A production method for a display panel according to the present invention is production method for a display panel 100 including a display panel 101 and a plurality of microlenses 107 provided on a light-incident side of the display panel 101, including: (a) a step of providing a display panel having a plurality of pixels in a matrix arrangement, wherein each of the plurality of pixels has a plurality of picture elements, including a first picture element 104B transmitting first color light and a second picture element 104R (104G) transmitting second color light which is different from the first color light; (b) a step of forming a photocurable material layer 105 on one of a pair of principal faces, being opposite to each other, of the display panel; (c) a step of exposing the photocurable material layer to light via the display panel, wherein the photocurable material layer is at least partially cured with light which has been transmitted through at least the first picture element; and (d) a step of removing an uncured portion of the photocurable material layer 105′ having been exposed to light, thereby forming a plurality of microlenses 107.

Generally speaking, a display device of a non-self-emitting type, e.g., a liquid crystal display device, causes changes in the transmittance (or reflectance) of a display panel with a driving signal so as to modulate the intensity of light from a light source which is radiated on the display panel, thus displaying images or text. Such display devices include: direct-viewing-type display devices, which allow images or the like displayed on a display panel to be viewed directly; and projection-type display devices (projectors), which allow images or the like displayed on a display panel to be projected in an enlarged form on a screen by means of a projection lens. As non-self-emitting type display panels other than liquid crystal display panels, electrochromic display panels, electrophoresis-type display panels, toner display panels, PLZT panel, and the like are known. Currently, liquid crystal display devices are widely used in monitor devices, projectors, mobile information terminals, mobile phones, and the like.
In a liquid crystal display device, by applying a driving voltage corresponding to an image signal to each of the pixels which are regularly arranged in a matrix, the optical characteristics of the liquid crystal layer in each pixel are changed, whereby image, text, and the like are displayed. As a system for applying independent driving voltages to the aforementioned pixels, there are a passive matrix system and an active matrix system. A liquid crystal display panel of an active matrix system needs to be equipped with switching elements and lines for supplying driving voltages to pixel electrodes. As switching elements, non-linear two-terminal devices such as MIM (metal-insulator-metal) devices and three-terminal devices such as TFT (thin film transistor) devices are used.
When intense light impinges on the switching elements (especially TFTs) which are provided on the display panel, the devices' resistances in their OFF state are decreased. This results in a problem in that the charge which each picture element capacitor acquired during voltage application is discharged, thus making it impossible to obtain a predetermined displaying state, so that light will leak even in a black state and the contrast ratio will decrease.
Therefore, in a liquid crystal display panel, with the purpose of preventing light from impinging on TFTs (especially channel regions), a light shielding layer (called a black matrix) is provided on a TFT substrate having TFTs and pixel electrodes formed thereon, as well as on a counter substrate which opposes the TFT substrate via a liquid crystal layer, for example. In a reflection type liquid crystal display device, the effective pixel area will not decrease if reflecting electrodes are utilized as a light shielding layer. However, in a liquid crystal display device which performs display by utilizing transmitted light, the effective pixel area will be reduced by the provision of a light shielding layer in addition to the non-light-transmitting TFTs, gate bus lines, and source bus lines. As a result, the ratio of the effective pixel area to the total area of the displaying region, i.e., the aperture ratio, will be decreased.
Furthermore, this tendency becomes more prominent as the liquid crystal display panel increases in resolution and becomes smaller in size. This is because, even if the pixel pitch is decreased, the TFTs, bus lines, and the like cannot be made smaller beyond certain sizes, due to constraints in terms of electrical performance, production technique, and the like.
In particular, in a transflective type liquid crystal display device, which have gained prevalence as display devices for mobile devices such as mobile phones in the recent years, each pixel has a region (a reflecting region) which performs display in a reflection mode and a region (transmitting region) which performs display in a transmission mode. Therefore, by reducing the pixel pitch, the ratio of the area of the transmitting regions to the total area of the displaying region (i.e., the aperture ratio of the transmitting regions) will be greatly decreased.
Under dim lighting, a transflective liquid crystal display device performs display by utilizing light from a backlight which is transmitted through the liquid crystal display panel, and under bright lighting, performs display by reflecting light from the surroundings. Thus, a transflective liquid crystal display device is able to achieve display with a high contrast ratio regardless of the surrounding brightness, but has a problem in that its brightness decreases as the aperture ratio of the transmitting regions is decreased.
In particular, the efficiency of light utility (i.e., brightness) will decrease even more in a direct-viewing-type liquid crystal display device or a single-panel projector which performs color displaying by utilizing absorption of light by color filters.
As one method of improving the efficiency of light utility in projection-type liquid crystal display devices, a method has come into practical use in which microlenses for converging light on the respective pixels are provided on the liquid crystal display panel to improve the effective aperture ratio of the liquid crystal display panel. Most conventional microlenses are formed within the counter substrate of the liquid crystal display panel, and are structured so that the microlens are sandwiched between two glass plates.
With reference to FIG. 20(a) and (b), two typical methods for producing a counter substrate which is equipped with conventional microlenses will be described. Note that a plurality of microlenses which are in a regular arrangement will be collectively referred to as a microlens array.
The first production method produces a substrate (microlens array substrate) equipped with a microlens array, through steps (a-1) to (a-4) which are schematically shown in FIG. 20(a).
(a-1): A photoresist layer on a glass substrate is patterned.
(a-2): The patterned resist layer is heated to cause thermal flow, thus forming a resist layer having the shapes of microlenses.
(a-3): together with the resist layer having microlens shapes, the glass substrate is dry-etched in order to form the shapes of the resist layer on the glass substrate (etch back), whereby a microlens array substrate is obtained.
(a-4): Via an adhesion layer, cover glass is adhered to the resultant microlens array substrate, and the surface of the cover glass is polished, whereby a counter substrate is obtained. Note that, an electrode, an alignment film, and the like are formed as necessary.
The second production method produces a counter substrate equipped with a microlens array, through steps (b-1) to (b-4) which are schematically shown in FIG. 20(b).
(b-1): A photoresist layer on a glass substrate is patterned via electron beam exposure, for example, thus forming a resist layer having the shapes of microlenses. This is used as a master.
(b-2): Using the master, a metal stamper is produced, for example by plating technique.
(b-3): Using the metal stamper, the shapes of microlenses are transferred to the glass substrate, thus obtaining a microlens array substrate.
(b-4): Via an adhesion layer, cover glass is adhered to the resultant microlens array substrate, and the surface of the cover glass is polished, whereby a counter substrate is obtained.
Moreover, Patent Document 1 discloses a method in which, by utilizing the pixels of a liquid crystal display panel, a photosensitive material which is applied to the surface of a counter substrate is exposed to light, thus forming microlenses for the pixels through self assembly. This method has advantages in that misalignment between the microlenses and the pixels does not occur, and that the microlenses can be produced at low cost.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-62818

Method of producing micro-lens-carrying display panel and display unit and exposure system


Disclosed herein are methods for increasing the bioavailability of pharmaceutical agents by conjugation to phosphocholine. Also disclosed are phosphocholine-derivatized steroids, peptides and other biologically active agents and pharmaceutical formulations comprising these compounds.

Conventional means for delivering pharmaceutical and therapeutic agents to mammals often are severely limited by chemical and physical barriers to uptake, as well as by susceptibility of administered agents to rapid metabolic inactivation following uptake. Oral delivery of many biologically-active agents would be the route of choice if not for the extreme pH of the stomach, the action of proteolytic and other digestive enzymes in the intestine, and the impermeability of gastrointestinal membranes to the active ingredient.
Methods for orally administering vulnerable pharmacological agents have relied on co-administration of adjuvants (e.g. resorcinols and non-ionic surfactants such as polyoxyethylene oleyl ether and n-hexadecyl polyethylene ether) to artificially increase the permeability of the intestinal walls; co-administration of enzymatic inhibitors (e.g. pancreatic trypsin inhibitor, diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) and trasylol) to avoid enzymatic degradation; and encapsulation of the active agent in liposomes or other delivery vehicles.
Irrespective of the mode of administration of many therapeutic compounds, once they gain access to body tissues or fluids they are then subject to rapid inactivation in the liver, termed the "first-pass effect." Orally administered compounds in particular are rapidly delivered to the liver via the portal circulation. Many compounds are acted upon by mixed-function oxidases, Phase I enzymes and other liver enzymes to produce inactive glucuronides, hippurates, glycyl and acetyl derivatives, which are rapidly excreted by the kidney.
There is thus a need in the art for methods and compositions to enable potential therapeutic agents to be rapidly absorbed in the intestine and avoid first-pass inactivation in the liver.


For sewing up a surgical opening (32), an instrument (10) is provided to be introduced thereinto. Needle holders (19), having needles (25) attached thereon, are laterally extended out of the instrument (10). By raising the instrument (10), the needles (25) are pierced through the cutaneous tissue (33) from the inside to the outside while the thread (30) passing through the needles (25) forms a loop within the patient's body. A needle catcher (26) is used for withdrawing the needles (25) out of the patient's body, the needles (25) being released from the needle holders (19). Finally, the thread loop can be tied into a knot above the surgical opening (32) outside the patient's body.

The invention is directed to a surgical suturing apparatus for closing an operation wound or a stab incision by at least one thread.
A known surgical suturing apparatus according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,323 comprises an instrument with a longitudinal housing of oval cross section wherein two parallel needle holders are displaceable in lengthwise direction. Each of the needle holders is adapted to have a needle inserted therein in such a manner that the two needles protrude towards the patient-side end. The surgical thread is pulled through the rear ends of the needles so as to form a wide loop. When the instrument is used, it is introduced by a piercing tool into the body or the knee of the patient, and the needles are advanced while laterally enclosing the area which is to be sutured. Then, the needles are pushed further on until emerging again from the patient's body on the opposite side. There, the ends of the thread can be seized and tied into a knot above the skin. This suturing apparatus makes it necessary that the needles are pierced completely through the body, i.e. that they will emerge again on the end opposite the puncturing end. The known apparatus is not suited for sewing up stab incisions which are accessible only from one side.
In surgical operations, e.g. in the abdominal and thorax regions, the surgical wound is closed by suturing with surgical suture material. In relatively long surgical incisions, application of a surgical suture normally does not cause any major problems. However, difficulties will occur in stab incisions, particularly in the region of the abdomen and the thorax. If the surgical incision is so short that the suture can be sewed only by at least one loop of the thread, the surgeon will have difficulties to guide the needle with the needle holder under the skin and to pierce it through the abdominal wall from below since he cannot reach through the incision opening with his fingers.


An electrostatic actuator comprising: first and second comb arrays of electrodes arranged on a base, the electrodes of the first and second comb arrays being interleaved; a third comb array of electrodes spring mounted over the first and second comb arrays, the electrodes of the third comb array being essentially aligned with the electrodes of the second comb array; means for applying a first voltage to the third comb array and a second voltage to the first and second comb arrays to generate an attractive force acting on the third comb array to move the third comb array toward the second comb array; and, means for applying the first voltage to the second and third comb arrays and the second voltage to the first comb array to generate a repulsive force acting on the third comb array to move the third comb array away from the second comb array.

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are the integration of mechanical elements and electronics on the same chip using microfabrication technology similar to the IC process to realize high performance and low cost functional devices such as micro sensors and micro actuators.
MEMS is becoming an enabling technology in many fields as it enables the construction of devices or systems characterized by high performance, small size, small weight and low cost. Typical MEMS applications include: inertial measurement units such as micro accelerometers and micro gyroscopes; optical MEMS such as digital light processing (DLP) systems, micro optical switches and micromirrors for adaptive optics; and, RF MEMS devices such as micro RF switches, micro oscillators and micro varactors.
Micro actuators are important building blocks in constructing MEMS devices. There are four main actuation techniques used in MEMS, i.e., electrostatic, thermal, magnetic and piezoelectric. Among them, electrostatic actuation is the most used one because of its outstanding advantages such as low power consumption, simple structure, quick response, and especially high compatibility with IC fabrication technology. Micro electrostatic actuators can be categorized into two types, i.e., lateral (in-plane) actuators which move in the plane parallel to the substrate, and out-of-plane actuators which move in the plane perpendicular to the substrate. For lateral actuation or in-plane movement, combdrive types are preferred. The parallel-plate configuration is most suitable for vertical actuation or out-of-plane movement. Out-of-plane actuators are the subject of the present invention.
A conventional out-of-plane electrostatic actuator uses attractive electrostatic force and consists of two parallel plate electrodes: a fixed electrode and a moving electrode. The moving electrode is pulled down toward the fixed electrode by an attractive electrostatic force when a potential is applied between the two electrodes and it moves back to its original position due to a restoring force from supporting flexures when the voltage is removed.
The application of conventional parallel plate attractive electrostatic actuators is limited by the "pull-in" effect: when the displacement of the moving electrode exceeds ⅓ of the initial gap distance, the linear restoring force from the flexures cannot counteract the rapidly increasing nonlinear electrostatic attractive force between the fixed and moving electrodes, and as such the moving electrode sticks to the fixed electrode. A detailed explanation of the "pull-in" effect in conventional parallel-plate micro electrostatic actuators can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,753,911. Because of the "pull-in" effect the stroke of a conventional parallel-plate actuator is limited to less than one third of the initial gap distance between the fixed and moving electrodes.
Parallel-plate attractive micro electrostatic actuators are mainly fabricated by surface micromachining technology. In this technology, the initial gap distance between the fixed and moving electrodes is formed by a sacrificial layer such as silicon oxide, which is normally limited to a thickness of less than 2-3 micrometers. Therefore, the stroke of a conventional parallel-plate micro electrostatic actuator is limited to less than one micrometer (⅓ the thickness of the sacrificial layer).
In a number of MEMS applications, a stroke of the actuator as large as several micrometers is required. A significant effort has thus been dedicated to increase the stroke of the conventional parallel-plate electrostatic actuators. U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2003/0103717 and 2004/0160118 present a method of using an elevation mechanism to raise the moving electrode to obtain a large initial gap between the fixed and moving electrodes, and therefore a larger stroke. By using the elevation mechanism a larger stroke is achieved at the price of increased fabrication complexity, lower space usage efficiency, lower production yield and higher driving voltage.
Another method to increase the stroke of conventional parallel plate attractive electrostatic actuators was disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2003/0011955 and U.S.2003/0117152. The method is based on using a special control circuit to realize a linear relation between the driving voltage and the gap distance, and therefore allows a large displacement. The largest stroke achieved by using this special control circuit is the full initial gap distance, which is normally limited in the range of 2-3 micrometers when standard surface micromachining is used to fabricate the parallel plate electrostatic actuator. Moreover, the special control circuit increases the cost of the chip.
Other methods were also developed to increase the stroke of the conventional parallel plate micro electrostatic actuators such as using second-order flexures (e.g., D. M. Burns and V. M. Bright, "Nonlinear flexures for stable deflection of an electrostatically actuated micromirror," Proc. SPIE Conf. Vol. 3226, 1997) and a dual-gap structure (e.g., J. Zou et al., "Development of a wide tuning range MEMS tunable capacitor for wireless communication systems," International Electron Devices Meeting, 2000).
All the attempts mentioned above to increase the stroke of the conventional parallel-plate attractive electrostatic actuators, are either not adequate to achieve a stroke large enough for many applications or are not compatible with standard surface micromachining technology and thus are difficult to implement in a batch-production process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,465 discloses a design of special electrode arrangements for constructing cantilever actuators. This design has a serious drawback which limits it from being widely used as a bi-directional large stroke electrostatic actuator in MEMS devices, namely, the moving electrodes require electric potentials with opposite polarities thereby a movable insulation layer, such as silicon nitride or silicon oxide, has to be added to physically constrain and electrically insulate all the moving electrodes. These requirements complicate the fabrication process, lead to a deterioration of the performance of the component, and add wiring complexity. Moreover, no moving insulation layer is available in many commercial MEMS fabrication processes such as MUMPS (Multi User MEMS Processes), SUMMIT (Sandia Ultra planar Multilevel MEMS Technology), and so on.
An electrostatic actuator utilizing both attractive and repulsive forces can provide bi-directional movement of the electrodes. The total stroke of such a bi-directional electrostatic actuator includes two parts, i.e., the displacement of the moving electrode in the direction toward the fixed electrode and that in the direction away from the fixed electrode. Therefore the stroke is not limited by the initial gap distance. Hence, a large stroke can be achieved by the bi-directional electrostatic actuator. Bi-directional electrostatic actuator can separate sticking surfaces, thereby is able to make reprogrammable MEMS nonvolatile memory.
A bi-directional electrostatic actuator of the comb-drive type has been disclosed and is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 6,771,001. As is common with the comb-drive configuration, the disclosed device provides large in-plane motion while minimizing out-of-plane motion.
A need, therefore, exists for an improved electrostatic actuator. Consequently, it is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least some of the above mentioned disadvantages.

Bi-directional actuator utilizing both attractive and repulsive electrostatic forces


Disclosed herein is a method for following up a prognosis of children with autism before and after treatment with different modalities administered by their clinicians, confirming the involvement of infectious agents, dietary proteins, and toxic chemicals in development of autism. The method utilizes detection of increased amounts of antibodies against an antigen based on infectious agent, toxic chemicals, or dietary proteins. Another method utilizes detection of antibodies to a self-tissue or peptide.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to identification of etiology of autism.
2. Description of the Related Art
Autism is a developmental disorder, which manifests itself during early childhood. In the autistic child, communications and social interactions, are severely impaired. Unable to learn from the natural environment as most children do, the child with autism generally shows little interest in the world or people around him. Although some children with autism develop normally and even acquire advanced skills, most exhibit a wide range of behavioral problems. In reality, autism affects the way a person comprehends, communicates and relates to others. Autism was originally thought to be primarily a psychiatric condition. However, further investigation showed that genetic and environmental factors are implicated in the pathogenesis of autism (1-8). The effects of environmental factors such as infections and toxic chemicals on gene expression result in biochemical, immunological and neurological disorders found in children with autism.
Diagnosis of Autism
Because we have no definitive diagnostic tests for the biological manifestations of autism, it remains one of the only neurological disorders that must be diagnosed almost entirely through behavioral symptoms. We know that autism interferes with the normal development of the brain in the areas of reasoning, social interaction, communication skills and emotions such as love and empathy. Children and adults with autism typically have deficiencies in verbal and nonverbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities. Autistic people may exhibit repeated body movements such as hand flapping, rocking, or spinning; they may have unusual responses to people or attachments to objects; and they may resist changes in routines. In some cases they may exhibit aggressive or self-injurious behavior.
According to the DSM-IV or Diagnosis and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, 4t′ edition, published by the American Psychiatric Association (9), autism is classified as a Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) characterized by twelve diagnostic criteria. These criteria fall into three categories—impairments in social interaction, impairments in communication, and a restricted repertoire of activities and interests. A diagnosis of autism requires that a child display at least six of these twelve symptoms, with a minimum number in each category.
DSM IV Diagnostic Criteria for Autism
Diagnosis Criteria for 299.00 Autistic Disorder
A. A total of six (or more) items from (1), (2), and (3), with at least two from (1), and one each from (2) and (3):    1. qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:            a. marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction        b. failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level        c. lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest)        d. lack of social or emotional reciprocity            2. qualitative impairments in communication as manifested by at least one of the following:            a. delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gesture or mime)        b. in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others        c. stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language        d. lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level            3. restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:            a. encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus        b. apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals        c. stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)        d. persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
B. Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years: (1) social interaction, (2) language as used in social communication, or (3) symbolic or imaginative play.
C. The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett's Disorder or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.
If a child does not fit the definition of autism given above, he or she may be diagnosed with a condition called Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). Such a diagnosis of non-specific forms of Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) may include atypical types of autism that do not fall into the above categories because of late age of onset, for example, or subthreshold or atypical symptoms. According to the DSM-IV, this diagnosis is to be used when autistic-like behaviors are present—in particular, when there is severe impairment in the development of social and verbal communication skills—but the child does not meet the criteria for classic autism or any other specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Schizophrenia, Schizotypal Personality Disorder or Avoidant Personality Disorder (9).


A protective cover for a telephone receiver mouthpiece or earpiece which comprises a thin, flexible sheet having a bounding perimeter, the sheet shaped and sized to fit over the earpiece or mouthpiece end portion of the receiver; and elastic band structure extending along or near the perimeter to collapse the perimeter adjacent the receiver end portion carrying the earpiece or mouthpiece, for holding the sheet in removable, yet yieldably resilient covering relation to the earpiece or mouthpiece; the sheet sized to loosely cover the receiver end portion.

This invention relates generally to protective covers for telephone mouthpieces and/or earpieces, and more particularly, to improvements in such covers.
There is continual need for improvements in such mouthpiece and/or earpiece covers. For example, there is need for low-cost, easily applied covers, which readily attach to, and are readily removable from the telephone receivers having different sized mouthpieces and/or earpieces.

Protective cover for telephone mouthpiece and/or earpiece


A gland packing is braided in a state where, in crossing angles of yarns which are exposed on four side surfaces of a string-like member, crossing angles in adjacent side surfaces of the four side surfaces are different from ch other. The string-like member is looped so that the crossing angle on the side surface in the four side surfaces, the side surface being to function as an inner circumferential surface, is larger than the crossing angles on side surfaces which are to function as side circumferential surfaces adjacent to the inner circumferential surface.

As a gland packing which is used for preventing leakage from a rotation shaft from occurring, a string-like packing in which inorganic fibers such as asbestos fibers or glass fibers are braided by various braiding methods, and then the fibers are impregnated with a lubricant or the like or under-go surface treatment, i.e., a so-called braided packing is often used.
Many kinds of braided packings in which carbon fibers or para-aromatic polyamide fibers are used as a material have been produced. The characteristics of a gland packing, such as the heat resistance, the chemical resistance, and the abrasion resistance have been largely improved. As conventional art examples of this kind, packings disclosed in Patent Literatures 1 and 2 are known.
Among gland packings of this kind, there is a gland packing in which the number of movement paths of yarns (number of yarn paths) is 4, more specifically a grand packing which is configured by a string-like member formed by braiding a plurality of yarns, which has a rectangular section, and in which the directions of the yarns in the section are parallel to diagonal lines, and the number of the movement paths of the yarns is set to 4 (see Patent Literature 3).
In such a braided packing, usually, the string-like member is loaded to a gland portion of a pump in the following manner. The string-like member is cut to a predetermined length. Then, the string-like member is inserted in an annular shape (doughnut shape) where its ends are butted together, i.e., as a gland packing. In the insertion, in the side surface which is one of the four side surfaces of the string-like member, and which functions as the inner circumferential surface of the inserted gland packing, the yarns often tend to be flexed and bulged toward the inner center (radially inward side).
The bulge is formed as concaves and convexes on the inner circumferential surface, and adversely affects the flatness of the surface which is contacted with the stem, +with the result that there is a possibility that also the sealing performance against leakage is adversely affected.


Modern computer based gaming in contrast to traditional gaming does not present the user/player with “responsibility” in that failure has negligible or no consequences and losing an element or part of the game is now essentially limited to failure of the standalone gaming console or failure to maintain an active account with some premium Internet based gaming applications. However, if the player's character within a game was linked to a physical element that stored their data in a secure manner and was required physically to electronically connect to the gaming system for the player to play then loss of the physical element means loss of the avatar. Similarly, if the securely stored data is written down to zero upon the death of the avatar within the game then the system may prevent the user restoring their game to a prior point to replay and avoid their failure.

Over the past decade the increasing power of microprocessors coupled with low cost electronic solutions, supporting cellular wireless services as well as personal and local area networks (PANs/LANs), low cost colour displays, social networks, and a range of different software applications have meant that gaming consoles and portable gaming devices have become a significant aspect of entertainment for children and adults alike. Despite gaming consoles for domestic use going back approximately 40 years to the Magnavox Odyssey their progress in the past 20 years since the first Sony™ PlayStation has benefitted from LCD/LED displays, dedicated graphic processors, wireless interfaces and increased residential Internet connectivity and data rates.
At the same time portable gaming devices such as the Nintendo™ DS, Sony™ PlayStation Vita, Nintendo Wii U etc. and now smartphones available from multiple suppliers such as Apple™ Samsung™, and Google™ with wireless interfaces, high resolution LED displays, and increased microprocessor power mean that today users access gaming software programs and software applications through a variety of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) allowing the users to interact through graphical icons and visual indicators such as secondary notation, as opposed to text-based interfaces, typed command labels or text navigation. Evolving virtual reality (VR) systems as well as motion tracking systems such as Microsoft™ Kinect™ and gyroscopes in controllers, smartphones, etc. also allow users to perceive and interact with the virtual worlds within games in more natural manners than through buttons, joysticks, etc. of conventional gaming controllers.
Generally, within gaming environments the user employs within these GUIs an avatar (usually translated from Sanskrit as incarnation) that represents or provides a graphical representation of the user or the user's alter ego or character within the game or games. Today, the most varied and sophisticated avatars are within the realms of massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) where players in some instances may construct a wholly customized representation from a range of available templates and then customize through preset hairstyles, skin tones, clothing, etc. Avatars may take any form, and range from lifelike humans to robots, animals, plants and mythical creatures. Avatar customization is one of the most important entertainment aspects in gaming and non-gaming virtual worlds and many such virtual worlds provide tools to customize their representations, allowing them to change shapes, hair, skins, gender, and also genre. Moreover, there is a growing secondary industry devoted to the creations of products and items for the avatars. Some companies have also launched social networks and other websites for linking avatars from different virtual worlds such as Koinup, Myrl, and Avatars United.
Such avatars are solely defined within the gaming environment and are provided to the user upon their re-starting the game, whether online or stand-alone, and either defaulting to their avatar based upon their registration/login or selecting one of the available avatars. If the user's avatar died during the game, then they can re-start from scratch or from a previously stored point within the game. Accordingly, modern gaming in contrast to traditional games does not present the user/player with what the inventors call "responsibility" in that failure has negligible or no consequences and losing an element or part of the game is now essentially limited to failure of the standalone gaming console or failure to maintain an active account with some premium Internet based gaming applications.
In many instances, computer games have had associated independent merchandising including figures of gaming characters, e.g. Mario and Luigi from Mario Bros.™ by Nintendo™. Recently, in an expansion of marketing such figures, several gaming companies and one console manufacturer, Nintendo™, have launched concepts for figures that extend the basic physical figure into a very limited aspect of a game or games and raise the "sales pitch" accordingly on players or parents respectively according to the target age range of the game. These concepts include:                Nintendo™ Amiibo™ wherein the figure of a character when coupled to the gaming console via Near-Field Communication (NFC) unlock new characters, content and bonuses. This being a simple detection of the figure triggering the release of bonuses, characters, etc. within the game. Some figures store limited game data from specific games but are limited to data from one game even if the character can be used in multiple games;        Disney™ Infinity which a multi-game console system working on Microsoft™ Xbox™ Microsoft™ Windows™ devices, Google™ Android™ smartphones, and Sony™ Playstation™. Requiring a Universal Serial Bus (USB) hub each character can store limited level and health information whilst so-called "world discs" unlock playsets/campaigns etc. whilst "power discs" unlock items, vehicles, etc.;        Lego™ Dimensions is a multi-game concept for the dominant consoles such as Microsoft™ Xbox™, Sony™ Playstation™, and Nintendo™ Wii™ and require an expensive Lego™ hub wherein the base of a character stores character and level information whilst the top can be modified, varied, etc. as it is standard Lego™;        Skylander™ Superchargers again exploit a hub with figures storing level and health information together with upgraded powers and statistics. These figures may also be reset whilst in-game.
The storage capacity of these figures is very limited. For example, the Lego™ Dimensions figures store 180 bytes of data. A Nintendo™ Amiibo™ for example when tapped to a compatible console unlocks the character, allows the user to select an outfit and give it a nickname which is then stored back to the Amiibo™ figure when it is tapped again to the compatible console. However, a user can play all games compatible with Amiibo™ without using an Amiibo™ figure and as such the Amiibo™ is optional and will simply add new elements to the gameplay, depending on the game.
Equally, losing a figure has relatively minor consequence as evident from Disney Infinity. Whilst a replacement figure must be purchased to unlock the character then provided it is unused the console/software assign an ownership of the character to the figure but now rather than starting at level 0 as when the lost figure was first used it will now load the figure with the experience level the player achieved previously, which it gets this from the game data. Further, in order to avoid data loss, the user can make backup copies of the data via a USB stick, cloud storage, etc.
Accordingly, whilst such figures release characters, release bonus content, etc. they do not fundamentally change the nature of the user's interaction with the game. In many instances the game can be played without the figures as these merely unlock other aspects of the game or loss of the figure is overcome with the purchase of another and exploiting in-game saved character data. In contrast, a gamer before the domination of computer gaming could only play with the correct piece and/or all pieces. Further, in physical games loss would mean destruction of the player's piece. As such a player established a direct sense of ownership and responsibility towards their playing piece(s) or gaming elements in a manner not present in today's computer gaming.
Equally, the progression of a player's playing piece through a series of victories added value to it wherein typically, especially with children, such pieces would be traded/bartered/sold for other items or playing pieces etc. In contrast, today within online gaming players may seek access to a variety of cheats etc. in order to bypass certain elements, power up weapons etc. without actually spending the time, pain, frustration and effort to progress through the game. It would, therefore, be beneficial for a player's character to be based within a figure that stores progress allowing either verification during a trade that the progress was legitimately achieved or providing a mechanism within the game for blocking use of characters that have been artificially boosted or progressed.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

Physical element linked computer gaming methods and systems


An apparatus comprises a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) for storing data. Refresh control circuitry is provided to control the DRAM to periodically perform a refresh cycle for refreshing the data stored in each memory location of the DRAM. A refresh address sequence generator generates a refresh address sequence of addresses identifying the order in which memory locations of the DRAM are refreshed during the refresh cycle. To deter differential power analysis attacks on secure data stored in the DRAM, the refresh address sequence is generated with the addresses of at least a portion of the memory locations in a random order which varies from refresh cycle to refresh cycle.

Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is a type of memory in which the data stored in the memory must periodically be refreshed to avoid loss of the data. A common form of DRAM stores data using capacitors. The capacitor may be placed in either a discharged state or a charged state to represent bit values of zero or one. Since capacitors leak charge over time, the data stored using capacitors will fade unless the capacitor is refreshed periodically.
In the present application, the terms "dynamic random access memory" and "DRAM" are used to refer to any kind of memory which requires its data to be refreshed periodically to avoid loss of the data (whether the data is stored using capacitors or using another kind of storage element).
DRAM is increasingly being used for storage of secure data and secure program code. This is particularly the case in systems in which the DRAM is integrated into the same system-on-chip or package as the processing logic associated with the DRAM. For example, 3D-integrated DRAMs may be used in a system-on-chip having multiple stacked layers. By isolating the DRAM from the external world, it is more difficult for an attacker to probe the interface between the DRAM and the processing logic and so data may be held more securely in the DRAM.
The present technique seeks to improve the security of secure data stored in a DRAM.

Apparatus and method for controlling refreshing of data in a DRAM


This disclosure relates to transient energy systems for supplying power to a load substantially instantaneously on demand. Transient energy systems may include a flywheel coupled the rotor of an induction motor generator. One embodiment of the disclosure refers to systems and methods for reducing loads on a bearing in a transient energy system. In another embodiment, the disclosure refers to an induction motor generator that is optimized for high power transient power generation, yet low power motor operation. Yet another embodiment of the disclosure refers to using a flywheel as a drag pump to cool components of a transient energy system. In yet another embodiment, a slip control scheme is discussed for regulating a DC bus. In yet a further embodiment of the disclosure a method is provided for reducing unnecessary turbine starts by making turbine start a function of the rotational velocity of a flywheel.

This relates to transient energy systems for supplying power to a load substantially instantaneously on demand. More particularly, this relates to flywheel energy storage systems constructed with an induction motor-generator.
There are many different types of transient systems, including, for example, batteries, ultra-capacitors, and flywheel energy storage systems, all of which are capable of providing power substantially immediately on demand. Batteries have poor reliability, are bulky (thus requiring substantial storage space), are expensive to maintain, and contain environmentally damaging chemicals. Ultra-capacitors are expensive and their development has yet to achieve economies of scale which would permit their widespread use. An example of a flywheel energy storage system includes the relatively high mass flywheel type of system. In this type of flywheel energy system, the flywheel is contained in an airtight container under vacuum to reduce drag on the flywheel's rotation. A disadvantage of such flywheel systems is that they become relatively large (thereby occupying substantial floor space), heavy and costly, in applications where longer runtimes are desired.
Transient systems may be used in combination with a "long-term" backup power generation system (which systems may not be capable of supplying power substantially immediately on demand) to form an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system. A UPS system may be operative to ensure that there is no interruption in the supply of power to a critical load in the event of an interruption in the supply of power from the primary power source (e.g., a utility power failure). A critical load may be a load requiring a continuous uninterrupted supply of power such as, for example, telecommunications systems, data centers, and other power sensitive loads. The transient energy storage system may bridge the supply of power substantially immediately after interruption in the supply of power from a primary power source (e.g., utility power) at least until a "long-term" backup power generation system (e.g., a compressed air storage system) is "activated" and able to supply power to the critical load.
Because interruptions in the supply of power from a primary power source are relatively rare, the need for transient systems to supply power on demand may occur only a few times during the life of such systems. However, when backup power is needed, the demands on the transient systems are high. The following considerations may be taken into account for transient system, and in particular, flywheel energy storage systems:
(1) the operational life of the flywheel system;
(2) the power consumed during a standby mode of operation (or motoring mode of operation);
(3) the quantity of power generated during a generation mode of operation;
(4) the response time in which real power is generated;
(5) the heat losses generated during standby mode;
(6) the ability to cool components during standby and/or generation modes;
(7) the wear and tear on components such as bearings;
(8) the audible noise;
(9) the range of voltage on a DC bus;
(10) the flywheel rotational speed;
(11) the stresses on the flywheel;
(12) the ability to control real power generated by the flywheel system;
(13) the control circuitry current limits; and
(14) the magnetic saturation limits.
There are several known configurations of flywheel energy storage systems (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,731,645). These systems maximum energy storage and require vacuum sealed enclosures to minimize flywheel windage losses. Some of the components within these systems can be highly customized and require manufacturing methods that are not widely used in industry thereby increasing cost.
Another type of system may be used to generate power, but is not conducive to transient power generation, includes conventional induction motor/generators that are driven by a prime mover (e.g., engine, wind, water, etc.) to generate power. Such induction motor/generators are designed and used for continuous duty operation. As such, the induction motor/generator is constructed to handle thermal and electrical limits for its power rating, resulting in larger sizing (and associated higher cost) and limited ability to rapidly transition from a motor mode to generator mode.
What is needed is an improved flywheel energy storage system constructed with a low-cost induction motor/generator that is optimized for transient power generation and methods for use of the same.

Transient energy systems and methods for use of the same


A fully dense powder metal cobalt-base article having high resistance to semi-solid metal wear and corrosion. The article has a constituent composition of C in an amount of about 0.65 to less than about 1%, W in an amount of about 3 to about 5%, Cr in an amount of about 25 to about 30%, Co in an amount principally comprising the balance of the article. The article has a hardness of greater than 42HRC and more preferably 45HRC, a bend fracture strength of greater than 330 ksi and substantial dimensional and mechanical property stability during exposure to temperatures in range of about 1100.degree. F. to 1500.degree. F.

The present invention relates to cobalt-base articles having high resistance to wear and corrosion in semi-solid metal environments. More specifically, the invention relates to fully dense powder metallurgy articles, made from a novel Co--Cr--W--C type alloy being particularly suited for long term use in high wear, high temperature machinery employing a variant process of semi-solid metal molding (SSM).
The metallurgical process referred to herein is one where metals and metal matrix composites are heated and stirred in the solid plus liquid phase region and then injected into a mold or die at lower temperatures. This process has proven to result in parts having improved material characteristics, previously uncastable and unobtainable shapes, and reduced post formation processing steps. Two versions of the above process, also known as Thixomolding.RTM. (Thixomat, Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich.), are generally disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,694,881 and 4,694,882, which are herein incorporated by reference. The process generally involves the shearing of a semi-solid metal so as to inhibit the growth of dendritic solids and to produce nondendritic solids within a slurry having improved molding characteristics which result in part from its thixotropic properties (a semi-solid nondendritic material which exhibits a viscosity which is proportional to the applied shear rate and lower than that of the same alloy when in a dendritic state).
A machine adapted to employ the above type of processes and to which the present invention has particular applicability is schematically shown in FIG. 1. The construction of the molding machine 10 is, in some respects, similar to that of a plastic injection molding machine. In the illustrated machine 10, feed stock is fed via a hopper 12 into a heated, reciprocating screw injection system 14 which maintains the feedstock under a protective atmosphere 16, such as argon. As the feed stock is moved forward by the rotating motion of a screw 18, it is heated by heaters 20 and stirred and sheared by the action of the screw 18. This heating and shearing is done to bring the feedstock material into its solid plus liquid temperature range. The thixotropic slurry formed by this action passes through a nonreturn valve 22 in the forward part of the injection system 14 of the machine 10 into an accumulation chamber 24. Upon accumulation of the needed amount of slurry in the accumulation chamber 24, the injection cycle is initiated by advancing the screw 18 with a hydraulic actuator and causing the mold 26 to fill through a nozzle 28. As opposed to other methods of semi-solid molding, the above described method has the advantage of combining slurry generation and mold filling into a single step. It also minimizes the safety hazards involved in melting and casting reactive semi-solid metals. Obviously, and as will be further appreciated, the component construction of the present invention will find applicability as articles, not only in the construction of machines 10 practicing the above method, but also in machines practicing alternative variations on the above process and other processes. Such machines and articles include, without limitation, die casting, metal injection molding, plastic injection molding machines as well as tools and dies.
Because of contact with corrosive semi-solid metals (such as magnesium and zinc), the elevated operating temperatures, oxidation, and the high wear nature of the environment (contact between the various operating parts of the machine and the semi-solid metal is an extremely high wear and shock condition), components of the above machinery are very demanding on their materials of construction. Screw velocities, for example, involve acceleration from 0 to 3 meters/sec. and deceleration back down to 0, all in 0.2 seconds. The chosen materials of construction must be resistant to corrosive attack by the semi-solid metal being processed, must be highly resistant to wear, and must exhibit sufficient strength and toughness to withstand the stresses imposed during long-term exposure at the relevant elevated temperatures under these severe thermal cycling and high shock conditions.
From a corrosion standpoint, iron and some cobalt-based alloys have been reported as satisfactory for processing semi-solid magnesium-base alloys. Nickel-base alloys, such as Alloy 718, are of interest as construction materials because of their good strength at elevated temperatures and lower cost when compared to most cobalt-base alloys. However, because molten magnesium attacks nickel containing alloys, some SSM processors have specified that alloys which come into contact with molten magnesium must contain less than about three percent nickel. Prior machines avoided this problem by using Alloy 718 in their barrel constructions while incorporating a shrink-fitted barrel insert made of a cobalt-base alloy such as Stellite 6 (nominally 28 Cr, 4.5W and 1.2C) or Stellite 12 (nominally 30Cr, 8.3W and 1.4C), which are commercially available from the Cabot Corporation, Kokomo, Ind. While generally performing well with respect to corrosion, they are deficient in toughness and have exhibited cracking and fracture in the machines of the above type. Under the high temperature fatigue conditions of the machines, cracks in Stellite liners have been seen to propagate into the Alloy 718 barrel resulting in total failure of the barrel assembly. This is unsafe and necessitates costly repairs and replacements. It has come to be determined that articles of an alternative material, having greater toughness, would be more desirable in that they would provide for longer wearing components.
The selection of materials for processing semi-solid aluminum-base alloys is much more complex. This is particularly true because most iron, cobalt, and nickel-base alloys are readily attacked by aluminum alloys. In addition to these concerns and those recited in connection with processing magnesium, other important concerns relate to the availability, cost and manufacturing characteristics of the construction material.
In the injection molding of magnesium-base alloys, the maximum operating temperatures within the barrel typically range between about 1100 and 1200.degree. F. with the temperatures sometimes ranging to 1500.degree. F. Most common AISI iron-base hot work tool steels (such as H-10 and H-13, and even more highly alloyed hot work tool steels such as H-19 and H-21) lose strength, hardness and wear resistance at these temperatures. As a result, a number of very specialized materials for machine construction have been used, in particular these alloys include Stellite 6 and 12 (mentioned above) and similar Co--Cr--W--C-type alloys. These alloys have been used to form centrifugally-cast barrel liners or weld overlays. The use of Co--Cr--W--C-type barrel liners avoids the corrosion problems that can be encountered between molten magnesium and nickel-base alloys. Their use as liners therefore permits the use of the more cost effective nickel-base alloys, such as Alloy 718, for barrel construction. Special maraging-type hot work tool steels, such as Thyssen 1.2888 (nominally 0.2C, 10Cr, 2Mo, 5.5W, and 10.00Co) have been used in screws and nonreturn valves. Thyssen 1.2888 reportedly can be used for short times at temperatures as high as 1292.degree. F. (700.degree. C.).
Because of problems related to cost and availability, as well as in an attempt to upgrade performance, the present inventors began a search for a new alloy to replace the currently used Co--Cr--W--C-type alloys and Thyssen 1.2888. This search has lead to Alloy 718 barrels HIP-clad with a new, powder metallurgy (PM) cobalt-base wear resistant alloy, as well as to the construction of various monolithic parts made of the same alloy. The properties of the present components made from PM cobalt-base wear resistant alloys, produced by nitrogen atomization and hot isostatic pressing (HIP), differ considerably from the previously seen Co--Cr--W--C-type alloys (produced from powder by conventional press and sintering methods). The new alloys exhibit an improved combination of strength, toughness, and dimensional stability and it has been found beneficial to also modify their heat treatment.
The traditional Co--Cr--W--C-type alloys are quaternary cobalt-base alloys containing about 27-29% chromium, a variable amount of tungsten (4 to 17%) and carbon (0.9-3.2%). They are widely used in wear resistant applications because of their high strength, corrosion resistance, and ability to retain their hardness at elevated temperatures. Because of their limited hot workability and machinability, however, most of the higher carbon Co--Cr--W--C-type alloys are used in the form of castings, hard facing consumables and powder metallurgy parts.
Considerable work has been done to explore the production of atomized powder metallurgy (PM) Co--Cr--W--C-type alloys by hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) of gas atomized prealloyed powders. In general, prior studies have shown that PM processing of these materials produces a material with higher hardness, higher tensile strength, and higher ductility than is achieved by casting the alloys and that these improvements are still retained at elevated temperature. The abrasive wear resistance of these PM materials is somewhat lower than their cast counterparts owing to the smaller sizes of the primary carbides. For the same reasons, their machinability has been seen to improve.
With regard to the properties of the prior Co--Cr--W--C-type alloys, it has often been assumed that these alloys are at their maximum hardness in the cast or welded condition and that their properties cannot be changed by subsequent heat treatment. Similarly, it has also been assumed that putting these alloys in service at elevated temperature has little effect on their hardness, toughness, and dimensional stability. Contrary to this assumption, some of the published literature for weld deposits, wrought alloys and PM alloys indicate that many of the Co--Cr--W--C-type alloys exhibit an increase in hardness due to carbide precipitation when heated in the range of 1200 to 1500.degree. F. When aged at these temperatures, articles of the Co--Cr--W--C-type alloys might therefore be subject to a change in size, strength and toughness and this is not acceptable in all applications. The operating temperatures during single step, metal injection molding (as generally described above) approach those at which carbide precipitation may occur in PM Co--Cr--W--C-type alloys. Much of the work done and resulting in the present invention was based on concerns about the possible effects that high temperature exposure might have on the mechanical properties and dimensional stability of PM Co--Cr--W--C-type alloys. This research was also conducted to determine what, if any, changes in the alloy composition or subsequent heat treatment could be employed to minimize the above effects on the resulting articles.
In view of the above and other limitations of the prior art, it is a principle object of the present invention to provide fully dense articles made from a novel PM Co--Cr--W--C-type alloy which are highly resistant to changes in size, hardness, corrosion resistance, strength and toughness as a result of prolonged exposure to temperatures in the range of about 1200.degree. F. to 1500.degree. F.
Another object is to provide a fully dense PM cobalt-base article which is resistant to corrosion in semi-solid magnesium and zinc.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide fully dense PM cobalt-base articles which exhibits adequate hardness without a decrease in toughness.
A still further object of this invention is to provide fully dense PM cobalt base articles exhibiting increased toughness over prior art articles and alloys thereby resulting in components of longer life and increased safety.

Apparatus for semi-solid processing of a metal


An atomizer mechanism includes a pulse-jet engine for atomizing chemicals, an air-fuel mixture supply unit, and an engine starter. The air-fuel mixture supply unit includes a precombustion chamber that communicates with the combustion chamber, a collecting valve, and a carburetor for supplying atomized fuel to the precombustion chamber through the valve. The engine starter includes a compressed air inflow passage for carrying compressed air into the precombustion chamber and toward the valve, without passing through the valve. The engine starter also includes a manual pump which pressurizes fuel and a fuel supply passage. The fuel supply passage is connected to the compressed air inflow passage upstream of the precombustion chamber. The fuel is thereby supplied to the compressed air inflow passage, where it is atomized and directed into the precombusion chamber for ignition to start the engine.

Prior Art
FIG. 5 is a schematical drawing of a conventional type atomizer mechanism for sprinkling chemicals.
In this figure, the reference numeral 10 designates a pulse-jet engine, and reference numeral 20 designates a combustible air-fuel mixture supply unit. Reference numeral 40A designates an engine starter, and reference numeral 60 designates is a chemical supply unit.
When the combustible air-fuel mixture containing the air and fuel (gasoline) is exploded by means of a glow coil 12 for ignition in a combustion chamber 11 of the pulse-jet engine 10, chemicals such as aqueous insecticide supplied from the chemical supply unit 60 are atomized by the use of high speed gas generated by the explosion. Also, the combustible air-fuel mixture supply unit 20 supplies the combustible air-fuel mixture to the combustion chamber 11 of the pulse-jet engine 10.
Describing the conventional mechanism more concretely, the pulse-jet engine 10 comprises a combustion chamber 11 as described above, an engine exhaust cylinder 13, for discharging combustion gas at high speed as a high temperature gas, through a throttling area from the combustion chamber 11, an outer cylinder 14 to cover the outer surface of the engine exhaust cylinder 13, and a cooling air suction cylinder 15 for sucking cooling air from external atmosphere and for guiding it into the outer cylinder 14.
Also, the combustible air-fuel mixture supply unit 20 comprises a precombustion chamber 21, a collecting valve 25 and a carburetor 31.
The precombustion chamber 21 is communicated with the combustion chamber 11 of the pulse-jet engine 10 through a communication pipe 22 and supplies the combustible air-fuel mixture generated in the carburetor to said combustion chamber 11.
The carburetor 31 mixes the air and the fuel (gasoline) in a predetermined ratio and atomizes the mixture. It sucks the fuel from a fuel tank 51 through a fuel supply pipe 52 using a pressure wave (impulse) from the precombustion chamber 21 supplied through a pressure pipe 23, atomizes the fuel and injects into the precombustion chamber 21 through a collecting valve 25.
The collecting valve 25 has a valve of the structure already known and comprises a valve seat 27, made of aluminum and provided with a plurality of penetrating holes positioned along a circle at a predetermined spacing, and a flexible diaphragm 26, made of stainless steel and provided with plate valves, the plate valves being elastically deformed by pressure change in the precombustion chamber 21 and capable of opening or closing each of the penetrating holes of the valve seat 27. That is, when the pressure in the precombustion chamber 21 is increased, the flexible diaphragm 26 of the collecting valve 25 is deformed, and the plate valves close the penetrating holes of the valve seat 27 (valve closed). When the pressure in the precombustion chamber 21 is decreased, the diaphragm 26 of the collecting valve 25 is deformed, and the plate valves open the penetrating holes of the valve seat (valve opened).
The engine starter 40A starts the pulse-jet engine 10 and is normally designed to be of a pneumatic pressure type. More concretely, the engine starter 40A comprises a manual air pressure pump (not shown), an ignition plug 45 for igniting the combustible air-fuel mixture, causing it to explode in the precombustion chamber 21, and an ignition coil 46 to provide power for the plug 45.
A prime pump 41A pressurizes fuel from the fuel tank 51 as it is sucked through pipe 43, carburetor 31 and fuel pipe 52 by manual operation and can inject it into an air passage 33 of the carburetor, via a pipe 42. The air pressure pump, by manual operation discharges air from the right inner wall of the precombustion chamber 21 in FIG. 5 through a pulse pressure pipe 63 and a ventilation pipe 29 as further described below and can atomize the fuel supplied through the collecting valve 25.
By manually operating the prime pump 41A and the air pressure pump as described above, fuel can be supplied into the precombustion chamber 21 as atomized gas through the air passage 33 of the carburetor 31 and the collecting valve 25. The atomized fuel is ignited by the plug 45 heated by the ignition coil 46, and as the result, the engine 10 is started. Then, the glow coil 12 is heated up, and the carburetor 31 repeatedly injects the fuel by pulse pressure through the pressure pipe 23. Thus, normal operation of the pulse-jet engine 10 is performed.
On the other hand, the chemical supply unit 60 comprises a tank 61, a supply pipe 62, the pulse pressure pipe 63, and a chemical discharger 64. Pressurized by the pulse pressure in the precombustion chamber 21 in normal operation, the chemical (such as aqueous insecticide) is injected and supplied into the engine exhaust cylinder 13 from the chemical discharger 64. The chemical injected from the chemical discharger 64 is gasified and cooled down by external air inside a cooling chamber 16 formed in the outer cylinder 14. As the result, the chemical is turned to fumes containing particles of size 1 to 0.5 .mu.m or less.
Among users of the atomizer mechanism as described above, there are strong demands to make it easier to handle, while the hardest bottleneck to meeting such demands is the starting of the pulse-jet engine 10.
Specifically, the engine 10 is started by manual operation of the air pressure pump and the prime pump 41A connected to the ventilation pipe 29, and the start-up is sometimes not smooth because the air and the fuel are not mixed at a predetermined ratio and the fuel often becomes too dense due to inadequate stroke or speed of the air pressure pump.
To prevent excessive condensation of the fuel, a compressor is connected to the ventilation pipe 29 instead of the air pressure pump and the air, under a predetermined pressure, is sent in a horizontal direction at a predetermined flow rate into the precombustion chamber 21. With such an arrangement, however, the fuel injected into the carburetor 31 by the prime pump 41A often attaches to on the collecting valve 25 in large quantity when it passes through the valve 25, and the fuel is supplied to the precombustion chamber 21 in a so-called dripping state from the collecting valve 25. As the result, the plug 45 is often moistened and is unable to start. Because the holding position of the entire system varies according to the operator, it is very difficult to start in a rapid and reliable manner.

Pulse-jet atomizer mechanism for sprinkling chemicals

Yamanokami, Tatomi-chou, Nakakoma-gun, Yamanashi-ken


The present invention pertains to a fixture for terminating a miniature coaxial cable with a connector, and a kit for use with the fixture. The coaxial cable includes a center conductor and the connector has a connector center conductor which has a pin-shaped first end and a receiving member for receiving the central conductor of the coaxial cable. The fixture for terminating the coaxial table includes a base and a first beam and a second beam for holding the pin-shaped first end. The fixture also includes a third beam for holding the coaxial cable so that the center conductor of the coaxial cable can be inserted in the receiving member of the connector center conductor. The kit includes a working surface and a tray for holding parts of the connector.

Generally, connectorizing coaxial cables requires physically connecting the center conductor of the cable to the connector center conductor. Connectorizing can be done in a manufacturing environment or in the field by users who need to terminate cables at various lengths depending on equipment location.
Two common methods are used to physically connect the cable center conductor to the connector center conductor. The first method is by crimping the connector center conductor around the center conductor of the coaxial cable. An alternative method is by soldering the two center conductors together. Both methods are in widespread use, but generally the soldering method is more reliable. The quality of the soldered joint, however, varies from person to person. The crimp method is considered to be more consistent in quality, but not as reliable as a good solder connection.
A poor quality termination can result in poor performance of the connection. With today's demand for increased density telecommunications equipment, limitations are now being dictated by the size of the cables used to connect network equipment. There is an increasing trend to downsize cables to allow for easier cable management and cause less cable congestion. As both the cables and connectors are reduced in size, handling becomes an important issue when connectorizing the cables, and it becomes more difficult to achieve consistent quality terminations either by soldering or crimping.
Blocks with holes or pins have been used to hold the connector center conductor while soldering in a manufacturing environment. These fixtures, however, require the user to hold the coaxial cable and, thus, make the quality of the connection dependent upon the skill and manual dexterity of the user. Similarly, soldering vises are commonly used to hold the center conductor of the connector, which still requires the user to hold the coaxial cable.

Fixture for terminating miniature coaxial cable


A transdermal drug delivery device includes a liquid reservoir for a liquid drug to be delivered, and a drug delivery body which includes a plurality of tubular elements extending through the body, each having an inlet end communicating with the liquid reservoir, and an outlet end engageable with the subject's skin to conduct the liquid drug directly to the subject's skin.

The present invention relates to transdermal or interdermal drug delivery devices for delivering a liquid drug to a subject via the subject's skin. The invention is particularly useful with respect to the drug delivery device described in our U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,591, and is therefore described below with respect to that device, but it will be appreciated that the invention could advantageously be used in other types of drug delivery devices.
Our U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,591 describes a transdermal drug delivery device which delivers a drug to the subject by means of an electrically-induced mass transfer phenomenon called iontophoresis. This process for drug delivery has recently become of great interest, and many such transdermal delivery devices have been described in the patent literature, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,164,226, 4,640,689, 4,708,716, 4,752,285, 4,693,711, 5,057,072, U.S. Statutory Invention Registration H516, and European Patent Application Publication 0299631. Other methods of electrically-aided or electrically-controlled transdermal drug delivery devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,513, as well as in our prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,062,834 and 5,090,963.

Transdermal or interdermal drug delivery devices


The present invention relates to an analytical tool cartridge comprising a case having therein a storage space and a retrieval port that communicates the storage space with an external space, and a plurality of analytical tools stored in the storage space in a stacked state. This analytical tool cartridge further has a retrieval mechanism for retrieving the analytical tools one at a time from the case via the retrieval port. The analytical tool cartridge may also further have an opening/closing mechanism for opening and closing the retrieval port. The present invention also provides a set of the analytical tool cartridge, and an analyzer that is constituted so as to have installed therein an analytical tool retrieved from the analytical tool cartridge, and analyze a specific component in a specimen liquid supplied onto the analytical tool. At least one of the analytical tool cartridge and the analyzer has provided therein cartridge fixing means for locating and fixing the analytical tool cartridge onto the analyzer.

A common method of measuring the concentration of a specific component in a body fluid, for example glucose in blood, uses a redox reaction with an oxidoreductase as a catalyst. Moreover, simple blood sugar level measuring apparatuses of a size that will fit in the palm of the hand have become widely used so that blood sugar level can be measured easily at home, at a travel destination, and soon. With such a simple blood sugar level measuring apparatus, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 4-357449, a biosensor that provides an enzyme reaction site and is constituted so as to be disposable is installed in the apparatus, and then blood is supplied onto this biosensor, whereby the blood sugar level is measured.
As shown in FIG. 11, the installation of the biosensor 91 into the simple blood sugar level measuring apparatus 90 is generally carried out by the user holding the biosensor 91, and inserting the biosensor 91 into an insertion port 92 of the simple blood sugar level measuring apparatus 90. With such a biosensor 91 installation method, there have been the following problems.
The biosensors 91 are each sold, for example, in a state individually housed in packaging comprising a laminated aluminum sheet. In this case, to install a biosensor 91 in the simple blood sugar level measuring apparatus 90, first the biosensor 91 must be removed from the packaging. This operation must be carried out every time the blood sugar level is to be measured, which is troublesome, and is inconvenient in particular for people with failing eyesight or elderly people.
The biosensor 91 is of a chip shape with a width dimension of approximately 0.5 to 1 cm and a length dimension of approximately 2 to 5 cm, and the insertion port 92 of the simple blood sugar level measuring apparatus 90 has an opening portion of a size corresponding to the cross section of the biosensor 91. The operation of inserting the biosensor 91 into the insertion port 92 is thus not necessarily easy, being inconvenient in particular for people with failing eyesight or elderly people.

Analytical tool cartridge with retrieval mechanism, and set of the cartridge and analyzer


Methods and apparatuses are provided for use in driving a multiple-phase brushless motor. The methods and apparatuses include generating a slewed phase control signal for each phase of the motor. The slewed phase control signals are substantially proportional to a speed control signal during non-transitioning periods, and are slewed from one state to the next state over time during transitioning periods. The transitioning periods being associated with a commutation point. The slewed phase control signals are used to generate pulse width modulated (PWM) driving signals, for each phase of the motor. Thus, the shape of the resulting PWM driving signal will include additional PWM pulses during the transitioning period that provide for a trapezoidal shaping of the current supplied to each of the phase coils in the motor. The result is that torque ripple is reduced because the overall current applied to the motor and the torque resulting therefrom will tend to be more constant during commutation.

The present invention relates generally to the control of electrical motors, and more specifically to methods and apparatuses for more effectively controlling the torque in a multiple phase brushless sensorless motor with a pulse width modulated (PWM) driving signal.
Electric motors may be used in a variety of devices, including disc drives and video cassette recorders (VCRs). Applications, such as these, tend to include a multiple phase brushless sensorless spindle motor that is controlled with a motor controller circuit. A motor controller circuit typically supplies a drive signal directly to the phase coils within the motor to operate the motor.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional disc drive 10 having a housing 12 that contains most of the disc drive components. A plurality of information storage discs 14 are journaled about a spindle motor assembly 16, having a spindle motor 18. A rotary actuator 20 carries a plurality of head arms 22, each having at least one associated read/write head 24 adapted for transferring information between the information storage discs 14 and an external computer system. A voice coil motor 26 provides precise rotary movement to rotary actuator 20 to accurately position heads 24. Thus, the combined motions of rotary actuator 20 and spindle motor assembly 16 allow the heads 24 to randomly access any segment of the discs 14. Control of voice coil motor 26 is accomplished through a voice coil motor controller 28. Control of spindle motor assembly 16 is accomplished through a motor controller 30. A disc I/O controller 32 is provided for transferring information to an external computer system through data port 34.
FIG. 2 further illustrates the connections between motor controller 30 and motor 18. As shown, motor controller 30 outputs a drive signal onto a drive signal line 36, for each phase, which cause motor 18 to operate. While operating, motor 18 outputs a back-EMF signal to motor controller 30 through a feedback line 38.
As known in the art, the drive signals applied to the coils of the motor may take on different waveforms, depending upon the system and the desired operation. Two common types of driving signals are linear and digital driving signals. Linear driving signals tend to have waveforms that are fairly continuous in nature, such as a direct current (DC) signal. Digital driving signals tend to have waveforms that are switched on and off over time, such as a digital pulse train. Pulse width modulation (PWM) is one example of a scheme to drive an electric motor using a digital pulse train. For instance, commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,130 issued Nov. 20, 1990 discloses a particular system that uses PWM driving circuits for driving the coils of a motor.
A typical objective in either a linear or a digital motor control system is to establish and maintain the operation of the motor as required for the application. For example, in a disc drive 10 the rotational speed of motor 18 may be held substantially constant, for a given load, by applying drive signals that supply a constant current to the coils so as to maintain a substantially constant torque.
In order to cause the desired torque in the motor, brushless motors typically require a motor controller capable of selectively connecting and disconnecting (i.e., commutating), each of the motor's coils to and from the driving signals at particular times. Calculating the proper commutation time usually requires determining, or monitoring, the location of the motor's rotor with regard to the coils. This may be accomplished, for example, by including sensors that relate such information to the motor controller circuit, or by evaluating a back-EMF signal generated in one or more of the coils within the motor. For sensorless motors, the back-EMF signal may be fed-back to the motor controller to determine the commutation time along with the difference (i.e., error) between the actual and desired rotational speeds. Such techniques are known to those skilled in the art, and include for instance, the methods and apparatuses disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,243 issued May 31, 1994, U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,988 issued Apr. 26, 1994, U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,772 issued Jun. 29, 1993, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,881 issued Jun. 22, 1993, each of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIG. 3 illustrates the basic shape of a back-EMF signal 40 generated by a three phase motor. As shown, back-EMF signal 40 is essentially a combination of three BEMF phase signals 42a, 42b and 42c that are superimposed over one another. BEMF phase signals 42a-c are sinusoidal in shape and 120.degree. out of phase as plotted with respect to angle .alpha.. BEMF phase signal 42b is shown as being zero volts at an angle .alpha..sub.1, 44, and BEMF phase signal 42c is shown as being zero volts at angle .alpha..sub.2 46. As shown, BEMF phase signals 42a and 42b are shown as crossing one another at angle .alpha..sub.3 48, BEMF phase signals 42a and 42c are shown as crossing one another at angle .alpha..sub.4 50, and BEMF phase signals 42b and 42c are shown as crossing one another at angle .alpha..sub.5 52. Typically, angles 48, 50 and 52 are referred to as commutation points.
Also shown in FIG. 3, there is a phase B vector 54 extending in the positive direction from zero volts to BEMF phase signal 42b, and a phase C vector 56 extending in the negative direction from zero volts to BEMF phase signal 42c. Vectors 54 and 56 represent the magnitude of the back-EMF for a given angle .alpha.. As known in the art, the torque created for each phase will be equal to the current flowing through the phase coil multiplied by the torque constant K.sub.T for the phase at that angle. The total effective torque applied to the motor will therefore equal the sum of the vectors, as shown below: EQU T=(.vertline.K.sub.T.sbsb.B(.alpha.) .vertline.+.vertline.K.sub.T.sbsb.C(.alpha.) .vertline.)I.sub.x
Typically, to drive the motor in a given direction, the motor is driven with a current in the direction that provides for a positive total torque. It is known in the art that to achieve maximum efficiency the commutation should be performed when the BEMF on the two phases is equal.
Unfortunately, a torque ripple may be introduced into the motor during commutation. Torque ripple can produce jitter in the motor and possibly an accompanying, acoustical noise. Torque ripple can typically be found in both linear and PWM systems because of the torque fluctuations occurring during commutation of phases due to the abrupt decay of the current in one coil and the relatively slower rise of the same in the next energized coil. The effects of torque ripple, such as introducing jitter in the system, are well known to those skilled in the art. For instance, commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,269 issued Mar. 2, 1993, addresses such problems in a linear system by disclosing circuitry that minimizes torque ripple in a linearly driven motor.
It is therefore the goal of many systems to maximize the torque, while minimizing the torque ripple. In theory, it is possible to design an optimal sinusoidal (linear) or pseudo-sinusoidal (digital) driving circuit wherein each of the BEMF phase signals is in phase with its respective driving signal's current. In such a system the power flow (energy) would theoretically be a constant, in accord with the following equation: EQU sin.sup.2 (.omega.t)+sin.sup.2 (.omega.t+120.degree.)+sin.sup.2 (.omega.t+240.degree.)=1
Thus, in principle such a system would yield zero torque ripple.
In practice, however, it is often very difficult to design such a digital system and also very expensive in terms of the quantity and quality of circuit components. For example, the motor controller circuitry would be required to maintain three different waveforms in synchronization which may require three separate supplies along with PLLs, or some form of digital circuitry with look-up tables, etc. Such a circuit, when embodied in an integrated circuit package may, for example, require anywhere from 3000 to 5000 logic gates.
In view of the foregoing, what is desired are cost effective methods and apparatuses for driving an electric motor with a PWM waveform wherein the total torque applied to the motor may be better controlled and torque ripple further reduced.


The embodiments herein relate to a method in a user device and a method in a chatbot capable framework for providing continuity in chat communications between the user device and the chatbot capable framework. The method in the user device comprises: establishing a session with the chatbot framework over a first chat platform associated with a first chat application; starting a dialogue with the framework; initiating a transfer of the dialogue to a second chat platform associated with a second chat application and initiating a new session with the framework over the second chat platform and inputting identification information for continuing the dialogue where it stopped at the first chat platform.

Chatbots are becoming increasingly popular as an interactive medium for the provision of information. A chatbot is a computer or software agent designed to have conversations with human correspondents. A chatbot is also called an "internet bot", a "web robot", a "www robot" or simply a "bot", a virtual assistant, a virtual client etc. The computer agent or bot, by means of a processor, includes an application that runs automated tasks (e.g., scripts) over one or several platforms. In a simple example, a chatbot performs tasks that are both simple and have structurally repetitive, at a higher rate that would be possible for a human being alone. Chatbots for different chat applications can be developed using a chatbot framework. The bot logic is created once and then deployed to the chatbot platform of choice. A chat platform API (Application Programming Interface) may vary in functionality available for the chatbot framework and the bot needs to be designed for the chat platform.
Given the exceptional speed with which chatbots can perform the relatively simple routines, chatbots may also be implemented where a response speed is faster than of what is required by a human, typically customer service/support or, e.g., finding if a product is in stock. While chatbots are often used to simply automate a repetitive online interaction with a user or human, their ability to mimic actual human conversation for users using a chat platform (e.g., messaging service) or spoken language has made them popular since users often want or require answers directly and quickly without waiting in line or in queue which is often the case when calling a company support center.
With today's technologies, a user may have access to chat platforms and associated chatbots from a plurality of devices, such a laptop, a PC, a mobile device etc. Also the number of chat platforms are many within one and the same device, and each associated chatbot operates within a specific platform. In other words, if a user starts a conversation with a chatbot within a platform and for some reason wants to switch to another platform, the conversation will have to be restarted again within the second platform. This is cumbersome for the user and leads to excessive delays in, e.g., solving a problem via a chatbot. In other words it is not possible today to move the conversation with the chatbot or web bot from one chat platform or messaging service to another.
A parallel would be that two humans beings are communicating over a fixed telephone line and the line for some reason stops working. One party then may use his/her mobile phone to re-initiate the communication dialogue to the other party. The communication dialogue would then continue where it was left and not need to start over again.

Methods for providing continuity in chatbot communications


A pressure swing adsorption air prepurifier is used to remove water, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons from a feed gas stream, such as a feed air stream, passing to a cryogenic air separation plant. By the incorporation of a regenerative heat exchange as an integral part of the air prepurifier, the cooling effects of the desorption of water are stored and transferred so as to cool the incoming feed air stream passing to the adsorbent material within the air prepurifier. The productive capacity of the adsorbent material is enhanced thereby.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the purification of gas streams. More particularly, it relates to a pressure swing adsorption air prepurifier for the removal of contaminants from feed air prior to cryogenic separation thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The removal of the contaminants present in feed air is a necessary requirement prior to the cryogenic separation of said feed air into its primary constituents, i.e. nitrogen, oxygen, argon and the like. The primary contaminants of air that need to be removed are water, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons. Since water and carbon dioxide have much higher boiling points than the primary constituents of air, they can condense out and foul the surfaces of heat exchange passages within cryogenic air separation equipment. Hydrocarbons, e.g. acetylene, if not removed from the feed air stream entering the cryogenic air separation plant, can accumulate within said cryogenic plant and can create, in the presence of oxygen, an explosive potential within the cryogenic plant.
The use of adsorbent materials to adsorb water, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons has been found to be possible when the contaminants are present at high pressure and at moderate temperatures. The pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process can be employed to facilitate the use of such adsorbent materials to selectively adsorb contaminants from a feed air stream at high pressure until the adsorbent materials are very nearly saturated with such contaminants. The contaminants are then desorbed from the adsorbent materials by purging the adsorbent materials with a contaminant-free gas stream at low pressure. This contaminant-free gas stream is typically the waste stream from a cryogenic plant containing primarily oxygen and nitrogen in varying amounts. During the adsorption portion of this adsorption/desorption process, the water present in feed air is typically selectively adsorbed most strongly by the adsorbent materials, with carbon dioxide being the next contaminant in feed air most strongly selectively adsorbed, with the hydrocarbon contaminant of said feed air being selectively adsorbed less strongly than the other contaminants.
The capacity of the adsorbent materials to adsorb contaminants from feed air is adversely affected by relatively high temperature adsorption conditions. In this regard, it is noted that the air temperature entering the PSA air prepurifier can be 10-15.degree. F. higher than ambient temperature due to the heat of compression of the feed air, and the use of moderate temperature cooling water obtained from air cooling tower heat exchangers to cool the compressed feed air. When the water present in the compressed air is adsorbed by the adsorbent material in a PSA system, heat is generated, released and transferred to the feed air stream, raising its temperature and that of the surrounding adsorbent material. Thus, the capacity of the adsorbent material to adsorb carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons, as well as additional quantities of water, is adversely affected by the initial adsorption of water. Conversely, when water is desorbed from the adsorbent material, heat is removed from the low pressure purge gas stream, thereby cooling the purge gas stream and reducing its effectiveness with respect to the desorption of contaminants from the adsorbent material.
PSA air prepurifiers typically employ two or more adsorption vessels so that the flow of decontaminated feed air to the cryogenic air separation plant can remain relatively steady. In order to compensate for such reduced adsorption capacity of adsorbent materials at higher temperatures, an acceptance of the reduced operating capacity of the adsorbent materials is commonly made. This however, results in undesirably increased operating costs due to the need for larger amounts of adsorbent material and an increase in the size of the adsorption vessels therefor. This could also result in higher temperature air entering downstream equipment with possibly detrimental effects. In another approach, external heat exchange devices can be used, with cool purge gas exiting from an adsorption vessel during the desorption portion of the operation in that vessel being used to cool the inlet feed air stream to another adsorption vessel than the one being used to adsorb contaminants from the feed air stream. However, this approach also requires additional capital equipment that necessarily increases the overall cost of the adsorption system.
Other means for removing contaminants from a feed air stream entering a cryogenic air separation plant include the use of thermal swing adsorption (TSA) systems, which use both temperature and pressure as driving forces to cause alternate adsorption and desorption of the contaminants. Reversing heat exchangers can also be used to freeze the water and carbon dioxide contaminants, causing them to plate out on the heat exchanger surfaces. The alternating flow into and out of the heat exchanger in a cryogenic plant allows continuous operation as the flow out of the cryogenic plant will desorb and regasify the feed air contaminants and purge them to the atmosphere.
Such other means will be seen to likewise necessitate relatively high capital and/or operating costs to achieve the desired removal of the above-indicated contaminants from the feed air to a cryogenic air separation plant. There is a desire, in the art, therefore, to develop an air prepurifier capable of more economically removing the contaminants of feed air being passed to a cryogenic air separation plant. There is also a desire to likewise develop economical prepurifiers for use in the purification of other gas streams.
It is an object of the invention to provide a prepurifier capable of economically removing the contaminants from a feed gas stream.
It is another object of the invention to provide an air prepurifier capable of economically removing the contaminants from feed air passing to a cryogenic air separation plant.
With these and other objects in mind, the invention is hereinafter described in detail, the novel features thereof being particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Pressure swing adsorption air prepurifier


An air cleaner disposed in an indoor space is disclosed. The air cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a blowing device including a suction port and a discharging port, a fan motor configured to cause air flow, a purification unit installed in the blowing device to clean air, a flow conversion configured to change a flow direction of air discharged from the discharging port, a communication unit configured to communicate with a moving agent moving in the indoor space, and a processor configured to receive feature information collected by the moving agent and associated with a structure of the indoor space, obtain a type of the indoor space by using the feature information, and control an operation of at least one of the fan motor and the flow conversion device by using the type of the indoor space to adjust at least one of an operation mode, a wind direction, and a wind volume.

Artificial intelligence (AI), which is a field of computer engineering and information technology to study how to enable a computer to think, learn, make self-development, etc. Which may be done with human intelligence, refers to allowing a computer to imitate intelligent behaviors of human beings.
In addition, AI does not exist as-is but is directly or indirectly related to other fields of computer science. Particularly in modern times, attempts are being actively made to introduce AI elements in various fields of information technology and use them to solve problems in those fields.
Technology, which recognizes and learns ambient situations by using AI and provides information desired by a user in a desired form or performs an operation or a function desired by the user, is being actively researched.
An air cleaner is understood as a device which sucks or cleans polluted air and discharges cleaned air. For example, the air cleaner may include a blowing device for allowing external air to flow into the air cleaner and a filter for filtering dust or bacteria in air.
The air cleaner is a device for maintaining air in a certain space in a most suitable state on the basis of the use or purpose thereof. The certain space may be variously proposed based on a place where the air cleaner is used. For example, in a case where the air cleanser is disposed in home or an office, the certain space may be an indoor space of home or an indoor space of a building.
Since a structure of an indoor space is very various, an optimized air cleaning method may differ based on the structure of the indoor space.
However, since cleaning is currently performed based on a user setting without considering a structure of an indoor space, there is a problem where it is unable to perform optimized air cleaning.
Moreover, it is required to perform intensive cleaning on the basis of a situation of an indoor space. However, a plurality of sensors are needed for considering various situations occurring an indoor space, causing a problem where the cost increases.