A magnetic disk apparatus has a sealed up space between a base plate and its cover. A magnetic disk with its spindle motor for driving the magnetic disk, and magnetic heads with respective carriages for displacing respective heads are enclosed in the sealed up space. Rotor unit of the spindle motor is supported by a bearing fixed to the base plate, and stator unit of tile motor is fixed to the cover.

This invention relates to a magnetic disc apparatus, and more specifically relates to an apparatus where a magnetic disk (or magnetic discs) and magnetic heads are contained in a sealed up space made between a base plate and its cover.
FIG. 5 shows an example of a cross sectional view of such magnetic disc apparatus of prior art. The apparatus shown by FIG. 5 comprises a magnetic disk 1 rotated by a spindle motor 2, a magnetic head 3 which magnetically couples to the magnetic disc 1, a carriage 4 which displaces the magnetic head 3 in a radial direction of the magnetic disk 1, a base plate 5 on which the carriage 4 is mounted, and a cover 6 for making a sealed up space between the base plate 5 for containing the magnetic disk 1 with the spindle motor 2 and the magnetic head 3 with the carriage 4.
A housing 11 of the spindle motor 2 is fixed to the base plate 5, and in a central portion of the housing 11, a ball bearing having an upper ball bearing 12 and a lower ball bearing 13, is fixed. A spindle 14 of the spindle motor 2 is supported rotation-free by the ball bearing. On top of the spindle 14, a cylindrical hub 15 having a hollow inner space is fixed at the axial center.
The magnetic disc 1 is mounted on the perimeter of the hub 15, clamped by a clamper 16, and is rotated by the spindle 14. The spindle motor 2 comprises a stator unit 18 and a rotor unit. The rotor unit is fixed to the hub 14 with its pole pieces 17 of permanent magnet and a yoke 19 which makes magnetic circuits between the pole pieces. The stator unit 18 comprising stator windings and stator magnetic circuits, is fixed to the housing 11, surrounding the outer ring of the ball bearing. Thus, central axis of the rotor unit is aligned to that of the stator unit 18, and an adequate clearance is maintained between the faces of the pole pieces 17 and the circumference of the stator unit 18.
When the stator windings are excited, the rotor unit of the spindle motor 2 rotates the hub 15 and the magnetic disk 1 clamped to the hub 15.
In a heretofore known magnetic disc apparatus as shown in FIG. 5, all the component parts of the spindle motor 2 together with the housing 11 and the bearing of the spindle are fixed on the base plate 5, and spaces near the cover 6 are not effectively utilized.

Magnetic disk apparatus having a motor driven disk clamp


Texturized cellulosic or lignocellulosic materials, and compositions and composites made therefrom, are disclosed.

The invention relates to texturized cellulosic or lignocellulosic materials and compositions and composites made from such texturized materials.
Cellulosic and lignocellulosic materials are produced, processed, and used in large quantities in a number of applications. Once used, these materials are usually discarded. As a result, there is an ever-increasing amount of waste cellulosic and lignocellulosic material.

Texturized cellulosic and lignocellulosic materials and compositions and composites made therefrom


A preventative composition for Otitis externae, commonly referred to as "Swimmer's Ear," and for eliminating the discomfort of water remaining in the external canal, which comprises applying to the skin surface of the external auditory canal of a patient's ear, a pharmaceutically safe, liquid, nonionic, substantially water insoluble, aqueous surface tension reducing agent.

Otitis externae is commonly referred to as "Swimmer's Ear." It is a condition which frequently occurs following swimming. The propensity for the condition is increased by the external auditory canal of the ear filling with water which is difficult to remove. The water is difficult to remove because it stays in the ear, and seems to defy gravity, by refusing to flow out of the ear. If the water stays in the ear for some period of time, this dark, moist and warm environment is perfect for bacteria to grow. As a result, infections by bacteria and fungi may result with the water being the primary vehicle for the beginning of bacterial and fungus growth. The result is Swimmer's Ear (Otitis externae).
Swimmer's Ear is characterized by diffuse inflammation of the external auditory canal wall skin and may involve the auricle. Pain is severe. Even fever may be present and the post-auricler and upper cervical lymph nodes enlarged. Occasionally, Otitis externae may even simulate acute mastoiditis.
About one-half of the people who swim seem to have a problem with their ears filling with water. It is believed that the other one-half of the swimmers do not have this problem because of the shape of their outer ear and the volumetric size of their external auditory canal is such that the surface tension of water can be overcome so that the water will easily pour out of the ear when the head is turned to the side. However, for the other one-half of the swimmers, the size and volume of the external auditory canal seems to be just about right for surface tension resistance and capillary action to occur with the result being that water which accumulates in the ear seems to defy gravity when the head is turned to the side and will not easily pour out.
The problem of Swimmer's Ear has heretofore been approached by methods of water removal after swimming and by medicinal treatment after the condition has occurred. Typical medicinal treatments involve, after removal of the water, treating of the external auditory canal with a bacteriostatic agent or a bactericidal agent and/or drying agents. Examples of such agents are hydrogen peroxide, isopropyl alcohol, aluminum acetate solution, boric acid and the like. In one typical treatment, aluminum acetate solution is applied on a wick placed in the external auditory canal for approximately 48 hours in order to reduce severe swelling. This is followed by ear drops containing an antimicrobial agent and a topical corticosteroid. Frequent and gentle, but thorough mechanical cleansing is essential to remove the debris from the external auditory canal and to allow the medicament to reach the diseased tissue. In a typical preventative treatment boric acid--isopropyl alcohol compositions are added to the ear after swimming, showering or bathing in an effort to help prevent Otitis externae by drying up excess water.
In summary, the approach to the problem of swimmer's ear has been one of treating the ear after the condition has occurred or alternatively of treating the ear after exposure to water in an effort to remove the water.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a preventative treatment for Otitis externae and for eliminating the discomfort of water remaining in the external auditory canal.
Another object of this invention is to provide a preventative treatment for Otitis externae which is not a medical treatment, but a physical treatment in order to prevent the physical phenomenon of capillary action and surface tension from occurring, both of which allow water to fill the external auditory canal and stay there seemingly to defy gravity.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method of preventative, physical treatment for swimmer's ear by treating the external auditory canal with a pharmaceutically safe, liquid, non-ionic, substantially water insoluble, aqueous surface tension reducing agent.
Another object of this invention is to prevent swimmer's ear by treatment with an aqueous surface tension reducing agent as described above, which has the additional property of being incapable of supporting bacterial growth.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a water insoluble coating for the external auditory canal which provides an effective barrier against bacteria reaching the canal surface per se which provides an effective barrier against the macerating effect of water itself on the canals epithelium.
Another object of this invention is to provide a composition for preventive treatment for swimmer's ear, with the composition containing an aqueous surface tension reducing agent which may be blended with medicinal agents, such as bacteriostatic agents, bactericidal agents, anti-inflammatories, healing aids and the like.
Another object of this invention is to provide a preventive treatment for swimmer's ear, which is of a proper viscosity such that it can be uniformly and easily dispensed in the form of ear drops.
The method of accomplishing these and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description of the invention which follows.

Preventative treatment for Otitis externae


A measuring unit 12 comprises a vibrator 13 which is disposed in a fluid flowing into the measuring unit 12 and is able to reciprocally vibrate in a direction of width of the flow passage when there occurs a differential pressure due to a flow velocity, a flow separator 15 which is disposed downstream of the vibrator 13 to abut with the vibrator 13 for holding the vibrator 13 in the measuring unit 12 and also separating the fluid, and forms a frequency converter 14 capable of supplying the differential pressure to the vibrator 13 from the upstream side so that the vibrator 13 can reciprocally vibrate, a vibrator abutting portion 16 disposed upstream of the vibrator 13 and coming into abutment with the vibrator 13 when the vibrator 13 is vibrated, and a frequency detector 17 capable of detecting reciprocal frequency of the vibrator 13.

The present invention relates to a flowmeter, and more particularly to a flowmeter for measuring the flow rate of a fluid by using a vibrator positioned in the fluid to be able to vibrate.
Vortex flowmeters and Differential Producing flowmeters have been heretofore used to measure the flow rate of a fluid.
The vortex flowmeter is based on the principle that, as shown in FIG. 10, if an object 54 is disposed in a flow passage 53 of a fluid, alternate vortices (von Karman's vortices) are generated in two lines along the flow passage on the rear side of the object 54. The flow rate of the fluid is measured by counting the number of the yon Karman's vortices.
Specifically, the vortex flowmeter comprises a vortex generating mechanism and a mechanism for detecting vortices generated by the vortex generating mechanism. The number of vortices generated by the vortex generating mechanism in a fluid is detected by a thermistor or a piezoelectric transducer, thereby measuring the flow rate of the fluid.
In such a conventional vortex flowmeter, however, because frequency of the fluid is detected by generating the von Karman's vortices 55, the vortex generating mechanism having a flow passage of width not less than a certain value, i.e., having a predetermined size, is required in order to generate the yon Karman's vortices 55. Therefore, the vortex flowmeter cannot have a size smaller than a certain limit. Also, when the flow velocity or flow rate of the fluid is small, the flow rate cannot be measured since it is difficult to generate the yon Karman's vortices 55 under such a condition.
Meanwhile, the so-called Differential Producing flowmeters have also been conventionally used in wide fields. The Differential Producing flowmeter includes a throttling mechanism such as an orifice or venturi in a flow passage. The flow rate of a fluid is measured based on a differential pressure produced across the throttling mechanism.
However, such a conventional Differential Producing flowmeter has had shortcomings below. A differential pressure transmitter is required to measure the differential pressure. Further, since the measured flow rate is expressed in the form of a quadratic curve, a flow rate conversion unit including a calculation circuit is required to convert the measured flow rate into a linear value for easier use in subsequent steps. As a result, the production cost is increased.
Also, in the conventional Differential Producing flowmeter, when fluid conditions such as density, pressure and temperature are varied depending on the kind of fluid to be measured, calculations for compensating measured values are required, making it troublesome to perform the measurement work.

Yoshikawa-machi, Kitakatsushika-gun, Saitama 342


An ornamental appliance or device which is removably attachable to another item, such as, more especially, a wrist watch to enhance its appearance. In the preferred form of the invention, it is a member in the form of a bezel which may have jewels or gem stones set in it, which can be detachably secured to a wrist watch case or a holder for the wrist watch case. The article may be circular or may have other shapes. Particular attachment means are provided in the form of hinged clamping members secured to the primary item, such as the extensions on a wrist watch to which the band is secured.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is that of ornamental attachments or appliances that may be used for another article as a primary item, such as more particularly a wrist watch.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With respect to the prior art, the following U.S. patents are known: U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,553,571; 1,591,512; 2,228,755; 2,605,604; and 2,948,106.
It is known in the prior art to apply decoration or adornment to a watch case and no doubt to various jewelry items, such as jewelry items which contain a setting of gem stones or the like. There is a need however which is unfilled for the capability of easily and readily attaching a removable decorative or adorning member to another item, so that the decoration or adornment can be easily changed as desired. This capability is particularly desirable in connection with wrist watches. U.S. Pat. No. 2,605,604 shows a removable ornamental frame member, but this disclosure does not otherwise meet the need as identified. An improvement which is considered to meet the need is described in detail in the disclosure hereinafter.

Decorative or ornamental appliance for use with articles such as wrist watches


A light coupling arrangement for efficiently coupling a light source to a light distribution arrangement includes a solid optical coupling device constructed of a light transmissive material and configured in an essentially planar manner such that the length and width dimensions are significantly greater than the depth dimension. An aperture is formed on at least one side along the equatorial surface of the optical coupling device and allows connection to the light distribution arrangement. A bore, formed in the optical coupling device and having a flat polished surface, houses the light source in a manner such that the optical coupling device can act as a heat sink for the light source.

The design of optical transmission schemes for transmitting the output of a light source through light guides, light pipes, or optical fibers, has as its principle aim, the optimization of light collection efficiency at the light source and the subsequent coupling of such light output to the light distribution medium with as little light loss as possible. Given that the light output from the light source generally spreads out in a spherically radiating manner; that is, at a large angle from the source, one might consider that the optimum approach for collecting such light output for distribution would be to partially surround such light source with a somewhat equally spherically shaped collecting device such as a reflector for instance. One such example of a reflector used to collect the light output of a light source can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,172 issued to Davenport et al. on Mar. 7, 1989 and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. Though this approach has demonstrated an improved efficiency in coupling an amount of light output to a bundle of optical fibers for distribution to locations remote from the light source, the use of such a reflector, light source arrangement experiences an inherent limitation to the level of improvement in efficiency. Specifically, because there is a measurable distance between the light source and the reflector, there is some opportunity for the light to be lost or scattered. Additionally, absent a total internal reflection arrangement, in a light collecting or directing arrangement which utilizes a principally reflecting scheme, it is known that some of the light rays will be reflected more than once which has the inherent disadvantage that with each reflection, some loss of light occurs, such loss typically being in the range of about 10%.
Another approach to efficiently coupling a light guide to a light source would be to conform the light guide to the shape of the light source outer envelope and permanently adhere the light guide to the light source. An approach illustrating the use of a cylindrical quartz rod fused to the surface of the light source can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,263 issued to Davenporr et al on Sep. 18, 1990 and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. Though a more efficient means of coupling the light source output to the light guides than some previously taught techniques, it has been found that some light is lost by conforming the shape of the input face of the optical coupler to the surface of the light source. Furthermore, such an approach may be costly to implement in that the operation of fusing the quartz rod to a surface of the light source requires an additional manufacturing step than does the approach wherein the optical coupling device is merely positioned in proximate relation to the light source.
Still another approach to providing a light source and optical coupling arrangement aimed at achieving a high light collection efficiency can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,499 issued to R. Winston on Jan. 11, 1977. This patent provides for a three-dimensional, primarily cylindrically shaped solar energy concentrator which is more directed to the task of collecting light input rather than distributing light output and as such, emphasis is more directed to the geometry of the compound parabolic collector (CPC) than the relationships between the light source, the optical coupling device and the light distribution means such as fiber optics or other light guides. Furthermore, because of the 3-dimensional size and shape characteristics of this device, applications requiring that the light source, light coupling arrangement occupy as small a space as possible, would be precluded from consideration.

Arrangement and a method for coupling a light source to a light guide using a solid optical coupler


The invention provides a method for purifying MTO quench water and scrubbing water via mini-hydrocyclone separation, comprising: removing the entrapped catalyst particles from the MTO quench water via mini-hydrocyclone separation; cooling the quench water purified by mini-hydrocyclone separation so as to effect the recycling of water; removing the entrapped catalyst particles from the MTO quench water to be stripped via mini-hydrocyclone separation, so as to reduce the deposition of the catalyst particles within the stripping tower; removing the entrapped catalyst particles from the MTO scrubbing water via mini-hydrocyclone separation; and cooling the scrubbing water purified via mini-hydrocyclone separation so as to effect the recycling of water. The invention also provides an apparatus for purifying MTO quench water and scrubbing water via mini-hydrocyclone separation.

The main principle of MTO (methanol-to-olefins process), lies in that methanol is first produced from synthetic gas which is derived from coal used as the starting material, and then the methanol is converted to lower olefins (which mainly include ethylene and propylene) which are used for other chemicals and industrial articles afterwards. The MTO process flow primarily concerns a reaction unit, a product purifying unit and a product separating unit, wherein the reaction unit comprises a reactor and a regenerator, the product purifying unit comprises a quench tower, a water scrubbing tower, an alkaline washing tower and a drying tower, and the remaining part is the product separating unit. The reactor generally used in the MTO process is a fluid-bed reactor in which methanol, as the reactant, and olefins, as the products, are present in gas phase unexceptionally. The ratio of ethylene to propylene varies depending on the specific process applied. Current representative MTO arts include the processes developed by UOP, UOP/Hydro, Exxon Mobil and Dalian Chemical and Physical Research Institute of PRC. Along with the development of national economy and the growing demand on lower olefins, the starting materials of ethylene such as naphtha and light diesel oil are increasingly short of supply. Therefore, the concern of speeding up the industrial application of a MTO process has gained attention from various quarters.
In a MTO process, the product discharge stream that comes from the reactor and carries catalyst particles flows into a quench tower to be quenched. In the quench tower, water and methanol are condensed into liquids, while the product of olefins is still present in gaseous state. Since most of the catalyst particles will be captured by the quench water and get discharged from the quench tower, the quench water is rich in catalyst particles. In order to further remove the catalyst powder entrapped in the product gas stream, the gaseous olefin stream is fed into a water scrubbing tower to completely remove the catalyst via scrubbing. As a result, the catalyst powders are entrapped in the scrubbing water. Part of the quench water is cooled and then returns to the quench tower to be used as quench agent again, while the other part is fed into a stripping tower to separate methanol from water via stripping. The heat exchanger is so easily blocked by the large amount of catalyst particles in the quench water that the quench water must be purified. On the other hand, the catalyst particles in the stripping tower will deposit at the bottom of the tower, so that it is necessary to further remove the catalyst from the quench water before it enters the stripping tower in order to ensure the long-cycle operation of the stripping tower and reduce the pollution of downstream materials by the catalyst particles. If the catalyst in the scrubbing water is not removed, it will continuously accumulate, and therefore deteriorate the scrubbing efficiency as well as imperil the normal operation of the heat exchanger which is used to cool the scrubbing water before it is recycled.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,166,282 discloses a MTO fluid bed reactor, on top of which is equipped a set of cyclones to separate the solid catalyst particles from the product discharge stream, in order to prevent the catalyst particles from being carried out of the reactor. Despite the fact that the reaction gas stream flows through several cyclones, there are still catalyst particles which will exit the reactor along with the product discharge stream. These catalyst particles are separated from the gaseous product along with the quench water and the scrubbing water respectively in the quench tower and the scrubbing tower, and enter the water recycling system, leading to abrasion and clogging of the downstream equipments as well as the reduction of the operating cycle of the installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,680A discloses a method for preparing light hydrocarbons from oxides, wherein the stream comprising catalyst is expelled in a wet washing step. U.S. Pat. No. 6,870,072 also discloses that a wet washing section is used to remove the catalyst from the product discharge stream.
With respect to MTO quench water, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0234281 A1 and Chinese Patent No. 1,942,558A disclose a combination of one or more solid-liquid cyclones or hydrocyclones operating in sequence or parallel for separating the catalyst which is recycled thereafter. The product stream has passed through several gas-solid cyclone separating units before it is discharged from the reactor, thus the catalyst particles in the MTO quench water have very small particle size (1-20 μm, wherein 80% of them have a particle size of less than 10 μm), with those in the scrubbing water even smaller (less than 5 μm). However, provided with an effective capture size in the range of 5-10 μm, a conventional solid-liquid cyclone or hydrocyclone can only be used to remove the catalyst particles lost under such abnormal conditions as that the solid-liquid cyclone does not function or the operation fails. In other words, solid particles smaller than 2 μm are hard or even impossible to be removed when the cyclone works normally. Thus, a conventional solid-liquid cyclone or hydrocyclone can only be used in an accident when catalyst particles are lost, whereas it can not fulfill the expected effect under normal operating conditions.
In addition, although one or more gas-solid separating devices are installed on top of a fluid bed reactor in prior art, a small amount of fine catalyst particles are still entrapped in the gaseous product stream exiting the reactor. The catalyst particles are expelled from the quench tower along with the reaction effluent and result in the containment of solid particles, which are hard to be removed, in the quench water to be stripped.
Therefore, taking into account the characteristics of the catalysts contained in the quench water and the scrubbing water of a MTO process as well as the operating conditions (i.e. the even distribution, small content and large throughput of the catalyst particles), it is highly desired in the art to develop a method for removing solid particles from MTO quench water and scrubbing water via mini-hydrocyclone separation under normal operating conditions.

Method for purifying quench water and scrubbing water from MTO by mini-hydrocyclone and apparatus used for same

East China University of Science and Technology

Luoyang Petrochemical Engineering Corporation (LPEC) Sinopec


A probe test apparatus comprising a test section for testing a wafer, a cassette having an opening at one side through which the wafer is taken into and out of the cassette, grooves formed in inner faces of both sides of the cassette to hold wafers therein, and a convex member projected downward from the underside of the cassette, a stage on which the cassette is mounted keeping the wafers therein substantially horizontal, and holder members projected upward from the top of the cassette-mounted stage and having a recess into which the convex member of the cassette falls, wherein when the convex member is not fitted into the recess but contacted with the holder members, the wafers in the cassette are tilted and when it is fitted into the recess, they can be kept substantially horizontal in the cassette to thereby position the cassette relative to the test section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a probe test apparatus for measuring electric properties of an object such as the semiconductor device to be checked.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the conventional probe test apparatus, a wafer cassette is mounted on a cassette-mounted stage in such a way that its wafer take-in and -out opening faces the rear side of the apparatus, when the operator sets it on the stage by his hands. When it is not positioned at its correct area on the cassette-mounted stage, the correct holding of a wafer W may not be attained or the wafer W may be damaged upon taking the wafer W into and out of it. This is the reason why it must be positioned at its correct area on the cassette-mounted stage. However, the cassette-mounted stage is enclosed by side plates of the apparatus itself and the operator cannot therefore see and confirm the stage by his eyes. This makes it difficult for the operator to position it at its correct area on the stage.
Further, wafers having 6 and 8-inch diameters are commonly checked by one probe test apparatus in the conventional cases. It is therefore needed to previously confirm which of them is to be checked. The conventional wafer size detector section is arranged not on the passage through which the wafer W is carried from the cassette to a wafer-mounted stage, but at a different place. When the size of a wafer W is to be detected, therefore, a pincette of the load/unload unit must be swung to position the wafer W at the wafer size detector section. This means that the load/unload unit needs another drive shaft for swinging the pincette, in addition to a drive shaft for linearly forwarding and retreating it to take the wafer W into and out of the cassette. The load/unload unit, therefore, becomes complicated, comprising a combination of two drive shafts. In addition, the cycle time during which the wafer W is taken into and out of the cassette is long in the conventional probe test apparatus.


A camera system includes a zoom driving mechanism driven by a motor for varying the focal length of a lens, a detecting device for detecting the focal length of the lens, and a controller for automatically stopping the motor after a predetermined time period from the time when the detecting means detects the fact that the focal length of the taking lens reaches a telephoto end or a wide-angle end.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera with a power zoom function, an interchangeable lens with a power zoom function, and a camera body.
2. Related Background Art
Recently, the electrification of a camera system (the combination of an interchangeable lens having a power zoom function and a camera on which the interchangeable lens can be mounted) has been advanced, where various controls such as automatic exposure, winding and unwinding of a film, AF driving, stop or aperture driving, power zoom driving, and mirror-up and/or shutter charging (in case of the single lens reflex camera system) are automatically performed by using a number of motors. Accordingly, in the conventional camera systems, large-sized batteries are used as power sources for performing such controls, with the result that the whole camera systems themselves are large-sized and weighted, thus making the transportation of the camera system difficult. Further, if a small-sized battery is utilized to make the camera system small-sized, there will arise a problem that a normal or correct photo-taking operation cannot be effected.

Camera with power zoom function and interchangeable lens with power zoom function


A method for treating a substrate with a treatment liquid is disclosed, wherein the substrate is treated while a location at which the treatment liquid is supplied onto the substrate that is rotated is moved in an outward direction from a central area of the substrate towards a peripheral area of the substrate and in an inward direction from a peripheral area of the substrate towards a central area of the substrate a plurality of times, and wherein the movement distances of some of the plurality of movements are different from each other.

The inventive concept relates to a method and an apparatus for treating a substrate with a liquid.
In order to manufacture a semiconductor device or a liquid crystal display, various processes such as photolithography, ashing, ion implantation, thin film deposition, and cleaning are performed on a substrate. Among them, the cleaning process is a process of removing particles residing on the substrate, and is performed before and after the processes.
In general, in the process of cleaning the substrate, particles and foreign substances are removed by supplying a treatment liquid onto the substrate. In the process of cleaning the substrate, the treatment liquid is supplied to a central area of the substrate after the substrate is rotated. The treatment liquid is diffused from the central area of the substrate to the peripheral area of the substrate by a centrifugal force of the substrate to clean the entire area of the substrate.
However, the flow rate of the treatment liquid supplied to the central area of the substrate and the flow rate of the treatment liquid supplied to the peripheral are of the substrate are different. Accordingly, different cleaning forces are applied to the central area of the substrate and the peripheral area of the substrate.
In order to solve the solve the problem, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the nozzle 2 supplies the treatment liquid while being reciprocally moved from a central area to a peripheral area of the substrate. However, the rotational speeds of the central area and the peripheral area of the substrate W become different. Accordingly, the treatment amounts per unit area by the treatment liquid are different in the central area and the peripheral area of the substrate.

Method and apparatus for treating substrate


A solution to the music-on-hold problem associated with audio conference calls. The music on-hold-problem occurs when a conferee having music-on-hold puts the conference call on hold, resulting in a continuous stream of music being transmitted to the other conferees. Such a conferee is called an offending conferee. The solution presented herein is to prevent music-on-hold signals emanating from an offending conferee from being passed through an audio conference bridge to the other conferees. This is accomplished, in particular embodiments, by directing a merging/summing subsystem of the audio conference bridge to temporarily stop combining audio emanating from the offending conferee from being combined or merged onto audio channels through which the other conferees communicate on the audio conference. Once the music-on-hold is terminated, the offending conferee can rejoin conference call by sending a signal that directs the merging/summing subsystem to resume the combining of audio signals emanating from the offending conferee onto the audio channels of the other conferees.

The present invention relates to the field of telecommunications, and more particularly to a method for solving the xe2x80x9cmusic-on -holdxe2x80x9d problem associated with conference calls.
Conference call is a feature provided by many telecommunications systems. This feature interconnects a plurality of parties, called conferees, in such a way that they can all speak with one another at the same time.
The part of the telecommunications system which implements this feature is hereinafter referred to as the xe2x80x9caudio conference bridgexe2x80x9d. Typically, the audio conference bridge of a telecommunications system is incorporated into a PBX or a network switch. In some systems, however, an audio conference bridge may be provided by a device or system that is completely separate and distinct from a PBX or a network switch. No matter what part of a system the audio conference bridge is incorporated into, a conference call is typically established by connecting each conferee to the audio conference bridge through an audio channel, where each audio channel is composed of an incoming audio channel and an outgoing audio channel. The outgoing audio channel carries audio from the conferee""s terminal equipment to the audio conference bridge, and the incoming audio channel carries audio from the audio conference bridge to the conferee""s terminal equipment. As a result, during a conference call, audio travels from the terminal equipment of a particular conferee through its outgoing audio channel to the audio conference bridge which merges and/or combines the audio onto the incoming audio channels connected to the other conferees, thereby enabling the particular conferee to send audio or speak to all the other conferees at the same time.
A problem that occurs in conference calls is the so-called music-on-hold problem. This problem occurs when a conferee who has an active music-on-hold feature puts the conference call on hold to, for example, answer another incoming call, at which point the other conferees are subjected to a stream of music that continuously interferes with their audio conference. A conferee who causes such a continuous stream of music is considered to xe2x80x9coffendxe2x80x9d the conference call, and thus is referred to herein as the xe2x80x9coffending confereexe2x80x9d. And, the audio channel through which the offending conferee""s terminal equipment transmits the music-on-hold signals to the conference bridge is referred to herein as the xe2x80x9coffending audio channel.xe2x80x9d
The conventional solution to the music-on-hold problem is to drop the offending conferee from the conference call by disconnecting the offending audio channel from the audio conference bridge. The disconnect of the offending audio channel results in a permanent disconnect of the offending conferee from the communications system. Such a permanent disconnect is not always desirable because the offending conferee may still have had a useful role to play in the conference call. Moreover, later reconnecting the offending conferee may require that one of the remaining conferees take the time to re-activate the conference call feature and re-dial the offending conferee""s number, and/or seek operator assistance to establish a new audio channel between the offending conferee""s terminal equipment and the audio conference bridge.
The present invention is a method and apparatus for preventing music-on-hold signals from being transmitted from an offending conferee to the other conferees without having to permanently disconnect the offending audio channel from an audio conference bridge. Instead, the music-on-hold signals transmitted on the offending audio channel by the offending conferee are prevented from being merged onto the audio channels connecting the other conferees to the audio conference bridge, thereby preventing the offending conferee from communicating on the audio conference. The term xe2x80x9cmusic-on-hold signalsxe2x80x9d as used herein includes music and talk-radio signals generated by a radio station. When the offending conferee terminates music-on-hold, the audio transmitted by the offending conferee can then again be merged on to the audio channels connecting the other conferees to the conference bridge, thereby re-joining the offending conferee to the audio conference. Advantageously, the present invention eliminates the music-on-hold problem while enabling the offending conferee to rejoin the audio conference without operator assistance and without interrupting the other conferees.
In particular embodiments, the apparatus is an audio conference bridge that has a merging/summing subsystem, a music detector, a central processing unit, a message generator, and a touch-tone detector. The merging/summing subsystem is operable to take audio transmitted from a conferee""s terminal equipment through its outgoing audio channel to the audio conference bridge, and merge that audio onto the audio channels connecting the other conferees to the audio conference bridge. Such a merging/summing subsystem is presently part of and/or utilized by conventional audio conference bridges. The music detector is operable to monitor the audio signals transmitted from each conferee on its respective audio channel and detect the presence of music-on-hold signals thereon. This function can be performed, for example, by an energy monitor which is a standard component of conventional audio conference bridges. The central processing unit is operable to direct the merging/summing subsystem to stop combining audio from an offending conferee onto the audio channels connecting the other conferees to the audio conference bridge, thereby preventing the offending conferee from communicating on the audio conference. The message generator is operable to inform the offending conferee that he/she has been temporarily disconnected from the audio conference due to music-on-hold, and for informing the offending conferee which touch-tones to press to rejoin the conference. The touch tone detector is operable to detect touch tone signals transmitted by the conferees on their respective audio channels.
In particular embodiments, the just-described audio conference bridge is operable to provide a graphical user interface (GUI) through the terminal equipment of one or more of the conferees. The GUI, in accordance with the principles of the present invention, may include, for example, graphical representations of the conferees, graphical representations of the sound level control of the audio received from each conferee, and graphical representations of anti-music-on-hold buttons associated with each conferee. Activating or selecting the graphical representation of the anti-music-on-hold button associated with an offending conferee informs or signals the audio conference bridge to prevent audio from the offending conferee from being merged onto the audio channels connecting the other conferees to the audio conference bridge, as described above. When this happens, the audio conference bridge is operable to activate the message generator which plays a message to inform the offending conferee that he/she has been temporarily disconnected from the conference, activate the touch-tone detector which detects whether a reconnect signal has been sent from the offending conferee, and automatically reconnect the offending conferee to the audio conference when the reconnect signal is detected.
These and other features of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description when taken with the drawings. The scope of the invention, however, is limited only by the claims.

Method for solving the music-on-hold problem in an audio conference


An electronic censer includes a seat and an incense detachably mounted on the seat. The seat includes a base, a supporting plate mounted on the base, two pins protruding from the plate and an annular rib surrounding the pins. A bottom of the incense is inserted within the annular rib. The incense includes a light guiding rod, a shell enclosing the rod, an LED, a circuit board and a battery embedded within the shell. An induction coil is fixed in the shell to control the lighting of the LED.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure generally relates to an electronic device, and particularly to an electronic censer with a detachable incense which uses an LED as a light source.
2. Description of Related Art
Traditional censers include seats and incenses inserted to the seats. A typical incense includes a bamboo core and aromatic biotic materials coated on the core. When burned, the aromatic biotic materials release large amounts of smoke. The burning incenses may ignite surrounding articles to fire; furthermore, the released smoke not only pollutes the environment, but also is harmful to health.
Generally, electronic censers are used to replace the traditional censers. An electronic censer includes a seat and an electronic incense inserted in the seat. The electronic incense is made of light guiding material in the form of a rod. The seat includes a light source which is an LED. However, the incense should be fixed to the seat to generate the effectiveness of the burning incense. The incense cannot be used separately from the seat meanwhile still have the burning effectiveness to do the worship which is the general practice for Buddhism and Taoism. Therefore, the use of the conventional electronic censer to replace the traditional censer is not totally satisfied.
What is needed, therefore, is an electronic censer with a detachable incense which can overcome the described limitations.

Electronic censer with detachable incense


A system and method for adjusting a target value for generating a vertical profile view in an aircraft weather radar system is provided. Processing electronics are configured to receive a target value for generating a vertical profile view of weather detected by the radar system. The processing electronics are also configured to adjust the target value to account for the motion of the aircraft and/or the motion of the detected weather.

The present disclosure relates generally to weather radar systems. More particularly, the present application relates to a weather radar system that displays the presence of weather on a screen.
Conventionally, pilots use weather radar systems to detect and avoid hazardous weather. The radar return signals are processed to provide graphical images to a radar display, for example, a display located in the cockpit of the aircraft. The radar display is typically a color multi-function display (MFD) unit that provides color graphical images to represent the severity and location of weather. Some aircraft weather radar systems also include other hazard detection systems such as a turbulence detection system or a windshear detection system. These types of systems can also provide indications of the presence of turbulence or other hazards.
Many modern weather radar systems utilize a number of radar scanning techniques in order to present different views of detected weather to a display. For example, a plan view may be presented to a cockpit display allowing a pilot to determine the range and location of weather relative to the aircraft. A pilot can use this information to determine a course that avoids the weather. In addition, radar sweeps in the vertical direction can be used to generate a vertical profile view, e.g., a vertical "slice" of the weather on the display. Such profiles allow pilots to determine the height and the severity of the weather. This information may be used by pilots, for example, to determine an appropriate altitude to fly over the weather.
In some weather radar systems, a pilot may be able to select a direction on the displayed plan view from which to generate a vertical profile view. However, as the aircraft and the weather are both moving, the selected direction may soon lose its correlation to the selected area of focus. This can lead to erratic vertical displays and can force a pilot to frequently adjust the selected direction. Applicants have discovered that there may be a need for a weather radar system that automatically adjusts the direction from which the vertical profile is displayed based on the motion of the aircraft and/or the motion of the weather.

Adjusting a target value for generating a vertical profile view in a weather radar system


A wireless communication network serve User Equipment (UEs) over Fifth Generation New Radio (5GNR) and Long Term Evolution (LTE). A 5GNR access node receive user data for wireless delivery to the UEs and splits the user data into LTE and 5GNR portions. The 5GNR access node transfers the 5GNR portion to the UEs over 5GNR links and transfers the LTE portion to an LTE access node over X2 links. The LTE access node transfers the LTE portion to the UEs over LTE links. The 5GNR access node identifies X2 link quality. When the X2 link experiences low quality, the 5GNR access node transfers user data to the UEs over 5GNR links without splitting the data to LTE. When the X2 link status has adequate quality, then the 5GNR access node starts splitting user data to LTE again.

A wireless communication network serve User Equipment (UEs) over Fifth Generation New Radio (5GNR) and Long Term Evolution (LTE). A 5GNR access node receive user data for wireless delivery to the UEs and splits the user data into LTE and 5GNR portions. The 5GNR access node transfers the 5GNR portion to the UEs over 5GNR links and transfers the LTE portion to an LTE access node over X2 links. The LTE access node transfers the LTE portion to the UEs over LTE links. The 5GNR access node identifies X2 link quality. When the X2 link has low quality, then the 5GNR access node transfers user data to the UEs over 5GNR links without splitting the data to LTE. When the X2 link status has adequate quality, then the 5GNR access node starts splitting user data to LTE again.

Wireless communications with dynamic data splitting between fifth generation new radio (5GNR) and long term evolution (LTE)


A hand manipulated torque tool, such as a screwdriver, having two handle portions pivotal between two modes of a straight relationship and a right angle relationship which forms a T-handled tool. A lock mechanism is operative between the handle portions to releasably hold the portions in the selected modes. The mechanism is accessible from the exterior of the tool, and it is operated by user finger pressure and it automatically re-locks upon release of the pressure and the subsequent pivoting of one handle portion to either of the two positions.

This invention relates to a hand-manipulated torque tool, and more particularly, it relates to a torque tool which is optionally positionable between a straight handle configuration and a T-handle configuration.
The prior art is aware of hand-manipulated torque tools which can optionally be positioned between straight and T-handle configurations.
This invention improves upon the prior art by providing a hand-manipulated torque tool that is sturdy, is easily positionable in its two positions, is not subject to being inadvertently positionable nor releasable relative to those two positions, is securely held in both two positions, and presents a substantial and firmly grippable handle in both two positions.
The tool of this invention is precision made, and, as such, it is useful in highly precise functions such as in the medical arts where orthopedic surgery is performed and screws are applied to a patient""s skeleton, or in other precision applications. It is also arranged for rotatably supporting a tool bit such as a screwdriver bit for a ratcheting action.
There is a release mechanism which permits the handle to be re-configured from its straight position to its T-handle position, and that mechanism is manually operated and it is in a location where there is no likelihood of the user inadvertently operating the release. That is, the user can grip the tool for using it in either of its two positions and not have his hand or fingers in a position which could inadvertently cause the release mechanism to be operated.
This invention also includes the method of maneuvering the tool to establish the two working positions.

Beere Precision Medical Instruments, Inc.


Disclosed is a system and methods for selecting, organizing and presenting selected regions of digital documents within a dynamic display window for the arrangement and review of such regions.

While the disclosed embodiments are particularly directed to digital document processing and review and described with specific reference thereto, it is to be appreciated the various embodiments may have usefulness in other fields and applications.
Electronic communication and digital documents have become standard document formats replacing or enhancing earlier modes of communication. For example, business, education and science use electronic or digital communications. These digital media are commonly created through structured text/graphics editor programs including MICROSOFT WORD, POWERPOINT, EXCEL, etc. These programs offer editing capabilities for both text and graphic material. While such text/graphics editors have met with significant commercial success and usage, existing implementations have limitations. Particularly, such editors require the creation and editing of material to take place within the system via manual operations. Due to these limitations existing text/graphics editors are not able to meet the demands of workers employing different modes of work, such as working with physical documents, particularly for editing and review.
It has been determined that knowledge workers often print documents so they can visually examine content located in different places within the documents—in parallel. They also print to compare content across documents. Paper makes the comparison process easy because related content can be laid out next to each other. Also, non-related content can be filtered out. For example, people can cut bits of content out of a paper document and lay the bits out on a table to examine them in parallel. They can also fold paper to filter non-related content and therefore show related content next to each other. In accordance with aspects of the disclosed system and methods, as users read through a document, they can employ the disclosed system and methods to mark areas of content they wish to compare. When the user(s) is ready to compare the content, the marked content is arranged into a summary window so it can be visually examined it in parallel (e.g., side-by-side, in seriatim, etc.).
Current software tools allow limited ability to compare related content, and the process for comparing content is laborious. For example, in MS Word or similar programs operating on a computing platform, to compare content that is spatially separated within the same document, the user could open the file multiple times (to show different windows or views into the file), and choose the "show side by side" option. This creates a pane of tiled windows. Within each of these windows, the user must remember where the content to be compared is located, and scroll to that content to show it in the windows. Alternatively, a user could use a split window option in MS-Word but cannot then display portions of the document in a side-by-side relationship.
As disclosed herein the system and methods provide a way to compare digital content by leveraging the affordances that paper provides for manipulation of pages and portions thereof.
Disclosed in embodiments herein is a system to compare digital document content, comprising: a device having a processor to execute programmatic instructions; a memory, operatively associated with the processor, for storing data relating to the selection of each of multiple distinct regions of information with the digital document content, each in association with a user-specified marker; and a display, said display including a dynamically updateable comparing window said comparing window depicting at least a plurality of the regions and the marker associated therewith to facilitate comparison of the regions by a viewer.
Further disclosed in embodiments herein is a method to compare digital document content, comprising: selecting a first region within a document for comparison, said first region being visually depicted as having been selected, and said system automatically assigning a first marker to the first region; selecting a second region within a document for comparison, said second region being visually depicted as having been selected, and said system automatically assigning a second, unique marker to the second region; and presenting a comparing window on a visual display, said comparing window depicting the first region and the second region to facilitate comparison of the at least two regions by a viewer.
Also disclosed herein is a method to examine portions of digital document content, comprising: a user selecting a plurality of document regions for comparison, said regions each being visually depicted (highlight, color, sidebar marker) as having been selected, and said system automatically assigning a unique marker to each selected region; providing a user-specified tag to each selected region; and presenting, to the user, a comparison window on a visual display, said comparison window depicting at least two selected document regions therein, along with the associated markers, to facilitate comparison of the regions by the user, wherein the regions presented for comparison are based, at least in part, on at least one common characteristic (color, tag text, etc.) of the user-specified tag
The various embodiments described herein are not intended to limit the disclosure to those embodiments described. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the various embodiments and equivalents set forth. For a general understanding, reference is made to the drawings. In the drawings, like references have been used throughout to designate identical or similar elements. It is also noted that the drawings may not have been drawn to scale and that certain regions may have been purposely drawn disproportionately so that the features and aspects could be properly depicted.

System and method for managing and reviewing document integration and updates


The present disclosure provides fully integrated microfluidic systems to perform nucleic acid analysis. These processes include sample collection, nucleic acid extraction and purification, amplification, sequencing, and separation and detection. The present disclosure also provides optical detection systems and methods for separation and detection of biological molecules. In particular, the various aspects of the invention enable the simultaneous separation and detection of a plurality of biological molecules, typically fluorescent dye-labeled nucleic acids, within one or a plurality of microfluidic chambers or channels. The nucleic acids can be labeled with at least 6 dyes, each having a unique peak emission wavelength. The present systems and methods are particularly useful for DNA fragment sizing applications such as human identification by genetic fingerprinting and DNA sequencing applications such as clinical diagnostics.

There is an unmet need for the development of instruments and technologies that would permit fully integrated (i.e., sample-in to results-out) focused nucleic acid analysis, defined as the rapid identification (by nucleic acid sequencing or fragment sizing) of a subset of a given human, animal, plant, or pathogen genome. Focused nucleic acid sequencing will enable end-users to make real-time clinical, forensic, or other decisions. For example, many common human diseases can be diagnosed based on less than 1000 base pairs of DNA sequence, orders of magnitude less than required to generate a complete human genome. Similarly, precise determination of the sizes of sets of less than 20 specific DNA fragments generated by short tandem repeat analysis is sufficient to identify a given individual. Depending on the application, focused nucleic analysis can be performed in a variety of settings, including hospital laboratories, physician's offices, the bedside, or, in the case of forensic or environmental applications, in the field.
There are several unmet needs for improved DNA sequencing and fragment sizing systems. First, there is an unmet need for DNA sequencing and fragment sizing instruments that are easy to use and do not require highly trained operators. Second, there is an unmet need for systems that eliminate all manual processing. As a result, only minimal operator training would be required and the system could be readily operated by individuals constrained by challenging environments such as would be encountered, for example, by a first responder wearing a haz-mat suit.
Third, there is an unmet need for ultrafast analysis that does not sacrifice the need for complete, accurate, and reliable data. For human identification applications, an appropriate time to result is 45 minutes or less, well under the days to weeks required using conventional technology. For clinical applications such as sequencing infectious agents to determine an appropriate treatment regimen, 90 minutes or less is a reasonable time to answer, allowing treatment with antibacterial and antiviral medications to be initiated shortly after a patient's arrival in an emergency room. Regardless of application, there is an unmet need to generate actionable data in real time. A short time to answer also allows a concomitant increase in sample throughput.
Fourth, there is an unmet need for miniaturization. Many DNA analysis systems require an entire laboratory and related support. For example, the high throughput Genome Sequencer FLX (Roche Diagnostics Corp, Indianapolis, Ind.) DNA sequencing system requires only a benchtop for installation but a large laboratory to perform the required library construction. Miniaturization is important both for laboratory and point-of-care use as well as field operation. It is also important for cost reduction per sample.
Fifth, there is an unmet need for ruggedization. For many applications, particularly those in forensics, the military, and homeland defense, the DNA analysis instrument must be operable in the field. Accordingly, the instrument must be capable of transport whether carried on a soldier's back, driven in a police vehicle, or dropped from a helicopter into a battlefield. Similarly, the instrument must be able to withstand and function under environmental extremes, including temperature, humidity and airborne particulates (e.g., sand).
Sixth, there is an unmet need for systems that can accept multiple sample types and perform highly multiplexed analyses in parallel. For most applications, capability of analysis of DNA from a single sample type in a singleplex reaction is not acceptable to perform meaningful DNA analysis.
Developers of microfluidics (also referred to as micro total analysis systems (μTAS) or lab-on-a-chip technologies, see, Manz et al., Sens. Actuators B 1990, 1, 244-248) who are seeking to condense complex series of laboratory manipulations onto biochips have recognized certain of these unmet needs, but to date, have been unable to design integrated biochips and instruments that perform all of the biochemical and physical processes necessary or desirable to allow microfluidic nucleic acid analysis to address these needs. As a result, focused nucleic acid analysis has not entered into widespread use in society today.
The development of microfluidic systems involves the integration of microfabricated components, such as microscale separations, reactions, microvalves and pumps and various detection schemes into fully functional devices (see, e.g., Pal et al., Lab Chip 2005, 5, 1024-1032). Since Manz et al. (supra), demonstrated capillary electrophoresis on a chip in the early 1990's, others have sought to improve upon it. Several groups have demonstrated integration of DNA processing functionality with biochip separation and detection. Integrated devices in a glass-PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) hybrid structure have been reported (Blazej et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2006, 103, 7240-5; Easley et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2006, 103, 19272-7; and Liu et al., Anal. Chem. 2007, 79, 1881-9). Liu coupled multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR), separation and four dye detection for human identification by short tandem repeat (STR) sizing. Blazej coupled Sanger sequencing reaction, Sanger reaction cleanup, electrophoretic separation and four dye detection for DNA sequencing of pUC18 amplicon. Easley coupled solid phase extraction of DNA, PCR, electrophoretic separation and single color detection to identify the presence of bacterial infection in blood. An integrated silicon-glass device coupling PCR, electrophoretic separation and single color detection was demonstrated by Burns (Pal, 2005, Id.). A hybrid device coupling a glass-PDMS portion for PCR to a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) portion for electrophoretic separation and single color detection for identifying the presence of bacteria DNA was reported by Huang (Huang et al., Electrophoresis 2006, 27, 3297-305).
Koh et al., report a plastic device that coupled PCR to biochip electrophoretic separation and single color detection for identifying the presence of bacterial DNA (Koh et al., Anal. Chem. 2003, 75, 4591-8). A silicone based device that couples DNA extraction, PCR amplification, biochip electrophoretic separation and single color detection was reported by Asogawa (Asogowa M, Development of portable and rapid human DNA Analysis System Aiming on-site Screening, 18th International Symposium on Human Identification, Poster, Oct., 1-4, 2007, Hollywood, Calif., USA). U.S. Pat. No. 7,332,126 (Tooke et al.) describes the use of centrifugal force to effect microfluidic operations required for nucleic acid isolation and cycle sequencing. However, this approach is based on small sample volumes, (those of the order of one to a few μL). As a result, the device is not useful for the processing of large samples for the isolation and analysis of nucleic acids, especially in highly parallel fashion, because the fluid samples must be applied to the device while stationary, which is, the disc must be able to contain all the fluids required for operation prior to centrifugation (potentially up to 100 s of mL for a highly-parallel device). Secondly, the device is limited to sample preparation and cycle sequencing, of bacterial clones (e.g., plasmid DNA).
There are several deficiencies in those devices that attempt to integrate DNA processing with biochip electrophoretic separation. First, detection is limited by either information content per assay (most use single color detectors although some have up to four color detection systems) or throughput (single sample or two sample capability). Second, these devices do not represent complete sample-to-answer integration, e.g., Blazej's device requires off-board amplification of template DNA prior to cycle sequencing, while others use samples that require pre-processing of some sort (e.g., Easley and Tooke require lysis of the sample before addition). Third, some of the processing choices made for these devices negatively impact time-to-answer: for example, the hybridization-based method of Blazej requires more than 20 minutes for cleanup of the cycle sequencing product. Fourth, many of these devices are fabricated in part or in-whole glass or silicon. The use of these substrates and corresponding fabrication techniques make them inherently costly (Gardeniers et al., Lab-on-a-Chip (Oosterbroeck R E, van den Berg A, Eds.). Elsevier: London, pp 37-64 (2003)) and limit them to applications where reuse of the devices must be performed; for many applications (such as human ID) this leads to the risk of sample contamination. Finally, the demonstrated technology is inappropriate for two applications, human identification via STR analysis and sequencing. For example, the Easley and Pal devices both suffer from poor resolution—much worse than a single base. Fragment sizing applications (e.g., human identification by analysis of short tandem repeat profiles) and sequencing both require single base resolution.
In addition to the limitations of the prior art with respect to microfluidic integration, problems with respect to fluorescence detection also limit the widespread application of nucleic acid analysis beyond conventional laboratory work. The most widely used commercial sequencing kits (BigDye™ v3.1 [Applied Biosystems] and DYEnamic™ ET [GE Healthcare Biosciences Corp, Piscataway, N.J.]) are based on a twenty year old detection method for four color (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,855,225; 5,332,666; 5,800,996; 5,847,162; 5,847,162). This method is based on resolution of the emission signal of a dye-labeled nucleotide into four different colors, one representing each of the four bases. These four-color dye systems have several disadvantages, including inefficient excitation of the fluorescent dyes, significant spectral overlap, and inefficient collection of the emission signals. The four color dye systems are especially problematic because they limit the amount of information that can be gained from a given electrophoretic (or other) separation of sequenced products.
There is an unmet need for a system capable of achieving high information content assays in electrophoretic systems based on separation and detection of DNA fragments by both fragment size and by color (dye wavelengths). The maximum number of DNA fragments that can be distinguished by electrophoresis is determined by the readlength of the separation and the resolution of the device. The maximum number of colors that can be detected is determined in part by the availability of fluorescent dyes and the wavelength discrimination of the detection system. Current biochip detection systems are typically limited to single color, although up to 4 color detection has been reported.
STR analysis for human identification is an example of DNA fragment sizing based on color multiplexing and allows simultaneous analysis up to 16 loci (AmpFlSTR Identifiler kit; Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.) and PowerPlex16 kit (Promega Corporation, Madison, Wis.). Using four or five fluorescent dyes, a single separation channel can discriminate among the sizes of the many allelic variants of each locus. Several fragment sizing applications would require more than 16 fragments to be separated and detected on a single lane. For example, the identification of pathogens by fingerprinting (i.e., the separation and detection of a large number of characteristic DNA fragments) and the diagnosis of aneuploidy by surveying the entire human genome can be accomplished by looking at several dozen or several hundred loci, respectively.
One approach to increasing the number of loci that can be detected in a single separation channel is to broaden the range of fragment sizes generated, in part by increasing the fragment sizes of additional loci. The use of longer fragments for additional loci is not ideal, however, as amplification of larger fragments is more susceptible to inhibitors and DNA degradation, leading to lower yields of longer fragments relative to shorter fragments. Furthermore, the generation of longer fragments also requires an increase in the extension time and hence, an increase in the total assay time. There is an unmet need to increasing the number of loci that can be detected in a given separation channel by increasing the number of dye colors that can be simultaneously detected.
There is an unmet need to increase the capacity of Sanger sequencing separations (and therefore decrease the cost, labor, and space of the process) by increasing the number of DNA sequences that can be analyzed in a single separation channel. In addition, in some applications, multiple DNA fragments are sequenced that generate difficult to read "mixed sequence" data; there is a need to develop an approach in that mixed sequences can be interpreted correctly.
One approach to increasing the capacity of Sanger separation channels and developing the ability to interpret mixed sequences is to increase the number of dye colors utilized in the sequencing reactions. In both DNA sequencing and fragment sizing, multiple fragments labeled with different dyes can be detected at the same time. In general, the separation between peak emission wavelengths of adjacent dyes must be large enough relative to peak width of the dyes. Accordingly, the throughput of each separation channel can, for example, be doubled by utilizing two sets of 4 dyes in two independent sequencing reactions, and combining the products, and separating them on a single channel. This methodology requires the use of a total of 8 dye colors, with the first sequence reaction using a set of 4 dye colors applied to label the dideoxynucleuotide terminators, and the second reaction another set of 4 dye colors applied to the label the terminators; each set of dye colors is independent so that no overlap in interpretation of the two sequences is possible. Using this same approach, a set of 12 dyes can be utilized to allow simultaneous analysis of the sequence of three DNA fragments in a single channel, a set of 16 dyes allows the analysis of four sequences, and so on, dramatically increasing the information capacity of Sanger separations.
The novel instruments and biochips of this application satisfy many unmet needs, including those outlined above.


A compressor unit is provided, which has at least two side-channel compressors arranged axially next to one another, and in which housing halves within each compressor each have, on a housing wall extending between an axially extending hub extension and a housing protrusion caused by a side channel, an axial extension 11. Side-channel compressors of different sizes can be assembled into a unit by the fact that the axial extension extends in each case into the parting plane of the housing halves, and is in each case equipped with a centering rim, projecting beyond the parting plane that mates with a centering step provided on the axial extension of the adjacent housing half and standing back from the parting plane. The inner housing halves are attached to one another at the axial extensions. The outer housing halves are attached to the inner housing halves by the attachment elements introduced into the passthrough openings.

A compressor unit is known from DE-U-92 15 231. In this prior compressor unit, a centering rim is provided on the individual housing halves which is radially outside the housing region forming the side channel. When the individual side-channel compressors are assembled into a unit, the side-channel compressors are centered with respect to one another by the respective inner housing halves which engage in one another via their centering rims. Attachment of the housing halves belonging to each side-channel compressor occurs via attachment brackets provided on the outer periphery of these housing halves into which attachment screws are inserted. The attachment brackets adjoin the inner parting plane of the two housing halves. For attachment of the side-channel compressors themselves, there are provided, on the outer periphery of the mutually facing housing halves of these side-channel compressors, attachment brackets adjoining the outer parting plane of those housing halves, into which attachment screws are once again inserted. With this type of attachment, only compressors with identical outside dimensions can be joined together into a unit.


A spring assembly 12 for an electromagnetic actuator 10 is provided. The actuator 10 has an armature 18 mounted for movement between two electromagnets 14 and 16 and a shaft 22 operatively associated with the armature. The spring assembly 12 includes a housing 34 having a surface feature 52 therein and is coupled to the actuator. A helical spring 32 is disposed in the housing 34 so as to be compressed and allowed to expand. The spring 32 has first and second ends with the second end biasing the shaft 22. A spring retainer 38 engages the first end of the spring 32. The spring retainer 38 has a surface feature 48 therein. A ball bearing 40 is received by the surface feature 52 of the housing 34 and the surface feature 48 of the spring retainer 38. When the spring 32 is compressed and then expanded, torque produced by the spring 32 is transferred to the ball bearing 40 which rotates with respect to the housing 34, permitting the first end of the spring to rotate while substantially preventing torque from being transferred from the spring 32 to the shaft 22 and armature 18.

In any device containing a helical spring which is flexed to store energy, the helical spring will "wind-up" as the spring is compressed, and unwind as the spring is allowed to expand. This winding of the spring imparts torque to the parts constraining the ends of the spring, and to any members attached to the spring constraining parts. An example of a device exhibiting this wind-up condition is an upper spring assembly of an electromagnetic actuator.
A conventional electromagnetic actuator for opening and closing a valve of an internal combustion engine generally includes "open" and "close" electromagnets which, when energized, produce an electromagnetic force on an armature. The armature is biased by a pair of identical upper and lower springs arranged in parallel. The armature is coupled with a gas exchange valve of the engine. The armature rests approximately half-way between the open and close electromagnets when the springs are in equilibrium. When the armature is held by a magnetic force in either the closed or opened position (at rest against the open or close electromagnet), potential energy is stored by the springs. If the magnetic force is shut off with the armature in the opened position, the spring's potential energy will be converted to kinetic energy of the moving mass and cause the armature to move towards the close electromagnet. If friction is sufficiently low, the armature can then be caught in the closed position by applying current to the close electromagnet.
Generally, the upper helical spring of the actuator is in a compressed state and is allowed to expand during operation of the actuator. The upper helical spring is generally constrained at one end by a spring adjusting screw and by a shaft assembly at the other end of the spring. The shaft assembly is coupled to the armature of the actuator. Thus, the upper helical spring can undesirably cause torque to be transmitted to the armature, which should not rotate. One method of preventing rotation of the armature is to provide some guiding mechanism for the armature. However, in a device such as an actuator which operates millions of strokes in its lifetime, a guiding mechanism can wear out quickly.
Accordingly, a need exists to provide a low cost spring assembly which allows one end of the spring to rotate during expansion thereof, yet substantially prevents torque from being transmitted to a member engaged with the other end of the spring.

Anti-friction helical spring assembly to prevent one end of a spring from rotating during expansion or compression of the spring


A low height disk drive having an overall height of approximately one inch (1xe2x80x3). The drive includes a head disk assembly, including a base plate, two disks rotatably supported on the base plate, a motor for rotating the disks, at least two heads for reading information from and writing information on respective ones of the disks; an actuator, supported on the base plate and responsive to control signals, for selectively positioning the heads with respect to the disks, and a cover sealably attached to the base plate to enclose the storage device, the head, and the actuator. The disk drive also includes control circuitry for generating control signals, and for providing information signals to and receiving information signals from the heads. The head disk assembly and the control circuitry have a combined height of approximately one inch or less.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to disk drives; more particularly to hard (or fixed) disk prompted reductions in the size and increases in memory capacity of disk drives.
2. Description of the Related Art
Developments in personal computers, portable computers and lap top computers have prompted reductions in the size and increases in memory capacity of disk drives. Attempts to provide further reductions in the size and weight, and increases in durability and memory capacity of existing disk drives have been met with limited success. The size (particularly the height) and weight of fixed or hard disk drives and the inability of existing hard disk drives to withstand physical shocks and/or vibrations have been factors which have prevented the incorporation of fixed disks in lap-top and in some cases even larger portable computers.
Existing disk drives incorporate a large number of mechanical parts. Each part in a disk drive also represents an increase in the weight of the drive and the space occupied by the drive. A large number of mechanical components makes manufacturing difficult and expensive and increases the possibility and probability of the mechanical failure of the drive. Importantly, the number of mechanical components is related to the ability of the drive to survive physical shocks and vibrations.
Resistance to physical shocks and vibrations is critical to protecting the disk or disks, the head or heads, and the various bearings in a disk drive from damage; in particular, it is necessary to prevent damage to the disks which can cause a loss of data, and damage to the heads or the bearings which can end the life of a drive, resulting in a total loss of data. Prior disk drives, however, have limited resistance to physical shocks. Resistance to physical shocks is of paramount importance in portable computers.
In conventional drives mechanical distortion or flexing of the mechanical components of a disk drive which support the heads and disks causes tracking problems by moving the heads, which are mounted at one point on the supporting components, relative to the disk, which is mounted at another point on the supporting components. The heads associated with the top and bottom surface of a disk can move relative to the disk to the point where the different heads are in different cylindersxe2x80x94a cylinder being defined as a vertical segment representing the same track on the top and bottom surface of the disk. This problem is known as mechanical off-track and is compounded by increased track densities.
Another problem with prior disk drives is the difficulty in sealing the drives to protect the disks from contaminants. This difficulty arises in part, from the large number of points at which access is provided to the environment in which the disk resides. These access points are utilized to bring to the interior of the disk drive electrical circuits which provide current to the motor which rotates the disk, transmit data signals to and from heads which read and record information on the disks, and in some instances, provide current to a voice coil for positioning the head (or heads) which respect to the disk or disks.
Many of these disadvantages of prior disk drivers are attributable to the casingxe2x80x94a three-dimensional casting or so-called xe2x80x9ctoilet bowlxe2x80x9d xe2x80x94in which the disks reside. Such a casing is a large, three dimensional piece of cast metal, usually aluminum, having a round portion where the disks residexe2x80x94hence the name xe2x80x9ctoilet bowl.xe2x80x9d A top plate covers the entire open top of the casing, forming a seal therewith.
The spindle on which the disks rotate is supported by and extends through both the casing and the cover.
The protrusion of the spindle through the casing and the cover provides points of entry for contaminates. Further, in disk drives using stepper motors to position the heads with respect to the disk, the stepper motor is located outside of the casing, requiring a seal between the stepper motor and the casing. Acknowledging the existence of points where contaminants can enter the disk drive, manufacturers of conventional disk drives provide a breather filter and design the-disk drives so that the rotation of the disks causes the disk drivers to exhaust air through leaks in the seals and to intake air only through the breather filter. However, a fairly course filter must be provided in the breather filter for flow of the air to exist, and thus contaminants enter the disk drive through the filter paper.
A cast casing is difficult to manufacture with precision, particularly the location of mounting points for elements of the drive supported by the casing. Mounting holes must be drilled after the casting is cast, and the mounting holes must be aligned with the casing and with each other. More importantly, however, a three-dimensional, cast casing flexes due to thermal stresses causing the above-mentioned mechanical off-track problems.
In conventional disk drives which use a voice coil to pivot an actuator arm in order to position the heads with respect to the disk, a flex circuit, having one end attached to the actuator arm and the other end attached to a fixed point in the disk drive, transfers the information signals to and from the heads. The standard orientation of such a flex circuit is a loop extending away from the disk. The distance between the point at which the flex circuit is attached to the actuator and the end of the disk drive is limited, and thus the radius of the tarc or curve of the flex circuit is small and the length of the flex circuit itself is limited. Therefore, the entire flex circuit moves when the actuator arm is pivoted and a torque is exerted on the actuator arm by the flex circuit. The torque exerted on the actuator arm must be compensated for, either added to or subtracted from the torque created by the voice coil when performing a seek operation. This compensation is complicated by the fact that the torque exerted on the actuator by the flex circuit varies with the position of the actuator.
Various types of locking (or latch) devices have been used to lock the arm of a voice coil in a particular position when the disk drive is not operating. The trend in latch devices is to utilize a high power unit which is separately assembled to provide reliability. However, high power latch devices generate a large amount of heat which is not desirable in a disk drive or any other area in a computer. Further, the operation of conventional latch devices can be position dependent. Thus, the orientation of the dick drive and the computer in which the disk drive is installed could affect the reliability of the latch device. Such a positional dependence of reliability is not satisfactory for portable computers.
With the ever-increasing storage available on individual magnetic disks, and the ever-increasing speed at which microprocessors such as Intel""s 80386 and 80486 chips operate, the data access time of the disk drive is critical to overall system performance. In many cases, the speed at which the disk accesses data and provides it to the microprocessor is the main performance bottleneck in the system. One critical factor in disk access time is the xe2x80x9cseek timexe2x80x9d of a drive, generally defined as the time the actuator takes to access particular data at a particular track location on the magnetic disk. The total access time is generally a function of the efficiency of the actuator motor in moving the read/write heads along the arcuate path between consecutive tracks of the disk, and the data throughput of the control electronics.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a disk drive having a low height and a low weight.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a multiple platter (disk), disk drive having a one-inch height form factor.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disk drive which is resistant to damage from physical shocks.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a low height disk drive having an increased data storage capacity.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disk drive in which any mechanical off tracking of the heads is mechanically minimized and electronically corrected.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disk drive assembly in which a single electrical connector transfers all electrical currents and data signals from the environment in which the disks reside to the exterior of the environment, and in which a header which communicates those electrical signals through the base plate is the only communication between the interior and the exterior of the drive.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved voice coil motor design, and specifically a disk drive having an efficient actuator positioning mechanism.
These and other objects of the present invention are provided by a disk drive, including: a head-disk assembly, having a base having a top and a bottom, storage means, supported on said top of said base, for storing data, solid storage means comprising two disks, interactive means for reading information from and writing information on said disks, actuator means, supported on said base and responsive to control signals, for selectively positioning said interactive means with respect to said disks means, and a cover sealably attached to said base to enclose said disks, said interactive means, and said actuator means; and control means, mounted on said head-disk assembly so that said control means is adjacent to said bottom of said base, for generating control signals to control said actuator means and for providing information signals to and receiving information signals from said interactive means, said head-disk assembly, said control means having overall maximum height of approximately one inch (1xe2x80x3).
A specific advantage of the present invention is that the disk drive has a reduced height with respect to conventional disk drives utilizing disks of approximately the same diameter. In particular, the three and one-half inch (3.5xe2x80x3) single platter and multiple platter drives of the present invention have an overall height of one inch (1xe2x80x3). Furthermore, the disk drive of the present invention is light in weightxe2x80x94the drives of the present invention weigh slightly more than one pound.
A further advantage of the present invention is that a single electrical connector (header) transfers all electrical signals between the exterior and the interior of the casing reducing the possibility of the introduction of contaminants into the controlled environment within the casing. Importantly, the disk drive of the present invention does not require a breather filter.
A further advantage of the disk drive of the present invention is that it includes a voice coil actuator assembly including means for mounting a plurality of read/write heads with respect to a storage means; and means for positioning said mounting means at a plurality of positions with respect to said disk, wherein said means for positioning has relatively equal efficiency between the inside diameter and the outside diameter of the disk.


A system and method for receiving voice mail messages as a text-based email message or a facsimile transmission are presented. When a voice mail message is received from a calling party, the voice mail message is recorded into mass memory. Later, when the called party seeks to retrieve the called party""s voice mail messages, the message can be converted to text and sent as either an email message to a designated email address or a facsimile transmission to a designated facsimile number. Additionally, a subscriber is able to record a message and have the recorded message converted to text and sent to a designated email address or facsimile number.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to communicating messages in a telecommunications network, and more particularly, to communicating prerecorded messages.
2. Description of Related Art
In addition to offering telephonic services, most telecommunications networks offer a communication service known as voice mail. Voice mail is a service whereby any party can leave a recorded voice message for the subscriber which is stored at a voice mail center. The voice mail center is usually connected as an Intelligent Peripheral (IP) to the telecommunications network and accessible by establishing a phone call to a specific directory phone number associated with the voice mail center. A party can leave a voice message for a subscriber by calling the specific directory phone number, or more commonly, be forwarded to the voice mail center when calling the subscriber""s phone number. The subscriber retrieves the message by establishing a call to the voice mail center using the directory phone number.
Since the introduction of voice mail, voice mail can be found in virtually all business telephone systems, as well as many residential telephone systems. Voice mail allows parties to leave messages from a suitably connected telephone, from anywhere in the world, which can also be accessed by any suitably connected telephone.
Individuals who are traveling or otherwise inaccessible by telephone for an extended period of time receive numerous important, and often lengthy voice mail messages. When reviewing numerous and highly detailed messages, the recipient must often take handwritten notes to remember the details of each particular voice mail message. Generally, the speed of oral communications exceeds the speeds of the recipient""s handwriting, therefore, the recipient must either write shorthand, or repeatedly listen to the same voice mail message.
One possible solution is the use of electronic mail (email) messages. Electronic mail is a system whereby two or more computers connected across a communications medium electronically transmit messages in the form of data. Common communications media include a Local Area Network (LAN) connection, or an Ethernet connection. However, the most popular communications medium is known as the Internet. The Internet is a network which joins together computer networks from educational institutions, the government, the military, and many private businesses in all parts of the world. Because the Internet is a worldwide network, a party in any part of the world can establish a connection to the Internet via a computer and send an email message to any other party on the Internet. The use of the Internet as a communications medium allows parties to leave messages from a suitably connected computer, from anywhere in the world, which can also be accessed by any suitably connected computer. Additionally, because the messages are text based, problems associated with handwriting notes are obviated.
Despite the foregoing advantages of email messages, a number of drawbacks exist. In order for a party to send an email message, the party must at a minimum have access to a computer terminal that is suitably connected. Although computers and data terminals are commonplace in most business environments, a significant number of residential homes do not have a computer. Additionally, many users may find typing and transmitting an email message to be more cumbersome and less intuitive compared to simply making a phone call and leaving an oral message. Accordingly, it would be advantageous if the accessibility of voice mail could be utilized by a party to leave a message for a recipient, while the textual qualities of email could be used by the recipient to receive the message.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to send messages from a sending party to a recipient using a telephone terminal and a voice mail center.
It is also an object of the present invention to forward the message in the form of a textual data communication.
The present invention is directed to a system and method for delivering a message for a called telephone terminal, including a peripheral for receiving and recording a voice message for the called telephone terminal from a calling telephone terminal, a voice/text conversion module which converts the voice message to a text message, and a computer connected to the peripheral for transmitting the text message from the peripheral to a designated email address.

System, method, and apparatus for converting voice mail to text and transmitting as an email or facsimile


Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a processing method for a service flow packet, and the method includes: receiving, by an access device, a service flow packet sent by a terminal; determining, by the access device according to a flow table and the received service flow packet, a function module for processing the service flow packet; sending, by the access device, the service flow packet to the function module; obtaining, by the access device, a service flow packet processed by the function module; and sending, by the access device, the service flow packet processed by the function module. The embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a device for processing a service flow packet. By using the present disclosure, processing flexibility and processing efficiency of a service flow packet can be improved.

In future software-defined networking (SDN), different services or applications have greatly different requirements on network data transmission. In addition, due to popularization of a machine to machine (M2M) technology, there is a massive increase in data connections, and an amount of data transmitted in a network also explosively increases.
However, a packet processing requirement of an existing wireless device is that various types of packets are processed by using a fixed mechanism, and therefore, service adaptability is poor, and processing efficiency of a service flow packet is low. In addition, because the existing wireless device is based on special-purpose hardware, and costs of upgrading and deploying a new function are high, the existing wireless device has difficulty in implementing network flexibility and in dealing with various future services with a great difference.

Processing method for service flow packet, and device