The invention provides a three-dimensional, digitized motion template, a motion training device, a network of devices, and a method for enabling a student to interactively emulate in real time the three-dimensional, actual moving image of an instructor performing a selected motion. The device includes a video camera configured to transmit a real time background having a live, moving image of the student dynamically performing the selected motion. A monitor is configured for viewing by the student while performing the selected motion. A motion template has a stored sequence of moving images of an instructor dynamically performing the selected motion. The device also includes a method for superimposing the motion template onto the real time background and simultaneously displaying on the monitor the resulting combination of the motion template and the real time background scene. The device can further be one or many devices connected in a network sharing access to a database containing a library of motion templates of different instructors who are top performers in their field.

Motion training is taught daily to millions of people. The methods most often employed rely on an instructor verbally directing a student to recognize the desired positions and sequencing of the motion strictly by feel and through the comments of the instructor. For the average person, this process can be difficult and is often unrewarding.
In order to improve performance, athletes in sports and participants in recreational activities often concentrate on improving their skills through repetitive practice. A number of devices for the repetitive practice of an athletic movement or action have been developed. Examples of these devices include batting practice machines for baseball, ball serving machines for tennis, and ball return putting targets and swing trainers for golf. These are just a few examples of the literally hundreds of practice devices which have been developed to improve a participant's skills.
A number of these practice devices use a visual system that provides overlays by superimposing two recorded video representations of the same activity. Such systems are shown, for example, in Michaels et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,344, Haas et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,566, McCullough et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,408,750, and Seidel et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,500.
These references make use of a directly recorded image of an instructor, such as on video tape, taken while the instructor is performing a particular motion technique. The student is provided with a means of overlaying an image of his own recorded technique against that of the instructor in order to determine what deviations exist. These systems, however, are not interactive and do not provide instantaneous feedback. Only after the student has completed practicing the technique is a comparison made to the instructor's video form.
These systems are also difficult to use and to calibrate. Because of the different sizes and positions of the images, it is hard to exactly overlay the two images. Further, the two images are time based. That is, because they are dynamic representations of the sports activity, in order to be useful to the student the movements must take place at the same relative time. Synchronizing the recorded images of the instructor and student to start and proceed through the motion at the same pace requires expensive editing which alters the natural pace of either the instructor's or student's motion, decreasing its teaching value.
Another type of system is shown in Mann, U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,748 which generates an image model representing the cumulative technique of several golf instructors. The image is scaled, by the computer, to the size of the student's image and is available in ten key positions at intervals through the golf swing. The computer brings up a static display for the student to reach and be placed in a stationary position to demonstrate the feel of the position. The composite image eliminates the poor movement patterns that elite performers display and does not demonstrate the tempo and rhythm of their motion. The Mann disclosure also uses a live teacher's assistance in digitizing the student's image and emphasizes the verbal directives of a teacher to the student.
Still another system shown in O'Leary et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,967 uses a video overlay generator to produce a static image representing the dynamic technique of a master and overlays the live image of the student for a simultaneous display on a visual monitor. The system is specifically designed not to force the student to keep pace with a moving image of the master. Precision of position, and not pace, is the focus of this method. Only the positions of the body's extremities can be examined and emulated with this method. The O'Leary disclosure ignores centers of body movement such as the large muscle groups in the legs and torso.
Another problem with the prior art methods of teaching sport skills is that there is no standardization in the technique which is taught or of methodology used to teach the technique. Several of these prior art methods use an artificially-created, "composite" or "average" training motion to provide standardization. However, this ideal motion simply embodies one person's subjective interpretation of what motion is ideal. Furthermore, every top performer has a technique which he or she uses personally to achieve their level of proficiency in the sport and is adapted to his or her specific gender, size, and weight. Adjusting one ideal motion to students of varying size and weight for the sake of standardization only further distorts the artificial ideal motion from the real motion of a top performer.
Thus, a need exists for a simple, inexpensive and easy-to-use motion training system which allows the student, with or without an instructor, to practice a selected motion by comparing him or herself in real time against a moving top performer of the motion having the same gender and approximately the same age and body type as the student. Preferably, the student would observe the top performer at the pace that the motion is normally performed. A customized presentation of referential graphics would guide the student through the correct positions of the activity which are in many cases never achieved after years of traditional instruction.

Interactive motion training device and method


The ancillary heat pump apparatus of the present invention for producing domestic hot water generally includes a domestic hot water heat pump having refrigerant and water circuits which are operatively disposed at the proximal ends thereof into close array at the heat exchanger of the domestic hot water heat pump. The refrigerant circuit of the domestic hot water heat pump hereof has a heat exchanger coil disposed at the distal end thereof, and the water circuit is connected at the distal end thereof to a hot water heater. In the apparatus of the present invention, the distal refrigerant circuit heat exchanger coil is disposed into operative heat exchanging position, directly or indirectly, with a return fluid stream of a heat source. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the heat source may be selected from the group consisting of (a) a space conditioning air stream heat pump, (b) a heating and air conditioning system, and (c) a hydronic distribution HVAC system. Other forms of a heat source may likewise be utilized.

The present invention relates in general to new, improved and more efficient apparatus for producing domestic hot water (hereinafter sometimes "DHW"), and more particularly to an ancillary heat pump (hereinafter sometimes "AHP") system for such purpose.
Experts within the electric utility industry have determined that the 1990 Federal Clean Air Act and other regulatory action may necessitate replacement of resistance electric heat water heating technology, due to the primary energy intensiveness of the operation of such technology. Some public utility commissions have mandated that the electric utilities replace those residential electric hot water heaters utilizing fossil fuel-fired heaters. Thus, the potential loss of the controllable load of over 20,000,000 residential electric hot water heaters has been of major concern for the utilities. In addition, these energy-related factors have presented utility companies with major marketing problems in regard to new residential construction.
The above problems which are principally related to large levels of primary energy consumption have engendered the search for more energy efficient means of producing domestic hot water. Presently available systems for producing domestic hot water, include, inter alia, integrated and combined space conditioning and water heating heat pump apparatus, self-contained heat pump water heaters, desuperheaters and full condensers (some of which are provided as add-ons to condensing units), heat pipe dehumidification apparatus, and similarly related apparatus.
However, each of these presently available prior art methodologies has associated therewith one or more serious application and/or cost effectiveness problems. Some of the problems associated with the prior art are:
1. the necessity for protecting potable water lines from freezing with an add-on reclaim heat exchanger mounted within an outdoor (condensing) unit; PA0 2. the major additional cost of providing a module with the compressor located indoors; PA0 3. field modification of the refrigerant piping system; and PA0 4. installation cost and application problems associated with dedicated heat pump hot water heaters.
In view of the above difficulties, defects and deficiencies with prior art domestic hot water production systems, it is a material object of the present invention to reduce significantly each of the above and other problems associated therewith.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an ancillary heat pump system for production of domestic hot water wherein a preferably small and self-contained heat pump having a co-axial heat exchanger and compressor is disposed, in one preferred embodiment, with a heat exchanger coil thereof directly in the return air stream of a heat pump or of a heating and air conditioning system.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide means for injecting the associated cooling effect hereof directly into an accompanying heating and air conditioning system, rather than merely "dumping" such associated cooling effect into the space around the heater tank.
It is also a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus wherein there is no necessity to pipe potable water into an outdoor environment, or, as an alternative, to repipe extensively the refrigeration circuit of the condensing unit to an indoor heat exchanger location, but rather to keep the HVAC and hot water system refrigeration circuits totally isolated, so that there is no risk of water contaminating the HVAC refrigeration system in the event of a heat exchanger failure.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide hot water efficiently during the heating season regardless of the type of space heating fuel being used.
These and other objects of the ancillary heat pump apparatus for providing domestic hot water of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following summary of the invention, brief description of the drawing, detailed description of preferred embodiments, appended claims and accompanying drawing.

Ancillary heat pump apparatus for producing domestic hot water


Erosion resistant coating processes and material improvements for line-of-sight applications. The erosion resistant coating composition includes nanostructured grains of tungsten carbide (WC) and/or submicron sized grains of WC embedded into a cobalt chromium (CoCr) binder matrix. A high velocity air fuel thermal spray process (HVAF) is used to create thick coatings in excess of about 500 microns with high percentages of primary carbide for longer life better erosion resistant coatings. These materials and processes are especially suited for hydroelectric turbine components.

The present disclosure generally relates to coating methods and compositions for turbine components. These coatings and processes are especially suitable for hydroelectric turbine components, which exhibit improved silt erosion resistance from the coating.
Components are used in a wide variety of industrial applications under a diverse set of operating conditions. In many cases, the components are provided with coatings that impart various characteristics, such as corrosion resistance, heat resistance, oxidation resistance, wear resistance, erosion resistance, and the like.
Erosion-resistant coatings are frequently used on hydroelectric turbine components, and in particular, the runner and the guide vanes, for Francis-type turbines, and the runners, needles, and seats for Pelton-type turbines, as well as various other components that are prone to silt erosion. Erosion of these components generally occurs by impingement of silt (sand in the water) and particles contained therein (e.g., SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MgO, CaO, clays, volcanic ash, and the like) that are carried by moving bodies of water. Existing base materials for hydroelectric turbine components such as martensitic stainless steels do not have adequate erosion resistance under these conditions. For example, hydroelectric turbine components when exposed to silt in the rivers that exceed 1 kg of silt per cubic meter of water have been found to undergo significant erosion. This problem can be particularly severe in Asia and South America where the silt content during the rainy season can exceed 50 kg of silt per cubic meter of water. The severe erosion that results damages the turbine components causing frequent maintenance related shutdowns, loss of operating efficiencies, and the need to replace various components on a regular basis.
In order to avoid erosion problems, some power stations are configured to shut down when the silt content reaches a predetermined level to prevent further erosion. Oftentimes, the predetermined level of silt is set at 5 kg of silt per cubic meter of water. In addition to shutting down the power stations, various anti-erosion coatings have been developed to mitigate erosion. Such coatings include ceramic coatings of alumina, titania, chromia, and the like; alloys of refractory metals, e.g., WC—CoCr coatings; WC—Co, WC—CoCr+NiCrBSi coatings; carbides; nitrides; borides; or elastomeric coatings. However, current compositions of the above noted materials and processes used to apply them generally yield coatings that are not totally effective during prolonged exposure to silt.
Current erosion resistant coatings are usually applied by thermal spray techniques, such as air plasma spray (APS) and high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF). One limitation to current thermal spray processes is the limited coating thicknesses available due to high residual stress that results as thickness is increased by these methods. As a result, the final coating is relatively thin and fails to provide prolonged protection of the turbine component. Other limitations of these thermal spray processes are the oxidation and decomposition of the powder feed or wire feed stock during the coating process that form the anti-erosion coating, which can affect the overall quality of the finished coating. For example, present thermal spray processes such as plasma spray, wire spray, and HVOF are currently used for coating turbine components. These thermal spray processes generally leave the resulting coating with relatively high porosity, high oxide levels, and/or tends to decarborize primary carbides, if present in the coating. All of these factors have significant deleterious effects at reducing erosion resistance of the coatings.
Of all the different prior art deposition processes, HVOF yields the most dense erosion resistant coatings and as such, is generally preferred for forming erosion resistant coatings. However, even HVOF yields coatings with high residual stress, which limits the coating thickness to about 500 microns (0.020 inches) in thickness. Also, because of the gas constituents used in the HVOF process and resulting particle temperature and velocity, the so-formed coatings generally contain high degrees of decarburization, which significantly reduces the coating erosion resistance.
Preparation of erosion resistant coatings must also account for fatigue effects that can occur in the coating. The fatigue effects of a coating have often been related to the strain-to-fracture (STF) of the coating, i.e., the extent to which a coating can be stretched without cracking. STF has, in part, been related to the residual stress in a coating. Residual tensile stresses reduce the added external tensile stress that must be imposed on the coating to crack it, while residual compressive stresses increase the added tensile stress that must be imposed on the coating to crack it. Typically, the higher the STF of the coating, the less of a negative effect the coating will have on the fatigue characteristics of the substrate. This is true because a crack in a well-bonded coating may propagate into the substrate, initiating a fatigue-related crack and ultimately cause a fatigue failure. Unfortunately, most thermal spray coatings have very limited STF, even if the coatings are made from pure metals, which would normally be expected to be very ductile and subject to plastic deformation rather than prone to cracking. Moreover, it is noted that thermal spray coatings produced with low or moderate particle velocities during deposition typically have a residual tensile stress that can lead to cracking or spalling of the coating if the thickness becomes excessive. Residual tensile stresses also usually lead to a reduction in the fatigue properties of the coated component by reducing the STF of the coating. Some coatings made with high particle velocities can have moderate to highly compressive residual stresses. This is especially true of tungsten carbide based coatings. Although high compressive stresses can beneficially affect the fatigue characteristics of the coated component, high compressive stresses can, however, lead to chipping of the coating when trying to coat sharp edges or similar geometric shapes.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for improved coating methods and coating compositions that provide effective protection against erosion resistance, such as is required for hydroelectric turbine components. Improved coating methods and/or coating compositions on regions of hydroelectric turbine components desirably need coatings with a combination of high erosion resistance, low residual stresses, and higher thickness to provide a coating with long life and high erosion resistance in high silt concentration operating conditions.

Erosion resistant coatings and methods thereof


Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods of growing organometallic halide structures such as single crystal organometallic halide perovskites, methods of use, devices incorporating organometallic halide structures, and the like.

This considerable interest in perovskites is due to their properties. Some have been shown to possess long carrier diffusion lengths and a remarkably low trap-state densities, which may make these materials highly desirable for various applications. However, the reported solution crystallization processes for perovskite single crystals suffer from very slow growth rates and no shape control over the resultant crystals.

Methods of preparation of organometallic halide structures

KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


In a gas turbine control apparatus, a frequency analyzing section frequency-analyzes at least one of pressure oscillation in combustors of a gas turbine and acceleration oscillation of each of the combustors and outputs a first frequency analysis result as the result of frequency analysis for a plurality of predetermined frequency bands. A control unit controls at least one of a first fuel flow rate of fuel and a first air flow rate of air based on the first frequency analysis result for the plurality of frequency bands. The fuel and the air are supplied to the gas turbine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling a gas turbine and a system with such an apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a control apparatus for controlling combustion oscillations and a system with such a control apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
For a conventional gas turbine, flow rates of air and fuel respectively fed to a combustor are determined in advance based on the output power of an electric power generator, and temperature and humidity of ambient air, and the conventional gas turbine is operated by using the determined flow rates. However, there is a possibility that actual flow rates are different from those at the design of the gas turbine or those on test running, because of degradation of a compressor and clogging of a filter. At that time, the combustion stability can be reduced and combustion oscillations will be caused. The combustion oscillations seriously obstruct the operation of gas turbine. Therefore, it is strongly requested to minimize or eliminate the combustion oscillations from the viewpoint of the protection of plant facilities and the operation rate of the facilities. For this purpose, a control system of the gas turbine is adjusted by a skilled engineer several times a year in order to prevent the combustion oscillations and confirm and maintain the combustion stability. However, these works by turn raise the maintenance cost and reduce the operation rate of the gas turbine.
In conjunction with the above description, Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei 9-269107) discloses an apparatus and method for suppressing combustion oscillations of a combustor. In this reference, the combustion oscillation suppressing apparatus is comprised of a combustion oscillation suppressing section. The combustion oscillation suppressing section has a frequency analyzer, a central processing unit, a power amplifier and a controller section. The frequency analyzer frequency-analyzes fluctuations of combustion gas pressure detected by a pressure sensor in the combustor, and the central processing unit achieves the oscillation stability of the combustor based on a frequency band of the pressure fluctuations detected by the frequency analyzer. The power amplifier amplifies an output signal of the central processing unit and the controller section controls a combustion valve by applying the amplified output signal as a valve switch signal. In the suppressing method pays attention to low frequency combustion oscillations. The frequency of combustion oscillations is predicted based on fuel to air ratio when the combustion oscillation has occurred. When a low frequency combustion oscillation has occurred, the fuel to air ratio is varied to suppress the occurrence of low frequency combustion oscillations. Because low frequency combustion oscillations can adversely affect the facility, the facility is protected against damages by suppressing low frequency combustion oscillations.

Gas turbine control apparatus and gas turbine system using the same


The present invention relates to a composition containing a hydrogenated nitrile-butadiene rubber (HNBR), a peroxide crosslinking system and a resorcinol-formaldehyde resin, to a process for the preparation of the composition, to the use of the composition as an adhesion promoter, and also to a multilayer product containing the composition according to the present invention.

There is a great need for compositions which can be used as adhesive bases for untreated fabrics and reinforcing materials. Untreated fabrics and reinforcing materials are understood in this context as being fabrics and reinforcing materials that have not undergone special surface treatment for adhesion purposes, e.g. by means of coating processes from solution (impregnation processes) or using latex dips. The bond between the surface of the carrier material and the rubber must be sufficiently strong that it does not constitute the weak point in the composite system.
The direct reaction of the rubber with unpretreated carrier material and subsequent peroxide crosslinking is not known in the prior art. Analogous direct adhesion processes are only systems vulcanizable with sulfur, such as polychloroprene and nitrile rubber, described in Handbuch für die Gummiindustrie, 2nd Edition, 1991, p. 500, published by Bayer AG. The use of this process in peroxide vulcanized systems based on HNBR is not disclosed in the prior art.
In order to ensure good bonding of the actual rubber that is to be peroxide crosslinked to the carrier material, the latter must be pretreated. For the pretreatment, the carrier materials are treated, for example, with a latex or a solution, for the application of a so-called finishing layer. Such finishing layers contain several chemically different constituents. These generally consist of a rubber selected from the group consisting of polychloroprene, polyvinylpyridine, polybutadiene or polybutadiene copolymers, the copolymers being selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile, styrene, or mixtures of those polymers. Furthermore, it is often appropriate to mix with the latex additional resins, such as resorcinol resins with hardeners such as formaldehyde (or formaldehyde donors) and optionally silane compounds. Such latices are referred to as RFL latex (resorcinol-formaldehyde latex).
The carrier material is immersed in the latex, dried and reacted fully, and then the actual rubber is vulcanized onto the carrier material so pretreated. Vulcanization can be carried out both with sulfur or sulfur systems and peroxide.
The fabrics impregnated with conventional latices based on polybutadiene or polybutadiene copolymers, polychloroprene or polyvinylpyridine exhibit distinct weaknesses, particularly after ageing, when peroxide crosslinked rubbers are used, which are employed in the next step of manufacture.
In order to improve the ageing properties, EP-B1 0 252 264 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,781 therefore disclose the use of latices based on partially hydrogenated HNBR and/or in combination with conventional latices with RFL systems.
For the production of the carrier materials so obtained and activated for adhesion to peroxide vulcanizable rubber mixtures, several successive dip cycles or immersion cycles are often necessary.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a composition which enables a HNBR rubber to be vulcanized directly onto the carrier material in question without having to pretreat the reinforcing material.


This invention relates to a method for regulating the biodegradability of composite biomaterials comprising calcium salt (particularly hydroxyapatite) and collagen, improved composite biomaterials obtained via such method, and a method for increasing bone mass with the use of such composite biomaterials.

In the field of orthopedics, bone defects used to be often reconstructed by transplanting a patient's own tissues in the past. Use of a patient's own tissues, however, imposes a heavy burden on a patient, and supply source are limited. Accordingly, it is necessary to reconstruct bone defects with artificial implants. Such artificial implants are required to have bioadaptability and bone conductivity in addition to mechanical properties similar to those of natural bones. That is, artificial implants need to be gradually absorbed after implantation in the body, involved into the bone regeneration cycle, and then substituted for the bones of the patient.
Bones of vertebrates are originally composed of an inorganic substance (hydroxyapatite (HAp)) and an organic substance (mainly collagen). They form a specific nanocomposite structure in natural bones characterized in that the c-axis of HAp is oriented along collagen fibers (self-organization), and this structure imparts bone-specific mechanical properties. Specifically, a simple combination of HAp and collagen cannot provide structures or properties similar to those of natural bones.
A variety of studies have been conducted in order to develop composite biomaterials that are more similar to natural bones with the use of HAp and collagen. For example, Mehlisch et al. synthesized a mixture of HAp particles with collagen (Mehlisch, A. S. et al., Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 70 (6), 1990, pp. 685–692), and Miyamoto et al. prepared collagen that had been reinforced with a HAp cement and evaluated its bioaffinity (Y. Miyamoto et al., Biomaterials, 19, 1998, pp. 707–715). Also, TenHuisen et al. employed calcium hydrogen phosphate as a precursor of HAp to allow a HAp crystal to grow on a collagen (Col) fiber to produce an HAp/Col nanocomposite (K. S. TenHuisen et al., J. Biomed Mater Res, 29 (7), 1995, pp. 803–810). None of these techniques, however, were able to reproduce nanocomposite structures similar to those of natural bones.
The present inventors had successfully synthesized an HAp/Col composite having a nanocomposite structure similar to that of natural bones under biomimetic conditions (which is similar to the in vivo environment where osteogenesis takes place) with the utilization of HAp and Col self-organization (e.g., JP Patent Publication (Kokai) Nos. 7-101708 A (1995), 11-199209 A (1999), and 2000-5298 A). This composite was found to have excellent bioaffinity, to be absorbed by osteoclasts, and to accelerate osteogenesis. This composite was, however, disadvantageously absorbed and degraded immediately after implantation and thus was less useful for artificial bone materials and the like.
Osteoporosis refers to a clinical condition resulting from bone loss caused by an amount of bone absorption exceeding the amount of bone formation during the process of bone remodeling in which old bones are replaced with new bones. In the past, a major treatment for osteoporosis used to be the use of medicines for internal application. This was aimed at inhibiting bone absorption and accelerating bone formation. At present, the most common treatment is the combined use of a hormone preparation (estrogen), a calcium preparation, vitamin D, a derivative thereof, or the like to improve the systemic bone metabolism with. In this treatment, however, the dose of an agent is limited in view of side effects. Accordingly, significant effects cannot be attained within a short period of time. Such agent has the effect of preventing the bone trabeculae that have been thinned due to osteoporosis from being further absorbed, and also has the effect of thickening the thinned bone trabeculae to some extent. However, it cannot newly form bone where bone trabeculae have been absorbed and lost.
Bone morphogenic proteins (BMP), which are currently in the experimental phase, are said to be capable of actively forming bone. They, however, have problems in that they are expensive, continuous effects cannot be attained therefrom due to the absence of an ideal carrier, and frequent administration thereof is necessary.
A treatment for osteoporosis in which materials for topical application, such as biological implants, are used has not substantially been carried out in the past. In fact, many of the existing bone filler materials are non-absorbable by the body, and thus effective bone formation cannot be expected. For example, a commercially available bone filler material, i.e., a sintered apatite, does not have bioabsorbability. If the granules thereof are used to fill in defective bones, therefore, they are considered to permanently remain in the body without being replaced by bone.
If a material for biological implantation having an excellent effect of bone mass increase were to be developed, such material would be very useful as a material for topically increasing bone mass at a desired site, such as a femur at risk of fracture of an osteoporosis patient who cannot be systemically treated with the use of an existing agent.

Regulation of biodegradability of composite biomaterials

National Institute for Materials Science


The present invention provides a vehicle seat which includes a seat back including a seat back body and an upholstery that covers front, back, and upper surfaces and both side surfaces of the seat back body. In the vehicle seat, the seat back body includes a frame having a frame shape and serving as a framework, a front-side cover portion placed so as to cover a front side of an inner space of the frame and supporting a back of a seated occupant, and a back-side cover portion placed so as to cover a rear side of the inner space. The front-side cover portion and the back-side cover portion are covered by the upholstery. The back-side cover portion includes a flexible back-side sheet body stretched across the frame.

Conventionally, seats for, e.g., cars have a synthetic resin board member placed on the back side of a seat back so as to form the back surface of the seat back (see, e.g., Patent Literature 1). When a backseat occupant or passenger presses the seat back of a seat in front of him/her, this board member serves not to allow the influence of such pressing to be transmitted to the back of a passenger or occupant seated on this seat.


A piston for a high performance engine has a crown and a skirt integrally formed with the crown. A step is defined about the crown and an annular channel is machined in the step. A ring belt facially encircling the crown sealingly covers the annular channel so as to form an enclosed passageway where the coolant circulates. The piston has passages by which coolant under pressure is sent to the crown. The crown has a coolant entry duct communicating the passages to the annular channel and has a coolant exit duct communicating the annular channel with a cavity in the skirt.

High output reciprocating engines tend to have limitations caused by extremely high temperature. Consequently, resistance to thermal stress is a key parameter in piston design. Such loading causes excessive piston expansion, distortion, loss of strength, thermal fatigue, cracking and piston seizures. The high temperatures also cause oil decomposition and formation of varnish and coke, so that piston rings stick in their grooves and fail to seal properly against cylinder walls.
Various known designs are used to counter the effects of extremely high engine temperature. Some engines have arrangements to spray lubricating oil on the underside of the piston crowns to cool the pistons. In other engines, especially diesels requiring thicker pistons, oil passages are cored into the crowns. Such passages are quite effective because cooling oil circulates near the piston rings, where the need for heat reduction is greatest. Unfortunately, incorporating these passages into the crowns involves exotic foundry techniques and the manufacturing costs are high. Some pistons have their crowns separate from their skirts to facilitate formation of oil cooling passages. In fact, various two-piece piston designs are the norm for large pistons even though such designs carry penalties in terms of cost, weight and structural strength. Of course, weight and structural strength are especially critical in high performance engines.
FIG. 1 shows a typical prior art piston 10, inside of which is a wrist pin 12 defining a longitudinal chamber 14. Engine oil enters chamber 14 from a connecting rod (not shown) which has a bore through which the oil flows. Oil exits from chamber 14 through the wrist pin's passage 16 and enters passage 18 of the piston. From passage 18, oil goes to annular cavity 20 and through duct 22 into a central cavity 24. The oil accepts heat from the crown areas of piston 10 adjacent cavities 20 and 24. Oil drains from cavity 24 through egress 26. Also, since cavity 20 communicates to cavity 24, oil from cavity 20 ultimately drains through egress 26.
FIG. 2 shows another typical prior art piston 28 having a wrist pin 30 defining chamber 32. Oil exits chamber 32 through wrist pin passage 34, passes through piston passage 36 and then enters annular cavity 38. The oil accepts heat from the piston's crown 42 where annular cavity 38 is, and piston ring 40 is also cooled. Oil drains from cavity 38 through egresses 44, which open at locations of internal piston surface 46 not covered by journal boss 48.


A direct acting hydraulic voting trip block defines three separate paths between an inlet and an outlet port. Each path is intersected by a valve cylinder. Valve pistons in each valve cylinder are configured, in the activated position, to block two of thee different paths. As long as at least two of the pistons are in the activated position, communication between the inlet and outlet ports is prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a direct action hydraulic trip block for steam turbines and other applications.
2. Description of Related Art
Apparatus for monitoring conditions and driving quick-closing valves by dumping control fluid wherein a majority determining switching logic is implemented are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,587 entitled "Facility for the Monitoring of Physical Quantities on Systems."


The invention proposes a deactivating element (1) for a valve train of an internal combustion engine. The deactivating element (1) comprises a housing (2) and an inner element (4) that is axially displaceable in the bore (3) of the housing (2). According to the invention, the pistons (7) arranged in the inner element (4) for coupling into an annular groove (12) in the housing (2) possess two flattened regions (10, 15) arranged diametrically opposite each other in axial direction of the deactivating element (1). The height of the annular groove (12) is reduced by a measure of a height of the second, additional flattened region (15). Due to the reduction of height of the annular groove (12), its volume is also reduced. This results in advantages activation and deactivation times.

A deactivating element of a generic type disclosed in DE 102 04 672 A1 is configured as a roller tappet. Coupling is achieved in this roller tappet by two pistons situated diametrically opposite each other in the inner element of the roller tappet. Each of these pistons comprises a flattened portion starting from its radially outer front end and extending on an underside of the piston. In the coupled state, these flattened portions cooperate with a counter annular surface of an annular groove provided in a bore of the housing of this prior art deactivating element.
As discussed in sufficient detail in said prior art document, two locking rings are provided for adjusting the coupling lash (besides this, a similar lash adjustment, but only with one ring, is disclosed in DE 101 46 131 A1). A constant-thickness lower locking ring and a variable-thickness upper locking ring are kept ready. The aforesaid annular groove must have a minimum height corresponding to a height of the piston in the coupled region (flattened portion), plus a coupling lash of, for example, 0.1 mm, plus the thickness of the thickest upper locking ring that may have to be mated thereto.
An annular space situated in front of the piston and defined by the annular groove serves as a pressure chamber for the hydraulic medium. Particularly in the case of deactivating elements with a very short overall length, a leak gap situated between the inner element and the housing and communicating with the aforesaid pressure chamber has only an inadequate height, so that excessive losses of hydraulic medium through this gap must be taken into account. Besides this, due to the relatively high annular space, an unnecessarily large quantity of hydraulic medium has to be accumulated for displacing the pistons. This has an unfavorable effect on the speed of activation and deactivation.

Deactivating element for a valve train of an internal combustion engine


The different advantageous embodiments provide an apparatus for generating an image on-demand comprising a number of sensors, a storage device, and an image formation process. The number of sensors is configured to generate data. The storage device is configured to store the data generated by the number of sensors. The image formation process is configured to receive a number of requests for a number of image regions and generate a number of image tiles using the data at a requested set of parameters.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to data processing systems and more particularly to a system for image production. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system for on-demand image tile production.
2. Background
Many types of sensors may be used to collect data, which is in turn used to generate images. One type of sensor may be a synthetic-aperture radar (SAR), a type of radar that produces high-resolution imagery by collecting radio frequency energy from a radar system while the platform moves over some distance. Synthetic-aperture radar may use an antenna mounted on a moving platform, such as an aircraft or spacecraft, to illuminate a target area. Numerous echo waveforms received at the different antenna positions are post-processed to resolve the target. SAR data can be visualized by generating image products using a number of different processing techniques. These processing techniques may vary parameters used in the image formation process, such as display mappings and sidelobe control. These techniques may also incorporate phase information to indicate things such as moving targets, or to increase the resolution through super-resolution techniques. SAR data from multiple passes can be combined together through techniques including interferometry to visualize terrain elevation, temporal changes, or track geophysical phenomena.
Image formation is often supported by large datasets used to generate large digital images, whose dimensions may be many thousands of pixels on a side. Analysts may wish to change processing parameters or generate a different image product based on what is observed in the images. To accomplish these changes, the entire dataset is transferred to the analyst, resulting in large data transfers that consume time and bandwidth, requiring the analyst to have sufficient processing power available on a local workstation. Alternatively, the analyst may make re-processing requests back to a server responsible for generating the images, which are time-consuming as well due to the large volumes of data and computational complexity of the algorithms. The entire image is reprocessed for every new product or change in processing parameters.
The analyst may only need to view a small portion or region of the reprocessed image. To limit the amount of data transferred over the network, the image may be logically segmented into discrete rectangular sub regions, referred to as tiles. When an analyst wishes to view a region of an image, only the tiles necessary to cover the desired region need to be transferred. Existing techniques require that the entire image be reprocessed and segmented prior to transferring the needed tiles.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a method and apparatus that takes into account one or more of the issues discussed above, as well as possibly other issues.


An apparatus for securing one log to another during a log machining process. The apparatus has a main body which is shaped in the form of an essentially flat disk. Each side of the disk has at least two protrusions or prongs which are oriented perpendicular to the disk and terminate in a tapered end allowing the protrusion to be driven into a log. The protrusions taper down to a base which is attached to the main body. The main body and protrusions are sized and configured to provide a striking surface between the protrusions to allow a blunt instrument such as a small sledge hammer to be applied to the device to drive it into a log. The device may be further provided with a raised surface portion in the striking surface area, and preferably between the protrusions, to provide a standoff distance between the log and the main body such that the apparatus may be pried loose from the log.

In the manufacturing of log homes and other structures manufactured out of logs, the raw timber must be machined to make a log of essentially consistent diameter over the length of the log. Such is accomplished by passing the log through a log lathe. Log lathes typically comprise a ring-shaped drum having a series of knives disposed around the inner portion of the ring. The drum is rotated relative to a stationary log and the log is pushed in a forward direction through the rotating ring. As the log passes through the ring, the blades that are secured to the ring engage the log and remove material from the outer surface of the log. Such is shown in FIG. 1 wherein the log 1 passes through log lathe 3 in direction A. The rotating drum or ring is within lathe 3 and is not shown in this figure. It is desirable that the log 1 should remain essentially stationary with respect to the lathe except for movement in the forward direction.
As the log passes through the lathe and the blades engage the log, a certain rotational force is imparted to the log by the blades. At a certain point these rotational forces may become sufficient to cause the log to rotate in the lathe along with the rotating drum. If the log rotates or is "slipping" with respect to the log lathe, then the efficiency of the cutting process is reduced. At a certain point, the rotational speed of the log may be matched by that of the rotating drum, at which point no further machining of the log occurs. It is thus desirable to find a way to retain the log in a stationary rotational position with respect to the log lathe as the log is passed through the lathe.
Another problem encountered in machining logs in the method described above is that the log may begin to vibrate as a result of the cutting forces being imparted to the log. The vibration may become serious and even dangerous if the critical frequency is reached where the forces input to the log by the cutting device causes the log to vibrate in ever increasing amplitudes. At a certain point, the log may actually break free of the lathe due to these forces. When the log breaks free, damage to the equipment may occur as well as endangerment of operator safety. It is therefore desirable to find a method to reduce the potential for vibration of logs as they pass through the log lathe.


An on chip voltage generation circuit suitable for use on integrated circuits such as flash memory devices with a low power supply voltage (e.g., 2.7 to 3.6 volts) includes a sense circuit on the integrated circuit which generates an output indicating a level of the supply voltage. The on chip voltage supply circuit generates the on chip voltage in response to the output of the sense circuit and the supply voltage. The sense circuit output indicates the level of the supply voltage so that the on chip voltage supply circuit is able to adapt the amount of boosting utilized to produce the on chip voltage in response. The on chip voltage supply circuit generates the word line voltage at a node coupled to word line driving circuits in the device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to on chip voltage generation techniques for producing a voltage on chip which is outside the range of a power supply voltage supplied to the chip; and more particularly to the generation of word line voltages on low power memory devices like flash memory, where the power supply voltage may be less than the read potential required for sensing data in the memory.
2. Description of Related Art
Integrated circuits have in the past been manufactured in order to work with a power supply voltage of about 5 volts, within a specified range of +/-10%. Of course other power supply voltages have been utilized. There is a current trend for many applications to design integrated circuits to work with lower power supply voltages. Lower voltages generally result in lower power operation for the devices, and are easier to supply using batteries in small devices. For example, one low supply voltage which is emerging as a standard is specified to operate over a range of about 2.7 to 3.6 volts. Other standards are being developed around even lower voltages.
On chip circuits however are often designed to operate at higher voltages for some purposes. For example, in memory devices, such as flash memory, word lines which supply a gate potential to memory cells are often designed to operate at a read potential of 4 volts or more. Thus, the low power supply voltage is insufficient to supply directly an on chip voltage high enough to drive the word lines. This problem is dealt with by including charge pumps or other voltage supply boosters on the integrated circuits in order to supply the higher working voltages on chip. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,026 entitled BOOSTED AND REGULATED GATE POWER SUPPLY WITH REFERENCE TRACKING FOR MULTI-DENSITY AND LOW VOLTAGE SUPPLY MEMORIES. The '026 patent describes an integrated circuit memory having charge pumps configured to supply word line voltages at a level higher than the supply potential. Furthermore, the '026 patent describes the use of on chip charge pumps to provide a plurality of word line voltages for multi-level/memory devices, so that a greater working margin is provided between the memory cell states, than would be normally available using a standard supply potential.
One problem associated with the prior art approaches to on chip charge pumps for these purposes arises from the nature of the supply potential to vary over a significant range. For example, when the supply potential ranges from about 2.7 to about 3.6 volts, the amount of voltage boost necessary to produce an on chip 4 volt potential varies from 1.3 to 0.4 volts. A single boost circuit to handle both extremes of the specified range of the supply potential with a 0.2 volt safety margin would require a 1.5 volt boost. The resulting output of the boost circuit would vary from about 4.2 volts when the supply potential is 2.7, to 5.1 volts when the supply potential is 3.6. Thus when the supply potential is at its high range, the power consumed by the boost circuit is wasted.
Furthermore, using traditional approaches, in which the pumping and boosting ratio is fixed, the on chip voltage is often boosted to a level that may be too high. For example, if the target level is specified at a range from 4.0 to 5.0 volts, the boost ratio for a supply potential ranging from 2.7 to 3.6 volts should be set at about 1.5 volts. However, such a ratio will cause the on chip voltage to reach approximately 5.1 volts when the supply potential is high. Even if a voltage regulator is utilized, a large fluctuation can occur on chip. When the on chip voltage is used for word lines on memory devices, such transient fluctuations can affect the sensing speed of sense amplifiers and decrease the reading speed, because the sense amplifiers cannot start to sense the output of the memory cells until the word line level is settled to the steady state.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a on chip voltage supply circuit for use with integrated circuits that provides for more precise control of the on chip voltage over a wide range of supply potentials.

On chip voltage generation for low power integrated circuits


A battery dispenser and a refill for a battery dispenser are provided. In one embodiment the battery dispenser includes a housing that has an opening, a landing, and a push element capable of advancing batteries from inside the housing to the landing external to the housing. The position of at least one of the push element and the landing is adjustable to enable the battery dispenser to dispense batteries that are one of at least two distinct physical sizes. A refill for the battery dispenser includes a base, a plurality of batteries disposed on the base and a retainer that contacts the batteries and is connected to the base. The refill base can cooperate with the dispenser to adjust the height of the landing or the push element.

The present invention relates to a battery dispenser for housing and dispensing batteries. The invention also relates to a refill containing batteries that can be inserted and removed from the battery dispenser.
Button cell batteries, which can be used to operate small devices such as hearing aids, for example, can be difficult to remove from their packaging and to insert into a device in a proper orientation because of their small size. Metal-air button cell batteries, for example, are activated upon contact with oxygen, and therefore have a tab system that covers an air entry port of the metal-air cell prior to use. The tab system functions to limit the transport of water vapor in or out of the cell and limits the ingress of air into the cell sufficient to activate the battery until such time as the cell is placed into service. Therefore when the batteries are removed from the dispenser the tab system is removed and the ports are exposed to the oxygen of the ambient environment, thereby enabling the cell to be activated. The handling of these batteries in removing them from the battery dispenser, removing the tab system, and inserting the batteries into the a device can be difficult, especially in the event a user suffers from reduced dexterity, poor vision or another physical infirmity.
Efforts to address some of these issues are found in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,700 discloses a packaging that includes a thermoformed or molded blister rotatably attached to a paperboard card. A battery is dispensed from the package by rotating the blister to align a loaded compartment with a trap door accessible in the back of the card. However, the consumer must handle the battery to remove the tab, properly orient the battery with respect to the device terminals and insert it into the device once the battery has been removed from the package.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,185 discloses a device for inserting a hearing aid battery into a hearing aid. The tab system is removed as the cell is removed from its packaging; however, the method of separating the cell from its associated tab system places stresses on the hearing aid device and can cause damage to the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,799 B1, U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,176 B2 and WO02/20371 A1 disclose battery dispensers that enable the user to remove product from a battery dispenser without having to handle the product at any point during the dispensing process or during a process which inserts the battery in an end use device.
None of the above references, however, address the need for a battery dispenser to accommodate batteries of different physical sizes. It is therefore desirable to provide a dispenser that can house and dispense batteries of different physical sizes and to accommodate refills containing batteries of different physical sizes.


An image device including a pixel array and a controller, The pixel array having first pixels and second pixels and corresponding channel drivers. The controller may perform operations of a dynamic vision sensor (DVS), an ambient light sensor (ALS) and a proximity sensor (PS).

Example embodiments of the inventive concepts herein relate to an image device, and more particularly, to an image device including a dynamic vision sensor, an ambient light sensor and a proximity sensor.
An image device may include an image sensor that responds to light entering the image device and output data in response thereto. The image sensor may be divided into an image pickup tube (e.g., a vidicon, a plumbicon, etc.) and a solid-state image sensor (e.g., a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), a charge coupled device (CCD), etc.)
Recently, image sensors of a solar cell method are being used to realize a wide dynamic range (WDR). A dynamic vision sensor (DVS) is provided as the image sensor of a solar cell method. As the amount of functions integrated into a mobile device expands, constituent elements included in the mobile device may need to be miniaturized.

Image device including dynamic vision sensor, ambient light sensor and proximity sensor function


An automatic translating machine includes a module for producing a plurality kinds of parsing trees possible for a sentence in a first language, a module for producing translated sentences in a second language based on the parsing trees, a device for designating an arbitrary word in the sentence in the first language, and a first selection device for selecting arbitrary one of a plurality of constituents of the sentence in the first language each including the word such as a verbal phrase and a noun phrase. A verbal phrase and a noun phrase can be analyzed into a plurality of subtrees due to ambiguity present in a sentence in the first language. The automatic translating machine further includes a device for selecting arbitrary one of a plurality kinds of constituents of a translated sentence in the second language (such as a verbal phrase and a noun phrase in the second language) produced based on each of the plurality of subtrees of the parsing tree corresponding to the selected constituent.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to automatic translating machines for translating a sentence in a source language into a sentence in a target language, and more specifically, to an automatic translating machine permitting a user to select the most appropriate translation of a sentence which can be translated in several ways.
2. Description of the Related Art
One example of a conventional automatic translating machine is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 63-136266. As disclosed in this document, the conventional translating machine includes a morphological analysis portion for segmenting an input sentence into morphemes utilizing a dictionary thereby providing information such as part of speech, a syntactic analysis portion for analyzing the syntax of a morpheme string decomposed by the morphological analysis portion utilizing a dictionary and grammatical rules thereby providing a syntactic structure (parsing tree), a transformation portion for transforming the syntactic structure provided at the syntactic analysis portion into a syntactic structure in a target language, and a translated sentence producing portion for producing a translated sentence according to the syntactic structure in the target language provided by the transformation portion.
A disadvantage encountered in such a translating machine is that the input sentence can be interpreted in many ways because of ambiguity in the input sentence such that several translated sentences are produced. It is therefore necessary to select one of the obtained plurality of translated sentence that reflects the count meaning of the original sentence. Therefore in some cases translated sentences produced by the translated sentence producing portion are displayed on a picture frame one after another in response to an operator and then selection of a suitable translated sentence is left solely to the discretion of the operator. In other cases, the translated sentence producing portion produces several translated sentences according to the number of interpretations to display the resultant sentences on the picture frame at one time for permitting the operator to select the most suitable one from the group.
If, for example, the following English sentence is input as an input original sentence, roughly six translated sentences follows from the ambiguity of the original sentence itself. Of course the accuracy of translation in this case depends on the grammatical processing capability of a translating machine performing the translation and the level of dictionaries equipped to the machine. The following example is therefore only a general example.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ [Original] I gave the cat food, and put the block in the box on the table. [Translation 1] , [Translation 2] , [Translation 3] , [Translation 4] , [Translation 5] , [Translation 6] , ______________________________________
The six different translations are provided for the following reason, In analysis of the syntax of the input sentence by the syntactic analysis portion, grammatical rules as shown in Table 2 are applied.
TABLE 2 ______________________________________ (a) Sentence .fwdarw. declarative sentence sentence end (b) declarative sentence .fwdarw. declarative sentence comma conjunction declarative sentence (c) declarative sentence .fwdarw. noun phrase verbal phrase (d) declarative sentence .fwdarw. verbal phrase (e) noun phrase .fwdarw. noun phrase prepositional phase (f) noun phrase .fwdarw. noun (g) noun phrase .fwdarw. article noun (h) noun phrase .fwdarw. article noun noun (i) prepositional phrase .fwdarw. preposition noun phrase (j) verbal phrase .fwdarw. verb noun phrase (k) verbal phrase .fwdarw. verb noun phrase prepositional phrase (1) verbal phrase .fwdarw. verb noun phrase noun phrase ______________________________________
Referring to Table 2, rule (a), for example, indicates that "a sentence is formed of a declarative sentence and a sentence end", while rule (e) indicates that "a noun phrase is formed of a noun phrase and a prepositional phrase". Rules (e)-(h) each define a noun phrase, anything satisfying the right term of each rule is interpreted as a noun phrase. As indicated by rules (j) and (k), this applies to the case of a verbal phrase.
Since a plurality of grammatical rules can be applied to a noun phrase or a verbal phrase as described above, two interpretations are possible for the first underlined part of the Original Sentence, while three interpretations are possible for the second underlined part. As a result, 2.times.3=6 interpretations in total are generated for the Original Sentence.
Conventionally, these six translated sentences are displayed one after another, and a desired translated sentence displayed is selected or alternatively the operator selects one of the six translated sentences collectively displayed.
Suppose that the user intends to select translated sentence 5 from the above-described six translated sentences obtained. If the sentences are displayed in the order of translated sentences 1, 2, . . . the display would have to be switched at least four times until the desired translated sentence is displayed. If translated sentence 1 and translated sentence 5 are compared, the desired translation is already obtained for the first underlined part, and only the second underlined part should be translated differently. However, alternative translation candidates are displayed for the first underlined part as in translated sentences 2 and 4, and the work efficiency is not high in selection. If six kinds of interpretations exist as described above, all the translated sentences can be displayed by switching only five times. However, if the original sentence is complicated and long, a large number of interpretations will be obtained for the sentence, and therefore prolonging the time required for the selection operation.
In Laid-Open Japanese Patent No. 63-136266 described above, the sequentially displayed translated sentences are stored in a buffer. As a result, the translated system may be displayed in the reversed sequence by operating a special key, so that even if the operator skips an appropriate translated sentence, he/she can easily go back to the appropriate translated sentence. However, this method is not a fundamental solution to simplification of the selection process in the presence of a large number of possible translations as described above.
Similarly, the approach of displaying all the possible translations at one time on the picture frame has the following disadvantage. If an original sentence is complicated and long, the number of translated sentences obtained will be large as described above. Therefore, that large number of translated sentences cannot be displayed on one picture frame, and therefore it would be necessary to display them by switching. Furthermore, since the number of displayed translated sentences is large based on all the possibilities, it would be difficult to identify the appropriate translated sentence from the large number of sentences.
In order to solve such a disadvantage, a method is considered by which a user designates a prescribed range of an original sentence referring to the displayed translated sentences, and translation is performed based on different interpretations only within the designated range. Even if such a method is employed, however, the user cannot know which grammatical rule is applied to the original sentence nor how the sentence is segmented into phrases by the machine. Therefore, it is very much difficult for the user to accurately select a range in the original sentence in order to obtain a correct translation.


The present invention provides new systems and strategies for the regulation of iron metabolism in mammals. In particular, methods of using agonists and antagonists of TGF-β superfamily members to modulate the expression or activity of hepcidin, a key regulator of iron metabolism, are described. The inventive methods find applications in the treatment of diseases associated with iron overload, such as juvenile hemochromatosis and adult hemochromatosis, and in the treatment of diseases associated with iron deficiency, such as anemia of chronic disease and EPO resistant anemia in end-stage of renal disease. The present invention also relates to screening tools and methods for the development of novel drugs and therapies for treating iron metabolism disorders.

Iron is an essential element for the growth and survival of nearly all living organisms (P. Aisen et al., J. Biochem. Cell Biol., 2001, 33: 940-959) except for a few unusual bacterial species. It plays an important role in oxygen transport and storage (in combination with oxygen-binding molecules such as hemoglobin and myoglobulin) and is a key component of many enzymes that catalyze the redox reactions required for the generation of energy (e.g., cytochromes), the production of various metabolic intermediates, and for host defense (e.g., nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate [NADPH] oxidase). Iron can also be toxic. It catalyzes the generation of reactive radical species that can attack cellular membranes, proteins, and DNA (J. M. C. Gutteridge et al., Biochem. J., 1982, 296: 605-609), and activates NF-κB, the prototype transcription factor for genes involved in inflammation (S. Xiong et al., J. Biol. Chem., 2003, 278: 17646-17654). At high levels, iron accumulation in tissues is damaging.
To prevent iron deficiency or iron overload, virtually all organisms have developed elaborate mechanisms for regulating iron intake and efflux (C. Finch, Blood, 1994, 84: 1697-1702). In adult mammals, iron homeostasis depends upon regulated absorption of iron by the enterocyte, a highly specialized cell of the duodenum that coordinates dietary iron uptake and transport into the body. In the fetus, the mechanisms involved in placental materno-fetal iron transport are also tightly regulated. Iron is stored in the body in the form of the protein complexes, ferritin and hemosiderin, and is transported in the plasma via the protein complex, transferrin. Under normal circumstances, only trace amounts of iron exist outside these physiologic sinks, although stored iron can be mobilized by reuse. Perturbations in these highly regulated mechanisms can lead to iron overload or iron deficiency in the body.
Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder in the world. As many as 4-5 billion people (i.e., 65-80% of the world's population) may be iron deficient; and 2 billion people (over 30% of the world's population, mostly children and women of childbearing age) are anemic, mainly due to iron deficiency. In developing countries, the disease is exacerbated by malaria and worm infections. Iron deficiency affects more people than any other condition, constituting a public health condition of epidemic proportions. Iron overload disorders are less prevalent; however, they can lead to serious life-threatening conditions. Worldwide, some 24 million people of northern European ancestry suffer from a genetic disorder called hemochromatosis. Another 600 million carry one of the genes responsible for the disorder, and absorb up to 50% more iron than non-carriers. The disease leads to iron accumulation, particularly in the liver and other storage organs, which can cause organ failure (like cirrhosis of the liver), heart attack, cancer, and pancreatic damage.
Dysfunctions in iron metabolism pose a major problem worldwide due not only to their frequency but also to the lack of therapeutic options (N. C. Andrews, N. Engl. J. Med., 1999, 341: 1986-1995). Iron overload conditions are generally treated by administration of iron chelating agents, which exert their effects by remobilizing accumulated iron and allowing for its excretion. In practice, however, none of the chelating agents which have been evaluated to date have proved entirely satisfactory, suffering from poor gastrointestinal absorption, and either low efficacy, poor selectivity, or undesirable side effects. The preferred treatment for reducing iron levels in most hemochromatosis patients is called therapeutic phlebotomy, a procedure which simply consists of removing blood from the body. Patients with hemochromatosis usually need a large number of phlebotomies in a relative short period of time (up to once or twice a week). Thus, in addition to carrying the same risks as with any blood donation (e.g., nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fainting, hematoma, seizures or local infection), phlebotomy can also be highly constraining to the patient.
Several forms of iron salt are used to treat iron deficiency conditions. It generally takes several months of replacement therapy to replenish body iron stores. Some patients have difficulty tolerating iron salts, because these substances tend to cause gastrointestinal distress. Studies have also reported that liquid iron-salt preparations, given to young children, may cause permanent staining of the teeth. However, more problematic is the finding that high doses of iron supplements, taken orally or by injection, can increase susceptibility to bacterial infection.
Clearly, the development of novel agents and methods for the prevention and treatment of iron metabolism disorders, remains highly desirable.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and compositions to regulate hepcidin expression


A method for forming a memory device includes providing an initial semiconductor structure, including a base substrate; a first sacrificial layer formed on the base substrate; a stack structure, disposed on the first sacrificial layer; a plurality of channels, formed through the stack structure and the first sacrificial layer; and a gate-line trench, formed through the stack structure and exposing the first sacrificial layer. The method also includes forming at least one protective layer on the sidewalls of the gate-line trench; removing the first sacrificial layer to expose a portion of each of the plurality of channels and the surfaces of the base substrate, using the at least one protective layer as an etch mask; and forming an epitaxial layer on the exposed surfaces of the base substrate and the plurality of channels.

The production process of semiconductor electronic has made great progress with the development of the planar flash memory. However, in recent years, the continuous development of the planar flash memory encountered a number of challenges, such as physical limits, existing lithography limits, storage electron density limits, etc. In this context, in order to solve the difficulties encountered by the planar flash memory and pursue lower production cost per storage unit, various three-dimensional (3D) flash memory structures, including 3D not-or (NOR) and 3D not-and (NAND), have emerged.
In the 3D flash memory of the NOR type structure, the storage units are arranged in parallel between the bit line and the ground line, while in the 3D flash memory of the NAND type structure, the storage units are arranged in series between the bit line and the ground line. An NAND flash memory with a tandem structure has a lower read speed, but has a higher write speed and erase speed. Therefore, the NAND flash memory is suitable for storing data. In addition, the NAND flash memory also demonstrates many advantages, such as small unit size and large storage capacity, for data storage.
A 3D NAND flash memory includes a stack structure. The stack structure includes a plurality of silicon nitride layers and a plurality of silicon oxide layers that are alternately arranged. That is, a 3D NAND flash memory includes a multi-layer of nitride-oxide (NO) stack structure. In the case that the number of layers in the NO stack structure is greater than or equal to 128, during the fabrication process, sidewall selective epitaxial growth (SEG) is commonly used. The structure formed by the sidewall SEG is typically L-shaped, and a portion of the structure is grown from the sidewall of the channel. Accordingly, prior to the sidewall SEG, an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) structure located at the bottom part of the channel needs to be removed. However, because the film properties of the ONO structure located at the lower end of the channel is similar to the film properties of the NO stack structure, when removing the ONO structure, the NO stack structure may also be damaged, which causes undesired performance for the formed 3D NAND flash memory.
The disclosed methods for forming memory devices are directed to solve one or more problems set forth above and other problems in the art.

Memory device and method for forming the same


A vibrator actuator provides a drive force by vibrating a vibration element in response to an input signal. The vibration element includes a piezoelectric element which imparts vibration to the vibration element in response to an electrical signal. The vibration element is in compressive contact with and moves with respect to a relative moving member. The relative moving member may be planar, circular or toroidal. The relative moving member has first and second surfaces with said first surface being an adherent material removal surface. The adherent material removal surface removes wear particles which become adhered to the vibration element and the relative moving member. The relative moving member may have a number of first and second alternating surfaces to increase effectiveness. The second surfaces may be non-perpendicular with respect to a movement trajectory of the vibration element to decrease resistance during contact with the vibration element.

The present invention relates to a vibration actuator, and more particularly to a vibration element which moves in relation to and is in compressive contact with a relative moving member.
As prior art technology, for example, a longitudinal-bending type of vibration actuator is known in which a drive force is obtained by causing longitudinal vibrations and bending vibrations to arise harmonically in an elastic member.
FIG. 12 (PRIOR ART) is a front view of a prior art longitudinal-bending vibration actuator. As illustrated in FIG. 12, vibration element 10 includes an elastic member 11 which is designed in a rectangular flat plate form. Elastic member 11 is designed to have a resonance frequency value which is very close to a resonant frequency of a first order longitudinal vibration and a fourth order bending vibration (or eighth order bending vibration). As illustrated, two electro-mechanical conversion elements 12a, 12b (piezoelectric elements) are affixed to the same side surface of elastic member 11.
Two alternating voltages which differ in phase and have respective frequencies close to the above resonant frequencies are impressed on the piezoelectric elements 12a, 12b in vibration element 10. Accordingly, two harmonized vibrations are generated in elastic member 11.
Driving force output members 11a, 11b are formed in a projecting shape from portions of elastic member 11 and become anti-nodes of the fourth order bending vibration. The fourth order bending vibration arises in the flat, opposite, side surface of elastic member 11. The tips of driving force output members 11a, 11b are periodically displaced in elliptic form. Accordingly, the compressive contact of the tips of driving force output members 11a, 11b output a driving force to relative moving member 40.
If relative moving member 40 is fixed, vibration element 10 propels itself in a trajectory in a right-hand direction or a left-hand direction in relation to relative moving member 40. Moreover, in the case that vibration element 10 is fixed, relative moving member 40 becomes a driven object and accordingly is driven right or left with respect to vibration element 10.
In order for the sliding resistance between the contact surface of relative moving member 40 and driving force output members 11a, 11b to be low, a sliding material (not shown in the drawing) is affixed to relative moving member 40 by way of adhesive or the like. Moreover, a mirror surface lapping process is generally performed on the sliding surfaces of driving force output members 11a, 11b and relative moving member 40 in order, similarly, to reduce the sliding resistance.
However, in the prior art vibration actuators, "wear particles" appears after the vibration actuators are driven for a long period of time. These wear particles result from sliding, and adheres to the contact surfaces of elastic member 11 and relative moving member 40. The adhesion of the wear particles has the effect of reducing the drive force. Accordingly, a stabilized drive may only be performed for a relatively short period time.
Moreover, during reciprocating motion of vibration element 10, wear particles become marked at the reversal positions and the positions nearly adjacent to the reversal positions along the sliding surface of relative moving member 40. Thus, another problem is that movement of vibration element 10 may become reduced at either of the reversal positions. In the case of a fixed vibration element, relative moving member 40 similarly performs a reciprocating motion, and wear particles are markedly deposited at the reversal positions along relative moving member 40. In a worst case scenario, relative moving member 40 is stopped at one of the reversal positions.
Furthermore, when a mirror surface is used for relative moving member 40 and a lapping process (polishing process) is carried out on the sliding surface of relative moving member 40, there is a problem that wear particles tend to enter very fine scratches in the mirror lapped surface and adheres therein.


An integrated circuit device includes a processing component and a cache, which is arranged to store data for use by the processing component responsively to an addressing scheme based on memory addresses having an address length of ml bits. First and second buses are coupled between the processing component and the cache, the buses having bus widths of n1 and n2 bits, respectively, such that n1<m1. The processing component and the cache each include a respective address bus expander coupled to the first bus in order to compact at least some of the memory addresses for transmission over the first bus so that each of the at least some memory addresses is transmitted over the first bus in one cycle of the first bus.

Various techniques are known in the art for increasing the effective rate at which data can be transmitted over a bus or, equivalently, for reducing the number of bus lines needed to sustain a given data bandwidth. Citron et al. describe one such method, based on data compression, in "Creating a Wider Bus Using Caching Techniques," Proceedings of the First IEEE Symposium on High-Performance Computer Architecture (January, 1995), pages 90–99, which is incorporated herein by reference. Rather than transmitting an entire data word over a bus, data compaction is first performed by caching the high-order bits of the word in a table, and sending an index to the table over the bus along with the low-order bits. A coherent table at the receiving end expands the word into its original form. Compaction/expansion units can be placed between a processor and memory, between a processor and a local bus, and between devices that access the system bus.
Data compression may be used in enhancing the performance of cache memories. For example, Yang et al. describe a method for storing data in compressed form so as to reduce the power consumed by a cache memory, in "Frequent Value Compression in Data Caches," Proceedings of the 33rd International Symposium on Microarchitecture (December, 2000), pages 258–275, which is incorporated herein by reference. The authors use a data compression scheme that is based on encoding a small number of values that appear frequently during memory accesses, while preserving the ability to randomly access individual data items.
As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,044,437, to Reinders, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a method for reducing the number of cache line data transfers among components of a computer system based on generating and transferring redundancy bits between levels of a cache memory hierarchy. Redundancy logic is provided to detect occurrences of redundant data strings in a given cache line, to generate and transfer redundancy bits when such strings occur, and to decode the redundancy bits at the destination. If redundant data strings occur in a cache line, the transfer of one or more portions of the cache line can thus be canceled. This method is said to reduce the amount of bus traffic and increase overall system performance.

International Business Machines Corporation


A signal processing apparatus comprises a signal path for a signal, the signal path comprising a signal processing stage. An auxiliary stage is coupled to an input of the signal processing stage for, in response to a signal in the signal path at the input of the signal processing stage, generating a control signal indicative of the time of a crossing of a first threshold by the signal in the signal path at an output of the signal processing stage by detecting a crossing by the signal of a second threshold established by the auxiliary stage. The second threshold is substantially equal to the first threshold.

In audio equipment, the gain of an audio signal is typically controlled in steps. However, a step in gain can result in an abrupt change in the audio signal, which can result in an undesired audible click. In other equipment where gain is controlled, a similar problem can arise with non-audio signals where gain is controlled, as a change in gain can introduce an undesired disturbance or distortion into the signal.
One way of addressing this problem is to implement the change of gain when the signal is zero. This involves the detection of zero crossings in a signal. An example of such as scheme is illustrated in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1, a signal processing apparatus has a variable gain stage 10 which has an input 12 for a signal to be processed. An output of the variable gain stage 10 is coupled to an input 22 of a signal processing stage 20, and the signal processing stage 20 has an output 24 for the signal after it has been processed by the variable gain stage 10 and the signal processing stage 20. The variable gain stage 10 has an input 14 for a control signal which it employs to determine when to adjust the gain applied to the signal. A zero crossing detector 30 has an input coupled to the output 24 of the signal processing stage 20 for detecting when the signal is zero. The zero crossing detector 30 generates the control signal and has an output coupled to the input 14 for delivering the control signal to the variable gain stage 10.
The zero crossing detector 30 may employ a comparator to determine whether the signal is above or below a reference level. For a signal processing apparatus operating from first and second supply voltages VDD, VSS, the reference level may be ideally the average of the supply voltages, (VDD+VSS)/2. For example, if the supply voltages VDD, VSS are equal in magnitude and opposite in polarity, the reference level may be ideally zero, and if one of the supply voltages VSS is zero, the reference level may be ideally half the other of the supply voltages, VDD/2. Any error in the level detected will affect the time at which the gain is adjusted. For example, if the zero crossing detector 30 has a detection threshold that is too high, a downward crossing would be detected too early and an upwards crossing would be detected too late. Conversely, if the zero crossing detector 30 has a detection threshold that is too low, a downward crossing would be detected too late and an upwards crossing would be detected too early. The magnitude of the timing error depends on the gradient of the signal at the crossing. The zero crossing detector 30 can be designed to have a very low DC offset, but such a design is costly in terms of silicon area and power consumption.
There is a requirement for improved threshold crossing detection.


A manual multi knife cutting device for vegetables and other material of similar structure wherein: the knives are mounted directly in a base guide containing slots and fulcrum bolt for the knives, and an enclosure platform for the vegetables right next to the knife fulcrum. The enclosure location close to the fulcrum reduces cutting loads and it's closed design prevents vegetable sliding. The guides which make up the base using spacers and connecting bolts at the bottom fully support the knives throughout the cutting stroke enabling a smooth cut. Slots extending below the platform enable the knives to go past the cut pieces for a clean cut.

The invention described in this application belongs to the field of kitchen gadgets for cutting vegetables which are labor saving. The subject matter of the invention falls under the U.S. patent classification "083-CUTTING".
I am listing below some prior art cutting devices with US patents which I came across during a search in the database.
U.S. Pat. No.Title6,148,704Vegetable cutting device6,052,910Vegetable cutting device5,950,515Apparatus for slicing vegetablesThere are some more patented multiple knife cutting devices, a list of which is enclosed. Problems in the prior art multi knife devices are as follows.
Buckling of knives under load, vegetables remaining stuck between the knives, sliding of vegetables, increase in the load and due to knife frames and consequent reduction in the lever advantage. It may also be noted that though there are patents for multiple knife cutting devices, the devices are not a common sight in the market. I have not seen any in the supermarkets.
The device, which I have invented, is structurally and functionally different from these prior art devices.
The components used in my invention are rectangular plate elements, knives, handles, fasteners, plastic parts etc, which are items in common use. They have been designed and assembled in a novel way to obtain a new and effective device for cutting vegetables.I was motivated to invent a more productive multi knife device after seeing the drudgery inherent in cutting vegetables with a single utility knife.


By utilizing Reed-Solomon erasure decoding algorithms and techniques, the system is able to perform error detection for the case where the number of bytes received in error exceeds a correcting capability of a decoder. The error detection can be used, for example, to determine whether a codeword is decodable, and whether the retransmission of data is necessary. The retransmission can be accomplished by assembling a message that is sent to another modem requesting retransmission of one or more portions of data, such as one or more codewords.

In coding theory, Reed-Solomon (RS) codes are non-binary cyclic error-correcting codes invented by Irving S. Reed and Gustave Solomon. They described a systematic way of building codes that could detect and correct multiple random symbol errors. By adding T check symbols to the data, an RS code can detect any combination of up to T erroneous symbols, and correct up to [T/2] symbols. As an erasure code, it can correct up to T known erasures, or it can detect and correct combinations of errors and erasures. Furthermore, RS codes are suitable as multiple-burst bit-error correcting codes, since a sequence of b+1 consecutive bit errors can affect at most two symbols of size b. The choice of T is generally up to the designer of the code, and may be selected within wide limits.

Reed-Solomon erasure decoding with error detection for retransmission


A friction roller is disposed in a full toroid groove formed by an an input disk and an output disk opposing each other, in contact with both the disks tiltably and rotatably. A roller supporting member for rotatably supporting the friction roller through bearings includes a rotary shaft portion having a ball joint at one end thereof, and the ball joint is rotatably held by a race joint and a cover joint formed at one end of a piston rod of a hydraulic cylinder constituting a driving mechanism. A lubricant spraying portion is fromed at the other end of the rotary shaft portion, and a lubricant is supplied to the lubricant spraying portion from a pressure chamber of the hydraulic cylinder through oil paths formed in the piston rod and the rotary shaft portion. The lubricant is sprayed from the lubricant spraying portion onto a contact surface of the friction roller with the disk, and onto the bearings to achieve lubrication and cooling.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a full toroidal type continuously variable transmission having a full toroid-like groove formed between an input disk and an output disk, and having a friction roller provided in the full toroid-like groove so that the friction roller is in contact with inner surfaces of the input and output disks tiltably and rotatably.
2. Description of the Related Art
The toroidal type continuously variable transmissions are generally divided into a half toroidal type continuously variable transmission and a full toroidal type continuously variable transmission.
In the half toroidal type continuously variable transmission, since the intersection of two tangents at contact points between the friction roller and the input and output disks is located in the vicinity of a center line of the input and output disks, an advantage is provided in which the spin of the contact surface of the friction roller seldom occurs and the power transmission efficiency is satisfactory. On the other hand, since a reaction force of the output disk acts as thrust on the friction roller resulting in a heavy load, and the friction roller rotates at high speed, a problem of heat generation at a bearing arises. In order to prevent the heat generation, a lubricating system for the bearing is proposed as described in Japanese Utility Model Laid Open Publication No. 63-92859 (hereinafter, referred to as a first prior art example).
In this first prior art example, an oil path for lubrication is formed to introduce a lubricating oil to a position adjacent to a friction roller through the inside of a roller supporting member which supports the friction roller. This oil path includes a hole formed in a piston of a hydraulic cylinder which moves the roller supporting member, a gap formed between an outer periphery of a shaft portion of the roller supporting member and an inner periphery of the piston engaging the shaft portion so that the gap is communicated with the hole, and a hole formed in the inside of the roller supporting member so as to communicate with the gap, and the oil path supplies the lubricating oil to the vicinity of a thrust bearing within the friction roller to thereby lubricate the bearing and the friction roller and also to lubricate a rolling surface of the friction roller by the lubricating oil flowing out of the friction roller.
On the other hand, the full toroidal type continuously variable transmission is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Open Publication Hei No. 4-502954 (hereinafter, referred to as a second prior art example).
In this second prior art example, an input disk and an output disk form a full toroid-like groove, and a friction roller is supported by a roller supporting member within the full toroid-like groove so that the friction roller is tiltable and rotatable on a reference line which passes through an intersection between a center axis of the full toroid-like groove and a center axis of the input and output disks, and the friction roller is tilted by a predetermined caster angle with respect to the center axis of the full toroid-like groove, and the roller supporting member is made movable in the axis direction on the reference line by a hydraulic cylinder. However, there is no mention as to a lubricating method of the friction roller, and it is presumed that a lubricating oil is sprayed externally to the friction roller as is the case in general transmissions.
However, in the full toroidal type continuously variable transmission in the second prior art example, it is difficult to sufficiently lubricate in the lubricating system which is performed from the outside, because the position of a contact surface between the input and output disks and the friction roller is moved due to a change in the gear ratio.
Accordingly, it may be considered to apply the internal lubricating system in which the lubricating oil is fed to the inside of the friction roller as is the case in the first prior art example. However, in the full toroidal type continuously variable transmission, since the tangents at the contact points between the input and output disks and the friction roller do not intersect with each other so that the spin increases, and since the power transmission efficiency at the contact surface is low and at the same time, the heat generation at the contact surface is large as compared with the half toroidal type continuously variable transmission, there is an unsolved problem that the lubrication of the contact points between the input and output disks and the friction roller cannot be performed sufficiently even when the lubricating system similar to the first prior art example is adopted.

Full toroidal type continuously variable transmission