A power control system for a turbogenerator which provides electrical power to one or more pump-jack oil wells. When the induction motor of a pump-jack oil well is powered by three-phase utility power, the speed of the pump-jack shaft varies only slightly over the pumping cycle but the utility power requirements can vary by four times the average pumping power. This power variation makes it impractical to power a pump-jack oil well with a stand-alone turbogenerator controlled by a conventional power control system. This power control system comprises a turbogenerator inverter, a load inverter, and a central processing unit which controls the frequency and voltage/current of each inverter. Throughout the oil well""s pumping cycle, the central processing unit increases or decreases the frequency of the load inverter in order to axially accelerate and decelerate the masses of the down hole steel pump rods and oil, and to rotationally accelerate and decelerate the masses of the motor rotors and counter balance weights. This allows kinetic energy to be alternately stored in and extracted from the moving masses of the oil well and allows the oil pumping power to be precisely controlled throughout the pumping cycle, resulting in a constant turbogenerator power requirement.

This invention relates to the general field or turbogenerator controls and more particularly to an improved high speed turbogenerator control system having variable frequency output power which provides electrical power to motors which have power requirements that normally vary in a repetitive manner over time.
There are many industrial and commercial applications that utilize electrical motors to produce repetitive axial motions. The electrical motor""s rotary motion can be converted into axial motion by any number of mechanisms such as cams, cranks, scotch yokes, or cable drums just to name a few. In any such application, the electrical power requirement of the motor is inherently variable and is cyclically locked to the repetitive axial motion. The motor power in these applications varies both due to inertial effects (the need to accelerate and decelerate the axially moving components of the system and the need to accelerate and decelerate the rotationally moving components of the system) and due to the work effects (changes in the work performed by the axially moving components as a function of their axial position and velocity). The magnitude of the motor power variation with time can be many times the average power requirement of the motor. Both the inertial effects and the work effects can cause the motor to function as a generator which produces electrical power at various times in the system""s cyclical motion.
An elevator is one well-known example of an electrical motor producing axial motion wherein the motor""s electrical power requirements vary with the passenger load, the axial velocity of the elevator and the axial acceleration/deceleration of the elevator. Deliberate deceleration or braking can be achieved by recovering the excess energy in the elevator""s mechanical system (e.g. during the descent of a heavily loaded elevator) utilizing regeneration to convert that mechanical energy into electrical energy which can go back into an electrical distribution system.
A less well known example of a motor producing repetitive axial motion is a pump-jack type oil well. Also known as a walking beam (a large beam arranged in teeter totter fashion) or a walking-horse oil well, the pump-jack oil well generally comprises a walking beam suitably journaled and supported in an overhanging relationship to the oil well borehole so that a string of rods (as long as two miles) can be attached to the reciprocating end of the walking beam with the other end attached to a lift pump chamber at the bottom of the bore hole. A suitable driving means, such as an electrical motor or internal combustion engine, is connected to a speed reduction unit which drives a crank which in turn is interconnected to the other end of the walking beam by a pitman.
Typically, pump-jack oil wells utilize an induction motor powered by constant frequency, three-phase electrical power from a utility grid. The pump-jack pumping cycle varies the induction motor""s speed only slightly as allowed by plus or minus a few percent of motor slip. However, the induction motor power typically varies over the pumping cycle by about four (4) times the average motor power level. At two (2) points in the pumping cycle, the motor power requirement peaks and at two (2) other points, the motor power requirements are at a minimum. Typically, at one of these minimum power requirement points in the pumping cycle, the induction motor extracts enough kinetic energy and/or work from the moving masses of the well to be able to function as a generator and produce electrical power which must be absorbed by the utility grid.
Whether the pump-jack oil well is driven by an induction motor or by an internal combustion engine, there is excess mechanical energy at some point(s) in the pumping cycle which must be absorbed to prevent excessive velocity induced stresses in the pump-jack oil well moving parts. When a pump-jack oil well is powered by an internal combustion engine, engine compression is the means by which this energy is dissipated (compression losses) while in the normal utility grid powered induction motor system, the induction motor is periodically driven at overspeed causing it to return power to the utility grid.
A micro turbogenerator with a shaft mounted permanent magnet motor/generator can be utilized to provide electrical power for a wide range of utility, commercial and industrial applications. While an individual permanent magnet turbogenerator may only generate 24 to 50 kilowatts, powerplants of up to 500 kilowatts or greater are possible by linking numerous permanent magnet turbogenerators together. Peak load shaving power, grid parallel power, standby power, and remote location (stand-alone) power are just some of the potential applications for which these lightweight, low noise, low cost, environmentally friendly, and thermally efficient units can be useful.
The conventional power control system for a turbogenerator produces constant frequency, three-phase electrical power that closely approximates the electrical power produced by utility grids. If a turbogenerator with a conventional system for controlling its power generation were utilized to power a pump-jack type oil well, the turbogenerator""s power capability would have to be sufficient to supply the well""s peak power requirements, that is, about four (4) times the well""s average power requirement. In other words, the turbogenerator would have to be about four (4) times as large, four (4) times as heavy, and four (4) times as expensive as a turbogenerator that only had to provide the average power required by the oil well rather than the well""s peak power requirements.
There are other inherent difficulties present if a turbogenerator with a conventional power control system is used to provide electrical power for a pump-jack type of oil well. If, for example, the oil well is in the part of the pumping cycle where it normally generates rather than consumes power, the operating speed of the rotating elements of the turbogenerator will tend to increase. The fuel control system of the power control system will attempt to reduce the fuel flow to the tubogenerator combustor in order to prevent the turbogenerator""s rotating elements from overspeeding which, in turn, risks quenching the flame in the combustor (flame out). A minimum fuel flow into the combustor must be maintained to avoid flame out. This results in a minimum level of power generation, which together with the power produced by the oil well itself, must be deliberately dissipated as wasted power by the turbogenerator system, usually with a load resistor but sometimes with a pneumatic load, either of which will reduce the turbogenerator system efficiency.
Also, when the power requirements for the oil well fall below the well""s peak requirement, the conventional turbogenerator control system will reduce the turbogenerator speed and the turbogenerator combustion temperature. Since the present systems do not have any means to dissipate excess power, the rapidly fluctuating load levels and unloading operation produce undesirable centrifugal and thermal cycles stresses in many components of the turbogenerator system which will tend to reduce turbogenerator life, reliability and system efficiency.
When a pump-jack type oil well is powered by constant frequency electrical power from a utility grid on a conventionally controlled turbogenerator, the oil extraction pumping rate may not be sufficient to keep up with the rate at which oil seeps into the well. In this case, potential oil production and revenues may be lost. Alternately, the oil extraction pumping rate may be greater than the rate at which oil seeps into the well. In this case, the oil well may waste power when no oil is being pumped or it may be necessary to shut down the oil well for a period of time to allow more oil to seep into the well.
For the reasons stated above, the conventional turbogenerator control system is not generally suitable for pump-jack oil well systems.
The turbogenerator control system of the present invention includes a high frequency inverter synchronously connected to the permanent magnet motor/generator of a turbogenerator, a low frequency load inverter connected to the induction motor(s) of the pump-jack oil well(s), a direct current bus electrically connecting the two (2) inverters, and a central processing unit which controls the frequency and voltage/current of each of the inverters. This control system can readily start the turbogenerator.
Alternately, a turbogenerator control system, when utilized to generate power, can include a bridge rectifier which converts the high frequency three-phase electrical power produced by the permanent magnet motor/generator of the turbogenerator into direct current power, a low frequency load inverter connected to the induction motor(s) of the pump-jack oil well(s), a direct current bus electrically connecting the rectifier to the low frequency load inverter and a central processing unit which controls the frequency and voltage/current of the low frequency load inverter. The configuration of this control system can be modified by switching electrical contactors or relays to allow the low frequency load inverter to be used to start the turbogenerator.
Throughout the oil well""s pumping cycle, the central processing unit increases or decreases the frequency of the low frequency load inverter in order to axially accelerate and decelerate the masses of the down hole steel pump rod(s) and oil and to rotationally accelerate and decelerate the masses of the motor rotor and counter balance weights.
Precisely controlling the acceleration and deceleration of both the axially moving and rotational moving masses of the oil well allows relatively independent control of the rate at which shaft power and electrical power can be converted into kinetic energy. This kinetic energy can be cyclically stored by and extracted from the moving masses. Just as changing the rotational velocity versus time profile of the well""s rotating components allows the well to function as a conventional flywheel, changing the normal axial velocity versus time profile of the well""s massive down hole moving components and oil, allows the well to function as an axial flywheel. Adjusting the frequency of the low frequency load inverter and the resulting speed of the well""s induction motor also allows the oil pumping power to be controlled as a function of time. The sum of the well""s oil pumping power requirements and the power converted into or extracted from the kinetic energies of the moving oil well masses is controlled so as to be nearly constant.
Thus, the combination of tailoring oil well pumping power as a function of time and precisely controlling the insertion and extraction of kinetic energy into and out of the moving masses of oil wells results in stabilizing the power requirements demanded of a turbogenerator powering pump-jack oil wells. This is turn allows the size of the turbogenerator to be down sized by a factor of perhaps four to one (4 to 1), avoids extreme variations in turbogenerator operating speed and combustion temperature as well as avoids possible damage to the turbogenerator caused by cyclical variations in thermal and centrifugal stresses and possible damage to the controller/inverter electronics caused by variation in turbogenerator voltage.
It is, therefore, a principal aspect of the present invention to provide a system to control the operation of a turbogenerator and its electronic inverters.
It is another aspect of the present invention to control the flow of fuel into the turbogenerator combustor.
It is another aspect of the present invention to control the temperature of the combustion process in the turbogenerator combustor and the resulting turbine inlet and turbine exhaust temperatures.
It is another aspect of the present invention to control the rotational speed of the turbogenerator rotor upon which the centrifugal compressor wheel, the turbine wheel, the motor/generator, and the bearings are mounted.
It is another aspect of the present invention to control the torque produced by the turbogenerator power head (turbine and compressor mounted and supported by bearings on a common shaft) and delivered to the motor/generator of the turbogenerator.
It is another aspect of the present invention to control the shaft power produced by the turbogenerator power head and delivered to the motor/generator of the turbogenerator.
It is another aspect of the present invention to control the electrical power produced by the motor/generator of the turbogenerator.
It is another aspect of the present invention to control the operations of the high frequency inverter which inserts/extracts power into/from the motor/generator of the turbogenerator and produces electrical power for the direct current bus of the turbogenerator controller.
It is another aspect of the present invention to control the operations of the low frequency load inverter which uses power from the direct current bus of the turbogenerator controller to generate low frequency, three-phase power.
It is another aspect of the present invention to minimize variations in the fuel flow rate into the turbogenerator combustor over the operating cycle of a pump-jack oil well.
It is another aspect of the present invention to minimize variations in the combustion and turbine temperatures of the turbogenerator over the operating cycle of a pump-jack oil well.
It is another aspect of the present invention to minimize variations in the operating speed of the turbogenerator over the operating cycle of a pump-jack oil well.
It is another aspect of the present invention to minimize variations in the shaft torque generated by the turbogenerator power head and delivered to the motor/generator of the turbogenerator over the operating cycle of a pump-jack oil well.
It is another aspect of the present invention to minimize variations in the shaft power generated by the turbogenerator power head and delivered to the motor/generator of the turbogenerator over the operating cycle of a pump-jack oil well.
It is another aspect of the present invention to minimize variations in the level of electrical power extracted from the motor/generator of the turbogenerator and converted into direct current power by the high frequency inverter, or the bridge rectifier, over the operating cycle of a pump-jack oil well.
It is another aspect of the present invention to minimize variations in the level of electrical power extracted from the direct current bus and converted into low frequency, three-phase power by the low frequency load inverter over the operating cycle of a pump-jack oil well.
It is another aspect of the present invention to minimize variations in the level of electrical power delivered to, and utilized by, the induction motor(s) of the pump-jack oil well(s) over the operating cycle of a pump-jack oil well.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system that sets the average frequency of the low frequency load inverter over the operating cycle of a pump-jack oil well.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system where the average frequency of the low frequency load inverter over the operating cycle of a pump-jack oil well can be set so that the oil pumping rate of the well is matched to the rate at which oil seeps into the well from the surrounding oil ladened matrix. Thus, the well neither runs dry nor has to produce oil at less than the well""s capacity.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system that varies the instantaneous frequency of the low frequency load inverter over the operating cycle of a pump-jack oil well.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system that varies the instantaneous voltage or current of the low frequency load inverter over the operating cycle of a pump-jack oil well.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system where the variation in the instantaneous frequency of the low frequency load inverter over the operating cycle of a pump-jack oil well is the primary means by which the system reduces the variations in power required by the induction motor of the pump-jack oil well.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system where the variation in the voltage or current of the low frequency load inverter over the operating cycle of a pump-jack oil well is the secondary means by which the system reduces the variations in power required by the induction motor of the pump-jack oil well and simultaneously is the primary means by which the system controls the slip and maximizes the efficiency of the inductor motor.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system with that can precisely control the insertion of kinetic energy into, and the extraction of kinetic energy from, the moving masses of the pump-jack oil well over the operating cycle of the well.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system that allows the rotational moving masses of the pump-jack oil well to function as a flywheel for energy storage.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system that allows the axially moving masses of the pump-jack oil well to function as an axial flywheel for energy storage.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system that can precisely control the instantaneous pumping work being performed by a pump-jack oil well or the instantaneous pumping work being extracted from a pump-jack oil well over the operating cycle of that well.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system that causes the total of the instantaneous pumping energy required/produced by pump-jack oil well(s) and the instantaneous kinetic energy extracted/inserted from/into pump-jack oil well(s) to be nearly constant over the operating cycle of the well(s).
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system that utilizes the phase relationship of the pump-jack oil well induction motor voltage and current to both measure the resonant velocities of the down hole rod string and to damp these resonances with appropriate modulations in the torque of the induction motor.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system that soft clamps the maximum and minimum frequencies of the low frequency load inverter to avoid excessive rod stresses at high frequencies, to avoid oil well pumping direction reversals, and to simultaneously minimize the excitation of rod string resonances.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system that soft clamps the maximum voltage of the low frequency load inverter to avoid excessive voltage stresses on inverter and motor components while simultaneously minimizing the excitation of rod string resonances.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system that soft clamps the D.C. bus voltage for safety.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system that minimizes thermal and centrifugal stress cycle damage to the turbogenerator""s combustor, recuperator, turbine wheel, compressor wheel, and other components that can be caused by variations in turbogenerator operating power level, speed or temperature and which are, in turn, induced by the cyclical nature of pump-jack operation.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system that minimizes the risk of combustor flame out that can occur when conventional turbogenerator fuel control systems reduce combustor fuel flow when the pump-jack""s power requirements are at a minimum or are reversed during the pumping cycle.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system that avoids the need for parasitic loads with their resulting inefficiencies and avoids the inefficiencies associated with off optimum operations when fuel flow, temperature, and speed vary widely.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system that allows the peak electrical power required by a pump-jack oil well to be reduced by a factor of about four to one.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system that allows the size, weight, and cost of a turbogenerator that powers a pump-jack oil well to be reduced by a factor of about four to one.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a control system that allows the size, weight, and cost of the induction motor utilized by a pump-jack oil well to be reduced by a factor of about four to one.


An electrical connector includes: an insulating housing having a plurality of passageways; a plurality of contacts retained in the passageways of the insulating housing, the contact having a retaining beam engaged with the insulating housing, a first contacting beam extending from the retaining beam, a second contacting beam opposite to the first contacting beam and a connecting portion connected with the first and second contacting beam. The second contacting beam and the connecting portion define an acute angle between 10° to 40° to make the contact in a low profile. The insulating housing has a blocking portion with a large thickness protruding into the passageway to downwardly block the second contacting beam from upwardly moving.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector with low profile for connecting with two PCBs.
2. Description of Related Art
An electrical connector assembly is used for connecting with two PCBs. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,278,861, an electrical connector assembly includes a receptacle and a plug mating with the receptacle. Said receptacle includes an insulating housing defining a receiving room and a plurality of contacts retained in the insulating housing. Said insulating housing has four peripheral sidewalls surrounding the receiving room and a tongue portion surrounded by said sidewalls and extending upwardly into the receiving room. The contact includes a first mating beam retained on an inner surface of the sidewall and a second mating beam retained on one side of the tongue portion opposite to said first mating beam. The tongue portion defines a plurality of passageways located under a top wall thereof for receiving said second mating beam. During the receptacle dismates with the plug vertically, the top wall of the tongue portion can prevent the second mating beam of the contact from being pulled out upwardly. When said receptacle is used in a low profile assembly with a lower size, the top wall should be formed much thinner in the vertical direction to meet the lower size, which weakens intensity of the top wall of the tongue portion. As a result, the top wall will be broken easily after many times of mating.
So it is necessary to provide a new electrical connector to solve the problems above.

Electrical connector with low profile contacts


A system and method for converting byte code of a first type into byte code of a second type. Byte code of a first type is received as input. The first byte code is converted into constituent byte code data elements that can comprise any logical unit or grouping of at least a portion of a software application. The first byte code data elements are mapped to data elements of a second byte code type. The second byte code data elements are assembled into a resulting second byte code.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to computer code, and more specifically to a system and method for improved conversion of computer code to target computer byte code of a second type.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditionally, most computer programs comprised machine-dependent, system-level instructions. A program would be written in a higher level language (source code), such as C or C++, and converted into machine instructions (object code) that could be executed by a computer processor. While the resulting object code could be executed very efficiently, source code compiled on one computer architecture (for example, the Microsoft Windows® operating system environment on an Intel Pentium® processor-based computer system) could not subsequently run on a different architecture (such as an Apple Macintosh® operating system environment on a PowerPC™ processor-based computer system) (WINDOWS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp., PENTIUM is a registered trademark of Intel Corp., MACINTOSH is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., and POWERPC is a trademark of International Business Machines Corp.). To properly execute a program on different computer architectures, programmers typically undertook steps to re-compile source code for each target architecture. Additionally, machine-specific differences often required significant revision to the program's source code in order to even enable recompilation for a different architecture.
A modern innovation to this traditional method of compiling source code into machine-level object code is to use intermediate byte languages and byte code interpreters. Byte code (also known as "bytecode" or "byte-code") is a form of intermediate language that is typically more abstract than object code, but closer to machine language than a higher level language. Examples of languages that compile to byte code include Java™ from Sun Microsystems, Inc. and languages that target the Common Language Infrastructure (CLI) from Microsoft Corporation (JAVA is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc.). A program that utilizes byte code is initially programmed in source code. The source code is then compiled into byte code. Compiled Java byte codes, for example, are typically in the form of ".class" or ".jar" files. The Common Language Infrastructure is an implementation of the Standard ECMA-335 specification. Source code written under the Common Language Infrastructure can be compiled to Common Intermediate Language (CIL) byte code. Common Intermediate Language byte code is typically packaged in a .Net Assembly, which can comprise Common Intermediate Language byte code, assembly metadata, type metadata and other resources. A .Net Assembly may be a standalone file or comprise multiple files. Metadata known as the assembly manifest describes how the elements in a given assembly relate to each other. Compiled byte code, whether standalone or contained in a larger package, can be interpreted by a byte code interpreter (also called a virtual machine) that translates the byte codes into machine level instructions. Examples of virtual machines include the Java Virtual Machine from Sun Microsystems and the Common Language Runtime (CLR), also called the Virtual Execution System, from Microsoft Corporation.
Thus, by way of example, a programmer using the Common Language Infrastructure can program an application in higher-level language such as Microsoft's C# or Visual Basic .Net and compile the program source code into Common Intermediate Language byte code and package it into a .Net Assembly. The resulting byte code can then be run in the CLR.
Typically, a virtual machine is available for different computer architectures. The virtual machine can take input from a program compiled in a standard byte code form and run the program on the native computer architecture in which the machine resides. Thus, in contrast to machine-specific object code, a byte code program can run in a virtual machine on any different architecture (that has a virtual machine) without a recompilation or reprogramming of the underlying source code. By way of example, a Java program compiled into byte code could run without modification in a virtual machine on both an Apple Macintosh computer and a Microsoft Windows computer.
During this same time, markup languages such as eXtensible Markup Language (XML) have gained popularity for their data description capabilities. Markup languages generally describe data and user interfaces as well as the details of the structure and appearance of both. Although most markup languages typically comprise ASCII text, markup language files may alternatively be serialized in a binary form, such as Microsoft's Binary extensible Application Markup Language (BAML). Markup languages such as HTML are well known for defining text and layout descriptions. Graphics markup languages such as the Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG) XML-based markup language can describe two-dimensional vector graphics. Scripting markup languages allow a programmer to add functional program code to markup language code that may then execute in a web server and dynamically output different markup language code. Exemplary scripting markup languages include Java Server Pages (JSP), Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP), Cold Fusion Markup Language (CFML) and Active Server Pages (ASP). For example, a programmer could create a web page comprised of mostly HTML tags and further including a CFML tag that inserted the current date and time every time the page was accessed. Upon access by a client web browser, the CFML code would execute and the web browser would receive an HTML page with the current date and time inserted as HTML data by the CFML code. Additionally, extensible languages such as XML allow programmers to define their own customized tags. This extensibility allows programmers to define, validate and interpret data exchanged between applications, even as the underlying data formats change over time.
When used in conjunction with functional programming language code, markup languages can be used inter alia to define the layout and appearance of objects in a program. For example, Microsoft's eXtensible Application Markup Language (XAML), an XML-based language, allows a programmer to define user interfaces and instantiate objects defined in Common Intermediate Language and contained in .Net Assembly packages. XAML and Common Intermediate Language code can be cross-referenced and executed by the Common Language Runtime. As an alternate example, XML User Interface Language (XUL) from the Mozilla Foundation is an XML-based language that can similarly describe the window layouts and user interfaces for modular software components written in languages including C, C++, and JavaScript using the Cross Platform Component Object Model (XPCOM) framework.
While byte code software applications, particularly when used in conjunction with markup language code, are quite useful and portable, one disadvantage of these approaches is that byte code of one type cannot be easily executed by a byte code interpreter of another type or converted efficiently to byte code of another type. Thus, although byte code may generally overcome machine-dependency, there is some level of dependency on a specific byte code interpreter application. Developers generally have to manually re-code applications for different byte code interpreters, which can be quite difficult in the case where source code is unavailable and only compiled byte code is on hand. Although some tools exist to disassemble compiled byte code into an assembly language or higher level language, a developer still has to port that source code to a different byte code language type in order to convert byte code of a first type into byte code of another type. In these respects, creation of target byte code according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides a system and method of byte code creation that is more flexible, robust and efficient than conventional byte code creation methods.

System and method for creating target byte code


An optical sensor for monitoring position of a movable object comprising a LED and a phototransistor is provided with control circuitry, which is responsive to an output signal generated by the phototransistor for causing the LED to suspend radiation of light. When the light reflected from a reflective area of the object falls on the phototransistor, the control circuitry turns off the LED as soon as the output of the phototransistor goes below a threshold level signifying that the phototransistor has been turned on. When the light is absorbed by a non-reflective area of the object and the phototransistor is not turned on, the control circuitry turns off the LED after a predetermined time period, which is chosen to be slightly larger than the response time of the phototransistor.

Optical sensors are widely used to determine the position of moving objects. One example is in an electricity meter wherein the speed of rotation of an eddy disk is related to the rate at which electricity is being consumed. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,123 assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
All optical sensors comprise a light emitter and a light detector that establish an optical path that includes a disk or other moving object. The moving object may either occlude the direct light from emitter to detector ("opto-interruptor"), or the moving object may, by virtue of its reflective and non-reflective areas, modulate the amount of reflected light passing from emitter to detector (reflective sensor).
Reference is now made to FIG. 1, wherein an optical sensor 20 comprises a light-emitting diode (LED) 22 converting an input electrical signal into light radiation, and a phototransistor 24 which is sensitive to light radiated by the LED 22. A rotating meter disk 26 is positioned so as to reflect incident light radiated by the LED 22 onto the phototransistor 24. The reflecting surface of the disk 26 has reflective areas 28a which reflect incident light therefrom, and non-reflective areas 28b which absorb light rather than reflect it. The conventional metallic surface of the disk is normally shiny enough to reflect light without any modification, whereas the non-reflective areas can be provided through a black applique applied to the disk. The output of the sensor is low when the phototransistor 24 is illuminated, and the output is high when the phototransistor 24 is not illuminated.
The LED 22 may be always kept on by providing a constant current at the input. However, the magnitude of the constant current is limited by the ability of the LED to operate with continuous excitation.
Alternatively, the LED 22 may be pulsed at intervals smaller than the expected light-to-dark period of the rotating disk 26. The intermittent mode of operation allows the LED to be operated at higher power to increase peak brightness.
Sensitivity of the optical sensor is defined by a signal-to-noise ratio R=(S+A)/(N+A), where:
S (signal) is the output phototransistor current resulting from light reflecting from a reflective area on the disk,
N (noise) is the output phototransistor current resulting from light reflecting from a non-reflective area on the disk, and
A (ambient) is the output phototransistor current resulting from background light.
In order to maximize R, the peak brightness should be as high as possible. Thus, the intermittent mode of operation allows a signal-to-noise ratio to be increased to improve sensitivity of optical sensors.
However, this mode of operation requires significant amount of power to be applied to the sensor in order to provide permanent LED pulsing with high peak brightness. Furthermore, permanent LED pulsing with high peak brightness results in reducing the mean time to failure (MTTF) of the LED, which is the average time before first failure of the LED. The MTTF is a measure of the reliability of the LED and the entire optical sensor.
In view of the above, it would be desirable to provide a method of and apparatus for controlling optical sensors to reduce power consumption without decreasing sensitivity. It would also be desirable to increase reliability of the optical sensor by increasing the mean time to failure of the LED.

Optical sensor control including the suspension of light radiation


A sample analyzer comprises a pipette, a pipette moving mechanism and a position confirming member disposed at a position where the pipette can be moved by the pipette moving mechanism. The position confirming member comprises a space into which a tip end of the pipette can be inserted. When the sample analyzer carries out the position confirmation process, the tip end of the pipette is moved by the pipette moving mechanism so as to be inserted into the space of the position confirming member. When a sensor sensed that the tip end of the pipette collides with the position confirming member, the sample analyzer stops the movement of the pipette and notify that the pipette of the pipette moving mechanism has a problem.

There has been known a sample analyzer for analyzing components of a sample by subjecting a specimen prepared by mixing the sample and a reagent to a measuring operation. The sample analyzer has a reagent dispensing section configured to suction the reagent from a reagent container containing the reagent and to eject the suctioned reagent into a cuvette (reaction container). The operation of the reagent dispensing section is controlled by a control section provided in the sample analyzer in accordance with a predetermined operation sequence.
The reagent container is provided with an opening to which a pipette of the reagent dispensing section is inserted to suction the reagent. In order to prevent the reagent from being vaporized or contaminated, the opening is formed as small as possible. For this reason, the reagent cannot be properly suctioned when the pipette is not accurately positioned in the opening.
Accordingly, in order to properly dispense the reagent, it is necessary to adjust the pipette so as to be accurately positioned at a predetermined position.
JP2001-91522 discloses that a pipette of a dispensing section is adjusted so as to be positioned at a predetermined position. According to JP2001-91522, the adjustment of the pipette of the dispensing section is performed in such a manner that a user executes a predetermined adjustment program when mounting an analyzer or exchanging a dispensing section-related part.
When the sample analyzer is used for a long period of time, deterioration of a mechanism for driving the reagent dispensing section (extending of a driving belt, and the like), and the like may cause gradual displacement of a stop position of the pipette. Further, the pipette may be bent when the user touches the pipette of the dispensing section. In this case, when the analyzer performs an analyzing operation, it is difficult to accurately position a tip end of the pipette at a predetermined position and thus the pipette may be brought into contact with a reagent container and be thereby damaged.
In a technique of JP2001-91522, the pipette can be adjusted so as to be positioned at a predetermined position. However, the pipette damage caused by prolonged use of the sample analyzer cannot be prevented.

Sample analyzer and a computer program product


A message string output system which can prevent users from feeling uncomfortable due to repeated input of a particular string by another user is provided. A judging unit (36) judges whether or not a message string which is input by an input unit (30) contains a specific string. An input status information updating unit (38) updates, based on a judgment result by the judging unit (36), input status information stored in an input status information storage (46) in corresponding to user identification information corresponding to the message string. An output form determining unit (43) determines an output form of a specific string part contained in the message string based on the input status information stored in correspondence with the user identification information corresponding to the message string.

Systems are known in which a server is connected to a communication network such as the Internet and access from a plurality of terminals such as a home game machine, a personal computer or the like to the server is allowed, to enable communication among users in distant locations. For example, a message string output system is known in which, when a user inputs a message string, the message string is output on another terminal so that players can enjoy chatting.    [Patent Document 1] JP 3424822 B

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Message character string output system, control method thereof, and information storage medium


A mounting apparatus for attaching a data storage device to a chassis includes a latching member, first and second elastic members and a button. The latching member defines a through hole therein and forms a latching pin at a first end thereof. The button includes an abutting portion and a pressing portion extending up from the abutting portion. When the mounting apparatus is mounted to the chassis, the button is placed on a bottom side of the latching member, the latching member is movably mounted to the chassis, the first elastic member is compressed between the second end of the latching member and a baffle formed on the chassis, the second elastic member is compressed between the button and the chassis, the pressing portion of the button extends through the through hole and extending out of a top surface of the latching member.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure generally relates to mounting apparatuses, and particularly to a mounting apparatus which facilitates attachment of a data storage device to an electronic device.
2. Description of Related Art
Data storage devices, such as hard disk drives (HDDs), compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM) drives and digital video disc-read only memory (DVD-ROM) drives, are typically secured to a chassis of an electronic device with screws. However, attaching and detaching the data storage device with screws is unduly laborious and time-consuming.
What is desired, therefore, is a mounting apparatus for readily attaching or detaching a data storage device to or from a chassis of an electronic device.

Mounting apparatus and electronic device incorporating the same

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.


An electronic interposer may be formed using organic material layers, while allowing for the fabrication of high density interconnects within the electronic interposer without the use of embedded silicon bridges. This is achieved by forming the electronic interposer in three sections, i.e. an upper section, a lower section and a middle section. The middle section may be formed between the upper section and the lower section, wherein a thickness of each layer of the middle section is thinner than a thickness of any of the layers of the upper section and the lower section, and wherein conductive routes within the middle section have a higher density than conductive routes within the upper section and the lower section.

The integrated circuit industry is continually striving to produce ever faster, smaller, and thinner integrated circuit packages for use in various electronic products, including, but not limited to, computer servers and portable products, such as portable computers, electronic tablets, cellular phones, digital cameras, and the like.
As a part of this effort, integrated circuit packages containing multiple integrated circuit devices, such as microelectronic dice, have been developed. These multiple integrated circuit device packages are referred to in the art as multi-device or multi-chip packages (MCPs) and offer the potential for increased architectural flexibility at reduced cost, but must do so such that appropriate interconnects between integrated circuit devices and to external components are provided. These interconnects are provided through the fabrication of interposers, wherein the integrated circuit devices are mechanically attached and electrically connected to the interposers. These interposers may be formed from silicon, by embedding silicon in dielectric layers of the interposer, from organic dielectric layers, and the like.
Silicon interposers may be active (i.e. include integrated electronic devices) or passive (i.e. include no integrated electronic devices). However, most silicon interposers currently used are passive, wherein the conductive routing structures may be through-silicon vias ("TSVs") and interconnect stacks, known as "backend of line" or "BEOL", to provide high density interconnects for active integrated circuit dice assembled on the silicon interposer. Although silicon interposers have benefits with regard to being able to fabricate very small conductive routing structures (i.e. high density interconnects), the TSVs have inferior signaling performance compared to simple via stacks in an organic interposer (e.g. an interposer having organic dielectric layers). Additionally, silicon interposers have higher costs compared to organic interposers due to costly TSV and BEOL processing. Furthermore, silicon interposers have size limitations due to mechanical assembly considerations and reliability, as will be understood to those skilled in the art.
In order to address some of the issues with silicon interposers, Embedded Interconnect Bridge ("EMIB") interposers have been developed. EMIB interposers are formed by embedding passive silicon bridges in areas of the interposer where high density interconnects are required. The embedded passive silicon bridges are used to form the high density interconnects without needing to provide TSVs, which have inferior signaling performance. Although EMIB interposers are generally more cost effective than silicon interposers, this cost efficiency diminishes when a large number of silicon bridges are required, as embedding each silicon bridge adds sequentially to processing time and cost. Additionally, the form factor (e.g. size) of the silicon bridges is limited. For example, if one were to edge-to-edge "stitch" two large integrated circuit dice together with a single bridge, it would require a die aspect ratio of over five (5). Furthermore, efficient space transformation is not possible, as only rectangular pieces of silicon can be used, as will be understood to those skilled in the art.
In order to address some of the issues with regard to silicon interposers and EMIB interposers, organic interposers may provide a low-cost alternative, while improving power delivery and signaling (depending on the organic dielectrics used), comparatively. Organic interposers generally utilize carbon-based photo-imageable dielectrics ("PIDs"), such as polyimides, for the material in the interconnect stack (e.g. inter-layer dielectrics "ILDs"). These materials have high coefficients of thermal expansion ("CTE"), usually greater than about 40 ppm/° C. The CTE of the PID materials can result in a CTE of the organic interposer of about 20 ppm/° C. that is considerably higher than the CTE of integrated circuit dice, primarily silicon (with a CTE of about 3 ppm/° C.), that is mounted on the organic interposer. This CTE mismatch may lead to increasing stresses with growing interposer size, and, thus, usually limits both the size and layer count of these organic interposers to well below what silicon interposers can achieve.

Organic interposers for integrated circuit packages


Disclosure is a connector terminal holding mechanism which assures that a terminal received in a connector housing can reliably be held in the latter. The connector terminal holding mechanism for reliably holding a terminal including an upright standing engagement portion and an engagement shoulder located forward of the upright standing engagement portion in a connector housing with a rear holder including an engagement portion adapted to be engaged with the upright standing engagement portion is constructed in the improved state in such a manner that a plurality of guide rails each including a raised portion having a height in excess of that of the upright standing engagement portion are formed in the connector housing, and the rear holder merges into an engagement projection including a plurality of slidable portions adapted to be slidably engaged with the guide rails and a plurality of engagement portions adapted to be engaged with a shoulder portion of a box-shaped portion on the terminal.

The present invention relates generally to a connector terminal holding mechanism. More particularly, the present invention relates to a mechanism of the foregoing type for reliably holding a terminal received in a connector with a rear holder.
FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view of a conventional connector terminal holding mechanism.
This mechanism serves to firmly hold the rear end of a terminal 2 for a base board received in a connector housing 22 molded likewise of a synthetic resin with a rear holder 25 molded of a synthetic resin.
As shown in FIG. 9, the terminal 2 includes a box-shaped portion 5 having a resilient contact piece 23 integrated therewith to come in close contact with an opponent terminal (not shown) and a cable crimping portion 3 located behind the box-shaped portion 5, and the rear part of the cable crimping portion 3 is caused to stand upright so as to form an upright standing engagement portion 4 adapted to be engaged with the rear holder 22. The rear holder 22 is prepared in the flat plate-shaped configuration and includes an engagement portion 24 at the foremost end thereof to be engaged with the upright standing engagement portion 24. In addition, the rear holder 22 includes a flexible arm 25 slantwise upwardly extending therefrom so as to reliably hold the terminal 2 in a housing 21 (refer to Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication NO. 58-14684) .
With the conventional mechanism constructed in the above-described manner, however, a height h of the upright standing engagement portion 4 of the terminal 2 varies depending on the extent of crimping the cable crimping portion 3. Thus, when the height h is lower than a predetermined height one, there arises a malfunction that any engagement fails to be achieved with the rear holder 22.


A deployment structure (32) encloses and conceals an inflator (20) and an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (12) in a vehicle. The deployment structure (32) is a unitary plastic part defining a deployment door (86) having a Class A surface (76). The unitary plastic part further defines a mounting flap (114) having an aperture (126), and another mounting flap (116) having another aperture (128). The mounting flaps (114 and 116) are movable relative to one another to positions in which the apertures (126 and 128) are aligned to receive a mounting stud (36) which supports the inflator (20) and the protection device (12) in the vehicle.

An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, such as an air bag, is inflated when a vehicle experiences a crash. Inflation fluid is then directed to flow from an inflator into the air bag to inflate the air bag. When the air bag is inflated, it extends into the vehicle occupant compartment to protect an occupant of the vehicle from a forceful impact with parts of the vehicle as a result of the crash.
An air bag and an inflator are typically installed in a vehicle as parts of an air bag module. The module is an assembly of parts that are interconnected separately from the vehicle, and may include a reaction canister which contains the air bag and the inflator. When the module is installed in the vehicle, a deployment door conceals the air bag and the other parts of the module from view in the vehicle occupant compartment. The deployment door has a Class A surface which, as known in the art, is a surface that is readily visible in the vehicle occupant compartment. The deployment door is usually fastened directly to the reaction canister as a part of the module. The deployment door may also be fastened to the part of the vehicle upon which or in which the module is installed.
When the inflator is actuated, the reaction canister directs the inflation fluid to flow from the inflator into the air bag. As the inflation fluid enters the air bag, it moves the air bag outward from the reaction canister and against the deployment door. The deployment door is then opened by the air bag as the air bag inflates outward from the reaction canister and into the vehicle occupant compartment.


A bulb grasping unit for an elongated cylindrical fluorescent bulb is rigidly mounted on an elongated handle to facilitate replacement of fluorescent bulbs supported by two prongs on the bulb ends en resiliently mounted tubular contacts in out of reach fixtures. The bulb grasping unit is integrally formed from plastic and defines a generally semi-cylindrical recess which is resiliently radially expandable to snap into engagement with the fluorescent bulb. When one bulb prong is inserted in one tubular contact, upward movement of the other end of the bulb by the bulb grasping unit engages a cam on the end of the bulb grasping unit with a cam surface on the fixture to axially shift the other prong into alignment with the other tubular contact.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to apparatus for installing and removing elongated, cylindrical fluorescent bulbs into or out of their customary supporting fixtures. The invention has particular application in fluorescent lighting systems involving axially directed, spring type retaining sockets for mounting tubular fluorescent bulbs.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
As is well known, the installation and removal of fluorescent bulbs is usually accomplished with much inconvenience. In the normal situation, fluorescent bulbs are supported in fixtures at an overhead location out of reach of the normal size person. Hence, an elevated platform or ladder is needed to place the maintenance person within reach of the particular fixture needing a bulb change. Since many fluorescent bulbs range in length from six to eight feet, it is difficult for the maintenance person to climb up a ladder holding the bulb, then align one end of the bulb with the spring type retaining socket, apply an axial force to the bulb to compress the socket, and then swing the other end of the bulb into engagement with the other socket.
It has been previously proposed that grasping units for holding a fluorescent bulb be secured to the end of an elongated handle to permit the replacement of the bulb without resort to a ladder. Bulb grasping units of this type are shown in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
______________________________________ #2,393,880 Beard #2,589,642 Stueland #2,855,238 Ford #3,101,212 Cater #3,929,365 Hunt et al ______________________________________
In all of the aforementioned prior art patents, except the Hunt et al patent, elaborate mechanisms are provided generally incorporating two semi-cylindrical grasping elements which are moved relative to each other in surrounding, clamping relationship relative to a fluorescent bulb by the operation of a complex linkage. Obviously, these constructions are expensive to manufacture and require frequent repair due to the number of moving parts involved in such prior art apparatuses.
The Hunt et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,365 discloses a simpler arrangement for grasping a fluorescent bulb, having either one or two connector prongs, comprising a semi-cylindrical gripper. A complex coupling is provided between the gripper and the operating handle to permit rotation of the bulb for insertion of a two prong type. The Hunt et al construction is obviously expensive to manufacture.
It is readily apparent, therefore, that a fluorescent bulb handling mechanism involving a minimum of movable parts, yet assuring the firm securement of the bulb during an installation or removal operation, would be a highly welcomed mechanism for installing or removing elongated fluorescent bulbs.

Replacement apparatus for fluorescent bulbs


An interferometric semiconductor laser includes a cavity in the form of a Y and at east three individually actuatable active segments. A central segment couples together the individually actuatable active segments. The central segment is an active or passive segment that acts as a beam divider. The arrangement of the segments forms two resonator paths which contain at least one common active segment. At least one resonator path includes an active segment that does not belong to the other resonator path. In the absence of, or with the same actuation of the active segments, the optical path length of one resonator path differs from the optical path length of the other resonator path.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an interferometric semiconductor laser including a cavity in the form of a Y and comprising at least three individually actuatable active segments which are coupled together by way of an active or passive central segment that acts as a beam divider, the arrangement of the segments being such that two resonator paths are formed which contain at least one common active segment and of which at least one includes an active segment that does not belong to the other resonator path.


A braking system designed to be an integral part of a shopping cart. The braking system consists of a hand-operated brake that is gravity actuated and normally engaged. The user disengages the braking system to move the shopping cart, preferably by pushing a primary handle of the cart. The braking system is also disengaged when the shopping cart is nested with other shopping carts to allow multiple carts to be moved without the brakes being engaged. The mechanical link from the handle to the brake is enclosed within the frame to reduce potential damage to the mechanism. The mechanical link consists of a hand-activated handle that is pushed down to disengage the brake, and when the handle is not depressed, the handle raises by gravity and applies the brake.

The field of the invention relates to a braking system used in a shopping cart. More specifically, it relates to a shopping cart with a brake that must be disengaged by the operator to allow movement of the shopping cart. The invention also discloses that, when the shopping cart is nested with other shopping carts, the braking system is disengaged to allow multiple shopping carts to be moved.
Shopping carts are convenient transportation devices that are used when one or multiple items are purchased at a store. Most commercially available shopping carts do not employ a braking system in the shopping cart. One problem with currently available shopping carts is that they can roll away if the cart is placed on a slope. Many people at one time or another have had a shopping cart roll away, or have seen a shopping cart roll down a parking area and stop when the shopping cart came in contact with a car or other object. The ideal shopping cart would provide the convenience of easy mobility when in use, and sufficient braking capacity when the cart is not being pushed or moved. The ideal design would need to be rugged enough to withstand the daily use and pounding imposed on today's shopping carts, and provide safety to users so fingers and clothing are not pinched by the braking mechanism. Simplicity of the design of the shopping cart is important for manufacturing, user understanding, and longevity of the mechanism and the braking surfaces. Several inventions have tried to produce a shopping cart with these features.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,709,527, 1,861,958, 2,988,175, 4,018,449, 5,325,938, and 5,735,367 utilize a cable, chain, or other flexible member running either inside a tube, or inside a sheath that is connected to a tube on the shopping cart to manipulate a brake that is applied to the wheel. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,958,537, 3,095,211, 3,501,164, 4,384,713, 4,840,388, 4,976,447, 5,499,697, 6,199,878 use a rod located outside the frame tube of the shopping cart. All these prior patents provide a link from the handle to the brake, but the linking mechanism is fragile, and subject to intentional or unintentional damage. What is needed is a linkage from the handle to the braking mechanism that is solid, and protected.
Another valuable attribute of the invention is that the operation of the braking mechanism should be easy to use and operate. The method of de-activating the brake should be the same as using the shopping cart. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,958,537, 5,499,697 require the user to lift the handle to deactivate the brake. U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,878 requires the user to rotate the handle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,447 require the user to pull the handle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,388 requires the user to grasp or squeeze the handle. None of the listed patents require the user to perform the function of pushing the cart to deactivate the brake, or resting on the handle as the cart is being pushed. In addition, most of the designs require the user to overcome a spring that keeps the handle or brake engaged.
Still another valuable attribute of the invention would involve a braking system that does not reduce the life of the tires on the shopping cart. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,095,211, 3,501,164, 4,018,449, 4,840,388, 4,976,477, 5,325,938, 5,499,697, 5,735,367 and 6,199,878 utilize a braking system that rubs on at least a part of one tire of the shopping cart. U.S. Pat. No. 2,958,537 uses a pawl that engages a ratchet tooth, and when the pawl in engaged, the wheel is locked into position causing the tire to slide on the ground. What is needed is a braking system that does not abrade the tire to cause the braking of the shopping cart.
While the prior art provides the basic function of slowing or stopping a shopping cart, none of the prior art provides a braking system that disengages the braking system while the cart is being pushed, where the connecting rod is protected from normal and abnormal damage, or the braking system does not abrade the tire surface. The disclosed invention provides unique solutions to each of these previously undisclosed combined improvements.

Hand deactivated shopping cart automatic braking system


Disclosed herein is a method for treatment of arsenic-contaminated soil, said method being capable of insolubilizing arsenic compounds (in organic form or tri- or pentavalent inorganic form), thereby reducing their leaching level below the environmental standard value for soil. The method consists of heating arsenic-contaminated soil at 200 to 700° C. and mixing the heated soil with a calcium compound and water. The method also consists of mixing arsenic-contaminated soil with a calcium compound, heating the mixed soil at 200 to 700° C., and mixing the heated soil with water.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for treatment of arsenic-contaminated soil, said method being designed to insolubilize arsenic in soil, thereby reducing the amount of leachable arsenic below the level specified by the environmental standard value for soil.
2. Description of the Related Art
Factories and establishments handling chemicals and pesticides often cause soil contamination with heavy metals discarded or leaking out of equipment and apparatus. One conventional way to address this problem was by removal of contaminants from soil by heating or washing, or by insolubilization of contaminants with chemicals added to soil. Treatment of soil contaminated with organoarsenic compounds originating from chemical weapons involves heating of contaminated soil in a kiln or the like for decomposition of contaminants. However, there has been no effective way to make arsenic compounds harmless because they assume various forms, such as trivalent or pentavalent inorganic or organic arsenic compounds which vary in characteristic properties.
Conventional technologies involving washing are disclosed in the following literature.    I. A. Legiec, L. P. Grifin, P. D. Walling, Jr., T. C. Breske, M. S. Angelo, R. S. Isaacson, M. B. Lanza, "DuPont Soil Washing Technology Program and Treatment of Arsenic Contaminated Soils", Environmental Progress, 16(1), 29-34 (1997).
This literature is concerned with washing with a cleaning agent, which is a strong alkaline aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide.    V. Hornburg, B. Luer, "Comparison between Total- and Aqua Regia Extractable Contents of Elements in Natural Soils and Sediments", J. Plant Nitr. Soil Sci. 162, 131-137 (1999).
This literature is concerned with washing with a strong acidic and strong oxidizing acid.
These conventional technologies involving strong alkaline or acidic chemicals suffer the disadvantage of requiring post-treatment to neutralize washed soils. Another disadvantage is difficulties with disposal of waste liquids and necessity for careful handling and safe storage of chemicals.
A method for decontamination by evaporation with heating is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2004-50029. This method consists of mixing arsenic-contaminated soil with a silicone oil and heating the mixture at 600° C. or above, preferably 700-1000° C., in an inert gas atmosphere, so that heating decomposes the silicone oil to give silicon (Si). The thus released silicon reduces heavy metal compounds in contaminated soil, thereby forming heavy metals (in the form of simple substance or oxide), and the resulting heavy metals are evaporated and removed by heating. This method suffers the disadvantage of requiring a heating furnace that runs while keeping its inside free of oxygen. Such a heating furnace costs too much for treatment of contaminated soil in large quantities.
There is another conventional technology based on a combination of heating and washing, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-177941. It is designed to effectively remove arsenic (regardless of its form) from contaminated soil. The object is achieved by heating arsenic-contaminated soil and subsequent washing or by washing arsenic-contaminated soil and subsequent heating. This technology relies on the fact that trivalent arsenic compounds are volatile (at 465° C. for As2O3) but hardly soluble in water and hence easy to remove by heating, and pentavalent arsenic compounds are soluble in water (with a solubility of 414 g/L at 30° C. for As2O5) but hardly volatile and hence easy to remove by washing.
Unfortunately, trivalent and pentavalent arsenic compounds greatly vary in properties (volatility and water solubility) from elemental arsenic when they are contained in or adsorbed by soil. Moreover, it is difficult to predict the form of arsenic in arsenic-contaminated soil by analysis. Therefore, it is difficult to determine what to do first—heating for trivalent arsenic compounds or washing for pentavalent arsenic compounds.
The foregoing will be understood from Table 1 below which shows how arsenic is removed in different ratios when arsenic-contaminated soil is washed with water (ten times the weight of soil) with or without previous heating. It is noted from Table 1 that washing without previous heating removes only 6 to 15% of arsenic from contaminated soil. On the other hand, heating arsenic-contaminated soil at 550° C. for 20 minutes in air is not so effective as to reduce the content of arsenic. Moreover, heating and ensuing water washing are only slightly effective in removal of arsenic.
TABLE 1Ratio ofremoval ofContent ofarsenicContent ofarsenic infromarsenic inRatio of removalarsenic-contaminatedsoil afterof arsenic bycontaminatedsoil byheatingwashing fromNo.soil (mg/kg)water washing(mg/kg)heat-treated soil13015%271%244 9%381%318 6%232%41010%171%51110%191%
Soil usually contains divalent or multivalent metals, such as calcium. These metals form salts with pentavalent arsenic ions and resulting salts are only slightly soluble in soil water in soil. For example, calcium arsenate Ca3(AsO4)2, which is a pentavalent arsenic compound, has such a small solubility product (6.8×10−19) that its removal by water washing is essentially impossible.
A method for insolubilization is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-290759. This method consists of adding cement, hydroxyapatite, and poly(ferric sulfate) to contaminated soil containing heavy metals such as arsenic, thereby immobilizing heavy metals and preventing their leaching. Treatment by this method is economically disadvantageous because it employs expensive chemicals.
Organoarsenic compounds originating from chemical weapons are usually vaporized or decomposed by heating at 300 to 500° C. By contrast, when contained in soil, they react with metals (such as calcium, iron, and magnesium) in soil at the time of heating to convert into compounds which are hardly volatile and very difficult to remove by washing.
Table 2 below shows the test results obtained by heating a sample soil artificially contaminated with diphenyl-arsinic acid (DPAA: C12H11AsO2), which is one of organo-arsenic compounds. It is noted that after heat treatment at 550° C. for 20 minutes, DPAA mostly (more than 99.93%) disappears but largely changes into inorganic arsenic compounds in soil. Thus heat treatment removes only 30 to 34% of arsenic.
TABLE 2Amount ofAmount ofNo.contaminant addedremaining contaminant1In the form of DPAA:In the form of DPAA:500 mg/kg<0.1 mg/kg (<0.02%)In the form of As:In the form of As:143 mg/kg100 mg/kg (69.9%)2In the form of DPAA:In the form of DPAA:1000 mg/kg7 mg/kg (0.7%)In the form of As:In the form of As:2863 mg/kg1900 mg/kg (66.4%)Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2004-50029 (Paragraphs 0014 to 0015)Patent document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-177941 (Paragraphs 0010 to 0011)Patent document 3: Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-290759 (Paragraphs 0009 to 0016)

Method for treatment of arsenic-contaminated soil


A CPU 231 calculates modified brightness correction amount tCurve_Y with consideration of exposure correction amount (or exposure value) EV if photography information PI (or Exif IFD) is included in image data GF. Specifically, the modified brightness correction amount tCurve_Y is calculated by dividing original brightness correction amount tCurve_Yorg by 2|EV|. Therefore, it decreases in geometrical progression as the exposure correction amount increases. The CPU 231 applies the obtained modified brightness correction amount tCurve_Y to a tone curve to adjust image quality including brightness. More specifically, it uses the modified brightness correction amount tCurve_Y to modify the characteristics of the tone curve, and then uses the modified tone curve to adjust the image quality of the image data.

The image quality of image data generated by a digital still camera (DSC), digital video camera (DVC), scanner or the like can be arbitrarily adjusted by use of an image-retouching application included in a personal computer. The image-retouching application is generally provided with an image adjustment function of automatically adjusting image quality (or characteristics) of image data, and this image adjustment function makes it possible to readily adjust image quality of image data to be output from an output device into normal image quality. The output device of image data includes, for example, a CRT, a printer, a projector, a television receiver, and the like.
The printer driver for controlling operations of printer, which is one of output devices, is also provided with a function of automatically adjusting image quality (or characteristics) of image data, and such printer driver makes it possible to readily adjust image quality of image data to be printed into normal image quality.
Typically, the automatic image quality adjustment function performed by the image-retouching application and the like performs image quality correction based on image quality of normal image data. However, since the image data subject to image processing can be generated under a variety of conditions, the automatic image quality adjustment function may result in poor image quality if the image quality (or characteristics) of image data is equally corrected using a reference value that is designed for the normal image data.
In addition, some image data generation devices such as DSC allow image quality of image data to be arbitrarily adjusted during generation of the image data, and the user can intentionally generate image data having a predetermined image quality. If the automatic image quality adjustment function is performed on such image data, intentional image characteristics of the image data are also adjusted equally based on the reference value. Thus, there is a problem that in such cases it is impossible to obtain an output image with the user's intention reflected thereon.


An optical device structure includes a first cladding having a first refractive index, a second cladding having a second refractive index, a core disposed between the first and second claddings, wherein the core has a third refractive index, and wherein the first and second refractive indices are relatively lower than the third refractive index, and a diffusion region disposed between the core and one of the first cladding, the second cladding, or both. A method for making the aforementioned optical device structure is provided.

The invention relates generally to optical device structures. In particular, the invention relates to an optical waveguide and a method of making the same.
Optical waveguides or holograms are used for optical communication or information recording. In any type of optical communication system there is the need for interconnecting different discrete components. These components may include a range of devices, such as lasers, detectors, fibers, modulators, and switches. Polymer-based devices, such as waveguides, offer a viable way of interconnecting these components, and offer a potentially inexpensive interconnection scheme.
An optical waveguide provides an optical transmission path in which light propagates in a high refractive index medium surrounded with a low refractive index medium by undergoing a total reflection at its boundary surface. Here, the total reflection is the phenomenon in which, when the incident angle of light entering from a transparent high refractive index medium to a low refractive index medium is smaller than a certain angle, all the energy of the light is reflected at its boundary surface without loss. Holograms are interference fringes produced by exposing a photosensitive material to two light beams having high coherence. Holograms may be used in many applications, such as information recording media, reflecting plates, optical filters, and grating waveguides, by using the diffraction phenomenon of the interference fringe.
The most frequently used material for such a waveguide device is glass, which is formed into a fiber of specified dimensions. Other materials for producing the above mentioned waveguides and holograms include polymers, quartzes, heavy metal oxides, and liquid crystals. Usually, when a waveguide is produced by using a polymer as a raw material a pattern is formed by means of standard photolithographic techniques. Standard lithographic processes are used to define a pattern in a photoresist layer deposited on a chosen substrate. Then an etchant is applied onto the photoresist layer to etch the defined pattern. The photoresist pattern is then etched away using a solvent. This process however is, time consuming, laborious and costly. For these reasons, the production of a homogeneous large-area waveguides is difficult.
Accordingly, a need exists for a relatively fast, precise and low cost technique for making optical device structures, such as waveguides, and holograms.

Optical waveguide devices and method of making the same


An electric power steering system includes an electric motor and a worm speed reducer. The worm speed reducer includes a worm shaft, a worm wheel, and a ring member. The worm wheel includes an annular tooth portion and an annular support formed of a material that is softer than a material of a shaft. The ring member includes an outer periphery press-fitted with the annular support so as to form plastically deformed portions in part of the annular support, and an inner periphery with which the shaft is press-fitted. The ring member is formed of a material with a hardness equivalent to a hardness of the material of the shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric power steering system.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, in known electric power steering systems that transmit a motor torque via a worm speed reducer, a gear portion of a resin material integrated with an outer periphery of a cored bar portion of an iron material is used as a worm wheel.
In recent years, the size of the worm wheel has tended to increase with an increase in mechanical output power of the electric power steering system. Consequently, the size and thus the weight of the cored bar portion increase. This may increase an inertia force exerted at the time of steering to degrade a steering feeling.
Thus, an electric power steering system has been developed, which uses aluminum or the like with a lower specific gravity than iron, as the cored bar portion of the worm wheel. In a technique described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-2509 (JP 2002-2509 A), an elastic force applying member for a torque limiter is interposed between an iron shaft and an aluminum cored bar.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-271903 (JP 2001-271903 A) describes a power transmission system in which the worm wheel includes two components, that is, a gear portion spline-engaged with an auger shaft and a boss portion. Both the boss portion and the gear portion are formed of an iron material. The boss portion is pressed into the gear portion, and both the boss portion and the gear portion rotate relative to each other to provide a torque limiter function when an overtorque load is applied.
If an outer periphery defined by a cylindrical surface of the iron shaft and an inner periphery defined by a cylindrical surface of the cored bar formed of a material softer than iron, for example, aluminum, are entirely press-fitted together along a circumferential direction, the press-fitted surfaces may seize, leading to inappropriate assembly.
This is considered to be because, at the time of press-in, a plastic flow of a surface layer of the soft material member causes a fresh surface to be exposed, resulting in metallic contact between the hard material and the soft material. In particular, when the hard material and the soft material are entirely press-fitted together along the circumferential direction, plastically deformed portions resulting from the plastic flow have nowhere to escape. The plastically deformed portions cut into the press-fitted surface, resulting in a high likelihood of metallic contact and thus seizure.


The present invention discloses a medical device and a method of placing the medical device within a patient's body. The medical device includes a support member, a first elongate member, a second elongate member and a coupling member. The first elongate member and the second elongate member extend from the support member. The coupling member includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the coupling member is coupled to a distal end portion of the first elongate member and the second portion of the coupling member is coupled to a distal end portion of the second elongate member.

1. Field
The present invention generally relates to implants and more particularly to bodily implants and their methods of delivery and placement into a patient's body for the treatment of pelvic floor repair.
2. Description of the Related Art
Genital prolapse or pelvic floor prolapse is the protrusion of pelvic organs into or out of the vaginal canal. Pelvic floor prolapse affects many women and many of them undergo at least one reconstructive pelvic surgery in their lifetime. Many of the cases may be the result of damage to the vaginal and pelvic support tissue by stretching or tearing of the connective tissue within the pelvic space due to childbirth, age, obesity, post-menopausal conditions or chronically elevated intra-abdominal pressure. The results are the distention of organs such as the bladder and rectum, into the vagina, as well as various stages of vaginal avulsion.
Surgical therapy may be performed for the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse. Such surgeries for prolapse treatment may include plication of the torn connective tissues and re-suspension of the vagina. Some traditional suspension techniques include utero-sacral suspension and sacrospinus ligament suspension. Some procedures for vaginal suspension include sacrocolpopexy, where the vagina is suspended to the sacral promontory with an implanted graft material.
Hysterectomy may be performed before conducting sacrocolpopexy. It involves surgical removal of the uterus so that the bodily implant can be attached properly to the anterior and posterior vaginal walls. Hysterectomy may be total (removal of the cervix and the uterus) or partial (removal of the uterus while leaving the cervix intact). This may be an undesirable outcome of pelvic floor repair as removal of the uterus can create many complications and render the patient unable to bear children. Therefore, many women do not prefer removal of the uterus.
Therefore, a medical device and a method for placing the medical device within the patient's body is required that overcomes the need of removal of the uterus through either total or partial hysterectomy.

Medical device and methods of delivering the medical device


Systems, methods and techniques for automatically recognizing two or 3-dimensional real world objects with an augmented reality display device (smartphone or glasses etc.), and augmenting or enhancing the display of such real world objects by superimposing virtual images such as a still or video advertisement, an opportunity to buy, a story or other virtual image presentation. In non-limiting embodiments, the real world object includes visible features including visible security features and a recognition process takes the visible security features into account when recognizing the object and/or displaying superimposed virtual images.

Augmented reality ("AR") is the real-time superimposition of artificial images onto real world images. This technology has been used for a variety of applications from handheld entertainment to heads-up displays on military jets. For example, a person using an augmented reality-enabled display device (e.g., a smartphone with an AR app or AR enabled glasses) while shopping can be shown virtual advertisements, sale announcements, pricing information etc. superimposed onto images of actual products they can purchase.

Augmented, virtual and mixed-reality content selection and display


A set of memory cell test structures and a method for assessing of the static noise margin (SNM) of a memory cell or cells, using discrete point measurement structures provided either on-chip or within the scribe lines. A set of memory structures may comprise first and second test structures, individually comprising a memory cell, having one or more left and right half-bit test structures having hard-wired connections between select nodes of each memory cell half-bit and one or more voltage supplies. The half-bits of the first test structure are configured for measuring respective left and right standby SNM values, and the half-bits of the second test structure are configured for measuring respective left and right cell ratio values at respective output nodes of the structures, using applied supply voltages for on-chip assessment of the static noise margin of the memory cells.

Memory tests are devised to uncover faults with storage cells and the access to these storage cells arising in part from improper design, lack of design margins or processing deficiencies. Generally, these tests are designed to be extensive and exhaustive to ensure that no bit defects, either hard defects or intermittent failures find their way into the field.
Semiconductor memories can, for example, be characterized as volatile random access memories (RAMs) or nonvolatile read only memories (ROMs), where RAMs can either be static (SRAM) or dynamic (DRAM) differing mainly in the manner by which they store a state of a bit. In SRAM, for example, each memory cell includes transistor-based circuitry that implements a bistable latch, which relies on transistor gain and positive (e.g., reinforcing) feedback so that it can only assume one of two possible states, namely on (state 1) or off (state 2). The latch can only be programmed or induced to change from one state to the other through the application of a voltage or other external stimuli. This arrangement is desirable for a memory cell since a state written to the cell will be retained until the cell is reprogrammed.
SRAM is typically arranged as a matrix of thousands of individual memory cells fabricated in an integrated circuit chip, and address decoding in the chip allows access to each cell for read/write functions. SRAM memory cells use active feedback from cross-coupled inverters in the form of a latch to store or "latch" a bit of information. These SRAM memory cells are often arranged in rows and columns so that blocks of data such as words or bytes can be written or read simultaneously. Standard SRAM memory cells have many variations.
SRAM memory arrays come in all sizes from arrays having tens of cells, to arrays having billions of cells. SRAMs may also be provided as memory devices dedicated purely to memory storage operations, or as a memory array that is embedded within an integrated circuit (IC) that carries out one of a variety of other control and/or processing functions. Such embedded memory array applications may include, for example, an automotive engine controller or a communications IC, wherein the embedded SRAM memory array may store set-up parameters, coordinates, initial conditions, or other variables used by the IC. Accordingly, embedded SRAM memory array applications usually require smaller arrays than those dedicated purely to memory storage.
The basic CMOS SRAM cell generally includes two n-type or n-channel (nMOS) pull-down or drive transistors and two p-type (pMOS) pull-up or load transistors in a cross-coupled inverter configuration, which act as a bistable latch circuit, with two additional nMOS select or pass-gate transistors added to make up a six-transistor cell (a 6T cell). Additionally, application specific SRAM cells can include an even greater number of transistors. A plurality of transistors are utilized in SRAM requiring matched electrical characteristics to provide predictable cell switching characteristics, reliable circuit performance, and minimize array power dissipation. Accordingly, rapid and effective testing of SRAM cells and SRAM arrays becomes increasingly critical as current scaling trends continue in modern integrated circuits and embedded memory devices.
Static Noise Margin (SNM) is a key SRAM parameter that is a direct measure of how well an SRAM memory cell can maintain its state when it is perturbed by noise or with intrinsic imbalance between the cross coupled inverters and leakage defects within the transistors forming the SRAM bit. An SRAM bit can easily be upset when it is accessed if it is designed with insufficient SNM throughout its operating voltage range. An upset usually occurs when a cell is accessed. Accessed in this context, means that the word line for the bit is raised high for either reading from that bit or for writing to another bit on the same row of the memory array but on a different column of that memory array.
FIGS. 1A and 1B initially illustrate a conventional 6T SRAM cell 1, wherein some of these issues may be described.
FIG. 1A, for example, illustrates a schematic diagram for the conventional differential 6T static random access memory (SRAM) cell 1. SRAM cell 1 comprises a data storage cell, latch, or core cell 2, generally including a pair of cross-coupled inverters, for example, inverter 12 and inverter 14, the latch 2 operable to store a data bit state. As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the bit is stored in the latch 2 at the first and second latch nodes or data nodes N3 and N4, respectively, having a high or "0" state and a low or "1" state, respectively. Cell 1 also comprises a pair of wordline pass transistors 16, 18 to read and write the data bit between the cross-coupled inverters 12, 14 and bitlines BL 30, BL-bar 31, when enabled by wordline 32. FIG. 1B illustrates a simplified version of the cross coupled inverters 12 and 14 connected at data nodes N3 and N4.
Respective inverters 12, 14 comprise a p-type MOS (PMOS) pull-up or load transistors MP1 (20), MP2 (22) and an n-type (nMOS) pull-down or driver transistors MN1 (24), MN2 (26). Pass transistors MN3 (16), MN4 (18) are n-channel as well, which generally supply higher conductance than p-channel transistors. Pass transistors 16, 18 are enabled by wordline WL 32 and accessed by bitlines BL30, BLB 31 to set or reset the SRAM latch 1. FIG. 1A further illustrates that inverters 12, 14 of the SRAM memory cell 1 are connected together to a Vdd drain voltage line Vdd 40 and a Vss source voltage line Vss 50.
The differential 6T SRAM cell 1 comprises six transistors and is termed a 6T full CMOS SRAM cell. In general, SRAM cells are more stable and have better data retention where the respective pMOS (MP1 (20), MP2 (22)) and nMOS (24, 26) transistors are load balanced and matched for the two inverters (12, 14).
Functionally, the outputs of the two inverters provide opposite states of the latch, except during transitions from one state to another. The pass-gate transistors provide access to the cross-coupled inverters during a read operation (READ) or write operation (WRITE). The gate inputs of the pass transistors are typically connected in common to a word line (wordline or WL). The drain of one pass transistor is connected to a bit line (bitline or BL), while the drain of the other pass transistor is connected to the logical complement of the bit line (bitline-bar or BLB).
A WRITE to a 6T cell is enabled by asserting a desired value on the BL and then asserting the WL. Thus, the prior state of the cross-coupled inverters is overwritten with a current value. A READ is enabled by initially precharging both bitlines to a logical high state and then asserting the WL. In this case, the output of one of the inverters in the SRAM cell will pull one bitline lower than its precharged value. A sense amplifier detects the differential voltage on the bitlines to produce a logical "one" or "zero," depending on the internally stored state of the SRAM cell.
However, as dimensions are continually reduced to scale down such devices, the time consumed in testing of memory cells can become a significant issue in the effective assessment of the cell, or the transistors of a cell, particularly in SRAM memory devices requiring matched transistor characteristics.
FIGS. 1A and 1B further illustrate some problematic aspects associated with the reading of an SRAM cell 1, for example, when node N3 has been stored with a "0" state. When the cell is read or accessed, the word line (WL 32) is turned on and the bit line (BL 30/BLB 31) is discharged from an initial pre-charged level at Vdd towards ground through the pass gate MN3 (16). The voltage at N3 rises as the discharge occurs as transistor MN3 (16) and MN1 (24) can be thought of a forming a potential divider. A well designed and well behaved cell would keep N3 as low as possible so that the action of the access on the state of the bit would not perturb any voltage on the bit prior to access in order to avoid upset of the bit state.
However, this desire for maximum stability needs to be balanced with the ability to write to the bit. The more stable a bit is, the more difficult it is to write to it. Conversely, the bit that is easily written to is inherently unstable. The objective of SRAM design is to optimize both read and write operations as much as possible as well as keeping to a small cell area, high read currents, and low standby current. When N3 exceeds the voltage threshold of driver transistor MN2 (26) of the back to back inverter 14, the bit "flips" and the data state is corrupted. In other words, the state of the bit in this example has changed from a zero to a one when the bit was accessed. This would result in a memory failure.
Often SRAM memory arrays are put into a lower power mode than standby. This is sometimes referred to as the data retention mode in which the array voltage supply is lowered to a voltage well below the minimum operating voltage specified for the memory. In this way, leakage currents from the memory cells can be further reduced for prolonged battery operation. If a bit is well balanced (left inverter characteristics is nearly the same as the right inverter), the minimum holding or retention voltage can be extremely low, on the order of about 0.2V. However, transistor imbalances and minor leakages will increase this retention voltage substantially to about 0.6V for 1.2V technologies. Hence, it is possible to have data corruption without accessing the memory but by simply going into the retention mode. The SNM of the bit 1 with its word line WL 32 shut off or disabled may be referred to as "standby SNM", herein, and is another important parameter in SRAM design.
It follows, then, that knowing the distribution of SNM of SRAM bits in a memory product provides an accurate forecast of the number of single bit memory failures the product will experience that is related to cell disturb. Much effort is spent in the SRAM memory industry to gain accurate measures of SNM. A prior art industry standard method of obtaining SNM is to measure and plot what is commonly referred to as "Butterfly Curves", as will be discussed and illustrated further in association with FIG. 1G, infra. Butterfly curves are typically obtained by carefully measuring the voltage transfer characteristics (VTC) on each side (left and right side or left and right inverter) of the SRAM bit configured as shown in FIG. 1A. The "butterfly" is formed by mirroring one side of the VTC with respect to a line passing through the origin at 45 degrees from the horizontal axis. The SNM is given by the length of the diagonal of the largest square that can be contained between the curves. If the two inverters (e.g., 12 and 14) are perfectly symmetrical, the squares on the upper and lower part of the curves will be identical. If asymmetry exists, then one will be larger than the other and the SNM is from the lesser of the two diagonals.
Thus, getting to an SNM value requires a relative large number of measurements and a relatively sophisticated algorithm to extract SNM numbers from VTCs. While it is relatively straightforward to measure VTCs at higher voltages, a long measuring time is required at low supply voltages to obtain accurate VTCs. This is because the external measurement probes have large input capacitances that require a considerable amount of time (e.g., milliseconds) to charge. Hence, lower supply measurements require much time per measurement and are usually prohibitive in a production test environment.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to obtain an on-chip parametric memory testing technique that provides an approximation to SNM without obtaining VTCs and the associated time consuming acquisition and post processing in order to provide massive data gathering for statistical analysis, particularly in an SRAM memory device.

SRAM static noise margin test structure suitable for on chip parametric measurements


The invention discloses a polynucleotide and polypeptide of arrestin 2. Also disclosed are methods for producing such polypeptide. This invention also discloses a method of identifying compounds that bind to arrestin 2 or odorant receptors. A method of identifying compounds that inhibit the binding of mosquito arrestin 2 to a mosquito odorant receptor is also disclosed.

The ability of an insect to respond to chemical stimuli is necessary for the insect to reproduce, mate, and feed. For example, insects respond to certain chemical stimuli by moving up a chemical gradient to identify and target a host. Mosquitoes, in particular, are believed to use olfaction to identify and target sources of bloodmeal for reproductive purposes. This behavior contributes to the spread of diseases in humans, such as malaria, encephalitis, and dengue fever; as well as, animal and livestock disease.
Olfaction plays a critical role in insect behaviors among agricultural pests and disease vectors. Hildebrand, et al., 1997, Annu. Rev. Neurosci, 20:595–631. In Drosophila melanogaster (the common fruit fly), the olfactory system functions through a rapid cycling between an on and off state of certain regulatory molecules. The olfactory signal transduction cascade is "turned on" by ligand-based activation of an odorant receptor and transduction of the signal by G-protein coupled second go messenger pathways Boekhoff et al., 1994, J. Neurosci, 14:3304–9. The "on signal" is rapidly and substantially terminated in the Drosophila system through the modification of the odorant receptor such that the G-protein coupled second messenger pathway is deactivated. Dohlman et al., 1991, Annual Review of Biochemistry, 60:653–88. Olfactory transduction is provided by second messenger pathways of G protein-coupled receptors. Reed, R., 1992, Neuron 8:205–209; Bloekhoff, et al, 1994, Neurosci 14:3304–3309.
The structural and functional characteristics of the mosquito olfactory system has not been characterized to date. Given the importance of the controlling this pest and disease vector, what is needed is the identification and characterization of the genes and polypeptides that function for mosquito olfaction and methods of use thereof for mosquito management.