A signal compensation circuit and associated method dynamically compensate for signal baseline wandering in a transmission line. The compensation circuit has a detection circuit and a correction circuit. The detection circuit first compares a transmission signal with a reference level and generates a comparison result. The correction circuit then corrects the transmission signal according to the comparison result. The compensation circuit can adjust its compensation over time based on the quality of the transmission signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit for receiving a transmission signal and associated method, and more particularly, to a circuit for dynamically compensating a baseline wander of the transmission signal and associated method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a schematic diagram of typical user terminals 10A and 10B connected to each other by a network transmission line 18. The user terminals 10A and 10B can be network servers, routers, clients, or other kinds of network terminals. The transmission line 18 is a network transmission line, such as an Unshielded Twisted Pair Category 5 (UTP-Cat.5) Ethernet cable. The user terminal 10A and the user terminal 10B utilize a signal circuit 12A and a signal circuit 12B respectively to transmit signals via the transmission line 18. The signal circuits 12A, 12B include transformers 16A, 16B and resistors R0a, R0b respectively that match the impedance of the transmission line 18. A transmitter 14A of the signal circuit 12A utilizes a differential transmission signal. That is, the transmission signal includes both positive and negative transmission signals transmitted by a pair of conductive lines.
The differential transmission signal is sent through two output terminals of the transmitter 14A to nodes P0A, P1A, and is then transformed onto the transmission line 18 by the transformer 16A. The differential transmission signal is received by the signal circuit 12B of the user terminal 10B after the differential transmission signal travels through two wires of the transmission line 18. The differential transmission signal is transformed by the transformer 16B and is sent to nodes P0B, P1B of the signal circuit 12B. The differential transmission signal is then sent to two differential input terminals of a receiver 14B, so that the user terminal 10B receives the signal from the user terminal 10A via the transmission line 18.
Several problems can occur during the signal transmission process. For instance, each signal circuit must match the electrical characteristic of the transmission line 18 in order for signal transmission to be effective. However, a high pass characteristic of the transformer in the signal circuit undesirably affects the signal level of the transmission signal.
The Ethernet network system suffers from this high pass problem. In Ethernet, an MLT-3 coded transmission signal is sent from the transmitter, transformer, to the transmission line. The coded transmission signal has a fixed baseline that is a longtime average of a level-changeable digital signal. The electrical characteristic of this signal is that the baseline of the signal relates to a low frequency (LF) component of the signal, which relates to the transmission data. When the coded transmission signal passes through the transformer and onto the transmission line, the direct current (DC) component of the LF is filtered out due to the high pass characteristic of the transformer. After the transmission signal passes through the transmission line to the signal circuit of another user terminal, the original baseline of the signal is degraded and baseline wander occurs.
For the purposes of explaining the baseline wandering phenomenon, please refer to FIG. 2 showing a prior art waveform-time diagram of the transmission signal during the signal transmission process in the network system shown in FIG. 1. The horizontal axis in FIG. 2 is time, and the vertical axis is signal amplitude. In FIG. 2, because the transmission signal is a differential signal, a waveform of a positive transmission signal shown is representative. At the user terminal 10A in FIG. 1, the transmission signal is generated as illustrated by a waveform 20. The waveform 20 is composed of three different waveform levels: a high level, a zero level, and a low level representing the different digital signals according to the MLT-3 code. A dotted line 20A and a dotted line 20B perfectly represent the overall signal profile of the waveform 20.
After the transmission signal passes through the transformer 16A, the transmission line 18 and the transformer 16B of the user terminal 10B, the LF component is filtered out due to the high pass characteristic of the transformer. The transmission line affects the original baseline and baseline wander occurs. A waveform 22 of the transmission signal affected by baseline wander is received at the node P0B of the user terminal 10B. The level of the waveform 22 has different deviations at different times, so that enveloping signal levels 22A and 22B of the waveform 22 appear to wander between a high level and low level. Therefore, the waveform 22 does not represent the original digital signal of the waveform 20 correctly because of the baseline wandering phenomenon.
Signal transmission errors caused by the baseline wandering phenomenon will now be briefly explained with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. A signal with a level higher than a fixed high reference level 24A is determined as a high level digital signal. A signal with a level lower than a fixed low reference level 24B is determined as a low level digital signal. The waveform 20 is originally generated by the transmitter 14A with respect to the high reference level 24A and low reference level 24B. The waveform 20 is then affected by the baseline wandering phenomenon during its transmission as previously described, and is finally received at the receiver 14B. The receiver 14B then interprets the waveform 22 with reference to the high reference level 24A and low reference level 24B and generates a received signal waveform 24.
The waveform 24 contains errors in time periods T1 and T2. In time period T1 the waveform 22 wanders low enough so that the original high signal in period T1 falls below the high reference level 24A. The original high signal during period T1 is interpreted as zero level as shown by waveform 24, incorrectly. A plurality of low level pulses error in a similar way during time period T2. The baseline wandering phenomenon thus causes the digital signal of the network transmission to not be received and decoded correctly.
In the prior art signal circuit, a fixed DC bias is added to the received transmission signal at the receiving terminal to compensate for baseline wandering. This solution is not adequate as the deviation of the baseline changes over time, and a fixed compensation cannot eliminate the signal deviation phenomenon entirely.

Circuit for compensating a degraded signal and associated method


An embodiment of the present invention provides a method to establish and maintain response time goals for selected business logic contained in components, which results in chosen high priority methods that respond consistently under load, enable smoother server side resource utilization, and increased scalability. The analyzing and delaying of certain processes in order to expedite processing of more important business processes helps establish optimization of multiple business processes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the optimization of component-based computer applications, which can be done automatically by a novice user, or manually by a user with domain knowledge without having to recompile or re-deploy the application.
2. Description of Related Art
The Component Balancer described herein establishes and maintains response time goals for selected business logic contained in methods in component-based applications. The premise for this optimization is that business logic in component methods can be driven to response-time goals by selectively delaying business logic in other component methods—e.g. two methods accessing the same table in a database.
This optimization can be done automatically by a novice user, or manually by a user with domain knowledge.
The Component Balancer leverages infrastructure technologies that support component-based optimizations, allowing the Component Balancer to work on a running system without recompiling or redeploying the application. The Component Balancer establishes and maintains response-time goals on business logic contained in methods in component technologies—such as COM+, .NET and BEA Weblogic EJB. As the load on the system varies, the Component Balancer attempts to keep methods with response-time objectives at a specified target performance level at the expense of lower priority methods.
Features of the Component balancer include automated or manual operation, an analysis capability that provides optimization hints, the ability to self-tune under variable load across machines, applications and application servers, with no changes required to the application itself. These features include the benefits of high priority methods responding consistently under variable load, and smoother resource utilization under peak load.
One related art method to which the method of the present invention generally relates is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,749, entitled "Database System With Methods For Improving Query Performance With Cache Optimization Strategies". This related art method is a database system and method for improving execution speed of database queries (e.g., for transaction processing and for decision support) by optimizing use of buffer caches. The system includes an Optimizer for formulating an optimal strategy for a given query. More particularly, the Optimizer communicates with a Buffer Manager before it formulates the query plan. For instance, the Optimizer may query the Buffer Manager for the purpose of determining whether the object of interest (e.g., table or index to be scanned) exists in its own buffer cache (i.e., whether it has been bound to a particular named cache). If the object exists in its own cache, the Optimizer may inquire as to how much of the cache (i.e., how much memory) the object requires, together with the optimal I/O size for the cache (e.g., 16K blocks). Based on this information, the Optimizer formulates a query strategy or plan with "hints," which are ultimately passed to the Cache or Buffer Manager. By formulating "hints" for the Buffer Manager at the level of the Optimizer, knowledge of the query is, in effect, passed down to the Buffer Manager so that it may service the query using an optimal caching strategy—one based on the dynamics of the query itself. Based on the "hints" received from the Optimizer, the Buffer Manager can fine tune input/output (i.e., cache management) for the query. Specific Optimizer strategies are described for each scan method available to the system, including heap scan, clustered index, and non-clustered index access. Additional strategies are described for multi-table access during processing of join queries.
The present invention differs from the above prior cited art in that the prior invention, focuses on database queries, whereas the method of the present invention focuses on method calls. The method of the present invention optimizes across multiple machines and performs method optimization whereas the method of the prior related art only optimizes database queries on a single machine.

System and method for maintaining target response times in business methods


An interactive visualization of stored data includes a representation of a three-dimensional generally helical path extending between spaced apart ends of the path. Selected parts of the stored data are mapped to corresponding parts of the helical path to facilitate visualization of the stored data. The stored data may include an unbounded dimension (e.g., time) that is mapped along the helical path. One or more user interface elements may be associated with the helical path to effect display of additional information associated with a selected part of the path.

A goal of information visualization is to use computer graphics to utilize human perceptual processes in organizing and understanding data, such as may pertain to physical phenomena, including semantic domains. Informational elements that are to be visualized often have only semantic properties with no inherent spatial form that may be employed to create a visual representation. Accordingly, spatial ordering used in a display should be implemented as part of the visualization process. Viewed in this way, information visualization generally requires three components: data organization, visual spatial representations of the data organization, as well as display and interaction elements.
Various information visualization techniques have been implemented to display different types of data in an organized and logical manner. In general, information visualization maps data sets into visual media to facilitate analysis of the data and/or to communicate information about such data. Oftentimes, the data being represented has one or more unbounded dimensions, which has no natural beginning or end. A common example of an unbounded element is time, such as may be displayed in connection with a timeline (e.g., in a linear manner). A graphical visualization of a timeline, however, typically is cropped by the edges of the display.
In order to display a greater portion of time-based data, spacing between portions of the displayed representation may be adjusted, such that a region of interest is shown in greater detail than regions outside the region of interest. One example of such a technique is to construct the visualization according to the notion of a "fisheye" view of the data. In a fisheye visualization technique, side portions may be progressively more densely packed further away from the region of interest. As a result, a fisheye technique for visualizing data does not facilitate visualization of periodic data nor does it help view relationships between spaced apart items of data.
A two-dimensional spiral visualization attempts to overcome some of the shortcomings of the linear visualization techniques. When the period of a spiral is appropriately chosen, for example, a spiral visualization facilitates viewing periodic data, including periodic patterns associated with the data. Data that occurs in time following a pattern is easily viewable with a spiral representation. Spirals also have been utilized to arrange a list of items into a compact space and for showing correspondence between different granularities of information. Typically, a spiral representation of linear information is represented as a flat spiral, in which different values of the data are associated with different segments along the spiral. An advantage of the spiral visualization of linear data is its compactness and scalability. However, such a visualization tends to create false impressions concerning the duration or level of importance of different data. For example, segments of data near the periphery of a spiral usually have a greater arc length than the segments near the center even though they do not actually have a longer duration in time.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Visualization of multi-dimensional data having an unbounded dimension


An improved security apparatus including a security grill having an extending left section and right section. The left section includes a left vertical support member, a plurality of tubular lateral support members extending rightwardly therefrom, and a plurality of vertical bars attached to and supported by the lateral support members. The right section comprises a right vertical support member, a plurality of tubular lateral support members extending leftwardly therefrom, and a plurality of vertical bars attached to and supported by the lateral support members. A plurality of intermediate extension members are each inserted into a corresponding pair of the left and right tubular lateral support members and are slidable therein to allow extension of said left security grill section with respect to the right section. The security apparatus includes a left angle bracket for securing one side of the security grill to a door or window frame, and a right angle bracket for securing another side of the security grill to an opposing side of said door or window frame. This way, the security apparatus may be attached exteriorly to a door or window frame to prevent forcible entry. In addition, the right grill section may be attached to the right angle bracket by a plurality of hinges to allow outward pivoting and to provide authorized access to the dwelling. Moreover, a number of hitch and mounting bracket combinations may be welded to the left angle bracket, and the left grill section may include a corresponding number of padlock enclosures welded to the face thereof, such that when the security grill is closed, the hitches protrude into padlock enclosures to allow locking with a conventional padlock. The padlock enclosure obscures access to the padlocks, thereby maximizing security.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to window and door guards for protecting against forced access through existing windows and doors, and, more particularly, to an improved extensible window and door guard which adapts to various-sized openings, and which increases security by a impenetrable welded matrix of bars, inaccessible fasteners and extensors for attachment to various doors and window frames, and protective padlock enclosures.
2. Description of the Background
Many conventional barred security devices exists for protecting windows and doors. These generally comprise a structure of bars which is screwed into the door or window frame to prevent access. Some of these guards are provided with hinges to allow opening in a swinging fashion.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,827 to Lofton discloses a telescoping window bar unit having an upper section that is permanently fixed to a window frame, and a lower section which has locking devices at the bottom and which is configured to telescopically slide into and out of the upper section, such that the unit blocks the entire window when closed, but allows access to the window when the lower section engages the upper section.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,996 to Lamont discloses a portable security grill for a window opening having vertically telescoping members having flat plates at their tops, with the flat plates being attached atop a toggle clamp allowing the vertical members to extend to the full height of the window opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,567 to Pierpont et al. discloses an interior-mounted security bar system for a window opening having side brackets which are permanently affixed to the window frame, vertical cross bar end members which slide vertically within channels in the side brackets, and horizontal telescoping rods running between the vertical cross bar end members such that the bar system may fit window openings of varied widths.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,976 to Lamont discloses another embodiment of the Lamont '996 patent, including a horizontal cross bar across the top of the grill for engaging the top portion of a window edge.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,302 to Kluge discloses a swinging bar assembly for a door or window opening having vertically and horizontally disposed bar members which are arranged such that the horizontal members are fixedly attached to certain of the vertical members, while slidably attached to other vertical members, thus allowing the bar assembly to be fitted to openings of varied widths.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,012 to Merklinger et al. discloses a security barrier for a door or window having horizontal and vertical bar members arranged such that the horizontal members are telescopic, allowing the barrier to be fitted to openings of varied widths.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,396 to Zvi et al. discloses a swinging security gate for a door or window having a provision for adding additional horizontal bar members as needed to increase the height of the gate to fit the proper opening height.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,072 to Zilkha discloses a swinging adjustable secuirty window gate having vertical telescoping bar members allowing the gate to be adjusted to openings of various height.
It is clear from the above that the general concept of a security gate having means to adjust the gate's size for various openings is known in the prior art. However, none of the above-described devices are well-suited for use by contractors in building or renovating dwellings. In this context, the door or window guard should be attached from the exterior of the dwelling. The design should be such that all of the anchors to the door/window frame are inaccessible from the outside. Moreover, the door guard should be hinged to allow easy authorized entry, yet should be padlocked in such a way that the padlock is inaccessible from the outside. All of the above-described designs must either be attached inside the dwelling, or they provide far to much access to the extending mechanism or anchors (to the door/window frame) and thereby compromise security.
Accordingly, it would be a great advantage to provide a door and window security grill which is better-suited for use by contractors in building or renovating dwellings, e.g., the door or window guard should be attachable from the exterior of the dwelling. Moreover, the door guard should be hinged to allow easy authorized entry, yet should be lockable by an enclosed padlock to prevent forcible entry from the outside. The device should provide absolutely no access to the extending mechanism or anchors (to the door/window frame), thereby maximizing security.


A foundation-piering system for lifting and supporting a foundation or structure. The system provides a bracket that includes a seat plate and a pier guide. The seat plate extends horizontally below the foundation to engage the bottom surface thereof. A pad is disposed between the seat plate and the foundation to resist lateral movement of the bracket when under load. The pier guide is provided at a non-vertical angle to enable driving a pier from an initial position laterally adjacent to the foundation to a position that is vertically below the foundation. To install the bracket a face is formed along a bottom edge of the foundation and at an angle corresponding to the angle of the pier guide. The pier guide is abutted against the face when installed to minimize rotational forces encountered by the bracket. The bracket requires no fasteners or other coupling with the foundation.

Sinking or falling of foundations of building structures are a common problem. Resulting movements of the foundation can result in substantial structural damage to the building including cracks in walls, misalignment of doorjambs and window frames, and bulging walls among others. The sinking is generally a result of the underlying substrate having insufficient strength or stability to support the foundation. The substrate may be of a type or form that is inherently weak, such as silt, sands, or organic materials, or the substrate may be weakened as a result of natural occurrences like unusually high or low rainfall or freeze-thaw effects. Non-natural activities, such as nearby construction activities, digging, or blasting, among others might also weaken the substrate.
Typically, hydraulic lifts or jacks are employed to lift the foundation and insert a series of support posts or piers beneath the foundation. The piers are preferably driven through the substrate to contact an underlying stratum, e.g. bedrock that is of sufficient strength to support the foundation. The piers are commonly constructed of steel pipes, tubes, or beams or of concrete pre-forms. Or holes can be dug or augered beneath the foundation and concrete or similar materials poured or injected therein to form piers.
Available apparatus for lifting the foundation and installing the piers thereunder employ a bracket that is coupled to a bottom edge of the foundation or associated footing by a plurality of fasteners driven through the bracket and into the foundation. The bracket may provide a guide for driving the pier vertically downward generally parallel to a wall of the foundation and spaced a short distance outwardly away therefrom.
Known configurations create a large rotational force about the interface between the bracket and the foundation due to the lever arm formed by the spacing of the pier away from the foundation wall. The rotational force may tend to rotate or bend the bracket and may cause the pier to bend or bow under load. As a result, the bracket and the upper portion of the pier located above the bracket may rotate toward the wall of the foundation and create difficulties in operation of hydraulic units coupled thereto as well as for insertion of additional pier segments into the bracket during installation thereof.
A foundation-piering system that reduces the rotational forces encountered by the bracket is needed. A foundation-pier bracket that does not require attachment to the foundation would also be advantageous. And a foundation-piering system that provides an operating location for pier-driving apparatus that is spaced away from the foundation and that is easily adjustable after completion of a foundation leveling is needed.


This disclosure describes a solution to enable more useful and responsive methods for a person's wishes for resuscitation actions to be canceled or discontinued in the event of a medical event. In this solution, a person can record their do not resuscitate (DNR) wishes with more specificity. For instance, they can specify conditions for treatment or non-treatment in the event of a medical emergency that would otherwise call for live-saving procedures or the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) device. Conditional DNR data can be recorded in an electronic device (e.g., emergency pendant or smart watch, or in an electronic device) implanted within or on the person's body. This data can also be stored in a database accessible via a network.

Do not resuscitate (DNR), also known as no code or allow natural death, is a legal order, written or oral depending on country, indicating that a person does not want to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if that person's heart stops beating. Sometimes it also prevents other medical interventions. The legal status and processes surrounding DNR orders vary from country to country. Most commonly, the order is placed by a physician based on a combination of medical judgement and patient wishes and values
The above-described background relating to a facilitation of conditional do not resuscitate orders is merely intended to provide a contextual overview of some current issues, and is not intended to be exhaustive. Other contextual information may become further apparent upon review of the following detailed description.

Facilitation of conditional do not resuscitate orders


In order that a recording medium can be attached to or detached from a main body of a digital camera in a state in which the digital camera is mounted on a stand for digital camera, there is provided the stand in which, a portion of a wall portion of the stand, facing a lower portion of a slot cover formed at a side surface of the camera man body of the digital camera in a state in which the digital camera is mounted on a holding portion of the stand, is an opening and closing wall portion, and the cover of the main body can be opened by opening the opening and closing wall portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stand for digital camera, and particularly to a stand for digital camera on which a digital camera, in which recording medium capable of attaching to or detaching from a main body of the digital camera is used, is mounted.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in an ordinal digital camera, a recording medium on which a photographed image or the like is recorded can be attached to or detached from (inserted into or picked up from) a main body of the digital camera. The image is easily read out by inserting the recording medium, picked up from the main body of the digital camera, into an image reading device such as a personal computer.
However, as shown in FIG. 9, in an ordinal digital camera 100, a recording medium accommodating portion 102 which accommodates a recording medium is provided at a lower side portion of a main body 106 of the digital camera 100, the lower side portion being apart from a portion, at which a member necessary for photographing function is provided, such as a lens accommodating portion 104. Accordingly, in a state in which the digital camera 100 is mounted on a stand (a cradle) 108, a lower portion 102A of the recording medium accommodating portion 102 is positioned inside a side wall portion 108A of the cradle 108, therefore, a door of the recording medium accommodating portion 102 cannot be opened. Accordingly, the recording medium cannot be pulled out from the recording medium accommodating portion 102. Accordingly, when the recording medium is pulled out from the main body 106, it is necessary to disengage the digital camera 100 from the cradle 108, and this operation is troublesome.


A dataset comprising text-based messages can be accessed. Tokens for words and punctuation marks contained in the text-based messages can be generated. Each token corresponds to one word or one punctuation mark. A vector representation for each of a plurality of the tokens can be generated using natural language processing. A sequence of tokens corresponding to the text-based message can be generated for each of a plurality of the text-based messages in the dataset. Ones of the tokens that represent punctuation marks can be identified. An artificial neural network can be trained to predict use of the punctuation marks in sentence structures. The training uses the generated sequence of tokens and the vector representations for the tokens, in the sequence of tokens, that represent the punctuation marks.

The present invention relates to data processing systems, and more specifically, to data processing systems that perform text autocomplete on text-based messages.
Traditionally, text autocomplete is a feature in which an application predicts the rest of a word a user is typing. For example, in graphical user interfaces, users typically can press the tab key to accept a suggested word or the down arrow key to accept one of several suggested words. The use of autocomplete speeds up human-computer interactions when it correctly predicts the word a user intends to enter after only a few characters have been typed into a text input field.

Text autocomplete using punctuation marks

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


The present invention is directed to methods for improving the efficiency and economy of processes for the recovery of natural gas liquids (NGL) from a gas feed, e.g., raw natural gas or a refinery or petrochemical plant gas stream. These methods may be employed with most, if not all, conventional separation methods using a distillation tower, e.g., a demethanizer or deethanizer column. In the methods of the present invention, a portion of a hydrocarbon liquid condensed on a chimney tray disposed below the lowest feed tray of the column is withdrawn from the tower. This withdrawn liquid hydrocarbon is expanded and heated to produce a two-phase system for separation into a heavy, liquid hydrocarbon product and a vapor phase for recycle to the column, preferably as a stripping gas. The withdrawn hydrocarbon liquid is preferably heated by indirect heat exchange with the inlet gas, thus reducing or eliminating the external refrigeration requirements of the process. The expanded, heated vapor recycled to the column increases the ethane and propane concentration in the column, thus reducing the tray temperature profile and increasing the separation efficiency. Accordingly, the column may be operated at lower temperatures and higher pressures, resulting in significant energy savings and economies of operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed toward methods for separating hydrocarbon gas constituents to more efficiently and economically separate and recover both the light, gaseous hydrocarbons and the heavier hydrocarbon liquids. More particularly, the methods of the present invention more efficiently and more economically separate propane, propylene and heavier hydrocarbon liquids (and, if desired, ethane and ethylene) from any hydrocarbon gas stream, e.g., from natural gas or gases from refinery or petrochemical plants.
2. Description of the Background
In addition to methane, natural gas includes some heavier hydrocarbons and other impurities, e.g., carbon dioxide, nitrogen, helium, water and non-hydrocarbon acid gases. After compression and separation of these impurities, natural gas is further processed to separate and recover natural gas liquids (NGL). In fact, natural gas may include up to about fifty percent (50%) by volume of heavier hydrocarbons recovered as NGL. These heavier hydrocarbons must be separated from the methane to provide pipeline quality methane and recovered natural gas liquids. These valuable natural gas liquids comprise ethane, propane, butane and other heavier hydrocarbons. In addition to these NGL components, other gases, including hydrogen, ethylene and propylene, may be contained in gas streams from refinery or petrochemical plants.
Processes for separating hydrocarbon gas components are well known in the art. C. Collins, R. J. J. Chen and D. G. Elliot have provided an excellent, general review of NGL recovery methods in a paper presented at GasTech LNG/LPG Conference 84. This paper, entitled Trends in NGL Recovery for Natural and Associated Gases, was published by GasTech, Ltd. of Rickmansworth, England, in the transactions of the conference at pages 287-303. The pre-purified natural gas is treated by well known methods including absorption, refrigerated absorption, adsorption and condensation at cryogenic temperatures down to about -175.degree. F. Separation of the lower hydrocarbons is achieved in one or more distillation towers. The columns are often referred to as demethanizer or deethanizer columns. Processes employing a demethanizer column separate methane and other more volatile components from ethane and less volatile components in the purified gas stream. The methane fraction is recovered as a purified gas for pipeline delivery. The ethane and less volatile components, including propane, are recovered as natural gas liquids. In some applications, however, it is desirable to minimize the ethane content of the NGL. In those applications, ethane and more volatile components are separated from propane and less volatile components in a column generally known as a deethanizer column.
An NGL recovery plant design is highly dependent on the operating pressure of the distillation column. At medium to low pressures, i.e., 400 psia or lower, the recompression horsepower requirement will be so high that the process becomes uneconomical. However, at higher pressures the recovery level of hydrocarbon liquids will be significantly reduced due to the less favorable separation conditions, i.e., lower relative volatility inside the distillation column. Prior art methods have concentrated on operating the distillation column at higher pressures, i.e., 400 psia or higher while attempting to maintain high recovery of liquid hydrocarbons. In order to achieve these goals, some systems have included two towers, one operated at higher pressure and one at lower pressure.
Many patents have been directed to methods for improving this separation technology. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,588 describing methods for separating hydrocarbon gases using a two-column system. Many of the methods disclosed in these patents sought to improve the separation technique by either increasing or providing a leaner reflux stream to the distillation column near the top. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 171,964 and 4,278,457. These patents disclose that the separation process may be improved by generating leaner reflux from the feed gas by heat exchange with the overhead vapor stream from a demethanizer column. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,318,723 and 4,350,511 further teach that the overhead vapor stream should not only be warmed, but also that a portion may be condensed and returned to the distillation column as reflux. In a further modification, U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,499 discloses that the warmed and compressed overhead vapor stream should be further chilled and expanded before return to the demethanizer column as reflux. In a still further variation, U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,020 discloses a process wherein a recycle stream containing liquid is returned to the top of a demethanizer column to improve the ethane recovery in the NGL product. All of these prior art methods attempt to improve the NGL recovery processes by either generating leaner reflux or recycling a portion of the overhead vapor from the demethanizer column.
A significant cost in NGL recovery processes is related to the refrigeration required to chill the inlet gas. Refrigeration for these low temperature recovery processes is commonly provided by external refrigeration systems using ethane or propane as refrigerants. In some applications, mixed refrigerants and cascade refrigeration cycles have been used. Refrigeration has also been provided by turbo expansion or work expansion of the compressed natural gas feed with appropriate heat exchange.
Traditionally, the gas stream is partially condensed at medium to high pressures with the help of either external propane refrigeration, a turboexpander or both. The condensed streams are further processed in a distillation column, e.g., a demethanizer or deethanizer, operated at medium to low pressures to separate the lighter components from the recovered hydrocarbon liquids. Turboexpander technology has been widely used in the last 30 years to achieve high ethane and propane recoveries in the NGL for leaner gas. For richer gas containing significant quantities of heavy hydrocarbons, a combined process of turboexpander and external propane refrigeration is the most efficient approach.
As can be seen from the foregoing description, the prior art has long sought methods for improving the efficiency and economy of processes for separating and recovering natural gas liquids from natural gas. Accordingly, there has been a long-felt but unfulfilled need for more efficient, more economical methods for performing this separation. The present invention provides significant improvements in efficiency and economy, thus solving those needs.


A drive support device that supports driving operation of a vehicle, includes: a vehicle speed sensor that detects a current vehicle speed of the vehicle; a target vehicle speed control unit that calculates a reference target vehicle speed range of the vehicle, that sets an indication upper limit speed on the basis of the current vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor, and determines a target vehicle speed range that is a speed range lower than or equal to the indication upper limit speed on the basis of the reference target vehicle speed range; and a target vehicle speed indicating unit that indicates the target vehicle speed range determined by the target vehicle speed control unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a drive support device and a drive support method.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, some of vehicles, such as automobiles; are equipped with a drive support device that supports driver's driving operation. For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-191518 (JP 2010-191518 A) describes a drive support device that executes drive support so that a vehicle is able to appropriately cross an intersection on the basis of a travelling state of the vehicle and a state of a traffic signal. The drive support device determines whether a host vehicle is able to cross a signalized intersection ahead of the host vehicle on a green light when the host vehicle is guided to accelerate (depress an accelerator pedal). When it is determined that the host vehicle is able to cross the signalized intersection ahead of the host vehicle on a green light when the host vehicle is guided to accelerate, the drive support device executes acceleration guiding function through an accelerator indicator to prompt a driver to accelerate in a section before the signalized intersection. When it is determined that the host vehicle is not able to cross the signalized intersection ahead of the host vehicle on a green light even when the host vehicle is guided to accelerate, the drive support device executes red light running prevention function through an alarm to prompt the driver to decelerate or stop in the section before the signalized intersection.
In addition, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-289007 (JP 2009-289007 A) describes a vehicle travelling speed indication method that compares an actual travelling speed of a vehicle with a recommended travelling speed or corrected recommended travelling speed that serves as a reference value fixedly indicated on a display screen and that indicates the actual travelling speed of the vehicle as a relative value with respect to the reference value.
The device described in JP 2010-191518 A or the method described in JP 2009-289007 A is able to notify the driver of a travelling condition in which the vehicle is able to cross a traffic signal by indicating a guide to prompt acceleration or indicating a recommended travelling speed. However, in the device described in JP 2010-191518 A or the method described in JP 2009-289007 A, an indicated target travelling speed or accelerating instructions may be significantly different in condition from a present travelling state or a target acceleration or travelling speed, and it may be required to drive the vehicle under a strict condition in order to perform travelling that satisfies the condition. In this way, when there is a possibility that the driver is guided to drive the vehicle under a strict condition, the driver may feel psychological burden from indicated support information.

Drive support device and drive support method


Method for manufacturing a dry textile preform, including: pulling a textile fabric sheet; grabbing a first side portion of the sheet between rollers, the rollers forming a first flange of the first side portion of the sheet inclined at a predeterminable angle to the plane of extension of the sheet; grabbing a second side portion of the sheet opposite to the first side portion between other rollers, the other rollers forming a second flange of the second side portion of the sheet inclined at a predeterminable angle to the plane of extension of the sheet; adjusting a difference between the rolling speed of the pair of first rollers and the rolling speed of the pair of second rollers to form a curvature radius of the sheet; and adjusting distance between the rollers perpendicular to the movement direction of the sheet to form a web portion between the first flange.

When manufacturing fiber composite components for avionics mainly prepregs are used, for example fiber fabric or weave preimpregnated with a matrix material such as an epoxy. Instead of prepregs resin transfer molder (RTM) in combination with a preform from dry fiber material may be used. A dry preform, i.e. a preform not having been impregnated with a matrix material before, is shaped into the desired shape and only afterwards impregnated with matrix material.
A method and a device for manufacturing of preforms is described in DE 10 2010 014 704 A1. In a first step continuously fed fiber layers are shaped at a right angle in a predefined manner. The resulting shaped profile is then bent in a longitudinal direction in a predefined manner.
The document Reinhold, R.: "Preformfertigung—Automatisches Handling für effiziente Anlagen", Maschinenmarkt, Composite World, April 2011 discloses a composite handling system that utilizes a preforming tool to shape a dray fiber fabric into a desired preform shape.

Method and device for manufacturing a dry textile preform


Methods of using invertible oil external-water internal emulsions in drilling, hydraulic fracturing, gravel packing and completion and then inverting the emulsion to a water external-oil internal emulsion are provided. The methods basically comprise the steps of contacting the oil external-water internal emulsion with an aqueous acid solution containing an anionic sulfonate surfactant for preventing aqueous acid solution-crude oil emulsions and crude oil sludging and a chemical for preventing the anionic sulfonate surfactant from reacting with the emulsifier in the oil external-water internal emulsion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improved invertible oil external-water internal drilling fluids, methods for, inter alia, using invertible oil external-water internal drilling fluids as subterranean treatment fluids such as drilling fluids, completion fluids, work-over fluids, gravel packing fluids, fracturing fluids, a stimulating fluid, and packer fluids.
2. Description of the Related Art
Invertible oil external-water internal emulsion fluids have been used for, among other uses, drilling fluids, completion fluids, work-over fluids, gravel packing fluids, formation fracturing fluids, stimulating fluids, and packer fluids. When used as drilling fluids, such emulsion fluids lubricate the drill bit and reduce the overall time required for drilling well bores. The oil external-water internal emulsion fluids have heretofore been stabilized with nonionic amine emulsifiers and exhibit a relatively high pH to insure that the emulsifier retains a nonionic oil wetting character. Oil external-water internal emulsion fluids may be thought of as "stable" if the aqueous phase remains dispersed in the oil phase for at least about 1 minute after mixing of the components is ceased.
When the subterranean treatment, be it drilling, gravel packing, or any other similar treatment, is complete the oil external-water internal emulsion drilling fluid is contacted with an acid which protonates the nonionic amine emulsifier causing it to take on a cationic charge and increase in water solubility. The resulting water soluble emulsifier has water wetting properties, and as a result, the oil and water phases in the emulsion invert whereby a water external-oil internal emulsion of lower viscosity is formed.
The inverted, low-viscosity, water external-oil internal emulsion is believed to wet the surrounding producing formations, thereby increasing oil production. In addition, the water external-oil internal emulsion fluid may be easier to clean up whereby subsequent operations such as cementing or stimulation can be accomplished.
The acid utilized for contacting the oil external-water internal emulsion fluid and causing it to invert is generally in the form of an aqueous acid solution. In order to prevent the formation of aqueous acid solution-crude oil emulsions and crude oil sludging, the aqueous acid solutions used have heretofore contained anionic sulfonate surfactants. While the anionic sulfonate surfactants function well in preventing the formation of aqueous acid-crude oil emulsions and prevent oil sludging from taking place, it has been discovered that the anionic sulfonate surfactants react with the amine emulsifier after it is protonated by acid. The result of the reaction is that the emulsifier does not become water soluble and does not invert the oil external-water internal emulsion to a water external-oil internal emulsion. This not only prevents water wetting and faster clean up, but the aqueous acid solution utilized adds to the internal water phase of the emulsion which results in the emulsion significantly increasing in viscosity. The highly viscous oil external-water internal emulsion formed is difficult to remove and can cause damage to crude oil producing zones.

Methods of using invertible oil external-water internal fluids in subterranean applications


The invention provides a method of producing a solid state lithium battery module in which the occurrence of short circuit caused by dendrites is suppressed. The invention solves this problem by providing a method of producing a solid state lithium battery module, including steps of: a pressing step of pressing a sulfide glass having an ion conductor containing a Li element, a P element, and a S element, and forming a solid electrolyte layer; and a restraining step of restraining a solid state lithium battery including the solid electrolyte layer, using restraining member, wherein, in the pressing step, the solid electrolyte layer is formed such that the average pore radius obtained by a mercury intrusion method is R (μm), and in the restraining step, the solid state lithium battery is restrained such that when the confining pressure is designated as P(MPa), the relationship: P≦−5900R+74 is satisfied.

Along with the rapid distribution of information-related equipment and communication equipment such as personal computers, video cameras, and mobile telephones in recent years, development of batteries used as power supplies thereof has been considered important. Furthermore, even in the automotive industry and the like, development of high power output and high capacity batteries for electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles is in progress. Currently, among various batteries, more attention is paid to lithium batteries from the viewpoint of having a higher energy density.
Lithium batteries that are currently commercially available use liquid electrolytes containing flammable organic solvents, and therefore, installation of safety devices that suppress temperature increases at the time of short circuit, or a structure for preventing short circuit is needed. In this regard, it is believed that since a lithium battery that has been converted to an all solid state battery by changing the liquid electrolyte to a solid electrolyte layer, does not use a flammable organic solvent within the battery, simplification of the safety device can be attempted, and the battery is superior in terms of product cost or productivity.
Furthermore, in the field of lithium batteries, it is known that short circuit caused by dendrites occurs. A short circuit occurs when, at the time of charging, Li that has been precipitated in the anode active material layer grows in the direction of the cathode active material layer, and the anode active material layer and the cathode active material layer are physically brought into contact. In order to prevent short circuit, investigations have been conducted. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a method of producing a non-aqueous electrolyte battery, the method comprises a step of forming a first solid layer by heating a powder of an amorphous solid electrolyte; and a step of forming a second solid layer on the first solid layer by a gas phase method. On the other hand, Patent Literature 2 discloses a Li2S—P2S5—LiI-based sulfide solid electrolyte material.

Method of producing solid state lithium battery module


A wireless mobile device includes a configurable co-processor core(s). The wireless mobile device also includes a multi-core central processing unit coupled to a memory and the configurable co-processor core(s). The multi-core central processing unit may select from a set of hardware accelerators according to a user's use pattern. The wireless mobile device also includes a hardware controller that reconfigures the configurable co-processor core(s) according to a selected hardware accelerator.

1. Field
The present disclosure generally relates to integrated circuit design. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to reconfiguration of co-processor cores for general purpose processors.
2. Background
The popularity of computing systems continues to grow and the demand for improved processing architectures likewise continues to grow. The ever-increasing demand for improved computing performance/efficiency has led to various improved processor architectures. For example, multi-core processors are now more prevalent in the computing industry and used in various computing devices, such as servers, personal computers (PCs), laptop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless telephones, and other like wireless mobile devices. As described herein, wireless mobile devices include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, hand-held personal communication systems (PCS) units, portable data units (e.g., personal data assistants), GPS enabled devices, navigation devices, music players, video players, entertainment units, or any other battery powered device that stores or retrieves data or computer instructions, or any combination thereof.
Balancing power and performance in wireless mobile devices, specifically, trading off power for performance by operating at a lower power and/or frequency is a challenge to the design of wireless mobile devices. Designers of wireless mobile devices are also constrained by the size and weight of batteries. The size and weight limitations are generally due to the increasing power consumption of the device hardware. Recent hardware architectural improvements may ease the balancing of power and performance when designing wireless mobile devices.
Previous CPUs (central processing units) featured a single execution unit to process instructions of a program. More recently, computer systems are being developed with multiple processors to improve the computing performance of the system. In some instances, multiple independent processors may be implemented in a system. In other instances, a multi-core architecture may be employed, in which multiple processor cores are amassed on a single integrated silicon die. Each of the multiple processors (e.g., processor cores) can simultaneously execute program instructions. This parallel operation of the multiple processors can improve the performance of a variety of applications.
A multi-core CPU combines two or more independent cores into a single package comprised of a single piece silicon integrated circuit (IC), referred to as a die. In some instances, a multi-core CPU may comprise two or more dies packaged together. A dual-core device contains two independent microprocessors and a quad-core device contains four microprocessors. Cores in a multi-core device may share a single coherent cache at the highest on-device cache level or may have separate caches. The processors also share the same interconnect to the rest of the system. Each "core" may independently implement optimizations such as superscalar execution, pipelining, and multithreading. A system with N cores is conventionally most effective when it is presented with N or more threads concurrently.
In some architectures, special-purpose processors that are often referred to as "accelerators" are implemented to perform certain types of operations. For example, a processor executing a program may offload certain types of operations to an accelerator that is configured to perform those types of operations efficiently. Such hardware acceleration employs hardware to perform some function faster than is possible in software running on a normal (general-purpose) CPU. Hardware accelerators may be designed for computationally intensive software code. Depending upon granularity, hardware acceleration can vary from small functional units to large functional blocks. Examples of such hardware acceleration include blitting acceleration functionality in graphics processing units (GPUs) and instructions for complex operations in CPUs.
Application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) are conventionally implemented as custom designs. An ASIC is an integrated circuit (IC) customized for a particular use, rather than intended for general-purpose use. For example, an ASIC may be implemented as a chip that is designed solely to run a wireless mobile device (e.g., a cellular telephone). Designers of digital ASICs may use a hardware description language (HDL) such as Verilog or VHDL, to describe the functionality of ASICs. Once a design is completed and a mask set produced for a. target chip, an ASIC is created. The configuration is created once. If a new configuration is specified, an entirely new design is specified. Thus, ASICs are not field-programmable.
Various devices are known that are reconfigurable. Examples of such reconfigurable devices include field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is a well-known type of semiconductor device containing programmable logic components called "logic blocks", and programmable interconnects. Logic blocks can be programmed to perform the function of basic logic gates, or more complex combinational functions such as decoders or simple mathematical functions. In some FPGAs, the logic blocks also include memory elements, which may be simple flip-flops or more complete blocks of memories. A hierarchy of programmable interconnects allows logic blocks to be interconnected as desired by a system designer. Logic blocks and interconnects can be programmed by the customer/designer, after the FPGA is manufactured, to implement any logical function, hence the name "field-programmable."

Use case based reconfiguration of co-processor cores for general purpose processors


An additional cyclic redundancy check (CRC) is inserted in IEEE 802.11 beacon or data frames prior to the end of the frame, at a location following information sufficient for the receiving station to determine whether the frame is from an overlapping basic service set or intended for a different station and to extract other necessary or useful information such as a time of the next full beacon. Upon detecting the CRC, the receiving STA can terminate reception of the frame early to conserve power, and then enter a low power operational mode to further conserve power.

A communications standard, Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11ah, is being developed for sensor networks and stations (STAs) in such sensor networks that require a power save mode of operation to, e.g., conserve battery power. IEEE 802.11ac uses partial bits of Association IDentifiers (AIDs) assigned to STAs in the physical layer (PHY) signal (SIG) to decrease power consumption of data frame reception. In a 1 mega-Hertz (MHz) Basic Service Set (BSS), however, there is no provision for transmission of only a partial AID in the PHY SIG. When an Access Point (AP) does not change the management information of the corresponding BSS, the associated STAs do not need to receive the whole beacon; instead, only time synchronization information and a Traffic Indication Map (TIM) information are required to the STA to operate with improved power conservation.
There is, therefore, a need in the art for improved power saving mechanisms in using wireless network connections.


Enabling a designer to specify workflows to process various results of execution of transactions. A user specifies the specific workflow to be executed on the corresponding result of a transaction. A transaction mapping filter then detects the occurrence of each result and initiates execution of the corresponding workflow. As the transaction mapping filter can be implemented decoupled from the application software/code, a user can flexibly change the links of workflows to results of transactions, as desired in the specific situation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to transaction processing systems, and more specifically to a method and apparatus enabling a designer to specify workflows to process various results of execution of transactions.
2. Related Art
A transaction is a group of operations that are performed by applications to provide a desired utility in response to request(s) received from a user. An example of a transaction is the purchase of products online containing operations such as selection of products of interest, addition of the products to a purchase list, generation of a bill for the products in the purchase list and payment of the billed amount as the user provides the appropriate inputs/data.
In a common scenario, the operations are executed sequentially and various workflows are executed in response to the result of execution of the operations. A workflow generally represents a peripheral task that needs to be performed to complement the result of processing a transaction (or the operations forming the transaction). While the transaction processing is implemented as central logic in an application program, the peripheral tasks are decoupled from the application program to form the workflows.
Workflows often involve tasks such as the movement of documents or shipping of products. For the above noted example, it may be necessary that the product and/or a physical copy of the bill have to be sent to the purchaser of the product. This may be executed as a separate workflow necessitating the initiation of the corresponding workflow when a purchase transaction is completed.
Designers writing (software instructions for) business applications often require specifying (linking) of workflows based on the results of transactions. According to one prior approach, the business applications processing the operations (belonging to a transaction) expressly specify the workflow to be initiated in response to a corresponding result of the transaction.
One disadvantage with such an approach is that addition of new links between workflows and transactions, as well as modification of existing links necessitates changing the code of the business application. Such an approach may not be feasible for business applications (for example, web applications) that need to be running continuously.
What is therefore needed is an approach, which enables a designer to specify workflows to handle various results of execution of transactions while addressing one or more problems/requirements described above.
In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements. The drawing in which an element first appears is indicated by the leftmost digit(s) in the corresponding reference number.


A switching power supply comprises one or more switching sections which repeat ON/OFF operation, a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, a synchronous rectifier section for rectifying a voltage induced in the secondary winding when an input voltage is applied to the primary winding of the transformer by the switching section, a smoothing section for smoothing the voltage rectified by the synchronous rectifier section to obtain an output voltage, a PWM control circuit which generates a PWM signal for adjusting the output voltage to determine an ON/OFF ratio of the switching section, and a drive transformer for ON-OFF driving the synchronous rectifier section according to the PWM signal, and is configured so as to use the energy stored in the drive transformer or the transformer for the ON/OFF operation of the synchronous rectifier section.

In recent years, as electronic appliances have been made more inexpensive, compact, efficient and energy saving, more compact and efficient switching power supplies have been strongly demanded. Furthermore, for the reason such as the reduction of voltages in integrated circuits, the power supply voltages necessary for the electric appliances have been increasingly reduced. Even as to the switching power supplies conforming to such low power supply voltages, there is a problem that, with a rectifier circuit using usual rectifier diodes, a rectification loss becomes greater relative to the power supply output, and power supply efficiency is thereby reduced.
In recent years, since switching devices such as MOSFETs have become higher in performance, an attempt to configure a switching power supply on the synchronous rectification system where a rectifier circuit comprises such switching devices has been made. The MOSFET has a characteristic that, relative to the same-class rectifier diode, forward drop voltages can be made smaller and the rectification losses can be lower. However, the MOSFET has to be driven in synchronism with the switching power supply, so that an appropriate gate voltage needs to be formed.
A conventional switching power supply on the synchronous rectification system will be described below. FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a conventional full-bridge-type switching power supply. In FIG. 9, an input DC power supply 101, which comprises a circuit for rectifying and smoothing a commercial power supply or a battery, is connected across input terminals 102a and 102b. A first switching device 103 and a second switching device 104 each comprise a MOSFET, and the series circuit of the first switching device 103 and the second switching device 104 is connected across the input terminals 102a and 102b. The first switching device 103 and the second switching device 104 are alternately ON/OFF-driven by after-mentioned driving circuits. Similarly, a third switching device 105 and a fourth switching device 106 each comprise a MOSFET, and the series circuit of the third switching device 105 and the fourth switching device 106 is connected across the input terminals 102a and 102b. Furthermore, the third switching device 105 and the fourth switching device 106 are alternately ON/OFF-driven by after-mentioned driving circuits.
A transformer 107 has a primary winding 107a, a first secondary winding 107b and a second secondary winding 107c. One end of the primary winding 107a is connected to the connection point of the first switching device 103 and the second switching device 104, while the other end of the primary winding 107a is connected to the connection point of the third switching device 105 and the fourth switching device 106. The first secondary winding 107b and the second secondary winding 107c of the transformer 107 are connected in series, and the connection point of the first secondary winding 107b and the second secondary winding 107c of the transformer 107 is connected to one end of an inductance device 110.
A first synchronous rectifier device 108 and a second synchronous rectifier device 109 each comprise a MOSFET. Source terminals of the first synchronous rectifier device 108 and the second synchronous rectifier device 109 are connected to each other. The drain terminal of the first synchronous rectifier device 108 is connected to the second secondary winding 107c, while the drain terminal of the second synchronous rectifier device 109 is connected to the first secondary winding 107b.
One end of the series circuit of the inductance device 110 and a smoothing capacitor 111 is connected to the connection point of the source terminals of, respectively, the first synchronous rectifier device 108 and the second synchronous rectifier device 109. The other end of the series circuit thereof is connected to the connection point of the first secondary winding 107b and the second secondary winding 107c of the transformer 107. A smoothing circuit is comprised of the inductance device 110 and the smoothing capacitor 111.
Output terminals 112a and 112b which output stable electric power are provided across the smoothing capacitor 111. A load 113 which consumes electric power is connected across the output terminals 112a and 112b.
An auxiliary power supply 115 is connected to the input terminals 102a and 102b, and a stable voltage is supplied from the input DC power supply 101 to this auxiliary power supply 115. A control circuit 114 connected to the auxiliary power supply 115 generates a PWM signal according to a feedback signal from a photocoupler 154.
A first driving circuit 155 to a fourth driving circuit 158 connected to, respectively, the first switching device 103 to the fourth switching device 106 output drive signals of the first switching device 103 to the fourth switching device 106 respectively according to the PWM signals output from the control circuit 114. A first npn transistor 116, a first pnp transistor 117, a second npn transistor 118 and a second pnp transistor 119 are each drive-controlled by the PWM signal from the control circuit 114. A fifth driving circuit 159 comprises the first npn transistor 116 and the first pnp transistor 117, while a sixth driving circuit 160 comprises the second npn transistor 118 and the second pnp transistor 119. The series circuit of a first capacitor 120 and a primary winding 121a of a drive transformer 121 is connected across the fifth driving circuit 159 and the sixth driving circuit 160. The drive transformer 121 has the primary winding 121a, a first secondary winding 121b and a second secondary winding 121c, and is driven according to the PWM signal of the control circuit 114.
A first reverse comprising a first FET 122 and a first resistance 123 is provided on the secondary side of the drive transformer 121 to invert a signal of the first secondary winding 121b of the drive transformer 121. A seventh driving circuit 161 comprises a third npn transistor 124 and a third pnp transistor 125, and drives the first synchronous rectifier device 108 according to the output of the first reverse.
Furthermore, a second reverse comprising a second FET 126 and a second resistance 127 is provided on the secondary side of the drive transformer 121 to invert a signal of the second secondary winding 121c of the drive transformer 121. An eighth driving circuit 162 comprises a fourth npn transistor 128 and a fourth pnp transistor 129, and drives the second synchronous rectifier device 109 according to the output of the second reverse.
In an output voltage detection circuit 350, a first detection resistance 150 and a second detection resistance 151 are connected in series with the output terminals 112a and 112b, and divide an output voltage. A differential amplifier 153 compares the voltage obtained by dividing the output voltage and the voltage of a reference power supply 152 and amplifies the differential therebetween. A limit resistance 163 determines a current to be passed through the photocoupler 154 according to the voltage error-amplified in the differential amplifier 153.
The first reverse, the second reverse, the photocoupler 154, the seventh driving circuit 161 and the eighth driving circuit 162 are connected to the output terminals 112a and 112b, which serve as the drive power supplies thereof.
FIG. 10 is an operation waveform diagram showing a state of the operation of each part in the conventional switching power supply in FIG. 9. A signal VG1 shown in part (a) of FIG. 10 is a first PWM signal of the control circuit 114, and ON/OFF-drives the first switching device 103 and the fourth switching device 106 simultaneously via the first driving circuit 155 and the fourth driving circuit 158. A signal VG2 shown in part (b) of FIG. 10 is a second PWM signal of the control circuit 114, and ON/OFF-drives the second switching device 104 and the third switching device 105 simultaneously via the second driving circuit 156 and the third driving circuit 157.
A signal VT1 shown in part (c) of FIG. 10 represents a waveform of the voltage generated in the first secondary winding 121b of the drive transformer 121. A signal VT2 shown in part (d) of FIG. 10 represents the voltage generated in the second secondary winding 121c of the drive transformer 121. A signal VG3 shown in part (e) of FIG. 10 represents the output of the first reverse. The first synchronous rectifier device 108 is ON/OFF-driven under the signal VG3 from this first reverse. A signal VG4 shown in part (f) of FIG. 10 represents the output of the second reverse. The second synchronous rectifier device 109 is ON/OFF-driven under the signal VG4 from this second reverse.
Furthermore, IG1 shown in part (g) of FIG. 10 represents the drive current of the first synchronous rectifier device 108. IG2 shown in part (h) of FIG. 10 represents a drive current of the second synchronous rectifier device 109.
Next, the operation of the conventional switching power supply configured as mentioned above will be described.
When the first PWM signal VG1 from the control circuit 114 is driven high (high level) at time T0 shown in FIG. 10, the first switching device 103 and the fourth switching device 106 are simultaneously turned ON. When the first switching device 103 and the fourth switching device 106 are turned ON as described above, an input voltage is applied to the primary winding 107a of the transformer 107 and a voltage is generated in the secondary winding 107b of the transformer 107. At this time, a voltage is also applied to the primary winding 121a of the drive transformer 121, and a positive voltage is generated in the first secondary winding 121b of the drive transformer 121, while a negative voltage is generated in the second secondary winding 121c of the drive transformer 121. As a result, the output of the first reverse goes low (low level), while the output of the second reverse remains high (high level), and the first synchronous rectifier device 108 is turned OFF, while the second synchronous rectifier device 109 is in the ON state.
The voltage generated in the first secondary winding 107b of the transformer 107 is applied via the second synchronous rectifier device 109 in the ON state to the smoothing circuit comprising the inductance device 110 and the smoothing capacitor 111.
When the first PWM signal VG1 is driven low at time T1, the first switching device 103 and the fourth switching device 106 are turned OFF. At this time, the voltage applied to the primary winding 121a of the drive transformer 121 becomes zero, and the voltages generated in the first secondary winding 121b and the second secondary winding 121c of the drive transformer 121 also become zero. As a result, the first reverse and the second reverse are both high, and the first synchronous rectifier device 108 and the second synchronous rectifier device 109 are simultaneously in the OFF state. The current flowing through the inductance device 110 divides to flow through the first secondary winding 107b and the second secondary winding 107c of the transformer 107 via the first synchronous rectifier device 108 and the second synchronous rectifier device 109 in the ON state. As a result, the exciting current of the transformer 107 becomes continuous. At this time, the voltages generated in the first secondary winding 107b and the second secondary winding 107c of the transformer 107 become zero, so that the voltage applied to the smoothing circuit (110, 111) also becomes zero.
When the second PWM signal VG2 from the control circuit 114 is driven high (high level) at time T2, the second switching device 104 and the third switching device 105 are simultaneously turned ON. When the second switching device 104 and the third switching device 105 are simultaneously turned ON as described above, an input voltage is applied to the primary winding 107a of the transformer 107 in the direction opposite to that at time T0. At this time, a voltage of the opposite polarity is also applied to the drive transformer 121, and the first synchronous rectifier device 108 is turned ON by the first reverse, while the second synchronous rectifier device 109 is turned OFF by the second reverse. As a result, the voltage generated in the second secondary winding 107c of the transformer 107 is applied via the first synchronous rectifier device 108 to the smoothing circuit (110, 111).
In the conventional switching power supply, by the operation mentioned above, the time of the voltage applied to the smoothing circuit is changed according to the ON/OFF ratios of the first PWM signal VG1 and the second PWM signal VG2, and the output voltage can be thereby adjusted. The output voltage is detected by the first detection resistance 150 and the second detection resistance 151, compared with the voltage of the reference power supply 152 and amplified at the differential amplifier 153, and input to the photocoupler 154. The control circuit 114 generates and outputs a PWM signal according to the output signal from the photocoupler 154. In the conventional switching power supply, as mentioned above, a negative feedback circuit is comprised of the control circuit 114, and the output voltage is stabilized.
However, with the configuration of the conventional switching power supply configured as mentioned above, when the synchronous rectifier device is driven, at the turn-on time, the drive current is supplied from the output voltage via the driving circuit, and the gate charge is charged. At the turn-off time, the gate charge is short-circuit discharged via the driving circuit. Therefore, there is a problem that, when the synchronous rectifier device is ON/OFF-driven, a rectification loss is produced. To reduce the conduction loss of the synchronous rectifier device, it is desirable to use a synchronous rectifier device which is large in chip size. The synchronous rectifier device which is large in chip size has a problem that, since the gate capacitance is large and the drive loss is great, the rectification loss including this drive loss cannot be reduced. In the conventional switching power supply configured as mentioned above, there is a problem that, since the output voltage is used as a power supply of the driving circuit, the synchronous rectifier device cannot be driven when the output voltage is extremely low, for example, 1V.
The present invention intends to solve the problems in the conventional switching power supply, and is intended to provide a high-efficiency switching power supply which supplies a voltage with stability while charging and discharging the gate of a synchronous rectifier device without any loss, and can thereby exert fully the effect of the synchronous rectification.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A device for conveying full and empty bobbins between multi-position textile machines of different finishing stages is comprised of an endless conveying rail and an endless, driven conveying element. The endless conveying rail is common to all of the multi-position textile machines of different finishing stages, whereby at least two multi-position textile machines are connected by the endless conveying rail. The conveying element is connected to the endless conveying rail and comprises carriers for conveying the full and empty bobbins, the carriers being movable along the conveying rail.

The present invention relates to a device for conveying filled and empty bobbins between multi-position textile machines of different finishing stages, comprising an endless conveying rail that is common to all multi-position textile machines of different finishing stages, whereby carriers for the bobbins or bobbin tubes are conveyed along and between the multi-position textile machines on the conveying rail.
A device of the aforementioned kind is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,682. The device is used to convey full bobbins manufactured on at least one first spinning machine to at least one second spinning machine provided with a bobbin creel for a subsequent manufacturing step and to transport the empty bobbin sleeves or tubes back to the at least one first spinning machine. In this known device one single conveying rail is provided between the different machines on which the bobbins, respectively, the bobbin tube carriers, especially in the form of slides or carriages, are conveyed in the same conveying direction. The bobbin carriers are moved along the conveying rail either by hand or by providing ascending and descending rail sections in the direction of movement. In the area of ascending rail sections a motor-driven conveying unit is provided, for example, in the form of an endless conveyor, which engages the individual carriers, respectively, carrier slide and moves it in an upward direction. As soon as the individual bobbin carriers, respectively, bobbin carrier slides, have reached the elevated rail plateau, they are moved due to gravity in a downward direction within the area of the adjacent descending rail sections.
The disadvantage of this known device is that the transportation flow along the conveying rail occurs in a stepwise manner. On the one hand, in the area of the differently ascending rail sections respective independent drive units are required, while, on the other hand, it is not reliably ensured that in a uniform manner bobbin carriers, respectively, bobbin carrier carriages will pass the individual work stations of the multi-position textile machines so that a uniform servicing of the individual work stations is not ensured.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,360 a transporting and handling system for multi-position textile machines is described which comprises a plurality of rail systems which are connected to one another by switches, whereby in the area of each individual rail system an independent drive unit is provided in order to convey the movable bobbin carriers, respectively, bobbin carrier trains along the individual rail systems to the individual work stations of the multi-position textile machines. In this known device the adjacent arrangement of various conveying systems is based on the fact that simultaneous with the bobbin carrier, respectively, bobbin carrier trains at least one servicing unit for performing operating steps at individual work stations of the multi-position textile machines are provided, whereby the individual servicing units are designed to perform operating steps within the area of one of the machines of different finishing stages.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a conveying device of the aforementioned kind which ensures between multi-position textile machines of different finishing stages a direct connection with uniform conveying, respectively, operating flow such that at the stations of each multi-position textile machine of different manufacturing stages to be serviced essentially an uninterrupted flow of bobbins, respectively, bobbin tube carriers is provided.

Device for conveying full and empty bobbins between multi-position textile machines


The present invention provides the methods of synthesis of [5]helicene compounds and the use of the said compounds conjugating with biomolecules to work as molecular reporter for diagnostic. The compounds in the present invention have the chemical structure illustrated in the formula (1): wherein G is a connecting group composes of 2 carbon atoms selected from the group consisting of ethane and ethylene; A is a separated or connected group selected from the group consisting of cyano and imide; D1 is selected from the group consisting of oxyalkanoic acid, oxyalkanal and oxyalkanesulfonate; and D2 has structure selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, oxyalkanoic acid, oxyalkanal, alkyl oxyalkanoate, oxyalkanol and oxyalkanesulfonate. The compounds in the present invention compose of aromatic [5]helicene core comprising long it-conjugating system. The said compounds contain functional groups which able to link with biomolecules and they are soluble in water or other solvents that used in binding process with biomolecules. Moreover, owing to having proper chemical structure, the compounds in the present invention exhibit good fluorescent emission in wavelength of 425-675 nm. When the said compounds connected with biomolecules, the biomolecules give good fluorescence and can be detected under ultraviolet radiation.

Luminescent organic compounds are used as reporter molecules to give optical signal in biotechnology. The organic compounds are excited by a light source with a proper wavelength and give fluorescent light. The molecules can be attached to biomolecules, such as protein, antibody peptide or DNA, by covalent or non-covalent bonding specifically. When a luminescent organic compound is connected to a biomolecule, it can be commonly called a fluorophore. Mostly, reporter molecules comprise aromatic structure which make the molecules exhibit fluorescent emission.
There are many uses of luminescent materials for diagnostic in biotechnology especially for mycotoxin analysis. Mycotoxins are organic compounds produced by fungi and toxic to human and animal. The contamination of mycotoxin can be found in all food production chain in agriculture process, including prehavesting, posthavesting food processing, storage and logistic. Since many toxins are chemical resistance and highly thermal stability, they can be accumulated in human bodies and having an affect on health in short and long term, although fungi are killed.
Due to high toxicity of some mycotoxins, many food administators set the standard for the allowed amount of toxins in foods. For consumers safety, diagnostic for mycotoxins are very important for not only consumers but also food producers.
Mycotoxin diagnostic can be performed by immunochemical technique which composes of two main parts. An element that specifically binds with a target molecule is a selective recognition element. In case of the target molecule is mycotoxin, the recognition element can be antibody. The second element is reporter molecule which gives signal of the analysis. The example of commonly used reporter molecules include enzymes, radioactive compounds, nanoparticles, and fluorescent dyes or fluorophores. Due to different advantages of reporter molecules, objectives of analysis, methods of diagnostic and other considerations are needed to be taken into account for selecting a proper reporter molecule. For example, the fluorescent dyes or fluorophores give strong optical signal. Therefore, the analysis of a target molecule can be performed at very low concentration with high sensitivity. Nonetheless, the fluorescent compound can be prepared in large quantity with consistent properties in batch to batch synthesis.
One of the component in the development of diagnostic in biotechnology is reporter molecule. One of the key components of a diagnostic development in biotechnology is an effective reporter molecule. A fluorophore becomes a powerful reporter molecule for detection of multiple targets in many techniques such as in a multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction and microarray technique. However, the usage of fluorophores is limited in the research only because an expensive detector is required to measure the fluorescent signal. Currently, fluorescent organic compounds are widely used as luminescent materials in many areas. Nevertheless, this type of fluorescent compounds was not suitable for linking to biorecognition element (e.g. antibody, peptide, and DNA) for diagnostic applications owing to their physiochemical properties: solubility and specific functional group for conjugation with the biorecognition element.
There are many fluorescent organic compounds or fluorophores widely used in biotechnology including fluorescein, rhodamine, BODIPY, squaraine and cyanine (Goncalves, Chem Rev 109(2009) 190-212; Kobayashi et al, Chem Rev 110(2010) 2620-2640; Gust, et al, Molecules 19(2014) 15824-15865) and their chemical structures are shown below.

Fluorescent materials can be categorized in many ways such as emission wavelength or main chemical structure. Fluorescent compounds for diagnostic in biotechnology have been continuously developed to improve the desired properties for the application. The said characteristics include high molar extinction coefficient or molar absorptivity (ε), high fluorescence quantum efficiency (ΦF), high chemical stability, thermal stability and photo stability or optical stability. The compounds also should be soluble in solvents especially in water which used for conjugating the compounds with biomolecules. Importantly, after binding fluorescent compounds with biomolecules, the activity of the biomolecules should not decrease significantly.
The important development of luminescent organic compound for biotechnology is the synthesis of new organic compound. Some new compounds give better certain properties while decrease other performances. For instance, organic dye with long wavelength emission is generally a large molecule which less soluble than a small molecular dye. Moreover, when a large molecule conjugated with a biomolecule, it can possibly decreases the activity of the biomolecule. The optical properties such as absorption and emission are crucially taken into account for the development of luminescent organic dye. Many organic dyes, with small Stokes shift, absorb light in the visible region and emit light in the nearby excitation wavelength. However, an organic dye with a large Stokes shift is desired because the light from the diagnostic light source will not interfere the resulting emitted light from the reporter organic molecule. As a result, an organic dye with a large Stokes shift will provide a benefit to the design for a diagnostic test kit.
[5]Helicenes or pentahelicenes are hydrocarbon compounds compose of ortho-fused five aromatic rings resulting in helical out-of-plane structures. The unsubstituted derivatives give very low fluorescence quantum yields. The structure of [5]helicene is depicted below.

Depend on the substitutions, Rs, there are many synthetic pathways for preparation of [5]helicene compounds. 7,8-Dicyano[5]helicene compounds were prepared as precursors for phthalocyanine synthesis. [Sooksimuang et al, Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines 6(2002) 544-547 and Mandal et al, Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines 10(2006) 140-146] The studies showed the resulting phthalocyanines were soluble because of the out-of-plane structure of helicene. The studies, however, did not explain the optical properties of dicyano[5]helicene compounds. The representative of the said compound is demonstrated below.

Because cyano is a good electron withdrawing group, the direction of electron delocalization within 7,8-dicyano[5]helicene molecule points toward cyano group. Thus, addition of electron donating groups at proper positions provided many novel organic compounds that emit light at various wavelengths with high efficiency. Many compounds were prepared and utilized as emitting layer for organic light-emitting diode as described in the following inventions.
Thai patent applications number 0601006279, 1001001071, 1001001072, 1001001426 and 1101002049 showed the addition of various functional groups to derivatives of 5,6,9,10-tetrahydro-7,8-dicyano[5]helicene compound to gain compounds having different optical and thermal properties. The compounds in these applications have optical and optoelectronic characteristics suitable for emitting materials in organic light-emitting diode. The said compounds were utilized for blue, green and yellow diodes. The chemical structures of the compounds are demonstrated below.

Moreover, [5]helicene derivative compounds were further developed to gain broader garmut emission by changing the electron withdrawing group from cyano to anhydride and imide as appeared in Thai patent applications number 0901003446, 1201005097, 1201005098 and 1501006011. The structures of the compounds are showed as following.

The compounds in above applications have good optical, optoelectronic and thermal characteristics suitable for emitting materials in organic light-emitting diode. Therefore, the said compounds were utilized for green diodes with good efficiencies.
2-(2-(bis(pyridin-2-yl-methyl)amino)ethyl)-7,12-dimethoxy-4,5,14,15-tetrahydro-1H-dinaphtho[2,1-e:1′,2′-g]isoindole-1,3(2H)-dione, a [5]helicene derivative, was prepared and used as a chemical sensor. The molecule composes of an ionophore which able to analyze either copper or zinc ion specifically by applying different diagnostic conditions. [5]helicene fragment works as a fluorophore which makes the molecule emits fluorescent signal. The said compound was described in the Thai patent application number 1501003213 and the structure is depicted below.

Due to the [5] helicene derivative compounds described above have many good characteristics, i.e., various visible emission wavelengths with high efficiencies, high thermal stability and good chemical resistance, the said compounds meet criteria for emissive layer in organic light-emitting diode.
Though, the structures of the said [5]helicene compounds are further modified to present different structures and properties to meet requirements for reporter molecule in biotechnology.

[5]Helicene derivatives as molecular reporters for diagnostic applications and methods of synthesis therefor

National Science and Technology Development Agency