A method and apparatus that ensures that an aircraft system network controls access by multiple users (403a, 403b, 403c) of electronic devices (402a, 402b, 402c) equipped with a related hardware device (404a, 404b, 404c), by a combination of authentication, integrity, and encryption, using hardware security such as HSE/HSM or equivalent to establish the credentials for each component that is allowed on the network.

For most situations involving off-aircraft communications, security has not been addressed. There is no encryption and identification of transmitting and receiving platforms is not hidden or password protected. The systems rely on the verification of aircraft identifiers and special transmission frequencies to prevent malicious interference with aircraft communications.
In some systems, there is encryption of data via one of many encryption schemes, such as Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) or Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA), to protect data such as movie content for in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems or credit card data for point of sale systems. There is no authentication of either party; for instance, an Automatic Dependent Surveillance—Broadcast (ADS-B) transponder could be modified to provide a tail number for an incorrect aircraft, and hence all data provided by the transponder would be incorrect. In general, existing security provisions for the aircraft data path include:
Very High Frequency (VHF) radio communications: identification (ID) by tail number;
Satellite Communications (SATCOM): ID by tail number;
Wi-Fi (Wireless Local Area network" (WLAN) products based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11 or 802.16 standards): Typically Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) with AES encryption and Pre-Shared Key (PSK), WPA2-PSK; and
Cellular communications: ID by Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card, with possible data encryption.
Some existing forms of aircraft data communication today use encryption to protect the data; examples are movie content for IFE systems and credit card information for point of sale systems. Some systems use, or contemplate using, a two factor authentication mechanism (user login plus security token) and industry standard security protocols such as Transport Layer Security (TLS) and its predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), public key infrastructure (PKI), AES, WPA2. Several relevant patents, which are hereby incorporated by reference, involve one or more aspect of known communications security provisions. Such documents include:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,816,728 titled AIRCRAFT DATA COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD which discloses an aircraft avionics software and database upload transmission/reception system using a cellular data transmission/reception system. This aircraft data communications system and method includes a communications device located in an aircraft; an avionics information storage device located in the aircraft in communication with the communications device; a cellular infrastructure in communication with the communications device; and a computer remotely located from the aircraft in communication with the cellular infrastructure. The communications device and the computer establish a bi-directional communications channel via the cellular infrastructure between the communications device and the computer and initiate a data exchange there between.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,827,400 titled SECURITY CERTIFICATE MANAGEMENT which discloses a system and method for establishing a mutually authenticated secure link between a mobile platform system and a remote system is provided. An onboard computer system (OCS) generates a dynamic certificate and digitally signs the dynamic certificate with a static certificate. The dynamic certificate is transmitted to a remote central computer system (CCS). The CCS verifies that the dynamic certificate is from a trusted source and sends a return dynamic certificate electronically signed with the static certificate to the OCS. The OCS verifies the return dynamic certificate is from the CCS, thereby establishing a mutually authenticated secure link between the OCS and the CCS.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,126,147 titled SECURE TERMINAL DATA LOADER SYSTEM AND IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM which discloses a terminal data loading device on a mobile platform includes a media unit for receiving a transportable media element containing media data and outputting a media signal to a control processor unit. The control processor unit outputs an information signal to a wireline communication unit. The wireline communication unit outputs a wireline signal to a network on the mobile platform.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,169,946 titled AIRCRAFT COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM WITH HARD HANDOFF AND ASSOCIATED METHODS which discloses a communications system for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft includes a ground-based communications network comprising spaced apart base stations, and an access point in the aircraft for providing a WLAN for data communications with the PEDs. An air-to-ground transceiver in the aircraft cooperates with the access point for data communications with the ground-based communications network. First and second base stations define respective first and second adjacent coverage areas, and include respective first and second hard handoff controllers. The respective first and second hard handoff controllers implement a hard handoff of a data communications channel with the air-to-ground transceiver as the aircraft moves from the first coverage area to the second adjacent coverage area.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,732,233 titled INTEGRATING PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES WITH ELECTRONIC FLIGHT BAG SYSTEMS INSTALLED IN AIRCRAFT which discloses an electronic flight bag apparatus includes an electronic flight bag (EFB) system installed in an aircraft and which interfaces with a ground network, and a portable EFB device connectible with the EFB system via a trusted secure connection. This apparatus makes it possible for a flight crew member to remove the portable device from the aircraft, enter flight information into the device in a convenient manner, and transfer the information to the installed EFB system. Auxiliary crew members may use the portable device during flight to assist the flight crew.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,340,067 titled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR WIRELESS TRANSFER OF CONTENT BETWEEN AIRCRAFT which discloses a system for wirelessly transferring content between aircraft. The system includes a first local controller positioned on a first aircraft of the plurality of aircraft and a respective second local controller positioned on each of the other aircraft of the plurality of aircraft. The aircraft are positioned on the ground within a boundary of an airport. The first local controller cannot detect a regional controller or any of the second local controllers. The first local controller: identifies content assigned to but not available on the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers, the content assigned by an administrator; detects content available on the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers; and controls transfer of content between the first local controller and the one or more second local controllers.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,369,295 titled METHOD TO PROVIDE CONNECTIVITY AND POWER FOR DIFFERENT AIRCRAFT SUB-SYSTEMS VARYING IN LEVELS OF CRITICALITY AND INTENDED PURPOSES WHILE USING A SINGLE PARTITIONED AIRBORNE LOCAL AREA NETWORK (ALAN) which discloses a system for providing non-flight critical aircraft sub-system communication, over an ALAN, meeting DO-254/DO-178 certification. This system deterministically makes data available to each aircraft sub-system without regard to specific bandwidth requirements. This system network supports functions that are certified on a non-interference basis. The system network deterministically places all non-required functionality into a low priority to assure that all required data functions sets are not dropped. One aspect of this system is how the clients are able to join sessions. In this system, network clients are preprogrammed based on their hardware coding to be able to join a specific VLAN, or VLANs, in accordance with their predetermined functions. The present system is an ALAN based on a ring Ethernet topology, for redundancy, which provides two paths to each connection point without requiring all the wiring associated with a star wiring topology.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,401,021 titled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PRIORITIZING WIRELESS COMMUNICATION OF AIRCRAFT which provides a method for wireless communication of aircraft. The method includes, inter alia, in any feasible order, (1) in accordance with detecting a touchdown of the aircraft, assigning a first priority for transmitting information and a second priority for receiving media content; (2) in accordance with detecting an arrival of the aircraft at the gate, assigning a third priority for receiving media content; (3) in accordance with detecting a departure of the aircraft, assigning the first priority for transmitting information and the second priority for receiving media content; and (4) in accordance with detecting a departure ready of the aircraft, assigning a fourth priority for receiving essential media content and the second priority for receiving other media content. The first priority is greater than the second priority; and the fourth priority is greater than the second priority.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,468,214 titled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DISTRIBUTING CONTENT USING ATTRIBUTES which provides methods and apparatus for distributing content between fixed and nomadic servers using attributes. Attributes may relate to, inter alia, the type of content, location of a fixed and/or nomadic content server, a vehicle that includes a nomadic server, an ability to use content, a need for content, vehicle owner information, and/or time.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,781,512 titled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING WIRELESS LINKS which provides systems and methods for increasing a combined data rate for communication links between a plurality of radio systems and a plurality of base stations.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,486,960, 8,116,797, 8,050,696, and 8,010,141 each titled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WIRELESSLY TRANSFERRING CONTENT TO AND FROM AN AIRCRAFT and each which provides a system and method for wirelessly transferring content to and from a vehicle, in particular, an aircraft. The content includes, for example, data, voice, video and multimedia that can be wirelessly exchanged over a wireless communication link between an aircraft and a ground station while the aircraft is at or near a parking gate, or between aircraft. In an example, the system employs long distance metropolitan area technology, such as IEEE Standard 802.16 wireless technology, to increase transfer range. The parameter of the wireless communication link can be adjusted based on, for example, the location of the link. The content can further be provided between the vehicle and ground station based on priorities, such as the available link speed, importance of the information, and/or anticipated connection time between the vehicle and ground station.
Each of these prior methods and systems include various limitations. In terms of communications between aircraft and ground or between aircraft to aircraft, such current communications systems and protocols have no mechanism to ensure that any given communication is coming from the source that it claims it is coming from. This means that a malicious entity could send erroneous data, or intercept data with little effort. It would be advantageous to obviate or mitigate such disadvantages.

Method and system for security and authentication of aircraft data transmissions


A multi-channel type thin film transistor includes a gate electrode over a substrate extending along a first direction, a plurality of active layers parallel to and spaced apart from each other extending along a second direction crossing the first direction, and source and drain electrodes spaced apart from each other with respect to the gate electrode and extending along the first direction, wherein each of the plurality of active layers includes a channel region overlapped with the gate electrode, a source region, a drain region, and lightly doped drain (LDD) regions, one between the channel region and the source region and another one between the channel region and the drain region, wherein the LDD regions of the adjacent active layers have different lengths from each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film transistor (TFT) for a flat panel display (FPD) device, and more particularly, to a multi-channel type TFT and a method of fabricating the same that can prevent deterioration thereof.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Recently, FPD devices, which includes liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, are manufactured as large-size display devices that have high resolution due to implementation of semiconductor devices in the FPD devices.
In general, the LCD devices use optical anisotropy and polarization properties of liquid crystal molecules in order to display images. The liquid crystal molecules have a definite orientational alignment resulting from their thin and long shapes, wherein the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules can be controlled by application of an electric field to the liquid crystal molecules. Accordingly, as an intensity of the applied electric field is changed, the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules also changes. Since incident light through liquid crystals within the liquid crystal molecules is refracted based upon an orientation of the liquid crystal molecules, intensity of the incident light can be controlled and images can be displayed due to the optical anisotropy of the aligned liquid crystal molecules.
Among the various types of LCD devices commonly used, active matrix LCD (AM-LCD) devices have been developed because of their high resolution and superiority in displaying moving images. The AM-LCD devices have TFTs and pixel electrodes connected to the TFTs disposed in matrix configuration. The TFTs include polysilicon material having a higher field efficiency mobility than amorphous silicon material that is sensitive to light or to electric fields when the polysilicon material is utilized for a driving integrated circuit element, i.e., the TFT element. Accordingly, the polysilicon TFT can reduce costs of the driving integrated circuit and can help simplify device packaging when the polysilicon material is directly formed on a substrate as the driving integrated circuit.
The polysilicon TFT can minimize current loss of an ON state to provide a fast mobility speed of the driving IC and pixels, and has a relatively low power consumption. In addition, a lightly doped drain (LDD) region, which is treated with impurities of a lower concentration than the n+ or p+ doping concentrations of the source/drain regions that prevent leakage current increase, is defined in the polysilicon TFT. Furthermore, the electric field of a drain electrode of the TFT can be reduced by the LDD region having a low consistency, thereby reducing deterioration of the device by hot carriers.
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a multi-channel type TFT according to the related art. The multi-channel type TFT 50 of FIG. 1 is manufactured in order to increase driving power and to prevent deterioration due to self-heating. In FIG. 1, a gate electrode 26 is formed over a substrate (not shown) to extend along a first direction, and source and drain electrodes 34 and 38 are spaced apart from each other with respect to the gate electrode 26 and extend along the first direction. A plurality of active layers ACT1 to ACT2N (N is defined a positive fixed number) are disposed parallel to and spaced apart from each other along a second direction crossing the first direction, wherein each of the plurality of active layers ACT1 to ACT2N includes a channel region CR overlapped with the gate electrode 26, a source region SR, a drain region DR, and lightly doped drain (LDD) regions LR; one between the channel region CR and the source region SR and another one between the channel region CR and the drain region DR. Here, the plurality of active layers ACT1 to ACT2N include a polysilicon material. However, a distance D1 between adjacent active layers ACT1 to ACT2N are limited since a size of an integrated circuit is limited by an integrated characteristic of a high density of the LCD although a width W1 of each of the active layers ACT1 to ACT2N is widened. As a result, the layout of the multi-channel type TFT is limited.
FIG. 2 is a graphic illustration of heating values of channel regions of the multi-channel TFT of FIG. 1 according to the related art. In FIG. 2, a central portion CP of the multi-channel type TFT 50 has a bigger disadvantage than edge portions EP thereof since a space of the heat diffusion and a route of the heat diffusion are both relatively narrow. In general, cooling in the central portion CP is more difficult than in the edge portions EP.
FIG. 3 is a photomicrograph of a central portion of the multi-channel type TFT according to the related art. In FIG. 3, the multi-channel type TFT has a significant disadvantage, such as deterioration due to self-heating. Therefore, since its cost increases, productivity is reduced.

Multi-channel type thin film transistor and method of fabricating the same


A functionalized polymer includes a polymer chain and a terminal group linked to the chain through a functionality that contains one or more urethane groups. The functionalized polymer can be provided by reacting a nucleophile with a polymer having terminal iso(thio)cyanate functionality which, in turn, can be provided by reacting a terminally active polymer with a polyiso(thio)cyanate. Even polymers that contain substantial amounts of styrene mer can be used in the described process.

Rubber goods such as tire treads often are made from elastomeric compositions that contain one or more reinforcing materials such as, for example, particulate carbon black and silica; see, e.g., The Vanderbilt Rubber Handbook, 13th ed. (1990), pp. 603-04.
Good traction and resistance to abrasion are primary considerations for tire treads; however, motor vehicle fuel efficiency concerns argue for a minimization in their rolling resistance, which correlates with a reduction in hysteresis and heat build-up during operation of the tire. These considerations are, to a great extent, competing and somewhat contradictory: treads made from compositions designed to provide good road traction usually exhibit increased rolling resistance and vice versa.
Filler(s), polymer(s), and additives typically are chosen so as to provide an acceptable compromise or balance of these properties. Ensuring that reinforcing filler(s) are well dispersed throughout the elastomeric material(s) both enhances processability and acts to improve physical properties. Dispersion of fillers can be improved by increasing their interaction with the elastomer(s). Examples of efforts of this type include high temperature mixing in the presence of selectively reactive promoters, surface oxidation of compounding materials, surface grafting, and chemically modifying the polymer, typically at a terminus thereof.
Various elastomeric materials often are used in the manufacture of vulcanizates such as, e.g., tire components. In addition to natural rubber, some of the most commonly employed include high-cis polybutadiene, often made by processes employing catalysts, and substantially random styrene/butadiene interpolymers, often made by processes employing anionic initiators. Functionalities that can be incorporated into high-cis polybutadiene often cannot be incorporated into anionically initiated styrene/butadiene interpolymers and vice versa.


A hand-held controller is provided for controlling at least one function of a bed and mattress assembly. The hand-held controller includes a button engageable to control the at least one function of the bed and mattress assembly, and a display configured to provide feedback to a user regarding the at least one function. The display simultaneously displays a graphical image and numerical data when the button is engaged.

The present invention relates to a hand-held controller, and particularly to a hand-held controller for a bed and mattress assembly. More particularly the present invention relates to a hand-held controller having buttons that are pressed to control one or more functions of the bed and mattress assembly.
Beds including hand-held controllers that are used to control functions of the bed, such as, articulation of bed frame sections, vibration of bed frame sections, and inflation of air bladders included in a mattress of the bed, are known. Signals are either sent along wires or are transmitted remotely between the hand-held controller and a control box of the bed that is spaced apart from the hand-held controller. Typical hand-held controllers are provided with a plurality of buttons that are pressed to control different functions of the bed. Some hand-held controllers, such as that shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,154, provide numerical feedback to a user.
According to the present invention, a hand-held controller is provided for controlling at least one function of a bed and mattress assembly to which the hand-held controller is coupled electrically. The hand-held controller includes a button that is engageable to control the at least one function of the bed and mattress assembly. The hand-held controller further includes a display that is configured to provide feedback to a user regarding the at least one function. The display simultaneously displays a graphical image and numerical data when the button is engaged.
In preferred embodiments, the hand-held controller includes a plurality of buttons and the display enables a user to view various screens having various images and data when the user presses a respective button that corresponds with an associated function of the bed and mattress assembly. Also in preferred embodiments, the display defaults to a clock showing a time-of-day when none of the plurality of buttons are pressed. In addition, some of the plurality of buttons permit the user to program a selected function of the bed and mattress assembly to occur at a programmed time.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.

Hand-held controller for bed and mattress assembly


A weapon assembly for an armored vehicle includes a turret; a turret cage attached to and being disposed underneath the turret; a weapon supported in the turret and having a barrel; and a belt magazine received in part in the turret and in part in the turret cage. The belt magazine has a loading belt and a plurality of horizontally disposed, ammunition-accommodating container tubes attached to the loading belt. The belt magazine further has a frontal receiving position above the turret cage and laterally of the turret. A loading tube is swingably supported behind the weapon for movement between a first position and a second position. In the first position the loading tube is in alignment with the container tube when the latter is in the frontal receiving position. In the second position the loading tube is in alignment with the weapon barrel in a rearward receiving position. There are further provided a first loading device for pushing ammunition from the container tube, when situated in the frontal receiving position, into the loading tube and a second loading device for pushing ammunition, in the rearward receiving position, from the loading tube into a loading chamber of the weapon.

This invention relates to a weapon assembly for an armored vehicle and is of the type which has a gun turret, a weapon supported in the turret and having a barrel, a turret cage and a loading device for transporting to the weapon ammunition stored in a magazine in the turret.
For storing large caliber ammunition in a magazine in an armored vehicle, it is known, for example, from German Offenlegungsschrift (application published without examination) No. 34 37 588 to store the ammunition in the rear region of the turret and to load ammunition into the weapon by means of a loading device according to requirements. It is, among others, a disadvantage of storing ammunition in such a manner that a substantial space in the rear part of the turret is needed and further, the vehicle is vulnerable to a substantial degree because of the exposed disposition of the ammunition.
The above-outlined disadvantages may also be found in armored vehicles in which the ammunition magazine is arranged laterally of the weapon, as disclosed, for example, in German Patent No. 2,501,426.
Further, as disclosed in German Patent No. 1,301,742, the ammunition is disposed partially in the lower region (turret cage) of the weapon turret so that the ammunition situated there is better protected than if positioned in the upper region of the turret. It is, however, a disadvantage of such an arrangement that, among others, the turret cage must have a substantial volume because the ammunition is swung by a loading device from a lower receiving position to a location behind the breech ring of the weapon.

Gun turret assembly for an armored vehicle


The present invention is directed to a locking orthodontic bracket that contains a mechanism that rotationally locks an orthodontic archwire fully or partially within the bracket archwire slot. The orthodontic bracket has a body containing a slot to receive an orthodontic archwire, wings for tying ligature wires, a base that is attachable to an orthodontic band or directly to a tooth surface and a central recess in the front surface of the body that contains the rotating clip device. The rotating clip device is rotated to enclose an orthodontic archwire within the slot.

Orthodontic brackets attached to teeth transmit forces, such as produced by an archwire, to move the teeth. Brackets usually contain an archwire slot for reception of the archwire. Orthodontic brackets today are typically bonded to a tooth or welded to an orthodontic band that is cemented to the tooth.
Brackets commonly use tie wings that project upwardly and downwardly in pairs at the top and bottom of the installed bracket, respectively. These wings permit the archwire to be held within the archwire slot of the bracket by means of a twisted wire (ligature) or an elastomeric o-ring. Currently there are varieties of brackets that are self-ligating. These self-ligating brackets have taken several forms.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,614 to Wildman, issued Mar. 10, 1992, discloses a sliding closure that engages the front of the archwire. The closure is recessed from the front or anterior surfaces of the disclosed bracket. These sliding closures are also found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,549,528 to Russell, U.S. Pat. No. 2,671,964 to Russell et al. and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,131,474 to Johnson. Sliding closures require the archwire also to be recessed within the archwire slot before the closure can be moved over the archwire making it very difficult for the user to visually confirm that the archwire is properly seated within the archwire slot. A conventional bracket has a visual front surface adjacent to the archwire slot making it easy to see if the archwire is seated in the archwire slot. This is not true in the recessed sliding closures. The actual archwire slot surface is beneath the sliding closure. Damon solved this problem in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,275,557 (Jan. 4, 1994), 5,429,500 (Jul. 4, 1995) and 5,466,151 (Nov. 14, 1995).
An achievement of these patents is a ligating slide within a bracket that maintains the normal features of protruding tie wings or lugs and a closure in the form of a ligating slide that can complete a continuous tube surrounding the archwire when the closure is in a closed position. This can be achieved in a Siamese or twin bracket configuration without covering or interfering with projecting extensions on the bracket.
Pletcher, U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,435, discloses a locking slide member that is flat and guided by upright slots formed along both sides of the bracket and spanning the archwire slot thereby obscuring visual access to the critical corners of the archwire slots at the side edges of the bracket. Without this visual access being clear, one installing an archwire within a bracket cannot be certain as to proper seating of an archwire within the archwire slot before the slide cover is moved to a closed position. No tie wings or lugs are included in the illustrated bracket forms.
There is a modern esthetic requirement that the brackets be small. A drawback of many self-ligating brackets the locking covers increase the size of the bracket.
Damon, U.S. Pat. No. 6,071,118, discloses a sliding cover which gives visual access to the archwire slot, but have achieved the enclosure of the sliding cover by thickening the bracket in the gingival area
A sliding spring cover, a hinged locking cover, a rotary sliding cover, a ball type rotatable cover etc. have been disclosed in different U.S. Patents. "Activa" produced by A Company, "Speed" and "Edgelock" produced by Ormco Corporation, and others are typical examples of ligature-less brackets that are commercially available.
Of all these different locking means a sliding closure has been considered desirable because it can be easily manipulated and it reduces the time required for opening and closing of the arch wire slot during periodic adjustments of the arch wire and provides more precise control of the archwire. There are other means that are more complex and difficult and expensive to manufacture. Springs used as locking means are not strong enough to hold the arch wire into the slot.


There is provided a system and method of pre-processing discrete datasets for use in machine learning. The method includes: determining a median and a standard deviation of an input discrete dataset; determining a probability mass function including a probability of finding a particular data point in the input discrete dataset within a particular bin of a histogram representative of the input discrete dataset; transforming the probability mass function into a continuously differentiable probability density function using the standard deviation, the probability density function determined using a parametric control function, the parametric control function including a lognormal derivative of the probability density function, the parameters within the control function are estimated using optimization that minimizes a mean-squared error of an objective function; and outputting the probability density function for use an input to a machine learning model.

More and more commonly, machine learning forecasting techniques are being used to analyze and provide forecasts on large input datasets, for example; large discrete datasets. Often, the distribution of these large discrete datasets can be organized and aggregated into discrete bins to produce histograms. In some cases, using machine learning techniques to analyze large sets of discrete data aggregated into histograms can create a challenge, for example, when attempting to compress a histogram for a given large dataset due to, for example, data processing requirements.

System and method of pre-processing discrete datasets for use in machine learning


A passive, highly efficient, low noise adapter device includes a balun and noise reduction circuitry uniquely configured to converting an unbalanced signal line on a 50 ohm signal line to a balanced signal on a 100 ohm transmission line or vice versa. The device facilitates the use of commercially available and accepted test equipment for accurate transmission measurements on balanced twisted pairs of cables and connectors. A typical utilization includes an adapter device connected between the 100 ohm twisted pair cable and suitable test equipment such as a network analyzer and/or a signal generator for determining losses in the telephone wire and connectors.

The present invention relates to transmission systems for video and data signals. More specifically the invention relates to a low noise adapter device which is suitable for coupling testing equipment to a balanced two wire unshielded twisted pair for testing same.
Cable television (CATV) is transmitted over 75 ohm coaxial cable. Channels 2-60 are transmitted on the cable at frequencies ranging from 5 to 500 MHz. Many homes and commercial buildings have previously installed telephone cables consisting of unshielded twisted pairs. The standard unshielded twisted pairs (UTP) of telephone cables have a characteristic impedance of 100 ohms. It is often convenient to utilize this cable for transmission of video signals. Perhaps more significantly, UTP cable may also be utilized for transmission of computer data signals. Currently such cable and applications, such as local area networks, transmit computer data in the 20 to 30 MHz range. In the foreseeable future such transmission speeds on such cable may exceed 100 MHz.
There are difficulties associated with using the unshielded twisted pair cable for the above, particularly the transmission of CATV signals. Any attempt to utilize the UTP cable with unbalanced CATV signals or other unbalanced signals will result in unacceptable radiation and attenuation of the signals. Techniques such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,633,614 and 5,495,212 also assigned to the owner of the instant invention, provide generally acceptable matching of the CATV coaxial cable with the UTP cable.
It is often useful or necessary to measure the balance and other characteristics of UTP cable particularly with reference to the potential usage of such cable for carrying CATB or data signals. Appropriate test equipment for performing such measurements, including network analyzers and signal generators, generally have a characteristic impedance of 50 ohms. Thus, attempts to make any quality measurements of the cable or other associated equipment such as connectors is impossible without suitably matching the test equipment characteristic impedance with that the UTP cable. Heretofore baluns and adapters suitable for such coupling had a restricted frequency range, for example up to 100 MHz. An adapter device is needed which offers high performance low noise coupling up to and beyond 350 MHz.
A passive, highly efficient, low noise adapter device includes a balun and noise reduction circuitry uniquely configured to converting an unbalanced signal line on a 50 ohm signal line to a balanced signal on a 100 ohm transmission line or vice versa. The device facilitates the use of commercially available and accepted test equipment for accurate transmission measurements on balanced twisted pairs of cables and connectors. A typical utilization includes an adapter device connected between the 100 ohm twisted pair cable and suitable test equipment such as a network analyzer and/or a signal generator for determining losses in the telephone wire and connectors.
A feature and advantage of preferred embodiments of the invention is that a much higher band width is provided by the device compared to conventional adapters.
A feature and advantage of preferred embodiments is that the device provides excellent noise reduction characteristics over the entire band width of the device.


The information retrieving apparatus according to the present invention obtains required information through the Internet. It comprises an input/output unit for inputting first data for use in obtaining retrieved information through the information communications network and second data for use in obtaining advertising information through the information communications network; a retrieved information obtaining unit for obtaining the retrieved information from the retrieving server connected to the information communications network using the first data; an additional information obtaining unit for obtaining the advertising information from a predetermined information server connected to the information communications network using the second data; and an information converting unit for incorporating the advertising information obtained by the additional information obtaining unit into the retrieved information obtained by the additional information obtaining unit. The first and second information combined by the information converting unit are displayed by the input/output unit on a display unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information retrieving apparatus and an information retrieving system using the information retrieving apparatus, and more specifically to an information retrieving apparatus and an information retrieving system using the information retrieving apparatus for automatically retrieving prepared information such as advertising information from an information server and incorporating it into retrieved information when the retrieved information is obtained from an information retrieving server.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of computer networks and communication technology, the information from a number of information servers located all over the world can be optionally retrieved. A typical information retrieving system can be the world wide web (WWW) through the Internet. Well-known information retrieving apparatuses (information retrieving browser) of the WWW are Mosaic, Netscape, etc.
At present, information is provided through the Internet free of charge. However, a fee will be charged for each piece of useful information in the future. It is considered, in such cases, that the present advertising systems for newspapers and TV should apply to the WWW. That is, the present newspaper fee can be reduced by advertising products in newspapers, and in return receiving advertising fees from advertisers, and assigning the received fees as a portion of the issuing expenses. Thus, the fee for the information may be reduced by applying this advertising system to the WWW.
When the advertising system applies to the WWW as described above, the following method can be adopted. That is, each of the information servers stores object information together with associated advertising information. The user specifies desired information and requests the WWW to retrieve it. When the WWW accesses the information server at the retrieval request, the information server returns the retrieval result together with an associated advertisement. Thus, the user obtains the desired information and an advertisement.
However, according to such a method, there is the problem that an advertisement cannot be provided for the user unless the user accesses an information server storing advertising information. Although this problem is not at all serious with newspapers, it is a very serious problem with advertisements using the WWW. This depends on the differences in medium characteristics between a paper, etc. and the Internet.
The number of press companies and TV stations is limited, and a large number of readers and subscribers belong to each of them. Therefore, even if an advertisement is not provided until the user accesses an information provider, sufficient advertising effect can be expected. On the other hand, an enormous number of information servers exist in the WWW. Therefore, there is a tendency to centrally access a limited number of information servers. Under such a situation, a number of subscribers do not access a large number of information servers except for popular information servers. Accordingly, it is not expected that the large number of information servers obtain sufficient advertising effects.
According to the present advertising method, no advertising effect may be obtained in some cases. Therefore a large number of information servers, except for a few specific popular information servers, cannot attract advertisers, and the advertising system itself may not be maintained. Therefore, this advertising method cannot apply to advertisements through the WWW.
Also according to this advertising method, however, a predetermined advertisement is provided for a user and the user cannot optionally select a desired advertisement. This is not a serious problem with newspapers, etc., but it is a serious problem with advertisements through the WWW. This again refers to the differences in medium characteristics between newspapers and the Internet.
Newspapers simultaneously have a sufficiently large number of both readers and subscribers for each advertisement. Therefore, even if an advertisement is not required by a portion of users, it may be useful for a large number of other users and a sufficiently large advertising effect can be expected. On the other hand, a user of information through the WWW is normally a single user. That is, a large number of users do not simultaneously access the same information. Therefore, a provided advertisement does not always interest the receiving user, and no useful effects can be expected from the advertisement.
From the above described points, useful effects of advertisements may not be obtained according to the above described advertising method. As a result, advertisers may not be attracted, thereby causing the advertising system to be abandoned. Therefore, the above described advertising method cannot widely apply to advertisements through the WWW.

Information retrieving apparatus and system for displaying information with incorporated advertising information


A variable frequency microwave furnace system (10) designed to allow modulation of the frequency of the microwaves introduced into a furnace cavity (34) for testing or other selected applications. The variable frequency microwave furnace system (10) includes a microwave signal generator (12) or microwave voltage-controlled oscillator (14) for generating a low-power microwave signal for input to the microwave furnace. A first amplifier (18) may be provided to amplify the magnitude of the signal output from the microwave signal generator (12) or the microwave voltage-controlled oscillator (14). A second amplifier (20) is provided for processing the signal output by the first amplifier (18). The second amplifier (20) outputs the microwave signal input to the furnace cavity (34). In the preferred embodiment, the second amplifier (20) is a traveling-wave tube (TWT). A power supply (22) is provided for operation of the second amplifier (20). A directional coupler (24) is provided for detecting the direction of a signal and further directing the signal depending on the detected direction. A first power meter (30) is provided for measuring the power delivered to the microwave furnace (32). A second power meter (26) detects the magnitude of reflected power. Reflected power is dissipated in the reflected power load (28).

In the field of microwave radiation, it is well known that microwave furnaces are typically constructed with a fixed operating frequency. It has long been known that the interactions of various materials with microwaves are frequency dependent. These interactions may include curing rubber and sintering ceramics. It is therefore desirable to have a microwave furnace that can be operated over a broad frequency range.
Most microwave sources have a very narrow bandwidth because they employ a resonant cavity. Microwave ovens constructed for home use are provided with a magnetton which operates at 2.45 GigaHertz, which is an efficient frequency for heating water. Due to the coupling ability of a 2.45 GHz microwave to water, these ovens are used for cooking foods, drying, and other purposes wherein the principal material to be acted upon is water. However, it is well known that frequencies in this range are not suitable in all situations, such as with heating plasmas, sintering materials such as silica, and preparing films such as diamond films.
The use of frequency sweeping over a wide range as a means of mode stirring has important implications for the use of microwave power to sterilize medical equipment or contaminated wastes. In such uses it is crucial to eliminate "dead" areas in the cavity wherein sufficient power may not be received in order for complete sterilization. Electronic frequency sweeping may be performed at a high rate of speed such as to result in a much more uniform time-averaged power density throughout the furnace cavity. The desired frequency sweeping may be accomplished through the use of a traveling wave tube, or TWT. The TWT allows the sweeping to cover a broad bandwidth (2 to 8 GHz) compared to devices such as the voltage tunable magnetton (2.45 -0.05 GHz).
It is known that typical microwave sources such as the magnetton, klystron, and gyrotron tubes operate using resonant rf fields. The use of the resonant rf fields limits the available bandwidth of the microwave source.
Further, it is known that microwave ovens typically found in the home are known to have cold spots and hot spots. Such phenomena are attributed to the ratio of the wavelength to the size of the microwave cavity. With a relatively small frequency microwave introduced into a small cavity, standing waves occur and thus the microwave power does not uniformly fill all of the space within the cavity, and the unaffected regions are not heated. This type of oven cavity is typically referred to as a "single-mode" cavity.
Attempts have been made at mode stirring, or randomly deflecting the beam, in order to fill the cavity with the microwave radiation. One such attempt is the addition of rotating fan blades at the beam entrance of the cavity.
Another method used to overcome the adverse effects of standing waves is to intentionally create a standing wave within a single-mode cavity such that the workpiece may be placed at the location determined to have the highest power (the hot spot). Thus, only the portion of the cavity in which the standing wave is most concentrated will be used.
It has been shown that the sintering behavior of various materials improves at higher frequencies, although the exact reasons are not known. However, existing state of the art technology has made difficult the task of conducting a series of identical sintering experiments in which only the frequency is changed. This is due in large part to the fact that each microwave source is connected to a different furnace cavity. It is well known that the geometry of the furnace cavity is a parameter which must be considered in such experiments.
Furnaces incorporating gyrotron oscillators produce microwaves at 28 GigaHertz. The gyrotron furnaces are capable of sintering some materials more efficiently than those ovens provided with the 2.45 GHz magnetrons. The gyrotron furnaces have specific applications in sintering materials such as ceramics. However, 28 GHz is not an efficient frequency with which to sinter all materials. It is desired to determine the most efficient frequencies to apply to a given material in a furnace with a cavity having a selected configuration.
The frequency for most efficient processing may vary for a given material as the heating process occurs. As a material changes phases, a varied frequency may be required. Thus, it may be desired to have the capability of varying the frequency in the heating process, allowing the tester to begin heating the specimen at one frequency and then change the frequency to maintain good coupling as the temperature rises. This may also be desirable when heating composite materials, where the varying materials efficiently react at different frequencies.
Other devices have been produced to change the parameters of the heating process of selected materials. Typical of the art are those devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,336 issued to J. Asmussen on Oct. 11, 1988, and 4,196,332 issued to A. MacKay B, et al., on Apr. 1, 1980 and further discussed in an article authored by the inventors "Frequency Agile Sources for Microwave Ovens", Journal of Microwave Power, 14(1), 1979. However, a microwave furnace having a wide frequency range has not been disclosed.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a microwave furnace that can be operated over a wide frequency range.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a microwave furnace which may be operated over a wide frequency range wherein the microwave source may be interchanged with microwave sources having other frequency ranges.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a microwave furnace whereby two or more microwave sources may be placed into the system in parallel.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a microwave furnace including a plurality of microwave sources placed in parallel, wherein the microwave sources may be selectively and alternately used.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a microwave furnace with multiple microwave sources whereby each microwave source is controlled by a cannon signal generator and power supply.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a microwave furnace whereby frequency modulation may be used as a form of mode stirring to create a more uniform power distribution in a relatively small furnace cavity.

Variable frequency microwave furnace system


A DC commutator motor includes a yoke, a field magnet, and an armature. A shaft is positioned on a central axis of the armature. A plurality of commutator segments is positioned in a circumferential direction of the shaft. A plurality of armature slots is formed on an outer periphery of an armature core. An upper coil is wound the number of turns Na through two armature slots, which are located apart from each other with the predetermined number of armature slots therebetween, at their opening sides. A lower coil is connected in parallel with the upper coil and wound the number of turns Nb through the two armature slots at their bottom sides. The number of turns Na is smaller than the number of turns Nb.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a DC commutator motor and an automobile including the same, and particularly, to a DC commutator motor including an upper coil and a lower coil connected in parallel as an armature winding, and an automobile including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
DC commutator motors, with which high power can be obtained with ease, have been used as, for example, motors for driving hydraulic pumps for vehicles. In recent years, DC commutator motors have also started being used for auxiliary machines of an automobile besides hydraulic pumps in order to reduce fuel consumption of the automobile. The number of DC commutator motors mounted on an automobile is on the increase under such circumstances. To cope with this trend, a reduction in size and weight of a motor should be promoted while its output is maintained. Consequently, an output power volume ratio (a value obtained by dividing the output of a motor by the volume of the motor) demanded of a DC commutator motor to be mounted on an automobile is ever increasing.
There is a DC commutator motor known for each coil constituted by one winding conductor wound in a wave winding (see, for example, JP-2007-151268-A).
Here, the maximum applied voltage of the DC commutator motor is the guaranteed voltage of a battery to be mounted on an automobile, and hence, the output power volume ratio is increased by increasing a current flowing through the DC commutator motor (use of high current). The use of the high current, however, leads to an elevated temperature of the DC commutator motor. Thus, an adequate diameter is selected for the winding conductor to keep the temperature elevation in an allowable range. Particularly, in order to cope with the use of the high current, the winding conductor is designed to have a diameter increased accordingly. Here, winding tension is increased so that the winding conductor fits securely in the inside of a slot provided in an armature.

DC commutator motor and automobile including the same


A device for securing a goods handling carriage (1) on a truck, comprises a support chassis (11) provided with first anchoring and securing structure (14a, 15a) to secure the chassis (11) on the bed (3) of the truck, and second anchoring and securing structure (14b, 15b) to secure the chassis (11) below the truck bed (3).

French 2.298.454 discloses a truck with a carried elevating carriage. The rear of this truck is provided with joists in a casing, which are open at their rear ends and which extend in the longitudinal direction of the truck, and in which the arms of the carriage fork are received. At a certain distance below said joists in a casing, the truck is provided with two housings also extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and at each of which a slidable joist is disposed. These joists can, in their extreme retracted position, be blocked and constitute a support surface for the chassis of the carriage when the latter rests on the branches of its fork in the joists in a casing. The arrangement is such that the carriage chassis is pressed downwardly against the joists by raising the arms of the fork.
This truck with its carried elevating carriage, of the prior art, has several drawbacks: first, because of the extension of the carriage rearwardly of the truck, the total rolling length of the truck is increased and the signal lights of the truck are partially masked by the carriage carried at the rear of the truck; secondly, the overhanging position of the carriage loaded on the rear of the truck modifies in an important manner the distribution of the weight on the axles of the truck and generally gives rise to overloading the rear axle and underloading the front steering axle, in particular when the truck is running empty.

Device for securement of a goods handling carriage to a truck corresponding support chassis and truck


A Class AB voltage-to-current converter includes a plurality of DC coupled transconductance stages that produce a linearized output and a biasing circuit. The biasing circuit generates a primary bias voltage that is greater than a generated secondary bias voltage. As such, the first transconductance stage becomes active before the second transconductance stage with respect to the magnitude of a differential input voltage, thereby allowing the transconductance of the secondary transconductance stage to be added (or subtracted) from the transconductance of the primary stage to improve the overall transconductance of the Class AB voltage-to-current converter. As each of the plurality of transconductance stages is biased differently from the others, the various transconductance stages are biased on to differing amounts based upon the biasing signals as well as the input signal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to analog circuitry and more particularly to operational amplifiers.
2. Background of the Invention
Operational amplifiers are known to be used in a wide variety of applications. For instance, operational amplifiers may be used as buffers, amplifiers, power amplifier drivers, etc., and are used in such forms in an almost endless list of electronic devices. For example, operational amplifiers are readily used in radio devices, televisions, telephones, wireless communication devices, entertainment equipment, etc.
When an operational amplifier is employed as a power amplifier driver, it is typically required to drive heavy loads (e.g., 50 Ohms) with a reasonably small amount of power consumption, perform linearly, and provide a desired level of gain. Often, the linearity of a power amplifier driver is determined by the linearity of its voltage-to-current converter (i.e., the transconductance (gm) stage). Given a fixed amount of current, a differential pair of amplifiers' linear performance increases by increasing the amount of its Vgs−Vt (=Vgt). One of average skill in the art readily appreciates that increasing channel length of a field effect transistor further increases Vgt. However, this results in lower gain for a given bias current and is also subject to velocity saturation limits.
Many schemes have been traditionally used to linearize a transconductance stage as compared to that obtained from a standard differential pair, which is shown in FIG. 1. As shown, the transconductance stage includes a pair of transistors operably coupled to receive a differential input voltage and, based on the current provided by the current source, produces a differential output current. However, the linearization of the transconductance stage shown in FIG. 1 is limited.
FIG. 2 illustrates a transconductance stage that improves linearity, with respect to the transconductance stage of FIG. 1. In this implementation, resistors are added in series with the input transistors. The resistors increase the linear operational range of an amplifier through the local series feedback. This improvement, however, is at the expense of reduced gain, reduced headroom, and increased noise. One solution that has been recognized heretofore is to compensate for the reduction in gain by adding additional transconductance stages. This approach, however, consumes more current, integrated circuit real estate and consumes more power.
FIG. 3 illustrates an alternate transconductance stage that includes inductors in series with the input transistors. This transconductance stage is an improvement over the transconductance stage of FIG. 2 in that it requires less operating voltage and does not contribute extra noise to the output current. However, it still has an effective reduction of the gain and works over a narrow frequency range.
FIG. 4 illustrates yet another known implementation of a transconductance stage. In this instance, the input transistors are operably coupled to an effective ground wherein the inputs are AC coupled and biased to a particular bias voltage. The implementation of FIG. 4 results in a fundamentally different large signal transfer function in contrast to the large signal transfer functions for the circuitry of the differential pair amplifiers illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3. This transfer function is typically more linear in nature and requires less headroom than that of a standard differential pair and further has no degeneration noise penalties. However, this circuit in FIG. 4 provides a limited amount of improvement in linearity performance as compared to that of the differential pairs of FIGS. 1 through 3. Such limited linearity in many systems is unacceptable for many applications.
Therefore, a need exists for a DC coupled transconductance stage that operates from low supply voltages, has good noise performance, and has good linearity performance.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for transconductance linearization for DC-coupled applications


A system for the processing of materials includes a freezing section and a thawing section, with elongated channels extending through both sections, and gates between the sections and at the output of the thawing section. Large blocks of frozen material are slid from the freezing section to the thawing section; and a new batch of material is frozen with the heat from the freezing section used to thaw the blocks of frozen material. A harvest bar with dogs extending into the frozen material traverses at least a freezing section, and spray nozzles associated with the harvest bar may be used for cleaning the system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for processing materials and products and, more particularly, is embodied in a closed-cycle, channeled system for processing non-solid products and materials that can be brought to a frozen or solid state by lowering the temperature of the products.
2. Description of the Related Art
A biosolid, or biosludge, is the byproduct of a biological wastewater treatment processes and comprises, for example, a mixture of inactive biomass, residual salts and metals, and water.
Costs for landfilling in the United States range from $16 per ton of solids at a waste treatment plant in Oakland to $150 per ton at a landfill in a site in New Jersey. In Europe, disposal costs are more than $500 per ton of residual. Canada and the United States have passed legislation requiring moisture content to be substantially reduced prior to shipping it to regular disposal sites. Several North American landfills require more than 25% solids in waste materials received. Typically, the dewatering, treatment and disposal of biosludges accounts for 30% of capital and 50% of operating costs for utilities. Furthermore, optimized biological treatment systems with increased efficiency produce more biosolids that are known to be more difficult to dewater.
Thus, an ever growing concern to governments, industry and environmentalists alike is how biosolids, or biosludge, can be disposed of in a cost effective manner which is not harmful to the environment and which consumes a minimum amount of land fill space. Other biosolids which often need to be dewatered include the byproducts of refineries and oil fields, breweries, industrial waste water treatment plants, ceramics, clay and coal facilities, pulp and paper mills and drinking water filtering plants.
A significant problem of existing dewatering systems is that they are not "closed cycle" systems. In other words, existing sludge dewatering equipment (e.g., belt filter press, filter press, centrifuge, screw press) rely upon various potentially harmful chemical additives. These chemical additives are costly, potentially harmful to the environment and, in some cases, necessitate the collection and treatment potentially harmful, dangerous and/or explosive gases and vapors.
Unlike existing sludge dewatering processes that rely upon polymers to separate water from sludge particles, several embodiments of the present invention advantageously utilize a natural phenomenon called "freeze/thaw" to facilitate a non-chemical liquid/solid separation. Generally, conditioning by freeze/thaw increases the effectiveness of the dewatering process. More specifically, freeze/thaw processes rupture microbial cells and allow entrapped water to escape.
There are different types of water in biosolids produced by an activated sludge system. The four types of water existing within biological system solids are: (1) free (or bulk) water--water not associated with suspended solid particles; (2) interstitial water--water trapped in the crevices and interstitial spaces of the flocs and organisms; (3) viccinal water--multiple layers of water molecules held tightly to the particle surface by hydrogen bonding; and (4) water of hydration--the water chemically bound to the particles. It has been observed that freeze/thaw conditioning is particularly effective at reducing interstitial and viccinal moisture.
The rates at which various product processing steps occur have a direct bearing on the efficiency of the overall process. A significant aspect of the present invention is that certain embodiments include channeled sub-units which effect a more efficient rate of freezing, thawing, etc. In one embodiment of the present invention, the sub-units of the system include a freeze unit, a thaw unit and a low temperature condenser unit which operate together as an integrated system, yet which are also modular and individually useful for processing certain products. For example, the freeze unit, as a stand-alone unit, can be suitably employed as an automated, high-volume block production system for processing juices, fruits and food products including, but not limited to, chicken parts, broth and gravies, meat products, seafood and eggs.
For completeness, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,453, granted Jul. 9, 1991, inventor J. Sterling Scherer, which discloses a channel block system for freezing material.
One object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for closed-cycle processing of non-solid products that can be brought to a solid state by lowering the temperature of the products.
Another object is to provide a closed-cycle system for efficiently dewatering biosolids or other non-food products without employing potentially harmful chemicals.
Another object is to provide a product processing system with a plurality of interconnected, channeled, modular sub-units which operate together as an integrated system or individually to process certain products.
Another object is to provide a stand-alone freeze unit including a plurality of channels for efficiently and automatically freezing juices, fruits and other non-solid food products into blocks.
Another object is to provide such a freeze unit which additionally includes a mechanism adapted to automatically advance frozen products from the channels and to clean the inside of the channels after the frozen products are removed.
Another object is to provide a product processing system wherein a plurality of plates define product processing channels as well as provide structural support to the system.

System and method for channeled freeze processing of non-solid materials


A method of producing nanoscale materials comprising the steps of entraining liquid droplets containing at least one nanoparticle precursor within a gaseous stream, and passing said gaseous stream containing said liquid droplets through a non-thermal equilibrium plasma whereby said plasma interacts with said at least one nanoparticle precursor to produce nanoparticles within said droplets without substantial evaporation of the droplets and conveying the thus produced nanoparticles within said gaseous stream downstream of said plasma.

Recent advances in nanotechnology provide materials known as nanoparticles in the nanometre range with many potential industrial applications. Due to their unique size-dependent properties, nanoparticles offer the possibility to develop both new therapeutic and diagnostic tools.
Existing techniques for the synthesis and conjugation of nanoparticles generally use chemical synthesis which is a multifaceted and complicated procedure. In chemical synthesis, liquid solutions are generally used as precursors and the desired nanoparticles are formed using appropriate temperature conditions and reducing agents such as sodium borohydrate or sodium citrate. The surface characteristics of the nanoparticles are critical for application purposes. However, use of such reducing agents can be detrimental to nanoparticle functionality. In addition, use of such chemical synthesis methods and temperature requirements result in prolonged multi-step processes which can range from hours to days, require skilled staff and are not cost effective. Additionally, the use of harsh chemicals can be environmentally harmful.
WO 2011/063028 discloses a method of producing nanoscale materials by exposing droplets of a nanoparticle precursor solution to a very high temperature plasma (typically around 1000° C.), vaporising the droplets to release the precursor at supersaturation level, leading to condensation and formation of nanoparticles. The gas temperature when exposed to the plasma is very high and the plasma type is thermal equilibrium. Large nanoparticles normally result. Furthermore, nanoparticles produced in this way must be collected, typically after being cooled with a quenching gas, before they can be utilised, for example by application to the flesh for cancer or wound treatment.

Method and apparatus for producing nanoscale materials


The ability to maintain communications between wireless nodes (e.g., devices), moving substantially as a group, as the group moves from one domain to another is provided without the need for each member of the group to separately obtain domain access rights.

In a group wireless teleconference, the majority of the participants move substantially as a group. For example, the participants may be in a caravan of vehicles that are moving in the same direction. When the participants in the group teleconference move from one domain (e.g., subnetwork, portion of a network, or one or more networks) to another, the wireless teleconference can only be maintained if each of the participants in the group remains in contact with every other participant. To date, when the group of participants moves into another domain with their associated wireless devices a teleconference can be maintained provided each of the participating devices separately obtains its own access rights (e.g., authentication, authorization and accounting [AAA] rights) from the domain.

Methods and devices for obtaining and forwarding domain access rights for nodes moving as a group


A system for non-invasive registration between a patient and a three-dimensional (3D) medical image includes a near infrared 3D camera 110 which extracts a 3D blood vessel image I2 of a patients registration target area during surgical operation; a camera position tracer 120 which traces a position of the near infrared 3D camera 110 and calculates a real world coordinate system of the 3D blood vessel image I2; a controller 130 which extracts a first blood vessel pattern from a 3D medical image I1 of the registration target area, extracts a second blood vessel pattern from the 3D blood vessel image I2, and performs position registration between the patient and the 3D medical image I1 through the extracted first and second blood vessel patterns; and a display 140 which displays a registration result calculated by the controller 130.

Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the exemplary embodiments relate to a system and method for non-invasive registration between a patient and a patient's three-dimensional (3D) image for registration of a position and a pose between a patient and a patient's 3D medical image, and more particularly to a system and method for non-invasive registration between a patient and a patient's three-dimensional (3D) image, which can align a patient's 3D medical image with a patient by a non-invasive method using a feature point based on a blood vessel pattern, where a patient's blood vessel is extended, without using an artificial fiducial marker.
Description of the Related Art
In general, a minimally invasive surgery is a surgery method that 3˜4 small holes are pierced through a skin and an endoscope and a narrow and long surgical instrument are put into the holes so as to minimize skin incision. Such a minimally invasive surgery has been annually increased due to less pain and short recovery time along with minimal scar left when compared to general surgery.
However, in the minimally invasive surgery, an operating surgeon cannot directly see an affected area and therefore indirectly checks an image gained from the endoscope through a monitor. At this time, it is not easy to observe a targeted affected area because a view direction of the surgeon is different from a direction of the endoscope and the endoscope is short-sighted. Further, it is unintuitive and thus difficult to treat the affected area by controlling a surgical instrument while watching an image from the endoscope.
Meanwhile, a non-invasive surgery is a surgery method that ultrasonic waves, radiation, magnetic field, etc. are used for treatment without skin incision. In this surgery method, an operating surgeon cannot directly see an affected area and also cannot use the image from the endoscope in real time. Therefore, surgery navigation has been required to guide the surgical operation of the operating surgeon during an operation through a three-dimensional (3D) medical image (computer tomography (CT), a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), etc.) of a patient taken for a diagnosis and a surgical plan before the operation.
For the surgery navigation, a patient's 3D medical image has to be first aligned with an intraoperative patient with respect to coordinates. That is, if coordinate transformation between a medical image coordinate system of the 3D medical image and a patient coordinate system (i.e., a coordinate system arbitrarily set up in the real world) is known, it is possible to determine what position of a patient a certain position on the medical image corresponds to. This is called patient-image registration.
As a method generally used for the patient-image registration, there is a method of performing the patient-image registration by taking a medical image in the state that fiducial markers are attached to a patient, and aligning the fiducial markers from previously taken medical image with the fiducial markers that is attached to the patient.
In the case of using the fiducial marker, there are an invasive method of fixing the fiducial markers to a patient's bone, and a non-invasive method of attaching the fiducial marker on a patient's skin. The invasive method burdens a patient due to scar on bone even though registration is relatively precise. On the other hand, the non-invasive method is not applicable to microsurgical operation due to low precision.
Accordingly, a markerless patient-image registration method without using the fiducial markers has recently been researched, in which 3D medical image registration is performed using a patient's two dimensional (2D) sectional image based on ultrasonic waves or X-rays, or using a 3D scan model of a patient's skin surface.
However, the registration between the 2D sectional image and the 3D medical image needs long calculation time and is vulnerable to soft tissue transformation of a human body. Also, the registration between the 3D scan model of a patient's skin surface and a skin surface model extracted from the 3D medical image may have a large error due to change in shape of the skin surface.
Consequently, patient-image registration method which does not use the fiducial markers and is minimally affected by change in a patient's soft tissue and a skin surface are required.

System and method for non-invasive patient-image registration

KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


A thermoplastic elastomer compound includes polyester-type thermoplastic polyurethane and no greater than about 30 weight percent of styrene-isobutylene-styrene block copolymer. The compound has good clarity, as exhibited by a haze of no greater than about 60%, or 50%, or 30%, according to ASTM D 1003. Additionally, the compound has good damping properties, as exhibited by a resilience or vertical rebound of less than about 25% according to ASTM D2632.

Demand exists in a variety of applications for materials that exhibit damping properties. In general, damping is the dissipation of mechanical energy from a system.
Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), which are polymer materials that exhibit elasticity while remaining thermoplastic, can be used for damping applications. Thermoplastic elastomers can include styrenic block copolymers (SBC), thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV), thermoplastic olefins (TPO), copolyesters (COPE), thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU), copolyamides (COPA), and olefinic block copolymer (OBC).
Applications in which damping is important include protective cases and other accessories for personal electronic devices such as smart phones, tablets, and handheld computers.
Protective cases for personal electronic devices also typically require good aesthetics such as "look" and "feel" that are desirable to consumers. For example, some consumers prefer the look of protective cases that are relatively clear in appearance. Further, some consumers prefer the feel of protective cases that are relative soft to the touch.
Thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) are a class of TPEs that can be useful for making protective cases for personal electronic devices. Typically, TPUs can provide good abrasion resistance and good chemical resistance. Also, many available grades of TPUs are transparent. However, as compared to other types of TPEs, TPUs can be relatively harder and can have relatively lower damping properties. Therefore, there is need for improvement of the properties of TPUs when they are used for applications such as protective cases for personal electronic devices.
Styrenic block copolymers (SBC) are another class of TPEs. Certain SBCs can be useful in TPE compounds which exhibit improved damping properties, as described in commonly assigned published applications WO 2016/130639A1; W0 2016/130631A1; WO 2016/130630A1; WO 2016/130627A1; and US 2016/0230000; each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. However, blending certain SBCs with certain TPUs with an aim to improve the damping properties of the TPUs can actually decrease clarity of the TPUs.

Damping thermoplastic elastomer blends exhibiting clarity


Provided is an electroconductive laminate having a substrate and an electroconductive film formed on the substrate, wherein the electroconductive film has a multilayer structure having an oxide layer and a metal layer alternately laminated from the substrate side in a total layer number of (2n+1) (wherein n is an integer of at least 1); the oxide layer predominantly contains zinc oxide and titanium oxide having a refractive index of at least 2.3; the oxide layer has an atomic ratio of titanium to a total amount of titanium and zinc of 15-50 atomic %; and the metal layer predominantly contains silver or a silver alloy. Also provided is a process for producing the electroconductive laminate.

Electroconductive laminates having transparency are used as a transparent electrode of e.g. a liquid crystal display device, a windshield for an automobile, a heat mirror, an electromagnetic wave shielding window glass, etc. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a coated electroconductive laminate comprising a transparent substrate, and a transparent oxide layer comprising zinc oxide and a silver layer alternately laminated on the substrate in a total layer number of (2n+1) (wherein n is an integer of at least 1). Such an electroconductive laminate is described to have sufficient electrical conductivity (electromagnetic wave shielding properties) and visible light transparency. However, if the lamination number n is increased to increase the number of silver layers so as to further improve electrical conductivity (electromagnetic wave shielding properties) of the electroconductive laminate, the visible light transparency tends to decrease.
Further, an electroconductive laminate is used also as an electromagnetic wave shielding film for a plasma display. Since electromagnetic waves are emitted from the front of a PDP, for the purpose of shielding the electromagnetic waves, an electromagnetic wave shielding film comprising a substrate such as a plastic film and an electroconductive film formed on the substrate is disposed on the observer side of a PDP.
For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a protective plate for a plasma display comprising, as an electroconductive film, a laminate having an oxide layer and a metal layer alternately laminated.
An electromagnetic wave shielding film is required to have a high transmittance and a low reflectance over the entire visible light region, i.e. to have a broad transmission/reflection band, and to have high shielding properties in the near infrared region. In order to broaden the transmission/reflection band, the number of lamination of the oxide layer and the metal layer should be increased. However, if the number of lamination is increased, such problems arose such that the internal stress of the electromagnetic wave shielding film increases, whereby the film curls, or the electroconductive film may be broken to increase the resistance. Further, if the number of lamination is increased, the visible light transparency decreases in some cases. Thus, heretofore, the number of lamination of the oxide layer and the metal layer in the electroconductive film has been limited, and an electromagnetic wave shielding film having a broad transmission/reflection band even in a small number of lamination and having excellent electrical conductivity (electromagnetic wave shielding properties) and visible light transparency has not been known.
Patent Document 1: JP-B-8-32436
Patent Document 2: WO98/13850

Electroconductive laminate, and electromagnetic wave shielding film and protective plate for plasma display


The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing an image in conjunction with a protective cover panel for a device, which device includes a component which can benefit from protection by the cover panel. The cover panel is moveable with respect to the component so as to provide an image change in an area positioned adjacent the cover panel when a user of the device moves the cover panel so as to uncover the component.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing an image in conjunction with a protective cover panel for a device, which device includes a component which can benefit from protection by the cover panel The cover panel is moveable with respect to the component so as to provide an image change in an area positioned adjacent the cover panel when a user of the device moves the cover panel so as to uncover the component.


The present invention provides a vehicle seat capable of performing a tilt-down operation in which a seat back is widely tilted forwardly to be folded on a seat cushion while a seat cushion is moved forwardly and a walk-in operation in which the seat back is half tilted forwardly over a desired angle while the seat is slid forwardly via a slide rail. The seat includes a frame member that is capable of longitudinally sliding via the slide rail and that supports the seat back via a reclining device so as to tilt the seat back back and forth, a front link connecting the seat cushion to the frame member so as to allow the seat cushion to move longitudinally, and an interlock mechanism that can be controlled so as to move or to not move the seat cushion forwardly with respect to the frame member when the seat back is tilted forwardly. At the time of the tilt-down operation, the interlock mechanism is controlled so as to move the seat cushion forwardly when the seat back is tilted forwardly. At the time of the walk-in operation, the interlock mechanism is controlled so as to not move the seat cushion forwardly when the seat back is tilted forwardly.

An example of a vehicle seat of this type is known art taught by U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,533. In this art, a front portion of a seat cushion is connected to upper rail members of slide rails via links, and a rear portion of the seat cushion is connected to a seat back. That is, the seat cushion, the upper rail members, the links and the seat back may constitute a four-joints link mechanism. Further, the seat back is supported by a reclining device with respect to rear portions of the upper rail members of the slide rails.
In order to perform a tilt-down operation, the reclining device is unlocked so as to tilt the seat back forwardly. At this time, the four-joints link mechanism is operated, so that the seat cushion can be lowered toward a floor while the seat cushion moves forwardly. The seat back is folded on the seat cushion, so that the seat can be retracted in a folded condition.
In order to perform a walk-in operation, the reclining device is unlocked so as to tilt the seat back to a predetermined forwardly tilted condition. At the same time, slide lock devices of the slide rails are unlocked, so that the seat can be slid forwardly.
In the art taught by U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,533, when the seat back is tilted to the predetermined forwardly tilted condition in order to perform the walk-in operation, the four-joints link mechanism is operated as in the case of the tilt-down operation, so that the seat cushion moves forwardly. Thus, when the seat involved in the walk-in operation is a second row seat, a distance between a seat cushion of the second row seat and a first row seat can be closed up. Therefore, a forwardly sliding amount of the second row seat can be reduced by an amount corresponding to the closed up distance. As a result, ease of getting in and out a third row seat can be reduced.
Thus, there is a need in the art to prevent a forwardly sliding amount of a seat from being reduced when a walk-in operation is performed while a tilt-down operation can be conventionally performed.


A carry and drive device and method for a dental implant or a dental implant component with a driving recess. The device includes a drive end with a configuration substantially matching the drive recess and with an interference surface frictionally engageable with a portion of the driving recess.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of dental implants and components thereof, and more specifically to a combination carry (or delivery) and drive device and method for a dental implant or components thereof. The invention also relates to the combination of a dental implant and a device and method for carrying and driving such implant and a combination of a dental implant abutment screw and a device and method for carrying and driving such screw.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A wide variety of dental implants currently exist in the art. Such dental implants commonly include a body with external threads or other means for mounting and retaining the implant within the patient's mouth. Installation of the implant commonly involves rotation of the implant into a predrilled or tapped site using a drive member such as a ratchet or other rotation means. The implant also includes a drive region which may be located externally or internally at or near the proximal end of the implant. Various structures for both externally and internally driving the implant currently exist. Certain types of dental implants also include abutment screws for connecting an abutment or the like to the implant. Various means also currently exist for accomplishing this installation.
During installation of the implant, it is desirable to deliver the implant to the predrilled or tapped site by transferring or carrying the implant from the sterile package or other environment to such site without breaching the sterile condition of the implant. Similarly, when installing an abutment with an abutment screw, it is desirable to deliver the abutment screw to the installation site without breaching its sterile condition. Although some mechanisms exist which are capable of both carrying the implant (or abutment screw) to the implant (or installation) site as well as driving the implant (or screw), there is a continuing need for an improved implant and/or abutment screw carrier and driver which overcomes limitations of prior art devices.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a carry and drive device and method by which a dental implant and/or for components thereof can be carried or delivered from a sterile environment to an installation site and then rotationally driven with a single device.

Carry and drive device and method for dental implant and/or components thereof


A DC current path for DC power transmission includes a switchable element. An inductance is connected in series to the switchable element. When an interrupt scenario is detected, a resonance circuit is connected in parallel to the series connection of the switchable element and the inductance for charging a capacitance of the resonance circuit. An open state of the switchable element is effected and the resonance circuit is connected in parallel to the switchable element. By means of such arrangement and method, favorable fast interrupt times can be achieved.

High voltage direct current transmission for transmitting energy on a large scale is regaining attention for various reasons. The re-advent of DC grids is strongly linked to a different concept of how to drive the power into the DC grid. Future DC grids may be controlled by a voltage controlled source, also known as voltage source converters (VSC). In such grids, a fault current may rise very fast in case of a short circuit and as a result may burden system reliability.
In the event of a short circuit in a known AC grid, an interrupt concept may benefit from the alternating properties of the AC current in the grid. When opening an associated circuit breaker in the AC current path, an electric arc may electrically connect such circuit breaker electrodes and may continue to allow an electric arc current to cross the circuit breaker. However, due to the nature of the AC driving source such ongoing electric arc current in the AC current path may oscillate, too, and inherently may show zero current crossings. A zero crossing in current is desired for extinguishing the electric arc and for stopping the current flow across the circuit breaker completely.
In DC grids, however, no such zero current crossing occurs as a by-product of the driving source, but a current zero in the DC current path is desired to be generated by other means when or after the circuit breaker is effected to its open state. In one approach, a current zero is caused by injecting an oscillating counter-current into the DC current path. Such oscillating counter-current may counteract the electric arc current and may finally cause at least a temporary current zero to appear in the DC current path which in turn may be used for extinguishing the electric arc at the circuit breaker and make the current flow in the DC current path stop. A means for evoking an oscillating counter-current is a resonance circuit arranged in parallel to the circuit breaker, in which the circuit breaker is more generally denoted as a switchable element or switching element below. However, in the event of connecting the resonance circuit in parallel to the switching element, a certain rise time needs to lapse before the oscillating counter-current reaches a magnitude sufficient to counterbalance the electric arc current across the switching element. Such rise time may depend on the voltage drop across the electric arc and on the capacitance present in the resonance circuit. While a high capacitance value is preferred in view of short oscillation rise times, associated capacitors are cost intensive.
In WO 2009/149749 A1, a device for breaking DC currents exceeding 2500 A is disclosed. This device includes a resonance circuit connected in parallel with an interrupter. A surge arrester is connected in parallel with the resonance circuit. The resonance circuit has a series connection of a capacitor and an inductance. The relationship of the capacitance in μF to the inductance in μH of the resonance circuit is >=1.

Circuit and method for interrupting a current flow in a DC current path


According to a calculation 13 of a peak operating rate of an air conditioner 19 based on an actual quantity of electric power used, a calculation 14 of an hourly average operating rate according to the peak operating rate in consideration of an outside air temperature, a calculation 15 of an hourly average surplus rate according to (1−average operating rate), and a calculation 16 of a control rate having the upper limit of the average surplus rate as a predetermined value, energy-saving control 17 of the air conditioner 19 is performed by a quantity of the control rate. Thereby, providing an air-conditioning control system 100 for achieving appropriate energy saving with simplified calculations.

The inventor has proposed an energy management system in which it is judged that a current specific enthalpy value (air total heat) calculated from an outside air temperature and an outside air humidity corresponds to a specific enthalpy value denoted by yearly weather transition data in what month, to determine an optimum control pattern, thereby controlling an air conditioner (for example, refer to the Paragraph 0036 in Patent Literature 1).

Air-conditioning control system and program


A transformable catheter includes a sheath having a length which is a substantial fraction of the entire length of the transformable catheter and a bore therethrough. A preformed inner catheter having a complex curve formed into the distal end thereof is disposed in the sheath bore. By axially moving the inner catheter with respect to the sheath, various tip shapes may be achieved. At least one wire runs from the proximal end of the sheath to the vicinity of the distal end of the sheath to selectively deflect the distal tip of the sheath as desired by the user to assist in reformation and transformation of the tip of the catheter. By suitable manipulation of the wire and of the inner catheter with respect to the sheath, the shape of the exposed portion of the distal end of the inner catheter may be transformed to any of a variety of shapes.

This invention relates generally to medical devices, and more particularly to a catheter which can be formed, inside the human body, into a vast number of different shapes.
Selective catheterization of cerebral and visceral branch arteries is often difficult and at times impossible in some patients--particularly older patients with very tortuous and ectatic vasculature. Successful catheterization sometimes requires multiple catheter exchanges for various shaped catheters. It is not uncommon to easily catheterize three of four vessels for a four vessel head study, only to find that the fourth vessel (generally the left or right carotid) requires an entirely different catheter shape and tip orientation. It would be desirable if one could easily and simply reshape the catheter and reorient the tip to direct it into the vessel orifice, instead of depending on several complex catheters that require reformation, fancy torque and advancing maneuvers, body english and, above all, luck.
Tip reorientation, the goal of most prior devices which have addressed the problem, is only half of what is needed to make a truly workable universal catheter. Numerous catheter curve configurations have been conceived not only to reorient the tip properly for selection of branch vessels, but also to provide anchorage of the catheter against the aortic wall. A wide looped long tipped sidewinder III configuration with an exaggerated retrocurve is one such example of a highly specialized complex catheter.
This anchorage or wedge effect against the aortic wall lessens the recoil caused by the "jet effect" during high pressure contrast injection which might otherwise cause the catheter to flip out of the selected branch vessel (particularly in short branch vessels or at levels of a dilated aorta).
These complex configurations, therefore, evolved not only to orient the tip properly, but also to wedge the catheter securely in the branch vessel. Other devices which simply modify the distal catheter curve may aid in tip orientation for vessel selection, but fail to provide the anchorage which is necessary to prevent catheter dislodgement.
In addition, prior designs could be improved in that the radii which the prior devices are able to make (to enter a vessel at a sharp angle, for example) have heretofore been severely limited.
In addition, the size of prior designs has made them less desirable for many applications.