A preparation method of a zirconium-titanium-based alloy embedded aluminized layer includes putting a zirconium-titanium-based alloy and an aluminiferous penetrant into a mould from bottom to top in a sequence of a first penetrant layer, a first zirconium-titanium-based alloy, a second penetrant layer, a second zirconium-titanium-based alloy and a third penetrant layer, and compacting to obtain a mixed sample; sequentially covering a surface of a mixed sample with activated carbon powder and alkali metal halide, and then carrying out heating and cooling treatments to obtain a zirconium-titanium-based alloy embedded aluminized layer. The preparation method does not need to adopt a special heating furnace or carry out heat treatment under a vacuum condition in an actual application, which simplifies operation process and condition and is suitable for large-scale production and application due to few technical difficulties and low equipment investment cost.

Compared with the traditional metal materials, the titanium and the titanium alloy have the material characteristics of high specific strength, large yield ratio, excellent corrosion resistance, good biocompatibility and the like, so that the titanium and the titanium alloy have wide application in the national defense industry fields of military, aerospace and the like, and are often used for manufacturing structural components of various types of airplanes, engines and missiles.
The zirconium-titanium-based alloy has the characteristics of excellent mechanical property, excellent corrosion resistance and the like, but has a large friction coefficient, is easy to generate serious adhesive abrasion and peel, cannot play a good protection role on a subsurface layer, is easy to oxidize at high temperature, greatly influences the safety and reliability of the structure of the zirconium-titanium-based alloy, and hinders further application of the zirconium-titanium-based alloy.
In recent years, many studies have been made to improve the properties of zirconium-titanium-based alloys. In the prior art, a common modification method is solid powder embedding aluminizing. The powder embedding aluminizing process usually includes the steps of high temperature heat treatment, diffusion annealing and the like under the vacuum condition after putting zirconium-titanium base alloy in a sealed crucible or a special aluminizing tank, and obtaining the zirconium-titanium-base alloy embedded aluminized layer. However, most of the powder embedding aluminizing methods have complex preparation processes, extremely high requirements on vacuum degree in the heat treatment equipment and in the heat treatment process, high preparation cost and are not suitable for industrial application.

Preparation method of a zirconium-titanium-based alloy embedded aluminized layer


The method for transmitting data in a point-to-multipoint data communication network which includes a network access point and a first through an Nth (N is 2 or a higher positive integer) station that communicate each other through a shared transmission medium, the data transmission method, wherein the station determines time to transmit its data to the network access point based on time when the station receives transmission timing information from the network access point. A propagation delay compensation method in this type of network in case transmission timing information of an upstream channel for station that receives connection ID from the network access point is set, the method includes (a) transmitting a map message, which includes a maximum propagation delay time and an offset time, as the transmission timing information, (b) transmitting data after the offset time passes from time the transmitted map message is received, and (c) forecasting an actual propagation delay time by reflecting gap between actual time the transmitted data is received and expected time the transmitted data is expected to be received, and the forecasted delay time and the offset time update the map message.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a point-to-multipoint data communication network, and more particularly, to a method for transmitting data and compensating for a propagation delay in a point-to-multipoint data communication network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Point-to-multipoint data communication networks sharing transmission media include a Hybrid Fiber & Coaxial (HFC) network using a cable modem, and a Broadband Wireless Local Loop (B-WLL) network that is a wireless access network. Downstream refers to a data transmission direction from a network access point to stations while upstream refers to a data transmission direction from stations to the network access point. In a point-to-multipoint data communication network, a downstream channel transmits data through broadcast and an upstream channel transmits data by sharing media under the control of the network access point. Especially, the upstream channel transmits data at a predetermined time using a specific protocol for an effective access to media. For the timely transmission of data, stations need to be correctly synchronized with the network access point in a network.
The point-to-multipoint data communication network includes the network access point and multiple stations. The network access point broadcasts a time information message to stations periodically so that they can be synchronized with the network access point. After receiving the broadcasted time information message, the stations synchronize the time of their own timers with that of the network access point. In addition, since the propagation delay between the network access point and stations are compensated for in the ranging process, the network access point can transmit and receive data accurately at a desired time. To maximize the utilization efficiency of shared media, the network access point calculates transmission timing of each station by means of scheduling based on various parameters related to each station, prepares transmission/receiving timing information for media access and broadcasts the prepared transmission/receiving timing information to each station by transmission frame. Upon receiving the transmission/receiving timing information, each station sends data to the network access point at the time of summing an offset time and an allocation start time included in the transmission timing information.
According to the conventional methods for transmitting data and compensating for a propagation delay, to maintain and adjust the network synchronization for determination of an accurate transmission timing, the network access point should broadcast a synchronization (SYNC) message periodically to stations. In addition, a ranging message should be exchanged periodically in order to compensate a delay due to the propagation distance between the network access point and stations, resulting in a high overhead. Therefore, since media were not totally used to transmit data, the entire transmission capacity was impacted.

Method for transmitting data and compensating for propagation delay in point-to-multipoint data communication network


A method and system of encoding image data in images having less than 128 distinct colors. Eight bit data bytes representing the color of each pixel data are re-indexed for each pixel to seven or less bits, and a sub-palette stores the relationship between the re-indexed colors and the original eight-bit color values. The remaining bits in the byte store run lengths of pixels that have contiguous colors. Further data compression is achieved by grouping pixels into rows, eliminating any duplicate rows and identifying the pixel data by a series of row pointers. Still further compression is accomplished by dropping representations of transparent pixels from the end of rows and representing a number of transparent pixels at the beginning of rows with a single byte.

In one well-known color scheme, each pixel in an image is represented by a single byte having a value corresponding to the pixel's color. The value of the byte serves as an index to a 256-byte color table, or palette. The palette is a 256 by 3 byte array, with each indexed entry in the palette having a first byte specifying a red level, a second byte specifying a green level and a third byte specifying a blue level. In another well-known scheme referred to as 24-bit true color, each pixel has four bytes directly stored therefor, one red, one green, one blue and one for various flags. In either scheme, the image may be stored as an array of such bytes.
The byte arrays representing video images are often compressed to save both storage space and the amount of time required to transfer the data from one medium (e.g., CD-ROM) to another (e.g., random access memory). For example, with the 256-byte color scheme, existing image data compression techniques utilize a two-byte format, with a first byte representing a run length of contiguous pixels of one color and the second byte identifying that color. This compression scheme works well with images having long runs (up to 256 bytes) of pixels of the same color. However, where there are few runs of constant color, the encoding scheme approaches two bytes per pixel, which is worse than leaving the data uncompressed with one byte per pixel.
Other types of compression schemes are applied to previously fixed descriptions of the pixel data. One such technique, known as LZW, (which stores files with a ".GIF" extension), examines fixed image data (or other types of data) for patterns of replicated data. LZW then encodes the data as a pattern length followed by the data in that pattern, and the compressed image data includes references to the patterns. As can be appreciated, such a compression technique functions well when there are a few patterns repeated many times, but is often not very useful for compressing many other types of images.
Another compression scheme applied to fixed image data is known as JPEG, which first breaks an image into rectangular portions, and then applies algorithms to reduce the amount of data required to describe those portions. Significantly, JPEG image compression is not lossless, that is, the pixel information cannot be precisely recreated from the compressed data. In short, existing image data-compression schemes have a number of drawbacks associated therewith, and no one compression scheme is optimal for every image.

Method and system of variable run length image encoding using sub-palette


A piston rod of a piston and cylinder device has an axial bore through which a fixed non-ferromagnetic monitoring member extends, and a detection insert of ferromagnetic materially extending generally axially of the monitoring member. A magnetic circuit is created through a base of the cylinder, a sidewall, the piston and the detection insert, and movement of the piston is detected by a Hall sensor which detects a change of flux in the magnetic circuit.

The present invention is concerned with detecting the movement of a piston head and piston rod in a piston and cylinder device.
There are many circumstances in which piston and cylinder devices, which may be pneumatically or hydraulically operated, are utilized to move parts in machines and in which it is desired to know the precise position of the piston head and piston rod in the cylinder. Various types of transducer have been proposed for monitoring such position, but frequently suffer from disadvantages, for example bulk, fragility or undue sensitivity to hostile environments.
Glassware forming machines are particularly good examples of machines in which a hostile environment may affect transducers which are used to monitor the movement of parts.
It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved piston and cylinder device having means for monitoring the position of the piston and piston rod.

Plunger mechanism with a Hall sensor movement detection device for a glassware forming machine


In an even numbered polygonal microwave resonator wherein a high mode microwave mode is formed and in the resonator volume a homogeneous field distribution is established for the thermal processing of workpieces, a microwave in-coupling structure pair is provided along a joining edge of two wall segments alternately at opposite sides and the in-coupling structure pairs or in communication, via a rectangular microwave guide channel, with a microwave sources supplying microwaves to the in-coupling structure pairs so that the microwaves entering the resonator from each in-coupling structure are directed toward an opposite corner area of the resonator and are reflected from the opposite corner area back into the center area of the resonator in the form of separate beams.

The invention resides in a microwave resonator, a modular plant/assembly line build up by such a microwave resonator, a method and work pieces thermally processed in accordance with the method by means of microwaves which are generated in a high-mode resonator.
The heating of food by microwaves is well-known. An electromagnetic field coupled into a resonator chamber immediately assumes a stationary distribution in the chamber which depends on the frequency of the microwave, that is its wavelength, and the geometry of the resonator chamber. The household microwave has a frequency of 2.45 GHz, that is, a wavelength λ of about 12 cm in a space filled with air or in a vacuum. The geometry of microwave apparatus for households resides therefore in a simple cubic configuration in those dimensions.
Experience has shown, that food exposed to microwaves in the resonator chamber is not uniformly heated. This depends on different water contents of the food components and consequently the existence of a locally different dipole density, but most importantly, on the distribution of the electromagnetic field in the resonator and consequently the excitation of the dipoles by the electromagnetic excitation field. During heating particularly of similar substances/materials the field distribution is of atmost importance for the uniform heating in the whole substance/material volume. A rough but effective aid in avoiding large spatial field variations is a movable surface area in the resonator chamber, where impinging parts of the microwave radiation are reflected so that field strength variations are localized but are blurred. In this case, the process material is stationary in the resonator. Another or additional measure resides in moving the process material, for example, on a rotating plate or a table which is moved back and forth.
In the industrial material processing technology, it is very important that, during the heating of the goods being processed by microwaves, the electromagnetic field varies in the whole resonator volume or at least in a central part of the resonator volume as little as possible so that it is close to an ideal spatially uniform distribution in order to avoid over-heating and hot spots.
DE 196 33 245 discloses a polygonal resonator geometry into which radiation is coupled eccentrically from the front side thereof with an inclined radiation axis. Particularly with a hexagonal cross-section of the resonator geometry, in this way a field distribution is obtained, with which, at least in the central resonator area, a volume area is provided in which a usable field uniformity exists. Although an electromagnetic field is present in the whole interior of the resonator with the in-coupling of the microwave, the central process volume in which the field is homogeneous or in which the field variations are at least tolerable, is relatively small. This resonator with its type of in-coupling can only be used as individual resonator and is not usable as a modular part of a plant.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a resonator for a microwave to be coupled into the resonator, in which a mixture of multiple modes are formed in such a way that, in the resonator volume, an as large as possible process volume around the longitudinal resonator axis can be utilized for the thermal processing providing that the average field strength of the mode mixture approaches an ideal uniform distribution in this space.
Such a resonator should be usable as a module that is it should be usable in a setup of an assembly line for the thermal processing of workpieces by a serial arrangement of such resonators.
In addition, the resonators should each be operable with microwaves in such a way that, with a controllably predetermined frequency, the establishment of modes in the resonator by the in-coupling of microwaves oscillates locally or moves around the space.
With such a resonator it should be possible to process workpieces or objects on an industrial scale by the application of microwaves based on volumetric heating while saving time and energy, particularly resin-soaked compound materials, CFK and/or GFK should be uniformly cured to achieve high form stability and mechanical loading capacity, as well as to cement components and epoxy-resin coated structures.

Microwave resonator and method of operating microwave resonator


A target base station transmits a traffic assignment signal a plurality of times to a control station for notifying a traffic amount of downlink data that can be processed by the target base station, after a notified cell change timing in which the mobile station changes a communicating base station.

Currently, mobile communication system provides service by segmenting an entire service area into a plurality of radio zones each referred to as a "cell". In a case where a mobile station moves across different cells in the mobile communication system, a "cell change" is performed. In a "cell change," the mobile station changes a communicating base station with which the mobile station performs radio communication (e.g., see Non-patent literature 1).
At the time of the cell change, a control station controlling the base station switches the paths for downlink data, where the destination of downlink data transmission is switched from a source base station to a target base station. In addition, the target base station transmits, to the control station, a traffic assignment signal, which is a notification of a processable traffic amount of the target base station. According to the notified traffic amount, the control station transmits downlink data to the target base station.
However, the switching of paths requires a long period of time in cases, such as when processing load in the control station is high. During the switching of the paths, the control station is unable to process a traffic assignment signal transmitted from the target base station. For this reason, in some cases the control station fails to transmit, to the target base station, downlink data according to the processable traffic amount of the base station. Thus, a "non-communication" state occurs, where no communication is made.
Conventionally, two methods have been employed in order to release this non-communication state.
In one method, the base station retransmits the traffic assignment signal in a case where downlink data is not transmitted from the control station after elapse of a predetermined period of time.
In the other method, the control station transmits, to the base station, a request signal requesting for the traffic assignment signal, in a case where the control station has not received the traffic assignment signal from the base station after elapse of a predetermined period of time. Thereafter, the base station retransmits the traffic assignment signal in response to the request signal.
However, although being capable of releasing the non-communication state, the conventional methods are incapable of preventing the non-communication state from lasting for a certain period of time.
Hence, in order to allow a control station to smoothly process the traffic assignment signal and to accordingly reduce the non-communication period even when the switching of paths requires a long period of time, conceivable methods are: one in which a base station constantly transmits the traffic assignment signal at a high frequency; and another in which a control station constantly transmits request signals requesting for a traffic assignment signal at a high frequency.
However, the use of these methods have caused new problems, such as increase of the load for signal processing in the base station and in the control station, and loss of communication resource between the base station and the control station. Non-patent Literature 1: 3GPP TS25.214 v5.10.0 (2004-12)

Base station, mobile communication system, and mobile communication control method


An alkyl-tin stabilizer composition is treated with a calcium compound to reduce the carboxylate content level of the stabilizer.

During the manufacture of alkyl-tin thioglycolate stabilizers a production side reaction leads to the formation of the undesirable respective alkyl-tin salt of thioglycolic acid ("TGA"). The alkyl-tin salt of TGA is a degradation product of the ester (thioglycolate) and may form a ring structure. Typically these salts are referred to as carboxylates. Alkyl-tin salts of TGA have limited solubility in their respective alkyl-tin thioglycolate stabilizers and when present in sufficient quantities, they may cloud the stabilizer and result in precipitate formation. The precipitate formation may not necessarily occur immediately during the production process and may occur after the stabilizer is allowed to stand for a period of time. The cloudiness in the stabilizer caused by the alkyl-tin salts of TGA is undesirable to both end users and manufacturers.

Calcium treatment of alkyl-tin stabilizers


A bone regeneration agent for regenerating a deficient or resorbed bone due to an inflammatory bone resorption disease, containing a niacin compound as an active ingredient.

Super-aged societies have in recent years seen increasing incidence of inflammatory bone resorption diseases, typically periodontitis, rheumatoid arthritis and the like. This is causing elderly people declining quality of life (QOL) and increasing medical expenses for treatment of these diseases.
Periodontal tissue surrounding and helping to support the teeth is composed of gums, periodontal ligament, cementum, and alveolar bone. Among the inflammations of the periodontal tissue, an inflammation localized to the gums is referred to as "gingivitis". In contrast, when the site of inflammation extends beyond the gums, and the periodontal ligament and the alveolar bone are damaged, lost, or resorbed, this is referred to as "periodontitis". These are collectively referred to as "periodontal diseases".
In the case of periodontitis, chronic inflammation occurs in the periodontal tissue due to stimulation by bacterial endotoxins, lipoproteins, and the like in dental plaque, and periodontal pockets are formed in the gingival sulcus. Then, as severity of the periodontitis increases, the alveolar bone is resorbed, damaged, or lost, and eventually, teeth fall out. Recovery from gingivitis is achieved relatively easily by removing dental plaque by appropriate brushing or the like, while recovery from periodontitis is not easily achieved solely by removal of dental plaque. Furthermore, it is considered that since periodontitis exerts various actions on the immune system of the afflicted individual, resorption of the alveolar bone proceeds and the alveolar bone becomes deficient.
In rheumatoid arthritis, disorders occurring in the immune system, whose innate function is to defend against germs and toxins, can lead to inflammation by causing attacks on the individual's own healthy cells or tissues (autoimmune disease). When such inflammation proceeds, cartilages and bones are destroyed, causing pain or joint deformation.
Therapeutic methods for treatment of inflammatory bone resorption diseases such as periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis include not only surgical methods, but also chemotherapeutic methods of administering an antibiotic for periodontal disease and administering an anti-inflammatory agent for rheumatoid arthritis. Regarding methods for alleviating or treating systemic bone diseases associated with bone resorption, such as osteoporosis, treatment by calcium supplementation, administration of sex hormones, and the like is common. The onset mechanism of inflammatory bone resorption diseases is different from the onset mechanism of bone diseases associated with bone resorption, such as osteoporosis. Therefore, methods for treating these diseases also differ fundamentally from each other. Particularly, resorption or loss of the alveolar bone, which is a characteristic symptom of periodontitis, and destruction of cartilages and bones caused by rheumatoid arthritis are complex biological reactions occurring in localized areas, and many aspects of the processes of onset or progress of the diseases have not yet been clarified. Since the study of methods for treating inflammatory bone resorption diseases can therefore not be effectively pursued only through studies conducted using cultured cells and the like in vitro, studies on drugs and the like are also being conducted in vivo using model animals that develop periodontitis or rheumatic arthritis.
Particularly when periodontitis advances to the point of causing loss or resorption of the alveolar bone, or when cartilage or bone is destroyed due to rheumatoid arthritis, bone regeneration is an effective treatment for inflammatory bone resorption disease.
Patent Literature 1 teaches that an intraoral composition containing niacin (also referred to as nicotinic acid), which is one of water-soluble vitamin B group compounds, or an ester compound thereof, has an effect of promoting blood circulation in the gums. However, Patent Literature 1 is altogether silent regarding concrete examination of the effectiveness of niacin for the regeneration of a deficient or resorbed alveolar bone due to progressing periodontitis.
In addition, a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating rheumatoid arthritis, which contains a monoacetyl diacylglycerol compound having a particular structural formula as an active ingredient, is described in Patent Literature 2. However, what is described in Patent Literature 2 is an effect of suppressing inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis, and no description is given on the effect of regenerating a cartilage or a deficient or resorbed bone as a result of progressing rheumatoid arthritis.


A differential pair of transistors includes a first transistor and a second transistor having their sources coupled together. Their sources are further coupled to ground via a pull-down network. A single-ended output is coupled to the drain of the second of the pair of differential transistors. A differential current adjust circuit is coupled to a drain of the first of the pair of differential transistors, and the current adjust circuit is configured so that the second side of the differential output driver circuit conducts approximately the same current as the first side of the differential output driver circuit.

Electronic circuits are often constructed of several different functional units or modules that communicate with each other to provide some function more complex than each of the component modules could themselves perform. Simply looking at the circuit board in most electronic devices will reveal a variety of components, including multiple integrated circuits or "chips" that are the modules from which a larger circuit is constructed.
These components are typically linked by conductive copper traces on a printed circuit board, which serve to conduct signals from one portion of a circuit to another. Each chip typically performs one or more functions on received electrical signals, and outputs electrical signals to another component or to an interface such as a display. Communication of signals between components has become more complex as the speed of devices such as computer processors and memory have increased and power efficiency continues to improve. Higher signal frequencies result in a noisier electrical environment, and lower power signals are inherently more susceptible to noise or interference picked up in the conductors linking electrical devices in a circuit.
One method of reducing the influence of noise or interference in conductors, whether between circuit modules inches away or between electric devices miles apart, is to send signals as differential signals instead of as single-ended signals. In single-ended signals, a single signal line changes voltage relative to a ground or reference voltage level that remains constant. Electromagnetic interference received in the signal conductor will cause its voltage level to change, resulting in a change in the intended signal level relative to the chosen reference potential. Noise from the power source used to generate the signal is also conducted over the signal line, resulting in deviation from the intended signal voltage level.
Differential signals are sent over two signal lines, such that a positive change in voltage in one signal line is mirrored by a negative change in voltage in the other signal line. Because the difference between signal lines is detected to determine the signal state, noise picked up by both signal lines will not be detected since the interference will be essentially the same in both differential signal lines. Also, power supply fluctuations in the circuit creating the differential signal have less of an effect on the differential signal due to the construction of typical differential driver circuits. The advantages of differential signal drivers are therefore substantial in a noisy or high-speed signal environment, but are offset somewhat by the added complexity of the differential driver circuit and the need for two signal lines to carry the differential signal.
It is therefore desired to retain advantages of differential signaling while using a single signal conductor.

Single-ended pseudo-differential output driver


A tower chamber of a thermal ink jet cartridge has an ink reservoir communicate therewith through a first passage, which is controlled by a spring biased valve. Ink exits from the tower chamber to nozzles in a printhead chip through a second passage. The valve has a pressure compliant bladder attached to its bottom surface in sealing relation therewith. A passage extends through the valve to provide continuous communication between the interior of the bladder and the reservoir. The bladder is formed of a material to continuously urge it to its relaxed state. When the back pressure in the tower chamber increases, ink flows into the bladder to expand it to fill the volume of the tower chamber. If an air bubble is trapped within the tower chamber, it will expand or shrink when subjected to a pressure variation and/or a temperature variation. The bladder will expand to fill the volume in the tower chamber when the air bubble shrinks and will contract when the air bubble expands so that the tower chamber accommodates the increased volume of the air bubble. The valve does not open to allow ink to flow into the tower chamber from the reservoir until after the bladder is fully expanded.

It has previously been suggested to use a spring loaded bladder as an ink reservoir or a foam filled ink reservoir for a portable or disposable thermal ink jet cartridge to contain the ink during both shipping and use. Both the spring loaded bladders and the foam filled reservoirs have not had a high volume efficiency because of the back pressure mechanism that each has contained.
Neither arrangement has been easily refilled. The spring loaded bladder has been sealed and maintained at a negative pressure so that any refilling of the bladder has been difficult since it is necessary for the bladder to continue to have the negative pressure therein.
In a foam filled reservoir, as the ink is used, air pockets form in the ink and the foam surfaces de-wet. The foam can be refilled and used multiple times, but the number of air pockets in the foam increases with each refilling so that the foam eventually cannot be refilled.
It has previously been suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,447 to Nielsen to employ a check valve to contain the ink during shipping as well as use. The check valve allows ink to flow from the reservoir into a small cavity adjacent nozzles of a thermal ink jet printhead and from which the ink flows into the nozzles. The check valve has been preloaded to establish a valve opening pressure in excess of the hydrostatic pressure resulting at least from the maximum depth of ink in the reservoir. The check valve prevents depriming of the small cavity so that neither the introduction of foam in the reservoir nor the use of a spring loaded elastic bladder as the reservoir is necessary to prevent leakage through the nozzles by gravity.
However, the check valve of the aforesaid Nielsen Patent is not capable of preventing air bubbles, which are trapped within the small cavity and expand and contract due to pressure and/or temperature variations, from pumping ink out of the small cavity of the aforesaid Nielsen Patent. Thus, ink leakage could occur through the nozzles by an expanding and contracting air bubble pumping ink out of the small cavity to the nozzles.
If the check valve of the aforesaid Nielsen Patent should allow too much ink to flow into the small cavity, the pressure would increase in the small cavity so that there would be leakage of the ink through the nozzles. Therefore, the check valve of the aforesaid Nielsen Patent does not satisfactorily solve all of the problems causing ink leakage.

Pressure control device for an ink jet printer


A flash memory device having a low threshold voltage distribution is disclosed. The threshold voltage in a program state of a flash memory cell is defined to be near or slightly greater than approximately 3.0 volts. The threshold voltage in an erased state is defined to be less than 0.7 volts or at ground level. The low threshold voltage distribution makes it possible to use a low voltage around 3.0 volts for the gate of the memory cell in a read operation. The UV erased threshold is raised to near the threshold voltage of a program state to avoid data retention problem.

In recent years, flash memory devices have been widely used in computer related equipment and other electronic appliances as storage devices. The nonvolatile and in-system programmable capabilities of a flash memory are very important for storing data in many applications. As an example, flash memories are frequently used for the BIOS storage of a personal computer. In addition, the small physical size of flash memories also makes them very suitable for portable applications. Therefore, they have been used for storing programs and data for many portable electronic devices such as cellular phones, digital cameras and video game platforms. It becomes more and more important that the flash memory devices can be used in portable systems that have only low voltage power supply.
An EPROM type flash memory uses Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) tunneling effect to erase memory cells' threshold voltages (Vts) to a low state, and uses channel-hot-electron (CHE) injection to program cell' Vts to a high state. Traditionally, the cell array is a NOR-plane array. Therefore, a higher threshold voltage Vt(0) is programmed for data "0" and a low threshold voltage Vt(1) is for data "1". The threshold voltage Vt(1) in the low state is in the range of about 0.5 volts to 3 volts. Vt(1) below 0.5 volts is not permitted to avoid the sub-threshold leakage induced by the coupling of the bit line voltage to the memory cell's floating gate during read and program operations. When many memory cells are connected to the same bit line, the overall threshold leakage of the selected bit line can be greater than 100 uAs that may result in false reading or greater than several mAs that may overload the on-chip pump in the program operation. In the high state, the threshold voltage Vt(0) is usually greater than 6.5 volts.
Because of the wide threshold voltage distribution between low and high states, the gate (word line) voltage has to be about 5 volts in a memory read operation in order to distinguish the two states regardless of the power supply condition. If the power supply voltage Vdd is greater than 5 volts, the gate voltage can be easily applied. However, many portable systems now have only low voltage power supply with Vdd ranging from 2.0 volts to 5.0 volts to reduce power consumption. Under the low Vdd condition such as 2 or 3 volts, it is necessary to boost the voltage to around 5 volts so that the word line of the flash memory can be biased properly in a read operation. The voltage boosting circuit is fairly complicated and requires much device area. It becomes a significant drawback for a portable system to use such flash memories.
Data retention is another major problem that conventional flash memories have to be concerned with. Traditionally, a flash memory cell is manufactured with a threshold voltage around 2 volts after UV (ultra-violet) erasure. UV erased threshold voltage Vt(UV) represents the threshold voltage when there is no electrons in the floating gate of the memory cell. It is known that the electrons being stored in the floating gate by programming a flash memory cell to a high state may eventually move away and reduce the threshold voltage to Vt(UV) after a long period of time. This would cause the data retention problem. Data retention is a concern as long as the high state voltage Vt(0) is much greater than Vt(UV). As it is well known, the higher the voltages of Vt(0) and Vt(1), the sooner the memory decaying speed. Typically, 1 volt of Vt drop from 6 volts to 5 volts is ten times faster than 1 volt drop from 5 volts to 4 volts. Therefore, data retention is less a concern for Vt(1) than Vt(0). It is desirable that both Vt(0) and Vt(1) be kept as low as possible as Vdd is scaled down to reduce the Vt decaying speed and thus solves the data retention problem.
In the traditional NOR-plane flash memory array, however, lowering Vt(0) and Vt(1) would result in higher possibility of over-erasure that ends up with negative Vt(0) and Vt(1). Therefore, Vt(0) and Vt(1) can not be much reduced as Vdd is lowered. In other words, in the conventional flash memory, Vt(0) is still defined to be much higher than Vt(UV) and Vt(1) is near or below Vt(UV) but can not be the ground level when Vdd is between 2 volts and 5 volts.

Flash memory having low threshold voltage distribution


A traffic control system for use at a roadway intersection, the system including traffic control lights, a light flasher structure, and a plurality of load switches electrically coupled with the lights via relay structure to which the flasher structure is connected, the load switches having inputs, and a controller connected with the load switches for controlling normal operation of the lights and flashing of one or more of the lights by the flasher structure in the event of a system malfunction comprising a microprocessor operatively connected with the load switches, flasher, and relay structure to monitor the system for detecting a malfunction event, for recording the detected malfunction event, and for transmitting the malfunction detection to another location; and verification structure at the other locations for i) receiving the transmitted malfunction detection, ii) verifying the event, and iii) initiating malfunction corrective action; whereby the corrective action in the system may be initiated without removing control by the controller of the operation of the traffic control lights at the intersection.

This invention relates generally to traffic control systems, and more particularly to improvements in monitoring of traffic signal lights for proper operation at controlled roadway intersections.
The present art in the traffic control system uses a controller unit that energizes load switches that drive the signal lamps through a flash transfer relay. In the event that a conflicting signal should arise, a conflict monitor can actuate the relay to transfer the lamp loads to the flasher module.
The conflict monitor measures the traffic signal lamp voltages by converting the AC to DC, enabling a gate which then indicates whether the voltage is present or not. If two signal lamp voltages are ON at the same time in conflicting directions, for instance eastbound and northbound, traffic green signal lights ON, setting up a potential hazard; the conflict monitor will drop or de-energize the flash transfer relay, putting the lamp loads under the control of the flasher, thus putting the intersection into flash.
Prior art has defined a traffic control system as consisting of a traffic controller unit for the purpose of providing 24 volt DC input signals to one or more load switches used to turn traffic signal lamps ON. A conflict monitor device is used to monitor the presence of proper alternating current field wire voltages supplied to power the traffic signal lamps. When improper AC voltages exist, the conflict monitor causes an electro-mechanical relay to transfer, which in turn causes the high current capacity flash transfer relay to remove lamp power from the load switches and to connect the lamp power to a flasher unit, which causes the traffic signal lamps to flash ON and OFF.
In addition to monitoring the AC voltages on the outputs of load switches, the conflict monitor checks for the presence of a 24 volt DC output from the power supplies used by the traffic controller to produce 24 volt DC signals for turning the load switch outputs ON. The 24 volt DC signals supplied from the traffic controller to each of the individual load switch circuits have not previously been monitored within the conflict monitor or the controller unit. A proposed improvement to NEMA traffic control device standards, proposed standard TS2 for future design, would require communication between the traffic controller and the conflict monitor with information sent regarding the programmed traffic controller 24 volt DC signal status, but would not provide a measurement of the 24 volt DC signals actually present at the load switches. U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,240 describes monitoring of DC logic signals, storage, and display of same, along with output status conditions.
There is need for improvements in the control of signal flashing and in the detection and handling of system malfunctions, including that of signal lamps (bulbs), and for simplification of system apparatus and functions.

Traffic control system failure monitoring


A system and method for enhancing cognitive function of an individual during exercising use stationary exercise equipment to self-propel the individual's avatar or avatar's point of view through a virtual pathway while interacting to complete a cognitive task including registration of the task, verification of discrimination of basic learning, and performance of manipulation of the cognitive task.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,897 to Melton describes an exercise cycle with an interactive amusement device whereby the apparatus provides amusement and an incentive to perform monotonous exercise routines as well as developing mental and manual coordination skills simultaneously with physical development rather than improve or prevent decline in cognitive function.
WO 2009/049404 to Bergeron describes a system where cognitive training can optionally be used in conjunction with physical activity. The basic principle is to use algorithms on a computerized system to adjust task parameters from trial to trial to personalize the difficulty of each cognitive task during training.
Other prior art discloses the interactivity of a computer system/virtual display/gaming with physical motion, but does not incorporate, declare or strategize cognitive training for the purposes of enhancing cognitive function or preventing cognitive decline, instead, these inventions are provided for tracking exercise behavior, improving motivation, providing amusement, and so forth. Others provide mental stimulation while exercising, but there is no systematic program to improve cognitive function, just amusement.

Interactive physical and cognitive exercise system and method


Disclosed is a transmitter/receiver which performs transmitting and receiving operations based on CSMA/CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance) system. The transmitter/receiver includes a first unit, a second unit and a DC offset control unit. The first unit obtains a DC offset value generated in the transmitter/receiver and holds the obtained DC offset value. The second unit removes the held DC offset value from received data. The DC offset control unit causses the first unit to operate upon response to at least one of transmission completion and reception completion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a DC offset canceling control method which obtains a DC offset value generated in a transmitter/receiver, holds the obtained DC offset value therein, and removes it from received data, and a transmitter/receiver using the same method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A receiver that receives data has conventionally included a DC offset cancel circuit. The DC offset cancel circuit removes a DC offset value that has got mixed in with received data at each part in the receiver to reduce an error rate of the received data. U.S. Pat. No. 6,639,909 (document 1), for example, describes a receiver including such a DC offset cancel circuit.
The receiver described in the document 1 receives a signal of time division multiple access (TDMA) system.
Then, the DC offset cancel circuit turns off a power supply of a mixer within a guard time period between transmitted and received bursts, obtains a DC offset value generated in the receiver located at the post stage of the mixer, and holds the obtained value. During a period of detecting the DC offset value, the transmitter/receiver can neither transmit nor receive data. The DC offset cancel circuit subtracts the held value from the received data.
However, the technology described in the document 1, which is related to a receiver for receiving a signal of time division multiple access (TDMA) system, cannot directly be applied to a transmitter/receiver in a packet switching system, which uses CSMA/CA (carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance).
The receiver receiving a TDMA based signal detects a guard time period between transmitted and received bursts on the basis of a frame synchronization signal contained in the received signal.
However, in the packet switching system for transmitting and receiving a CSMA/CA based signal, a transmitter/receiver checks (carrier sense) a carrier usage prior to data transmission. When the carrier is not in use (idle), the transmitter/receiver transmits data according to a priority level of each data in a data group to be transmitted. When the carrier is in use (busy), the transmitter/receiver postpones data transmission till the carrier becomes idle. In other words, since the CSMA/CA based signal does not contain the frame synchronizing signal, the transmitter/receiver based on CSMA/CA system cannot detect a time period corresponding to the guard time period of TDMA system.

DC offset cancel control method and transmitter/receiver


An information processing apparatus performs topic analysis on one or more collected documents to calculate a probability indicating the degree of fitness of each sentence constituting the collected document for each item of a local topic, performs linguistic analysis on the collected document to detect a unique expression pattern in each item of the local topic, sets topic usefulness for each sentence constituting the collected document on the basis of evaluation of the sentence by an evaluator, sets a total evaluation value with respect to each item of the local topic on the basis of the topic analysis result and the topic usefulness, selects an item of the local topic on the basis of the total evaluation values, and extracts an appropriate sentence for a unique expression pattern in the selected item of the local topic from the collected document as a profound text candidate.

The disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method and a program, and in particular, to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method and a program enabling extraction of profound text in which knowledge about attention targets, such as persons, content and thoughts, is stated from a huge amount of documents.
In the related art, attempts to obtain knowledge by statistically analyzing (performing statistical natural language processing on) a huge amount of documents have been widely made. For example, in a specialized field in which no thesaurus has been built, a thesaurus of the specialized field is automatically built by performing statistical natural language processing on documents in the specialized field.
In statistical natural language processing, a feature quantity of context information (indicating a word group consisting of a word attracting attention in a document and a predetermined number of words present before and after the word) is frequently used. Also, by calculating the degree of similarity in feature quantity of context information, analysis of synonyms of the word attracting attention, analysis of a polysemy, analysis of a relationship between two nouns, analysis of modality of a word, and the like are performed. For example, in the document "Discovering Relations among Named Entities from Large Corpora" by Takaaki Hasegawa, Satoshi Sekine and Ralph Grishman, in Proceedings of the Conference of the Association for Computational Linguistics 2004, a feature quantity of context information is used in synonym analysis of the relationship of a proper noun.

Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program


A method for trimming an effective refractive index of optical waveguiding structures made for example in a high refractive index contrast material system. By compaction of cladding material in a compaction area next to patterns or ridges that are formed in the core material for realizing an optical waveguiding structure, the effective index of refraction of the optical waveguiding structure can be trimmed. Thus, the operating wavelength of an optical component comprising such an optical waveguiding structure can be trimmed. An optical waveguide structure thus obtained is also disclosed.

Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) is gaining interest as a material system for ultra-compact integrated photonic circuits. An advantage of this material system is the high refractive index contrast between the silicon and the adjacent oxide or air, enabling small bend radii and dense integration. Furthermore, as silicon is the standard material that is used for microelectronic integrated circuits, this opens the door for photonics to use the standard, mature and commercially available technology used in microelectronic fabs. SOI technology opens the possibility for integration of photonic and microelectronic devices on the same wafer.
Optical functionalities can be realized on SOI substrates by etching or writing a pattern in the functional silicon layer. This can for example be done with electron beam lithography, which is however a serial fabrication technique and therefore unattractive for mass fabrication. When using optical lithography for defining the patterns, variations of the critical dimensions are inevitable. These variations can be caused by wafer non-uniformity or by non-uniformity within one chip and can affect the behavior or the properties of the optical component. For example, ring resonators are highly sensitive to fabrication errors. A fabrication error of 1 nm typically leads to a 1 nm shift of the resonance wavelength. In practice the resonance wavelength shift can exceed 1 nm, which is unacceptable for many applications. Even the fabrication of identical devices on one wafer is difficult due to wafer scale variations. This problem may be solved by altering the devices after fabrication, for example by tuning or by trimming. Tuning leads to a time-dependent and reversible change of the optical device or component. Trimming results in an irreversible static change of the optical device or component.
Tuning of silicon-based optical components can for example be done thermally, by heating the entire chip comprising the optical components or by providing electrical heaters close to an area of interest. However, if one envisages a plurality of components, e.g. resonators, on a single chip, thermal tuning with electrical heaters requires the incorporation of a heater for every resonator, which may lead to high power consumption and a high device complexity. Another tuning method that may be used is carrier injection or depletion, requiring local doping of the silicon. For providing small modifications after fabrication, trimming techniques may be preferred instead of tuning techniques.
The resonant wavelength of a ring resonator is proportional to its optical path length, being the product of the physical path length and the effective index of refraction. Post-fabrication trimming of the resonance wavelength can therefore be obtained by trimming or changing this effective index of refraction. An increase in effective index causes a red shift (i.e. a shift towards a longer wavelength) of the resonance wavelength, while a decrease in effective index causes a blue shift (i.e. a shift towards a shorter wavelength) of the resonance wavelength.
In several low to medium index contrast material systems, trimming of the effective index of refraction was demonstrated based on direct UV irradiation or electron beam irradiation of the core material, such as silica glass, SiN or SiON. These core materials can be compacted when exposed to UV radiation or electron beam radiation, the compaction resulting in an increase in refractive index of the core material, and thus an increase of the effective index of refraction. As the compacted core material contains most of the optical mode, relatively large shifts in effective indices and thus in resonance wavelength can be obtained. For example, with SiN as a core material, more than 10 nm of resonance wavelength shift can be obtained for ring resonators operating at 1550 nm.
In high index contrast material systems, i.e. material systems with a large difference in refractive index (e.g. larger than 1) between a core material and a cladding material, such as for example SOI, the core material, such as for example silicon, is often not susceptible to compaction by either UV irradiation or electron beam irradiation.

Method for effective refractive index trimming of optical waveguiding structures and optical waveguiding structures


A method of and an apparatus for making a braided intraluminal implant, by providing a mandrel having at least one small-diameter section joined at least at one end to a large-diameter section; interweaving a plurality of filaments to form a tubular braid enclosing at least a part of the small-diameter section and at least a part of the large-diameter section; and cutting the tubular braid to produce a tubular braid segment having outwardly flared ends at its opposite ends. One flared end is produced by the large-diameter section of the mandrel, and the opposite outwardly flared end may be produced either by another large-diameter section of the mandrel, or by cutting the tubular braid at a portion formed by the small-diameter section of the mandrel but at a location wherein the release of stresses in the filaments inherently produces an outward flaring of the braid at that end.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for making braided intraluminal implants, and also to a mandrel construction particularly useful in such method and apparatus.
Intraluminal devices, such as stents, filters and diverters are increasingly being used as implants within an artery, vein, or other tubular body vessel for effecting various medical treatments of the body. One type of intraluminal implant used for this purpose is the braided type produced by braiding machines which interweave a plurality of filaments around a mandrel aligned with the braiding axis. At the time of implantation, the braided tube is of reduced diameter (e.g., by enclosing it within an outer constricting tube) to enable the braided tube to be fed (e.g., by a catheter) via the lumen to the implantation site. Upon reaching the implantation site the braided tube is expanded (e.g., by removing the outer constricting tube), thereby firmly fixing the braided tube within the vessel wall.
It has been found that the contact of the braided tube implant with the vessel wall is enhanced if the outer ends of the braided tube are outwardly flared. This has proved difficult to accomplish using conventional braiding machines and conventional mandrels.

Method and apparatus for making intraluminal implants and construction particularly useful in such method and apparatus


Disclosed herein are a semiconductor memory device and word line addressing method. The semiconductor memory device comprises a memory array comprising a plurality of word lines arranged in a predetermined sequence, and a word line driver adapted to sequentially address the plurality of word lines in a discontinuous manner relative to neighboring word lines. The method comprises addressing a plurality of word lines in a discontinuous manner relative to the predetermined sequence, such that neighboring word lines in the plurality of word lines are not coincidently addressed.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to a semiconductor memory devices. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to a semiconductor memory device adapted for use with a word line addressing method capable of reducing coupling noise between neighboring word lines during a continuous read operation.
This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-52 filed Jan. 2, 2006, the subject matter of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
In semiconductor memory devices such as synchronous flash memory, continuous read operations are commonly performed. A "continuous read operation" allows a plurality of word lines to be continuously and sequentially selected in a synchronous manner using one or more reference clock signals to read data. During a continuous read operation, one word line in the plurality of word lines, as selected during one clock cycle, is deactivated at about the same time as a next word line is activated during a next clock cycle.
FIG. 1 is a partial circuit diagram illustrating a conventional word line addressing method. The diagram illustrates part of a memory array 10 for a NOR-type nonvolatile semiconductor memory device. Referring to FIG. 1, a plurality of memory cells (MCs) are arranged in a matrix at the intersections of word lines 11 to 18 and bit lines BL<1:512>. As is customary, word lines 11 to 18 are arranged parallel.
In the conventional semiconductor memory device of FIG. 1, word lines 11 to 18 are sequentially addressed (i.e., selected) in an "upward" manner, (e.g., a sequence of WL<1>, WL<2>, WL<3>, WL<4>, etc.). Within the context of this addressing scheme, which is often used in conventional continuous read operations, coupling noise is generated on neighboring (e.g., physically adjacent of closely proximate) word lines as word lines 11 to 18 are continuously selected by the addressing sequence.
Referring to FIG. 2, during a first selection interval P1, a first word line 11, (WL<1>) having a first address is selected and activated at time t1. This event is immediately following by a second selection interval P2 in which a second word line 12, (WL<2>) having a second address is selected and activated. During the second selection interval P2, previously activated first word line 11 (WL<1>) is deactivated at time t2. Simultaneously (or nearly simultaneously), second word line 12 (WL<2>) is activated at time t3. This coincidental deactivation/activation of neighboring word lines causes noise to be coupled onto the word line being activated. See, for example, portion A of FIG. 2. This noise is generated, for example, as first word line 11 (WL<1>) is switched from a read voltage (VREAD) signal to a ground voltage (VSS), and the second word line 12 (WL<2>) is switched from the ground voltage (VSS) to the read voltage (VREAD). The coupling noise thus generated may actually delay the activated of second word line 12 (WL<2>) in particularly bad instances.
Thus, the continuous read operation, as executed in conventional semiconductor memory devices, may be characterized by the problem delayed word line activation due to noise coupled from neighboring word lines. This problem becomes more serious as the physical separation between neighboring word line decreases due to increased device density and as activation intervals decrease as operating frequency increases.

Semiconductor memory device and word line addressing method in which neighboring word lines are discontinuously addressed


In a camera having an exposure setting device which corrects exposure control automatically set according to a DX code, the setting device is arranged to automatically change the value of the set exposure value to a predetermined different value and to set the different value as the exposure value when the automatically set exposure value is at a predetermined specific value.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improvement on the film information setting device of a camera which is provided with DX code reading means for reading a DX code recorded on a film cartridge and storage means for storing film information corresponding to the DX code read by the DX code reading means.

Camera with film information setting device


A method of isolating cystine rich acid-stable, biologically active proteins comprising the steps of co-precipitation by acidification of said proteins together with at least one acid-sensitive protein; isolation of said proteins from the co-precipitate by its resuspension in aqueous solution and the subsequent recovery of the proteins from the supernatant.

The present invention relates to a method of isolating biologically active proteins which are acid-stable. The proteins are isolated from a biological extract of animal, vegetal or microbial origin.
The invention is in particular applicable for isolating on an industrial scale certain low molecular weight proteins the possible use of which in the pharmaceutical and food industry has been recently recognized.
Hitherto, the isolation of such proteins invariably required one or more chromatographic separation steps using, for example, ion exchange, gel permeation or affinity chromatography, which not only have the disadvantage of being very slow and very expensive but the application of which on a large scale is moreover limited for technical reasons.

Method of isolating acid-stable, biologically active proteins


The present disclosure relates to the field of display technology and discloses a display device and a method for preparing the same. The display device includes a 3D grating and a touch detection unit. The 3D grating includes a base substrate arranged opposite to a display side of display panel, and a grating structure of the 3D grating and the touch detection unit are formed between the base substrate and the display panel.

With the rapid development of display technologies, capacitive touch-screen displays have become gradually popularized in the people's daily lives due to the advantages such as being easy to use, rapid response, space-saving and a good user experience. At the same time, as an up-to-date, frontier advanced technology in the image industry, a naked-eye 3D display technology overcomes the visual fatigue brought to the people by traditional plane images and attracts the people's attentions with strong visual impact.
In the current market, for the commonest touch-screen display, its display and capacitive touch screen are manufactured separately and are subsequently assembled by adhering. However, the processes are complex, and the thickness of the touch-screen display is large. Moreover, in the existing 3D display technology, 3D display is usually realized by setting a parallax baffle (i.e., a slit grating) on a display side of a display panel. For a traditional naked-eye 3D display, 4 glass substrates are required, and there also exists the problem of complex process and large thickness.
In order to improve the market competition, manufactures gradually shift their sight to a display device including both a touch function and a 3D display function. However, if the separate capacitive touch screen and parallax baffle are both assembled with the display by adhering, the thickness of the display will be very large, and the processes will be very complex too, and as a result, it is adverse to lightening and thinning the display device as well reducing the cost thereof.

Display device and method for preparing the same

CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A system and method for sulfur recovery, including hydrogenating Claus tail gas, quenching the hydrogenated gas, adsorbing water and hydrogen sulfide from the quenched gas, and regenerating adsorbent with carbon dioxide and/or nitrogen and heating the adsorbent in a regeneration temperature ramp to desorb primarily hydrogen sulfide in a first part of the temperature ramp.

Sulfur recovery may refer to conversion of hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur. Hydrogen sulfide can be a byproduct of processing natural gas and refining sulfur-containing crude oils. The conventional method of sulfur recovery is the Claus process. A conventional Claus process can recover between 95% and 98% of hydrogen sulfide. The tail gas from the Claus process may have the remaining (residual) hydrogen sulfide, such as less than 5% of the hydrogen sulfide. The Claus tail gas can be treated to recover this remaining hydrogen sulfide.
Thus, the conventional Claus process is the upstream process that recovers the bulk of the hydrogen sulfide, and includes a thermal combustion stage and a catalytic reaction stage. In terms of equipment, the Claus unit (or Claus plant) includes a thermal reactor and two or three catalytic reactors (or Claus converters). Typical sulfur recovery efficiency for Claus units with two Claus converters is between 90% and 97%, and for a Claus unit with three Claus converters is between 95% and 98%. But there is increasing demand to achieve higher sulfur removal and recovery efficiency due to tight emissions regulations. Recent environmental regulations regarding sulfur oxides (SOx) emissions place a stringent requirement on commercial sulfur recovery and accordingly, most countries require sulfur recovery efficiency in the range of 98.5% to 99.9%, or higher.
The addition of a tail gas treatment unit (TGTU) can increase sulfur recovery to or above 99.9%, but can employ complex and expensive equipment. The TGTU entails either an add-on unit at the end of the Claus unit or a modification to the Claus unit itself. The add-on TGTU at the end of the Claus unit is generally used when the Claus process includes two Claus converters. Although there are several varieties of tail gas treatment technologies, they can be grouped within the following four broad categories: sub-dew point Claus process, direct oxidation of hydrogen sulfide to sulfur, sulfur dioxide reduction and recovery of hydrogen sulfide, and hydrogen sulfide combustion to sulfur dioxide and recovery of sulfur dioxide.
Sub-dew point Claus processes are based on a Claus converter performing at temperatures lesser than the sulfur dew point (lesser temperature may be desirable due to equilibrium nature of the Claus catalytic reaction). Processes involving direct oxidation of hydrogen sulfide to sulfur are based on selective oxidation of hydrogen sulfide by oxygen to elemental sulfur using selective catalysts. TGTU technology based on sulfur dioxide reduction and recovery of hydrogen sulfide involves the catalytic hydrogenation of leftover sulfur species to hydrogen sulfide, absorption of the hydrogen sulfide with amine solution and then recycling the hydrogen sulfide back to the Claus furnace. TGTU technology based on hydrogen sulfide combustion to sulfur dioxide and recovery of sulfur dioxide involves the combustion of leftover hydrogen sulfide in the tail gas stream to sulfur dioxide, absorption of sulfur dioxide with a solvent (wet scrubbing), and recycling the sulfur dioxide back to the feed to Claus unit. Although sulfur dioxide scrubbing, also known as flue gas scrubbing, has not been commercially tested as a TGTU, the technology has been extensively used as flue gas scrubbing for coal based power stations.

Adsorption-based Claus tail gas treatment through regeneration temperature ramping


An optical fiber (7) exhibits varying transmission characteristics in different strain states and can have an S-shaped microbend. For producing such a fiber it is heated locally in a small region, as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the fiber, and then the portions of the fiber (1) located at the two sides of the heated region are displaced in relation to each other in a transverse direction in relation to the longitudinal direction of the fiber. It can be performed in a conventional fusion-splicing apparatus for optical fibers. Alternatively, a laser can be used as a heating source, what is particularly suitable for processing optical fibers having longitudinal cavities in order to infer to it similar transmission characteristics. The optical fibers produced by this method are suited for use as sensors, e.g. strain gauges.

Optical sensors for various mechanical quantities have the obvious advantage of being insensitive to electrical interference. Strain sensors or gauges based on optical components and in particular on different kinds of optical fibers are thus suitable for measurements in the most varying environments. Also secondary mechanical quantities such as pressure, temperature, fill level and similar quantities can be measured by means of such sensors. For a strain sensor comprising a suitably designed optical fiber, further the signal can be transferred from the place of measurement to a monitoring unit through a portion of the optical fiber itself, what gives a smaller sensitivity to interference compared to electrical signal transmission.

Method of putting a bend into a fiber to make a strain sensor


The present invention provides benzothiadiazine and chroman derivatives and particularly diazoxide and cromakalim derivatives for use in treating glaucoma, retinopathy, treating age related macular degeneration, treating, stabilizing and/or inhibiting blood and lymph vascularization, and reducing intraocular pressure by administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of a prodrug disposed in an ophthalmically acceptable carrier to the eye, wherein the prodrug specifically modulates a KATP channel to reduce an intraocular pressure.

Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with methods and compositions for treating glaucoma and reducing intraocular pressure. Glaucoma is a group of conditions, which causes a characteristic and progressive optic neuropathy and is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. It is estimated that there are 67 million people in the world with glaucoma; 6.7 million of whom are blind from the condition. There is no cure for glaucoma, a condition which leads to a reduction in visual field and ultimately, legal blindness. Since intraocular pressure is the only modifiable risk factor/causative agent for glaucoma, treatments focus on reducing the intraocular pressure in the eye to slow glaucoma progression and blindness. Glaucoma is classified according to three parameters, the underlying cause which is classified as primary (idiopathic) or secondary (associated with some other ocular or systemic conditions); the state of the anterior chamber angle, classified as open angle (open access of the outflowing aqueous humor to trabecular meshwork) or closed angle (narrow angle where the trabecular meshwork is blocked by apposition of the peripheral iris and the cornea); and chronicity, which may be acute or chronic. The most common form of glaucoma is primary open angle glaucoma.
Treatments for glaucoma range from laser trabeculoplasty to topical treatment. For example, selective laser trabeculoplasty is a laser treatment of the trabecular meshwork as a means to improve the outflow of aqueous humor from the eye, thereby reducing intraocular pressure. Topical treatments are used to slow aqueous humor production or increase aqueous humor drainage. Both processes will help to decrease intraocular pressure. However, glaucoma medical adherence with topical medication is poor, and studies suggest that fewer than half of the patients are able to maintain consistently lowered intraocular pressure with topical agents. In addition, current intraocular pressure lowering drugs such as brimonidine, timolol, and prostaglandin analogs can have significant side effects.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,063,054, entitled, "Method of Treatment of Retinal Ischemia with Diazoxide" discloses a composition including diazoxide (7-chloro-3-methyl-2H-1,2,4-benzothiadiazine-1,1-dioxide) for the treatment and/or prevention of retinal ischemia and of diseases associated with retinal ischemia. Ischemia is a restriction in blood supply to tissues, causing a shortage of oxygen and glucose needed for cellular metabolism (to keep tissue alive). Ischemia is generally caused by problems with blood vessels, with resultant damage to or dysfunction of tissue. In addition the compositions are soluble in organic solvents.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,186,707, entitled, "Prodrugs for use as Ophthalmic Agents," discloses a mechanism by which steroidal quinol compounds confer beneficial ophthalmic effects. The subject compounds possess a lipophilic-hydrophilic balance for transcorneal penetration and are readily reduced into parent phenolic A-ring steroid compounds to provide protection or treatment against various ocular symptoms and disorders. These prodrugs confer lipid solubility optimal for transocorneal penetration and are readily converted to endogenous reducing agents into active phenolic A-ring steroid compounds.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,985,856, entitled, "Prodrugs and Methods of Making and Using the Same," discloses prodrugs of parent drugs and methods of making and using the same. The prodrugs comprise an amine-containing parent drug moiety and a prodrug moiety, such as methoxyphosphonic acid or ethoxyphosphonic acid. The prodrugs may be employed in therapy for the treatment of various indications, such as pain, and in methods of decreasing the abuse potential of abuse-prone drugs and/or delaying the onset of parent drug activity and/or prolonging parent drug activity as compared to administration of a parent drug.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,620, entitled, "Methods and Compositions for ATP-sensitive K+ Channel Inhibition for Lowering Intraocular Pressure," discloses ATP-sensitive K+ channel modulating compounds are incorporated into ophthalmically acceptable carriers for administration to the eye in order to affect intraocular pressure.

Therapeutics for the treatment of glaucoma

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research


A method of and apparatus for processing and stacking printed forms operatively connects three main features. First, a dual registering stacking interface that stages, registers, transports, justifies and stacks forms in which forms are delivered to a side-by-side holding area known as channels one and two, where they are held stationary and accumulate in a stack or continue feeding as separate forms. Second, a sequencer merger receives the forms from the dual registering stacking interface and dual registering stacking interface and directs the forms in a selected order and transports said forms to its output end as a stack of forms. Third, an improved access accumulator incorporates the physical separation of upper from lower transport belt assemblies. A separate upper transport assembly is installed using ball bearings as hinges on the existing upper output shaft, spring loaded ball stud latches are used to latch the upper assembly to the lower assembly via two alignment blocks on either side of the device. Spring loaded latches provide the capability to pass multiple stacked pages into the device at one time thus allowing more than one page to pass into the stack together.

The invention relates to a method of and apparatus for handling both preprinted and unprinted forms. Forms which are preprinted and coded in certain machine or human readable formats may be taken from a bulk stack or roll of forms and automatically processed. Unprinted forms can be processed using preprogrammed steps.
The processing operations may include combinations of stacking, sequencing, merging, accumulating, restacking, folding and then loading into a high speed mail insertion machine. The invention can be operated both in line--with an inserter--or off line for testing or other operations such as sequencing and stacking for folding. The stacked, folded forms can then be handled manually or preferably fed to an inserter machine. These can also be programmed in a preset automatic non-optical mode that does not rely on optical marks for control.
The invention has advantages in a combination of its flexibility in handling alternative form printing formats such as last page first, mixed multiple and independent sequencing and stacking, as well as keeping track of multiple page and variable page sets while also providing greatly improved speed of operation to enable maximizing the speed of the high speed mail insertion machinery.
Prior art feeding and transporting mechanisms require major mechanical and electronic changes to efficiently process a variety of form sizes and formats and printing sequence formats. Most prior art devices have no provisions for under or over stacking while running a side-by-side form. In addition, most prior art devices make no provision to stack, right and/or left justify and deliver up to two channels of paper side-by-side, independently of each other, with precise superimposition of the stack.
At this time the method of operation needs to be understood. As described above, there are a variety of formats for printing of documents that arrive to the envelope inserter facility in the form of the continuous form web. For a variety of reasons, web is printed at the convenience of the company whose statements or mailings are typically to go to mail recipients. Often this is a company such as a credit card company sending credit card bills or a bank sending mortgage statements or the like.
Very often, the preprinted webs of continuous feed forms are delivered to a mailing house that processes and mails all the documents with the capital, facilities and expertise to do so with greater efficiency than the credit card companies or banks. However to serve different credit card companies, banks or the like, it is necessary for the mailing house to tailor its operations to process using whatever format their customers, the different credit card companies, banks or the like use. Since the different credit card companies, banks or the like often print in different formats, flexibility in processing formats is important to the efficiency of the mailing house. Similarly, even a mailer who does the envelope insertion itself may want to have flexibility in the event it changes its printing program or uses different printing programs.
Formats such as "one up" printing, where a single page is processed are fairly easy to feed into an envelope inserter such as that taught in U.S. Pat. No. 1,738,119 and later embodiments generally known as machines of the Phillipsburg type. For documents feed "two up", typically side by side, it is necessary to use a merger so that a plurality of document streams or channels result in a single channel. A typical approach is that taught U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,319. Another approach is in U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,497. Still another is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,127. None of these, however, appear to be adaptable to handle all the variations that may be handled by the instant invention. The foregoing patents are incorporated by reference.
West/East printing starts with the left channel 48, the next page to the same recipient in the right channel, the third page back to the left channel, but, of course behind the first page. This sequence, zig-zagging back and forth, is repeated for the selected number of recipients and pages. When there are the same number of pages for every recipient, the format is called "West/East multiple." Where there is a different number of pages for every recipient, the format is called "West/East mixed multiple." If the right channel has the first page and the left channel the second, the analogous terminology to that above would be used to describe "East/West" formats. Typically, documents fed in West/East or East/West are accumulated in a stack in an accumulator and then the set is injected to a folder and thence to the inserter. However, the foregoing arrangements in the typical inserter feed arrangements known in the prior art are unable to handle North/South multiple formats. North/South mixed multiple format and the operation of the invention will be discussed in detail and with reference to schematic drawings.
Thus, the convention in the high speed printing and the subsequent high speed mail handling field is to refer to printing operations as "East/West" where related forms such as a credit card bill of multiple pages that go to the same addressee, are printed, at least in part, side by side, and "North/South" where related forms are printed end to end or top to bottom. Another convention is to refer to form printing and subsequent high speed mail handling as "one up" where a single page is printed, and all subsequent pages follow in one continuous feed batch, and "two up" where two pages are printed side by side and enter the high speed mail handling equipment's first step (usually a cutter) in a side by side manner. It is the forms, as printed, which determine whether the batch is arranged "East/West", West/East, "North/South".
When forms are printed and have different number of pages per set they are referred to as mixed multiple forms. While these may be printed either "East/West" or "North/South," because of the mixed number of multiple pages, it is critical to control both channels to be sure sets are processed correctly. East/West or West/East mixed multiple forms use both left and right channels to process one particular form, effectively zig-zagging from one channel to the other. North/South mixed multiples have all the pages for one form in one channel, but both channels must be controlled to be sure multiple forms from one channel are not processed out of order relative to the other channel.
A one-up continuous form is a continuous web of paper used for creating documents in a continuous stream allowing only one document for the width of the form. Each consecutive document appears in a subsequent pattern and continue along the length of the web.
A two-up continuous form is a continuous web of paper used for creating documents in a continuous stream allowing two documents to be printed side-by-side restricted by the width of the form. This form is generally slit vertically down the center to separate the documents and then trimmed to width on the sides.
North/South printing sequence format is a process by which a one-up or two-up continuous form is used, printing one document or two documents side-by-side. Of course, by definition one up forms have to be North/South because there is no East/West relationship.
East/West printing sequence is the process by which a two-up continuous form is used for printing two documents side-by-side on a continuous web. In East/West, when a multiple page statement is required, the first page of the set can appear in channel one or channel two (left or right). The next page of that same set would appear in the next position using a left to right, top to bottom theory of collation. Therefore, if there was a three page set and page one of that set appeared in channel two, the second page appeared in channel one, one position down from the first page and the last page of that set would also appear in channel two, one position down from the first page. The convention used herein will use West/East by analogy to the cardinal points of a compass where North refers to the leading edge of the sheet. Thus, West/East refers to side by side pages with the left page first, while East/West refers to side by side pages with the right page first.
Other known prior art uses single track form feeders and cutters feeding accumulators and sequencers. These single track accumulators do not permit the handling of two up mixed multiple forms. These also have limitations in handling certain East/West, North/South and mixed multiple formats. The prior art cannot select between printing the aforementioned modes alternatively, or with simple program changes. Further, the use of a controllable dual registering stacking interface can nearly double the ultimate speed of operation because of the ability to sequence two-up printed forms. The physical feed and sequencing of the original batch of printed forms are often limiting factors in machine operation speed.
Prior art feed arrangements generally simply use a fixed format cutting and inserting virtually straight from the computer printed continuous feed forms. While this prior art is adequate for processing repetitive routine jobs, there is a complete lack of flexibility in adapting to different continuous feed form formats.
Most forms are fed using industry standard optically readable coding marks to identify related forms. In the invention, these are fed through a forms cutter or perforated form burster which physically separates the continuous feed computer printed batch of forms into an "East/West" set of papers. In the typical usage, a single web of multiple pages is processed through a cutter or burster which includes the optical reading apparatus. This set of papers is then fed into a dual registering stacking interface.
It will be understood that in the industry different formats and sizes are used. The main advantage of the invention is that it can be adapted to varying formats of single pages, left and right pages, mixing of the number of pages in a given mailing and the like, as will be described.
The dual registering stacking interface or "register" enables an improved method of processing cut forms originating from a stacked continuous web of paper and flexibility in processing all of the required printing sequence formats.
The prior art includes a register table. This outer-edge justifies, or registers, two-up pages, but does not stack. Register tables have been used for different West/East or East/West applications and North/South single page sets, but cannot process North/South multiple page sets.
Two separate forms are delivered side-by-side and enter the register. The separate forms are fed into first and second parallel staging areas respectively. While the forms are in these staging areas optical characters previously read on the forms are processed and the forms composed for delivery to the stacking area. Optionally, appropriate reader apparatus could be incorporated with the register.
Moving to the stacking area, where multiple page sets are involved, the pages are stacked respectively separately and progressively right and left justified prior to releasing to a subsequent device--the sequencer-merger. The pages are also lead edge justified and become superimposed.
Where single pages are involved, the dual registering stacking interface functions as a North/South area enabling timing for sequencing. Justification remains important for maximum speed and the control provided enables better sequencing.
A key to this operation is the processing of the optical reading to determine the relatedness of forms in selected combinations of North/South series or East/West relationship. Thus, the processing of the optical reading will determine the need for collation, the need for incorporating related pages into sets such as in East/West mixed multiple forms, the sequencing of sets or simply the sequencing of single page printed forms. Even in this last operation, control is desirable where, for example the printing in Zip code order proceeds with the left hand ("West") form first or the right hand ("East") form first. Indeed, the invention permits a more flexible terminology because the invention can control West/East forms as well as East/West forms--a distinction not heretofore permitted with any known automated machine.
It should be recognized, however that the invention can also be used in a preprogrammed sequence and/or set collation without using reading. Examples of this operation would be where there is so little variation in the forms that sequencing need not be automated, or even where the apparatus is used for a purpose other than mailing such as sequencing and feeding hand deliverable materials to a folder in an off line manner. The prior art has not generally been adapted to off line operation.
In the preferred embodiment, appropriate automatic actuator controls will signal whether, for example, a second page in one channel relates to the immediately prior sheet (now in the stacking area). If related, the two will be stacked. If not, then each sheet will be injected to the next step.
The sheet or stack is released and moved from the stacking area after a predetermined number of forms have accumulated in said stack. Each channel's moving mechanism includes upper and lower transport belts transversely offset from each other which are in different vertically adjacent planes to cause the belts to grasp and move the forms forward. These belts are also in different horizontally adjacent planes.
Preferably each set of belts for a given channel are horizontally angled to the outside as paper travels to the right on channel two, to the left on channel one. This causes a sheet and consecutive forms to be accumulated and right or left justified and are neatly stacked prior to release from the stacking area in either channel. At a minimum one set, preferably the outer set, would be angled.
Each stacking area is located between a sheet recording mechanism to record the number of forms passing through and a pair of spring loaded compliant rollers. The rollers stop the paper stack from moving forward, align said stack perpendicular and square with the next device and eject said stack to a subsequent process. Stacking is assisted by low friction sheaves through which the belts pass, but which enable subsequent forms to pass under earlier forms maintained in the North/South area. Generally the friction of the belts prevents any rebounding of the forms. There is no rear stop needed.
In order to accomplish registering, the present invention provides implementation of the transversely offset upper and lower belts and with their driven rollers horizontally offset and adjusted about 5 degrees offset from their drive rollers toward the right or left side of the device for right or left justification, stacking and superimposing. The angle is variable for maximum performance with different forms, paper, speeds and the like and has been effective between about one degree to about 10 degrees. A separate left hand and right hand clutch/brake control is provided for each left and right channel for independent or simultaneous release to a subsequent process.
The dual registering stacking interface is adaptable to selectively handle the following different combinations of form layouts: one-up continuous form; a two-up continuous form; East/West printing sequence format and North/South printing sequence format, left channel first or right channel first.
Collation in the North/South printing sequence format mode is done in the register stacking area(s) and before sequencing. In the East/West format collation of sets is done in the accumulator/collector after sequencing.
In North/South when a multiple page document is required, the first page of the set will appear in the first position on a one-up form and each consecutive page thereafter. In a two-up form, the first page can appear in either of two side-by-side channels and each consecutive page will appear in the next position after its previous page using a top to bottom theory of collation for either of the two channels.
The dual registering stacking interface or register positively registers the forms outwardly against rails as they pass from a staging area to a stacking area. The previously read coding is processed and the stacking controlled so that the desired collation is accomplished. This can, for example, be simply west/east programming where each of two related papers which travel side-by-side are intended to be collated and to be ultimately inserted together in a single envelope to a single customer. West/east forms feed into the sequencer/merger are fairly easy to control because the forms are in the proper order when they enter the sequencer/merger and thence enter the improved access accumulator. In the prior art, this could also be accomplished with a register table, which was not a multiple function unit like the register.
The use of the register in conjunction with the other steps described herein also enable highly complex collation and sequencing such as North/South mixed multiple stacking as where the identity between sequential papers is on a North/South basis but not all customers receive the same number of pages in their mailing. Thus, with two pages in the registered area and two pages in the stacking area, three separate customers may be represented. The north/east customer may get a single page, the north/west customer may get two pages comprising the north/west page and the south/west page, while the south/east page is for yet a third customer.
The stacking mechanism in conjunction with the optical reader and control will then inject stacks in the proper order into the sequencer merger.
The sequencer merger includes deflector guides fixed at both ends which both invert and rotate each stack. They are inverted 180 degrees (180) vertically and rotated 90 degrees (90) horizontally in the preferred embodiment. From here, the now sequenced stacks are injected into a transport, collector, or subsequent device such as an one up stacking register which performs a task of counting and controlling each individual stack. When an online one up stacking register is used, for example, it then injects each stack in the proper order into a folder and thence into the high speed mail inserting machine. In the prior art, the sequenced forms are always merged, or overlapped. In the invention, the ability to change the timing or release of the forms will enable the forms to be fed in a non-merged or separate manner where desired.
For maximum flexibility in in-line operations, an one up stacking register is a transport assembly for a paper feeding mechanism. Prior art accumulators have upper and lower transport belts transversely offset from one another, but in line with the centerline of the one up stacking register, used to transport paper and/or stack paper. These have no provisions for removal of paper from the device once caught between transport belts when stationary. Currently it is difficult to remove a piece of paper easily and without damage. It is also difficult to install a piece of paper manually or to inspect. In addition, current designs have no provisions for compensating for more than one stacked page to enter the device at one time.
For improved precision and efficiency, the stacking register of the invention can be used for one-up operation as well as for two-up operations. As with the dual registering stacking interface the one to ten (preferably 5) degree angle side justifies the forms.

Method of and apparatus for processing and stacking printed forms