A method and system is directed to distributing a flow of packets over a network to multiple traffic management devices. An apparatus receives each packet from a network and may act as a layer 2 switch, or router, to distribute the packet to one of a group of traffic management devices. The apparatus also may receive packets from servers for which the traffic management devices are managing communications. When distributing packets, a target traffic management device is selected from the group of traffic management devices. A connection key associated with the received packet and an identifier associated with the selected traffic management device are saved such that subsequent received packets in the flow of packets are delivered to the same traffic management device.

The Internet's core bandwidth continues to double every year. Some of this additional bandwidth is consumed as more and more users access the Internet. Other additional bandwidth is consumed as existing users increase their use of the Internet. This increase of Internet use translates into an increase in traffic directed to and from World Wide Web (WWW) servers and other Internet servers.
Replacing a WWW server with a WWW server of twice the capacity is a costly undertaking. Adding additional WWW servers is less costly but generally requires a distribution mechanism to spread the workload so that each virtual server performs work proportional to its capacity and the number of servers available to the traffic management device that is performing the distribution mechanism. As a result, a traffic management device may be required to store state information about connections and look at higher levels to maintain connections between servers and users.
This requirement for more sophisticated traffic management requires more processing. With a sufficient rate of requests, eventually a traffic management device may not be able to process traffic in a timely manner. Therefore, it is with respect to these considerations and others that the present invention has been made.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for scaling network traffic managers using connection keys


Aspects of the subject technology relate to systems and methods for remote storage security. An encryption key is generated based at least on data stored locally by a computing device. The encryption key is bound to a context of the computing device. Data is encrypted using the encryption key. The encrypted data and information associated with the binding of the encryption key are provided for transmission to another computing device.

A computing device may utilize storage media built into the computing device to store data. By way of non-limiting example, the computing device may be a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, phone, among others. The data stored in such local storage of the computing device may be prone to loss, such as through software bugs that delete data, accidental user action, intentional user action, and so forth. For example, the data stored in the local storage may be deleted when the computing device is wiped (e.g., hardware reset, installation of a different operating system, etc.).
Alternatively or in addition, the computing device may utilize a remote storage device, such as that provided by a cloud storage service, to store data of the computing device. In general, data stored in the remote storage device may persist independent of any data loss of the data stored in the local storage of the computing device. When utilizing remote storage, additional measures are generally taken to protect the remotely stored data from situations such as access to and/or alteration of the remotely stored data by malicious parties.


The DC-DC converter connects a first and a second switching circuit for converting power mutually between direct current and alternating current respectively to a first DC power source and a second DC power source and has a transformer between the AC terminals thereof. Here, between the AC terminals of the second switching circuit and the negative pole terminal of the DC power source, a voltage clamp circuit composed of a series unit of switching devices with a reverse parallel diode and a clamp condenser is connected.

To transfer power between two DC power sources at different voltages, a two-way DC-DC converter having a buck and boost function between the two power sources is required. For example, a power source system of a hybrid car has batteries on the high voltage side and low voltage side, supplies power to a drive motor via an inverter from the high voltage side battery, and supplies power to a car control electronic device from the low voltage side battery. The two batteries are connected via the DC-DC converter to enable mutual transfer of power and the DC-DC converter performs a buck operation when supplying power from the high voltage side to the low voltage side, and in an inverse case, performs a voltage boost operation.
A DC-DC converter having a two-way power conversion function between high and low voltage direct currents like this, for example, is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-165448. The converter connects the high voltage side and low voltage side via a transformer and has a switching circuit for converting power in the two directions of direct current and alternating current on both high and low voltage sides. A power conversion device for converting power in the two directions of direct current and alternating current is called a converter, an inverter, or other various names. Here, it is called a switching circuit. Meanwhile, in Patent Document 1, firstly, the high voltage side switching circuit has a single-phase power conversion circuit in which a switching device is full-bridge (H bridge) connected and a smoothing circuit. On the other hand, the low voltage side switching circuit has a switching rectifying unit and a current fed type single-phase power conversion circuit composed of a choke coil and a smoothing condenser. And, when buck mode, the high voltage side switching circuit is subject to phase shift control, thus a square wave AC voltage is applied to the primary side of the transformer, is dropped by the transformer, is full-wave rectified by the low voltage side switching circuit, and is smoothed by the choke coil and smoothing condenser. When the low voltage side switching circuit performs a rectifying operation in synchronization with the high voltage side switching operation, a highly efficient power conversion can be performed.
On the other hand, when boost mode, the two switches of the low voltage side switching circuit are alternately turned off, thus a current flows through the secondary side of the transformer using the energy storage function of the choke coil, and the core of the transformer is changed in the magnetic flux. An AC voltage component proportional to the changing of the magnetic flux is generated on the primary side, is full-wave rectified by a free wheel diode of the high voltage side switching circuit, and is smoothed by the smoothing condenser.

Abstract: An isolated bidirectional DC-DC converter which prevents a reduction in a circulating current at time of buck and an occurrence of a surge voltage at time of voltage boost and realizes highly efficiency, low noise, and miniaturization is provided.


A floating siphon-type regulator for incorporation in parenteral fluid administration sets and which is characterized by a design enabling a simplified, fast start-up procedure and which incorporates a simple, effective means for increasing or decreasing flow rates as called for by the viscosity of the particular solution being administered.

While my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,745 dated Apr. 13, 1976 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,527 dated July 11, 1978 disclose and claim novel floating siphon-type regulators for incorporation in parenteral fluid administration sets which were earlier evaluated by persons qualified to judge same to represent an advance in the art, such have not been accorded commercial status, due to alleged complexity in their respective start-up procedures; because of their alleged ability to provide a constant flow rate in but a limited range of application; and/or further because they failed to take into account the fact that solution viscosity differences which reflect themselves in the differing weights of the various solutions being used can affect the absolute rate of flow and hence of delivery of the fluid to the needle.


To provide an LED lighting apparatus and a method for manufacturing the same that can improve the bonding strength between an aluminum substrate and a printed wiring substrate. An LED lighting apparatus and a method for manufacturing the same, the LED lighting apparatus includes an aluminum substrate, a plurality of reflectivity-enhanced layers formed on the aluminum substrate, an LED device bonded on said plurality of reflectivity-enhanced layers, a printed wiring substrate bonded onto a region on the aluminum substrate other than a region where the plurality of reflectivity-enhanced layers are formed, a wire for connecting between the printed wiring substrate and the LED device, a frame member formed so as to surround said LED device, and a phosphor resin deposited over a region inside the frame member.

In recent years, LED devices as semiconductor devices have come into wide use in illumination and other applications due to their long life and excellent driving characteristics as well as their compact size, good luminous efficacy, and crisp and bright color emission.
To construct a lighting apparatus for illumination purposes, it is known to apply specular treatment such as vapor deposition or anodizing treatment to an aluminum surface and then mount an LED device thereon so that the light emitted from the LED device can be reflected efficiently (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-109701).

LED lighting apparatus and method for manufacturing the same


According to one embodiment, an illumination device includes a light source module, and a reflector opposed to the light source module. The reflector includes a plurality of incidence openings on which light from the light source module is made incident, a plurality of emission openings opposed to the incidence openings, a plurality of reflective surfaces extending from the incidence openings to the emission openings, respectively, and reflective films formed on the reflective surfaces. The reflector includes a plurality of blocks, and the blocks are bonded to each other to form the reflector.

In recent years, head-up displays (HUDs) reflecting images on windshields or the like to display information into drivers' field of view have been prevalent. The HUD reproduces a virtual image at a location approximately 4 m ahead of the windshield, enables the driver to confirm route guidance, emergency information, and the like without largely changing the line of sight, and contributes to safety.
In general, the HUD comprises a liquid crystal panel and an illumination device called a backlight which applies light to the liquid crystal panel. An image formed on the liquid crystal panel is transmitted by the light of the backlight and projected to the windshield. The image is reflected on the windshield, and a virtual image is thereby formed.
In the HUD, the backlight comprises a light source and a reflector which reflects a part or all parts of the light beam emitted from the light source to the liquid crystal panel. Increasing the directivity of the light emitted from the reflector in the backlight is a measure effective for increase in the brightness, reduction in the power consumption, and reduction in the heat generation. This directivity increases as the reflector becomes higher (i.e., as the distance of passage of light becomes longer). If the reflective surface of the reflector has a low reflectance, however, the light is lost and the brightness of the backlight becomes lower as the light is reflected on the reflective surface.


A green tire forming apparatus comprises a belt forming mechanism (1), a transferring mechanism (2), a green tire forming mechanism (3), and bead setting mechanisms (4), (5); wherein the bead setting mechanisms (4), (5) have a function of pushing ply turn-up bladders, segments (24a) holding a belt-tread assembly (6) are driven by hydraulic cylinders (24b), and a green tire take-out mechanism (9) is added to the transferring mechanism (2). Accordingly, the number of elements required can be minimized, so that the structure of the apparatus can be simplified. In addition, when a green tire forming is carried out with the apparatus, production of defective tire due to undesirable expansion of the outer diameters of belt and tread can be prevented, and also green tire take-out can be carried out efficiently.

In a conventional green tire forming technique, for example, as shown in FIG. 12, a belt-tread assembly is formed by a belt former 101 on one side; a green carcass is formed by a green-tire former 102 on the other side; beads are held by bead setting mechanisms 103A, 103B respectively; the beads are moved to be set at a predetermined positions on the tire former 102 by air cylinders 104A, 104B; the beads are fixed with the green carcass by extending the diameters of bead lock mechanisms integrated in a first and a second shoulder formers 106A, 106B; the belt-tread assembly formed by the belt former 101 is positioned on the periphery of the green carcass by a transferring mechanism 105; the green carcass is toroidally shaped by feeding shaping air inside the green carcass while moving both shoulder formers 106A, 106B inwardly to each other by, a driving mechanism (not shown); the belt-tread assembly is attached to the green carcass; both edges of the carcass ply are turned up around the beads by expanding ply turn-up bladders provided to the first and the second shoulder formers 106A, 106B; the ply turn-up bladders are further pressed from both outsides by expanding pressing bladders (for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 70548/1984) provided outside of the ply turn-up bladders the turned-up portion and the side walls of the carcass ply are firmly fixed to the body of the carcass to complete a green tire.
A conventional apparatus employed in this kind of green tire forming technique is generally much complicated in mechanism as mentioned above. In the apparatus, for example, the bead setting mechanisms (the bead setters 103A, 103B) for setting beads at predetermined positions on a green carcass arranged on a green tire former, and pressing mechanisms (pressing bladders) for pressing ply turn-up bladders from sides thereof are independently and separately provided.
Also, in the conventional tire forming apparatus, in order to hold and release belt-tread assembly the transferring mechanism utilizes a plurality of segments constituting an inner surface corresponding to the outer surface of the assembly, and a bladder or an air cylinder operated with air pressure for increasing or decreasing the inner diameter of an annular portion constituted by the segments, namely for extension or reduction of the segment. Accordingly, in holding the belt-tread assembly to position it at the periphery of the green carcass and combining the assembly with the green carcass which is shaped toroidaly, the air is pressurized to retreat the segments when the belt-tread assembly is pushed outward by expansion force of green carcass generated by inner pressure for shaping and the resulting pressurizing force is applied to the bladder or the air cylinder, the drive of the segments, via the segments. As a result, the outer diameter of the belt and tread are expanded undesirably, so that there arises a problem that a defective tire is produced. Further, when the belt-tread assembly is combined with the green carcass, as illustrated inside a dotted circle C in FIG. 11, both edges of the assembly are not firmly adhered to the green carcass, so that it is necessary to press the edges by a stitcher afterward. As a result, there also arises a problem that, when pressurizing, the breaker edge is deformed, or cords are snaked or separated whereby the uniformity of a tire is badly influenced.
Further, in order to take out a produced green tire from the tire former, an exclusive take-out mechanism is provided separately, or the segments of the transferring mechanism are utilized. However, there are such drawbacks that the apparatus becomes complicated when the take-out mechanism is separately provided, and it takes much time for taking out the produced green tire from the transferring mechanism when the segment are used.
The present invention is made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional art. It is an object of the present invention is to provide a green tire forming apparatus and a green tire forming method; wherein constructions of the bead setter and the ply turn-up bladder mechanism are simplified sharply, each segment of belt transferring mechanism is maintained at the predetermined position against the expansion force of the carcass when the belt-tread assembly are combined with the green carcass whereby the undesirable expansion of the outside diameters of belt and tread are prevented and production of defective tire is reduced, and it is easy to take out the green tire whereby operation efficiency is improved.
That is, it is an object of a first aspect of the present invention to provide a green tire forming apparatus and a method for forming the green tire; the main aim or which is to simplify the construction thereof by employing a construction wherein a function for pressing the ply turn-up bladder is added to the bead setting mechanism and the bead setting mechanism is moved to the tire former side by the transferring mechanism.
Also, it is an object of a second aspect of the present invention to provide a green tire forming apparatus of which main aim is to prevent the outside diameters of belt and tread from undesirably expanding in toroidal shaping of green carcass by employing a hydraulic mechanism as a driving means for expansion and reduction of each segment of the transferring mechanism.
Further, it is an object of a third aspect of the present invention to provide a green tire forming apparatus of which main aim is to improve the green tire take-out mechanism by integratedly combining the green tire take-out mechanism into the transferring mechanism.

Apparatus and method for forming a green tire


Scheduling memory accesses in a memory system having a multiple ranks of memory, at most r ranks of which may be powered up concurrently, in which r is less than the number of ranks. If fewer than r ranks are powered up, a subset of requested powered down ranks is powered up, such that at r ranks are powered up, the subset of requested powered down ranks to be powered up including the most frequently accessed requested powered down ranks. Then, if fewer than r ranks are powered up, a subset of unrequested powered down ranks is powered up, such that a total of at most r ranks is powered up concurrently, the subset of unrequested powered down ranks to be powered up including the most frequently accessed unrequested powered down ranks.

The present invention relates generally to accessing and controlling memory, and more particularly to memory controllers for multi-rank dynamic random access memory (DRAM) systems.
Memory modules are often designed with two or more independent sets of DRAM chips connected to the same command/address and data buses. Each such set is called a rank. Multiple ranks can coexist on a single dual in-line memory module (DIMM), and modern DIMMs consist of from one to eight ranks per module. Ranks offer a form of memory access parallelism; however, since the ranks on a single DIMM typically share the same command/address and data buses, a DRAM controller can generally access only one rank at a time. In this case, the rank to be accessed is powered up and all other ranks are powered down for the duration of the memory operation. Because such rank switching incurs a delay, DRAM controllers may employ a procedure for rank switching that is designed to increase DRAM bandwidth and improve performance.

Predictive scheduler for memory rank switching

International Business Machines Corporation


An improved system for supporting a plurality of conduits above another in parallel, spaced-apart relationship including a base unit for supporting the bottom conduit, the base unit comprising a base and a generally U-shaped member having an open end for receiving the bottom conduit and supporting same, and an intermediate unit including first and second U-shaped members, the open ends of which extend in opposite directions whereby an intermediate unit can be pushed down onto one conduit and positioned to support another conduit thereabove. Both the base unit and the intermediate unit include means for guiding conduits into the U-shaped members thereof and means for locking conduits therein after being located. The intermediate unit also comes in modular form to permit interconnecting of different sizes of conduits. Each unit includes matching interlocking means attached to opposite sides thereof whereby adjacent units may be interconnected to support multiple columns of conduits with a desired horizontal spacing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved conduit spacer system and, more particularly, to base and intermediate units for supporting a plurality of conduits and for maintaining horizontal and vertical separation between such conduits.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional underground installation of electrical cables, the cables are run through conduits placed in a ditch and imbedded in concrete. These conduits generally are less than six inches in diameter. Utility company specifications and municipal code requirements often set forth a minimum spacing between adjacent conduits in a ditch and between each conduit and the bottom and sides of the ditch. Typical minimum spacings range from one and one-half inches to three inches. Therefore, one cannot simply place the conduits in a ditch without some means for maintaining the required separation therebetween.
In the past, base plates or spacers have been used to support electrical conduits above the floor of a ditch and/or to maintain separation between adjacent conduits. A problem encountered with base plate-type supports is that as concrete is being poured into the ditch to imbed the conduits, the force of the concrete tends to shift the position of the conduits on the base plates. Thus, to ensure that the minimum required separation will be maintained while pouring the concrete, it is often necessary to tie the conduits to the base plates. Such a tying operation is time-consuming and hence adds considerably to the cost of an underground conduit installation.
Another approach of the prior art has been to provide coupling collars at the joints between adjacent conduit sections. These coupling collars are generally square in shape, typically having a cradle at the top for receiving another conduit. Such coupling collars have significant disadvantages. For example, they can be used only at the intersection of adjacent conduit sections, thus significantly limiting their placement within a ditch. Moreover, each conduit must be placed carefully in the ditch atop the cradle of the subsequent conduit and such operation is time-consuming and adds considerably to the cost of an underground conduit installation.
In my U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,005, there is disclosed a unitary spacer for maintaining separation between electrical conduits in a ditch. Such spacer comprises a short tubular section having an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the conduit with which the spacer is employed and an annular disc-shaped portion which extends radially outwardly from the tubular section and is provided at the periphery with a flanged rim. The rim supports the spacer-conduit assembly while the tubular section maintains the spacer perpendicular to the conduit at all times. Such a spacer readily may be slid over a conduit and positioned anywhere along the length thereof. Since the spacer is circular, minimum spacing is ensured between adjacent conduits or between the conduits and the wall or floor of the ditch, even though the conduit is not carefully placed in the ditch or shifts in position during pouring of the concrete.
While the spacer of my prior patent is a significant improvement over spacers used heretofore, users thereof often have two objections thereto. The first is that it is not convenient to stack conduits one above the other using such a unitary spacer. Secondly, the spacer must be slid over a conduit from the end thereof and this is often inconvenient when installing long conduits.
In my U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,484, there is disclosed a conduit spacer rack comprising a plurality of units which may be interconnected to form a rack for supporting a plurality of conduits in parallel, spaced-apart relationship. Each of the units comprises four generally coplanar arms emanating from a central hub in mutually orthogonal directions, first and second adjacent arms having a predetermined width and thickness, third and fourth adjacent arms forming channels at the free ends thereof, the width and depth of the channels formed in the third and fourth arms being approximately the same as the width and thickness of the first and second arms whereby the third and fourth arms are adapted to receive the first or second arms of adjacent units. Such units may be readily assembled into a rack to stack any number of conduits, one above another.
While the modular conduit spacer rack of my later prior patent is also a significant improvement over spacers used heretofore, one problem prevalent with virtually all prior art spacers, including the spacers of my prior patents, is that the spacers must be assembled for use with conduits. The assembly procedure is time-consuming and, with the escalating cost of labor, results in a significant labor element in the total cost of an underground conduit installation. Accordingly, the industry is presently searching for a spacer system which can be assembled very rapidly and conveniently to minimize the cost of an underground conduit installation.
In my copending patent application Ser. No. 045,303, filed June 4, 1979, and entitled Conduit Spacer System, there is disclosed a system for supporting a plurality of conduits above another in parallel, spaced-apart relationship including a base unit for supporting the bottom conduit, the base unit comprising a base and a U-shaped member having an open end for receiving the bottom conduit and supporting same, and an intermediate unit including first and second U-shaped members, the open ends of which extend in opposite directions whereby an intermediate unit can be pushed down onto one conduit and positioned to support another conduit thereabove. By continuing this process, multiple conduits can be supported and spaced one above another. Each unit includes matching interlocking means attached to opposite sides thereof whereby adjacent units may be interconnected to support multiple columns of conduits with a desired horizontal spacing.
While the conduit spacer system of my copending application represents a significant improvement over spacers used heretofore, users thereof often have several objections thereto. The first is that when lowering a conduit into a ditch onto a series of intermediate units, too much time is often taken in locating the conduits correctly. Secondly, while it is relatively easy to push a conduit into an intermediate unit or a base unit to be supported thereby, it is similarly easy to remove the conduits therefrom and this often occurs when concrete is poured into a ditch and the conduits float upwardly. Thirdly, it is not convenient to stack different sizes of conduits one above the other, or to vary the horizontal spacing between adjacent columns of conduits.


The purpose of the present invention is to propose a composition of slip additive agents for use in thermoplastic resins, preferably polyolefins, and consequently the presence of this composition on at least one of the layers of mono-extruded or coextruded, laminated or non-laminated films. More particularly, the invention comprehends a composition of additives which comprises at least one primary amide of the generic formula R—CO—NH2 and a secondary amide of the bis amide type of the generic formula R′—CO—NH—CH2—CH2—NH—CO—R″. Films comprising this composition stand out by achieving Coefficient of Friction (CoF) values lower than 0.35 and particularly by their ability to maintain good control over these values for use in the automated packaging industry.

In the automated packaging industry there is required the use of films with coefficient of friction (CoF) values lower than 0.35. For this purpose, there are added to the polyolefins, among other additives, slip agents. The purpose of this class of additives is to facilitate the slipping of the film over its own surface and over the metallic surfaces of the extruders and packaging lines, thereby contributing to an enhancement in productivity.
The slip agents used in the majority of commercially available polyethylene and polypropylene resins are unsaturated primary amides of the types oleamide (C18) and erucamide (C22), which present the advantages of relatively low cost and effectiveness in the sense of promoting the reduction of the CoF values to ≦0.35, a range that is required for use in the automated packaging industry. However, with the use of these additives it is quite difficult to predict and/or reproduce the CoF values in films and laminates due to innumerous factors such as low thermal stability and interaction with other additives present in the polymer, adhesives and printing inks.
It will be worth pointing out that in addition to the amides that belong in the class of migratory slip agents, there is also the use of silicones of high molecular weight, that are classified as non-migratory slip agents. Comparatively to the amides, the silicones are noteworthy for their greater thermal stability, their capacity for immediate reduction of the CoF values after extrusion, but on the other hand they are less effective in achieving low CoF values and may entail organoleptic restrictions.
In the market of flexible films used in the automated packaging industry there is a significant need to develop a formulation that may allow the manufacture of films with low CoF values, and particularly that such formulation be able to maintain constant the values of this property. Currently, even when there are actually achieved CoF values below 0.35, there occurs an increase in those values following the processes of lamination, transportation and storage, and when this occurs, it becomes necessary to apply over the surface of the film a solution rich in slip agents in order to reduce the CoF values. However, the same is not always effective, and when this occurs the use of the film is rendered unfeasible.
During the production of the film, as well as after the processing thereof, there usually occurs an increase in the CoF values, which often reach values ≧0.35, which is inappropriate for use on the automated packaging industry due to the adhesion dragging of the film on the metallic surfaces. What would be ideal would be that, after a period of 24 hours following the extrusion of the film, the CoF values would amount to ≦0.35 and managed to stay constant within that range.
However, there are innumerous factors that contribute to the increase in the CoF values. During the extrusion, the increase in the CoF values occurs due to the loss/degradation of the slip additive due to the low thermal stability thereof at the temperatures used for obtaining the film.
During printing there also commonly occurs an increase in the CoF values due to the interaction between the slip additives and the pigments and/or solvents present in the printing inks. The corona treatment, performed on the surface of the film to allow the adhesion of the printing ink, also contributes to the increase of the CoF values and this occurs due to the low stability of the slip additives relatively to the electric discharge. It is pointed out that in adhesively laminated films, in addition to these interferences, there is one further strong aggravating factor that is the interaction between the slip additives and the lamination adhesive, both having polar characteristics. Finally, the increase in the CoF values occurs after the production of the film due to the high temperatures reached during transportation, storage and use in the automated packaging industry, this being caused by the increase in mobility of the amide, and its consequent preferential migration to the adhesive layer due to its greater chemical affinity therewith.
In spite of the critical aspect of the application and the volume of resin used by the industry, there is noted the existence of very few studies aiming to deal with this fault in performance. In this regard, the most recent studies are focused on the use of silicones of high molecular weight, whose restrictions were mentioned above herein. In a very reduced scale there are developments involving the use of amides with chemical structures that are alternative to those of the primary amides, and it will be worth pointing out that in most cases the same are aimed at the obtainment of properties that are alternative with regard to the reduction of the CoF values.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,924 relates to a usual application which consists in the joint use of anti-blocking additives and slip agents, more specifically primary amides of fatty acids, for the purpose of easing the slip of the film and minimizing blocking. The blocking occurs when two faces of very thin plastic films come into contact with one another, presenting a certain degree of resistance to separation. The anti-blocking additives act by way of a physical process, reducing the area of contact between the surfaces, and therefore the adherence between the films. It will be worth pointing out that the solution proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,924 is part of the prior art and presents as a disadvantage the increase of CoF, particularly after processes of printing and lamination of the film.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,647,738 comprehends a polymer composition characterized by providing films with low friction coefficient, low blocking and without occurrence of migration of the slip agent to the surface by means of the incorporation of 0.01-5.0% by weight of a secondary amide of generic formula R—NH—C═O—R′—OH, wherein R is an alkyl radical with 18 to about 22 carbon atoms and R′ is a divalent hydrocarbon radical containing 3-15 carbon atoms. The amides cited in this patent are not usually cited in references in the literature, nor are they used in the industry. Since there is referred the isolated use of secondary erucamide, the proposed solution presents as a limitation a low performance in terms of reduction of the CoF values, particularly in the cases in which this reduction should be achieved at mot 48 hours after the extrusion of the film.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,652 discusses the use of amides, more specifically of the omega-acetoxy type of generic formula CH3—COO—(CH2)7CONHR3 for use in polyolefins. In this case, the document describes the improved performance relative to the slip capacity of the film (reduction of the coefficient of friction), and also the promotion of better adhesion of printing inks, particularly water-based printing inks. This solution, as in the preceding case, is not usually cited in the literature nor used in the industry. As it is a case of isolated use of secondary erucamide, most probably the proposed solution suffers from the limitation of a low performance in terms of reduction of the CoF values, particularly in the cases in which this reduction should be achieved at lost 48 hours after extrusion of the film.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,965 B1 describes the use of bi amides on the outer layer of polypropylene (PP) films), which printing process is realized by rotogravure. As prior art for PP resins there is cited the use of erucamide and behenamide on the outer layer of films printed by rotogravure, and there is presented as constituting inventive step the use of bis amide, more specifically ethylene bis amide (EBO) in this layer. The use of EBO on the external surface is intended to minimize the problems usually observed in processes of impression by rotogravure and the better performance of the EBO is attributed to the absence of deposition thereof on the "doctor blade". In this manner there is obtained a better printing quality and a lesser number of interruptions for shutdown and cleaning the printing equipment.
Still considering U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,965 B1, it is important to point out that, according to that document, PP films containing the primary amides erucamide and behenamide, which are cited in the prior art, evidence CoF values between 0.15 and 0.35, while the films additivated with EBO evidence CoF values between 0.15 and 0.45. The broader range of CoF for the firm additivated with EBO is coherent with the fact that this additive evidences a molecular weight practically twice as great as that of the primary amides, however this increase in the CoF values is deleterious to the automated packaging industry.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,267,862 B1 discusses the joint use of primary and secondary amides in low-thickness coextruded films, which may or not be laminated with another film of polyolefin, polyamide or polyester. The inventive step is pointed out to consist in the specific use of slip agents in determined proportions and levels. In the field of the claims, the application is extended to mono-extruded or coextruded, either or not laminated, there being pointed out a better performance when one of the layers contains a 1:1 blend of the secondary amides oleyl palmitamide and stearyl erucamide, additionally in the presence of 25 to 5000 ppm of a primary amide of generic formula R—CONH2. However, the application of this patent extends to films containing 25 to 5000 ppm of primary amide of generic formula R—CONH2 and, at least, one secondary amide of the type R—CO—NH—R′. It will be worth pointing out that among the eight examples of films cited in this patent only in three of them there is set forth the comparative analysis of the CoF values obtained for films additivated with erucamide. Furthermore, the formulation in development presents, in relation to the pattern additivated with erucamide, higher CoF values, which is undesirable in the majority of applications in the automated packaging industry.
Still regarding U.S. Pat. No. 7,267,862 B1 it will be worth pointing out that the additives oleyl palmitamide and stearyl erucamide have a regulatory limitation due to the fact that they are not contemplated in ANVISA1 Resolution No. 105, dated May 19, 1999, and RDC 17/08, which establishes the general provisions for packages and equipment made of plastic material in contact with foodstuffs. In Brazil this renders unfeasible the use of formulations indicated in U.S. Pat. No. 7,267,862 B1 for use in packages that come into contact with foodstuffs, and this is one of the main applications in the industry of flexible films. 1 Translator's note: ANVISA is the acronym for the Brazilian Health Supervision Agency [Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária]
Based on this search of the literature realized in a patent database it is noted that the prior art contemplates the joint use of primary and secondary amides having specific structures. However, the existing studies are not related to the reduction of the CoF values (U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,965 B1) or present some limitations in the sense of achieving low CoF values and/or present limitations in terms of approval for use in contact with foodstuffs (U.S. Pat. No. 7,267,862 B1).
On analyzing the performance of the amides in the reduction of the CoF values it is necessary to take into account the molecular weight, the presence of unsaturated bonds and the structure itself: primary amide, secondary amide or secondary amide of the bis amide type.
By means of a comparative analysis between the performances of the amides in the reduction of the CoF values, it is noted that the unsaturated amides (oleamide and erucamide) have a superior performance with relation to the corresponding saturated amides (behenamide and stearamide). On the other hand, the saturated amides evidence a better performance in blocking reduction and greater thermal stability.
The presence of the unsaturated bond impacts the migration ability, and mostly, the form in which the same crystallizes on the surface of the film. Comparative studies between the erucamide and the behenamide with the use of AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy or Scanning Force Microscopy) show differences between the crystalline structures formed on the surface of the film. The better efficiency of the erucamide in reducing the CoF values is related to the fact that its crystalline structure is larger, flatter and less rigid, favoring the slipping thereon and therefore reducing the CoF values.
The molecular weight of the amide impacts the migration velocity thereof and its thermal stability. The greater the molecular weight, the slower will be the migration velocity of the amide, and consequently the lesser will be the velocity and capacity of reduction of the CoF values.
As previously cited, the isolated use of the secondary amides is not effective for reducing the CoF values such as to fulfill the needs of the automated packaging industry.
In turn, the secondary amides of the bis amides type have as their main application the use in Ethylene-vinyl acetate resins as an "anti-tack" [anti-grip] agent. This application is in the public domain, and in such connection there may be cited as an example the patent RE. 32.325—Tack Free Polymer Pellets.
In this connection, in order to facilitate the slip of the films in the processes of printing, lamination and automatic packaging there are basically used in the prior art primary amides of the types erucamide, oleamide and behenamide, and secondary amides of the types oleyl palmitamide and stearyl erucamide.
The available solutions present limitations in the sense of generating flexible films with low CoF values (lower than 0.35) and, particularly, of generating films capable of maintaining the CoF values under control after the lamination process and after exposure to critical conditions (time and temperature) of transportation and/or storage in the automated packaging industry. This invention is intended to fulfill this problem of performance.

Thermoplastic resin composition comprising a mixture of slip agents and a mono-or co-extruded, laminated or non-laminated film


A communication device has a processing unit, a transmit circuit, and an antenna. The processing unit generates a carrier signal and modifies the carrier signal based on a notch modulation procedure having notch delay and a notch width. The notch width is selected based on a desired modulation index. The resulting modulation signal is provided to the transmit circuit, which generates a wireless data signal that is transmitted by the antenna.

Near field communication ("NFC") devices are capable of communicating when they are placed in close proximity to each other, and may be used for transactions such as payment transactions. Each of the NFC communication devices includes an antenna and related circuitry such as a matching circuit. A first NFC communication device generates a wireless carrier signal at a suitable frequency such as 13.56 MHz and transmits that signal over its antenna. When the antenna of a second NFC communication device is placed in close proximity to the antenna of the first NFC communication device, the two devices become inductively coupled, such that energy is coupled between the two devices through a shared magnetic field.
When the two NFC communication devices are inductively coupled, either of the NFC communication devices may modify the wireless carrier signal. The first NFC communication device may modify the wireless carrier signal prior to transmission. These modifications change the amplitude and/or frequency of the wireless carrier signal in order to encode data that is transmitted to the second NFC communication device. The second NFC communication device also encodes data that is transmitted to the first NFC communication device. Because the second NFC communication device is not transmitting the wireless carrier signal, it cannot modify the signal prior to transmission. Instead, it changes a load applied to its antenna, thus modifying the magnetic field between the two NFC devices. This results in changes to the wireless carrier signal, which the second NFC communication device uses to encode data that is transmitted to the first NFC communication device.
The magnetic field between the NFC communication devices also depends on the relative position and physical packaging of the NFC communication devices. The magnetic field changes based on how close the devices are to each other as well as the orientation of the devices. One or both of the devices may be packaged within metals or non-conductive materials that impact that magnetic field. In some cases, the relative position and packaging may combine to impact the magnetic field in a complex manner, for example, when two devices are placed in close proximity to each other and the packaging of one of the devices includes ferrous materials. Because the relative position between the NFC devices is typically under human control, as in a payment transaction, the characteristics of the wireless carrier signal that is coupled between the NFC communication devices may be unpredictable or may change while the devices are communicating.

Modulation of a near-field communication signal


The invention relates to an injection device (1), in particular for an exhaust aftertreatment system of an internal combustion engine, comprising a pressure-controlled, outward-opening fuel injection valve (2) that includes an axially movable valve piston (6) which penetrates a flow opening (7) in a valve body (5) and one end of which has a valve tip (9), further comprising a valve seat (8) associated with the flow opening (7), and at least one spring element (11) which urges the valve piston (6) comprising the valve tip (9) against the valve seat (8) so that the flow opening (7) is closed; the valve tip (9) is axially movable inside a flow chamber (15) formed by the valve body (5) and by an injection orifice disk (14) that includes a plurality of injection ports (19).

The invention relates to an injection device, in particular for an exhaust-gas aftertreatment system of an internal combustion engine.
Injection devices of the aforementioned type are known. German laid-open specification DE 10 2006 912855 A1 discloses, for example, an injection system comprising a nozzle module which is assigned to an exhaust-gas pipe of an internal combustion engine in order to inject pressurized liquid exhaust-gas aftertreatment agent there into the exhaust gas. In the case of motor vehicles having an internal combustion engine, exhaust-gas legislation requires, inter alia, that the pollutant NOx must be reduced. A method which is frequently used here is the so-called SCR process (SCR=selective catalytic reduction) in which the pollutant NOx is reduced to nitrogen and water with the aid of a liquid exhaust-gas aftertreatment agent, which is generally an aqueous urea solution. The exhaust-gas aftertreatment agent is sucked in through an injection device from a tank and then injected into the exhaust gas. A corresponding injection device is also known from EP 1 878 920 B1, for example. In that document, the injection device has a valve piston which at first compresses exhaust-gas aftertreatment agent by means of an electromagnetic actuator and then injects it into the exhaust gas. The valve piston is then moved back into its starting position by a spring element, with the result that fresh reducing agent is sucked in. To achieve a high NOx reduction, it is necessary for the exhaust-gas aftertreatment agent to be mixed particularly effectively with the exhaust gas. For this purpose, it is advantageous if the injected spray is very fine or contains small drops. In the case of the cited publications, injection devices are provided which have an inner-opening injection valve. An inner-opening injection valve is to be understood as meaning a valve in which a valve tip of the valve piston interacts—as viewed in the throughflow direction of the throughflow opening—with a valve seat provided upstream of a throughflow opening.
German laid-open specification WO 94/00686 also discloses a perforated injection disk for injection valves which is provided with a plurality of injection openings for the targeted establishment of a spray.


A computer system for analyzing and automatically modifying existing process system models that includes (i) an Initial Data stage that prompts the user to enter qualitative and quantitative objectives in designing or re-designing a Process System, (ii) a Component Model stage that displays an image of the sequence of components produced or added during the process and that allows the user to edit or complete the Component Model display that includes components, which are produced during the process, operations that produce them, and functions, each consisting of an element or tool that causes an action and an element or tool that receives the action, (iii) a Process (Functional) Analysis stage that includes functional and interaction relationships of the functions and operations designating each function as harmful or useful, and ranking each useful function according to the value of its contribution to the respective operation, and performing a value link analysis of each function including the level of the function performance (insufficient, excessive), defining parameters and designating their values and their dependencies in time and space, and comparing between actual and required parameters, (iv) a trimming routine for eliminating or simplifying an operation in a process, while retaining or transferring its useful functions by calculating the values of and ranking the operations or functions to identify the best-to-least function candidate for elimination or transfer, and (v) a trimming routine that generates a recommended list, in priority, of problem, to be solved to achieve the function trimming.

The present invention relates to engineering problem solving and design tools and more particularly to computer based systems for aiding engineers, scientists and the like to have a greater understanding of the products, processes, or machines they wish to improve and the technical problems related thereto that they wish to solve.
Great advancements have been made in the fields commonly known as computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided engineering (CAE). These computer based systems enable the designer to create detailed images and print-outs of the product or machine he/she is designing or improving. With CAD, the designer can try many new designs or modifications of subsystems and components quickly and view the modified products immediately on the monitor or print-out. The CAD system also generates virtual 3-D images of the product or machine, enables in-space rotation of the product image and zoom through the product image interior.
Although CAD systems are a great designer tool for trying design changes quickly, they do not otherwise aid the designer in the evaluation and solving of technical engineering problems or conceiving new products or processes that provide new functional performance or the same functional performance with completely different engineering approaches. Accordingly, there has arisen a relatively new area of computer based engineering tools known as concept engineering computer based systems. These systems serve to increase the designer's inventive and creative abilities in solving engineering and scientific operational or functional problems and, in the course of such problem solving, induce the designer to invent new structural and functional concepts applicable to his/her design goals.
One such concept engineering computer based system is the Invention Machine.TM. LAB.TM. Software sold by Invention Machine Corporation of Boston, Mass., that comprises a knowledge and logic based system that generates concepts and recommendations for solving engineering problems at the conceptual level. Various inventive rules or procedures are included and certain ones selected and presented to the user to consider in solving the user's current session problem. This system applies to all fields of physics and aid the engineer by solving engineering contradictions to reduce the tendency of user applied engineering trade-offs. In addition, this system includes a large data base of physical, geometric, and chemical effects used in the past to solve other engineering problems and selected ones of the effects are presented to the user to consider for a solution to his/her current problem session. Lastly, this system includes a technology evolution and prediction capability that aids the user in understanding the dynamics of his/her product evolution and the logical next or future generation of the product or its function. This stimulates the user to think forward and extrapolate the dynamics of the technology life cycle and originate the next generation of technology.
Although the above conceptual engineering system has experienced much acceptance by the technical community, there is still a need for a computer based systems that aid the user in understanding the nature and value aspects of the current product, machine, or process the engineer wishes to design or re-design. In addition, there is a need for the user to be aided in formulating the statement of the most important technical problems for elimination of components or harmful actions between components of the object system being analyzed.

Computer based system for imaging and analyzing a process system and indicating values of specific design changes


An improved method of synthesizing bisorthodinitriles having the formula: ##STR1## where R is an aliphatic or aromatic radical, which involves dissolving the eactants in a dipolar aprotic solvent such as dimethylformamide, and heating the mixture to reflux until the completion of the reaction. The usage of such solvents permits the reaction to be completed at least ten times as fast as the prior-art method, while the volume of solvent used is also reduced by a factor of ten.

This invention pertains to a method of synthesizing organic prepolymers, and, more particularly, to an improved method of synthesizing bisorthodinitriles using a dipolar aromatic solvent as the reaction medium.
Current methods of synthesizing bisorthodinitriles and the cyanocondensation resins prepared therefrom have been detailed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,993,631; 4,056,560; 4,057,569; 4,067,860 and 4,116,945. The references: 4,057,569 and 4,116,945 disclose that disorthodinitriles of the generic formula: ##STR2## wherein R is an aliphatic or aromatic radical can be prepared by reacting 4-aminophthalonitrile with the appropriate di-aldehyde in a refluxing solvent, such as benzene, toluene, chlorobenzene, anisole, or the like. The synthesis involving terephthaldehyde proceeds as follows:
This reaction, however, is flawed by the fact that a great amount of solvent is required in order to produce a small amount of the bisorthodinitrile, since large amounts of these solvents are required to dissolve the reactants. This necessitates large size reaction vessels, which leads to a very cumbersome production method. An even more serious flaw is that the reaction is a very slow one, often taking several days to produce product yields in the area of 35%.

Method of synthesizing resin prepolymers

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A multiple advertisement holder uses a flat sheet member that has a body member attached thereto. The body member has a first cell for holding multiple advertisement materials of a business as well as a second cell that is located forward of the first cell, the second cell holding a flat sheet of stimulus material that further advertises the business and provides the stimulus to attract the attention of a prospective client so that the client may retrieve the advertising material of the business from the device. A third cell may also be provided adjacent the first cell so that the business can provide advertising materials of different sizes and/or heights to the prospective clients. The sheet member can be attached to a desired surface by providing a surface appropriate mechanism to facilitate such attachment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a holder for holding multiple types of advertisement materials for display to potential clients.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Advertisement is the lifeblood of any business, especially small businesses. One challenge for the business owner is how to effectively advertise the business while maintaining a reasonable budget for the advertisement. Print media as well as radio and television advertisement can offer a business needed exposure, however, such advertising methods tend to be relatively expensive, especially in light of the fact that for such methods to be very effective, a sustained advertising campaign is needed.
Another effective advertising method that tends to be less expensive than print and electronic media involves the use of signs and billboards of various styles. For example, a business may have its name and/or logo placed on the side of a bus, on the side boards during a hockey game, or on a wall within a stadium during a football game. This gives the business exposure to prospective clients. However, such advertising methods are static in that after the prospective client ceases to see the business advertisement, the client tends to forget the about the business and thus the need to contact the business. Accordingly, such advertising methods are best suited for the strategy of name recognition development as opposed to a direct solicitation of clients. In the long run, name recognition pays dividends, however, a business needs short term results, especially a startup business where cash flow tends to be at a premium.
An effective advertisement strategy is to place some item bearing the business name thereon with the prospective client. For example, a business may hand out some form of novelty items, such as pens, key chains, etc., at a trade show, the novelty items remaining with the prospective client after initial contact with the client. This method works well in some business segments, such as many business to business operations. However, many businesses are not well suited for client development via a trade show.
Dry cleaners, restaurants, and insurance agencies are all examples of businesses that do not look to trade shows for prospective client contact. These types of businesses rely on more traditional methods of placing advertisements, such as a brochure or a business card, into the hands of a prospective client, such that the client has the advertisement for subsequent memory refreshment and hopefully contact with the advertising business. One method of placement of the advertisement into the hands of the prospective client is via direct mail, either stand alone or bundled with other advertisers in a mail packet. While this method is tried and true, it tends to be very expensive relative to the results achieved.
Another method is to place business cards and brochures at strategic areas that may be frequented by prospective clients in order to allow such clients to retrieve the brochure or business card. In such a method, the prospective client has advertisement material from the business, which material may be seen by the client days or even weeks later, reminding the client of the need to contact the business. The challenge with this advertisement method is to grab the attention of the prospective client in the first place so that the client develops the desire to retrieve the advertisement of the business from the display area.
Many prior art devices have been proposed that allow the distribution of advertising materials to a prospective business while providing sufficient stimulus to attract the attention of the client to the presence of the material. Such prior art devices, which work with varying degrees of success, tend to be either relatively complex in design and construction, making such devices relatively expensive to procure and thus less desirable to the potential advertiser, or such prior art devices make it relatively difficult to change the stimulus used to attract the attention of the prospective client to the presence of the business's advertisement material. As many businesses may desire frequently changes to the attraction stimulus in order to stay fresh and to try new advertising approaches, and as many companies in the advertisement business may want to rotate a particular advertising setup through more than one business, such difficulty in stimulus exchange is a negative mark on such systems.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a device that allows a business to distribute advertising materials, such as brochures and business cards, to a prospective client at a point of contact where such clients tend to be found, which device overcomes the above stated problems found in the art. Specifically, such a device must be of relatively simple design and construction so that it is not unusually expensive to manufacture and procure. Additionally, such a device must allow for the business to be able to provide a stimulus on the device, which stimulus is designed to grab the attention of the prospective client so that the client takes some of the advertising material. The device must allow for easy and rapid change of such stimulus.


A method for estimating a remaining electrical charge or a remaining capacity of a battery that supplies power to a load, the method including: using, at a controller of a battery system, an approximate exponential decay function including a plurality of exponential function terms of time and a plurality of coefficients; stopping, at the battery system, a charge or discharge operation of the battery for a predetermined time; measuring, at a sensor of the battery system, a voltage of the battery at a plurality of instances during the predetermined time; obtaining, at the controller of the battery system, a relationship between the voltage of the battery and time; determining, at the controller of the battery system, the coefficients based on the obtained relationship between the voltage of the battery and the time.

Conventionally, there are demands for accurately obtaining a remaining electrical charge of a secondary battery for backup or power source of various devices or a secondary battery such as a lead battery mounted on a vehicle. Generally, in the secondary battery, as there is a correlation between a remaining electrical charge and an open circuit voltage, the remaining electrical charge can be estimated by obtaining the open circuit voltage. However, the open circuit voltage of the secondary battery has to be obtained while charge or discharge is not performed, and it takes long time until the open circuit voltage becomes stable after charge or discharge is finished. Therefore, there has been proposed a way of measuring the open circuit voltage under predetermined conditions for a short time and using a function for approximately obtaining the open circuit voltage with time characteristic to obtain a convergence value of the open circuit voltage (see, for example, patent documents 1 to 3).
In order to obtain the convergence value of the open circuit voltage of the secondary battery by the above-mentioned way, its accuracy depends on the accuracy of the function used in approximate calculation. For example, a function of time characteristic, such as a polynomial function or a logarithmic function, is usually used as a basis to obtain the convergence value of the open circuit voltage. However, it is difficult to approximate the open circuit voltage of the secondary battery with time characteristic with high accuracy, and the obtained convergence value of the open circuit voltage might show a large error. Hence, when the above-mentioned way is used in estimating of the remaining electrical charge of the secondary battery, high accuracy is hard to be assured under the constraints of function used in approximate calculation and the remaining electrical charge cannot be estimated accurately, which presents a problem.
Meanwhile, the above-listed patent document 4 discloses a way of measuring a plurality of voltages along the time axis within a predetermined time period after completion of charge or discharge of a secondary battery, using the voltages in successive calculation to obtain a convergence value of the open circuit voltage of the secondary battery and using a 4th order or more exponential decay function so as to approximate a time characteristic of the open circuit voltage of the secondary battery.    [Patent document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 7-98367    [Patent document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2002-234408    [Patent document 3] Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2003-75518    [Patent document 4] Internal Publication No. WO2005/006006

Remaining electrical charge/remaining capacity estimating method, battery state sensor and battery power source system


A method of sensing a property of each of a plurality of samples is disclosed. The method includes disposing a sensor chip in each sample, the sensor chip being adapted to sense the property of a respective sample and comprising sensing electronics, a wireless communication device and an identifier. Each sensor chip is then registered and sensed data is received from each of the registered sensor chips concurrently via the respective wireless communication device.

As shown in FIG. 1A, a conventional biosensor system 1000 typically includes an array of biosensors 1010 for interaction with a buffer solution 1001 that contains the biomaterial under test. The system further includes signal preamplifiers and driving circuits 1020, which are disposed outside the solution 1001 and are connected to the respective biosensors 1010. The signal preamplifiers and driving circuits 1020 are connected to a data analysis and storage unit, such as a computer 1030.
A typical array of biosensors 1010 is shown in cross-section in FIG. 1B, in which a plurality of gold electrodes 1011 are formed on a glass substrate 1012. Typically, these electrodes are connected to the signal preamplifiers and driving circuits 1020 by using suitable connectors or via a set of probing needles. To prevent short circuit, the glass substrate 1012 and gold electrodes 1011 are passivated using a suitable passivation material 1016, with openings over portions of the gold electrodes 1011. Different types of bioreceptive layer 1015 (commonly known as a probe) are formed covering each of the gold electrodes where exposed by the openings 1011 to interact with the biomaterial under test (commonly known as a target). Specifically, the bioreceptive layer may be a phage or enzyme that binds with a predetermined DNA or RNA strand, a peptide or another biological molecule, thereby changing the resistance and/or the capacitance of the circuit in which the electrode is connected. These changes can be detected in turn to establish whether the predetermined biological molecule is present, and even its concentration. The reliability of detection can be enhanced by increasing the number of different bioreceptive layers, which allows cross-referencing and cross-elimination in the data analysis process.
The use of gold for the electrodes 1011 enhances the adhesion of the materials used to form the bioreceptive layer 1015, and the electrodes 1011 are spaced at a sufficient separation to reduce the effects of cross-talk.
On the left side of FIG. 1A, the array of biosensors is disposed in a flow cell 1040, in which the solution or sample 1001 to be analysed is passed over the array, in a direction indicated by the arrow. On the right side of FIG. 1A, the array of biosensors is submerged in a container, such as a test tube 1041, in which the solution or sample 1001 containing biomaterial under test is held.
Although generally found to be effective, there are commonly problems in such arrangements in that the comparatively long signal path due to the wiring between the electrodes and the signal pre-amplification and driving circuits 1020 picks up noise, thereby reducing the signal-to-noise ratio and greatly limiting the system sensitivity.
This problem has been mitigated at least to an extent by integrating the pre-amplification and driving circuitry with the sensors on the chip. A schematic representation of this is shown in cross-section in FIG. 1C. This figure is the same as FIG. 1B in most respects and like reference numerals indicate like parts. However, FIG. 1C further shows a Thin Film Transistor (TFT) chip 1050 provided on the glass substrate 1012, the illustrated TFT comprising a gate 1051, source 1052, drain 1053 and channel 1054. Of course, a plurality of TFTs can be provided on the sensor chip and interconnected to provide the desired pre-amplification and driving operations. In addition, other forms of transistor technology, such as CMOS, are possible.
The integration of the pre-amplification and driving circuitry on the chip has the significant advantage of an increase in signal-to-noise ratio. Therefore, for a fixed concentration of sample solution, this integration will require smaller probe areas, which is beneficial in quality control applications. The sensitivity of the probe is also improved, which is beneficial for medical applications when the volume of sample is limited in supply. However, as shown in FIG. 1C, this implementation still requires external electronics 1060 for the detection and relay of signals from the sensor chip to the computer 1030. This is a significant obstacle in terms of size and set up cost.
In the implementations shown in both FIGS. 1B and 1C, the pre-amplification and driving circuits to which the electrode is connected is typically a potentiostat. A physical representation of a prior art potentiostat circuit is shown in FIG. 2A. and an electrical representation is shown in FIG. 2B. As shown in FIG. 2A, the potentiostat circuit consists of three electrodes: a counter electrode CE, a reference electrode RE and a working electrode WE. The electrodes are connected to an electrochemical cell, which is realised by a buffer solution with the biomaterial 1001 between counter electrode CE and reference electrode RE, and a bioreceptive layer 1015 between reference electrode RE and working electrode WE. An equivalent circuit of the three terminal electrochemical cell is given in FIG. 2B. In essence, the potentiostat circuit measures the current at working electrode WE due to a redox reaction at the bioreceptive layer while RE is kept at a known voltage. Counter electrode CE is provided to supply the necessary current to maintain reference electrode RE at a known voltage. Many versions of potentiostat are known and a multi-channel potentiostat is known for the measurement of a matrix of samples. The applied input voltage changes the redox (reduction-oxidation) reaction at the bioreceptive layer, which in turn changes the effective values of the capacitance and resistance of the equivalent circuit, allowing the detection of the presence of a target biological molecule and its concentration.
Cyclic voltammetry is a technique commonly employed in a potentiostatic measurement. Here, the voltage at RE, shown as VSCAN in FIG. 2B, is a triangular wave. During the first half cycle, a reduction (or oxidation) reaction is dominant, diffusion occurs due to different concentration of the reduced and oxidised species, and the net current flow is reflected as a peak at the output. During the second half cycle, if the redox reaction is reversible, an oxidation (or reduction) reaction occurs, and a peak current of the same magnitude but in the opposite direction can be seen at the output. A typical output for a reversible redox reaction is given in FIG. 2C. It is of importance to note the height and locations of any peaks in such an output.
Some redox reactions can be particularly slow and therefore time-consuming to complete a measurement. The measurement of a large number of redox reactions for different target biological molecules under different conditions can therefore be highly problematic.
However, the present invention is not limited to potentiostat circuits. Other means of measuring or sensing properties of a sample can also be used. One such means is a pH sensor, which typically includes an ion-sensitive field effect transistor (ISFET) with an exposed gate in contact with the sample solution, the drain-source current of which is found to be related to the concentration of H+ ions in the solution. Since the concentration of H+ ions is indicative of pH, the pH of the sample solution can be measured.
The use of RFID (radio frequency identification) circuits in biosensor chips is also known. This removes the requirement for a physical interconnection between the sensor chips 1010 and the data analysis and storage computer 1030. However, problems still remain with the speed and throughput with which samples of solutions can be measured, which leads to increased costs and backlogs in hospitals and other laboratories, together with the problems concomitant with such backlogs. This is a particular problem with measurements of redox reactions of bioreagents, which tend to be slow. It is therefore very time-consuming to complete all measurements in an array of electrodes.
RFID devices are either active, wherein the device includes a power supply, or passive, wherein the device extracts power from received radio signals and uses this to power itself.


An automatically activated fire extinguishing device for a stove. The device is installable in a hood over the stove and has a compact design which substantially hides portions of the device from normal viewing. The invention also includes an automatic stove shut-off which shuts off the electricity and/or gas to the stove in the event of a fire.

The use of automatically activated fire extinguishing devices for cooking stoves and the like is known. Such devices provide a source of fire extinguishing compound to be released on to a stove surface in the event of a fire which occurs during use of the appliance. Such prior art devices, however, are relatively bulky, the fire extinguishing compound generally being stored in a container at a location remote from the stove with a piping arrangement connecting the container with a spraying device for dispensing the compound onto the stove. The spraying device is normally located above the cooking surface, and the fire extinguishing compound is conveyed from the container, through the piping and out through the spraying device to put out the fire.
These prior art devices have the disadvantage of requiring on-site installation time and expense over and above that required for the stove itself. Moreover, as the distance between the container and the spraying device (e.g. nozzles) is increased, more propellant is required to transport the fire extinguishing compound, which in turn requires a larger container for storage of the propellant along with the fire extinguishing compound. In addition to the unsightly appearance of the fire extinguisher container and the piping from the container to the stove, the nozzles generally protrude down from above the stove and may interfere with the activities of the stove operator.
The fire extinguishing device must also have a triggering mechanism positioned for sensing excessive heat from a stove fire, and thus the triggering mechanism is located near the cooking surface. Because of this location requirement, the triggering mechanism, like the nozzles, is readily visible and results in an unattractive appearance.
Prior art automatic fire extinguishing installations also may include an automatic shut-off arrangement for shutting off either the electricity or gas to the stove (depending on the stove type) upon detection of a fire. Known shut-off arrangements are generally complex and can only be installed by an electrician or other professional, thus they also contribute to on-site installation time and expense.
There is thus a need in the art for a fire extinguishing device which is unobstrusive in appearance, is relatively lightweight and streamlined, and does not require a prohibitive amount of on-site installation time and expense. There is also a need in the art for an automatic shut-off arrangement for disconnecting the power and/or fuel source of the stove which is simple in design and does not require expert assistance for installation.


A VIRTIO Relay Program allows packets to be transferred from a Network Interface Device (NID), across a PCIe bus to a host, and to a virtual machine executing on the host. Rather than an OvS switch subsystem of the host making packet switching decisions, switching rules are transferred to the NID and the NID makes packet switching decisions. Transfer of a packet from the NID to the host occurs across an SR-IOV compliant PCIe virtual function and into host memory. Transfer from that memory and into memory space of the virtual machine is a VIRTIO transfer. This relaying of the packet occurs in no more than two read/write transfers without the host making any packet steering decision based on any packet header. Packet counts/statistics for the switched flow are maintained by the OvS switch subsystem just as if it were the subsystem that had performed the packet switching.

In one type of network-connected network device, a plurality of Virtual Machines (VMs) is running on a host computer. The network-connected network device may, for example, be a web hosting server that implements multiple virtual web servers. A Network Interface Card (NIC) is coupled to the host computer via a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) bus. From the perspective of one of the virtual machines, the virtual machine appears to have its own NIC interface to the network when in reality all the hosted virtual machines share use of the same one NIC interface. In one example, a packet is received from the network and onto the NIC. This packet is destined for a particular one of the virtual machines. The packet is received onto the NIC, and is passed across the PCIe bus via a PCIe virtual function to the host computer. The host computer analyzes the packet. Based on this analysis and/or switching rules and/or flow tables, the processor of the host computer then writes the packet into memory space of the appropriate one of the virtual machines. Packet traffic can also pass in the opposite direction. A packet originating from a virtual machine is analyzed by the processor of the host. Based on this analysis and/or switching rules and/or flow tables, the packet is transferred via the appropriate PCIe virtual function, across the PCIe bus, to the NIC, and out of the NIC to the network. Various standards and mechanisms exist for implementing this general functionality.


To provide a quartz glass tool, for silicon wafer heat treatment, having a transparent grooving face, which is free from the deposition of particles of a transition metal element foreign material derived from glass dust or diamond blade produced by breakdown of acute irregularities based on opening of very small concaves and convexes and microcracks, causes no significant change in dimension also in cleaning with hydrofluoric acid, and can maintain a high degree of cleanness even after use of a long period of time, and to provide a process for producing the same. A quartz glass tool for silicon wafer heat treatment, comprising a wafer mounting member having a grooving face formed by machining, characterized in that the whole grooving face of the wafer mounting member is transparent, the surface roughness is 0.03 to 0.3 μm in terms of center line average roughness (Ra) and 0.2 to 3.0 μm in terms of maximum roughness (Rmax), and a change in center line average roughness and maximum roughness after etching with a 5% aqueous hydrogen fluoride solution for 24 hr is not more than 50%. A process for producing a quartz glass tool for silicon wafer heat treatment, comprising roughly machining a wafer mounting member with a diamond blade having a rough particle size, conducting remachining with a diamond blade having a finer particle size than the above diamond blade, and then subjecting the inside of the groove to firing finishing.

Quartz glass tools having comparatively high heat resistance and high purity have been used for transporting silicon wafers and holding silicon wafers in heating furnaces. An example of such quartz glass tools is a tool for use in a vertical furnace, such as shown in FIG. 1, in which (four) wafer mount members 2 having grooved portions 3 are welded to a top plate 4 and to a base plate 5. It is necessary to form grooves in the wafer mount members with a constant pitch with high accuracy. Grooving is ordinary performed with a diamond blade. With working on quartz glass with a diamond blade, however, there is a problem that since quartz glass is a brittle material, minute concaves and convexes and microcracks are generated in the worked surface to cause damage to a silicon wafer, or various transition metal element foreign matters derived from a bonding material on the diamond blade are attached to and remain on or in the minute concaves and convexes and microcracks and are molten and diffused at the time of a heat treatment on a silicon wafer to contaminate the silicon wafer. Cleaning by lightly etching with a fluoric acid solution after cutting with a diamond blade has therefore been practiced, with the result that the grooved surface is not completely cleaned; various transition metal element foreign matters remain to cause contaminations on silicon wafers. With further etching with a fluoric acid, a problem has arisen that minute concaves and convexes based on opening of microcracks in the grooved surface are made acute such as to damage a silicon wafer.
In particular, in recent years, the degree of integration of semiconductor devices has been increased and devices such as flush memories seriously badly influenced by impurities have been developed, so that the desired purity with respect to silicon wafers cannot be ensured as long as the above-described quartz glass tool is used. Therefore a method of finishing by heat-treating a surface of a groove with a burner at an angle of 5 to 45 degrees from above the grooves (patent document 1), a method of polishing a groove surface with a polishing brush (patent document 2) and the like have been proposed. With the method in patent document 1, however, remaining of the trace of a grindstone in the grooved surface and attachment of particles of a foreign matter, glass dust or the like to the trace of the grindstone, or a change in size of the grooved portion, i.e., a groove sag, or the like have occurred. Also, with the method in patent document 2, there has been a problem such as a silicon wafer contamination problem due to remaining of the trace of a grindstone and attachment of particles of a foreign matter, glass dust or the like to the trace of the grindstone.    Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-349338    Patent document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000

Quartz glass tool for heat treatment of silicon wafer and process for producing the same


There is disclosed an image forming apparatus for recording an original image read by a reading unit on a recording medium uses a recording head having an array of a plurality of recording elements. The apparatus includes pattern forming unit for forming, on the recording medium, a test pattern having an area larger than an array range of the plurality of recording elements using the recording head in accordance with a predetermined operation, a detection unit for causing the reading unit to read the test pattern formed on the recording medium by the pattern forming unit in accordance with a predetermined operation, and detecting a density distribution within the array range of the plurality of recording elements, a generation unit for generating correction data of a drive condition for uniforming a density during image formation on the basis of the density distribution detected by the detection unit in correspondence with the plurality of recording elements, and a guide unit for display the predetermined operations on a display unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and method and, more particularly, to an image forming apparatus and method for performing image formation using a recording head having an array of a plurality of recording elements.
In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus comprising a mechanism for automatically adjusting printing characteristics of a recording head of an ink-jet recording apparatus, and is particularly suitable for an apparatus for forming a multi-gradation color image by overlaying ink droplets.
2. Related Background Art
Along with an increase in popularity of information processing equipment such as copying machines, wordprocessors, computers, and the like, and communication equipment, apparatuses for performing digital image recording using a recording head based on an ink-jet system or a thermal transfer system have increasingly become popular as image forming (recording) apparatuses for such equipment. Such a recording apparatus normally employs a recording head constituted by integrating a plurality of recording elements (also referred to as a multi head hereinafter) so as to increase recording speed.
For example, of ink-jet recording heads, a so-called multi-nozzle head constituted by integrating a plurality of ink discharging orifices and liquid channels is normally used. In a thermal head of a thermal transfer system or a thermal system, a plurality of heaters are normally integrated.
However, it is difficult to manufacture uniform recording elements in a multi head due to variations of characteristics caused by manufacturing processes, variations of characteristics caused by head constituting materials, and the like. Thus, the characteristics of the recording elements suffer from variations to some extent. For example, in the multi-nozzle head, the shapes of the discharging orifices and liquid channels suffer from variations, and in the thermal head, the shapes of heaters, resistors, and the like also suffer from variations. Such nonuniform characteristics of the recording elements appear as nonuniform sizes and densities of recorded dots, resulting in density nonuniformity in a recorded image.
In order to solve this problem, various methods of visually finding density nonuniformity, or visually checking an adjusted image, and manually correcting signals to be supplied to the recording elements to obtain a uniform image have been proposed.
For example, the following manual correction means is known. That is, in a multi head 330 having an array of recording elements 331, as shown in FIG. 26A, if density nonuniformity is visually found, as shown in FIG. 26C when uniform signals are input to the recording elements, as shown in FIG. 26B, the input signals are corrected, as shown in FIG. 26D, so that large input signals are supplied to the recording elements corresponding to a low-density portion, and small input signals are supplied to the recording elements corresponding to a high-density portion.
As is well known, in a recording system capable of modulating a dot size or a dot density, recording elements modulate recording dot sizes in accordance with an input to attain multi-gradation recording. For example, in an ink-jet recording head based on a piezo system or a system utilizing thermal energy, drive voltages or pulse widths of signals applied to discharging energy generating elements such as piezo elements, electricity-heat converters, and the like are modulated according to an input signal. In a thermal head, drive voltages or pulse widths of signals to be applied to heaters are modulated according to an input signal. By utilizing these operations, it is possible to make uniform dot sizes or dot densities of the recording elements, thereby obtaining a uniform density distribution, as shown in FIG. 26E.
In some cases, it is impossible or difficult to modulate the drive voltages or pulse widths, or it is difficult to adjust a density over a wide range even when the drive voltages or pulse widths are modulated. In this case, for example, when one pixel is constituted by a plurality of dots, the number of dots to be recorded is modulated in accordance with an input signal, so that a large number of dots can be recorded for a low-density portion, and a small number of dots can be recorded for a high-density portion. When one pixel is constituted by one dot, the number of ink discharging operations (the number of injections) for one pixel can be modulated to change a dot size. With these operations, the density distribution can be uniform, as shown in FIG. 26E.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the following means is effective. That is, a density nonuniformity reading unit is arranged in an image forming apparatus. A serviceman or a user places a test pattern recorded by using a head on the reading unit, and a density nonuniformity distribution in a recording element array range is periodically read to regenerate density nonuniformity correction data. With this means, even when the density nonuniformity distribution of the head is changed, the correction data is regenerated accordingly. Therefore, a uniform image free from a nonuniformity can be maintained. As such image recording apparatus, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,208 and U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 07/480,041 (filed Feb. 14, 1990) and Ser. No. 07/516,129 (filed Apr. 27, 1990).
However, in such as arrangement, the following problems are left unsolved.
A nonuniformity measurement test pattern formed by a recording head is used in density nonuniformity reading. When the relationship between a reading range by the reading means and the size of the test pattern, or the positional relationship therebetween is not proper, light reflected by a background portion of a recording medium located outside the edge portion of the test pattern is incident on a reading sensor, or there is a problem of incidence of reflected light. As a result, precise density reading cannot be performed.
Upon correction, when the test pattern is recorded in a state wherein there is a recording element which cannot perform a normal recording operation (e.g., a discharging orifice suffering from a discharging error in an ink-jet recording head), the density nonuniformity cannot be correctly recognized due to the presence of such a recording element.

Image forming apparatus and method for correction image density non-uniformity by reading a test pattern recorded by the apparatus