Control apparatus and method are disclosed for shifting focus on a multilayered optical medium using closed loop servo operation. The outputs of an astigmatic optical pickup are independently modified by a control signal generator according to a predetermined time varying pattern to produce a deceptive error signal that changes the apparent focal offset seen by a servo circuit. While in closed loop mode, the servo tracks the shifting apparent focal plane from a first information layer of the medium toward a second information layer. Thereafter the control signals are removed, and the servo locks focus on the second information region.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the control of a beam of energy. More particularly this invention relates to the controlled motion of a focal point of a beam of light to selected positions in a multilayered optical information medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital optical media such as optical discs and optical tapes are now commonly used for mass storage of information, for example compressed MPEG encoded audio and video signals. The information storage capacity of the discs and tapes can be enhanced by layering a plurality of information containing layers on a substrate. To read a multilayered optical medium, a focal point of light is selectively positioned on the layers, and is shifted from layer to layer in accordance with the format in which the media has been written. Shifting of the focal point is generally accomplished by arrangements requiring mechanical movement of the optics relative to the medium. This requires a large separation between layers to assure differentiation of the individual layers by an optomechanical link and its associated servo circuitry.
Focus acquisition is conventionally accomplished by various servo arrangements initially operating in an open loop mode. The feedback loop of the focus servo includes a switch that is initially open, during which time the focus servo is driven by an oscillating waveform, such as a sawtooth waveform, causing an objective lens to be displaced toward and away from the optical medium, and a beam of light passing through the objective lens goes in and out of focus on the medium. At some point, when the beam is near a desired focal position, the sawtooth waveform is removed and the switch closed, thereby closing the feedback loop. Typical is the disclosure of Wachi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,282, which proposes the use of detectors that detect maxima and minima of return light from the optical medium, and maxima and minima of a focus error signal. These maximum and minimum signals are processed by a servo, which drives a focus actuator. A focus servo operation then executes to lock in the light focus at a desired level.
In Millar et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,157, it is proposed to intentionally defocus the light spot on an optical disk after focus acquisition has been achieved and while the servo is operating in closed loop mode. The resulting variation in the read-back signal is utilized by a synchronous detection circuit to extract magnitude and polarity information of the focus offset. This is fed back to the focus servo signal to null out the defocussing effect, and restore focus lock.
A conventional focus control circuit 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1, wherein a astigmatic optical pickup 12 comprises a matrix of four photoelectric transducers 12a-12d, arranged to detect a light beam that returns from an optical information medium through an objective lens (not shown). It will be understood herein that the objective lens is a component of a known optomechanical link 28 between the focus control circuit 10 and the optical pickup 12. Signals from paired, diagonally opposed transducers (pair 12a, 12d and pair 12b, 12c) are combined on lines 13a, 13b respectively, and amplified respectively by operational amplifiers 14a, 14b. The paired signals on lines 13a, 13b independently vary as the focal point of the objective lens transits the information layer of an optical medium, and these signals are responsive to the focus offset of the objective lens from the information layer. The outputs of the operational amplifiers 14a, 14b drive a differential amplifier 16, which outputs a focus error signal on line 32. The focus error signal on line 32 is representative of the difference between the signals on lines 13a, 13b. In closed loop operation, the focus error signal on line 32 is coupled to conventional phase and gain compensating circuitry, referred to herein as servo circuitry 18. Servo circuitry is disclosed, for example, in Ceshkovsky et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,022. The focus error signal on line 32 is an input to the servo circuitry 18, and causes a modification in its behavior in accordance with the loop design. The output of servo circuitry 18 is summed with the output of focus acquire control circuitry 20 in summing circuit 22. The output of the summing circuit 22 is amplified in a drive amplifier 24, and coupled to a focus actuator, represented as actuator coil 26. The optomechanical link 28 between the actuator coil 26 and the optical pickup 12 is indicated by a dashed line.
Initially switch 30 is opened by a control means (not shown), so that the focus error signal on line 32 is disengaged from the servo circuitry 18, but remains coupled to the focus acquire control circuitry 20 via line 34. In this circumstance, the focus actuator coil 26 is driven by an oscillating waveform added on summing junction 22, and the optomechanical link 28 moves an objective lens (not shown) generally toward and away from the surface of the optical medium. The output of the optical pickup 20 varies as the focal point of the objective lens approaches an information layer of the optical medium. When the lens is approximately in focus on the information layer, the switch 30 is closed, and the servo circuitry 18 begins closed loop operation.
When a light beam is perfectly focused on an information layer of an optical medium, the light intensity on the paired photodetector elements 12a, 12d and 12b,12c of the optical pickup 12 is equal. The signals on lines 13a, 13b, and the signals developed by the operational amplifiers 14a, 14b are also equal, and the output of the differential amplifier 16 is nominally zero. As the focal point of the objective lens drifts away from the information layer, the intensity of light measured by the pairs of photodetector elements varies, so that the signals on lines 13a and 13b become unequal, and the differential amplifier 16 generates a focus error signal on line 32 that has a voltage level either greater than zero, or less than zero, depending on the direction the focal point of the objective lens has moved from the information layer.
Fundamental principles underlying the invention are also disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 08/474,424, of common assignee herewith.
A typical waveform plot of a focus error signal according to the circuit of FIG. 1 is shown as waveform 50 in FIG. 3, wherein F1 and F2 indicate the positions of two information bearing layers on a multilayered optical medium. When the focal point of the objective lens is remote from the information layer of the optical medium, for example at the left side of focus error waveform 50, the focus error signal has a baseline value. As the focal point of the objective lens approaches the first information layer F1, in a direction indicated by arrow A, the differential amplifier 16 begins to develop a positive signal, which is approximately sinusoidal, and which returns to the baseline value when the objective lens focal point actually crosses the first information layer F1 at point 52. As the objective lens continues traveling beyond the first layer, the differential amplifier 16 produces a signal which is less than the baseline value. When the objective lens is sufficiently remote from the first information layer F1, the focus error signal again returns to baseline. The above sequence is repeated as the focal point of the objective lens transits a second information layer F2, with a zero crossing occurring at point 54.
With the above noted approaches it is necessary to return to an open loop mode of operation when it is desired to shift focus from a first information layer to a second information layer, and to reclose the loop in order to lock focus on the second layer. Otherwise the servo loop would initially resist movement to the second information layer, and eventually be overcome, after which the focus would move in an uncontrolled manner.


A cable assembly includes an elongated catheter defining a lumen. A cable within the lumen has at least first and second electrically independent conductors. A first electrical component is connected to the catheter and has a first lead and second lead. The first lead is connected to the first conductor at a first connection, and the second lead connected to the second conductor at a second connection. The first and second connections are spaced apart along the length of the catheter, and the component is positioned at an intermediate location between the first and second connections. The component may be a coil, with leads extending in opposite directions, and only one of the conductors may pass through the coil. The assembly may include multiple components spaced apart along the length of the catheter.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electronic cables for catheterized medical applications.
2. Introduction to the Invention
Medical instruments employ catheters for a wide range of uses, including imaging, sensing, and treatment of internal tissue. For instance, catheters are inserted into a patient's blood vessels, such as to reach the heart for imaging or therapeutic action. Catheters have one or more lumens or bores that extend the length of the catheter, and through which wires or other implements pass. These may include mechanical guide wires used to bend and steer the catheter for insertion, fiber optic or current carrying wires used to provide a light source, and signal wires used to carry images or other sensing signals.
Catheters used during imaging procedures such as by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) may employ components able to provide a detectable reference point in space, so that the MRI software can locate the catheter, aiding its navigation to a desired location via a desired path. Such elements may employ a series of coils that each wraps closely about the exterior of the catheter at intervals along the length of the catheter near the free end. These coils may also be covered with thin layers of other materials to help seal the catheter, make the surface smoother, or affect the flexibility of the catheter region containing the coils. However, the conventional approaches employed to connect these coils to wires extending to instrumentation are bulky, creating significant lumps that limit the vessels in which the catheter may be inserted, or which require more internal space and thus limit the catheter's capacity to host other needed lumens for other functions.
Accordingly, there is a need for a catheter with compact interconnections to the components employed.

Catheter with compactly terminated electronic component


A process measurement system that utilizes fast neutron backscattering for measuring density, level, and interfaces of substantially non-hydrogenous materials. The present invention substantially expands the use of backscattering technology, by expanding measurement to materials other than those containing hydrogen, and allowing measurement of materials in thicker walled vessels than previously possible. The system contains a fast neutron source for emitting neutrons into the material to be measured. The detection system is mounted near the neutron source to receive the backscattered neutrons. An energy degradation system is also incorporated to reduce the energy level of the fast neutrons down to a desired range.

The present invention relates to the measurement of levels, phase, interfaces, and density of substantially non-hydrogenous process materials using neutron backscattering for measurements.
The use of thermal neutron backscatter, thermal neutron transmission, fast neutron transmission, and various gamma radiation techniques for process measurements have long been known. For example, the assignee of the present application, Kay-Ray Sensall Inc., of Mount Prospect, Ill., has level and interface measurement systems using radiation sources in detection, such as their Model 4800X Level System, the Model 4760 Level System, the Model 4160 Neutron Level/Interface Measurement System, and the Model 3660 Density Measurement System. These systems use radiation principles, having sources of radiation and detectors, which provide an output indicating a level of process material. The detection circuitry senses the output and uses it for control of a process, for example, with microprocessor control and two or four wire transmitter systems.
Fast or high energy neutron sources are known, and are used in measurement systems, such as in moisture detectors and interface level measurements. Fast neutrons may be converted to thermal neutrons when they travel in certain materials, especially hydrogen containing materials. Detection of either backscattered or transmitted thermal neutrons is the basis of such measurements. Thermal neutron detection systems are readily and inexpensively applied to hydrogenous process measurements. These detection systems are extremely limited in their detection of neutron energies above the thermal or epithermal range. The detection probability of these detection systems at above epithermal energies is only 1/100 of a percent of the capture probability at the thermal energies.
A system that uses direct measurement of the quantity of transmitted high energy or fast neutrons is the assignees Model 4360 Neutron Transmission System, the principles of which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,256, titled FAST NEUTRON PROCESS MEASUREMENT SYSTEM.
The apparatus of the present invention detects backscattered neutrons having above epithermal energy, as opposed to measuring transmission of neutrons. A greatly reduced neutron source size can also be used in the present invention since the neutrons need not be transmitted through the entire vessel filled with the process material.
The present system measures density, level and interfaces of non-hydrogenous as well as hydrogenous materials based on neutron backscatter techniques. The invention expands the accurate measurement to materials that are either totally devoid of hydrogen or contain only trace amounts of hydrogen. Moderation of fast neutrons to thermal neutrons by hydrogen contained in the process material being monitored, is no longer a requirement and therefore not a limitation for the application of neutron backscatter to process measurements.
The invention allows cost effective application of neutron backscatter measurements to a broad new field of non-hydrogenous process materials. The ability to apply neutron backscatter instrumentation to process measurements that contain any element as opposed to only those that contain hydrogen substantially expands the use of the technology. Measurement error due to thermal neutron capture by high barns value elements is greatly reduced due to the energy detection spectrum of the invention.
Another benefit of the system in the present invention is that it is non-contacting and non-intrusive. Thus, it is not adversely affected by high temperatures or pressures, chemical corrosion, abrasion or other factors that adversely affect internal or contacting measurement systems.
When compared to thermal neutron backscatter systems, the present invention has significantly greater penetration through vessel walls. In thermal neutron systems interaction with the hydrogen contained in the process material readily reduces the neutrons to sub-epithermal ranges. After thermalization the neutron must traverse that portion of the process material that lies between the vessel and the point of thermalization, in addition to the vessel wall to reach the detectors. At thermal energies the maximum steel vessel wall thickness for process measuring is less than 3 inches. In the present invention, measurements can be made on vessels with a maximum thickness of 4 inches of steel or equivalent in refractory brick or other materials.
By way of comparison, thermal neutrons are considered to be neutrons having an energy level below 0.025 electron volts; epithermal neutrons have energy levels between 0.025 and 100 electron volts while the preferred fast neutrons emitted from the source with a mean energy level of over four million electron volts.
Another aspect of the system is that generally neutrons do not occur naturally as background radiation, thus it is practical to use small source sizes and detect the resulting low quantities of backscattered neutrons. Gamma radiation based systems must overcome a natural occurring gamma background radiation, which requires raising the total radiation level.

Non-hydrogenous process level measurement


The present invention provides, among other things, oligonucleotide modulators of human 5′-HT2C receptor (HTR2C) and improved methods and composition for treating HTR2C-related diseases, disorders or conditions based on such modulators. In particular, oligonucleotides modulators according to the invention target specific regions in the Exon V/Intron V junction of the human HTR2C pre-mRNA and drive expression of HTR2C Vb splice isoform, leading to increased generation of non-edited strong HTR2C receptor and enhanced serotonin receptor activity.

Obesity is a serious health crisis with significant associated morbidity and mortality. It is estimated that about 64% of Americans are overweight or obese (roughly about 97 million adults) with a general belief that the proportion of overweight or obese people continues to rise. The prevalence of obesity worldwide is also believed to be increasing; the World Health Organization projects 700 million adults will be clinically obese (BMI≧30, body mass index; kg/m2) by 2015. Co-morbidities include type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, gallstones, liver problems, sleep apnea and even some cancers (e.g., endometrial, breast, prostate, and colon cancers). Higher body weights are also associated with increases in all-cause mortality.
Numerous treatments for obesity have been developed over time, although no treatment has ever gained general acceptance. One of these treatments, fenfluramine-phentermine (commonly known as "fen-phen"), which targets human serotonin receptor 2C (HTR2C or the 5-HT2C receptor) protein, was very effective in achieving weight loss, however, it was withdrawn due to side effects such as pulmonary hypertension and heart valve damage. Eventually, it was determined that the side effects of fen-phen were due to their agonist activity at several serotonin receptors.
The 5-HT2C receptor belongs to the family of seven transmembrane domain receptors (7TMRs) that signal to the internal cellular environment via heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G proteins) in response to stimulation by hormones, neurotransmitters and pharmacological ligands. The 5-HT2C receptor is found primarily in the central nervous system, and particularly in the epithelial cells of the choroid plexus. The receptor is implicated in a range of other diseases, ranging from obesity-linked conditions such as Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) and hyperphagia to psychological disorders to sleep disorders to addiction.
Existing pharmaceutical HTR2C agonists, such as fen-phen and locaserin, function through directly targeting the HTR2C protein. Such HTR2C agonists would not be effective in treating diseases like Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS), in which the HTR2C protein is dramatically reduced or even absent.

Antisense oligonucleotide modulators of serotonin receptor 2C and uses thereof


A process and system for enhanced nitrogen removal in a wastewater treatment facility comprises a constructed wetlands and a recirculating sand filter. The effluent from the constructed wetlands passes through the recirculating sand filter to facilitate ammonia conversion to nitrates. A portion of the wastewater is recycled from the recirculating sand filter to the constructed wetlands to provide for anaerobic denitrification of the wastewater in a nutrient rich environment.

The present invention relates to a process and system for treating wastewater in a constructed wetland facility.
The use of constructed wetlands for the treatment of wastewater is becoming an increasingly popular option especially in rural or lightly developed areas. Constructed wetlands use wetland plants and bacteria to remove pollutants from the wastewater.
Existing constructed wetlands, including surface water and subsurface flow systems, use wetland plants and atmospheric diffusion to transfer oxygen into the water. At the inlet to the constructed wetlands, the high concentration of organic matter in the wastewater provides a rich energy source for biological activity. This activity is so vigorous that any oxygen transferred into the water is immediately consumed resulting in an essentially oxygen-free (anaerobic) zone. The organic material is consumed by the biological activity so that, as the wastewater flows through the wetland, the concentration of organic matter is rapidly reduced. The reduction in the energy source represented by the organic matter reduces the rate of microbiological activities such that an anoxic regime is formed wherein the oxygen transferred into the water is not necessarily immediately consumed but the water is still oxygen starved. The plants and water surface can provide natural aerobic zones within the constructed wetland, especially in the anoxic zone. These aerobic zones provide for efficient conversion of ammonia or ammonium ions into nitrates. The nitrates are bacteriologically reduced to nitrogen gas but such microbiological activity is inhibited by the presence of free oxygen in the aerobic zones and the anoxic zones.
A number of processes and systems have been developed to increase the aerobic activity in a constructed wetland to improve the conversion of ammonia/ammonium to nitrates. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,975 discloses a subsurface flow constructed wetland including a wastewater treatment system having a flow intake, a pretreatment nutrient addition chamber and a wastewater flow divider. The flow divider further has a compressed air aerator in the bottom thereof. An object of the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,975 is to install a supplemental air diffuser system along the bottom of the influent distribution chamber therein to facilitate initial precipitation of sludge and to prevent potential septic and/or anaerobic conditions at the initial point of treatment to significantly enhance system performance.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,827 discloses a wastewater treatment system wherein the liquid component is subjected to a two-part treatment wherein the first part of the treatment is carried out on a sequencing batch reactor and the second part is carried out in at least one reed bed. The wastewater entering the reed bed is comparable in quality to secondary treated wastewater except that a substantial amount of total nitrogen has also been removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,371 discloses constructed wetlands, utilizing a plurality of cells, in which nitrification and denitrification occurs simultaneously at low flow rates and lower temperatures. The constructed wetland provides improved remediation in a shorter period of time.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,469 B1 discloses a system for removing pollution from water, utilizing a subsurface constructed wetland system using forced bed aeration and variable water levels, to promote greater root depth and better root structure of the wetland vegetation, and to establish staged anaerobic and aerobic zones within the system.
A system combining a wetlands and a recirculating sand filter in series has been developed to enhance nitrogen removal. However, this system requires the addition of a second nutrient feed stream after the sand filter.
None of the prior art systems provide for denitrification of the wastewater in a highly anaerobic, nutrient rich zone near the inlet of the constructed wetlands. It is a hallmark of the current invention to provide for denitrification of wastewater in the anaerobic nutrient rich zone at the inlet to the constructed wetland.

Process and system for enhanced nitrogen removal in a wetland and recirculating sand filter wastewater treatment system


There is disclosed a bone cement composition comprising (a) a liquid component comprising a monomer of an acrylic ester and (b) a powdered component comprising a terpolymer of methyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, and styrene. A prepared terpolymer, based on the weight of the powdered component, has between 55 to 89.5% methyl methacrylate, 10 to 40% butyl methacrylate and 0.5 to 5% styrene.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bone cement composition. More particularly, the present invention relates to a bone cement wherein the liquid component comprises a monomer of an acrylic ester and the powdered component comprises a terpolymer of methyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, and styrene.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bone cements find wide usage in a variety of applications. For instance, they are used for cementing implants in place, for the anchoring of endoprostheses of the joints, in the treatment of skull defects, and for the performance of spinal fusion. These cements are typically polymeric materials and the surgeon usually mixes the interactive components to make the cement at an appropriate stage during the surgical procedure. Typically, the components of the bone cement comprise a powdered homopolymer or copolymer of methyl methacrylate and a suitable liquid monomer, for example, methyl methacrylate. To accelerate the polymerization of the bone cement, a catalyst system may also be used. The catalyst, if present, is in the form of a redox catalyst system, usually containing an organic peroxy compound, such as dibenzoyl peroxide, plus a reducing component, such as p-toluidine
Once the bone cement/implant combination, for example, is in the body, the surgeon will later wish to inspect the implant by X-rays and since the polymers and/or monomers are relatively radiolucent, radiopaque materials, also called opacifiers, are added to the polymeric bone cement. Examples of such opacifiers are barium salts, such as barium sulphate, and other salts such as zirconium oxide and zinc oxide. While these opacifying agents give the necessary radiopacity, it has been reported that they tend to reduce the mechanical properties, e.g. transverse strength and compressive strength of the set polymeric bone cement. The reported solution to this alleged problem of reduced mechanical strength is referred to in a number of patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,658 refers to a method of incorporating an opacifier in an acrylic resin by suspension polymerization.
EPO Patent Application No. 0218471 refers to a composition for forming a bone cement comprising a powdered component and a monomer component, the powdered component comprising ethyl methacrylate polymer beads incorporating particles of opacifier therein and the monomer component comprising n-butyl methacrylate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,691 refers to a low viscosity bone cement comprising a liquid methyl methacrylate monomer and powdered polymethylmethacrylate beads wherein 85-95% of the polymethylmethacrylate beads fall through a #40 mesh and #100 mesh screen and 5-15% of the polymethylmethacrylate beads pass through a #40 mesh screen but not through a #100 mesh screen.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,686 refers to a frozen polymethylmethacrylate bone cement.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,639 refers to a bone cement prepared by mixing a finely powdered solid polymer phase of polymethylmethacrylate and/or poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) with a liquid monomer phase of methyl methacrylate and/or 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate in a weight ratio of polymer phase to monomer phase of 1.5 to 3.3:1.
United Kingdom Patent No. 1,532,318 refers to a bone cement comprising a liquid component comprising methyl methacrylate as an emulsion in water and a powdered component comprising polymethylmethacrylate in finely divided form.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,279 refers to a bone cement comprising (a) a liquid component comprising a monomer of an acrylic ester and (b) a powdered component comprising, based on the weight of the powdered component, (i) from 0 to about 20 percent of a methyl methacrylate homopolymer, (ii) from about 30 to about 60 percent of a methyl methacrylatestyrene copolymer, and (iii) from about 30 to about 60 percent of a methyl methacrylate-butyl methacrylate copolymer. Opacifying agents can be incorporated in the powdered component.
The existing bone cement compositions are usually hand mixed at the time of surgery, resulting in materials with a maximum tensile strength of approximately 30 MPa and a maximum tensile deformation of approximately 0.015 strain. With the introduction of new methods of mixing the cement, such as vacuum mixing and centrifugation, improvements in the tensile strength of the bone cement have been reported. While useful for their intended purpose, it would also be highly desirable to have a bone cement composition exhibiting higher maximum tensile deformation, that is, the ability to sustain higher strains without failure.
Since the terpolymer according to the present invention allows the optimum amount of the desired chemical groups in a single polymer chain, it presents a more specific way of varying the mechanical properties of the bone cement.


SOI FETs include an electrically insulating substrate, a semiconductor region on the electrically insulating substrate, a field effect transistor having source, drain and channel regions in the semiconductor region and a metal silicide region between the electrically insulating substrate and the semiconductor region. The metal silicide region (e.g., TiSi.sub.2) forms non-rectifying junctions with the source and channel regions of the field effect transistor so that holes accumulated in the channel region (upon impact ionization) can be readily transported to the source region (and contact thereto) via the metal silicide layer and recombination of the holes with electrons in the source region can be carried out with high efficiency. The metal silicide region ohmically contacts the source and channel regions, but does not form a junction with the drain region of said field effect transistor.

Field effect transistors such as MOSFETs fabricated in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates may be susceptible to relatively low source-to-drain breakdown voltages due to floating body effects. In addition, excess holes in nMOSFETs may be generated by impact ionization and may accumulate near the source/body junction therein. A sufficient number of holes may accumulate and forward bias the body with respect to the source and thereby lower the threshold voltage of the MOSFET through the body-bias effect. Furthermore, a "kick" effect in the I-V characteristics may be present because of additional current flow.
Attempts have been made to utilize low barrier body contacts underneath the source region of an SOI transistor to collect current generated by impact ionization. One such attempt is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,792 to Hu. et al. entitled "Silicon-On-Insulator Transistors Having Improved Current Characteristics and Reduced Electrostatic Discharge Susceptibility". In particular, the '792 patent discloses an SOI MOSFET having a P-type channel region and a low barrier P-type body contact region 18 between an N+ source region 16 and a buried silicon dioxide layer 12. Here, the low barrier P-type body contact region 18 forms a P-N junction with the N+ source region 16. Because this P-N junction inhibits conduction directly through the source region, a P+ side contact 20 is formed to provide a current path for impact ionization current. Unfortunately, the inclusion of this P+ side contact 20 increases the unit cell size of an SOI MOSFET and complicates the fabrication process.
Thus, notwithstanding the above-described SOI MOSFET, there continues to be a need for improved SOI-based transistors having reduced susceptibility to parasitic floating body effects and methods of forming same.

Semiconductor-on-insulator field effect transistors with reduced floating body parasitics


Disclosed are various embodiments for processing applications to determine compatible devices. An application processing system may determine application dependencies by parsing application manifest files, filtering customer reviews, and/or emulating the application on a virtual device. Based at least in part on the application dependencies, a determination may be made whether to make the application available for download and/or execution on a device.

With the emergence of mobile technology, an abundance of various devices are entering the marketplace. In order to offer software for download on these various devices, developers of software applications are able to upload proprietary applications to electronic marketplaces. Traditionally, these electronic marketplaces only permit the upload of a single version of the application. Thus, one version of an application must account for all the various environments created by the abundance of devices with differing hardware and software capabilities.


Reconfigurable bins include at least one structural component formed of shape memory materials such as a shape memory polymer, a shape memory alloy, or a combination thereof. The shape memory material is in operative communication with an activation device adapted to provide an activation signal effective to change at least one attribute of the shape memory material such that the bin can be reconfigured from a first shape to a second shape. The reconfigurable bin can include a mesh network or may be formed of panels or a combination panels and mesh.

The present disclosure generally relates to reconfigurable storage bins and, more particularly, to reconfigurable storage bins that can be reversibly reconfigured from a first rigid shape to a second rigid shape and vice versa or reconfigured by selective changes in modulus properties.
It is known to provide automotive interiors with various trim assemblies to improve the aesthetic appearance of the automotive interior and for the comfort and convenience of vehicle occupants. Examples of these interior trim assemblies include the instrument panels, armrests, door trim panels, and consoles. In many of these trim assemblies, various storage compartments are incorporated therein that allow the vehicle occupant to conveniently store one or more items, such as tissue, coins, maps, pens, paper, and various other items typically carried in a vehicle. One such compartment is an open-ended map pocket typically carried in the lower portion of the door trim assembly. FIG. 1 provides such an example. The storage compartment, i.e., bin, 10 is typically mounted onto or integrated with an interior door trim panel 12. Storage compartments for automotive interiors are of a fixed dimension that can generally be used to contain articles having smaller dimensions. Articles having a larger dimension cannot be accommodated. Moreover, even if the storage bin can accommodate the article, because the storage compartment is of a rigid fixed construction, the articles contained therein are prone to movement (and breakage or spillage) within the compartment while the vehicle is in motion.
Some storage compartments utilize portions of the structure that can provide some movement or are composed of a net (i.e., mesh) design such as is shown in FIG. 2, which shows the net design 14 attached to a back surface 16 of an automotive seat 18. The net 14 is typically formed of a nylon material that is secured to the surface on two or three sides to form a sleeve or pocket, respectively. An elastic band 20 may be secured to the netting at the openings provided by the netting with each end of the elastic band secured to the seatback or a fixed point on the netting. In this manner, an end user elastically opens the pocket to allow an object to be inserted or withdrawn. In some net designs, the design is removable. Movement of an article within and out of the net configuration or the configuration in which the sides can be manipulated are manual operations that must be provided by the end user. Moreover, both of the configurations are generally static and limited to the inherent properties of the materials used. The prior art design materials cannot be selectively reconfigured.
What is needed are reconfigurable storage bins that can be selectively reconfigured to accommodate or contain a variety of articles.

Reconfigurable storage bins having a structural component formed of a shape memory material


A wine cooler unit has a refrigerated cabinet housing two pull-out assemblies, each having a door panel and one or more wine racks. One rack can be mounted to the door panel, and one or more follower racks can be extended and retracted by movement of the door panel mounted rack, or by independent manual movement thereof. Two or more racks can be pulled out from the cabinet in a staggered or cascading fashion in which an upper rack extends from the cabinet to a lesser extent than a next lower rack to provide access to the bottles on each rack. The door panels can be made of a glass thermopane allowing visual inspection of the contents inside the cabinet. The cabinet can be cooled by a refrigeration system having two evaporators, which provide two independent cooling zones, one for each pull-out assembly. A capacitance-operated control can be provided under the glass front of one door panel for controlling the temperature zones inside the cabinet.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to refrigerated storage units, and in particular, to compact refrigeration units in which the storage space is defined by one or more pull-out sections.
2. Description of the Related Art
Refrigerators and freezers for the cold storage of food and beverage items are well known. Many conventional units have one or more doors that are hinged to the front side of the cabinet. Food and beverages are ordinarily stored on shelves in the cabinet and the door(s) as well as in slide-out crisper drawers near the bottom of the cabinet.
Increasingly people are desiring more variety and design flexibility for cool storage space in kitchens, bars and other rooms. While the conventional full-sized stand-up refrigerators are still popular and used frequently, more and more small, compact cool storage units are being used. These compact units can be installed in areas, such as under counters or in an "island", where it is may be more convenient to access the items. Moreover, their small size also means that more units can be installed in a room. This has the added benefit of allowing for more-or-less item specific cooling in which a single unit, or part thereof, can be set to provide cooling and/or humidity conditions that are ideal for a particular food or beverage.
Examples of such dedicated use cool storage units can be found in the commercial offerings of U-Line Corporation, the assignee of the present invention, including its compact ice makers, beverage centers and wine coolers. These units have one or more temperature zones that can be controlled to suit the items being stored therein. For example, the beverage centers, commonly used to hold soda and beer, maintain about a 35° F. temperature, which is ideal for such beverages, while its wine storage units maintain an ideal 40-60° F. temperature range.
Some compact cool storage units are drawer units that have bins in which the food or drink is stored and cooled. Such pull-out drawer refrigerators have proven to be well-received by consumers due to the increased ability to access the stored items. Undercounter installations have the added benefit of being low and thus within reach of children and shorter adults. Often such drawer refrigerators have two, or possibly more, pull-out drawers that are arranged side by side or vertically stacked one above the other so that not all of the items are stored in the same drawer. By properly controlling the cooling source and/or air flow conditions inside the cabinet, it is possible to create distinct temperature zones within the same cabinet. Thus, a unit with multiple drawers can store multiple items requiring disparate cooling conditions. As an example of storing in a single unit complementary goods that require different cooling conditions, in one drawer of such a unit, wine can be stored in its ideal environment, and in another drawer, cheeses can be stored in an ideal environment for dairy products.
While the consumer cool storage industry has advanced significantly in recent years, improvements are still needed. For example, accessibility to the stored items remains an issue of concern. This is particularly true for wine storage units. As mentioned, drawer units improve accessibility to the stored items, however, their deep bins are meant to store items that are stacked upon each other or are individual upright standing items. Thus, it can be difficult at times for the consumer to remove an item or to detect which items are stored where in the cabinet. Often the consumer will have to open the drawer or the door and hunt around for the intended item.
Wine storage units have been devised with glass door panels that allow for visual inspection of the wine without opening the door. Some wine storage units also have one or more wine racks that can be slid out from the cabinet after the door is opened. Both of these things help the consumer select and retrieve the intended item or bottle of wine. The glass front door panel also allows the wine bottles to be displayed while being maintained at an ideal temperature. However, even these units have accessibility issues because generally each rack must be pulled out from the cabinet in order to see all of the bottles on a rack. Moreover, each rack must be pulled out and returned inside the cabinet one at a time so that, for example, a lower rack is not obscured by a higher rack.
Accordingly, a cool storage unit particularly suited for storing wine is desired that has improved accessibility features.


A refrigerant cycle device includes a compressor for compressing refrigerant, a condenser for cooling and condensing high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor, a vapor-liquid separator located at a refrigerant outlet side of the condenser for separating refrigerant from the condenser into vapor refrigerant and liquid refrigerant, a supercooling device for supercooling the liquid refrigerant from the vapor-liquid separator, an ejector having a nozzle part for decompressing refrigerant downstream from a refrigerant outlet side of the condenser and a refrigerant suction port for drawing refrigerant by a high-velocity flow of refrigerant jetted from the nozzle part, a throttle member which decompresses the liquid refrigerant supercooled by the supercooling device, an evaporator located at a downstream side of the throttle member and is connected to the refrigerant suction port of the ejector. Accordingly, cooling capacity of the evaporator can be improved without lowering a density of refrigerant drawn into the compressor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigeration cycle device with an ejector having a refrigerant decompression function and a refrigerant circulating function.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vapor-compression type refrigeration cycle device using an ejector is disclosed in JP-B1-3322263 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,857 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,987). In JP-B1-3322263, the refrigeration cycle device includes a first evaporator disposed on a downstream side of a refrigerant flow of an ejector serving as a refrigerant decompression means and a refrigerant circulating means, and a vapor-liquid separator is located at a refrigerant outlet side of the first evaporator. Furthermore, a second evaporator is disposed between a liquid refrigerant outlet of the vapor-liquid separator and a refrigerant suction port of the ejector.
In the refrigeration cycle device disclosed in JP-B1-3322263, by using a decrease in pressure caused due to a high-speed flow of refrigerant when it is jetted from a nozzle part of the ejector, a vapor-phase refrigerant flowing from the second evaporator is drawn. In addition, a speed energy of the refrigerant in expending is converted to a pressure energy by a pressure increasing portion of the ejector to increase the refrigerant pressure, so that a driving force of a compressor can be decreased.
Furthermore, JP-B1-3322263 proposes a refrigerant cycle in which only one evaporator is located between the liquid refrigerant outlet of the vapor-liquid separator and the refrigerant suction port of the ejector. In addition, the refrigerant cycle is provided with an inner heat exchanger which performs a heat exchange between low-pressure vapor refrigerant flowing out of the vapor-liquid separator toward the compressor and high-pressure refrigerant at a refrigerant outlet side of a radiator. In this case, an enthalpy difference between the refrigerant inlet and outlet of the evaporator can be enlarged. However, when the inner heat exchanger is provided for enlarging the enthalpy difference, a superheat degree of refrigerant at the refrigerant suction side of the compressor is increased due to the heat exchange within the inner heat exchanger, thereby reducing the density of refrigerant drawn into the compressor. As a result, the flow rate (mass flow rate) of refrigerant discharged from the compressor may be reduced, and cooling capacity of the evaporator may be also reduced.


A last-stage pressure drop-adjustable multistage brush seal structure. The seal structure comprises a stator casing, gears, gear shafts, stator casing vent holes, a brush wire beam, downstream brush seal piece vent through holes, downstream brush seal upper side gear teeth, and the like. The stator casing is stationary. An upstream brush seal piece is fixedly mounted on the inner side of the stator casing. According to the last-stage pressure drop-adjustable multistage brush seal structure, reverse driving force moment in an inclined direction of brush wires is given to the gear shafts, torsion moment is transferred to the gears through the gear shafts, and the downstream brush seal piece gear teeth are engaged with the downstream brush seal piece and transfer the torsion moment to the downstream brush seal piece, such that the downstream brush seal piece rotates around a rotor.

A seal technology has become a key technology for developing a turbomachinery with high performance and high reliability. A labyrinth seal as a non-contact dynamic seal has the characteristics of simple structure, low cost and easiness in replacement, and is widely applied to the turbomachinery. However, an inherent clearance exists between the labyrinth seal and a rotor, so the leakage amount of the labyrinth seal is larger than that of a contact brush seal. Particularly, when the rotor occurs instantaneous radial migration, labyrinth teeth will cause permanent wear, thereby increasing the seal clearance, and reducing the sealing performance. In a brush seal, when the rotor occurs the instantaneous radial migration, elastic yielding will be produced by the flexibility of brush wires. When the rotor is restored from an eccentric position, the brush wires will follow the rotor in time under the action of elastic restoring force to ensure good sealing performance. Compared with the labyrinth seal, the brush seal as a contact dynamic seal has more excellent, stable and lasting sealing performance, but it may be limited by contact speed, pressure bearing capacity and the like, and may produce a frictional thermal effect, a hysteresis effect and the like. A single-stage or multistage seal is formed by replacing the labyrinth teeth in the labyrinth seal with a brush wire beam, which has excellent and lasting sealing performance, and meanwhile, has strong pressure bearing capacity.
Researches show that the volume flow rate of the multistage brush seal is increased unevenly stage by stage in a flowing direction of gas flow, each stage of pressure drop is increased along with the uneven increment of the volume flow rate stage by stage, the pressure drop born by each stage is increased stage by stage, and the most downstream brush seal piece bears great inter-stage pressure drop, so the most downstream brush wires are more likely to be damaged because of the inter-stage pressure drop, so as to cause short-term failure of the most downstream brush seal piece. The failure of the most downstream brush seal is transferred to an upstream brush seal piece, so the sealing effect and the reliability of the overall multistage brush seal piece are significantly reduced, and meanwhile, the maintenance cost is increased.
Therefore, how to balance the pressure drop of the downstream brush seal, and ensure long-term stable safe and reliable work of the multistage brush seal in the case of ensuring a low leakage amount becomes an urgent problem to be solved by people.

Last-stage pressure drop-adjustable multistage brush seal structure


A number of different subroutines or algorithms are provided for locating lost video data, reconstructing navigation data, and creating new navigation files or the like so that the DVD may be made readable by an ordinary DVD player. The present invention provides algorithms to recover video data for each of a number of different DVD formats, so that video data may be recovered regardless of which format DVD was being used at the time (e.g., DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD-R, or the like). In addition, the present invention provides a number of other algorithms that be used by one or more of the different recovery algorithms, to recover various aspects of data from a disc. The combination of these algorithms provides a complete package of data recovery techniques that allows for video data to be recovered in the event of a power loss or other interruption, and in most instances, creates recordable DVD which may be subsequently read by other DVD players and the like.

Recordable DVDs are becoming a popular format for storing video and other types of data. These recordable DVDs may be provided in one or more types, including recordable DVDs (DVD/R) and rewritable DVDs (DVD/RW). The former may generally be recorded only once, while the latter may be re-written a number of times. Each of these two types may be provided in one or more formats, including +VR formats (e.g., DVD+R and DVD+RW), as well as −VR formats (e.g., DVD-R and DVD-RW), as well as other customer formats such as DVD Video. The challenge for manufacturers of DVD playback and recording equipment is to provide systems working with all formats in a manner seamless and transparent to the consumer.
The +VR formats were developed by Philips Electronics (Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V), and have many features analogous to the preceding generation of non-recordable DVDs. Data may be recorded as a stream of MPEG encoded video in successive blocks on the DVD, preceded with a header file of navigation information. For the purposes of this application, these formats will be referred to as DVD+R and DVD+RW formats. The −VR formats were developed by a consortium of companies associated with the original DVD specification, but this latter format has little in common with the prior DVD format. For the purposes of this application, these formats will be referred to as DVD-R and DVD-RW formats or collectively as the DVD-VR formats. Data may be recorded in the −VR format in non-sequential blocks of data, and a file system used to locate blocks of data for playback. A manufacturer faces quite a challenge to provide a system, which may record and play back both +VR format and −VR format DVDs as well as other formats.
Adding to this challenge is the need in the consumer market to provide robust products, which are relatively immune to misuse by the consumer. Unlike PC or computer products, consumer products operate in an environment where the features need to stay simple and user-friendly. The operation of the apparatus needs to be robust, simple, and transparent to the user. One concern in recording DVDs at home is what can happen if the recording process is interrupted, for example, by a power failure, prior to completion of the process. As noted above, both +VR and −VR format systems record video data first, and then record navigation data (or file system data) afterwards. Without this navigation or file system data, the DVD may be difficult if not impossible to play back.
This problem may be a particular concern, as the user may be recording hours of video, and if the process is interrupted, find that most, if not all, of his video data is not accessible. For example, a power failure or the like could interrupt recording of a DVD/RW and thus prevent completion of the recording. The video data is present on the disk, but without updated navigation or file system data, the video data may be unreadable by a Prior Art DVD player. Similarly, in portable applications, such as a DVD/RW camcorder, batteries may be entirely depleted during the middle of shooting video, resulting in the video data being inaccessible to the user. A consumer may not accept such performance characteristics, particularly when comparing performance to such prior art devices as video-cassette recorders (VCRs). If power is lost to a VCR, the last data recorded to the machine is generally still accessible to the consumer—perhaps with the exception of the last seconds of video. However, with a Prior Art DVD recorder, minutes if not hours of video may be lost if the writing function is not completed.
FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram illustrating the relationship between stream information 130 and navigation information 110 in a DVD recorder. Referring to FIG. 1, DVD recording generally involves recording two types of information to the disc, stream information 130 and navigation information 120. Stream information 130 may comprise MPEG data, the actual video data itself. Navigation information 120 may comprise descriptive information, including structures called IFO files and file systems, which allow a playback device to properly locate stream information 130 on the disc.
During real time recording to an optical medium, recording stream information 130 in real-time as it is being input into the device is a common practice. Navigation information 120 may then be generated and written to the disc after the entire stream data 130 has been completely written. Writing of the navigation data 120 is deferred because navigation information 120 cannot be generated without having the entirety of stream information 130. Moreover, it is prohibitively expensive, in terms of access time, to seek to different locations on the disc for writing during the video recording process.
As a result, when a DVD recorder unexpectedly loses power, the recording in progress is often lost because navigation information 120 is never properly flushed to the disc, as illustrated in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, a partial recording of video data 230 is made, interrupted by some event, such as a loss of power. In this instance, a substantial amount of video data 230 may be recorded, but no navigation information 220 is present. As a result, a Prior Art DVD player cannot read partially recorded video data 230, as the navigation information 220 is not present. If navigation data could be produced, then the partially recorded video data 230 might be recovered.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the general nature of the power failure or recording interruption problem for a DVD recorder. The specific nature of the problem varies, however, depending upon DVD recorder type (e.g., DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, and the like). The following examples illustrate the specific nature of the problems created when a recording interruption event takes place for various different DVD recorder formats.
FIG. 3 is another simplified diagram illustrating how multiple or titles may be recorded to a DVD+RW and how navigation information is then written to the DVD+RW. In this example, each title may represent a separately recorded program segment or video segment. In this example, there are four chapters or titles, T1 through T4. After each title is recorded on the DVD+RW, the Navigation data 120 may be updated to include information describing the location of individual titles within video data 130. Navigation data 120 may also include various menus, which may be displayed to the user when playing back the DVD+RW, as well as pointers to various chapters, as well as any other information used to address video data on the DVD+RW. In addition, Navigation data 120 may include file system data which may be used to locate various files on the DVD+RW for use by a DVD player or for use by a computer when using the DVD+RW as a data disc or the like.
FIG. 4 is a simplified diagram illustrating how a power interruption or other interruption can affect a DVD+RW. In the Example of FIG. 4, recordation of video data is interrupted during recordation of title 4 at point 240, possibly due to a power failure or the like. As a result, the video data is not completely recorded. Moreover, the navigation data 220 may not have been updated (which normally occurs at the end of the recording cycle) and as a result no pointer to title 4 is present. Thus, while the video data for title 4 may be at least partially present on the DVD-RW, no pointer data has been inserted into the navigation data 220, and thus the video data for title 4 cannot be accessed. Access to titles 1–3 may still be possible, but access to the title being recorded during the power failure or other interruption may be denied.
In certain write-once media, prior recordings may also be lost as it becomes difficult to reload the previous state of the disc because of the incomplete information recorded prior to power off. Write-once media (e.g., DVD/R) as the name implies, can only be written to once. Unlike a DVD/RW, which can be written to and overwritten a number of times, write-once media can only be written to a single time.
In some instances, the DVD/R needs to be written to in one single session. If such a DVD/R is interrupted during the writing process, recovering lost video data in a manner to make the DVD/R playable on playback equipment may not be possible since new navigation data may not be able to be written to the DVD/R.
In other types of DVD/R discs, data may be written to the disc only once, but in a number of separate sessions. FIG. 5 is a simplified diagram illustrating how video and navigation data may be written to a write-once media in a number of sessions. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the write-once media may be separated into a limited number of "tracks", in this case at least two tracks, Track 1 and Track 2. Track 1 may be reserved for navigation data. This navigation data will not be written to the disc until all video data is recorded to the disc in one or more sessions. Once the disc is full or completed, the user may "finalize" the disc, in which case, the navigation information is then created and written to track 1 of the disc as shown.
Navigation information may be created from individual nav data associated with each video segment. In the example of FIG. 5, three video segments, Video 1, Video 2, and Video 3 have been recorded. After each video segment is recorded, associated nav data, Nav1, Nav2, and Nav3, is written onto the disc after its corresponding Video segment. When the disc is finalized, the nav data may then be assembled and recorded into the navigation file on track 1, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Each successive nav data may include nav data from all previous segments. Thus, the Nav2 data may include navigation data for Video1 and Video2, while the Nav3 data may include navigation for Video1, Video2, and Video3. When finalizing the disc, a Prior Art DVD recorder may create the Navigation data from the last Nav data segment, as it includes cumulative pointer and other data for all prior video segments.
FIG. 6 illustrates what happens if power is interrupted or some other event occurs to interrupt a write cycle to a DVD+R recorder. As illustrated in FIG. 6, during the writing of video segment Video3, the cycle is interrupted, perhaps by power failure or the like. As a result, no nav segment Nav3 is created. Moreover, the DVD recorder cannot finalize the disc, as the last nav segment nav3 was never created. As a result, an ordinary DVD player cannot read the DVD, and all video data on the disc may be inaccessible to the user. For consumer grade electronics, this situation is not an acceptable condition.
One prior art solution to this problem is to have a piece of non-volatile memory on the DVD recorder to record state information. The non-volatile memory retains information even when power is disconnected from the device. Once power is restored, the DVD recorder can examine the contents of the non-volatile memory and reconstruct the state of the recording prior to power loss and then reconstruct the navigation data and write it to the DVD.
The primary disadvantage of this solution is cost. Non-volatile memory devices impose a high cost to the DVD recorder. Another disadvantage is that the information in the non-volatile memory is tied intimately with the partial recording of one (or possibly a few) specific DVD discs. For example, if power is lost while recording disc A, then the device will store information about disc A in non-volatile memory. If a disc B is then inserted and information is video recorded onto disc B before recovering the contents of A, then the recorder will lose the ability to recover the data for disc A at a later time.
A brute force search is also a possible technique for recovering data. This brute force approach would require searching every addressable location on a DVD in an attempt to reconstruct the state of the disc prior to power off. However, as most DVDs typically hold over four gigabytes of data, the disadvantage of this technique would be that it is prohibitively slow. The user would become frustrated as the DVD recorder would take a relatively long time (e.g., half-hour) trying to read all four gigabytes of data on the DVD to reconstruct the lost video. The consumer may also think that the device has locked up, and the consumer may cause additional difficulty by turning off the device in the middle of such a brute force recovery mode
Prior Art DVD/RW recorders typically are only able to read previously recorded data in the event of an unexpected power loss, but not the video data being recording at the time of power loss, as illustrated above in connection with FIGS. 3 and 4. Prior Art DVD/R recorders may also lose all of the data on write-once media if recording is interrupted. Consumers expect to be able to recover all video data up to the minute of interruption. Moreover, it is not sufficient in many applications to provide a solution only for one DVD format type, as consumers expect a modern DVD player/recorder to handle most DVD formats. Thus, it remains a requirement in the art to provide a DVD recorder, which can quickly recover lost video data in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

Recovery of real-time video data after power loss


The silylated polyurethane polymer includes a polyurethane prepolymer having between greater than about 50 to about 95% of NCO groups terminated with silane capping agents. The polymer has an improved mechanical properties. The polymer can also have between about 5% to less than about 50% of the NCO groups terminated with low molecular weight terminators.

This invention relates generally to silylated polyurethane polymers, and more particularly to silane-terminated polyurethane polymers with improved mechanical properties, to silane- and low molecular weight terminator-terminated polyurethane polymers, to sealant compositions containing such polymers, and to methods of making them.
Generally, conventional urethane-based adhesives and sealants have better physical properties, including tensile strength, elongation, and tear strength, than do adhesives and sealants made with silylated polyurethane capped with common capping agents such as aminotrimethoxysilanes and isocyanatotrimethoxysilanes. This makes it difficult to use silylated polyurethane-based adhesives and sealants in some applications, despite other advantages that they have over urethane-based products.
There are currently two approaches used to improve the mechanical properties of silylated polyurethanes. One solution has been to cap the polyurethane completely using difunctional silanes as capping agents. However, the cure rate of adhesives and sealants made with this type of silylated polyurethane decreases unacceptably in some cases. The other approach is to cap the polyurethane completely using certain special capping agents which reduce the cross-linking density. These include silanes having the general formulation
such as N-phenyl-gamma-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane. These special silanes are costly to use because of their high prices and high molecular weights, and the improvement in properties they provide is limited.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,722 (Seiter) discloses a partially capped polyurethane sealant composition. Seiter states that between 5 and 50% of the NCO groups should be capped. According to Seiter, capping more than 50% of the NCO groups produces a soft polymer with less cohesive strength than when less than 50% are capped.
Therefore, there is a need for economical silylated polyurethanes with improved mechanical properties for use in adhesives and sealants.
This need is met by the present invention which provides a novel silylated polyurethane polymer having improved mechanical properties which can be used in sealant compositions, and a method of making the same.
The silylated polyurethane polymer includes a polyurethane pre-polymer having between greater than about 50 to about 95% of the NCO groups terminated with silane groups. The polymer has improved mechanical properties, including tensile strength, elongation, and tear strength. The polymer can also have between about 5% to less than about 50% of the NCO groups terminated with low molecular weight terminators. Low molecular weight terminators include an active hydrogen which can react with the NCO groups.
The silane groups are preferably selected from
where R represents a divalent organic moiety, R1 represents a C1-6 alkyl group, and R2 represents hydrogen, a C1-6 organic moiety, or a second RSi(OR1)3 which may be the same as or different from the first such group.
The low molecular weight terminators have groups preferably selected from functional end groups except NCO groups, and inert end groups. The inert end groups are preferably selected from
where R3 represents an organic moiety whose molecular weight is less than 1000, and R4 represents hydrogen or R3. The molecular weight of R3 is more preferably less than 100, and R3 is most preferably a methyl, ethyl, or propyl group.
The functional end groups are preferably selected from
where R4 represents hydrogen or an organic moiety whose molecular weight is less than 1000, R5 represents a divalent organic moiety, and Z represents any functional group except NCO groups. The molecular weight of R4 is more preferably less than 100, and most preferably R4 is a methyl, ethyl, or propyl group.
Z is preferably selected from
where R4 represents hydrogen or an organic moiety whose molecular weight is less than 1000, and more preferably less than 100. R4 is most preferably a methyl, ethyl, or propyl group.
Another aspect of the invention are sealant and adhesive compositions including the silylated polyurethane polymer as described above. The sealant and adhesive compositions will typically include additional compounds, such as fillers, reinforcing agents, solvents, catalysts, rheology modifiers, ultraviolet light screening compounds, and adhesion promoters.
Another aspect of the invention is a method of making the silylated polyurethane polymer described above. The method includes reacting a polyurethane prepolymer having NCO groups with silane capping agents so that between greater than about 50 to about 95% of the NCO groups are terminated with silane groups. The method optionally includes reacting the polyurethane prepolymer with a low molecular weight terminator so that between about 5 to less than about 50% of the NCO groups are terminated with low molecular weight terminators.
Preparation of isocyanate terminated urethane prepolymers, and silylated polyurethane with silane capping agents, are well known in the art. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,627,722, 3,632,557, 3,979,344, and 4,222,925, which are incorporated herein by reference. Curing of the polymer results from hydrolysis of the silane end groups and condensation of Sixe2x80x94OH moieties.
In the present invention, a majority of NCO groups are capped with common silane capping agents. The remaining NCO groups are either left unreacted, or are capped with low molecular weight terminators. The low molecular weight terminators can form inert end groups or introduce different functional groups into the silylated polyurethane.
Between greater than about 50 to 95%, preferably between about 80 to about 95%, of the NCO groups can be capped with common suitable silane capping agents. There can be between about 5 to less than about 50%, preferably about 5 to about 20% uncapped NCO groups. The percentage of capped NCO groups depends on the chemical structure of the isocyanate terminated urethane prepolymer. That is, it depends on factors including the type of raw materials, such as toluene diisocyanate (xe2x80x9cTDIxe2x80x9d) or diphenyl-methane diisocyanate (xe2x80x9cMDIxe2x80x9d) and polyester polyols or polyether polyols, functionality, molecular weights, and also on the desired
Suitable silanes include, but are not limited to, silanes having the following general formulas:
where R represents a divalent organic moiety, R1 represents a C1-6 alkyl group, and R2 represents hydrogen, a C1-6 organic moiety, or a second RSi(OR1)3 which may be the same as or different from the first such group.
The portion of the NCO groups which are not capped with the silane may optionally be capped with low molecular weight terminators. Generally, the low molecular weight terminators can be any substance containing hydrogen which will react with an NCO group. The low molecular weight terminators can form inert end groups or introduce desirable functional groups onto the polymers. Low molecular weight terminators which form inert end groups include, but are not limited to, the following:
where R3 represents an organic moiety whose molecular weight is less than 1000, preferably less than 100, and most preferably R3 is a methyl, ethyl, or propyl group, and R4 represents hydrogen or R3. Low molecular weight terminators which can be used to introduce different functional groups include, but are not limited to,
where R4 represents hydrogen or an organic moiety whose molecular weight is less than 1000, R5 represents a divalent organic moiety, and Z represents any functional group except NCO groups. The functional groups include, but are not limited to,
where R4 represents hydrogen or an organic moiety whose molecular weight is less than 1000.
The silane capping agents and the low molecular weight terminators can be added together or separately. The sequence in which the reactants are added depends on their relative reactivity.
Adhesives and sealants made using the polyurethane prepolymers of the present invention will typically include fillers such as carbon black, and catalysts such as dibutyltin diacetate. Other fillers and catalysts can also be used. The adhesives and sealants can also contain additional components including adhesion promoters, rheology modifiers, and ultraviolet light screening compounds, and other components if desired.

Silylated polyurethanes for adhesives and sealants with improved mechanical properties


A low voltage differential signal (LVDS) transmitter with output power control. Internal sensing circuitry monitors output current flow through the termination impedance. When a proper termination impedance is not connected to the output, the resulting improper output current flow (e.g., zero output current when no termination impedance is connected) is detected by the sensing circuitry, which causes the supply current to the output driver circuitry to be reduced. Additionally, further in response to such detection of improper output current flow, the sensing circuitry can cause the output voltage to be limited, e.g., clamped, at a predetermined maximum magnitude.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to differential signal interfaces, and in particular, to low voltage differential signal (LVDS) transmitters for operating with reduced power dissipation.
2. Related Art
Differential input/output (I/O) signal interfaces are widely used for reliable high-speed data transfer in many forms of data communication channels. As is well known, differential signaling is preferred to single ended signaling due to its highly robust resistance to common mode noise associated with both conducted and radiated electromagnetic interference (EMI), as well as lower power dissipation compared to single ended static complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) implementations. Further, differential signaling generally also produces lower EMI emissions than their single ended counterparts due to reduced signal magnitudes and switching currents.
However, notwithstanding the ability to deliver reliable signals with lower power requirements, further improvements in reducing power consumption has become increasingly desirable for portable applications in which longer battery life and smaller physical size has become increasingly important.

Low voltage differential signal (LVDS) transmitter with output power control


A semiconductor package includes: a first semiconductor chip in which a through-electrode is provided; a second semiconductor chip connected to a top surface of the first semiconductor chip; a first connection bump attached to a bottom surface of the first semiconductor chip and including a first pillar structure and a first solder layer, and a second connection hump located between the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip, configured to electrically connect the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip, and including a second pillar structure and a second solder layer.

The inventive concept relates to a semiconductor package, and more particularly, to a semiconductor package including a through-substrate via (TSV) structure.
As the electronic industry has grown rapidly and user demands have increased, electronic devices have become smaller and lighter. Accordingly, smaller and lighter semiconductor packages having high performance and a large storage capacity are needed in electronic devices. For semiconductor packages to be small and light and to have high performance and a large storage capacity, semiconductor chips that have a TSV structure and semiconductor packages that include the such semiconductor chips are needed.


The control unit 50 calculates weighting factors for one symbol out of every k symbols. During this calculation, the control unit 50 calculates weighting factors for respective inphase and quadrature components of the symbol stored in every I and Q buffers based on the inphase and quadrature components. The control unit 50 also interpolates weighting factors for the remaining k-1 symbols. During this interpolation, the control unit 50 uses the weighting factors that are currently calculated and the weighting factors that have been previously calculated and are stored in the W buffer 51. The calculated and interpolated weighting factors are used for forming a directivity pattern.

In recent years, to raise transfer efficiency, digital communication devices transfer information by modulating a carrier wave using a digital information signal (baseband signal).
In digital communication, frequencies can be efficiently used by raising the transfer speed and utilizing each single frequency band for multiple channels corresponding to multiple users.
The significant upsurge in the number of users of mobile communication services causes the shortage of frequency bands. The adaptive array method receives attention as a countermeasure against this problem.
The adaptive array method adaptively generates a directivity pattern using a plurality of antennas so that an adaptive array apparatus transmits radio waves only to a specific user during transmission and receives radio waves only from a specific user during reception. Take, for example, an adaptive array apparatus that has four communication subsystems that each include a transmission circuit, a reception circuit, and an antenna. The adaptive array apparatus respectively generates directivity patterns for transmission and reception by adjusting the amplitude and phase of the transmission signal in each communication subsystem during transmission and by adjusting the amplitude and phase of the reception signal in each communication subsystem during reception. The adaptive array method is described in Adaptive Signal Processing for Spatial Regions and Its Technical Applications (in "Transactions of the Institute of Electronics and Communication Engineers of Japan", Vol. J75-B-II No. 11, November 1992) and so is not described in detail here. A Modified Adaptive Antenna Array Using Analytic Signal Processing (C. T. CHIANG; Y. H. CHEN, ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION SOCIETY INTL SYMPOSIUM) discloses an adaptive array calculation technique in which desired signals are extracted by multiplying each input signal received via one of a plurality of antennas by a weighting factor.
A path division multiple access (PDMA) communication method is proposed which allows a plurality of users to simultaneously use the same frequency according to the adaptive array method. With the PDMA communication method, radio waves are transmitted and received using a plurality of directivity patterns which are each generated for one radio set (user). The PDMA communication method is described in Path Division Multiple Access (PDMA) Mobile Communication Method (in "Shingakugihou", RSC93-84 (1994-01), Institute of Electronics and Communication Engineers of Japan) and so is not described in detail here.
When the adaptive array method is applied to a mobile communication, a directivity pattern needs to be adjusted according to the change in a propagation circumstance. This is because the location of a user changes and the propagation circumstance changes with time. When analog processing that uses a conventional phase unit is applied to such a mobile communication, various problems are created concerning the precision, stability, and trackability of the mobile communication. Therefore, it is realistic that the adaptive array method is realized using digital signal processing.
The amplitude and phase of the signal dealt with in each communication subsystem are adjusted using the digital signal processing, as described above. In the case of a digital quadrature phase modulation, for instance, appropriate weights are assigned to the inphase component and the quadrature component of each symbol dealt with in each communication subsystem. The inphase component and quadrature component of each symbol are hereinafter simply referred to as an I component and a Q component, respectively. By doing so, the amplitude and phase of each symbol are adjusted. Accordingly, the signal processing is mainly composed of calculating the weighting factors corresponding to the I and Q components dealt with in each communication subsystem.
To adjust a directivity pattern according to the change in a propagation circumstance, the time interval for the adjustment needs to be shorter than the time taken by the propagation circumstance to change. Therefore, for instance, it is preferable that the directivity pattern is adjusted in each symbol period. Also, the transfer speed of data in a recent mobile communication system becomes faster and the symbol period is shortened. In the PHS (personal handyphone system), for instance, the symbol period has been shortened to about five microseconds. Consequently, directivity patterns need to be adjusted in a short time.
The amount of signal processing necessary for the adaptive array method is significantly great because matrix calculations need to be performed to calculate the weighting factors described above. This causes a problem of how to perform a large amount of signal processing for the adaptive array method.
This problem becomes more pronounced when a plurality of users simultaneously use the same frequency according to the PDMA communication method to efficiently use frequencies. That is, the amount of signal processing increases in proportion to the number of users due to the signal processing needs to be performed for each user.
It is difficult for one DSP (digital signal processor) to simultaneously process signals for a plurality of users due to the limitation of its signal processing capacity. To cope with this problem, a plurality of DSPs may be used to perform signal processing necessary for the adjustment for a plurality of users in parallel. However, this inevitably increases the hardware scale and cost of an adaptive array apparatus.
In view of the stated problems, the present invention provides an adaptive array apparatus which reduces the amount of signal processing necessary for the adjustment of a directivity pattern and minimizes the increase in the hardware scale and cost.
More specifically, the present invention provides an adaptive array apparatus which appropriately performs the signal processing necessary for the adjustment for each user even if the number of users increases.


A test case management subsystem includes a data store, the data store including data relating to a network device. A network testing subsystem is configured to receive an instruction from said test case management subsystem, wherein the instruction includes the data relating to the network device, and execute an automated command line to test the network device.

While existing network testing technologies may be suitable for testing certain networks, they are often inadequate for testing diverse networks that employ different platforms and/or communication protocols and data formats. For example, off-the-shelf network testing products are typically designed for testing only certain types of network platforms, but lack the tools for testing other network platforms.
Existing network testing technologies usually have other shortcomings as well. For example, some network testing technologies require significant manual input from a user. By way of another example, certain network testing technologies have unfamiliar user interfaces that require users to learn new skill sets when such network testing technologies are adopted. Moreover, many existing network testing technologies are vendor specific, and full integration of vendor specific network testing products is not trivial. Accordingly, with present network testing technologies it is often difficult to facilitate the creation, storage, and retrieval of test steps and test cases, as well as equipment configuration information, across diverse testing tools. It is further often difficult to prevent users from using a first tool to alter and possibly corrupt data created by a second tool when such data is stored in more accessible to the first tool.


An adaptor assembly connects a primary pipeline of a double wall pipeline to a dispensing pipeline at a ground level gasoline service station dispenser unit in a manner which permits access to the primary pipeline for installation and periodic replacement purposes. The assembly includes a casing and a disengageable seal system. The casing is attached to a terminus of the secondary pipeline. The disengageable seal system is operably associated with the casing to terminate an annular space between the primary pipeline and the secondary pipeline to contain the flow of any leakage from the secondary pipeline. In some embodiments of the invention, a coupling is attached to a terminus of the primary pipeline to provide a flowpath for conveyance of gasoline. The disengageable seal system is also operably associated with the coupling. The seal system allows the primary pipeline to be accessed and removed from the double wall pipeline system without disconnecting or otherwise disturbing the secondary pipeline's connection to the casing.

Many local, state and federal agencies require that underground storage tank systems for hazardous materials be secondarily contained. The systems generally include an underground tank, a pump containment sump located on top of the tank, and piping from the containment sump to a ground level dispenser unit. Double walled pipeline systems have recently become popular and in some locales are mandated for underground conveyance of the hazardous material. Such pipeline systems include an inner primary pipeline and an outer secondary pipeline for containing any leakage from the primary pipeline. Inclusion of a leak detection means which monitors for leakage from the inner primary pipeline is a further feature which enhances the systems. In fact, the double walled pipeline systems with leak detection capability for the primary pipeline is a cost effective way of meeting governmental leak detection requirements.
As a part of mandated safety requirements, many ground level dispenser units have pans, sometimes called dispenser sumps, at their base. The primary pipeline from the underground tank is normally under pressure when any dispenser(s) is dispensing fuel to a vehicle. Therefore, it is necessary to have an emergency safety shut-off valve interposed in the primary pipeline to stop the flow of gasoline in an emergency situation. That is, the valve is designed to close when either the dispenser unit is knocked off its mounting or a fire is started. The pan under each dispenser unit provides an area to access the primary pipeline and to install the safety valve. It also provides an area to access and replace the primary pipeline below the valve as well as to access piping above the valve which leads through the dispenser unit. U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,221, FIG. 7 illustrates a typical safety shut-off valve.
Typical dispenser pans result in a large open area under each dispenser unit. The area can collect flammable liquids or vapors which create fire and explosion hazards. The dispenser pans are also prone to fill up with ground water or rain water leaking down into the pan. Some state or local codes prohibit the secondary pipeline of the double walled pipeline system to terminate in an open manner to the interior of the dispenser pan. This is to prevent a collection of liquid or vapors which enters the pan from spreading through the secondary pipe and to the tank containment sump. As readily imagined, this is to prevent the spread of a fire emanating in the dispenser unit to the tank containment sump and possible explosion in the containment sump. The use of dispenser pans is further complicated in that most fire codes require the part of the primary pipeline of the double wall pipeline system which is within the pan to be steel piping or Underwriters Laboratories (UL) fire resistent piping. This means fiberglass and flexible plastic primary piping such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,221 must terminate underground before entering the dispenser pans.
All connector piping used within the dispenser pan must be fire resistent piping. This piping can be considerably more costly than the flexible piping used to convey the liquid from the storage tank to the dispenser pan. Because of leakage of water, flammable liquids or vapors into the dispenser pan, some fire codes require costly leak detection monitoring to detect leaks into the dispenser pan area. As mentioned above, many codes require the secondary pipeline connected to the pan be sealed so as not to let vapors/liquids from the pan into the secondary pipeline or the tank containment sump. In addition to all these requirements and precautions, dispenser pans are difficult and expensive to install in and under the concrete beneath the dispenser unit. They must be installed in a way to prevent rain or ground water from entering the pan. Many pipe and electrical conduit connections which lead into or from the dispenser pan require field installed seals. Historically, these seals have been problem areas of leakage of ground water into pans. Further heightening the problem is the fact it is costly to repair leaks into a dispenser pan during its operational life.
There are available dispenser units which do not have a dispenser pan. Secondary piping terminates in a liquid-tight sealed manner to a safety valve located at the dispenser's base. However, an associated disadvantage with this type of connection is that access to the primary pipeline is impeded. The primary pipeline is subject to deterioration and it is necessary to periodically remove it from within the secondary pipeline and replace it with new piping. Ideally, this is done without having to disconnect or disturb the secondary pipeline in any manner. It is necessary with known present systems to tamper with the secondary pipeline in any primary pipeline replacement process and this, as can be imagined, creates a whole set of new problems.
There now has been developed an adaptor assembly which allows for the installation, removal and replacement of a flexible primary supply pipeline which is connected to a dispenser unit base without unsealing and/or removing the secondary pipeline under the dispenser unit from the adaptor assembly. The adaptor assembly can be used in dispenser units as well as sumps or pans directly underneath a dispenser unit. In preferred methods of installation, the adaptor assembly eliminates the need for a fire resistant primary pipeline between the flexible primary pipeline and the safety shut-off valve.

Adapter assembly for accessing primary pipeline of a double wall pipeline system


Described are ice shields and methods for protecting tower-mounted equipment. An ice shield assembly can include an ice shield. The ice shield can include a base, a blade structure attached to the base, at least one support member on each side of the blade structure attached on a first end to the blade structure and on a second end to the base, and a beam attached to at least one of the base, the blade structure, and the support members. The ice shield assembly can include a mounting bracket engaged with the beam that can permit vertical translation of the ice shield with respect to the mounting bracket. The ice shield can include a shock absorber configured to arrest relative motion between the ice shield and the mounting bracket by dissipating kinetic energy in the ice shield assembly.

Wind Turbine Generators ("WTGs") and other types of tall towers and structures are often installed in cold climates and at remote locations that include rocky hilltops and ridges where space and electrical and communications infrastructure are extremely limited. Consequently, it can be advantageous to mount various sensors and electronics packages on the sides of these structures. Laufer Wind has developed an all-weather, radar-based Aircraft Detection System ("ADS") technology that continuously monitors the airspace around large standing structures, such as wind turbine generators, communication towers, and electrical power line towers, and turns on obstruction warning lights when aircraft are detected in the proximity of these structures. Laufer Wind ADS radars, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,876,260, can be physically small and lightweight enough to be mounted on the sides of WTGs or other towers and can use local tower power and communications, which helps alleviate mounting-space and infrastructure issues. Large amounts of ice can form on surfaces of WTGs and other towers. Ice sheets that weigh more than 1000 lbs can break off of the surfaces of WTGs and fall more than 450 feet to the ground. These large falling ice sheets in turn can shear off and destroy equipment mounted to the sides of towers.


A multi-level shifter circuit is provided for a flat panel source driver, the multi-level shifter circuit having a voltage dropper for dropping a source voltage and outputting a dropped source voltage, and a plurality of level shifters to which the dropped source voltage is applied for receiving data bits and converting the level of the data, where the multi-level shifter circuit has a small chip size and consumes a small amount of current.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to flat panel source driver integrated circuits, and more particularly, to shifter circuits for a flat panel source driver.
2. Description of the Related Art
Flat panels of liquid crystal displays (LCDs), for example, have become larger with the development of LCD technology. Accordingly, chip size and current consumption of source drivers for LCD flat panels have also increased.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional flat panel source driver. A 6-bit source driver is shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1, the source driver includes a multi-level shift circuit 11 for receiving data D<5:0> with a low voltage and complementary data DB<5:0>, and converting the levels of the data. The multi-level shift circuit converts the voltage of the data, and generates output data 0<5:0> with high voltage. A decoder 13 decodes the output data 0<5:0> of the multi-level shift circuit 11 in response to control signals C1 through C64, and a buffer 15 buffers the output of the decoder 13 and outputs display data OUT.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the multi-level shifter circuit 11. Referring to FIG. 2, the conventional multi-level shifter circuit 11 includes six level shifters 21 through 26. The six level shifters 21 through 26 each receive a corresponding bit of the data D<5:0> and a corresponding bit of the complementary data DB<5:0>, convert the level of the bits of data D<5:0> and the complementary data DB<5:0>, and generate the output data 0<5:0>. The level shifters 21 through 26 each include four PMOS transistors, such as P1B, P2B, P3B, and P4B for the level shifter 22, and two NMOS transistors, such as N1B and N2B for the level shifter 22.
Generally, a source driver includes thousands of conventional multi-level shifter circuits 11. Therefore, the source driver including the conventional multi-level shifter circuits 11 has a large chip size and consumes a large amount of current.

Multi-level shifter having small chip size and small current consumption