A substrate 1 of a insulating resin material is provided with a semiconductor chip 2 in the center of the substrate 1 and a lot of fine studs are filled in the substrate 1 around the chip 2. A bonding pad 13 and a land 14 are formed on both end planes of each stud 12 by silver plating. The length of the stud 12 is determined so that the plane of the land 14 and the back side plane of the substrate are approximately co-planar, but it may be longer. The substrate 1 including the studs 12 having the bonding pad 12 and the land 14 is defined as an interposer 15.

This invention relates to a semiconductor device, an interposer for a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly to, a semiconductor device including a semiconductor chip, an interposer to be used as a substrate or a lead frame for mounting a semiconductor chip and a method for manufacturing the same.
A conventional semiconductor device having a ball grid array (BGA) packaging comprises a substrate, a semiconductor chip (IC, LSI chip) mounted on the surface of the substrate, first wiring patterns formed around the chip, each of which is connected to each pad on the chip by a bonding wire, second wiring patterns formed on the back side of the substrate, throughholes having a plating on the inner surfaces thereof for connecting the first wiring pattern to the corresponding second wiring pattern, and solder balls for connecting the second wiring pattern to an input-output wiring pattern formed on a circuit board by a reflow solder. All parts mounted or formed on the surface of the substrate are covered by a molding resin.
Similar conventional devices and methods for manufacturing the same are known by many publications. For example, Japanese Published Patent Application No. 3-94459 discloses a semiconductor chip module comprising a die-bonding pad and a bonding pad having a non-etching metal layer, such as a gold plating, formed on a metal plate base, and a method for manufacturing the same. Japanese Published Utility-model Application No. 63-3160 discloses an integrated circuit device comprising a lead frame protruding from the back side of a resin package, and a heat-resisting insulating tape disposed on the the same side thereof. Japanese Published Patent Application No. 5-63109discloses a molded IC package comprising a contact hole formed inside a resin for conducting a inner lead to the surface or back side of a package, and a conductive filler filled into the contact hole so as to be used as an input-output contact. Japanese Published Patent Application No. 5-283460 discloses a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor chip mounted on a insulating base-film on which a lead pattern is formed, and a bump connected to the lead pattern and exposed from the base-film. Japanese Published Patent Application No. 6-112354 discloses a thin over-molded semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor die mounted on a substrate having a conductive layer, and a solder ball connected to the conductive layer and exposed from the substrate, and a method for manufacturing the same. Japanese Published Patent Application No. 6-216276 discloses a semiconductor device comprising a wiring pattern formed on a substrate so that a plane thereof is higher than that of a substrate on which a semiconductor chip is mounted, and a throughhole, wherein the inner and outer ends of the wiring pattern is connected to the semiconductor chip and the throughhole, respectively, and a solder bump is connected to an exposed portion of the throughhole. Japanese Published Patent Application No. 5-144995 discloses a semiconductor package comprising a package substrate having a throughhole, and a metal ball interposed between the lower end of the throughhole and an input-output pattern on a circuit board. Japanese Published Patent Application No. 5-211202 discloses a composite flip-chip semiconductor device comprising a interposer having a plurality of conducting paths provided on both side of a substrate and a conductive trace for connecting the paths formed on the surface of the substrate, and a metal ball for connecting a flip-chip semiconductor device, and a method for manufacturing the same. Japanese Published Patent Application No. 3-269962 discloses a connecting member comprising a pair of resin holder for holding a conductive member in a manner that the conducting member protrudes from the resin holder, wherein the surface of the conductive member is coated by a solder.
In the conventional semiconductor devices, however, there are disadvantages as described below;
(a) the device disclosed in Japanese Published Patent Application No. 3-94459 comprises a large number of parts, hence resulting in increased cost for materials and increased assembly costs.
(b) the effective inductance is increased because the length of a wiring pattern is long. Therefore, crosstalk noise increases correspondingly and high-speed transmission characteristics become worse in signal transmission.
(c) fatigue failure due to thermal stress in heat cycle is likely to occur because there are a lot of wiring contacts in the device.
(d) additionally, reliability decreases because the throughholes and solder balls themselves are subject to fatique failure.


Apparatus for transferring cigarettes from a file of coaxial cigarettes issuing from a rod making machine into a filter tipping machine has a rotary transfer conveyor with equidistant receivers which are maintained in parallelism with the cigarettes of the file while orbiting about an axis parallel to the axes of the cigarettes in the file. The receivers accept single cigarettes or pairs of cigarettes from the file and deliver them to a transfer station between the transfer conveyor and a rotary removing conveyor having closely adjacent receivers parallel to and serving to receive cigarettes from the receivers of the transfer conveyor. The speed of receivers forming part of the transfer conveyor equals or slightly exceeds the speed of cigarettes in the file but can considerably exceed the speed of receivers forming part of the removing conveyor. The cigarettes which are transferred into the receivers of the removing conveyor are advanced sideways, i.e., at right angles to the direction of transport toward the transfer conveyor.

The invention relates to improvements in apparatus for manipulating rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry. Such articles include plain or filter cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos and cheroots as well as filter rod sections. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in apparatus for transferring successive individual articles, or successive sets of two or more articles, from an elongated first path wherein the articles are advanced axially (lengthwise) into a second path wherein the articles are advanced sideways, i.e., at least substantially transversely of their respective longitudinal axes.
It is already known to transfer cigarettes or other rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry (hereinafter called cigarettes for short) from a straight first path into a second path with simultaneous change of orientation of the articles by approximately or exactly 90.degree., i.e., from longitudinal axial movement to sidewise or transverse movement. Such changes in direction of movement of the articles are often necessary during transfer of successively formed individual cigarettes or sets of two or more neighboring axially aligned cigarettes from the discharge end of a cigarette rod making machine into a filter tipping machine wherein plain cigarettes are provided with filter mouthpieces. It is also known to alter the speed of the manipulated cigarettes so that the speed of cigarettes which move sideways is less than the speed of cigarettes which move axially. The means for transferring cigarettes from the first path into the second path normally comprises a rotary conveyor with cigarette receivers which have elongated flutes and are driven in such a way that their speed at the locus of acceptance from the first path matches the speed of cigarettes in the first path. The flutes of the receivers forming part of the rotary conveyor are parallel to the cigarettes during acceptance of single or plural cigarettes from the first path, and such receivers are parallel to the receivers of a conveyor which defines the second path during acceptance of single or plural cigarettes from successive receivers of the rotary conveyor.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,521,513 granted Jul. 21, 1970 to Gomann et al. discloses a transfer apparatus wherein the receivers of the rotary conveyor attract cigarettes from the first path by suction. The thus attracted cigarettes share the movements of the respective receivers along an arc of approximately 90.degree. so that the component of movement in the direction of movement along the first path (i.e., in the axial direction of the cigarettes) is reduced to zero. Successive receivers of the rotary conveyor then transfer the single or plural cigarettes onto a removing conveyor which defines the second path. At the instant of transfer onto the removing conveyor, the receivers of the rotary conveyor are parallel to the cigarettes in the first path as well as to the receivers of the removing conveyor. The speed of receivers on the removing conveyor matches the speed of receivers on the rotary conveyor when the cigarettes enter the second path. Thus, the speed of receivers on the removing conveyor must match the speed of cigarettes in the first path. This is or can be undesirable under certain circumstances, e.g., at the cigarette admitting end of a filter tipping machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,039,606 granted Jun. 19, 1962 to Dearsley discloses a cigarette catcher wherein the speed of receivers on the rotary conveyor is higher during acceptance of cigarettes from the first path and is lower during transfer of cigarettes into the receivers of the removing conveyor. A drawback of the apparatus of Dearsley is its complexity. Furthermore, conversion of the patented apparatus for the transfer of shorter or longer cigarettes necessitates the installation of a substantial number of adapters which also contributes to the initial and maintenance cost.

Apparatus for transferring and changing the direction of transport of rod-shaped articles


An electromagnetic breaker includes a housing (10) having two conductors (30, 31), and a slidable conductor (40) slidably disposed in the housing (10) and movable to engage with the conductors (30, 31) and to electrically couple the conductors (30, 31) together. An electromagnetic device (2) may selectively force the slidable conductor (40) toward and away from the conductors (30, 31). The slidable conductor (40) includes a magnetic member (44), the electromagnetic device (2) includes a core for acting with the magnetic member (44). A spring device (14) may bias the conductors (30, 31) toward the slidable conductor (40). Another spring device (47) may bias the slidable conductor (40) away from the conductors (30, 31).

Various kinds of typical breakers have been developed and provided for switching off the electric facilities, and for protecting and preventing the electric facilities from being damaged when the electric power is stop supplying to the electric facilities suddenly, or when the electric power is unstable or is not good enough to energize the electric facilities.
However, when the electric power is supplied to the electric facilities again, the breaker may not be restored back to the original position or to the original working status, and should be switched or operated by the users back to the original position or to the original working status.
In addition, the typical breakers normally include a mechanical structure having a number of parts and elements coupled together, such that the typical breakers may include a large volume that is adverse for both storing and transportation purposes, and such that the manufacturing costs and procedures are complicated.


A strand pelletizer for cutting thermoplastic strands into pellets is provided. The strand pelletizer has a housing that includes a base, a pivotable cover, and a moveable end wall. The pivotable cover and the movable end wall may be opened without the use of tools to provide access to the interior of the pelletizer cutting chamber. The movable end wall is both slideable and pivotable over a fixed dowel pin within the housing base. The moveable end wall houses the feed rolls for the pelletizer and also houses the strand inlet to the pelletizer. After the cover is raised, the moveable end wall may be pivoted away from the cutting chamber to permit cleaning of the interior of the cutting chamber, particularly the critical area below the lower feed roll of the cutting chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved plastic strand pelletizer for cutting thermoplastic material into pellets after it is formed into strands and cooled. The improved pelletizer includes a novel housing arrangement which permits ready access to the cutting chamber of the pelletizer for cleaning and maintenance of the component parts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Plastic strand pelletizers have been utilized for many years to cut cylindrical strands of thermoplastic material into short cylindrical pellets. The pellets are trans-shipped to plastic product manufacturers where they are melted and utilized to produce plastic products as, for example, in injection molding machines. Plastic pellet suppliers exercise great effort in order to produce plastic pellets that are uniform in size and shape and that do not contain contaminants which would adversely affect the finished plastic product that is manufactured from the pellets.
In prior plastic strand pelletizers, contamination of the product could result since it was difficult to have access to the cutting chamber of the pelletizer to clean it. If, for example, the initial batch of pellets formed from a specific run of plastic was not up to standard because the plastic had not been thoroughly mixed before the first run of strands was produced, the bad pellets might become lodged within the pelletizer and be passed later into a good pellet mix thereby contaminating the good pellets.
Some examples of plastic strand pelletizers and the systems in which they are utilized are set forth in the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 2,975,483; U.S. Pat. No. 3,186,277; U.S. Pat. No. 3,519,706; U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,929; U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,965; U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,248; U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,298; U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,020; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,822.


In one embodiment, a method includes but is not limited to populating a lottery bet slip by use of at least one commercial icon. In another embodiment, a method includes but is not limited to comparing a lottery bet slip, populated with one or more commercial icons, against one or more winning criteria. In one or more various embodiments, related systems include but are not limited to circuitry and/or programming for effecting the foregoing-referenced method embodiments.

1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates, in general, to lotteries.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lotteries are schemes for the distribution of prizes by lot or chance. In a typical lottery, a player buys a lottery ticket having one or more slots. Thereafter, the player fills in the one or more slots of the lottery ticket with one or more numbers picked by the player. Subsequently, the player submits the filled-in lottery ticket to the lottery authority. Thereafter, the lottery authority chooses numbers at random, and if the numbers chosen at random match the one or more numbers picked by the player, the player is deemed the lottery winner, and is given the lottery prize.


A system and method are disclosed for automatically operating a high voltage resonance circuit. An embodiment of the system includes one or more coils each coil can be an alternating current (AC) coil or a direct current (DC) coil. An embodiment of the system further includes a microprocessor that issues commands to control amplitude and frequency of pulses of the one or more coils to reach and maintain a resonant condition for water treatment. The microprocessor determines whether a coil is an AC coil or a DC coil by detecting whether a capacitor is connected in series with the coil. An embodiment of the system further includes one or more sensors that measure the quality of water and provide feedback to the microprocessor.

Many freshwater applications suffer degraded performance due to buildup of scale, bacteria and corrosion. Current water treatment systems focus on use of often harsh chemicals to limit the effects of this buildup. In addition, use of chemicals is time consuming and expensive. Chemicals must be added frequently, water chemistry monitored through frequent sampling and analysis, and periodic flushing, shocking and similar operations still are required. Even with the most sophisticated chemical treatment system, some scale buildup will occur, particularly in high temperature components such as heat exchangers and steam generators. Table 1 shows the impact of scale buildup on performance of a heat exchanger.
TABLE 1Increase in Energy Consumptionas a Function of ScaleThicknessScale ThicknessIncreased Energy(Inches)Consumption (%) 1/328.5 1/1612.4⅛25¼40
Many devices currently available use one or more solenoid coils to prevent scale and bacteria growth in water that passes through the coils. Some current devices use microprocessors to generate the waveform used to adjust pulse frequency. However, most current devices use standard analog techniques to provide signals to their coils, which do not have the flexibility to change the use of any coil between AC and DC signals or to allow different settings of signal amplitude adjustment for different waters or operating conditions.
One such device is the Dolphin, manufactured by Clearwater Systems, Inc. (U.S. Pat. No. 7,524,424) this device uses a microprocessor to pack more pulses into a given half cycle, but there is no user interface or other provisions for modification of signal output to account for varying water conditions. In addition although it has more than one coil, they are operated in series so behave electrically as a single unit and there is no provision for different signals to different coils.
Another such device is the Pulse˜Pure manufactured by Evapco (US Patent Application 2007/0114164). Whereas this device does have provisions for AC and DC coils, there is no flexibility to allow changing signals in the field if the conditions warrant. In addition, the resonant frequency must be determined at the factory and adjusted with trimmer capacitors. There is no provision for automatic tuning of the circuit or any adjustments an operator could make in the field to alter treatment characteristics to compensate for differences in water quality or character.

System and method for using AC and DC sensors for water treatment


A method for determining total and bound plasma bilirubin. The method utilizes zone fluidics to enable accurate determination of the bilirubin using small volumes of sample and reagents, and significantly reduces dilution errors caused by inherent changes in bilirubin-binding with sample dilution, as well as the effects of weak bilirubin-binding competitors.

The present invention relates to instrumental chemical analysis. More particularly, the invention relates to the instrumental determination of bilirubin.
Plasma unbound or "free" bilirubin (Bf) is the fraction of bilirubin not bound to plasma albumin. Bf is thought to be the bilirubin species most closely correlated with the risk of bilirubin toxicity in jaundiced newborns. Although newborn jaundice (hyperbilirubinemia) is usually a transient, benign event in the first week of life, in rare cases the accumulated unconjugated bilirubin causes irreversible brain damage or even death; see; for example, Pediatrics, 111, 1110 (2003). Technical difficulties and conflicting reports in the medical literature have limited the routine use of Bf measurements to assess newborn jaundice. Instead, the readily available plasma total bilirubin concentration (TBC) is used, a measure that has repeatedly been shown to be inferior to Bf as an indicator of bilirubin toxicity; see, e.g., Pediatrics, 93, 50 (1994); Acta Paediatr. Jpn, 34, 642 (1992); Pediatrics, 107, 665 (2001); J. Pediatr, 737, 540 (2000).
Only one FDA approved commercial device (UB-1 Analyzer, Arrows, LTD, Osaka, Japan) using the peroxidase test is available for measuring Bf. See Clin. Chem., 20, 783 (1974); J. Med. Sci, 28, 91 (1982). The accuracy of this test is limited by the need for sample dilution (forty-two fold) which may inherently alter bilirubin-albumin binding by as much as ten-fold and attenuate the effects of weak bilirubin binding competitors, which may be important clinically. See J. Biol. Chem., 276, 29953 (2001); J. Pediatr., 739, 317 (2001). The Arrows test also uses only a single concentration of peroxidase, which may cause underestimation of Bf when bilirubin dissociation from albumin is rate limiting during the test. See J. Pediatr., 708, 295 (1985). A method for measuring Bf at minimal sample dilution and additional peroxidase concentrations is therefore needed and highly desirable.

Determination of plasma total and unbound bilirubin using zone fluidics


A device for a basket (20) for scooping up or rescuing objects lying in the sea is described, where the basket, in connection to a landing site, such as onboard a vessel (10), can be shifted from a parked position to a scooping up position adjoining the sea surface (11), and vice versa, and a drive gear is arranged to operate the basket via a mounting unit, to provide said position shift. The device is characterised in that the mounting unit is an extended body (30) which is fastened to the basket (20), and the shift between the positions occurs in that the body (30) is displaced axially, and for placing the basket (20) in the correct rescue position in relation to the object, the body (30) is subjected to a rotary movement about its longitudinal axis.

Previously, different methods to scoop objects or persons up from the sea with the help of baskets and similar scooping means are known. Common to such methods is that the rescue vessel encompasses a mechanism, as mentioned above, which is operated by one or more of the crew members. But normally, the mechanisms can not be operated by the pilot of the ship alone.
Furthermore, the launching mechanisms are very complex and require equipment which needs a lot of space in order to function.
It is an object of the invention to provide a new construction for a rescue system of the abovementioned kind.
One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple mechanical system which offers a simple launching of the rescue basket (or stretcher).
It is also an object of the invention that the new construction for launching the rescue basket, scooping up and bringing onboard the rescued person can be operated by one single person onboard the vessel. This means that the rescue vessel can be one-man operated, and still the pilot can operate the rescue equipment according to the invention without having to leave his seat from where he controls the operation of the vessel.

Device of a basket for scooping up objects


A heat transfer device including a sealed container, a base layer, formed on the bottom face of the container, and a wick is provided. The wick has a plurality of projections protruding upward from the base layer. A fluid is encapsulated in the container. The heat transfer device further includes a guide unit arranged on an inner face of the container, which guides the liquid to the wick.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals generally with heat transfer devices for transporting heat by a condensable working fluid, and more specifically with a heat transfer device, in which a liquid phase working fluid is refluxed mainly by gravity, to a heated portion where the heat is transferred from outside.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
As a heat transfer device, heat pipes are well known in the art, which transport heat in the form of latent heat of a working fluid. In the heat pipes, a non-condensable gas is evacuated from an airtight container, and a condensable fluid such as water or hydrocarbon is encapsulated therein. Therefore, if the heat is transported to a part of the heat pipe from outside while cooling another part, the working fluid is vaporized by the transported heat, and the vapor flows to a cooled part where a temperature and a pressure are low. The vapor releases the latent heat outside of the container and then liquefies. The resultant liquid phase working fluid flows back to a so-called "heated portion" where the heat is transmitted from outside.
As described above, the working fluid vapor is transmitted to a heat radiating side by a pressure difference in the container arising from the input and radiation of heat. Meanwhile, a pressure for refluxing the liquid phase working fluid to the heated portion is required so that common heat pipes are adapted to create a capillary pumping. Specifically, thin slits, porous materials or meshes are arranged in the container so as to function as a wick. If the working fluid infiltrating into the wick is evaporated, the meniscus of the working fluid infilling pores in the wick comes down. Consequently, a capillary pumping arises from a surface tension. The condensed working fluid infiltrating into the wick is aspirated to the heated portion side by the capillary pumping thus created at the heated portion, and then flown back to the heated portion where evaporation takes place.
Also, heat pipes, in which the working fluid is refluxed by gravity, are known in the art. The heat pipe of this kind is called a thermosiphon. A structure of the thermosiphon is similar to that of the aforementioned heat pipe but does not comprise the wick. The thermosiphon is used in a gravitational field. In the thermosiphon, a lower end thereof in the direction of gravitational force is the heated portion, and the heat is radiated outside from its upper end. In the thermosiphon, accordingly, a working fluid vaporized by the heat transmitted from outside flows to the upper end where the temperature and the pressure are low in consequence of the outgoing radiation. As a result, at the upper end of the thermosiphon, the heat of the vaporized working fluid is released and the working fluid is condensed. Then, the working fluid is dropped or flown down by gravity, to the heated portion of the lower end of the container. Additionally, the wick may be applied to the container of the thermosiphon in order to disperse the working fluid all over the heated portion.
As described above, in the heat pipe, the working fluid is circulated by a repetition of its evaporation and condensation, therefore, in principle, the heat is transported in the form of latent heat of the working fluid. In order to transport the heat continuously, therefore, ample amount of the working fluid has to be present in the heated portion. In other words, it is necessary to collect the working fluid at the lower end of the container in the thermosiphon. In case that a so-called "reservoir" is heated as the heated portion, pool boiling of the liquid phase working fluid occurs so that the working fluid vaporizes. The working fluid vapor flows upward from the reservoir portion. On the other hand, the working fluid liquefied at the upper part of the container drops or flows down toward the reservoir portion. Namely, the vapor and the working fluid flow in directions opposite to each other to form a counter flow. Thus, there are a number of factors that hinder the evaporation and the flow of the working fluid remains in the traditional thermosiphon. Therefore, there is a need for improvement to enhance the heat transporting capacity.
An art of improving the performance of the thermosiphon is disclosed in "International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 44 (2001) 4287–4311" by Kaviany et al. According to the disclosed thermosiphon, a porous layer having a periodically modulated thickness is applied as a wick, to an inner face of the lower part of the container i.e., the heated portion. Specifically, the porous layer is made from particles of several hundred micrometers consolidated by a sintering etc., and a base layer thereof is composed of one or two layers of the sintered particles. On the base layer, there are formed "stacks" (or cones) composed of over ten layers of sintered particles so that the thickness of the porous layer is periodically increases. The stacks are formed into pyramidal shape, which is tapered toward the top.
The container, which has the wick composed integrally of the base layer and the stacks at the bottom, is evacuated and then filled with a proper condensable fluid as the working fluid. Accordingly, the wick is impregnated entirely with the liquid phase working fluid by the capillary pumping. If the heat is transmitted to the bottom of the container under such condition, the heat is transmitted to the working fluid through the wick, and the working fluid is thereby heated and evaporated. The working fluid vapor flows toward the upper portion of the container and then contacts with the container so that the heat is drawn therefrom. Consequently, the working fluid is liquefies and it drops or flows down to the wick. The liquid phase working fluid coming down to the tip of the stack infiltrates into the stack, and forms a liquid film on the surface of the stack by the capillary pumping created at the surface of the stack.
Namely, droplets generated as a result of condensation of the working fluid fall onto the tip of the stack, while the liquid phase working fluid is pumped up by the capillary pumping from the base layer to the stack. Also, the heat transmitted to the bottom portion of the container is further transmitted to the stack from the base layer and the bottom side of the stack. Hence, the evaporation of the working fluid takes place principally at the portion of an outer circumferential face of the stack in the vicinity of a base portion. Consequently, the vapor flows upward through interspaces (i.e., valleys) between the individual stacks.
In other words, the working fluid is evaporated from the thin liquid film of the working fluid formed on the outer circumferential face of the base portion of the stack, and the liquid phase working fluid is supplied to the evaporating portion by the capillary pumping generated at the porous structured stack. Therefore, the liquid phase working fluid can be evaporated efficiently without a choking of the liquid flow. Moreover, the working fluid vapor ascends through the so-called "valley portion" between the stacks so that it rarely conflicts with the liquid phase working fluid flowing back to the wick. As a result, the circulation movement of the working fluid is smoothened so that the heat transporting characteristics is thereby improved.
In the aforementioned thermosiphon having the wick comprising stacks, the working fluid is evaporated principally at the lower part of the outer circumferential tapered face of the stack. Hence, there is a need for forming the thin liquid film of the working fluid stably on the tapered outer circumferential face of the stack. However, according to the prior art, the reflux of the working fluid to the stacks mainly depends on free-fall from a heat radiating portion (or a condensing portion) formed at the upper part of the container and the capillary pumping generated in the wick. For this reason, in case the thermosiphon is inclined, or in case a heat flux is large, a flow rate of the working fluid back to the stacks becomes insufficient and this shortage makes it difficult to form the liquid film of the working fluid on the outer circumferential face of the stack. As a result of this, a heat transporting performance may be degraded.


A device may include a processor, a receiver, and a transmitter. The transmitter may be configured to transmit an audible signal, an inaudible signal, or both. The inaudible signal may be associated with a content identifier of the audible signal. The transmitter may be configured to transmit the audible signal, the inaudible signal, or both, to a first electronic device, a second electronic device, or both. The receiver may be configured to receive a first message that includes a first input and a second message that includes a second input. The processor may be configured to determine whether the first input matches the second input. The transmitter may be further configured to transmit the first message to the first service on a condition that the first input and the second input are determined to match.

Electronic devices, such as voice-activated electronic devices, do not act unless activated by an audible wake word. These audible wake words detract from natural interactions between users and the voice-activated electronic devices. To remove the burden from the user to activate the electronic device, it would be desirable to silently activate the electronic device. It would be desirable to activate the electronic device using a non-interfering communication such that the content for user consumption is not interrupted. It would also be desirable for the system to distinguish audio cues from the content and from the user. It would also be desirable to ensure that the electronic device perform the specific function intended by the user. It would also be desirable for the system to communicate without requiring prior pairing with the electronic device. It would also be desirable to communicate with multiple and varying types of electronic devices simultaneously.


An equipment for discharging treated articles from a barrel in a surface treatment system includes: a carriage movable between a discharging position and a charging position; a water tank supported at the discharging position for vertical movements; and a receiver set at the discharging position above the water tank. The carriage device includes a rotating mechanism for rotating the barrel in water in the tank at the discharging position to discharge the articles from the barrel onto the receiver; a cover operating mechanism for removing a cover from an aperture of the barrel at the discharging position and put it on the aperture at the charging position.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an equipment for discharging treated articles, automatically, easily and completely, from a barrel which contains the articles during surface treatments, such as galvanizing, coating and etching, in a surface treatment system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For galvanizing, for example, metal articles in an automatic plating apparatus, the articles undergo a cycle of predetermined treatments in the order of pre-treatments, galvanization and after-treatment. For this purpose, a processing line is prepared by arranging liquid-containing tanks in a desired order. Relatively large articles to be surface-treated are hung from a transporter which moves along a rail extending above the processing line. At a point during the movement, the transporter is lowered to immerse the article in a treatment liquid in a tank for one of the desired surface treatments, and it is moved up to remove the article from the treatment liquid. Then the transporter runs to a next point for a next treatment by a next treatment liquid.
Relatively small articles to be treated are held in a cylindrical porous container, called "barrel", which is hung from the transporter, throughout the entire cycle of predetermined treatments. After a final treatment, the articles are discharged from the barrel, and the barrel is sent to a next cycle of the same treatments after charged with new pre-treated articles. The barrel has an aperture in its peripheral wall normally closed by a cover, so that articles are charged or discharged through the aperture.
It is sometimes difficult to discharge the full amount of treated articles from the barrel. In case of cubic, spherical or rod-shaped articles contact whose contacting areas with the barrel are relatively small, it is not difficult to discharge the full amount of such articles even if they are light-weight. However, light-weight flat-shaped articles, which may contact with the barrel with large flat areas, are apt to cling or stick to inner surfaces of the barrel. Once the articles cling to the barrel, it is difficult to remove them from the barrel even by applying vibrations, because a surface tension of a treatment liquid film existing between the articles and the inner surface of the barrel holds the articles on the barrel wall.
If the treated articles remain in the barrel, they are again sent to a next processing cycle together with newly charged pre-treated articles. As a result, the next discharged cargo will contain double-treated defective articles. Therefore, the reliability on the products or the yield of products is decreased.
It is certainly very difficult to remove articles clinging to the barrel with a surface tension of a liquid film. Scraping and repeated application of an impulse to the barrel may be effective to a certain extent; however, it is troublesome to scrape out such articles by inserting a tool to the interior of the barrel, and strong impulse may damage treated products.
A prior art disclosed in Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. Sho 61-194199 proposes to remove articles from a barrel wall by using a jet stream of water sprayed out through a nozzle into the barrel held in the air. However, much energy is required to provide an effectively strong jet of water, and it takes much time to remove such articles from the barrel. Moreover, despite such efforts, some of the articles may still remain on the barrel wall.

Equipment for discharging treated articles from a barrel in a surface treatment system


The present invention relates to processes for purifying high-quality recombinant Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein at high yields.

Malaria is caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium. According to the Centers for Disease Control, malaria ranks second in Africa as the greatest cause of death from infectious diseases, after HIV/AIDS. It ranks fifth worldwide, after respiratory infections, HIV/AIDS, diarrheal diseases, and tuberculosis. Plasmodium falciparum, one of at least eleven known Plasmodium parasites that attack humans, causes a particularly severe infection characterized by sequestration of the parasite in vital organs and deep tissues where it can evade the immune system.
There is no effective malaria vaccine available. Recent strategies target the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP), which is critical for the pathogenesis of the parasite. Currently, a vaccine called RTS,S (GlaxoSmithKline), composed of a portion of CSP, is in Phase III clinical trials. CSP is a protein monomer that can be broadly described as having three regions—the N-terminal region, the central repeat region, and the C-terminal region. The N and C-terminal regions contain crucial protective regions important for parasite invasion, and the central region contains highly conserved immunodominant tetrapeptide repeats. The vaccine RTS,S does not include the N-terminal region of CSP. It is composed of a portion of the CSP central repeat and the C-terminal region, linked to hepatitis B surface antigen. Recent reports indicating that the N-terminal region of CSP is immunogenic suggest that a vaccine strategy utilizing a CSP molecule having the N-terminal region would be superior.
Development of a manufacturing scale purification process to make recombinant CSP in amounts that meet the needs for vaccine research and production presents challenges. The N-terminal region of CSP is highly susceptible to degradation. Furthermore, CSP dimerizes due to the formation of covalent intermolecular disulfide bonds that involve a free cysteine near the monomer's N-terminus. CSP also forms higher molecular weight aggregates. Present purification schemes provide recombinant CSP monomer lacking the N-terminal region, or they generate low yields of intact CSP. Denaturation to eliminate dimers and aggregates has required refolding, which is complicated by the presence of two disulfide bonds involving four cysteine residues in the C-terminal region of CSP. These disulfide bonds are critical for the structure and function of the C-terminal protective region; disrupting them has been shown to destroy CSP's ability to bind to liver cells. Furthermore, additional denaturing and refolding steps are burdensome, costly, reduce yield, and are challenging to scale up for use with large fermentation batches. Therefore, scalable purification methods for obtaining high quality recombinant CSP at high yields are needed.


A semiconductor device includes first and second CPUs, first and second SPUs for controlling a snoop operation, a controller supporting ASIL D of a functional safety standard and a memory. The controller sets permission of the snoop operation to the first and second SPUs when a software lock-step is not performed. The controller sets prohibition of the snoop operation to the first and second SPUs when the software lock-step is performed. The first CPU executes a first software for the software lock-step, and writes an execution result in a first area for the memory. The second CPU executes a second software for the software lock-step, and writes an execution result in a second area of the memory. The execution result written in the first area is compared with the execution result written in the second area.

The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly relates to a lock-step in the semiconductor device.
Recently, a higher level of functional safety is required. Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) is defined as the functional safety of ISO26262. The functional safety levels are defined as Quality Management (QM), ASIL A, ASIL B, ASIL C, ASIL D in order low safety level. At the ASIL B level, more than 90% of faults occurring during operation must be detected, and at the ASIL D level, more than 99% of faults must be detected. For example, an in-vehicle electronic system that is compliant with the ISO26262, the ASIL D is required. In particular, the ASIL D level of the functional safety requires a higher level of fault detection performance, called a lock-step, that compares and matches results obtained from two or more hardware-based operations.
Concerning the lock-step, for example, Japanese unexamined Patent Application publication No. 2014-56396 discloses "an electronic control device that determines whether or not a plurality of processor cores is normally executing the same program and that secures an opportunity to perform a memory check".

Semiconductor device, control system, and control method of semiconductor device


A method and apparatus for establishing a test connection to verify the ability to automatically re-establish control plane connections, if necessary, in a PNNI network. Certain routing features such as restricted transit feature and policy based routing features or the current stat of the network itself can limit access to nodes and links between nodes. If these features are implemented in a network or the network state changes after a control plane connection has been established, then these changed conditions will not affect the current connection but may prevent the re-establishment of the connection if it is unintentionally dropped. According to the invention a test connection is periodically set-up through the network and if the test connection fails an alarm or other notice is given. This allows for preventative action to be taken in order to avoid disruption to the network.

Switching systems (also referred to as "switching networks") route data through and among data communications networks. Switching systems typically comprise a plurality of switches and clusters of switches ("nodes") that provide data communications paths among elements of data communications networks.
The "topology" of a switching network refers to the particular arrangement and interconnections (both physical and logical) of the nodes of a switching network. Knowledge of the topology of a switching network is used to compute communications paths through the network.
For switching systems that comprise a small number of individual switches, the topology is fairly straightforward and can be described by identifying the individual nodes in the system and the communications links between them. For larger and more complex networks, however, the amount of data needed to identify all links between all nodes of the network can be quite extensive.
A number of approaches have been proposed to reduce the amount of information needed to describe the topology of complex switching networks. One approach involves grouping physical nodes into groups ("peer groups") that are viewed as individual logical nodes ("logical group nodes") having characteristics that comprise an aggregation of the characteristics of the individual nodes within the group. Such logical group nodes may be further grouped with other physical and/or logical nodes to form successively higher level peer groups, creating a hierarchy of peer groups and logical group nodes.
One example of a network that allows physical nodes to be grouped into levels of logical groups of nodes is a "PNNI" network. PNNI, which stands for either "Private Network Node Interface" or "Private Network Network Interface," is a routing and signaling protocol developed by the ATM Forum. The PNNI routing protocol is used to distribute topology information between switches and clusters of switches within a private ATM switching network. The PNNI signaling protocol is used to set up data connections within the PNNI network, via signaling call setup messages through the network.
A PNNI network is a network that utilizes the PNNI routing and signaling protocol. Within the PNNI routing protocol a Logical Group Node (LGN) is an abstract representation of a lower level Peer Group (PG) as a single point for the purposes of operating at one level of the PNNI routing hierarchy. Logical Group Nodes are created in a switching system via configuration and become operational dynamically as a result of the PNNI routing protocol behavior. Within the PNNI routing hierarchy a lowest level node is an abstraction representing a single instance of the PNNI routing protocol. Lowest level nodes are created in a switching system via configuration and are always operational. An LGN or a lowest level node is also known as a logical node or a node for the purpose of the present application.
The PNNI routing protocol is used typically in ATM products to distribute information about changing network topology and network resources among a group of associated switches. Topology information is organized and distributed in a hierarchical fashion, or a flat single peer group, depending on the network topology. Hierarchy allows networks to scale their topologies to a very large number of nodes. The PNNI implementation provides the required support to exist and participate in the multilevel hierarchical network.
In a hierarchical network, nodes in the PNNI routing domain are grouped into peer groups. Nodes in the same peer group elect a peer group leader. The peer group leader is responsible for activating a logical group node (LGN) at the second level of hierarchy as well as existing as the logical node in the lowest level. The newly activated LGN exchanges PNNI routing information with other neighbor LGNs at the second level of hierarchy. The neighbor LGNs are other LGNs that other lower level PGLs instantiated from adjacent peer groups. In addition to exchanging information the LGN propagates information from higher levels down into the lower level peer group via the PGL that instantiated it. This is so that all nodes in the lower level peer group have the same information about the other LGNs in the higher level peer group where the activated LGN exists. From the hierarchical topology information gathered by a node, routing tables are created and used by the switches to route calls using the PNNI signaling protocol. PNNI networks and hierarchical groupings are described in co-pending U.S. application entitled "Method for Advertising Reachable Address Information in a Network" the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In the present invention, networks use a logical hierarchical grouping of nodes, e.g. PNNI enabled ATM networks, to reduce the amount of routing information that is distributed and stored throughout the network. More specifically, the invention is directed to the problem of ensuring the stability of the control plane, particularly SVCC routing control channel (RCC) connections. These connections are set up between PNNI peer group leader (PGL) nodes (or logical nodes in higher level peer groups) in different peer groups (PG) to exchange information (e.g. routing, topology, and reachability information) between the groups. With the introduction of new and future features such as Restricted Transit and Policy-based Routing, limitations and additional criteria are placed on the routing and establishment of connections. Ensuring that SVCC-RCC connections are not adversely affected by provisioning changes made to the network to support these features is and will be very important to guaranteeing high levels of network reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS), since SVCC-RCC connections are integral to the PNNI control plane.
Ensuring that SVCC-RCC connections are not adversely affected by provisioning changes has not as yet been addressed in the industry mostly because SVCC-RCC connections typically require little attention after they have been created. They are created when a PNNI PGL node is elected and remain established while the network is operating. However, if an SVCC-RCC connection were to be dropped, e.g. because of an equipment failure or maintenance action, features like Restricted Transit and Policy-based Routing could prevent the connection from being re-created, which would negatively impact network services since the PNNI control plane would not come back up. As route and connection establishment limiting features such as Restricted Transit and Policy-based Routing become more prevalent in networks, and as the number of SVCC-RCC connections in large networks continues to increase into the hundreds, ensuring SVCC-RCC connections remain unaffected by provisioning changes will gain more attention in the industry.
There is, therefore, a need to provide systems and methods of monitoring the control plane in networks such as PNNI networks.

Control plane stability in communications networks


In a domain containing one of many computing devices, the computing device transmits a query and receives back a response from one or more neighbor-casting groups in the domain each including one or more of the computing devices. Predetermined criteria are applied by the computing device to select one of the groups to which it is joined as a group member. The predetermined criteria can be the number of computing devices in the selected group, a length of time between the query and the response from the selected group, or a combination of thereof. When the selected group has few computing devices, the computing device can send a query and receive back a response from one or more groups. By applying criteria similar to the predetermined criteria, the computing device can select one other group, remove itself from its current group, and join the other selected group.

A domain or other large network environment can have hundreds or thousands of related computing devices, each of which has some element of trust for the other related computing devices. As used herein, a domain includes a collection of computing devices that share a common domain database and security policy, where each domain has a unique name. It is useful to divide up the computing devices into smaller, manageable groups. These groups can be useful for system management, for deploying applications or data across hundreds or thousands of related computing devices in the domain, and for distributing computing problems among related computing devices in the groups.
The efficiency of dividing related computing devices into groups can be seen through examples. An application or data can be distributed to one related computing device in a group so that it can share its locally cached files with other related computing devices across the group, such as within a local network. Thus, a group can serve as a related computing device-based caching system. The caching system of the group allows application, data, and data processing tasks to be delivered in a peer-to-peer fashion between related computing devices within the group. For example, when a document needs to be distributed to thousands of users, the first related computing device to receive this document in a group is then able to serve it to other related computing devices in its group. Once other related computing devices receive the file, they can then serve the file to additional related computing devices in the group that are requesting it. As the number of related computing devices in a group that are able to serve others eventually expands, the document will be delivered faster without overwhelming the network or any single related computing device.
In another example where a related computing device can cache content for multiple users on the same Local Area Network (LAN), a series of video files may need to be sent to multiple users in a satellite office. By using one related computing device in a group to first retrieve the series of video files from a corporate server, and then distributing the series of video files in a peer-to-peer model (or using a group cache of the video files) within the group, there will be a significant reduction in the amount of Wide Area Network (WAN) traffic to the satellite office with the corporate server. As such, this kind of efficient distribution protects WAN bandwidth by delivering content to a group once, and allowing other employees to get the content from any related computing device on the LAN in a peer-to-peer fashion. Thus, the content only needs to cross the corporate server firewall and travel the WAN once and is distributed efficiently within the LAN in the satellite office(s). Note that any related computing device on the LAN can receive data, software, or a computing task either from the corporate backbone (e.g., corporate servers) on the WAN, or from any neighboring related computing device in the group from the LAN via peer-to-peer networking.
Since any one group can be configured to have a relatively small membership in a "peer-casting" application, the original related computing device that first receives an application is not overwhelmed with requests from its group peers and as more of the peers receive the application, other peers in the group can go to any group member that already has the application to get their own copy. Further, the load on the original corporate server is significantly reduced since the number of related computing devices that the original corporate server must directly communicate with is significantly reduced.
In some environments it may be easy to define a peer-casting group within which related computing devices can share data, software, and computing tasks. For example, if there are only a few 'close by' related computing devices, then specifying these related computing devices as being in a single group is a fairly easy chore for a system or network administrator. In a domain or other large network environment, however, there may be hundreds or thousands of related computing devices such that it may be all but impossible to directly create and manage these groups. A problem exists in that related computing devices are not dynamically formed into groups, and groups of related computing devices are not maintained automatically. Rather, intervention by a system or network administrator is required. It would be an advance in the art to dynamically create and manage groupings of related computing devices within a domain without requiring the attention of a system or network administrator.

Numerousity and latency driven dynamic computer grouping


The present invention is directed to lubricating oils of improved antioxidancy comprising a base oil selected from the group consisting of mineral oils, synthetic oils and mixtures thereof containing an effective amount of one or more organometallic compound and/or coordination complex selected from the group consisting of (a) a metal or metal cation with more than one oxidation state, above the ground state, and two or more anions, (b) a metal or metal cation with more than one oxidation state above the ground state and one or more bidentate or tridentate ligands, (c) a metal or metal cation with more than one oxidation state above the ground slate, and one or more amines and one or more ligands, and (d) mixtures thereof, to a method for improving the antioxidancy of formulated lubricating oil compositions by the addition thereto of an effective amount of the aforementioned organometallic compound, and/or coordination complex, and to an additive concentrate containing the aforementioned organometallic compound and/or coordination complex.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to lubricating oil compositions comprising a base oil selected from the group consisting of mineral oils, synthetic oils and mixtures thereof boiling in the lubricating oil boiling range and additives which neutralize the prooxidants which cause the oxidative decomposition of the lubricating oil composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, lubricating oil formulations are rendered resistant to oxidative degradation by the addition to the lubricating oil formulations of free radical scavenger antioxidants such as sterically hindered phenols, hindered amines and mixture thereof and hydroperoxide decomposers such as zinc dialkyldithiophosphate.
Most of such antioxidants as are presently used are consumed by the oxidation promoters in the oil (the prooxidants) on a stoichiometric basis. Antioxidants can be added to lubricating oil formulations only in limited quantities and consequently even if and when the maximum practical amount is added they are quickly consumed and disappear, with the undefended oil rapidly oxidizing with their disappearance.
Other antioxidants such as copper acetylacetonates, while consuming the prooxidants on a more than stoichiometric basis are still themselves used-up at a rate of less than about 10:1 and therefore, while superior to the phenolic and aminic antioxidants are still not sufficiently long lived or suitable for the next generation of extended drain lube oils or sealed for life/filled for life lubricant environments.
Prooxidants are continuously generated in the lubricant during routine use or added/introduced into the oil by blow-by gases, or exhaust gas recirculation as during the operation of internal combustion engines.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,641 teaches the combination of copper and molybdenum salts as being an effective antioxidant and antiwear additive for hydrocarbons such as lube oils. The total concentration of copper salt and molybdenum salt is such that the concentration of metal or metal ion may range from about 0.006 wt % to about 0.5 wt %, preferably from about 0.009 wt % to about 0.1 wt % of the basestock. The concentration of the copper salt may range between about 0.002 wt % and about 0.3 wt % while the concentration of the molybdenum salt ranges between about 0.004 wt % and about 0.3 wt %. The copper salt preferably is selected from the group of carboxylates consisting of oleates, stearates, naphthenates and mixtures thereof. The molybdenum salt preferably is selected from the group of carboxylates consisting of naphthenates, oleates, stearates and mixtures thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,033 discloses an oxidation inhibitor and a method for using the oxidation inhibitor for hydrocarbon materials, particularly lube oils. This patent discloses that one or more transition metal containing compounds can be utilized in combination with one or more peroxide decomposer compounds selected from aliphatic amines, alkyl selenides, alkyl phosphines and phosphates wherein the aliphatic and alkyl portions of said compound each contain from about 1 to about 50 carbon atoms as oxidation inhibitors in organic compositions subject to auto-oxidation. Among the transition metal compounds useful according to the patent are the salts of scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, yttrium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, tellurium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, and silver, to mention a few. This patent further states, at column 8, that when a combination of metals is used a synergistic effect will be noted if the sum of electromotive force voltages favors the presence of the stronger inhibitor and/or the weaker catalyst and is, generally, positive. Additionally, the combination will be effective as a corrosion inhibitor at concentrations of about 100 ppm by weight, or less, when the amount of peroxide decomposer complexing agents or the like approaches 20,000 ppm by weight. In effect the effectiveness of the transition metal compounds is dependent upon relatively high concentrations of the peroxide decomposer compounds.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,398,414 teaches organic selenium compounds and organic tellurium compounds of the formula:R—(X)m—R1 wherein R and R1 are like or unlike radicals of alkyl structure at least one of which contains not less than 8 carbon atoms, X is selenium or tellurium and m is 1 or 2. These organic compounds are useful as mineral oil additives and are also useful as antioxidants for vegetable oils, rubber and other organic materials which are subject to oxidative deterioration. The "alkyl" radicals can be straight or branched chain in nature as well as being saturated or unsaturated and can also be cycloalkyl or cycloaliphatic. They can be substituted by aromatic groups such as phenyl, hydroxyphenyl and aminophenyl groups. Polar groups such as chloro-, bromo-, hydroxyl-, ether, keto, amine, free carboxyl, metallo carboxyl, carboxy ester, mercapto, mercaptide, mono-, di- and polysulfide, etc., may also be substituted in the R and R1 groups. See also U.S. Pat. No. 2,543,074 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,577,719.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,890 teaches oil soluble organo copper compounds as antioxidants. The copper may be in the μ cuprous or cupric form. The copper may be in the form of the copper dihydrocarbyl thio- or di-thio-phosphates wherein copper may be substitute for zinc in such compounds. The copper may also be in the form of the copper salt of a synthetic or natural carboxylic acid, e.g., C10-C18 fatty acids such as stearic or palmitic, but the unsaturated acids such as oleic or the branched carboxylic acids such as naphthenic acids of molecular weight from 200 to 500 or the synthetic acids are preferred. Oil-soluble copper dithiocarbamate as well as copper sulfonates, phenates, and acetylacetonates may also be used. The copper compound is employed in an amount sufficient to contribute 5 to 500 ppm copper to the oil.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,650,381 teaches a lubricating oil composition which contains from about 100 to 400 ppm of molybdenum from a molybdenum compound which is substantially free of active sulfur and about 750 to 5,000 ppm of a secondary diaryl amine. The combination of ingredients is reported as providing the lubricating oil with improved oxidation control and friction modifier performance. Oil soluble molybdenum compounds include those prepared from a molybdenum source such as ammonium molybdenates, alkali and alkaline earth metal molybdeates, molybdenum trioxide and molybdenum acetyl-acetonates and an active hydrogen compound such as alcohols and polyols, primary and secondary amines and polyamines, phenols, ketones, anilines, etc.
Molybdenum salts such as the carboxylates, e.g., molybdenum naphthenate, are a preferred group of molybdenum compounds.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,121,211 teaches a lubricating oil composition comprising a major amount of a base oil of lubricating viscosity and a minor amount of at least one thiocarbamate and a sludge preventing and seal protecting amount of at least one aldehyde or epoxide or mixture thereof. The thiocarbamates include those of the formula:
wherein R1 and R2 are independently alkyl of 1 to about 7 carbon atoms, aryl, aralkyl or together form an alicylic or heterocyclic ring in which the ring is completed through the nitrogen and wherein when n is 2, T is a divalent metal. Suitable relevant metals include alkaline earth metals, cadmium, magnesium, ten, molybdenum, iron, copper, nickel, cobalt, chromium and lead. Specific examples include cadmium dibutyldithiocarbamate, cadmium, dioctyl dithiocarbamate, cadmium octylbutyl-di-thiocarbamate, magnesium dibutyl dithiocarbamate, magnesium dioctyl dithio-carbamate, cadmium dicetyldithio carbamate. The patent contained no examples in which a divalent metal dialkyl dithiocarbamate was added to oil either alone or in combination with the aldehyde or epoxide.
JP 53024957 teaches the liquid phase oxidation of cyclohexane into cyclohexanol by oxidizing the cyclohexane with an oxygen containing gas in the liquid phase in the presence of metal salts selected from the group consisting of Cr, V and W of an organic acid or a chelate compound as a catalyst. In the process the cyclohexane is first converted into cyclohexyl hydroperoxide which is then rapidly decomposed into cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone. Examples of catalyst include chromium, vanadium and tungsten naphthenates and chromium acetylacetonate. The amount of the catalyst is preferably 0.1 to 20 ppm more preferably 0.5-10 ppm of the metal atom based on the cyclohexane.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,228 teaches a metal dihydrocarbyldithiophosphoryl dithio-phosphate material of the formula
wherein R is a monovalent substantially hydrocarbon-containing radical of 1-30 carbons, x and y are each H or a monovalent substantially hydrocarbon containing radical of 1 to 30 carbons, M is a metal selected from zinc, cadmium, lead and antimony or an oxygen and/or sulfur-containing molybdenum complex and n is the valence of the metal. This material is useful as a lubricant additive (see also U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,446).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,604 teaches compositions containing metal salts, preferably copper or zinc salts, of polyalkenyl substituted monounsaturated mono- or dicarboxylic acids which may be used as a compatibilizing material for mixtures of dispersants, detergents, anti-wear and antioxidant materials. The antioxidant can be a copper antioxidant and include copper salts of C10-C13 fatty acid, copper salt of naphthenic acid, copper dithiocarbamate, copper sulfonate, copper phenate or copper acetylacetonate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,631,212 teaches an engine oil of improved wear resistance and antioxidancy comprising base oil, an oil soluble copper salt, an oil soluble molybdenum salt, a Group II metal salicylate and a borated polyalkenyl succinimide. Molybdenum salts are the oil soluble salts of synthetic or natural organic acids, preferably C4 to C30 saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, e.g., molynaphthanate, molyhexanate, molyoleate, molyxanthate and molytallate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,561 teaches organometallic complexes of the formula:
wherein, as defined in the patent                n is an integer of from 1 to about 10, preferably from 1 to about 5;        A is an aromatic moiety, preferably phenyl or naphthyl;        M is a polyvalent metal, such as, for example, Be, Mg, Ca, Ba, Mn, Co, Ni, Pd, Cu, Zn and Cd;        X is a radical selected from the group consisting of organophosphoro, organocarboxyl, organoamino, organosulfonyl, organothio, organooxy, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, sulfate, sulfonate, oxide, hydroxide, carbonate, sulfite, fluoride, chloride, bromide and iodide;        R1 and R2 are alkyl of from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, aryl, hydrogen,
                 or a combination thereof;        R′ is alkyl of from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, aryl or hydrogen;        R3, R4, R5 and R6 are hydrogen, alkyl of from 1 to about 200 carbon atoms, aryl, alkyl-substituted aryl where the alkyl substituent is comprised of form 1 to about 200 carbon amounts, carboxyaryl, carbonylaryl, aminoaryl, mercaptoaryl, halogenoaryl or combinations thereof.
The metal complexes reportedly stabilize the lubricant to which they are added against oxidation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,627 teaches a lube oil composition containing a major to amount of a lube base oil and a minor amount of an additive having the formula M4-yMoyS4LnQz and mixtures thereof, wherein M is a metal selected from Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and W, L is independently selected organic groups selected from dithiophosphates, thioxanthates, phosphates, dithiocarbamates, thio-phosphates and xanthates, having a sufficient number of carbon atoms to render the additive soluble or dispersible in the oil, and Q is a neutral electron donating compound, y is 1 to 3, n is 2 to 6, and z is zero to 4, and the L provide a total charge sufficient to neutralize the charge on the M4-yMoyS4 core. Thiocubane cores are preferred and these typically have the formula M4-yMoyS4LnQz, wherein y is 1 to 3, n is 2 to 6 and z is 0 to 4.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,707,498 teaches antioxidant additives comprising a mixture of a metal dialkyldithiocarbamate and a tertiaryalkyl primary amine. The metal is from Group IIb, IVa and Va and preferably are zinc cadmium, lead and antimony.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,649,660 teaches silyl ocenes as being useful antioxidants for organopolysiloxane fluids. The silylorganometallocenes are selected from the class of    (a) polymers of the formula
    (b) copolymers having units of the formula
and at least one unit of (a), and    (c) disiloxanes of the formula
where R is a monovalent hydrocarbon radical, R″ is a divalent hydrocarbon radical, and (C5Q4)M(C5Q5) is an organometallocene, where Q is selected from hydrogen, an electron donating organic radical, and an electron withdrawing organic radical and M is a transition metal, a is a whole number equal from 0 to 2 and b is a whole number equal from 0 to 3.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,649,600 Transition metal is defined to include all metals of Group III to VIII of the Periodic Table capable of forming a π complex with a cyclopentadienyl radical to form a metallocene. The transition metals that are operative in the present invention are, for example, metals having atomic numbers 22 to 28, 40 to 46, and 71 to 78, such as titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, zirconium, columbium, molybdenum, technetium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, rhenium, osmium, iridium and platinum (see also U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,129).
U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,647 teaches a composition of the general formula:
wherein R is a substantially hydrocarbon radical; M is a metal selected from the group consisting of zinc, calcium, copper, nickel, cobalt, chromium, lead, and cadmium; A, B and C are radicals selected from the class consisting of hydrogen and substantially hydrocarbon radicals; x is the valence of M; y is from about 0.5 to about 6.
The compositions are useful as oil additives and function is antioxidant and antiwear agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,560 teaches a formulation containing among other additives an oxidation inhibitor.
The oxidation inhibitors or antioxidants have high enough molecular weights to ensure that they remain stable in a hot crankcase oil, e.g., 300° F. and, in addition, enhance the corrosion preventive properties of the copper and lead corrosion inhibitors also present in the formulation by interrupting or terminating the attack of oxidants upon copper/lead-bearing metal. One type of corrosion is an oxidative process involving the loss of electrons from the corroding metal by an oxidant such as oxygen, air, nitrogen oxides, partially burned gasoline, blow-by products and the like. The oxidation inhibitors comprising sulfur bridge, bis hindered phenols effectively limit or prevent the attack of oxidants on copper/lead metal.
The bis(dithiobenzyl) metal derivatives preferably have the formula:

U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,402 teaches basic metal and multi-metal dihydrocarbyl-phosphorodithioates and phosphoromonothioates as antioxidant additives. These materials are represented by the general formula:[Z]d[RO)2PSS]yMaXb  (I)wherein M and X represent different metal cations selected from the group consisting of zinc, copper, chromium, iron, copper, manganese, calcium, barium, lead, antimony, tin and aluminum; Z is an anion selected from oxygen, hydroxide and carbonate; R is independently a linear or branched alkyl group of 1 to about 200 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group of 6 to about 50 carbon atoms; a and b are integers of at least one and are dependent upon the respective oxidation states of M and X; y is a whole integer which is dependent upon the oxidation states of M and X; and d is an integer of 1 or 2.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,764,534 teaches a composition comprising a lubricating oil and at least one thioorganometallic complex of the formula:
in which M is selected from the transition metals and zinc, cadmium, tin, lead, antimony and bismuth; n is the oxidation degree of M, R1 and R2 are each a monovalent hydrocarbon radical having one to 20 carbon atoms and 0 to 3 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of halogen, oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen; Y is selected from the hydrogen atom and the radicals R′, R′O, R′S and R′CO in which R′ is a hydrocarbon radical of 1 to 20 carbon atoms; Y and R1 or R2 may form a divalent hydrocarbon radical containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms and 0-3 heteroatoms selected form oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen; and each atom Z is oxygen or sulfur, at least one of the 2n atoms Z being sulfur.
It is recited that these materials exhibit high antioxidancy activity even at high temperature. They can be used with base oils of petroleum origin as well as with synthetic base oils. See also GB 1,322,699.
GB 1,358,961 teaches that 9,10-dihydroanthracene acts synergistically with certain metal β-diketone complexes to provide antioxidancy. The metal β-diketone complexes are of the formulaM(-O—CR1═CR2—CR3═O)n wherein M is a metal, n is 2 or 3, R2 is hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms and R1 and R3 are alkyl, aryl or alkoxy groups having 1-10 carbons.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,123 teaches drivetrain fluids comprising oil soluble transition metal compounds which address low temperature thickening of ATF's and high temperature thickening or gear oils. The oil soluble transition metal compound is a branched chain oil-soluble transition metal salt with the proviso that the transition metal is not zinc, wherein said transition metal salt is a salt wherein the non-metal moiety is selected from dihydrocarbylthio- or dithiophosphate, a dihydrocarbylthio- or dithiocarbamate, or mixtures thereof and wherein the metal is selected from copper, cobalt, tungsten, titanium, manganese, iron, chromium, nickel, vanadium, molybdenum or mixtures thereof.
As a consequence of more stringent and demanding performance requirements on lubricating oils, for example fill for life oils, sealed bearings oils and greases, or modern extended drain engine lubricating oils to perform better, for longer periods and under more severe conditions of temperature and load over longer times as manifested by current and future lubricating oil specifications, particularly engine oil classifications for diesel lubricants (PC7 and PC8) and passenger car lubricants (GF-3 and GF-4), more efficient, longer lasting and more robust antioxidants are required for use in the lubricants.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company


In a packet retransmitting system for retransmitting a packet including a sequence number in a packet header, which is lost during packet communication, a transmitting equipment (110) includes a priority degree information attaching unit (113) for defining a plurality of priority degrees, setting an importance degree of each of the plurality of priority degrees for a packet, producing priority degree information by using the plurality of priority degrees, and attaching the priority degree information to the packet header included in the packet repeatedly for each of the plurality of packets, a transmitter (111) for transmitting the plurality of packets, and a retransmitting unit (119) for receiving a retransmission request packet and retransmitting a packet of which retransmission is requested in the retransmission request packet received. A receiving equipment (130) includes a receiving unit (131) for receiving the plurality of packets and a retransmission requesting unit (133) for extracting a plurality of sequence numbers and a plurality of priority degree information from the packet header, detecting lost packets based on the plurality of sequence numbers and the plurality of priority degree information extracted, detecting an important packet among the lost packets, and requesting retransmission of the packet.

Generally, a packet transmitted in a network is often lost due to an overflow at a node (router) provided in the network, bit error in a wireless space, etc. In such a case, there is a method in which a receiver requests a transmitter to retransmit a lost packet, and the transmitter who is requested to retransmit retransmits the lost packet.
For example, in a protocol of TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), the receiver transmits an ACK packet to the transmitter for acknowledging receipt. When the ACK packet is not returned to the transmitter, the transmitter judges that the receiver has not received a packet and retransmits the packet. As stated, the TCP protocol is a reliable transfer protocol.
However, unlike downloading of data, it is not necessary to receive all of data for reproducing the data in streaming distribution in multimedia. Therefore, the receiver can request to retransmit only an important data packet when the packet is lost, and the transmitter can retransmit only the important data packet. Since only the important packet is retransmitted, a band (bandwidth) can be utilized effectively. Further, since the receiver does not wait for the retransmission of an unnecessary data packet, real-time characteristics can be improved.
A retransmission control system for the above-stated purposes is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Published Patent Application Hei 9-214507 and Japanese Unexamined Published Patent Application Hei 11-284657.
The retransmitting system disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Published Patent Application Hei 9-214507 uses a wireless communication method for performing real-time communication while guaranteeing a possible best quality. In the wireless communication method, when the packet is lost, the retransmission is tried a few times. If the retransmission does not reach the receiver after trying, a packet in a low priority degree is cancelled, and the retransmission is tried.
A retransmitting system disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Published Patent Application Hei 11-284657 is a retransmission control system in a connection establishing type communication for suppressing communication of a packet in a low priority degree at a time of congestion. In this retransmission control system, a possible number of retransmission to each connection is set, and the possible number of retransmission is reduced by one after retransmission. When the possible number of retransmission becomes zero, communication to the connection is stopped, and a band in a high priority degree is secured as much as possible.
Further, as a protocol for data transfer with high real-time characteristics, e.g., streaming distribution, RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol) is a standard related to Internet, e.g., RFC (Request for Comments) 1889. The RTP is a protocol for transmitting a packet to which a sequence number and a timestamp are attached. Some retransmitting systems using the RTP are proposed.
As a method for extending a retransmission function of the RTP, an Internet draft (draft-miyazaki-avt-rtp-selret-01.txt) titled "RTP Payload Type Format to Enable Multiple Selective Retransmissions" has been submitted to IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force). In this method for extending the retransmission function written in the Internet draft, there is a second sequence number (SSN: Second Sequence Number) allocated only to an important packet to be retransmitted besides a RTP sequence number. By using the SSN, the receiver can identify the important packet to be retransmitted, and even if the packet is lost, the receiver can request to retransmit only the important packet. In this Internet draft, a RTP header in a RTP packet transferred from the transmitter to the receiver is configured as illustrated in FIG. 16 (201). FIG. 17 (202) illustrates a RTCP (Real-Time Contral Protocol) packet for requesting the retransmission, which is transferred from the receiver to the transmitter. In the RTP header illustrated in FIG. 16 (201), the RTP header of the RFC 1889 is extended by 4 bytes, and a SSN field is provided there. The SSN is different from the RTP sequence number. In the SSN, an initial value is zero, and the value is increased by one only for the important packet which should be retransmitted. Further, S is SSNIndicator for indicating that the SSN is increased by one.
FIG. 18 shows a process of specifying a packet of which retransmission is requested based on the SSN included in the RTP header of FIG. 16 (201) by the receiver. As illustrated in FIG. 18, the RTP sequence number is increased by one for every packet (301), but the SSN is increased by one only for each of important packets (302). Further, it is possible to detect a timing when the SSN is increased by one. As stated, the SSN indicates that the packet in which the SSN is increased by one is the important packet which should be retransmitted when the packet is lost.
For example, when the receiver receives a packet of RTP sequence number 15 just after a packet of RTP sequence number 10, packets of RTP sequence numbers 11–14 are lost. In this case, the SSN of the packet of RTP sequence number 10 is 3, and the SSN of the packet of RTP sequence number 15 is 6. Since the SSN is increased from 3 to 6 inconsecutively, it is easy to judge that two important packets of which SSN's are 4 and 5, which should be retransmitted, are lost. Further, since it is judged that the packet of RTP sequence number 15 is not an important packet to be retransmitted based on a S bit in the RTP header (303), an important packet of which SSN is 6 is also lost. Therefore, the receiver transmits values of the SSN's, i.e., 4, 5, and 6, of the packets which should be retransmitted as a retransmission request to the transmitter. The transmitter retransmits an important packet to be transmitted, of which S bit of the RTP header is 1, among the packets of which SSN's are 4, 5 and 6.
As stated, in the retransmission according to the TCP protocol, since a retransmission packet is waited for, it takes time for the retransmission. Further, an excess of the ACK packet and an increase of the retransmission packet pressure a band, and cause congestion. Further, the receiver waits for the retransmission packet and requests the retransmission many times. The receiver is performing a useless retransmission processing.
The retransmitting system of the RTP written in the Internet draft titled "RTP Payload Type Format to Enable Multiple Selective Retrasmissions" is a retransmitting system when one priority degree is set. For setting a plurality of priority degrees, a plurality of SSN's is necessary. Consequently, a length of the RTP header becomes longer. In an example of FIG. 18, a combination of the SSN and the S is increased for one RTP sequence number.

Packet retransmission system, packet transmission device, packet reception device, packet retransmission method, packet transmission method and packet reception method


Circuits, methods, and apparatus for storing application data, keys, authorization codes, or other information in a volatile memory on an FPGA. A field programmable gate array (FPGA) can include multiple memory blocks and partition those blocks among multiple independent reconfigurable regions. Access to the memory blocks can then be restricted so that only authorized regions have access to particular memory partitions. In addition, each partition can store multiple message authentication codes (MACs) for further controlling access to data in each partition.

The present invention relates generally to storing data on an integrated circuit and more particularly to protecting data stored in a battery powered memory on a field programmable gate array (FPGA).
The circuit complexity and the tasks performed by integrated circuits such as field programmable gate arrays have greatly increased the last few years. Highly sophisticated software, or applications, run on programmable logic elements that are configured to perform intricate user-defined functions.
Often these applications need to store data in a memory, for example, an application may store data at different times for later use. Other important data such as chip identification, license information, and encryption keys may need to be stored. Unfortunately, if power is removed from the memory, this data is lost unless the memory is nonvolatile.
But nonvolatile memory typically requires processing that is either not compatible with processing technologies used to manufacture FPGAs or uses extra processing steps that greatly increase device costs. Also, in many situations, the security of the data stored in memory is important, so it is desirable to quickly erase it if a tamper is detected. Unfortunately, it is difficult to quickly erase nonvolatile memory. Further, data stored in a nonvolatile memory can be discovered through reverse engineering.
To protect this data, it is important to also limit access to it, such that the data may not be stolen or copied by a nefarious user or application. For example, a configuration design may be protected by encrypting it with a key. If this key is stored in memory for use during decryption, it is desirable to protect and limit access to this key.
Thus, what is needed are circuits, methods, and apparatus that provide a memory for an FPGA that retains data when power to the FPGA is removed, but is compatible with conventional FPGA manufacturing processes and can quickly be erased in the event of a tamper or other unauthorized event. Also, it is desirable to provide further protection by limiting access to data stored in the memory.

Security RAM block with multiple partitions


An apparatus 1 for securing a closure 2 in an aperture 3 of a container 4 comprises a securing cap 5 adapted to engage the closure 2 and the container 4 to secure the closure 2, and fittings to provide for generation and release of a vacuum or partial vacuum between the securing cap 5 and the closure 2 to move the securing cap 5 into a securing position.

(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to apparatus for securing a closure in an aperture of a container and to a method of securing a closure in all aperture of a container.
(2) Description of Related Art
Containers for storage and transportation of material often have apertures such as inlets and outlets with removable closures to enable the stored material to be discharged. A problem with such containers is that sometimes the closures can become dislodged or moved inadvertently for example during transport, allowing material to escape. This is a particular problem with containers for the storage and transportation of bulk quantities of materials such as pharmaceutical powders. There are now strict regulations governing the conditions for transportation of for example, hazardous materials, and ensuring that no accidental escape of material occurs is a primary consideration.
To prevent escape of material occurring it has been proposed to provide securing means such as a clamp or cap to secure the closure in place in an aperture and also to cover the aperture. Whilst such apparatus has been found to be effective, there continues to be a need for apparatus and methods which perform a number of functions economically:    i. Provide a dust and weather tight cover over the entire closure and aperture;    ii. Lock the closure securely into the aperture especially to meet U.N. requirements for transportation of hazardous substances;
In addition the effectiveness of the apparatus and methods must not reduce with passage of time.
It is an object of this invention to provide such apparatus and methods.

Method and apparatus for securing a closure in an aperture of a container


The present invention provides methods and compositions for slowing gastrointestinal transit and prolonging residence time to optimize presentation and absorption of ingested nutrients and/or pharmacologically active agents in the small intestine to prevent and/or reduce ineffectiveness thereof due to malabsorption.. The present invention further provides methods and compositions for enhancing the bioavailability and therapeutic effectiveness of pharmacologically active agents.

A principal function of the gastrointestinal tract is to process and absorb food. The stomach, which is both a storage and digestive organ, works to optimize the conditions for the digestion and absorption of food in the small intestine. Following the stomach and preceding the large bowel (colon) is the small intestine which comprises three regions: the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. A major function of the small intestine is one of absorption of digested nutrients.
The passage of a meal through the, gastrointestinal tract, which leads to digestion and absorption of nutrients, is controlled by a complex system of inhibitory and stimulatory motility mechanisms which are set in motion by the composition of the meal ingested. Specific receptors for fats, and proteins, and the osmolality, acidity and particle size of the meal activate propulsive and inhibitory reactions, which modulate transit and thus absorption. The rate of passage through the small intestine is of great significance for the rate and extent of absorption from the small intestine.
Disruption of the normal digestive and absorptive processes frequently manifests as a variety of syndromes, such as, for example malnutrition, weight loss, diarrhea, steatorrhea, vitamin deficiency, electrolyte imbalance, and the like.
The small intestine is also an important site for the absorption of pharmacological agents. The proximal part of the small intestine has the greatest capacity for absorption of drugs. Intestinal absorption of drugs is influenced to a great extent by many of the same basic factors that affect the digestion and absorption of nutrients, water and electrolytes.
Absorption of a drug in the gastrointestinal tract is a function of characteristics of the drug, such as its molecular structure, as well as attributes of the gastrointestinal tract. The rate of absorption of certain drugs, which are absorbed slowly and usually incompletely, varies according to the small intestine transit time. Intestinal transit is important in the design of pharmaceutical preparations, especially when the absorption site of a drug is located in a particular segment of the gastrointestinal tract.
Many drugs and dosage formulations have been and continue to be developed because of the need to overcome the physiological and physicochemical limitations associated with drug delivery such as poor stability, short biological half-life, inefficient absorption and poor bioavailability. Applications of controlled release technology have moved towards control of absorption via regulation of the input to the gastrointestinal tract. However, recent pharmaceutical attempts to alter gastric emptying and small intestinal transit times have not been very successful. (Khosla and Davis, J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 39:47-49 (1987); Davis et al., Pharm. Res. 3:208-213 (1986)).
For drug absorption to proceed efficiently, the drug must first arrive at a normal absorbing surface in a form suitable for absorption; it must remain there long enough in a form and in a concentration that enhance absorption; and it must be absorbed by a normal epithelial cell without being metabolized by that cell. Accordingly, considerable advantage would be obtained if a pharmaceutical dosage form could be retained for a longer period of time within the stomach and/or the small intestine for proper absorption to occur.
The period of time during which nutrients and/or drugs are in contact with the mucosa of the small intestine is crucial for the efficacy of digestion and absorption. Therefore, modulation of the motility rate and transit time of nutrients and/or pharmacologically active agents through the gastrointestinal tract will ensure optimal utilization of the absorptive surface, as well as prevent transport mechanisms from being overloaded (which could occur if substrates were passed on too rapidly and exceeded the absorptive capacity of already maximally loaded surfaces in the small intestine).
Thus, a need exists for optimizing absorption of ingested nutrients and/or pharmacologically active agents in the small intestine to prevent and/or reduce ineffectiveness thereof due to malabsorption. A need also exists for means to enhance the bioavailability and effectiveness of pharmacologically active agents. The present invention satisfies these needs and provides related advantages as well.

Methods and compositions for improving digestion and absorption in the small intestine


An image sensor comprising a substrate and one or more of pixels thereon. The pixels have subpixels therein comprising nanowires sensitive to light of different color. The nanowires are functional to covert light of the colors they are sensitive to into electrical signals.

An image sensor may be fabricated to have a large number of sensor elements (pixels), generally more than 1 million, in a (Cartesian) square grid. The pixels may be photodiodes, or other photosensitive elements, that are operable to convert electromagnetic radiation (light) into electrical signals.
Recent advances in semiconductor technologies have enabled the fabrication of nanostructures such as nanotubes, nanocavities and nanowires. Optical properties of nanostructures have been one of the recent research focuses. Among the available nanostructures, nanowires have drawn a lot of interest because of their usefulness as an optoelectronic sensor element. An image sensor that harness unique optical properties of nanowires is therefore desirable.

Full color single pixel including doublet or quadruplet Si nanowires for image sensors


A variable capacity type oil pump, which is driven by an engine, supplies hydraulic pressure to a hydraulic control circuit of an automatic transmission. A range switch mechanism, which includes a motor as a motive power source, switches a shift range of the automatic transmission. Further, a switch operation mechanism, which switches a discharge amount of the oil pump, is driven by the motor of the range switch mechanism. In this case, an operative position of the switch operation mechanism is switched by the motor according to an input rotation speed of the oil pump, thereby switching the discharge amount of the oil pump. Accordingly, the motor of the range switch mechanism is used to drive the switch operation mechanism to switch the discharge amount of the oil pump, and thus a motive power source dedicated to changing the discharge amount of the oil pump is not needed.

JP 2007-064268 A describes an exemplary automatic transmission mounted on a vehicle. In this automatic transmission, an engine rotation-driven oil pump supplies hydraulic pressure to a hydraulic control circuit. A hydraulic valve and a manual valve are provided in the hydraulic control circuit to switch a hydraulic circuit and to control a hydraulic pressure. Here, the hydraulic pressure is applied to friction engagement elements (e.g., a brake or a clutch) of a transmission mechanism. As a result, gear shifting, or range shifting, is performed.
This kind of automatic transmission includes a hydraulic supply system equipped with a variable-capacity type oil pump. A discharge amount of the oil pump is adjusted by a solenoid valve. When a rotational speed of the engine increases and, as a result, the rotational speed input to the oil pump exceeds a predetermined value, the solenoid valve switches the oil pump to a low discharge mode (i.e., a mode in which the discharge amount per revolution is low). As a result, excess discharge during high rotational speeds may be prevented, and wasteful energy consumption may be suppressed, thereby improving fuel consumption.