The present invention relates to three single tryptophan analogs ILPWKLPLLPLRR-amide (IL4) (SEQ ID NO: 1), ILPLKLPWLPLRR-amide (IL8) (SEQ ID NO: 2) and ILPLKLPLLPWRR-amide (IL11) (SEQ ID NO: 3), of Indolicidin, a cationic tridecapeptide amide found in the granules of bovine neutrophils, the analogs having the amino acid only at the 4th, 8th or 11th position from the N-terminal, with leucine at its all other conventional positions, the analogs selectively having only anti-microbial activity and no hemolytic activity of Indolicidin, and thereby providing therapeutic options and a method thereof.

Indolicidin (IL) is a 13-residue anti-microbial peptide having the sequence ILPWKWPWWPWRR-amide (SEQ ID NO: 4). It is present in the cytoplasmic granules of bovine neutrophils.(1)
The presence of five tryptophans out of 13-residues renders its amino acid composition unique among host-defense endogenous anti-microbial peptides. It is cationic due to the presence of two arginines and one lysine and exhibits broad-spectrum anti-microbial activity.
The peptide also causes lysis of erythrocytes (2) and is cytotoxic to human and rat T lymphocytes. (3)
Binding of IL to anionic and neutral lipid vesicles and leakage of entrapped contents from lipid vesicles have been observed. (4,5)
In aqueous medium, IL is unordered (5,6). Even in media of low dielectric constant, Circular Dichroism spectra suggests that a large fraction of the molecules populate unordered conformation.
However, the spectra in trifluoroethanol and sodium dodecyl sulphate micelles have been assigned to polyproline and type VI beta-turn by different groups (6,7). Proline residues are not essential for the biological activities of IL, as a variant where P has been replaced A by shows comparable activities to IL. (8)
Publication (8) by Applicant shows that in Indolicidin where proline was replaced by alanine and tryptophan by phenylalanine has anti-bacterial activity comparable to Indolicidin. Also, they showed that presence of tryptophan appears to be essential for hemolytic activity as the phenylalanine analogs does not exhibit any hemolytic activity. But, there is more work to be done to overcome the hurdles to understand the behaviour of various possible analogs. Also further research is needed to be done to determine the stability of various possible analogs.
Further, it is important to have analogs that have absolutely no hemolytic activity even at an extremely high concentration. This will determine the safety profile of various possible analogs.
Also anti-microbial activity of various possible analogs is most important. The said activity is to be comparable to Indolicidin and at the same time with no hemolytic activity.

Indolicidin analogs with anti-microbial activity

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research


A grinding tool for sharpening tools is provided comprising an oscillatory drive the output shaft of which is driven oscillatingly about its longitudinal axis. The grinding tool comprises a holder for mounting a working part which is configured as a grinding plate having a flat grinding surface. The grinding tool is held by the holder in a plane extending substantially perpendicularly to the drive shaft. The holder comprises a fixed holding section and a removable clamping part between which the working part can be clamped at one end by means of at least one tensioning part. The clamping part comprises an outer surface which serves as a guide surface for supporting a surface of the working part to adjust a preset angle between the outer surface of the clamping part and the grinding surface of the tool to be sharpened.

The invention relates to a grinding tool for sharpening work pieces. More particularly, the invention relates to a grinding tool for sharpening tools, such as knifes, scissors, axes etc. using an oscillatory drive. In particular, the invention relates to a grinding tool for the sharpening of tools using a oscillatory drive the output shaft of which is driven oscillatingly about its longitudinal axis, wherein a holder is used for mounting a working part which is coated with abrasive particles, and wherein the holder comprises a fixed holding section and a removable clamping part between which the working part can be clamped at one end by means of at least one screw or the like.
A grinding tool of this kind is known from DE 100 58 894 A1.
The known tool comprises an oscillatory drive the output shaft of which can be driven oscillatingly about its longitudinal axis with a small pivot angle and at high frequency. On the output shaft of the oscillatory drive a holder is mounted which serves for mounting a working part between a fixed holding section and a removable clamping part by means of two tensioning screws. Various tools may be fixed on the holder for performing different cutting and/or grinding operations. For instance, the working part at its outer front face may have a toothed cutting edge, may be configured as a cutting knife having a sickle-shaped curvature or may for instance have a cutting edge comprising diamonds or hard metal. By means of the holder a fast exchange and a stable and stiff mounting of various working parts on the holder is ensured. Thus this tool may be used for various sawing, cutting and grinding operations.
In many cases the need arises to regrind particular cutting or sawing tools in a manner as simple and cost-effective as possible, while a preset sharpening angle shall be obtained as precisely as possible.

Grinding tool for sharpening work pieces


A well treatment fluid composition that includes a tetrakis(hydroxyorgano)phosphonium salt and 1,3-dimethylol-5,5-dimethylhydantoin. Methods for preparing a well treatment fluid composition and treating a subterranean formation are also presented.

Microorganisms in oilfields or in injection water where water is collected from ponds or similar water sources may include iron-oxidizing bacteria, sulfate-reducing bacteria, slime-forming bacteria, sulfide oxidizing bacteria, yeast and molds, and protozoa. Biocides are used to treat water and destroy bacteria or a substantial amount of bacteria during a biocide treatment.
There is constant demand for new treatment fluids biocides to control the proliferation of undesired bacteria in oil and gas applications, notably in hydraulic fracturing and oil field reservoir treatments to control reservoir souring.


A backward movement indicator apparatus is provided for a vehicle having an alert device. The backward movement indicator apparatus comprises an image capture device arranged to capture image data which is representative of objects in vicinity of the vehicle. The backward movement apparatus further comprises an electronic controller arranged to process the captured image data to provide a signal which is indicative of the vehicle moving backwards.

The present application relates to vehicles moving backwards, and is particularly directed to a backward movement indicator apparatus for a vehicle, such as a truck.
When a truck driver desires to backup the truck, the driver shifts transmission of the truck into reverse gear. In some trucks, a position sensor is operatively coupled to the transmission to detect when the transmission is in reverse gear. The reverse gear position sensor provides a signal when the reverse gear position sensor detects that the transmission is in reverse gear. A drawback in using a reverse gear position sensor is that sometimes the truck may not actually be moving backwards even though the signal from the reverse gear position sensor indicates otherwise. Another drawback in using a reverse gear position sensor is that sometimes the truck can be moving backwards without the transmission being in reverse gear. A reverse gear position sensor can therefore sometimes provide either a false indication of the truck moving backwards or a false indication of the truck not moving backwards.
In some other trucks, a speed sensor is operatively coupled to a wheel of the truck to provide a signal indicative of ground speed of the vehicle. In this case, some types of wheel speed sensors and exciter ring assemblies provide a signal indicative of the truck moving backwards when the wheel speed sensor detects that the truck wheels are turning in the backward direction at a rate which exceeds a predetermined rate. A drawback in using a wheel speed sensor is that sometimes the truck may actually be moving backwards even though the signal from the wheel speed sensor indicates otherwise. This can occur because a typical variable reluctance wheel speed sensor does not produce an output at very tow wheel turning speeds such as when the truck is rolling slowly backwards. It would be desirable to provide a reverse movement indicator apparatus which provides a true indication of when the truck is actually moving backwards.

Backward movement indicator apparatus for a vehicle


A glue guide, for creating a bead of glue upon a workpiece having a pair of substantially parallel longitudinal edges and a work surface between the longitudinal edges and perpendicular thereto. The glue guide comprises a cross member, and a pair of straight edges extending perpendicular to the cross member. A holster is situated on the cross member, centered between the straight edges. The holster is tubular, shaped to accept a glue dispensing nozzle from a glue container. Once the glue dispensing nozzle is inserted into the holster, the straight edges engage the longitudinal edges of the workpiece, and guide the glue dispensing nozzle along the work surface, substantially parallel to the longitudinal edges. Thus, the glue dispensing nozzle can create a straight, uniform bead of glue that extends along the work surface and is centered between the longitudinal edges.

The invention relates to a glue guide. More particularly, the invention relates to a device which accepts a glue dispensing nozzle, and which has at least one straight edge which contacts a longitudinal edge of a workpiece so that the glue dispensing nozzle is guided along the workpiece, while maintaining the glue dispensing nozzle parallel to the longitudinal edge.
Many construction tasks require application of a continuous bead of glue along a work surface. The glue is usually applied by hand, using a tube of glue, having a glue dispensing nozzle. Unfortunately, it is very difficult, even for an experienced worker, to keep the glue in a continuous bead. Not only does the bead tend to waver, but the application pressure upon the workpiece also varies, affecting the quality of the bead.
Certain construction tasks can suffer from an inconsistent bead. An inconsistent bead can mean inconsistent structural strength of the bond between the workpiece and another object. In addition, in certain crafts, especially those involving glass, a wavering bead can be visible in the finished product.
The prior art shows different devices which are used to aid in glue application. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.


Provided is a display device, including: a first substrate including a display area and a non-display area adjacent to the display area; a display unit on the first substrate at the display area and configured to display an image; a display wiring on the first substrate at the non-display area and coupled to the display unit; a second substrate on the first substrate with the display unit and the display wiring therebetween; a touch unit on the second substrate, corresponding to the display unit, and configured to recognize a touch; a touch wiring on the second substrate at the non-display area and coupled to the touch unit; and an anti-noise electrode between the display wiring and the touch wiring at the non-display area.

1. Field
Aspects of embodiments of the present invention relate to a display device, and more particularly, to a display device including a touch unit for recognizing a touch.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, representative examples of a flat panel display include an organic light emitting display, a liquid crystal display, a plasma display panel, and the like.
Recently, the display device includes a display unit for displaying an image, a display wiring for transmitting a driving signal to the display unit, a touch unit positioned on the display unit, and a touch wiring for transmitting a touch recognition signal to the touch unit.
However, in the aforementioned display device, there is a problem in that undesired noise is generated in each signal through each of the display wiring and the touch wiring by the signal through each of the display wiring and the touch wiring at a portion where the display wiring and the touch wiring overlap with each other.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.


A method of preparing a catalyst composition suitable for removing sulfur from a catalytic reduction system and the catalyst composition prepared by the method are provided. The method of preparation of a catalyst composition, comprises: combining a metal oxide precursor, a catalyst metal precursor and an alkali metal precursor in the presence of a templating agent; hydrolyzing and condensing to form an intermediate product that comprises metal oxide, alkali metal oxide, and catalyst metal; and calcining to form a templated amorphous metal oxide substrate having a plurality of pores wherein the alkali metal oxide and catalyst metal are dispersed in an intermixed form in the metal oxide substrate.

The invention relates generally to a catalyst composition and particularly to a catalyst composition and system for reducing nitrogen oxides (NOx) through selective catalytic reduction (SCR).
Exhaust streams generated by the combustion of fossil fuels in, for example, furnaces, ovens, and engines, contain nitrogen oxides (NOx) that are undesirable pollutants. There is a growing need to have efficient and robust emission treatment systems to treat the NOx emissions.
In selective catalytic reduction (SCR) using hydrocarbons (HC), hydrocarbons serve as the reductants for NOx conversion. Hydrocarbons employed for HC—SCR include relatively small molecules like methane, ethane, ethylene, propane, and propylene, as well as longer linear hydrocarbons like hexane, octane, etc., or branched hydrocarbons like iso-octane. The injection of several types of hydrocarbons has been explored in some heavy-duty diesel engines to supplement the HC in the exhaust stream. From an infrastructure point of view, it would be advantageous to employ an on-board diesel fuel as the hydrocarbon source for HC—SCR.
Fuels, including gasoline or diesel fuels containing sulfur lead to a number of disadvantages when trying to clean the exhaust gases by some form of catalytic after-treatment. During the combustion process, sulfur in the fuel gets converted to sulfur dioxide (SO.sub.2), which poisons some catalysts. Further poisoning happens from the formation of base metal sulfates from the components of a catalyst composition, which sulfates can act as a reservoir for poisoning sulfur species within the catalyst.
When the SCR catalysts absorb the NOx in the exhaust gas, they also absorb sulfur oxides (SOx) in the exhaust gas. The sulfur oxides poison the catalysts and as a result, the NOx absorption performance declines as the poisoning by the sulfur oxides (SOx) increases. Therefore, there is a need to reduce sulfur absorption by the SCR catalysts and prevent catalyst degradation.

Method for preparing a catalyst composition suitable for removing sulfur from a catalytic reduction system


There is disclosed a method for forming fine patterns in a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: providing a silicon substrate; coating a pattern material on the surface of the silicon substrate to form a layout of pattern; additionally arranging a plurality of dummy patterns, each having a smaller size than the minimum size at which patterning is not permitting, on the surface of the silicon substrate including the area of said layout; preparing a reticle by use of the layout where said fine dummy patterns are arranged; and exposing the layout on the silicon substrate through said reticle to light, which enables the patterns to have as accurate a width as desired, irrespective of the pattern density, whereby the production yield of the semiconductor device can be greatly improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a method for forming fine patterns of a semiconductor device and, more particularly, to the use of dummy patterns, each having a size at which patterning is not permitted, to minimize the loss of pattern attributed to the proximity effect.
2. Description of the Prior Art
High integration of semiconductor devices requires many patterns of various sizes within a limited area. At an exposure process for forming desired patterns on a silicon substrate, a proximity effect, which is attributed to the refraction, scattering and/or interference of the light, usually occurs depending on the pattern density.
This effect results in a significant disadvantage in the formation of patterns. That is, the proximity effect may cause the light masks (or reticles) to be nonuniformly distorted, thereby causing the patterns to be dissected.
In order to better understand the background of the present invention, a description will be provided of the difference in proximity effect according to the difference in pattern density in a conventional method, with reference to some drawings.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show the conventional processes of pattern formation, illustrating the proximity effect generated by the pattern density of mask patterns.
First, FIG. 1A shows a layout 2 with a desired shape at such pattern density so as to minimize the proximity effect.
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 1B, the layout 2 is used to give a reticle which is, in turn, used as a mask when exposing the pattern material on the silicon substrate 1 to light, to form a pattern 3. In this case, since the width of the patterns is almost the same as that of the layout 2, it is recognized that there is little alteration in the width attributed to the proximity effect.
In contrast, FIG. 2A shows a layout 11 with a line shape having such a pattern so as to show a large proximity effect.
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2B, a reticle is formed by use of the layout 11 and is then used as a mask to form a pattern 12 when the pattern material on the silicon substrate is exposed to light. In this case, the width of the pattern 12 is made thin by the proximity effect.
Since the pattern having such a pattern density induces a large proximity effect, as mentioned above, a serious photo bias is shown in the conventional process of pattern formation, and it is difficult to form a desired pattern. In addition, even at the pattern density which causes the proximity effect, etch bias is largely induced by a loading effect, so that the photo bias is disadvantageously required to be reduced during the exposure process.

Method for forming fine patterns of semiconductor device

Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.


A netting having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction. There is a first part intended to be substantially horizontal in use having at least two portions. The portions are being mutually longitudinally aligned. At least one portion has apertures of a larger size than apertures in at least one other portion. The second part comprises a flap connected or connectable to the first part at or adjacent one edge of the second part and at or adjacent the portion of larger opening size in the first part.

Known hail netting has a number of portions, for example, a pair of side portions with relatively closely woven configuration, that is to say with relatively small apertures and a central area of larger aperture size is known. The closely woven area is placed over, for example, plants and the area of larger aperture size is positioned between rows of plants so that hail falling over the plants will be substantially prevented from passing through the netting and will tend to move towards the central area where it will fall to ground through the larger apertures thereby reducing the weight of hail on the net at any one time.
Although such hail netting provides substantial protection to the plants when the hail is falling substantially vertically the netting provides less protection where the hail is coming at an angle to the vertical. Thus for example hail which is blown by substantial wind can pass through the central aperture and still damage the plants or fruits carried thereon. We believe that the hail netting is also able to be subjected to a number of other improvements.


A sewing machine includes a frame support portion, a detecting device, a detecting device, a processor, and a memory. The frame support portion is configured to be detachably mounted with a selected one of a plurality of embroidery frames whose types are different from each other. Each of the embroidery frames has a holding portion. The detecting device is configured to detect the type of the embroidery frame mounted on the frame support portion. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor to perform processes comprising, setting a sewing area inside the holding portion, by setting a size of the sewing area, as well as a position and an angle of the sewing area, identifying an embroidery pattern to be sewn on the sewing workpiece, and setting a layout of the identified embroidery pattern, corresponding to the sewing area.

The present disclosure relates to a sewing machine on which an embroidery frame can be mounted.
A sewing machine that is capable of embroidery sewing performs embroidery sewing while relatively moving a needle and a sewing workpiece that is held by an embroidery frame, based on embroidery data that specifies coordinates of needle drop points. With a sewing machine on which selectively mount one of a plurality of types of embroidery frames can be mounted, it is necessary for the sewing machine to detect the type of the embroidery frame that is mounted on the sewing machine, in order to set a sewing area on the inside of the embroidery frame. To address this, for example, a known sewing machine identifies the type of the embroidery frame by detecting a detection portion of a detection target that is arranged in a position corresponding to the type of the embroidery frame.


An active pixel sensor array sampling system includes a plurality of video circuits and reset circuits. A video circuit generates a video voltage from each one of the pixels of a column of pixels. An associated reset circuit generates a reset voltage for each of the pixels of a column of pixels. The video circuits and the reset circuits are closed loop sample and hold circuits. The active pixel sensor array is integrated on an integrated circuit.

Active pixel sensor arrays, such as may be employed to advantage in CMOS imaging arrays, are well known in the art. In such arrays, active pixels, usually arrayed in columns and rows, generate an output voltage having a magnitude related to the intensity of light of an image impending on the pixels. The output magnitudes are then quantized to permit digital storage and/or display of the image.
Sampling circuits are generally utilized for reading the pixel voltage of each pixel. To that end, the pixel voltage of each pixel is sampled and held by a corresponding respective column sample and hold circuit. The pixel voltage of all pixels in a row of pixels are sampled in parallel.
Following sampling of the row of pixels, a reset voltage associated with each pixel is also sampled. Hence, associated with each pixel voltage sample and hold circuit is a reset voltage sample and hold circuit. The need for such reset voltages is well known in the art. The reset voltages for all pixels in a row of pixels are also sampled and held in parallel following the pixel voltage sampling.
With each pixel and reset voltage sampled and held for each pixel in a row of pixels, the pixel voltage and reset voltages for each pixel are then read together for storage or display. The pixel and reset voltage for each pixel when read may be inputted to a differential amplifier which subtracts the pixel voltage from the reset voltage to provide a differential voltage which is then quantized for storage and display. The pixel and reset voltages of the pixels are read in series, one pixel at a time, until all of the pixel and reset voltages of a row of pixels are read. Then, the next row of pixels are addressed and the above process is repeated.
The need for accurate and reliable pixel voltage and reset voltage reading is critical to a quality image reproduction. Any sampling errors, especially those of a repetitive nature, can result in, for example, column wise noise and unwanted horizontal stripes in the final image. Such image imperfections may be readily perceptible by the human eye.
Prior sampling circuits have utilized differential source-follower-type buffers for sampling and holding pixel and reset voltages. These circuits suffer from sources of error such as source-follower transistor mismatch, current source mismatch, sampling error mismatch, and signal dependent charge injection. All of these errors can be coherent in nature and result in perceptible column-wise error. The present invention is therefore generally directed to a sample and hold circuit which may be employed to advantage in active pixel sampling array systems which avoid the coherent errors mentioned above. Active pixel sensor arrays, such as may be employed to advantage in CMOS imaging arrays, are well known in the art. In such arrays, active pixels, usually arrayed in columns and rows, generate an output voltage having a magnitude related to the intensity of light of an image impending on the pixels. The output magnitudes are then quantized to permit digital storage and/or display of the image.
Sampling circuits are generally utilized for reading the pixel voltage of each pixel. To that end, the pixel voltage of each pixel is sampled and held by a corresponding respective column sample and hold circuit. The pixel voltage of all pixels in a row of pixels are sampled in parallel.
Following sampling of the row of pixels, a reset voltage associated with each pixel is also sampled. Hence, associated with each pixel voltage sample and hold circuit is a reset voltage sample and hold circuit. The need for such reset voltages is well known in the art. The reset voltages for all pixels in a row of pixels are also sampled and held in parallel following the pixel voltage sampling.
With each pixel and reset voltage sampled and held for each pixel in a row of pixels, the pixel voltage and reset voltages for each pixel are then read together for storage or display. The pixel and reset voltage for each pixel when read may be inputted to a differential amplifier which subtracts the pixel voltage from the reset voltage to provide a differential voltage which is then quantized for storage and display. The pixel and reset voltages of the pixels are read in series, one pixel at a time, until all of the pixel and reset voltages of a row of pixels are read. Then, the next row of pixels are addressed and the above process is repeated.
The need for accurate and reliable pixel voltage and reset voltage reading is critical to a quality image reproduction. Any sampling errors, especially those of a repetitive nature, can result in, for example, column wise noise and unwanted horizontal stripes in the final image. Such image imperfections may be readily perceptible by the human eye.
Prior sampling circuits have utilized differential source-follower-type buffers for sampling and holding pixel and reset voltages. These circuits suffer from sources of error such as source-follower transistor mismatch, current source mismatch, sampling error mismatch, and signal dependent charge injection. All of these errors can be coherent in nature and result in perceptible column-wise error. The present invention is therefore generally directed to a sample and hold circuit which may be employed to advantage in active pixel sampling array systems which avoid the coherent errors mentioned above.

Sample and hold circuit and active pixel sensor array sampling system utilizing same


A retractable bannister (10) is connected to both a side wall (16) of a recreational vehicle (12) and the bottom step (28) of a set of retractable steps (24). The retractable bannister (10) pivots and telescopes out when the set of retractable steps (24) are moved from their retracted position to their extended position. The retractable bannister (10) includes a plurality of telescoping members (32) to allow for an extension in length when the retractable steps (24) are moved to their extended position. Offset (66) spaces the bottom end (36) of the retractable bannister (10) a distance from the retractable steps (24) such that the retractable bannister (10) extends and rotates in a plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane (A) defined by the face of the bottom step (28).

1. Technical Field
The subject invention relates to adjustable rails. More specifically, the subject invention relates to adjustable rails secured to vehicular passenger compartments.
2. Description of Related Art
Recreational vehicles, such as motor homes, trailer homes, and the like, are a very popular way to combine travel and nightly accommodations. This mode of travel is especially popular with senior citizens. These recreational vehicles have all the comforts of home because the travelers are capable of bringing personal home wares with them.
Recreational vehicles (hereinafter "motor homes") mimic the home environment as much as possible with some obvious short-comings, due to the size restraints and mobility requirements of the motor homes. One such short-coming is the facilities used to enter and exit the side door, and in many cases, the only door of the motor home. The steps are much smaller than steps to a home and, depending on the angle the motor home is with respect to the ground below it, the bottom step may be a substantial distance from the ground.
A problem magnifying the limitations in the current step design is the handle next to the door installed by the manufacturers of the motor homes. The handle is designed to allow no more than one hand to grasp it at any one time. Therefore, the handle is small. Because the handle is so small, it must be positioned in a location so people both entering and exiting the motor home can grasp it to balance themselves. This is awkward for people exiting the motor home because they must blindly feel the side wall of the motor home to locate the handle or, in the alternative, extend their upper body out of the motor home to look for the handle which requires a great deal of balance. Also, this is awkward for people attempting to enter the motor home because they must initiate the movement of stepping onto the first step before they are able to grasp the handle. This feat requires a great deal of dexterity, especially among senior citizens.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,116, issued to Williams et al. on Jan. 19, 1988, discloses a storable stairway for recreational vehicles. The stairway and platform extend out from a doorway located in the back of the vehicle. A bannister extends out with the stairway because it is attached directly to the stairway. Although this bannister increases the safety of the stairway, it does not extend all the way to the bottom stair resulting stepping up and down the stairway without the aid of a manual support, i.e., support through the use of the hands of the user. In addition, this bannister does not optimize stability because the current design of retractable steps extend only the length of the doorway which necessitates this bannister to extend and retract at an angle. Such an angle would require hinges that allow play or relative movement therebetween resulting in mishaps due to a person's belief that the bannister is sturdy and will not move once it is grasped.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,134, issued to Pohl on Sep. 18, 1979, discloses a vehicle doorway lift having radial arms which may also act as retractable bannisters. However, these radial arms cannot be used in conjunction with the current retractable step designs because the steps do not extend out beyond the width of the doorway as does the lift platform, disclosed in the Pohl patent, which is capable of accepting wheelchairs therein.
French patent 1,383,843, issued to Morin, discloses a bannister for use with foldable steps located at the rear of the motor home. The bannisters fold, rotate, and telescope out to their extended position. The bannisters further act an supports to support any load placed on the steps. Again, these bannisters will not work with the retractable steps as currently designed because the bannisters disclosed in the Morin patent necessitate foldable steps that have a width greater than the width of the doorway.

Method and apparatus for retractable bannister


A current regulator for a four-legged, three-phase inverter determines the next optimal, or near-optimal, inverter state in a relatively short time period based on phase current error signals and back-emf's, resulting in low harmonic distortion, reduced current ripple, minimal current stresses, and increased utilization of the available dc bus voltage over a high bandwidth.

Inverters used in three-phase balanced systems typically have three inverter legs for modulating output voltages or currents. In particular, to achieve high bandwidth control of ac current, voltage source inverters with fast internal current regulators are often used. For such inverters, load inductances (including stray inductances of motors, transformers and output filter inductors) are part of the active power electronic circuit which functions as a current source. Advantageously, with fast internal current regulation, it is possible to avoid undesirable transients or oscillations due to the load inductances in conjunction with the back electromotive force (emf) or the capacitive filter of the inverter load. Furthermore, fast current regulation allows for instantaneous torque response in motor drives such as those for induction motors, synchronous machines, switched reluctance motors and permanent magnet machines.
Current control strategies for three-phase balanced systems which minimize current ripple, harmonic content, switching frequency and dc bus current ripple are well-known. Unfortunately, however, most three-phase power supplies and voltage-source, current-fed generator systems supply unbalanced loads. A neutral current is required in systems having unbalanced loads in order to maintain a set of three balanced voltages. To this end, a fourth inverter leg is commonly added to control the neutral current. One type of current regulator used for four-legged inverters is the well-known bang-bang controller. Disadvantageously, however, in systems using bang-bang controllers, the total harmonic distortion (THD) and dc bus current ripple are often too high. Other types of current regulators used for four-legged inverters include predictive controllers which select the next most optimal switching state of the inverter by determining all the possible future current trajectories of the system. Such predictive controllers, however, typically require complex digital signal processors.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a relatively simple current regulator for a four-legged inverter which maintains high bandwidth current control under unbalanced conditions and furthermore minimizes current ripple, harmonic content and current stresses on the switching devices, while substantially fully utilizing the dc bus voltage.

Current regulator for a four-legged three-phase inverter


In exemplary embodiments a storage control unit is able to provide and track priority control among virtual ports created for corresponding physical ports and/or volume groups made up of one or more volumes, and thereby ensure application of priority settings. According to exemplary embodiments, when a virtual port created for a physical port on a first storage control unit is transferred to another physical port, such as in the same storage control unit or on another storage control unit, priority settings on the first physical port and storage control unit are checked and transferred with the virtual port to the other physical port to prevent competition for priority by virtual ports at the destination physical port. Similarly, priority settings assigned to volume groups may also be transferred when a volume group is transferred to another physical port within a storage control unit or to a different storage control unit.

The present invention relates generally to information systems, storage systems and storage area networks (SANs). In information systems, it can be common to have multiple servers (also referred to as "host computers") connected to a single storage system. These multiple servers might often issue simultaneous I/O (input/output) requests to the single storage system. When this occurs, the I/O requests from one server can easily affect the ability of the storage system to process the I/O requests from the other servers, thereby affecting performance of the other servers.
One method of addressing this issue is by implementing priority control among physical interfaces (e.g., channel ports) on storage systems, storage devices, and physical interfaces on servers. For example, priority control among physical interfaces on servers is widely used because it can prioritize at an appropriate level of granularity. Traditionally, priority control among servers has been controlled according to the operating systems (OSs) running on the servers. However, when an OS or an application running on a server is migrated to another server, priority settings on an associated storage system need to be changed because the identification information of the physical interface on the server will change. Also, when a virtual port to which a server is issuing I/O requests is migrated to from one physical interface to another physical interface on a storage system, priority settings on the storage system must be manually transferred to the new physical interface by an administrator.
Another issue that has recently risen to prominence is the amount of power consumed by servers in information facilities (e.g., data centers). One solution currently being implemented to address this issue is server consolidation through the use of virtual machine software. Virtual machine software provides multiple virtual server environments (virtual machines or VMs) on a single physical server (host computer), and enables the single server to run multiple OSs simultaneously, with each of the multiple OSs being able to have one or more separate applications run thereon. In such virtual machine environments, there is often a situation in which multiple OSs on a single server share one physical interface on the server. Thus, in such a situation, priority control among the multiple OSs can not be achieved using prior art techniques because the storage systems cannot distinguish which OS is the originator of which I/O requests since multiple OSs are using the same physical port.
Related art includes U.S. Pat. No. 7,181,607, to Ido et al., entitled "Storage Control Apparatus"; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/826,717, to Hara et al., filed Jul. 18, 2007, entitled Method and Apparatus for Managing Virtual Ports on Storage Systems; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/000,821, to Hara et al., filed Dec. 18, 2007, entitled "Avoiding Use of an Inter-Unit Network in a Storage System having Multiple Storage Control Units"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,083, to Ito et al., entitled "Security for Logical Unit in Storage Subsystem", the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Additional related art includes the Fibre Channel Standard and corresponding specification documents, such as are available from the InterNational Committee for Information Technology Standards (INCITS) Technical Committee T11 (e.g., t11.org). Especially, for example, documents relating to FC-FS (Fibre Channel Framing and Signaling), FC-DA (Fibre Channel Device Attach), FC-LS (Fibre Channel Link Services), FC-GS (Fibre Channel Generic Services), and FC-PH (Fibre Channel Physical and Signaling Interface) are related to this invention. For example, "Fibre Channel Framing and Signaling-3 (FC-FS-3), Project T11/1861-D Rev 0.20", published by the American National Standards Institute, Inc. Jun. 29, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes the framing and signaling requirements for Fibre Channel links.

Method and apparatus for I/O priority control in storage systems


The test apparatus for nondestructive material testing using electrodynamically generated ultrasonic waves. A high-frequency coil assembly has an end face perpendicular to a surface of the workpiece and it is disposed between at least two magnets. Efficient generation and reception of ultrasonic waves is thereby assured.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a test apparatus and a method for nondestructive material testing using electrodynamically generated ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic testing is a method of nondestructive material testing using ultrasound to detect cracks, inclusions, inhomogeneities, and other flaws. The ultrasound is generated piezoelectrically or electrodynamically, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
In electrodynamic ultrasound generation, the ultrasound is generated directly in the test specimen, so that a coupling medium is not needed. The creation of the ultrasonic oscillations can be ascribed to the interaction of high-frequency eddy currents with a magnetic field. The eddy currents are generated for instance by a high-frequency coil assembly that is placed in the vicinity of the surface of the workpiece. Lorentz forces are created by means of a simultaneously operative magnetic field which produce sound waves in the workpiece. Depending on the orientation of the magnetic field and the eddy-current-generating coil relative to one another, longitudinal waves and arbitrarily polarized transverse waves can be induced. In the longitudinal wave, the direction of propagation and vibration are identical, while conversely in the case of the transverse wave the direction of the vibration is perpendicular to the direction of propagation. The transverse wave is also known as a thrust or shear wave which propagates only in solid media.
If the direction of polarization is located in the plane defined by the surface normal of the workpiece and the direction of propagation of the ultrasound, then one speaks of vertically polarized transverse waves. Conversely, if the direction of polarization is perpendicular to that plane, one speaks of horizontally polarized transverse waves. For use in the testing industry, horizontally polarized transverse waves can be generated only by electrodynamic excitation.
With electrodynamic ultrasound generation, it is possible to test the workpiece at temperatures up to about 1000K.
German Patent DE 42 04 643 discloses a test apparatus with a perpendicularly oriented permanent magnet, whose orientation changes in checkerboard fashion. The direction between the north and south poles of the permanent magnet is defined as the orientation. In this apparatus, the high-frequency coil is disposed in meandering fashion between a surface of the workpiece and the permanent magnet. This test apparatus is very complicated and expensive to manufacture, since the transmitting or receiving coil in flat form must be wound very thinly. At the previously conventional testing frequencies of approximately 0.7 MHz, this can be achieved only at very major effort and expense. For testing thin-walled components and pipelines, however, frequencies between 1 and 2 MHz are usual. To achieve this, the permanent-magnet and high-frequency coil arrangements must be reduced in size in accordance with the frequency. This makes the replicable production of such test apparatuses very complicated and expensive.
European Patent Disclosure EP 0 579 255 discloses a further test apparatus, in which the eddy currents required to excite sound are induced via a magnet yoke that encloses the permanent magnets. The distance between the two pole pieces of the magnet yoke is undesirably great. Thus that test apparatus is highly dependent in its efficiency, with respect to sound excitation and sound reception, on the material to be tested. For instance, satisfactory results have thus far been unattainable with nonmagnetic components. Yet precisely in the case of nonmagnetic weld seams and mixed seams, the use of horizontally polarized waves, which can be generated practically only electrodynamically, is especially suitable because of the columnar crystals through which the ultrasonic transmission is to take place.

Test apparatus and method for nondestructive material testing


An optical ferrule has a different thermal expansion coefficient than a substrate to which a optical device is mounted, the ferrule optically coupling the device to one or more optical fibers. The optical ferrule includes and/or a cradle in which the ferrule is mounted include lateral and longitudinal engagement feature that ensure alignment with the optical device at an operating temperature, the ferrule expanding relative to the substrate when transitioning to the operating temperature.

Optical connectors can be used for a variety of applications including telecommunications networks, local area networks, data center links, and internal links in computer devices. Increasingly, optical functions are being incorporated in small integrated devices, such as photonic integrated circuits (PIC). A PIC device may include optical elements such as waveguides, gratings detectors, lasers, etc., that are fabricated using processes such as material deposition, photolithography, and etching. A PIC may be coupled with external optical devices via optical fibers. One challenge in utilizing a PIC in this way is efficient coupling of light between optical fibers and small-core PIC waveguides or other small-scale optical device on the PIC. Existing solutions involve active alignment of the fibers followed by permanent attachment to the devices, which is expensive, slow, and often high loss.

Apparatus and method for maintaining optical ferrule alignment during thermal expansion or contraction


A passive matching network is connected to an input/output line for an automatic test equipment drive channel to compensate for capacitances associated with a receiver circuit connected to the line, and also an optional current-mode driver circuit. The matching circuit preferably comprises a T-coil circuit that can include a bridging capacitor; separate T-coil circuits can be provided to separately compensate for receiver circuit and current-mode driver circuit capacitances. The driver and receiver circuits can be implemented on a common layer of an integrated circuit, with the T-coil windings implemented in a separate layer of the same integrated circuit that is spaced from the common layer by at least one dielectric layer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to T-coil structures and fabrication methods, and their use in automatic test equipment (ATE).
2. Description of the Related Art
ATE systems employ drive channels for applying test signals to a device under test (DUT), and comparator circuits for receiving signals back from the DUT and comparing them to a threshold to determine the DUT's response. Drive circuits can include voltage mode drivers, in which a dynamically varied voltage signal is generated directly for application to the DUT, current mode drivers in which a dynamically varied current is generated and directed through a resistor to a constant voltage reference to generate a dynamically varying voltage signal on the other side of the resistor for application to the DUT, and combinations of the two. An example of a combination of both types of drivers is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,292,010.
Such circuits have associated capacitances that reduce their bandwidth and speed. Contributors to the overall capacitance include collector-base and collector-substrate capacitances of the output transistors in current mode drivers, the capacitance of the cable that connects the circuits to the DUT, and capacitances associated with metal runs and bond pads on the comparator circuit.
Prior attempts to eliminate or compensate for these capacitances have included designing class AB drivers to be faster than necessary, and then adding filters to compensate for the driver's capacitance. This makes the driver unusable for the upper end of its design speed, and also lowers the performance of the comparator. Separate cables have also been provided for transmitting the drive signal to the DUT and directing the DUT's response at pin to the comparators. This requires an additional cable for each drive channel, and also requires the driver circuitry and comparators to be provided on separate chips. Considering that typical ATE systems can have hundreds of drive channels, the additional expense and space required can be significant.
An "inductive peaking" technique has also been used, in which the driver output bond bad was moved so as to increase the bond wire length and thereby increase the circuit's effective inductance. This at least partially compensated parasitic capacitance to boost the circuit output. However, its compensation effect was limited, since it provided compensation only for transmitted drive signals but not for DUT response signals.

Automatic test equipment pin channel with T-coil compensation


A bi-directional smooth transition switch with bumpless transfer is disclosed. It is composed of two feedback loops, each with feedback and forward-loop compensators. During loop operation, one feedback loop is active, while the other is inactive. The smooth transition switch operates in the following manner. The switch output is measured. Next, an error signal is formed as the difference between the forward-loop compensator output and the switch output, which is fed to the input of a high gain feedback compensator. The output of the feedback compensator is a feedback signal. When no switching occurs, the feedback signal remains zero in the active loop, and the output signal of the inactive loop will track the output signal of the active loop. When the switchover occurs, the inactive loop will replace the original active loop and provide smooth transition switch's output.

Switches are very popular components used in various industrial fields. Industrial process systems and devices often require switching among alternative modes or controllers to satisfy multiple optimal objectives. Such examples include switching from manual to automatic control states. Other examples include switching from one controller, such as a proportional controller, to another controller, such as a proportional-integrate controller for a process.
When switching between controllers or modes (switchover), the difference between the outputs of different controllers or modes produces a discontinuous bump in the process input. This, in turn, causes undesirable bumps in the controlled output variables. This difference or mismatch can deeply deteriorate the performance of the process. Such phenomenon is referred to as the bump transfer. The issue of avoiding process bump transfer is one of the most important issues in industry processes. A goal of switching is to realize a smooth transition of bumpless transfer between different controllers or process operating modes. Technology used to realize a smooth transition is referred to as bumpless transfer technology.
The purpose of bumpless transfer is to keep the control signal sent into the controlled plant continuous when the switching occurs. Most current bumpless transfer control devices in use today rely on the operating information of the system or specific system design technology. This method requires a designer to know the process mode or the controller states. Thus, it requires the controller states to always be computable. Therefore, it is a challenge for bumpless transfer devices to be applied in different processes and different areas of the industry. Another challenge for bumpless transfer devices is to be used easily by people who are not familiar with a special system or process.


A multiple phase clock circuit includes a multiple stage voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and multiple clock dividers. The VCO is operative at a frequency ‘N’ times higher than the required output frequency and generates ‘M’ equally spaced outputs having different phases but same frequency which are sent to multiple clock dividers. A modified Johnson counter is used as a clock divider. Each counter divides the frequency of the clock signal by N. As a result, each of the M outputs of the VCO are divided into N outputs, thereby making a total of ‘M×N’ equally spaced outputs. These output clock pulses have same frequency but different phases. A sequential logic is provided within the device for enabling the Johnson counters as soon as the VCO starts giving output, thus maintaining the sequence of the output of the Johnson counters.

Clock signals are used by complex sequential digital circuits to synchronize the operation of the circuit and perform its operations in an orderly manner. These signals are periodical signals with known timing. The timing provides the reference at which the state of the digital system is changed. The use of clock signals allows coherent functioning of the entire circuit design. The clock signal may be distributed over the circuit design and used by all storage elements. This is known as single phase clocking strategy. In multiple phase clocking strategy, timing relationships are used between clock phases to relax the timing requirements. Multiple clocks of same frequency separated by a fixed phase difference are generated. This makes the circuit to operate at a frequency N times lower than actual frequency, where N is the number of phases of clock used.
Many techniques have been employed to generate multiphase clock signals. One possible technique is to make a ring oscillator and tap its nodes. A voltage controlled or current controlled differential ring oscillator having multiple stages of delayed differential inverted amplifiers connected in a ring form is used to generate multiphase clock signals having the same phase difference.
However, this technique faces a number of shortcomings. The layout of the circuit has to be made absolutely matched. Even the parasitic capacitances seen at the intermediate node of the ring have to be same. Difference in parasitic capacitances may result in asymmetric waveforms. Moreover, if large number of phases is required, the number of stages needed also increases. When these stages are attempted to match, the parasitic loading in the intermediate nodes increases. This in turn limits the frequency of operation of the oscillator.
Another technique used for generation of multiple phase clock pulses is that of interpolation between two phases (as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 6,380,774 to Saeki). A clock control circuit is made comprising of a frequency multiplying interpolator and at least one phase adjusting interpolator as its basic components. The frequency multiplying interpolator includes a plurality of circuits each of which is for outputting signal obtained by internally dividing a phase difference between two signals, for generating a plurality of frequency multiplied clocks, which have phases that differ from one another. Two of such frequency multiplied clocks are input to the phase adjusting interpolator. Multiphase clock signals are then obtained by internally dividing phase difference between these two frequency multiplied clocks.
However, this technique generates phase errors in the interpolated clocks. Any mismatch during the entire process of interpolation may lead to large deviations. If the clock phases have short rise/fall times then the interpolated value deviates from ideal value since the input clocks to the interpolator are in non linear region. If the clock phases have bigger rise/fall times, effects of offsets and noise in the circuit increase.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,809,567 B1 to Kim et al discloses yet another technique for multiple phase clock generation. The technique utilizes a multiple-stage voltage controlled oscillator for generating a plurality of clock phases. These clock phases are then fed to a clock divider circuit. The clock divider circuit includes a modified Johnson counter which generates a plurality of clock phases from each output of voltage controlled oscillator. Each output of the Johnson counter is connected to a separate modified shift register. These shift registers contain D-type flip flops and each flip flop provides a separate clock phase output.
The above mentioned technique is an efficient method of generating multiple phase clock signals. However, the circuitry required for implementation of disclosed technique is very large and extensive.
Therefore there is a need for a system and method that generates multiple clocks of same frequency separated by a fixed and exact phase difference having symmetric waveforms and at the same time which can be implemented using minimal and simple circuitry.

System and method for multiple-phase clock generation


Calibration arrangement and method for calibrating an inspection instrument, such as an ultrasonic inspection instrument of the kind typically used to inspect nuclear reactor pressure vessels. The calibration arrangement comprises a frame, the frame having a slot therethrough for receiving a sonic coupling medium therein. A plurality of channels extend through the frame and are in communication with the slot. A plurality of solid reflector rods matingly extend through respective ones of the channels and into the slot for reflecting sonic energy produced by a pulsed ultrasonic transducer mounted on the frame and spanning the slot. A pulser stimulates the transducer so that the transducer transmits pulsed sonic energy through the coupling medium which resides in the slot. The sonic energy is reflected by the rods that pass through the slot. The reflected sonic energy or echoes are received by the transducer, which generates transducer output signals that are received by a receiver. The receiver provides analog output signals that are converted by an analog-to-digital converter into digital output signals. A computer connected to the analog-to-digital converter evaluates the digital output signals. A display is connected to the computer for viewing the digital output signals. The digital output signals viewed on the display are therefore indicative of the orientations of the reflector rods in the frame for calibrating the transducer with respect to the orientations of the reflector rods in the frame.

This invention generally relates to calibration apparatus and methods and more particularly relates to a calibration arrangement and method for calibrating an inspection instrument, such as an ultrasonic inspection instrument of the kind typically used to inspect nuclear reactor pressure vessels.
Although calibration devices and methods are known in the prior art, it has been observed that prior art devices and methods have certain operational problems associated with them which make these devices and methods unsuitable for calibrating inspection instruments of the kind typically used to inspect nuclear reactor pressure vessels. However, before these problems can be appreciated, some background is necessary as to the structure, operation and inspection of a typical nuclear reactor pressure vessel.
In this regard, a nuclear reactor pressure vessel is a device for producing heat by controlled fission of fissionable material contained in a reactor core disposed in the pressure vessel. Pressurized liquid moderator coolant (i.e., borated demineralized water) is caused to circulate through the pressure vessel, by means of inlet and outlet nozzles welded thereto, and through the reactor core for assisting in the fission process and for removing the heat produced by fission of the fissionable material contained in the reactor core. The heat provided by the reactor core is ultimately carried by the coolant to a turbine-generator set for providing revenue-producing electricity in a manner well known in the art of nuclear powered electricity generation.
However, there is a remote possibility that during its service life, the material comprising the pressure vessel may indicate anomalies. Such anomalies, if they were to occur, may be due, for example, to neutron radiation embrittlement and/or the corrosive effects of the borated moderator coolant. Therefore, ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) Code, Section XI recommends that reactor pressure vessels be inspected for anomalies during the service life of the pressure vessels.
It is current practice to perform this inspection using ultrasonics. During the inspection, an ultrasonic inspection device is moved by remote means over a portion of the interior of the pressure vessel, such as over the pressure vessel interior wall, nozzles and weldments, to detect the size and severity of any anomalies therein. However, the operating response or output signals of the ultrasonic inspection device may vary on a daily basis or even hourly due to "drift", instrument component aging, or the like. Variation in the operating response of the ultrasonic inspection device may lead to inaccurate inspection results unless the inspection device is periodically re-calibrated by appropriate means.
To perform the initial calibration, a so-called "calibration block" is used to calibrate the ultrasonic inspection device. The calibration block of current practice comprises a five to nine inch thick and relatively heavy steel block having at least one hole therein to simulate an anomaly of the type that may be encountered in the pressure vessel (e.g., the pressure vessel wall, nozzles and weldments). In this regard, an ultrasonic transducer is brought into contact with and moved on the surface of the calibration block to direct ultrasonic energy in the direction of the hole, which is located at a predetermined distance or depth within the block. The steel material of the block serves as the sound transmission or sonic coupling medium that sonically couples the hole to the ultrasonic transducer, so that a response is obtained from the hole. More specifically, the ultrasonic transmission, which may be either a shear wave or longitudinal wave sound transmission, is introduced into the block at refracted angles of between 0 degrees to 70 degrees. A return echo with a characteristic amplitude is produced when the sonic energy encounters the hole. The return echo is detected by the ultrasonic transducer, which generates a signal indicative of the depth and orientation of the hole in the steel block. In this manner, the calibration block calibrates the ultrasonic device so that it is capable of suitably alerting the test operator when similarly shaped anomalies are detected in the pressure vessel. Once the initial calibration of the system has been established, the initial calibration is usually verified or validated by re-calibration at approximately 12-hour intervals during the pressure vessel examination because, as previously mentioned, the response of the device may vary over time. In the prior art, this validation or re-calibration effort is customarily performed on the previously mentioned steel calibration block in the same manner as the original calibration.
However, it is current practice to place the calibration block externally to the pressure vessel. This necessitates that, during the process of pressure vessel examination, the ultrasonic transducer be remotely retrieved from the pressure vessel and placed on the calibration block. Each retrieval of the ultrasonic transducer requires that nonessential maintenance personnel in the vicinity of the pressure vessel leave the area as the transducer is removed from the pressure vessel in order to avoid radiation exposure to the maintenance personnel. If they were to remain in the vicinity of the pressure vessel as the transducer is retrieved from the vessel, such personnel would be exposed to radiation because the transducer is radioactively contaminated during its tenure in the pressure vessel. These personnel re-enter the vicinity of the pressure vessel after the transducer is reintroduced into the vessel following re-calibration because once the transducer is inside the pressure vessel, the pressure vessel and liquid moderator therein shield the personnel against radiation emanating from the radioactively contaminated transducer. However, such time consuming exit and re-entry of maintenance personnel results in nonproductive or lost time which in turn increases maintenance costs because such maintenance personnel are not performing maintenance activities while away from the pressure vessel. Therefore, a problem in the art is to perform the required re-calibration or validation in a manner not necessitating the exit and re-entry of such maintenance personnel, so that maintenance costs are reduced.
Also, the time dedicated to retrieving the transducer from and reintroducing the transducer into the pressure vessel may delay returning the reactor to service, if the inspection is performed on the critical path for completion of all pressure vessel maintenance activities. Any such delay in returning the reactor to service may result in lost revenue of approximately $1,000,000 per day for the utility owner. Therefore, a problem in the art is to perform the validation in a more time-efficient and hence cost-effective manner that obviates the need to retrieve and then reintroduce the transducer into the vessel, so that there is no delay in returning the pressure vessel to service.
Moreover, certain essential maintenance personnel required to perform the original calibration and subsequent validation must remain in the vicinity of the pressure vessel. Such essential maintenance personnel may be exposed to low doses of radiation during the re-calibration or validation process. Although such radiation doses are within acceptable limits, it is nonetheless desirable to lower the level of such radiation doses. Therefore, another problem in the art is to perform the re-calibration or validation in a manner that lowers radiation doses to such essential maintenance personnel.
Therefore, what is needed is a calibration arrangement and method for calibrating an inspection instrument, such as an ultrasonic inspection instrument of the kind typically used to inspect nuclear reactor pressure vessels.

Calibration arangement and method of calibrating an inspection instrument


Provided is a fusing method of a substrate layer including: treating a joining surface of a substrate layer formed from a resin using an organic solvent having solubility with respect to the resin; and heating the treated substrate layer at less than a glass transition temperature or a softening point temperature of the resin and crimping the heated substrate layer.

The present application relates to a fusing method of a substrate layer, a manufacturing method of a microfluidic chip and a fusing apparatus of a substrate layer, and particularly to a fusing method of a substrate layer capable of performing superimposition of substrate layers by preventing deformation of a region formed on the substrate layer.
In recent years, by applying micro machining technologies in the semiconductor industry, a microfluidic chip having wells or flow paths for performing chemical and biological analyses on substrates made of silicon or glass has been developed (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-219199).
As an example, a microchip electrophoresis method of performing capillary electrophoresis using a microfluidic chip on which capillaries are formed by preparing a flow path (fine groove) on a plastic substrate layer and superimposing the substrate layer on an additional sheet of the substrate layer has been disclosed (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-219199 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-242138). The microchip electrophoresis method is used in analyses of chargeable trace substance such as nucleic acids, proteins, viruses, cells, amino acids, sugars, organic acids and ions.
In the microchip electrophoresis method, a microfluidic chip on which a sample introduction flow path and a sample separation flow path are formed so as to be at right angles to each other has been used (refer to FIG. 3 of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-219199). In the microfluidic chip, an electrode is formed in the vicinity of an end point of the sample separation flow path using a printing method, a vapor deposition method, an etching method, a plating method or the like, and conductive path wiring for electrophoresis is performed (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-242138).

Fusing method of substrate layer, manufacturing method of microfluidic chip and fusing apparatus of substrate layer


A system for preventing fraud of certification information performs a processing step of processing web page data, a first comparing step of comparing the web page data processed in the processing step with web page data stored in a web page storage unit in association with URL of the data, a second comparing step of comparing URLs of the web page data similar to each other when the first comparing step determines that the web page data are similar to each other, and an address attention message adding step of adding an address attention message to the web page data processed in the processing step when the second comparing step determines that the URLs differ. Therefore, a user who is to access a web site can determine whether or not this web site is authentic, and certification information fraud can be prevented beforehand.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an anti-phishing technique. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for preventing theft, or so-called phishing (pronounced "fishing"), of personal financial information, such as passwords and credit card numbers, through spoofs of authentic e-mails from or web sites of financial institutions, and to a recording medium having a program recorded thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the recent popularity of online interaction via the Internet, there has been a wider range of victims of fraud called phishing.
Phishing is fraud via e-mails from spoofers of real banks, credit card companies, shopping sites, etc., which link to "trap" web sites which look like the banks, shopping sites, etc., so as to entice users into giving their personal information, such as credit card numbers and passwords. An increasing number of victims accessing false web sites that appear identical to the authentic web sites have "fished" for the certification information by malicious scams via fake URLs (uniform resource locators) using Javascript code or with the address bar hidden in a pop-up window. Phishing is therefore a serious problem.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-222286 discloses an anti-fraud system. In this system, a third-party organization stores, as "white" web pages, portions of web pages collected via various search sites whose attributes of the registered information or identity information have been successfully confirmed by a URL registration organization or telephone directory information. In response to a request from a check requester or the like, it is checked whether a specified web page is white or black, or the specified web page is checked against IP (Internet protocol) addresses of existing web pages written and stored in a Java applet. If no match is found, it is determined that this web site is not administered by an authorized server, and this determination is reported to users and the owner of the authentic web page.
In the technique disclosed in this publication, the authenticity of a web site is checked for using a third-party organization or an applet on the page. If the IP address of the web site written in the web page or the Java applet itself is tampered with, the authenticity of the web page is not checked for unless an investigation request is submitted to and a response is obtained from the third-party organization.
Phishing, on the other hand, is a fraudulent attempt to mislead users into thinking they are going to access trusted web sites and into providing their certification information, and may not be prevented unless it is determined whether or not a web site to be accessed by a user is authentic before the user accesses the web site. Thus, a problem still remains.

System and method for preventing fraud of certification information, and recording medium storing program for preventing fraud of certification information


A method for automatically boxing ice cream type products allows, via an apparatus with simple mechanical configuration, a sequence of boxing steps to be performed, keeping constant the number of products boxed from one boxing sequence to another, in consideration of possible variations, from one boxing sequence to another, in the spatial distribution of absences of product on the transport system, operating between the apparatus for production of the products and the boxing unit, with the boxing unit being configured, for each boxing sequence, for picking up the products and transferring them into at least one box. The apparatus is configured to automatically perform the method.

This invention relates to a method for automatically boxing ice cream type products. The method allows, via an apparatus with simple mechanical configuration, a sequence of boxing steps to be performed, keeping constant the number of products boxed from one boxing sequence to another. This includes consideration of possible variations, from one boxing sequence to another, in the spatial distribution of the absences of product on the transport system, operating between the apparatus for production of the products and the boxing unit. The boxing unit is configured, for each boxing sequence, for picking up the products and transferring them in at least one box. The invention also relates to an apparatus configured to automatically perform the method.
Currently, the methods for making and boxing ice cream type products comprise the use of an apparatus for producing the products, a unit for wrapping the products, which operates on the products at the outfeed from the production apparatus, and a unit for boxing the products, which operates on the wrapped products. The wrapping unit operates on the products whilst they are situated on a transport system operatively situated between the production apparatus and the boxing unit.
The configuration of the transport system must be designed to allow the wrapping unit to wrap the products leaving the production apparatus. In particular, the transport system comprises a conveyor belt suitably configured for stably retaining the products wrapped and to be boxed on the conveyor.
This configuration of the transport system, which, as mentioned, depends on the need to wrap the products, in turn requires a robotized boxing unit with a rather complicated mechanical configuration.
The boxing unit is configured to repeat sequentially an operational boxing sequence. Each repetition of the boxing operating sequence comprises the picking up of wrapped products situated on the transport system, and the transfer of the products picked up into at least one box. The boxing unit, in order to keep constant the number of products packed from one repetition to another, must be able to automatically detect, for each repetition, the actual respective positions of wrapped products on the transport system, in order to be able to pick up, for each sequence, always the desired number of wrapped products.
For this reason, the need for the boxing unit to box the same desired number of products from one sequence to another and the need to wrap the products, make the mechanical and the control of the boxing apparatus complex, which can be considered as comprising at least the wrapping unit and the boxing unit.

Method and apparatus for boxing ice cream type products


A glass containing 5 to 25 mass % of P2O5, 0 to 15 mass % of B2O3, 0 to 5 mass % of SiO2+GeO2, 21 to 50 mass % of BaO+SrO, 0 to 3 mass % of Li2O+Na2O+K2O, and 35 to 65 mass % of Nb2O5, not substantially containing PbO, satisfying Nb2O5/(BaO+SrO)=0.85 to 2.20, having a dielectric constant of 15 or greater, a dielectric loss of 10.0×10−4 or less, and a resistivity of 1.0×1016 Ω·cm or more.

It has entered advanced information age as represented by mobile communication, cell phones, satellite broadcasting, satellite communication, CATV and the like, and the communication tends to be performed faster and higher frequency. Furthermore, according to a requirement for the miniaturization of these equipments, the miniaturization of the circuit elements also has been strongly required.
The size of a circuit element for microwave is based on the wavelength of an electromagnetic wave used. An electromagnetic wave transmitting in a dielectric material having a dielectric constant of (ε) has a wavelength (λ) represented by λ=λ0/(ε1/2) where λ0 represents the wavelength in vacuo. Therefore, since the size of the circuit becomes small in inverse proportion to square root of ε, a material having high dielectric constant has been required.
Further, relating to a display substrate such as PDP, glass for electric substrate having low alkaline content and high dielectric constant applicable for one having high density, high brightness and low electric consumption is desired. When the dielectric material is used as a capacitor in high frequency and high electric field, the material is required to have large quality constant Q. Since Q is rendered by the relational expression of Q=1/tan δ (tan δ: dielectric loss), a material having low dielectric loss is required.
Conventionally, borosilicate glass containing large amount of PbO component is known as a glass having comparatively high dielectric constant as described above. For example, SiO2—RO (R is a alkaline-earth metal) —(TiO2+ZrO2+SnO2)—PbO system glass is disclosed in Tokukaihei-3-297008A, and SiO2—PbO—Al2O3 system glass is disclosed in Tokukaihei-4-16527A and Tokukaihei-4-108631A.
It is to be noted that P2O5—B2O3—Nb2O5 system glass is known as an optical glass having high refractive index (Tokukaisho-52-132012A and Tokukaihei-8-104537A, etc.). However, the glass containing no PbO component is required in an environmental viewpoint.
However, since this glass contains large amount of alkaline, it has low resistance property to voltage because of high mobility thereof. Therefore, it is not suitable for a substrate of a high frequency circuit element and electric circuit.
The object of the present invention is to provide a material suitable as a substrate for such as a high frequency circuit element, display and the like, where the material is a glass having high dielectric constant, low dielectric loss and comparatively low alkaline content, in which the defects seen in the above-described earlier development is totally improved.

Glass and glass substrate having high dielectric constant


A process for producing a friction material under low-temperature conditions using, as a reinforcement, one or more fibers selected from a metal fiber, an organic fiber and an inorganic fiber and, as a binder, a compounded pitch that consists of a mesophase pitch and sulfur and/or an aromatic nitro compound. The content of an optically anisotropic phase in the mesophase pitch is at least 80% and the softening point of the mesophase pitch is not higher than 270.degree. C. The friction material produced exhibits consistent friction characteristics over a broad temperature range.

This invention relates to a process for the production of friction materials. More particularly, it relates to a process for producing high-performance friction materials that are markedly improved in friction characteristics, wear resistance, heat resistance and anti-fade quality so that they are particularly suitable for use in brakes and clutches.
Friction materials for use in brakes, clutches, etc. are conventionally produced by binding a friction modifier, a filler and a reinforcement with a thermosetting resin such as a phenolic resin, and molding the blend.
Friction materials, in particular those for use in brakes, are required to exhibit extremely high performance in terms of friction characteristics, wear resistance, heat resistance and anti-fade quality and the greater part of their performance is determined by the performance of the binder resin. With conventional friction materials which use phenolic resins and other thermosetting resins as binders, it is impossible to completely eliminate the problems that result from the deterioration of binders with time and their low heat resistance, i.e. the change in friction characteristics, wear, thermal crack and fade. Under the circumstances, studies have been made of using other thermosetting resins as binders (e.g. furan resins and modified phenolic resins) but, as of today, no friction materials have yet been produced that far excel the prior art versions in performance.
Another class of friction materials that have been the subject of extensive studies are those which use sintered metals or carbon/carbon composites unlike the conventional friction materials which use thermosetting resins as binders. However, sintered metals involve serious problems such as "vapor lock" due to their high heat conductivity and fusion of the friction surface under high load, whereas carbon/carbon composite materials suffer from the problem that they exhibit only instable friction characteristics and low frictional resistance during low-and medium-speed running due to their inherent sliding quality and that they will wear rapidly. Further, the two kinds of friction materials have a common disadvantage in that their production rate is so low that they are very expensive. As a result, friction materials made of sintered metals or carbon/carbon composite materials find very limited use.
With a view to solving these problems of the prior art, the present inventors previously studied a friction material using mesophase pitch as a binder and developed a friction material of very high performance that was capable of exhibiting consistent friction performance even under high-load conditions (Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. 219924/1988). However, to produce that friction material, hot molding under high-temperature conditions of 400.degree.-650.degree. C. and, hence, an expensive press unit are necessary, which is an obstacle to the implementation of commercial production.

Process for the production of friction materials

Akebono Research and Development Centre, Ltd.


A hanger having a novel construction including an engagement member, a foldable body portion having an upper end with a pair of continuous locking openings, and a lower or tail end with a two prong locking member which engages the locking openings in a secured or closed position is disclosed. In one embodiment, the prongs of the locking member include a tapered head having a locking projection that engages a rear planar surface of the body portion, between the locking openings, in order to discourage removal of the locking member from the locking openings in use. The combination of these features allows the belt hanger to be readily assembled, tamper resistant after assembly, and aesthetically pleasing.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to a display device and, more specifically to an improved display hanger for a belt.
2. Background of Related Art
Various devices have been utilized over the years in order to hold and display numerous items to consumers. Traditionally, belt hangers have operated to compactly hold and display belts while discouraging theft of the belts by securing them to the hanger. Belt hangers should ideally be easy to assemble in order to hold an associated belt, display the belt in an aesthetically appealing manner, and be relatively difficult for a consumer to disengage in order to prevent theft. In addition, many belt hangers include a surface for displaying indicia such as the size, price, manufacturer name, and the like. A variety of different style belt hangers are known in the art.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,996 discloses a belt hanger having a xe2x80x9cfolded tailxe2x80x9d construction. The belt hanger includes a hook for engaging a support, and an elongated belt-engaging element (22) having a tapered opening (24) at an upper end which narrows from the front (13) of the hanger to the rear (14) of the hanger for receiving a locking member (34) supported at a lower end (33) of the belt engaging element. The belt-engaging element (22) further includes a slotted opening (26) located at the medial portion thereof for receiving the end of a prong of a conventional belt buckle. In use, the lower end (33) of the belt engaging element is inserted within the opening in the belt buck, and the prong of the belt buckle is inserted into the opening (26) of the belt engaging element. The lower end (33) of the belt engaging element is then folded over the belt buckle and the locking member is inserted into the tapered opening. The locking member has a frusto-conical shape head (36) in order to prevent removal of the head (36) from the tapered opening. While generally effective, problems during assembly arose when applying the hanger to the belt which compromised the retention force of the locking member, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,741.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,741 discloses a belt hanger with an enhanced belt retention. The device of the ""741 patent includes a front planar surface (50xe2x80x2) and a rear planar surface (52xe2x80x2) with a tapered opening (35xe2x80x2) disposed there between. Extending from the rear planer surface is an outwardmost wall part (54). The opening (35xe2x80x2) is constructed to receive a locking projection (46) of locking member (48). The opening (35xe2x80x2) has a diameter D1 in surface (50xe2x80x2) which corresponds to the outer diameter D1 of the locking member (48). The diameter of the opening (35xe2x80x2) then tapers to D3 and continues to taper to D2, which is the diameter measured within the outwardmost wall part (54), distal from the rear planar surface (52xe2x80x2). Thus, the ""741 patent includes a tapered opening which extends beyond the rear of the main body of the belt hanger, in contrast to the ""996 patent discussed above, where the openings are disposed and taper within the body portion, between the front and rear planar surfaces. The purpose of the ""741 hanger, as disclosed in the specification, is to provide a hanger where the force involved in assembly of the hanger with a garment is substantially less than the force involved in disassembly of the hanger from joinder with the garment.
While generally effective, the aforementioned devices and others available in the art can still be difficult to operate during assembly. In addition, end-users of the devices continue to look for devices which are cost effective and aesthetically appealing. Accordingly, there is continued development in the art of improved display hangers.
One object of the present invention is to provide a display hanger capable of being readily assembled, while being tamper resistant after assembly. Another object is to provide a display hanger which is aesthetically pleasing while displaying a belt thereon.
In accordance with one aspect, there is provided a hanger having a novel construction including an engagement member, a foldable body portion having an upper end with a pair of continuous locking openings, and a lower or tail end with a two prong locking member which engages the locking openings in a secured or closed position. In one embodiment, the prongs of the locking member include a tapered head including a locking projection that engages a rear planar surface of the body portion, between the locking openings, in order to discourage removal of the locking member from the locking openings in use. The combination of these features allows the display hanger to be readily assembled, tamper resistant after assembly, and aesthetically pleasing.


A simulated eye surgical training tool, namely an eye model that facilitates training of ophthalmic surgical procedures, such as goniotomy and trabecular meshwork manipulation. The eye model includes a core made of a rigid material and a Canal frame disposed at an upper end of the core that defines an inwardly-facing Schlemm's canal groove in an inner wall thereof. Various structures may be used in or across the Schlemm's canal groove to simulate a trabecular meshwork. For instance, a flexible sheet may span across the groove, or a soft material placed in the groove. Color or opacity may be used to distinguish the groove from surrounding structures. Also, a corneal dome having an upper hemispherical portion is mounted over the Canal frame, and a scleral dome having an upper bore is mounted around the corneal dome. The core may be mounted on one of a number of angled pedestals on a base.

Glaucoma is a blinding optic neuropathy affecting approximately 70 million individuals worldwide. Its main risk factor is elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). The trabecular meshwork (TM), a group of tiny canals located in the iridocorneal angle, constitutes the main pathway for drainage of aqueous humor out of the eye. It is a fenestrated three-dimensional structure composed of trabecular meshwork cells (TMC) within a multi-layered extracellular matrix (ECM). The trabecular meshwork controls the IOP by regulating outflow of aqueous humor from the anterior chamber of the eye into the adjacent Schlemm's canal (SC) and then via aqueous vein collector channels into the venous system. Dysfunction of the trabecular meshwork is one major cause of IOP elevation.
Goniotomy is a surgical procedure in which the doctor uses a lens called a goniolens to see the structures of the front part of the eye (anterior chamber). An opening is made in the TM where fluid leaves the eye. The new opening provides a way for fluid to flow out of the eye. Some other procedures that create a new opening for fluid flow through the TM include laser and stents.
Medical students, interns, residents, and fellows, specializing in diagnosing and treating injuries to, and the diseases of, the eye must necessarily practice certain surgical techniques prior to actually operating on human patients. Many surgical techniques require dexterous movement and control by the surgeon. This dexterity cannot be developed by reading textbooks or watching instructional videos. Animal models or cadavers have been the default method for hands-on surgical training.
The use of human cadaver and/or animal eyes (collectively "biological eyes") is burdened with many procedural issues. The biological eyes must be refrigerated before use, and even when refrigerated suffer from a short "shelf life" due to inevitable biological decomposition. The handling of such biological eyes requires compliance with, among other regulations, the Blood Born Pathogens Standard promulgated under the federal Occupational Health and Safety Act. After use, the biological eyes must be properly disposed of.
In the field of ophthalmic surgery, there are a number of examples of artificial models for eye surgery. Examples of synthetic eye models may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,128,412, 8,235,728 and 9,437,119, to list just a few.
What is needed is a model human eye that closely mimics the anatomy and physiology of the human eye for particular procedures.


Power for an illumination device and a camera is provided from power integrated onto a data cable between a controller/computer and the light illumination device. The camera-controller/computer interface includes one of GEV with PoE, USB and CXP, where a power is provided within the data interface cable, and the distance between the camera and the controller/computer is very long. In order to avoid running multiple long cables in a production manufacturing environment, a power extraction module is incorporated into a light illuminator, in order to extract the power for the interface cable, and to generate the individual powers for the light illuminator and the camera. In cases where the interface standard does not provide integrated power, power can be injected to the cable and extracted from the light illumination module. The light illuminator may electrically and mechanically support secondary and/or supplemental light illuminators.

The present description generally relates to image illumination and image capturing processes and configuration of associated devices.
Almost every modern manufacturing process or apparatus uses machine vision systems. These systems ensure fast, accurate and repeatable results, and thus guaranteeing a consistent quality over time. The main components of every machine vision systems is an image capturing camera apparatus comprising of a CCD or CMOS image sensor, and a light illuminator comprising which may include LED illuminators, a control circuit, and an external power supply. The camera and the light illuminator require external power for operation. The distance between camera and the illuminator may be very short. In some examples, the illuminator may be physically attached to the camera. However, the distance between the camera and the host computer or controller may be very long. In case of a GEV or CXP interface between the controller and the camera, the length of the cable can be up to 100 meters or longer. In addition, in most cases the input voltage requirements for the camera and the light illuminator are different. For example, 24 V may be used for the illuminator while 12 V may be used for the camera. This results in three long cables to support a single camera system, two cables for power and one cable for data. This adds wiring challenges, especially if the cables have to be routed through tight places in a production or assembly line environment, which is very common on the manufacturing floor. In addition to occupying space in a tight environment, the result adds costs for material and labor in the installation as well as maintenance of the system over time.
Machine vision systems benefit from illumination which is typically provided by the light illuminator. In some applications a single light illuminator may not provide a desired intensity of illumination or a desired radiation pattern of light. In such applications, additional light illuminators may be appropriate. However, adding light illuminators in a manufacturing environment requires additional mounting hardware to secure the additional light illuminators, additional power sources to power the additional light illuminators, additional cabling to deliver power to the additional light illuminators, and additional control mechanisms to adjust light intensity. Thus, adding additional light illuminators may result in additional costs for installation, cabling and controls as well as maintenance of the system over time.

Illumination apparatus with integrated power and secondary illumination provisions