The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for proactive network testing. One method for proactive network testing includes receiving, by a test controller and via a network tap, at least one metric associated with live network traffic; determining, by the test controller and using the at least one metric and a threshold value associated with the at least one metric, that a network test is to be performed; configuring, by the test controller, a first test agent to execute the network test; and executing, by the first test agent, the network test.

Data network service providers (such as Internet service providers), network users, and application providers all have an interest in learning how data network traffic of a particular type is treated by the network. For example, data network service providers may wish to monitor how application traffic of different types is treated by their networks and by other networks to ensure compliance with net neutrality regulations, service level agreements with other service providers, and service level agreements with end users. Network users, including individuals, businesses, and other entities, may desire to know how application traffic is treated to identify when a network service provider is throttling traffic and whether the throttling is consistent with the service agreement between the network service providers and the users. Application services providers may wish to know how their traffic is treated in the network, for example to identify when their traffic is throttled by the network service provider.
Network testing, e.g., performance testing, is one way to identify how traffic of a particular application type is being treated by the network. It may be desirable to perform network testing in various scenarios and/or at different times. It may also be desirable to perform network testing automatically or without user involvement.
Accordingly, there exists a need for methods, systems, and computer readable media for proactive network testing.

Methods, systems and computer readable media for proactive network testing


This invention describes an apparatus and method with a combined primary electrospray and secondary electrospray ionization source used to enhance ionization efficiency. The solid phase as well as liquid phase sampling, ionization, and detection is described.

Enantiomerically pure compounds are of great interest in the pharmaceutical industry and other fields. The rapid and efficient separation and collection of chiral compounds is difficult since they have the same physical properties. All of their physical properties correspond, except the direction in which they rotate plane-polarized light, i.e. they differ in a specific optical activity. Furthermore, all of their chemical properties correspond, except the reactivity toward other chiral compounds. Note that the term chiral compounds are also often used as a general term that refers to the molecules with a chiral center. Development of both preparative and analytical scale separations has provided the tools to determine the enantiomer composition for racemic mixtures, further establishing evidence of the enantiomer rates of activity. Although it has also extended into the agrochemical and food industries, this technology has been primarily driven by the pharmaceutical industry.
The processes traditionally employed for enantiomer preparation, however, suffer from several drawbacks. For example, one process is liquid or gas chromatography. In this process, the analysis mixture is mixed with an externally prepared carrier medium and separated in a separating column as a function of the different affinity of the enantiomers for the stationary phase of the chromatographic column; and thus, the individual components pass in succession through the chromatography column as a function of their different retention times. This process, however, can be very time consuming when multiple samples (such as might be desired in high-throughput screening) are to be analyzed as elution times of 20-30 minutes for one sample, are relatively common. A further disadvantage of the chromatographic process is that the enantiomeric molecules can often have very similar retention times, leading to poor separation per pass.
One of two approaches is typically utilized for chiral separation: 1) indirect and 2) direct separation methods. Indirect separation methods incorporate a reaction between each enantiomer and a chiral molecule to covalently form a new complex, which is then separated from the other enantiomeric complex. This approach is frequently utilized, especially in large-scale operations. Direct methods are based on the formation of non-covalent diastereomeric pairs of molecules using a chiral selector (CS) and rely on differences in the energetics of the complex formation for enantiomer resolution. The chiral selector can either be incorporated into the stationary phase or as an additive in the mobile phase. Chromatography and capillary electrophoresis (CE) have been primarily exploited for chiral separations, both prep-scale and microscale. Typically in chromatography, the stationary phase is chiral (CSP) but chiral additives may also be added to the mobile phase (in liquid chromatography). The first analytical separation of two enantiomers occurred with gas chromatography, but due to the required analyte volatility for gas chromatography, its applications are limited. It is for this reason that liquid chromatography is more commonly employed. In CE, a chiral selector (CS) is added to the electrolyte solution.
Both CE and HPLC have received considerable attention, however, a major difficulty with both techniques is that prediction of the separation conditions remains difficult. For example, in HPLC, there are over 200 CSP's commercially available, yet no clear method to determine which CSP will provide a good separation. This can lead to both time-consuming and costly method development. The fact that HPLC and sometimes CE require longer analysis times (minutes to hours) combined with the lengthy method development creates a real need for analytical tools which either are predictable in the separation capabilities or have faster analysis times, specifically in the early stages of drug development.

Methods and apparatus for the ion mobility based separation and collection of molecules


An exhaust gas after treatment system includes a catalytic converter arrangement with at least one catalytic material, wherein the catalytic converter arrangement is arranged in an exhaust gas path downstream of a combustion engine, and further includes one or more dosing interfaces for feeding at least one reducing agent for reducing an NOx content in the exhaust gas. The one or more dosing interfaces are arranged to feed at least one activator material to the exhaust gas. The activator material causes an enhancement of a catalytic activity of the catalytic material compared to the catalytic activity of the catalytic material without the presence of the activator material at least in a given temperature range.

The invention relates to an exhaust gas after treatment system and a method for treating an exhaust gas in an exhaust gas after treatment system as well as a vehicle with an exhaust gas after treatment system.
Present regulatory conditions in the automotive market have led to an increasing demand to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions in present vehicles. These regulatory conditions must be balanced with the demands of a consumer for high performance and quick response for a vehicle.
A diesel engine has an efficiency of up to about 52% and is thus the best converter of fossil energy. NOx emission concentration, i.e. the emission of nitrogen oxides NO and NO2, is dependent upon local oxygen atom concentration and the local temperature in the combustion process in the engine. Said high engine efficiency is however only possible at an elevated combustion temperature at which high NOx levels are inevitable.
Moreover, a suppression of NOx formation by internal means (such as a specific air/fuel ratio) has the tendency to cause an increase in particulates, known as the NOx-particulates trade off. Furthermore, an excess of oxygen in the exhaust gas from a diesel engine prevents the use of stoichiometric 3-way-catalyst technology for reduction of NOx as is used in gasoline engine cars from the late eighties of the last century.
Both carbon particulates and NOx are typical emissions in the exhaust gas of diesel engines. Requirements for reducing such emissions increase and trigger various approaches in the art to reduce emissions. In EP 1 054 722 B1 an exhaust after treatment system is disclosed which combines a particulate filter collecting soot and nitrogen-oxides reduction catalysts in the exhaust tract. For removing soot, NO2 is generated by oxidation of NO in an oxidation catalyst. Soot which is collected in a particulate filter is oxidized by NO2. Residual amounts of NO and NO2 in the exhaust gas are reduced to nitrogen gas in a Selective-Catalytic-Reduction (SCR) catalyst by injecting a 32% urea-water solution into the SCR catalyst. However, a large amount of this urea-water solution is needed and has to be fuelled and carried on-board in addition to the vehicle fuel. Moreover, urea may crystallize at lower temperatures, like −10° C., and thus the risk of plugging of the injector or similar devices is enhanced.
An alternative system to SCR by ammonia or urea is the SCR by hydrocarbons from the fuel. When the vehicle fuel is used as reducing agent a large additional tank for the reducing agent as in the case with SCR by ammonia or urea is avoided. However, the NOx conversion is generally lower than for SCR by ammonia or urea especially at lower temperatures and a large amount of hydrocarbon is needed. In US 2007/0289291 A1 the addition of hydrogen is shown to increase the NOx conversion with hydrocarbons at lower temperatures.
Hydrogen could either be carried on board the vehicle or extracted from the fuel. However, the former would require a large tank for the hydrogen and possibly additional safety measures and the latter a reformer system on board the vehicle.
Therefore, it is desirable to employ an exhaust gas after treatment system which operates with smaller amounts of deployed materials and is less failure-sensitive.
It is desirable to provide an improved exhaust after treatment system. It is also desirable to provide an adequate improved method for treating an exhaust gas in an improved exhaust gas after treatment system. It is also desirable to provide a vehicle with an improved exhaust gas after treatment system.
In a first aspect of the present invention it is provided an exhaust gas after treatment system comprising a catalytic converter arrangement with at least one catalytic material, wherein the catalytic converter arrangement is arranged in an exhaust gas path downstream of a combustion engine, and further comprising one or more dosing interfaces for feeding at least one reducing agent for reducing a NOx content in the exhaust gas, wherein the one or more dosing interfaces are arranged to feed at least one activator material to the exhaust gas, wherein the activator material causes an enhancement of a catalytic activity of the catalytic material compared to the catalytic activity of said catalytic material without the presence of the activator material at least in a given temperature range.
An advantage with the present invention is that a conversion over the catalytic material is increased, especially at low temperatures, compared to the catalytic reaction without the presence of the activator material, so that the active temperature range of the catalyst material is closer to the exhaust gas temperature than otherwise. Another advantage with the present invention is that a wide range of different catalytic materials can be used which results advantageously in a reduction of costs. Still another advantage of the present invention is that an alternative selective catalytic reduction process to the procedure with ammonia or urea can be maintained. This results in a reduction of an amount of reducing agent which had to be carried on board the vehicle as well as in a less failure-sensitive process due to alternative substances to urea and/or ammonia. Further, an unwanted emission of ammonia in case of unfavourable process conditions is avoided.
The catalytic converter arrangement can have one or several catalytic devices, like a NOx reducing catalyst, a soot removing component such as a catalyst or particulate filter or any component and/or catalyst which is feasible for a person skilled in the art. Furthermore, the catalytic devices may be arranged in any arbitrary order. In an expedient arrangement the NOx reducing catalyst is arranged downstream of the soot catalyst. Moreover, the one or more dosing interfaces may be arranged downstream of the combustion engine and upstream of the catalytic converter arrangement and particularly upstream of the NOx reducing catalyst. Further, the one or more dosing interfaces may comprise an injector, a nozzle, a vaporizer, an atomizer and/or any other interface which is feasible for a person skilled in the art. The reducing agent and the activator material may be applied via the same dosing interface or different interfaces and/or at the same time, as a mixture or temporally offset compared to each other. Particularly, they may be added via the same dosing interface into the exhaust gas as a mixture. The ratio of activator material to reducing agent can range from substantially 0 wt-% up to substantially 50 wt-% (wt-%=weight percent) and in extreme cases up to substantially 60 wt-% or even up to substantially 70 wt-%. Alternatively, it is also possible to apply the reducing agent in one or more cylinders of the combustion engine e.g. via post-injection. Expediently, the dosing interface for input of the activator material to the exhaust gas is arranged in, on or at the exhaust gas path downstream of the combustion engine.
The reducing agent is an independent component relative to the activator material. The activator material takes effect on the catalytic material and increases the efficiency of the catalytic material at lower temperatures compared to the efficiency without the presence of the activator material.
According to a favourable embodiment of the invention, the activator material can comprise at least one oxygenated hydrocarbon. Preferably the activator material consists of or comprises one oxygenated hydrocarbon. The amount of activator material which is added in one application process may be dependent on the temperature of the catalyst. The same may apply for the amount of the reducing agent. Generally speaking, at high temperatures of the catalyst the activator material has only a small effect on NOx conversion and is avoidable. Similarly, at low temperatures of the catalyst when the reducing agent and/or the activator material work inefficiently the reducing agent and/or the activator material may be not injected at all. In a certain temperature range in between these two temperature boundaries a mixture of reducing agent and activator material works best. Thus, at high temperatures of the catalyst the amount of added activator material could be reduced to substantially zero and at lower temperatures of the catalyst within the said temperature range it could go up to substantially 50 wt-% or in some extreme cases even higher up to substantially 60-70 wt-%. Hence, the mixture is favourably adjusted according to the temperature of the catalyst. Expediently, the amount of the mixture out of the activator material and the reducing agent added in one application process may depend on the amount of NOx. The amount of the mixture in respect to the NOx amount ranges from substantially 0.1:1 on weight basis up to substantially 10:1 and preferably from substantially 0.5:1 on weight basis up to substantially 5:1 and particularly advantageously from substantially 1:1 on weight basis up to substantially 3:1. The oxygenated hydrocarbon can have any state of aggregation which is feasible for a person skilled in the art and is preferably a fluid in the state of application. Therefore, cooling devices for the dosing interface may also be provided. Due to the invention the enhancement of the catalytic activity and efficiency of the catalytic material can be easily obtained.
According to another favourable embodiment of the invention the activator material may comprise at least one oxygenated hydrocarbon of ether type and preferably an ether out of a group consisting of or comprising: triglyme, diglyme, monoglyme, diethyl ether (DEE), dipropyl ether. By means of such a substance a material with known characteristics can be used.
In yet another example embodiment of the present invention the activator material may comprise at least triglyme. The amount of triglyme which is added in one application process depends, as stated above, on the temperature of the exhaust gas at the catalyst. Thus, a substance can be provided which is advantageously liquid in the state of handling and application to the exhaust gas. Additionally, triglyme is also liquid in a storage condition in the vehicle, which is typically in a range between −50° C. to +50° C. Therefore, accidental freezing or crystallization of the activator material could be prevented securely for the operating process of the vehicle. Consequently, a plugging of application devices like the dosing interfaces could be avoided. Additionally, costly heating devices to avoid e.g. freezing of the activator material could be dispensed. Furthermore, due to the liquid state of triglyme a mixture with an also liquid reducing agent is easy and efficient to produce and to handle. With triglyme as activator material, a smaller amount of substances which are applied in the form of the reducing agent and the activator material to the exhaust gas in the SCR process is needed compared with SCR by urea-water solution and corresponds approximately to a reduction of up to 50-80 wt-%.
In still another example embodiment according to the present invention the activator material can be injected via an injector. Due to this a constructively easy application can be provided.
According to another example embodiment the combustion engine may be a diesel engine, wherein the temperatures of the working condition of the activator material and the exhaust gas can be effortlessly combined and adjusted to each other. Thus, the inventive embodiments can easily compensate a lower combustion temperature of a diesel engine in comparison with a petrol or gasoline engine.
In another embodiment of the present invention the reducing agent for NOx reduction may comprise at least one hydrocarbon. Preferably, the reducing agent is a hydrocarbon. Due to this, a wide plurality of substances is possible and available.
It is further proposed that the reducing agent can be a fuel, especially a diesel fuel. The process can be understood as a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) with hydrocarbons in the fuel. Moreover, according to the invention adding a mixture of (i) triglyme or another similar compound and (ii) the hydrocarbons of the vehicle fuel to the exhaust gases in the exhaust line before the catalytic converter arrangement helps to further reduce the NOx content in the exhaust gases, particularly at lower temperatures. Further, due to the use of the fuel as reducing agent only an additional small container for the activator material is needed on board the vehicle.
Advantageously, the activator material may cause the enhancement of the catalytic activity of the catalytic material at least at a temperature of the exhaust gas in the temperature range of substantially 200° C. to 500° C. Compared to the case without the presence of the activator material, the temperature may be reduced by substantially 100° C. to substantially 200° C. As a result, a wide plurality of catalytic materials could be employed.
In yet another example embodiment the catalytic converter arrangement can comprise at least a noble metal as catalytic material, wherein a well known and established concept could be used. As a catalytic material all kinds of noble metals, like ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, osmium, iridium, platinum and gold are feasible. Preferably, rhodium, palladium, platinum, gold and silver may be utilized.
In a preferred embodiment the catalytic material may be silver. The silver may be applied as an Ag/AI203-catalyst. Thus, a low cost metal could be employed which results in a correspondingly inexpensive exhaust gas after treatment system and, consequently, to this end a less expensive vehicle.
According to another example embodiment the exhaust gas after treatment system may comprise a feedback control to adjust the amount of activator material which is fed to the exhaust gas in respect to an amount of NOx in the exhaust gas. Additionally, the feedback control may adjust the amount of reducing agent fed to the exhaust gas in respect to the amount of NOx in the exhaust gas. Moreover, the feedback control may include the temperature of the exhaust gas and/or the catalyst in the adjustment of the amount of activator material and/or the reducing agent.
It is further proposed that the exhaust gas after treatment system may comprise a feedback control to adjust the amount of reducing agent and the amount of activator material which are fed to the exhaust gas in respect to a temperature of the exhaust gas and/or the catalyst and in respect to an amount of NOx in the exhaust gas. In particular the amount of activator material in relation to the reducing agent is preferably adjusted depending on the temperature of the exhaust gas and/or the catalyst. Preferably the feedback control can comprise sensor arrangement for detection of the NOx amount and the temperature. Due to this inventive embodiment a highly efficient exhaust gas after treatment system can be provided.
In a further aspect of the present invention a method for treating an exhaust gas in an exhaust gas after treatment system is provided, wherein a reducing agent is provided for reducing a NOx content in an exhaust gas of a combustion engine and wherein at least one activator material is added into the exhaust gas to cause an enhancement of a catalytic activity of a catalytic material of a catalytic converter arrangement compared to the catalytic activity without the presence of the activator material at least in a given temperature range.
Thus, a conversion efficiency over the catalytic material is advantageously increased, especially at low temperatures so that the active temperature range of the catalyst material corresponds better to the exhaust gas temperature. Further, a wide range of different catalytic materials could be helpfully used, which results profitably in a reduction of costs. Another advantage of the present invention is that an alternative selective catalytic reduction process to the SCR process using ammonia or urea can be used. This results in a reduction of an amount of reducing agent which had to be carried on board the vehicle as well as in a less failure-sensitive process due to alternative substances to ammonia or urea.
In a third aspect of the invention a vehicle is provided, particularly a truck, with at least one exhaust gas after treatment system. Consequently, the inventive exhaust gas after treatment system can be deployed in a field where highly sophisticated solutions are requested.

Exhaust aftertreatment system where an activator material is added to the reductant fed to the catalytic converter


A method and a server for generating a display and operating view for an operating and monitoring device of an industrial automation arrangement, wherein after an event has been logged, information relating to the event and details of the identity or role of a user of the operating and monitoring device are transmitted to an entity, after which planned information relating to at least one component of the industrial automation arrangement affected by the event is retrieved from an engineering database using the event and specifically for the identity or role of the user, current state information is also retrieved from the at least one affected component, and finally the planned information and the state information is used to generate the display and operating view such that, the display and operating images are advantageously set up and activated in an event-controlled manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and server for generating a display and operating view for an operating and monitoring device of an industrial automation arrangement.
2. Description of the Related Art
Industrial automation arrangements usually consist of a multiplicity of components, such as microprocessor-controlled controllers, Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), sensors or actuators. In this case, the microprocessor-controlled controllers are usually connected to one another via a data network (automation network), such as via a Profinet, Profibus, industrial Ethernet or similar network. Operating and monitoring devices may also usually or occasionally be connected to the automation network, these devices indicating information relating to the states of the controlled process or the controlled automation task to the operating personnel or a maintenance engineer using a graphical user interface and providing operating elements that can be used to control the system or input instructions or parameters. Such operating and monitoring devices, which are often also referred to as HMI devices (HMI=Human Machine Interface), may be both available in a permanently installed manner at different workstations of an automation arrangement and carried by an operator as mobile devices, which are often even wirelessly operated, or occasionally "plugged" into particular devices or network connections ("ports") of the automation arrangement.
The industrial automation arrangements are usually planned and programmed using an "engineering system", which means that both the arrangement and (electrical) connection of the components (planning) and the creation of the software for the microprocessor-controlled components (programming) are performed using the engineering system and the programs (tools) present in the engineering system. In addition to programming the microprocessor-controlled components (PLCs), programs for the operating and monitoring devices are also created during planning and programming. The graphical user interfaces ("screens") of the operating and monitoring devices, in particular, are defined in this case. This means that particular views ("screens") are provided for each of these devices and, in some embodiments, also separately for different users (operating personnel, maintenance personnel, application specialists or quality assurance), which each symbolically represent a number of components, their relationships to one another and their states. These "screens" usually also comprise operating elements (for example, buttons or input fields) for operating or influencing the components and the automated process. If necessary, an operator or a user of an operating and monitoring device may call one of the prepared "screens" and may thus procure the desired information or make the desired inputs. The "screens" shall generally also be referred to as "display and operating views" below.
A corresponding "HMI project" for the automation arrangement is created on a machine or a production plant during engineering for each operating and monitoring device to provide the necessary information and operating elements in the form of "GUI objects" (GUI=Graphical User Interface) for the different users. This "HMI project" is static in this case, which means that it is already necessary to consider in advance what production events may occur and for which users or user roles it is intended to accordingly react to these events in what manner. During ongoing operation, an operator must then start an "HMI project" assigned to the plant or machine to gain access to the "screens" prepared for him and his function ("role").
The disadvantage here is that, in the event of changes to the structure of the industrial automation arrangement, the "HMI project" must also be regularly changed to adapt the "screens" prepared therein to the changed conditions.

Method and server for generating a display and operating view for an operating and monitoring device of an industrial automation arrangement


In some embodiments, a memory array is provided with cells that when written to or read from, can have modified supplies to enhance their read stability and/or write margin performance. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.

Processor-based systems such as computers and embedded devices commonly use memory devices including random access memory (RAM) devices. For example, high-performance very large scale integration (VLSI) systems generally employ large amounts of on-die SRAM for cache functions. Static RAM, or SRAM, stores data in a flip-flop that usually includes four to six transistors. As scaling of such technologies continues, particular attention is given to the performance of the SRAM as well as its die size.
Since a SRAM cell supports both read and write operations, its performance may be measured by its read stability and its write margin. The performance criteria coupled with the need to maintain a small cell area are particularly challenging for any new SRAM design. The read stability and the write margin typically make conflicting demands on the SRAM cell. During a read operation, the SRAM cell preferably has "weak disturbance" at the internal storage nodes in order to avoid being erroneously flipped (from a "1" state to a "0" state, and vice-versa). This is preferred whether a "true read," in which the contents of the cell are sent to read/write circuitry, or a so-called "dummy read," in which the read is not actually processed, takes place. On the other hand, during a write operation, a SRAM cell preferably has "strong disturbance" in order to successfully flip the cell. Thus, read stability depends on weak disturbance within the SRAM cell while write margin depends on strong disturbance within the same SRAM cell.
The apparent paradox between read and write requirements has made SRAM cell scaling difficult, and thus cell scaling is typically limited by both the read and write operations. Accordingly, it is desirable to have an SRAM memory cell that can meet both read and write stability requirements.

Memory with dynamically adjustable supply


A beverage storage container is described. The beverage storage container includes a removable core containing a viscous temperature sensitive fluid and a containing vessel base configured to hold the temperature sensitive core. The beverage storage container also includes a containing vessel body configured to be in thermal connection with the removable core; and a thermoplastic insulator configured to prevent rapid transfer of temperature between the removable core and the containing vessel body.

Various embodiments relate generally to beverage storage systems, methods, devices and computer programs and, more specifically, relate to temperature-controlled beverage storage containers.
This section is intended to provide a background or context. The description may include concepts that may be pursued, but have not necessarily been previously conceived or pursued. Unless indicated otherwise, what is described in this section is not deemed prior art to the description and claims and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Conventional beverage vessels use various techniques for temperature control, for example, heaters, ice and submerged cooling cores (such as a tube filled with ice). These methods can be messy and/or create potentially harmful situations/fumes.
What is needed is a convenient means to control the temperature within a beverage vessel without the problems associated with the conventional techniques.


The present invention provides an LDO regulator having a greatly improved overshoot characteristic through the use of an output voltage based feedback loop. More specifically, in the invention, one or more resistors in the divider network in a conventional LDO regulator is replaced with a variable resistor. By varying the resistance of the variable resistor as a function of the output voltage of the LDO regulator, the closed-loop gain of the LDO amplifier may be modulated in such a way as to reduce overshoot in the output voltage of the LDO regulator. In particular, the targeted final output voltage value may be arbitrarily lowered for a predetermined period of time, so that the LDO regulator output may rapidly reach a steady state voltage that is very close to the final desired regulating value without exceeding the final desired regulating value during regulator startup.

Low drop-out (LDO) type linear voltage regulators are used in a variety of applications. In particular, these regulators may be used in mobile telephones to deliver a regulated voltage from a battery power supply voltage to radio transmitter and receiver circuits.
By way of example, a standard linear regulator 100 is illustrated in FIG. 1. An output of the regulator 100 delivers a regulated voltage VOUT to a load Z (not shown). The load Z represents, for example, radio circuits present in a mobile telephone. The regulator 100 is powered by a voltage VIN delivered by a battery or other supply source. The regulator 100 comprises a differential amplifier 110 whose output drives the gate of a P-channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistor Q1 having a threshold voltage VTP. The output stage of the amplifier 110 has an output resistance Ro that determines the gain of the amplifier 110 and the maximum current that it can deliver at its output.
The transistor Q1 receives the voltage VIN at its input terminal (source). Its output terminal (drain) is connected to node 120, which is the output of the regulator 100. Node 120 also is connected to the anode of a capacitor CBYP (having parasitic resistance RESR) for filtering and stabilizing the voltage VOUT. Capacitor CBYP (with parasitic resistance RESR) is parallel-connected with the load Z. The amplifier 110 receives a reference voltage VREF at its inverting input and a feedback voltage VFB at its non-inverting input. The voltage VFB is, for example, a fraction of the voltage VOUT provided to the input of the amplifier 110 by a divider bridge including two resistors R2, R1.
Operation of a regulator of this kind, which is well known to those skilled in the art, includes modulating the control voltage (gate voltage Vg) of the transistor Q1 using the amplifier 110. This is done as a function of the difference between the voltage VFB and the reference voltage VREF. When the voltage Vg is substantially smaller than VIN−VTP, the transistor Q1 is on because its gate-source voltage Vgs is substantially higher than the threshold voltage VTP. When the voltage Vg is higher than VIN−VTP, the transistor Q1 is off. In a stabilized state, the voltage VOUT is regulated in the neighborhood of its nominal valve VOUT,NOM, which is equal to [(R2+R1) VREF/R1].
The conventional regulator 100 of FIG. 1, however, suffers from an undesirable overshoot phenomenon for two main reasons. First, in an application such as supplying a regulated supply to radio circuits of a mobile telephone, it is important that the amplifier 110 consume as little power as possible to maintain the charge stored in the battery. To this end, the bias current of the amplifier should be as low as possible, limiting the speed and bandwidth of the amplifier. Second, the regulation transistor Q1 must have a low series resistance RdsON in the "on" state (drain-source resistance) so that it can deliver high current without any prohibitive voltage dropout at its terminals. Thus, the transistor Q1 conventionally has a high gate width-to-length ratio. Due to its size and its high W/L ratio, the transistor Q1 also has a high gate capacitance Cg (not shown) between gate and drain. The combination of these two factors tends to make the LDO regulator slow to respond to transients.
While these various characteristics are desirable to obtain a regulator with low power consumption and low voltage dropout, driving a regulation transistor that has high gate capacitance Cg with an amplifier with a limited maximum output current causes an undesirable overshooting phenomena, in certain conditions, at the output of the regulator. For example, during startup, the bandwidth of the regulator can be too low to sufficiently stop high-current startup transients (300-400 mAmps or more) from creating voltage overshoot at the output of the regulator. A target voltage of 1.8 V, for example, can be overshot by as much as 100-200 mV. Large overshoot voltages such as these can take a long time to settle, because most conventional regulators are designed without a large current sink capability. As a result, when load currents are light, the output voltage overshoot can overstress the integrated circuit components supplied by the regulator for extended periods of time. Since these devices are often implemented in low voltage processes, these sensitive devices can be overstressed for significant periods of time by the overshoot voltage and potentially be permanently damaged. The overshoot can also force these sensitive circuits outside their simulated and guaranteed operating ranges, causing errors in device operation to occur.

Low-dropout regulator with startup overshoot control


A game device having a touch panel to accept an input by a flick operation according to a contact operation and a slide operation on the touch panel, instructs a flick operation by displaying on the touch panel a screen that instructs a flick operation from a predetermined position in a predetermined direction on the touch panel at a predetermined timing, detects a contact start position on the touch panel by the flick operation, detects the slide direction from the contact start position on the touch panel by the flick operation, detects the contact timing on the touch panel by the flick operation and determines whether to accept or reject the flick operation based on a comparison between the detected contact start position and the predetermined position, a comparison between the detected slide direction and the predetermined direction, and a comparison between the detected contact timing and the predetermined timing.

In a portable game device (including a portable telephone (e.g. smartphone) and a tablet terminal that can execute a computer game) that has a touch panel which can accept input by a contact operation on a display screen, a game executed by determining whether an operation input corresponding to the operation instruction displayed on the display screen is performed correctly is known.
As an input operation on a touch panel, a "flick operation", where flicking is performed on the surface of the touch panel, has been introduced. A flick operation is an operation where contact with a touch panel is performed with a finger or the like, that can quickly slide on the touch panel surface in a predetermined direction and then release the contact, and this operation is used for a scrolling operation or for a character input operation on the display screen, for example. To input characters by the flick operation, the user contacts a predetermined character displayed on the screen, then a plurality of character candidates is displayed in a cross or arc shape centered around this character, and the user slides their finger from the predetermined character to a desired character candidate and releases their finger from contacting the screen, whereby the user selects this character candidate and determines the input character.
As a game using this flick operation, Patent document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2010-233958) discloses a game device which instructs the user to perform the flick operation as an operation instruction, and determines whether the operation timing, the operation direction, and the operation quantity of the flick operation are implemented as instructed.
However in the case of the game device of Patent document 1, an operation direction to-be-inputted is displayed on the screen, and the user performs the flick operation according to the instruction for the operation direction, therefore operation is simple with few variations, resulting in the user easily becomes bored.

Game device and computer-readable storage medium


Pixel-based image data are subsampled for transmission to a printer and later bilinear interpolation in the printer. The transmission system evaluates the error that will remain after interpolation. In response to this evaluation, the transmission system also forms trim data for later application to the interpolated subsample to remove a significant part of the error. Preferably trim data points are selected based on relative importance of the associated correction--specifically, size of the error that will remain after interpolation--but also the amount of trim data is controlled to maintain a significant advantage in overall transmission time, relative to transmitting the entire image-data set. The amount of trim data is held roughly to a certain fraction, about five percent, of the number of points in each data block (e. g., swath), essentially independent of the error evaluation. Preferably this controlled amount of trim data is padded out with zeroes to form a complete trim-data array--which is then run-length encoded. The encoded trim data and the subsample are sent to the printer. (Preferably pure-text portions are sent separately.) The printer applies the trim data to the interpolated subsample to obtain a better approximation to the original image data.

The invention is of particular use in such apparatus and method that aim for high fidelity in reproduction of colors and fine image details. Such approaches strive for near-photographic quality, by maintaining multilevel digital representation of the visual elements all the way to the final processes in the printer.
(a) Colorimetric dynamic range--Some such systems and techniques may transmit to a printer multilevel red, green and blue (RGB) colored-light data representing each pixel of an original image, for processing (usually called "rendition") within the printer in preparation for either binary or multilevel color printing and by any one of a variety of approaches. For instance each of the three colors might be represented on an eight-bit digital scale, 256 levels (starting with zero) for each color, coming to a total of twenty-four bits at each pixel. This is the arrangement which we currently prefer.
Other such systems and techniques might entail transmission of multilevel data for three chromatic colorants customarily cyan, magenta and yellow plus black (CMYK), at each pixel--each of the four colors being represented on a six-bit digital scale, sixty-four levels for each color, again coming to twenty-four bits at each pixel. In this case, whatever rendition is desired may be performed before transmission of data to the printer, and the data which are transmitted are considered essentially ready to apply in the actual printing process. Techniques of this type, while we do not currently prefer them, can be practical and are within the scope of the present invention.
In conjunction with multiple data levels, such modern environments in computer-controlled printers typically use very high spatial resolution, for instance twelve to twenty-four pixels per millimeter (300 to 600 pixels per inch). Thus in both the colorimetric and spatial domains these printing environments effectively approach the capabilities of the photographic process.
For purposes of discussion we shall use the lower of these two resolution levels just mentioned. The data density corresponding to such performance, for a standardsize sheet of printing medium, taking the pictorial image area as about 203 by 254 millimeters (eight by ten inches), comes to about 24.times.12.sup.2 .times.203.times.254 (or 24.times.300.sup.2 .times.8.times.10)=about 173 million bits.
(b) Data transmission rates and times--Another part of the printing environments under discussion, however, is the data source: most commonly a personal computer, and nowadays one operating with the currently popular Windows.RTM. operating system. In the versions of that operating system that are now in greatest use, the average parallel data throughput to a printer is roughly 30 thousand Bytes per second (each Byte being eight bits), or 0.24 million bits per second, coming to some 15 million bits per minute.
Such printing environments tend to severely limit the overall printing throughput. Transmitting a full image on the basis of these figures requires 173-15=111/2 minutes.
In the highly competitive modern world of computer-controlled high-quality color printing, even for a relatively economical printer in the range of perhaps $400 to $600, this would be unacceptably slow. The desired or acceptable page-throughput range, depending upon price and application, may be from perhaps one to five minutes--thus calling for improvement by a factor of some 21/4 to 111/2.
In one current product development of the Hewlett Packard Company, a design objective is four-minute page throughput--requiring an improvement by a factor of about three. As more users turn to faster operating systems such as Windows 95.RTM. and Windows.RTM., typical transmission speeds may rise, but probably not as rapidly as will consumer expectations for throughput. A likely result will be a commercial requirement for improvement by factors exceeding three.
(c) Data compression--A well-known way to reduce data transmission times is to somehow encode the data to lower the amount of data bits actually passing from one apparatus to another. Among the most common methods is run-length encoding (RLE), which transmits the number of like characters in an uninterrupted row (or "run") and identifies the particular character which is subject to that run.
In a typically complex pictorial image, the number of characters in a run may sometimes be great enough to produce a compression factor exceeding two, but cannot be relied upon to produce such an improvement. Whatever technique is used to garner an improvement must be reasonably reliable, consistent, so that the throughput can be stated and advertised.
Among other algorithm types currently available for image data are those known as JPEG, chrominance subsampling, Huffman encoding, and Lempel-Ziv-Welch (LZW) compression. Of these, the more simple types cannot reliably produce the needed factors of improvement.
The others require relatively complicated processing, which in turn is inconsistent with the economical selling-price range mentioned above. In the JPEG method, for example, frequency content of the data are analyzed; while not as costly as full Fourier analysis, this method is still too expensive.
Chrominance subsampling requires computations in the chroma domain--and for this purpose light signals (RGB) or colorant signals (CMYK) must be first converted to some variable related to chroma. This is a relatively costly and time-consuming proposition.
Huffman encoding is described by W. Pennebaker and J. Mitchell in their book JPEG Still Image Data Compression Standard, as follows. The Huffman technique belongs to the class of entropy coding and involves statistical analysis. For a set of symbols to be coded, the most probable one will have the shortest code, and the least likely will have the longest. Here is an example:
______________________________________ weather simple probability better ______________________________________ clear 00 3/4 0 cloudy 01 1/8 10 rain 10 1/16 110 snow 11 1/16 111. ______________________________________
The code used in the "simple" column has two bits per possibility, independent of the likelihood of having to use the code. The "better" column transmits a single bit for the eventuality that occurs in the great majority of cases (preferably a zero for optimum use of RLE encoding and for discrimination against all the other codes, that begin with "1"), and resorts to longer coding only for occasions that arise less frequently.
The resulting number of bits per symbol, on the average, is only 3/4.times.1+1/8.times.2+2.times.1/16.times.3=13/8--which is an improvement of about thirty percent, relative to two bits for the column headed "simple". The computational overhead of such a system for our present purposes, however, would be unacceptable.
LZW belongs to the category of so-called "dictionary schemes". It works by building a dictionary of symbols as the date are being treated. With a long enough data set, a good dictionary-building scheme, and long repetitive symbols, this type of approach works well--mainly due to the fact that sending the reference location of a symbol in the dictionary is more efficient than sending the symbol itself. The patented Welch form of this method is widely used.
Both the Huffman and LZW methods are classed as "lossless". It has been shown that lossless compression methods when applied to natural images usually can achieve only ratios of 1.5:1 to 2:1. Examples can be seen in Weinberger et al., "LOCO-I: a Low Complexity Lossless Image Compression Method", ISO/IEC JTC 1, SC 29, WG1, document N203 (Jul. 10, 1995).
More to the present point, LZW methods--like Huffman's--entail substantial algorithmic overhead for building of the dictionary. LZW may also be awkward to implement in real time, or without using large amounts of upstream storage capability.
Most image-compression algorithms attempt to solve the problem of data-array size, whereas the problem at hand really is one of transmission time. As suggested in the preceding paragraphs, algorithmic complexity may influence cost and also may itself constrain transmission time: computation time for compression and decompression stages is a factor in overall throughput.
Compression typically is performed in an already-existing relatively fast computing environment, at a point in the overall system that is typically shared with many other computing processes. Therefore the overall result may not be extremely sensitive to complexity in the compression stage.
Decompression, however, must occur in the printer. Here, designing in a requirement for rapid complex computation, at a point which is dedicated to the printer itself, translates into prohibitive cost.
Additionally, the "photographic" quality output of the current generation of color printer products demands that any image manipulation be visually lossless. This consideration militates against some of the familiar techniques for data compression, which sometimes tend to create perceptible shifts in visual quality.
(d) Conclusion--The above-discussed limitations on data transfer, in relation to the size of modern data files for direction to computer-controlled modern printers, have continued to impede achievement of uniformly excellent inkjet printing--at high throughput. Thus important aspects of the technology used in the field of the invention remain amenable to useful refinement.

System of data compression by subsampling, and preferably adaptive trim accounting, for sending images to a printer


A device for the manufacture of drilled holes, cut-outs, plane surfaces or the like, includes an attachment structure, which is designed for the attachment of the device to at least one component to be machined, a feed device, which is designed to track a drill of a drilling machine, and a control device for controlling the feed device and a drilling machine. In one example, the feed device includes a support for the drilling machine, which is arranged substantially in the center of a crossbeam.

The quality of drilled holes depends on the workman in question, since systems are used that are in part unstable, or the drilled holes are introduced completely freehand.
In some applications, automated drilling machines may be used. However, for various reasons, for example, due to factors such as the accessibility of the drilling location, the weight of the automated drilling machine, as well as on-the-job safety, this solution finds only very limited use.
From DE 2 238 838, a portable drilling and milling device of known art, which is designed for the manufacture of drilled holes, cut-outs, plane surfaces, or the like is disclosed. It includes a feed device, which tracks a drill according to the drilling progress, gearing to drive the drive shaft, an electrical controller for the control of the device, and means for retention and alignment on a plane, concave or convex surface of a component to be machined, and also at least three feet which at their lower ends are provided with suction cups, into which a vacuum may be introduced for attachment to a component to be machined.
However this device may be complicated to handle, so that this may lead to time-consuming manufacture in the production of individual parts.

Device for the manufacture of drilled holes, cut-outs, plane surfaces, or similar


Provided is a vehicle information processing apparatus which, in order to link driver operation information to a learning result more smoothly, learns operation information obtained in response to respective vehicle operations performed by the driver in association with locations in which the vehicle operations have been respectively performed. The vehicle information processing apparatus learns a reproducibility of an identical type of operation information in an identical location in accordance with a number of times the identical type of operation information is obtained consecutively in the location.

In a conventional technique, a vehicle operation performed by a driver is learned, and a learning result is used in various ways. Examples of apparatuses using this type of technique include an apparatus described in Patent Document 1.
The apparatus described in Patent Document 1 is provided with driver operation variation detecting means for detecting variation in a driver operation (a vehicle operation) performed by a driver driving a vehicle, and position information obtaining means for obtaining information indicating a position of the vehicle when the driver operation variation detecting means detects variation in the driver operation. The apparatus is also provided with map information creating means for storing variation in the driver operation in association with position information obtained at the time of the variation in the driver operation. In other words, in this apparatus, when variation is detected in a driver operation, map information is created by associating the variation in the driver operation with the position information obtained at that time. In so doing, a volume of stored map information can be reduced in comparison with a case where map information is created by storing information relating to a driver operation automatically at predetermined time intervals. According to a further function of this apparatus, when position information corresponding to new driver operation variation information is within a range of a predetermined position from position information corresponding to existing driver operation variation information, and both the new driver operation variation information and the existing driver operation variation information are of an identical type, the position information corresponding to the existing driver operation variation information is updated by the position information corresponding to the new driver operation variation information. In other words, driver operation variation information of an identical type is stored singly within the range of the predetermined position in the map information, and as a result, increases in the volume of the map information are suppressed even when the driver performs a vehicle operation repeatedly.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-103570

Vehicle information processing apparatus and vehicle information processing method


A system and process is disclosed for adding pre-fermentation separated non-fermentables, e.g., fiber, germ/oil, and/or protein, to a post-fermentation stream in a corn (or similar carbohydrate-containing grain) dry milling process for making alcohol and/or other biofuels/biochemical. The process includes mixing grain particles with a liquid to produce a slurry having starch and non-fermentables. The slurry is subjected to liquefaction to convert the starch in the slurry to complex sugars and produce a liquefied stream including the complex sugars and non-fermentables. After liquefaction but prior to fermentation of simple sugars resulting from conversion of the complex sugars, the non-fermentables are separated out to define a non-fermentables portion and an aqueous solution including the complex and/or simple sugars. The simple sugars are fermented to provide a fermented stream. Then, the separated non-fermentables portion is reincorporated back into the process into a post-fermentation stream. In one example, the non-fermentables may be mainly fiber.

The majority of fuel alcohol (i.e., ethanol) in the United States is produced from No. 2 Yellow Dent Feed Corn. The most common method of production is the dry grind ethanol process, which is illustrated in FIG. 1. Traditionally, in the corn dry grind ethanol industry, all of the incoming corn components are eventually fermented and distilled together to produce alcohol even though the starch that is converted to sugar is the only corn component required for alcohol production. The main components of the corn kernel include starch, fiber, protein, and germ (oil). The starch component of the kernel is converted to simple sugars, which are used to feed alcohol-producing yeast, but all of the kernel components are processed together for process simplicity and yields. In most cases, the non-starch solids (or non-fermentables) are all recovered together after fermentation and distillation and are dried as distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), which also includes the spent yeast that was added to fermentation to produce the alcohol.
Recent technology developments have made pre-fermentation separation of non-starch grain components/solids more efficient and feasible. These technologies, like the system and process illustrated in FIG. 2, focus on separating out non-fermentables before full conversion of the starch to sugar and the fermentation of the starch/sugar component. This can be advantageous for the value of the co-products and also to increase fermenter capacity and efficiency. The separated non-fermentables require additional front end equipment for dewatering and/or drying the separated non-fermentables independent of the traditional stillage after fermentation and distillation, which increases the cost and complexity of the dry grind ethanol process.
It would thus be beneficial to provide an improved system and process for separating non-fermentables pre-fermentation such as in a dry grind alcohol production process that overcomes various of the aforementioned drawbacks.

System and process for adding pre-fermentation separated non-fermentables to a post-fermentation stream


The present invention provides an energy delivery device for use with a medical treatment system for the more efficacious treatment of patients during laser surgery which limits the number of uses or prevents reuse of the energy delivery device after a certain threshold limit has been reached. The energy delivery device comprises a diffusing optical fiber and a memory device having data programmed therein and being operatively connected to an energy generator the optical fiber includes a temperature sensor for generating a temperature signal in a closed loop manner. The data stored in the memory device includes a multiplicity of use parameters, usage limits, usage counts, and count limits all relating to the properties of the medical treatment system. The use parameters may include an elapsed time, a total treatment time, and a number of treatment sites. A main processor is also included for calculating a temperature from the temperature signal and for updating the use parameters in response to data received by the main processor. The main processor is also used to compare the use parameters to their corresponding usage limits. The main processor can create and increment a usage count when at least one of the use parameters exceeds its corresponding usage limit. Thereafter, the main processor compares the usage count to the count limit and disables the energy delivery device when the usage count exceeds a predetermined count limit.

Currently surgeons employ medical instruments that deliver energy in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, which is commonly referred to as BPH. BPH is a condition of an enlarged prostate gland, in which the gland having BPH typically increases beyond its normal size. Methods generally known as Interstitial Thermotherapy (ITT), and specifically Laser Interstitial Thermotherapy, sometimes referred to as LITT, have been widely used in the treatment of this condition. ITT utilizes energy delivery devices, often in the form of LITT using laser light sources, to treat the BPH condition using optical fibers that emit light radially in a predictable and controlled manner. The goal of LITT is to diffuse light into the human tissue in a controlled manner in order to coagulate or ablate the tissue, thus decreasing the volume of the gland and alleviating the symptoms of BPH. Similar devices are also used for Photo-Dynamic Therapy (PDT), wherein a light-activated pharmaceutical agent is used in combination with diffusing fibers to treat human diseases.
During the treatment of human tissue by LITT, accurately controlling the amount of energy diffused through the optical fiber and absorbed by the human tissue is critical to assure efficacious treatment. The amount of energy absorbed by the human tissue can be monitored by measuring the temperature at the treatment site. Even minor variations in temperature at the location being treated can change the therapeutic benefits of treatment. One difficulty with the use of fiberoptic technology to deliver energy is that the performance of the materials used to construct the fiberoptic may change with use or age. These performance changes can result in variations in the amount of energy transmission through the optical fiber, which may lead to over or under-treatment of the tissue. However, accurate measurement of the tissue temperature at the treatment site can be used to detect performance changes of the optical fiber. In particular, any inconsistencies or shifts in the tissue temperature may indicate unwanted variations in energy delivery that may lead to over treatment or under treatment of the tissue, which can result in an inferior clinical outcome.
Additionally, some fiber optic devices may be damaged or degraded as a result of the mechanical or thermal stresses incident to normal use. Excessive bending, pulling, flexing, manipulating, twisting or heating can cause changes in the performance of the fiberoptic. Even ordinary and expected usage can affect the energy delivered through the fiber optic device over an extended period of time. Use of a fiber optic device or in excess of its design expectancy or useful life can also result in further degradation of the optical fiber.
It is desirable to limit the use of the fiberoptic device based upon the extent of use or overall age of the device. By restricting the use of the device to within expected design limits, performance changes of the fiberoptic may be avoided, and the risk of a malfunction may be decreased.
Consequently, there is a need for specific medical treatment systems that prevent reuse upon detecting degradation of the optical fiber or when the expected life limits of the optical fiber have been exceeded. There is also a need for such devices that provide for monitoring of temperatures at the treatment site while also providing for limitations on reuse or overuse by giving full consideration to the multiplicity of diverse factors that can detect performance changes of the fiber optic device. Such an apparatus and methodology will help assure that fiber optic devices are not utilized in excess of their designed or useful life, and this will also help practitioners to assure that patients receive the most efficacious treatment that these devices can provide.

Medical treatment system with energy delivery device for limiting reuse


In a brake hydraulic pressure control device for a vehicle, a plurality of electromagnetic valves are mounted on a first surface of a housing, while an electric motor for driving pumps built in the housing are mounted on a second surface of the housing opposite to the first surface. A cover member for covering the electromagnetic valves is attached to the first surface, and a main ECU for controlling the electromagnetic valves and the electric motor is arranged in a space defined by the cover member and the first surface. One or more spaces are formed between the electric motor and the second surface to receive a plurality of pressure sensors for detecting hydraulic pressures at various parts in a hydraulic brake device of the vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a brake hydraulic pressure control device for use in a brake system for vehicles.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Heretofore, as brake hydraulic pressure control devices, there has been known one which is described in United States patent application publication No. US 2005/0265852 A1 (equivalent of Japanese unexamined, published patent application No. 2006-008107). As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the publication, in the brake hydraulic pressure control device, an electric motor 50, a shutoff valve 17, a pressure reducing side proportional control valve 18 and a hydraulic pressure sensor (pressure sensor) 19 is concentrically arranged on one surface 30a of a housing 30. In this arrangement, the hydraulic pressure sensor 19 is arranged out of the area for the electric motor 50. In other words, the hydraulic pressure sensor 19 is not arranged between the electric motor 50 and the housing 30.
Also, as brake hydraulic pressure control devices, there has been known another which is described in Japanese unexamined, published patent application No. 11-208440. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the Japanese application, in the brake hydraulic pressure control device, pressure reducing control valves 1-4, pressure increase control valves 5-8, switching valves 9 and 10, a pressure sensor 21 are provided on one surface of a housing 16, while an electric motor 15 is provided on the other surface opposite to the one surface. The pressure sensor 21 provided there is one only.
In the brake hydraulic pressure control device described in the United States publication, the electric motor 50, the shutoff valve 17, the pressure reducing side proportional control valve 18 and the hydraulic sensor (pressure sensor) 19 are juxtaposed on the same single surface. This configuration requires the surface to be large in area and hence, gives rise to a problem that the housing and hence, the brake hydraulic pressure control device is increased in dimension.
Further, in the brake hydraulic pressure control device described in the Japanese application, the pressure reducing control valves 1-4, the pressure increase control valves 5-8, the switching valves 9 and 10, the pressure sensor 21 are provided on the surface different from the surface mounting the electric motor 15 thereon. This configuration can downsize the housing or the entirety of the device in comparison with the brake hydraulic pressure control device in the United States publication. However, where a plurality of pressure sensors are to be provided, it would become difficult to sufficiently downsize the housing and hence, the entirety of the device.


A composite material has a quartz glass phase and a complex compound phase compounded with the quartz glass phase, which is made of one or more compounds selected from a group of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon, titanium nitride and titanium carbide, as a main ingredient. The composite material can be used instead of quartz glass, and can prevent the generations of microcrack, tipping and particles after the mechanical working.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composite material having an excellent workability and a method of producing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Quartz glass is widely used for a construction member which is exposed to heat, since it has a high thermal shock resistance. Moreover, raw materials for quartz glass having a high purity can be easily obtained. Therefore, quartz glass having a high purity and including substantially no metal elements other than silicon can be easily produced. From this point of view, quartz glass is used for a technical field that is necessary to eliminate a contamination with the metal elements, especially for construction members in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.
In order to produce various kinds of construction members made of quartz glass, it is necessary to machine the raw materials made of quartz glass so as to obtain a predetermined shape. However, during the cutting operation, a tipping and a microcrack are liable to be generated on a surface region of quartz glass. As a result, there arises a tendency that fine particles are generated and adhered, and then remain on a surface of the construction member. Especially, in a field of the semiconductor manufacturing that is necessary to eliminate a contamination due to the particles, it is necessary to remove the particles. However, in order to remove the particles, it is necessary to perform a troublesome washing operation. In addition, in the case that a surface shape of the construction member is complicated, the particles is liable to remain even after the washing operation.
Moreover, in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the construction member is exposed to a corrosive gas of halogen series and its plasma. In this case, if the microcrack or a tipping trace remains on a surface of quartz glass, corrosion might proceed from these portions and become a cause of a particle generation. In order to prevent such portions, it is necessary to eliminate the microcrack and the tipping trace by performing a complicated post-processing.
An object of the invention is to provide a composite material, which can prevent generations of microcrack and tipping after a machining operation and also a particle generation therefore, and which can be used instead of quartz glass having a heat resistance.
According to the invention, a composite material comprises; a quartz glass phase; and a complex compound phase compounded with the quartz glass phase, which is made of one or more compounds selected from a group of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon, titanium nitride and titanium carbide, as a main ingredient.
Moreover, according to the invention, a method of producing a composite material, comprises the steps of: mixing a quartz glass powder and a compound powder made of one or more compounds selected from the group of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon, titanium nitride and titanium carbide to obtain mixtures; forming the mixtures to obtain a formed body; and sintering the formed body at a temperature which is lower than the melting point of quartz glass and is lower than the melting point of the compound.
The present invention relates to a composite material comprising; a quartz glass phase; and a complex compound phase compounded with the quartz glass phase, which is made of one or more compounds selected from a group of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon, titanium nitride and titanium carbide, as a main ingredient.
The composite material mentioned above has a heat resistance and a thermal shock resistance as well as quartz glass. In addition, a microcrack and a tipping are not liable to be generated during a machining operation such as a cutting operation and so on, and particles are not liable to remain on a surface after the working.
As mentioned above, since the composite material according to the invention can prevent a particle generation after the working, the composite material according to the invention can be used preferably for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.
In the composite material, if the compound is made of silicon carbide, silicon nitride or silicon, metal elements other than silicon can be removed from a main components of the composite material. Therefore, the composite material having the compound mentioned above can be preferably used for a silicon semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.
It is preferred to set an amount of the quartz glass phase to larger than 10 wt %. Thereby, the composite material can maintain excellent heat resistance and thermal shock resistance. From this point of view, it is more preferred to set an amount of the quartz glass phase to larger than 50 wt %.
If an amount of the quartz glass phase is set to lower than 95 wt %, workability can be improved. In addition, if an amount of the quartz glass phase is lower than 85 wt %, strength of the composite material can be increased further.
Moreover, the compound may be made of silicon carbide, silicon, titanium nitride or titanium carbide. These compounds have a high conductivity (low volume resistivity) as compared with quartz glass. Therefore, if these compounds are added to the composite material, a conductivity of the composite material can be controlled.
However, even in the case that these compounds are added to the composite material, if an amount of the quartz glass phase is set to 80-95 wt %, there is a case that a volume resistivity of the composite material is higher than that of quartz glass. Since a volume resistivity of the compound mentioned above is lower than that of quartz glass, this result is amazing. The reason why is not clear.
If an amount of the quartz glass phase is lower than 78 wt %, the composite material can obtain a volume resistivity lower than quartz glass. In order to further lower the volume resistivity of the composite material, it is preferred to set an amount of the quartz glass phase to lower than 75 wt %, and more preferably lower than 70 wt %. The composite material having such a low volume resistivity can be preferably used for a field requiring a conductive property or a semiconductor property, to which the conventional quartz glass cannot be applied.
Moreover, if the composite material is relatively dense, the composite material can realize a strength and a young""s modulus higher than those of quartz glass. Since the strength and the young""s modulus of quartz glass are lower than those of ceramics such as alumina and so on, it is necessary to use a thicker construction member. Also from this point of view, the composite material according to the invention can be used advantageously as compared with quartz glass.
However, since the composite material according to the invention is produced by a powder sintering method mentioned below, there are two kinds of the composite materials, i.e., one is porous and the other is dense. In the case that the composite material is used as the construction member, it is necessary to have a predetermined strength and a predetermined young""s modulus. Therefore, in order to obtain a strength and a young""s modulus that are substantially equal to those of quartz glass, it is preferred to set an open porosity of the composite material to lower than 20 wt %. Moreover, in order to obtain a strength and a young""s modulus that are considerably higher than those of quartz glass, it is preferred to set an open porosity of the composite material to lower than 15 wt %, more preferably 10 wt %.
Moreover, in a field, in which a contamination is disliked, such as a semiconductor manufacturing, it is preferred to set an amount of impurities other than quartz glass, elements constituting the compound and halogen to lower than 0.1 wt %, and also it is preferred to set an open porosity to lower than 5%.
In order to control metal impurities as mentioned above, the composite material according to the invention is advantageous. For example, ceramics raw materials such as alumina, aluminum nitride and so on are expensive if they are a high purity, and a sintering of them is difficult. On the other hand, in quartz glass that is a main ingredient of the composite material according to the invention, high purity raw materials can be obtained easily and inexpensively.
The composition material according to the invention can be preferably used for a member or a chamber in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus or a liquid crystal display manufacturing apparatus, which is exposed to a corrosive gas. As for the members mentioned above, use is made of a heater, an electrode for electro-static chuck, a suscepter in which an electrode for a high frequency generation is embedded, a shaft or a rear plate connected to the suscepter, a shower plate, a doom, a roof and a ring member.
Moreover, if an amount of the quartz glass phase is 80-95 wt %, a volume resistivity of the composite material is large. Therefore, the composite material mentioned above can be used for a member requiring an insulation property such as a window for transmitting a microwave.
The composite material according to the invention can be obtained by mixing a quartz glass powder and a compound powder to obtain mixtures, forming the mixtures to obtain a formed body, and sintering the formed body at a temperature which is lower than a melting point of quartz glass and is lower than the melting point of the compound.
In a field in which no contamination with metal elements occurs, it is preferred to control a purity of the compound powder to a level higher than 99.9%. As for the silicon carbide and the silicon nitride to be used, both of xcex1 type and xcex2 type can be used. Moreover, it is preferred to control an average particle size of the compound powder to a level lower than 10 xcexcm, more preferably lower than 3 xcexcm.
It is preferred to control a purity of the quartz glass powder to a level higher than 99.9%. A producing method of the quartz glass powder is not limited, and use is made of a crushing method, a chemical vapor deposition method and an atomizing method. It is preferred to control an average particle size of the quartz glass powder to a level lower than 10 xcexcm, more preferable lower than 3 xcexcm.
When the mixtures are formed, an organic binder can be used. Moreover, it is possible to form a granulation powder obtained by a spray-dry method.
An atmosphere during the sintering operation may be vacuum, argon atmosphere, normal atmosphere or nitride atmosphere. Here, in order to reduce an open porosity of the composite material, it is preferred to use a vacuum atmosphere preferably lower than 1.0 Torr.
During the sintering operation, a little amount of crystobalite phase is sometimes generated. In order to prevent a crystobalite phase generation, it is preferred to control an uppermost temperature during the sintering to a level lower than 1550xc2x0 C., more preferably lower than 1500xc2x0 C., most preferably lower than 1450xc2x0 C. Moreover, in order to proceed the sintering, it is preferred to control the upper-most temperature during the sintering operation to a level higher than 1300xc2x0 C.
Moreover, in order to suppress the crystobalite phase generation, it is preferred to control a temperature ascending rate and a temperature descending rate between 1100xc2x0 C. and the uppermost temperature during the sintering operation to a level between 200xc2x0 C./hour and 1000xc2x0 C./hour.
From the view point that a density of the composite material is improved and the crystobalite phase generation is suppressed, it is preferred to apply a pressure to the formed body during the sintering. As to a pressure applying method, use is made of a hot pressing method and a hot isostatic pressing method. It is preferred to control an axial pressure to be applied to a level larger than 10 MPa. An upper limit of the axial pressure is limited only by a limit of the pressing machine used.
Hereinafter, an actual experiment will be explained.

Composite material and method of producing the same


Provided is a charging and discharging protection circuit realizing low current consumption in an overcurrent detection state, easy calculation of an automatic return impedance, and high usability. A pull-down circuit for pulling down an overcurrent detection terminal to a VSS terminal is connected in series between the overcurrent detection terminal and a switching circuit. The switching circuit is connected in series between the pull-down circuit and the VSS terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charging and discharging control circuit for controlling the charging and discharging of a secondary battery and to a charging type power supply device including the charging and discharging control circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
A charging type power supply device using a secondary battery includes, in order to protect the secondary battery, a charging and discharging control circuit for detecting the overcharging and overdischarging of the secondary battery and an overcurrent flowing into a load to control the charging and discharging of the secondary battery. In order to protect the secondary battery and reduce current consumption, the charging and discharging control circuit has been designed in various ways and a circuit as described in JP 2002-238173 A has been proposed.
FIG. 7 shows a conventional charging type power supply device.
In the conventional charging type power supply device, a current flows from a secondary battery into a load 103 connected between external terminals 105 and 106 through a switching circuit 102. When a voltage at an overcurrent detection terminal 113 connected with the external terminal 106 becomes higher than an overcurrent detection voltage, a charging and discharging control circuit 210 controls to turn OFF the switching circuit 102. This state is referred to as overcurrent detection state.
In the overcurrent detection state, an N-channel transistor 251 of a pull-down circuit 219 and an N-channel transistor 252 of a switching circuit 220 are turned ON. Then, the overcurrent detection terminal 113 is pulled down to a VSS terminal 112 through a resistor 253. After the charging and discharging control circuit 210 enters the overcurrent detection state, when the load 103 is disconnected from the external terminals 105 and 106, a voltage at the overcurrent detection terminal 113 approaches a VSS voltage. When the voltage at the overcurrent detection terminal 113 becomes lower than the overcurrent detection voltage, the charging and discharging control circuit 210 is released from the overcurrent detection state to turn ON the switching circuit 102.
The above-mentioned circuit operation is referred to as automatic return operation. An impedance between the external terminals 105 and 106 at the time of automatic return is referred to as automatic return impedance.
In an overcharging state in which a charger 104 is connected between the external terminals 105 and 106 and a secondary battery 101 has a voltage higher than a predetermined voltage value, the charging and discharging control circuit 210 controls to turn OFF the switching circuit 102. This state is referred to as overcharging detection state.
In the overcharging detection state, the voltage at the overcurrent detection terminal 113 becomes lower than the VSS voltage by the charger 104. Therefore, the charging and discharging control circuit 210 controls to turn OFF the N-channel transistor 252 of the switching circuit 220, thereby preventing a charging current from flowing through the resister 253 and a parasitic diode 254 of a pull-down circuit 219.
However, the conventional charging type power supply device has a problem in that the current consumption is increased by a phenomenon as described below.
FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view showing the pull-down circuit and the switching circuit in the conventional charging and discharging control circuit 210. In the overcurrent detection state, the overcurrent detection terminal 113 is pulled up to a VDD terminal 111 through the external terminal 106, the load 103, and the external terminal 105. Therefore, there is the following problem. A base current flows from the overcurrent detection terminal 113 into a P-well of the N-channel transistor 252. Then, a parasitic bipolar transistor 501 is turned ON and a current flows from the VDD terminal 111 to the VSS terminal 112 through the resistor 253, thereby increasing the current consumption of the charging and discharging control circuit.
For the automatic return, it is necessary to reduce the base current to a value at which the parasitic bipolar transistor 501 is not turned ON. That is, it is necessary to increase the automatic return impedance. However, the switching circuit and the pull-down circuit as described above have a problem in that the calculation of the automatic return impedance is complicated because the automatic return impedance is nonlinearly changed by a voltage of the secondary battery 101.

Charging and discharging control circuit and charging type power supply device


An optical burst mode receiver comprises a photo-detector receiving an optical signal for conversion to a current signal, a transimpedance amplifier receiving and converting the current signal into first and second transmit signals, a limiting amplifier comprising first and second input terminals and an output terminal generating a data signal, and a control circuit coupled to the first and second transmit signals to verify that if the optical signal is valid. The control circuit is further coupled to the first and second input terminals of the limiting amplifier. When the optical signal is valid, the control circuit provides the first and second input terminals with the first and second transmit signals respectively to generate the data signal. When the optical signal is invalid, the control circuit provides the first and second input terminals with distinct voltage levels to maintain the data signal at a steady level.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to optical burst mode reception, and in particular to an optical burst mode receiver not affected by noise when no optical signal is received.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical burst mode receivers receive optical signals from a plurality of optical communication network devices connected in parallel. Because of the discrete transmission distances data breaks occur. The optical receiver is incapable of determining duration of breaks. Data with such breaks are referred to as burst mode. Differing intensities and qualities of the received optical signals require a technique that can identify the data received by optical burst mode receivers.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional burst mode receiver that comprises an optical photo-detector 11, a transimpedance amplifier 12, and a limiting amplifier 13. The photo-detector 11 is operative to receive an optical signal L1 and convert the received optical signal to a current signal S1. The intensity of the optical signal L1 affects the value of the current signal S1. The transimpedance amplifier 12 is operative to receive the current signal S1 and to convert the current signal S1 to a first transmit signal S2 and a second transmit signal S3. The current signal S1 is amplified and shifted to generate the first transmit signal S2. The first transmit signal S2 and the second transmit signal S3 are symmetric with respect to a DC current. The limiting amplifier 13 is operative to receive the first transmit signal S2 and the second transmit signal S3 to generate a digital data signal S4.
The limiting amplifier 13 amplifies burst mode signals received by the optical burst mode receiver. However, limiting amplifier 13 oscillates, generating noise, even though no optical signal is received. The long-term oscillation degrades the limiting amplifier 13. Some available solutions attempt to integrate or feed feedback to the single input terminal or both input terminals of the limiting amplifier 13. Hence, when no optical signal is received, the input terminals of the limiting amplifier 13 are at different voltage levels, preventing oscillation caused by noise. However, the above-mentioned solutions increase the time consumption and affect data quality, with attendant unreliable data determination.

Industrial Technology Research Institute


An image sensor may include an imaging pixel, readout circuitry, and amplification circuitry coupled between the imaging pixel and the readout circuitry. Correlated double sampling may be used to sample a reset voltage and a signal voltage from the imaging pixel. The difference between the reset voltage and the signal voltage may reflect the amount of light received by the imaging pixel during an integration time. The amplification circuitry may amplify the difference between the reset voltage and the signal voltage. The amplification circuitry may include a source follower transistor coupled between first and second capacitors, with the second capacitor having a greater capacitance than the first capacitor. The amplification circuitry may be formed only from n-type metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors. The amplification circuitry may consume power dynamically as opposed to consuming static power for minimal power consumption requirements.

This relates generally to imaging devices, and more particularly, to imaging devices having in-pixel amplification circuitry.
Image sensors are commonly used in electronic devices such as cellular telephones, cameras, and computers to capture images. In a typical arrangement, an image sensor includes an array of image pixels arranged in pixel rows and pixel columns.
Typical image pixels contain a photodiode for generating charge in response to incident light. Image pixels may also include a charge storage region for storing charge that is generated in the photodiode. Image sensors can operate using a global shutter or a rolling shutter scheme. In a global shutter, every pixel in the image sensor may simultaneously capture an image, whereas in a rolling shutter each row of pixels may sequentially capture an image.
Circuitry may be coupled to each pixel for reading out image signals from the image pixels. However, some conventional image sensors may have higher than desired noise during readout. Reducing noise may require including undesirably large capacitors in the imaging pixels.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved imaging pixels with in-pixel amplifiers for readout with reduced noise.

Image sensors with in-pixel amplification circuitry

SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC


A sprinkler apparatus 10 for providing more even coverage of a sprinkled area with water which is achieved by a different speed of rotation of a water deflector 13 relative to a water diffuser 12 in a wobbling sprinkler head. A diffuser head 11 is rotatably attached to a base 16 and has a water diffuser 12 for diffusing water passing therethrough. A water deflector 13 is rotatably attached to the rotatable diffuser head 11 for directing water emitting from the nozzle 21 through the water diffuser 12. A viscous fluid brake 15 couples the water deflector 13 to the water diffuser 12 to vary the speed of rotation of the water diffuser 12 relative to the water deflector 13 to obtain a more even coverage of the area being sprinkled.

The present invention relates to an irrigation sprinkler that will apply an evenly distributed pattern of water over a given area and has a rotating water deflector deflecting water through a rotating water diffuser in a wobbling sprinkler diffuser head.
The present invention relates to irrigation sprinklers and especially to sprinklers of the type having a fixed nozzle directing water from a water supply under pressure against a water deflector head which deflects the water into a sprinkling pattern while forcing the deflector head to rotate. The present invention also includes a water diffuser or interrupter which uses diffuser vanes to diffuse the water passing therethrough when the vanes are placed in the water path leaving the water deflector. It has been common in the past to provide wobbling sprinkler heads to wobble the sprinkler head for a better distribution of the water being deflected. Sprinkler heads have also occasionally been provided with various types of brakes to slow the rotation of the water deflector head to prevent rotation at a high speed.
Typical prior U.S. patents for wobbling sprinkler heads can be seen in Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,927 to Elliott et al. for a wobbling sprinkler head for use in irrigation systems so that instead of being rotated in a smooth rotation, a water distribution head wobbles in a rotating fashion to provide a more even distribution of water. In Applicant's Sullivan U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,960, a wobbling irrigation sprinkler head includes a magnet to provide for an initial tilt of the sprinkler head. The sprinkler head has a base for attaching to a pipe, such as in a central water supply conduit, which base has a nozzle mounted therein for directing water against a wobbling water deflecting head movably attached to the base. The water deflecting head causes the deflector to rotate and wobble.
In the Hunter U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,666, a stream rotor sprinkler has a rotating head and a crown configured stream deflector positioned about the spray head to deflect water spray from a nozzle in the spray head. The deflector is moved in an eccentrically revolving and rotating motion relative to the sprinkler housing and spray head in response to spray head rotation imparted by a cam on the spray head. In the Sweet U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,174, a nutating sprinkler is provided having a body portion having a nozzle on one end and a cap assembly at an opposite end. A spray plate is used to deflect and distribute water and the distribution distributing grooves are formed to rotate the spray plate which is supported on a universal joint in a manner to cause the spray plate to wobble in one direction of rotation when struck by the stream emitted from the nozzle. This sprinkler is provided with conical gear teeth having stator gear teeth meshing with rotor gear teeth. The Sesser U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,886 is a rotary sprinkler stream interrupter. The stream interrupter is mounted loosely for eccentric rotation about the center axis and has a plurality of stream deflector fingers. This patent also provides a viscous brake or rotor motor of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. RE 33,823 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,811 and is used to slow the rotation of the rotor plate. A similar Sesser U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,307 shows a similar rotary sprinkler stream interrupter.
The present rotating sprinkler head is of the wobbling type which includes a sprinkler base attachable to a water supply and having a fixed nozzle for directing water therefrom against a water deflector which is rotated by the water hitting the deflector surface of the deflector.
The present invention incorporates the water deflector into a water diffuser head for diffusing water being deflected by the water deflector and interconnects the water deflector and the water diffuser through a viscous brake which thereby varies the speed of rotation between the water deflector and the water diffuser, resulting in a more even distribution of water over one area while eliminating a shadowing effect behind a diffuser's blades. The wobbling rotation is controlled by a set of meshing gears including a fixed set of gear teeth on the base and a rotating pair of gear teeth attached to the rotating diffuser head. An uneven number of gear teeth forces a deflection of the diffuser head while also forcing a rotation of the entire diffuser/deflector head.


A method and system of marketing a consumable may include alerting a customer, via a printer status application, to the status of a consumable in a printing device. A printer identifier may be identified for the printing device via the printer status application. Information about a plurality of product selling entities and associations between each entity and one or more printer identifiers may be maintained in a computer-readable medium. The product selling entity that corresponds to the printer identifier may be determined. The customer may be directed to the product selling entity.

Printers are common peripheral devices associated with a computer. To function properly, a channel of communication may be established between a printer and a computer. The channel enables a printer to receive commands and information from a computer. Various embodiments provide a printer with a way to communicate with a computer. This communication also allows a printer to communicate with a computer regarding the status of the printer.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,031,933, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a process to allow a user to reorder a consumable printing component. However, the user chooses the vendor. The user is not automatically directed to the product-selling entity to purchase a consumable printing component.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,377, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a reseller identification device which is associated with a printing component. However, the user of the printing component is not directed to order the printing device from the reseller's Internet website.
The disclosure contained herein describes methods of resolving one or more of the problems discussed above.

Directing post-sale supplies revenue to original dealer