A semiconductor junction varactor utilizes gate enhancement for enabling the varactor to achieve a high ratio of maximum capacitance to minimum capacitance.

A varactor is a variable capacitor, i.e., a capacitor whose capacitance can be changed as a function of one or more control signals. The term "varactor" is derived from "variable" and "reactor", and means a device whose reactance can be varied in a controlled manner. The term "varicap", derived from "variable" and "capacitor", is also used to describe such a device.
Varactors are employed in various parts of electronic systems. For example, varactors are utilized in voltage-controlled oscillators ("VCOs") of wireless communications systems. A VCO generates a local oscillator signal for use in performing heterodyne frequency conversion in transceiver circuitry of a wireless communication system. The frequency of the oscillator signal changes as a function of a control voltage. In a VCO, one or more varactors provide the variable capacitance of an inductive-capacitive combination that establishes the frequency of the oscillator signal.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional differential cross-coupled VCO connected between ground and a source of positive supply voltage VDD. The VCO in FIG. 1 consists of identical cross-coupled n-channel enhancement-mode insulated-gate field-effect transistors ("FETs") QA and QB, identical fixed-value inductors LA and LB, current source IA, and identical varactors CA and CB. The VCO's oscillator signal, taken from the drain of FET QA or QB, is provided at variable oscillator frequency fO given as:
                              f          O                =                  1                      2                        π                                                                                L                    O                                                                          C                    O                                                                                (        1        )            where LO is the fixed inductance of each of inductors LA and LB, and CO is the variable alternating-current ("AC") capacitance of each of varactors CA and CB. A control voltage (not shown) is applied to varactors CA and CB to control the value of capacitance CO and thus oscillator frequency fO.
FIG. 2a depicts a conventional single-ended Colpitts VCO formed with n-channel enhancement-mode insulated-gate FET QC, fixed-value inductor LC, current source IC, fixed-value capacitor CC, and varactor CE. A differential version of the single-ended VCO of FIG. 2a is depicted in FIG. 2b. The VCO in FIG. 2b consists of identical common-gate n-channel insulated-gate FETs QC and QD, identical fixed-value inductors LC and LD, identical current sources IC and ID, identical fixed-value capacitors CC and CD, and varactor CF. Letting LO here represent the inductance of each of inductors LC and LD, the oscillator in each of FIGS. 2a and 2b provides an oscillator signal at variable frequency fO determined from Eq. 1 where capacitance CO is now the series combination of (a) the fixed capacitance of each of capacitors CC and CD and (b) either the variable capacitance of varactor CE or twice the variable capacitance of varactor CF. A control voltage (not shown) is applied to varactor CE or CF to control its AC capacitance and thus frequency fO.
Varactors such as varactors CA, CB, CE, and CF can be implemented in various ways. A common varactor is a semiconductor junction varactor formed with a p-n diode having a reverse-biased p-n junction. A simplified example of a conventional junction varactor is shown in FIG. 3 where item 20 is a p-type body region of a semiconductor body. Moderately doped (p) material of body region 20 forms p-n junction 22 with heavily doped n-type region 24. Regions 20 and 24 respectively constitute the diode's anode and cathode.
Cathode electrode 26 contacts cathode region 24 along the upper semiconductor surface. Body electrode 28 contacts body region 20, typically through heavily doped p-type material (not separately indicated). Although body electrode 28 is illustrated as contacting body region 20 along the lower semiconductor surface in FIG. 3, electrode 28 can contact region 20 at other locations, e.g., along the upper semiconductor surface.
Reverse bias voltage VR is applied between electrodes 26 and 28 to reverse bias p-n junction 22. Since cathode region 24 is of n-type conductivity, cathode electrode 26 is at a higher voltage than body electrode 28. Junction depletion region 30 extends along p-n junction 22. Because cathode region 24 is heavily doped relative to body region 20, the thickness of body-side portion 32 of depletion region 30 is much greater, e.g., 100 times greater, than the thickness of cathode-side portion 34. As reverse voltage VR increases, the thickness of depletion region 30 increases. Only the thickness increase of body-side portion 32 is, for simplicity, indicated in FIG. 3.
Let CVA generally represent the AC areal capacitance, i.e., the AC capacitance per unit area, of a varactor. Junction depletion region 30, largely body-side portion 32, in the junction varactor of FIG. 3 functions as the dielectric for a capacitor in which the adjoining non-depleted p-type material of body region 20 serves as one of the capacitor's plates while the adjoining non-depleted n-type material of cathode region 24 serves as the capacitor's other plate. Areal capacitance CVA of the junction varactor is the AC areal junction depletion capacitance CdJA given as:
                                                                        C                VA                            =                              C                dJA                                                                                =                                                                    K                    SC                                                                          ɛ                    0                                                                    t                  dJ                                                                                (        2        )            where ε0 is the permittivity of free space, KSC is the permittivity constant of the semiconductor material (typically silicon), and tdJ is the average thickness of junction depletion region 30. Inasmuch as junction depletion thickness tdJ increases with increasing reverse voltage VR, varactor capacitance CVA varies as a function of voltage VR in the varactor of FIG. 3.
It is typically desirable that the ratio of the maximum value CVAmax of varactor capacitance CVA to the minimum value CVAmin of capacitance CVA be nigh. In cases where the p-type body material along p-n junction 22 is uniformly doped at concentration NB to at least the maximum achievable thickness of body-side depletion portion 32, junction depletion thickness tdJ is given approximately as:
                              t          dJ                =                                                                       2                                                  K                  SC                                                                                ɛ                    0                                                                          (                                                                  V                        R                                            +                                              V                        BI                                                              )                                                                              qN                B                                                                        (        3        )            where VBI is the built-in voltage of p-n junction 22, and q is the electronic charge. The maximum-to-minimum varactor capacitance ratio for uniform doping in depletion portion 32 of body region 20 is thereby limited approximately to:
                                          C                          VA                                                                                max                                            C                          VA                                                                                min                                      =                                                                                V                                      R                                                                                max                                                  +                                  V                  BI                                                                              V                                      R                                                                                min                                                  +                                  V                  BI                                                                                (        4        )            where VRmax and VRmin respectively are the maximum and minimum bias values of reverse voltage VR.
The varactor capacitance ratio can be increased to approximately the following value by doping the body material along p-n junction 22 in a non-uniform hyperabrupt manner so that the body dopant concentration decreases from a maximum value NBmax along the bottom of depletion region 30 at its minimum thickness to a minimum value NBmin along the bottom of region 30 at its maximum thickness:
                                          C                          VA                                                                                max                                            C                          VA                                                                                min                                      =                                                                       (                                                      N                                          B                                                                                max                                                                            N                                          B                                                                                min                                                                      )                                                          (                                                                            V                                              R                                                                                max                                                              +                                          V                      BI                                                                                V                                              R                                                                                min                                                              +                                          V                      BI                                                                      )                                                                        (        5        )            However, improving the capacitance ratio in this way necessitates an additional masked ion implantation into the varactor area and complicates the process for manufacturing an integrated circuit containing components other than the varactor.
Another type of semiconductor varactor is a depletion insulated-gate varactor often referred to as a depletion metal-oxide semiconductor ("MOS") varactor. FIG. 4 illustrates a simplified example of a conventional depletion insulated-gate varactor created from a semiconductor body having p-type body region 40. Gate dielectric layer 42 extending along the upper semiconductor surface separates gate electrode 44 from moderately doped (p) material of body region 40. Body electrode 46, analogous to body electrode 28 in FIG. 3, contacts body region 40. Gate-to-body bias voltage VGB, which varies across a voltage range extending from some negative value to some positive value, is applied between electrodes 44 and 46.
With gate-to-body voltage VGB being positive so that gate electrode 44 is at a higher voltage than body electrode 46, surface depletion region 48 forms in body region 40 along the upper semiconductor surface below gate electrode 44. The structure then functions as a capacitor having two dielectrics situated in series between gate electrode 44 and the non-depleted p-type body material underlying surface depletion region 48. One of the dielectrics is gate dielectric layer 42 having AC areal capacitance CGDA given as:
                              C          GDA                =                                            K              GD                                                  ɛ              0                                            t            GD                                              (        6        )            where KGD is the permittivity constant of dielectric layer 42, and tGD is the average thickness of dielectric layer 42 along electrode 44. The other dielectric is surface depletion region 48 having AC areal capacitance CdsA given as:
                              C          dsA                =                                            K              SC                                                  ɛ              0                                            t            ds                                              (        7        )            where tds is the average thickness of surface depletion region 48. Areal capacitance CVA of the depletion insulated-gate varactor is the series combination of areal capacitances CGDA and CdsA. Accordingly, capacitance CVA is given as:
                              C          VA                =                              C            GDA                                1            +                                                                           (                                                            K                      GD                                                              K                      SC                                                        )                                                                                (                                                                  t                        ds                                                                    t                        GD                                                              )                                                                                (        8        )            where gate dielectric capacitance CGDA is determined from Eq. 6. Surface depletion thickness tds increases with increasing gate-to-body voltage VGB UP to the point at which voltage VGB reaches a threshold value VT0. Capacitance CVA thus decreases with increasing gate-to-body voltage VGB over the VGB range from zero to threshold value VT0.
Inversion layer 50 forms in body region 40 along the upper semiconductor surface below gate electrode 44 when gate-to-body voltage VGB reaches threshold value VT0. Further increase in voltage VGB causes the charge density in inversion layer 50 to increase. However, surface depletion thickness tds remains substantially fixed at maximum value tdsmax in high-frequency AC operation because inversion layer 50 provides the additional charge necessitated by the VGB increase. Hence, varactor capacitance CVA remains approximately constant as voltage VGB rises above VT0 in high-frequency operation. For low-frequency AC operation, recombination/regeneration effects actually cause capacitance CVA to rise toward gate dielectric capacitance CGDA as voltage VGB is progressively raised above VT0. In either case, capacitance CVA is at minimum value CVAmin when voltage VGB is approximately VT0.
FIG. 5 illustrates an example of how the ratio of varactor capacitance CVA to gate dielectric capacitance CGDA varies with gate-to-body bias voltage VGB for the depletion insulated-gate varactor of FIG. 4. Curve portions A and B in FIG. 5 respectively depict the high-frequency and low-frequency capacitance characteristics for the depletion varactor. Curve portion C represents the high-frequency capacitance characteristics for the deep depletion insulated-gate varactor of FIG. 6 discussed below.
When gate-to-body voltage VGB is negative in the depletion insulated-gate varactor of FIG. 4, majority carriers (holes) accumulate along the upper semiconductor surface below gate electrode 48. The thickness of surface depletion region 48 progressively decreases as voltage VGB is made progressively more negative, i.e., of progressively greater negative value. Varactor capacitance CVA becomes gate dielectric capacitance CGDA which is maximum varactor capacitance value CVAmax. The maximum-to-minimum varactor capacitance ratio for the depletion varactor is approximately:
                                          C                          VA                                                                                max                                            C                          VA                                                                                min                                      =                  1          +                                    t                              ds                                                                                max                                                    t              GD                                                          (        9        )
The maximum-to-minimum capacitance ratio given by Eq. 9 for the depletion varactor is considerably higher than that typically achievable with a junction varactor because maximum depletion thickness tdsmax which determines minimum capacitance value CVAmin is typically several times gate dielectric thickness tGD which determines maximum capacitance value CVAmax. At state-of-the-art values for dielectric thickness tGD, the maximum-to-minimum capacitance ratio for a depletion insulated-gate varactor can readily be 10.
A deep depletion insulated-gate varactor, often termed a deep depletion MOS varactor, is an extension of a depletion insulated-gate varactor to include a p-n junction which enables the maximum-to-minimum varactor capacitance ratio to be increased further. A simplified example of a deep depletion insulated-gate varactor is presented in FIG. 6. Except as indicated below, the deep depletion varactor in FIG. 6 contains components 40, 42, 44, and 46 arranged the same as in the depletion varactor of FIG. 4. With variable gate-to-body bias voltage VGB applied between electrodes 44 and 46, the capacitance of the deep depletion varactor is taken between electrodes 44 and 46 as in the depletion varactor.
In addition to components 40, 42, 44, and 46, the deep depletion insulated-gate varactor includes one or two heavily doped n-type junction regions 52. Each n+junction region 52 forms a p-n junction 54 with body region 40 and is contacted by a junction electrode 56 along the upper semiconductor surface. Reverse bias voltage VR, a fixed electrical potential here, is applied between body electrode 46 and each junction electrode 56 to reverse bias corresponding p-n junction 54. Since each junction region 52 is of n-type conductivity, each junction electrode 56 is at a higher voltage than body electrode 46. A junction depletion region 58, which normally meets surface depletion region 48, extends along each p-n junction 54.
FIG. 6 illustrates the situation in which two junction regions 52 are present in a deep depletion insulated-gate varactor. With the two regions 52 being laterally separated from each other, the structure is similar to an insulated-gate FET except that regions 52 are electrically tied together rather than serving as source and drain. When only one region 52 is present, the other region 52 is typically replaced with dielectric material that laterally electrically isolates islands of the semiconductor material along the upper semiconductor surface.
The deep depletion insulated-gate varactor of FIG. 6 operates in basically the same way as the depletion insulated-gate varactor of FIG. 4 except that the presence of junction region(s) 52 causes inversion layer 50 to occur at a greater positive value of gate-to-body voltage VGB than in an otherwise corresponding depletion varactor. Maximum surface depletion thickness tdsmax in the deep depletion varactor is thus greater than in the corresponding depletion varactor. Referring to curve C of FIG. 5, capacitance ratio CVA/CGDA reaches a lower value with the deep depletion varactor than with the depletion varactor. Accordingly, minimum varactor capacitance value CVAmin reaches a lower value in the deep depletion varactor than in the depletion varactor. As a result, the deep depletion varactor achieves a higher maximum-to-minimum varactor capacitance ratio than the depletion varactor. In particular, the maximum-to-minimum capacitance ratio for a deep depletion varactor can readily be 15–20 at state-of-the-art values for gate dielectric thickness tGD.
Wong et al ("Wong"), "A Wide Tuning Range Gated Varactor," IEEE J. Solid-State Circs., May 2000, pages 773–779, describes another type of semiconductor varactor. As generally shown in FIG. 7, Wong's varactor is created from n body region 60 of a semiconductor body. Using somewhat unusual terminology, Wong's varactor includes heavily doped p-type "source" 62 and heavily doped n-type "drain" 64 laterally separated from each other along the upper semiconductor surface. Gate dielectric layer 66 separates gate electrode 68 from moderately doped n-type body material situated between source 62 and drain 64. Wong reports that the varactor capacitance is defined as the capacitance looking into the drain node.
Wong's varactor is operated in two modes with source voltage VS being ground reference (0 volt) in both modes. In one mode, drain voltage VD is also at ground while gate voltage VG is variable. Surface depletion region 70 extends along the upper semiconductor surface below gate electrode 68 and meets drain 64. Surface depletion region 70 merges into junction depletion region 72 extending along the p-n junction between body region 60 and source 62. Reducing gate voltage VG in this mode causes the thickness of composite depletion region 70/72 to increase so that the varactor capacitance decreases. In the second mode, gate voltage VG is at ground while drain voltage VD is variable. Increasing drain voltage VD causes the thickness of junction depletion region 72 to increase, thereby reducing the varactor capacitance. Inversion along the upper semiconductor surface below gate electrode 68 limits the maximum thickness of junction depletion region 72 and thus the minimum varactor capacitance in this mode.
Wong reports maximum and minimum capacitance values which appear to yield a maximum-to-minimum varactor capacitance ratio of 3–4. This varactor capacitance ratio is relatively low and, in fact, is lower than that typically achievable with either of the depletion insulated-gate varactors described above. As in the other varactors described above, the maximum-to-minimum capacitance ratio in Wong is determined primarily by the device metallurgical structure and is largely not independently controllable by the circuit designer.
Switched-capacitor varactors are employed in some applications. Although a high maximum-to-minimum varactor capacitance ratio can be achieved with a switched-capacitor varactor, it typically occupies a large semiconductor layout area. Switched-capacitor varactors require switching control and thus are also relatively complex.
It would be desirable to have a varactor which is of relatively simple design and which can readily achieve a high maximum-to-minimum varactor capacitance ratio. It would also be desirable to be able to change the maximum-to-minimum varactor capacitance ratio by appropriately adjusting certain lateral varactor layout dimensions.


The present invention provides a swim fin with a foot pocket adapted to receive a specific foot of a user and having its end conforming substantially to the alignment of the toes of the user, a blade extending from the foot pocket to a free end and having an inner edge which faces the inner edge of the other swim fin and an outer edge, the free end of the blade substantially in line with and extending inwardly from the big toe side of the foot pocket extending further than the remaining free end of the blade.

The present invention relates to swim fins used by swimmers and by body board riders.
Numerous attempts have been developed to assist scuba divers, swimmers, body board riders and swimmers. Whilst many attempts have been made to improve the performance in thrust and manoeuvrability of swim fins little or no thought has been given to solve the problem of the tendon soreness of the legs of a swimmer using swim fins.


There is disclosed an antenna system and method of operation which allows for a large number of antennas to transmit signal streams to a similarly large number of receiver/transmit ports over a single communication channel. In operation, there is created a plurality of frequency bands each identified with a particular one of the antennas. The signal streams from each antenna are mixed so that they fall within the frequency band assigned to that antenna. The reduced signal streams, which now all fall within a preselected frequency band for each antenna, are then combined into a single wide band signal stream and communicated over a single communication channel to the remote end where the signals are separated into their respective signal streams and the separated signal streams are then mixed to recreate the originally received frequencies. The system can be arranged such that a selection process allows multiple radios to connect to any channel of any antenna.

The switching and routing of signals between antennas and receivers/transmitters is a significant problem which must be addressed during the design and construction of multiple beam antenna systems. This is particularly true in "smart" multiple beam antenna systems where the goal is to couple the optimal antenna with an associated radio receiver or transmitter. While techniques are currently available for routing and switching signals in multiple beam antenna systems, they are typically complex, expensive to implement and require substantial amounts of hardware.
In general, the size, complexity and expense of the switching and routing system in a multiple beam antenna system is directly proportional to the number of antennas times the number of associated radios (receiver/transmitters). For example, in a typical cellular communications system, two antennas, a sector antenna and a diversity antenna, are provided per face. In some systems three "faces" are used, each of which covers a corresponding 120.degree. sector of a 360.degree. total field of view. In other systems, a single face may be used covered by an omnidirectional sector antenna and an omnidirectional diversity antenna. In each case, a transmit cable and/or a receive cable is required for every antenna beam employed. In multiple beam systems, such as the systems shown in Copending patent application Ser. No. 08/488,793, filed Jun. 8, 1995, Titled: NARROW BEAM ANTENNA SYSTEMS WITH ANGULAR DIVERSITY, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,610, and Ser. No. 08/520,316, filed Aug. 28, 1995, Titled: APPARATUS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MULTIPLE ANTENNA TRANSMISSION IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, and now U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,968 which are hereby incorporated by reference herein, where each face is covered by a number of narrow beams, the number of cables correspondingly increases. In these systems, anywhere from 12 to 40 separate antennas may be used per channel with perhaps 30-60 channels per cell site. In some situations, the ideal placement of antennas for a "cell site" might be hundreds of feet separated on diverse corners of a block square building. Using existing technology, this antenna placement becomes prohibitively expensive. Each cable may be between fifty to two hundred feet in length and cost several dollars per foot. Longer separations are impractical due to cable losses at RF frequencies.
The typical cellular communications system includes fifteen to twenty radios (receivers/transmitters) per face, with each radio being tuned to a given frequency (channel). Hence, notwithstanding the problem of cabling discussed above, the system switching matrix also becomes more complicated and expensive proportionate to the number of antenna beams and number of radios. For each face, one path must be provided from every antenna to every radio. In some embodiments, the capability must exist for any radio to be connected to any beam in any face. Consequently, for M number of radios, an M-way power divider is required per antenna. Further, for every radio there must be an N-way selector switch to couple that radio to a given one of the N number of antenna beams. In sum, for a system with M number of radios and N number of antennas, an M by N switching matrix is required. As the matrix grows larger and the component count grows, the reliability and mean time between failure decrease, while the cost and physical size of the switching system increases.
Thus, the need has arisen for improved apparatus, systems and methods for routing and switching signals between a multiple beam antenna system to one or more associated radios. Such apparatus, systems and methods should reduce the cost and complexity of switching and routing signals to and from the beams of multiple beam antenna systems, especially "smart" multiple beam antenna systems. Increases in system reliability and the ability to construct a more compact beam switching/routing system would also be advantageous. In some cases more antenna beams would be desirable, but is constrained by the number of cables; for example, in a situation where the cables are inside a hollow pipe.

System and method for frequency multiplexing antenna signals


The present invention relates to a ground anchor incorporating a sliding lockable wedge portion upon a vertical post having an auger, screw, or drill flight formed thereon, wherein substantial relative motion between an outdoor item and a ground surface may be releasably prevented. The auger may be used to easily drill the post into the ground and, once installed, the sliding wedge portion may be moved down the post shaft and forced down such that the projecting wedge fins are driven into the surface of the earth. The sliding wedge portion is then coupled to the shaft having the auger portion. Such a combination will prevent the vertical post from rotating about its axis, which is desirable in that it prevents the post from rotating in the wind and prevents unauthorized removal of the post, or any item attached to the post, because the projecting wedge fins prevent the post from being unscrewed from the ground. When it is desired for the anchor locking device to be removed by an authorized user, the sliding wedge portion is uncoupled from the vertical auger post, the wedge fins are removed from the ground, and the vertical post may then be unscrewed from the ground.

There exist numerous prior art designs for ground anchors, usually in the form of posts that are to be secured into the ground and that are adapted for the mounting of a sign or the like thereon. Many of these prior art devices incorporate features that make them more useful than simple stakes driven into the ground. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,402 to Berry-Tremmel et al. discloses a support frame for a sign that includes a spiraled surface about the sign mounting stake which may be used to screw the sign into the ground by rotating the sign about the axis of the stake. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,650 to Ottoson discloses a signpost having a pair of triangular fins extending therefrom that are situated below the surface of the ground when the signpost is mounted into the ground. These projecting fins prevent the sign from being twisted about the axis of the mounting stake (such as by wind and the like) because of interaction between the fins and the earth.
While such prior art devices provide desirable features, these desirable features have previously been considered to be mutually exclusive in that a signpost cannot have both a spiraled surface for screwing the stake into the ground and fins projecting from the stake. This is because, according to the teachings of the prior art, the fins would prevent the stake from being screwed into the ground.
There is therefore a need for a ground anchor that permits the use of both an integral auger for ease in screwing the anchor into the ground and projecting fins for preventing unwanted rotation of the anchor after installation. The present invention is directed toward meeting this need.


A liquid storage tank has a breathing valve that vents the tank's headspace at a high-pressure value and admits an ambient gas at a low-pressure value. A controller generates a first control signal when the percentage of the catalyst gas is less than a catalyst threshold, a second control signal when the percentage of the catalyst gas exceeds the catalyst threshold, and a third control signal when the pressure in the headspace is equal to a low-pressure threshold between the breathing valve's low-pressure value and high-pressure value. The first valve is only opened to output inert gas at a discharge pressure greater than the breathing valve's high-pressure value in response to the second control signal. The second valve is only opened to output inert gas at a discharge pressure that is between the breathing valve's low-pressure value and high-pressure value in response to the third control signal.

The headspace in liquid storage tanks often contains volatile gases that become part of a highly-combustible mixture when the volatile gases are allowed to mix with oxygen present within or just outside of such storage tanks. In general, such combustible mixtures are created when a volatile gas has a percentage presence in an oxygen-containing environment (e.g., ambient air) between a well-known Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) and Upper Explosive Limit (UEL). Depending on the configuration of a liquid storage tank's venting system, the highly-combustible mixture can be present within a tank and/or just outside thereof. In both cases, an explosion hazard exists that poses a serious threat to personnel, equipment, and the environment.
By way of example, the above-described problem will be explained for the case of liquid storage tanks used at a crude oil well. As is well-known in the art, liquid storage tanks are used to temporarily hold highly-contaminated produced water that is separated from a mixture of crude oil and water pumped out of the ground. The produced water is a highly toxic mixture that includes methane that readily escapes into a tank's headspace. When the percentage of methane in an oxygen-containing ambient air environment ranges between approximately 5% (i.e., the LEL) and approximately 15% (i.e., UEL), there is a risk of explosion. The scenarios leading to out-of-tank or in-tank explosive risks will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1-3.
In FIG. 1, a conventional produced-water storage tank 100 is illustrated where it is partially filled with produced water 200. As is known in the art, produced water 200 contains methane 202 that can escape from produced water 200 into the tank's headspace 102 as indicated by wavy arrows 204. Tank 100 receives produced water 200 through a tank inlet 104 and discharges produced water 200 through a tank outlet 106. Tank 100 is also equipped with a two-way breathing valve 108 that operates as follows:                valve 108 opens to vent headspace 102 to oxygen-containing ambient air 300 when a pressure in headspace 102 exceeds a high-pressure threshold P1,        valve 108 opens to permit ambient air 300 to vent into headspace 102 when a pressure in headspace 102 is less than a low-pressure threshold P2, and        valve 108 remains closed when a pressure is headspace 102 is between the two threshold pressures.
The two pressure thresholds P1 and P2 are selected to maintain the tank's structural integrity by preventing the occurrence of respective over and under pressure damage. In FIG. 2, the high-pressure scenario is illustrated as the level of produced water 200 in tank 100 rises to increase the pressure in headspace 102 to P1, whereby valve 108 opens to vent headspace 102 (containing methane 202) to ambient air 300 where methane 202 mixes therewith. In FIG. 3, the low-pressure scenario is illustrated as the level of produced water 200 in tank 100 drops to lower the pressure in headspace 102. If/when the pressure in headspace 102 drops to P2, valve 108 opens to admit ambient air 300 into headspace 102 where it mixes with methane 202. An explosion hazard condition can be created just outside of tank 100 (FIG. 2) or inside of tank 100 (FIG. 3) if methane 202 is present in oxygen-containing ambient air 300 in a percentage between the above-described LEL and UEL.

Liquid storage tank protection system and method


Aspects of the invention are directed to a process for producing polypropylene comprising: providing series reactors comprising a first and a second loop allowing flow of polypropylene, catalyst, hydrogen and propylene there between, wherein each loop comprises from six to eight legs, each leg having fluid connections there between; injecting into the first loop an amount of a catalyst, propylene and optionally hydrogen; withdrawing polypropylene, and unreacted propylene and optionally unreacted hydrogen from the first loop and injecting the polypropylene, and unreacted propylene and optionally unreacted hydrogen into the second loop; and providing a propylene/polypropylene separator fluidly connected to the second loop and isolating polypropylene therefrom. In one embodiment a recycle conduit is provided between the propylene/polypropylene separator and the second loop allowing the recycling of unreacted propylene and optionally hydrogen into the second loop.

One of the most common processes for making polypropylene homopolymer and copolymer is based on what are commonly called loop reactors. In this process, a loop reactor is made up of a series of long, straight pipes (generally referred to as "legs") which are connected by bent pipes to form a continuous loop. Pumps are incorporated into this loop to circulate the polymer and liquid monomer slurry. Propylene polymerization is an exothermic reaction so heat must be removed from the reactors. One method of efficient heat removal is to provide jacketed reactor legs, such as described in U.S. Publication No. 2007/0022768 A1 to Smith, where water flows through the jackets to control the reactor temperature by removing heat from the reactor slurry.
One type of reactor design for high capacity polymerization lines uses two of these loop reactors operating in series. That is, catalyst and liquid monomers are fed to the first reactor and the slurry that leaves that reactor along with more liquid monomers is fed to the second reactor. Slurry leaving the second reactor is sent on for monomer separation and recovery. In this design the maximum capacity of the line may be determined by the heat transfer area available in these reactors. For new plants it is desired to increase plant capacity to reduce the capital and operating cost per unit of production. Various small increases have been achieved by increasing the reactor operating temperature, decreasing the temperature of the circulating cooling water and increasing the circulation rates of the water used to remove heat from the reactors. However, no major increase in capacity above a nominal 400 to 450 kTons per year rate is possible in the current reactor design.
Also, the basic plant design with two series reactors has limitations in the capability to produce polymers of different molecular weights in the two reactors. This is a feature that is desired for some products. The slurry leaving the first loop reactor is a large portion of the feed to the second loop reactor. Therefore any hydrogen that is fed to the first loop reactor and not consumed in that reactor is automatically fed to the second reactor. Even if no additional hydrogen is added to the second reactor the concentration in that reactor will not be significantly different than in the first reactor. It is possible to only add hydrogen to the second of the two series loop reactors so that its hydrogen concentration is much higher than in the first reactor. However, the slurry leaving the second reactor is normally about 50% polypropylene polymer and 50% unreacted propylene/propane/hydrogen. After the polymer is separated, the unreacted propylene/propane/hydrogen is condensed, mixed with fresh propylene feed and that mixture is routed to both loop reactors. Because the unreacted propylene/propane/hydrogen from the second loop reactor contains unreacted hydrogen there will be some hydrogen in the mixture of fresh and recycle propylene streams and there will be some hydrogen entering the first loop reactor even if there is no additional hydrogen fed to that reactor. This limits the extent to which different molecular weight polymers can be made in the two reactors.
The inventor has solved these and other problems in aspects of the invention as described herein.


In a column base joint structure, an anchor bolt and a column installed upright on a groundsel are tightly joined using groundsel-side and column-side hardware pieces. The groundsel-side hardware piece includes groundsel-embedded and upper fitting tenon portions. A fitting hole for the upper fitting tenon portion of the groundsel-side hardware piece is formed in a base of the column. The column-side hardware piece includes a lower projecting portion projecting downward from a top face portion to the inside of the fitting hole, and a column-embedded portion positioned above the top face portion. A pin locking hole in the upper fitting tenon portion of the groundsel-side hardware piece and a pin locking hole in the lower projecting portion of the column-side hardware piece are mutually aligned, a driftpin is hammered into the aligned pin locking holes, and the anchor bolt and the column are thereby tightly joined to each other.

Known examples of structures for tightly joining a foundation and a column installed upright on a groundsel installed on the upper face of the foundation with each other in a wooden building, such as a wooden residential building, include, for example, structures in which an upper-end male screw portion of an anchor bolt projecting from the upper face of a foundation is fastened to a hold-down hardware piece attached to a side face of the base portion of a column. Unfortunately, such a hold-down hardware piece attached to the side face of a column base portion may be problematic; e.g., the hold-down hardware piece may hinder the attaching of a diagonal beam, or may constitute a heat bridge. For this reason, a column base joint structure in which column base fittings for tightly joining a column with an anchor bolt are embedded respectively in the column's base portion and a groundsel has been developed as a structure that replaces the hold-down hardware piece (e.g., see JP3488870 B).
In the column base joint structure disclosed in JP3488870 B, the column base fitting is constituted by: a cylindrical groundsel-embedded portion that is embedded in a groundsel and is tightly joined to an anchor bolt; and a tenon portion—which is provided separately from the groundsel-embedded portion—that has a columnar engaging portion projecting downward and is fixed to a bottom face portion of a column. After the groundsel is installed on the upper face of a foundation, the engaging portion of the tenon portion projecting from the column's bottom face portion is fitted into the groundsel-embedded portion, and thereby, a connecting hole formed in the engaging portion of the tenon portion is aligned with a connecting hole formed in the groundsel-embedded portion in a state where the column is installed upright on the groundsel, and the anchor bolt and the column are tightly joined with each other by hammering a locking pin into the connecting holes.


An exercising device wherein a rotary crank handle mechanism is mounted on the upper end portion of a frame assembly for exercising the upper body portion of a person, and an exercising mechanism is mounted on the lower portion of the frame assembly for exercising the lower body portion of the person. The upper and lower exercising mechanisms are independently operable from each other, and the upper crank handle mechanism is provided with a plurality of adjustment features so that the mechanism can be pivoted to a desired position relative to the frame assembly and the crank arms can be oriented relative to each other to recreate the effects of swimming or rowing.

Various bicycle-type exercising devices have been proposed having a lower rotary crank pedal mechanism, whereby the user can exercise his or her lower body, and an upper rotary crank handle mechanism for exercising the upper body.
These types of exercising devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,213,852; 3,964,742; and 4,436,097, wherein the upper rotary crank handle mechanism and lower rotary crank pedal mechanism are interconnected by sprocket chains and gears, thereby precluding the user from choosing the speed or level of resistance in either the upper or lower rotary mechanism.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,423,863 and 5,044,627 disclose bicycle-type exercising devices wherein the upper rotary crank handle mechanism is independent from the lower rotary crank pedal mechanism.
While the prior art bicycle-type exercising devices have been satisfactory for their intended purpose, by the construction and arrangement of their rotary crank handle mechanism, the user's exercise of the upper body was limited, as it was necessary for the user to be seated on the device during the workout.
After considerable research and experimentation, the exercising device of the present invention has been devised wherein the rotary crank handle mechanism is adjustable to various positions, whereby the user's exercise of the upper body cannot only recreate the effects of swimming but also rowing, and a user can exercise the upper body without being seated on the device.


An expanded shaped product with improved flexural compressibility and surface properties comprising starch and a hydrophobically modified acid anhydride or its acid hydrolyzed counterpart and the method of preparing such product by extrusion.

This invention relates to expanded or foamed shaped products with good flexural and compressibilityproperties comprising a select combination of starch and a hydrophobically modified acid anhydride or its hydrolyzed acid counterpart and the method of preparation thereof.
The use of plastic and thermoplastic materials such as polystyrene, polyethylene and polyurethane have dominated the custom foam packaging market in recent years. However, because of its biodegradability as well as other favorable environmental characteristics and its ready availability, starch and starch based products have received increased attention in the foam product area.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,930 issued Jul. 30, 1991 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,196 issued Aug. 27, 1991 disclose the formation of expanded shaped starch products by the extrusion of high amylose starch and include the addition of synthetics, such as polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate and polyurethane to improve product properties. U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,702 issued Sep. 28, 1993 discloses expanded starch based products useful as packaging fillers which are fabricated by extrusion of starch in the presence of a particulate bubble nucleating agent such as silicon dioxide and amorphous silica. U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,754 issued May 24, 1994 is directed to a method of producing starch derived shaped articles wherein high amylose starch is extruded under selected temperature and pressure conditions.
European Patent 0 712 883 published May 22, 1996 discloses biodegradable, structural shaped products having good flexibility or rigidity properties which are provided by extruding starch having a selected large particle size and preferably containing a nucleating agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,271 issued Oct. 12, 1993 discloses a biodegradable packaging foam which is provided by extruding a non-modified starch which is admixed with a selected mild acid, water and a carbonate composition.
The state of the art, as exemplified above, has shown many different approaches to forming starch based foam products. However, because of the nature and characteristics of starch it has been difficult to produce foamed starch products which have good flexural, compressibility and surface properties such as gloss, smoothness and uniformity. Additionally, because of the various products and the many different types of applications available, there is always the need for improved products and methods of preparation. This is particularly true in the preparation of starch foam used in the formation of sheets, shapes and planks for packaging applications which require increased flexibility.

Starchfoam products with improved flexibility/compressibility and the method of preparation thereof

National Starch and Chemical Investment Holding Corporation


A method for detecting the presence of a target nucleotide sequence in a sample of DNA is described herein in which a test sample comprising single stranded DNA is exposed to a DNA probe and a nicking endonuclease under conditions that would permit sequence-specific hybridization of the probe to a complementary target sequence. The probe comprises a sequence complementary to the target sequence to be detected and this sequence also includes a recognition sequence for the nicking endonuclease. If the sample contains the target sequence, the probe hybridizes to the target and is cleaved by the nicking endonuclease, which leaves the target intact. Observing the presence of probe cleaved by the nicking endonuclease indicates the presence of the target nucleotide sequence in the sample of DNA.

Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to methods for the detection of specific nucleotide sequences and reagents and kits for use in practicing the methods.
Related Art
Nicking endonuclease enzymes have been previously described. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,267 discloses recombinant DNA encoding a nicking endonuclease, N.BstNBI, and the production of N.BstNBI restriction endonuclease from the recombinant DNA utilizing PIeI modification methylase. U.S. Pat. No. 6,395,523 discloses two methods to engineer nicking endonucleases from existing Type Ms restriction endonucleases, and the production of engineered nicking endonucleases. One approach involves inactivating the dimerization function of a Type Ms restriction enzyme using site-directed mutagenesis approach. Another approach involves replacing the cleavage domain of a Type Hs restriction enzyme with the cleavage domain from the naturally occurring nicking endonuclease, N.BstNBI.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Sequence-specific detection of nucleotide sequences


A packaged combination includes a fluid container having walls that are dimensioned to receive a solid object, for example, an edible item. The fluid container may be a single portion with areas cut out to receive an edible item or the fluid container may have two separate portions capable of holding the same or different fluids, which two separate portions each have walls cut out that, when acting together, may at least partially enclose an edible object.

Some items may sell better as a combination —for example, popcorn and soda, nuts and beer or toy and beverage for children. It is well known that attractive packaging helps sell goods to consumers. Therefore, items are sometimes packaged together so as to boost sales.
Applicant provides a novel packaged combination comprising a drink and an edible, typically solid, food item, such as a candy or a snack. More specifically, Applicant provides a container for containing a fluid, such as soda, fruit drink, mineral water, beer or spirits therein, the fluid container having walls, at least partially dimensioned, to receive an edible item, such as a candy bar, energy bar, package of popcorn, candy bits, etc., therein and a means to engage the two so they may be sold as a package combination.
For example, a typical cylindrical plastic beverage container such as a 12-20 ounce soda container may have walls modified from the cylindrical shape, in a variety of ways, but so as to at least partially engage a packaged or unpackaged edible food item. The edible food item is packaged with the fluid container by some means for attaching the two physically together, such as: using the label of the container to physically hold the edible food item against the walls of the container; using a tie or a string, tape or glue to otherwise hold the edible item or items against the fluid container or providing a cap or a lid, in combination with a cutout volume of the walls of the fluid container so as to insert the food item or items into the enclosed interior volume of the fluid container and providing a cap or lid to seal the items therein.
The drawings set forth below provide several examples of some fluid containers with walls modified to receive food item or items and a means to engage the food item or items to the fluid container.

Packaged combination including a fluid container having walls dimensioned to receive a solid object, including edible items


A method, a device, and a corresponding computer program product for calculating (optimizing) and producing a spectacle lens with the aid of a semi-personalized eye model. In one approach, the method includes providing personalized refraction data of at least one eye of the spectacles wearer; establishing a personalized eye model in which at least the parameters: shape of an anterior corneal surface of a model eye; a cornea-lens distance; parameters of the lens of the model eye; and lens-retina distance are established using personalized measured values for the eye of the spectacles wearer, and/or using standard values, and/or using the provided personalized refraction data, such that the model eye has the provided personalized refraction data, wherein at least the establishment of the lens-retina distance takes place via calculation.

For the production or optimization of spectacles lenses, in particular of personalized spectacles lenses, each spectacles lens is manufactured so that an optimally good correction of a retraction error of the respective eye of the spectacles wearer is achieved for every desired viewing direction or every desired object point. In general, a spectacles lens is considered to be fully corrective for a given viewing direction if the values for sphere, cylinder, and axis of the wavefront upon passing the vertex sphere agree with the values for sphere, cylinder, and axis of the prescription for the ametropic eye. In the determination of refraction for an eye of the spectacles wearer, dioptic values (in particular sphere, cylinder, axis position—thus in particular sphero-cylindrical deviations) are determined for a far (normally infinite) distance, and possibly (for multifocal lenses or progressive lenses) an addition or a complete near refraction are determined for a near distance (for example according to DIN 58208). Given modern spectacles lenses, object distances deviating from the norm which would be used in the refraction determination may also be additionally specified. The prescription (in particular sphere, cylinder, axis position, and if applicable addition or post-refraction) is therefore established that is sent to a manufacturer of spectacles lenses. Knowledge of a specific or personalized anatomy of the respective eye, or of the actual refractive powers of the ametropic eye that are present in the individual instance, is not necessary for this.
However, in a normal instance a complete correction for all viewing directions simultaneously is not possible. Therefore, spectacles lenses are manufactured such that they for the most part produce a good correction of ametropias of the eye and only slight aberrations in the primary usage regions, in particular in the central viewing regions, whereas larger aberrations are permitted in peripheral regions.
In order to be able to manufacture a spectacles lens, a calculation of the spectacles lens surfaces, or of at least one of the spectacles lens surfaces, first takes place such that the desired distribution of the unavoidable aberrations is produced. This calculation and optimization typically takes place by means of an iterative variation method, via minimization of an objective function. As an objective function, in particular a function F with the following functional correlation to the spherical effect S, to the absolute value of the cylindrical effect Z, and to the axis position of the cylinder α (also referred to as an "SZA" combination) is considered and minimized:
  F  =            ∑              i        =        1            m                  [                                                  g                              i                ,                                  S                                                                                Δ                                                                                (                                                S                                      Δ                    ,                    i                                                  -                                  S                                      Δ                    ,                    i                    ,                    target                                                              )                                2                +                                            g                              i                ,                                  Z                                                                                Δ                                                                                (                                                Z                                      Δ                    ,                    i                                                  -                                  Z                                      Δ                    ,                    i                    ,                    target                                                              )                                2                +        …            ]
In the objective function F, at the evaluation locations i of the spectacles lens at least the actual refraction deficits of the spherical effect SΔ,i, and the cylindrical effect ZΔ,i, as well as target specifications for the refraction deficits of the spherical effect SΔ,i,target and the cylindrical effect ZΔ,i,target are thereby taken into account.
In DE 103 13 275, it has already been recognized that it is advantageous to specify the target specifications not as absolute values of the properties to be optimized, but rather as their deviations from the prescription, thus the required local error adaptation. This has the advantage that the target specifications are independent of the prescription (SphV, ZylV, AxisV, PrV,BV), and the target specifications do not need to be changed for every personalized prescription. It is thus also not absolute values of these optical properties, but rather the deviations from the prescription, that enter into the objective function as "real" values of the properties to be optimized. This has the advantage that the target specifications may be provided independently of the prescription, and do not need to be changed for every personalized prescription.
The respective refraction deficits at the respective assessment locations are preferably taken into account with weighting factors gi,SΔ or gi,ZΔ. The target specifications for the refraction deficits of the spherical effect SΔ,i,target and/or the cylindrical effect ZΔ,i,target, in particular together with the weighting factors gi,SΔ or gi,ZΔ, thereby form what is known as the spectacles lens design. Moreover, additional residuals, in particular additional variables to be optimized, for example coma and/or spherical aberration and/or prism and/or magnification and/or anamorphic distortion etc. may in particular be taken into account, which is indicated in particular by the expression "+ . . . " in the aforementioned formula for the objective function F.
In some instances, it may contribute to a notable improvement, in particular of a personalized adaptation of a spectacles lens, if not only aberrations up to the second order (sphere, absolute value of the astigmatism, and axis position) but also of higher orders (for example coma, trefoil error, spherical aberration) are taken into account in the optimization of the spectacles lens.
From the prior art, it is known to determine the shape of a wavefront for optical elements, and in particular for spectacles lenses that are bounded by at least two refringent, refractive interfaces. For example, this may take place via numerical calculation of a sufficient number of adjacent rays, connected with a subsequent fit of the wavefront via Zernike polynomials. Another approach is based on a local wavefront calculation upon refraction (see WO 2008/089999 A1). Only a single ray (the principal ray) is hereby calculated per observation point, and accompanying are the derivatives of the pitches of the wavefront according to the transversal (orthogonal to the principal ray) coordinates. These derivatives may be formed up to a defined order, wherein the second derivatives describe the local curvature properties of the wavefront (for example refractive power, astigmatism), and the higher derivatives coincide with the higher-order aberrations.
Given a calculation of light through a spectacles lens, the local derivatives of the wavefront are calculated at a suitable position in the ray path in order to compare them there with desired values that arise from the refraction of the spectacles lens substrate. Normally, the vertex sphere, or for example the major plane of the eye at the corresponding viewing direction, is used as such a position at which an evaluation of the wavefronts occurs. It is thereby assumed that a spherical wavefront emanates from the object point and propagates up to the first spectacles lens surface. There the wavefront is refracted and subsequently propagates to the second spectacles lens surface, where it is refracted again. The last propagation then occurs from the second interface up to the vertex sphere (or the major plane of the eye), where the wavefront is compared with predetermined values for the correction of the refraction of the eye of the spectacles lens.
In order to perform this comparison on the basis of the determined refraction data of the respective eye, the evaluation of the wavefront at the vertex sphere will assume an established model of the ametropic eye in which an ametropia (refraction deficit) is superimposed on a right-sighted basic eye. This has especially proven itself, since further knowledge about the anatomy or optics of the respective eye (for example distribution of the refractive powers, eye length, longitudinal ametropia and/or refractive power ametropia) are not required for this. Detailed descriptions of this model made up of spectacles lens and refraction deficit are contained in, for example, Dr. Roland Enders "Die Optik des Auges und der Sehhilfen" ["The Optics of the Eye and Visual Aids"], Optische Fachveröffentlichung GmbH, Heidelberg, 1995, Page 25 ff., and in Diepes, Blendowske "Optik und Technik der Brille" ["Optics and Engineering of Spectacles"], Optische Fachveröffentlichung GmbH, Heidelberg, 2002, Page 47 ff. In particular, the correction model according to REINER that is described therein is used as a proven model.
The deficit or the excess of refractive power of the optical system of the ametropic eye, in comparison to an equally long right-sighted eye (residual eye) is thereby considered to be a refraction deficit. The refractive power of the refraction deficit is in particular approximately equal to the far point refraction with negative algebraic sign. For a complete correction of the ametropia, the spectacles lens and the refraction deficit together form a telescopic system (afocal system). The residual eye (ametropic eye without introduced refraction deficit) is assumed to be right-sighted. A spectacles lens thereby applies as a full correction for distance if its image-side focal point coincides with the far point of the ametropic eye, and therefore also with the object-side focal point of the refraction deficit.

Population of an eye model using measurement data in order to optimize spectacle lenses


The storage apparatus permits preservation under optimum conditions of an only partially used, interchangeable ink jet print head, when not in use on the relative printer; it is apt to accommodate both a print head for black printing and one for color printing, in the same way and with the same orientation as provided for their insertion in the printer's print head carriage, in a single cavity. Insertion of the print head in the storage apparatus automatically selects and commands the specific capping system for that type of print head, capable of efficaciously isolating and protecting the nozzles, even for long periods of time.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention refers to a storage apparatus apt to preserve an ink jet printhead of the interchangeable cartridge type, insertable on devices generating images on a medium, after the former has been removed from its packaging and possibly already partially used on the device.
The storage apparatus maintains the area of the said printhead bearing the nozzles for discharging the ink droplets (called ejector plate) substantially sealed inside an environment impregnated with humidity in such a way as to prevent evaporation and coagulation of said ink with consequent occlusion of the nozzles, even if the printhead is not used for prolonged periods of time.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices are known in the current art for generation of images on a medium, generally sheets of paper or other suitable material, for example ink jet printers, using interchangeable printheads of the monobloc, disposable cartridge type, i.e. with an ink reservoir integrated within the printhead, or of the "refillable" cartridge type, i.e. with an ink reservoir that can be replaced.
The printheads may contain a black (or generically monochromatic) ink, or three inks of different colours in the reservoir, thus permitting, simply by changing the printhead, printing in black or in colour with the same printer, which provides considerable flexibility and variety of use.
On these types of printer, or more exactly in the printhead carriage thereof, a single printhead at a time may be resident, so that users are faced with the problem of having at least one printhead, sometimes the monochromatic type, at other times the colour type, still partially filled with ink and functioning perfectly, that has to be preserved in a suitable container to avoid it from deteriorating during the periods in which it is not used to the extent that it may become no longer functional or in some way defective.
In fact, the characteristics of the ink and the dimensions of the nozzles from which the ink droplets are ejected during printing are such that, if the printhead is left for even relatively short periods of time with the ejector plate thereof exposed to the surrounding environment, the ink coagulates, thereby occluding the nozzles and the printhead becomes unusable.
The danger thereof is so great that the ink jet printers known in the current art are equipped with what is known as a "service station", one of the declared objects of which is to protect and isolate the nozzles from the surrounding environment whenever the printhead is not functioning, even in the time intervening between printing of one sheet and the next should this interval exceed a given, predetermined time.
Martin et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,497, describe one of these "service stations", interchangeably adaptable, through the rotation of a support, for protecting a printhead for black printing or alternatively a printhead for colour printing, and which comprises a cap that encloses the ejector plate, isolating it from the external environment in such a way as to prevent coagulation of the ink and contamination of the nozzles by dust.
This eliminates the problem for the printhead remaining on board the printer carriage, but it is evident that, if the user of the printer concurrently has two different types of interchangeable printhead in usage, the problem still remains of preserving that printhead which is momentarily not fitted in the printhead carriage of the printer.
The most frequent case, and the one to which reference shall be made hereinafter in the disclosure of this invention, but which is by no means limiting, is that in which the printer can work interchangeably with a printhead for black printing (the type most commonly used, for example, to print texts) or with a printhead for colour printing (containing three coloured inks and used mainly for graphic printing): when the printer uses the printhead for black printing, the printhead for colour printing must be preserved externally to the printer under proper conditions, and vice versa when the printer uses the printhead for colour printing.
To solve this specific problem, dedicated storage apparatuses have been constructed, such as, for example, that described by Kawai et al. in European Patent Application No. EP 560266, in which a container comprises within a cap similar to that described in the Martin et al. Patent cited above, a cap which comes into contact with the ejector plate of the printhead in such a way as to seal it, and is further connected to a member that is capable of absorbing any ink seeping out of the nozzles, for example following variations in ambient temperature or pressure.
The dimensions of the cap, generally formed of a synthetic rubber with low gas permeability and in particular of EPDM, must be calculated correctly in function of the type of printhead to which the cap will be coupled, this to guarantee the effective sealing properties of the device; usually, the dimensions of the ejector plate on printheads for black printing and of the ejector plate on those for colour printing are different, because of the different number of nozzles and consequently, a cap suitable for a printhead for black printing may not also be fit for use on a printhead for colour printing, and vice versa.
Containers for preserving interchangeable printheads are known in the current art, comprising two distinct and independent cavities, one capable of receiving only a printhead for black printing, and the other capable of receiving only a printhead for colour printing; accordingly however, encumbrance of the container is considerable and users must take care to insert the right printhead in its proper cavity.


Techniques associated with a system for joint fusion are described, including a drill guide assembly having a drill guide and a pin sleeve, the drill guide including a drill guide head having an opening, a shaft configured to receive the pin sleeve, a drill guide tip configured to engage a bone, and a cannula configured to receive an implant, a striker tube configured to fit over the pin sleeve, the striker tube having an edge configured to fit over the drill guide head, a cannulated drill bit configured to drill a pilot hole in a bone tissue configured to receive the implant, a stop collar configured to be placed over the cannulated drill bit, and a packing plunger assembly having a packing tube and a plunger partially inserted into the packing tube, the packing plunger assembly configured to pack the implant with a material.

Stress across joints generally is a common cause of pain. Stress across the sacroiliac joint is a common source of lower back pain. Such sacroiliac joint stress, including sacroiliac joint disruptions (i.e., separations) and degenerative sacroiliitis (i.e. inflammation), can result from lumbar fusion, trauma, postpartum, heavy lifting, arthritis, or unknown causes. Sacroiliac joint fixation or arthrodesis is sometimes recommended for skeletally mature patients with severe, chronic sacroiliac joint pain or acute trauma in the sacroiliac joint.
Conventional solutions for stabilizing joints and relieving pain in joints typically include the insertion of an implant, such as a metal screw, rod or bar, laterally across the joint. However, conventional solutions can involve invasive surgical procedures. Furthermore, even more minimally invasive procedures have drawbacks. One drawback of conventional solutions for sacroiliac joint fixation is the inability to deliver materials, such as osteogenic, osteoconductive, other bone regenerative materials, antibiotics, steroids, and other joint treatment materials (i.e., for inflammation or infections), to the bones through implants and an implantation procedure that is minimally invasive. Another drawback of conventional implants for sacroiliac joint fixation is that they do not allow for bone growth into and through the implant for true fusion of the joint. Finally, conventional implantation solutions do not provide methods for delivering such joint stress treatment materials through the implant at a later time (i.e., post-implantation).
Thus, techniques for joint fusion without the limitations of conventional techniques are needed.


A non-emissive display unit such as a liquid crystal display is disclosed. The non-emissive display unit is adapted for mounting in a rack or panel. The non-emissive display unit includes a display cabinet and a non-emissive display device which is coupled to the display cabinet such that insertion of the display cabinet into the rack or panel mechanically and/or electrically couples the non-emissive display device to the rack or panel. The non-emissive display unit also includes a light source mounted to the rack or panel adjacent the display cabinet such that the light source can be removed and replaced from the rack or panel without decoupling or removing the non-emissive display device from the display cabinet. Insertion of the display cabinet into the rack or panel optically couples the display device inside the cabinet to the light source mounted to the rack or panel.

In traditional display units utilizing non-emissive display elements (such as LCDs, electrochromic displays and electrophoretic displays), lamps or luminaires are required to provide light emission. Typically, the lamps are fluorescent, incandescent, or discharge lamps. In existing display designs, the lamps which provide backlighting are mounted inside of a display cabinet or housing. In addition to the lamps, the display cabinet also typically contains the display element, a diffuser, and reflectors or lightpipes for redirecting light toward the diffuser and the display element. In order to mount the display unit in a rack or panel for use, the display cabinet is typically inserted into an opening in the rack or panel. Once inserted into the opening of the rack or panel the display unit receives power and control/data signals, typically via a rear connector, needed to display information to the users of the display unit.
In these existing configurations, the display unit must be disassembled when an internal lamp needs to be replaced. Disassembly of the display unit typically requires that the components of the display unit be removed from the display cabinet and that the display cabinet be removed from the opening in the rack or panel. Since lamps have very short life expectancies as compared to other components, this requires frequent disassembly and repair of the display unit. These frequent repair operations significantly reduce the mean time between failure (MTBF) of the display unit, and thus increase the cost of ownership of the display unit. Also, these frequent repair operations increase the risk of introducing new and unrelated failures or damage to the display unit during disassembly or assembly.

External luminaire for panel or rack mounted display units


A thermoacoustic probe with an electromagnetic (EM) energy applicator, a thermoacoustic transducer, and a housing containing the applicator and thermoacoustic transducer and enabling an EM exit window and a transducer front face to be held flush with respect to each other. A first acoustic absorbing material is placed between the EM applicator and the transducer, between the EM applicator and the housing, and between the transducer and the housing as spacers; and a second acoustic absorbing material is injected between the EM applicator and the transducer, between the EM applicator and the housing, and between the transducer and the housing in the spaced gaps, wherein the first acoustic absorbing material and the second acoustic absorbing material are combined to form a sleeve covering the applicator sides and the transducer sides. The acoustic absorbing materials mitigate sound artifacts and noise resulting in cleaner signal data. In a preferred embodiment the applicator is a radio-frequency applicator, the transducer is a piezoelectric transducer, and the probe is utilizable for tissue imaging.

Thermoacoustic imaging is an imaging modality that provides information relating to the thermoelastic properties of tissue. Thermoacoustic imaging uses short pulses of electromagnetic energy, such as radio frequency (RF) pulses, directed into a subject to heat absorbing features within the subject rapidly, which in turn induces acoustic pressure waves that are detected using acoustic receivers, such as one or more thermoacoustic or ultrasound transducer arrays. The detected acoustic pressure waves are analyzed through signal processing and processed for presentation as thermoacoustic images that can be interpreted by an operator.

Acoustically isolated thermoacoustic imaging probe and process of manufacture


Disclosed is an air cleaner capable of removing contaminants in the air by using various air cleaning methods. The air cleaner includes a case including an upper opening through which air is introduced, a lower opening through which purified air is discharged, a filter module detachably mounted in the case and configured to filter out contaminants in the air, an injector injecting water, and an electric dust collecting device located below the injector and collecting dust in the air.

An air cleaner is a device for purifying the air by removing dust, noxious gas and bacteria in the air. The air cleaner may be provided with a suction port for sucking contaminated indoor air, a filter for filtering out contaminants in the air, and a discharge port for discharging purified air.
Contaminants such as dust, noxious gas and bacteria contained in the air sucked through the suction port may be filtered out by the filter provided in the air cleaner. Clean air filtered by the filter may be discharged to the outside of the air cleaner through the discharge port.
The air cleaners may be largely classified into dry air cleaners and wet air cleaners.
Dry air cleaners may be classified into electric dust collection type and filter filtration type. The electric dust collection type has no need of changing the filter, but has a weak ability to remove contaminants. The filter type has an ability to remove contaminants, but generates the cost for maintenance to replace filter periodically.
The wet air cleaner is advantageous in that it does not need to change the filter because the inhaled air is brought into contact with the water so that the contaminants in the air are adsorbed and removed from the water. However, if the contact between water and air is not sufficient, then contaminants in the air are not sufficiently filtered out.
Air in the room may contain various kinds of pollutants such as dust, smell-generating chemicals, noxious gas, and oil mist which may be generated in cooking in the kitchen. Especially when there is a heat source such as a kitchen, pollutants may be present in the upper air. In order to purify the indoor air, these various kinds of pollutants must be effectively removed.


Silicone resins containing monorganosiloxane and diorganosiloxane units and exhibiting reproducible values of molecular weight and dispersity are prepared by condensing a mixture of hydrolyzed silanes, adjusting the solids content of the condensed resin and then subjecting the resultant product to a re-equilibration reaction in the presence of an alkali metal compound.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for producing silicone resins. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for producing silicone resins composed of difunctional siloxane units (D units) and trifunctional siloxane units (T units). The resins exhibit a low molecular weight dispersivity and a controlled molecular weight.
2. Background Information
Silicone resins that are liquid at room temperature or that have relatively low softening points are employed as electrically insulating varnishes, heat-resistant coatings, and sealants for semiconductor elements. These silicone resins are classified according to the particular combination of siloxane units that make up the resin. Examples of such resins are DT type resins composed of difunctional siloxane units (D unit) and trifunctional siloxane units (T unit), MQ type silicone resins composed of monofunctional siloxane units (M unit) and tetrafunctional siloxane units (Q unit), and DTQ silicone resins composed of difunctional siloxane units (D unit), trifunctional siloxane units (T unit), and tetrafunctional siloxane units (Q unit). Among these silicone resins the DT type are characterized by ease of formation of the cured film by crosslinking and by the excellent mechanical properties of the cured film.
The DT type of silicone resins are prepared by cohydrolysis of a organotrihalosilane and a diorganodihalosilane or the corresponding organotrialkoxysilane and diorganodialkoxysilane in water. The resultant hydrolysis product is then subjected to a condensation reaction. This method is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open [Kokai or Unexamined] Numbers 50-77500 [77,500/1975] and 57-40526 [40,526/1982]).
Because both the cohydrolysis and condensation reactions in this preparative method cause an increase in the molecular weight of the silicone resin, the molecular weight of the final resin cannot be controlled. In addition, a highly reproducible production of silicone resin with the same molecular weight is beyond the capability of this preparative scheme due to the different reactivities of the D-D, D-T, and T-T bonds in a silicone resin composed of difunctional siloxane units (D unit) and trifunctional siloxane units (T unit). Moreover, the silicone resin afforded by this preparative scheme is itself associated with certain problems. For example, due to its large molecular weight dispersivity, it has a broad glass transistion point and softening point. This characteristic limits the scope of application of the silicone resin.
The present invention resulted from extensive efforts directed at solving the aforementioned problems associated with DT type silicone resins.
One objective of the present invention is to provide a method for producing silicone resin composed of difunctional siloxane units (D unit) and trifunctional siloxane units (T unit) the final resin exhibits a low molecular weight dispersivity and a controlled reproducible molecular weight.


A handheld electronic device having a universal remote control mechanism is provided. The electronic device comprises a touch display unit, a storage unit, a wireless transmission unit and a processing unit. The touch display unit receives device information and displays a user interface having virtual function keys. The storage unit stores a device code discrimination table. The processing unit retrieves the device code discrimination table and initiates a test procedure according to an order of the hit rate of the instruction codes of plural rows of device codes in the device code discrimination table. The processing unit further terminates the test procedure and controls the electronic device to be controlled by using a specific device code when the processing unit can control the electronic device to be controlled by using all the instruction codes of the specific device code through the wireless transmission unit.

1. Field of Invention
The disclosure relates to a universal remote control technology. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a handheld electronic device having a universal remote control mechanism and an operation method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to increase the convenience for life or meet the entertainment demand in a family, various household appliances are usually purchased. Many appliances, such as a television, a video recorder, a stereo system and an air conditioner, are all configured with an independent remote controller correspondingly. When there are more and more appliances presented, the number of remote controllers is increased accordingly. Therefore, the user may be confused by different remote controllers, may lose the remote controllers or may damage the remote controllers. The large number of the remote controllers cause inconvenience for using household appliances.
When the remote controller is lost or damaged, users often purchase a universal remote controller to replace the original remote controller. In order to enable the universal remote controller to operate the appliances, device codes of different brands, types and models of the appliances should be provided in the universal remote controller, and a complicated test procedure is performed to find a correct device code for operation. However, the general remote controller in the market has no intuitive display mechanism to inform users of how the procedure is performed. Users not only need to try every device code but also need to pay attention to keep in mind that which function key is selected for testing at any time. Besides the concentration that the user needs, the test procedure with low efficiency also makes the whole procedure quite time-consuming and strenuous.
Therefore, it is an urgent problem to solve for the industry that how one handheld electronic device having an intuitive display mechanism which can find the corresponding device code quickly and the operation method thereof are designed.

Handheld electronic device having universal remote control mechanism and operation method of the same


The power consumption detecting device is without external power supply. It installed on the electric equipment. This self-powered detecting device comprises at least one thermoelectric element, a processor and a wireless transmitter. As the electric equipment working, the temperature difference on the surface of the electric equipment drives the thermoelectric element to generate a voltage signal. Therefore, a self-powered thermoelectric detecting device will decrease standby power demand. The amplitude of voltage signal is proportion to the temperature difference. In the same time, the power generated by thermoelectric element can be a power source of the wireless transmitter and the chip or processor, so the supply of exterior power is no needed. The wireless transmitter transmits a signal, which is according to the power consumption of electric equipment or electric appliance, to the control center.

1. Technical Field
The disclosed embodiments relate in general to a power consumption detecting device and a power consumption detecting method thereof, and more particularly to a self-powered power consumption detecting device and a power consumption detecting method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
The basic unit of power grid ranges from a household, a building, a community to a power grid of the state. The supply and demand of power varied according to the different conditions of environment. Thus, a power plant needs to generate backup power to assure the sufficient power.
However, the backup power, which is normally 16%-20% over actual requirement, is indeed an extra load of the power plant.

Self-powered power consumption detecting device and power consumption detecting method thereof

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE


Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for establishing a connection with a dual registered device. One method includes receiving a first request to establish an internet protocol multimedia subsystem session with a first device, wherein the first device is dual registered to: a first network access supporting 5G core network connectivity; and a second network access supporting evolved packet core network connectivity and circuit switched network connectivity, wherein the first device has connectivity to an internet protocol multimedia subsystem via either the first network access or the second network access. The method includes determining first information corresponding to a network access connectivity selected from the first network access and the second network access through which the first device has internet protocol connectivity with the internet protocol multimedia subsystem. The method includes transmitting a second request to a first network function to retrieve second information.

The following abbreviations are herewith defined, at least some of which are referred to within the following description: Third Generation Partnership Project ("3GPP"), 5th Generation ("5G"), 5G Core Network ("5GC"), 5G System ("5GS"), Positive-Acknowledgment ("ACK"), Access and Mobility Management Function ("AMF"), Access Point ("AP"), Application Server ("AS"), Attribute Value Pair ("AVP"), Binary Phase Shift Keying ("BPSK"), Base Station ("BS"), Buffer Status Report ("BSR"), Bandwidth ("BW"), Bandwidth Part ("BWP"), Carrier Aggregation ("CA"), Contention-Based Random Access ("CBRA"), Clear Channel Assessment ("CCA"), Cyclic Delay Diversity ("CDD"), Code Division Multiple Access ("CDMA"), Control Element ("CE"), Contention-Free Random Access ("CFRA"), Closed-Loop ("CL"), Coordinated Multipoint ("CoMP"), Cyclic Prefix ("CP"), Cyclical Redundancy Check ("CRC"), Channel State Information ("CSI"), Common Search Space ("CSS"), Control Resource Set ("CORESET"), Discrete Fourier Transform Spread ("DFTS"), Downlink Control Information ("DCI"), Downlink ("DL"), Demodulation Reference Signal ("DMRS"), Dual Registration ("DR"), Data Radio Bearer ("DRB"), Downlink Pilot Time Slot ("DwPTS"), Enhanced Clear Channel Assessment ("eCCA"), Enhanced Mobile Broadband ("eMBB"), Evolved Node B ("eNB"), Effective Isotropic Radiated Power ("EIRP"), Evolved Packet Core Network ("EPC"), Evolved Packet System ("EPS"), European Telecommunications Standards Institute ("ETSI"), Frame Based Equipment ("FBE"), Frequency Division Duplex ("FDD"), Frequency Division Multiplexing ("FDM"), Frequency Division Multiple Access ("FDMA"), Frequency Division Orthogonal Cover Code ("FD-OCC"), Front End ("FE"), 5G Node B or Next Generation Node B ("gNB"), General Packet Radio Services ("GPRS"), Guard Period ("GP"), Global System for Mobile Communications ("GSM"), Globally Unique Temporary UE Identifier ("GUTI"), Home AMF ("hAMF"), Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request ("HARQ"), Home Location Register ("HLR"), Home PLMN ("HPLMN"), Home Subscriber Server ("HSS"), Identity or Identifier ("ID"), Information Element ("IE"), International Mobile Equipment Identity ("IMEI"), IP Multimedia Subsystem ("IMS"), International Mobile Subscriber Identity ("IMSI"), International Mobile Telecommunications ("IMT"), Internet-of-Things ("IoT"), Internet Protocol ("IP"), Layer 2 ("L2"), Licensed Assisted Access ("LAA"), Load Based Equipment ("LBE"), Listen-Before-Talk ("LBT"), Logical Channel ("LCH"), Logical Channel Prioritization ("LCP"), Long Term Evolution ("LTE"), Multiple Access ("MA"), Medium Access Control ("MAC"), Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services ("MBMS"), Modulation Coding Scheme ("MCS"), Master Information Block ("MIB"), Multiple Input Multiple Output ("MIMO"), Mobility Management ("MM"), Mobility Management Entity ("MME"), Mobile Network Operator ("MNO"), Mobile Termination ("MT"), massive MTC ("mMTC"), Maximum Power Reduction ("MPR"), Machine Type Communication ("MTC"), Multi User Shared Access ("MUSA"), AMF to MME Interface ("N26"), Non Access Stratum ("NAS"), Narrowband ("NB"), Negative-Acknowledgment ("NACK") or ("NAK"), Network Entity ("NE"), Network Function ("NF"), Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access ("NOMA"), New Radio ("NR"), Network Repository Function ("NRF"), Network Slice Instance ("NSI"), Network Slice Selection Assistance Information ("NSSAI"), Network Slice Selection Function ("NSSF"), Network Slice Selection Policy ("NSSP"), Operation and Maintenance System ("OAM"), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing ("OFDM"), Open-Loop ("OL"), Other System Information ("OSI"), Proxy-Call Session Control Function ("P-CSCF"), P-Access-Network-Info ("PANI"), Power Angular Spectrum ("PAS"), Physical Broadcast Channel ("PBCH"), Power Control ("PC"), Primary Cell ("PCell"), Policy Control Function ("PCF"), Policy and Charging Rules Function ("PCRF"), Physical Cell ID ("PCID"), Physical Downlink Control Channel ("PDCCH"), Packet Data Convergence Protocol ("PDCP"), Packet Data Network ("PDN"), Physical Downlink Shared Channel ("PDSCH"), Pattern Division Multiple Access ("PDMA"), Packet Data Unit ("PDU"), Packet Data Network Gateway ("PGW"), Physical Hybrid ARQ Indicator Channel ("PHICH"), Power Headroom ("PH"), Power Headroom Report ("PHR"), Physical Layer ("PHY"), Public Land Mobile Network ("PLMN"), Physical Random Access Channel ("PRACH"), Physical Resource Block ("PRB"), Packet Switching ("PS"), Physical Uplink Control Channel ("PUCCH"), Physical Uplink Shared Channel ("PUSCH"), Quasi Co-Located ("QCL"), Quality of Service ("QoS"), Quadrature Phase Shift Keying ("QPSK"), Registration Area ("RA"), Radio Access Network ("RAN"), Radio Access Technology ("RAT"), Random Access Procedure ("RACH"), Random Access Response ("RAR"), Radio Link Control ("RLC"), Radio Network Temporary Identifier ("RNTI"), Reference Signal ("RS"), Remaining Minimum System Information ("RMSI"), Radio Resource Control ("RRC"), Resource Spread Multiple Access ("RSMA"), Reference Signal Received Power ("RSRP"), Round Trip Time ("RTT"), Receive ("RX"), Serving-Call Session Control Function ("S-CSCF"), Service Based Interface ("SBI"), Sparse Code Multiple Access ("SCMA"), Scheduling Request ("SR"), Sounding Reference Signal ("SRS"), Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access ("SC-FDMA"), Secondary Cell ("SCell"), Shared Channel ("SCH"), Sub-carrier Spacing ("SCS"), Serving-Call Session Control Function ("S-CSCF"), Service Data Unit ("SDU"), System Information Block ("SIB"), Subscriber Identity/Identification Module ("SIM"), Signal-to-Interference-Plus-Noise Ratio ("SINR"), Service Level Agreement ("SLA"), Session Management Function ("SMF"), Short Message Service ("SMS"), Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information ("S-NSSAI"), Synchronization Signal ("SS"), Synchronization Signal Block ("SSB"), Supplementary Uplink ("SUL"), Subscriber Permanent Identifier ("SUPI"), Terminating Access Domain Selection ("T-ADS"), Tracking Area ("TA"), TA Indicator ("TAI"), Transport Block ("TB"), Transport Block Size ("TBS"), Time-Division Duplex ("TDD"), Time Division Multiplex ("TDM"), Time Division Orthogonal Cover Code ("TD-OCC"), Transmission Power Control ("TPC"), Transmission Reception Point ("TRP"), Transmission Time Interval ("TTI"), Transmit ("TX"), Uplink Control Information ("UCI"), Unified Data Management Function ("UDM"), Unified Data Repository ("UDR"), User Entity/Equipment (Mobile Terminal) ("UE"), Uplink ("UL"), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System ("UMTS"), User Plane ("UP"), Uplink Pilot Time Slot ("UpPTS"), Ultra-reliability and Low-latency Communications ("URLLC"), UE Route Selection Policy ("URSP"), UDR Translation Function ("UTF"), Visiting AMF ("vAMF"), Visiting NSSF ("vNSSF"), Visiting PLMN ("VPLMN"), and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access ("WiMAX").
In certain wireless communications networks, a device may be registered with two networks. In such networks, information corresponding to the device may be difficult to maintain.

Establishing a connection with a dual registered device