In an aspect, a pivot joint for a collapsing foot-deck-based vehicle is described, comprising a foot deck, at least two wheels coupled to the foot deck, and a handlebar assembly coupled to the foot deck via a locking pivot joint, also referred to as a locking swivel joint, the handlebar assembly comprising at least one handle, the locking pivot joint having a pivot axis that is generally unparallel with a horizontal plane defined by the lowermost surfaces of the at least two wheels, the handlebar assembly being selectively pivotable via the locking pivot joint between a riding configuration in which the handle is generally distal from the foot deck and a collapsed configuration in which the handle is generally proximal to the foot deck.

Vehicles, such as foot-deck based vehicles, such as scooters, have become very popular. In many cases, the foot deck on such vehicles has a long fore-aft dimension to accommodate both feet of a rider atop thereof, one behind the other. These foot-deck-based vehicles typically have two or more wheels, with at least one at each end thereof along the fore-aft dimension.
Some foot-deck-based vehicles include handlebar assemblies that can be grasped during operation. The handlebar assemblies may include a handlebar stem that extends upward from the foot deck. In some cases handlebar handles extend substantially laterally from an opposite end of the handlebar stem.
Without providing a folding mechanism for folding the handlebar assembly relative to the foot deck, these vehicles could require relatively large spaces for storage or transport. Further, such foot-deck-based vehicles may be difficult to transport when not being ridden, as they can be unwieldy to carry.
In some cases, these foot-deck-based vehicles are designed to be collapsible to facilitate storage and carrying. Typically, a down tube connecting a foot deck assembly, which includes the foot deck and the rear wheel(s), and a head assembly, which includes a head tube in which the handlebar assembly and front wheel assembly is received, is jointed or is connected to the foot deck assembly via a joint to permit folding of the head assembly relative to the foot deck assembly.
FIG. 1A shows an exemplary collapsing foot-deck-based vehicle 20 having a foot deck assembly 24 and a head assembly 28. The foot deck assembly 24 includes a foot deck 32 having a fore end 36 and an aft end 40. The foot deck 32 has a generally flat upper surface upon which a rider's feet are positioned and may include a traction insert or surface adhesive to reduce slippage between the rider's feet and the foot deck 32. A rear wheel 44 is coupled to the foot deck 32 adjacent the aft end 40, and a rear fender 48 inhibits a rider's feet from contacting the rear wheel 44 directly when positioned atop of the foot deck 32. A joint plate 52 is secured at the fore end 36 of the foot deck 32, and has at least two position holes through which a locking bolt attached to a position knob 55 extends, with a first position hole 54a being shown. A corresponding locking nut enables securement of the locking bolt in the position holes. The head assembly 28 includes a head tube 56 coupled to a down tube 60. The head tube 56 receives a handlebar assembly 64 and a front wheel assembly 68. The handlebar assembly 64 includes a handlebar stem 72 connected to a pair of handlebar handles 76. The front wheel assembly 68 includes a front wheel 80. Where the foot-deck-based vehicle 20 is steerable via the handlebar handles, the handlebar assembly 64 can be directly coupled to the front wheel assembly 68 and rotatably received by the head tube 56.
The head assembly 28 is rotatably coupled to the joint plate 52 of the foot deck assembly 24 via a pivot bolt 84 that extends through the down tube 60 and the joint plate 52. The foot-deck-based vehicle 20 is shown in a riding configuration in FIG. 1A. In order to collapse the foot-deck-based vehicle 20 from the riding configuration to a collapsed configuration, the locking nut attached to the locking bolt is removed and the locking bolt is withdrawn from a second position hole. The head assembly 28 can then be rotated about the pivot bolt 84 to fold the handlebar assembly 64 towards the foot deck assembly 24.
FIG. 1B shows the foot-deck-based vehicle 20 in a collapsed configuration. The head assembly 28 has been folded down about the pivot bolt 84 towards the foot deck assembly 24. The second position hole 54b in which the locking bolt was secured is now exposed, and the locking bolt is secured in the first position hole 54a via the locking nut. As can be seen, in this collapsed configuration, the foot-deck-based vehicle 20 is more compact for storage and more readily portable.
There are a number of drawbacks with such designs for collapsing foot-deck-based vehicles. For example, the fasteners used to lock the position of the head assembly relative to the foot deck assembly can be difficult to secure tightly, causing the joint to rattle. Further, the structural integrity of the foot-deck-based vehicle can be weakened by the placement of the joint between the foot deck and the front wheel assembly. As a result, complex and/or large structural additions are made to the foot-deck-based vehicles.

Pivot joint and vehicles that employ a pivot joint


An aircraft mounted gas turbine engine system comprises a three shaft propulsive gas turbine engine having three electrical generators; each one respectively associated with one shaft of the engine. Two of the electrical generators are additionally configured so as to function as electric motors so as to facilitate power transfer between the engine shafts. One of the electric generators provides the primary source of electrical power for the aircraft, while the remaining electrical generators provide electrical power for the engine and back-up power for the aircraft.

An aircraft, and the gas turbine engines that power it, usually include numerous units that require electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic power in order to function. Conventionally, the power for such units is derived from one of three sources depending upon the operating status of the aircraft. If the aircraft is stationary and it is necessary for certain electrical support systems to be operational, a ground-based electrical generator is coupled to the aircraft. Alternatively, the electrical power may be derived from an aircraft mounted generator which is powered by an auxiliary power unit mounted on the aircraft. Such an auxiliary power unit is commonly in the form of a small gas turbine engine mounted in the tail region of the aircraft.
If the aircraft is airborne, power for the units is derived from the engines which power the aircraft. Typically, each engine is provided with an auxiliary shaft that transmits power from one of the main shafts of the engine to a gearbox mounted on the engine external casing. The gearbox in turn drives various electrical generators and hydraulic pumps. A single electrical generator may be driven by the gearbox. However in the event of the failure of that generator, there would, of course, be an interruption in the supply of electrical power to the engine and aircraft. In a multi-engined aircraft such an interruption may be acceptable for a short time period since electrical power is still likely to be available from the remaining engine or engines. However, if the aircraft is required to fly in regions in which a diversionary airfield is some distance away, it is usually necessary for the gearbox to drive an additional electrical generator for back-up purposes.
Such duplication of electrical power generators leads to difficulties in conveniently positioning them relative to the gearbox and also to complex and heavy modifications to the gearbox to enable it to drive both generators.


A device to measure the beam spot of a particle beam, has a device that records the projections of the beam spot in many directions that are essentially perpendicular to the direction of the particle beam, and an analysis device that reconstructs a two-dimensional cross section profile of the particle beam from the recorded projections.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a device and a method to measure the beam spot of a particle beam and a system to generate a particle beam by means of such a device. The invention is used widely in particle therapy, where the cross section of a particle beam is to be measured.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Particle therapy is an established process to treat tissue, specifically tissue containing tumors. However, irradiation processes used in particle therapy are also used in non-therapeutic applications. This includes, for example, research with particle therapy applied to non-living units or bodies, irradiation of materials, and others. Charged particles, such as protons, carbon ions, or other types of ions are accelerated to high energy levels, bundled into a particle beam and sent to one or more treatment rooms via a high energy beam transport system. The object to be irradiated is irradiated with the particle beam in one of these treatment rooms.
The particle beam is characterized by various parameters. They include, for example, the position and energy level of the particle beam. In addition to these parameters, the beam width—also known as beam focus—is important.
For irradiation, it is often assumed as an ideal that the distribution of particles within the two-dimensional cross section, which is also known as the beam spot, is distributed as a normal distribution. A significant variance from such a normal distribution of the beam spot may have a significant impact on the distribution of the applied dose. Likewise in the case of beam spots that are not normally distributed, which may have different distributions in varying directions, the assumptions regarding the beam spot are critical for the distribution of the applied dose. Thus, it is important to survey the beam spot of a particle beam with precision. This may be done, for example, by regular quality assurance measures.
In order to survey the beam spot, and thus to determine the beam width, radiographic film is usually used today. The film is irradiated with the particle beam, and the pattern registered on the film is then evaluated. However, this process is relatively slow and costly.
In addition, the option of measuring the beam width in so-called multi-wire proportional chambers (MWPC) is known. Such a chamber usually contains a number of wires that are parallel to each other. Wires parallel in one direction facilitate the measurement of the projection of the beam spot in a perpendicular direction. An MWPC often contains two sets of parallel wires that are perpendicular to each other. This permits a measurement of the projection of the beam spot in these two directions.
Furthermore, the option is known to use display screens to measure the beam spot. The beam spot may be measured here directly in two dimensions. However, a disadvantage for quantitative evaluation results from interference from ambient light. Thus, at least the system of the camera and the screen or even the entire room must be darkened.

Particle beam generating system and method with measurement of the beam spot of the particle beam


Composite containment casing including a body having an interior, an abradable system integrally joined to the interior of the body of the containment casing wherein the abradable system comprises, a sandwich structure including a first facesheet and a second facesheet position about at least one core layer, and at least one abradable layer applied to the sandwich structure wherein the at least one core layer comprises any of a cell configuration, a columnar configuration, or a truss configuration and wherein the sandwich structure is strong radially and weak circumferentially.

In gas turbine engines, such as aircraft engines, air is drawn into the front of the engine, compressed by a shaft-mounted compressor, and mixed with fuel in a combustor. The mixture is then burned and the hot exhaust gases are passed through a turbine mounted on the same shaft. The flow of combustion gas expands through the turbine which in turn spins the shaft and provides power to the compressor. The hot exhaust gases are further expanded through nozzles at the back of the engine, generating powerful thrust, which drives the aircraft forward.
Because engines operate in a variety of conditions, foreign objects may undesirably enter the engine. More specifically, foreign objects, such as large birds, hailstones, ice, sand and rain may be entrained in the inlet of the engine where they may impact the engine or a fan blade therein. Sometimes these impacts can result in a portion of the contacted blade being torn loose from the rotor, which is commonly known as fan blade out. The loose fan blade may then impact the interior of the fan casing. Similarly, in cold weather and at high altitudes, ice can form and accumulate on the fan blades. When engine speed is rapidly accelerated, or altitude is decreased, the ice can shed, also resulting in an impact with the interior of the fan casing.
In recent years composite materials have become increasingly popular for use in a variety of aerospace applications because of their durability and relative lightweight. Although composite materials can provide superior strength and weight properties, and can lessen the extent of damage to the fan casing during impacts such as ice shedding and fan blade outs, there remains room for improvement.
Current composite containment technology, such as that used to make fan casings, typically employs a thick, monolithic hardwall design that is capable of withstanding an impact caused by ice and/or released fan blades, and also fragmentizing the ice or released fan blades, breaking them into smaller pieces. These fragmentized pieces can then be purged from the engine without causing significant damage to either the engine or the body of the aircraft. The construction of the fan casing provides for the dissipation of impact energy using any of a number of mechanisms including fiber/matrix interference failure, matrix microcracking and ply delamination.
More specifically, current hardwall designs generally consist of an abradable system having an abradable layer attached to a substrate structure that includes a glass/epoxy composite face sheet bonded to a Nomex® honeycomb core, which can be very lightweight. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,280 to Langenbrunner et al. However, such honeycomb cores are typically not designed to provide significant energy absorption during a fan blade out event. More specifically, the design of the honeycomb core results in an abradable system having radial weakness. Thus, released fan blades will have a tendency to simply cut through the honeycomb core upon impact, leaving roughly 99% of the impact energy to be absorbed by the fan casing body. Moreover, because the current abradable systems require numerous layup, bonding, cure, and machining cycles, the fabrication of such systems can be labor intensive, costly, and can result in a heavier than desired fan casing because of the multiple layers of construction. Additionally, because the abradable system is fabricated separately from, and then attached to, the fan casing, the two parts function independently, rather than as a unitary system.
Accordingly, there remains a need for containment casings having integrated abradable systems that can provide improved impact resistance without the previously described time, labor, weight and cost issues, yet still be easily repairable should damage occur.


Disclosed are an apparatus and method for creating an acoustic radiation pattern, which may improve sound focusing performance to a target position. The acoustic radiation pattern creating apparatus may process an input signal which may be output through a speaker array in a room such that at least one vertical-directional reflected wave component of the input signal may overlap a direct sound of the input signal at the target position. Then, the acoustic radiation pattern creating apparatus may replicate the processed input signal by the number of output channels of the speaker array, and may process the replicated input signals such that the replicated input signals may form a predetermined radiation pattern in a horizontal direction in the room when the replicated input signals are output through the speaker array.

1. Field
The following description relates to an apparatus and method for generating an acoustic radiation pattern, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for allowing a speaker array system comprising a plurality of speakers to output a desired acoustic radiation pattern.
2. Description of the Related Art
A speaker array, which is a combination of a plurality of speakers, is used to control the direction of sound to be reproduced by combining a plurality of speakers or to transfer sound to a predetermined location. While a large speaker is naturally more directional because of its large size, a source with equivalent directivity can be made by utilizing an array of traditional small speakers, all driven together in phase. Acoustically equal to a large speaker, this creates a larger source size compared to wavelength, and the resulting sound field may be narrowed compared to a single small speaker. Large speaker arrays have been used in hundreds of arena sound systems to mitigate noise that would ordinarily travel to adjoining neighborhoods, as well as limited applications in other areas in which some degree of directivity is helpful, such as museums or similar display applications that can tolerate large speaker dimensions.
The principle of sound transmission, generally called "directivity," is to make a plurality of sound source signals overlap each other using phase differences between the sound source signals in order to increase signal strength in a particular direction. As such, the sound source signals are transmitted in the particular direction. Thus, such directivity is realized by disposing a plurality of speakers in particular positions, and adjusting the source sound signals of the array, which are output through the speakers of the array.
A general array system calculates, in order to obtain a desired frequency beam pattern, filter values, i.e., gain and delay values suitable for the desired beam pattern. Thus, this method permits use of only one fixed beam pattern.
Recently, interest in a personal sound zone for transferring sound only to specific listeners without utilizing earphones or headsets, while not creating noise pollution to adjacent persons is increasing. A personal sound zone may be formed by driving a plurality of acoustic transducers to thereby acquire the directivity of sound. In order to utilize the directivity of sound, input signals which are to be output by a plurality of speakers need to be passed through functional filters such as time delay filters to concentrate sound in a particular direction or on a particular position, thereby creating sound beams.

Apparatus and method for generating an acoustic radiation pattern


A road map is provided which allows a determination to be intuitively rendered whether a course contains an increased number of upward slopes or downward slopes as viewed in the direction of the course. The direction of the course is set up across roads indicated on the map, and the upward slopes and the downward slopes located along the course are indicated in different colors. For example, the direction of the course is set up on the map by a starting point and destinations. A gentle upward slope is indicated by a red color of a low thickness, a medium upward slope is indicated by a red color of a medium thickness and a sharp upward slope is indicated by a red color of a high thickness. On the other hand, a gentle downward slope is indicated by a blue color of a low thickness, a medium downward slope is indicated by a blue color of a medium thickness and a sharp downward slope is indicated by a blue color of a high thickness. Accordingly, a determination as to whether the course contains an increased number of upward slopes or downward slopes can be intuitively made.

Road maps are proposed in the art in which the magnitude and the direction of the gradient of a road are indicated on the map for a given interval measured along the length of the road to allow the presence of slopes and the degree of gradients to be readily recognized (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 131,561/2003, for example).
In such a road map, a flat road (level terrain) is shown in blue, a slope with a medium gradient in yellow, and a slope with a sharp gradient in red, for example. This affords an advantage that an easy path can be chosen by following roads which are indicated in blue while avoiding roads indicated in red which represent a sharp gradient or upward slope.
However, it will be noted that in the road map mentioned above, the color is chosen in accordance with the magnitude of the gradient, for example, a sharp gradient is indicated in red independently from the direction in which a user desires to move, and therefore, the user has to determine whether the red indication represents an upward or a downward slope with respect to his intended course.
More specifically, when there are a number of downward slopes with sharp gradients when viewed in the direction of the course of a user, the individual downward slopes will be indicated in red. In this instance, the user can learn intuitively that there are a number of sharp slopes, but the user had to determine whether the sharp slope indicated in red represents a downward slope or an upward slope with respect to his course and to select an indicated road when it has a number of downward slopes. However, it is more troublesome to render such a determination when there are a number of slopes of different gradients (accordingly, indicated in different colors) in admixture.


A non-aqueous mixture solvent for a non-aqueous electrolytic solution to be used for electrochemical energy devices, which contains an aprotic solvent, and a fluorinated ketone of the formula:

Among electrochemical energy devices, examples of cells having a 1.5 V or higher charging or discharging voltages include lithium primary cells, secondary cells, lithium ion secondary cells, and electro-double layered capacitors of large-volumetric types. Water cannot be used as an electrolyte solvent for these high voltage electrochemical energy devices because water is electrolyzed at such high voltages. Therefore, an aprotic solvent, such as alkyl ester carbonate, alkyl ether in which carrier electrolyte is dissolved, is used for the electrolyte solvent. Similarly, a non-aqueous electrolytic solution is used even for a cell which has a voltage of no greater than 1.5 V, because when electrodes in which occluded or discharged lithium is used, the lithium species active in electrodes react easily with water.
However, due to the combustible nature of aprotic solvents there is a risk that upon leaking outside of the cell the electrolyte solution will catch fire because of heat generation caused by unusual charge or discharge. Electrochemical energy devices are commonly used as main electric sources for portable small electronic devices such as notebook computers and mobile phones, or as memory back-up sources for these devices, and they are widely used by ordinary consumers. Accordingly, the tendency of such devices to catch fire is an acute issue. When large-sized electrochemical devices are used as main or auxiliary electric sources for motor-driven automobiles, or as electric power storing stationary devices, the danger of catching fire at emergency is increased.
Conventional methods for making non-aqueous electrolytic solutions to be flame resistant are, for example, as follows:
Japan Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-293533 discloses a method in which 0.5 to 30 weight percent of fluorinated alkane having 5 to 8 carbon atoms is incorporated into a non-aqueous electrolytic solution. Generally, fluorinated alkanes, particularly perfluorinated alkanes are not combustible and they may impart flame resistance as a result of a blanket of the volatile gas tending to choke off combustion sources. However, the fluorinated alkane has no other beneficial effect to the electrochemical cell other than imparting flame resistance to the solution. Furthermore, fluorinated alkanes, particularly the perfluorinated alkanes, will not readily dissolve in the aprotic solvent as is necessary to create effective electrolytic solutions for use in electrochemical energy devices. Because the incombustible fluorinated alkane phase separates from the combustible aprotic solvent phase, the entirety of the electrolytic solution cannot be said to be flame resistant. In addition, the separated fluorinated alkane phase is likely to be positioned lower than the aprotic solvent phase because of its relatively higher specific gravity. As a result, the incombustible layer phase will not effectively choke a fire in the aprotic phase. Furthermore, because the carrier electrolyte will not dissolve well in the fluorinated alkane phase, ions and electrons are not effectively exchanged and are occluded at the inter-phase region between electrodes and the electrolytic solution, resulting poorly performing electrochemical energy devices.
Japan Unexamined Patent Publication 11-307123 discloses a method of using a hydrofluoroether, such as methyl nonafluorobuthyl ether. The hydrofluoroether itself is incombustible and is readily soluble in a hydrocarbon solvent. Thus, the hydrofluoroether can be used to produce a uniform, non-aqueous electrolytic solution having flame resistant characeristics. However, the flame resistant mechanism derives mainly from the fire choking effect of the volatile constituent of the hydrofluoroether, just as the case with the fluorinated alkane, and the flame resistance is still insufficient. Further, the non-aqueous electrolytic solution should contain a sufficient proportion of hydrofluoroether such as methyl nonafluorobuthyl ether, so that the solution itself may be flame resistant. In fact, the reference teaches that the noncombustible electrolytic solution is obtained by containing 65 volume % or more of methyl nonafluorobuthyl ether based on a total amount of the solvent composition excluding salt. However, the hydrofluoroether tends to be a poor salvation agent of the salt, and as are result such solutions tend to provide less than desired ion conduction properties. Furthermore, when a hydrofluorether-containing non-aqueous electrolytic solution leaks out from a cell or capacitor, the proportion of the hydrofluoroether in the leaked electrolytic solution tends to decrease, in time to the a level where the solution is no longer flame resistant because the hydrofluoroether has a relatively high vapor pressure and a low boiling point, causing it to vaporize quickly. Furthermore, desired flame resistance may tend to be lost as the fire choking blanket of hydrofluoroether gas dissipates, particularly when exposed to high temperature conditions.
Thus, the need exists for a non-aqueous mixture solvent suitable for use in non-aqueous electrolytic solutions that exhibit effective properties of flame resistance, non-combustibility and self extinction of fire, and which do not impair the performance of electrochemical energy devices, and to provide a non-aqueous electrolytic solution containing the solvent.

Non-aqueous solvent mixture and non-aqueous electrolytic solution containing such mixture

Abstract: (wherein Rf1 and Rf2 each independently represents a fluorinated aliphatic group, or Rf1 and Rf2 together form a cyclic group, Q represents a fluorinated or non-fluorinated alkylene group or a bond, and n represents 0 or 1), and an electrolytic solution containing the mixture solvent.


An apparatus for continuous polymerization with a simple constitution to produce a polymer having a high quality, as well as a method for producing the polymer using the apparatus, are provided. The apparatus comprises a vessel; a means for supplying a monomer to the vessel; a means for supplying a polymerization initiator to the vessel; a means for detecting a temperature in the vessel; a means for regulating a temperature of an outer wall surface of the vessel so as to have a preset temperature; and a means for controlling a supply flow rate of the monomer and/or the polymerization initiator to the vessel by the monomer supply means and/or the initiator supply means so that the temperature in the vessel becomes substantially the same temperature as the preset temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for continuous polymerization to be used for manufacturing a methacrylate-based polymer and the like, and a method for continuous polymerization using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a continuously bulk-polymerizing method and a continuously solution-polymerizing method for continuously adding monomers and a polymerization initiator into a polymerization reaction vessel to polymerize the monomers have been adopted for manufacturing a methacrylate-based polymer, an acrylate-based polymer, polystyrene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin (ABS) and the like. Among these, the continuously bulk-polymerizing method has the advantage of obtaining a polymer with fewer impurities due to the polymerization reaction in a homogenous phase without using a solvent, a dispersing agent and the like. However, the viscosity of its reaction mixture is extremely high, so that the heat removal of the reaction system and the control of polymerization temperature are difficult. The continuously solution-polymerizing method also has the advantage of obtaining a polymer with fewer impurities, while the heat removal and control of polymerization temperature are relatively easy. However, its productivity tends to be reduced due to a solvent to be used therein.
In addition, Japanese Patent Publication No. 3395291 discloses a method of manufacturing a methacrylate-based polymer by a continuous bulk-polymerizing method in which a polymerization reaction is conducted using a complete mixing-type reaction vessel in an adiabatic state of no substantial comings and goings of heat from outside as well as in a flooded state of no substantial gas phase portion in the reaction vessel during the reaction.
A lot of methods for heat removal of a reaction system have conventionally been known, such as a cooling system by heat transfer in which a reaction system is cooled down using a jacket provided at an outer wall surface of a reaction vessel and a coil disposed in the reaction vessel; and a so-called reflux cooling system in which a raw material monomer and the like are vaporized in a reaction vessel and is taken out of the reaction system to be condensed by cooling and returned again to the reaction system. In the conventional heat removals, cooling may be localized or be conducted abruptly.
In manufacturing a methacrylate-based polymer, such local and/or abrupt cooling of a reaction system tends to cause gel to attach and grow at an inner wall surface of the reaction vessel, which may leads a gelated product contaminated into a polymer produced.
Conventionally, in manufacturing a methacrylate-based polymer, a raw material monomer and a polymerization initiator may be previously mixed and dissolved so that the polymerization initiator has a predetermined concentration, and then be supplied to a reaction vessel. In adopting the manner of a method described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3395291, the performance of a polymerization reaction in an adiabatic state as well as in a flooded state may prevent from generating gel to attach to an inner wall surface of a reaction vessel due to the localized or abrupt cooling. Still, this method described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3395291 has a possibility of causing dispersion in quality of the resulting polymer. This is because in order to maintain an adiabatic system in this method, the temperature of a jacket is controlled to be the same temperature as that in the reaction vessel depending on the fluctuation of the temperature in the reaction vessel, and the raw material monomer is previously prepared so as to contain a polymerization initiator at a predetermined concentration, and thus when polymerization temperature fluctuates with a factor of, such as, the change in outside air temperature, a later polymerization temperature and the temperature of the jacket can fluctuate freely.

Apparatus for continuous polymerization and method for continuous polymerizing using the same


A fluid pressure sensor package can be easily assembled to have different types of probe tubes depending upon different application environments. The sensor package includes a sealed casing accommodating a sensor chip for sensing a pressure of a fluid introduced into the casing. A probe tube extends from the casing for introducing the fluid into contact with the sensor chip. The casing has a top opening, and has a side wall formed on its interior surface with a stepped shoulder for bearing a flange at the lower end of the probe tube. The flange is sealingly bonded to the sidewall of the casing by a sealer. Since the probe tube is prepared as a separate member from the casing, the casing can be a common base for various probe tubes having fluid channels of different lengths or diameters.

Japanese patent publication No. 9-250964 A discloses a fluid pressure sensor package with a sensor chip formed from a semiconductor substrate such as a silicon substrate. The sensor chip is designed to include a diaphragm and a sensing element which converts a mechanical stress into an electric signal. The sensor chip is accommodated within a casing with its diaphragm exposed to a fluid introduced through a probe tube integrally extending from the casing. The probe tube has a fluid channel for introducing the fluid into contact with the diaphragm. The fluid channel is designed to have a length and a diameter specific to a target fluid as well as a practical application environment. Since the probe tube is molded integrally with the casing, various sensor packages having differently shaped probe tubes have to be prepared for different application environments.


A subjective quality estimating part (11) receives an undeteriorated reference video signal (RI) and a deteriorated video signal (PI) produced from the reference video signal, calculates video signal feature values for both the signals, and according to a difference between the calculated video signal feature values of the signals, estimates a subjective quality of the deteriorated video signal. A feature value calculating part (12) calculates the video signal feature values of the reference video signal. A correction information storing part (13) stores correction information that corresponds to video signal feature values and is used to correct the subjective quality. A correction calculating part (14) receives the video signal feature values of the reference video signal from the feature value calculating part (12), retrieves correction information corresponding to the received video signal feature values from the correction information storing part (13), and transfers the retrieved correction information to a correcting part (15). According to the transferred correction information, the correcting part (15) corrects the subjective quality estimated by the subjective quality estimating part (11).

Video information generally deteriorates its quality when subjected to some process such as encoding or transmitting through a network. The degree of deterioration of such deteriorated video information sensed by a person who actually watches the deteriorated video information is called a subjective quality.
A conventional method of assessing a subjective quality carries out a subjective quality assessing test in which a human tester actually watches video images. Assessing a quality of video images by actually watching the video images with human eyes is laborious and takes a long time. In addition, persons skilled in the quality assessment and novices frequently provide different assessment results.
To solve the problems, there is a method of estimating a subjective quality of video images according to physical measurements. This method finds a difference between the physical feature values of a reference video signal and a deteriorated video signal, or obtains a deterioration quantity only from the physical feature values of the deteriorated video signal, and objectively assess a degree of video quality deterioration according to the difference or the deterioration quantity.
A subjective video quality may be accurately estimated from limited video images. (For example, ANSI T1.801.03-1996, "Digital Transport of One-Way Video Signals Parameters for Objective Performance Assessment"; Okamoto and Takahashi, "Study on application of video quality objective assessment technique," IEICE society conference, September 2002; and Okamoto, Kurita, and Takahashi, "Study on improving the performance of video quality objective assessment," IEICE society conference, March 2003 can be referred to.) The quality of a given video image is greatly dependent on the characteristics of the video image, and therefore, video images having the same degree of deterioration may be assessed to have different subjective qualities.
Due to this, technical situations still exist that require subjective assessment tests to be conducted by human testers actually monitoring video images and assessing the quality thereof.
In these situations, there has been proposed an objective assessment method (PCT Pub. No. WO99/45715) that assesses a subjective quality like a human assessor does. The method focuses on an edge area of a video image, applies a Sobel filter to a video signal, and calculates a deterioration quantity of the video image.
Feature values employed by this method, however, are insufficient to provide an assessment accuracy comparable to that of a subjective assessment by human.
For a method of estimating a subjective video quality by comparing the physical feature values of reference and deteriorated video signals with each other, there is a precondition that spatial and temporal positions must be aligned between the reference and deteriorated video signals. Namely, between the reference and deteriorated video signals, temporal and spatial deviations must be cancelled if any.
To achieve the alignment, a manual aligning process has been carried out. To cope with this, a technique of automatically carrying out the aligning process has been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,492 carries out, as a preprocess of an objective assessment, a temporal aligning process to solve delays if any.
This technique can establish and continuously maintain a synchronized state for signals having the same size and the same frame rate such as TV broadcasting signals.
Recent video signals, however, have various sizes and aspect ratios, such as signals used for video distribution and communication services provided through IP networks including the Internet and received at terminals, e.g., personal computers (PCs). These services involve a risk of losing information pieces such as packets. It is difficult, therefore, to align spatial positions between a reference video signal and a deteriorated video signal. If IP packet arrival intervals vary or if packets are lost, video display timing will shift, fluctuate, or freeze. This sort of phenomena has not been present previously, and therefore, there is no technique to correct a temporal deviation between a reference video signal and a deteriorated video signal.
If spatial and temporal adjustments between a reference video signal and a deteriorated video signal are insufficient, the subjective quality estimating method will be unable to estimate a subjective quality of video images, or even if it is able to do so, the accuracy of the estimation will be poor.
The above-mentioned PCT Pub. No. WO99/45715 discloses, as a document showing an example of a temporal aligning process, ITU-T Contribution COM-12-29, "Draft new recommendation on multimedia communication delay, synchronization, and frame rate measurement," December 1997.

Video quality assessing apparatus, video quality assessing method, and video quality assessing program

Nippon Telegraph and Telepone Corporation


A foldable display panel, including an active area and a non-active area disposed around the active area, and a deformation layer disposed in the non-active area of the display panel. A material of the deformation layer includes a force-strained material configured to detect a degree of deformation and a cracking defect of the display panel according to a luminous color and brightness of the force-strained material.

Along with application of flexible OLED screens, foldable display panels have emerged. However, during manufacturing processes, since stress is generated when the foldable display panel is bent, it may cause problems of separation or fracture between layers thereof. For foldable display panels in the prior art, cracks or defects therein cannot be directly detected. If defective display panels are mass-produced, yield of the display panels will be reduced.

WUHAN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS SEMICONDUCTOR DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


Non-liposome, non-micelle particles formed of a lipid, an additional adjuvant such as a TLR4 agonist, a sterol, and a saponin are provided. The particles are porous, cage-like nanoparticles, also referred to as nanocages, and are typically between about 30 nm and about 60 nm. In some embodiments, the nanocages include or are administered in combination with an antigen. The particles can increase immune responses and are particularly useful as adjuvants in vaccine applications and related methods of treatment. Preferred lipids, additional adjuvants including TLR4 agonists, sterols, and saponins, methods of making the nanocages, and method of using them are also provided.

Adjuvants are often added to vaccine formulations to modify the immune response. For example, adjuvants can lead to a higher amount of antibodies and a longer-lasting protection, thus minimizing the amount of injected antigen used. Adjuvants may also be used to enhance the efficacy of a vaccine by helping to modify the immune response to particular types of immune system cells. For example, certain adjuvants can favor T cells activation over antibody-secreting B cells activation depending on the purpose of the vaccine.
Immunostimulatory complexes called ISCOMs are particulate antigen delivery systems having antigen, cholesterol, phospholipid and saponin (Quil A or other saponin) with potent immunostimulatory activity. ISCOMATRIX® is a particulate adjuvant having cholesterol, phospholipids and saponins (Quil A) but without containing antigen. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 9,149,520, Sun, et al., Volume 27, Issue 33, 16 Jul. 2009, Pages 4388-4401, and Morelli, et al., J Med Microbiol. 2012 July; 61(Pt 7):935-43. doi: 10.1099/jmm.0.040857-0. Epub 2012 Mar. 22. This adjuvant has principally the same structure as ISCOMs, consisting of perforated cage-like particles of approximately 40 nm in diameter. The antigens can be formulated with ISCOMATRIX® to produce vaccines capable of antigen presentation and immunostimulants similar to ISCOMs-type formulations, but with a wider range of applicability, since its use is not limited to hydrophobic membrane proteins. Modifications of ISCOMs formulations and ISCOMATRIX® have also been developed to achieve a better association of some antigens, such as described in WO 98/36772.
ISCOMs and ISCOMATRIX® combine the advantages of a particulate delivery system with the in situ presence of an adjuvant (Quil A) and consequently have been found to be more immunogenic than other colloidal systems such as liposomes and protein micelles. Formulations of ISCOMs and ISCOMATRIX® retained the adjuvant activity of the Quil A, while increasing its stability, reducing its hemolytic activity, and producing less toxicity. They also generate a similar immune response to the one obtained by immunizing with simple mixtures of antigen and saponin, but allow for the use of substantially smaller amounts of antigen. Several ISCOMs-type vaccine formulations or containing ISCOMATRIX® have been approved for veterinary use, for example against equine influenza virus.
Other liposomal systems mainly composed of saponins from Q. saponaria and sterols (primarily cholesterol) have been described, one of which is referred to as ASO1B. See, e.g., WO 96/33739, also being formulated as emulsions such as described in US 2005/0220814. See, also, U.S. Published Application No. 2011/0206758.
Iscomatrix-like adjuvants such as ISCOMATRIX® are thought to function via canonical inflammasome activation and subsequent release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-18 and IL-1β (Wilson, et al., Journal of immunology. 2014; 192(7):3259-68. doi: 10.4049/jimmuno1.1302011. PubMed PMID: 24610009). This mechanism is thought to be mediated at least in-part by endosomal degradation and the release of NRLP3-activating cathepsin proteases into the cytosol. Despite the promising results obtained with this adjuvant, there remains a need for even stronger adjuvants preferably with reduced toxicity.
Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide improved adjuvants, vaccine formulations formed therewith, and methods of use thereof.

Nanoparticle vaccine adjuvant and methods of use thereof


A method of bonding components comprising the following steps. At least a first ceramic component and a second ceramic component are provided. A first conductive layer is formed over the upper surface of the first ceramic component. An intermediate film is formed over the first conductive layer. A second conductive layer is formed over the lower surface of the second ceramic component. The second ceramic component is stacked over the first ceramic component wherein the second conductive layer on the second ceramic component opposes the intermediate film on the first component. The first and second ceramic components are anodically bonded together.

Ceramics range from diverse silicates to oxides of Al, Ti, Zr, Be, etc. Ceramics also include non-oxides such as carbides, nitrides and borides of the transition elements plus multiphase composites which may be totally or partially ceramic.
Ceramics may be used as electrical insulators, semiconductors, conductors or superconductors and may display large piezoelectric effect, have voltage-sensitive resistance or may have their electrical permittivity change with humidity. They may be good heat conductors or excellent thermal insulators and can be used at high operating temperatures intolerable by many metals and super alloys. Broadly speaking, the permissible operating temperature of ceramics is between about 0.5 to 0.7 Tm where Tm is the ceramic's melting point.
Although the synthesis of ceramic materials for high performance and high reliability is advancing tremendously, their commercialization is lagging due to poor integration techniques. While scientific and engineering efforts have been focused upon ceramic-metal joining/bonding, ceramic—ceramic bonding is not, as of yet, as well developed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,997 to Akaike et al. and European Patent Specification 0619598 A3 0619598 to Akaike et al. both describe anodic bonding of an insulator containing no movable ion and a conductor through the medium of a conductive film and an insulator layer containing movable ions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,590 to Willcox et al. describes anodic bonding to fabricate a pressure sensor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,624 to Wohltjen describes a method for making an airtight seal between a pair of glass plates.
European Patent Specification 0317445 to Gotou describes bonding of a first silicon substrate coated with silicon oxide to a second silicon substrate coated with beta-SiC and/or phosphosilicate glass layer.

Agency for Science, Technology and Research


A support shoe for a concrete pillar has a base plate and two lateral plates arranged at lateral edges of the base plate and projecting upwardly at a right angle from the base plate. At least one reinforcement bar is connected to the support shoe for introducing forces into the concrete pillar. The two lateral edges and thus also the lateral plates connected thereto are arranged at an acute angle relative to one another, wherein the two lateral plates are formed as separate components connected to the base plate.

The invention relates to a support shoe for concrete supports or pylons, concrete pillars or the like. The support shoe comprises a base plate and two lateral plates arranged at lateral edges of the base plate and projecting approximately at a right angle upwardly from the base plate and comprising at least one reinforcement bar (rebar) that is connected to the support shoe for introducing forces into the concrete pillar.
Such support shoes are used, for example, in high-rise construction for connecting by screwing pre-manufactured concrete parts. For example, appropriately pre-manufactured concrete pillars have in the area of their end faces several support shoes that are fixedly embedded in the concrete part together with reinforcement bars secured on lateral plates of the support shoe. A base plate and lateral plates that are arranged on lateral edges of the base plate at a right angle relative to the base plate delimit a free space that enables access to a screw connection. For this purpose, the base plate has a screw hole. The base plate with the screw hole is positioned in the plane of the end face of the concrete pillar. The concrete pillar or support can be connected to a ceiling or a foundation that has bolts embedded in the concrete. Also, it is possible to connect by means of a screw that is pushed through the screw hole two base plates adjoining one another and arranged at the end faces of two concrete pillars that are to be connected to one another via their end faces.
In order to provide high strength, the support shoes must be embedded securely in the concrete part. For realizing the screw connection, a good accessibility of the free space between the lateral plates and the base plate is required; at the same time, a compensation of dimensional tolerances must also be enabled. Moreover, it is desirable to be able to manufacture the support shoe with simple means.
DE 195 14 685 C2 discloses a support shoe that is referred to as a pile shoe wherein the base plate has a substantially square foot print. Two lateral plates are formed as a monolithic part by folding a sheet metal at a right angle wherein the folded sheet metal portion projects at a right angle upwardly from the base plate and is welded to lateral edges of the square base plate that extend toward one another. Two reinforcement bars are welded to the facing inner surfaces of the angled lateral sheet metal and extend perpendicularly to the base plate. The two legs of the L-shaped angled lateral plate extend approximately across half of the two lateral edges of the base plate wherein the two reinforcement bars are arranged in the area of the exposed vertical edges of the L-profile and are therefore arranged approximately centrally relative to the lateral edges of the base plate. Tolerances resulting from folding of the lateral sheet metal can lead to difficulties when welding them to the base plate. A reliable welding of the reinforcement bars to the two legs is made more difficult because the accessibility of the welding seams positioned in the direction of the fold line is impaired by the lateral plates. The reinforcement bars that are positioned at the inner side of the L-profile are positioned close to the screw hole in the base plate. The accessibility of the screw connection as well as a positional tolerance compensation of two adjoining screw holes relative to one another are made more difficult.


Described herein are compounds that activate pyruvate kinase, pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use thereof. These compounds are represented by Formula (I) wherein R1, R2, Ra, Rb, Rj, Rk, and Q are as defined herein.

Pyruvate kinase deficiency (PKD) is a disease of the red blood cells caused by a deficiency of the pyruvate kinase R (PKR) enzyme due to recessive mutations of PKLR gene (Wijk et al. Human Mutation, 2008, 30 (3) 446-453). PKR activators can be beneficial to treat PKD, thalassemia (e.g., beta-thalessemia), hereditary elliptocytosis, abetalipoproteinemia or Bassen-Kornzweig syndrome, sickle cell disease, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, anemia (e.g., congenital anemias (e.g., enzymopathies), hemolytic anemia (e.g. hereditary and/or congenital hemolytic anemia, acquired hemolytic anemia, chronic hemolytic anemia caused by phosphoglycerate kinase deficiency, anemia of chronic diseases, non-spherocytic hemolytic anemia or hereditary spherocytosis).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Pyruvate kinase activators for use in treating blood disorders


A process and apparatus are provided for deodorizing malodorous solids, liquids, and/or gases by contacting them with a mist of an aqueous deodorizing solution consisting of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal chlorite, buffering agent(s), water, and optionally an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal chlorate and/or an alkali metal alkaline earth metal chloride. The preferred alkali metal is sodium. The deodorizing solution contains available chlorine dioxide and has a pH of about 8.5-9.5. In the process a concentrated solution of the deodorizing solution is diluted and mixed with water and misted into or onto the substance(s) to be deodorized, for example, the sewer gases from a sewage lift station. The apparatus consists of a rotameter which measures the amount of the concentrated deodorizing solution introduced into an eductor for dilution in a passing water stream which is then transported to spray nozzles for misting the malodorous substance(s). Preferably, a timer or monitor is incorporated so that the apparatus can be operated intermittently or continuously and the amounts of the oxidizing agents supplied can be varied.

This invention relates to a process and an apparatus for deodorizing malodorous substances.
Waste streams from sewage plants, rendering plants, barns and hog pens, as well as dung manure spreads and garbage-filled landfills, contain solids, liquids and/or gases from which foul odors may evolve. Such odors are objectionable to workers and inhabitants of the area, and in some cases, the odors are so objectionable as to cause partial or total shutdown of the facility.
Various schemes have been proposed for alleviating malodorous substances including aeration, incineration, scrubbing and/or deodorizing reactions.
Numerous methods involve the use of oxidizing agents. Waste or exhaust gas is deodorized by washing at least twice with active chlorine which is practically free from chlorine dioxide, followed by an alkaline washing (U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,955 issued Dec. 2, 1975 to Fattinger). Solid waste facilities are scrubbed for odor control with oxidizing agents such as sodium hypochlorite, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, or potassium permanganate (A. Serper, "Odor Control Systems for Solid Waste Facilities: Review and Selection", Solid Wastes Management Refuse Removal Journal 21, 5, pp. 22-24, 28, 31 (1978)--Pollution Abs. 054933-78-04121). Sewage farms and dung manure spreadings are sprayed with a composition comprising a stabilized aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide, isopropanol, didecyldimethyl ammonium chloride, a non-ionic surfactant, aromatic materials, stabilizing co-emulsifiers, and water (FR 2,696,643 A1 issued Apr. 15, 1994 to Rocchia--Derwent Abs. No. 94-146367/18). Waste gases from a sewage lift station are scrubbed with a hypochlorite solution produced electrolytically from a brine solution" (Tollefsrud, "Hypochlorite Kills Lift Station Odor", Water Sewage Works 126 1, p. 78 (1979)--C. A. 90 (16) 1127051f). Gases containing odiferous acidic contaminants are mist scrubbed with an aqueous reagent containing a mixture of an oxidizing agent and a base. Chlorine dioxide, hydrogen peroxide, ozone, sodium hypochlorite, or various permanganates may be used. Sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite are commonly used (U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,874 issued Jul. 4, 1989). Hydrogen sulfide-laden process gas from the cooler-scrubber used in recycling spent reducing gas from a direct reduction iron oxide apparatus is contacted with a chlorine dioxide spray to oxidize the hydrogen sulfide to a water soluble sulfate (U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,551 issued Sep. 5, 1995 to Huestis et al.). Gases from fermentation compartments of an organic waste recycling apparatus are deodorized by serially connecting a circulatory pipe to a first deodorizing tank containing water, then to a second deodorizing tank containing a chlorine dioxide solution, preferably stabilized, and optionally to a third deodorizing tank containing activated carbon (U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,730 issued Mar. 5, 1996 to Teramachi).
The above deodorizing schemes have not been completely successful in eliminating foul odors and there is still a need for a more effective deodorizing composition, a process for its use, and an apparatus for its delivery.

Process and apparatus for deodorizing malodorous substances with a chlorine dioxide-containing composition


The present invention provides a method (600) and device (400) for minimizing wind-induced noise in a microphone. The device includes: a housing (412) having a recessed area shaped to accommodate a microphone transducer (410); the microphone transducer (410), situated within the recessed area such that a thin film situated over the microphone transducer is flush with/overlaying a top of the recessed area and affixed at least to the sides of the recessed area, for receiving sound; and the thin film (402) has at least one aperture (404, . . . 406) for allowing sound to impinge on the microphone transducer (410), and has a minimal thickness that maintains structural integrity.

Conventional microphone porting typically includes a round sound hole opening that is typically 1-2 millimeters deep and a cavity (104), as shown in FIG. 1, numeral 100, that is typically 1-2 millimeters deep. The diameter of the sound hole opening (102) is determined by a desired overall frequency response curve which depends on the size of the sound hole opening (102), the volume of the cavity (104), and the characteristics of a microphone transducer (106) that is placed at the bottom of the cavity (104). When a handset having a microphone with a round opening and a cavity is utilized under windy conditions, wind-induced noise may decrease microphone performance in the form of fluttering background noise which can render the voice sound unintelligible.
Wind-induced noise arises from the hydrodynamic instability of the flow of air over the cavity (104) sound hole opening (102). As shown in FIGS. 2-3, numerals 200 and 300, the wind flow (202) across an opening (206) produces separation vortices (204) that produce a hyperbolic wind velocity profile (302) that is unstable.
Thus, there is a need for a method and device for minimizing wind-induced noise in microphones.

Flush-porting method and device for reduction of wind-induced noise in a microphone


A method for configuring an automated in-circuit test debugger is presented. The novel test debug and optimization configuration technique configures expert knowledge into a knowledge framework for use by an automated test debug and optimization system for automating the formulation of a valid stable in-circuit test for execution on an integrated circuit tester. In a system that includes a rule-based controller for controlling interaction between the test-head controller of an integrated circuit tester and an automated debug system, the invention includes a knowledge framework and a rule-based editor. The knowledge framework stores test knowledge in the representation of rules that represent a debugging strategy. The rule-based editor facilitates the use of rules as knowledge to debug or optimize an in-circuit test that is to be executed on the integrated circuit tester.

The increasing reliance upon computer systems to collect, process, and analyze data has led to the continuous improvement of the system assembly process and associated hardware. With the improvements in speed and density of integrated circuits, the cost and complexities of designing and testing these integrated circuits has dramatically increased. Currently, large complex industrial integrated circuit testers (commonly referred to in the industry as "Automated Test Equipment" or "ATE") perform complex testing of integrated circuit devices, such as integrated circuits, printed circuit boards (PCBs), multi-chip modules (MCMs), System-on-Chip (SOC) devices, printed circuit assemblies (PCAs), etc. The tests that must be performed may include, among others, in-circuit test (ICT), functional test, and structural test, and are designed to verify proper structural, operational, and functional performance of the device under test (DUT).
An example of an automated test is the performance of an in-circuit test. In-circuit testing, which verifies the proper electrical connections of the components on the printed circuit board (PCB), is typically performed using a bed-of-nails fixture or robotic flying-prober (a set of probes that may be programmably moved). The bed-of-nails fixture/robotic flying-prober probes nodes of the device under test, applies a set of stimuli, and receives measurement responses. An analyzer processes the measurement responses to determine whether the test passed or failed.
A typical in-circuit test will cover many thousands of devices, including resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors, inductors, etc. Tests are typically passed to the tester via some type of user interface. Typically, the user interface allows a technician to enter various configurations and parameters for each type of device to automatically generate tests for devices of that type. However, for various reasons, it is often the case that a fairly significant percentage (e.g., 20%) of the automatically generated tests are faulty in that when executed on a known good device under test, the test is unable to determine the status of the device or component under test. Clearly, for devices under test that include thousands of components, this results in a large number of tests that must be manually repaired. Expert technicians typically know how to repair a faulty test. However, with such a large number of faulty tests to repair, a large (and therefore, very costly) amount of time may be spent in test debug and optimization rather than in actual testing of the device itself. The time spent in debug is also dependent on the amount of knowledge and experience of the test engineer.
It would therefore be desirable to capture the knowledge of experienced test engineers and formulate it into a format that s reusable by automated test systems. More generally, it would be desirable to develop a method and framework for binding complex actions into rules and rule sets associated with devices under test.

Method and apparatus for configuration of automated debug of in-circuit tests


A method for image quality assessment of a digital radiography system extracts and isolates one or more individual targets from a phantom image, then obtains operator responses by displaying each isolated individual target and recording a corresponding operator response related to image appearance for each isolated individual target. The accumulated operator responses are stored to obtain the image quality assessment.

Radiography refers to a general system, or modality, for recording a radiation image from the transmission of x-rays through an object, such as a body of a patient. Conventional radiography uses a film/screen combination as the capture device, while digital radiography can employ a digital detector (DR) or a stimulable phosphor plate (generally referred to as computed radiography, CR). For either digital radiography technology, the output digital signal is usually converted into a unit that is linear with the logarithm of incident exposure. Digital systems can record radiation exposure over a wide dynamic range, typically on the order of 10,000:1, so that exposure error is seldom a problem.
As with conventional radiography, equipment acceptance and continued quality assurance are required for digital radiography systems, to varying degrees, for each diagnostic institution and/or region. For example, guidelines for acceptance and scheduled testing of mammography systems have been outlined in the European Protocol for the Quality Control of the Physical and Technical Aspects of Mammography Screening, Part B: Digital Mammography, also generally referred to as EPQCM. Refer to R. van Engen, K. Young, H. Bosmans, and M. Thijssen, European Protocol for the Quality Control of the Physical and Technical Aspects of Mammography Screening, Part B: Digital Mammography, Draft Edition January 2005, European Commission, National Expert and Training Centre for Breast Cancer Screening 451, University Medical Centre Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands Nijmegan, The Netherlands, January 2005.
One image quality criterion prescribed by the EPQCM addresses the requirement that low-contrast small-diameter objects be visibly differentiated from a uniform background. This stands as a surrogate for the requirement for diagnostic systems to provide adequate visibility of masses and micro-calcifications. Contrast-detail studies have traditionally been used for this purpose. See for example, A. Rose, Vision Human and Electronic, Plenum Press, New York (1973); M. Thijssen et al., "A definition of image quality: the image quality figure," BIR Report 20, pp 29-34 (1990); S. R. Thompson and K. Faulkner, "A phantom for the measurement of contrast detail performance in film-screen mammography," British J. Radiol. 64, 1049-1055 (1991); L-N. D. Loo, K. Doi, M. Ishida, C. E. Metz, "An empirical investigation of variability in contrast-detail diagram measurements," Proc SPIE (The International Society for Optical Engineering) 419, 68-76 (1983); G. Cohen, D. L. McDaniel and L. K. Wagner, "Analysis of variations in contrast-detail experiments," Med. Phys. 11, 469-473 (1984); and T. Fearon et al., "A comparison evaluation of rare-earth screen-film systems: system speed, contrast, sensitometry, RMS noise, square-wave response function and contrast-dose-detail analysis," Investigative Radiology 21, 654-662 (1986).
The EPQCM recognizes the well-known limitations of traditional contrast-detail methods, based on a single image of a Rose-Burger phantom, by adopting multiple images of an alternative forced-choice phantom. (See R. F. Wagner, C. E. Metz and D. G. Brown, "Signal detection theory and medical image assessment," in Recent developments in digital imaging, ed. K. Doi, L. Lanzl and P-J. P. Lin, AAPM (American Association of Physical Medicine) Monograph 12, American Institute of Physics (1985)). This choice is supported by a recent comparison of subjective and objective measures of detail detectability as well as detailed analysis of the efficiency of multiple-forced-choice methods. Refer to M. J. Tapiovaara and M. Sanborg, "How should low-contrast delectability be measured in fluoroscopy," Med. Phys. 31, 2564-2576 (2004). Refer also to A. E. Burgess, "Comparison of receiver operating characteristic and forced choice observer performance measurement methods," Med. Phys. 22, 643-655 (1995).
The EPQCM methodology is described in detail in section 2.4.1 (threshold contrast sensitivity) of the EPQCM. In particular, images of a suitable contrast-detail phantom are to be acquired with clinical technique factors. Visual scoring and analysis predicts the threshold contrast target for each target diameter. Forced-choice or task-based phantoms can be differentiated from other types of radiology phantoms in that these phantoms typically require a certain sequence of evaluation steps from the observer. For example, in one characteristic sequence, the operator works through a series of visual patterns obtained from the phantom, where each successive pattern is more difficult to detect. The operator then scores system performance based on the visual threshold beyond which the pattern becomes too difficult to discern clearly. For mammography systems worldwide, there are two particularly well-known phantoms that are used in this task-based manner: the CDMAM phantom and the ACR (American College of Radiology) phantom.
The CDMAM phantom template employs a plurality of squares, wherein each square contains two identical discs (same thickness, same diameter), one in the center and one in a randomly chosen corner. With the CDMAM contrast-detail phantom for mammography images, the threshold contrast of an imaging system is determined as a function of object diameter by the detection of pairs of low-contrast objects. The most recent version of the phantom, CDMAM 3.4, tests the ability of observers to visualize gold disks ranging in diameter from about 0.06 to about 2.0 mm and in thickness from about 0.03 to about 2.0 μm. Refer to R. Visser and N. Karssemeijer, "CDCOM Manual: software for automated readout of CDMAM 3.4 images". The CDCOM software, manual and sample images are currently posted at http://www.euref.org.
This results in an approximate radiation contrast range of about 0.5% to about 30%. K. R. Bijkerk, M. A. O. See Thijssen, Th. J. M. Arnoldussen, IWDM (International Workshop on Digital Mammography) 2000 report: Modification of the CDMAM contrast-detail phantom for image quality of Full Field Digital Mammography systems, University Medical Centre Nijmegan, St. Radboud, The Netherlands, 2000. The contrast range is approximate, which is due to the clinical variability of the technique (filtration, kVp, and detector material) used for testing. The CDMAM 3.4 phantom was redesigned from older versions specifically to accommodate digital systems that potentially have improved-system DQE and MTF (modulation transfer function) over traditional film screen systems. See M. A. O. Thijssen, W. Veldkamp, R. Van Engen; M. Swinkels, N. Karssemeijer, J. Hendricks, "Comparison of the detectability of small details in a film-screen and a digital mammography system by the imaging of a new CDMAM-phantom", Proceedings of IWDM 2000, pp. 666-672, M. Yaffe ed, Medical Physics Publishing, Madison, Wis., Toronto, 2000.
Although not permitted by the EPQCM guidelines, automated software observers have been developed to evaluate CDMAM images. One of these was developed by Karssemeijer and Thijssen. Refer to N. Karssemeijer, M. A. O. Thijssen, "Determination of contrast-detail curves of mammography systems by automated image analysis" in Digital Mammography '96, Proceedings of the 3rd International Workshop on Digital Mammography, 155-160 (1996). It is believed to be available on the EUREF website (http://www.euref.org) along with a manual.
Other automated scoring methods continue to be developed in recognition of the complexities associated with implementing the visual threshold contrast sensitivity test. For example, Rico et al. implemented a software scoring method that they compared with visual measurements as a function of dose. (See R. Rico, S. Muller, G. Peter, A. Noel, and J. Stines, "Automatic scoring of CDMAM: A dose study," Proc. SPIE 5034, 164-173 (2003).) Although a good correlation of IQF (image quality figure, a summary performance measure) was reported, the software method demonstrated higher detection sensitivity than that of the human observers in the study. The use of the IQF metric precludes analysis of their data in terms of the EPQCM criteria.
Other analytical approaches are being investigated and may be promising. Ongoing work in IEC working group 62B is working to standardize the measurement of mammographic DQE in a manner similar to the current standard for general radiography. (See: "Medical electrical equipment—Characteristics of digital X-ray imaging devices—Part 1—Determination of the detective quantum efficiency" IEC 62220-1 Ed. 1, International Electrotechnical Commission (2003)). Such measurements can be used together with well-established methods to predict signal-to-noise performance metrics for either ideal or human observers. (See P. Sharp et al. "Medical imaging—the assessment of image quality," ICRU Report 54, International Commission on Radiation Unit, Bethesda, Md. (1995)). Work is also currently underway in several laboratories to produce a software scoring tool that matches human visual performance.
At present, the EPQCM is being used as a guideline and is not used as a regulatory document. It is, however, anticipated that region specific regulations may be implemented based on the guidance of the EPQCM. Therefore, some clinical sites are beginning to require compliance with the EPQCM guidelines for equipment-purchase tenders.
It is anticipated that CDMAM or ACR (American College of Radiology) task-based phantom evaluation will be required regulatory prerequisites for mammography system use, with assessment using these task-based phantoms scheduled at various intervals. In light of this possible development, and with the goal of making mammography and radiological systems in general more reliable and easier to test, it can be seen that there is a need for tools that improve system assessment workflow.
Currently, even though the phantom is typically displayed to the operator on a high-resolution display screen, assessment of digital mammography systems is performed manually, using one of the task-based phantoms. An operator, trained to use the particular phantom, follows a recommended sequence for assessing its various parts and scoring system performance according to these parts of phantom, as was described earlier. The operator sequence for task-based phantom evaluation follows the guidelines of the system manufacturer and may vary from one session to another. For example, full assessment of each target of the phantom may not be necessary at each assessment session; at various intervals between full assessment cycles, only spot-checking may be needed. For such condensed or streamlined testing sessions, only a subset of the phantom targets must be assessed by the observer. At other times, the full phantom may need to be used. Test sequences may be mandated by regulatory requirements or may simply be site-specified according to practices at a particular medical imaging facility. Operator records are maintained on paper and stored as proof that the system assessment was properly performed at a particular time.
Conventional use of task-based phantoms is limited to one-time assessment and fraught with problems. As can be appreciated, the need for operator training on the phantom is a disadvantage and indicates a likelihood of operator error. Maintaining paper records is also a problem and is a disadvantage not only because of the likelihood of loss or misplacement but also because scoring and other information obtained is not accessible to HIS/RIS or other information or archival systems. No longer-term objective is served; the data that has been obtained from test readings is simply stored in a folder. Phantom assessment can be highly subjective, and an operator under pressure or confused by the procedural sequence may give inaccurate results. In some cases, an operator could even "learn" a type of phantom or attempt to short-cut the intended procedures, so that adequate care in assessment is compromised.
Given these considerations, there is a need for apparatus and methods that improve workflow and make better use of the information obtained from task-based phantoms.

Assessment of radiographic systems and operators using task-based phantom


A motor control circuit, including a filter amplifier which includes a clamping circuit to limit the maximum voltage of the filter amplifier. The filter amplifier is clamped to essentially the same level as the following error amplifier, which drives the power transistor which drives the motor. Thus, the requisite control voltage is normally present anyway (since this voltage is used to limit the amount of maximum current in the motor). Since the corresponding level of current is selected to ensure adequate current during start up, this signal is therefore appropriate to limit the output voltage of the filter amplifier. This improvement adds very little circuit complexity, and reduces the settling time of the motor controller at startup.

The present application relates to integrated circuit motor controllers.
In a typical closed loop control system (e.g. motor speed control), a means of introducing phase lead/lag is common to ensure loop stability. FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of the motor speed control loop found in an example of a spindle motor controller. Although not shown, an electronic circuit compares the motor speed and phase to a precision reference and generates a command voltage that controls the amount of current flowing in the motor. The speed is therefore controlled by controlling the motor current.
In order to compensate for the pole of the motor, a filter amplifier is normally used to shift the phase. In its simplest form, a resistor and capacitor form an integrator. The drawback of this scheme is that a finite time is required for the loop to settle when the motor is first spun up. In the prior art this time was greater than 10 seconds, which is excessively long for a system that must quickly spin up a hard disk drive for a computer system.
This excessive settling time is caused by the large output swing capability of the filter amplifier itself. The large output voltage swing requires that the capacitor be charged/discharged to the full range of the output voltage before it eventually settles to the normal operating point. This large swing is required to allow the controller to work with a variety of motors that have different requirements for start up current. Normally the start up current is roughly 10 times higher than the running current.
The present invention provides an improved motor control circuit, including an improved filter amplifier which includes a clamping circuit to limit the maximum voltage of the filter amplifier. The clamping circuit is controlled by a clamping voltage which is normally present anyway (since this voltage is used to limit the amount of maximum current in the motor). Since this level of current is selected to ensure adequate current during start up, this signal is therefore appropriate to limit the output voltage of the filter amplifier. With this improvement (which adds very little circuit complexity), the settling time has been reduced to under 4 seconds. Further optimization of the embedding network can provide further improvement in settling time.
According to a disclosed class of innovative embodiments, there is provided: a control circuit, comprising: a filter amplifier comprising a first input operatively connected to receive a command voltage and a second input operatively connected to receive a reference voltage, and further comprising one or more passive elements connected therewith; an error amplifier, integrated with said filter amplifier, and comprising a first input operatively connected to be driven by an output of said filter amplifier, an output connectable to drive a power transistor, and a second input connectable to receive a feedback value which is proportional to the current passed by the power transistor; wherein said filter amplifier and said error amplifier each comprise: a respective output transistor of a first majority-carrier conduction type connected to drive said respective output, and a respective clamp transistor of a second majority-carrier conduction type connected to limit the voltage on a control terminal of said respective output transistor, both said clamp transistors having respective control terminals thereof connected to a common constant voltage.
According to another disclosed class of innovative embodiments, there is provided: a control circuit, comprising: a filter amplifier comprising a first input operatively connected to receive a command voltage and a second input operatively connected to receive a reference voltage, and further comprising one or more passive elements connected therewith; an error amplifier, integrated with said filter amplifier, and comprising a first input operatively connected to be driven by an output of said filter amplifier, an output connectable to drive a power transistor, and a second input connectable to receive a feedback value which is proportional to the current passed by the power transistor; wherein said filter amplifier and said error amplifier each comprise: a respective output transistor connected to drive said respective output, and a respective clamp circuit connected to limit the voltage of said output to a common constant voltage.
According to another disclosed class of innovative embodiments, there is provided: a control circuit, comprising: a filter amplifier comprising a first input operatively connected to receive a command voltage and a second input operatively connected to receive a reference voltage, and further comprising one or more passive elements connected therewith; an error amplifier, integrated with said filter amplifier, and comprising a first input operatively connected to be driven by an output of said filter amplifier, an output connectable to drive a power transistor, and a second input connectable to receive a feedback value which is proportional to the current passed by the power transistor; wherein said filter amplifier incorporates a clamp circuit, which is connected to limit the voltage of said output thereof to a predetermined constant voltage.
According to another disclosed class of innovative embodiments, there is provided: a control circuit, comprising: a power transistor, having a first current-carrying terminal thereof connectable to an inductive load and a second current-carrying terminal thereof operatively connected, through a sensing resistor, to a power supply voltage; a filter amplifier comprising a first input operatively connected to receive a command voltage and a second input operatively connected to receive a reference voltage, and further comprising one or more passive elements connected therewith; an error amplifier, integrated with said filter amplifier, and comprising a first input operatively connected to be driven by an output of said filter amplifier, an output operatively connected to drive a control terminal of said power transistor, and a second input connected to receive a voltage from said sensing resistor; wherein said filter amplifier and said error amplifier each comprise: a respective output transistor of a first majority-carrier conduction type connected to drive said respective output, and a respective clamp transistor of a second majority-carrier conduction type connected to limit the voltage on a control terminal of said respective output transistor, both said clamp transistors having respective control terminals thereof connected to a common constant voltage.
According to another disclosed class of innovative embodiments, there is provided: a motor control system, comprising: a power transistor, having a first current-carrying terminal thereof connectable to an inductive load and a second current-carrying terminal thereof operatively connected, through a sensing resistor, to a power supply voltage; a filter amplifier comprising a first input operatively connected to receive a command voltage and a second input operatively connected to receive a reference voltage, and further comprising one or more passive elements connected therewith; an error amplifier, integrated with said filter amplifier, and comprising a first input operatively connected to be driven by an output of said filter amplifier, an output operatively connected to drive a control terminal of said power transistor, and a second input connected to receive a voltage from said sensing resistor; wherein said filter amplifier and said error amplifier each comprise: a respective output transistor of a first majority-carrier conduction type connected to drive said respective output, and a respective clamp transistor of a second majority-carrier conduction type connected to limit the voltage on a control terminal of said respective output transistor, both said clamp transistors having respective control terminals thereof connected to a common constant voltage; and a DC motor in series with the power transistor.
According to another disclosed class of innovative embodiments, there is provided: a method of controlling a motor, comprising the substantially continuous and simultaneous steps of: generating a command signal indicating the difference between the actual speed of the motor and a desired speed of the motor; filtering said command signal, using a operational amplifier combined with at least one active component, to produce a compensated control voltage; controlling a power transistor, which is connected to drive the motor, by an error amplifier which is connected to receive said compensated control voltage and which is also connected to receive a feedback voltage indicative of the current passed by said power transistor; and controlling said error amplifier and said operational amplifier to clamp the respective outputs thereof in common.

Motor control with clamped filter output


A spark plug sensor antenna including an external housing; and a printed circuit board disposed within the exterior housing, the printed circuit board having a first side and a second side and a first plurality of serpentine traces disposed on one of the first side and second side for receiving radio frequency signals generated by the spark of a spark plug.

It is well known that electromagnetic radio frequency emissions are generated by the ignition wires during normal operation of an engine. It is also well known that by sampling the electromagnetic emissions, ignition information can be obtained for evaluating the operation of the engine. Prior art devices are either triggered by the electromagnetic emissions or measure the amplitude of the emissions to provide spark information. These prior art devices measure the electromagnetic emissions at the spark plug wire or boot, but are not capable of determining whether a spark occurred at the end of the spark plug.
Some prior art testing devices include wire antennas that are bent in shapes and encased in housings. Due to their use of encased bent wires, they are typically more expensive and difficult to manufacture consistently. In addition, it is more difficult to consistently produce high quality prior art testing devices employing encased bent wires due to the inherent process variances associated with manufacturing such encased bent wire devices.

Spark plug sensor probe utilizing PCB as antenna


A remote control cable assembly (10) for transmitting motion in a curved path comprises a motion transmitting core element (12) and a conduit (14) slidably supporting the core element. There is also a terminal (16) disposed on one end of the core element (12) for transmitting axial reciprocating motion from the core element to an element to be controlled. The terminal (16) telescopes within a housing (44) disposed on the end of the conduit (14). The housing (44) includes a flexible tang or hook (28) for biasing from a non-limiting position in which the terminal (16) can be telescopingly inserted into the housing (44), to a limiting position after the terminal has been inserted into the housing so that the tang retains the terminal within the housing during shipping of the assembly (10).

Parklock cable assemblies generally include a motion transmitting core element disposed within a conduit. One end of the core element extends from one end of the conduit, while the other end has a terminal attached which extends out of the other end of the conduit. Actually, the terminal extends out of a flared terminal housing which is attached on the end of the conduit. A spring is disposed between the terminal and the housing to bias the terminal out of the housing. It is desirable when shipping the assembly to retain the terminal within the housing against the biasing force of the spring. Hitherto this has been accomplished by disposing a shipping slug on the end of the core element opposite the end having the terminal. This slug prevents the core element from being pulled through the conduit and effectively limits the extent to which the terminal on the other end may extend out of the housing. However, this arrangement is not completely satisfactory because it involves additional cost for the shipping slug itself, and for the labor involved in putting the shipping slug on the core element before shipping and removing the shipping slug just prior to installing the assembly in a vehicle.

Parklock assembly having a terminal retainer


Call service centers typically require a user to confirm its identity by manually entering identification. An embodiment of the present invention uses a client device's identification to identify a user securely without requiring a user to enter identification manually. The client device's automatic numbering identification (ANI) number is an example of identification of the user, and the client device's media access control address is an example of information used, as an encryption key, to verify that the ANI number is not spoofed. In one embodiment, the client device provides the ANI number to a data server prior to a call, and the data server provides information to enable enhancement of the call either by sending the information to the call center directly or via the client device. Benefits of embodiments of the present invention include a reduced load on call service centers, reduced call time, and increased user satisfaction.

Telephone and cellular networks support transmission of audio (e.g., voice) over a voice-band channel and data over a data channel. Some telephone and cellular networks support connecting with a client device via a voice-band channel and data channel simultaneously. Other telephone and cellular networks do not support a simultaneous connection and only support connecting with a client device via either a voice-band channel or a data channel, but not both at the same time. Other telephone and cellular networks communicate small amounts of data over a voice-band channel through dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signaling.

Method and apparatus for providing enhanced communications


A liquid crystal display device free from cross talk is disclosed. The device has a supporting column, a contact part and an electrically conductive layer. The supporting column is provided for an upper substrate and vertically extended therefrom to maintain a uniform cell gap. The contact part is provided for a common line disposed at a peripheral region outside an active area of a lower substrate. The contact part faces the supporting column at a corresponding place to guide a communication between the supporting column and the common line. And, the conductive layer is formed on surfaces of the supporting column and the upper substrate. A portion of the conductive layer on the supporting column is joined to the common line within the contact part to establish a signal interconnection between the lower substrate and the upper substrate. A related fabrication method is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a thin film transistor (TFT) LCD device and a fabrication method thereof, in which a cross talk caused by an alteration of an electric field is prevented.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As widely known in the art, the TFT LCD device is a typical electronic display device functioning by deformation of liquid crystal molecules according to the electric field between confronting electrodes on lower and upper substrates. In the TFT LCD device, the upper substrate usually referred as a color filter substrate maintains a uniform voltage by mostly receiving signals from the lower substrate usually referred as an array substrate.
To provide such signals to the upper substrate, a so-called transfer is currently used for interconnection between the lower and upper substrates. The interconnection transfer is generally located between outer lead bonding pads of an LCD panel or at a peripheral region outside an active area, and also penetrates a liquid crystal layer.
However, this may cause a difference in voltage between central and peripheral regions in the entire panel. That is, a common signal is differently provided to each color filter region, so that undesirable cross talk is generated while degrading the quality of a screen of the LCD panel.
On the other hand, as another factor in good quality of the screen, the liquid crystal layer should have a uniform cell gap between the lower and upper substrates. One of conventional solutions to satisfy this requisite is to use a spacer ball 30 shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1, the spacer ball 30 is interposed between the lower and upper substrates 10 and 20, thus uniformly maintaining the gap therebetween.
Such a conventional solution using the spacer ball has, however, some drawbacks. For example, since the spacer ball is only several microns in diameter, variations of diameter may often happen. In addition, due to the movement of grains in the spacer ball, a photoalignment layer may be destroyed or the grains may be agglomerated. Besides, the use of the spacer ball may cause the leakage of light. Unfortunately, these drawbacks may result in bad problems such as poor display and low contrast ratio. To solve these problems, various approaches such as the coloring of the spacer ball, the development of a fixed spacer, or the increase in hardness of the ball have been made, but satisfactory results have been not given.
Recently, one way has been proposed to overcome the drawbacks of the conventional spacer ball. The way is, as shown in FIG. 2, to form a supporting column 40 under the upper substrate 20. The supporting column 40 is made of photosensitive polyimide, photosensitive acrylic acid resin, photosensitive coloring resin, or photoresist by using a photolithography process. Generally, the supporting column has a trapezoid body shape and a round tip.
FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional LCD device employing a supporting column 32. As depicted in FIG. 3, a color filter layer 22 and a black matrix 23 are formed under a glass board 24 for the upper substrate. Next, indium tin oxide (ITO) layers 16 and 21 are formed respectively on a glass board 12 for the lower substrate and under the upper glass board 24. The supporting column 32 is then formed through the liquid crystal layer 26 by using the above-mentioned material and process. The supporting column 32 is placed at every pixel, and preferably disposed at a red or blue region.

Liquid crystal display device free from cross talk and fabrication method thereof


A lamp unit with a relay lens that allows two different focus points. Two different optical altering elements are hence simultaneously in focus. The elements can be taken in and out of focus to allow different effects.

Stage lights often allow different kinds of features and effects to be projected onto a stage a typical stage light might be a pan and tilt controllable device, which is remotely controllable over a format such as DMX, and produces a beam with an output intensity of at least 150 W, but more preferably between 400 and 800 W.
Many such devices also allow very sophisticated effects, such as gobos, coloration, blurring, and other similar effects. Many of these effects may depend on whether the item used to adjust the light control is in or out of focus at a specific location.
Most stage lights have only a single focus location.