Disclosed are a method and system for eliminating yellow ring phenomenon occurring on the white light emitting diode (LED) based on a blue light chip exciting yellow phosphor powders and having a packaging surface enclosing thereon. Lightspot images are repeatedly acquired outside the white LED, and then each analyzed to see if the yellow ring still exists on a lightspot. If yes, a further atomization process is performed on the packaging surface of white LED, until the acquired and analyzed image shows no yellow ring exists. A lightspot-by-lightspot basis is used in the yellow ring elimination task. In the image analysis, a look up table may be provided in advanced or established at the same time simultaneously with the yellow ring elimination task. The atomization performed on the lightspot may also consider a width issue.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an elimination technique of yellow ring occurring on a white light emitting diode (LED). Particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for eliminating yellow ring occurring on the white LED having a blue light chip exciting yellow phosphor powders and having a packaging surface enclosing thereon.
2. Related Art
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) have been widely used in many applications, such as general lightening, traffic light and displays, due to its low cost, high illumination and energy saving characteristics. Many attentions are drawn that, after white LEDs are developed successfully, human life have been largely promoted and facilitated.
Traditionally, a LED is presented by employing the policy of a mixture of light emitting from a red, green and blue light chip, a blue light chip exciting red and green phosphor powders, and a blue chip exciting yellow phosphor powders, respectively. Among them, the structure of using a blue light chip and yellow phosphor is the most attractive one owing to its simple and cost saving.
However, a yellow ring phenomenon of the lightspots has been generally observed around the kind of white LED having a blue light chip exciting yellow phosphor powders. It is presented because the yellow phosphor powders are not properly dispensed on a uniform arrangement within the packaging surface. In this regard, solutions for such elimination of such yellow ring phenomenon have been proposed hotly.
One solution disclosed a LED packaging structure, in which a phosphor layer is provided for a white light with the phosphor powders contained therein arranged in a particular pattern for reduction of the yellow ring phenomenon. Another solution taught a LED optical lens, where a lens body is provided to have a particular design so that uniformity of the LED illumination arrangement and angle is improved. And another solution suggested a LED packaging structure capable of wide angle and uniform outputting light, in such a manner that the light attenuation issue and secondary packaging issue may be improved and eliminated, respectively.
Also, another prior technology taught a LED based lamp, in which a lens and microlenses each being in a polygonal shape are provided so that the emitted light may be directed to the microlenses through the lens to achieve good light scattering effect. Another solution suggested a LED assembly, where a filter layer is provided to let the LED light with a particular wavelength at least partially reflected, to reduce the yellow ring phenomenon. Another prior art disclosed a LED having at least a porous ceramic element for light scattering. And still other solution proposed a LED with a phosphor coating, in which a dye compound is contained to improve the uniformity of the light distribution pattern viewed externally to the device.
All the prior arts discussed in the above are each presented with a secondary optical element, which has been observed with some shortcomings. For example, the cost for the whole LED structure for elimination of the yellow ring phenomenon may be not low enough, the applicability to all kinds of white LED products is impossible, and the secondary optical elements may have the chance of failure in the real use.
In view of the above discussed issues encountered in the prior art, the inventor of this application suggests a method and system for eliminating yellow ring occurring on the white LED having a blue light chip exciting yellow phosphor powders and having a packaging surface enclosing thereon on a lightspot by lightspot basis, which is performed at a place other than within the packaging surface.

Method and system for eliminating yellow ring occurring on white light emitting diode


A multiple purpose medical forceps allows for simultaneous grasping of tissue while lasing, irrigating, suctioning and cauterizing. The forceps includes a laser fiber and irrigation and suction catheters contained within a tubular housing and exiting adjacent a pair of jaws. The forceps is insertable through a cannula into a patient's abdomen for use during a laparascopy, or into any other bodily cavity where scopic surgery may be performed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to medical instruments, and more particularly to a medical instrument for use during any scopic surgery.
2. Descriptions of the Prior Art
In a scopic procedure, a medical instrument is inserted through a slender, cylindrical cannula, or sleeve, and into the patient's body cavity. Many different scopic surgeries, such as laparoscopy, thorascopy, cranioscopy, pelvoscopy, and arthroscopy, require the use of such instruments. Should multiple instruments be needed for a particular scopic procedure, it is necessary to have multiple portal entries into the patient's bodily cavity with each fitted with a cannula for insertion of a medical instrument therethrough. During a scopic procedure, it is not uncommon to perform many separate tasks, such as grasping of tissue, dissecting, lasing, irrigating, suctioning, and cauterizing or coagulating. It will be appreciated that each of these separate procedures has in the past required a specialized instrument.
It is desirable to have a multiple purpose instrument capable of performing a plurality of procedures during any scopic surgery. Specifically, it is desirable to combine lasing, irrigating, suctioning and cauterizing features with a medical forceps to allow for simultaneous grasping of tissue or dissecting while selectively lasing, irrigating, suctioning and cauterizing. This would require only one portal entry into the patient's bodily cavity, yet would permit a surgeon to perform numerous procedures quickly and efficiently.


A plug-holder strip for an accumulator battery includes a plurality of plugs to be fitted in complementary holes in a cover of a battery, and a support structure which interconnects the plugs, the plugs being connected to the support structure by a yielding connection which allow the plugs to move relative to the support structure to enable the plugs to be aligned with the holes in the cover, and wherein each plug is fitted in a through-hole in the support structure, and the connection includes an annular sealing member which surrounds the hole and forms a seal between the plug and the support, and a retainer which are associated with the support structure and compress the plug onto the sealing member to ensure leaktightness while maintaining the ability of the plug to move relative to the support.

The present invention relates to a plug-holder strip for an accumulator battery and to a battery including the strip.
In particular, the invention relates to a plug-holder strip of the type comprising:
a plurality of plugs to be fitted in complementary holes in the cover of the battery, and
a support structure which interconnects the plugs, the plugs being connected to the support structure by yielding connection means which allow the plugs to move relative to the support structure to enable the plugs to be aligned with the holes in the cover.
A strip structure having the above-mentioned characteristics is described in EP-A-1 017 119 in the name of the Applicant. In this structure, the plugs are connected to a support plate by regions with corrugated or grooved profiles, which have an annular shape in plan and surround each plug, and which constitute integral parts of the plate-like interconnection and support element. These annular regions, which can undergo resilient or plastic deformation, afford the plugs the mobility necessary for the axis of each plug perpendicular to the plane of the plate to be aligned or made to coincide with the axis of the complementary hole in the cover so as to achieve a good seal between the plugs and the cover.
Although the structure described therein can effectively solve the problems relating to the sealing and the alignment of the plugs with the battery cover, its production involves difficulties relating particularly to the moulding of the plug-holder strip in a single piece.
The aim of the present invention is to provide an improved solution which solves the problems mentioned above with regard to alignment and sealing, and which is easy to manufacture from the production and technological points of view.
In view of this aim, a subject of the invention is a plug-holder strip for an accumulator battery of the above-mentioned type, characterized in that each plug is fitted in a through-hole in the support structure, and in which the means for connecting each plug to the support structure comprise an annular sealing member which surrounds the hole and forms a seal between the plug and the support, and retaining means which are associated with the support structure and press the plug onto the sealing member to ensure leaktightness whilst maintaining the ability of the plug to move relative to the support structure.
A further subject of the invention is an accumulator battery, particularly a starter battery, comprising a plurality of cells in series and comprising the above-mentioned plug-holder strip.

Plug-holder strip for batteries and a battery including the strip

Societa"" Industriale Accumulatori S.p.A.


The invention is directed to compounds according to formula (I):

Each year, nearly 30 million general anesthetics are administered in the U.S. alone. At the concentrations required to produce anesthesia, all general anesthetics produce potentially serious and sometimes deadly side effects. Of particular concern is depression of cardiovascular and respiratory function, which can be life threatening, particularly in elderly, sick, and traumatized patients. These deleterious side effects are caused by nearly all general anesthetics and explain why anesthetics have among the lowest therapeutic indices (LD50/ED50) of any class of therapeutic drugs. Therefore, there is great value in developing safer anesthetic agents with fewer side effects.
Etomidate (ethyl 3-(1-phenylethyl)imidazole-4-carboxylate) is a rapidly acting imidazole-based I.V. sedative-hypnotic that can be used to induce and maintain general anesthesia or conscious sedation. It exists as two enantiomers; however, the (R)-enantiomer is ˜10-fold more potent an anesthetic than the (S)-enantiomer. The (R)-enantiomer is the one that is used clinically (see Structure 1, below). (R)-etomidate induces loss of righting reflexes in tadpoles (Husain, S. S., et al., J Med Chem, 46:1257-1265 (2003)) and loss of responsiveness in humans (Arden, J. R., et al., Anesthesiology, 65:19-27 (1986)) at a free-aqueous concentration of ˜2 μM.

At the molecular level, there is compelling evidence that etomidate produces anesthesia by enhancing the function of GABAA receptors containing β2 or β3 subunits. Etomidate enhances GABA receptor-mediated currents evoked by low concentrations of agonist, but minimally enhances currents evoked by high concentrations of agonist. This shifts the agonist concentration-response curve leftward (reduces the agonist EC50). Etomidate also directly activates GABAA receptors in the absence of agonist.
Compared to other general anesthetics, etomidate has an unusually high therapeutic index; (R)-etomidate's therapeutic index in animals is 26.4 compared to 4.6 and 3.1 for thiopental and propofol, respectively (Janssen, P. A., Arzneimittelforschung, 21:1234-1243 (1971), Glen, J. B., Br J Anaesth, 52:731-742 (1980), and Zhou, Anesth Analg, 102:129-134 (2006)). The relatively large safety margin afforded by etomidate presumably reflects its lesser effect on cardiovascular and respiratory function. The hemodynamic stability afforded by etomidate is due, at least in part, to its lack of depressant effect on sympathetic outflow and autonomic reflexes (Ebert, T. J., et al., Anesthesiology 76:725-733 (1992)). Conversely, propofol and thiopental reduce sympathetic outflow, blunt autonomic reflexes and directly impair myocardial contractility (Mazerolles, M., Fundam Clin Pharmacol, 10:298-303 (1996)). These actions produce cardiovascular depression even in healthy patients. Because of (R)-etomidate's lesser effects on cardiovascular and respiratory function, it has emerged as an anesthetic agent of choice by anesthesiologists, intensivists, and emergency room physicians for use in sick, elderly, or traumatized patients. However, this enthusiasm is tempered and its clinical use limited by its remarkably potent and prolonged inhibition of adrenocortical steroid synthesis.
Inhibition of steroid synthesis is a potentially deadly side effect of prolonged (R)-etomidate administration, particularly in those patients who would otherwise benefit most from its favorable cardiovascular and respiratory properties: the critically ill. This inhibition is extremely potent, occurring at (R)-etomidate concentrations far below those used to produce sedation or anesthesia. At the doses necessary to produce general anesthesia, (R)-etomidate causes adrenal insufficiency that can persist for more than 4 days after discontinuing a prolonged infusion (Wagner, R. L., and White, P. F., Anesthesiology, 61:647-651 (1984)), resulting in significantly increased mortality in critically ill patients (Watt, I., and Ledingham, I. M., Anaesthesia, 39:973-981 (1984) and Ledingham, I. M., and Watt, I., Lancet, 1:1270 (1983)). Apparently, mortality can be reduced by empirically administering exogenous steroids; however, this approach is suboptimal as the dosing, timing, and duration of steroid therapy in any given patient would be speculative. Furthermore, the administration of exogenous steroids itself can produce serious complications including impaired glucose homeostasis and wound healing, immunosuppression, and fluid retention. Because of (R)-etomidate's profound effect on adrenocortical function, a specific warning against its administration by prolonged infusion has been added to its package insert and the use of (R)-etomidate for prolonged sedation or anesthesia has been abandoned.
The clinical significance of adrenocortical suppression following a single I.V. bolus is controversial. See Morris, C., and McAllister, C., Anaesthesia, 60:737-740 (2005); Jackson, W. L., Jr., Chest, 127:1031-1038 (2005); Murray, H., and Marik, P. E., Chest, 127:707-709 (2005); Zed, P. J., et al., Chem., 8:347-350 (2006); and Bloomfield, R., and Noble, D. W., Crit Care, 10:161 (2006). It has historically been assumed that adrenal suppression following a single bolus is brief (<8 hrs) and clinically unimportant. However, this assumption is mainly based on small studies of patients undergoing elective surgery who were not critically ill. See Wagner, R. L., and White, P. F., Anesthesiology, 61:647-651 (1984); Wagner, R. L., et al., N Engl J Med, 310:1415-1421 (1984); Fragen, R. J., et al., Anesthesiology 61:652-656 (1984); and Duthie, D. J., et al., Br J Anaesth, 57:156-159 (1985). A number of recent studies and reports of critically ill patients indicate that adrenal suppression following even a single bolus induction dose of (R)-etomidate can last for 24 hours or longer and some suggest that it increases the risk of death, particularly in the setting of sepsis. See Absalom A., et al., Anaesthesia, 54:861-867 (1999); Malerba, G., et al., Intensive Care Med, 31:388-392 (2005); den Brinker, M., et al., Intensive Care Med (2007); den Brinker, M., et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 90:5110-5117 (2005); Lundy, J. B., et al., J Intensive Care Med, 22:111-117 (2007); Lipiner-Friedman, D., et al., Crit Care Med, 35:1012-1018 (2007); Vinclair, M., et al., Intensive Care Med., (2007); and Cotton, B. A., et al., Arch Surg, 143:62-67 (2008).
(R)-etomidate inhibits adrenocortical steroid synthesis primarily by inhibiting 11β-hydroxylase, a critical enzyme in the synthetic pathway leading to cortisol, corticosterone, and aldosterone production (see de Jong, F. H., et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 59:1143-1147 (1984)). (R)-etomidate's half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) has been reported to be 0.5-30 nM (see Lamberts, S. W., et al., J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 240:259-264 (1987)), a concentration range that is orders of magnitude lower than its anesthetizing concentration. When (R)-etomidate's extremely high 11β-hydroxylase inhibitory potency is considered along with its lengthy (several hours) elimination half-life (see Van Hamme, M. J., et al., Anesthesiology, 49:274-277 (1978)), we suggest that a logical explanation emerges for the long duration of adrenocortical suppression following (R)-etomidate administration: After administering an anesthetic dose, many elimination half-lives must pass before (R)-etomidate's serum concentration is sufficiently reduced by metabolism so that 11β-hydroxylase activity is no longer inhibited. This led to the prediction that the duration of adrenocortical suppression might be reduced by designing analogues of (R)-etomidate that are rapidly metabolized. Such rapidly metabolized analogues might also be predicted to have ultra-short durations of anesthetic action. This is another highly desirable anesthetic property because it allows more precise titration of anesthetic depth during surgery and faster emergence from anesthesia at the end of surgery.
There is a great need for safer general anesthetics, particularly for use in the critically ill. (R)-etomidate possesses many properties that make it an ideal general anesthetic agent, but its ability to potently suppress adrenocortical steroid synthesis severely limits its clinical utility and safety.
As discussed above, there is a need in the art to develop analogues of (R)-etomidate that retain it's many beneficial properties (e.g. rapid onset of action, little effect on blood pressure, high therapeutic index), but do not cause potentially dangerous inhibition of adrenocortical function. Such analogues will permit anesthesia to be administered more safely to patients who are critically ill. This invention answers that need.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Etomidate analogues with improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties

Abstract: where R1 is L1C(O)OT or L1C(O)OL2C(O)OT; R2 is a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C10 alkyl, C2-C10 alkenyl, or C2-C10 alkynyl, or R1; n is an integer from 0 to 5; each R3 is independently halogen or R2; L1 and L2 are each independently a bond, a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C10 alkylene, C2-C10 alkenylene, or C2-C10 alkynylene; and T is H, a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C10 alkyl, C2-C10 alkenyl, or C2-C10 alkynyl, nitrophenol, or cyclopropyl. The invention is also directed to a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound according to formula (I) and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and to methods for providing anesthesia in mammals by administering such a pharmaceutical composition.


A method and apparatus for suppressing noise in a radio receiver or the like due to electromagnetic interference generated by the firing of a spark plug which coordinates the operation of a noise blanker with the EST signal generated by an electronic engine control module or similar spark timing signal. The apparatus of the present invention comprises a noise blanker disposed within a radio receiver for blanking the output of the radio receiver for a predetermined duration after a predetermined time delay has elapsed after each EST signal pulse. The noise blanker is activated for a time duration slightly longer than the duration of the impulse noise. The noise blanker may also be designed to be deactivated when the desired signal level reaches a predetermined level. The apparatus of the present invention may be used in conjunction with other noise suppression systems to eliminate noise due to sources other than the electronic ignition system.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for suppressing noise in a radio receiver, and more particularly to suppressing noise due to electromagnetic interference generated by an ignition system that creates an electric spark to ignite a fuel/air mixture.
2. Description of the Related Art
The operation of radio receivers near ignition systems which create an electric spark to ignite a fuel/air mixture has always proved difficult because of the electromagnetic interference generated by such ignition systems. These ignition systems are commonly found in gasoline powered internal combustion engines used in automobiles, aircraft, marine vehicles, and other transportation media. The electric spark used in these engines, as well as the current flowing in the cables from the power source to the spark plug, generate electrical interference which is picked up by the vehicle's radio receiving antenna.
The interference picked up by the radio receiver from the ignition system is commonly known as impulse noise and causes a "popping" sound from the loudspeaker. In instances of lesser interference, this popping sound is merely annoying to the listener, but larger interference can render the radio unusable.
The traditional methods of controlling impulse noise have attempted to either prevent the coupling of the electrical interference with the receiving antenna or use a blanking circuit to prevent the flow of radio signals to the audio amplifier when the detected impulse noise reaches a predetermined level.
Attempts to decouple the electrical interference with the receiving antenna have included, among other methods, shielding the antenna from the interference source, grounding the engine to the vehicle body or frame, and locating the antenna at a location having reduced likelihood for electromagnetic interference pick up. These techniques merely reduce, but do not eliminate the pick up of interference by the antenna. Unfortunately, modern engines use very high levels of spark energy to improve operating efficiency and the above noted methods are not very effective in suppressing the pick up of impulse noise by the antenna.
On the other hand, noise blanking systems employ a blanking circuit disposed between a signal processing unit and a signal amplifying unit to prevent the impulse noise from reaching the amplifying stage when the detected impulse noise reaches a predetermined level. The noise blanking systems used today selectively activate the blanking function based on the detected presence of interference in the incoming signal. When interference of sufficient magnitude is detected, the blanking system sets a "flag" which activates the blanking function.
AM receivers use a single flag, commonly known as an automatic gain control (AGC) derived flag, which is derived from a sudden increase in signal level. FM receivers use two flags, an AGC derived flag like the AM receivers plus a high frequency audio information flag, which is created when a high frequency noise "pop" is detected. In a FM receiver, either or both flags may be used to control the noise blanking circuit.
However, the noise blanking systems used today have several shortcomings. First, these noise blanking systems are only effective for noise above a given threshold level. Incoming noise which is slightly below the threshold level will still reach the signal amplifying stage and may be heard on the loudspeaker. This is especially a problem when the desired signal level is low or close to the noise threshold level. Second, in situations where the desired signal level is moderate, the AGC circuitry will be desensitized by the moderate signal and no flags may be generated. In such a situation, "popping" noises will easily be heard from the loudspeaker. Limitations of AGC systems are commonly known and described in the literature. Third, since the levels of a series of impulses created while the engine is running will not all be identical, certain pulses may "escape" and be heard on the speaker because the pulse level was too low to create a flag. Further, on FM systems, certain lower energy pulses will not create enough high frequency energy to be detected by the secondary loop and thus escape.
Thus, conventional noise suppression systems are not totally effective in eliminating all impulse noises caused by electromagnetic interference generated by a vehicle's engine ignition system.


A method is suggested for sensing light being incident on an electronic device. The electronic device comprises a display and a light sensor arrangement mounted behind the display such as to receive incident light through the display. The method comprises periodically switching the display on and off depending on a control signal, wherein a period is defined by a succession of an on-state and an off-state of the display. A sensor signal is generated by integrating the incident light by means of the light sensor arrangement for a total integration time comprising a number of periods. A first signal count is determined from the sensor signal being indicative of an amount of integrated incident light during an on-state. A second signal count is determined from the sensor signal being indicative of an amount of integrated incident light during an off-state. A third signal count is determined from the sensor signal being indicative of an amount of integrated incident light during the total integration time. Finally, an ambient light level is determined depending on the first, second and third signal counts.

Light sensors such as ambient light sensors (ALS) are widely used in mobile devices such as mobile phones, smartphones, computers and tablets. ALS sensors provide information about ambient light levels which can be used to support display control such as a backlight LED power circuit. For example, the backlight of a LCD panel in a smartphone accounts for around 40% of the device's total power consumption. Thus, there is a great benefit to be gained from adjusting its brightness in response to changes in ambient light levels. In a relatively dark environment, the brightness of the display can be reduced to save power. This is also easier on the user's eyes, and so improves the user experience at the same time.
Due to design constraints, however, ALS sensors could be mounted behind a display screen in order to save space and hide the sensor and electronics away from sight. Furthermore, the ALS sensor often has additional functionality such as proximity detection as thus should be placed close to the display in order to function correctly. These and other constraints limit the freedom for the design engineer to optimize the design of the ALS sensor.
There have been attempts made in the art to integrate a light sensor into the display but not completely behind a display. WO 2014/077950 A1 shows such a display, e.g. a LCD with backlight illumination or a light-emitting display, which is controlled by an ambient light sensor. The display is repeatedly switched off under the control of the ALS sensor and then an ALS measurement is executed without any display light included. In other words the display and ambient light sensor are controlled together in a way that only during the display off time the ALS measures the ambient light. This approach may lead to inaccurate ambient light sensing.
For example, by measuring the light just at the time when the display is off, a longer off time of the display is needed, e.g. 100 ms, to cover a 50 Hz or 60 Hz modulated or PWM controlled display emission. This is not feasible very often. On the other side, just taking measurements on slowly repeating off time frames, at display picture refresh rates of e.g. 60 Hz, will lead to wrong ALS results due to too slow measure sampling rates as required by the Nyquist criterion. FIG. 4 shows this effect. The top drawing shows a signal INT of an ALS sensor which integrates every 16.7 ms for 500 μs at maxima of 60 Hz modulated light (see arrows). The resulting sensor signal INT results in a high number of counts. In the bottom drawing, however, the ALS sensor integrates every 16.7 ms for 500 μs at minima of 60 Hz modulated light (see arrows). The resulting sensor signal INT only results in a low number of counts. In other words, a 50 Hz/60 Hz modulated light measured only at the display refresh rate being also in the range of 50 Hz/60 Hz (off time) will lead to wrong ALS measurement results.
It is to be understood that any feature described hereinafter in relation to any one embodiment may be used alone, or in combination with other features described hereinafter, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other of the embodiments, or any combination of any other of the embodiments, unless explicitly described as an alternative. Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described below may also be employed without departing from the scope of the method for light sensing as defined in the accompanying claims.

Method for sensing light being incident on an electronic device


The invention is generally accomplished when a heavy metal compound and a substituted thiourea sensitizer are used together as chemical sensitizers. There is a surprising increase in photographic efficiency and, therefore, in photographic sensitivity. This effect does not depend on the presence of a dye. The preferred heavy metal compound is potassium hexachloroiridate (IV), and the preferred thiourea is 3-acetamidophenyl thiourea.

Silver halide emulsions are generally prepared in the following steps: precipitation (with or without incorporated dopants), physical ripening (which may occur concurrently with the precipitation), desalting (also known as emulsion washing), and chemical ripening (often referred to as sensitization or emulsion finishing).
Emulsion precipitation is generally carried out in the presence of a peptizing agent, commonly gelatin, to keep the precipitated emulsion grains separated from one another and to avoid clumping or coagulation. The precipitation process consists of the chemical reaction of a soluble silver salt, usually the nitrate salt, with a soluble halide salt or mixture of halide salts to form a precipitate of the desired relatively insoluble silver halide salt or mixed salt.
Byproducts of this chemical reaction usually include soluble alkali nitrates, which are subsequently removed by the washing process, lest they form undesirable crystals when the emulsion is coated or otherwise used to make a photographic element.
Various other chemicals, sometimes even dyes, can be used during the precipitation process to prevent or minimize foaming, act as sensitizers, stabilizers, etc. In addition, certain chemicals may be added with the intention that they be incorporated into the silver halide crystal lattice for the purpose of controlling fog, reciprocity behavior, etc.
The chemical ripening or finishing process often consists of a chemical sensitization part and a spectral sensitization part, and these may be done consecutively or concurrently. Chemical sensitization commonly consists of treatment with sensitizing chemicals such as sulfur and/or gold compounds, followed by a heat treatment.
Spectral sensitization comprises the addition of a spectral sensitizing dye which is capable of being adsorbed to the emulsion grain surface and renders the emulsion sensitive to visible or infrared radiation, whereas the non-spectrally sensitized emulsion is sensitive only in the ultraviolet or blue regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The spectral sensitizing dye may be present during the heat treatment or it may be added after the heat treatment.
In addition, other chemicals may be used in this process to act as modifiers, restrainers, antifoggants, stabilizers, etc.
It is frequently a goal of photographic research and development efforts to increase the sensitivity of a photographic element without any sacrifice, or even with an improvement, in other performance characteristics such as granularity, sharpness, reciprocity behavior, color reproduction, stability of the latent image, stability to temperature or humidity conditions, insensitivity to pressure effects, etc.
A common means of increasing photographic sensitivity is to use emulsions of larger grain size, but this generally leads to compromises with one or more of the characteristics noted above. Therefore, it is of extraordinary benefit if a means can be discovered of increasing the basic sensitivity of a photographic emulsion without altering its grain size. This essentially means increasing the efficiency of the emulsion in its conversion of the photons which fall upon it into developable latent image.
The use of heavy metal salts to increase emulsion sensitivity goes back at least as far as the work of Smith and Trivelli, U.S. Pat. No. 2,448,060. The desirable capability of some of these heavy metal salts to reduce the extent of reciprocity law failure has also been recognized for a long time.
Heavy metal salts, for example iridium, are most commonly incorporated into a photographic emulsion as a dopant during the silver halide grain forming process--prior to sensitization. A stable solution of K.sub.2 IrCl.sub.6 in nitric acid was disclosed by Leubner and White in U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,611. They disclosed that such a solution could be used either before or after the precipitation of a photographic emulsion.
More recently, as means other than heavy metal salts of increasing emulsion sensitivity have improved, it is now commonly observed that the use of these heavy metal salts in addition to the other sensitizers actually results in a loss of photographic sensitivity. Furthermore, the use of the heavy metal salts may lead to an undesirable contrast change in the characteristic density-log(exposure) curve of a photographic product.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,965, Ihama and Tani sought to overcome the desensitizing effect of a dye by adding iridium to the chemical ripening along with a carbocyanine spectral sensitizing dye which forms J-aggregates.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,626, Burgmaier et al disclosed the use of tetrasubstituted thiourea-type compounds as silver halide sensitizers. In the descriptions and examples which follow herein, it will be seen that it is not necessary for our purposes that the thiourea compound be tetra (i.e., fully) substituted. The preferred organic sulfur sensitizer of this invention is a mono-substituted thiourea compound.
There is a continuing need for photographic materials that will have improved latent image stability and reciprocity behavior without loss of speed.

Silver halide emulsion sensitized with a heavy metal compound and a thiourea compound


A method for preparing a beverage from a container (1) containing beverage ingredients by centrifugation of the container in a beverage preparation device;

Capsules containing beverage ingredients and designed for producing a beverage in a beverage preparation device by supplying liquid in the capsule and by extracting the beverage using the centrifugal forces is known.
The principle consists in preparing a beverage by forcing a liquid (usually water) through the beverage ingredients contained in the capsule using the centrifugal forces obtained when the capsule is rotated in the device at elevated speed. Usually liquid is supplied in the centre of the capsule. The rotation of the capsule in the device creates a centrifugal force gradient in the capsule that forces liquid through the ingredients. The beverage is expelled at the periphery of the capsule and usually collected by a collecting assembly of the device.
A method for preparing a beverage using brewing centrifugal forces is described, for example, in EP2000062B1. The method consists in feeding water in a sealed capsule containing a predetermined dose of beverage ingredients, driving the capsule in centrifugal rotation to force water to flow through the substance in a radial flow path to outlet means of the receptacle.
The method according to the prior art suffers the drawback that the beverage contacts the device during its collection from the capsule. This food contamination requires the device to be frequently rinsed. Also, the taste of the beverage can be affected by effect of cross-contamination of a beverage dispensed before.
Furthermore, the collection of the beverage from the capsule makes the design of the device complex and cumbersome.

Method for the preparation of a beverage by centrifugation using a container

Abstract: said container (1) having:

Abstract: an outer wall (2) and an inner wall (3); each wall having a peripheral portion (4, 5) extending around a central axis (I) and a bottom portion (6, 7);        a lid (18) covering said outer and inner walls (2, 3); and forming with said inner wall (3) an inner cavity (8) containing beverage ingredients (9),        an outer collecting cavity (10) positioned between the outer and inner walls (2, 3),        beverage outlets or outlet precursors (11) positioned on the peripheral portion (5) of the inner wall,        wherein the method includes:        supplying liquid in the inner cavity,        rotating the container (1) around its central axis (I) to force liquid through beverage outlets from the inner cavity (8) to the outer cavity (10) under the effect of centrifugal pressure,        maintaining an overpressure of supplied liquid in the container to enable the beverage to be drained from the outer cavity (10) out of the container.


An air-conditioning system includes an air-conditioning unit that is switchable between local air-conditioning and overall air-conditioning, a data acquisition unit configured to acquire state quantity data of a requester, and a control unit. The control unit calculates comfort assessment values for both the requester and a neighbor, and controls the air-conditioning unit so that the local air-conditioning is performed to an extent whereby the comfort assessment value of the neighbor is kept in a comfort range and the comfort assessment value of the requester can be within the comfort range.

In conventional practice, there have been used air-conditioning systems that use timer settings and other techniques so as to provide a specific comfortable air-conditioned environment for users returning after being outdoors. For example, a user return time is set in advance, a pre-cooling operation is performed in which the temperature is set from a predetermined time before the user return time to a temperature between the target setting temperature and the outdoor temperature, and an operation is performed for setting the temperature to the target setting temperature at the time the user returns. It is thereby possible to provide a specific comfortable atmosphere for the returning user, and to prevent the user from being discomforted when exposed to the temperature difference and allow the user to become gradually accustomed to the indoor environment.
With the air-conditioning system described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 4-116328, for example, the amount of clothing worn by the user or the activity amount of the user before returning is inputted as data for air-conditioning control, and a comfortable space for the user can be quickly provided with this data taken into account.


Networked computing entities which are members of a trusted group share knowledge of a secret value K that is unknown outside the trusted group. When an entity within the trusted group establishes a secure connection, it encodes its name along with the secret value K and an optional random number into a connection identifier. Encoding may use a hash function and/or encryption. By using this connection identifier and the secret value K, other members of the trusted group can decode the connection identifier and gain access to the specific secure connection by using the original cryptographic information for the connection. The connection identifier can be freely transmitted, with little risk that non-trusted entities will be able to use it to gain access to the secure connection.

More and more confidential information is being kept on networked computers, and at the same time computers are becoming more connected. Computer networks often include a well-protected internal network joined to an uncontrolled network such as the Internet. The world-wide computer access now available is both exhilarating, because of the increased availability of information, and sobering because of the security risks inherent in so open a system. Ensuring the privacy, integrity and authenticity of data in these days of interconnected systems becomes ever more important.
One way to ensure security is to make use of trusted groups. A trusted group is a group of entities that have made mutual recognition agreements with each other. Sometimes an authority separate from the group itself, such as a Certification Authority (CA), makes decisions about who is to be trusted. CA's are often organized into trusted groups known as certification hierarchies. Once an entity is a member of a trusted group, it may safely share information with other members of its trusted group.
When cryptographic connections are established between network communication endpoints, state information (e.g., a security association, cryptographic context, security context, cipher suite, and/or the like) is maintained by each endpoint. For instance, such cryptographic state information is maintained by each endpoint in a connection across a firewall.
When one member of a trusted group has the cryptographic information for a connection, the other members of the group do not automatically have access to that information. But there are times when another member of the trusted group should receive access to the connection because the original entity is not available, such as when a proxy server becomes unavailable and another proxy server would replace it online. Within some existing systems the original cryptographic connection is lost when the original entity goes offline, and the tedious process of making a new safe cryptographic connection must be repeated to bring up a new member of the trusted group. An unencrypted connection could theoretically be used, putting a new machine online immediately, but since unencrypted connection information is quite vulnerable to theft and misuse that could breach security, this is often inadvisable.
Thus, it would be an advancement in the art to provide improved ways to efficiently allow members of a trusted computing group to share cryptographic information. For instance, to permit one endpoint to transparently share multiple computing entities in such a way that the other endpoint cannot distinguish between the multiple entities, it would be beneficial for the multiple entities to share their cryptographic context information. Moreover, because the other members of the group are known to be trustworthy, it would be beneficial to skip checks which must be performed when dealing with less-well-known entities.
Such improvements are disclosed and claimed herein.


A baffle for use in a circuit breaker includes a first baffle mechanism and a second baffle mechanism. Each of the first and second baffle mechanisms includes a base, a plurality of elongated members supported by the base, and cross-pins or other elongated members for supporting the base of one of the baffle mechanisms substantially parallel to the base of the other baffle mechanism. The elongated members of the first and second baffle mechanisms are interleaved to form a labyrinth.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrical switching device and, more particularly, to a circuit interrupter, such as a circuit breaker, including a baffle.
2. Background Information
Electrical switching devices include, for example, circuit switching devices and circuit interrupters, such as circuit breakers, contactors, motor starters, motor controllers and other load controllers. Circuit breakers are generally old and well known in the art. Examples of circuit breakers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,887,057; 5,200,724; and 5,341,191. Such circuit breakers are generally used to protect electrical circuitry from damage due to an overcurrent condition, such as an overload fault or a relatively high level short circuit condition.
Molded case circuit breakers, for example, include a pair of separable contacts per phase; an operating mechanism designed to rapidly open and close the separable contacts; a handle disposed on the outside of the case for operating the operating mechanism manually; and a trip mechanism for tripping the operating mechanism automatically in response to an overcurrent condition.
When the circuit breaker is on, a movable contact assembly is in contact with a stationary or fixed contact assembly. The closed contact assemblies conduct a flow of current between a line terminal and a load terminal. When the circuit breaker trips or is switched off, the movable contact assembly is moved away from the fixed contact assembly, thus, interrupting the flow of current between the line and load terminals. Examples of molded case circuit breakers are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,815,059; 4,618,751; 4,645,890; 4,698,606; 4,827,369; 4,950,853; 4,963,846; 4,973,927; 5,223,681; and 5,278,373.
Some types of circuit breakers include an electro-mechanical trip unit which interrupts current flow in two or more modes of operation. The electro-mechanical trip unit generally senses overload currents of up to about five to six times normal rated current as well as short circuit currents of greater than about ten times normal rated current. Other types of circuit breakers include an electronic trip unit for automatically interrupting the current flow.
During an overcurrent condition, the fixed and movable contact assemblies part, with the current flowing therethrough forming an arc therebetween. Some circuit breakers employ an electrical arc chute or arc stack to divide a single electrical arc formed between the separable contacts upon a fault condition into a series of smaller electrical arcs, increase the total arc voltage, and extinguish the electrical arc.
Many arc stacks for circuit breaker venting structures are designed to release arc gas products from the circuit breaker in a manner to aid in the interruption of the circuit and to vent the gases in a safe manner such as by cooling and deionizing them. The forced flow of gases through an obstacle pathway provides a restriction of gas flow and causes high chamber pressures within the circuit breaker casing.
It is known to use multiple, generally parallel, arc plates to provide a series of vertical chambers which cause changes in the direction of gaseous flow and result in turbulence and an attendant cooling of the moving gases. It is also known to provide a back-to-back louvered arc stack and baffle arrangement to facilitate a relatively free flow of gases while sufficiently cooling and deionizing the gases. However, there is room for improvement.
There is a need for a relatively low-cost, easy to manufacture baffle arrangement for an electrical switching device and, in particular, a circuit interrupter in which arcs occur.
There is also a need for such a baffle arrangement for an electrical switching device and, in particular, a circuit interrupter in which arcs occur, which is easily reconfigured in the manufacturing process to vary the flow of gases.

Dual baffle apparatus for electrical switching device


An image forming apparatus including a replaceable container having toner stored therein includes: an image forming unit including an accumulating unit for accumulating developer containing toner and configured to form an image by using the developer in the accumulating unit; a measurement unit configured to measure a toner density in the accumulating unit; a portion to which the container is attached; a supplementing unit configured to supplement the toner from the attached container to the accumulating unit; and a controller configured to control the supplementing unit based on first information corresponding to a difference between the toner density and a target toner density and second information corresponding to an accumulated value obtained by accumulating differences, wherein the second information does not change in a period from replacement of the container by another container until a predetermined number of times of supplement is performed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a supplement control for supplementing toner from a container to an accumulating unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic system forms a toner image based on an image data input to the image forming apparatus by consuming the toner stored in an accumulating unit. A configuration of the image forming apparatus in which the toner stored in the accumulating unit is consumed by forming toner images, and hence the toner is supplemented as needed to the accumulating unit from a container configured to be detachably attachable with respect to the image forming apparatus is known.
In the image forming apparatus, the fact that a concentration of a toner image developed by the accumulating unit is changed in accordance with an amount of toner accumulated in the accumulating unit is known. Accordingly, the image forming apparatus is required to supplement the toner from the container to the accumulating unit so that the amount of toner stored in the accumulating unit reaches a target amount.
In the image forming apparatus of the related art, a configuration in which a toner supplement amount is determined based on a difference between an amount of toner to be consumed from the accumulating unit by forming the toner image (amount of consumption) and a difference between the amount of toner and the target amount to be accumulated in the accumulating unit is known. For example, an image forming apparatus described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-160969 determines the toner supplement amount based on the amount of consumption estimated based on the image data, the difference between the amount of toner and the target amount to be accumulated in the accumulating unit, and an accumulated total value of the differences.
Here, the amount of consumption of toner is a theoretical amount based on calculation, and hence there is a slight difference between the actual amount of consumption of the toner consumed actually from the accumulating unit and the estimated amount of consumption described above. Accordingly, even though toner of an amount corresponding to the estimated amount of consumption described above is supplemented to the accumulating unit, the amount of toner in the accumulating unit may not become the target amount. Therefore, the image forming apparatus described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-160969 is configured to determine the toner supplement amount based on not only the estimated amount of consumption described above, but also the difference between the amount of toner and the target amount to be accumulated in the accumulating unit.
However, in the image forming apparatus described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-160969, there is a probability that the toner is excessively supplemented from the container to the accumulating unit or the amount of toner in the accumulating unit is remarkably reduced from the target value in the case where the container is replaced. This is because the toner supplement amount of the container after replacement is determined based on the accumulated total value suitable for the toner supplement amount of the container which has been mounted on the image forming apparatus before the replacement even though the container has replaced.

Image forming apparatus supplying toner from container to accumulating unit based on tower density developer in the accumulating unit, and method of controlling image forming apparatus


The invention relates to a pressure limiting valve with a hydraulic seal ring (12), characterized in that the sealing element (6), for securing the flow gap (10) between the consumer connection (3) and the pressurized fluid outlet (4), is embodied as a seal ring (12) with a limited flexibility. Said seal ring (12) is inserted without preload into a groove (13) provided therefore, whereby said groove (13) is embodied so as to allow the flow of pressurized fluid (11) behind the seal ring (12).

The invention relates to a pressure limiting valve for the protection of hydraulic power packs against overload, in particular, for the protection of hydraulic props in underground mining and tunnel construction against falling rocks, comprising a valve housing with consumer connection and pressurized fluid outlet, which are separated from one other by means of a movable closure device with a seal securing the flow gap between the pressurized fluid outlet and the consumer connection, which closure device is movable against the force of a valve spring, and are connected to one another if an overload occurs in order to discharge the pressurized fluid.
Pressure limiting valves are used in various hydraulics-related areas, in particular, to protect hydraulic power packs against overload. A valve piston is normally disposed in a valve housing such that in case of overload it passes over a seal and allows the pressurized fluid to flow off through the pressurized fluid outlet until the overload has been reduced and the valve can close again. The seal to be passed over by the closure device of the valve, typically a valve piston movable in a piston bore, is exposed to high loads because the closure device is pressurized by the compressed pressurized fluid, and even so has to remain in a state that ensures overall sealing of the system. As a result of the pressure, the seal is deformed in such a way that it projects into the flow gap between the movable closure device and the fixed component, and therefore is exposed to severe stress at the start of movement of the closure device. Hence, the lifetime of such seals is limited. This applies particularly for the valve described in EP-A-0 096 303.
The O-ring, which can be deformed like plastic mass and is inserted prestressed, is deformed when passing over the radial bores of the valve piston (closure part) such that the flow gap is closed by the developing annular projection. With the valve configuration according to DE-8 437 091 U1 and GB-A-2 159 923 the seal rings are fitted into the respective groove or are inserted prestressed therein in the case of both valve pistons in order to ensure an accurate seat of the O-ring. Here as well the O-ring is pressed into the flow gap, and the developing annular projection creates the afore-mentioned wear problems. The problems described cannot be resolved even the reduced thickness of the O-ring because again the hydraulic pressure occurring in the groove or acting in the groove acts in the direction of the flow gap, and is in fact supposed to act in that direction, because, as is indicated in FIG. 3 of EP-A-0 096 303, this closure is the objective of the deformation. DE-3 909 461 A1 shows among a variety of illustrations in FIG. 3 also such a "reduced" O-ring. The shape and arrangement as well as the material of these known O-rings result in the afore-mentioned disadvantageous deformation and consequently to the premature failure of these pressure limiting valves, which are important for safety reasons.

Pressure limiting valve with a hydraulic seal ring


A lighting device is provided, comprising a spatially extended light source with a light-emitting surface greater than 0.5 mm2 and also an aspherical TIR lens, which is configured to collimate light from the spatially extended light source, and a refractive diffuser configured to generate a lighting distribution on the basis of the collimated light.

In the field of illumination technology for vehicles, lighting devices must meet numerous complex requirements. These requirements sometimes contradict one another and in many cases require compromises.
For example, there are high requirements with regard to energy efficiency as well as tight specifications in the boundary conditions, for example cost pressure, service life requirements, and installation space restrictions, e.g., due to the space requirements of other vehicle components and aerodynamic considerations. The quality requirements relating to the provided lighting distribution, described by what is known as the lighting function, increase continuously and are characterized for example in the field of front headlights by the desire for illumination functions for broad spectral ranges, for example white light, with complex, high-resolution illumination distribution that is defined in dependence on the solid angle. In many fields of application, in particular asymmetric illumination functions are required, for example in the case of low beam and cornering lights. Achromatic properties of the illumination devices are likewise required here, for example to avoid color fringes and overly bright areas, so-called "hot spots," when illuminating the road so as to avoid disturbing vehicle drivers and other road users. An example of such disturbances are blue color fringes, which could be confused in the case of moving vehicles for example with warning signals from emergency vehicles, known as round beacon lights. Corresponding requirements may be found for other vehicle lighting devices, for example tail lights, fog lights, daytime running lights, brake lights, or turn signal lights.
In order to meet efficiency requirements, light emitting diodes (LEDs) may be used as light sources. Due to the achievable luminance of LEDs and the need to dissipate thermal power losses, high-power LEDs also have larger radiation surfaces as their luminous power increases. In currently available systems, for example, the radiation surface is 2.1×1 mm2 with a luminous flux of 600 lumens and 4.4 mm2 with a luminous flux of 1200 lumens. Such extended radiation surfaces emitting in a large solid angle range are more difficult to collimate as the surface area increases, that is to say, even after collimation, the radiation has a residual divergence that is usually too high to permit the realization of the desired illumination functions. If the residual divergence is too great, high-resolution beam shaping is made significantly more difficult.
Thus, efficiency and brightness requirements and the requirement for a long service life conflict with the requirement for minimum residual divergence. On the other hand, the requirement for improved collimation of an extended light source is in conflict, for example, with the requirement relating to the limited installation space. Furthermore, the desired achromatic properties make it necessary that the beam shaping system has as few chromatic aberrations as possible, which may likewise come into conflict with installation space requirements and cost requirements.
FR 2 919 913 discloses a light source in combination with a collimator for a point light source and a device for beam shaping, in particular for implementing a fog light, tail light, or brake light. The collimator is, for example, in this case a TIR (total internal reflection) lens, a Fresnel lens, or a dome lens that ideally generates parallel rays for an idealized point light source. FR 2 919 913, however, does not disclose anything relating to how to deal with a finitely extended light source and the problem of the aforementioned hot spots, such as those that may be caused by the use of holographic diffusers, as described in FR 2 919 913, having zero or higher orders of diffraction.
Lighting devices that use mirrors for beam shaping are also known from the prior art. However, such known arrangements often do not meet requirements with regard to small installation space and low costs.
In order to meet the requirement for achromatic properties at the same time, the collimation and beam shaping system should not have any chromatic aberrations if possible. This would be possible, for example, if the beam shaping and the collimation were implemented by way of reflection optical units (e.g., concave mirror for collimation and a segmented mirror system for beam shaping). However, such an arrangement could likewise go against the requirement for installation space and cost reduction.


A food product package chiller is disclosed that dissipates heat generated in the packaging process so that there is a reduction of heat imparted to the food product. In particular, when the present invention is applied to, e.g., heat shrink vacuum sealed packages of raw meat or fish, it is useful in: (a) reducing fluid buildup in the packages; (b) extending the shelf life of the enclosed food product; and (c) reducing the number of packages with leaks, wherein the reduction of heat from the packaging induces a stiffening of the packaging. In one embodiment, the chiller of the present invention cools package surfaces of meat products to just above freezing in a coolant dispensing chamber and subsequently removes any residual coolant from the package surfaces in a second chamber.

In the packaging of food products, often times the packaging process generates heat that is conveyed to the food product. For example, the widespread use of heat shrinking for vacuum sealed packaged food products typically generates heat that is conveyed to the packaged food product. Moreover, the heating of such food products can: (a) decrease the shelf life of food products by accelerating the growth of bacteria; and (b) cause the vacuum sealed packaging to be less resistant to tears and punctures while in a heated condition. This is particularly problematic in the packaging of such foods as raw meat and fish, wherein it is common practice to package these food items by vacuum sealing in bags and subsequently heating the packages in, for example, a "shrink tunnel" for inducing the vacuum sealed bags to further shrink about their corresponding contained food product. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have an apparatus and method for immediately chilling such packaged foods exiting the packaging process (e.g., the shrink tunnel), wherein the chilling process chills but does not necessarily freeze the packaged food product and leaves each package substantially dry so that the packages can subsequently be packed, en masse, in, for example, paper or cardboard boxes for transport without box failure due to moisture.

Food product package chiller for dissipating packaging heat


Some embodiments of the inventive subject matter improve techniques for measuring downhole attributes. A method for determining a flow rate of a fluid includes positioning a tubular within a wellbore formed in a subsurface formation, wherein a flow of fluid is to move through the tubular. An orifice plate is positioned in the tubular. The orifice plate is movable between a first position and a second position to alter a flow area of the flow of fluid moving through the tubular. The method includes detecting a change in a downhole attribute that changes in response to the alteration of the flow area of the flow of fluid. Sensors positioned within or in communication with an interior of the tubular can detect the change in the downhole attribute. The method further includes determining a flow rate of the flow of fluid based on the detected change in the downhole attribute.

The disclosure generally relates to surveying of wellbores and more specifically to controlling fluid flow through a casing of the wellbore.
In hydrocarbon recovery operations from a wellbore, monitoring where hydrocarbons are being produced within the wellbore can be important in order to maximize hydrocarbon recovery. Downhole fiber optic sensors and/or other distributed sensing systems can be used to provide such monitoring. For example, fiber optic sensing can provide distributed and/or multi-point sensing to provide for monitoring flows in the wellbore.
However, there can be many challenges to subsurface production monitoring. For example, such challenges can include a wide range of production rates, varying pressure profiles along a wellbore, low flow contributions per unit length of long horizontal wells, and slowly changing flow rates over time. Further, many of these challenges can lead to laminar fluid flow throughout the wellbore, leading to difficulties in monitoring flow related properties. Additionally, unconventional wells may have high initial production rates with rapidly declining production rates. For example, a well may initially produce 500-1000 barrels per day (bpd), but over time the production rate may decrease substantially (e.g., to 10-100 bpd). In hydrocarbon recovery operations having low production rates, energy, flow disturbances, eddy currents, or any other indication of flow can be difficult to measure due to a low signal amplitude.

Wellbore flow monitoring using orifice plates in downhole completions


A method of correcting one or more defect pixels in a defect region of a source image, which image has both the defect pixels and non-defect pixels each of which is represented by at least one defect pixel signal and non-defect pixel signal, respectively. The method comprises:. a) searching for edges in a non-defect region of the image adjacent to the defect region by: (i) comparing relative pixel parameters in the non-defect region with a predetermined tolerance to locate a sequence of pixels representing an edge segment the members of which have relative parameters within the tolerance and which sequence is within a predetermined distance of the defect region; and (ii) comparing the length of an edge segment with a minimum length to identify as an edge a segment with at least the minimum length; PA1 b) generating at least one pixel signal for the defect region based on the signal of at least one non-defect pixel lying in a direction from the defect pixel which is determined by the direction of an edge.. An apparatus for performing the method and a computer usable medium containing computer code for performing the method, are also provided.

Conversion of analog images into digital data has become widespread for a variety of applications, including storing, manipulating, transmitting and displaying or printing copies of the images. For example, sequences of frames from a motion picture film are often digitized, image enhancement or special effects are performed on the digitized images and the result written onto a blank film. Also, images captured on photographic media are being converted to digital data and stored on compact discs for readout and display as a video image or for printing with various types of color printers. In order to capture the photographic image digitally, the film frame is scanned with a light beam, and the light transmitted through the film is detected, typically as three primary color light intensity signals, and digitized. The digitized values may be formatted to a standard for video display and stored on compact disc or magnetic media. Such film digitizers take a variety of forms and the various common aspects of film digitizing, particularly line illumination and linear CCD-based digitizers, are described in greater detail in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,346. Also photographic prints can be digitized using reflection scanners.
Providing new pixel values for corrupted or defect pixels is a common operation in digital image processing. Part of the image can be damaged by scratches or degraded by dust. Corrupted pixel values do not represent original image information and hence these values cannot be used for restoration purposes. New pixel values must be supplied consistent with the image content surrounding the area to be replaced. This process is referred to here as a pixelfill. Another example of an image processing operation requiring pixelfill is an object removal from the image, for example rig and wire removal in motion pictures.
Simple nondirectional averaging or erosion techniques are usually used to fill small, compact defect regions in a film frame. These methods produce undesired smoothness in the replaced regions and severely distort edges that are intersected by the regions to be filled. The problem of reconstructing edges is especially important for long, narrow regions to be filled due to the high probability they intersect multiple objects in the image. This problem is addressed in the method described by massmann et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,521. The above method has some disadvantages. First, it assumes essentially vertical regions to be filled. It may also not handle well the situation where multiple edges intersect in the defect region.
Kwok et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,521 disclose an error concealment system based on the gradient field. In this system a two dimensional block of defect data is filled. This system may not handle well the case where objects crossing the defect block have a width much smaller than the size of the defect block.
Previous methods can produce artifacts when curved edges, object corners or "T-type" edge intersections are covered by the defect region.
It would be desirable then, to have a method of providing corrected pixel values for pixels in a defect region, which can produce reconstructed image content in the defect region which is fairly consistent with the image content of the surrounding area, even in the case where the defect region intersects objects with a width smaller than, or comparable to, the width of the defect region or where multiple edges intersect in the defect region.

Gradient based method for providing values for unknown pixels in a digital image


A circuit for biasing an FET, comparing a gate bias voltage of the FET with a reference voltage at an operational amplifier and performing closed-loop control on the gate bias voltage of the FET with the output of the operational amplifier. The temperature characteristics of the mutual conductance of the FET is compensated by setting the temperature characteristics of one or both of two voltage dividing resistors. Variations in a drain bias current due to input signal level and temperature changes can be suppressed. The circuit at the gate and the circuit at the drain are separate, making possible class A, class AB, and class B operations. The voltage drop at the gate resistor can be ignored so that the gate resistor can be designed with priority given to stability of the RF characteristics.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit for biasing a field effect transistor (FET).
2. Description of the Related Art
Circuits employing FETs, such as amplifiers, are used in radio frequency (RF) circuits for radio communications equipment. FIG. 3 shows an example of an RF amplifier using an FET. The FET in the figure is, for example, a GaAs FET. This FET amplifies an input signal that is supplied to the gate from an input terminal IN via a capacitor C1 and supplies an amplified signal from the drain to an output terminal OUT via a capacitor C2. The drain of the FET is connected to a positive power supply (+VDD) via a resistor Rd, the source is connected to ground, and the gate is connected to a negative power supply (xe2x88x92VSS) via a resistor Rg2.
Furthermore, a circuit for biasing the FET in FIG. 3 is a regulated-current bias circuit that constantly maintains a drain bias current Idsdc at a fixed level and comprises a bipolar transistor Tr1, resistors Rb1, Rb2, Rg1, Rg2, and Rd, and a diode D1. One end of resistor Rb1 is connected to the positive power supply (+VDD) and the other end is connected to the anode of diode D1. One end of resistor Rb2 is connected to the cathode of diode D1 and to the base of transistor Tr1, and the other end is connected to ground. Therefore, the series circuit formed from resistors Rb1 and Rb2 and diode D1 is a dividing circuit for dividing the supply voltage VDD to generate voltage Vb and applying it to the base of transistor Tr1. The series circuit is also a temperature compensation circuit for compensating through diode D1 a temperature dependency appearing in the base-emitter voltage of transistor Tr1 and in turn the emitter current. In relation to this compensation operation, it should be noted that the collector of transistor Tr1 is connected to the gate of the FET via resistor Rg1, and the emitter is connected to the drain of the FET. Since transistor Tr1 is provided in this sort of configuration, the drain bias current Idsdc of the FET is held at a fixed value of Idsdc=(VDDxe2x88x92Vbxe2x88x92Vbe)/Rd mainly due to the action of the diode D1 even if a change occurs in the emitter voltage of transistor Tr1 due to a change in temperature. Furthermore, since the gate impedance of the FET, which is ideally infinite, is actually a finite value, a minute current flows to the gate of the FET. This gate current Igsdc is limited by resistors Rg1 and Rg2, which are connected to the gate of the FET, so that the long-term reliability of the FET is maintained. Furthermore, since resistor Rg1 is provided, the impedance when viewing the transistor Tr1 from the FET is that much higher and the radio frequency amplification characteristics become more stable.
Regarding the regulation of the drain bias current Idsdc as a constant current, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 7-321561. Regarding temperature compensation by the diode D1, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 5-175747. Furthermore, the gate bias voltage, gate current, drain bias voltage, and drain bias current are respectively denoted in the figure by Vgsdc, Igsdc, Vdsdc, and Idsdc during no signal input and Vgsrf, Igsrf, Vdsrf, and Idsrf during signal amplification (when the output signal level is high). In the description hereinafter, Vgsdc, Igsdc, Vdsdc, and Idsdc are used for the symbols or variable names, unless whenever a distinction is required.
In the circuit shown in FIG. 3, the emitter current of transistor Tr1 is supplied via resistor Rd. Thus, the power dissipation at resistor Rd is large compared to the circuit of FIG. 4 to be described hereinafter. Furthermore, since the drain bias current Idsdc is regulated as a constant current, the circuit of FIG. 3 cannot be used in a class AB or class B amplification mode in which the drain current varies according to the input signal level. Namely, the circuit of FIG. 3 can only be used for class A amplification. Thus, it is difficult to achieve large power amplification at a high efficiency.
A regulated voltage bias circuit that does not have this type of problem is shown in FIG. 4. In the circuit shown in this figure, the output voltage of the constant voltage source V1 that is implemented from a resistance-type dividing circuit, a voltage regulator, an operational amplifier, and so forth, is applied to the gate of the FET via the resistor Rg. Since the circuit at the gate side of the FET is completely separate from the circuit at the drain side in the figure, the drain bias current Idsdc can be more freely set unlike the circuit of FIG. 3. Therefore, the FET can be made to function in a class A, class AB, or class B configuration. Namely, by configuring the constant voltage source V1 so that the output voltage can be adjusted and by adjusting the output voltage of the constant voltage source V1 to an appropriate value, the gate bias voltage Vgsdc can be set to a target value, and in turn the drain bias current Idsdc can be set to an appropriate value. Thus, the circuit shown in FIG. 4 can be used in various applications from small signal amplification in class A operation to large signal amplification in class AB or class B operation. Furthermore, the gate bias voltage Vgsdc is applied from the constant voltage source V1 via resistor Rg. Thus, the gate bias current Idsdc is limited by resistor Rg so that the long-term reliability of the FET can be maintained. For the same reason, the impedance is high, when the constant voltage source V1 is viewed from the FET, to further stabilize the RF amplification characteristics.
However, the above-mentioned conventional circuit has several problems.
First, a compensation circuit having a complex configuration becomes necessary when implementing the circuit shown in FIG. 4. Here, the compensation circuit refers to a circuit for compensating for variations in the gate current Igs accompanying changes in the input signal level, temperature, and so forth. When the gate current Igsdc varies, the gate bias voltage Vgsdc and further the drain bias current Idsdc also varies as a result. More specifically, the amount of change xcex94Idsdc in the drain bias current Idsdc can be expressed in the following equation:
xe2x80x83xcex94Idsdc=(xcex94Vgsdc1+xcex94Vgsdc2)*(gm+xcex94gm)=(xcex94Igsdc1+xcex94Igsdc2)*(gm+xcex94gm)*Rg
In this equation, xcex94Vgsdc1 and xcex94Igsdc1 are respectively the amount of change in the gate bias voltage Vgsdc and in the gate current Igsdc accompanying the change in input signal level, xcex94Vgsdc2 and xcex94Igsdc2 are respectively the amount of change in the gate bias voltage Vgsdc and in the gate current Igsdc accompanying the change in temperature, gm is the mutual conductance of the FET, and xcex94gm is the amount of change in gm accompanying the change in temperature.
Generally, xcex94Idsdc appearing in the equation is a quadratic function of temperature and xcex94gm is a linear function. Thus, with no temperature compensation, the temperature characteristic of the drain bias current Idsdc approximates the quadratic function characteristic, for example, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 5. Obviously, so as to preferably compensate for this temperature characteristic, a temperature compensation circuit having a quadratic function characteristic is necessary. A temperature compensation circuit having such a characteristic generally has a complex configuration, and the use of such a temperature compensation circuit in configuring an RF amplifier results in an increase in circuit size and in the cost of the amplifier. However, if a temperature compensation circuit having a linear function characteristic is used thereby avoiding a complex circuit configuration, the temperature dependency is not well compensated and persists in the characteristic after temperature compensation, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 5.
During no signal input, the gate bias voltage Vgsdc becomes higher than the output voltage of the constant voltage source V1 due to the voltage drop at resistor Rg. Furthermore, when the gate current Igsdc increases due to a rise in temperature, the voltage drop at resistor Rg increases. When the voltage drop at resistor Rg increases, the gate bias voltage Vgsdc rises further. When the gate bias voltage Vgsdc increases, the drain bias current Idsdc increases. This increase, namely, the increase accompanying the rise in temperature, is denoted by xcex94Igsdc2 in the equation given above, and is a quadratic functional increase. If temperature compensation is not performed or is insufficiently performed, the FET may also become susceptible to thermal runaway caused by the increase xcex94Igsdc2 accompanying the rise in temperature. Furthermore, when a GaAs FET is used, during large signal amplification, the direction of flow of the gate current Igsdc reverses as shown in FIG. 4. (Igsrf is a reverse flow.) When the gate current Igsrf flows from the constant voltage source V1 to the gate, the gate potential of the FET drops (considerably toward the negative direction) due to the voltage drop at resistor Rg. As a result, the drain bias current Idsrf drops, and thus the signal saturation output power of the FET drops during large signal amplification.
The various above-mentioned problems occur due to a combination of the mutual conductance and gate current of the FET depending on the temperature and input signal level, and the resistor Rg being used. In particular, when resistor Rg is set to a large value, the change in the gate current Igsdc and in turn the change in the drain bias current Idsdc increase accompanying the change in temperature or the change in the input signal level. However, it is not preferable to obviate resistor Rg or reduce its value. If resistor Rg is obviated or if the value of resistor Rg is too low, long-term reliability cannot be maintained, depending on the type of FET. Furthermore, if the value of resistor Rg is too small, the RF operation becomes unstable, depending on the type of FET.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an FET bias circuit as a preferable and simple circuit capable of operating the FET in class A, class AB, and class B configurations and capable of compensating and suppressing changes in the gate current Igsdc due to changes in temperature or in the level of the input signal to the FET.
In order to achieve this object, the circuit at the gate of the FET and the circuit at the drain are separated in the present invention so as to be compatible with all of class A, class AB, and class B, and closed-loop control is performed for the gate bias voltage of the FET so that the amount of change in the input signal level or in temperature can be easily compensated. Namely, the FET bias circuit relating to the present invention comprises the current limiting resistor Rg, which has a first end and a second end, and the closed-loop control circuit coupled to the current limiting resistor Rg. In the present invention, the first end of the current limiting resistor Rg is connected to the gate of the FET. The closed-loop control circuit applies and controls DC voltage to the second end of the current limiting resistor Rg, so that the gate bias voltage Vgsdc of the FET, namely, the voltage appearing at the first end of the current limiting resistor Rg, becomes equal to the reference voltage of a predetermined DC voltage.
According to the present invention, unlike the constant current bias circuit shown in FIG. 3, the circuit at the gate and the circuit at the drain are separate so as to yield an FET bias circuit that is capable of stable operation in classes where the drain current changes in accordance with the signal input level, and suitable for a wide range of applications from small signal amplification in class A to large signal amplification in class AB or class B. Furthermore, closed-loop control is performed for the gate bias voltage Vgsdc so that changes in the gate bias voltage Vgsdc and in turn changes in the operating point of the FET (drain bias current Idsdc), accompanying changes in the input signal level or temperature, can be limited and suppressed.
Furthermore, with the voltage drop at the current limiting resistor Rg being one cause, a phenomenon where stability of the RF (amplification) characteristic deteriorates or a phenomenon where the saturation output voltage drops when the input signal level is high occurred in the conventional circuit shown in FIG. 4. In the present invention by comparison, movement of the FET operating point due to variations in the gate current Igsdc is suppressed by the closed-loop control of the gate bias voltage vgsdc. Thus, when designing the circuit constants, the voltage drop at the current limiting resistor Rg can be ignored and the value of the current limiting resistor Rg can be selected and designed with priority given to the stability of the RF characteristic, and the drop in the saturation output voltage described above does not occur.
Furthermore, the closed-loop control circuit in the present invention can be implemented with a simple circuit configuration using an error amplifier. For example, the reference voltage generation-circuit for generating the above-mentioned reference voltage can be configured as a dividing circuit that can be obtained by connecting a plurality of resistors in series. The reference voltage generation circuit in this case generates the reference voltage by dividing a DC voltage of a predetermined value, such as the supply voltage. Furthermore, this reference voltage and the gate bias voltage of the FET are input by the error amplifier, and a voltage equivalent to their difference is applied to the gate of the FET via the current limiting resistor Rg. In this manner, the FET bias circuit relating to the present invention can be implemented using only resistors and an error amplifier, which may be configured from an operational amplifier. It should be noted that the reference voltage can also be generated by a method other than voltage division and the closed-loop control can be performed using components other than an operational amplifier.
Although the change in the drain bias current Idsdc due to the change in the mutual conductance gm persists, it is a linear characteristic with respect to temperature. Thus, in many cases, the FET is prevented from its thermal runaway without temperature compensation. If temperature compensation is to be performed to secure further improved stability, a circuit for such a purpose can easily be configured as a simple, small, and inexpensive circuit having linear function characteristics. In particular, if the closed-loop control circuit is to be configured from the operational amplifier and reference voltage generation circuit as described above, the change in the drain bias current Idsdc due to the change in the mutual conductance gm can be compensated by only setting and. selecting the temperature characteristics of the reference voltage generation circuit. For example, in the reference voltage generation circuit which is preferably implemented with a dividing circuit, as at least one of the resistors connected in series, an element, such as a temperature sensitive element, having a complementary temperature characteristics with respect to the temperature characteristics of the mutual conductance of the FET is used, to cancel the temperature characteristics occurring in the drain current of the FET caused by the temperature characteristics of the mutual conductance of the FET.


A process for forming microcapsules having discrete capsule walls comprising the steps of:. forming an emulsion of an oily core material phase in a continuous aqueous phase, said oily core material phase including isocyanatoacrylate or cyanoacrylate prewall reactants which react with said aqueous phase to form a pre-wall material around said oily core material phase; and PA1 enwrapping particles of said oily core material phase in an amine-formaldehyde condensation product produced by in situ condensation of an amine and formaldehyde, and the microcapsules produced thereby are disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved method for producing microcapsules and, more particularly, to a method for producing microcapsules in which the wall is formed from a formaldehyde condensation product. While the method of the present invention is useful in producing microcapsules generally, microcapsules prepared in accordance with the present invention are particularly useful in photosensitive imaging materials of the type which employ a layer of microcapsules containing a radiation sensitive composition.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Imaging materials employing photosensitive microcapsules are the subject of commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,399,209 and 4,440,836.
In the aforesaid commonly assigned U.S. patents, images are formed by image-wise exposing a layer of photosensitive capsules to actinic radiation and rupturing the capsules typically by passing the imaging sheet containing the capsules through a pressure nip. The radiation sensitive composition contains a photohardenable or photosoftenable material which undergoes a change in viscosity or modulus upon exposure. For example, in the most typical embodiments, the radiation sensitive composition contains a polyethylenically unsaturated monomer which polymerizes upon exposure, thereby causing the phase internal to the capsules to become harder. Due to the difference in the hardness of the capsules in the exposed versus the unexposed areas, only certain capsules rupture and release their contents. If the internal phase contains a dye precursor, the precursor is image-wise released, and a color image is formed upon its transfer to a developer layer. In previously disclosed embodiments, the developer layer may be present on the same support as the layer of capsules or a separate support.
As a microcapsule wall material, amine-formaldehyde polymers, and more particularly, melamine-formaldehyde polymers have been used to enwrap the photosensitive internal phase. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,330 discloses the encapsulation of photosensitive materials of the types described above in melamine-formaldehyde capsules. The process for preparing the microcapsules typically involves forming an emulsion of an oily internal phase composition in an aqueous phase, and enwrapping particles of the internal phase in a formaldehyde condensation product produced by in situ condensation of melamine and formaldehyde. This patent also discloses that a polyisocyanate may be added to the oily internal phase composition. As is described in greater detail in the patent, the presence of the isocyanate functions to form a prewall around the internal phase upon introduction into the aqueous phase as a result of the interfacial polycondensation polymerization reaction occurring between the isocyanate groups of the oily phase and the hydroxy groups of the aqueous phase.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,809 discloses microcapsules with melamine-formaldehyde or ureaformaldehyde capsule shell walls. The reference also teaches the addition of a polyvalent isocyanate, a polyvalent isothiocyanate or a prepolymer thereof to the internal phase prior to addition to an emulsion to form a prewall material around the internal phase. The presence of the isocyanate, isothiocyanate, or prepolymer functions to stabilize the emulsion and enable the production of small diameter microcapsules.
Although the above microencapsulation processes have proven to be of great importance, they still suffer from one or more minor drawbacks.
For example, the prewall polycondensation reaction between the isocyanate groups and the hydroxy groups takes a relatively long time, and any reaction which occurs is confined to the oil-water interface. Due to the long prewall formation time period, the overall production of the microcapsules takes a relatively long time, and is cost inefficient. When trying to produce the microcapsules on a commercial scale, the cost expenditures associated with requiring the prewall materials to react to completion results in prohibitive costs.
When the internal phase of the microcapsules contains a photosensitive composition, other problems must be considered. In microcapsule imaging systems of the types described above, the photosensitive composition is extremely oxygen sensitive in that photopolymerization can only take place in its absence. Accordingly, the microcapsule walls must effectively functions as a barrier material to reduce permeation by oxygen. Further, the microcapsule walls should be as water resistant as possible. While the presence of water per se does not harm the photosensitive properties of the internal phase, water can plasticize the wall material and reduce the wall's barrier properties. As a result, if the barrier properties are broken down, the amount of oxygen diffusion will increase and, in turn, the photographic efficiency of the internal phase will significantly decrease. The above described prior art microcapsules, although able to generally form an effective barrier against oxygen and/or water, do not form a complete barrier.
A further problem associated with the microcapsules having a prewall formed by addition of a polyisocyanate to the aqueous phase is the potential presence of excess unpolymerized isocyanato groups. When polyisocyanates are added to an aqueous phase during emulsification, the polyisocyanates react with water to form a prewall at the oil-water interface. The product, a crosslinked polyurea polymer, is insoluble in both water and polyisocyanate, and the degree of swelling decreases as the crosslinking density increases. The polyurea polymer may eventually behave as a barrier that separates the two reactants and as such, prevents any further reaction from occurring after a layer of crosslinked prewall has been formed at the interface. Accordingly, under normal conditions, it is expected that some unreacted isocyanates will be present in the internal phase of the capsules. Upon exposure to moisture, the unreacted isocyanates will be converted to amines which may impede the efficiency of free radical photoinitiation, especially when compounds such as the cyanine dye/borate anion initiators as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,530 are used. In the cases where time, temperature, humidity and the concentration of unreacted amines are favorable to the formation of a network inside the capsules, a loss in image density may result.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for photosensitive microcapsules wherein the microcapsule walls are capable of forming rapidly, act as excellent oxygen and water barriers, are capable of providing an extended shelf life and do not interfere with the imaging chemistry of the internal phase.

Method for producing amine-formaldehyde microcapsules and photosensitive microcapsules produced thereby