A process for preparing salts of polyaspartic acid by treating polycondensates in aqueous medium with bases, employing at least 0.7 equivalent of an alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal base per mole of the aspartimide, aspartic acid and/or aspartamide units present in the polycondensates, and the bases being added within from 30 min to 20 hours to an aqueous suspension of polycondensates of aspartic acid which has been heated to 40.degree.-140.degree. C., and the reaction mixture being allowed to react further where appropriate, and the use of alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal salts of polyaspartic acids obtainable by treating polycondensates of aspartic acid in aqueous medium with more than 1 equivalent of an alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal base, with the molecular weight of the polycondensates being reduced, as additive to detergents and cleaners.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process for preparing salts of polyaspartic acid by treating polycondensates of aspartic acid in aqueous medium with bases, employing at least 0.7 equivalent of an alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal base per mole of the aspartimide, aspartic acid and/or aspartamide units present in the polycondensates, and to their use in detergents and cleaners.
2. Discussion of the Background
Thermal polycondensation of aspartic acid at temperatures above 190.degree. C. results in polycondensates which essentially comprise aspartimide units. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 16, (1973) 893-897 discloses the condensation of aspartic acid in the presence of phosphoric acid as catalyst. WO-A-93/24661 discloses that acids such as phosphoric acid, phosphorous acid, hypophosphorus acid, hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid, and sodium bisulfate or potassium bisulfate, catalyze the polycondensation of aspartic acid at temperatures above about 150.degree. C. The polycondensates obtainable in this way predominantly comprise aspartimide units and may, depending on the temperature at which the polycondensation was carried out, comprise aspartic acid, aspartamide and aspartimide units. Treatment of polycondensates of aspartic acid with alkali metal bases, e.g. sodium hydroxide solution, results in the corresponding salts of polyaspartic acids.
Polyaspartimides can also be prepared by addition of ammonia onto maleic acid and condensation. Hydrolysis and neutralization of the polyaspartimides with sodium hydroxide solution results in the sodium salts of polyaspartic acids. Up to 1 mol of sodium hydroxide solution is employed per mole of aspartimide unit in the polycondensates. Processes of this type are disclosed, for example, in WO-A-93/23452, WO-A-94/3526, WO-A-94/3527 and DE-A-36 62 672. The preparation of alkali metal salts of polyaspartic acids is disclosed in WO-A-92/16462, WO-A-92/16463 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,902, wherein the polyaspartimide obtainable by condensing aspartic acid is suspended in water and, while monitoring the pH, sodium hydroxide solution is metered in so that the pH does not exceed 9.5. pH measurement in industrial apparatus is inadvisable where the viscosities are high and the solids contents of the mixtures to be hydrolyzed are high, because pH electrodes usually do not display accurate values because of the delay in mixing.
EP-A-0 581 452 discloses the preparation of sodium salts of polyaspartic acid by adding sodium hydroxide solution dropwise to an aqueous suspension of polyaspartimide which has been heated to 50.degree.-60.degree. C. in such a way that the pH of the reaction mixture does not exceed 10. After the addition of sodium hydroxide solution, the reaction mixture is kept at 50.degree.-60.degree. C. for 1 hour more. About 83% of the amount of sodium hydroxide solution necessary for complete neutralization is employed.
Alkaline hydrolysis and neutralization of polysuccinimides and polyaspartic acids is a highly exothermic process which must be reliably controlled when the process is carried out on the industrial scale in order to ensure straightforward operation and uniform product quality.

Preparation of salts of polyaspartic acid and their use in detergents and cleaners


In a universal, adjustable spacer assembly, first and second opposed wedges have faces that are inclined with respect to a longitudinal axis. As the wedges translate along the longitudinal axis with respect to one another, vertical distance between an upper face and a lower face of the first and second wedges respectively changes. Longitudinally displaced portions of a rotatable member such as a threaded rod are received in a first and a second collar member pivotally mounted with respect to the first and second wedges respectively. As the rod rotates, longitudinal distance between the collar members changes, and the wedges slide against each other, the collar members rotate within each wedge. In a further form, opposing track members may be fixed to inclined surfaces of the first and second wedges respectively.

Adjustable spacer assemblies are used in many contexts. They may be used to fill space in order to secure an item against motion within a container. When a spacer is used, it may replace or supplement the use of packing material. Adjustable spacer assemblies may be used for furniture leveling. Adjustable spacer assemblies are used in orthopedic surgery in such applications spinal fusion to fill space between adjacent vertebrae surrounding a missing vertebra. Adjustable spacer assemblies may be used to set the height of a worktable or load-bearing surface.
Various shortcomings of the prior art include lack of flexibility in performance or complexity in construction. U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,661, in describing the background of the invention, refers to a prior art mechanism for leveling items such as heavy machinery. A pair of freely sliding opposed wedges are interconnected for movement by a threaded shaft. Further described are a number of approaches to furniture stabilizing that suggest the use of a combination of wedges having ridges that intermesh with each other for adjustable stability. Mechanisms simply using two opposed wedges with forces applied to a threaded shaft parallel to long, flat surfaces of the wedges do not make the most efficient use of force applied to the wedges. Such mechanisms also tend to bind. Forming ridges in wedges creates additional expense in manufacture.
In orthopedic surgery, a number of adjustable intervertebral implants have been provided. One such implant is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,882. A mechanism for varying the height of the implant is housed between fixed sidewalls. The mechanism includes first and second wedges which are moved horizontally by a threaded bolt to displace third and fourth wedges vertically. Aspects of complexity of this apparatus include the requirement to have opposite ends of the bolt formed with a left hand thread and a right hand thread respectively. U.S. Pat. No. 6,368,351 includes an intervertebral implant assembly in which a cylinder on a threaded bolt is displaced as the bolt turns to cam against two facing slanted surfaces included in upper and lower members respectively. The upper and lower members are hinged at one end. This mechanism only tilts the upper and lower members with respect to each other. It does not displace both ends of the upper and lower members from each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,889,946 discloses a leveling shoe that includes first and second wedge members that are moved to adjust the height of a support plate having wedges formed on its lower surface. U.S. Pat. No. 6,463,114 discloses a jacking device which includes a central threaded wedge member that bears against surrounding wedge members to produce relative movements. These patents exemplify the prevalent practice of using different structures for different applications. These structures are not "universal" in application. While no structure is truly universal, the term universal may be applied to a device which has a wide range of applications.


This disclosure relates to infusion bags for infusible substance such as tea or herbs or the like for which separation of the infusible substance from liquid is desired. The disclosure also relates to a device which provides function of storing empty infusion bags in a container, and retrieving the empty bag individually from the container, holding and opening the retrieved bag for filling, and ejecting the filled bag for use. The infusion bags and device of the present invention is ideal for making hot tea or herbal beverages, and for other infusion needs in cooking where separation of the infused material from liquid is desired.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to infusion bags and to an infusion bag dispensing system, and more particularly to infusion bags and to an infusion bag dispenser that can be used to package the infusion bags at home, within a store environment or within a work or office setting.
Description of Related Art
Infusion bags used for preparing tea, herbal beverages or the like are known in the prior art. More specifically, by way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,235,273 to Ruston discloses an infusion bag having a means for selectively inserting any desired dry beverage material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,123 to Goodrum et. al. discloses an infusion bag for particulated food products such as tea, coffee and the like, constructed of a tube of perforated thermoplastic film or other porous material.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,746,699 to Lohrey et al. discloses an infusion bag especially for tea, which has a top part with folded down corners and a middle part folded over it, to which a string with two free ends is attached.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,336 to Chen discloses an improved infusion bag for preparing an infusion of tea or other infusible substance, which makes the infusible substance less compacted and overcomes the constraint. This gives a higher quantity and higher concentration of infusion liquor.
To package one's own infusion bags for tea, for a herb tea beverages, or the like for which separation of the infusible substance from liquid is desired often times results in a tedious and cumbersome process. Tradition is such that a person needs to get a sachet, hold it open, and transfer the desired infusible material into the sachet. Therefore, it is desirable to have a device, for example, an infusion bag dispenser, which can help to facilitate such packaging and remove the need for a preparation process that requires many ancillary items stored and employed by the end-user.
However, there is no infusion bag dispenser available for people to help or facilitate for them the packaging of their own infusion bags at home, within a store, or within a work settings—to prepare their own tea or herbal beverage or the like.
Therefore there is a need for an infusion bag dispensing system for tea, herb leaves, and the like. Such a system can store the empty infusion bags in a container, retrieve the bag, hold the bag and open the bag for a user to fill the infusible substance for use, and dispense the filled infusion bag.


A modular holder or patch is described that may be used with or as part of a wireless physiological sensing device. The wireless physiological sensing device may include a holder or patch, first and second electrodes, and an electronics package that may be removably coupled with the holder or patch and which may be in electrical contact with the first and second electrodes. The electronics package may include a housing, a wireless transceiver and electronic circuitry configured to process signals received via the first and second electrodes and the wireless transceiver.

Existing methods for remotely monitoring physiological parameters of a person typically include the use of cumbersome sensors and/or wires that may limit the effectiveness of measuring active individuals. More recent wireless communications solutions may still include external wires that may easily be tangled and bulky electronics packages, rendering the sensor devices uncomfortable and/or difficult for a user. Additionally, sensor devices designed to be worn or attached to an individual may include electronics packages that have been personalized for the user. These sensor devices, with their personalized electronics, may require battery power. Yet, charging or replacing the batteries in these devices may also be difficult and may even require a user to have two different personalized sensor devices so that a replacement can be worn while the other sensor device is being charged.
Accordingly, a practitioner and patient may benefit from use of a wireless sensing device having a modular holder or patch to which the wireless sensing device may be securely attached.


The alternator on an engine has a set of stator coils which are connected to supply current to power accessories and current for a battery charger when the engine is running. When the ignition is turned off, a braking switch is closed which short circuits the stator coils. The resulting high current in the stator coils produces a braking torque on the engine shaft that brings it and any attached implement to a rapid halt.

The field of the invention is engine driven implements, and more particularly, the braking of such implements as mower blades when the engine is shut down.
Farm, lawn and garden implements, such as mowers, power sweepers, aerators or the like are normally driven directly from the power take-off of a gasoline engine or indirectly through a clutch. It has become increasingly common on larger equipment to use an electrically controlled clutch which also includes a brake mechanism. When the clutch is operated to disengage the operating tool, such as a mower blade, from the engine, the brake mechanism engages to decelerate the operating tool and bring it to a stop quickly. Such clutch and brake mechanisms are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,773,156; 4,181,206; 4,585,115; and 4,570,766.
On smaller implements such as lawn mowers the use of separate clutch and brake mechanisms have also been proposed as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,111,800, but in general such structures are considered too costly. In most cases, therefore, the engine simply coasts to a stop when the ignition circuit is interrupted as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,236,494 and 4,885,903.

Engine braking system using alternator stator windings


A method of servicing a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the method including placing a wellbore servicing fluid into the wellbore proximate a permeable zone. The wellbore servicing fluid comprises a base fluid and from about 3 wt. % to about 25 wt. % by total weight of the wellbore servicing fluid of a particulate material. The particulate material comprises palm kernel shells.

This disclosure relates to wellbore servicing fluids for use in controlling fluid losses in a wellbore environment, more particularly, a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation.
A natural resource such as hydrocarbons residing in a subterranean formation can be recovered by drilling a wellbore into the formation. In various scenarios, a fluid may be communicated between the wellbore and the subterranean formation surrounding a portion of the wellbore. It is well known that wellbores may pass through a number of zones within a subterranean formation other than the particular hydrocarbon zones of interest. Some of these zones may be water-producing, gas-producing, or both. In some scenarios, undesired water production, gas production, or both can affect the economic life of hydrocarbon producing wells and can potentially induce other problems, such as sand production, scale, and corrosion of tubulars. It may be desirable to prevent water and/or gas from such zones from being produced with commercially desirable hydrocarbons. One of the most common methods of eliminating, or at least slowing, water and/or gas production is to introduce a shut-off fluid into one or more zones within the formation surrounding the wellbore. After identification of zone(s), water/gas shut off fluids can be pumped into place and allowed to form a physical barrier to impede the in-flow of water and/or gas into the wellbore.
Additionally or alternatively, in some scenarios, fluids used in a wellbore servicing operation may be lost to the subterranean formation while circulating the fluids within the wellbore. In particular, the fluids may enter the subterranean formation via lost circulation zones, for example, depleted zones, zones of relatively low pressure, zones having naturally-occurring fractures or induced fracture, weak zones having fracture gradients exceeded by the hydrostatic pressure of the wellbore servicing fluid (e.g., drilling fluid), and so forth. As a result, the service provided by such wellbore servicing fluid is more difficult to achieve. For example, a drilling fluid may be lost to the formation, resulting in the circulation and the pressure of the fluid in the wellbore being too low to allow for further drilling of the wellbore. Also for example, a secondary cement/sealant composition may be lost to the formation as it is being placed in the wellbore, thereby rendering the secondary operation ineffective in maintaining isolation of the formation.
Accordingly, an ongoing need exists for methods for blocking fluid communication between a wellbore and the surrounding subterranean formations, for example, for combatting the outflow of fluid from the wellbore through lost circulation zones into a surrounding subterranean formation.

Wellbore servicing fluids and methods for controlling fluid losses in permeable zones


A device for transferring electronic components from a first carrier to a second carrier. A first receiving portion positions the first carrier on a support, wherein the electronic components are provided on a side of the first carrier, which faces away from the support. A second receiving portion positions the second carrier. The first receiving portion and the second receiving portion are arranged with respect to each other in such a manner that a gap separates the first carrier from the second carrier. A cap and/or the second receiving portion move from a first position into a second position to make the gap smaller. At least one slide lifts the first carrier, which is applied against the support, away from the support, and to move an electronic component provided on the first carrier, in the direction of the second carrier.

A device and a method for transferring electronic components from a first carrier to a second carrier are described. There are described in particular a device and a method for separating an electronic component from the first carrier by means of an ejection unit and transferring it directly to the second carrier.
When transferring electronic components, in particular dies, and in particular when transferring isolated electronic components, there is generally the problem that they can easily be damaged and must therefore be treated with great care. In addition, electronic components are subject to continuous miniaturisation, so that the demands made in terms of accuracy when transferring electronic components are increasing continuously.
DE 103 49 847 B3 describes a positioning device and a positioning method for the transfer of electronic components. A semiconductor wafer arranged on a carrier film is thereby arranged above and parallel to a strip-like substrate. The wafer can be displaced within the wafer plane and additionally rotated about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the wafer plane by means of a wafer holder. An ejection device comprises an ejection needle which, by means of a downward movement, acts on the rear side of a die that is to be detached and detaches it from the carrier film. The die detached from the carrier film is thereby deposited at a bonding position on the strip-like substrate.
Because the die is guided only by the ejection needle after it has been ejected, there is a risk that the die will twist as it is being detached from the carrier film. In that case, the die can be placed at the bonding position only inaccurately. Twisting of the die can occur in particular when the ejection needle is not in contact with the die in the middle of the die, or when there is not a uniform adhesive bond between the die and the carrier film.
Because an inaccurately placed electronic component is generally to be regarded as a reject part and accordingly as waste, it is desirable to place the component as accurately as possible.
DE 198 40 226 A1 discloses a method for transferring electronic components from an auxiliary substrate to a strip-shaped carrier device. Further devices and methods for transferring electronic components which form the technological background to the device described herein and to the method described herein are described in documents JP 5267451 A, EP 0 565 781 B1 and DE 198 22 512 A1.

Device and method for transferring electronic components from a first carrier to a second carrier


A semiconductor memory device includes a stacked body, a semiconductor member, and a first insulating member. Electrode films and insulating films are alternately stacked along a first direction in the stacked body. An end part of the stacked body is shaped like a staircase in which a terrace is formed for each of the electrode films. A portion of the electrode film placed in the end part is thicker than a portion of the electrode film placed in a central part of the stacked body. The semiconductor member extends in the first direction and penetrates through the central part of the stacked body. The first insulating member extends in the first direction and is provided in the end part.

In recent years, there has been proposed a stacked type semiconductor memory device in which memory cells are integrated three-dimensionally. Such a stacked type semiconductor memory device is provided with a stacked body on a semiconductor substrate. The stacked body includes electrode films and insulating films alternately stacked therein. Semiconductor pillars are provided through the stacked body. A memory cell is formed for each intersecting portion of the electrode film and the semiconductor pillar. The end part of the stacked body is processed in a staircase shape. An interlayer insulating film is provided on the end part. A plurality of contact holes reaching the respective electrode films are collectively formed in the interlayer insulating film to form contacts connected to the respective electrode films. However, in such a stacked type semiconductor memory device, increasing the number of stacked layers for improving the degree of integration of memory cells makes it difficult to achieve compatibility between the performance of individual memory cells and the ease of manufacturing.


A method for configuring a computing infrastructure is disclosed. The method comprises representing at least a portion of the computing infrastructure as a graph representation of computing infrastructure elements including a computing infrastructure node and a computing infrastructure edge, detecting a change in the graph representation of computing infrastructure elements, and determining whether the change affects a graph representation query pattern. In the event the change affects the graph representation query pattern, the change is notified to a query agent associated with the graph representation query pattern.

In order to configure and validate operational state of a network, a network administrator may specify a declarative requirement of a desired network configuration and expectations of the operational state. For example, the network administrator may specify a declarative requirement of what the final network configuration should be rather than the mechanics of how to accomplish the network configuration. Often these declarative requirements must include very specific types of requirements specific to a particular type of network architecture to be created. However, in many instances, the network administrator may desire flexibility in being able to utilize different network architectures for desired requirements of a service to be provided. For example, rather than limiting a user to a single type of network architecture that has been preconfigured to be able to be implemented, the user may desire to easily change and implement a new/different network architecture to provide the service of the requirements. Additionally, as the requirements change over time, often the entire computationally costly pipelined process of configuring the network must be performed again in its entirety to implement the change, despite how minor the change is. Therefore, there exists a need for a more flexible way to specify an intent of a desired service.

Configuration, telemetry, and analytics of a computer infrastructure using a graph model


An array substrate, a manufacturing method therefor, and a touch display panel are provided. The array substrate includes: a touch electrode, located on a base substrate and extending along a first direction; a pixel electrode, located on the base substrate, insulated from the touch electrode and including opposing outer edges, the outer edges being sequentially arranged along a second direction. In the second direction, the orthographic projection of the touch electrode on the base substrate is located between the orthographic projections of the outer edges of the pixel electrode on the base substrate. The array substrate prevents or reduces differences between coupling capacitances between the pixel electrode and signal lines on two sides thereof.

Touch technology provides an efficient and convenient way of man-machine interaction. At present, touch technology has been widely used in mobile phones, tablet computers and other electronic devices. In-panel touch display (for example, a touch structure is arranged inside a display panel) technology has a large application space because it can save cost and production power.
Liquid crystal touch screen is a common touch screen at present and mainly includes a touch part for realizing a touch function and a display part for realizing a liquid crystal display function. The liquid crystal display panel includes an array substrate and an opposite substrate (for example, a color filter substrate) opposite to each other, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the array substrate and the opposite substrate. In a liquid crystal display device, deflections of liquid crystal molecules are controlled by applying voltages to a common electrode and a pixel electrode, so that light is controlled. For example, the array substrate is provided with structures such as an array of switch elements, gate lines, data lines, the common electrode, the pixel electrode, and the like.

Array substrate, manufacturing method therefor, and touch display panel

BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. &


A data processor with rotatable display includes a display unit having a rectangular display surface rotatable to either a vertically elongated position or a laterally elongated position, and a control unit for setting an onscreen display format presented by the display unit to either a vertically elongated format or a laterally elongated format. The control unit stores the onscreen display format displayed at the time the data processor is turned off. Then when the data processor is later turned on, the stored onscreen display format is used.

The present invention relates to a data processor which is incorporated in a word processor, a calculating machine, etc.
In general, a conventional data processor incorporated in a word processor, a calculating machine, and the like includes a display apparatus consisting of a CRT (Cathode-Ray Tube), a main controller for controlling image data which includes characters, figures ad the like displayed on the display apparatus, and a key board which is operated by the user to input the image data. The display apparatus has a display unit which is rectangular in shape the orientation of which is fixed, that is, in either a vertically elongated direction or a laterally elongated.
Having the display unit orientation fixed in either a vertically elongated or a laterally elongated direction creates a number of, problems.
For example, if display unit is fixed in the laterally elongate direction so as to have a laterally elongated screen, a larger number of characters can be displayed in the lateral direction documents of A4 size generated in the lateral elongation are present as a whole A4 page of data at one time.
However, various other layouts and sizes of documents exist, such as A4, B4 and the like with two directions for each document that is, a laterally elongated direction and a vertically elongated direction. In making a document for example, of size A4 and vertically elongated orientation the total number of lines of a page which can be displayed by the display unit is not sufficiently large to display the whole A4 page of data on the screen. This leads inefficient document creation.
In recent years, there has been proposed a data processor including a display apparatus where the display unit can be pivoted to either a vertically elongated position and a laterally elongated position. In such a data processor, however, the user must use the key board to set an onscreen format in a vertically or laterally elongated direction, and such an operation of setting a onscreen format is an annoying task to the user.
As related art to the present invention, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,555 discloses a rotatable raster scan display which includes a CRT display apparatus which can switch a onscreen display between a vertically elongated layout and a laterally elongated layout. The rotation of the CRT display apparatus is turned on or off by a control switch to selectively control a length of horizontal scanning lines and a length of a sweep corresponding to the direction of the CRT display apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,377 also discloses a rotatable display work station which includes a CRT display apparatus which can switch a onscreen display between a vertically elongated layout and a laterally elongated layout and in which two kinds of character generators are provided. Character display begins with characters at the upper left portion of a CRT screen in a lateral (horizontal) mode.
Additionally, there are several similar apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications SHO/59-62891 and SHO/62-173509. The former is an apparatus having a picture display which is rectangular in shape and which can be displaced from a vertically elongated position to a laterally elongated position, and vice versa. Either the vertically elongated position or the laterally elongated position of the picture display is detected, and accordingly, the picture display presents a vertically or laterally elongated picture. The latter publication discloses an apparatus having a display unit and a rotary mechanism for turning the display unit itself, in which turning of the display unit is detected to produce a detection signal, and the contents stored in an image memory is turned and rewritten in accordance with the detection signal. However, the contents remain in their current display position if the turning brings about a disallowable display.


A signal processing device includes: a first subarray that includes power amplifiers and phase shifters and that forms a first beam facing in a first direction; a second subarray that includes power amplifiers and phase shifters and that forms a second beam facing in a second direction; a feedback unit that feeds back at least signals that are output from the power amplifiers included in the first subarray; and a processor that is connected to the first subarray and the second subarray. The processor executes a process including: generating, based on a first feedback signal and a transmission signal output to the first subarray, a cancellation signal corresponding to an interference component applied to the second beam by the first beam; and adding the generated cancellation signal to a transmission signal output to the second subarray.

In general, in radio transmission devices, such as base station devices, power amplifiers that amplify electrical power of transmission signals are provided. In the radio transmission devices, in order to enhance power efficiency, the power amplifiers are sometimes operated in the vicinity of a saturation area in which output power is saturated with respect to input electrical power. When the power amplifiers are operated in the vicinity of the saturation area, nonlinear distortion that is generated in the power amplifiers is increased. Thus, in order to suppress the nonlinear distortion and meet the standards for the adjacent channel leakage ratio (ACLR) and the spectrum emission mask (SEM), the radio transmission devices sometimes perform distortion compensation that compensates the nonlinear distortion.
Specifically, there is a pre-distortion technique as one of the distortion compensation techniques. When distortion compensation is performed by using the pre-distortion technique, a distortion compensation coefficient having an inverse characteristic of nonlinear distortion that is generated in a power amplifier is previously multiplied by a transmission signal that is not yet input to the power amplifier. Consequently, the linearity of an output of the power amplifier is enhanced and the nonlinear distortion is suppressed. In the pre-distortion technique, an output signal of the power amplifier is fed back, a distortion compensation coefficient is calculated or adaptively updated by using a look-up table (LUT) or series.
Incidentally, some radio transmission devices include an array antenna and perform beamforming to form a beam that faces a desired direction. This type of the radio transmission device includes a plurality of power amplifiers that are associated with antenna elements in order to amplify each of the transmission signals that are branched off to a plurality of antenna elements. Then, it is conceivable to collectively compensate nonlinear distortion generating in these plurality of power amplifiers. Namely, distortion compensation is performed by multiplying a distortion compensation coefficient that suppresses nonlinear distortion in a direction of a beam by the transmission signal that is not yet branched off to the plurality of antenna elements.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2019-208165
Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2019-154024
Non-Patent Document 1: M. Abdelaziz, et al., "Digital Pre-distortion for Hybrid MIMO Transmitters", IEEE Journal of selected topics in signal processing, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 445-454, June 2018
Non-Patent Document 2: S. Habu et al., "Outband Radiation and Modulation Accuracy of Unified Beamforming DPD", PIMRC 2018, pp. 225-230, September 2018
In recent years, in order to implement high throughput with low power consumption, a beam multiplexing system using hybrid beamforming is proposed. In the hybrid beamforming, an array antenna is grouped into subarrays, the number of which is the same as the number of beams to be multiplexed, and beamforming is performed in each of the subarrays by using an analog method performed by using phase shifters. Consequently, beam multiplexing for causing the beams formed by the respective subarrays to face in different directions is performed. According to the hybrid beamforming, the number of analog circuits, such as digital/analog (D/A) converters or up-converters, needed is only the number corresponding to the number of subarrays; therefore, it is possible to suppress power consumption or component costs as compared to the beamforming performed using a fully digital method.
However, in the beam multiplexing system described above, there is a problem in that interference occurs between beams that are formed by the respective subarrays and throughput is thus decreased. Specifically, for example, when variations occur in the nonlinear characteristics of the power amplifiers included in a single subarray, nonlinear distortion in the beam direction is suppressed by the distortion compensation performed by using the pre-distortion technique; however, nonlinear distortion out of the beam direction remains and interference to the beam direction of another subarray occurs. Namely, when the nonlinear distortion generated in the plurality of power amplifiers included in the subarray is collectively compensated, nonlinear distortion in the beam direction formed by the subject subarray is suppressed; however, the nonlinear distortion in each of the power amplifiers is not always suppressed.
Accordingly, nonlinear distortion is generated in the directions other than the direction of the beam direction and interference is applied to the beam direction of the other subarray.
Furthermore, in the beamforming using a phase shifter, at the same time as forming of the main lobe that has the maximum gain in the beam direction, side lobes each having a relatively large gain are generated in the directions other than the beam direction. Consequently, when the direction of one of the side lobes that is formed by a subarray overlaps the direction of the main lobe that is formed by another subarray, inter-beam interference formed by these subarrays occurs.
As described above, when inter-beam interference of each of the subarrays occurs due to nonlinear distortion or the side lobes, the signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) in a radio reception device, such as a terminal device, located in the beam direction is decreased and, as a result, a decrease in throughput occurs.

Signal processing device and inter-beam interference suppression method


A method and system for dehorning cattle, the system including a unitary applicator that includes a backing, a receptacle for dehorning material, and an adhesive for use in applying and retaining the backing on the head of the calf with the dehorning material in contact with the horn bud.

It is a common practice in the cattle industry to dehorn beef calves at or before about 3 weeks prior to weaning and preferably before 8 weeks of age. Dehorning is considered an important safeguard that prevents the damage caused by horned cattle and the resultant carcass damage and losses. Dehorning at a young age minimizes the risks to the calf, the producer, and the purchaser. These risks include death in older calves, decreased live weight gains in the few weeks following dehorning of older calves, and the resultant loss in productivity.
Moreover, bruising caused by horned feedlot cattle has been reported to cost the world wide beef industry millions of dollars in losses from trimming damaged carcasses. Hornless cattle cause less injury and bruising to herd mates, and a saving on bunk space is possible with dehorned cattle. Moreover, the risk of injury to the operator is increased when working with horned cattle in confined areas, while the risks of death, illness and setback all tend to increase for calves dehorned at an older age.
The cow/calf producer's decision to dehorn and the timing (age) will be influenced by a variety of factors, including his facility, available labor force, expertise with the techniques, awareness of the impact of the procedure on calf health and productivity, and market for the calves. Normal management procedures provide a variety of convenient time and options for dehorning. At one day of age, for instance, the operator will typically apply an identification eartag and inject the calf with vitamin E-selenium, thereby requiring that the calf be restrained, and providing an opportunity to dehorn at the same time. Some producers prefer to batch the calves up weekly during calving season and dehorn many at one time.
Dehorning at an early age (less than about 8 weeks) reduces the risk of serious infection because the horn bud is removed without having to open the sinus (cavity) into the skull, as would occur when dehorning older calves. It is also preferable to avoid the summer and autumn periods when dehorning calves, since the risk of infection and fly strike is too great.
A variety of methods exist for removing horns, each with its own attributes and disadvantages. These include:
1. Polled Bull
The best method of dehorning is the use of a naturally polled bull in the breeding 109 program. The use of a naturally polled bull from naturally polled ancestors over hored breeding cows should result in the birth of polled calves. Continuous use of polled bulls over these female offspring should ensure that all calves continue to be polled. This method has obvious advantages where polled breeds are available with production characteristics similar to those in horned cattle.
2. Chemicals
Newborn calves (less than about 5-6 weeks of age) may be successfully dehorned by using caustic potash or caustic soda, which can be purchased in solid stick or paste form. The chemical destroys the horn-producing cells around the horn bud. In a common procedure the horn bud is exposed by pushing the hair back, and the caustic material is applied to the horn button. The hair is allowed to cover over the horn bud. Some operators prefer to clip the hair prior to applying caustic, which is said to help keep the caustic in place, reduce the risk of irritation to the cows udder and flanks, and reduce irritation to other facial skin of the calf.
This approach, though commonly used, involves several drawbacks however, including the need to avoid contact of the caustic material with the eyes of the calf or body of the user. It is also necessary to use gloves when applying the material, and to avoid application in rainy weather. Caustic pastes are inexpensive however, easy to use, and work well with minimal risk of scurs (residual horn growth). Care should be taken to ensure that the paste is applied only to the horn button and that the calf does not rub the horn against it's body. Otherwise, the paste can be rubbed off by the animal and/or it may run down the body, causing hair loss and irritation. As quantities of paste are lost in this manner, the effectiveness of the procedure can be greatly diminished, occasionally resulting in the formation of a deformed horn, which can be particularly difficult to remove.
3. Hot Iron Method
Application of a specially designed hot iron to the horn bud of the young calf will destroy the horn-producing tissue at the base of the horn. The system is bloodless and can be used at any time of the year on young calves up to 12 weeks of age. Depending on the age of the calf, anesthesia will be recommended. This method requires that the calf be adequately restrained, however, and excessive heat and application times will cause brain damage.
4. Dehorning Spoon or Tube
A number of devices provide a quick and efficient technique for removing horn buds in calves less than 8 weeks of age. They involve the use of a tube (4 sizes available) adapted to fit over the horn bud, and cover about 1/8 inch of skin around the horn base. The cutting edge of the tube is placed straight down over the horn, and the tube is pushed and twisted until the skin has been cut through. The cutting edge of the tube can be used to cut under the horn button area and remove it, after which some bleeding may occur and an antiseptic should be applied.
5. Barnes-Type Dehorners
This is a fast, simple dehorner to use on calves with horns 0.5 to 4 inches long. The handles of the apparatus are closed in a manner sufficient to fit knives over the horn. The instrument is positioned to remove a ring of skin with the horn, such that when the handles can be spread the handles apart quickly, closing the knives and removing the horn.
While dehorning has been an accepted part of cattle management for generations, greater awareness of animal welfare in recent years means that past methods can no longer be accepted without question. It must be appreciated that whatever temporary discomfort might be caused by dehorning is generally outweighed by the long-term benefits of having the whole herd flee from damage caused by horns.
In view of the cost, timing, and efficacy, however, as well as animal welfare and operator health and safety concerns, the cattle industry is ever in need newer and more effective methods and apparatuses for effectively dehorning cattle.


Described herein are synthetic methods for producing sequence-specific RNA oligonucleotides that eliminate impurities produced in prior art methods. In one aspect, an end-protected capture DNA complementary to a portion of the product RNA is employed. In another aspect, the template DNA is covalently or noncovalently linked to the RNA polymerase, either directly or through the use of a nontemplate DNA. In a third aspect, a flow chamber is employed. All of the methods can be used in combination.

The 21st century is seeing huge advances in RNA biology and biochemistry. These studies require pure, monodisperse preparations of RNA. In RNA applications, mRNA therapeutics are poised to become a major player in biologic pharmaceuticals, an already large, established, and growing field (indeed, it is argued that RNA biologics will largely replace protein biologics). The main challenge holding back applications is that the mRNA often triggers the innate immune response in patients, a potentially lethal outcome. It is well known that human cells have an innate immune response that responds to the presence of double stranded RNA (which the mRNA should not be, in theory).
RNA therapeutics approaches are hampered by an undesired immune response that has led to dramatic failures in clinical trials (including some patient deaths). Various companies have developed technologies built on the incorporation of base analogs into the RNA. Success with this approach has been promising, but limited. Indeed, mRNA drugs in clinical trials are vaccines, exploiting the immune response as an adjuvant. Their original target, gene replacement therapies, continue to languish, as extensive purification only sometimes alleviates this problem, and not fully.
Currently, there are two established routes to generate synthetic RNA: chemically or enzymatically. The chemical route is generally limited to RNAs shorter than about 30-50 bases in length, depending on the application. The enzymatic route is routinely used to generate large quantities of short (e.g., 30 base) and long (kilobase) RNA in vitro using T7 RNA polymerase (T7RP) or one of its closely related family members. T7RP is a promoter specific, highly processive enzyme. However, it also participates in promoter-independent transcription that results in unwanted product. This promiscuity often contaminates the transcription pool with undesired longer (and shorter) products. It is believed to be longer, double stranded impurities in the RNA that present the biggest challenge to the RNA therapeutics industry, as delivered RNAs often invoke an unwanted innate immune response (which has led to patient deaths in clinical trials).
What is needed are novel synthetic methods for sequence-specific RNA oligonucleotides that eliminate impurities produced in prior art methods.

Enzymatic methods to generate high yields of sequence specific rna with extreme precision


A probe is made by attaching a carbon nanotube 12 to a mounting base end 13, which eliminates the effects of a carbon contamination film, to increase the bonding strength, increase the conductivity of the probe, and strengthen the bonding performance thereof by coating the entire circumference of the nanotube and the base with a coating film, rather than coating just one side. The work of mounting the carbon nanotube and mounting base end are performed under observation by a microscope. Further, the carbon contamination film 14 formed by an electron microscope is stripped off at a stage before bonding by the coating film.

In recent years, scanning probe microscopes and electron microscopes using carbon nanotubes and other nanotubes as tips of probes have been proposed (Patent Document 1). Nanotubes are utilized in scanning probe microscopes as probe tips provided at the front ends of cantilevers and are utilized in electron microscopes as electron source probes. Patent Document 1 generally discloses a surface signal scan probe for electronic apparatuses and a method of producing the same. Electronic apparatuses include scanning probe microscopes. The probe disclosed in Patent Document 1 is produced utilizing carbon nanotubes and other various types of nanotubes. This is so as to try to realize a high resolution, high rigidity, and high bending modulus probe. In probe tips of scanning probe microscopes, research and studies have been conducted to increase the resolution from the viewpoint of how to make them sharper. In this sense, nanotubes may become important technology for the future.
Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2000-227435) discloses an example of a method of producing a probe utilizing a carbon nanotube. A carbon nanotube is easy to produce, is inexpensive, and is suitable for mass production. The Patent Document 1 explains as an optimal method of production the method of production using electrophoresis to arrange a carbon nanotube at a metal plate of a holder etc. The carbon nanotube arranged at the holder is mounted at a mounting base end in the state attached to the holder. The mounting base end is for example the probe tip of an atomic force microscope. This mounting work (assembly work) is performed while positioning under observation by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). After the mounting work, the region including the mounting base end is formed with a coating film so as to bond the carbon nanotube to the mounting base end. As the method for forming the coating film, the method of using electron beam irradiation based on an SEM to form a carbon film, the method of breaking down reactive coating gas by an electron beam to form a coating film, and also the examples of CVD or PVD have been proposed. The carbon film formed by electron beam irradiation based on an SEM is usually called a "carbon contamination film". Further, technology for forming a coating film at an intermediate part between the carbon nanotube and mounting base end to form a coating film and increase the carbon nanotube in thickness and strength has already been proposed.
According to the method of producing a probe utilizing a nanotube described in the above Patent Document 1, the problem arises that the produced probe is insufficient in strength. That is, when bonding the carbon nanotube to the mounting base end, the bonding coating film is formed via the carbon contamination film arising due to SEM observation, so the bonding strength becomes insufficient. Further, when strengthening a probe made using a carbon nanotube, since only one side is coated, sufficient strengthening is not possible. Further, since the bonding is via a carbon contamination film, the problem also arises that the conductivity is difficult to secure.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2000-227435

Probe manufacturing method, probe, and scanning probe microscope


The invention includes a fastener with a molded-on compliant seal having a fastener portion including a shaft and an insertion head at a first end for extending through an apertured panel and locking against a rear face thereof. A base for attaching an object thereto is provided at the second end of the shaft. A rigid seal support extends outwardly from the shaft at a location between the first and second ends. The fastener portion including shaft, insertion head, base and seal support are preferably made from a single piece of relatively rigid material. A compliant seal covers at least the portion of the rigid seal support on surface facing the insertion head and extends outwardly from the support. The compliant seal is positioned to engage the front face of the panel providing a water barrier surrounding the aperture. The present invention does not rattle or produce other undesirable sounds during vehicle operation due to the compliant seal. The fastener allows an object to be attached anywhere in the vehicle simply by providing an aperture at a desired location including in floor boards, door panels and trunk, decklids and side panels.

A variety of fasteners are known for connecting an object to an apertured panel. Such fasteners have heretofore been widely used in vehicle applications. The fasteners often include a shaft having an insertion head at a first end for inserting through an apertured panel and locking against a rear face of the panel. A base is provided at the other end of the shaft for securing an object thereto. The aperture formed in the panel must be wide enough to receive the insertion head. As a result, the aperture is often wider than the shaft. This causes the fastener to rotate or spin under vibration often causing undesirable rattling sounds as the vehicle is operated. Heretofore, use of such fasteners have been prohibited in expected dry areas in the vehicle such as the passenger compartment, floor board, or trunk due to water intrusion through the aperture.
The present invention provides alternatives to and advantages over the prior art.


The present subject matter relates to a method comprising performing, by a user equipment, a first registration at a registration node via a first network access; performing, by the user equipment, a second registration at the registration node via a second network access. In response to determining that the user equipment is not connected to the registration node via the first network access, an update of the first registration with the registration node may be triggered, by the user equipment, dependent upon the user equipment being connected to the registration node via the second network access.

The 5th generation wireless networks (5G) refer to a new generation of radio systems and network architecture. 5G is expected to provide higher bitrates and coverage than the current long term evolution (LTE) systems. 5G is also expected to increase network expandability up to hundreds of thousands of connections. The signal technology of 5G is anticipated to be improved for greater coverage as well as spectral and signaling efficiency. 5G is expected to deliver extreme broadband and ultra-robust, low latency connectivity and massive networking to support different network access technologies However, with different network access technologies becoming more widespread, there will be a growing need for networks that meet the needs of efficient use of the network access technologies.

Method for user equipment's registration update


Disclosed is a polymerization solution for electrolytic polymerization containing borodisalicylic acid and/or a salt thereof as a supporting electrolyte, in which precipitation due to the hydrolysis of borodisalicylate ions is inhibited and which provides a conductive polymer exhibiting excellent heat resistance. The polymerization solution has: a solvent consisting of 100 to 80% by mass of water and 0 to 20% by mass of an organic solvent; at least one monomer having a π-conjugated double bond; at least one supporting electrolyte selected from the group consisting of borodisalicylic acid and borodisalicylic salts; and at least one stabilizing agent selected from the group consisting of nitrobenzene and nitrobenzene derivatives, and the content of the stabilizing agent content is more than ⅛ mol per 1 mol of the supporting electrolyte. A complex is formed by the stabilizing agent and borodisalicylic acid, and the formation of precipitation due to the hydrolysis of borodisalicylate ions is inhibited.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polymerization solution for electrolytic polymerization having a small environmental load, having excellent economic efficiency and providing a conductive polymer exhibiting excellent heat resistance. The present invention also relates to a conductive polymer film and a solid electrolytic capacitor obtained from the polymerization solution.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conductive polymer obtained from polymerization of monomer having a π-conjugated double bond such as thiophene, aniline and pyrrol is excellent in conductivity and suitable for various kinds of electrochemical purposes, and has been applied in a wide range of fields such as solid electrolytic capacitors, polymer batteries, antistatic films, indicating elements, sensors and electrode materials. For example, the conductive polymer is preferably used in a solid electrolytic capacitor that contains a positive electrode made of valve metal foil such as aluminum foil, tantalum foil and niobium foil that has an oxide film as a dielectric on the surface, and a conductive polymer film that is adjacent to the oxide film and acts as a real negative electrode.
A polymerization solution for electrolytic polymerization used for preparing the conductive polymer usually contains a monomer having a π-conjugated double bond, a supporting electrolyte and a solvent for dissolving them.
The solvent of the polymerization solution is appropriately selected considering the solubility of the monomer. For example, Patent Document 1 (JP 61-239617 A) discloses a method of preparing a conductive polymer film by electrolytic polymerization of aniline substituted by an alkyl group or an alkoxyl group, and in working examples, water is used as a solvent of a polymerization solution. Patent Document 2 (JP 1-313521 A) discloses a method of preparing a conductive polymer by electrolytic polymerization of 3,4-disubstituted thiophene including 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene is hereinafter referred to as "EDOT" and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) is hereinafter referred to as "PEDOT"), and in working examples, acetonitrile is used as a solvent of a polymerization solution. Also, Patent Document 3 (JP 3-18009 A) discloses a solid electrolytic capacitor that contains a conductive polymer film formed by electrolytic polymerization of non-substituted pyrrol, and in working examples, acetonitrile or water is used as a solvent of a polymerization solution.
The supporting electrolyte acting also as a dopant is appropriately selected considering its solubility in the solvent and the fact that the dopant is not easily detached from a polymer obtained, and is used with a concentration at which sufficient current can be obtained for electrolytic polymerization. A vast number of supporting electrolytes have been suggested so far. For example, Patent Document 4 (JP 2010-37466 A) summarizes in paragraph 0026 dopants emitted from supporting electrolytes conventionally suggested such as perchlorate ion, p-toluenesulfonate ion and borodisalicylate ion, and suggests a benzenesulfonic acid salt substituted by a branched alkyl group as a supporting electrolyte that provides higher heat resistance than conventional supporting electrolytes. Patent Document 5 (JP 2000-269087 A) discloses using an aqueous polymerization solution in which a thiophene derivative is emulsified by an alkylnaphthalenesulfonate surfactant to produce a solid electrolytic capacitor. Because of the bulkiness of an alkylnaphthalenesulfonate anion which is taken into the polymer layer as a dopant by electrolytic polymerization, de-doping is inhibited, and a solid electrolytic capacitor, which is stable under high temperature and high humidity, is obtained. Further, Non-Patent Document 1 ("Synthesis of High-Function Conductive Polymers (PPy, PEDOT, etc.), Development of Application Fields to Electronic and Energy Devices and Future Prospects" Proceedings, pp. 30-33) describes electrolytic polymerization of pyrrol, and sodium triisopropylnaphthalenesulfonate is used as a supporting electrolyte.
However, the use of organic solvents generally increase environmental burdens and is economically disadvantageous compared with the use of water. Moreover, many of the organic solvents are harmful to humans, and in the case of electrolytic polymerization using a combustible solvent, procedures need to be taken to prevent fire by electric spark. Therefore, it is preferable to use water as a solvent of a polymerization solution, and it is also preferable to use an inexpensive supporting electrolyte that is dissolved in water.
Among the supporting electrolytes that have been known so far, borodisalicylic acid and/or its salt are comparatively inexpensive and economically advantageous, but on the other hand, it is known that precipitation is rapidly produced when borodisalicylic acid and/or its salt are dissolved in water and stirred, or that even if it is not stirred, precipitation is gradually produced. Therefore, if borodisalicylic acid and/or its salt are selected as a supporting electrolyte for electrolytic polymerization of monomer with a π-conjugated double bond, an organic solvent has been selected. For example, in Patent Document 6 (JP 2-58818 A), a solid electrolytic capacitor is obtained by electrolytic polymerization in which a polymerization solution containing an organic solvent, a monomer such as pyrrol, and an alkyl-substituted ammonium borodisalicylate as a supporting electrolyte is used. The alkyl-substituted ammonium borodisalicylate is selected as the supporting electrolyte dissolved in the organic solvent. This document also states that a polymerized film with a problem in terms of thermal stability is obtained from a polymerization solution that is prepared by using ammonium borodisalicylate, which has low solubility in an organic solvent, as a supporting electrolyte, and adding water to organic solvents

Polymerization solution, conductive polymer film obtained from the polymerization solution, and solid electrolytic capacitor


The various embodiments of the method of the present invention include a method to improving or expanding the capacity of a sleep analysis unit or laboratory, a method sleep analysis testing a patient admitted for diagnosis or treatment of another primary medical condition while being treated or diagnosed for that condition, a method of sleep analysis testing a patient that cannot be easily moved or treated in a sleep analysis unit or laboratory and other like methods.

Nearly one in seven people in the United States suffer from some type of chronic sleep disorder, and only 50% of people are estimated to get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep each night. It is further estimated that sleep deprivation and its associated medical and social costs (loss of productivity, industrial accidents, etc.) exceed $150 billion per year. Excessive sleepiness can deteriorate the quality of life and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality due to its role in industrial and transportation accidents. Sleepiness further has undesirable effects on motor vehicle driving, employment, higher earning and job promotion opportunities, education, recreation, and personal life.
Primary sleep disorders affect approximately 50 million Americans of all ages and include narcolepsy, restless legs/periodic leg movement, insomnia, and most commonly, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA's prevalence in society is comparable with diabetes, asthma, and the lifetime risk of colon cancer. OSA is grossly under diagnosed; an estimated 80-90% of persons afflicted have not received a clinical diagnosis. Some medical conditions have been associated with increased risk for sleep disorders, specifically sleep-related breathing disorders. Such conditions include cardiovascular disease such as hypertension, stroke, and congestive heart failure. Evidence indicates that treatment of the sleep-related breathing disorder can improve cardiac function in these patients. Similarly, evidence indicates sleep-related breathing disorders can increase the prevalence of nocturnal cardiac arrhythmia development.
Sleeping disorders are currently diagnosed by two general methods. Subjective methods, such as the Epworth and Standford Sleepiness Scale, generally involve questionnaires that require patients to answer a series of qualitative questions regarding their sleepiness during the day. With these subjective methods, however, it is found that the patients usually underestimate their level of sleepiness or they deliberately falsify their responses because of their concern regarding punitive action or as an effort to obtain restricted stimulant medication. The second group of methods uses physiological evaluations, such as all-night polysomnography to evaluate a patient's sleep architecture (e.g., obtaining respiratory disturbance index to diagnose sleep apnea). A polysomnogram (PSG) can also be followed by an all-day test such as the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) or its modified version, the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT). The PSG typically requires patients to spend the night in a sleep laboratory connected to multiple sensors while they attempt to sleep.
Sleep laboratory studies require the patient to physically go to the sleep lab to be tested. These labs typically have a small number of sleeping rooms containing all the necessary sleep study equipment. The equipment from each room many times is wired to a central monitoring room where a sleep technician collects and analyzes data from several subjects. Due to the limited capacity and a high volume of patients requiring sleep studies, many labs have unacceptable waiting lists. Additionally, many patients requiring sleep studies have related medical conditions, such as severe cardiovascular disease, or are immobile making travel to a sleep lab difficult. As a result, many patients must wait for an available appointment or improved health before a laboratory-based sleep study is possible. This delay in diagnosing the patient's sleep disorder leads to a delay in treatment and an increased risk of developing a related medical condition.
Current methods attempting to conduct a sleep study at the patient's location have proved unsuccessful. Patients who are already ill or hospitalized cannot travel to a sleep lab, nor can a sleep test be conducted in an inpatient hospital room. Standard, and even specialized, hospital rooms are not equipped to conduct a sleep study. Facilities are not frequently retrofitted with sleep study equipment due to the huge expense involved, particularly for limited use. Further, hospital rooms are crowded with other equipment, which makes adding bulky sleep study carts infeasible. Similarly, few hospitals have space near patient rooms available for use as a monitoring room.
To address some of these concerns, methods have been developed to conduct unattended studies. An unattended sleep test does not require the step of transmitting the data to a monitoring location. These methods have relied on equipment incapable of transmitting data during the sleep study, creating the unattended test. Such unattended tests, however, are plagued with signal failure. In one study involving unattended PSG, data from over 23% of the patients were unusable due to missing channels, even though a technician called the PSG recording device every 30 minutes to check the quality of the recordings. Further, unattended tests do not resolve the problem of fitting a sleep cart into a crowded patient room.
None of the current methods for conducting a sleep study outside a sleep lab allow transmission of the collected data during the test. All of the current methods require the PSG data to be stored during the test and read only after the test has been completed. As such, the data cannot be periodically or continuously checked for adequacy. Even if the data were periodically evaluated, the current methods do not use a step of allowing a remote monitor to communicate with the subject to correct any sensor/signal problems. The current methods also do not include live video feeds that enable a remote monitor to visualize the subject during the sleep test. Moreover, the current methods make it extremely difficult to conduct a full polysonnagram sleep study outside a sleep lab have enabled the entire sleep system to fit inside a crowded hospital room.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of conducting a sleep analysis outside a sleep lab wherein the data is transmitted at substantially the same time it that is collected or created. It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of conducting a sleep analysis outside the sleep lab that is remotely attended. It is another objective of the present invention to provide a method of conducting a sleep analysis outside the sleep lab on subjects who are already patients in a hospital room. It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a method of conducting a sleep analysis with a small, lightweight data acquisition system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


To provide a portable timepiece having high durability constructed by a constitution capable of promoting operability of attaching and detaching a crown and holding a crown in an unoperated state so as not to rotate the crown unpreparedly. In a winding stem pipe attached to a case body, a crown urged in a direction of separating from the case body by a coil spring (urging member) included in a crown cylinder portion of the pipe is removably provided to a case body outside projected portion of the winding stem pipe. An outer periphery of the case body outside projected portion is formed with a plurality of communicating grooves along a rotational direction of the crown, a plurality of attaching and detaching through grooves communicated to the communicating grooves and opened to an end face of the case body outside projected portion, and a plurality of holding grooves communicated with the communicating grooves and formed in a dead end state and contiguous to the through grooves. A plurality of engaging projected portion brought to and from the respective grooves are provided at a cover portion of the crown covering the case body outside projected portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable timepiece having a structure of holding a crown such that the crown is not unpreparedly rotated.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is a portable timepiece adopting a structure of locking a crown by utilizing mesh of screws such that the crown is not unpreparedly rotated in carrying the portable timepiece.
The crown locking structure is a structure in which a winding stem pipe is attached to a case body including a timepiece movement and a female screw portion of a main portion of the crown fitted to a case body outside projected portion is screwed to a male screw portion formed at an outer periphery of the case body outside projected portion of the pipe. Thereby, normally, the crown can be locked by screwing the main portion of the crown to the outer periphery of the case body outside projected portion. Further, in operating the timepiece movement, a winding stem arranged on an inner side of the winding stem pipe can be operated to rotate in a state of pulling to move the crown after disengaging the main portion of the crown from being screwed to the male screw portion (refer to, for example, Patent References 1, 2).
<Patent Reference 1> Japanese Utility Model Application No. 2-57175 (JP-UM-A-4-16394)
<Patent Reference 2> Japanese Utility Model Application No. 5-61093 (JP-UM-A-7-26792)
According to the portable timepiece having the crown locking structure utilizing the mesh of screws, when the crown is left without operating to rotate the crown for a long period of time, there is a case in which an abnormally large force is needed in releasing the crown from being locked by corroding the male screw portion and the female screw portion, or bringing about a biting phenomenon. Further, there is a case in which in accordance with operating to rotate the crown repeatedly, the female screw portion of the crown and the male screw portion of the winding stem pipe brought in mesh with each other are worn or ground. Thereby, a function of locking the crown is deteriorated.


Circuits and a method to enhance scan testing by controlling clock pulses that are provided to flip-flops within an integrated circuit are provided. An integrated circuit is provided that includes a scan testing clock control circuit for flip-flops. The scan testing clock control circuit enables control of a clock input signal to one or more flip-flops within the integrated circuit. In one embodiment, a scan testing clock control circuit can be used to ensure that a flip-flop receives a clock input signal during scan testing. In one embodiment the scan testing clock control circuit includes a latch, and an AND gate. A method for scan testing using a scan testing clock control circuit for flip-flops is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to integrated circuits, and more particularly, to scan testing of integrated circuits.
2. Background of Invention
Effective testing of integrated circuits significantly enhances the ability of integrated circuit developers and manufacturers to provide reliable devices. Various techniques have been employed to test integrated circuits during the manufacturing process. One such technique that is commonly known, and has been used within the industry for over twenty years is scan testing.
Scan testing provides an efficient approach to testing the structural integrity of devices, such as flip-flops, within a complex integrated circuit. Scan testing does not test integrated circuit-level functionality. Rather, test personnel use scan testing to confirm that individual flip-flops within an integrated circuit function properly. The sheer number of flip-flops within an integrated circuit, which is often greater than a million, presents a daunting challenge for testing. Scan testing addresses this challenge through the use of automated test units that provide test vectors to scan paths including thousands of flip-flops within integrated circuits that have been designed to support scan testing.
Typically, complex integrated circuits are designed and implemented as a series of interconnected functional blocks, each of which can be tested independently. Devices, such as flip-flops, within these functional blocks can be designed, such that they can be connected together in a scan path to support scan testing. Flip-flops and other elements within a scan path include, in addition to inputs and outputs used for normal operation, two inputs associated with the scan testing capability. These include a scan input (SI) and a scan enable (SE) input. Flip-flops within a scan path have their output connected to the SI input of a subsequent flip-flop. The first flip-flop within a scan path receives its input from an automated test unit through a test access port on the chip. The last flip-flop within a scan path provides its output to the automated test unit through a test access port. Many scan paths can exist within a single integrated circuit.
One challenge to providing effective scan testing is ensuring that the state of flip-flops only change during scan testing in a controlled manner. When the state of flip-flops are not controlled during testing, they can impact other flip-flops in unpredictable ways leading to output patterns that do not correspond to reference patterns. To control the state of flip-flops, clock signals input into flip-flop devices must be controlled.
Furthermore, as processor speeds have increased, regulating clock inputs to flip-flops during scan testing has become more complicated. Circuitry to control the clock input during testing must not induce timing delays during normal operation. Even slight delays on the order of picoseconds can potentially lead to erratic behavior in an integrated circuit.
What is needed are circuits and methods of control of clock signals for flip-flops to facilitate efficient scan testing without impairing the normal operation of an integrated circuit.

Scan testing mode control of gated clock signals for flip-flops


A simplified air bleed balancing control system for a pair of aircraft gas turbine engines reduces the number of pressure transducers and differential pressure transducers. Advantages include lower weight, less expensive system, better total system MTBF (mean time before failure), acceptable differential pressure transducer drift identification and compensation by the digital controller, and fewer maintenance tasks.

As shown in FIG. 1, gas turbine engines 10 of the type commonly found on many aircraft include a compressor 20, a combuster 30 and a turbine 40. The compressor 20 compresses air which is then mixed with fuel for combustor 30 to ignite. The combustor 30 exhausts gases turn the vanes of the turbine(s) 40. Power from the rotating turbine 40 operates the compressor 20.
Turbine engine compressors 20 can be designed to supply more compressed air than is needed to operate the engine 10. This additional compressed air from the compressor 20 can be used for tasks other than feeding the combustor 30. For example, it is common to bleed some of the compressed air from the compressor 30 and route it to other equipment onboard the aircraft such as de-icers, cabin pressurization systems and the like.
Each of the aircraft engines 10 can be used as a source for compressed bleed air. It is generally desirable to balance the amount of bleed air obtained from each pair of engines 10 to equalize wear and other engine operating conditions. Various techniques have been designed in the past to control such bleed air balancing.
An exemplary prior art airflow balancing control 100 for a dual engine, dual bleed aircraft is shown in FIG. 2. In this prior art exemplary design, hot bleed air flow from the compressor 30 of a first engine 10a is regulated by a first pressure regulating shutoff valve 110a, and hot bleed air flow from the compressor 20 of a second engine 10b is regulated by a second pressure regulating shutoff valve 110b. These two streams of regulated hot bleed air are provided to precoolers 112a, 112b that receive cold air from the fan or prop (in the case of a turboprop) on the front of the engines 10a, 10b. The amount of cold air is also regulated by valves 114a, 114b. The outputs of precoolers 112a, 112b are provided to opposite input ports 116a,116b of a T-configuration bleed air manifold 118. Upon entering the input ports 116a, 116b, the bleed air flow encounters temperature sensors 108a, 108b respectively that measure the bleed air temperature. The two different bleed air streams are then passed through respective venturis 120a, 120b before being combined into a common air supply to aircraft systems available at a manifold output port 122. Differential pressure transducers 104a, 104b placed across each venturi 120a, 120b measures the bleed air flow pressure differential across the venturi's throat. Pressure transducers 106a, 106b placed within the manifold 116 before the bleed air flow encounters the venturis 120 measures the absolute pressure of each engine's bleed air flow.
It can be observed that digital controller 102 receives the signals provided by the two differential pressure transducers 104a, 104b, the two pressure transducers 106a, 106b and the two temperature sensors 108a, 108b. Digital controller 102 processes these signals to determine the mass air flow of each bleed air stream. Control law software operating on the controller 102 calculates currents that are delivered to modulate the PRSOV 1 (Pressure Regulating Shutoff Valve) 110a and PRSOV 2 (Pressure Regulating Shutoff Valve) 110b butterflies that independently control how much air to bleed from the compressors 20 of each of engines 10a, 10b, respectively. In this way, the controller 102 can dynamically balance the mass air flow from the respective bleed air streams to ensure that each engine 10a, 10b contributes exactly half of the total bleed air pressure provided at manifold output port 122.
Generally speaking, the exemplary illustrative non-limiting controller 102 may implement a control law algorithmic process that processes these currents as follows. The pressure delivered to the aircraft systems should stabilize in the desired set point in acceptable settling time; the respective pressure overshoot and undershoot should also be acceptable and under steady state condition; each engine should contribute half of the total air bleed flow.
While much work has been done in the past, further improvements are possible and desirable. In particular, it would be highly advantageous to simplify the air bleed balancing control system described above to reduce the number of pressure transducers, to reduce system weight and to optimize the bleed balancing control system.
An exemplary illustrative non-limiting method of controlling bleed air flow may comprise measuring the differential pressure between a first bleed air flow and a second bleed air flow; generating a differential pressure correction signal in response to said measured differential pressure; measuring the pressure of a bleed air flow obtained by combining said first and second bleed air flows; and controlling valves modulating said first and second bleed air flows based at least in part on said measured pressure and said differential pressure correction signal.
The method may further include measuring the temperature of said first bleed air flow and measuring the temperature of said second bleed air flow, and said controlling includes modulating said first and second bleed air flows in response to said measured temperatures. The differential pressure measuring may comprise measuring the differential pressure between the throat of a first venturi through which said first bleed air flow passes, and the throat of a second venturi through which said second bleed air flow passed. The differential pressure measuring may comprise measuring the differential pressure between two different regions of a manifold used to combine said first and second bleed air flows. The method may further include deriving said first bleed air flow from a first gas turbine engine, and deriving said second bleed air flow from a second gas turbine engine. The generating may includes applying a proportional gain, an integration and a differentiation. The controlling may comprise controlling first and second pressure regulating shutoff valves.
A dual engine bleed airflow regulator may comprise a single pressure transducer that measures the pressure of combined first bleed air flow from a first engine and a second bleed air flow from a second engine; a single bi-directional differential pressure transducer that measures the difference between the pressure of said first bleed air flow and said second bleed air flow; and a controller responsive to said single differential pressure transducer and said single pressure transducer, said controller generating a first control signal for modulating said first bleed air flow and generating a second control signal for modulating said second bleed air flow.
Non-limiting exemplary illustrative features and advantages include:                Reduced number of pressure transducers.        Reduced number of differential pressure transducers.        Lower weight.        Less expensive system.        Acceptable differential pressure transducer drift identification and compensation by the digital controller during the system power-up (when there is zero pressure)        Better total system MTBF (mean time before failure) and, consequently, it requires less maintenance tasks.

Bleed airflow balancing control using simplified sensing

EMBRAER—Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A.


Techniques and systems for estimating the spreading factor of data in a channel in a spread spectrum radio communication system is described. An illustrative method includes communication between a base station and a mobile station that takes place over a multirate data channel having a corresponding control channel. The control channel is transmitted in parallel with the data channel and is decoded to extract control information in order to decode the data channel. An illustrative method and system for estimating the spreading factor of data in a channel in a spread spectrum radio communication system includes a transmitter and a receiver, wherein the transmitter transmits a data unit at one of a plurality of spreading factors over a data channel and transmits in parallel over a control channel a control unit including information for decoding the data unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a spread spectrum communication system, and more specifically, to spreading factor estimation in a spread spectrum communication system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a spread spectrum system, a modulation technique is used which spreads the information signal over a wide frequency band within the communication channel. The frequency band is much wider than the minimum bandwidth required to carry the information signal. For example, if the information signal is a voice signal, it may have a bandwidth of only a few kilohertz but, during transmission, it's energy could be spread so as to be transmitted over a channel 5 MHz wide. This is accomplished by modulating the information signal with a wideband encoding signal. The information signal is then recovered by remapping the received spread spectrum into its original bandwidth.
Spread spectrum systems can be multiple access communication systems. One type is a code division multiple access (CDMA) system. In a CDMA system, users of the system can simultaneously use the same wideband physical communication channel (for example, the same 5 MHz part of the spectrum) with the signals between one group/pair of users being differentiated from that of another by a unique spreading code.
The present invention is a particularly applicable to a cellular system. A highly schematic cellular architecture is shown in FIG. 1. The system comprises a plurality of macrocell base stations 10 (only an exemplary 10a, 10b, 10c being shown) providing service within a corresponding macrocell 12 (only an exemplary 12a, 12b, 12c being shown). The system also comprises a plurality of mobile stations 14 (only an exemplary 14a and 14b are shown in the macrocell 10a). Each base station 10 communicates with the mobile stations 14 on a CDMA channels at a frequency F1 and a bandwidth of 5 MHz, the communication channel (s) carried out between a base station 10 and a mobile station 14 in the service area thereof being defined by at least one unique spreading code.


A discharge lamp of the short arc type has a bulb with an arc tube and sealing tubes extending at opposite sides of the arc tube and which contains a discharge gas and a pair of opposed electrodes supported on lead pins which protrude from the outer end of the sealing tubes, the lead pins being affixed to graded glass in the sealing tube. A cooling fin surrounds the outer surface of one of the sealing tubes; and is formed of a pair of plate-shaped bodies each of which has a curved portion that contacts an outer surface of the sealing tube a strip-shaped portion extending radially from each of opposite edges of the curved portion. The strip-shaped portions of the plate-shaped bodies positionally overlap, and cooling openings are formed in the strip-shaped portions of only one of the plate-shaped bodies. Preferably, a gap is formed between the plate-shaped bodies.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a light source device comprising a discharge lamp of the short arc type used as a light source for a projection apparatus wherein light is applied to a light modulation device and an image is produced by the reflected light.
2. Description of Related Art
As known from commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/340,456 published as Publication No. 2006/0170318, a discharge lamp A of the short arc type (hereinafter simply a "lamp") having xenon gas in an arc tube B, as shown in FIG. 13, is a known light source for projection apparatus, such as projectors. The lamp A, comprising a bulb D having arc tube B, a sealing tube C formed at both ends of the arc tube B, has a anode E and cathode F paired and placed opposite each other inside the arc tube B, Lead pins G support the anode E and the cathode F and are structured so as to protrude outward from the outer edge of sealing tubes C.
Due to the very high pressure resulting inside the arc tube B when lit, to increase radiance, this lamp must be structured so that the sealing tubes C will not break even under high internal pressure, and the lead pins G must protrude from the outer end of the sealing tubes C for electric power to be supplied to the lamp A. Therefore, sealing parts I are formed in the lamp A by using graded glass H on the lead pins G and sealing tubes C.
In recent years, however, due to the trend toward carrying projection apparatus, such as projectors incorporating a lamp such as lamp A, and using them in various locations, there is a demand for smaller projection apparatus, and therefore, smaller lamps. In order to make lamps smaller, the lamp length must be shortened, and in a lamp such as that shown in FIG. 13, the distance L between the back end portion EA of the anode E and the sealing part I must be shortened. However, it has been found that, when shortening this distance L, the sealing part I and the anode E become closer and the temperature of the sealing part I increases due to the high temperature of the anode E when the lamp is lit, thereby causing a problem in which the sealing part I is damaged.
The anode E and the cathode F are placed opposite each other inside the arc tube B, and the lead pins G which support this anode E and cathode F pass through cylindrical retaining bodies J. The portion of the sealing tube C where these cylindrical retaining bodies J are located is heated up, thereby decreasing the diameter to form a pinched part K.
In this pinched part K, the space between the inner face of the openings through which the lead pins G of the cylindrical retaining bodies J pass and the outer face of the lead pins G is not completely welded. The internal space of the arc tube B and the internal space of the sealing tubes C is continuous. A problem occurred in which the gas in the internal space of the arc tube A, which is in a high temperature state, flowed into the sealing tube C, and came into contact with the sealing parts I of the graded glass H, damaging the sealing parts I.
Taking such situations into consideration, to make it possible to cool the discharge gas which flows into the sealing tube C, even if the above-mentioned distance L is shortened in the discharge lamp of the short arc type disclosed in the above noted U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0170318, a sealing tube cooling component M has been provided on the outside face of the sealing tube C and a lead pin cooling component N has been provided around the circumference of the lead pin G which protruded from the outer edge of the sealing tube C. In so doing, cooling air is blown onto the sealing tube cooling component M and sealing tube C is indirectly cooled through the sealing tube cooling component M, which is cooler than the sealing tube C, thereby decreasing the temperature of the discharge gas which flows inside the sealing tube C. Therefore, it is believed that damage to the sealing part I can be prevented.
However, when the above-mentioned lamp A was actually produced and operated, the temperature of the discharge gas flowing through the inside of the sealing tube C could not be sufficiently decreased for the following reasons, and the sealing part I was occasionally damaged.
As shown in FIG. 14, the sealing tube cooling component M, comprising a plate-shaped body MA having an arc-shaped curved portion MA1 which comes into contact with the sealing tube C and strip-shaped part MA2 which is continuous from the edge of curved part MA1, and another plate-shaped body MB having an arc-shaped curved portion MB1 and plate-shaped part MB2 which is continuous from the edge of curved part MB2, is structured such that the pinnated parts MA2, MB2 overlap. When one strip-shaped body MA is placed in the upstream direction of the airflow, the cooling air only blows directly onto the strip-shaped body placed in the upstream direction of the airflow. The cooling air never directly comes into contact with the other plate-shaped body MB. Therefore, the other plate-shaped body MB is only cooled indirectly by thermal conduction from the plate-shaped body MA through the strip-shaped bodies MA2, MB2 which are mutually adjacent. Therefore, the plate-shaped body MB will be in a higher temperature state than the plate-shaped body MA. As a result, the temperature at the locations in the sealing tube C with which the curved part MB1 of the other plate-shaped body MB comes into contact will not decrease, so it is assumed that the temperature of the discharge gas flowing inside the locations was not sufficiently reduced.
The above-mentioned problem can conceivably be solved by placing both plate-shaped bodies in the upstream direction of the airflow, or more specifically, using a plurality of cooling mechanisms between which both plate-shaped bodies are placed, and having cooling air blow onto both plate-shaped bodies from both directions, thereby cooling both plate-shaped bodies. However, providing a plurality of cooling mechanisms has the disadvantages that the projection apparatus in which the discharge lamp of the short arc type is mounted consequently becomes larger, going against the above-mentioned demand for smaller size, and the noise generated by the projection apparatus becomes excessive, thereby annoying the user.

Discharge lamp of the short arc type and a light source device having the discharge lamp of the short arc type