A television receiver includes: an audio processor configured to extract a demonstrative pronoun from an input voice; an image processor configured to cut out an object from an input image; and a comparison-translation module configured to associate the demonstrative pronoun with the object based on a positional relationship indicated by the demonstrative pronoun.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a television receiver and a method of receiving television broadcasting having an automatic translation and display feature.
2. Description of the Related Art
A technique for providing an automatic translation and display in a television receiver has drawn attention. As an application, any scene button is pushed to display a phrase of each scene on a display, and a Japanese-to-English conversion button is pushed to convert a Japanese phrase to an English phrase and display it. In addition, when an audio output button is pushed, the phrase is pronounced in English. When a keyword button is pushed, a corresponding phrase is searched using level information added to the phrase. A publication JP-A-5-324702 discloses a configuration that translates a voice phrase and displays the translated words on a video scene.
However, in the proposed configuration, information extracted from a video is not used for translation, but the technique simply relates to a display method. Therefore, JP-A-5-324702 does not disclose a technique capable of improving the accuracy of translation using image information.

Television receiver and method of receiving television broadcasting


Landfills and their methods of operation are disclosed. Through the controlled introduction of septage into a wet cell having a refuse layer, refuse decomposes faster to achieve additional landfill space.

Landfill design, construction, and operation are some of the most highly regulated activities in the United States. These activities involve federal, state and local regulations, all of which deal with the environmental impact of the landfill and its operation. Even the closure of a landfill is subject to strict regulations. Numerous permits must be obtained at virtually all levels of government. These regulations include provisions relating to groundwater quality protection; landfill gas control; air pollution; surface water discharge; flood plains; safety issues; settlement, slope stability; and basic operating procedures. Boundary and topographic surveys, hydrogeological information (e.g., geological formation, soil texture, structure, bulk density, porosity, permeability, moisture, ion exchange characteristics; depth and type of bedrock; groundwater depth, hydraulic gradients, and seasonal fluctuations); climatological data such as wind direction and temperature and other variables must be evaluated, measured and documented during design, construction and operation of a landfill.
Typically, landfills are constructed in phases or "cells" that are distinct hydraulic units. In landfill operations, the cell presently receiving waste is called the "working face" or "active area" of the landfill. As refuse is received at the working face it is dumped, spread and compacted in layers called "lifts". Active areas are typically 200 ft×200 ft in size where a refuse compactor and/or a bulldozer are used to spread and compact refuse in lifts as it is dumped. The cell continues to be filled in lifts until it reaches capacity, at which time it is covered or capped. All landfills must have cohesive soil and/or synthetic liners at the bottom and along the sideslopes to isolate the refuse and contaminated liquid (or "leachate") from the surrounding soil. Landfill cells can be classified as either "wet cell" or "dry cell" depending on how leachate is managed in the cell.
Moisture, such as rainfall, that enters landfill cells percolates through the refuse and produces leachate which accumulates at the lowest point of the cell bottom. This leachate is typically pumped and disposed of at a wastewater treatment plant or an in-house treatment system. In a dry cell, capping the landfill quickly with cohesive soil and/or synthetic barrier eliminates infiltration and ensures a relatively dry environment. The intent of operating dry cells is to minimize the amount of moisture entering the refuse mass and the subsequent amount of leachate formed.
Although wet cell landfills are known (as will be discussed more fully hereinafter), dry cells are more common. In dry cell landfills the deposited refuse dries and decomposes at extremely slow rates because moisture, an essential component of the decomposition process, is restricted. These dry cells are sometimes referred to as "Dry Tombs," since it is not unusual for them to contain waste materials that have decomposed little after fifty years or more. Without decomposition, the landfill cells fill more rapidly and must be closed before their potential capacity is reached.
Conventional wet cells are those in which leachate generated in the landfill is collected and reintroduced into a cell, wherein the leachate is absorbed by and continues to percolate through the waste. This so-called "leachate recirculation" operation promotes biological decomposition of refuse. This approach differs greatly from the approach of dry cell management of solid waste landfills where, as stated, biological decomposition of waste is intentionally inhibited, by restricting the moisture content of the cell. In wet cell landfills, there is no need to prevent moisture from entering the cell. As the waste decomposes, it further compacts or consolidates, hence allowing additional refuse to be deposited into the cell. When these we cells are properly engineered and operated in a manner that maximizes decomposition and gas generation, they are sometime referred to as "landfill bioreactors" or "bioreactor landfills".
Accordingly, it is evident that using landfill space efficiently and extending the site life to the extent possible, as well as recouping capital expenditure and operating the landfill profitably, are all desirable goals.
It is also known that septic systems separate the liquid of domestic sewage from solid and semi-solid materials by allowing these undissolved components to either settle to the bottom of a septic tank or float to the top while the liquid flows through a series of pipes that run to the soil absorption filed (a.k.a. the "septic field"). Thus, septic tanks collect settled and floatable solids from the wastewater. The septic field then filters and treats the partially clarified septic tank liquid and distributes it through the soil. The septic tank also promotes biological breakdown of a portion of the solids.
Periodically, depending upon a number of factors such as tank size and frequency of use, the contents of the septic tank (septage) must be removed from the septic tank. This is achieved by pumping the septage from the septic tank into a truck which hauls the pumped septage away from the site. Many septage haulers are small, independent companies. They typically dispose of the septage either at waste water treatment facilities or at sites permitted for land application. Wastewater treatment plants usually charge the haulers significant fees for disposal. Meanwhile, land application is inexpensive but the practice poses certain public health risks and increased regulation. It would be desirable to provide an alternative, environmentally safe and cost effective disposal for septage which could reduce the hauler's disposal fees and public health concerns.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Landfill and method of decomposing refuse in a landfill


Described herein is a dish-washing machine, in which there is provided: at least one supporting structure; a washing station, defined by one or more washing arms; a rinsing station, defined by one or more rinsing arms and by at least two attachment assemblies for attachment of the rinsing arms, which are positioned on opposite sides of the washing arms; and reversible movement means for displacing a dish rack from the washing station to the rinsing station.

Normally, dish-washing machines used in establishments such as hotels and restaurants comprise at least one loading station, a washing station, a rinsing station, and an unloading station. The sequence of these stations and of their components is fixed and is established when the machine itself is made.
Such a constraint results in a limitation in the positioning the dish-washing machine. In fact, the dish-washing machines described above can be set only in certain positions, thus affecting the disposition of the premises that house them.

Dish-washing machine with versatility of position


Disclosed is a method of merging a first set of data objects and a second set of data objects for displaying on a display screen, the method comprising: retrieving a first identifier associated with a first memory location, the first memory location for storing the first set of data objects; retrieving a second identifier associated with a second memory location, the second memory location for storing the second set of data objects; comparing the first identifier and the second identifier; and grouping one or more first data objects from the first set of data objects and one or more second data objects from the second set of data objects based on the comparison.

Electronic devices, such as mobile communication devices, computers, tablets or other electronic devices are often used to store data such as camera images, video files and digital audio files. Such data can often be stored in more than one location. For example, such data can be stored in memory that is local to the electronic device and similar data can be stored in a removable memory, such as a flash memory.
The operation of electronic devices can be enhanced in various ways depending on how the data is displayed on a display screen.

Merging sets of data objects for display


A universal battery charger having an adjustable pocket for receiving batteries having differing dimensions. Each battery, regardless of their differing dimensions, may be firmly supported within the adjustable pocket and receive an electrical charge from a single set of electrical contacts exposed in the adjustable pocket. The adjustable pocket is adjustable, because a battery guide of the charger includes first and second ends that alternately protrude through the plane of the housing, thus providing different dynamic supporting walls for different batteries. The adjustable pocket may accommodate different batteries by utilizing different receiving areas of the pocket. One receiving area may supports one side of a first battery with a first dynamic wall and supports other sides of the first battery with stationary walls. Likewise, another receiving area may support one side of a second battery with a second dynamic wall and supports other sides of the second battery with stationary walls.

Portable electronic devices receive their portable power from rechargeable batteries, which come in different form factors, i.e., differing sizes and shapes. Battery chargers are often used to energize and re-energize the rechargeable batteries when a battery is not fully charged. The varying form factors of the rechargeable batteries create a problem for users or groups of users utilizing rechargeable batteries having different sizes and/or shapes. With different form factors, each rechargeable battery requires a differently-shaped pocket for receiving the battery. For example, to address this problem for the users, an accessory manufacturer who makes battery chargers must make different battery chargers for each rechargeable battery. In the alternative, the accessory manufacturer may make a single battery charger having multiple pockets in which each pocket is specifically configured for receiving the form factor of a particular battery.
There is, thus, a need for an improved battery charger having adjustability for accommodating rechargeable batteries having differing form factors. The battery charger should include a single pocket for receiving multiple form factors in order to maximize use of space and minimize the overall size of the battery charger. The battery charger should also include a simple and effective mechanism for adjusting the single pocket of the charger so that users may adjust the pocket quickly with minimal effort. The battery charger should further provide a simple and efficient mechanism for insertion and removal of each battery to and from the pocket. In addition, it would be desirable to utilize a single set of contacts for multiple configurations in order to minimize the complexity and cost of manufacturing and utilizing the battery charger.

Universal battery charger with adjustable pocket


The invention provides methods of preparing macrocycles including macrocycle stabilized peptides (MSPs). Macrocycles and MSPs are prepared according to nucleophilic capture of an iminoquinomethide type intermediate generated from a suitably substituted 2-amino-thiazol-5-yl carbinol. The preferred nucleophile may be selected from an electron rich aromatic moiety in the case of macrocycles and, in the case of MSPs, at least one amino acid comprises an electron rich aromatic moiety. In addition, the concept can be extended to other related 5-membered heterocyclic systems in place of the thiazole, such as imidazole or oxazole. The conditions for the generation of the corresponding iminoquinomethide type intermediates may be similar or different than the conditions used for the 2-amino-thiazol-5-yl carbinol.

Natural (e.g., Cyclosporine, Vancomycin, Rapamycin) and synthetic (e.g., IXEMPRA®) macrocycles (Nature Reviews, 7:608-624 (2008)) incorporating either peptidic or non-peptidic constituents have found successful utility as therapeutics in treating many human ailments ranging from cancer, infectious diseases, neuroscience, cardiovascular and immunological disorders. In spite of the success, many life threatening diseases remain untreatable. Accordingly, it would be desirable to develop novel synthetic methods for macrocyclization that facilitate access to novel macrocycles embedded with peptidic or non-peptidic scaffolds, with improved metabolic/pharmacokinetic and cell permeability properties, and with potential for activity towards novel biological disease targets of the future (Molecular Diversity, 9:171-186 (2005)). In this vein over the years synthetic methodologies towards constructing macrocycles have evolved beyond the classical lactam and lactone forming reactions to an armamentarium of methodologies that include, to mention a few, ring closing metathesis (RCM) reaction (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 37:3281-3284 (1998)), "click" chemistry (Drug Discovery Today, 8:1128 (2003)), SnAr reactions (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 71:8954-8956 (2006)), and cycloaddition reactions (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 127:3473-3485 (2005); Chem. Soc. Rev., 36:1674-1689 (2007)).
One of the challenges in specifically designing and synthesizing therapeutically useful macrocycles that inhibit protein-protein interactions central to many novel disease targets is the requirement of high-molecular weight molecules. Added accompanying prerequisite for such molecules is stereochemical and structural diversity in architecture such that they can adopt bioactive conformations to interact with protein target(s) and or a protein complex spanning large interacting surface areas (such as p53-MDM2, BCl2, notch complex) and are also cell permeable, preferably endowed with oral bioavailability (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 49:1-5 (2010)), and stable under physiological conditions. To address this from a future drug discovery perspective, the macrocycles field in parallel has shifted to the development of technology platforms of macrocycle stabilized peptides that encompass stabilized α-helix macrocycle stabilized peptides. In this regard, a few important technology platforms have emerged in recent years with several publications and patents disclosing biologically active molecules that target specific protein-protein interactions (e.g., transcription factor notch complex; Nature, 462(12):182-188 (2009)). It is noteworthy some these emerging technology platforms utilize macrocyclic forming reactions such as RCM reaction and the cycloaddition reaction mentioned above.
For example, WO 2004/077062 discloses a process for linking and cyclizing peptides containing cysteine groups. A peptide containing at least two cysteine moieties is alkylated with a scaffold-containing thiophile until two cysteine moieties are captured on to the scaffold to yield a macrocyclic or macrocycle stabilized peptide. This technique mimics the most common form of cyclization (i.e., disulfide bond) found among naturally occurring peptides and proteins, but does not provide a convenient means of preparing other types of cyclic structures due to its highly specific reactivity towards thiols only.
More recent publications such as WO 2010/034026, WO 2010/083347, and WO 2010/011313 disclose methods of producing macrocycle stabilized peptides by functionalizing two distant amino acid moieties on a protein or a peptide with olefinic residues that undergo ring closing metathesis (RCM) reactions to form a hydrocarbon staple. In particular, WO 2010/011313 discloses methods of ligating a macrocycle stabilized peptide to another peptide or a larger protein.
WO 2010/033617 discloses a method of preparing a macrocycle stabilized peptide by reacting (photochemical) an alkene moiety on a functionalized amino acid with a tetrazole moiety on another amino acid to form a pyrazoline cross-linking moiety via a (3+2) cycloaddition reaction.
To date, the widely used RCM based platform has been successful in making biologically active stabilized α-helix staple peptides with cell permeability and resistant to protease degradation. However, each platform's technology has limitations and synthetic challenges due to the reagents, reaction conditions, and potential compatibility issue with the composition of the peptidic substrate. For example, with the ring closing metathesis (RCM) platform there are potential issues and pitfalls involved with cost of reagents, length of synthetic sequences, toxicity of reagent (e.g., ruthenium catalyst), non-compatibility with methionine/cysteine, and scale-up and purification (Organic Process Research & Development, 513-515 (2005)). In addition, the potential lack of stereoselectivity of the product EZ double bond geometry during the construction of larger macrocycles can result in a product mixture of double bond regioisomers (J. Org. Chem., 3863-3868 (2006)).
Consequently there exists a need for novel technologies towards building macrocycles and macrocycle stabilized peptides that potentially could offer versatility, simplicity, efficiency, cost advantages, and synthetic compatibility with peptides. Such a technology could be useful in preparing larger quantities of high molecular weight proteins (>60 amino acids) that contain stabilized α-helix macrocycle stabilized or stitched peptide segments. Thus a novel platform would offer excellent opportunities to construct biologically useful molecules (either agonists, antagonists, or with a new function) for novel therapeutic use in broad disease areas.

Macrocycles and macrocycle stabilized peptides


A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure with a multi-layer storage capacitor is provided. A substrate having an active element area and a storage capacitor area is provided. By sequentially fabricating a semiconductor layer, a first inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer, a gate and a first electrode, a source and a drain in the semiconductor layer in the active element area, a second ILD layer, a patterned conductive layer served as a pixel electrode, a patterned third ILD layer, a plurality of contact windows in the first, second and third ILD layers for exposing the source, the drain, parts of the patterned conductive layer and the first electrode, a second electrode and a source/drain conductive line, the semiconductor structure with the multi-layer storage is obtained in consequence.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor structure and a fabricating method thereof, and more particularly to both a semiconductor structure and a pixel structure having a multi-layer storage capacitor and a fabricating method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
The thin film transistor (TFT) is often used as a driving element in a display device. Generally, the TFT can be divided into the amorphous silicon TFT and the low temperature poly-silicon (LTPS) TFT. Since the electron mobility of the LTPS-TFT is over 200 cm2/V-sec, the LTPS-TFT can be fabricated in smaller size and thereby increasing the aperture ratio. Therefore, the brightness of the display device is thus increased and the power consumption is reduced. In addition, a storage capacitor for storing data voltage is also fabricated during the fabricating process of the TFT, so as to improve the display quality.
FIGS. 1A-1F are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating a conventional fabricating process of a pixel structure having an LTPS-TFT and a storage capacitor. Referring to FIG. 1A, a substrate 110 is provided. Poly-silicon layers 122 and 124 are formed in an active element area 112 and in a storage capacitor area 114 of the substrate 110 respectively. In this step, a first photomask (not illustrated) is applied to perform patterning process and thereby obtaining the poly-silicon layers 122 and 124.
Afterwards, referring to FIG. 1B, a gate insulating layer 130 is formed on the substrate 110 to cover the poly-silicon layers 122 and 124. A gate 142 and a first electrode 144 are respectively formed over the poly-silicon layers 122 and 124. In this step, a second photomask (not illustrated) is applied to perform patterning process and thereby obtaining the gate 142 and the first electrode 144. Particularly, as shown in FIG. 1B, the gate 142 is utilized as a mask to perform a self-aligned doping process 150 so that a source 122a, a drain 122b are formed in the poly-silicon layer 122, and a channel 122c is between the source 122a and the drain 122b. Furthermore, a lightly doped drain (LDD) area 122d is also formed in the poly-silicon layer 122 to reduce current leakage.
Referring to FIG. 1C, a patterned dielectric layer 160 is formed on the substrate 110. In this step, a third photomask (not illustrated) is utilized to perform patterning process and thereby fabricating a contact window 162 in the patterned dielectric layer 160 so as to expose the source 122a and the drain 122b.
Then, referring to FIG. 1D, a source/drain conductive line 172 and a second electrode 174 are fabricated on the patterned dielectric layer 160. The source/drain conductive line 172 is filled into the contact window 162 and thus electrically connected to the source 122a and the drain 122b. In this step, a fourth photomask (not illustrated) is applied to perform patterning process and thereby obtaining the source/drain conductive line 172 and the second electrode 174.
Referring to FIG. 1E, a patterned planar layer 180 is formed on the substrate 110. In this step, a fifth photomask (not illustrated) is utilized to perform patterning process and thereby fabricating a contact window 182 in the patterned planar layer 180 so as to expose a portion of the source/drain conductive line 172.
Referring to FIG. 1F, a pixel electrode 190 is formed on the patterned planar layer 180. The pixel electrode 190 is filled into the contact window 182 and thus contacting the source/drain conductive line 172. In this step, a sixth photomask (not illustrated) is utilized to perform patterning process and thereby fabricating a contact window 182 in the patterned planar layer 180. After fabricating processes of FIG. 1A˜1F, a conventional pixel structure 100 is obtained, and six photomasks are required to perform the above fabricating method. Because the photomask is expensive, the cost of the conventional fabricating process is hard to be reduced.
Furthermore, please refer to FIG. 1F, a storage capacitor 195 is disposed in the storage capacitor area 114 of the substrate 110. A first storage capacitor is formed by the poly-silicon layer 124, the gate insulating layer 130 and the first electrode 144. A second storage capacitor is formed by the first electrode 144, the patterned dielectric layer 160 and the second electrode 174. Referring to FIG. 1B again, the poly-silicon layer 124 in the storage capacitor area 114 is covered by the first electrode 144, so the poly-silicon layer 124 cannot be doped during the doping process 150. Consequently, the storage capacitance of a storage capacitor 195 cannot be effectively increased. Hence, display quality of the display device utilizing the pixel structure 100 is poor.

Semiconductor structure and fabricating method thereof for liquid crystal display device


Disclosed are apparatus and methodology for measuring gas flow using a modular unit as a gas measurement module. The modular unit can be made of molded plastic, cast metal, or other material. A gas meter can include the gas measurement module. The gas measurement module includes a chamber with an inlet and an outlet. An obstacle in the chamber is configured to generate an oscillating gas jet when gas flow into the chamber is at or above a threshold flow rate. The gas measurement module includes a dual sensing assembly with one or more first sensors using a first gas flow sensing technology and one or more second sensors using a second gas flow sensing technology.

Gas meters are widely used in residential, commercial, and industrial settings to measure gas consumption. Regardless of quantity or quality of the gas, meters use the volume of the gas passing through the meter in the measurement. However, variables, such as temperature and pressure, can affect the gas flow through the meter and ultimately, the resulting measurement.
Conventionally, gas meters have often included a fluid oscillator sensor. In a meter having a fluid oscillator, gas is directed into a cavity through a nozzle. An obstacle is disposed opposite the output of the nozzle creating a two-dimensional fluid jet that oscillates, as well understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, transversely about a longitudinal axis when gas flows into the cavity at an adequate pressure (in other words, at a sufficient rate of flow). By detecting the frequency of the oscillation of the jet, a flow rate of the gas can be determined. However, when gas flows through the meter at a pressure less than the pressure needed to generate an oscillating jet, for example, such as only at a rate necessary to light a pilot light, such known metering apparatus cannot accurately measure the consumption.
In another conventional approach, a fluid oscillator can detect a greater range of gas flow rates using a single device that measures the frequency of an oscillating fluid jet and a temperature sensor that can be used to determine a flow rate. Such arrangement is generally only for residential settings and requires on the premises calibration. Because the composition and properties of gas differ from each source, significant time, complexity, and cost are utilized to calibrate each temperature sensor individually.
Existing meters include multiple complex assemblies of many parts that are costly and prone to wear and failure. While various implementations of gas meter systems have been developed, and while various combinations of gas flow detection exist, no design has emerged that generally encompasses all of the desired characteristics as hereafter presented in accordance with the subject technology.
Repeat use of reference characters throughout the present specification and appended drawings is intended to represent same or analogous features, elements, or steps.

Module for gas flow measurements with a dual sensing assembly


A new and distinct variety of nectarine tree (Prunus persica var. nucipersica). The following features of the tree and its fruit are characterized with the tree budded on ‘Nemaguard’ Rootstock (non-patented), grown on Handford sandy loam soil with Storie Index rating 95, in USDA Hardiness Zone 9, near Modesto, Calif., with standard commercial fruit growing practices, such as pruning, thinning, spraying, irrigation and fertilization. Its novelty consist of the following combination of desirable features:                1. Tree with a vigorous, upright growth habit.        2. Regular and productive bearer of large size fruit.        3. Fruit having very good flavor and eating quality with a good balance between acid and sugar.        4. Fruit with attractive red skin color.        5. Clingstone fruit with firm, white flesh.

Field of the Invention
In the field of plant genetics, we conduct an extensive and continuing plant-breeding program including the organization and asexual reproduction of orchard trees, and of which plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries, almonds and interspecifics are exemplary. It was against this background of our activities that the present variety of nectarine tree was originated and asexually reproduced by us in our experimental orchard located near Modesto, Stanislaus County, Calif.
Prior Varieties
Among the existing varieties of nectarine trees, which are known to us, and mentioned herein, 'Honey Royale' Nectarine (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,008), 'Honey Kist' Nectarine (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,333), 'Honey Haven' Nectarine (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,393) and our proprietary non-patented nectarine seedlings '184LT187', '56Z762' and '219LK242'.


A photovoltaic module having a plurality of photovoltaic cells disposed behind a front cover portion to receive radiation has at least one specular reflector disposed alongside the cells to direct incident radiation back into the front cover portion and onto the photovoltaic cells for conversion to electrical energy. In a preferred embodiment, the specular reflectors have reflective surfaces of concave curvature configured to reflect incident radiation back into the front cover portion for internal reflection onto the photovoltaic cells.

The present invention relates generally to photovoltaic modules and, more particularly, to photovoltaic modules having specularly reflective surfaces disposed alongside a plurality of photovoltaic cells to concentrate radiation onto the cells.
Photovoltaic cells are typically connected together in modules to provide electrical power at useful voltage and power levels. The output power produced by a module is directly related to the total radiation impinging upon its cells, including both radiation incident directly on the cells and any radiation reflected and/or refracted onto them by external means.
Designers of photovoltaic power systems have sought to enhance the power produced by a given number of cells by increasing the amount of radiation reaching the cells. Many attempts to do so have made use of three-dimensional mirrors or prism structures placed in front of the light-receiving surface of a photovoltaic cell to "concentrate" incoming radiation. Examples of such systems are found in the following U.S. Pat. No. 3,427,200 to Lapin et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,499 to Winston; U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,327 to Meulenberg, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,448 to Dodge; U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,153 to Melchior; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,972 to O'Neill. The systems of the Lapin et al., Winston, Dodge, and Melchior patents use mirrors extending outwardly from a plane containing the light-receiving face of one or more cells to reflect additional radiation onto the cells. O'Neill and Meulenberg, Jr. disclose the use of refractive covers disposed in front of one or more photovoltaic cells to bend incoming light. They can take the form of a cylindrical lens which captures radiation over a large area and focuses it onto a group of cells (O'Neill, FIG. 5), or a smaller cover placed directly against the face of an individual cell to bend radiation away from grid lines on the cell (O'Neill, FIGS. 1-4 and 6 and Meulenberg, Jr.). Unfortunately, many of the foregoing systems are bulky and expensive to fabricate. Their mirrors or prisms also tend to become obscured by dust and dirt, drastically reducing module efficiency.
Another method of directing additional radiation onto photovoltaic cells is to provide light diffusive surfaces between, above or below the cells, as disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,672 to Lampkin; U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,718 to Yerkes et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,928 to Shepard, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,246,042 to Knasel et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,417 to Kurth et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,942 to Sheng et al. Of these, the Yerkes et al., Shepard, Jr., Knasel et al. and Kurth et al. patents disclose the use of substantially planar diffusive reflectors between the cells of a flat panel photovoltaic module to direct incoming radiation back into a front cover for internal reflection onto an adjacent cell. However, the increase in current achieved in this way is rather small because only a minor portion of the radiation incident on the diffusive reflectors is reflected at an angle suitable for subsequent internal reflection.
Therefore, it is desirable in many applications to provide an improved, low-cost structure for significantly increasing the output of photovoltaic cells by concentrating solar radiation thereon.

Photovoltaic module with specular reflector


A utility tower lifting apparatus and method for raising a lattice tower in addition to carried transmission cables without disturbing the tower foundation, disconnecting the cables, or requiring de-energization of the transmission lines.

The electric utility industry is seeking to correct existing ground or aerial transmission line clearance problems or increase the capacity of existing electric power transmission lines while maintaining the required ground clearance through upgrades to the current transmission infrastructure. Utilities have increased the loads carried by power lines to meet ever-increasing demand during peak loading conditions, such as, for example, those that occur with seasonal heating and air-conditioning loads. This increased line loading creates additional transmission line sag resulting in wire to ground and or object clearance violations. Also, utilities are faced with increasing wire/hardware ground and aerial clearance requirements brought on by erection of nearby structures and/or new codes and/or regulations, which impose new clearance requirements on existing tower line infrastructure.
To mitigate changing (increasing) line height requirements, some utilities in the industry have addressed the need to increase tower heights by adding a tower extension (insert) to the body of the tower generally located at the waist or mid-portion of the tower. The tower extension increases the tower height and eliminates the need to replace or change out the existing lattice structure or string new cables. The current method involves splitting the tower at its connection location and using a crane to lift the top section of the tower to the desired height so the extension can be placed within the open section of the tower. The extension is then attached to both the top and bottom section of the existing tower. When tower extensions are performed in this manner the power lines, communication lines, and other equipment carried must be de-energized and disconnected and reconnected to the structure once the extension is put in place. This results in considerable downtime of the entire power transmission and communication system. Moreover, this procedure can only be conducted on structures which have near perfectly balanced weight loads so the top suspended section of the tower can be hoisted without rotation. If the weight loads are unbalanced the tower height cannot be increased in this manner.

Utility tower lifting apparatus and method


The present invention relates to polyurea composition coated trailers and methods of making the same. In an embodiment, the present invention is directed to a trailer comprising a frame having a front side and a back side, at least one axle coupled to the frame, a plurality of wheels coupled to the at least one axle, and a polyurea coating, wherein the polyurea coating encapsulates at least a portion of the frame. In an embodiment, the present invention is directed to a method for protecting a metal trailer from corrosion comprising cleaning the surfaces of a metal trailer and applying a layer of a polyurea composition to the surfaces of the metal trailer.

Trailers have utility for transporting various materials and objects. For example, boats and other watercraft can be transported on trailers. The structural elements of a trailer can be made of many different materials. Frequently, trailers are made of steel components. Steel is strong and relatively cost efficient. However, steel is subject to damage from corrosion.
To protect against corrosion, trailers frequently are provided with a protective coating. For example, a coating of paint may be applied to protect a trailer made of steel from corrosion. The coating of paint prevents moisture from reaching the surface of the metal where is may cause corrosion. The coating of paint may also protect the steel from compounds that may enhance corrosion such as road salt and the like.
However, protective finishes can be breached, leaving parts of the trailer unprotected. For example, as trailers are pulled over roadways, the surfaces of may be hit with roadway debris. Small stones may be kicked up by the tires and chip off pieces of the protective finish. Other sorts of roadway debris may also come in contact with the protective finish and damage it. In addition, the protective finish may be breached through physical contact of the boat trailer with other objects. For example, other objects may contact the trailer when a boat is loaded or unloaded from the trailer.
Protective finishes on trailers also serve an aesthetic purpose. The finishes may be colored to match the intended cargo, such as the particular boat, or may be colored in accord with the logo of the manufacturer. Accordingly, breaches of the protective finish may make the appearance less aesthetic and therefore diminish the value of the trailer.
While common automotive paint is a typical material used for a protective finish, other finish materials are used. For example, polyurethane compositions are known for use as a protective finish. However, polyurethane compositions are susceptible to damage from UV-light exposure. This can be an issue with boat trailers as they are frequently parked in full exposure to sunlight. Moreover, polyurethane compositions can lose their flexible and protective properties at temperature extremes. Therefore, a protective finish made from a polyurethane composition will be more susceptible to failure at, for example, very low temperatures.
Polyurethane systems also typically utilize a catalyst to promote proper curing. Use of catalysts in curing processes can make application more difficult as the process is usually temperature and moisture sensitive. Additionally, the catalyst may become a deteriorating element in some polyurethane systems.
Therefore, a need exists for a trailer that is protected from damage and provides a lasting aesthetic appearance.


This invention relates to an improvement in a process for the separation of a multi-component stream by distillation. A multi-component feed is introduced to a multicolumn distillation system comprising a main column and a side column wherein at least a light component A is separated from a heavier component C in the main column, the lighter component A being removed as an overhead fraction and the heavier component C being removed as a bottoms fraction. The improvement for enhanced recovery of a component in the side column comprises withdrawing a liquid fraction from the main column at a point intermediate the overhead and bottoms and introducing that liquid fraction to an upper portion of the side column. Lighter components are withdrawn from the side column and returned to an optimal location in the distillation system, typically the main column. Reboiling in the side column is effected by removing a portion of the liquid typically from the bottom of this column and vaporizing this fraction against a vapor fraction obtained from the main column. At least a portion of the vapor fraction from the main column is condensed and liquid is returned to an optimal point in the main column distillation system. The vapor fraction withdrawn from the main column and used to vaporize the bottoms of the side column is withdrawn at a point below the liquid removal point for the liquid feed to the side column.

Fractional distillation of multi-component streams to effect separation is a well known chemical engineering process and is used extensively in the chemical industry. It is well recognized that although distillation is widely used, it is also energy-intensive and often is the dominant cost in a distillation process. With rising energy costs, efforts have been made to enhance the efficiency of the distillation process through thermal coupling or through the use of heat pumps and the like. Representative art illustrating the enhancement of distillation efficiency via heat pumps or thermal coupling include the following:
An article entitled "Minimum Energy Requirements of Thermally Coupled Distillation Systems", AICHE Journal, Vol. 33, No. 4, (pp. 643-653, April 1987) discloses four different thermally coupled distillation systems consisting of distillation columns connected by liquid and vapor counter-current streams. One embodiment shows thermal coupling to a main column with a side arm column wherein a vapor is removed from the rectification zone in the main column and fed to an upper portion of the side column. A liquid stream from the side column then is returned as reflux to the rectification zone in the main column. Optionally, a liquid is removed from the stripping section of the main column and fed to a lower portion of the side column. The vapor is returned to the stripping zone of the main column. Another embodiment shows a thermally coupled system associated with a stripping column wherein liquid is removed from the main column and introduced to an upper portion of the stripping column. Lighter components are removed therefrom with the vapor from the stripping column being returned to the main column. Reboilers are associated with both the main column and stripping column to provide boilup. (Page 647)
An article entitled "Heat Integration of Distillation Columns Into Overall Processes", Chem. Engineering Science, Vol. 38, No. 8, pages 1175-1188 (1983), discloses energy enhancing techniques for the separation of multi-component systems in a multi-column distillation process. It was noted in a conventional method that reactor feeds were preheated with other process streams and steam before passing through a furnace. Steam was used as a heat source for the reboilers. The process incorporated the use of a distillation train feed in the reboiler of the first column for effecting vaporization of the liquid at the bottom, thus reducing the need for steam.
An article entitled "Distillation with Intermediate Heat Pumps and Optimal Side Stream Return", AICHE Journal, Vol. 32, No. 8, pages 1347-1359, (August 1986), discloses the separation of multi-component streams using a multicolumn distillation system. The term "heat pump" as conventionally used in these systems referred to the removal of heat from a location in the rectification section in the distillation column to the stripping section of the distillation column. One of the simpler techniques used in the prior art involved the movement of heat from the overhead vapor in a distillation system to the reboiler in an adiabatic column to effect an alteration of the internal reflux ratio. Examples of various methods of altering the internal reflux ratio involved by removing vapor from a column at a point above a feed plate, condensing that vapor fraction in a reboiler and returning it to an optimal location. Another process scheme involves removal of liquid from the stripping section of a column, vaporizing at the expense of compressed overhead vapor, and returning to an optimal point in the column.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,398 discloses a fractional distillation process wherein multiple columns are intercoupled to provide variable reboil and variable reflux so as to approach thermodynamically ideal fractionation. The system comprised a variable reboiler column and a variable reflux column wherein the variable reflux column was operated at a higher pressure and mounted at a lower level than the variable reboil column. Vapor was drawn from the variable reflux column, condensed at an upper level in the variable reboil stripping column and returned to the variable reflux column.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,391 discloses a continuous distillation apparatus incorporating separate stripping and rectifying sections in tandem, each of which are segregated into a plurality of vapor/liquid contact stages. In the process, the rectifying section of the column is operated at a higher pressure than the stripping section and this is achieved by compressing vapor from the stripping section prior to introducing the vapor into the rectifying section.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,247 discloses a process for the production of medium to high purity oxygen as well as other components contained in air. A triple pressure distillation process is developed in which the low pressure column has an argon stripping section and a rectification section reboiled by the high pressure column. At least one latent heat exchange is made from an intermediate height of the low pressure column with an intermediate height in a moderate pressure column. Latent heat exchanges are used to insure high reboil through the argon stripping section of the low pressure column.

Inter-column heat integration for multi-column distillation system


In one aspect a method that includes receiving an input signal captured by one or more first sensors associated with an active noise reduction (ANR) device, and processing the input signal using a first filter disposed in an ANR signal path to generate a first signal for an acoustic transducer of the ANR device. The input signal is processed in a pass-through signal path disposed in parallel with the ANR signal path to generate a second signal for the acoustic transducer, wherein the pass-through signal path allows a portion of the input signal to pass through to the acoustic transducer in accordance with a variable gain. One or more second sensors detect an existence of a condition likely to cause instability in the pass-through signal path, and in response, the variable gain is adjusted. A driver signal for the acoustic transducer is generated using an output based on the adjusted gain.

Acoustic devices such as headphones can include active noise reduction (ANR) capabilities that block at least portions of ambient noise from reaching the ear of a user. Therefore, ANR devices create an acoustic isolation effect, which isolates the user, at least in part, from the environment. Some ANR devices have an operating mode referred to as aware mode, in which at least some ambient noise is deliberately passed through, or reproduced, to the user. In some cases, this operating mode may also be called "hear-through" mode, "talk-through" mode, or "pass-through" mode.

Instability mitigation in an active noise reduction (ANR) system having a hear-through mode


This is a stationary exercise apparatus capable of more accurately representing body motion associated with walking and running. The apparatus includes an inertia system which enables the apparatus to accelerate each reciprocating pedal up to a predetermined velocity. In this manner, the exercise workout is more natural since the user only has to expend energy normally associated with walking or running and not the operation of the apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stationary low inertia exercise apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a low inertia exercise apparatus which enables the user to move his feet in a reciprocating path more accurately representing body motion associated with walking or running, but without the need to accelerate the pedals of the apparatus up to system speed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Walking, running, and skiing are popular forms of exercise. Through exercise, the user attempts to load the cardiovascular system and/or attempts to build muscle mass. The exercises of walking, running, and skiing accomplish these goals with a minimal amount of equipment. However, due to environmental situations such as inclement weather, walking, running, or skiing outdoors may be difficult to accomplish. To help alleviate this problem, the prior art discloses apparatus which enable the user to exercise within an enclosed structure while obtaining most of the benefits of walking, running, or skiing. Several machines attempt to emulate the exercises of skiing and walking or running, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,941,377; 4,684,121; and 4,960,276. U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,377 discloses an apparatus which includes a variable resistance when the foot carriages are moved rearwardly and allows free movement of the foot carriage in the forwardly direction. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,121, the apparatus can also be used to simulate skiing motions or can be used to simulate a rowing motion. Adapted for a skiing exercise, the foot carriages can be moved along rails against a variable resistance. The resistance is constant regardless of the direction of the movement of the foot carriages. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,276, another skiing simulation apparatus is disclosed.
These three machines fail to completely emulate the exercises of skiing and walking or running in that each requires the user to exert force to operate the system. In other words, the user must exert additional force to accelerate each pedal or foot block back to system speed. This added force creates unnatural feelings and stress on the user. Therefore, the need exists for an improved exercising apparatus which allows the user to emulate the exercises of skiing, walking, or running without requiring the user to exert additional force to operate the system.


Systems, methods, and devices are provided for transactional kernel configuration. One embodiment includes a kernel configuration tool, a system file accessible by the kernel configuration tool, and program instructions executable by the kernel configuration tool to immediately and persistently apply kernel configuration changes a manner that ensures a transactional kernel configuration change.

In a computing device, such as a server, router, desktop computer, laptop, etc., and other devices having processor logic and memory, the device includes an operating system and a number of application programs that execute on the computing device. The operating system and program applications are typically arranged in different layers of the device's computing structure. For example, many computing devices include an operating system layer and an application layer to enable the device to perform various tasks.
The operating system layer includes a "kernel". The kernel is a master control program that runs the computing device. The kernel provides functions such as task, device, and data management, among others. The application layer includes application programs that perform particular tasks. These programs can typically be added by a user or administrator as options to a computer device. Application programs are executable instructions, which are located above the operating system layer and accessible by a user.
The application layer and other user accessible layers are often referred to as being in "user space", while the operating system layer can be referred to as "kernel space". As used herein, "user space" implies a layer of code which is more easily accessible to a user or administrator than the layer of code which is in the operating system layer or "kernel space".
In various types of operating systems kernel configuration changes can be made that take effect immediately, i.e., without the need for reboot. The same kernel configuration changes can be made in a manner that affects subsequent boots of the system. However, in these various types of operating systems, the system administrator has to use two separate mechanisms to accomplish these changes: one to affect the running system and a separate one to affect subsequent boots.
In many contexts in software, it is necessary to ensure that a set of operations, e.g., kernel configuration changes, is handled completely. The only acceptable outcomes are that all of the operations complete, or none of them do; partial completion is unacceptable. Such a set of operations is usually called a "transaction," and the completion of them in this fashion is said to be "atomic" or "transactional."
Previous approaches to kernel configuration changes do not ensure that changes are applied both immediately and persistently using a single mechanism. Nor have previous approaches provided a method to ensure that kernel configuration changes are handled in a transactional fashion.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Disclosed is an apparatus for arc welding, comprising: a torch body comprising a power supply line and a gas supply line; two or more metal segments movable relative to one another being sized and shaped to surround a seam between two elongated objects to be welded together, the two or more metal segments being in electrical communication with the power supply line; and a gas jacket attached to each of the metal segments.

Exemplary embodiments pertain to the art of arc welding, and more particularly, to an apparatus for gas tungsten arc welding and methods of using the same.
Gas tungsten arc welding is a welding process in which an electric arc forms between a non-consumable metal electrode and the workpiece metal(s), which heats the workpiece metal(s), causing them to melt and join. Along with the electrode, a shielding gas feeds through the welding torch, which shields the process from contaminants in the atmosphere. A constant current, direct current power source is most often used, but constant voltage systems, as well as alternating current, can be used as well.
Arc welding via a singular, localized electrode often involves significant rotation, e.g., rotation of the welding apparatus itself and/or the object being welded, in order to complete a given welding task. Accordingly, significant time and skill is also needed to complete said welding task.
Therefore, there is a need to develop an apparatus for gas tungsten arc welding, and methods of using the same, which reduce both the time and skill involved in arc welding.

Apparatus for arc welding and method of using the same


Methods and systems for identifying a virus in breast ducts are provided. In addition, antiviral therapy for treating a virally infected breast duct is also provided. Patients with a viral infection identified in the breast ducts may be at risk for developing breast precancer or cancer.

Viruses are believed to act as etiologic agents of some cancers. For example, human papilloma virus has long been linked epidemiologically to cervical cancer. See McPhee et al, Pathophysiology of Disease 3rd edition 2000 (chapter 5, page 80) Lange Medical Books/McGraw Hill, New York, N.Y.; and see Manos et al, JAMA 1999; 281: 1605–1610. Other studies document that Papilloma virus is associated with an increased risk in getting breast cancer. Studies published in Haagensen et al, Ann Surg, 1951; 133:18–36 documented a 3.3 fold increase in risk; Pellettierre et al, Am J Clin Path; 1971; 55: 740–748 found a 7.4 fold increase in risk. Buhl-Jorgensen et al Surg. Gynecol Obstet 1968; 127:1307–1312; Kilgore et al Surg. Gynecol Obstet 1953; 96:649–660; and Moore et al Surg. Gynecol Obstet 1961; 112:153–158 document collectively an 8% incidence of carcinomas during a 16 year period after identifying papillomas. The serotypes of papilloma virus most often linked to cancer have recently been found to encode for proteins that can bind and inactivate host tumor suppressor gene products. In this situation, a causative gene is not necessarily introduced by the virus, but the viral genome is able to direct the inactivation of tumor suppressor gene products and thereby favor growth and proliferation as well as malignant potential. See McPhee et al, Pathophysiology of Disease 3rd edition 2000 (chapter 5, page 80) Lange Medical Books/McGraw Hill, New York, N.Y. Additionally, Epstein-Barr virus has been implicated in lymphoma and breast adenocarcinoma.
It would be advantageous to identify viral agents in breast duct fluid of a patient in order to anticipate a breast precancer or cancer risk. Such identification can also provide guidance in selecting subsequent specific prophylactic and therapeutic treatments. The present invention provides these and other benefits.

Identification of viral agents in breast ducts and antiviral therapy therefore


The invention relates to a method and device for heat-sealing windows into folding carton blanks for producing liquid-proof folding cartons having film windows. Pieces of film that are cut to measure are placed on the window openings of the folding carton blanks and the edges of the pieces of film are heat-sealed with the folding carton blanks so as to be liquid-proof using heated pressure segments or heat-sealing dies. The folding carton blanks, together with the pieces of film, are fed to a tail pulley for a transport belt by means of the transport belt and are inserted in the gap between the tail pulley and the transport belt resting thereon. In this gap, the blanks and pieces of film are continuously heat-sealed together by means of at least two heated pressure segments that are disposed on the outer periphery of the tail pulley and push radially from inwards against the transport belt in the area of deflection of the transport belt and thus onto the edges of the pieces of film.

The present invention relates to a method and a device for heat-sealing windows into folding carton blanks in order to produce liquid-proof folding cartons having film windows, film pieces that have been cut to measure being placed onto the window openings of the folding carton blanks and the edges of the film pieces being heat-sealed to the folding carton blanks in a liquid-proof manner using heated pressure segments or heat-sealing dies.
The production of folding cartons having film windows, in which film pieces are placed onto the window openings of the folding carton blanks and are fastened there, is known in various methods. For example, in De-A-31 29 496 a method is described for the continuous production of folding cartons having film windows in which a piece of film made of flexible plastic material is glued over the window opening area. Here, the film is drawn from a supply roll, cut into pieces, and glued over the pre-stamped window opening area with as precise a fit as possible.
In EP-A-1 201 417, a method is described for multi-web production of folding carton blanks having glued-on film pieces, in which block cylinders are used to apply adhesive to the window opening area of the folding carton blanks at a gluing station, and film pieces are placed onto the adhesive-coated areas using a suction cylinder. A suction belt is used to transport the folding carton blanks. If a folding carton blank is missing, the suction belt is contaminated with glue and the following folding carton blank is undesirably contaminated with glue. It is therefore necessary either to raise the entire block cylinder or to lower the suction belt. In order to avoid contamination of the following folding carton blanks given a relatively high production rate with multi-web transport, in the area of the block cylinders the suction belts are supported in such a way that only defined sub-areas of the relevant suction belt need be removed from the area of contact with the block cylinder.
In order to produce liquid-proof folding cartons having windows with a tight heat-sealing of the film window to the liquid-proof surface of the folding carton, a method is known that uses heated stamps to heat-seal the film window to the folding carton. Here, the film material is first drawn mechanically from a roller, cut to length, and placed onto the window opening of the folding carton blanks, which are laid flat. The folding carton blank is moved on a transport belt above which a heated stamp is situated that is lowered onto the film window with pressure, and is transported during the heat-sealing process with the same speed as the transport belt. After the heat-sealing is completed, the stamp moves upward and is moved back to its initial position, opposite the direction of transport of the transport belt. In order to increase efficiency, it is possible to simultaneously operate a plurality of stamps in a repetitive method; here efficiency is limited by the fact that, due to the nature of the process, the time during which the stamp is moved back to its initial position cannot be used for heat-sealing.

Method and device for heat-sealing windows into folding carton blanks


Method and system for creating an electronic circuit design from a system-level environment. A plurality of user-selectable system-level design objects are provided in the system-level environment. Each system-level design object is defined by a system-level function and is selectable by a system-level designer. A plurality of hardware-level design objects are also provided. Each hardware-level design object is configured to generate a hardware definition of a hardware-level function. Each system-level design object maps to one or more hardware-level design objects. In response to selections made by the designer, a system-level design is instantiated in a system-level design file. The system-level design includes user-selected ones of the system-level design objects. The system simulates behavior of the system-level design consistent with both the system-level functions and behavior of a hardware definition from the hardware-level design objects that implement the user-selected ones of the system-level design objects.

Modern electronic systems that are implemented in application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable integrated circuits (FPGAs), or complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs) are often extremely complex, requiring years of effort to realize. For this reason, it is common to decompose the design problem into phases: a specification phase in which the functional requirements of the system are defined, a modeling phase in which an executable version of the functional description is realized, and an implementation phase in which a hardware realization of the system is created. For the end result to be correct, each phase must faithfully implement the result of the previous phase. For example, the hardware realization must exactly mirror the functional model created during the modeling phase. In practice, validating that implementations are faithful, which is the greatest part the design effort, often exposes design flaws or faulty assumptions upstream. This, in turn, results in reworking the earlier design representation.
The modeling phase consists of capturing the design in an executable form, simulating, then analyzing the results. The modeling phase is appropriate for algorithm exploration, in which system parameters such as sample rates, data precision, and choice of functional blocks are decided. This process is iterative, with the results of analysis leading to revisions that allow system specifications to be met. In the modeling phase, a high level of abstraction is desirable in order to facilitate algorithm exploration. For example, it is common to represent arithmetic values using floating point or fixed point rather than as buses of logic signals. Sampled data systems are also most conveniently modeled by defining sample rates rather than using explicit interconnections ("wires") representing clock and associated control signals (e.g., enable, reset).
The hardware realization phase consists of creating a low-level implementation of the system in terms of primitives in an appropriate technology library. Hardware description languages such as VHDL and Verilog are commonly used for such a representation. In this representation, high level constructs such as sample rates and arithmetic values must be implemented in terms of clock signals and buses of logic vectors, and functional operators (e.g., discrete Fourier transform) must be mapped into appropriate circuitry. To achieve high performance, libraries of intellectual property (IP) blocks are commonly used. Such IP blocks are typically custom built to be efficient in the target technology.
In traditional system design flows, the system designer is responsible for creating both the system model and the hardware realization. Moreover, the designer must ensure that the hardware realization meets the system specification. This validation can be extremely time-consuming, especially if redesign of the system model is required.
For high-level modeling of digital signal processing (DSP) systems, a visual data flow paradigm has been found to be well suited and widely adopted by system architects. In a data flow model, the system is a network of functional operators that process data carried by signals between the operators. Since many DSP algorithms are naturally specified by signal flow graphs, the topology of a visual data flow model often closely resembles the algorithm specification. Specifying a system in a visual data flow environment is in some ways similar to specifying a design in a traditional schematic capture tool. Visual data flow environments provide a block editor, which can be used to construct models by connecting elements selected from libraries of functional blocks. In contrast to schematic tools, however, the library blocks and the simulation environment in a data flow tool provide a high level of functional abstraction, with polymorphic data types and operators to model arithmetic operations on integer, fixed-point, and floating-point data. Time evolution is typically specified by sample rates rather than by wiring explicit clocks.
Although previous design flow environments support system-level modeling, the costs associated with the high level of abstraction include inefficient hardware implementations and inexact modeling of the hardware in the system-level simulation. Prior existing visual data flow environments have been suitable for system modeling (i.e., specification and simulation), but have not provided automatic generation of a hardware realization of the system model. Instead, a typical design flow involves a manual translation of the system model to a hardware realization (e.g., ASIC or FPGA), and a manual verification that ensures the hardware faithfully implements the system model.
For example, the commercial visual data flow environment, SPW, from Cadence, provides simulation libraries and target implementations. However, the user is required to manually create the hardware implementation by explicitly replacing simulation models by the target library elements. This process is non-trivial, since replacement can involve one-to-many mapping (architectural synthesis, including re-timing and hardware sharing), as well as synthesis of additional circuitry for inferred control logic (handshaking and clocking).
A method and system that supports both modeling and automatic generation of a faithful and efficient hardware realization are therefore desirable.

Method and system for modeling and automatically generating an electronic design from a system level environment


A method for the reduction or elimination of microbes in liquid or food products whereby the passage of a waveform, such as a DC square-wave, of a specific amplitude, duty cycle and current through the liquid or food product for a specific time period, allows for the elimination of microbes such as Salmonella Typhimurium from a variety of substances, including water, milk and solid food products.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for electrically stimulating substances, such as liquids or food products, to reduce or eliminate live microorganisms present therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Known methods for reducing live microorganisms in substances include the application of heat, chemicals, and irradiation. All of these methods are expensive. Further, the application of chemical treatments to food products is unacceptable, as it requires the addition of dangerous chemicals to either the processing water or the liquids undergoing treatment.

Method for reducing or eliminating microorganisms in substances by electric stimulation

The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas


The invention provides a paper money discriminating device which is simplified in structure and can be manufactured less expensively and therefore can contribute to cost reduction and productivity improvement. Thus, a first detecting member and a second detecting member are released from contact with each other, the second detecting member performs a prescribed action and the action of the second detecting member is detected by a detector when a paper money accommodating unit is taken off a discriminating device body, when an openable member is opened, or when paper money accommodated in the paper money accommodating unit has reached or surpassed a prescribed quantity, a state in which the paper money accommodating unit is taken off, a state in which the openable member is opened and a state in which paper money accommodated in the paper money accommodating unit has reached or surpassed the prescribed quantity can be detected by a single detector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper money discriminating device for use in vending machines and the like which accept paper money.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known conventional paper money discriminating devices of this kind include one comprising a discriminating unit for discriminating paper money put into a paper money inlet, a carrying mechanism for carrying discriminated paper money to a prescribed position in a discriminating device body, a pushing mechanism for pushing the paper money carried to the prescribed position in a prescribed direction, and a paper money accommodating unit for accepting the paper money pushed by the pushing mechanism, equipped with an openable cover for opening and closing a paper money outlet, is detachably installed on the discriminating device body (see for instance the specification of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,985).
This kind of paper money discriminating device is provided with a first detector for detecting the state in which the paper money accommodating unit is not fitted to the discriminating device body, a second detector for detecting the open state of the openable cover, and a third detector for detecting the state in which the paper money accommodating unit has reached a prescribed loaded level (see for instance the specification of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,345), and when any of these detectors detects any of the states referred to above, a prescribed detection signal is issued.
The pushing mechanism consists of a pushing plate for pushing paper money and a drive mechanism for moving the pushing plate in the direction of pushing paper money, and the pushing plate is moved while being kept parallel to the direction of pushing paper money by engaging a sliding member, which is engaged with rails laid in the discriminating device body, with a slit bored in the pushing plate. A known example of the pushing mechanism is a pantagraph type one, which moves the pushing plate with a pair of mutually crossing links (see for instance the specification of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,367).
However, as this paper money discriminating device requires three detectors for detecting the unfitted state of the paper money accommodating unit and other states, it is complex in structure, requires many constituent parts, and accordingly invites an increase in cost and a decrease in productivity. Those using a sliding member or a pantagraph mechanism for its pushing mechanism also involve the problems of complex structure and a large number of constituent parts as described above.


According to one exemplary embodiment, an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) pellicle for protecting a lithographic mask includes an aerogel film. The pellicle further includes a frame for mounting the aerogel film over the lithographic mask. The aerogel film causes the pellicle to have increased EUV light transmittance.

During semiconductor wafer fabrication, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light can be utilized in a lithographic process to enable transfer of very small patterns, such as nanometer-scale patterns, from a mask to the semiconductor wafer. In EUV lithography, a pattern formed on a lithographic mask can be transferred to a semiconductor wafer by reflecting EUV light off of portions of a reflective surface from which an absorbing film has been selectively removed. A pellicle can be placed in front of the mask to prevent unwanted particles from reaching the mask surface and, thereby, altering the pattern formed on the mask. However, since EUV light is highly absorbed by all known materials, placing a reticle in front of the mask can significantly reduce EUV light transmittance, which can undesirably reduce throughput of an EUV lithography exposure tool.
In one approach, a lithographic mask is kept in a box having a lid that is closed to protect the mask from particle contamination. After the lithographic mask has been inserted into the EUV lithography exposure tool, the lid on the box can be opened in the vacuum chamber of the exposure tool just before using the mask. After use, the lid on the box can be quickly closed to protect the mask. However, in this approach, the lithographic mask can be contaminated by particles that are generated as a result of materials rubbing when the lid is opened or closed.

EUV pellicle with increased EUV light transmittance


My child educational board game, “Word Battle”, requires players to approach word learning, sequencing, and construction from a naval/military strategist point of view in that instead of targeting objectives in a mere hit-or-miss situation, where the goal in and of itself is to reach and eliminate occupied coordinates, he/she must locate and actually identify the quality of opponents' pieces (these being letters) before the other competitors capture or eliminate out of play all his/her own word patterns.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention involves a game of skill and requires a demonstration of vocabulary knowledge, logical reasoning and sequencing abilities—all of which are enhanced during play of this invention. More specifically, the present invention concerns, but is not restricted to, the area of child educational development. Further, it is at once adaptable to any of the related Indo-European languages, and can be further adapted to the Asian languages.
The key element of this invention comprises a closable-type box apparatus where grid regions are imprinted on the top box lid, and being connected to a bottom container of the same dimensions, opens to a ninety-degree angle wherein two more grids of the same height, length, and number of units are revealed as being imprinted on the interior surface of the top lid and the interior surface of the bottom portion of the apparatus.
The apparatus/invention operates as a concealing mechanism for words formed by opposing players in competition. Each player, or team of players, uses the bottom game grid to create words inside the apparatus via magnetized lettered tile pieces which are affixed onto individual spaces of the bottom interior grid. The upper grid on the inside of each apparatus is used to chart and track the progression of a player's attempts to locate and identify his/her opponent's words. In essence, the interior upper grid, inside the apparatus, represents the opponent's game region—the focus of attack. In a competition involving more than two players or teams, the hit or miss attempts against one's own region are identified on his/her own outer grid; he/she places the magnetized letters and other identifying game pieces onto the outer top grid as letters and their composite words are identified and eliminated out of competition. Obviously, the outer lid grids are visible to all opponents and therefore maintain the orderliness of who has eliminated what during play. Thus, this allows multiple players or teams to visually asses the game status of fellow competitors and judge future attempts to capture others' letters.
The game, as defined by the invented apparatus, while retaining aspects of similar commercial products, is characterized by its emphasis on elimination of pre-arranged words and configurations thereabouts. This enhances the game's ability to achieve and maintain involvement in several ways: (1) through requiring strategic placement of letters onto grid coordinates in ways which will prevent or delay opponents discovering such; (2) enabling players opportunities, by means of arbitrary and calculated guesses in various play options, to determine the precise locations and identities of opponents' letters before participants capture his/her own placed word grouping patterns, or in the case of more than two players or teams, being the last player or team with letters remaining on his/her or their bottom interior game grid—that region which is the focus of attack for the other opponent(s).
It is the element of attempting elimination of opponent's "fleet" of words which lends the game to aspects of simulated warfare. The game can therefore be categorized in a salvo classification.
(2) Description of Related Art
Games, where two participants play in opposition, have been provided which typically comprise a boxed apparatus. When this apparatus is opened, a pair of areas sectioned equally into coordinate grids of similar size and numbered units is revealed. Each coordinate within the pair of grids typically has an aperture into which valued game pieces are inserted and removed. A particular player's grids are hidden from the view of the competing opponent during play. One grid in the apparatus is for placement and prepositioning of valued game pieces—the targets that the opponent is to eliminate. The second grid in the apparatus is utilized relative to the opponent's action area—the grid onto which he/she has placed his/her own valued game pieces. The second grid is therefore used to record the attempts made in targeting and eliminating the opponent's valued game pieces. Thus, such a game is essentially a military or naval style product whose objective is to be the first in locating and eliminating the opponent's units.
An example is typified by Thomander in U.S. Pat. No. 3,514,110 which sets forth a boxed game board divided into a pair of identical sections adapted to be arranged adjacent to each other and separated by an upright barrier formed from the box lid so as to obscure the selected placement of ferruled game pieces on one of the boards from the view of opposing player. "Hit" or "miss" attempts relative to the opponent's grid placements are recorded on one of a player's grids. Once there is a hit, that is recorded not just by that player on one of his/her grids, but by the second opponent by inserting markings onto his/her own valued pieces.
Another example is set forth by Woolhouse in U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,428 where the two playing fields, each composed of a pair of sectioned grid areas, are mounted to each other in a way that provides for ease of assembly and disassembly into a carrying case for transport.
Of course, the origin of such games is "Battleship"—a pencil and paper game invented by Von Wickler and then formally published as a pad and pencil game by Milton Bradley in 1943. These games have been restricted to competition between 2 players (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battleship_ (game)).
Further, there are various word-forming type games where objectives vary, but whose underlying theme is creating, strategizing toward, solving for and discovering words and their composite letters. An example is typified by Kindred in U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,273 which sets forth a game that comprises a board having twenty six rows of playing areas arranged in five columns, into which playing pieces may be placed. An opponent attempts to break a hidden code formed by the pieces. The rows are numbered A-Z and the attempts are scores according to the nearness to an accurate guess by the player. The code has five such letters forming a word, one letter per column.
Another example is typified by Jones-Fenleigh in U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,036 which sets forth a game comprising a board, a holder, a set of playing pieces, a set of marking elements, a set of scoring elements, and a word list. The board has a number of rows of playing areas which serve as test areas for a player's attempts in duplicating a hidden code word chosen by the player's opponent.
While military/naval style games have been provided where participants strategically place valued pieces in coordinate grids and attempt to locate and eliminate one another's pieces within a defined area, and while there are various word-forming type games whose underlying theme is creating, strategizing toward, solving for and discovering words and their component letters, it is important to note that games have been provided regarding the injection of letters, instead of military or naval units, into a grid coordinate system so as to represent a "fleet" of words for elimination by an opponent Several games have been published on-line which provide set-up instructions and rules for such competitions.
For example, http://www.superteacherideas.com/spelling2-battleship.html has the game activity "Sink and Spell" where students make a sheet with two grids. Letters are written on the top and numbers to the side for coordinate identification. The players then write words into the grids. Coordinates are called out. A miss indicates no letter in a particular space, but a hit results in the opponent revealing the letter. This game is played by a pair of opponents.
Another example posted on this website, "Battleship Spelling", is a more detailed version of "Sink and Spell" with guidelines regarding number of words to use and dimensions of paper sheets on which to create the grids. The listing actually states that this is "just like the Battleship board game".
Http://www.lessonplanspage.com/LASpellBattleship3JH.htm, posts "Spelling Battleship" with the rule that once there is a "hit" on any particular coordinate, the opponent is immediately told the word and he/she then has to spell it correctly. If that player correctly spells the word, he/she gets a point and the word is revealed in its entirety; otherwise the turn is lost. That player, however, may reattempt the spelling on the next turn by calling the space coordinate. The first player to locate and spell all the words on his/her opponent's grid wins.
An advantage of military/naval style games of the prior art is developing within players the skills important for tracking dispersal of attacks over a coordinate system and anticipating where the next "hits" could be. This advantage is constrained, however, in that they engage players on mere hit-or-miss cues, limiting assessments to success failure ratios between opponents' progress against one another's targets. Advantages of word games of the prior art encourage players to develop spelling abilities for accurate vocabulary usage, as well as to figure out how words are encoded into language, their meanings, and differences in relation to one another for the ultimate objective of communication.
These two key features: (1) initiating, tracking, and assessing the success or failure in targeting unknown pre-positioned objectives within a military/naval style grid coordinate-type system, and (2) creating and solving for words in a puzzle-type environment have been combined by inventors to create innovative games. Substituting words and their respective letters for military/naval units into the typical coordinate grid system of a sectioned, visually hidden region is a clear advantage of such inventions. The result is an expansion of the identifiable qualities of each occupied coordinate so that, once a unit is determined to be occupied, arbitrary guesses leading to more calculated judgments can be taken, thus bringing a mere salvo objective to one where vocabulary can increase the necessity for higher logic and sequencing skills.
Typically, where games require a level of skill from players, it must be arranged in a way that provides adequate challenge to players/teams. Even though the game board is uniform throughout, the region itself changes as players agree from competition to competition on labels for rank (row) and file (column) to map the coordinate region. These labels can be letters, numbers, colors, objects, or such. This therefore keeps the apparatus' themselves changing and new, to an extent.
But over time, even this dynamic can become familiar, to the point of simplicity since the rules governing the word attack apply uniformly throughout the game board playing field. What adds complexity is the level of knowledge players bring to the game. In theory, the level of difficulty would only be limited by the degree of scholarship; college graduates with complex word knowledge could increase the level of challenge. Since the rules remain somewhat straight forward, the game can be as easy or as difficult depending on the sophistication of the players, whose talents ultimately govern the complexity of the competition itself.
It is important to note that a key disadvantage of previously provided word-salvo games is their allowance for a maximum of two players in any competition. They are thus limited in the scope of complexity which could be achieved through three or more opponent play.

Closable-type game board box for strategic word pattern engagement


A rotary type automatic pencil includes a front socket member fastened to a sleeve at the bottom to hold a guide tube, a rotary member mounted within the front socket member around the guide tube, a helical spring mounted around the guide tube and fastened to the rotary member, a lead holder tube and a propelling element mounted inside the guide tube, wherein rotating the rotary member causes the helical spring to force the lead holder tube and the propelling element upwards/downwards along a longitudinal sliding slot of the guide tube; the propelling element is lowered to push the lead out of the lead holder tube when the lead holder tube is stopped in a lower limit position and the rotary member is continuously rotated.

The present invention relates to automatic pencils, and more particularly to a rotary type automatic pencil.
A variety of automatic pencils have been disclosed, and have appeared on the market. These automatic pencils include two types, one controlled by a push button, and the other controlled by a rotary cap. U.S. Pat. No. 1,546,490 discloses a rotary type automatic pencil which uses a helical spring to guide the movement of the lead. However, this structure cannot let the lead be fully utilized, and the lead tends to be forced back to the inside of the barrel by an error.


A tuneable laser having an active section, a phase section and a Bragg reflector comprising a plurality of discrete grating units, at least two of which gratings have a different pitch, wherein current is applicable to at least the grating having a longer pitch, such that the effective wavelength of the grating having a longer pitch can be tuned to the wavelength of the grating having a shorter pitch. A chirp grating can provide the difference in pitch.

Tuneable lasers are well known in the field of optical communications, particularly in connection with wavelength division multiplex telecommunication systems, which rely upon either being fed by stacks of individually wavelength distributed Bragg reflectors (DBR) lasers, which can be individually selected, or by a wide tuning range tuneable laser that can be electronically driven to provide the wavelength required. Limited tuning range tuneable lasers that rely upon thermal effects for tuning are also available.
In this specification the term "light" will be used in the sense that it is used in optical systems to mean not just visible light but also electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength between 1000 nanometers (nm) and 3000 nm.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,325 discloses a wavelength tuneable laser having sampled gratings at the front and rear of its gain region. The gratings produce slightly different reflection combs which provide feedback into the device. The gratings can be current tuned in wavelength with respect to each other. Co-incidence of a maximum from each of the front and rear gratings is referred to as a supermode. To switch the device between supermodes requires a small electrical current into one of the gratings to cause a different pair of maxima to co-incide in the manner of a vernier. By applying different electrical currents to the two gratings, continuous tuning within a supermode can be achieved. In practice, the reflection spectra of the known sampled grating structures have a sine squared envelope which limits the total optical bandwidth over which the laser can reliably operate as a single mode device.
In contrast to the Segmented Grating Distributed Bragg Reflector (SG-DBR) described above, a Phase Shift Grating Distributed Bragg Reflector (PSG-DBR) is disclosed in GB-A-2331135. This has a plurality of repeat grating units in which each grating unit comprises a series of adjacent gratings having the same pitch, which gratings are separated by a phase change of π radians, wherein the gratings have different lengths to provide a pre-determined reflection spectrum.
The known devices have Bragg gratings which bound both ends of the gain and phase regions of a four section tuneable laser, which produces a comb wavelength response. For a given set of drive currents to the front and rear grating sections there is simultaneous correspondence in reflection peak at only one wavelength, as a consequence of which the device lases at that wavelength. To change this wavelength a different current is applied to the front and rear gratings. Thus the front and rear gratings operate in a vernier mode, in which the wavelengths of correspondence determine a supermode wavelength. Although the known devices have generally been acceptable, they share a tendency to suffer from short wavelength losses, which in combination with the front grating tuning absorption reduces the output power of the laser.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,318 discloses a DBR laser with an extended tuning range. A plurality of discrete gratings are arranged on opposing sides of a gain section. One discrete grating on each side is tuned so that each exhibits a wavelength-specific reflectivity which co-incides with the other, and thus the gain section is caused to lase at that wavelength. Discrete gratings are however required on both sides of the gain region.


A quick-change jaw assembly for use in machining operations. The assembly includes a top jaw which may be removed from a chuck and thereafter repositioned on the same or a different chuck without losing the accuracy previously established through machining of such jaws.

The present invention relates to jaw assemblies for use with a chuck and, more particularly, to quick-change jaw assemblies which accurately locate the top jaws to achieve close tolerance workholding following jaw changeover without remachining of such top jaws.
Machining operations such as turning, grinding, milling and inspection require a workpiece to be held accurately with respect to the cutting tool. In many such applications, the design specifications require a repeatable accuracy of at least 0.0001" total indicator reading (TIR). Workpieces may be held with such accuracy by use of what are commonly referred to as "precision chucks." These chucks are typically power actuated, i.e., the jaw assemblies are movable in a radial direction (to grasp and release the workpiece) by means of an actuating mechanism and a source of power such as compressed air. To ensure the required accuracy, the top jaws used to hold the workpiece are typically machined to the required size and configuration once such jaws are secured to the chuck, the chuck being fixed to the machine.
However, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art, it is often necessary to change the top jaws to allow holding of different sized/configured workpieces on that particular machine. Alternatively, the top jaws may be removed from one machine so that such jaws may be installed on another machine to allow an additional machining operation to be performed on the same workpiece. This changing of top jaws is a labor intensive operation in that the holding accuracy previously established on the machine is lost once such jaws are removed from the machine. This accuracy must again be established through careful and labor intensive setup of the top jaws on the new machine, and typically must be followed by at least one machining operation of the top jaws after they are again secured to the chuck. On many machines, including certain automatic machines, the need to remachine the top jaws after changeover is a difficult/expensive operation. Additionally, a particular set of top jaws can only be remachined a limited number of times.
Various companies have attempted to overcome the disadvantages associated with jaw changeover by providing what are now referred to as "quick-change" jaws. These quick-change jaws, which are promoted as providing high accuracy even after jaw changeover, generally include top jaws which cooperate with the underlying master jaws to position such top jaws thereon. These prior art quick-change jaws may approach repositioning accuracies of 0.0001" TIR, but only if each of the top jaws is repositioned on the same master jaw of the same chuck. Accordingly, the top jaws must be labeled when removed from the chuck so as to allow identical repositioning of the jaws on the chuck. An additional drawback associated with many prior art quick-change jaw assemblies is that the design of the assembly allows either external or internal clamping of the workpiece, but not both types of clamping.
One known prior art quick-change jaw assembly designed and commercialized by the assignee herein utilizes a plurality of sub jaws, the sub jaws being mounted to the radially-movable master jaws. Each of the sub jaws includes a ground section connected to the body of such sub jaw by a flexing web. The top jaw is secured to the sub jaw by means of a single, centrally-located screw which engages a threaded hole in the ground section. As the screw is tightened, the ground section is caused to pivot about the web towards the top jaw, thus causing the ground section to positively engage at least one surface of the top jaw thereby locating the top jaw with respect to the sub jaw. This prior art quick-change jaw assembly, although providing repositioning accuracy after jaw changeover, suffers from at least the following disadvantages: 1) Because of the mechanical advantages created by the cooperation of the screw/ground section, overtightening of such screw adversely impacts the tolerances previously established in the top jaw thereby negatively affecting the close tolerance workholding required in a machining operation, particularly when internal clamping of the workpiece is required; 2) The need to utilize sub jaws introduces additional tolerances and costs to the machining operation; and 3) The need to utilize sub jaws results in the top jaws being moved a distance away from the datum plane defined by the face of the chuck thereby magnifying (at the workpiece location) the tolerances found in the components of the chuck and jaw assemblies.
There is therefore a need in the art for a quick-change jaw assembly which provides repositioning accuracies of at least 0.0001" TIR after jaw changeover, even if the top jaws are not repositioned in the identical fashion on the chuck. There is a further need in the art for a quick-change jaw assembly which allows the top jaws to be moved from chuck to chuck while maintaining repositioning accuracies of at least 0.0001" TIR. Finally, there is a need in the art for a quick-change jaw assembly which eliminates the need for a sub jaw assembly, which limits the ability of an operator to adversely impact the tolerances previously established on the top jaw by overtightening of the top jaws to the master jaws and which minimizes the distance between the workpiece and the datum plane defined by the chuck face.

Northfield Precision Instruments Corporation