A keyboard for use with a standard personal computer includes an alphanumeric key array having a plurality of alphanumeric keys arranged in a generally orthogonal, concave array. A home row of keys defines a reference position for the fingers of the operator. A liner array of function keys is provided and positioned above the reference position and tilted toward the operator. A generally orthogonal array of auxiliary keys is also positioned above the reference position. The array of auxiliary keys is rotated with respect to the reference position to accommodate the natural angle of the thumb of the operator to the index finger. A palm rest is provided for receiving the palm of the operator while the operator is manipulating the plurality of alphanumeric keys. The palm rest is positioned above the reference position defined by the home row so that during operation of the alphanumeric keys, the fingers of the operator extend downward from the palm rest in a natural curved manner.

The conventional typewriter and computer keyboard, hereinafter called the conventional QWERTY keyboard, consists in diagrammatic representation of four horizontal rows of alphanumeric keys. The keys on one row are offset with respect to the keys on adjacent rows so that diagonal columns are formed. The name "QWERTY" comes from the letter layout of the left side second row. While certain differences exist for non-English language keyboards, these differences are essentially standardized and will be considered "QWERTY" for this application.
The QWERTY keyboard has long been recognized to have many disadvantages, including the following: the most commonly used letters are on the top row rather than on the home (middle) row, where the fingers normally rest; many of the most frequent stroking actions must be done by the weakest fingers (the little fingers); the left hand executes more strokes, both in terms of number and complexity, than the right hand, even though the majority of users are right-handed; the little finger of the right hand must select from at least 15 keys on the modern computer keyboard (IBM-AT compatible enhanced 101 keyboard), some of which are infrequently used and thus require visual selection even by most touch typists; more complex stroking movements are required by the staggered key arrangement than would be required were the keys arranged in orthogonal rows and columns. Furthermore, large numbers of specialized "function", "control", and editing keys have evolved for use with modern computer software. Such function and control keys are often used in combination with other keys, further increasing the difficulty in comfortably and accurately typing all the keys on a modern computer keyboard.
A major problem with the extensive and combined use of specialized computer keys is the awkward postures required for the arms, wrists, hands, and fingers. In recent years these awkward postures, combined with both static and dynamic exertion required to press and hold down keys, have been implicated as causative factors in an epidemic of painful and sometimes disabling occupational injuries. Thus, in addition to the disadvantages of traditional keyboards related to operator performance (speed, accuracy, endurance), these keyboards have also been shown to cause serious health problems. The health problems caused by excessive keyboard use are collectively called repetitive strain injuries. In combination with simple repetition of forceful motion, major factors which are believed to lead to health problems include pronation of the wrist, extension of the wrist, and ulnar deviation, among others. These injurious factors are caused or exaggerated by the use of traditional QWERTY keyboards.
Many prior art keyboard arrangements have been proposed to eliminate the inadequacies of the QWERTY keyboard. These prior art keyboard arrangements generally fall into three groups, referred to herein as the "letter layout alternatives" group, the "geometric alternatives" group and the "chordic alternatives" group. However, as discussed in more detail below, these prior art keyboard arrangements have suffered from incomplete solutions and/or excessive training requirements, and have failed to combine relief from physically stressful postures and motions with productivity equal or exceeding the traditional keyboard and minimal training/retraining requirements. As a result, none of the prior art keyboard arrangements have gained widespread acceptance.
The letter layout alternatives group consists of keyboards in which the standard alphanumeric key set is employed, but the order of the keys has been varied while retaining the standard keyboard geometry. An example of a keyboard that falls into this group is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 2,040,248, issued to Dvorak on May 12, 1936. The Dvorak patent describes a keyboard in which the layout of the alphanumeric keys is based on incidence of usage. Dvorak attempted to position the most heavily used keys (e.g.,"E") in the home row, and to minimize awkward letter combinations and long reaches. However, the keyboard of the Dvorak patent, as well as other keyboards falling into the letter layout alternatives group, suffers from the disadvantage that significant relearning is required before it can be used by a skilled touch typist accustomed to a QWERTY keyboard. Furthermore, this layout does nothing to address the awkward postures and excessive force used by operators of keyboards with traditional key positioning and geometry.
The geometric alternatives group consists of keyboards in which both the standard alphanumeric key set and key layout are typically employed, but the geometry of the keyboard has been varied. As an example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,652,464, issued Dec. 13, 1927 to Tyberg, describes a planar QWERTY keyboard which is split into right and left hand segments. The right and left hand segments are separated from one another and linked in a fixed position to a central segment containing keys such as "release", "shift", "paper", "feed", "return" and "space". As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,659, issued Jan. 13, 1981, to Malt describes a keyboard employing concave wells for right and left hand segments. The right and left hand segments of the keyboard described by Tyberg and Malt maintain the layout of the QWERTY keyboard so that significant relearning of the keyboard is not required.
However, the keyboards described by Tyberg and Malt, as well as others falling into the geometric alternatives group, do not address the problems of extensive work and excessive key selection that is required by modern keyboards having function and auxiliary keys. Therefore, although providing a keyboard that reduces pronation of the wrist and ulnar deviation, prior art keyboards falling into the geometric alternatives group are not acceptable for use with modern keyboards having multiple function and auxiliary keys.
The chordic alternatives group consists of keyboards in which the alphanumeric key set and the key layout, as well as the keyboard geometry have been varied. Key combinations or "chords" are used to enter letters or numbers which are not represented by single keys. An example of keyboards falling into this group is U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,649, issued to Stucki on Jan. 30, 1990. The Stucki patent describes a keyboard in which multiple sets of two or more keys are mounted on a common base and arranged such as to be comprehended and operated by a single finger. The base is configured to provide separate areas for the right and left hands and a rest for the heels of the hands. The keyboard described by the Stucki patent is typical of keyboards falling into the chordic alternatives group which suffer from the same relearning disadvantages as keyboards falling into the alternative layout group. Furthermore, this class of keyboard requires an increased number of strokes per word, and thus productivity is inherently reduced.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a keyboard that minimizes the strain and effort associated with undesirable postures and motions of the hands, wrists, and arms in typing the alphanumeric keys. Further, it is desirable to provide such a keyboard that simultaneously reduces typing inaccuracies and maintains or increases typing speed while minimizing the need for relearning. Still further, it is desirable to provide a keyboard that minimizes strain and effort of use resulting from the increased usage of specialized function keys and/or auxiliary keys on modern keyboards.


The present disclosure discloses a collimator, a radiotherapy device and a control driving method thereof, belonging to the medical technical field. The collimator is applied to a radiotherapy device, the radiotherapy device includes a plurality of radioactive sources, a plurality of collimating hole groups are arranged on the collimator, and an included angle of each collimating hole group in the longitudinal direction is within a preset included angle range. Each of the collimating hole groups includes a plurality of collimating holes, and beams emitted from the plurality of radioactive sources intersect at a common focus after passing through each collimating hole of the collimating hole group. The collimator, the radiotherapy device and the driving control method thereof can protect sensitive tissues and organs during treatment.

With the development of medical technologies, radiation treatment is more and more widely used in the treatment of tumors.
The existing radiation treatment system for treating heads mainly includes a head gamma knife, which uses a natural isotopic radioactive source, cobalt-60, to emit gamma rays, and uses the radioactivity of the rays to kill tumor cells. However, the rays may also damage normal tissues or cells. In the related technologies, the existing head gamma knife includes 30 or 180 radioactive sources, beams are emitted by a plurality of radioactive sources from different directions and focus on a common focus, such that the common focus has the largest gamma-ray dose rate, whereas the beams emitted from each radioactive source cause less damage to the normal tissues or cells. In this way, an objective of killing the tumor cells while protecting the normal tissues or cells is achieved, thereby achieving tumor treatment effects.
However, in the treatment of head tumors, sensitive tissues and organs (such as the eyes and other important nerves) need to be avoided. In existing radiotherapy devices, radiation of the sensitive tissues and organs is avoided by adjusting a gamma angle for a patient, i.e., by adjusting an elevation angle of head.
The present disclosure provides a new implementation mode for protection of sensitive tissues and organs.

Collimator, radiotherapy device and control driving method thereof


Only when an input image signal continues to indicate a black display for a predetermined period of time or longer, some pixel cells randomly selected from among all pixel cells on a display screen are forcibly set to a light-emitting mode in an address process of a subfield with a small weighting.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drive method and a drive device for a display panel unit that displays images.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present AC-type (alternating current discharge type) plasma display panels are increasingly used in commercial products as thin or flat display devices. The discharge cells in a plasma display panel correspond to pixels of images to be displayed, and emit light using the discharge phenomenon. This means that each discharge cell has only two levels: a light-emitting state corresponding to the highest brightness level and a lights out state corresponding to the lowest brightness level. Grayscale driving using subfields is therefore used in plasma display panels of this type in order to achieve intermediate levels of display brightness faithful to the input image signal.
In grayscale driving based on the subfield method, each field for image signal is divided into a plurality of subfields, each subfield is assigned its own light-emission repetition number (how many times the subfield concerned emits light or how long the subfield emits light), and display driving is carried out for such one field worth of image signal. An address process and a sustain process are carried out successively within each subfield. During the address process, selective discharge takes place within each discharge cell, in response to the input image signal, so as to form a wall charge of a specified amount (or to eliminate the wall charge). During the sustain process, only those cells in which the specified amount of wall charge has been formed are repeatedly discharged, so as to maintain light emission that goes with that discharge. At least within the leading subfield, a preliminary formatting process (initialization process) precedes the address process. The preliminary formatting process resets all the discharge cells at once by causing discharge in all the discharge cells (called "reset discharge"), thereby forming a specified amount of wall charge within all the discharge cells (or eliminating a wall charge from all the discharge cells).
Because this reset discharge is produced in all discharge cells independently of the content of the image to be displayed, the light emission caused by this discharge tends to lower the contrast of the image.
Japanese Patent Kokai (Laid-open Application) No. 2001-312244 discloses a drive method in which no reset discharge for preliminary formatting purposes is carried out on discharge cells which emit light at 0-level brightness. In this drive method, selective discharge is produced for each discharge cell that is to emit light, in the address process of each subfield. By producing a specified amount of wall charge within the discharge cells in this selective discharge, these discharge cells become ready for discharge in the subsequent sustain process.
However, when 0-level brightness continues within a discharge cell for a long period of time, the wall charge remaining inside that discharge cell gradually decreases under the influence of dark current and other factors, so that even if selective discharge takes place in this discharge cell during a later address process, the amount of wall charge formed will not reach the specified (desired) value. As a result, there is a risk with this method that some discharge cells might not discharge as they ought to during the sustain process, and that an incorrect or inadequate image might be created.

Method and device for driving display panel unit


A closure with a self-closing valve is made available which is easily operable by exertion of pressure and has a simple design. A transport security is provided, which closes the valve reliably even in case of great stress.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a closure with self-closing valve. The closure can be used in particular with tubes, cans, bags and bottles preferably containing pasty or liquid substances.
2. Prior Art
EP-A-395 380 describes a liquid dispenser with a self-closing valve. The self-closing valve has a surrounding flange, a peripheral surface extending therefrom and a cover surface with a slit provided therein. The self-closing valve is arranged in the dispensing opening of a container, whereby the valve flange is held by a retaining ring on the edge of the dispensing opening. For delivery of liquid from the container, pressure is exerted thereon causing the self-closing valve to first be turned outwards, i.e. the valve is curved from a resting position in the region of its peripheral surface in such a way that the cover surface comes outwards. In the turned-outwards position, the slit is widened to form a dispensing opening as a result of the pressure exerted on the container. When the pressure on the container is reduced, the slit closes automatically and the valve arrives in its resting position by turning inwards. The container is ventilated by means of the slit which opens as a result of the partial vacuum in the container. This system is eminently suitable for many applications, particularly for use in containers which are stored with the opening facing downwards so that the product to be dispensed can be dispensed immediately by means of pressure on the container, such as e.g. for shower gel, shampoo or the like. It has turned out that the container ventilation of this well-known closure system does not always work reliably. With thin-walled containers in particular, this results in the container not returning to its original shape, but the container walls remaining in the pressed-in position.
EP-A-0 545 678 discloses a closure with a self-closing valve comprising a ring-shaped flange, a cylindrical peripheral surface extending from the flange and a cover surface having a cross slit therein. The valve's annular flange is L-shaped and is fixed at the dispensing opening of a container by means of a retaining ring. When the valve is in the resting position, the cover surface of the cylindrical peripheral surface is turned inside the dispensing opening. Pressure on the container causes the valve to turn outwards and even more pressure causes the cross slit to open up. When the pressure is reduced, the valve returns to its resting position. The container is ventilated by opening the cross slit in the resting position. Furthermore, a lid or a slide is provided which prevents unintentional dispensing of the product contained in the container. When the lid is closed, the self-closing valve cannot be turned outwards.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,950 describes a closure with a self-closing valve. The valve comprises a ring-shaped flange with a trapezoidal cross section which becomes thicker towards the outside. A peripheral surface that is directed towards the outside extends from the annular flange and a cover surface being curved inwards and having a cross slit extending from there. A cup is located inside the dispensing opening adjacent to the interior of the cover surface. This cup is held at the internal wall of the dispensing opening by means of bridges. Furthermore, the closure has a lid with two surrounding projections at the inside, which projections are in contact with the valve at the upper edge of the peripheral surface and in the area of the cup-shaped depression and press against the cup when the lid is closed. This is to prevent an undesired dispensing of the container's content. In this known closure, the ring-shaped flange is clamped between a locating face and a bendable bracket. Either the locating face or the bracket may have tooth-like projections that are to serve for an improved clamping of the annular flange.


A strap includes an adjusting buckle near each end and a handle on each end. The length of the strap is adjusted using the buckles so a heavy load can be handled by a worker in a manner that permits the worker to safely carry the load in a variety of situations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the general art of straps and belts, and to the particular field of straps used to carry bulky objects.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many workers, especially movers, must carry heavy items on their person. These items can be extremely heavy, especially in the case of movers who may be carrying furniture. Back injuries are quite common in such workers, especially after many years of heavy work. In fact, back injuries may be one of the leading causes of such workers changing jobs or retiring.
Many back injuries are caused by improper lifting or carrying techniques. Most workers are aware that they must lift heavy loads with their legs and not their back. However, once the load is lifted to the worker's body, many of the workers do not properly carry the load. This may cause injury as well.
Therefore, there is a need for a means for assisting a worker in properly carrying a load on his body.
One reason for improperly aligning a load on a worker is the device that is used for a worker to handle the load. Such devices include braces and belts and the like. However, these devices are generally not adjustable and, as such, may not be properly adjusted for the particular worker and the particular load and the particular task being carried out. In such a situation, the load may be improperly aligned on the worker.
Therefore, there is a need for a means for assisting a worker in properly carrying a load on his body and which can be adjusted to meet the needs of the particular situation.
Straps known to the inventor generally must be looped or tied about a worker's wrist in order to be handled by the worker. This may be uncomfortable and may interfere with the worker's blood circulation in his hands. Furthermore, this is not as secure as it could be.
Therefore, there is a need for a strap that can be used by a worker to handle a load and which overcomes the problems associated with the prior art.

Adjustable strap for a person to carry a heavy load


A voltage generator with reduced noise features a detector, a controller, a sub-booster, a main booster and a voltage adder. The detector receives an output voltage, a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage lower than the first reference voltage, and then outputs a first sensing signal and a second sensing signal. The controller receives the first sensing signal and the second sensing signal and an action signal to output a first control signal and a second control signal. The sub-booster boosts a voltage in response of the first control signal. The main booster boosts a voltage in response to the second control signal. The voltage adder adds output signals from the sub-booster and main booster, to provide the output voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to voltage generators, and more specifically, to a charge-pumping type voltage generator configured to reduce noise.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In conventional DRAMs, charges are pumped to generate a driving voltage for driving wordlines and bitlines without loss of threshold voltage. During DRAM operations, such as wordline-driving and bitline-precharging, a great amount of energy is consumed and then a level of the driving voltage becomes lower. In this case, the time when the level of the driving voltage becomes lower than a target level is detected in the conventional art to pump charges and maintain the level of the driving voltage.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional voltage generator. The conventional voltage generator comprises a detector 10, an oscillator 20, a control driver 30 and a pump 40. The detector 10 detects a level of a driving voltage Vpp. The oscillator 20 responds to an output signal from the detector 10. The control driver 30 responds to an output signal from the oscillator 20. The pump 40 pumps charge in response to an output signal from the control driver 30 to output the driving voltage Vpp.
FIGS. 2a and 2b are circuit diagrams illustrating the conventional voltage generator of FIG. 1. The detector 10 divides the driving voltage Vpp to obtain a detection voltage Vpps. Then, the detector 10 compares the detection voltage Vpps with a reference voltage Vrc to output a low level signal when the detection voltage is larger than the reference voltage Vrc, and vice versa. The detection voltage Vpps is represented by the following equation:
      V    pps    =                              R          3                +                  R          4                                      R          1                +                  R          2                +                  R          3                +                  R          4                      ×    Vpp
When the output signal from the detector 10 is at the low level, that is, the detection voltage Vpps is smaller than the reference voltage Vrc, an oscillating signal is outputted from the oscillator. The control driver 30 outputs control signals p1, p2, g1 and g2 in response to the oscillating signal from the oscillator 20. The pump 40 outputs the driving voltage Vpp, controlled by the control signals p1, p2, g1 and g2 from the control driver 30. The capacitors C1 and C2 are precharged in response to the control signals p1 and p2. The driving voltage Vpp, which is larger than an externally applied voltage Vext, is generated by transmitting the charges stored in the capacitors C1 and C2 in response to the control signal g1 and g2.
FIG. 3 is a timing diagram illustrating the operation of the conventional voltage generator. When the wordline is activated or the bitline is precharged, the level of driving voltage Vpp starts to fall. At a time of t1, the detector 10 detects that the driving voltage Vpp falls below the target level. At a time of t2, the pump 40 starts to pump charge. The level of driving voltage Vpp rises because of the charge pumping operation of the pump 40. At a time of t3, the detector 10 detects the driving voltage Vpp at the target level, and commands the pump 40 to stop pumping charge. However, it is at a time of t4 that the actual pumping operation of the pump 40 stops due to the response time of the circuit.
As described above, in the conventional voltage generator, fluctuation ΔVpp of the driving voltage Vpp becomes large, due to the time delay between the point when the detector 10 actually detects the target level and the point when the pump 40 starts or stops operating, which results in unnecessary power consumption. Importantly, this fluctuation of the driving voltage causes noise that may destabilize the power source.


Structural allograft fusion devices containing a single integral piece of cortical bone in combination with one or more pieces of cancellous bone, wherein the cortical and cancellous pieces are pinned together.

The natural intervertebral disc contains a jelly-like nucleus pulposus surrounded by a fibrous annulus fibrosus. Under an axial load, the nucleus pulposus compresses and radially transfers that load to the annulus fibrosus. The laminated nature of the annulus fibrosus provides it with a high tensile strength and so allows it to expand radially in response to this transferred load.
In a healthy intervertebral disc, cells within the nucleus pulposus produce an extracellular matrix (ECM) containing a high percentage of proteoglycans. These proteoglycans contain sulfated functional groups that retain water, thereby providing the nucleus pulposus within its cushioning qualities. These nucleus pulposus cells may also secrete small amounts of cytokines such as interleukin-1β and TNF-α as well as matrix metalloproteinases ("MMPs"). These cytokines and MMPs help regulate the metabolism of the nucleus pulposus cells.
In some instances of disc degeneration disease (DDD), gradual degeneration of the intervetebral disc is caused by mechanical instabilities in other portions of the spine. In these instances, increased loads and pressures on the nucleus pulposus cause the cells within the disc (or invading macrophases) to emit larger than normal amounts of the above-mentioned cytokines. In other instances of DDD, genetic factors or apoptosis can also cause the cells within the nucleus pulposus to emit toxic amounts of these cytokines and MMPs. In some instances, the pumping action of the disc may malfunction (due to, for example, a decrease in the proteoglycan concentration within the nucleus pulposus), thereby retarding the flow of nutrients into the disc as well as the flow of waste products out of the disc. This reduced capacity to eliminate waste may result in the accumulation of high levels of toxins that may cause nerve irritation and pain.
As DDD progresses, toxic levels of the cytokines and MMPs present in the nucleus pulposus begin to degrade the extracellular matrix, in particular, the MMPs (as mediated by the cytokines) begin cleaving the water-retaining portions of the proteoglycans, thereby reducing its water-retaining capabilities. This degradation leads to a less flexible nucleus pulposus, and so changes the loading pattern within the disc, thereby possibly causing delamination of the annulus fibrosus. These changes cause more mechanical instability, thereby causing the cells to emit even more cytokines, thereby upregulating MMPs. As this destructive cascade continues and DDD further progresses, the disc begins to bulge ("a herniated disc"), and then ultimately ruptures, causing the nucleus pulposus to contact the spinal cord and produce pain.
One proposed method of managing these problems is to remove the problematic disc and replace it with a porous device that restores disc height and allows for bone growth therethrough for the fusion of the adjacent vertebrae. These devices are commonly called "fusion devices". The goal of a fusion device is to stabilize the motion segment associated with the problematic disc space so that a fusion can occur between the adjacent vertebrae. The conventional fusion device is typically a hollow cage that contains graft material that assists in the formation of new bone. The fusion device provides a bloody pathway between the endplates of the adjacent vertebrae for new bone to form.
Fusion devices can be made from any structural biocompatible material, including metals, polymers, and allograft. Some surgeons prefer to use fusion devices made from allograft because the allograft contains bone morphogenic proteins that induce bone growth behavior from the patient's system.
A number of medical conditions, such as compression of spinal cord nerve roots, degenerative disc disease, and trauma can cause severe back pain. Intervertebral fusion is a surgical method of alleviating back pain. In intervertebral fusion, two adjacent vertebral bodies are fused together by removing the affected intervertebral disc and inserting an implant that would allow for bone to grow between the two vertebral bodies to bridge the gap left by the removed disc.
A number of different implants and implant materials have been used for fusion with varying success. Current implants for intevertebral fusion include metallic cages and allografts. Metallic cages suffer from the disadvantage of requiring drilling and tapping of the vertebral endplates for insertion. In addition, the incidence of subsidence in long term use is not known. Due to MRI incompatibility of metallic cages, determining fusion is problematic.
Allografts are sections of bone taken from the diaphysis of a long bone, such as the radius, ulna, fibula, humerus, tibia, or femur of a donor. A cross-section of the bone is taken and processed using known techniques to preserve the allograft until implantation and reduce the risk of an adverse immunological response when implanted. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,470 discloses a method for processing a bone grafting material which uses glutaraldehyde tanning to produce a non-antigenic, biocompatible material. Allografts have mechanical properties which are similar to the mechanical properties of vertebrae even after processing. This prevents stress shielding that occurs with metallic implants. They also promote the formation of bone, i.e., osteoconductive, and are also MRI compatible so that fusion can be more accurately ascertained. Although the osteoconductive nature of the allograft provides a biological interlocking between the allograft and the vertebrae for long term mechanical strength, initial and short term mechanical strength of the interface between the allograft and the vertebrae needs to be addressed to minimize the possibility of the allograft being expelled after implantation.
Most allografts are simply sections of bone which, although cut to the approximate height of the disc being replaced, have not been sized and/or machined on the exterior surface to have a uniform shape. As a result, the fusion of the vertebral bodies does not occur in optimal anatomic position or in a consistent manner along the surface of the endplates. While a surgeon may do some minimal intraoperative shaping and sizing to customize the allograft for the patient's spinal anatomy, significant shaping and sizing of the allograft during the procedure is not possible due to the nature of the allograft. Even if extensive shaping and sizing were possible, a surgeon's ability to manually shape and size the allograft to the desired dimensions is limited.
With respect to the overall structure of a given bone, the mechanical properties vary throughout the bone. For example, a long bone (leg bone) such as the femur has both cortical bone and cancellous bone. Cortical bone, the compact and dense bone that surrounds the marrow cavity, is generally solid and thus carries the majority of the load in long bones. Cancellous bone, the spongy inner bone, is generally porous and ductile, and when compared to cortical bone is only about one-third to one-quarter as dense, one-tenth to one-twentieth as stiff, but five times as ductile. While cancellous bone has a tensile strength of about 10-20 MPa and a density of about 0.7, cortical bone has a tensile strength of about 100-200 MPa and a density of about 2. Additionally, the strain to failure of cancellous bone is about 5-7%, while cortical bone can only withstand 1-3% strain before failure. It should also be noted that these mechanical characteristics may degrade as a result of numerous factors such as any chemical treatment applied to the bone material, and the manner of storage after harvesting but prior to implantation (i.e. drying of bones).
Notably, implants of cancellous bone incorporate more readily with the surrounding host bone, due to the superior osteoconductive nature of cancellous bone as compared to cortical bone. Furthermore, cancellous bone from different regions of the body is known to have a range of porosities. Thus, the design of an implant using cancellous bone may be tailored to specifically incorporate material of a desired porosity.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,509 (Ford) discloses a textured bone allograft for implantation in a patient, having one or more textured bone surfaces, and methods of making and using the textured bone graft. The textured surface preferably includes a plurality of closely spaced discrete, continuous, or a combination thereof, protrusions. The textured bone allograft is useful for repairing bone defects caused by congenital anomaly, disease, or trauma, in a patient, for example, for restoring vertical support of the anterior column. Implantation of the textured bone allograft results in improved graft stability and osteoinductivity, without a decrease in mechanical strength. The textured bone allograft does not shift, extrude or rotate, after implantation. Ford discloses one device having a plank of cancellous bone sandwiched between a pair of separate cortical bone planks.


An efficient blend of home/personal and work/productivity related content based on a user's intent is provided, wherein the user's intent can be determined based on context information, learned user interaction patterns, and historical work and home characteristics and patterns. The system is individualized to the user and operative to generate a user experience that provides a blend of relevant home/personal and work/productivity related information to the user based on the user's current work and life characteristics. From a determined user intent, various aspects provide personalized computing experiences tailored to the user and, in some examples, incorporation of the user's patterns into an efficient blend of personal and productivity workflows. In further examples, the blend of home/personal and work/productivity related content and workflows are selectively displayed to the user such that screen resources are efficiently and advantageously allocated based on a determined relevance to the user's current work and life characteristics.

Due in part to an ability to keep up with work related tasks through the evolution of technology, people's lives are more and more blended with work activities. Likewise, due in part to the prevalence of mobile computing devices, people's professional or work lives are more and more blended with personal or home activities. In some cases, work may encroach into a person's personal life more than might be wanted. Accordingly, the balance between work life and home life may be unbalanced/unhealthy for the user's personal and/or family life dynamic. While efforts have been made to increase user satisfaction through personalization of device and/or service operation, efforts have not been made to deliver a user experience that maximizes the work-life balance of a person's life.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Dynamic productivity content rendering based upon user interaction patterns


The present invention relates to estimating a battery current supplied from a battery to a switching power supply, which provides a regulated output signal to a load, based on a switching power supply current in the switching power supply, and then controlling the regulated output signal to limit the battery current to within an acceptable threshold. The switching power supply current may be provided by one or more switching elements in the switching power supply. The switching elements may be mirrored to provide a mirrored switching power supply current, which is used to estimate the battery current. The estimated battery current may include an estimated average battery current, an estimated instantaneous battery current, or both.

Battery-powered devices, such as cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), MP3 players, and the like, often include a switching power supply to translate a voltage from a battery to a load, to provide a regulated voltage to the load as the battery voltage changes, or both. As the battery is depleted, its output voltage, called the battery voltage, tends to droop. A drooping battery voltage may cause the switching power supply to increase the current provided by the battery, called the battery current, to compensate. For some battery technologies, the battery current should not exceed a maximum battery current rating, which may include a maximum instantaneous battery current rating, a maximum average battery current rating, or both. Directly measuring battery current may be problematic since direct current (DC) current measurements often require a series element, which may add undesirable losses, complexity, or both. Thus, there is a need to estimate instantaneous battery current, average battery current, or both, of a battery that is used to power a switching power supply.


Systems and methods to receive HL7 electronic medical data and to create an electronic indexing medical record based upon the received HL7 electronic medical data. The indexing medical record is provided to a document management system, wherein the document management system is configured to use the provided indexing medical record to index a medically-related document.

This relates generally to handling medical information and more particularly to computer-implemented methods and systems to handle HL7 electronic medical records.
Health Level Seven (HL7) is an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard for the cross-platform exchange of information for health care organizations. HL7 is directed to specifying the seventh level of the ISO communications model which is the application layer. Accordingly, HL7 deals with the formatting or structure of the information, not the technical details of how the information is passed from one system to another. This allows HL7 to be independent of technologies and platforms and to be implemented using a variety of software technologies.

Computer-implemented medical information indexing system and method


Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a transistor device formed in a semiconductor substrate containing dopant impurities of a first impurity type. The transistor device includes channel composed of a delta-doped layer comprising dopant impurities of the first impurity type, and configured to produce a peak dopant concentration within the channel. The channel further includes a layer of carbon-containing material overlying the delta-doped layer, and configured to prevent back diffusion of dopants from the delta-doped layer and semiconductor substrate. The channel also includes of a layer of substrate material overlying the layer of carbon-containing material, and configured to achieve steep retrograde dopant concentration profile a near a surface of the channel. In some embodiments, a counter-doped layer underlies the delta-doped layer configured to reduce leakage within the semiconductor substrate, and includes dopant impurities of a second impurity type, which is opposite the first impurity type.

A modern integrated circuit (IC) manufactured on a semiconductor substrate contains millions or even billions of transistors. Performance of the IC is dependent upon matching physical and electronic properties of the transistors. As the minimum gate length of the transistors continues to scale, variation substrate properties, transistor dimensions, or in the geometries or composition of the various components and constituents of each transistor can create an electronic mismatch between transistors within the IC. These effects can degrade device performance and reduce yield of the IC.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A method of making a photochromic polysiloxane includes the steps of forming a photochromic spironaphthooxazine monomer including an alkene terminated side and, by addition reaction, covalently bonding the alkene carbon to [SiH] moieties of a siloxane polymer. Novel spironaphthooxazine monomers and photochromic polysiloxanes are disclosed.

Photochromic polymers, that is, polymers which contain photochromic groups in a macromolecule, are materials of significant technological potential in many industrial fields. For example, such polymers can be used in the manufacture of the plastic material of eye lenses and the manufacture of windows for the automobile industry.
Spirooxazines and their use in photochromic lenses have been recently reviewed by Crano et al..sup.1 There has also been a significant amount of research reported on a number of side-chain photochromic polymers in which photochromic spiropyran or spirooxazine side groups are attached to a main chain through a flexible spacer.sup.2-6. The structure of these compounds allows incorporation of a very high content of a photochrome in a polymer which can reach 100%. That is, each structural unit of the polymer contains the photochromic group. Properties of such polymers can be substantially different from the properties of the polymers containing photochromic molecules as solute, as photochromic compounds have been usually employed in photochromic lenses. Such solutions in polymers have inherent restrictions in solubility of the photochromic compound.
Liquid crystalline polyacrylates and polysiloxanes containing different photochromic spironaphthooxazine side groups were recently reported.sup.6. A two-step reaction was described therein for the synthesis of the liquid crystalline polysiloxane polymers containing spiroindolinenaphthooxazine side groups. First, the siloxane polymer was reacted with a mixture of a mesogen, such as p-cyanophenylbenzoate, and an active ester that contains an olefinic terminal group. Then the spironaphthooxazine photochromic groups was incorporated into the active ester-mesogen copolymer by reaction of the copolymer with 5-amino-spiroindoline-naphthooxazine, resulting in photochromic liquid crystal polysiloxanes comprising also mesogenic groups.
The aforementioned synthesis was effective but includes several limitations. Most significantly, the reaction of the photochromic monomer with the active ester side groups could not go to completion because several of the ester groups were hydrolyzed to free acid groups, which influence the photochrome kinetics thereby slowing the change of color rates.
The present invention provides a variety of new photochromic amorphous polysiloxanes with spironaphthooxazine side groups and a novel single-step synthetic method used for the incorporation of the spirooxazine in the polymer macromolecules. The present invention provides a one-step synthesis which avoids the use of active ester side chain polymers thereby providing a high amount of incorporation of photochromic groups per -Si-H moiety while not having the prior art limitations presented by the active ester groups forming into free acid sites.

Photochromic spirooxazine monomers and polysiloxanes


Disclosed is a non-halogen flame retardant styrene resin composition which comprises (a) a styrene resin and (b) a phosphorous-modified epoxy resin and thus exhibits superior flame retardancy to external candle flame ignition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-halogen flame retardant styrene resin composition. More particularly, the present invention relates to a non-halogen flame retardant styrene resin composition which comprises (a) a styrene resin and (b) a phosphorous-modified epoxy resin and thus exhibits superior flame retardancy to external candle flame ignition.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (hereinafter, referred to as ABS) resin is widely used as an exterior material of electric/electrical products and office machines and the like due to stiffness and chemical resistance of acrylonitrile, and processability and mechanical properties of butadiene and styrene. However, the ABS resin is inherently readily combustible and thus does not almost have flame retardancy.
Due to these problems, the ABS resin used for electrical and electronic products, office machines and the like should satisfy flame-retardancy standards in order to secure safety to flame of electrical and electronic products.
Methods for imparting flame retardancy to ABS resins include polymerization of rubber-modified styrene resins through incorporation of flame-retardant monomers, mixing a flame retardant and an auxiliary flame retardant with the prepared rubber-modified styrene resin and the like. Examples of the flame retardant include halogen flame retardants and non-halogen flame retardants such as phosphorous, nitrogen and hydroxide flame retardants, and examples of the auxiliary flame retardant include antimony compounds, zinc compounds, polysiloxane compounds and the like. However, when halogen flame retardants are used, corrosive toxic gases such as HBr and HCl are generated due to high temperature and pressure entailed during processing of ABS resins, thus disadvantageously having negative effects on work environment and human. This problem is disadvantageously generated during combustion of ABS resins comprising a halogen flame retardant.
Accordingly, research to solve these problems is actively underway. Phosphorus flame retardants attract the most attention in terms of environment, efficiency and cost.
However, phosphorous flame retardants should be added in amounts higher than halogen flat retardants and generally exhibit flame retardancy by solid phase reaction. Accordingly, a char former should be also added in an excessive amount when it is difficult to generate char using a base rein. During this process, physical properties of the base resin may be greatly damaged and an approach for minimizing amounts of added phosphorous flame retardants and char former is thus required.
Meanwhile, there is a vertical combustion test method in accordance with UL94 associated with a flame retardant standard and a flame retardancy identification test method. This test method is a standard to evaluate flame resistance against internal combustion caused by short circuit or the like of a circuit substrate present in electronic products. Meanwhile, an external candle flame ignition standard (related standard: IEC TS 62441) which is standardized is a standard through which flame resistance of a final product is evaluated, when a candle as an exterior ignition source comes in contact with the electronic product due to changes in external environments.
The external candle flame ignition standard is utilized in a wider range of applications since subjects to which the standard is applied are all combustible materials and is more realistic since the standard presumes a case of flames of burning candles as fires which may often be generated in houses.

Non-halogen flame retardant styrene resin composition


A pharmaceutical composition comprising an ultrasonicated formulation of .alpha.-lipoic acid and an aqueous solution which may also contain other antioxidants and/or metal chelators is disclosed.. Also disclosed is a method of ultrasonically preparing pure or mixed micelles of lipid-soluble antioxidants and .alpha.-lipoic acid in aqueous solutions for intravenous delivery to mitigate microvascular dysfunction in hemorrhagic shock and other conditions of acute microvascular injury.

Hemorrhagic shock is the clinical condition of inadequate perfusion (ischemia) of the tissues as a result of blood loss. The treatment of hemorrhagic shock requires prompt restoration of tissue perfusion by infusing large volumes of lactated Ringer's solution, saline, albumin solutions, whole blood, dextran, or solutions containing stabilized hemoglobin. Despite prompt restoration of intravascular volume, the morbidity and mortality due to hemorrhagic shock remain unacceptably high.
A key reason for the frequent failure of fluid resuscitation in hemorrhagic shock is the generalized and progressive microvascular injury which is a consequence of tissue ischemia. The microvasculature consists of venules, arterioles and their intervening capillary bed. Following a period of ischemia and reperfusion (as occurs in hemorrhagic shock followed by fluid resuscitation), the capillaries and venules become excessively permeable and the arterioles constrict. The leaking of blood proteins from the excessively permeable venules into the tissue interstitium causes additional fluid loss and edema (swelling), which further compromises blood flow and leads to organ dysfunction. Arteriolar constriction results in areas of persistent tissue ischemia and local hypoxia. Because of a forced state of anaerobic metabolism resulting in lactic acid accumulation and tissue acidosis, hemorrhagic shock may be followed by multiple organ failure and death several days after prompt and seemingly successful restoration of circulating volume sufficient to reperfuse vital organs.
In addition to the arteriolar constriction and the increased permeability of venules, a third factor in microvascular dysfunction is the adhesion of circulating white blood cells (leukocytes) to venular endothelial cells. Adherent leukocytes release proteolytic enzymes, inflammatory mediators and reactive oxidants, all of which further accelerate the cascade of microvascular injury. Leukocytes, specifically polymorphonuclear neutrophils and monocytes, originate in bone marrow. From this location they enter the general circulation and adhere to post-capillary venules at sites of the inflammatory response. They initially adhere to the endothelial surface of these venules and eventually migrate across the vessel wall into the tissues. The process of leukocyte recruitment into an area of inflammatory response begins with margination of leukocytes to the slower peripheral section of the bloodstream. At this stage the leukocytes loosely adhere to the endothelium, and this weak binding results in "rolling" of the leukocytes along the vessel wall. In this sense, the leukocytes sample the local environment and are fully arrested if the appropriate signals are received, resulting in stronger adhesive interactions. Following firm adhesion, the leukocytes transmigrate across the endothelial wall. They then continue through the tissues to sites of inflammation where they play a key role in killing of bacteria. Leukocyte adhesion is an early sign of microvascular injury which occurs during the body's response to injury or infection. When the microvascular injury is localized to a small area, there are usually no adverse effects to the person. However, when generalized microvascular injury occurs throughout the body, vascular permeability may be impaired to such an extent that organ injury and death result.
At a molecular level, an important cause of microvascular injury following hemorrhagic shock is the generation of highly reactive oxidants. These toxic species are formed in ischemic tissues following the reintroduction of oxygen when perfusion has been restored by fluid resuscitation. One critical location of oxidant generation responsible for microvascular injury is the endothelial cell, a single layer of which forms the inner lining of all blood vessels. Endothelial cells actively regulate microvascular function through the production of several vasoactive substances, including nitric oxide (NO).
Nitric oxide's normal role is to regulate the degree of constriction of the microvessels, their permeability and to inhibit the adhesion of circulating leukocytes. When NO levels decrease below normal, arterioles constrict, venules become permeable, and leukocytes adhere to venular walls. Reactive oxidants, such as the superoxide radical, may trigger microvascular dysfunction by reacting with NO to form peroxynitrite, which is even more toxic than the superoxide radical. The net decrease in microvascular NO resulting from this reaction may be a key cause of the arteriolar constriction, as well as the increased venular permeability and leukocyte adhesion seen in the setting of ischemia/reperfusion.
Because oxidant species play a central role in microvascular dysfunction, investigators have experimented with antioxidants as a way of mitigating the effects of reactive oxidants. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and the iron binding molecule deferoxamine have been tried in resuscitation fluids after hemorrhagic shock with limited success. Adverse side effects or poor lipid solubility have been proposed to explain why some agents capable of destroying reactive oxidants in vitro have proven less effective in a living organism. High lipid solubility is a crucial characteristic of a clinically effective antioxidant because oxidant generation takes place within the cells, for example, within mitochondria which are intracellular organelles inside of the endothelial cells. A rapid, passive diffusion of antioxidants is possible only if the antioxidant can pass through the lipid membranes investing the endothelial cells and their mitochondria.
The ideal antioxidant for mitigating ischemia/reperfusion microvascular injury would be one which is lipid soluble and non-toxic. .alpha.-lipoic acid is a lipid soluble antioxidant which naturally occurs in the body. Even in the pharmacological doses given to patients with diabetic peripheral nerve disease, .alpha.-lipoic acid has been administered safely and without long term side effects.
Alpha-lipoic acid, in addition to its non-toxicity and lipophilicity, has the advantage of being rapidly converted in tissues into its reduced form, dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA). DHLA also has potent antioxidant effects. Further, both .alpha.-lipoic acid and DHLA can disarm oxidants through a variety of mechanisms including free radical quenching, metal chelation, and regeneration of other common natural antioxidants.
Because resuscitation fluids--saline, dextran, blood, stabilized hemoglobin solutions--are all aqueous solutions, a problem with lipid soluble antioxidants, such as .alpha.-lipoic acid is its poor water solubility. The solubility may be enhanced by adding benzyl alcohol or DMSO, but such solvents introduce additional side effects and potential toxicities. The present invention overcomes the problem of delivering a lipophilic antioxidant in an aqueous resuscitation fluid by a method of ultrasonic solubilization which forms a stable micellular solution of .alpha.-lipoic acid. The utility of the inventive method described herein will be illustrated in protocols showing the effect of ultrasonicated aqueous solutions of .alpha.-lipoic acid and other antioxidants on leukocyte adhesion, venular permeability and arteriolar constriction, following ischemia/reperfusion.
Previous methods of delivering antioxidants which are lipophilic to the tissues involve solubilizing the antioxidant in solvents such as benzyl alcohol, DMSO, or other chemicals. Not only does the presence of such solvents have the potential to introduce toxicities which may exacerbate microvascular injury, but their presence confuses the interpretation of any protocol designed to evaluate antioxidant effects.
The present invention seeks to overcome these limitations by solubilizing .alpha.-lipoic acid in aqueous solution without the use of additional solvents. .alpha.-lipoic acid and other antioxidants are rendered soluble in aqueous solutions by the use of ultrasonication. Because the .alpha.-lipoic molecule contains a polar (water soluble) carboxy-acid group and a non-polar, lipid soluble chain of carbon and sulfur atoms, the molecule is amphipathic, i.e., it has the ability to form micelles. Micelles may be formed in aqueous solution if a molecule possesses both polar and non-polar groups. After ultrasonication the polar, water soluble ends of the .alpha.-lipoic acid molecule are on the outside of aggregations of .alpha.-lipoic acid. The non-polar, lipid soluble tails are directed inward forming a tiny droplet, a micelle, which is water soluble. Ultrasonication of amphipathic molecules into micelles such as can be done with .alpha.-lipoic acid also has the possibility of creating mixed micelles. In this manner a mixture of .alpha.-lipoic acid with other antioxidants, which may not have the ability to form micelles alone for lack of any polar group, can be contained within a micelle of .alpha.-lipoic acid. In this way, mixed micelles containing .alpha.-lipoic acid and purely non-polar but highly lipid soluble antioxidants can be used to convey antioxidants to the tissues.
There are numerous other clinical conditions besides hemorrhagic shock which have as their final common pathway oxidant-inducing injury to tissues which can be treated and/or prevented with the inventive solutions. These conditions are described below.

Ultrasonicated .alpha.-lipoic acid solutions for attenuating microvascular injury


An air conditioning unit is provided which includes an outdoor section, which has a condenser coil mounted therein and an outer protective housing partially enclosing the outdoor section. The housing has a substantially rectangular opening therein in overlying relation with the condenser coil. The opening is defined by at least two spaced parallel coplanar wall sections, each of which has a predetermined width. A flexible protective grille, which is configured to substantially cover the rectangular opening, has two edges thereof which are spaced from one another by a distance substantially equal to the spacing of the wall sections. Each of the edges have integrally formed therewith two or more narrow, rigid, spaced apart extensions, which project perpendicularly therefrom. Each of the narrow extensions has a length less than the predetermined width of the wall sections. Each of the wall sections is provided with conformations, which are formed at locations corresponding to the location of each of the narrow extensions. The conformations are configured to mechanically receive and retain the narrow extensions, which are formed on a first edge of the grille without flexing of the grille. The narrow extensions on the second edge of the grille are thereafter mechanically received and retained with their respective retaining conformations upon flexing of the grille. Following assembly of the extensions on the second edge of the grille, the grille returns to its undeformed condition and is then thereby positively mounted in the opening.

The present invention is directed to air conditioners and, more particularly, to a protective grille for the condenser coil of an air conditioner.
Air conditioning units such as so-called "window room air conditioners" are commonly used for residential and similar applications and generally include closed refrigeration circuits having an evaporator and a condenser. The unit is normally divided by a partition into an evaporator section and a condenser section. The evaporator section communicates with the room air to be conditioned and the condenser section communicates with external air such as outdoor air. Refrigerant flows through a refrigerant circuit absorbing heat from the room air at the evaporator and discharging heat energy to the external air at the condenser. The conventional refrigeration circuit is completed by the addition of a compressor, an expansion device, and the appropriate connections between the components.
Such an air conditioning unit usually includes a basepan supporting all of the components and an outer housing surrounding the entire unit. The front of the evaporator, or indoor section, includes an indoor grille, which has openings therein for directing warm indoor air into the evaporator and discharge openings therein for directing air back into the room. The outdoor section of the housing includes a plurality of openings in the sides and top thereof, which serve as inlet openings for cooling air which flows into the outdoor section and outwardly therefrom after passing through the condenser coil, which is mounted vertically in the back of the outdoor section.
Because the condenser coil includes a multitude of fragile heat exchange fins thereon, protective louvers or a grille of some sort is commonly provided to overlie the back of the condenser coil to protect the fins from damage. It is common practice in larger air conditioning units for the back of the housing of the unit to be substantially open and for the protective grille to be formed from a plurality of perpendicularly extending wire segments, which are welded to wall sections forming the perimeter of the open back of the housing. Such grilles must be welded to the housing prior to applying the finish paint coat to the housing.
It is considered desirable to be able to fabricate the housing of an air conditioning unit from a pre-painted sheet metal material. It is further considered desirable to be able to install a protective grille to a housing formed from a pre-painted metal material without the necessity of welding the grille to the housing. Such welding would require removal of paint from the housing in the area in which the grille would be welded thereto and further would require touch-up painting as the heat of the welding would damage the preapplied paint.

Snap-in grille for an air conditioner housing


A DC-AC converter includes a signal generating module, a first switch, a first capacitor, a transformer, and a trigger signal generating module. The signal generating module generates a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal according to a trigger signal. The first switch has a control terminal receiving the PWM signal, and a first terminal and a second terminal coupled to a first terminal and a second terminal of the first capacitor respectively. The transformer has a primary winding coupled to the second terminal of the first switch, and a secondary winding coupled to a load. The transformer generates a driving signal to the load according to a signal variation of the primary winding. The trigger signal generating module compares a first signal outputted from the second terminal of the first switch with a phase delay signal thereof and thereby generates the trigger signal for controlling the frequency of the PWM signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a DC-AC converter, and more particularly, to a converter dynamically adjusting the frequency of a pulse width modulation signal for increasing switching efficiency.
2. Description of Related Art
With great advance in the techniques of electro-optical and semiconductor devices, flat panel displays, such as liquid crystal displays (LCD), have enjoyed burgeoning development and flourished in recent year. Due to the numerous advantages of the LCD, such as low power consumption, free of radiation, and high space utilization, the LCD has become the main stream in the market. An LCD includes a liquid crystal display panel and a backlight module. The liquid crystal display panel has no capacity of emitting light by itself so that the backlight module is arranged below the liquid crystal display panel to provide the surface light source for the liquid crystal display panel so as to perform the display function.
Generally, a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) is often used in the backlight module for providing a backlight. An inverter circuit (or called a DC-AC converter) is needed to generate a driving signal with alternating current (AC) to drive the CCFL. FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a conventional DC-AC converter. Referring to FIG. 1, the DC-AC converter 100 includes a switch SW1, a capacitor CA1, a pulse width modulator 110, a transformer 120 and a voltage detector 140. The conducting states (i.e. turn on state or turn off state) of the switch SW1 is controlled by a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal P1. With the change of the conducting states, the capacitor CA1 is charged or discharged via a current path provided by a primary winding of the transformer 120. A secondary winding of the transformer 120 induces a current variation of the primary winding and generates an AC voltage to drive the CCFL 130. Since the luminance of the CCFL 130 is determined according to the amount of current flowing through the CCFL 130, the voltage detector 140 detects a current flowing through the CCFL 130 and converts that current signal into a voltage signal as a feedback signal fb.
When the DC-AC converter 100 operates with a fixed power supply voltage VCC, the pulse width modulator 110 can adjust the frequency of the PWM signal P1 for achieving optimal switching efficiency. Nevertheless, a variation of the power supply voltage VCC, e.g. the power supply voltage VCC becomes higher or lower, may influence the switching efficiency of the switch SW1 if the frequency of the PWM signal P1 is kept invariable. That is to say, the switching efficiency of the switch SW1 gets worse and thereby the power consumption of the DC-AC converter 100 increases. Nowadays, in the design of the backlight module, the factories and stores attempt to solve the said problem for increase the switching efficiency of the DC-AC converter effectively.


The present invention relates to microbial compositions useful in treating and remediating wastewater, removing organic matter from the surfaces of post harvested fruits and vegetables, and decreasing post-harvest disease in fruit and vegetables.

Various sewage treatment methods and plants are known. Most large municipal systems employ a series of settling ponds sequentially concentrating the solids contained in wastewater either with or without polymers for separation from liquids via mechanical separation means, such as belt presses. In order to produce a clean effluent that can be safely discharged to watercourses, wastewater treatment operations use three or four distinct stages of treatment to remove harmful contaminants.
Preliminary wastewater treatment usually involves gravity sedimentation of screened wastewater to remove settled solids. Half of the solids suspended in wastewater are removed through primary treatment. The residual material from this process is a concentrated suspension called primary sludge, which will undergo further treatment to become biosolids.
Secondary wastewater treatment is accomplished through a biological process, which removes biodegradable material. This treatment process uses microorganisms to consume dissolved and suspended organic matter, producing carbon dioxide and other by-products. The organic matter also provides nutrients needed to sustain the communities of microorganisms. As microorganisms feed, their density increases and they settle to the bottom of processing tanks, separated from the clarified water as a concentrated suspension called secondary sludge, biological sludge, waste activated sludge, or trickling filter humus.
Tertiary or advanced treatment is used when extremely high-quality effluent is required, such as direct discharge to a drinking water source. The solid residual collected through tertiary treatment consists mainly of chemicals added to clean the final effluent, which are reclaimed before discharge, and therefore not incorporated into biosolids.
What is needed are compositions and methods that can perform bioremediation, to remediate materials such as water that have an excess of unwanted biological material or other contaminating or polluting compounds.

Microbial-based waste water treatment compositions and methods of use thereof


An object of the present invention is to provide a filter device of the type that the filter element is exchangeable, said device can be easily and accurately connected and disconnected to the fixed head which leads to a plumbing system, by simple operations.

Filter devices used for purifying or separating fluids such as liquids or gases may be classified into a disposable type in which the filter element encased therein is not exchangeable and an exchangeable type in which the filter element encased therein is exchangeable. The disposable type filter device is uneconomical and resource-wasting because a large volume of synthetic resin is used for forming a housing for encasing the filter element and a lid (fixed head) provided with fluid inlet and outlet.
On the other hand, the exchangeable type filter comprises, as described in JP10-110657 A, JP 8-200572 A and JP 5-361212 A, a fixed head having a manifold provided with an inlet and an outlet, and a housing containing therein a filter element. The housing is detachably connected at one end with the fixed head so that the filter element can be exchanged. Such exchangeable type filter device may be classified into the following types.
(1) At a mating portion between the fixed head and the housing, a male thread is formed on an outer rim of the fixed head, an outer rim of the housing is supported by an idle ring having a female thread on its inner periphery, and the female thread of the idle ring is threaded onto the male thread of the fixed head to connect the housing to the fixed head.
However, it is troublesome to carry out the screwing operation while holding the weight of the housing against the gravity, especially when the housing has a large weight, and all the more troublesome when the housing is made of stainless steel.
(2) At the mating portion between the fixed head and the housing, rims projecting outward are respectively formed on the fixed housing and the housing and these rims are tightened together with a clamp band or ring band.
(3) At the mating portion between the fixed head and the housing, rims projecting outward are respectively formed on the fixed housing and the housing, a plurality of through-holes are formed in the rims at given intervals and these rims are tightened together with bolts and nuts utilizing the through holes.
In the cases (2) and (3), too, operations of supporting the weight and tightening the clamp or bolts is laborious if the size of the housing is large, especially when a stainless steel housing is required.
Patent Literature 1: JP 10-110657 A
Patent Literature 2: JP 8-200572 A
Patent Literature 3: JP 5-361212 A
With the case (1) above, it is difficult to turn the threaded ring many times about the threaded fixed head while holding with a hand the housing containing a filter element against the gravity, especially when the housing has a large weight.
In the case (2) above, in order to assemble or exchange the filter device, the housing containing a filter element is first held by a hand or hands against the fixed head to engage the rims to each other, the clamping band is fit over the rims, and then the band is tightened by pulling it with a clamping fixture (bolt and nut, for example) mounted on both ends of the clamping band. This operation is difficult for one operator because it is required to align the housing as well as the clamping band to a predetermined position of the fixed head, a large force is necessary especially when the weight of the housing and the filter element is heavy, the housing falls down during the tightening operation if the alignment is not properly done, and tightening and removal of the clamping band are laborious and time-consuming operations.
In the case (3), too, it is necessary to hold the housing against the fixed head by a hand or hands to put the peripheral rims together, in such manner that the through-holes are registered, and the rims are tightened together with bolts and nuts using the trough-holes.
On the other hand, disengagement of the housing requires similar complicated and time-consuming jobs.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a filter device of the type that the housing is reusable and the filter element is exchangeable, which is free of the above-described drawbacks and the connection and disconnection of the housing for replacement of the filter element can be easily performed by simple operations.

Abstract: A filter device comprising a fixed head (1) having a feed liquid inlet and/or an outlet for filtrate, a stationary base member (2, 3), a first link (7) having one end pivotally mounted on the stationary base member at a first axis (5), a second link (11) supported by the first link, a housing support member (12) supported by the second link, and a housing (15) supported by the housing support member, said housing having a space with an open top end for housing a filter element, a manipulation handle (17) fixed to the housing (15) or the housing support member (12), and a connector means (19) for connecting the top end portion of the housing to the fixed head, said housing (15) is movably supported by the housing support member (12) having a means for allowing the housing (15) to move relative to the housing support member by a distance necessary for connecting the connector means (19) to the fixed head (1).


According to the present invention, it is possible to isolate elements from each other without formation of STI and integrate the elements at a high density. A step is formed on a surface of a silicon substrate so as to provide different surfaces. Transistors are formed on the respective different surfaces. The transistors are insulated from each other by a silicon layer and an insulating sidewall. Since no STI is formed between the transistors, it is possible to integrate the transistors at a high density.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having a plurality of transistors required to be isolated from each other on a silicon substrate and a method of manufacturing such a semiconductor device.
Nowadays, this type of semiconductor devices used for DRAMs tends to employ shallow trench isolation (STI) technology in order to isolate a plurality of transistors from each other, instead of local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) technology. For example, Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 9-129721 (Patent Document 1) discloses a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device with STI technology.
Specifically, Patent Document 1 discloses a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device which can improve a difference in threshold voltage between the centers of active regions isolated by STI and corner portions of the active regions adjacent to the STI. However, Patent Document 1 fails to teach or suggest that a range in which a circuit area can be reduced has a limitation in a case where elements are insulated from each other by formation of trenches. Thus, with use of STI technology according to Patent Document 1, a degree of integration of elements is disadvantageously limited by the width and depth of trenches.
The aforementioned disadvantage will be described in greater detail with reference to a general manufacturing method of a semiconductor device which uses STI technology as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5.
First, an insulator film 11 is formed on a silicon substrate (e.g., a p-type silicon substrate) 10. An active region is covered with a photoresist (not shown). The insulator film 11 is dry-etched at a non-active region while the photoresist is used as a mask. Next, while the etched insulator film 11 is used as a mask, the silicon substrate 10 is dry-etched at the non-active region so as to form a trench 12 in the silicon substrate 10 (see FIG. 1).
Subsequently, in order to isolate elements, such as transistors, from each other, an insulator film 13 is deposited on the silicon substrate 10 and within the trench 12. Then chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is performed on the insulator film 13. At that time, the insulator film 11 serves as a stopper for CMP. Next, the insulator films 13 and 11 are wet-etched in order to match the height of the insulator film 13 with a surface of the silicon substrate 10. As shown in FIG. 2, STI is formed so that the insulator film 13 remains within the trench 12. Thus, element formation regions isolated by the STI, i.e., active regions 141 and 142, are formed in the silicon substrate 10. Well isolation regions for electrical isolation from adjacent elements may be formed below the active regions 141 and 142 by implantation.
After the formation of the STI, a gate oxide film 15 is formed on the active regions 141 and 142 of the silicon substrate 10 by thermal oxidation or the like. Subsequently, a gate electrode 16 having a plurality of layers (three layers in FIG. 3) is formed on the gate oxide film 15. Furthermore, an insulator film 17 is deposited on the gate electrode 16. After that, while a photoresist is used as a mask, the gate electrode 16 and the insulator film 17 are dry-etched. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, gates 18 and 19 including the gate oxide film 15 and the insulator film 17 are formed on the active regions 141 and 142 of the silicon substrate 10.
Next, an insulator film for formation of gate sidewalls is deposited and then dry-etched so as to form gate sidewalls 20. Furthermore, an insulator film for formation of a gate interlayer dielectric film is deposited on the silicon substrate 10. Then CMP is performed so as to form a gate interlayer dielectric film 21 (see FIG. 4).
Finally, while a photoresist is used as a mask, the insulator film 21 is dry-etched so as to form source/drain contacts for the transistors including the gates 18 and 19, respectively, at the active regions of the silicon substrate 10. Specifically, source/drain contacts 22 and 23 are formed for the gate 18 whereas source/drain contacts 24 and 25 are formed for the gate 19 (see FIG. 5).
FIG. 6 shows a two-dimensional arrangement of the semiconductor device shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 6. In FIG. 6, active regions 141 and 142 are arranged in a transverse direction (row direction) and a longitudinal direction (column direction). The active regions 141 and 142 arranged in the row direction and the column direction are insulated from each other by the insulator film 13 provided in the trench, i.e., the STI. The gates 18 and 19 are provided on the active regions 141 and 142, respectively. The common gate 18 is provided on the active regions 141 arranged in the column direction, and the common gate 18 is provided on the active regions 142 arranged in the column direction.
As shown in FIG. 6, portions around the active regions 141 and 142 are surrounded by the STI. Accordingly, in order to reduce a circuit area, it is necessary to reduce the size of the STI between the active regions, i.e., the size of the trench.
However, reduction of the size of the trench has limitations caused by formation of the trench, embedment of the insulator film 13 for isolation, and the like. Furthermore, reduction of the width and depth of the trench causes deterioration of insulating properties between elements.

Semiconductor device that includes transistors formed on different silicon surfaces


A visor is mounted to a vehicle such that it pivots from a pocket in a vehicle headliner adjacent the windshield downwardly away from the windshield from the stored position to a use position. A mounting bracket coupled to the visor and mounting clip coupled to the vehicle cooperate to hold the visor in a stored position and allow its pivoting to a lowered use position and movement in connection with a pivot rod assembly on the opposite end of the visor to a side window position. The pivot rod assembly includes a cam mechanism for lowering the visor as it pivots from the front window position to the side window position. A push-push spring-loaded pivoted extender panel can be deployed from an edge of the visor to increase sun blocking.

The present invention relates to vehicle visors and particularly to a unique mounting structure for attaching the visor to a vehicle.
Typically visors are mounted to a vehicle with a pivot hinge arrangement coupled to the vehicle roof near or at the A-pillar of the vehicle. When used, such visors are pivoted downwardly in a direction toward the windshield passing momentarily through the forward line of sight of the occupant as it is moved to a sun-blocking position. Also, conventional visor mounts frequently employ an auxiliary releasing clip at an end opposite the pivot connection to allow the visor to be released from the front windshield position and pivoted to a side window position. When so manipulating a visor, it sometimes becomes necessary for the occupant to duck his/her head to allow the visor to pass through the head area of the vehicle interior.
With conventional mounting systems for vehicle visors, at least two safety issues are presented. First, the operator is momentarily distracted while manipulating the visor for use either in the front windshield position, since it passes through the line of sight, and again when it is pivoted to a side window position. Secondly, when pivoted downwardly, the visor may in some adjusted positions present an edge which projects toward the user's head and, in the event of an accident with or without air bag deployment, could cause serious injury despite the requirements that the edges of the visor have required curved edges.
Newer vehicle designs have become more aerodynamic, partly to conserve fuel, and, in such designs, conventional visor mounting systems place the visors further rearwardly even closer to the occupant's head, which makes it more difficult to manipulate the visor without distracting, particularly, the vehicle operator.
There exists a need, therefore, for a visor system which can be mounted to a vehicle in a manner which provides excellent sun-blocking properties, is easy to maneuver, eliminates some of the safety issues, and still provides features to which consumers have become accustomed, such as illuminated vanity mirrors, extendable sun-blocking or filtering panels, and the like.


A method and apparatus for performing general integrity checks using rules in an application running on a data processing system. A point is identified at which a unit of work is to complete. The unit of work includes a plurality of participants. Responsive to determining that the unit of work is to complete, rules associated with each participant in the unit of work are obtained. Responsive to obtaining the rules, the rules obtained for each of the participants are run. Responsive to running the rules, the general integrity of the application state with respect to the unit of work is determined. Responsive to determining the general integrity of the application state, the unit of work is completed by committing it or aborting it.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular to an improved method and apparatus for managing a business application system that relies on a large number of business rules. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for checking application state integrity through externalized rules in a business system.
2. Description of Related Art
Businesses use a wide variety of computer hardware and software products, for many different purposes. The hardware of a typical business information system includes a multitude of interconnected computers, printers, scanners, communications equipment, and other peripheral devices, allowing the business to automate much of the processing of its business information. The computers may be of different types, such as mainframes, minicomputers, or network servers supporting client workstations (personal computers, or PCs), or some combination of the foregoing. Business software includes (without limitation) accounting, word processing, database management, communications, publishing, and multimedia presentation software, as well as payroll, financial planning, project management, decision and support, personnel records, and office management software and further including specific business applications such as insurance claims and losses, credit approval, order entry and inventory, etc. All of these programs can run on a variety of platforms, including different operating systems. Businesses often have an Information Services or Information Technology (IT) department which is responsible for the overall management, support and planning of the company's information system needs.
One of the claims for object-oriented programming is that it makes it easier for software to model real-life business situation. The new vision of computing is of distributed Business Objects existing as independently developed executables or binaries, which can be redeployed as self-contained units anywhere in a network, and on any platform. While this represents a step forward, businesses are finding that encapsulating business logic into Business Objects provides insufficient additional flexibility over that provided by procedural-based applications.
Although the term Business Object has been in widespread use, no formal definition existed until the Object Management Group's (OMG) Business Object Management Special Group (BOMSIG) took the task of developing a consensus meaning for the term. Business Objects are representations of the nature and behavior of real world things or concepts in terms that are meaningful to the business. Customers, products, orders, employees, trades, financial instruments, shipping containers and vehicles are all examples of real-world concepts or things that could be represented by Business Objects. Business Objects add value over other representations by providing a way of managing complexity, giving a higher level perspective, and packaging the essential characteristics of business concepts more completely. We can think of Business Objects as actors, role-players, or surrogates for the real world things or concepts that they represent.
Implementing rules within Business Objects enables businesses to quickly change their automated policies and practices as business conditions change. For example, during the execution of an application, business rules can be used to decide whether to extend credit to a customer and if so under what terms. By implementing these determinations as externalized rules, they can be changed as needed without reworking the application that uses them.
Historically, developers creating business applications have embedded the rules of these applications directly in the applications themselves. Developers have built these systems without explicit regard for the changing nature of business rules. As a result, when business policies and practices change—and they're constantly changing—it's difficult, costly, and time consuming to reflect those changes in the applications that implement them.
More recently, developers have implemented business rules in database triggers. In response to database changes, database triggers are automatically invoked by a database server. The code in the triggers can execute some procedural logic as well as manipulate the database. Database triggers and stored procedures offer the advantage of modularity. They isolate business rules and technical data-manipulation rules from application logic. Triggers automate business rules processing and provide application independence (any application changing the database causes the triggers to be fired). However, triggers also have some serious disadvantages. They are hard to develop. They are intended to implement technical data-manipulation rules as well as business rules, and they are hard to maintain and extend particularly when they are used to implement business policies and practices.
Database triggers are frequently expressed in the dialect of the databases in which they're to be implemented. These languages are frequently proprietary and complex. Development is a text-editing task. There are few, if any, visual tools to assist developers in specifying trigger code.
Database triggers function on the elements and values of a database. Their specification is far more technically oriented then business oriented. Some triggers implement business rules, but many implement and enforce data integrity and data consistency. Applications builders who are using a trigger built by another developer might have difficulty deducing the business rules implemented by the trigger by looking at trigger code. Business analysts, the individuals who should be responsible for business rules specification, frequently find the triggers hard to learn and understand.
Database triggers are also hard to maintain. Developers may find it difficult to change triggers in response to business changes. Trigger development rarely fits into the overall flow of large-scale object-oriented application development. As a result, triggers tend to be hard to understand and relate to the application's business logic.
More recently, object-oriented business rules technologies have evolved which allow rules to route work through the tasks of a business process, where reasoning can be applied to complex decision-making, and where knowledge systems can perform operator assistance.
Object-oriented business rules technologies base rule processing on an application's object model or component model. Some products based on these technologies use inferencing techniques on an application's object model to create, delete, and manipulate variables and objects and to determine their values. Other products utilize a technique which always fires a rule before or after an object method. Both of these techniques are very programmer intensive, as they are built right into the objects themselves.
Business rules are different from Business Objects. Business Objects represent business entities like customers, products, and orders. They encapsulate the data and behavior needed to perform business functions. Business rules implement the policies and practices of an organization. They control the ways that Business Objects perform business functions. However, problems still exist for developers in specifying, identifying, and managing rules for an application.
As businesses have moved to object-oriented applications as a means of making them more flexible and adaptable to changes in their business, these businesses are finding that encapsulating business logic in business objects provides insufficient additional flexibility over that provided by the procedural-based applications they have written for years. One result is that businesses are now looking toward externalizing business decisions into business rules, which are described and manipulated by business experts instead of by programmers. Furthermore, a large number of general integrity rules are present, which gives the application the flexibility it needs to function in a "generic" manner. Typically, these rules always have to be true except possibly during some specific rule free period such as during the middle of a business operation. Constantly checking these type of general integrity rules all of the time is impractical.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method and apparatus for general integrity rule checking to be performed just before the completion of a business function.

Apparatus and method for performing general integrity checks using integrity rule checking points in an enterprise application

International Business Machines Corporation