A power supply device according to the present invention includes a detector, a memory, and a determinator. The detector detects internal resistance, temperature, and SOC of a battery. The memory stores record data and a predetermined SOC range as storage data. The record data is used for estimating standardized available power at standard SOC temperature corresponding to the detected internal resistance and temperature. If the detected SOC of the battery falls within the range, the determinator estimates standardized available power at the standard SOC and temperature based on the detected internal resistance and temperature, and the record data. When the internal resistance, temperature, and SOC are detected by the detector, if the detected SOC falls within the range, the determinator estimates standardized available power at standard SOC temperature based on the detected internal resistance and temperature, and the record data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention mainly relates a power supply device that can supply electric power to an electric motor for vehicle traveling, a power supply device that can be charged with electric power generated by natural power sources such as solar batteries or with midnight electric power, and a power supply device suitable as blackout backup power supplies that are suitably prepared for a blackout. The present invention more particularly relates to a power supply device that can estimate standardized available output power, which varies with the time, under the conditions that temperature and SOC are constant, and a vehicle that includes this power supply device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Battery standardized available output power varies with the time. Available battery electric power will decreases with battery deterioration. On the other hand, the available electric power also varies with SOC and temperature. For this reason, if a device estimates standardized available output power of a battery, the device is required to estimate available output power and to detect SOC and temperature at the estimation, which influence the available output power.
If a battery is controlled in charging and discharging operations in the suitable state, available battery output power can be high with suppression of deterioration. For example, in the case where the battery is controlled so that the available battery output power can be reduced in charging and discharging operations with battery deterioration, the life span of the battery can be longer. It is very important for large capacity power supply devices such as vehicle power supply device and natural power storage device to increase their battery lives. The reason is that a number of large capacity batteries are used for high output power, which in turn increase facility cost, and that high output power is required. If a battery of a power supply device is charged/discharged in a certain condition without consideration of available output power of the battery, deteriorated batteries may be sharply further deteriorated when charged/discharged with high electric power, or even in the case where its available output power is adjusted low, the battery life can be long but the battery cannot supply suitable electric power to loads. Accordingly, problems will arise. In order to increase battery life, and to supply loads with electric power as high as possible, it is important to accurately estimate standardized available battery output power, which varies with the time.
A device has been developed which estimates available output capacity of a battery (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. JP 2001-203,935 A).
The device disclosed in this Literature detects voltage of the battery to obtain difference voltage values between the detected voltage value and upper and lower limit voltage values of the battery, and an internal resistance value of the battery to estimate the amount of increase/decrease of a current required for a voltage of the battery to agree with the upper and lower limit voltage values based on the internal resistance value and the difference voltage values whereby estimating available output power based on the estimated amount of increase/decrease of a current.
Since the aforementioned device disclosed in the Literature estimates available output power, this device can estimate standardized available output power of the battery based on the available output power. However, available battery output power varies with temperature, SOC, and the like. For this reason, it is necessary to estimate the standardized available battery output power under the conditions that temperature and SOC are specified values. For example, the battery status is estimated under the conditions of standard temperature of 25° C. and standard SOC of 50%. However, in practical use, battery temperature varies and rarely agrees with the standard temperature, and SOC also varies and rarely agrees with the standard SOC. If standardized available output power of a battery is estimated not under the conditions of the standard temperature and the standard SOC but of actual temperature and SOC where the battery is actually charged/discharged, although available output power values can be estimated under similar conditions, the available output power values cannot be accurately compared with each other under the accurately same conditions.
The present invention has been developed for solving the disadvantage. It is an important object of the present invention to provide a power supply device that detects temperature and SOC of a battery to be charged/discharged under the conditions that the temperature and SOC rarely agree with standard temperature and standard SOC, and can estimate standardized available output power under the standard conditions of the battery, and a vehicle that include this power supply device.
In addition, it is another important object of the present invention to provide a power supply device that detects internal resistance and temperature of a battery under the conditions that the temperature and SOC of the battery rarely agree with standard temperature and standard SOC, and can estimate standardized available output power of the battery under the conditions of the standard temperature and the standard SOC whereby accurately detecting the standardized available output power of the battery under the same conditions that the temperature and SOC are standard temperature and standard SOC.

Power supply device and vehicle including the same


A shield for a cubicle including an at least partially opaque covering suspended over the cubicle such that the environmental parameters are attenuated, and a frame for supporting the at least partially opaque covering, thereby providing protection for the cubicle user against environmental parameters. Alternatively, a frameless shield may be provided.

(1). Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to office furniture and, more particularly, to a cubicle shield for providing shielding from lighting and ventilation.
(2). Description of the Prior Art
Cubicles have no ceilings and as such do not provide any controls to allow cubicle occupants or users to regulate and/or adjust light and/or ventilation within the cubicle. Some personnel using cubicles would like to reduce the light and/or ventilation reaching them. No prior art is directed to a movable, positionable overhead cubicle shield able to block light and/or ventilation. Thus, a need exists for a moveable, positionable overhead cubicle shield that can attenuate environmental parameters such as light and ventilation.


A display and method for holding printed material, such as advertising, are described for hanging on the back of a vehicle seat with its contents easily visible and accessible to a passenger. A transparent backboard having rear and front surfaces define transparent pockets for holding the advertising. A pair of hook and loop straps and pads secure the display to the back of the seat.

Advertisements designed to elicit interest in products, services and/or to provide information can be found everywhere, albeit with differing impact. Advertising in taxicabs and other commercial vehicles is particularly attractive because their passengers are a captive audience for whom the vehicle and its driver may be the first and/or only contact in a particular area. Since the passenger's ride may be extended, the time exposure to the advertisement is also extended. The mobility and extensive use of the taxicab also makes the advertising reach a broader group of people.
Although such advertising is particularly effective, there is not enough space in most taxicabs and other commercial vehicles to keep or display advertising material, particularly in plain view of its passengers. Furthermore, even when available, the materials containing advertising to be picked up by passengers cannot be sufficiently contained so that the vehicle interior becomes cluttered and messy.
Accordingly, there has been a need for a novel vehicle hanging display for holding advertising material to be given away which is sturdy and easy to use. Such a display is also needed to hold the advertising materials, such as postcards or the like, in a neat and orderly fashion in plain view of the vehicle passengers. Further, a display is needed which makes its contents visible and accessible to the passenger. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.


The present invention provides a nanoporous fiber being substantially free from coarse pores and having homogeneously dispersed nanopores, unlike conventional porous fibers. A porous fiber has pores each having a diameter of 100 nm or less, in which the area ratio of pores each having a diameter of 200 nm or more to the total cross section of the fiber is 1.5% or less, and the pores are unconnected pores, or a porous fiber has pores each having a diameter of 100 nm or less, in which the area ratio of pores each having a diameter of 200 nm or more to the total cross section of the fiber is 1.5% or less, the pores are connected pores, and the fiber has a strength of 1.0 cN/dtex or more.

Fibers of polyamides typified by nylon 6 (hereinafter may be referred to as "N6") and nylon 66 (hereinafter may be referred to as "N66") and fibers of polyesters typified by a polyethylene terephthalate (hereinafter may be referred to as "PET") and a polybutylene terephthalate (hereinafter may be referred to as "PBT") exhibit excellent mechanical properties and/or dimensional stability and are widely used not only for clothing but also for interior decoration, vehicular interior decoration and industrial use.
Fibers of polyolefins typified by a polyethylene (hereinafter may be referred to as "PE") and a polypropylene (hereinafter may be referred to as "PP") are light-weighted and are widely utilized for industrial use.
However, in any kind of fibers, fibers each comprising a single polymer have some limitations in the properties thereof. Attempts have therefore been made to modify such polymers typically by copolymerization or polymer blending or to compound functions typically by multi-component fiber spinning or combined-filament spinning.
Among them, polymer blending has been actively investigated, since this technique does not require new designing of polymers and such a polymer blend can be produced by using a mono-component spinning machine.
Separately, hollow fibers and porous fibers have been investigated in order to reduce the weight of fibers or to impart water-adsorptivity thereto.
Attempts have been made to provide hollow fibers having high hollowness, but such hollow portions may be crushed, for example, as a result of false twisting. To avoid this, multi-islands hollow fibers, wherein a multitude of islands parts constitutes a hollow portion, using a conjugated fiber with a water-soluble polymer have been developed. In such fibers, the hollow portion generally has a diameter of 1 μm or more, the interface between the polymer and the air in the hollow portion significantly reflects visible radiation, and the resulting fiber cannot satisfactorily develop a color.
Porous fibers each having a multitude of pores on the order of sub-micrometers have been investigated. Such porous fibers have generally been produced not by multi-component fiber spinning but by polymer blend spinning.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2-175965, for example, describes a technique of blending a nylon with a PET copolymerized with a hydrophilic group, forming a fiber from the blend, and dissolving off the copolymerized PET from the fiber to thereby obtain a porous nylon fiber. The fiber of the invention has surface depressions and protrusions and/or pores on the order of submicrometers and has pearly luster. However, this fiber shows significantly deteriorated color property. This is because the fiber has a multitude of pores having a size on the order of wavelengths of visible radiation and thereby invites significant scattering of visible radiation even as compared with the multi-islands hollow fiber.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 56-107069 (pages 1–3) describes a fiber having pores with a size smaller than visible radiation. In actual fact, however, the resulting fiber also shows significantly deteriorated color property, since the blend fiber contains coarsely aggregated PET particles, and the aggregated particles are dissolved off to form coarse pores each having a size on the order of submicrometers to one micrometer. In fact, above-mentioned Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 56-107069 describes "most of the polyester component exists as lines with a diameter of 0.01 to 0.1 micron and there remain hollows substantially having the above-mentioned size in the polyamide" in line 7, in the left upper column of page 2, suggesting the presence of aggregated PET particles.
In addition, certain porous fibers using a nylon/PET blend fiber are described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) Nos. 8-158251 and 8-296123. These fibers, however, show a large variation in size of dispersed particles of PET in the nylon, for example, about 0.1 to 1 μm and cannot improve decreased color property caused by coarse pores. In addition, when the distribution of pore size is large as in the conventional techniques, coarse pores play an extremely increased role in the pores and, in contrast, nanopores do not play such a role. Thus, the porous fiber does not sufficiently exhibits advantages of the pores.
Demands have therefore been made to provide porous fibers substantially free from such coarse pores.
Separately, a variety of polymer alloy fibers serving as precursors for porous fibers and ultrafine yarns have been investigated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,074 (page 28), for example, describes that an ultrafine PET fiber having a size of 9.4×10−5 deniers is obtained using a static mixer according to calculations and discloses a polymer alloy fiber having an islands-in-sea structure and comprising a polystyrene (hereinafter may be referred to as "PS") as a sea part and PET as islands parts.
This document, however, mentions that an actually measured mono-filament fineness of the ultrafine PET fiber varies from 1×10−4 deniers to 1×10−2 deniers, showing that the resulting polymer alloy fiber includes dispersed particles of the islands parts PET with a diameter of 100 to 1000 nm and thus contains many coarse islands.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 8-113829 (pages 1–12) discloses a very special polymer alloy fiber comprising a copolyester blended with 30% by weight of a polyether imide (hereinafter may be referred to as "PEI"), which copolyester comprises PET copolymerized with 10% by mole of an ethylene naphthalate component. In this fiber, PEI is dispersed as particles with a size on the order of 2 to 80 nm. The fiber, however, invites unstable spinning to thereby obtain yarns with large unevenness and lacks practical utility, because PEI is dispersed as particles in the fiber.
According to the invention disclosed in above-mentioned Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 8-113829, spinning is carried out at a temperature of 320° C. in accordance with the melting point of PEI, which is excessively high for the copolyester, to thereby cause remarkable thermal decomposition. In an experiment for corroboration, the resulting polymer alloy fiber has a strength less than 1.5 cN/dtex and is not usable in practice. The invention disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 8-113829 also provides a spongy fiber having pores connected with each other by treating the polymer alloy fiber with a base in a 6% NaOH solution at 90° C. for 2 hours. The resulting yarn, however, has a strength less than 0.5 cN/dtex and is not practically usable from this viewpoint of strength, because both PEI and the copolyester have been hydrolyzed in the fiber.


A malleable shaft device for use in surgical procedures, having a tension fiber therein, whereby the malleable shaft transitions from a malleable state to a rigid state when a force is applied to the tension fiber, has a variable-pitch cam operatively connected to the tension fiber, and a lever operatively connected to the variable pitch cam for applying force. The mechanical advantage of the cam changes with displacement to accommodate increasing load, and to increase the rate of travel while loads are light. The force profile may provide for a constant input force to accomplish the full travel of the cam.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to the field of tension-stiffening devices and surgical instrumentation. More specifically, it relates to a variable-pitch cam mechanism for use in a malleable-shaft surgical retractor, particularly those that have a fiber running through their length and stiffen upon the tensioning of that fiber.
2. Description of Related Art
In the field of medical instrumentation, malleable shaft stabilization devices are known in the art. Particularly in Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) procedures, such instruments are used to stabilize the surface of the beating heart muscle at the site where the anastomosis will be formed. The instruments will have a malleable shaft of a certain length, with a stabilizer foot at a distal end. The shaft can be positioned as required, then a lead screw at a proximal end is turned by some manner of handle. The turning of the lead screw applies tension to a fiber, such as a metal wire or braided cable. The tensioning of the cable compresses the malleable shaft, and secures it rigidly into position. These devices are considered an improvement over other stabilizers, because the length of the shaft can be positioned away from the surgical field, as compared to fixed-arm stabilizers that may impede access and vision. With a malleable shaft stabilizer, the surgeon's hands are free to perform another task, and/or the surgical field is clear of obstruction.
These devices are not without drawbacks, however. Among these are the difficulties with the tensioning method. When tensioning the fiber, the forces on the fiber are relatively light as tension is first applied, but comparatively higher at the end of the range, typically approximately 150 lbs. or more. However, the nature of a lead screw is that it has a constant mechanical advantage at all times. The lead screw must then be designed with a great mechanical advantage to accommodate the high forces at the end of the range. Consequently, the pull per turn is reduced. Several turns of the screw are therefore required. It is not uncommon for between 4 and 6 full turns of the screw to be required in order to transition the device from a malleable state to a rigid state. This process is tedious, tiring, and time-consuming.
Moreover, during the time required to transition the malleable shaft into a rigid state, the position of the stabilizer positioned on an end of the malleable shaft may drift on the surface of the heart. To overcome this, it is also not uncommon for the surgeon to position the retractor and hold it in place, and then instruct an assistant to turn the handle the several turns required to tension the shaft.

Variable-pitch cam mechanism for tension devices


Provided are a real estate transaction system and method using real estate trust that are capable of lessening a burden on a residence right holder and investors by securitizing real estate and selling a plurality of divided securities including a security for ownership and a security for investment. A real estate special purpose company buys real estate and divides a right for real estate into a residence right and an investment right that is transacted as an investment security at a real estate security exchange, like normal security, with the residence right and the investment right having different dividend percentages, such that a buyer desiring actual residence resides on the property by paying only a portion of the price of the real estate and a person desiring investment invests in real estate for desired equity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a real estate transaction system and method, and more particularly, to a real estate transaction system and method using real estate securitization that are capable of lessening a burden on a residence right holder and investors by securitizing real estate and selling a plurality of divided securities including a security for ownership and a security for investment.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In general, since real estate is expensive and exhibits high individuality and locality, investors or managers must have a great amount of money or specialized knowledge or experience to invest the money in and manage the real estate. In addition, a transaction scale of the real estate is relatively large with a low market liquidity and a low fluidity.
Upon stagnation of real estate, the number of real estates for sale for overcoming an enterprise's financial difficulty and reconstructing an enterprise's organization and real estates for sale caused by unemployment rapidly increases and the real estates are hardly sold. This obstructs the reconstruction of the enterprise's organization and increases bad loans of banking agencies, and in turn leads to sudden fall in a price of the real estate due to severe transaction reduction. Upon growth of real estate, investors having a small amount of moneys cannot easily take part in transactions of real estate because of features of the real estate of a large transaction scale and a low liquidity, which may cause real estate market to be disturbed by venture capitals.
To overcome such disadvantages of the real estate, goods integrating the real estate market with a financial market, such as real estate fund and real estate investment trusts (REITs) have appeared. However, they do not spread because of existence of alternative investment goods with a high liquidity and high profitability.
The real estate fund is a collection of capitals for real estate investment, and a specialist invests the collected capitals in a variety of carefully selected real estate, such as real estate development, profitable real estate, project financing, and Asset Backed Securities (ABS), and distributes earnings. Revenue resulting from investment of a small amount of money in real estate is returned to investor.
The REITs have the same nature as the real estate fund in that they act as an investment means in an indirect investment market for real estate, but differ in a legal nature and structure from the real estate fund. The REITs are a stock company directed to investment in real estate, and must have internal asset management functionality and hold a certain capital. Also, the REITs are required to hold the real estate corresponding to above 70% of the asset and face difficulties in investing the capital in real estate developments and loaning the capital because they are in the form of a stock company. The REITs are goods resulting from standardization and securitization of investment equity as small units. That is, the real estate equity is divided into small units, securitized, and connected to a plurality of investors via a capital market. In particular, the REITs provide an opportunity for investing in real estate to investors having a small amount of money.
However, the investment fund and the REITs are both focused on investment so that investors having a small amount of money take part in real estate investment. These advantageously induce many investors and capitals to the real estate investment to a real estate market and prevent the real estate market from being disturbed by the venture capitals. However, the investment fund and the REITs do not consider the fact that essential purpose of the real estate is not investment but actual residence and use of lands.
Accordingly, people desiring to hold stable residence spaces neglect existing real estate investment not suitable for actual residence and do not take part in the real estate market. In addition the investors avert their eyes from conventional investment scheme because it has difficulty in making a target investment in a picked real estate.
Developments in communication technology have led to a system that provides real estate transaction information and brokers real estate transactions via a network such as the Internet. However, there is no system for real estate transaction for actual residents. For example, a technique of mitigating risk in real estate transactions through a network is disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 10-2003-0033334, entitled "System and Method for Mediating Transactions in Real Estate Though Network" and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-0017945, entitled "Method For Real Estate Transaction with Escrow and Title Insurance through Computer Network". However, these schemes are directed to existing direct investment, in which it is necessary to acquire an ownership for real estate for real estate investment.
As a result, direct investment directed to ownership acquisition lays a burden on investors in investment money, progressive tax, and transaction-related tax aspects. Existing real estate financial goods directed to only equity do not provide target investment and fail to attract investors. People desiring to use the property take part in a real estate market only in a consumptive way such as lease. Meanwhile, even though developments in communication technology have led to infrastructure enabling easy access to real estate-related information, users utilize only information on a trend of the real estate to check existence of vacancy houses or information on real estate for sale.
Accordingly, there is a need for a new real estate transaction system and method capable of satisfying both investors and an actual resident by utilizing an existing communication infrastructure

Real estate transaction system using real estate securities and method thereof


A dog collar for the remote control and confinement of a dog or other suitable animal to selected geographical boundary. The system uses a series of audible cues or electrical shocks to motivate the dog to move away from an approaching preselected boundary while continually monitoring the current GPS location of the dog and recording those positions. A user interface allows for a user to program a boundary into the dog collar.

The use of global positioning systems (GPS) to determine the terrestrial position of a portable device is well-known in the art. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,059 to Kyrtsos et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,517 to Sennott et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,073 to Kyrtsos each describe a navigational system for vehicles utilizing the electromagnetic signals received from GPS satellites. The aforementioned patents (U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,059; U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,517; U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,073) are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
A global positioning system works by utilizing a network of GPS satellites that continuously transmit signals to the Earth; the data transmitted by these signals includes the precise time at which the signal was transmitted by the satellite. By noting the time at which the signal is received at a GPS receiver, a propagation time delay can be calculated. By multiplying the propagation time delay by the signal's speed of propagation, the GPS receiver can calculate the distance between the satellite and the receiver. This calculated distance is called a "pseudorange," due to error introduced by the lack of synchronization between the receiver clock and GPS time, as well as atmospheric effects. Using signals from at least three satellites, at least three pseudoranges are calculated, and the position of the GPS receiver is determined through a geometrical triangulation calculation.
When GPS signals are not available, the position of a portable device may also be calculated through other means, such as a dead-reckoning system incorporating an accelerometer. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,506 to Kyrtsos and U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,134 to Croyle et al. each describe navigational systems integrating both GPS and dead-reckoning techniques. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0260398 to Stelpstra further describes a device that calculates calibration parameters for its accelerometer while GPS data is available, enabling the device to determine its position exclusively using data derived from the accelerometer when GPS data is unavailable. The aforementioned patents and patent publications (U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,506; U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,134; U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0260398) are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
Certain currently available GPS systems also utilize remote databases to store GPS related information, which is then communicated to a portable device. U.S. Pat. No. 6,222,483 to Twitchell et al., for example, discloses a GPS location system for mobile phones in which the GPS satellite information is stored in a database on a server accessed via an Internet interface. The aforementioned patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,222,483) is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Animal training systems that utilize geo-positioning techniques to control movement of an animal via electrical and audible cues are also known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,034,695 and 7,786,876 to Troxler and U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,433 to Files each disclose a device for controlling an animal's movement using a collar to provide a physical stimulus and/or audible cue. The aforementioned patents (U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,433; U.S. Pat. No. 7,034,695; U.S. Pat. No. 7,786,876) are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
However, while some geo-positioning animal collars exits, none offer the convenience and remote control offered by interfacing with a remote database, especially where a user can upload various geo-positional parameters, verbal cues and vocal commands, and also be able to track in real-time an animal's location. Hence, what is needed is a system to allow for remote programing of an animal collar and the retention of that programming so that re-programing of the animal collar is convenient and consistent in its operation.

Dog collar with geo-positioning tracking and control cue capability


A voltage regulator connected to a memory cell is configured by identifying at least a first and a second operation regions of the cell and associating the first and second operation regions with respective first and second operation conditions of the memory cell. An operative condition of the memory cell involved in a programming operation is detected, and at least a configuration signal of the regulator according to said detected operative condition is generated, this configuration signal taking a first and a second value associated with the first and second operation conditions.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for configuring a voltage regulator. The invention particularly, but not exclusively, relates to a method for configuring a voltage regulator for the drain terminal of memory cells involved in a programming operation and the following description is made with reference to this field of application by way of illustration only.
2. Description of Related Art
As it is well known in this specific technical field, during the programming step of a Flash memory cell, it is important to set the voltage applied to the cell's terminals (Gate, Source, Drain, and Body). For multilevel Flash memories, where the cell is programmed at different threshold voltage values to memorize a number of bits greater than one, the stability of the voltage of these terminals becomes an even more critical issue.
In particular, in these multilevel Flash memories, the need for accurately controlling the threshold voltage value of each cell results in a slowdown of the programming operation with respect to the programming of single level memory devices.
The most used multilevel programming algorithm in fact provides a succession programming pulses and verify operations carried out on a group of cells to be programmed.
Each programming pulse increases the voltage value of the control or gate terminal of the cells involved in the programming operation, while the voltage value of another terminal, in particular the drain terminal, is kept constant.
Between a given programming pulse and the next following pulse, the memory cells are then subjected to a verify operation and, in case they have reached a desired state, i.e., they have a threshold voltage value within a desired distribution, they are disconnected from the group of cells to be programmed.
It is to be underscored that the drain voltage value is an important factor to realize a correct programming. In fact, a too low value of this drain voltage prevents a correct programming of the memory cell, while a too high value of this drain voltage could damage the cell itself.
The drain voltage value is usually obtained by means of a suitable drain voltage regulator connected to the group of memory cells.
In particular, this drain voltage regulator ensures, during each single programming pulse, that a constant voltage value is applied to the drain terminals of the cells to be programmed, in order to be able, in this way, to control the corresponding threshold variation of the cells caused by the programming pulse.
It is known to use drain voltage regulators with configurations of the source follower type that are able to keep as much stability as possible on the voltage supplied by the regulator itself.
This drain voltage is, in reality, a function also of the current absorbed by each memory cell involved in the programming operation. In particular, the current absorbed by the memory cell during a programming pulse depends on the resistive path existing between the source terminal of a pass-transistor used as a control element of the cell (and connected to the columns of the matrix of cells to be programmed) and the effective drain terminal of the cell to be programmed. In other words, the current absorbed by the cell depends on the group of cells involved in the programming operation, as well as on the multilevel value which is to be programmed.
This limit imposes restrictions to the multilevel programming operation preventing the optimization of the times necessary to conclude this operation.
Moreover, it has been observed how, during a programming pulse of a cell, the current absorbed thereby depends, as well, on the speed of the ramp that is used. In particular, the faster the ramp, the greater the current absorbed and, thus, the lower the control on the variation of the drain voltage of the cell itself.
In other words, reducing the time necessary for the programming operation would require the use of faster ramps which however imply a decrease of the control on the variation of the drain voltage and thus increase the risk of an incorrect programming of the cell.
Moreover, the drain voltage regulators realized according to the prior art are not able to face variations of the current absorbed by the cell, which causes a variation of the drain voltage, with consequent uncertainty about the outcome of the programming operation carried out on this cell.
There is accordingly a need for providing a voltage regulator able to provide a constant drain voltage value which is independent from the pattern of data to be programmed, so as to overcome the limits still affecting the regulators realized according to the prior art.

Method for configuring a voltage regulator


According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of operating a mobility management node to provide location and/or status information for a user terminal connected to an Evolved Packet Core network. The method comprises receiving a request for location and/or status information for the user terminal from a subscriber register, determining the location and/or status information for the user terminal, and sending a response to the subscriber register including the determined location and/or status information.

Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, introduced in 3GPP Release 8, is the next major step in mobile radio communications. It will give a superior user experience and support even more demanding applications, such as interactive TV, user-generated videos, advanced games, and professional services. LTE uses OFDM (orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing) radio access technology together with advanced antenna technologies.
FIG. 1 illustrates the LTE system architecture, including an E-UTRAN radio access network and an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network. The E-UTRAN consists of eNodeBs (not shown), which provide the radio interface toward the User Equipment (UE). The eNodeBs are interconnected with each other via the IP-based X2 interface and toward the EPC by the IP-based S1 interfaces. The EPC comprises the Serving Gateway (SGW), the Mobility Management Entity (MME), the Packet Data Network Gateway (PDN GW), and the Policy Charging Rules Function (PCRF). Unlike the 3G architecture, EPC does not reuse the Home Location Register (HLR). Rather, a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) replaces the subscriber register functionality of the HLR in the EPC. In addition, a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) acts as a mobility server or mobility management node for user terminals accessing the EPC via legacy radio access technologies such as a GERAN (2G) or UTRAN (3G).
The SGW sits in the user plane where it forwards and routes packets to and from the eNodeB and the PDN GW. The SGW also serves as the local mobility anchor for inter-eNodeB handover and roaming between two 3GPP systems. For a UE in idle mode, the SGW is responsible for terminating the down-link data path and when down-link data is received, buffering the data and triggering a paging procedure by signalling the MME over the S11 interface.
The MME is the control-plane function for E-UTRAN access. The MME manages states (attach, detach, idle, RAN mobility), authentication, paging, mobility with 3GPP 2G/3G nodes (such as the SGSN), roaming and other bearer management functions. It is responsible for authentication and critical management for mobile devices as well as for tracking and paging procedures for UEs in idle mode. The MME authorizes bearer activation/deactivation including SGW and PDN gateway selection. Like the SGSN, the MME maintains a knowledge of the current location of a subscriber on the cell level, and acts as a mobility server or mobility management node. The MME is connected to the E-UTRAN by the S1-MME interface, and to the HSS by the S6a interface.
The PDN GW acts as the interface between the LTE network and the Packet Data Networks (PDNs), such as the Internet or SIP-based IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) networks (fixed and mobile). The PDN GW is the mobility anchor point for intra-3GPP access system mobility and for mobility between 3GPP access systems and non-3GPP access systems. The PDN GW performs IP policy and charging enforcement on packet flows to and from mobile devices. The PDN GW is responsible for IP address allocation, charging, deep packet inspection, lawful intercept, policy enforcement and other services.
In order to allow LTE subscribers to make use of 2G/3G services (e.g. in geographic locations where LTE is not available), seamless mobility between the different radio access technologies (RAT) should be available. A function known as Idle mode Signalling Reduction (ISR), specified in 3GPP TS 23.401, provides a mechanism to limit signalling during inter-radio access technology (inter-RAT) cell reselection (i.e. a handover between a 2G/3G RAT and a LTE RAT) when a UE is in Idle mode.
UEs that are currently participating in an active session (data or voice) are said to be in active mode. In active mode, the network knows the exact cell in which the UE is located. When the UE is not performing an active data transfer, it is said to be in idle mode. In idle mode, the network does not know the exact cell in which the UE is currently camping. Instead it knows the location of the cell only to the granularity of a group of cells (e.g. a Routing Area or Tracking Area). Therefore, in idle mode the network needs to page the UE in all the cells in this group in order to deliver UE-terminated data.
The ISR mechanism allows the UE to remain simultaneous registered in both an UTRAN/GERAN Routing Area (RA) and an E-UTRAN Tracking Area (TA) list. This allows the UE to make cell reselections between E-UTRAN and UTRAN/GERAN without a need to send any TA Update (TAU) or RA Update (RAU) requests, as long as it remains within the registered RA and TA list. For example, when a UE moves from an SGSN to an MME, the MME sends a Diameter Update Location Request message to the HSS indicating that ISR applies. Consequently, the HSS does not send a Cancel Location Request message to the SGSN. When the user moves back to the SGSN and ISR applies, the SGSN does not send a MAP Update GPRS Location message to the HSS (over the Gr interface). Maintaining 2G/3G bearers for a relatively short period will consume fewer network resources than would be consumed when performing frequent inter-RAT handovers. Such functionality is desirable as it is expected that, at least in the initial rollout phase, LTE access will be limited to relatively small "hot spots" and as such inter-RAT handovers will be frequent.
When ISR is activated this means the UE is registered with both MME and SGSN. Both the SGSN and the MME have a control connection with the Serving GW and are both registered at HSS. The UE stores Mobility Management (MM) parameters from the SGSN (e.g. P-TMSI and RA) and from the MME (e.g. GUTI and TA(s)) and session management (bearer) contexts that are common for E-UTRAN and GERAN/UTRAN accesses. In idle state the UE can reselect between E-UTRAN and GERAN/UTRAN (within the registered RA and TAs) without any need to perform TAU or RAU procedures with the network. In addition, the SGSN and the MME store each other's address when ISR is activated. However, ISR does create more complex paging procedures for UEs for which ISR is active, as there is then a need to page the UE on both the registered RA and all registered TAs. For example, when downlink data arrives that is destined for a UE for which ISR is activated (and the UE is in idle mode), the Serving GW initiates paging processes on both the SGSN and the MME. Similarly, when the HSS receives a request for the current location of a UE for which ISR is activated, it will not know which of the two possible accesses the UE is using, and will therefore need to request that both the SGSN and the MME page the UE. The UE will then only respond from the radio access network on which it is currently camped.
This simultaneous "double registration" of the UE with both the MME and the SGSN has been included within 3GPP Release as a means to support ISR. However, there may be additional situations in which a double registration may occur, even though ISR is not in use. For example, when a UE switches from a UTRAN/GERAN to an E-UTRAN the HSS may not be informed of the change in access, such that the HSS has registrations pointing at both a MME and a SGSN for that UE, even if ISR is not in use.
These double registrations can also create problems in scenarios in which an application server (AS) requests the location and/or status information of a UE. In these scenarios the HSS can not determine which of the two registrations is the most recent. In addition, if a UE which has a double registration changes between an LTE access and a 2G/3G access, and provided the change is between the same MME-SGSN pair, then the HSS will not be notified about this access change. As such, the information that the requesting AS receives from the HSS may not be accurate, and may therefore cause the AS to initiate a location or status information request which may be sent to the wrong mobility management node (i.e. MME/SGSN).
For example, in order to provide Location Services (LCS) in the case of a Mobile Terminated Location Request (MT-LR), a Gateway Mobile Location Centre (GMLC) issues a request towards the HSS via the Lh interface for the identity of the mobility management node at which the UE is currently registered. However, if a UE has a double registration with both an SGSN and an MME, then the HSS will respond with a list including the identities of both the SGSN and the MME. As such, the GMLC will not know to which of the two nodes it should send the request for the UE's location (even though the HSS, as an implementation option, can set one of the mobility management nodes as the "main entity").
In addition, both SMS and CS telephony in 2G/3G require the Charging Data Records (CDRs) to include a network validated Cell ID. This Cell ID may be used for charging purposes but may also be necessary to meet regulatory requirements. However, for similar applications in an LTE system, such as SMS over IP and MMTel, if the UE is registered with both the MME and SGSN and in idle mode, then the Cell ID sent in the last update to the HSS may well not be the current Cell ID. As such, the Cell ID provided by the HSS to application servers supporting such services may well be inaccurate.
By way of further example, in some networks there are third party application services that make use of the Any Time Interrogation (ATI) feature of the Customised Applications for Mobile network Enhanced Logic (CAMEL) standard. This ATI process enables a GSM Service Control Function (gsmSCF) to interrogate a HLR, or an IP Multimedia Service Switching Function (IM-SSF) to interrogate a HSS (on behalf of a gsmSCF), for location and or subscriber information. As such, these applications are typically interested in the location (e.g. Cell ID) and the status (i.e. idle or active) of the UE. However, if an AS such as an IM-SSF requests information relating to a UE that has a double registration, then the HSS may respond with information that is not accurate. For example, the HSS may indicate that a UE is visiting an MME, as this is configured within the HSS as the main entity, when the UE is in fact located at an SGSN.
Furthermore, for voice services in LTE networks there is currently no mechanism that allows the network to know whether a UE is in an access (typically LTE) where MMTel based voice services can be used or whether a voice call should be directed to a circuit-switched (CS) access (typically 2G/GSM). According to current network functionality, for a Mobile Terminated (MT) call, the Terminating Access Domain Selection (T-ADS) function of the Service Consistency and Continuity (SCC) AS would try to set up an MMTel call over the PS access (typically LTE access). Then, if the UE is in a 2G access network, the SIP INVITE will have to be routed all the way to the UE over the 2G packet-switched (PS) access. As the UE will not have support for Voice over IMS in the 2G access network, it will then have to respond rejecting the INVITE. Upon receiving the rejection the SCC AS will then have to contact the MSC in order to set up a CS call. This leads to a long call setup time when a UE is visiting in a 2G access of a multi-access network (i.e. GSM and/or UMTS radio access networks together with an LTE radio access network).

Methods and apparatus for use in a communications network


Disclosed is a sodium-ion secondary battery having excellent charge and discharge efficiencies as well as excellent charge and discharge characteristics, wherein charging and discharging can be repeated without causing problems such as deterioration in battery performance. Specifically disclosed is a sodium ion secondary battery which is provided with a positive electrode, a negative electrode having a negative electrode active material, and a nonaqueous electrolyte solution containing a nonaqueous solvent. The nonaqueous solvent is substantially composed of a saturated cyclic carbonate (excluding the use of ethylene carbonate by itself), or a mixed solvent of a saturated cyclic carbonate and a chain carbonate, and a hard carbon is used as the negative electrode active material. It is preferable that the nonaqueous solvent used for the sodium-ion secondary battery is substantially composed of propylene carbonate, a mixed solvent of ethylene carbonate and diethyl carbonate, or a mixed solvent of ethylene carbonate and propylene carbonate.

Presently, as secondary batteries of high-energy density, lithium-ion secondary batteries are widely employed that are made using a nonaqueous electrolyte solution in which an electrolyte salt is dissolved in a nonaqueous solvent, so as to carry out charge/discharge by causing lithium ions to migrate between the cathode and anode.
In such lithium-ion secondary batteries, a lithium-transition metal oxide having a layered structure such as of lithium nickel oxide (LiNiO2) and lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) is generally used as the cathode. In addition, a carbon material, lithium metal, lithium alloy, and the like capable of storing and releasing lithium are used as the anode.
In addition, as the nonaqueous electrolyte solution, a solution has been used in which an electrolyte salt such as lithium tetrafluoroborate (LiBF4) and lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) in a nonaqueous solvent such as ethylene carbonate and diethyl carbonate.
On the other hand, in recent years, investigation has begun into sodium-ion secondary batteries in which sodium ion is employed in place of lithium ion. The anode of this sodium-ion secondary battery is formed by a metal including sodium. Therefore, sodium is necessary when manufacturing sodium-ion secondary batteries. Since the resource deposits of sodium are abundant, provided that secondary batteries employing sodium ion in place of lithium ion can be manufactured, it will be possible to manufacture secondary batteries at low cost.
It is necessary to store and release sodium in the anode in order to realize a sodium-ion secondary battery. In this regard, research results have been reported that sodium can be stored and released in the anode in the case of using hard carbon as the anode active material (e.g., refer to Non-patent Documents 1 and 2).
Although examples of storing and releasing sodium in the anode have been reported in the case of using hard carbon as the anode active material, the storage and release can only be repeated for a few cycles. Therefore, technology that improves the cycle performance of batteries has been sought for the development of a superior sodium-ion secondary battery.
Examples of storing and releasing sodium in an anode have also been reported in Non-patent Document 2 in a case of using hard carbon as the anode active material, similarly to Non-patent Document 1. The technology described in Non-patent Document 2 is different from the technology described in Non-patent Document 1 in the aspect of using ethylene carbonate as the nonaqueous solvent and using NaClO4 as the electrolyte salt. The technology described in Non-patent Document 2 is superior compared to the technology described in Non-patent Document 1 in the aspect of the cycle characteristics of the battery. However, in a case of using ethylene carbonate independently as the nonaqueous solvent, the ethylene carbonate is a solid at room temperature, and thus makes a secondary battery that cannot be used at room temperature. Therefore, it has been demanded to make improvements in this secondary battery such that it can be used at room temperature.
In addition, a sodium-ion secondary battery that uses a specific carbon material as the anode active material has been disclosed (Patent Document 1). The sodium-ion secondary battery described in Patent Document 1 is rechargeable at room temperature due to using a mixed solvent of ethylene carbonate and diethyl carbonate as the nonaqueous solvent. Furthermore, the sodium-ion secondary battery described in Patent Document 1 is able to undergo reversible charge/discharge, and can achieve suitable charge/discharge characteristics. However, although a common carbon material including the carbon material described in Patent Document 1 has a layered structure, a problem exists in that the conductivity is poor in a direction perpendicular to the laminated direction. In addition, when using a carbon material having a layered structure, the volumetric change while charging/discharging is great, and thus a problem arises in that the electrode is damaged by this volumetric change, and if propylene carbonate or the like and an organic solvent contact, delamination will occur in the layered structure, and thus a problem also arises in that the battery performance declines.
Although sodium-ion secondary batteries are useful as shown above, there have been problems in the aspect of conventional sodium-ion secondary batteries not being able to be used at room temperature, and the aspect of the battery performance decline caused by the carbon material used as the anode active material. As a result, a sodium-ion secondary battery has been sought that can be used at room temperature and suppresses a decline in the battery performance originating from the anode active material.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 2007-35588
[Non-patent Document 1] Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 148(8) A803-A811 (2001)
[Non-patent Document 2] Electrochimica Acta, 47 (2002) 3303-3307

TOKYO UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION


An electrical connector comprises a body and a plurality of terminals. The body may comprise a slot, a one side wall, a plurality of spacers and a plurality of terminal grooves. The side wall is adjacent to the slot, the plurality of spacers are positioned on the side wall and arranged alongside the slot. The plurality of terminal grooves are adjacent to the side wall, the each spacer is positioned between the adjacent two terminal grooves. The plurality of terminals comprise two pairs of differential signal terminals and a ground terminal, the ground terminal is positioned between the two pairs of differential signal terminals. The two pairs of differential signal terminals and the ground terminal are received in the corresponding terminal grooves. The spacer between the each pair of differential signal terminals and the ground terminal can be partially removed.

An electrical connector is used to connect two different electronic devices. Typically, the electrical connector comprises a body, formed of an insulative material, and a plurality of terminals, the plurality of terminals are arranged at a preset interval and fixed on the body. When the electrical connector is designed, there are many factors to be considered, one of the factors is signal integrity. However, as the terminals are arranged at a smaller interval and the electrical connector is applied in high frequency transmission, a problem of crosstalk interference between the terminals appears; and the crosstalk interference will seriously affect the signal integrity.
FIG. 1 illustrates an existing Serial attached SCSI (SAS) connector 1, which is disclosed in a Chinese patent application No. 200580028544.8. Referring to FIG. 1, the SAS connector 1 comprises a housing 11 and a plurality of terminals 12. The housing 11 has a side wall 111, the side wall 111 has a central portion 1111 and the terminals 12 are arranged at the central portion 1111. In order to reduce the crosstalk interference, a portion of the housing from an outer side to an inner side of an upper half part of the central portion 1111 and extending into a part of the terminal groove side wall is removed, thereby reducing the material between the terminals 12. However, the method removing the material from the outer side of the side wall 111 to the inner side will damage the integrity of the outer side of the side wall 111, make the part of the side wall 111 become thinner and the configuration of the side wall 111 become fragile, thereby making the housing 11 easily damaged.
Furthermore, dust or dirt from the outer environment are easily get into the SAS connector 1 from the side wall 111 where the dielectric material is removed, if the dust or dirt falls into a gap between the terminal 12 and a groove wall of the terminal groove, it may make the terminal 12 blocked and may cause it to be difficult to inserting an electronic card. Moreover, the exposed terminal 12 is easily affected by the dust or dirt, which can result in poor electrical contact. The exposed terminal 12 can also easily cause a short circuit of the SAS connector 1 due to contact with a conductor. Moreover, the exposed terminal 12 itself can also be hit which can result in a deformation and damage.


The present invention relates to therapeutically active hydroxamic acid derivatives, to pharmaceutical compositions containing them, and to the therapeutic use of these compounds. In particular, the compounds are inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases that are involved in tissue degradation, and in addition, are inhibitors of the release of tumor necrosis factor from cells.

Compounds which have the property of inhibiting the action of metalloproteinases involved in connective tissue breakdown such as collagenase, stromelysin and gelatinase (known as "matrix metalloproteinases", and herein referred to as MMPs) are thought to be potentially useful for the treatment or prophylaxis of conditions involving such tissue breakdown, for example rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteopenias such as osteoporosis, periodontitis, gingivitis, corneal epidermal or gastric ulceration, and tumour metastasis, invasion and growth.
Tumour necrosis factor (herein referred to as "TNF") is a cytokine which is produced initially as a cell-associated 28kD precursor. It is released as an active. 17kD form . which can mediate a large number of deleterious effects in vivo. When administered to animals or humans it causes inflammation, fever, cardiovascular effects, haemorrhage, coagulation and acute phase responses, similar to those seen during acute infections and shock states. Chronic administration can also cause cachexia and anorexia. Accumulation of excessive TNF can be lethal.
There is considerable evidence from animal model studies that blocking the effects of TNF with specific antibodies can be beneficial in acute infections, shock states, graft versus host reactions and autoimmune disease. TNF is also an autocrine growth factor for some myelomas and lymphomas and can act to inhibit normal haematopoiesis in patients with these tumours.
Compounds which inhibit the production or action of TNF are therefore thought to be potentially useful for the treatment or prophylaxis of many inflammatory, infectious, immunological or malignant diseases. These include, but are not restricted to, septic shock, haemodynamic shock and sepsis syndrome, post ischaemic reperfusion injury, malaria, Crohn's disease, mycobacterial infection, meningitis, psoriasis, congestive heart failure, fibrotic disease, cachexia, graft rejection, cancer, autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, radiation damage, toxicity following administration of immunosuppressive monoclonal antibodies such as OKT3 or CAMPATH-1 and hyperoxic alveolar injury.
Since excessive TNF production has been noted in several diseases or conditions also characterised by MMP-mediated tissue degradation, compounds which inhibit both MMPs and TNF production may have particular advantages in the treatment or prophylaxis of diseases or conditions in which both mechanisms are involved.
Several classes of MMP inhibitors have been proposed, including derivatives of hydroxamic acid. The following patent publications disclose hydroxamic acid-based MMP inhibitors:
US 4599361 (Searle) PA1 EP-A-0236872 (Roche) PA1 EP-A-0274453 (Bellon) PA1 WO 90/05716 (British Bio-technology) PA1 WO 90/05719 (British Bio-technology) PA1 WO 91/02716 (British Bio-technology) PA1 EP-A-0489577 (Celltech) PA1 EP-A-0489579 (Celltech) PA1 EP-A-0497192 (Roche) PA1 WO 92/13831 (British Bio-technology) PA1 WO 92/22523 (Research Corporation Technologies) PA1 WO 93/09090 (Yamanouchi) PA1 WO 93/09097 (Sankyo) PA1 WO 93/20047 (British Bio-technology) PA1 WO 93/24449 (Celltech) PA1 WO 93/24475 (Celltech) PA1 EP-A-0574758 (Roche)
The intrinsic potency of compounds within the broad structural groups of hydroxamic derivatives disclosed in the above publications against particular MMPs can be high. For example, many have a collagenase IC.sub.50 by the in vitro test method of Cawston and Barrett, (Anal. Biochem., 99, 340-345, 1979) of less than 50 nM. Unfortunately, however, the physicochemical and/or pharmacokinetic properties of the specific compounds disclosed in those publications have generally been disappointing. Identifying hydroxamic acid-based MMP inhibitors having a good balance of high intrinsic activity against the target MMPs, and good physicochemical and/or pharmacokinetic properties, such that the compounds are easily formulated for administration, have good bioavailability for acceptable periods following administration, and have high in vivo activity in the target disease or condition, remains a much sought after goal in the art.
The hydroxamic acid derivatives disclosed in the above publications can be regarded as having the following basic structure (IA): ##STR1## wherein the five substituents R.sub.1 -R.sub.5 may vary according to the detailed disclosure of each publication. The balance of intrinsic level of activity, degree of specificity of inhibition of particular categories of MMP, physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties can vary in an unpredictable way as the substituents R.sub.1 -R.sub.5 are varied.
Of the above publications, only EP-A-0236872 refers to the possibility that in a particular class of collagenase inhibitors of basic structure (lA) the substituent R.sub.1, may be OH. That possibility is referred to amongst many other possible R.sub.1. substituents, in the context of compounds in which the substituent R.sub.3 is the characteristic side chain of a naturally occurring amino acid in which any functional substituents may be protected, any amino group may be acylated, and any carboxyl group may be esterified. EP-A-0236872 does not disclose such compounds as having preferred or particularly advantageous collagenase inhibitory properties, and in fact contains no disclosure of any specific compound in which R.sub.1. is hydroxy. It does not address the problem in the art referred to above of providing hydroxamic acid derived MMP inhibitors having the elusive balance of good intrinsic activity profile and good physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties.

Hydroxamic acid derivatives as metalloproteinase inhibitors


A method for designing internal combustion engines can include selecting a compression ratio that produces a compression temperature just below the autoignition temperature of a fuel/air mixture, selecting a fuel equivalence ratio that produces a combustion temperature below the threshold temperature at which NOx formation or autoignition of the mixture occurs, and selecting an expansion ratio greater than the compression ratio.

Internal combustion engines convert fuel chemical energy into heat energy during a combustion process. A significant portion of converted heat energy can be lost to a cooling system surrounding the combustion chamber and the remaining portion can be transformed into the internal energy of products of combustion as measured by the temperature increase. During an expansion process, a portion of the internal energy of working fluid is transformed into mechanical work and the remainder is rejected with exhaust gas at the end of the expansion process. To improve the fuel efficiency, it is necessary to reduce energy loss to the cooling system and to reduce internal energy of exhaust gases.
Currently, when designing and developing an internal combustion engine, emissions and thermodynamic performance characteristics are approached as being closely intertwined, which unnecessarily complicates the process. The complexity of the current approach can obscure the true simplicity of the thermodynamic aspects of the internal combustion engine. It is desirable to develop a simplified approach for analyzing and designing engines that isolates and untangles these disparate and independent characteristics to facilitate the development of internal combustion engines with enhanced efficiency and lower emissions.

Applying the law of conservation of energy to the analysis and design of internal combustion engines


A method and apparatus for attaching a mirror to a housing with a spring clip such that the spring clip applies a substantially constant force to the mirror when a fastener for attaching the spring clip to a mounting structure of the housing has an axis defining an angle with a surface of the mounting structure that is within a predetermined range of angles. An arched contact surface with an aperture for receiving the fastener is provided on the spring clip such that the fastener contacts the contact surface tangentially.

Optical systems used in color laser printers may be characterized as having three sub-systems or assemblies, namely, a laser diode/pre-scan optical assembly, a scanning assembly, and a post scan assembly. Conventionally, four laser diodes generate separate laser beams corresponding, for example, to the colors yellow, cyan, magenta and black. In the pre-scan optical assembly, the individual beams are collimated and directed onto a rotating polygonal mirror in the scanning assembly. The facets of the rotating mirror sweep the individual beams across the surfaces of a plurality of mirrors and through lenses within the post scan assembly. The beams then scan along surfaces of four photoconductive drums within the printer. The mirrors in the post scan assembly are mounted to surfaces on the printhead housing via two spring clips positioned near opposite ends of the mirrors.
It is desirable to provide spring clips for applying a uniform mirror retaining force. It is further desirable to use a single spring clip to retain two or more mirrors in the post scan assembly, wherein the two or more mirrors are mounted at different angles.


A smart card is disclosed which receives, decodes, and stores encoded data signals comprising redeemable coupons. Encoded data coupons are embedded within television segments and are transmit along with the normal television segments. The smart card receives the luminescent signals which comprise the encoded data coupons directly from the display. The smart card decodes the data coupons. The coupon is then stored within the smart card for future use. The smart card is equipped with an LCD which enables UPC codes corresponding to each of the stored coupons to be utilized. A scanner reads the UPC codes at the coupon redemption site. Once redeemed, the coupon is erased from the memory in the smart cad. Advantageously, all of the functions including receiving, decoding, and storing the data signals are performed by the smart card.

The present invention provides for transmission of data information along with any standard television or computer video signal for reception by a "smart card" held near the television screen. This "smart card" can be embodied in a credit card, debit, affinity or identification card. The for the purpose of recording and storing the data information that can be presented at a point of purchase location, value redemption site, or benefit redemption venue, where the cardholder can redeem discounts, values, offers, or benefits by retrieving the data information from the smart card for example by a person and light scan readable display.
Traditionally, discounts and other such benefits, e.g. free samples and the like, have been provided or authorized by way of hard copy printing of coupons in newspapers, mailer brochures and the like. While such printed authorizations, e.g. coupons have been effective and extensively used, they have presented certain problems. Printed coupons require a substantial amount of time to prepare and deliver to the potential user. For example, one may need three months or more to print and deliver such printed coupons. The need for the promotion may change during that time. The present invention over comes such problems and permits almost instantaneous delivery of the benefit authorization and a very early use of the benefit authorization thereby better meeting the objectives of the company providing the benefit by data transmission of the authorization by commercial television. Such benefit authorization by data transmission using commercial television has not been known in the past.
Transmission of data together with television signals are known, including but not limited to, for example: vertical Blanking Interval (VBI) data transmissions--typically Teletext and Closed captioning; FM broadcast radio subcarrier, and Cellular telephone-like data transmission systems. Such prior systems have been complex and not readily available to most television viewers
Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI) has traditionally been a favorite place for placing data signals. Federal regulations allow virtually any information to be transmitted in VBI. While VBI may be used in carrying out the present invention. VBI data is concentrated in a small area of time within the video signal and is susceptible to many kinds of over-the-air transmission impairments. The affect on VBI system performance is a data rate dependent. Therefore as more data (higher rate) is squeezed into this small area the more likely errors are to occur. Impairments that destroy VBI, do not affect the data signal of the preferred embodiments of the present invention.
VBI requires a relatively complex decoder connected by wire or other means to the receiver of the television signal. The preferred embodiment of the present invention relies only on the light emanating from the TV set. The preferred embodiment of the present invention has the advantage that no wired connection to the video system is required and the signal survives transmission impairments.
Closed captioning is an example of a slow data rate VBI signal Teletext is a higher data rate VBI signal. Picture waveform errors caused by distortions and ghosts result in the data being superimposed or added randomly with a delayed copy of itself, thus complicating clock and data recovery. This cross contamination is one cause of inter-symbol interference that can create a difficulty in detecting the difference between ones and zeros. The preferred embodiment of the present invention does not have problems of this nature.
VBI is also easily removed and routinely replaced along the signal transmission path by common processing amplifiers. The data signal of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is not easily lost, removed or affected because the signal of the present invention is dispersed in time with great redundancy.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention is free of interferences that are common to VBI systems, such as ghosts, non-linear distortions, group delay or K factor errors, AM transmitter errors like differential phase and gain, inter-modulation products, incidental phase modulation as well as noise sources such as ignitions, atmospheric interference, and arcing motors in home appliances. Since the transmission of data of the present invention utilizes a low data rate that is dispersed in time, the effects of such transmission problems are significantly minimized. The redundancy resulting from placing the same low level signal on virtually all the active video makes the data very tolerant of impairments. In fact, the television picture would have to become un-watchable before the data signal would be harmed. The signal has been successfully tested in the laboratory making off-air recordings on poorly maintained and miss-tracking home video cassette recorders.

Television signal activated interactive smart card system


The invention relates to a method for continuously deaerating a liquid. The method comprises the step that the liquid is led into a closed container (1) so that a liquid surface (7) is formed within the container (1). The space above the liquid surface (7) is under vacuum. The method further includes the step that a gas is led into the liquid at a level below the liquid surface (7). The invention also relates to an apparatus which comprises a closed container (1). The container (1) has an inlet (5) for the liquid which is to be deaerated, as well as an outlet (6) for the liquid which has been deaerated, both placed in the lower region of the container (1). The container (1) further has a connection (13) to a vacuum pump (14) placed in the upper region of the container (1), as well as an inlet (15) for a gas placed in the lower region of the container (1).

All liquids contain more or less air in free, dispersed or dissolved form. Within the industry which employs process water, there is often a need to remove this air. Above all within the food industry, this is often necessary, since a content of air may result in the deterioration of the quality of the product, or alternatively hamper those processes that are being employed.
For example, in the production of fruit juices or beverages containing fruit juices, it is particularly important, since oxygen oxidizes the product and destroys the important vitamin C. Too large a content of air is also a disadvantage as regards the production of carbonated drinks, since it makes it more difficult to add carbon dioxide. Milk-based products are also deaerated, since a large content of air results in a deterioration in quality and disrupts the process in that scorching of the product, so-called fouling in heat treatment plants increases with an increased air content. An excessively large air content may also cause frothing in certain processes, which is difficult to handle.
There are a number of methods and apparatuses employed in the art for removing air from liquids. A common method entails that the liquid, at a certain temperature, is distributed in a vacuum vessel. The pressure in the vessel is kept at such a level that a certain degree of boiling occurs, so-called flash. The alternative to flash is that the vacuum vessel is filled with a packing material through which the liquid is caused to pass, but without the occurrence of boiling. This method may be speeded up by introducing, under partial vacuum, a gas such as carbon dioxide into the liquid, and by such means drive out and replace the air with the gas. This method is often entitled stripping and is particularly suitable for liquids which are later to be carbonated.
The methods in existence today often function satisfactorily but entail that there is a need to invest in special equipment. In certain cases, such equipment may also be extremely bulky.

Method and an apparatus for continuously deaerating a liquid


In a semi-submersible ship, magnifying panoramic view windows are provided that are watertight, strong, highly durable, and resistant to impact and optical occlusion. A laminated transparent sheet is formed that is surrounded by a ribbed gasket. A steel frame provides uniform compression on the gasket and prevents it from extruding away from the transparent sheet. Bolts are used to attach the transparent sheet to the hull of the ship.

1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to windows that provide high resistance to extreme changes in stress and pressure, and more particularly to windows for submersible and semi-submersible water craft.
2) Description of the Prior Art
An information disclosure statement was filed with the parent application from which this patent arose. The related art to water craft are listed as follows: U.S. Pat. No. 385,656 issued to Belisle on Jul. 3, 1888; U.S. Pat. No. 1,324,880 issued to Cronenberg on Dec. 16, 1919; U.S. Pat. No. 3,240,186 issued to Dobell on Mar. 15, 1966; U.S. Pat. No. 3,254,621 issued to White on Jun. 7, 1966; U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,415 issued to Robbins, Jr. on Jun. 6, 1972; U.S. Pat. No. 3,680,515 issued to Yoneda et al. on Aug. 1, 1972; U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,213 issued to Laukien on Oct. 25, 1983; U.S. Pat. No. 4,423,695 issued to Rougerie on Jan. 3, 1984 (Rougerie I); U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,472 issued to Rougerie on Jan. 22, 1985 (Rougerie II); U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,145 issued to Mayall et al. on Jan. 21, 1986; U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,256 issued to Hayashi on Aug. 8, 1989; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,614 issued to Forman on May 29, 1990.
While some of the prior art disclosed glass and acrylic windows for use on submersibles, none disclosed means by which such windows could be fabricated and attached to a ship for strength, impact, and scratch resistance while avoiding hazing and maintaining high light transmittance. Further, the prior art did not mention view windows meeting United States Coast Guard requirements when used as a replacement for part of a vessel's steel hull.
Laminated plastics per se, such as the ones used in the present invention, are known in the art and are somewhat described in materials obtained from Texstar, Inc. at P.O. Box 534036, 802 Avenue J. East in Grand Prairie, Tex., 75053.
Published materials regarding LEXAN brand of polycarbonate resin may be obtained from the General Electric Company Plastics Group at One Plastics Avenue, Pittsfield, Mass., 01201.

Method of making and apparatus of a view window


A holder comprises a base body, at least two terminals, a connector and at least two wires. The base body defines a receiving hole for receiving the light emitting module. The terminals are provided to the base body and each have a pressing contact portion and a wire insertion structure, the pressing contact portions extend into the receiving hole and respectively press against the contact pads of the light emitting module. The connector is provided to the base body so as to externally connect a mating connector. The wires respectively correspond to the terminals to allow one end of each wire to be detachably connected to the wire insertion structure of the corresponding terminal and the other end of the each wire to be connected to the connector so that the terminals and the connector are electrically connected.

Recently, a light emitting diode (LED) has been widely applied in many fields due to its advantages of energy saving, environmental protection, long service life and the like, especially many types of products in the illumination field have been developed. One type of product is an illumination device formed by a LED module, for example, Taiwanese patent No. TWM409543 (corresponding to US2013/0084748A1, W02011/088212A2, CN201120042217.0 and CN201180004948.9) discloses a holder assembly for fixing a LED module. The LED module is formed by packaging a plurality of dies arranged in array, the holder assembly disclosed in the previous patent is used to fix the LED module so as to conveniently connect a power.
An electrical connection mechanism of the holder assembly in the previous patent is generally classified as two manners. One manner is to allow a positive electrode wire and a negative electrode wire to be respectively inserted into two terminals of the holder assembly which are respectively electrically connected to the LED module; the other manner is to allow traces provided on a frame to connect two terminals which are respectively electrically connected to the LED module and then allow another connector to connect the traces, so as to conveniently perform assembly. The two manners have their own advantages and disadvantages. The former is relative complicate in assembly operation since the wires are required for separate insertion; the latter is relatively convenient to assemble, but manufacturing of the frame is relative complicate and the cost is relatively high since the traces are required to arrange on the frame.


A process for the resolution of (.+-.)-.alpha.-[2-[acetyl(1-methylethyl)amino]ethyl-.alpha.-(2-chloropheny l)-1-piperidinebutanamide having the following structure ##STR1## into its (+) and (-) enantiomers using camphorsulfonic acid.

Ingersoll, J. Am. Chem. Soc. (47), 1168-1173 (1925) discusses a method for the resolution of externally compensated acids and bases by which both active forms are obtained completely pure. This method utilizes stereospecific camphorsulfonic acid.
Ingersoll, J. Am. Chem. Soc. (50), 2264-2267 (1928) discusses the resolution of inactive iso-diphenylhydroxy-ethylamine with d and dl-camphor sulfonic acids.

Process for the resolution of (.+-.)-.alpha.-[2-[acetyl(1-methylethyl)amino]ethyl]-.alpha.-(2-chloroph enyl)-1-piperidinebutanamide


A radiation therapy treatment method comprises imaging a subject and simulating four-dimensional aspects of radiotherapy. A treatment plan based on the simulation is generated to permit real-time, three-dimensional dose reconstruction at the time of treatment. The simulation and treatment plan are used during treatment fractions to achieve real-time image guidance.

Radiation therapy can be given to treat proliferative tissue disorders including but not limited to cancer, arteriovenous malformations, dermatological legions etc. During radiation therapy, the tissue of the patient known to or suspected to contain the disease is exposed to radiation. Linear accelerators are commonly used to irradiate a target volume encompassing the tissue to be treated during radiation therapy. As is known, linear accelerators use microwave technology to accelerate electrons in a waveguide and then allow the electrons to collide with a heavy metal target. As a result of the collisions, high-energy x-rays are scattered from the target. A portion of the scattered x-rays is collected and shaped by a beam collimating device to form an output beam of radiation conforming to the shape of the target volume. The linear accelerator also includes a gantry that rotates around the patient allowing the output beam of radiation to be delivered to the desired target volume from any angle by rotating the gantry.
Prior to exposing a patient to radiation, a treatment plan is typically developed in order to determine accurately the location of the tissue to be treated and how best to treat the tissue with radiation. Many imaging techniques have been used in treatment planning such as for example, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and nuclear scintigraphy including single photon emission tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET). Acquired images of the tissue are used to define the target volume so that the actual tissue irradiated by the output beam of radiation conforms as much as possible to the target volume. In many instances, the images of the tissue used to define the target volume are acquired in a single simulation.
For dose delivery, techniques such as tumour immobilisation with IMRT and image guidance have commonly been utilized. The purpose of image guidance is to ensure that the target tissue is placed at the isocenter of the linear accelerator at the beginning of radiation treatment. In tissue sites where a large amount of tissue motion is expected (for instance lung cancer radiotherapy), image guided therapy also constitutes control of the output beam of radiation to ensure that the irradiation time is restricted to the moment when the tissue is localized at the linear accelerator isocenter.
Unfortunately, this method has a fundamental difficulty if the image used to define the target volume is acquired in a single simulation since it is not known if image guided reproduction of the target location in subsequent treatment fractions results in the planned dosimetry being accurately delivered to the target and non-target tissues. This is because it is not known, a priori, if the single simulation image is representative of the patient positioning and target volume configuration in subsequent radiotherapy treatment fractions.
To provide more accurate position information concerning the target tissue and ensure the beam of radiation is properly directed in subsequent radiotherapy treatment fractions, it has been considered to integrate a linear accelerator with a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus.
MRI is a well-known imaging technique. During MRI, a target, typically a human patient, is placed into an MRI machine and subjected to a uniform magnetic field produced by a polarizing magnet housed within the MRI machine. Radio frequency (RF) pulses, generated by an RF coil housed within the MRI machine in accordance with a particular localization method, are used to scan target tissue of the patient. MRI signals are radiated by excited nuclei in the target tissue in the intervals between consecutive RF pulses and are sensed by the RF coil. During MRI signal sensing, gradient magnetic fields are switched rapidly to alter the uniform magnetic field at localized areas thereby allowing spatial localization of MRI signals radiated by selected slices of the target tissue. The sensed MRI signals are in turn digitized and processed to reconstruct images of the target tissue slices using one of many known techniques.
Unfortunately, even in such systems which use inter-fraction image guidance, tissue motion during the treatment fraction results in the delivered dose of radiation differing from the planned dose, and necessitates the use of a planning target volume (PTV) to ensure tissue coverage. The consequence is that the normal tissue surrounding the target tissue also receives an additional radiation dose.
Further, real-time, three-dimensional (3D) imaging of the patient during the radiation therapy has not been incorporated into IMRT delivery devices, and so it does not allow for true radiation dose reconstruction post treatment. The current art only calculates a post-treatment radiation dose reconstruction based on a pre-treatment static image of the target volume.
In addition, while it is desirable to have real-time imaging during radiotherapy, the true quantity of interest is the real-time accumulation of radiation doses to all structures in the target volume. Real-time dose-accumulation data could be used to detect treatment errors at a very early time, and would allow intervention in the instance where the treatment fraction dose is outside of tolerance. This is not currently available since no method of radiation dose calculation is currently fast enough (unless prohibitively large numbers of parallel processing computers are used) to perform the necessary dose accumulation calculations in real-time. As well, the availability of real-time radiation dose calculation would allow safe dose escalation in those tissue sites where the optimal dose has not yet been defined.
As will be appreciated, improved radiation therapy techniques which obviate or mitigate one or more of the above-referenced problems are desired. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel real-time dose reconstruction using dynamic simulation and image guided adaptive radiotherapy.

Real-time dose reconstruction using dynamic simulation and image guided adaptive radiotherapy


Fuel tank system for a direct ethanol injection octane boosted gasoline engine. The system includes a gasoline engine and a main fuel tank that contains a mix of gasoline and gasoline E85. A smaller secondary tank is provided to contain ethanol or E85. An injector directly injects in a separately controlled fashion ethanol or E85 into a cylinder of the engine to boost octane. A control module controls the relative amounts of gasoline and ethanol used and structure is provided for fueling the main and secondary fuel tanks.

This invention relates to a fuel tank system for a direct ethanol injection octane boosted gasoline engine.
As described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/991,774 filed on Nov. 18, 2004 and application Ser. No. 11/100,026 filed Apr. 6, 2005, on-demand octane boost using direct ethanol injection can be used to enable high fuel economy in two types of vehicle operation. The contents of these applications are incorporated herein by reference. In the first, the vehicle is essentially powered by gasoline (with a minimal amount of ethanol used for on-demand octane boost). In another mode of operation when the cost and availability of ethanol make its use attractive, the vehicle is powered by a flexible fuel mix of E85 and gasoline. In this case, the E85 can constitute up to 100% of the fuel. In contrast to the use of ethanol as a fuel that is blended with gasoline, the driver has the freedom to determine when and how much ethanol to use. As will be described below, the amount of ethanol or E85 required to be stored in a separate tank for on-demand octane boost is on the order of only 4 to 20 gallons per year when a vehicle is essentially powered by gasoline. The requirement is less when the vehicle is powered by a flexible fuel mixture of ethanol or E85 and gasoline. The ethanol can be added using either 1.0 to 2.5 gallon containers or by the use of a pump at the growing number of E85 fueling stations in the United States. This small amount of ethanol could be provided for 50 million vehicles using less than 1 billion gallons of ethanol per year which is about 25% of the present U.S. ethanol production. Thus, the required extension of the ethanol transportation fuel infrastructure is very modest. Moreover, with the substantial increase in E85 infrastructure as presently planned by the 2005 Energy Act, additional ethanol can be used as a substitute fuel in addition to its use as an on-demand octane boost agent.
An object of the present invention is to minimize the inconvenience and cost of using a separate tank for the on-demand octane boost agent. Another object is a fuel management system designed so as to reduce the additional cost of flexible fuel operation.

Fuel tank system for direct ethanol injection octane boosted gasoline engine


A pattern of holes is provided for a retaining part for securing bindings on snowboards and the like, for receiving fastening screws and for enabling a two-dimensional adjustment of the retaining part and of the binding, relative to fastening points on the snowboard or the like.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a retaining part, in particular a fastening plate, for securing bindings on snowboards or the like. The invention specifically pertains to retaining parts having holes intended for receiving fasteners such as fastening screws which can be screwed into predetermined or predeterminable mounts such as screw mounts on the snowboard or the like. The fasteners brace or hold the retaining part on the snowboard or the like. The holes form a pattern wherein the retaining pat can be fixed on the snowboard or the like in different positions relative to the mounts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional bindings for snowboards or the like typically have a base plate which rests on the upper side of the snowboard, and have a large central circular opening and a circumferential border provided with an end-side toothing arrangement. An essentially circular fastening plate fits into said circular opening, and can be secured by screws to the snowboard, with the base plate of the snowboard binding being braced in a frictionally locking manner between a circular border region of the fastening plate and the upper side of the snowboard. The base plate is additionally fixed in a positive locking manner by the end-side toothing arrangement on the circular opening of the base plate engaging into an end-side mating toothing arrangement on the circumferential border of the fastening plate. In this manner, it is possible to fasten the base plate, and thus also the snowboard binding, in principle in any rotary position relative to a vertical axis of the snowboard.
It is already known in principle, for the purpose of receiving the fastening screws, to provide rows of holes on the fastening plate such that, with the correspondingly modified arrangement of the screws, the fastening plate can be adjusted in the longitudinal direction of the snowboard. Accordingly, therefore, the snowboard binding can be mounted in different positions relative to the screw mounts in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the snowboard.

Retaining apparatus for securing bindings on snowboards or the like


A non-volatile memory device determines the bit-line location of a memory cell selected for memory operation relative to a nearest source line, generates a modified bit-line bias voltage based on the bit-line location and applies the modified bit-line bias voltage to the selected memory cell. In some embodiments, the memory cell is selected to be programmed. In this manner, the non-volatile memory device compensates for source line resistance at the memory cells.

Non-volatile memory (NVM) is a memory device that retains content stored therein even when power is removed. EEPROM and flash memory are two commonly used non-volatile memory devices. In particular, flash memory has become widely used in electronic devices, especially portable electronic devices, because of its ability to provide data storage at low power levels. Modern day flash memory devices are typically implemented using a floating gate MOS transistor device as the memory cells. A floating gate MOS transistor device includes a floating gate that is formed between a control gate and the channel region (the substrate) of the MOS device and at least partially vertically aligned with the control gate. Charge storage on the floating gate determines the stored data state ("0" or "1") of the memory cell.
In a non-volatile memory cell implemented using a floating gate MOS device, programming of the memory cell, or writing data to the memory cell, is accomplished by transferring charge carriers from the semiconductor substrate (the source or the drain) to the floating gate by tunneling through the thin gate oxide layer. Typically, a block of non-volatile memory cells is first erased by applying bias conditions to remove the charges stored on the floating gate. Then, the non-volatile memory cells can be written or programmed, usually one byte or word at a time, by applying the bias conditions opposite to the erase operation. Erase and programming operation of non-volatile memory devices require a relatively large voltage and current.
Furthermore, as non-volatile memory technology advances, source line resistance associated with the memory cells increases. In particular, the source line resistance is a function of the distance between the source contact and memory cell selected for program. Thus, memory cells at different locations in the memory array could have different source line resistance values. Moreover, a memory cell with a greater distance to the source contact will have a correspondingly higher source line resistance. Varying and increased source line resistance values could impact the program efficiency and cell program threshold voltage (Vt) distribution.

Non-volatile memory with source line resistance compensation

INTEGRATED SILICON SOLUTION, (CAYMAN) INC.


An object is to provide a flow rate control device that can suppress a manufacturing cost and greatly reduce burdens of setting and maintenance.

For example, disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a technique to control the flow of a fluid flowing in a circuit by connecting between a fluid temperature adjusting machine and a switching manifold with a pipe and switching the open/close of an electromagnetic switching valve embedded in the switching manifold.

Abstract: A flow rate control device 11 of the invention is comprised with a flow rate adjusting valve 21 that is installed in a flow path 13, a flow rate measurement part 41 that measures a flow rate of a fluid flowing through the flow path 13, a controller 61 that controls opening degrees of the flow rate adjusting valve 21 based on a measurement result of the flow rate measurement part 41, and a pressure deficiency detecting function that detects pressure deficiency when a limit sensor 246 (an opening detecting sensor) that detects the opening of the flow rate adjusting valve 21 detects the opening degrees are full. With the structure, it becomes possible, compared with a conventional system to detect a pressure deficiency using a pressure sensor, to suppress a manufacturing cost and greatly reduce burdens of setting and maintenance and to notify of pressure deficiency at a necessary timing in an early stage before an abnormality occurs due to a flow rate decrease.