A method for recovering a metal from a metal ore or waste metal-containing material comprises contacting the ore or waste material with an acidic leaching solution effective for leaching and forming a pregnant solution of at least one metal to be recovered, and contacting the pregnant solution with a steel substrate so as to cement the at least one metal and from which one can recover the metal. The method is particularly suited to the recovery of precious metals such as gold. The steel substrate can be particulate, such as steel shavings, so that the steel substrate is used in a form which results in a high surface area to volume ratio of steel.

The recovery of noble metals from ore by initially leaching the ore to form metal complexes, followed by a cementation step which results in the concentration of said noble metals, for subsequent recovery thereof by conventional means is known. The solution resulting from the leaching step and containing the metal complexes from which the metal is to be recovered is conventionally known as a pregnant solution. The term cementation refers to the mixing of the pregnant solution with a metal substrate which interacts with the metal complexes to cause their removal from the solution. Cementation normally involves a redox reaction at the surface of the respectively interacting particles. The leaching solution contains at least one lixiviant for the metal to be recovered.
Suitable lixiviants for the extraction of silver and gold include dilute alkaline solutions of sodium cyanide, potassium cyanide, calcium cyanide and acid solutions of thiourea. The cyanide salts, if they are to act as lixiviants, must be maintained at an alkaline pH. The use of an acid pH would result in the generation of hydrogen cyanide which is a highly toxic substance. Thus special handling procedures are a feature of leaching involving the use of cyanide solutions.
Currently, alkaline cyanide solutions are the preferred lixiviants in the recovery of noble metals such as gold.
British Patent Specification No. 1,594,361 describes a process for the extraction of gold and/or silver from ore which is reduced to a particle size of 1 mm or less, in which an alkaline solution of sodium or potassium cyanide is used as lixiviant. the resultant pregnant solution is maintained in an aerated static bed at a temperature in the range 10.degree.-40.degree. C. for a period of 12-48 hours and, thereafter, the particles are washed with water to obtain a solution of gold and/or silver salts which is treated to recover the gold and/or silver metal. An obvious disadvantage of this process is the use of cyanide which is highly toxic and thus there is the danger of pollution of the surrounding environment, especially in systems which are not enclosed viz open systems. The use of cyanide in mining has been barred in certain locations such as in California in the U.S.A. Open systems are typical of the systems used in the recovery of noble metals from low grade ores and from waste dumped ores, especially pyritic ores in which natural oxidation has occurred. Noble metals, for example gold, will not leach from certain unoxidized sulphidic ores which are known as refractory ores.
When the process of British Patent Specification No. 1,594,361 was carried out on a tailings dump of gold workings in South Africa containing 0.56 g Au/tonne a gold extraction of .about.57% was achieved.
As indicated above, thiourea is another commonly used lixiviant. Thus, GB 2 181 722 A discloses the use of a lixiviant containing thiourea, urea and an alkaline lignin sulphonate as lixiviant, as an alternative to thiourea alone, in the treatment of ores containing significant quantities of gold, silver and other precious or noble metals, especially low grade ores. The recovery of the dissolved gold and silver from the pregnant solution can be performed using a variety of known techniques, including ion exchange resins, iron-in-pulp processes, lead-in-pulp processes, electrodeposition and carbon adsorption. All of the latter recovery processes are relatively costly, especially those involving activated carbon and ion exchange resin. Also iron being highly reactive tends to go into solution in an acid environment, thus slowing the recovery process and the yield of the metal to be recovered.
British British Patent Specification No. 1,534,485 discloses the uses of thiourea as a lixiviant and cementation with aluminum. The ore is initially leached and the pregnant solution is treated to a number of steps viz flocculation, filtration and washing followed by subjecting the so-treated solution to a heat treatment at a temperature in the range 50.degree.-60.degree. C., prior to cementation with powdered aluminum. It will be appreciated that the process is lengthy and the energy input is high.
British Patent Specification No. 1,437,778, EP-A 0 057 383 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,554 disclose various processes involving cementation with various metals, including iron. Thus British Patent Specification No. 1,437,778 discloses the recovery of copper, silver, gold and platinum group metals from acid solution by cementation with various metals, including iron. EP-A 0 057 383 discloses cementation of copper using iron turnings. U.S. Pat No. 3,985,554 discloses recovery of various metals, including gold, from aqueous solution by mixing with iron particles, for example swarf produced by the grinding of ferrous metals. The disadvantages of iron in cementation has been indicated above.
There is a continuing need for processes for the recovery of noble or precious metals from varying grades of ore and various waste materials containing said metals which are environmentally acceptable, are relatively simple and inexpensive to carry out and which result in the recovery of metals which it is desired to recover in high yield.

Metal recovery process from solution with a steel substrate


A clonogenic neurosphere assay is described that carries out high throughput screens (HTS) to identify potent and/or selective modulators of proliferation, differentiation and/or renewal of neural precursor cells, neural progenitor cells and/or self-renewing and multipotent neural stem cells (NSCs). Compositions comprising the identified modulators and methods of using the modulators and compositions, in particular to treat neurological disorders (e.g. brain or CNS cancer) or damage are also disclosed.

The invention relates to compositions and methods to treat neurological disorders or damage, in particular brain or CNS cancer.
The identification of self-renewing and multipotent neural stem cells (NSC) in the mammalian brain holds promise for the treatment of many neurological diseases and has yielded new insight into brain cancer (5-7). However, the NSC "ground state"—defined by the complete repertoire of pathways that govern NSC proliferation, self-renewal and differentiation—remains largely uncharacterized. The in vitro culture of embryonic or postnatal brain cells isolated from anatomic precursor compartments in serum-free conditions containing FGF and EGF results in the expansion of a rare subpopulation of precursor cells and the formation of floating clonogenic clusters termed neurospheres (8-10) (FIG. 1a,b). Analysis of these neurosphere cultures has made it possible to elucidate the individual roles of developmental signaling pathways including the PTEN, Bmi 1, Notch, Wnt and Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) pathways in neural precursor proliferation, in concert with the known functions of these pathways in vivo (11-15). Although the candidate gene approach has been successful at uncovering vital pathways in NSC biology, to date only a small set of highly-studied networks has been sampled.

Method for treating a brain cancer with ifenprodil

HSC Research and Development Limited Partnership


The electronic document database searching system displays search results using a display attribute that corresponds to the attribute of the string in each original electronic document. The system also displays the search results using a display attribute that varies in accordance with the frequency of occurrence of the searched string in each original electronic document

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data search method and a data search system using thereof which conduct searching in an electronic document database or the like according to an index and in particular relates to a data search method and a data search system using thereof which output the result of searching an d display it in a mode showing its features.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Databases related to the academic works, publications, newspapers or the like have various types such as an index database recording only the bibliographic items, an abstract database recording abstracts in addition to the bibliographic items, and a full text database recording the whole texts. Recently, the full text database has been widely used because of great store of information. Such state of using database is described in "Journal of Information Processing Society of Japan", Vol. 33, No. 4, April 1992, pp. 413-420 and the same, Vol. 33, No. 10, October 1992, pp. 1144-1153.
In searching in formation recorded in such database, the searching process can be quickly carried out by utilizing an index using a word (a string) contained in the information as a key. In particular, it can be said that it is indispensable for realizing search in the full text database in a practical process time to conduct searching according to the index.
Generally, the index describes a string (word) occurring in the document, and identification informations of the document containing the strings or identification informations of sub-documents constituting a document. As a result of searching in the plural documents (a group of documents), the identification informations of the documents containing the strings inputted for searching (for example, the names of the documents) are listed, and on the other hand, as a result of searching in a single document, the identification informations of the sub-documents containing the strings inputted for searching (for example, the page numbers) are listed, whereby the user is able to know which is the document or the sub-document containing the string inputted for searching (namely, the string as a searching index). Regarding the listed identification informations of the sub-documents, the content of text of the corresponding sub-document can be displayed in accordance with the user's instruction.
The frequency of occurrence of the string to be searched (in some cases, containing its synonyms) in each of the documents is helpful information for determining which document is optimum as a result of searching among the documents listed with their document names. Therefore, the frequency of occurrence is numerically displayed by the side of each of the listed document names, or the frequency of occurrence is displayed by a graph with the list of the document names.
As described above, in the search system simply displaying the identification informations of the documents or sub-documents in the list, it is difficult to determine for the user which document is optimum as the result of searching based on the display. In the case where the content of the text corresponding to the listed sub-document is displayed, determination of optimumness can be easily made based on the display. However, in this case, each and every content of the text must be displayed corresponding to each of the identification informations of a large number of listed sub-documents, which results in complex operations and a long process time.
In the case of attaching the frequency of occurrence of the searched string to the list, determination of optimumness is easily made with reference to the frequency of occurrence.
However, if the numerals indicating frequency of occurrence is displayed by the sides of many listed documents, it is difficult for the user to visually recognize each value of frequency of occurrence, and besides, it is not very much effective in practice because a large number of numeric values indicating the frequency of occurrence must be compared with each other. In the case where the graph showing the frequencies of occurrence is displayed with the list of the document names, variation in frequencies of occurrence can be recognized at a glance. However, the space for displaying graph is required in the screen and thereby the space for the list of the document names which are most important is reduced, thus making it harder for the user to recognize the list.

Method and system for searching and for presenting the search results in an attribute that corresponds to the retrieved documents


There is provided a method for fabricating a magnetic recording medium that provides high throughput, low manufacturing cost, and no degradation in accuracy in pattern size in fine pattern formation. A resist layer is formed on a substrate or cutting work layer. The surface of the substrate is divided into two or more areas using the center of rotation of the substrate as a reference point. An optical, contactless pattern transfer method is used to transfer a figure pattern contained in the divided area through a mask to the resist layer so as to form a latent image of the figure pattern. The pattern transfer is similarly carried out for the divided area. After the pattern transfer processes for all the divided areas are completed, the entire resist layer is developed to form a resist pattern. The resist pattern is used as a mask to cut the substrate or cutting work layer. As a result, there is provided the substrate or cut work layer onto which a fine pattern has been transferred.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic recording medium used in a magnetic disk apparatus and the like, a method for manufacturing the magnetic recording medium, and a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus using the magnetic recording medium.
2. Background Art
In recent years, the recording density of magnetic recording media has been improved as the capacity of magnetic recording/reproducing apparatuses has increased. In the last few years, there has been commercialized a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus that employs a perpendicular magnetic recording method in which the magnetized state, which could be problematic in high-density magnetic recording, is substantially insensitive to thermal unstableness (superparamagnetic effect) to achieve a recording density of 100 to 200 Gb/in2. To achieve a higher recording density of 200 Gb/in2 or higher, the recording medium itself needs improvement. The current recording medium is called a medium which has a continuous magnetic recording layer, in which each layer that forms the medium is formed by sputtering on the entire substrate in a uniform manner. When the recording density is 200 Gb/in2 or higher, a fringe magnetic field leaked from the side surfaces of the magnetic recording head frequently causes data to be written to adjacent data tracks, resulting in degradation of recorded information in the magnetic form. Furthermore, when the reproducing head is used to read information in the magnetic form on a data track, leakage flux from adjacent tracks reduces the S/N ratio. To avoid such phenomena and further improve the recording density, there has been proposed a discrete track medium having no magnetic recording layer between a data track having magnetic information and the adjacent data track, as shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a substrate. Reference numeral 12 denotes a soft magnetic underlayer. Reference numeral 13 denotes an intermediate layer. Reference numeral 14 denotes a data track. Reference numeral 15 denotes a groove between data tracks. Reference numeral 16 denotes the cross-track direction.
In an even higher recording density of 500 Gb/in2 to 1 Tb/in2, there has been devised a dot-patterned medium in which not only adjacent recording tracks are magnetically separated but also adjacent recording bits formed in the same recording track are magnetically separated. FIG. 2 shows a dot-patterned medium. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 21 denotes a substrate. Reference numeral 22 denotes a soft magnetic underlayer. Reference numeral 23 denotes an intermediate layer. Reference numeral 24 denotes a recording bit. Reference numeral 25 denotes a groove between recording bits. Reference numeral 26 denotes the cross-track direction.
Unlike the conventional magnetic recording medium having a flat structure, the discrete track medium and the dot-patterned medium are sometimes collectively referred to as a patterned medium meaning that they include a fine pattern having an indented structure. The indented structure herein means, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, that a microprocessed indented structure is formed somewhere on the substrate or in the soft magnetic underlayer, the intermediate layer, or the magnetic recording layer stacked on the substrate. Alternatively, the indented structure may be an indented structure followed by planarization. Thus forming such an indented structure causes magnetic separation or non-uniformity between adjacent recording tracks or between recording bits.
The fine pattern having an indented structure includes a concentric or spiral discrete track structure or a dot pattern that magnetically separates adjacent recording bits formed on the same recording track, the discrete track structure and recording bits being used to record and reproduce magnetic information in a data area. The fine pattern desirably also includes a servo pattern in a servo area used in servo control of the recording/reproducing head. The patterned medium can be defined as a medium having a microprocessed indented structure formed either in the data area in which magnetic information is recorded or the servo area in which servo information for the recording/reproducing head is written so as to cause magnetic separation or non-uniformity. Therefore, a medium having a flat data area as in the conventional magnetic recording medium is still regarded as a patterned medium, when the medium has a microprocessed indented structure and hence a magnetically intermittent or non-uniform area in the pattern in the servo area used in servo control of the recording/reproducing head.
Patterned media are broadly classified into two types in terms of their structures, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 shows an example of one of the structures, a patterned medium with patterns on a substrate surface in which a fine pattern is directly formed in a substrate 31 and various magnetic films are staked thereon. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 32 denotes a soft magnetic underlayer. Reference numeral 33 denotes an intermediate layer. Reference numeral 34 denotes a magnetic recording layer. Reference numeral 35 denotes a data track. Reference numeral 36 denotes the pitch between data tracks. Other structure has a patterned indented structure in a metallic layer or a nonmetallic layer stacked on the substrate. FIG. 4 shows an example of a patterned medium with patterns on a magnetic recording layer, in which the flat magnetic recording layer formed on the substrate is microprocessed into dots or discrete tracks. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 41 denotes a substrate. Reference numeral 42 denotes a soft magnetic underlayer and an intermediate layer. Reference numeral 43 denotes a magnetic recording layer left after a cutting process (projections corresponding to data tracks or recording bits). Reference numeral 44 denotes an indentation in the cut magnetic recording layer (corresponding to the portion between data tracks or the portion between recording bits). Reference numeral 45 denotes nonmagnetic material filled in an indentation.
As an example of how to fabricate a fine pattern in a patterned medium, IEEE Trans. Magn. Vol. 40, No. 4, 2510 (2004) discloses a method for forming a fine pattern by using a resist pattern (reference numeral 55) fabricated through electron beam lithography as a mask and cutting (56) a magnetic recording layer 54 to form a fine pattern, as shown in FIGS. 5A to 5C. In FIGS. 5A to 5C, reference numeral 51 denotes a substrate. Reference numeral 52 denotes a soft magnetic underlayer. Reference numeral 53 denotes an intermediate layer. Reference numeral 54 denotes the magnetic recording layer. Reference numeral 55 denotes the resist pattern fabricated through electron beam lithography. Reference numeral 56 denotes the cutting process. Reference numeral 57 denotes the magnetic recording layer cut into a patterned indented structure. Reference numeral 58 denotes a data track or a recording bit. The resist pattern indicated by reference numeral 55 in FIGS. 5A and 5B may be formed through a nanoimprinting method in some cases.
IEEE Trans. Magn. Vol. 41, No. 2, 670 (2005) discloses an example of how to fabricate a patterned medium with patterns on a substrate surface. As shown in FIGS. 6A to 6D, the method includes the steps of fabricating a resist pattern 62 on a substrate 61 through electron beam lithography, using the resist pattern 62 as a mask to form a fine pattern 64 in the substrate surface through reactive ion etching indicated by reference numeral 63, and stacking a soft magnetic underlayer 65, an intermediate layer 66, and a magnetic recording layer 67 on the fine pattern 64 in a uniform manner. A patterned medium having the structure shown in FIG. 6D is thus provided. In FIG. 6D, reference numeral 68 denotes a data track or a recording bit.

Magnetic recording medium, method for manufacturing the same, and magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus


In a method of regulating a rotating machine with n phases fed with alternating current by a voltage inverter including n SPmLL defining m.sup.n states V.sub.i (i.epsilon.{1, . . , m.sup.n }) of the stator phase voltage vector V.sub.s, the machine having an electromagnetic torque T.sub.em and a stator flux .phi..sub.S slaved to a commanded electromagnetic torque T.sub.emref and stator flux .phi..sub.Sref, for transient conditions in which the electromagnetic torque T.sub.em and/or the stator flux .phi..sub.S are respectively far away from the commanded electromagnetic torque T.sub.emref and/or stator flux .phi..sub.Sref, from all possible states V.sub.i of the stator phase voltage vector V.sub.s, the one is chosen which is optimal for causing the torque T.sub.em and the stator flux .phi..sub.S to converge towards the commanded torque T.sub.emref and stator flux .phi..sub.Sref ; and switching of the SPmLL corresponding to the chosen state of the phase voltage vector V.sub.s is commanded.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a rotating machine control command method, a servocontrol system for implementing said method, and a rotating machine provided with a system of this kind. To be more precise the present invention concerns a method of controlling the torque and the stator flux of a rotating machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Vectorial rotor flux control devices are known in themselves. Their control function is based on actual control of the magnetic state of the rotor and the torque of the machine. However, this type of device necessitates the provision of sensors on the rotating parts of the machine in order to sense a mechanical quantity needed for the calculation. Also, these devices are highly sensitive to variation in the parameters of the machine. Finally, these devices necessitate the use of pulse width modulation (PWM) which introduces a tim-edelay into the response time of the machine on the occasion of a torque or speed step.
In an alternative method known in itself the control quantities are the electromagnetic torque and the stator flux. This method does not necessitate the use of PWM.
This method relies on vectorial modelling of the machine and the voltage inverter.
For the machine. it is known that the electromagnetic torque is a function of the angle between the rotor flux rotating vector and the stator flux rotating vector and the moduli of these flux vectors. In other words, the electromagnetic torque is a function of the vector product of the rotating flux vectors: EQU T.sub.em =K(.phi..sub.R .times..phi..sub.S)
The stator voltage vector V.sub.s is delivered by a three-phase voltage inverter, each phase including a single-pole two logic levels (SP2LL) switch. Accordingly, the stator voltage vector V.sub.s can assume eight (2.sup.3) states V.sub.1 . . . V.sub.8, two of which V.sub.1, V.sub.8 are of zero amplitude (zero states) in the stator fixed coordinate system (.alpha.,.beta.), according to the combination of the states of the three SP2LL of the inverter.
A direct torque control (DTC) system known in itself (FIG. 1) relies, in the stator coordinate system (.alpha.,.beta.), on maintaining the modulus .vertline..phi..sub.S .vertline. of the rotating stator flux vector .phi..sub.S in a hysteresis band H and on controlling the torque T.sub.em by accelerating the rotating stator flux vector .phi..sub.S relative to the rotor flux vector .phi..sub.R for an increase in the torque T.sub.em (increase in the angle between the two flux vectors) and by stopping the stator flux vector .phi..sub.S so that the rotor flux vector .phi..sub.R catches up to reduce the torque (reduction in the angle between the two flux vectors).
The stator flux vector .phi..sub.S is controlled by means of a finite table. For a given location N.sub.i (i=1 . . . 6) of the rotating stator flux vector .phi..sub.S in the plane of the stator (.alpha., .beta.), this table contains the states V.sub.1. . . V.sub.8 of the stator phase voltage vector V.sub.s which enable stopping of the stator flux vector (zero states V.sub.1, V.sub.8) and those which are used to open out the angle between the flux vectors .phi..sub.S, .phi..sub.R, whilst maintaining the stator flux vector .phi..sub.S in the hysteresis band H. The finite table below and FIG. 1 illustrate this method.
______________________________________ Finite table T.sub.em increasing T.sub.em .vertline..phi..sub.S .vertline. .vertline..phi..sub.S .vertline. decreasing ZONE N.sub.i increasing decreasing .phi..sub.s stopped ______________________________________ N.sub.1 V.sub.3 V.sub.4 V.sub.1, V.sub.8 N.sub.2 V.sub.4 V.sub.5 V.sub.1, V.sub.8 N.sub.3 V.sub.5 V.sub.6 V.sub.1, V.sub.8 N.sub.4 V.sub.6 V.sub.7 V.sub.1, V.sub.8 N.sub.5 V.sub.7 V.sub.2 V.sub.1, V.sub.8 N.sub.6 V.sub.2 V.sub.3 V.sub.1, V.sub.8 ______________________________________
In FIG. 1, for example, .phi..sub.S is in the zone N.sub.6 and its end tracks the state V.sub.2 of the stator phase voltage vector V.sub.s. The state V.sub.2 is a state which causes .vertline..phi..sub.S .vertline. to increase. The system will switch to V.sub.3 as soon as .vertline..phi..sub.S .vertline. reaches the upper limit of the hysteresis band H.
This technique has a number of drawbacks, including:
The finite table is not exhaustive in terms of the possible dynamic situations of the rotating machine.
Conceiving a table to take exhaustive account of the situations of the machine is inconceivable (in the simple case of an inverter with three SP2LL there are already six domains in each of which four states may be used) . What is more, a malfunction of one of the SP2LL eliminates three possible states of the stator phase vector V.sub.s which significantly reduces the size of the command finite table and can end up with the rotating machine in an out of control situation (torque peak).
The proposed technique dedicates stator flux .phi..sub.S control (maintaining the stator flux modulus within the hysteresis band H) to torque T.sub.em control. Configurations in which stator flux .phi..sub.S control is required concomitantly with torque T.sub.em control are not provided for.
In the case of a negative torque step (stepwise torque reduction) at low rotor rotation speed, the response dynamics of the above solution are very poor. In particular, the response time to the negative step is in the order of four times the response time to a positive step of the same amplitude.
In a torque reduction configuration, the device stops the rotation of the stator flux (zero state) and the rotor flux catches up the stator flux, so reducing the angle and therefore the torque. At low motor rotation speeds, the rotor flux also rotates at low speed, which significantly affects the torque response dynamics.
This configuration at low rotation speeds can be illustrated by the starting up of a traction unit, the poor dynamics by slippage of the traction unit wheels (torque reduction too slow).
The switching strategy for the voltage inverter is the same under transient conditions (the instantaneous values of the flux and of the torque are far away from the commanded values) or under steady state conditions (the instantaneous values of the flux and of the torque oscillate about the commanded values). Accordingly, under steady state conditions, the average switching frequency of the voltage inverter is no longer controllable and is chaotic. For high maximal voltages and currents this can quickly lead to irreversible damage to some SP2LL and therefore end up with the rotating machine in an uncontrollable state, for the reasons previously cited.
One aim of the present invention is to propose a method in which, the control quantities being also the electromagnetic torque and the stator flux, regardless of the situation of the rotating machine at a given time, the optimal stator phase voltage vector V.sub.s state is chosen, from all the possible states, for the best possible response to the required control strategy.

Rotating machine control command method, servocontrol system for implementing said method, rotating machine provided with a system of this kind

Alcatel Alsthom Compagnie Generale D'Electricite


Methods for nucleic acid amplification with thermostable ribonuclease H, in which single-stranded RNA (-) is prepared from RNA (+) as a target nucleic acid and the copy number of the single-stranded RNA (-) is increased through the use of thermostable ribonuclease H in combination with non-thermostable RNA-dependent DNA polymerase, non-thermostable DNA-dependent DNA polymerase and non-thermostable DNA-dependent RNA polymerase. In these methods, the number of amplification cycles is well increased and the sensitivity of detection can, therefore, be improved, as compared with the conventional methods. Also provided are methods for the detection of a target nucleic acid from RNA copies of a specific nucleic acid, obtained by any of the amplification methods, and reagent kits for use in these methods.

In recent years, there have been developed various methods for the diagnosis of diseases by detection of associated genes from bacteria, viruses or other pathogens. Some samples may contain nucleic acids in sufficient amounts for their direct detection. In contrast, when a target gene is present in a very small amount or proportion, the direct detection of the target gene becomes quite difficult. This problem has hitherto been solved with a technique of amplifying the target gene by cell or bacterial culture methods; however, these methods have a defect that they require much time.
For nucleic acid amplification, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method has also been known. In this method, the degree of amplification of a target nucleic acid is controlled by the number of cycles. The amplification rate is calculated by 2.sup.n where n is the number of cycles. The amplification of a target nucleic acid up to the amount making possible its actual detection requires 25 to 30 cycles.
Different methods for nucleic acid amplification based on RNA replication are disclosed in JP-A 2-5864, JP-A 2-500565 and JP-A 2-501532. In these methods, a promoter sequence for DNA-dependent RNA polymerase is incorporated into a primer for use in the synthesis of double-stranded DNA from a target nucleic acid. After the synthesis of double-stranded DNA, the resulting double-stranded DNA is used as a template to synthesize RNA corresponding to the target nucleic acid with DNA-dependent RNA polymerase.
The resulting RNA is then used for the synthesis of a DNA/RNA hybrid with RNA-dependent DNA polymerase, from which DNA/RNA hybrid the RNA is separated to yield single-stranded DNA. The DNA separation is achieved by heat denaturation (JP-A 2-500565 and JP-A 2-501532) or by use of ribonuclease H (JP-A 2-5864).
The single-stranded DNA thus obtained is used together with another primer to synthesize double-stranded DNA containing a promoter sequence for DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and the resulting double-stranded DNA is subjected to RNA transcription.
The use of this method makes it possible to transcribe tens or thousands of RNA molecules from only one double-stranded nucleic acid molecule by DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, resulting in a higher efficiency of amplification per cycle as compared with the PCR method. In the case where ribonuclease H is used, temperature cycles, required in the PCR method, become unnecessary, and amplification can, therefore, be carried out in a simpler manner.
The amplification methods based on RNA replication have high efficiency of amplification; however, the conventional enzymes used in the respective reactions, such as RNA-dependent DNA polymerase, DNA-dependent RNA polymerase and DNA-dependent DNA polymerase, are usually non-thermostable. Low thermostability of these enzymes prevents the use of high temperatures in the reactions of amplification; therefore, non-specific hybridization between the template nucleic acid and the primer cannot be avoided, resulting in a decrease of specificity, which may cause a deterioration in the sensitivity of detection. To solve this problem, there has been developed a method with thermostable enzymes derived from Thermus thermophilus as the enzymes to be used in these amplification methods (JP-A 7-203999). In this method, the reactions of amplification are effected at a constant high temperature by use of thermostable enzymes, thereby making it possible to avoid non-specific hybridization.


A processing apparatus (10) includes a dividing means (110). The dividing means (110) divides data into a plurality of pieces of partial data by degree of importance, based on a content of the data. Then, first partial data and second partial data having a degree of importance higher than that of the first partial data are held separately from each other. The data are, for example, sensor data or camera data constituted of a plurality of values. For example, the second partial data are encrypted.

In an IoT service and the like, an enormous amount of data may be collected and handled. Data may include important information, and therefore confidentiality is required. On the other hand, applying security at a high level, such as encryption and site distribution of data storage, to all pieces of data causes an increase in an operation cost particularly when a data amount is enormous.
An encryption processing device in PTL 1 determines whether encryption is necessary for data, based on an aspect of data, an item included within data, or the like. The item included within the data is, for example, an indicator related to a degree of importance of the data.
An encryption device in PTL 2 sets an encryption parameter in such a way that an encryption level is set to a level according to a degree of importance of target data.

Processing apparatus, system, processing method, and computer program


An elevator display system includes: a sensing device that acquires sensing data indicating condition of an inside of a cage; a mirror display device arranged in the cage on a side opposite to an elevator door, functions in a first state as a mirror, and functions in a second state as an image display unit; a content generation unit that generates display image data to be displayed on the mirror display device; an in-cage condition judgment unit that judges condition of a user in the cage from the sensing data and outputs user information regarding the condition of the user; and a display control unit that outputs a control signal requesting generation of display image data for setting a display state of a display surface of the mirror display device to the first state or the second state to the display image generation unit based on the user information.

In an elevator, there are cases where a wheelchair user exits from the cage of the elevator by reversing the wheelchair. In such cases, the wheelchair user reverses the wheelchair while checking the situation to the rear of the wheelchair reflected on a mirror provided on a wall on a side opposite to the elevator door.
However, the eyes of the wheelchair user are situated at a position where the wheelchair user is likely to happen to make eye contact with general passengers via the mirror in the cage, and the mirror for assisting the reversing of the wheelchair can cause mental stress to the wheelchair user.
As a countermeasure against this problem, there has been proposed a device in which a display device with a mirror function, having a function as a mirror and a function as an image display unit (display), is provided in the cage and the mirror function is enabled only for a period from a time just before the elevator door opens to a time when the elevator door closes (see Patent Reference 1, for example).


Data buffer stores therein data of a plurality of packets supplied from an optional external source on a packet-by-packet basis. When a predetermined quantity of data have been stored in the data buffer, a system controller successively reads out from the data buffer the data for N (an optional integral number of two or more) packets from among the supplied packets. Encoder converts, into a recording format of an optical disc, the data for the N packets successively read out from the data buffer and outputs the converted data after adding thereto packet-linking information. Then, the converted data for the N packets with the packet-linking information are successively recorded onto the optical disc. Thus, even for long data of a plurality of packets, this arrangement can reduce a necessary number of track seek operations to thereby greatly reduce a necessary recording time.

The present invention relates generally to devices for recording data onto recordable optical discs, such as a CD-R (Compact Disc-Recordable) or DVD (Digital Video Disc-Recordable) where data are recorded on a packet-by-packet basis, and it relates more particularly to a packet-write-type optical disc recording device which records data in packets each having a predetermined data length.
Examples of the conventionally-known methods for recording data on a CD-R include the "disc-at-once" method in which data for a whole optical disc are recorded in succession by single recording operation and the "track-at-once" method in which a plurality of sessions are allowed to be written onto a disc in an additive fashion (additive writing). All of these recording methods, however, involve recording of a great quantity of data per recording operation, consuming a managing memory area of 10 to 20 megabytes per recording operation. Thus, the known recording methods are not suited to applications where a relatively small quantity of data are written a plurality of times in an additive fashion.
In contrast, the so-called "packet-write" recording method, in which a small quantity of data are written onto an optical disc on a packet-by-packet basis, has the advantage that any necessary file can be additively written in much the same way as normally done on conventional hard discs, and hence it has been becoming increasingly popular in applications where a CD-R is used as an external storage device for a computer.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a packet-write recording format. Each track is composed of a pre-gap, which is a managing area provided at the head of the track, and a plurality of packets following the pre-gap. In this format, data are written on the packet-by-packet basis; that is, each packet is written onto a disc, following an already-written packet. For this purpose, the pre-gap contains track descriptors, and a specific position to record a new packet is determined by reference to position information of a last packet written on the optical disc. In additively writing a new packet, it is impossible to physically link the new packet with the preceding already-written packet in a continuous manner, so that a pratically unreadable block called a "link block" is provided between every adjoining packets. Link information called a "splice" is stored in a data link period between the packets. The splice comprises information stored in a total of seven blocks: run-out information (Run-out) stored in two blocks at the end of a preceding packet; link information (Link) stored in one block at the head of a succeeding packet; and run-in information (Run-in) in four blocks of the succeeding packet.
The packet length is set by an external host computer. Because each packet comprises a plurality of blocks (sectors) each having a length of about 2K bytes, the packet length may be determined using 2K-byte units in principle However, due to the splice consuming a total of 14K bytes, the recording areas can not be used efficiently if the packet length is too short. For this reason, the packet length is normally set to 64K bytes, 128 bytes or the like so that the effective use rate of the recording areas exceeds 80 per cent.
Because of the nature of the packet-by-packet additive writing, the conventional optical disc recording devices conduct data recording onto an optical disc on the packet-by-packet basis. When one packet of data is to be recorded, a series of operations is generally required to store data for one packet from the host computer into an internal data buffer of a disc drive device, move a recording head to a particular writing position facing the disc (seek operation) and then initiate recording of the stored one-packet data by means of the recording head. The reason why the recording is initiated after storage of the one-packet data is that if there ocurs a break or interruption of data during recording, all data having so far been recorded would become errors.
If the size of a file is short enough to fit within a single packet, the above-mentioned recording method would present no significant problem; however, if the file is longer, a problem would arise that the seek operation frequently takes place, making recording of the file time-consuming. In addition, laser power of the recording head is frequently calibrated, which would result in shortage of a calibrating area. Such a problem may be lessened if the packet size is increased, but the increased packet size would considerably deteriorate the advantageous function of the packet-write recording method which allows a small quantity of data to be recorded in an additive fashion.

Optical disc device capable of recording information data as a plurality of linking packets


A method and apparatus for analyzing power devices in a circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, a power analysis apparatus analyzes information on power supplied to the circuit and classifies the power patterns into groups of their own similar power patterns by making reference to the information on the power patterns, so as to acquire at least one piece of motif information which is information on at least one fingerprint. The apparatus further counts the frequency of occurrence of each motif and determines a pair of specific motifs having the difference between the counted frequencies of occurrence, which is within a predetermined value range, and average power variation values symmetrical to each other, whereby an accurate determination can be made as to the individual power devices in the circuit.

In order to efficiently manage energy resource, a concept of Smart Grid has been introduced. The Smart Grid refers to an 'intelligent power grid' that optimizes energy efficiency (i) by integrating information technology with an existing unidirectional power grid technology having steps of power generation, transmission/distribution, and sales and (ii) by allowing electricity providers and consumers to exchange information in real-time in both directions. In other words, its basic concept represents that an entire power system works efficiently as a single entity by connecting power plants, transmission and distribution facilities and the consumers with information communication network and by sharing information in both directions.
And, the Smart Grid is actively adopting ICT (Information & Communication Technology) into a power infrastructure in order to more efficiently and effectively manage and control an entire process from power generation to consumption by adding intelligence capabilities to the power infrastructure, and in particular, the Smart Grid is attracting attention as a next-generation power grid that optimizes the energy efficiency (i) by facilitating exchange of real-time power information between the providers and the consumers in both directions through combining communication technology with the power grid and thus (ii) by encouraging reasonable energy consumption through bidirectional power information exchange and providing high-quality energy and various additional services.
In order to provide home energy management service using the Smart Grid as such, it is necessary to provide smart tags for measuring the power consumption of a specific power device installed in a home. Such a smart tag is installed in an outlet so as to measure the power consumption of a power device connected to the outlet and transmit the measured power consumption to a smart meter.
However, in general, one or more power devices and outlets are used in the home, and a smart tag must be provided for each power device or each outlet. If the smart tag is to be provided for each outlet in the home or each power device, the cost of manufacturing and installation of the smart tag will increase and, as a result, the cost of establishment of the smart grid will increase considerably.
In order to solve such a problem, a Non-Intrusive Appliance Load Monitoring (NIALM) technique as disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2016-0010793, U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,554,501, and 9,118,182 has been proposed, which is a technique that identifies whether individual power devices in the home are in use and how much an amount of the power consumption is by analyzing total power information (voltage and current).
And, such conventional non-invasive monitoring of load on home appliances analyzes whether the individual power devices are in use and how much the amount of the power consumption is by using a change in the amount of the power consumption, an overload analysis, or similar load patterns in the home.
However, since a step response caused by ON/OFF operation of power devices is different from that of an ideal power device, depending on an AC power characteristic, an initial state characteristic of the power devices, etc., therefore, the conventional non-invasive monitoring of load on home appliances has a difficulty in identifying the individual power devices.

Apparatus and method for non-invasively analyzing behaviors of multiple power devices in circuit and monitoring power consumed by individual devices


The invention is a system of spraying coating on the surface of a substrate with a convergent spray gun that utilized separate pump and flow metering systems. Each part of a two part resin is pumped and metered separately. The third part which is a foaming agent and surfactant is also pumped and metered separately in a mix chamber. All three materials are mixed in the mix chamber and then atomized and combined with dry filler in the convergent zone of the spray gun. The quantity of the filler and the three part foaming resins are proportioned in order to maintain a predetermined ratio.

Convergent spray apparatus is currently available and has been, for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,241 granted on Oct. 15, 1996 to Mathias et al entitled "Convergent End-Effector" and U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,992 granted on May 3, 1994 to Hall et al entitled "Method And System For Coating A Substrate With A Reinforced Resin Matrix" both of which include the inventor of the present invention, Jack G. Scarpa, as a named co-inventor and both of which are commonly assigned to USBI, Co. The U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,565,241 and 5,307,992 patents, supra, disclose apparatus for providing a convergent spray for applying the coating of reinforced resins matrix to a substrate is a spray nozzle that includes a centrally disposed orifice and a plurality of circumferentially spaced orifice(s) surrounding the center orifice for creating an atomizing zone. Included are other orifices radially spaced outwardly from these orifices which are used for shaping the spray. Reinforcing material is introduced to the resin through the aft end of an encircling chamber or manifold that surrounds the spray nozzle and is designed to feed the reinforcing material to the liquid resin. Pneumatic eductor lines for conducting compressed air are utilized to transport the materials to the substrate.
While these techniques have been described in the literature and are commercially available, there are no commercially available spray applications that can convergently apply a foaming thermal/acoustic insulation containing solid fillers.
I have found that I can provide a foaming thermal/acoustic insulation that contains solid fillers by combining a three part foaming resin system by supplying individually the mixed foaming resin and the selected solid fillers into a convergent nozzle. And then dynamically combines these ingredients externally of the spray nozzle through a convergent process. The system of the present invention contemplates heating the three part foaming resin in separate pressure containers in order to reduce the viscosity and allow for easier flow through metered liquid handling sub-systems prior to entering the dynamic mixing chamber in the convergent nozzle.
This invention contemplates the use of a three part foaming resin system. Each part uses a separate pump and flow metering system. Part A epoxy resin and part B catalyst are pumped and metered separately to the resin mix chamber at the end of the convergent gun A third part foaming agent and surfactant is also pumped and metered separately to the mix chamber. All three materials are mixed in mix chambers and then atomized and combined with dry fillers in the convergent zone.
The convergent spray technique of this invention can be utilized in a multitude of applications of which several are listed hereinbelow and it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the applications enumerated hereinbelow:
1) Thermal protection system (TPS) for application of aerospace vehicles for either thermal insulation or ablative insulation functions; PA1 2) Smoke and flame retardant foam insulation products which could replace fiberglass insulation as for example in automotive, boats, trains and the like; PA1 3) Acoustic insulation using recycled rubber as a filler; PA1 4) structurally reinforced foam with greater stiffness than conventionally applied systems; and PA1 5) cryogenic insulating systems for aerospace vehicles. PA1 1. Adding a functional filler, such as granular cork and glass micro spheres, in high concentrations to sprayable foams for TPS type materials; PA1 2. Controlling the thickness of the applied coating by virtue of either the process or the formulation; PA1 3. Matching dimensions of area to be coated on the substrate, thereby minimizing waste and over spray; PA1 4. Controlling the composition of the coating by controlling both filler and resin material independently; PA1 5. Providing significantly reduction in waste and hazardous materials; PA1 6. Providing flexibility in substituting different resins and fillers; and PA1 7. Enhancing the strength and elongation of the coating.
Without imposing any limitations, this invention has the ability of:

Apparatus and method for convergently applying polymer foam to substrate


An unlock mechanism for a rotary door operator of a transit vehicle includes a pivotally disposed unlock member adapted for rotating a lock member into an unlock position and activating a valve for discharging the fluid pressure from the drive cylinder to enable manual opening of the door. A spring is provided for biasing the unlock member to a non-activated position. The unlock member may be activated either with a cable or a lever handle. A lock sensing switch provides a feedback on the lock condition to the transit vehicle control system. Additionally, a guiding bracket is provided for securing the cable in proximity of the unlock member.

Prior to the development of the present invention, as is generally well known in the art, a rotary door operator is mainly used in the inter-city bus coaches. These rotary operators are available in two distinct types, commonly referred to as zero-lead and lift-and-lock. Either door operator type can be adapted for use with pneumatic or hydraulic fluids.
The rotary door operator of the zero-lead type converts piston motion of a piston-power cylinder unit into a rotary motion by means of roller pairs engaging oblique slots with an axial direction at their ends. One of the cylinders within the piston-power cylinder unit is connected to the power output shaft which, in turn, is connected to a door of the vehicle. During the door closing cycle, the output shaft moves upwardly in the vertical direction. When the door reaches a closed position, the roller pairs disposed at the end of the axial portions provide rudimentary locking of the door providing that the piston-power cylinder unit is charged with fluid and that no leakage occurs.
The rotary door operator of the lift-and-lock type comprises a double acting drive cylinder driving an output shaft coupled to the door post. The output shaft has a splined shaft member connected to the drive cylinder through a helical ball cage in order to provide a rotary motion and engageable with the door post carrying the door. The output shaft also has an antirotational shaft member enabling vertical movement of the output shaft to lock and unlock the door. When the door reaches the closed position, the rotary door operator lifts the door post and, subsequently, the door connected to the door post by approximately 10 mm, enabling door mounted wedges to engage mating wedges mounted adjacent a portal aperture of the transit vehicle. In the opening direction the output shaft first moves in a downward direction disengaging the wedges and enabling rotation of the door post.
To close the transit vehicle door, the cylinder is charged with fluid pressure through the first orifice. The rate at which the door closes depends solely on the rate at which the cylinder is charged with fluid. The splined shaft member connected with a drive cylinder piston moves linearly in the upward direction while engaging an antirotational shaft member. Such upward motion of the output shaft causes rotation of the post in the first direction and, more particularly, causes the closing motion of the door.
To open the transit vehicle doors, the drive cylinder is charged with fluid pressure through the second orifice. The rate at which the door opens depends solely on the rate at which the cylinder is charged with air. The output shaft moves linearly in the downward direction and causes rotation of the splined shaft in the second direction to open the door.
Such lift-and-lock feature is the mechanism disposed within the door operator preventing the un-locking of the door. When such door contacts door jambs of the door portal aperture, the mounting linkage attached to the door at one end and attached to such door operator at the distal end stops rotating. Since the drive cylinder has not reached the end of the stroke, the output shaft continues to move upward lifting such door and enabling door locking wedges to substantially engage mating locking wedges disposed adjacent the portal aperture.
One of the main disadvantages of these designs is that loss of fluid pressure will cause downward movement of the door, thus disengaging such mating wedges in lift-and-lock applications or simply unlock the door in zero-lead applications and, more particularly, the loss of fluid pressure will create a hazardous condition due to an unlocked door.
To overcome the aforementioned concern associated with fluid pressure loss, lock mechanisms have been employed in such rotary door operators.
U.S. Pat. No 4,545,149 to Jentsch teaches a lock mechanism for lift-and lock door operator type. Such lock mechanism employs a support member positioned under a disk that is permanently attached to the output shaft and an unlocking member, which engages such support to prevent its rotation in the unlocking direction. In the door locked position, the disk rests on the support member thus preventing downward movement of the output shaft. The support member incorporates adjustment means to maintain a contact with the disk. The unlocking member is connected to an unlock cylinder. To unlock the door in a normal operation, the unlock cylinder is energized causing rotation of the unlocking member which enables the support member to rotate in the unlocking direction and, more particularly, enables the output shaft to move downwardly and disengage the door wedges.
Manual unlocking of the door is achieved via Bowden cable that is attached to the unlocking member. In addition the Bowden cable is attached, through a plurality of linkages, to a fluid-evacuation valve which must be opened in order to evacuate fluid pressure from the unlock cylinder. Such Bowden cable is routed from the bottom of the rotary operator to rotate unlocking lever in the clockwise direction to unlock the door.
There are several disadvantages related to this type of lock mechanism. In the first aspect, the disk rests on the support member creating a frictional force that must be overcome during door unlocking movement. In the second aspect, the engagement between support member and the unlocking member, as best understood, creates an additional frictional force. As it is well known in the art, presense of frictional forces causes premature wear and reduces reliability of the design. In the third aspect, manual unlocking of the door incorporates additional linkage to open a fluid pressure evacuation valve which further increases the complexity of the design. In the fourth aspect, the Bowden cable must be routed from the bottom portion of the door in order to enable clockwise rotation of the unlocking lever.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,223 to Fink teaches a lock mechanism for zero-lead rotary door operator. Such lock mechanism utilizes a blocking lever to block downward movement of the roller pair only when fluid pressure loss occurs. The blocking lever is connected to the spring loaded rod of the lock cylinder. In normal operation, the lock cylinder is charged at all times to maintain the blocking lever in the unlock position additionally compressing its internally mounted spring.
Manual unlocking of the door is achieved via Bowden cable connected to the blocking lever at one end and connected to a lever at a distal end. The lever is employed to activate a three-way valve in order to remove the fluid pressure from the line and open the door via the Bowden cable. The Bowden cable is also routed from the bottom portion of the door in order to provide a desired rotation of the blocking lever. As best understood, the three-way valve is mounted remotely from the rotary door operator.
As it well known in the art, routing of the Bowden type cable, typically incorporated into a structure of the transit vehicle, requires special mounting and guiding considerations so not to provide for possibility of cable damage and at the same time assure proper cable operation. Of a particular concern is a guiding and mounting of the cable in a close proximity near its end engageble with the locking/unlocking levers. As best undersotood, the above referenced U.S. Patents do not provide for such guiding and mounting means integral to the rotary door operator.
As it can be seen from the above discussion there is a need for a relatively simple, reliable and versatile manual unlock mechanism for the rotary door operator.

Unlock mechanism for a rotary door operator


A clamping circuit including a current mirror circuit including transistors constituting a mirror pair disposed at ground side, each of the transistors being connected to a power source through a resistance element; a plurality of adjusting transistors connected in parallel to a first transistor as one transistor of the current mirror circuit at a side for determining mirror current flowing in the current mirror circuit; a plurality of switch circuits that are respectively connected to conduction control terminals of the plural adjusting transistors in connection with one another and control the conduction states of the corresponding adjusting transistors; and a clamping transistor that has a conduction control terminal connected to a power source side terminal of a second transistor as the other transistor of the mirror pair, and clamps a voltage applied to a clamp terminal with the potential of the conduction control terminal as a reference.

JP-A-6-104672 discloses a clamping circuit having the construction shown in FIG. 6. The clamping circuit is equipped with a clamping transistor 201 provided between a terminal 200 and ground to clamp the voltage V appearing at the terminal 200 to a predetermined potential level, a resistor 202 for applying a gate voltage VG to the transistor 201, transistors 203, 204 for supplying constant current Lo to the resistor 202 and a constant current source 205.
The transistor 201 comprises a p-channel MOS transistor in which the source thereof is joined to the substrate and connected to the terminal 200 and the drain thereof is connected to the ground. The resistor 202 is constructed by a trimmable resistor such as a polysilicon resistor or the like, and the resistance value thereof is set to a desired value R. The resistor 202 is connected between the gate of the transistor 201 and ground and applies to the gate of the transistor 201 the constant voltage VG corresponding to the product lo×R of the current lo flowing in the resistor 202 itself and the resistance value R.
A transistor 203 is constructed by a p-channel MOS transistor. The substrate and the source thereof are commonly connected to each other, the source is connected to the terminal 200, the drain thereof is connected to a terminal 210, and the gate thereof is connected to the gate and drain of the transistor 204. The transistor 204 is also constructed by a p-channel MOS transistor. The substrate and the source thereof are commonly connected to each other, the source thereof is connected to the terminal 200, the drain thereof is connected to the gates of the transistors 203 and 204, and also connected to the constant current source 205. The transistors 203 and 204 constitute a current mirror circuit, and the constant current source 205 extracts constant current Lo from the transistor 204, so that the mirror current lo flows.
In the clamping circuit disclosed in JP-A-6-104672, it is needed to adjust the resistance value of the resistor 202 or the current value of the constant current source 205 in order to adjust the clamping voltage at the terminal 200. However, in order to design the resistor 202 so that it is trimmable, it is needed to separately provide the corresponding process. Accordingly, when it is not scheduled from the beginning to carry out such a process, it is difficult to form the trimming resistor.
When the trimming resistor is not usable, the gate potential of the transistor 201 serving as a reference voltage for the operation suffers a specific temperature effect which the constant current source 205 has.

Clamping circuit transistor driving circuit using the same


A bracket assembly for securing a fitting to a wall. The assembly has a generally T-section plate having a pair of parallel T-flanges, fasteners securing the plate to the wall with the flanges substantially parallel to the wall, a holder adapted to carry the fitting and formed with a T-section slot open at one end, substantially complementary to the flanges of the plate, and normally receiving the plate, and an elastically deflectable latching tongue formed on the holder at the one end and retaining the holder and plate together. Spring formations resiliently engaged between the plate and the holder retain same snugly together. These formations are elastically deformable ribs on the flanges of the plate. The ribs are unitarily formed with the flanges.

A bracket for mounting a hand shower or the like on a wall surface typically has a backing plate that is secured to the wall, typically by screws, and a holder body that is then secured to the backing plate. German utility model 7,304,867 describes such an arrangement where the backing plate is formed with a dovetail groove in which a dovetail ridge of the holder fits. Another element secures these two parts together against relative movement.

Wall-mount bracket for hand shower or the like


A wardrobe apparatus comprising a body supporting a rail, a frame, and a movement mechanism, wherein the actuation means is arranged to move the rail vertically from a first position distal the frame to a second position proximate the frame.

Increasing pressures on space combine with greater purchasing power and an increase in personal possessions, an aesthetic awareness and a general desire to look one's best.
As a consequence many people accumulate a large amount of clothing, toiletries and other items. Often there is little space to store these increasing numbers of personal possessions and clothes particularly in urban environments.
In many homes however, whilst living space is limited, loft space has been underused.


A spool module for a subsea well production tree and system is presented. The spool module is similar to traditional process modules, except that the spool module includes all its components and their conduits inside one body (or block). This module includes retrievable components used for production and annulus flow lines into one package. The spool module includes the production choke, annulus choke, and conduit bores integral in the block. The spool module includes all of these elements machined into one body having no additional conduits or piping outside of the body. The spool module may also be used in connection with a subsea tree during production of a well, or with several wells on a template or as part of a manifold.

Development and exploitation of undersea petroleum and natural gas deposits includes using offshore facilities to drill and produce oil and gas wells. The development of subsea oil and gas fields requires specialized equipment, including subsea production systems. The equipment must be reliable enough to safe guard the environment, and make the exploitation of the subsea hydrocarbons economically feasible.
A typical subsea system for drilling and producing offshore oil and gas can include the use of process modules that can be used to assist in production. Process modules can include individual components such as production chokes, annulus chokes, sensors, single phase or multi-phase flow meters, etc. A multi-phase flow meter is a device for measuring the velocity and phase composition (water, oil, gas) of fluid flow in a well, usually one completed for production or injection. A single-phase flow meter is a device for measuring the velocity of a single fluid in a well A choke is used to control fluid flow rate or downstream system pressure. The choke is available in several configurations for both fixed and adjustable modes of operation. Adjustable chokes enable the fluid flow and pressure parameters to be changed to suit process or production requirements. Fixed chokes do not provide this flexibility, although they are more resistant to erosion under prolonged operation or production of abrasive fluids. Additionally, the choke may be non-retrievable or retrievable separate from the process module.
Although these components are retrievable, most of these components can include extensive routed piping in between them. This packaging can create multiple connections that create potential leak paths and a large footprint, both of which can be undesirable. In addition, because all of these components are separately retrievable, they can be individually large.


A solar spectrum sensor, a consumer device and a method for determining an ambient solar spectrum. The solar spectrum sensor comprises a sensor unit configured for generating respective photo current outputs responsive to different parts of the solar spectrum; a measurement unit configured for measuring the respective photo current outputs from the sensor unit; and a processing unit for determining an average photon energy, APE, value of the solar spectrum from the measured photo current outputs and for determining the solar spectrum based on the determined APE.

The internet of things (IoT) promises to revolutionize our ability to harvest, assimilate, and derive value from data. Sensors are the eyes and ears of the IoT. One group of sensors seeks to sense or determine the shape of the solar spectrum.
In one application example, spectral composition of incoming solar irradiance is valuable information for PV applications. Solar cell outputs show nontrivial variation with changing spectra [1]. This is especially so for multijunction solar cells, due to their increased spectrum sensitivity from current mismatch effects [2, 3]. Therefore, information about incoming solar spectrum is desired in order to accurately determine the yield of solar cells or modules.
Another implication of the incoming solar irradiance is on the in-plane irradiance measurement for solar modules. Irradiance measurement is important for monitoring the performance ratio (PR) of the PV system [4]. A pyranometer (which employs a thermocouple) can accurately measure the broadband irradiance with virtually no spectral selectivity and very low directional errors, but a calibrated Si reference cell (namely, sensor) is widely used instead for its faster response and much lower cost [5]. Irradiance measured with a Si reference cell is influenced by spectral effects due to the non-uniform spectral response of the reference cell. Therefore, the PRs derived from pyranometer and reference cell measurements are different [5]. Information on the incoming spectrum is thus desired to obtain the real irradiance and PR.
Spectrum data is less widely available compared to, e.g., broadband irradiance data. Efforts are still being made to improve the accuracy of satellite derived spectrum data [6]. In comparison, ground-based spectrum measurement is more accurate, more reliable, and offers better coverage with higher time resolution. However, such measurements using existing spectroradiometers are inconvenient and expensive.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a solar spectrum sensor, a consumer device, and a method for determining an ambient solar spectrum that seek to address at least one of the above problems.

Solar spectrum sensor for determining value of solar spectrum based on determined average photon energy


Aseptic filling and sealing of packages with a food product is carried out in compartments which contain an atmosphere of sterile air and which contain devices for filling and sealing packages and a transporter device for transporting the packages through the compartments for the filling and sealing operations. Headspace sterile air is removed and displaced from the packages by injection of nitrogen into the packages from a nozzle which is at a fixed position and which directs the nitrogen at an angle with reference to a vertical perpendicular to the horizontal package transport direction and counter to the transport direction.

The invention relates to process and apparatus for aseptically filling a package with a product under an atomosphere of sterile air containing oxygen and for removing and displacing the sterile air from the headspace of the filled package with nitrogen and for sealing the package so that the sealed, filled package headspace contains the nitrogen.
In the field of aseptic filling using certain types of machines, it is not possible to fill a package and seal it without leaving in it a small volume of gas, called headspace gas. As systems are normally used with sterile air, this headspace contains about 20% of oxygen. The presence of oxygen has a negative effect in the sense that, during preservation of the product contained in the package, it frequently happens that the product is sensitive to oxygen, which thus leads to degradation of its taste and/or of certain ingredients, such as vitamins and mineral salts. This phenomenon is unacceptable for the consumer, or for food legislation reasons.
One solution for reducing headspace air involves replacing the air with steam just before sealing. However, the drawback of this system is that the steam condenses on cold surfaces, the consequence being unacceptable risk of infection for neutral or slightly acidic products. A second solution consists in reducing the headspace by means of mechanical elements pressing the package, but it is not possible to remove the headspace air completely. German Patent Application Publication No. 31 08 817 also relates to a device enabling oxygen to be removed from the headspace of a package. In this device, the nozzle enabling the nitrogen to be injected is fastened to one of the sealing elements, thereby decreasing the efficiency of the nitrogen supplied since the nozzle moves and the stream of nitrogen changes direction. U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,127 and European Patent Application Publication No. 0 479 037 also relate to devices for removing the oxygen from the headspace of a package. The drawback of these devices is that the sealing of the package takes place downstream of the nitrogen injection station, this having the effect of allowing the quantity of nitrogen introduced beforehand to be distributed.

Method and apparatus for removing and displacing package headspace sterilized air


The invention provides compositions and methods for intravenous administration of 2-bromo-1-(3,3-dinitroazetidin-1-yl)ethanone (ABDNAZ), including formulations containing autologous whole blood and ABDNAZ that can be rapidly administered to a patient by intravenous infusion without any significant pain at the site of infusion.

Cancer is a significant health problem despite the many advances made for detecting and treating this disease. Leading types of cancer afflicting substantial numbers of patients include prostate cancer, breast cancer, and lung cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer among males, with an estimated incidence of 30% in men over the age of 50. Moreover, clinical evidence indicates that human prostate cancer has the propensity to metastasize to bone, and the disease appears to progress inevitably from androgen dependent to androgen refractory status, leading to increased patient mortality. Breast cancer remains a leading cause of death in women. Its cumulative risk is relatively high; certain reports indicate that approximately one in eight women are expected to develop some type of breast cancer by age 85 in the United States. Likewise, lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for about 80% of these cases.
Treatment options for cancer patients often include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or a combination thereof. The compound ABDNAZ described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,507,842; 8,299,053; and 8,927,527 has been studied in multiple clinical trials for use in treating cancer. ABDNAZ is typically formulated as a mixture with water, dimethylacetamide, and a poly(ethylene glycol) for intravenous infusion to the patient suffering from cancer. In clinical trials, patients receiving the aforementioned mixture of ABDNAZ by intravenous infusion have complained of significant pain at the site of infusion due to the ABDNAZ mixture. The significant pain at the site of infusion due to the ABDNAZ mixture has required medical personnel to reduce the rate at which the ABDNAZ mixture is administered to the patient, sometimes requiring infusion times up to eight hours. The long infusion times and slow rate of administration has, in some instances, limited the amount of ABDNAZ that can be administered to a patient when the ABDNAZ is used in combination with radiation therapy to be performed the same day as administration of ABDNAZ.
The present invention provides a new formulation containing ABDNAZ that can be rapidly administered to the patient without causing any significant pain at the site of infusion and has other advantages as described herein below.

Compositions and methods for intravenous administration of 2-bromo-1-(3,3-dinitroazetidin-1-yl)ethanone


An engine combustion control method may include: determining, by a controller, whether a fuel injection timing of an engine matches with an engine running condition of the engine; performing, by the controller, when the fuel injection timing matches with the engine running condition of the engine, a fuel injection variable establishment control (or a variable control of a fuel injection timing) that performs a Wavelet process on a frequency band selected by matching a vibration frequency of a vibration sensor signal to an engine frequency transformed under an engine running condition; and when the fuel injection timing matches with the engine running condition, updating a fuel injection parameter by correcting a target value of a combustion factor based on the fuel injection timing.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
In general, an engine combustion control in a passenger vehicle is an important engine control technology to satisfy stable combustion and combustion noise control aspects in a combustion robustness control in disturbance conditions such as environment, a usage fuel difference, and engine aging, and high-compression rate engines such as a diesel engine and a passenger diesel engine.
As an example of the engine combustion control for this purpose, there is a method of performing an injection variable control (or a variable control of a fuel injection timing) by measuring a vibration value from a vibration sensor mounted to an engine block side, estimating, as combustion factors, a Location of Peak Pressure and an ignition start point by using Wavelet analysis (for example, Wavelet: an example of a signal processing technology that decomposes a signal into different frequency partial regions) for a signal in a frequency band determined by determining upper/lower limits of the frequency band having high combustion correlation from the measured vibration value, and applying a proportional/integral (PI) controller to the difference generated by comparing it with a target value set according to an engine running condition (or operating condition) based on the estimated combustion factor.
In particular, the engine combustion control applies a sampling vibration frequency rate to the measured vibration value of the vibration sensor according to the characteristics of using the vibration sensor, and increases the sampling vibration frequency rate up to 51.2 kHz, such that the result of estimating the combustion factor may be used in the generally operating region.
The contents described in Description of Related Art are to help the understanding of the background of the present disclosure, and may include what is not previously known to those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains.
However, we have discovered that a 51.2 kHz region applied as a sampling vibration frequency rate in the engine combustion control allows an extracted combustion factor to be usable in a generally operating region while the calculation time desired for estimating a combustion factor is much taken due to the large measured data size having 51.2 kHz, thereby inevitably having the difficulty in practically applying to an engine system.
Furthermore, we have found that in order to estimate the combustion factor regardless of an engine running condition by using a vibration signal in the engine combustion control, a signal of a fixed frequency band should be used together with the signal measurement of a high sampling rate, thereby inevitably increasing the cost in the engine combustion control system configuration required together with a high-end central processing unit (CPU) due to the large calculation time load.

Sampling vibration frequency rate downsizing type engine combustion control method and engine combustion control system


A gas turbine apparatus is used in, for example, a power generation apparatus. The gas turbine apparatus according to the present invention includes a turbine, an air compressor rotatable integrally with the turbine, a recuperator for performing heat exchange between air compressed by the air compressor and an exhaust gas discharged from the turbine, a combustor for combusting a fuel mixed with the compressed air heated by the recuperator so as to produce a combustion gas, and an outer tube, an intermediate tube, and an inner tube which are coaxially arranged. An outer passage is formed between the outer tube and the intermediate tube, an intermediate passage is formed between the intermediate tube and the inner tube, and an inner passage is formed in the inner tube.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gas turbine apparatus, and more particularly to a gas turbine apparatus for use in a micro gas turbine power generation apparatus or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventionally-known gas turbine apparatus generally comprises an air compressor for compressing air, a combustor for combusting the air compressed by the air compressor, a turbine rotated by receiving a combustion gas generated in the combustor, and a recuperator for heating the compressed air to be supplied to the combustor using heat of an exhaust gas discharged from the turbine.
Applications of gas turbine apparatus of this type include a micro gas turbine power generation apparatus. This micro gas turbine power generation apparatus has a very small-sized turbine and a very small-sized generator coupled to the turbine. A combustion gas is supplied to the turbine to thereby rotate the generator at a high speed, e.g., about 100,000 revolutions per minute. Although the micro gas turbine power generation apparatus is very small in size, it can generate about, for example, 50 to 100 kW of electric power. Hence, the micro gas turbine power generation apparatus has recently received remarkable attention as one of geographically-distributed power sources.
Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2003-322030 discloses a gas turbine apparatus having a triple pipe which forms three flow passages: a flow passage for providing fluid communication between an air compressor and a recuperator; a flow passage for providing fluid communication between the recuperator and a combustor; and a flow passage for providing fluid communication between a turbine and the recuperator. FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the triple pipe structure disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese patent publication. In FIG. 7, air is compressed by an air compressor and is introduced into a recuperator 115 through an outer passage 124 and a connection pipe 127. The compressed air, heated by the recuperator 115, is then introduced into an intermediate passage 125 through compressed-air outlets 129 and introduction pipes 128 each having a semicircular cross section. An exhaust gas is discharged from a turbine, and is introduced into the recuperator 115 through an inner passage 126.
As shown in FIG. 7, the compressed air, flowing through the outer passage 124, strikes a front surface 115a of the recuperator 115, whereby the compressed air changes its direction and flows into the connection pipe 127. However, the introduction pipes 128 extend across the outer passage 124, and hence part of the compressed air is intercepted by the introduction pipes 128, which disturb smooth flow of the compressed air from the outer passage 124 toward the connection pipe 127. As a result, the compressed air is placed in contact with the high-temperature introduction pipes 128 and the high-temperature front surface 115a of the recuperator 115 for a long period of time, and a temperature of the compressed air is thus increased. Further, upon striking of the compressed air against the front surface 115a, the compressed air would be heated by this high-temperature front surface 115a.
Such an increase in temperature of the compressed air results in a decrease in efficiency of heat exchange at the recuperator 115 into which the compressed air flows subsequently. More specifically, in the recuperator 115 that serves as a heat exchanger, the lower the temperature of the compressed air to be introduced into the recuperator 115, the greater an amount of heat transferred from the exhaust gas to the compressed air. Accordingly, the increase in temperature of the compressed air that is to be introduced into the recuperator 115 leads to the decrease in efficiency of the heat exchange, resulting in a lowered amount of exhaust-heat recovery at the recuperator 115.


A method of diagnosing a bleed air system fault, where the method includes receiving a sensor signal from the at least one of the bleed air system sensor to define a sensor output, comparing the sensor output to a reference value, and diagnosing a fault in the bleed air system based on the comparison.

Contemporary aircraft include bleed air systems that take hot air from the engines of the aircraft for use in other systems on the aircraft including air conditioning and pressurization. Currently, airlines and maintenance personnel wait until a fault or problem occurs with the system and then attempt to identify the cause and fix it either during scheduled or, more likely, unscheduled maintenance. Fault occurrences are also recorded manually based on pilot discretion.

Method for diagnosing a bleed air system fault


A method and apparatus to detect voice activity by using a zero-crossing rate includes removing noise included in an audio signal, adding a random signal having energy of a predetermined size to the audio signal from which noise is removed, extracting predetermined voice detection parameters from the audio signal to which the random signal is added, and comparing the extracted predetermined voice detection parameters with a threshold value and determining voice and non-voice activities.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to an audio processing system, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus to detect voice activity by using a zero-crossing rate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, Voice Activity Detection (VAD) or End Point Detection (EPD) is used as a method of extracting voice activity from speech coding or speech recognition. In a conventional method of detecting voice activity, voice activity or a starting point and an end point of a voice signal are detected by using the energy of a frame and a zero-crossing rate of a frame. For example, the voice activity of a frame is determined when its zero-crossing rate is low, and non-voice activity of a frame is determined when its zero-crossing rate is high.
Here, since some types of noise or null signal lower the zero-crossing rates, zero-crossing rates for voice activity may not be distinctive from those for non-voice activity.
In other words, even though voice activity is detected using a zero-crossing rate in a conventional method, the detection may be false when some types of noise are added or there is no signal at all.

Method and apparatus to detect voice activity by adding a random signal


A memory device including a NAND string with multiple memory cells connected in series, one end of the NAND string being coupled to a bit line via a first select gate transistor while the other end is coupled to a source line via a second select gate transistor, wherein the device has a data read mode performed under the bias condition of: a selected cell is applied with a read voltage; and unselected cells are applied with read pass voltages, and wherein in the data read mode, one of the unselected cells adjacent to one of the first and second select gate transistor is applied with a first read pass voltage while the other unselected cells are applied with a second read pass voltage lower than the first read pass voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrically rewritable and non-volatile semiconductor memory device (EEPROM), specifically to a NAND-type flash memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
A NAND-type flash memory is known as one of electrically rewritable and highly-integrated non-volatile semiconductor memory devices. In the NAND-type flash memory, multiple memory cells are connected in series in such a manner that adjacent two cells share a source/drain diffusion layer, thereby constituting a NAND cell unit (i.e., NAND string). The respective ends of the NAND string are coupled to a bit line and a source line via select gate transistors. By use of such a NAND-sting structure, a large capacity of memory device may be achieved with a small unit cell area in comparison with a NOR-type flash memory.
A memory cell in the NAND-type flash memory has a charge storage layer (e.g., floating gate) formed on a semiconductor substrate with a tunnel insulating film interposed therebetween, and a control gate stacked on the floating gate with an inter-gate insulating film interposed therebetween, and stores data in a non-volatile manner in accordance with a charge storage state in the floating gate. Explaining in detail, binary data storage may be defined as follows: a high threshold state obtained by injecting electrons into the floating gate is defined as, for example, data "0" while a low threshold state obtained by discharging the electrons in the floating gate as data "1". Recently, such a multi-level data storage scheme (for example, a four-level data storage scheme) is made to be usable that the write threshold distribution is divided into multiple levels.
Data program or write of the NAND-type flash memory is performed by a page. One page is defined as a set of memory cells arranged along a selected word line or the half. Explaining in detail, data write is performed by applying program or write voltage Vpgm to a selected word line, thereby injecting electrons into the floating gate from the cell channel with FN tunneling current. In this data write mode, channel potentials of the respective NAND cells are controlled via the corresponding bit lines in accordance with write data "0" and "1".
In detail, in case of "0" writing, the corresponding bit line is set at Vss, and this bit line potential will be transferred to the selected cell's channel via a select gate transistor. In this case, when a selected word line is applied with write voltage Vpgm, large electric field is applied between the floating gate and the cell channel in the selected cell, so that electrons are injected into the floating gate. By contrast, in case of "1" writing (i.e., write-inhibiting), the corresponding bit line is set at Vdd. As a result, the selected cell's channel is charged up to Vdd-Vth (Vth is threshold voltage of the select gate transistor) via the select gate transistor to be set in a floating state. In this case, when the selected word line is applied with write voltage Vpgm, the selected cell's channel is boosted in potential by capacitive coupling from the selected word line, so that electron injection into the floating gate will be inhibited.
Prior to data writing, data erasing is performed for resetting the cells in a block to be in a negative threshold state. Explaining in detail, data erase is performed by: applying 0V to all word lines in the block and applying erase voltage Vera to the cell p-type well, thereby discharging electrons in the floating gates of all cells in the block to the cell p-type well.
Erase-verify for verifying the erase state is performed in such a way as to detect that the threshold voltage of all cells in the NAND string have been set to be negative. The erase-verify is performed in principle by judging whether cell current flows or not in the cell channel from the corresponding bit line under the condition that all word lines are set at a certain voltage equal to the ground potential or higher than it (for example, 0V). For example, refer to JPA-2004-030897.
However, under the condition that negative voltage can not be used, the above-described method has such a limit that it is detected only whether the cell threshold is set to be under 0V or not. To detect a negative threshold voltage of an erased cell, it will be used such a method that cell current is carried in the NAND string from the source line CELSRC to the bit line BL as reverse to the normal read mode.
That is, under the condition that all word lines in the NAND string are set at 0V, cell current is carried from the cell source line CELSRC to the bit line BL. If the threshold voltage of all cells is set at about −Vth, the bit line will be charged up to Vth. Therefore, detect this bit line charged level, and the negative threshold voltage may be detected. For example, refer to JPA-2007-305204.
On the other hand, there is another method for verifying erased cell's threshold voltage with such a scheme that cell current is carried from the bit line to the cell source line as similar to the normal read operation. This is for substantially verifying the cell's negative threshold voltage under the condition that word lines are set at 0V; the source line and the cell p-type well are applied with positive voltage V0; and the bit lines and select gate lines are applied with the positive voltage V0 in addition to the normal driving voltages. For example, refer to JPA-2008-103003.
Although, some erase-verify methods have been explained above, as a problem of erase-verifying, there is a possibility that a cell underlying a word line adjacent to a select gate line is erroneously judged as erased due to a noise from the select gate line in spite of that it is not sufficiently erased. That is, when a select gate line is applied with a select voltage for coupling a NAND string to a bit line, a word line adjacent to the select gate line (i.e., adjacent word line), which is to be kept at 0V, is temporally boosted in potential due to capacitive coupling. As a result, the cell underlying the adjacent word line is turned on in spite of that it is not erased, and it leads to erroneous judgment that the erase-verify is passed.
This problem becomes larger in accordance with that the integration and capacity of the cell array are made progress. Further, in case it is in need of setting precisely narrow cell's threshold distributions for a multi-level data storage scheme, there is a probability that it becomes difficult to set the threshold distribution.

Non-volatile semiconductor memory device


The present invention is a method to activate a noble metal complex dispersed on a catalyst support comprising calcining in hydrogen in order to decompose and reduce the noble metal complex in a single step. In a preferred embodiment, the noble metal catalyst is a combination of platinum and palladium and the noble metal complexes are the hydroxides.

The present invention relates to a single-step method for the simultaneous decomposition and activation of highly dispersed noble metals on catalytic supports.
Currently, most noble metal catalysts are made by impregnating or exchanging noble metal complexes into or onto a catalytic support. It is dried to remove water and then calcined in air to decompose the highly dispersed noble metal complexes to the noble metal oxides. In a separate step, the noble metal oxides must then be reduced in the presence of hydrogen to produce the active, highly dispersed noble metals. Combining the decomposition and reduction of the noble metal complexes into a single step would significantly reduce the manufacturing cost of noble metal catalysts. The present invention is a method for decomposition and reduction in a single step with noble metal complexes for impregnation or exchange.

Single step decomposition and activation of noble metal complexes on catalytic supports

ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company