A synchronizer comprised in part of a series of flip-flops is used to deterministically transfer data between clock domains during system test. Flip-flops in the clock domain operating at a higher clock frequency have a clock enable signal. The clock enable signal is defined so as to approximately align the enabled rising clock edges of the faster clock signal with the falling edges of the slower clock signal. This approximate alignment provides a timing window of one half period of the slower clock for the data to stabilize at the input of a flip-flop in the faster clock domain before it is sampled. This ensures deterministic transfer of data. Data flow control circuitry can be used to provide a ready signal to the faster clock domain to indicate that the synchronizer is available to transfer a synchronization signal. After testing is complete, the synchronizer can operate in an application mode wherein one or more of the clock enable signals is set to a continuous high level to minimize latency.

Synchronizers are used to interface two digital components that are operating from unrelated clock signals. Because the clock signals are unrelated, data transferred from one component to the other is asynchronous. An asynchronous input introduces the potential for metastability failures. In contrast to asynchronous inputs, synchronous inputs to a system obey strict timing relations governed by a reference such as a system clock. For example, a synchronous input to a flip-flop changes only within a predetermined part of the system clock period. The predetermined timing window for the change in the input is defined to ensure that the setup and hold time requirements of the flip-flop are satisfied. The setup time defines the amount of time that a data input must be available and stable before an active clock edge. The hold time describes the length of time that the data to be clocked into the flip-flop must remain available and stable after an active clock edge. Because there is no fixed relationship between an asynchronous input and the clock signal the asynchronous input may violate either a set-up or hold time requirement. When these timing requirements are violated it can put the circuit into a metastable state which is where the circuit may linger or oscillate indefinitely between two stable states. Failures resulting from metastable behavior are particularly troublesome and mysterious because they are intermittent, random, and virtually untraceable.
A well known approach to transferring data between two asynchronous components is to use an interface that converts the asynchronous inputs to synchronous inputs by sampling the inputs using the system clock. This sampling process is called synchronization and the interface is known as a synchronizer. The inherent unpredictability of the timing relationship between an asynchronous input and a clock signal has made metastability a significant recurrent problem in digital systems.
A conventional synchronizer is illustrated in FIG. 1. Clock domain A 110 and clock domain B 116 have independent clocks. Data transferred from clock domain A is therefore an asynchronous input to clock domain B. Flip-flop 112 and flip-flop 114 form a synchronizer 118. Both of the flip-flops are driven by a clock signal from the clock B domain. The flip-flops provide a one clock period delay during which a marginal input value has the opportunity to resolve to either valid logic value as it is shifted through the synchronizer flip-flops. However, a primary problem of the conventional synchronizer is that there remains a significant probability that the input at flip-flop 112 will violate the flip-flop 112 set-up time placing flip-flop 112 into an indeterminate state that can cause the signal to fail to be passed on to flip-flop 114.
In a test environment, the clock domain A 110 clock signal and the clock domain B 116 signal may be derived from a single clock in the test system. A conventional approach to transferring data across an asynchronous boundary in a test environment is to skew the clocks to minimize the likelihood of a data input violating the set-up time of a receiving device. In a high frequency test environment the uncertainty in the timing relationship between the two clock signals may approach the clock period of the faster clock signal. When this occurs skewing the clocks is no longer sufficient to deterministically transfer data across the asynchronous boundary. Other synchronizers have attempted to use clock enable signals to avoid metastable states.
Computer systems can be designed to tolerate certain types of uncertainty in asynchronous interfaces. For example, data transfer between a CPU and a system bus may be asynchronous. The transfer of data between the CPU and the bus may be delayed by one or more cycles due to the asynchronous interface. The system can be designed to tolerate such variations in order to maximize the overall system operating speed. However, in a test environment, a test machine provides an input pattern to a device and checks to see if a specific output pattern is provided. If data is delayed non-deterministically at an asynchronous interface, the test system interprets the delay as a malfunction in the part because the output does not match the predefined output pattern at a specific point in time. Therefore, systems that may tolerate asynchronous variations in actual operation still must conform to deterministic operation in the test environment. In conventional systems, devices often fail high frequency testing because of a delay introduced in an asynchronous data transfer, when in fact the devices would be completely functional when run in the application system because the system is designed to accommodate non-deterministic delays in data transfer. As a result perfectly functional devices are discarded or are sold for application at a lower frequency than they actually could be operated at.
In view of these and other problems of conventional synchronizers, a synchronizer that provides deterministic data transfer across an asynchronous boundary in a test environment and allows for high speed performance in an application environment would be highly desirable.

Method and apparatus for a testable high frequency synchronizer


An air purifier for industrial plants has an ultraviolet (UV) cleaner. The UV cleaner has a duct casing, multiple UV generators and an air pump. The duct casing has a cavity defined in the duct casing, an air inlet communicating with the cavity and an air outlet communicating with the cavity. The UV generators are mounted in the cavity in the duct casing and generate UV when in operation. The air pump is connected to the air outlet and generates an outward air suction force through the air outlet. The air purifier operates without any filtering elements and has an excellent filtering rate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a purifying device, and more particularly to an air purifier for industrial plants and that purifies dirty air.
2. Description of Related Art
Industrial plants such as oil refineries and incinerators generate a large quantity of dirty air, which will pollute the ambient environment and endanger human health.
To clean the dirty air before it discharges out from the plants and becomes a significant hazard to ambient environment and people, the plants are equipped with an air purifier that purifies the dirty air.
Conventional air purifiers are classified into two types. One type is air filters and the other type is air cleaning agents.
A conventional air filter may be a filter net or an active carbon filter element having multiple meshes. When the air passes through the meshes, the air filter captures the pollutants in the air. However, dimensions of the meshes are too small and therefore the filtering rate of the air filter is low.
A conventional air cleaning agent is emitted to mix with the dirty air and react with the pollutants in the air. The product from the reaction of the air cleaning agent and the pollutants is harmless to people and ambient environment. However, the rest of the air cleaning agent due to the incomplete reaction would be harmful to people. Furthermore, the product from the reaction may smell and un-comfort people.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides an air purifier to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.


A switching section is provided between a personal computer, a gateway card, and a common HDD. A CPU controls the switching section so as to connect the personal computer and the common HDD when the personal computer is in a normal power mode. The CPU controls the switching section so as to connect the gateway card and the common HDD when the personal computer shifts to a power-saving mode. When the personal computer is in the normal power mode, a cache memory caches data communicated between the gateway card and the personal computer, and the data communication between the gateway card and the personal computer is executed in parallel with an access to the common HDD.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing system, a gateway card, a gateway device, and a computer program that are installed at home for adjusting communication protocols between different networks, capable of saving space, improving performance, and saving power.
2) Description of the Related Art
Recently, not only personal computers, but also home appliances such as the televisions and telephones, have been equipped with the Internet connection function that makes it possible to connect these home appliances to the Internet.
When a user purchases such an apparatus, it is required to do settings so that the apparatus can be connected to an access point of the Internet. These settings generally take lot of time and are tedious. Moreover, it is necessary to connect these apparatuses to telephone lines, to computers etc. These connections are generally complex and troublesome.
A gateway device called a home gateway or the like has attracted attention in recent years. What this device does is that it adjusts differences in communication protocols between the network at home and external networks including the Internet.
Precisely, all the devices in the home that have the Internet connection function are connected to this gateway device and the gateway device is connected to the public telephone line or other network. All the devices connected to the gateway device can be connected to the Internet so that tedious settings or complex wiring is not required.
A remote control system that remote controls home appliances such as a video recorder via the Internet and the gateway apparatus, has been proposed.
Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open Nos. H11-58412, H10-254636, H11-249967, H7-56694, H10-320259, 2000-267928, and S61-275945 disclose prior art.

Access control system, gateway card, and access control method


A closed type motor-driven compressor includes a motor accommodated in a closed container and a compression mechanism connected through a crank shaft to the motor. A shielding member having a cylindrical portion substantially concentric with the axis of the compression mechanism is disposed between the motor and the compression mechanism. This shielding member defines a shielding air space between the motor and the compression mechanism for preventing a permeation of a lubricating oil. An inlet of a discharge pipe of the closed type motor-driven compressor is positioned inwardly of this shielding air space.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a closed type motor-driven compressor and, more particularly, to a closed type motor-driven compressor employed for air conditioning or refrigerating an suitable for improving a performance of a refrigerating cycle and securing a reliability of the compressor.
Furthermore, the present invention is directed to a closed type motor-driven compressor based on a double-bearing structure intended to avoid a concentration of sliding load.
Moreover, the present invention is concerned with a scroll compressor suitable mainly for improving strength of wraps for forming a pump and obtaining a high air tightness. Additionally, the present invention relates to an end mill for machining wraps of a fixed scroll and an orbiting scroll in the scroll compressor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the scroll compressor shown in FIG. 4, a compression mechanism 7 is accommodated in an upper portion of the closed container 9, while a motor 8 is accommodated in the lower portion thereof. Contained in the closed container 9 is a lubricating oil for lubricating sliding portions of the compression mechanism 7.
The compression mechanism 7 includes a fixed scroll 7a, an orbiting scroll 7b, a frame 14, a crankshaft 11, an Oldham's ring 7c. The motor 8 has a stator 8a and a rotor 8b. The stator 8a is fixed by shrinkage-fitting in the closed container 9. The rotor 8b is fixed by press-fitting to the crankshaft 11.
An outer peripheral part of the frame 14 is fixed to the 10 closed container 9 and provided with a bearing for the crankshaft 11. The fixed scroll 7a is fastened to the frame 14.
The fixed scroll 7a and the orbiting scroll 7b respectively have spiral wraps extending from end plates. The respective wraps mesh with each other, thus defining compression chambers.
An eccentric part of the crankshaft 11 is rotatably received in a boss of the orbiting scroll 7b. A rotation of the scroll 7b about its own axis is prevented by the Oldham's ring 7c, whereby revolving action is given. The arrangement is such that a refrigerant gas, suctioned for an inlet (not shown) of the fixed scroll 7a is gradually compressed in the compression chambers upon rotation of the orbiting scroll 7b.
The lubricating oil 10 is supplied to a bearing part 12a, crank part 12b, etc. with rotations of the crankshaft 11 connected directly to the rotor 8b. The lubricating oil is thereafter discharged through a discharge port 13 and returned to the closed container bottom part 9a. Some of the lubricating oil, however, is atomized due to an influence of stirring or the like of the rotor 8b of the motor module. The refrigerated gas enters the compression mechanism from a suction pipe 4b and is compressed therein. The compressed gas is exhausted into the closed container 9 from the discharge port 13 and fed together with the atomized lubricating oil to the refrigerating cycle via discharge pipe 4a.
The prior art refrigerating cycle illustrated in FIG. 5 includes a compressor 1, heat exchangers 2a, 2b, an expansion member 3 and a piping system 4 for connecting these components, thereby circulating the refrigerant. The oil separator 5 separates the atomized lubricating oil discharged together with the refrigerant from the discharge pipe 4a of the compressor 1. The oil separator 5 is equipped with a bypass line 6 for quickly returning only the lubricating oil component for the compressor (interior). With this arrangement, the reliability of the compressor is improved by preventing a deficiency of lubricating oil within the compressor. At the same time, the lubricating oil is prevented from circulating through the heat exchangers, thereby preventing a drop in efficiency of the refrigerating cycle as well as preventing a decrease in heat transfer coefficient due to an adhesion of lubricating oil to an internal wall of the heat exchanger pipe.
The following problems are inherent to the prior art constructions. Provided outside the compressor is an oil separator circuit for quickly returning to the compressor the lubricating oil discharged from the compressor discharge pipe to the refrigerating cycle. The structure of the refrigerating cycle becomes complicated and is increased in size, resulting in an increase of the total cost of the system. Then, the following measures are taken in some cases, the oil separator circuit is not provided, and, instead, as illustrated in FIG. 6, a discharge pipe 4A is provided in a vicinity of the center of the container. A quantity of the lubricating oil is reduced by increasing the refrigerant component to be fed outside the compressor as in the case of centrifugally separating the lubricating component having a large density caused by a swirling flow due to the rotor 8b of the motor.
In this case, the centrifugally separated lubricating oil is re-atomized by the rotor of the motor and, hence, a gas-liquid separating ability is insufficient. The lubricating oil within the compressor becomes sufficient, resulting in a reduction in the reliability of the compressor.
Further, a circulating of the lubricating oil to the heat exchangers is caused. The heat transfer coefficient is reduced because the adhesion of the lubricating oil to the inner walls of the pipes of the heat exchangers and, therefore, the efficiency of the refrigerating cycle is decreased. Needed further is an air space for arranging the discharge pipe to the upper portion of the rotor. This leads to an increase in the overall size of the compressor.
Another example of a gas-liquid separation within a compressor is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 58-160587. Based on this technical approach, a gas-liquid separation blade is provided on the upper portion of the rotor of the motor. Provided further on the upper portion of the motor is a partition plate for substantially entirely partitioning the motor and the compression mechanism. A discharge pipe is arranged to communicate with the air space in the upper portion of the partition plate. An outer periphery of the partition plate contacts with an inner wall of the closed container, while an inner periphery thereof contacts with a bearing boss. In this last mentioned prior art construction, the internal structure of the compressor becomes complicated and the costs increased. In, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-170774, an auxiliary bearing in the conventional double-bearing-structured closed type motor-driven compressor is proposed wherein a typical ball bearing, having spherical members rotatably disposed between an inner ring and an outer ring, is press-fitted into a boss hole of a support leg formed by casting or forging, etc.
The mounting structure of the auxiliary bearing of the conventional closed type motor-driven compressor described above, however, has the following disadvantages.
Namely, the cast or forged member is poor in terms of the forming accuracy. If such a cast or forged member exhibiting the poor forming accuracy is employed as a constructive material of the support leg, equipment and expenditure for working these materials are required. This contributes to a rise in the total manufacturing costs.
Additionally, for securing an accurate center of the auxiliary bearing and the casing minor diameter which requires precise centering during an assembly, it is necessary to, as a matter of course, secure a concentricity between an annular major diameter of the support leg and the boss hole into which the ball bearing is press-fitted. The casing decreases in rigidity, and when fitting the stator of the motor, a deformation is caused. In this case also, however, it is necessary that the casing inner surface be worked to enhance the accuracy of the casing combined with the support leg. There are many disadvantages in terms of the manufacturing costs including the assembly.
Additionally, in the conventional closed type motor-driven compressor a ball roller bearing is employed as an auxiliary bearing. In products such as a domestic room air-conditioner which utilizes the foregoing closed type motor-driven compressor, an operating noise is perceived as an important factor for determining the quality thereof. It is impossible in the roller bearing to avoid a generation of tap noises attributed to the rolling of the ball bearing.
A further conventional scroll compressor is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-187388, wherein wraps of the fixed and orbiting scrolls have inner and outer surfaces which basically extend from the end plates. To illustrate in more detail, the wraps commonly take the configuration shown in FIG. 22 wherein the compressor includes a fixed scroll 201, an orbiting scroll 202, wraps 203a, 203b, end plates 204a, 204b, wrap root parts 205a, 205b, stepped parts 224a, 224b, wrap tip parts 206a, 206b, chamfered parts 225a, 225b, wrap side surfaces 207a, 207b, wrap bottom surfaces 209c, 209b, and an air gap 226.
As shown in FIG. 22, the wrap root parts 205a, 205b of the wraps 203a, 203b are provided with small stepped parts 224a, 224b in order to enhance the mechanical strength of the wraps 203a, 203b. Furthermore, the wrap tip parts 206a, 206b are formed with the chamfered parts 225a, 225b which do not contact the stepped parts 224a, 224b when the fixed scroll 201 is assembled with the orbiting scroll 202.
When the orbiting scroll 202 orbits about a central axis (not shown), the wraps 203b of the orbiting scroll 202 move near to or away from the wrap 203a of the fixed scroll 201. A refrigerant gas between the wraps 203a, 203b is thereby compressed. During such operation, the arrangement is such that the refrigerant gas does not leak from the air space between the wraps 203a, 203b. The spacing between the wrap tip part 206a and the wrap bottom surface 209b, between the wrap tip part 206b and the wrap bottom surfaces 209a, 209b are minimized. Moreover, when the wraps 203a, 203b approach each other, the distance between the stepped part 224a and the chamfered part 225b and between the stepped part 224b and the chamfered part 225a are minimized so that oil films of the refrigerating machine oil mixed in the refrigerant gas are formed between the wraps 203a, 203b.
The stepped parts 224a, 224b at the root parts 205a, 205b are normally formed when machining the wraps with an end mill. More specifically, the machining of the wraps 203a, 203b is the same and, therefore, the respective portions will be shown by removing the letters a, b from the reference numerals. As illustrated in FIG. 23, in a workpiece previously formed with a wrap tip part 206 and a chamfered part 225, a wrap side surface 207 is machined by the major-diameter part of the end mill 227 (FIG. 23A). Thereafter, the wrap bottom surface 209, i.e., the upper surface of the end plate 204 is machined by the tip of the end mill 227 (FIG. 23B). The wrap 203 is thus machine by the two separate steps. However, the major diameter of the end mill 227 is set slightly smaller than the minimum spacing between the spiral wrap 203 and the end plate 204. The stepped part 224 is thereby formed simultaneously when machining the upper surface of the end plate 204 shown in FIG. 23B.
As shown in FIG. 24A, in a workpiece 229 of fixed scroll 201 or a rotary scroll 202, formed substantially in predetermined dimensions, the surface of the wrap tip part 206 is premachined. Machined by a side surface machining end mill 228 is a workpiece side surface 230 of a spiral projection which will turn out a wrap of the workpiece 229. A wrap 203 is formed so that a thick dimension of this projection is set in a predetermined dimension. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 24B, the tip edge of this projection is cut to form an obliquely chamfered part 225 by a chamfering cutter 231.
The conventional scroll wrap machining end mill is, as illustrated in FIG. 25A, made of a typical tool steel or super hard material and has a cutting edge 233 assuming such a configuration that the tip is accurately ground. Alternatively, as depicted in FIG. 25B, a coating 234 is applied to the entire surface of a base metal 232 of the end mill. This coating 234 is composed of diamond exhibiting an extremely high hardness and high melting point or a crystal of carbides of a variety of metals.
In the scroll compressor including a combination of the fixed scroll 201 and the orbiting scroll 202 having the wraps 203a, 203b formed by the above-described machining, the tips of the respective wraps 203b, 203a are formed obliquely with the chamfered parts 225b, 225a so as not to impinge of the stepped parts 224a, 224b. Therefore, even when the wraps 203a, 203b approach each other, the air gaps 226 serving as linear seals formed between the stepped part 224a and the chamfered part 225b and between the stepped part 224a and the chamfered part 225b are increased. Generally, an oil film of refrigerating machine contained in the refrigerant gas is formed in such an air gap 226. The refrigerant gas does not leak out of the above-mentioned air gap 226 due to a sealing effect of the oil. As shown above, however, if the air gap 226 is large and when the wraps 203, 203b approach each other, a pressure of the refrigerant gas therebetween is large. Hence, the oil film of the refrigerating machine oil therein is easy to break and a sealing effect cannot be obtained. For this reason, during normal operation of the compressor, the refrigerant gas which is continuously compressed leaks out of the air gap where the oil film has been broken, thereby causing a performance reduction. The electric power consumed for operation is increased and, therefore, a problem arises in terms of saving energy.
Based on the above-described working methods, the wrap side surface and the chamfered part are machined by the separate steps and, therefore, the manufacturing time, as a matter of course, is increased and production efficiency is reduced. Additionally, if machining is conducted in this way by the separate steps, and when shifting from the machining step of the wrap side surface to the machining step of the chamfered part is carried out, reattaching a tool is required. In working of a complicated configuration such as a non-curved shape, there may be easily caused positional offset between the side surface machining end mill 228 for machining the workpiece side surface 230 and the chamfering cutter 231 for machining the chamfered part 225 in FIG. 24 and, consequently, a high dimensional machining accuracy cannot be realized.
The conventional scroll wrap machining end mill 235 illustrated in FIG. 25 is flat cutter member, the tip of which is sharp thereby resulting in a chipping readily taking place. Further, in the coating end mill, the coating 234 involves the use of diamond or crystal of carbides of various metals exhibiting extremely high hardness and high melting point. These materials have different mechanical and chemical properties from that of the end mill base metal 232, so that the end mill base metal 232 is therefore difficult to join with the coating. Previous studies have been carried out in order to determine the effects of surface treatments for promoting joining of coating to the end mill base metal 232. However, such studies have found inevitable slight deviations in temperature, atmosphere, etc. during the surface treatment and coating process. Thus, the joining strength between the end mill base metal 232 and the coating 234 is quite unstable.
As a result, when a workpiece is machined by use of an end mill base metal described above, the cutting edge 233 is sharp and is therefore brought into a point-contact with the workpiece. Bi-directional cutting stress from the side and bottom surfaces of this cutting edge 233 is applied extremely largely on the tip of the cutting edge 233. Consequently, this cutting stress extremely largely acts thereon, with the result that the coating 234 is peeled. Causes is a rapid wear of the tip of the cutting edge 233 at the initial working stage. It is impossible to secure a predetermined cutting accuracy and cutting distance.

Closed type motor-driven compressor, a scroll compressor and a scroll lap machining end mill


A process for recycling fiber products employs an aqueous deinking medium containing an effective amount of a collector chemical. The collector chemical comprises a surface active agent which is or can be derived from lanolin. Alkoxylated lanolin derivatives are preferred.

The invention relates to the recycling of fiber products, especially printed paper products. Particularly, although not exclusively, the invention relates to a collector chemical formulation for use in the recycling of fiber products and a process for recycling fiber products involving subjecting them to a mechanical treatment to separate fibers, removing print therefrom (commonly known as "deinking") and recovering the fibers.
The recycling of paper products is now an important industry. Initially, paper products, particularly for the box and board industry, were recycled without deinking. A later development was the use of waste paper as a source of fibers for the production of newsprint but now waste paper products can be deinked and used for higher quality papers, for example tissue, cartridge and writing papers.
A common method of paper recycling, called flotation deinking, is to subject waste paper to a mechanical pulping treatment to break the paper down into fibers in an aqueous medium, and then to use a flotation technique to remove ink, which may be followed by a washing step. To remove the ink, a chemical, commonly referred to as a collector chemical, is present, and air is introduced at the bottom of the flotation chamber. The air, in the presence of the collector chemical, transports ink to the surface of the aqueous medium. At the surface, the ink-rich foam is removed by mechanical means.
Within the deinking industry there is a well-established practice for the deinking of newspaper/magazine furnishes commonly used for newsprint production. This entails alkaline pulping at fairly high pH levels (10-11) for the detachment of ink from fibers followed by alkaline flotation with soaps, being alkali metal salts of selected non-alkoxylated fatty acids. These may be added (a) as fatty acids direct to the pulper whereby in-situ saponification occurs or (b) as fatty acids via an external intermediary saponification step with the resultant soap dosed to the pulper and/or to the deinking (typically flotation) cell or (c) as soaps or soap solutions per se to the pulper and/or to the deinking (typically flotation) cell.
Saponification requires a relatively high pH. However, a relatively high pH may lead to yellowing of the fiber pulp. To combat this, hydrogen peroxide is added during pulping. However, such conditions increase the chemical and/or biological oxygen demand of the effluent from the process. Furthermore, the subsequent process of paper making is either an acid or neutral process, so the more alkaline the aqueous medium in the deinking chamber is, the more acid is required for subsequent paper-making. Operating at a lower pH could therefore bring about substantial environmental benefits. It must also be borne in mind that there is a certain degree of hysteresis in the matter of pH of solutions containing paper pulp because of the absorption of alkaline or acid moieties within fibers.
Synthetic surface active agents, generally fatty acid alkoxylates and fatty alcohol alkoxylates, are sometimes used in deinking processes, instead of soaps, but are expensive, and may give rise to foaming which is difficult to control. Also, whilst they may give good results in laboratory tests, they are thought to work less well in commercial practice.

Process for deinking pulp fibers using ethoxylated lanolin


A method of prioritizing actions at a gateway (1) to a bearer network (3), the gateway comprising a Media Gateway (7) which is responsible for establishing call connections over said bearer network (3) and a Media Gateway Controller (4) coupled to the Media Gateway. A signalling message is received at the Media Gateway Controller (4), which determines the priority of the message. The signalling message is converted into a Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) message including a parameter indicating the priority of the associated signalling message. The MGCP is then transferred to the Media Gateway (7) which acts upon the message in accordance with the indicated priority.

Telecommunications networks currently rely to a large extent upon the Signalling System no. 7 (SS7) as the mechanism for controlling call connections and for handling the transfer of signalling information between signalling points of the networks. Typically, one or more application and user parts at a given signalling point will make use of SS7 to communicate with peer application and user parts at some other signalling point. Examples of user parts are ISUP (ISDN User Part) and TUP (Telephony User Part) whilst examples of application parts are INAP (Intelligent Network Application Part) and MAP (Mobile Application Part). The conventional SS7 protocol stack includes Message Transfer Parts MTP1, MTP2, and MTP3 which handle the formatting of signalling messages for transport over the physical layer, error correction and detection, as well as various routing functions.
SS7 typically uses the same physical transport layer as is used for transporting actual user information, e.g. voice and facsimile information. In Europe, the conventional physical transport mechanism is a time division multiplexed Synchronous Transport Mechanism (STM) known as E.1. In the US, a similar transport mechanism known as T.1 is used.
There has been considerable interest of late amongst the telecommunications community in using non-standard (i.e. non-conventional within the telecommunications industry) "bearer" transport mechanisms in telecommunications networks to carry user data, for example, voice traffic. The reasons for this are related both to improvements in efficiency as well as potential cost savings. Much consideration has been given for example to the use of Internet Protocol (IP) networks to transport user information between network nodes. IP networks have the advantage that they make efficient use of transmission resources by using packet switching and are relatively low in cost due to the widespread use of the technology (as opposed to specialised telecommunication technology). There is also interest in using other transport mechanisms such as ATM.
The standard ISUP which deals with the setting-up and control of call connections in a telecommunications network is closely linked to the standard bearer transport mechanism and does not readily lend itself to use with other non-standard transport technologies such as IP and ATM. As such, several standardisation bodies including the ITU-T, ETSI, and ANSI, are currently considering the specification of a protocol for the control of calls, which is independent of the underlying transport mechanism. This can be viewed as separating out from the protocol, Bearer Control functions which relate merely to establishing the parameters (including the start and end points) of the "pipe" via which user plane data is transported between nodes, and which are specific to the bearer transport mechanism. The new protocol, referred to as Bearer Independent Call Control (BICC), retains Call Control functions such as the services invoked for a call between given calling and called parties (e.g. call forwarding), and the overall routing of user plane data. FIG. 1a illustrates the conventional integrated Call Control and Bearer Control structure of ISUP whilst FIG. 1b illustrates the proposed new separated structure. In place of BICC, alternative protocols such as SIP may be used.
It is noted that at the junctions between different bearer networks, i.e. between different transport media, a gateway is present which requires both the CC functions and BC functions. The splitting of the CC and BC control derives in part from the Gateway Decomposition work which was carried out by the IETF SS7IP, SIGTRAN and MEGACO working groups, ETSI Tiphon Project, ITU SG16 Study Group 16, ATM Forum and Multiswitching Service Forum (MSF) on establishing an architecture and requirements for decomposed gateways.
As a result of the CC/BC split, a new interface is exposed between the CC functions and BC functions. A Gateway Control Protocol is required to enable coupling between the CC functions and BC functions when a node is implemented in a separated environment. The term for this standardised interface protocol is the 'Media Gateway Control Protocol' (MGCP). This protocol is being developed by the ITU Study Group 16 (H.GCP) and in the IETF MEGACO (MGCP) working group. In ITU Study Group 16 and IETF MEGACO, the CC function is know as 'Media Gateway Controller (MGC)' and the BC function is known as 'Media Gateway (MG)'. The need for the MGCP is illustrated in FIG. 2, which illustrates two peer gateway nodes which communicate with one another at both the CC level and the BC level. It will be appreciated that the definition of a MGCP will allow a Media Gateway Controller to be used with any type of Media Controller (and vice versa) as long as both utilise the MGCP.

Prioritizing actions at a media gateway controller and a media gateway


An ultraviolet light emitting phosphor for mercury-free lamps is a phosphor composed of a phosphate containing at least two metal elements selected from the group consisting of group 13 elements and lanthanoid series elements, and is excited to emit ultraviolet by irradiation with vacuum ultraviolet rays or an electron beam.

The use of ultraviolet light has expanded in the medical and photocatalyst fields, and the industrial value of ultraviolet light emitting devices has increased. Various phosphors exhibiting ultraviolet light emission have been developed. A mercury lamp is widely used in a phosphor exhibiting ultraviolet light emission, because the mercury lamp has high convenience that, for example, it can be manufactured at low cost and it can exert high energy.
However, the large impact of mercury on the natural environment is currently regarded as problem, and from the viewpoint of environmental protection, legal restrictions prohibiting mercury production will be enforced in the future. On this background, a substitute light source without mercury (mercury-free) has been urgently required to be developed.
Examples of a conventional light source without mercury include a plane light source wherein the first phosphor layer such as YAlO3:Ce3+ inside a vacuum chamber is excited to emit the first light by vacuum ultraviolet rays, the second phosphor layer outside the vacuum chamber is excited to emit the second light by the first light, and thus white light is emitted (refer to Patent Literature 1).
Examples of a phosphor for light sources without mercury include a phosphor for vacuum ultraviolet-excited light-emitting elements that comprises a compound having a spinel type structure represented by a formula M1O-M22O3 wherein M1 is one or more selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, and Zn, and M2 is one or more selected from the group consisting of Sc, Y, B, Al, Ga, and In) containing Ln as an activator (provided that Ln is one or more selected from the group consisting of Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Ho, Dy, Er, and Tm), the phosphor suppressing the reduction of emission intensity (refer to Patent Literature 2).
As other phosphors for light sources without mercury, an ultraviolet light emitting phosphor composed of phosphates such as ScPO4, LuPO4:Nd, and LaPO4:Pr has also been known (refer to Non Patent Literatures 1 to 3).

Ultraviolet-emitting phosphor, light-emitting element, and light-emitting device


A new family of stannosilicate molecular sieves which have the zeolite beta structure are disclosed. These molecular sieves have a three dimensional framework structure composed of at least SnO.sub.2 and SiO.sub.2 tetrahedral oxide units (and optionally TiO.sub.2 and GeO.sub.2 units) and have an empirical formula of: EQU (Sn.sub.x Ti.sub.y Si.sub.1-x-y-z Ge.sub.z)O.sub.2. where "x", "y" and "z" are the mole fractions of tin, titanium and germanium respectively. A process for preparing these molecular sieves is also presented along with processes for the selective oxidation of organic compounds with peroxides using the molecular sieves as catalysts.

Zeolites are crystalline aluminosilicate molecular sieves which have a microporous three-dimensional framework structure. In general, the crystalline zeolites are formed from corner-sharing AlO.sub.2 and SiO.sub.2 tetrahedra and are characterized by having pore openings of uniform dimensions, having a significant ion-exchange capacity, and being capable of reversibly desorbing an adsorbed phase which is dispersed throughout the internal voids of the crystal, without significantly displacing any atoms which make up the permanent crystal structure.
Zeolite beta, which is described in U.S. Pat. No. RE 28,341 and is incorporated by reference, is one particular zeolite which has recently received considerable attention for catalyzing various types of reactions. Zeolite beta is usually synthesized in a basic medium in the presence of tetraethylammonium and alkali cations and has a Si/Al mole ratio from about 5 to about 100. A molecular sieve with the zeolite beta structure but containing titanium in the framework is described in Spanish patent no. 2,037,596 which also discloses that the titanium containing material can be used as a catalyst in selective oxidation reactions of organic compounds using hydrogen peroxide, organic peroxides or hydroperoxides as the oxidizing agent.
WO97/33830 discloses the synthesis of zeolite beta using fluoride anions as the mineralizing agent at or near neutral pH. It is disclosed that these materials exhibit enhanced thermal stability and low concentration of SiO or SiOH defects over a wide chemical composition range. Finally, T. Blasco et al. in J. Phys. Chem. B, 1998, 102, p. 75 disclose the incorporation of titanium into the beta structure by using the procedure in WO97/33830 again over a wide Si/Al range. These materials also have increased hydrophobicity.
In contrast to this, applicants have synthesized a series of molecular sieves comprised of at least SnO.sub.2 and SiO.sub.2 tetrahedral units. Titanium and germanium can also be present in the framework. These molecular sieves are represented by the empirical formula: EQU (Sn.sub.x Ti.sub.y Si.sub.1-x-y-z Ge.sub.z)O.sub.2
where "x", "y" and "z" are the mole fractions of tin, titanium and germanium. These stannosilicate molecular sieves are useful as catalysts in selective oxidation processes such as olefin epoxidation and hydroxylation of aromatic compounds.


A UV disinfectant system for treatment of water resident in a vessel. One or more UV lamps are mounted within the interior of the vessel so as to expose the water stored therein. The vessel may be, for example, a water tank, water heater, water filter or other component which holds a volume of water. A layer of photoreactive material may be formed on an inside surface of a wall of the vessel so as to be exposed to the UV radiation from the lamp. The photoreactive material may be tin dioxide, titanium dioxide, or other material that produces hydroxyl ions in response to UV exposure. The hydroxyl ions flow from the vessel into the piping and other components of the system so as to inhibit microbial action therein. The UV lamps may be mounted in quartz sleeves that surround the lamps for immersion in water and that are supported to protect the sleeves and lamps from vibration damage. The system may also be used to prevent freeze damage to the vessel and water system.

a. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for the inactivation of microorganisms and reduction of biofilm in a self-contained potable water supply, or on the interior surfaces of devices used in the system. This is accomplished in part by installing one or more (UV) germicidal lamps inside at least one and preferably two or more of the following components: potable water tank, faucet, filter, water heater, humidifier. Additional microorganism inactivation and biofilm reduction can be provided through the use of a titanium dioxide, tin dioxide or other UV-activated antibacterial liner on the walls and welds of the components. The potable water supply may be installed in a remote portable structure or in a mobile vehicle such as a train, boat, bus, motor home, aircraft, and the like.
b. Background
Contamination of vehicular and other self-contained water systems is a significant ongoing problem. The World Health Organization estimates that up to one half of vehicle travelers suffer from some type of disease within a week of their trip.
A self-contained potable water supply typically consists of a water tank, a water treatment device, a method of moving the water, piping, a faucet and other water supply devices such as a humidifier. While the water may have started out as high quality drinking water, it soon deteriorates when placed in contaminated tanks and flowed through contaminated piping and devices. Bacteria and biofilm can grow in any of these devices. The moist metal or plastic surfaces are prime breeding areas for bacteria and viruses. The biofilm builds up on the surface until a portion of it sloughs off, eluding normal disinfection methods.
Small self-contained water supplies are often found in remote areas, as in cabins or other small buildings, or on vehicles such as yachts, boats, trains, busses, motor homes and aircraft. These systems store potable water for residents, crew or passengers and can easily become contaminated. Many people do not have a full understanding of bacterial growth. To avoid saving "stale" water in the storage tank, the water is usually drained at or near the end of a trip. The internals of most of the water supply components are consequently subjected to moist air for many hours until the surface dries. Unfortunately, bacteria, viruses and biofilm thrive in these conditions.
Furthermore, the water is often obtained from wells or other reservoirs where quality cannot always be assured. Reference is made to the City of Milwaukee where the city water supply was contaminated by Cryptosporidium in 1993. The result was more than 400,000 people sick and over 100 dead. In Las Vegas, the next year, 19 people died of the same pathogen. A serious problem exists that could become disastrous if a city's water supply should become infected and consequently the potable water supplies in such vehicles or other self-contained potable water supplies are filled with contaminated water. The increased potential for intentional contamination by terrorists, e.g., using anthrax or other pathogens, has heightened this concern for both civilian and military users.
Biofilm is a major mode of self-protection for many types of bacteria. The bacteria grow and attach to the surface of piping and fixtures by producing a sticky matrix. Algae and protozoa may also contribute to the colony. As well as water, the biofilm matrix is made up of lipopolysaccharides and acidic exopolysaccharides excreted by the bacteria. The exopolysaccharide and water gel when sufficient calcium ions replace the acidic protons of the polymers. Chlorination is not very effective in reducing bacteria hidden behind the protective biofilm. Bacteria counts taken from the water stream only measure the floating microorganisms, not the number that exists in biofilm attached to the walls of supply components and piping.
It has been discovered that bacteria start the colonization process at a specific location by communicating with each other ("Community Structure and Co-operation in Biofilms", Cambridge University Press, 2001; Scientific American Volume 285, July 2001). Thus, to prevent the start of a biofilm colony, the surface of components and piping must be treated so that either the ability to communicate is blocked or attachment by bacteria is prevented.
Mutually beneficial species like sulfate-reducing bacteria (e.g. Desulfovibrio vulgaris) and sulfate-based bacteria (e.g. Thiobacillus) cooperate to cause accelerated rates of iron corrosion under a biofilm. Desulfovibrio vulgaris produces hydrogen sulphide as a waste product. Thiobacillus uses hydrogen sulphide for nourishment, producing sulfuric acid. Both are corrosive and can damage the surface of some iron-based materials. Under the right conditions, biofilm can grow quickly and then slough off pieces into the water supply.
Cryptosporidium is a cyst that is spread onto surface waters that eventually drain into water reservoirs. Chlorination is not very effective in the elimination of Cryptosporidium, however UV disinfection has proven to be effective even at moderate doses.
As well as pathogenic bacteria viruses may also be present, the latter being the smallest of waterborne pathogenic microorganisms. These viruses, such as those producing infectious hepatitis, poliomyelitis, meningitis, and gastroenteritis, can hide under biofilm among various bacteria species.
Air-borne bacteria and viruses can also contaminate water tanks and humidifiers connected to the potable water system. Legionella bacteria came to prominence with the 1976 Philadelphia convention of the American Legion. Several people died of the harsh infection associated with legionella pneumophila. Poor cleaning of the biofilm in the air conditioning system was attributed as the cause of the bacterial buildup. The legionella pneumophila often grows in conjunction with, and is protected by, biofilm. The air blowing through coils and humidifiers can carry bacteria and viruses through air ducts in a vehicle to where humans are located.
A wide variety of methods have been used over the years to disinfect water, including chlorination in particular. However, recent research has provided strong evidence of health disadvantages associated with using chlorine as a primary means of disinfecting drinking water; for example, the US Environmental Protection Agency has advised that certain chlorine byproducts created during water treatment are carcinogenic. Furthermore, chlorine is not effective in removing biofilm from a water supply and harms the environment.
While also effective as a disinfectant, the use of ozone is discouraged onboard vehicles because of the corrosive nature of the gas, its odor and its harmful nature to humans when the concentration is not properly regulated.
Ultra-violet light (UV) is a very effective disinfecting agent with few, if any, side effects. UV exists in nature, radiating from the sun. UV light adds no chemicals to the water, and therefore creates no health, taste or odor problems. It is well established that germicidal lamps emitting UV light in the 254 nm range are effective at disinfecting most bacteria (including anthrax), viruses and cysts. UV is a preferred method of primary disinfection for water supplies as compared to injecting a moderate level of chlorine (over 1.0 ppm). Furthermore, contrary to ozone, excessive application of UV light at the 254 nM germicidal wavelength does not harm either the potable water or humans drinking the water.
Current practice for UV treatment of self contained water systems is to connect an individual ultra-violet disinfection unit (UVDU) to the pipe exiting the water tank. Installed at this location the UVDU is called Point-of-Entry (POE) or inline disinfection. Although conventional, this method has many deficiencies, including the following:                a) The POE UVDU only disinfects the water flowing through it. It is not effective in disinfecting or removing biofilm in the water tank, filters, accumulator, faucets, humidifier, and so forth. It has been determined by researchers that circulation of UV treated water is not enough to prevent the growth of biofilms in low-flow portions of the piping, rough welded seams, nor in non-UV irradiated components.        b) The POE UVDU is an additional component that takes up extra space that is usually very valuable in limited-size vehicles.        c) The POE UVDU is extra weight that must be carried at the cost of extra fuel and/or reduced range or passenger/load capacity.        d) The POE UVDU and filter can create a pressure drop of more than 10 psi, which is substantial in many low head-pressure water supplies.        e) The POE UVDU takes a considerable amount of time to treat all of the potential bacteria in the water within the supply if the treated water is circulated back to the tank and mixed in with the contaminated water. This is because of the dilution factor of the tank water. To theoretically disinfect all of the bacteria in the tank water typically would take more than a day of circulation.        f) If the POE UVDU fails, system reliability is compromised. Greatly increased reliability would be provided with separate, redundant UV treatment lamps.        g) The POE UVDU can overheat if no water flows through it at least every twenty to thirty minutes, reducing the efficiency of UV output.
Moreover, when non-cylindrical enclosures are used for disinfection devices, a situation can arise where unequal UV intensity exists at different distances from the UV radiation source. If the UV intensity is designed to be greater than necessary, power is wasted and excess heat is created. Another facet of this problem is where rough surfaces, such as welded joints, on interior surfaces of the water tank or other devices harbor bacteria from the direct UV rays, so that the disinfection is not fully effective.
As an ancillary aspect, a common method employed in the prior art for keeping the tanks, piping and apparatus of self-contained water supplies from freezing is to install an electrical heater in the tank and/or have electrical heaters wrapped around the piping. A UV lamp, or multiple lamps, of sufficient size offers a potentially superior solution, as these are able to accomplish both heating and disinfection purposes at a lower power requirement.
c. Related Art
A variety of devices are shown in the prior art that seek to treat water or water vapor with UV light. However, as noted above, in the bulk of these devices the water is exposed to the UV radiation only as it flows through one portion or point in the system. As a result, the treatments are at most only partially effective and the devices share many of the deficiencies discussed above as well as other drawbacks.
Certain other of the prior art illustrates the marginally effective applications of UV treatment in air humidification devices:
Certain of the prior art is directed to UV disinfection prior to storage in or circulation through a tank.
Coviello, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,616) describe use of a UV device for disinfecting water or other fluids, where the treated fluid is then sent to a holding tank. Valadez (U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,991) teaches a water disinfection system for vending machines and the like, in which water is purified before placing it into a holding tank, and then circulated past a UV disinfection unit and back to the tank. Wang et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,299) relates to a large-scale, industrial process for treating contaminated liquid to remove volatile organic compounds. UV treatment only occurs in the mixing section, and in any event the system is by its nature massive and wholly unsuited to portable or vehicular use. Kool et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,245,229) disclose a single point-of-use water treatment system unit for home or office use. This is a modular unit having a filter chamber attached to a UV chamber adapted to be placed in-line. None of these references are concerned with or effective at reducing biofilm on the interior of the tank, piping, or the other water supply components.
Thorpe (WO 00/75081 A1) describes a UV device primarily intended for disinfecting potable water in vehicles. This POE UVDU also has many of the limitations described above. While effective for disinfection of water that passes through the unit, it will not control the bacteria, viruses and biofilm that grow in the other devices and piping that are part of the potable water supply.
Walker (Cdn. Pat. No. 2,345,995) discloses a continuously circulating water system that has a reduced sensitivity to the temperature of the surrounding environment, specifically to prevent freezing of the water lines. Walker employs POE water treatment devices, comprising a filter and/or an ultra-violet disinfection device, as the only means of disinfection and therefore shares many of the above deficiencies, e.g, the apparatus will not control the bacteria, viruses and biofilm that grow in the other devices that are part of the potable water supply system.
Levine, et al (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,677,982 and 5,859,952) teach a humidifier apparatus that only utilizes UV light for disinfection of water in the flow to the heater. This approach does not recognize the dangerous buildup of bacteria and biofilm in the airflow duct where water or mist is introduced. Air-borne bacteria and viruses such as Legionella pneumophila can often be present at this type of air/water interface. Whitely (U.S. Pat. No. 4,362,090) describes an air-circulating device placed on the floor of a room with a pair of ducts extending to the ceiling. A humidifier is disposed within the base of the device and uses a sponge to soak up water. Air is passed through the sponge and is humidified. A UV lamp is placed in one of the ducts in an effort to irradiate the airflow. However, no disinfection of the sponge or tank is accomplished, thereby allowing growth of bacteria and biofilm.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for improved methods and apparatus for improving the quality of water in a self-contained potable water supply and reducing biofilm growth. Unexpectedly, a method and apparatus have been discovered that remove most of the impediments of current potable water supply systems and overcomes the limitations a POE UVDU.

Internal UV treatment of potable water systems


Generally, the present invention is directed to a method and system for a aligning surgical guide instrument over a burr hole in a patient's body. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a stand-alone instrument guidance unit that is attachable to a patient's skull. Adjustments of a surgical instrument can be made in x, y, z, and angular directions using the system and method of the present invention. In one aspect of the present invention, an instrument guide unit includes an instrument guide for guiding a surgical instrument into the body of a patient and a base unit operative to be secured to the body in an area in which surgery is to occur. The base unit is coupled to the instrument guide. An adjustment mechanism, coupled to the base unit and the instrument guide, is operative to adjust the instrument guide in lateral directions with respect the surface of the area. The adjustment mechanism is operative to adjust the instrument guide in x and y directions. The adjustment mechanism includes an x direction control mechanism for adjusting the instrument in an x direction and a y direction control mechanism for adjusting the instrument in a y direction. The y direction control mechanism may be coupled to the x direction control mechanism. The positional movement of the surgical instrument in the z direction may be tracked by sensing the location of a transducer coupled to the surgical instrument.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer assisted image guided medical and surgical navigation systems that generate images during medical and surgical procedures indicating the relative position of various body parts, surgical implants, and instruments. In particular, the present invention relates to a reference frame and instrument guide frame for use in an image guided surgery navigation system.
2. Background of Related Art
In image guided medical and surgical procedures, images, obtained either preoperatively or intraoperatively (i.e., prior to or during a medical or surgical procedure), are used to aid a doctor in guiding a surgical instrument. Computer assisted image guided medical and surgical navigation systems are known and are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,454 to Bucholz; U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,034 to Bucholz; U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,183 to Bucholz; U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,445 to Bucholz; PCT Application No. PCT/US 94/04530 (Publication No. WO 94/24933) to Bucholz; PCT Application No. PCT/US 95/12984 (Publication No. WO 96/11624) to Bucholz et al.; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/623,956 to Foley et al., the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In general, these image guided systems use images of a body part or other surgical object, obtained from a scan, such as CT or MRI scan, taken before surgery to generate images on a display screen during surgery. The images of the body are correlated with a synthesized image of a surgical instrument and are used to produce, on a display screen, a real-time representation of the surgical instrument used by a surgeon with respect to the body. Prior to the scan of the body to produce body images, markers such as fiducial scanning markers are placed on the parts of the body to be scanned in order to produce fiducial image points on the scanned part of the body. The locations of the fiducial markers represented on the scanned image are correlated with the fiducial scanning markers on the body to provide a coordinate registration to be used by the computer system in determining the relative location of the various objects that the computer tracks. The surgical instrument is also registered with respect to the fiducial scanning markers, as known to those skilled in the art, by positioning the surgical instrument at each of scanning markers and recording the relative location of the instrument and markers.
During surgery, the relative locations of the body part being examined and the surgical instruments are displayed on a display screen of the computer system by detecting the location of tracking markers on the instruments or body. An array of sensors, such as cameras, are used to track the location of the tracking markers, which in turn are interpreted by the computer system to produce images on the display screen that correspond to the positions of the body part and surgical instruments. Such tracking markers can include, for example, LED arrays mounted on the body part and on an instrument.

Instrument guidance method and system for image guided surgery

Surgical Navigational Technologies, Inc.


A driving force distribution control apparatus for a four-wheel drive vehicle includes a basic distribution determination device and a servo controller. The basic distribution determination device is configured to determine basic distribution of a driving force to secondary drive wheels in accordance with the driving force and driving conditions of the vehicle. The basic distribution determination device includes a tire force limit determination device and an arithmetic device. The tire force limit determination device is configured to calculate a tire required acceleration in accordance with the driving conditions of the vehicle and configured to output a basic distribution adjustment signal having a characteristic that gradually decreases a ratio of the basic distribution for the secondary drive wheels to zero in a transient region in which the calculated tire required acceleration is lower than a predetermined threshold value.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a driving force distribution control apparatus for a four-wheel drive vehicle and a driving force distribution control method for a four-wheel drive vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent No. 2544295 describes a technology for increasing the driving stability of a four-wheel drive vehicle by detecting lateral acceleration (lateral G) and increasing the driving force distribution ratio for a rear wheel. U.S. Pat. No. 8,002,070 describes a technology for controlling a driving force distribution between the front wheel and the rear wheel of a four-wheel drive vehicle according to the driving conditions of the vehicle. In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 4-103433 describes a torque split four-wheel drive vehicle that directly transfers the driving force of an engine to one of front and rear wheels (a primary drive wheel) and a driving force divided using a torque split clutch to the other wheel (a secondary drive wheel). The technique for controlling the torque distribution ratio described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 4-103433 is basically a technique for performing control to cause a difference in a rotational speed between the front and rear wheels to converge to zero.

Driving force distribution control apparatus for four-wheel drive vehicle and driving force distribution control method for four-wheel drive vehicle


A method for designing integrated circuits (ICs) and their interconnect systems includes IC component cells and interconnect component cells in a cell library. Each IC component cell provides both a physical and behavioral model of a component that may be incorporated into the IC while each interconnect component cell includes both a physical and behavioral model of a separate internal or external component of an interconnect system that may link the IC to external nodes. Both the IC and its interconnect systems are designed by selecting and specifying interconnections between component cells included in the cell library. Interconnect systems are flexibily designed to act like filters tuned to optimize desired frequency response characteristics. Behavior models of the IC and its interconnect systems, based on the behavior models of their selected component, are subjected to simulation and verification tools to determine whether the IC and its interconnect systems meet various performance criteria and constraints. The structural models of the interconnect systems developed during the design process guide subsequent fabrication of interconnect systems for both the IC's intended testing and operating environments.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a process of designing, simulating, fabricating, testing and interconnecting integrated circuits (ICs), and in particular to a method for fully integrating the interconnect systems that are to connect ICs to external circuits into all stages of that process.
2. Description of Related Art
Integrated Circuit Process Flow
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical prior art process of designing, fabricating, testing, and connecting an integrated circuit (IC). A design engineer initially develops a design specification (step 400) abstractly describing the functionality and overall architecture of the IC and then develops a high-level hardware description language (HDL) model of the IC describing how data flows between clocked registers and how the design processes that data (step 402). The design engineer also programs a circuit simulator (step 404) to simulate circuit behavior based on the HDL circuit model and may iteratively adjust and simulate the HDL model until verifying that the circuit logic is correct. Since the HDL model is a relatively high level behavioral model of the circuit, simulation can verify circuit logic at step 404 but cannot verify circuit timing because it does not take into account various constraints of the particular semiconductor technology that will implement the IC.
Thereafter, the design engineer usually employs computer-aided logic synthesis tools (step 406) to convert the high-level HDL circuit model into a lower-level, technology-specific, behavioral model of the circuit such as a netlist. A netlist model typically describes the behavior of circuit components based on models provided by a cell library 410. Each cell of cell library 410 includes both netlist-level behavioral models and structural models (mask layouts) for each circuit component that may be incorporated into an IC. Cell library 410 may include cells describing low level circuit components such as individual resistors and transistors as well as higher level standard circuit components such as logic gates, memories and central processing units.
During the iterative, synthesis process the design engineer uses a simulator and other tools to verify circuit operation based on the netlist model (step 412) and may iteratively adjust the HDL model to produce a netlist model that satisfies various constraints on circuit operation defined in the specification and incorporated into the HDL model. Since the netlist model is more closely related to the eventual physical realization of the IC than the HDL model, simulation and special timing verification tools can verify both circuit logic and timing constraints. However, timing constraints verification at this stage of the design may not be entirely accurate since the netlist model does not specify the actual physical positions on an IC chip of the cells that will form the circuit or the actual lengths and impedance characteristics of signal paths between those cells.
Having verified the logic and timing of the netlist circuit model, the design engineer employs additional computer-aided design tools to establish a floorplan (step 414) fixing locations of the IC's input/output (I/O) terminals and fixing the positions of various large, high level circuit modules included in cell library 410 that are to be placed in particular areas of the IC substrate. Placement and routing tools establish the detailed layout of the various layers of IC, determining where each cell of the IC is to be placed and how the conductors interconnecting those cells are to be routed (step 418). In addition to a behavioral model of a circuit component, each component cell of cell library 410 also includes a structural model (mask layout) of the circuit component that can be incorporated into the IC layout. The CAD tools performing the floorplanning, placement and routing functions iteratively vary the IC design, subjecting each variation to simulation and verification (step 422) to determine how well it satisfies the various timing and logic constraints imposed by the specification. Timing verification at this point is more accurate than the timing verification carried out on netlist at step 412 because it takes into account the actual physical layout of the cells and their interconnections.
The output of the placement and placement and routing process 418 is a structural model of the IC in the form of a set of masks telling an IC manufacturer how to fabricate the various layers of the IC. When an IC fabricated on a semiconductor wafer includes a "repairable" embedded memory, a memory test is usually performed (step 428) while the IC is still in the form of a die on the wafer. "Repairable" memories typically have one or more "spare" rows or columns of memory cells that can replace a row or column containing one or more defective cells. The results of the memory test are subjected to "redundancy analysis" (step 430) to determine how to best allocate spare rows and/or columns to replace the rows and/or columns containing defective cells. The memory is then repaired (step 432) using lasers or other means to appropriately alter signal path routing within the IC so that spare rows and/or columns of cells are substituted for rows and columns having defective cells.
After repairing the memory (step 432), or immediately after fabrication (step 424) when the IC has no repairable memory, the wafer is "diced" to separate the individual die (step 434) and packaged (step 436). The packaged IC may the be subjected to a "burn-in" process (step 438) wherein it is heated in an oven to place it under the kind of heat stress they it may encounter in its working environment. Thereafter the packaged IC is subjected to logic and parametric testing (step 440). The packaged IC is later mounted on a circuit board in its intended operating environment (step 442). The IC testing step 440 can be carried out before the dicing step 434 while the IC is still in the form of a die on the wafer.
Interconnect Systems
As a part of the IC design process, IC designers must concern themselves with the structures that connect nodes of an IC to external circuits. In a typical packaged IC, each circuit node that is to communicate with external circuits is linked to a bond pad on the surface of the IC chip. A bond wire connects the bond pad to a conductive leg extending from the package surrounding the IC chip. When the IC is mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) the package leg is usually soldered to a PCB trace on the surface of the PCB. When bond pads of one or more other ICs mounted on the PCB are linked to the PCB trace, the bond pads, bond wires, package legs, and the PCB trace form an interconnect system for conveying signals between nodes of two or more ICs. Other interconnect systems are also used, For example, in "solder ball" IC packages the bond wires link the IC pads to balls of solder on the underside of the package that bond to PCB traces when the IC is installed on a PCB.
Spring contact interconnects are becoming popular replacements for bond wire and solder ball interconnect technologies in many applications because they eliminate the need for IC packaging and because they provide a number of other advantages. FIGS. 2 and 3 are partial sectional elevation views of an IC 10 and an IC 20 employing small wire-spring contacts 16. The circuits implemented by IC 10 are implemented on a silicon wafer substrate 12. A separate bond pad 14 is formed at the surface of substrate 12 for each of the IC's I/O signals. In the IC 10 of FIG. 2, a conductive wire-spring contact 16 is attached to each bond pad 14. Each wire-spring contact 16 is suitably formed, for example, by a gold wire welded to the bond pad 14 and coated with a resilient alloy. The unpackaged IC 10 can be installed directly on a printed circuit board (PCB) 17 with the tip 18 of each wire-spring contact 16 contacting a trace 19 on the surface of PCB 17.
In IC 20, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the wire-spring contact 16 can be mounted remote from a bond pad 14 on substrate 12 when linked to the bond pad 14 via a conductive trace 22 formed on a "redistribution layer" on the surface of an IC 20. Trace 22 is attached to bond pad 14 through a conductive adhesion layer 28 and isolated from portions of IC 12 other than bond pad 14 by insulating polyimide layers 24 and 26.
FIG. 4 is a simplified, partial sectional elevation view of an IC 30 employing another kind of spring contact, a "litho-spring" contact 32. An insulating passivation layer (e.g., polyimide) 35 disposed on the surface of substrate 34 includes an opening 36 immediately above a contact pad 37. A conductive layer 39 (e.g., titanium-tungsten) is deposited on the surface of passivation layer 35 with the sidewalls of opening above contact pad 37 making electrical contact with contact pad 37. A layer 38 of masking material (e.g., photoresist) is then deposited onto layer 35 and patterned by photolithographic techniques to include an opening above contact pad 37 extending through masking layer 38 to conductive layer 39. Layer 38 also includes a bump 40 forming a base for the wire-spring contact's tip 42. A conductive seed layer 41 (e.g., gold) is then deposited over masking layer 38 and lithographically etched to form the basic shape of contact 32. A resilient, conductive contact layer 43 (e.g., nickel) is then plated onto seed layer 41. The photoresist masking layer 38 is then removed with a solvent (e.g., acetone), and other remaining layers (e.g. part of layer 39) are removed using suitable techniques. In the completed wire-spring contact 32, tip 42 has freedom to flex vertically when pressed against a trace 45 on a circuit board 46.
Attenuation and Distortion in Interconnect Systems
In high frequency applications an interconnect system can severely attenuate and distort signals passing between the IC and external circuits. The conventional approach to reducing the amount of signal distortion and attenuation caused by the interconnect system has been to minimize the series inductance and shunt capacitance of the interconnect system. Much of the inductance in packaged IC interconnect system comes from bond wires and package legs or spring contacts. Designers try to minimize that inductance by keeping the bond wires and package legs or spring contacts as short as possible. Interconnect system capacitance arises mainly from the capacitances of bond pads and printed circuit board (PCB) traces, and the capacitances of terminating devices within the IC such as drivers, receivers and electrostatic discharge protection (ESD device) devices. Designers try to minimize the interconnect system capacitance when designing such components. However, while minimizing interconnect system inductance and capacitances can help improve bandwidth, flatten frequency response and reduce signal distortion, it is not possible to completely eliminate interconnect system inductance and capacitance. Thus some level of signal distortion and attenuation in an interconnect system is inevitable, and can become problematic particularly at high signal frequencies.
Interconnect System Design
While IC designers must sometimes be concerned with the frequency response of an entire interconnect system linking a node of an IC to a node of an external circuit, the design tools they work with treat the internal and external components of an interconnect system in a somewhat fragmented manner. Conventional IC cell libraries typically include separate physical and behavioral models of various portions of an IC interconnect system that are internal to the IC such as drivers, receivers, ESD devices, bond pads and the like. However, such cell libraries do not include models of the portions of the interconnect system external to an IC such as bond wires and package legs, litho-spring or wire-spring contacts, microstrip traces, circuit board vias and the like because they are not part of the IC.
However, since the external portions of an interconnect system influence the behavior of an IC at its I/O terminals, a design engineer may provide a behavioral model of the external portions of the interconnect system that can be incorporated into the HDL and netlist circuit models for use by simulation and verification tools. Such models usually depict the external portions of an interconnect system as a transmission line of a standard characteristic impedance (typically 50 Ohms) that is terminated with a specified load. The simulation and verification tools employed at steps 412 and 422 of the IC process flow of FIG. 1 can make reasonably accurate predictions of circuit behavior at the bond pads when designers endeavor to make the external portions of the interconnect systems and external loads conform to the models.
IC designers typically specify uniform interconnect systems for all IC terminals partly because IC manufacturing processes readily lend themselves to interconnect uniformity and partly because it is difficult and time-consuming to custom design an interconnect system for each IC terminal. However, while interconnect systems for all terminals of an IC are usually standardized, the frequency response and current-carrying capability of the standard interconnect system may not be ideally suited for all of the IC's I/O, power or ground signals since not all such signals are similar in nature.
For example, suppose an IC has both low frequency analog I/O signals and high frequency digital I/O signals. While a designer also might want the interconnect system conveying the analog signals to provide very low distortion at low signal frequencies and to block high frequency noise, the designer might want the interconnect systems conveying the high frequency digital output signals to have a high bandwidth. Thus, if we use the same interconnect system for each kind of signal, the interconnect system can be a limiting factor in IC design. For example when a standard interconnect system cannot handle a high frequency digital I/O signal, an IC may be designed to use two or more lower frequency I/O signals in its place. Or when an IC's standard pin size is not sufficient to handle all of the IC's power and ground currents, several pins may be needed to supply power and ground to an IC. When we employ such measures to avoid customizing interconnect systems for individual IC terminals we can increase both the size and cost of an IC.
IC Tester Interconnects
As I/O signal frequencies increase, the design of structures we use to link a wafer-level IC tester to test points on an IC wafer becomes increasingly problematic. When wafer-level IC tester interconnect systems do not have the same frequency response characteristics as interconnect systems employed in an IC's intended operating environment, then many ICs that would operate properly in their intended operating environment can fail tests and be rejected or de-rated.
One difficulty in conforming test and operating environment interconnects arises because IC I/O signals typically must travel longer distances in a test environment than in its intended operating environment. FIG. 5 is a simplified side elevation view of a typical wafer-level IC tester 90 that can carry out a memory test at step 428 of FIG. 1 or a logic or parametric test on an IC while still in wafer from. Tester 90 includes a test head 92 containing printed circuit boards implementing the circuits that test a wafer 94. The test circuits are usually organized into a set of similar "channels", with each channel including all the circuitry needed to generate a test signal input to one test point on the wafer and to monitor any wafer output signal produced at that test point. Each channel usually has a single bi-directional input/output (I/O) port through which it communicates with an IC bond pad on the surface of wafer 94.
A "prober" 98 holding wafer 94 includes a probe card 100 having a set of probes 102 for accessing bond pads on the surface of one or more ICs on wafer 94. An interconnect structure 104 residing between the test head 92 and wafer 98 provides signal paths between the tester's I/O ports and probe card 100. Thus a test signal produced by test head 92 travels to an I/O terminal of wafer 94 through a signal path extending through interconnect structure 104, probe card 100 and probes 102. An IC output signal would travel over a similar path in an opposite direction.
Such a signal path can differ substantially both in length and nature from the signal path (e.g., bond wires, pins and PCB traces) though which that IC I/O terminal will eventually communicate when it is in its intended operating environment. The frequency response characteristics of the test signal path may therefore also differ substantially from the behavioral models the design engineer supplied to simulation and verification tools during the IC design process. Such discrepancies between an interconnect system's behavioral model employed during the IC design phase and its actual test and operating environment implementation can cause ICs that would function properly in their intended operating environments to fail tests and be discarded or de-rated.
IC manufacturers like to test an IC while still in wafer form because it allows them to avoid the cost of packaging defective ICs. However high frequency ICs are often tested after they are packaged (as illustrated in, FIG. 1) because the wafer-level test environment fails to account for the influence of the bond wires and package legs on IC performance.
What is needed is a method for designing, simulating, fabricating, testing and interconnecting ICs wherein a designer can easily adapt the interconnect system for each of an IC's terminals to satisfy the requirements of the particular signal it is to convey, and wherein the signal paths in the IC's wafer-level testing environment and in its intended operating environment can substantially match their behavioral models employed during the IC design process.

Method of incorporating interconnect systems into an integrated circuit process flow


The present invention relates to a viscometric properties improver capable of improving the fuel efficiency of an internal combustion engine, and an additive composition for a liquid coolant containing the viscometric properties improver. [1] A viscometric properties improver consisting of a compound (A) represented by the following formula (1) and a compound (B) represented by the following formula (2), and [2] an additive composition for a liquid coolant containing the same:R1OR2OmSO3M  (1)R3O—SO3M  (2)                wherein R1 and R3 are the same as or different from each other and each represent a linear or branched alkyl group or alkenyl group having 12 or more and 24 or less carbon atoms; R2 represents an ethylene group or a propylene group; m represents an addition molar number of R2O of 1 or more and 15 or less; and M represents a cation or a hydrogen atom.

Various materials have been known as a liquid coolant for cooling an internal combustion engine, such as an automobile engine, and among these, water is preferred due to the high cooling capability thereof as a liquid coolant for an engine. However, fresh water freezes at 0° C. Therefore, for enhancing the non-freezability of the liquid coolant, such a liquid coolant composition has been used that contains a glycol compound, such as ethylene glycol, as a base material, which is diluted with water to provide a necessary freezing temperature, to which various additives are added depending on necessity, for preventing deterioration of metals, rubber, resins, and the like used in an engine, a radiator, and the like.
However, the use of a glycol compound, such as ethylene glycol, causes a problem of considerable increase of the viscosity of the liquid coolant composition particularly at a low temperature. Accordingly, in the ordinary technique for improving the viscometric properties, the reduction in viscosity has been generally performed for enhancing the flowability at a low temperature.
However, the reduction in viscosity thins the thermal boundary layer between the liquid coolant and the cylinder bore wall, and facilitates the convection, thereby facilitating the withdrawal of heat from the cylinder bore wall, and as a result, another problem occurs that the cooling loss is increased to deteriorate the fuel efficiency.
On the other hand, in the case where the viscosity of the liquid coolant at a low temperature is increased by increasing the concentration of the glycol compound, such as ethylene glycol, for decreasing the cooling loss by lowering the heat radiation capability, a problem occurs that the cooling capability becomes insufficient at a high temperature, resulting in overheat.
As techniques for solving the aforementioned problem, for example, WO 2013/183161 (PTL 1) describes a liquid coolant composition for an internal combustion engine having a kinetic viscosity in the particular range, and a method for operating an internal combustion engine using the same, and describes that by making the kinetic viscosity of the liquid coolant composition in the particular range, the cooling loss at a low temperature can be decreased, and simultaneously the cooling capability at a high temperature can be retained.
JP 2010-270256 A (PTL 2) describes a liquid coolant composition containing water and a surfactant having a clouding point, and describes that by using the surfactant having a clouding point contained in the prescribed ratio, a liquid coolant composition having a high cooling capability and non-freezability can be obtained.
JP 2014-189736 A, JP 2014-189737 A, and JP 2015-74669 A (PTLs 3 to 5) describe a liquid coolant composition containing from 1 to 3 kinds of an alkyl ether and water and/or a water-soluble organic solvent, and describe that by further increasing the kinetic viscosity of the liquid coolant immediately after starting operation of an engine, the cooling loss can be decreased to raise the temperature of the engine rapidly to the optimum temperature, and the kinetic viscosity in the steady operation is further lowered to smooth the operation of the apparatus.
JP 2014-12831 (PTL 6) describes a liquid coolant composition containing a nonionic surfactant as a viscometric properties improver and a base material, having a kinetic viscosity of 8.5 mm2/sec or more at 25° C. and 2.0 mm2/sec or less at 100° C.
As described above, in the ordinary techniques, various viscometric properties improvers have been used as an additive for a liquid coolant, but for enhancing the fuel efficiency of an internal combustion engine, furthermore, it is necessary that the cooling loss at a low temperature is decreased by increasing the viscosity, so as to enhance the warm-up capability at a low temperature, while the cooling capability at a high temperature is retained with a small viscosity increase at a high temperature.


The present invention relates to a door operating system for controlling the movement of a door, more particularly to “no touch” door openers for public washrooms and households. The system has a motor with a gear chain where the high gear is generally semicircularly shaped engaged with a swinging arm coupled with the door through the roller and a pilot plate. The unit is activated upon receipt of the signal from overhead passive infrared or hand proximity detecting sensors and has a controlling system to provide for opening and closing the door, as well as retraction of the arm in the event of door encountering an obstacle or in an overload condition of the motor. The arm and a gear are linked pivotally with each other and with the unit housing. They are coupled through a spring suspension system and have a clutch mechanism preventing overloading. The only external moving part is the arm, which is, along with geared sector, protected by a flexible member providing security to prevent accidental jamming of objects by it. The unit may be battery operated with a low voltage and low power AC/DC switching wall adapter. In autonomous operation it can provide up to 700 opening cycles without external power.

Hydraulic and pneumatic door controlling devices for swing doors are well known (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,793,023, 4,414,703 and 4,378,612.). Hydraulic and pneumatically operated openers, or opening assist mechanisms are also known from the prior art as exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,948,000, 3,936,977, 4,955,194, and 4,429,490. Further, electromechanical automatic door openers are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,910,290, 3,127,160, 4,045,914 and 4,220,051. Each type of these door openers has its own advantages and disadvantages.
There are also combinations of such devices known from the prior art, for instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,874,117, 3,129,936, 1,684,704, 2,256,613, and 4,438,835. The additional expense associated with the manufacture and operation of such units is relatively high. As an example, when a clutch or other disengagement mechanism is required for operation, the resulting system can become too expensive, especially for widespread use. This limits the applications for such improved door openers to entrance doors and automated doors for handicapped people leaving the market of fast food restaurants and hygienic applications unattended.
The present invention addresses an automatic door opener designed for public washroom facilities application to enhance sanitary practices. The objective of employing this product is to reduce microbiological and bacterial surface contact cross contamination when exiting public washroom facilities.
Regardless of the level of cleanliness and preventative measures such as "No Touch" toilet flushing mechanisms, "No Touch" taps, hand air-dryers and rigorous floor cleaning programs, the last point of contact prior to exiting the washroom, on a consistent basis, is the door pull-handle. Previous studies have indicated the presence of micro organisms and the subsequent microbial contamination in public washrooms. This is further aggravated by the fact that only 50% of washroom users wash their hands prior to leaving the washroom. This indicates that the incidence of cross contamination at the door pull-handle is actually 100%, as 100% of users will make physical contact with the door pull-handle in order to exit.
Given the serious incidences of public health and concerns such as the Norwalk virus, SARS etc., eliminating and/or reducing all possible sources of cross contamination in public places is a serious matter that bears responsibility on entrepreneurs to bring about affordable and practical solutions to deal with this issue.
Most door operating systems do not possess any features that would suspend the door opening if any obstacle in its way is encountered. The systems which do have such features, such as that which is described in a U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,217 are complex and unreliable due to the fact that door inertia and dynamic loads during the door operation can be easily misrepresented by a controller as an overload condition, which creates a pattern of malfunction.
Another issue with the known door operating systems is bulkiness and that they occupy most of the width and considerable height of the swing door upper frame. This creates an unappealing addition to the interior of the office, house or washroom. The high price of such devices stems from the complexity of the design itself and creates a challenging barrier for penetration to such powerful and potent markets as highly frequented public areas.
This applicability of the present system can be enjoyed by businesses providing public washroom facilities in the industrialized world: hospitality industry (bar, restaurants, hotels), healthcare facilities (hospitals), educational centers (schools, colleges, universities and libraries), shopping malls, government buildings, entertainment centers (theatres, cinemas, nightclubs), day care centers (very young children are part of the most susceptible population group affected by this kind of contamination as their immune systems are still immature) The "No Touch" product of the present invention will be offered at a fraction of the cost of what is available today.
Although a multitude of swinging door automatic openers are available in the marketplace, particularly for disabled function applications, these are quite sophisticated and elaborate, however their purchase and installation costs make them prohibitive for a sanitary application such as it is envisaged with the instant technology.
As a general rule, most door operating systems are-not capable of functioning during power blackouts. Since most automatic door operating system can naturally be situated in public facilities such as hospitals, offices, restaurants, etc., the loss of power paralyzes these devices. As this present invention offers an operating system that is not attached to the door, it will not prevent normal (unassisted) manual operation of the door in a power blackout situation. Moreover, in the battery operated variation it can provide up to 700 opening cycles autonomously.
The present invention addresses all these problems by providing an improved automatic door operating system.

Automatic portable door operating system