A work flow system is disclosed which, when a work effort is divided into multiple work points for execution in each of domains (sections or departments in enterprises, government offices, or the like), permits easy work allocation to work points in another domain. Each domain has a public flow management section for storing a public flow which consists of its own work points which is made open to another domain and, when detecting a public flow consisting of work points that belong to another domain in a flow indicating work originating in it, sends identification information for that public flow to that domain. Upon receipt of identification information for a public flow consisting of work points that belong to it from another domain, each domain carries out the public flow.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a work flow system for managing work flow using a computer system, and more specifically to a work flow system for managing a work flow extending over a plurality of domains.
2. Description of the Related Art
In enterprises, government offices, and the like, in order to carry out efficiently work that originates, it is divided into a plurality of unit tasks. Each unit task is allocated to a specific person (user) in charge of carrying out it.
The same can be said of various tasks to be carried out by a computer. Each work is divided into a plurality of unit tasks called work points which are allocated to client computers. A work flow system is defined as a system for managing the flow of forwarding to a person in charge (user) allocated to a work point a folder that was created at the previous stage to contain a product of the corresponding unit task, such as a document, drawing, program, or the like, or forwarding a folder that contains a product obtained at that work point to the next work point.
Specifically, at each work point, a person in charge allocated to it performs predetermined processes of reading, editing, adding, and the like on a folder forwarded to him or her and, at the termination of processes allocated to him or her, sends that folder to the next work point in accordance with the flow defined in a work flow server.
The operation of forwarding a folder to the next work point means moving that folder to an accept tray (a folder reception directory set up for each user) of a user allocated to that work point.
In such a work flow system, a unit to carry out tasks in enterprises, government offices, and the like is defined as an organization consisting of a section or department. This unit is referred to as a domain. Most of tasks originating in enterprises or government offices can be processed adequately within one organization (one domain).
FIG. 24 is a block diagram of a work flow system in which a section or department forms one domain. In each of domains 1a and 1b, a plurality of work points 2a (2b) that are allocated users a1, a2, a3, . . . , (b1, b2, b3, . . . ) is connected to a work flow server 4a (4b) by a transmission line 3a (3b). For example, when the flow 5 of a task comprised of multiple work points 2a (2b) is entered from outside as shown in FIG. 25, the work flow server 4a (4b) manages the execution of the flow 5.
Specifically, the work flow server 4a activates the first work point 2a (WP1) and, at the termination of processing at the work point 2a, forwards a folder created at the work point 2a to the next work point 2a (WP2) and activates that work point. At the termination of processing at the work point 2a (WP2), the work flow server forwards the folder to the next work point 2a (WP3) and activates that work point.
In this way, the work flow server 4a or 4b performs execution management of the work points 2a or 2b forming the flow 5 within its associated domain la or 1b and folder management at execution phases of the flow.
However, the work flow system shown in FIG. 24 has the following problem to be solved.
That is, since each of the work flow servers manages only work points incorporated into the domain to which it belongs, it cannot create the flow of work containing work points of the other domain.
To solve such a problem, it will be thought to combine the two domains 1a and 1b shown in FIG. 24 into one and manage all of tasks and all of the work points by means of a single work flow server. However, the execution management of all the work flows by means of a single work flow server will increase the burden of processing imposed on the server and result in an increase in flows waiting to be processed. The processing efficiency of the whole system will be reduced after all.


The present disclosure provides a system and method for performing multi-precision division. A method according to one embodiment may include generating a first product by multiplying a modulus having a most significant bit and/or a least significant bit equal to one and a quotient approximation of the modulus. The method may also include generating the 1's complement of the first product, generating a second product by multiplying the 1's complement and the quotient approximation, normalizing and truncating the second product to obtain a quotient, and storing the quotient in memory. Of course, many alternatives, variations and modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment.

Encryption algorithms may be classified as either private-key or public-key. Private-key encryption refers to an encryption method in which both the sender and receiver share the same key. Public-key encryption involves two different but related keys. One is used for encryption and one for decryption. Many of today's encryption techniques utilize a public-key/private-key pair. Most public-key algorithms, such as Rivest, Shamir, Adelman (RSA) and Diffie-Helman, perform extensive computations involving many repeated multiplications and divisions. These schemes often have data block sizes of at least 512 to 1024 bits. The multiply and divide capabilities found in most conventional processors are typically not used directly to perform these operations since the size of the operands and vectors used for these calculations renders conventional processors extremely inefficient for such calculations. Therefore, conventional processors may use special algorithms that break down large multiplications and divisions into smaller operations. However, this approach usually requires vast memory resources to store intermediate calculations and a look-up table that is used for rounding and error reduction.
Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments, many alternatives, modifications, and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

System and method for multi-precision division


According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for measuring total surface area of a portion of catalytic metal particles carried on the surfaces of pores in a carrier of a catalyst, comprising a device for supplying the pores with a first gas under a predetermined pressure to mask the surfaces of the catalytic metal particles carried on a first portion of the surfaces of said pores, which first portion has a radius less than a radius determined by the predetermined pressure of said first gas and a device for supplying said pores with a second gas which is to be adsorbed on the surfaces of said catalytic metal particles carried on a second portion of the surfaces of said pores, which second portion has a radius equal to or greater than the radius determined by the predetermined pressure, and is not masked by said first gas. Also included is a processor for calculating total surface area of said catalytic metal particles carried on said second portion of the surfaces of said pores by an amount which is adsorbed on said surfaces of said catalytic metal particles.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for measuring the total surface area of catalytic metal particles.
2. Description of the Relates Art
A catalyst for purifying injurious gases in the exhaust gas discharged from an engine is known. The catalyst comprises a carrier having pores therein and catalytic metal particles carried on surfaces of the pores of the carrier. The character of the catalyst depends on total surface area of the catalytic metal particles per unit weight, i.e., a specific area and a distribution of the radii of the pores. For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2-55213, a specific surface area of a catalyst is measured by a BET type specific surface area measure, and the distribution of the radii of the pores is calculated or the basis of an adsorption isotherm and a relative pressure.
The character of the catalyst also depends on a distribution of the surface areas of the catalytic metal particles relative to the radii of the pores. However, the distribution can not be measured by the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2-55213.

Apparatus for measuring total surface area of a portion of catalytic metal particles


A fluid control device has formed in a valve main body a main channel communicating with an inlet of a channel within a massflow controller, and a relatively long subchannel and a relatively short subchannel both communicating with the main channel. The process gas to be assure of high purity is passed through the relatively long subchannel.

The present invention relates to fluid control devices, for example, for use in apparatus for producing semiconductors.
For example, FIG. 6 shows a fluid control device for use in apparatus for producing semiconductors. The device consists of a plurality of lines each comprising a massflow controller 31, two inlet on-off valves 32, 33 provided at the inlet side of the controller 31, and two or three outlet on-off valves 34, 35, 36 arranged at the outlet side of the controller. The inlet on-off valves 32, 33 are used for selectively supplying one of two kinds of gases, i.e., process gas A and purge gas B, while the outlet on-off valves 34, 35, 36 are provided for a line leading to a process chamber, a vent line and an evacuating line for a change-over from one line to another. Process gas A is a gas of which high purity is required and which is expensive. Such a fluid control device has channels for passing the gases A and B, i.e., a main channel 37 in communication with the inlet of a channel within the massflow controller 31, a relatively long subchannel 38 and a relatively short subchannel 39. Conventionally, the relatively short subchannel 39 is thought useful for passing process gas A to be assured of high purity in ensuring the purity of process gas A and reducing the amount thereof to be used.
Our research has revealed that the use of the relatively short subchannel for passing the process gas which should be held at high purity eventually fails to assure the process gas of its purity and to achieve a reduction in the amount of the gas to be used.
An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid control device which is optimized in ensuring the purity of the fluid, such as process gas, to be assured of high purity and in reducing the amount thereof to be used, by introducing the concept of a minimized dead volume (stagnant portion of fluid) in connection with the fluid of which high purity is required.


A system and method for byte swapping file access data structures is provided. A file server, upon receipt of a file access data structure, byte swaps the header of the data structure and passes the data structure to the appropriate file access system process to process the operation defined by the data structure. The file access system process calls a byte swapping engine to perform byte swapping on individual elements of the data structure as needed. The byte swapping engine utilizes a descriptor look up table to determine what action should be performed on each element of a data structure.

A file server is a computer that provides file service relating to the organization of information on storage devices, such as disks. The file server or filer includes a storage operating system that implements a file system to logically organize the information as a hierarchical structure of directories and files on the disks. Each "on-disk" file may be implemented as a set of disk blocks configured to store information, such as text, whereas the directory may be implemented as a specially-formatted file in which information about other files and directories are stored. A filer may be configured to operate according to a client/server model of information delivery to thereby allow many clients to access files stored on a server, e.g., the filer. In this model, the client may comprise an application, such as a file system protocol, executing on a computer that "connects" to the filer over a computer network, such as a point-to-point link, shared local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), or virtual private network (VPN) implemented over a public network such as the Internet. Each client may request the services of the filer by issuing file system protocol messages (in the form of packets) to the filer over the network.
As used herein, the term "storage operating system" generally refers to the computer-executable code operable on a storage system that manages data access requests and may implement file system semantics in implementations involving file servers. In this sense, the Data ONTAP™ storage operating system, available from Network Appliance, Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif., which implements a Write Anywhere File Layout (WAFL™) file system, is an example of such a storage operating system implemented as a microkernel. The storage operating system can also be an application program operating over a general-purpose operating system, such as UNIX® or Windows NT®, or as a general-purpose operating system with configurable functionality, which is configured for storage applications as described herein.
Disk storage is typically implemented as one or more storage "volumes" that comprise physical storage disks, defining an overall logical arrangement of storage space. Currently available filer implementations can serve a large number of discrete volumes (150 or more, for example). Each volume is associated with its own file system and, for purposes hereof, volume and file system shall generally be used synonymously. The disks within a volume are typically organized as one or more groups of Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks (RAID). RAID implementations enhance the reliability/integrity of data storage through the redundant writing of data "stripes" across a given number of physical disks in the RAID group, and the appropriate caching of parity information with respect to the striped data. As described herein, a volume typically comprises at least one data disk and one associated parity disk (or possibly data/parity) partitions in a single disk) arranged according to a RAID 4, or equivalent high-reliability, implementation.
Computer and file server architectures differ in their method of storing a sequence of bytes in computer memory. Each byte traditionally carries 8 bits of information. However, to store and process larger numbers, for example, 16-bit or 32-bit quantities, microprocessors and computers store a sequence of bytes together to produce a desired-sized number. The two most common methods of storing these multi-byte sequences are termed "big endian" and "little endian". In a big-endian computer, the most significant value in the sequence is stored first. Conversely, in a little-endian computer, the least significant value is stored first. The least significant value is a byte of a sequence that represents the smallest quantity. For example, given the two-byte hexadecimal number 4F52, the least significant byte is the "52" byte.
With regard to storing these multi-byte sequences, "first" means the lowest storage address. For example, given the two byte hexadecimal number 4F52, a big-endian computer would store this number in memory as 4F52. If, for example, the "4F" byte was stored at memory address 1000, the "52" byte would be stored at memory address 1001. Conversely, in a little-endian computer, this number would be stored as 524F, with the "52" byte stored at memory address 1000 and the "4F" byte stored at memory address 1001.
In both big and little-endian computers, the bits within each byte are traditionally stored in big-endian format. While it is possible to have a little-endian bit order, most conventional central processing units and microprocessors are currently designed for a big-endian bit order.
The endianness of a particular computer or filer server is particularly relevant when that computer is exchanging specific types of data with a computer or file server of a differing endianness. By "endianness" it is meant the byte order that a particular computer, file server or network device utilizes, for example big or little-endian. Many data transfer protocols and file formats of a set endianness for use with a computer performing any translations as needed. However occasions do arise when a computer needs to know the endianness of another computer. One example of this is a use of remote direct memory access (RDMA) through certain communication links such as a virtual interface (VI) connection. Remote direct memory access enables data to be passed between storage and memory over a network with little host processor intervention. The term "virtual interface" refers to an industry-standard interface between high performance network hardware and computer systems. The architecture for the virtual interface (VI) is defined in VIRTUAL INTERFACE ARCHITECTURE SPECIFICATION, VERSION 1.0, published in collaboration between Compaq Computer Corporation, Intel Corporation and Microsoft Corporation, which is hereby incorporated by reference. To use the RDMA read/write capabilities implemented under the VI architecture, the source computer must supply to the VI interface the source of the data to be transferred and the destination address on the remote computer for the data. Under the VI architecture specification, this remote address must be organized in the proper endianness of the remote computer. In a homogeneous networking environment, where all computers involved share the same endianness this requirement is easily met. However, a need arises to determine the proper endianness of the computer to which a different computer is connected when all the computers in a given network do not share the same endianness. One technique for determining the endianness a computer connected to another computer via a VI connection is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/061,626 filed on Feb. 1, 2002, by Philip J. Christopher entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING AN ENDIAN-NEUTRAL DATA PACKET TO DEFINE SUBSEQUENT DATA PACKET BYTE-ORDER, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The Direct Access File System (DAFS) is a file access and management protocol designed for local file sharing or clustered environments. The primary goal of DAFS is to provide clients with high-speed file and system access with the lowest possible cost for the client. DAFS is defined in DAFS: Direct Access File System Protocol, Version 1.0, by Network Appliance, dated Sep. 1, 2001, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. The DAFS protocol takes advantage of system and networks that provide Direct Access Transport (DAT) capabilities that allow for direct memory to memory data transfer. DAT includes, inter alia, the capability of direct memory to memory data transfers such as remote direct memory access (RDMA). The above-incorporated DAFS protocol defines file access operations that use remote memory-to-memory copying other high-performance data transport operations supported by DAT, including the use of RDMA over Direct Access Transport systems, such as a VI connection or over an InfiniBand Trade Association's InfiniBand™ network. RDMA capabilities are incorporated into a VI implementation. A Virtual Interface Provider Library (VIPL), which implements VI on a computer, includes dual commands for many operations, including a traditional inline data movement command and a RDMA data movement command. The inline data movement commands execute by breaking a block of data to be transferred into appropriate sized packets and transmitting the packets over the network connection. The RDMA variants of the data movement commands utilize the RDMA capabilities of VI to more efficiently move larger blocks of data from computer to computer.
Under the DAFS protocol, packets that are exchanged between clients and servers are defined as discrete structures instead of being-stream encoded. For example, the structures are sequences of data elements that can be of varying sizes. As an additional technique to reduce the processing cost to the client, the DAFS protocol requires that multi-byte data elements are encoded using a client-specified byte order, which is presumed to be native to the client. Thus, multi-byte data elements sent in by the server to the client must be converted to this client-specified byte order.
In known byte-swapping implementations, each data structure or function utilizes a specifically coded byte-swapping routine. Such byte-swapping routines may be implemented in either hardware or software. A noted disadvantage of the use of a set of specifically coded functions for byte swapping is the amount of storage required for the various routines. As each data structure has an associated routine, the storage space required to hold the various byte-swapping routines increases with the number of data structures that could be byte swapped. Additionally, the use of specifically coded and static functions to perform byte swapping does not permit easy modifications to the swapping routines should a change in the data structures occur.

System and method for byte swapping file access data structures


This system includes a roadside apparatus and a vehicle-side apparatus. The roadside apparatus includes a roadside sensor that detects a road situation, a recognizer that recognizes a traffic object from the road situation detected by the roadside sensor and converts a result of the recognition into stereotype information of the traffic object, and a transmitter that transmits and receives the stereotype information. The vehicle-side apparatus includes a data storage unit that stores data regarding a traffic object corresponding to the stereotype information, a receiver that receives the stereotype information transmitted by the roadside apparatus, and a presentation unit that presents the data stored in the data storage unit on the basis of the received stereotype information.

In a road-to-vehicle communication system in which, for example, traffic situations at intersections and the like are detected by a roadside apparatus, and detection results are transmitted to a vehicle-side apparatus of each vehicle to be presented to drivers, it is important to present real-time traffic situations as much as possible. In this regard, various techniques for high-speed data communication between roads and vehicles have been proposed.

Roadside apparatus and vehicle-side apparatus for road-to-vehicle communication, and road-to-vehicle communication system


Dispenser conduit partitions are used to improve the discharge flow of toner particles from a toner dispenser bottle in a host image forming device. A dispenser conduit partition assembly is inserted into the funnel-like dispenser conduit of the toner dispenser bottle. The conduit partition assembly is arranged with multiple partition members. The multiple partition members act to partition the single symmetric dispenser conduit into a corresponding multiplicity of asymmetric dispenser component conduits. As a result, the toner particles are dispensed by the multiple dispenser component conduits to thereby form a corresponding multiplicity of asymmetric toner particle discharge flows, thus reducing toner bridging.

Many toner containers are shaped like conventional bottles, where a cylindrical body containing a powder is joined with a smaller diameter bottle opening by a conically-shaped converging shaped like a funnel that helps to contain and direct the toner discharge flow. This classical bottle design works well with liquids. However, when the bottle-like cartridge is filled with a powder comprising, for example, toner particles, the substance exiting process is often hampered by well-known effects, known as "bridging" and "rat-holing" effects, which effects are inherent exit flow problems of all symmetrically-shaped funnel-like containers.
The foregoing bridging effect occurs when the toner powder forms internal spherical structure (arches), thus restricting or completely blocking the flow. When this happens in an image forming device such as an xerographic machine, the bottle must be removed from the image forming device (xerographic machine), then shaken well and reinserted into the image forming device. This process results in substantial annoyance or irritation in the machine users or customers.
Further, the foregoing rat-holing effect occurs when, due to the different friction forces between toner particles with other toner particles and toner particles and bottle walls, a hole is formed in the toner mass at the bottle exit. This hole is also shaped like a funnel in the dense, plug-like toner mass that remains in the bottle after all fluidized toner is discharged. Thus, the toner that forms the "rat-hole" remains in the bottle, unused and, as far as the customer is concerned, is wasted.
One known solution to these problems is to equip toner containers with internal agitators. However, this solution is costly compared to a simple blow molded toner bottle design.

Dispenser bottle including a conduit partition assembly, and an image forming device including the same


Shaped, unbaked dough products are provided that are coated with a glaze comprising an amount of water, oil and a hydrophilic colloid. The application of the glaze to the dough products, followed by baking, mimics the frying step which is traditionally used in the production process of certain dough products.

Although health professionals recommend that an individual should derive only about 30% or less of their caloric intake from fat, Americans' attraction to fried foods continues. One indication of the undying popularity of fried foods is their persistence on restaurant menus across the country. Culinary professionals do try to prepare fried foods as healthfully as possible, typically using vegetable, canola, or peanut oil. Additionally, many restaurants now supplement their menus with such items as flash-fried seafood or vegetables lightly dusted with flavorful coatings, which are perceived to be more healthful than battered and breaded items which absorb fat.
Statistics from a recent National Restaurant Association survey support the trend away from fried food. Sixty-nine percent of restaurant patrons said they strongly preferred broiled items to fried menu items, up from 52% who expressed this attitude in the mid-1980s. Four out of ten restaurant patrons strongly agreed with the statement that "fried foods are bad for you." For every consumer favoring deep-fried seafood and poultry menu items, twice as many said they would like to try these items broiled or grilled. Even so, a recent survey indicates that interest in nutrition has peaked, and fried foods are regaining their popularity.
Fried items are not likely to disappear from restaurant menus in the near future, because patrons find their taste appealing. Furthermore, fried foods are not typically prepared in the home as it is difficult to duplicate the taste and texture of fried foods in home kitchens. To date, the frozen breaded foods available in grocery stores have not provided a viable alternative to fresh fried items, since they are not comparable in quality to their restaurant counterparts.
In an attempt to address this need, U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,707, issued to Chalupa et al., claims the use of a batter comprising water, flour, dextrose, non-fat milk solids, sodium salt, calcium salt and gellan gum to coat a food product (such as chicken, fish, cheese, or vegetables) and baking the product to produce a food product disclosed to have a fried texture. The patent also claims a process for preparing coated baked dough food which comprises coating a baked dough food with a solution comprising water, gellan gum, calcium salt and sodium salt and drying the coated baked dough food. This claim is exemplified by Examples 3 and 4 which describe the preparation of bread crumbs which may subsequently be used as a coating to "enhance crispness and reduce the oil absorption of fried foods. Specifically, Example 3 discloses the incorporation of a gellan gum into a bread dough recipe and the formation of bread crumbs from the resulting baked loaf of bread. Example 4 discloses that the desired bread crumbs may be obtained by coating bread crumbs with a gellan gum solution and then drying the crumbs.
Thus, there is a need to provide a healthful alternative method of producing foods with the organoleptic qualities imparted by frying.


A microlens for an image sensor fabricated using a seed layer and a method for fabrication of the same that does not involve a reflow process. The method of fabricating a microlens includes forming a seed layer pattern on a wafer, rounding the corner portions of the seed layer pattern by applying plasma, and then depositing an oxide film on the seed layer pattern.

An image sensor is a device for transforming first-order, second-order or more optical information such as optical images into electrical signals. An image sensor is generally classified into a complementary metal oxide semiconductor CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor and a charge coupled device CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor. CCD image sensors have excellent characteristics such as photosensitivity and anti-noise properties as compared to CMOS image sensors, however, highly integrated assembly of CCDs is difficult and CCDs require large quantities of electric power. On the other hand, CMOS image sensors, also called CISs, can be fabricated by more simple processes than those employed for CCD image sensors, are easily formed into highly integrated assemblies, and consume relatively little electric power.
Recent techniques for fabrication of CMOS image sensors and characteristics thereof have been greatly improved in conjunction with rapid technological advancement in the semiconductor industry, therefore, a great deal of research and investigations into development of CMOS image sensors are presently underway. The use of micro-lens (ML) for collection of external light may result in improvement in CIS resolution. In this regard, a photo-resist (PR) is typically used to manufacture an ML, but has a drawback of poor mechanical strength. This drawback has led to increases in the failure rate due to particles generated during chemical mechanical polishing (CMP).
In order to overcome the problems described above, low temperature oxides (LTO) with excellent mechanical strength have been applied to PRs. However, this also has problems in that cracks occur at an interface between the PR and the LTO and propagates through a chip, thereby causing damage to the entire chip during use of a semiconductor device. As a proposal to solve this problem, there is a method for fabricating the entire ML using an LTO whereby a reflowed PR is used as a mask to etch the LTO and, in turn, produce a lens. However, for fabrication of a lens shaped material such as a PR based ML, reflowing PR generates an uneven seed layer.
Example FIG. 1A illustrates a condition of an ML before PR reflowing that exhibits a favorable critical dimension (CD) between MLs and high uniformity in a wafer. Example FIG. 1B illustrates a condition of an ML after PR reflowing that exhibits significant deterioration of each CD between MLs and uniformity in a wafer. That is, there will occur a great difference in CDs between pixels after PR reflowing. Example FIG. 1C illustrates a cross-sectional view of a wafer after PR reflowing. Example FIG. 1D is a tilt image illustrating the condition of the wafer after PR reflowing.
Example FIGS. 2A to FIG. 2C illustrate a seed layer generated after etching an LTO using a reflowed PR as a mask. As illustrated in example FIGS. 2A to FIG. 2C, a surface of the seed layer is rough and shows poor uniformity after the etching process. More significant roughness effects can be observed near edges of pixels and line edge roughness is also serious. One reason behind the problems disclosed above is presumed to be because PR used for etching has a small thickness.
When depositing an LTO on and/or over a seed layer with high surface roughness (i.e., poor surface feature) as described above, an ML with poor surface roughness is formed as shown in example FIGS. 3A to FIG. 3C.
Accordingly, such processes for reflowing PR have disadvantages such as difficulty in statistical process control (SPC) and extreme roughness in edges patterned by a reflowed PR. Therefore, using the reflowed PR as a mask to etch an LTO still has a problem of poor edge profile. Such poor edge profile may induce a difference of characteristics between pixels in a microlens array, thereby causing a decrease in performance of a semiconductor device.

Microlens, and method of fabricating thereof


A hybrid optical source that provides an optical signal having a wavelength is described. This hybrid optical source comprises an optical amplifier (such as a III-V semiconductor optical amplifier) that is butt-coupled or vertically coupled to a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform, and which outputs an optical signal. The SOI platform comprises an optical waveguide that conveys the optical signal. A temperature-compensation element included in the optical waveguide compensates for temperature dependence of the indexes of refraction of the optical amplifier and the optical waveguide. In addition, a reflector, included in or in-line with the optical waveguide and after the temperature-compensation element, reflects a portion of the optical signal and transmits another portion of the optical signal that has the wavelength.

1. Field
The present disclosure generally relates to the design of an optical component. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to the design of an optical component with reduced temperature sensitivity.
2. Related Art
Optical interconnects or links based on silicon photonics have the potential to alleviate inter-chip communication bottlenecks in high-performance computing systems that include multiple processor chips and memory chips. This is because, relative to electrical interconnects, optical interconnects offer significantly improved: bandwidth, density, power consumption, latency, and range.
In order to make a very low power (for example, less than 1 pJ/bit) optical interconnect, a power-efficient optical source, such as a semiconductor laser or a laser source, that is compatible with silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platforms is highly desirable. However, silicon cannot efficiently emit light because of the fundamental limitations of its indirect bandgap and relatively high free-carrier absorption. Consequently, one approach for implementing silicon lasers is to integrate discrete III-V semiconductor optical amplifiers with silicon-based optical devices in a hybrid optical source. In these approaches, the III-V semiconductor provides the optical gain (and, thus, the initial light), and the silicon-based optical device provides the cavity feedback necessary for lasing through the use of a tunable ring-resonator-based reflector.
While the availability and low-cost of silicon-based optical devices are advantageous, silicon has a relatively large thermo-optic coefficient (TOC) of 1.8·10−4 K−1, which induces a red shift (i.e., to longer wavelengths) of the optical cavity modes and the reflection peak of the reflector with increasing temperature. Because unpredictable temperature fluctuations often occur in devices integrated with power-dissipating CMOS components, the lasing wavelength and the peak-reflection wavelength need to be made independent of temperature (i.e. 'athermal'). However, existing approaches to address this problem are often complicated and expensive. For example, these existing approaches typically involve complicated measurement and feedback loops and/or power-consuming thermal-tuning elements.
Hence, what is needed is an optical source without the problems described above.


The invention is a method for transforming image into music, more particularly, is a method for transforming image into sound at first and then editing the sound into music. In the method, the dynamic image or static image is captured by using the image capture apparatus. An image datum is obtained from the dynamic image or the static image and the image datum is compared with a plurality of standards stored in the memory to obtain a first music, wherein the image datum may be a brightness value or a pixel value. Then, the first music is transferred into a plurality of the third music with various styles by performing a function transferring process and a randomly selecting music notes process. The third music is broadcasted.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates a method for transforming image into music. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for transforming image into sound and then editing the sound into music.
2. Description of Related Art
A mini-digital camera, such as an image capture apparatus as well as photo/image sensor or lens, installed in a mobile electronic equipment, such as a mobile phone, a pocket personal computer (pocket PC), a personal digital assistant (PDA) or portable personal computer (portable PC), is commercially available. Therefore, how to utilize mini-digital camera to increase the value of the mobile electronic equipment becomes a main research course.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are flow charts showing a conventional technology for transforming image datum into music, wherein the technology is disclosed by Taiwan Patent No. 921 341 50, entitled "Method for Using Image Datum To Produce Music" (filing date: Dec. 4th, 2003). In this conventional technology, a dynamic/static image is captured (step S102/step S202).
Referring to FIG. 1, if the captured image is a dynamic image (as shown in step S102), according to the dynamic image, an analysis process is performed to obtain a plurality of static images (step S104), and then an image parameter is obtained from one of these static images (step S106). Thereafter, the obtained image parameter is compared with a plurality of built-in standards and then at least one musical-note signal or rhythm signal is obtained (step S108). The musical-note signal can be sent out by a played music instrument or synthesized from various played music instruments. Further, the rhythm signal can be sounded from knocking stuff such as playing drums. The musical-note signal is output to be played (step S110) or is stored in the memory until a lot of the musical-note signal are collected in the memory (step S112) and then the musical-note signals are editing into a musical composition (step S114) and then the musical composition is played (step S116).
Referring to FIG. 2, if the captured image is a static image (as shown in step S202), according to the static image, an analysis process is performed to obtain a plurality of image parameters (step S204). Thereafter, one of the obtained image parameters is compared with a plurality of built-in standards (step S206) and then at least one musical-note signal or rhythm signal is obtained (step S208). The musical-note signal is output to be played (step S210) or is stored in the memory until a lot of the musical-note signal are collected in the memory (step S212) and then the musical-note signals are editing into a musical composition (step S214) and then the musical composition is played (step S216).
In the conventional technology, the dynamic image datum or the static image datum can be transformed into music by comparing the image parameter with the content of the memory. Although the image datum can be converted into music successfully, the music produced by this way may not be a melody and could be only a kind of sound. Therefore, the produced music can be a kind of trouble for the user.

Method for transforming image into music


A corrosion resistant connection system including a base structure, a threaded orifice in the base structure, a seal about the threaded orifice and a threaded stud with a distal end, a proximal end, and an intermediate shoulder defining a sealing surface opposing a support surface. The distal end of the threaded stud is received in the orifice of the base structure driving the sealing surface of the shoulder to engage the seal to prevent corrosion of the threaded orifice, while maintaining electrical continuity. A terminal is disposed about the proximal end of the threaded stud seated on the support surface of the shoulder. A threaded nut is disposed about the proximal end of the stud engaging the terminal.

Helicopter deployed underwater electronic equipment such as mine sweepers as well as other sensors and devices such as unmanned undersea vehicles, torpedoes, and submarines are subject to corrosion. In the case of helicopter deployed equipment, the motion of the rotor blades through the air results in the accumulation of electrostatic charges on the helicopter (sometimes 100 kV or more) which would be discharged from the helicopter to the water, through the tether between the helicopter and the towed equipment damaging the internal electronic subsystems of the towed equipment. Typically, to prevent this electrostatic discharge damage, a ground wire is run from the helicopter to a terminal connected to the hull of the towed equipment via a fastener. Surface corrosion protection treatments cannot be used at the threaded interface between the fastener and the hull of the towed equipment due to the need for a good electrical connection. Thus, the threaded hole in the towed equipment hull in which the fastener is installed is subject to general corrosion, crevice corrosion, and galvanic corrosion.
The result is that after deployment and retrieval of the towed equipment, personnel must inspect and if necessary clean and refurbish the connection between the ground wire terminal, the fastener and the hull of the towed equipment. Typically, the fastener and terminal are removed from the hull of the towed equipment breaking the ground connection. In any case, the inspection, cleaning, and refurbishment effort can be costly and time consuming.
There are also other scenarios where a fastener is threaded into the hull of an underwater deployed sensor or device and subject to corrosion. One example is cathodic protection terminals wherein a zinc slug is connected to a fastener threaded into the hull of a torpedo or submarine. Again, the threaded interface between the hull of the torpedo or submarine and the fastener is subject to corrosion.


A refrigerator includes a first compartment, a second compartment and a multi-functional compartment that is disposed between the first compartment and the second compartment and is adjustable between temperature modes selected from the group consisting of a fresh food temperature mode, a soft freeze mode, a freezer mode and a chiller temperature mode.

The present disclosure relates generally to refrigerators. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a refrigerator that includes a compartment that is adjustable between various functional modes to provide a user with the ability to change the compartment from one refrigeration mode to another refrigeration mode.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,512 to Peterson et al. discloses a refrigerator having a middle fresh food compartment, a relatively large bottom freezer compartment arranged below the fresh food compartment and a relatively small top freezer compartment arranged above the fresh food compartment. Two fans are used in conjunction to distribute cooling air from around a single evaporator to the two freezer compartments to control the temperatures therein. Peterson et al. is energy deficient because these two fans must be continuously running during the operation of the refrigerator.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,725,678 to Chang et al. discloses a refrigerator with a multipurpose storage chamber that is positioned in the fresh food compartment and can be used to store a variety of foods. A guiding path of refrigerated air is provided to guide cool air to the multipurpose storage container. A flap, which is controllable at an open angle, is provided to control the amount of cooling air provided to the multipurpose storage chamber. Chang et al. is deficient as temperature control of the multipurpose storage chamber is made using a variable angle dampening device, which lacks precision in the temperature control of the multipurpose chamber. By modulating the angle, one would still need to wait a period of time before the temperature in the chamber increases. If one wants to convert this chamber to store relatively higher temperature items, this conversion or temperature adjustment would take a long period of time to occur. Additionally, the positioning of the chamber is not advantageous because the user needs to access the housing compartment first to access the chamber that is inconveniently located within the compartment. Finally, given the chamber's proximity to the evaporator and size, generally, temperatures in the chamber would be frigid, and this arrangement does not provide the user with the flexibility of using the chamber for a range of items, such as, a chiller configuration, or for storing relatively higher temperature items.

Refrigerator with a convertible compartment


The present invention is directed to isolated amyloid precursor-like proteins (APLPs), nucleotide sequences coding for and regulating expression of these protein, antibodies directed against these proteins, and recombinant vectors and host cells containing the genetic sequences coding for and regulating the expression of these protein sequences. The invention is also directed to isolated genomic. DNA, cDNA anti-sense RNA, and RNA containing the protein sequence. Antibodies can be used to detect an APLP in biological specimens, including, for example, fluid, serum or tissue samples. APLP1 and APLP2 are candidate genes for late onset familial Alzheimer's disease.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to amyloid precursor-like proteins (APLPs) including APLP1 and APLP2; products and processes involved in the cloning, preparation, and expression of genes for APLPs; antibodies with specificity to these proteins and to diagnostic and therapeutic uses thereof.
2. Brief Description of the Background Art
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the presence of neurofibrillary tangles, and amyloid in the form of senile plaques and blood vessel deposits in the brain. The main component of amyloid is A.beta., a 39-43 amino acid peptide derived from a larger amyloid precursor protein (APP) encoded by a gene on chromosome 21 (Glenner and Wong, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 120:885-890 (1984); Goldgaber et al., Science 235:877-880 (1987); Kang et al., Nature 325:733-736 (1987); Robakis et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:4190-4194 (1987); Tanzi et al., Science 235:880-884 (1987)). A proportion of AD is inherited (reviewed in St. George-Hyslop et al., Neurobiol. Aging 10:417-425 (1989)) and the familial form (FAD) has been clearly shown to be a genetically heterogeneous disorder (Schellenberg et al., Science 241:1507-1510(1988); St. George-Hyslop et al., Nature 347:194-197 (1990)). An early-onset (<65 years of age) FAD locus was mapped to chromosome 21 (St. George-Hyslop et al., Science 235:885-889 (1987)), and a small percentage (less than 3%) of FAD is linked to point mutations within the APP gene (Goate et al., Nature 349:704-706 (1991); Murrell et al., Science 254:97-99 (1991); Chartier-Harlin et al., Nature 353:884-846 (1992); Tanzi and Hyman, Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci 640:149-154 (1992); Mullan et al., Nature Genetics 2:340-342 (1992)). More recently, studies revealed the presence of a major early-onset FAD locus on chromosome 14 (Mullan et al., Nature Genetics 2:340-342 (1992); Schellenberg et al., Science 258:668-673 (1992); St. George-Hyslop et al., Nature Genetics: in press (1992); Broeckhoven et al., Nature Genetics 2:335-339 (1992)). Some early-onset FAD pedigrees do not demonstrate linkage to either the APP gene or chromosome 14 (Schellenberg et al., Science 241:1507-1510(1988); St. George-Hyslop et al., Nature 347:194-197 (1990); Schellenberg et al., Science 258:668-673 (1992); Tanzi, R. E., Am. J. Human Genet. 51:273-282 (1992)).
A subset of, but not all late-onset (>65 years of age) FAD pedigrees appear to be linked to a locus on chromosome 19 (Pericak-Vance et al.,Am. J. Hum. Genet. 48, 1034-1050(1991)). Therefore, in addition to genes on chromosomes 14, 19 and 21 there would appear to be at least two additional FAD loci that remain unmapped. Candidate genes for other FAD loci include potential APP gene homologues which might either serve as alternative substrates for amyloid formation, or interfere with normal processing of APP.
APP resembles an integral membrane protein with a small cytoplasmic C-terminal domain and a larger, extracellular N-terminal domain (Kang et al., Nature 325:733-736 (1987)). The APP gene produces at least six transcripts (Ponte et al., Nature 331:525-527 (1988); Tanzi et al., Nature 331:528-530 (1988); Kitaguchi et al., Nature 331:530-532; De Sauvage et al., Science 245:651-655 (1989); Jacobsen et al., Neurobiol. Aging 12:575-583 (1991); Konig et al., J. Biol. chem. 267:19804-19809 (1992)), five of which include an alternatively spliced exon encoding a Kunitz type protease inhibitor domain. APP appears to be processed through at least two pathways. A secretory pathway results in the cleavage of APP at a site near the membrane of extracellular-junction, within the .beta.A4 domain (Esch et al., Science 248:1122-1124 (1990); Sisodia et al., Science 248:492-495 (1990)), and precludes the formation of A.beta.. Alternatively, processing in the endosomal-lysosomal pathway leads to the production of carboxy terminal derivatives that contain the A.beta. peptide (Estus et al., Science 255:726-728 (1991); Golde et al., Science 255:728-730(1991); Haass et al., Science 357:500-503 (1992)). More recently, it has been demonstrated that A.beta. is generated in a soluble form by cultured cells (Haass et al., Nature 359:322-325 (1992); Sebubert et al., Nature 359:325-327 (1992); Shoji et al., Science 258:126-129 (1992)), although the exact pathway leading to the generation of soluble A.beta. is unknown. Presumably, a precise balance among these pathways must be maintained in order to avoid the overproduction of amyloidogenic fragments.
It has previously been hypothesized that proteins resembling APP in amino acid sequence and overall structure may interact with, and effectively compete for factors playing a role in the maturation and/or metabolism of APP (Wasco et al., Genomics: in press (1992); Wasco et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:10758-10762 (1992)). Recent evidence indicates that APP is a member of a family of proteins with specific domains that have been remarkably well conserved.
cDNA clones predict that APP is a transmembrane protein with a small intracellular C-terminal domain and a larger, extracellular N-terminal domain (Goldgaber et al., Science 235:877-880(1987); Kang et al., Nature 325:733-736 (1987); Robakis et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:4190-4194 (1987); and Tanzi et al., Science 235:880-884 (1987)). There are at least four forms of APP that result in proteins of 563, 695, 751 and 770 amino acids (De Sauvage et al., Science 245:651-653 (1989); Kitaguchi et al., Nature 331:530-532 (1988); Ponte et al., Nature 331:525-527 (1988); and Tanzi et al., Nature 331:528-530(1988)). At least three of these are the result of alternative splicing (Kitaguchi et al., Nature 331:530-532 (1988); Ponte et al., Nature 331:525-527 (1988); and Tanzi et al., Nature 331:528-530(1988)). The two larger forms of APP contain a 56 amino acid insert that has homology to the KuNa family of protease inhibitors (Kitaguchi et al., Nature 331:530-532 (1988); Ponte et al., Nature 331:525-527 (1988); and Tanzi et al., Nature 331:528-530(1988)).
One of the secreted forms of APP that contains a protease inhibitor domain has been found to be identical to protease nexin-II (Oltersdorf et al, J. Biol. Chem. 265:4492-4497 (1990); and Saitoh et al., Cell 58:615-622 (1989)).
The .beta.A4 domain spans the predicted membrane-extracellular junction of APP. How this peptide is liberated from the precursor protein in Alzheimer's disease remains unclear. Results from a number of laboratories suggest that normally the precursor protein is secreted via cleavage at sites that are at or near the membrane-extracellular junction, apparently within the .beta.A4-domain (Esch et al., Science 248:1122-1124 (1990); Selkoe et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:7341-7345 (1988); Weidman et al., Cell 57:115-126 (1989); and Sisoda et al., Science 248:492-495 (1990)). If these findings are correct, normal processing of the secreted form of APP would preclude the formation of .beta.A4, and therefore, of amyloid itself. Such a model implies that .beta.A4 contained within the plaques and cerebrovascular deposits is the result of an abnormal processing event.

Amyloid precursor-like protein and uses thereof

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology


A medical system for determining an analyte quantity in a blood sample via a cartridge that spins around a rotational axis. The cartridge may include: a separation chamber that separates blood plasma from the sample; a processing chamber containing a reagent with a specific binding partner which binds to the analyte to form an analyte specific binding partner complex; a first valve structure connecting the separation chamber to the processing chamber; a measurement structure to measure the quantity of the analyte, wherein the measurement structure includes a chromatographic membrane with an immobilized binding partner for direct or indirect binding of the analyte or the analyte specific binding partner complex, and an absorbent structure that is nearer to the axis than the membrane; a second valve structure connecting the processing chamber to the measurement structure; and a fluid chamber filled with a washing buffer and fluidically connected to the measurement structure.

Two classes of analysis systems are known in the field of medical analysis: wet analysis systems, and dry-chemical analysis systems. Wet analysis systems, which essentially operate using "wet reagents" (liquid reagents), perform an analysis via a number of required step such as, for example, providing a sample and a reagent into a reagent vessel, mixing the sample and reagent together in the reagent vessel, and measuring and analyzing the mixture for a measurement variable characteristic to provide a desired analytical result (analysis result). Such steps are often performed using technically complex, large, line-operated analysis instruments, which allow manifold movements of participating elements. This class of analysis system is typically used in large medical-analytic laboratories.
On the other hand, dry-chemical analysis systems operate using "dry reagents" which are typically integrated in a test element and implemented as a "test strip", for example. When these dry-chemical analysis systems are used, the liquid sample dissolves the reagents in the test element, and the reaction of sample and dissolved reagent results in a change of a measurement variable, which can be measured on the test element itself. Above all, optically analyzable (in particular colorimetric) analysis systems are typical in this class, in which the measurement variable is a color change or other optically measurable variable. Electrochemical systems are also typical in this class, in which an electrical measurement variable characteristic for the analysis, in particular an electrical current upon application of a defined voltage, can be measured in a measuring zone of the test element using electrodes provided in the measuring zone.
The analysis instruments of the dry-chemical analysis systems are usually compact, and some of them are portable and battery-operated. The systems are used for decentralized analysis (also called point-of-care testing), for example, at resident physicians, on the wards of the hospitals, and in so-called "home monitoring" during the monitoring of medical-analytic parameters by the patient himself (in particular blood glucose analysis by diabetics or coagulation status by warfarin patients).
In wet analysis systems, the high-performance analysis instruments allow the performance of more complex multistep reaction sequences ("test protocols"). For example, immunochemical analyses often require a multistep reaction sequence, in which a "bound/free separation" (hereafter "b/f separation"), i.e., a separation of a bound phase and a free phase, is necessary. According to one test protocol, for example, the sample can first be brought in contact with a specific binding reagent for the analyte which is immobilized onto a surface. This can be achieved for example by mixing the sample with beads comprising surfaces with such immobilized reagents or transporting the sample over surfaces or through porous matrices wherein the surfaces or the porous matrices comprise coatings of the immobilized reagents. A marking reagent can subsequently be brought in contact with this surface in a similar manner to mark the bound analyte and allow its detection. To achieve a more precise analysis, a subsequent washing step is often performed, in which unbound marking reagent is at least partially removed. Numerous test protocols are known for determining manifold analytes, which differ in manifold ways, but which share the feature that they require complex handling having multiple reaction steps, in particular also a b/f separation possibly being necessary.
Test strips and similar analysis elements normally do not allow controlled multistep reaction sequences. Test elements similar to test strips are known, which allow further functions, such as the separation of red blood cells from whole blood, in addition to supplying reagents in dried form. However, they normally do not allow precise control of the time sequence of individual reaction steps. Wet-chemical laboratory systems offer these capabilities, but are too large, too costly, and too complex to handle for many applications.
To close these gaps, analysis systems have been suggested which operate using test elements which are implemented in such a manner that at least one externally controlled (i.e., using an element outside the test element itself) liquid transport step occurs therein ("controllable test elements"). The external control can be based on the application of pressure differences (overpressure or low-pressure) or on the change of force actions (e.g., change of the action direction of gravity by attitude change of the test element or by acceleration forces). The external control can be performed by centrifugal forces, which act on a rotating test element as a function of the velocity of the rotation.
Analysis systems having controllable test elements are known and typically have a housing, which comprises a dimensionally-stable plastic material, and a sample analysis channel enclosed by the housing, which often comprises a sequence of multiple channel sections and chambers expanded in comparison to the channel sections lying between them. The structure of the sample analysis channel having its channel sections and chambers is defined by profiling of the plastic parts. This profiling is able to be generated by injection molding techniques or hot stamping. However, microstructures, which are generated by lithography methods, are increasingly being used more recently.
Analysis systems having controllable test elements allow the miniaturization of tests which have only been able to be performed using large laboratory systems. In addition, they allow the parallelization of procedures by repeated application of identical structures for the parallel processing of similar analyses from one sample and/or identical analyses from different samples. It is a further advantage that the test elements can typically be produced using established production methods and that they can also be measured and analyzed using known analysis methods. Known methods and products can also be employed in the chemical and biochemical components of such test elements.
In spite of these advantages, there is a further need for improvement. In particular, analysis systems which operate using controllable test elements are still too large. The most compact dimensions possible are of great practical significance for many intended applications.
United States patent application US 2009/0191643 A1 describes a test element and method for detecting an analyte with the aid thereof is provided. The test element is essentially disk-shaped and flat, and can be rotated about a preferably central axis which is perpendicular to the plane of the disk-shaped test element. The test element has a sample application opening for applying a liquid sample, a capillary-active zone, in particular a porous, absorbent matrix, having a first end that is remote from the axis and a second end that is near to the axis, and a sample channel which extends from an area near to the axis to the first end of the capillary-active zone that is remote from the axis.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,759,081 B2 discloses a test element, analytical system and method for optical analysis of fluid samples is provided. The test element has a substrate and a microfluidic channel structure, which is enclosed by the substrate and a cover layer. The channel structure has a measuring chamber with an inlet opening. The test element has a first level, which faces the cover layer, and a second level, which interconnects with the first level such that the first level is positioned between the cover layer and the second level. A part of the measuring chamber extending through the first level forms a measuring zone connecting with a part of the measuring chamber that extends partially into the second level, forming a mixing zone. Optical analysis of fluid samples is carried out by light guided through the first level parallel to the cover layer, such that the light traverses the measuring zone along an optical axis.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,911,684 B2 discloses a microfluidic element for analyzing a bodily fluid sample for an analyte contained therein is provided, the element having a substrate, a channel structure that is enclosed by the substrate, and a cover layer, and is rotatable around a rotational axis. The channel structure of the microfluidic element includes a feed channel having a feed opening, a ventilation channel having a ventilation opening, and at least two reagent chambers. The reagent chambers are connected to one another via two connection channels in such a manner that a fluid exchange is possible between the reagent chambers, one of the reagent chambers having an inlet opening, which has a fluid connection to the feed channel, so that a liquid sample can flow into the rotational-axis-distal reagent chamber. At least one of the reagent chambers contains a reagent, which reacts with the liquid sample.

Determining a quantity of an analyte in a blood sample


A building system including one or more memory devices configured to store instructions that, when executed on one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine an average of a minimum half of sorted energy consumption values for a first time period and determine an average of a maximum half of sorted energy consumption values for a second time period. The instructions also cause the processor to determine a ratio of the average of the minimum half of sorted energy consumption values for the first time period to the average of the maximum half of sorted energy consumption values for the second time period, compare the calculated ratio to an adaptively tunable threshold value and activate a system responsive to the calculated ratio exceeding the adaptively tunable threshold value.

A building management system (BMS) is, in general, a system of devices configured to control, monitor, and manage equipment in or around a building or building area. A BMS can include a controller, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, a security system, a lighting system, a fire alerting system, and any other system that is capable of managing building functions or devices, or any combination thereof. A BMS may include a variety of devices (e.g., HVAC devices, controllers, chillers, fans, sensors, etc.) configured to facilitate monitoring and controlling the building space. Devices can be configured to communicate with other devices via a network, such as a Building Automation and Control network (BACnet) or a Multi-service Transport Platform (MSTP) Network.
Users of BMS systems may have different utility consumption and demand that can vary during different time periods, such as the night time (unoccupied hours for business-type users or occupied for residential type users) compared to during the day time (occupied hours for business-type users or unoccupied for residential type users). For example, some commercial buildings may turn off lighting and HVAC systems in the evening to conserve energy when there is little to no occupancy. Customers who have the ability to monitor unusual changes in their load from day to day can use this information to help determine inefficiencies (or faults) in their energy usage. These energy inefficiencies can lead to energy waste that causes the customer to pay more in utility bills due to increased consumption and demand.

Systems and methods for adaptively tuning thresholds for fault detection in buildings


A fuel delivery system for an internal combustion engine having an intake air metering device, leading to individual combustion chambers several fuel injection valves, each of which is assigned to one combustion chamber, and a central fuel vaporizer to which fuel can be supplied by a fuel metering device. To reduce pollutant emissions during the warm-up phase of the internal combustion engine after start-up, fuel vapor generated in the fuel vaporizer can be added to the intake air for the combustion chambers downstream from the intake air metering device.

A known fuel delivery system (British Patent 2,248,087 A) of has an air intake conduit with a throttle valve arranged in it, opening into an intake manifold from which intake tubes branch off to the individual combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine. Near the intake areas of the individual combustion chambers to inject fuel into the intake tubes to form a fuel-air mixture. An engine control unit controls the fuel injection as a function of the intake air volume through the air intake conduit, as well as other engine operating parameters.
Furthermore, the engine control unit acts on a central injection valve, with a respective fuel vaporizer installed upstream from the throttle valve on the air intake conduit, to supply vaporized fuel to the intake air.
During idling and partial-load operation of the internal combustion engine, the fuel-air mixture is formed by means of the central injection valve, whereas only the individual injection valves are used to supply fuel in high-load operation.
The problem with this approach is that a large portion of the fuel vapor generated during the warm-up phase after starting an internal combustion engine condenses upon intake into colder zones of the internal combustion engine and forms an unwanted wall film which leads to increased hydrocarbon emissions.
With another known fuel delivery system (German Patent Application No. 4,119,206 A1), an injection valve is provided near the intake area of each combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine to inject fuel into the respective intake tube or the intake area of the combustion chamber to form a fuel-air mixture. In addition, an air intake channel having a control valve is connected at the intake end of the air intake tube located upstream from a throttle valve. The air intake channel opens at the outlet end into the fuel outlet area of the respective injection valve.
In the warm-up phase of the internal combustion engine, air can be blown through the air intake channel into the fuel discharge area of the injection valve to support the atomization of fuel. The air supply through the air intake channel is regulated by the control valve as a function of the engine rpm, the intake vacuum, the engine temperature and/or other engine operating parameters.
With such a fuel delivery system, it is hardly possible to effectively prevent formation of a wall film of condensed fuel, which plays a significant role in hydrocarbon emissions during the warm-up phase after starting an internal combustion engine, i.e., when the engine is cold.
It is especially problematical that a greater amount of fuel must be supplied when the engine is cold than when it is hot to achieve an ignitable fuel-air mixture (with a certain proportion of vaporized fuel in the combustion chamber) because a large portion of the injected fuel condenses as a film on the various wall and thus does not contribute to the combustion, but instead is emitted as excess hydrocarbon in the exhaust. This causes an unwanted increase in hydrocarbon emissions during the warm-up phase of the internal combustion engine.

Fuel delivery system for an internal combustion engine


The subject invention relates to automotive lighting assemblies. Specifically, the subject invention relates to a device and method for retaining wires, which provide power to the light source, in the proper orientation. In an exemplary embodiment, a wire retaining cavity is formed by a molded rib on a cover and a molded retention feature with a hook portion on a light source retaining compartment. In this exemplary embodiment, the cover and retaining compartment are integrally connected to one another by a living hinge. The wire retaining cavity is formed once the cover is folded over the retaining cavity bringing the rib into close proximity of the wire retention feature and adjacent to the hook portion of the feature.

The subject invention relates to automotive lighting assemblies. Specifically, the subject invention relates to a device and method for retaining wires, which provide power to the light source, in the proper orientation.
In order for an automotive lighting assembly to be assembled into an automobile, the lighting assembly must fit within a small defined space that is specifically designed for that automobile's automotive lighting assembly. Consequently, the automotive lighting assembly must be as compact as possible. For this reason, it is important to ensure that the wires leading into the automotive lighting assembly do not occupy a significant amount of space, while still ensuring that the wires are in the proper orientation to supply power to the lighting assembly. To accomplish these goals, usually the wires are clipped or taped to the lamp housing prior to installation of the lighting assembly. The disadvantage in using a clip or tape, or other similar attachment device, is that it increases the number of parts needed to construct the lighting assembly, which in turn increases the manufacturing cost and time involved in producing these assemblies. Accordingly, what is needed is a means for retaining the wires in the proper orientation without increasing the number of parts needed to manufacture the lighting assembly.


The present application provides a pre-signal amplifier, supply power conditioning apparatus, a wireless communication device and a method for providing selective pre-signal amplifier, supply power conditioning. A selective voltage supply boost stage is included, which has an input coupled to a voltage supply source for receiving a voltage supply, and an output for producing a selectively boosted voltage supply source. A voltage boost circuit is further included having a voltage boost control input coupled to a modem for controlling when the selectively boosted voltage supply source produced at the output is boosted. When the voltage boost control input identifies at least one of one or more modes in which the modem is currently operating, that a boost to the received voltage supply is desired, the resulting selectively boosted voltage supply source produced at the output is boosted.

Wireless communication devices typically operate within an ecosystem that provides access to other users and sites for exchanging and/or accessing available information, engaging in commerce, as well as communicating with other users. While wireless communication devices are continuously integrating new and enhanced features, that leverage an ability to remotely transmit and receive data using wireless communication capabilities. The network environments within which they operate are also implementing new forms of access and/or communication to expand or improve the users' ability to interact with the network, as well as the network's ability to support the access interests of the users.
As features are added and/or enhanced, there often is a need to communicate wirelessly, an ever increasing amount of information/data in order to support the added and/or enhanced features of the network or device. This need for additional data throughput impacts both the overall operation of the network, as well as the data throughput relative to individual devices operating within the network.
The overall desire for higher data throughput for at least some cellular networks has led to at least some networks implementing support for additional operating modes, at least some of which can include compliance with new and/or updated operating standards, that can have new or updated operating requirements, such as new or additional frequency bands of operation, updated power requirements and/or the ability to more narrowly spatially target or differentiate the source or destination associated with an intended communication partner.
Examples of forms of communication being increasingly used in support of the new or updated modes of communication include Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) forms of communication, including for example 4×4 MIMO relative to one or more bands of operation, carrier aggregation, and enhanced beamforming. MIMO is a method for expanding the capacity of a radio link using multiple transmit and receive antennas, where multipath propagation properties are used to distinguish between different sets of signaling sent simultaneously over the same radio channel via separate antennas. MIMO is distinct from other throughput enhancement techniques developed to augment the performance of a propagated data signal, such as a beamforming signal processing technique and/or a multiple antenna diversity scheme. Carrier aggregation allows a number of separate carriers to be combined into a single data channel to enhance the data rates and data throughput capacity relative to a particular user. Beamforming allows for the management of signal propagation characteristics relative to one or more transmitters and/or receivers to spatially manage the strength or coverage of a particular transmission relative to a particular direction, location or area.
At least some of the more recent implementations of various existing or developing standards including Long Term Evolution (LTE) type cellular networks and new radio access technology (NR) type cellular networks, have explored increasingly incorporating new or updated forms and/or modes of operation.
Once the new or updated forms of communications have been developed, the challenge then shifts to the manufacturers of the wireless communication equipment to implement the new or updated features while attempting to minimize the impact on previously present features, and other nearby users.
At least some enhancements have extended communications into new frequency bands of operation including some higher frequency bands. At least some of these enhancements have also involved higher transmission power requirements, which can exceed the upper limits associated with earlier requirements. However, enhancing a particular aspect of operation, such as transmission power, can create challenges relative to other aspects of operation, such as battery life. In some instances, components and/or circuits may be tuned to various forms or levels of operation, where extending the expected nature of operation might involve additional complexity and/or compromises to help limit the potential adverse effects to other aspects of operation.
The present innovators have recognized that the use of a selective voltage supply boost stage, which is controlled based upon one or more identified modes of operation can be used to facilitate selective support for increased radio frequency transmit power. The present innovators have further recognized that in some instances, such an inclusion can help to reduce the impact to other operating modes, that might not have a similar need for an increase in transmit power.

Method and apparatus for providing selective pre-signal amplifier, supply power conditioning


A steering device for a motor vehicle includes an actuating member for the introduction of the steering movement and a steering linkage to transfer the steering movement to the vehicle wheels. The actuating member consists of a steering wheel (1) which is rotatable about a small angle and of a measured value transmitter (2) to generate an electrical or electronic position signal. The steering linkage is actuated by an adjustment drive which is controllable by an electrical regulating device as a function of the position signal.

The invention relates to a steering device for a motor vehicle with an actuating member for the introduction of the steering movement and with a steering linkage to transfer the steering movement to the wheels.
The known steering devices consist of a steering wheel which is rotatable by hand, which can be turned from stop to stop usually 3.5 to 4.5 revolutions and the rotary movement of which is transferred via a steering gear mechanically directly to a steering linkage, which brings about the angle of deflection of the steered wheels. Such steering devices have been in use in various forms since the start of the development of automobiles, more revolutions from stop to stop also being able to be provided in buses and lorries, apart from a larger diameter of the steering wheel, in order to improve the transmission ratios in favour of less expenditure of energy. In addition, in particular in passenger cars with front wheel drive, pneumatic steering aids are widely used as so-called power-assisted steering mechanisms.
The direct mechanical coupling between the steering wheel and the steered wheels indeed also has various disadvantages. Firstly, it can not be entirely avoided that unevenness in the roadway, despite intercalated damping devices, is transmitted as far as to the steering wheel as vibrations of greater or lesser intensity, which is not only uncomfortable but also leads to greater fatigue on longer journeys. A further disadvantage consists in that in the design of such steering devices from the outset a decision has to be made for a particular transmission ratio, in which one person finds fault with an insufficient contact with the roadway, whereas for another the same transmission ratio still requires too much power. In addition, the different requirements in driving straight ahead on the motorway on the one hand and when parking on the other hand can not be satisfactorily fulfilled in the conventional steering devices or can only be fulfilled with considerable technical expenditure.
In addition to this is the fact that in modern steering wheels, increasingly more actuating devices are arranged so that they can be reached without the hand having to be taken from the steering wheel. In conventional steering devices, the reliability of such actuations depends on the fact that the individual commands can be transferred reliably from the rotatable steering wheel to fixed parts of the bodywork. Also for this a whole range of proven technical solution possibilities in fact already exists, which, however, all have the remainder of a liability to breakdown and many of which are overloaded in the case of distinct increase to the actuating devices accommodated on the steering wheel.
The problem therefore exists of indicating a steering device of the type initially mentioned, in which the above-mentioned disadvantages can not occur, which can be easily adapted to the most varied of requirements and in which a plurality of levers and keys for the most varied purposes can be readily arranged on the actuating member, without the signal transmission presenting difficulties.
To solve this problem, a generic steering device is proposed, which is characterized in that the actuating member consists of a xe2x80x9csteering wheelxe2x80x9d rotatable about a small angle and of a measured value transmitter to generate an electrical or electronic position signal, and that the steering linkage is actuated by an adjustment drive, which is controllable by an electrical or electronic regulating device as a function of the position signal.
In the steering device according to the invention, the term xe2x80x9csteering wheelxe2x80x9d was continued to be used, although the actuating member is only still rotatable about a very small angle. Otherwise, however, it can be constructed largely as a conventional steering wheel. The mechanical uncoupling from the steering linkage and the transmission of the steering commands electrically or electronically is important. For this, a measured value transmitter is provided for generating an electrical position signal, which is supplied to an electrical or electronic regulating device, which in turn generates control commands, as a function of the position signal, for an adjustment drive which actuates the steering linkage.
The steering device according to the invention has the advantage that in the xe2x80x9csteering wheelxe2x80x9d which is only slightly rotatable, in a conventional manner an airbag and also actuating and display devices can be accommodated, without, as in a steering wheel which is rotatable several times through 360xc2x0, particular devices having to be provided for the transmission of the actuating or display signals from a fixed component to a component which is movable through several revolutions or vice versa.
The steering device according to the invention has in addition the great advantage that as a result of the mechanical uncoupling, in a very simple manner any desired transmission ratios can be realized, because in this respect one only has to take action on the software of the electronic regulating device. Moreover, it is readily possible to select a very direct transmission ratio for driving straight ahead on the motorway and to provide the opposite design range for parking operation.

Steering device with measured value transmitter

TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH and Co. KG


An optical position measuring arrangement including a source of illumination that generates one or several bundles of illuminating beams, a measuring graduation that is illuminated by the source of illumination so as to generate a periodic fringe pattern of a defined fringe pattern period and a fiber-optical scanning head, wherein the fiber-optical scanning head scans the periodic fringe pattern. A scanning plate is arranged in the fiber-optical scanning head, wherein the scanning plate is matched to the fringe pattern period and scans the periodic fringe pattern. Fringe patterns, which are phase-shifted in relation to each other, are generated within a fringe pattern period in bundles of partial signal beams in the one or several bundles of illuminating beams via a wavelength-dependent local separation, and the bundles of partial signal beams are employed for conversion into position-dependent phase-shifted scanning signals.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an optical position measuring arrangement for determining the relative position of a fiber-optical scanning head and of a measuring graduation which can be moved with respect to it in at least one measuring direction.
2. Background Information
Customarily, known optical position measuring arrangements include a measuring graduation, as well as a scanning unit, which can be moved in relation to it. As a rule, a light source, optoelectronic detector elements, as well as further optical components, such as lenses, gratings, etc. are arranged in the scanning unit. However, in certain cases of application a scanning unit having all these components can possibly be of too large a size. Furthermore, in connection with certain applications the result can be undesired effects on the active components of such a scanning unit by electromagnetic interference fields or increased temperatures. Moreover, a thermal effect on the measuring accuracy can occur because of the dissipation of electrical power, in particular that of the light source.
Therefore solutions for optical position measuring arrangements have become known, in which only the scanned measuring graduation, as well as a passive fiber-optical scanning head which can be moved in relation to it, are arranged at the actual measurement location. The remaining active components relative to the functioning of the scanning process, such as the light source, optoelectronic detector elements, etc. are arranged spatially distant from the measurement location and are connected with the fiber-optical scanning head by fiber-optical waveguides. It is possible in this way to realize a system of an extremely compact size at the actual measurement location. It is furthermore also possible to minimize interference effects on the various active components on the scanning site.
Such a position measuring arrangement is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,906,315, for example, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The position measuring arrangement disclosed in this publication includes, besides a measuring graduation embodied as a linear reflection measuring graduation, a fiber-optical scanning head, which can be displaced relative to it in at least one measuring direction. An electronic follow-up device is arranged, spatially distanced, downstream of the fiber-optical scanning head and is connected with it by means of suitable fiber-optical waveguides. Here, the electronic follow-up device includes, inter alia, the light source required for optical scanning, several optoelectronic detector elements, as well as further active components for signal generation and further signal processing, as required. The fiber-optical scanning head substantially includes the ends of several fiber-optical waveguides for supplying illumination, as well as for returning the signal-generating light beam bundles. At their ends on the measuring graduation side, the fiber-optical waveguides used for returning the light beam bundles are provided with suitable scanning gratings and are used for generating position-dependent, phase-shifted quadrature signals, i.e. for example four quadrature signals, each phase-shifted by 90°. In a known manner, the scanning gratings with different signal phases have suitable geometric offset distances between each other for this purpose.
With this solution it is considered to be disadvantageous that no so-called single field scanning of the measuring graduation is possible by it. This is understood to be scanning in which all phase-shifted signal portions are generated out of the same field of the scanned measuring graduation. It is a special advantage of this type of scanning that it is relatively insensitive to dirt on the measuring graduation and, in case of possible dirt accumulation, basically all phase-shifted signal portions are evenly affected. It is possible by this to minimize errors in the course of further signal processing, i.e. during a subsequent signal interpolation, for example.


A hidden siding fastener is provided. The hidden siding fastener includes an upper nail hem hook and an opposing lower pressure point, fold point and lock engagement hook extending therefrom. The nail hem hook is threaded through the back side of a lower piece of siding panel so that the lock engagement hook can nest into a siding lock slot of the same siding panel. Thereby, a separate upper piece of siding panel and specifically its siding lock hook can operatively associate with the lock engagement hook and fold point in a locked engagement, while the pressure point urges a more secure locked engagement between the two pieces of siding panel.

The present invention relates to construction technology and, more particularly, to a hidden fastener to secure loose siding on commercial and residential construction.
Vinyl and aluminum siding often unlock because of poor installation, low quality, time, gravity, and/or weather conditions. Caulk and nails can be aesthetically displeasing and messy, and may restrict movement of the siding, potentially causing the siding to buckle. Shrink strips can be used, but do not fasten to the siding when installed, essentially floating between the two locking mechanisms. This leaves the siding more vulnerable to unlocking. Moreover, shrink strip typically must be custom made to extend the lock, this requiring special materials and some mechanical skills, and thus an additional expense. As a result, all of the above-mentioned methods require special tools or materials.
As can be seen, there is a need for a hidden fastener to secure loose siding on commercial and residential construction. The hidden siding fastener embodied in the present invention is dimensioned and adapted to be manufactured and installed to fit the gap between the two loose or separated locking mechanisms of two interlocking pieces of siding. The hidden siding fastener extends downward the top locking slot of the lower piece of siding, giving the bottom lock of the upper piece of siding more area to attach to. The hidden siding fastener is secured to the siding yet allows the siding to expand and contract.

Hidden fastener to secure loose vinyl siding


Disclosed is an apparatus for producing a sleeve-type printing form from a plate-shaped blank. The apparatus has a fixing device for fixing the uppermost plate-shaped blank of a stack of blanks as a flat raw form, a curving device for curving the flat raw form, and a welding machine by which the plate edges that constitute the beginning and end of the printing form can be welded by a laser beam. The apparatus includes a housing which is a radiation protective casing. The curving device and the welding machine are arranged in the housing, Outside of the housing, there is a layout table, and an opening is left in the housing above the layout table. A fixing frame to hold the plate-shaped blank can be moved between the layout table and the curving device by means of a linear drive, so that the entire production process for the sleeve-type printing form can be performed inside the housing, which can be sealed in a radiation-proof manner during the production process.

The invention relates to an apparatus for producing a sleeve-type printing form from a plate-shaped blank with a device for fixing the plate-shaped blank as a flat raw form, a device for curving the raw form, and a welding machine by means of which the plate edges constituting the beginning and end of the printing form can be welded by means of a laser beam.
An apparatus of this type, which requires only the manual insertion of the plate-shaped blank, and which permits, after the insertion of the plate, the automatic curving and precise register-correct positioning of the plate ends to be connected or welded, is described in DE 43 11 078 C1.
To avoid having to cut the plate-shaped raw form to the correct length outside of the aforementioned apparatus by means of metal shears, DE 43 38 467 C1 suggests to improve the production process of the sleeve-type printing form in such a way that the plate-shaped raw form, whose width corresponds to the form cylinder, is cut roughly to a length greater than the printing form. The raw form, in a register-correct and curved state, is then cut correctly to length in the welding device with a laser beam serving as the cutting device. At least one waste piece is thereby created, which is then removed, and the two plate edges that constitute the beginning and end of the printing form are placed across from each other without overlap and are welded together.
It is known that electromagnetic radiation, from which the operating personnel must be protected, occurs during laser processes of this type.
The object of the invention is to provide an improved generic apparatus that provides complete radiation protection for the operating personnel before the laser process and also ensures such protection throughout the entire production process of the sleeve-type printing form, even during the removal of the sleeve-type printing form from the apparatus.

Apparatus for producing a sleeve-type printing form


An assembly configured to protect a circuit board from electromagnetic interference. The assembly includes a metal shield and an enclosure. The metal shield includes a metal plate and a plurality of tangs. The plurality of tangs are spaced about and extend transversely away from at least a portion of a perimeter portion of the metal plate. The enclosure has a bottom wall and at least one sidewall disposed around a perimeter of the bottom wall, the at least one sidewall configured to urge the tangs of the metal shield inward when the metal shield is disposed in the enclosure.

Electronic circuitry assemblies, printed circuits boards (PCBs), and substrates containing circuitry and electronic components mounted thereon, often require electromagnetic interference (EMI) shields to limit the likelihood of signal interferences from electromagnetic waves, such as those caused by radio-frequency (RF) signals, high-power transmission lines, and other electronic and/or industrial components, for example.
EMI shields are often installed over or in proximity to sensitive electronic components on a circuit board to inhibit interference from propagating. An EMI shield may be varying in shape and size in relation to the sensitivity of the electronics and the material used in construction of the EMI shield. It is known that an EMI shield is typically comprised of a metal sheet, a casting, or other conductive material such as a mesh or paint which is formed into a shape in relation to both the components and the space available on the circuit board. An EMI shield is usually precisely placed on a circuit board at a prescribed location and is attempted to be grounded, usually with a circuit ground. The EMI shield is typically installed by securing the shield to the circuit board. Often, compression fittings, screws, and/or soldering are used to secure the shield in place within an electronics enclosure or other housing, for example.


A heat-resistant nickel-based alloy having excellent welding properties, said nickel-based alloy consisting essentially of, in terms of wt. %, 0.05 to 0.25% of C, 18 to 25% of Cr, 15 to 25% of Co, at least one selected from the group consisting of up to 3.5% of Mo and 5 to 10% of W, with W+1/2Mo being 5 to 10%, 1.0 to 5.0% of Ti, 1.0 to 4.0% of Al, 0.5 to 4.5% of Ta, 0.2 to 3.0% of Nb, 0.005 to 0.10% of Zr, 0.001 to 0.01% of B and the balance being Ni and unavoidable impurities, wherein the (Al+Ti) content and the (W+1/2Mo) content are within the range surrounded by the lines connecting points A (Al+Ti: 5%, W+1/2Mo: 10%), B (Al+Ti: 5%, W+1/2Mo: 5%), C (Al+Ti: 7%, W+1/2Mo: 5%), and D (Al+Ti: 7%, W+1/2Mo: 10%) excluding the line A-B in FIG. 1. Another alloy has substantially the same composition as described above except that the Cr content is 10 to 20% and the (Al+Ti) content and the (W+1/2Mo) content are within the range surrounded by the lines connecting points A, B, E (Al+Ti: 4%, W+1/2Mo: 5%), F (Al+Ti: 4%, W+1/2Mo: 0.5%), G (Al+Ti: 7%, W+1/2Mo: 0.5%) and D, excluding the line A-B-E, in FIG. 1.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat-resistant nickel-based alloy that can be used as a material for forming the stationary turbine vane of a gas turbine and other parts to be exposed to high temperatures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heat-resistant alloys used as materials for parts to be exposed to high temperatures, such as the stationary turbine vane of a gas turbine, include an Ni-based alloy which enjoys the effects of both strengthening through precipitation of an intermetallic compound Ni.sub.3 (Al,Ti), i.e., a .gamma.' phase, and strengthening through solid solution with Mo, W, etc., and a Co-based alloy strengthened through precipitation of a carbide.
In the Ni-based alloy, an increase in the amount of precipitation of the .gamma.' phase generally tends to lower the weldability of the alloy, though it improves the high-temperature strength of the alloy. For example, this is clear from the fact that an alloy increased in the amount of precipitation of the .gamma.' phase to improve the high-temperature strength thereof (Japanese Patent Publication No. 6,968/1979) is very poor in weldability, while an alloy decreased in the amount of precipitation of the .gamma.' phase to improve the weldability thereof (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 104,738/1989) is very low in high-temperature strength. On the other hand, the Co-based alloy, though generally good in weldability, is low in high-temperature strength and no remarkable improvement can be expected.
As is apparent from the foregoing, since the high-temperature strength of the Co-based alloy is limited, the Ni-based alloy must be improved in weldability without detriment to the high-temperature strength thereof.

Heat-resistant nickel-based alloy excellent in weldability