A process for selectively recovering a phenolic compound from feedstock comprising bio-crude and/or bio-oil is described. The recovery efficiency of the selected phenolic compound is greater than 70 wt % and the purity of the recovered selected phenolic compound is higher than 80 wt %. The process comprises distilling the feedstock to isolate the selected phenolic compound in a first distillate fraction comprising the selected phenolic compound, concentrating the selected phenolic compound from the first distillate fraction in a concentrated mixture, and purifying the concentrated mixture to recover the selected phenolic compound.

A number of industries including pharmaceuticals, natural essential oils, the polymer industry, and the flavor and fragrance industry have a commercial interest in recovering phenolic fractions from feedstock comprising bio-oil and/or bio-crude. Recovering phenolic fractions is more commercially attractive if high purity phenolic fractions can be recovered efficiently with relatively low environmental impact.
Phenolic fractions have been recovered from bio-oils and biocrude using separation techniques such as liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), distillation, and adsorption (e.g., column chromatography) with varying degree of success. Solvent fractionation procedures have also been explored. For example, systematic column chromatographic fractionation of bio-oil with different solvents has been used. With regard to LLE, different protocols/schemes have been used. Most of the LLE methods include a combination of a water-addition step and a base/acid extraction with further solvent separation. The alkaline and organic solvents approach that has extensively been used to recover phenols from petroleum oils has also been demonstrated as a promising method to recover phenolics and neutrals from bio-oils. Furthermore, extraction with switchable hydrophilicity solvents such as tertiary amines (N,N-dimethylcycohexylamine) and supercritical CO2 (Sc—CO2) has been demonstrated as a method for phenolic extraction.
Distillation has also been used for separation of phenolics from bio-oil/bio-crude. Different forms of distillation (steam, molecular, and reactive/extractive distillation) have been explored to overcome the technical challenges associated with conventional distillation of bio-oil. For example, molecular distillation is a typical choice for separation and purification of thermally sensitive materials. Furthermore, adsorption techniques have been used for recovering simple phenols from more dilute streams and for the removal of oxygenated aromatic compounds and other phenolic derivatives from lignin depolymerization streams such as spent liquors.
A disadvantage of many of the reported methods is that the phenolics are isolated from bio-oil/biocrude as one fraction that contains many different kinds of phenolics rather than a more tailored or selective group of phenolics. This drawback is particularly present when solvent extraction and distillation techniques are used. As such, the recovered product contains various kinds of phenols including simple phenols (e.g., phenol, cresol, xylenol, and higher alkylphenols) as well as phenolics with different functionalities like hydroxyl (e.g. catechols), methoxyl (e.g., guaiacols, sygringols, eugenols), carbonyl (e.g., acetovanillone, coniferyl aldehyde, guaiacylacetone, and vanillin), carboxyl (e.g., homovanillic acid), and anisoles. This result is partly because much of the commercial interest has been on recovering phenolic fractions for phenol-formaldehyde resin applications and partly because separation of individual classes of phenols is difficult. Conventional separation methods are not very selective as evidenced in the composition of the phenolic fractions and the fact that several compounds are distributed in different fractions.
Further, depending on the separation method, significant material losses and low recovery efficiency are realized during separation. For instance, alkaline extraction of bio-oil/biocrude results in formation of amorphous residue or tarry caustic soda precipitates. Moreover, some components in the final aqueous phase raffinate are difficult to recover. Other drawbacks with solvent extraction include low throughput and the use of large volumes of solvent and chemicals that require extensive downstream recovery. With regard to distillation as a separation technique, distillation of biocrude is also associated with excessive formation of solid residue (over 50 wt. %) even at lower temperatures (<200° C.). The reduced volatilities and common boiling points of some of the oxygenated components in the bio-oil present a challenge for recovery of chemicals. Further, distillation can be energy intensive. Likewise, adsorptive separations consume large volumes of solvent; adsorbents require regeneration; and multiple-equilibrium-stages can be difficult to attain in a counter-current operation.
Nevertheless, integrating individual separation methods into a hybrid process for recovery of selected phenolics could enable efficient and economical recovery of such phenolics from bio-oil/biocrudes in such a way that overcomes some of the previous challenges. There is a need for processes that address the known challenges with respective to phenolic selectivity, separation efficiency, residual losses, and enhanced purity of the recovered phenolic product as it relates to recovering phenolics from bio-oil/biocrude.
As described herein, separation strategies that integrate distillation, solvent extraction or/and adsorption for the isolation of methoxyphenols from pyrolysis bio-oil/biocrude are disclosed.

Process for selectively recovering a phenolic compound from feedstock comprising bio-crude and/or bio-oil


A method is provided for transmitting a common channel in a cellular communication system that supports a scalable system bandwidth and uses multiple access technology. The transmission method includes determining a system bandwidth of a cell by comparing a reception bandwidth of User Equipments (UEs) located in the cell with the system bandwidth; mapping a first synchronous channel (SCH) sequence to a central band of a system band, which has a bandwidth which is greater than or equal to a minimum bandwidth required for detecting an SCH; if the system bandwidth is greater than twice the reception bandwidth, additionally mapping second SCH sequences to bands having the minimum bandwidth, each of which is spaced from the central band by a predetermined interval; and transmitting to the UEs located in the cell a signal in the frequency domain to which at least one of the first SCH sequence and the second SCH sequences is mapped.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a cellular wireless communication system, and in particular, to a method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving downlink common channels in a communication system using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) technology.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, OFDM technology has generally been used for broadcast and mobile communication systems. OFDM technology has an advantage of canceling interference between multipath signal components existing in a wireless communication channel and guaranteeing orthogonality between multiple access users, and enables efficient use of frequency resources. Accordingly, the OFDM technology is useful for high-speed data transmission and wideband systems, compared with Direct Sequence Code Division Multiple Access (DS-CDMA) technology such as Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) and CDMA2000.
FIG. 1 illustrates the structure of an OFDM signal in the Frequency-Time domain.
Referring to FIG. 1, one OFDM symbol 100 occupies N subcarriers 102 in the frequency domain. The subcarriers 102 are simultaneously transmitted in parallel along with modulation symbols (or called subcarrier symbols) 104 corresponding to transmission information. OFDM technology, which is multi-carrier transmission technology, independently transmits individual transmission data and control information with several subcarriers in parallel.
In the cellular wireless communication system, for demodulation of received data and control information, synchronization and cell search should first be performed between a transmitter (Node B or cell) and a receiver (User Equipment (UE)). OFDM-based cellular wireless communication system can also use the cell search method similar to that used in the WCDMA system. A cell search procedure in the OFDM-based system can also include three steps, like that in the WCDMA system.
In a first step, the cell search procedure performs symbol timing synchronization for detecting start points 106 and 108 of each OFDM symbol. In a second step, the cell search procedure detects a group index of a scrambling sequence used for transmission of a downlink channel, along with frame timing synchronization for detecting a start point of an OFDM frame composed of a plurality of OFDM symbols. In a third step, the cell search procedure finally detects a cell-specific scrambling code belonging to a scrambling sequence group indicated by the group index. In this way, a UE can acquire frame timing synchronization and scrambling code of its cell, and then demodulate received data and control channels.
One of the most important features in the OFDM-based cellular wireless communication system is support of scalable bandwidth. The scalable bandwidth-based system can have system bandwidths of, for example, 20/15/10/5/2.5/1.25 MHz. Service providers can provide services using a selected one of the bandwidths, and there may exist several types of UEs including a UE capable of supporting a service having a maximum of a 20-MHz reception bandwidth and a UE capable of supporting only the 1.25-MHz reception bandwidth.
The important task in the scalable bandwidth-based system is to allow a UE that first accesses the system to succeed in the cell search without information on the system bandwidth. For the system synchronization and cell search, a Synchronous Channel (SCH) composed of sequences known between the system and the receiver is used.
FIG. 2 illustrates frequency resource mapping for SCHs according to system bandwidth in a system supporting a typical scalable bandwidth.
Referring to FIG. 2, a horizontal axis 200 indicates a frequency domain, and an SCH 204 has a 1.25-MHz bandwidth regardless of system bandwidth and is transmitted at the center of the system band. Therefore, a UE finds a Radio Frequency (RF) carrier 202, which is the center frequency of the system band, regardless of the system bandwidth, and performs cell search on the 1.25-MHz central band having the RF carrier 202 as its center, thereby detecting the SCH 204 and acquiring initial synchronization for the system.
FIG. 3 illustrates an SCH whose transmission bandwidth differs according to system bandwidth. That is, for the system bandwidths 300 which are less than or equal to 2.5 MHz, SCHs 302 are transmitted with a 1.25-MHz bandwidth, and for the system bandwidths 306 which are greater than or equal to 5 MHz, SCHs 304 are transmitted with a 5-MHz bandwidth. The main reason for transmitting the SCHs in this way is to transmit SCHs using a broad band in a system with broad system bandwidth, thereby improving the cell search performance.
Another important task in the system supporting the scalable bandwidth is support of smooth handover. When a UE is located in a cell boundary and its reception power from its current cell is insufficient, the UE needs to handover to a neighboring cell with higher reception power. To this end, it is important to design SCHs of cells such that a UE having a lower reception bandwidth than the system band can smoothly perform cell search for SCHs of neighboring cells even when it is receiving service in a partial band of the system. For similar reasons, there is a need to design the other common channels such as Broadcast Channel (BCH) and Paging Channel (PCH), such that the UE can smoothly access the common channels.

Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving common channel in a cellular wireless communication system supporting scalable bandwidth


Provided are a method and a device for efficiently separating and automatically removing a tire-building rigid core from the inside of the tire. After a core holding mechanism and upper and lower support plates are removed from a rigid core body that is disposed in the tire and composed of two types of segment groups, the tire is transferred onto a predetermined position on a support table, and positioned and fixed. Then, a first core separation/removal mechanism having been on standby below the center of the tire on the support table is raised to support the center of the inner wall surface of one type of the segment groups and horizontally pull the one type of the segment groups to the center side of the tire until it is separated from the inner surface of the tire. The separated segment group is lowered to the standby position below the center of the support table and is left on standby. Next, in the same way as above, the other type of the segment groups is separated from the inner surface of the tire and moved to a standby position by a second core separation/removal mechanism having been on standby at another standby position.

An invention of "a method and a device for manufacturing a pneumatic tire" using a rigid core for determining the form of the inner surface of a pneumatic tire at the time of building the tire has been heretofore proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Moreover, a method for removing a plurality of segments constituting a rigid core for manufacturing a tire, a method for removing and assembling the segments, and a device for implementing these methods are proposed. Here, the rigid core is used for determining the inner surface of the tire until a green tire is built or throughout the building and vulcanization of the green tire (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
In the meanwhile, the rigid core used in the former device for manufacturing a pneumatic tire has a substantially cylindrical and divided structure in which two types of a sector-shaped segment and a substantially trapezoidal mount-shaped segment, these segments being made of a metal material, are alternately disposed in the circumferential direction of the tire. At the time of manufacturing a pneumatic tire, the multiple sector-shaped segments and mount-shaped segments are alternately disposed in the circumferential direction of the tire to form a cylindrical shape, thereby constituting a rigid core. After the tire is vulcanized and thus molded, the multiple sector-shaped segments are pulled in a radial direction, and separated from the mount-shaped segments.
Nevertheless, in order to separate and assemble the rigid core thus divided in plurality, a lot of work and time are needed. Moreover, a sophisticated skill is required for the separation and assemblage of the rigid core serving as an inner mold without causing any damage. Thus, there has been a problem of a significantly poor operating efficiency.
In the latter method and device for removing the segments constituting the core for manufacturing a tire, when the multiple segments having been divided into the different types are removed from the inside of the tire, the different types of the segments are removed one by one. Accordingly, a lot of work and time are needed to remove all the segments from the inside of the tire. Moreover, at the time of the removal, the segment is pulled out while the upper and lower edge portions of the segment are being clamped by a clamp mechanism. As a result, there has been a problem that the method and device have an adverse influence on the quality of a tire thus built and on the accuracy of building a tire.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese patent application Kokai publication No. 2003-523851
[Patent Document 2] Japanese patent application Kokai publication No. 2002-307440

Method and device for separating and removing rigid core for building tire


An object of the present invention is to finely conduct an inspection of high integration devices by making it possible to form guide holes in a support plate of a probe card in a narrower pitch than in the conventional case of forming the guide holes in a support plate of the same area, and to broaden a range of options for an elastic member which works to urge a probe pin. The present invention has a circuit board and a support plate being placed under the circuit board and supporting the probe pin. In the guide hole formed in the support plate, the probe pin composed of an elastic portion and a pin portion is inserted, and a rip of the pin portion protrudes downward from the support plate. The guide hole has a quadrangular horizontal sectional shape.

Inspection of electric properties of an electronic circuit such as IC LSI and the like foamed on a semiconductor wafer, for example, is performed using a probe card attached to a probe device. A so-called pogo-pin type probe card normally has a support plate called a contactor or a guide plate which supports a large number of needle-shaped probe pins, and a circuit board connected electrically to the support plate. Tine support plate is placed so that a lower surface from which tip contact portions of the probe pins are protruded faces a wafer, and the circuit board is stacked and placed on an upper surface of the support plate. Inspection of electric properties of a device on the wafer is performed by bringing the plurality of tip contact portions of the probe pins into contact with electrodes of an electronic circuit on the device, and applying an electrical signal for testing from the respective probe pins to the electrodes via the circuit board.
The probe pins are respectively housed in a large number of guide holes formed in the support plate in a vertically slidable manner, urged by spiral-shaped coil springs attached following pin portions, and the tip contact portions of the pin portions protrude from the lower surface of the support plate. Conventionally, the guide hole has a horizontal section of a circular shape (Patent Document 1).
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-156969


A player selection game feature includes picking hidden selections to accumulate matching symbols and win a prize. Symbol accumulation areas are displayed along with the symbol location field from which player selections are made. These symbol accumulation areas help the player track the game symbols which have been selected. As a prize bump bonus symbols may be included in the player selection game to increase the value of all available prizes in the game.

Various wagering games use a player selection feature as either part of a primary game or part of a bonus or secondary game to increase player participation and interest in the game. Gaming machine providers and casino operators continue to search for new gaming machines which capture a player's interest and provide enhanced entertainment value.

Player selection game with accumulated symbol display


A method for the countergravity casting of a melt involves placing a refractory mold in a vacuum chamber defined within a casting box where the mold may be optionally surrounded by support particulates in the vacuum chamber. The mold includes a mold cavity and a serpentine melt inlet passage formed by nested refractory members below the mold cavity and in melt flow communication therewith. The serpentine melt inlet passage is communicated with a fill tube extending from the casting chamber toward an underlying source of melt. The mold/chamber and the source are relatively moved to engage the fill tube and the source. A differential pressure is applied between the mold cavity and the source to urge the melt upwardly through the fill tube and serpentine melt inlet passage into the mold cavity. The mold/chamber and the source are then relatively moved to disengage the fill tube and the source after the mold cavity is filled with the melt. The mold/chamber as a unit is rotated in a direction that the serpentine melt inlet passage prevents runout of melt from the mold cavity until the mold/chamber are inverted.

The Chandley U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,777 issued Jan. 8, 1991, and copending Chandley application Ser. No. 628,479, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,973, of common assignee herewith describe methods for the differential pressure, countergravity casting of molten metal from a molten metal pool into a self-supporting, gas permeable mold disposed in a casting chamber or box wherein the mold is engaged with (e.g., immersed in) the pool, a differential pressure is established to urge the melt upwardly into the mold, the filled mold is withdrawn from the pool before the metal solidifies therein, and the filled mold is inverted to permit the molten metal to solidify in the inverted mold. A relative vacuum is maintained in the casting chamber to draw the molten metal upwardly into the mold from the pool and as the filled mold is withdrawn from the pool to prevent molten metal runout therefrom. Once the mold is inverted, the vacuum is discontinued.
These methods are advantageous in that shortened casting cycle times are achievable as a result of the reduction in the time that the mold must be immersed in the molten metal pool and the time that the differential pressure must be maintained in the casting chamber.
The Chandley U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,271 issued Dec. 3, 1991 employs a thin-walled, gas permeable mold which is supported by a particulates support media (e.g., dry foundry sand) in a casting chamber or box, the support media being compacted about the mold when the differential pressure is established in the casting chamber for countergravity casting.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for differential pressure, countergravity casting of a melt in shortened cycle times into a mold via a serpentine melt inlet passage communicated to a mold cavity thereabove for allowing withdrawal of the melt-filled mold from the melt source before the melt solidifies therein and inversion of the melt-filled mold without melt runout from the mold cavity.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for differential pressure, countergravity casting of a melt in shortened cycle times into a mold via a serpentine melt inlet passage formed between a pair of identical refractory components, one of which is inverted and mated to the other to form the serpentine inlet passage therebetween.

Countergravity casting apparatus and method


A beamline ion implanter and a method of operating a beamline ion implanter. A method may include performing an ion implantation procedure during a first time period on a first set of substrates, in a process chamber of the ion implanter, and performing a first pressure-control routine during a second time period by: introducing a predetermined gas to reach a predetermined pressure into at least a downstream portion of the beam-line for a second time period. The method may include, after completion of the first pressure-control routine, performing the ion implantation procedure on a second set of substrates during a third time period.

Ion implantation is a process of introducing dopants or impurities into a substrate via bombardment. In semiconductor manufacturing, the dopants are introduced to alter electrical, optical, or mechanical properties.
Ion implantation systems may comprise an ion source and a series of beam-line components. The ion source may comprise a chamber where ions are generated. The ion source may also comprise a power source and an extraction electrode assembly disposed near the chamber. The beam-line components, may include, for example, a mass analyzer, a first acceleration or deceleration stage, a collimator, and a second acceleration or deceleration stage. Much like a series of optical lenses for manipulating a light beam, the beam-line components can filter, focus, and manipulate ions or ion beam having particular species, shape, energy, and/or other qualities. The ion beam passes through the beam-line components and may be directed toward a substrate mounted on a platen or clamp. The substrate may be moved in one or more dimensions (e.g., translate, rotate, and tilt) by an apparatus, sometimes referred to as a roplat.
In many ion implanters a downstream electrostatic module, may function as an electrostatic lens to control ion beam energy, ion beam shape, and ion beam size. The electrostatic module may accelerate or decelerate an ion beam to a final energy, while altering the direction of the ion beam. By altering the direction of the ion beam, energetic neutrals may be screened out, resulting in a final beam having a well-defined energy.
Known electrostatic modules may employ, for example, multiple pairs of electrodes, such as seven upper and lower electrodes arranged in pairs, where the electrodes bound and guide an ion beam traveling therethrough. The electrodes may be arranged as rods spaced equidistant from an ion beam. The rod/electrode potentials are set to create electric fields in the electrostatic module causing the ion beam to decelerate, deflect and focus the ion beam.
Some beam-line implanters are designed for high throughput in that relatively higher beam currents are used to rapidly perform implantation of a targeted dose of ions into a substrate. For productivity purposes, a greater number of substrates may be targeted for implantation between maintenance or other scheduled downtime. For example, thousands or tens of thousands of substrates may be implanted between periods of scheduled maintenance.
One of the main concerns during operation of a beam-line ion implanter, such as a high current implanter, is the ability to maintain operating conditions that generate a high device yield on substrates, such as semiconductor wafers, that are implanted. One ongoing challenge is the appearance of particle or particulate defects on substrates after implantation. Routine or non-routine cleaning of the beam-line may be performed to reduce particle contamination, at the cost of lost productivity due to necessary downtime for cleaning.
With respect to these and other considerations, the present disclosure is provided.

Particle yield via beam-line pressure control


A magnetic disk apparatus capable of generating a reference clock signal without using an external reference by writing a clock track only once using a head of the magnetic disk apparatus even if the head is of a read/write element separation type. Using the head of the magnetic disk apparatus, a clock track is recorded only once and the recorded clock track is played back to measure the total number of clock bits in one revolution. A time interval between servo sectors is determined by dividing the total number of clock bits thus measured by the number of servo sectors. By using as a timing reference the clock bits produced by playing back the clock track, the servo sectors are recorded in such a manner that they are located at the determined interval.

The present invention relates to a magnetic disk apparatus and a servo signal recording method and more specifically to a servo write operation that records a reference clock signal used as a timing reference for writing a servo signal without using a dedicated clock head in a magnetic disk apparatus such as a hard disk drive.
In magnetic disk apparatus, several tens to more than several hundreds of servo signals (servo sectors) are placed on a recording surface of the disk in each cyclic movement (revolution) for position detection of the head.
In a normal servo write process, as described in JP-A-2000-123509, a dedicated head called a clock head is used to record a clock track on the recording surface to define a circumferential position of each servo sector. Reading this clock track produces a clock signal representing a position of the servo sector in a disk rotating direction (refer to reference 1).
Another proposed method, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,546, involves producing a clock signal by using a normal head of a magnetic disk apparatus without using a dedicated head.
The method described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,546 requires a head of the magnetic disk apparatus to read a part of the clock track already recorded on the disk surface and at the same time write a new track to connect them in a circumferential direction. With magnetoresistive heads currently in use on general magnetic disk apparatus, since a writing element and a reading element are separated from each other, a problem arises that a newly recorded track does not connect to the already recorded track.
Further, conventional clock tracks, such as those described in JP-A-2000-123509, are generally managed strictly in such a manner that the number of clock bits in each revolution can be divided by the number of sectors. This makes it necessary to perform the writing operation again if a bit length of a write connecting portion in one revolution fails to fall within a certain range.
However, in cases where a head of a magnetic disk apparatus available in recent years, whose writing or reading element is only several hundred nm wide, is used to record tracks, there is a fear that the writing element may not be able to be positioned correctly on the clock track, failing to perform the rewriting operation described above.

Magnetic disk apparatus and servo signal recording method

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Japan, Ltd.


A renewable gas sensor, renewable gas sensor base and a method for renewing a gas sensor. The renewable gas sensor has a substantially planar heater. A substantially planar separator is superimposed on the heater. The separator is electrically insulating and thermally conducting. An electrode array is superimposed on the separator. The electrode array and the separator define a plurality of juxtaposed sensing sites disposed in electrically conductive relation to the electrode array and in thermally conductive relation to the separator. A chemical sensing film is superimposed on the separator and said electrode array in one of the sensing sites.

A chemiresistor sensing device generally contemplates the use of a power supply transmitting current through a sensor which contains a semiconductor material, such as a metal oxide. The semiconductor material behaves as a chemiresistor. A chemical influence can be caused by an ambient gas interacting with the semiconductor material and can be monitored by a change in the resistance or conductance of the material by the use of electrodes which transmit the change in conductance to a monitor or detector, such as a voltmeter or ohmmeter.
A typical chemiresistor sensor has a resistor layer, such as a heater resistor, an electrical connection to the heater, a support layer, such as an alumina substrate, a conductor layer (often composed of interdigitated electrodes) and a deposited chemical sensing layer, for example tungsten oxide is used in U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,465 to detect sulfide. The thickness and manner in which the metal oxide semiconductor material is applied to the sensor electrodes are of importance to the functioning of the sensor, because the depth and microstructure of the metal oxide layer can affect both the selectivity and sensitivity of the tungsten oxide layer to sensed gas. The term "sensed gas" is used herein to designate one or more gases which will cause a change in resistivity of a chemiresistor gas sensor.
Thin film chemiresistor gas sensors have good response times, but are relatively expensive to produce and are subject to relatively rapid failure when used in an aggressive environment in which the sensor material itself is subject to degradation. Thin film sensors using semiconductor materials comprised of oxides, such as WO.sub.3-x, SnO.sub.-x, KNb.sub.3 O.sub.8-x and ZnO.sub.1-x, where x is from 0 to 0.5, have shown good sensitivity for detecting reducing gases, such as hydrogen, anhydrous ammonia, hydrazine, propane, butane, methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol and hydrogen sulfide. Willis et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,089, discloses an example of a thin film hydrogen sulfide gas sensor. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 677,729, filed Mar. 29, 1991, by Royster et al, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 934,920, filed Aug. 25, 1992, by Royster et al, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 934,937, filed Aug. 25, 1991, by Marrese et al disclose the preparation of a sensor layer and a hydrogen sulfide gas sensor. Zuckerman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,423,407, describes a gas sensor which can use a thin film or a thick porous layer. Gas sensors having a porous sensor layer have the shortcoming of slower resistivity response times, but are resistant to degradation, because they are thicker than comparable thin films.
Chemiresistor sensors have a further shortcoming that many sensor materials are subject to saturation with sensed gas. Partial saturation may permit continued, but possibly degraded, use; however, irreversible saturation of the sensor material necessitates replacement of the entire gas sensor.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a chemiresistor sensor which can use a thin film, is relatively rugged and can be renewed without replacement of the entire gas sensor and a sensor base and a method for renewing a gas sensor.

Renewable gas sensor, renewable gas sensor base and method for renewing a gas sensor


An electronic device includes a device isolation film formed to define an active region in a substrate, a first gate buried to traverse the active region and the device isolation film in a first direction, and a second gate coupled to the first gate buried in the device isolation film, and extended in a second direction.

With the increasing development of semiconductor industries, highly-integrated electronic appliances and high-performance electronic appliances need to be developed, such that electronic devices serving as the core components of the electronic appliances also need to be highly integrated with high-level performances. However, as an integration degree of the electronic devices increases and a unit cell size of a transistor included in the electronic devices is reduced, electrical characteristics of the electronic devices are unavoidably deteriorated. As a result, a transistor including a buried word line has recently been proposed and developed.

Semiconductor device having extended buried gate


A method of launching a unikernel comprises: identifying, by a kernel utilizing a set of system resources of a computing system, a unikernel to be launched in an exclusive mode; determining that the set of system resources of the computing system satisfies hardware requirements specified by configuration metadata of the unikernel; releasing, by the kernel, the set of system resources for use by the unikernel; launching the unikernel; and terminating the kernel.

User space applications typically access the system resources by making calls to the OS kernel, since the system resources are typically managed by the kernel. Additionally, a typical kernel may include certain functionality which is not needed by at least some of the processes which may be running at any given time. Accessing the system resources via system calls may result in latencies and unnecessary processing being done, which may be unacceptable for applications which need to use all the system resources themselves or are sensitive to the delays brought onto them by unrelated activity in the system.


A combined backlighting panel, position determination system, and display for use in pen-driven computer systems. There is a panel of a transparent material divided into a plurality of illumination areas. Each of the illumination areas comprises a lensing structure on the bottom surface of the panel for directing entering light towards the top surface of the panel over the associated illumination area. A plurality of light-emitting diodes are disposed to direct light into the lensing structure of respective ones of the plurality of illumination areas. A substrate carries the grids of a digitizer tablet as well as the light emitting diodes. The panel is disposed on the substrate with the bottom surface adjacent the substrate. A display panel is disposed over the top surface of the panel.

This invention relates to displays for electronic devices and, more particularly, to apparatus for backlighting liquid crystal display screens, and the like. The invention also relates to stand-alone backlighting apparatus, and backlighting apparatus incorporated into display panels, digitizing tablets, and sensible display panels.
Electronic devices quite often include a display screen for providing the user with information about the device and its operating functions. Sometimes, it is only a few digits as in the case of a calculator. Often, the display is a large alpha-numeric and graphics display such as employed with laptop, notebook, and other personal computing devices. When power is no object, the display can be of a kind that is self-illuminating. When power is a consideration, however, the display is very often of the liquid crystal type which consumes very low power. A liquid crystal display (LCD) uses polarization techniques to block or pass light through the pixel positions of the display. Thus, unless there is a backlighting system associated with the LCD, incident light must be reflected back through the LCD in order for the displayed information to be visible. Also, LCDs have a viewing axis or angle at which they provide the best viewing. Early LCDs employed for computer screens in laptop computers were difficult to view except under ideal conditions. If the angle of viewing was even slightly off the viewing axis or the incident light was at a wrong angle, the display was practically unreadable. When the incident light fell below a certain level, the display was unreadable in actuality. The advent of newer LCD materials such as the so-called "twist" screen increased the readability of LCDs; but, it was only a matter of degree. Of course, a reflective LCD is useless in the dark.
The answer to the use of LCDs for computer displays lies in the use of backlighting. In this way, the need for incident light to reflect back through the LCD is eliminated as light from the backlighting panel behind the LCD passes through the LCD, thus making the displayed information visible. A typical backlighting arrangement as employed in laptop and notebook type computers is depicted in FIG. 1. The backlighting panel 10 comprises fluorescent tubes 12 located along opposite edges of a transparent plastic panel 14. The plastic panel 14, as is characteristic of such materials, acts as a light pipe to conduct the light 16 from the fluorescent tubes 12. By putting grooves 18, or the like in the plastic panel 14 at spaced intervals, the grooves 18 are illuminated by the "piped" light 16 thereby causing the panel 14 to glow and emanate light 16' through the LCD 20.
Such fluorescent backlighting panels 10 work substantially for their intended purpose. They do, however, have certain drawbacks. In a cold environment, the tubes 12 hesitate to fluoresce to their full potential and the LCD 20 may appear dark or with dark strobing bands caused by visible standing waves in the tubes 12. The panels 10 are relatively expensive so that if the backlighting panel 10 has to be replaced in whole or in part, it is a costly undertaking requiring that the computer be taken to a repair facility. There are two other factors of a fluorescent backlighting panel as shown in FIG. 2 that contribute to its lack of applicability for more contemporary computers--power consumption and electrostatic emissions.
As depicted in FIG. 2, many devices presently under development replace the prior alpha-numeric keyboard employed for inputting information with a sensible display 22. The sensible display 22 combines the functions of an LCD 20 with a digitizer tablet 24 so that the display 22 functions much like the so-called "light pen" displays of early computers. Thus, to use the display 22, a user employs a pen cursor 26 on the surface 28 of the display 22. The position of the pen cursor 26 can be determined by any of a number of techniques implemented by the digitizer tablet 24 including electro-magnetic sensing, and electrostatic sensing. The sensing according to these techniques typically requires a grid of some sort to be associated with the digitizer tablet 24 of the display 22. If a backlighting panel 10 as described above employing fluorescent tubes 12 is positioned behind the LCD 20 and grids of the digitizer tablet 24, it can cause problems such as those mentioned above related to electrostatic discharges 30 from the fluorescent tubes 12. If the sensing system is an electrostatic type, the spurious electrostatic energy can interfere with the accurate sensing of the cursor 26. Surprisingly, if the sensing is electro-magnetic, the same problem exists. This is particularly true if it is a powered, cordless cursor. In order to save battery power consumption in such a cordless cursor (which is only a small lithium hearing-aid type battery), the signal output level is very low. Thus, there can be interference from the electrostatic discharges 30 from the fluorescent tubes 12. A backlighting approach which did not emit interfering forces of any kind would, therefore, be of definite benefit in product design.
The new pen-driven and personal assistant type of computers are also very power limited. Whereas laptop and notebook computers employ rechargeable and replaceable battery power packs, a design criteria of the personal assistant devices in particular is the ability to run for weeks on end on two or three AAA or AA type alkaline batteries. Because of the power consumption of prior art backlighting schemes, the first personal assistants will most likely employ reflective rather than backlit displays in order to be able to meet this design criteria.
The personal assistant computing devices have other design criteria which also effect the type of display and digitizing (i.e. position sensing) apparatus which is used. Weight is a factor. Even more of a factor is size--both as to length and width, and to thickness. A typical prior art backlit LCD display panel as employed with a prior art laptop or notebook computer can be an inch or more in thickness. This is far to thick for a personal assistant device in which the whole device is intended to be less than an inch in thickness.
Wherefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a backlighting scheme for liquid crystal displays, and the like, which is very low in its power consumption.
It is another object of this invention to provide a backlighting scheme for liquid crystal displays, and the like, which does not emit electrostatic and other interfering energy.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a backlighting scheme for liquid crystal displays associated with computers, and the like, which is easily and inexpensively repaired in the event of failure of the light-emitting source.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a backlighting scheme for liquid crystal displays, and the like, which can be incorporated into the liquid crystal display structure.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a backlighting scheme for liquid crystal displays, and the like, employed with pen-driven computing devices which can be incorporated into a digitizing tablet associated with the liquid crystal display.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a sensible backlit display for use with pen-driven computing devices in which liquid crystal display, a backlighting panel, and a digitizing grid are incorporated into one device.
Other objects and benefits of the invention will be recognized and appreciated by those skilled in the art from the detailed description contained hereinafter when taken in conjunction with the drawing figures which accompany it.

Backlit LCD display panels including sensible panels for pen-driven computers


A cladding protection unit for a column of an adjustable support apparatus includes a frame including a first portion configured to be magnetically coupled to a second portion so as to extend around a perimeter of the column. Each of the first portion and the second portion include a sidewall. The sidewall of the first portion of the frame and the sidewall of the second portion of the frame form a column receiving space when the first portion is magnetically coupled to the second portion. A standoff flange extends outward from the sidewall. One or more magnets are coupled to at least one of the first and second portions of the frame. When the cladding protection unit is positioned around a perimeter of the column, the column is positioned in the column receiving space of the frame and the standoff flange of the frame extends outward from a perimeter of the column.

Adjustable support apparatuses such as those for supporting a patient may include an adjustable column to facilitate adjusting the height or orientation of the adjustable support apparatus. However, placing items beneath the adjustable support apparatus may hinder the adjustability of the adjustable support apparatus and/or cause damage to the cladding of the adjustable column.
Accordingly, a need exists for cladding protection units for adjustable support apparatuses.

Cladding protection units for telescoping columns and adjustable support apparatuses


A sensor assembly can detect at least one target material in an environment. The sensor assembly comprises at least one sensor and an amorphous fluoropolymer material coating disposed on a surface of the at least one sensor.

The invention relates to coating materials for sensors. In particular, the invention relates to coating materials for chemical sensors.
Sensors generally have varying configurations. Typically, a sensor is provided with a chemically sensitive film (often referred to as a xe2x80x9ccoatingxe2x80x9d) that is applied onto a surface of the sensor, for example onto a surface of a sensor piezoelectric crystal. Interactions of the film with a material to be detected (hereinafter xe2x80x9ctarget materialxe2x80x9d), for example an analyte, can induce a change in at least one of mass and visco-elastic properties of the film. This change can be measured as a shift of the resonance frequency of the sensor""s crystal. Further, the change may be related to the analyte concentration. For detection of analytes of differing natures, film and analyte interactions include, but are not limited to, hydrogen bonding, stacking, acid-base, electrostatic and size/shape recognition.
The sensor""s configuration, materials, and other characteristics vary to define operational characteristics, resonance frequencies, and boundaries for the sensor. For example, differing piezoelectric materials in a sensor substrate operate differently, and thus may define the sensor""s operational boundaries and characteristics. If a sensor comprises a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) as a sensor substrate, the sensor typically operates by propagating mechanical oscillations generally perpendicularly between parallel faces of a thin, quartz-crystal piezoelectric element. If a sensor comprises a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device as a sensor substrate, mechanical oscillations are generally propagated in substantially up-and-down undulations at a radio frequency (RF) along the surface of a thin, piezoelectric element.
The chemically sensitive film, which can be applied to the sensor, may permit the sensor to more readily detect a target material, analyte, or other compound (hereinafter collectively referred to as xe2x80x9ctarget materialxe2x80x9d), which is not ordinarily sensed by the sensor. The sensitive film often comprises a polymeric material film (hereinafter xe2x80x9cpolymeric filmxe2x80x9d). The polymer film changes the response of the sensor by altering the sensor""s mechanical oscillation frequencies, and thus permits a target material to be detected by the sensor. The sensor""s changing frequencies result from the polymeric film""s interaction with the target material. Accordingly, various target materials can be detected by a sensor when the nature of reaction between the polymeric film and target material is known.
A target material usually a vapor, is dissolved (absorbed) into the film, by a process known in the art as xe2x80x9cpartitioning.xe2x80x9d The absorbing can change properties of the film. The partition coefficient, K, is a thermodynamic parameter that corresponds to an equilibrium distribution of sorbed molecules between the gas phase and polymeric film. The partition coefficient is ratio of a concentration of target material in the polymeric film, CF, to the concentration of the target material outside of the film, CV. The partition coefficient K is determined according to Equation (1)
K=CF/CVxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(Equation 1)
An altered frequency may result from a changed polymeric film mass. An increased film mass lowers a frequency at which the crystal oscillates, including for which it oscillates when exposed to a target material. Thus, the target material perturbs the oscillation of the sensor when the mass of the polymeric film increases, and thus the target material can be detected. The oscillation frequency and mass change of a polymeric film often necessitate that the film be stable, thin, and mechanically rigid. The thin nature of a polymeric film is needed so that the polymeric film""s visco-elastic properties, and any changes in those visco-elastic properties produced by partitioning of the target material thereto, do not adversely influence the oscillations of the sensor and therefore provide inaccurate detection of a target material. Further, the polymeric film should be mechanically rigid so the sensor provided with the polymeric film can have repeated sensing applications.
SAW sensor devices coated with thin polymeric material film (known in the art as xe2x80x9cchemosensorsxe2x80x9d) have been used as micro-sensors for detecting vapors. The sensitivity to a specific vapor (target material) for such a SAW chemosensor depends on the type, physical and chemical properties, and materials of polymeric film. For example, each of a polymer-vapor partition coefficient, rate of absorption, and desorption processes may influence the operational characteristics of a polymeric film. Exemplary polymeric film materials used as on a SAW chemosensor include, but are not limited to, phenyl-methyl-polysiloxanes, poly(epichlorohydrin), poly(isobutylene), poly(ethylene maleate), and poly(ethylenimine). Some of these materials do not provide stable operations in which controlled, accurate, reliable, and repeated detection operations are possible. Although SAW sensors are typically more sensitive than QCM sensors, the relatively low partition coefficients of polymers used in the past normally preclude the use of SAW and QCM sensors for detection of low concentrations of analytes.
Various film materials may be appropriate for detection of some analytes with selected sensors. One known film for sensors, such as piezoelectric and optical sensors, comprises a vapor-sorbing material. The vapor-sorbing material should enhance detecting capabilities of the sensor, however, a vapor-sorbing material may not possess desired mechanical an/or chemical stability characteristics. Other film materials may be incompatible with sensors, provide inaccurate or unreliable results, and generally be unstable and thus unsuitable for use in some environments.
For example, certain film materials may not provide controlled, accurate, reliable, and repeated detection operations. It is known that some sorbing polymer films may exhibit decreased sensing characteristics, including but not limited to, decreased stability and sensitivity during detection operations, when in contact with certain materials and environments. Further, some sorbing polymer films can decrease sensing operational characteristics upon interactions with neat or aqueous solutions of organic solvents. Furthermore, various sorbing polymer films can decrease sensing operational characteristics upon interactions with alkaline solutions. Moreover, some polymer films are chemically unstable, which means that the polymer film may undergo adverse chemical changes after contact with an analyte or target material. Additionally, some polymer films are mechanically unstable, which means that the polymer film may undergo adverse mechanical characteristic changes after contact with an analyte or target material.
Therefore, a need exists for providing a sensor coating material that can retain desirable sensing characteristics if in contact with certain materials and environments. Further, a need exists for a sensor coating material that can provide stable detection operations in which controlled, accurate, reliable, and repeated detection operations are possible if in contact with certain materials and environments.
Accordingly, the invention sets forth a sensor assembly that can detect at least one target material in an environment. The sensor assembly comprises at least one sensor and an amorphous fluoropolymer material coating disposed on a surface of the at least one sensor.
Another aspect of the invention comprises a method for detecting at least one target material. The method comprises: providing at least one sensor; disposing an amorphous fluoropolymer material coating on the at least one sensor to form at least one coated sensor; disposing the at least one coated sensor in an environment that may contain at least one target material, whereby the amorphous fluoropolymer material coating of the coated sensor undergoes changes in response to interactions with the target materials dependent on concentrations of the target material; and relating the changes in the amorphous fluoropolymer material coating to the target material concentration.
A further aspect of the invention provides a monitoring system for at least one of detection, analysis, and evaluation of a target material in an environment. The monitoring system comprises at least one sensor; an amorphous fluoropolymer material coating disposed on a surface of the at least one sensor; and a device that analyzes and evaluates a change in the amorphous fluoropolymer material coating due to interactions with the target material.
In another aspect of the invention, a monitoring system is provided for at least one of detection, analysis, and evaluation of a target material in an environment. The monitoring system comprises means for sensing a target material in an environment; an amorphous fluoropolymer material coating disposed on a surface of the means for sensing; and means for analyzing and evaluating a change in the amorphous fluoropolymer material coating due to interactions with the target material.
These and other aspects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, where like parts are designated by like reference characters throughout the drawings, disclose embodiments of the invention.

Coating materials for sensors and monitoring systems, methods for detecting using sensors and monitoring systems


The invention applies to a row of semiconductor lasers. To dissipate the heat generated during operation, this row of lasers is wired by a thick metal tape (11) brazed (points 12) to the mesas (9) which surround the laser cavities (2). The other electrical polarity is applied by the support plate (3) through the substrate (1).

This invention is a method of electrically wiring a row of semiconductor lasers and the row of lasers wired by this method.
Semiconductor lasers, like all discrete or integrated semiconductors, are produced in groups on wafers which are then snapped into bars, the snapping operation being designed to expose the two cut faces of the Fabry-Perot cavity in a laser. The bars themselves are then snapped either into individual laser chips or into smaller bars forming, for example, a row of 10 to 30 lasers. Such a row of lasers provides greater optical power but distributing electrical current to them can be a problem.
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-section of a row of lasers according to the prior art. Semiconductor body 1 comprises a substrate and a number of semiconductor layers which need not be detailed here: the aim of the structure is to create laser emitter zones 2 which, when suitably polarized, emit light.
A metal support 3, to which the row of lasers is brazed, can form the first electrical terminal, for example the ground.
The second electrical terminal is on the top face of the row, i.e. that opposite the support so that the electric current flows through the laser emitter zones 2. Two methods of applying the current to this top face are known to the prior art. Either a metal film 4 is deposited, but there is then a risk of a break in the film at 5, on the edges, or there can be areas of shade since the laser zones 2 are separated by grooves 6 to channel the current vertically. Alternatively, small metallized areas 7 are deposited only on those parts of the top face which lie above the laser emitters 2 and 25 .mu.m diameter gold wires 8 are then attached to these metallized areas 7 by thermocompression brazing. Electric current is fed to the lasers individually.
These individual solutions present at least two disadvantages:
they provide virtually no thermal dissipation, even though lasers generate considerable heat,
the length of the gold wires varies depending on the position of the individual lasers to which they are connected and these different lengths cause inequality in the voltages applied.

Method of wiring a row of lasers and a row of lasers wired by this method


A system and method for providing direct-current power is described. In one embodiment a direct current voltage is converted into at least two regulated DC voltages, and a first of the at least two regulated DC voltages is applied across a first and second outputs and a second of the at least two regulated DC voltages is applied across the second output and a third output. And when a first impedance across the first and second outputs is less than a second impedance across the second and third outputs, current is received via the second output while delivering power to the first and second impedances.

There are currently many systems that operate under direct current (DC) power, and many additional systems that operate under alternating current (AC) power that may be converted to operate under DC power due to benefits in cost, voltage regulation tolerances and energy efficiency.
For example, power provided to processing tools for flat-panel processing and semiconductor processing may be distributed by DC systems. In addition, power distribution for data centers (e.g., server farms), commercial buildings and military applications may be best suited to DC power distribution.
Power, however, is typically distributed by utilities at AC voltages that requires high power conversion from AC to DC voltages. Most commonly, service entrance voltages provided by utilities are 480, 400, and 380 voltages for North America, Europe and Asia, respectively. But the DC voltages that are typically utilized are not easily and/or efficiently derived from these AC voltages. To arrive at a usable DC voltage, for example, the source AC voltage is typically converted to the desired DC voltage by stepping the AC voltage down with a transformer prior to rectification or using a two-stage conversion process. Both of these solutions, however, are expensive and lossy. Accordingly, a system and method are needed to address the shortfalls of present technology and to provide other new and innovative features.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Direct current system, method, and apparatus


Systems and methods for sharing a single root I/O virtualization (SR-IOV) device (106) amongst a plurality of roots (104) are described herein. The described systems implement a method which includes identifying a physical function (PF) and a plurality of virtual functions (VFs) associated with the SR-IOV device (106). The method also include generating at least one set of VFs from amongst the plurality of identified VFs, where each set of VFs include one or more VFs, and generating a pseudo PF (PPF) for each of the at least one set of VFs, where each PPF and a set of VFs associated with the PPF forms a projected SR-IOV device (106). The method further includes associating each of the projected SR-IOV device (106) with a root (104) from amongst the plurality of roots (104) to allow sharing of the SR-IOV device (106).

To meet the growing demands of homes and offices, virtualization technology is being extensively used in computing systems. In general, the virtualization technology allows a host processor to run multiple operating systems, also referred to as system images, and applications in independent partitions. In other words, one computing system with virtualization can function as multiple "virtual" systems. Furthermore, each of the virtual systems may be isolated from each other and may function independently.
In the recent past, virtualization has also been extended to cover I/O virtualization. I/O virtualization is a methodology which transforms accesses between standard I/O devices and host processors such that the I/O devices can be shared across multiple system images or hosts in a way which hides the sharing from both the host processor and the shared I/O devices.

Sharing single root IO virtualization peripheral component interconnect express devices


An environmental load assessing device includes an object data storage section composed of an object-oriented database. The object data storage section stores data inputted from an input section. Specifically, parts of a product to be assessed and/or processes in a life cycle of the product are stored as objects, respectively. Attribute data of the parts and/or the processes are stored as attribute data of objects corresponding to those parts and/or processes. Coupling relationships between the parts and/or between the processes are defined by classes and attribute data of objects corresponding to those parts and/or processes and stored.

The present invention relates to an environmental load assessing device and, in particular, to a device for evaluating or assessing environmental loads of a product in each or all of the stages of manufacture, use and disposal thereof.
Environmental load assessing devices have been used for assessing various environmental loads of products in each or all of the stages of manufacture, use and disposal thereof, and further used for developing new products with less environmental loads.
As environmental load assessing devices for assessing environmental loads over the life cycle of products including manufacture, use and disposal, computers installed with the spreadsheet software or the relational database software have been available.
The following environmental load assessing methods have been known:
Specifically, for a product assessment, "House-hold Electric Product Assessment Manual" by Household Electric Product Association and "Environmental Design Assessment Guideline for Data Processing Equipment" by Japan Electronic Industry Development Association disclose methods for pre-assessing environmental loads of the electric/electronic products. In these methods, a check sheet is used for checking whether measures have been taken, based on comparison with a reference product or based on the assessment criteria, relative to assessment items for reducing environmental loads of a product, such as reduction in weight of the product and easiness of assorting process of the product, so as to reduce the environmental loads of the product.
On the other hand, for a life-cycle assessment, Japanese First (unexamined) Patent Publication No. 7-121588, for example, discloses an environmental load assessing method for deriving environmental loads of an industrial product over the life cycle thereof and for designing an industrial product based on the derived environmental loads. Specifically, in this method, an environmental load of an industrial product about one environmental load factor is derived as the sum of an environmental load in a manufacturing process from raw materials to a product, an environmental load in a using process where the product is put on the market and used, and an environmental load in a scrapping process where the product is scrapped and disassembled to produce recycled materials. This method utilizes an environmental input/output table to derive an environmental load of an industrial product over the life cycle thereof.
For assessing a disassemblability of a product which is closely related to the recycleability of the product, the Jan. 1 1994 issue of Nikkei Mechanical, pp. 40-48, for example, discloses a method wherein assessment points on easiness of disassembling of the product are assorted based on manual disassembling basic operations so as to perform the assessment using a bad mark system.
However, the foregoing conventional environmental load assessing devices have a problem that it is difficult to describe, in detail, parts of a product to be assessed and coupling relationships between the parts, and processes in a life cycle of a product to be assessed and coupling relationships between the processes, and store them.
The actual product, particularly an electric or machine product, is composed of a large number of parts, and coupling relationships between these parts are highly complicated. For example, a certain product has a nested parts structure including some units each of which further includes some sub-units.
Similarly, the life cycle of the actual product is composed of a large number of processes, and coupling relationships between these processes are highly complicated. For example, a life cycle of a certain product has a life-cycle flow in the form of a combination of processes of manufacture of the product, manufacture of parts, procuration of materials of each part, distribution and sale of the product, use of the product, scrapping and disassembling of the product and the like.
In the foregoing conventional environmental load assessing devices in the form of the computers installed with the spreadsheet software or the relational database software, the table format is used as a format of a data storage section for storing data about parts of a product and coupling relationships between them, or data about processes in the life cycle of a product and coupling relationships between them. However, it is difficult to describe the foregoing complicated coupling relationships using the table format.
The foregoing conventional environmental load assessing devices have a further problem that it is difficult to change the contents of an environmental load assessing procedure, or add a new environmental load assessing procedure to execute a plurality of environmental load assessments.
As described above, since the table format is used as the format of the data storage section and thus the size and the logical storage location of each item is fixed, the environmental load assessment largely depends on the format of the data storage section. Thus, it is difficult to change the size and the logical storage location of the data storage section or add a new item in the data storage section so as to change the assessment contents.

Environmental load assessing device having an object-oriented database which stores, as objects, parts of at least one product and/or processes in a life cycle of the same


The present invention relates to a veterinary composition comprising an effective amount of at least one cyclic depsipeptide and at least one macrocyclic lactone; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, for the treatment or prophylaxis of parasitic infection in a mammal wherein the parasite shows resistance to treatment or prophylaxis with the macrocyclic lactone alone.

Animals, such as mammals and birds, are often susceptible to parasite infestations. These parasites may be ectoparasites, such as insects, and endoparasites such as filariae and worms. Animals and humans also suffer from endoparasitical infections including, for example, helminthiasis which is most frequently caused by a group of parasitic worms described as nematodes or roundworms. These parasites cause severe economic losses in pigs, sheep, horses, and cattle as well as affecting domestic animals and poultry. Other parasites which occur in the gastrointestinal tract of animals and humans include Ancylostoma, Necator, Ascaris, Strongyloides, Trichinella, Capillaria, Toxocara, Toxascaris, Trichiris, Enterobius and parasites which are found in the blood or other tissues and organs such as filarial worms and the extra intestinal stages of Strogyloides, Toxocara and Trichinella.
One type of endoparasite which seriously harms mammals is Dirofilaria immitis, also known as heartworm. The most common hosts are dogs and cats but other mammals such as ferrets and raccoons may also be infected. Heartworms go throughout several life stages before they become adults infecting the pulmonary artery of the host mammal. The worms require the mosquito as an intermediate stage to complete their life cycles. The period between the initial infection when the dog is bitten by a mosquito and the maturation of the worms into adults living in the heart takes six to seven months in dogs and is known as the "prepatent period". L3 larvae migrate during blood feeding of the mosquito to the tip of the mosquito's mouth parts (labium), leave the mosquito and are deposited on the skin of the dog where they then migrate through the bite wound into the host. Most L3 larvae molt to fourth-stage larvae (L4s) in canine subcutaneous tissues within 1-3 days after infection. Then, they migrate to the muscles of the chest and abdomen, and 45 to 60 days after infection, molt to the fifth stage (L5, immature adult). Between 75 and 120 days after infection, these immature heartworms then enter the bloodstream and are carried through the heart to reside in the pulmonary artery. Around seven months after infection, Dirofilaria immitis adults reach maturity and sexually reproduce in the pulmonary arteries and right ventricle. Adult males are around 15 cm in length, and females are around 25 cm in length and their normal life span as adults is calculated to be about 5 years. After mating, female worms release larvae known as microfilariae (or L1) into the circulation. The microfilariae circulate in the bloodstream for as long as two years, waiting for the next stage in their life cycles in the gut of a bloodsucking mosquito. When ingested by a mosquito, the microfilariae undergo a series of molts to the infective third larval stage, and then migrate to the salivary glands of the mosquito, where they wait to infect another host.
Heartworm infection is a severe and life-threatening disease. Canine heartworm infection is preventable and prophylaxis treatment is a priority in heartworm endemic areas. Treatment of mature heartworm infection with an adulticide (e.g. melarsomine dihydrochloride) is costly and can cause serious adverse side effects, thus prevention by monthly administration of drugs that interrupt larvae development is widely used. The goal of heartworm preventive therapy in dogs has been to stop infection by Dirofilaria immitis by killing the stage that is deposited by the mosquito and first enters the dog, the third-stage larva (L3), as well as the young and maturing fourth-stage larva (L4). Macrocyclic lactones (MLs) can be used monthly for uninfected dogs to suppress reproduction in adult worms and remove microfilariae, thereby reducing transmission and gradually causing the attrition of adult worms (Veterinary Parasitology 2005 Oct. 24 133(2-3) 197-206).
The macrocyclic lactones (e.g. ivermectin, milbemycin oxime, moxidectin, and selamectin) are the most commonly used chemoprophylaxis agents and are administered at monthly or six-month intervals. These drugs have been effective against Dirofilaria immitis third-stage larvae (L3) and L4, which have developed within the previous 30 days, and thus prevent disease caused by adult worms.
However, in recent years an increased number of lack of efficacy (LOE) cases have being reported, in which dogs develop mature heartworm infections despite receiving monthly prophylactic doses of macrocyclic lactones drugs. For example, Atkins et al, (Veterinary Parasitology 206 (2014) 106-113) recently reported that an increasing number of cases of dogs that tested heartworm antigen positive while receiving heartworm preventive medication which speculates that Dirofilaria immitis has developed selectional resistance to heartworm preventives (American Heartworm Society, 2010. Heartworm Preventive Resistance. Is it Possible, vol. 37. Bulletin of the American Heartworm Society, pp. 5). In recently reported studies, isolates of D. immitis with, in particular the JYD-34 Dirofilaria immitis strain, shows less than 100% susceptibility to heartworm preventive products in an induced heartworm infection model have been identified (Blagburn et al., Comparative efficacy of four commercially available heartworm preventive products against the JYD-34 laboratory strain of Dirofilaria immitis. In: Proceedings of the Triennial Heartworm Symposium, vol.14, p. 39 (abstract); and Blagburn et al., Evidence of genetic selection following treatment of a heartworm-infected, microfilaremic dog with increasing dosages of ivermectin [abstract]. Proc. Am. Assoc. Vet. Parasitol. 58, 31).
A number of studies have shown some resistance of D. immitis larvae to macrocyclic lactones e.g. ivemectin, and milbemycin oxime. (J. Vet. Intern. Med. 2011; 25:61-64 and Can. Vet. J. 2011 December; 52(12): 1279-1280). It has recently been reported that a high frequency of a genotype marker has been correlated with potential macrocyclic resistance, for example some D. immitis strains having a single nucleotide polymorphism at sites 11 and 618 (GG-GG) of a gene encoding for P-glycoprotein have shown some resistance to ivermectin (Topics in Companion Animal Medicine Volume 26, Issue 4, Nov. 2011, Pages 186-192; Veterinary Parasitology 176 (2011) 374-381; and Parasites & Vectors 2014, 7:494). Also, recent reports indicate incomplete efficacy with normal prophylaxis regimens for treating MP3 strain of D. immitis with ivermectin, milbemycin oxime, or selamectin (http://www.delawarevalleyacademyvm.org/pdfs/may11/1Canine_Heartworm_2011.pdf; and Veterinary Parasitology 176 (2011) 189-194)". These reports suggest that the efficacy of most macrocyclic lactones may no longer be 100% against all D. immitis strains.
US 2011/0263489, U.S. Pat. No. 8,709,440, US 2014/0163056, US 2012/0295931, AU 2010249226 and AU2010101389 describes anthelmintic compositions in the form of a micellar solution, comprising at least two anthelmintic agents, wherein the anthelmintic agents for use treating by parasites resistant to one or more antiparasitic compounds.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,932 describes mixtures of avermectins, ivermectins and milbemycins in combination with cyclic depsipeptides, optionally in the presence of praziquantel or epsiprantel, for increasing the endoparasiticidal action in endoparasiticidal compositions.
US 2011/0046072 describes a delayed release solid pharmaceutical preparation comprising a least one pharmaceutically active ingredient which can include a depsipeptide and/or macrocyclic lactone and polyvinylpyrrolidone or a derivative thereof.
Notwithstanding the compositions comprising emodepside or macrocyclic lactones alone or in combination with other active agents described in the documents above, there is a need for veterinary compositions and methods with improved efficacy and spectrum of coverage to protect mammals against the constantly evolving resistance of parasites to present day treatments.

Anthelmintic combinations and methods of use thereof

BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM ANIMAL HEALTH USA INC.


A dynamo-electric motor applies motive power to a drive wheel. A battery supplies electric power to the dynamo-electric motor with a driver for controlling the driving of the dynamo-electric motor. A battery control unit performs a control of charging and discharging of the battery. A speed meter displays predetermined information relating to a vehicle. In the electric vehicle including the elements described above, the battery control unit obtains the vehicle speed, the total travel distance, and the trip travel distance based on a vehicle speed pulse of the dynamo-electric motor detected by the driver, and displays information relating to the vehicle speed, the total travel distance, the trip travel distance and information relating to charging and discharging of the battery on a display unit using communication means.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric vehicle having a battery mounted thereon.
2. Description of Background Art
A battery is disclosed in JP-A-2003-123848 which includes a memory for storing the history of usage of the battery or the like. Data stored in the memory is read by an external apparatus.
However, with the battery disclosed in JP-A-2003-123848, a specific apparatus is needed for reading information relating to the battery is required. Thus, a problem arises wherein when the battery is applied to a motorcycle or the like having only a small storage space, an additional space for installing the specific apparatus must be provided.
In the motorcycle or the like, although a function for displaying a total travel distance/trip travel distance is provided, a memory for storing data relating to the travel distance is provided in a display unit of a speed meter. In addition, the fact that the memory for storing the history of the usage or the like of the battery which serves the equivalent function is provided separately and independently is a problem to be solved in view of the efficient usage of the space in the motorcycle or the like which has only a small storage space.


An electrically powered, hand-held screw driver (2) has a housing (4), a depth stop (6) arranged on this housing (4), a drive motor (20), an axially displaceable tool spindle (8) operatively coupled with a tool holder (11), and a torque coupling (16) arranged between the drive motor (20) and tool spindle (8) and which has a motor-side coupling part (22) and a tool-side coupling part (24) connected to the tool spindle (8) so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to it. The two coupling parts (22, 24) can be made to engage with one another and the tool spindle (8) is biased away from the motor-side coupling part (22) by means of a coupling spring (34). The tool-side coupling part (24) has axial movement play (a) relative to the tool spindle (8) and is mechanically coupled with a movement transmitter that is separate from the coupling spring (34).

The invention is directed to an electrically powered, hand-held screw driver with a housing, a depth stop arranged at the housing, a drive motor, an axially displaceable tool spindle operatively coupled with a tool holder, and a torque coupling, in the form of a claw coupling, which is arranged between the drive motor and tool spindle and has a coupling part on the motor side and a coupling part on the tool side connected with the tool spindle and fixed with respect to rotation relative to the spindle. The two coupling parts can engage with one another and the tool spindle is pretensioned or biased away from the motor-side coupling part by means of a coupling spring.
Hand-held screw drivers of the type mentioned above have the advantage that a certain screw-in depth for a fastener to be placed, for example, a self-cutting screw, can be adjusted by means of the depth stop. As soon as the depth stop contacts a surface into which the fastener is screwed, the two parts of the torque coupling are separated and the screwing-in process is halted.
DE 198 45 024 discloses a hand-held screw driver in which the torque coupling is formed by a claw coupling with engagement cams. The tool-side coupling part of the claw coupling is secured to the tool spindle in a positive engagement in axial direction. In this hand-held screw driver, as soon as the depth stop strikes the surface to be fastened during a screwing in process, the coupling part on the tool side, together with the axially displaceable tool spindle, is moved farther in the screwing-in direction relative to the housing by means of spring force. During this relative movement with respect to the housing, the tool-side coupling part is moved away from the motor-side coupling part until the two coupling parts disengage. The screwing-in process is stopped at this point.
This known procedure is disadvantageous because the motion of the tool spindle is carried out by means of the spring element and the separation of the two coupling parts is therefore carried out relatively slowly. In this way, the two coupling parts are moved together over a certain period of time in the manner of two ratchet elements, wherein the engagement cams are rotated relative to one another and accordingly strike one another repeatedly. This results in unpleasant noise and a high degree of wear on the coupling parts.

Electrically powered hand-held screw driver


A circuit for protecting an electronic device including a differential nulling avalanche clamp circuit (200, 300) and method of using the circuit in an electronic system (100) to limit radio frequency overdrive. The electronic system (100) includes a surge clamp (130) coupled to dissipate an electrical surge effect of a first frequency from a noise sensitive node (140) and a ring wave clamp (120) coupled to dissipate an electrical surge effect of a second frequency from the noise sensitive node (140). The ring wave clamp circuit (200, 300) includes a first bipolar junction transistor (210, 310), a second bipolar junction transistor (220, 320) coupled to the first bipolar junction transistor (210, 310), and a resistive circuit (230, 330, 340) coupled to the first and second bipolar junction transistors (210, 220, 310, 320). A method of using the electronic system (100) in a device to limit radio frequency overdrive includes the steps of driving an output node with the radio frequency signal subject to overdrive effects (410), clamping a first order overdrive effect on a first node using a first clamp circuit (420), and clamping a second order overdrive effect on the first node using the differential nulling avalanche clamp circuit (430).

Many types of electronic devices must be protected from-high voltage surges. For example, cable television (CATV) amplifiers must withstand surges induced by nearby lightning strikes. Such devices can use crowbar devices such as gas discharge tubes and semiconductor devices which are intended to limit surge voltages and dissipate surge currents. Typical voltage surge protection methods often do not provide a fast enough voltage clamping action to prevent the damages of the protected device, and often cause non-linear affects which degrade the distortion performance of the device being protected. Moreover, protection devices typically have a relatively fast turn-on time once their threshold voltage is reached, thereby causing a very fast change in voltage (dv/dt). This in turn can induce several cycles of high voltage ringing within the pass band of the diplex filter, and the surge-induced ringing wave can propagate to the output of the device. Typical crowbar devices such as gas discharge tubes can generate potentially damaging ringing voltage cycles when they fire during a surge event. Asymmetric bi-directional characteristics can prevent effective protection against such ring waves.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide for a surge-ringing wave clamp circuit to protect devices from ring wave stresses. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.

Differential nulling avalanche (DNA) clamp circuit and method of use


A cooling apparatus configured such that a cooling body provided with heat-dissipating plates is pressed against a device to which a socket of a burn-in board is attached, and air is provided by a blower such that the air passes between the heat-dissipating plates, and compressed air provided from a compressed air supply system is discharged by a nozzle so that it directly hits a portion of the cooling upper surface of the cooling body. By means of the cooling effects from these two types of air, a device generating a large amount of heat can be cooled with good temperature accuracy.

The present invention relates to a cooling apparatus capable of conducting cooling so as to obtain the target temperature of a semiconductor device that comprises a plane-like surface and generates heat to above the target temperature and has the temperature of the one surface rising when electric current is passed therethrough.
A burn-in apparatus for semiconductor devices (referred to hereinbelow as "devices") is generally known in which a multiplicity of devices are mounted on burn-in boards, the boards are stacked in multiple stages in a temperature controlled chamber, electric current is passed through the devices, and hot air with a temperature adjusted to the fixed temperature, for example 125° C., is caused to flow parallel to the burn-in boards inside the chamber and circulate, while uniformly cooling the multiplicity of devices (see, for example, Patent References 1, 2). With such a burn-in apparatus, in the case of conventional devices, the internal temperature of the devices generating heat when a current is passed therethrough is adjusted to a temperature appropriate for the burn-in test, which is about 150° C., correspondingly to the temperature of the circulating hot air and a burn-in test of the multiplicity of devices can be conducted with good efficiency.
Furthermore, Patent Reference 3 describes, as the conventional technology, that detecting the temperature inside the chamber and maintaining it at a constant level alone does not directly control the temperature of the device itself and, therefore, a diode is formed in a hollow space of a semiconductor chip and the junction temperature of the semiconductor chip is evaluated based on the electric characteristics of the diode (see the same Patent Reference 3).
Furthermore, the Patent Reference 3 also suggests a burn-in test apparatus in which a wiring section for temperature measurements is disposed over the entire integrated circuit section of each semiconductor chip, the average temperature of the chip is detected via a connection pad provided similarly to the connection pad for current supply to the integrated circuit section, the air with adjusted temperature is supplied from air-blow fans disposed correspondingly to each semiconductor chip in a temperature adjusting apparatus, and the air flow amount supplied to each chip is controlled so that the average temperature of the chip becomes the target burn-in temperature.
On the other hand, in recent years, devices generating a large amount of heat, for example, up to about 300 W when an electric current is passed therethrough, have appeared on the market and the burn-in apparatuses and cooling apparatuses for printed substrates on which such devices generating a large amount of heat are mounted have to be adapted to conduct the burn-in test of such devices that generate a large amount of heat. However, with the above-described conventional apparatus of a generic hot air circulation system, because the one surface of the device is cooled directly using one type of air, the cooled surface area and/or the amount of cooling air is insufficient and the large amount of heat generated by the device cannot be removed.
Accordingly, as a cooling apparatus for a printed substrate mounted with devices, including devices that generate a large amount of heat, a cooling apparatus for semiconductor elements has been suggested wherein cooling air is made to flow from one blower serving as a common air cooling means to a cooling chamber above the printed substrate onto which elements generating a small amount of heat and elements generating a large amount of heat, which correspond to the devices, have been mounted, cylindrical and teacup-shaped accordion fins are brought into contact with one portion of each surface of the elements generating a small amount of heat and elements generating a large amount of heat and via these fins the elements are collectively cooled, and with respect to the elements generating a large amount of heat, high pressure air is sent into the teacups through a nozzle of a high pressure air passage by a small high-pressure fan (see Patent Reference 4).
With the teacup-shaped fins of this cooling apparatus, because the air on the inside and on the outside of the fin is separated by the fin, the air on each side does not mix directly and so the air on each side can be made to perform its cooling function independently, but because one integrated fin is touching a portion of an element surface and is spread out so as to occupy a large volume: the flow of air in the cooling chamber is considerably disrupted; since there is only one fin, even though it is accordion-shaped, the area that is cooled is small; the area of the base portion of the fin connected to the contact section that touches the surface of the element is small and this is only touching one portion of the element surface; and although the air flow is at higher pressure than it would be with a blower, because it is being pushed by a high pressure fan, the speed is not great. For reasons such as these, in the end the cooling effect for the element generating a large amount of heat is not sufficient.
Also, similarly, as a cooling apparatus for a printed substrate mounted with devices, including devices that generate a large amount of heat, a heat sink direct air injection system has been suggested wherein cooling air is commonly supplied, similarly to the above, to a cooling chamber above a printed substrate mounted with heat sinks, including heat sinks generating a large amount of heat that correspond to devices that generate a large amount of heat, and pressurized air from a blower is supplied through a small air duct so that via an orifice of a size that corresponds to the amount of heat generated by the device the air falls directly from the one surface of the device toward a central space provided in the device (see Patent Reference 5).
With this system, because air inside and outside of the heat sink has been separated by the central space, the air on each side does not mix directly and so mutually independent cooling effects can be produced, but such a system can only be used for special devices that have a hole such as a central space, and although air flow is at higher pressure than it would be with a blower, because it is being pushed by an air blower that has a discharge pressure limited to 100 KPa or so, the speed is not great. For reasons such as these, in the end the cooling effect for the elements generating a large amount of heat is not sufficient.
Also, an air injection type temperature control apparatus is known, wherein air that has been compressed by a compressor and cooled is sprayed by air injection nozzles arranged on both sides of a device, and both sides of each individual object are cooled directly (see Patent Reference 6). However, this apparatus entails the following problems: because it is configured to cool both sides of the device, it cannot be adapted to a usual burn-in apparatus in which one surface side of the device serves as a mounting surface for a connector providing for electric connection to the device; because the entire amount of the heat generated by the device is removed only by the amount of air hitting the surfaces, it is difficult to control the temperature of the device accurately enough by just controlling this amount of air; because the sprayed air falls on the surfaces of the device directly, these surfaces are affected thereby, e.g., become stained or discolored.
[Patent Reference 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H8-211122 (FIG. 1 and relevant explanation in the specification).
[Patent Reference 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H11-231943 (FIG. 1 and Par. No. 25 in the specification).
[Patent Reference 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-97990 (FIG. 4 and Par. Nos. 3, 4 in the specification; FIGS. 1 and 2 and relevant explanation in the specification).
[Patent Reference 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H1-28896 (especially the second figure and relevant explanation)
[Patent Reference 5] U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,965 (especially the second and third figures and relevant explanation)
[Patent Reference 6] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H4-321113 (FIG. 1 and relevant explanation in the specification).


An electronic device enclosure having an integrated in-mold foil, which prevents fluid ingress around an included display of the electronic device, is disclosed. A portion of the in-mold foil is adapted to the specific contour and profile of the display, thereby allowing a user to use a touch screen interface of the display with no shortcomings. In addition, the in-mold foil protects the display from direct chemical attack, and may provide a liquid-tight seal between a button of the electronic device and the enclosure.

The present invention pertains generally to electronic device enclosures and specifically to an electronic device enclosure having an integrated in-mold foil, which prevents fluid ingress around an included touch screen interface of the electronic device.
A resistive-type touch screen is a sensor consisting of two opposing layers, typically a flexible top layer and a supported bottom layer, each coated with a transparent resistive material called indium tin oxide (ITO). A pattern of very small transparent insulating dots separates the two opposing layers. When a finger or stylus touches the upper surface of the touch screen, electrical contact of the two layers between the span of insulating dots occurs. As the two ITO surfaces mate, the resistance of an electrical load across the screen changes, thereby indicating an output X-Y location of where the screen was touched.
Due to the sensitivity of the touch screen to pressure, there are problems associated with using a rubber gasket which surrounds the touch screen upper surface to prevent fluid ingress into the electronic device reliably. For example, for some use settings, applying the pressure to the gasket that is necessary to keep various chemicals and fluids from seeping in around the touch screen to the interior of the electronic device typically exceeds the sensitivity of the touch screen. As such, the touch screen in the vicinity around the gasket will register continually a touch, thereby making the touch screen unresponsive. Furthermore, using a gasket does not protect the upper surface of the touch screen from the environment. In some use settings, exposing the touch screen to various chemicals can cause damage (e.g., pitting, fading, weakening, hardening) to the flexible top layer.
A similar issue exists for the button(s) on a meter, where a button that deflects will open a hole through the housing, thus allowing a liquid breach. This can be problematic in some use settings, such as a hospital. As hospital meters are cleaned with corrosive fluid cleaners (e.g., bleach) daily, preventing fluid ingress and protecting the internal electronics and the touch screen from exposure to such cleaners is imperative for robustness.

Enclosure to prevent fluid ingress of a device having a touch screen interface