A machine-learning framework uses partial-click feedback to generate an optimal diverse set of items. An example method includes estimating a preference vector for a user based on diverse cascade statistics for the user, the diverse cascade statistics including previously observed responses and previously observed topic gains. The method also includes generating an ordered set of items from the item repository, the items in the ordered set having highest topic gain weighted by similarity with the preference vector, providing the ordered set for presentation to the user, and receiving feedback from the user on the ordered set. The method also includes, responsive to the feedback indicating a selected item, updating the diverse cascade statistics for observed items, wherein the updating results in penalizing the topic gain for items of the observed items that are not the selected item and promoting the topic gain for the selected item.

Learning to rank is an important problem in machine learning, especially for machine learning based recommendation systems. Such systems aim to select items most relevant to a particular user. Recommendation systems conventionally provide multiple items for the user to review. The goal of some recommendation systems is to select the items most attractive to the user, i.e., items that the user is more likely to select. One way for machine learning recommendation systems to improve the list of items is through user feedback, e.g., selections made by the user. Such models are also referred to as click models. A click model is a stochastic model of how the user interacts with a list of items. Put another way, such models describe a process by which the user examines and clicks, i.e., selects, items in the list. Over time, the click model helps the recommendation system identify characteristics of items the user finds appealing so that future recommendations include more of these items.

Online diverse set generation from partial-click feedback


Improved dental flosses include two or more components selected to provide desired properties to the floss. The improved flosses may comprise one or a plurality of multicomponent filaments, each filament including an inner core selected to provide strength to the floss, and an outer layer selected to provide a desired surface property. The improved flosses also may comprise one or a plurality of core filaments embedded in a single body sheath. The filament component provides desirable physical properties to the floss, such as tensile strength, while a floss body sheath component provides desirable surface properties.

Tooth decay and dental disease can be caused by bacterial action resulting from the formation of plaque about the teeth and/or the entrapment of food particles in interstices between the teeth. Removal of plaque and entrapped food particles reduces the incidence of caries, gingivitis, and mouth odors as well as generally improving oral hygiene. Conventional brushing has been found to be inadequate for removing all entrapped food particles and plaque. To supplement brushing, dental flosses and tapes are used.
Dental flosses, both in brush and thin floss form, often include additives such as flavors or colors. These flavors have been conventionally applied by coating the additive onto the surface of the floss.


A mail insertion machine (10) having an elongated insert track (12) with one or more insert dispensing devices (16) with rotary insert feeding mechanisms (22) for depositing inserts at longitudinally-space movable driving members (14) on the insert track includes a power train interconnected between the driving members and each insert dispensing device for driving them in a predetermined phase relationship with a phase-adjustment mechanism for adjusting the phase relationship. The phase-adjustment mechanism includes first and second power transmitting elements (28, 30) which can be selectively engaged with and disengaged from one another by an engaging mechanism (38), an electronic sensing and indicating mechanism mounted on the first and second power transmitting elements for sensing their positions relative to one another and providing an electronic phase-indication signal indicative thereof, and a phase-adjustment mechanism (54, 60, 64) coupled to the power train for acting on the power train when the first and second power transmitting elements are disengaged to achieve a desired phase-indication signal from the electronic sensing and indicating mechanism. In one embodiment, phase adjustment is accomplished by an electric motor which is automatically adjusted by a control system responding to the phase-indication signal and input instructions.

This invention relates generally to the art of mail inserting machines, that is machines for preparing groups of inserts to be inserted into envelopes of the like.
Envelope inserting machines often include insert tracks along which pusher pins move to drive groups, or piles, of inserts which are sequentially deposited thereon by gripper jaws of insert rotors, or the like. That is, there are often a plurality of insert dispensing devices having rotors spaced along an insert track, each depositing a different insert in front of each pair of pusher pins, thereby creating a pile of inserts in front of each pair of pusher pins which is eventually inserted into an envelope. Because such mail insertion machines are often used with different size inserts, it is often necessary to change phase relationships, or synchronization, between various ones of the insert dispensing devices and the pairs of pusher pins on the insert track. In this regard, spacings between insert track pusher pin pairs are normally fixed as is an angular distance between gripper jaws on insert rotors of the insert dispensing devices. However, it is normally desirable that each insert dispensing device deposits its insert on the insert track immediately in front of a pusher pin pair. If it deposits an insert too far in front of a pusher pin pair, the insert will not be on the insert pile of the pusher pin pair which makes it difficult to insert the pile into an envelope. Also, inserts which are too far in front of pusher pin pairs, are not quickly brought into registration by pusher pin pairs and can thereby improperly rotate and possibly jam the insert track. On the other hand, if an insert dispensing device deposits an insert on top of a pusher pin pair so that the pusher pin pair does not contact edges of the insert to control it and bring it into registration with other inserts of a pile, this could also jam up the insert track and/or cause inserts to get into incorrect piles.
Normally, gripper jaws of insert rotors grip leading edges of inserts for depositing them onto the insert track. Thus, if an insert dispensing device is depositing inserts six inches wide onto the insert track, it will be synchronized to release leading edges of the inserts slightly more than six inches from pusher pin pairs on the insert track in order to deposit the inserts immediately in front of the pusher pin pairs. It will be appreciated that if an insert dispensing device at an insert station, which has been depositing six-inch inserts, is required to deposit three-inch inserts, the phase relationship of the insert rotor gripper jaws to the insert track pusher pins must be changed so that the gripper jaws release leading edges of inserts slightly more than three inches in front of pusher pin pairs. Such synchronization has been accomplished in the past manually. That is, there is power linkage, or a power train, between rotation motion of the insert rotors at the insert dispensing devices and linear movement of the pusher pins along the insert track. Phasing has normally been accomplished by manually releasing a clamp in this power train, or linkage, so as to allow manual rotation of insert rotors independently of pusher pin movement on the insert track. Each insert rotor is then rotated independently until a proper synchronization between the pusher pin movement and the insert-rotor, gripper-jaw movement is achieved. The clamp is then again tightened. The machine is then test run, with further manual adjustments being made as required. As can be imagined, such adjustments are quite time consuming and must be made for each insert dispensing device.
Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a phase-adjustment device for an insert machine which can be opereated remotely, automatically, and/or in a programmed manner, to adjust phase relationships between movements of insert dispensing devices and driving members of an insert track.
It is also an object of this invention to provide such a phase-adjustment device which is relatively uncomplicated and relatively inexpensive to construct.

Phase adjustment apparatus for insertion machine


A method for restoring traffic in a network. The network includes plural distinct nodes interconnected by plural distinct spans, each span having working links and spare links. Each node has a digital cross-connect switch for making and breaking connections between adjacent spans forming span pairs at a node. Cross-connections between spare links in adjacent spans are made such that sets of successive nodes through which the adjacent spans form span paths form closed paths. A method of finding and construction closed paths is described in which statelets are broadcast through the network. In a preferred method of implementation of the method, the statelet broadcast occurs not in response to a network failure, but across the entire network before any particular span failure and may be carried out during normal network operations as a continual re-configuration of the network.

Methods for the restoration of digital transport networks have been studied for several years. Some researchers have concluded that distributed real-time protocols may operate too slowly to meet operational objectives, such as the 2 second call-dropping threshold in voice networks. This problem can be overcome by preparing the network for anticipated failures by optimally preconfiguring resources which will be used to react to the failure. This places the network into a state of "best readiness" to face a given set of anticipated failures. See W. D. Grover and M. H. MacGregor, "Potential for spare capacity preconnection to reduce crossconnection workloads in mesh-restorable networks", Electronics Letters, Vol. 30, No. 3, pp. 194–195, Feb. 3, 1994. By contrast, M. Herzberg and S. J. Bye, "An optimal spare-capacity assignment model for survivable networks with hop limits", Proceedings of IEEE Globecom '94, Vol. 3, pp. 1601–1606, IEEE, 1994 deals with the problem of optimum spare capacity amount determination, but does not pre-configure such spares.
The tremendous interest in real-time network restoration over the last few years is evidence both of the importance and difficulty of this problem. Evidence has been mounting that it may not always be possible to meet operational requirements with real-time techniques. The suggested cures have ranged from high speed, parallel computing architectures for digital crossconnect machines to simplified network architectures where restoration can be made to occur more quickly in real-time. The proposal of Grover and MacGregor suggests anticipating failures, and preconfiguring the network to handle them so that real-time computation or reaction delay (one or both) is not required except at the endpoints of the failure. Thus, preconfiguration methods apply where computing a reaction or implementing it (or both) is/are too lengthy a process.
One of the inventors has previously disclosed, in Canadian patent application no. 2,161,847 published May 1, 1997, a method for restoring traffic in a network in which the network is pre-configured for span restoration. The network includes plural distinct nodes interconnected by plural distinct spans, each span having working links and spare links. Each node has a digital cross-connect switch for making and breaking connections between links in adjacent spans forming paths or path segments (span pairs) through nodes. In a broad characterization of the method, there are three steps.
Step 1: For each of at least two possible span failures, (a) find the number of restoration routes available in case of the occurrence of each span failure, (b) determine the resources used by each restoration route, and (c) determine the amount of flow to be restored for each span failure.
Step 2: find, in a computer, the amount of flow fp to be restored along each restoration route that minimizes total unrestored flow for all possible span failures identified in step 1.
Step 3: form connections at each digital cross-connect switch in the network along each restoration route before occurrence of one of the possible span failures identified in step 1 to permit the amount of flow fp determined in step 2 to be carried by each respective restoration route upon the occurrence of one of the possible span failures identified in step 1.
PC-restoration design may be generated using trees and unconstrained patterns of genetic algorithm techniques. These approaches have a practical drawback in that there is no constraint on the nodal degrees that a pattern can have (other than the degrees of the underlying nodes.)
The inventor has also proposed, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,835, issued Sep. 11, 1990, a method and apparatus of restoring communications between a pair of nodes in a network having an arbitrary number of nodes and an arbitrary number of spans interconnecting the nodes. Each span has working circuits between nodes designated for transmitting actual communications traffic and spare circuits capable of, but not designated for, transmitting actual communications traffic. The method comprises the steps of (a) establishing one or more independent communication paths between the pair of nodes through a series of spare circuits of spans interconnecting the pair of nodes and other interconnected nodes in the network; and (b) redirecting communications traffic intended for one or more failed spans interconnecting the pair of nodes through one or more of the paths. However, self-healing networks operating pursuant to the method described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,835 are reactive in that the establishment of a communications path occurs only after the occurrence of a span failure, or in response to a demand for additional capacity. In addition, the self-healing network utilizes distinct end nodes for the initiation of a broadcast of signatures and initiating construction of a restoration path. Further, the self-healing network utilizes the broadcast of signatures that in themselves do not contain the information required to construct the restoration path.
There also has been proposed, in order to enhance survivability of networks, the concept of self-healing rings (Wu, "Fiber Network Service Survivability", Boston, USA, 1992, in particular, Ch. 4). In a self-healing ring, nodes are interconnected by spans organized into rings. Each span includes working links and spare links. Add-drop multiplexers (ADMs) at the nodes react to a span failure on the ring to restore a communications path in one of two ways. If only a working link is lost, communications may be restored along the same span by dropping the working link and adding a spare link on that span. If an entire span is lost, communications may be restored by re-routing traffic in the opposite direction around the ring, using either working or spare links in the ring.
Self-healing rings only protect the spans on the ring itself and provide at most one restoration route per failure. In addition, protection paths of one ring overlapping a span are only available to failed working spans in the same ring. A working path routing must be realized by a succession of ring-arc tranversals and ring to ring transfers. Each ring functions on its own in its as built configuration.

Distributed preconfiguration of spare capacity in closed paths for network restoration


An inflatable and rigidizable structure for use as a habitat or a load bearing structure is disclosed. The structure consists of an outer wall and an inner wall defining a containment member and a bladder. The bladder is pressurized to erect the structure from an initially collapsed state. The containment member is subsequently injected with rigidizable fluid through an arrangement of injection ports. Exhaust gases from the curing rigidizable fluid are vented through an arrangement of exhaust ports. The rate of erection can be controlled by frictional engagement with a container or by using a tether. A method for fabricating a tubular structure is disclosed.

Many civil and aerospace engineering structures are designed for ease of transport and storage, weight and financial economy. For these reasons, a number of inflatable and rigidizable structures have been developed. One problem which has not been fully addressed is the issue of providing uniform rigidization throughout the structure, particularly when larger structures or assembled structures are constructed. Some relevant examples of prior art include the following.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,098,229, issued to Raabe, discloses an inflatable and rigidizable transmission line. The transmission lines are prefabricated and folded or rolled up into a package. At a desired time, the transmission line is unfurled and inflated to a deployed position by injecting an expansible material into the interior of the transmission line. One embodiment consists of two concentric plastic tubes. The innermost tube is inflated to deploy the structure. Rigidizable material is subsequently injected into the space between the inner and outer tubes. However, Raabe does not provide a gas escape mechanism to relieve out gassing of the rigidizable material. Nor does Raabe address the issue of uniform injection of rigidizable material.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,110,552, issued to Voelker describes a structure having an inner cavity surrounded by double walls. The inner cavity can be inflated to give the structure a desired shape. A metered amount of mixed chemicals, which foam and rigidize upon heating is deposited between the double walls. The rigid foam provides structural support. The invention also includes a vent to permit escape of excess gases released from the foam. However, the invention does not suggest a specific venting or escape mechanism design configuration nor address specific issues such as gas escape optimization and pressure barrier build up. Nor does Voelker address the issue of distributing foam uniformly throughout the double walls.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,330, issued to Chow discloses a spheroidal habitat structure having a pressurizable inner core and fabric layer walls. Rigidizable foam is filled in between the fabric layers to provide structural strength. The invention does not address rigidization of extended structures.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,405,886, issued to Gosnell discloses a method of making an inflatable erectable hollow structure. The structure walls are fabricated from a plastic impregnated wall material. The walls are then treated with a non-permanent softening agent, and collapsed into a container. The structure can be inflated and venting orifices are provided for venting exhaust gases emanating from the softening agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,579, issued to Bernasconi discloses curable inflatable flexible tubes that form the skeleton of a larger structure. The tubes are prefabricated, pre-assembled, and coated on the inside with a curable laminate. The assembly can be inflated and unfolded using a single pressure source. Rigidization is achieved using a gaseous chemical catalyser injected in the same way as the pressurizing gas. The unfolding rate is controlled using a series of valves and diaphragms in the connectors between the tubes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,186 issued to Mecca discloses a prefabricated structure deployed from a container using pressurized foam. The structure is a cylindrical double walled structure formed from a flexible material. The walls are initially bonded together with adhesive when the structure is folded inside a container. Foam injected between the walls at an annular edge releases the walls and deploys the structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,574 issued to Downing discloses an inflatable rigidizable structure consisting of at least three flexible walls. The flexible walls define an innermost cavity and an outermost cavity. The outermost cavity is pressurized with gas to give the structure shape. The innermost cavity is then injected with curable mold material to rigidize the structure. The outermost cavity can then be deflated and injected with curable mold.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide an inflatable structure that is capable of being remotely and inflatably deployed. It is a further objective of the invention to provide a container to package and controllably deploy the structure. It is a further objective that such a structure can be rigidized by injecting a rigidizable fluid into the walls of the structure. It is a further objective that the rigidizable fluid be injected and distributed uniformly throughout the walls to prevent deformations or weaknesses in the structure. It is a further objective that the invention can be scaled to relatively large sizes, or assembled with other similar structures using the same technology. It is still a further objective that the structure may be used to deploy and erect other structures. Finally, it is an objective to provide a structure that is simple and inexpensive to produce while fulfilling all of the described performance criteria. While some of the objectives of the present invention are disclosed in the prior art, none of the inventions found include all of the requirements identified.

Foam rigidized inflatable structural assemblies

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


There is disclosed a system and method for creating value by facilitating third party participation in mobile commerce transactions, providing consumers with a unified perspective of commercial activity, and selectively implementing discounts. The system may include a computerized engine and a point of sale wallet, which may be embedded in a personal trusted device. The computerized engine may be programmed to selectively implement a discount associated with a particular transaction. The personal trusted device may comprise a wireless communications technology, which enables the device to communicate with a back-end system and/or other point of sale devices. The personal trusted device may serve as the nexus of consumer transactions by facilitating payment as well as receipt and storage of electronic receipts. The personal trusted device may also be configured to transmit electronic receipts via the communications technology.

This invention is in the field of mobile commerce transactions and particularly the utilization of computerized engines to facilitate third party participation in mobile commerce transactions.
Single purpose computerized end devices, i.e., cell phones, pagers, personal digital assistants, etc., have become commonplace. These single purpose devices have not, in the past, included application hosting facilities given the network and processors that were available. Any intelligence had to be found in the "hosts" that they were attached to.
Four key trends are shaping the computerized consumer transaction industry: increased processing power on user devices; longer lasting batteries for user devices; standardization of the development and operating environment on user devices (standard operating systems); and finally, the demand and growth of applications executing on user devices.
As technology advances, so must the availability of consumer transaction applications on user devices. Customer care and billing applications (including pre-paid applications) have generally followed a network-centric or server-centric processing model. Network-centric models process and store information centrally on the network. The device or access point generates/facilitates the data or events. Customer data is housed on centralized databases. Rating and pricing for events involves some sort of network activity or usage.
Recent inventions have facilitated movement of some or all of the processing functionality to the end device (please see, U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2003-0187794, entitled System and Method for a Flexible Device-Based Rating Engine, Irwin et al, filed on Mar. 20, 2003). In these systems, a computerized engine, specifically, a device-based rating engine, may be incorporated into virtually any end device. The device-based rating engine may include a computerized application, which facilitates the intelligent configuration of computerized metering, rating, billing and managing of account balances on an end computing device. The device-based rating engine may then interact with a back-end system through a network on an as-needed basis to communicate the processing results.
User devices may also represent a natural integration point for a wide variety of consumer transactions applications ranging from voice, to data, to content, to next generation services such as mobile infotainment (i.e., information and entertainment). The power, convenience and ubiquity of these smart devices may drive the rapid adoption of new services, and in the process, create enormous value for consumers.
Most consumer transactions are still processed via paper. Typically, a consumer transaction occurs directly between the vendor and the consumer with cash or a financial settlement mechanism, such as a credit card. This usually occurs directly on the vendor's premises with the vendor's financial instruments. In the standard transaction model, the consumer receives a separate bill for each individual financial settlement mechanism (i.e., each credit card, checking account, etc.). If the customer wishes to verify the billing charges itemized on each statement, then the customer must maintain a copy of the sales receipt for each transaction. Furthermore, if the customer wishes to return a good or service, then the customer must sort through his or her receipts to find the receipt for the specific transaction.
Mobile commerce transactions may occur on a mobile carriers' network infrastructure and may not require use of the vendor's financial instruments. Nevertheless, consumers still receive separate bills for each individual financial settlement mechanism and may still be forced to retain copies of receipts (paper or electronic). Additionally, the network providers usually do not actively participate in mobile commerce transactions, but rather merely facilitate the transaction by serving as a network pipe though which opaque data may travel. For this reason, the reality for network infrastructure providers, such as wireless carriers as well as Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), is that they are cut out of the value chain during financial transactions that do not directly involve either the carrier-managed balance or the carrier's transmission network. Moreover, they are essentially providing a mobile commerce platform for which others will benefit.

Convergys Information Management Group, Inc.


A circuit for charging a battery by selecting among two available power sources while providing overcharging and temperature protection to the battery and managing a charging current is described. A power pass and sense circuit is arranged to provide charge voltage from either power source based on control voltages from a current/voltage control circuit, which receives control signals from a logic control and timer circuit, a sensed voltage from a current setting circuit and reference and temperature voltages from a voltage reference and thermo-sense circuit. Differential amplifiers controlling power pass transistors are turned on and off depending on a power source availability and selection. A power supply circuit provides global supply voltages to all subcircuits preventing reverse current to power sources and stable supply independent of a power source availability. A pair of transistors arranged to operate as body-switcher protect power pass and sense transistors against reverse bias current.

Generally, batteries are used to supply power to portable devices such as personal computers, radios, radiophones, stereo cassette tape players etc. Such batteries are typically available in two different types such as those characterized as rechargeable or non-rechargeable and exhibit different end of life voltage characteristics and effective series resistances. Non-rechargeable battery types are those ordinary alkaline batteries that should not be subjected to recharging attempts. Rechargeable battery types are those nickel-cadmium (Ni—Cd), nickel-hydrogen (Ni—H), lithium-ion and recently developed nickel metal-hydride (Ni—MH) batteries that should be charged at different rates with different conditions.
When a rechargeable battery is used as a power supply system for a portable personal computer, cellular phone, and the like, the battery may be charged by a battery charger in different charging modes, for example, a run and charging mode and a run or charging mode. During the run and charging mode, the battery is charged regardless of whether an end device is operating or not, and as a result, the charging operation may be difficult to control. In contrast to the run and charging mode, the run or charging mode allows the battery to be charged selectively depending upon whether the end device is operating or not.
Generally, charging operations of such a battery may be classified in at least one of a fast or rapid charging, a quick charging, a standard charging, and a trickle charging modes. The charging modes may be in relation with charging capacities or charging current of the battery. In the fast charge mode, a relatively larger charging current may be applied to the battery over a relatively short period of time, for example one to two hours. In the quick charge mode, a relatively large charging current may be applied to the battery over a relatively shorter period of time, for example four to six hours. In the standard charge mode, a relatively smaller charging current may be applied to the battery over a relatively longer period of time, for example eight to ten hours. In the trickle charge mode, the battery charging circuit provides a relatively even smaller constant current to the battery without interruption. In this mode, the battery may not be charged but its power loss due to natural discharge may be compensated.
During all charging operations, a charge level of the battery may be monitored so that, when the battery reaches its maximum charge level, the charging operation is terminated in order to prevent overcharging and damage of the battery.
Thus, it is with respect to these considerations and others that the present invention has been made.


A frequency synthesizer circuit comprises a controller, a synthesizer and a voltage controlled oscillator are used to generate an oscillating signal in response to external commands. The synthesizer provides a lock detect signal to the controller when the synthesizer detects that the oscillating signal has reached a desired frequency following application of a load signal. A first timer, a second timer, and a counter are adapted to receive the load signal and the lock detect signal. The first timer provides a first measurement corresponding to an amount of time between the load signal and a first receipt of the lock detect signal. The second timer provides a second measurement corresponding to an amount of time between the load signal and a final receipt of the lock detect signal. The counter provides a count value corresponding to a total number of times that the lock detect signal is received inclusive of the first receipt and the final receipt of the lock detect signal. A memory device is coupled to each of the first timer, second timer, and counter, which has a data storage portion for storing the first measurement, second measurement and count value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to radio communication systems, and more particularly, to an RF transceiver having a digital frequency synthesizer in which certain parameters relating to the time for the frequency synthesizer to lock onto a desired frequency are monitored in order to provide a measure of performance of the transceiver.
2. Description of Related Art
Spread spectrum modulation techniques are increasingly desirable for communications, navigation, radar and other applications. In a spread spectrum system, the transmitted signal is spread over a frequency band that is wider than the minimum bandwidth required to transmit the information being sent. As a result of the signal spreading, spread spectrum systems have reduced susceptibility to interference or jamming, and enable high data integrity and security. Moreover, by spreading transmission power across a broad bandwidth, power levels at any given frequency within the bandwidth are significantly reduced, thereby reducing interference to other radio devices. In view of these significant advantages, spread spectrum communication systems are highly desirable for commercial data transmission.
In one type of spread spectrum communication system, a radio frequency (RF) carrier is shifted in discrete increments in a pattern dictated by a predetermined sequence. These spread spectrum systems are known as "frequency hopping" modulation systems, since the transmitter jumps from frequency to frequency in accordance with the predetermined sequence. Another type of spread spectrum communication system utilizes an RF carrier modulated by a digital code sequence having a bit rate, or chipping rate, much higher than the clock rate of the information signal. These spread spectrum systems are known as "direct sequence" modulation systems. The RF carrier may be modulated such that a data stream has one phase when a code sequence represents a data "one" and 180.degree. phase shift when the code sequence represents a data "zero."
In either type of spread spectrum system, a digital frequency synthesizer is typically used within a phase-locked loop circuit to generate the RF carrier. The frequency synthesizer may be controlled by a microprocessor, which provides control signals to determine the frequency on which the frequency synthesizer operates. Frequency hopping systems require frequent changes in frequency, and the microprocessor determines the pattern and timing of the frequency changes. Rapid frequency changes may also be necessary in direct sequence systems as well as in other types of RF transceivers, such as to switch between transmitting and receiving modes. A drawback of such frequency synthesizer circuits is that there is an inherent delay period during which the frequency synthesizer stabilizes, or locks onto, a new frequency. This delay period is referred to as the locking time. The locking time of a frequency synthesizer is an important measure of the performance of a radio system, and certain radio system protocols specify stringent locking time parameters.
Radio system manufacturers typically measure the frequency synthesizer locking time using external equipment coupled to the transceiver while it is disassembled to expose the frequency synthesizer circuitry. After the transceiver has been delivered to a customer, however, it is impractical to perform such measurements without returning the transceiver to the manufacturer. As a result, reductions of the frequency synthesizer performance are often not recognized until the radio system has degraded below acceptable levels. Moreover, the factory tests of the frequency synthesizers do not accurately reflect real operating conditions of the radio system in which system power demands and noise affect the operation of the frequency synthesizer, and thus do not provide a reliable indicator of actual performance.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a radio system which constantly monitors the operation of the frequency synthesizer to detect subtle changes in performance, particularly with respect to the locking time of the frequency synthesizer. It would further be desirable to provide a radio system in which the operating dynamics of the frequency synthesizer can be evaluated under real operating conditions after delivery to a customer.

Method and apparatus for monitoring frequency synthesizer locking time


A corrosion-resistant member may include alumina ceramics containing α-alumina and anorthite. The alumina ceramics may contain 0.4% by mass or more of Ca and Si in total in terms of CaO and SiO2, respectively, and a mass ratio of CaO/SiO2 may fall within a range of 0.5 to 2. Moreover, a ratio B/A of X-ray diffraction peak intensity B for (004) plane of the anorthite to X-ray diffraction peak intensity A for (104) plane of the α-alumina in a surface of the alumina ceramics, may be 0.01 or more.

There is an increase in demand for liquid beverage supply systems, typified by vending machines, that provide a beverage such as juice drink poured in a paper cup or the like. In such a liquid beverage supply system, a constituent member that is exposed to an undiluted beverage syrup concentrate is required to be highly resistant to corrosion by the syrup concentrate to withstand years of use.
As a material of such a constituent member (hereafter referred to as "corrosion-resistant member"), ceramics having excellent resistance to corrosion may be adopted (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 7-507527 (1995) (Patent Literature 1), for example). In particular, among the ceramics, alumina ceramics which is inexpensive may be easily adopted.


A dry process for speedy and continuous treatment of discarded or used rubber waste is disclosed wherein discarded rubber waste is pulverized into particles of 20-40 mesh and is transmitted to an air tight vessel in which the pulverized rubber waste is indirectly preheated at a temperature between 100.degree.-200.degree. C.; and is then delivered to a fast reactor in which many additives, such as process oil, minerals, rosin and zeolite, are blended with the pulverized rubber waste. The mixture is further stirred by way of a motor to permit the process oil to effectively penetrate into the pulverized rubber waste; and is finally refined to get useful recycled rubber material.

The present invention relates to a dry process for continuous and speedy treatment of discarded rubber waste with an intention to recycle the rubber waste without water and air pollution as in a conventional rubber recycling process. Pulverized rubber waste in the dimension of 20-40 mesh are preheated in an air tight vessel at 100.degree.-200.degree. C., and then delivered to a fast reactor by conveyor belt to blend with many kinds of additives, the mixture is further stirred by way of a motor, converting the used rubber waste into recycled rubber powder which is subjected to a refinery process so as to obtain recycled rubber material at the end of the process. There will be no air and water pollution produced in the process and no foul smell of pine tar will be generated either. The process can mass treat rubber waste in such a manner that it can effectively economize the time and labor used in the production thereof.
The present invention intends to provide a pollutionless and low-cost process to turn used or discarded rubber waste into reusable rubber material so as to effectively alleviate the current enviromental pollution problem.
Generally, at present, used or discarded rubber waste is recycled by way of a steam method wherein, as shown in FIG. 1, pulverized rubber waste A of the dimension of 20-40 mesh is first mixed with desulfurizing agent, pine tar and calcium carbonate at a temperature of 40.degree.-80.degree. C. and under a pressure of 6-13 kg/cm.sup.2 in process B; and the mixture is in the following proportion: desulfurizing agent 0.1%-1%, pine tar 15%-20%, and calcium carbonate 15%-20%. The so blended mixture is then delivered into a steaming vessel and undergoes steaming operation in process C for about 6 to 13 hours so as to obtain recycled rubber powder which is then subject to a cooling process D. After 6 to 10 hours of cooling, a refining process E is carried out to get recycled rubber material F.
Such prior art process must take a steaming step for about 6-13 hours in one aspect and the discharged water produced in the steaming process is the main source of pollution; and the various gases produced therein will get the air polluted at the same time. Such pollution has been seriously rejected by people living around a factory in any developed country. Moreover, the time consumed and labor used in this prior art are another two disadvantages.

Dry process for speedy and continuous recycling discarded rubber

No. 7, Alley 64, Lane 247, Yuan Chi Rd., She Tow Ts;un


Described herein are electromagnetic traps or tweezers. Desired results are achieved by combining two recently developed techniques, 3D negative refraction flat lenses (3DNRFLs) and optical tweezers. The very unique advantages of using 3DNRFLs for electromagnetic traps have been demonstrated. Super-resolution and short focal distance of the flat lens result in a highly focused and strongly convergent beam, which is a key requirement for a stable and accurate electromagnetic trap. The translation symmetry of 3DNRFL provides translation-invariance for imaging, which allows an electromagnetic trap to be translated without moving the lens, and permits a trap array by using multiple sources with a single lens.

One of the fundamental phenomena in optics is refraction, wherein naturally occurring materials obey Snell's law as a result of having positive refractive indices. However, in the 1960s, Veselago considered a notional material that had a negative refraction and proposed its use as a flat lens. Within the last several years, work on metamaterials and 'perfect lenses' revived Veselago's ideas and trigged intense discussions. Meanwhile, negative refraction was also investigated in photonic crystals (PhCs) by engineering their dispersion properties. Along these lines, experiments have demonstrated negative refraction and imaging based on negative refraction by two-dimensional PhC flat lenses. More recently, we demonstrated experimentally subwavelength imaging at microwave frequencies with a three-dimensional (3D) PhC flat lens that exhibited a full 3D negative refraction.
The belief that light carries momentum and therefore can exert force on electrically neutral objects by momentum transfer dates back to Kepler, Newton and Maxwell. However, the radiation force had not attracted much interest until the invention of lasers, which can generate light of extremely high intensity and thus exert a significant force on small neutral particles. This capability enables an unprecedented tool to trap and manipulate small particles ranging in size from the micrometer-scale down to molecules and atoms, as well as to drive specially designed particles as sensitive nano-probes. The techniques based on radiation force have found applications in a wide range of fields including biomedical science, atomic physics, quantum optics, isotope separation, and planetary physics. One of the most successful applications is the use of optical tweezers, which relies on a single-beam gradient-force trap. In biology, optical tweezers are widely used for their ability to nondestructively manipulate small particles ranging in size from tens of nanometers to tens of micrometers. In atomic physics, optical tweezers have found applications in cooling atoms to record low temperatures and trapping atoms at high densities. To implement the optical tweezers for achieving a stable trap, one requires a highly focused and strongly convergent laser beam, which is often realized through a microscope system and is limited by the working wavelength and numerical aperture (N.A.). To manipulate or "tweeze" particles in a large field of view, the system is required to be devoid of field curvature. However, high N.A. and small field curvature are often incompatible in a conventional optical system. In practice, optical tweezers are very expensive, custom-built instruments that require a working knowledge of microscopy, optics, and laser techniques. These requirements limit the application of optical tweezers.
In the Rayleigh scattering regime (λ>>r, where r is the radius of the particle.), the radiation force acting on a dielectric particle can be explained as the interaction between the polarized particle and the applied electric field. The radiation force produced by a focused beam has two components: scattering force and gradient force. Optical tweezers rely on the gradient force, which is proportional to the dipole moment of the particle and the gradient of power density. For a spherical particle in a dielectric liquid medium, the total dipole moment can be shown to take the form
      p    =          4                                      π                                              r        3                                    ɛ          b                                  (                                                    ɛ                a                            -                              ɛ                b                                                                    ɛ                a                            +                              2                                                  ɛ                  b                                                              )                          E        ,where ∈a and ∈b are the dielectric constants of the particle and the medium, respectively, and E is the applied electric field. For simplicity, we approximate the beam focused by the flat lens as a Gaussian beam. In this case, the maximum gradient force is
            F      grad        ∝                  r        3                                    ɛ          b                                  (                                            ɛ              a                        -                          ɛ              b                                                          ɛ              a                        +                          2                                            ɛ                b                                                    )                          P                  W          0          3                      ,and the resulting gradient acceleration is
      a    ∝                            ɛ          b                                  (                                            ɛ              a                        -                          ɛ              b                                                          ɛ              a                        +                          2                                            ɛ                b                                                    )                          P                  W          0          3                      ,where P is the power and W0 is the diameter of the beam waist. Since the acceleration is inversely proportional to the cube of the beam width, squeezing the beam size is a very efficient way to increase the acceleration, and thus improve the particle trapping.

Electromagnetic/optical tweezers using a full 3D negative-refraction flat lens


It is possible to change a focal position or spot diameter of an optical stimulation laser beam without causing any misalignment of the optical axis, thus precisely applying optical stimulation to a desired position or region on a specimen. The invention provides a laser microscope comprising an observation light path for guiding an observation laser beam; an optical stimulation light path for guiding an optical stimulation laser beam; and a light-path combining unit for combining these light paths; and the laser microscope also comprises, in at least the optical stimulation light path, a focal-position adjusting unit for adjusting a focal position of the laser beam; an optical-axis misalignment detector for detecting an amount of misalignment of an optical axis between the focal-position adjusting unit and the light-path combining unit; and an alignment unit for adjusting an optical axis position on the basis of the amount of misalignment of the optical axis detected by the optical-axis misalignment detector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laser microscope.
This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-037831, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
A known microscope in the related art is provided with an optical stimulation light path for guiding an optical stimulation laser beam and a separate observation light path for guiding an observation laser beam (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. HEI10-206742).
In this laser microscope, because optical stimulation is applied to a sectional plane in the specimen different from the observed sectional plane, it is possible to change the focal position of the optical stimulation laser beam in the specimen.
However, when the focal position of the optical stimulation laser beam is changed by moving a lens located in the light path, the center position of the lens shifts and the lens tilts due to errors in the driving system. In such an event, it is not possible to precisely apply the optical stimulation to a desired position because the optical axis of the laser beam misaligns, with the result that it is not possible to acquire the desired observation results.
In addition, when the spot diameter of the laser beam for performing optical stimulation is to be adjusted, there is some movement of the lens located in the path of the optical stimulation laser beam, and a similar problem also occurs in this case.


Systems and methods for assisting in pairing entities in an electronic payments processing network are disclosed herein. For example, systems and methods are disclosed herein for generating a customized user interface for displaying a plurality of potential partners/resellers for pairing with one or more leads. Systems and methods herein may be used to receive the identity of one or more potential partners/resellers having a plurality of attributes, receive the identity of one or more new leads and a plurality of lead attributes, select one or more potential partners/resellers having attributes that are compatible with the plurality of lead attributes, and display the one or more potential partners/resellers on a graphical user interface.

Many brick and mortar merchants use electronic point of sale (POS) terminal systems to perform transaction accounting and payment processing, including both for payment cards and electronic payments. One development in POS terminal systems has been the establishment of third party electronic payment management service providers (also known as acquiring banks and their affiliates) who securely and reliably aggregate and direct electronic payment requests from merchants' POS terminals through payment networks to payment card companies' payment systems, and thus act as payment intermediaries. Such electronic payment management services may also provide merchants greater control over the processing of electronic payments via Arbitraged Enhanced Payment (AEP) services including, but not limited to, how rapidly a given payment is processed, what entity processes a given payment, and/or enhanced payment security measures. From time to time, a given merchant may select a new electronic payment management service. The process of integrating a new merchant account's POS terminal system(s) and corresponding payments stream into an arbitraged enhanced payments processing system (AEPPS) is commonly termed "merchant boarding."
Merchants are now often assisted with merchant boarding by a variety of intermediary partners (sometimes known as resellers) including, but not limited to, independent sales organizations (ISOs) and POS system developers and vendors. Such partners may also assist merchants with aspects of AEP services beyond merchant boarding. For example, a merchant's POS terminal's components may be sourced from several manufacturers, and may be integrated and maintained over time by third party POS system developers and vendors. An ISO may, for example, serve as an aggregating entity that may modify or augment transactional content exchanged with a given POS terminal system.
To maximize earning potential, acquiring banks may want to add as many new merchants (sometimes referred to by acquiring banks and partners/resellers as "leads") to an electronic payment management service as possible. Leads may be recruited to an electronic payment management service through initial contact with an intermediary partner such as an ISO or a POS system vendor, or leads may also directly contact electronic payment management services, e.g., via signing up online without the involvement of a partner. Acquiring banks and/or partners may also wish to share lead information with one another to, for example, expedite and streamline the merchant boarding process and the providing of AEP services to a lead. There exists a need for matching engines and graphical user interfaces for partner recommendations and lead sharing, and systems and methods thereof.
There further exists a need for a system and method to track and promote assistance provided by partners to leads during the merchant boarding process and with AEP services beyond merchant boarding, such as implementing enhanced payment security measures for a lead. There also exists a need for a GUI suitable for providing a user with representations and summaries of the assistance provided by partners to leads during the merchant boarding process and with AEP services.

Matching engines and graphical user interfaces for partner recommendations and lead sharing


A module, capable of being mounted on a printed circuit board, containing optical components necessary for optical correlation and a unique folded light path technique for conversion from a Vander Lugt optical correlator to a joint-transform optical correlator, or visa versa, with no electronic changes required. The folded optical path permits a polarizing filter to be positioned in the beam path reflected by a filter SLM but before a correlation detector means when the correlator is in a Vander Lugt mode and permits the polarizing filter to be removed, and an auxilliary mirror or other optical components positioned in the beam path to eliminate the filter SLM and to direct the beam path toward the correlation detector means when the optical correlator is to become a two-cycle joint-transform optical correlator and simultaneously match the Fourier transform plane to the detector plane of the detector means. The polarizing filter is mounted on the module cover for ease of placement and for ease of removal, while the mirror or other optical components are mounted on another module cover for ease of placement at the required precise point in the folded optical path and ease of removal. In lieu of changing covers, the mirror and other optical components as the case may be may be moved, as by sliding, pivoting or rotating, for the conversion of the Vander Lugt correlator to the joint-transform correlator and visa versa.

This invention relates, in general, to optical processing and to improvements in Vander Lugt and joint-transform optical correlators.
This invention improves optical correlators in two ways. The first improvement is the capability of converting a module containing all optical components necessary for optical correlation as a Vander Lugt correlator to a joint-transform correlator, and visa-versa, by the placement or exchange of only one to three simple optical components without disturbing the other components or their alignment and without changing in the electronics involved. The second improvement is the miniaturization of such optical correlators containing this first improvement to provide the users of personal computers (PCs) with Vander Lugt and joint-transform optical processing capabilities.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a study of the drawings and the written description herein that the first improvement may be incorporated in any optical correlator module of any size. However for simplicity, the invention will be described as part of the miniaturization of such optical correlators.
Miniaturized optical correlators are capable of being mounted on plug-in printed circuit boards, or other mounting means, or desk-top PCs, or capable of being mounted on printed circuit boards, or on other mounting means, for optional external equipment connected to the ports of desktop or laptop PCs. Redesigning the computer interface would allow this invention to operate off of other larger computer architectures, such as VME platforms.
In the first related application, paragraph 1) above, there is disclosed and claimed a miniaturized Vander Lugt optical correlator in a module with a folded optical path technique, along with other optical components to provide optical correlation, adapted to be mounted on a standard personal computer printed circuit board, containing all support electronics. This Vander Lugt optical correlator is capable of being plugged inside a PC or on other mounting means to be used with or in a PC. So far as it is known, this Vander Lugt correlator is the first miniaturization of an optical correlator suitable for such purpose.
In the other related invention, paragraph 2) above, there is disclosed and claimed a one or two-stage miniaturized joint-transform optical correlator in a module with a folded optical path technique, along with other optical components to provide optical correlation, adapted to be mounted on a standard personal computer printed circuit board, containing all support electronics. This joint-transform optical correlator is capable of being plugged directly into a PC or on other mounting means usable with a PC.
In many applications for optical correlators, the user has a priori knowledge of the target image to be identified and uses a Vander Lugt correlator with filters containing a suitably processed reference image (often called a "filter") for comparison to the target image. The Vander Lugt correlator is useful where a finite number of reference filters are required for comparison with the target image, but in the case where too many filters are needed or new situations arise, (ie, little a priori knowledge exists), a joint-transform correlator is preferred because it is more flexible. By saving an image of the new object (or situation), and isolating the portion of interest, this type of correlator can be immediately configured for the new application.
This invention, in addition to miniaturizing an optical correlator, enables the user to convert a Vander Lugt optical correlator to a joint-transform optical correlator, or visa versa, with no electronic changes required. Stated another way, the user has the option of operating this invention as a Vander Lugt optical correlator or as a joint-transform optical correlator by the simple replacement or exchange of one to three optical components without disturbing the other optical components or their alignment.

Vander-Lugt correlator converting to joint-transform correlator


Sheet Metal thermal control dampers are disposed in the cavities between turbine blades to bear against the undersides of opposed blade platforms portions of angularly adjacent blades under centrifugal loading to dampen blade vibrations and to seal the gaps between platforms against the radial flow of working fluid into the interblade cavities. The dampers are configured to cooperate with forward and aft seals to also block the axial flow of working fluid through the interblade cavities. Holes are provided in the dampers through which cooling air introduced into the interblade cavities can flow into contact with the platform undersides and cool the platforms, thereby controlling temperature rise in the blade attachment structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gas turbine engines and particularly to vibration damping of turbine rotor blades and controlling the temperature of blade attachment structures.
2. Description of Related Art
Gas turbine engines include turbine sections comprising a plurality of blades or buckets mounted to the periphery of a rotor wheel or disk in angularly spaced relation. The turbine blades of typically plural rotor disk stages project into an axially flowing hot gas stream to convert the kinetic energy of this working fluid to rotational mechanical energy. To accommodate material growth and shrinkage due to variations in temperature and centrifugal forces, the blades are typically provided with roots of a "fir tree" configuration, which are captured in dovetail slots in the rotor disk periphery. During engine operation, vibrations are induced in the turbine buckets. If left unchecked, these vibrations can result in premature fatigue failures in the blades.
To dissipate the energy of these vibrations and hence lower vibrational amplitude and associated stresses, it is common practice to dispose dampers between the blades and the disk or between adjacent blades in positions to act against surfaces of tangentially projecting blade platforms. When the turbine disk rotates, the dampers are pressed against the platform surfaces by centrifugal forces. As the blades vibrate, the damper and platform surfaces slide on each other to produce frictional forces effective in substantially absorbing and thus dissipating much of the vibrational energy.
In addition to vibration damping, another important consideration is controlling the temperature of the blades. The airfoil portion of the blades are directly subjected to the high temperature working fluid and thus are typically cooled by air tapped from an upstream compressor and channelled through internal blade passages. It is also important that the platforms, roots and shanks blade attachment structure (blade and disk posts) not overheat. The blade platforms serve as shrouds defining the radially inner bounds of the working fluid annular flow path through the turbine section and thus are also directly subjected to the high temperatures of the working fluid. However, there are necessarily axially extending gaps between the platforms of adjacent blades through which the hot working fluid can be ingested radially into the interblade cavities beneath the platforms. It is known to utilize vibration dampers that assume damping positions against the undersides of the platforms spanning these axially extending gaps to block the radial flow of working fluid into the interblade cavities.
These known damper/seals are not however effective in sealing the circumferentially extending gaps at the forward (upstream) and aft (downstream) edges of the platforms. Even with the addition of forward and aft seals, it is found that working fluid leaks past these seals to produce an axial flow of high temperature gases washing through the interblade cavities under the motivation of the working fluid pressure differential existing between the upstream and downstream sides of the blades. This "in-wash" of working fluid has a compound effect on the temperature of the blade attachment structure. The working fluid heats the blade platforms and shanks by convection, which then become thermal radiators and conductors propagating heat to the blade roots and the disk posts. Excessive heat coupled with the mechanical loadings experienced under turbine operating conditions can lead to premature material failure of the blade attachment structure.

Thermal control damper for turbine rotors


A filter gauge comprising a piston operable in a pressurized cylinder, the piston having a rod which projects from the cylinder, and grippers mounted within the cylinder and accommodating movement of the piston and rod having indicia indicating the lowest pressure reached in the cylinder as a water conduit to which the cylinder is connected is being drained. The grippers prevent the rod from moving in the opposite or extending direction as the cylinder is being pressured gradually by the water seeping through the filter and equalizing the pressure at both sides thereof.

This invention is directed to a gauge for indicating the status of a water filter which if sufficiently clogged will inhibit the delivery of water to an associated container. The
The clogging of the filter is usually not noticeable in that in normal circumstances it occurs over a long period of time and eventually becomes sufficiently clogged which reduces the flow of water to an unacceptable rate. .The exchange of filters, is usually tedious and requires draining hot water and replacement of the filter. This seems to occur at an inopportune time when customers are waiting for coffee.
This invention relates to gauges and more specifically to a gauge which measures the effectiveness of a filter which as the filter becomes clogged the gauge registers an indicia which informs the serviceman of the status of the filter for replacement before it becomes plugged to an extent where it no longer functions.


A process for providing fast pyrolysis or gasification of feed material, such as biomass, by mixing it with inert inorganic hot solids in a fluidized mixer/reactor and utilizing released gas from the resulting reaction to transport the mixture from the mixer/reactor.

Pyrolysis of organic materials is an important technique in processing feed material with a high organic content to obtain gaseous and condensable fuels. Pyrolysis of biomass materials is of increasing interest because it can produce high yields of combustible products and is considered a "green" (low-polluting, environmentally friendly) process.
Pyrolysis is a process whereby organic containing feed materials are heated in a reducing or inert environment to produce combustible organic vapors (oils, tars, etc), non-condensable gases, including synthesis gas ("syngas"), as well as char and ash. "Fast Pyrolysis" is a pyrolysis technique in which the organic feed material is heated very rapidly and exposed to elevated temperatures for relatively short time periods (less than three seconds). Fast pyrolysis usually results in greater yields of condensable oils compared to other pyrolysis techniques. However, it is very difficult to contact high temperature abrasive inert solids with a low temperature, single phase (solid or liquid) or two phase (liquid/solid) reactive material to rapidly obtain a physically and chemically homogeneous mixture.
One method of fast pyrolysis involves mixing of an ambient-temperature feed material, such as coal, biomass, or another organic material with inert hot solids, such as silica, olivine, alumina, or other materials that may be available. It is desirable that this mixing occurs in an environment with little or no oxygen, and that thorough mixing producing an essentially uniform mixture occurs very rapidly.
When this process is correctly controlled, free moisture is evaporated and most of the high molecular weight organics within the feed are "cracked" or volatilized to lower molecular weight compounds that are in the vapor phase at the reaction temperature. The balance of the material remains as a solid in the form of a very high carbon content, substantially inorganic char/ash. This fast pyrolysis process requires rapid mixing of different solids. However, the characteristics of the materials to be mixed, such as temperature, density, size distribution, etc., may be quite different. Because the resulting mixture must be substantially uniform, rapid mixing may be difficult to achieve in the mixing device.
Further, the residence times and temperatures of the solids and gases resulting from the pyrolysis within the mixing device can greatly affect the result. For example, short residence times of less than three seconds and temperatures between approximately 700 and 1100 degrees Fahrenheit promote formation of organics that may be condensed and recovered as liquids. This is an example of "fast pyrolysis," of feed material to produce organic liquids for use in power generation or for the production of transportation fuels. Longer residence times of over five seconds at higher temperatures in the range of approximately 1300 degrees Fahrenheit or more promote additional cracking resulting in a higher yield of low molecular weight products (gasification), and formation of reduced quantities of condensable organics.
There have been prior attempts to efficiently implement fast pyrolysis. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,792,340 and 5,961,786 to Freel, et al. disclose the use of a mixing section for rapidly mixing carbonaceous feedstock and an inorganic particulate heat medium while using transport gas to entrain the mixture into a reactor section for pyrolysis. However, these patents disclose a process with a limited heat carrier density, which is maintained within 4.5 to 18.6 million particles per cubic foot of reactor volume. Moreover, this process requires the use of transport gas to move the mixture from the mixing section through the reactor.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a process for fast pyrolysis or gasification that will provide efficient conversion of feed stocks and avoid the use of transport gas.
It is further desirable to provide a process for fast pyrolysis or gasification with applicability to emerging fields of alternate energy production (e.g., pyrolysis of biomass), as well as classical refining operations (e.g., fluidized catalytic cracking).


A lower rail of channel structure is secured a floor. The lower rail has a longitudinally extending slot in an upper portion thereof. An upper rail is slidably engaged with the lower rail and mounts thereon a seat. The upper rail includes a base portion which is slidably received in the lower rail and a supporting wall portion which extends upward from the base portion and passes through the slot of the lower rail for connection with the seat. A protecting cover covers one end portion of the lower rail and has a longitudinally extending slit into which the supporting wall portion of the upper rail is inserted when the upper rail assumes an extreme position relative to the lower rail. A concealing structure is integral with the projecting cover and constructed to conceal the slit. The concealing structure and the supporting wall portion are so constructed as to permit the insertion of the supporting wall portion into the slit irrespective of provision of the concealing structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to seal slide devices for a motor vehicle, and more particularly to seat slide devices of a type having a protecting cover.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Some of conventional seat slide devices are of a type in which when two movable upper rails on which a seat is mounted are moved forward to the frontmost positions relative to two stationary lower rails, the rear end portion of each lower rail becomes exposed to the space for a rear seat passenger. A seat slide device of such type is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model First Provisional Publication No. 60-34938.
In such type seat slide devices, a protecting cover of plastic or the like is usually mounted to the rear end portion of each lower rail to cover the same for the sake of safety of the rear seat passenger as well as for the sake of external appearance of the seat slide device. Due to inherent construction of such seat slide device, the protecting cover is formed with an axially extending slit for permitting the movement of the movable upper rail to its rearmost position.
However, presence of such exposed slit in the protecting cover not only spoils the external appearance of the seat slide device but also induces a possibility of leading foreign things into the lower rail through the slit.


Cases in which defects are analyzed in a manufacturing process stage in which a pattern is not formed or in a manufacturing process in which a pattern formed on a lower layer does not appear in the captured image are increasing. However, in these cases, there is a problem of not being able to synthesize a favorable reference image and failing to detect a defect when a periodic pattern cannot be recognized in the pattern. In the present invention, a defect occupation rate, which is the percentage of an image being inspected occupied by a defect region, is found, it is determined whether the defect occupation rate is higher or lower than a threshold, and, in accordance with the determination results, it is determined whether to create, as the reference image, an image comprising pixels having the average luminance value of the luminance values of a plurality of pixels contained in the image being inspected. In particular, when the defect occupation rate is low, an image comprising pixels having the average luminance value of the luminance values of a plurality of pixels contained in the image being inspected is used as the reference image.

In a semiconductor manufacturing process, it is important to discover a defect occurring in the manufacturing process early and take measures, to secure a high yield.
A scanning electron microscope (SEM)-type defect observation device (also called a defect review device) is a device to observe a defect occurred in the semiconductor manufacturing process, particularly. The SEM-type defect observation device is generally a device to observe an image of the defect coordinates detected by an upper defect inspection device with definition higher than definition in the upper defect inspection device. Specifically, the SEM-type defect observation device moves a sample stage to the defect coordinates output by the upper defect inspection device, executes imaging with a low magnification where a defect to be observed enters a view, detects the defect coordinates from an imaged low-magnification image, moves the sample stage such that the defect is positioned at the center of the view or moves the center of the imaging, and acquires a high-magnification image for observation with the high magnification suitable for the defect observation.
As such, the defect coordinates are detected from the low-magnification image, because error is included in the defect coordinates output by the upper defect inspection device, in a range of a device specification, and processing for correcting the error is necessary when the high-definition defect image is acquired by the SEM-type defect observation device.
Automatic defect review or automatic defect redetection (ADR) automates a process for acquiring the high-definition defect image. In the ADR, an acquisition condition of the low-magnification image to detect the defect or an acquisition condition of the high-magnification image to observe the defect should be optimized while a balance of the defect detection rate and the throughput of the ADR is considered, according to coordinate precision of defect detection in the upper defect inspection device, a characteristic of a sample, or a kind of the defect to be observed.
Patent Literature 1 describes "acquiring an image including a defect with a first magnification using a scanning electron microscope, generating a reference image from the acquired image including the defect with the first magnification, comparing the acquired image including the defect with the first magnification and the reference image generated from the image including the defect with the first magnification to detect the defect, and imaging the detected defect with a second magnification larger than the first magnification. According to this, "because a process for imaging the reference image with the low magnification can be omitted, the defect can be reviewed more efficiently" is described.

Defect observation method and defect observation device


Isobutene is prepared by dissociating tert-butanol into isobutene and water over an acid ion-exchange resin arranged as a fixed bed in at least one reactor at a temperature of from 80 to 150° C. and at a pressure of from 5 to 25 bar to obtain a reaction mixture, separating the reaction mixture into isobutene, a by-product, water and at least one mixture of undissociated tert-butanol and water. The reactor is operated pseudo-isothermally, with a temperature difference between inflowing and outflowing streams of less than 15 K.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for preparing isobutene by dissociation of tert-butanol (TBA) over acid ion-exchange resins.
2. Discussion of the Background
Isobutene is a starting material for the production of butyl rubber, polyisobutylene, isobutene oligomers, branched C5-aldehydes and C5-carboxylic acids. It is also used as alkylating agent and as intermediate for producing peroxides.
In industrial streams, isobutene occurs together with saturated and unsaturated C4-hydrocarbons. Owing to the small boiling point difference and the very low separation factor between isobutene and 1-butene, isobutene cannot be separated economically from these mixtures by distillation. For this reason, isobutene is isolated from industrial hydrocarbon mixtures by converting isobutene into a derivative which can easily be separated off from the remaining hydrocarbon mixture and then redissociating the isolated derivative to form isobutene and the derivative-forming agent.
Isobutene is usually separated from C4 fractions, for example the C4 fraction from a steam cracker, in the following way. After the major part of the multiply unsaturated hydrocarbons, mainly butadiene, has been removed by extraction (or extractive distillation) or selective hydrogenation to linear butenes, the remaining mixture (raffinate I or hydrogenated cracked C4) is reacted with an alcohol or water. When methanol is used, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is formed from isobutene, and when water is used, tert-butanol (TBA) is formed. After they have been separated off, both products can be dissociated to form isobutene in a reversal of their formation.
The dissociation of TBA can be carried out more easily than that of MTBE and gives a smaller amount of by-products. The acid-catalyzed dissociation of TBA to give isobutene of high purity is known. This dissociation can be carried out in the liquid or gas phase.
The dehydration of TBA in the gas phase is carried out over acidic aluminosilicate catalysts, for example as described in EP 0 255 948, or over aluminum oxides, for example as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,048, or over zeolites, for example as described in WO 93/21139. A disadvantage of these processes is that, owing to the high temperatures and high isobutene concentrations inherent in the process, by-products are formed by dimerization or oligomerization of the isobutene formed. Attempts have been made to minimize these secondary reactions by reducing the isobutene concentration in the gaseous starting material by addition of inert gas. This results in an additional process step.
A number of processes are known for the dehydration of TBA in the liquid phase. In DE 29 53 583, the dehydration of TBA is carried out in a column whose lower part is packed with packing elements and whose upper part is filled with an acid ion-exchange resin. An aqueous TBA solution is fed continuously into the column just below the ion-exchange resin. An isobutene-stream is obtained as overhead product and is rectified in a further column to give isobutene having a purity of 99.95%. The TBA conversion is 99%. The isobutene yield is not disclosed.
In DE 29 13 796, the dissociation of TBA is carried out in a pressure range from 5 to 7 bar and a temperature range from 110 to 120° C. in a stirred vessel in which an acid ion-exchange resin is suspended in a solution of TBA and water. A mixture of water and TBA is passed in gaseous form into the liquid phase in this reactor. At the top of the reactor, a gaseous mixture comprising isobutene, TBA and water is obtained. At the bottom outlet, a liquid mixture comprising water, TBA and by-products is taken off under level control. The overhead product is separated by distillation into isobutene and a mixture of water and TBA, which is returned to the reactor. The phase taken off from the reactor in liquid form is separated in at least two columns into water, by-products such as oligomers of isobutene and TBA which is recirculated to the reactor. Apart from the complexity of the plant, a further disadvantage is that the catalyst is damaged by the mechanical stress, which results in a short operating life.
In DE 31 51 446, the redissociation of TBA into isobutene and water is carried out in a homogeneous and liquid phase at temperatures of from 80° C. to 150° C. and pressures of from 5 to 25 bar over a strong acid ion-exchange resin present in a fixed bed, and the homogeneous, liquid reaction product mixture is separated in one or more columns into isobutene, by-products, water and a water/TBA mixture which is recirculated to the reactor. In this process, the amount of water present in the total TBA recirculated to the reactor is greater than that which corresponds to the tert-butanol/water azeotrope. As a result of the recirculation of a large amount of water, the space-time yield of the process is not particularly high and a high energy input is necessary for the materials separation. In addition, the large amounts of circulating material require a very large outlay in terms of equipment or correspondingly large dimensions of the apparatuses.

Process for preparing isobutene from tert-butanol


The present invention is related to a composition comprising a serine as an active ingredient for treating or preventing fatty liver diseases. The inventive compound significantly inhibits the SREBP-1 transcription activity involved in lipid synthesis and reduced the fatty liver formation through various in vitro test and in vivo test therefore it can be useful in the prevention and treatment of the fatty liver diseases as a medicament or health functional food.

The mortal rate caused by liver disease in Korea has reached to very high level, i.e., about 23.5 per 100000 (male: 37.8, female: 9.0), which is principle pathology resulting in death of middle-aged Korean. Especially, an alcoholic liver disease is mainly caused by chronic over-drinking. The alcoholic liver diseases include fatty liver, chronic hepatitis, acute hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and liver cancer, especially, the alcoholic fatty liver is a mild and early-stage liver disease induced by excess consumption of ethanol. Because it was generally considered to be benign and reversible, there is no standard method for the treatment of the disease. However, it is now being recognized that fatty liver, if not treated properly, leads to steatohepatitis, fibrosis and ultimately end-stage liver disease.
The etiology of alcoholic liver disease has not yet fully identified till now. Alcohol affects on the transcription activity of various transcription factors, which has been reported to cause to the metabolic disorder of fatty acid. Specifically, various genes involved in lipid oxidation are controlled by particular transcription factors, especially, PPAR-alpha involved in lipid oxidation and SREBP-1 (sterol response element binding protein 1) involved in lipogenesis (Laura E. Nagy: Molecular aspects of alcohol metabolism; Transcription factors involved in early ethanol-induced liver injury, Annu. Rev. Nutr. 24:55-78, 2004). PPAR-alpha plays important roles in lipid oxidation in liver and forms complex-dimer with RXR-alpha when it is activated by ligands, resulting in inducing the expression of various genes (Reddy JK: Nonalcoholic steatosis and steatohepatitis. II. Peroxisomal beta-oxidation, PPAR-alpha and steatohepatitis, AM. J. Physiol. Gastrointest. Liver Physiol., 281:G1333-29, 2001). However, alcohol inhibits the activity of transcription factors such as PPAR-alpha and then inhibits the lipolysis resulting in the formation of fatty liver. Therefore, the increase of the PPAR-alpha activity increases lipid oxidation and prevents from the formation of fatty liver. For example, 4-week's administration of alcohol into mice decreased the transcription activity of PPAR-alpha resulting in the formation of fatty liver however the co-treatment with PPAR-alpha activator did not form the fatty liver (Fisher M et al., Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor agonist treatment reverse PPAR-alpha dysfunction and abnormalities in hepatic lipid metabolism in ethanol-fed mice, J. Biol., Chem., 278, pp. 27997-8004, 2004).
SREBP-1 (sterol response element binding protein 1) is a crucial factor controlling the several gens involved in triglyceride formation and the increased activity of the transcription of SREBP-1 stimulated the lipogenesis resulting in fatty liver. Alcohol increases the expression of SREBP-1, which causes the various genes involved in lipid biosynthesis resulting in the increase of lipid synthesis. Accordingly, the decrease of SPEBP-1 expression could prevent from the formation of fatty liver. For example, it has been observed that the fatty liver induced by alcohol feeding was significantly reduced in the transgenic mouse defected with SREBP-1 expression (Cheng Ji et al; Predominant role of sterol response element binding proteins (SREBP) lipogenic pathways in hepatic steatosis in the murine intragastric ethanol feeding model, Journal of Hepatology, 45:717-724, 2006).
Accordingly, the increase of transcription activity of PPAR-alpha controlling the synthesis of enzyme involved in lipid oxidation and inhibition of transcription activity of SREBP-1 involved in lipogenesis could efficiently prevent from the alcoholic fatty liver.
However, there has been not reported or disclosed about the therapeutic effect of serine on liver diseases in any of above cited literatures, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Therefore, the present inventors have endeavored to find the effective agent for treating liver diseases and found that the serine inhibits the SREBP-1 transcription activity involved in lipid synthesis and reduced the fatty liver formation through various in vitro test such as the inhibition effect on lipid accumulation caused by alcohol in H4IIEC3 cell as well as inhibition effect on SREBP1 activation and in vivo test such as the inhibition effect on the fatty liver formation, triglyceride accumulation, lipid metabolism indicators, ALT activity, and triglyceride level in acute and chronic fatty liver induced mouse model fed by alcohol.

Composition containing serine as an active ingredient for the prevention and treatment of fatty liver diseases, and the use thereof


A wireless communication terminal and a battery pack for the same are disclosed. The wireless communication terminal includes a battery pack having one or more battery cells supplying power to the terminal, wherein the battery pack includes a protective circuit senses an high temperature or pressure condition of the one or more battery cells and disconnects battery power from the terminal circuitry.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary view illustrating a related art terminal having a battery, wherein the terminal 10 is directly connected with a battery 20 without any device that checks conditions of the battery 20. The battery 20 has a protective circuit therein to protect generally against an overcharge, overdischarge and a short circuit. In case of overcharge and overdischarge, the protective circuit detects a voltage of the battery 20 and compares the detected voltage with a reference voltage using a comparator. If the detected voltage of the battery 20 is more or less than the reference voltage, the protective circuit may disconnect the battery power from the terminal circuitry. Also, if a current flowing in an internal resistor inside the battery 20 is greater than a reference current, the protective circuit recognizes the battery 20 as having a short circuit, and also disconnects the battery power from the circuitry.
However, there is no sensor to detect an expansion of the battery 20 that may cause battery fluid to leak, or an abnormally high battery temperature. Because these conditions are not detected, the battery power continuously connected to the terminal circuitry potentially causing a dangerous situation such as an explosion thereby placing a user in danger.

Wireless communication terminal and battery pack for the same


A vehicle heater with a burner, a fan for the combustion air to be fed to the burner, a heat exchanger for heating the engines's cooling water, which is circulated in a closed circuit, and with a control device. A basic housing is provided substantially in the form of one of a parallelepiped and a semicylinder with an essentially flat, continuous upper housing surface. The basic housing is axially divided into a first housing end section, which is located at a first end and accommodates the burner and the heat exchanger, a middle housing part containing the fan, as well as a second housing end section comprising the control device. The inlet and outlet connections of the heat exchanger as well as a connecting branch for fuel to be fed to the burner are located within the upper surface of the basic housing. An attachment-type housing with at least one circulating pump for the cooling water to be heated can be attached essentially to the entire upper housing surface of the basic housing to form one of an approximately parallelepipedic or cylindrical overall housing. Also a cover can be attached essentially to the entire upper housing surface of the basic housing if the attachment-type housing is not employed.

Vehicle heaters may be designed as auxiliary or parking heaters. Auxiliary heaters require a running vehicle engine for their operation. In contrast, parking heaters are designed, in general, for an engine-independent operation. In addition, parking heaters may, of course, also be operated in an auxiliary function in addition to their parking heater function.
Some modern vehicle engines have such a high efficiency that in cool weather, they are not always able to make available a sufficient amount of waste heat for heating the interior space of the vehicle. This problem arises, e.g., especially in the case of direct-injection diesel engines with low fuel consumption. In cases of engine waste heat which is too low for the sufficient heating of the interior space of the vehicle, the engines or vehicles are provided with auxiliary heaters. These auxiliary heaters are usually burner-operated and heat the cooling water of the engine, which is used for heating the vehicle via a heat exchanger present in the auxiliary heater. The heat exchanger is an integrated part of the cooling water line or at least of a partial cooling water circuit supplying the vehicle heater. If the cooling water temperature is too low for sufficiently heating the interior space of the vehicle, the burner of the auxiliary heater can be switched on automatically when the engine is running in order to sufficiently heat the cooling water. A control device ensures that the auxiliary heater operates only when the cooling water temperature is too low in relation to the outside temperature and a desired heat demand for heating the interior space of the vehicle. In contrast, the auxiliary heater remains inactive in all other cases. For reasons of efficiency and costs, such auxiliary heaters are provided only with the functional parts that are absolutely necessary for their function as auxiliary heaters. Therefore, these devices have, in particular, no cooling water-circulating pump of their own, i.e., the cooling water circulation is generated exclusively by the cooling water-circulating pump of the vehicle engine. The cooling water pump of the engine, which must be present for cooling the engine with cooling water, on the one hand, and for supplying the engine-dependent, usual vehicle heater, on the other hand, even without an additional vehicle heater, is mechanically driven by the engine at least during the drive mode of the engine. An electric circulating pump is also additionally provided in some cases in order to ensure a large throughput corresponding to the cooling demand of the engine and to the heat demand of the heater even during the idling of the engine, in particular, when its speed is sometimes too low for a sufficient capacity of the pump.


A transcription unit constituted by a polynucleotide including the hCMVie virus enhancer, the enhancer having the nucleotide sequence SEQ ID NO: 1, or a nucleotide acid having at least 70% sequence identity with the sequence SEQ ID NO: 1 and essentially having transcription activation properties, and the promoter region of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 9 (CDK9), the promoter region having the nucleotide sequence SEQ ID NO: 2, or a nucleotide acid having at least 70% sequence identity with the sequence SEQ ID NO: 2 and essentially having a promoter activity.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel transcription units capable of being used in expression vectors.
Description of the Related Art
At present, the expression of recombinant proteins is still one of the major methods for producing therapeutic proteins, such as pharmacological antibodies.
The nucleic acids coding for the recombinant proteins are generally introduced into an expression vector containing genetic elements allowing the transcription and the translation of these molecules of interest.

Transcription unit and use thereof in expression vectors

LABORATOIRE FRANCAIS DU FRACTIONNEMENT ET DES BIOTECHNOLOGIES


A method is to manufacture a surface protective film for transparent conductive films having a rate of thermal shrinkage of no more than 0.9% in both MD (machine direction) and TD (width direction) as measured after being heated at 150° C. for 1 hour. The method includes: providing a base material film; applying an adhesive on one surface of the base material film; and applying a drawing tension of no more than 80 N per width of 1 m of the base material film under conditions of a temperature of 100° C. through 150° C. and a residence time of 20 through 120 seconds, thereby removing a residual stress and simultaneously drying the adhesive.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surface protective film used for transparent conductive films and transparent conductive films with a surface protective film that are widely used in a field of a transparent electrode and the like, such as liquid crystal displays, touch panels, sensors, and solar cells.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, thin films having transparency in visible radiation region and conductivity are used in transparent electrodes in new displays for liquid crystal displays, electroluminescence displays, etc., in touch panels, etc. and further in electrification prevention and electromagnetic wave interception, etc. for transparent goods. For example, in manufacturing process for touch panels by electric conductive film contact type where transparent electrodes of transparent substrates having transparent electrode with transparent conductivity are arranged facing each other on one side, various kinds of complicated and long treating processes and assembling processes, such as cutting of the transparent conductive film, printing of resists, etching, printing of silver ink, and further delivery after arranging transparent electrodes of two sheets of conductive films facing each other are usually carried out.
In manufacturing processes of touch panels, surface protective films are conventionally used in order to prevent occurrence of soil, and scratch, and others in transparent conductive films. As mentioned above, however, since touch panels have complicated and long manufacturing process, different kinds of surface protective films are newly replaced and used for each manufacturing process, in other words, different surface protective films are properly used for different manufacturing processes. Accordingly, manufacturing process becomes complicated very much and deterioration in working efficiency and in yield raises manufacture cost.
Therefore, unification of variety of surface protective films used in a manufacturing process of touch panels has been strongly desired. As characteristics required for unification of variety of the films, there may be mentioned heat resistance, which does not melt a base material of the surface protective film in a heating process at about 150° C. required for drying process for silver ink printing during touch panel manufacturing processes. Since conventional surface protective films of polyolefin based materials, such as low density polyethylenes and polypropylenes, gives problems of melting or large deformation, they cannot be used for the above-mentioned heating processes. On the other hand, in use of films having outstanding heat resistance, such as polyethylene terephthalate resin films, which does not melt in heating process at about 150° C., new problem occurs. That is, a difference in a rate of thermal shrinkage by heating between a transparent conductive film and a surface protective film curls the transparent conductive film with the surface protective film attached thereon (here, curling represents a phenomenon of deformation into concave shape with upper surface protective film facing inside). This curling phenomenon deteriorates workability on manufacturing process. And furthermore, when a direction of the curling faces a side opposite to the transparent electric conductive film, a large problem occurs in quality of touch panel that deformation by the curling will contact both electrodes of upper electrodes and lower electrodes in the transparent electric conductive film.

Method for manufacturing surface protective film for transparent conductive film