System and method are described for register optimization during code translation utilizes a technique that removes the time overhead for analyzing register usage and eliminates fixed restraints on the compiler register usage. The present invention for register optimization utilizes a compiler to produce a register usage bit vector in a NOP instruction within each basic block (i.e., subroutine, function, and/or procedure). Each bit in the bit vector represents a particular caller-saved register. A bit is set if, at the location of NOP instruction, the compiler uses the corresponding register within that basic block containing the NOP instruction to hold information to be used at a later time. During the translation, the translator examines the register usage bit vector to very quickly determine which registers are free and therefore can be used during the register optimization without the need to save and restore the register values.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to program optimization, and more particularly related to an apparatus and method for efficiently passing compiler information to post-compile-time software.
2. Description of Related Art
As is known in the computer and software arts, when a software program is developed it will be optimized to run on a particular computer architecture. While it is possible that the software program developed for an original computer architecture will run on a computer system with a new or different architecture, the execution of the software program optimized for an old computer architecture will not generally run as quickly on a computer system with a new architecture, if at all. Therefore, devising a way to run an existing (i.e. old) architecture binary version of a computer program on a new architecture or improve the performance of the computer program on the existing architecture, is an important procedure. One such way to improve the performance of a computer program is to utilize a post-compile-time dynamic optimizer.
When software tools such as dynamic optimizer or profiling tools work on the binaries produced by the compiler, they face the challenge of analyzing low-level programs. It is desirable that some information can be passed from the compiler to the dynamic optimizer to make the analysis easier and more efficient.
A good example is that when a dynamic optimizer generates code at run-time, it often needs to perform register liveness analysis of the binary code in order to find unused registers that can be used without altering the program behavior. Liveness of a register occurs when the register contains data that is to be utilized in subsequent processing. A register can switch between active usage of storing a value for later consumption (live), and an inactive state (dead). Since the compiler has already performed a liveness analysis, reusing this liveness information is just a matter of how to pass the information to the dynamic optimizer efficiently.
Heretofore, software developers have lacked an apparatus and method for passing compile time information at run time to post-compile-time software in an efficient way.

System and method for efficiently passing information between compiler and post-compile-time software


An injection device having a drive member with first and second gear patterns that are fixed relative to each other. The drive member is rotatable and translatable in first and second opposing axial directions. A plunger expels medicament from a cartridge when it is translated in an advancing direction. A dosage indicator indicates a set dosage. A first gearing arrangement operably couples the first gear pattern with the plunger wherein rotation of the drive member in a first direction translates the drive member in a first axial direction without movement of the plunger and translation of the drive member in the opposite axial direction drives the plunger in the advancing direction. A second gearing arrangement operably couples the second gear pattern with the dosage indicator and moves the dosage indicator to indicate an increase in the set dosage when the drive member is translated in the first axial direction.

The present invention relates to injection devices and drive mechanisms employed with such injection devices.
Patients suffering from a number of different diseases are required to undergo numerous injections of an appropriate medicament for their ailment. Oftentimes, such patients set the dosage and perform the injection themselves. Various injection devices, such as injection pens for delivering insulin or other medicaments, have been developed which allow the patient to set the desired dosage and perform the injection themselves.
While a number of such injection devices are known in the art, further improvements remain desirable.

Injection device drive with two gear patterns


In a fuel cell system, during the state where the fuel cell system is not generating an electric power, a fuel gas passage and an oxidizing gas passage are closed, and an inert gas supply device (54, 58) supplies an inert gas to an anode space (111) which is substantially isolated from outside, the anode space including the closed fuel gas passage and a space connected to the closed fuel gas passage, while an air supply device (67, 70) supplies air to a cathode space (112) which is substantially isolated from outside, the cathode space including the closed oxidizing gas passage and a space connected to the closed oxidizing gas passage. With this, the fuel cell system is capable of achieving high energy efficiency and of surely preventing degradation of electrodes during the state where the fuel cell system is not generating the electric power, irrespective of repeated start-up and stop.

In home fuel cell systems, it is desirable to carry out a DSS (Daily Start & Stop or Daily Start-up & Shut-down) operation in which the operation of the fuel cell system is carried out during daytime and is stopped during midnight so that electricity and heating expenses are reduced and carbon dioxide is effectively reduced. In the DSS operation, the operation of the fuel cell system is frequently stopped. In the conventional fuel cell system, such an operation arises a problem that electrocatalyst is degraded due to reaction gases remaining within a stack or air entering from outside during a state where the fuel cell system is not generating an electric power and hence performance of a fuel cell is deteriorated.
As a fuel cell system which was made to solve such a problem, for example, there is a fuel cell system in which, in a start-up state, a means for consuming an electric power is internally connected in a time period before an external load is connected to the system so that occurrence of an open circuit potential is prevented (see patent document 1). Also, there is a fuel cell system equipped therein with an electric discharge means for suppressing an open circuit voltage (see patent document 2). Also, there is a fuel cell system in which performance of a cathode electrode is improved by using hydrogen that leaks from an anode to a cathode (see patent document 3). Also, there is a fuel cell system in which a gas discharged from a cathode is re-circulated into the cathode to consume oxygen, thereby improving durability (see patent document 4). Also, there is a fuel cell system in which power generation is carried out in a state where gas supply is stopped to consume reaction gases remaining within a fuel cell, thereby decreasing electrode potential (see patent document 5). Also, there is a fuel cell system in which a fuel cell is activated while supplying a hydrogen-containing fuel to an anode, thereby decreasing a cathode potential (see patent document 6).    Patent document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 5-251101    Patent document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 8-222258    Patent document 3: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2000-260454    Patent document 4: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2003-115317    Patent document 5: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2004-186137    Patent document 6: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2003-536232


A sliding-type portable terminal including a first housing and a second housing linearly movably coupled to the first housing face-to-face includes a spring module for opening/closing the first and second housings. The spring module includes at least a pair of asymmetrical S-shaped wires each including a first bend and a second bend extending from the first bend and having a greater curvature than the first bend. The spring module of the portable terminal provides a reduced thickness because of the spring action in the portable terminal, contributing in particular to an overall reduction in thickness of a sliding-type portable terminal and permit smooth opening/closing of the portable terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable terminal such as a cellular phone and a Personal Digital Assistance (PDA). More particularly, the present invention relates to a sliding-type portable terminal, and improvements in the housing of such devices that permit a decrease in thickness.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, portable terminals may be classified into bar-type terminals, flip-type terminals and folder-type terminals according to their appearance.
The bar-type terminal has a single body housing, in which a data input/output means and a mouthpiece/earpiece part are mounted thereon. The flip-type terminal includes a body, a flip and a hinge module for pivotally coupling the flip to the body. The folder-type terminal includes a body, a folder and a hinge module for rotatably coupling the folder to the body. Among these portable terminals, the folder-type terminal is the most popular in the portable terminal market, as a data input/output means and a mouthpiece/earpiece part are arranged on a body and a folder in a distributed manner so that the terminal is easier to carry and use than the other types.
Meanwhile, desires of users for external shapes of terminals are becoming increasingly diversified in line with the increased use of the portable terminals in general. To meet the desires of users, portable terminals having new outward shapes have appeared, such as sliding-type and swing-type terminals. Among them, the sliding-type portable terminals have seen increases in its market share beyond that of the folder-type terminal due to the easy of use in an opening/closing operation.
Recently, as multimedia functions for portable terminals have increased, which include watching moving images and broadcast viewing-related functions, display devices of the portable terminals are increasing in size. Because of this demand for increased display size, there is a limit in minimizing the overall size of portable terminals, and attempts to minimize the size of portable terminals are now focusing on reducing a thickness of such portable terminals.
Despite the realization that most attempts to minimize the overall size of portable terminals are focusing on reducing the thickness of the terminals, since the sliding-type portable terminal has a structure in which a pair of housings and a sliding module for coupling the housings are stacked up, facing each other, there are many difficulties in attempting to reduce terminal thickness.

Maetan-dong, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do


A communication system (100) employs a method (300) and apparatus (118) for allocating communication resources (e.g., 127-128) to support priority communications by communication units (112, 114-116) in the communication system (100). The communication system includes infrastructure equipment that allocates the communication resources to the communication units (112, 114-116). When the infrastructure equipment automatically determines (303) that a communication unit (e.g., 112) desires to initiate a priority call, the infrastructure equipment reserves (307) a communication resource (127) for the communication unit (112) at a base site (101) of the infrastructure equipment serving the communication unit (112). The serving base site (101) then allocates (309) the reserved communication resource (127) to the communication unit (112) upon the communication unit's initiation of the priority call.

Communication systems are known to comprise infrastructure equipment and a plurality of communication units. The infrastructure equipment typically includes a plurality of base sites and at least one base site controller (BSC) controlling one or more of the base sites. One such communication system is a cellular communication system. During the operation of a typical cellular communication system, communication unit users attempt to place a variety of calls. Some of the calls are emergency in nature and are referred to as priority calls. Priority calls are given priority over standard calls when communication resources, or channels, are allocated from the base sites during system operation. There are currently two methods for allocating communication resources to support priority calls in cellular communication systems. The first method is queuing and the second method is channel reservation.
With queuing, communication units placing priority calls are placed in a queue by the BSC based on their priority and remain in the queue until communication resources become available to support their calls. When a communication resource becomes available, the BSC instructs the base site serving a selected, queued communication unit to call the selected communication unit back and immediately allocate the available communication resource to the communication unit. The primary advantage of using queuing to allocate channels for priority calls is that queuing is spectrally efficient because it prevents communication resources from remaining idle while waiting for previously denied priority calls to be re-initiated. However, queuing provides an inherent delay associated with waiting for an available channel and does not provide any means for expediting the availability of channels to support the queued priority calls. Further, queuing requires the user of the communication unit to be familiar with the call-back process.
With channel reservation, one or more channels are reserved at the BSC for use by those users placing priority calls only and are, therefore, unavailable to all non-priority callers. Thus, channel reservation allows priority callers virtually immediate access to the cellular system. However, channel reservation inherently reduces the efficiency and capacity of the system when invoked.
There are currently two approaches for implementing channel reservation in cellular communication systems. The first approach is continuous channel reservation and the second approach is intermittent, or as-needed, channel reservation. In continuous channel reservation, a system operator maintains a predetermined number of reserved channels at all times for priority use only. This approach provides the least efficient use of resources by permanently reducing the number of channels available to non-priority callers. In intermittent channel reservation, a user or group of users (e.g., a fire department) anticipating the need to place priority calls contacts the cellular system operator and requests the operator to activate channel reservation of a particular number of channels throughout the system or in a particular area of the system. The operator then invokes channel reservation for the requester. Upon completion of the priority calls, the user must then contact the system operator again to request de-activation of channel reservation. Thus, intermittent channel reservation is more efficient than permanent reservation; however, it requires considerable human intervention to be activated and de-activated.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus for allocating communication resources to support priority calls in a communication system that provides for channel reservation on an as-needed basis, that eliminates human intervention in the channel reservation process, and that expedites the availability of communication resources to reduce the delay associated with queued priority calls.

Method and apparatus for allocating communication resources to support priority communications in a communication system


Described herein are methods comprising contacting one or more olefins with a catalyst system in a polymerization reactor at conditions sufficient to produce a polyolefin, wherein the catalyst system comprises a first metallocene catalyst compound comprising a first transition metal atom, two cyclopentadienyl ligands bound to the first transition metal atom, and two leaving groups bound to the first transition metal atom, wherein at least one leaving group is selected from the group consisting of a halo-phenoxy and a halo-alkoxy; wherein the first metallocene catalyst compound has a catalyst productivity that is at least 20% greater than a comparative metallocene catalyst compound used to produce the same polyolefin, wherein the comparative metallocene catalyst compound is the same as the first metallocene catalyst compound except neither leaving group is a halo-phenoxy or a halo-alkoxy.

A number of catalyst compositions containing single-site catalysts have been used to prepare polyolefins, producing relatively homogeneous copolymers. In contrast to traditional multi-site Ziegler-Natta catalyst compositions, single-site catalysts, such as metallocene catalysts, are catalytic compounds containing uniform polymerization sites.
To achieve acceptable and commercially viable polymerization activities with metallocene catalysts compounds, a large amount of activator such as methylaluminoxane ("MAO"), is often required. Unfortunately, such activators are expensive and the amount of activator required to produce an active catalyst for polymerization has been a substantial impediment to the commercialization of metallocene catalysts for polyolefin production. Therefore, there is a need for catalysts that have improved activity and productivity, and thus require less activator.
Mixed catalyst systems frequently include at least one metallocene catalyst compound to produce bimodal polyolefins. The production of bimodal polyolefins using a mixed catalyst system that includes at least one metallocene catalyst compound often require a large amount of activator and/or a large amount of the metallocene catalyst compound in order to produce commercial quantities of bimodal polyolefins. There is a need, therefore, for improved methods for producing bimodal polyolefins with mixed catalyst systems.

Methods for producing polyolefins with catalyst systems


A system for low-speed Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Express (PCIe) systems, while maintaining both lower level physical layer (PHY) pin requirements and upper layer functionality being capable of both differential and single-ended signaling modes optimized for power savings. An apparatus includes an integrated circuit (IC) adapted to be connected to a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Express (PCIe) bus. The IC includes a control block selects between differential and single-ended signaling for the PCIe bus. The single-ended signaling is transmitted through existing pins of the IC that are coupled to the PCIe bus for differential signaling when single-ended signaling is selected for the PCIe bus.

Mobile communication devices may include a variety of components including circuit boards, integrated circuit (IC) devices and/or System-on-Chip (SoC) devices. The components may include processing circuits, user interface components, storage and other peripheral components. Communication between components may be implemented using a bus operated in compliance standards-defined specifications and protocols. In one example, the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) interface provides a point-to-point topology, with separate serial links connecting every device to the root complex (sometimes referred to as "host").
Battery-operated devices, including certain mobile communication devices, are typically designed to meet increasingly tighter power consumption budgets in order to maximize battery lifetime. The PCIe interface supports power management schemes that disable and/or power-down bus interface circuits to conserve power when a PCIe link is idle. These power management schemes can introduce significant data communication latencies related to the time required to enter and exit low-power states. However, part of the popularity of the PCIe protocol is based on the fact that PCIe is engineered to support a variety of speeds including speeds as high as plural gigabits per second, wherein power saving is an ancillary feature.
While the PCIe protocol is capable of supporting high speeds, it may also be used to support low-speed links, but does so at the expense of power savings. With the fast-emerging class of 5G IoT devices with very wide variation of link throughput requirements, it is imperative to have PHY connections that can bring power and architecture benefits while maintaining the upper layers of the existing PCIe stack, especially for latency sensitive applications.


A transceiver module has an interface surface and is received within a cage. The cage has a cage latch that retains the transceiver module. The transceiver module has a ramp, an actuator and a release handle. The ramp is located on the interface surface of the transceiver module and has a ramp surface that slopes away from the interface surface of the transceiver module and toward the cage latch. The actuator is adjacent the interface surface of the transceiver module and is configured to be movable on the ramp surface. The release handle is mounted on the transceiver module and is coupled to the actuator. Rotating the release handle in a first direction causes the actuator to move along the ramp surface toward the cage latch thereby moving the cage latch away from the interface surface. Rotating the release handle in a second direction causes the actuator to move along the ramp surface toward the interface surface and away from the cage latch.

This invention relates to a pluggable transceiver module for use in a connector system. The transceiver module has an actuator that releases the module from a cage.
Fiber optic systems are increasingly used for transmitting data signals. Typically, when data is transmitted by an optical network, it must be converted from an electrical signal to a light signal, and visa versa. In order to effectuate the conversion between electrical and optical signals, a transceiver module is often used at both ends of a fiber optic cable. Each transceiver module typically contains a laser transmitter circuit capable of converting electrical signals to optical signals, and an optical receiver capable of converting received optical signals back into electrical signals.
Typically, a transceiver module is electrically interfaced with a host device, such as a host computer, switching hub, network router, switch box, computer I/O or the like. Often, the transceiver module is the weakest link in a system, that is, it is most subject to failure and will need to be replaced. Consequently, in many applications it is desirable for the transceiver modules to be "hot-pluggable," that is, the transceiver module may be inserted into, and removed from, the host system without removing electrical power. In this way, if a signal transceiver module fails, it can more readily be removed from the host device and replaced with a new module without having to perform a soldering or similar operation.
Consequently, several pluggable transceiver module designs and standards have been introduced in which a pluggable transceiver module plugs into a receptacle which is electronically connected to a host circuit board. For example, such as standard is delineated in the Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP) Transceiver Multi-Source Agreement (MSA), dated Sep. 14, 2000. Such standards define a receptacle or cage that receives a transceiver module. The cage includes a cage tongue or latch. The cage latch also includes a slot. The transceiver module includes a latch boss that projects from the module and fits into the slot of the cage latch. In this way, the cage latch holds the transceiver module in the cage when the module in inserted in the cage. The transceiver module also includes an actuator configured to adjustably engage the cage latch deflecting it away from the latch boss thereby releasing the latch boss, and thus the transceiver module, from the cage.
Although various standards have been given for the configuration of the transceiver module and the cage, variations between manufacturers exist as to some of the specific dimensions and configurations. Consequently, even for a SFP transceiver module and cage that comports with the MSA standard, it is not always known how far the actuator must be moved in order to deflect the cage latch sufficiently to release the transceiver module. A configuration for releasing the transceiver module that is more consistent from manufacturer to manufacturer, regardless of the specific configurations, would be an improvement to the art.

Actuator for small form-factor pluggable transceiver


A motortrike designed to allow individuals that use a wheelchair to independently operate it. The motortrike comprises a wheelchair frame assembly that secures onto a motorcycle frame, a movable platform assembly a transmission assembly, a power transfer assembly and a rear wheel assembly. An individual in a wheelchair may ride the wheelchair onto the platform assembly and lock the wheelchair thereon. A threshold ramp assembly is mounted to the rear of the platform assembly to minimize the transition from ground level to the platform member. The individual may operate the motortrike as a motor vehicle while transporting the wheelchair.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to motor vehicles, and more particularly, to trikes having wheelchair accessibility.
2. Description of the Related Art
Defined as a two-wheeled motor vehicle resembling a heavy bicycle, motorcycles have been used as an exciting form of transportation for many years. Motorcycles have taken various shapes in the past, some even including a sidecar for an additional passenger and/or storage. In recent years, a variation of a motorcycle has been developed, called a trike. A trike is defined as a three-wheel motorcycle.
Several designs for motorcycles and trikes teach motor vehicles that are designed for individuals without physical limitations. There are no trikes to the best of applicant's knowledge, designed for an individual in a wheelchair that comprises a movable platform assembly and wheelchair locking assembly for the wheelchair. The instant invention, defined as a wheelchair accessible trike, is designed to allow individuals that use a wheelchair, to independently operate the trike. Or with an able individuals as an operate allowing a second individual in an wheelchair be a passenger on this trike. This trike can be operated by an able-bodied and or individuals with physical limitations with or without a wheelchair.


A communication line diagnostic unit (10, 10') that allows telephone central office equipment to perform a test of a communication line and determine the ability of the line as a communication medium is shown. The device is completely passive and transparent during normal operation and responds only to a unique trigger signal generated from the central office verification controller (VC). The unit is powered from a capacitor storage element (C1) charged by the communication line through an AC coupling network (pins 11, 12 and 8) as well as through a DC network comprising voltage regulator device (Q2; Q23; Q24, Q25) when the unit is awakened. Upon receipt of the trigger signal the device responds as by disconnecting the subscriber apparatus and then providing certain electrical terminations through a single solid state switch (Q10) to allow for identification, loop resistance, noise and frequency response measurements. The unit proceeds with a preselected test sequence providing that enough energy is present on capacitor storage element (C1) prior to disconnecting the subscriber. The voltage of storage element (C1) is continually monitored and if it ever reaches a minimum energy amount required to reconnect the subscriber, the subscriber is reconnected and the test is aborted. The subscriber apparatus is disconnected by means of a latching relay (K1) in one embodiment and FET switches (Q12, Q13) in alternate embodiments.

The need for reliable and accurate testing of communication lines and for distinguishing between problems existing on a subscriber side of a demarcation point and the telephone company on the opposite side of the demarcation point in a cost effective manner has become of ever increasing importance.
In published PCT patent application, International Publication No. WO 94/13090, published Jun. 9, 1994, apparatus and method for performing a diagnostic test cycle on a communication line from a central office is disclosed comprising a verification controller (VC) located at the central office and respective network termination units, each being located at the locus of a subscriber on the other side of a demarcation point between the telephone company and the respective subscriber. The verification controller is programmed to effect measurements in a timed relationship with an actuation sequence of switches in the network termination unit. Each network termination unit is connected in series with the tip and ring conductors and includes a switch module which establishes a network of electrical paths capable of altering the electrical condition of the communication line, a logic module controlling the operation of the switch module and a power module that accumulates an electric charge from voltage impressed across the tip and ring conductors of the line in order to power the logic module when the network termination unit is actuated. The power supply module also generates a clock signal at a predetermined frequency which regulates the operation of the logic module. The switch module includes a plurality of discrete switches comprising a tip switch for placement in series with the tip conductor, a ring switch for placement in series with the ring conductor, a tip to ground switch, a ring to ground switch, a short switch connected across the tip and ring conductors and a termination switch incorporating a known fixed impedance connected across the tip and ring conductors. Each switch is disclosed as a solid state semiconductor device which establishes a bi-stable electric path capable of assuming either a short circuit condition or an open circuit condition in response to an actuation signal generated by the logic module.
Although the network termination unit made in accordance with the above patent application is effective and accurate, it is larger in size and more expensive in cost than desirable for widespread application.

Remotely controlled communication line diagnostic apparatus and method


A water-retaining layer is formed to coat the top of ribs of a ribbed plate which is to be disposed, as a component of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, on at least one surface of a cell which includes an electrolyte membrane and two electrodes disposed on two surfaces of the electrolyte membrane. The water-retaining layer is formed by: generating a mixture by dissolving a resin-carbon mixture into a solvent; applying the mixture using a spray to a surface of the ribbed plate having the ribs; and drying the applied mixture at a certain temperature. The ability to retain water in the water-retaining layer per unit active area of the electrodes is desirably in the range of 0.002 to 0.035 g/cm2, and more desirably, in the range of 0.01 to 0.03 g/cm2.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polymer electrolyte fuel cell. More particularly, the present invention relates to a polymer electrolyte fuel cell which is operated while a humidifying agent is supplied to a polymer electrolyte membrane together with either or both of a fuel gas and an oxidant.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Many of commercially practical polymer electrolyte fuel cells are a stack of a plurality of cell units each of which includes a cell sandwiched by a pair of ribbed plates each having a plurality of parallel ribs with a certain pitch on a surface, where the cell is composed of an anode, a cathode, and a polymer electrolyte membrane, the polymer electrolyte membrane being disposed between the anode and the cathode.
Spaces formed between each adjacent ribs and the cathode or anode are used as channels. During operation of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell, anode-side channels are supplied with a fuel gas (e.g., hydrogen) and cathode-side channels are supplied with air (O2) as oxidant. During such an operation, hydrogen decomposes into hydrogen ions (H+) and electrons (exe2x88x92) at the anode. The hydrogen ions (H+) pass through the polymer electrolyte membrane, an electrolyte, to reach the cathode. The electrons (exe2x88x92) flow out to an external circuit. At the cathode, water (H2O) is generated by reaction between the oxygen (O2), the hydrogen ions (H+) coming from the anode, and the electrons (exe2x88x92) coming from the anode via the external circuit. This provides electric energy.
As described above,the hydrogen ions (H+) pass through the polymer electrolyte membrane to reach the cathode. This is possible because the polymer electrolyte membrane has a property to selectively pass (diffuse) hydrogen ions in hydration (H+(XH2O)). Therefore, conventional methods have been used to humidify the polymer electrolyte membrane. Among such methods are: a method in which a fuel gas having been humidified is supplied so as to humidify the polymer electrolyte membrane; and a method in which a fuel gas and water separately supplied to the anode-side channels flow together through the channels so that the fuel gas is effectively supplied to the anode, the polymer electrolyte membrane is effectively humidified, and the cell is cooled.
Meanwhile, as the polymer electrolyte membrane becomes dry, the ion permeability of the membrane decreases, increasing internal resistence and reducing the electric power generation efficiency.
Accordingly, to make full use of the electric power generation capability, the polymer electrolyte membrane needs to be humidified in its entirety. That is to say, of the polymer electrolyte membrane, not only a part facing the channels, but a part facing highest ends of the ribbed plate should sufficiently be humidified.
Conventionally, the ribbed plate is made of a carbon porous material. With this construction, water permeates into the ribbed plate sufficiently since the ribbed plate is porous. That is, the polymer electrolyte membrane is humidified in its entirety, and the part facing highest ends of the ribbed plate is also sufficiently humidified.
However, a typical method for manufacturing the ribbed plate has low manufacturability, resulting in a high manufacturing cost. Typically, the ribbled plate is manufactured with the following procedure. manufacture paper from carbon fiber chips; harden the paper with phenol resin to manufacture sheets of paper; stack the sheets of pater and bake the stack to obtain a plate made of a carbon porous material; and cut the plate to each piece of the ribbed plate.
As a method with which the manufacturability can be increased, a method in which the ribbed plate is formed from a mixture of carbon and resin using a mold is currently considered. However, molded products have dense construction. With such construction, the surface of molded ribbed plates becomes water-repellent, and a part of the polymer electrolyte membrane facing highest ends of the ribbed plate is not sufficiently humidified.
It is therefore the first object of the present invention to provide a polymer electrolyte fuel cell for practical use in which the polymer electrolyte membrane is maintained to be humidified entirely even if a dense material is used for the ribbed plate.
It is the second object of the present invention to provide a polymer electrolyte fuel cell in which the polymer electrolyte membrane is sufficiently humidified, channels formed between the ribbed plate and electrodes are not easily blocked by water, and diffusion of gas flowing through the channels into the electrolyte membrane is secured.
It is the third object of the present invention to provide a polymer electrolyte fuel cell which can be manufactured at a low cost.
It is the fourth object of the present invention to provide a polymer electrolyte fuel cell which includes a ribbed plate which: has high precision in shape; and is manufactured using a mold from a material having electric conductivity required for the cell performance.
The first object of the present invention is fulfilled by a polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising: a cell including an electrolyte membrane and two electrodes which are disposed on two surfaces of the electrolyte membrane; a first ribbed plate having a plurality of ribs on a surface facing one of the two electrodes of the cell; and a second ribbed plate having a plurality of ribs on a surface facing the other of the two electrodes, where a water-retaining layer having a certain range of ability to retain water is formed to coat one or more tops of the plurality of ribs of at least one of the first ribbed plate and the second ribbed plate.
The second object of the present invention is fulfilled by the above polymer electrolyte fuel cell in which the water-retaining layer has ability to retain water per unit active area of the two electrodes in a range of 0.002 g/cm2 to 0.035 g/cm2, or a range of 0.01 g/cm2 to 0.03 g/cm2.
The third object of the present invention is fulfilled by the above polymer electrolyte fuel cell in which the ribbed plate with the water-retaining layer is formed using a mold from a resin-carbon mixture without baking or is formed from a metal.
The fourth object of the present invention is fulfilled by the above polymer electrolyte fuel cell in which the ribbed plate coated with the water-retaining layer is formed from a resin-carbon mixture without adding heat using a mold, and ratio of resin to carbon in this resin-carbon mixture is 10% to 20% by weight on a percentage basis.

Polymer electrolyte fuel cell including a water-retaining layer on a ribbed plate


A coil-type magazine for nails has a body and a driving member mounted on the body. The driving member is engaged with a channel of the body and moves along the channel via springs. A spool is connected to the driving member and deviates from a handle of a nail gun. Hence, the coil-type magazine for nails is not limited by a space between the coil-type magazine and handle and it is easy to receive the nails into the coil-type magazine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magazine for a nail gun, and more particularly to a coil-type magazine, which can continuously feed nails into a nail gun and is easy to reload.
2. Description of the Related Art
A nail gun is a tool that is widely used in carpentry and construction. A nail gun allows a user to drive nails into surfaces with ease. The nail gun also allows the user to do it continuously as long as there is a steady supply of nails. Most nail guns use linked nails fed from magazines. The magazines can be a box-type, in which strips of nails are loaded in a straight track, which is usually an integral part of the nail gun; or a coil-type, in which belts of linked nails are coiled inside a drum-like container. As coil-type magazines can hold a much greater quantity of nails than box-type magazines and require less frequent reloading, the coil-type magazine is favored over the box-type magazine for applications that require a large amount of nailing work.
However, coil-type magazines are usually mounted in front of a trigger of a nail gun such that the space between the coil-type magazine and the trigger is narrow and makes reloading the magazine difficult and inconvenient. Increasing the space would only make the nail gun cumbersome and difficult to handle.
Therefore, the invention provides an improved coil-type magazine for a nail gun to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problem.


A system and method for testing a computing system by introducing stall cycles at an arbiter that controls access to a bus that is commonly used by the CPU and I/O devices for stressing the computing system with regard to the latency and bandwidth.

The central processing unit ("CPU") of a computing system or input/output ("I/O") devices connected to the computing system may request and be granted access to, and control of, a commonly used bus, such as a system bus. An arbiter in turn is used to arbitrate bus requests and grant certain of those requests based on the programmed arbitration parameters.
Typically, the CPU and I/O devices require access and control of the bus for a predetermined period of time after it has requested such control. If access is not granted within the maximum latency tolerance of the device, performance degradation and a potential loss of data may occur in the computing system.
Similarly, the CPU and I/O devices also require that they be allowed to control the bus for a specific period of time over a given time interval. If they are not allowed this period of time, it may result in bandwidth problems which also may affect computing system operations.
Computing system failures may occur because of these latency and bandwidth problems. Typically, the failures occur under peak loading conditions and are a function of the number of I/O devices competing for the bus along with the CPU, the data rates of these I/O devices, the loads on the devices, and the request rates for control of the bus by the CPU and I/O devices.
It's customary in the development of computing systems to stress latency and bandwidth in the debugging process. This stress testing is used to determine the limits of the system and ensure that the system performs optimally in the expected application environment.
Prior methods of performing such testing used software to attempt to create or recreate certain occurrences that caused system failures. Such testing was difficult to do because of the inability to control the interaction among various I/O devices in a deterministic manner. Therefore, large amounts of software run for a long period of time was required to create various latencies and bandwidth conditions the system would encounter in normal operations. This process of using large amounts of software to test latency and bandwidth was non-deterministic and in no way ensured that all of the desired stressing conditions were delivered to the system.


A fuel cell system is provided which includes an off-gas recirculating mechanism working to mix an off-gas discharged from a fuel cell with a hydrogen gas supplied to the fuel cell. The off-gas recirculating mechanism is implemented by an ejector vacuum pump which is controllable of an area of an outlet thereof to bring an output pressure into agreement with a target one. Use of such a type of ejector vacuum pump ensures desired accuracy of recirculation of the off-gas and regulation of the pressure of fuel supplied to the fuel cell.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a fuel cell system suitable for vehicles, boats, ships, or portable generators which is equipped with a fuel cell working to convert the energy produced by electrochemical reaction of oxygen and hydrogen into electric power and designed to control a supply pressure of fuel with high accuracy.
2. Background Art
There are known fuel cell systems designed to suck an off-gas discharged from a fuel electrode of a fuel cell using a pump and mix it with a fuel supplied to the fuel cell. The pump is usually implemented by an ejector vacuum pump equipped with an ejector nozzle since it is capable of employing fluid energy of the supplied fuel for power saving.
Usually, the fuel cell systems are required to keep a supplied pressure of fuel at a given value in order to decrease a pressure difference between an oxygen electrode and a fuel electrode, stabilize output of the fuel cell, and purge moisture away from the fuel electrode. The ejector vacuum pump is, however, subjected to variation in pressure of fuel at an outlet thereof (i.e., a supplied pressure of the fuel) and flow rate of recirculated off-gas due to variations in pressure and flow rate of the fuel supplied to the fuel cell. The ejector vacuum pump also suffers from a drawback in that a controllable range of the flow rate of the off-gas is narrow.
Japanese Patent First Publication No. 2001-266922 discloses a fuel cell system which has pressure controlling lines and a plurality of pressure control valves capable of being controlled as a function of pressure in an oxidizing agent supplier.
The above system, however, has drawbacks in that the structure made up of the pressure control valves and the bypass lines is complex, control of the pressure of fuel supplied to the fuel cell depends upon the supplied pressure of the oxidizing agent, thereby making it difficult to meet a high-accuracy fuel supply control requirement, and a variation in supplied pressure of the oxidizing agent may result in a variation in supplied pressure of the fuel (i.e., hunting), which leads to instability of operation of the fuel cell.
Further, the moisture contained in the off-gas may freeze near the ejector nozzle in low-temperature environments, thereby resulting in changes in area of an outlet of the nozzle and state of a wall surface of the nozzle, which may cause a disturbance of control of flow rate of the off-gas.

Fuel cell system working to control supply pressure of fuel accurately


Semiconductor light emitting device includes: substrate including main and back surfaces, first and second side surfaces, and bottom and top surfaces, wherein main surface includes first to fourth sides; first main surface electrode on main surface and including first base portion contacting the sides of the main surface, and die pad connected to first base portion; second main surface electrode disposed on the main surface and including second base portion contacting first and third sides of the main surface, and wire pad connected to second base portion; semiconductor light emitting element including first electrode pad and mounted on die pad; wire connecting first electrode pad and wire pad; first insulating film covering portion between first base portion and die pad; second insulating film covering portion between second base portion and wire pad and having end portions contacting main surface; and light-transmitting sealing resin.

An LED module on which an LED chip that emits desired light is mounted is known in the related art. The LED module known in the related art is a so-called side view type LED module that emits light in parallel with a circuit board on which the LED module is mounted. Such an LED module includes an LED chip mounted on a die pad of a substrate, a wire that connects the LED chip and a pad of the substrate, and a sealing resin that seals the LED chip and the wire. The die pad and the pad are respectively connected to electrodes for mounting the LED module on the circuit board.
Due to the recent demand for further downsizing of electronic apparatuses, further downsizing of LED packages is required. However, if an electrode of a substrate and a sealing resin for sealing an LED chip are close to each other due to downsizing, a solder for mounting an LED module on a circuit board may penetrate into the inside from between the electrode and the sealing resin. Such solder penetration causes problems such as peeling of the LED chip and a wire from a pad.


The present invention relates to methods of reducing a level of a target mRNA in a well-differentiated airway epithelial cell by contacting the cell with a sensitizing agent followed by contacting the cell with a therapeutic RNAi agent.

Small-interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated silencing of genes offers a novel approach for disease treatment. Direct delivery of siRNA to respiratory epithelia is potentially advantageous for many respiratory infections and for chronic diseases like cystic fibrosis where airway epithelial cells are prominent sites of production and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-8 and others (Davidson B L, McCray P B, Jr. Current prospects for RNA interference-based therapies. Nat Rev Genet 2011; 12(5):329-340). Topical delivery avoids hepatic clearance and non-specific accumulation associated with the systemic route and allows for local accumulation within the target organ. But due to its high molecular weight and polyanionic nature, siRNAs do not cross the epithelial cell membrane freely. In addition, the intra pulmonary physical barriers such as mucus to overcome before encountering the problems with cell entry (Oakland M, Sinn P L, McCray P B Jr. Advances in cell and gene-based therapies for cystic fibrosis lung disease. Mol Ther. 2012 Feb. 28. doi: 10.1038/mt.2012.32. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 22371844). Thus, efficient delivery of siRNA to the airways has been challenging due to significant intracellular and extracellular barriers.
Non-viral siRNA delivery is an attractive and potentially safer alternative to virus-based delivery systems. A number of studies report successful delivery of naked siRNA to airways, especially for counteracting viral infections (Zhang W et al., Inhibition of respiratory syncytial virus infection with intranasal siRNA nanoparticles targeting the viral NS1 gene. Nat Med 2005; 11(1):56-62; Bitko V et al., Inhibition of respiratory viruses by nasally administered siRNA. Nat Med 2005; 11(1):50-55). However, recent reports also show that siRNAs delivered intranasally or intratracheally, without delivery enhancement, may not target to lung cells and thus do not cause RNA interference (Moschos S A et al., Uptake, efficacy, and systemic distribution of naked, inhaled short interfering RNA (siRNA) and locked nucleic acid (LNA) antisense. Mol Ther 2011; 19(12):2163-2168). Furthermore, off target immunostimulatory effects of early siRNA constructs likely clouded some studies (Judge A D et al., Sequence-dependent stimulation of the mammalian innate immune response by synthetic siRNA. Nat Biotechnol 2005; 23(4):457-462; DeVincenzo J et al., A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of an RNAi-based therapy directed against respiratory syncytial virus. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2010; 107(19):8800-8805; Kleinman M E et al., Sequence- and target-independent angiogenesis suppression by siRNA via TLR3. Nature 2008; 452 (7187):591-597). Added to these disappointing results, the delivery and efficacy of siRNA in combination with various non-viral reagents in respiratory epithelia has not been extensively investigated.
Accordingly, a more effective, simple-to-administer, and efficient treatment for airway epithelial disease is needed.

Methods to enhance RNAi oligonucleotide delivery to respiratory epithelial cells


A multilayer electronic substrate is manufactured by employed: a first conductor layer arranged on an insulating substrate; an insulator arranged on the first conductor layer; a resistor arranged on the insulator; and second conductor layers for sandwiching the resistor to be connected to this resistor. In this multilayer electronic substrate, the resistor is trimmed so as to adjust an electric characteristic of a circuit, and a portion of the first conductor layer, which corresponds to a trimming portion of the resistor, is constituted by a first insulating region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a multilayer electronic substrate which is employed in an electronic appliance. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a multilayer electronic substrate, a manufacturing method of the multilayer electronic substrate, and a use thereof, capable of easily performing a trimming step, while protecting an under-layer conductor when a resistor is trimmed, and also, capable of avoiding that a resistor is shortcircuited to an under-layer conductor layer by an electric conductive material of such a resistor which is melted during the trimming step.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a multilayer electronic substrate in which a resistor is trimmed so as to adjust an electric characteristic of a circuit, for example, a laser beam is irradiated to a resistor mounted on the multilayer electronic board so as to adjust a resistance value. When laser beams are irradiated to this resistor, if power of a laser beam is low, then a resistor element cannot be sufficiently cut, and thus high reliability cannot be obtained. Also, if power of a laser beam is excessively high, then there are some risks that an insulator is cut, and furthermore, a conductor (the ground) of an under layer of this insulator is cut. As explained above, the cutting depth of the insulator is adjusted by controlling the output power of the laser beams. Since the thickness of the insulator such as the multilayer electronic substrate is thin, it is practically difficult that the cutting depth is adjusted in the fine mode by controlling the power of the laser beams.
As a result, in a conventional trimming step, a heat-resisting surface layer portion is provided on a surface of an insulating layer of a position (under layer) which corresponds to such a portion of a multilayer electronic substrate, to which a laser beam is irradiated, so that it is possible to avoid that the laser beam is irradiated to a deep depth position of this multilayer electronic substrate. Thus, an under-layer conductor can be protected, and the trimming step can be carried out in an easy manner (refer to, for example, JP-A-6-77665 (Page 4, FIG. 1)).
In the trimming step described in, however, the following problems occur. That is, since the heat-resisting surface layer portion of the multilayer electronic substrate is provided, the thickness and the weight of the circuit are increased. Also, the material cost and the processing step number are increased.

Multilayer electronic substrate, and the method of manufacturing multilayer electronic substrate


The invention provides a method for preparing a polyanhydride by irradiating one or more diacids with microwave radiation in the presence of a carboxylic anhydride so as to acylate the one or more diacids to yield at least one prepolymer, and irradiating the prepolymer with microwave radiation so as to polymerize said prepolymer to yield the polyanhydride, as a homopolymer or a copolymer. High purity polyanhydrides can be prepared by this method. Reaction times compared to conventional melt polycondensations can be significantly reduced. Copolymer polyanhydrides can also be prepared by the microware radiation techniques described herein.

Polyanhydrides have emerged as an important class of biodegradable polymers. Polyanhydrides have found widespread application in the controlled delivery of drugs, proteins, and vaccines. The conventional method of synthesizing polyanhydrides is by melt polycondensation of acetylated dicarboxylic acid prepolymers. This method affords high-molecular-weight polymers with good yields. Melt condensation polymerizations, however typically take about 1 to 3 hours to conduct. Additionally, the preparation and isolation of the acetylated prepolymer can take up to four days, including drying time and recrystallization.
Purity is an important consideration of polyanhydrides because these biocompatible polymers are often used for in-vitro and in-vivo studies. In this age of rapid drug discovery and advances in protein and macromolecular therapies, determining the correct polymer system and compositions are of the utmost importance to effectively stabilize the target drug. Therefore, there is considerable interest in the efficient synthesis of high-purity materials in a high throughput manner for material library screening. The rapid synthesis of some polymers through the use of microwave radiation and dielectric heating has been described in the literature (see for example, K. R. Carter, Macromolecules, 2002, 35, 6757). However, improved methods are needed to prepare high purity samples of polyanhydrides from diacids. New methods to prepare high purity polyanhydrides are also needed.

Synthesis of anhydride containing polymers by microwave radiation

Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.


Embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus for generating a precursor gas used in a vapor deposition process system. The apparatus contains a canister or an ampoule for containing a chemical precursor and a splash guard contained within the ampoule. The splash guard is positioned to obstruct the chemical precursor in a liquid state from being bumped or splashed into a gas outlet during the introduction of a carrier gas into the ampoule. The carrier gas is usually directed into the ampoule through a gas inlet and combines with the vaporized chemical precursor to form a precursor gas. The splash guard is also positioned to permit the passage of the precursor gas from the gas outlet. In one example, the gas outlet contains a stem with a tapered tip and the splash guard is positioned at an angle parallel to the plane of the tapered tip.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to an apparatus used during the vaporization of chemical precursors. More particularly, the invention relates to a splash guard used within an ampoule during a vapor deposition process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) are known techniques for forming a material on a substrate by the reaction of vapor phase chemicals near the surface of a substrate. In general, CVD and ALD techniques involve the delivery of gaseous reactants to the substrate surface where a chemical reaction takes place under temperature and pressure conditions favorable to the thermodynamics of the reaction. The type and composition of the layers that may be formed using a CVD process or an ALD process are limited by the ability to deliver a chemical reactant or precursor to the substrate surface. Various liquid precursors have been successfully used during CVD and ALD applications by delivering the liquid precursors within a carrier gas.
In the prior related art, a carrier gas is usually passed through a heated container containing a volatile liquid precursor at conditions conducive to vaporize of the precursor. The carrier gas combines with the vaporized precursor and both are drawn from the container to the reaction chamber. Prior known liquid precursor delivery apparatuses and procedures have been unsuccessful in reliably delivering the precursor to the reaction chamber. In some cases, the liquid precursor is vaporized within the container but condenses throughout the conduit or tubing of the delivery line. The temperature of the container or the flow rate of the carrier gas may be increased to prevent condensation within the delivery line in some processes, if the chemical precursor or the fabrication process can tolerate such temperature or flow rate.
Bumping or splashing of the chemical precursor is another problem encountered while using a liquid precursor during a vapor deposition process. Splashing occurs when a portion of the chemical precursor is ejected away from the main supply of precursor by the introduction of a carrier gas into the ampoule. Often, the precursor, in a liquefied state, is bumped or splashed into the outlet of the ampoule and may block the delivery line, clog valves or contaminate the substrate surface.
Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus and process to deliver vaporized chemical precursors from a container while preventing or limiting non-vaporized chemical precursors out of the container during a fabrication process.


There is provided a sample observing apparatus for observing the surface of a sample by irradiating an electron beam thereto, having an electron gun for irradiating the electron beam to the surface of the sample, a potential control section for adjusting electric potential of the surface of the sample to potential set in advance by applying voltage determined based on an amount of electric charge on the surface of the sample to the sample, an electron detecting section for detecting electrons produced when the electron beam is irradiated to the surface of the sample and an appearance acquiring section for acquiring the appearance of surface of the sample per each spot on the surface based on the electrons detected by the electron detecting section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sample observing apparatus and a sample observing method for observing an appearance of surface of a sample and more specifically to an apparatus and a method for observing the appearance of surface of the sample by irradiating an electron beam thereto.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, there is a scanning electron microscope for example as an apparatus for observing an appearance of surface of a sample. The conventional scanning electron microscope enables one to observe the appearance of surface of the sample by detecting secondary electrons produced when a beam of electrons is irradiated to the surface of the sample. At this time, acceleration voltage is applied to the electron beam produced by an electron gun in order to irradiate the beam to the surface of the sample. For instance, the electron beam is irradiated to the surface of the sample by setting electric potential of the surface of the sample at reference potential such as earth potential and by applying negative voltage to the electron gun. An apparatus for detecting the secondary electrons is disposed at position apart form the surface of the sample by an adequate distance.
The apparatus having the configuration as described above may acquire a secondary electron image showing the appearance of surface of the sample by scanning the surface of the sample by the electron beam. By the way, the electron beam needs to be focused on the surface of the sample in order to observe the surface of the sample with precision. To that end, the scanning electron microscope is provided with lenses for converging the electron beam.
However, the conventional apparatus has been unable to acquire the appearance of surface of the sample with precision when the surface of the sample is charged with electricity, thus causing potential different from the reference potential. When the surface of the sample is charged with positive electric charge for example, the produced secondary electrons may be attracted to the surface of the sample and may not be able to reach to the apparatus for detecting the secondary electrons. Therefore, it is unable to detect the secondary electrons with precision and is difficult to acquire the secondary electron image with precision accordingly.
Still more, when the surface of the sample is charged with electricity, the acceleration voltage of the electron beam may vary, thus varying the level of focus of the electron beam on the surface of the sample. Because the divergence of the electron beam on the surface of the sample depends on the level of focus of the electron beam, it is difficult to acquire the secondary electron image with precision also in this case.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a sample observing apparatus and a sample observing method that can solve the above-mentioned problems. This object may be achieved by combining features described in independent claims of the invention. Dependent claims specify further preferable embodiments of the invention.

Sample observing apparatus and sample observing method


A variable tuned holder for machine tools that attaches to a machine tool to act in a manner similar to a dynamic absorber while the machine tool is used during machining. The natural frequency of the holder may be matched to the natural frequency of the machine tool as the tool is in use to reduce the amplitude of vibration at the cutting end of tool with a workpiece. The present invention is designed to provide an impedance match between the machine tool and the holder such that the cutting energy may escape and/or be dissipated. The flexible holder may be used as one part of an overall system. The system may be designed to be used with tools of different shapes and/or lengths. As the shape and/or length of the machine tool changes, the system may be easily modified to change the natural frequency of the flexible holder to enable the dynamic absorber effect of the flexible holder to occur. The flexible holder may be included in a kit that may be used with a wide range of lengths and/or shapes of machine tools.

During a metal cutting operation, any vibratory motion between a cutting tool and workpiece may lead to non-beneficial cutting performances. Furthermore, such vibration may cause the cutting tool or the machine tool to become damaged. Excessive self-excited vibrations, frequently called "chatter," between the cutting element of a machine tool and the surface of the workpiece cause poor surface finish, tool breakage and other unwanted effects that plague machining operations. Such vibrations arise especially when the tool includes a long unsupported length that will permit deflection of the tool. When chatter does occur the machining parameters must be changed and, as a result, productivity may be adversely affected.
When using the stiffest and most advanced machine tool design, there still remains vibration in the machine tool. For example, a long cantilevered boring bar with a single cutting element at its free end will, by its interaction with the workpiece, tend to vibrate. This vibration may be considered to be self-excited because it is generated by the interaction of the cutting element and the workpiece. Such self-excited vibration occurs at frequencies near the natural frequency of the cantilevered tool and tends to increase in amplitude under small disturbing forces.
One such example of a tool that may encounter issues due to excessive vibration is boring bars. Boring bars are used to fabricate deep holes. A primary difficulty in their use is that, because the holes tend to be deep and narrow, the boring bars must be long and have small diameters. Therefore, during machining, the variable cutting force causes the tool to deflect and leave a wavy surface behind. When the cutting edge encounters this wavy surface in the next revolution, additional forces and deflections may be caused which may lead to chatter or unstable machining. The results of chatter are poor surface finish and hole accuracy, large forces and deflections, and potential damage to the tool, workpiece, and/or machining center.
To reduce these vibrations, various methods have been employed. In one example, the metal removal rate may be decreased. However, this approach interferes with production and only minimally reduces the amount of vibration.
Attempts to eliminate the vibration in the boring bar may also include using a boring bar fabricated from solid carbide. However, solid carbide is extremely expensive. Furthermore, solid carbide is fairly brittle and a minor impact upon the boring bar during use or setup may inadvertently damage the bar.
A further attempt to reduce vibration in boring bars includes mounting upon or within the bar a dynamic vibration absorber, such as that absorber disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,730, which is comprised of a cylindrical mass of a high density material supported on rubber bushings. When optimally tuned, the mass oscillates in response to vibration produced in the boring bar to cancel out vibration. The absorber may be tuned to accommodate the boring bar for the speed at which the workpiece or boring bar is rotating, the length of the boring bar and the type of machine tool connected at the end of the bar. Such an adjustment is made by longitudinally urging pressure plates at opposing ends of the cylindrical mass thereby compressing the rubber bushings against the mass which simultaneously shifts the position of the mass and alters the stiffness of the rubber bushings to change the dynamics of the cylindrical mass.
However, even with such a design available, each time the boring bar is to be used under different conditions, it must be tuned using sophisticated equipment that may or may not be available on the shop floor. Additionally, in many instances of using dynamic absorbers with boring bars, the boring bars are hollowed and a spring-mass-damper system is added inside the boring bar structure. This places limits on the boring bar diameter, which must be large enough to contain the dynamic absorber, and increases the boring bar cost.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a holder system for tools that is capable of reducing chatter and/or unstable machining without the need for complex instrumentation. It would also be beneficial to provide a holder system for tools that is capable of reducing chatter and/or unstable machining that may be used without modifying the structure of the tool. It would also be beneficial to provide a holder system for tools that is capable of reducing chatter and/or unstable machining that may be used with existing tools.

University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.


Disclosed are methods of treating a subterranean formation having at least one fracture. The methods include providing a thermal thinning resistant treatment fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid, proppant particulates, and a thermally activated suspending agent, wherein the thermally activated suspending agent is hydratable above a threshold temperature. The thermal thinning resistant treatment fluid is introduced into the subterranean formation and exceeds the threshold temperature so as to hydrate the thermally activated suspending agent. Furthermore, the proppant particulates are placed into the at least one fracture.

The present invention relates to methods of treating a subterranean formation with thermally activated suspending agents.
Subterranean wells (e.g., hydrocarbon producing wells, water producing wells, injection wells, and the like) are often stimulated by hydraulic fracturing treatments. In hydraulic stimulation operations, a treatment fluid is pumped into a portion of a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure such that the subterranean formation breaks down and one or more fractures are formed. Typically, particulate solids, such as graded sand, are suspended in a portion of the treatment fluid and then deposited into the fractures. These particulate solids, or "proppants," serve to prop the fracture open (e.g., keep the fracture from fully closing) after the hydraulic pressure is removed. By keeping the fracture from fully closing, the proppants aid in forming conductive paths through which produced fluids, such as hydrocarbons, may flow.
The degree of success of a stimulation operation depends, at least in part, upon fracture porosity and conductivity once the fracturing operation is stopped and production is begun. Proppant particulates are placed into the fracture in order to form a "proppant pack" that is sufficiently strong to withstand fracture closure pressures and porosity of the proppant pack is related to the interconnected interstitial spaces between abutting proppant particulates. Thus, fracture conductivity is closely related to the strength of the proppant pack, because if the proppant pack is unable to withstand fracture closure, conductivity is hindered. Traditional treatment fluids, therefore, are typically viscosified in order to more uniformly suspend proppant particulates therein to more uniformly place them into a fracture. A sufficiently high viscosity is typically needed to retain the proppant particulates in suspension and reduce their propensity to settle out of the treatment fluid prior to reaching the fracture.
Fracturing fluids are often viscosified by gelling agents, such as polysaccharides (e.g., guar gums, xanthan gums, diutan gums, cellulose derivatives, etc.), biopolymers, synthetic polymers, and/or derivatives thereof to form crosslinked gels. Despite the widespread use of viscosified treatment fluids in stimulation operations, highly viscous fluids create friction pressures that increase the energy necessary to pump the fluid downhole and may result in damage to stimulation equipment or the formation itself.
Traditional viscosified treatment fluids are additionally often thermally thinning fluids such that upon reaching a certain temperature, the fluid reverts to a less viscous fluid. The decrease in viscosity may compromise the ability of the treatment fluid to uniformly suspend and place within a fracture proppant particulates, thereby usurping the purpose and functionality of the viscosified treatment fluid. Often, the temperatures that trigger thermal thinning of viscosified treatment fluids are those found in subterranean formations. Therefore, after exerting the energy necessary to pump the viscosified treatment fluids and potentially damaging stimulation equipment and/or the fracture, the viscosity of the treatment fluid may be reduced due to downhole temperatures such that the proppant particulates settle out of the fluid and are unable to create highly conductive propped fractures. Therefore, a method uniformly delivering proppant particulates to create highly conductive propped fractures in a subterranean formation may be of benefit to one of ordinary skill in the art.

Methods of treating a subterranean formation with thermally activated suspending agents


A method for controlling the current profile for current supplied to each phase of a poly-phase switched reluctance motor when a respective phase of the motor is active. The interval each motor phase is active is determined as a function of motor operating conditions, as is a desired profile of current flow into and out of a phase winding (W) associated with the phase. The current profile has an initial portion (Z1) in which current flows into the winding from an initial value current value to a peak current value (I.sub.p). It also has a terminal portion (Z3) including current cut-off to the winding with current in the winding being either stored or dissipated prior to the phase becoming inactive. There may also be an intermediate portion (Z2) occurring between attainment of the peak current and the beginning of the terminal portion of the current profile. Current flow to the winding starts at the beginning of the initial portion of the phase, and current flow to the phase winding is cut-off prior to the end of the phase. Termination of current flow to the phase winding normally causes ringing in the motor because of the abrupt transition in current flow which occurs at current cut-off. However, according to the invention, current flow to the phase winding is now controlled throughout the active portion of the phase in accordance with the predetermined current profile. This includes determining the slope of current ramp-up during the initial portion of the profile until the peak current level is achieved; and, curvature of the current profile subsequent to cut-off of current flow to the phase winding. The current profile is controlled such that the slope of curvature of the profile immediately prior to current cut-off corresponds to the slope thereof immediately after cut-off. As a result, there is no transition in the current profile at current cut-off, and no ringing is produced in the motor by terminating current flow to the phase winding.

This invention relates to switched reluctance (SRM) motors and, more particularly, to a method of reducing motor noise by controlling or manipulating a current profile for a motor.
Switched reluctance, or SRM motors are well-known in the art. One problem with operating these motors is noise. As discussed in my related U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,359, one source of this noise is caused by the dissipation of current in a motor's phase windings as each phase is switched at the end of its cycle. As the motor is switched from one phase to another, the energy, which represents approximately thirty percent (30%) of the energy supplied to the phase winding during its active period, decays off. As described in the application, a portion of this energy is either recovered using a storage capacitor, or dissipated.
In general, it will be understood that a major cause of motor noise is an abrupt change in the normal forces to which the motor is subjected. The noise is particularly acute if any of these transitions occur when at the maximum deflection points in the a motor cycle. In coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,217, there is described a phenomenon referred to as "ovalizing". This is a condition in which the general circular shaped rotor and stator of a motor tend to be distorted into an oval shape by the forces produced when rotor poles and stator poles come into alignment. These earlier applications further describe techniques by which these ovalizing forces can be minimized.
It will be understood that while the approaches set forth in the earlier applications are effective in reducing motor noise, other efforts to further reduce motor noise are also important. One of these is to control the current profile of each motor phase. One control scheme by which current is controlled to minimize torque, uses various look-up tables or schedules to effect control. (See U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,477 to Anderson et al.) It is also known to control a current profile by advancing the length of a phase thereby increasing motor dwell time for the phase. (See U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,053 to Ray et al.) A third scheme is discussed by S. Chan and H. R. Bolton in their paper Performance Enhancement of Single-phase Switched Reluctance Motor by DC Link Voltage Boosting; IEEE Proceedings-B, Volume 140, Paper No. 5, September, 1993. Here, current is put into a phase and subsequently taken out at a faster than normal rate by employing a boost voltage at the beginning and end of a phase. A drawback with this approach is its inflexibility.
While the above approaches may be effective, they require a significant amount of circuitry, or a significant amount of manipulation, to achieve a reasonable amount of control. Other ways of current profile control may be more effective and easier to achieve. It is important to understand that noise reduction is accomplished by matching as closely as possible the slope of the current profile at the end of the active portion of a phase with the slope of the tail current decay portion of the profile. There is disclosed apparatus and a method for controlling tail current decay in related U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,359. In accordance with the disclosure therein, the slope of the decay portion of the profile is controllable. By using the circuitry and method as disclosed herein, the phase active portion of the profile is controllable so a smoother transition is now obtainable, without effecting the period of the phase or other significant motor operating parameters to effect significant noise reduction.
During any phase of motor operation, there are essentially three intervals. First, is a ramp-up from a zero current level to a peak or near-peak current level. Second, is an interval in which the current is rounded or profiled. Third, is the current decay or tail current interval. Tail current can be defined as a downward trend in current (from a positive current level toward zero current) when the current level would otherwise be expected to be generally flat. Throughout the entire phase interval (zero level to peak, and back to zero) the current supplied to a motor phase winding is pulse width modulated. From approximately the peak current level to current cut-off, and from cut-off to zero current, the profiling is achieved by using hard chopping or soft chopping, or both, of the input current waveform. As noted above, under present current control schemes, there is a transition point which occurs at cut-off. This cut-off point defines the beginning of the current recovery period since current can be extracted from the phase winding by dissipation in the winding, or by recovering a portion of the current into an energy storage device such as a capacitor. In prior attempts to control tail current, there has been an effort to modify the abrupt transition which occurs at cut-off. This is done in an effort to reduce the normal formals produced in the motor at this time and, in turn, reduce the undesirable motor noise. However, the transitional change is still so significantly pronounced that there is still excessive ringing which, if eliminated, will enhance motor performance.
In related U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,359, tail current control was achieved by controlling the rate of decay using pulse width modulation (PWM). This involved zero volt chopping, using PW or control signals, to produce a desired slope in the current decay portion of the profile. In co-pending application Ser. No. 08/187,532 of which this is a continuation-in-part, the slope of the current profile was controlled in a portion of the active region of the waveform. This was done using hard or soft chopping techniques and was done to lessen the transition which occurs in the slope at the transition between the active and inactive (or tail current decay) portions of the waveform. Again, one objective of this is to reduce the ringing or noise which results from an abrupt transition to produce a smoother running motor and one subjected to reduced internal motor forces.

Noise reduction in a switched reluctance motor by current profile manipulation


A method to selectively amend a layout pattern is disclosed. First, a layout pattern including at least a first group and a second group is provided, wherein each one of the first group and the second group respectively includes multiple members. Second, a simulation procedure and an amendment procedure are respectively performed on all the members of the first group and the second group to obtain an amended first group and an amended second group. Then, the amended first group and the amended second group are verified as being on target or not. Afterwards, the layout pattern including the on target amended first group and the on target amended second group is output.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for amending layout patterns. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for selectively amending layout patterns.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Critical technologies such as the photolithography and etching technologies are frequently used in semiconductor manufacturing processes. The photolithography technology usually involves transferring a complicated integrated circuit pattern to a semiconductor wafer surface for steps such as etching and implantation. These patterns must be extremely accurate for forming delicate integrated circuits so as to align with the patterns of the previous and following steps.
In the photolithographic step, deviations often occur and jeopardize the performance of the semiconductor device when the patterns on the reticles are transferred onto the wafer surface. Such deviations are usually related with the characters of the patterns to be transferred, the topology of the wafer, the source of the light and various process parameters.
There are many known verification methods, correction methods and compensation methods for the deviations caused by the optical proximity effect, process rules (PRC) and lithography rules (LRC) to improve the image quality after transfer. Some of the known methods are called optical proximity correction (OPC), process rule check (PRC) and lithography rule check (LRC). The commercially available OPC software may test problems such as pitch, bridge, and critical dimension uniformity in the layout patterns. Such software may correct the standard layout patterns on the reticles using the theoretical image, so as to obtain correctly exposed image patterns on the wafers. Such methods not only test problems in the layout patterns but also correct the layout patterns on the reticles using the theoretical image. If the corrected image patterns are useable, they are output for the fabrication of reticles to obtain the correct image patterns on the wafer.
Generally speaking, there are well-established stand operational procedures available for the reference of the above-mentioned verification, correction and compensation methods. For example, the conventional procedure using optical proximity correction to verify the layout patterns on a reticle may be first inputting a layout pattern. Then the Boolean pre-treatment of OPC is performed on the layout pattern to obtain a preliminary layout pattern. Afterwards the OPC is performed to correct any particular pattern. Later, the process rule check (PRC) and the lithography rule check (LRC) are separately performed. Then the error screening and check is performed. If the obtained patterns are correct and usable, the patterns are output. If incorrect, the pattern correction is performed again and the patterns are output if no error is found.
Accordingly, it is an essential operational procedure in the manufacturing process of semiconductors to use the optical proximity correction model to correct the layout patterns to obtain useable layout patterns and to make the transfer of such layout patterns more precise.

Method for selectively amending layout patterns


Within a communication device, a method of managing a plurality of modems can include determining a first measure of transmission power for a first modem (710), wherein the first measure of transmission power is a running total of transmission power for the first modem over a predetermined time period, and determining a second measure of transmission power for a second modem (715), wherein the second measure of transmission power is a running total of transmission power for the second modem over the predetermined time period. If a sum of the first measure of transmission power and the second measure of transmission power exceeds a threshold during the predetermined time period, at least one predetermined action can be performed (725, 730).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to communication devices and, more particularly, to communication devices that have a plurality of modems.
2. Background of the Invention
Many modern communication devices incorporate multiple modems to facilitate communication over more than one network. For example, some mobile stations, such as those available from Motorola, Inc. of Schaumburg, Ill., have begun to offer mobile stations capable of communicating over CDMA and iDEN networks. (Motorola and iDEN are trademarks of Motorola, Inc. in the United States, other countries, or both).
Other examples of communication devices having multiple modems can include mobile stations that communicate over mobile phone network(s) as well as over one or more short range wireless networks such as an IEEE 802 wireless network or a Bluetooth® wireless network. Mobile stations typically include Bluetooth modems for communicating with wireless peripheral devices such as earpieces and the like. The various modems within the communication device often operate concurrently and independently of one another. This functionality allows the user to engage in a telephone conversation on the mobile station while also sending or receiving data in one or more other formats. For instance, the user can browse the Internet, communicate data files, and communicate via electronic mail.
Several considerations arise when more than one modem is used concurrently within a mobile station. One consideration is the increased power needed to drive the mobile station. Each additional modem increases the power needed by the device thereby placing a larger burden on the battery. The current draw that occurs when more than one modem is active at the same time can, in some cases, be so significant that the useful life of the battery is reduced.
Another consideration is thermal energy. The use of multiple modems concurrently, particularly in light of the increased transmission rates and longer duty cycles of selected modems, can result in the generation of a significant amount of thermal energy. The thermal energy generated by the mobile station can, in some cases, rapidly deplete the battery.

Monitoring multiple modem transmission in a communication device


The displacement of a variable displacement hydraulic pump (1) which is driven by a diesel engine (27) is so controlled as to be set to a first target displacement to keep a pump pressure higher than a load pressure by a predetermined target value, or a second target displacement to limit an input torque on the basis of the pump pressure. Provided is a stand-by flow rate control portion (65) which outputs a third target displacement larger than the minimum value of said first target displacement. The displacement of the pump (1) is controlled so as to be set to the third target displacement when the third target displacement is output from the stand-by flow rate control portion (65).

A wheel type hydraulic shovel, for example, as shown in FIG. 10 has been known as a hydraulic construction machine equipped with the above type of hydraulic control apparatus. In the figure, a reference numeral 4 represents a hydraulic motor for vehicle travelling, and rear wheels 103 are driven through a transmission 101 and a propeller shaft 102 by the rotation of the hydraulic motor 4 to allow a vehicle to travel. A boom 104 serving as a part of a front attachment is upwardly and downwardly moved through a lengthening and shortening operation of a boom cylinder 21. In this specification, a digging work and the like using the front attachment while the vehicle does not travel is referred to merely as "work", and these works are distinguished from a term "travel".
As one of the hydraulic construction machines as described above has been proposed a machine in which a load sensing control and an input torque limiting control are selectively carried out (for example, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2-118203). These control systems will be described hereunder with reference to FIG. 11.
FIG. 11 shows a hydraulic circuit for the travel and the work of the hydraulic shovel as described above, and a reference numeral 1 represents a variable displacement hydraulic pump which is driven by a diesel engine 27. The rotational speed of the engine 27 is controlled through rotational member of a governor lever 27b of a governor 27a which is driven, in accordance with an manipulation amount of a fuel lever (not shown) or an operation amount of an acceleration pedal 6a for the travel (hereinafter referred to as a travelling pedal), by a pulse motor 28. A variable displacement hydraulic pump 1 discharges an oil whose flow amount corresponds to the engine rotational speed and the displacement thereof. The discharged oil is communicated through a travel-control valve 2 to the hydraulic motor 4, and further communicated through a work-control valve 20 to a boom-driving hydraulic cylinder 21.
The load sensing control is characterized in that the displacement (hereinafter also referred to as "tilt angle") of the variable displacement hydraulic pump 1 is so controlled that the difference pressure between front and rear stages of the travel-control valve 2 or the work-control valve 20, that is, the difference pressure between a pressure (pump pressure) at an inlet port of the control valve 2, 20 and a pressure (load sensing pressure) at an outlet port thereof is fixed to a constant value to thereby keeping the pump pressure to a value higher than the load sensing pressure by a predetermined target value. The load sensing pressure is a pressure selected by a shuttle valve 29 and higher one of load pressures of the hydraulic motor 4 and the hydraulic cylinder 21.
The system for carrying out the load sensing control as shown in FIG. 11 is equipped with a load sensing regulator 11 whose switching operation is carried out in accordance with the difference pressure between the pump pressure and the load sensing pressure. When the difference pressure between the pump pressure and the load sensing pressure exceeds a pressure which is set by a spring 11a, the load sensing regulator 11 is switched to a position b in accordance with the pressure. At the position b, the pump pressure is communicated to a servo cylinder 12, and the displacement of the hydraulic pump 1 is reduced through a lengthening operation of the servo cylinder 12, so that the delivery flow rate of the pump is reduced. Conversely, when the difference pressure is dropped down to a value lower than the predetermined pressure, the load sensing regulator 11 is switched to a position a, and the servo cylinder 12 is intercommunicated to a tank. Consequently, the displacement as described above is increased, and thus the pump delivery flow rate is also increased. In the system adopting the load sensing control, through the above operation, the tilt angle of the pump is so controlled that the pump delivery flow rate is equal to a required flow rate of the control valve 2 or 20, so that a surplus flow rate of oil can be prevented from being delivered and vain use of the oil due to diaphragm loss can be prevented to improve fuel consumption and operational performance.
Next, the operation of the travelling circuit will be described.
When a forward/reverse travelling switch valve 8 is switched to a forward travelling position (F position) and the pedal 6a of a pilot valve 6 is manipulated, a delivery oil from the hydraulic pump 5 is communicated to a pilot port 2a of a pilot type control valve 2, so that the control valve 2 carries out its switching operation by a stroke amount corresponding to a pilot oil pressure. Through this operation, the delivery oil from the variable displacement hydraulic pump 1 is supplied through a conduit 91, a pressure compensating valve 23, the control valve 2, a conduit 92 and a counterbalance valve 3 to the hydraulic motor 4 to allow the vehicle to run. In addition, the engine rotational speed is controlled in accordance with the operation amount by which the travelling pedal 6a is depressed, so that the travelling speed of the vehicle is dependent on the operation amount of the travelling pedal 6a.
When the travelling pedal is released in the travelling of the vehicle, the connection between the output port and input port of the pilot valve 6 is intercepted, and the output port of the pilot valve 6 is intercommunicated with a tank port which is connected to the tank 10. As a result, the pressured oil which acts on the pilot port 2a is returned through the forward/reverse travelling switch valve 8, a slow return valve 7 and the pilot valve 6 to the tank 10. At this time, the return oil is diaphragmed by a diaphragm 7a of the slow return valve 7, so that the vehicle is gradually decelerated while the pilot-type control valve 2 is gradually switched to a center valve position.
On the other hand, the operation of the working circuit is as follows.
When the work switching valve 20 is switched to a "b" position or "c" position by a manipulating lever 20a, the delivery oil from the hydraulic pump 1 is communicated through the conduit 91, the pressure compensating valve 24, a conduit 94 and the control valve 20 to the boom-driving hydraulic cylinder 21, and the boom 104 as shown in FIG. 10 is upwardly and downwardly moved through the lengthening and shortening operation of the hydraulic cylinder 21. The pressure compensating valves 23 and 24 enable the hydraulic pump 1 to supply the hydraulic motor 4 and the hydraulic cylinder 21 with pressures higher than the load pressures thereof by a predetermined pressure, respectively, so that both actuators can be operated independently of each other.
The hydraulic control apparatus as shown in FIG. 11 is equipped with a torque control servo valve 25 for carrying out the input torque limiting control, and the servo valve 25 is supplied with the delivery pressure of the hydraulic pump 1 as a pilot pressure. When the pilot pressure acting on the servo valve 25 exceeds a pressure set by a limit torque setting spring 25a, the servo valve 25 is switched from the c-position to the d-position as shown in the figure. Through this operation, the delivery pressure of the hydraulic pump 1 acts on the servo cylinder 12, whereby the displacement of the hydraulic pump 1 is reduced, and the torque of the hydraulic pump 1 is kept in a range of the output torque of the engine 27, thereby preventing an overload from being applied to the engine 27. This operation is referred to as the input torque limiting control.
According to the hydraulic control apparatus thus constructed, the displacement of the hydraulic pump is so controlled that it is equal to smaller one of the target displacement by the load sensing control (first target displacement) and the target displacement by the input torque limiting control (second target displacement), and through this operation the improvement in fuel consumption and operating performance and the prevention of overload acting on the engine 27 are accomplished. A reference numeral 26 represents an unload valve which is driven by the difference pressure between the pump pressure and the load sensing pressure, reference numerals 31a and 31b represent a cross-over load relief valve, and CJ represents a center joint.
The hydraulic control apparatus equipped with the load sensing control and the input torque limiting control systems is so constructed that the maximum value of the displacement of the variable displacement hydraulic pump 1 is limited by a value which is determined by the servo valve 25 at the input torque limiting control system side, and in a range below this maximum value the displacement of the variable displacement hydraulic pump 1 is set to the displacement which is determined by the load sensing regulator 11 at the load sensing control system side. As a result of this, the displacement of the variable hydraulic pump 1 is so controlled as to be uniformly set to any one of the input torque limiting control value and the load sensing control value on the basis of the operation amount of the travelling pedal, the operation amount of the manipulating lever or the circuit pressure condition irrespective of variation of an operating circumstance such as "travel" or "work", or an operator's preference.
Therefore, the following two problems occur.

Hydraulic control apparatus for hydraulic construction machine

Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.