A ferroelectric memory device includes a memory array including a plurality of ferroelectric memory cells, a code generating circuit configured to multiply write data and a parity generator matrix to generate check bits, thereby producing a Hamming code having information bits and the check bits arranged therein, the information bits being the write data, and a driver circuit configured to write the Hamming code to the memory array, wherein the parity generator matrix has a plurality of rows, and a number of “1”s in each of the rows is an even number.

Ferroelectric memories employ ferroelectric capacitors as memory cells to retain information during the time the power is off. In ferroelectric memories, writing is performed by polarizing a ferroelectric capacitor upon applying positive or negative voltage thereto. Reading is performed by detecting the presence or absence of polarization inversion current observed upon applying positive voltage to the ferroelectric capacitor.
FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating an example of the configuration of a memory cell of a ferroelectric memory. The memory cell illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a cell selection transistor 10, a ferroelectric capacitor 11, a word line WL, a bit line BL, and a plate line PL. This memory cell serves to store one-bit information by use of one transistor and one capacitor, and is referred to as a 1T1C-type memory cell.
In a write operation, the word line WL is placed in a selected state (HIGH), thereby turning on the cell selection transistor 10. Upon positive or negative voltage being applied between the bit line BL and the plate line PL, such voltage is applied to the ferroelectric capacitor 11, thereby writing desired data. In the case of writing "0" data, the bit line BL is set to LOW, and the plate line PL is set to HIGH. In the case of writing "1" data, the bit line BL is set to HIGH, and the plate line PL is set to LOW. Even after removal of the applied voltage upon completion of the write operation, polarization of the ferroelectric capacitor remains so that the written data is retained as nonvolatile data.
In a read operation, the word line WL is selected to turn on the cell selection transistor 10, and the plate line PL is set to HIGH. The bit line BL is kept to LOW, so that positive voltage is applied to the ferroelectric capacitor 11. In the case of "0" being stored in the ferroelectric capacitor 11, no polarization inversion occurs because the voltage applied to the ferroelectric capacitor 11 has the same polarization as during the write operation. As a result, a relatively small amount of electric charge flows into the bit line BL. In the case of "1" being stored in the ferroelectric capacitor 11, polarization inversion occurs because the voltage applied to the ferroelectric capacitor has the opposite polarization to the voltage applied during the write operation. As a result, a large amount of electric charge flows into the bit line BL. A sense amplifier senses this current to detect data.
FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating the signal waveforms of the ferroelectric memory cell illustrated in FIG. 1. The read operation of a ferroelectric memory is a destructive read operation that destroys the stored data. In the ferroelectric memory, a read operation is first performed regardless of whether a read operation or a write operation is intended to be performed.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the word line WL is set to HIGH to make conductive the cell selection transistor 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. Subsequently, the plate line PL is raised to HIGH, thereby causing the electric charge of the ferroelectric capacitor 11 to be output to the bit line BL. After this read operation, a write operation is performed.
In the write operation, the plate line PL is lowered to LOW. In order to write "0", thereafter, the bit line BL and the plate line PL are both maintained at LOW. In order to write "1", the plate line PL is maintained at LOW while the bit line BL is changed to HIGH. After this, in the case of a RTZ-method ferroelectric memory, the bit line BL is lowered to LOW at the time of completing the write operation.
A change from HIGH to LOW in the bit line BL for the purpose of writing "1" results in the potential of the plate line PL being temporarily lowered by being pulled down by the bit line BL because of the capacitive coupling provided by the ferroelectric capacitor 11 between the plate line PL and the bit line BL. As a result, an undershoot waveform 15 as illustrated in FIG. 2 appears in the plate line PL.
In a memory array, the word line WL and the plate line PL are generally connected to a plurality of ferroelectric memory cells arranged in a single row. Among the ferroelectric capacitors 11 connected to the same plate line PL, a large number of ferroelectric capacitors 11 may have data "1" written therein. In such a case, a large potential drop due to undershooting is observed with respect to the plate line PL. Consequently, a disturb phenomenon occurs in which the amount of polarization is reduced in the ferroelectric capacitors 11 having "0" written therein and connected to the plate line PL of interest. As a result, the reliability of the ferroelectric memory is undermined.
FIGS. 3A through 3C are drawings illustrating the mechanism by which a ferroelectric capacitor having "0" written therein suffers disturbance.
A ferroelectric capacitor having "0" written therein is placed in the state in which no voltage is applied. In such a state, the ferroelectric capacitor has a polarization state indicated by the position of a polarization state 16 on the curves indicative of hysteresis characteristics illustrated in FIG. 3A. Thereafter, a write operation to write "1" to another ferroelectric capacitor that shares the same plate line PL comes to an end, which results in an undershoot being generated on the plate line PL. Due to this undershooting, the voltage state changes toward a state in which applied voltage is negative, i.e., moves toward the left-hand side in FIG. 3A. Consequently, the polarization state of the ferroelectric capacitor having "0" written therein moves to the position of a polarization state 17 illustrated in FIG. 3B. Upon the plate line PL returning to its original potential, the polarization state changes in accordance with the minor loop characteristics of the hysteresis of the ferroelectric capacitor. The polarization state of the ferroelectric capacitor having "0" written therein thus ends up moving to the position of a polarization state 18 illustrated in FIG. 3C. In this manner, the amount of polarization of data "0" decreases as indicated by the position of the polarization state 18 compared with the original polarization state 16.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-135488
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2007-80343
[Patent Document 3] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2009-64440
[Patent Document 4] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2004-227686


To restrict the deposition of stain on an ice making unit, and prevent damage to resin components or the like. The above problems are solved by the followings. Ice making water is supplied to the front surface of an ice making plate cooled by refrigerant supplied to an evaporation tube during an ice making cycle to produce ice blocks. During a deicing cycle, deicing water is supplied by opening a water feed valve WV to the rear surface of the ice making plate to be heated by hot gas supplied to the evaporation tube. When a water feed time has elapsed, the water feed valve WV is closed to temporarily stop deicing water supply. After the water feed time elapsed, a cycle, in which the water feed valve WV is opened as much as an intermittent water supply time every time an intermittent stopping time has elapsed to intermittently supply deicing water, is repeated until a deicing cycle completes.

As an ice making machine that automatically makes ice blocks, there is known a down flow type ice making machine in which an evaporation tube constituting a freezing system is arranged in a meandering manner at the rear surface of an ice making plate disposed approximately vertically, and ice making water is let to flow down the top surface of the ice making plate at the time a refrigerant is circulatively supplied to the evaporation tube to cool the ice making plate at the time of an ice making cycle, after which the cycle goes to a deicing cycle to separate and drop the ice blocks from the ice making plate.
At the time of the deicing cycle of the down flow type ice making machine, hot gas is circulatively supplied to the evaporation tube and deicing water of normal temperature is let to flow down to the rear surface of the ice making plate to heat the ice making plate, thereby melting ice forming surfaces between the ice blocks and the ice making plate, so that the ice blocks drop by the dead weight. The deicing water supplied to the ice making plate is collected in an ice-making water tank located under the ice making plate to be used as ice making water next time. An overflow tube is disposed in the ice-making water tank, that amount of deicing water collected in the ice-making water tank which is more than a prescribed water level prescribed by the overflow tube is discharged outside through the overflow tube.
In the down flow type ice making machine, when a temperature sensor detects that the temperature of a hot gas whose temperature rapidly rises as a result of separation of all of ice blocks in the deicing cycle has reached a preset deicing completion temperature, it is considered that deicing has been completed and control is performed to stop the deicing cycle and switch the cycle to the ice making cycle. In this case, the deicing water supplied to the ice making plate which is to be collected in the ice-making water tank at the time of the deicing cycle is set to become the prescribed water level before the time to the deicing completion temperature from the beginning of the deicing cycle, which is obtained in experiments or the like, i.e., before completion of the deicing cycle, in consideration of a variation or the like in the flow rate of the deicing water from the deicing water supply source. If the deicing water is kept supplied until the deicing cycle is completed, therefore, a large amount of deicing water is discharged wastefully, increasing the amount of water consumed. In this respect, there is a proposal to suppress the amount of wasted deicing water by stopping supplying deicing water to the ice making plate upon elapse of a supply time to collect deicing water whose amount does not make next ice making water insufficient in the ice-making water tank (see Patent Document 1, for example).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-64290

Automatic ice making machine and operation method therefor


The invention relates to an electronically regulatable vehicle brake system with traction control, in which a master cylinder is connected indirectly via a hydraulic unit to at least one wheel brake. The hydraulic unit has electromagnet valves and an externally triggerable pressure generator, for modulating the wheel brake pressure, optionally independently of the driver. For preventing wheel slip, the pressure generator is connected by its intake side to an intake conduit, among other things, that is controllable by an intake valve. To enhance the dynamics and improve the regulatability of a vehicle brake system, a self-aspirating pressure fluid storage unit is connected to the intake conduit and makes an aspiration volume available to the pressure generator.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an improved electronically regulatable vehicle brake system with traction control, of the kind shown in a hydraulic circuit diagram in FIG. 1 of German Patent Disclosure DE 196 39 563 A1, for example.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The known electronically regulatable vehicle brake system mentioned above has a master cylinder, which is actuated by the driver and connected indirectly to a hydromechanical wheel brake via a so-called hydraulic unit. The hydraulic unit receives electromagnet valves and an externally drivable pressure generator, in order to modulate the brake pressure individually at each wheel. For this purpose, the pressure generator is connected by its intake side to an intake line that leads to the master cylinder, and this intake line is controllable by means of a triggerable switching valve. Brake pressure modulation can optionally be done independently of the driver. The goal of this is for any wheel slip that occurs at the wheels of the vehicle to be avoided by means of a brake pressure buildup or reduction, since when wheel slip occurs, unstable driving states may be involved that can be controlled by the driver only with difficulty. Triggering the components of the hydraulic unit is done by means of an electronic control unit, which for the purpose assesses measurement parameters, from wheel rotation or pressure sensors, among others, and converts them into appropriate trigger signals.
A disadvantage of the electronically regulatable vehicle brake system with traction control is that the speed at which a buildup of a brake pressure by the pressure generator takes place is too slow for certain brake pressure regulating functions, especially at low ambient temperatures, when the pressure fluid has high viscosities. Moreover, the flow cross sections in the system represent hydraulic resistances that must be overcome by the pressure generator. Particularly the cross sections of the brake lines cannot be increased arbitrarily, because otherwise difficulties arise in bending and handling such brake lines during vehicle assembly.

Electrohydraulically regulatable vehicle brake system with traction control device


An apparatus implementable on a firearm includes a lens, a light source, a control unit coupled to control the light source to project an image of an aim point onto the lens, and a housing structure that houses the lens, the light source, and the control unit, with a portion of the housing structure forming a shroud that surrounds the lens. The lens includes an ultraviolet (UV)-sensitive lens that darkens responsive to sensing a UV light. Alternatively, or additionally, the shroud is sensitive to the UV light and a color of the shroud darkens responsive to sensing the UV light.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims listed below and are not admitted as prior art by inclusion in this section.
Reflex sights, or reflector sights, are widely used in the defense industries, shooting sports, as well as personal defense to assist target aiming. In principle, a reflex sight is an optical sight that allows the user to look through a partially reflecting lens and see an illuminated projection of an aim point (e.g., a dot or some geometric shape) superimposed on the field of view. In some reflex sights, a light-emitting diode (LED) projects a light (e.g., image of a dot) to a lens which reflects the light toward eye(s) of a user for aiming a target. However, when using such a reflex sight under a broad daylight, it tends to be difficult for the user to see the LED image on the lens due to lack of contrast for the brightness from the sunlight. Therefore, there is a need for a solution to address this issue.

Reflex sight with ultraviolet-sensitive lens and shroud


An approach is provided for evaluating subject matter experts (SMEs) in a question and answering (QA) system. In the approach, a number of responses are received at the QA system with each of the responses being a response to a common question and each of the responses being received from a SME. One of the responses is selected with the selected response being from one of the SMEs that is being evaluated. The approach evaluates the selected response by comparing the selected response to the responses received from the other SMEs. Based on the evaluation, the approach updates a SME confidence score that corresponds to the selected SME.

A Question/Answer System, such as the IBM Watson™ system is an artificially intelligent computer system capable of answering questions posed in natural language. One aspect in a QA system is passage support and identifying passages that are relevant to an answer. This aspect is important both from an algorithm standpoint and also to instill confidence in the QA system's answers displayed to the user. One way a QA system identifies relevant passages is based on NLP algorithms. Input to the NLP algorithm is an answer key such that given the Question and Answer—Is the passage relevant? One current way of selecting relevant passages is by using screened Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). The SMEs are people that evaluate a passage and identify whether it provides supporting evidence for the answer. Their feedback is used to produce the answer key and, hopefully, better passage results. This takes time, effort, and investment in the SMEs. Additionally, the involvement of the SMEs occurs primarily during the training and test phase. Once in production, the opportunity to receive value judgments on passages traditionally becomes less controlled. Once the passage is identified as being relevant, it is scored by the QA system. Traditional QA system scoring of a relative passage is somewhat primitive. Within the NLP Scorers, one looks at the Question (Q), the Answer (A), and the passage (P) which was pulled to support the given answer. The passage match is based on similar words, e.g., did the system find that a passage with "George Washington was an American" matched against the Question "Who was the first American President?" In this example, the passage that it was scoring obviously would not completely justify an answer of George Washington for the above Question, but the NLP scorers might have liked it due to the location of 'American'. Current solutions for scoring the passage relevance asks the user to "rate" the passage as it relates to the question and answer, but ignore the question of whether the SME's judgment should be accepted or if the SME is providing bad data that can poison the QA system's identification of relevant passages given the question and the resulting answer. A further challenge is that the passage ratings are currently not reflected back into the learning algorithm which prevents the QA system from becoming more adept at scoring passages.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Evaluating expert opinions in a question and answer system

International Business Machines Corporation


A compressed gas visual notification device for signaling distress is provided. The compressed gas visual notification device includes a device housing having outer walls and a bottom wall for forming an interior firing chamber with the outer walls having first and second openings. The compressed gas visual notification device also includes a firing mechanism disposed in the first opening in the outer walls; a safety switch disposed in said second opening in the outer walls; and an air actuator shell disposed in the interior firing chamber. The interior firing chamber includes the firing mechanism and an actuator mechanism for firing the air actuator shell. The air actuator shell includes outer walls and a bottom wall for forming an interior shell compartment and shell opening. The shell opening has a non-porous shell membrane thereon. The interior shell compartment includes a quantity of compressed air under high pressure and a compressed gas dispersal receptacle member therein contained by the non-porous membrane. The compressed gas dispersal receptacle member includes an outer, non-porous receptacle membrane for containing therein a quantity of compressed inert, non-toxic gas at a high pressure. The compressed gas dispersal receptacle member also includes a quantity of aerosol, non-toxic micro-dispersion colored particles therein for adding color to the compressed gas. Actuation of the firing mechanism activates the air actuator shell so that the compressed gas and colored particles are released into the atmosphere as a visual notification device.

This invention relates to a visual notification and signaling device for signaling distress using a colored compressed gas in the event of an accident in order to alert others that the user is in the need of assistance. More particularly, the compressed gas visual signaling device includes a canister having a firing mechanism for activating the release of a compressed gas dispersal receptacle/member into the atmosphere in order to disperse the brightly colored gas from the gas receptacle.
Distress signaling devices are used throughout the world for alerting rescuers to the user""s location because of an accident, crash, incapacitation of a user or victim, an attack by a criminal, or some type of an outdoor emergency condition such as a flood, explosion, earthquake and the like. Typical outdoor distress signaling devices include flashlights, flare guns, mirrors, balloons, signaling lamps, torches and the like.
Typically, these distress signaling devices are cumbersome, troublesome, bulky, heavy, not readily available and hard to use when an emergency condition arises. Not every attempt at using these distress signaling devices are successful because of defects and problems associated with the equipment such as dead batteries, inoperative flare shells/cartridges, burnt-out bulbs, wet equipment because of rain, humidity or moisture.
There remains a need for a self-contained visual notification device for signaling distress in an emergency condition using a compressed gas dispersal receptacle for releasing and dispersing a brightly colored gas into the atmosphere. Additionally, the visual notification device would include an air actuator cartridge shell which is activated from a canister type housing having a firing mechanism therein in the form of a slide switch, trigger, pull switch or push-button. Further, the compressed gas would be helium gas (He) having an aerosol colorant dispersion system therein, being in the form of aerosol dispersion particles which give off a red, blue, green, orange or yellow color for attracting the attention of others when the colored gas is dispersed into the air.
Distress signaling devices, personal defense devices, personal alarm systems, personal security devices, self-defense devices and audio alarm/gas deterrent devices having various designs, structures, configuration and materials of construction have been disclosed in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,223,804 to Morris et al discloses a personal defense device. This portable defense device combines a flashlight with a renewable, interchangeable cylinder containing compressed gas which may be used to generate a noise, to disperse dye and/or an odoriferous spray. The compressed gas may be stored in a canister which may take the form of a spray can.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,474 to Mario discloses a personal security device 11. This personal security device includes a trigger actuated aerosol canister contained in a two-piece telescoping housing. The canister contains a pressurized gas having an offensive odor such as mercaptoethanol which, when ejected from the canister, emits a loud shrieking noise. Additionally, the gas may, as an additional additive, contain a suspension of fine solid or liquid particles of paint or stain so that the device when actuated, discourages a potential rapist or attacker with offensive odor and noise and also identifies him with a stain. The telescoping housing also includes a flash-type light which is actuated by the same triggers which actuate the canister. The telescoping housing has a key ring attached at one end and may also have a mechanical whistle at the other end.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,215 to Banks et al discloses a personal defense baton 10 which is utilized to direct a spray of a personal defense gas toward an assailant. Additionally, the compressed gas can include a UV light sensitive dye for suspect identification by the police. The personal defense baton includes an elongated tube member having at one end a compartment for receiving a defense spray container. The defense spray container has a valve for dispersal of a personal defense gas and a discharge nozzle which communicates with the valve so as to direct a spray of the personal defense gas from the container. The baton also includes apparatus for manually actuating the valve without bringing the actuating hand near the discharge nozzle.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,431,118; 5,075,671; 5,289,164; 5,358,144; 5,429,301 and 5,635,908 all disclose small portable anti-attack repellant devices, personal defense devices, personal security devices, personal alarm systems, self defense devices, and audio alarm and gas deterrent devices. These devices are in the form of jewelry such as pins, bracelets; clothing-type articles such as a wrist wrap, a hand glove; and electronic equipment such as a beeper and an audio CD cassette. All of these prior art devices use the compressed gas contained within a canister/cartridge in a dual function system where the compressed gas and a chemical (Mace, Teargas, Peppergas and the like) perform two functions: 1) it is used as a gas repellant spray to ward-off an attacker; and 2) the compressed gas is also used to produce an audio alarm or audio signal from a horn, whistle, or screech producing devices. These prior art patents do not disclose or teach a visual colored gas alarm device that uses a colored compressed gas to produce and give off a visual colored gas notification signal to attract the attention of others in an outdoor setting. Instead, these prior art patents always use the compressed gas for the dual functions of a repellant to fend-off/ward off an assailant and also the compressed gas is used to produce an audio alarm, as opposed to the visual signal of the present invention.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention is to provide a self-contained visual notification device for signaling distress in an emergency situation using a compressed gas dispersal receptacle for releasing and dispersing a brightly colored gas into the atmosphere via an air actuator cartridge shell being activated from a canister-type housing having a firing mechanism thereon being in the form of a slide switch, trigger or push button.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a visual signaling device that uses helium gas (He) or other inert (non-volatile) gases having aerosol colored particles therein being in the form of an aerosol colorant dispersion system which gives off a red, blue, green, orange or yellow color in order to attract the attention of others when the colored gas is released and dispersed into the atmosphere.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a visual signaling device having air actuator cartridge/canister for firing the compressed gas dispersal receptacle being made of a durable, light-weight plastic, metal or plasticized metal having a fashionable aesthetic and/or practical presentation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a visual signaling device being in the form of a piece of jewelry, timepiece (wristwatch), clothing article, part of a nap-sack, cosmetic container, communication beeper and the like.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a visual signaling device that is compact, light-weight, easy to use, portable, convenient and durable.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a visual signaling device for signaling distress in the event of an accident in order to alert others that the user is in the need of assistance, or in the event of an attack by a criminal in order to ward off the potential assailant. Other examples for using this visual signaling device is when a child is separated from his/her parents in an amusement park, resort areas, etc.; or when an elderly individual is incapacitated in their backyard, or other outdoor areas; or in any type of outdoor emergency conditions where someone needs to attract and signal another person for help and assistance.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a visual signaling device that is reusable and inexpensive to use having affordable (low cost) replacement compressed gas dispersal receptacles for reloading the air actuator cartridge/canister.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a visual signaling device that has a compressed gas dispersal receptacle that explodes outwardly when released into the air via the air actuated/actuator cartridge.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a visual signaling device and compressed gas dispersal receptacles that can be mass produced in an automated and economical manner and is readily affordable by the user.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a compressed gas visual notification device for signaling distress. The compressed gas visual notification device includes a device housing having outer walls and a bottom wall for forming an interior firing chamber with the outer walls having first and second openings. The compressed gas visual notification device also includes a firing mechanism disposed in the first opening in the outer walls; a safety switch disposed in said second opening in the outer walls; and an air actuator shell disposed in the interior firing chamber. The interior firing chamber includes the firing mechanism and an actuator mechanism for firing the air actuator shell. The air actuator shell includes outer walls and a bottom wall for forming an interior shell compartment and shell opening. The shell opining has a non-porous shell membrane thereon. The interior shell compartment includes a quantity of compressed air under high pressure and a compressed gas dispersal receptacle member therein and being contained by the non-porous membrane. The compressed gas dispersal receptacle member includes an outer, non-porous receptacle membrane for containing therein a quantity of compressed inert, non-toxic gas at a high pressure. The compressed gas dispersal receptacle member also includes a quantity of aerosol, non-toxic micro-dispersion colored particles therein for adding color to the compressed gas. Actuation of the firing mechanism activates the air actuator shell so that the compressed gas and colored particles are released into the atmosphere as a visual notification device.

Compressed gas visual notification device for signaling distress


An apparatus for reducing offset voltage drifts in a charge amplifier circuit is disclosed. The apparatus includes a charge amplifier circuit and a bias current compensation circuit. The bias current compensation circuit supplies bias current to lower any offset voltage drift at the output of the charge amplifier.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to sensing circuits in general, and in particular to charge amplifier circuits. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for reducing offset voltage drifts in a charge amplifier circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a schematic diagram of a charge amplifier circuit capable of converting the output of a piezoelectric charge mode sensor to a corresponding voltage, according to the prior art. As shown, a charge amplifier circuit 10 includes a piezoelectric sensor 11 that is capable of producing a charge proportional to an applied mechanical force. As the voltage at one of the inputs to an operational amplifier 12 begins to increase (or decrease) as a result of charge accumulation across a capacitor 14, the voltage at an output V0 of operational amplifier 12 will decrease (or increase) to maintain the voltage at the input of operational amplifier 12 at near 0 V. Thus, the voltage of output V0 is proportional to the charge output of piezoelectric sensor 11, and the virtual ground at the second input of operational amplifier 12 limits the charge lost due to parasitic capacitance and/or leakage in all cables within charge amplifier circuit 10.
The capacitance C1 of capacitor 14 determines the voltage at output V0 for a given amount of charges generated by piezoelectric sensor 11. Due to the input bias/offset current ib, a resistor 13 is utilized to drain the accumulated charges on capacitor 14. With resistor 13, operational amplifier 12 acts as a high-pass filter with a low-frequency cutoff at 1/(2πR1C1) where R1 is the resistance of resistor 13, and C1 is the capacitance of capacitor 14.
Because capacitor 14 requires a relatively small capacitance C1 to achieve a reasonable output voltage, one problem with charge amplifier circuit 10 is that the resistance R1 of resistor 13 must be very large in order to achieve a reasonable low-frequency cutoff. The input bias/offset current ib of operational amplifier 12 flowing over resistor 13 can cause a significant DC offset at output V0. In addition, the change in the input bias/offset current ib over temperature can also result in a significant offset drift at output V0. Even when using a JFET operational amplifier having an input bias/offset current and drift (per degree Celsius) in the pico range, the DC offset and offset drift (per degree Celsius) at output V0 can end up being in the milli range, which is unacceptably high for most, if not all, precision applications. Consequently, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus for reducing offset voltage drifts at the outputs of charge amplifier circuits.

Apparatus for reducing offset voltage drifts in a charge amplifier circuit

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


A prebake equipment for drying a substrate (105) and an air discharge method, the prebake equipment comprising: a bottom plate (105), a periphery frame (101) and an upper cover plate, the bottom plate (105) and the upper cover plate being spaced from each other, the periphery frame (101) being provided between the bottom plate (105) and the upper cover plate such that the bottom plate (105), the periphery frame (101) and the upper cover plate define a cavity, wherein discharge holes are provided at the periphery frame (101) and a filler (104) for filtering moisture and dust in the air stream is provided between the bottom plate (105) and the periphery frame (101).

In the color filter process of thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD), after applying the photoresist with a coating machine, a prebake equipment is usually used to further remove the solvent for the photoresist and enhance the adhesive force between photoresist and substrate, so as to avoid the defect in the exposure area resulted from the detachment of the film due to the insufficient adhesive force when developing. During the operating process of the prebake equipment, organic sublimates will be generated within the cavity of the prebake equipment, resulting in an increase of the particles inside the cavity which will influence the quality of the products. Therefore it is necessary to discharge air from the cavity during the operating process so as to improve the rate of good product and facilitate the maintenance of the equipment.
In the prior art, in an prebake equipment without a hot air system, the air discharge is generally performed after the termination of the operating process, resulting in a short discharge time and a limited removal rate of organic sublimates from the cavity, and a big gap in the effect of sublimates removal as compared to air discharge during the operating process (an removal ratio in the air discharge during the operating process to that not during the operating process is generally above 14).
To improve the effect of air discharge, prior art usually needs an additionally mounted hot air system, adopts clean dry air (CDA) as air source, and heats the air by using a heating unit, so as to achieve an air discharge during the operating process. Although such a method has a good effect for removing sublimates, the cost for equipments is increased (for example, ducts and the heating unit), the energy consumption of hot air system (electrical energy and air) is large and it is very inconvenient for daily maintenance of the equipment.

Prebake equipment and air discharge method thereof

HEFEI BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY, Co., Ltd.


The invention is in the field of emergency lighting devices and power supply of emergency lighting devices. A LED converter for an emergency lighting unit comprises a LED driver for supplying a current to a LED lighting device, an energy storage interface for connecting an energy storage device, a charging circuit for charging the energy storage, and a control circuit. The energy storage interface is configured to connect at least two different types of energy storage devices. The charging circuit sets at least one energy storage management parameter according to the type of energy storage device connected by the energy storage interface. The control circuit determines the type of energy storage device connected by the energy storage interface and controls the charging circuit to set the energy storage management parameter according to the determined type of energy storage device.

Emergency lighting devices actuate light emitting means, for example including light emitting diodes (LED) under circumstances of an emergency, e.g. when a mains supply fails. Emergency lighting devices typically include an LED driver (LED converter) for driving the lighting means, either from a mains supply or, in case of a mains supply failure, from an energy storage device.
The energy storage device is selected to provide the emergency lighting device for a predefined time period, for example for 2 or 3 hours, with electric energy to actuate the lighting means to emit enough light to maintain a minimum light level, for example to aid evacuation of a building.
Therefore, emergency lighting devices are often arranged in public buildings and are accordingly installed in large numbers over the whole building. Costs for installing a great number of emergency lighting devices are accordingly high, and maintenance, in particular when each individual emergency lighting device is equipped with an energy storage device with a limited lifetime, also involves costs.
As energy storage device for an emergency lighting device usually a rechargeable battery is used. The stored electric energy in the energy storage device is to be held above a minimum level. Usually the energy storage device is a battery pack with a number of rechargeable battery cells. The emergency lighting device includes a charging means in order to recharge the energy storage device in order to maintain the stored electric energy above the minimum level.
Battery cells are available based on different kinds of technology, thus different types of energy storage devices may be used. The employed battery chemistry includes for example NiCd (Nickel-Cadmium battery, also NiCad-battery), NiMH (Nickel-metal hydride battery) or Li-ion (Lithium-ion battery) based technology. Suitability of an algorithm for charging a battery cell depends on the employed battery chemistry. In FIG. 2, electric charging characteristics (charging voltage, charging current) over time are depicted for some known battery technologies. From FIG. 2 it becomes immediately apparent that the characteristic parameters for charging, for example for a Li-ion battery, are fundamentally different from charging parameters for charging NiCd based battery. If a Li-ion battery is intended to replace a NiCd battery, at least the charging parameters of a charging means have to be changed, for example by executing settings via switches implemented in hardware or software in the emergency lighting device.
Alternatively, an emergency lighting device may be only designed for use with a pre-set type of battery, for example a Li-ion battery. This increases the number of variants of an emergency lighting device for a manufacturer, and restricts a user of an emergency lighting system to a specific type of battery chemistry.
Even more severe, using a unsuitable charging algorithm with a rechargeable battery may adversely affect battery lifetime, but may also generate a safety risk, for example when using a constant voltage/constant current charging algorithm in conjunction with a Li-ion battery.


Provided are a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes an isolation insulating film, an epitaxial silicon layer, a junction blocking insulating film, a gate stack, and source and drain junctions. The isolation insulating film is formed on a semiconductor substrate to define an active area. The epitaxial silicon layer is formed in the active area of the semiconductor substrate and surrounded by the isolation insulating film. The junction blocking insulating film is formed in the epitaxial silicon layer. The gate stack is formed over the epitaxial silicon layer so that the junction blocking insulating film is buried under approximately the center of the gate stack. The source and drain junctions are formed adjacent the sidewalls of the gate stack. Accordingly, a short circuit between source/drain junctions in a bulk area caused by the unwanted diffusion of the junctions can be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor devices and methods for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to semiconductor devices formed using selective epitaxial silicon growth and methods for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the density of semiconductor devices has significantly increased, the design rule has also been reduced, resulting in a decrease in size of semiconductor devices. As a result, many problems occur when devices such as transistors are formed. For example, gates have to have a minimal acceptable length in negative-channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistors of a cell area, and in positive-channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistors and NMOS transistors of a peripheral area such that the NMOS and PMOS transistors can secure proper device characteristics. However, with the scaling of semiconductor devices, the NMOS and PMOS transistors cannot properly perform their functions due to a short circuit between junctions in a bulk region.
In order to solve these problems, methods of increasing actual gate lengths of transistors have been studied, such as the formation of shallow source/drain junctions.
However, even with the shallow source/drain junctions, because semiconductor devices need to be more scaled, the design rule is likewise reduced. For these reasons, because the distances between source regions and drain regions become reduced to less than the critical value, if a process of forming junctions inevitably accompanies a thermal diffusion process, impurity ions laterally diffuse, thus extending junction areas. Accordingly, in the prior art, because the distances between source and drain regions become too short, source and drain junctions can come in contact with each other, causing a short circuit between source/drain junctions in a bulk region.

Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same


A glove having a plurality of discardable layers, the glove including one or more discardable outer layers that have an outer tab at a wrist area configured to facilitate removal of the outer layer; and at least one inner layer that includes an inner tab at the wrist area. The outer tab of each discardable outer layer is positioned to completely cover the tab of the at least one inner layer. The inner tab is recessed relative to the outer tab to provide a grip area on the outer tab that avoids contamination of the inner tab.

The following references to, and descriptions of, prior proposals or products are not intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the following prior art discussion does not relate to what is commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part.
Although the invention relates to the use of sterile gloves in a variety of applications, for convenience and ease of explanation, and by example only, the invention will be described herein in terms of its application to the food preparation industry.
It is unknown for people preparing food generally and, in particular, for those preparing food in fast food or take away outlets, as well as those serving, to wear gloves when touching the food. Unfortunately, it appears to also be customary for these same gloves to be worn when handling a purchaser's money and also for preparing food for subsequent purchasers. Accordingly, any hygiene advantages in using such gloves according to such practices are negated.
While this practice is clearly unhygienic, it is understandable that a server should do this owing to the time taken to discard an old glove and replace it with a new glove prior to serving another customer.
Other problems with the prior art are associated with the use of disposable gloves. For example, where they are used in situations where sensitivity of touch is required, they are generally sufficiently thin skinned that they can be prone to failure and can, therefore, be associated with the transmission of bacteria and contaminants. This is especially a problem for dentists, forensic police, medical practitioners, and the like.


A separation module to be used for separation and filtration of micro-substances. The separation module comprises a bundled configuration of a plurality of hollow thread-type porous membrane elements made of high polymer material. The bundled configuration is sealingly disposed in a casing, in which the thread-type porous membrane elements are bound each other by means of molten thermoplastic resin. Such a separation module is produced by arranging the hollow thread-type porous membrane elements in a planar state; putting at least one of opposite end sections of the planar state porous membrane elements between first and second elongate thermoplastic resin films to form a sheet-like configuration; heating the sheet-like configuration to weld the films to each other and/or to the porous membrane elements; rolling up the welded sheet-like configuration in a longitudinal direction of the first and second thermoplastic films to form a rolled-up configuration in which two layers of the porous membrane elements are spirally wound, each layer being planar and including the parallelly arranged porous membrane elements; inserting the rolled-up configuration into the casing; and melting the first and second thermoplastic resin films to bind the end sections of the porous membrane elements to each other and to an inner wall of the casing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in a separation module and a bundle unit of hollow thread-type porous membrane elements and methods of producing the sames, and more particularly to such producing methods as to radially uniformly distribute the hollow thread-type porous membrane elements in the separation module and in the bundle unit to improve a separation efficiency of a separation module.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Separation modules of hollow thread-type porous membrane elements have been extensively used to separate or filter substances in the fields of electronic industry, food industry, medicine industry which require to the sepration modules a low solubility and a high resistance to chemicals and steam during sterilization, because the porous membrane elements are made of high polymer materials. A typical separation module includes many U-shaped hollow thread-type porous membrane elements which are bundled and inserted in a cylindrical casing in such a manner that the porous membrane elements are bound to each other at their free end sections and fixed to the inner wall of the casing by using adhesive of polyurethane resin, epoxy resin or the like. The free end sections of the bundled porous membrane elements remain opened thereby allowing fluid to pass therethrough. With such a separation module, fluid to be filtered or to be subjected to separation passes through micro-pores formed in a generally cylindrical wall of each porous membrane element and flows through the above-mentioned open free end section of each porous membrane element to be discharged from the separation module.
In such a separation module, the hollow thread-type porous membrane elements are merely bundled randomly, and therefore clearances among adjacent thread-type porous membrane elements tend to be not uniform. This causes a so-called channel phenomena in which fluid to be treated flows concentrically through a location or passage having a low flow resistance during treatment of the fluid. Under this phenomena, there exit dead spaces or channels which do not function of separation or filtration, thus lowering a separating or filtering efficiency of the separation modules of the hollow thread-type porous membrane elements. In order to improve the separation modules in view of the above problems, it has been proposed to blow air from a direction to an end face of the bundled porous membrane elements. However, this method is insufficient to uniformly distribute the porous membrane elements so as to be not only difficult to provide high quality separation modules but also provide a disadvantage to damage the porous membrane elements.
Additionally, since the adhesive such as polyurethane resin or epoxy resin is used to fix the bundled hollow membrane elements in the casing, there are much dissolved substances from the adhesive, and low in resistance to heat and chemicals. As a result, the separation module have fitted to only a limited use such as water purification. In place of such a method of using adhesive, there is welding or melting method in which thermoplastic resin is filled in clearances among the adjacent hollow thread-type porous membrane elements, and then the thermoplastic resin is molten under heating to bind the porous membrane elements to each other. However, in such a method, it is difficult to maintain the generally cylindrical shape of each hollow thread-type porous membrane element during melting of the thermoplastic resin under heating, thereby raising problems in which the porous membrane elements are broken while changing the inner and outer diameters of each hollow thread-type porous membrane element.
In view of the above, the following production method of the separation modules has been proposed and is disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 1-293105: First, the inside of each thread-type porous membrane element is filled with a filler material which exhibits a fluidity during heating to melt thermoplastic resin, and then the thermoplastic resin is filled to clearances among the porous membrane elements. Thereafter, heating is made to melt the thermoplastic resin thereby to bind the porous membrane elements to each other. Finally, the filler material is removed from the inside of each porous membrane element. More specifically, a thermally contractible tape is wound on the outer peripheral surface of a bundled body of the thread-type porous membrane elements with an auxiliary member filled among the porous membrane elements. As a result, the molten auxiliary member can fill the clearances among the porous membrane elements while the bundled body of the porous membrane elements are clinched under the contraction of the thermally contractible tape, thereby obtaining a fluid-tight seal among the porous membrane elements.
However, in the separation module made by this production method, it is required to make an operation of winding the tape around the bundled body of the porous membrane elements. Additionally, since the tape is freely wound, the outer diameter of the bundled body with the tape cannot become constant or take a predetermined value throughout many products. The bundled body with the tape is used, as a separation or filtering element, to be disposed in a casing, and therefore an O-ring or a packing is required between the outer peripheral surface of the separation element and the inner peripheral surface of the casing, or otherwise the auxiliary member is again required to be filled and molten therebetween. Consequently, in case of using the packing or the like, this separation module has encountered the problems of liquation of the material of the packing into the liquid to be subjected to separation, and a low sealing ability between the packing and the bundled body of the porous membrane elements owing to non-uniform outer diameters of the bundled body of the porous membrane elements (or products). In case of using again the auxiliary member, the separation module has encountered problems of failed binding of the outer peripheral portion of the bundled body, a failed sealing due to re-melting of the auxiliary member which has been previously filled and molten among the porous membrane elements, and an increased step number in the production process.
Another production method has been proposed and is disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 4-63117 in which a separation unit of hollow thread-type porous membrane elements is produced by using polyolefin resin as the material of the porous membrane elements and of a sealing material for binding the end sections of the porous membrane elements. The production method is as follows: First, a suspension liquid of polyolefin resin fine powder (the sealing material) is prepared. The end sections of bundled porous membrane elements are dipped in the suspension liquid. Then, the liquid of the suspension is evaporated while putting the polyolefine resin fine powder in a molten state under heating at a temperature higher than the melting point of the sealing material. Thereafter, slow cooling is made to an ordinary temperature thereby to solidify the sealing material. In this production method, no operation of filling the spaces in the sealing material fine power is made at the step of heating, and therefore much bubbles remain in the sealing material. As a result, the separation module produced by this method is low in initial sealing ability and in durability particularly at a high temperature condition and at a condition in which a pressure is repeatedly applied.

Separation module and bundle unit of hollow thread-type porous membrane elements and methods of producing same


Described is a method of producing a liquid enriched with ingredients and active agents of plants using a carrier and storage material for plants and their active agents, as well as the use of the liquids. It is characteristic of the invention that used-type material is mixed with the entire plant, the carrier material takes-up the same, and the resulting mixture is dried, compressed or dried in moulds so that it may be stored for a long period of time without losses of active agent occurring or the material deteriorating; for use of the material as a cosmetic agent, or its application in therapy, leisure activities, household and sports, it is sufficient to mix the carrier material with a liquid in a defined mixing ratio, at a suitable temperature, and for a certain period of time, depending on the intended application.

The invention relates to a method of producing a liquid enriched with ingredients and active agents of plants using a carrier and storage material for plants and their ingredients.
Methods of producing plant extracts are known, in which it is attempted to obtain the active agents and ingredients by squeezing or centrifuging the plants, preparing a mixture thereof in alcohol, and storing them in liquid form. Known is also the method for drying plants, as used with medicinal herbs and tea. These methods have the disadvantage that only a part of the active substances is bound.
Chemical methods are also known, in Which the active substances are obtained chemically. In these, however, only the desired principal active agent is produced at any time; a mixture such as that occurring in nature is not possible or involves too much outlay.
Moreover, methods are known for producing plant extracts by steam extraction. Thus, for example, 15 liters of tea tree oil are obtained from 6 tons of tea tree leaves. The disadvantages of this method are a very large expenditure of energy for steam generation and a high proportion of residual waste material.
Known is also a filter and carrier material according to the patent application Ser. No. 197 11 809.7. In this, provision is made for the use of the carrier material as a store for medicinal and other therapeutic agents and their use in a gaseous state in suitable and conventional apparatus. A production of liquids from the carrier material was not envisaged. Moreover, it is not known to bind material from plants completely in a filter or carrier material.
It is the object of the invention to develop a low-cost method for producing a liquid enriched with ingredients and active agents of plants, which makes it possible to bind the plants and their active agents in a comminuted form, to store them for a long period of time, and to release them during a mixing with liquids in such manner that their use as a medicinal, cosmetic, therapeutic agent for sports and leisure applications, and also their use as a cleaning agent in households and industry becomes possible.
If used as a glass cleaning agent, the product is intended to produce an anti-glare effect on car windscreens at night. When used for medical or therapeutic applications, the preparations is intended to produce an efficiency better than that of preparations produced by conventional means, because it is successfully possible
1. to preserve the naturally occurring mixture of active substances,
2. to release a high percentage of the active substances to the liquid again, with the carrier material acting simultaneously as both a preserving agent and a catalyst increasing the efficiency of the liquid.
In accordance with the present invention the problem is solved by the provisions that the plants are comminuted by means of cutting tools in such a way that a spinach-like mass is created. Depending on the species of the plants, this mass is mixed with a specific amount of rubber granules either in a pure form or with a mixture of rubber granules and textile components adhering thereto, as this is described in accordance with PA AZ 196 48 551.7 of Jun. 12, 1997, until it can be shaped. Then the resulting mass is dried either mechanically or in air. The resulting carrier material is able to store up to 97 per cent of all the ingredients of the plants, with the possibility to detect a level of 11 to 24 per cent of easily volatile ingredients and the balance of ingredients at a level between 65 and 97 per cent. For an application as intended the carrier material enriched with plants is mixed with a liquid at a specific mixing ratio at a defined temperature for a defined period of time, which is different as a function of the purpose.
The solution so obtained is stable over a long time and is used for different applications in medicine, cosmetics, as therapeutic agent in sports and leisure activities, or as detergent for household, industrial and trade purposes.

Method of producing a liquid enriched with plant substances, liquid formed thereby, and products formed therefrom


Provided is a method of producing porous glass having pores with a uniform pore diameter entirely, particularly in the case of phase-separated glass, including selectively removing a denatured layer formed on the surface of glass easily. The method of producing glass includes: forming phase-separated glass containing silicon oxide, boron oxide, and an alkali metal oxide; bringing an alkaline solution held by a porous supporting member into contact with the denatured layer formed on the surface of the phase-separated glass to remove the denatured layer; and immersing the phase-separated glass with the denatured layer removed therefrom in an acid solution to form pores in the phase-separated glass.

A layer having a composition different from that of an inner part of glass is liable to appear on the surface of multi-component oxide glass due to the influences of water vapor and heat in the atmosphere.
For example, one of the productions of a porous glass material is to utilize a phase separation. A phase separation is generally induced by heat treatment of holding molded borosilicate glass at high temperature for a long period of time. By etching the glass with an acid solution to elute a silica-poor phase, the porous glass is obtained. A skeleton of the porous glass is mainly formed of silicon oxide. For making the porous glass material utilizing a phase separation, borosilicate glass mainly containing silicon oxide, boron oxide, and an alkali metal oxide is generally used.
However, for example, as also described in NPL 1, in a phase separation induced by holding glass at high temperature for a long period of time (hereinafter, referred to as "phase separation heating treatment") and phase separation, boron or the like on the surface of glass is partly lost to cause a composition displacement, and thus, a denatured layer is formed on the surface of the glass. The denatured layer causes a problem of inhibiting etching with an acid solution in a later process. Hence, the denatured layer is required to be removed.
For example, PTL 1 discloses a technique of removing at least 10 μm of outermost surface glass by polishing. However, with the removal by polishing, glass needs to have mechanical strength to some degree, and there may be problems such as roughening of the surface by polishing and the remaining of an abrasive in performing later processes in some cases.
PTL 2 also describes that an outermost surface glass layer of borosilicate glass is removed by a chemical method using hydrofluoric acid, ammonium hydrogen difluoride, or an alkaline glass corrosive.
PTL 3 describes a method of removing a denatured layer by a chemical procedure involving washing a denatured layer on the surface of glass with an alkaline aqueous solution. However, PTL 2 and PTL 3 do not disclose a method of selectively removing a denatured layer. Further, in the case where a denatured layer is formed on thin glass or a glass thin film, it is necessary to selectively remove only a denatured layer, which requires a new facility.


A method and apparatus for measuring the wavelength of spectrally narrow optical signals, particularly from guidedwave structures, is taught, which utilizes a known wavelength dependent transfer function and determining from the resulting signal the wavelength. In a preferred embodiment the spectrally narrow optical signal is divided into at least two signals, followed by optically processing the signals to produce a wavelength dependent change between the signals and determining the wavelength therefrom.

Fiber optic Bragg gratings have been used for absolute strain and temperature sensing, cure monitoring, and have the potential for use as magnetic or electric field sensors. This requires the accurate tracking of narrow band wavelength shifts on the order of several nanometres. It has been proposed to use a tunable, narrow band light source, such as a DFB or DBR laser, to track the wavelength shifts. In this embodiment, timed signals of known wavelengths are used to interrogate the sensor. The shift in wavelength of the Bragg Grating is determined from the timing of a back-reflected signal.
Another approach has been the use of broadband source and a tunable detection system, such as achieved by use of a scanning monochrometer or a tunable acousto-optic filter which would scan the wavelength range of interest and determine the wavelength of the back-reflected signal. A further approach uses a spectrometer and a photodiode array.
Each of the above methods have limited time response and have not permitted such wavelength shifting sensors as Bragg gratings to have wide application or compete with conventional strain gauges. The practical use of optical guidedwave sensors, such as fibre optic sensors, in smart materials and structures, places severe requirements on the characteristics of any sensing system. The need to compete with, or even surpass in performance conventional sensors such as resistive foil or piezoelectric strain gauges or temperature sensors, amongst others, requires a system that provides high resolution, high speed sensing, and absolute sensing. Also of importance are low cost for large scale use and small size and ruggedness in order to service in potentially demanding aerospace environments. Of particular importance is the new field of "smart materials and structures", where fibre optic Bragg grating sensors would be embedded within composite material structures for various sensing applications such as; strain and temperature measurements, cure monitoring, load history tracking, acoustic emission detection and damage assessment.
The present invention satisfies a number of these requirements.

Method and apparatus for measuring the wavelength of spectrally narrow optical signals


A photoreceptor including an electroconductive substrate; a photosensitive layer; and optionally a protective layer, wherein an outermost layer thereof includes a filler, an organic compound having an acid value of from 10 to 700 mg KOH/g and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds having the following formulae (1) and (2):

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photoreceptor, an image forming method and an image forming apparatus using the electrophotographic photoreceptor, a process cartridge for image forming apparatus using the electrophotographic photoreceptor, and a coating liquid for the electrophotographic photoreceptor.
2. Discussion of the Background
Recently, information-processing systems using an electrophotographic method are making a remarkable progress. In particular, laser printers and digital copiers which record data with light by changing the data into digital signals make remarkable improvements in their printing qualities and reliabilities. Further, technologies used in these printers and copiers are applied to laser printers and digital copiers capable of printing full-color images with high-speed printing technologies. Because of these reasons, photoreceptors are required both to produce high-quality images and to have high durability.
Photoreceptors using organic photosensitive materials are widely used for these laser printers and digital copiers due to their cost, productivity and non-polluting properties. As the organic electrophotographic photoreceptors, the photoreceptors including photoconductive resin typified by poly-N-vinylcarbazole (PVK); charge transfer complex type photoreceptors typified by PVK-TNF (2,4,7-trinitrofluorenon); pigment dispersion type photoreceptors typified by phthalocyanine-binder; and functionally-separated photoreceptors typified by combinations of a charge generation material (CGM) with a charge transport material (CTM) are known.
Among these various photoreceptors, the photoreceptors using organic photosensitive materials are mostly functionally-separated photoreceptors because of having good sensitivity and durability, wherein the charge generation materials and charge transport materials can individually be designed at a molecular level.
A mechanism to form an electrostatic latent image in the multi-layered photoreceptor is as follows:
the photoreceptor is charged and irradiated with light;
the light passes through the charge transport layer (CTL) and is absorbed by the CGM in the charge generation layer (CGL) to generate a charge;
the charge is injected into the CTL at an interface of the CGL and the CTL;
and the charge moves in the CTL by an electric field and neutralizes the charge on the surface of the photoreceptor to form an electrostatic latent image.
However, the photosensitive layers of the organic photoreceptor are easily abraded due to repeated use, and therefore potential and photosensitivity of the photoreceptor tend to deteriorate, resulting in background fouling due to a scratch on the surface thereof and deterioration of density and quality of the resultant images. Therefore, abrasion resistance of the organic photoreceptor has been an important subject. Further, recently, in accordance with speeding up of the printing speed and downsizing of an image forming apparatus, the photoreceptor has to have a smaller diameter, and durability thereof becomes a more important subject.
As a method of realizing high durability of a photoreceptor, methods of forming a protective layer on the outermost surface of the photoreceptor and applying a lubricant thereto; hardening the protective layer; or including a filer therein are widely known. In particular, the method of including a filler in a protective layer is one of effective methods to improve durability of a photoreceptor. However, when a high-insulative filler is included in a protective layer, an electric resistance thereof increases and residual potential remarkably increases. The increase of residual potential is largely caused by the increase of electric resistance due to the filler and an increase of a charge trap site. On the other hand, when an electroconductive filler is used, electric resistance decreases and an influence of residual potential increase is relatively small, but so-called blurred images having fuzzy outlines occurred and an influence on image quality is large.
Therefore, the high-insulative is difficult to use and a low-insulative filler having relatively a small influence of residual potential is conventionally used, and means of equipping a drum heater heating a photoreceptor with an image forming apparatus is used against blurred images caused by the low-insulative filler. By heating a photoreceptor, blurred images can be prevented, however, a diameter of the photoreceptor has to be large so as to be equipped with the drum heater. Therefore, the drum heater cannot be applied to a photoreceptor having a small diameter which is now prevailing in accordance with downsizing of an electrophotographic apparatus, and high durability of a small-diameter photoreceptor is difficult. Further, since an apparatus has to be large to be equipped with the drum heater, the electric power consumption remarkably increases and it takes much time to start the apparatus up, which are of many remaining subjects.
On the other hand, the residual potential increase when the high insulative filler is used causes a high potential of a light portion in an apparatus, resulting in deterioration of image density and tone reproduction. In order to catch up this drawback, potential of a dark portion has to be increased and an electric intensity increases, resulting in not only defective images such as background fouling but also deterioration of a life of a photoreceptor.
As a method of preventing the increase of the residual potential, a method of using a photoconductive protective layer is disclosed (Japanese Patent publications Nos. 44-834, 43-16198 and 49-10258). However, since the protective layer absorbs light and amount of light reaching a photosensitive layer decreases, a problem that sensitivity of a photoreceptor deteriorates occurs, and an effect of the method is slight.
To the contrary, a method of including a metal or metal oxide having an average particle diameter not greater than 0.3 μm in a protective layer is disclosed (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 57-30846), by which the protective layer substantially becomes transparent. This method slightly prevents the increase of residual potential, but the effect is insufficient and does not solve the problem. This is because the increase of residual potential when a filler is included in a protective layer is caused by a charge trap due to presence of the filer or dispersibility of the filler more than charge generation efficiency. Even when the filler has an average particle diameter not less than 0.3 μm, a protective layer has transparency if dispersibility of the filler is increased. In addition, even when the filler has an average particle diameter not greater than 0.3 μm, the transparency deteriorates if the filler is agglutinated.
A method of including a charge transport material with a filler in a protective layer is disclosed (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 4-281461), by which the protective layer has mechanical strength and the increase of residual potential is prevented. The charge transport material is effectively included in the protective layer to improve charge mobility and to decrease the residual potential. However, if the significant increase of residual potential caused by the filler is due to increase of resistance or charge trap caused by presence of the filler, the method has a limit to improve charge mobility and prevent the increase of residual potential. Therefore, the thickness of the protective layer or the content of the filler has to be decreased, and the method does not satisfy required durability.
As other methods of preventing the increase of residual potential, a method of including a Lewis acid in a protective layer (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 53-133444), a method of including an organic protonic acid in a protective layer (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 55-157748), a method of including an electron acceptance material in a protective layer (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2-4275) and a method of including a wax having an acid vale not greater than 5 (mg KOH/g) in a protective layer (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-66434) are disclosed. These methods improve charge injection at an interface between a protective layer and a charge transport layer and form a resistant portion in the protective layer so that a charge can easily reach the surface. These methods decrease the residual potential, however, tend to cause blurred images and have a side effect of significantly affecting image quality. In addition, when an organic acid is included in a protective layer, dispersibility of the filler tends to deteriorate and the effect is insufficient, and the methods do not solve the problem.
In an electrophotographic photoreceptor including a filler for high durability, in order to realize high-quality images, not only the above-mentioned occurrence of blurred images and increase of residual potential are prevented but also it is important that a charge reaches a surface of the photoreceptor straight without being interrupted with the filler in the protective layer. This is largely influenced by dispersibility of the filler in a protective layer. When a charge injected into the protective layer from a charge transport layer transfers to the surface, the charge is easily interrupted with the filler if the filler is agglutinated, resulting in dispersion of a dot formed of a toner and large deterioration of image resolution. In addition, when light transmittance deteriorates because writing light is scattered by the filler, the image resolution is damaged as well. An influence on the light transmittance also has a close relationship with dispersibility of the filler. Further, dispersibility of the filler largely influences abrasion resistance. When the filler is firmly agglutinated and not well dispersed, the abrasion resistance largely deteriorates. Therefore, in an electrophotographic photoreceptor including a filler for high durability, in order to realize high-quality images, not only the occurrence of blurred images and increase of residual potential are prevented but also it is important to increase dispersibility of the filler in the protective layer.
However, effective means to solve the problems at the same time are not found. When a filler is included in the outermost surface of a photoreceptor, influences of the blurred images and increase of residual potential strongly appear and problems to attain high-quality images still remain. Further, in order to decrease the influences, a drum heater has to be equipped with an apparatus. High durability of a photoreceptor having a small diameter, which requires durability most, is not realized. In addition, this is a large bottleneck against downsizing the apparatus and decreasing the electric power consumption.
Then, the present inventors suggested in EP Patent Application Publication No. 1205808 an electrophotographic photoreceptor, on the outermost surface of which a layer including a filler, a binder resin and an organic compound having an acid value of from 10 to 700 mg KOH/g is formed.
However, the electrophotographic photoreceptor produces lower quality images due a low resistance of the outermost surface although an increase of residual potential can be prevented and a dispersibility of the filler can be improved.
Because of these reasons, a need exists for an electrophotographic photoreceptor having high durability, preventing an increase of residual potential or deteriorated images due to occurrence of blurred images and stably producing high-quality images against repeated use for long periods.

Photoreceptor, image forming method and image forming apparatus using the photoreceptor, process cartridge using the photoreceptor and coating liquid for the photoreceptor

Abstract: wherein R1 (R3) and R2 (R4) independently represent a substituted or an unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group, or a substituted or an unsubstituted alkyl group, and optionally share bond connectivity to form a heterocyclic group including a nitrogen atom; Ar1 (Ar3) and Ar2 (Ar4) independently represent a substituted or a unsubstituted aromatic ring group; k (K) and m (M) independently represent 0 or an integer of from 1 to 3, wherein k (K) and m (M) are not 0 at the same time; and n (n′) represents an integer of from 1 to 3.


A transceiver system is described herein that has an antenna coupled to a filter unit which is coupled to multiple radio base stations (RBSs). Each RBS uses one TX/RX cable and if needed a RX cable to connect to the filter unit. To enable the RBSs so they can share one antenna, each RBS has a duplex filter incorporated therein. And, the filter unit has a unique combination of diplex filter(s), duplex filter(s), part-band duplex filter(s), diplex-duplex filter(s), splitter(s) and/or low noise amplifier(s). Four exemplary embodiments of the transceiver system are described herein to show how the filter unit can be configured so as to enable the RBSs to share one antenna even if the RBSs share the same frequency band and/or even if the RBSs operate with different radio standards (e.g., TDMA, CDMA, WCDMA and GSM). Also described herein in accordance with the present invention are: (1) a method for constructing the transceiver system; (2) a radio base station; and (3) an antenna.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the telecommunications field and, in particular, to a transceiver system that includes multiple radio base stations (RBSs) that can share an antenna even if the RBSs share a frequency band and/or even if the RBSs operate with different radio standards.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known when an operator places two or more RBSs in a transceiver system or adds a new RBS to the transceiver system that the operator would like to have the RBSs share the same antenna system. An example of a traditional transceiver system with multiple RBSs that share the same antenna is briefly discussed below with respect to FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1 (PRIOR ART), there is shown a block diagram of a traditional transceiver system 100 described in PCT Patent Application No. WO 92/12579. The traditional transceiver system 100 includes several base stations (BS1, BS2, BS3 . . . BSn) each of which can belong to a different type of radio system such as TACS, ETACS and GSM. The base stations (BS1, BS2, BS3 . . . BSn) are connected to a filter means 102 which in turn is connected to an antenna 104. The filter means 102 filters the TX signals that are sent over TX cables 106 from the base stations (BS1, BS2, BS3 . . . BSn) and applies the filtered TX signals to the antenna 104. The filter means 102 also filters RX signals received by the antenna 104. The filtered RX signals are then sent to a divider unit 108. The divider unit 108 divides the filtered RX signals so that separate filtered RX signals can be sent over RX cables 110 to the base stations (BS1, BS2, BS3 . . . BSn). A drawback of this particular transceiver system 100 is that each base station (BS1, BS2, BS3 . . . BSn) needs to use two cables—TX cable 106 and RX cable 110—to share the antenna 104 which adds to the complexity and cost of the transceiver system 100. It should be noted that U.S. Pat. No. 5,781,865 discloses a transceiver system that is similar to and has the same drawbacks as transceiver system 100. Accordingly, there is a need for a transceiver system that addresses and solves the aforementioned drawback associated with the traditional transceiver system 100. This need and other needs are addressed by the transceiver systems of the present invention.

Transceiver system including multiple radio base stations that share an antenna


Higher harmonic control (hereinafter HHC) of helicopter rotor blade vibrations is provided by an actively controlled, rotatable, slotted cylinder which is mounted at an outboard section of each blade. Continuous rotation of each cylinder about its longitudinal axis produces a periodic aerodynamic force on the blade at a frequency of twice the rotational frequency of the cylinder. The amplitude of force is controlled by the size of a slot opening in the cylinder while the rotational speed of the cylinder is synchronized to run at a multiple of the speed of a rotor blade drive shaft. The amplitude and phase of the HHC force is regulated, either manually or by active feedback control, to minimize any vibratory load transmitted to the airframe through the rotor blade drive shaft. A significant advantage offered by this concept relative to other HHC methods, such as high-frequency blade pitch motions actuated either by the swash plate or by moveable tabs at the blade trailing edge, is its low power requirement.

1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates to helicopters generally and in particular to vibration reduction therein.
2. Description of the Related Art.
The reduction of vibrations is a primary goal in helicopter design. Such vibrations contribute to crew fatigue, passenger discomfort, increased maintenance, and high operating costs. A major cause of such vibrations is periodic aerodynamic loads on the rotor blades.
An effective method of reducing rotor-blade induced vibrations is to control the harmonic airload at the source, i.e. on the rotor blades. For an N-bladed rotor, harmonic loads at (N-1) per revolution, N per revolution and (N+1) per revolution are transmitted to the rotor hub at the frequency rate of N/revolution (hereinafter NP). The function of HHC devices is to generate additional airloads on the rotor so as to cancel the three higher harmonics of blade load causing the NP vibratory hub load. Experience has shown that the NP blade flapping moment is the dominant load as compared with the (N.+-.1)P components.
Various schemes for reducing helicopter vibrations by HHC of airloads on the rotor blade have been investigated and disclosed by others. Some approaches are based on passive vibration control concepts involving dynamically tuned mechanisms which actuate either the swash plate or the tab surfaces on the rotor blade. Other HHC concepts make use of high frequency active control systems which, when coupled with vibration sensors, provide vibration reduction by either manual control or closed loop feedback control.
The most common approach for implementing an HHC system uses broad-frequency band actuators to drive feathering of the rotor blades at high frequencies. The actuators produce the desired blade motions by driving either the swash plate itself or the pitch links between the blade and the swash plate.
Another HHC system involves individual blade control and is commonly known as the IBC system. By the IBC system, the pitch of each rotor blade is controlled independently by a servo actuator responding to feedback control signals from sensors mounted on each rotor blade.
Other HHC systems use either blade servo-flaps or blade circulation control devices to dampen the vibrations.
Typical HHC systems are disclosed by the following:
Arcidiacono in his U.S. Pat. No. 3,649,132 which was issued on Mar. 14, 1972; by Campbell in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,143 which was issued on Apr. 30, 1985; by Fradenburgh in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,685 which was issued on Apr. 7, 1987; by Fischer, Jr. et al. in their U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,098, which was issued on Aug. 28, 1990; and by Fischer Jr. in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,879, which was issued on Oct. 23, 1990.
All of these known prior art devices have one or more of the following disadvantages: first, large amounts of force and power are required for high frequency actuation of blade pitch; second, the service life of blade pitch links is decreased due to increased fatigue; third, debilitating heat is generated by broad band electro-hydraulic actuators; fourth, blade circulation control devices are very complex and expensive to manufacture; and fifth, difficulties arise in tuning passive devices to be effective over a broad range of operating conditions.
Thus, it remains a problem in prior HHC systems to develop a system which requires small amounts of actuator torque and power, has a long service life, does not generate debilitating heat, is simple in design, is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and avoids the difficulties arising from tuning passive devices.

System for controlling higher harmonic vibrations in helicopter rotor blades


When an XFP is plugged into an optical interface unit by live-line plugging, an external bias voltage higher than an internal bias voltage is kept applied to a CDR incorporated in the optical interface unit until the XFP starts up. This prevents exertion of a negative effect on the CDR.

1. Field
The present invention relates to an optical transmission apparatus, an optical interface device, and an optical transmission method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an optical wavelength division multiplex (WDM) system is often used for an optical communication network. In the optical wavelength division multiplex system, a plurality of optical signals of different wavelengths are multiplexed and transmitted through one optical fiber cable. The optical wavelength division multiplex system includes a plurality of optical wavelength division multiplex apparatuses that are connected via an optical fiber cable.
A certain type of optical wavelength division multiplex apparatus is compatible with a pluggable type (plug-in/pullout type) optical device (hereinafter "pluggable optical device"). A pluggable optical device is a device that mainly carries out a process of converting an optical signal input from a client line into an electric signal and of converting an electric signal into an optical signal to output the optical signal to a client line. For example, an XFP (10 Gbit/s Small Form factor Pluggable) ("10 Gigabit Small Form factor Pluggable Module", [online], [searched on Apr. 21, 2008], Internet <URL: http://www.xfpmsa.org//FPF_Rev4—5_SFF_INF—8077i.pdf>) and an SFP (Small Form Factor Pluggable) are known as pluggable optical devices. When an optical wavelength division multiplex apparatus compatible with a pluggable optical device is used, the pluggable optical device can be plugged in or pulled out on a live line even if the optical wavelength division multiplex apparatus is still in the course of startup. This allows communication businesses and network administrators to deal flexibly with a change in a transmission distance or the wavelength of an optical signal.
The above optical wavelength division multiplex apparatus, however, poses the problem that live-line plug-in of the pluggable optical device may exert a negative effect on an IC (Integrated Circuit) in the optical wavelength division multiplex apparatus. Specifically, when the pluggable optical device is plugged into the optical wavelength division multiplex apparatus by live-line plugging, a noise may be generated on a voltage applied to a CDR (Clock Data Recovery) in the optical wavelength division multiplex apparatus before the startup of the pluggable optical device. The generation of such a noise may push the applied voltage out of the range of an input rated voltage for the CDR, thus causing a concern for a negative effect on the CDR.

Optical transmission apparatus, optical interface device, and optical transmission method


The disclosed embodiments relate to a centralized buffer architecture for an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) receiver. In this architecture, a central buffer is shared by the main functional blocks or modules of the OFDM receiver. A state machine enables access to the buffer by the functional blocks to maintain buffer coherency.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art which may be related to various aspects of the present invention which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
A wireless LAN (WLAN) is a flexible data communications system implemented as an alternative or extension to a wired LAN within a building or campus. Using electromagnetic waves, WLANs transmit and receive data over the air, minimizing the need for wired connections. Thus, WLANs combine data connectivity with user mobility, and, through simplified configuration, enable movable LANs. Some industries that have benefited from the productivity gains of using portable terminals (e.g., notebook computers) to transmit and receive real-time information are the digital home networking, health-care, retail, manufacturing, and warehousing industries.
Manufacturers of WLANs have a range of transmission technologies to choose from when designing a WLAN. Some exemplary technologies are multicarrier systems, spread spectrum systems, narrowband systems, and infrared systems. Although each system has its own benefits and detriments, one particular type of multicarrier transmission system, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), has proven to be exceptionally useful for WLAN communications.
OFDM is a robust technique for efficiently transmitting data over a channel. The technique uses a plurality of sub-carrier frequencies (sub-carriers) within a channel bandwidth to transmit data. These sub-carriers are arranged for optimal bandwidth efficiency compared to conventional frequency division multiplexing (FDM) which can waste portions of the channel bandwidth in order to separate and isolate the sub-carrier frequency spectra and thereby avoid inter-carrier interference (ICI). By contrast, although the frequency spectra of OFDM sub-carriers overlap significantly within the OFDM channel bandwidth, OFDM nonetheless allows resolution and recovery of the information that has been modulated onto each sub-carrier.
The transmission of data through a channel via OFDM signals also provides several other advantages over more conventional transmission techniques. Some of these advantages are a tolerance to multipath delay spread and frequency selective fading, efficient spectrum usage, simplified sub-channel equalization, and good interference properties.
Processing OFDM signals requires the manipulation of very large quantities of data. Many functional blocks in typical OFDM receivers require the use of data buffers, which are memory locations that store data for subsequent processing. One exemplary functional block that uses a buffer in OFDM signal processing is the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) module of a typical OFDM receiver. The FFT module may need a buffer to store incoming data as well as a temporary storage location while the basic computational units of the FFT (known as butterflies) compute the various stages. Another exemplary functional block that uses a buffer in OFDM signal processing is the equalizer module of a typical OFDM receiver. The equalizer module may need a buffer to store the data during the filtering and adaptation process.
The functional blocks or modules of OFDM receivers are typically connected in series so that the output of one functional block goes into a buffer associated with the next functional block. This arrangement takes up space and increases the processing overhead associated with processing OFDM signals. A buffer architecture that avoids these shortcomings would be desirable.

Centralized buffer architecture for an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) receiver


The present invention relates to a polymer electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell, a method for manufacturing the polymer electrolyte membrane, a membrane-electrode assembly for a fuel cell including the polymer electrolyte membrane, and a fuel cell system including the membrane-electrode assembly. The polymer electrolyte membrane includes a proton-conductive polymer membrane including a polymer micelle inside a hydrophilic channel. Herein, the micelle includes a vinyl-based polymer obtained from polymerization of a vinyl-based monomer and an anionic surfactant surrounding the vinyl-based polymer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polymer electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell, a method for manufacturing the polymer electrolyte membrane, and a membrane-electrode assembly incorporating the polymer electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell and a fuel cell system incorporating the membrane-electrode assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to a polymer electrolyte membrane having large moisture retention and fuel cross-over inhibition properties and a method for manufacturing the polymer electrolyte membrane, and a membrane-electrode assembly incorporating the polymer electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell and a fuel cell system incorporating the membrane-electrode assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fuel cell is a power generation system for producing electrical energy through an electrochemical redox reaction between an oxidant and a fuel such as hydrogen, or a hydrocarbon-based material such as methanol, ethanol, and natural gas.
Such a fuel cell is a clean energy source that can replace fossil fuels. The fuel cell is typically constructed with a stack composed of unit cells that produces various ranges of power output. Since it has an approximately four to ten times higher energy density than a small lithium battery, it has been highlighted as a small portable power source.
Representative exemplary fuel cells include a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and a direct oxidation fuel cell (DOFC). The direct oxidation fuel cell includes a direct methanol fuel cell that uses methanol as a fuel.
The polymer electrolyte fuel cell has advantages of high energy density and high power, but it also has problems in the need for exceptionally careful handling of hydrogen gas and in its requirement for accessory facilities such as a fuel reforming processor for reforming methane or methanol, natural gas, and the like in order to produce hydrogen as the fuel gas.
On the contrary, a direct oxidation fuel cell has a lower energy density than that of the gas-type fuel cell but has the advantages of easy handling of the liquid-type fuel, a low operation temperature, and no need for additional fuel reforming processors. Therefore, it has been acknowledged as an appropriate system for a portable power source for small and common electrical equipment.
In the above-mentioned fuel cell system, the stack that generates electricity substantially includes several to scores of unit cells stacked adjacent to one another, and each unit cell is constructed with a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) and a separator (also referred to as a bipolar plate). The membrane-electrode assembly is constructed with an anode (also referred to as a "fuel electrode" or an "oxidation electrode") and a cathode (also referred to as an "air electrode" or a "reduction electrode") that are separated by a polymer electrolyte membrane.
A fuel is supplied to the anode and is adsorbed on catalysts of the anode, and the fuel is oxidized to produce protons and electrons. The electrons are transferred into the cathode via an external circuit, and the protons are transferred into the cathode through the polymer electrolyte membrane. In addition, an oxidant is supplied to the cathode, and then the oxidant, protons, and electrons react on the catalyst of the cathode to produce electricity along with water.

Polymer membrane for fuel cell, method of preparing the same, membrane-electrode assembly including the same, and fuel cell system including the same