Provided is a high-loading and alkali-resistant protein A magnetic bead. The magnetic bead can maintain chemical stability under pH 2-14 and has an immunoglobulin G (IgG) binding capacity greater than 50 mg/mL. Further provided is a method for purifying and/or detecting an immunoglobulin, comprising a step of contacting a sample containing the immunoglobulin with the high-loading and alkali-resistant protein A magnetic bead. The alkali-resistant protein A magnetic bead can realize rapid purification of immunoglobulin, saving about 80% of treatment time and reducing total purification costs by 50%. In addition, the alkali-resistant protein A magnetic bead has high alkali resistance. An alkaline method for in situ cleaning can be performed to regenerate the magnetic bead after use. The magnetic bead has rapid magnetic response and good dispersiveness, realizing rapid magnetic bead enrichment, cleaning, and elution. The magnetic bead facilitates automated, high-throughput, and large volume purification of a sample.

Biotechnology is one of the fastest growing areas of high technology in the world today. As one of the fields of biotechnology, antibody drugs have achieved remarkable market performance in recent years. Antibody drugs have been widely used in basic biomedical research and diagnosis and treatment of diseases (such as cancer, organ transplant rejection, autoimmune diseases, etc.). Many pharmaceutical companies, especially biotechnology pharmaceutical companies, have gradually entered the field of development and production of antibody drugs. With the emergence of a great number of therapeutic pharmaceutical antibodies in the medical field, accelerating the research and development process and optimizing the production process are getting more and more attention.
In general, two important processes in the development of new antibodies require purification techniques: 1) early high-throughput screening of antibodies and 2) large-scale production of antibodies.
Immunized animals are subjected to antigen immunization to generate polyclonal antibodies. These antibody-producing cells require subsequent processing and screening to obtain effective monoclonal antibody cells. In this session, a large number of antibody cell screening work will be involved. A conventional screening method involves culturing a small amount of monoclonal cells (5-50 mL), purifying the cells by using an affinity resin, harvesting an antibody from the cell culture, and then testing the effect of the antibody. The purification process is cumbersome, including sample centrifugation and filtration, column packing with the resin, loading, washing and elution, etc. Usually, one sample corresponds to one column, which is difficult to achieve high-throughput and large-scale purification. Purification of antibodies with magnetic beads can avoid the cumbersome processing steps of sample centrifugation and filtration, column packing, etc. Using a fast magnetic response process to efficiently complete the processes of loading and incubation, washing and elution, etc., in combination with an automated apparatus, can simultaneously process up to 96 samples, thereby achieving fast and high-throughput screening. In the conventional large-scale production of antibodies, purification is carried out by means of a purification resin. The same problems may be encountered when purifying a large-volume sample with the resin: complicated processes including sample centrifugation and filtration, and column packing with a packing material, and a lot of time and manpower required for loading, washing and elution due to the restriction of the flow rate through the column.
High-throughput and large-scale purification of antibodies can be generally achieved quickly and easily using magnetic beads. However, commercially available magnetic beads are poor in static loading, magnetic response and dispersiveness, and are mainly used for enrichment of a small volume of micro-samples, which cannot meet the large-scale purification application of antibodies or proteins. The dynamic loading of traditional resins is generally 35-45 mg/mL, and in order to prevent sample loss, the actual sample-loading amount is controlled to be between 60%-80% of the dynamic loading of the resins, corresponding to the actual used loading of between 20-36 mg/mL. The current commercially available magnetic beads have a static loading of at most 35 mg/mL. To achieve the same purification ability as the resins, the amount of magnetic beads required is basically equivalent to the amount of the resins used. The production cost of magnetic beads is often 2-3 times that of the resins, so that the magnetic beads do not have raw material cost advantage in purification. The alkali-resistant protein A magnetic bead of the present invention has a binding loading greater than 50 mg/ml. With the magnetic bead of the present invention, the relative cost advantage is effectively increased while high-throughput and large-scale purification of antibodies is quickly and easily realized.
Antibodies are produced from cell culture. Antibodies of interest are produced in cells or secreted into the surrounding medium. In the process of culturing cells, the addition of cofactors such as sugars, amino acids, and growth factors to the culture medium is required, so it is necessary to separate the antibody from other cellular components in the culture medium to a sufficient purity before it can be used as a therapeutic agent for humans. The most commonly used method of antibody purification is affinity chromatography, which has the advantages of being simple, rapid and highly selective, and can significantly reduce the subsequent purification steps. Maintaining low production costs in modern industry is also an important requirement in the production process. If the purification chromatography medium required for production can be used repeatedly, the production cost of the antibody can be significantly reduced. However, since non-eluted proteins, protein aggregates, and even substances harmful to the human body, such as viruses and endotoxins, may be left each time the antibody is purified using the chromatography medium, the chromatography medium must be cleaned when it is reused. The most effective way to recover the chromatography medium now is an alkaline process called in situ cleaning. The standard procedure of this method involves treating the purification medium with 0.5 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH). This harsh way can effectively remove impurities, but it is likely to damage the purification medium. The ligand of the alkali-resistant protein A magnetic bead of the present invention is a highly alkali-resistant Protein A, which can withstand a highly alkaline environment of pH 12-14. Therefore, using the magnetic bead of the present invention enables an alkaline in situ cleaning mode, effectively removes impurities, restores high-loading binding characteristics of the magnetic bead, and achieves the effect of up to 50 or more times of repeated uses.

High-loading and alkali-resistant protein a magnetic bead and method of use thereof


A display apparatus informing of a programmed recording comprises a message generator for providing the programmed recording information a is displayed few seconds immediately prior to correspondence between a programmed before the present recording time and the current time in response to the inputting display interruption signal, an input selecting switch for selecting tuner signals and VCR regenerating signals, a picture-in-picture part for generating the main and sub-screens, and a Y/C processing part for processing the output signals of the PIP part outputting them to an output jack and a TV RF converter, respectively, wherein the interruption in watching TV is eliminated, and the troublesome key manipulations are eliminated.

Generally, when a viewer wants to record a predetermined program of the TV with the VCR, the viewer inputs a recording time, a broadcasting channel and a broadcasting program in advance. Then, when it is the programmed recording time corresponds to the current time, the programmed broadcasting channel is automatically selected and the VCR is subjected to the recording mode, so that the input broadcasting program is automatically recorded. Therefore, at the programmed recording time, the programmed broadcasting program to record is unconditionally recorded even when the viewer is currently watching the TV or watching a regenerated program of the VCR.
Accordingly, in the case where the viewer does not want to carry out the programmed recording, but wants to continue watching, since the recording mode of the VCR has to be converted to the original mode manually by the viewer, the viewer can not continue his watching without any interruption.

Display apparatus informing of programmed recording


A tickle stick for locating marine life including lobsters which comprises an adjustable lighted end for probing locations where lobsters and the like may be found underwater. The stick includes a water tight compartment for housing a commercially available flash light to provide, at low cost, the light needed in locating the lobster. The water tight compartment also serves to provide positive buoyancy as well as a storage compartment.

1. Field
The present invention relates to aids for divers and fisherman in locating fish and in particular to tickle sticks used in locating lobsters.
2. Prior Art
There have been some related prior art inventions. These inventions are described briefly in the following summaries.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,917 illustrates a prod or tickle stick used by a diver to urge a lobster from a hole. However, it fails to have a built-in lighting system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,147 illustrates a fiber illuminated stick or probe used for assisting in the performance of incubations. However, it fails to be useful under water as a tickle stick
U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,579 illustrates a lighting device used by underwater divers. However, it is not useful as a tickle stick.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,638 illustrates an illuminated diving aid for use in areas or conditions of zero or low visibility. However, it fails to be useful as a tickle stick.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,873 illustrates an underwater light where the light source is located in the head assembly. However, it is not useful as a tickle stick, nor is it used for catching lobsters.
In addition to the short comings of prior art devices noted above, most tickle sticks require special custom lights built into the stick. There is no adjustment of the angle of the end of the stick or the light for different situations and the stick is difficult to locate if dropped underwater. These and other short comings of prior art devices are overcome by the present invention which is described below.


Protein isolates having a high protein content and low residual fat content are provided in substantially non-denatured form by extracting an oil seed meal having a significant fat content, particularly canola meal, with an aqueous food grade salt solution to cause solubilization of protein and fat in the oil seed meal and form an aqueous protein solution. Fat is removed from the aqueous protein solution by chilling the aqueous protein solution and removing the fat which separates. The protein concentration of the defatted protein solution is increased while the ionic strength is maintained substantially constant. A further fat removal operation may be carried out on the concentrated protein solution followed by dilution to an ionic strength below about 0.2 to cause the formation of discrete protein particles in the aqueous phase in the form of protein micelles. These protein micelles are settled to form a mass of aggregated protein isolate in the form of an amorphous, sticky gelatinous, gluten-like protein micellar mass, which is separated from the supernatant and dried to a proteinaceous powder.

Present day commercial oilseed processing techniques emphasize the production of bright, superdegummed oil and result in the removal from the oil of gums, soapstocks, bleaching clays and pigments, which are by-product materials and which are disposed of by adding them back to the meal resulting from crushing the oil seeds to remove the oil.
The addition of such materials to the oil seed meal results in a situation where it is not possible to extract protein isolates containing in excess of about 90% protein from such meals using environmentally sensitive isolation techniques. The fat present in the commercial meals normally results in concentration of the fat along with the protein in conventional processing techniques.
Protein levels which can be achieved with conventional processing techniques generally do not exceed about 70 to 75 wt % and their functionality in food systems is impaired by virtue of the interference of the fat. In addition, the presence of the fat in the dry protein product can lead to rancidity and other fat-related problems, including poor solubility, caking etc., as well as discoloration resulting from co-processing of pigments in the meal with the fat.
One emphasis of oil seed plant breeding program is towards improving the yield of oil from the oil seeds and indeed cultivars have been developed, for example, for canola (rapeseed) which are higher yielding in term of oil. However, such enhanced oil production has the effect of increasing the proportion of fat which is present in the oil seed meal as a result of the addition of the by-products from the oil refining to the oil seed meal.
While it is possible to at least partially remove such fats from the oil seed meals by extraction with organic solvents, the use of organic solvents, especially at elevated temperatures, tends to denature the protein, thereby impairing the functionality of the product, and, in addition, gives rise to a disposal and recovery problem that is not environmentally responsible.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,323, of which I am an inventor, there is described a process for the isolation of proteins from various sources. The protein source materials which are employed in such process may come from a variety of sources, including oil seeds. The oil seed meals which were available in 1980, at the time of the issuance of the patent, did not have the fat contamination levels which are present in current oil seed meals and, as a consequence, the process that is described in the earlier patent, cannot produce from the present-day oil seed meals, proteinaceous material products which have the more than 90% protein content, which is a property of the proteinaceous materials produced by the process produced in the patent. It is necessary to employ a significant modification to such process to enable such products to be produced from present-day oil seed meals, including cold-pressed meals.


Robotic vacuum cleaner (1) including: a housing (100) defining a dust container reception compartment (108) that has a dust container reception opening (110) in an outer surface (102) of the housing; a dust container (200) configured to be removably receivable inside the compartment (108) via the dust opening, such that, in an operationally received condition, an outer push surface (208) of the dust container is flush with the outer surface of the housing, while in a removably received condition, the push surface (208) protrudes outwardly from said outer surface (102) of the housing; and a push-push mechanism (300) configured to maintain a received dust container in said operationally received condition when the push surface is pushed inwards into the housing and released a first time, and to force the dust container from said operationally received condition into the removably received condition when pushed inwards and released a second time.

Robotic vacuum cleaners (RVCs) are known in the art, and normally intended to move autonomously—i.e. without human supervision or guidance—through the rooms of a house. Consequently an RVC's outer shape is of particular importance. After all, any recess or projection that forms a potential point of engagement may cause the RVC to catch on something, e.g. a piece of furniture, and get stuck. If, in such a case, the RVC is incapable of releasing itself, it may have to be set free manually by its owner before it can continue its work. The call for a smooth outer shape is therefore primarily a matter of function, but it is noted that it may well be in line with the general pursuit of an aesthetically pleasing 'clean design'.
At the same time, however, an RVC may be fitted with an internal, removable dust container that requires periodic emptying. To facilitate removal of the dust container from the housing of the RVC, the dust container may be provided with a handle or other hand-grippable feature. An obvious drawback of such a feature is that it increases the risk that the RVC is accidentally entangled during operation. This risk may, at least in some designs, be mitigated by providing the feature in a collapsible form, e.g. a hinged dust container handle that can be folded down into a corresponding recess in an outer wall of the housing of the RVC. Unfortunately, such solutions are hardly ever satisfactory from an aesthetic point of view, in particular because they may leave extra and rather perceptible seams or grooves, exclusively related to the technical dust container removal-functionality, in the visible outer surface of the RVC.

Robotic vacuum cleaner with removable dust container


A cable routing system is disclosed that includes a plurality of cable pathway-defining elements, including troughs and fittings. Each of the elements terminates at an attachment end. A coupling is provided for adjoining at least a first one of the attachment ends to at least a second one of the attachment ends. The coupling includes an alignment mechanism for aligning the first and second ends in a predetermined alignment. The coupling further includes a clamp mechanism for clamping of the attachment ends within the coupling when the attachment ends are in the predetermined alignment.

1. Field of the Invention
This application pertains to a system for the management and routing of optical fiber cables. More particularly, this application pertains to an optical fiber routing system which is easily modified and which includes a novel coupling for joining troughs and fittings.
2. Background of the Invention
In the telecommunications industry, the use of optical fibers for signal transmissions is accelerating. With the increased utilization of optical fiber systems, optical fiber cable management requires industry attention.
One area of optical fiber management that is necessary is the routing of optical fibers from one piece of equipment to another. For example, in a telecommunications facility, optical fiber cables may be routed between fiber distribution equipment and optical line terminating equipment. In buildings and other structures which carry such equipment, the cable routing can take place in concealed ceiling areas or in any other manner to route cables from one location to another.
When routing optical fibers, it is desirable that any routing system will be readily modifiable and adaptable to changes in equipment needs. Accordingly, a routing system is not practical that would require a high capital outlay and that could not be readily adapted to changes in a customer's needs. Namely, if routing paths, once established, are forever fixed, the system cannot adapt. Also, and perhaps most importantly, any routing system must protect optical fibers from damage. In the use of optical fibers, it is recognized that the fibers should not be bent beyond a minimum radius of curvature. For example, it is commonly recognized that optical fibers should not be bent in a radius of less than 1.5 inches.
The aforementioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/387,978 teaches an optic cable management system which includes a plurality of troughs and fittings. The troughs are extruded such that they can be cut to any length and present the same attachment end. The present invention pertains to an improved coupling for use in a system such as that shown in Ser. No. 07/387,978 and additional improvements to such a system.


Provided is a tantalum sputtering target having a crystal structure in which the (222) orientation is preferential from a position 10% of the target thickness toward the center face of the target, and a manufacturing method of a tantalum sputtering target, including the steps of forging and recrystallization annealing, and thereafter rolling, a tantalum ingot or billet having been subject to melting and casting, and forming a crystal structure in which the (222) orientation is preferential from a position of 10% of the target thickness toward the center face of the target. As a result, evenness (uniformity) of the film is enhanced, and quality of the sputter deposition is improved.

The present invention pertains to a tantalum sputtering target capable of enhancing the evenness (uniformity) of a film and improving the quality of sputter deposition, and a method for manufacturing a tantalum sputtering target having the foregoing properties by performing forging, annealing, rolling processing, heat treatment and so on to a tantalum ingot or billet having been subject to melting and casting.
In recent years, the sputtering method for forming a film from materials such as metal or ceramics has been used in numerous fields such as electronics, corrosion resistant materials and ornaments, catalysts, as well as in the manufacture of cutting/grinding materials and abrasion resistant materials.
Although the sputtering method itself is a well-known method in the foregoing fields, recently, particularly in the electronics field, a tantalum sputtering target suitable for forming films of complex shapes and forming circuits is in demand.
Generally, this tantalum target is manufactured by forging and annealing (heat treatment) an ingot or billet formed by performing electron beam melting and casting to a tantalum material, and thereafter performing rolling and finishing processing (mechanical processing, polishing, etc.) thereto.
In this kind of manufacturing procedure, the forging performed to the ingot or billet will destroy the cast structure, disperse or eliminate the pores and segregations, and, by further annealing this, recrystallization will occur, and the precision and strength of the structure can be improved to a certain degree.
Generally, the ingot or billet subject to melting and casting has a crystal grain size of roughly 50 mm. By performing forging and recrystallization annealing to the ingot or billet, the casting structure will be destroyed, and, for the most part, even and fine (100 μm or less) crystal grains can be obtained, but there is a problem in that these coarse crystals will remain even in the final product.
Generally, upon performing sputtering, the finer and more uniform the crystals of the target, the more even the deposition, and a film having stable characteristics can be obtained.
Therefore, the existence of irregular crystal grains that are generated during forging, rolling or the annealing to be performed thereafter will change the sputtering rate, and there is a problem in that evenness (uniformity) of the film will be affected, and the quality of sputter deposition will deteriorate.
Further, if a forged product with strain remaining therein is used as is, the quality will deteriorate, and this must be avoided at all costs.
Meanwhile, when sputtering a tantalum target with a magnetron sputtering device, only a certain area along the magnetic line will in particular become eroded (generally, the erosion will progress in a donut shape), and this will gradually become steeper together with the progress of erosion up to the end of sputtering.
At portions where erosion progresses in particular, the surface area of the target will increase, and the difference in the surface area in comparison to the other areas will become significant. This difference in surface area will become the difference in the sputter rate, and the film tends to be formed thick at the substrate (wafer) portion positioned opposite to the portion with an increased surface area where sputtering is focused, and, contrarily, the film tends to be formed thinly at portions where sputtering is not as focused.
This not only generates a problem in that an uneven film is formed in a single wafer, this will also generate a problem in that the film thickness will vary from the start to end in the plurality of wafers to be sputtered. In other words, this will lead to the deterioration in the uniformity of sputter deposition.
As a method of improving the uniformity of such sputter deposition, it has been generally proposed that the structure should be made uniform as possible, and in particular to align the crystal orientation across the entire thickness direction of the target. Nevertheless, by merely aligning the crystal orientation, there is a problem in that the deterioration of the sputtering film uniformity resulting from the variation in the foregoing surface area could not be resolved.
As a conventional manufacturing method of a tantalum sputtering target or high purity tantalum, a manufacturing method of high purity tantalum has been disclosed (e.g., Patent Document 1 below) comprising the steps of melting and highly purifying a tantalum sputtering target containing 500 ppm or less of metallic impurities and K2TaF7, reacting the highly purified K2TaF7 with a reducer and obtaining tantalum powder, and reacting this tantalum powder with iodine in a container.
Further, a 99.95 wt % tantalum sputtering target having an equiaxed structure of (100) and a maximum grain size of 50 microns or less manufactured by rolling and forging has also been disclosed (e.g., Patent Document 2 below).
Moreover, a high purity tantalum target having a fine structure and capable of uniform sputtering, in particular, a high purity tantalum target of a fine structure in which the average crystal grain size is 100 μm or less and (111) <uvw> is preferentially orienting evenly toward the thickness direction of the target has also been disclosed (e.g., Patent Document 3 below).
Patent Document 1: PC (WO) 2002-516918
Patent Document 2: PC (WO) 2002-518593
Patent Document 3: U.S. Pat. No. 6,331,233

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Tantalum sputtering target and method for preparation thereof


A computer implemented method for compressing bit formats provided in a first packed data sequence. One embodiment of the method comprises the steps of generating, in response to executing a first instruction, a second packed data sequence by copying the first packed data sequence. A second step of masking, in response to executing a second instruction, a portion of the first packed data sequence. A third step of shifting data elements of the first packed data sequence, in response to executing a third instruction, wherein the data elements are independently shifted by separate shift counts. A fourth step of masking, in response to executing a fourth instruction, a portion of the second packed data sequence. A fifth step of generating, in response to executing a fifth instruction, a final result by joining the second and first packed data sequences.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to computers and, more specifically, to the processing of pixel values.
2. Description of Related Art
Images displayed on computer monitors are generated by joining many miniature picture elements commonly referred to as pixels. The pixels are represented in a variety of formats. The most common pixel formats are 8-bit, 16-bit, and 24-bit.
The format used varies based upon such factors as the monitor, the graphics card, and the amount of memory intended to be used. Some of the formats are based on a combination of red, green, and blue values. For example, a twenty-four-bit pixel format is typically composed of eight bits of red data, eight bits of green data, and eight bits of blue data. The format is commonly referred to as an 8/8/8 format following Red/Green/Blue, and is a common pixel format used for storing the pixel bits in a memory array.
Not all pixel formats are based on some combination of the colors red, green, and blue. The 8-bit format, for example, is often referred to as a Color Look Up Table (CLUT index). In this case, each 8-bit pixel is an index into an array of 256 arbitrary colors. However, in the remainder of the present application, it will be assumed that pixels are provided as red, green, and blue bits.
Twenty-four-bit pixels, however, are considered to be very expensive for storage and generating images on a color monitor. As a result, there continues to be an abundance of video displays that require 16-bit pixels. As such, when an image represented by twenty-four-bit pixels is input into computer system (e.g., scanned), it is typically compressed into a sixteen-bit pixels before it is stored or can be generated as an image to be displayed on a monitor.
Moreover, the pixels are frequently used in on-line real time video applications, which are very performance-sensitive. Any slowdown in the application could result in slower video playback, less stunning graphics in video games, or some other related detraction from a visual experience. As such, there exist a continuous need to increase the speed of compressing the pixels from 24-bit pixels to 16-bit pixels in order to increase the performance of video applications.
Typically, compressing the 24-bit pixels into 16-bit pixels involves separating the colors of a pixel by copying each color into separate registers. Separate instructions are then used to individually mask each of the colors into target sizes, and separate instructions are again used to individually shift the colors into relative final positions. The colors are then logically OR-ed into one register in order to present a 16-bit pixel.
Advancements in computer architecture, however, provide an ability to process small integer data values more efficiently. More specifically, the advancements include the ability to process multiple small integer data values in parallel in response to a single instruction, otherwise referred to as a Single Instruction Multiple Data, hereinafter referred to as an SIMD. The multiple data elements are joined together as packed data sequences. The packed data sequences provide a single data structure storing of up to sixty-four-bits of integer data in one register, wherein the sequence includes multiple data elements of equal size.
Therefore, what is needed is an accelerated method for compressing 24-bit pixels to 16-bit pixels by using 64-bit packed data sequences and related SIMD instructions, so as to enhance the visual experience of video and related applications.

Computer implemented method for compressing 24 bit pixels to 16 bit pixels


Beam scanning system includes a rotatable element for receiving a stationary light beam at successive element facets to thereby impart a scanning motion to the light beam so as to scan a beam receiving medium. Deviation in the mechanical or optical performance related to each successive facet are corrected by use of a high-speed beam deflector operated in either a closed loop or open loop servo system. The beam deflector includes a unique piezoelectric plate and reflecting body structure, wherein parallel plates of piezoelectric material are bonded at selected locations to a reflecting body with flexible adhesive. The plates are supported by a platform and operatively connected to a plate driving means to effect motion of the body in a push-pull arrangement with respect to the platform. The resulting structure has a high resonant frequency even though a reflecting body in the form of relatively large glass mirror may be employed.

Some light beam scanning apparatus utilize a beam scanner having a rotable element such as a polygonal mirror or holographic beam scanning disc (hologon) to impart a scanning motion to a stationary light beam. A beam source directs the imagewise-modulated stationary beam onto successive facets of the rotating polygon or hologon. As the stationary beam encounters each new facet, the beam is thereby made to scan a beam receiving medium. Relative cross-scan motion between the write beam and the beam receiving medium allows the recording of plural rasterized image lines so as to form an image frame. However, because the beam scanner has optical or mechanical characteristics that differ from facet to facet, there is an angular variation of the scan beam from line to line. The separation of adjacent line exposures on the beam receiving medium is modulated in an undesirable pattern that is known as banding.
One way to reduce banding is to use a single facet scanner, but this severely reduces the active time that the beam can be used to write. Hence, the most common approach to reduce banding is to locate anamorphic optics in the beam path. Cylindrical and toroidal lenses are often used (cf. L. Beiser, "Laser Scanning Systems", in Laser Applications, Vol 2, Academic Press, pp. 53-159, 1974). However, anamorphic optical systems are complex and costly. An acousto-optic (AO) or electro-optical (EO) deflector may also be located in the beam path to correct the angular errors of the scanning element. Such deflectors, however, are costly and necessitate additional beam-shaping optics. There is accordingly a need for a beam scanning system that incorporates means for effecting angular correction of the write beam on a facet-to-facet basis without incurring the cost and complexity of prior art approaches, especially in the reproduction of continuous tone image data.

Light beam scanning system including piezoelectric means for correction of cross scan error


A method for creating acquisition assistance information (AA data) for acquiring of a global positioning system (GPS) signal in an assisted global positioning system (AGPS) is provided. The method includes receiving repeater information included in a mobile communication network of a terminal whose location is to be measured, in response to a request for the acquisition assistance information for the GPS signal from the terminal, determining a repeater delay caused by a repeater that is present between the terminal and a base station that is synchronized with the terminal using the repeater information, and creating the acquisition assistance information for the GPS signal of the terminal based on the repeater delay. The AA data that is based on the repeater delay enables a terminal to more finely and stably acquire the GPS satellite signal. Also, accurate and stable acquisition of the GPS satellite signal of the terminal enhances the accuracy of calculation of the terminal location in the AGPS.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an assisted global positioning system (AGPS), and in particular, to a method for creating GPS acquisition assistance information (hereafter referred to as "AA data") required in terminal location determination in the AGPS.
2. Description of the Related Art
Location determination techniques using GPS satellites have come into wide use in various fields, particularly in location measurement of car and ship navigation systems and mobile communication terminals. To measure locations using the GPS satellites, a GPS receiver is mounted in a target device whose location is to be measured, such as in the car and ship navigation systems and mobile communication terminals, and the GPS receiver continuously receives GPS signals from the GPS satellites. However, such an operation consumes much power. In particular, since mobile terminals use batteries having a limited amount of power, the amount of time during which conversations can take place is reduced due to power consumption of the GPS receiver.
To solve such a problem, it has been suggested that a terminal should enable its GPS receiver only when location measurement is necessary. Although this method reduces power consumption of the battery of the terminal, it takes a long time for the GPS receiver to acquire GPS satellite signals required for location measurement.
Thus, to solve problems concerning power consumption of a GPS receiver and the amount of time taken by GPS satellite signal acquisition in a terminal, an AGPS has been used. The AGPS provides AA data for GPS signal acquisition to a terminal, thereby allowing the GPS receiver to more quickly acquire GPS signals using the provided AA data.
Hereinafter, a procedure for determining a location of a terminal in a general AGPS will be described with reference to FIG. 1, which is a block diagram of a general AGPS, and to FIG. 2, which is a flow diagram illustrating a terminal location determination procedure in the general AGPS.
Referring to FIG. 1, the AGPS includes a mobile communication terminal 10, a GPS satellite 20, a mobile communication network 30, a location determination server 40, and a reference station GPS receiver 50.
The mobile communication terminal (hereinafter, referred to as a "terminal") 10 has a built-in GPS receiver, receives a GPS signal from the GPS satellite 20, and is connected to the location determination server 40 through the mobile communication network 30. In the case of a synchronous code division multiple access (CDMA) system, the mobile communication network 30 may comprise base stations 32, a base station controller 34, and a mobile switching center 36. By performing radio communication with the base stations 32, the terminal 10 is connected to the location determination server 40 via the base station controller 34 and the mobile switching center 36. In the case of an asynchronous wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) system, the mobile communication network 30 may comprise a Node-B and a radio network controller (RNC), and the terminal 10 may perform radio communication with the Node-B and be connected to the location determination server 40 via the RNC. FIG. 1 shows the synchronous CDMA system.
The location determination server 40 has mounted thereon the reference station GPS receiver 50 and receives GPS satellite information through the reference station GPS receiver 50.
Referring to FIG. 2, the terminal 10 sends a terminal location determination request to the location determination server 40 in step 102. In some cases, the terminal location determination request can be generated in the location determination server 40. After sending the terminal location determination request, the terminal 10 sends an AA data request for GPS satellite signal acquisition to the location determination server 40 via the mobile communication network 30 in step 104. The GPS satellite signal is acquired by modulating navigation data at 50 Hz with an inherent pseudo noise code (also called a Gold code) for each satellite using spread spectrum, loading the spread navigation data on a carrier wave signal of about 1.5 GHz, and then modulating the resultant signal using binary phase shift keying (BPSK). Thus, in order for the terminal 10 to acquire the GPS satellite signal, the inherent pseudo noise code for each satellite and the carrier wave signal of 1.5 GHz must be removed from the GPS signal received by the GPS receiver. Information needed by the terminal for such removal 10 is called AA data. The AA data includes a GPS PRN (Pseudo-Random Number) that is observable by the terminal 10, a time of application (TOA), pseudo distance information and pseudo distance search range information of the GPS satellite 20, and Doppler frequency information and Doppler search range information of the GPS satellite 20.
The location determination server 40 creates the AA data using GPS satellite information in step 106 in response to the AA data request from the terminal 10. In other words, the location determination server 40 estimates an initial presumed location of the terminal 10 using base station information and determines the TOA. Then the location determination server 40 calculates pseudo distance information SV_CODE_PH of the GPS satellite 20 which can be received by the terminal 10 in the initial presumed location at the TOA, sets a pseudo distance search range SV_CODE_PH_WIN, calculates Doppler information DOPPLERO of the GPS satellite 20, and sets a Doppler search range DOPPLER_WIN. Also, the location determination server 40 creates the AA data using the calculated SV_CODE_PH, SV_CODE_PH_WIN, DOPPLERO, and DOPPLER_WIN.
The location determination server 40 provides the created AA data to the terminal 10 in step 108. In step 110, the terminal 10 acquires the GPS satellite signal using the AA data and measures the pseudo distance information of the GPS satellite 20. The method by which the terminal 10 acquires the GPS satellite signal using the AA data will be described with reference to FIG. 3.
After measuring the pseudo distance information of the GPS satellite 20, the terminal 10 provides the measured pseudo distance information of the GPS satellite 20 to the location determination server 40 in step 112. In step 114, the location determination server 40 calculates a location of the terminal 10 using the pseudo distance information of the GPS satellite 20 which is provided from the terminal 10. Then the location determination server 40 provides the calculated location information of the terminal 10 to the terminal 10 in step 116. Calculation of the location of the terminal 10, in step 114, may be undertaken by the location determination server 40, or if the location determination server 40 provides satellite orbit information ("Ephemeris"), the calculation can be performed by the terminal 10.
However, in the above location determination procedure on the terminal 10, if there is a repeater in the base stations 32, a repeater delay occurs. As a result, the actual SV_CODE_PH and DOPPLERO of the terminal 10 fall outside SV_CODE_PH_WIN and DOPPLER_WIN of the AA data. If the actual SV_CODE_PH and DOPPLERO of the terminal 10 fall outside SV_CODE_PH_WIN and DOPPLER_WIN of the AA data, the terminal 10 cannot acquire the GPS satellite signal.
FIG. 3 shows the pseudo distance information SV_CODE_PH, the pseudo distance search range SV_CODE_PH_WIN, the Doppler information DOPPLERO, and the Doppler search range DOPPLER_WIN, all of which are included in the AA data according to prior art. A procedure in which the terminal 10 acquires the GPS satellite signal using the AA data provided from the location determination server 40 will be described with reference to FIG. 3.
Referring to FIG. 3, the terminal 10 searches SV_CODE_PH_WIN around SV_CODE_PH within an entire code search range for pseudo distance information and searches DOPPLER_WIN around DOPPLERO within an entire Doppler search range for Doppler information, based on the AA data provided from the location determination server 40. In other words, since the terminal 10 searches a code and Doppler search range 160 corresponding to the AA data without searching an entire code and Doppler search range, searching can be performed quickly. If actual code and Doppler information of the terminal 10 falls within a predetermined range 150 of the code and Doppler search range 160 corresponding to the AA data, the terminal 10 can acquire the GPS satellite signal.
However, if the actual code and Doppler information of the terminal 10 falls within a range 155 that is outside the code and Doppler search range 160 corresponding to the AA data due to a repeater delay, the terminal 10 cannot acquire the GPS satellite signal. If the terminal 10 cannot acquire the GPS satellite signal, it is impossible to calculate the location of the terminal 10.
FIGS. 4A and 4B show pseudo distance information and a pseudo distance search range according to the prior art, where the actual code and Doppler information of the terminal 10 falls outside the code and Doppler search range 160 corresponding to the AA data.
In FIGS. 4A and 4B, SV_CODE_PH represents pseudo distance information calculated by the location determination server 40, SV_CODE_PH_WIN represents a pseudo distance search range that is set around the calculated SV_CODE_PH, and DELAY represents a location of a pseudo distance of the GPS satellite 20, which has been measured by the terminal 10 and is delayed by a repeater delay introduced by a repeater that exists in the base station 32. As shown in FIG. 4A, if the pseudo distance of the GPS satellite 20 measured by the terminal 10 falls outside the set SV_CODE_PH_WIN, the terminal 10 fails to acquire the GPS satellite signal and cannot acquire the location thereof.
Conventionally, to solve such a problem, the terminal 10 shifts the TOA of the AA data for GPS signal acquisition, or sets SV_CODE_PH_WIN and DOPPLER_WIN to cover a larger range.
FIG. 4B shows an example where the terminal 10 shifts the TOA of the AA data for GPS signal acquisition. In FIG. 4B, SV_CODE_PH shifted to the right side and SV_CODE_PH_WIN set around the shifted SV_CODE_PH are shown. In this way, if SV_CODE_PH is shifted and SV_CODE_PH_WIN is set around the shifted SV_CODE_PH, a time to first fix (hereinafter, referred to as a "TTFF") that is required until the terminal 10 acquires the GPS satellite signal is increased by the amount of shift of SV_CODE_PH. Also, conventionally, the TOA is shifted without consideration of a bias error of a terminal clock, which is caused by a repeater delay of a serving base station. As a result, the terminal 10 often cannot acquire the GPS satellite signal even when the TOA is shifted.
Also, when SV_CODE_PH_WIN and DOPPLER_WIN are set to cover a larger range, the TTFF is increased and often the terminal 10 still cannot acquire the GPS satellite signal.
In conclusion, according to the prior art, if a bias error is included in an error of a terminal clock in an AGPS due to the occurrence of a repeater delay, there occurs large differences among the GPS satellite signal received by the terminal 10 and SV_CODE_PH and DOPPLERO of the AA data at the TOA. Thus, when the terminal 10 applies the AA data for GPS satellite signal acquisition, the GPS satellite signal received by the terminal 10 falls outside SV_CODE_PH_WIN and DOPPLER_WIN, resulting in failure to acquire a GPS satellite signal. As a result, the location of the terminal 10 cannot be measured.

Method for creating acquisition assistance information in assisted global positioning system


Gels, cast films, coatings, extruded rods, extruded fibers, compression molded discs, and machined compression molded discs, are made from organopolysiloxane sheet or tube polymers such as an apophyllite-derived 3-cyanopropyldimethyl siloxy sheet polymer of the formula [((NCC.sub.3 H.sub.6)(CH.sub.3).sub.2 SiO).sub.x (HO).sub.1-x SiO.sub.1.5 ].sub.n. Polymers are prepared by contacting sheet or tube silicates with an organohalosilane containing at least one polar group such as cyanoalkyl, acyloxy, or haloalkyl, in the presence of a polar solvent or a mixture of a polar solvent and a non-polar solvent; and heating the mixture until a polymer is formed.

While U.S. Pat. 5,605,982 (Feb. 25, 1997) describes a process for making organopolysiloxane sheet or tube polymers by contacting a sheet or tube silicate with an alkenyl group containing chlorosilane to form an alkenylsiloxy polymer, it does not teach the reaction of a halosilane with a sheet silicate or a tube silicate, to produce sheet or tube-like organosiloxane polymers containing single pendent groups of the particular type as described herein. The advantage of the single pendent organofunctional group of the particular type described herein on such sheet and tube siloxane polymers is that it allows good control and manipulation of the surface energy of the resulting polymer.

Sheet and tube siloxane polymers containing a pendent organofunctional group


A passive mid bed air injection apparatus for an engine includes a three way catalyst positioned in an exhaust stream of the engine. The three way catalyst reduces NOx, CO and HC from the exhaust stream. The three way catalyst includes an ammonia slip catalyst positioned in the exhaust stream of the engine. The ammonia slip catalyst is positioned downstream from the three way catalyst and oxidizes NH3 and CO from the exhaust stream. The three way catalyst includes an oxygen input disposed between the three way catalyst and the ammonia slip catalyst such that the oxygen input delivers air downstream from the three way catalyst and upstream from the ammonia slip catalyst. The oxygen input receives the air from a charged side of a forced induction device and delivers the air to the exhaust stream entering the ammonia slip catalyst. An associated method also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an emission control system/after treatment system for an engine and, in particular, to a passive mid bed air injection apparatus for an engine.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Natural gas engines are utilized in a number of different environments, including gas compression applications, power generation applications, oil field power generation applications, etc. Natural gas engines can be provided with a catalytic converter that converts pollutants/emissions from an exhaust stream of the engine into less toxic pollutants. In the past, engine exhaust was manipulated to be slightly richer (e.g., greater amount of fuel such that ratio of air to fuel is below stoichiometry) to improve reduction of pollutants from the exhaust stream such as unburned or partially burned hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), etc.
As a consequence of the engine exhaust being slightly richer, a larger amount of other pollutants, such as ammonia (NH3), carbon monoxide (CO), etc., were present in the exhaust stream. Accordingly, there is a need, and it would be beneficial, to efficiently remove pollutants (e.g., ammonia (NH3) and carbon monoxide (CO)) from the exhaust stream by increasing the amount of air in the catalytic converter without the use of active controls such that a ratio of air to fuel is above stoichiometry.

Emission control in rich burn natural gas engines


Disclosed is a method to manufacture a carbon composite structure. First, a polymer nano fiber net is provided. The polymer nano fiber net is thermal oxidized to form an oxidized nano fiber net. The oxidized nano fiber net and an oxidized micro fiber net are stacked and impregnated in a resin. The resin is oxidized. Finally, the oxidized nano fiber net, the oxidized micro fiber net, and the oxidized resin are carbonized at a high temperature to form the carbon composite structure.

A fuel cell is composed of a proton conductive film interposed between two catalyst layers, two gas diffusion layers, two bipolar plates, two current collectors, and two end plates. Two sides divided by a proton conductive film of a fuel cell (FC) belong to a anode (for hydrogen, reformatted gas, or methanol) and a cathode (for oxygen or atmosphere air), respectively. An oxidation reaction is performed at the anode, and a chemical reduction reaction is performed at the cathode. When hydrogen (or methanol) contacts a catalyst layer (e.g. platinum or alloys thereof) of the anode, the hydrogen is dissociated to proton and electron. The electron will flow from the anode to the cathode through an electrical bridge (connecting the anode and the cathode). The proton will penetrate through the proton conductive film from the anode to the cathode. Note that the proton conductive film is a wet film, the proton accompanying water molecules can penetrate therethrough, and other air molecules cannot penetrate therethrough. The catalyst of the cathode may combine the oxygen and the electron from the electrical bridge to form an oxygen ion. The oxygen ion will react with the proton penetrating through the proton conductive film to form a water molecule. The above reaction is an electrochemical oxidation and reduction reaction.
A proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) or direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) utilizing an electrochemical reaction may have a high efficiency, no pollution, fast response, and the like. The fuel cells can be series connected to enhance an electrical bridge voltage, and the electrode reaction area of the fuel cells can be increased to increase the current. An inexhaustible supply of oxygen supply (generally atmosphere air) may continuously provide electrical power to a device. As such, the fuel cells may serve as a small-scaled system power or designated as a big power plant, distributed power, or a motive power.

Fuel cells, carbon composite structures and methods for manufacturing the same

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A cable connection component for electrically conductively connecting a cable, having a union nut with an internal thread and a core receiving and guiding part with a plurality of incisions. At least one core and core insulation inserted into the core receiving and guiding part are severed by terminals arranged in the connection body and enter the incisions in the core receiving and guiding part and contact is made with the core conductors when a first thread of the union nut is screwed onto a connection body. A connected cable can be released with less effort by the union nut having a second internal thread with a thread pitch that is less than the thread pitch of the first internal thread. The core receiving and guiding part has a radially running collar which is matched to the profile of the threading of the second internal thread and interacts with it.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cable connection component for electrically conductive connection of a cable, with a union nut which has an internal thread and with a core receiving and guide part which has several notches, the cable having at least one core, and the core insulation of the core ends which have been inserted into the core receiving and guide part being severed by insulation piercing connecting devices which dip into the notches in the core receiving and guide part and which are located in the connection body and make contact with the conductors of the cores when the union nut is being screwed onto a connection body which is provided with an external thread which corresponds to the internal thread. Moreover, the invention relates to a cable connection apparatus and a cable joining apparatus with a cable connection component and a device connection component or a cable joining component.
2. Description of Related Art
German Patent DE 199 51 455 C1 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 6,403,884 B1 disclose a cable connection component as part of a cable connection apparatus with which the cores of a multicore cable can be easily connected to the connection elements of a device connection component or a cable joining component without the insulation of the individual cores having to be removed beforehand. In the cable connection component which is described for example in FIG. 6 of DE 199 51 455 C1 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 6,403,884 B1, the individual cores of the cable are first inserted into the core receiving and guide part, which is often also called a splice part or splice ring. Then, the core ends are bent and inserted into recesses in the core receiving and guide part which are used as retaining catches for the cores during radial deflection. Then, the core ends protruding through the recesses are cut off so that the union nut can be screwed onto the corresponding external thread of the connection body. When the union nut is being screwed onto the connection body, the insulation piercing connecting devices which are located in the connection body penetrate into the notches which are provided in the core receiving and guide part, the insulation piercing connecting devices penetrating the core insulation of the individual cores which cross the notches and make contact with the individual conductors.
Cable connection or joining apparatus with this structure which are basically already known from German Utility Model DE 295 12 585 U1 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,056 as well as from German Patent DE 198 36 662 C2 have proven themselves to an extraordinary degree in practice for more than ten years and are extensively marketed by Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co under the product name QUICKON in various embodiments (compare brochure "PLUSCON 2011" pages 8 and 9 and pages 92 and 93, of Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co KG, Blomberg).
In the cable connection apparatus known from German Utility Model DE 295 12 585 U1 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,056, the union nut and the core receiving and guide part are two individual parts which are not connected to one another. A rigid connection is not allowable because the core receiving and guide part may not or cannot turn when the union nut is being screwed onto the connection body. The unrealized connection of the union nut and the core receiving and guide part leads to the cable at first remaining connected or joined when the connection is broken after unscrewing the union nut from the connection body, because the insulation piercing connecting devices of the connection body are still "holding" onto the clamped conductors. Therefore, to break the connection after unscrewing the union nut from the connection body an additional disconnection of the conductors which are held by the insulation piercing connecting devices is necessary; this is associated with a considerable expenditure of force.
In the cable connection apparatus according to German Patent DE 199 51 455 C1 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 6,403,884 B1, this problem is solved by the core receiving and guide part being axially fixed via a slotted, elastic snap ring in the union nut, the core receiving and guide part being able to turn in the axially fixed position relative to the union nut. This has the advantage that the axial relative motion between the union nut and the connection body which accompanies the unscrewing of the union nut from the connection body at the same time causes a corresponding axial relative movement between the splice part and the connection body which leads to the conductors being pulled out of the insulation piercing connecting devices.
This fixing of the core receiving and guide part in the union nut, in addition to the above described advantage, however, also has certain disadvantages, especially when an electrical cable is being disconnected again and pulled out of the cable connection component. Especially when the core receiving and guide part, as is conventional in practice, also has a tension relief and sealing region in addition to the actual core guidance region, there is the risk that, due to the formation of the tension relief and sealing region and its intentional interaction with the union nut, pulling the electrical cable out of the cable connection component becomes more difficult due to the fixing of the core receiving and guide part in the union nut.
German Application DE 103 29 772 B4 discloses a cable connection apparatus in which fixing of the core receiving and guide part in the union nut has been consciously omitted. The resulting "disadvantage" that, when the connection is broken after unscrewing the union nut from the connection body, the cable first remains still connected because the contact elements of the clamping and connection unit are still "holding" onto the clamped conductors, is compensated in that a support and retaining element is made on the connection body which extends in the axial direction and with a radial distance to the external thread of the connection body, which element is used as an abutment for a tool with which the splice part can be levered out of the connection body. In order to avoid damage on the core receiving and guide part, a groove as an action section for a tool is provided externally on the core receiving and guide part.
In the cable connection apparatus which is known from German Patent DE 103 29 772 B4, first of all, it is disadvantageous that the execution of the support and retaining element on the connection body is associated with additional production effort. Moreover, under restricted installation conditions, mechanical sticking of adjacent components or of a cable on the projecting support and retaining element can occur. Finally, to lever the splice part out of the connection body, an additional tool is necessary; this makes handling difficult.


A SRAM memory with a read assist circuit is presented. The read assist circuit uses bitline voltage level switches, which are connected to a low power supply and a high power supply. The bitline voltage level switches have a write operation state, a read operation state, and a standby operation state. The write operation state selectively provides the high power supply to bitlines in columns selected for a write operation, and provides the low power supply to bitlines in the remaining columns. The read operation state selectively provides the low power supply to bitlines in columns selected for the read operation, and provides the low power supply to bitlines in the other columns. The standby operation state selectively provides the low power supply to bitlines in all columns when not in the read operation state or the write operation state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor memory devices and more particularly to an improved SRAM design for stable SRAM performance and reduced power consumption.
2. Description of the Related Art
Historically, as circuit feature sizes are reduced and supply voltages are lowered, it has become increasingly difficult to achieve stable SRAM performance and design an SRAM cell that has both adequate static noise margin (SNM) and adequate trip voltage (Vtrip). The trip voltage (Vtrip) is a measure of the ability of a cell to write digital data into a SRAM cell.
The SNM quantifies the amount of voltage noise required at the internal nodes of the SRAM cell to flip the state of the digital data stored in the SRAM cell. The SNM may be determined graphically by plotting the voltage transfer curve of one of the inverters that comprises the latch of the SRAM cell and inverting the transfer curve of the other inverter. The voltage difference between the two voltage transfer curves is the SNM.
For SRAM cells in general, SNM and Vtrip are interdependent and design techniques that improve SNM, tend to degrade Vtrip and vice-versa. For example, if the passgate transistor is too strong relative to the drive transistor, SNM is degraded. If the pass gate is too weak relative to the drive transistor, Vtrip is degraded. The SNM can be improved by decreasing the voltage on the bitline, which weakens the passgate transistor. The SNM improves linearly with decreasing bitline voltage until the bitline voltage is about equal to the threshold voltage of the passgate transistor. Thus, SRAM design has become a delicate balance of the relative strengths of the passgate, drive, and load transistors.
It is within this context that embodiments of the claimed invention arise.

Read assist circuit of SRAM with low standby current


An apparatus and method for controlling a packet flow according to the bandwidth of corresponding ports, including a plurality of ports configured to compare a first packet number and a second packet number, and generate a packet flow control signal based on the comparison result, the packet flow control signal being used to control the packet flow.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling a packet flow in accordance with corresponding port bandwidths.
2. Description of the Related Art
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have attempted to assign individual bandwidths for different information types. An Ethernet switch is an exemplary device which may have the function of controlling bandwidth. However, the Ethernet switch may not control the bandwidth most effectively, for example an Ethernet switch may only operate with fixed bandwidth. Therefore, the Ethernet switch may not be able to satisfy the various bandwidth requirements of different users. For example, the Ethernet switch may be a 10 Mbps Ethernet switch, even though a user may only require 5 Mbps of bandwidth the user only have the option to use 10 Mbps of bandwidth due to the fixed bandwidth of the Ethernet switch. Therefore the ISP might waste 5 Mbps bandwidth that could be used by another user. The Ethernet switch may calculate bandwidth as a bit rate (bits/sec), i.e. the bits of the packet(s) transmitted/received per second. The Ethernet switch may sometimes transmit/receive packets above a predetermined bit rate of 10 Mbps. Therefore, a large counter may be required for calculating the bits/sec, and additionally a divider may be required for dividing the bits by a second so as to obtain the bit rate in bits/sec. As a result, the hardware size of the Ethernet switch is increased. In addition, because the divider may be used, it may be difficult to process a remainder of the calculations from the division operation of the divider.

Method and apparatus for controlling packet flow for corresponding bandwidths of ports


A spindle bullet for mounting a hub on a steer spindle of a steer axle. The spindle bullet includes a body member in contact with a reduced diameter portion. The body member includes a circular cavity. A circular channel connects an end of the reduced diameter portion and the cavity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering axle assembly for a motor vehicle, and more particularly, relates to a steer spindle bullet tool used in the steering axle assembly for a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
The steering system of a vehicle has a standard hub assembly and spindle. The spindle hub assembly includes a steer spindle, a hub, a seal, an inner bearing and an outer bearing. During the actually assembly of the steering system the inner and outer bearings have to be precisely placed on the spindle and within the hub unit in order for the seal to properly seal the hub unit.
The assembly of the hub currently involves an operator aligning the hub with the spindle and then gently pushing the assembly on to the spindle end. If the hub is not completely centered about the spindle then the inner and outer bearings will not be properly seated and the only available solution to the inner bearing alignment problem is for the operator to rock, in a side to side motion, the hub until the inner bearing is properly seated. Even then it is not a certainty that the hub has been properly seated on the spindle of the steering column.
The prior art has shown the use of an axle bullet for assembling a drive axle and other such applications, however there has never been a device developed in assembling steer spindles and the associated hub in the steering assembly. The axle bullet is placed within the axle, then the rotor and other parts are slid around the axle bullet such that the rotor is properly seated on the end of the axle.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a device to simplify and insure proper bearing seating for a steer spindle and hub assembly operation.


A rotation shaft seal to prevent inner leak from increasing along high-pressurization of sealed gas. A staged portion is formed on an outer case, and an end face on an inner side of the staged portion is covered with rubber to form a ring rubber portion of which end face is covered. A rubber end face of the rubber portion and a face on a peripheral edge of a seal element are pressed to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rotation shaft seal, especially, a rotation shaft seal used to seal high-pressure fluid such as CO2 gas.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, pressure of sealed fluid (such as CO2) has been increasing in use of compressors for automobiles. So the applicant of the present invention proposed a rotation shaft seal as shown in FIG. 9 (refer to Japanese provisional publication No. 2004-353765). In FIG. 9, a rubber sealing portion 33 having a sliding portion S0 which contacts surface of a rotation shaft 32 and an outer case 34 are unified, an inner brim portion 36 on a high-pressure side C of the outer case 34 is covered by the rubber sealing portion 33, and, disposing the sliding portion S0 of the sealing portion 33 on an axis-orthogonal face P0 including the inner brim portion 36, a lip portion 37 of the sealing portion 33 slides on the rotation shaft 32 with low contact pressure when receiving high pressure from the high-pressure side C.
In a rotation shaft seal precedent to the conventional example in FIG. 9, excessive contact pressure is generated on the surface of the rotation shaft in rotation and early abnormal abrasion is generated on the sliding portion of the rubber lip along with the excessive contact pressure because the configuration of the rubber lip is having an L-shaped cross-section, largely extended to the sealed fluid side, and a large area of pressure-receiving portion (refer to Japanese provisional publication No. 2003-97723).
As described above, in the conventional example shown in FIG. 9, the early abnormal abrasion of the lip portion 37 on the sliding portion S0 can be effectively prevented. However, it has been revealed that a problem of fluid (gas) leakage within a long period of time from the high-pressure side C to the low pressure side E, namely, inner-leak problem is not solved by the conventional construction in FIG. 9.
Concretely, although a seal element 38 of resin such as PTFE is disposed on the low-pressure side E and two inner cases 39 and 40 are holding an axis-orthogonal portion 38a of the seal element 38 as to be sandwiched, an experiment conducted by the inventors of the present invention revealed generation of inner leak as shown with arrows F1 and F2, broken lines, and an arrow F3 in FIG. 8 (described later).
Recently, it has been desired to make the pressure of the sealed fluid (gas) higher, and it has been revealed that the inner leak of the fluid such as gas tending to have high pressure can not be prevented with the conventional example shown in FIG. 9 in which the faces 41 and 42 of the axis-orthogonal portion 38a of the seal element 38 are simply held by the inner cases 39 and 40.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a rotation shaft seal which solves all of the above-described problems, prevents inner leak, and performs stable and excel lent sealability for sealing high-pressure gas.


To provide a technology for making it possible to control enable/disable of an IC card function provided in a mobile device. A mobile device including an IC card unit for executing an IC card function, and a communication unit for carrying out communication through a radio telephone line detects a voltage of a battery unit for supplying an electric power to each of the IC card unit and the communication unit, judges whether or not the IC card function can be used in accordance with the detected voltage value, and issues an enable/disable instruction to the IC card unit in accordance with the Judgment results.

The present invention relates to a technology for controlling a function of an IC card provided in a mobile terminal.
In recent years, IC cards are becoming widely used instead of conventional magnetic cards. The IC card includes an IC chip provided therein, so the IC card can store therein much information and also execute a simple processing. Therefore, application of the IC card to various services is expected.
For example, it is proposed to provide the IC card function to a mobile device such as a mobile telephone or a watch, and to utilize the mobile device as a commutation ticket for a train, a prepaid card, a ticket for an event, an ID card, or the like.
Thus, providing the IC card function to the mobile telephone, the watch, or the like offers such merits that a power supply and an interface can be used in common, and services of the IC card through a mobile telephone network become possible.
As for the prior art related to the present invention of this application, for example, there are technologies disclosed in the following Patent documents 1 and 2.                [Patent document 1] JP 2001-297315 A        [Patent document 2] JP 2003-250183 A

Mobile device having an IC card function


Pentakis(dimethylamino) disilane with general formula (1): Si2(NMe2)5Y, where Y is selected from the group comprising H, Cl or an amino group its preparation method and its use to manufacture gate dielectric films or etch-stop dielectric films of SiN or SiON.

Silane compounds such as monosilane and disilane are used in a variety of applications. In the field of semiconductors, silane compounds are frequently used as starting materials for the production by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of silicon-based dielectric films of, e.g., silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or silicon oxynitride. More specifically, silane compounds can produce silicon nitride by reaction with a nitrogen-containing reaction gas such as ammonia, silicon oxide by reaction with an oxygen-containing gas such as oxygen, and silicon oxynitride by reaction with a nitrogen-containing gas and an oxygen-containing gas.
At present the standard method for producing silicon nitride films by CVD involves inducing a reaction between ammonia gas and dichlorosilane (=the silane compound); however, ammonium chloride is produced as a by-product by this reaction. Ammonium chloride is a white solid and as such accumulates in and clogs the exhaust lines of the CVD reaction apparatus. A CVD method is therefore required in which the starting material is a chlorine-free silane compound. It is also desirable during the production of silicon nitride, etc., by CVD technology to obtain good film-deposition rates at low temperatures (at or below 600° C.).
Tetrakis(dimethylamino) silane and tetrakis(diethylamino) silane may be used as chlorine-free silane compounds, but these aminosilane compounds suffer from being usually of low quality (high amount of impurities) and from providing slow film-deposition rates at low temperatures.
The chlorine-free alkylaminodisilanes are also known. These alkylaminodisilanes are solid at ambient temperatures. For example, hexakis(dimethylamino) disilane is reported to undergo sublimation at 230° C. under reduced pressure. Compounds that are solids at ambient temperature have poor handling characteristics.

Pentakis(dimethylamino) disilane precursor comprising compound and method for the preparation thereof

L'AIR LIQUIDE, SOCIETE ANONYME POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE


A micro-fluid ejecting device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of fluid ejection elements formed on the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of nonvolatile programmable memory devices for storing information related to the operation of the micro-fluid ejecting device. The programmable memory devices, which are at least partially embedded in the semiconductor substrate, each include a source region and a drain region formed in the semiconductor substrate. The source and drain regions have a conductivity type which is opposite the conductivity type of the semiconductor substrate. An insulative layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate over the source region and drain region. A floating gate region is formed on the insulative layer and is spatially disposed between the source region and drain region. The floating gate region is electrically insulated from the source and drain regions by the insulative layer. Electrical contacts are connected to the source region and the drain region. The programmable memory devices collectively provide a high density of memory bits embedded on the substrate for storing information about the micro-fluid ejecting device.

Ink jet printers continue to experience wide acceptance as economical replacements for laser printers. Such ink jet printers are typically more versatile than laser printers for some applications. As the capabilities of ink jet printers are increased to provide higher quality images at increased printing rates, printheads, which are the primary printing components of ink jet printers, continue to evolve and become more complex. As the complexity of the printheads increases, so does the cost for producing the printheads. Nevertheless, there continues to be a need for printers having enhanced capabilities. For example, ink cartridges having memory attached to the cartridges enables printers to access data about the ink cartridge and tailor printing activities corresponding to the characteristics of the ink cartridges. Competitive pressure on print quality and price promote a continued need to produce printheads with enhanced capabilities in a more economical manner.

Micro-fluid ejecting device having embedded memory devices


A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a pair of first diffused regions, and a gate including an oxide film provided on the substrate, and a charge storage layer provided on the oxide film, the charge storage layer being an electrical insulator capable of storing charges in bit areas. The oxide film has first portions related to the bit areas and a second portion that is located between the bit areas and is thicker than the first potions. The first portions serve as tunneling oxide portions, while the second portion allows reduced tunneling.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same, and more particularly, to a read only or programmable non-volatile semiconductor device capable of storing charges in a gate insulation film and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
The semiconductor memories are categorized into a volatile type in which information is lost by power off and a non-volatile type in which information is retained even by power off. A typical example of the latter non-volatile memory is a flash memory capable of erasing all data in an area at once, so that the rewriting time can be reduced.
Recently, there has been proposed a multi-bit cell structure, which may have has a MNOS (Metal (gate)-Nitride-Oxide-Silicon) structure or a SONOS (Silicon (gate)-Oxide-Nitride-Oxide-Silicon) structure. These structures employ an ON (Oxide-Nitride) structure or an ONO (Oxide-Nitride-Oxide) structure as a gate insulation film just under the gate electrode. The multi-bit cell structure is implemented by locally storing a charge in a region in a nitride (Si3N4) film provided in the vicinity of the source and drain of a transistor and locally storing another charge in another region. The multi-bit structure increases the cell capacity and reduces the bit cost. For instance, two local regions for storing charges in the Si3N4 film enable a single cell to store two bits (2 bits/cell).
The floating gate structure conventionally employed in the flash memory has an electrically conductive polysilicon film, which is sandwiched between silicon oxide films and is used to store the charge. The floating gate structure has a disadvantage in that the charge may leak because of the use of the conductive polysilicon for storing the charge, and data may be lost. In contrast, the MNOS or SONOS structure does not have the above disadvantage because the charges are stored in the nitride compound that is electrically insulative.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are respectively cross-sectional views of a memory used to explain the method of fabricating a multi-bit memory cell having a gate of the SONOS structure, and a source and a drain having a buried bit line structure. More particularly, FIG. 1 shows a core area of the memory, and FIG. 1B shows a memory peripheral area.
In the core area, n-type diffused regions 102 used as bit lines and formed by diffusion of As are arranged at given intervals on the main surface of a p-type semiconductor substrate 100. Each section between the adjacent n-type diffused regions 102 is a channel region. A tunnel oxide film 103 having a uniform thickness is provided on the channel regions and the n-type diffused regions. A nitride film 104, an upper oxide film 105 and a not-shown control gate are laminated on the tunnel oxide film 103 in turn, so that the gate is formed by the four laminated layers. The nitride film 104 is electrically insulative, and electrons injected through the tunnel oxide film 103 are stored therein.
The conventional memory with the conductive floating gate is capable of storing one bit per cell because the electrons injected through the tunnel oxide film are spatially distributed in the floating gate so as to have a uniform electric field distribution and the whole floating gate serves as a charge storage region. In contrast, the memory with the gate of the MNOS or SONOS structure allows the electrons injected in the nitride film 104 of the insulator to be locally arranged and stored therein without being distributed, so that a multi-bit structure (many-valued structure) can be achieved. An ion implantation 101 is implemented in the p-type semiconductor substrate 100 in the core area for the purpose of adjusting the threshold value of each bit.
In the memory peripheral area (peripheral circuit area), well regions 106 are arranged at given intervals on the main surface of the semiconductor substrate 100. LOCOS regions 107 for device isolation are provided between the well regions 106, wherein the LOCOS regions 107 are formed by locally making a thin oxide film 108 thicker. The nitride film 104 and the upper oxide film 105 are laminated in turn on the oxide film 108 and the LOCOS regions 107.
The multi-bit cell thus structured may be fabricated by the following process. First, a first oxide film is formed on the semiconductor substrate 100, and the well regions 106 are formed in the peripheral circuit area by ion implantation. More specifically, the thin oxide film on the semiconductor substrate 100 is coated with a resist, which is then patterned. Thereafter, ions are implanted in the semiconductor substrate 100 with the patterned resist being used as a mask, so that the well regions 106 can be defined.
Next, the LOCOS regions 107 for device isolation are formed in the peripheral circuit area. This may be done by forming a SiN film on the semiconductor substrate and providing a resist thereon, which is then patterned. The SiN film is etched with the patterned resist serving as a mask for forming the LOCOS. Thereafter, the semiconductor substrate 100 is locally oxidized through openings, so that the LOCOS regions 107 are formed. After removal of the resist, the SiN film remaining in the core area is removed.
Then, a resist is provided and patterned, and ion implantation is carried out with the patterned resist. Ions are implanted through the openings of the patterned resist, so that the channel implantation region 101 for the adjustment of the threshold value can be formed in the semiconductor substrate 100.
Subsequent to the above, the resist and the thin oxide film are removed, and the tunnel oxide film 103 and the nitride film 104 for the charge storage are formed. A patterned resist is provided on the nitride film 104 and ions are implanted in the semiconductor substrate 101 through the openings of the patterned resist, so that the n-type oxide regions 102 are formed.
Finally, the resist is removed and the upper oxide film 105 is deposited on the nitride film 104.
The multi-bit cell of the SONOS structure can be independently programmed for each of the bits of the cell. Thus, the cell capacity can be increased and the bit cost can be reduced.
However, the conventional multi-bit cell of the MNOS structure or SONOS structure has the tunnel oxide film having the uniform thickness, which determines the storage location of the charge due to the electron-injected position depending on the potential inclination between the source and drain regions. As the amount of charge stored in each bit increases in the progress of programming, the bit region that stores a large amount of charge tends to gradually spread towards the channel center from the vicinity of the drain in the nitride film. The spreading of the bit region causes another bit that stores only a small amount of charge to equivalently function to storage a large amount of charge that exceeds the real amount of charge and to raise the threshold value of that bit. This may cause a data read error.

Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same


A two part shipping form has top and bottom plies with a shipping label operatively mounted on the second ply. Image transfer mechanisms, such as CF and CB coatings, are provided on the bottom of the first ply and the top face of the label and the second ply. Beneath the pressure sensitive adhesive of the label is a silicone coating or a transparent release material ply to allow the label to be removed from the second ply. Beneath the silicone coating is a self-contained spot, so that indicia written on the top ply transfers to the top face of the label and to the top face of the second ply beneath the label. The forms are made on presses and by blowing the label, with or without the transparent midply, onto the second ply.

Business forms used for shipping, such as courier packages, are usually three or more plies. One ply is retained by the customer, one ply needs to be retained for the records of the courier service, or other shipping organization, while a third ply needs to be affixed to the package being shipped. However, there are some circumstances when a multi-ply form like this is undesirable, and it would be better to have a two ply construction for ease of handling, transfer of images onto the courier services record ply, etc.
According to the present invention, it has been recognized that the ply that is used to attach to the package need not necessarily contain all of the information that the customer and record plies contain. Rather, the primary information that needs to be provided on the package itself is the name and address of the addressee. Utilizing this information, according to the present invention a shipping form is provided that has a basically two part construction, with a label that covers only a part of the form (underneath the addressee indicia, and preferably under both the return address and addressee indicia). The invention also relates to a method for easily producing the two part forms, with labels, according to the invention. The labels have sufficient information thereon to make sure that the package to which they are applied is properly directed.
According to one aspect of the present invention a shipping form is provided which comprises the following elements: A first ply having a top face and a bottom face, with indicia on the top face. A second ply having a top face and a bottom face, with indicia on the top face. Means for readily releasably attaching a small part of the first ply bottom face to a small part of the second ply top face. A label assembly comprising a label ply having top and bottom faces, with pressure sensitive adhesive substantially covering the label bottom face. The label having dimensions significantly less than the dimensions of the first and second plies. The label disposed on the second ply beneath the first ply, the top face of the label operatively associated with the bottom face of the second ply, and the label covering a first portion of the top face of the second ply, and the second ply top face having a second portion not covered by the label. First image transfer means for transferring indicia impressed on the first ply top face to the label ply top face and to the second portion of the second ply top face. Adhesive release means provided beneath the label pressure sensitive adhesive in operative association with the second ply top face, for allowing removal of the label therefrom. And self-contained second image transfer means disposed on the first portion of the top face of the second ply, beneath the label pressure sensitive adhesive and the adhesive release means, for transferring indicia impressed on the first ply top face through the label to the second ply top face.
Preferably, the shipping form consists of only the above recited elements. That is, the bottom face of the second ply is not coated with adhesive or another material, and there are no other parts to the form.
Preferably the first image transfer means comprises a CB coating on the bottom face of the first ply, and a CF coating on the top face of the label and on the top face of the label and on the top face of the second portion of the second ply. The second image transfer means comprises a combined CB/CF coating on the top face of the second ply first portion, such as is provided by merely spot coating a part of the CF coated second ply with CB.
The adhesive release means preferably has one of two alternative constructions. It may be a transparent ply having dimensions slightly greater than the dimensions of the label, and having a top face engaging the pressure sensitive adhesive of the label. The bottom face of the transparent ply is then attached by pressure sensitive adhesive to the second image transfer means. Alternatively, the adhesive release means may comprise a transparent release coating (silicone) having dimensions slightly greater than the dimensions of the label, and provided over the second image transfer means.
The label typically comprises a blow on label assembly, with preprinted indicia on the top face thereof, such as "To" and "From", etc. The first and second plies are typically paper plies and have aligned indicia indicating insertion of outgoing addressee information, and preferably also return address information.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of making a two part shipping form is provided. The method comprises the following steps: (a) Printing the top face of a first ply in web form. (b) Printing the top face of a second ply in web form. (c) Applying a CF coating to the top face of a web of label material. (d) Die cutting the web of label material, and removing the matrix from die cutting. (e) Applying a self-contained coating to the top face of a first portion of the second ply. (f) Providing an image transfer mechanism between the bottom face of the first ply and a second portion of the top face of the second ply, distinct from the first portion. (g) Blowing the label onto the first portion of the top face of the second ply. (h) Providing a release material associated with the label to allow release of the label from the second ply top face first portion. And (i) collating the plies together to form a two part shipping form with the first ply on top of the second ply.
Step (h) may be practiced by providing a silicone coating over the self-contained coating on the top face first portion of the second ply, and step (g) may be practiced without a midply. Alternatively, step (g) is practiced with a transparent midply, and step (h) is practiced simultaneously with step (g), the transparent midply forming the release material.
Steps (e) and (f) are preferably practiced by applying a CB coating to the bottom face of the first ply, a CF coating to the top face of the second ply, and a CB spot over the CF coating to the first portion of the top face of the second ply. The top face of the label may be printed prior to step (c).
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a simple yet useful two part shipping form, particularly for courier services. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.


The invention relates to compositions comprising vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) or fragments thereof, and the use of such compositions in the treatment of kidney disease, in particular kidney fibrosis, and other associated conditions.

Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects approximately 10% of the general population in the western world. Data from the UK and the US indicate that while the incidence of CKD is approximately 2% of the young adult population, it rises markedly with age reaching an incidence of 50% in the population aged over 75 years. These figures will increase as a consequence of the ageing of western populations and secondly from the increase in Type II diabetes flowing from the obesity epidemic. Most patients with Type II diabetes have evidence of renal damage, such as microalbuminuria, at the time of the diagnosis of their diabetes, and so an increase in the incidence of diabetes will automatically increase the incidence of early stage CKD. It will probably also increase the incidence of later stage CKD. A little over a decade ago diabetes ranked 3th or 4th as a cause for entry into renal replacement therapy programmes (dialysis and/or transplantation). While other causes have remained static or have increased only slightly, diabetes has increased to being the most common reason for entry into end stage renal failure programmes in less than a decade.
In CKD the progressive loss of renal function occurs as a consequence of the deposition of fibrous tissue between the functional units of the kidney or nephrons (interstitial fibrosis) as well as the ongoing replacement of the filtration surface by fibrous tissue (glomerular sclerosis). Some studies indicate that the former (interstitial fibrosis) may be more important than the latter (glomerular sclerosis) in determining whether a patient progresses to end stage. While primary glomerular damage is also important in the development of CKD and end stage renal disease (ESRD) there is evidence that increased interstitial fibrosis accelerates the loss of glomerular function by causing ischaemic damage to glomeruli—through collapsing the tufts and thickened capsules leading to obsolescence. Through this mechanism, interstitial fibrosis accelerates the progression of renal disease to end stage. Currently available treatments (such as ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, rennin inhibitors) alter glomerular haemodynamics reducing intraglomerular pressure thereby acting to stabilise glomerular sclerosis. In general they slow but do not prevent the progression of CKD. With an increasing prevalence of CKD clearly there is a substantial need to reduce the need for renal replacement therapy by preventing and/or reversing renal fibrosis.
VIP was discovered by Said and Mutt in the 1970's and has been shown to affect urinary sodium and bicarbonate excretion by the kidney. Systemic VIP administration also increases renin secretion by the kidney, which may be profibrotic as renin has recently been shown to have pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic properties. Acute VIP administration decreases glomerular filtration rate and renal plasma flow but the effects of chronic administration are not known. VIP administered prior to the insult has been shown to protect against acute renal failure, which occurs due to haemorrhage. However, the mechanisms involved in hypovolaemic acute renal failure (low perfusion pressure and hypoxia) are not contributory to the progression of CKD. Agents which lower blood pressure have been shown to slow the progression of chronic kidney disease by reducing intraglomerular pressure and thus decreasing the progression of glomerular sclerosis. VIP is a potent vasodilator, however unaided VIP does not lower blood pressure in the whole animal.
Conventional view of structure/function relationship with respect to VIP activity is that the N-terminal amino acid residues (1-5) are important and necessary for signal delivery once VIP binds to its receptor. Further, there are certain key amino acid residues throughout the VIP molecule, distal to the N-terminus, that are important for receptor binding. This would suggest that fragments of VIP lacking either the N-terminal residues or significant portions that encompass the receptor binding residues would not be fully functional.
Activity of VIP or fragments of VIP in the treatment of conditions such as kidney fibrosis, chronic kidney disease or kidney failure, has not been previously reported. Need currently exists for better and/or alternative treatments for such conditions.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

Treatment of kidney fibrosis with VIP fragments