A clock synchronization circuit has a clock sync detector. A first variable delay circuit is coupled to a first input of the clock sync detector. A controller is coupled to a digital output of the clock sync detector and a control input of the first variable delay circuit. A first clock signal is coupled to the first variable delay circuit. A second clock signal is coupled to a second input of the clock sync detector. The clock sync detector includes a first flip-flop and a first delay element coupled between the first variable delay circuit and a data input of the first flip-flop. A second variable delay circuit is coupled to a second input of the clock sync detector. A multiplexer is coupled between the first variable delay circuit and the first input of the clock sync detector. An offset compensation calibrates the clock sync detector.

Semiconductor devices are commonly found in modern electronic products. Semiconductor devices vary in the number and density of electrical components. Discrete semiconductor devices generally contain one type of electrical component, e.g., light emitting diode (LED), small signal transistor, resistor, capacitor, inductor, and power metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). Integrated semiconductor devices typically contain hundreds to millions of electrical components. Examples of integrated semiconductor devices include microcontrollers, microprocessors, and various signal processing circuits.
Semiconductor devices perform a wide range of functions such as signal processing, high-speed calculations, transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals, controlling electronic devices, transforming sunlight to electricity, and creating visual images for television displays. Semiconductor devices are found in the fields of entertainment, communications, power conversion, networks, computers, and consumer products. Semiconductor devices are also found in military applications, aviation, automotive, industrial controllers, and office equipment.
FIG. 1 illustrates electronic device 50 having a chip carrier substrate or PCB 52 with a plurality of semiconductor packages mounted on a surface of the PCB. Electronic device 50 can have one type of semiconductor package, or multiple types of semiconductor packages, depending on the application. Different types of semiconductor packages are shown in FIG. 1 for purposes of illustration.
Electronic device 50 can be a stand-alone system that uses the semiconductor packages to perform one or more electrical functions. Alternatively, electronic device 50 can be a subcomponent of a larger system. For example, electronic device 50 can be part of a tablet, cellular phone, digital camera, or other electronic device. Alternatively, electronic device 50 can be a graphics card, network interface card, or other expansion card that can be inserted into a computer. The semiconductor packages can include microprocessors, memories, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), programmable logic circuits, analog circuits, radio frequency (RF) circuits, discrete devices, or other semiconductor die or electrical components.
In FIG. 1, PCB 52 provides a general substrate for structural support and electrical interconnect of the semiconductor packages mounted on the PCB. Conductive signal traces 54 are formed over a surface or within layers of PCB 52 using evaporation, electrolytic plating, electroless plating, screen printing, or other suitable metal deposition process. Signal traces 54 provide for electrical communication between each of the semiconductor packages, mounted components, and other external system components. Traces 54 also provide power and ground connections to each of the semiconductor packages. A clock signal is transmitted between semiconductor packages via traces 54.
In some embodiments, a semiconductor device has two packaging levels. First level packaging is a technique for mechanically and electrically attaching the semiconductor die to an intermediate substrate. Second level packaging involves mechanically and electrically attaching the intermediate substrate to the PCB. In other embodiments, a semiconductor device may only have the first level packaging where the die is mechanically and electrically mounted directly to the PCB.
For the purpose of illustration, several types of first level packaging, including bond wire package 56 and flipchip 58, are shown on PCB 52. Additionally, several types of second level packaging, including ball grid array (BGA) 60, bump chip carrier (BCC) 62, land grid array (LGA) 66, multi-chip module (MCM) 68, quad flat non-leaded package (QFN) 70, quad flat package 72, embedded wafer level ball grid array (eWLB) 74, and wafer level chip scale package (WLCSP) 76 are shown mounted on PCB 52. Depending upon the system requirements, any combination of semiconductor packages, configured with any combination of first and second level packaging styles, as well as other electronic components, can be connected to PCB 52. In some embodiments, electronic device 50 includes a single attached semiconductor package, while other embodiments call for multiple interconnected packages. By combining one or more semiconductor packages over a single substrate, manufacturers can incorporate pre-made components into electronic devices and systems. Because the semiconductor packages include sophisticated functionality, electronic devices can be manufactured using less expensive components and a streamlined manufacturing process. The resulting devices are less likely to fail and less expensive to manufacture resulting in a lower cost for consumers.
A manufacturer of electronic device 50 provides a clock signal to each semiconductor package to operate the synchronous logic elements within each package. Digital circuits of the semiconductor packages include flip-flops or latches which operate on edges of the clock signal. A binary digital value is either a logic zero or a logic one. A clock signal rapidly fluctuates between a logic zero and logic one. When a clock signal transitions from a logic zero to a logic one, the transition is a rising edge of the clock signal. When a clock signal transitions from a logic one to a logic zero, the transition is a falling edge of the clock signal.
Digital circuits formed on semiconductor die within semiconductor packages include flip-flops which store an input value of the flip-flop to the output of the flip-flop when a clock edge occurs. A flip-flop holds the output value until the next clock edge, when a new input value is stored as the output value. Some flip-flops are rising edge-triggered, and transfer the input value to an output of the flip-flop when the rising edge of the clock signal occurs. Other flip-flops are falling edge-triggered, and transfer the input value to the output on the falling edge of the clock signal. Still other flip-flops are triggered on both the rising edge and falling edge of a clock signal.
Outputs of flip-flops are routed through combinational logic, and supplied to the input of other flip-flops, where a value based on the output of the first flip-flop is latched into the second flip-flop on the next active clock edge. In sequential logic, the input of a flip-flop is determined in part by the value latched into the output of the same flip-flop, so that the next value of a flip-flop depends on the present value of the flip-flop. For the output value of one flip-flop to properly be reflected in the latched output of a second flip-flop, the two flip-flops operate using a common clock edge of a common clock signal. The common clock edge triggers the second flip-flop to latch in the input from the first flip-flop at approximately the same time that the first flip-flop changes the output signal to the second flip-flop. Due to propagation delay between the two flip-flops, the second flip-flop latches in the old value before a new value output by the first flip-flop reaches the second flip-flop.
Electronic circuits using flip-flops which operate on a common clock edge are synchronous. A synchronous circuit is a digital circuit in which the parts are synchronized by a clock signal. Many digital circuits are fully synchronous with a global clock signal driving each part of the circuit. When multiple semiconductor packages are provided on PCB 52, a manufacturer of electronic device 50 provides for communication between the semiconductor packages using traces 54. Traces 54 are connected between semiconductor packages to allow one semiconductor package to utilize functionality provided by circuitry of another semiconductor package. A common clock signal is distributed to each semiconductor package to allow synchronous communication between the packages.
FIG. 2a illustrates a clock distribution network for electronic device 50. Oscillator 80 is a quartz piezo-electric oscillator, although inductor-capacitor (LC) or resistor-capacitor (RC) resonators are used in some embodiments. In other embodiments, any method of generating a clock signal is used. Oscillator 80 creates a periodic, oscillating electronic signal which is sent to fan-out clock buffer 82 via a trace 54. Fan-out buffer 82 includes an amplifier which feeds the signal back to oscillator 80, causing the oscillator to resonate.
Fan-out buffer 82 outputs the clock signal from oscillator 80 to a plurality of output pins or terminals on the package of the fan-out buffer. Traces 54 route the clock signal to the different semiconductor chips and packages of electronic device 50. Each clock signal to each semiconductor package is generated by oscillator 80 and in sync when the signals leave fan-out buffer 82. Fan-out buffer 82 includes a buffer at the output of each clock signal so that each clock output is powered separately and can handle a similar load.
Each semiconductor package receives the clock signal with a common clock edge which occurs approximately simultaneously. The layout of electronic device 50 is designed so that the propagation delay between fan-out buffer 82 and each semiconductor package is approximately the same. One way to accomplish similar propagation delays is to use traces 54 connecting fan-out buffer 82 to each package which are approximately the same length.
Using a common clock signal for each semiconductor package allows synchronous logic on one of semiconductor packages 56-74 to communicate with synchronous logic on another of the semiconductor packages directly using traces 54. Traces 54 run between the semiconductor packages and include lines for address, data, read, write, and other signals needed for the particular semiconductor devices to communicate synchronously.
To help synchronous logic in one semiconductor package communicate with synchronous logic in another semiconductor package, the clock signals which drive the actual flip-flops of each chip should be synchronized. Even though two clock signals may be synchronized entering two different semiconductor packages, the paths a clock signal uses within the chips may cause the propagation delay to some flip-flops to be different than other flip-flops. Different propagation delays internal to two different semiconductor packages results in the flip-flops of the packages being driven by clock edges occurring at different times, making synchronous communication difficult without violating setup and hold times of the flip-flops.
FIG. 2b illustrates a clock tree 90 of semiconductor package 74 as an example. Clock tree 90 receives a clock signal from fan-out buffer 82 at clock input pin 92. Buffers 100-106 distribute the clock signal to flip-flops 107-110. Multiple stages of buffers are used to limit the total load on each individual buffer. While only four total flip-flops and one flip-flop per buffer are illustrated, a single clock tree may include many more than four flip-flops, and multiple flip-flops may receive a clock signal from a single buffer. A clock tree may also provide the clock signal to other types of logic elements besides flip-flops. In other embodiments, clock distribution networks are used which do not follow a tree topology.
Clock tree 90 routes a clock signal throughout semiconductor package 74 to drive the synchronous logic of the semiconductor device. Clock tree 90 injects a certain amount of propagation delay between clock input pin 92 and flip-flops 107-110. Propagation delay is the amount of time between when a clock signal at clock input pin 92 changes and when the clock signal change occurs at flip-flops 107-110. Each buffer 100-106 takes time for a clock signal change at the input of the buffer to be reflected at the output of the buffer. In addition, the clock signal requires a certain amount of time to travel between buffers 100-106 and to flip-flops 107-110 on the illustrated conductive lines.
Each flip-flop 107-110 receives a clock signal from clock input 92 with approximately the same amount of propagation delay due to clock tree 90 being balanced. Clock tree 90 is balanced because the path a clock signal travels to each flip-flop is approximately the same length, and includes the same number of similar buffers. Flip-flops 107-110 communicate with each other synchronously without significant risk of hold time or setup time violations. However, flip-flops in other clock trees, or on other semiconductor devices, should include similar amounts of propagation delay as clock tree 90, or be otherwise synchronized, for reliable synchronous communication.
FIG. 2c illustrates LGA 66 which is a central processing unit (CPU). CPU 66 includes clock input pin 112 connected to buffer 120. Buffers 120-126 form a portion of a clock tree for CPU 66, distributing a clock signal on clock input pin 112 to cache module 128, arithmetic logic unit (ALU) 130, registers 132, and input-output (I/O) block 134. Each of the different blocks 128-134 of CPU 66 includes a clock tree similar to clock tree 90 of FIG. 2b.
Due to the varied sizes and total amount of flip-flops in blocks 128-134 of CPU 66, the clock trees within each block are different sizes and contribute different amounts of propagation delay between clock input pin 112 and flip-flops of the respective block. Similarly, clock trees in different chips of electronic device 50 include clock trees with different propagation delays. When different propagation delays result in a clock signal arrives at different areas of synchronous logic at different times, clock skew occurs. Clock skew makes synchronous communication between multiple chips, or between multiple modules of a single chip, more difficult. The speed of the clock may need to be slowed down to ensure the hold times and setup times of all flip-flops are observed. Setup time is the amount of time an input signal to a flip-flop must be held at a desired input value prior to the triggering edge of a clock signal to ensure the input value is properly latched to the output of the flip-flop. Hold time of a flip-flop is the amount of time an input to the flip-flop must be held stable after a clock edge to ensure proper operation.
The flip-flops of different chips, and different modules within chips, can be synchronized by balancing the paths of the clock signals to each flip-flop of electronic device 50. While a designer of electronic device 50 can make traces 54 which carry the clock signal to each semiconductor package approximately the same length to balance the propagation delays to each chip, balancing the internal propagation delays between modules of a single chip is more difficult because of the varying sizes and number of flip-flops within different modules. Ensuring a nearly uniform propagation delay among the modules of different semiconductor packages that must communicate synchronously is also difficult. Two chips being used for electronic device 50 may be designed by different manufacturers, with clock propagation delays out of the control of the designer of electronic device 50.
To simplify synchronous communication between different semiconductor devices and clock trees, semiconductor device manufacturers attempt to align edges of a clock signal used by flip-flops of a device with edges of the clock input to the device. FIG. 3 illustrates a clock tree 150 including a clock feedback output which allows another module to observe when a clock edge used by flip-flops of the clock tree occurs. A clock input 152 feeds a clock signal to the clock tree. Buffers 154-159 branch out to provide a clock signal to flip-flops 161-163. Buffer 160 drives clock feedback output port 166. While three flip-flops are illustrated, a clock tree may have more than three flip-flops, and more than one flip-flop may be driven by a single buffer. Flip-flops 161-163 receive clock signals with edges approximately synchronized due to clock tree 150 being properly balanced. However, output signals from flip-flops 161-163 may be routed to flip-flops in other clock trees, and signals from other clock trees may be routed to the inputs of flip-flops 161-163. The other clock trees connected to clock tree 150 do not necessarily include a propagation delay similar to the propagation delay of clock tree 150.
Clock feedback port 166 outputs a clock signal from the clock tree which has clock edges synchronized with edges of the clock signal received by flip-flops 161-163. That is, clock tree 150 is balanced so that the propagation delay between clock input 152 and flip-flops 161-163 is approximately the same as the propagation delay between clock input 152 and clock feedback port 166. Manufacturers use the clock output from clock feedback port 166 to compare the clock used by flip-flops 161-163 with the clock being used by flip-flops in other clock trees, or with a clock signal received by a terminal on the semiconductor device. Modern semiconductor devices include modules which compare clock signals, and adjust the timing of the clock signal at clock input 152 to synchronize the clocks being used by flip-flops in different areas of a chip or different chips on a board.
Manufacturers of electronic and semiconductor devices would like to ensure that different areas of synchronous logic are operating on a common clock edge which occurs at nearly the same time for all flip-flops running on the same clock source. One difficulty is accounting for a wide variation in clock propagation delays and frequencies while maintaining accurate alignment of the clock edges. Comparing two clock signals is difficult at lower frequencies, or when the clock signals are misaligned by greater margins. A method of aligning clock signals which is highly accurate at aligning two clock signals to a common clock edge is not able to quickly and easily align two clocks which are out of phase by a wide margin.

Semiconductor device and method for accurate clock domain synchronization over a wide frequency range


A third reference pattern which can be detected by a first reference pattern formed on a first detecting member and cannot be detected by a second reference pattern formed on a second detecting member is formed at a first position on a rotatable disk, a fourth reference pattern which can be detected by a second reference pattern formed on the second detecting member and cannot be detected by the first reference pattern formed on the first detecting member is formed at a second position substantially rotation-symmetrical with the first position on the rotatable disk, a signal obtained by the third reference pattern of the rotatable disk being detected by the first reference pattern formed on the first detecting member is supplied as a first reference signal to one signal processing circuit, and a signal obtained by the fourth reference pattern of the rotatable disk being detected by the second reference pattern formed on the second detecting member is supplied as a second reference signal to the other signal processing circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rotation angle measuring apparatus using a rotatable disk formed with a pattern for rotation angle detection.
2. Related Background Art
In a rotation angle measuring apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 55-67608, an index disk is provided concentrically with a rotatable disk having a radial grating of equiangular pitch on the circumference thereof so as to be opposed to the rotatable disk, and at rotation-symmetrical positions on the index disk, two index gratings of the same pitch as the radial grating of the rotatable disk are provided at opposite phases, and two light sources and two photoelectric conversion elements are provided with the two index gratings and the rotatable disk interposed therebetween. Two signal processing circuits are provided correspondingly to the two photoelectric conversion elements, respectively.
The output signals of the two photoelectric conversion elements are converted into pulses in the respective corresponding signal processing circuits, and the pulses are counted by counters. The count values of the two counters are averaged by an averaging circuit, and a display circuit converts the output value of the averaging circuit into a rotation angle and displays the rotation angle. When there is axial back-lash or eccentricity, the count values of the two counters include amounts of phase shift equal to each other in opposite directions, but by adding and averaging these count values by the averaging circuit, the influence of the eccentricity is eliminated and a right rotation angle can be measured.
Heretofore, a reference pattern has been formed only at an arbitrary location on the rotatable disk of a rotation angle measuring apparatus of this kind, and a corresponding reference pattern has been formed at a predetermined position on the index disk. The two counters are reset by the use of reference signals obtained from the photoelectric conversion elements when the reference pattern of the rotatable disk and the reference pattern of the index disk become opposed to each other, but when there is radial back-lash in the rotary shaft, the radial grating formed on the rotatable disk rotates eccentrically and thus, the reference signal includes an error. Further, the error is increased by the hysteresis or the like in the signal processing circuits, and when the amount of the error exceeds a prescribed value, the resetting of the counters may deviate by an amount corresponding to one pitch of the pattern, and this has caused the occurrence of a measurement error.


The present disclosure provides a method for determining the relative conformations of a protein provided in different protein preparations, comprising steps of: (i) obtaining a first 2D NOESY NMR spectrum of a first protein preparation; (ii) obtaining a second 2D NOESY NMR spectrum of a second protein preparation; and (iii); determining whether a protein has a different conformation in the first and second protein preparations by comparing one or more cross-peaks in the first 2D NOESY NMR spectrum with one or more corresponding cross-peaks in the second 2D NOESY NMR spectrum.

Protein therapeutic preparations include one or more species of proteins (e.g., differentially post-translationally modified species, different glycoforms, etc.) secreted from cell culture or isolated from a cell's surface as the biologically active ingredient. Alteration of the protein's conformation or aggregation state is known to affect its biological activity, immunogenicity, and biophysical properties. For example, a protein's conformation or aggregation state will affect its ability to interact with a target molecule (e.g., the protein therapeutic erythropoietin with the erythropoietin receptor) as well as its stability (e.g., its susceptibility to precipitation).
Since protein conformations may vary in response to changes in manufacturing conditions, qualitative and/or quantitative assessments of batch homogeneity is important during development and marketing of a protein therapeutic. Assessment of protein preparations during optimization of the manufacturing process is also important. The ability to make comparisons between protein preparations from different sources (e.g., generic vs. FDA approved originator) would also be useful.
There is therefore a need in the art for analytical techniques that can provide a detailed understanding of differences in protein conformation between different protein preparations.

Comparative analysis of protein conformations by using 2D NOESY NMR spectra


An optical instrument comprises a ring member which is arranged to be rotatable with respect to a lens barrel, and also to slide in an optical axis direction, a movement mechanism for slide movement of the ring member to a first position or a second position in the optical axis direction, an encoder that generates signals in accordance with a rotation operation of the ring member, a slide position determination section for determining positional change accompanying slide movement to the first position or the second position by the movement mechanism, and a control section for performing determination of the signals from the encoder to switch the display operation, and prohibiting switching of the display operation when the slide position determination section has determined a positional change accompanying the slide operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical instrument having a ring member which is arranged to be rotatable with respect to a lens barrel, and also slidable in an optical axis direction, and to a control method for an optical instrument.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is known a lens barrel having a ring member, arranged in a zoom lens barrel that is capable of changing focal length, so as to slide in an optical axis direction, and also rotate around the optical axis, for carrying out manual focus adjustment by a rotation operation of this ring member, or carrying out change of focal length by slide operation of the ring member.
With a lens unit that is disclosed in Japanese patent laid-open No. 2011-43706 (laid-open Mar. 3, 2011), a click mechanism is provided for rotating with respect to a lens barrel and moving in an optical axis direction.


The present disclosure relates to an image searching system and method for searching by using images of objects. Images of objects which it is desired to search are input via a PC-based terminal equipped with a webcam or a smart phone and then the input object images are analyzed using image recognition technology based on feature point extraction such that types of code contained in the object images are categorized and a decoder matching the object type is automatically driven such that the object is read, and thus a search function is provided which allows integrated recognition of all objects regardless of the type of object and which is convenient for the user.

In general, when viewing a movie or an advertisement program on a television (TV) and the like, when finding an object (for example, a person or a thing) that a user favors while shopping, or when finding a predetermined object that a user is usually interested in, users desire to memorize the object by taking a memo of the object or currently by capturing the object using a camera of a mobile terminal.
However, in the first case, management is not easy in that a user needs to make a habit of taking a memo, and to carry a memo pad at all times, and also may lose a memo pad in which detailed information of a product is written.
In the second case, portability and management is easy in that a user uses a mobile terminal that the user carries all the time. However, there is a disadvantage in that the user needs to manually input information exposed in an image in order to search for a desired object using the captured image. For example, the user needs to input a name or a product number of a product exposed in the image, a shape, a color, and the like.
Here, with respect to clearly exposed information such as the name or the product number of the product, a search may be clearly performed. However, when there is a characteristic in the shape, the image, and the like, or when accurate information is unknown even after viewing the image, it is difficult to perform a search.
Accordingly, currently, technologies embedded with a decoder (a recognition engine) capable of performing recognition using an image of an object have been applied to a terminal.
That is, disclosed is technology of recognizing a barcode from a barcode image by equipping a terminal with a barcode decoder, or recognizing a quick response (QR) code from an image of the QR code using a terminal embedded with a QR code decoder.
However, in the above technologies, decoders for a barcode, a QR code, facial recognition, and image recognition are individually equipped in each terminal and thus, recognition is limited according to a type of an object. Also, to recognize an object, there is disadvantage in that a user needs to directly execute a decoder according to the type of the object.

Integrated image searching system and service method thereof


Systems and methods are provided for adjusting time in a synchronized network by a central device on the network. Each device on the network provided current time, hopping pattern, time slot duration, and an absolute slot number. Devices on the network synchronized to communicate on a repeating schedule of time slots. The central device receives an updated time and determines a time difference between the updated time and the current time. The current time is adjusted in integer multiples of the hopping pattern length up to the time difference. The absolute slot number is updated based on the number of time slots in the adjusted time difference. The updated absolute slot number is propagated to other devices on the network. In turn, these other devices may also propagate the updated absolute slot number.

In a time synchronized channel hopping network, such as that defined by IEEE 802.14e, the nodes of the network need to remain synchronized. If a central node, such as a node associated with a collector seeks to adjust the time of the network, then there may be an adverse impact to the synchronicity of the network. This is especially true if the network uses Absolute Slot Numbers ("ASN"), which reflects the total number of time slots elapsed since a specific time. If a central node or collector receives an updated time from its external time source using NTP (Network Time Protocol) or other very accurate time source, and adjusts its time then it may fall out of synchronization with the other nodes on the network. In order to restore synchronization, the other nodes on the network need to make a similar adjustment.
One option is to slowly change the time at the collector, e.g. change the time 2 ms at a time. The time adjustment is then propagated through the network as messages are sent through the network. Another option is to send a broadcast message from the collector to inform the nodes of the time change and to instruct the nodes when to implement it. However, these options may require too much time to propagate the time change throughout the network or they may adversely affect the performance of the network. A time difference between the nodes may cause network instability and if the time difference is too large, it may cause the network to fail.

System and method for time adjustment in a time synchronized channel hopping network


A package for dispensing a flowable substance is provided which includes a container, a closure and a cap. The container on a closed end is sufficiently rounded to render that end incapable of standing upright. A second end of the container has a round opening for dispensing the flowable substance. The closure is positioned across the second end and includes an oval top wall with opposite exterior and interior surfaces, a skirt surrounding the top wall and at least two separate apertures for fluidly communicating with the opening of the container. The cap is seatable over the closure and includes a roof with an inner surface and a flat outer surface, an apron surrounding the roof and a set of plugs projecting downwardly from the inner surface of the roof. The plugs are equivalent in number and shape to the apertures and seatable therewithin to prevent egress of flowable substance from the container.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a package for dispensing a flowable substance, particularly a cosmetic such as a cream or gel antiperspirant/deodorant.
2. The Related Art
Antiperspirant and deodorant creams and gels are delivered in several types of packaging. Most are of the upright variety where the dispensing end is oriented away from a surface upon which the product rests. U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,356 (Johnson et al.) describes a commercially popular antiperspirant product delivered in an upright package. Product is propelled toward the dispensing end by means of a screw-threaded shaft which elevates a platform or piston. The shaft is actuated by turning a knob. Systems of this type are primed for immediate dispensing. Unfortunately, the propelling mechanism is not only expensive but sometimes can malfunction as a result of its multiple moving parts.
The market place has also seen dispensing end oriented downward packages which rest on their cap. These systems rely upon gravity to ensure immediate availability of product. Examples of such products are "Alliance De Faberge" and "Nivea" deodorant creams. These represent improvements in the sense of being simplified tubes. However, application of antiperspirant/deodorants is a messy task. The closures of these products are poorly designed for even delivery to the underarm.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a delivery system, especially for underarm products, which provides immediate dispensing of the product.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a delivery system, especially for underarm products, which allows a more even application to the skin.

Package for dispensing flowable cosmetics


Differential group delay (DGD) devices and techniques based on folded optical paths. An in-line polarization monitor can be provided as a feedback for worst-case alignment without using an in-line polarizer. Polarization maintaining retro reflectors can minimize the introduced higher-order polarization effects caused by reflections between folding mirrors or prisms in conventional schemes.

This application relates to systems, devices and techniques in connection with optical polarization.
Optical polarization is an important parameter of an optical signal in various optical systems. For example, in fiber optic communication systems, polarization-dependent effects in fibers and other devices, such as polarization-dependent loss (PDL) and polarization-mode dispersion (PMD), can have significant impacts on performance and proper operations of optical devices or systems. Hence, it may be desirable to measure, monitor or control the state of the polarization (SOP) of an optical signal in these and other systems.
Two orthogonal polarization states of an optical signal can experience different delays in an optical material and this difference is known as the differential-group-delay (DGD) of the optical material. DGD modules have various applications, especially the emulation or compensation of polarization mode dispersion (PMD). Various DGD modules are available and some of these DGD modules suffer one or more technical limitations, including (i) modification of the polarization properties of the input light for the worst-case monitoring; (ii) introduction of higher-order PMD when folded optical paths are used; (iii) being relatively bulky in size.

Optical differential group delay module with folded optical path


A connection includes a first and second surface stationary with respect to one another and a primary seal and secondary seal are formed between the surfaces and a labyrinth redundant seal is formed between the first and second surfaces and intermediate the primary and secondary seals. A connection for sealing against pressure may also include a retainer disposed within a housing receptacle a conduit disposed within a bore of the retainer. A primary seal may be formed between the conduit and the receptacle and a secondary seal may be formed between the retainer and the receptacle. A labyrinth seal may be formed between the retainer and the receptacle and intermediate the primary and secondary seals.

The present invention relates to high pressure connections. More particularly the present invention relates to high pressure connections comprising redundant seals. Downhole pressure in drilling, production, and geothermal applications may reach 25,000 PSI and temperatures over 200 degrees Celsius. It may be desirable for wires and other forms of transmitting data in such applications to have robust connections to downhole tools. It may also be desirable for hydraulic or pneumatic systems to have connections capable of withstanding high pressures. Other factors such as thermal expansion, vibrations from actuating tools, and stresses on downhole tools help contribute to a need for a robust high pressure connection.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,327 to Bouldin, et al. discloses a high pressure connector for engagement with a hydraulic conduit for use in high pressure conditions. A housing for receiving a conduit end is attachable to a primary retainer. A primary seal and a second seal are positioned between the primary retainer and the housing to provide redundant sealing capabilities. A secondary retainer holds a third seal against the primary retainer. The third seal provides redundant sealing capabilities and further provides a secondary gripping connection along the conduit length. The secondary gripping connection provides greater tensile strength and reduces the impact of conduit vibrations. A test apparatus may be adapted to test the primary, secondary, and other seals before the connector is installed downhole in the well or other high pressure environments. The '327 patent is herein incorporated by reference for all that it discloses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,095 to Rhode discloses labyrinth seal systems with selected sealing surfaces and seal geometry to optimize flow deflection and produce maximum turbulent action. Improved convex surfaces, annular flow reversal grooves, flow deflection blocks and roughs, and machined surfaces cooperate to enhance the performance of the labyrinth seal systems. The '095 patent is herein incorporated by reference for all that it discloses.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,739,757 discloses a bearing unit comprising a bearing having an inner ring, an outer ring and a plurality of rolling elements arranged so as to be freely rotatable between the inner ring and the outer ring, and a sealing device arranged on axially opposite sides of the bearings, wherein the sealing device has a fixed spacer, a rotating spacer, and a non-contacting seal section attached to the rotating ring spacer and extending towards the fixed ring spacer to be maintained in a non-contacting condition with respect to the fixed ring spacer. The '757 patent is herein incorporated by reference for all that it discloses.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,337 discloses a seal for sealing between the inner ring and outer ring of a clutch release bearing comprising a labyrinth seal section extending from one of the inner ring and outer ring and kept in a non-contact state with reference to the other ring, and a contact seal section comprising a lip portion and provided on the internal side of the labyrinth seal and kept in a contact state with reference to the other ring, and the lip portion acting to obstruct semi-fluidized foreign matter which enters through the labyrinth seal. The '337 patent is herein incorporated by reference for that it discloses.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,234 discloses a sealed, rotatable shaft assembly including a housing that defines a bore that extends from an area exterior to the housing to an area interior to the housing. A shaft is rotatably disposed in the housing about an axis of the bore. The shaft extends through the bore between the interior area and the exterior area. An annular lip seal is disposed in the bore and is attached to one of the shaft and the housing. The lip seal extends from the one of the shaft and the housing to the other of the shaft and the housing in a contact seal so that rotation of the shaft with respect to the housing wears the lip seal to form a zero-clearance non-contacting seal. A labyrinth seal stage extends between the shaft and the housing. The labyrinth seal stage is disposed outward of the lip seal, with respect to the interior area and in communication with the lip seal.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,182 discloses an idler roller assembly for a belt conveyor including a fixed shaft, a roller mounted for rotation about the shaft, and a housing mounted in each end of the roller for rotation therewith. The shaft has a hub portion adjacent each end which hub portion is disposed adjacent the housing. A bearing has an inner race secured to the shaft and an outer race secured to the housing. A unitary co-injected annular seal having a first labyrinth seal portion and a contact seal portion composed of a different material than the first labyrinth seal portion is provided between the bearing and hub portions. The contact seal portion is preferably resiliently deformable and is less rigid than the first labyrinth seal portion. A second labyrinth seal portion cooperates with the first labyrinth seal portion to define a labyrinth passageway which is sealed by the contact seal. The '182 patent in herein incorporated by reference for all that it discloses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,867 discloses a photoequipment bag consisting of a universally open container part having a dividable inner space and a closing part unilaterally hinged to the container part. The walls of the container part and of the closing part are provided each with a waterproof plastic layer. The plastic layer of the container part is watertightly connected to a first frame portion confining the container aperture, while the plastic layer of the closing part is watertightly connected to the second frame portion locking the closing part. The locking means engage the frame portions and the latter, in locked condition, are in engagement via a combined labyrinth and contact seal. The '867 patent is herein incorporated by reference for all that it.


An emergency shut-off valve is designed to be retrofitted into an existing gasoline nozzle by interposing the shut-off valve between the handle assembly and nozzle assembly of an existing gasoline dispensing nozzle. The inventive shut-off valve is spring biased in a closing direction and is held open by a protrusion extending proximal of the nozzle portion of the existing gasoline dispensing nozzle so that with the shut-off valve assembled between the existing handle assembly and nozzle assembly, the valve is held open. A sleeve having a weakened annulus holds the nozzle assembly onto the shut-off valve. If a driver drives away from a gasoline dispensing pump with the nozzle remaining within the gas tank opening, the weakened area fails allowing the sleeve to separate and the nozzle assembly to remove itself from the shut-off valve causing the shut-off valve to instantaneously close preventing fuel spillage. Embodiments of vapor recovery structure are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a gasoline nozzle with retrofitted emergency shut-off valve. In the prior art, it is known to provide a gasoline dispensing nozzle with a system designed to prevent fuel spillage should the nozzle be broken off. Applicant herein is co-inventor of the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,023, which patent discloses an entirely new gasoline dispensing nozzle having an emergency shut-off valve activated should the nozzle break off the handle. While the device disclosed in this patent is effective for its intended purpose, Applicant has discovered that it is advantageous to provide an emergency shut-off valve which may be retrofitted into nozzles which are commonly used to dispense fuels such as gasoline and diesel fuel at service stations. It is with this idea in mind that the present invention was developed.
The following additional prior art is known to Applicant:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,773 to Klop et al. discloses a breakaway hose coupling intended to be provided in a hose supplying fuel to a fuel dispensing nozzle 18. The Klop et al. device includes two valves at the interface and shear pins 74 which shear when a force above a preset level is applied thereto, whereupon the valves close. The present invention differs from the teachings of Klop et al. as contemplating incorporating an emergency shut-off valve within the dispensing nozzle itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,076 to Ganshorn et al. discloses a pressure discharge apparatus including a fluid coupling having a ball 51 held open through engagement with a protrusion 83, 86, which ball 51 closes when the halves are separated. The present invention differs from the teachings of Ganshorn et al. as contemplating incorporation of an emergency shut-off valve within a fuel dispensing nozzle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,203 to Garms discloses a fluid coupling designed to be incorporated into a pressurized fuel line and which includes a ball valve 42 biased in a direction of closure against a seat 44 and held open when a coupling is made as shown in FIG. 2 of Garms by a protruding member 55. Again, the present invention differs from the teachings of Garms as including an emergency shut-off valve incorporated into a dispensing nozzle of a fuel supplying device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,870 to Moore et al. discloses an emergency valve designed to shut-off the flow of fuel in the event a fuel dispenser is struck with sufficient force to rupture the fuel conduit means therefor. The Moore et al. device includes a weakened area 80 in the housing thereof which, when a force above a design level is placed thereon, breaks thereby releasing an arm 40 and allowing the valves 50 and 20 to close. The present invention differs from the teachings of Moore et al. as contemplating incorporation of an emergency shut-off valve into an existing gasoline nozzle and as including means for holding the emergency shut-off valve in an open position internally of the nozzle.

Gasoline nozzle with retrofitted emergency shut-off valve


Since an image projected from a projector has basically not high quality due to degradation of brightness and mixture of outside light, the image shot by the conventional technology includes the projected image with basically not high quality. In order to solve the above deficiency, in an aspect of the present invention provides an image system, where live performance is provided to audience by image projection on the screen, and the image to be shot does not include the projected image with low quality. For example, the image system can later synthesize a high-quality image having the same content as the projected image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for appropriately shooting by an imager an area including a screen, on which an image is projected.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, a technology for staging, where a semi-transparent screen is placed on a stage and a projector projects a character image such as a 3D animation, such that the character really exists on the stage, is provided. Moreover, by using such technology, a virtual music live performance, where a virtual vocalist image is projected on the stage, and singing voice data is outputted accompanying of performance by a live band or karaoke, is held. Moreover, such event is shot by an imager (camera), and is distributed to a user's terminal via the network, or is recorded on media such as a DVD and is sold.
Moreover, in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No, 2007-282110, a technology of an imaging system for projected image to appropriately shoot the stage including the projected image flour the projector using the imager is disclosed. Specifically, as an example of the imaging system for the projected image, by utilizing a half mirror, the projector and the imager are placed, such that optical axes of the projector and the imager are orthogonally crossed for shooting without calibration of optical direction and distance of the projector and the imager. However, in the above configuration, unnecessary image by the projected light (e.g., images by the projected light reflecting off objects scattered around the shooting location other than the projection screen) other than the projected image as a shooting target is inputted into the imager depending, on transmittance and reflectance rate of the half mirror. Therefore, in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-282110, in order to exclude such unnecessary projected image, an image input/output device, where two linear polarization filters etc. are placed on a predetermined optical path, such that the projected light reflected from the object other than the screen does not come into the imager after passing through or reflecting off the half mirror, is disclosed.

Imaging method including synthesizing second image in area of screen that displays first image


A method and a system which provide means to enable terminal equipment that relies on network based retrieval of data objects and terminal equipment that comprises data object retrieval capability, to coexist and interact with each other on the same communication network. This is accomplished by a filtering server on the network that at least knows which terminals require network based retrieval and only gives these terminals network based data object retrieval.

The present evolution of data-communication is such that more and more users gain access to the internet worldwide. Internet has become both a source of knowledge but also a market place for business, and it is attracting more and more users. Currently there is a high pressure on the data-communications industry to provide solutions that allow everyone to gain access to the internet. Broadband solutions are continuously developed and both local as well as national access networks are planned and launched. The presently most common method of modem access through the telecommunications network (e.g., the Public Switched Telecommunication Network, PSTN provider) is being replaced by other ways of access, with a possibility to higher data rates, e.g., through electric power lines or cable TV.
At the same time, the telecommunications industry is struggling another battle, that of providing mobility to each and every user. Traditionally, telecommunication has been focused on voice communication. With the increase of data communication however, other demands are arising (e.g., higher data rate transfer), but also new possibilities. Evolutions of mobile systems are presently in a period when more and more packet-based systems will be deployed.
The data-communication run over the telecommunications networks today is usually initiated by an access to an Internet- or a mail server. A user can dial a modem pool and is therefrom connected to a server, from which access can be made to both local as well as global networks. Browsers like e.g., Microsoft Explorer or Netscape Navigator are used to navigate on the internet and switch between internet pages or addresses. Users can design their own data objects, homepages, on an internal or external network that provides personal information or any other kind of information. Once connected to the data network a user may access these data objects by entering the correct address. The address is often selected by combining a node name in the network (e.g. server name) and an arbitrary text-string. Typically, it is not trivial to find a desired data object, since the text strings and server names are not obvious.
Addressing in a telecommunications network, e.g., when engaging in a voice or data communication is usually performed by entering a telephone number on a User Equipment (UE), like a mobile telephone or a terminal with a facsimile functionality. A telephone number is a, world-wide, unique addressing string. A calling party (A-party) dials the addressing string (B-number) to the called party (B-party). Dependent on what type of network the A-party is a subscriber on, the call request is routed through one or several public telecommunication networks to the correct addressee and the communication may begin. Other unique addressing strings are for example email addresses, IPv4 addresses, IPv6 addresses, and sip (session initiation protocol) addresses.
There has lately been a merger between the data object handling of the internet and the simplicity of use of telecommunication networks. This has evolved partly because there is a problem in the present way of accessing the internet for specific data objects due to the non-obvious way of addressing data objects, and partly by a desire of the telecommunications industry to provide a simpler way of accessing data objects from telecommunication terminals than having to dial a modem number where the user is left on her own to retrieve a desired homepage or data object. This merger has resulted in systems where an A-party can retrieve data objects, also called phonepages, by the use of a simple unique identifier of a B-party, such as a dialed B-party number, an internet address such as an email address, an IPv4 address, a sip address, or an IPv6 address. The systems that accomplish this simple data retrieval have either network functionality or terminal functionality for the data object retrieval. Unfortunately these systems are not compatible.

Method and apparatus for exchange of data objects between network nodes depending on terminal capability


The NAS device receives the delivery instruction from the delivery server. The delivery instruction includes the information for identifying the client which is to be the delivery destination of data, and the information for specifying the data to be delivered. In response to the delivery instruction, the NAS device reads the specified data and delivers the specified data to the client specified as the delivery destination of data. The delivery instruction may include the information on the reading rate, if necessary. The NAS device carries out the data reading and the data delivery at the specified reading rate.

The present invention relates to a storage device and a computer system, and more particularly to a storage device for transferring stream data stored in a plurality of computers, storage devices or computer systems (hereafter referred to as "nodes").
Consider a system in which a single computer for delivering data (hereafter referred to as "delivery server") receives a data-delivery request from a client and this delivery server delivers data, which is stored in plural nodes (the delivery server is connected to those nodes through a network), in response to the data-delivery request. As a storage device for realizing the above-mentioned system, a network attached storage (NAS) devices mounting an NFS server module is known ("Nikkei System Provider", Nikkei Business Publications, Inc., Mar. 30, 2001 issue, pp. 72–77, and "Open Design, No. 3, Ethernet and TCP/IP", CQ Publishing Co., Ltd., pp. 91–99). "Ethernet" is a trademark of Fuji-Xerox Co., Ltd.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a software system for realizing the above-mentioned data delivery using the NAS device mounting the NFS server module. In this software system, a delivery server 101 receives a delivery request from a client 103. In response to this delivery request, the delivery server 101 delivers, to the client data, data which is stored in the NAS devices 102 connected to the delivery server 101 through a network.
When receiving the delivery request from the client 103, the delivery server 101 activates a delivery engine module 105. The delivery engine module 105 issues a file-read request to an NFS client module 107 in order to read data, which is specified by the client, from the NAS device 102.
Subsequently, the delivery engine module 105 receives data from the NFS client module 107, and delivers the data to the client which issues the delivery request. A data registration module 106 issues a file-write request to the NFS client module 107 to store the data in the NAS device 102.
The NFS client module 107 receives the file-read request from the delivery engine module 105 or the file-write request from the data registration module 106. In response to the received request, the NFS client module 107 issues an NFS-read request or an NFS-write request to the NAS device 102.
The NAS device 102 receiving the NFS-write request or the NFS-read request from the delivery server 101 activates a file system module 109 and a disk driver module 110. The NAS device 102 executes a disk-write operation or a disk-read operation to a storage device 111 in response to the requests in the order of their arrival.


Groups of magnets are respectively provided on the joint surfaces of a vehicle-side connector and a power-supply-side connector in such a way that the N and S poles of a plurality of permanent magnets are alternately arranged in a circle. When charging is carried out, the magnetic attraction generated by placing the heteropolar magnets in both groups of magnets opposite to one another is utilized for bringing the vehicle-side connector and the power-supply-side connector into engagement with each other. After the charging, the group of magnets of the power-supply-side connector are turned by one pitch to place the homopolar magnets in both groups of magnets opposite to one another, whereby both connectors are easily separated from each other because of the magnetic repulsive force generated therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to charging connectors for an electric vehicle as those for use in charging the storage battery of such an electric vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Charging connectors for an electric vehicle as those for use in charging the storage battery of the electric vehicle include a vehicle-side connector which is connected to the storage battery mounted in a vehicle body and also fastened to the vehicle body, and a power-supply-side connector which is connected to a power supply for supplying charging electric power. The charging operation is performed in such a state that the power-supply-side connector has been fitted in the vehicle-side connector. Upon the termination of the charging operation, the power-supply-side connector is then detached from the vehicle-side connector.
As the aforesaid charging connectors are generally of such a type that the operations of connecting and disconnecting the connectors are manually performed, charging work has to be done smoothly in particular.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,209, for example, describes a coupling apparatus of the sort mentioned above and as shown in FIG. 26, a slit 102 is formed in the predetermined position of the body of an electric vehicle 101 and a charging coupler 103 is made insertable in the slit 102.
A coupler accommodating portion 104 of the charging coupler 103 is provided under the slit 102. As shown in FIG. 27, the coupler accommodating portion 104 is equipped with a secondary core 105, a secondary coil 106 which is wound on the secondary core 105 and a channel 107 which is formed in the secondary core 105 and used for receiving the charging coupler 103. The charging coupler 103 is equipped with a primary core 108 and a primary coil 109 which is wound on the primary core 108 and the primary coil 109 is excited by a charging power supply. When the primary coil 109 is excited in such a state that the charging coupler 103 has been inserted in the coupler accommodating portion 104, electromotive force is generated in the secondary coil 106, whereby the power battery (not shown) of such an electric vehicle is charged.
With the arrangement above, the charging coupler 103 is inserted via the slit 102 in the channel 107 from above and taken out of the coupler accommodating portion 104 again by pulling it upward with a handle 103A on the termination of the charging operation.
The joint surfaces of the cores are exposed to the air when they are not used, though they are brought into engagement with each other at the time of charging. Consequently, extraneous substances may stick to the joint surfaces. In the aforementioned charging apparatus, the extraneous substances sticking to the joint surfaces 105A, 105A (see FIG. 27) of the secondary core 105 cannot easily be found nor cleaned because the secondary core 105 is situated in the depth of the coupler accommodating portion 104.
As shown in FIG. 27, moreover, the secondary core 105 has two joint surfaces 105A which are directed opposite to each other and the trouble is that the work of cleaning them has to be done twice by changing the direction of the cleaning means.


Processes are disclosed for production of purified products from a fluid mixtures of C8 aromatics by means of integration of perm-selective separations with purified product recovery operations. The perm-selective separations of the invention comprise of one or more devices using polymeric perm-selective membrane devices to separate a meta-xylene enriched stream from fluid mixtures of C8 aromatics thereby producing a fluid comprising the remaining aromatic compounds which advantageously includes para-xylene. Processes of the invention are particularly useful for recovery of very pure meta-xylene and para-xylene co-products from liquid mixtures even containing ethylbenzene as well as the three xylene isomers.

The C8 aromatics exist as ethylbenzene and three isomers of xylene (dimethylbenzenes) which are separated only with great difficulty because they have boiling points which are very close together. While the demand for para-xylene remains high, demand for meta-xylene is steadily increasing. Meta-xylene is used for the manufacture of insecticides, isophthalic acid or alkyd resins. Para-xylene is used in the manufacture of terephthalic acid which in turn is subsequently employed in the manufacture of various synthetic fibers, such as polyester. Ortho-xylene can be used as material for plasticizers. Benzene di- and tri-carboxylic acids have wide industrial application including the manufacture of polyesters, polyamides, and fibers and films. For commercial manufacture of these products the required source of high purity benzene di- and tri-carboxylic acids may be obtained from a corresponding substituted aromatic compound by catalytic oxidation of methyl moieties to carboxylic acid moieties, advantageously in a liquid-phase medium.
The possibility of utilizing a liquid-phase instead of vapor-phase oxidation for the preparation of benzene carboxylic acids was first indicated by the disclosure in U.S. Pat. No. 2,245,528 of the catalysis provided by variable valence metals, especially cobalt, in a liquid-phase of saturated lower aliphatic acid at elevated temperature and pressures to maintain the liquid phase of the aliphatic acid. Combinations of cobalt and manganese with a source of bromine have become preferred for commercial use, for example, see U.S. Pat. No. 2,833,816. A key element in obtaining benzene di- and tri-carboxylic acids having suitable high purity for these oxidation processes is using an oxidation feedstock of high purity.
Substantial sources of meta-xylene generally are mixtures of ethylbenzene, ortho-xylene, meta-xylene, and para-xylene. Therefore, the desired isomers must be separated from such mixtures. As is well-known in the separation art, certain crystalline aluminosilicates can be used to separate the desired isomers from mixtures thereof. For example, zeolites X and Y have been used to selectively adsorb para-xylene; see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,903,187, 4,313,015, 5,171,922, 5,495,061 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,295. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,017 discloses contacting mixtures of C8 aromatics with a zeolitic adsorbent selective for para-xylene and then contacting the adsorbent with a non-aqueous desorbent to recover the para-xylene from the adsorbent. The stated zeolitic adsorbents selective for para-xylene in U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,017 are ZSM-5, ZSM-11 and zeolite Beta. U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,830 discloses a rejective separation of para-xylene from other xylene isomers and ethylbenzene using sodium Y zeolite or a sodium Y zeolite ion exchanged with an element from Groups IB or VIII of the Periodic Table, such as nickel or copper.
Growing interest in meta-xylene is shown by patents directed to the separation of meta-xylene, which are becoming more numerous. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,747 discloses adsorbing, meta-xylene using a sodium or sodium and lithium exchanged Y zeolite to separate meta-xylene from mixtures of C8 aromatic hydrocarbons including other xylenes in the liquid phase. U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,347 discloses a rejective separation of meta-xylene using zeolite Y preliminary exchanged with potassium. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,326,092 and 4,306,107 disclose processes using a simulated moving adsorbent bed counter current flow system for the separation of high-purity meta-xylene at high recoveries from a feed mixture comprising meta-xylene, ethylbenzene and the other xylene isomers.
More recently U.S. Pat. No. 6,137,024 describes a particular adsorbent, type Beta zeolite, as effective in separating meta-xylene from mixtures of C8 aromatic hydrocarbons. Beta zeolite is suited to the separation of meta-xylene from other xylene isomers since Beta zeolite preferentially rejects meta-xylene as compared to the other xylene isomers. Therefore, the meta-xylene of a mixture of xylene isomers that is in contact with Beta zeolite will be carried with the fluid flow, while the other isomers are retained by the Beta zeolite thereby allowing for the recovery of separated meta-xylene. Beta zeolite has been used to separate isomers of C9 aromatic hydrocarbons (U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,398) and C10 aromatic hydrocarbons (U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,708). Beta zeolite has also been used to selectively adsorb ethylbenzene from a stream containing ethylbenzene and one or more isomeric xylenes, (U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,424) and to selectively adsorb para-xylene from a stream containing para-xylene and another C8 aromatic hydrocarbon (U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,617).
Various commercial processes for separation of para-xylene from C8 aromatics have been developed as alternatives to fractional distillation. Such processes utilize either differences of the freezing points between ethylbenzene, ortho-xylene, meta-xylene and para-xylene, (fractional crystallization) and/or processes based upon properties of zeolite materials to selectively adsorb para-xylene from mixtures of C8 aromatics; the adsorbed paraxylene is recovered after desorbing from the zeolite.
Either of these processes can recover paraxylene in high yields from available mixtures of C8 aromatics. However, they involve reprocessing large amounts of the resulting filtrate from the crystallization process or the raffinate from the adsorption process. These streams are depleted in paraxylene and contain relatively high proportions of ethylbenzene, ortho-xylene, and meta-xylene. Furthermore, these streams are typically subjected to further processing downstream of the crystallization or adsorption process.
Crystallization methods have been used in commercial processes to separate para-xylene from aromatic starting materials containing ethylbenzene as well as the three xylene isomers. Use is made of the fact that melting point temperatures of the individual isomers of xylene are significantly different. Ortho-xylene has a freezing point of negative 25.2° C., meta-xylene has a freezing point of negative 47.9° C. and para-xylene has a freezing point of 13.3° C. However, conventional crystallization methods can be used to make para-xylene with a purity of 99.8 percent by weight only with great expense.
Crystallization processes to recover para-xylene from a mixture of C8 aromatics requires cooling a feed stream, for example an equilibrium mixture of isomers from reformate and/or xylene isomerization processes. Because it's melting point is much higher than that of other C8 aromatics, para-xylene crystals are readily formed in a crystallizer after refrigeration of the feed solution. Feed mixtures of refinery aromatic streams typically contain about 22 to about 23 percent by weight of para-xylene. In order to crystallize a substantial amount of the para-xylene from solution, the solution has to be cooled to just above the eutectic temperature (i.e. the temperature at which a second component start to co-crystallize and contaminate the para-xylene crystals). The eutectic temperature is determined by the composition of the remaining mother liquor after para-xylene crystals are removed from the mixture (mostly meta-xylene, ortho-xylene and ethylbenzene). Although not known with absolute certainty, it is believed that the eutectic temperature decreases with higher relative composition of ethylbenzene in the remaining mother liquor. As the eutectic temperature decreases, the concentration of para-xylene in the outlet stream also decreases, increasing the para-xylene recovery. Given a mixture of xylenes with relative ratio of para-xylene meta-xylene:ortho-xylene:ethylbenzene of about 2:4:2:1, at temperatures within about 3° to 6° C. of the eutectic temperature the para-xylene recovery is limited to about 70 percent.
Typically a reject stream depleted in para-xylene, but containing relatively high proportions of ethylbenzene, ortho-xylene, and meta-xylene from the crystallization process or the adsorption processes, are treated in an isomerization process which is used to increase the proportion of para-xylene in para-xylene depleted streams. The para-xylene depleted stream can be contacted with an isomerization catalyst under appropriate temperature and pressure which results in the conversion of some of the ortho-xylene and meta-xylene to para-xylene. It is also usually desirable to convert some of the ethylbenzene to prevent it from building up to high concentrations. Known catalysts are selected to enable conversion of ethylbenzene to benzene and ethane via hydro-dealkylation, and/or C8 isomerization to an equilibrium mixture of xylenes.
Processes for making para-xylene therefore included combinations of isomerization with fractional crystallization and/or adsorption separation. The disadvantage with such combinations is that, despite improvements in catalyst performance isomerization technology is only able to produce equilibrium or near-equilibrium mixtures of the xylene isomers and typically is also relatively inefficient for the conversion of ethylbenzene to benzene and/or isomers of xylene. Consequently big recycles of the reject streams back through these processes are needed to ensure the conversion of the C8 aromatics stream to para-xylene is maximized with or without the additional recovery if desired of ortho-xylene and/or meta-xylene. There is a need therefore for improved processes and chemical plants for the production of para-xylene from mixtures of C8 aromatics, which in particular address the problems associated with large recycles and/or low ethylbenzene conversions.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to overcome one or more of the problems described above.
A new approach to recovery of a very pure aromatic isomer has now been found when processing aromatic starting materials, for example, a pure meta-xylene product from liquid mixtures containing ethylbenzene as well as the three xylene isomers. The new approach beneficially provides a process for recovering meta-xylene having a purity of at least 99.5 percent by weight, and advantageously 99.8 percent from liquid mixtures of aromatic compounds, even containing ethylbenzene as well as the three xylene isomers.
Advantageously processes of the invention also provide for simultaneous recovery of para-xylene having a purity of at least 99.5 percent by weight, and advantageously 99.8 percent from liquid mixtures of aromatic compounds, even containing ethylbenzene as well as the three xylene isomers.
As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the present invention provides processes for recovery of purified products from a fluid mixture by means of an integrated perm-selective membrane separation apparatus and selective sorption methods, such as liquid-phase adsorption chromatography, or simulated moving bed adsorption (SMBA) and fractional crystallization separation apparatus. Integrated apparatus of the invention comprises SMBA and fractional crystallization units coupled to one or more devices using polymeric membranes for recovery of purified products.
There is a need for a cost effective method of producing high purity meta-xylene from a C8 aromatic mixture containing para-xylene, meta-xylene, ortho-xylene and ethylbenzene.

Xylene process using perm-selective separations


According to some aspects, methods and systems may include receiving, by computing device from one or more client devices, a plurality of requests for one or more content items formatted in a first format and determining whether to multicast the one or more content items based on a data structure configured with one or more conditions associated with multicasting content. The methods and systems may also include transmitting, to the one or more client devices, the one more content items via one or more multicast streams if the requests meet a first condition of the one or more conditions. The methods and systems may also include formatting the one or more content items in a second format prior to the transmitting if network resources fail to meet a second condition of the one or more conditions.

Content providers have long sought to save network resources and bandwidth by providing content in the most efficient way possible. Previously, content providers have determined whether to multicast content or unicast content by statically preconfiguring a multicast server with what a human administrator thought was the most popular channels. However, this may be not efficient, because the popularity of channels changes in real-time, and manually configuring a multicast lineup cannot find the most optimal use of network resources at any given time. There remains an ever-present need to dynamically determine when to multicast content.


Fusion proteins comprising a tafazzin peptide and a cellular permeability peptide are disclosed. The tafazzin peptide may be coupled to the permeability peptide through a polypeptide linker. Methods of making and using the fusion proteins are also disclosed. For example, the disclosed fusion proteins may be used to treat a patient having a disorder associated with a tafazzin deficiency or a remodeled cardiolipin deficiency (e.g., Barth syndrome). Additionally, the disclosed fusion proteins may be used in prophylaxis against developing a disorder associated with a tafazzin deficiency or a remodeled cardiolipin deficiency in a patient at risk of developing such a disorder.

Tafazzin (TAZ) is a mitochondrial transacylase that can catalyze the transfer of acyl chains from phosphatidyl choline to cardiolipin (CL), remodeling monolysocardiolipin (MLCL) to tetralinoleoyl cardiolipin (L4CL) (see Houtkooper R H, et al. (2009) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1788, 2003-2014 and Xu Y, et al. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 51380-51385). Mutations in TAZ can result in impairment of lipid metabolism (see Aprikyan A A and Khuchua Z. (2013) Brit. J. Haematol. 161, 330-338) leading to mitochondrial dysfunction, which can be manifested clinically, for example, in highly energetic tissues such as the heart and skeletal muscle (see id. and Khuchua Z, et al. (2006) Circ. Res. 99, 201-208).
Studies have shown that CL, a structurally unique phospholipid component of the inner mitochondrial membrane, can provide functional support for electron transport chain complexes (see Kiebish M A, et al. (2013) J. Lipid Res. 54, 1312-1325 and Pfeiffer K, et al. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 52873-52880). In the absence of CL, respiratory supercomplex formation can be hindered (see McKenzie M, et al. (2006) J. Mol. Biol. 361, 462-469 and Zhang M, Mileykovskaya E, Dowhan W (2002) J. Biol. Chem. 277, 43553-43556) and individual complex activity can be decreased (see Zhang M, Mileykovskaya E, Dowhan W. (2005) J. Biol. Chem. 280, 29403-29408). Additionally, disturbances in the acyl chain composition of CL have been linked to impaired mitochondrial respiratory function (see Xu Y, et al. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 51380-51385), possibly through alteration in membrane dynamics (see Baile M G, et al. (2014) J. Biol. Chem. 289, 1768-1778).
It has been reported that cardiomyocytes (CMs) derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) containing targeted TAZ mutations demonstrate substantially normal ATP stores but increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) (Wang G, et al. (2014) Nat. Med. 20, 616-623). ROS have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy and regulation of excitation-contraction coupling through effects on specific signaling pathways such as ERK, AKT, and PKA (see Sag C M, Santos C X, Shah A M (2014) J. Mol. Cell Cardiol. 73C, 103-111). Mitochondrial ROS, in particular, have been associated with angiotensin H-induced hypertrophy and heart failure associated with Gαq signaling (see Dai D F, et al. (2011) Circ. Res. 108, 837-846). Excessive ROS have also been linked to apoptosis (see Murphy M P, et al. (2011) Cell Metab. 13, 361-366).
Tafazzin orthologs are present in a wide variety of model organisms, indicating tafazzin's importance in mitochondrial biology, and providing the opportunity for the study of tafazzin function in organisms as diverse as, but not limited to, yeast, drosophila, and mice. In humans, the tafazzin gene is expressed via multiple splice variants, at least two of which have enzymatic activity. In experimental models of heart failure, such as the spontaneously hypertensive rat model, and in tissue samples collected from patients with heart failure, tafazzin expression and remodeled cardiolipin levels are reduced, suggesting that TAZ may play a common role in multiple forms of heart failure (see Sparagna G C, et al. (2007) J. Lipid Res. 48, 1559-1570). Since striated muscle cells generally require ATP for contraction, defects in mitochondrial function may lead to diminished ATP stores and consequent contractile dysfunction, as suggested previously (see He Q (2010) Am. J. Physiol.-Heart C. 299, H210-H216).
Barth syndrome (BTHS) is an X-linked disorder that is often characterized by mitochondrial functional impairment resulting in cardiac and skeletal myopathies, cyclic neutropenia, hypotonia, and 3-methylglutaconic aciduria (see Barth P G, et al. (2004) Am. J. Med. Genet. Part A 126A, 349-354). BTHS mitochondria can also appear morphologically abnormal and mitochondrial respiration can be impaired. TAZ has been linked with BTHS (see Xu Y, et al. (2006) J. Biol. Chem. 281, 39217-39224). Clinically, the cardiomyopathy observed in BTHS patients is primarily dilated cardiomyopathy and usually presents in the first year of life, although noncompaction cardiomyopathy has also been observed both clinically (see Bleyl S B, et al. (1997) Am. J. Med. Genet. 72, 257-265) and experimentally (see Phoon C K L, et al. (2012) J Am. Heart Assoc. 1, jah3-e000455-jah000453-e000455). Skeletal muscle weakness is also present early in life in BTHS patients, and neutropenia can vary, ranging from mild depression to complete absence, often in the same patient and often triggered by infection. Mortality was reportedly highest in infancy and childhood in early studies, but more recently, better diagnosis and treatment has improved survival, although few BTHS patients survive beyond middle age. At present, no specific therapy is available for BTHS patients.
The role of TAZ mutations in the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathy in BTHS has traditionally been ascribed to ATP deficiency due to the inefficient mitochondrial respiration observed in TAZ-deficient cells; however, it has been suggested that excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) may be a more likely cause (see Wang G, et al. (2014) Nat. Med. 20, 616-623). Reduced levels of TAZ have also been observed in other forms of experimental heart failure and in clinical samples from patients with heart failure, raising the possibility that abnormalities in TAZ-dependent mitochondrial function may serve as a final common pathway for heart failure (see Sparagna G C, et al. (2007) 48, 1559-1570).
At the cellular level, hearts from BTHS patients can demonstrate morphologically abnormal mitochondria (see Neustein H B, et al. (1979) Pediatrics 64, 24-29) while fibroblasts can demonstrate impaired mitochondrial respiration due to deficiency of Complex III and IV activity (see Barth P G, et al. (1996) J. Inherit. Metab. Dis. 19, 157-160). Cultured fibroblasts can also demonstrate severe depletion of tetralinoleoyl cardiolipin (see Valianpour F, et al. (2003) J. Lipid Res, 44, 560-566 and Valianpour F, et al. (2002) J. Pediatr. 141, 729-733) that could be rescued by linoleic acid supplementation. Similarly, heart tissue can also demonstrate deficiency of tetralinoleoyl cardiolipin in the absence of functional tafazzin (see Schlame M, et al. (2002) Ann. Neurol. 51, 634-637).
A mouse model of inducible tafazzin deficiency has been developed, which can recapitulate many of the clinical manifestations of BTHS (see Acehan D, et al. (2011) J. Biol. Chem. 286, 899-908; Phoon C K L, et al. (2012) J Am. Heart Assoc. 1, jah3-e000455-jah000453-e000455; and Soustek M S, et al. (2011) Hum. Gene Ther. 22, 865-871). Characterization of this mouse model has revealed defects in cardiolipin modification, mitochondrial morphology, and both cardiac and skeletal muscle function. At baseline, however, these mice do not generally demonstrate any appreciable, or substantially appreciable, cardiac dysfunction until the age of 8 months, suggesting that additional stress may be required to trigger the onset of heart failure.
Nutritional supplementations with carnitine and linoleic acid have been promoted as potential treatments for BTHS, but results have been disappointing. Skeletal myopathy is generally difficult to treat. Heart failure in BTHS patients can be treated supportively, with diuretics, afterload reduction, beta blockade, and mechanical support as a bridge to transplant in severe cases, which are standard treatments for most cases of systolic heart failure. Infections resulting from neutropenia are treated with antibiotics. Although these interventions can alleviate symptoms and possibly improve outcome in BTHS patients, they do not treat the underlying metabolic disorder.

Modified tafazzin proteins and methods of making and using the same


A remote monitoring method includes monitoring a plurality of components on a main board. When one of the plurality of components fails to function properly, a warning message is produced to indicate that the component is out of order. Afterward, the warning message is transmitted to a remote control device through a network medium. The remote control device then produces a plot to imitate the relative positions of the main board and the components and displays the malfunctioning component on the plot.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote monitoring method, and more specifically, to a remote monitoring method with event-triggered warning capability.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For helping maintenance workers manage and maintain electronic devices efficiently, there are usually some detectors installed on the electronic devices to monitor functional statuses of the electronic devices. Even so, the maintenance workers still have to face more challenges when technology changes with every passing day. For example, every maintenance worker may need to monitor a plurality of devices located in different engine rooms or distributed in different zones. In addition, maintaining the devices of different types is also a challenge for the maintenance workers.
In some previous monitoring methods, functional statuses of the devices are only displayed on a monitored device interface. For example, functional statuses of components on a main board are displayed with lamp signals. However, it is not only time-consuming but also inefficient because the maintenance workers have to check the detailed functional statuses by themselves. These methods are also not fit for some electronic devices without interfaces. In addition, displaying error messages also raises power problems if the maintenance workers need to cut off a power supply.
In other previous monitoring methods, there is a monitoring device installed on a monitored device for monitoring functional statuses of the monitored device. Then the maintenance workers look up the functional statuses of the monitored device and error messages through the monitoring device. However, it is still time-consuming and inefficient because the maintenance workers need to do it by themselves.

Remote monitoring method with event-triggered warning capability


A vehicular final drive chain path length compensation and adjustment system using an idler assembly which is moved in a prescribed geometry by a stiff system. The system and method maintains constant the chain path length during suspension travel. An idler arm assembly guides the idler assembly along an arc-shaped path, with displacement along this path determined not by a spring, but by a cam rotated by a trailing arm on the vehicle. The idler arm assembly allows for a simple static adjustment to compensate the chain path length for wear of components and tolerances in the vehicle assembly.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a driveline system for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a final drive (chain or belt) adjusting system on a single track vehicle (e.g., motorcycle) or multi track vehicle having a trailing arm suspension. Yet more specifically, the present invention relates to a system and apparatus for providing both static and dynamic adjustment of the tension in an endless loop final drive.
Description of the Prior Art
Dynamic Chain Adjustment and Causes of Variations in Chain Tension:
Vehicles, such as motorcycles, often use a chain drive to deliver power from the motor or engine to one or more ground-engaging wheels. In the disclosure which follows, the term "chain drive" refers to the class of endless loop drive systems which may comprise a roller chain, silent chain, synchronous and non synchronous belt drive, or any other type drive in this class. Further, sprockets, pulleys, sheaves or the like may be referred to as "pinions." Chain drives are often used on vehicles such as motorcycles which employ a rear wheel connected to the vehicle main frame by means of a pivoting, trailing, swing arm.
In many chain driven vehicles, and in other instances where chain drives are used, a chain tensioner is employed to maintain tension in the final drive chain so that the chain is properly engaged with the chain sprockets, or pinions, on an output shaft and a rear wheel. These known chain tensioners, typically rollers, typically are biased toward the drive chain with a spring or other compliant biasing member. The force of the biasing member is such that, as the rear wheel bounces up and down with respect to the vehicle frame and output shaft (or driving pinion), the chain tensioner moves up and down by a spring force or torque to remain in contact with the drive chain, thereby preventing the chain from slipping on the pinions (or sprockets). Other types of tensioners include chain rubs that are fixably mounted to a motorcycle frame, such that a drive chain slides against the chain rub to thereby remove some of the slack that exists in the drive chain. These chain tensioners which account for the chain slack during suspension motion can be considered as "dynamic" chain tensioners.
Static Chain Adjustment:
In addition to a "dynamic" chain tensioner, there are known in the art "static" chain tension adjusters. Static adjusters are used to account for wear of the pinions and/or the chain, and also to accommodate manufacturing tolerances on the vehicle. Static adjustment typically is performed manually at regular maintenance intervals (depending on vehicle usage). One method for static adjustment of the chain is by moving the driven wheel relative to the trailing arm. To perform this type of static adjustment the vehicle must be stopped. The wheel axle must be loosened and the axle moved, typically with threaded adjusters on each side of the wheel. The wheel must be aligned so that the pinions are in the same plane, and the wheel axle must then be re-tightened. Problems arise if the wheel is not aligned properly; the chain may heat up and wear quickly, and/or the vehicle may exhibit poor handling qualities due to wheel misalignment. It also is possible to tighten the chain incorrectly, in such a fashion that the adjustment appears correct, but when the suspension is worked the chain becomes overloaded or overloads the vehicle's pinion shafts and bearings.
In addition to moving the driven wheel for static chain adjustment, another known method of static adjustment is to move the trailing arm pivot relative to the chassis. A static adjustment is carried out similarly to the fashion described above, except that the trailing arm pivot is loosened. In either of these methods, the adjustment process can be time consuming and messy.
Chain Drive Design Limitations:
Because of the dynamic chain tension variation due to suspension motion, typical chain drive designs locate the driving pinion as close as possible to the trailing arm pivot axis. In some designs, such as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,003,443, the driving pinion is located co-axially with the trailing arm pivot axis to eliminate chain tension variation. Although this reduces chain slack variation of the chain drive, it greatly limits the ability to improve vehicle dynamics by utilizing different drive chain geometries.
Engine Braking and Reverse Drive Problems:
Spring loaded chain tensioners also have problems with heavy engine braking or reverse drive of the chain drive system. It is well known that a chain drive or belt drive loop has a loaded portion and an unloaded portion, the loaded portion being the length of chain or belt that is in high tension as it pulls on a driven pinion or sprocket to impart rotary motion to a wheel. Typically, a spring loaded tensioner is on the unloaded loose or return side of the chain drive. Under reverse loading, the chain tension switches "sides," and the previously unloaded loose side becomes tight while the formerly loaded portion, the tight side, becomes loose. Under these circumstances, the spring on the tensioner cannot supply a sufficiently large tension force to counterbalance the reverse chain load, and the chain can become very loose and skip or come off the pinions. If the spring tension is increased to compensate for the change in tension due to reverse loading, than the high tension tends quickly to wear the chain drive. Yet another method is to employ an additional spring loaded chain tensioner on the typical tension side of the chain drive. Then, when the chain undergoes a reverse load, this additional chain tensioner adjusts the now loose side of the chain. Such additional spring loaded tensioners add cost and complexity to vehicle configuration. Further, the chain drive tends to exhibit undesirable "slack deadband," in which the driven pinion can rotate back and forth tightening and loosening the different sides of the chain drive relative to the driven pinion.
Previous efforts to statically or dynamically adjust chain tension are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,494 to Gibson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,582 to Leitner; U.S. Patent App. Pub. No. 2009/0241742 to Gilgallon et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,821 to Stoddard et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,246 to McGilp; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,747 to Offenstadt. While the teachings of these patent publications are incorporated herein by reference, any discussion of the prior art throughout this disclosure should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
In sum, there are several main problems with prior art chain adjusting systems, including:                1. Static driveline adjustment requires movement of critical vehicle components, which must be properly aligned for driveline functioning and vehicle functioning;        2. Static driveline adjustment requires loosening of critical vehicle components which must be done with the vehicle stopped and usually on a stand;        3. Static adjustment is labor intensive and inconvenient;        4. Improper chain adjustment can damage driveline components such as the chain, the pinions or the pinion shaft bearings;        5. Final drive geometry is designed around limiting variations in chain path length during suspension travel, instead of improved vehicle dynamics;        6. Final drive dynamic compensation systems tend only to work in one direction of chain tension (forward drive);        7. A spring loaded tensioner would require high spring load to tension the chain during engine braking, or reverse drive; this added tension would reduce the efficiency and life of the drive chain.There is an unmet need for an improved final drive tensioning system which ameliorates or eliminates these problems. Against the foregoing background, the following invention was developed.

Final drive chain adjuster for single and multi track vehicles


The present invention relates to a communication systems, and more specifically to a vehicular messaging display unit. The unit allows one of a plurality of messages to be displayed on at least one of the front or rear windshield to other drivers. A remote control unit is provided for customizing messages by the user in terms of content and appearance as well as for controlling the display of the messages. The display is designed so that it does not impede the safety of drivers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication systems, and more specifically to a vehicular messaging display unit. The unit allows one of a plurality of messages to be displayed on at least one of the front or rear windshield to other drivers. A remote control unit is provided for customizing messages by the user in terms of content and appearance as well as for controlling the display of the messages. The display is designed so that it does not impede the safety of drivers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous other vehicular message display systems exist in the prior art. However, no vehicular message display system exists as described in the present invention. While prior art vehicular message display systems may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.