A polarizing device including a plurality of polarized light radiating units for radiating polarized light rays each of which is polarized in a particular direction, a rotary reflector for receiving light rays emitted by the plurality of polarized light radiating units while being rotated and for outputting reflected light in a certain direction, and an analyzer disposed midway an optical path of the reflected light from the rotary reflector to set a polarization direction of the reflected light in a certain direction, wherein each of the polarized light radiating units includes a light source, a polarizer for setting a polarization direction of light from the light source, and a first compensator for compensating for a change in a state of polarization attributable to the rotary reflector, and the plurality of polarized light radiating units are disposed in a radial arrangement that is centered at the rotary reflector.

It has been known that optical characteristics of various optical elements and semiconductor thin film forming processes can be evaluated using an ellipsometer which irradiates an object under measurement with light and measures a state of polarization from light reflected or transmitted by the object under measurement (for example, see JP-A-2004-294370).
There are several methods for measurement using an ellipsometer, including measuring techniques referred to as rotary polarizer method, rotary analyzer method, and rotary compensator method. Those measuring techniques involve the step of rotating a polarizer, an analyzer, and a compensator, respectively, and resultant states of polarization of light entering or exiting those elements are measured. According to any of those techniques, data are acquired at each predetermined angle, a half rotation of the polarizer, analyzer, or compensator serving as one unit of angle. The state of polarization of an object under measurement is calculated from data of the quantity of light measured at each predetermined angle.
The above-mentioned measuring method will now be briefly described.
As exemplified in FIG. 8, a measuring system according to the rotary polarizer method includes a light source 101 such as a semiconductor laser, a polarizer 102 forming linearly polarized light in an arbitrary direction, a sample 103 that is an object under measurement, an analyzer 104, and a light-receiving device 105 for receiving light transmitted through the analyzer 104. The polarizer 102 is accompanied by a rotary mechanism for changing the polarization direction, and the rotary mechanism includes a first pulley 106B secured on an output shaft off a motor 106A and a second pulley 106D which is connected to the first pulley 106B through an endless belt 106C and on which the polarizer 102 is rotatably mounted. Light from the light source 101 passes through the polarizer 102 and impinges upon the sample 103, and light transmitted by the sample 103 is measured by the light-receiving device 105 through the analyzer 104. The polarization direction of the polarizer 102 is varied by rotating the polarizer with the motor 106A to vary the polarization direction of light incident on the sample 103. As a result, the amount of transmitted light in each polarization direction is identified by the light-receiving device 105, which makes it possible to measure polarization characteristics of the sample 103.
As exemplified in FIG. 9, a measuring system according to the rotary analyzer method includes a light source 101 such as a semiconductor laser, a polarizer 102 forming linearly polarized light in a particular direction, a sample 103, an analyzer 104 forming linearly polarized light in an arbitrary direction, and a light-receiving device 105 for receiving light transmitted through the analyzer 104. This configuration provides a measuring system in which the rotary mechanism accompanying the polarizer 102 shown in FIG. 8 is provided on the analyzer 104 instead of the polarizer 102. In this system, light transmitted through the sample 103 is split into components in some polarization directions to measure the state of polarization.
According to the rotary compensator method, as exemplified in FIG. 10A, a measuring system includes a light source 10 such as a semiconductor laser, a polarizer 102 forming linearly polarized light in a particular direction, a sample 103, an analyzer 104 for detecting the state of polarization, and a light-receiving device 105 for receiving light transmitted through the analyzer 104. The measuring system further includes a compensator 107 which is rotatably supported midway the optical path between the polarizer 102 and the sample 103. The compensator 107 is driven for rotation by a rotary mechanism as shown in FIG. 8, and the state of polarization of light radiated to the sample is varied accordingly. At this time, the state of polarization of light transmitted through the sample 103 varies as the compensator 107 is rotated, and polarization characteristics of the sample 103 are measured by detecting the state of polarization at the light-receiving device 105 through the analyzer 104. According to the rotary compensator method, as shown in FIG. 10B, a measuring system may alternatively be provided, in which the compensator 107 is provided midway the optical path between the sample 103 and the analyzer 104.

High-speed polarizing device and high-speed birefringence measuring apparatus and stereoscopic image display apparatus utilizing the polarizing device


A mobile communication terminal includes an interference rejection combining processor for obtaining a received signal vector with regard to each of multiple resource elements and for calculating receiving weights so as to suppress influence to a desired beam of electric wave sent from the desired base station by other beams, on the basis of the received signal vectors; a non-interference-rejection receiving weight calculator for calculating receiving weights so as not to suppress influence to the desired beam by other beams; a signal separator for separating a signal destined for the mobile communication terminal from signals destined for other mobile communication terminals; and an interference rejection combining determiner for determining whether the receiving weights to suppress influence by other beams or the receiving weights calculated by the non-interference-rejection receiving weight calculator should be used for signal separation by the signal separator, on the basis of an index representing a relationship between reception quality of a desired downlink transmission signal and reception quality of an interfering signal.

In LTE (Long Term Evolution) Advanced of 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project), OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing Access) using MU-MIMO (multi-user multiple-input multiple-output) has been proposed. In MU-MIMO downlink transmission, a base station is able to not only communicate with multiple mobile communication terminals, but also to transmit different data streams (layers) simultaneously to a mobile communication terminal.
In addition, in LTE Advanced, a reception technique for mobile communication terminals called as interference rejection combining has been discussed. Interference rejection combining (IRC) is a technique for downlink communication, in which a mobile communication terminal gives weights to signals obtained by reception antennas so as to suppress interference to the desired electric wave beam from the visited base station (desired base station) caused by interfering electric wave beams from interfering base stations at the mobile communication terminal. IRC improves the reception quality of desired signals on a desired electric wave beam especially in a case in which a mobile communication terminal 10 is located near the boundary of a visited cell 1a (cell of the desired base station 1) and receives strong interfering electric wave beams from another base station 2 (interfering base station) as shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, reference symbol 2a denotes the cell of the interfering base station 2. In addition, in FIG. 1, a general shape of a beam 1b generated at the desired base station 1, and a general shape of the beam 2b generated at the interfering base station 2 are illustrated. A part of the beam 2b generated at the interfering base station 2, i.e., a part of a beam for downlink channels for other mobile communication terminals (for example, a mobile communication terminal 12) causes an interfering signal for the mobile communication terminal 10.
IRC is described in, for example, Patent Document 1, Non-patent Document 1, and Non-patent Document 2.
In an IRC reception technique, reception weights WMMSE, i for a mobile communication terminal that receives signals can be calculated with the use of Equation (1) below derived from an MMSE (minimum mean-square-error) algorithm.
                              W                      MMSE            ,            i                          =                                                            P                s                                                          (                                                      H                    i                                                                          W                                          TX                      ,                      i                                                                      )                                      H                                                        (                                                                    ∑                                          i                      =                      1                                                              N                      UE                                                                                P                        s                                                                                (                                                                              H                            i                                                                                W                                                          TX                              ,                              i                                                                                )                                                                                (                                                                              H                            i                                                                                W                                                          TX                              ,                              i                                                                                )                                            H                                                                      +                                                      σ                    i                    2                                                      I                                            )                                      -              1                                                          (        1        )
Equation (1) can be utilized in a case in which information on all downlink channels that may cause large interference can be estimated. In Equation (1), suffix i in each parameter denotes the number of the mobile communication terminal. In Equation (1), Ps is a scalar indicative of a transmission power per symbol from the desired base station for a mobile communication terminal #i. Hi is a channel matrix (channel impulse matrix) of the mobile communication terminal #i. In this channel matrix, the number of rows is the number of receiving antennas of the mobile communication terminal #i, whereas the number of columns is the number of transmitting antennas of the desired base station for the mobile communication terminal #i. In summary, this channel matrix is a channel matrix of downlink channels to the mobile communication terminal #i from the desired base station for the mobile communication terminal #i. WTX, i is a precoding matrix generated at the desired base station for the mobile communication terminal #i and used for downlink transmission from the desired base station to the mobile communication terminal #i. This precoding matrix has rows of which the number is the number of transmitting antennas of the desired base station for the mobile communication terminal #i, and columns of which the number is the number of the transmission layers, i.e., the number of the transmission streams transmitted from the desired base station for the mobile communication terminal #i. If the number of transmitting antennas of the base station is one, this precoding matrix is a scalar. (With this respect, Equation (1) can be also used in SIMO (single-input multiple-output).)
σi2 indicates a noise power at the mobile communication terminal #i, and σi is a standard deviation of the noise power. I is an identity matrix.
NUE is the sum of the total number of mobile communication terminals that receive downlink channels that may significantly interfere with the downlink channel received by the mobile communication terminal for which the receiving weights are to be calculated, and 1 (the number of mobile communication terminal for which the receiving weights are to be calculated). "Downlink channels that may significantly interfere with the downlink channel received by the mobile communication terminal" mean downlink channels that use the same frequency as that for the desired downlink channel.
Superscript H on the right side in the Equation (1) denotes complex conjugate transpose.
According to Equation (1), each mobile communication terminal can calculate receiving weights WMMSE, i not only on the basis of the channel matrix of the downlink channel from the desired base station for the mobile communication terminal to the mobile communication terminal, and the precoding matrix generated at the desired base station for the mobile communication terminal, but also on the basis of channel matrices of downlink channels of signals coming into the mobile communication terminal transmitted from desired base stations for other mobile communication terminals in order to send the downlink signals to other mobile communication terminals, and precoding matrices generated at other base stations for other mobile communication terminals for downlink transmission to other mobile communication terminals. In SU-MIMO, desired base stations for other mobile terminals are different from the desired base station for the mobile communication terminal for which receiving weights are to be calculated.
The mobile communication terminal can estimate the product of the channel matrix of the downlink channel from the desired base station to mobile communication terminal and the precoding matrix thereof, on the basis of a reference signal, which will be described later. In order to use Equation (1), the mobile communication terminal should know or estimate channel matrices and precoding matrices with respect to signals transmitted to other mobile communication terminals, i.e., interfering signals.
In a case in which information on all downlink channels that may cause large interference cannot be estimated, it is possible to calculate reception weights WMMSE, i for a mobile communication terminal that receives signals by using Equation (2) below, as an alternative IRC reception technique.WMMSE,i=PS(HiWTX,i)H(Ryy,i−1)T  (2)
In Equation (2), superscript T indicates transposition. Ryy,i is a covariance matrix of the received signal vector for the mobile communication terminal #i, and is calculated from Equation (3).
                              R                      yy            ,            i                          =                              1            M                                                        ∑                              m                =                1                            M                                                                                y                  i                                                                  (                  m                  )                                            *                                                y                  i                                                                  (                                      m                    T                                    )                                                                                (        3        )
In Equation (3), yi(m) is a vector of a signal received at the mobile communication terminal #i, in which m is the sample number (resource element number) of the received signal. Mobile communication terminal #i calculates the received signal vector yi(m) for each of receiving antennas of the mobile communication terminal #i. The sample number m is a combination of the number of the received subcarrier and the symbol number of the OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) symbol. In Equation (3), the asterisk denotes conjugate, whereas T denotes transpose. M is the total number of samples used for averaging, and is freely determined. Thus, each mobile terminal processes vectors of samples of signals at respective receiving antennas of the mobile communication terminal, and averages the matrices obtained by the process, thereby obtaining the covariance matrix Ryy,i.
According to Equation (2), each mobile communication terminal can calculate the receiving weights WMMSE, i from the channel matrix of downlink channels from the desired base station for the mobile communication terminal to the mobile communication terminal, the precoding matrix for the mobile communication terminal generated at the desired base station, and received signal vectors. It is possible to estimate the product of the channel matrix of downlink channels from the desired base station to the mobile communication terminal and the precoding matrix thereof on the basis of the reference signal, which will be described later. Therefore, if Equation (2) is used, it is unnecessary to estimate channel matrices of interfering waves coming from interfering base stations for downlink signal transmission to other mobile communication terminals. However, for enhancing the ability to suppress interference by beams from other base stations, it is necessary to prepare many samples m (the number of resource elements) used for averaging in Equation (3).
In radio communication systems complying with LTE Release 10, different cell IDs are allocated to individual cells, i.e., individual base stations. Also, in Release 11, different cell IDs are allocated to individual base stations, except for remote radio heads (RRHs). For example, in the structure of FIG. 2, cell IDs 1, 2, and 3 are allocated to base stations 1, 2, and 3 (thus, cells 1a, 2a, and 3a), respectively. In FIG. 2, the base station 1 is the desired base station for the mobile communication terminal 10, whereas the base stations 2 and 3 are interfering base stations.
The mobile communication terminal 10 shown in FIG. 2 is informed of the cell ID of the desired base station 1, the number of transmitting antennas of the desired base station 1, the number of transmission layers transmitted from the desired base station 1 to the mobile communication terminal 10, and other information by control signals from the base station 1. However, in the radio system shown in FIG. 2 (radio system in which different cell IDs are allocated to all base stations), the mobile communication terminal 10 is not informed of cell IDs of interfering base stations. Therefore, it is difficult to conduct the IRC reception method in which information on the downlink channels from interfering base stations is estimated and used (i.e., the method for calculating receiving weights with the use of Equation (1)). This is because the mobile communication terminal 10 is not aware of cell IDs of interfering base stations, and therefore the terminal 10 cannot estimate directly information on the channels from interfering base stations. In an alternation, without knowing cell IDs of interfering base stations, it is possible to estimate blind information on the channels from interfering base stations, but in this case, accuracy of the calculated receiving weights are low.
Accordingly, in the following, another IRC reception method for calculating receiving weights with the use of Equation (2) will be discussed. As described above, in order to calculate receiving weights by Equation (2), a vector yi(m) of each sample (resource element) of the signal from each receiving antenna of the mobile communication terminal is processed, and the matrices obtained by this process are averaged in accordance with Equation (3), so that the covariance matrix Ryy,i is obtained.
The samples of the received signal can be selected in one of two manners described below. The selection manners will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIGS. 3 and 4 show mapping of signals on a resource block in OFDMA downlink transmission. Reference symbol RB designates a single resource block, and each square designates a resource element that is a minimum resource unit defined by a single subcarrier and a single OFDM symbol. The ordinate denotes frequency (subcarrier), whereas the abscissa denotes time (OFDM symbol).
The sample number (resource element number) m is specified by k and l in which k is the received subcarrier number (i.e., subcarrier index), and l is the OFDM symbol number (i.e., OFDM symbol index). The received signal vectors yi(m) of each resource element can be expressed by yi(k, l).
As shown in FIG. 3, in a manner for selecting received signal samples, for each of multiple subcarriers allocated to downlink transmission from the desired base station to the mobile communication terminal, multiple resource elements including resource elements for the data signal (resource elements of OFDM symbol numbers 3 through 13) are selected. That is to say, resource elements of OFDM symbol numbers 0 through 2 that never include the data signal are excluded. Additionally, the reference signal arranged in OFDM symbol numbers 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 shown in FIG. 3 may be excluded because the reference signal is transmitted without multiplication by precoding. Then, received signal vectors yi(k, l) of these selected resource elements are obtained, and the matrices yi(k,l)*yi(k,l)T is calculated. Furthermore, the matrices are averaged for the respective subcarriers, so that the covariance matrix Ryy,i is obtained for the respective subcarriers. Next, in accordance with Equation (2), for the respective subcarriers, receiving weights WMMSE, i is calculated. Thus, for the respective subcarriers, receiving weights are obtained.
As shown in FIG. 4, in another manner for selecting received signal samples, for a resource block, multiple resource elements including resource elements for the data signal (resource elements of OFDM symbol numbers 3 through 13) are selected. That is to say, resource elements of OFDM symbol numbers 0 through 2 that never include the data signal are excluded. Additionally, the reference signal arranged in OFDM symbol numbers 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 shown in FIG. 4 may be excluded because the reference signal is transmitted without multiplication by precoding. Then, received signal vectors yi(k, l) of these selected resource elements are obtained, and the matrices yi(k,l)*yi(k,l)T is calculated. Furthermore, the matrices are averaged over the single resource block, so that the covariance matrix Ryy,i is obtained for this resource block. Next, in accordance with Equation (2), for this resource block, receiving weights WMMSE, i is calculated. Thus, for the single resource block, receiving weights are obtained.


An integrated circuit may include multiple power consuming cores, multiple sets of power gates, and a control circuit. Each set of power gates can be configured to provide one or more power paths to provide power to a corresponding power consuming core. The control circuit can be configured to switch the set of power gates allocated to a power consuming core in a sequence of switching events during an activation period in response to one of the power consuming cores being turned on or off. The sequence of switching events may vary the number of power gates being switched or vary a time interval between the switching events.

Integrated circuits may include multiple cores that are independently controlled. Non-limiting examples of cores include digital processors, general purpose processors, communication fabrics and the like.
In order to save power, cores can be shut down when they are not required, and be powered up (active) when they are required. Accordingly, one core can be shut down while another core is active, or one core can be powered up while another core is active.
Activating or shutting down a core while another core is active may affect the voltage and/or current supplied to the already active core and thus may dramatically affect the performance of the already active core. Generally, an activation of a previously inactive core starts with a dramatic increment of the current consumption of that core. A main power source usually cannot instantaneously supply all the desired current consumption of the core being activated, at least partly due to the inductance of the power distribution network that connects the main power source to the core. Thus, the core being activated may consume power from the already active core. This consumption may dramatically interfere with the operation of the already active core.
There is a growing need to provide a power management scheme that will allow activating a core without dramatically interfering with the operation of another core.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Power management in a complex integrated circuit


A jaw for a bar clamp and a method of using a bar clamp, the bar clamp including a trigger having a first force applying mechanism to apply a first force against the drive lever at a first point on the drive lever that is remote from the bar as the trigger pivots with respect to the main section to provide low mechanical advantage to the drive lever. The trigger also having a second force applying mechanism to apply a second force against the drive lever at a second point on the drive lever that is closer to the bar than the first point as the trigger pivots with respect to the main section to provide high mechanical advantage to the drive lever.

Known adjustable clamps include one moving jaw and one fixed jaw. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,386,530 to Marks, 6,474,632 to Liou, 5,005,449 to Sorensen, 5,443,246 to Peterson, 5,265,854 to Whiteford, 5,853,168 to Drake, and 5,666,964 to Meilus, and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2003/0090048 to Verzino et al.; and 2004/0140602 to Gerritsen et al., which disclose various clamps, are each incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto, respectively.


Carrier aggregation and dual connectivity allow a user device to communicate with one or more base stations on multiple component carrier frequencies. When it is determined that the user device should handover to a new base station, the user device performs a substantial portion of the needed handover operations with the new base station using only one of the component carrier frequencies. Meanwhile, the user device maintains data communications with the original base station on the remaining component carrier frequencies.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates performing handovers of multi-carrier devices in a wireless communication environment.
2. Related Art
Wireless communication devices, such as cellular telephones to provide an example, have become commonplace in both personal and commercial settings. The wireless communication devices provide users with access to all kinds of information. For example, a user can access the Internet through an Internet browser on the device, download miniature applications (e.g., "apps") from a digital marketplace, send and receive emails, or make telephone calls using a voice over internet protocol (VoIP). Consequently, wireless communication devices provide users with significant mobility, while allowing them to remain "connected" to communication channels and information.
In wireless communication environments, some user devices have the capability to communicate with a serving base station over multiple carrier frequencies. This is referred to as "carrier aggregation" and involves the user device tuning two or more radios to different frequencies for communicating with the same base station. Conventionally, when the user device begins a handover process to a target base station, the user device stops communication with the source base station on all of its radios, and then uses the primary radio to perform synchronization with the target base station.
The disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Wireless communication system utilizing staggered device handovers


An array structure for preventing an open ITO defect includes an amorphous silicon layer, and a high-doped amorphous silicon layer formed above the amorphous silicon layer, and a drain electrode formed above the doped amorphous silicon layer, completely enclosing the amorphous silicon layer and the doped amorphous silicon layer.

Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are widely used flat panel display devices. As is well known to those having skill in the art, an LCD generally includes two spaced apart substrates with liquid crystals therebetween. A plurality of spaced apart gate lines are formed on a substrate, and a plurality of spaced apart data lines are formed on the substrate that intersect the plurality of spaced apart gate lines. Accordingly, the gate lines and data lines define an array of pixels. An array of pixel electrodes is provided, a respective one of which is in a respective one of the pixels. An array of thin film transistors is also provided, each comprising a gate electrode that is connected to one of the spaced apart gate lines, a gate insulator on the gate electrode, and an amorphous silicon layer on the gate insulator. Spaced apart source and drain electrodes are provided on the amorphous silicon layer. The source electrode is connected to one of the spaced apart data lines. The drain electrode overlaps a pixel electrode, and is electrically connected thereto through a contact hole therebetween.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a pixel of a conventional LCD. It will be understood that these pixels replicate in an array to form an LCD. As shown, a plurality of spaced apart gate lines 30 and a plurality of spaced apart data lines 40 are formed on a substrate and define an array of pixels. A pixel electrode 160, for example an indium tin oxide electrode, is included in a pixel. As shown in FIG. 1, the pixel electrode 160 may also partially overlap a gate line 30. A thin film transistor (TFT) 20 is located at the upper right corner of the pixel below the pixel to which it is connected. However, other positions may be used.
The TFT 20 includes a drain electrode which is connected to the pixel electrode 160, a gate electrode 142 which is connected to the gate line 30 and source electrode 144 which is connected to the data line 40. The pixel electrode 160 and the drain electrode 140 are generally formed in different layers of the LCD and are separated from each other by a passivation layer. The drain electrode 140 overlaps the pixel electrode 160 and is electrically connected thereto through a contact hole 10 therebetween in the passivation layer. As is well known, the contact hole 10 may be formed by etching the passivation layer to expose a portion of the drain electrode 140.
An LCD displays desired images by controlling the brightness of each pixel. The brightness of a pixel is controlled by the gate line 30, the data line 40, the TFT 20 and the pixel electrode 160. In general, a data signal is first sent through the data line 40, and a gate signal is sent to the selected gate line 30. The gate electrode 142 of the TFT 20 receives the gate signal and turns on the TFT 20 so that the data signal can pass from the source electrode 144 to the drain electrode 140, through an amorphous silicon layer 120, and then to the pixel electrode 160. Upon receiving the data signal, the pixel electrode 160 controls the amount of light passing through the pixel based on the data signal received, thereby controlling the brightness of the pixel.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of FIG. 1 at the pixel contact hole 10. Outlines of the amorphous silicon layer 120, the drain electrode 140, and the pixel electrode 160 are shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along the section line III-III'. A gate insulator 110 is provided on an LCD substrate such as a glass substrate 100. The amorphous silicon layer 120 is provided on the gate insulator 110 extending from adjacent the pixel contact hole 10 to the TFT 20.
A doped amorphous silicon layer 130, generally doped with donor impurities and referred to as n+a-Si, is provided on the amorphous silicon layer 120. Its edges extend short of an edge of the amorphous silicon layer 120 near the pixel hole contact and creates a first conventional profile section 170 shown in FIG. 3.
The drain electrode 140 is located on the doped amorphous silicon layer 130. An edge of the drain electrode also extends short of an edge of the amorphous silicon layer 120 near the pixel hole contact 10. The drain electrode 140 partially covers the doped amorphous silicon layer 130. However, at least one of its edges is aligned with an edge of the doped amorphous silicon layer 130 and creates the first conventional profile section 170 on the amorphous silicon layer 130. The first conventional profile section 170 may be created by an etching process that etches portions of the doped amorphous silicon layer 130 that are not covered by the drain electrode 140.
In addition to the doped amorphous silicon layer 130 and the drain electrode 140, a portion of the amorphous silicon layer 120 also contributes to the first conventional profile section 170. In particular, a portion of the amorphous silicon layer 120 may be inadvertently etched in the etching process, since the amorphous silicon layer 120 has similar etching properties to the doped amorphous silicon layer 130. Therefore, the first conventional profile section 170 is relatively high, and has a steep slope, since the heights of the drain electrode 140, the doped amorphous silicon 130 and the etched out portion of the amorphous silicon layer 120 all contribute to the profile section.
As shown in FIG. 3, the first conventional profile section 170 exists on the amorphous silicon layer 120 where edges of the drain electrode 140 extend short of edges of the amorphous silicon layer 120. Thus, the pixel contact hole 10 is almost complete surrounded by the first conventional profile section 170.
Returning to the description of the array structure, a passivation layer 150 completely covers the drain electrode 140 and the first conventional profile section 170. A portion of the passivation layer 150 is removed to form the pixel contact hole 10. The pixel electrode 160 is then formed on the passivation layer, contacting the drain electrode 140 through the pixel contact hole 10. The pixel electrode 160 receives the data signal for appropriately aligning liquid crystals in a pixel to display images, through the pixel contact hole 10 and via the drain electrode.
As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pixel electrode 160 extends the furthest adjacent the pixel contact hole 10, compared to the amorphous silicon layer 120, the doped amorphous silicon layer 130, and the drain electrode 140. The pixel electrode 160 covers the portion of the passivation layer 150 on the first conventional profile section 170. Thus, the pixel electrode 160 also has a second conventional profile section 180 which has relatively large step height due to the height of the first conventional profile section 170.
As a result, an open pixel electrode may occur on the second conventional profile section 180 during pixel electrode patterning due to its height and the steep slope. The open pixel electrode produces a defect that may prevent proper processing of the data signal by the pixel electrode 160, which can result in poor display quality.

Liquid crystal display panel array structure at a pixel contact hole


The present invention provides a hematopoietic stem cell identification probe. A hematopoietic stem cell analysis probe containing, as an active ingredient, one or more compounds represented by the general formula (1) has been developed:

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hematopoietic stem cell identification probe, and a method and a kit using a hematopoietic stem cell identification probe.
2. Description of the Related Art
A hematopoietic stem cell is a cell that has multipotency of differentiating into any of all types of blood cells including leucocytes (such as a granulocyte, a lymphocyte, a monocyte and a macrophage), a erythrocyte, a platelet, a mast cell and a denderitic cell, and has replication competence. As a treatment for diseases causing a damage in the hematopoietic function, for example, hematological cancers such as leukaemia, malignant lymphoma and multiple myeloma, or aplastic anemia, transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells accompanied by chemotherapy and radiation therapy has been established.
For performing the transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells, it is necessary to efficiently collect cells including hematopoietic stem cells from umbilical cord blood, bone marrow, peripheral blood or the like and to identify, segregate and enrich the collected cells. Furthermore, use of hematopoietic stem cells of mammals other than a human (such as a mouse and a rat) has been earnestly studied as a model for clarifying mechanism of differentiating and mechanism of maintaining an undifferentiated state of somatic stem cells, and also in such studies, there is a demand for an efficient method for identifying, segregating and enriching hematopoietic stem cells.
As a method for segregating hematopoietic stem cells, a method in which a monocyte component is taken out by using a blood component centrifuge and surfaces of hematopoietic stem cells are labeled with magnetic beads so as to segregate the hematopoietic stem cells from unlabeled cells, or a method using a cell sorter is employed.
If a cell sorter is used, a method of selectively sorting cells labeled with a cell surface marker and a method of sorting cells having a dye excretion property are known, and cells can be highly accurately segregated by such a method.
As for fractions obtained by using a cell sorter with a cell surface marker used, it has been clarified that a fraction having a pattern of a cell surface antigen expression of c-Kit positive, Sca-1 positive and lineage marker negative (a KSL fraction) and, with respect to those obtained from a mouse, a fraction further being CD34 negative or a CD34 negative-KSL fraction and a KSL-SP fraction contain hematopoietic stem cells in a high concentration, and these fractions are frequently used in the same sense as hematopoietic stem cells. C-Kit is known to be expressed in all hematopoietic precursor cells having multipotency similar to that of hematopoietic stem cells and can be used as a simple marker for hematopoietic stem cells and undifferentiated hematopoietic cells including hematopoietic precursor cells. Furthermore, it has been reported that hematopoietic stem cells are enriched in CD150 positive and CD48 negative fractions, and such a fraction is used singly or together with a CD34 negative-KSL fraction.
Furthermore, a method using JAM-1 as a marker (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-242513), a method using Robo-4 protein as a maker (WO2007/010586) and a method using a marker for hyaluronic acid present on a cell surface (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-232853) have been disclosed.
On the other hand, as a method using a dye, a method of enriching a SP (side population) of cells specifically excreting Hoechst 33342 bound to DNA is widely known (Goodell M A et al., J Exp Med. 1996; 183, 1797-1806). Moreover, it has been disclosed that Rhodamine 123 is excreted by hematopoietic stem cells (Wolf, N S et al., Exp Hematol. 1993; 21, 614-622).
If a hematopoietic stem cell enriched cell population is easily identified and separated, not only it is extremely useful in transplantation of enriched/separated hematopoietic stem cells for reproducing the hematogenous function of a patient having been given a medical treatment causing a damage in hematopoiesis, such as a chemotherapy for a cancer, but also it makes it possible to perform image analysis of hematopoietic stem cells, to identify a bioactive substance affecting the behavior of hematopoietic stem cells, and the like.
The methods of segregating/enriching hematopoietic stem cells using a cell surface marker disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-242513, WO2007/010586, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-232853 and the like had, however, problems, for example, in which it costs much because a plurality of expensive monoclonal antibodies and the like are used in combination, the functions of segregated cells may be inhibited by an antibody, and a blocking operation for preventing non-specific adsorption of an antibody may be required in some cases.
On the other hand, the method using a dye is superior in a point where a reagent is available inexpensively as compared with an antibody, but it is necessary to excite Hoechst 33342 at a wavelength in the vicinity of 350 nm. Although an ultraviolet laser is necessary for coping with this wavelength, an ultraviolet laser is too expensive to be provided on a general cell sorter apparatus, and therefore, Hoechst 33342 could not be widely used. Moreover, since Hoechst 33342 is a DNA-binding dye, there was a problem in which Hoechst 33342 should be carefully handled because there is a risk of mutagenicity. The Rhodamine 123 disclosed by Wolf, N S et al., in Exp Hematol. 1993; 21, 614-622 is excited at a wavelength in the vicinity of 500 nm and hence the fluorescence can be detected by an inexpensive analyzer. The Rhodamine 123 is, however, excreted by many hematopoietic cells other than hematopoietic stem cells, and hence is less efficiently used for enrichment of hematopoietic stem cells.

Hematopoietic stem cell identification probe


The disclosure includes a system and method for providing recommended content to a user. The system includes a processor and a memory storing instructions that when executed cause the system to: receive data describing one or more engagement actions performed by a user; generate an engagement profile associated with the user; receive data describing one or more images associated with the user, the one or more images including temporal data describing one or more timestamps and location data describing one or more locations; generate a location profile based on the one or more locations and the one or more timestamps; receive data describing one or more content items; determine one or more interest scores for the one or more content items; determine one or more recommended items based on the one or more interest scores; and provide the one or more recommended items to the user.

The specification relates to recommending content to a user.
A user can obtain news items from one or more websites. For example, a user can receive a news feed from a web server. However, the user may not be interested in the received news items. For example, the news items may not be relevant to the user's interest. In another example, the news items describe news associated with a location that may not be relevant to the user.


Method and apparatus for creating a clone relationship between two or more optical-frequency comb sources (OFCSs). In one embodiment, the invention is an apparatus having (i) first and second OFCSs, each adapted to generate a respective frequency comb, and (ii) means for locking the phases of two comb lines of the first OFCS and the phases of the respective two comb lines of the second OFCS to create a full or partial clone relationship between these two OFCSs. In one system configuration, the locking of the phases of the first and second OFCSs is achieved by locking the phases of two selected comb lines generated by each of these OFCSs to the phases of the respective comb lines generated by the same (third, reference) OFCS. In an alternative system configuration, the locking of the phases of the first and second OFCSs is achieved by locking the phases of two selected comb lines generated by the first OFCS to the phases of the respective comb lines generated by the third OFCS, and locking the phases of two selected comb lines generated by the second OFCS to the phases of the respective comb lines generated by the first OFCS.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical sources that can, for example, be used in optical wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) communication systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Light sources are used in many fields, e.g., optical communications, metrology, medicine, and natural sciences. Many applications related to these fields make use of multiple light sources that have correlated properties, e.g., predetermined wavelength and/or phase relationships. However, the systems and methods for creating suitable correlated light sources are not sufficiently developed yet.
For example, in optical communications, a phase-shift keying (PSK)-modulated signal can be decoded at the receiver using homodyne detection, in which a local oscillator (LO) signal having a well-defined phase relationship with the received signal is utilized. However, one problem with the use of homodyne PSK in a WDM communication system is that homodyne detection utilizes a separate phase-locked LO signal for each WDM wavelength. In a typical prior-art WDM system, the task of providing these separate phase-locked LO signals for the WDM wavelengths carries the burden of providing separate light sources and phase-lock loops for different wavelengths, which can add significantly to the complexity, size, and cost of each transceiver. This burden might substantially prohibit the use of homodyne PSK in WDM systems having a relatively large number (e.g., greater than about 20) of WDM channels.


Rotor blade stowing system for stowing rotor blades that conserves storage space without adding significant weight or cost to the aircraft. The system includes a rotary actuator disposed on a blade grip member. A rotor blade is pivotally connected to the blade grip member. The rotary actuator is operably coupled to a blade pivoting cam and a locking cam. The system includes a cam follower linkage which has a first end which includes a blade pivoting cam follower and a locking cam follower and a second end. The blade pivoting cam follower follows the blade pivoting cam. The locking cam follower follows the locking cam. The second end of the cam follower linkage is coupled to the blade grip member. The system includes a shaft rotatably coupled to the blade grip member, a locking linkage bell crank operably coupled to the shaft, a delay cam coupled to the blade grip member, and a locking linkage idler operably coupled to the locking linkage bell crank. The locking linkage idler includes a delay cam follower that follows the delay cam. The system includes a locking linkage which has a first end coupled to the locking cam and a second end coupled to the locking linkage idler.

The blades of rotary wing aircraft and tiltrotor aircraft are disposed in a deployed position during flight. While the aircraft is being stored, however, it is convenient to fold the blades into a stowed position so as to conserve storage space. Conserving storage space is economical and in some instances, such as on aircraft carriers, is an unavoidable requirement. Moreover, the problem of limited storage space has become more severe with the use of multi-rotor helicopters and with the advent of tiltrotor aircraft where the rotors are carried at the very tips of the wings. In addition, the blades of rotary wing and tiltrotor aircraft that are of variable pitch type must be prevented from varying the pitch angle while these variable pitch type rotor blades are being folded, stowed and deployed, so as to avoid damage to the aircraft from any resulting movement of the blades. Moreover, once a rotor blade is deployed, the blade must be prevented from inadvertently folding, such as may result from vibration caused during flight. To reduce drag on the aircraft during flight, it is desirable to provide fairings over components of the rotors. Thus, in order to fold the blades of faired rotors, it is also necessary to open a portion of the fairing in the direction in which the blade is folded. Manual folding of the blades into a stowed position has proven inadequate, especially with large rotary wing aircraft and more especially with tiltrotor aircraft where the blades are located very high and at the tips of the wings.
Accordingly, rotor blade stowing systems for stowing a variable pitch rotor blade were developed in an attempt to effectively meet the above requirements. However, these traditional rotor blade stowing systems have proven ineffective at conserving storage space without adding significant weight or cost to the aircraft. Moreover, these traditional rotor blade stowing systems have proven ineffective at opening a portion of the fairing of a faired rotor blade to allow for the blade to be folded without adding significant weight or cost to the aircraft.
Thus, there is a need in the art for an effective rotor blade stowing system for stowing a rotor blade that not only allows the blade to be folded, stowed, and deployed to conserve storage space but does so without adding significant weight or cost to the aircraft. Moreover, there is also a need in the art for an effective rotor blade stowing system that provides for the opening of a portion of the fairing of a faired rotor blade without adding significant weight or cost to the aircraft.


A harvester thresher has a cutting mechanism, a reel having reel supporting arms, an exchangeable attachment which is releasably connected with the cutting mechanism, sliding shoes in which the reel is rotatably supported and which are synchronously forwardly and rearwardly displaceable on the reel supporting arms for adjusting the reel relative to the cutting mechanism, shaped parts arranged on the cutting mechanism and the attachment for moving the cutting mechanism and the attachment to a proper position, driving and pulling elements arranged on the sliding shoes and on the attachment and connectable with one another at a predetermined distance between the cutting mechanism and the attachment so that by moving back the reel the attachment is movable to an end position.

The present invention generally relates to an agricultural machine.
More particularly, it relates to an agricultural machine which has a cutting mechanism with side walls, a reel, and an exchangeable attachment which is releasably connected with the cutting mechanism, and also with shaped parts which are arranged on the cutting mechanism and on the attachment to assemble them in proper position, wherein the reel is rotatably supported in sliding shoes which in turn are synchronously displaceable forwardly and rearwardly relative to the cutting mechanism on lateral reel supporting arms for adjusting the reel.
The cutting mechanism of the harvester thresher of the above mentioned general type includes substantially a mowing bar, a mowing table, the side walls as well as a drawing-in screw which is rotatingly drivingly supported in a cutting mechanism trough for supplying the harvested product to a subsequent inclined conveyor. Such a cutting mechanism is designed for harvesting all known grain sorts. The reel supporting arms are vertically adjustable about a joint horizontal axis by a hydraulic cylinder-piston unit. For adjusting the reel relative to the mowing bar, the sliding shoes are also mowed by a controlled hydraulic cylinder-piston unit. The harvester thresher described hereinabove must however harvest not only the generally known grain sorts, but also special field fruits, such as for example rape, sunflower, soybeans, castor beans, etc. With the grain cutting mechanism the harvesting of these fruits is not possible or can be performed only with a significant loss.
Special attachments have been developed which must be coupled to the cutting mechanism when needed. In order to displace the attachment in a proper position to the cutting mechanism, shaped parts are fixed on the side walls of the cutting mechanism and the attachment and designed as auxiliary means or centering means. For coupling the attachment to the cutting mechanism, the attachment is moved from the harvester thresher. The shaped parts are then joined substantially in one another. In order to move the attachment into the end position for coupling, it is however necessary to move and orient the attachment by one or several people with auxiliary means such as for example lever bars. The coupling of the attachment is time consuming and also quite complicated, especially when the required auxiliary people are not available.


A computing system for securely managing access to resources of a computing device receives an input at a secure login of a user interface. The computing system compares the input to a plurality of stored security measures and activates one of an operating system or a configuration of a false desktop system. A user interface of the false desktop system shares characteristics with a user interface of an operating system and restricts access to specified files, data stores, applications, networking functions, and/or ports associated with the computing system. When configured, the false desktop system or the operating system is enabled based on the location of the computing system. When configured, the false desktop system deletes files, data stores, and applications of the operating system.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to managing access to resources of a computing device. One or more aspects of the disclosure relate to a desktop management system capable of managing systems that control access to the contents and peripherals of a computing device.
Today, computer use by employees and/or members of organizations (e.g., business organizations, educational institutions, governmental entities, and the like) functions as a part of fundamental enterprise operations. Such users typically utilize these computing devices to perform their duties and manage their responsibilities. In some cases, the computing devices operated by the users may contain private information (personal and/or organizational), leading many users to utilize one or more security measures (passwords, security keys, and the like) to secure access to the computing devices. In some cases, a user may be required to unlock a computing device to display the functionality and the contents of the computing device to an external individual, such as to a customs official at a border crossing. In some cases, to avoid allowing the external individual access to any private information stored on the computing device, the user may intentionally erase the contents of the computing device. However, such extreme measures may require the user to manually input a command to erase the contents of the computing device, without providing an alternative measure to provide restricted access to the external individual of the public or non-private functionality and/or the contents of the computing device.

Security enabled false desktop computing environment


A vehicle lamp can suppress dimensions in the depth direction and provide a large emission area with a simple configuration, and has a light-emitting surface of wraparound configuration with impressive appearance and aesthetic qualities. The vehicle lamp can include a light source unit and a light guide lens. The light source unit can include a light source, and a converting part for converting light from the light source to a narrow width light. The conversion part has an emission area for emitting the converted light. The light guide lens can include one end face having a shape corresponding to the emission area of the conversion part, a thin plate-like light guiding portion for guiding the incident light, and another end face being a farthest part away from the incident surface. The light guide lens guides the incident light toward the other end face and emits the guided light from a predetermined surface thereof as it travels on its way through the lens.

1. Technical Field
The presently disclosed subject matter relates to a vehicle lamp to be used as various types of lamps intended for a vehicle, such as a vehicle position lamp.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, automobile and vehicle design has shifted to forms in which the four corners of the vehicle body are cut away obliquely and to a larger extent as compared to previous designs.
Vehicle lamps that are to be mounted near the four corners of the vehicle body are therefore shaped to wrap around these body portions, and even the fender area of the vehicle body. Accordingly, even if light guide lenses are provided on the light sources, this new structure and design has made it difficult for the outermost ends (outside ends) of the light guide lenses of the vehicle lamps to emit light.
In addition, in order to differentiate the vehicle lamps from conventional lamps in appearance, demand has been increasing for vehicle-lamp designs using a so-called solid-looking lens and crystalline-looking lens.
Vehicle lamps that can satisfy such demand, however, can be difficult to configure.
Vehicle lamps using a light guide lens are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2002-324418 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,652,129 B2) and 2006-164908 (corresponding to U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0146555A1).
In view of installation space, both the vehicle lamps disclosed in the conventional art references set forth above are configured so that light emitted forward from a light source is directed by the light guide lens to the back of the light source so that the light guide lens emits light.
Nevertheless, in vehicle lamps having such configurations, the amount of light incident on the light guide lens is small, and therefore the light guide lens looks dim when the light guide lens is observed from outside of the vehicle.
In addition to this, with the structure of utilizing total reflection inside the light guide lens to emit light in a lateral direction with respect to the direction of incidence of the light from the light source, light loss increases since the light emitted from the end face of the light guide lens is unused.
As for the demand for vehicle-lamp designs using a solid-looking lens or crystalline-looking lens, prisms intended to emit light sideways by utilizing total reflection inside the light guide lens may be used. However, since these prisms look like a reflecting surface when observed from the light emission side, it is difficult for conventional light guide lenses to provide a crystalline look.
Furthermore, since such light guide lenses are intended for uniform light emission or so-called plane emission, it is difficult to provide a distinctive appearance in light emission.


An acoustic wave sensing device integrated with micro-channels and a method for the same are described. The present invention uses a piezoelectric substrate with a thinner portion serving as a sensing area and formed via a micromaching or chemical process. An inter-digital transducer (IDT) is located on the thinner portion to produce flexural plate waves (FPW). The micro-channels can be formed together with the thinner portion via the same manufacturing process, or integrated into the piezoelectric substrate via linkage. In the present invention, a novel manufacturing process and design are proposed for fabrication of the acoustic wave sensing devices with a good piezoelectric characteristic, a stable temperature compensation property, and a robust structure. Thereby, the techniques of flexural plate waves can be applied for liquid sensors. In this way, the drawbacks of the conventional acoustic wave sensing devices, such as poor piezoelectric properties and fragile film structures, are removed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an acoustic wave sensing device integrated with micro-channels, and more particularly to an acoustic wave sensing device that has a substrate made of a piezoelectric material and is processed by techniques of micromaching. The sensing device of the present invention can be used for analysis of specific ingredients of liquid or gas.
2. Description of Related Art
Due to the transmission characteristic of flexural plate waves (FPW) in liquid, i.e. the energy propagation of flexural plate waves is restricted in liquid, flexural plate waves are used for liquid sensors nowadays. Conventional FPW components are made substantially by using silicon as substrates, forming piezoelectric films on there, and finally performing an etching process on the same. However, in practical applications, it is difficult to control the characteristics of multi-layer films, and the characteristics of piezoelectric films are the important parameters that determine the performance of the FPW components. Furthermore, the structure of the piezoelectric films is fragile. Hence, the FPW components are easily broken.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,988, a layer structure made of a piezoelectric material is proposed to produce symmetric or asymmetric Lamb waves. In this design, a ground electrode layer is needed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,988 shows another case of conventional FPW components, which are made by using film-depositing and silicon-etching processes. Furthermore, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,158, a sacrificial layer micromachining process is used to make components with small areas for formation of arrays, and the components are made of a piezoelectric material, such as aluminum nitride, zinc oxide, or lead zirconium titanate.
In the literature, in "Vapor recognition with an integrated array of polymer-coated flexural plate wave sensors," Volume 62, pp. 121-130, in 2000, Qing-Yun Caiz et al propose a FPW structure, which has a silicon plate as substrate and a piezoelectric film as an actuator. This FPW structure can be designed to form an array structure combined with a measuring system. It is used mainly for recognition of gas.
In the literature, in "Microfabricated Lamb wave device based on PZT Sol-Gel thin film for mechanical transport of solid particles and liquids," Journal of Microelectro-mechanical, Volume 73, pp. 112-123, in 2001, Philippe Luginbuhl et al. propose a FPW structure to illustrate the mechanical transport of solid particles and liquids caused by FPW. However, the sensing results obtained in fluids are not demonstrated.

Acoustic wave sensing device integrated with micro-channels and method for the same

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A method and apparatus for removal of solids from aqueous wash solutions such as, but not limited to, solutions used in hot jet-spray parts washers. Coarse solids are removed by a vortex separator during all operations. Solids accumulated in the parts washer storage tank are intermittently removed and fine solids are removed by intermittent depth filtration. In one embodiment of the invention, the method includes the purging of the vortex separator to the primary stage of depth filtration.

The invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for removing solids from aqueous wash solutions, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for removing solids from wash solutions used in hot jet-spray parts washers and the like.
Wash solutions are used in recirculating washer devices constructed for cleaning industrial parts. In these devices, the wash solution is usually sprayed across the device being cleaned at high pressure to help dislodge solids and residue from the components being cleaned. The wash solution is then discharged from the washer tank through a filter before returning to recycle through the washer.
The particular pump used in typical washer systems must be strong enough to move the solution through the filter while maintaining the necessary flow pressure for efficient washing. This is problematic because the degree of filtration provided by a device is usually proportional to the pressure drop across the device. Thus, in some circumstances, multiple pumps are used to separately pump wash solution trough filtering devices and to provide the necessary jet spray pressure. Multiple pumps substantially increase procurement and operational cost of the washer system.
Depending upon the particular application suitable filters are required in recirculating washer systems to provide the necessary filtering of the wash solution as desired. For processing wash solutions where significant quantities of oil are present, removal of the oil is a prerequisite for filtration for removal of solids. In parts washers, this can be accomplished by use of a suitable oil skimmer such as that taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,145 dated Oct. 1, 1991. Using this type of filtration alone for the removing of solids from aqueous solutions has not proved satisfactory due to the high filter maintenance required for removal of the entire solids load.
During the wash operation, various particulate matter in addition to oils, including sand, dust, wear metals, carbon and other contaminants dislodge from the components being washed. These materials vary in size and density, depending upon the particular application, and accumulate in the washer system during wash cycles. Heavier materials may settle out of the wash solution and collect on the bottom surface of the washer. Of course, these materials eventually must be removed. Typically, up to 90% of the particulate matter dislodged from the component being washed during the washing process are coarse enough (larger than about 100 microns) to settle out of suspension in the washer storage tank used in the system. In addition, when a washer system is turned off overnight or between shifts, particulate matter may settle to the bottom of the washer storage container and accumulate to a sludge. High pump capacity, or additional pumps, may be required to dislodge the sludge. The cost of procuring, maintaining and operating these high power pumps can be very high.
To avoid operating problems such as increased pump wear and reduced quality of cleaning that result from buildup of dislodged particulate matter, it has conventionally been the practice to dispose of wash solutions at intervals as short as two weeks. At one time, it was common practice to discharge dirty solutions to the sewer system, clean the washer storage of accumulated solids and recharge the system with clean solution.
The enactment of environmental legislation, such as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), has resulted in regulations which prohibit disposal of aqueous cleaners in sewers and the like and specifically require special handling of contaminated industrial wash solutions. Most common wash solutions must now be treated as hazardous waste and disposed of in suitable fashion.
The increasing costs of hazardous waste disposal and the limited space for hazardous waste storage have created a need to increase the service life of wash solutions and reduce the volume of contaminated wash solutions requiring disposal. One solution is to provide systems having increased filtering capabilities to allow aqueous wash solutions to be used for longer periods of operational life.
Whenever filtering is increased, however, the effective flow of the wash solution is attenuated as previously described. Thus, when filtering is increased it is often necessary to also increase pump power. In conventional washer systems having only one pump for each washer cabinet, this would require procurement of a larger pump or addition of additional pumps for each washer system. The cost associated with such a modification is often cost prohibitive for smaller businesses.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for a system and method of removing particulate matter from aqueous wash solution in existing washer systems that can extend wash solution operational life without compromising the efficiency of the wash cycle and without requiring expensive additional pumps. Water filtration is very old.

Method and apparatus for removing solids from aqueous wash solutions


A pre-chamber arrangement (100) for a gas engine (1), including a pre-chamber body (20) accommodating a volume (30); and an inlet passage (40) with an inlet port (42), for supplying a gaseous medium (50) into the pre-chamber volume (30); the pre-chamber volume (30) extends in a longitudinal direction (L) between a top end (32) and a bottom end (34); the pre-chamber volume (30) is configured to accommodate an end of a spark plug (60) at the top end (32) and at the bottom end (34), the pre-chamber body (20) has openings (26) for allowing gas to flow between the pre-chamber volume (30) and a main combustion chamber (10) of the gas engine (1); the inlet port (42) is positioned, at a distance (D) from the top end (32) of the pre-chamber volume (30), in the longitudinal direction (L), such that a volume of residual gases is trapped at the top end of the pre-chamber volume when the gaseous medium is supplied into the pre-chamber volume during an intake stroke.

Combustion engines operating on gaseous fuels are spark ignited and are typically used for stationary applications. Such gas engines may be used for power generation and may, for example, operate on gas from digesters and sewage systems, natural gas or any other biogas. Heavy-duty gas engines are often lean-burn engines, which means burning of fuel with an excess of air. This results in a lower temperature in the combustion chamber and thereby lower NOx (nitrogen oxide) formation. However, lean burning requires higher ignition/activation energy and pre-chambers are therefore often used. With a pre-chamber, a richer mixture of fuel gas and air is ignited by a spark plug in the pre-chamber. The flaming gas and active components then spreads to the lean mixture in the main combustion chamber of the engine. By using a pre-chamber, less NOx is produced and the thermal efficiency is increased as higher compression ratios are can be used. Typically, fuel gas is fed into the pre-chamber during an intake stroke of the gas engine, which fuel gas is mixed with the lean mixture from the combustion engine during compression stroke. This way, a rich mixture is achieved in the pre-chamber to be ignited by the spark plug.
Using pre-chamber ignition in small gas engines may be difficult since the pre-chamber has to be very compact. Also, achieving accurate mixing proportions in the pre-chamber may be problematic. Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,656 A discloses a gas engine with a pre-chamber, where an area of a section of the pre-chamber gradually decreases towards the combustion chamber to achieve a good mixing of the gas in the pre-chamber and the lean mixture in the combustion chamber in a compression stroke.

Pre-chamber arrangement for a gas engine and a gas engine


A turbomachine is operated in a manner to improve the degree of efficiency of a machine of this type. To this end, fresh air that has been drawn in by suction is isochorically heated in individual, closed off conveying and heating chambers, which are arranged in succession in the conveying direction, and then supplied to a working machine in which the air is expanded and behind which the air is burned after being mixed with fuel. The resulting combustion gases are then guided past the conveying and heating chambers in the opposite direction to the conveying direction of the same, in such a way that the fresh air that is drawn in by suction is successively isochorically heated in said chambers.

The invention relates generally to the field of turbomachinery and, more specifically to an improved turbomachine and to a method for operating a turbomachine.
In conventional engines, approximately one third of the total heat energy of the fuel is lost in the cooling water and one third is lost in the exhaust gases. In the case of an uncooled engine, the energy yield can only be slightly increased from, for example, 34% to a maximum of 38.5%, but only by accepting an increase in the exhaust gas loss.
It is known in the art to provide, for example, turbochargers for the partial recovery of exhaust gas energy. By means of turbochargers, however, only the volumetric efficiency can, in the end, be increased in the case of piston engines, but the exhaust gas energy cannot be completely utilized.
CH 464 606 shows a method for cooling a screw-type engine, in which fresh air is heated between a compressor and a combustion chamber by means of exhaust gases in the counterflow method. In this case, the compressor is necessary for generating a pressure in order to deliver the fresh air through a eat exchanger.
DE 94 01 804 U1 and DD 276 512 A1 show internal combustion engines with two parallel screw spindles, which mesh with one another and by means of which fresh air is conveyed to a combustion chamber and combustion gases are subsequently supplied to an expansion stage.
An object of the invention is, therefore, to develop a method and a turbomachine for carrying out the method, by which the heat loss can be reduced.
With respect to the method, this object is achieved, according to the invention, by fresh air being induced as the working medium, then isochorically heated while being continuously conveyed in a delivery direction in individually enclosed delivery and heating chambers which follow one another in the delivery direction. The isochorically heated air is then introduced into a working machine, in which the excess air pressure generated by the isochoric heating is substantially removed by power output. The air is mixed with fuel before its introduction into the working machine and/or the air emerging from the working machine is mixed with fuel and combustion is initiated, the combustion gases are further heated by the combustion being guided in counterflow, i.e. against the delivery direction of the conveying and heating chambers, past the latter in such a way that the induced fresh air is successively and isochorically heated during its continual conveyance in the delivery direction in the conveying and heating chambers.
The object mentioned above is achieved, with respect to the appliance or turbocharger aspect of the invention, by means of at least two meshed axially parallel screw spindles which can be driven in opposite directions but with the same rotational speed. These screw spindles are each configured as a hollow shaft, which form-together with an externally insulated stator tightly enclosing it on the casing side-substantially enclosed respective air chambers extending over a threaded section. During rotation of the screw spindles the chambers are displaced in the axial delivery direction from an air induction connection to an air inlet region of a working machine torsionally connected to the screw spindles. A combustion chamber is provided before the air inlet of the working machine and/or after the air outlet of the working machine. The combustion chamber has a fuel supply and ignition device. The exhaust gases are respectively introduced via an exhaust pipe into an end of a shaft hollow space opposite the air induction connection, which shaft hollow space is configured relative to the air chambers as a counterflow heat exchanger and opens into an exhaust in the region of the air induction connection.
According to the invention, therefore, a part of the heat energy generated by the combustion is converted back into pressure, which results from the isochoric heating of the working medium enclosed in the air chambers. The air pressure gained in this way then performs work in the working machine which can, for example, operate in an opposite sense to the screw-type compressor and the shaft rotation generated by this can be partially utilized, in a preferred embodiment, for air pre-compression at the beginning of the shaft, for example in a screw-type compressor.
After the expansion in the working machine, the air pressure in the heat exchanger drops to the extent necessary to overcome the flow resistances. On the other hand, the air temperature does not fall so rapidly, in accordance with the thermodynamic laws for polytropic expansion, so that the further heating of the air in the afterburner can start from a temperature level which is already high. It is therefore possible to operate with a temperature difference of, for example, some 50xc2x0 C.-100xc2x0 C. in the counterflow heat exchanger.
In the system according to the invention, only slight heat losses occur in the insulation covering the system toward the outside; the exhaust gas losses can also be kept very low. Although the system according to the invention requires heat-resistant materials, these are not so severely loaded as, for example, blades/vanes in jet turbines. The system according to the invention is therefore particularly suitable for efficient electricity generators, automobile engines, marine engines and the like.
With respect to the method, it is expedient for the temperature of the combustion gases to be reduced along the counterflow heat exchanger section to approximately the temperature of the induced fresh air and, by this means, for the efficiency to be further increased.
The power can be further increased somewhat by at least part of the fuel being introduced into the isochorically heated trash air before the working machine and by at least partial combustion having been already initiated before the working machine. It is also possible to provide for water to be induced or injected into at least some of the delivery and heating chambers.
The working machine can be a turbine, which can operate on the same shaft as a compressor connected upstream of each screw spindle. Instead of a compressor connected upstream, or in addition to it, compression of the induced fresh air can then take place by each screw spindle having at least one axial section with a thread pitch which decreases in the conveying direction.
In contrast to CH 464 606, fresh air is, according to an aspect of the invention, conveyed in separate conveying and heating chambers in which heating takes place. Because of this, it is not necessary to use a compressor for generating a pressure drop; however, a compressor can be connected upstream in order to deliver compressed fresh air.
In contrast to DE 94 01 804 U1 and DD 276 512 A1, the shaft hollow space is, according to the invention, used as a counterflow heat exchanger for the air chambers so that the isochoric heating, according to an aspect of the invention, of the individual, substantially enclosed air chambers, which are conveyed in the axial direction to the working machine, is made possible.
Further features of the invention are explained in more detail in association with further advantages of the invention, using an exemplary embodiment.


A three-dimensional integrated circuit includes a plurality of perpendicular stacked chips. Each chip of the plurality of perpendicular stacked chips includes at least one transistor, a sensing coil, and a magnetic sensor, wherein the magnetic sensor is installed above the at least one transistor and the sensing coil and the sensing coil is installed between the magnetic sensor and the at least one transistor. The chip utilizes the sensing coil to generate a magnetic field including data, and a first chip of the plurality of perpendicular stacked chips adjacent to the chip utilizes a magnetic sensor of the first chip to receive the data generated by the sensing coil of the chip through the magnetic field generated by the sensing coil of the chip.

Currently, three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuits have been widespread interest from the IC designers, and the 3D integrated circuit can be used to develop a mix IC system with high-density, high flexibility and versatility. Refer to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram of a conventional 3D integrated circuit 100 with a vertical through silicon via (TSV). As shown in FIG. 1, TSV 101 and 102 offer a data transmission channel between the chips 103 and 104 in 3D ICs. However, the technology of the TSV suffers from high cost, low reliability, and ESD issues and cause the limitation of the maximum data rate of the 3D integrated circuit.
FIG. 2 illustrates a diagram of a conventional 3D integrated circuit 200 with capacitive sensing. As shown in FIG. 2, chips 203 and 204 in the 3D integrated circuit 200 have capacitive sensing units 2032 and 2034 respectively. Chips 203 and 204 transmit the information via the capacitive sensing units 2032 and 2034. However, capacitive sensing units 2032 and 2034 must be charged by the chips 203 and 204 before the data transmission, thus, the data transmission rate will lower due to the charge process. Thus, the conventional 3D integrated circuits are not a good solution for designers.

Three-dimensional integrated circuit and method of transmitting data within a three-dimensional integrated circuit


A fired equipment system and process for operating same is provided that combines stationary industrial burner technology and a catalyst bed that converts pollutants formed during combustion of fuel and air in the burner to yield stack gases that need no further treatment before discharge to the atmosphere. The system and process disclosed reduces CO, NOx and VOC's by at least 90 to 95%.

1. Field of the Invention
Our invention relates to fired equipment systems that discharge environmentally friendly exhaust gases and methods of operating such systems. In particular, our invention includes a stationary industrial burner in combination with a catalyst bed that converts pollutants generated by the burner to exhaust gases that require no further treatment before discharge to the atmosphere.
2. The Prior Art
Industrial burners are designed to generate heat and produce high combustion temperatures, typically in the range of from 2500 to 3000° F. At such temperatures, thermal nitrogen oxides (NOx) can form as gaseous byproducts of the combustion of air and the gas used as the fuel in the burners. These NOx byproducts, along with nitrogen oxides formed from the nitrogen containing compounds found in the fuel, are a major source of air pollution and governmental authorities have instituted strict environmental regulations limiting the amount of NOx gases that can be emitted into the atmosphere. Other pollutants generated by the combustion of fuel and air in the burner include carbon monoxide (CO) and volatile hydrocarbons (VOC's). Examples of such industrial burners are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,073,105 and 6,007,325. To reduce or eliminate these nitrogen oxide pollutants the art has relied on selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of the flue gases exiting fired equipment. Unfortunately, SCR is designed to reduce primarily only the nitrogen oxide flue gas pollutants by injecting a reducing agent, such as, ammonia or urea, into the flue gas upstream of a catalyst bed to convert the NOx to nitrogen and water. Other pollutants may or may not be reduced from the flue gas. Urea is typically selected over ammonia in some applications because ammonia is poisonous and difficult to handle. Such systems are also complicated in that they require an assortment of different equipment and operating parameters to 1) inject the reducing agent(s) into the flue gas stream, 2) to mix the vaporized reducing agent and flue gas, 3) to allow sufficient residence time for the catalytic reaction, 4) to store the bulk reducing agent, and 5) to vaporize the reducing agent before injection. U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,683 describes such a SCR process to treat waste gases. Clearly a need exists for a simpler and more cost effective process to reduce pollutants generated by stationary fired equipment.
Our invention solves the problems currently associated with SCR processes by employing a process that does not require the injection of a reducing agent. Specifically, our invention utilizes a three-way catalyst composition, sometimes referred to as Non-selective Catalytic Reduction (NSCR). NSCR is best known for its use in treating exhaust in automobiles or other internal combustion engines and using catalyst compositions of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,734. The use of our invention as described more fully below compared to traditional SCR processes results in lower capital cost for equipment, lower non-energy operating costs, lower energy costs, less physical area required for equipment and elimination of potential safety issues resulting from the use of ammonia. These and other benefits will become apparent from the following description, drawings and appended claims.

Fired equipment with catalytic converter and method of operating same


A face mask for use in gas delivery applications, such as breathable gas or aerosol drug systems. The face mask includes a body having a peripheral edge for placement against the face of a wearer. The peripheral edge defines a single chamber over the nose and the mouth of the wearer. An inlet opening is formed on a surface of the body for supplying inhalation gas to the nose through the chamber. A vent assembly inwardly extends from the surface of the body to the chamber and seals around the mouth for passing exhalation gas to the exterior of the body.

The invention relates to the field of face masks. More particularly, the invention relates to the field of face masks for use in gas delivery applications.
In traditional face mask design, breathable gas or aerosol drug is directly delivered into a chamber of the face mask, while at the same time, the exhalation gas generated from the nose or the mouth of the wearers will enter into the chamber. Therefore, the substantial amount of the breathable gas or aerosol drug to be inhaled by the wearer is not enough since the concentration of the breathable gas or aerosol drug is diluted with the exhalation gas.