A connector includes a first connector housing including a first wall. The first connector housing is attachable to a second connector housing such that the first wall opposes a second wall of the second connector housing. The first connector housing includes: a fitting chamber defined at least by the first wall, the fitting chamber allowing a counterpart connector housing to be fitted therein; and an engaging arm provided on the first wall, the engaging arm being configured to engage an engaged arm provided on the second wall of the second connector housing when the first connector housing is completely attached to the second connector housing. The engaging arm serves as an attachment state detection mechanism configured to detect an incomplete attachment state in which the first connector housing is incompletely attached to the second connector housing.

As a connector used in a state in which a plurality of connector housings are stacked and attached to each other (the connecter is also referred to as a "combined connector"), for example, a technique disclosed in JP-A-2009-295423 is known. A combined connector shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 of JP-A-2009-295423 includes two connector housings. Upper surfaces of the connector housings are formed as mating surfaces when other connector housings are stacked.
Locking protrusions are provided on both side surfaces of each of the connector housings. In addition, elastic engagement pieces formed so as to be engageable with the locking protrusions are provided on both side portions of each of the mating surfaces of the connector housings.
The connector housings stacked in an upper-lower direction are coupled to each other by engagement between the locking protrusion of one connector housing and the elastic engagement piece of the other connector housing. More specifically, a rear end side of the mating surface of the other connector housing is overlapped with a front end side of the mating surface of one connector housing. Thereafter, the connector housings slide relative to each other along the mating surface, whereby the locking protrusion and the elastic engagement piece are engaged with each other.


One goal in automated product designing of additive manufacturing is to obtain designs having overhangs without support structures if the criterion for overhangs is rigorously geometrical. In an embodiment of the present invention, designers can request automated optimization and design, using simulation and sensitivity-based optimization, of structures having overhangs in the print direction that do not need any support structures. In an embodiment, a method includes, at a processor, calculating model design responses and model sensitivities of a computer-aided engineering (CAE) model in a CAE system based on design variables of the CAE model for various design responses being either applied in objective or constraints. The method further includes optimizing values of the design variables. The method further includes calculating physical design variables by employing a penalty function. Additionally, the calculations can also be in conjunction with employing material interpolation schemes. The method further includes generating an optimized CAE model using the calculated physical design variables. The optimized CAE model is free or partly free of support structures. The method further includes printing the optimized CAE model being free or partly free of support structures.

Automated product design relies on optimization of user designs and simulation of those designs. For example, additive manufacturing (e.g., 3-dimensional (3D)-printing) prints layers of a material in a printing direction, such as from a ground level to a higher level. A designer can produce a 3D-model or 3D-printing instructions of a product and quickly and cost-effectively create a rapid prototype of a product. 3D-printing further allows for mass customization of products and production of products that are typically difficult to manufacture by other means.

Penalty function on design variables for designing variables for designing cost beneficially additive manufacturable structures


A novel method for making a composite separation membrane, and the product of that method. This novel method includes applying one or more perfluoroethers to the surface of a microporous fiber or film made of a polymer such as PAN, and subsequently coating that fiber or film surface with a layer of selective material. This method provides a more permeable composite membrane than would be obtained by coating a fiber or film that had not been pre-wetted with perfluoroether.

This invention relates to the field of composite membranes, particularly those that comprise microporous polyacrylonitrile ("PAN") fiber or film.
In creating a gas or liquid separation membrane, it is desirable to have both a high rate of permeation or throughput and a high separation factor or selectivity. This combination of characteristics permits the effective separation of a relatively large volume of fluid per unit time. Large rates of permeation also allow the membrane to be operated at lower pressures, which improves cost-effectiveness.
Highly porous membranes tend to be very permeable, but do a poor job of separating fluids into their components. Less porous, dense membranes can be more selective, but at the cost of reduced throughput.
Asymmetric membranes generally have a thin, dense separation layer and a less dense, more permeable layer. These asymmetric membranes are often chosen for separation applications because they may provide a good combination of permeation and separation. Hollow fibers having a dense skin and a porous body can be used to make such membranes.
Polyacrylonitrile hollow fiber may be coated with another material that serves as a separation layer to form a useful separation membrane, but the throughput of the PAN composite membrane may be too low for practical purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,036, issued to Tzentis, describes a method for making asymmetric hollow fibers comprising acrylonitrile polymers, which fibers may be used in dialysis cells or textiles.
A process for producing hollow polyacrylonitrile separation membranes in fibrous form is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,409,162, issued to Takeo. In this process, a membranous product is shaped in hollow fiber form from a solution of PAN and subsequently solvent is removed to produce an asymmetric porous separation membrane.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,932 issued to Puri describes a process for making highly permeable coated composite hollow fiber membranes. The hollow fiber substrate is passed continuously through a polymeric coating solution and withdrawn through a coating die to form a uniform coating.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,954 issued to Bikson, et al. describes permeable membranes for enhanced gas separation in which an asymmetric porous support is coated with a separation layer. The support is made asymmetric prior to coating to provide mechanical stability and a uniform support surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,141, issued to Buck, et al., describes asymmetric composite separation membranes for use in hemodialysis. These membranes may comprise PAN.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,519, issued to Pasternak, et al., describes a membrane process for separation of organic liquids using a composite membrane in which polyacrylonitrile is the support layer.


A method for detecting an ellipsoid includes: extracting an ellipsoid candidate; extracting an ellipsoid contour; calculating an ellipsoid parameter; calculating an adaptability ratio; and eliminating the ellipsoid candidate. Extracting the ellipsoid candidate includes: inputting an image with figures; selecting the ellipsoid candidate from the figures; and extracting a contour candidate point and a center point. Extracting the ellipsoid contour includes: drawing straight lines; determining contour candidate points; calculating first and second distances; and defining ellipsoid contour points. Calculating the ellipsoid parameter is based on the ellipsoid contour points and the center point. Calculating the adaptability ratio includes: drawing a complete ellipsoid; and calculating the adaptability ratio between the complete ellipsoid and the ellipsoid candidate. Eliminating the ellipsoid candidate is performed when the adaptability ratio is equal to or smaller than a threshold.

In recent years, researches for presuming behavior of a driver from an image provided by photographing the face, etc. of the driver for driving a vehicle such as an automobile, etc., and for performing various controls (concretely, driving support, giving of an alarm, etc.) corresponding to a presuming result are made.
It is effective to specify driver's eyes so as to grasp the behavior of the driver. Therefore, it is important to detect an eye iris or an eye pupil of the driver from the photographed image. At present, it is tried that the ellipse is detected from an image provided by photographing the circumference of the eye and is recognized as the eye iris or the eye pupil of the driver.
In the photographed image, the eye iris and the eye pupil are not necessarily shown as a perfect ellipse, but are shown as an imperfect figure defective in one portion of a contour by partially covering the eye pupil with an eyelid as shown in FIG. 11A and projecting light on the eye pupil as shown in FIG. 11B in a certain case.
Accordingly, in the control of this kind, it is required that the figure (here, the ellipse) to be detected can be restored even when one portion of the contour is defective.
Thus, the generalized Hough transform is known as a method for restoring the figure from one portion of the contour in this way. This is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,465.
When the figure of a certain shape is detected by using this generalized Hough transform, a template figure of the same shape as the figure to be detected is prepared. Plural characteristic points Pi (i=1 to M, M represents a natural number) showing characters of this template figure are represented by polar coordinate vectors (Ri, αi) with respect to a reference point set in advance. A table for enumerating this polar coordinate vector (Ri, αi) is set as a template.
Ri is a distance from a reference point, and αi is an angle with respect to a reference axis passing the reference point. When the figure to be detected is an ellipse, a contour point of the ellipse may be used as a characteristic point, and an elliptical center may be used as the reference point.
Plural inspecting points Pj (j=1 to N, N represents a natural number) located on the contour of the figure are extracted from the input image. This inspecting point Pj is represented by an orthogonal coordinate system (Xj, Yj) set on the input image. Further, these orthogonal coordinates (Xj, Yj) are transformed by using Formulas F1 and F2. In these formulas, θ shows an inclination of the template figure.Xj=X+Ri×cos(αi+θ)  (F1)Yj=Y+Ri×cos(αi+θ)  (F2)
In this coordinate transformation, it is supposed that inspecting point Qj=(Xj, Yj) corresponds to characteristic point Pi=(Ri, αi) shown in the template, and the position of the reference point on the input image is calculated. Accordingly, if inspecting point Qj is fixed and the coordinate transformation is performed with respect to all the polar coordinate vectors enumerated in the table, a locus of reference point candidature is calculated. In particular, when θ is fixedly considered, the locus of this reference point candidature becomes the same shape as the template.
Namely, as shown in FIG. 12, plural loci 21 of the reference point candidature are calculated by executing similar coordinate transformation with respect to plural inspecting points Qj. A spot overlapped at one point with respect to all these plural loci 21 becomes the reference point 23 of the figure to be detected. Dotted line 20 in FIG. 12 shows an ellipse as the figure of an inspecting object, and point 22 shows inspecting point Qj.
When the position of the ellipse is detected by only the generalized Hough transform from the input image including a figure having the contour having defects as the ellipse as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, the position of the ellipse is presumed by using an inspecting point on the contour including these defects. Therefore, a problem exists in that detection accuracy of this position of the ellipse is greatly reduced. Here, the position of the ellipse is the position of a contour point of the ellipse determined by the ratio of major and minor axes, an inclination (i.e., an angle of the major axis) of the major axis, etc.
Therefore, the driver's eyes and behavior cannot be exactly detected from the image (i.e., the input image) including the face of the driver. Accordingly, a problem exists in that no control of driver support, etc. according to a situation of the driver can be performed.
Further, in an image in which the circumference of a driver's eye is photographed by a camera fixed into a vehicle as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, the size and shape of the driver's eye (iris or eye pupil) shown within this image, i.e., the size (the length of a major axis) of an ellipse to be detected, a ratio of the major and minor axes of the ellipse and an inclination (an inclination angle of the major axis) of the ellipse are variously different in accordance with a seating position of the driver and a direction of the face of the driver.
For example, in a case in which the ellipse of a template and the ellipse of an input image are the same in inclination θ but are different in size as shown in FIG. 19A, and a case in which the ellipse of the template and the ellipse of the input image are the same in size but are different in inclination θ as shown in FIG. 19B, no locus 25 is overlapped at one point and the center (reference point) of the ellipse is not detected. However, a dotted line 27 in FIGS. 19A and 19B is the ellipse as a figure of an inspecting object, and a point 26 is an inspecting point Qj.
Thus, when it is intended to detect the ellipse not constant in size and shape by the generalized Hough transform, it is necessary to prepare the template every ellipse different in the ratio of the major and minor axes. Further, when coordinate transformation is performed, it is necessary to change θ of formulas F1 and F2 in consideration of the inclination of the ellipse, and enlarge/reduce the template in size in consideration of the size (the length of the major axis) of the ellipse. Therefore, a problem exists in that a processing amount until the detection of the center of the ellipse becomes enormous.
In particular, it is required that a processor mounted to a vehicle for image processing is cheap and is excellent in noise resisting property. Therefore, no sufficiently high speed processor can be used. Therefore, when the generalized Hough transform is used in the detection of the iris or the eye pupil in the vehicle mounting controller for detecting the iris or the eye pupil of the driver and performing driver's support, etc. on the basis of its detecting result, a problem exists in that delay is caused in control and no structure resisting a practical use can be realized.

Ellipsoid detecting method, figure center detecting method, image recognizing device, and controller based on image


An ergonomic desk includes an adjustable display stand supported on a table or other support platform of the desk. The display stand is adapted to support one or more display monitors thereon and to provide depth and height adjustment for the display monitors via electronic controls. The height and tilt of the table may also be adjusted using electronic controls.

A prior art desk designed for ergonomic viewing of electronic displays is sold under the trademark CARL'S TABLE®-2003 Model (hereinafter "CT03") by Anthro Corporation, the assignee of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a photograph of the CT03 desk 10. With reference to FIG. 1, the CT03 desk 10 includes first and second table sections 12, 14 supported on a pair of telescoping legs 16 that are driven by a lift motor for changing the height of surfaces 12a, 14a of first and second tables above the floor. A first control switch 22 allows a user to raise and lower the table surfaces 12a, 14a to a preferred seating height or higher, to a standing position. The table surfaces 12a, 14a extend laterally from the user's position. The first table surface 12a is positioned in between the second table surface 14a and the user's position. The display monitors (not shown) are mounted on display stands 24 attached to the second table surface 14a, while the first table surface 12a remains open for use as a work surface or as a platform for a keyboard. The first and second table sections 12, 14 are rigidly coupled together and motor driven for rotation relative to the legs 16 about a horizontal axis extending side-to-side, for thereby adjusting the tilt of the first and second table surfaces 12a, 14a in tandem. In response to actuation of a second control switch 26, the table sections 12, 14 are driven for rotation in synchronization with an adjustment of the telescoping legs 16 so that the tilt of first table surface 12a is adjusted without substantially changing the height position of a proximal edge 28 of the first table surface 12a nearest the user. In this manner, the angle of the first table surface 12a can be adjusted without requiring a user to change the height of his or her chair to accommodate the movement of the first table section 12.
In the CT03 desk 10, each of the display stands 24 includes a pole 30 fixedly attached to the second table surface 14a and a pair of swing arms 32 mounted extending laterally from boom 30. Each swing arm 32 can each be articulated for adjusting a depth position of the display mounted thereon (not shown). The swing arms 32 are also movable vertically along pole 30 to adjust the height of the display monitors. To prevent inadvertent movement of the display monitors when the second table surface 14a is tilted, screws in shoulder and elbow joints 34 of the swing arms 32 are tightened once the displays are positioned where desired.
Incorporated herein by reference for purposes of background are U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. US 2006/0075933 A1 and US 2006/0244717 A1. US 2006/0075933 A1 describes a supporting arrangement for a presentation device such as an image display monitor, wherein a supporting arrangement and a work surface are coupled for relative angular movement for adjusting both a tilt of the work surface and a viewing angle of the presentation device; and US 2006/0244717 A1 describes a system for automatically adjusting workplace illumination in response to changes in the intensity of images displayed on a computer display monitor.
U.S. Patent No. 6,296,408 of Larkin et al. describes a workstation having a motorized support for a computer monitor that is automatically controlled by a computer controller programmed to continuously make imperceptible adjustments to a chair position, a footrest position, a keyboard position, and/or a monitor position to prevent worker fatigue and/or repetitive stress disorders. The Larkin et al. mechanism for moving a monitor is disclosed as a height adjuster secured to a non-rotatable work table with a vertically extending support coupled to the height adjuster. A monitor distance adjuster is secured to the support and horizontally moves a monitor support that extends through the monitor distance adjuster.
The present inventors have recognized a need for an improved desk and desktop display stand enabling ergonomic configuration.

Desk and display stand with height and depth adjustment


A thermal management system and method for cooling Magnetic Resonance Imaging gradient coils. The system includes least one first header tube positioned adjacent to said gradient coils and configured to transport a coolant fluid; at least one set of cooling tubes connected to said header tube at inlet ends and configured to transport said coolant fluid, wherein said cooling tubes are parallel to each other and at least one second header tube positioned adjacent to said gradient coils, connected to said at least one set of cooling tubes at outlet ends of said at least one set of cooling tubes and configured to transport said coolant fluid.

The present invention relates generally to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and more particularly, to a system and method of enhanced thermal management of a gradient coil assembly in an MRI system.
Generally, MRI is a well-known imaging technique. A conventional MRI system establishes a homogenous magnetic field, for example, along an axis of a person's body that is to undergo MRI. This homogeneous magnetic field conditions the interior of the person's body for imaging by aligning the nuclear spins of nuclei (in atoms and molecules forming the body tissue) along the axis of the magnetic field. If the orientation of the nuclear spin is perturbed out of alignment with the magnetic field, the nuclei attempt to realign their nuclear spins with an axis of the magnetic field. Perturbation of the orientation of nuclear spins may be caused by application of radio frequency (RF) pulses. During the realignment process, the nuclei process about the axis of the magnetic field and emit electromagnetic signals that may be detected by one or more gradient coils placed on or about the person.
As well known in the MRI industry, high power MRI systems consume large amounts of electrical power. In particular, the gradient and RF coils consume excessive amounts of power and thus these coils generate significant heat typically on the order of tens of kilowatts. As one would expect, excessive heat can cause system components to deteriorate or fail prematurely and hence adversely affects reliability. Moreover, rise in temperatures causes a reduction in coil currents and low coil currents affects signal generation, resulting in poor image resolution. In addition, heat can be an annoyance to a patient during the imaging process and, if excessive, could injure a patient. For this reason there are regulations that stipulate the maximum temperature of a patient support table that effectively limit the amount of power that can be used in any MRI system.
One way to minimize heat is to provide a hermetically sealed liquid cooling system with cooling conduits adjacent the gradient coils. According to solutions of this ilk, during field generation and data acquisition liquid coolant (e.g., water) is pumped through the system to cool the coils. Liquid cooling offers effective cooling of the system and the components and therefore can have higher currents and cooling efficiency as compared to other cooling systems like an air-cooled system.
Current cooling circuits based on liquid cooling method in MRI gradient coils are of serpentine scheme with either copper tubes or lengthy plastic tubes. One of the problems of the long cooling tubes is that it introduces large pressure drops. In addition, there is another limitation on the number of tubes that can be deployed in the radial direction at a given radius around the perimeter of the coil due to practical limitations in bending the tube. Higher image quality MRI machines require higher power density and higher power density increases heat generation. The heat must be effectively removed. A typical MRI system generates heat loads of 10–18 kW depending on the field strength. For example, a high-end 7 Tesla (7T) system generates about 17 kW of heat or more depending on the pulsing mode.
Moreover, serpentine cooling passages traverse through the gradient coils several times before the heat can be removed from the coolant. In addition, the serpentine cooling tubes as found commonly are mostly made from copper or aluminum tubes or similar metals due to high thermal conductivity, low cost and availability reasons. Due to likeliness of the eddy loops in presence of a magnetic field, the metallic material may give rise to continuous eddy loops in the cooling tubes. Therefore, it is necessary to have an electrical break in the cooling system. Due to low coverage area of the serpentine cooling, constriction resistance is higher and it is more prone to have temperature non-uniformities and local hot spots. In addition, there is high vibration associated with the operation of a higher field strength MRI system and from a structural point of view, a change from the serpentine cooling scheme is needed. There is need of an enhanced thermal management of the MRI system. This new system will provide both lower spreading resistance and higher cooling capacity.
It would therefore be desirable to design an enhanced method and system to maintain gradient coil temperature within a specified range regardless of the selected excitation applied, thereby enabling higher power applications for faster imaging with improved image quality and longer scan times.

Thermal management system and method for MRI gradient coil


A 3D graphics processing method includes receiving a homogeneous coordinate and an attribute value of both end points of one scan line of a polygon composed of a plurality of perspective projected vertices, calculating a reference value indicating an amount of perspective distortion in the scan line using the received homogeneous coordinates, and interpolating an attribute value of each of pixels of the scan line using at least some of the received homogeneous coordinates and attribute values, the attribute value interpolated by selectively applying perspective correction to each pixel based on the reference value.

1. Field
One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to a 3-dimensional (3D) graphics processing method, medium and apparatus, and more particularly, to a 3D graphics processing method, medium and apparatus correcting perspective distortion occurring due to perspective projection.
2. Description of the Related Art
A 3-dimensional (3D) graphics processing process can be largely divided into a geometry stage and a rasterization stage.
The geometry stage can be largely divided into a model and view transformation stage, a camera transformation stage, a lighting and shading stage, a projection stage, a clipping stage, and a screen mapping stage. The model and view transformation stage is a technique of transforming a 3D object to a world coordinate system in a 3D space and transforming the 3D object of the world coordinate system to a camera coordinate system based on a point of view (camera). The lighting and shading stage is a process of representing a reflection effect and a shading effect due to a light source in order to enhance realism of the 3D object. The projection stage is a technique of projecting the 3D object of the camera coordinate system onto a 2D screen, and the clipping stage is a technique of clipping a portion of a primitive, which is out of a view volume, in order to transfer only a portion of the primitive, which is within the view volume, to the rasterization stage. The screen mapping stage is a technique of determining coordinates of the projected object when the projected object is output to the 2D screen.
The rasterization stage is a technique for determining correct attribute values for each pixel using coordinates of each vertex, colors, and texture of the 3D object provided from the geometry stage, wherein a triangle is set using information on vertices of the 3D object, and the correct attribute values for each pixel are obtained by performing edge processing and scan line processing in the set triangle.
In particular, the projection stage is a requisite technique in the 3D graphics processing technique and uses an orthographic projection or perspective projection technique. The orthographic projection technique performs projection by arranging one of an x, y, and z axis in a 3D coordinate system to be parallel to a projecting direction and a projection plane to be perpendicular to the axis parallel to the projecting direction. Since an object is projected onto the projection plane while maintaining relative sizes and angles viewed from a perpendicular direction in the orthographic projection technique, the orthographic projection technique is usually used in machine or architecture design. However, since perspective is not expressed in the orthographic projection technique, a realistic screen is not created. Unlike the orthographic projection technique, since projection lines are not parallel to each other in the perspective projection technique, each axis is projected onto a projection plane in a non-perpendicular direction. In the perspective projection technique, since a figure obtained by viewing a 3D object from one point of view (camera) appears on a 2D projection plane, projection lines are pointed to the point of view. If the perspective projection technique is used, since an object located far away from the point of view is projected as a relatively small figure and an object located close to the point of view is projected as a relatively large figure, a realistic projection result can be obtained as if a person directly saw a 3D figure with their own eyes. Thus, if a realistic screen is necessary as in virtual reality, games, and animation, the perspective projection technique is used.
Meanwhile, in the 3D graphics processing technique, the perspective projection technique is performed in a homogeneous coordinate system. The homogeneous coordinate system further uses one dimension added to 3 dimensions, i.e. dot, vector, and matrix. That is, in the homogeneous coordinate system, a point is expressed using four elements x, y, z, and w, instead of three elements x, y, and z. The fourth element w is called a homogeneous coordinate. In the homogeneous coordinate system, perspective projection transformation is performed using a 4×4 matrix, and when coordinates (x′, y′, z′, w) are obtained as a result of the perspective projection transformation, (x, y, z, 1), i.e. (x=x′/w, y=y′/w, z=z′/w, 1), which is a result obtained by dividing the coordinates (x′, y′, z′, w) by the homogeneous coordinate w, become screen coordinates.
If the perspective projection transformation is performed for vertices of a 3D object, in the rasterization stage, attribute values of points other than the vertices are obtained by performing interpolation using attribute values of the vertices. In this case, if a general linear interpolation technique is used, perspective distortion occurs in a color value or texture coordinates. FIG. 1A is a diagram for describing the occurrence principle of perspective distortion in a color value. When two vertices expressed in black and white in FIG. 1A are perspective projected, an intermediate point in the middle of the two vertices is located close to one of the two vertices, e.g. the black point. Although it is normal that the intermediate point close to the black point has a true gray color, a gray color close to black is shown as a result of the interpolation. FIG. 1B shows a case where perspective distortion occurs in texture coordinates. If perspective distortion does not occur, a normal screen shown on the left of FIG. 1B must be displayed as a result of texture mapping. However, if linear interpolation is performed for texture coordinates (u, v), a distorted screen shown on the right of FIG. 1B is displayed.
Correction of this perspective distortion is called perspective correction. A representative perspective correction technique is a hyperbolic interpolation technique. The hyperbolic interpolation technique is based on the fact that attribute values of a pixel, e.g., values obtained by dividing texture coordinates by a homogeneous coordinate w and an inverse value 1/w of the homogeneous coordinate, have a linear characteristic. The hyperbolic interpolation technique will now be schematically described. FIG. 2 is a diagram for describing the hyperbolic interpolation technique. It is assumed that texture coordinates and homogeneous coordinates of both end points 22 and 23 of one scan line 21 of a triangle formed by three vertices are respectively (u1, v1), w1 and (u2, v2), w2 and texture coordinates and a homogeneous coordinate of an arbitrary point of the scan line 21 are (u, v) and w. First, values obtained by dividing texture coordinates by each corresponding homogeneous coordinate and inverse values of the homogeneous coordinates, i.e. (u1/w1, v1/w1), 1/w1, (u2/w2, v2/w2), and 1/w2, are obtained for the both end points 22 and 23. Next, (u/w, v/w) is linear-interpolated using (u1/w1, v1/w1) and (u2/w2, v2/w2), and 1/w is linear-interpolated using 1/w1 and 1/w2. Finally, values obtained by dividing the interpolated (u/w, v/w) by the interpolated 1/w, i.e. {(u/w)/(1/w), (v/w)/(1/w)}, are obtained as texture coordinates of the arbitrary point 24.
In a conventional 3D graphics processing technique, when the perspective correction is performed, the hyperbolic interpolation technique is applied to all pixels on each scan line. The hyperbolic interpolation technique needs division operations, and high computational power is required for these division operations. In particular, since an Advanced Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) Machine Central Processing Unit (ARM CPU) usually used in mobile devices processes various operations using software, a long processing time and high power consumption are required for the division operations. Since an amount of perspective distortion can vary, if the hyperbolic interpolation technique is applied to all pixels without considering the amount of perspective distortion, processing time and power consumption are unnecessarily wasted.

3-dimensional graphics processing method, medium and apparatus performing perspective correction


A method of providing thick and thin oxide structures reduces step changes between a core region and a peripheral region on an integrated circuit. Thin LOCOS structures are provided in a core region of a flash memory device, and thick LOCOS structures are provided in a peripheral region of the flash memory device. The device and process are not as susceptible to "race track" problems, "oxide" bump problems, and "stringer" problems. The process utilizes two separate nitride or hard mask layers.

In general, semiconductor devices or integrated circuits (ICs) can utilize selective oxidation, such as, local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) to create isolation structures. LOCOS is often employed to electrically insulate or isolate various portions or structures of the semiconductor device from other portions of the device. LOCOS typically involves growing a pad oxide or liner oxide, depositing a hard mask layer over the liner oxide, etching the hard mask layer, and growing an oxide isolation structure. The hard mask layer can be a nitride film. The oxide structure can be grown by heating the substrate.
Isolation regions or structures for semiconductor devices can vary in size depending on parameters or requirements necessary for proper electric isolation and charge carrier isolation. For example, in memory devices, such as, flash electrical erasable programmable read only memories (flash EEPROMS), larger isolation structures are needed in peripheral areas (non-core areas for input/output circuitry) of the devices where larger voltages are present. In contrast, smaller isolation structures are utilized in core areas (e.g., the memory cell array) where memory cells are packed closely together and operate at lower voltage levels. Thus, certain areas of the semiconductor device can require large isolation structures while other areas can require small isolation structures due to different voltage requirements, dopant types, increased circuit packing density, dopant concentrations, or other criteria associated with IC design.
Heretofore, semiconductor devices, such as, flash memories generally have utilized thick LOCOS structures in peripheral regions and thin LOCOS structures in core regions. The thin and thick LOCOS structures require two separate critical masks to define the oxide structures which are grown in two separate selective oxidation processes. With reference to FIGS. 1-6, a conventional process for forming thin and thick oxide structures is described as follows.
In FIG. 1, a semiconductor structure device 12 includes a core region 8 and a peripheral region 9 separated by an interface 10. Structure 12 includes a substrate or base 14, a pad oxide layer 16, and a nitride layer 18. Structure 12 is first etched in accordance with a preliminary mask or zero layer mask (not shown) for defining alignment marks.
In FIG. 2, a source drain mask layer 20 is provided over layer 18 to define source and drain regions in peripheral region 9. Layer 20 completely covers core region 8. After layer 20 is applied, structure 12 is etched to remove layer 18 from portions of region 9 in accordance with layer 20. In FIG. 3, layer 20 is stripped from structure 12, and structure 12 is oxidized to form LOCOS isolation structure 24 in accordance with a conventional LOCOS technique. During this step, layer 18 in core region 8 is also oxidized. Additionally, LOCOS structure 24 is relatively thin at boundary or interface 10 with respect to the remaining portion of peripheral region 9.
In FIG. 4, a source drain mask layer 26 is applied to define source and drain regions in core region 8 as well as isolation structures for core region 8. In FIG. 5, structure 12 is etched in accordance with layer 26 to remove portions of layer 18 in core region 8. However, due to alignment errors, portions of structure 24 close to interface 10 can be etched because layer 26 does not reach interface 10 (FIG. 4). The etching of structure 12 can thin the thickness of structure 24 in peripheral region 9. This thinning can cause a step 28 and a groove 30. The thickness of structure 24 can be less than 1300 .ANG. at step 28. In FIG. 6, isolation structures 40 and 42 are grown in a thermal process in accordance with a conventional LOCOS technique. Step 28 and groove 30 remain on structure 10. The thickness of structure 28 can be less than 1000 .ANG. at groove 28.
Step 28 and groove 30 can cause residue or "stringer" problems during subsequent first polysilicon, oxygen-nitride-oxygen (ONO), second polysilicon and self-aligned etched (SAE) processes. Conductive material trapped in step 28, groove 30 can create unintentional gate structures due to the thinness of structure 24 or can electrically short adjacent structures.
Additionally, during the process discussed with reference to FIGS. 1-6, layer 18 is subjected to two oxidation steps which can create "oxide bumps" on top of "birds beaks" associated with structures 40 and 42. The oxide bumps can be due to material surface stress of layer 18 which is caused by the dual oxidation process associated with the formation of structures 24, 40 and 42. Step 28 can also create a "race track" topography problem related to the difference in thickness of structure 24 at interface 10. The race track topography problem is manifested when photoresist is provided on structure 12 and includes grooves or lanes in a race track form.
Thus, there is a need for a semiconductor device including thick and thin isolation structures with minimal step changes in an interface region between a peripheral region and a core region. Further, there is a need for a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit with thick and thin isolation structures which does not stress a hard mask layer in the core region. Further still, there is a need for a method of fabricating thick and thin LOCOS structures which is less susceptible to "race track" problems, "stringer" problems, and "oxide bump" problems.

Method of forming dual field isolation structures


Post-image acquisition methods, circuits and systems for evaluating medical images of a subject register a region of interest in a first medical image taken at a first point in time to the region of interest in a second image taken before or after the first medical image with voxels from the first and second medical images having a voxel-wise correspondence. The methods, circuits and systems can use line and/or shape changes of defined 3-D finite elements to electronically determine directional, shear and volumetric changes of the voxels in the region of interest between the first and second medical images.

Neuro-degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) can be characterized by a chronic loss of neurons and synapses in the temporal and parietal lobes of the brain. Studies using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have suggested that biomarkers related to changes in local tissue volume are the Jacobian determinant (JD) and cortical thickness (CTHK). See, Bakkour et al., The effects of aging and Alzheimer's disease on cerebral cortical anatomy: Specificity and differential recognition; Neuroimage, 2013; 76: pp. 332-344. However, the annual atrophy rate of the temporal lobe can be very small (<2%) in adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). See, Hua et al., Unbiased tensor-based morphometry: Improved robustness and sample size estimates for Alzheimer's disease clinical trials, Neuroimage, 2013; 66: pp. 648-661. Thus, other parameters or regions of interest (ROIs) may exist that are not detectable by JD or CTHK alone or with any techniques currently known by the inventors.

Medical image analysis using mechanical deformation information


A sensing method for a memory cell as described herein includes selecting a memory cell. A first bias applied to the memory cell induces a first response in the memory cell. A second bias applied to the memory cell induces a second response in the memory cell, the second bias different from the first bias. The method includes determining a data value stored in the memory cell based on a difference between the first and second responses and a predetermined reference.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to read/sense circuitry for high density memory devices based on programmable resistive memory materials, including phase change materials like chalcogenide based materials and other materials, and to methods for operating such circuitry.
2. Description of Related Art
Programmable resistive memory materials such as phase change based memory materials, like chalcogenide based materials and similar materials, can be caused to change phase between an amorphous state and a crystalline state by application of electrical current at levels suitable for implementation in integrated circuits. The generally amorphous state is characterized by higher resistivity that the generally crystalline state, which can be sensed to indicate data. These properties have generated interest in using programmable resistive material to form nonvolatile memory circuits, which can be read and written with random access.
The change from the amorphous to the crystalline state, referred to as set or program herein, is generally a lower current operation in which current heats the material and causes transitions between the states. The change from a crystalline to a more highly amorphous state, referred to as reset herein, is generally a higher current operation, which includes a short high current density pulse to melt or breakdown the crystalline structure, after which the phase change material cools quickly, quenching the phase change process and allowing at least a portion of the phase change material to stabilize in the amorphous state.
In phase change memory, data is stored by causing transitions in an active region of the phase change material between amorphous and crystalline states. FIG. 1 is a graph of memory cells having one of two states, a low resistance set (programmed) state 100 and a high resistance reset (erased) state 102 each having non-overlapping resistance ranges.
The difference between the highest resistance R1 of the low resistance set state 100 and the lowest resistance R2 of the high resistance reset state 102 defines a read margin 101 used to distinguish cells in the set state 100 from those in the reset state 102. The data stored in a memory cell can be determined by determining whether the memory cell has a resistance corresponding to the low resistance state 100 or to the high resistance state 102, for example by measuring whether the resistance of the memory cell is above or below a threshold resistance value RSA 103 within the read margin 101. In order to reliably distinguish between the reset state 102 and the set state 100, it is important to maintain a relatively large read margin 101.
Prior art methods of determining resistance of the memory cell and thus the data value stored in the memory cell include comparing a voltage or current response of the memory cell to a reference. However, variations in materials, manufacturing processes, and also the operating environment lead to different programming characteristics including variations in the resistance of the memory material associated with each data value in an array of memory cells. These variations can make it difficult to accurately sense the resistive state of a memory cell by comparing the response of the memory cell to a reference, resulting in possible bit errors.
It is therefore desirable to provide sense circuitry supporting high-density devices which can accurately read the resistance state of a programmable resistive memory cell, and methods for operating such circuitry.

International Business Machines Corporation


A method and system for stabilizing a vehicle employing an electric power steering system is disclosed. The method includes receiving as inputs, a desired torque command representative of a steering wheel torque and a vehicle speed signal. The method also includes acquiring an acceleration signal representative of vehicle acceleration. The method further comprises generating an assist torque command, which is a combination of the desired torque command and a compensating torque command where the compensating torque command is responsive to the vehicle speed signal and the acceleration signal.

This application relates to systems for stabilizing electric power steering systems, such as in the automotive arts.
Steering equipment for assisting a driver to steer an automobile is well known in the art. In conventional steering assemblies, the operator controls the direction of the vehicle with the aid of a steering wheel mechanically connected, usually through a gear assembly to the road wheels. To aid the operator, many systems utilize an auxiliary system to generate a force that is transmitted to a steering gear assembly. The additional force reduces the effort required by the operator in changing the direction of the vehicle. Typically, this auxiliary force is generated by either a hydraulic drive or an electric motor.
Because the steering wheel is connected directly to the road wheels, the resulting mechanical assembly that provides the connection can be quite complicated and expensive to produce. The one advantage in having a direct connection is that the operator receives tactile feedback through the steering wheel. For example, if the vehicle changes directions while it is moving, the operator will feel resistance in the steering wheel.
It is known in the art of electric power steering systems to vary the amount of assist, or commanded torque, as a function of vehicle speed, handwheel position, and handwheel torque. However, the previous systems may be inadequate under certain adverse road conditions, such as wet or icy roads.
Therefore, is it considered advantageous to provide an electric steering control system that provides desirable assist torque and tactile feedback to the operator and yet maintains system stability under adverse road conditions.
A method of stabilizing a vehicle employing an electric power steering system is disclosed. In addition, a system, which implements the method is also disclosed. The method includes receiving as inputs, a desired torque command representative of a steering wheel torque desired in the electric power steering system and a vehicle speed signal representative of a forward speed of the vehicle. The method also includes acquiring an acceleration signal representative of the vehicle acceleration measured by an acceleration sensor.
The method further comprises generating an assist torque command, which is a combination of the desired torque command and a compensating torque command where the compensating torque command is responsive to the vehicle speed signal and the acceleration signal. The assist torque command is transmitted to an assist mechanism for application of an assist torque to the vehicle steering system.
The above-described and other features and advantages will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, drawings, and appended claims.

Method and system for improving motor vehicle stability incorporating an electric power steering system


The present invention provides an air duct registrer for adding forced air (heat, air conditioning), exhausting air or simply to balance air quality. The air duct register has a manifold and is designed with a removable manifold collar connectible to the flexible or rigid duct. The manifold has thumb cam fasteners to provide ease of installation from below the finished ceiling. With the duct in place above the ceiling elevation, the appropriate opening can be cut and all connections can be made below ceiling elevations via the manifold collar opening. The duct is routed through the manifold opening and connected onto the manifold collar retainer barbs. The manifold collar plate can then be snapped securely into the manifold. The grille then slides into the manifold and is pushed tight to the finished ceiling.

Air conditioning and/or heating ducts are often installed above the ceiling in buildings. The supply and return ducts are generally disposed above the level of the ceiling whether it is a sheet rock (gypsum board) ceiling, or a suspended ceiling or any other type ceiling. These main supply and return ducts usually communicate with the interior of the room through vent assemblies that are supported by the ceiling material or within a framed section of a suspended ceiling. Installing the air duct registers in above described ceiling applications can be very difficult, time consuming and frustrating for the installer.
One problem associated with securing a register to the end of a duct is the securing of the register to the ceiling material or to the suspended ceiling material. One reason for this problem is that ceiling materials such as sheet rock, thin paneling, or plaster are generally incapable of securely holding a fastener which holds the register in place in the ceiling. Over time the ceiling material weakens and eventually breaks apart or splinters.
Another problem encountered is the actual connection of the ductwork to the air duct register. Once the ceiling is in place, the installer is working blindly to connect the end of the duct with the register.


An indicator structure for mounting an indicator representative of desired information to the body of an apparatus, wherein the indicator is made up of a sheet marked with the information in such a manner as to be visible from the outside of the indicator and a single transparent cover covering at least the information such that the information is visible from the outside. The sheet and cover are removably mounted to the body of the apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for mounting an emblem-like or similar indicator marked with desired information to the body of an apparatus and a copier, printer, facsimile apparatus, image forming apparatus or similar apparatus including the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
It is a common practice with, e.g., a copier or similar image forming apparatus to mount an indicator representative of the company's name, trademark, popular name or similar information on the front of the apparatus body. Today, the front of the apparatus body, which is conspicuous in appearance, is required not only to simply display necessary information relating to the apparatus, but also to have attractive appearance. Various schemes for meeting such requirements have been proposed in the past. This is also true with a system including a copier or similar image forming apparatus, a sheet feeder, a finisher and other units, as distinguished from a copier constructed as a single unit.
Although conventional indicators representative of the company's name, trademark, popular name or similar information have been improved in design themselves, some problems are still left unsolved as to the entire appearance inclusive of the apparatus body and adaptability to, e.g., the replacement of the type of the apparatus.

Indicator mounting structure and image forming apparatus including the same


An elongate hollow tube having two or more fidgets molded onto or attached to an outside surface of said tube is described. The tube can be slipped over a smooth elongated base object, such as a pencil or similar object, to provide manipulatives for students.

(1) Technical Field
The disclosure relates to sensory manipulative tools, and more particularly, to a sleeve for mounting sensory manipulative tools onto an elongated base structure.
(2) Description of the Related Art
It has been discovered that people having issues such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can benefit in a school setting when they have a way to release their energy while engaged in the learning process. For example, if these students can keep their hands busy, they may be able to pay better attention to lectures or other learning situations than if their hands are not kept busy.
A variety of products are available for keeping hands busy, including stress balls, rubber bracelets, Silly Putty®, or the like. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,361,075 (Krull) discloses a hand-held amusement device. US Patent Application 2011/0281688 (Harris, Jr. et al) describes a manipulative device that is attached to a user's fingers and also can be attached to a pencil. US Patent Application 2009/0149698 (Tastard) shows a variety of sensory tools that can be removably attached to a weighted lap pillow.


According to an embodiments, an electronic device may include a foldable housing including a hinge module; a first housing connected to the hinge module and including a first surface, a second surface, and a first side member; and a second housing. The first side member includes a first side surface having a first length; a second side surface extended toward the hinge module; a third side surface extended from the second side surface so as to at least partially coincide with the hinge module; and a processed area extended from the first side surface to the third side surface. A vertical distance between a first boundary line between the processed area and the first surface and a second boundary line between the processed area and the second surface is substantially equal across the first side surface, the second side surface, and/or the third side surface. Other embodiments are possible.

Electronic devices, for example, portable electronic devices, have been introduced into the market in various sizes depending on their respective functions and user preference. Thus, in designing the electronic devices, manufacturers are concerned with functionality, minimizing the size of the devices, and their external appearance. One way to differentiate electronic devices of a particular manufacturer from others in the market is to have devices with improved aesthetic design and excellent durability, which may be preferred by users.
Recently, differences in the functionality of devices of different manufacturers have been reduced, and thus the above described physical characteristics of the devices have become increasingly important as a differentiating factor that allows a particular device to stand out in the market. Currently, there exists a market trend to increase the rigidity of the electronic devices, while maintaining a slim profile for the devices. As part of this trend, parts of various structures (e.g., housings) of the electronic device may be implemented with a metal material, thereby helping to reinforce rigidity of the slimmed electronic device.
A housing of the electronic device may include a conductive member (e.g., metal member) at least partially disposed for rigidity reinforcement and to enhance the external appearance of the device. For example, the housing may be formed by insert injection of a polymer member (e.g., PC) into a conductive member. Such a housing may be colored on the outside (e.g., on the side surface, at least part of the front surface, or the rear surface) for the enhanced external appearance, and at least part of the colored areas may be processed through a machine tool such as a milling machine. For example, the housing may be colored through an anodizing process, and the colored area may be at least partially processed (e.g., milling processed) by a forming tool to form a planer surface or a curved surface. Further, the processed area may again be colored in a color different from the first color formed by the first or primary anodizing process through another anodizing process.
The electronic device may have a rectangular bar shape and thus have four corners with substantially the same radius of curvature along the side surface. In that case, even if milling is carried out through the forming tool, processing lines formed through the corners having the same radius of curvature may be constant.
In the case of a foldable electronic device, a first housing and a second housing may be rotatably coupled by a hinge module, and a flexible display may be disposed across the first housing and the second housing. In this case, the radii of curvature of the inner corners of the housing, that is, the corners disposed on the inside of the electronic device when the device is folded, should be smaller than the radii of curvature of the outer corners of the first housing and/or the second housing. This is because the first housing and the second housing may be used as a support means of the flexible display. When the radius of curvature of the portion supporting the flexible display is large, the flexible display may not be properly supported. And thus, the size of the black matrix (BM) area or bezel around the flexible display may increase, which may be undesirable. Thus, the first housing and/or the second housing may include corners having different radii of curvature.
In this case, as described above, when a processing line is formed by the forming tool in the primary colored area, the processing line may be formed along the side surface at the outer corners with the relatively large radius of curvature (e.g., the outer corners of the first housing and/or the second housing). This allows the corners with the relatively small radius of curvature (e.g., the inner corners when the first housing and the second housing face each other) to be processed separately by a separate tool (e.g., ball tool). However, this involves a complicated work process, and processing lines formed through different processes do not coincide with each other, which may significantly reduce the aesthetic appearance of the electronic device.
The electronic device may include an acoustic module (e.g., speaker module and/or microphone module) disposed within the housing. Such an acoustic module is produced in an assembly and disposed adjacent to an opening formed in the housing to allow sounds produced by the speaker, for example, to be transmitted through the opening. For example, the acoustic module assembly may be secured to the housing through a separating member (e.g., mesh) and/or an adhesive member disposed to enclose the opening. Thus, the adhesion area between the acoustic module assembly and the housing may be important. However, the opening formed in the housing may have the same shape at the outer surface of the side member and at the inner surface of the housing (e.g., a plurality of neighboring circular openings). This may reduce the bonding area of the housing available to be bonded with the acoustic module assembly, thereby sound transmission may be adversely affected (e.g., sound quality may be deteriorated due to sound leakage).
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the disclosure.

Housing, method of producing the same, and electronic device including the same


A device for automatically compensating the length of cables comprises a length-variable receiving element (1, 3, 4) for a section of a pulling means (5), a spring element (2) for applying a tensile force on the received pulling means (5) and a locking element (4), which is rotatable relative to a section of the receiving element (1, 3) about an axis that agrees substantially with the axis of the pulling means, wherein the relative motions of two sections of the receiving device (3, 4) intended to bring about the length variations are coupled to the rotational motion of the locking element (4) by means of mechanical devices (311, 421) with clearance and detent elements (15, 43) substantially block the rotation of the locking element (4) in a direction of rotation.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention refers to a contrivance for automatic rope length correction for a traction rope in an operating mechanism and, in particular, to a window lifter for a motor vehicle side window.
2. Description of the Related Art
A contrivance of this type for automatic rope length correction is shown in DE 31 01 498 A1. It describes a contrivance for the extension of the flexible tube of a Bowden cable. In this well-known contrivance, an end fitting sits firmly affixed on a Bowden tube; on the side turned away from the flexible tube, the fitting is equipped with a spring-mounted tongue that has a lock catch with one slanted and one vertical flank and that is directed towards the rope. A guide bushing that is fixed in place on the side pointing away from the end fitting is pushed onto the rope. Within the section of the lock catch, the guide bushing is equipped with a corresponding tooth system that the lock catch engages with through spring action. The slanted areas on the lock catch and on the tooth system are arranged in such a way that the end fitting and the guide bushing can be pulled apart only while any movement towards each other is blocked. A pressure spring that automatically pushes the elements apart when the rope of the Bowden cable lengthens is located between the end fitting and the guide bushing. Any such lengthening is thereby automatically corrected by an automatic lengthening of the flexible tube within the contrivance.
However, with the known contrivance for automatic rope length correction there remains the problem that temperature-related lengthenings of the rope, i.e. any lengthenings due to temperature fluctuations in the rope material, are also completely compensated under certain conditions, and undesired high tensions in the traction rope result during the subsequent reversal of the lengthening.

Contrivance for automatic rope length correction


A chipper chisel retaining nut is provided with a circular groove in its threads which receives a formed flexible semi-circular spring ring which is inserted in the groove through an aperture formed in the exterior of the nut adjacent the groove as a device for preventing accidental unthreading of the nut.

This invention relates generally to means for retaining chisels and the like in impact devices such as, for example, chippers and more specifically to a means for obtaining retainer nuts on chipper barrels by preventing their rotation due to the repeated vibratory action of such devices.
In the past, numerous methods of retaining the retainer nut have been tried including the use of solid pins, clips, sealants, and the like. To date, such methods have proved either ineffective, costly, or time-consuming in application.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present threaded chipper retaining nut art. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.

Locking device for a threaded chipper retaining nut


Provided are an alloy powder having excellent environmental resistance even in an environment where corrosion and wear are active simultaneously, and an alloy coating using the powder. A Ni—Fe base alloy powder comprising Cr of 15% by mass or more and 35% by mass or less, Fe of 10% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less, Mo of 0% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less, Si of 0.3% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less, C of 0.3% by mass or more and 0.9% by mass or less, B of 4% by mass or more and 7% by mass or less, and a balance of Ni and incidental impurities.

In an incinerator for incinerating wastes and biomass, a harsher high-temperature corrosive environment is formed due to chlorine contained in the fuels. Particularly, on the surface of a heat exchanger, at which the temperature is lower than the ambient temperature, chloride contained in the atmosphere is concentrated and deposited. Thus, severe corrosion occurs on the surface. In the case of a fluidized bed boiler, in addition to corrosion, wear due to a fluidized medium may act to cause a severe thickness reduction. As a measure for such thickness reduction, a protector is attached. Attaching a protector is effective but may lower the heat transfer efficiency in heat exchangers. For this reason, as a thickness reduction measure, surface treatment such as thermal spraying or build-up welding may be often used.
Common issues of thermal spray coating include formation of pores in the coating, weak adhesion to the substrate, and the like. High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying, in which the particle velocity on thermal spraying is enhanced, and the like can make the porosity of a coating lower than plasma spraying. However, complete elimination of the pores cannot be achieved. The coating is merely physically bonded to the substrate, and thus the adhesive property is low. Then, a self-fluxing alloy spraying method has been used, wherein the coating is remelted after thermal spraying to enable formation of a metallurgical reaction layer between the coating and the substrate and elimination of the pores in the thermal spray coating, thereby markedly improving the characteristics of the thermal spray coating. Self-fluxing alloy spraying, which reduces the pores in the coating by virtue of the remelting treatment to enable prevention of penetration of corrosive substances, is known to impart excellent corrosion resistance. However, the composition of self-fluxing alloy powders that can be used for self-fluxing alloy spraying is restricted. Self-fluxing alloys are required to have a melting point of 1,000° C. or less and to have a wide temperature range between the liquidus and the solidus. An excessively high melting point makes melting difficult. Moreover, there is a concern that raising the temperature up to the melting temperature may thermally affect the base material. Meanwhile, when the temperature range is narrow, it is difficult to control the temperature on the remelting treatment, and thus it is unlikely to form a coating of a good quality.
The most commonly used self-fluxing alloy powder is SFNi4 (2.14 A NiCrCuMoBSi 6915 3 3 A) specified in JIS H8303: 2010. SFNi4 is a Ni—Cr alloy composed of Cr: 12 wt % to 17 wt %, Mo: 4 wt % or less, Si: 3.5 wt % to 5.0 wt %, Fe: 5 wt % or less, C: 0.4 wt % to 0.9 wt %, B: 2.5 wt % to 4.0 wt %, Co: 1 wt % or less, Cu: 4 wt % or less, and a balance of Ni. SFNi4 is an alloy excellent in corrosion resistance and wear resistance because of having corrosion resistance in a wide range of environments as well as having a high hardness of 50 to 60 HRC. SFNi4 is also excellent in applicability (remelting treatment) and thus has been used in a wide range of fields. Alloys obtained by modifying SFNi4 and the like also have been suggested for specific applications.
For example, there are suggested a self-fluxing Ni base alloy powder having suppressed fluidity during a remelting treatment, the alloy being composed of Cr: 10 wt % to 16.5 wt %, Mo: 4.0 wt % or less, Si: 3.0 wt % to 5.0 wt %, Fe: 15.0 wt % or less, C: 0.01 wt % to 0.9 wt %, B: 2.0 wt % to 4.0 wt %, Cu: 3.0 wt % or less, O: 50 ppm to 500 ppm, and a balance of Ni and incidental impurities and satisfying Si/B: 1.2 to 1.7, and a component excellent in corrosion resistance and/or wear resistance, the component having a coating formed of this self-fluxing Ni base alloy powder by a thermal spraying method (Patent Literature 1).
There is also suggested a self-fluxing Ni base alloy powder composed of Cr: 12 wt % to 17 wt %, Mo: 3 wt % to 8 wt %, Si: 3.5 wt % to 5.0 wt %, Fe: 5.0 wt % or less, C: 0.4 wt % to 0.9 wt %, B: 2.5 wt % to 4.0 wt %, Cu: 4.0 wt % or less, O: 200 ppm or less, and a balance of Ni and incidental impurities and satisfying 0 ppm≥−20Mo %+100 (Patent Literature 2).
There is further suggested a self-fluxing Ni base alloy powder for thermal spraying composed of Cr: 30.0 wt % to 42.0 wt %, Mo: 0.5 wt % to 2.0 wt %, Si: 2.0 wt % to 4.0 wt %, Fe: 5.0 wt % or less, C: 2.5 wt % to 4.5 wt %, B: 1.5 wt % to 4.0 wt %, and a balance of Ni and incidental impurities (Patent Literature 3). There is disclosed that this self-fluxing Ni base alloy powder for thermal spraying is produced by an atomization method, chromium carbide having a particle size of 5 μm or less is uniformly precipitated inside the particles, and a high-temperature erosion property is improved.
There is furthermore suggested a corrosion-resistant and wear-resistant heat transfer tube for heat exchange where a protective coating is formed on the outer surface of its iron-based metallic tube, the coating being composed of a self-fluxing Ni base alloy including Cr: 12 wt % to 17 wt %, Mo: 4 wt % or less, Si: 3.5 wt % to 5.0 wt %, Fe: 5.0 wt % or less, C: 0.4 wt % to 0.9 wt %, B: 2.5 wt % to 4.5 wt %, and Cu: 4.0 wt % or less (Patent Literature 4).
However, conventional self-fluxing Ni base alloys cannot be said to have sufficient environmental resistance for Erosion-Corrosion where corrosion and wear simultaneously occur, and moreover, have a disadvantage of a high material cost because of including a large amount of expensive Ni.
Meanwhile, it is known that use of inexpensive Fe as the primary component makes a remelting treatment difficult because the melting point of the alloy rises. No self-fluxing alloy based on Fe exists in the JIS standards, and an Fe base alloy is generally used as build-up welding. Build-up welding, which has a large heat input on application and has large thermal influence on the substrate, may cause deformation and the like.
There is suggested, as an Fe base alloy for build-up, a low carbon-high silicon-high chromium-boron-niobium-type corrosion-resistant and wear-resistant iron base alloy composed of Cr: 15 to 31 wt %, Mo: 10 wt % or less, Si: 2.5 to 4.5 wt %, C: 0.5 to 2.0 wt %, B: 0.5 to 3.5 wt %, Mn: 10 wt % or less, Cu: 7 wt % or less, Ni: 16 wt % or less, Nb+V: 8 wt % or less, and a balance of Fe and incidental impurities and having a mixing ratio between Cr and (Si×B) that satisfies a specific relation (Patent Literature 5). This alloy, in which carbide is precipitated to enhance hardness and thus wear resistance, and simultaneously, corrosion resistance is exerted by virtue of Cr in the base material, is characterized by being excellent both in wear resistance and corrosion resistance. The alloy is also characterized by its lower material cost than that of Ni base alloys because of its low content of Ni. However, in a high-temperature environment including Cl such as in a refuse incinerator, Ni has been confirmed to contribute to an improvement in the corrosion resistance. Also in light of a suggestion that HR11N (28.5Cr-40Ni-1Mo-0.15N) is expected to exert corrosion resistant performance in a severe high-temperature corrosive environment in which adhesion of meltable combustion slag including chlorides/sulfates may occur (Non Patent Literature 1), the corrosion resistance of the alloy having a low content of Ni of Patent Literature 5 can be expected to be insufficient in a high-temperature environment including Cl. In fact, the alloy shown in Patent Literature 5 has been subjected to evaluation of its corrosion resistance in an aqueous solution, and no corrosion resistance data in a high-temperature environment including Cl are shown. It is considered that the corrosion resistance of the alloy disclosed in PL5 is insufficient at such a high temperature.
Most of alloys mentioned for corrosion resistance and wear resistance are claimed to be excellent in any one of corrosion resistance and wear resistance. There is substantially no alloy whose characteristics are described under an erosion-corrosion environment where the both resistances should be simultaneously active.

Ni—Fe base alloy powder, and method for producing alloy coating using said Ni—Fe base alloy powder


The invention is based on the discovery that specific dosages of pyrimidine compositions, such as uridine compositions, can be used to treat patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder, which is also referred to as manic-depression, is a brain disorder that causes extreme shifts in a person's mood, thought, energy, behavior, and ability to function. The symptoms of bipolar disorder can be are severe, and can result in emotional problems, poor job or school performance, and even suicide. The name "bipolar" comes from the patients' mood swings, which can alternate between the "poles" of mania (highs) and depression (lows). These mood swings can be quite dramatic, from overly "high" and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between, and severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. Bipolar disorder typically develops in late adolescence or early adulthood. However, some people have their first symptoms during childhood or late in life. This disorder is not always viewed as an illness, and people may suffer for years before proper diagnosis.
Bipolar disorder has been separated into two categories, Type I and Type II, and is typically diagnosed following the guidelines in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) Fourth Edition, 1994 (American Psychiatric Association, 1400 K Street NW, Suite 1101, Washington, D.C. 20005-2403 USA). The fourth edition of these guidelines, DSM-IV, identifies the diagnostic features of Bipolar I Disorder as follows.
Bipolar I Disorder (DSM-IV, p. 350)
This disorder is a clinical course that is characterized by the occurrence of one or more Manic Episodes or Mixed Episodes. Often individuals have also had one or more Major Depressive Episodes. Episodes of Substance-Induced Mood Disorder (due to the direct effects of a medication, or other somatic treatments for depression, a drug of abuse, or toxin exposure) or of Mood Disorder Due to a General Medical Condition do not count toward a diagnosis of Bipolar I Disorder. In addition, the episodes are not better accounted for by Schizoaffective Disorder and are not superimposed on Schizophrenia, Schizophreniform Disorder, Delusional Disorder, or Psychotic Disorder Not Otherwise Specified.
The diagnostic features of Bipolar II Disorder are as follows.
Bipolar II Disorder (DSM-IV, p. 359)
This disorder is a clinical course that is characterized by the occurrence of one or more Major Depressive Episodes accompanied by at least one Hypomanic Episode. Hypomanic Episodes should not be confused with the several days of euthymia that may follow remission of a Major Depressive Episode. Episodes of Substance-Induced Mood Disorder (due to the direct effects of a medication, or other somatic treatments for depression, a drug of abuse, or toxin exposure) or of Mood Disorder Due to a General Medical Condition do not count toward a diagnosis of Bipolar I Disorder. In addition, the episodes are not better accounted for by Schizoaffective Disorder and are not superimposed on Schizophrenia, Schizophreniform Disorder, Delusional Disorder, or Psychotic Disorder Not Otherwise Specified.
The following diagnostic criteria, also from the DSM-IV apply.
Criteria for Major Depressive Episode (DSM-IV, p. 327)
A. Five (or more) of the following symptoms have been present during the same 2-week period and represent a change from previous functioning; at least one of the symptoms is either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure. Symptoms that are clearly due to a general medical condition, or mood-incongruent delusions or hallucinations should not be included.                Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feels sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful). Note: In children and adolescents, can be irritable mood.        Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day (as indicated by either subjective account or observation made by others)        Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain (e.g., a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month), or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day. Note: In children, consider failure to make expected weight gains.        Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day.        Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down).        Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day.        Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt (which may be delusional) nearly every day (not merely self-reproach or guilt about being sick).        Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day (either by subjective account or as observed by others).        Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.
B. The symptoms do not meet criteria for a Mixed Episode.
C. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
D. The symptoms are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., hypothyroidism).
E. The symptoms are not better accounted for by bereavement, i.e., after the loss of a loved one, the symptoms persist for longer than 2 months or are characterized by marked functional impairment, morbid preoccupation with worthlessness, suicidal ideation, psychotic symptoms, or psychomotor retardation.
Criteria for Manic Episode (DSM-IV, p. 332)
A. A distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood, lasting at least 1 week (or any duration if hospitalization is necessary).
B. During the period of mood disturbance, three (or more) of the following symptoms have persisted (four if the mood is only irritable) and have been present to a significant degree:                Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity.        Decreased need for sleep (e.g., feels rested after only 3 hours of sleep).        More talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking.        Flight of ideas or subjective experience that thoughts are racing.        Distractibility (i.e., attention too easily drawn to unimportant or irrelevant external stimuli).        Increase in goal-directed activity (either socially, at work or school, or sexually) or psychomotor agitation.        Excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a high potential for painful consequences (e.g., engaging in unrestrained buying sprees, sexual indiscretions, or foolish business investments).
C. The symptoms do not meet criteria for a Mixed Episode.
D. The mood disturbance is sufficiently severe to cause marked impairment in occupational functioning or in usual social activities or relationships with others, or to necessitate hospitalization to prevent harm to self or others, or there are psychotic features.
E. The symptoms are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication, or other treatments) or a general medical condition (e.g., hyperthyroidism).
Manic-like episodes that are clearly caused by somatic antidepressant treatment (e.g., medication, electroconvulsive therapy, light therapy) should not count toward a diagnosis of Bipolar I Disorder.
Criteria for Mixed Episode (DSM-IV, p. 335)
A. The criteria are met both for a Manic Episode and for a Major Depressive Episode (except for duration) nearly every day during at least a 1-week period.
B. The mood disturbance is sufficiently severe to cause marked impairment in occupational functioning or in usual social activities or relationships with others, or to necessitate hospitalization to prevent harm to self or others, or there are psychotic features.
C. The symptoms are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication, or other treatment) or a general medical condition (e.g., hyperthyroidism).
Criteria for Hypomanic Episode (DSM-IV, p. 338)
A. A distinct period of persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood, lasting throughout at least 4 days, that is clearly different from the usual nondepressed mood.
B. During the period of mood disturbance, three (or more) of the following symptoms have persisted (four if the mood is only irritable) and have been present to a significant degree:                Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity.        Decreased need for sleep (e.g., feels rested after only 3 hours of sleep).        More-talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking.        Flight of ideas or subjective experience that thoughts are racing.        Distractibility (i.e., attention too easily drawn to unimportant or irrelevant external stimuli).        Increase in goal-directed activity (either socially, at work or school, or sexually) or psychomotor agitation.        Excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a high potential for painful consequences (e.g., engaging in unrestrained buying sprees, sexual indiscretions, or foolish business investments).
C. The episode is associated with an unequivocal change in functioning that is uncharacteristic of the person when not symptomatic.
D. The disturbance in mood and the change in functioning are observable by others.
E. The episode is not severe enough to cause marked impairment in social or occupational functioning, or to necessitate hospitalization, and there are no psychotic features.
F. The symptoms are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication, or other treatment) or a general medical condition (e.g., hyperthyroidism).
Hypomanic-like episodes that are clearly caused by somatic antidepressant treatment (e.g., medication, electroconvulsive therapy, light therapy) should not count toward a diagnosis of Bipolar II Disorder.
Current drug therapy for bipolar disorder includes the use of lithium or valproic acid; however side effects are frequent and troublesome, and patients do not respond fully, leading to frequent recurrences of mania and depression.

Pyrimidines, such as uridine, in treatments for patients with bipolar disorder


A first process control apparatus in a process control system executes a non-update target program which is not an update target and an update target program which may be the update target, pauses the non-update target program based on a pause request from an outside, and transfers a context of the non-update target program to a second process control apparatus. The second process control apparatus in the process control system executes the non-update target program which is not the update target and an update target program after update, restores a context of the non-update target program by using the transferred context, initializes a context of the update target program, and causes the second program execution unit to resume the non-update target program and the update target program, based on a resuming request from the outside.

In the related art, a process control system configured to control a variety of state amounts (for example, pressure, temperature, flow rate or the like) of an industrial process is established in a plant, a factory or the like (hereinafter, simply referred to as 'plant' when they are collectively described), so that a high-level automated operation is implemented. Specifically, a controller, which is a core of the process control system, acquires detection results of a plurality of sensors (a flowmeter, a thermometer or the like), obtains an operation amount of an actuator (a valve or the like), in correspondence to the detection results, and operates the actuator, in correspondence to the operation amount, thereby controlling the diverse state amounts.
The process control system of the related art is established using a dedicated device having proprietary specification. A recent process control system is being gradually opened and is established using a universal device (a computer, a workstation or the like) having opened specification, in many cases. In the process control system in which the universal device is used, it is necessary to replace hardware and to update software, like a general information system. In the meantime, function enhancement of an operating system (OS), correction of bugs and vulnerability of the operating system, or the like may be exemplified as upgrade of the software.
JP-A-H11-3240 (hereinafter, referred to as PTL 1) discloses technology capable of changing a system program without influencing a control target, in a computer system for control having duplex process units (a control side and a standby side) mounted thereto. Specifically, the standby side is stopped to load a new system program, and is then activated, application data stored on the control side is copied to the standby side, the control side is stopped and the standby side is activated as the control side, so that the system program is changed without influencing the control target.
Also, JP-A-2015-5258 (hereinafter, referred to as PTL 2) discloses a process control apparatus capable of updating an operating system without stopping a process control system and guaranteeing a continuation operation of an application on the updated operating system.
In the process control system, as also disclosed in PTLs 1 and 2, it is necessary to update a program (referred to as 'update target program'), which may be an update target, while continuing to operate the process control system without stopping the same. At this time, it is needed to update the update target program simply and in a short time without executing complicated analysis and processing. The update target is a program to be updated.
The present disclosure has been made in view of the above situations, and an object thereof is to provide a process control system, a process control apparatus, and a program update method capable of updating an update target program simply and in a short time while continuing to operate a process control system without stopping the same.

Process control system, process control apparatus and program update method


A flow meter is disclosed having a meter body that is enveloped by a shroud having a compliant band disposed at least partially about the meter body. The shroud protects transducers and transducer cables. The shroud forms a chamber between the shroud and meter body, and includes a releasable portion to allow access into the chamber.

Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to liquid and gas flow meters. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus and system for protecting cables extending from ultrasonic flow meters.
Background Information
Hydrocarbons, in both liquid and gas phases, are transported from place to place via pipelines. It is desirable to accurately know the amount of fluid flowing in the stream, particularly when the fluid is changing hands, an event referred to as "custody transfer." Even where custody transfer is not taking place, measurement accuracy is desirable, and in these situations, ultrasonic flow meters are commonly used.
An ultrasonic flow meter typically includes two or more transducer assemblies, each secured inside of a dedicated port in the body of the flow meter. The body of the flow meter may also be referred to as a spool piece. To seal the fluid within the flow meter, a connector is secured over the exterior end of each transducer port in the spool piece. Thus, the spool piece and end connectors create a sealed housing and pressure boundary that contains the fluid that is flowing through the meter.
To measure fluid flow through the meter, a pair of transducer assemblies is positioned such that the piezoelectric elements of the transducers are adjacent to the inner surface of the spool piece, and such that each transducer of the pair faces the other of the pair that is positioned on opposite sides of the fluid-carrying bore of the spool piece. The transducer assemblies transmit and receive electric signals back-and-forth across the fluid stream.
Each transducer assembly is coupled to a cable that extends through the end connector to the exterior of the spool piece, and to a remote location, typically an electronics enclosure mounted on or adjacent to the spool piece. The electric signals created by the piezoelectric element of the particular transducer assembly is carried by the cable to an acquisition circuit board housed within the electronics enclosure, where the signal may be processed and subsequently used to determine the fluid flow rate through the meter.
Typically, the transducer cables are run to the electronics enclosure along the outer surface of the spool piece, where they remain constantly exposed to weather and sunlight, which can degrade the cables' insulation. Left exposed, the cables are also susceptible to being tampered with and becoming damaged by falling debris, livestock contacting or eating the cables, and vandals. Further, left unprotected, the cables and transducers are exposed to possible damage during shipping and installation. Consequently, it is common to employ robust and thus relatively expensive cables in an attempt to resist damage and degradation.
Some attempts have been made to manufacture meter bodies having internal cable passageways that are formed in the walls of the meter body to at least partially cover the cables to provide some degree of protection. In some such products, the ends of the transducer assemblies and portions of the cables are nevertheless still exposed and thus susceptible to damage. Further, although the cables may be partially covered, access to the transducer assemblies in such products is not prevented, such that the transducer assemblies may be tampered with, with no indication that such tampering has taken place. Tampering with transducers and cable connections may disable the meter completely, or alter the meter's performance in accurately measuring the fluid flow.


A semiconductor laser diode is disclosed. In an embodiment a semiconductor laser diode includes a semiconductor layer sequence including an active layer having a main extension plane, configured to generate light in an active region during operation and configured to radiate the light via a light-outcoupling surface, wherein the active region extends from a rear surface opposite the light-outcoupling surface to the light-outcoupling surface along a longitudinal direction in the main extension plane and a continuous contact structure directly disposed on a surface of the semiconductor layer sequence, wherein the contact structure comprises in at least a first contact region a first electrical contact material in direct contact with the surface region and in at least a second contact region a second electrical contact material in direct contact with the surface region, and wherein the first and second contact regions adjoin one another.

In modern high-power semiconductor lasers with a ridge waveguide structure, several modes are guided not only longitudinally but also laterally in the ridge waveguide structure region, hereinafter also referred to as ridge region. The light intensity on the facets, which results from the sum of all oscillating modes, is therefore not homogeneously distributed over the entire facet region: The different intensities of the individual modes at different positions on the facets result in regions with a higher intensity and areas with lower intensity, which depend considerably on the embodiment of the epitaxially grown structure and the chip design. High intensity areas, in particular, can lead to reliability problems. Since the facet load can become very high locally in such areas, this can lead to a material failure, a so-called COD ("catastrophic optical damage"). Local hole burning can also reduce the efficiency of such lasers.


For simple structure and easy manufacture, module tanks have a common standardized size so that the same tank is applicable even when the components to be accommodated are changed. The basic structure of the module is arranged so that all of the interrupter, the disconnector with the grounding switch, the bus bar bushing, the cable connecting bushing and the gas section spacer can be mounted, and necessary main circuit components depending upon the circuit to be used are left behind and unnecessary main circuit components are short-circuited by a short-circuiting conductor, and that the tank opening portions are either left un-worked during manufacture or closed by a cover. The bus bar bushings and the cable connecting bushings are attached at the rear face of the tank and the gas section spacer is disposed on the top or bottom face of the tank. A lightning arrester in lieu of interrupter may be accommodated within an insulating cylinder housing the main circuit of the interrupter.

A conventional gas-insulated switchgear, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-311614, for example, has a first module mounted on a mount bed and a second module mounted on the first module via a gas section spacer. Within a tank of the first module, interrupters and grounding switches are accommodated and bushings for connecting cables are attached to the bottom face of the tank. A tank of the second module is smaller than the tank of the first module and has disconnectors with grounding switches accommodated therein and bus bar bushings to which bus bars are connected are attached on upper portion of the second module tank. Also, the first module and the second module are connected via a gas section spacer that can maintain hermetic seal of the respective tanks. On the tank front side of each of the first module and the second module, an opening portion is disposed, to which respective mounting plates are hermetically attached. The mounting plates has attached to their front face the interrupters, the disconnectors with grounding switches and operating units for the grounding switches.
In the conventional switchgear, the first and the second modules are different in tank size from each other, so that panel configurations at the tank rear side must be hook-shaped, making the structure complex and the manufacture difficult.
Also, since the tanks of the first and the second modules are different according to the equipments to be accommodated, the outer diameter dimension and structure of the tanks had to be changed according to the equipments to be housed, requiring a long period of time for planning of the tank manufacture.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a gas-insulated switchgear using a module that is equal to other module in the tank size and configuration and that can cope with electrical devices of several kinds to be housed within the module.