Some aspects are directed at methods and systems that directly specifies or uses standardized power data in standardized format(s) in various design tasks for implementing mixed-signal electronic designs by using native process(es) or module(s) of standardized power format framework(s) to evaluate legal signals or expressions to generate the first output and evaluation process(es) or module(s) to evaluate illegal signals or expressions to generate the second output for the design tasks, without using wrappers to encapsulate circuit blocks generating illegal signals and hence disrupt the original design hierarchical structures or using translators to translate illegal signals or expressions into corresponding legal signals or expressions for the standardized power format frameworks. The methods or systems evaluate combinations of legal and illegal signals and expressions by forwarding both the first and second outputs to standardized power format frameworks to use their native process(es) or module(s) to evaluate the combinations.

Integrated circuits, or ICs, are created by patterning a substrate and materials deposited on the substrate. The substrate is typically a semiconductor wafer. The patterned features make up devices and interconnections. This process generally starts with a designer creating an integrated circuit by hierarchically defining functional components of the circuit using a hardware description language. From this high-level functional description, a physical circuit implementation dataset is created, which is usually in the form of a netlist. This netlist identifies logic cell instances from a cell library, and describes cell-to-cell connectivity.
Many phases of these electronic design activities may be performed with computer aided design (CAD) tools or electronic design automation (EDA) systems. For example, an integrated circuit designer may use a set of layout EDA application programs, such as a layout editor, to create a physical integrated circuit design layout from a logical circuit design. The layout EDA application uses geometric shapes of different materials to create the various electrical components on an integrated circuit and to represent electronic and circuit IC components as geometric objects with varying shapes and sizes. After an integrated circuit designer has created an initial integrated circuit layout, the integrated circuit designer then verifies and optimizes the integrated circuit layout using a set of EDA testing and analysis tools. Verification may include, for example, design rule checking to verify compliance with rules established for various IC parameters. The EDA layout editing tools are often performed interactively so that the designer can review and provide careful control over the details of the electronic design.
Standardized power formats have been used in purely digital designs, analog/mixed-signal (AMS) design, and digital/mixed-signal designs to describe power intent, power management data, power-specific data, or other data generally related to power (collectively "power data" hereinafter) at various stages of the electronic design automation (EDA) of these designs. These standardized power formats such as CPF (Common Power Format from Si2 or Silicon Integration Initiative) or UPF (Unified Power Format from IEEE or Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) are directed at specifying power data for the design or specifying power intent and implementation of the design just once such that various EDA design tools may consistently use the power data to automatically insert power control features or to check that the result matches the power intent during the design process. General details about some exemplary standardized power formats may be found in "Si2 Common Power Format Specification", Ver. 2.0, Silicon Integration Initiative, Inc., Feb. 14, 2011 and IEEE Std "1801-2009—IEEE Standard for Design and Verification of Low Power Integrated Circuits", IEEE Mar. 27, 2009, the content of both documents is hereby explicitly incorporated by reference for all purposes.
One of the limitations of these standardized power formats is that only logic signals or expressions are considered legal such that all controlling or controlled signals need to be logic in order to be recognized and utilized in these standardized power formats. Nonetheless, the controlling or controlled signals in, for example, purely analog design, analog/mixed-signal designs, and digital/mixed-signal designs (collectively mixed-signal design or mixed-signal designs) are not necessarily logic and thus present a challenge in leveraging these standardized power formats during the design process because these standardized power formats do not recognize and hence cannot process non-logic signals or expressions.
Thus, there exists a need for a method, a system, and an article of manufacture for Implementing mixed-signal electronic circuit designs with power data in standardized power formats.

Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for implementing mixed-signal electronic circuit designs with power data in standardized power formats


A method of diagnosing a fault in an in-vehicle communication system. The in-vehicle communication system includes a transmitting node, at least one receiving node, and a network communication bus coupling the transmitting node to the at least one receiving node. A message is transmitted from the transmitting node to the at least one receiving node over the communication bus. A fault detection technique is applied within the transmitting node for detecting a fault within the transmitting node. A fault detection technique is applied to the at least one receiving node for detecting a fault within the at least one receiving node. A fault detection technique is applied within the network communication bus for detecting a fault within the communication bus. An analyzer collectively analyzes results from each respective detection technique for isolating a fault within the in-vehicle communication system.

An embodiment relates generally to in-vehicle communication diagnostics.
A controller-area network (CAN) is a vehicle multiplex bus standard intended to allow electronic control units (ECUs) and other devices to communicate with one another without a central or host controller of the bus. Vehicle systems and subsystems have numerous ECUs that control actuators or receive vehicle operation data from sensing devices.
CAN systems are asynchronous broadcast serial buses which communicate messages serially. Only a single message is communicated on a communication-bus at a time. When a message is ready to be transmitted onto the communication bus, the CAN-controller controls the message transfer on the bus. Since messages are transmitted serially, various nodes on the communication bus await a time to transmit. When a message is ready to be transmitted onto the communication bus, the bus controller controls the message transfer on the bus. If more than one message transmission is initiated simultaneously by multiple transmitters, the more dominant message is transmitted. This is known as an arbitration process. A message with a highest priority will dominate the arbitration and a message transmitting at the lower priority will sense this and wait. Therefore, it is pertinent to maintain a duty cycle for transmitting messages so that a backlog does not occur.
An error in the in-vehicle communication system is detected by the receiver based on a time-out occurring. That is, since messages are transmitted based on a duty cycle (e.g., 10 msec), if a receiver does not receive a message at the allocated time, then an assumption may be made that an error has occurred within the system. The error may occur at the transmitting node or in the communication bus; however, there is no effective method for identifying where the fault exactly occurred in the conventional in-vehicle communication system utilizing the time-out technique.

Integrated fault diagnosis and prognosis for in-vehicle communications


High-resistance polysilicon layers applied in 4T SRAM memory cells serving as loads, are manufactured by a simple method according to the invention. In the small-scale 4T SRAM memory cell process, it is not possible to fabricate traditional polysilicon loads manufactured by the prior art with a desired high degree of resistance. As a result, the miniaturization of 4T SRAM memory cells has been limited. However, in the method according to the invention, the lengths of polysilicon loads are greatly increased without increasing the sizes of corresponding memory cells, thereby efficiently increasing the resistance of the polysilicon loads. Therefore, this method according to invention can completely eliminate any limitation to the small-scale 4T SRAM memory cell process caused by the manufacture of the polysilicon loads as described above.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a semiconductor process, and in particular to a method and a structure for manufacturing high-resistance polysilicon loads in the semiconductor process.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, high-resistance polysilicon layers are commonly used as loads in 4T SRAM memory cells. Traditionally, to manufacture polysilicon loads, a polysilicon layer is first deposited. Then, a high-energy ion implantation is performed to adjust the resistance thereof. After that, the polysilicon layer is patterned to form a plurality of polysilicon loads by photolithography and etching techniques. Next, parts of the polysilicon loads are ion implanted with a high-concentration dopant, thereby forming the required connectors. Referring to FIG. 1, a structure of polysilicon loads manufactured by the prior art is shown. In FIG. 1, reference numerals 10, 11, 12, 19' and 20 represent a substrate, polysilicon layers, a TEOS layer, polysilicon loads and connectors, respectively. The FIG. 2 is a top view of FIG. 1. In other words, the FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 along line I--I. Clearly, the resistance of the polysilicon loads depends on the amount of the first implanted dopant, the thicknesses, widths and lengths of the polysilicon loads etc. In order to obtain sufficient high-resistance loads, a traditional method is used to reduce the thicknesses, increase the lengths or decrease the widths of polysilicon loads. However, with miniaturization of memory cells, this traditional method can no longer produce polysilicon loads of sufficient high-resistance. The reason is that out-diffusion caused by dopant inside the connectors greatly shortens the effective lengths of such polysilicon loads. In the past, increasing the lengths of polysilicon loads has been limited by the miniaturization of memory cells. Reducing the widths of polysilicon loads has been limited by processing capabilities. Therefore, the drawbacks of the traditional method of manufacturing polysilicon loads has been one of the factors to affect the miniaturization of memories.

Method and structure for manufacturing high-resistance polysilicon loads in a semiconductor process


A seeker system for a missile having a housing with a predetermined field-of-regard the system including an image detector adapted to be fixedly mounted to the housing having a predetermined number of pixels, an optical system fixedly mounted to the housing for scanning said predetermined field-of-regard ahead of the nose for focusing images in successive image frames onto the image detector, an image reader for reading image data from the image detector corresponding to each of the successive image frames, a display for displaying the image data of the successive image frames, a selector for selecting a displayed target from the field-of-regard, a comparator for comparing the image data of successive image frames, and a tracker for tracking the selected target by setting a course of the missile in a direction toward the target, a discriminator responsive to the compared frames for discriminating between a first deviation below a predetermined amount and a second deviation above the predetermined amount, a stabilizer responsive to the first deviation for stabilizing the display of the images, and a missile controller responsive to the second deviation for repositioning the missile to a desired course.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a seeker system and, more particularly, to a seeker system for seeking, displaying and tracking targets. Although the seeker system of the present invention is useful for many different types of systems for seeking, tracking and/or stabilizing target images, it is particularly useful for tactical missiles and is described herein in connection therewith.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
There have been a large number of seeker systems developed for use in tactical weapons systems. Seeker systems are used for sensing an object or target in the path of a missile, which have an optical head at a nose of the missile. The system includes a display for displaying the field-of-view from a field-of-regard (field-of-view being a focused portion of the field-of-regard) ahead of the missile, and a movement control for directing the missile in the direction of a selected target in the sensed field-of-view. The missile may be controlled also by a tracking system that is able to vary the direction of travel of the missile in accordance with the sensed position of the target. Typically, optical heads of such seeker systems are mounted on mechanical gimbals, in order to maintain a target in the optical field-of-view regard and the display during perturbations of the missile caused by external forces and movement of the target. Seekers, however, used in mortar and cannon launched systems, are Subjected to up to 20,000 g's upon firing requiring that the seeker survive a very hostile environment. Thus, high acceleration loads not only require special handling of the seeker, but also increase the cost of the missile system due to the special engineering and manufacturing efforts required. Additionally, it is difficult to use mechanical gimbal mounted seeker heads in small tactical missiles, such as mortars of 81 mm and 120 mm, for example, because of their size.


An exercise machine for passive exercise of a patient. The machine has a patient support platform having first and second parts which are adapted to support the upper and lower parts of a patient's body. Mechanisms are provided for applying a cyclic movement to the first and second parts of the support platform. Supports are pivotally coupled to each of the first and second parts and adjustable whereby the position of the pivotal coupling of each support to the respective first and second parts can be individually adjusted relative to at least one reference plane.

Discussion of the Background
This invention relates to an exercise machine.
It is well known that when a human spinal disc is dislodged from its correct location and remains displaced for a period of time it calcifies, loses its flexibility and causes considerable pain. A treatment procedure that can be carried out by a therapist or by the sufferer himself is to repeatedly flex the spinal column in the same direction as the dislodged disc. When this spinal bending is carried out by a therapist it only takes place during short appointment periods.
Neither the treatment procedure of the therapist or the sufferer himself has met with much success because the treatment can not be sustained for long enough. On the one hand short appointment periods do not allow enough time for the therapy to be effective and on the other hand the muscular effort required limits the number of bending movements of which the patient is capable when carrying out an exercise program himself. It is also known that if the patient applies extension by his own effort pressure on the intra vertebral disc is raised. However, if the movement is provided without muscular effort the pressure is consequently lower and more beneficial.
It has now been found that if the spine is bent in the appropriate direction hundreds of times within a short time frame of several days the calcified cartilage material of the disc regains its suppleness and is able to return to its original location.

Exercising table for applying cyclic movement with adjustable support members


An authentication method in an NHRP (Next Hop Resolution Protocol) for performing an address resolution for converting a network layer address in an NBMA (Non-broadcast, Multi-access) network to a datalink layer address. The method comprises steps of: providing an NHRP server for performing an address resolution which has a plurality of interfaces belonging to respective sub-networks, maintaining authentication keys and authentication types respectively allocated to the interfaces in the NHRP server; authenticating an NHRP packet received from one of the interfaces by using the authentication key allocated to the interface which receives the NHRP packet; and discarding the NHRP packet in case of authentication being unauthorized. The method is capable of setting for each domain a mode for redirecting an NHRP (Next Hop Resolution Protocol) packet when authentication types between LIS (Logical IP Subnet, IP: Internet Protocol) are different and a mode for when an NHRP packet is redirected between domains.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an address resolution method using NHRP (Next Hop Resolution Protocol) in an NBMA (Non-Broadcast, Multi-Access) network and an NHRP server, and in particular to an authentication method of NHRP packets and an NHRP server which can perform the authentication method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An NBMA network, typified by an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) network, is a network which is not media-shared. The use of NHRP as a protocol for address resolution in an NBMA network has, for example, been discussed in the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) and the protocol is specified in texts such as the electronic document "draft-ietf-rolc-nhrp-08.txt" by V. Luciani et al. and the document has now been updated to "draft-ietf-rolc-nhrp-11.txt". These documents can be obtained from various FTP (File Transfer Protocol) sites on the Internet.
NHRP is used for realizing transmission from a source station to a destination station via networks in which broadcasting has not been implemented such as X.25 networks and ATM networks, or networks not wanting to use broadcasting such as a large-scale Ethernet sub-network.
NHRP will next be explained. This explanation refers to an example in which the NBMA network is an ATM network and an IP (Internet Protocol) is used as the upper layer protocol, but identical results are obtained when a network other than an ATM network is used as the NBMA network or a protocol other than IP is used as the network layer protocol.
In order to perform IP communication on an ATM network, the ATM address, which is a datalink layer address, of the communication partner must be obtained based on the IP address, which is a network layer address, of the communication partner. With NHRP, NHRP servers (NHS) are placed in certain areas (for example, in each LIS [Logical IP Subnet]) for distributed administration of correspondence between the IP addresses and ATM addresses of ATM terminals connected to the ATM network.
When an ATM terminal connected to the network wants to resolve an ATM address for an IP address of a certain communication partner, an NHRP resolution request packet is sent to a predetermined NHS. When the NHS which has received the NHRP resolution request packet is able to resolve the address, the NHS sends back an NHRP resolution reply packet to the source ATM terminal. When the NHS is not able to resolve the address, the NHS redirects the NHRP resolution request packet to another NHS which is likely to be in charge of the relevant IP address. In other words, the NHRP resolution request packet is redirected between multiple NHS servers on the network until it reaches an NHS capable of resolving the address.
As a result, provided that the communication partner is directly connected to the ATM network, it is possible to resolve the communication partner's ATM address even in a case in which the communication partner belongs to a different LIS. When the communication partner is not directly connected to the ATM network, the ATM address of an exit router or a gateway in the ATM network can be resolved, and thus, IP communication to the communication partner can be performed using this ATM address.
Having received an NHRP packet, the NHS performs end-to-end authentication or hop-by-hop authentication depending on the packet type; i.e. the NHS performs end-to-end authentication when the NHRP packet is an NHRP registration request packet or an NHRP registration reply packet and performs hop-by-hop authentication when the NHRP packet is of any other type.
However, a conventional NHRP authentication method stipulates that an authentication extension be appended to the extension part of the NHRP packet prior to authentication processing. Keyed MD5 and Clear Text Password (hereinafter abbreviated to `MD5` and `Clear Text`) are the stipulated authentication types. Since this extension part is not essential to an NHRP packet, there are cases in which authentication extension is not appended. In such a case there is deemed to be no authentication type. Thus a total of three differing authentication types are stipulated.
Although a plurality of authentication types are stipulated, the handling of these differing authentication types in a conventional NHRP is not clear. Consequently, particularly in a case where the NHRP packet which is to be authenticated using hop-by-hop authentication is redirected from one LIS to another LIS, when the authentication types of these two LIS are different, the authentication operation is delegated to the system implementation.
Furthermore, networks generally have a network policy determined for each domain of network administration. For instance, one domain in the network may want to adopt a policy of not redirecting NHRP packets between LIS of differing authentication types. Another domain in the network may want to adopt a policy according to which NHRP packets may acceptably be redirected between LIS of differing authentication types. With NHRP, it is also desirable to be able to determine a policy regarding the handling of NHRP packets between LIS of differing authentication types for each domain of the network. However, with a conventional NHRP there has been a problem that it becomes impossible to maintain interoperability of authentication between NHRP servers of different vendors. In other words, the conventional NHRP cannot operate with the authentication policy described above wherein a policy is determined for each domain.
Furthermore, between a plurality of domains in the same NBMA network it may be desirable to adopt a policy of not redirecting NHRP packets between different domains irrespective of whether identical authentication types or different authentication types are used. Conversely, among another plurality of domains, it may be desirable to adopt a policy wherein NHRP packets may acceptably be redirected between differing domains irrespective of whether identical authentication types or differing authentication types are used. In other words, it is also desirable to be able to determine a policy regarding the handling of NHRP packets among domains on a network. However, with a conventional NHRP there has been a problem that NHRP cannot work due to the authentication policies between the domains as described above.

NHRP packet authentication method and NHRP server


A system includes a stationary infrastructure element including a camera mounted to the infrastructure element and an infrastructure server. The infrastructure server includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to receive a request from a movable vehicle, the request identifying a data anomaly including at least one of (1) a sensor of the vehicle collecting data below a confidence threshold or (2) a geographic location outside a geographic database of the vehicle, to actuate the camera to collect image data of one of the vehicle or the geographic location, to identify geo-coordinates of the vehicle or the geographic location based on identified pixels in the image data including the vehicle or the geographic location, and to provide the geo-coordinates to the vehicle to address the data anomaly.

Vehicles can be equipped with computers, networks, sensors and controllers to acquire data regarding the vehicle's environment and/or to operate vehicle components. Vehicle sensors can provide data about a vehicle's environment, e.g., concerning routes to be traveled and objects to be avoided in the vehicle's environment. Further, vehicles can receive data from one or more external sources, e.g., a central server, a sensor mounted to infrastructure, etc.


A lifting device for pivotally raising a prefabricated wall section from a substantially horizontal position to a vertical position on the floor of a building under construction comprising a trolley having a frame, a pair of spaced rollers mounted for rotation thereon and defining an opening for receipt and passage therethrough of an elongated beam with the rollers in frictional, gripping engagement with the beam, motors mounted on the frames in operative driving engagement with the rollers, and a hinge pivotally mounted on the frame for attachment to the ultimate upper end portion of a prefabricated wall section to permit pivotal movement of the hinge about its point of attachment to the frame during wall-lifting operations. The trolley travels along the beam as the beam pivots on the floor of the building from vertical to diagonal position during corresponding pivotal movement of the prefabricated wall from horizontal to vertical position.

The construction of buildings with prefabricated wall sections is a common practice. Such prefabricated wall sections, which may vary in length, generally are placed horizontally on the floor of the building structure, with the ultimate lower edge of the horizontal wall section placed immediately adjacent the floor location on which it will rest in vertical, upright position. The wall section is lifted and tilted into its desired vertical position, and the section is then secured to the floor.
It has been suggested to provide lifting devices, such as wall jacks, to raise prefabricated wall sections from horizontal to final vertical position in construction of buildings. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,812,077 and 3,485,386 each disclose a wall jack construction comprising a mechanical hoist having an elongated boom, the lower end of which is pivotally attached by a hinge to the floor of the building construction. Attached to a lower end portion of the boom is a winch with cable. The cable passes about a sheave on the upper end of the boom, and the outer end of the cable is suitably connected to the prefabricated wall adjacent its eventual upper end. The winch is manually operated to pivotally raise the wall section to a vertical position as the boom pivots from vertical to a generally 45 degree angular position during the lifting operation.


A system for pressurized liquid extraction of solid samples including quick-connect, threadless columns for holding the solid sample is disclosed. A pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) module continuously performs extraction on the solid sample to yield liquid sample. The quick-connect columns include a threadless, cylindrical tube and end cap assemblies, which are structured and arranged to provide a tight interference fit with the inner surface of the annulus of the column portion and with top and bottom cup rings.

The present invention is related to the field of agro-products, pharmaceutical production, and sample analysis and, more particularly, to pressurized liquid extraction systems.
In the field of sample analysis, a large variety of studies are conducted in order to monitor the presence of contaminants in food. In particular, antitoxins and toxins such as brominated and chlorinated compounds, pesticides, PCBs, PAHs, PBDE, and dioxins are extracted, purified and fractionated from pharmaceutical, environmental, and biological samples. New and more stringent regulations regarding acceptable levels of these contaminants are continuously being adopted by federal and state governments and/or regulatory agencies, driving the development of analytical systems that are more accurate, reliable and commercially practical.
Important criteria in the development of such systems include the detection of more compounds, with lower detection limits, relatively high throughput, and efficiency. Currently, only a few laboratories can fulfill these emerging requirements.
Since chlorinated and brominated compounds are very toxic at sub-ppt (parts per trillion) and ppqt (parts per quadrillion) levels, the purification of these compounds becomes a difficult task in sample analysis. It is necessary, for example, to protect the sample from interfering compounds during the extraction, purification, and fractionation processes. Indeed, interfering compounds can be introduced from the air and surrounding environment.
For example, it is required to detect some PCBs in low ppt level in food samples. However, the background amount of PCBs in the ambient air and other laboratory surroundings may exceed the detection limits of the sample, so that the laboratories are unable to perform accurate testing. As a result, laboratory testing facilities are increasingly being forced to construct at great cost new, clean room laboratories having controlled environments. Consequently, testing for these highly toxic compounds in food is becoming very difficult, and fewer laboratories are able to perform this testing.
In the field of agro-products, extracted, purified, and separated end products are obtained, e.g., from spices, herbs, aromatic plants, and medicinal plants, for use in various end use applications such as cosmetics, flavors, medicines, perfumes, and so forth.
In the field of pharmaceutical production, compounds of interest are extracted, purified, and separated for use in producing drugs and supplements. These processes are similar to those used in sample analysis, although they are usually carried out on a grander scale, to provide a desired amount of end products.
For recent years, new extraction techniques have emerged that exhibit advantages such as lower solvent consumption, suitability for automation, and higher throughput for processing solid and semi-solid samples such as food samples. The purification or "clean-up" step has also evolved from the early use of semi-automated stages to more recent use of entirely automated systems suitable for preparing a large number of samples.
Thus, there is a continuing need for fast, efficient systems for performing high-quality sample analysis and pharmaceutical production. One such system is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 6,783,668 to Shirkhan.
The Shirkhan patent discloses a system for pressurized liquid extraction ("PLE") and purification of solid biological materials that contain trace amounts of substances that may be the subject of subsequent analysis or that may be used as an ingredient in a pharmaceutical end product. Exemplary uses of the system include, without limitation, the extraction, purification, and fractionation of trace substances such as antibiotics, pesticides, PCBs, PAHs, PBDE, pesticides, and chlorinated and brominated compounds.
More specifically, according to Shirkhan, extraction, purification, and fractionation are performed in a closed-loop system, which reduces the exposure of the sample to the air and to the surrounding environment. As a result, hundreds of toxins such as dioxins, PCBs, pesticides, and the like can be detected at relatively low concentration levels, e.g., ppqt, in a single run at generally high speed.
The Shirkhan system includes a pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) module having a solvent selection valve, a PLE cell, a heating element, a high-pressure pump, and a pressure regulator. The heating element is thermally coupled to the PLE cell, which includes an over temperature shut-off. The high-pressure pump is coupled to an input port of the PLE cell. The pressure regulator is coupled between an output port of the PLE module and an input port of the PLE cell. The output port of the cooling coil is coupled to the output port of the PLE module.
During operation, the cooling coil conditions the temperature of the extract and transfers the cooled extract to the input of a purification module. The PLE module continuously performs high-pressure, high-temperature extraction on the solid sample to yield a liquid sample, and concurrently provides the liquid sample to the output port of the PLE module for testing.
The Shirkhan system, which is manufactured by Fluid Management Systems, Inc. of Waltham, Mass., provides rapid detection of hundreds of the most toxic compounds in food. In addition, it reduces the need for clean room laboratories, which otherwise might be necessary to perform testing and detection of those toxins. The system, further, simplifies sample handling inside the laboratory.

Replaceable column for pressurized liquid extraction system


A head-mounted display includes a left-eye display panel that displays a left-eye image, a left-eye optical system that has an angle of view from 45 to 55 degrees and forms a virtual image of the left-eye image, a right-eye display panel that displays a right-eye image, a right-eye optical system that has an angle of view from 45 to 55 degrees and forms a virtual image of the right-eye image, and a display control unit that controls the screen display of the left-eye display panel and the right-eye display panel.

The present disclosure relates to a head-mounted display mounted on the head of the user to provide a virtual image and, more particularly, to a head-mounted display that provides a virtual image letting the user experience the same realism as in the best seat in a movie theater.
A 3D image which can be stereoscopically viewed can be provided for an observer by displaying images having parallax on right and left eyes of the observer. It has been expected that a 3D image technique is applied to various fields such as television broadcast, films, telecommunication, and telemedicine. For example, a time-division stereoscopic image display system that has a combination of a display device and 3D eyeglasses has already been widespread (For example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-21731). The display device alternately displays a left-eye image and a right-eye image that have parallax on a screen in a particularly short cycle. The 3D eyeglasses have shutter mechanisms which are liquid crystal lenses, for example, and provided for a left-eye part and a right-eye part respectively.
A display device that the user wears on his or her head to see a video image, namely, a head-mounted display (HMD) has been widespread. A head-mounted display includes a display device for each of left and right eyes and is used with a headphone so that senses of sight and hearing can be controlled. If the head-mounted display is configured so as to completely block external environments when it is mounted on a head, a sense of virtual reality in watching is increased. The head-mounted display can project different video images to left and right eyes. If images having parallax are displayed on left and right eyes, a 3D image can be provided in the same way as above.
A head-mounted display is a display system that provides the user with a virtual image (that is, a virtual image is focused on the retina). When an object is present in a position closer to the lens than the focal point, a virtual image appears on the object side.
When the user sees a virtual image, it is preferable, for example, to change the distance between the user and the point where a virtual image is formed, depending on the video image. For example, a display device that provides a virtual image appropriate for the video image is proposed (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-133415, for example). This display device has a magnifying optical system that places the same virtual image observed by the left and right eyes of the user on a single plane, and controls the distance between the user and the virtual image and the magnification of the virtual image depending on the aspect ratio of the video image. For example, for the video image of a movie or drama with a aspect ratio of 16 to 9 based on high definition broadcast, a large virtual image at a far position approximately 15 meters away from the user is focused on the retina. For the video image including television signals with a aspect ratio of 4 to 3 based on the NTSC (National Television System Committee) system, a middle virtual image at a relatively close position approximately 3 meters from the user is focused on the retina to let the user experience realism and reduce tiredness during seeing of the virtual image.
If a device with high resolution such as organic electro-luminescence (EL) is used as the display units of the left and right eyes of the head-mounted display, an adequate field angle is set by an optical system, and multichannel is reproduced by the headphone, then the same realism as in the best seat in a movie theater can be reproduced. The inventors are going to develop a head-mounted display that provides the same audio-visual environment as in the best seat in a movie theater.
In a product of the related art, an approximately 60-inch virtual image approximately several meters away is focused on the retina and the angle of view is a little under 40 degrees. When this situation is thought in terms of a movie theater, a seat several meters away from the screen is not a good seat and this angle of view is not large enough for movie appreciation. On the other hand, if the angle of view is too large, the user should move the face when reading a caption displayed near an end of the screen, so this situation is not appropriate for movie appreciation.


The present invention teaches an efficient and easier to operate distillation embodiment to separate mixtures containing three or more components into streams enriched in one of the components. In this invention, from one end of an earlier distillation column, a liquid or a vapor stream containing two or more components is sent to a subsequent column, then a return vapor or a liquid stream is implemented between the same locations of the two columns. This establishes a two-way communication between one end of the earlier distillation column and the subsequent distillation column. From the other end of the earlier distillation column, a vapor or a liquid stream is eventually fed to another location of the subsequent distillation column; no return stream is implemented between the same locations of the two columns. This establishes the one-way communication between the other end of the earlier distillation column and the subsequent distillation column. The superior performance of the invention resides in the fact that the earlier distillation column has a two-way communication from one end and a one-way communication from the other end with the subsequent distillation column.

The present invention suggests efficient distillation schemes to separate multicomponent mixtures containing three or more components into product streams each enriched in one of the components. Generally, the objective of a process engineer designing a distillation scheme is to make it more efficient by reducing the heat requirement of the distillation columns within the distillation scheme. The distillation schemes known in the literature that require lower heat duty are quite complex and difficult to operate. As a result, many of these schemes lack operating flexibility and are rarely used in industry. Therefore, there is a need for distillation schemes that are not complex while having low heat requirements. The present invention is an answer to this long desired need for improving the operating flexibility of multicomponent distillation while maintaining lower heat duties.
Consider the separation of a ternary mixture having components A, B and C (mixture ABC) into three product streams each enriched in one of the components. A is the most volatile component and C is the least volatile component. To separate a ternary mixture ABC into almost pure components it is required that a distillation scheme use two distillation columns. Such distillation schemes are well known in the art. There are such five well known schemes: direct sequence, indirect sequence, side rectifier, side stripper and thermally coupled columns. Each of the schemes will now be described in detail:
FIG. 1 shows a direct sequence scheme. A feed mixture containing components A, B and C (stream 10) is fed to first distillation column 100 having a condenser 110 and a reboiler 120 where it is distilled to A-enriched product (stream 70) from the top. The liquid from the bottom of this column (stream 20) is primarily a binary mixture composed of components B and C. This BC liquid stream is split into two streams. A first portion (stream 22) is fed to second distillation column 200. The second portion (stream 24) is boiled and fed as stream 26 to the bottom of first distillation column 100. B-enriched product (stream 80) and C-enriched product (stream 90) are produced from second distillation column 200 having a condenser 210 and a reboiler 220. A portion of the C-enriched bottoms liquid is boiled (stream 92) and returned to the column to provide boil-up. It is noticed that the only mass transfer between the two columns is the transfer of stream 22 from first distillation column 100 to second distillation column 200. There is no return stream from second distillation column 200 to first distillation column 100. This is an example of only a one-way communication between the two columns.
FIG. 2 shows an indirect sequence scheme. Distillation of the feed mixture (stream 10) in first distillation column 100 having a condenser 111 and a reboiler 121 produces C-enriched product (stream 90) from the bottom and a primarily binary vapor mixture AB (stream 30) from the top. A portion of this saturated vapor stream is fed to second distillation column 200 (stream 32). Another portion (stream 34) is condensed and sent as reflux (stream 36) to first distillation column 100. A-enriched product and B-enriched product (streams 70 and 80 respectively) are produced from second distillation column 200 having a condenser 211 and a reboiler 221. Once again there is only one one-way communication through stream 32 between the first and second distillation columns.
FIG. 3 shows a side rectifier scheme wherein the feed mixture ABC (stream 10) is distilled in first distillation column 100 having a condenser 110 and a reboiler 121 to produce A-enriched product (stream 70) from the top and C-enriched product (stream 90) from the bottom. A portion of the C-enriched bottoms liquid is boiled (stream 92) and returned to the column to provide boil-up. The component of intermediate volatility, B, is collected (stream 80) from the top of second distillation column 200 (also known as a side rectifier) having a condenser 210. It is important to notice that second distillation column 200 does not have a reboiler at the bottom and instead it is fed by a vapor (stream 50) which is withdrawn from a location below the feed of first distillation column 100. This vapor stream is primarily a binary mixture consisting of components B and C. The liquid (stream 52) from the bottom of second distillation column 200 is sent to first distillation column 100 at the same location as where the vapor (stream 50) was removed from first distillation column 100. This leads to a two-way communication between the two distillation columns. In a two-way communication mode, when a vapor stream is sent from one column to another column, then a return liquid stream is implemented between the same locations of the two columns. As compared to the schemes in FIGS. 1 and 2, the number of reboilers is reduced by one, and the total number of reboilers and condensers used are three vs. four.
FIG. 4 shows a side stripper scheme which is similar to FIG. 3 (corresponding streams and equipment use the same identification) except that the feed to second distillation column 200 (now known as side stripper) is a liquid (stream 60), product B (stream 80) is collected at the bottom of second distillation column 200 instead of the top and second distillation column 200 has a reboiler 221 but no condenser. The liquid stream is withdrawn from first distillation column 100 from a location which is above the feed location to first distillation column 100 and is primarily a binary mixture composed of components A and B and is fed to the top of second distillation column 200. The vapor (62) from the top of second distillation column 200 is returned to first distillation column 100 resulting in a two-way communication between the two columns. In this two-way communication mode, a liquid stream is sent from first. distillation column 100 to another column then a return vapor stream is implemented between the same locations of the two columns. It is important to notice that as compared to the scheme in FIG. 2, one less condenser is used in FIG. 4.
FIG. 5 shows a scheme which uses two two-way communications between the first and second columns, thereby using only one reboiler 222 and one condenser 212 in second distillation column 200. The two-way communication at the bottom of first distillation column 100 is the same as the one shown in FIG. 3 and at the top is the same as the one shown in FIG. 4. B-enriched product (stream 80) is collected from an intermediate location of second distillation column 200. It is important to notice that due to two two-way communications, the total number of reboilers and condensers is reduced by two.
It is known that the schemes with two-way communication (shown in FIGS. 3-5) require less heat input than the ones without two-way communication (FIGS. 1 and 2) ("Minimum Energy Requirements of Thermally Coupled Distillation Systems", Z. T. Fidkowski and L. Krolikowski, AlChE Journal, pages 643-653, volume 33, 1987). The heat requirement in reboiler 121 in FIG. 3 is less than the total heat requirement in both reboilers of FIG. 1. Similarly, total heat input in the reboilers for the side stripper configuration in FIG. 4 is less than the total heat input in the reboilers of indirect sequence in FIG. 2. However, several studies have proven that for the separation of ternary feed mixtures into pure product streams, the configuration with two two-way communication in FIG. 5 requires the least heat input in its reboiler. It has been said that, on average, the configuration with two two-way communications requires 30 to 50% less heat than the corresponding conventional arrangements of FIGS. 1 and 2; generally it also requires much less heat than the configuration with only one two-way communication shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. It is taught in the prior art that two two-way communications are needed to achieve the lowest heat demand for ternary distillation.
While the heat demand for the scheme in FIG. 5 with two two-way communications is lowest, it has rarely been used. The lack of use has often been attributed to fear of control problems ("Thermal Coupling for Energy Efficiency", H. Rudd, Supplement to the Chemical Engineer, pages S14-S15, Aug. 27, 1992; "The Design and Optimization of Fully Thermally Coupled Distillation Columns", C. Triantafyllou and R. Smith, Trans. IChemE, pages 118-132, Volume 70(A), 1992). One of the often cited concern is the flexibility to control the flows over a wide range both at the top and bottom ends of first distillation column 100. For the vapor AB in stream 32 to flow from first distillation column 100 to second distillation column 200 it is required that the pressure at the top of the first column be greater than the pressure at the feed point of stream 32 in second distillation column 200. At the same time, for the vapor BC in stream 27 to flow from second distillation column 200 to first distillation column 100 it is necessary that the pressure at the bottom of first distillation column 100 be lower than the pressure at the originating point of stream 27 in the second column. This requires careful adjustment of pressure in both the columns. Furthermore, both the liquid transfer streams 37 and 22 at the top and bottom of first distillation column 100 flow in a direction opposite to the vapor flow at each end. This requires that either a pump be used on each of the liquid streams or relative height of the two columns be adjusted to allow each of the liquid stream to be transferred through gravity. All these factors impose constraint on the operating flexibility of the scheme with two two-way communication. Clearly, there is a need for alternative solutions with higher operating flexibility while maintaining lower heat demand for distillation.
The same challenge exists when mixtures containing more than three components are distilled to produce product streams each enriched in one of the components. The reason being that the distillation schemes with low heat demand used to distill mixtures with more than three components are made up of the ternary subscheme shown in FIG. 5. Therefore deficiencies of the ternary subscheme are also carried to the distillation of mixtures containing a greater number of components. Some known examples of four and five component distillation schemes can be found in a paper by Agrawal ("Synthesis of Distillation Column Configurations for a Multicomponent Separation", Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., volume 35, pages 1059-1071, 1996).

Distillation schemes for multicomponent separations


A vehicle headrest has a support defining a horizontal pivot axis and a cushion having a front face and pivotal about the axis on the support between a use position with the face upright and a rest position with the face generally horizontal. A latch element is displaceable in a longitudinal direction relative to the cushion between a blocking position operatively engaging the cushion and preventing the cushion from pivoting from the use position into the rest position and an unblocking position permitting such pivoting. A separate safety element engageable with the latch element is displaceable in a transverse direction between a locking position operatively engaging the latch element and preventing movement of the latch element into the unblocking position and a releasing position permitting movement of the latch element into the unblocking position.

Such a headrest is known from DE 102 36 259. The headrest is pivotally attached to a support bow so that it can swivel between a substantially vertical use position and a horizontal rest position. In the use position, a locking holder that is displaceably attached to the cushion is supported by an abutment of support rods and blocks a pivoting into the rest position. By displacing the latch element, the abutments of the locking holder move away from their support points on the carrying rods. The headrest can thus be swiveled into its rest position. This prior art that otherwise is advantageous, should be improved insofar as the locking holder can move unintentionally into a position that enables pivoting of the headrest. Such case can for example be caused by inertial mass force impact that can occur during a vehicle crash.


The present invention provides a metal molding method, a metal molding machine and a metal molded body, wherein using a mold in which a molding space having a predetermined shape and a metal body lead-in space which is communicated with the molding space are formed, a metal body which is inserted into the metal body lead-in space is fed into the molding space by applying a predetermined pressure thus forming a molded product having a predetermined shape. Particularly, the metal body is deformed by shearing when the metal body is fed to the molding space from the metal body lead-in space thus turning the metal structure of the metal body into the finer grain structure.

The present invention relates to a metal molding method which forms a metal molded body having a predetermined shape using a metal body, a metal molding machine and a metal molded body.
Conventionally, forging has been used as one of methods for forming a metal-made structure having a predetermined shape.
In this forging, using a mold having a molding surface which traces a desired outer surface, the metal body is drawn by hitting along the molding surface thus allowing the mold to have a predetermined shape.
In this manner, since the metal body is formed along the molding surface by hitting in forging, it is difficult to form the metal body into a relatively complicated shape. For example, to manufacture a cylindrical metal-made product by forging, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-open Hei5 (1993)-7922, a metal body having a cylindrical shape is preliminarily prepared and, then, this cylindrical metal body is forged to form a cylindrical body having a predetermined shape.
In this manner, when a molded body having a predetermined shape is formed by forging, it is necessary to preliminarily prepare a metal body having a shape which can be easily obtained thus giving rise to a drawback that a manufacturing cost is pushed up due to forming of the metal body to be forged.
Under such circumstances, inventors of the present invention have studied to reduce the manufacturing cost by reducing the dependency of the metal body to be forged on shape and to reduce the manufacturing cost by allowing parts having irregular shapes to be integrally molded, and have arrived at the present invention.

Metal molding method and machine, and metal molded body


A semiconductor porcelain composition [(BiNa)x(Ba1-yRy)1-x]TiO3 with 0<x≦0.2, 0<y≦0.02 and R being selected from the group consisting of La, Dy, Eu, Gd or Y is prepared by separately calcining a composition of (BaR)TiO3 at a temperature of 900° C. through 1300° C. and calcining a composition of (BiNa)TiO3 at a temperature of 700° C. through 950° C., and then mixing the two calcined powders and forming and sintering the mixed calcined powder. Similarly, a semiconductor porcelain composition [(BiNa)x(Ba1-x][Ti1-zMz]O3 with 0<x≦0.2, 0<z≦0.005 and M being selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta and Sb is prepared by separately calcining a composition of (BaM)TiO3 at a temperature of 900° C. through 1300° C. and calcining a composition of (BiNa)TiO3 at a temperature of 700° C. through 950° C., and then mixing the two calcined powders, and forming and sintering the mixed calcined powders.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor porcelain composition for use in a PTC thermistor, a PTC heater, a PTC switch, a temperature detector or the like, which has a positive temperature coefficient of resistivity; and a method for producing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as materials showing a PTCR characteristic (Positive Temperature Coefficient of Resistivity), there have been proposed compositions in which various semiconductive dopants are added to BaTiO3. These compositions have Curie temperatures around 120° C. Depending on the use, these composition need to be shifted in the Curie temperatures.
For example, although it has been proposed to shift Curie temperature by adding SrTiO3 to BaTiO3, in this case, the Curie temperature is shifted only in a negative direction and is not shifted in a positive direction. Currently, only PbTiO3 is known as an adding element for shifting Curie temperature in a positive direction. However, PbTiO3 includes an element for bringing about environmental pollution, and therefore, in recent years, a material which does not use PbTiO3 has been desired.
In a BaTiO3 semiconductor porcelain, with an object of preventing a reduction in a temperature coefficient of resistivity by Pb substitution, as well as reducing a voltage dependency and promoting a productivity or a reliability, there has been proposed a method of producing a BaTiO3 semiconductor porcelain in which a composition, not using PbTiO3 and obtained by adding one or more kinds of any of Nb, Ta and a rare earth element to a composition in which x in Ba1-2x (BiNa)xTiO3 where a portion of Ba of BaTiO3 is substituted by Bi—Na is controlled to a range of 0<x≦0.15, is sintered in nitrogen, and thereafter subjected to a heat treatment in a reducing atmosphere (see Patent Reference 1).
Patent Reference 1: JP-A-56-169301

Semiconductor porcelain composition and method of producing the same


A steering system for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one steered axle, an actuator, an actuator motor and a steering mechanism. The actuator and the steering mechanism, respectively, each have a mechanical gear ratio. The steered axle, the actuator motor, the actuator and the steering mechanism are operatively connected with one another. Steering movements initiated by the driver and movements initiated by the actuator motor are superimposed by the actuator. The superimposed movement is passed to the steering gear, which relays this movement as steering angle to the wheels of the steered axle. The steering gear mechanical gear ratio is configured to be variable which enables selectively adjustable relationships between the steering wheel movements and the steering angles of the steered wheels and avoids the loss of good steering feel for the driver.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automotive steering system.
2. Related Art
In conventional steering systems, the steering movements initiated by the driver via the steering wheel are transferred to the steered wheels by means of a steering gear, and as the case may be, aided by an assist force. Moreover, there are steering systems where the steering movements initiated by the driver are superimposed upon further steering movements initiated by an actuator. Such a system is known from DE-OS 40 31 316 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,371). In this system, an actuator is provided between the steering wheel actuated by the driver and the steering gear, with the aid of which actuator an actuator movement can be superimposed on the driver's steering movements. Such a system assures that the steering angle of the steered wheels of a vehicle is not at a fixed ratio to the turning angle of the steering wheel actuated by the driver.
This makes possible, among others, a steering assist for the driver that is dependent on the steering angle and in addition, there are many options of variation given for having additional steering signals act upon the steering system. Envisaged with the additional steering signals, specifically, are increased road safety and/or travel comfort.
A problem that may be involved with such power-assisted steering that employs superimposition of movement is that the selection of a constant gear ratio for the steering gear as established in its design and that the actuator fails to achieve acceptable steering wheel moments or a good steering feel for all states of travel. In particular, the steering wheel moment must at large steering angles not become excessive while the vehicle is at rest, whereas with the vehicle traveling at high speed the steering wheel moment must not become insufficient.
An overlay steering mechanism of other design can be seen from DE-OS 42 43 267.
The objective underlying the present invention is to improve the driver's steering feel in case of a steering that employs superimposition of movement.


The invention provides a method using accelerators to produce radio-isotopes in high quantities. The method comprises: supplying a “core” of low-enrichment fissile material arranged in a spherical array of LEU combined with water moderator. The array is surrounded by substrates which serve as multipliers and moderators as well as neutron shielding substrates. A flux of neutrons enters the low-enrichment fissile material and causes fissions therein for a time sufficient to generate desired quantities of isotopes from the fissile material. The radio-isotopes are extracted from said fissile material by chemical processing or other means.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the production of radioactive isotopes and, more particularly, to a method for accelerator-driven system (ADS) isotope production by means of nuclear fission.
2. Background of the Invention
Radioactive nuclear isotopes are used in a variety of applications. One of the most important uses is in medicine wherein the isotopes serve either as tracers for diagnostic purposes or to attack tumor cells in which they are injected or otherwise implanted. Two isotopes that are frequently used are 99Mo (half life 66 hours) and 131I (half life 8 days). Given these short lifetimes, it is impractical to stock-pile them. They must be produced continuously and delivered quickly. Also, although the U.S. often imports these isotopes from abroad (Canada, Belgium), a sizable fraction of the radio activity of a shipment decays in transit. Currently most of the 99Mo used in the U.S. is supplied by the Chalk River reactor in Eastern Canada.
99Mo and 131I are not naturally occurring radionuclides nor are they the products of the radioactive decay of naturally occurring radionuclides. A way they can be produced is from the fission of fissionable isotopes such as 235U (239Pu can also be used). Irradiation or bombardment of fissionable material with neutrons, either in the core or in the reflector region of a nuclear reactor, is one method for inducing fission in specially designed production targets. However, most of the worldwide nuclear reactors used in the production of those isotopes are at, or even past, their design life expectancy. They are often shut down for rather long periods for repairs and maintenance. Many of these reactors are due for major refurbishment or decommissioning.
The 99Mo production targets used in reactors are mostly made of highly enriched uranium (90+ percent 235U). This is the same enriched uranium that is used in nuclear weapons; as such, its use poses a serious security threat. First, it is a target for rogue states or groups desiring to acquire nuclear weapons capability. Second, its introduction into an already critical reactor, without a careful analysis and safety review, increases the possibility of a runaway accident.
The introduction of isotope-producing 235U requires careful analysis and deployment for a safe operation. Moreover, isotope production is parasitical to other reactor uses. Finally, production of isotopes requires continuous operation of a nuclear reactor to meet demand.
The "ADONIS" project was pursued in Belgium as a method of producing 99Mo with an accelerator [See Y. Jongen, "A cyclotron driven neutron multiplier for the production of 99Mo," at the 37th European Cyclotron Progress Meeting, Groningen, The Netherlands, Oct. 29, 2009].
Other accelerator-based methods of producing 99Mo are being considered. For example, electron beam accelerators can be used to drive the fission process in depleted uranium (238U). But this process requires a very large amount of beam power (˜75 MW) to produce 99Mo at the scale required in the U.S.
Another proposed approach is to irradiate a separated isotope 100Mo with high power electron beams (˜5 MW) to produce 99Mo via the photonuclear reaction 100Mo(γ,n)99Mo. It also requires the expensive separated isotope 100Mo as the target material to produce 99Mo as a very small component of the irradiated target of stable 100Mo. Extracting the essential daughter isotope 99mTc from such a low specific activity irradiated target is an undesirable feature of this process.
There is a need in the art for a method and a system to provide continuous and abundant production of Mo and other short-lived isotopes by means of an accelerator-driven system. The method should induce fission in fissile material in a manner that will not use weapons-grade material. The method should neither add to the production of nuclear waste, nor should it pose a danger of reaching criticality. The amount of fissile material used should be the minimum required to produce the required amount of isotope and the isotope produced should have a high specific activity as measured by the amount of isotope produced per gram of fissile material. The method should also be energy efficient as measured by the amount of isotope produced for a given electrical power used by the accelerator.

Accelerator-based method of producing isotopes


A modular cap assembly for covering a center bore of a wheel includes an outer piece having a first outward face with a cap retention structure formed therein, a first inward face, and a plurality of first mounting clips projecting from the first inward face to removably engage a wheel retention structure and couple the outer piece to the wheel. The cap assembly also includes a center piece having a second outward face, a second inward face, and a plurality of second mounting clips projecting from the second inward face to removably engage, one at a time, both the cap retention structure and the wheel retention structure. The second outward face is spaced from a wheel face when the center piece and outer piece are together coupled to the wheel and substantially flush with the wheel face when the center piece is coupled directly to the wheel.

Many wheels for passenger and off-road vehicles generally comprise a center bore that at least partially receives the end of the axle when the wheel is secured to a hub assembly surrounding the axle. The center bore can be carefully sized to receive and support the axle, and hence the weight of the vehicle, while the lug nuts and threaded studs hold the inner face of the wheel against a hub flange. While some wheel designs leave the center bore and the tip of the axle exposed to ambience, other wheel designs cover the center bore with a hub cap or center cap that serves to prevent or limit moisture, oil, grease, dirt and sand from coming into contact with the center bore, and possibly working their way into the clearance between the end of the axle and the inside cylindrical surface of the center bore to cause damage or premature wear to the outer surface of the axle or the inside cylindrical surface of the wheel.
However, many wheels use a singular design for the hub cap or center cap that cannot be changed without replacing the entire wheel, and that may not be suitable for all operating conditions (e.g. city driving, off-roading, desert sand, etc.). This limits the options available to the vehicle's owner for both customizing the protection system to better meet changing operating conditions, and for altering the aesthetic appearance of the wheels. Consequently, a need exists for a modular center cap or center cap system that allows the center cap to be altered or replaced without replacing the entire wheel. It is toward such a modular center cap that the present disclosure is directed.


A new and distinct variety of Ivy Geranium plant named `Meritropical`, characterized by its rounded, initially upright, then pendant growth habit; moderate growth rate and vigor; fast rooting; medium green foliage color; numerous peduncles with 12 to 15 flowers per umbel; semi-double faint pink flowers; and good weather tolerance.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Ivy Geranium plant, botanically know as Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafter referred to by the name `Meritropical`.
The new Ivy Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor in Wateringen, The Netherlends. The objective of the breeding program was to develop compact Ivy Geranium varieties with semi-double flowers, fast rooting, good flower form, tolerance to Botrytis, weather resistance, compact and pendant growth habit, and attractive flower and foliage colors.
The new Ivy Geranium orginated from a cross made by the inventor of two proprietary seedling selections identified as code number A 134 as the female, or seed, parent and code A 246 as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Ivy Geranium was discovered and selected by the inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Wateringen, The Netherlands, in June, 1992.
Compared to plants of the male parent, plants of the new Ivy Geranium are less compact and have larger flowers, Compared to plants of the female parent, plants of the new Ivy Geranium are more compact and have shorter peduncles. Additionally, flowers of plants of the female parent have more dark pink streaks than flowers of plants of the new Ivy Geranium.
Asexual reproduction of the new Ivy Geranium by terminal cuttings taken at Wateringen, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Ivy Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.


The invention relates to a method for regeneration of plants of the genus Pinus by culturing explants of immature zygotic embryos on culture initiation medium containing abscisic acid, nutrients, growth hormones, sugar and a gelling agent to grow embryogenic tissue for cryopreservation. Culturing of the embryogenic tissue is continued on culture maintenance medium, embryo development medium, and germination medium. The germinated embryos are further converted to acclimatized plants for field planting. The method is well suited for producing clonal planting stock useful for reforestation.

Propagation by somatic embryogenesis refers to methods whereby embryos are produced in vitro from small pieces of plant tissue or individual cells. The embryos are referred to as somatic because they are derived from the somatic (vegetative) tissue, rather than from the sexual process. Vegetative propagation via somatic embryogenesis has the capability to capture all genetic gain of highly desirable genotypes. Furthermore, these methods are readily amenable to automation and mechanization. These qualities endow somatic embryogenesis processes with the potential to produce large numbers of individual clones for reforestation purposes.
It was not until 1985 that somatic embryogenesis was discovered in conifers (Hakman et al. 1985) and the first viable plantlets were regenerated from conifer somatic embryos (Hakman and von Arnold 1985). Since 1985, conifer tissue culture workers throughout the world have pursued the development of somatic embryogenesis systems capable of regenerating plants. The goal of much of this work is to develop conifer somatic embryogenesis as an efficient propagation system for producing clonal planting stock en masse. Additionally, the embryogenic system interfaces very well with genetic engineering techniques for production of transgenic clonal planting stock of conifers.
The two most economically important conifer genera are Picea (spruce) and Pinus (pine). Those working in conifer somatic embryogenesis have found that there is a striking difference between Picea conifers and Pinus conifers as to the ease with which somatic embryogenesis can be induced and plants regenerated (Tautorus et al. 1991). Indeed, if one evaluates the success of somatic embryogenesis in conifers among species of these two important genera, it is clear that significantly more success has been achieved with initiating and establishing embryogenic cultures of Picea than with Pinus.
Among Picea species embryogenic culture initiation frequencies are relatively high; as high as 95% from immature zygotic embryos and as high as 55% from mature zygotic embryos harvested from fully developed, dry seeds (Tautorus et al. 1991). Researchers at the British Columbia Research Corporation have routinely reported initiation frequencies of about 27 percent in interior spruce (a mixture of Picea glauca and Picea englemannii). Moreover, these researchers have found this level of about 27 percent initiation frequency to be acceptable for the operational production of somatic embryo plants for field planting. Thus conifer somatic embryogenesis workers utilizing Picea species (and commercially important Douglas-fir) have been successful in developing culture initiation and maintenance systems that enable the routine production of plants from a range of families and genotypes (thereby not limiting the genetic material that is able to be deployed to the field).
In contrast, the progress achieved with somatic embryogenesis in Pinus species has been much less encouraging than that achieved with Picea species. The recalcitrance of Pinus species for initiation of embryogenic cultures is well documented. This is especially true for pines commonly found in the southeastern United States (known in the industry as Southern yellow pines). For example, initiation frequencies of about 1 to 5% are routinely cited by those working with Pinus species (Gupta and Durzan 1987, Becwar et al. 1988, Jain et al. 1989, Becwar et al. 1990). The single report claiming a 54% initiation rate from immature zygotic embryos of Pinus strobus (Finer et al. 1989) has yet to be repeated or duplicated by others working with this species (Michler et al. 1991).
Recently researchers working with Pinus species plants have achieved some important advances. In commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,413,930 and 5,506,136 (which are hereby incorporated by reference), Becwar et al. disclose multi-step methods that are able to complete the entire somatic embryogenesis regenerative process, from explant collection to planting, for historically recalcitrant Southern yellow pines (i.e., Pinus taeda, Pinus serotina, Pinus palustris, and Pinus elliottii), Pinus rigida, and hybrids thereof
In commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,090 (which is hereby incorporated by reference), Handley et al. taught a process that improved the above-noted methods by enabling the practitioner to replace the semi-solid maintenance culture media taught by Becwar et al. with liquid suspension culture media.
While the methods taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,413,930, 5,506,136 and 5,491,090 have produced thousands of somatic embryos and hundreds of plants in the field, these embryos and plants have often been from a limited number of families or genotypes within a family. Therefore, even though these patented methods have achieved considerable success in both establishing embryogenic cultures of Pinus and in producing large numbers of field grown plants, these methods have proven to be somewhat limited by variable culture initiation frequencies experienced by different genetic families. Indeed, it is believed that the primary limiting factor in achieving clonal forestry in these pines has been the inability to produce embryogenic cultures from some of the very best genetic material and, subsequently, production of somatic embryo plants for field testing and eventual clonal deployment (Handley et al. 1995). Simply put, a major problem limiting commercial development of the above-noted methods is that they tend to exhibit relatively low initiation frequencies in certain explants due to the genetic specificity of those explants.
The present invention corrects this problem of relatively low cell culture initiation frequencies. Indeed, this improved method results in increases of from about 80% to 600% in the number of embryogenic culture initiations achieved when compared to the methods taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,413,930, 5,506,136 and 5,491,090 (see Examples below). This improvement is highly significant because it ensures that more embryogenic cultures survive to the culture maintenance phase, thereby allowing more genotypes to be subsequently available for field testing and production of clonal planting stock.
Having a low initiation frequency can severely limit the potential applications of somatic embryogenesis in Pinus species for large-scale production of genetically improved conifers for the following reason. Skilled artisans in the conifer tissue culture field recognize that the use of embryogenic cultures derived from juvenile explants (e.g., zygotic embryos derived from seed) necessitate that the resulting regenerated plants be field tested prior to large-scale production. Only selected genotypes which show the potential for producing significant genetic gain in such field tests will subsequently be propagated by somatic embryogenesis. It will, therefore, be necessary to screen numerous genotypes from desirable parents, initiate embryogenic cultures, cryopreserve each genetically different culture, regenerate plants from each genetically different culture, field test plants from each genotype, and choose select genotypes for large scale production via somatic embryogenesis. Low culture initiation frequencies pose severe limitations for implementing this strategy. Indeed, an unbeknownst selection process may occur when low initiation frequencies exclude a majority of the genotypes. In the case of Pinus species where initiation frequencies can be very low (e.g., 1 to 5%) one could be selecting for embryogenic potential, but selecting against improved growth potential (which may be in the 95 to 99% of the genotypes eliminated as non-embryogenic).
As noted above, another major problem plaguing current somatic embryogenesis methods is that it has been extremely difficult to establish sufficient numbers of embryogenic cultures from some of the best genetic families of loblolly pine. A series of experiments have shown that a large percentage of those explants displaying commercially acceptable initiation frequencies when propagated via the above-noted patented methods have proven to be derived from families of average or poor genetic potential.
The present method corrects this problem by allowing one to produce large numbers of embryogenic cultures from a wide range of genetic materials, including materials of very high genetic value.
Somatic embryogenesis processes utilized with conifers (particularly the Pinus species) usually involve seven general steps: 1) culture initiation, 2) culture maintenance, 3) embryo development, 4) embryo maturation, 5) embryo germination, 6) conversion, and 7) plant growth (field planting). The culture media employed in the different steps are key components of effective somatic embryogenesis regeneration systems.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,413,930 and 5,506,136 teach the use of semi-solid culture media during the culture initiation and the culture maintenance steps. These culture media are generally composed of six groups of ingredients: inorganic nutrients, vitamins, organic supplements, a carbohydrate source, phytohormones, and a gelling agent. U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,090 teaches the replacement of the semi-solid maintenance culture media with liquid suspension culture media. This liquid suspension culture medium is generally composed of six groups of ingredients: inorganic nutrients, vitamins, organic supplements, a carbohydrate source, phytohormones, and activated carbon. The phytohormones used in conifer embryogenic systems have traditionally been an auxin and a cytokinin for the culture initiation and maintenance steps and abscisic acid for embryo development.
The improvement of the present method over the prior art (including the above-noted patented methods) lies in the fact that the present method adds abscisic acid to the earliest stage of the conifer somatic embryogenesis process--the initiation media. The above-noted patented methods do not contain abscisic acid in their initiation media. Indeed, the art's literature has traditionally taught away from using abscisic acid for the purpose of initiation, as heretofore it has been commonly believed by those skilled in the art that the only phytohormones necessary to initiate and maintain somatic embryogenesis were auxins and cytokinins.
In conifer somatic embryogenesis processes, abscisic acid (ABA) has traditionally been utilized after the culture initiation step--that is, in the later process steps concerning embryo development. The importance of ABA for these subsequent stages of development in zygotic embryogenesis is well known, and ABA has been used routinely to stimulate embryo development in somatic embryogenic systems (von Arnold and Hakman, 1988).
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,866 teaches the use of ABA in the embryo development media. Likewise, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,034,326 and 5,036,007 the growth regulator ABA along with activated carbon has been reported to be beneficial in the semi-solid development media for various conifers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,549 teaches the incorporation of ABA and gibberellic acid into maintenance media and late stage proembryo development media. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,187,092, 5,183,757, and 5,236,841 ABA is also used in the development step in conifer somatic embryogenesis. It is important to note that in all of these methods ABA is added to facilitate embryo development. The present method fundamentally differs from the prior art by utilizing ABA much earlier in the somatic embryo process (i.e., during the culture initiation step) to facilitate culture initiation.
ABA, which has been recognized as playing an important role in the later stages of conifer embryo development, has traditionally been employed concentrations of 0.1 to 15.0 mg/l (Gupta et al., 1991). It is commonly believed that cleavage polyembryony must be inhibited through the removal of auxins and cytolinins and the addition of ABA. However, the present invention shows that the addition of ABA to the pine embryogenic system seems to stimulate polyembryony at the early stages of culture initiation (see Examples).
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for establishing embryogenic cultures for use in somatic embryogenesis processes for plants of the genus Pinus and Pinus interspecies hybrids.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for the regeneration of coniferous plants by somatic embryogenesis from these cultures.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for the establishment of embryogenic cultures from plants of the genus Pinus and Pinus interspecies hybrids so that these cultures can be further induced to regenerate stage 3 embryos when placed in the development stage, and further germinated and converted to yield viable plants for field planting.

Method for regeneration of coniferous plants by somatic embryogenesis in culture media containing abscisic acid


A substantially single phase, single crystalline, highly epitaxial film of Bi.sub.2 CaSr.sub.2 Cu.sub.2 O.sub.8 superconductor which has a T.sub.c (zero resistance) of 83 K is provided on a lattice-matched substrate with no intergrowth. This film is produced by a Liquid Phase Epitaxy method which includes the steps of forming a dilute supercooled molten solution of a single phase superconducting mixture of oxides of Bi, Ca, Sr, and Cu having an atomic ratio of about 2:1:2:2 in a nonreactive flux such as KCl, introducing the substrate, e.g., NdGaO.sub.3, into the molten solution at 850.degree. C., cooling the solution from 850.degree. C. to 830.degree. C. to grow the film and rapidly cooling the substrate to room temperature to maintain the desired single phase, single crystalline film structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of superconductor materials and methods for their manufacture. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of Liquid Phase Epitaxy (LPE) methods for growing substrate supported single phase, single crystalline films of the superconductor class based on oxides of Bi, Ca, Sr and Cu, known as BCSCO, and in particular the 80 K-phase of that material known as 2122.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since the discovery of Bi-Ca-Sr-Cu-O(BCSCO)superconducting systems in 1988 there have been numerous reports on the thin film growth of this material. High quality epitaxial films of this superconducting material are of vital importance for a large number of applications. Various techniques such as electron beam deposition, magnetron sputtering, molecular beam epitaxy, and laser ablation have been widely used for the growth of thin films of BCSCO superconducting material. These methods are extremely costly and they have not been successful in producing single crystalline film specimens. In contrast there have been only a few reports on the growth of these films by the LPE method.
The main advantage of the LPE process over other thin film techniques, with the exception of laser ablation, is the superior stoichiometric control of the grown layers in the film. This is not possible with other methods due to the different vapor pressures of the individual elements of BCSCO at fixed substrate temperatures. Moreover, because of the non-uniform stoichiometric control with these techniques, the films have to be annealed subsequent to the growth to achieve the 80 K or 110 K phases. The post deposition annealing treatment of the films imposes a severe restriction on the choice of the substrates because of the possibility of diffusion of substrate constituents into the film.
The substrates that have been so far widely used for growing superconducting films are MgO and SrTiO.sub.3. Although these substrates have a very good structural stability at higher temperatures, they suffer from a large lattice constant mismatch with the 2122 phase of BCSCO. This drawback inhibits the formation of high quality epitaxial films. Recently, LaGaO.sub.3 and NdGaO.sub.3 have been used to grow thin films of BCSCO superconducting material using the LPE technique. Both of these substrates have smaller lattice mismatch with Bi.sub.2 CaSr.sub.2 Cu.sub.2 O.sub.8+x than MgO and SrTiO.sub.3. However, LaGaO.sub.3 suffers the disadvantage of structural instability at higher temperatures due to its phase transition at 875.degree. C. from orthorhombic to rhombohedral structure.
The liquid phase epitaxy method has been used to grow thin films of the 2122-BCSCO phase from Bi.sub.4 Ca.sub.3 Sr.sub.3 Cu.sub.4 O.sub.x charge compositions. Addition of PbO in the initial charge composition has also been used to promote the 80 K-phase of BCSCO superconducting film. But the thin film growth of single crystalline 80 K-phase material from the supercooled solutions of Bi.sub.2 CaSr.sub.2 Cu.sub.2 O.sub.8+x -KCI system using the LPE process has not been described in the prior art.
High quality and large single crystals of the three leading high-T.sub.c materials, namely, 123 YBCO, BCSCO and Tl-based compounds, have not become available to this date either in bulk or even in thin film form in spite of intensive research to achieve this goal throughout the world in various laboratories. There are some inherent problems associated with all these material which are very difficult to solve by conventional techniques of crystal growth and synthesis. These problems encountered in producing single crystals of Bi-based superconductors can include 1. incongruent nature of the melt; 2. reactivity of the mel with crucible materials (even with platinum); 3. chemical instability; 4. extreme anisotropy owing to the layered habit and 5. the affinity toward intergrowth. Because of these inherent problems associated with the high-T.sub.c materials the growth of large, homogeneous, single phase, single crystal with no intergrowths has not been possible even though high levels of epitaxy have been achieved.

Method for forming single phase, single crystalline 2122 BCSCO superconductor thin films by liquid phase epitaxy


A circuit module includes a duplexer mounted on a module board and a cover layer is stacked on an insulating layer that is disposed on one principal surface of a device board so as to enclose a predetermined area thereof. A transmission filter device and a reception filter device that have different transmission bands are provided on the one principal surface of the device board in the predetermined area thereof within the space enclosed by the insulating layer between the device board and the cover layer. Accordingly, the duplexer does not include a package board as in the existing technique, and in turn a circuit module including the duplexer mounted on the module board is significantly reduced in height and in size.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to circuit modules that include duplexers including a first filter device and a second filter device that have different transmission bands.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, portable communication terminals such as a cellular phone and a portable information terminal which support communication through a plurality of communication standards such as the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) standard and the CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) standard have rapidly become widespread. In these portable communication terminals, signals in different frequency bands are transmitted and received using a common antenna. There is thus an increasing demand for improvement in performance and reduction in the size of front end modules (circuit modules) such as an antenna switch including a duplexer that separates a transmission signal and a reception signal having different frequencies.
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6, a duplexer 500 having a reduced size and improved performance achieved by disposing first and second filter units 503 and 505 having different signal transmission bands in close proximity to each other so that the characteristics of each of the filter units 503 and 505 do not degrade, is mounted on a module board included in a circuit module, and thus the circuit module has a reduced size and improved performance.
The existing duplexer 500 illustrated in FIG. 6 has a packaging structure and includes a package board 501, the first filter unit 503, and the second filter unit 505. The package board 501 is formed of a resin, ceramic, or polymer material and is formed by a print board, an LTCC board, an alumina-based board, a glass board, a composite material board, or the like, and the first filter unit 503 and the second filter unit 505 are provided on a component side of the package board 501. In addition, the first and second filter units 503 and 505 are provided with SAW (surface acoustic wave) filter devices 502 and 504, respectively, and are each provided with passive devices, namely chip inductors 506 and a chip capacitor 507, which serve as peripheral circuit devices for complementing the electrical characteristics of the SAW filter devices 502 and 504.
Each of the SAW filter devices 502 and 504 mounted in the duplexer 500 illustrated in FIG. 6 includes a device board, an airtight sealing frame, and a base board (cover layer). The device board is formed of a piezoelectric material, and interdigital electrodes are provided on one principal surface of the device board in a predetermined area thereof; the airtight sealing frame is arranged on the device board so as to enclose the predetermined area thereof in which the interdigital electrodes are provided; and the base board is placed over the one principal surface with the airtight sealing frame provided therebetween. The interdigital electrodes are thus enclosed within an airtight space that is formed between the device board and the base board and is enclosed by the airtight sealing frame. With this configuration, the interdigital electrodes (piezoelectric material) disposed within the airtight space are excited appropriately. Thus, a surface acoustic wave generated as a signal is inputted propagates along the surface of the device board, and degradation of the interdigital electrodes disposed within the airtight space is prevented.
Furthermore, in order to suppress electromagnetic interference between the inductor devices and to prevent signal interference between the filter units 503 and 505, the chip inductors 506 that are disposed adjacent to each other in a boundary portion 508 between the first filter unit 503 and the second filter unit 505 are disposed on the package board 501 such that the directions of the magnetic fluxes thereof are orthogonal to each other. With this configuration, even when the filter units 503 and 505 are disposed in close proximity to each other, signal interference between the first and second filter units 503 and 505 is prevented, and thus variations in the characteristics of the filter units 503 and 505 are reduced.
In this manner, the existing duplexer 500, which has been reduced in size and improved in performance, is mounted on the module board, and the first and second filter units 503 and 505 of the duplexer 500 are used as a transmission filter and a reception filter, respectively. Thus, the circuit module such as an antenna switch is formed.
In recent years, portable communication terminals have rapidly been decreasing in size, and there has been a demand for further reducing the height and the size of a circuit module to be mounted in a portable communication terminal, leading to an increasing demand for improvement in technology.


A liquid distributor for use within a cylindrical tower containing tower packing to provide dispersed liquid to the packing comprising (a) a plurality of cordially disposed feed liquid conduits interconnected one to another to form, at least, one coplanar essentially continuous loop, (b) a feed entry for feeding the liquid to the conduits, and (c) sprayers for dispersing the liquid onto the packing. The distributor is of particular value in the sulfric acid manufacturing field as a drying tower, sulfur dioxide stripping tower, sulfur trioxide absorption tower and an oleum tower. The distributor provides improved irrigation across the tower and, particularly, adjacent the tower wall.

Sulfuric acid plants using the contact process include packed towers for the transfer of water vapour and sulfur trioxide from carrier gases to a sulfiuric acid stream for drying of air or sulfur trioxide absorption, respectively. These towers are, generally, brick-lined and contain ceramic packing. The tower can be as large as ten meters in diameter and contain packing up to four meters deep. Typically, the height of the packing is less than the tower diameter, which can result in problems with both liquid and gas distribution. Liquid flows can be very large and range up to 2500 cubic meters per hour (10,000 U.S. gallons per minute). Gas flows can range as high as 250,000 cubic meters per hour. Tower efficiencies must be very high for the processes to work successfully.
Ceramic packing has been used in packed towers in the contact process for many years. In early plants, such shapes included quartz rocks, pipe sections (Rashig Rings), crushed bricks and special shapes, such as saddles. Most of these shapes had limited gas treatment capacities and the towers were relatively large for the production capacity. Flow restrictions caused by the acid distributors in such towers did not constrain tower capacity. Typical distributors in such towers include pan and trough units, optionally with overflow weirs while others provided downcomers, to carry the acid into the packing. Another variety of distributor contained cast iron pipes with drilled holes servicing as orifices to meter the acid into the packing.
While commercial distributors provide reasonable absorption efficacy, none provide good structural marriages of linear geometry to the circular cross-section of the typical tower. In some cases, many more distribution points have been added to generate a better tower performance, while in the majority of other cases additional packing is used. Distributors which generate more effective liquid distribution, but not necessarily uniform distribution are needed.
Specifically, prior art distributors have feed conduit layouts which generally take the form of a central feed conduit the full diameter of the distributor and extending between the walls across from which a plurality of coplanar chordal cross-member conduits perpendicularly extend. However, the cross-member conduits do not interconnect one to another and terminate adjacent the distributor wall. However, such conduit layouts do not provide fully satisfactory liquid circumferential distribution adjacent and at the distributor wall around the full inner circumference of the wall surface. No provision is made for a network constituted as a full or substantial essentially continuous loop.
Structural areas which need to be addressed are those which provide, namely, (1) distribution from a single feed line into a header system, (2) distribution from the header system to the individual feed points, and (3) distribution from the feed points to the packing.
There is, therefore, a need for a more efficient liquid distribution system, particularly, in absorption and drying towers of use in sulfuric acid manufacture.