In a communication system, a source node responds to a packet by transmitting a signaling message to an ATM network, containing source and destination network-layer addresses and source and destination transport-layer addresses of the packet. The ATM network includes a filtering table having a plurality of entries each storing source and destination network-layer addresses and source and destination transport-layer addresses. Upon receipt of the signaling message, the ATM network returns a grant indication message to the source node if contents of the received signaling message are identical to contents of one of the entries of the filtering table, and establishes a virtual connection between the source node and a destination node. The source node is responsive to the grant indication message for storing the network-layer addresses and transport-layer addresses of the received packet into a virtual connection management table, segments a subsequently received packet into cells and transmits the cells over the virtual connection if the packet contains addresses identical to the addresses stored in the virtual connection management table.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks, and more specifically to a secure Internet communication using TCP(transmission control protocol/IP (Internet protocol) protocol over ATM networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a communication system using TCP/IP protocols over an ATM network, the IP protocol is used as a network-layer protocol and the TCP/UDP protocol is used as a transport-layer protocol for routing packets and these protocol functions are provided by routers. Usually, the router has a number of network interfaces and handles processes up to the network layer. Some routers handle part of the transport layer. One of the functions of the router is the technique known as "packet filtering" to ensure security of communication at the edge of a network. When an IP node outside of a network wishes to communicate with an IP node inside the network, the router examines every arriving packet by reading the headers of the network and transport layers to determine whether the packet is allowed or discarded. Specifically, the IP addresses and TCP (UDP, i.e., user datagram protocol) port numbers of those IP nodes that are allowed are set into the router and the network and transport addresses of every incoming packets are checked against the stored data to determine accessibility to internal nodes. Depending on the layer at which filtering occurs, packet filtering is classified as network-layer filtering or transport-layer filtering.
On the other hand, communications system specified by the ATM Forum and IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) use ATM as the second layer of the OSI (Open System Interconnection) reference model and the TCP/IP protocol as the third and fourth layers of the OSI reference model. Studies currently undertaken include the use of NHRP (next hop resolution protocol) scheme and MPOA (multiprotocol over ATM) system, where high speed ATM switches are provided, instead of conventional routers. ATM switches use a signaling procedure to establish a virtual connection between source and destination IP nodes prior to the transmission of transport-layer (TCP/UDP) packets. These packets are segmented into fixed-length cells at the source IP node and transmitted over the established virtual connection and reassembled at the destination IP node into a TCP/UDP packet.
However, since the TCP/UDP and IP headers of cells are not examined by transit switches as they propagate through the ATM network, the router's packet filtering function at the network-layer and transport-layer levels is not performed. Therefore, a need exists for ATM communication systems where security is a critical problem.

ATM Network with a filtering table for securing communication


A conductive carrier composition comprised of a core with a coating thereover comprised of a mixture of first and second polymers, and wherein the first polymer contains a conductive component, and the second polymer contains a metal oxide.

This invention is generally directed to developer compositions, and more specifically, the present invention relates to developer compositions with coated carrier particles prepared by dry powder processes, or in situ polymerization processes. In embodiments, the present invention is directed to conductive carrier particles comprised of a core with coating thereover generated from a mixture of polymers, and wherein one of the polymers is a tribocontrast polymer comprised, for example, of a polymethylmethacrylate, a polyvinylidene fluoride, and the like with a metal oxide, such as tin oxide dispersed therein. Moreover, in another aspect of the present invention the carrier particles are prepared by a dry coating process wherein a mixture of the polymers is applied to the carrier enabling conductive, that is 10.sup.-7 to about 10.sup.-14 (ohm-cm).sup.-1, particles with relatively constant conductivity parameters; and also wherein the triboelectric charge on the carrier can vary significantly depending on the coatings selected. In embodiments, the present invention is directed to a conductive carrier composition comprised of a core with a coating thereover comprised of a mixture of first and second polymers, and wherein the first polymer contains a conductive component, and the second polymer contains a metal oxide component, or wherein the polymers contain contrast pigments that are not in close proximity in the triboelectric series. Developer compositions comprised of the carrier particles prepared by the dry coating process of the present invention are useful in electrostatographic or electrophotographic imaging systems, especially xerographic imaging processes. Additionally, developer compositions comprised of substantially conductive carrier particles prepared in accordance with the process of the present invention are useful in imaging methods wherein relatively constant conductivity parameters are desired. Furthermore, in the aforementioned imaging processes the triboelectric charge on the carrier particles can be preselected depending, for example, on the polymer composition applied to the carrier core.
The electrostatographic process, and particularly the xerographic process, is well known. This process involves the formation of an electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor, followed by development, and subsequent transfer of the image to a suitable substrate. Numerous different types of xerographic imaging processes are known wherein, for example, insulative developer particles or conductive toner compositions are selected depending on the development systems used. Moreover, of importance with respect to the aforementioned developer compositions is the appropriate triboelectric charging values associated therewith as it is these values that enable continued constant developed images of high quality and excellent resolution.
Additionally, carrier particles for use in the development of electrostatic latent images are described in many patents including, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,000. These carrier particles may consist of various cores, including steel, with a coating thereover of fluoropolymers, and terpolymers of styrene, methacrylate, and silane compounds. Recent efforts have focused on the attainment of coatings for carrier particles, for the purpose of improving development quality, and also to permit particles that can be recycled, and that do not adversely effect the imaging member in any substantial manner. Many of the present commercial coatings can deteriorate rapidly, especially when selected for a continuous xerographic process where the entire coating may separate from the carrier core in the form of chips or flakes, and fail upon impact, or abrasive contact with machine parts and other carrier particles. These flakes or chips, which cannot generally be reclaimed from the developer mixture, have an adverse effect on the triboelectric charging characteristics of the carrier particles thereby providing images with lower resolution in comparison to those compositions wherein the carrier coatings are retained on the surface of the core substrate. Further, another problem encountered with some prior art carrier coatings resides in fluctuating triboelectric charging characteristics, particularly with changes in relative humidity. The aforementioned modification in triboelectric charging characteristics provides developed images of lower quality, and with background deposits.
There are also illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,387, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, coated carrier components for electrostatographic developer mixtures comprised of finely divided toner particles clinging to the surface of the carrier particles. Specifically, there are disclosed in this patent coated carrier particles obtained by mixing carrier core particles of an average diameter of from between about 30 microns to about 1,000 microns, with from about 0.05 percent to about 3.0 percent by weight, based on the weight of the coated carrier particles, of thermoplastic resin particles. The resulting mixture is then dry blended until the thermoplastic resin particles adhere to the carrier core by mechanical impaction, and/or electrostatic attraction. Thereafter, the mixture is heated to a temperature of from about 320.degree. F. to about 650.degree. F. for a period of 20 minutes to about 120 minutes, enabling the thermoplastic resin particles to melt and fuse on the carrier core. While the developer and carrier particles prepared in accordance with the process of this patent, the disclosure of which has been totally incorporated herein by reference, are suitable for their intended purposes, the conductivity values of the resulting particles are not constant in all instances, for example when a change in carrier coating weight is accomplished to achieve a modification of the triboelectric charging characteristics; and further with regard to the '387 patent, in many situations carrier and developer mixtures with only specific triboelectric charging values can be generated when certain conductivity values or characteristics are contemplated. With the invention of the present application, the conductivity of the resulting carrier particles are substantially constant, and moreover, the triboelectric values can be selected to vary significantly, for example, from less than a positive 5 microcoulombs per gram to greater than about a positive 40 microcoulombs per gram, depending on the polymer mixture and dispersed component selected.
Insulating carrier particles with a mixture of polymeric coatings thereover, and wherein the coatings are not in close proximity in the triboelectric series are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,937,166 and 4,935,326, the disclosures of which are totally incorporated herein by reference. There are illustrated in these patents, for example, an insulating carrier composition with first polymer present in an amount of from about 10 percent by weight to about 90 percent by weight, and a second polymer present in an amount of from about 90 percent by weight to about 10 percent by weight, and wherein the first and second polymers are selected from the group consisting of polystyrene and tetrafluoroethylene; polyethylene and tetrafluoroethylene; polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride; polyvinyl acetate and tetrafluoroethylene; polyvinyl acetate and polyvinyl chloride; polyvinyl acetate and polystyrene; and polyvinyl acetate and polymethyl methacrylate, and with a conductivity of about 10.sup.-15 (ohm-cm).sup.-1. Accordingly, the aforementioned carrier particles are considered insulating.
With further reference to the prior art, carriers obtained by applying insulating resinous coatings to porous metallic carrier cores using solution coating techniques are undesirable from many viewpoints. For example, the coating material will usually reside in the pores of the carrier cores, rather than at the surfaces thereof, and therefore, is not available for triboelectric charging when the coated carrier particles are mixed with finely divided toner particles. Attempts to resolve this problem by increasing the carrier coating weights, for example, to as much as 3 percent or greater to provide an effective triboelectric coating to the carrier particles necessarily involves handling excessive quantities of solvents, and further, usually these processes result in low product yields. Also, solution coated carrier particles when combined and mixed with finely divided toner particles provide in some instances triboelectric charging values which are too low for many uses. The powder coating process of the present invention overcomes these disadvantages, and further enables developer mixtures that are capable of generating high and useful triboelectric charging values with finely divided toner particles; and also wherein the carrier particles are of substantially constant conductivity. Further, when resin coated carrier particles are prepared by the powder coating process of the present invention, the majority of the coating materials are fused to the carrier surface thereby reducing the number of toner impaction sites on the carrier material. Additionally, there can be achieved with the process of the present invention, independent of one another, desirable triboelectric charging characteristics and conductivity values; that is, for example the triboelectric charging parameter is not dependent on the carrier coating weight as is believed to be the situation with the process of U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,387 wherein an increase in coating weight on the carrier particles may function to also permit an increase in the triboelectric charging characteristics. Specifically, therefore, with the carrier compositions and process of the present invention there can be formulated developers with selected triboelectric charging characteristics and/or conductivity values in a number of different combinations.
Thus, for example, there can be formulated in accordance with the invention of the present application developers with conductivities of from about 10.sup.-8 (ohm-cm).sup.-1 to about 10.sup.-6 (ohm-cm).sup.-1 as determined in a magnetic brush conducting cell, and triboelectric charging values of from about a +5 to a +40 microcoulombs per gram on the carrier particles as determined by the known Faraday Cage technique. Thus, the developers of the present invention can be formulated with constant conductivity values with different triboelectric charging characteristics by, for example, maintaining the same coating weight on the carrier particles and changing the polymer coating ratios.
Other patents of interest include 3,939,086, which discloses steel carrier beads with polyethylene coatings, see column 6; 4,264,697, which discloses dry coating and fusing processes; 3,533,835; 3,658,500; 3,798,167; 3,918,968; 3,922,382; 4,238,558; 4,310,611; 4,397,935 and 4,434,220.

Conductive developer compositions with coated carrier particles


A boat hull support has a pair of support members each pivotally attached to a respective upright. The inner ends of the support members oppose each other. One of the inner ends mounts a pair of cam plates having aligned banana-shaped cam openings. The other inner end mounts a follower rod received in the cam openings. The cam openings are shaped so that movement of one of the support members about its pivot will be translated into an equal and opposite movement of the other. The support members are urged to a generally horizontal position by leaf springs or elastomer blocks bearing against the underside of the support members.

This invention relates to a support for the hull of a boat, and particularly to a self-centering support for use in storage racks or the like.
In my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,576 issued Feb. 16, 1993, I describe a support for a boat hull which has the feature that the boat is automatically centered in the support as the boat is lowered onto the support. The support of my earlier patent included a central guide post to which a pair of hull support members were joined so that movement of one support member was translated into a like movement of the other. There are instances of use for hull supports where there is insufficient space or clearance for such a guide post. One example is in racks that store boats at levels one above the other.
The present invention is directed to a self-centering hull support that has a low profile and which is therefore usable in storage racks or other environments having space limitations.


A battery module includes: a plurality of connecting members electrically connecting electric terminals of adjacent electric cells; and a flexible flat cable formed by flatly encapsulating an outer circumference of a flat conductor with an insulating resin and joining the plurality of connecting members. Portions of the flexible flat cable to be disposed between adjacent connecting members are provided with folded portions formed by folding the flexible flat cable at folded lines. The folded lines extend in a direction crossing a longitudinal direction of the flexible flat cable.

In battery modules for use in electric cars and hybrid cars, several electric cells are connected in transverse juxtaposition in order to increase the output. The plurality of electric cells is connected in series or in parallel by connecting electrode terminals of the electric cells adjacent to each other with members such as bus bars.
Assembly of the battery module having the above structure requires the connecting members to connect the electrode terminals at plural positions, which thus necessitates a cumbersome operation to repeat the operations for connecting the electrode terminals with the connecting members.
With the above background, one proposal is made that a use of a battery connecting plate in which, in accordance with the number of inter-terminal spaces between the electrode terminals to be connected, a plurality of connecting members disposed in a die is integrated into a resin by a method such as insert molding (e.g., see, Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3990960
With use of the battery connecting plate disclosed in the above Patent Document 1, the plurality of inter-terminal spaces between the electrode terminals of the electric cells adjacent to each other is collectively connectable simply by attaching the single battery connecting plate to the plurality of electrode terminals protruding from the plurality of electric cells, which enhances the operational efficiency.
However, since assembly tolerance is set between the plurality of juxtaposed electric cells, pitches between the electrode terminals of the adjacent electric cells may not become constant in the battery module in which the plurality of electric cells is juxtaposed. When the above-described battery connecting plate is connected to the electrode terminals with the non-constant pitches, the electrode terminals and the connecting members of the battery connecting plate may be positionally misaligned, which can lead to reduction in the efficiency of the connecting operations of the battery connecting plate.
Further, when the non-constancy of the pitches between the electrode terminals is increased due to shrinkage or expansion of the electric cells of the battery module in the direction in which the electric cells are juxtaposed, the integrally-molded connecting plate described above may not be able to compensate the positional misalignment.
Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a battery module in which non-constancy of pitches between adjacent electrode terminals is easily adjustable.


A method, apparatus and assembly related to solid oxide fuel cell interconnects is disclosed. In its broadest embodiment, the invention contemplates a multi-layered ceramic interconnect having integrated flow fields and electrical connections. The method of making this interconnect includes judicious selection of materials, formation of appropriate apertures for the flow fields and electrical connectors, and the joining of the layers through a firing and/or sealing process.

The present invention is generally drawn to a fuel cell interconnect and more particularly to a multi-layered ceramic interconnect possessing superior design and performance characteristics, as well as a method for making the same.
Demand for electrical generating equipment has increased substantially in recent years. As a result, numerous technologies have been developed to provide electricity, including traditional grid-based systems and more localized, distributed generation systems. Moreover, as demand continues to increase, many anticipate that the demand for distributed generation systems will also increase.
In response to this distributed generation need, particular attention has been paid to fuel cell systems. Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that convert the energy of a chemical reaction directly into electrical energy. The basic physical structure of a single fuel cell includes electrodes (an anode and a cathode) with an electrolyte located there between in contact with the electrodes. To produce electrochemical reactions at the electrodes, a fuel stream and an oxidant stream are supplied to the anode and cathode, respectively. The fuel cell electrochemically converts a portion of the chemical energy of the fuel in the fuel stream to electricity, while the remaining amount of the chemical energy is released as heat. A stack of individual fuel cells is preferably connected in electrical series via a series of conductive interconnects in order to generate a useful additive voltage.
The type of electrolyte used in a fuel cell is generally employed to classify the fuel cell and is also determinative of certain fuel cell operating characteristics, such as operating temperature. Present classes of fuel cells include the Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell (PEFC), the Alkaline Fuel Cell (AFC), the Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell (PAFC), the Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC), and the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC). In turn, interconnect devices are selected based upon compatibility with the electrolyte.
Current research efforts have focused upon SOFC systems for a variety of safety and performance concerns. For example, in comparison to other types of fuel cells, SOFC systems do not require the presence of corrosive electrolytes. Moreover, SOFC operating temperatures are more efficient and more conducive to integration with internal system components and/or other applications. Finally, given the ability of an SOFC stack to have either a tubular or planar shape, SOFC stacks afford greater design flexibility.
Planar solid oxide fuel cells are an attractive option for meeting the growing need for distributed power generation in a manner which is both energy efficient and environmentally sound. In particular, such systems offer modularity as well as higher fuel efficiency, lower emissions, and less noise and vibration in comparison to other distributed generation systems (e.g., diesel generators, gas turbines, etc.). However, the construction and operating costs of solid oxide fuel cells must compare favorably with these alternative power sources. Thus, in order to be widely accepted for distributed generation applications, solid oxide fuel cells must be able to cost-effectively produce electricity, as well as efficiently utilize the heat energy required to operate the cell.
Ideally, fuel cell performance should depend only on the fuel composition and the amount of fuel consumed at the anode side. Consequently, proper distribution of the reactant gases to the various parts of the cell is of particular concern. Various designs of anode-electrolyte-cathode tri-layers and associated flow passages are available for constructing fuel cell stacks. The most common configuration is the planar design having multiple layers of cell units stacked therein. The fuel and oxidant (e.g., air) respectively flow past the surface of the anode and cathode placed opposite the electrolyte. This arrangement allows the anode surface to be in direct contact with the fuel, and the cathode surface to be in direct contact with air. The flow passages for each gas can be connected to inlet and outlet manifolds on both the anode and cathode sides. Additional external baffles may also be provided to help channel the flow of reactant gases.
Generally speaking, the fuel is consumed due to electrochemical reactions as it passes across the anode from the inlet to the outlet. One function of the interconnect in a fuel cell stack is to insure distribution of fuel to all active areas of the cell. During cell operation, fuel must be supplied to even the most fuel-starved portions of the cell in a quantity sufficient to insure the proper operation of that fuel-starved portion. As a result, excess fuel is ultimately supplied to the entire cell in order to meet the demands imposed by the fuel-starved portions of the cell. This excess fuel usage has a negative impact on the overall cell and stack efficiency. Consequently, stack performance can be enhanced by improving the flow distribution of reactant gases within the cell.
Notwithstanding the issues associated with the negative impact of improper reactant flow on performance, SOFC interconnect functionality and interconnect cost actually constitute the greatest barriers to producing market competitive SOFC systems at present. In contrast to the flow patterns discussed above, the interconnect must provide reactant gas separation and containment, mechanical support to the cells, and a low resistance path for electrical current. Moreover, the reactant gas flow channels associated with the interconnect must be designed to control distribution of reactants with minimal pressure drop in the overall SOFC stack, especially in respect to the air flow channels of the interconnect because of the relatively high air flow rates required to dispose of heat from the stack. Finally, when integrated into the stack, each interconnect must be resistant to deleterious reactions (such as corrosion), dense to provide adequate gas separation of the reactant gases and still strong enough to minimize the effects of displacement cause by differential thermal expansion.
Monolithic interconnects made of lanthanum chromite ceramics and high-temperature metallic alloys have been used to address these problems with some amount of success. However, both types of interconnects are expensive and compromise aspects of the interconnect function. Moreover, lanthanum chromite and high-temperature alloys (for example, high chrome alloys) used in a conventional monolithic interconnect design are currently cost-prohibitive, although use of lanthanum chromite interconnect could theoretically allow for a marginally competitive product, assuming a regular, high production volume was needed and net-shape ceramic processing was used. In any event, lanthanum chromite provides a specific illustration of the basic conundrum in SOFC commercialization—the chilling effects of production start-up costs coupled with the initially small market size.
The gas separation requirement presents another problem in terms of materials selection. Obviously, the interconnect must present a barrier to separate the various gases flowing therethrough. Thus, a dense impermeable material with high electronic conductivity but almost no ionic conductivity must be used. Although ceramic processing has developed the capability to produce interconnects of sufficiently high density, many ceramics, including lanthanum chromite, have an unacceptably high ionic conductivity (thereby resulting in poor system performance). Many electrically conductive ceramic materials also exhibit undesired dimension changes when subjected to reducing gas atmospheres due to the loss of oxygen ions within the material. Alternate compositions of ceramic materials possessing low ionic conductivity generally have less than acceptable electronic conductivity or have a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that is not well matched to that of the cell.
In contrast, metallic alloy interconnects have been developed that readily satisfy the gas separation function, but they generally do not exhibit adequate resistance to corrosion (and other deleterious reactions). In particular, oxide scale growth/formation and unacceptably high electrical resistance are probably the most challenging hurdles presented by known metal interconnects. Scale resistance is a function of oxide conductivity, thickness and continuity. Porous or laminar scales have the effect of increasing the current path length while reducing the effective current carrying cross sectional area. The mechanism for scale growth and conductivity are interrelated such that growth rate generally increases with scale conductivity. Higher growth rates tend to produce less dense, poorly adherent scales. Most alloys (except noble or semi-noble metals) actually trade advantageous scale conductivity for increased degradation because of scale growth. Coating the interconnect with a conductive oxide layer provides more control of the scale composition and microstructure, but does not change the basic nature of the problem. The application of coatings to alloy interconnects also increases the fabrication cost.
Regardless of the choice of ceramic or metallic interconnect, a close match of the cell and interconnect coefficients of thermal expansion is an absolute requirement. A close match of the CTE allows for the effective sealing of individual cells to interconnects and the concurrent containment of the reactant gases therein. Too large of a mismatch of CTE results in certain regions of the cell becoming adversely displaced. This physical displacement prevents effective confinement of the reactant gases within their intended flow paths, thereby adversely effecting performance of the entire SOFC stack. While changes between room and operating temperatures (generally in the range of 700 to 1000° C.) produce the largest thermal displacements, smaller temperature gradients across the stack (which vary with stack operating conditions) can also create detrimental displacements.
Dissimilar thermal expansion characteristics may also cause disruption of the electrical current path between cells and interconnects in a stack because of the relative movement of the contact points. Essentially, this loss of contact creates additional, unwanted resistance which substantially degrades stack performance and efficiency.
Most alloy interconnects also have a higher CTE in comparison to the other cell components. As a result, metallic alloy interconnects are particularly susceptible to contact resistance problems because the relative motion caused by expansion can dislodge a protective oxide scale and expose underlying unprotected metal. In turn, oxidation of any unprotected surface increases the overall scale thickness, and as mentioned above, the scale conductivity is comparatively poor so that such scale growth contributes directly to performance degradation. Additionally, oxide scales can adhere to the electrodes adjacent the interconnect. In such cases, relative motion can actually crack or damage the electrodes or the electrolyte layer itself.
In contrast, lanthanum chromite does not experience the same problems as alloy interconnects. Generally, the CTE of chromite ceramic interconnects is more closely matched to the cell; however, other concerns make these interconnects less attractive.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,897 to Hartvigsen et al., and assigned to SOFCo, a wholly owned subsidiary of McDermott Technology Inc., attempts to address some of the problems above. Its entire disclosure is incorporated by reference herein.
Hartvigsen proposes a ceramic SOFC interconnect with electrically conductive filled vias penetrating a gas separator plate. While Hartvigsen's design provides the resulting cell/stack with the gas separation qualities (by way of the separator plate) and excellent current collection and conduction (by way of the filled vias), Hartvigsen fails to discuss any means for optimizing the reactant flowfields, nor does it imply these items could be integrated into the interconnect itself. Likewise, Hartvigsen does not consider the complexities involved in providing a thermally compliant interconnect structure (e.g., column 6, lines 1-12).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,376,117 entitled "Internal Fuel Staging For Improved Fuel Cell Performance," contemplates the inclusion of staging plates within the fuel cell stack to enhance reactant gas distribution along the tri-layer. However, the staging plates of this pending application must be provided separately from the interconnect itself, and the application fails to consider any sort of integrated structure. Notably, at present, this application is assigned to the same inventive entity as the present invention, and its entire disclosure is incorporated by reference herein.
Given the above, an interconnect which is well-matched to the components of an SOFC stack would be welcome. In particular, an interconnect which provides adequate flowpaths for the reactant gases and permits selective control of the performance of the cells/stack is especially needed.

High performance ceramic fuel cell interconnect with integrated flowpaths and method for making same


Information-recording process in which a pulsed laser produces recording marks in the form of crisply-defined areas of surface relief on the surface of a recording medium such as APIEZON W wax, iodine doped epoxy resin, and other materials. The medium is selectively producable in different density states by cooling it at a selected cooling rate from the molten state, and can be switched between said states by controlled exposure to the laser light, thus permitting recording, erasing, and recording on the medium. The permits very small marks of less than 1 micron diameter to be produced using a diffraction-limited spot of light, and as surface relief of high aspect ratio can be obtained at low power levels, it is possible to achieve high packing densities and high signal to noise ratio at low energy costs.

This invention relates to information storage devices and, in particular, to an erasable and reusable archival memory utilizing a highly focused laser beam for recording, reading and erasing.
Since the early 1960's, it has been apparent to those involved with the recording art that optical recording, and in particular, optical disc recording, is a very promising method because it allows instantaneous playback, very fast random access, and much higher recording density than is possible with magnetic recording, and archival storage. It is widely recognized that the optical disc system with the greatest potential is the type that uses a highly focused laser beam as an ultra-fine recording stylus to store encoded information at very high data rates with extremely high density.
In pursuit of the vast potential offered by this method, the laser recording art has progressed to the point where there are numerous different recording processes contending to provide the first practical laser recording system. However, in spite of all the activity in the field, no one has come forward with a practical system that is economical enough to be marketed on a large scale. The reason is that each and every recording process known has at least one significant flaw or disadvantage.
The recording process must have a high enough resolution to allow the recording of marks of very small size to satisfy the requirement of high packing density, and the sensitivity of the process must be high enough to permit the use of economical, low power recording lasers. But the sensitivity should be low enough so that the recording medium can withstand a playback exposure high enough to yield a high signal to noise ratio. Furthermore, it is clear that in order to avoid long term degradation due to ambient conditions, and to ensure totally non-destructive readout, the process must have a well defined exposure threshold below which there is no response. In addition, it is desired that the recording process should permit instant playback without the need for post-recording processing before readout. None of the presently known processes meet all these requirements.
One known method involves using heat to induce a stable transition between two structural states having different optical properties, namely the amorphous state and the crystalline state. In the prior art, the only materials known to be useful in this process were the amorphous semiconductors and the chalcogenides.
One type of reversible mass optical memory based on these structural changes involves a photon enhanced transformation from the amorphous state to the crystalline state. The major drawbacks of this process are that it has relatively low sensitivity (typically 10.sup.-2 J/cm.sup.2) low resolution (typically 500 lines per mm maximum) limited by the size of the crystalline grains, and slow write times which are limited by the inherent delay due to the crystallization process. This delay severely limits the recording rate because the transition to the crystalline state depends on the presence of the recording beam.
In a further process using amorphous thin films of chalcogenides, a crystalline track is first made with a continuous wave laser, and the bits are written by amorphizing with the pulsed laser. This is called a reverse mode process. Erasing is done by moving the track under a continuous wave laser spot of low power. A bulk erase is also possible by heating up the entire film above the glass forming temperature of about 120.degree. C. There is a difficulty with the continuous wave laser erase: the degree of crystallization in the track tends to increase after each erase, which causes an increase in the amount of amorphizing energy required. Thus, if a large number of erases are required, a method of stabilizing the track density must be found. Reverse mode writing has the advantage that writing is done by the fast amorphizing process--the speed is limited by the laser not the film. In forward mode, writing is by the slower crystallizing process, which requires about 1 .mu.sec per bit.
These processes employing semiconductor and chalcogenide films rely on changes in the optical transmission and reflectance properties that occur when a transition takes place from one morphological state to another. As these changes are not very great, a high signal to noise ratio is not obtainable with these processes.

Information-recording process & apparatus


A Y/C separation circuit includes a first adder by which a carrier-multiplexed composite video signal is produced by multiplexing a color sub-carrier signal which is in synchronization with a color burst signal on a composite video signal during a vertical blanking period. The carrier-multiplexed composite video signal inputted to a 1H delay line and outputted from the 1H delay line. The carrier-multiplexed composite video signals at the input and the output of the 1H delay line are inputted to a second adder, and a subtracter, respectively. A luminance signal component and a chrominance signal component are respectively outputted from the second adder and the subtracter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Y/C separation circuit. More specifically, the present invention relates to a Y/C separation circuit which is utilized in a video signal processing apparatus such as a television receiver and in which a luminance signal (Y signal) and a chrominance signal (C signal) are separated from a composite video signal by utilizing a 1H (horizontal scanning period) delay line.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, as a 1H delay line for such a Y/C separation circuit, in general, a glass delay line or a CCD delay line was utilized; however, an insertion loss of such a kind of delay line is not constant, each having variation of the insertion loss. On the other hand, as an important item for a performance of the Y/C separation circuit, there is a separation degree of the luminance signal and the chrominance signal, that is, a depth of a comb characteristic.
Therefore, in a prior art, as shown in FIG. 1, in order to make amplitudes of the C signal component of the composite video signal passed through a 1H delay line 1 and the C signal component of the composite video signal not passed through the 1H delay line 1 be coincident to each other, in a manufacturing step of the video signal processing apparatus such as a television receiver, video tape recorder and etc., it is necessary to adjust a gain of a gain-variable amplifier 2. That is, in FIG. 1 prior art, the variation of an amplitude due to the variation of the insertion loss of the 1H delay line 1 is corrected by adjusting the gain of the gain-variable amplifier 2, and the composite video signal passed through the 1H delay line 1 and the composite video signal not passed through the 1H delay line 1 are inputted to an adder 3 and a subtracter 4, respectively, and the luminance signal and the chrominance signal are withdrawn from the adder 3 and the subtracter 4, respectively. Thus, in FIG. 1 prior art, it was necessary to adjust in advance the gain of the gain-variable amplifier 2.
Then, the same assignee as that of the present invention has proposed a technique for solving such a disadvantage of FIG. 1 prior art in an embodiment shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,027 issued on Nov. 30, 1993. In this proposed prior art, as shown in FIG. 2, in order to make an operation of the Y/C separation circuit be stable at a point that a color burst signal included in the luminance signal outputted from the Y/C separation circuit becomes to be minimized, a color burst signal included in the composite video signal not passed through the 1H delay line 1 (or the composite video signal passed through the 1H delay line 1) and the color burst signal included in the luminance signal are multiplied by a multiplier 5, and a voltage-controlled gain-variable amplifier 6 is controlled by an output signal from the multiplier 5, whereby the amplitude can be automatically adjusted.
Thus, in FIG. 2 prior art, by detecting the amplitude of the color burst signal, the insertion loss amount of the 1H delay line or the like is automatically corrected, and therefore, in a case where a signal including a large number of noises and having a small burst signal level such as a signal at a time of a weak electric field, a signal obtained by reproducing the video tape recorder, and etc., it is difficult to surely detect the amplitude of the color burst signal. That is, in FIG. 2 prior art, there occurs a problem that the Y/C separation degree is dependent on the level of the input signal, S/N ratio and etc.
Furthermore, one example of a conventional Y/C separation circuit in which a 1H glass delay line is utilized is shown in FIG. 3. The Y/C separation circuit shown in FIG. 3 separates the luminance signal and the chrominance signal by utilizing a fact that a phase of the chrominance signal is inverted at every two lines. Therefore, in FIG. 3 prior art, a delay time of the 1H glass delay line 1' must be surely 1H (horizontal scanning period). However, in general, in the 1H glass delay line 1', a pair of supersonic transducers are provided on the opposite angles of a rectangular glass substrate, and an electric signal which is inputted to one supersonic transducer is withdrawn from the other supersonic transducer as an electric signal with 1H delay according to a surface form of the glass substrate between the transducers, and therefore, the variation occurs in delay time due to the irregularity of the working of the glass substrate.
Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the 1H glass delay line 1' is terminated by utilizing a variable inductance coil L, and by adjusting an inductance value of the variable inductance coil L, the variation of the delay time of the 1H glass delay line 1' is corrected.
However, in the prior art Y/C separation circuit shown in FIG. 3, since the variable inductance coil L is adjusted by a human work, and therefore, not only it takes a long time for adjusting the inductance value but also the variation in performance occurs for each product.
Then, the same assignee as that of the present invention has proposed a technique in which the 1H glass delay line 1 is constructed by utilizing a semiconductor variable inductance circuit (hereinafter, called as "gylator") which terminates at least one of an input end and an output end of the 1H glass delay line 1', instead of the variable inductance coil L, in an embodiment of the above described U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,027. Then, signals at the input end and the output end of the 1H glass delay line 1' are multiplied, and by controlling the gylator by a multiplication output, the variation of the delay time of the 1H glass delay line 1' can be automatically adjusted.
In addition, in an output signal from the 1H glass delay line, in general, a spurious component which is delayed by more than one horizontal scanning period exists other than a signal component which is delayed by one horizontal scanning period. Therefore, a spurious component occurs by passing the chrominance signal which exists in an effective video signal period through the 1H glass delay line, and the spurious component is added to the color burst signal, and therefore, a phase condition of the color burst signal is changed.
This will be described with referring to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows an input chrominance signal and an output chrominance signal to or from the 1H glass delay line, wherein FIG. 4(A) shows the input chrominance signal to the 1H glass delay line, and FIG. 4(B) shows the output chrominance signal from the 1H glass delay line. In FIG. 4, in a case where a signal (C1 or C3) having a low color saturation degree of a video signal is inputted to the 1H glass delay line 1', although a spurious component of the signal C1 or C3 is superposed on the color burst signal B2 or B4 as shown in FIG. 5(B), a level of the spurious component of the signal C1 or C3 is sufficiently lower than a level of the signal B2 or B4, and therefore, the influence due to the spurious component to the color burst signal B2 or B4 is small.
On the other hand, in a case where a signal C2 having a high color saturation degree of the video signal is inputted to the 1H glass delay line 1', a spurious component of the signal C2 is superposed on the color burst signal B3. At this time, a level of the spurious component due to the signal C2 is high, and the influence due to the spurious component to the signal B3 becomes large, and therefore, a phase of the signal B3 is changed. Accordingly, if the gylator is controlled by a signal obtained on the basis of the signal B3, a delay amount of the 1H glass delay line 1' becomes different from that of a normal state, and therefore, the Y/C separation degree becomes bad.
In addition, in the above, the influence due to the spurious component by the chrominance signal to the Y/C separation degree is described; however, a spurious component due to a luminance signal also affects the Y/C separation degree.
In addition, it is difficult to surely control the phase relationship of the color burst signal at a time of a signal including a large number noises such as a signal at a weak electric field, a signal obtained by reproducing the video tape recorder, and etc.

Y/C separation circuit for video use having separating means for separating the chrominance signal and the luminance signal on the basis of input and output signals


A process and catalyst for the conversion of contaminants in an oxygen containing contaminated stream comprises passing the oxygen containing contaminated stream over a photocatalyst comprising titanium, zirconium and silica while irradiating the foregoing catalyst with ultraviolet light.

The present invention is drawn to a process and catalyst for the conversion of contaminants in oxygen containing contaminated fluids into less harmful products by irradiating the contaminated fluid with ultraviolet light while the contaminated fluid is in contact with the catalyst.
In spite of decades of effort, a significant need remains for an advanced technology to control stationary source emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as for example benzene, chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) as for example trichloroethlyene, and toxic air pollutants (TAPs) as for example acrylonitrile. A particular need exists for technology which controls emissions from industrial processes and other applications where low concentrations of VOCs and TAPs are present in high flow rate air streams. Similarly, a particular need remains for a technology which can purify aqueous streams containing low concentrations of VOCs.
Dilute stream pollution control is becoming recognized as a major environmental control issue for the United States industrial community at large. For example, the control of air pollution associated with solvent degreasing operations is necessary, including the dilute emissions associated with exhaust ventilation fans. Also, air stripping of contaminated groundwater produces dilute air emissions for which current technology provides no satisfactory solution. Catalytic combustors are available, but require processing tremendous volumes of air and result in uneconomic performance. Thermal incinerators require excessive supplemental fuel for dilute mixtures, and exhibit uncertain selectivity when CVOCs are involved. Gas membrane processes are only now emerging for gas separation, and are ill-suited for dilute mixtures. Pressure swing adsorption using zeolites or resins is not applicable to dilute mixtures, and rotating wheel adsorbers are uneconomic for such dilute concentrations of organics. Packed bed activated carbon adsorption is widely practiced, but creates a hazardous solid waste which is increasingly difficult to manage. Carbon regeneration by steam is costly, and is generally economic only for very large scale operations. Landfill options for spent carbon will become more limited, as it involves transportation and disposal of hazardous wastes, particularly for CVOC applications. Similar deficiencies are exhibited in aqueous phase treatment systems.
Control of indoor air pollution is also of growing importance, with the objective of enhancing workplace environmental health and safety protection. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is promulgating new regulations to reduce workplace exposure to indoor air contaminants such as CVOCs. Many CVOCs are particularly toxic. Certain CVOCs are suspected carcinogens, others are linked to possible birth defects, and still others are suspected active precursors in the destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer. Of the 189 targeted air toxics in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, about one-third of the compounds are chlorinated. By the standards of conventional air pollution control technology, indoor air pollution is at exceedingly dilute concentrations.
The industrial demand for ultrapure water is also growing rapidly, requiring development of a technology which effectively removes organic contaminates at very low concentrations. For example, integrated circuits require highly purified water for rinsing semiconductor wafers, controlled to a total organic carbon level of 50 ppb. Reduction of the organic content of water to these levels is not readily achievable with existing technology.
In spite of considerable efforts of researchers in the field, most UV photocatalysts exhibit shortcomings in catalyst activity, selectivity, and deactivation which limit their commercial utility for air and water pollution control.
Researchers have studied titania photocatalysts which have been used for decades (See Formenti, M., et al., "Heterogeneous Photocatalysis for Oxidation of Paraffins", Chemical Technology 1, 680-686, 1971, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,781,194 issued Dec. 25, 1973). Raupp et al have reported titania photocatalysts for the UV oxidation of organics in air. The activity of a titania photocatalyst rapidly declines with time-on-stream with trichloroethylene (TCE) in air (See Raupp, G. B., et al., "Destruction of Organics in Gaseous Streams Over UV-Excited Titania", 85.sup.th Annual Meeting, Air & Waste Management Association, Kansas City, Jun. 21-26, 1992; and Raupp, G. B., "Photocatalytic Oxidation for Point-of-Use VOC Abatement in the microelectronics Fabrication Industry", Air & Waste Management Association, 87.sup.th Annual Meeting, Cincinnati, Ohio, Jun. 19-24, 1995). Ollis et al. Describes photocatalytic reactors and reports that TCE photocatalysis in air can lead to 75 ppm(v) of phosgene in the reactor product in the photocatalytic oxidation of organics over a thin titania bed (See Ollis, D. F., in Photocatalytic Purification and Treatment of Water and Air, 481-494, Elsevier N.Y., 1993; and Peral, J. and D. F. Ollis, "Heterogeneous Photocatalytic Oxidation of Gas-Phase Organics for Air Purification", J. Catalysis, 136, 554-564, 1992). Researchers at Purdue have investigated gas phase photocatalysis of TCE using titania on a concentric reactor wall around a UV light source. They employed residence times of over 6 seconds, and found evidence of byproducts, suspected to be phosgene (See Wang, K. and B. J. Marinas, in Photocatalytic Purification and Treat. of Water and Air, 733-737, Elsevier, 1993). Teichner et al. report that byproduct formation with titania photocatalysts is the rule, not the exception (See Teichner, S. J. and N. Formenti, in Photoelectrochemistry, Photocatalysis and Photoreactors, 457-489, Reidel Pub, Boston, 1985). Nutech Energy Systems has disclosed titania impregnated on a fiberglass mesh (See U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,712 issued Jan. 9, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,759 issued Oct. 30, 1990; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,241 issued Jul. 16, 1991). A technical paper on the Nutech technology disclosed a gas phase residence time of 8.4 seconds and evidence of byproducts formation up to 34 seconds residence time (See Al-Ekabi, H., et al., in Photocatalytic Purification & Treatment of Water and Air, 719-725, Elsevier, N.Y., 1993). The University of Wisconsin investigators have used 100 second residence time for photocatalytic destruction of gas phase TCE using titania (See Yamazaki-Nishida, S., et al., "Gas Phase Photocatalytic Degradation on Titania Pellets of Volatile Chlorinated Organic Compounds from a Soil Vapor Extraction Well", J.Soil Contamination, September, 1994; Fu, X., W. A. Zeltner, and M. A. Anderson, "The Gas-Phase Photocatalytic Mineralization of Benzene on Porous Titania-Based Catalysts", Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 6, 209-224, 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,078 issued Jul. 30, 1991).
Due to the high absorption of UV light by titania about 99% of the incident UV radiation is absorbed within the first 4.5 microns on titania (See Peral, J. and D. F. Ollis, "Heterogeneous Photocatalytic Oxidation of Gas-Phase Organics for Air Purification", J. Catalysis, 136, 554-564, 1992). Hence, the patent literature discloses process to distribute the titania in thin layers in an attempt to overcome this deficiency. In 1973, Teichner disclosed a process of using titania supported on a matrix in a thin film reactor to oxidize hydrocarbons to aldehydes and ketones (See U.S. Pat. No. 3,781,194 issued Dec. 25, 1973). Titania has been deposited in thin layers on glass wool (See U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,101 issued Dec. 19, 1989), on a ceramic membrane (See U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,078 issued Jul. 30, 1991), and the wall of a reactor (See U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,665 issued Oct. 30, 1990). Raupp et al. Has disclosed titania for photocatalytic use when mixing two gas streams, and included thin bed catalytic reactors (See U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,288 issued Sep. 3, 1991).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,665 discloses the use of titanium dioxide as a photocatalyst for destruction of chlorine-containing organic compounds in an oxygen-bearing vent gas. The process was used in a system wherein the titanium dioxide was supported on the wall of a reactor through which the vent gas is passed. This is an ineffective reactor design for large gas flows, because each UV bulb must be located in its own concentric tube coated with catalyst, requiring a very large number of small diameter parallel tubes among which the flow must be equally balanced. Further, the cost of such a reactor is very high compared to a single large diameter reactor. Still further, when a vent gas containing 30 ppm TCE was contacted with titanium dioxide for 26 seconds, 90% destruction of TCE was obtained. However, the analysis of the reactor products revealed the formation of byproducts such as 4 ppm phosgene and 1 ppm carbon tetrachloride which are more hazardous than TCE.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,288 discloses a process of removing organic contaminants from a gaseous stream, wherein a mixing step is conducted, combining (a) a gaseous oxygen bearing stream and (b) a contaminated stream. This mixture is then passed over a photocatalyst exposed to UV radiation of wavelength not greater than 600 nm. The reaction conditions must be preselected to prevent formation of a liquid phase on the catalyst. Only when the reactor comprises a body portion having a window for passing visible light, the photocatalyst may be selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, zirconium oxide, antimony oxide, zinc oxide, stannic oxide, cerium oxide, tungsten oxide, and ferric oxide. The invention is deficient in that it requires mixing two streams, requires avoiding liquid phases, and requires a visible light window, all of which are impractical in commercial systems. Further, the catalyst compositions are not effective.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,101 discloses a system for photocatalysis wherein a semiconductor is entrapped in a fiber mesh. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,892,712 and 4,966,759 disclose a photocatalyst for detoxifying organic pollutants from a fluid, comprising a substrate in the form of a plurality of layers of a filamentous, fibrous, or stranded base material, and a photoreactive metal semiconductor material bonded to surfaces of said layers. The photoreactive material is selected from anatase, CdS, CdSe, ZnO.sub.2, WO.sub.3, and SnO.sub.2. These disclosures are of limited value because the substrate leads to a high pressure drop under conditions providing intimate contacting of the fluid flowing through or by the substrate. Further, the base material is generally of low surface area, leading to poor overall reactor performance. Still further, the design also generally requires a sleeve of this material around each bulb, leading to a costly reactor design. Finally, the photoreactive metal semiconductors are not of high photocatalytic activity. U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,241 provides a similar system for killing microorganisms in a fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,287 discloses a process of decomposing volatile organic halogenated compounds by passing the gas through silica gel or quartz chips, and the bed is thereafter irradiated with UV light. Ozone or hydrogen peroxide are added to an aqueous phase. The system lost catalytic activity and required heating with nitrogen gas to restore the decomposing activity. Presumably, this loss of activity was due to the decomposition of the CVOC, rather than promoting its oxidation as disclosed in the present application. U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,957 discloses a process for decomposing CVOCs present in gases and aqueous solutions. The aqueous phase CVOCs are removed by volatilizing into a gaseous carrier. The gas was then passed through silica gel and simultaneously irradiated with UV light and/or exposing the bed to ozone. The system required a great excess of ozone, using 2% ozone to decompose TCE at air compositions of only 50 parts per billion (ppb) to 700 ppb, which is generally uneconomic.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,699 discloses a process of forming a semiconductor material such as titanium dioxide incorporating molecular sieve material. A 10 ppm aqueous solution of TCE was mineralized to chloride ions in a flow reactor. An excessively long residence time of 1 hour was required for mineralization.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,608 discloses a photocatalyst comprising an inorganic semiconductor selected from TiO.sub.2, SrTiO.sub.3, and CdS in fine particulate form, and a noble metal or an oxide thereof selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd, Ru, RuO.sub.2 and Rh deposited on said semiconductor particle. A process is disclosed for purifying water using said photocatalyst, particularly the last trace amount of organic carbon impurities. However, this technology requires excessive reaction time for water purification, of up to 60 minutes.
Accordingly, it is a principle object of the present invention to provide a process and an improved photocatalyst for efficient oxidative destruction of contaminants in oxygen containing contaminated fluid streams utilizing ultraviolet light.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a process and catalyst as mentioned above which is relatively easy and inexpensive to implement and carry out.

Process and catalyst for photocatalytic conversion of contaminants


This invention is generally a longitudinally slit tubular molding member that can be opened up or closed so as to receive electric wires extending therethrough, and comprising a base mountable on a wall and a pivotable cover to enclose the wires, and including hooks for attaching the wires inside the molding member.

This invention relates generally to decorative devices for room interiors. More specifically it relates to electrical wiring accessories.
It is well known that in most homes and offices various electrical objects, such as electric clocks, are often hung on a wall with the wires therefrom left hanging loosely along the wall down to the electric outlet socket. Likewise, wiring to floor and table lamps as well as wires to a television or radio set is usually just left along an edge of the floor so as to be out of the way. All this creates a messy appearance and is accordingly in need of an improvement.


A streaming media packet processing method and a mobile terminal are provided. The method includes receiving a streaming media packet and determining whether the streaming media packet is an error streaming media packet according to a first cyclic redundancy check (CRC) code of the streaming media packet. If the streaming media packet is an error streaming media packet, the method includes determining whether a transmission control protocol (TCP)/internet protocol (IP) header of the streaming media packet is correct. If the TCP/IP header of the streaming media packet is correct, the method further includes determining whether the streaming media packet is preset streaming media. If the streaming media packet is preset streaming media, the method further includes calculating a second CRC of the streaming media packet, combining the second CRC with the streaming media packet, and transmitting the streaming media packet combined with the second CRC to a processor such that the processor processes the streaming media packet according to the second CRC. Hence, an anti-interference capability of the WiFi chip during streaming media transmission and a transmission stability of a multimedia service packet are improved.

Currently, an application that transmits a multimedia service packet using a WiFi technology is increasingly popular. A WiFi channel is highly interfered with, and there are many unstable factors when a packet is transmitted using the WiFi channel.
In the prior art, a WiFi chip directly discards an error packet, and does not make full use of an error correction function of a codec to perform error correction on some specific error packets. In addition, WiFi uses an automatic repeat request (ARQ) mechanism to improve link stability. However, because a multimedia service has real time quality, retransmitting the error packet using the ARQ mechanism of WiFi results in shortfalls such as poor definition of a transmitted image, poor video fluency, and voice jitter.

Streaming media packet processing method, WiFi chip, and mobile terminal


The present invention relates to a defoamer composition containing:. (a) from 0.8 to 3.0 parts by weight of silicone, wherein the silicone is in aqueous dispersed form employing a nonionic emulsifier; PA0 (b) 5 to 40 parts by weight of mineral oil; PA0 (c) 2 to 20 parts by weight of hydrophobic silica; PA0 (d) 0.7 to 11 parts by weight of at least one nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated dioctyl or dinonyl phenols having a degree of ethoxylation of from 6 to 15, dioleate esters of polyethylene glycol, and ethoxylated hydrogenated castor oils; PA0 (e) 0.2 to 4 parts by weight of acrylic polymer; PA0 (f) 0.02 to 0.4 parts by weight of alkali metal hydroxide; and PA0 (g) the balance, water, based on the weight of the defoamer composition and methods of preparing said compositions.

1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to defoamer emulsion compositions for use in textile dyeing operations.
2. Description Of Related Art
Defoamers used in textile dyeing must be efficient at reducing foam in aqueous media such as aqueous dyebaths. Most commercial defoamers used in textile dyeing operations are silicone-based materials containing about 15% by weight of silicone. Defoamers containing such amounts of silicone suffer from the disadvantage that some of the defoamer material adheres to the fibers being dyed resulting in non-uniform dye application. In addition, silicone-based defoamers may not be sufficiently stable in aqueous media, such as dyebaths.
Non-silicone defoamers have been developed to overcome the problems characteristic of silicone-based defoamers. Non-silicone defoamers, while exhibiting better stability and producing more uniform dyeing than commercial silicone containing defoamers also have disadvantages. They are difficult to disperse in aqueous media at low temperatures (e.g. about 1.degree. C.). They require higher concentrations than is customary for silicone-based defoamers. Also, while the non-silicone defoamers are more stable that their silicone-containing counterparts, there is still a need for more stable defoamers, particularly for bleach systems, synthetic fiber dyebaths and wool dyebaths.
The defoamers according to the invention provide advantages over both standard silicone containing defoamers and those that do not contain silicone because they are stable in bleach systems, as well as synthetic fiber and wool dyebaths. They can readily be dispersed in water at low temperatures and may be used in lower concentrations than previous defoamers.


A packaging enclosure for receiving a flexible endoscope during a sterilization procedure and sterile storage thereafter has a portion thereof which is semi-permeable. Provision is made for hanging the packaging enclosure over a hook or peg. In one embodiment the packaging enclosure conforms to the endoscope so that its two flexible portions may hang over opposite sides of the hook. Alternatively, a hook or aperture may be provided on the packaging enclosure for hanging it over the hook.

The present invention is directed to the field of coverings used to cover medical instruments during sterilization and in storage thereafter.
An endoscope typically comprises two flexible tubes connected to a body. One of the tubes is for insertion into a bodily orifice and the other typically connects to a light source. After a cleaning of an endoscope such as a sigmoidoscope or colonoscope, the endoscope is typically hung over a peg with the two flexible tubes hanging to opposite sides of the peg. This allows the flexible tubes to hang in a straight configuration. Due to the delicate nature of the fiber-optics in such tubes it is not recommended to coil them for storage.
A typical endoscope configuration comprises a small rigid control section connected to two flexible tubes. One tube comprises an insertion tube that contains a fiber-optic bundle and is usually covered with a sheath of polyurethane or other biocompatible material and contains a bending section that allows articulation or angulation of the insertion tube within human cavities. Connected to the control head, and hanging on the other side, is a universal cord that also contains a fiber-optic bundle and an air-water channel.
In a sterilization procedure, instruments are typically placed into a sterile barrier having a semi-permeable membrane. One popular form thereof comprises a pouch having at least one layer of a semi-permeable polymer such as TYVEK (registered trademark of E.I. duPont de Nemours Co., Inc.) brand polyethylene nonwoven fabric and a second layer which may comprise a layer of clear impermeable polymer or another layer of the same or a different semi-permeable polymer. The two layers are sealed together at their edges to enclose an instrument. Such pouches are typically rectangular in shape. Such a system allows sterilizing gases, such as hydrogen peroxide vapor, ethylene oxide or steam, to pass through the semi-permeable barrier to effect sterilization of the instrument therein but prevent microorganisms from entering the pouch after the sterilization process is complete thus allowing storage of the instrument in the packaging enclosure in a sterile manner. Those of skill in the art will recognize that many alternative package designs accomplish a similar function. For instance, such packages may comprise a layer of foam or other material which is rigid or semi-rigid and which may or may not be semi-permeable. The package may merely contain a small window or several small windows of semi-permeable material to allow sterilizing gases to enter.
Endoscopes such as sigmoidoscopes or colonoscopes have previously been only disinfected and the peg storage system was acceptable in such condition. Many users now demand that such instruments be sterilized, not merely subjected to a high level disinfection. The preferred barrier packaging enclosure for sterilization is a pouch, such as the aforementioned pouch, with heat or adhesive sealed boundaries that provides a sterile barrier with mechanical integrity, thereby preserving the sterility of the endoscope during storage of the endoscope after the sterilization procedure. However, such known pouches place the two flexible tubes of the endoscope together in a coiled pattern, and provide no method for storing a sterilized endoscope in an uncoiled or bent configuration. Some operators have even removed sterile endoscopes from rectangular pouches or other barrier systems to hang them on their old peg systems, thus compromising sterility.
The present invention overcomes these limitations to provide a sterile package which allows an endoscope to be sterilized therein and subsequently be stored in an uncoiled configuration by hanging over a peg while still in the package.
A packaging enclosure according to the present invention packages a flexible endoscope having first and second flexible tubes. The packaging enclosure comprises a wall forming an interior space impervious to microorganisms for receiving the endoscope. At least a portion of the wall is semi-permeable. A hanging means is provided for hanging the packaging enclosure, with the endoscope therein, over a hook.
Preferably, the packaging enclosure comprises a pouch having first and second films adhered to each other to form the interior space. The hanging means can comprise an aperture in the packaging enclosure. Alternatively, the hanging means can comprise the first flexible tube being receivable within one portion of the packaging enclosure and the second flexible tube being receivable within a second portion of the packaging enclosure and the packaging enclosure with the endoscope therein being drapable over the hook.
In one embodiment, the packaging enclosure comprises a thermoformed tray covered with a permeable lidstock.
Preferably, one side of the pouch or the entire lidstock of the tray is formed of a semi-permeable material pervious to sterilizing gases yet impervious to microorganisms. However, such pouch side or lidstock may merely have one or more semi-permeable ports.
A method according to the invention for sterilizing and storing an endoscope having first and second flexible tubes is also provided. The method comprises the steps of:
placing the endoscope within a packaging enclosure comprising a wall forming an interior space for receiving the endoscope, at least a portion of the wall being semi-permeable;
passing a sterilizing gas into the packaging enclosure; and
hanging the packaging enclosure with the sterile endoscope therein over a hook.

Sterile packaging for flexible endoscopes


A boot and a boot closure device adapted to bring two flaps of the boot close together including a control lever borne by a plate affixedly connected to one of the flaps, a rack connected to the other flap including a complementary arrangement for adjusting its position with respect to the lever. The arrangement for adjusting the rack are constituted by an adjustment zone that includes a buttonhole-shaped oblong slot obtained on the flap of the boot and demarcated by two circular end zones connected by a straight portion and whose diameter is equal to that of a locking pin affixed to the rack, and provided with a flat portion that is oriented perpendicular to the rack longitudinal displacement axis. The rack can be displaced, in view of its adjustment, from one end to the other of the buttonhole, after a rotation at 90.degree. with respect to its longitudinal axis, to allow for its free sliding in the straight portion of the buttonhole, and locked in either one of the circular end zones by a 90.degree. rotation in the opposite direction, bringing it back to a position where the flat portion of the pin is oriented perpendicular to the oblong slot.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a closure device for a boot, particularly a ski boot. Such closure devices are used to tighten two sections or flaps of a shell around a liner in which the skier's foot is enclosed.
The invention is related to closure devices that use a knuckle joint control lever, on the one hand, and a rack, on the other hand, which makes it possible to obtain at least a rough adjustment of the length of the device.
Such devices include complementary means for adjusting the position of the rack with respect to the lever, making it possible to increase the tightening capacity thereof which adds to that obtained traditionally by the choice of a tooth with which a hooking member is capable of cooperating, such hooking member being in turn connected to the control lever.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
European Patent Publication No. 545 965 describes a closure device of the aforementioned type in which a complementary adjustment of the position of the rack is obtained by means of an eccentric whose axis can be displaced along a longitudinal direction and in the transverse direction of a traction member, the eccentric being furthermore connected to a notched element that is capable of being blocked or released by a tightening member.
This device has the major disadvantage of requiring a member, such as a screw for example, to be loosened before moving the eccentric. Moreover, this involves having an appropriate tool which adds to the constraint of the intervention occurring over a more or less long period of time. Furthermore, such a system involves the necessity of aligning the notches of the eccentric before tightening the assembly.
French Certificate of Utility No. 2 561 503 describes a device for adjusting the notches that are located at its lower portion and cooperate with a stop member acting in the direction of traction of a tie rod to which it is connected, maintenance in the selected position being made by means of an elastic thrust means. Such a system is not only very costly due to the number of elements to be used, but it also has the disadvantage of being unreliable due to the fact that the shocks which it is capable of receiving in such an exposed area can lead to a separation of the rack from its immobilization and adjustment means.
French Patent Publication No. 2 109 080 teaches making a complementary adjustment in a closure device, but unlike the preceding ones, the rack is borne by the control lever itself, and the complementary adjustment means are obtained on the base of a hooking stirrup at the level of its binding on the other flap of the boot. In this case, the tightening adjustment is made on each flap of the boot and requires separation of the hooking stirrup from the lever rack to allow for the complementary adjustment thereof, which involves ample movements, that are not always easy to make, by the user.


The present invention relates to a method and a device for identifying unknown substances in an object. According to the state of the art a collimated X-ray beam is directed onto the object and X-ray energy scattered from the object is detected and measured. The measurement values detected are compared to known measurement values corresponding to specific substances or classes of substances to identify unknown substances in the object. The method and device further execute the following steps: Detect and measure a function of Rayleigh intensity at a number of angles in a predetermined angular range to determine the angular course of the function of Rayleigh intensity in the angular range, Determine an angle or angle interval within the angular range at which the function of Rayleigh intensity is essentially zero; and identify unknown substances in the object by comparing the angle or angle interval determined to known angles or angle intervals at which the function of Rayleigh intensity corresponding to specific substances or classes of substances is essentially zero.

One important field is formed by the security inspection of luggage at travel points, such as airports. When considering luggage inspection identifying the unknown substances is especially challenging as they are always lying behind a barrier, formed by a suitcase or bag, and may even be concealed in a container. Classic examples of unknown substances that are to be identified in luggage are contraband and dangerous materials, such as explosives. One important class of unwanted substances in luggage is formed by liquid explosives. The challenge is further enlarged as in air ports time is an essential factor, putting severe constraints on the method and the device with respect to a short turnaround and a low false rate.
Summarizing in the field of luggage inspection there exists an urgent need for fast and reliable identification of unknown substances, especially explosive liquid materials that are present behind a barrier and/or concealed in a container.
The present invention aims at providing a solution to this problem with the method according to the preamble of claim 1 and the device according to the preamble of claim 7.
Such a method and device are known in the field from U.S. Pat. No. 5,428,657. The known method allows for discrimination between materials, specifically used as basis for poultry screening. Three types of material, bone, fat and poultry meat are discriminated in order to keep the poultry meat bone free. The known method uses X-ray scattering, particularly the Rayleigh scatter in forward scattered geometry under small angles and also backscattered signal such as the Compton signals or as a cross check the Rayleigh—Compton ratio. For the analysis of bone use is made of forward scattered Rayleigh signal under small angles, around 5 degrees, completely penetrated through the material.
It is noted that another method for identifying unknown substances in an object is known from EP2075570. The known method is based on X-ray Diffraction (XRD) techniques. Generally, however, XRD is a method for determining crystalline materials while identification of the class of amorphous solids and moreover liquids is today seen as not generally solved. XRD, as said, being a suitable method for the investigation of predominantly crystalline material, is normally applied for lower X-ray energies (Cu, Mo, Ag as characteristic radiation and ≦60 kV high tension or voltage) as known for materials analysis. Here in the case of luggage control higher energies and higher tensions, for example 160 kV, are applied in order to penetrate through the luggage. The useful signals are here in the forward direction under small angles so that the known method works in transmission. In order to pinpoint materials more specifically and to enter into the realm of liquids, in the known method said diffraction profiles are taken under further investigation considering still finer and smaller details. Diffraction at amorphous materials generally is not governed by intrinsic peaks compared to crystalline substances. In the end there remains the challenge of significant signal strength and feature significance and differences in features from substance to substance in order to deduce the right information.

Method and device for identifying unknown substances in an object


Weaving equipment may include warp strand positioning equipment that positions warp strands and weft strand positioning equipment that inserts weft strands among the warp strands to form fabric. One or more of the warp strands may be selectively modified along its length using a warp strand modification unit. The warp strand modification unit may be interposed between the fabric and a reed, may be interposed between the fabric and the warp strand positioning equipment, may be mounted to the reed, or may be incorporated elsewhere in the weaving equipment. Warp strand modifications may include adding segments of metallic paint coatings or other conductive coatings, adding insulating coatings, applying other liquids to segments of the warp strand, modifying the stretchiness of warp strands, removing material from segments of the warp strand, and attaching electrical components to the warp strand.

This relates generally to weaving and, more particularly, to equipment for processing strands during weaving.
It may be desirable to form fabric from strands of material that are treated differently at different locations along their lengths. Strands may, for example, be dyed with different colors at different locations. Strands of this type may be woven together to produce fabric with colored patterns.
In warp ikat fabrics, warp threads are printed with specific patterns. It can be challenging to use traditional weaving equipment to form fabrics such as warp ikat fabrics in which the printed patterns are aligned as desired with the underlying structures of a fabric (i.e., the connecting warp and weft threads that determine the fabric's construction and properties). In most looms, there is a relatively long distance between the warp beam and the fabric being woven. As a result, it can be difficult to accurately position warp strands with respect to each other and with respect to the weft strands that are being used to form the fabric. Adjacent warp strands can become misaligned with respect to each other and may not align properly with the weft strands. This can make it impossible to form precise patterns in the fabric. More accurate weaving would allow improved fabric-based items to be formed.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to process strands at various locations along their lengths in a way that facilitates accurate weaving with the processed strands.

Weaving equipment with strand modifying unit


Device for the electrophoretic coating of the internal surface of electrically conductive hollow bodies, in particular of packaging cans, having at least one mount, forming the anode or cathode, for at least one hollow body with the opening pointing downward, at least one nozzle, which can move axially in relation to the hollow body as far as the opening, for a water-soluble surface coating agent, which produces the connection to a cathode or anode, as liquid electrolyte of an electrically insulating seal, for the nozzle in the opening in the hollow body, and at least one return flow passage in the region between the nozzle and the internal edge of the opening in the hollow body.

The invention relates to a device for the electrophoretic coating of the internal surface of electrically conductive hollow bodies which have an opening, in particular of packaging cans.
In the immersion method known from the European Patent Application 0 118 756, the hollow bodies are led in one continuous operation through an electrophoretic immersion coating bath in such a way that they are quickly and completely flooded with immersion bath fluid so that in the immersion bath they can be electrophoretically coated with a wet film. After sufficient coating time, the hollow bodies are lifted out of the immersion bath again and the immersion bath fluid located in them is poured out. After this, the hollow bodies coated in this way are fed mutually spaced from one another to a drying oven and dried therein, after which they can be printed on or labeled.
In this immersion method, the hollow bodies can only be electrophoretically coated on the outside and inside in a uniform way and they must be led into the electrophoretic coating bath in such a way that they are immersed with the opening pointing upward in order to be flooded and coated quickly and completely, after which they are lifted out of the immersion bath and have to be turned with the opening pointing downward so that the immersion bath fluid can run off. The result of this is that both the internal surface and the external surface must basically be coated with the same coating agent, which is not always required. Furthermore, a complex mechanism for immersing, lifting out and turning the hollow bodies has to be provided.
In the method described in the European Patent Application 0 431 711 a complex mechanism for immersing and lifting out the hollow bodies in an immersion bath is in fact not necessary since the hollow bodies are pushed with the opening pointing downward by means of an electrically conductive grille, the surface coating agent being rinsed, in jets which rise from below, in or over the hollow bodies through the free intermediate spaces between the grille bars or grating bars and at the same time covering the entire internal and external surface of the hollow bodies with an uninterrupted coating. In this process, the rising jet forms an uninterrupted conductive connection from an anode or cathode in a collection basin to the surface, forming the cathode or anode, of the hollow bodies. However, even with this method both the internal surface and the external surface are coated with the same electrophoretic surface coating agent.
In contrast, in the German Offenlegungsschrift 32 20 310 a method and a device for the simultaneous electrophoretic coating of the internal and external surfaces of a hollow body are described, with which method and device it is possible to coat the internal and external surfaces differently and with different surface coating agents. For this purpose, the hollow body is enclosed, with the opening turned downward, in a housing and a nozzle device is introduced into its interior, two separate through-passages being produced between the housing and container on the one hand and the container and nozzle device on the other, which through-passages are each provided with an inlet and an outlet so that they can be quickly filled with the electrophoretic coating material and the latter can be quickly discharged from them again. In this process, the coating material floods over the internal and external surfaces of the container and, owing to an electrical potential which is applied between the housing and container on the one hand and container and nozzle device on the other, is deposited on the surfaces of the hollow body. Two separate through-passages, each with a separate inlet and outlet, are provided for the coating material so that the internal and external surfaces of the container can be simultaneously coated with different coating materials and even with different thicknesses of coating.
A disadvantage with this device is that it is of complicated design since it is principally designed for the simultaneous coating of the external and internal surface of the hollow body. Furthermore, the movable nozzle must be introduced as far as the base of the hollow body so that the movements to be performed for each hollow body give rise to a considerable waste of time and it is not possible to achieve coating quickly, in particular of packaging cans.

Device for the electrophoretic coating of the internal surface of hollow bodies


A combination reaction chamber and gas/solids separator is provided in a common reactor vessel. The reactor is capable of carrying out various types of gas/solids reactions within the reaction chamber and, contemporaneously, separates the gas from the particulate solids by way of a separator disposed within the reaction chamber. Gas exits the reaction chamber through an outlet disposed along a central axis of the chamber. Solids exit the chamber through an outlet disposed along the outer periphery of the chamber. The reactor provides improved mass transfer rates as well as selective residence times.

Many industries carry out gas/solids reactions that involve heat and mass transfer between the gas and solid phase materials. In most of these reactions, the solid material or particulate solids are retained as a final product. Therefore, if the reaction is carried out whereby the particulate solids are exposed to a flow of gas or the particulate solids are entrained in a flow of gas, the solids must thereafter be separated from the gas. The two principal operations, i.e. the reaction and the subsequent separation, have normally been considered and have been treated as mutually exclusive operations. The present invention provides an improvement over the prior art because it provides equipment and methods which effectively combine these two operations, i.e. the reaction and the separation, into a single vessel.
The consolidation of the reactor and separator within a single vessel saves space, construction costs and operating costs. In addition, the consolidation of the reaction and separation operations within a single vessel improves the mass transfer between the gas and solids and further enables the designers and operators of the apparatus to control the residence time of the particles within the reaction vessel.
By way of background, a variety of industries conduct continuous reactions involving gases and solids. The operations of drying, calcining, desulfurization and soil remediation are just a few examples. The operations of drying and calcining are similar in nature and provide clear examples of a gas/solids reaction.
"Drying" is defined as the removal of free or uncombined water from a raw feed stock, i.e., solid particulate. "Calcining", on the other hand, is defined as the removal of chemically bound water (or other gases) which produces a chemical change in the raw material. Both operations are conducted under high temperatures. Both operations involve the transfer of mass (water) from the solid particulate to the gas phase.
With specific reference to calcining, the most common calcining systems in use today are rotary kilns. In a rotary kiln, the solids move countercurrently to gas by gravity force as the kiln rotates. The rotation of the kiln enhances the mass transfer between the gas and solids. Some solids may be entrained in the gas flow and have to be collected by a separate collecting device. One primary disadvantage to the rotary kiln is that the residence time for all particles is the same, regardless of individual particle size. The uniform residence time results in an overexposure of smaller particles to the hot gas resulting in an over drying or "dead burning". Further, coarser or heavier particles may be under dried or under calcined.
A flash calciner includes a "cyclonic-type" reactor whereby the gas/solid flow obtains a cyclone patterned fluidized bed within the reactor. The solids are distributed in a cyclonic pattern against the reactor wall. This results in an uneven distribution of solids against the reactor wall thereby decreasing the mass transfer between the gas and solid phase. As in rotary kilns, the residence time for all particles in a flash calciner is the same.
Further, in both the rotary kiln and flash calciner designs, gas/solid separation is treated as a separate operation, downstream from the principal reaction.
A circulating fluidized bed reactor (CFB) includes a reaction chamber in communication with a separate cyclone which recirculates the solids back into the reaction chamber. While the cyclone of the CFB does separate out some of the solids, the CFB still requires a tall reaction chamber for proper solids distribution and a separate, bulky cyclone for recirculation of the solids back into the reaction chamber. Even if a CFB features an "integral" solids separator like the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,511, a CFB includes high construction costs due to the required height of the reaction chamber and the separate cyclone.
Accordingly, many industries would welcome a reactor that combines a single reaction chamber with a gas/solids separation system. The principal gas/solids reaction could take place in the reaction chamber and a primary separation process would be conducted in the reaction chamber before the particulate solids product exits the system separately from the bulk of the gas. Further, many industries would welcome an improved reactor design that increases the mass transfer between the particulate solids and the gas and further many industries would welcome a reactor whereby the residence time of the particles is dependent upon particle size and is not uniform for particles of all sizes.

422
FSC 423
FSC 110
FSC 55
FSC 95
FSC 96


A single-ended digital interface cable and a balanced digital interface cable having a source end and a load end for propagating audio frequency signals in a digital format is disclosed. Each of the cables comprises a fixed capacitor or a capacitor and switch network which is coupled at or near the load end of the cables for providing a fixed bandwidth or for use in selectively controlling the bandwidth of the cables and a series resistance at each end thereof to dampen ringing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cables for interfacing audio signal sources and loads in an audio system in general and in particular to single-ended and balanced digital signal cables for propagating audio signals in a digital format between a source of digitized audio signals and a load, such as a compact disk player, digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital converters, a digital audio tape (DAT) recorder, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
As digital components, e.g. compact disk players, digital-to-analog (D/A) and analog-to-digital (A/D) converters, digital audio tape (DAT) players, and the like, have been added to otherwise conventional analog signal audio systems, the cables used for interconnecting the digital components have generally been the same type of cables used for interconnecting the analog signal components. However, the use of analog signal cables for this purpose has been found to be unsatisfactory.
The requirements for interfacing digital components in an audio system have been found to be stringent because of the presence in such components of circuits that provide very fast signal-level transitions, i.e. risetimes, e.g. 10 nanoseconds (ns), and have very wide bandwidths, e.g. 20 to 50 megahertz (MHz).
As a consequence, it has been found that conventional analog signal cable, even analog signal cable designed for use in very expensive, high quality analog audio signal systems, typically cannot adequately propagate digital signals. One of the reasons for this is believed to be due to the relatively low capacitive impedance of conventional analog signal cables.
It has been found that among the disadvantages of an analog signal cable which has a relatively high capacitive impedance are the disadvantages that, as the capacitive impedance decreases, the bandwidth of the cable may become undesirably narrow and the risetime of the signals applied to the cable may become undesirably long, particularly if the signals are digital signals. When the signals are digital signals an undesirably narrow bandwidth and an undesirably long signal risetime can result in signal jitter in the circuit or system component receiving the signals. This is due to the fact that the circuit or system component receiving the signals has a difficult time determining if and when the received signal has made a transition between a logical low and a logical high, i.e. "1" or "0". To a listener of music, for example, signal jitter is heard as distortion of the music or other audio signal or as a lack of clarity in the reproduction of the detail in the source material.
Another disadvantage of using a cable designed for propagating analog signals to interconnect digital components in an audio system is related to impedance matching which, while important in interfacing analog components, is even more important in interfacing digital components. If the output impedance of one digital component is not matched to the input impedance of another, the high frequency, high-speed digital signal will reflect at the point of impedance change. These reflections cause errors in the detection of the music or other audio signal by the receiving unit, creating "false" signals. Once again, a listener will hear or interpret the false signals as a lack of clarity or distortion in the music or other audio signal. But, even more serious is the fact that these anomalies can, if they are severe enough, create actual drop-out of the source material data, which is heard as audible and disturbing distortions in the harmonic relationships in the material.
Another disadvantage of conventional cables designed for propagating analog signals and, for that matter, conventional cables which are currently being used for propagating digital signals is that none of the conventional cables now being used is tuned or comprises means for being tuned to the bandwidth of typical digital signal sources now being used in audio systems. This is important because, if a digital signal cable is tuned or comprises means for being tuned to the bandwidth of a digital signal source, the performance of the cable can be maximized with a minimum of unwanted coupled noise.

Constant Velocity Transmission Lines, Inc.