An OSD information generation camera according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: an image recorder configured to receive an image signal and generate an image; a controller configured to extract basic information for generating OSD information from the image; an OSD information generator configured to generate the OSD information based on the basic information extracted by the controller; and a communicator configured to individually transmit data of the OSD information and the image to an external destination.

In general, monitoring systems are used in a variety of places such as commercial and residential areas. Such monitoring systems are used for the purpose of crime prevention and security, but have also recently been used for monitoring pets or children indoors in real time. Further, closed circuit television (CCTV) systems, which are used as such monitoring systems the most, include cameras installed at proper locations for obtaining an image of an area desired to be monitored, and a user monitors the image obtained by a camera.
With development of network technologies, such CCTV systems have recently been developed to allow an image obtained by one camera to be shared between and checked by many users at the same time. Further, many users can check the images of the CCTV camera at different places, not just at one place.
However, a conventional CCTV camera has a one-way information delivery structure for simultaneously transmitting the image to the users. Therefore, users who are in different places have to use a separate communication system in order to exchange information with another user while viewing the image.
Further, an information provider has to specify who receives information one by one in order to share information since a user's authorization does not automatically determine whether or not the information is shared. Furthermore, the kind of information sharable is also restricted since a separate communication system is required in sharing the information. Moreover, in situations wherein special information has to be displayed on an image, the image and the information are immediately synthesized, and thus, any user who is viewing the image is allowed to read the information regardless of the user's authorization, thereby causing a problem in ensuring security.

On screen display (OSD) information generation camera, OSD information synthesis terminal, and OSD information sharing system including the same


An example furniture hinge includes a carrier arm, a door fitting having a recessed cup that is rotatably disposed on one end of the carrier arm, and an end plate adjustably connected to another end of the carrier arm. A mounting plate that attaches to a furniture body includes a wall portion. An eccentric element laterally adjustably attaches the end plate to the wall portion. The end plate includes an anchoring element for engaging behind the wall portion.

This invention relates to a furniture hinge and, more particularly to a furniture hinge with a door fitting in the form of a recessed cup that is rotatably disposed on one end of a carrier arm and a fastening plate engaged on the other end of the arm that is adjustably attached and laterally adjustably attachable to a furniture body. An end plate of the carrier arm is laterally adjustably connected to a front wall of the fastening plate and is adjustable by using an eccentric component operating between the end plate and the front wall.
Some furniture hinges serve for rotatable attachment of a furniture door to a furniture body. To laterally adjust the furniture door in the horizontal direction along the front face of the furniture following assembly, a carrier arm laterally adjusts to move a front wall of a fastening plate. An eccentric component connects a carrier arm bearing, the furniture door, and the fastening plate which, for example, is rotatably disposed in the front wall and engages with its head across the edges of a slot in an end plate of the carrier arm.
Some known furniture hinges mount the eccentric component in the front wall such that the eccentric component is positively, yet rotatably, retained in a hole in the front wall by peening its mounting pin. Disadvantageously, such a mounting is not suitable for the transmission of strong forces.
Additionally, the eccentric component may not withstand heavy loads because of insufficient overlap between the eccentric component's head and the edges of the lateral slot.
If the furniture door is moved beyond an outer pivot position when opened, the forces arising as a consequence of the leverage in the area of the lateral adjustment member may tear the eccentric component from the front wall of the fastening plate or out of the lateral slot of the end plate of the carrier arm. Such a result may destroy the furniture hinge or otherwise render it unsable.
Some known furniture hinges include rails protruding from the two side flanges of the end of the carrier arm away from the hinge. The rails engage behind the lateral edges of the front wall of the fastening plate. In this way, the forces arising from a stress on the hinge can be transferred from the carrier arm to the front wall of the fastening plate. However, these opposed protruding rails are expensive to manufacture. Additionally, the lever arm between the gripping area of these rails and the active area of contact between the front wall and the carrier arm is relatively small so that the transfer bending moment is also small. Additionally, the rails extend only slightly behind the lateral edges of the front wall. Consequently, the lateral flanges can be spread under high loading.
The invention provides a furniture hinge which avoids overloading the lateral adjustment member of the carrier arm even when the furniture door is pivoted beyond a normal opening position.


In method for manufacturing a silicon single crystal in accordance with a Czochralski method, during the growth of the silicon single crystal, pulling is performed such that a solid-liquid interface in the crystal, excluding a peripheral 5 mm-width portion, exists within a range of an average vertical position of the solid-liquid interface .+-.5 mm. There is also disclosed a method for manufacturing a silicon single crystal in accordance with the Czochralski method, wherein during the growth of a silicon single crystal, a furnace temperature is controlled such that a temperature gradient difference .DELTA.G (=Ge-Gc) is not greater than 5.degree. C./cm, where Ge is a temperature gradient (.degree.C./cm) at a peripheral portion of the crystal, and Gc is a temperature gradient (.degree.C./cm) at a central portion of the crystal, both in an in-crystal descending temperature zone between 1420.degree. C. and 1350.degree. C. or between a melting point of silicon and 1400.degree. C. in the vicinity of the solid-liquid interface of the crystal. The method maintains high productivity and enables a silicon single crystal and silicon wafers to be manufactured such that a defect density is very low over the entire crystal cross section, and the oxygen concentration distribution over the surface of each silicon wafer is improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a silicon single crystal having few crystal defects and a uniform oxygen concentration distribution, as well as to a silicon single crystal and silicon wafers manufactured by the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with a decrease in size of semiconductor elements for coping with the increased degree of integration of semiconductor circuits, quality requirements are recently becoming severer on silicon single crystals which are grown by the Czochralski method (hereinafter referred to as the CZ method) for use as materials for substrates of semiconductor circuits. Particularly, there has been required a reduction in density and size of grown-in defects such as flow pattern defects (FPD), laser scattering tomography defects (LSTD), and crystal originated particles (COP).
In connection with the description of the above-mentioned defects incorporated into a silicon single crystal, first are described factors which determine the concentration of a point defect called a vacancy (hereinafter may be referred to as V) and the concentration of a point defect called interstitial (hereinafter may be referred to as I) silicon.
In a silicon single crystal, a V region refers to a region which contains a relatively large number of vacancies, i.e., depressions, pits, or the like caused by missing silicon atoms; and an I region refers to a region which contains a relatively large number of dislocations caused by excess silicon atoms or a relatively large number of clusters of excess silicon atoms. Further, between the V region and the I region there exists a neutral (hereinafter may be referred to as N) region which contains no or few missing or excess silicon atoms. Recent studies have revealed that the above-mentioned grown-in defects such as FPD, LSTD, and COP are generated only when vacancies and/or interstitials are present in a supersaturated state and that even when some atoms deviate from their ideal positions, they do not appear as a defect so long as vacancies and/or interstitials do not exceed the saturation level.
According to a popular view, in the CZ method, the concentration of vacancies and/or interstitials depends on the relation between the pulling rate of crystal and the temperature gradient G in the vicinity of a solid-liquid interface of a growing crystal (see FIG. 4), and another type of defect called oxidation-induced stacking fault (OSF) is present in the vicinity of the boundary between the V region and the I region (Erich Dornberger and Wilfred von Ammon, J. Electrochem. Soc., Vol. 143, No. May 5, 1996; T. Abe, H. Harada, J. Chikawa, Paper presented at ICDS-12 Amsterdam, Aug. 31-Sep. 3, 1982).
According to a conventional pulling method, in view of cost of growth and assuming that OSF does not exist in a V-rich region, pulling is mostly performed in the V-rich region, in which a crystal can be grown at a relatively high growth rate. Also, a thermal history or the like during pulling has been controlled so as to reduce crystal defects generated in the V-rich region. For example, according to control practiced in the conventional pulling method, a transit time across a temperature zone of 1150-1080.degree. C. is made relatively long so as to reduce the density of defects, each of which is conceivably a cluster of vacancies such as FPD, so that there can be improved the dielectric breakdown strength of oxide film, which is a factor for evaluating device characteristics. However, recent studies have revealed that such a method as controlling a thermal history (a transit time across a certain temperature zone) during pulling can reduce the density of defects, but the size of defects rather increases with a resultant failure to reduce a total volume of defects.
Thus, there has recently been made an attempt to reduce the pulling rate for quality improvement in spite of an increase in manufacturing cost or to increase a temperature gradient in the vicinity of the solid-liquid interface of a crystal as much as possible, to thereby manufacture a crystal that partially or entirely has an I-rich region, in which FPD, LSTD, COP, and like defects are observed less often. However, recent studies have revealed that even in the I-rich region, relatively large-sized Secco etch pit defects (hereinafter referred to as L-SEPD) are present at a portion located away from the boundary region between the V-rich region and the I-rich region. L-SEPD is conceivably a dislocation loop formed of a cluster of excess interstitial silicons. L-SEPD may be more likely to have an adverse effect on device characteristics than are FPD, LSTD, COP, and like defects generated in the V-rich region.
A recent tendency to increase the degree of integration of semiconductor devices requires uniformity of properties over a silicon wafer surface. Particularly, the oxygen concentration distribution is desired to be uniformly distributed over the surface of a wafer since the distribution directly influences the yield of devices.
Conceivable factors responsible for an impairment in the oxygen concentration distribution over the surface of a silicon wafer obtained from a crystal grown by the CZ method include convection of silicon melt, conditions of a gas atmosphere, rotation of a crystal, and rotation of a crucible. Particularly, since a cooling rate differs between an outer peripheral portion and an inner central portion of a growing crystal ingot, a crystal growth interface (a solid-liquid interface) does not become flat, thus having an adverse effect on the oxygen concentration distribution over the surface of a wafer.
Specifically, in the CZ method, at an inner portion of a crystal growth interface, crystal growth is relatively slow because of relatively slow cooling. As a result, the crystal growth interface becomes upwardly convex. A wafer obtained by slicing the thus-grown silicon bar has growth striations on the surface derived from different times of growth. Consequently, an oxygen concentration is distributed over the wafer surface in accordance with variations in oxygen concentration in the direction of crystal growth.
Conventionally, such variations and distribution of oxygen concentration derived from the profile of a solid-liquid interface are considered unavoidable in growing a single-crystal ingot by the CZ method.
Accordingly, taking for granted that variations and distribution of oxygen concentration derived from the profile of a solid-liquid interface are present to some extent, an attempt to improve the oxygen concentration distribution over a wafer surface has been carried out through the control of the above-mentioned factors such as rotation of a crystal.

Method and apparatus for manufacturing a silicon single crystal having few crystal defects, and a silicon single crystal and silicon wafers manufactured by the same


A is a projection exposure apparatus has a light sending optical system exhibiting a high degree of freedom of light sending. The light sending optical system comprises a light introducing system for introducing light beams from a predetermined light source into a substrate stage, and a light irradiating system for irradiating a predetermined area with the light beams introduced into the substrate stage by the light introducing system. The light introducing system and the light irradiating system are mechanically separated but optically connectable only when the substrate stage is in a specified positional relationship with respect to the projection optical system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a projection exposure apparatus and method and, more particularly, to a projection exposure apparatus and method employed when manufacturing a semiconductor device or a liquid crystal display device in a lithography step.
2. Related Background Art
A projection exposure apparatus includes, as a light sending optical system incorporated into a movable wafer stage (a substrate stage), e.g., a movable light sending optical system for illuminating an index mark formed on an index plate on the wafer stage with light beams. The movable light sending optical system illuminates a moving target object such as an alignment mark with the light beams, and is therefore required to have a degree of freedom of light sending. Accordingly the movable light sending optical system involves the use of a flexible light guide composed of a bundle of a multiplicity of optical fibers in order to provide the degree of freedom of light sending.
FIG. 14 is a view schematically illustrating a construction of a prior art projection exposure apparatus including a movable light sending optical system using a flexible light guide.
Referring to FIG. 14, the light beams emitted from a light source 101 common to a main illumination optical system IL for an exposure are, after being reflected by an elliptical mirror 102, incident upon an incident end of a light guide 105 (having one incident end and two emerging ends) via a shutter 103 and a relay lens system 104. A light source image having a sufficient numerical aperture (NA) and diameter is formed at the incident end of the light guide 105.
Fluxes of light beams emerging from the two emerging ends of the light guide 105 respectively form illuminated fields having proper illumination numerical apertures (NAs) through condenser lenses 106, and Kohler-illuminate from under alignment marks 108 formed on stage substrate 107. The illumination light beams passing through the alignment marks 108 illuminate from under a mask 110 (a reticle) through a projection optical system 109. Thus, the illumination light beams passing through the alignment marks 108 are used as alignment light beams for aligning, e.g., the mask and the wafer.
Further, the projection exposure apparatus has, e.g., an illuminance scatter sensor system for measuring an illuminance distribution, in a wafer exposure area, of the main illumination light beams through the projection optical system. FIG. 15 is a view schematically showing a construction of the prior art projection exposure apparatus including the illuminance scatter sensor system.
Referring to FIG. 15, a pin hole 203 substantially flush with an exposure surface of a wafer 201 is formed on the wafer stage 202. Further, the wafer stage 201 incorporates a light receiving sensor 204. The light receiving sensor 204 receives the light beams from an illumination optical system IL via a transparent mask 205 and a projection optical system 206, through the pin hole 203.
The light receiving sensor 204 is connected to a unillustrated processing system. The processing system obtains an illuminance on the basis of a quantity of light beams reaching a light receiving surface of the light receiving sensor 204 through the pin hole 203 for, e.g., one second and an areal size of the pin hole 203. Thus, the illuminance distribution over the exposure area in the wafer 202 can be measured based on an output of the light receiving sensor 204 that is obtained by relatively moving the wafer stage 201, more particularly, the pin hole 203 with respect to the projection optical system 206.
Moreover, in the projection exposure apparatus, an optical system including the light sending optical system and the light receiving optical system that are provided in the movable wafer stage, has a focus calibration mechanism based on, e.g., a contrast detection method. FIG. 16 is a view schematically illustrating a prior art projection exposure apparatus having the focus calibration mechanism based on the contrast detection method.
Referring to FIG. 16, the light beams emitted from a light source 301 common to the main illumination optical system IL for the exposure are, after being reflected by an elliptical mirror 302, incident upon a first bifurcating end 305a of a two-way bifurcation light guide 305 via a shutter 303 and a relay lens system 304. A light source image having a sufficient numerical aperture (NA) and diameter is formed at the first bifurcating end 305a of the light guide 305.
The light beams emerging from an end 305b of the light guide 305 form an illuminated field having a proper illumination numerical aperture (NA) through the condenser lens 306, and Kohler-illuminate from under a transmissive pattern 308 formed on a stage substrate 307 provided on a wafer stage 312. The illumination light beams passing through the pattern 308 are incident on the undersurface of a mask 310 conjugate to a forming surface of the pattern 308 through a projection optical system 309. The light beams reflected by the undersurface of the mask 310 form a pattern image in superposition on the pattern 308 on the stage substrate 307 again through the projection optical system 309.
The light beams from the pattern image passing through the pattern 308 on the stage substrate 307 are incident on the end 305b of the light guide 305 via the condenser lens 306. The light beams emerging from a second bifurcating end 305c after being led to the light guide 305, are received by a light receiving sensor 311 having a light receiving surface located by the second bifurcating end 305c. Then, it is feasible to detect a best focus position with respect to a projection optical system 309.
Thus, there are secured the degree of freedom of the light sending for illuminating the moving target object (the transmissive pattern 308) with the light beams and the degree of freedom of the light receiving for receiving the light beams through the moving target object by use of the flexible light guide 305.
With a higher precision of the projection exposure apparatus in recent years, however, even if the light guide exhibits a high flexibility, an influence exerted on driving accuracies (a stepping accuracy and a scan accuracy) of the wafer stage is going to be unignorable. Further, when the light receiving sensor is incorporated into the wafer stage, and even if a high-performance air-conditioning mechanism is provided around the wafer stage, there can not be ignored influences exerted, by the heat evolved from the light receiving sensor, on the accuracies of other alignment systems as well as on the accuracy of a wafer stage laser interferometer.


A solar power plant with a plurality of photovoltaic modules for generating a power to be fed in a multi-phase grid, several photovoltaic strings, which are allocated to different phases, being connected to a primary side of a mains transformer and at least one inverter for converting the direct voltage generated by the photovoltaic modules into an alternating mains voltage conforming to the grid being provided and said mains transformer being provided with a neutral conductor and with a grounded terminal, is intended to be improved in such a manner that the life of the photovoltaic modules, in particular in case of thin-film modules, is increased, allowing for high conversion efficiency of the inverters at low wiring costs. This is achieved in that an additional direct voltage source is inserted between the neutral conductor and ground in such a manner that the potential of the photovoltaic strings is displaced and that a bias voltage is set, which is different from zero volt.

The invention relates to a solar power plant having a plurality of photovoltaic modules for generating power to be fed into a multiphase grid, several photovoltaic strings allocated to different phases being connected to a primary side of a mains transformer and at least one inverter for converting the direct voltage generated in the photovoltaic modules into a grid-complying alternating grid voltage being provided and the mains transformer being provided with a neutral conductor and with a grounded terminal or with a grounded terminal only.
Big solar plants, which are referred to as solar power plants, consist of a plurality of solar modules or of photovoltaic modules and inverters. The photovoltaic modules acting as the generators are connected in series or in parallel to form what are referred to as strings. The inverters are wired so that they feed the grid via a joint mains transformer.
In principle, one-phase or multi-phase inverters can be utilized. Three-phase inverters are primarily used.
It is known to dispose one-phase inverters in such a manner that feeding occurs in any phase of a multi-phase mains transformer. For each phase, there is at least one inverter. The inverters are connected to the phases or to the conductors L1, L2, L3 through switches, in particular through contactors, and as a result thereof, to the primary side of the transformer. On the primary side, the transformer windings are star-connected. The midpoint is connected to the neutral conductor "N". The neutral conductor "N" is connected to ground (PE). The windings of the secondary side preferably have a triangular connection.
If a multi-phase inverter, more specifically a three-phase inverter, is used, the outputs of the inverter are connected to the conductors L1, L2, L3 via contactors.
Some photovoltaic modules, namely thin-film modules, must be operated in such a manner that a certain orientation of the field strength cannot occur at their cells. Otherwise, early damage may occur to these modules, resulting in a shorter life.
A known solution is to ground a terminal of the photovoltaic generator. As a result, the cells of the modules can only accept voltages having a polarity to ground.
The grounding of the modules however entails the use either of galvanically separating inverters or of transformerless inverters of certain topologies. Both inverter types must generate internally a missing polarity of the input voltage in order to be capable of feeding into the grid. This leads to a reduced conversion efficiency of these inverters.
By contrast, another solution is known from the document DE 20 2006 008 936 U1. It consists in that a certain potential is applied to a module terminal. There is provided a device through which the negative connection of a module is raised to a positive potential. This is intended to lengthen the life of the modules. The advantage of this device is that inverters of the most various topologies can be utilized.
If the solar plant is big and has many photovoltaic generators and inverters, a large number of such devices should be mounted, which is expensive though.


An inflatable cushion having a group of mutually inflatable and deflatable cells wherein at least one cell in the group may be selectively and repeatedly included or excluded from the group for mutual inflation and deflation when included and independent inflation and deflation when excluded.

Persons with limited mobility, such as the elderly or persons confined to a wheelchair, are susceptible to the development of pressure sores. Pressure sores are formed when the tissue is compressed for extended periods of time causing a restriction in the flow of blood. The exchange of nutrients and waste in the compressed tissue cells is slowed, resulting in skin breakdown and the formation of pressure sores. The retention of heat and moisture are two additional factors that contribute to the formation of pressure sores. Areas most vulnerable to pressure sore formation are bony areas having little tissue between the bone and the skin, including such areas as the ischial tuberosities, coccyx and sacrum.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,175,297, 5,103,518, 5,109,560, 5,500,965, 5,839,140, 5, 963,997, 6,014,784, 6,216,299 and 6,668,405 disclose inflatable cushion systems wherein the cushion includes an array of inflatable cells including first and second interconnected groupings of cells interspersed throughout the array which are alternately inflated and deflated on a predetermined schedule in order to vary the location of contact between the cushion and the posterior of a person seated on the cushion.
While effective for reducing the development of discomfort, numbness, pain and pressure sores resulting from prolonged periods of sitting, such cushions are not suitable for use once a pressure sore has developed as the cushion continues to apply at least intermittent pressure upon the affected area causing discomfort, pain and perhaps even exacerbating the sore.
Accordingly, a continuing need exists for an inflatable cushion capable of reducing the pain and discomfort commonly experienced when an individual afflicted with a pressure sore on his/her posterior is seated.

Cushion with group of mutually inflatable and deflatable cells and system for selectively isolating one or more cells from the group for independent inflation and deflation


A device for adjusting a temperature and a humidity using a wind power is provided. The device includes an inlet; an outlet connected to the inlet; a sprayer spraying a nebulized liquid into the device; and an airflow sensor electrically connected to the sprayer for activating the sprayer when an airflow passes through.

In the freezing and conditioning technology, the adjustment of temperature and humidity is the most important issue. The conventional air conditioner includes a compressor, a radiator, an expansion valve, an evaporator and so on. The principle of the conventional air conditioner is to compress the refrigerant into the high-temperature high-pressure liquid via the compressor, and then the high-temperature high-pressure liquid is radiated via the radiator to become the high-pressure low-temperature liquid. Subsequently, the high-pressure low-temperature liquid is transmitted to the evaporator via the expansion valve and proceeds heat exchange with the air outside the evaporator. In the meantime, the refrigerant inside the evaporator is gasified. Generally, the air outside the evaporator is further pushed by the fan. Afterwards, the refrigerant is transmitted back to the compressor. Such air conditioner is widely used in various buildings or mobile carriers. However, such air conditioner only circularly cools the air inside the airtight space, which is unable to react with the external fresh air. Moreover, the air conditioner also produces and discharges heat, wherein the radiator discharges the most heat.
Certainly, not all of the space needs the above energy-consuming cooling system, so the water mist cooling technology is used to reduce the air temperature. The water mist cooling technology is to absorb heat via the water mist mixed in the air, thereby reducing the air temperature. Currently, such technology is mostly used to cool down the greenhouse and improve the water-cooling fan. The conventional water mist cooling technology is to absorb moisture via the fiber, and then the fiber is blowed by wind from the fan. Therefore, the water inside the fiber absorbs the heat of the air and evaporates so that the temperature of the air passing through the fiber is reduced. However, in this way, the air does not sufficiently contact with the water mist, so the temperature is not significantly reduced. Furthermore, the fiber is in a wet state for a long time, which is easy to be moldy and smelly and the bacteria might be generated. This contaminates the environment of the user.
Hence, for solving this issue, some people propose a method of cooling down the air temperature by spraying the water drop and the water mist, as shown in the Taiwan Patent Nos. 347822 and 255386. These two patents both use the water mist tube to nebulize water so as to proceed heat exchange with the air pushed by the fan. But practically, the water mist molecule generated by the water mist tube is not small enough, so the heat exchange efficiency still is not high enough. Moreover, when the water inside the water mist tube runs out, it cannot be automatically replenished. This is inconvenient. Besides, the Taiwan Patent No. 250052 discloses spraying water drops on the heat exchanger, so that when the thermal air is introduced by the fan and contacts the heat exchanger, water drops may absorb the heat of the thermal air and evaporate, thereby achieving the cooling effect. However, this results in an insufficient heat exchange due to the excessively large airflow resistance and the excessively large water mist molecule. Furthermore, the Taiwan Patent No. 293354 discloses the use of a mist-making system and an automatic water-filling apparatus for cooling down temperature. However, this patent still needs the fan to push the air for generating the airflow, or it is difficult to operate. In addition, the Taiwan Patent No. 274894 discloses a combination of the air conditioner and the water-cooling fan. This patent cools the water via the cooling system of the air conditioner, and then converts the cooled water into the water mist via the sprayer for enhancing the cooling efficiency. However, the compressor will consume a lot of power and generate heat.
Therefore, for the temperature and humidity adjusting system, a more power-saving, inexpensive, environmentally friendly and efficient device for reducing the air temperature is necessary, which can be used not only inside the building but also on the mobile carrier so as to replace or assist the original cooling system.
In order to overcome the drawbacks in the prior art, a device for adjusting temperature and humidity using wind power is provided. The particular design in the present invention not only solves the problems described above, but also is easy to be implemented. Thus, the present invention has the utility for the industry.

Device for adjusting temperature and humidity using wind power


A tire pressure gauge with a valve cap wrench is disclosed. A bore at one end of the tire pressure gauge may be used to grip and remove a valve cap mounted on a valve stem of a tire. A port at the other end of the tire pressure gauge may be used to measure air pressure in a tire. The measured air pressure may be displayed on a display on the pencil gauge. The cap wrench may have a collet to hold a valve cap and a switch to tighten and loosen grip on a valve cap. The cap wrench may also have a plunger to push a valve cap out of the pencil gauge.

Pressure gauges are conventionally used for measuring the pressure of a gas or a liquid, such as an air pressure. Tire pressure gauges, as an example, measure the inflation pressures of vehicle tires, such information being useful for maintaining optimal tire performance and avoiding unnecessary wear. Conventional tire pressure gauges are held in the hand, and require the user to locate a tire valve, unscrew a cap from the valve, and engage the tire pressure gauge with the valve. Tire valve caps are usually covered in a film of dirt, which comes off on the user's fingers when removing and replacing the cap. Sometimes, tire valve caps may be difficult to remove because dirt may be lodged between the valve stem and the cap. Under such circumstances, some amount of force may be required to remove the cap. There are also occasions when an individual may not want to sully one's hands with the grime on the valve caps.


A compound with anti-drug resistant bacteria activity having the following formula (I):

Antimicrobials are the most commonly used drugs for the treatment of bacterial infections. Over the years, with the popularity and application of antibiotics around the world, as well as serious unreasonable abuse, a variety of drug-resistant strains have appeared in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Among them, the problem of drug resistance of Gram-positive bacteria is particularly serious. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and vancomycin-resistant enterococci are serious clinical problems. At present, there is a lack of effective drugs for the infection caused by these drug-resistant bacteria. There is an urgent need to develop new structural antimicrobials without cross-resistance and more effective.
Pleuromulin (compound of formula (II)) belongs to tricyclic diterpenoid antibiotics. The main structure for its antibacterial effect is the tricyclic skeleton in the compound, which can form an inducing fit effect with the peptide acyltransferase active center (PTC) of the 50S subunit of the bacterial ribosome. Pleuromutilin antibiotics have certain antibacterial activity against most Gram-positive bacteria except Enterococcus faecalis. In addition, pleuromutilin antibiotics also have good in vitro antibacterial effects against fastidious gram-negative bacteria including Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis and Neisseria spp. It has been more than half a century that pleuromutilin antibiotics have been discovered. Although the application of these drugs in veterinary clinics has achieved considerable results, there is no pleuromutilin antibiotics available for systemic medicine in the human medicine clinic.
7-Chloro-1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid (CAS: 86393-33-1) (compound of formula (IV)) is an organic intermediate. It can be used to synthesize Ciprofloxacin.
In the present invention, pleuromulin is combined with 7-chloro-1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid to obtain a pleuromulin 7-chloro-1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid ester. Preliminary in vitro antibacterial activity experiment shows that the compound has excellent antibacterial activity and anti-drug-resistant bacteria activity.

Pleuromulin 7-chloro-1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid ester with antibacterial activity and a method of preparing the same

Abstract: is disclosed. The methods of preparing the compound of formula (I) are also disclosed.

SHAANXI UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


Active impedance compensation is accomplished in a bus system by means of a variable capacitor element associated with a connection circuit between system slave devices and an impedance balanced channel. The variable capacitor elements may be programmed using a control value determined by actively exercising the channel with a telemetry signal and evaluating the resulting signal reflections which are indicative of the impedance discontinuities on the channel.

The present invention relates to a method and a corresponding circuit for providing active impedance compensation. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method by which a circuit connecting a slave device to a high speed bus incorporates means for actively providing impedance compensation.
A contemporary bus system is conceptually illustrated in FIG. 1. Within this system a master 10 having an interface 14 is connected to a channel 12 which terminates in one or more termination resistors 13. One or more slave devices 11 are also connected to channel 12 between master 10 and termination resistor(s) 13. Channel 12 comprises a plurality of signal lines communicating data and control information between master 10 and the slave devices 11.
The exemplary bus system shown in FIG. 1 is implemented on a printed circuit board (PCB). That is, master 10 and slave devices 11 are mounted on the PCB, and the signal lines forming channel 12 are implemented, at least in part, by metal traces formed on the PCB.
Ideally this bus system is implemented with carefully balanced (or matched) impedances. By matching the impedance of master interface 14 and termination resistor(s) 13, as well as the effective impedance of the signal lines forming channel 12, signals transmitted between master 10 and slave devices 11 do not result in unwanted signal reflections which reduce the signal to noise ratio on the channel.
The signal lines forming channel 12 may be described according to the model shown in FIG. 2A, where the electrical characteristics of each signal line are expressed as an inductance component LPCB and a capacitive component CPCB. From this model, signal line impedance (Z) may be expressed as:Z=(LPCB/CPCB)1/2  (1)where LPCB and CPCB are the per unit length inductance and capacitance of the PCB trace.
When there are devices connected to the PCB trace with regular spacing, the impedance changes due to device loading. The loading effects of each slave device connection to a signal line may be described in relation to the model shown in FIG. 2B. Here, the loading effects are represented by the series combination of Li, Ci, and Ri placed in parallel with CPCB. For the signal frequencies presently contemplated, the loading effects of Ci predominate over Li and Ri. Accordingly, the electrical behavior of the loaded signal line may be understood from the model shown in FIG. 2C. Channel impedance (Zch) may be expressed as:Zc˜{LPCB/[CPCB+(Ci÷pitch)]}1/2  (2)where pitch is the length of the signal lines between slave devices and Ci is the total input capacitance of a slave device.
In view of the foregoing, system designers may vary the impedance of the signal line traces on the PCB and the device pitch in order to define a nominal channel having a specific target impedance. The term "target" is used because in reality some amount of variation around the nominal impedance occurs due to process variations in the manufacture of the PCB and the various bus system components. Currently, such impedance variations may be controlled to within +/−10% of the target impedance.
As is well understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, a signal traversing a transmission line having impedance variations or discontinuities will generate unwanted signal reflections. This phenomenon is further illustrated in FIG. 3.
FIG. 3 conceptually illustrates the transmission line of the channel between master 10 and termination resistor(s) 13. Channel 12 (shown in dashed line) comprises a number of PCB portions, i.e., those portions of the channel formed by signal line traces on or through PCB 20 having a first impedance Z1, and a number of module portions, i.e., those portions of the channel formed by signal lines integral to connected daughterboard modules having a second impedance Z2. Despite design attempts to match Z1 and Z2, variations in PCB manufacturing processes typically result in impedance discontinuities between the channel portions characterized by Z1 and Z2.
When a signal traverses these impedance discontinuities a number of discrete signal reflections Sf1 . . . Sfn result, as shown in relation to the model transmission line 30 of FIG. 3. The effect of these unwanted signal reflections is illustrated in FIGS. 4A through 4D. The single pulse signal shown in FIG. 4A when introduced into the bus system of FIG. 3 may produce the signal shown in 4B when influenced by the unwanted signal reflections. Similarly, the input signal shown in FIG. 4C might produce the signal shown FIG. 4D.
Such resulting signals may occur, for example, when the multiple impedance discontinuities shown in FIG. 3 occur at spacings which correspond to odd multiples of the input signal's quarter wavelength. In such a circumstance, the unwanted reflections tend to add up constructively. Such constructive interference of multiple reflections leads to large timing and voltage errors on the channel. Analogously, destructive interference of multiple reflections can reduce signal margins and lead to a loss of signal coherency.


In a loudspeaker system with main and sub-speakers, a modified and inverted left surround signal is added to the signals driving the right main speaker and a modified and inverted right surround signal is added to the signals driving the Left Main Speaker for the purpose of creating more credible rear located phantom sound images. In a system using variations of a difference signal to create phantom rear located sound images, the components of the difference signal are modified by introducing a time delay to one of the components for the purpose of preventing the components of the difference signal from substantially canceling each other. The components of the difference signal may be modified by altering the relative level and frequency response of the components for the purpose of preventing the components of the difference signal from substantially canceling each other. In a system using variations of the difference signal to create phantom sound images, cost effective means are provided to isolate individual amplifier channels so as to block potentially damaging current flows without degrading performance.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the reproduction of sound in multi-channel systems generically known as "surround-sound" systems and more specifically to the application of psychoacoustic principles in the design of a loudspeaker system for reproducing a surround sound experience from loudspeakers located only in front of the listener.
2. Background Art
One problem which is common to all methods of producing phantom rear located sound images from a sound source or sources located in front of the listener is that the phantom source illusion tends to collapse as the listener turns or moves the listener's head even slightly. This problem arises from fundamental differences in the way sound at the listener's two ears changes as the head turns in relation to the location of a sound source in front of the listener as compared to a rear located sound source. For example, for a front located sound source not on the median plane (i.e., the vertical plane equidistant from the listener's two ears.), the interaural time delay ITD for sound arriving at the listener's ear nearest the sound source relative to the arrival time of the sound at the ear farthest from the sound source will decrease as the listener turns toward the sound source. Similarly, the interaural level difference ILD between the listener's two ears will also decrease as the listener turns toward the sound source. Both the ITD and ILD will be zero when the listener faces directly toward the sound source. In comparison, for a sound source located behind the listener, the ITD will increase as the listener turns towards the sound source and will reach a maximum when the listener has turned such that the sound source is located directly to one side, 90 degrees from the median plane. In general, the ILD will also increase as the listener turns towards a rear located sound source and will reach a maximum when the sound source is located directly to one side. However, as is well known, the behavior of the ILD at individual frequencies is complex and may not follow this general rule.
A second problem arises specifically in systems which use variations of a difference signal to create phantom rear located sound images such as is described in parent application Ser. No. 10/692,692. Difference signals are formed by subtracting one audio signal from a second audio signal. Referring to FIG. 1 herein, which corresponds to FIG. 2a of parent application Ser. No. 10/692,692, a device is shown for reproducing surround sound from front located speakers. In this device, left and right sub-speakers LSS and RSS receive difference signals (LS′−RS′) and (RS′−LS′), respectively. These difference signals are developed from the left and right surround signals LS and RS for the purpose of creating phantom rear sound images as described in more detail the parent application. However, whenever the two components of the difference signal are the same, the components substantially cancel each other and the difference signal becomes zero. In such a device, when the difference signal drops close to zero the device becomes much less effective in creating phantom rear located sound images. Unfortunately, this situation may occur quite often. For example, in surround systems using Dolby® Pro-Logic® decoding, both rear channels carry the same signal. Many two channel to five channel music surround schemes also use monaural rear channel signals. The situation also occurs in discrete five channel systems when the rear image is intended to be located directly behind the listener. This last situation is, of course, well known as one of the most difficult phantom images to produce.
An additional problem is encountered in systems using passive methods to develop a difference signal by modifying and combining the speaker level output of two or more amplifier channels. Such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,505 and 4,759,066 to Polk, et al. As is disclosed in these patents, amplifier channels which do not share a common ground may be damaged if DC current flows are permitted from one channel to the other. However, the methods proposed for isolation of the channels involve costly transformers which may also degrade performance.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Enhanced multi-channel audio surround sound from front located loudspeakers


An ultrasonic sensor attached to a certain object, includes an ultrasonic detecting element, an acoustic matching member, and a reflection limiting member. The ultrasonic detecting element detects an ultrasonic wave. The acoustic matching member has a receiving surface that is adapted on a side of the certain object to face toward the detected body. The reflection limiting member is disposed to a side portion of the acoustic matching member between the receiving surface and an opposing surface of the acoustic matching member. The reflection limiting member limits the ultrasonic wave, which transmits inside the acoustic matching member, from being reflected by the side portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic sensor that has an ultrasonic detecting element mounted on an acoustic matching layer thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
There is conventionally known an ultrasonic sensor in which an ultrasonic transducer is attached to a substrate made of a metal, a resin material or the like, the ultrasonic sensor being mounted on. For example, an automobile (vehicle). The ultrasonic sensor transmits an ultrasonic wave by using an element capable of transmitting and receiving the ultrasonic wave, and receives the ultrasonic wave, which collides with and is reflected from a detected body by using the element, thereby performing a position measurement or a distance measurement of an object around the vehicle, or a measurement of a two-dimensional configuration or a three-dimensional configuration of the object.
Such an ultrasonic sensor may be provided with an acoustic matching layer, which adjusts an acoustic impedance to improve a transmission efficiency of transmitted/received ultrasonic waves. For example, there is known an ultrasonic sensor in which an acoustic matching layer is fixed on one face of a piezoelectric element, the acoustic matching layer being formed to have a thickness of one quarter of the ultrasonic wave by a material, in which glass balloons are diffused in an synthetic resin (see JP-A-H10-224895).
Because the ultrasonic sensor of the above type is attached to a place, which is observable from exterior, the ultrasonic sensor is reduced in size in order not to degrade a sense of beauty of the appearance. In other words, the area of the acoustic matching layer, the area being exposed to the exterior, is required to be made small.
However, when the area of the acoustic matching layer is reduced, the influence of the reflection of the ultrasonic wave at the side face of the acoustic matching layer becomes larger. As a result, the ratio of the noise to the signal becomes larger, and thereby the detection sensitivity to the ultrasonic wave is degraded. Due to the above disadvantage, the area of the acoustic matching layer has been kept from being made smaller.


Agents and methods to alter rAAV transduction, including agents and methods to enhance rAAV transduction, are provided. For instance, the invention provides methods to identify agents that enhance AAV transduction after viral binding to the cell membrane and before second strand synthesis.

Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) has several characteristics that underscore its potential as a gene therapy vector for numerous target organs and inherited diseases. rAAV vector systems potentially offer major advantages over adenovirus and retroviruses. These include the ability of rAAV to integrate into the genome of non-dividing cells, the lack of potential immune responses since all viral genes can be deleted, and the fact that rAAV can be concentrated to high titers.
Adeno-associated virus type-2 (AAV-2) has been suggested to be a very promising vector for the gene therapy of cystic fibrosis (Conrad et. al., 1996; Flotte et al., 1993; Halbert et al., 1997). In vivo administration of AAV vectors to the airway of rabbits and rhesus macaques has demonstrated long-term persistence, with viral DNA lasting up to 6 months (Conrad et al., 1996; Halbert et al., 1997). Despite the fact that this vector system has been claimed to have a very broad host tropism in a variety of human, simian, and rodent cell lines (Lebkowski et al., 1988; Muzyczka, 1992), the overall transduction efficiency in human airway epithelia seems to be quite low. In the absence of external stimuli, such as DNA damaging agents, topoisomerase inhibitor, or adenoviral early gene products (Alexander et al., 1997; Alexander et al., 1996; Ferrari et al., 1996; Fisher et al., 1996; Halbert et al., 1997; Russel et al., 1995), the in vitro transduction of primary cells and other non-dividing cells with rAAV is very inefficient. In contrast, rAAV transduction of actively dividing cells in S-phase is much more efficient (Russel et al., 1994). However, rAAV exhibits remarkable efficiency in the in situ transduction of skeletal muscle and CNS neurons, indicating that rAAV vectors can effectively transduce certain populations of non-dividing cells, and that cell-specific characteristics have profound effects on viral processing (Duan et al., 1998; Kaplitt et al., 1994; Xiao et al., 1996).
Two studies have suggested that single strand to double strand conversion of the viral genome may be the rate-limiting step for AAV-mediated gene transfer (Ferrari et al., 1996; Fisher et al., 1996). These studies demonstrated that adenovirus E4orf6 enhances the conversion of single-stranded DNA genomes to linear, double-stranded replication form dimers (Rfd) and monomers (Rfm), through a pathway characteristic of the lytic phase of rAAV replication. The structure of these replication forms consists of head-to-head and tail-to-tail orientated linear concatamers with one covalently linked end (Ferrari et al., 1996; Fisher et al., 1996). In contrast, recent studies have elucidated an alternative pathway for the conversion of rAAV genomes to double-stranded circular intermediates with head-to-tail monomer and concatamer structures (Duan et al., 1999; Duan et al., 1998; Sanlioglu et al., 1999). The distinct pathways leading to the formation of either circular AAV genomes or Rf intermediates appear to be regulated by different cellular factors. For example, adenoviral E4orf6 expression decreases circular genome formation while adenovirus E2a enhances its formation (Duan et al., 1999). Similarly, UV irradiation also enhances AAV circular intermediate formation but not Rf intermediates (Sanlioglu et al., 1999). Based on findings that circular AAV intermediates are associated with long-term episomal persistence and transgene expression in muscle (Duan et al., 1998), and UV irradiation increases both circular intermediates and the extent of integration, AAV circular intermediates may be latent phase preintegration structures.
The human airway is lined by specialized ciliated and non-ciliated epithelial cells, which not only provide protection from the external environment, but also perform functions involved in regulating the exchange of molecules between the airway lumen and underlying submucosa. These cellular functions are supported by a highly polarized organization with respect to the distribution of membrane proteins and subcellular organelles (Rodriguez-Boulan et al., 1993; Wills et al., 1996). Previous studies have suggested that this asymmetric spatial organization has significant influences on the efficiency of gene transfer. For example, the lack of integrins and adenoviral fiber receptor on the apical surface may explain the inefficient infection of differentiated, ciliated airway epithelia with this viral system (Goldman eta al., 1995; Zabner et al., 1997). Recent studies on polarized airway epithelial cells have also revealed a similar sidedness to retroviral infectivity, which may in part be explained by the partitioning of retroviral receptors to the basolateral membrane (Wang et al., 1998). In addition, similar findings of polarity in rAAV infection of polarized airway epithelia have been reported (Duan et al., 1998). These studies demonstrate a 200-fold greater infectivity of rAAV from the basolateral sides of airway epithelia.
Polarized entry into epithelial cells is also a well-known phenomenon for a variety of other viruses. For example, vaccinia virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, cytomegalovirus, canine parvovirus (CPV), and Semliki forest virus transduce polarized epithelia predominantly through basolateral membranes (Basak et al., 1989; Fuller et al., 1984; Rodriguez et al., 1991; Tugizov et al; 1996). In contrast, simian virus 40 and measles virus preferentially infect via the apical membranes (Blau et al., 1995; Clayspri et al., 1988). It is generally believed that the asymmetric distribution of cellular membrane receptors is responsible for the polarity of infection exhibited by these viruses.
However, it is also plausible that other rate limiting steps may play a role in the overall efficiency of viral transduction. These steps include virus binding, endocytosis, endosome processing, nuclear transport, uncoating, gene conversion, transcription, and translation. In this regard, previous studies in polarized MDCK cells have demonstrated a slower maturation of coated pits from the apical surface, indicating a difference in the rate of endocytosis between the apical and basolateral membranes (Naim et al., 1995).
For AAV, two approaches have been used to enhance rate-limiting steps in viral vector transduction. These include manipulation of cell surface receptors (Qing et al., 1997) and/or receptor ligands in the virus coat proteins (Wickham et al., 1996a; Wickham et al., 1996b; Bartlett et al., 1999). Alternative approaches have attempted to increase transgene expression by enhancing the molecular conversion of nonfunctional viral genomes to expressible forms in the case of rAAV (Fisher et al., 1996; Sanlioglu et al., 1999) or by increasing transcription and translation efficiencies by altering the transgene expression cassettes (Zabner et al., 1996; Xiao et al., 1998).
Cystic fibrosis is the most common inherited disease in the Caucasian population, and it is likely that gene therapy for this disorder will target the lung airway epithelium. The development of AAV as a gene therapy vehicle for treating cystic fibrosis has several unique advantages based on its viral biology. For example, wild type AAV infections are known to occur in the respiratory epithelium but have no known associated pathology. However, as described above, fully differentiated airway epithelia are extremely resistant to infection from the apical surface not only with rAAV-2 but also all other types of viral vectors currently in use, viral vectors including, adenovirus, lentivirus, retrovirus, and AAV.
Therefore, what is needed is the identification of agents which can alter, e.g., increase or enhance, rAAV transduction in vivo. What is also needed is the identification of agents that increase or enhance the expression of a transgene in rAAV in non-dividing cells such as those in the liver and the airway.

Compounds and methods to enhance rAAV transduction


The present invention provides compositions and methods of inhibiting fibrin(ogen) clot formation by utilizing decorin proteoglycan as an anticoagulating and antithrombotic agent. The decorin proteoglycan comprises a decorin core protein or a fragment thereof covalently linked to a galactosaminoglycan polysaccharide. The decorin core protein acts as an anticoagulant and as a carrier for the delivery of an antithrombotic galactosaminoglycan to fibrinogen. Fibrin clotting is inhibited by the decorin proteoglycan in a concentration-dependent fashion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of blood clotting research. More specifically, the present invention provides methods of using decorin proteoglycan as an anticoagulating and/or antithrombotic agent to inhibit fibrin(ogen) clot formation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Decorin is composed of a 40 kDa core protein and a glycosaminoglycan chain. Many glycosaminoglycans affect blood coagulation activity. For example, heparin and heparan sulfate have been used as efficient anticoagulants clinically for decades. These polysaccharides indirectly inhibit thrombin by activating serpins. Heparin activates antithrombin III, the major physiological regulator of thrombin, as well as heparin cofactor II. Both heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and hemorrhage are side effects to the use of heparin as an antithrombotic agent.
Although heparin/antithrombin III complexes efficiently inhibit soluble thrombin, they only weakly inhibit thrombin bound to surfaces such as membranes or a fibrin(ogen) clot. Fibrin-bound thrombin represents a reservoir of active thrombin that can exacerbate both venous and arterial thrombosis by generating more fibrin locally or when released by fibrinolysis. Fibrin-bound thrombin may also activate factor XIII, the transglutaminase that crosslinks fibrin and thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor.
Fibrin-bound thrombin is inaccessible to heparin/heparin cofactor II inactivation, but it is susceptible to dermatan sulfate/heparin cofactor II inactivation. As opposed to heparin, dermatan sulfate specifically activates heparin cofactor II inhibition of thrombin. However, hemorrhage is also a side effect of utilizing dermatan sulfate as an antithrombotic agent.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for anticoagulating and antithrombotic agents with high activity and low incidents of side effects. The present invention fulfills this longstanding need.

Decorin proteoglycan inhibitor of fibrinogen blood clotting


A valve arrangement has a valve unit (3) fixed in position via two mutually spaced attachment structures (27 and 28) on a mounting face (6) of a valve support (2). The first attachment structure (27) includes two mutually engaged hook sections (32 and 33). The second attachment structure (28) includes a U-like retaining clip (58), which is so able to be attached to the structural unit comprising the valve unit (58) and the valve support (2) that its clamping limbs (63 and 64) act on clip sections (54 and 55) and accordingly braces the valve unit (3) onto the valve support (2).

The invention relates to a valve arrangement comprising a valve support having at least one component mounting face for a valve unit and at least one valve unit which with the formation of a structural unit is able to be mounted on the at least one component mounting face and to be fixed thereon by means of two spaced apart attachment means, the first attachment means having a hook section arranged on the valve support and a second stationary hook section provided for hooking onto it, on the valve unit, the second attachment means comprising at least one retaining clip for bracing the valve unit to the valve support.
A valve arrangement disclosed in the European patent publication EP 0493972 B1 of this type comprises a first attachment means with a first hook section mounted in a pivotal manner on the valve support and connected drivingly by a linkage with a retaining clip also mounted on the valve support, of a second attachment means. The retaining clip is an angled sheet metal component able to be clipped in place by means of an attachment screw acting on the linkage. For mounting in place a valve unit is firstly hooked in the retaining clip with the attachment screw slackened off then to form a valve unit cum valve support is swung onto the component mounting face of the valve support. This means that the first hook section is shifted into an-at-the-ready position opposite the second hook section arranged on the valve unit. By then tightening up the attachment screw on the one hand the retaining clip is clipped on and on the other hand at the same time, via the linkage, the first hook section is pivoted into a hooked engagement position with the second hook section and braced on it. Accordingly the valve unit is generally braced on the valve support in a releasable fashion.
The attachment means present in this prior art admittedly appear to function satisfactorily. In particular they render possible the plugging of the valve unit on the valve support by actuating measures limited to one side of the structural unit, namely the tightening of the attachment screw. The large number of components of the two attachment means and the measures for the mounting thereof on the valve support however involve relatively high manufacturing costs and particularly slow assembly of the individual components on the valve support.
The German patent publication DE 1211453 discloses a valve arrangement in which a valve unit is also able to be secured to a valve support by means of two spaced apart attachment means. The one attachment means comprises a toggle fastener able to brace the valve unit against the valve support. Prior to activation of the toggle fastener the valve unit is plugged in a direction parallel to the component mounting face and so connected with the valve support, it being joined with the valve support using the other attachment means. In the case of this valve arrangement the toggle fastener occupies a relatively large amount of space. Furthermore on plugging the valve unit to the valve support there may be damage to a seal between such two components, because the valve unit slides along the component mounting face. The latter disadvantage is admittedly to be avoided by clipping the valve unit at both terminal sides by means of a respective toggle fastener to the valve support. However this requires active actuating means on two sides of the assembly comprising the valve unit and the valve support, something which is relatively complex and is frequently hindered owing to a disadvantageous shortage of space on the site where the valve arrangement is employed.
The German patent publication DE 3447263 A1 discloses clipping individual segments of a valve unit by means of dovetail clips. The clips are thrust in from the side into the grooves in the adjacent valve support segments. Since a respective clip must be on opposite sides of the valve support segments, handling is relatively complex here as well.

Structure for mounting valve units on a valve support


Provided is a production method of a catalyst layer which is improved in catalyst activity and catalyst utilization efficiency. The method of producing a catalyst layer includes the steps of forming a first layer including a catalyst precursor on a substrate by a vapor phase process; forming cracks in the first layer; and reducing the first layer having the cracks formed therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a production method of a catalyst layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, there has been made such an attempt to increase the surface area of a catalyst so as to enhance the utilization efficiency of the catalyst by providing fine particles of the catalyst and three-dimensionally dispersing the fine particles by having them carried by carbon particles or the like. Meanwhile, there have been also made such attempts to improve substance transport in a catalyst layer by forming the catalyst layer into an extremely thin layer such as of about several μm, and to increase the effective area of the catalyst by concentrating the catalyst layer in the vicinity of an electrolyte membrane. In particular, in a case of mounting a fuel cell to a small-sized electrical equipment, size reduction of the fuel cell itself is also required. For that reason, a system (air breathing system) of supplying air from air holes to an air electrode by natural diffusion without using a pump or a blower has been employed in many cases. In such air supply system, there are many cases where substance transport at an air electrode becomes a reaction rate-determining factor, and it is therefore considered that reducing the thickness of the catalyst layer is effective means for improving the reaction rate.
To deal with this, as a thin film formation means, a vapor deposition method such as sputtering is effectively used. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-049278, there is disclosed a production method of a thin film catalyst layer having a large specific surface area and high activity using a sputtering process.
Besides, there is generally known that it is preferred that in order to increase the utilization efficiency of a catalyst, the catalyst layer has an appropriate amount of fine pores or cracks. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-270187 discloses a method of providing cracks in a catalyst layer by controlling drying conditions of a catalyst slurry and controlling the cracks.
However, in the catalyst layer produced by the method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-049278, there is formed an extremely dense region in such a thickness as about 100 nm to 200 nm at an initial stage of the formation of the catalyst layer. For that reason, in a case of forming a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) by a transfer process, or in a case of forming a catalyst layer directly on a gas diffusion layer, since the dense region is formed on the gas diffusion layer side, it has been required to improve gas diffusion ability and water discharge ability, to thereby enhance the utilization efficiency of the catalyst.
Further, the method of forming fine pores or cracks in the catalyst layer described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-270187 includes making a powder catalyst into a slurry and producing cracks in a drying process of the slurry. For that reason, the method can not be applied to the catalyst layer formed by the dry method of a vapor phase as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-049278. Therefore, there has been not known a method of forming cracks in the catalyst layer such as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-049278.


A buck regulator provides two outputs via two transformer-coupled inductors each coupled to a respective output capacitor and to a respective diode or switch for allowing current to flow in the respective inductor for charging the respective output capacitor during intervals between pulses of a pulsed input supply. One of the inductors is directly coupled and the other of the inductors is coupled via a further capacitor to the pulsed input supply so that current for charging the respective output capacitors flows in both inductors during the pulses. Each inductor can be tapped, and/or the transformer turns of the inductors are equalized, so that no a.c. voltage appears across the further capacitor and the output voltages can be different. The output voltages can also be stacked or of opposite polarities.

It is known as described below to provide a buck regulator, which includes a first inductor, capacitor, and freewheel diode or switch for producing a first regulated output voltage across the capacitor from a pulsed input supply, the pulses being controlled to provide the regulation, with a second inductor, capacitor, and diode or switch for producing a second output voltage across the second capacitor by inductive or transformer coupling of the second inductor to the first inductor. However, the presence of the second output adversely affects the performance of the regulator, especially the regulation of the first output voltage, unless the load for the second output voltage is relatively small.
An object of this invention is to provide an improved buck regulator for providing at least two output voltages.


A moving body drive unit has an electric motor that is located inside the case and has a motor shaft extending in a first direction, a gear shaft that is located, inside the case, parallel to the motor shaft so as to extend in the first direction and has a bevel gear formed thereon, an intermediate gear mechanism that transmits power from the motor shaft to the gear shaft, and a differential gear device that is located inside the case and has a ring gear that meshes with the bevel gear to transmit power from the gear shaft to two output shafts extending in a second direction. The motor shaft and the gear shaft are arranged at different positions in both the second direction and in a third direction that is orthogonal to both the first direction and the second direction.

As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,936,120 B, it has been known to dispose an electric motor on the front side of a vehicle (moving body) and transmit power generated by the electric motor to right and left front wheels via a front differential gear device and right and left axles, to thereby rotate the front wheels. In this arrangement, the electric motor is located in front of the front differential gear device. The upper portion of the electric motor is inclined frontward from the front differential gear device. Power from the front motor is input to a differential bevel gear mechanism of the differential gear device via a gear mechanism and a gear shaft, and then transmitted from right and left output side rotation members to the right and left axles.
In the front wheel drive device used in the vehicle disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,936,120 B, an output shaft (motor shaft) of the electric motor and the gear shaft located on the input side of the differential gear device are arranged in parallel in the right and left direction. This increases the right-and-left direction size of the moving body drive unit including the electric motor, the differential gear device, and a case containing them, around the output shaft and the gear shaft. Accordingly, upon positioning the moving body drive unit in the vehicle, it is impossible to dispose the electric motor on the rear side of the differential gear device because this may cause interference with the surrounding components. In consideration of this, in the arrangement disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,936,120 B, the electric motor is located in front of the front differential gear device such that the upper side of the electric motor is inclined frontward. However, this makes the center of gravity of the vehicle higher, and the center of gravity tends to be located on the front side of the center position between the front wheels and the rear wheels in the front-and-rear direction. This causes deterioration in the maneuverability and the stability of the vehicle.
In addition, when the moving body drive unit described above is located such that the output shaft of the electric motor and the gear shaft extend in the vehicle front-and-rear direction, and when the up-and-down direction size of the moving body drive unit increases around the output shaft and the gear shaft, the moving body drive unit and parts that are located on the upper side of the moving body drive unit tend to interfere with each other. Particularly, the upper side of the moving body drive unit tends to be interfered with by a steering effort converting mechanism that is located below the steering shaft and converts the force in the rotational direction of the steering shaft to the force for steering the front wheels. It may thus be impossible to dispose the moving body drive unit in the vehicle without an interference with the surrounding parts.


A method performed by a network node for enabling network-assisted Device-to-Device, D2D, communications between user equipments configured to be in a wireless telecommunications network is provided, wherein the network node is configured according to a Radio Access Technology, RAT, that cannot be used for D2D communications. The network node determines D2D assistance information to enable network-assisted D2D communications by the network node. The network node then transmits the D2D assistance information to at least one user equipment. A user equipment, another network node and methods performed therein are also provided.

Device-to-device communication is a well-known and widely used component of many existing wireless technologies, including ad hoc and cellular networks. Examples include Bluetooth and several variants of the IEEE 802.11 standards suite, such as, WiFi Direct. These systems operate in unlicensed spectrum.
Recently, Device-to-Device (D2D) communication, as an underlay to cellular networks, has been proposed as a means to take advantage of the close proximity of communicating devices, i.e. user equipments, UEs, and at the same time to allow these UEs to operate in a controlled interference environment. In this case, close proximity may typically refer to less than a few tens of meters, but sometimes even up to a few hundred meters.
This direct mode or device-to-device, D2D, communication may demonstrate a number of potential gains over traditional cellular communication. One of these potential gains is capacity. Radio resources, such as, e.g. Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing, OFDM, resource blocks, between the D2D and cellular layers may be reused, resulting in reuse gains. Also, the D2D link uses a single hop between the transmitter and receiver points as opposed to the double-hop link via a cellular access point, resulting in hop gains. Another potential gain is peak rate. Because of the proximity, and potentially favourable propagation conditions for the D2D link, high peak rates are possible to achieve, resulting in proximity gains. A further potential gain is latency. When UEs communicate over a direct D2D link, forwarding via the cellular access point is short-cut and the end-to-end latency between the UEs is decreased.
It has further been suggested that such D2D communication should share the same spectrum as the cellular system, for example, by reserving some of the cellular uplink resources for D2D communication purposes. That is, locating D2D communication on cellular uplink, UL, resources in a way such that Time-Division Duplex, TDD, is the duplex transmission scheme of the D2D communication. This means that the cellular UL resources would be allocated for D2D communication transmission in both upstream and downstream directions between each D2D pair of UEs in a Time-Division Multiplexed, TDM, manner.
This D2D communication may be established and performed by the D2D pair of UEs only, which is commonly referred to as an ad-hoc mode D2D communication, or be assisted by the network, also referred to as a network-assisted D2D communication.
In the latter, a cellular network may, for example, assist a D2D connection by establishing security of the D2D link and/or partly or fully controlling the setup of the D2D connection, such as, e.g. UE/peer discovery and resource allocation. Further, a cellular network may also assist the D2D communication by controlling the interference environment. For example, if using a licensed operator's spectrum for the D2D communication, higher reliability may be provided than when operating in an unlicensed spectrum. To further assist the D2D connection, the cellular network may also provide synchronization and/or partial or full Radio Resource Management, RRM. The RRM may here, for example, comprise time and/or frequency resource allocation for the D2D communication. However, this network-assisted D2D communication requires that the radio network node is configured with a Radio Access Technology, RAT, according to the LTE standard, that is, a RAT that can be used for D2D communication.
However, today, if there is no coverage provided by a LTE cellular network, the D2D communication will fall back to ad hoc mode D2D communication.
It should also be noted that most of the current LTE UEs support multi-mode communication, i.e. the LTE UEs are capable of communicating also with non-LTE cellular networks, that is, cellular networks utilizing other RATs which cannot be used for D2D communication, such as, e.g. GSM, WCDMA, HSPA.
WO2013055271 discusses D2D communication between UEs when the UEs are in the coverage of a network that lack D2D capabilities. Here, a UE may switch to a neighbouring cell/network with D2D capabilities, and then set up a D2D communication with another UE.
US20130150051 disclose the use of a D2D registration server for UE to register to. The D2D registration server function may in turn connect to different RAN systems to control a D2D connection.
EP2591619 disclose different triggers for a D2D UE/peer discovery procedure utilizing either a push mode, i.e. discovery is triggered periodically, or pull mode, i.e. discovery is triggered by a UE/peer request signal from a UE/peer. The D2D discovery procedure can be implemented with or without assistance from the network.

Network nodes, a user equipment and methods therein for enabling D2D communication


A method of generating an error correction circuit for correcting an error in a codeword read from a memory includes: constructing a G matrix; transforming the G matrix into a systematic form, the transformed G matrix composed of a P matrix and a H matrix; sorting rows of the P matrix according to row weights; determining the number of rows in the P matrix to be truncated in view of a correcting strength and the number of data bits; generating a truncated P matrix by truncating the sorted rows of the P matrix that have a first row weights and keeping the sorted rows of the P matrix that have a second row weights; and forming the error correction circuit according to the truncated P matrix to correct the error of the codeword; wherein the first row weights are greater than the second row weights.

Error Correction Codes (ECCs) are used in many applications. One of the popular applications is to detect and correct bit-errors in memory. With aggressive technology scaling, lowering of supply voltage and development of emerging memory technologies such as magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) and resistive RAM (ReRAM), there is a resurgent interest in efficient implementation of ECC logic.

System and method of reducing logic for multi-bit error correcting codes

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LIMITED


A golf ball comprising a core and a cover layer surrounding the core, where at least one of the core and the cover layer includes a polymer composition of a highly neutralized acid polymer and a sugar ester HLB modifier such that the sugar ester HLB modifier is present from about 15 wt % to about 40 wt % of the polymer composition.

Conventional golf balls designs include solid and wound configurations, with the majority being of solid construction. Solid golf balls can include one-piece, two-piece (i.e., solid core and a cover), and multi-layer (i.e., solid core of one or more layers and/or a cover of one or more layers) golf balls. Wound golf balls typically include a solid, hollow, or fluid-filled center, surrounded by a tensioned elastomeric material, and a cover.
Golf ball core and cover layers are typically constructed with polymer compositions including, for example, polybutadiene rubber, polyurethanes, polyamides, ionomers, and blends thereof. Ionomers, particularly ethylene-based ionomers, have become a common choice of polymers for golf ball layers because of their toughness, durability, and wide range of hardness values.
Ionomers can be stiffened by increasing the amount of neutralization. Neutralization to 70% and higher, including 100%, has been disclosed. However, in the absence of flow additives, at neutralization levels above about 60%, the melt flow of the ionomer is decreased to an extent such that processability decreases or disappears altogether. For trivalent cations, the percent neutralization at which the polymer becomes unprocessable, in the absence of flow additives, can be significantly lower. Frequently, flow additives can include fatty acids or their salts.
Although improvements in processability and golf ball properties have been achieved, the options for flow additives is limited and usually come with compromises such as discoloration, surface blooming and coating adhesion to name a few. Therefore, new polymer compositions and components continue to be sought for use in forming golf balls.

Golf balls containing highly neutralized acid polymers and sugar ester HLB modifiers


An interactive device of improving image processing. The interactive device includes a processing module and a control circuit. The processing module includes a substrate, an image sensor for generating a plurality of pixel signals, and an estimation unit for determining a static parameter of at least one image object of the image based on the plurality of pixel signals. A transmission interface is used for serially outputting a control signal based on the static parameter determined by the estimation unit. The interactive device also includes a controller for controlling operation of the interactive device based on the control signal based on the static parameters corresponding to each image object. The image sensor, the estimation unit, and the transmission interface are all formed on the substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an interactive device, and more specifically, to an interactive device capable of improving image processing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the popularization of multimedia applications, conventional image sensors installed within digital devices, such as digital video camcorders and digital still cameras (DSC), are used for taking moving images. Generally speaking, image sensors with higher resolutions are able to produce high quality digital images, and thus can be used for image distinguishing and fingerprint identification purposes. Image sensors with lower resolution, however, are used in interactive toys for simple motion distinguishing purposes. Take mechanical pets for example; the built-in camera installed inside the mechanical pets functions as an "eye" of the interactive toy to sense users' motion and then indicate different instructions through a control circuit.
Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an interactive device 10 according to the prior art. The interactive device 10 includes an image sensor 12, a micro-controller 14, and a parallel transmission bus 16. The image sensor 12 contains a CMOS sensing array 22 and an analog to digital converter (ADC) 24. Data sensed by the CMOS sensing array 22 is transmitted to the analog to digital converter 24. Because the CMOS sensing array 22 is capable of sensing a plurality of pixel data for forming images, the CMOS sensing array 22 of the image sensor 12 will generate various pixel data continuously while taking continuously moving images. In order to transmit a considerable amount of pixel data, the sensed pixel data between the image sensor 12 and the controller 14 are transmitted through a parallel transmission bus 16, and then the micro-controller 14 recomposes the object images or determines the condition of the object based on the above pixel data to control the operation of the interactive device 10.
The huge amount of the sensed data is considerable, however, and the velocity of parallel transmission with complex hardware structures is slower than that of serial transmission with the high development of serial transmission. Furthermore, the micro-controller 14 still has to determine and analyze the necessary data after receiving the sensed data transmitted through the parallel transmission interface. Because the applied sphere of each micro-controller 14 is not consistent, taking the micro-controller 14 installed within an optical mouse as an example, the micro-controller 14 does not need to obtain entire and detailed image data, but can instead obtain just the trail of relatively moving positions of image objects. As a result, if users utilize the conventional image sensor 12 for generating pixel data, the micro-controller 14 has to receive and process all pixel data, resulting in a major burden while processing the image data.
Moreover, the traditional image sensor 12 for transforming received light into electrical signals is implemented as a single chip. Therefore, it is necessary to improve such image sensor 12 made as a single chip using the trend of system-on-chip circuit design.

Interactive device capable of improving image processing


The invention provides a penile stimulation device for use in the treatment of male impotence utilizing turbulent flow of fluid, the device comprising: tubular housing means, having internal walls, a closed forward end and an open rearward end, said rearward end having an opening means for encircling the penile shaft, for housing the penis submersed in fluid and disposed at a sufficient distance from said internal walls to permit fluid flow between the penis and said internal walls; and pumping means for conveying a flow of turbulent fluid between the penis and said internal walls in and out of the housing. The invention also provides a method of penile stimulation for use in the treatment of male impotence utilizing turbulent flow of fluid, the method comprising: inserting the penis into a tubular housing means, having internal walls, a closed forward end and an open rearward end, said rearward end having an opening means for encircling the penile shaft, for housing the penis submersed in fluid and disposed at a sufficient distance from said internal walls to permit fluid flow between the penis and said internal walls; and pumping a flow of turbulent fluid between the penis and said internal walls in and out of the housing.

Many men suffer from the inability to obtain or maintain an erection. The sources of this problem are physical, psychological or a combination of both well known to medical professionals. This problem was once falsely considered as an inevitable part of aging or as such a private matter that many men suffered unnecessarily in failing to seek medical treatment.
An erection is maintained by contraction of the pubococcygeal muscle, which constrict blood vessels after the penis has become engorged with blood. The pubococcygeal muscle is also known as the PC muscle, or Housten muscle and forms a floor at the base of the pelvis much like a hammock supporting the internal organs of the body.
For women, during childbirth, the PC muscle is stretched and weakened by carrying and delivering babies. In men, the strength of the PC muscle may deteriorate through ill health, accident or through lack of use like any other muscle of the body. Failure or weakness of the male PC muscle results in escape of blood from the penis and subsequent loss of erection.
Physical rehabilitation of the PC muscle is possible through a program of regular exercise, also like any other muscle of the body. Conventional responses to this problem have only been partially successful for men. For example, an exercise known as the Kegel exercise has been used to strengthen the PC muscle and has proved to be an aid in sustaining an erection and controlling orgasm. Kegel exercises are very well known, and are regularly taught to pregnant women in childbirth classes to help ease the trauma of delivery and to shorten their recovery for example. What is less well known is the effect of this same exercise when practiced by men, likely due to the sensitive nature of the subject.
Extended contraction and repeated exercise of the PC muscle gradually builds up the muscle strength. As with any other body muscle, this gradual process does not achieve maximal efficiency unless exercise is regular, challenges the muscle tissue and is continued for a sufficient length of time. Any muscular exercise which is too strenuous actually contributes to muscle fibre deterioration, whereas an exercise program that is not challenging enough does not rehabilitate the muscle at an optimal rate of progress.
The optimal use of the Kegel exercise is difficult to monitor scientifically and establishing a medically prescribed exercise regimen is impractical. However, the benefits of regular Kegel exercise have become an accepted part of medical recovery programs for building PC muscle strength in men suffering from inability to obtain or maintain an erection, and for raising the awareness of their bodily responses in men suffering from premature ejaculation. Similar exercises are used during what is known as "tantric" sexual practices, currently raising much interest in western countries, which combine eastern mysticism, meditation, yoga breathing exercises, and include exercise of the PC muscle. In short, better control over the PC muscle results from the strengthening and awareness of this muscle through exercise. Better control leads to medically verifiable improvement in the sexual functioning of such patients.
Other exercises used in treatment involve use of devices which stimulate the penis principally through frictional engagement between the device and penis. Such devices may irritate or damage the skin especially if use is extended defeating their intended purpose when pain or discomfort is experienced by the user. In addition, the user has very little real control over the level of stimulation and certainly not to the degree of repeatability required for scientific measurement and medical treatment.
The use of exercises and stimulatory devices are not intended to result in orgasm. In fact, orgasm results in a lessening of the effectiveness of the exercises. The optimal exercise regimen includes prolonged and repeated contraction of the PC muscle. It is possible to contract and exercise the PC muscle when the penis is not erect, however, the effectiveness of the Kegel exercise is greatly enhanced if an erection is maintained during exercise by an optimal but relatively low level of stimulation.
It is desirable therefore to produce a penile stimulation device which does not produce frictional discomfort when used and can be controlled to effect maximum rehabilitation of the PC muscle through repeated exercise.

Penile stimulator device using turbulent water flow and method of use