A human-powered, electrical generation system for intermittently receiving mechanical energy from a human and storing that mechanical energy. The stored mechanical energy is used to turn a generator that produces electrical power that is stored in a rechargeable battery. An optional inverter converts the DC power stored in the battery to AC power. A mechanical energy controller is provided to regulates the release of the stored mechanical energy. This allows intermittent energy release so that an intermittent electrical load may be properly supplied over a relatively long period of time without need for repeated energy input from the human. Mechanical energy may be stored in a spring arrangement or in a pressurized hydraulic reservoir. Hand cranks, levers, and pedals in optional combination with a gear box or multi-speed hub may be provided to add energy to the mechanical energy storage apparatus.

Today's society, at least in the industrialized parts of the world, has become almost totally dependent upon electricity. This presents several problems. First, the demand upon generation and transmission capacity occasionally overcomes the ability to generate and distribute enough power to meet the demand. This leads to all too common power brownouts and, in extreme cases, to complete blackouts. A second problem involves building transmission and distribution lines reaching into more and more remote regions as the population abandons urban and suburban areas and moves to such remote areas. Also, although stand-alone electrical generator systems have long been available for use in areas not served by the electrical transmission grid, the use of such portable generators presents another set of problems.
Portable generators, powered by a hydrocarbon fuel such as gasoline or diesel fuel typically produce inordinate amounts of pollution relative to the amount of electrical power generated. As the world struggles with greenhouse gas effects, such pollution becomes more and more problematic. Also, fuel must transported to the portable generator's location which may also present logistical, cost, and safety problems. For example, in dry woods or forest regions, even a small spark, such as from an improperly spark-suppressed internal combustion engine used by a camper or other visitor could start a forests fire.
Solar energy is emerging as a source of electrical power for use in remote areas. While solar power is generally non-polluting, the capital expense is typically high. In addition, many parts of the world experience insufficient sunshine to make solar power totally reliable at a particular time of need. Even in more sunny climes, of course, solar power cannot be generated at night.
Fuel cells are yet another portable source of electrical power. At the present time, at least two problems prevent their widespread use, at least in non-military applications. Initial cost of small, portable fuel cells is still high. In addition, many fuel cells require gaseous hydrogen as a fuel which is not yet readily available in the consumer market. Hydrogen also presents a safety hazard if improperly handled.
Human and animal-powered electrical generators have also been used but, heretofore, have not provided practical amounts of electricity to operate a refrigerator, for example, for extended periods of time.

Portable, human-powered electrical energy source


Disclosed is a method for producing a conductive film, which includes a silver metal forming step for forming a silver metal portion by exposing and developing a photosensitive material which has a silver salt-containing layer containing a silver salt on a supporting body, and a smoothing step for smoothing the silver metal portion. The smoothing step is performed by calender roll at a line pressure of not less than 1960 N/cm (200 kgf/cm). Consequently, the surface resistance of the film after development can be reduced in production of a conductive film which is effective for shielding electromagnetic waves.

Problems of electro-magnetic interference (EMI) have been rapidly increasing in recent years along with increase in use of various electric and applied-electronic equipments. It has been indicated that the EMI causes malfunction or failure of the electronic or electric equipment, and further causes health disorder of an operator of the equipment. Therefore, the electronic and electric equipments are required to limit the intensity of an electromagnetic wave therefrom to a standard or a regulation.
The electromagnetic wave has to be shielded to solve the EMI problems, and a metal, which has a non-transmissivity to the electromagnetic wave, can be utilized for the shielding. For example, the electromagnetic wave can be shielded by a method of using a housing of a metal or a highly conductive material, a method of inserting a metal plate between circuit boards, a method of covering a cable with a metal foil, etc. However, display devices such as CRTs and PDPs need to have a transparent surface such that the operator can recognize characters, etc. shown in the screen.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-013088    Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-024485    Patent Document 3: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-041682    Patent Document 4: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-221564    Patent Document 5: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-221565    Patent Document 6: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-332459

Conductive film and method for producing the same


A first plurality of address bits is provided to an address bus during a first time period. At least one banking address bit or at least one non banking address bit is selected according to a banking control signal, the selected bit being part a second plurality of address bits. The second plurality of address bits is multiplexed onto the address bus during a second time period. A first selector circuit receives a first and second group of address bits for a memory and outputs the first and second group during a first and second time period, respectively, according to a first select signal. A second selector circuit provides a subset of the second group to the first selector circuit, the second selector circuit selects a banking address group or a non banking address group as the subset according to a memory banking enable signal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to computers and more particularly to addressing of computer memories.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many computer system architectures have inherent limits on the size of memory available to the system. For example, in '186 processors, i.e., processors compatible with the 80186 processor, the address range is limited to 1 Mbyte. The Motorola HS68000 processor is limited to 16 Mbytes. In order to extend the address range beyond those limitations, address banking provides one solution for interfacing with devices such as SRAM, Flash memory, and ROM, which do not have multiplexed address buses. For such memory devices, banking schemes utilize one or more address bits which are set external to the processor's normal addressing calculation. One way to provide these extra address bits would be to use the programmable input/output (PIOs) of the AM186.TM.ES. Because these bits are programmable, they can be written to the appropriate value to provide entry to or exit from a memory bank.
One example of a banking technique for use with devices with non-multiplexed addresses, is shown in FIG. 1. AM186.TM.ES processor 107, with an address range of 1 Mbyte, could utilize PIO bits 20-23 to expand the 1 Mbyte address range of the '186 to 2.5 Mbytes.
In more detail, in the exemplary system shown in FIG. 1, the upper memory chip select (UCS), is mapped to the upper 256 Kbytes of the 1 Mbyte address space and provides access to the flash memory 101 (which may be, e.g., AM29F010 flash memory) containing 256 Kbytes (128K.times.8).times.2). The lower memory chip select (LCS), is mapped to the lower 256 Kbytes, and provides access to memory 103. The middle chip select (MCS0) is mapped to 256 Kbytes of address space and is used to address flash memory 105. Thus, memory banking is provided in the address space of block 203. The PIO bits are used to select one of 16 independent Flash segments of 256 Kbytes each in flash memory 105. Thus, the system in FIG. 1 provides a total of 2.5 Mbytes of address space and provides expanded memory capability without any glue logic, i.e., logic between the processor and the memory providing e.g., address decoding.
However, the above scheme will not work for Dynamic Random Access Memories (DRAMs) because DRAMS require multiplexing the address into row and column addresses. That is, DRAMs require that the address be split into rows and columns with the row address being provided to the DRAM during a first time period (row access strobe (RAS) cycle) and the column addresses being provided to the DRAM during a second time period (column access strobe (CAS) cycle). Multiplexing the row and column addresses reduces the number of address pins required on a DRAM and enables, e.g., a twenty bit address to be provided to a DRAM with only 10 address pins. However, it makes the banking schemes previously discussed unsuitable because of the need to incorporate the banked address into the multiplexed address. It would be desirable to provide expanded memory capability for DRAMs where multiplexed addresses are required. Further, it would be desirable to provide a glueless (no peripheral logic required) interface that provides DRAM banking capability. Thus, it would be desirable to find a way to multiplex in extra address bits to provide banking capability for DRAMs, i.e., increased address capability.

Method and apparatus for banking addresses for DRAMS


A driving apparatus of an electroluminescent display device includes: a scan driving unit for receiving a voltage from a single voltage source and sequentially supplying a scan pulse of which polarity is reversed by the frame unit to scan lines; and a data driving unit for receiving the voltage and sequentially supplying a data pulse with an opposite polarity to the polarity of the scan pulse to data lines. An optimum voltage to a pixel cell can be supplied by completely removing electric charges charged in the pixel cell by reversing a positive pulse or a negative pulse generated by a single power source by the frame unit and supplying it to each data line and scan line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electroluminescent (EL) display, and more particularly, to a data driving unit and a scan driving unit that supply a data pulse and a scan pulse to a pixel cell of a panel.
2. Description of the Background Art
Recently, various flat type display devices are being developed to reduce a weight and a volume of a cathode ray tube. The panel display devices include a field emission display (FED), a plasma display panel (PDP) and an electroluminescent (EL) display.
The EL display utilizes an EL phenomenon that a light is generated by a voltage applied to a phosphor layer. Thanks to its rapid response speed, low DC drive voltage and capability of being ultra-thin compared to such an LCD, the EL display can be adaptable to wall-mounting type products or portable products.
The EL displays are classified into an inorganic EL display and an organic EL display depending on its material and structure.
FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating the cell structure of the inorganic EL panel in accordance with a conventional art.
As shown in FIG. 1, the cell 100 of the inorganic EL panel includes: an upper insulation layer 4 and a lower insulation layer 2, a phosphor layer 3 formed between the lower and upper insulation layers 2 and 4, a back electrode 1 formed on the lower insulation layer 2, and a clear electrode 5 formed on the upper insulation layer 4. The clear electrode 5 is formed at a rear surface of a glass substrate 6.
The upper and lower insulation layers 2 and 4 are made of a dielectric material. Thus, when a voltage is applied to the cell 100, the upper and lower insulation layers 2 and 4 have a certain capacitance.
The phosphor layer 3 is excited by electrons to emit a visible light. The phosphor layer 3 is made of an inorganic substance such as Zns or Mn.
The back electrode 1 is made of a conductive material such as Al. The back electrode 1 receives a scan pulse from a gate driving unit (not shown). That is, the back electrode 1 is used as a scan electrode for supplying the scan pulse to the cells 10.
The clear electrode 5 is made of a clear conductive material such as Indium-Tin-Oxide (ITO). The clear electrode 5 receives a data pulse from a data driving unit (not shown). That is, the clear electrode 5 is used as a data electrode for supplying the data pulse to the cells.
When the scan pulse is supplied to the back electrode 1 and the data pulse is applied to the clear electrode 5 (that is, a voltage is applied between the back electrode 1 and the clear electrode 5), holes are accelerated toward the back electrode 1 and electrons are accelerated toward the clear electrode 5. The electrons and the hole collide at the central portion of the phosphor layer 3. When the electrons and the hole collide, the phosphor layer 3 generates a visible light to display a certain image.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a driving apparatus of the EL panel in accordance with a conventional art.
As shown in FIG. 2, a driving apparatus of an EL display device in accordance with the conventional art includes: pixel cells 100 positioned at cross points between data lines D1˜Dn and scan lines (S1˜Sm) formed on a panel 10; a data driving unit 12 for supplying a data pulse to the data lines D1˜Dn; and a scan driving unit 14 for supplying a scan pulse to the scan lines (S1˜Sm).
The operation of the driving apparatus of the EL display device in accordance with the conventional art will now be described.
First, the data driving unit 12 supplies a data pulse to the data lines D1˜Dn. The scan driving unit 14 supplies a scan pulse and a reset pulse to the scan lines S1˜Sm.
The pixel cell 100 performs an ON/OFF operation by an electric field between the scan electrode receiving a negative (−) scan pulse from the scan driving unit 14 and the data electrode receiving a positive (+) data pulse from the data driving unit 12.
Each pixel cell 100 is equivalently connected to a capacitor (not shown).
The positive (+) pulse is supplied to the data lines D1˜Dn and the negative (−) pulse is supplied to the scan lines S1˜Sm. In this respect, in order to remove the electric charge charged in the pixel cell 100 due to the negative scan pulse, a positive pulse is supplied to the second scan line S1 after the last scan line Sm.
That is, the scan driving unit 14 receives two power sources in order to output a positive (+) pulse and a negative (−) pulse.
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing the scan driving unit of FIG. 2
As shown in FIG. 3, the scan driving unit 14 of the EL display device includes: a scan pulse supply unit 20 for generating a scan pulse and a scan drive IC (Integrated Circuit) 22 for supplying the scan pulse (SP) supplied from the scan pulse driving unit 20 to one scan line (S1) of the scan lines S1˜Sm.
The scan pulse supply unit 20 includes: first and second switching devices (SW1 and SW2) installed in parallel between a ground voltage (GND) and a scan drive IC 22; a third switching device (SW3) installed between scan pulse voltage source (−Vs) and the scan driver IC 22; and a fourth switching device (SW4) installed between a reset pulse voltage source (Vr) and a scan drive IC 22.
The operation of the scan driving unit will now be described.
The second to fourth switching devices SW1˜SW4 are turned on/off in response to a control signal supplied from a timing controller (not shown).
The first switching device SW1 and the third switching device SW3 supply a scan pulse SP to corresponding scan lines S1˜Sm alternately in response to the control signal supplied from the timing controller.
The second switching device SW2 and the fourth switching device SW4 supply a reset pulse (RP) to every scan line S1˜Sm in response to the control signal supplied from the timing controller.
The first switching device SW1 increases a voltage of the negative (−) scan pulse (SP) up to a ground voltage (GND), and the third switching device SW3 supplies a negative scan pulse (SP).
The second switching device SW2 is operated reversely to the fourth switching device SW4 and lowers down the scan pulse (SP) to a negative polarity.
The fourth switching device SW4 supplies a reset pulse RP to every scan line S1˜Sm.
A resistor (R) is a resistance device for reducing a peak current when an instantaneous voltage is applied to the scan drive IC 22.
A driving method of the EL display device of FIG. 2 will now be described.
FIG. 4 shows waveforms for driving the EL display device of FIG. 2.
As shown in FIG. 4, when third switching device SW3 and second switching device SW2 are turned on in a state that first through fourth switching devices SW1˜SW4 are turned off, the negative (−) scan pulse SP is supplied from the scan pulse voltage source (−Vs) to the first scan line S1 through an internal diode of the scan drive IC 22. Synchronized with the negative scan pulse SP, the data pulse DP is supplied to the data electrodes D1˜Dn.
Thereafter, at the same time when the third switching device SW3 is turned off, the first switching device SW1 is turned on. Accordingly, the first scan line S1 is provided with a ground voltage (GND) by the first switching device SW1.
As the first and the third switching devices SW1 and SW3 are alternately turned on/off, the scan pulse is sequentially supplied to every scan line S1˜Sm.
When the scan pulse SP is supplied to every scan line S1˜Sm, the second switching device SW2 is turned off whereas the fourth switching device SW4 is turned on, so that a positive reset pulse RP is supplied from the reset pulse voltage source Vr to every scan line S1˜Sm.
This process is repeatedly performed to sequentially apply the scan pulse SP and the data pulse DP up to the mth scan line Sm to drive the pixel cell 100 and display a picture.
After the picture is displayed, the positive reset pulse RP is applied to the first˜mth scan lines S1˜Sm. When the reset pulse RP is applied to the first˜mth scan lines S1˜Sm, the electric charges charged in the pixel cell 100 are removed.
As stated above, in order for the scan driving unit 14 to supply the negative (−) scan pulse (−Vs) and the positive (+) reset pulse (RP) to the scan lines S1˜Sm, two power sources, that is, the reset pulse voltage source (Vr) and the scan pulse voltage source (−Vs) are required.
In addition, a circuit construction of the scan driving unit 14 requires a high voltage to satisfy both the positive polarity (+) and the negative polarity (−).
As the high voltage is required, a power consumption is increased, and a switching noise is generated in alternately switching two power sources.
FIG. 5 shows electric charges accumulated in the data electrode and the scan electrode of the EL panel in accordance with the conventional art.
As shown in FIG. 5, in the EL display device of the conventional art, a bias voltage of the same polarity is applied between the data electrode and the scan electrode.
That is, negative electric charges are charged in the data electrode, and positive (+) electric charges are charged in the scan electrode, resulting in that uneven luminance phenomenon takes place in the pixel cell or line. This phenomenon causes a cross talk, and thus, an afterimage remains in implementing a fast mobile picture, degrading a picture quality.
In addition, as for the EL display device, since a threshold voltage differs depending on red/green/blue fluorescent materials (R, G, B) in terms of the characteristics of a fluorescent material, if each fluorescent material is omitted by driving the pixel cell with the same voltage, luminance characteristics are degraded.
In this respect, the threshold voltage is a voltage required for emitting light from each fluorescent material, and each fluorescent material has different threshold voltage.
For example, the red (R) and the green (G) fluorescent materials are omitted by a threshold voltage between approximately 150˜240V, and the blue (B) fluorescent material is omitted by a threshold voltage between approximately 120˜200V.
That is, if the fluorescent materials (R, G, B) are omitted with the 240V, since the threshold voltages of each fluorescent material (R, G, B) are different from each other, each fluorescent material has different luminance value.

Driving apparatus of electroluminescent display device and driving method thereof


A security gateway appliance is configured to evaluate network traffic according to security rules that classify traffic flows according to specifically identified application programs responsible for producing and/or consuming the network traffic and to enforce policies in accordance with network traffic classifications. The appliance includes an on-box anti-virus/anti-malware engine, on-box data loss prevention engine and on-box authentication engine. One or more of these engines is informed by an on-box dynamic real tie rating system that allows for determined levels of scrutiny to be paid to the network traffic. Security gateways of this type can be clustered together to provide a set of resources for one or more networks, and in some instances as the backbone of a cloud-based service.

Many application programs make use of the Internet Protocol (IP) version 4 (IPv.4) and IP version 6 (IPv.6) when being accessed across local and wide area networks as well as across the Internet. While the use of IP has advantages, its widespread use exposes enterprise and other networks to certain risks. Similar threats are faced with traffic running over other protocols (e.g., file transfer protocol (FTP), simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP), etc.), and so companies must be vigilant in regulating traffic passing into and out of their networks, irrespective of origin and with due attention paid to the content, or payload, of data packets in addition to packet header information.
Traditionally, firewalls have been used to regulate enterprise traffic at the packet level. First-generation firewalls were essentially packet filters that acted by inspecting individual packets as they passed between different computer systems. If a packet matched one of the packet filter's rules, the packet filter took the corresponding action prescribed by that rule. Such packet filters typically operated at a relatively low levels of the transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) stack (typically OSI Layer 2 to Layer 4 (L2-L4)) and firewall administrators defined the matching criteria and corresponding rules for how to treat packets upon a match. These packet filters generally were not able to take action according to whether individual packets were part of existing traffic flows. That is, packet filters did not maintain any information concerning connection state and instead operated only on information contained within the individual packets themselves.
Second-generation firewalls, on the other hand, are "stateful" filters, which maintain records of connections passing through the firewall. Any existing network connection can be described by several properties, including source and destination IP address, UDP or TCP ports, and the current stage of the connection's lifetime (including session initiation, handshaking, data transfer, or completion connection). Because stateful firewalls maintain context about active sessions, they can use that state information to speed up packet processing. If a packet does not match an existing connection, it will be evaluated according to the firewall's rule set for new connections. If a packet matches an existing connection based on comparison with the firewall's state table, it will be processed in accordance with rules for that connection. Examples of L3-L4 firewall rules are:                if protocol==TCP, port==xxxx, Block Traffic        if protocol==IPv4, Source IP=a.b.c.d, Allow Traffic
As the examples illustrate, a traditional firewall can identify only protocol values, L3 addresses, L4 port information, and enforce coarse actions such as block or allow on the traffic. A slightly more intelligent firewall may be able to identify traffic at higher OSI layers, but cannot associate, for example, a specific user with an application. Thus, even the more intelligent firewall might only permit use of rules such as:                if Source IP=a.b.c.d, protocol==HTTP, Block Traffic
The possible actions that can be performed on the identified traffic are limited to, for example, block, allow or bandwidth management.
Another form of network device used to regulate traffic in computer networks is a proxy server (often referred to simply as a proxy or sometimes as a secure web gateway (SWG)). Generally, a proxy is a computer system or application program that resides logically between one or more clients and one or more content sources (e.g., servers), and which terminates connections between the clients and the content sources. In response to a client request, for example for a specified service, file, connection, web page, or other resource, the proxy provides the requested content directly (e.g., if it stores a local copy of same) or connects to the specified server and makes the request on behalf of the client. In this latter case, the proxy may retain a copy of the requested content so as to service later requests for that content directly, without having to connect to the server.
Proxies can filter traffic based on many packet attributes, such as source IP address and/or port, and destination IP address and/or port. In addition, proxies can filter traffic based on destination service, such as hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), file transfer protocol (FTP), Common Internet File System (CIFS), etc., and on other attributes. As these devices operate up to the application layer, i.e., at OSI layers L3-L7, they may inspect the contents of the traffic, blocking what a network administrator views as inappropriate content. In addition proxies can associate a user with a specific traffic flow, and modify the traffic content. Examples of L3-L7 proxy rules are:                If User==John Doe, protocol==IPv4+HTTP, time==12:00 AM, Rewrite the HTTP Protocol Header        If Source IP=a.b.c.d, protocol==CIFS, Block CIFS Write Operation
Although proxies and firewalls may appear to overlap in terms of operating on information present at common OSI layers, e.g., L3-L4, the two are fundamentally different. For example, a firewall does not terminate connections of L4 (or other) protocols such as TCP or HTTP, while a proxy terminates all connections of all L4 and application protocols. Indeed, a proxy may even initiate its own connections if the connections satisfy the proxy's policies. Because of these and other differences, firewalls and proxies do not traditionally operate in parallel within the same appliance or solution.

System and method for building intelligent and distributed L2-L7 unified threat management infrastructure for IPv4 and IPv6 environments


A cover for a socket of an electrical outlet is provided for selectively blocking access to the electrical outlet unless a two separate motions are performed. The two motions include disengaging a locking mechanism and shifting the door to an open position. The two motions are selected to the difficult for a typical infant or young child to perform in order to substantially prevent an infant or a young child from gaining access to the socket positioned behind the cover for electrical outlet.

Electrical outlets are a potential source of danger in a household or building where infants or small children are present. An infant or small child may be tempted or may inadvertently insert a small object or a digit into the socket of an electrical outlet. The infant or small child may receive an electrical shock. The electrical shock may scare the infant or child, or more seriously may cause physical harm.
To prevent access to an electrical outlet by an infant or small child, plastic plugs have been developed for insertion into the sockets. The plugs may be removed, such as by an adult, when access to the electrical socket is desired. However, such plugs may also be removed by a child. Further, once removed, the plug may inadvertently not be reinserted into the socket.


There is provided a route optimization method in a mobile Internet Protocol (IP) system using a mobile Internet Protocol. When a mobile host (MH) moves over the Internet and is assigned to a care-of-address (CoA) corresponding to a changed point of attachment to the Internet, it sends a registration request message containing the care-of address to a home agent (HA) via a foreign agent (FA). The home agent stores the care-of address in relation to a domain name of the mobile host in an internal domain name server database. Upon receipt of a query about the mobile host by domain name from a correspondent node (CN), the home agent sends the care-of address corresponding to the domain name of the mobile host together with caching prevention information to the correspondent node. The caching prevention information is set to prevent the correspondent node or another domain name server from caching the care-of address of the mobile host. The correspondent node communicates with the mobile host using the care-of address.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a communication system, and in particular, to a mobile Internet Protocol (IP) system and a route optimization method therefore.
2. Related Art
The Internet today is a popular medium for many different types of multimedia information services. The Internet is a large set of interconnected computer networks, including commercial networks (.com), military networks (.mil), education-related networks (.edu), and other networks (.org and .net, for example). Typically, a person will access the information and services available on the Internet by using a World-Wide Web browser.
The growing demands for multimedia service have spurred widespread deployment of asynchronous transfer mode-based high-speed networks for wide area network (WAN) and local area network (LAN) as used in schools and research institutes. Nevertheless, Internet service is still the most popular.
Accordingly, methods of implementing Internet Protocol (IP) in high-speed communication networks such as asynchronous transfer mode have been proposed mainly by Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and the asynchronous transfer mode forum. Such methods are currently under standardization. Internet Protocol is a packet switching protocol.
Due to the rapid development of mobile communication technology, it is expected that the future networks will become wired and wireless networks in interaction with each other or in an integrated form. Such an integrated wired/wireless network must be able to support mobility to implement Internet Protocol service. Internet Engineering Task Force has devised mobile Internet Protocol to support mobility over the Internet, and European Telecommunications Standardization Institute Broadband Access Network (ETSI BRAN) are working on wireless asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) in close cooperation with the asynchronous transfer mode forum to support mobility in asynchronous transfer mode networks. However, no research has been conducted on techniques of providing Internet service over an asynchronous transfer mode-based integrated wired/wireless network.
Wireless Asynchronous Transfer Mode Working Group (WATM WG) is developing standards of Wireless asynchronous transfer mode that is an extension of existing asynchronous transfer mode technology for the wired field to the wireless field, whereas Internet Engineering Task Force is working on the standardization of mobile Internet Protocol, aiming at efficient implementation of mobile wireless networks and expansion of mobility to the wireless area by integrating routing protocols in mobile nodes.
In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to develop and utilize an improved, efficient, and advantageous mobile Internet Protocol system and route optimization therefore.

Mobile internet protocol system and route optimization method therefor


A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a storage medium including computer instructions to receive sensory information at a media device from a first mobile communication device where the first mobile communication device obtains at least a portion of the sensory information from at least one second mobile communication device in response to a broadcast by the first mobile communication device of a wireless signal representing a notice to obtain the sensory information, where the sensory information is associated with an environment of the first mobile communication device, and where the sensory information comprises images of the environment. The computer instructions can enable generating a plurality of personal content utilizing at least a portion of the sensory information, where each of the plurality of personal content includes some of the images captured at different perspectives. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Media content is generally experienced by consumers via devices such as computers, televisions, radios, and mobile electronics. Media content is frequently delivered by service providers, who send media content, such as television programming, radio, and video, directly to consumers for enjoyment at their physical location. Service providers also often provide access to the internet and to internet-based media content, such as websites, games, social networking, and virtual-reality applications. Consumers often desire to customize media content and share that content with others.

Method and apparatus for generating media content


According to one embodiment, in a semiconductor device, a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type has a first impurity concentration. A second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type is formed on the first semiconductor layer and has a second impurity concentration lower than the first impurity concentration. A field plate electrode is formed in a lower portion of a trench formed in the second semiconductor layer through a first insulating film so as to bury the lower portion of the trench. A second insulating film is formed in the upper portion of the trench so as to be in contact with the top surface of the field plate electrode. A gate electrode is formed in the upper portion of the trench through a gate insulating film so as to bury the upper portion of the trench to sandwich the second insulating film.

A power semiconductor device requires a high withstand voltage and a high figure of merit (FOM: Figure Of Merit). The figure of merit is under the control of a conduction loss due to an on-resistance and a switching loss in a turn-on state, and is expressed by an inverse number of a product of an on-resistance Ron and an input capacitance Ciss (Source Short-circuit Input Capacitance). In general, the on-resistance Ron and the input capacitance Ciss are traded off.
As a conventional power semiconductor device, an insulating gate field effect transistor of which the electric field concentration is moderated by a vertical field plate structure to achieve a high withstand voltage is known.
In the semiconductor device, a trench is formed in an N-type semiconductor layer on a drain layer. A field plate electrode is buried into the trench through a thick field plate insulating film. The field plate electrode is electrically connected to a source layer.
A gate electrode is buried into an upper portion of the trench through a gate insulating film to sandwich the field plate electrode through an insulating film. A P-type base layer is formed on an upper portion of an N-type semiconductor layer adjacent to the trench, and an N-type source layer is formed on the upper portion of the base layer.
As a result, it is a problem in that an input capacitance Ciss increases due to an increase of an inter-electrode capacitance between the gate electrode and the field plate electrode increases. For this reason, it is a problem that it is impossible to obtain a high figure of merit due to an increase of a product of the on-resistance Ron and the input capacitance Ciss.

Semiconductor device having field plate electrode and method for manufacturing the same


The present disclosure relates to a method for configuring a medical device. The method comprises: providing a set of one or more parameters for configuring the medical device. Each parameter of the set has predefined values. A set of values of the set of parameters may be selected from the predefined values. Using the selected values the set of parameters may be set, which results in an operational configuration of the medical device. The medical device may be controlled to operate in accordance with the operational configuration, thereby an operating status of the medical device may be determined. Based on at least the operating status the operational configuration may be maintained or the selecting, setting and controlling may be repeatedly performed until a desired operating status of the medical device can be determined based on the operating statuses resulting from the controlling.

Modern medical devices like imaging devices have a large number of parameters that need to be adjusted for optimum operation. One example are magnetic resonance (MR) imaging machines, which offer a large number of acquisition parameters that influence the final image characteristics. Improving the performance of such medical devices based on the parameters may be a complicated and time-consuming task.


A method and process provides a selection process designed to select optimized results from a plurality of possible results represented in a search tree. A tree search is employed, wherein bounds are used to prune at least one node or branch of the search tree. A non-overlapping support constraint in conjunction with the tree search is invoked to further prune the search tree. An optimized search tree is stored into a memory, following the invoking of the non-support constraint, and the optimized search tree is employed in additional processing operations.

The present application is directed to the generation of electronically formed images, and more particularly to node-link type diagrams and more particularly concept maps which may be formed in a manner similar to those formed using a non-electronic whiteboard or pen and paper, but which further includes the ability to be electronically edited.
Pen/stylus interfaces to computers hold the promise of applications that are as intuitive as a paper or whiteboard but with the power and functionality of editing, search, and other processing provided by computer applications. Although vertical surface and horizontal surface hardware has advanced considerably in the form of SMART Boards from SMART Technologies Inc. and the TabletPC Operating Systems from Microsoft Corporation, user interfaces remain awkward and unsophisticated.
The concepts of the present application include, among others, designing and implementing an easy to operate, intuitive user interface for a particular target application, that of creating and editing node-link diagrams, which include the genre of concept maps, mind maps, and others. Examples of concept mapping software include MindJet from Mind Jet Corporation, SMART Ideas from SMART Technologies Inc., and FreeMind an Open Source mind mapping program written in Java, among others.
Current UI designs for node-link diagrams such as concept mapping and mind mapping are adaptations of keyboard/mouse software in which graphics are entered by selecting from menus, and text is entered with a keyboard. To adopt this paradigm to pen/stylus computers the pen is treated primarily as a pointing device, but in some cases limited single-stroke shape recognition is used to enter node objects or to indicate links, and handwriting recognizers such as from Microsoft or other software companies can be brought up for pen entry and editing of text. This approach falls considerably short of what one would expect from an intelligent application that recognizes and assimilates what you are drawing and writing as you draw and write it without your having to perform extraneous user interface commands. The present application presents systems and methods which overcome these and other shortcomings of existing pen based systems and methods.

Optimization method and process using tree searching operation and non-overlapping support constraint requirements


A device for removing moisture from a gas includes an elongated vessel having a gas outlet at a first end, a moisture outlet at a second end and a gas inlet located between the gas outlet and the moisture outlet. The elongated vessel has a first gas flow modifier and a second gas flow modifier each for causing deviation of the flow of gas within the elongated vessel from a flow path extending directly between the gas inlet and the gas outlet. The first gas flow modifier is an angled baffle plate extending partly across the elongated vessel for directing the gas flow from the elongated vessel in a direction towards the moisture outlet. The second gas flow modifier has plates extending across the elongated vessel with each plate having elongated slots extending in the same orientation as the elongated slots of one plate extending in a direction rotated 90° from at least one other plate of the second gas flow modifier.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vertical liquid knockout drum which removes liquid particles from a gas stream.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many industrial applications for devices which serve to remove entrained liquid particles from a gas stream. One particular instance of this device is a gas inlet vessel for gas seals. At sealing pressure, some components of a gas stream can condense to form liquids, contaminating the seal carrier. Any liquid particles that accumulate on the face of the seal will affect the performance of the seal and possibly cause premature failure of the seal.
The common method for removing the liquid particles from a gas stream comprises a knockout vessel which is sized appropriately in relation to the velocity at which the gas stream is required to travel for moisture to be removed. In many such vessels, a mist eliminator is provided to enhance the efficiency of the vessel. The conventional arrangement is a mesh pad located immediately below the gas outlet. However, after time, the demister pad may become clogged and less effective.


A noncarbonated beverage dispensing machine in combination with pressurized water and syrup supplies; the machine includes a beverage tank from which beverage is dispensed, a mixing head including normally closed electrically operated water and syrup valves connected with the water and syrup supplies and operable to conduct metered volumes of water and syrup into the beverage tank and a liquid level switching device in the beverage tank operating to simultaneously cause the valves to open when the liquid in the tank is at a predetermined low level and to cause the valves to close when the liquid level in the tank is at a predetermined high level. The water supply delivers a constant supply of water at a desired pressure to the water valve. The syrup supply includes a replaceable syrup tank holding a discrete volume of syrup, an elongate syrup line extends from the syrup tank to the mixing head and a gas supply delivers pressurized gas into the syrup tank at predetermined pressure to move syrup therein through the syrup line to the head. The head includes a normally open syrup actuated switching device between and connected with the syrup valve and syrup line and that operates to close when syrup at desired pressure is delivered to the syrup valve and to disable and prevent opening of the water valve when syrup is not supplied to the syrup valve at desired pressure and to thereby prevent a flow of water into the supply tank in the absence of a corresponding flow of syrup into that tank.

This invention relates to that class of beverage dispensing machine that is characterized by a transparent beverage supply tank atop a base and having a manually accessible dispensing valve by which beverage in the beverage tank can be dispensed a serving at a time. This class of machines is ordinarily set atop a service counter where beverages are sold and dispensed and so that the beverage in the beverage tank is displayed to entice customers.
The above-noted class of beverage machine was originated in the 1920s when ordinary water cooler structures including inverted five-gallon water bottles set atop stands were utilized to display and dispense noncarbonated beverages. Those early machines were found to take up too much space, required premixing beverages in supplies of beverage bottles and required frequent manual replacement of empty beverage bottles with full beverage bottles.
Throughout the ensuing years, there has been a continuous effort on the part of those skilled in the art to reduce those shortcomings and inconveniences associated with the manufacture, use and maintenance of such machines and to enhance all of the desirable aspects thereof.
As of this date, the above-noted class of machines has evolved to include extremely neat and attractive counter-top machines with one- or two-gallon beverage supply tanks. The machines include mixing heads adjacent the beverage tanks and connected with remote water and beverage concentrate or syrup supplies by means of elongate water and syrup lines or hoses. The mixing heads are controlled by liquid-level sensing devices in the beverage tanks and function to deliver correctly metered volumes of water and syrup into the tanks to make beverage therein and to maintain the level of beverage in the tanks at or between attractive levels.
The above-noted state-of-the-art machines take up little counter space, operate to cool and to effectively display the beverages dispensed thereby; and, operate to maintain the tanks substantially full at all times, until the supplies of syrup are exhausted.
In recent years, the manufacturers and suppliers of beverage concentrate syrups have provided syrups in various kinds and sizes of containers with the view of making the supplying and handling of those syrups more convenient and cost-effective. Most recently, attention has been given to the supplying of syrup in large volume tanks (syrup tanks) that can be pressurized with CO.sub.2 gas to effect transfer of the syrups from the tanks, through syrup hoses or lines, to the mixing heads of related machines. The use of such pressurized tanks is proving to be highly favored since most places where beverage dispensing machines of the class here concerned with are used also make and sell carbonated beverages (such as colas) and are equipped with CO.sub.2 gas cylinders that can be most conveniently used to pressurize the syrup tanks. With the noted gas-pressurized syrup tanks, the beverage dispensing machines need not be provided with those special, costly and oftentimes inconvenient to use and maintain syrup transporting and/or pumping devices that are otherwise required to effect the transporting of syrup from remote syrup supplies to the machines.
The principal shortcoming that has been experienced with the use of pressurized syrup supply tanks resides in the fact that when the syrup tanks are empty the machines continue to operate to deliver notable volumes of water into the beverage tanks of the machines without corresponding volumes of syrup. When the foregoing occurs, the beverages in the beverage tanks are diluted with water and are rendered unmerchantable and such that they must be disposed of. Further, when empty syrup tanks are replaced with new or full tanks and the machines are put back into operation, the machines only deliver water into the beverage tanks until the syrup lines extending from the syrup tanks to the mixing heads of the machines are once again filled with syrup or primed. In a great number of situations, the syrup lines are of sufficient length and of such volumetric extent that before syrup has flowed from the syrup supply tanks and reached the mixing heads, sufficient volumes of water have flowed into the beverage tanks to dilute the beverages therein to an extent that they must be disposed of. When this occurs, the machines must be put out of service and worked upon a sufficient period of time to effect draining and disposal of diluted beverages and that further period of time that is required for the machines to make and refill the beverage tanks with vendable supplies of properly constituted beverages. The wasted service time and the waste of product experienced in furtherance of the foregoing are costly and are of great concern to the owners and operators of beverage dispensing machines.
It is understood that in efforts to overcome the above-noted problems and/or shortcomings experienced in the use of pressurized syrup supply tanks in combination with the class of beverage dispensing machines here concerned with, some persons skilled in the art have proposed the adding and use of special valves and the exercise of special operating procedures to effect priming of the syrup hoses with syrup before the machines are put into regular operation and to thereby prevent the making of diluted beverages that must be disposed of, as noted above. It is understood and believed that those special operating procedures that must be exercised to effect priming the syrup lines with syrup prior to putting the machines into operating service are not only time-consuming but are procedures that, if followed at all, are likely to be exercised improperly by those persons who are normally charged with the maintenance and operations of such machines.
It is to be noted that some prior art machines are equipped with syrup-sensing devices at the syrup inlets of their mixing heads and/or at the downstream ends of the syrup hoses that operate to turn the machines off and stop operation thereof when their related syrup supplies are exhausted and to thereby prevent dilution of beverages in the beverage tanks by continued flow of water into them. It is to be further noted that such syrup sensing devices do not operate to prevent the syrup lines, downstream of the machines, from being purged and emptied of syrup when the supplies of syrup for the machines are exhausted and are not operable to effect refilling or priming of the syrup lines with syrup when the machines are first put back into operation and before water is caused to flow into the beverage tanks in a manner to cause dilution of beverage therein.

Beverage dispensing machine with pressurized water and syrup supplies


An antenna includes a parallel resonant circuit disposed in a non-ground region. The parallel resonant circuit includes a parallel radiation electrode pattern that is patterned in the non-ground region and a surface mount antenna component. The parallel radiation electrode pattern is connected in parallel to the surface mount antenna component. The parallel radiation electrode pattern is arranged in a loop so as to occupy the majority of the non-ground region and defines an inductor of the parallel resonant circuit. A pair of electrodes of the surface mount antenna component defines a capacitor having a capacitance corresponding to a distance between the pair of electrodes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to antennas used for mobile communication apparatuses and to radio communication apparatuses including the antennas.
2. Description of the Related Art
In terms of miniaturization, frequency adjustment can be easily achieved, and surface mount antennas are often used for mobile communication apparatuses. In such surface mount antennas, a radiation electrode is provided on a surface of a dielectric substrate to define an inductor, and an open end of the radiation electrode is spaced from a feed electrode so as to define a capacitor. Thus, an LC resonant circuit is provided. High-frequency signals are supplied to the radiation electrode via the feed electrode, thus enabling high-frequency radio transmission.
In accordance with a reduction in the size and an increase in the mounting density of mobile communication apparatuses, in particular, such as cellular telephones, in recent years, more compact surface mount antennas with improved antenna efficiency and a wider bandwidth have been suggested, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 10-173425 and 11-312919.
In addition, recently, in accordance with not only the reduction in the size of antennas but also an increase in the number of functions of cellular telephones, antennas capable of multiband transmission and reception have become available, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2002-158529 and 2002-76750.
In other words, in the antenna described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-158529, as shown in FIG. 23, a radiation electrode 101 is arranged in a loop on a dielectric substrate 100, and an open end 101a of the radiation electrode 101 faces a feed electrode 102 with a predetermined distance therebetween. Thus, a capacitor is formed between the open end 101a and the feed electrode 102. Changing the capacitance of the capacitor enables multiband performance using a basic mode and a higher mode of the radiation electrode 101, increases the bandwidth, and miniaturizes the antenna.
In the antenna described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-76750, as shown in FIG. 24, a lumped-constant LC parallel resonant circuit 111 is connected in series to a feeding side of an antenna conductor 110. The antenna conductor 110 is adjusted to resonate at a frequency that is slightly less than a center frequency of an upper frequency band of two frequency bands for transmission and reception. The LC parallel resonant circuit 111 is adjusted to resonate at approximately the center frequency of a lower frequency band for transmission and reception and to provide the antenna conductor 110 with a capacitance to cause the antenna conductor 110 to resonate at the center frequency of the upper frequency band.
However, the known antennas have the following problems.
If the size of the multiband antenna described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-158529 is microminiaturized to equal to or less than about 1/10 wavelength, the loop diameter of the radiation electrode 101 is reduced. Thus, the capacitance of the capacitor formed by the open end 101a and the feed electrode 102 is increased, and an unwanted capacitance occurs between the loop portion of the radiation electrode 101 and the open end 101a. This causes a reduction in the transmission and reception bandwidth of the antenna and a reduction in the antenna efficiency. Thus, in practice, it is difficult to microminiaturize the antenna. Even if the size of the antenna is maintained large enough not to reduce the bandwidth and not to reduce the antenna efficiency, there is not enough space to add a lumped-constant element, such as an inductor, to the antenna in order to improve the performance of the antenna. Thus, there is very little flexibility in designing the antenna to improve the performance. This problem also occurs in the antennas described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 10-173425 and 11-312919.
In contrast, according to the multiband antenna described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-76750, since the LC parallel resonant circuit 111 includes only lumped-constant elements, the loop diameter of the LC parallel resonant circuit 111 is substantially zero. Thus, the LC parallel resonant circuit 111 does not contribute to radiation of electromagnetic waves, and the antenna efficiency is significantly reduced as compared to a situation where an LC parallel resonant circuit is defined by a distributed constant system.

Antenna and radio communication apparatus


A mobile structure includes first and second rigid frames and first and second horizontal roof supports supported by the rigid frame. Each of the rigid frames includes a first vertical support, a second vertical support substantially parallel to the first vertical support, and a lateral rigid frame support extending perpendicularly at least from the first vertical support to the second vertical support. The mobile structure further includes a floor under the first and second horizontal roof supports, a wheel-axle assembly under the floor, and leveling assemblies that are extendable away from the floor. Each leveling assembly is in weight-bearing and in-line relationship with respect to one of the vertical supports of the first rigid frame.

As used in this application, the term "mobile structure" is intended to encompass any structure, including a living, working, or storage area, that is mobile, i.e., capable of being pulled or towed (e.g., with a hitch). Thus, a "mobile structure," as the term is used herein, includes trailers, campers, recreational vehicles, mobile laboratories, and mobile medical units, among other things.
Mobile structures are typically inferior to more permanent structures. For example, mobile structures typically have less structural stability, fewer floor plan options, and smaller interior space.
To increase the usable interior space, some mobile structures expand when they arrive at their destination. For example, some mobile structures include pop-out rooms or slide-out rooms. However, the size, stability, and accessibility of such pop-out rooms and slide-out rooms is limited.

Mobile structure having sufficient internal structural rigidity to eliminate load-bearing perimeter support structures


A device which can be used for current measurement is described hereinafter. According to one exemplary embodiment, the device comprises the following: a coil carrier extending along a longitudinal axis having a base body which in a central region has a section having reduced cross-sectional area, which is smaller than the cross-sectional area outside the central region, and a magnetic field probe having a ferromagnetic sensor strip, which is fastened to the coil carrier in the section having reduced cross-sectional area, and having a sensor coil which is wound around the coil carrier in the central region so that it encloses the sensor strip. The device also comprises a film which at least partially covers the section having reduced cross-sectional area. A secondary winding is wound around the coil carrier, wherein the secondary winding is wound around the film in the section having reduced cross-sectional area.

Various types of current sensors are known and are commercially available. One type of current sensor are so-called compensation current sensors. These are constructed in such a way that the current to be measured (primary current) generates a magnetic flux in a soft magnetic core and the sensor electronics provide a compensation current (secondary current) that flows through a compensation coil which causes a flux in the opposite direction in the soft magnetic core. The superposition (sum) of the magnetic flux components caused by the primary current and the compensation current is regulated to zero (by means of a closed control loop). This is done by means of a magnetic field probe.
In some current sensors, magnetic field probes are used which comprise a strip made of magnetic material (sensor strip). For example, sensor strips made of Vitrovac® are suitable, which have a magnetization characteristic which is nonlinear but has very symmetrical hysteresis (cf., for example DE 10045194 A1, corresponding to US2004/0204875A1). Known current sensor devices have a coil carrier for the compensation coil and a carrier for the sensor strip. During the manufacturing, the coil carrier and sensor strip carrier are first prepared and then joined together, which is comparatively complex and often has to be carried out manually. First, the sensor strip is applied to an adhesive film, which is then installed on the carrier in a semi-automated manner. The carrier having the sensor strip is now wound with the probe coil, and the ends of the windings are selectively soldered. A shrink tube is applied thereon. The coil carrier is also wound and the coil ends are subsequently selectively soldered. Both components subsequently have to be joined together and the soft magnetic core is installed. The entire procedure is comparatively complex to produce and therefore costly and error-prone.
The inventors have made it the object to improve the mechanical structure of a current sensor having a compensation winding in order to enable simpler and more cost-effective manufacturing.

Coil assembly for compensation current sensor


A data presentation method through augmented reality, system, and computer program product include creating a file container for a presentation that supports raw data embedding and definition of available interactions and levels of confidentiality of information for the presentation, streaming presentation content from the file container to a plurality of augmented reality devices, and generating a personalized individual interactive experience of the presentation content for at least one person wearing an augmented reality device in the plurality of augmented reality devices.

The present invention relates generally to a data presentation method through augmented reality (AR), and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a system, method, and computer program product for leveraging augmented reality for making data presentations interactive and customizable for each person in the audience.
Group presentations are widely used in everyday life in both business and educational settings. Despite its first introduction, presentation software (e.g. PowerPoint™, Keynote™, etc.) has not changed since its inception nor has the means of communication between the presenter and the audience.
Conventionally, content is presented in the form of slides whose content is static and equal to all people in the audience, independently of their level of interest or understanding. Presenters cannot pack too much content into each slide and have to filter, in advance, the information to present.
That is, conventional methods of presenting information do not allow content personalization or interaction with the data to manipulate the data, but instead offer the same static content to all people in the audience indistinctively. The amount of presentable content and context information is also limited by the size of each slide.
Therefore, a method is needed to leverage augmented reality for making data presentations interactive and customizable for each person, individually, in the audience.

Personalized interactive data presentation through augmented reality

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A system is described for providing one or more remote paging receivers with accurate time of day information utilizing a paging provider which encodes page messages into RF signals corresponding to baseband signals for transmission via a paging channel to the receivers. The system includes the receivers and a controller. The controller sends a first page message, which defines an on-time point, to the paging provider for transmission via the paging channel to the receivers, and then sends a second page message to the paging provider for transmission via the paging channel to the receivers. Further, the controller detects the transmission of the first page message in the paging channel and determines a time of day when the on-time point of the first page message was transmitted by the paging provider in the paging channel. The second page message sent by the controller comprises data defining this determined time of day. The receivers each detect the first and second page messages in the paging channel, and have a clock for maintaining the time of day. Each of the receivers updates its clock to an accurate time of day responsive to the time of day of the clock when the on-time point of the first page message was received and the time of day defined by the data of the detected second page message. Thus, the receivers are provided with accurate time of day information for maintaining the accuracy of their clocks. In addition, such receivers may output periodically the time of day from their clocks to provide a source for accurate time of day information to other systems.

Time of day information is conventionally sent to specialized receivers designed to receive synchronized RF time signals, such as Global Positioning System (GPS), WWVB, or Loran C signals. Such receivers can be situated at different locations within a large geographic area, and may have a real-time clock which is updated to an accurate time of day responsive to received time signals. A real-time clock is defined as an electronic clock, such as timing circuits similar to those found in digital watches, which maintains the time of day in hours, minutes, and seconds, and in some cases in fractions of a second. The clock provides an output containing time of day information. These receivers are relatively large, costly to manufacture, and may have bulky external antennas. Further, they cannot reliably receive RF time signals when located within buildings absent an extension of their external antennas. Therefore, it is desireable to provide a system for providing remote receivers with time of day information in which the receivers are relatively small, less costly to manufacture, and have real-time clocks that are maintained accurate based on time of day information sent via signals which may be received both inside and outside of buildings. Such systems have been proposed utilizing a paging receiver (also called a pager) as discussed below, but either fail to provide clocks with accurate time of day information or are based on a non-conventional design which increases manufacturing costs, or both.
In the paging industry, page messages are encoded into signals transmitted over a paging channel by a paging provider system. A paging channel is defined as a dedicated frequency for transmission of RF paging signals. Encoding is based on a paging protocol, such as POCSAG or GOLAY. These protocols are not designed to provide synchronized time signals, such as defined above, because they are limited to encoding alpha-numeric or numeric page message data. For example, POCSAG encodes page message data into eight frames of a data patch which is periodically transmitted in signals via a paging channel to pagers. Pagers are designed to decode received signals from the paging channel to obtain the encoded page message data therein. Within the encoded data, each pager is uniquely identified by a pager address, called herein a capcode. Only one of the frames of the data patch may contain encoded data with a pager's capcode. Consequently, only decoded page messages having a pager's specific capcode will be displayed to the pager's user.
These pagers often have a real-time clock for providing time of day information for time stamping received page messages. Generally, a time stamp is stored in the pager with each of received page message. Such real-time clocks may also be used to control turning on the pager's receiver responsive to preset periods during the day when signals may be sent over the paging channel to the pager. By limiting the time when the pager's receiver is active, pager battery power may be conserved. Thus, maintaining the accuracy of real-time clocks is an important consideration for pagers.
Several approaches have been proposed to maintain the accuracy of the real-time clock of a pager. In a first approach a page message with data defining the time of day is encoded into signals and transmitted via a paging channel to a pager. The pager is programmed to detect the page message as containing the correct time of day, and then updates its clock accordingly. One problem with this approach is that the received time of day is inaccurate and thereby cannot provide the correct time of day. This is due to the delays incurred before the page message is actually sent over the paging channel to the pager. This delay is based on the time the page message waits in a queue (e.g., memory buffer) with other page messages prior to being encoded, and the time it takes for encoding the page message. This delay is variable and can range for example from several seconds to minutes. Further, additional delays are incurred after the page message is sent over the paging channel due to the time lag based on the distance the signal must travel (e.g., 5 .mu.seconds per mile) in the paging channel to the pager, and the time for decoding the page message at the pager. Another problem with this first approach is that it is very time consuming because a separate page message with the time of day must be sent to each pager. This is because each pager has a separate identifying capcode, as described above, and conventional protocols require that each page message must specify a specific capcode to uniquely identify the receiving pager. Accordingly, this first approach is unacceptable.
A second approach to sending time of day information to a pager involves sending control information to a pager having the time of day. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,808 describes a wrist watch pager which receive control packets with time of day information for updating the watch time. These control packets are separate from encoded page messages and would avoid the variable delay described above. The problem with this approach is that the control packets utilize a non-conventional paging protocol format. This increase the cost of implementing control packets in a typical pager design. Thus, this second approach is also unacceptable.
A third approach is to send time synchronization signals or pulses without data defining the time of day. Time synchronization signals are sent to a pager at predefined times of the day called on-time points, such as at midnight, synchronous with a UTC. After the pager receives a time synchronization signal or pulse, it updates its clock to the predefined time of day. One problem with this approach is that the on-time points are limited to those pre-defined with the UTC in the pager. Further, the updated clock will be inaccurate because time delays due to the distance the time synchronization signals must travel to the pager and processing time at the pager to decode the signals are not accounted for. These time delays may for example be up to several seconds. Consequently, this third approach is unacceptable where fine time resolution (e.g., resolution under 1 minute) is needed.
A fourth approach for providing time of day information to a pager is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,491, issued Jul. 4, 1989, which discloses a real-time clock in a pager for time stamping received messages. The pager clock is updated based on two received time messages. Each time message has data defining the time of day (day, hour and minute) without any specified on-time point in the message. The second of these time messages also has data defining a time correction, i.e., the difference between the time encoded in the first time message and the actual time of day when first time message was broadcasted. The time messages are each encoded into signals sent via a paging channel to a pager. The clock of the pager receives both time messages and is then updated to a corrected time of day by adding the time of day from the first time message with the time correction of the second time message, and the difference between the time of day of the pager clock when the first and second time messages were received by the pager as determined by its clock. A complex multi-recipient grouping scheme based on a non-conventional encoding protocol is also described by U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,491 to permit more than one pager to receive page messages.
There are several problems with this fourth approach. One problem is that the multi-recipient grouping scheme although allowing more than one pager to receive the time messages is complex and costly to implement because it depends on a non-conventional paging protocol. Another problem is that the updated clock time at the pager will be inaccurate for time resolutions under a minute because it fails to account for the time lag based on the distance a signal must travel in the paging channel to the pager, and the time for decoding the first and second time messages at the pager to detect them in signals in the paging channel. The time messages must be detected prior to determining their time of receipt by the pager clock. Further, the pager clock cannot be accurate to fine time resolutions since there is no specified on-time point or mark defining the exact point where the time of day in the time message is in reference to.
In light of the above four approaches, it is therefore desireable to provide a system for providing multiple paging receivers with accurate time of day information in which each of the receivers has a real-time clock that is accurately updated to a time of day with fine time resolution by accounting for all the above defined time delays. Moreover, it is desireable that the clock at each receiver is updated responsive to page messages received, in signals via a paging channel, having data encoded using conventional protocols and defining therein an on-time point.

System for providing paging receivers with accurate time of day information


This invention relates to a drywall corner bead spreading tool. It is a portable handheld device for quickly and easily increasing the included angle between the corner bead wings from 90.degree. to 135.degree. safely without bending or kinking. Corner bead splicing can now be eliminated in construction situations requiring the larger included angle and 10 feet ceiling height lengths. The device taught by this invention is simple to use and can be made nearly indestructible using 14 gauge steel.

Wallboard is the material of choice in the construction and renovation of homes and buildings today. Wallboard is prefabricated in sections and shipped to construction sites where it is joined together to form interior walls and partitions. Corner bead is used to bind edges of wallboard together at outwardly projected corners. The corner bead, a pre-made metallic beading, is sold commercially in lengths of 8 and 10 feet with an included angle of 90.degree. and lengths of 10 feet with an included angle of 135.degree.. Integral with the bead of the corner bead are a pair of wings extending the length of the bead and generally forming an included 90.degree. angle therebetween. Each of the Wings is provided with a plurality of pre-punched holes extending along the entire length. The purpose of these holes is to permit finishing compound to flow therein once the corner bead is installed to an outer corner by nailing.
The corner bead is generally made with an included angle of 90.degree. between the two outwardly extending wings which is appropriate for a standard 90.degree.outside corner. However, many architectural plans require a wall with an excluded angle of 225.degree. requiring a corner bead with wings having an included angle of 135.degree. and complementary corners having included angles of 135.degree..
As a result of the need for dry wall corner bead having an included angle of 135.degree., wallboard installers have resorted to various means of increasing the included angle between corner bead wings. For example, a crude practice is to place a length of corner bead on a cement floor with the wings facing upwardly and then by using a hammer between the wings increasing the angle therebetween. As a result of this and other methods which are employed, the corner bead becomes badly bent and kinked and subjecting the installer to potential injury from the unbound wing edges.
In construction situations requiring the larger included angle corner bead and having ceiling heights of 10 feet, the 135.degree. corner bead must be spliced together since it is available only in lengths of 8 feet. The instant invention however will allow commercially available lengths of 10'-90.degree. corner bead to be used without splicing once it has been modified with the apparatus taught by this invention.
A stationary device which increases the angle between the extended wings of a corner bead is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,126, comprising a stationary support having a V-groove for positioning the bead and movable pressure applying spreading means, in the shape of a ball supported by an axle rotatably secured to a yoke which is movable perpendicular to the length of the corner bead for varying the angle of the wings. The principal disadvantages are that the device is stationary--its design limits it use to a fixed location at a construction site, it is not easily used as it requires several adjustments and cannot be operated quickly.

Method and apparatus for corner bead angle enlargement


A method for improving thermal efficiency of steam production in a steam reforming based syngas plant is provided. In one embodiment, the method can include the steps of: preheating a hydrocarbon feed stream in a first heat exchanger from a first temperature to a second temperature; preheating the hydrocarbon feed stream in a second heat exchanger to a third temperature, wherein the third temperature is greater than the second temperature; introducing the hydrocarbon feed stream in the presence of steam to a steam methane reformer under conditions effective for producing a product stream comprising hydrogen, carbon oxides, and water vapor; and exchanging heat between the product stream and a boiler feed water stream in a third heat exchanger, wherein prior to exchanging heat with the product stream, the boiler feed water stream is used to provide the preheating to the hydrocarbon feed stream in the first heat exchanger.

Hydrogen gas is used in many applications including uses in the petrochemical industry, food industry, and treatment of metals. Hydrogen gas also has practical uses in fuel cell applications. It is a cleaner gas than many other industrial gases, and is usually produced by steam methane reforming or electrolysis.
Steam methane reforming is the most common process used to produce syngas and is also very economical. The syngas product contains hydrogen and carbon monoxide and other trace gases (e.g., unreacted methane, water vapor, nitrogen, carbon dioxide). Steam methane reforming utilizes various steps in the steam methane reforming process including but not limited to introduction of gas via pipeline, desulfurization, catalytic reactions in the tubes contained in a furnace before cooling occurs, which may then be followed by a secondary reaction for additional hydrogen production. After these steps, the hydrogen is sent to a purification device to remove carbon dioxide in order to reach the desired purity.
Steam methane reforming utilizes the following chemical reactions:CH4+H2O→CO+3H2 A secondary additional reaction is sometimes utilized after cooling:CO+H2O→CO2+H2
FIG. 1 represents a typical SMR process flow diagram. Natural gas 2, which is at approximately 30° C., and recycled hydrogen 4 are mixed and warmed in heat exchanger 10 to a temperature of approximately 360° C. to form hot feed stream 12. Hot feed stream 12 is then introduced to a desulfurization unit 20 for removal of sulfur from hot feed stream 12 to form clean hot feed stream 22, which has a significantly reduced amount of sulfur as compared to hot feed stream 12. Clean hot feed stream 22 is then mixed with process steam 24 and heated in SMR heat recovery section 30 before being introduced to pre-reformer 40 in order to convert the heavier hydrocarbons into methane and carbon oxides (CO, CO2) at relatively low temperatures, typically from 400 to 550° C. The lower temperatures of the pre-reformer 40 are used in order to prevent coke deposition on the walls of the reformer 50 and catalyst surface.
A pre-reformer partially completes the steam reforming reactions upstream of the main steam reformer at a much lower temperature using a highly active catalyst. Aside from reducing coke formation, use of the pre-reformer advantageously allows for the conventional steam reformer furnace, which is the most expensive capital item on the plant, to be made smaller.
The pre-reformed stream 42 is then heated in SMR heat recovery section 30 again using the heat from the flue gas of the primary SMR reaction before introduction to the reformer tubes of the SMR furnace 50. After heating, it is sent to steam methane reformer 50 for reforming to create crude syngas stream 52. As the reforming reaction is endothermic, heat is added to the reaction via combustion of a fuel in the burners. The produced crude syngas stream 52 is then fed to a high temperature water gas shift reactor 60, wherein CO reacts with H2O to convert the CO to CO2 and produce additional hydrogen. The resulting hot shifted stream 62 is then introduced to natural gas preheater 10 in order to provide the preheating of natural gas 2 from earlier, resulting in warm shifted stream 64, which in this embodiment, can have a temperature of approximately 322° C.
Meanwhile, boiler feed water 72 is withdrawn from boiler feed water preparation system 70, pressurized by pump 80 in order to increase boiler feed water pressure for the downstream steam generation system (not shown). Pressurized boiler feed water stream 82, which is at approximately 106° C. and 60 barg, is then heated in third heat exchanger 90 using the heat from warm shifted stream 64 in order to produce hot boiler feed water stream 92, which is at approximately 221° C. and colder shift gas stream 94. The hot boiler feed water stream 92 can be used to generate steam in a downstream steam generation system (not shown).
A problem that occurs during normal SMR operation is that the heat recovery by the boiler feed water from the cooled, shifted syngas (stream 64) can be limited due to process constraints (e.g., pinch points of the heat exchangers).
Therefore, it would be desirable to have an improved apparatus and method that avoids these pinch points and operates in an overall more efficient manner.

Method for improving thermal efficiency of steam production

L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude


The present disclosure provides compounds of Formula (I) or (II), pharmaceutically acceptable salt, isotopic variant, stereoisomer, or a mixture thereof. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound, methods of treating a poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase-1-mediated disease or disorder in a subject, methods of detecting a poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase-1-mediated neurodegenerative disease or disorder, or methods of monitoring cancer treatment in a subject. In some embodiments, the poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase-1-mediated disease or disorder is a neurodegenerative disease or cancer.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) is a nuclear protein involved in various cellular processes including detection and repair of damaged DNA. Among the 17 identified PARP enzymes, PARP-1 is the most widely investigated and pursued therapeutic target for cancer treatment due to the unique role of the protein in base excision repair (BER). Initial therapeutic strategies with PARP inhibitors (PARPi) were driven by reports demonstrating synthetic lethality of cancers deficient in breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility genes (BRCA1/2), that are responsible for encoding proteins that orchestrate homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair. Synthetic lethality refers to the simultaneous absence of two genes resulting in cell death but the presence of either functional gene confers viability.
Currently, there are three FDA-approved PARPi including, olaparib, rucaparib, and niraparib for treatment of ovarian cancer with BRCA mutations or in the maintenance therapy setting. Since then, PARPi development has quickly progressed with additional PARPi currently under clinical evaluation for cancer therapy.
Anticancer mechanisms of PARPi have also been heavily investigated in order to develop a better understanding of cancer cell drug resistance to inhibitors of PARP-1. While the overall mechanism of action is not fully understood, synthetic lethality is the classic proposal to which PARPi exert cancer cell cytotoxicity. This process describes accumulation and conversion of unrepaired DNA single strand breaks (SSBs) into double strand breaks (DSBs) due to inhibition of PARP-1 catalytic activity. These DSBs are primarily repaired through HR DNA repair pathway, thus, leading to cell survival. However, in cancerous HR deficient cells, such as those carrying BRCA1/2 mutations, these DSBs become lethal resulting in cell death. Yet, this mechanism does not fully explain why PARP-1 catalytic inhibition is poorly correlated to the cellular cytotoxicity induced by the inhibitor. While many reports have disclosed potent PARPi with poor cellular activity, examples of anti-proliferative PARP-1 dependent analogues with poor enzyme affinity are exceedingly rare. Compounds with low PARP-1 catalytic inhibition with comparable cytotoxic profiles to those of FDA approved PARPi can be used to investigate and further our understanding of PARPi anticancer mechanisms.
New compounds and methods of imaging and treating poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase-1-mediated diseases or disorders are needed.

Low affinity poly(AD-ribose) polymerase 1 dependent cytotoxic agents

The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania


A capillary electrophoresis method for resolving transferrin glycoforms in a sample is described. The capillary comprises a lumen, an inlet and an outlet. The lumenal surface of the capillary is charge-neutral and the capillary contains a buffer containing a polymeric matrix. The transferrin sample is contacted with the inlet of the capillary. A voltage is applied to the capillary such that the inlet is a cathode and the outlet is an anode and such that the voltage is effective for resolving transferrin glycoforms. A method for diagnosing chronic alcoholism or carbohydrate-deficient glycoprotein syndrome using CE to resolve abnormal populations of transferrin glycoforms is also described.

The glycoprotein transferrin (Tf) is the primary iron-transport protein in human plasma. Tf plays an important role in directing plasma iron to bone marrow for incorporation into developing reticulocytes. Tf consists of a single polypeptide chain of 679 amino acids with two potential sites for glycosylation, and has a molecular weight of 79,570 Daltons.
Human Tf is microheterogenous with respect to its glycosylation. Nine glycoforms of Tf, referred to as sialoforms, can exist, varying in the number of sialic acid residues bound to the surface glycans. The tetrasialoform is found at the highest concentration in normal human serum, with the hexa-, penta-, and tri-sialoforms detectable at lower concentrations. The di-, mono-, and asialoforms, collectively referred to as "carbohydrate-deficient transferring" (CDT's) are observed only under certain pathological conditions, including patients chronically consuming excessive amounts of alcohol and in patients having "carbohydrate-deficient glycoprotein syndrome (CDGS)," which is manifested by severe neurological deficiencies.
Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is a technology useful for the analysis of a variety of analytes of basic scientific and clinical importance. CE involves the electrophoretic separation of analytes, typically in narrow-bore fused silica capillaries. The capillaries employed in CE provide a high surface-to-volume ratio which allows for very efficient dissipation of Joule heat generated from large applied fields. Other techniques operating on this principle are known in the art, such as the use of capillary-like microchannels or troughs etched in glass chips or other materials to form microfabricated devices. As used herein, the term "capillary" refers to such microchannels or troughs in such devices, and the term "capillary electrophoresis," or "CE," refers to techniques and systems employing such microchannels, troughs, or devices.
Electrophoretic separations can be easily performed at up to 30,000 volts while the capillary remains close to ambient temperature. This permits "minute" time-scale separations and a significant reduction in analysis time in comparison to slab gel electrophoresis. Moreover, it is well established that both the speed of the separation as well as the resolution of the components are a direct function of the applied electric field in electrophoresis. Using applied electric fields up to 100 times those typically used with conventional electrophoretic methods, CE usually outperforms slab gel electrophoresis, not only in speed of analysis, but also in resolution.
In addition, the microliter column volume (e.g., 0.92 .mu.l for a 47 cm.times.50 .mu.m capillary) used in CE provides other advantages including relatively low amounts of reagent and sample consumed and the speed at which the capillary can be regenerated for subsequent analyses.
CE thus provides rapid (minute time-scale), high efficiency (10.sup.5 -10.sup.7 theoretical plates/m), reproducible (relative standard deviation<1%), automated separations on low volume samples under native or denaturing conditions, all of which provide distinct advantages over conventional slab gel electrophoresis.
A number of modes of CE have developed in the art, including capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE; separation in low ionic strength buffer), capillary isoelectric focusing (CIEF; separation of proteins in a pH gradient of ampholines) and capillary gel electrophoresis (CGE; separation in a polymeric sieving matrix).
Although CE provides efficient, reproducible and automated separation, the successful and reproducible CE separation of proteins, and especially of protein isoforms having virtually identical molecular weights, is problematic. Proteins have an intrinsic tendency to interact not only with other proteins, but also with the capillary wall. Certain proteins have been successfully separated using CE, but there is no universal approach or set of conditions applicable to all target proteins. A CE system able to separate a target protein from other components in a sample solution or to resolve clinically significant isoforms of a target protein within a sample solution would be an attractive alternative to less efficient and reliable methods in developing an assay for such protein or proteins.
Analysis of human Tf by CIEF and CZE has been reported in the literature. Each of these approaches, however, has disadvantages in the context of achieving a useful clinical assay. CZE relies solely on mass-to-charge ratios for separation and, therefore, slight differences in mass or charge may not be adequate for resolution. CIEF can effectively separate Tf isoforms based on differences in their individual pI's, but separation takes too long to be a viable means of efficiently handling a large number of samples.
Methods currently available in the clinical setting for discriminating Tf glycoforms include isoelectric focusing in slab gels followed by visualization of immunofixed glycoforms, immunopurification followed by isoelectric focusing and protein staining, and anion exchange with immunological detection of subfractions of Tf's at precisely controlled pH (5.65). In the latter method, CDT's are poorly retained by the column and are separately measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA).
While these methods function adequately for the analysis of serum Tf, they would be prohibitively expensive (reagent and labor costs) for handling a large number of samples in a high throughput manner (e.g., several hundred per day) and are not amenable to automation.
There is currently no automated assay available for the diagnosis of chronic alcoholism or CDG syndrome or for the resolution of Tf glycoforms generally. It would be highly advantageous to provide a system for resolving Tf glycoforms that would be amendable to automation and be capable of rapidly analyzing samples in a high throughput manner. The desirable assay would be capable of rapidly detecting Tf glycoforms indicative of pathologies characterized by the presence of CDT's.

Capillary electrophoresis of transferrin glycoforms


A method for separating semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes from metallic single-walled carbon nanotubes is disclosed. The method utilizes separation agents that preferentially associate with semiconducting nanotubes due to the electrical nature of the nanotubes. The separation agents are those that have a planar orientation, π-electrons available for association with the surface of the nanotubes, and also include a soluble portion of the molecule. Following preferential association of the separation agent with the semiconducting nanotubes, the agent/nanotubes complex is soluble and can be solubilized with the solution enriched in semiconducting nanotubes while the residual solid is enriched in metallic nanotubes.

Carbon nanotubes are well ordered, hollow carbon fibers composed of hexagonal groups of carbon atoms. Carbon nanotubes have been produced in both the single-walled and multi-walled forms. Single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) are preferred in many applications, however, as they can be stronger, more conductive, and provide a higher surface area to volume ratio than their multi-walled counterparts.
Carbon nanotubes have shown appositeness in many applications, for instance as high energy density electrodes in electromechanical actuators and electrochemical batteries, as probes in scanning probe microscopy, as strengthening agents in composite materials when combined with other forms of carbon such as graphite fibers or carbon black, as catalyst supports in chemical applications, and as components in conductive ink dispersions. Other possible applications for SWNTs involve embedding the materials in semiconductor or insulator materials to obtain high interface areas for utilization in, for example, photo-voltaics, sensors, electroluminescent devices, and charge storage devices such as capacitors.
Applications of SWNTs can generally be divided into semiconducting applications and metallic applications. Unfortunately, most, if not all, formation methods provide a mixture of both metallic and semiconducting SWNTs. As such, great interest is currently being shown in the development of methods that produce only one or the other type of SWNT as well as in the development of methods to separate the two types following formation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,714 to Smalley, et al., which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a dual laser pulse method for making ropes of SWNTs that are predominantly metallic in nature.
Other methods have attempted to synthesize one type of SWNT over the other through recognition of a difference in diameter between the two types. For example, some methods have attempted to control formation type by sufficiently controlling the catalyst particle size from which the tube grows. Particle size controls the diameter of the formed tube and hence the chirality and electronic nature of the tube. Such methods have met with limited success however, primarily due to the fact that the diametric differences between metallic and semiconductive SWNTs are so small. For instance the difference in diameter between a (10,10) metallic SWNT and a (9,11) semiconducting SWNT is only 0.03 Å.
Due to the difficulties presented in attempting to form only one type of SWNT, researchers have instead begun focusing more on methods to separate the types of SWNTs following formation. What is needed in the art is an improved method for separating metallic SWNTs from semiconducting SWNTs.

Process for separating metallic from semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes