitions between a VM and the VMM.
The conventional VM/VMM architecture rely on time-slicing between various VMs according to round-robin or other predetermined priority-based schemes. For example, a pre-determined allocated time period (or time quanta) for each VM may be stored in the memory to direct the VMM to periodically switch between the VMs based on the previously allocated time period for each VM. Round-robin or pre-determined priority-based schemes inherently fail to provide the VMM any control or authority regarding managing the VMs, as the VMM is limited to following the pre-determined plan or scheme. Stated differently, methods, apparatus, and systems, available today, are limited to round-robin or time-slicing of the VMs, and do not provide the VMM to intelligently swap between the VMs using processor state information including characteristics and/or history of the processor, characteristics and/or history of the guest software, characteristics and/or history of the VMs, and characteristics and/or history of the machine.
One solution proposed by VMWare, Inc. (VMWare) of Palo Alto, Calif., relies on OS thread-scheduling to use the VMM to swap between the VMs. The VMWare solution provides for running two or more operating systems, such as Linux and Microsoft Windows, on a single machine, using the facilities provided by the operating system that runs on the underlying hardware. This system relies on the OS scheduling policy to schedule the VMs. However, virtualization based on OS scheduling (for scheduling the VMs) is performed without the knowledge of the processor state or even the processor. Furthermore, as the VM functionality moves into hardware, the OS-based solutions that attempt to optimize context-switch intervals for processors will be less aware or even completely unaware of the processors and the context-switching for the processors. Furthermore, the OS-based solutions not only do not accommodate characteristics of different processors, but also do not accommodate characteristics of processors of a single family.
Neither the OS-based virtualization solution proposed by VMWare nor any of the other conventional solutions employ software and/or hardware-based state management mechanism to consider the processor state information to intelligently swap between the VMs in order to significantly improve machine performance, and to accommodate rapidly changing processor architecture and characteristics.

Virtual machine management using processor state information


Disclosed herein is an apparatus of a contra rotating generator. The contra rotating generator comprises a cylindrical armature supported on an inner shaft. The inner shaft rotates in a first direction. A cylindrical magnetic field rotor is supported on an outer shaft. The outer shaft is oriented coaxially to the inner shaft. The outer shaft contra rotates opposite to the first direction. A plurality of cam followers maintains uniform air gap between outer surface of the cylindrical armature and inner surface of the cylindrical magnetic field rotor. The uniform air gap prevents mechanical contact between the cylindrical armature and the cylindrical magnetic field rotor. A sprag clutch prevents unidirectional rotation of the inner shaft and the outer shaft. The contra rotation between the cylindrical armature and the cylindrical magnetic field rotor increases relative magnetic flux speed for generating electrical power at low speeds of operation.

This invention, in general, relates to electrical generators. More particularly, this invention relates to a contra rotating generator apparatus for increasing relative magnetic flux speed.
Electrical generators, in general, comprise a single rotating component called a rotor. The rotor may be either a coil wound armature or a magnetic field unit. The single rotating component of such electrical generators when designed for low rotational speeds, for example, in the range of 10 to 20 revolutions per minute, are large in physical dimensions and weight. Typically, in wind turbines, the power generated by the generator is proportional to the square of rotor blade diameter and hence there is a growing trend to build large diameter rotors, for example larger than 100 meters with each rotor blade weighing over 6 tons. The large rotor blades increase tower head weights to about 100 to 400 tons and require higher tower heights. Moreover, the fabrication of large rotor blades at wind farm sites may not be economical unless a minimum number of rotor blades are built at the same wind farm site. Furthermore, the rotor blade root-bending moment and the required wall thickness of the rotor blade increases with the square of blade length, resulting in heavier blades that further increase tower head weight. The generators with large rotor blades may therefore be difficult to transport, install, and maintain in rural or wild terrain environments.
Although in existing contra rotating wind turbines a first rotor and a second rotor rotate in opposite direction, the magnetic field between the armature and the magnetic field unit creates a cogging torque between the first rotor and the second rotor. The cogging torque causes the second rotor of the wind turbine to rotate in the same direction as the first rotor instead of the opposite direction at low wind speeds. Moreover, due to the heavy weight of the armature, an excess amount of aerodynamic torque may be required to start the rotors rotating, Furthermore, due to small air gap between the armature and the magnetic field unit of the contra rotating wind turbines, the first rotor and the second rotor may come in contact while rotating, thereby resulting in damage of the contra rotating wind turbine.
Hence, there is a need for a contra rotating generator apparatus to increase relative magnetic flux speed with reduced generator physical dimensions, weight, and cost.


A thin, flexible, plastic holder is formed and placed between a socket extension and the drive end of a socket and/or a bolt or nut and the interior of the socket. The drive end of the socket extension is forced into the drive end of the socket with a first enlarged head of the holder deformed therebetween, while the head of a bolt or a nut is forced into the interior of the socket, with a second enlarged head of the holder deformed therebetween, so as to more securely hold the extension and head of the bolt or the nut in the socket.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to holders for nuts and bolts, and, more particularly, to a flexible, throw-away holding means for holding bolts, nuts, and extensions in sockets.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Socket wrenches and sockets are widely used in homes and in industry. Additionally, when using sockets to insert nuts and bolts in hard to reach places various size and length extensions for must be used. However, because of wear and other factors, many nuts and bolts, as well as the driving end of the extensions used with the sockets, are loosely held therein, and such nuts or bolts may fall out of the sockets, or be incorrectly started, causing delays and other problems. Therefore, various adapters and holders have been devised to hold nuts and bolts in position in sockets.
One type of nut and bolt holder for sockets is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,675 to Martinez et al., which discloses legs, beams, cams and resilient means for holding a nut or bolt in a socket. However, the holding means disclosed in this patent are complicated, expensive to manufacture, and are limited for use in the specific socket to which the specific holding means has been secured.
Other known means for holding nuts and bolts in sockets include magnets placed in the sockets to hold a nut or bolt therein, or adapters or inserts placed in specific sockets to adapt such sockets to a specific size, or to protect the finish of a bolt or nut being driven by the socket. Examples of such devices are illustrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,916,736 to Clemmens, 4,836,067 to Rogers et al., and 4,979,355 to Ulevich.
Other means, such as shims or tightening means, are known for use in adjusting the spacing between items. Examples of such shims, etc. are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,809,421 to Justice, 4,880,344 to Henry et al., 5,116,242 to Scotti, 5,311,060 to Rostoker, 5,452,904 to Huber et al., and Design 327,960 to Uke.
While the foregoing described prior art holding means for sockets, as well as shims and tightening means for other items, have provided limited improvements, and overcome some of the problems connected with the need for holding nuts and bolts together, or for adjusting the space between items, they usually have very limited application, tend to be complicated and expensive to manufacture, and are designed for permanent use with specific sockets, or the like. Therefore, after many attempts to solve the problem of devising holding means for use with sockets to hold nuts and bolts in position, and to insure accurate placement thereof, there still exists the need in the art for a simple, easy to use and manufacture, low cost, disposable holding means for use with sockets.


The present disclosure relates to a phase shifter, which includes: a phase shift circuit board with conductive traces printed thereon; and a phase shift circuit board with conductive traces printed thereon; and a slide device with a first tooth section configured to be driven, wherein movement of the first tooth section drives the slide device to slide on the phase shift circuit board. In addition, the present disclosure further relates to a remote electrical tilt system, which includes an actuator, a transmission mechanism, and at least one phase shifter according to the present disclosure, wherein the actuator is configured to drive the transmission mechanism, and the transmission mechanism engages the first tooth section to drive the slide device to slide on the phase shift circuit board. In addition, the present disclosure also relates to a base station antenna which includes the remote electrical tilt system according to the present disclosure. The base station antenna according to the present disclosure may improve the stability of the transmission of the remote electrical tilt system and increase the space utilization of the remote electrical tilt system.

Currently, the remote electrical tilt antenna (RET antenna) is widely used as a base station antenna in cellular communication systems. Before introducing the RET antenna, when it was necessary to adjust the coverage area of the traditional base station antenna, the technician had to climb the antenna tower with the antenna installed and manually adjust the antenna's pointing angle. Generally, the coverage area of the antenna is adjusted by changing the so-called "tilt angle" of the antenna, which is the angle in the elevation plane of the visual axis pointing direction of the antenna beam generated by the antenna. The introduction of the RET antenna allows cellular operators to electrically adjust the tilt angle of the antenna beam by sending control signals to the antenna.
The RET antenna further includes a RET system, which allows the cellular operator to dynamically adjust the tilt angle of the antenna beam. The RET system usually includes a drive motor, a transmission mechanism, and a phase shifter for each array of radiating elements. Many modern base station antennas include multiple arrays of radiating elements, and each array usually has associated drive motor, transmission mechanism and phase shifter, which makes the antenna structural arrangement complicated. Therefore, improving the space utilization of the antenna is an urgent problem to be solved. In addition, the stability of the transmission in the RET system should also be improved.

Phase shifter, remote electrical tilt system and base station antenna


A semiconductor device for transferring input data to a non-volatile memory device. The semiconductor device comprises a virtual page buffer including a plurality of data elements; a mask buffer including a corresponding plurality of data elements; control logic circuitry for (i) setting each of the mask buffer data elements to a first logic state upon receipt of a trigger; (ii) causing input data to be written to selected virtual page buffer data elements; and (iii) causing those mask buffer data elements corresponding to the selected virtual page buffer data elements to be set to a different logic state; mask logic circuitry configured to generate masked output data by combining, for each of the virtual page buffer data elements, data read therefrom together with the logic state of the corresponding mask buffer data element; and an output interface configured to release the masked output data towards the non-volatile memory device.

A flash memory device consists of memory cells and a page buffer in a core memory block, along with peripheral circuitry for exchanging data with a controller. Since the introduction of flash memory devices on the consumer market, they have gained widespread popularity and acceptance, while their original asynchronous interface to the controller has remained unchanged for the most part.
Recently, certain improvements in flash memory technology have been developed, but require an interface design that is incompatible with conventional flash memory devices. To allow conventional flash memory devices to nevertheless benefit from the improved technology, use of a bridge chip has been contemplated. A bridge chip would provide a bidirectional interface between an improved controller and conventional flash memory devices.
It will be appreciated that the design of a bridge chip poses various challenges, at least some of these being associated with the need to temporarily store data to be transferred to a conventional flash memory device.

Device and method for transferring data to a non-volatile memory device


According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a display processor and a controller. The display processor is configured to display an object on a touch screen display. The object includes a first line segment and a second line segment which is not parallel to the first line segment. The controller is configured to acquire first positional data from a first trace of the first line segment on the touch screen and second positional data from a second trace of the second line segment on the touch screen. The controller is further configured to set a correction value for correcting a deviation between a display position of traces and a detection position of a touch input on the touch screen display, by using the first and second positional data.

In recent years, various kinds of electronic apparatuses such as a tablet computer, smartphone, and the like which are portable and battery-operable have been developed. Generally, such an electronic apparatus includes a touch screen display for easier input operation by a user.
A user touches an icon or a menu displayed on a touch screen display with his/her finger or a stylus to instruct an electronic apparatus to execute functions associated with the icon or the menu.
Here, various improvements have been proposed for better touch operation on the touch screen display.
The touch screen display includes a flat panel display and a touch panel configured to detect a contact position of the stylus or finger on the screen. Thus, in general, a correction value (of the detection position on the touch panel) is set so that the display position on the flat panel display and the detection position on the touch panel can coincide. Such a setting process is referred to as, for example, calibration. Calibration is effective in compensating for characteristics of each user such as the angle of viewing the touch screen display and the way of using a stylus, etc.
The calibration of a touch screen display is performed by indicating an object such as a dot or cross on a flat panel display and detecting on a touch panel a position of a user's touch operation with respect to the object.
For more accurate calibration, it is preferable that data to calculate the correction value are collected as much as possible. However, forcing the user to repeat the touch operation again and again only for better calibration is not practical.

Electronic apparatus, calibration method and storage medium


Cascading Closed Loop Cycle (CCLC) and Super Cascading Closed Loop Cycle (Super-CCLC) systems are described for recovering power in the form of mechanical or electrical energy from the waste heat of a steam turbine system. The waste heat from the boiler and steam condenser is recovered by vaporizing propane or other light hydrocarbon fluids in multiple indirect heat exchangers; expanding the vaporized propane in multiple cascading expansion turbines to generate useful power; and condensing to a liquid using a cooling system. The liquid propane is then pressurized with pumps and returned to the indirect heat exchangers to repeat the vaporization, expansion, liquefaction and pressurization cycle in a closed, hermetic process.

The primary process used to generate electricity is the combustion of a fossil fuel to heat air. This high temperature air, or thermal energy, is then used to heat a liquid power generation medium (typically water) in a boiler to create a gas (steam) that is expanded across a steam turbine that drives an electrical generator. The measure of the thermal energy is the British Thermal Unit (BTU). Other sources of energy used to heat air and/or water to generate electricity in this manner include: heat from nuclear reactions; heat from the exhaust of gas turbines; heat from the combustion of refuse or other combustible materials in incinerators; and others.
Steam turbine systems used to generate power are generally closed loop systems in which pressurized water is vaporized in a boiler or heat exchanger; expanded in the steam turbine where the pressure levels are reduced as power is generated; condensed back to water in a condenser or cooler; and pumped back to pressure and returned to the boiler to repeat the cycle. In the process of making steam in this closed loop system, there are two major sources of wasted energy. The first is the waste heat exiting the boiler in the form of high temperature flue gas (typically heated air) due to the inherent design and thermodynamic characteristics of the water to steam conversion process that prevents using all the useful thermal energy (heat) in the flue gas. The second is the latent heat of vaporization or the amount of energy required to convert water to steam that is dissipated to the atmosphere during the process of condensing the steam back to water.
In the first instance of wasted heat, the boiler heat source must provide thermal energy (in the form of high temperature flue gas) not only to deliver 1000 BTU/LB to convert water to steam but also sufficient thermal energy to superheat the steam to high enough energy levels to provide sufficient excess energy to drive a steam turbine to generate power. The thermodynamic requirements of the steam cycle limit the temperature differential available to produce superheated steam to the difference between the original heat source temperature and approximately 400 to 500° F. This results in wasted heated flue gas exiting the boiler at temperatures of about 400 to 500° F. Although a portion of the energy in the flue gas exhaust may be recaptured by, for example, using it to heat the power plant, using it to pre-heat the boiler water, or by other known means, the amount of useful energy recovered is limited.
In the second instance of wasted heat, the energy in the form of heat required to change the state of a liquid to a gas is controlled by the thermodynamic characteristics of the liquid. The pressure and associated temperature at which a fluid begins to become a vapor is defined as the vapor pressure of the fluid. For a given liquid there is a specific range of pressures and temperatures at which the liquid becomes a vapor. The BTUs required to change a liquid to a gas at the vapor pressure is defined as the "heat of vaporization". The heat of vaporization for water is approximately 1000 BTU/LB. At the vapor pressure at which water turns to steam, the amount of energy resident in the vapor is only that amount required to maintain a vaporous state and is defined as the "latent heat of vaporization". At the vapor pressure point, if the vapor is cooled in a condenser or the pressure is reduced through an expansion process, the vapor will change states back to a liquid by discharging the latent heat of vaporization, or 1000 BTU/LB to the environment as an increase in thermal energy or temperature of the cooling medium. As such, little, if any, useful energy can be extracted from a vapor that only contains the latent heat of vaporization because such vapor will immediately condense upon expansion in a turbine, causing dramatic inefficiencies and possibly damaging the turbine. The physical phenomenon of the heat of vaporization causes waste heat in conventional power generation cycles because this amount of heat must be imparted into the liquid water before it changes into a useful gaseous state but this heat can not be extracted as useful energy. Upon cooling the medium back to a liquid so that it can be pumped to the desired pressure, this latent heat is discharged without being recaptured in the form of useful energy. Thus, the thermal energy discharged to the atmosphere through the cooling medium that returns the water to the liquid state is waste heat.
Converting heat to useful power and developing power in a more efficient manner from the combustion of fossil fuels are of paramount importance as fuel costs rise and energy sources are depleted. In addition, the negative effects on the environment caused by pollution generated from the combustion of fossil fuels dictates that power plants be designed to reduce the pollutants generated per unit of energy produced. These factors create a need to improve power plant efficiency and recover energy from waste heat generated by power plants, waste heat from various manufacturing processes, and thermal energy from renewable energy sources.
Various methods and processes are used to improve the efficiency of power systems that convert fossil fuels to usable energy. These efficiency-enhancing systems include gas turbine combined cycle plants, cogeneration plants and waste heat recovery systems. Cogeneration and combined cycle systems generate useful energy from the waste heat of gas turbine exhausts or other fossil fuel heat sources, including low grade heating value fuel sources, by using the heat of combustion to generate steam. In systems that use water as the primary power generation medium, the temperature of the heat source (typically flue gas heated by combusting fossil fuels) must be high enough to vaporize the water to create steam in a heat exchanger (boiler). The resulting steam is expanded in a steam turbine to produce power. Steam boilers are generally limited to recovering the thermal energy associated with the differential temperature between the initial temperature of the heat source and about 500° F. or higher because this is the temperature required to achieve efficient thermal energy transfer to water to produce steam. Further, the available heat for transferring energy to the steam is limited by the temperature differential restrictions imposed by the vapor pressure versus temperature characteristics of steam, and using a heat source with a temperature close to about 500° F. can lead to inefficient and minimal steam production. In a typical steam power generation system, the low temperature (˜500° F.) exhaust of the heat source exiting the boiler can be used to pre-heat the boiler feed water using a separate heat exchanger. However, only a limited amount of the heat in the discharge air is recoverable, and this heat is generally restricted to the temperature differential between the ˜500° F. discharge temperature of the heat source exhaust and about 300° F. or above due to the vapor pressure and temperature characteristics of water. Using the exhaust heat to pre-heat the boiler feed water in this manner increases the overall efficiency of the system, and may provide about a 10% increase in efficiency in some cases.
Some cogeneration and combined cycle systems also envision incorporating an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system in combination with the steam turbine system to capture additional power output from the low temperature exhaust stream of the heat source as it exits the boiler. Methods are known in the prior art that utilize an ORC cycle to generate useful power. Typical methods are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,570,579 and 5,664,414, which are incorporated herein by reference. These prior art systems use a conventional ORC medium such as normal pentane, iso-pentane, toluene, fluorinated hydrocarbons and other refrigerants. These conventional ORC media have pressure and temperature limitations and can not sustain high temperatures due to their respective auto ignition temperatures and vapor pressure versus temperature characteristics. For example, prior art ORC systems that utilize refrigerants or toluene are restricted to operation with heated water since the ORC medium can not absorb energy at elevated temperatures. Other prior art ORC methods require an ORC medium with a vapor pressure near atmospheric pressure to be efficient. Other prior art systems are restricted to a specific power output range while others require spraying a fluid ORC medium into the heat exchanger for efficient operation. These limitations reduce their effectiveness and efficiency thereby restricting the circumstances under which they can be employed, and limiting the useful energy output that may be obtained from them.
In addition, although the majority of energy is generated using closed loop systems (i.e., systems in which the power generation medium, such as water/steam is constantly recirculated) such as those described above, other methods of generating power have been created to take advantage of open loop power sources that require constant replenishment of the power generation medium. For example, where the pressure of light hydrocarbon supplies in petrochemical plants or on gas pipelines must be reduced before being sent to consumers, it is known to generate useful power by expanding the high pressure gas in an expansion turbine that operates an electrical generator, pump or compressor, rather then reducing the gas pressure in a valve where no energy is recovered. Examples of this type of technology are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,711,093 and 4,677,827, which are incorporated herein by reference. These systems are open loop systems that require constant replenishment of the power generation medium, and depend on the pressure level of the process design.

Cascading closed loop cycle power generation


A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a fin structure and an isolation layer formed on the substrate and adjacent to the fin structure. The semiconductor device includes a gate structure formed on at least a portion of the fin structure and the isolation layer. The semiconductor device includes an epitaxial layer including a strained material that provides stress to a channel region of the fin structure. The epitaxial layer has a first region and a second region, in which the first region has a first doping concentration of a first doping agent and the second region has a second doping concentration of a second doping agent. The first doping concentration is greater than the second doping concentration. The epitaxial layer is doped by ion implantation using phosphorous dimer.

As the semiconductor industry has progressed into nanometer technology process nodes in pursuit of higher device density, higher performance, and lower costs, challenges from both fabrication and design issues have resulted in the development of three-dimensional designs, such as a Fin FET. Fin FET devices are a type of multi-gate structure that typically include semiconductor fins with high aspect ratios and in which channel and source/drain regions of semiconductor transistor devices are formed. A gate is formed over and along the sides of the fin structure (e.g., wrapping) utilizing the advantage of the increased surface area of the channel and source/drain regions to produce faster, more reliable and better-controlled semiconductor transistor devices. In some devices, strained materials in the source/drain regions of the Fin FET device utilize, for example, phosphorous doped silicon-containing epitaxial layering.

Enhanced channel strain to reduce contact resistance in NMOS FET devices

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.


A system processes data units in a network. The system receives a data unit that includes a group of headers and suppresses one or more of the headers to form a reduced data unit. The system suppresses one or more other headers of the reduced data unit to form a further reduced data unit and transmits the further reduced data unit to one or more destination devices using the program identifier (PID) field in the MPEG header as an index to suppressed headers.

Cable modems (CMs) allow end-users to connect to networks, such as the Internet, through cable television lines. In a manner similar to traditional telephone modems, CMs modulate between digital signals from an attached computing device to analog signals that are transmitted over the cable lines. Unlike traditional telephone dial-up modems, however, CMs mat provide significantly greater throughput.
CMs are generally installed locally to the end-user, and communicate with a cable modern termination system (CMTS) at a local cable television company office. Multiple CMs may share a single physical communication channel with the CMTS. The CMs can receive signals from and send signals to the CMTS, but not directly to other CMs on the channel.
Over the past decade, the popularity of CM systems has risen dramatically. As the popularity of CM networks increases and, thus, the number of CMs in the network increases, system designers seek ways to reduce bandwidth in order to allow CMTSs to accommodate greater numbers of CMs.
Therefore, there exists a need for improved techniques for transmitting data in a cable modem network.

Systems and methods for compressing packet headers


A vehicle approach notification apparatus includes a first sounding signal generation portion that generates a first sounding signal based on a first sound source data; a second sounding signal generation portion that generates a second sounding signal based on a second sound source data; and a combination portion that combines the first sounding signal with the second sounding signal to generate a notice sound signal. The first sounding signal generation portion changes a frequency and an output level of the first sounding signal depending on a speed of the vehicle. The second sounding signal generation portion changes an output level of the second sounding signal depending on the speed of the vehicle while holding a frequency of the second sounding signal to be constant.

An electric vehicle equipped with only an electric motor as driving source for travel outputs very quiet running sounds during low speed running. Further, a hybrid vehicle equipped with an electric motor and an internal-combustion engine as driving source for travel outputs very quiet running sounds during low speed running only with an electric motor as driving source. This may cause pedestrians etc. to fail to notice an approach of such vehicles.
There is proposed for such a low noise vehicle a vehicle approach notification apparatus which notifies nearby pedestrians etc. of the presence of the vehicle by generating a notice sound signal whose frequency changes depending on the vehicle speed and outputting a notice sound based on the generated notice sound signal towards an area external to the vehicle (e.g., refer to Patent Literature 1).
In addition, some notice sounds include pseudo engine sounds or pseudo running sounds that are generated as composite tones (chords) formed of several frequency components. Furthermore, to enable pedestrians etc. to recognize vehicle speeds, some notice sounds are processed such that the frequency of each frequency component constituting a notice sound is increased as the vehicle speed increases.


A method, apparatus, and computer program for calibration of a printer having a printed head with multiple dies creates linearization tables that compensate for different drop weight uniformities printed by die-to-die boundaries. The linearization tables are provided to a calibration routine to create an actual linearization table for ink printed by a die-to-die boundary of the print head. The calibration routine creates an actual linearization table by determining a measurement related to drop weight uniformity when the die-to-die boundary of the print head prints the ink. Based on this measurement, a pre-built linearization table is selected for compensating output drop weight and for allowing printing with a substantially uniform drop weight across the die-to-die boundary of the print head.

Printer calibration has become an important topic as print resolution and reproduction accuracy improve in printers.
Calibration is used to compensate for reproduction inconsistencies that may arise due to manufacturing variations in ink drop weight, ink chemistry and the environmental effects of temperature and humidity on the printing process. For example, ink drop weight produced by different print heads often varies as a result of minute manufacturing differences in the size of the nozzles used in an inkjet print head, different resistor characteristics in the heater element used to eject the ink droplets in the inkjet print head, variations in the orifice shape, or any other difference from one print head to another. Differences in the ink chemistry combined with temperature and humidity also affect the final color appearance when applied to a print medium. To accommodate these factors, it is known to employ color calibration which modifies the number of ink drops during printing to make color printing more consistent.
Reproduction inconsistencies are not, however, simply limited to color. Non-uniformity in printing can also be caused by factors such as aerodynamic variations, temperature fluctuations within print dies and minor misalignment between adjacent print dies. This non-uniformity is especially evident in printers that have more than two dies, and increases with the number of print dies used by a printer. As illustrated in FIG. 1, such misalignment can also be visible as a light area (10) corresponding to a die-to-die boundary and is known as Light Area Banding (LAB).
Known methods and systems for compensating such non-uniformities have typically focused on directly addressing its causes. For example, it is Known to use different masking on die boundaries in an attempt to reduce aerodynamic fluctuations. Currently, no proposals have been made that seek to address the problem of temperature fluctuations.
Some known printers employ a pen alignment procedure which is supposed to correct misalignment between dies. However, due to noise in the system a non-zero value of misalignment still remains after such a pen alignment procedure. This value of misalignment may be larger when a known alignment procedure known as Automatic Pen Alignment (APA) is used to align dies in particular printers. Further, the model used in APA procedure is not perfect and there exist other effects such as media curl and ambient light that add to and alter the noise in the system.
It is therefore desirable to develop a calibration technique to cater for printing non-uniformity at die-to-die boundaries of a print head and to improve printing quality and/or accuracy.
Previously, different print masks have been used to hide the misalignment artifacts. Although using different masks can be useful in making misalignment less apparent, it cannot completely eliminate misalignment artifacts.

Calibration of a print head having multiple dies

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method for implementing a cutover of a subscriber telephone line from a telephone line of a first exchange to a telephone line of a second exchange, includes the following steps: providing a controllable switch that is operative, in response to a control signal, to couple the subscriber telephone line to either the telephone line of the first exchange or the telephone line of the second exchange; providing a controller, coupled with at least one of the telephone line of the first exchange and the telephone line of the second exchange, for producing the control signal, coupled to the switch, upon receiving a predetermined signal over said at least one of the telephone line of the first exchange and the telephone line of the second exchange; initially setting the switch to couple the subscriber telephone line to the telephone line of the first exchange; and sending the predetermined signal over at least one of the telephone line of the first exchange and the telephone line of the second exchange, whereby the controller, upon receipt of the predetermined signal, produces the control signal to cause the switch to couple the subscriber telephone line to the telephone line of the second exchange.

Historically, the local phone system has been a monopoly with one phone company providing service to all subscribers within a certain geographic area. This particular phone company was responsible for making a large investment, building and maintaining an end-to-end network, and selling retail services on that network. The company owned all of the network elements: central office equipment and outside plant loops (wires). Since the network was a major investment and it didn't make economic sense to have two phone networks, the government allowed the one network (a natural monopoly), but subjected the phone company to regulation.
While operating as a monopoly, the phone company would sell 'phone service' to a subscriber and 'bundle' all of the network elements needed to provide the service. The subscriber's only option was to buy the service and accept the bundled network elements.
In an effort to foster competition in the local phone market and create benefits for consumers, the US Government passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996. This Act mandated that local monopoly phone companies make 'Unbundled Network Elements' (UNEs) available to competing phone companies. This provision gave competitive phone companies (Competitive Local Exchange Carriers, or CLECs) the right to lease equipment and local loops from the incumbent phone company (incumbent Local Exchange Carrier, or ILEC). As a result of the Act, a consumer could more easily subscribe to phone service offered by a competitive phone company (CLEC). The CLEC leases an unbundled loop from the ILEC, and uses that loop to deliver service to the consumer/subscriber. In this arrangement, a CLEC provides the central office equipment and the ILEC provides the loop.
Federal and state regulatory agencies created strict rules under which the incumbents had to deliver UNEs to the CLECs. For example, in the above scenario, when an existing subscriber wished to switch from the ILEC to the CLEC, and the subscriber was re-using the same loop, the transition (or cutover) had to be smooth and had to take less than one hour. If the subscriber was out of service for more than one hour, the ILEC could be fined.
Reference can be made to FIG. 1 to aid in understanding a type of procedure presently used. In the ILEC Central Office (CO), represented at 100, there is the ILEC switching equipment (switch), represented at 110, and an inside wire jumper 125 in a Main Distributing Frame (MDF), represented at 120. The MDF has two sides. One side contains the termination points of wires coming from the switch. The other side contains the termination points of the local loops that extend out to the subscribers. In FIG. 1, an exemplary local loop wire is shown at 161, and it is coupled to a subscriber (190) via crossbox 170 and telephone pole (180) wiring. The wire jumper (e.g. 125) connects these two termination points. Whereas the switch and outside local loop wire are considered permanent fixtures, the inside wire jumper is considered temporary because it lasts only as long as the subscriber is in service. The ILEC switch emits an analog signal (dial-tone) that travels from the switch port to the MDF, through the wire jumper to the other side of the MDF, and from the MDF out to the subscriber via the local loop wire.
A CLEC, the central office of which is represented at 150, may install some equipment in the ILEC's central office. This equipment extends the dial tone from the CLEC's switch (155), which is at a remote location. In a large central office, it is common to have equipment for many CLECs 'co-located' in the central office. An example is the CLEC cage, shown at 165, within the ILEC central office 100. Fiber optics cable 185 is shown as coupling the CLEC switch 155 in the ILEC central office 100. Theoretically, a subscriber can get their phone service from any one of those co-located CLECs. When a subscriber wants to change phone companies, the most likely scenario is to keep their existing local loop and connect to a co-located CLEC's equipment in the ILEC's central office. The process of changing from an ILEC to a CLEC, while minimizing the amount of out-of-service time, is called a Coordinated Conversion or Coordinated Cut. Other similar industry terms, used interchangeably, are: cutover, cut, and or hot-cut.
The cutover usually takes place in several steps. On Day 1 the ILEC takes the order from the CLEC. On Day 3, an ILEC technician runs a new wire jumper 128 from the CLEC cage to a point at the main distributing frame (MDF) but does not connect the wire to the subscriber. The technician also verifies that dial-tone is emitting from the CLEC equipment. On Day 5, at an appointed hour known as the Frame Due Time (FDT) an ILEC technician:                1) Disconnects the ILEC wire jumper from the local loop, thereby disconnecting the ILEC switching equipment and putting the subscriber out-of-service.        2) Connects the CLEC wire jumper (128) to the local loop, thereby connecting the subscriber to the CLEC switch and putting the subscriber back in service.
The first problem for the ILEC is that they need a technician to perform work on Day 3 and Day 5. Moreover, there is no flexibility in scheduling the FDT on Day 5, which is set by the CLEC and must be completed in a 1 hour window for 10 lines or less. (Somewhat more time is allotted for a cutover consisting of more than 10 lines.) When there are hundreds or thousands of orders per day the work force requirements are substantial, since ILEC technicians must be available at specified times in order to complete the cutovers in accordance with federal and state requirements.
The second problem for the ILEC is to verify that a dial-tone signal is emitting from the CLEC's switch, and that the correct telephone number is translated in the CLEC's switch. Although it is the CLEC's responsibility to program their switch to turn on the dial-tone, it is the ILEC's responsibility to verify the dial tone is present in the ILEC central office. The ILEC accomplishes this on Day 3 by having an ILEC technician test for dial-tone during the wiring process. If dial tone is present, the technician then performs an ANI test (Automated Number Identification) and verifies the correct phone number is emitting from the CLEC switch. If both tests pass, the CLEC translation process is correct. If either test fails, the ILEC technician must report the status back to an ILEC control center. The ILEC control center informs the CLEC of the bad test, the CLEC takes corrective action, and, some time later, the ILEC technician repeats the test. The test for dial tone is a manual process because on Day 3, the CLEC is not wired to any ILEC equipment.
It is among the objects of the present invention to provide solution to the above problems, and to improve the efficiency of telephone cutover procedures.

Cutover method and device for telephone lines


The present invention relates to a dietary supplement for the treatment of migraine headache. An extract of the feverfew plant containing parthenolide in combination with magnesium, with or without riboflavin, provided significant reduction of migraine headaches and the associated symptoms. The magnesium is present as a combination of magnesium oxide and a magnesium salt of an organic acid. The ratio of magnesium to parthenolide was about 450:1

The present invention provides a dietary supplement which supplies a combination of prophylactic and restorative components which assist the body in maintaining normal cerebrovascular tone and reduces the symptoms of migraine headaches.
Migraine has been a well-known medical problem for over 5,000 years and represents one of the most investigated types of head pain. Epidemiological research has shown that in the United States, 18% of women and 6% of men suffer from migraine headaches. This extrapolates to approximately 18 million females and 5.6 million males over the age of 12 with this disorder. The prevalence of migraine, according to the Center for Disease Control, has increased 60% from 1981 to 1989. While migraine can occur at any age, 30% of migraine sufferers report their first attack before the age of ten, and the condition is most common in adolescents and young adults. The economic impact of migraine is staggering, with annual cost of the disease estimated at 18 billion dollars.
The basic cause of migraine is still unknown. Although genetics may play a role, with 50 to 70% of migraine sufferers reporting a familial occurrence, no
consistent biochemical or physiological characteristic has yet to be identified in the relatives of those afflicted with the conditions.
There are several pathophysiological views on the origin of migraine. While not mutually exclusive, these views include the a) Êvascular theory, b) central theory, c) neurogenic Inflammation theory and d) platelet theory.
a. Vascular Theory
In 1938, Graham and Wolff, two of the period""s most preeminent headache researchers, developed the vascular hypothesis of migraine. They suggested that contraction of the intracranial arteries caused a reduction in blood flow to the visual cortex in the occipital lobe, resulting in the focal neurological symptoms (xe2x80x9cauraxe2x80x9d) that accompany a migraine episode. As a consequence, the head pain that followed was the result of extra-cranial vasodilatation of the external carotid system, along the nerve compression in the carotid artery wall. These conclusions were based on the observation that the vasoconstricting drug ergotamine tartrate dampened pulsation of the superficial temporal artery (an end branch of the external carotid artery), resulting in migraine pain relief.
Despite the fact that the vascular model has been a dominant concept in migraine pathophysiology, several difficulties arising from this theory have been noted. These include the fact that during a common migraine attack, only minor changes in cerebral blood flow have been noted. Furthermore, oligemia, a phase of reduced blood flow, lasts for several hours longer than the aura. Lastly, the reduced blood flow is not sufficient to induce ischemia, alter neuronal function, and produce the aura phase. As a consequence of these criticisms, the central theory of migraine has been proposed.
b. Central Theory
The central theory suggests that spreading oligemia is the consequence of spreading neuronal depression, which begins as a result of decreased neuronal function in the occipital poles of the brain and progresses forward at a rate of two to three millimeters per minute. The spreading depression involves the depolarization of neurons and has associated with it marked cellular ionic abnormalities. The resulting lowered levels of cellular magnesium increase the likelihood of this type of spreading neuronal depression occurring. This repression of neural function results in a spreading oligemia that can last up to four to six hours. It progresses anteriorly, in a wave-like fashion, over the areas perfused by the middle and posterior cerebral arteries, temporarily impairing cortical vascular functioning. As result, the aura of migraine may be the result of spreading depression, xe2x80x9ca phenomenon originating within brain neurons and involving cerebral blood vessels only secondarily.xe2x80x9d
c. Neurogenic Inflammation Theory
While the concept of spreading neuronal depression and oligemia may explain the migraine aura, it does not account for ensuing headache. Migraine head pain may be the result of inflammation in the trigeminovascular system (TVS). This theory suggests that the trigeminal nerve fibers innervating cranial vessels are an important component of an elaborate defense network protecting the brain from an actual or perceived insult. Inflammatory neurotransmitters such as substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide and neurokinin A are released by the fifth cranial nerve. This release signals adjacent meningeal blood vessels to dilate. The resulting neurogenic inflammation sensitizes the neurons and this induces head pain. It is interesting to note that stimulation of the presynaptic serotonin receptor (5HT-1), blocks the release of substance P, thus preventing inflammation and pain.
d. Platelet Theory
Many researchers have felt that serotonin (5HT) is the specific neurochemical cause of migraine. Platelets contain all of the 5HT normally present in blood, and after they aggregate, 5HT is released, resulting in a potent vasoconstricting effect. During migraine attack, platelet 5HT increases in the aura phase and diminishes in the headache phase. Following a migraine attack, there is an increase in urinary 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA), the main metabolite of serotonin. It is interesting to note that xe2x80x9cserotonergic circuits are believed to be involved in modulation of sleep cycles, pain perception, and mood, all important factors in the pathogenesis of migraine.xe2x80x9d For example, xe2x80x9ca decrease in the firing rate of serotonergic neurons of the midbrain dorsal raphe nucleus occurs with sleep, correlating with the observation that sleep often aborts a migraine attack.xe2x80x9d
However, serotonin may not be the only vasoactive chemical involved in the pathogenesis of migraine. Histamine, tyramine, catecholamines (norepinephrine and dopamine), prostaglandin E and free fatty acids may all have important roles to play in migraine pathogenesis.
For the migraine sufferer, there are a wide variety of therapeutic approaches both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic. However, for practical reasons the management of migraine can be divided into a) abortive treatment and b) preventative treatment.
a. Abortive Treatment
An abortive treatment of migraine simply addresses the symptoms. Only pharmacological interventions with analgesics and/or vasoconstrictors are effective for the acute attack. Initial therapy for mild migraine headache is usually aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (e.g. ibuprofen and naproxen sodium). These analgesics, along with sleep in a quiet, dark room, an ice pack on the head and an antiemetic agent, are often sufficient to treat the mild migraine. The use of antiemetic drugs like metoclopramide (Reglan(copyright)) is an important variable in determining how effective analgesic action will be. Migraine attacks seem to cause atony and dilation of the stomach along with closure of the pyloric sphincter thereby impairing absorption of the analgesic medications. This decrease in absorption is probably why individuals with migraines generally complain about the lack of effectiveness of this class of drug. Metoclopramide not only helps with the nausea and the headache, but also improves gastrokinetics, correcting the delayed absorption. More potent vasoconstrictors, like ergotamine tartrate, are often combined with nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs and anti-emetic therapies for moderate to severe migraine attacks. Ergotamine is a potent vasoconstrictor that has been used since the 1920""s as an abortive therapy for migraine episodes. While oral therapy can be employed, rectal suppositories of ergotamine are far more effective because it does not interfere with gastrointestinal function. A 1-mg rectal suppository has been shown to provide complete headache relief within three hours of taking the drug in 73% of patients with migraine.
However, despite ergotamine""s effectiveness, it must be used intelligently, as frequent use of the drug results in rebound headache. Abstinence from the vasoconstricting medication for a few hours leads to vasodilation and headache pain. This then perpetuates a vicious cycle in which the patient gets daily headaches, and takes ergotamine on a daily basis. Other ergotamine side effects include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, muscle cramps, and occasionally, distal paresthesias. Individuals who take ergotamine on a daily basis may suffer from a condition called ergotism, whose symptoms includes nausea and weakness as well as cold, bluish and tingling extremities.
An intravenous derivative of ergotamine, dihydroergotamine (HE), is an even more potent vasoconstrictor and is typically employed for headaches that persist or are severe in nature, despite initial oral abortive therapy. Both DHE and a new injectable drug called sumatriptan (Imitrex(copyright)), work by stimulating the inhibitory presynaptic 5HT receptor at the trigeminovascular junction. A dose of six milligrams of sumatriptan has been shown to reduce the intensity of moderate to severe migraine headaches by 70%. Side effects from this type of drug include distal paresthesias, tingling, heaviness, and a sensation of pressure.
b. Preventive Therapy
In contrast to abortive therapy, preventative drug strategies can be employed if the frequency of migraine attacks is sufficiently high. There are an extremely large number of medications available for migraine prophylaxis. Propanolol, verapamil and methysergide maleate are some of the more commonly employed drugs.
Propranolol is widely prescribed in the United States as a treatment for migraine prevention. Although it has proven to be effective in migraine prophylaxis, its side effects include fatigue, depression, impotence, insomnia, dizziness, and cold extremities.
Another class of antihypertensive medications like propranolol is the calcium channel blockers. Calcium channel blockers were introduced as a class of preventative migraine medications to help antagonize vasoconstriction and prevent cerebral hypoxia. However, research has suggested that they may not be as effective as beta-blockers and, furthermore, that they are associated with numerous adverse events including constipation, fluid retention, drowsiness and hypotension.
Unlike calcium channel blockers or beta-blockers, methysergide is a potent, type 2 serotonin antagonist. For migraine prophylaxis, studies have shown that a 6 mg dose reduces migraine occurrence by more than half in 60% of the patients. However, long-term use of this drug may not be warranted, as it is associated with retroperitoneal fibrosis. As such, a drug hiatus for two to four weeks following six months of continuous use is recommended.
Like pharmacological intervention, non-pharmacological prophylactic therapies may also be highly effective. These include behavioral modification techniques such as stress management, biofeedback, exercise, acupuncture, trigger point injections and numerous physical therapy techniques.
There is currently no formulation, which addresses satisfactorily the needs of a who suffer from migraine headaches. Many of the existing formulations can cause significant side effects. Because of the apparent multi-faceted etiology, some formulations work well for some people but not others.
The present invention comprises several unique and novel combinations of the following components in a single formulation: an extract of the Feverfew plant, a magnesium salt and riboflavin or, as an alternative embodiment, an extract of the Feverfew plant in combination with a magnesium salt or riboflavin.

Composition for treating migraine headaches


Provided is a map information updating apparatus which can automatically select map information optimal for the user from among plural map information, and update an original map using the selected map information. The map information updating apparatus includes: a map information storage unit which stores map information; a position information detecting unit which detects a current position; a movement history storage unit which stores a series of detected positions as movement histories; a map information selecting unit which selects one of a first update map information providing unit and a second update map information providing unit; a map information updating unit which obtains update map information from the selected providing unit; an update map information storage unit which stores the obtained update map information; and a combining/displaying unit which combines the map information stored in the map information storage unit and the update map information stored in the updated map information storage unit, and displays the combined map information.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a map information updating apparatus which updates map information which has been stored within the apparatus itself, and particularly to a map information updating apparatus which updates map information by receiving plural different types of update map information.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the updating of map information which has been stored in car navigation systems and the like via communication networks and recording media becomes possible, and is being implemented. By updating the map information, without newly purchasing a car navigation system itself, the user can obtain latest information, such as information in which a new road has been added. On the other hand, map information is made up of a large volume of data. Since the cost for communicating such map information is quite high, a technique which partially updates a map has been suggested (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2000-121371, which is referred to as Patent Reference 1 hereinafter).
FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of an apparatus disclosed in Patent Reference 1. A vehicle position detecting unit 18 detects a position of a vehicle and stores it as a history of the position in a storage device 20. In order to update only an area map with the histories of the positions, a use range storage processing unit 26 calculates an update map, a sending/receiving unit 24 obtains the update map, and a map update processing unit 22 performs update processing with the update map. With this, only the area map with the histories is updated, and thus, the communication cost is reduced.
However, the apparatus disclosed in Patent Reference 1 partially updates map information, and it is assumed that only a single type of map is provided for the apparatus. Thus, when there are plural maps to be provided for the apparatus, such maps can be no longer applied.
In other words, from now on, with expansion of services which provide map information, the type of map information to be provided is not limited to a single map information type, and it is necessary to select update map information from among plural different types of map information to be provided so as to update map information using the selected map information, depending on uses and preferences of the user.
Thus, the object of the present invention is to provide a map information updating apparatus and the like which can automatically select optimal map information for the user from among plural map information and update map information with the selected map information, based on the information obtained from the movement histories of the user.

Map information updating apparatus and map information updating method

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A composition for genetic manipulation which comprises a liposome comprised of lipid material, and adeno-associated viral (AAV) material. Typically, the AAV material is plasmid, and comprises a terminal repeat of the AAV genome. Methods are disclosed for introducing genetic material into cells by use of AAV liposomes. Accordingly, genetic material was introduced and integrated into stem cells, T cells, primary tumor cells, or tumor cell lines.

Transfection of eukaryotic cells has become an increasingly important technique for the study and development of gene therapy. Advances in gene therapy depend in large part upon the development of delivery systems capable of efficiently introducing DNA into a target cell. A number of methods have been developed for the stable or transient expression of heterologous genes in cultured cell types. These include transduction techniques which use a carrier molecule or virus.
Most gene therapy strategies have relied on transduction by transgene insertion into retroviral or DNA virus vectors (Dimmock, N.J., "Initial stages in infection with animal viruses," J. Gen. Virol: (1982) 59:1-22; Duc-Nguyen, H., "Enhancing effect of diethylaminoethyl dextran on the focus forming titer of a murine sarcoma virus (Harvey strain)," J. Virol. (1968) 2:643-644). However, adenovirus and other DNA viral vectors can produce infectious sequelae, can be immunogenic after repeated administrations, and can only package a limited amount of insert DNA.
Of the viral vector systems, the recombinant adeno-associated viral (AAV) transduction system has proven to be one of the most efficient vector systems for stably and efficiently carrying genes into a variety of mammalian cell types (Lebkowski, J. S., et al., "Adeno-associated virus: A vector system for efficient introduction and integration of DNA into a variety of mammalian cell types," Mol. Cell. Biol. (1988) 3:3988-3996). It has been well-documented that AAV DNA integrates into cellular DNA as one to several tandem copies joined to cellular DNA through inverted terminal repeats (ITRs) of the viral DNA, and that the physical structure of integrated AAV genomes suggest that viral insertions usually appear as multiple copies with a tandem head to tail orientation via the AAV terminal repeats (Kotin, R. M., et al., "Site-specific integration of adeno-associated virus," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (1990) 87:2211-2215; Samulski, R. J., et al., "Targeted integration of adeno-associated virus (AAV) into human chromosome 19," EMBO J. (1991) 10:3941-3950; Ashktorab, H. and A. Srivastara, "Identification of nuclear proteins that specifically interact with adeno-associated virus type 2 inverted terminal repeat hairpin DNA," J. Virol. (1989) 63:3034-3039; Im, D. S., and Muzyczka, N., "Factors that bind to adeno-associated virus terminal repeats," J. Virol. (1989) 63:3095-4104; Snyder, R. O., et al., "Evidence for covalent attachment of the adeno-associated virus (AAV) rep protein to the ends of the AAV genome," J. Virol. (1990) 64:6204-6213). Thus, the AAV terminal repeats (ITRs) are an essential part of the AAV transduction system.
Although recombinant adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors differ from adenoviral vectors, the transgene DNA size limitation and packaging properties are the same as with any other DNA viral vectors.
AAV is a linear single stranded DNA parvovirus, and requires co-infection by a second unrelated virus in order to achieve productive infection. AAV carries two sets of functional genes: rep genes, which are necessary for viral replication, and structural capsid protein genes (Hermonat, P. L., et al., "Genetics of adeno-associated virus: Isolation and preliminary characterization of adeno-associated type 2 mutants," J. Virol. (1984) 51:329-339; Tratschin, J. D., et al., "Genetic analysis of adeno-associated virus: Properties of deletion mutants constructed in vivo and evidence for an adeno-associated virus replication function," J. Virol. (1984) 51:611-619). The rep and capsid genes of AAV can be replaced by a desired DNA fragment to generate AAV plasmid DNA. Transcomplementation of rep and capsid genes are required to create a recombinant virus stock. Upon transduction using such virus stock, the recombinant virus uncoats in the nucleus and integrates into the host genome by its molecular ends (Kotin, R. M., et al., "Site-specific integration of adeno-associated virus," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (1990) 87:2211-2215; Samulski, R. J., et al., "Targeted integration of adeno-associated virus (AAV) into human chromosome 19," EMBO J. (1991) 10:3941-3950).
Although extensive progress has been made, transduction techniques suffer from variable efficiency, significant concern about possible recombination with endogenous virus, cellular toxicity and immunologic host response reactions. Thus, there is a need for non-viral DNA transfection procedures.
Liposomes have been used to encapsulate and deliver a variety of materials to cells, including nucleic acids and viral particles (regarding nucleic acids, see: Dimmock, N.J., "Initial stages in infection with animal viruses," J. Gen. Virol: (1982) 59:1-22; Duc-Nguyen, H., "Enhancing effect of diethylaminoethyl dextran on the focus forming titer of a murine sarcoma virus (Harvey strain)," J. Virol. (1968) 2:643-644); regarding viral particles, see: Felgner, P. L., et al., "A highly efficient, lipid-mediated DNA transfection procedure," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (1987) 84:7413-7417; Faller, D. V. and D. Baltimore, "Liposome encapsulation of retrovirus allows efficient superinfection of resistant cell lines," J. Virol. (1984) 49:269-272; Wilson, T., et al., "Biological properties of poliovirus encapsulated in lipid vesicles: Antibody resistance and infectivity in virus resistant cells," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (1977) 74:3471-3475).
Preformed liposomes that contain synthetic cationic lipids have been shown to form very stable complexes with polyanionic DNA (Felgner, P. L., et al., "A highly efficient, lipid-mediated DNA transfection procedure," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (1987) 84:7413-7417; Rose, J. K., et al., "A new cationic liposome reagent mediating nearly quantitative transfection of animal cells," Biotechniques (1991) 10:520-525). Cationic liposomes, liposomes comprising some cationic lipid, that contained a membrane fusion-promoting lipid distearoyl-phosphatidyl-ethanolamine (DSPE) have efficiently transferred heterologous genes into eukaryotic cells (Felgner, P. L., et al., "A highly efficient, lipid-mediated DNA transfection procedure," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (1987) 84:7413-7417; Rose, J. K., et al., "A new cationic liposome reagent mediating nearly quantitative transfection of animal cells," Biotechniques (1991) 10:520-525). Cationic liposomes can mediate high level cellular expression of transgenes, mRNA (Malone, R., et al., "Cationic liposome mediated RNA transfection," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (1989) 86:6077-6081), or transcription factors (Debs, R., et al., "Regulation of gene expression in vivo by liposome-based delivery of a purified transcription factor," J. Biol. Chem. (1990) 265:10189-10192), by delivering them into a wide variety of cultured cell lines noted in these citations.
Ecotropic and amphotropic packaged retroviral vectors have been shown to infect cultured cells in the presence of cationic liposomes, such as Lipofectin (BRL, Gaithersburg, Md.), and in the absence of specific receptors (Innes, C. L., et al., "Cationic liposomes (Lipofectin) mediate retroviral infection in the absence of specific receptors," J. Virol. (1990) 64:957-961).
Overall, cationic liposomes have been shown to spontaneously complex with plasmid DNA or RNA in solution; the liposome comprising nucleic acids then facilitates fusion with cells in culture, resulting in the efficient transfer of nucleic acids to a wide variety of eukaryotic cell types. Liposome vectors are not subject to the DNA size and packaging properties that limit recombinant AAV vectors and adenoviral vectors. Thus, viral infection has been enhanced by coating virus with cationic liposomes and efficiently delivering the virus into cells.
Even though non-viral techniques have overcome some of the problems of the viral systems, there remains a need for improved transfection efficiency in non-viral systems (Hug, P. and R. G. Sleight, "Liposomes for the transformation of eukaryotic cells," Biochem. Biophys. Acta (1991) 1097:1-22; Felgner, P. L., et al., "A highly efficient, lipid-mediated DNA transfection procedure," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (1987) 84:7413-7417). To a certain extent, improved efficiency is attained by the use of promoter enhancer elements in the plasmid DNA constructs (Philip, R., et al., "In vivo gene delivery: Efficient transfection of T lymphocytes in adult mice,;" J. Biol. Chem. (1993) 28:16087-16090).

Adeno-associated viral (AAV) liposomes and methods related thereto

Rhone-Poulenc Rorer Pharmaceuticals Inc.


A computing device may identify multiple search results that have relatively high correlation with the keyword. The device may determine multiple additional search results based on the corresponding relationships among the keyword, the multiple additional search results, and transaction parameters. The device may list the search results related to the degree of transaction success on the top and the search results related to the correlation on the bottom. The transactional parameters may be determined based on a click index and a purchase index that are associated with the keyword and each search result of the multiple additional search results. The click index and the purchase index may be generated in a predetermined time period.

Along with development of computer network technologies and mobile technologies, search services have been more and more extensively applied. In addition to network-wide searches conducted on professional search websites, most websites have capabilities to conduct searches on local websites. For websites having abundant data, such as shopping websites, it is particularly important for a website to grow its businesses by finding desired search results based on keywords input by users.
According to conventional search methods, a search server conducts searches in a website database that might have a large number of items or data objects. These searches are conducted based on keywords to obtain the data objects matching the keywords. To better present useful information to users, correlations of search results corresponding to keywords may be calculated respectively. The search results are then ranked based on correlations.
The conventional search methods obtain search results and display them in an order. Some useful information may be arranged at bottom positions if search results are sorted base only on literal correlations with keywords. For example, suppose that the query is "Brand A cell phone," and the search server finds two search results. The first search result is a webpage that briefly describes the "Brand A cell phone", and the second search result is a webpage with texts and images to describes the "Brand A cell phone" and a "Brand B cell phone". For literal correlations, the first search result has a higher correlation than the second search result does. On a specific website, such as a shopping website, the second search result has more useful information than the first search result. The second search result therefore can better meet search needs of users. Therefore, search results sorted based only on literal correlations with keywords may not match the user's needs.


When an injection sharing ratio r is neither 0 nor 1, an engine ECU executes a program including a step of calculating a purge reduction amount of an in-cylinder injector as fpg×r and calculating a purge reduction amount of an intake manifold injector as fpg×(1-r) when performing purge processing according to a current fuel injection sharing ratio of the injectors, and a step of calculating a correction fuel injection amount of the in-cylinder injector by raising the fuel injection amount to a minimum fuel injection amount, and calculating a correction fuel injection amount of the intake manifold injector by subtracting the raised amount from the fuel injection amount of the intake manifold injector when the fuel injection amount of the in-cylinder injector calculated by using the purge reduction amount is lower than the minimum injection amount.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control device of an internal combustion engine including a first fuel injection unit (an injector for in-cylinder injection) injecting fuel into a cylinder and a second fuel injection unit (an injector for intake manifold injection) for injecting the fuel into an intake manifold or an intake port, and particularly to a control device for executing purge processing of vaporized fuel gas.
2. Description of the Background Art
A certain kind of known internal combustion engine includes an intake manifold injector for injecting fuel into an intake manifold of an engine and an in-cylinder injector for always injecting the fuel into a combustion chamber of the engine, and is configured such that the intake manifold injector stops the fuel injection when an engine load is lower than a predetermined set load, and injects the fuel when the engine load is higher than the set load. In this internal combustion engine, a total injection amount, which is a sum of amounts of the fuel injected from both injectors, is predetermined as a function of the engine load, and increases with the engine load.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-020837 has disclosed an internal combustion engine of a dual injection type, which includes in-cylinder injectors for injecting fuel into cylinders and intake manifold injectors injecting the fuel into an intake manifold or intake ports. In this structure, these injectors are selectively used according to an operation state of the engine for achieving, e.g., stratified charge combustion in a low load operation region and homogenous combustion in a high load operation region, and for achieving the fuel injection with a predetermined sharing ratio according to the operation state. Thereby, fuel consumption characteristics and output characteristics are improved.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 05-231221 has disclosed an internal combustion engine of a fuel injection type for preventing fluctuations in engine output torque at the times of start and stop of fuel injection by an intake manifold injector of the above kind of internal combustion engine. This fuel injection internal combustion engine includes first fuel injection valves for injecting fuel into an engine intake manifold, and second fuel injection valves for injecting the fuel into engine combustion chambers, and is configured to stop the fuel injection from the first fuel injection valves when an operation state of the engine is in a predetermined operation region, and to inject the fuel from the first fuel injection valves when the operation state of the engine is outside the above predetermined operation region. This internal combustion engine includes a unit, which estimates an amount of fuel adhering to an inner wall surface of the intake manifold when the first fuel injection valve starts the fuel injection, and estimates an amount of adhered fuel flowing into the combustion chamber of the engine when the first fuel injection valve stops the fuel injection. When the first fuel injection valve starts the fuel injection, the amount of fuel to be injected from the second fuel injection valve is corrected and increased by the above amount of the adhesion fuel. When the first fuel injection valve stops the fuel injection, the amount to be injected from the second fuel injection valve is corrected and decreased by the above amount of inflow fuel.
According to the fuel injection internal combustion engine, when the first fuel injection valve starts the fuel injection, the amount of fuel to be injected from the second fuel injection valve is corrected and increased by the amount of the adhesion fuel. Thereby, the amount of fuel practically supplied to the combustion chamber of the engine is equal to a required fuel amount. When the first fuel injection valve stops the fuel injection, the amount to be injected from the second fuel injection valve is corrected and decreased by the inflow amount. Thereby, the amount of fuel practically supplied into the engine combustion chamber is equal to the required fuel amount. As a result, it is possible to prevent fluctuations in engine output torque at the time of start and stop of the fuel injection from the first fuel injection valve.
Generally, in a vehicle with an internal combustion engine, a collection device such as a canister temporarily absorbs fuel vapor produced in a fuel tank or the like, and the fuel vapor absorbed by the collection device such as canister or the like is purged and introduced into an intake system of the internal combustion engine according to an operation state of the internal combustion engine so that the fuel vapor is prevented from dispersing into an atmosphere.
As described above, when the purge processing is executed for purging the fuel vapor and introducing it into the intake system of the internal combustion engine, the purged fuel, of which amount depends on a concentration of the purged fuel vapor (i.e., a so-called purge gas concentration) and its flow rate, is introduced into the engine in addition to the fuel injected from the injector. This may cause fluctuations in air-fuel ratio to fluctuate and impair the combustion. For executing such purge processing, it is required to correct the fuel injection amount and the purged fuel amount for avoiding problems, i.e., lowering of the internal combustion engine performance and deterioration of emissions.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-081351 has disclosed a control device of an engine, which allows the purge of a large amount of fuel within a range not deteriorating drivability and independently of fluctuations in characteristics of each engine, and prevents releasing of vaporized fuel into an atmosphere, which may be caused when exceeding an absorption limit of a canister. This control device of the engine is configured to perform the purge by controlling a degree of opening of a purge control valve, which is arranged at a purge pipe connecting an intake manifold and a fuel tank, and includes a determining unit determining stability of a combustion state of the engine, and a control unit performing purge control to increase a purge amount when the determining unit determines that the stability of the combustion state is high, and to decrease the purge amount when the determining unit determines that the stability of the combustion is low.
This engine control device controls the purge amount based on the stability of the combustion state of the engine. Therefore, the purge of a large amount of fuel can be performed within a range not deteriorating the high drivability, independently of fluctuations in the engine, and it is possible to prevent reliably the release of the vaporized fuel due to exceeding of the absorption limit of the canister.
However, Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 2001-020837 and 05-231221 have not disclosed correction of the fuel injection amount during execution of the purge processing. Therefore, the internal combustion engines of the fuel injection type disclosed in these publications cannot overcome the problems (e.g., lowering of performance due to adhesion of deposits and emission deterioration due to fluctuations in air-fuel ratio) during execution of the purge processing, although these engines can prevent fluctuations in engine output torque at the start and stop of fuel injection from the first fuel injection valve.
Further, the engine disclosed in the above Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-081351 does not have a first fuel injection unit injecting fuel into a cylinder and a second fuel injection unit injecting the fuel into an intake manifold, and it is difficult to apply this structure to the internal combustion engine having two fuel injection units (injectors).

Control device of internal combustion engine


A fiber-hydratable cement composition comprising a uniform dispersion of from 0.0001 to 10 volume percent interground fiber in hydratable cement powder is prepared by introducing fiber precursors and cement clinker to a grinding mill and grinding the mixture until the clinker has been reduced to a fine powder. The fiber can be steel, alkaline resistant glass, ceramic, carbon or organic polymer, and preferably are steel, polyolefin or mixtures thereof.

The physical properties of concretes, mortars and grouts have been improved by including organic fibers in the mixtures. A wide variety of organic polymer fibers have been introduced into concrete mixtures in the form of monofilaments, fibrillated sheet materials and fibrils. The optimal polymers are chemically inert and devoid of groups which undergo hydrolysis in the initial wet mixtures and final 'set' compositions. Polyolefin and steel fibers, in particular, have proven to have superior tensile strain capacity and stability and to improve the concretes and mortars to which they have been added.
The fibers become micromechanically bonded to the cementitious products during the hydration and polymerization reactions, in part from shrinkage of the cementitious components during the setting reactions. They can provide impact, shatter and abrasion resistance, plastic shrinkage crack control, improved post-cracking characteristics, and prolonged fatigue life. However, in order to provide these and other improved characteristics, it is essential that the fibers be uniformly dispersed in the initial mixtures.
Prior to this invention, fibers used in cementitious compositions were sold as bulk, packaged fibrillated or monofilament fibers, or fibrils. The fibers were typically added to the mixer with the cement, sand, aggregate, other admixtures, and water. The longer fibers tend to clump and ball, particular at higher concentrations, and the shearing action of the mixer and composition components was relied upon to separate and disperse the fibers. Because of the opacity and texture of the cementitious mixtures, no visual monitoring of the mixing is possible. Examination of set cementitious compositions, however, reveals that optimal unbundling and efficient uniform dispersion of the fibers is not usually achieved.


A fixture structure for an in-vehicle electronic apparatus includes an in-vehicle electronic apparatus fixture bracket through which an in-vehicle electronic apparatus is attached to a vehicle body. The in-vehicle electronic apparatus fixture bracket includes a retreat structure part allowing the in-vehicle electronic apparatus to retreat toward the front of the vehicle body when a dynamic load is inputted into the in-vehicle electronic apparatus. The retreat structure part includes: a hinge part allowing a lower portion of the in-vehicle electronic apparatus fixture bracket to rotate together with the in-vehicle electronic apparatus, toward the front of the vehicle body about an upper portion of the in-vehicle electronic apparatus fixture bracket; and a rotational displacement accepting part allowing the lower portion of the in-vehicle electronic apparatus fixture bracket to be displaced due to its own rotation toward the front of the vehicle body.

Vehicles such as automobiles are each provided with an instrument panel in a front portion of the vehicle compartment. This instrument panel includes a center equipment placement section or the like provided in a center portion thereof in the vehicle width direction.
An in-vehicle electronic apparatus such as an audio unit and other types of apparatuses are set in this center equipment placement section.
The in-vehicle electronic apparatus of this kind is attached to the vehicle body by use of in-vehicle electronic apparatus fixture brackets.
Each in-vehicle electronic apparatus fixture bracket includes a retreat structure part for allowing the in-vehicle electronic apparatus to retreat almost toward the front of the vehicle body (for reference, see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 9-48292).
To put it in detail, the retreat structure part described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 9-48292 is so configured that: fixture holes are provided in each in-vehicle electronic apparatus fixture bracket to have an in-vehicle electronic apparatus inserted therein, and are each formed into an elongated hole having a neck part therein. When the in-vehicle electronic apparatus is inserted into the elongated holes with pressure (in other words, when a dynamic load is inputted), attachment screws go over the respective neck parts. Thus only the in-vehicle electronic apparatus is allowed to move forward and diagonally downward along the elongated holes in parallel with the in-vehicle electronic apparatus fixture brackets. Because this configuration allows the in-vehicle electronic apparatus to retreat, the dynamic load is alleviated or absorbed.
Indeed, the fixture structure for an in-vehicle electronic apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 9-48292 is designed for the center equipment placement section that has a relatively simple surface shape not swelling out toward the rear of the vehicle body; and is configured to allow a dynamic load to be directly inputted into the in-vehicle electronic apparatus. Thus, the fixture structure allows the in-vehicle electronic apparatus to retreat only by moving in parallel along the elongated holes. This design enables the fixture structure to cope even with a parallel movement of the in-vehicle electronic apparatus along the elongated holes. However, the fixture structure may not allow an in-vehicle electronic apparatus to retreat only by moving in parallel as described above, in a case where, for example, the center equipment placement section has a relatively complicated surface shape such as a surface shape swelling out toward the rear of the vehicle body to a large extent, and also is configured to allow a dynamic load to be indirectly inputted into the in-vehicle electronic apparatus through an article.
An object of the present invention is to provide a fixture structure for an in-vehicle electronic apparatus which allows an in-vehicle electronic apparatus to retreat in a desirable condition even when a center equipment placement section has a relatively complicated surface shape and is configured to allow an dynamic load to be indirectly inputted into the in-vehicle electronic apparatus due to the presence of an article in between.

Fixture structure for in-vehicle electronic apparatus