A system is disclosed whereby a sensor, communication device, or other payload may be lofted to an operational altitude and maintained over an area of interest for some time by a relatively inexpensive and disposable buoyant aircraft, then returned intact to its point of origin or another desired location by a reusable but also relatively inexpensive non-buoyant aircraft. Automatic unpiloted control is used for all stages of flight, including ascent, loiter, return, and landing Specialized equipment can be provided to simplify launch procedures, reducing the number of personnel required to operate the system.

Balloon systems have been used for decades to carry atmospheric sensors, surveillance equipment, and communications gear to various altitudes. Substantial prior art is documented in The Moby Dick Project: Reconnaissance Balloons Over Russia by Curtis Peebles (1991, Smithsonian Books), as well as in a lengthy Air Force bibliography located at http://www.wrs.afrl.af.mil/library/balloon.htm. In general, earlier, systems either used a disposable payload, or a parachute system to return the payload safely to the ground. Older parachute systems were uncontrolled, but sometimes provided tracking signals; payload recovery involved either elaborate airborne snatches or extensive hunting over the landing zone. More recent systems, disclosed in various NASA research reports add guidance and control capabilities to the parachute, providing some flexibility to choose a landing site within a small target range. Inflation and launch has historically required calm weather and numerous personnel.
Certain applications require low-cost, rapid deployment of payload capability over an area of interest, with minimal operations personnel and maximal probability of retrieving the payload. Such a capability demands a system that can be launched on very short notice by as few as one to two people, ascend to the target altitude and location automatically with as little energy expenditure as possible, and return the payload to the point of launch or another designated spot as safely as possible.
In view of the above, the present invention provides a solution to the need cited above. As those skilled in the art recognize, there can be many different implementations of the present invention. For example, an embodiment of the present invention can include may aspects of the invention, including some of the following.
A cylindrical plastic-film balloon envelope design is used to provide an inexpensive buoyant platform. This design is well-known to those skilled in the art as being easy to manufacture in quantity, because it does not require the design specific curved scams of a so-called "natural shape" envelope. A range of envelope sizes can be provided so that a deployable system can fly individual platforms at any altitude as required by the application and weather conditions; for example, five "family" sizes can cover the range from 60,000 feet to 100,000 feet altitude for one specific payload mass range. A novel adjustable end-fitting can be provided so the specific balloon volume for the desired altitude required can be set at launch time. The system operator simply selects the smallest family size that can reach the required altitude, adjusts the end fitting to the precise balloon length needed, and cuts off excess material. While cylindrical envelopes are used in an embodiment to provide inexpensive lift, other shapes can be used in an alternate embodiment to optimize the flight differently. For example, a natural shape envelope could be used to increase envelope performance or efficiency. Additionally, an aerodynamically shaped envelope could be used to provide a tactically launched high altitude airship. In this case the PRV would be powered to provide the airships propulsion system.
A pair of techniques from prior art are used to simplify launch procedures and reduce personnel requirements. Because these balloons are very large, when filled they present significant surface area to any wind present at launch. This can be a substantial safety hazard to launch personnel, and creates a great risk of equipment loss. To reduce the surface area at launch, thereby reducing the risks and allowing the platform to be launched in higher winds, a two-cell design is used. A smaller tow cell is attached to the larger main cell, so that the main cell remains unfilled until the pair has accelerated to a speed close to that of the prevailing winds, thereby minimizing the effective wind load on the large main envelope. In addition, the main balloon cell is packed in a deployment bag which includes an automatic release mechanism. When an appropriate altitude or time after launch is achieved, a control system activates the release mechanism, thereby deploying the main cell. Rather than a large sail area at launch, the packed main cell is a compact bundle that does not catch any wind. This elimination of surface area reduces the potential for damage to the gossamer structure due to high wind loading; it also reduces the number of personnel required by making the "launch train" dramatically shorter, in turn eliminating related hazards to personnel and equipment at launch. The tow cell and the main cell are connected via an intercell tube fitting, so that as the combination rises the buoyant gas expands to fill both envelopes.
For certain flight requirements, management of lifting-gas flow between the tow cell and the main cell may be accomplished via a valve in the intercell tube fitting. This valve is controlled by the platform management computer (see below) via a wireless local communication link that is separate from the main platform communication links described below. Using a wireless link for this local communication avoids the complication of adding flexible wires to the packed main cell, and is a novel approach. During ascent, closing this valve prevents further expansion of the lifting gas into the main cell envelope, which stops the ascent at a particular altitude. Reopening the valve permits the lifting gas to continue expanding into the main cell, thereby resuming the ascent. In an alternate embodiment, the valve may be installed in the tow cell's top fitting, allowing the ascent to be slowed or stopped by venting lifting gas rather than forcing it into the main cell. Depending on altitude, duration, and the amount of free lift required for a particular flight profile, to store the extra lifting gas that may be used in either of these altitude control schemes the tow cell may be enhanced to "super-pressure" capability so that it can accommodate the gas pressure that builds behind the closed valve as the platform rises. While super-pressure balloons themselves are known to those skilled in the art, their simultaneous application as a tow cell and as a gas reservoir in a multicell platform is novel.
A novel apparatus is also used to further simplify launch procedures, reduce personnel requirements, and expand the range of wind conditions in which launch can be accomplished. An adjustable, durable fabric tent is used to enclose the tow cell while it is being filled prior to launch. Weighted along its length and anchored at the filling end, this tent, or launch bag, provides a calm environment in which to fill the tow cell with buoyant gas. The launch bag is designed with an opening at one end that permits attachment of a filling hose to the enclosed tow cell, and an opening at the other end through which the intercell tube fitting mentioned above protrudes so that the main cell and payload may be attached to the tow cell after it has been filled. The launch bag is designed so that its size can be adjusted to match the volume of lifting gas required for a particular launch. Filling of the enclosed tow cell can be easily terminated upon achieving the preset volume, either manually by observation of the achieved size, or automatically by use of a back-pressure shutoff mechanism in the fill nozzle. After the tow cell is filled, the fill nozzle is removed, and the main cell and payload are attached. Since the attachment point for these items is at the center of the tow cell's circular cross-section, they rest on a cradle which is designed both to hold them up and to roll around. Because of the anchor and weight arrangement described above, as well as the rolling cradle on which the payload rests, the entire assembly can adjust with changing winds, providing an optimal positioning for launch without personnel or vehicles having to move around carrying the flight train. Launch is performed by pulling open a single hook-and-pile (Velcro) seam along the top of the launch bag, thus releasing the tow cell into the air. Layout, adjustment, filling, payload attachment, and launch can be performed by as few as two persons in its current embodiment or by a single individual with the addition of package handling straps. While the use of such an apparatus is inspired by the prior art "covered wagon" system (see Peebles 1991 cited above), the present launch bag offers significant improvements on that device. First, the launch bag is constructed entirely of fabric, and sized for the tow cell in the present multicell platform rather than a much larger single-cell platform, so it can be handled easily and stored/transported compactly; the covered wagon was a hard-sided truck trailer sized for a large single envelope. Second, the tent-like structure of the launch bag fills with wind, stabilizing the launch bag, and aiding in optimally orienting the launch system parallel to changing winds with a minimum of human interaction; in contrast, the covered wagon uses a hard sided trailer to completely shelter the balloon from the wind and would require motorized trailer movement for optimal orientation to changing winds. Finally, the launch bag and filling process are integrated such that the size-adjusted bag controls the volume of lifting gas filling the tow cell automatically. Operating personnel simply set the bag for the desired payload/altitude combination and a backpressure shutoff valve in the fill nozzle stops the flow of buoyant gas into the tow cell without further operator intervention. These improvements combine to create a novel launch system that can be used for tactical deployments in high winds.
The payload may be encapsulated in a payload return vehicle (PRV), which is an aircraft designed to be released from the balloon after it can no longer remain in the area of interest, then fly to a predetermined location and land safely. The landing location may either be the same as the launch point, or some other location determined by application requirements. In general, the payload return vehicle is a lightweight airframe capable of autonomously recovering to stable flight after being dropped from the balloon in very thin atmosphere (also known as "pulling out"), navigating to the landing location, and landing automatically. Return flight and landing may optionally be taken over by a pilot via a remote-control mechanism. The PRV may be of any size and configuration appropriate to the payload for a particular application, with the balloon platform size(s) being adjusted accordingly. In an embodiment, the PRV is of a size and weight such that it can be handled by one or two people in order to align with the launch-complexity goals of the novel launch subsystem described above. Depending on the application requirements such as loiter time, return distance, stealth, and others, several degrees of freedom can be exercised in PRV choice. For example, low aspect ratio, high aspect ratio, or hybrid formats may be used. Either gliding or powered variants are possible, and power plants can incorporate any kind of engine including propeller, jet, or rocket. Propulsion may be optimized for low-altitude performance to extend the return range, for high-altitude performance to assist in station-keeping, or both. The PRV may be constructed from any of several different types of material depending on application requirements such as speed, strength, or serviceability. For example, the PRV may be primarily constructed from polymer foam sheets, with wood and fiberglass reinforcements at high-stress points. Depending on application requirements, other materials may be appropriate as well, including composites, metals, films, or fabrics. Payload accommodations may include shock-resistant cases, dedicated attachment points, integrated/active surfaces (such as radar or communication antenna panels, openings, or embedded optical lense's), extension/retraction mechanisms, and/or reserved volumes as appropriate to the application. Payloads may provide communication support, data collection, observation, radar, or any other function that may benefit from operation in near-space.
An example PRV is a faceted lifting-body design derived from Barnaby Wainfan's FacetMobile (http://members.aol.com/slicklynne/facet.htm). This design provides a low-cost, easily repairable platform that performs well in atmospheric densities from sea-level to at least 100,000 feet. Its low-aspect-ratio form factor offers ample allowance for payload integration; relative to the overall size of the aircraft, large internal volumes are available for installing equipment, and very large surfaces are available for integrating flat active devices such as radar or communication antenna panels. The low aspect ratio also supports safer launch and landing behaviors due to the relatively short wingspan.
In an embodiment, the FacetMobile PRV can be primarily constructed from polymer foam sheets, with wood and fiberglass reinforcements at high-stress points. These materials are inexpensive, leading to a low-cost aircraft. They also are relatively simple to work with, supporting a high-tolerance, low-skill manufacturing process and rapid, low-skill field repairs.
In an embodiment, a hard-shell carrying case payload pod can be provided to contain and protect payload electronics. The case is easily removable, and in the event of a hard landing will protect the payload from damage. It can also be carried away from a crash site intact even if the PRV itself is irreparable. Carrying cases of suitable size and strength are readily available on the open market, and are well known to those skilled in the art. Certain modifications are required, however, in order to provide holes for mounting the case to the PRV and for attaching to the balloon-system release mechanism.
In an embodiment, a payload pod access panel can be provided on the PRV bottom facet. This opening provides easy access to the PRV interior for installing and removing the payload pod described above. The PRV speed brake is embedded in the access panel, and so its control connections are modified to be easily detached.
In an embodiment, payload pod mounting brackets can be provided inside the PRV to accommodate the shape and attachment points of the hard-shell carrying case described above, thereby providing a secure installation and simple removal.
In an embodiment, a detachable PRV nosecone can be provided to house all platform avionics separately from the payload pod to maximize payload capacity while providing optimal interchangeability among PRV airframes and control subsystems. In an alternate embodiment, the platform avionics are collocated with the payload inside the aforementioned hard-shell carrying case.
In an embodiment, a removable PRV vertical stabilizer can be provided, into which a payload antenna may or may not be embedded as required by a particular payload. The optional vertical stabilizer can support and provide aerodynamic cover to an antenna if required. A mounting system can be provided on the appropriate facet that makes the combination stab/antenna interchangeable with a non-antenna stab or a filler for no stab at all.
The PRV is integrated with the buoyant platform in two novel respects. First, the control avionics and release actuators for the balloon are carried in the PRV so that disposable elements are reduced and the sophisticated control elements can be recovered along with the payload. Second, ballasting mechanisms and materials are carried in the PRV so that ballast can be discharged from the bottom of the flight train rather than risking damage to the PRV and its payload due to ballast falling from the balloon above; this design has the additional benefit of allowing the PRV to utilize any ballast that remains from balloon operation to increase wing loading, enhancing its ability to overcome higher adverse winds during the return flight.
The combined lift/return platform includes appropriate control componentry, including an autopilot, communication links, and a platform management computer with sensor and driver interfaces for both platform-specific functions and payload control. The autopilot handles automatic navigation, flight stability, and landing of the PRV during return flight. Two bidirectional communications links are provided. A high-speed line-of-sight (LOS) channel supports manual piloting by an operator on the ground if that is appropriate in a particular application. A low-speed beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) channel permits a ground operator to monitor platform status and change flight plan parameters as necessary. In an embodiment the LOS channel is a license-free radio operating in an ISM band, while the BLOS channel is an Iridium satellite modem. Alternate embodiments may use other channels as appropriate for a specific application. The platform management computer controls main balloon deployment, ballast release, super-pressure balloon gas valving, and PRV release. It can also enable and disable payload power, and depending on the specific application it may sense and report on payload health and status or be used for payload telemetry and control. In an embodiment the autopilot and platform management computer are implemented as separate units with appropriate interconnects; in an alternate embodiment these functional elements may be integrated into a single unit.
The autopilot and platform management computer use the communication links to interact with system operators via a compact ground station. This ground station provides an operator with appropriate status information and command capabilities in accordance with principles well-known to those skilled in the art. A novel mission planning capability is also provided, wherein the buoyant platform's ascent and loiter, and the PRV's return flight, are modeled in the context of prevailing and forecast atmospheric conditions (primarily wind speed and direction) and aerodynamic characteristics of the specific PRV design. System operators use this information to plan launch location and timing, PRV release location and timing, and flight plan changes if necessary. The ground station is capable of managing multiple simultaneous ascent, loiter, and return flights in support of continuously delivering fresh platforms to an area of interest and retrieving spent payloads.

System for tactical balloon launch and payload return


An aircraft structure protected from collisions with foreign objects includes a first support proximate to an aircraft structure root; first sheets attached to the first support to form a first leading edge portion of the aircraft structure; a second support proximate to an outer end of the aircraft structure; second sheets attached to the second support to form a second leading edge portion; and a door including one or more ribs disposed between the first and second supports and configured to give shape to a third leading edge portion of the aircraft structure; and third sheets, attached to the ribs to form the third portion of the leading edge; wherein the first support, the first sheets, the second support, the second sheets, the one or more ribs, and the third sheets are disposed to mitigate damage from a foreign object collision by absorbing kinetic energy from a collision.

Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with rotorcraft tail fins.
Aircraft in flight risk damage from collisions with foreign objects such as birds. Safety and flightworthiness considerations and governmental regulations (e.g., 14 CFR § 29.631 of the U.S. Federal Air Regulations) require that aircraft be able to continue to operate when bird strikes occur.
Of particular concern are aircraft structures such as wings, wing members, horizontal and vertical stabilizers, and tail fins, especially those with important equipment enclosed within the leading edge area of the structure. One important example of this is a rotorcraft tail fin containing a tail rotor shaft within the leading edge area, making the shaft susceptible to collision damage if not adequately protected.
A traditional approach for protection of a tail fin leading edge, and the tail rotor shaft within it, uses a single sheet metal or composite sandwich cover. This typically results in a relatively heavier design that is often not effective in protecting the tail rotor shaft. Another approach is to reposition the shaft behind the structural spar and to enclose it within the structure of the vertical fin; however, this makes inspection and maintenance of the shaft difficult for the helicopter maintainer. A device and method for improving protection of aircraft structures from damage from collisions with foreign objects is desirable.

System and method of protection of aircraft from foreign object strikes


According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate having first and second surfaces; conductive regions extending in a direction from the first surface side toward the second surface side of the semiconductor substrate, the conductive regions including first and second vias; a first semiconductor region surrounding a part of each of the conductive regions on the second surface side of the semiconductor substrate, a portion other than a front surface of the first semiconductor region being surrounded by the semiconductor substrate; a first electrode provided on the second surface side; second electrodes provided on the first surface side, one of the second electrodes being in contact with one of the conductive regions; and an insulating film provided between each of the conductive regions and the semiconductor substrate, and between each of the conductive regions and the first semiconductor region.

A through via (through silicon via, TSV) is introduced as a technology whereby a plurality of semiconductor chips can be mounded at high density. In the case where the semiconductor is silicon (Si), the through via is a conductive region piercing from the back surface to the front surface of the silicon substrate, for example. A plurality of semiconductor chips are electrically connected via the respective through vias to mount the plurality of semiconductor chips at high density; thereby, high-speed data transfer is enabled.
However, since a via hole for providing the through via is formed deep in a semiconductor substrate, the aspect ratio becomes higher and the etching processing thereof becomes more difficult as the miniaturization of semiconductor devices progresses. Consequently, the reliability of semiconductor devices including the through via may be reduced.
For example, until now, for an electrode to be electrically connected to a through via, there has been a case where a faulty connection (open) between an interconnection layer existing between the through via and the electrode and the through via occurs, and as a result a faulty connection between the through via and the electrode occurs. To deal with this, a plurality of through vias have been provided to connect one of the plurality of through vias and the interconnection layer; thereby, a faulty connection has been prevented.
However, since a via hole for providing the through via is formed deep in a semiconductor substrate, the aspect ratio becomes higher and the etching processing thereof becomes more difficult as the miniaturization of semiconductor devices progresses. Consequently, an operational malfunction, a faulty operation, and a yield reduction of semiconductor devices including the through via may be caused.


Disclosed is a polymer blend having excellent clarity and impact strength which is suitable for use in extrusion blow molding processes comprising. a) about 50-95 wt % of a polyester having repeat units from at least 95 mol % terephthalic acid, at least 90 mol % ethylene glycol and up to 10 mol % 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, the polyester having a weight average molecular weight of 75,000-85,000, PA1 b) about 40-4 wt % of recycled scrap polyester having repeat units from at least 90 mol % terephthalic acid and at least 90 mol % ethylene glycol and having a molecular weight of about 40,000-55,000, and PA1 c) about 1-10 wt % of a polymeric material containing at least 90 wt % polycarbonate and up to 10 wt % polyethylene terephthalate.

Composition of matter patents relating to polycarbonate and poly(ethylene terephthalate) alloys include U.S. Pat. No. 3,218,372. The alloys described in this patent contain 5 to 95 wt % polycarbonate blended with 95 to 5 wt % poly(ethylene terephthalate). Other patents pertaining to polycarbonate and poly(ethylene terephthalate) alloys include U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,473, U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,147, U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,656 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,251. However, none of these disclose an extrusion blow molded container produced from a high molecular weight poly(ethylene terephthalate) having a weight average molecular weight of between about 75,000 and about 85,000 blended with about 4 to about 40 wt % recycled scrap poly(ethylene terephthalate) having a weight-average molecular weight of between about 40,000 and about 55,000 and about 1.0 wt % to about 10.0 wt % polycarbonate or a polycarbonate/poly(ethylene terephthalate) concentrate as a melt strength enhancer.
Recent development work has shown that high molecular weight (weight average molecular weight of about 75,000 to about 85,000) poly(ethylene terephthalate) modified with small amounts of 1,4 cyclohexanedimethanol has sufficient melt strength for extrusion blow molding on conventional extrusion blow molding machines into containers in sizes up to about 2 liters. It would be helpful for extrusion blow mold operators to be able to use up to about 25 wt % recycled PET such as scrap from PET bottles (weight average molecular weight between about 40,000 and about 55,000), combined with neat PET when producing these containers. However, when 25 wt % to 50 wt % recycled material is combined with neat PET during the extrusion blow molding process, the melt strength is reduced significantly which makes it very difficult to hang (extrude vertically) parisons for producing containers.
It has been discovered that the melt strength of high molecular weight poly(ethylene terephthalate) containing about 25 wt % to about 50 wt % recycled scrap PET can be increased by adding a small amount of a neat polycarbonate or a mixture of about 75 to about 90 wt % polycarbonate with about 25 to about 10 wt % PET or poly(ethylene-co-3,5-1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate) alloy. This discovery will allow extrusion blow molders of the high molecular weight poly(ethylene terephthalate) to produce containers containing recycled PET scrap material that, otherwise, could not be done satisfactorily due to a significant decrease in melt strength when the lower molecular weight recycled material is added back to the process.
Normally, it is impossible to extrusion blow mold a large container from PET having a molecular weight in the range of 40,000 to 55,000 because of insufficient melt strength. However, if the PET is blended with a higher molecular weight neat PET and a polycarbonate in accordance with this invention, the material has sufficient melt strength to hang a parison for the extrusion blow molding process. Due to environmental concerns and public pressure, those who use containers produced from the extrusion blow moldable high molecular weight poly(ethylene terephthalate) would like to be able to use recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) bottle scrap normally from bottles. However, when the lower molecular weight bottle scrap is combined with the higher molecular weight poly(ethylene terephthalate), the melt strength of the higher molecular weight poly(ethylene terephthalate) is reduced significantly which makes it difficult to extrusion blow mold a good quality container. Adding a small amount of neat polycarbonate or a polycarbonate/poly(ethylene terephthalate) alloy increases the melt strength of the high molecular weight poly(ethylene terephthalate)/lower molecular weight recycled PET to a level equal to or greater than that of the neat high molecular weight poly(ethylene terephthalate) which results in sufficient melt strength to produce good quality containers.

Polymer blends useful for forming extrusion blow molded articles


A hemostatic composition which comprises at least one procoagulant metal ion, such as silver (I) or mercury (II), and at least one procoagulant biopolymer, such as collagen, thrombin, prothrombin, fibrin, fibrinogen, heparinase, Factor VIIa, Factor VIII, Factor IXa, Factor Xa, Factor XII, von Willebrand Factor, a selectin, a procoagulant venom, a plasminogen activator inhibitor, glycoprotein IIb-IIIa, a protease, or plasma. The composition in the form of a paste, dough, glue, liquid, lyophilized powder or foam, may be provided, for application to a wound. A hemostatic device is also described which comprises a hemostatic composition as described above. The device may be in the form of, for example, a plug, bandage, gauze, cloth, tampon, membrane or sponge. Methods are also provided for prophylaxis or treatment of bleeding at a site by application to the site of the composition or device as described.

Uncontrolled hemorrhage from any type of wound, whether accidental or iatrogenic, may result in dire consequences. In particular, bleeding attendant with arterial damage is particularly troublesome, especially in an individual with a coagulopathy, congenital, the result of disease, or induced by administration of anticoagulants. Moreover, recovery from surgical and other procedures involving transarterial cannulation, particularly in anticoagulated individuals, presents a challenge to the medical profession as such individuals often present prolonged bleeding times from such wounds, necessitating close monitoring and increased length of hospital or in-patient stays. In such patients, manual pressure, pressure bandages, sandbags, and other means have been used to hasten hemostasis at the wound site. Not only is the excessive bleeding potentially dangerous to the patient, but the burden of the excess attention to the wound is dangerous to the already overburdened health care system.
The foregoing discussion is also pertinent to arterial and other major hemorrhagic wounds suffered from traumatic injury such as those inflicted on the battlefield, as a result of vehicular accidents, and from knife and gunshot wounds. Means to stop potentially fatal hemorrhage outside of the hospital environment is desirable.
Numerous hemostatic agents, compositions, and devices are known. Many such agents and compositions employ naturally procoagulant biopolymers, such as clotting factors and connective tissue proteins that have known hemostatic roles in vivo. Devices may include an inflatable member for blocking an opening in an artery, at which site a hemostatic agent may be introduced; other devices comprise agents or compositions in a particular form for application to a hemorrhaging site or plugging a puncture-type wound. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,583 describes lyophilized thrombin, reconstituted with buffer and mixed with collagen, to form a viscous mixture. U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,359 describes a hemostatic collagen paste composition, which optionally includes thrombin. U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,735 described a hemostatic composition comprising thrombin in a polyethylene glycol base. U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,425 described a hemostatic plug comprising collagen for sealing an incision which comprises a bleeding blood vessel. These and all other citations herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
Certain metal ions have known hemostatic properties. The use of silver nitrate as a topically applied cautery agent is known. As described in copending application Ser. No. 09/022,449, filed Feb. 12, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,245,573, metal ions such as mercuric ion, silver ion, ion, cadmium ion, copper ion, barium ion, tin ion, selenate ion and tungstate ion are useful to modulate the clotting rate of blood in order to diagnose coagulopathies. Silver metal, in the form of colloidal silver, has been used as an antimicrobial agent for many years, predating the use of antibiotics, but still used today particularly in the management of burn patients.
It is toward the development of improved hemostatic compositions and devices that the present invention is directed.
The citation of any reference herein should not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as "Prior Art" to the instant application.

Hemostatic compositions, devices and methods

The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey


A computer readable, media and signals for controlling power drawn from an energy converter to supply a load, where the energy converter is operable to convert energy from a physical source into electrical energy. Power drawn from the energy converter is changed when a supply voltage of the energy converter meets a criterion. The criterion and the change in the amount of power drawn from the energy converter are dependent upon a present amount of power supplied to the load. The methods, apparatus, media and signals described herein may provide improvements to DC to AC maximum power point tracking in an energy conversion system such as a photovoltaic power generation system.

Energy conversion devices such as photovoltaic arrays are commonly used to provide power to electrical loads. Often these loads are direct current (DC) loads such as batteries, for example. Recently, efficiencies in power conversion devices are giving rise to solar power systems that supply power to an alternating current (AC) load such as an AC power grid such as may be operated by a public utility company. Such power systems may employ a photovoltaic array and an interface for converting power in a form received from the photovoltaic array into a form operable to be received by the AC power grid. Such an interface may involve a DC to AC inverter.
Interfaces of the type described above often seek to cause maximum power to be provided to the AC power grid. The maximum power available to be provided to the AC power grid depends upon the conditions under which the energy conversion device is operated and in the case of a photovoltaic array, these conditions include the amount of insolation and the temperature of the array, for example. A maximum power point, or voltage at which maximum power may be extracted from the array, is a desirable point at which to operate the array and conventional systems seek to find this point. The maximum power point changes however, due to changes in insolation and due to changes in temperature of the array and thus control systems are employed to constantly seek this point.
One way of seeking the maximum power point is to periodically perturb and observe the power output of the array and then adjust the power demanded from the array accordingly to cause the voltage of the array to be as close as possible to the maximum power point. Typically, such perturb and observe methodologies involve perturbing the present power supplied to the load by a fixed amount such as 4 watts, for example and then observing the effect on power supplied by the array and the voltage measured at the array. Perturbing involves temporarily increasing the power supplied to the load by a fixed amount such as 4 watts, for example. If the change in power is negative and voltage measured at the array drops by a significant amount, too much power is being extracted from the array and the power demand on the array must be reduced, in which case the power supplied by the array is usually reduced by some fixed incremental value, such as 4 watts, for example. If the voltage does not change by a significant amount when the power is perturbed, perhaps not enough power is being extracted from the array and the present power drawn from the array must be increased in which case the power demanded from the array is usually increased by a fixed amount, such as 4 watts.
The above described perturb and observe methodology is typically conducted at the switching speed of a switching mode power supply connected to the array, e.g., 100 kHz, and results in a dithering of power drawn from the array, in fixed amounts. Where the incremental amount is 4 watts for example, as described above, there will be a constant dithering of power demanded from the array, in the amount of 4 watts about a common mode value which may be approximately equal to the maximum power output of the array. When the load is an AC power grid, the load effectively fluctuates at the line frequency of the grid, which in North America is typically 60 Hz. Consequently, the 100 kHz perturb and observe frequency of most switching mode power supplies used to supply DC loads is too fast for applications where the load is an AC power grid. Thus, the perturb and observe frequency must be decreased. However, decreasing the perturb and observe frequency can waste power, especially when changes in insolation occur.
Changes in insolation can change the maximum power available from the array from say 200 watts to 2000 watts in a matter of seconds. This situation may occur when a cloud, for example, moves or dissipates from a position blocking sunlight shining on the array to a position in which full sun is received on the array. With 4 watt power increments, and a perturb and observe period of 50 mSec, the time to change the power drawn from the array from 200 watts to 2000 watts would be about 22 seconds. During this period the full available power is not being drawn from the array resulting in inefficient operation.

Method and apparatus for controlling power drawn from an energy converter


A computer implemented method and apparatus for saving a search query as metadata with an image, comprising receiving image search results from an image search string query, receiving one or more image files from the image search results as one or more selected image files for storage, generating metadata based on the image search string query, associating the metadata with the one or more selected image files, and storing the one or more selected image files with the metadata.

Field
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to searching techniques and, more particularly, to a method to save a search query as metadata with an image.
Description of the Related Art
Currently, finding images via searching on the Internet using a search engine results in a web history unique to the searching service or web browser cache. When saving images from returned results, a file is created and saved of a default or a user defined filename. Each saved file is independent from one another and does not include history information of where the image originated. In addition, often the browser or searching service cache is cleared leaving the user to remember where an image file is stored and where it originated.
Therefore, there is a need for a method for a reliable and accurate method to save and store images that facilitates retrieval of those images as well as similar images.

Method and apparatus for saving search query as metadata with an image


The anamorphic objective zoom lens includes, along an optical axis and in order from an object space to an image space: at least a negative (−) power spherical first lens group; an anamorphic second lens group, spherical third lens group preferably having positive (+) power, a variable power spherical fourth lens group and a positive (+) power spherical fifth lens group. The aperture stop is located before, after or preferably within the spherical fifth lens group. All spherical lens groups contain spherical and plano refractive optical surfaces. The anamorphic second lens group contains cylindrical and plano optical surfaces with at least one cylindrical surface oriented at substantially 90 degrees about at least one other cylindrical surface. The spherical first lens group may provide focusing. The variable power spherical fourth lens group provides zooming.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to anamorphic objective zoom lenses, and more particularly to a range of different focal length anamorphic objective zoom lenses with zoom ratios that provide imaging over wide to narrow fields of view and provide traditional anamorphic imaging characteristics, and potentially compact diameter by having an arrangement of five lens groups with spherical, anamorphic and spherical powers, in which one of the spherical lens groups following the anamorphic lens group has variable power and an optical stop located inside the last spherical lens group.
2. Description of Prior Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Contemporary anamorphic objective zoom lenses normally have an optical axis and are commonly based on a rear anamorphic lens group or a front anamorphic lens group. Anamorphic objective zoom lenses having a rear anamorphic lens group are typically more commonplace than anamorphic objective zoom lenses having a front anamorphic lens group.
Anamorphic objective zoom lenses having a rear anamorphic lens group have a rear lens group with Y cylinder refractive optical surfaces and a front spherical lens group with an optical stop in the front spherical lens group in the form of a variable aperture diameter iris or diaphragm.
This anamorphic objective zoom lens arrangement produces images having spherical out of focus objects commonly referred to as the bokeh as compared to the oval or elliptically shaped out of focus objects produced by fixed focal length (commonly referred to as prime) anamorphic objective lenses. The oval or elliptically shaped bokeh of out of focus objects are desired by cinematographers because they produce a distinctive artistic look that is different from spherical objective lenses. Another common drawback with this anamorphic objective zoom lens arrangement is that the full aperture may be relatively slow as compared to that of anamorphic prime lenses.
Anamorphic objective zoom lenses having a front anamorphic lens group have a front lens group with X cylinder refractive optical surfaces and a rear spherical lens group with an optical stop in the rear spherical lens group in the form of a variable aperture diameter iris or diaphragm.
This anamorphic objective zoom lens arrangement produces images having oval or elliptically shaped out of focus objects commonly referred to as the bokeh which is desired by cinematographers for the reasons previously given however these lenses normally provide only small zoom ratios of 2× or 3×, where the smaller zoom ratio provides the widest field of view, and they tend be large in diameter with corresponding potentially higher weight and cost. They may also exhibit some breathing when focusing where the breathing is characterized by the field of view or focal length of the lens changing size as the lens is focused from distant to close objects or vice versa. Nevertheless the front anamorphic objective zoom lens arrangements produce images having numerous residual optical aberrations and characteristics most of which are desired by cinematographers because they produce an artistic look that is different from spherical objective lenses.
Many of the less desired residual optical aberrations and characteristics of these front and rear anamorphic objective zoom lens arrangements were accepted by cinematographers with film based cameras but with the advent and adoption of electronic sensor based digital cameras some of them have become less acceptable. In particular the amount of residual chromatic aberration has become less tolerable whereas some field curvature combined with some residual astigmatism is still acceptable.
As well as the oval or elliptically shaped bokeh another characteristic that is desired because of the distinctive artistic look produced is the depth of field being different in the vertical azimuth direction of the field versus the horizontal azimuth direction of the field. In the case of an anamorphic objective zoom lens that squeezes the horizontal field of view by substantially two times as compared to the vertical field of view, the depth of field in the horizontal azimuth direction of the field is substantially two times greater than the depth of field in the vertical azimuth direction of the field.
Improving the optical aberrations and characteristics of anamorphic objective zoom lenses of this arrangement may involve increasing optical surface shape complexity and hence manufacturing cost including adding aspherical and free-form shaped optical surfaces.
Thus, to address the artistic need of cinematographers and maximize the imaging potential of both film and digital cameras a compact diameter anamorphic objective zoom lens arrangement that provides a useful zoom range going from wide to narrow fields of view during zooming with a suitable blend of residual optical aberration correction and characteristics needs to be achieved.


To provide a crankcase emission control system that enables the miniaturization of an internal combustion engine and the reduction in the manufacturing cost. In a crankcase emission control system of an internal combustion engine, a collecting part for collecting blowby gas conveyed in a breather tube on the case side and a breather tube on the cylinder head side and directing the blowby gas to a breather tube on the air cleaner side is provided over a connection, a connecting pipe on the case side, of the breather tube on the case side and a breather on the case side, below a connection, a connecting pipe on the cylinder head side, of the breather tube on the cylinder head side and a breather on the cylinder head side and below a connection of the breather tube on the air cleaner side and an air cleaner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine blowby gas crankcase emission control system mounted in a vehicle such as a motorcycle or a four-wheel vehicle.
2. Description of Background Art
To prevent blowby gas that leaks out from a combustion chamber into a crankcase from being emitted into the air, a crankcase emission control system is configured so that blowby gas is returned to the intake side and is again fed to the combustion chamber from there. In addition, a combustion process is applied and provided to an engine which is a representative example of an internal combustion engine. The crankcase emission control system is known that includes a configuration wherein a crankcase and an intake manifold are connected and a cylinder head cover (the inside) is in communication with the crankcase and an air cleaner are connected. See for example, JP-A-61-198512.
However, in a conventional type crankcase emission control system, as blowby gas in a crankcase and in a cylinder head cover is returned to the intake side (an intake manifold and an air cleaner) by using mutually independent paths, a sufficient gas-liquid separation function is required to be provided to the respective paths. More specifically, a large-size gas-liquid separator is required so as to prevent an oil component that is unseparated from blowby gas from being returned to the intake side. Thus, a breather having a large capacity is required to be provided to the cylinder head side or an intricate labyrinth structure is required to be formed with a large-sizing of a cylinder head, that is, an engine (an internal combustion engine). This results in an increase in the manufacturing cost.

Internal combustion engine blowby gas crankcase emission control system


A variety of compounds are provided capable of chelating a metal, in particular a lanthanide such as Eu(III) and Tb(III). Luminescent complexes of the compound and a metal ion are also provided, in particular luminescent metal complexes are provided containing a lanthanide such as Eu(III) or Tb(III) and a compound described herein. In some aspects, the luminescent complexes are capable of exhibiting bright emissions with high quantum yields. Methods of making the compound are provided. Methods of using the compounds and luminescent complexes are also provided, for example for imaging and therapeutic applications.

A coordination complex is the product of a Lewis acid-base reaction in which neutral or anionic organic ligands form coordinate covalent bonds with a central metal atom or ion. Also known as metal chelators, coordination compounds are a critical component of several biomedical technologies. For example, compounds that contain coordination complexes of radioactive isotopes are used extensively in both cancer diagnostics and treatment as in vivo imaging contrast agents and for targeted radiation therapy, respectively.30 Molecules that coordinate to Gd(III) are used as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).31-32 A particular class of coordination compounds binds to lanthanide ions like Tb(III) or Eu(III) and contain organic chromophores that act to sensitize lanthanide-centered luminescence.33 Lanthanide luminophores have photophysical properties such as ms-scale excited state lifetimes and multiple, narrow-line emission bands that make them uniquely suited for use in high throughput screening (HTS) in drug discovery,33 immunoassays34 and live-cell microscopy.35
In order to function effectively in technological applications, metal chelators must meet a number of requirements. Firstly, they must be unimolecular constructs that can be easily conjugated to antibodies, peptides or receptor-targeting ligands. So-called bifunctional chelators (BFCs) are widely used for targeting tumors in cancer imaging and therapeutics. Secondly, they must bind to a given metal ion with high thermodynamic stability and kinetic inertness. Kinetic inertness is the propensity to retain metal when diluted to extremely low concentrations (ca. nM) in the presence of large amounts of competing chelators and other metal ions. Such conditions are prevalent in blood, tissues, cell lysates or other environments where coordination compounds are used. While kinetic stability is paramount, the ability to form the metal complex rapidly is critical for radiometal binders because many isotopes have short half-lives. Moreover, it is desirable that metal complexation occur under mild physiological conditions so that antibody conjugates or other heat- or pH-sensitive preparations can be used effectively. Thirdly, the synthetic route to preparing metal chelators must be efficient, and ideally will be adaptable so that a single molecular scaffold can be used to prepare functional complexes of a wide variety of metals with different ionic radii and coordination numbers. For luminescent lanthanide complexes, the synthetic route must allow for efficient incorporation of sensitizing chromophores.
Hundreds of differently structured chelators have been prepared, and many are used in commercial bioassays or clinically. Among the reported structures, there are a handful of basic molecular architectures, or scaffolds, that have been widely used as a basis to create a diverse array of BFCs.30 (See FIG. 1) These scaffolds vary in the degree to which they can be adapted for binding different metal ions, and they also vary in their ability to meet the stringent requirements for clinical or commercial application. For example, diethylamine triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) is a flexible linear, 8-coordinate chelator, and variants of DTPA have been used clinically for MRI (with Gd). While the formation kinetics of DTPA/metal complexes are favorable, their kinetic inertness can be extremely poor. By contrast, BFCs based on 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) and 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-triacetic acid (NOTA) exhibit excellent kinetic stability, and they have been used clinically for MRI and certain radiopharmaceutical applications. However, metallation of macrocycles like DOTA and NOTA analogues requires prolonged reaction at high temperatures and low pH, and this greatly limits their use with antibody conjugates or with radioisotopes with short half-lives. Other reported BFCs like Lumi4 (a luminescent Tb complex) and CHX-A″-DTPA exhibit both favorable metallation properties and good kinetic stability. However, their architecture limits their use to one or a few different metals.
Luminescent Tb(III) and Eu(III) complexes exhibit unique and useful photophysical properties including large Stokes shifts (>150 nm), long excited state lifetimes (μs-ms) and multiple, narrow emission bands (<10 nm half-maximal) that span the visible spectrum.1-2 Time-gated detection of long-lived lanthanide emission following pulsed excitation eliminates ns-scale fluorescence background and enables the development of highly sensitive diagnostic assays, high throughput screening methods or luminescence microscopy. In addition, the multiple emission bands afford exceptional multiplexing capabilities, especially when Tb(III) or Eu(III) complexes are used as Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) donors in combination with differently colored, fluorescent acceptors.3 To be used effectively in time-gated bio-analysis, lanthanide probes must meet several requirements including good brightness (the product of absorptivity and quantum yield of emission), strong and kinetically stable metal binding, bio-compatibility, and ease of synthesis and modification.4
There remains a need for a general chelator that can be easily modified structurally for use with a broad array of clinically and technologically relevant metal ions, including for Eu(III) and Tb(III), that exhibits requisite kinetic and thermodynamic metal binding stabilities, that complexes rapidly under benign physiological conditions and that can be easily appended with functional groups that enable easy conjugation to antibodies, peptides or other targeting molecules.

Metal chelators for imaging, therapeutics, and bioanalysis

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS


Disclosed herein are systems and methods that help to optimize the sound quality produced when a sound processing mode is enabled in an audio device, such as a hearing prosthesis. When the sound processing mode is enabled, a sound processor in the audio device will create a candidate transformed signal based on a default set of parameters associated with the sound processing mode (i.e. a candidate signal processing function). Further, the sound processor will create a reference transformed signal based on the same enabled sound processing mode, but with a varied set of parameters (i.e. a modified signal processing function). The sound processor will then compare the candidate transformed signal to the reference transformed signal to determine which signal has a higher quality. The device then creates an output based on the higher quality signal.

Various types of hearing prostheses may provide people having different types of hearing loss with the ability to perceive sound. Hearing loss may be conductive, sensorineural, or some combination of both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss typically results from a dysfunction in any of the mechanisms that ordinarily conduct sound waves through the outer ear, the eardrum, or the bones of the middle ear. Sensorineural hearing loss typically results from a dysfunction in the inner ear, including the cochlea, where sound vibrations are converted into neural signals, or any other part of the ear, auditory nerve, or brain that may process the neural signals.
People with some forms of conductive hearing loss may benefit from hearing prostheses, such as acoustic hearing aids or vibration-based hearing aids. An acoustic hearing aid typically includes a small microphone to detect sound, an amplifier to amplify certain portions of the detected sound, and a small speaker to transmit the amplified sound into the person's ear. Vibration-based hearing aids typically include a small microphone to detect sound, and a vibration mechanism to apply vibrations corresponding to the detected sound to a person's bone, thereby causing vibrations in the person's inner ear, thus bypassing the person's auditory canal and middle ear. Vibration-based hearing aids may include bone anchored hearing aids, direct acoustic cochlear stimulation devices, or other vibration-based devices.
A bone anchored hearing aid typically utilizes a surgically-implanted mechanism to transmit sound via direct vibrations of the skull. Similarly, a direct acoustic cochlear stimulation device typically utilizes a surgically-implanted mechanism to transmit sound via vibrations corresponding to sound waves to generate fluid motion in a person's inner ear. Other non-surgical vibration-based hearing aids may use similar vibration mechanisms to transmit sound via direct vibration of teeth or other cranial or facial bones.
Each type of hearing prosthesis has an associated sound processor. In one basic type of hearing prosthesis, the sound processor may just provide an amplification to any sounds received by the prosthesis. However, in other applications, the processor present in a hearing prosthesis may be more advanced. For example, some processors may be programmable and include advanced signal processing functions (e.g., noise reduction functions).


Aspects of a method and system for processing signals via an integrated low noise amplifier having a configurable input signaling mode are provided. For an unbalanced input signal, a first input terminal of the LNA may be communicatively coupled to ground via an inductance and a bias point of the LNA may be communicatively coupled to a first bias voltage. For a balanced input signal, the first input terminal of the LNA may be communicatively coupled to the balanced signal and the bias point may be communicatively coupled to a second bias voltage. The LNA may comprise a center-tapped differential inductor which may be coupled to an output terminal of the LNA and may enable the LNA to output differential signals regardless of the input signaling mode. In various embodiments of the invention, the LNA may be utilized to amplify GNSS signals such as GPS signals.

As the number of wireless devices and wireless standards continue to grow, wireless communications are increasingly being relied upon to exchange information. For example, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular communications (e.g., GSM), and global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) are just a few examples of well established wireless communications commonly utilized in today's technology driven societies.
Accordingly, as the number of wireless communication devices increases, there is increasing demand to make the wireless communication devices smaller, more powerful, and less expensive.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.

Method and system for processing signals via an integrated low noise amplifier having configurable input signaling mode


A method and system of providing an interactive user interface for a user to specify one or more familial relationships between regions includes inputting, by the user, a network model including one or relationships within at least one of the regions and/or across at least two of the regions. The user defines at least one multiplicity relationship for the network model, including one or more familial relationships within the regions and/or across the regions using one or more familial indices. The computer simulates the network model, and outputs simulation results responsive thereto.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to computer systems and methods of modeling hierarchically designed entities, and more specifically, to computer systems and computer implemented methods of generating, displaying and simulating a hierarchical model having cross-branch connections using multiplicity trees to represent, for example, a network model.
2. Background of the Related Art
Modern day entities and/or networks (e.g., communication networks, physical networks such as neural networks, organizational networks, and the like) are extremely complex. They are often distributed over great distances and typically consist of many, possibly even thousands of nodes. For modeling purposes, the configurations may often be adequately described in but a few phrases or sentences.
For example, in a network example, a wide area network ("WAN") used by a convenience store chain of 100 stores may suitably be described as including a processing hub in each store, each hub connected via the WAN to a processing center and having fifty attached workstations; wherein each of the workstations accesses a common application program and is operative to send in 100-byte requests and receive back 1000 byte responses. Such a description shows that there are actually only a small number of network elements to be described, although there may exist a large multiplicity of some of these elements (e.g., instances, plurality, multitude, multiformity, several, etc.).
Conventional modeling tools fail to exploit the simplicity of the above description. In point of fact, conventional modeling tools have very limited capacity to reduce the drawing complexity. They require one to draw all 100 hubs, and report on hub utilizations only one at a time. For many modeling tools, the same is true for the 5000 workstations as well.
An important use of modeling tools is to design and tailor a entity and/or network to a user's particular needs. The model should explore many possible combinations of, for example, structure, link speeds, router capacities, message rates, links and router quantities, and the like, in a search for a "best fit" to a user's needs. A fast and efficient means of modeling and displaying an entity, and a concise report on simulation of the entity is needed. Unfortunately, conventional modeling techniques used in modeling tools are too cumbersome to accomplish the foregoing.
I have discovered that presently available modeling tools suffer from a common ailment--specifically, they fail to recognize symmetries and element groupings associated with an entity and/or network. The occurrence and recognition of these typical symmetries and common groupings may suitably reduce the description necessary for a complete model, thereby improving the power and efficiency of the modeling tool.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a modeling tool that recognizes symmetries and common groupings of elements in a proposed entity and/or network, and uses the same to provide a simplified representation of the entity and/or network.
There exists a further need in the art for a modeling tool that easily modifies, or reconfigures, a model without substantially redefining the entire representation of the entity and/or network.
There exists a still further need in the art for a modeling tool that provides a concise pictorial representation of the entity, as well as a report on the performance of the entity, elements and common groups of elements within the entity.
There exists a still further need in the art for a modeling tool that provides a simplified representation of the entity and/or network with arbitrary familial relationships between nodes and/or regions in an entity and/or network.

Computer system and computer implemented method for generating, displaying and simulating a hierarchical model having cross-branch connections using multiplicity trees


A checking module is coupled to one or more registers to verify data written to the one or more registers. The checking module includes a memory coupled to an arbiter to receive data and an address (corresponding to the data) from the arbiter. The data is written to the one or more registers at the address. Comparator logic is coupled to the memory and to the one or more registers to compare the data written to the one or more registers and the data in the memory. An error flag circuit is coupled to the comparator logic, and in response to a difference between the data in the memory and the data written to the one or more registers, the error flag circuit outputs an error signal.

Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) is a risk classification scheme that details functional safety for vehicles. The ASIL standard performs risk analysis of potential hazards by examining the exposure, severity, and controllability of vehicle operation. The standard identifies four ASILs: ASIL A, ASIL B, ASIL C, and ASIL D. ASIL A dictates the lowest integrity requirements for an electronic product, while ASIL D dictates the highest integrity requirements for a product.
For automotive image sensors, the correct writing to registers shall be checked. This is to make sure that data sent to registers is properly recorded and indexed.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention.


The present invention discloses a mutated enzyme comprising a geranylgeranil diphosphate synthase having its origin in wild type Sulfolobus acidocaldarius wherein at least one of phenylalanine at position 77, methionine at position 85, valine at position 99, tyrosine at position 101, phenylalanine at position 118, arginine at position 199 and aspartic acid at position 312 is substituted with another amino acid.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a mutant prenyl diphosphate synthase that is able to synthesize prenyl diphosphate having a longer chain than prenyl diphosphate synthesized by the native prenyl diphosphate synthase.
2. Related Art
Prenyl diphosphate is highly valuable in biosynthesis pathways, functioning as a precursor of steroids, a precursor of carotenoids, being a transition substrate of prenylated proteins, being a substrate for synthesis of vitamin E, vitamin K and ubiquinone (CoQ) and so forth. Prenyl diphosphate exists in various forms, including dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP; C5), geranyl diphosphate (GPP; C10), arnesyl diphosphate (FPP; C15), geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP; C20), geranylfarnesyl diphosphate (GFPP; C25), hexaprenyl diphosphate (HPP; C30), heptaprenyl diphosphate (HepPP; C35) and octaprenyl diphosphate (OPP; C40).
Prenyl transferases, which synthesize these prenyl diphosphates, are enzymes that form prenyl diphosphate by continuously condensing isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP; C5) into allylic diphosphate, and exist in various forms, including farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPS), geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (GGPS), geranylfarnesyl diphosphate synthase (GFPS), hexaprenyl diphosphate synthase (HexPS), heptaprenyl diphosphate synthase (HepPS) and octaprenyl diphosphate synthase (OPS).
However, among the above-mentioned prenyl diphosphates, only those from dimethylallyl diphosphate having 5 carbon atoms to geranyl diphosphate having 20 carbon atoms are commercially available in small amounts as reagents, and a process for industrially synthesizing and recovering large amounts of prenyl diphosphates having longer chains is not known
The carbon chain length and stereoisomerism of synthesized prenyl diphosphates are known to be specifically determined depending on the particular enzyme. Until now, it has not been clear what type of mechanism is the factor in determining carbon chain length.
Although prenyl transferases and their genes are known to be derived from bacteria, mold, plants and animals, these enzyme are typically unstable, difficult to handle and are not expected to be industrially valuable.
The prenyl transferases and their genes of thermophilic organisms, which are stable and easy to use as enzymes, are only farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPS) (Koyama, T. et al. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 113, 355-363) and heptaprenyl diphosphate synthase (HepPS) (Koike-Takeshita, A. et al. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 18396-18400) from the moderately thermophilic archaebacterium, Bacillus stearothermophilus; geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (GGPS) from the hyper thermophilic bacterium, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius (Ohnuma, S.-i. et al. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 14792-14797); as well as farnesyl diphosphate/geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (FPS/GGPS) from the methane-producing archaebacterium, Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (Chen, A. and Poulter, C. D. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 11002-11007). Only HepPS can synthesize prenyl diphosphate having 35 carbon atoms, and enzymes having thermal stability that synthesize prenyl diphosphates having 25 or more carbon atoms have not been reported. In addition, the above-mentioned HepPS does not have adequate heat resistance, is composed of two types of subunits, and handling is not always easy.

Process for the production of prenyl diphosphate using mutants of geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase


Firewall sandwich configurations having improved levels of system availability as well as an application-space implementation of a firewall load balancer (FLB) which provides greater operational flexibility while reducing the need for custom hardware and/or operating system software. Also disclosed is a firewall capable of functionally replacing an FLB upon detecting a failure therein.

Firewalls are commonly used by organizations and, increasingly, individuals to protect computer networks from external threats including "hackers" coming from other networks, such as the Internet. A typical firewall inspects packets flowing across a network boundary and allows or denies access to internal/external servers according to defined policies. It thus forms the first line of defense in securing internal or private networks from, e.g., the Internet. However, in a single firewall system, the firewall represents a single point of failure; if the firewall is down, all access is lost. The single firewall may also create a throughput bottleneck.
Firewall sandwiches can be used to remove the single point of failure as well as the potential bottleneck of a single firewall. A typical firewall sandwich is illustrated in FIG. 1, and includes two or more (e.g., three) firewalls configured in parallel with firewall load balancers (FLBS) on opposite sides of the firewalls. The FLBs are logically positioned at network boundaries and ensure that TCP/IP traffic specific to a particular connection passes through the same firewall in both directions. Since connection requests may originate and terminate in either internal or external networks (illustratively labeled private network and public network, respectively, in FIG. 1), the two FLBs perform symmetric operations, especially if the firewalls do not perform network address translation (NAT).
The general operation of the firewall sandwich shown in FIG. 1 will now be described. For simplicity, assume that Ethernet is used for the physical network, the firewalls (FWs) do not perform network address translation, and all traffic is TCP/IP. Under these assumptions, the processing performed by the FLBs is symmetric with respect to the flow of traffic from the public network to the private network, and vice versa.
When the FLB positioned at the public network boundary receives a SYN packet from the public network (indicating a new TCP/IP session), the FLB selects a FW through which the session traffic will flow. Common algorithms for selecting a FW include predefined (static) selection based on IP and port numbers, Round Robin, Weighted Round Robin, Least Connections, and Least-Packet Throughput. The FLB forwards the packet to the selected FW by changing the Ethernet destination MAC address of the packet to the address of the selected FW. The FLB then changes the source MAC address to its own address and places the packet onto the subnet connecting the FLB to the set of FWs.
The selected FW receives the SYN packet and decides whether the packet (and the session) is allowed to pass based on defined security policies. Assuming the packet is allowed to pass through the FW, it is forwarded to the FLB on the other side of the sandwich. This is achieved by identifying such FLB as a network gateway for the subnet it shares with the FWs.
For connection-oriented protocols, such as TCP/IP, all packets for a given session are forwarded to the same FW (in both directions), unless the FWs share state information. Assuming the FWs do not share state information (as is the case for most commercially available FWs), when the SYN packet passes through the second FLB, the FLB recognizes it as having come from a FW, records the FW through which the packet passed and forwards the packet to its destination or to its next hop in the network. (Note that when static FW selection algorithms are used, the processing performed by the second FLB is reduced and may be bypassed completely in some cases.)
When the FLB positioned at the public network boundary receives a packet other than a SYN packet, it determines whether it is part of an existing TCP session. This is often done using the source and destination IP addresses and the respective port numbers. Assuming the packet belongs to an existing TCP session, the FLB forwards it to the correct FW. The FW then forwards the packet to the second FLB, and so on. If the packet does not belong to an existing TCP session, the first FLB either discards the packet, or discards the packet and replies with an RST packet, or forwards the packet to one of the FWs for deciding the packet's fate.
The simple FW sandwich depicted in FIG. 1 can typically tolerate the failure of any two of the three FWs. In general, such configurations maintain system availability as long as any one of the n FWs is operational. The loss of FWs may result in performance degradation, but not system failure, unless all n FWs fail. However, system failure also occurs if either FLB fails. Thus, while the firewall sandwich shown in FIG. 1 removes the firewall as the single point of failure, it creates two new points of failure: the FLBs on opposite sides of the firewalls. In fact, the firewall sandwich shown in FIG. 1 has a higher steady state unavailability value than a single firewall system.
One solution to this problem is to provide each FLB in FIG. 1 with a back-up or standby FLB, following the traditional primary-backup (or primary-copy) model of fault tolerance, as shown in FIG. 2. (For simplicity, redundant switches are not shown in FIG. 2, though they are commonly used.) In the event of a failure in one of the primary FLBs, its corresponding standby FLB will take over. A serial interface is often used for out-of-band communications between each primary FLB and its corresponding standby in order to maintain state in the standby FLB, and to detect failures in the primary FLB.
Alternatively, an active replication (or state machine) approach may be employed to maintain state in the standby FLBs. In that case, multicast switches are typically used to send the same messages to both the primary and standby FLBs. The standby FLB maintains the same state as the primary by processing the same packets in the same order. The standby FLB, however, only outputs packets when it detects a failure in the primary FLB. In a variation to this approach, the primary and standby FLBs may share the active load. If either the primary FLB or its standby FLB fails, the other FLB takes over the entire processing. This type of configuration, however, typically depends on extensions to the Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP), and provides no more availability than the other primary/standby configurations mentioned above.
The concepts and technology behind FLB devices is based, at least in part, on research and development in the area of transparent network server clustering. Server clustering technologies are broadly classified as: OSI layer four switching with layer two packet forwarding (L4/2); OSI layer four switching with layer three packet forwarding (L4/3); and OSI layer seven (L7) switching with either layer two packet forwarding (L7/2) or layer three packet forwarding (L7/3) clustering. These terms refer to the techniques by which the servers in the cluster are tied together. An overview of these clustering technologies is presented in Schroeder, T., S. Goddard and B. Ramamurthy, Scalable Web Server Clustering Technologies, IEEE Network, Vol. 14, No. 3 pp. 38-45, 2000.
As recognized by the inventor hereof from a clustering point of view, balancing network connections over a set of firewalls (FWs) is similar to balancing connection requests over a set of network servers in an L4/2 server cluster. That is, all network traffic passing through the FW boundary must pass through an FLB before reaching the FWs; the FLB appears as a network gateway to servers and/or routers. One notable difference between server clustering and FW sandwiching is that the FW is not the final destination for network traffic. From a network packet's perspective, each FLB and the FW traversed by that packet appear as simply another hop in the network.

The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska


A workpiece detection mechanism may include a sensor part detecting the workpiece; a sensor amplifier part connected to the sensor part and processing a signal from the sensor part; a battery part supplying electric power to the sensor amplifier part; and a wireless transmitting part transmitting by wireless the signal from the sensor amplifier part to an outside of the vacuum chamber. The sensor part, the sensor amplifier part, the battery part and the wireless transmitting part may be provided in one end effector provided in the workpiece transfer mechanism and are not connected directly to any member other than the end effector.

Conventionally, an art of a workpiece detection mechanism detecting a workpiece conveyed by a workpiece transfer mechanism in a vacuum chamber is well known. Examples thereof are described in the Patent Literatures 1 and 2.
In the art described in the Patent Literature 1, a workpiece detection mechanism (sensor or the like) detecting a workpiece is arranged outside a vacuum room (vacuum chamber), and the workpiece detection mechanism detects the workpiece (a silicon wafer, a glass substrate for a solar cell or the like) conveyed by a workpiece transfer mechanism in the vacuum room is detected. Accordingly, whether the workpiece is conveyed certainly or not can be confirmed.
However, in the art described in the Patent Literature 1, the workpiece detection mechanism (sensor or the like) is fixed to a position determined previously and can detect only that the workpiece reaches a predetermined position in a conveyance process. Accordingly, when the workpiece drops out at another position in the conveyance process, it is disadvantageous that the dropping out cannot be detected immediately.
In the art described in the Patent Literature 2, a workpiece detection mechanism is arranged in a workpiece transfer mechanism. In more detail, a sensor is arranged in an end effector (a part which moves while mounting a workpiece thereon so as to convey the workpiece) of the workpiece transfer mechanism, and a communication unit transmitting detection results of the sensor with the outside and a charging unit storing electric power to be supplied to the communication unit are arranged in a base part (a part not movable and in which the end effector is supported movably via an arm) of the workpiece transfer mechanism. Accordingly, by arranging the sensor in the end effector, the workpiece can be detected at any position in the conveyance process, and when the workpiece drops out, the dropping out can be detected immediately.
However, in the art described in the Patent Literature 2, wires connecting the sensor arranged in the end effector to the communication unit and the like arranged in the base part are arranged over the arm and the end effector. Accordingly, when the end effector moves, it is disadvantageous that the wires may be damaged in the connection part between the base part and the arm or the connection part between the arm and the end effector. Furthermore, it is disadvantageous that the action of the end effector must be restricted (for example, the range of action of each connection part is restricted) for preventing the damage of the wires.


To provide a method for simply and easily causing only IGSCC to initiate and grow in a specimen, which can retain corrosion resistance through passivation, under atmospheric pressure in a short time, an aqueous solution of potassium tetrathionate is brought into contact with the specimen capable of retaining corrosion resistance through passivation. The potassium tetrathionate concentration, temperature and pH value of the aqueous solution are from 0.3 to 6 wt. %, from 5 to 60° C., and from 3 to 6, respectively.

Under the current circumstances, the construction of new nuclear power plants is difficult although there is an increasing worldwide requirement for successfully dealing with both a reduction in CO2 emission and an increase in electricity demand. For the extension of the operational life of each existing nuclear power plant operated over along period, it is therefore important to determine the soundness of materials of its equipment and the like such as its reactor and in-core structures and weld zones therein.
As a method for non-destructively detecting and determining the existence or non-existence of cracks formed through IGSCC in the materials of equipment such as a reactor due to conditions such as quality, stress and use environment as well as their dimensions, shapes and the like in the actual equipment, it can be contemplated to apply ultrasonic examination technology, eddy current examination technology or the like.
For the extensive application of the detection and determination of cracks by the above-described technology to positions exposed to various conditions, however, it is necessary to repeat the detection and determination of cracks by using specimens with IGSCC, which occur under various conditions in actual equipment, reproduced experimentally therein and to accumulate data.
Under conditions where a corrosion flaw other than IGSCC to be determined exists in combination, it is difficult to accurately detect and determine a crack formed by IGSCC. There is, accordingly, an outstanding demand for the development of a technique that can experimentally cause only IGSCC to initiate and grow in a short time exclusively at an intended specific area although in actual equipment, IGSCC occurs after an extremely long time under conditions of high-temperature and high-pressure water.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are construction diagrams of a shroud support, which is one of the in-core structures in a pressure vessel in a nuclear power plant, and FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of a section X in FIG. 2A. These figures show the pressure vessel at numeral 100, legs 101 each arranged upright on a bottom part of the pressure vessel 100 via a weld 102, and a support cylinder 103 supported on the legs 101. The support cylinder is connected to each leg 101 via a weld 104. Designated at numeral 105 are support plates arranged between the pressure vessel 100 and the support cylinder 103 and connected to the pressure vessel 100 and the support cylinder 103 via welds 106.
Widely employed as the material of this structure is a nickel-based alloy or stainless steel which can retain corrosion resistance through passivation. With such a material, the application of stress to a sensitized area in the vicinity of grain boundaries (i.e., Cr-depleted area as a result of the deposition of chromium carbides) results in the initiation of a crack, followed by its growth. This is called "IGSCC".
As a method for causing IGSCC to initiate and grow in a partial specimen of a welded structure in equipment, said welded structure being capable of retaining corrosion resistance through passivation, an accelerated test has been widely used to date. This accelerated test is conducted using as a starting point a simulated defect, which has been formed artificially by cutting or electrical discharge machining, as is or a defect of weld crack, and takes a long time in high-temperature and high-pressure water.
Although not studied for the above purpose, there is ASTM G35 test [Wachenroder's solution, pH<1], which makes use of polythionic acid and may be used as a reference for the simple and easy initiation and growth of IGSCC. This method is known in connection with studies on IGSCC of sensitized stainless steel in desulfurization equipment in the petroleum refinery industry [see Matsushima et al: Boshoku Gijutsu (Corrosion Preventive Technology), 22(4), (1974)].
However, the above-mentioned test simulates the environment of desulfurization equipment. It has, therefore, been reported that the preparation of the test solution is not simple and easy and also that not only IGSCC but also an intergranular corrosion (IGC) attack occurs (see the non-patent publication referred to in the above). Therefore, cracking occurred under test conditions, under which IGC was observed, is considered to be a stress-accelerated IGC phenomenon rather than IGSCC.
As is appreciated from the foregoing, no simple and easy technique has heretofore been established for the development of only IGSCC without IGC or pitting corrosion at room temperature in the atmosphere except for the method that can cause IGSCC to initiate and grow by relying upon a long-time accelerated test in high-temperature and high-pressure water.
An object of the present invention is, therefore, to overcome the above-described drawbacks of the conventional techniques, and to provide a method for simply and easily causing only IGSCC to initiate and grow in a specimen, which can retain corrosion resistance through passivation, in a short time in the atmosphere.

Method of causing intergranular stress corrosion crack to generate and grow in sample


A new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant named ‘Argywhimi’, characterized by its compact, upright and rounded plant habit; freely branching habit and short internodes; dense and bushy plant habit; early flowering habit; freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences per plant; and daisy-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets and golden yellow-colored disc florets.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant, botanically known as Argyranthemum frutescens and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'Argywhimi'.
The new Argyranthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new compact Argyranthemums with early and freely flowering habit.
The new Argyranthemum originated from a open-pollination conducted in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands in 1999 of a proprietary selection of Argyranthemum frutescens identified as code number B 6-3, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Argyranthemum frutescens as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Argywhimi was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands in August, 2000.
Asexual reproduction of the new Argyranthemum by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands since August, 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Argyranthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


The described principles provide a method and system for assisting a user of an electric vehicle in maintaining a charge state of the chargeable onboard energy storage system. In an implementation, an intuitive remote interface allows the user to create, modify, save and select profiles. The user may select a profile to apply at a current time as well as optionally at a later time. A profile may have a date limitation or day of week limitation in addition to a time limitation. In an implementation, the user may opt to apply a selected profile to a plurality of vehicles. A linkage with utility data allows for the use of rate-based criteria in an implementation.

Electric vehicles are increasingly practical and popular, providing users with a cleaner alternative to internal combustion driven vehicles, while also providing a degree of protection against volatile fuel costs. As used herein, the term "electric vehicle" refers to a vehicle that is propelled by one or more electric motors linked to the vehicle drive wheel or wheels, wherein the electric energy used to power the motors is stored in an onboard battery system. While an onboard auxiliary power unit, e.g., a gasoline or diesel engine, may supply additional electrical energy to the onboard battery system, the vehicle also provides a plug-in interface or other power conductive or inductive interface to allow the user to charge the onboard battery system from a municipal electrical power grid.
In theory, it would be desirable to have an onboard battery system of unlimited energy storage capacity. However in practice, the onboard battery system will typically have an energy storage capacity that is limited by weight, cost and/or size constraints. High-capacity cells in a battery of a suitable size may be prohibitively expensive, while normal capacity cells in a battery having a high overall capacity may be unsuitable in size and/or weight. For example, lead acid batteries are inexpensive, but are heavy and bulky for a given capacity, while lithium polymer and lithium ion batteries have good energy density but are constrained by cost.
Thus, other than for extended range vehicles, the practical electric vehicle will often have a range-per-charge that is less than the range-per-tank attainable with a counterpart fuel-powered vehicle. As such, it is generally important to maintain the charge state in the battery system of the electric vehicle so that the existing capacity is efficiently utilized. However, a user may not necessarily remember to plug in their vehicle after use at home or during a long stop over at a charging location. As a result, the already limited range of the vehicle may be further compromised. Thus, a system of providing battery charge state clarity and predictability is needed.

System and method for remote management of electric vehicle charge profiles


A mold for tire vulcanization comprises a plurality of segments forming respectively a part of a circular interior complementary to land portions and groove portions of the tread portion of a tire product and being separable from each other in the tire circumferential direction, and each of the segments comprising a plurality of pieces forming said circular interior part and a block supporting the pieces, wherein each of the pieces comprises a combination of a matrix metal and a core made of a different kind of material which is preferably fitted to a through hole of the matrix metal and has a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the matrix metal. In a method of manufacturing the mold, upon casting the matrix metal, the matrix metal is cast around the core with a higher fusion point than that of the matrix metal. The invention provides a mold for tire vulcanization by which a tire having excellent appearance can be obtained and production of defective tires upon vulcanization can be decreased, and a manufacturing method thereof, without increase of cost.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mold for tire vulcanization and to a manufacturing method thereof, particularly to a mold for tire vulcanization by which a tire having excellent appearance can be obtained and production of defective tires during vulcanization can be decreased.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As a conventional mold for tire vulcanization, as shown in FIG. 4 of the accompanying drawings, a so-called insert segment type mold is well known, where a plurality of pieces 8 having an uneven interior corresponding to the land portions and the groove portions of at least the tread portion of a tire product are arranged adjacent each other and are disposed on a block 3 as a supporting means to comprise one segment 2. Furthermore the segments 2 are arranged adjacent each other, in other words are joined as a ring to form a predetermined interior configuration, as shown in FIG. 3.
In the case of the conventional mold of insert segment type where, as shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of pieces 8 are disposed on a block 3 as a supporting means to comprise one segment 2 and the segments are joined as a ring, it is necessary that an unvulcanized tire is pressed to the interior of the mold and is fitted thereto by inflation of a bladder. Therefore, air between the outer surface of the unvulcanized tire and the interior of the mold is exhausted through boundary portions 7 between adjacent pieces 8.
For such exhausting of the air between the tire and the mold, the boundary portion 7 between pieces 8 adjacent each other should be determined at the position where air remains during tire vulcanization and therefore a light spot bare tends to be generated. The term "light spot bare" refers to an incompletely molded portion on a vulcanized tire surface caused by air or water between the unvulcanized tire and the mold. However, setting the boundary portions at all positions where light spot bare tends to be generated causes an increase of the cost of the mold because of the increase of the number of the pieces or difficulty of manufacturing a piece.
The object of the present invention is to provide an insert segment type mold for tire vulcanization by which a tire having excellent appearance can be obtained and production of defective tires during vulcanization can be decreased, and to provide a manufacturing method thereof, without increase of the number of the mold pieces and increase of the cost because of complication of the boundary line configuration between the pieces.

Mold for tire vulcanization and manufacturing method thereof


In one embodiment, an optical device comprising an emitter, first and second emitter optical elements and a receiver is disclosed. The emitter and the receiver may be arranged substantially along a longitudinal axis. The first and second emitter optical elements may be interposing the longitudinal axis. One other embodiment discloses an optical device comprising an emitter and a receiver arranged on a longitudinal axis. The optical device may further comprise first and second emitter optical elements arranged along an axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis but interposing the longitudinal axis. In another embodiment, a proximity sensor having first and second emitters interposing a longitudinal axis is disclosed.

Optical devices are widely used nowadays. Examples of optical devices are proximity sensors, color sensors, optical encoders or any other similar sensors that comprise an emitter and a receiver for emitting and detecting a radiation. The radiation may be visible or invisible. On some occasions, an optical lens may be coupled to the emitter in order to collimate the radiation to specific directions or distances of interest so that the radiation can be fully utilized for high power efficiency. Similarly, an optical lens may be coupled to the receiver to collimate radiation from a specific direction to the receiver.
For most optical devices that have an emitter and a receiver, the radiation emitted from the emitter is usually directed to an external object or an external medium before being received by the receiver. For optical devices having transmissive arrangement such as transmissive optical encoder, the radiation emitted by the emitter may be transmitted through the external object before being detected by the receiver. For optical devices having reflective arrangement such as proximity sensors and reflective optical encoders, the external object may reflect or redirect a portion of the radiation emitted from the emitter into the receiver.
In response to the radiation detected, the receiver may generate a signal indicative of at least one property of the external object. For example, for proximity sensors, the signal generated by the receiver is indicative of presence of the external object. For color sensors, the signal generated may be indicative of the color of the external object.
However, a portion of the radiation may be detected by the receiver without going through or without being reflected by the external object. The radiation detected by the receiver without being redirected by the external object may be known as crosstalk. Crosstalk is independent from the external object and may reduce the signal to noise ratio of the optical device. Crosstalk may occur within the optical package, or via external structures. For example, most optical devices are to be assembled into an electronic apparatus having a casing. Most casings are transparent but crosstalk may occur due to total internal reflection in which a portion of the radiation emitted by the emitter is reflected into the receiver without going through the external object.
Proximity sensors are sensor devices configured to detect presence of nearby objects without any physical contact. Proximity sensors are commonly used in electronic gears that will turn power-consuming circuitry on or off in response to the proximity sensors detecting something nearby. Use of proximity sensors in such applications may be particularly efficient because they may provide for detecting proximity without having to make physical contact. Proximity sensors may be used in mobile phone, digital photo frames, television, or other electronic devices.

Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.