An improved optical disc for use in the manufacture of a multilayer optical disc. The improved optical disc has a first side with a data layer and at least one projection extending outward from the first side. The projection separates the first side of the improved optical disc from another optical disc used in the manufacture of the multilayer optical disc, thereby providing a uniform adhesive layer between the discs. A mutilayer optical disc and a method of making a multilayer optical disc utilizing the improved optical disc is also described.

This invention relates generally to optical disc manufacturing and more particularly, to the manufacture of multilayer optical discs.
Multilayer discs are now being produced that are an assembly of two discs, each with its own data layer of grooves or pits representing recorded and stored data or information. Referring to FIG. 5, a composite disc 18 is formed of a first, bottom disc 20 normally having a first, lower, sputtered semi-reflective data layer or surface 22. A read laser either focuses on the first surface 22 or, alternatively, penetrates through the first surface 22 and focuses on a second, data layer or surface 24 on a second, top disc 26. The distance between the two surfaces or focal planes 22, 24 is made up of a transparent bonding layer 28 joining the two discs 20, 26 together. Industry DVD specifications require that the transparent bonding layer be in the range of from 40 microns to 70 microns. Other specifications may be required to comply with other specific formats.
The composite disc 18 is formed from two discs that are normally manufactured using an injection molding process. An ultraviolet, curable, liquid resin, for example, lacquer, that functions as an adhesive is first deposited on a lower rotating disc 20. Upon striking the rotating disc surface 22, the resin spreads across the disc surface 22 toward the inner centerhole 30 and the outer disc circumference 32. However, the resin that first contacts the disc surface 22 will have experienced substantial spreading as the last of the resin is deposited on the surface 22 of the disc 20. Thus, before the final resin deposited spreads, the first resin deposited may reach and spill over the inner hole 30 and/or the outer circumference 32 of the disc 20. Any resin that does spill off of the disc 20 must somehow be handled and contained which adds cost to the process in terms of machine design, maintenance and the cost of the resin.
The construction of the composite disc 18 continues by placing the other disc 26 on top of the resin coating on the upper surface 22 of the first disc 20, thereby forming the multilayer disc 18. The multilayer disc assembly 18 with the uncured resin layer therebetween is subjected to a high speed spinning process to achieve a desired thickness of the intermediate laquer layer. After the spinning process, the resin is cured; and the multilayer disc construction process is complete.
The above spinning process presents several challenges with respect to consistently manufacturing a high quality multilayer disc. First, the spinning process has no process feedback and thus, is not subject to precise control from one disc to another. Further, the forces created by the spinning create a nonuniform resin thickness profile across the resin layer. The resin thickness profile changes from a thinner layer close to the centerhole 30 of the multilayer disc 18 to a thicker layer near its outer circumference 32. The nonuniform resin layer between the discs 20, 26 does not permit a true noise-free replay of the disc.
To hold the thickness of the resin layer within specifications, the resin layer of a finished multilayer disc is measured at many different locations. Those measurements are statistically processed, and the spinning process is adjusted over a period of time, as required, to maintain the resin layer within desired thickness specifications. Many manufacturing environments strive for a thickness specification that is more strict than the about 40-70 microns thickness required by the industry specification. And, the known manufacturing processes can lead to the production of out-of-specification discs while the spinning process is being tuned to hold the resin layer thickness within specification.
Thus, the current multilayer disc bonding process presents several opportunities for improvement. First, there is no real-time control of the thickness of the resin bonding layer between the discs. Second, since the resin is continuously deposited over a single rotation, the first resin deposited reaches the inner hole and the outer edge sooner than the later deposited resin. Third, control over the thickness of the resin layer is further complicated because both of the discs are flat; and therefore, the resin flows freely in all directions and may flow into the inner hole and/or over the outer edge of the disc.
Consequently, there is a need for an improved process for joining two optical discs to form a multilayer disc with an intermediate bonding fluid layer that has a more predictable thickness profile.
The present invention provides an improved optical disc for use in a multilayer disc that provides a consistently high quality noise-free playback of data on the disc. Further, in the manufacture of a multilayer optical disc, the improved optical disc of the present invention can be adhered to another optical disc with a bonding layer thickness that is reliably and repeatably maintained within specification. Therefore, multilayer optical discs are manufactured with a minimum of scrap and thus, manufacturing costs are reduced. Further, the repeatably consistent bonding layer thickness provided by the present invention has the advantage of being able to consistently read data through the bonding layer.
According to the principles of the present invention and in accordance with the described embodiment, the invention provides an optical disc for use in the manufacture of a multilayer optical disc. The optical disc has a first side with a data layer and at least one projection extending outward from the first side. The projection separates the first side from another optical disc used in the manufacture of the multilayer optical disc. The projection is effective to maintain a known and constant bonding layer separation between this optical disc and another optical disc bonded thereto in the manufacture of the multilayer optical disc. Maintaining a repeatably consistent bonding layer improves the consistency of the reading of data from the disc.
In one aspect of the invention, the projection is comprised of a first projection located between a center hole and the data layer and a second projection located between the data layer and an outer circumferential edge of the optical disc. In another aspect of the invention, the first and second projections extend outward from the first side a distance of about 40-70 microns. The use of two projections radially separated on the first side of the optical disc provides a better control over the consistency of the thickness of the bonding layer. In addition, the inner projection substantially stops the migration of air from the centerhole into the bonding layer during a spinning process. Thus, the present invention provides a more consistent and pure bonding layer thickness across the whole diameter of the resulting multilayer optical disc. Such consistency further improves the noise-free readability of data from the optical disc.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a multilayer optical disc having a first optical disc with a first side and a second optical disc with a first side facing the first side of the first optical disc. An adhesive extends between the first sides of the first and second optical discs, thereby bonding the first and second optical discs together to form the multilayer optical disc. A spacing bridge is located between, and contacts, the first sides of the first and second optical discs. The spacing apparatus separates the first and second optical discs by a distance that is substantially equal to a desired thickness of the adhesive. Again, the multilayer optical disc has a more consistent bonding layer thickness across its whole diameter which further improves the noise-free readability of data from the multilayer optical disc.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method of making a multilayer optical disc by first, applying a bonding agent to a first side of a first optical disc during substantially a single rotation of the first optical disc. Next, a first side of a second optical disc is placed on top of the first side of the first optical disc; and the first side of the second optical disc is supported on a spacing bridge extending between the first and second optical discs. The first and second optical discs are spun to spread the adhesive to a uniform, desired thickness therebetween.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent during the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings herein.

Apparatus and method for use in the manufacture of multiple layer optical discs


An application platform is disclosed in a medical environment with a number of computer systems providing an information technology infrastructure and a plurality of basic information technology services to a number of users in the medical environment. At least one embodiment of the application platform provides a particularly simple and coordinated upgrade and update by independent software manufacturers and further provides a particularly high operational fail-safety during updates and upgrades by preventing damage to the systems caused by third party installer programs. To this end, at least one embodiment of the application platform includes a plurality of platform versioning building blocks and a number of platform data repositories, wherein the plurality of platform versioning building blocks are mutually independently updateable.

The use of application platforms is generally well known in the prior art. Application platforms provide the necessary background for development, deployment, installation and execution of applications in environments with a number of computer systems. These systems are sometimes organized in a client-server structure and provide an information technology structure and a plurality of basic information technology services to the users of the environment. These services may include the management of identities and roles, libraries, security features, storage and persistence features, process identification and execution, deployment models etc.
Application platforms are used to benefit from the generic application infrastructure they provide. Applications may be selected and customized according to the needs of the users in the specific environment. The infrastructure of the platform allows developers to focus on the implementation of the features useful for the user within the applications without worrying about the general framework.
In order to be able to be customized according to the needs of the users of a specific environment, an application platform usually provides features and mechanisms for extensions and upgrades/updates. An update of the platform performed by a third party software manufacturer may extend the platform, extend the applications already installed on the platform or add new applications to the platform.
Operating systems usually provide generic installer programs such as e.g. the Windows installer that provide support and uniformity regarding software installations. Such installation programs are able to manage different versions of software products and their updates.
However, these installation programs do not provide functions to assure that an update or an extension of the platform does not destroy the already installed applications or the entire platform. This is especially important in the case of updates or extensions by third party installer programs and requires deeper insight into the structure of the application platform.
If damage is caused to the application platform by a third party installer program or other sources, this affects all applications installed on the platform that use the affected platform subsystems. These applications will no longer work normally. In the case of a client-server architecture where the platform is installed on a central server—which becomes more and more common especially in medical environments such as hospitals—all clients will stop operation.


Trench isolation methods for integrated circuit substrates may be simplified by eliminating the steps of forming a silicon nitride layer, etching the silicon nitride layer and removing the silicon nitride layer. In particular, a silicon nitride-free mask pattern, such as a photoresist mask pattern, may be formed on a silicon nitride-free integrated circuit substrate. The silicon nitride-free integrated circuit substrate is etched through the silicon nitride-free mask pattern to form a trench in the substrate. An insulating layer is formed in the trench and is chemical-mechanical polished to form a trench isolating layer. By eliminating the silicon nitride layer, simplified processing and improved performance may be obtained.

As integrated circuit devices become more highly integrated and include finer geometries, it can become increasingly important to reduce the size of isolation regions that are used to isolate active devices such as transistors from one another. The initial formation of isolation regions may determine the size of an active region and the process margins for subsequent processing. Accordingly, reduction of the size of the isolation regions is desirable.
LOCal Oxidation of Silicon (LOCOS) is widely used for fabricating isolation regions in integrated circuits. The LOCOS process can be simple. However, in highly integrated devices, such as 256 MB DRAM devices, as the width of the isolation region is reduced, a punchthrough may be caused by "bird's beak" during oxidation. This may reduce the thickness of a field oxide film and may reduce the size of the active regions.
An isolation method may also use a trench, rather than forming a field oxide layer by thermal oxidation. In trench isolation methods, a trench is formed on the integrated circuit device and is filled with an insulating material such as an oxide layer, to thereby form an isolation region that can be smaller than that formed by the LOCOS method. Moreover, problems of the LOCOS method and problems caused by the thermal oxidation can be controlled.
A trench isolation method is disclosed in "A Highly Manufacturable Trench Isolation Process for Deep Submicron DRAMs", IEDM Tech. Digest, pp. 57-60, 1993, by P. Fazan et al. As disclosed, a pad oxide layer and a silicon nitride layer are formed and patterned on an integrated circuit substrate. The integrated circuit substrate is then etched using the patterned silicon nitride layer and pad oxide layer as a mask, to form a trench. Then, a sidewall of the trench is thermally oxidized, and an oxide layer is formed in the trench by chemical vapor deposition. The oxide layer is then planarized by Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP). Subsequently, the silicon nitride layer is removed, and an oxide spacer is formed on the sidewall of the oxide layer. The pad oxide layer is then wet etched to complete an isolation layer and to form a gate oxide layer and a gate.
FIG. 1 illustrates fabrication steps for conventional trench isolation methods. As shown in FIG. 1, in a conventional trench isolation method, a pad oxide layer is formed on an integrated circuit substrate, such as a semiconductor substrate, at Block 10. A silicon nitride layer is then formed on the pad oxide layer at Block 12. A photoresist layer is formed on the silicon nitride layer at Block 14. The photoresist layer is patterned by conventional methods to form a photoresist mask pattern.
Continuing with the description of FIG. 1, at Block 16, the silicon nitride layer is patterned using the patterned photoresist as a mask. The photoresist is then removed at Block 18. The silicon nitride layer is then used to form a trench at Block 20. An insulating layer is formed in the trench and on the substrate, to thereby bury the trench, at Block 22. Chemical-mechanical polishing is then used to planarize the trench at Block 24. The silicon nitride layer is then removed at Block 26. The details of conventional trench isolation are well known to those having skill in the art, and need not be described further herein.

Silicon nitride-free isolation methods for integrated circuits


An analog switch includes a transistor whose source connected to a signal input and whose drain is connected to a signal output. An output of a gate control circuit is connected to the transistor gate. A first input of the gate control circuit is connected to the source of the transistor. The gate control circuit responds to a logic transition of an enable signal received at a second input by pre-charging a substantially constant gate-to-source voltage across the transistor. This voltage is stored by a gate-to-source connected capacitor. In one steady-state logic condition of the enable signal, the gate control circuit operates to turn off the transistor. In another steady-state logic condition of the enable signal, the gate control circuit permits the signal received at the signal input to drive the gate of the transistor with a voltage offset by the substantially constant gate-to-source voltage stored on the capacitor.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to analog switches, and more particularly to MOS analog switches.
2. Description of Related Art
Reference is now made to FIG. 1 which shows a schematic diagram of a prior art MOS analog switch 10. The switch 10 is formed from an NMOS transistor 12 and a PMOS transistor 14 that are connected in parallel. More specifically, the source of the NMOS transistor 12 is connected to the drain of the PMOS transistor 14 (at node 16), and the drain of the NMOS transistor 12 is connected to the source of the PMOS transistor 14 (at node 18). The input signal at the terminal IN is applied to node 16 and the output signal at the terminal OUT is taken from node 18. A control signal at the terminal CONTROL is applied to gate of NMOS transistor 12, while the complement of the control signal is applied to the gate of the PMOS transistor 14 through the operation of an inverter 20. When the control signal is logic low, the NMOS transistor 12 and PMOS transistor 14 are both turned off so as to isolate the input terminal IN from the output terminal OUT. When the control signal is logic high, however, the NMOS transistor 12 and PMOS transistor 14 are both turned on, and a signal at the input terminal IN is coupled by the analog switch 10 to the output terminal OUT.
The analog switch 10 is used in many applications. For example, the switch 10 is used in audio applications to control passage of an analog audio signal from IN to OUT. When used in audio applications, however, it is important that the analog switch 10 exhibit a low flatness characteristic. "Flatness" refers to the difference between the maximum value of on-resistance for the switch 10 and the minimum value of on-resistance for the switch 10 over a range of voltage input levels. The lower the flatness (i.e., the more flat the on-resistance of the switch 10 as a function of input voltage), the better; especially in audio applications where flatness can be correlated to sound quality (and non-flatness correlated to signal distortion). The circuit of FIG. 1 does not exhibit a flatness which is acceptable for many audio (and other) applications.
Reference is now made to FIG. 2 which shows a schematic diagram of a prior art MOS analog switch 50 (as taught by U.S. Pat. No. 6,154,085, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference). The switch 50 has an improved low flatness operating characteristic in comparison to switch 10 of FIG. 1. This is accomplished by regulating the gate voltage according to the signal source. First NMOS transistor 52 has its source coupled to the input terminal IN, and its drain coupled to the output terminal OUT. Second NMOS transistor 54 has its source coupled to the input terminal IN and its drain coupled to node 56. Third NMOS transistor 58 has its source coupled to the node 56 and its drain coupled to the output terminal OUT. A control signal at the terminal CONTROL is applied to the gates of transistors 52, 54 and 58. Node 56 is further coupled to the bulk terminals (substrate wells) of transistors 52, 54 and 58. The switch 50 further includes a level shifter 60 whose input is coupled to the node 56 and whose output is coupled to the gates of transistors 52, 54 and 58 through an optional resistor 62.
When the switch 50 is turned on by the control signal, the circuit functions to provide a constant gate drive to NMOS transistor 52, regardless of the input signal received at terminal IN, in order to maintain a substantially constant on-resistance for the switch 50 (i.e., achieve low flatness). The level shifter 60 accomplishes this by providing a constant gate-to-source voltage relative to the midpoint of the source-to-drain voltage of transistor 52. The transistors 54 and 58 provide a voltage at node 56 which is at the midpoint between the source voltage and drain voltage of transistor 52. The level shifter 60 shifts the signal voltage at the input terminal IN by an amount equal to the desired gate-to-source voltage of the transistor 52, and provides the fixed gate-to-source voltage with respect to the source-to-drain voltage.
There are limitations with respect to the switch 50 of FIG. 2. The level shifter 60 requires a constant current to operate (see, '085 patent, FIG. 3), and this not preferred in battery powered (for example, mobile) applications. Additionally, if the input signal at terminal IN goes to far negative (for example, −1 Volt), the output of the level shifter 60 will be clamped to zero volts.
There is accordingly a need in the art for an improved analog switch exhibiting a low flatness operating characteristic and suitable for use in battery powered applications.

Analog switch with a low flatness operating characteristic

STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte Ltd (SG)


The present invention relates to solid compositions comprising a GLP-1 agonist and a salt of N-(8-(2-hydroxybenzoyl)amino)caprylic acid and their use in medicine.

Human GLP-1 and analogues thereof have a low oral bioavailability. Exposure and bioavailability of human GLP-1 and analogues thereof is very low following oral administration. Human GLP-1 and analogues thereof can only be detected in plasma after oral administration if formulated with certain absorption enhancers in a specific amount. Steinert et al. (Am J Clin Nutr, October 2010; 92: 810-817) discloses oral administration of a tablet comprising GLP-1(7-36)amide and 150 mg sodium N-(8-(2-hydroxybenzoyl)amino)caprylate (SNAC). WO 2010/020978 discloses an oral pharmaceutical composition comprising a protein and N-(8-[2-hydroxybenzoyl)amino)caprylate (SNAC).
There is still a need for an optimized pharmaceutical composition for oral administration of a GLP-1 agonist such as a GLP-1 agonist comprising a substituent.

Solid compositions comprising a GLP-1 agonist and a salt of N-(8-(2-hydroxybenzoyl) amino) caprylic acid


An electrophotographic imaging member including a charge generating layer containing a dispersed oxytitanium phthalocyanine polymorph and a charge transport layer containing a film forming charge transporting polymer including charge transporting moieties in the backbone of the film forming charge transporting polymer, for example, polysilylenes and polyarylamine derivative. The charge transporting polymers may optionally be used as a binder in the charge generating layer. The imaging member may be employed in an electrophotographic imaging process, particularly in high sensitivity infrared photoreceptors which are compatible with liquid ink development processes.

This invention relates in general to electrophotographic imaging members and more specifically, to imaging members comprising titanyl phthalocyanine and charge transporting polymer components.
One common type of electrophotographic imaging member or photoreceptor is a multilayered device that comprises a conductive layer, an optional charge blocking layer, an adhesive layer, a charge generating layer, and a charge transport layer. Either the charge generating layer or the charge transport layer may be located adjacent the conductive layer. The charge transport layer can contain an active aromatic diamine small molecule charge transport compound dissolved or molecularly dispersed in a film forming binder. This type of charge transport layer is described, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,990. Although excellent toner images may be obtained with such multilayered photoreceptors, it has been found that when high concentrations of active aromatic diamine small molecule charge transport compound are dissolved or molecularly dispersed in a film forming binder, the small molecules tend to crystallize with time under conditions such as higher machine operating temperatures, mechanical stress or exposure to chemical vapors. Such crystallization can cause undesirable changes in the electro-optical properties, such as residual potential build-up which can cause cycle-up. Moreover, the range of binders and binder solvent types available for use during coating operations is limited when high concentrations of the small molecules are sought for the charge transport layer. For example, active aromatic diamine small molecules do not disperse in polyurethane binders. Limited selection of binders and binder solvents can affect the life and stability of a photoreceptor under extended cycling conditions. Moreover, such limited selection also affects the choice of binders and solvents used in subsequently applied layers. For example, the solvents employed for subsequently applied layers should not adversely affect any of the underlying layers. This solvent attack problem is particularly acute in dip coating processes. Further, some of the solvents that are commonly utilized, such as methylene chloride, are marginal solvents from the point of view of environmental toxicity. Although excellent toner images may be developed with multilayer photoreceptors in machines that employ dry developer powder or toners, it has been found that these same photoreceptors become unstable when employed with liquid development systems. These photoreceptors suffer from cracking, crazing, extraction, phase separation and crystallization of charge transporting active compounds by contact with the organic carrier fluid in a machine employing a liquid development system. A commonly employed organic carrier fluid in liquid development systems is an isoparaffinic hydrocarbon, for example, Isopar.RTM. available from Exxon Chemicals International, Inc. The leaching and crystallization of charge transporting active compounds markedly degrades the mechanical integrity and electro-optical performance of the photoreceptors. More specifically, the organic carrier fluid of a liquid developer leaches out activating small molecules, such as the arylamine containing compounds typically used in the charge transport layers. Representative of this class of materials are: N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-bis(3-methylphenyl)-[1,1' -biphenyl]-4,4'-diamine; bis-(4-diethylamino-2-methylphenyl)-phenylmethane; 2,5-bis-(4'-diethylamino phenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole; 1-phenyl-3-(4'-diethylaminostyryl)-5-(4"-diethylaminophenyl)-pyrazoline; 1,1-bis-(4-(di-N,N'-p-methylphenyl)-aminophenyl)-cyclohexane;4-diethylamin obenzaldehyde-1,1-diphenylhydrazone; 1,1-diphenyl-2(p-N,N-diphenylamino phenyl)-ethylene. The leaching process results in crystallization of the charge transporting activating small molecules, such as the aforementioned arylamine compounds, onto the photoreceptor surface and subsequent migration of the arylamine into the liquid developer ink. In addition, the ink vehicle, typically a C.sub.10 -C.sub.14 branched hydrocarbon, induces the formation of cracks and crazes in the photoreceptor leading to the onset of copy defects and shortened photoreceptor life. Sufficient degradation can occur in less than eight hours of use making these photoreceptors unsuitable for use in machines employing liquid developers.
Another type of charge transport layer has been developed which utilizes a charge transporting polymer. This type of charge transport polymer includes materials such as poly N-vinyl carbazole, polysilylenes, and others including those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,806,443, 4,806,444, 4,818,650, 4,935,487, and 4,956,440. Other charge transporting materials include polymeric arylamine compounds and related polymers described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,801,517, 4,806,444, 4,818,650, 4,806,443, and 5,030,532, copending application Ser. No. 797,753, entitled "ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGING MEMBER", mailed by Express Mail on Nov. 25, 1991, in the name of Yanus et al, and copending application Ser. No. 798,363, entitled "ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGING MEMBERS CONTAINING POLYARYLAMINE POLYMERS", mailed by Express Mail on Nov. 25, 1991, in the name of Yanus et al, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Some polymeric charge transporting materials have relatively low charge carrier mobilities. Mechanical properties of these pendant type polymers, such as poly N-vinyl carbazole and polystyryl anthracene, is less than adequate for photoreceptor belt fabrication and operation. Moreover, charge transporting polymers having high concentrations of charge transporting moieties in the polymer chain can be very costly. Further, the mechanical properties of charge transporting polymers such as wearability, hardness and craze resistance are reduced when the relative concentration of charge transporting moieties in the chain is increased.
Phthalocyanines have been employed as photogenerating materials for use in both visible and infrared radiation exposure machines. Infrared sensitivity is a requirement if semiconductor lasers are employed as the exposure source. The absorption spectrum and photosensitivity depend on the central metal atom. Many metal phthalocyanines have been reported. These include, oxyvanadium phthalocyanine, chloroaluminum phthalocyanine, copper phthalocyanine, oxytitanium phthalocyanine, chlorogallium phthalocyanine, magnesium phthalocyanine and metal-free phthalocyanine. Some of these phthalocyanines exist in many crystal forms. Even with the same central metal atom, the absorption spectrum and sensitivity may depend on crystal structure and morphology.
The photogenerating layer contains a bichromophoric photogenerating compound, for example a phthalocyanine pigment compound, or a mixture of two or more phthalocyanine pigment compounds. Generally, this layer has a thickness of from about 0.05 micrometer to about 10 micrometers or more, and preferably has a thickness of from about 0.1 micrometer to about 3 micrometers. The thickness of this layer, however, is dependent primarily upon the concentration of photogenerating material in the layer, which may generally vary from about 5 to 100 weight percent. When the photogenerating material is present in a binder material, the binder preferably contains from about 30 to about 95 percent by weight of the photogenerating material, and preferably contains about 80 percent by weight of the photogenerating material. Generally, it is desirable to provide this layer in a thickness sufficient to absorb about 90 percent or more of the incident radiation which is directed upon it in the imagewise or printing exposure step. The maximum thickness of this layer is dependent primarily upon factors such as mechanical considerations, such as the specific photogenerating compound selected, the thicknesses of the other layers, and whether a flexible photoconductive imaging member is desired.
The sensitivity of a layered device depends on several factors: (1) the fraction of the light absorbed, (2) the efficiency of photogeneration within the pigment crystals, (3) the efficiency of injection of photogenerated holes into the transport layer and (4) the distance the injected carrier travels in the transport layer between the exposure and development steps. The fraction of the light absorbed can be maximized by the employment of adequate concentration of pigment in the generator layer and the thickness of the generator layer. The distance the carrier travels in the transport layers can be optimized by the selection of the transporting material and on the concentration of the charge transporting active molecules in the case of transport layers consisting of a dispersion of transport active molecules in a non-transporting inactive binder. However the efficiency of photogeneration and injection can be interactive in that both processes depend on both the pigment and the transport material. There are at least two reasons for this interactive dependence. The photogeneration efficiency with some pigments depends upon the presence of the transporting material on the surface of the pigment. Devices fabricated employing these pigments may be sensitive with transport layers employing active molecules dispersed in an inactive binder material but may be very much less sensitive when employed in conjunction with transport layers consisting of charge transporting polymers. This dependence arises in the case where the transport layer consists of active molecules dispersed in an inactive binder (herein termed small molecule transport layer), from the active molecules penetrating the generator layer during the fabrication of the transport layer. This is not the case when the transport layer consists of a charge transporting polymer. Therefore there is no certainty that a pigment that seems sensitive in a device employing small molecule transport layer will have good sensitivity when employed in conjunction with a charge transporting polymer. Interactive dependence of injection efficiency can also be related to ionization potential matching of the constituent charge transport molecules and the charge generating pigment or pigments. For layered devices employing hole photogeneration and transport, the ionization potential of the charge transport layer material (IP.sub.CTL) has to be smaller than the ionization potential of the charge generating pigment (IP.sub.CGP) to ensure maximum injection efficiency. That is, IP.sub.CTL <IP.sub.CGP.
Thus, in imaging systems utilizing multilayered photoreceptors containing generator layers employing some pigments and charge transporting polymers in the transport layers, loss of sensitivity may result from the active transport species not physically penetrating the generator layer or as a result of an ionization potential mismatch. Reduced sensitivity can reduce the practical value of multilayered photoreceptors for use in high speed electrophotographic copiers, duplicators and printers.

High sensitivity visible and infrared photoreceptor


A control column includes a housing adapted to be mounted to a side wall of a shower stall adjacent a front edge portion thereof. The housing includes a panel positioned at an angle relative to the side wall and facing a back wall of the shower stall. A shower head assembly extends outward from a top portion of the housing, and water is supplied from a water supply to a bathtub spout or the shower head at a desired temperature and flow rate.

The present invention relates generally to shower stall fixtures, and more particularly, to a control column for use in a shower stall. In conventional shower systems, the plumbing components are mounted behind a wall, which makes maintenance difficult. A user typically faces the wall of a shower while showering since the shower head usually extends from the middle of the wall. In addition, residential shower typically receive light from a remote source in a bathroom. Other features, such as soap dishes, shelves, or the like are often dispersed throughout various locations in the shower stall. Many users also avoid using electronic devices such as telephones, radios, or the like in the shower stall or tube area of a bathroom.
Previous shower systems have included plumbing fixtures in the form of a vertical column. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,284, Symmons discloses a modular shower bath unit adapted to be mounted to the surface of a finished wall. The modular unit includes U-shaped cover member which conceals a mixing valve, water supply pipes, and a mixed water delivery pipe leading to a shower head assembly. The shower head assembly and cover member form a discrete sub-assembly which can remain intact when the cover is removed for inspection or repair of the mixing valve. A bottom end of the cover member in Symmons may be open or closed off by providing a soap dish which functions as an end plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,466 to Davis disclosed a vertically adjustable shower head including an elongated casing mounted to a shower wall. A side wall of the casing has a slot therein for slidable adjustment of the shower head, and an elongated flexible hose is provided for conducting water from a supply conduit to the shower head.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,421 to Kuersteiner discloses a massaging and washing apparatus comprising a vertically upright and rotatable brush roller mounted in a watertight housing. A plurality of downwardly directed water nozzles produce a curtain of water in front of the brush roller for washing, and air-jet nozzles are arranged in vertical edges of the housing for drying.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 284,689 to King et al. discloses a corner molding for tub surrounds which includes a pair of vertically spaced, apart, recessed soap dishes.
In addition, bathtubs having control knobs positioned on a side wall thereof for controlling the temperature and flow of water are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,416,172 (Connolly), 2,572,463 (Fine), 2,926,360 (Erickson et al.), 3,874,374 (Jacuzzi), 4,383,341 (Altman), and Des. 270,658 (Sills et al.).


This invention provides highly attenuated influenza viruses and vaccines. The attenuated viruses and vaccines proliferate well and have high safety factors. The attenuated viruses providing protective immunity from challenge by virus of the same subtype, as well as cross protection against heterologous viruses.

Influenza is a human disease that leads every year to >30,000 deaths in the US and several hundred thousand deaths globally (1). Major neutralization antigenic proteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) on the virion surface, provide protecting immunity, but undergo yearly genetic variation by point mutations (genetic drift). This renders the viruses resistant to population immunity and set the stage for seasonal epidemics. Further, influenza virus may acquire a new antigenic make-up (reassortment of heterologous genes, referred to as genetic shift) leading to pandemics. Because the flu is seasonal and variable, new vaccines must be produced every year. This is made more complex since more than one type or strain of influenza virus co-circulates in any flu season, a phenomenon demanding that more than one new vaccine may have to be developed every year.
Currently, only two major types of vaccines are licensed, the intramuscularly administered inactivated vaccines ("Flu shot"), and the live attenuated vaccine (LAIV), given intra-nasally ("FluMist®"). The efficacy of the two vaccines is suboptimal. The injectable inactivated vaccines that requires a large quantity of starting material (the equivalent of approximately 1010 plaque-forming units, PFU, per dose), are incapable of inducing significant cell-mediated immunity, which is being recognized as an important determinant of protection (4). Moreover, the overall efficacy of the inactivated vaccine in the U.S. adult population aged 18-65 years is only 59% (5). The LAIV "FluMist," on the other hand, induces both humoral and cellular immunity but it is restricted in use to people 2 to 49 yr of age (6, 7). Moreover, recurrent administration of LAIV, which always uses the same attenuating viral backbone, could result in tolerance in repeat recipients (8).
Influenza viruses that have been classified as type A, B, and C, are enveloped, negative-strand RNA viruses of Orthomyxoviridae of which subtypes of type A are the major culprit of human disease (3). The viruses transcribe and replicate their multipartite genome in the cell nucleus, each segment encoding one or two polypeptides. Of these the most important antigenic molecules are the glycoproteins hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Attenuated influenza viruses and vaccines

The Research Foundation for State University of New York


A processor includes: a first instruction processing unit that, in a first mode, receives a first input including instructions included in a first instruction set; a second instruction processing unit that, in a second mode, receives the first input, the second instruction processing unit having a simpler configuration than the first instruction processing unit; a third instruction processing unit that, in a third mode, receives a second input including instructions included in a second instruction set, the second instruction set including part of the instructions included in the first instruction set, the third instruction processing unit having a simpler configuration than the first instruction processing unit and the second instruction processing unit; a selection unit that selects, according to a mode, a result of decoding by one of the instruction processing units; and an instruction execution unit that executes an instruction according to the selected result of decoding.

With an increase in Internet connection by recent digital equipment, various functions are implemented on a device by software. Thus, the state of the digital equipment varies according to mainly user's operation. Such states include, for example, the state where extremely high performance and various functions are necessary, the state where high performance is unnecessary but various functions are necessary, and the state where only simple functions with low performance are satisfactory but continuous drive is necessary for a long time.
For instance, while waiting for an email or a phone call, a user is not performing an operation on equipment. In this case, the equipment needs to be operated for a long time, but low performance is acceptable. Thus, a processor which can be operated at a high speed and execute complicated processing or instruction is unnecessary.
Meanwhile, if the user performs an operation such as listening to music, recording music, viewing a video, or recording a video, user's operation on the equipment is not much involved. However, a certain load is continuously applied to the equipment. In this case, there is no need to operate the equipment at a very high speed, but a processor is necessary which can process moderately complicated processing or instruction and maintain a certain processing speed.
Moreover, in browsing the web, writing an email, managing a schedule, creating a memo, or performing other operations, the user actively performs the operation. In this case, operations on the equipment mainly involve, for example, character input, click, and flick. Although load placed on the equipment is not so large, a high response speed is necessary. Thus, complicated processing or instruction is not so much necessary. Meanwhile, a processor which can operate at a high speed, depending on a situation is necessary.
Moreover, when the user, for example, plays games, uses application software handling an image, or uses rich content on the Web, the equipment, for example, changes an image or a sound quickly in response to user's active operation on the equipment. This means that a load on the equipment and a change in load are large on average. In this case, a processor is necessary which can execute complicated processing or instruction and operate at a high speed, depending on a situation.
A current processor for a mobile device (ARM) is a power-saving device, but the performance is not satisfactory. This is because the processor simplifies an executable instruction set for power saving, and the whole processor including an instruction processing unit and an instruction decoder is kept simple.
Moreover, a processor (e.g., Intel and AMD) for a personal computer (PC) is a high-performance processor, but consumes a large amount of power. Such processor has an instruction set including various and complicated instructions, and can execute these instructions. However, this makes, in particular, an instruction processing unit and an instruction decoder complicated and huge.
To improve the above situation, a higher-performance processor has been newly developed for a mobile device (ARM), and this processor and a processor which can be operated with low power consumption are both installed to switch between these processors, depending on a situation (e.g., big.LITTLE and Tegra3). FIG. 12 illustrates an example of a processor including high-performance processors (e.g., CPUs 0 to 3) and a processor which can be operated with low power consumption (e.g., CPU 5).
Moreover, the configuration of a processor for a PC (e.g., Intel and AMD) is simplified to some extent (Atom and Bobcat) so that a reduction in amount of power consumption is more significant than a decrease in performance.
Moreover, as FIG. 13 illustrates, a processor has been suggested which concurrently uses an instruction decoder which can decode an instruction executed for a short time, at a high speed and an instruction decoder which can decode an instruction executed for a long time, at a low speed with low power consumption (e.g., Patent Literature 1).
Moreover, as FIG. 14 illustrates, a processor has been suggested which includes at least one fixed circuit decoder which can decode only part of instructions and at least one execution circuit which executes an instruction, and decodes an instruction which cannot be decoded by the fixed circuit decoder, using a decoder which uses one microcode ROM, to execute the decoded instruction in the execution circuit (e.g., Patent Literature 2).

Processor, multiprocessor system, compiler, software system, memory control system, and computer system

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


The dryer includes a double-walled casing, the inner wall of which defines a cylindrical drying chamber for receiving the products and the outer wall and the inner wall of which define between them an interspace for the circulation of a diathermic fluid. A shaft is mounted in the chamber and has a motor for rotating it about its own axis and at least one blade fixed to it which, on rotation of the shaft, can exert a mixing action on the product and can detach it from the inner wall of the casing. The shaft is mounted eccentrically of the longitudinal axis of the chamber and has a motor rotating it about the longitudinal axis of the chamber.

The present invention relates to a dryer, particularly for granular or powdered products, which includes:
double-walled casing, the inner wall of which defines a cylindrical drying chamber for the aforesaid products and the outer and inner walls of which define between them an interspace for the circulation of a diathermic fluid, and PA1 a shaft mounted in the chamber and having means for enabling it to rotate about its own axis, at least one blade being securely fixed to the shaft and operable, on rotation of the latter, to exert a mixing action on the products and to detach them from the inner wall of the casing.
In prior art dryers of the above type the shaft is mounted so that it projects into the drying chamber with its axis coincident with that of the chamber.
Since the blades fixed to the shaft must extend close to the inner wall of the casing to carry out an effective scraping action, the overall diameter of the rotary members is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the drying chamber.
Hence, if the latter is rather large, the rotary members must be large and heavy, thus placing limitations on the performance of the dryer which, in some cases, are quite considerable.
For example, the speed of rotation of the shaft must not exceed certain values in order to avoid causing excessive twisting and bending stresses, thus limiting the effectiveness of the mixing.
In addition, significant clearance must be maintained between the facing surfaces of the distal ends of the blades and the inner wall of the chamber to prevent the machine from seizing up as a result of heat expansion or deformation caused by mechanical stress on the rotary members.
As a result, a significant layer of the material to be dried builds up on the inner wall of the chamber as the blades are unable to detach it and this behaves like a layer of insulation towards the diathermic fluid circulating in the interspace, thereby compromising the efficiency of the heat exchange in the dryer to a certain extent.

Dryer, particulary for granular or powdered products


A preliminary path for light travelling towards a camera via corneal reflection is estimated based on a preliminary position and orientation of an eye. A position where the reflection would appear in images captured by the camera is estimated. A distance is formed between a detected position of a corneal reflection of an illuminator and the estimated position. A second preliminary path for light travelling through the cornea or from the sclera towards a camera is estimated based on the preliminary position and orientation, and a position where the second preliminary path would appear to originate in images captured by this camera is estimated. A distance is formed between a detected edge of a pupil or iris and the estimated position where the second preliminary path would appear to originate. An updated position and/or orientation of the eye is determined using an objective function formed based on the formed distances.

Different techniques have been developed for monitoring in which direction (or at which point on a display) a user is looking. This is often referred to as gaze tracking or eye tracking. Such techniques often involve detection of certain features in images of the eye, and a gaze direction or gaze point is then computed based on positions of these detected features. An example of such a gaze tracking technique is pupil center corneal reflection (PCCR). PCCR-based gaze tracking employs the position of the pupil center and the position of glints (reflections of illuminators at the cornea) to compute a gaze direction of the eye or a gaze point at a display.
Good gaze tracking performance is often important for the user experience. The estimated gaze point (or gaze direction) should for example be accurate, and it should not lag behind the true gaze point (or gaze direction) to such an extent that this effect is noticeable to the user. Several factors may affect gaze tracking performance. Properties of the eyes may differ between different people, and even between the left and right eye of a person. Such differences may at least to some extent be handled via calibration of an eye model to the specific user. Still, the eye model is only an approximation of the real eye, so some deviation from the true gaze point (or gaze direction) may occur. The presence of glasses, contact lenses, and/or a tear film at the eye may also affect gaze tracking performance, for example through distortion of the images of the eye employed for the gaze tracking.
It would be desirable to provide new ways to address one or more of the abovementioned issues.

Gaze tracking via tracing of light paths


Disclosed is a fuel filter for removing sulfur containing compounds from an internal combustion fuel stream. In one embodiment, the fuel filter comprises at least one column comprising an adsorbent. In one exemplary embodiment the adsorbent is capable of removing sulfur containing compounds, especially sulfur containing aromatic compounds, from fuels used in internal combustion engines, especially diesel fuels. Also disclosed is an apparatus for extending the life cycle of a post combustion emission control device. In one exemplary embodiment, the apparatus comprises a fuel filter for removing sulfur containing compounds from an internal combustion fuel stream and an emission control device. Finally, a method for removing sulfur containing compounds from an internal combustion fuel stream is disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the method comprises passing a fuel through a fuel filter capable of removing sulfur containing compounds, storing the removed sulfur containing compounds, releasing a portion of the stored sulfur containing compounds, and sending the portion through the engine and into an emission control device.

Nitrogen oxide or 'NOx' adsorbers are used to remove nitrogen oxides from the exhaust streams of both mobile and stationary internal combustion engines. However, the efficiency of such NOx adsorbers is reduced in the presence of sulfur containing compounds. Such sulfur containing compounds, especially sulfur containing aromatic compounds, 'poison' or react 'irreversibly' with the catalysts of NOx adsorbers. NOx adsorbers having contaminated catalysts have reduced efficiency. As a result, the presence of sulfur containing compounds in fuels used in internal combustion engines can have a deleterious effect upon exhaust emissions, especially with respect to nitrous oxide emissions. This problem is of particular concern in motor vehicles and stationary systems employing diesel engines.
The catalysts in NOx adsorbers typically undergo regenerative processes designed to extend the life expectancy of the catalyst/NOx adsorber. A first type of regenerative process is designed to drive off the NOx in the form of nitrogen from the NOx adsorber. In a second type of regenerative process, contaminants such as sulfur containing compounds are released or removed. The later process is sometimes referred to as desulfation and typically occurs at higher temperatures then the NOx regeneration process. Repeated exposure to such high temperatures can adversely affect catalyst life expectancy.
The concentration of sulfur containing compounds present in the fuel stream directly impacts how often a NOx adsorber must undergo desulfation. The higher the concentration, the more often the catalyst of a NOx adsorber must undergo desulfation. Similarly, a NOx adsorber will have a shorter life expectancy the more often it undergoes desulfation.
It would thus be advantageous to provide a fuel filter capable of minimizing the adverse effect of sulfur contaminants on the NOX adsorber.
The prior art has attempted to provide devices that remove sulfur-containing fuels from internal combustion engine fuel streams. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2002/0028505 A1, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto discloses a desulfation apparatus to be mounted in automobiles, which is arranged between a fuel tank and an injector of an engine, the apparatus comprising a combination of a sulfur-containing compound adsorbent for adsorbing and concentrating the sulfur-containing compound and a sulfur-containing compound oxidizing agent or oxidation catalyst for oxidizing the adsorbed sulfur-containing compound, the apparatus further comprising a means for recovering and removing the resulting sulfur-containing oxide.
However, there remains a need for devices, especially fuel filters, that could reduce the amount of sulfur containing compounds in an internal combustion fuel stream to a desirable concentration, especially to concentrations of 3 ppm or less.
It would also be advantageous if such a fuel filter could be regenerated, that is, could distribute some or all of the stored sulfur containing compounds in order to extend the life cycle or capacity of the fuel filter. It would be particularly advantageous if such regeneration could occur without imposing a deleterious effect upon the NOx adsorber or upon engine exhaust emissions. It would also be desirable if such a fuel filter could thus extend the life cycle of NOx adsorbers by reducing the frequency of desulfation.

Apparatus and method for storing and releasing sulfur containing aromatic compounds from a fuel stream of an internal combustion engine


The present disclosure is directed to a microfluidic die that includes a first larger heater and a second smaller heater is a single chamber. The first heater is configured to form a primary bubble that ejects fluid from a nozzle associated with the chamber. The second heater is configured to form a secondary bubble to prevent blow back caused when the primary bubble bursts and ejects fluid from the nozzle. The first and second heater may be coupled to a single input trace and a single ground trace.

Technical Field
The present disclosure is directed to a microfluidic delivery system including a die having multiple heaters in a single chamber.
Description of the Related Art
Microfluidic die are utilized in printers for ejection of drops of ink onto paper. FIG. 1 is an enhanced view of a fluidic path from an inlet 7 into a chamber 17 and through a nozzle 11 of a microfluidic die 13 of a known type. The nozzle 11 is formed through a nozzle plate 15 that is positioned over the chamber 17. In this view, the nozzle plate 15 has been cut along a center line of the nozzle to show a cross-section of the nozzle 11. In particular, the nozzle 11 has a lower opening 19 with a first diameter 29 that is significantly larger than a second diameter 31 of an upper opening 21. Walls of the nozzle are sloped between the lower opening 19 and the upper opening 21.
FIG. 2A is a top down view showing relative sizes of elements of the microfluidic die of FIG. 1. FIG. 2B is a cross-section view along line 2B-2B of FIG. 2A. The die 13 includes a single heater 23 that is positioned below the chamber 17. The heater 23 may be square with sides that each has a first dimension 25. The chamber 17 is also square, with sides each having a second dimension 27. The nozzle 11 includes the lower opening 19, which is larger than area of the chamber 17. The nozzle 11 includes the much smaller upper opening 21, which has the second diameter 31.
The heater 23 is configured to heat ink in the chamber 17. As the heater 23 reaches a threshold temperature, a bubble is formed in the chamber 17. When the bubble explodes, ink is ejected out of the nozzle. As the bubble explodes, ink that is not ejected can be pushed back into the inlet. This can create inefficiencies the microfluidic die.

Microfluidic die with multiple heaters in a chamber


A furniture assembly includes a housing unit, a table top, and one or more folding tables. Each folding table includes a base and an x-shaped leg assembly coupled to the base. The base includes two support beams disposed along a first pair of opposite ends of a perimeter of a bottom surface thereof, and one or more support bars coupled between the two support beams. The x-shaped leg assembly includes a first rectangular frame having a first leg and a second leg connected by a first cross beam proximal to the bottom surface of the base, and a second rectangular frame mechanically coupled to the first rectangular frame and the base. The first cross beam has one or more channels for accommodating each of the one or more support bars and moves along them between the two support beams to fold and unfold the folding table.

Every home is filled with furniture, whether it be tables and chairs or couches and side tables. However, people who live in smaller houses or apartments do not have the luxury of furnishing their homes with a wide range of furniture because of the limited floor space available to them. Accordingly, it is desirable to have a space-saving furniture assembly that would allow people to have furniture that meets all of their needs while not taking up their precious home floor space.
Similarly, people find home furniture difficult and time-consuming to assemble or disassemble. Various furniture assembly instructions require the use of tools and hardware for both assembly and disassembly, and could takes hours to perform. Even when assembly is complete, furniture can be a hassle to move and takes a lot of time to disassemble. Accordingly, it is desirable to have furniture that requires little time and energy to assemble, and similarly, to disassemble.


A clamp-style sheet metal nut having a self-centering strip. The nut has two legs resiliently spaced apart. One leg has a threaded boss, the other leg has a through-bore for accepting the thread fastener. The self-centering strip is formed by twisting an annular strip of metal cut from the second leg and supported by a pair of resilient arms. The self-centering strip forms a circular aperture for accepting the threaded member and extends up into the bore of the carrier plate.

It is known to connect material to a carrier plate using a clamp-type sheet metal nut which is slipped onto a carrier plate. The sheet metal nut consists of two legs, connected to each other, with a pretapped plunged boss in one leg and a through-bore for a screw in the other leg. An annular centering strip is formed around at least three-fourths of the circumference of the through-bore; the rear region of the centering strip bends diagonally upward towards the threaded leg.
This type of slip-on nut is used for connecting a carrier plate, such as an auto body of a motor vehicle, to another component or sheet. The centering strip offers the advantage that the threaded portion of the sheet metal nut, when the former is being slipped on, is fixed precisely over the fastening hole of the carrier plate. When driving in the screw, the sheet metal nut no longer must be held, which means that assembly is greatly facilitated, particularly when the fastening hole is difficult to access.
If the sheet metal of the carrier plate is coated with a protective coating, e.g., a lacquer coating, then it should not be damaged by the fastening process. Therefore it is important that, as the sheet metal nut is being slipped on, the centering strip be able to spring back softly and, in this connection, without spring into the hole of the clamping leg from which the centering strip has been cut without damage. In order to fulfill said requirement, the centering strip in the prior art of the invention, in accordance with DE 2,828,078 C2, is cut such that it is surrounded by a region which has been cut free. However, the clamping leg must be of a wider design for the free punch, and requires a correspondingly wider sheet metal strip as starting material. In addition, the increased leg width may become an obstacle for narrow spatial conditions.

Clamp-like sheet metal nut with centering strip


Systems of battery cells and batteries are monitored via sensing probes arranged in assemblies providing digital output signals which indicate sensed physical parameters. Digital data strings are provided to the probes and modified to reflect present values of the sensed physical parameters. The resulting digital data strings are processed and compared to stored historical data to monitor and forecast performance of a system of connected batteries.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for monitoring performance of a system of battery cells and batteries, such as liquid electrolyte lead-acid batteries for example, and for predicting future performance of such systems and batteries based on historical data and projections developed by comparing such historical data with contemporaneously measured data.

Battery performance monitoring and forecasting system


The heterogeneous procatalyst of this disclosure includes a titanium species; a hydrocarbon soluble transition metal compound having a structure M(OR1)z; a chlorinating agent having a structure A(Cl)x(R2)3-x, and a magnesium chloride component. M of M(OR1)z is a non-reducing transition metal other than titanium, the non-reducing transition metal being in an oxidation state of +2 or +3. Each R1 is independently (C1-C30)hydrocarbyl or —C(O)R11, where R11 is (C1-C30)hydrocarbyl. Subscript z of M(OR1)z is 2 or 3. Each R1 and R11 may be optionally substituted with one or more than one halogen atoms, or one or more than one —Si(RS)3, where each RS is (C1-C30)hydrocarbyl. A of A(Cl)x(R2)3-x is aluminum or boron; R2 is (C1-C30)hydrocarbyl; and x is 1, 2, or 3; and a magnesium chloride component.

Olefin-based polymers such as ethylene-based polymers and propylene-based polymers are produced using various catalysts. The components of such catalysts used in the polymerization process of the olefin-based polymers are important factors contributing to the characteristics and properties of such olefin-based polymers.
Ethylene-based polymers are manufactured for use in a wide variety of articles. The polyethylene polymerization process can be varied in a number of respects to produce a wide variety of resultant polyethylene resins having different physical properties that render the various resins suitable for use in different applications. Hydrogen may also be added to the reactor. The catalysts for producing ethylene-based polymers may typically comprise a chromium-based catalyst, a Ziegler-Natta catalyst, and/or a molecular (either metallocene or non-metallocene) catalyst. Either periodically or continuously, part of the reaction mixture, including the polyethylene product formed, together with unreacted ethylene and one or more optional co-monomers, is removed from the reactor. The reaction mixture, when removed from the reactor, may be processed to remove the polyethylene product from the unreacted reactants, with the unreacted reactants typically being recycled back into the reactor. Alternatively, the reaction mixture may be sent to a second reactor, serially connected to the first reactor, where a second polyethylene fraction may be produced.
Conventional polymers produced by Ziegler-Natta catalysts generally contain relatively large amounts of high density fractions. A reduction in the high density fraction may potentially allow for improvement in optical and film mechanical properties. Despite the research efforts in developing catalysts suitable for ethylene polymerization, there is still a need to develop Ziegler-Natta catalysts that are capable of producing ethylene-based polymers having a small amount of high density fraction, especially to develop such catalysts which have high catalyst efficiency.

Ziegler-Natta catalysts for the production of polyethylene


The invention relates to a method for recovery of hydrocarbons present in an underground formation by injection of a saline aqueous solution comprising at least one surfactant, by means of a numerical flow simulator including a model of the evolution of the interfacial tension between the saline aqueous solution and the hydrocarbons as a function at least of salinity, wherein the interfacial tension evolution model is calibrated as follows: i) carrying out interfacial tension measurements for a plurality of emulsions having distinct salinity values corresponding at least to the optimum salinity, to two salinities bounding the optimum salinity in a 5-10% limit, to the zero salinity and to the solubility limit of the salts; ii) determining the constants of the interfacial tension evolution model by minimizing a difference between the model and the interfacial tension measurements.

The following documents are mentioned in the description hereafter:    C. Preux, I. Malinouskaya, Q. L. Nguyen, E. Flauraud, and S. Ayache, Reservoir-Simulation Model with Surfactant Flooding Including Salinity and Thermal Effect, Using Laboratory Experiments, SPE Reservoir Characterisation and Simulation Conference and Exhibition, 17-19 September, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 2019.    C. Huh, Exxon production Research Company, Interfacial tensions and solubilizing ability of a microemulsion phase that coexists with oil and brine, 1979, 19p.    Vonnegut, B. Rotating bubble method for the determination of surface and interfacial tensions. Rev. Sci. Instr. 1942, 13, 6-16.    WINSOR (P.).—Solvent properties of amphiphilic compounds. Butterworth Londres (1954).    Leroy, S., Douarche, F., Tabary, R., Peysson, Y., Moreau, P., Preux, C. (2016). Multi-objective assisted inversion of chemical EOR corefloods for improving the predictive capacity of numerical models. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 146, pp 1101-1115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2016.08.015.
Petroleum reservoir exploitation consists in determining the reservoir zones with the best petroleum potential, in defining hydrocarbon recovery schemes for these zones (in order to define the recovery type, the number and positions of the exploitation wells allowing optimum hydrocarbon recovery), in drilling exploitation wells and, in general terms, in putting in place the production Infrastructures necessary for reservoir development.
In the case of enhanced recovery by injection of a saline aqueous solution comprising at least one surfactant, a scheme for recovering the hydrocarbons contained in the formation is defined. Generally, a scheme for oil recovery from an underground formation may require numerical simulation, in the most realistic manner possible, of the flow of this aqueous solution comprising the surfactant through the underground formation considered. Such a simulation is performed using a flow simulator comprising a displacement model for the aqueous solution containing the surfactant, also commonly referred to as "surfactant displacement model".
Conventionally, the surfactant displacement model is based on the assumption that the interfacial tension of the surfactant-containing water decreases. Thus, a flow simulator capable of simulating the flow of a saline aqueous solution comprising at least one surfactant through an underground formation containing hydrocarbons includes a model of the evolution of the interfacial tension between the water (the saline aqueous solution comprising a surfactant) and the oil (hydrocarbons).
As described in the document (Preux et al., 2019), the interfacial tension of a water-oil-surfactant system notably depends on at least one parameter such as the salinity of the saline aqueous solution, the surfactant concentration and/or temperature.
Construction of an interfacial tension evolution model generally consists in performing laboratory measurements for different parameter values (different salinity values for example) and in seeking the constants of an analytical expression for an interfacial tension evolution model according to this or these parameter(s) allowing the model thus calibrated to best adjust the measurements performed.
In the case of surfactant concentration dependence of the interfacial tension, which is a well-known behaviour in the literature, the interfacial tension just needs to be measured for one or two concentration values corresponding to minimum interfacial tensions. Indeed, the curves showing the determination of the critical micelle concentration (CMC) are sufficiently known to require determining only the points of the interfacial tension at CMC and of the interfacial tension at Infinity.
The same applies to the temperature dependence of the interfacial tension: to calibrate the models commonly used so far, the measurements just need to be performed at the temperature of the underground formation and at the temperature of the underground formation surface.
As regards the salinity dependence of the interfacial tension evolution, the current models known from the literature are simplified models. For example, the document (Leray et al., 2016) describes a correlation of the interfacial tension with the salinity of symmetric form with respect to a characteristic salinity value, known as optimum salinity (see definition below). However, a wide range of surfactants does not take part in a symmetric evolution of the interfacial tension as a function of salinity, in relation to the optimum salinity.
Moreover, the interfacial tension is generally not constant in an underground formation and it is different from the interfacial tension of the injected water. Determining a model representative of the evolution of the interfacial tension as a function of salinity is therefore complex.
One object of the invention is to determine a realistic model of the interfacial tension evolution as a function of the salinity of a saline aqueous solution comprising at least one surfactant, injected into an underground formation comprising hydrocarbons.
In particular, the present invention provides a rigorous method for calibration of the constants involved in an analytical expression of a model of the interfacial tension evolution as a function of salinity. In addition, this interfacial tension model calibration methodology allows to limit the number of laboratory experiments to be carried out.
Furthermore, the model according to the invention is applicable to surfactants having a non-symmetric behaviour with respect to the optimum salinity.

Method for hydrocarbon recovery from an underground formation by injection of a saline aqueous solution comprising a surfactant


In realizing a user recognition system and a method thereof, a user feature vector is extracted from an input facial image, and at least one cluster is generated and a user feature template is enrolled. The cluster includes the feature vector as a member of it. When a user facial image is inputted, a user feature vector is extracted from the image, and a similarity between the feature vector and the user feature template is calculated. When the similarity is greater than a predetermined threshold value, a user of the user feature template is recognized as the user of the input image.

1. Field of the Invention
This application relates generally to a user recognition system and a method thereof, and more particularly to a user recognition system recognizing a user from an input facial and/or other bodily feature image(s) and a method thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Concerning communication and interaction between a human and a robot, it is vital for the robot to recognize a human. With such a capability to recognize, the robot can authorize a recognized user and may provide customized service for each recognized individual user.
The biometrics technology, which is based on the physical and behavioral features of a human body, is considered to be a very promising method of recognizing a user. There are several biometrics methods including face recognition, voice recognition, gait recognition, etc. that are applied to recognize a user by a robot or a machine. The face recognition is the most commonly used human recognition method implemented in a robot system or machine since a user need not come in close contact with the machine, and thus the face recognition method is advantageous for its ability for remote recognition.
Similar to other recognition methods, the face recognition method has been studied for its use in security systems. Many types of the face recognition method that have been studied up to now are broadly classified into the feature matching algorithm and the template matching algorithm. The mainstream face recognition methods include Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Elastic Bunch graph matching, Linear Discrimination Analysis (LDA), and Local Feature Analysis (LFA), and various studies have proven that all these given methods are highly effective in face recognition.
However, as it has been revealed from the various studies, the above-mentioned face recognition methods are vulnerable to environmental factors such as lighting conditions and pose variations of a user. These studies that achieved excellent recognition performance results in face recognition were conducted under a well-controlled environment (i.e., consistent lighting, front face, etc.). Under the well-controlled environment, a user to be recognized by a robot would face the robot in front, and the lighting conditions would be similar to the lighting conditions when the user is enrolled by the robot.
However, the lighting conditions and the user poses will vary in an environment where humans and a mobile robot dynamically interact with each other, and thus it is difficult to maintain the same lighting condition and pose. A conventional face recognition method focused on a security system requires a user to be cooperative. However, it would be difficult to expect a user to look for a robot and to become cooperative when the robot continually monitors the images in order to recognize the user identifications.
Although there are various conventional methods dealing with recognition of facial appearances under varying lighting and user pose conditions, the process for carrying out the conventional methods is too complex and difficult to realize in real-time.
Any effective face recognition method has to overcome the expected and problematic environmental variations when the method is applied to a mobile robot.
The disclosure in this Background section is intended only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and may contain information that are not prior art.

User recognition system and method thereof

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


The present invention relates to the forming of amorphous or near-amorphous, ternary films of W-Si-N on substrates by chemical vapor deposition of WF.sub.6, SiH.sub.4 and NH.sub.3 and a carrier gas. The present invention method will allow the conformal forming of amorphous or near-amorphous, ternary films of W-Si-N on patterned non-planar substrates at temperatures at or below about 450.degree. C., by chemical vapor deposition of WF.sub.6, SiH.sub.4 and NH.sub.3 and a carrier gas. A typical temperature range for the formation of the films is between 473.degree. K. and 773.degree. K., while the reactor pressure can be varied between 0.1 to 50 Torr. The composition of the deposited films is adjusted by varying the flow ratios of the reactive gases.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the forming of amorphous or near-amorphous, ternary films of W-Si-N on substrates at temperatures at or below about 450.degree. C., by chemical vapor deposition of WF.sub.6, SiH.sub.4 and NH.sub.3 and a carrier gas.
2. Description of Related Art
Experiments have established that films of amorphous or near-amorphous structure and metallic conductivity of a ternary composition W-Si-N can be synthesized by sputtering of a W.sub.5 Si.sub.3 target with argon that contains an admixture of nitrogen. As discussed by L. E. Halperin, et al., in "Silicon Schottky Barriers and p-n Junctions with Highly Stable Aluminum Contact Metallization", IEEE Electron Device Letters Vol. 12, No. 6, p. 309-311 (1991) and by E. Kolawa et al., in "Sputtered Ta-Si-N Diffusion Barriers in Cu Metallizations for Si", IEEE Electron Device Letters, Vol. 12, No. 6, p. 321-323 (1991), these films are excellent diffusion barriers for copper and other metals used as contact and interconnection materials in devices and integrated circuits of silicon and other semiconductors.
A drawback of the reactive sputter-deposition is the inadequate conformality of the film when it is deposited on a finely patterned non-planar substrate, as are typically encountered in advanced integrated circuits. Conformality is an essential requirement for diffusion barriers.

Synthesis of W-Si-N films by chemical vapor deposition using WF.sub.6, SiH.sub.4 and NH.sub.3


A voice coding device capable of preventing overall quality degradation even when the bit rate for coding is lowered. The voice coding device codes a wide band signal in a first layer, and codes an extended band signal whose frequency band is located in higher frequency than the wide band signal in an extended band layer. An adaptive band selection unit (301) selects a frequency band to be excluded from a coding object in the extended band layer or a frequency band whose energy is to be attenuated in the extended band layer. A band-limited signal generation unit (302) excludes, within the frequency band of an input signal, the frequency band selected by the adaptive band selection unit (301) from the coding object, or attenuates the energy of the frequency band selected by the adaptive band selection unit (301).

In a mobile communication system, effective utilization of radio spectrum resources requires a speech signal to be compressed to a low bit rate before being transmitted. On the other hand, it is desired to improve the telephone speech quality and achieve a highly realistic communication service. In order to achieve such a communication service, it is desirable to perform high-quality encoding of a speech signal, a music signal, and the like with a broader frequency band.
A technique that hierarchically integrates a plurality of encoding techniques is regarded as promising for achieving these conflicting demands. This technique hierarchically combines a first layer that encodes an input signal up to a wide band (0 kHz to 7 kHz) and an extended band layer that encodes a super-wide band (7 kHz to 16 kHz) by using the input signal and the decoded signal of the first layer. Hereinafter, the frequency band encoded by the first layer (0 kHz to 7 kHz) is called the wide band part, and the frequency band encoded by the extended band layer (7 kHz to 16 kHz) is called the extended band part. FIG. 1 shows the wide band part and the extended band part in the input signal spectrum.
Because the technique performing such hierarchical encoding has scalability of a bit stream outputted from an encoding apparatus, that is, has the characteristic of being able to obtain a decoded signal from the information of even a part of the bit stream, it is generally referred to as scalable encoding (layer encoding).
Because of the nature of scalable encoding that enables flexible communication between networks having different bit rates, scalable encoding can be said to be suited for a future network environment, in which diverse networks are integrated by IP protocols.
An example of the implementation of scalable encoding using a technique that has been standardized by ITU-T (International Telecommunications Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector) is disclosed in Non-Patent Literature 1. This technique encodes a wide band signal in the first layer and performs encoding in an extended band layer by generating a signal of the extended band layer from a signal of the wide band layer. Using this type of scalable configuration can achieve high sound quality of decoded speech signal and a music signal which has a wider frequency band than a speech signal has.
In the case of an encoding system that encodes a signal up to a super-wide band to achieve high sound quality, because the frequency band of the signal is wide and the amount of encoding information is large, the bit rate becomes high. In wireless communication, because the bit rate allocated for speech communication is limited, there is a need to make the bit rate for speech communication as low as possible. In general, since the radio spectrum resources in wireless communication are limited, it is necessary to restrict the communication channel capacity on individual links. Therefore, the total bit rate for a speech codec is to be restricted to approximately 16 kbps.

Voice coding device, voice decoding device, voice coding method and voice decoding method

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA


The electronic flash unit disclosed comprises: a transformer (14) to vary voltages of a power supply; an accumulator (16) composed of a main capacitor (17) to charge an electric energy supplied from the transformer (14); a lamp unit (4) provided with a flashlamp (20), set inside of a reflector (19), that flashes by discharging of energy storages in the main capacitor (17) upon applying a voltage on a trigger terminal (21); and a trigger circuit (10) to generate the voltage to apply on the trigger terminal (21), wherein at least the lamp unit (4) is coated with an insulation material.

FIG. 7 shows a typical electronic flash unit basically comprising: flashlamp 20 for instance a xenon lamp (set inside of a reflector, but not shown); lamp unit 4 provided with trigger terminal 21; trigger circuit 10 provided with trigger coil 11 and trigger capacitor 13; transformer 14 composed of transformer coil 15; accumulator 16 composed of main capacitor 17; and power source 22 composed of DC source 23. Main capacitor 17, on a charged condition of for instance 300 V by DC source 23, allows trigger circuit 10 to apply a several kV of trigger voltage on trigger terminal 21 of flashlamp 20, thereby causing flashlamp 20 to ignite for flashing by discharging the power storage in main capacitor 17.
Other types of electronic flash units would have dimming circuits 25 provided with Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) 26, optical sensor 27 or the like added to the aforesaid configuration to control the amount of flashing light by dimming circuits 25.
A lot of conventional electronic flash units like described above are used in various kinds of cameras such as silver film cameras, well known digital cameras employing CCD or CMOS sensor as an imaging element, and single-use-cameras having a simplified structure of a film incorporated with a lens unit and the electronic flash unit built-in the camera body.
As portable telecommunication terminals or cell-phones capable of transmitting stored images using built-in digital camera have become popular in the market, electronic flash units detachable to the cell-phones have also begun to be provided. Along with recent trends of downsizing in cameras and cell-phones, or built-in design in cell-phones, a more compact sized electronic flash units are required to meet the market needs.
Downsizing of the electronic flash unit, however, cannot be achieved without solving the problem of so-called "trigger leak". The trigger leak means a poor flashing due to occurring a creeping discharge that results in an ineffective ionization in flashlamp 20 caused by a decrease in clearance between trigger terminal 21 provided on the glass bulb of flashlamp 20 and main electrode 20a of flashlamp 20.

Electronic flash unit and manufacturing method thereof


A method for plastic sheet manufacturing whereby a layered body including a film is made to pass through a nip portion formed by a pair of belts, each having a joint portion, causing the layered body to be integrated to manufacture a plastic sheet. Before integration, the position of each of the joint portions is detected and the timing at which the layered body enters the nip portion is controlled in accordance with the detected positions. A plastic sheet manufacturing apparatus implements the plastic sheet manufacturing method.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plastic sheet manufacturing method, and to a plastic sheet manufacturing apparatus that laminates films which transmit light, and in which an image is directly formed (recorded) by an electrophotographic image forming device. More specifically, the invention relates to a manufacturing method, and to a manufacturing apparatus of plastic sheets used as information media containing personal information and/or image information which is read out by either a non-contact or contact reading method. Examples of applications are documents containing a facial portrait such as cash cards, employment identity cards, student identity cards, personal membership cards, residency certificates, various types of driving licenses, and various certificates of qualifications. Other applications, in the medical field, are for purposes of identification, such as image sheets, image display boards and display labels.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, along with the development of image forming techniques, means have been developed of forming a considerable number of images of a uniform quality at a low price by using various printing methods such as intaglio printing, relief printing, planographic printing, gravure printing, and screen printing. These printing methods are also often used in surface printing of information media which store predetermined information, and which are communicable with external devices in either a contact or non-contact manner. Examples of such media are integrated circuit cards, magnetic cards, optical cards and cards in which at least two of these categories of card are combined.
However, screen printing, for example, requires substantial numbers of printing plates, of a quantity identical to the number of images to be printed, and, in the case of color printing, screen printing further requires printing plates of a quantity identical to the number of colors to be used in each image. Accordingly, these printing methods are unsuitable for printing of personal identification information on an individual basis (e.g., facial portraits, names, addresses, dates of birth, and various types of license).
The image forming method which is generally used at the present time to print such information is one in which printers print images by a sublimation type thermal transfer system using an ink ribbon, or by a fusion type thermal transfer system. By using such printing methods, personal identification information can be easily printed. However, when a printing speed is increased, the quality of resolution is diminished. On the other hand, when the quality of resolution is enhanced, the printing speed is reduced.
In contrast, in an image forming (printing) method using an electrophotographic system, the surface of an image holding member is electrostatically and uniformly charged, and exposed to light according to an image signal. An electrostatic latent image is formed by the difference in electric potential between exposed portions and unexposed portions, and then electrostatically developed with colored powder (image forming material), called a toner, and having a polarity opposite to, (or the same as), that of the charged portions of the image holding member. As a result, a visible image (toner image) is formed on the image holding member surface. In circumstances when a color image is formed, these steps can be repeated several times, or alternatively image forming units can be arranged in parallel so as to form visible color images. The visible color images are transferred and fixed onto an image recording medium so that a full color image is obtained. In this context, fixing means melting the colored powder, mainly by heat, and then cooling it.
Since, as mentioned above, in the electrophotographic system, the electrostatic latent image is electrically formed on the image holding member surface according to an image signal, identical images can be repeatedly formed, and, as and when different images are required, the can also be easily formed. Further, the toner image on the image holding member surface can be almost completely transferred onto the surface of the image recording medium, and a minute amount of toner remaining on the image holding member surface can be easily removed by a resin blade, or by a brush. Accordingly, printed materials for multi-product small-batch production can easily be manufactured.
The toner is usually formed by melting and mixing a hot-melt resin and a pigment, together with on occasions optional additives such as a charge control agent, and then grinding the resultant kneaded matter into particles. Further, an electrostatic latent image obtained by means of the electrophotographic system has a much higher degree of resolution than the particulate toner, and thus a satisfactory degree of resolution can be expected even when compared with the degree of resolution obtained both in screen printing and in thermal transfer using an ink ribbon.
As for color images, color toners having four primary colors, namely cyan, magenta, yellow and black, can be used. By mixing these toners, colors similar to those obtained by printing can theoretically be reproduced. As for the color toners, since a toner resin and a pigment can be mixed comparatively freely, an image masking property of the toners can easily be enhanced.
Examples where various cards printed by use of the electrophotographic device described above include the following.
One method has been suggested in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2001-92255 in which not only various kinds of personal information but also an invisible bar code are printed by means of the electrophotographic method on a polyvinyl chloride sheet of a thickness of 250 μm, or on a polyester sheet of a thickness of 280 μm, and a film is then laminated on the printed surface of the sheet by a hot-press machine.
However, since a friction coefficient between the sheets is too extreme, and the sheets accordingly adhere to each other, the conveyance properties of the sheets are poor and the electrophotographic device may on occasions stop. Moreover, it is difficult to transfer satisfactorily an image forming material (toner) onto an insulator (sheet) of a thickness of 250 μm or more, and on occasions defects in images may increase. Further, when an attempt is made to use an electrophotographic device to print an image on a resin film which is softened at a comparatively low temperature, a fixing temperature in a fixing step can be higher than the softening temperature of the film, and therefore the film may soften, and may adhere to and wind around a fixing unit, causing jamming. Moreover, the image forming material may offset onto the fixing unit, and furthermore, when fixing of a sheet of a thickness of 250 μm is continued, an edge (corner) of the sheet may damage the fixing unit excessively.
It has also been suggested that personal identification information be printed on a sheet which transmits light, and that printing be executed by using a reflected image (for example, see JP-A No. 11-334265). However, as regards the sheet which transmits light, this application merely discloses that at least a part of the sheet is preferably a biaxially oriented polyester film, or a film in which the biaxially oriented polyester film is combined with a film made of ABS or polyester, but may be polyvinyl chloride.
Therefore, since the film in this specification is simply an insulator, defects occur during the transfer of the image forming material onto the film surface, and thus it is not possible to secure a degree of resolution equivalent to that obtainable with a thermal transfer system. Further, the laminate sheet used in this device, in which emphasis is placed on an improvement in productivity, is in the form of a roll. Therefore, in order to cope with an emergency or with multi-product production in which different data for different persons needs to be printed on cards, considerable loss and waste may occur.
Furthermore, consideration has barely yet been given to the question of automatizing not only the image forming onto the film which transmits light but also the steps of transporting and laminating the film, which transmits light and onto which an image has been formed, and a core sheet (base material). From the viewpoint of improving productivity, it is necessary to re-appraise the above steps and to design a manufacturing apparatus.
With regard to a manufacturing apparatus for automatizing the laminating step, for example, a device has been suggested in which a pair of upper and lower rollers on an inlet side and a pair of upper and lower rollers on an outlet side are held up in parallel, and an endless belt is wound around at least the lower roller on the inlet side and the lower roller on the outlet side, and the rollers on the inlet side are used as a heating unit and the rollers on the outlet side are used as a cooling unit (for example, see JP-A No. 2-25331.
However, from the viewpoint of costs, the endless belt used in the above apparatus is generally formed by welding a metal plate of stainless steel. On such an endless belt, the welded joint portion is not level with other portions. When the uneven joint portion is opposed to the plastic sheet manufactured at the time of lamination, a trace of the uneven joint portion remains on the plastic sheet manufactured, and thus this sheet can turn into a defective product.
Accordingly, there is a need for a plastic sheet manufacturing method and a plastic sheet manufacturing apparatus with which plastic sheets of a high degree of resolution, can be consistently manufactured to a high level of productivity, without producing defective products.
There is also a need for a plastic sheet manufacturing apparatus which, even when used together with an image forming device which is not significantly different from a conventional electrophotographic device, can consistently manufacture plastic sheets of a high degree of resolution to a high level of productivity, without producing defective products.

Plastic sheet manufacturing method and plastic sheet manufacturing apparatus