This invention concerns a new family of phosphorus-containing compounds containing a moiety JQA- in which:

Rapamycin is a macrolide antibiotic produced by Streptomyces hygroscopicus. It binds to a FK506-binding protein, FKBP12, with high affinity to form a rapamycin:FKBP complex. Reported Kd values for that interaction are as low as 200 pM. The rapamycin:FKBP complex binds with high affinity to the large cellular protein, FRAP, to form a tripartite, [FKBP:rapamycin]:[FRAP], complex. In that complex rapamycin can be viewed as a dimerizer or adapter to join FKBP to FRAP. Formation of the complex is associated with rapamycin's various biological activities.
Rapamycin is a potent immunosuppressive agent and is used clinically to prevent rejection of transplanted organs. Rapamycin and/or its analogs, CCI 779 (Wyeth) and SDZ Rad ("RAD001", Novartis) are promising agents for treating certain cancers, for immune suppression and/or for helping to decrease the incidence of restenosis following interventional cardiology. Rapamycin has also been shown to have activity as an antifungal agent, in the experimental allergic encephalomyelitis model (a model for multiple sclerosis), in the adjuvant arthritis model (for rheumatoid arthritis), in inhibiting the formation of IgE-like antibodies, and for treating or preventing lupus erythematosus, pulmonary inflammation, insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, and smooth muscle cell proliferation and intimal thickening following vascular injury. See e.g. US Pat. appln 2001/0010920.
Because it serves as an adapter to complex FKBP with FRAP, rapamycin is also capable of multimerizing appropriately designed chimeric proteins incorporating domains derived from FKBP and FRAP, respectively. Because of that activity, rapamycin and various derivatives or analogs thereof have also been used as multimerizing agents for activating biological switches based on such chimeric proteins. See e.g., WO 96/41865; WO 99/36553; WO 01/14387; Rivera et al, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 96, 8657-8662; and Ye, X. et al (1999) Science 283, 88-91.
Rapamycin's potential for providing relief from such an important swath of cruel diseases has stimulated the search for rapamycin analogs with improved therapeutic index, pharmacokinetics, formulatability, ease or economy of production, etc. The resulting investigation by the pharmaceutical industry and academic researchers has been a sustained one over the past few decades. This has led to the exploration of materials and methods for effecting chemical transformations of rapamycin, including reductions of ketones, demethylations, epimerizations, various acylations and alkylations of hydroxyls, etc.
A large number of structural variants of rapamycin have now been reported, typically arising as alternative fermentation products and/or from synthetic efforts. For example, the extensive literature on analogs, homologs, derivatives and other compounds related structurally to rapamycin ("rapalogs") include, among others, variants of rapamycin having one or more of the following modifications relative to rapamycin: demethylation, elimination or replacement of the methoxy at C7, C42 and/or C29; elimination, derivatization or replacement of the hydroxy at C13, C43 and/or C28; reduction, elimination or derivatization of the ketone at C14, C24 and/or C30; replacement of the 6-membered pipecolate ring with a 5-membered prolyl ring; and alternative substitution on the cyclohexyl ring or replacement of the cyclohexyl ring with a substituted cyclopentyl ring. Additional historical information is presented in the background sections of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,525,610; 5,310,903 and 5,362,718. See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,907. Materials and methods have even been developed for the remarkably effective and selective epimerization of the C-28 hydroxyl group (WO 01/14387).
New rapalogs with reduced immunosuppressive activity and/or interesting pharmacokinetic or bioavailability profiles would be very desirable for use as multimerizing agents or antifungal agents.
New rapalogs with attractive physicochemical or functional characteristics, e.g., in therapeutic index, bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, stability, etc., would also be of interest for a variety of pharmaceutical uses such as are mentioned above, including among others use as immunosuppressants, as anticancer agents and in reducing the incidence of restenosis following interventional cardiology (e.g. on drug-bearing stents).
The only rapalogs thought to be in clinical development as immunosuppressants at present are those with rather modest, conventional structural modifications, i.e., acylation or alkylation at C-43 (CCI-779 and SDZ RAD, respectively; see e.g., Yu, K. et al., Endocrine-Related Cancer (2001) 8, 249-258; Geoerger, B. et al., Cancer Res. (2001) 61 1527-1532) and Dancey, Hematol Oncol Clin N Am 16 (2002):1101-1114. Stents bearing a tetrazole-substituted rapalog, ABT-578, but having only a shortened biological half-life (see e.g. WO 03/022807 and 99/15530) are reportedly being studied too.
The invention described below represents a rather dramatic departure in the design of new rapalogs based on the incorporation of a phosphorus-containing moiety.

Implantable device comprising phosphorus-containing macrolides

Abstract: A is absent or is —O—, —S— or —NR2—;

Abstract: Q is absent or (if A is —O—, —S— or —NR2—) Q may be —V—, —OV—, —SV—, or —NR2V—, where V is an aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aryl, or heteroaryl moiety, such that J is linked to the cyclohexyl ring directly, through A or through VA, OVA, SVA or NR2VA;

Abstract: K is O or S;each occurrence of Y is independently —O—, —S—, —NR2—, or a bond linking a R5 moiety to P;each occurrence of R2 and R5 is independently an aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aryl, or heteroaryl moiety, or H; andeach occurrence of R6 is independently —PK(YR5)(YR5), —SO2(YR5) or —C(O)(YR5); so long as any R2, or R5 moiety linked directly to P is not H;wherein two R2, R5 and/or R6 moieties may be chemically linked to one another to form a ring; each occurrence of G is independently —O—, —S—, —NR2— or (M)x;each occurrence of M is independently a substituted or unsubstituted methylene moiety, and any M-M′ moiety may be saturated or unsaturated;each occurrence of x is independently an integer from 1-6; and the other variables are as defined herein.


The disclosed bead cord which is lightweight and inexpensive and high in formability includes an annular core and a wrap wire helically wrapped around the annular core, the annular core being made of a medium carbon steel or an alloy steel having a lower carbon content and containing specific elements in suitable amounts. The diameter dC of alular core satisfies 1.04≦dC/dS≦1.30 where dS is the diameter of the wrap wire. The wrap wire has a coil diameter DS which is 0.5 to 1.3 times diameter DC of an annular shape of the annular core. The annular core may be formed with a plating layer of an Al—Zn alloy or a thick plating layer of Zn, or the annular core may be made of stainless steel.

Annular concentric-lay bead cords are widely used as reinforcements for beads of various vehicle tires. As shown in FIG. 3, many of such cords are formed by helically wrapping a wrap wire 2 in a single layer or a plurality of layers around an annular core 1 formed by abutting and welding together both ends of a steel wire (as disclosed in Patent document 1). The wrap wire 2 has a smaller diameter than the annular core 1.
The steel wire forming the annular core is typically a mild steel wire containing carbon by 0.06 to 0.15 percent by weight. In order to ensure strength and rigidity sufficient to obtain formability necessary when wrapping a wrap wire, the annular core has a diameter not less than 1.5 times the diameter of the wrap wire. But in order to improve fuel economy of vehicles, a bead cord is acutely desired having a small-diameter annular core and thus lightweight, thereby reducing the weight of the tire in which the bead cord is embedded.
The wrap wire is a hard steel wire plated with brass or bronze to improve adhesion strength with the rubber of a tire. Plating is typically electroplating or displacement plating. The thickness of the plating is typically about 0.2 to 0.3 micrometers. The reason why the plating is this thin is because the thinner the plating, the higher the adhesion strength between the wire and the rubber. On the other hand, the annular core is often used in a bare state, so that it tends to corrode if the rubber becomes moistened. With the increasing requirements for higher standards of safety and high performance of tires, higher corrosion resistance is now required for the annular core too.
In order to answer these requirements, Patent publication 2 discloses a bead cord comprising an annular core and a wrap wire that is equal in diameter to the annular core and made of hard steel. In order to increase the adhesion strength between the core and the rubber, the core is also plated as with the wrap wire. The adjacent turns of the wrap wire are spaced more widely from each other than those of conventional bead wires so that rubber reaches the annular core and are adhered thereto.
Since the annular core of the bead cord disclosed in each of the examples of Patent document 2 is a hard steel wire (carbon content: 0.72 to 0.82%), even though its diameter is as small as the diameter of the wrap wire, the annular core is as high in strength and rigidity as conventional annular cores. The bead cord is thus extremely lightweight compared to conventional ones. Further, even if the rubber becomes moistened, the annular core is less likely to corrode by contact with the rubber.
However, when a hard steel wire containing not less than 0.57% of carbon is welded, a hard and brittle, martensitic structure tends to develop in its welded portions, so that such a hard steel wire tends to break at the welded portions if used with no post treatment. Thus, it is necessary to anneal such a bead cord after abutting and welding both ends of a hard steel wire into the annular core. This pushes up the cost. Also, a long time is needed to remove burrs after welding, which also pushes up the cost.
Further, because the annular core has a diameter equal to the diameter of the wrap wire, although the annular core is equivalent in strength and rigidity to conventional large-diameter annular cores, it is more difficult to wrap the wrap wire uniformly and evenly around such a small-diameter annular core. Moreover, while the wrap wire is being wrapped around such a small-diameter annular core, the annular core may be pulled radially outwardly by the wrap wire to such an extent that the annular core is partially located radially outside of the wrap wire. This deforms the cord (such that when the cord is placed on a flat surface, it partially separates from the flat surface).
Moreover, it is practically difficult to wrap the wrap wire around the annular core such that the adjacent turns of the wrap wire are uniformly separated from each other. Thus, rubber cannot uniformly cover the annular core. At portions where the annular core is not covered by the rubber, the steel wire forming the annular core tends to quickly grow rust because the thin plating formed on the annular core to improve adhesion strength with the rubber does not provide the annular core with sufficient corrosion resistance. Such rust on the annular core will eventually infiltrate into the rubber. In the case of a vehicle tire, if fretting occurs between the annular core and the wrap wire, their plating layers tend to be worn off in a short period of time, which reduces the corrosion resistance, thus increasing the corroded area. By repeating plating treatment, it is possible to increase the final thickness of the plating to a certain extent. But because electroplating and electroless plating are inherently not adapted for forming a thick plating layer, work efficiency is inferior, which increases the cost.
Patent document 3 discloses a bead cord including an annular core made of a high-performance synthetic resin to reduce the weight of the cord. Since the annular core is made of a resin, the core shows improved corrosion resistance. But since a high-performance material is used, such a cord is expensive. Storage and handling are also difficult. Annular cores made of nylon 6 or polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), as used in examples of Patent document 3, will be insufficient in rigidity as bead cords if their diameter is equal to the diameter of conventional annular cores. Thus, such cords are not practically usable.    Patent document 1: JP patent publication 3499261    Patent document 2: JP patent publication 05-163686    Patent document 3: JP patent publication 11-321247


Disclosed is a boron removal method which can remove boron from boron-containing water satisfactorily by using a small amount of a chemical agent, and which generates small amount of precipitate. Also disclosed is a boron-removing agent which is easy to handle and has excellent boron-adsorption ability. A xerogel of an organic polymeric compound having a cis-type diol structure and a water-soluble salt of an alkaline earth metal are added to a boron-containing water under alkaline conditions.

Boron is used in various manufacturing industries of electroplating, enamelware, glaze, clay roofing tile, electrical part, and the like, and waste water discharged in the manufacturing processes of those products contains a large amount of boron. However, a large amount of boron is known to exert harmful influences on environment and to cause symptoms of poisoning on the human body, such as gastrointestinal disorder, rubedo, and central nervous system symptom.
Therefore, the Water Pollution Prevention Law was revised in June, 2001, and, in addition to the conventional regulation of the discharge of water containing heavy metals and organochlorine compounds, the regulation of discharge of water containing boron started. The standard for discharge of water containing boron and its compounds is set below 10 mg per L of water (below 10 ppm) in freshwater environments such as a river, and below 230 mg per L of water (below 230 ppm) in seawater environments.
Conventionally, the following methods have been employed for treating boron-containing waste water: a method in which magnesium oxide in an amount 5 to 10 times or more (molar ratio) as large as that of boron is added to boron-containing waste water, the pH is adjusted to 10 or higher with alkali hydroxide to form an insoluble precipitate, and then the formed insoluble precipitate is removed; a method in which a large amount of aluminum salt is added, the pH is adjusted to 10 or higher with slaked lime to form an insoluble precipitate, and the insoluble precipitate is removed similarly as in the above-mentioned method; a method in which zirconium oxide in an amount equivalent to that of boron is added to form an insoluble precipitate, and the insoluble precipitate is removed; and a method in which a boron-selective ion exchange resin is brought into contact with boron-containing waste water to remove boron by adsorption.
However, the methods in which an insoluble precipitate is formed using magnesium oxide or aluminum salt for removing boron each require a large amount of a chemical agent and generate a large amount of precipitate. Thus, the methods were not economical. Moreover, the number of remaining years to use final disposal sites is limited, and hence generation of large amounts of wastes should be avoided. According to the method of removing boron using zirconium oxide, boron can be removed with a smaller amount of a chemical agent, and the amount of generated precipitate is smaller as compared with the above-mentioned methods, but there was the following problem. The solid-liquid-separation properties of the generated sludge are low, and moreover, because zirconium is a rare metal, such a method is not economical. The method using a boron-selective ion exchange resin also requires a large amount of an expensive boron-selective ion exchange resin. Thus, the method was not economical.
Under such a technical background, methods of removing boron that are performed simply and with low cost and that have sufficient effects have been studied. For example, there has been reported a method of removing boron in a solution using a gel-like polyvinyl alcohol (Patent Document 1). However, according to this method, boron is adsorbed in the vicinity of the surface of the gel-like polyvinyl alcohol for separating a boron-binding gel. Thus, although a large amount of a chemical agent is used, the amount of boron that can be bound is small. Thus, there was the following problem. In order to remove boron from water containing boron at high concentration and to reduce the concentration of boron 10 ppm or lower by using this method, a large amount of a chemical agent and a prolonged reaction time are required. Moreover, a large amount of calcium aluminate sulfate, calcium sulfate, calcium aluminate, or ferric hydroxide should be blended in the process of gel formation in order that a large amount of boron is bonded. Therefore, there was a problem in that it was impossible to reduce the amount of a boron-treating agent and a large amount of sludge was generated. In addition, the strength and manner of use of the gel need to be adjusted, and there were problems of lowering of the boron-treating ability due to drying of the gel and the increase in cost of preservation and transport for preventing the lowering. Under such circumstances, it has been desired to develop a method of removing boron capable of sufficiently removing boron with a small amount of a chemical agent and capable of suppressing the amount of generated sludge, and an agent for removing boron which is used for the method and is easy to handle.    Patent Document 1: JP 2002-186976 A

Boron-removing agent and boron removal method utilizing xerogel


A hand-guided portable vacuum/blower device has a blower unit with a blower and a motor unit with a drive motor. The blower unit is rigidly connected to the motor unit. The drive motor is drivingly connected to the blower. A grip part is connected with antivibration elements to the motor unit and the blower unit. The grip part is at least approximately ring-shaped and has a first handle. The grip part is arranged in a plane that is positioned perpendicularly to an axis of rotation of the blower and, when viewed in the direction of the axis of rotation, is located between the motor unit and the blower unit.

The invention relates to a hand-guided portable vacuum/blower device comprising a motor unit in which a drive motor is arranged and further comprising a blower unit that is essentially rigidly connected to the motor unit, wherein the blower unit has arranged therein a blower that is driven by the drive motor. A grip part is connected by means of anti-vibration elements to the motor unit and the blower unit and comprises a first handle.
Hand-guided portable vacuum/blower devices comprise a motor unit with a drive motor that drives the blower of the blower unit so that an airflow is generated. In blower mode, this airflow is directed by the operator against a ground surface to be cleaned, for example, for the purpose of gathering leaves. The leaves that are compiled in a heap are then collected and disposed of. Alternatively, a vacuum operation can be provided also; a vacuum tube is connected to the intake side of the blower through which the aforementioned airflow enters the blower. In a device position that differs from that for blower operation, the vacuum tube is directed against the ground surface to be cleaned so that the leaves or other objects are sucked in and, for example, conveyed into a collecting bag.
The possibility of different grip positions is desirable for the different operating modes in the context of excellent ergonomics. At least one appropriate handle must be provided on an appropriate grip part.
U.S. 2001/0002501 A1 discloses a portable leaf blower where the motor unit and the blower unit are connected to one another. In addition, a grip part with a handle is provided by which the leaf blower can be carried in an upright position for blower operation. Relative to the axial direction of the blower, the grip part is arranged on the end face of the blower spiral such that the handle is positioned on the axial side of the blower opposite the drive motor. In the usual upright holding position, the weight forces of the motor unit and of the blower unit have a horizontal leverage relative to the handle that makes a fatigue-free upright carrying of the leaf blower more difficult. The lateral arrangement of the grip part leads to pretensioning of the antivibration elements caused by the weight force so that the vibration-decoupling effect of the antivibration elements is restricted.


Al2O3—La2O3—Y2O3—MgO ceramics (including glasses, crystalline ceramics, and glass-ceramics) and methods of making the same. Ceramics according to the present invention can be made, formed as, or converted into glass beads, articles (e.g., plates), fibers, particles, and thin coatings. The particles and fibers are useful, for example, as thermal insulation, filler, or reinforcing material in composites (e.g., ceramic, metal, or polymeric matrix composites). The thin coatings can be useful, for example, as protective coatings in applications involving wear, as well as for thermal management. Some embodiments of ceramic particles according to the present invention can be are particularly useful as abrasive particles.

A large number of glass and glass-ceramic materials are known. The majority of oxide glass systems utilize well-known glass-formers such as SiO2, B2O3, P2O5, GeO2, TeO2, As2O3, and V2O5 to aid in the formation of the glass. Some of the glass compositions formed with these glass-formers can be heat-treated to form glass-ceramics. The upper use temperature of glasses and glass-ceramics formed from such glass formers is generally less than 1200° C., typically about 700–800° C. The glass-ceramics tend to be more temperature resistant than the glass from which they are formed.
In addition, many properties of known glasses and glass-ceramics are limited by the intrinsic properties of glass-formers. For example, for SiO2, B2O3, and P2O5-based glasses and glass-ceramics, the Young's modulus, hardness, and strength are relatively low. Such glass and glass-ceramics generally have inferior mechanical properties as compared, for example, to Al2O3 or ZrO2.
Some less or non-conventional glasses such as glasses based on rare earth oxide-aluminum oxide (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,482,758 (Weber) and Japanese Document No. JP 2000-045129, published Feb. 15, 2000) are known, additional novel glasses and glass-ceramic, as well as use in new applications for both known and novel glasses and glass-ceramics, is desired.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A compact low power water heater and food product warming unit especially designed for military vehicles which includes a sturdy and selectively sealed tank having uninsulated thermally conductive in which water may be heated by conduction by way of a heating element secured exteriorly of the tank. The tank is enclosed by a thermally insulated cover in such a manner that a plurality readily accessible pockets are provided between the cover and tank walls into which a plurality of field ration (MRE) or food packets may be inserted to thereby utilize the hot water in the tank as a source of heat for heating the packets.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is generally directed to water heaters of the type which are designed to be installed in vehicles and more particularly to a combination water heating and food warming unit which may be powered by a source of electrical energy associated with a conventional vehicle. In the preferred embodiment the water heater and food warming unit is specifically designed to be rugged in construction and compact in structure so as to be readily useable within military combat vehicles including tanks, armored personnel carriers, trucks and related vehicles as well as in aircraft including, but not limited to, helicopters and troop transports.
The water heater and ration or food warming unit of the present invention includes a tank in which water is heated by tapping a source of energy supply associated with the vehicle utilizing low amperage heating elements which maintain the water at a temperature at which it may be used for: human consumption such as for making coffee and tea; as a source of hot water for shaving and other health needs; and as an indirect source of energy for heating and supporting field rations or other food packets so that hot food is available to individuals while they are positioned in remote areas.
2. History of the Related Art
The long existing need for an effective means for providing hot water and heated rations for the crewmen of combat vehicles was reemphasized during operations involved by the United States and it's allies during the war against Iraq. In today's high-tech military environment there remains an area of troop support which has not been adequately addressed. Troops in forward or remote positions have not had adequate sources of hot water; either for use for consumption, such as in the making of hot tea or coffee, or for purposes of personal hygiene such as for shaving, washing or medical applications. Further, such troops have also not had readily available sources of hot food while in remote positions.
During operations involved with Desert Storm, forward units such as personnel in armored personnel carriers and tanks were subjected to extremely cold daytime and nighttime temperatures, often below freezing. Due to the mobile nature of such units, the setting up and establishing of food service facilities was not practical. Therefore, if troops sought a source of hot water, for whatever reason, they often resorted to placing containers on the exhaust manifolds or engine blocks of their vehicles. Such a method for obtaining a source of hot water is not only dangerous but it is inefficient and cannot provide the necessary protection to insure proper sterilization of fluids being utilized for consumption. In addition, although troops in the field were provided with food rations, referred to as meal ready eating (MRE) packs, such rations were cold and no adequate source of heating was available.
Of the allies involved with Desert Storm, only the British were provided with water heaters installed in their armored units. Such water heaters, however, were not efficient as they operated at high electrical energy levels and did not provide for the heating of food rations except by mixing of hot water with food packet rations.
Over the years there have been numerous innovations directed to providing sources of hot water in conventional vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 2,975,797 to Matheney, a water supply means for automotive vehicles is disclosed which incorporates a water heating tank mounted in heat exchange relationship with respect to an automobile engine. The water is heated by the heat from the engine and thereafter dispensed as desired. Unfortunately, with this type of heat exchanger, the only way of providing energy for heating is to run the engine. Running an engine to provide a source of heat is not practical and in many combat situations would be totally impossible. Further, the temperature of the water is not adequately regulated to insure not only the destruction of bacteria necessary for providing a healthy source of hot water but also is not regulated to insure that water temperatures are not too hot to prevent scalding when the water is being dispensed. In this respect, the invention requires a separate mixing tank for mixing cold water with the hot water to insure proper temperatures during dispensing. Such a system, involving several tanks, one of which is mounted in heat exchange relationship with respect to an engine, is clearly not suitable for use in many environments and especially in military environments where compactness and control of the heating unit is of utmost importance. A similar water supply source utilizing heat exchange from an engine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. 4,140,150 to Rundell.
In order to provide more responsive and practical heating units for automotive vehicles, other patents have been granted for innovations dealing with electrically heated water supply devices. Such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,830,613 to Mason, U.S. Pat. No. 3,619,563 to Hirst, U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,279 to Lapera et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,522 to Kimura. In each of these patents water heaters are disclosed which are powered by a source of electrical supply in the vehicle. The power is either provided directly from the vehicle battery or from an outlet such as a cigarette lighter socket. In each case, however, the heating and dispensing units are not designed to allow their use within combat vehicles including tanks and armored personnel carriers wherein the units would be exposed to a great deal of physical shock caused by the movement of such vehicles in rough terrain. The patent to Lapera discloses a complex dispensing apparatus which requires the use of a separate pump in order to dispense fluid from the system. Such a unit requires additional energy output for the pump which would not be conducive for use in many environments. Further, none of the liquid dispensers or hot water heaters disclosed in the patents provide any means for simultaneously heating food rations, such as MRE packs, and thus would not satisfy the dual need for supplying both hot water and hot food to individuals in the field.
Other hot water supply systems or food storage systems for automotive vehicles are disclosed U.S. Pat. No. 1,776,890 to Dart, U.S. Pat. No. 3,231,713 to Menuto and U.S. Pat. No. 3,558,013 to Ponzo et al. .

Portable vehicular water heating tank having insulating jacket providing warming pockets for food packets


The present invention relates to isolated nucleic acids encoding humanized immunoglobulins having binding specificity for α4β7 integrin, isolated nucleic acids encoding a humanized immunoglobulin heavy chain and isolated nucleic acids encoding a humanized light chain having binding specificity for α4β7 integrin. The invention also relates to expression vectors and host cells comprising a nucleotide sequence which encodes a humanized immunoglobulin or antigen-binding fragment thereof having binding specificity for α4β7. The invention further relates to methods of preparing a humanized immunoglobulin, humanized immunoglobulin heavy chain and humanized immunoglobulin light chain that has binding specificity for α4β7 integrin.

Integrin receptors are important for regulating both lymphocyte recirculation and recruitment to sites of inflammation (Carlos, T. M. and Harlan, J. M., Blood, 84:2068-2101 (1994)). The human α4β7 integrin has several ligands, one of which is the mucosal vascular addressin MAdCAM-1 (Berlin, C., et al., Cell 74:185-195 (1993); Erle, D. J., et al., J. Immunol. 153:517-528 (1994)) expressed on high endothelial venules in mesenteric lymph nodes and Peyer's patches (Streeter, P. R., et al., Nature 331:41-46 (1988)). As such, the α4β7 integrin acts as a homing receptor that mediates lymphocyte migration to intestinal mucosal lymphoid tissue (Schweighoffer, T., et al., J. Immunol. 151:717-729 (1993)). In addition, the α4β7 integrin interacts with fibronectin and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1).
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, for example, can be a debilitating and progressive disease involving inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Affecting an estimated two million people in the United States alone, symptoms include abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea and rectal bleeding. IBD treatments have included anti-inflammatory drugs (such as, corticosteroids and sulfasalazine), immunosuppressive drugs (such as, 6-mercaptopurine, cyclosporine and azathioprine) and surgery (such as, colectomy). Podolsky, New Engl. J. Med., 325:928-937 (1991) and Podolsky, New Engl. J. Med., 325:1008-1016 (1991).
Antibodies against human α4β7 integrin, such as murine monoclonal antibody (mAb Act-1), interfere with α4β7 integrin binding to mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1 (MAdCAM-1) present on high endothelial venules in mucosal lymph nodes. Act-1 was originally isolated by Lazarovits, A. I., et al., J. Immunol. 133:1857-1862 (1984), from mice immunized with human tetanus toxoid-specific T lymphocytes and was reported to be a mouse IgG1/κ antibody. More recent analysis of the antibody by Schweighoffer, T., et al., J. Immunol. 151:717-729 (1993) demonstrated that it can bind to a subset of human memory CD4+ T lymphocytes which selectively express the α4β7 integrin. However, a serious problem with using murine antibodies for therapeutic applications in humans is that they are highly immunogenic in humans and quickly induce a human anti-murine antibody response (HAMA), which reduces the efficacy of the mouse antibody in patients and can prevent continued administration. The HAMA response results in rapid clearance of the mouse antibody, severely limiting any therapeutic benefit.
Thus, a need exists for improved therapeutic approaches to inflammatory bowel diseases.

Humanized immunoglobulin reactive with α4β7 integrin


A method and apparatus for parallel processing of pixel information within a video graphics circuit is accomplished when the video graphics circuit includes a set-up engine, an edgewalker circuit, a span processing circuit, and a plurality of pixel processing circuits. In such an embodiment, the set-up engine receives vertex information and produces object-element information therefrom. The object-element information is provided to the edgewalker circuit, which in turn produces span definition information. The span definition information identifies the starting pixel of a span and the starting pixel parameters. The span information is received by the processing circuit and converted into a plurality of pixel parameters. The plurality of pixel parameters are provided to the plurality of pixel processing circuits wherein each of the plurality of pixel processing circuits processes corresponding pixel parameters to produce pixel information in accordance with the information provided by the processing circuit.

Video graphics circuitry is used in a plurality of applications such as computers, video games, and televisions. Such video graphics circuits process images for subsequent display, where a plurality of object-elements form each of the images. The object-elements are polygon shapes and, in most applications, are triangles. By reducing the image to a plurality of triangles, the data that needs to be stored and processed is simplified.
For each triangle of an image, vertex information or vertex parameters are maintained. The vertex parameters include for each vertex of the triangle, a physical location (i.e., the physical pixel location on a display), color information (e.g., RGB values), texture mapping information, and/or Z buffer information (e.g., the depth at which the image is to be perceived when displayed).
When a video graphics circuit receives the vertex parameters, it converts them to object-element information, which is used by an edgewalker circuit to facilitate walking edges of the triangle. Having identified an edge of a triangle, the video graphics circuitry spans along a horizontal line of the triangle. The spanning is done by a pixel by pixel basis wherein pixel information is generated for each pixel that is spanned. The pixel information includes color information, Z buffer information, texture information, etc.
In such video graphics circuits, pixel information is generated in a serial fashion. To enhance the serial processing of pixel information, pipelines are used, but the pixel information is still generated in serial. As is generally known in the art, data processing may be improved by processing the data in a parallel manner. This concept has been applied to video graphics circuits. Such parallel processing video graphics circuits have done the parallel processing at the triangle level or at the span level. In a video graphics circuit that parallel processes at the triangle level, the circuit includes two similar pipelined circuits, such as the ones described above. Thus, the efficiency obtained with parallel triangle processing is obtained by doubling the hardware of the circuit.
Parallel span processing video graphics circuits process span lines in parallel. Span parallel processing requires almost a doubling of the pipeline pixel processing circuitry. As such, a parallel edgewalker circuit and subsequent circuitry is needed to generate the pixel information and achieve the benefits of parallel processing.
In both the span parallel processing and the triangle parallel processing video graphics circuits, additional circuitry is needed to ensure that the parallel processing is done efficiently and without corruption of the data. Even though additional circuitry is added to ensure efficiency, efficiency may not always be optimized. For example, if multiple triangles are being simultaneously rendered in parallel, the efficiency will be optimized when the triangles are of substantially equal size. When the size difference between the triangles becomes substantial, the efficiency of the parallel processing decreases. The additional circuitry also monitors each parallel pipeline to ensure that they are processing relevant parallel data (i.e., to avoid race conditions and corruption of the data).
Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus that allows parallel processing within a video graphics circuit that, in many instances, is more efficient and require less hardware than span and triangle parallel processing video graphics circuits.

Method and apparatus for a video graphics circuit having parallel pixel processing


Disclosed is a probe system. The probe system includes a support member configured to grasp a circuit board to be tested vertically to a base plate, a probe-tip member having a probes that are in contact with a conductive pattern of the circuit board, a guide-arm member coupled with the probe-tip member and configured to move the probe-tip member to a desired position, and a network analyzer electrically connected with the probe of the probe-tip member and configured to analyze electromagnetic characteristics of the conductive pattern. Further disclosed is a calibration kit which that is applicable when calibrating a multi-port of the network analyzer using the probe system that is disclosed.

1. Field
The following description relates to a probe system and a calibration kit for the probe system. The following description also relates to a probe system that inspects a circuit board having a through electrode and measures a coupling effect, and a calibration kit for the probe system.
2. Description of Related Art
The current goals in developing various digital systems may be divided into two major kinds of goal, generally a high speed and a small size. To provide a product in response to customers' needs for high speed, an operation frequency and a signal processing frequency may gradually become faster. Further, in the case of a dual core or a multi-core configuration, in which two or more processors are used, use thereof in various electronic devices which are becoming miniaturized is increasing. However, the various processors and designs just discussed may generate more and more electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) problems in the products. As the electronic devices are miniaturized, various vertical connector pins such as a via-hole and a pogo pin are used.
In particular, the via-hole connector serves as a connector between layers of a multilayered printed circuit board (PCB), and the pogo pin is used in a package test.
If the use of vertical connector pins is increased in digital systems which gradually become faster and smaller, a density of the vertical connector pins is also increased. Thus, there is a problem in that malfunctioning or other operational issues occur due to generation of a coupling effect between the pins.
Further, in the case of a calibration kit for measuring calibration of a 4-port system using an existing ground signal/signal ground (GS/SG) probe, positions of the GS probe and the SG probe are different from each other. Thus, a calibration kit for GS/GS and a calibration kit for SG/SG are separately required in this scenario.
Likewise, since the existing calibration kit is formed in accordance with a horizontal type, when the calibration kit has to be changed into a vertical type in order to measure coupling properties, various issues may occur. For example, these issues may include a change of an arm, a requirement of an additional apparatus, a damage risk of the probe due to re-coupling of the probe, and a decrease of accuracy due to a position change of the probe.

Vertical/horizontal probe system and calibration kit for the probe system

Research & Business Foundation SUNGKYUNKWAN UNIVERSITY


A fixation releasing device by which a buoyant body and a weight may be securely fixed and the fixed state between the buoyant body and the weight may be readily released, using a simple structure. The fixation releasing device is made from a buoyant body, a weight, and a connection designed to connect the buoyant body and weight. The connection device has a connection structure made from a closed loop member, rotation arms, and connection members. A connection member is engaged with each rotation arm, and rotation of each rotation arm is restrained by the closed loop member, thereby fixing the buoyant body. To release the buoyant body, a trigger mechanism provided at the closed loop member is operated to fusion cut the closed loop member. Then, each rotation arm is rotated, and then the connection member comes out of each rotation arm, thereby releasing the buoyant body.

A fixation releasing device has conventionally been known. The fixation releasing device comprises a buoyant body and a weight connected by a connection device and configured to release connection between the buoyant body and the weight by a separation mechanism. There is provided an OBS (Ocean Bottom Seismograph), for example, configured to be installed on a sea floor or at the bottom of the ocean to carry out measurement in order to conduct a seismic survey by sinking the OBS onto the bottom of the ocean. In a seismic refraction survey to be conducted to study a mechanism of occurrence of an earthquake at the bottom of the ocean or for other purposes, an artificial seismic wave is generated, and the sound wave refracted at a boundary surface between respective strata under the ocean bottom is received by a large number of ocean bottom seismographs installed at the bottom of the ocean at predetermined distances, thereby carrying out measurement. The ocean seismograph thus used is formed by a combination of an ocean bottom seismograph body and an anchor (weight), and is sunk at the bottom of the ocean. The ocean seismograph body is a buoyant body including therein a sensor and other parts. The anchor is disposed under the buoyant body in order to moor the ocean seismograph body at the bottom of the ocean. After the measurement, a recovery operation of a body portion of the ocean seismograph is performed for data collection, device maintenance, or other purposes. The recovery operation is performed by operating a separation mechanism provided at a connection device configured to connect the buoyant body and the weight.
As the separation mechanism, there is a gunpowder method (disclosed in JP08-271291A (Patent Document 1)), an electric corrosion method (disclosed in JP2006-030124A (Patent Document 2)), etc. In the gunpowder method, an action of cutting a cable configured to connect a buoyant body and a weight with a cutting blade is triggered by explosion of gunpowder. In the electric corrosion method, a metal plate (such as a stainless plate) or a metal wire, configured to connect a buoyant body and a weight is electrically corroded forcibly to be cut. The buoyant body and the weight are thereby separated.

JAPAN AGENCY FOR MARINE-EARTH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


A data entry unit includes a bar code reader. The composition of the data entry unit consists of an entry face on which a main entry portion such as a keyboard is disposed and a bar code reader disposed on the bottom face of the entry unit. The bar code data are read by having the bottom face of the data entry unit adhere closely to the bar code.

The present invention relates to a data entry unit such as a handy terminal.
With the advance of communication techniques, small-sized and portable type terminals and data entry units have come into general use. By means of computer systems, computers have been brought into use for inventory control of commodities, goods control operation in package delivery business and route sales and so forth, where data entry units in which a plurality of input data are stored temporarily and transmitted to a host computer collectively thereafter by means of a communication apparatus are being employed.
A keyboard is in general use as data entry means of a data entry unit of this type, but a bar code reader has also come into general use recently due to the spread of bar codes. A pen type in which the bar code is read by manually scanning is commonly used as a bar code reader provided on a portable data entry unit.
In the case of a pen type bar code reader such as used in a conventional example, however, a read scanning portion of the bar code reader is connected to the data entry unit body through a flexible cable, thus causing such a problem that a trouble of breakage of said cable is liable to occur while the data entry unit is carried.
In addition, there is such a defect that, since read scanning is performed manually a decoder circuit which interprets read signals becomes complicated because a circuit which copes with read scanning speed variation is required and so forth. As a result the circuit in the data entry unit body becomes large in size.


In an information processing apparatus, a communication unit communicates with notifying apparatuses that store position information thereof and notifies, in a case in which a communication is made with first terminals that are held by respective users, identification information of the first terminals and the position information, and in a case in which a communication is made with a second terminal that is mounted on a screen, identification information of the second terminal and the position information. A control unit obtains an estimated value of distances between the screen and the users, from distances between the second terminal and each of the first terminals, based on the position information received from the notifying apparatuses, and determines a lamp power to be set to a projection apparatus that projects video on the screen, based on the estimated value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to communication systems, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus and an information processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a technique has been developed to transmit signals by wireless transmission from a video output interface that outputs screens of video apparatuses, such as a PC (Personal Computer), to a display apparatus, such as a projector and a monitor, in order to project the screens onto the display apparatus. A system that employs this technique is often referred to as a wireless network projector system. The wireless network projector system forms a wireless network utilizing a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) or millimeter wave communication, without the use of a cable or the like.
In a case in which a user who is viewing an image projected by the projector is located near a screen, the image is visible to the user in most cases even when a lamp of the projector is not very bright. In addition, when the lamp of the projector is bright, the user may experience a glare caused by reflected light from the screen.
On the other hand, in a case in which the user who is viewing the image projected by the projector is located far away from the screen, the user may find it difficult to see the image unless the lamp of the projector is bright.
Accordingly, a suitable brightness of the lamp of the projector, that is, a lamp power, differs depending on the distance between the user and the screen.
For example, a Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-227548 proposes a projector that determines a light emitting amount of a lamp depending on a distance, illuminance, and zoom, for the purposes of extending a serviceable life of the lamp.
However, the user must manually operate the projector in order to change the lamp power of the projector.

Information processing apparatus and information processing method


Embodiments of the invention disclose methods for managing visibility filters in a plurality of network visibility infrastructure elements of a visibility network such that these network visibility infrastructure elements and their filters are managed as a network and filter configuring, packet replication, and redundancy are implemented efficiently from a centralized filter control module.

The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for improving network visibility in a network environment. More particularly, the present invention relates, in one or more embodiments, to improvements in configuring and managing network visibility infrastructures in a network environment.
A network is typically formed of, among others, a large number of switching resources (such as for example routers and switches) and links. Data, in the form of packets for example, may be sent through the links of the network. By configuring the switches appropriately, data packets may be sent from a given sender coupled to the network to a given receiver also coupled to the network although the sender and the receiver may be physically located far apart. The speed with which data packets are transferred from the sender to the receiver depends, in part, on the capacity and speed of the links as well as on the switching resources. The internet is an example of such a network and is well known, and thus its basic operating principles will not be discussed in great details herein.
Network Packet Brokers ("NPB") and network taps ("taps") and mirroring ports on switching resources have long been incorporated into networks (such as internal networks and/or the internet) to facilitate processing of data packets and/or to route data packets to/from network monitoring tools. These monitoring tools may include, for example, network analysis tools, forensic tools, various network monitoring tools, firewalls, malware prevention tools, intrusion detection tools, etc.
Generally speaking, taps are implemented at specific points in the network to access the data traffic and pass the data (whether the original data packets or the replicated copies thereof) to the monitoring tools. NPBs, on the other hand, represent hardware and/or software modules that perform, among other tasks, aggregation of monitored traffic (which again can be the original data packets or replicated copies thereof) from multiple links/segments, filtering and grooming of traffic to relieve overburdened monitoring tools, load-balancing traffic across a pool of monitoring tools, and regeneration of traffic to multiple monitoring tools. Both taps and NPBs are available from vendors such as Ixia Corporation of Calabasas, Calif.
Mirroring ports are ports implemented on the switching resources and are configured to send replicated data packets that traverse the switching resources (which may be all traversing packets or a filtered set thereof).
To facilitate discussion, FIG. 1A shows the relationship between the production network 10, the network visibility infrastructure 20, and the network monitoring tools 30.
Production network 10 represents the network of switching resources and links that is configured to transport data between the sender and the receiver. Network monitoring tools 30 performs functions that are not directly related to the transport of packets through production network 10 but are nevertheless necessary to ensure optimum performance of production network 10. These network monitoring functions include for example security, application performance monitoring (APM), network performance monitor (NPM), malware detection, intrusion detection, as well as other network management tasks. The list above is not inclusive, and these network monitoring functions are known to those skilled in the art.
Network visibility infrastructure comprises for example the taps, the network packet brokers, and the mirroring ports (e.g., SPAN™ ports from Cisco Corporation of San Jose, Calif.) that are disposed at various nodes in production network 10 to obtain data packets or copies thereof for use by network monitoring tools 30.
FIG. 1B shows a typical network configuration in which a plurality of network devices (such as routers or switches) 102A, 102B, 102C, 102D, 102E, 102F and 102G are shown communicatively coupled to NPB 104. These network devices represent some of the switching resources that direct traffic from one user to another via the network.
The couplings between network devices 102A-102C with NPB 104 are accomplished using respective mirroring ports 106A-106C (such as a SPAN or Switch Port Analyzer ports in the terminology of vendor Cisco Corporation of San Jose, Calif.) on the network devices. Data packets traversing each of NDs 102A-102C may be replicated and provided to respective mirroring ports, which packets are then provided on respective links 108A-108C to respective ingress ports (not shown) of NPB 104. In this configuration, NPB 104 is said to be connected in an out-of-band configuration with respect to packets traversing NDs 102A-102C since the original packets continue on their way without traversing NPB 104 while NPB 104 receives the replicated packets from NDs 102A-102C for forwarding to one or more of the monitoring tools 122 and 124.
Packets traversing between ND 102D and ND 102E can be tapped by tap 110, which is coupled to both NDs 102D and 102E. In one example, the packets from NDs 102D and 102E may be duplicated by tap 110 and provided to NPB 104 via links 108D and 108E respectively. In this configuration, NPB 104 is said to be connected in an out-of-band configuration with respect to packets traversing NDs 102D and 102E since the original packets continue on their way without traversing NPB 104 while NPB 104 receives the replicated packets from NDs 102D-102E.
In another example, the packets from ND 102D may be intercepted by tap 108 and redirected by tap 108 to NPB 104 and from NPB 104 to one or more of the monitoring tools for further forwarding to an analysis tool (such as analyzer 120) before being routed to ND 102E if the result of the analysis indicates that such routing is permissible. Malware detection may be one such type of analysis. In this configuration, NPB 104 is said to be connected in an in-line configuration since NPB 104 is in the data path between ND 102D and ND 102E and packets must traverse NPB 104 before reaching the destination.
FIG. 1B also shows a port aggregator 126, which aggregates packet traffic from NDs 102F and 102G to provide the aggregated packets to NPB 104 via link 124. Again, NPB 104 can be connected in-line with respect to the communication between NDs 102F and 102G (i.e., NPB 104 can be in the network data path), or NPB 104 can be connected in an out-of-band manner with respect to the communication between NDs 102F and 102G (i.e., NPB 104 receives only the replicated packets and the original packets continue on their way without traversing NPB 104).
Although only a few of the switching resources (e.g., network devices) are shown in FIG. 1B, it should be understood that a typical network may involve hundreds or thousands of these switching resources. Configuring and managing such a large number of switching resources are huge problems for network operators, and thus network operators have turned to technologies such as Software Defined Networks (SDNs) to ease the task of configuring and managing the switching resources.
Generally speaking, SDN decouples the switching hardware (e.g., the actual packet processors or network processors that perform the switching) from the control plane (implemented at least by the operating system and may include applications). Without decoupling, each network resource (such as a switch or a router) would have its own forwarding hardware controlled by its own applications executing on its own operating system. Any change in the configuration and management of the network or links thereof tends to involve reconfiguring a large number of associated switching resources using local applications executed on each of the switching resources.
SDN implements an abstracted operating system/control module and applications are executed on this abstracted operating system. The switching hardware circuitry and some control logic (e.g., packet processors or network processors) are implemented locally at each of the switching resources. The applications/abstracted operating system communicate with the switching hardware at each of the switching resources via well-established standard, such as OpenFlow™ (Open Software Foundation (ONF), https://www.opennetworking.org).
In SDN, if a change needs to be made to an application and/or to the operating system, it is no longer necessary to make the change on each of the switching resources. Instead, the change can be made at the centralized applications and/or the abstracted operating system, thereby simplifying configuration and/or maintenance. To put it differently, SDN permits the network operator to configure and manage the switching resources of the network from a centralized location using a software-centric paradigm.
Although taps, network packet brokers, and mirroring ports are also disposed throughout the network, these network visibility resources are not considered switching resources and thus far, there has been no way to manage the network visibility infrastructures as an integrated network. There is, however, a need to also reduce the configuration and/or maintenance burden associated with implementing a large number of these network visibility resources over vast distances as well as to better integrate network visibility into network traffic management and routing. Addressing these needs are one among many goals of embodiments of the present invention.

Methods and apparatuses for abstracting filters in a network visibility infrastructure


An article retaining apparatus having structure that facilitates push-type securement or manipulated latch-type securement of an article, such as keys, key rings and the like, and which also facilitates tug release, or manipulated latch release of a retained article. The apparatus engages an article at the apparatus's receiving-end, which includes a lower, beveled entry portion, that coacts with a beveled hook-end portion of a pivotally attached latch. Upon the latch being urged at the receiving-end by an article to be retained, a moment produce pivotal motion of the spring-loaded latching member towards a casing end portion to effect the push-type securement of the article. Similarly, during a tug release of the retained article, an inner sloped surface on the latch's hook-end portion coacts with an edge of an elongated C-shaped article retaining region to produce pivotal motion of the spring-loaded latching member towards the casing end portion to effect the tug release of the article. The spring-loaded latch can also be manipulated to produce the same moment on the spring-loaded latch to either engage or release an article.

The prior art teaches latching mechanisms which fall into three categories, namely those that require manipulation of a part of the mechanism for the securement and release of an article, those that facilitate a push-type securement of an article (either by clipping-type action or by forced latching action), and those that facilitate tug-type release of an article. However, the prior art does not teach the combination of manipulated engagement and securement, push-type securement and tug-type release securement of an article.
Typical of latching mechanisms that facilitate manipulated type securement and engagement of articles are U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,463,071 to G. B. N. Dow et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 1,481,126 to Cupp. The '071 patent teaches an antiskid chain hook having a blade body that secures an object in a recess portion of the housing and which requires manipulation of a chain link to overcome the strain exerted on the blade. The '126 patent teaches a chain coupling having a hook arrangement that engages or releases a link by tension manipulated means. Neither the '071 or the '126 devices facilitate a push-type engagement or a tug-type release of an object being secured.
Typical of latching mechanisms that facilitate a push-type securement of an article (either by clipping-type action or by forced latching action), are U.S. Pat. Nos. 928,006, 2,531,325, 2,896,288 and 4,113,156. The '006 patent teaches a belt-carried device having a curved hook that coacts with an elongated spring member spring member to facilitate a push-type clipping engagement of an article. Release of the article requires manipulation of the hook to release the tension exerted by the spring member. The '325 patent teaches a key holder having a spring-loaded latch coacting with a shank member to retain a key. The engagement and release of the key article requires manipulation which is considered more extensive than a mere pushing action. The '156 patent teaches a key ring holder having a spring-loaded lever coacting with a hook member to positively secure an article. The spring-loaded lever must be manipulated to release the article. The '288 patent teaches a connector used in the webbing industry having a spring-loaded hook member with beveled side walls to effect the engagement by a simple push. The release of the retained coupling requires manipulation of the spring-loaded member.
A known latching mechanism that facilitates tug-type release of an article includes the tug release connector taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,254. The '254 connector teaches a spring-loaded shaft coacting with a lip portion of a hollow body member to retain the free end of a hinged clip member which secures articles. Engagement or release of an article requires tugging on the clip member to extend the shaft and the hingedly connected clip member away from the lip portion. The device does not teach a push-type engagement.
Thus, a need is seen to exist for a latching mechanism that facilitates a push-type engagement of an article, which facilitates a tug-type release of a secured article, and which further facilitates engagement and release of an article by an alternative manipulating means.

Article retaining apparatus having pull-release/push-retain structure and method of using


A lens for wide lateral-angle distribution of light from an LED light source on a board and defining an axis. The lens includes a board-adjacent base spaced from and around the axis, an inner light-receiving surface, an intermediate surface and an outer output surface configured for refracting light received from the inner and intermediate surfaces. The base forms an opening into a light-receiving cavity defined by the inner surface which includes (a) substantially planar front and back surface portions each extending from the opening and (b) an end surface portion spanning the cavity between the front and back surfaces and comprising front and back segments extending inwardly from the front and back surface portions, respectively, and each angled with respect to the other. The intermediate surface is positioned and configured for reflecting light received from the inner surface toward the outer output surface.

There is a need for lighting apparatus which is low-cost and energy efficient. LEDs (light-emitting diodes) provide light sources which are energy efficient, and advances in LED technology are providing even greater efficiencies over time. Some typical applications for lighting systems are roadway and parking lot lighting in which there are performance requirements such as the requirement that light be most efficiently and uniformly distributed over wide areas which are to be lighted. In applications such as for illuminating information boards or advertisement billboards, signs, including transportation signs and the like, as well as building facade lighting, there is a need to direct light at the widest angle possible in order to draw particular attention to the wide area to be illuminated while utilizing a minimum number of light fixtures.
Some efforts have been made to develop LED lenses for directing LED light into a desired light distribution. Some of such lenses are difficult and expensive to manufacture, which increases overall cost for LED lighting using such lenses. Yet such lenses fall short in providing light distribution required for proper illumination of wide target surfaces.
It would be highly beneficial to provide an improved lighting apparatus which produces a desired light distribution for illumination of wide target surfaces. It would be further beneficial that such lighting apparatus have high efficiency with useful output of maximum emitted light at wide angles and in the desired direction with improved uniformity of distribution of such light across the illuminated area.

Lens for wide lateral-angle distribution


A DC-DC converter includes a switching transistor connected to an inductor and a power input terminal, with the inductor connected to an output terminal, a synchronous rectification transistor connected to a junction node therebetween, a first electric current detector to detect whether or not an electric current flowing through the synchronous rectification transistor is larger than a first electric current, a second electric current detector to detect whether or not the electric current flowing through the synchronous rectification transistor is larger than a second electric current that is larger than the first electric current, and a selection mechanism to select one of the first and second electric current detectors in accordance with a control signal. The synchronous rectification transistor is turned off by outputting an output signal the selected current detector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a synchronous rectification DC-DC (direct current to direct current) converter.
2. Discussion of the Background
Contemporary electronic devices are advanced and perform various sophisticated operations. For example, mobile phones frequently play recorded videos as well as still images.
As a result, the performance of a CPU (central processing unit) used in the devices is also enhanced, and the CPU operates at an increased clock speed.
However, when the clock speed is increased, the power consumed by the CPU increases in proportion to the frequency of the clock, which is a problem in a device with a limited power supply such as a mobile phone or the like. Further, in order to increase the clock speed, a higher supply voltage is required. As a result, electric power consumption is increased.
To solve this problem, there are devices in which, when the device operates normally, the supply voltage is reduced and the device operates at a lower clock speed, thus reducing power consumption. By contrast, when high-speed processing (e.g., video processing) is required, the supply voltage is increased and the device is operated at a higher clock speed. Thus, this known technique can minimize the power consumption increase in the overall device.
Part of the circuit architecture described above relies on power source circuits for mobile electronic devices such as synchronous rectification DC-DC converters, which include an inductor that can be compact. Such DC-DC converters are effective and widely used.
In a discontinuous mode, DC-DC converters with synchronous rectifier are susceptible to the occurrence of a reverse current, meaning that the electrical current flows to a ground terminal from an output terminal connecting to a load circuit through the inductor and a synchronous rectification transistor. When a reverse current occurs, power conversion efficiency of the DC-DC converter in particularly is impaired.
To prevent reverse current, the DC-DC converter is provided with a reverse current prevention circuit that forcibly shuts down the synchronous rectification transistor when a reverse current occurs.
Herein, in a case in which the output voltage of the DC-DC converter changes from a higher voltage to a lower voltage, when the load current is low, it takes a longer time for a capacitor connected to the output terminal to discharge, and consequently, reduction of the output voltage requires a longer time. A similar problem occurs when the power supply is turned off.
By contrast, in a case in which the output voltage changes from a lower voltage to a higher voltage, because a time period during which a switching transistor of DC-DC converter is on is set as long as possible, the possibility of occurrence of overshoot that is when the output voltage exceeds a predetermined value increases. When the overshoot is generated, the DC-DC converter operates similarly to when the output voltage changes from the higher voltage to the lower voltage, and therefore, the overshoot period is increased. Here too, a similar problem occurs when the power supply is turned on.
To solve the above-described problem, several approaches as described below have been disclosed.
In one approach, when the power supply is turned off, a reverse current of the synchronous rectification transistor is permitted until the output voltage is decreased to a predetermined voltage. Then, the electric charge in the output capacitor is discharged rapidly by the reverse current of the synchronous rectification transistor, and the speed with which the voltage at the power off is decreased can be accelerated. When the output voltage has decreased to the predetermined voltage, reverse current prevention processing in which the synchronous rectification transistor is forcibly turned off at the occurrence of a reverse current is reactivated.
Consequently, an inductor current is sent to the input voltage via a dependent diode that is formed on the switching transistor.
Further, when the output voltage changes, the reverse current of the synchronous rectification transistor is allowed as described above. Therefore, when the output voltage is higher than a target voltage and is in the discontinuous mode, a reverse current occurs, and the electric charge in the output capacitor is discharged via the inductor and the synchronous rectification transistor. Consequently, the response speed of the output can be accelerated.
However, in the above-described approach, while the output voltage changes, the period during which the reverse current occurs is not controlled. Namely, the electrical current keeps flowing in reverse until a next sequence starts, that is, the switching transistor is turned on and the synchronous rectification transistor is turned off. Consequently, as the electric load current decreases, the period during which the reverse current occurs lengthens. Additionally, because the reverse current is increased over time, when the electric load current is lower, undershoot of the output voltage may be generated.
Further, after the output voltage changes to the predetermined voltage, the reverse voltage prevention processing in which the synchronous rectification transistor is forcibly turned off when a reverse current occurs is executed again. At that time, the electricity stored in the inductor for supplementing the reverse current is excessive, and as a result, the overshoot occurs.
Moreover, because the above-described approach takes no countermeasures when the power is turned on, the overshooting generated immediately after the power on cannot be prevented.


The antenna configuration disclosed herein can be used in a mobile telecommunications device to provide three-dimensional, orthogonal polarization. The antenna configuration comprises a half mode substrate integrated waveguide (HMSIW) antenna, a first thick-slot antenna and a second thick-slot antenna. The HMSIW antenna comprises two parallel conductive plates separated by a dielectric. The HMSIW antenna has a substantially rectangular shape comprising a first edge, a second edge substantially perpendicular to the first edge and connected to the first edge by a first corner, a third edge opposing and substantially parallel to the first edge and connected to the second edge by a second corner, and a fourth edge opposing and substantially parallel to the second edge and connected to the first edge by a third corner and to the third edge by a fourth corner. The first and second edges are open for radiation. The first thick-slot antenna includes a first dielectric strip extending from the third corner in a direction substantially parallel to and collinear with the first edge and away from the first corner. The second thick-slot antenna includes a second dielectric strip extending from the second corner in a direction substantially parallel to and collinear with the second edge and away from the first corner. The two parallel plates of the I IMS1W antenna lie in a plane defined by the first and second dielectric strips. The first thick-slot antenna is responsible for linear polarization in a direction parallel to the first edge, the second thick-slot antenna is responsible for linear polarization in a direction parallel to the second edge, and the HMSIW antenna is responsible for linear polarization in a direction perpendicular to the parallel conductive plates of the HMSIW antenna.

In future wireless communication systems, a high data-rate and reliability are compulsory requirements. However, system performance is often degraded by the fading effect of channels. Diversity is commonly considered to be an effective method of improving system performance There are basically three routes available to realize diversity: space, polarization, and radiation pattern. Given the limited space and low profile structure of modern handheld devices, space and pattern diversity may be difficult to exploit successfully. On the other hand, polarization diversity, basically dual polarization, has been implemented in handheld devices with impressive performance [1-3]. In addition, the idea of three-dimensional (3D) polarization has recently been explored [4,5], with the suggestion that it can help to double or even triple the capacity of wireless systems. However, the most straightforward approach to providing three-dimensional (3D) polarization, namely the use of cubic structures, may not be practical to integrate with mobile devices easily in view of the relative physical dimensions [5], since they are generally rather flat devices—see also U.S. Pat. No. 7,710,343.
Accordingly, it has been proposed [9] to utilize the low profile characteristic of a half mode substrate integrated waveguide (HMSIW) antenna [6-8; 10, 11] to reduce significantly the thickness of a three-dimensional orthogonally polarized antenna. This low profile design is a good candidate for embedding into most mobile devices. The three radiating elements are closely located and the design has been carefully considered to match the nature of wave propagation in complex environments. Moreover, it is not necessary to insert any balun before connecting to the backend RF circuits. Such an antenna is designed to operate around 3.5 GHz and have an impedance bandwidth of more than 150 MHz, so that the antenna can support 4G wireless networks, such as WiMAX.
The geometry of a proposed three-dimensional orthogonally polarized antenna from [9] is shown in FIG. 1. The three-dimensional antenna has three radiating elements: Ant I and Ant II are basically thick-slot antennas, while Ant III is a HMSIW antenna. Coaxial probes are used for feeding all the three radiating elements. Ant I is responsible for the linear polarization in the x-direction, the polarization of Ant II is in the y-direction, while z-directional polarized radiation is contributed by the HMSIW antenna—Ant III.
The half mode substrate integrated waveguide antenna of FIG. 1 is basically a quarter of a substrate-filled circular parallel-plate waveguide with vertical walls on the two straight edges connecting the two parallel plates. The length of the arc is about half of the wavelength of the resonant frequency of the HMSIW antenna Impedance matching can be achieved by adjusting the location of the feeding probe.
Simulations of such an antenna using CST Microwave Studio are described in [9]. The dimensions of the whole simulated model are 70×70×9 mm (x×y×z), which is based on the size of smart phones in common use. The thickness and dielectric constant of the inserted substrate are 6.4 mm and 2.2 respectively. The size of the proposed overall antenna from [9] is about 38×38×9 mm. Detailed dimensions of the individual antennas (in mm) from [9] are presented in Table 1.
TABLE 1Dimensions of the proposed antenna from [9] in mm Ant I Ant IIAnt IIIwidth3.03.0Radius28.8length23.024.8 Thickness6.4thickness6.46.4 Feed10.0feed14.414.4
FIG. 2 illustrates the S-parameters of the antennas from [9] for the antenna design shown in FIG. 1. It can be seen from FIG. 2 that the two slot antennas, Ant I and Ant II (S11, S22), have a wider impedance bandwidth (|Sii|<−10 dB) of 800 MHz from about 3.1 to 3.9 GHz, compared with the impedance bandwidth of Ant III. The operating frequency band of the whole antenna is therefore determined by the impedance bandwidth of the HMSIW antenna (Ant III). The impedance bandwidth of the HMSIW antenna (S33) is approximately 160 MHz from 3.44 to 3.60 GHz. The isolation between port 1 and port 2 (S21) is about −18 dB and better isolations of −45 dB are observed between port 3 and port 1 (S31) and between port 3 and port 2 (S32).
FIG. 3 illustrates the simulated gain and 3D radiation patterns at 3.5 GHz from [9] for the antenna shown in FIG. 1. In particular, FIG. 3(i) shows the results for Port 1, the x-directional linear polarization, FIG. 3(ii) shows the results for Port 2, the y-directional linear polarization, and FIG. 3(iii) shows the results for Port 3, the z-directional linear polarization. It can be seen that the maximum gain of the two thick-slot radiating elements is about 2.5 dBi and the HMSIW antenna has a higher maximum gain of 3 dBi. Based on the simulated results, three-dimensional orthogonal polarization can be achieved by exciting Ant I, II and III cooperatively. The variation of gain at different angles is less than 3 dB, which is suitable for mobile communications.
In the implementation of [9], two thick-slot antennas are responsible for the two planar polarizations, while the third perpendicular polarization is contributed by an HMSIW antenna. The thickness of the antenna is shrunk by the inherent thin structure of an HMSIW antenna. The simulated performance of such a low profile three-dimensional orthogonal polarization antenna demonstrates that reasonable impedance bandwidth and isolation between ports can be obtained.
Although the antenna configuration of [9] provides significant benefits over known antenna configurations for providing three-dimensional, orthogonal polarization for use in a mobile communication device, especially in allowing a low profile or substantially planar geometry, there continues to be a need to reduce the space occupied by such an antenna configuration, such as for embedding in a compact, mobile, handheld device, and to improve its performance.

Antenna configuration for use in a mobile communication device


A seat includes a tray, a net mounted on the tray and a supporting device provided between the tray and the net. Thus, when a user sits on the seat, the net takes a proportion of the user's weight while the supporting device takes another proportion of the user's weight.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a chair and, more particularly, to a seat for use in a chair.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to Taiwanese Patent M288142, a chair 1 includes a plurality of legs 2, a post mounted on the legs 2, a seat 3 mounted on the post and a backrest mounted on the seat 3. The seat 3 includes a plate 31 mounted on the post and a net 32 mounted on the plate 31. The plate 31 is rigid for supporting the net 32. The net 32 is elastic for flexibly supporting a user's hips. A space 33 is defined between the net 32 and the plate 31. Air is allowed to travel into and from the space 33. Thus, heat does not accumulate below the user's hips. However, due to fatigue after some time of use, the net 32 inevitably loses the elasticity and the ability to support the user's hips and keep the space 33.
The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in the prior art.

Chair having adjustable weight proportion accepting elements


Methods and systems for detecting one or more access points in a wireless network are disclosed. The location coordinates of a wireless communication device (WCD) are first determined. Based on comparisons made with the WCD location coordinates, if the WCD is within range of a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point and remains stationary for a preset time interval, a wireless local area network (WLAN) radio interface may be activated within the WCD to connect to the WLAN via the access point.

Wireless local area networks (WLANs), such as Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) networks, have become increasingly popular in recent years. Wi-Fi networks operate according to the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard (e.g., IEEE-802.11 a/b/g/n). Industry standard Wi-Fi networks have a relatively short range: typically, an indoor range of about 100-300 feet and an outdoor range of approximately 1000 feet. The strength and performance of a Wi-Fi network radio signal typically degrades as the distance increases, and also depends on a number of factors, such as atmospheric conditions and physical obstructions.
To provide distributed wireless access to a network, network service providers often provide geographically-dispersed wireless access points. Wireless access points are network components that include radio interfaces which allow users to wirelessly access a local area computer network via portable, Wi-Fi enabled, wireless communication devices (WCDs), such as certain laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), smart phones, cellular phones, and the like. Wi-Fi access points provide coverage areas that are referred to as "hotspots" and are currently located in many airports, hotels, restaurants, libraries, town centers, coffee shops and convention centers, for example.
Particularly, the term hotspot refers to the area extending from the wireless access point within which Wi-Fi radio signals are broadcasted and can be detected by Wi-Fi enabled WCDs. Each working wireless access point thus emits a wireless signal recognized by the Wi-Fi enabled WCDs. Upon successfully detecting the wireless signals, the WCDs may connect to and access the Wi-Fi network via a series of authentication and connection procedures with the Wi-Fi network.
At a WCD, the availability of a nearby Wi-Fi access point is typically detected in one of two ways: 1) by constantly keeping the WCD's Wi-Fi radio on so that the hotspot is detected when the WCD moves within range of the access point; or 2) by intermittently turning on the WCD's Wi-Fi radio to periodically scan for access points within range. It is also known to provide lists of available access points in particular geographic locations, in response to user requests received through a computer network.
Although useful in some circumstances, the above-mentioned techniques for detecting Wi-Fi access points present serious operational limitations in many situations.

Access point detection for wireless networking


A method for producing polyester foamed articles comprising: heating and foaming a resin composition comprising a foaming agent, and an aliphatic polyester having a melt viscosity of 1.0.times.10.sup.3 -1.0.times.10.sup.6 poises at a temperature of 190.degree. C. and a shear rate of 100 sec.sup.-1, and having a melting point of 70.degree.-190.degree. C. Extrusion or forming in a mold using preexpanded beads can be applied. The foamed articles such as insulating boxes and cushioning materials have biodegradability and excellent mechanical properties such as tensile strength and cushioning properties.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to polyester foamed articles prepared by using aliphatic polyesters with biodegradability and sufficiently high molecular weights and specific melt properties for practical use. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for producing foamed articles by extrusion or mold forming using expandable particles (beads) and foamed articles produced thereby.
2. Discussion of the Background
Recently, although plastic foamed articles characterized by their lightness, elasticity, moldability, etc. are being used mainly as packaging materials, cushioning materials, etc., there is a great community problem in that the resulting waste of the large amounts of plastics used in these materials are hard to dispose of and can pollute rivers, oceans, and soil. To prevent such pollution the development of biodegradable plastics has been desired; for example, poly(3-hydroxybutylate) produced by fermentation methods using microorganisms, blends of general-purpose plastics and starch, a naturally occurring polymer, and the like are already known. The former polymer has a drawback in that it is poor in molding properties because the polymer has a heat decomposition temperature close to its melting point and a raw material efficiency is very bad because it is produced by microorganisms. On the other hand, since the naturally occurring polymer of the latter does not by itself have thermoplasticity, the polymer has defects in molding properties, and is greatly limited in its range of application.
On the other hand, although it is known that aliphatic polyesters are biodegradable, they have hardly been used because polymeric material sufficient enough to obtain practical molded product cannot be obtained. Recently, it has been found that a ring-opening polymerization of .epsilon.-caprolactone produces a higher molecular weight polymer, and proposed to use the polymer as a biodegradable resin. However, the resulting polymer is limited to only special applications because of a low melting point of 62.degree. C. and a high cost thereof. Further, although glycolic acid, lactic acid and the like are polymerized by a ring-opening polymerization of glycolide and lactide thereof to obtain polymers with higher molecular weights so as to be sometimes used as medical fibers and the like, the polymers are not used in great amounts as packaging materials, cushioning materials and the like because their decomposition temperatures are close to their melting point and they have defects in their molding properties.
Materials generally used for molding foamed articles are polystyrene or polyethylene. These materials are mixed with foaming agents and then formed to the foamed articles by extruding or molding in a mold.
A material such as styrene polymer containing 0.5.about.40 parts by weight of a volatile foaming agent, such as propane, butane, pentane, methyl chloride, or dichlorofluoromethane, are known as expandable beads. When heated to a temperature not lower than their softening point, these expandable beads become pre-expanded beads in which a large number of small cells have been generated. A method of producing foamed articles is known, according to which a closed-but-nonairtight type mold having a large number of small holes in its walls and a configuration which is the same as that of the final product is filled with the above pre-expanded beads, and a heating medium, such as steam, is sprayed onto the beads through the above-mentioned small holes to heat them to a temperature not less than their softening point, thereby causing the beads to be expanded and fused to each other so as to produce a porous-styrene-polymer foam having exactly the same shape as the above mold.
On the other hand, the foamed polystyrene articles generate combustion heat as high as 9,500 kcal/kg, so a fear to harm an incinerator is accompanied.
Usually, polystyrene is used in the production of such expandable beads, and even polyethylene terephthalate, which is a condensation product of ethylene glycol and a terephthalic acid (inclusive of dimethylterephthalate), a high-molecular-weight polyester (which means here one having a number average molecular weight of at least 10,000) that is being applied to general packing uses, is not used in this field, and there has been no reported attempt to impart biodegradability to such materials.
Thus, there has been absolutely no technical concept of attempting to put to practical use expandable beads formed from a biodegradable aliphatic polyester based on an aliphatic-type dicarboxylic acid.
One of the reasons for the absence of a concept of putting such foamed articles into practical use is that even in a crystalline condition, most of such aliphatic polyesters have a melting point not higher than 100.degree. C. although special production conditions and physical properties are required with regard to the above expandable beads. Further, they have poor stability when melted. What is more important, the properties of these aliphatic polyesters, particularly the mechanical properties thereof, such as tensile strength, are markedly poor even with a number average molecular weight which is of the same level as the above-mentioned polyethylene telephthalate, so that it has been difficult to even imagine the possibility of obtaining from such materials a molding which must exhibit high strength.
Also it is to be assumed that this is partly attributable to the fact that studies toward the possibility of attaining an improvement in physical properties by increasing the number average molecular weight of such aliphatic polyesters have not progressed to a satisfactory degree yet due to the poor thermal stability of such polyesters.
It is an object of this invention to provide polyester foamed articles which contain an aliphatic polyester as mentioned above, which have a sufficiently high molecular weight for practical uses, which excel in mechanical properties such as thermal stability and tensile strength, and which exhibit biodegradability as a disposal means, that is, which can be decomposed by microorganisms or the like, thereby facilitating the disposal thereof after use.

Polyester foamed articles and method for producing the same


A load tap changer (LTC) having a plurality of windings is coupled to one of the primary and secondary windings of a power transformer in order to regulate the output voltage of the power transformer. The LTC includes a plurality of taps physically and electrically connected to the LTC windings and the transformer's output voltage is increased/decreased by moving along the taps a contacting element whose movement is controlled by a rotating shaft driven by a motor. The tap being contacted is determined by sensing the direction and number of shaft rotations and by checking the number of shaft rotations specified to go from a tap to the next tap being contacted. The time for a full rotation of the shaft is also measured. Also, the temperature of the tanks containing the LTC taps and the power transformer is measured for each tap position.

This invention relates to apparatus and method for monitoring and displaying the tap positions of a load tap changer (LTC).
Load Tap Changers (LTCs) are used in electric power systems to regulate the voltage distributed from substations and along the power lines. An LTC, as used and defined herein and in the appended claims, may be connected in the primary circuit of a power transformer, XFR, as shown in FIG. 1, or in the secondary circuit as shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 1, is a highly simplified version of a prior art system illustrating use of one type of LTC connected in the primary circuit of a power transformer (XFR). In FIG. 1, there is shown the primary (P1) of a power transformer (XFR) to which is coupled the windings 100a and taps 100b of a load tap changer (LTC), 100. Note that in the discussion to follow and in the appended claims, windings 100a, whether connected in the primary or the secondary of the power transformer, may also be referred to as the LTC windings. The LTC may be used to change the effective turns ratio (N1:N2) of the primary and secondary of the power transformer XFR and thereby its output voltage (Vout). The LTC 100 of FIG. 1 is shown to include several taps (T0-TM) which are contacted with a movable contacting element, or contact, C1. The number of taps may vary from a few to many. The movable contact C1 is shown mounted on a tap changer mechanism 105 which is caused to move along the taps T0-TM by a rotatable shaft 103 driven by a motor M1. The shaft 103 can move in a clockwise direction or in a counterclockwise direction and causes contact C1 to advance from tap to tap. For purpose of illustration, in FIG. 1, the contact C1 is shown to be movable in either a down to up direction (from T0 to TM) or in an up to down direction (from TM to T0). In actual systems, the taps may be physically arranged in a circular pattern and the contacting element would then move along a rotary or other suitable path, rather than linearly up and down.
In FIG. 1, the windings 100a, extending between nodes 14 and 16, are connectable in series with the primary windings (P1) of the power transformer XFR. One end 11 of P1 is connected to an input power terminal 17 while the other end 13 of P1 is connected to the top end 14 of the windings 100a. Taps T0 through TM are disposed along the LTC windings, with the lowest tap, To, corresponding to node 16 and the highest tap, TM, corresponding to node 14. For ease of illustration, contact C1, shown mounted on a movable arm depending from mechanism 105, is electrically connected to input power terminal 19 and provides a very low impedance connection between terminal 19 and whichever tap it is contacting. The input power Vin is applied between terminals 17 and 19 and is redistributed via the secondary of the power transformer, XFR, onto output power lines 21, 23. When C1 is connected to tap T0 the primary winding P1 is connected in series with all the windings 100a of the LTC and the effective turns ratio of the primary (e.g., N1) to the secondary (e.g., N2) has been increased. For this condition, the output voltage (Vout) produced at the output of the secondary (SEC1) is decreased. When C1 is connected to tap TM the effective turns ratio of the primary to the secondary is decreased and the output voltage (Vout) produced at the output of the secondary (SEC1) is increased.
In the operation of the system (see FIGS. 1 and 2) the voltage Vout, across the secondary of the power transformer is supplied, via a transformer PT10, to a tap change controller 101 which senses the voltage and produces signals identified as K1 (lower) and K2 (raise). Signals K1 and K2 are applied to the motor M1 and determine whether the motor is driven in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction causing shaft 103 to turn so as to raise or lower tap changer mechanism 105 causing C1 to move along the taps of the LTC windings 100a. If Vout is below some desired level, the controller 101 produces signals (K1, K2) which function to tend to raise Vout to the desired value. Likewise, if Vout is above some desired level, controller 101 produces signals (K1, K2) which function to tend to lower Vout to the desired value.
As noted, motor M1 causes the rotation of drive shaft 103 on which is mounted tap changer mechanism 105 which controls the movement of contacting element C1 along the taps 100b of LTC windings 100a. Mechanism 105 may include gears, cams and switches (not shown) which cause the contact C1 to make contact with the taps in a predetermined sequence.
In the configuration of FIG. 2, windings 100a are connectable in series with the windings of the secondary of the power transformer. As in FIG. 1, which one(s) of the windings 100a get connected in circuit with the secondary windings is a function of which tap is contacted by contact C1. For the condition of contact C1 connected to tap T0, the turns ratio of the primary to secondary is decreased (Vout is increased). For the condition of contact C1 connected to tap TM, the turns ratio of the primary to secondary is increased (Vout is decreased). In FIG. 2, as in FIG. 1, the voltage across the secondary is coupled via a transformer PT10 to a tap change controller 101 which drives a motor M1 which drives a shaft 103a which causes a mechanism 105a to raise or lower the contact C1 to produce a desired Vout. Thus in FIGS. 1 and 2 there is a feedback loop including controller 101 which functions to try to maintain the output voltage at a desired value.
However, a problem exists in that some of the taps may be, or become inoperative. When the system tries to make contact with an inoperative tap, there may be overshoots and/or undershoots, and/or continuous hunting for the desired setting. Known systems do not resolve the problem of identifying "bad" taps and/or any sluggishness and/or delays in the operation and response time of the system including the LTC.
For purpose of ensuring the proper operation of the power distribution system and for maintenance of the power transformer and/or the LTC it is desirable, and/or necessary, to know and display which tap is being contacted, at any time and whether there are problems associated with any of the taps and/or the response time of the system in going from a tap to the next tap (up or down).

Apparatus and method for monitoring tap positions of load tap changer