Entirely anhydrous topical preparations comprising (I) propylene carbonate, (II) one or more short carbon-chain alcohols and/or glycols including ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, hexylene glycol, methoxypolyethylene glycol, and (III) either or both of glycerol and one or more therapeutically or cosmetically active ingredients.

Consumer demand has recently spurred a proliferation of clear and colorless or "dye-free" products in the marketplace including, among others, liquid soaps, detergents and waxes, shampoos, hair sprays, cosmetics, deodorants, topical medications, beverages, parenteral alimentation solutions and orally ingestible pharmaceutical solutions. Consistent with this demand, the present invention proposes the use of propylene carbonate as a primary solvent in entirely anhydrous, clear and colorless composition bases or carriers systems for topical therapeutic and cosmetic preparations.
Many patent disclosures and other publications have described the use of propylene carbonate in pharmaceutical or cosmetic preparations. Additionally, some commercially available topically applied pharmaceuticals include propylene carbonate as a formulation constituent. For example, propylene carbonate has been used as a solvent in an ointment containing a topical steroid, fluocinolone acetonide (LIDEX.RTM.). U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,615 and Published European Patent Application 0 474 126 describe pharmaceutical ointment preparations. "Ointment" is generally defined in pharmaceutical science as a topical preparation containing medicament and petrolatum gel or fatty acids, as well as some cosolvents and penetration enhancers. Ointment has a greasy feel and is usually occlusive when applied to skin.
Other references, Published Japanese Patent Application Nos. 59-70612 and 59-190912, International Patent Publication Nos. WO 91/15210 and WO 94/13257, Published European Patent Specification 0 104 037 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,076, disclose topical gels, creams, lotions or solutions comprising water, propylene carbonate as a cosolvent and/or penetration enhancer, and other pharmaceutical excipients. Propylene carbonate is known to decompose in the presence of water into propylene glycol and carbon dioxide. However, carbon dioxide gas generation presents a physical stability problem inasmuch as a closed package tube containing the topical product may burst due to the pressure build-up from the accumulation of the carbon dioxide gas.
Propylene carbonate has also been disclosed for use in connection with film-forming formulations intended for therapeutic and cosmetic applications. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,591 discloses cosmetic compositions containing ethylcellulose as a film-forming agent and solvents including alcohol and propylene carbonate. The compositions form a curable, water-insoluble, occlusive film upon application to skin. And, European Patent No. 0 319 555 describes a pharmaceutical composition containing film-forming polymers, i.e., a vinylpyrrolidone-vinylacetate copolymer and polymethacrylic acid-butylester, and a mixture of solvents including propylene carbonate. This composition is also intended for transdermal therapeutic application, and will cure to form a flexible film when applied to skin. Regardless of the thinness, flexibility and other characteristics which are intended to enhance their appeal, many consumers nevertheless find such film-forming products to be uncomfortable and even unpleasant because of their occlusive nature.
Published European Patent Specification No. 0 271 332 discloses a composition saturated with a drug for forming a supersaturated composition when applied to a water-wetted area of human skin. This composition contains from 0.1 to 0.5% Klucel as anti-nucleating agent and a mixture of solvents including propylene carbonate, propylene glycol and ethanol. The composition thus requires supplemental water to perform its intended function. Further, it may also contain up to 50% water as a formulation constituent. Published European Patent Specification 0 272 045 describes a two-phase pharmaceutical composition for topical application. Prior to application, two parts must be mixed to form a composition containing a supersaturated drug. U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,724 discloses a dual phase solvent carrier system for topical drug application. The disclosed composition contains actives, a delivery solvent (e.g., benzyl alcohol, propylene carbonate, etc.) comprising about 5 to about 15 weight percent of the composition, and a fugitive solvent (e.g., various volatile alcohols) comprising about 75 to about 95 weight percent of the composition. U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,578 describes topical griseofulvin compositions comprising a solution, a gel, an anhydrous ointment, a paste or an emulsion of the drug in a solvent (e.g., benzyl alcohol, dimethyl phthalate, propylene carbonate and eugenol) and other pharmaceutical excipients. Published Japanese Patent Application No. 61-18716 discloses a tolnaftate gel produced by adding a powder of carboxyvinyl polymer gelation agent to and suspending it in a propylene carbonate solution of tolnaftate and any other medicinally active drugs. A lower alcohol such as ethanol or methanol is then added to dissolve the carboxyvinyl polymer. Then, a glycol (such as propylene, butylene, or hexylene glycol) and water are added. The glycol is believed to be added in order to assist in dissolution of the carboxyvinyl copolymer, thereby enhancing gelation of the composition. Lastly, an organic amine is added to neutralize the carboxyvinyl copolymer and gelation is effected.
A specific yet typical use contemplated by the composition base or "vehicle" formulations manufactured in accordance with the prior art as well as the present invention is as a carrier system for delivery of topical therapeutic products. For example, there are currently many topical antifungal products in the over-the-counter market which enable patients to self-treat athlete's foot, ringworm and jock itch. Although effective when properly used, most of these products require an application frequency of twice a day or more and 2 to 4 week treatment duration. Many persons find such continual attention to their treatment to be unduly burdensome. Consequently, many patients prematurely stop the treatment soon after the apparent symptom of itchiness has been alleviated. In this connection, it is believed that high relapse rates observed in patients suffering from these skin disease treatments are related to the noncompliance of patients to such cumbersome treatment regimens. A need exists, therefore, to develop more efficacious antifungal products which can reduce dosing frequency and/or treatment duration to assure a better therapeutic end result through increased treatment compliance.
A seemingly simple solution to patient compliance problems would be to increase the strength or dosage of the antifungal active ingredients in the formulation and thereby reduce application frequency. However, the use of more potent antifungal drugs is frequently not a viable approach. This is particularly true for patient self-directed treatments because of the potentiality for drug toxicity and other side effects such as skin irritation and sensitization. In self-applied topical therapeutic products, therefore, it would be much more desirable to employ antifungal drugs at conventional "over-the-counter" strengths in an improved carrier formulation to make drug delivery more efficacious. For example, the formulation should enhance the rate of drug penetration into the skin and mucosa tissues and prolong the drug retention in the fungus-residing superficial skin tissues, i.e., the stratum corneum and the epidermis in general. In addition, patient compliance with the treatment would be further promoted if such a product also would possess appealing cosmetic attributes and skin feel.

Composition base for topical therapeutic and cosmetic preparations

Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products, Inc.


This disclosure relates to compositions including certain compounds identified by a quantitative, high throughput assay to be effective in inhibiting the ability of a bacterium to kill a host organism, as well as methods for using these compounds for treating bacterial infections.

The growing problem of antibiotic resistant bacteria (see, e.g., Chambers H. F., Emerg. Infect. Dis. 7:178-182 (2001); Hecht D. W., Clin. Infect. Ilis. 39:92-97 (2004); Jacobs M. R., Am. J. Med. 117 Suppl. 3A:3S-15S (2004); Molbak K., Clin. Infect. Dis. 41:1613-1620 (2005); Shah et al., Res. Microbiol. 155:409-421 (2004); Wisplinghoff et al., Clin. Infect. Dis. 39:309-3 17 (2004); and Zinner S. H., Expert Rev. Anti. Infect. Ther. 3:907-913 (2005)) points to a need for new anti-infective therapies. However, the rate of new antimicrobial discovery is unlikely to meet the expected need for the foreseeable future (see Boggs et al., Clin. Microbiol. Infect. 10 Suppl. 4:32-36 (2004); Bush K., Clin. Microbiol. Infect. 10 Suppl. 4:10-17 (2004); Dougherty et al., Curr. Pharm. Des. 8:1119-1135 (2002); Schmid M. B., Nat. Rev. Microbiol. 2:739-746 (2004); Silver L. L., IDrugs 8:651-655 (2005); and Walsh C., Nat. Rev. Microbiol. 1:65-70 (2003)). Specific problems include the over-mining or exhaustion of cultivable microorganisms (see Osburne et al., ASM News 66:411-417 (2000)), a high background of toxic compounds or compounds with poor pharmacokinetic properties in synthetic compound libraries (see Projan et al., Clin. Microbiol. Infect. 10 Suppl. 4:18-22 (2004); and Lipinski et al., Nature 432:855-861 (2004)), and the inability of most synthetic leads to penetrate across the multi-drug resistance (MDR) barrier of Gram-negative bacteria (see Li et al., Drugs 64:159-204 (2004)). The increased use of in vitro assays for small molecule discovery that bear little resemblance to the biological systems in which the drugs need to function may also be responsible for the decline in the rate of drug discovery (see Lipinski et al., Nature 432:855-861 (2004); Horrobin D. F., Nat. Rev. Drug Discov. 2:151-154 (2003); Williams M., Curr. Opin. Investig. Drugs 5:29-33 (2004)). Thus, there is a need for developing new antimicrobial compounds.


The umbilical cord blood (UCB) compositions of the present invention possess the unique features of having plasma that is substantially depleted from the UCB unit and red blood cells (RBC) that are not depleted from the UCB unit. Such UCB units can be prepared by a process that combines plasma depletion with cryopreservation, selection, thawing, and/or transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells to provide superior clinical outcome by maximizing post-processing cell recovery and post-thaw infusion cell dose. Methods for treating a wide variety of malignant diseases and benign diseases associated with the hematopoietic system by administering the UCB compositions of the present invention are also provided.

There is considerable interest in the identification, isolation and generation of human stem cells. Human stem cells are totipotential or pluripotential precursor cells capable of self renewal and generating a variety of mature human cell lineages. This ability serves as the basis for the cellular differentiation and specialization necessary for organ and tissue development. Recent success at transplanting stem cells have provided new clinical tools to reconstitute and/or supplement bone marrow after myeloablation due to disease, exposure to toxic chemicals, and/or radiation. Further evidence exists that demonstrates that stem cells can be employed to repopulate many, if not all, tissues and restore physiologic and anatomic functionality.
Many different types of mammalian stem cells have been characterized. For example, embryonic stem cells, embryonic germ cells, adult stem cells, and other committed stem cells or progenitor cells are known. In fact, certain stem cells have not only been isolated and characterized, but have also been cultured under conditions to allow a limited degree of differentiation. Because of the tens of millions of possible combinations of HLA types in the population, a basic problem remains, in that it is very difficult to obtain sufficient quantities, populations, and varieties of HLA types of human stem cells which are capable of differentiating into all cell types that can be HLA matched to individual patients. Stem cells of different HLA types are in critically short supply. Due to their importance in the treatment of a wide variety of disorders, including malignancies, inborn errors of metabolism, hemoglobinopathies, and immunodeficiencies, it would be highly advantageous to have an adequate source of stem cells of various HLA types.
Obtaining sufficient numbers of human stem cells has been problematic for several reasons. First, isolation of normally occurring populations of stem cells in adult tissues has been technically difficult and costly due, in part, to very limited quantities found in blood or tissue. Second, procurement of these cells from embryos or fetal tissue, including aborted fetuses, has raised ethical concerns. Alternative sources that do not require the use of cells procured from embryonic or fetal tissue are therefore essential for further progress in the clinical use of stem cells. There are, however, few viable alternative sources of stem cells, particularly human stem cells, and thus the supply is limited. Furthermore, harvesting of stem cells from alternative sources in adequate amounts for therapeutic and research purposes is generally laborious, involving, e.g., harvesting of cells or tissues from a donor subject or patient, culturing and/or propagation of cells in vitro, dissection, etc.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,359 discloses human mesenchymal stem cell (HMSC) compositions derived from the bone marrow that serve as the progenitors for mesenchymal cell lineages. Homogeneous HMSC compositions are obtained by positive selection of adherent marrow or periosteal cells that are free of markers associated with either hematopoietic cells or differentiated mesenchymal cells. The isolated mesenchymal cell populations display characteristics associated with mesenchymal stem cells, have the ability to regenerate in culture without differentiating, and have the ability to differentiate into specific mesenchymal lineages when either induced in vitro or placed in vivo at the site of damaged tissue. The drawback of such methods, however, is that they first require the invasive and painful harvesting of marrow or periosteal cells from a human donor in order to subsequently isolate HMSCs.
PCT Publication No. WO 00/73421 discloses human amniotic epithelial cells derived from placenta at delivery that are isolated, cultured, cryopreserved for future use, or induced to differentiate. Amniotic epithelial cells are isolated from the amniotic membrane according to standard cell isolation techniques. These cells are multipotential and can differentiate into epithelial tissues such as corneal surface epithelium or vaginal epithelium. The drawback of such methods, however, is that they are labor-intensive and the yield of stem cells is very low. In fact, to obtain a sufficient number of stem cells for typical therapeutic or research purposes, amniotic epithelial cells must first be isolated from the amnion and then cultured and expanded in vitro.
Umbilical cord blood is a known alternative source of hematopoietic progenitor stem cells. Stem cells from cord blood are routinely cryopreserved for hematopoietic reconstitution, a therapeutic procedure used in bone marrow and other related transplantations (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,004,681 and 5,192,553). Conventional techniques for the collection of cord blood are based on the use of a needle or cannula, which is used with the aid of gravity to drain cord blood from the placenta (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,004,681, 5,192,553, 5,372,581, and 5,415,665). The needle or cannula is usually placed in the umbilical vein and the placenta is gently massaged to aid in draining cord blood from the placenta. A major limitation of stem cell procurement from cord blood, however, has been the frequently inadequate volume of cord blood obtained, resulting in insufficient cell numbers to effectively reconstitute bone marrow after transplantation.
Stem cells have the potential to be used in the treatment of a wide variety of diseases and disorders, including malignancies, genetic diseases, hemoglobinopathies, and immunodeficiencies. However, stem cells from umbilical cord blood are in critically short supply due to restrictions on their collection, the inadequate numbers of cells typically collected from cord blood, especially if used to treat an adult patient, and the extraordinary cost of establishing a large inventory. As such, there is a strong need in the art for cord blood compositions that contain an adequate number of hematopoietic stem cells sufficient to effectively reconstitute bone marrow after transplantation. There is also a need in the art for methods of preparing such cord blood compositions and using them for therapeutic purposes. The present invention satisfies these and other needs.

Plasma-depleted, not erythrocyte-depleted, cord blood compositions and method of making


A device for transmitting data between two structural units connected to one another by an articulated joint has a long service life which permits a high transmission rate in conjunction with particularly small dimensions. The first structural unit includes a first optoelectronic component and the second structural unit includes a second optoelectronic component, the first optoelectronic component being connected to the second optoelectronic component via at least one optical fiber. One end of the optical fiber is brought into contact with the first optoelectronic component via a molded interconnect device (MID) plug connection and the other end is brought into contact with the second optoelectronic component via another MID plug connection.

In electronic appliances such as mobile telephones or handheld computers (PDAs), it is necessary to ensure data transmission between a circuit board of the screen, which is mechanically connected to a base part via an articulated joint, and a circuit board assigned to the keypad/keyboard. This data transmission is typically effected electronically via ribbon cables and/or coaxial cables, but this entails the disadvantages of comparatively large dimensions, EMC problems and a considerable susceptibility to wear.
A known device makes use of the possibility of optical data transmission between two structural units connected to one another by an articulated joint. For this purpose, an optical articulated joint is provided, which comprises two structural units which are produced from a material suitable as optical waveguide and can be rotated relative to one another about an axis of rotation. The two structural units have mirror-coated surfaces in order to ensure the guidance of the light signal. Between the two structural units there is an air gap which the light signal has to cross.
One disadvantage of the known device is the complicated free radiating optical arrangement, which requires special materials for the two structural units, and also a precise and primarily also permanent alignment. Such a permanent exact alignment cannot be reliably ensured, however, in the case of a highly stressed object of practical use such as a mobile telephone, so that the device is not expected to exhibit an appreciably improved service life in comparison with devices having ribbon cables. Moreover, the known device has focusing problems or reflecting problems occurring at the entrance and exit of the light signal at the air gap. These problems can only be solved with considerable outlay and are therefore associated with disproportionate costs.

Device and method for data transmission between structural units connected by an articulated joint


A substantially planar micro-fluid ejection device, where the micro-fluid ejection head is covalently bound to a substantially planar support material, and a method of making the same.

Micro-fluid ejection devices such as ink jet printers continue to experience wide acceptance as economical replacements for laser printers. Micro-fluid ejection devices also are finding wide application in other fields such as in the medical, chemical, and mechanical fields. As the capabilities of micro-fluid ejection devices are increased to provide higher ejection rates, the ejection heads, which are the primary components of micro-fluid ejection devices, continue to evolve and become larger, more complex, and more costly to manufacture.
One significant obstacle to be overcome in micro-fluid ejection head manufacturing process is maintaining the planarity of the ejection device substrate, also referred to as the ejection chip, and the nozzle plate during and after the manufacturing process, particularly when manufacturing ejection heads having an ejection swath dimension of greater than about 2.5 centimeters. The planarity of the ejection chip and the nozzle plate determine the direction in which a fluid such as ink is dispensed. If the nozzle plate is warped or bowed, due to warping or bowing of the underlying ejection device substrate, the desired direction of fluid-jetting is compromised. The planarity of these components may be affected by mismatched coefficients of thermal expansion between the various members of the ejection head, including the nozzle plate, the device substrate, the base support, and any adhesive material used in securing the aforementioned components to one another.
Current manufacturing processes utilize an adhesive die-bonding material to secure the components of the ejection head to one another. However, such adhesives require thermal curing which causes expansion and contraction of the components and may lead to warping or bowing of the ejection device substrate and the nozzle plate. Alterations in the thickness of the adhesive layer or the thickness of the underlying support material have led to only marginal improvements in the planarity of the finished devices. However, current manufacturing processes are limited by the size of the ejection chip. As the demand for larger ejection chips having larger ejection swaths grows, new device construction methods may be required to meet high tolerance manufacturing criteria for such ejection heads.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved structures and methods for making substantially planar micro-fluid ejection heads, suitable for ejection chips having an ejection swath dimension of greater than about 2.5 centimeters.

Method of bonding a micro-fluid ejection head to a support substrate


A method for preparing a catalyst for conversion of methane to higher hydrocarbons, discloses the steps of: forming a mixture of a manganese aqueous solution and an oxidative agent aqueous solution in an inorganic oxide support material; varying a pH value of the mixture between acidic and basic values to obtain a precipitate of manganese oxide; drying the manganese oxide precipitate; impregnating the dried manganese oxide precipitate with a promoter to obtain an impregnated solid; drying the impregnated solid; and calcining the impregnated solid until a surface atomic ratio of promoter to manganese is at least 5. The catalyst so acquired may be contacted with a methane gas to obtain stable conversion values over extended reaction times.

The present invention relates to a process for converting methane gases to high hydrocarbons, a catalyst for use in such processes and a method for preparing such a catalyst.
Methods for conversion of methane to high hydrocarbons are typically carried out using metal-based catalysts. Among the known conversion processes, catalysts based on manganese, magnesium and lead using alkali metal promoters have given good results in synthesis of methane to obtain ethane/ethylene type products. Among these catalysts used in such processes, catalysts based upon oxides of manganese have been extensively studied and described.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,322 to Jones et al. discloses a process of methane conversion using an oxidative synthesizing agent containing a promoting amount of alkali metal and/or compounds thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,608 discloses the use of a support material for a catalyst which comprises alkaline earth metal oxides and silicon oxides, alumina and mixtures thereof.
Published European Patent Application No. 0316075-A1 discloses a process for conversion of methane to higher hydrocarbons using a catalyst comprising manganese oxides which incorporate at least one of the elements tin, titanium, tungsten, tantalum, silicon, germanium, lead, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, boron, gallium, indium, a lanthanide or an actinide. The method for preparation of this catalyst is disclosed as comprising the steps of calcining the manganese dioxide at 1000.degree. C. for 16 hours to obtain Mn.sub.3 O.sub.4, which is impregnated with a solution of sodium chloride and finally diluted with fines of silica.
Published European Patent Application No. 0365181-A1 discloses a process for preparation of a cogel catalyst for use in conversion of methane to higher hydrocarbons. The disclosed process involves the mixing of an aqueous solution of a soluble salt of an alkali or alkaline earth metal with a solution of a soluble compound of a metal thermally decomposable to a metal oxide. A solution in a hydroxylic solvent of a hydrolyzable silane is then added to this mixture, and this mixture is then maintained under such conditions that the mixture forms a cogel, while avoiding the formation of precipitates or particles. This cogel is then dried and calcined to obtain the desired catalyst.
While the above-described catalysts obtain satisfactory initial conversion rates of methane to higher hydrocarbons, this initial activity decreases rapidly during reaction time.
Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to disclose a catalyst which possesses high conversion rates which do not rapidly decrease during reaction time, and a method for preparation of such a catalyst.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a process for the conversion of methane to higher hydrocarbons which utilizes a catalyst prepared according to the present invention, to yield enhanced results in the conversion process.
Other aspects, objectives and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the accompanying detailed description of the invention and figures which are referred to therein.

Catalyst for the direct conversion of methane to higher hydrocarbons and method for the preparation of same


The Invention relates to a cover (1) for an energy conveying chain. The cover (1) has a first end region (2) and a second end region (3) with at least one elastic section (4) positioned between the first (1) and second (2) end regions. The elastic section (4) is made in such a way that the ratio of a theoretical length modification of the cover (1) to an actual length modification of the cover is less than 1.

The object of the invention refers to a covering for an energy guide chain, a chain link of an energy guide chain, as well as to an energy guide chain.
Wiring guide units for active guiding of lines, cables or similar with a first end, which are arranged fixed locally, and with a second end, which is movable, are known in numerous embodiments.
The classical wiring guide unit, which is also called energy guide chain, or briefly, energy chain, consists of a number of individual chain links connected to one another by linking. The chain links have separated side mounting links, which are connected to one another through traverse links. The mounting links and the transverse links of the individual chain links, define a common guide channel of the energy guide chain in which lines, cables or similar can be arranged.

Cover for an energy conveying chain, in addition to chain link and energy conveying chain


A simulation system for verifying logic behavior of a semiconductor integrated circuit includes a reprogrammable semiconductor device having an interface circuit and a logic circuit; and an analyzing unit dividing a logic behavior of the semiconductor integrated circuit into a software-based first logic behavior and a hardware-based second logic behavior and generating circuit data of the interface circuit included in the first logic behavior that exhibits an input/output behavior and circuit data of the logic circuit that exhibits the second logic behavior.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for verifying logic behavior of a semiconductor integrated circuit. More specifically, it relates to a simulation system, a simulation method and a simulation program for verifying logic behavior of a semiconductor integrated circuit by dividing the logic behavior into hardware-based logic behavior and software-based logic behavior.
2. Description of the Related Art
The duration of logic behavior verification for designing a large scale integrated circuit (LSI) with increased scale and complexity has been increasing. In addition, to improve reliability of such logic behavior verification, it is necessary to increase verification speed, verify in an upper level design, and verify by using an actual devices or functional blocks.
There is an LSI logic behavior simulation method using highly abstract behavior models, which allow high-speed analysis and logic behavior verification in early stages of design. More specifically, firstly, LSI logic behavior is divided into hardware-based logic behavior and software-based logic behavior. The hardware-based logic behavior is simulated using actual hardware. The software-based logic behavior is simulated using software simulator. Secondly, the hardware-based logic behavior is written using highly abstract behavior models. Afterwards, the logic behavior is verified using the highly abstract behavior models.
Alternatively, LSI logic behavior simulation using a reprogrammable semiconductor device, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), has been increasingly used as a logic behavior verification method. More specifically, a logic circuit exhibiting the hardware-based logic behavior of LSI logic behavior is configured in the FPGA. Behavior models for software-based logic behavior are written in C/C++ language or the like. A behavior analyzing unit that simulates logic behavior of behavior models is electrically connected to a circuit board on which a logic circuit configured FPGA is mounted, thereby carrying out LSI logic behavior simulation. In the following, logic behavior simulation using behavior models written in C/C++ language and a logic circuit configured in the FPGA is referred to as 'collaborative simulation'. Logic behavior simulation using FPGA can detect, in an early stage, malfunctions that will occur when using actual components. There are two collaborative simulation methods:
(1) Software-based logic behavior is written as behavior models operating in sync with an operating clock. The collaborative simulation is then carried out while synchronizing the operating clock for the behavior models with the operating clock of the logic circuit configured in the FPGA and transferring data between the logic circuit and the behavior models.
(2) Software-based logic behavior is written as behavior models not operating in sync with the operating clock. An interface circuit for data transfer between the logic circuit and the behavior models is configured in the FPGA. The collaborative simulation is carried out using the behavior models, the logic circuit, and the interface circuit for data transfer.
Since the method (1) does not need to generate the interface circuit, no time is spent for initiating the collaborative simulation. However, collaborative simulation speed is slow due to limits of the operating clock speed for the behavior models. On the other hand, collaborative simulation speed is faster according to the method (2). However, substantial labor is required to generate the interface circuit.

Simulation system, simulation method and simulation program for verifying logic behavior of a semiconductor integrated circuit


A wireless adapter for use with a two-wire process control loop is configured to couple to a process field device in an industrial process control system. The wireless adapter is coupled to the two-wire process control loop and provides wireless communication to the process field device. The adapter includes first and second loop terminals configured to couple in series with the two-wire process control loop. Wireless communication circuitry is coupled to the first and second loop terminals and is adapted to provide wireless communication to the process field device. Loop current bypass circuitry is electrically connected between the first and second loop terminals and is configured to provide a loop current path therebetween in response to an open circuit in wireless communication circuitry.

The present invention relates to industrial process control or monitoring systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to field devices in such systems which are capable of Radio Frequency (RF) communication.
In industrial settings, control systems are used to monitor and control inventories of industrial and chemical processes, and the like. Typically, the control system performs these functions using field devices distributed at key locations in the industrial process and coupled to the control circuitry in the control room by a process control loop. The term "field device" refers to any device that performs a function in a distributed control or process monitoring system, including all devices currently known, or yet to be known, used in the measurement, control and monitoring of industrial processes.
Some field devices include a transducer. A transducer is understood to mean either a device that generates an output signal based on a physical input or that generates a physical output based on an input signal. Typically, a transducer transforms an input into an output having a different form. Types of transducers include various analytical equipment, pressure sensors, thermistors, thermocouples, strain gauges, flow transmitters, positioners, actuators, solenoids, indicator lights, and others.
Typically, each field device also includes communication circuitry that is used for communicating with a process control room, or other circuitry, over a process control loop. In some installations, the process control loop is also used to deliver a regulated current and/or voltage to the field device for powering the field device. The process control loop also carries data, either in an analog or digital format.
Traditionally, analog field devices have been connected to the control room by two-wire process control current loops, with each device connected to the control room by a single two-wire control loop. Typically, a voltage differential is maintained between the two-wires within a range of voltages from 12-45 volts for analog mode and 9-50 volts for digital mode. Some analog field devices transmit a signal to the control room by modulating the current running through the current loop to a current proportional to the sensed process variable. Other analog field devices can perform an action under the control of the control room by controlling the magnitude of the current through the loop. In addition to, or in the alternative, the process control loop can carry digital signals used for communication with field devices.
In some installations, wireless technologies have begun to be used to communicate with field devices. For example, completely wireless installations are used in which the field device uses a battery, solar cell, or other technique to obtain power without any sort of wired connection. However, the majority of field devices are hardwired to a process control room and do not use wireless communication techniques.
Industrial process plants often contain hundreds or even thousands of field devices. Many of these field devices contain sophisticated electronics and are able to provide more data than the traditional analog 4-20 mA measurements. For a number of reasons, cost among them, many plants do not take advantage of the extra data that may be provided by such field devices. This has created a need for a wireless adapter for such field devices that can attach to the field devices and transmit data back to a control system or other monitoring or diagnostic system or application via a wireless network.
In some configurations, an RF adapter can be connected in series with the process control loop. In such a configuration, a loop current of the process control loop flows through circuitry of the wireless adapter. Should the circuitry of the wireless adapter fail, an open circuit may cause the loop current to not have a current path and any field devices coupled to the two-wire process control loop will no longer be able to communicate using the process control loop.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

RF adapter for field device with loop current bypass


A scan driving apparatus having decreased size and power consumption, a flat panel display having the same, and a driving method thereof. The scan driving apparatus comprises a shift register generating output signals shifted in sequence in response to a clock signal, and a scan signal generator generating at least four scan signals in a cycle of the clock signal based on the output signals from the shift register and at least two control signals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flat panel display, and more particularly, to a flat panel display scan driving apparatus with decreased size and power consumption.
2. Discussion of the Background
Various flat panel displays have been recently developed as alternatives to heavier and bulkier cathode ray tubes (CRT). Such displays include liquid crystal displays (LCD), field emission displays (FED), plasma display panels (PDP), and electroluminescent displays.
A conventional flat panel display may comprise a display region having a plurality of pixels formed at scan line and data line crossings, a scan driver to drive the scan lines, a data driver to drive the data lines, and a controller, which controls the scan driver and the data driver and transmits a data signal to the data driver.
Transmitting a scan signal to the scan line selects a pixel, and the pixel displays an image corresponding to the data signal transmitted to the data line. The pixel may be a liquid crystal cell of an LCD, a discharge cell of the FED or the PDP, or a light-emitting cell of the electroluminescent display.
The controller transmits a selection control signal to the scan driver to control its timing, transmits a data control signal to the data driver to control the data driver's timing, and transmits the external data signal to the data driver.
The scan driver may output the scan signals for sequentially driving the scan lines in response to the selection control signals, which may include a start pulse, a clock signal, and a control signal transmitted from the controller. Such a scan driver may comprise a plurality of registers to output the scan signals.
The data driver transmits the data signal from the controller to the pixel through the data lines in response to the controller's data control signals. The data driver may output the data signal to the data line corresponding to one horizontal line 1H every one horizontal period.
As FIG. 1 shows, in the conventional flat panel display, the data signal may be transmitted to the data line corresponding to one horizontal line 1H based on the data driver's clock signal every one cycle T of the clock signal CLK transmitted to the scan driver.
Thus, the conventional flat panel display may consume a lot of power because of a scan driver register's operating frequency. Also, N registers may be needed to transmit the scan signal to N scan lines. In other words, the number of registers increases proportionally to the number of scan lines, thereby increasing the scan driver's size.

Scan driving apparatus, flat panel display having the same, and driving method thereof


A method for using a head-mounted display (HMD) associated with a computer system onboard an automobile is provided. The method connects to the HMD over a vehicle-based network; configures a plurality of graphical elements for presentation via the HMD, wherein each of the plurality of graphical elements illustrates detail associated with functionality of the automobile; and presents a display on the HMD comprising the configured plurality of graphical elements.

An enhanced visual display includes any transparent display used to present data to a user without requiring the user to alter the direction of his gaze. More specifically, an enhanced visual display for a vehicle (also referred to as a head-up display (HUD)) is used to provide vehicle operation data and vehicle-specific data, in the form of transparent icons or symbols, to a vehicle-operator. Information provided by the HUD may include travel conditions, weather conditions, navigation data, current speed, and/or vehicle-specific information. Such displays may be integrated into a vehicle itself, or may utilize a head-mounted display (HMD) in communication with a vehicle onboard computer system.
The purpose of the HUD is to provide the information without distracting a vehicle-operator by requiring that he look away from the direction of travel of the vehicle to view it. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide automobile and/or driving data for the assessment of a driver, without requiring the driver to remove his gaze from the road. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Methods and apparatus for configuring and using an enhanced driver visual display


A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells provided in the form of a matrix along a plurality of word lines and a plurality of pairs of bit lines, a plurality of sense amplifiers operatively connected to the plurality of pairs of bit lines, and a sense amplifier control unit operatively connected to the plurality of sense amplifiers. When one of the plurality of memory cells is selected and data writing is carried out to the selected memory cell, the sense amplifier control unit selectively inactivates only a sense amplifier corresponding to the selected memory cell among the plurality of sense amplifiers. Thus, it is possible to remove useless dissipation of write current in the data write operation to thereby decrease the dissipated power, while realizing a high speed write operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device. More particularly it relates to a technique of controlling a sense amplifier in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) in a data write operation thereof and thereby improving performance thereof in the write operation
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical DRAM device includes a write amplifier circuit which amplifies complementary write data input from the outside of the device and transmits the amplified data via complementary data lines to a selected pair of complementary bit lines, together with a sense amplifier provided for each pair of a plurality of pairs of bit lines. In a general design of the device, the current drive ability of each transistor used in the write amplifier circuit is selected to be much higher than that of each transistor used in the individual sense amplifier. This is because, where the current drive ability of each transistor used in the individual sense amplifier is designed to be relatively high, an area occupied by the respective sense amplifiers n a chip is increased.
In this connection, a prior art DRAM device carries out its write operation utilizing the difference between the above current drive abilities. In this case, there is no problem where the device writes data of a logical level same as data latched in the sense amplifier.
A problem occurs, however, where the device writes data of a logical level opposite to data latched in the sense amplifier. In this case, the device must invert the latched state of the sense amplifier with the sense amplifier being activated. Accordingly, past of the write current fed from the write amplifier circuit leaks through the activated sense amplifier until the latched state is perfectly inverted. Thus, a problem occurs in that power is uselessly dissipated and it takes considerable time to invert the latched state of the sense amplifier. This leads to a prolongation access time in the write operation and thus is not desirable.
Note, the problems in the prior art will be explained later in detail in contrast with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Semiconductor memory device having function of controlling sense amplifiers


A medium tray (101) comprises a medium support (1) connected to a medium feeding section (100) of an image recording apparatus (200) and receiving record medium (P), and a medium guide (5) extending from the medium support (1) and supporting the record medium (P) such that an angle of a rear portion of the record medium (P) is changed. A lengthy record medium (P) having a length greater than the medium support (1) is supported by the medium guide (5) with the rear portion thereof directed at a different angle so that the length record medium (P) is loaded in the medium tray (101) without enlarging an area projecting from the image recording apparatus (200).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medium supporting structure of a medium tray for an image recording apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image recording apparatus is provided with a medium tray projecting from a face of the apparatus and a member for loading and supporting record media on the medium tray so as to feed the media to a medium feed section provided at a side of the image recording apparatus. The media loaded in the medium tray are fed to the image recording apparatus one by one.
However, in the image recording apparatus for handling a medium longer than a standard medium, most of the entire length of the long medium is required to be supported. Consequently, the length of the medium tray projecting from the side face of the apparatus becomes so great that the apparatus requires a large space for installation.

Medium tray and image recording apparatus using the same


A method and apparatus for performing an assembly operation. A tool may be macro-positioned within an interior of a fuselage assembly. The tool may be micro-positioned relative to a particular location on a panel of the fuselage assembly. An assembly operation may be performed at the particular location on the panel using the tool.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to aircraft and, in particular, to building the fuselage of an aircraft. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method, apparatus, and system for performing operations within the interior of a fuselage assembly using internal mobile platforms.
2. Background
Building a fuselage may include assembling skin panels and a support structure for the fuselage. The skin panels and support structure may be joined together to form a fuselage assembly. For example, without limitation, the skin panels may have support members, such as stiffeners and stringers, attached to the surface of the skin panels that will face the interior of the fuselage assembly. These support members may be used to form the support structure for the fuselage. The skin panels may be positioned relative to each other and the support members may be tied together to form this support structure. Riveting operations may then be performed to join the skin panels and support members together to form the fuselage assembly. The fuselage assembly may be assembled in a manner that meets outer mold line (OML) requirements and inner mold line (IML) requirements for the fuselage assembly.
With some currently available methods for building a fuselage, the riveting operations performed to assemble the skin panels and the support members together to form the fuselage assembly may be performed manually. For example, without limitation, a first human operator positioned at an exterior of the fuselage assembly and a second human operator positioned at an interior of the fuselage assembly may use handheld tools to perform these riveting operations. In some cases, this type of manual riveting process may be more labor-intensive, time-consuming, ergonomically challenging, or expensive than desired. Further, some current assembly methods used to build fuselages that involve manual riveting processes may not allow fuselages to be built in the desired assembly facilities or factories at desired assembly rates or desired assembly costs.
In some cases, the current assembly methods and systems used to build fuselages may require that these fuselages be built in facilities or factories specifically designated and permanently configured for building fuselages. In some cases, these current assembly methods and systems may be unable to accommodate different types and shapes of fuselages. For example, without limitation, large and heavy equipment needed for building fuselages may be permanently affixed to a factory and configured for use solely with fuselages of a specific type.
Further, with some current assembly methods, performing operations, such as riveting operations, from within a fuselage may be more difficult, time-consuming, and ergonomically challenging for human operators than desired. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that take into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues.

Mobile platforms for performing operations inside a fuselage assembly


A method is provided for tracking an object, including positioning a radio frequency (RF) driver to radiate an RF driving field toward the object, and fixing to the object a wireless transponder that includes a power coil and at least one sensor coil. The method also includes receiving the RF driving field using the power coil and storing electrical energy derived therefrom. A plurality of field generators are driven to generate electromagnetic fields at respective frequencies in a vicinity of the object that induce a voltage drop across the at least one sensor coil. A digital output signal is generated at the wireless transponder indicative of the voltage drop across the sensor coil, and the generation of the digital output signal is powered using the stored electrical energy. The digital output signal is transmitted from the wireless transponder using the power coil, and the transmission of the digital output signal is powered using the stored electrical energy. The digital output signal is received and processed to determine coordinates of the object.

Many surgical, diagnostic, therapeutic and prophylactic medical procedures require the placement of objects such as sensors, treatment units, tubes, catheters, implants and other devices within the body. These procedures cover a large spectrum including, for example:                insertion of electrodes for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes,        placement of tubes to facilitate the infusion of drugs, nutritional and other fluids into a patient's circulatory system or digestive system,        insertion of probes or surgical devices to facilitate cardiac or other types of surgery, and        biopsies or other diagnostic procedures.
In many instances, insertion of a device is for a limited time, such as during surgery or catheterization. In other cases, devices such as feeding tubes or orthopedic implants are inserted for long-term use. The need exists for providing real-time information for accurately determining the location and orientation of objects within the patient's body, typically without using X-ray imaging.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,391,199 and 5,443,489 to Ben-Haim, whose disclosures are incorporated herein by reference, describe systems wherein the coordinates of an intrabody probe are determined using one or more field sensors, such as a Hall effect device, coils, or other antennae carried on the probe. Such systems are used for generating three-dimensional location information regarding a medical probe or catheter. Preferably, a sensor coil is placed in the catheter and generates signals in response to externally-applied magnetic fields. The magnetic fields are generated by three radiator coils, fixed to an external reference frame in known, mutually spaced locations. The amplitudes of the signals generated in response to each of the radiator coil fields are detected and used to compute the location of the sensor coil. Each radiator coil is preferably driven by driver circuitry to generate a field at a known frequency, distinct from that of other radiator coils, so that the signals generated by the sensor coil may be separated by frequency into components corresponding to the different radiator coils.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,198,963 to Ben-Haim et al., whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes simplified apparatus for confirmation of intrabody tube location that can be operated by nonprofessionals. The initial location of the object is determined as a reference point, and subsequent measurements are made to determine whether the object has remained in its initial position. Measurements are based upon one or more signals transmitted to and/or from a sensor fixed to the body of the object whose location is being determined. The signal could be ultrasound waves, ultraviolet waves, radio frequency (RF) waves, or static or rotating electromagnetic fields.
European Patent EP 0 776 176 and corresponding PCT Publication WO 96/05768 to Ben-Haim et al., whose disclosures are incorporated herein by reference, describe a system that generates six-dimensional position and orientation information regarding the tip of a catheter. This system uses a plurality of sensor coils adjacent to a locatable site in the catheter, for example near its distal end, and a plurality of radiator coils fixed in an external reference frame. These coils generate signals in response to magnetic fields generated by the radiator coils, which signals allow for the computation of six location and orientation coordinates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,091 to Acker et al., whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a magnetic position and orientation determining system which uses uniform fields from Helmholtz coils positioned on opposite sides of a sensing volume and gradient fields generated by the same coils. By monitoring field components detected at a probe during application of these fields, the position and orientation of the probe is deduced. A representation of the probe is superposed on a separately-acquired image of the subject to show the position and orientation of the probe with respect to the subject.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/029,473 to Govari published as U.S. Patent Application Publication 2003/0120150, and is assigned to the assignee of the present patent application and incorporated herein by reference. Apparatus for tracking an object is described, including a plurality of field generators, which generate electromagnetic fields at different, respective frequencies in a vicinity of the object, and a radio frequency (RF) driver, which radiates an RF driving field toward the object. A wireless transponder is fixed to the object. The transponder includes at least one sensor coil, in which a signal current flows responsive to the electromagnetic fields, and a power coil, which receives the RF driving field and conveys electrical energy from the driving field to power the transponder. The power coil also transmits an output signal responsive to the signal current to a signal receiver, which processes the signal to determine coordinates of the object.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,724 to Doron et al., whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a telemetry system for providing spatial positioning information from within a patient's body. The system includes an implantable telemetry unit having (a) a first transducer, for converting a power signal received from outside the body into electrical power for powering the telemetry unit; (b) a second transducer, for receiving a positioning field signal that is received from outside the body; and (c) a third transducer, for transmitting a locating signal to a site outside the body, in response to the positioning field signal.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,172,499 to Ashe, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a device for measuring the location and orientation in the six degrees of freedom of a receiving antenna with respect to a transmitting antenna utilizing multiple-frequency AC magnetic signals. The transmitting component consists of two or more transmitting antennae of known location and orientation relative to one another. The transmitting antennae are driven simultaneously by AC excitation, with each antenna occupying one or more unique positions in the frequency spectrum. The receiving antennae measure the transmitted AC magnetic field plus distortions caused by conductive metals. A computer then extracts the distortion component and removes it from the received signals, providing the correct position and orientation output.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,228 to Van Steenwyck et al., whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a catheter locating device based upon inducing a signal in a coil attached to the catheter and monitoring the amplitude and phase of the induced signal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,845 to Besz et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,873 to Hirschi et al., whose disclosures are incorporated herein by reference, describe apparatus and methods in which a radiating element is fixed to a medical tube, e.g., a catheter, and the position of the tube is determined responsive to energy radiated from the element.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,382 to Golden, et al., whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes apparatus and methods for locating a medical tube in the body of a patient by sensing the static magnetic field strength gradient generated by a magnet fixed to the medical tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,698 to Strohl et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,367 to Shapiro, et al., whose disclosures are incorporated herein by reference, describe apparatus and methods wherein an applied magnetic field induces currents within a coil at the tip of a catheter. Based on these currents, the relative location of the catheter is determined.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,820 to Bladen et al., whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes apparatus for locating the position of a sensor, typically in three dimensions, by generating magnetic fields which are detected at the sensor. The magnetic fields are generated from a plurality of locations and enable both the orientation and location of a single coil sensor to be determined.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,369,564 to Khalfin et al., whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes an electromagnetic position and orientation tracking system with distortion compensation employing wireless sensors. The system uses one source of an AC electromagnetic field, at least one witness sensor measuring components of the electromagnetic induction vector at known spatial points close to or within the volume of interest, at least one wireless probe sensor placed on the object being tracked, and a control and processing unit which defines coordinates and attitude of the secondary source and, in turn, the position and orientation of the object of interest.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,247 to Ishikawa et al., whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes an anatomical position sensing system that uses one or more substantially spherical transponders for measuring relative positions and distances. Transponders are capable of receiving and transmitting RF signals, and communicating between themselves and with a separate CPU, which is controlled by an operator at an operator control panel.
PCT Patent Publication WO 01/12108 to Forsell et al., whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a medical implant apparatus that receives energy wirelessly from a transmitter external to a patient's body. An implanted energy transforming apparatus transforms the energy so received into a different form, which different form is used in the control and operation of an implanted medical device.
PCT Patent Publication WO 00/16686 to Brockway et al., whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a sensor device, such as a pressure monitor, which is implanted in the body of a patient, and which wirelessly communicates pressure information to a remote communication device. The sensor device can be implanted using a placement catheter, an endoscope, or a laparoscope. The wireless communication techniques include radio-telemetry, inductive coupling, passive transponders, and using the body as a conductor. In one embodiment, the sensor device receives energy wirelessly from a remote source, such as an energy source external to the body. This energy can be used to power the sensor device directly or to charge a rechargeable battery that powers the sensor device.
Commercial electrophysiological and physical mapping systems based on detecting the position of a probe inside the body are presently available. Among them, CARTO™, developed by Biosense Webster Inc. (Tirat HaCarmel, Israel), is a system for automatic association and mapping of local electrical activity with catheter location.


A voltage regulator includes a voltage divider connected between a soft-start pin and the voltage regulator's error amplifier. The voltage divider has the same divider ratio as that of the voltage regulator's feedback voltage divider, which is used to divide the regulated output voltage fed back to the error amplifier. To facilitate soft-start operations, an external, user-supplied capacitor is connected to the soft-start pin. To facilitate voltage tracking operations, a predetermined master supply voltage is applied to the soft-start pin.

Voltage regulators are well known in the art. These devices attempt to provide a stable, nearly constant (regulated) supply voltage to a load. Further, these devices attempt to maintain the supply voltage at the nearly constant value regardless of the current demands of the load. In one practical application, voltage regulators are utilized in complex electronic systems to convert an unregulated supply voltage (e.g., from a battery) into a regulated supply voltage of a predetermined value that is supplied to one or more discrete components of the complex electronic systems.
Complex electronic systems incorporating components such as microprocessors, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and digital application specific integrated circuits (ASICS) often require voltage regulators that provide soft start, voltage tracking, and/or timing delay control of the supplied system voltage. Each of these functions, which are described in additional detail in the following paragraphs, serves to prevent faulty operation and/or damage to the components of the complex electronic system.
The soft-start and soft-stop functions control system voltages at startup and shutdown such that supply voltages rises at a known controlled rate at startup, stop reliably at the programmed operating voltage without overshoot, and then decrease at a controlled rate at shutdown. The soft-start function is particularly used to control inrush currents in capacitors, minimize load surges in battery sources, or to moderate the effect of voltage spikes. The soft-start function typically utilizes a user-supplied external capacitor that is mounted to a dedicated external pin of the voltage regulator. A small current applied to this soft-start capacitor during the startup process causes the charge stored in the capacitor to gradually increase, and this gradually increasing charge is utilized to produce the ramped voltage signal. During soft-stop operations, the current applied to the soft-start capacitor is reversed, and the voltage ramps down as the soft start capacitor discharges.
The voltage tracking function controls system voltages during operation such that they remain equal to or less than a predetermined master supply voltage. The predetermined master supply voltage is typically transmitted to the voltage regulator by way of another external pin (i.e., different from the external pin used to implement the soft start function).
The delay control function regulates system operations by generating a "POWER GOOD" signal at start up that asserts a TRUE value after a programmable delay once predetermined output conditions are met. On shutdown, the delay function maintains an active output power for a programmable delay time after an ENABLE input signal has been removed from an external control source. Similar to the soft start function, the programmable delay is generated using an external user-supplied capacitor that is connected to a dedicated pin.
Conventional systems providing soft start, voltage tracking, and delay control functions are controlled using control signals applied to three separate external pins. Because the number of external pins is limited by the selected package type, it is desirable to minimize the number of external pins needed to perform start up and voltage control functions.
What is needed is a method and structure for controlling both soft-start and voltage control functions in a complex electronic system using a single external pin. In addition, what is needed is a method and structure for allowing a customer complete control of both startup and shutdown supply sequences using a minimum number of external pins.

Single-pin tracking/soft-start function with timer control


The present disclosure relates to methods of treating prostate cancer by administering an effective amount of sirolimus locally to the prostate of a subject in need thereof. In particular, the present disclosure provides methods of treating prostate cancer by intratumoral injection of a liquid formulation comprising sirolimus in which the amount of sirolimus administered is well above the dosage used for preventing transplant rejection.

The majority of prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas of the prostate. According to the National Cancer Institute, the median age at prostate cancer diagnosis is 66, and over 180,000 men are predicted to be diagnosed in 2016. Although the five year survival rate is very high for men with localized or regional disease, the survival rate falls to less than 30% for men with metastatic prostate cancer. Currently, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men.
Many prostate cancers are found during routine screening. Treatment options vary based on cancer stage at diagnosis, age of patient and presence of comorbid conditions. Surgical removal of the prostate (prostatectomy) is commonly employed to cure prostate cancer in the event that the cancer has not metastasized. However, there are significant risks associated with major surgery, such as incomplete tumor removal and resulting recurrence. Additionally, side effects of prostate surgery, such as urinary incontinence, can be debilitating. Other treatment options include radiation, cryotherapy, hormone therapy and chemotherapy. None are ideal, and over time a patient's cancer can become refractory to hormone therapy and resistant to standard chemotherapy agents.
Thus additional, local treatment options are needed as a stand alone or an adjunct to standard of care.

Intratumoral administration of sirolimus for treatment of prostate cancer


A nozzle for a member of a fuel combustion system of an engine includes a hollow nozzle body. The nozzle body includes an outer surface, an inner surface, and an orifice surface. The outer surface defines an outer opening. The inner surface defines an interior chamber and an inner opening. The orifice surface defines an orifice passage extending between, and in communication with, the outer opening and the inner opening. The orifice passage is in communication with the interior chamber via the inner opening. The orifice surface includes a boundary surface and a protrusion. The protrusion projects from the boundary surface radially inwardly into the orifice passage.

One type of internal combustion engines typically employ a number of cylinders which compress a fuel and air mixture such that upon firing of a spark plug associated with each cylinder, the compressed mixture ignites. The expanding combustion gases resulting therefrom move a piston within the cylinder. Upon reaching an end of its travel in one direction within the cylinder, the piston reverses direction to compress another volume of the fuel and air mixture. The resulting mechanical kinetic energy can be converted for use in a variety of applications, such as, propelling a vehicle or generating electricity, for example.
Another type of internal combustion engine, known as a compression ignition engine, uses a highly-compressed gas (e.g., air) to ignite a spray of fuel released into a cylinder during a compression stroke. In such an engine, the air is compressed to such a level as to achieve auto-ignition of the fuel upon contact between the air and fuel. The chemical properties of diesel fuel are particularly well suited to such auto-ignition.
The concept of auto-ignition is not limited to diesel engines, however, and has been employed in other types of internal combustion engines as well. For example, a self-igniting reciprocating internal combustion engine can be configured to compress fuel in a main combustion chamber via a reciprocating piston. In order to facilitate starting, each main combustion chamber is associated with a prechamber, particularly useful in starting cold temperature engines. Fuel is injected into not only the main combustion chamber, but also the combustion chamber of the prechamber, as well, such that upon compression by the piston, a fuel and air mixture is compressed in both chambers. A glow plug or other type of heater is disposed within the prechamber to elevate the temperature therein sufficiently to ignite the compressed mixture. The combustion gases resulting from the ignition in the prechamber are then communicated to the main combustion chamber.
Other types of internal combustion engines use natural gas as the fuel source and include at least one piston reciprocating within a respective cylinder. A spark plug is positioned within a cylinder head associated with each cylinder and is fired on a timing circuit such that upon the piston reaching the end of its compression stroke, the spark plug is fired to thereby ignite the compressed mixture.
In still further types of internal combustion engines, prechambers are employed in conjunction with natural gas engines. Given the extremely high temperatures required for auto-ignition with natural gas and air mixtures, glow plugs or other heat sources such as those employed in typical diesel engines, can be ineffective. Rather, a prechamber is associated with each cylinder of the natural gas engine and is provided with a spark plug to initiate combustion within the prechamber which can then be communicated to the main combustion chamber. Such a spark-ignited, natural gas engine prechamber is provided in, for example, the 3600 series natural gas engines commercially available from caterpillar Inc. of Peoria, Ill.
Spark-ignited engines typically have very high component temperatures. The temperature is a result of the gas flow and gas temperature characteristics. In particular, the surfaces defining the orifices of the nozzle of a member of a fuel combustion system, such as a prechamber, for example, can be subjected to very high temperatures. In the case of a prechamber assembly, the high temperatures can be caused by the velocity of the fuel/air mixture entering the nozzle through the orifices and the ignition flame front discharged from the nozzle out through the orifices. As a result, the high temperatures to which the orifices are subjected can cause degradation of the nozzle and impair the function of the nozzle over time.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0000598 is entitled, "Divided-Chamber Gas Engine," and is directed to a gas engine that is configured to inject a combustion gas from an auxiliary combustion chamber through a plurality of nozzles, through which the auxiliary combustion chamber and a main combustion chamber are in communication with each other, so as to ignite a fuel in the main combustion chamber. An opening edge, at the auxiliary combustion chamber side, of each of the plurality of nozzles is formed to have a curved surface.
There is a continued need in the art to provide additional solutions to enhance the performance of a component of a fuel combustion system to improve its efficiency and useful life. For example, there is a continued need to protect the orifices of a nozzle of a prechamber assembly from the extreme temperature to which it can be subjected.
It will be appreciated that this background description has been created by the inventors to aid the reader, and is not to be taken as an indication that any of the indicated problems were themselves appreciated in the art. While the described principles can, in some respects and embodiments, alleviate the problems inherent in other systems, it will be appreciated that the scope of the protected innovation is defined by the attached claims, and not by the ability of any disclosed feature to solve any specific problem noted herein.

Nozzle with contoured orifice surface and method of making same


A plow blade float attachment for preventing damage to a side deflector on a plow blade. The plow blade float attachment includes an arm member pivotally attached to a deflector member of a plow blade, a contact member attached to the arm member, a guide member attached to the deflector member for slidably receiving a distal portion of the arm member, and a bias member attached between the deflector member and the arm member for applying a downward bias force to the arm member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to plow blade deflectors and more specifically it relates to a plow blade float attachment for preventing damage to a side deflector on a plow blade.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plow blades have been in use for years upon tractors, road graders, trucks and the like vehicles. A plow blade is typically comprised of an elongated structure having a lower blade edge for engaging material such as snow, ice dirt or gravel. The blade can also typically be raised, lowered, tilted and pivoted to allow for control of the flow of material.
Recently, plow blade improvements have included a side deflector member that is movably attached to one end of the plow blade for allowing the plow blade operator to reduce the size of windrows thrown to the side of the plow blade (e.g. by driveways). U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,465 to Leland E. Jensen teaches an exemplary side deflector member and is hereby incorporated by reference into this application.
While side deflector members for plow blades are suitable for reducing the size of thrown windrows, they are sometimes susceptible to damage. For example, if the plow blade encounters an obstacle in the plow path that the side deflector member engages first, the side deflector member will be raised upwardly with respect to the plow blade resulting in possible damage to the side deflector member (and possibly the plow blade). Another situation involves where the plow blade is rotated fore which will result in the forwardly extended side deflector member being forced into the ground surface.
While plow blade deflector devices are suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are susceptible to damage caused by encountering obstacles and movements of the plow blade. In these respects, the plow blade float attachment according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of preventing damage to a side deflector on a plow blade.


An expert diagnostic service system using a distributed architecture for generating expert diagnostic suggestions based on input received from a plurality of diagnostic systems. The expert service system collects data related to effective diagnostic results, such as effective fixes, corresponding to various symptoms/faults from a plurality of diagnostic systems via a data transmission network, and accumulates the number of each effective fix corresponding to each of the various symptoms. The expert service system then assigns at least one effective fix to one of the various symptoms based on a result of the accumulating step, such as the rank of the accumulated number of each fix. The expert service system uses the assigned fix corresponding to a symptom as expert suggestions.

Various types of expert diagnostic systems provide standard test sequences and/or suggestions on diagnosing machines or patients. For example, a medical expert system solicits input related to a patient's symptoms and provides assistance on finding causes of the symptoms and cures thereof. Some expert diagnostic systems provide expert suggestions on what types of tests should be conducted to isolate sources of problems, and what types of fixes are available for such problems. These expert suggestions are created by a group of experienced experts or technicians, and implemented as software or control codes to be executed by the diagnostic systems.
Such type of expert diagnostic systems has its limitations and drawbacks. For a new model of machine or vehicle, it usually takes months or years for problems to develop, and for experts to become familiar with the machines or vehicles, and their problems. Thus, it usually takes a long time before an expert diagnostic system can be developed for a specific model of machine or vehicle.
In addition, the effectiveness of an expert diagnostic system is limited to the source of experts who created the system. For example, if an expert diagnostic system is created in Arizona, the experts are likely to be from that geographic area and thus problems they have encountered tend to be homogeneous. Thus, although an expert diagnostic system created by such experts may work well to solve problems for machines or vehicles in areas having weather conditions similar to those of Arizona, the conventional expert diagnostic system may not have sufficient expertise to solve problems for machines operated under different weather conditions, such as Alaska.
Moreover, the wisdom of conventional expert diagnostic systems is also limited to the small number of experts who created the expert diagnostic systems. Given the limited number of experts participated in the development of conventional expert diagnostic systems, it is unlikely that a conventional expert diagnostic system would be sufficiently sophisticated to address different types of problems effectively. Furthermore, after an expert diagnostic system is available, it usually takes a long time to develop updates for the systems and distribute the same to consumers.
Therefore, there is a need to design an expert diagnostic system with wisdom from as many experts as possible. There is another need to have an expert diagnostic system designed by experts having diverse backgrounds in order to address as many-types of problems as possible. There is also a need to provide expert suggestions for new models of machines or vehicles as soon as possible. An additional need exists to automate the process for collecting wisdom from different experts and to implement such wisdom into the expert diagnostic system dynamically.

Distributed expert diagnostic service and system


A distributed refractive index lens and method of producing the lens are disclosed. The lens has a plurality of areas having refractive index distributions, and includes a plate-like member containing polysilane. The refractive index distribution of these areas is a distribution that includes a change in a refractive index in a direction parallel to a plane of the plate-like member, and includes a substantial uniform refractive index in a direction perpendicular to the plane.

As one type of three-dimensional television systems that can be viewed from any point, IP using a refractive index distribution lens group arranged on a plane has been known (for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-150675). The refractive index distribution lens is herein also referred to as a GRIN lens or simply as a GI lens.
FIG. 30 shows a configuration of a three-dimensional image pickup apparatus in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-150675.
In FIG. 30, reference numerals 1211, 1212, . . . , 121n denote optical fibers, and reference numeral 122 denotes a television camera that picks up the entire images of the optical fibers.
The optical fibers 1211, 1212, . . . , 121n have refractive index distribution with a higher refractive index at a portion closer to the center, and when parallel lights enter these optical fibers, the lights meander and form an image on a specific point. Then, the optical fibers 1211, 1212, . . . , 121n have lengths set so that an image forming position of an erect image is an end surface of each optical fiber.
Even if the optical fibers 1211, 1212, . . . , 121n are arranged so that incident and emission end surfaces of each optical fiber are two-dimensionally placed on one plane as shown in FIG. 30 to form a lens group, the optical fibers do not interfere with each other, and substantially the same advantage can be obtained as in providing an optical barrier. Further, an erect image is obtained on the emission end surface, and thus a correct three-dimensional image can be reproduced rather than a false image with inverted irregularities.
In recent years, distributed refractive index lenses using inexpensive resin material has been developed. A method for fabricating a distributed refractive index lens includes a method for fabricating a distributed refractive index waveguide in a simple process of installation of a mask for adjusting the amount of light and light irradiation using photopolymerization of monomer in an optical medium to change a refractive index (for example, see FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-64310).
There is also a method using the photopolymerization reaction as in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-64310, for fabricating a waveguide type lens having concentric circular refractive index distribution by ultraviolet irradiation from two different directions (for example, see FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-175010.
There is also a method using the photopolymerization reaction as in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-64310, for fabricating an optical waveguide with refractive index distribution by changing the amount of light applied. (for example, see FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-134310).
However, as shown in FIG. 30, the configuration in which the optical fibers are arranged in a matrix takes time for alignment of optical axes and is low in productivity and expensive.
For a projector or the like, a heat-resisting lens is required because a projected part is heated to a high temperature, but a resin lens using a conventional photopolymerization reaction has no heat resistance to 80° C. or more, and cannot be used for a projector.
With the conventional fabrication method of the distributed refractive index lens in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-64310, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-175010, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-134310, a single piece of waveguide type refractive index distribution lens can be fabricated, but one distributed refractive index lens only can be fabricated at a time because of the process with the chemical reaction caused from surroundings.
Thus, producing IP panels using the distributed refractive index lenses fabricated by these conventional fabrication methods requires an assembling step of adjusting optical axes of 10,000 or more distributed refractive index lenses and arranging the lenses in a matrix, and thus the panels are low in productivity. For this reason, even if the resin material is inexpensive, the panels become expensive as in the case of using conventional GRIN lenses made of glass or distributed refractive index optical fibers.

Distributed refractive index lens and method for manufacturing the same


A multiaxial, multilayer fabric (10), suitable for being used for ballistic uses, wherein the threads of a layer (20) are oriented at a whatever angle comprised within the range of from 0 to 360.degree. relatively to the direction of the thread of an adjacent layer (30).. Between the individual layers (20, 30) a layer (40) of either thermoplastic or thermosetting material, or of a bonding substance is interposed, so that the resulting structure, after suitable processing, can be used as a protective garment (60) for sheltering parts of human body, displaying extremely good characteristics of ballistic strength, drapeability, comfort and safety, with lower production costs than prior art.. A process for producing the above mentioned fabric (10) comprising one single step of compressing a plurality of layers (20, 30) of threads which are arranged with layers (40) of thermoplastic or thermosetting materials, or of bonding substances alternately interposed between them.

The present invention relates to a multiaxial, multilayer fabric suitable for being used for ballistic uses, and to a process for manufacturing that fabric.
Several types of fabrics are known and are used for manufacturing bulletproof jackets or similar articles of manufacture, which are presently used for ballistic uses.
They can be grouped, for the sake of simplicity, in three categories namely:
1. fabrics manufactured according to a typical weft/warp arrangement, which are simply sewn or coupled to a common matrix; PA1 2. fabrics manufactured as the fabrics from category 1., further, comprising plastic films, nonwovens and/or impregnating resins, as reinforcer elements and; PA1 3. fibrous fabrics with two monoaxial layers mutually superimposed with their fiber directions perpendicular to each other, which are coated on their outermost surfaces with plastic resins or films in order to supply the structure with mechanical strength, and simultaneously, flexibility.
The first type of fabrics is manufactured by means of a by now well mature technology and, owing to this reason, can be manufactured with rather low manufacturing costs.
Furthermore, the ballistic panels manufactured from this type of fabric secure good drapeability and a rather good comfort, because the layers which compose them are mutually bonded by sewing stitches.
The ballistic strength of this type of fabric against bullets is acceptable, but the levels of trauma suffered by the struck regions of wearer's body are very high.
In order to reduce such degree of trauma, more layers of thread must be used, with the consequent result that the weight of the manufactured article considerably increases.
Furthermore, the garments so produced display reduced drapeability and are less comfortable during wearer's movements.
However, this first type of fabric is the most widely used, at present, for ballistic uses of general character.
The resin-treated traditional fabrics display a somewhat higher ballistic strength than the above referenced category 1 fabrics and substantially a rather good flexibility, but suffer from other drawbacks, such as low comfort of use (because their weight is higher), and high production costs.
In order to increase the level of ballistic strength, rigid or semirigid panels are furthermore manufactured which, unfortunately, display negative characteristics from drapeability and comfort viewpoints.
In order to try to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks without giving up the advantages offered by the above-described structure, the use was furthermore proposed of a biaxial, two-layer fabric made from aramidic or polyethylene materials or the like, coated with flexible resins on the outer surfaces of the layers.
This type of fabric shows a good ballistic strength, however relatively high values of trauma of hit parts of wearer's body are observed. The drapeability is acceptable.
Unfortunately, the manufacturing cycle for this product is particularly complex, because it is carried out batchwise. Furthermore, the threads are arranged perpendicular to each other and that angle cannot be varied.
Furthermore, this type of processing does not allow the manufacturer to mutually superimpose more than two successive thread layers because, when the fabric is bent to fit to the wearer's body, it generates creases which tend to separate the threads from the matrix. Furthermore, the manufacturing costs of a garment manufactured from such a kind of fabric are very high.

Multiaxial, multilayer fabric suitable for being used for ballistic uses and process for producing said fabric


A method performed by a User Equipment (UE) for managing a failure in a registration for accessing a network slice, and the UE including processing circuitry configured to perform the method, are provided. The method includes sending a registration request message to a first wireless network while the UE is in a tracking area of a registration area, the registration request message including a Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (S-NSSAI) corresponding to the network slice, receiving a registration reject message from the first wireless network indicating that the network slice is unavailable, storing a Tracking Area Identifier (TAI) of the tracking area to a rejected list based on the TAI of the tracking area being included the registration reject message, and establishing a connection with a second wireless network in response to the receiving.

A network slice is a logical network and a partition of a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) wireless network. Network slices are created for serving a particular purpose or a set of customers. A network slice may be identified using Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (S-NSSAI). Accordingly, S-NSSAI may also be referred to as an S-NNSAI identifier. Also, the terms S-NNSAIs and/or NNSAI may be used herein to refer to a plurality of S-NNSAI identifiers. Various types of S-NSSAI are "configured S-NSSAI", "requested S-NSSAI", "allowed S-NSSAI", "rejected S-NSSAI for a current Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) or Stand-alone Non-Public Network (SNPN)", "rejected S-NSSAI for a current registration area", and "a rejected S-NSSAI for a failed or revoked Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization (NSSAA)". Configured S-NSSAI is S-NSSAI that is provisioned in a UE is applicable to one or more PLMNs. Requested S-NSSAI is S-NSSAI provided by the UE to a serving PLMN during a registration procedure.
Allowed S-NSSAI is S-NSSAI provided by the serving PLMN during the registration procedure. The allowed S-NSSAI indicates values of the S-NSSAI the UE could use in the serving PLMN for the current registration area. An Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) assigns the registration area to the UE during the registration procedure. The registration area is defined as a set of tracking areas (TAs), where each tracking area consists of one or more cells that cover a geographical area. The tracking area is identified by a Tracking Area Identifier (TAI) which is broadcast in the cells of the tracking area. Rejected S-NSSAI for the current PLMN or the SNPN is S-NSSAI (e.g., the S-NSSAI included in the requested NSSAI) sent by the AMF with a rejection cause "S-NSSAI not available in the current PLMN or SNPN" to the UE.
Rejected S-NSSAI for the current registration area is S-NSSAI (e.g., the S-NSSAI included in the requested NSSAI) sent by the AMF with the rejection cause "S-NSSAI not available in the current registration area" to the UE. Rejected S-NSSAI for the failed or revoked NSSAA is S-NSSAI sent by the AMF with the rejection cause "rejected NSSAI due to the failed or revoked NSSAA" to the UE. The UE does not include the requested NSSAI in a registration message when the UE does not have the allowed S-NSSAI(s) for the current PLMN, the configured S-NSSAI(s) for the current PLMN, and default configured S-NSSAI(s).

Method and user equipment for managing failure in registration for accessing network slice


A people counting system includes: a top-view, a first and a second side-view image-capturing device, capturing a top-view, a first and a second side-view image respectively; an image stitching module, stitching the top-view, the first and the second side-view image into an ultra wide-angle image; a ROI selecting module, selecting at least one recognition zone and a counting zone; a face recognition module, monitoring the recognition zone to determine a face location corresponding to a face through analyzing the recognition zone; a head recognition module, monitoring the counting zone to determine a head location corresponding to a head through analyzing the counting zone; an object tracking module, the head recognition module, generating a face track and a head track; and a people counting module, counting a first number of face tracks and a second number of head tracks passing through the counting zone and generating a counting result.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates generally to a people counting system, and more particularly, to a people counting system using multiple image-capturing devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional people counting systems have the following disadvantages: (1) human bodies can be obscured in the shadows of others, resulting in counting errors; (2) when human bodies are obscured by a shadow cast by an object (e.g., a pillar), conventional people counting systems still may produce counting errors; (3) it is difficult for conventional people counting systems to distinguish human bodies and other objects (for example, chairs, cats, dogs and balls); and (4) it is difficult for conventional people counting systems to distinguish short humans (for example, children) and other objects having a height that is similar to a short human.
Accordingly, there is a need for a people counting system using multiple image-capturing devices to distinguish the human body and other objects to solving these problems.


A hydro-carbon injection supply unit includes a fuel filter including a damping head which reduces a high fuel pulsation pressure generated in a cylinder head through an inner circulation path along of the fuel, and an HCI part for receiving the fuel discharged from the fuel filter whose pulsation pressure has been reduced and injecting the fuel to an exhaust manifold at a front end of a catalyst. Accordingly, even if a fuel pulsation pressure exceeding a design value is generated in the cylinder head, the HCI part is not influenced at all.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a hydro-carbon injection supply unit, and more particularly, to a hydro-carbon injection supply unit which, when a high pressure pulsation is generated in a cylinder head due to a fuel reversed during an operation of an injector, prevents the high pressure pulsation from badly influencing a hydro-carbon injection (HCI) part.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, a hydro-carbon injection (HCI) supply unit refers to a unit for injecting a fuel using an injector mounted to a front end of a diesel oxidization catalyst (DOC) to increase a temperature of exhaust gas passing through a diesel particle filter (DPF).
That is, the HCI unit increases a temperature of exhaust gas while a fuel injected to an exhaust manifold is being burned to oxidize particulate matters (PMs) collected by the DPF, thereby reproducing the DPF.
Here, the reproduction of the DPF means that stuck sooty smoke is burned so that the DPF can be prevented from being blocked and converted into a state where the DPF can be reused.
A unit for this purpose is generally referred to as a hydro-carbon injection supply unit.
An example of the hydro-carbon injection supply unit is configured such that a cylinder head and a fuel filter are connected to a fuel feed line and a fuel is supplied through a HCI feed line branched out from the fuel feed line to be injected to an exhaust manifold at a front end of a catalyst.
Accordingly, the HCI supply unit injects a fuel supplied from a fuel filter 3 to an exhaust manifold with an injector depending on a control condition, so that a temperature of the exhaust gas flowing into the exhaust manifold is increased due to a reaction promotion with a catalyst, making it possible to oxidize the PMs collected by the DPF.
As a result, the DPF having the collected PMs is reproduced through oxidization of the PMs, and the state of the DPF can be converted into a state where the DPF can be reused.
However, in the case of the above-discussed hydro-carbon injection supply unit, a layout where an HCI feed line is branched out from a fuel feed line is formed.
In such a layout, a head discharge pressure pulsation is generated inside a cylinder head by a fuel reversed during an operation of an injector, and the head discharge pressure pulsation itself cannot but be transferred to an HCI pressure pulsation.
The head discharge pressure pulsation is unavoidable in some aspects due to an operation of the injector of the fuel supply system, and the HCI pressure pulsation due to the head discharge pressure pulsation is also inevitable in view of propagation along a fuel flow.
However, when pressure propagates at more than 2.8 bar exceeding 2.5 bar which is a design standard for pressure pulsation, the fuel system is badly influenced.
As an example, if a fuel pulsation at more than approximately 2.8 bar exceeding a design standard is excessively generated, the stability of fuel rail pressure is disturbed and fuel injection uniformity cannot but be lowered. As a result, parts of a fuel system cannot but be damaged.
In particular, due to a tendency toward a strictness of a management standard for fuel efficiency/exhaustion and an increase in emphasis on control of fuel amount, a need to properly manage a pulsation pressure of a fuel system cannot help but significantly increase.
The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.