A diaphragm-type control valve for irrigation systems has a solenoid operated pilot valve assembly. The solenoid includes a housing having a generally cylindrical bore with an open end, an energizeable coil surrounding the bore, a ferrous plunger reciprocally mounted in the bore and having an end extending from the open end of the solenoid housing, the plunger moveable between an extended position and a retracted position, and an elastomeric sealing cap mounted on the plunger end and having a central portion for sealingly engaging a valve seat and a peripheral portion sealing the bore around the plunger.

The present invention relates to irrigation systems and pertains particularly to an improved pilot valve assembly for solenoid actuated irrigation control valves.
The use of valve controlled pressurized irrigation systems for supplying water for the irrigation of plants is extensive throughout the world today. One of the most prevalent systems, particularly for lawn areas and playing or athletic fields, is the sprinkler system wherein a plurality of sprinkler units are positioned about a land area for distributing water over the surface of the land area. One or more control valves connect and disconnect water from a pressurized main supply line to one or more branch lines having sprinkler units.
Commercial, industrial, municipal and golf course irrigation systems increasingly rely on alternative water sources including reclaimed water as an irrigation water source. This trend has been prompted by an often critical need to conserve water in most regions of the country. Other alternative water sources include lakes, reservoirs, wells, and the like. However, since water from these sources often contains dirt, sand and other particles and debris, its use has brought with it an increase in the incidence of clogging of various components of irrigation systems. While the obvious solution is simply to filter the water entering the irrigation system, the cost of such filters, and their maintenance, limits the degree of filtering that is economically feasible.
The problem of clogging in irrigation systems is most acute in areas in the system where water must pass into and around small spaces and through small openings. Such systems having small openings occur, for example, in irrigation systems having pilot operated and pressure responsive control valves, pressure regulating valves, in drip systems, and in other low flow irrigation configurations. Another area where dirt and debris cause problems is where the water comes into contact with moving parts. One example where such problems occur is in small solenoid operated plunger valves which have a small valve seal on the end of a plunger which extends into a water passage and acts as a pilot valve.
Pressure responsive and pressure regulating valves used in irrigation systems typically have a main diaphragm valve that is normally pilot operated. Upstream or inlet water pressure passes via a small passage to the back of the main diaphragm valve to apply valve closing pressure. The water is vented from the back of the diaphragm valve via a small passage controlled by a solenoid operated pilot valve to the down stream side of the valve.
The pilot valve is normally operated by a plunger of a solenoid that moves back and forth in a bore in a housing surrounded by a coil with the valve seal being an elastomeric disc on the end of the plunger which selectively engages a valve seat. The water controlled by the pilot valve typically flows around and frequently along between the pilot valve plunger and its housing either during pressurization or venting of the control valve. Dirt and debris in the water frequently jam between the plunger and its housing preventing its normal operation. Sealing around or between the plunger and its housing is difficult because the plunger must be free to move and air or other fluids must be free to move in and out of the bore along the plunger.
Accordingly, there is a need for an irrigation control valve with a solenoid that is protected from contamination.

Removable captive plunger with contamination protection


The present invention provides an image processing system, an image processing method, and a program capable of suppressing confusion that may arise in a case where a target person is identified when tracking a person. An image processing system includes: a camera control unit which accepts input video images captured by a plurality of video cameras; a tracked person registering unit capable of registering one or more persons appearing in the video images inputted from the camera control unit; and a display screen generating unit which displays switchable windows of the video images inputted from the video cameras for each person registered by the tracked person registering unit.

Aspects of the present invention relate to an image processing system, an image processing method, and a program.
In recent years, systems for carrying out monitoring over a wide range using video images from a plurality of cameras are being considered. For example, Patent Publication JP-A-2008-219570 discloses a device that is capable of appropriately tracking (monitoring) a person across cameras using inter-camera coupling relation information. The device determines a correspondence relation of a person in accordance with a similarity in person feature quantities between a point where a person appears in a camera view (an appearing point) and a point where the person disappears from the camera view (a vanishing point).
When person re-identification is automatically determined according to similarity as is the case of the device described in Patent Publication JP-A-2008-219570, errors occur with a probability. In consideration thereof, person re-identification is implemented with human involvement.
However, increasing human involvement with respect to monitoring is highly likely to complicate monitoring work. In particular, when there is a plurality of persons who are subjects under monitoring, it may become difficult for a user to comprehend for which person operations are being performed, or operations for specifying a person may become complicated.

Image processing system, image processing method, and program


A low noise quadrature mixer circuit for RF has an input stage which is a single ended to differential converter, where the cascode transistors each include two transistors with common emitter and base connections and separate collector outputs. The separate collectors serve as current outputs to drive the switching stages of the mixer. With two current outputs from both the positive and negative sides of the single ended to differential converter, this drives the emitters of two separate sets of cross coupled emitter coupled pair transistors that make up the output switching stages of the mixer. With the two sets of cross coupled emitter coupled pairs, one set is driven by an in phase local oscillator signal and the other is driven by a quadrature local oscillator signal. The resulting output signals are two intermediate frequency (IF) differential voltage output signals that are in quadrature (90.degree. out of phase with each other).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to circuitry for processing radio frequency signals and, more specifically, to a mixer circuit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Mixer circuits ("mixers") are well-known in the electronics field and especially in the RF (radio frequency) field. A mixer converts a high frequency (RF) signal to a lower frequency, or as it is usually called, intermediate frequency (IF) signal which is more easily processed, in for instance by a radio receiver, for purpose of amplification. What is commonly called a mixer is more accurately a converter or frequency converter. (This disclosure uses the more common term mixer to avoid confusion with other types of converters.) Mixers perform similar functions in both transmitting and receiving circuits. Many types of mixers are known. An ideal mixer converts any input RF signal to another lower chosen frequency with no distortion and has a noise figure of 0 dB. Such a mixer, of course, does not exist. However, it is desirable to minimize noise generated by the mixer circuit. Typically a mixer receives a local oscillator (LO) signal of a fixed frequency generated by a local oscillator in the radio and also receives the RF signal, and converts the RF signal to a substantially lower IF frequency. The IF frequency is typically the difference between the RF signal frequency and local oscillator frequency. A conventional mixer, when used to demodulate an IF signal, demodulates any RF frequency either above and below the LO frequency down to the IF frequency. In other words, if the RF signal is at 260 MHz and the LO signal is at 250 MHz, a conventional mixer down converts the RF signal to 10 MHz, which is the difference between the RF frequency and LO frequency. This is a demodulation of the upper sideband and would be a desirable result. However, if there is also an RF signal present at 240 MHz, the conventional mixer will also down convert this signal to 10 MHz. This demodulation of the lower sideband is not desired in a single sideband radio system.
An image reject mixer is an application for a mixer. It demodulates the upper sideband of the RF signal down to an IF frequency, while rejecting the lower sideband, which are the RF signals below the local oscillator frequency. It can also do the reverse: demodulate lower sideband while rejecting the upper sideband, when configured properly. An image reject mixer is described in "Image Reject and Image Canceling Mixers" Pandula, RF Design, April, 1995, pp. 60 and following. This shows an image reject mixer with two mixer circuits with common RF input terminals and LO inputs that are in quadrature (90.degree. apart in terms of phase). This is also known as a quadrature modulator or demodulator, and shows use of mixer circuits.
In general, it is well-known that any type of mixer circuit should have low noise, high dynamic range (both of the input and output signals), and an easily attained conversion gain and an easily supplied current level. It is known that for image reject mixers, noise is a particular problem because the two separate mixer circuits having common inputs tend to generate noise. Available mixer circuits do not provide adequate low noise performance for such applications.


Embodiments feature a sensor including a nanostructure and methods for manufacturing the same. In some embodiments, a sensor includes a substrate, a first electrode disposed on the substrate, and a second electrode disposed on the substrate. The second electrode is spaced apart from the first electrode and surrounding the first electrode. The sensor includes at least one nanostructure contacting the first electrode and the second electrode, in which the nanostructure is configured to vary an electrical characteristic according to an object to be sensed.

Recently, interest in carbon nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes, has increased in order to develop new chemical and biological sensors that utilize the sensitivity of the carbon nanotube to its surrounding environment. Some sensor strictures can be based on the various types of carbon nanotubes.
In one example, a conventional sensor based on the carbon nanotube can have multiple carbon nanotubes and square-shaped electrodes disposed at end portions of the carbon nanotubes. In accordance with the conventional sensor, when a reference voltage is applied to a second electrode, the carbon nanotube resistance can vary according to an object to be sensed, and a voltage or a current of a first electrode can vary according to the variation of the resistance of the carbon nanotube.


A striker used between a vehicle component and a vehicle body member includes a homogenous polymeric striker body. The body includes a first portion having opposed first and second sides, and a raised mid-body between the first and second sides. A second portion is oriented at an angle with respect to the first portion. The second portion includes first and second mounting wings and a bumper receiving portion positioned between the mounting wings. A resilient bumper is engaged with the second portion extending partially over the inclined surface. The raised mid-body defines a substantially planar, inclined surface continuously increasing in elevation with respect to the first and second sides between a first portion free end and a first and second portion intersection. The second portion has at least one rectangular-shaped cavity created on a vehicle body engaging side adapted to non-rotatably receive a geometrically configured fastener.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Vehicles including automobile sport utility vehicles, station wagons, mini-vans, cross-over vehicles, cargo vans and trucks often provide an access door, commonly known as a lift-gate door. Other similar door designs include hatchback doors, sliding doors and horizontally swinging doors. Although these door designs can be mounted differently, for simplicity, these door designs will hereinafter be summarized in reference to lift-gate doors. Lift-gate doors are frequently hinged along an upper horizontal surface, and latch adjacent to a flooring system of the automobile, commonly adjacent to the rear fender of the automobile. One or more latches can be used. The side edges of lift-gate doors are generally not hinged or physically connected to the vehicle structure or support posts at the rear of the vehicle. Motion of the vehicle therefore can result in "match-boxing", or non-parallel deflection of the support posts relative to the squared sides of the lift-gate door. Match-boxing is undesirable for several reasons. First, side-to-side or non-parallel motion of support posts can impart additional vehicle noise, known as "chucking" at the lift-gate latch as the vehicle travels along rough or uneven surfaces. Second, unless a mechanism is positioned between the lift-gate door edge and the support posts of the vehicle, full structural allowance for the stiffness of the lift-gate cannot be used in the design of the support structure area.
In order to include the stiffness of the lift-gate door in the analysis and design of structural support posts, wedge type fittings have been used which slide to span the gap between the lift-gate door and the support post. These fittings reduce match-box deflection of the support posts by transferring some deflection load to the lift-gate door using a sliding wedge mechanism generally positioned between each support post and the lift-gate door. The sliding wedge mechanism can be fastened to either or both edges of the lift-gate door or to an edge of one or both of the support posts. In a further known design, a free sliding displaceable wedge is positioned against each lift-gate door side edge and a striker plate is separately mounted to each support post such that the sliding wedge engages the striker plate and displaces relative to the lift gate door to limit match-boxing between the support posts.
Existing designs of polymeric striker assemblies have several drawbacks. When molded, part cooling often results in shrinkage which distorts the striker and prevents proper engagement between the striker and the vehicle component. In some applications, existing fittings are present, which require removal of material of the striker to avoid. This increases mold cost and can decrease part strength. Existing striker designs may also not accommodate sufficient clearance to allow the opposed wedge assembly to freely clear the striker during travel of the lift gate door when wedge engagement is not desirable.


To improve the cooling efficiency and ensure uniform cooling of all portions of the inside back surface of the reflector, a deflector (108) has been developed. The air deflector (108) typically encircles the lamp (102) allowing air (110) to flow between the deflector (108) and the lamp (102). This air (110) cools the lamp (102). Air (112) passing between the deflector (108) and the reflector (100) is deflected outward to cool the inside surface of the reflector near the lamp (102). Because the deflector (108) is small and is located directly behind the lamp (102), it does not block any of the useful light generated by the lamp (102). The light striking the deflector (108) from the lamp (102), if not for the deflector (108), would have passed through the opening in the reflector (100) and would have been lost. The deflector (108) typically has a number of vanes around the perimeter of a cylindrical body portion. The vanes are bent outward at an angle sufficient to force part of the cooling air to flow across the inside back surface of the reflector.

The recent introduction of all-digital cinematic display systems has presented a variety of challenges. One such challenge is the replacement of traditional film projectors with the new digital projectors while minimizing the costs involved in the change from traditional film projectors to digital projectors. To minimize initial costs, it is important for the digital projector to be able to use an existing projection booth. Additionally, modern digital projectors must make use of as much of the same equipment currently found in most cinema projection booths as possible. Among the equipment shared by both the film-based and all digital projectors is the lamp console.
Although the digital projectors are able to utilize traditional lamp consoles, the digital projectors typically require a unique reflector. The f-number of the reflectors used by the digital projectors is lower, for example f/1.5, than used by the film projectors. Additionally, the reflector is deeper. The arc lamp is also positioned closer to the back of the reflector in digital projectors than in film-based projectors. Positioning the arc lamp closer to the back of the reflector heats the inside of the back of the reflector much more than the shallower reflectors of traditional film projectors.
The new reflector design has been difficult to cool sufficiently. Without proper cooling of the back of the reflector, the reflector degrades over time and must be replaced, often after only a few months. What is needed is a method and system to properly cool the lamp and reflector in order to extend the useful life of the lamp and reflector in the digital cinema projectors.


A knife with disposable inserts. Either (1) a front side of the knife body has a cutting edge, the front side of the insert is removably mounted to a rear side of the knife body, and either (A) a rear side of the insert has a cutting edge, or (B) the rear side of the insert has a blunt face that forms a rear side of the knife; or (2) a rear side of the knife body has a blunt face that forms the rear side of the knife, the rear side of the insert is removably mounted to the front side of the knife body, and the front side of the insert has a cutting edge.

Specialized knives are used in industrial wood processing machines such as chippers, canters, and planers. A plurality of such knives are replaceably mounted to a rotating cutting head. The wood is fed toward the head so that it will come into interference with the knives, whereupon the rotation of the knives causes the knives to cut chips, wafers, strands, or shavings from the wood. This can be either or both for the purpose of shaping the wood to a desired configuration, or for producing the cuttings as commercially desired end products.
The knives have cutting edges that should remain sharp for as long as practical, and the knives must be strong enough to withstand the tremendous forces applied to them as they impact the wood at high rates of speed. The earliest such knives were large, monolithic plates of metal bolted directly to the cutting head, one side of which were cut to form an acute angle for use as a cutting edge. An example is shown in FIG. 1. Such knives are still in use today, but there is a problem. The cutting edge must be repeatedly renewed (by grinding), the knives must be removed from the cutting apparatus to perform this maintenance, and the weight of the knives makes them difficult to handle.
To address this problem, the art evolved smaller, lighter knives clamped in supporting structures to form "knife assemblies." Typically, a knife assembly has a knife clamped between upper and lower clamping members, with the lower clamping member being bolted to the cutting head rather than the knife itself. An example is shown in FIG. 2 with reference to a direction of rotation "R," where a knife assembly 3 is shown which includes the knife of FIG. 1 (referenced as 2) clamped between upper and lower clamping members 3a and 3b, respectively.
Also shown in FIG. 2 is an optional structure 3c known as a "counterknife" or "wear insert." Both the knife 2 and the counterknife or wear insert 3c are relatively small parts that are the focus of the wear imposed upon the knife assembly, and both of these parts can be relatively easily handled for repair or replacement due to their significantly reduced mass as compared to the remainder of the knife assembly.
By use of the knife assembly, a knife could be made small enough that, in view of its reduced material cost, it could be cost-effective to dispose of the knife rather than perform the maintenance required to keep its cutting edge fresh after it has become worn.
Another important development in the art was the double-sided knife, an example being shown in FIG. 3. As the name implies, the double-sided knife has two cutting edges on opposite sides thereof. Thus, when the first cutting edge wears, the knife can be removed from the knife assembly, turned end-for-end, and reinstalled in the knife assembly to expose a fresh new cutting edge, doubling the cutting life of the knife.
Despite these important developments in the art, large, unsupported and therefore heavy knives such as that shown in FIG. 2 continue to be used in existing, legacy wood processing machines, and there remain a number of operators of industrial wood processing machines that are well adapted for maintaining knives, and prefer to service a knife to extend its life rather than replace it with a disposable version. But further improvements in cost efficiency would be desirable, and continued progress in making the strategy of disposing of worn knives rather than repairing them cost effective would also be desirable.


Provided is technology avoiding situation where content cannot be viewed in the middle, due to insufficient amount of power remaining in a battery, in a television having a monitor unit separated from a tuner unit. A location free TV 1 includes an STB 10 and a monitor unit 30 separately, as independent configurations. Broadcasting received by the STB 10 is wirelessly transmitted to the monitor unit 30, and displayed on the monitor unit 30. The STB 10 is connected to an external recorder 94 and an external storage 96 in a recordable, playable state. Connection to a network storage 92 is performed via a network 90 in a recordable, playable state. The location free TV 1 has general TV functions, and, when insufficient amount of power remains in a battery of the monitor unit 30, a viewed program is recorded in the external recorder 94 etc., via the STB 10.

In recent years, a television receiver apparatus (hereinafter, simply also referred to as a "television") has become thinner and more lightweight, and in order to be portable even if a display size is in a 20-inch class and to enable being viewed everywhere, a location free TV configured from a monitor unit mounted with a battery and an STB (Set Top Box) provided with a tuner unit to communicate with the monitor unit has been commercialized.
When a user performs using (viewing) by the battery for a long period of time, such a case is assumed that an amount of power remaining in the battery of the monitor unit is run out in the middle of a program being viewed and the program which has been viewed becomes unable to be viewed to the last. In a mobile device such as a mobile phone, various technologies have been proposed as to processing when the amount of power remaining in the battery becomes small. For example, a technology is disclosed that copes with a problem that, in viewing of a television program in a mobile phone device with a television receiving function, due to causes such as responding to an incoming phone call and reduction in the battery, a program being viewed is missed (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1). In this technology, when an incoming phone call is responded during viewing a television program to interrupt the viewing, recording is automatically performed in a memory recording apparatus built in a terminal. Further, when the amount of power remaining in the battery is reduced to make the terminal difficult to continue recording on its own, switching is automatically made to a remote recording mode to continuously perform recording in a remote recording apparatus at home or the like. In addition, there is also a technology that, in a mobile terminal apparatus provided with a television function, when it is judged that it is difficult to view a television continuously until a program ends with reduction in a battery, video and sound output with large amounts of battery consumption is stopped to move to recording processing (for example, refer to Patent Literature 2).


Wave energy conversion device (WEC) comprising a means for damping the reactionary motion of a wave energy conversion device to wave motion, which is a cylindrical bellowed elastomeric member that acts under axial compression.

Increasing concerns regarding traditional energy sources have prompted investigation of alternative, renewable sources of energy. Energy from the power of ocean waves is a renewable energy source, from which considerable quantities of electricity can be produced.
Wave energy refers to the energy of ocean surface waves and the capture of that energy for the purpose of electricity generation. In general, the larger the wave, the more energy it contains, and therefore, the more energy that can be obtained from it. Specifically, the amount of energy which may be obtained from waves is determined by wave height, wave speed, wavelength, and water density.
Several types of wave energy conversion devices (WEC) may be used to capture wave energy. All of these devices work on a similar principle. The wave force acts on an absorbing member, which is coupled with a second member capable of relative motion to the absorbing member. The second member can also be an absorbing member. The wave force results in motion of the absorbing member relative to the second member, and the movement can be converted into electrical energy.
There are several disadvantages associated with known energy absorbing devices. Extreme waves (i.e. exceptionally large waves with respect to the average current wave state, or rapidly changing waves) can occur during otherwise benign wave states. Such large waves can cause an excessive force to be exerted on the linkage or coupling between the absorbing member and the second member. This can result in breakage of the coupling, particularly in devices with no natural damping, such as linear energy converters. Accordingly, these devices have poor survivability, even in normal wave conditions.
A further disadvantage associated with known wave energy converters is poor efficiency of energy capture. Typical devices are capable of capturing wave energy only over a relatively narrow range of wave frequencies and energy states. While more advanced devices can tune their response to enable them to optimise energy capture from any given wave state, such slow tuning usually only delivers a good response to the average power spectrum of that wave state. Few devices can respond rapidly enough to the individual frequencies within a single sea state.
There is a need for a wave energy conversion device (WEC) having damping means enabling the WEC to survive extreme waves, and also to respond rapidly to wave frequency spectrums, so as to improve survivability and/or improve the energy extraction efficiency.


Tasteless super-purified smoke is manufactured to treat seafood and meat to preserve the freshness, color, texture, and natural flavor, particularly after the food is frozen and thawed. The smoke is generated by burning an organic smoking material at preferably 500 to 800 degrees F. (260 to 571 degrees C.) in a smoke generator 1. It is then passed through a precipitation filtering tower 2 comprised of filters of ice, cloth, and activated carbon to remove taste imparting, and carcinogenic, particulates and vapors. The super-purified smoke is then stored and aged in a temporary pressure pot 3 or in canisters for treatment at the same time or at another place and time. The super-purified smoke is used to treat seafood or meat in plastic bags at temperatures between its variable freezing point and 46 degrees F. (7.8 degrees C.) for twelve to forty-eight hours, or until the desired effect is achieved. The product is then frozen, stored for up to one year, and quick or slow thawed with little degradation of the treated seafood or meat.

Various aspects of the individual steps of the multiple step process of this invention are known in the art, and various aspects appear to be new, useful, and not obvious. However, no reference could be located that describes the combination of process steps disclosed herein to super-purify smoke by removing the high quantity of particulate matter and taste imparting vapors necessary to produce a substantially tasteless smoke that will not impart a smoked taste to treated food.
Dating back thousands of years, before the invention of refrigeration, freezing and canning processes, various foods were cured by natural smoke. Natural smoke can preserve the nutritional components and wholesomeness of meats and seafood, while at the same time retarding spoilage. Smoked meats such as ham, bacon, beef jerky, sausage, poultry and smoked seafood are all examples of popular foods treated by smoke. The shelf life of meats can be extended to over one year (without refrigeration) by smoking. The taste of sausage and the color of ham are enhanced by smoking.
Following the invention of refrigeration, the vitality of whole or filleted seafood and other meats have been prolonged by maintaining the foods in cold storage of 28 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (-2 to 5 degrees Centigrade). Seafood, in particular, in its raw state begins decomposition quickly at temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Centigrade). Seafood can be maintained fresh and unfrozen for up to two to three weeks at temperatures of 27 to 32 degrees Fahrenheit (-3 to 0 degrees Centigrade) due to the salt content in the meat. However, decomposition is inevitable and rapid after this time period and other methods of freezing, canning, and smoking have been necessary to extend the shelf life of the food.
Many types of smoking have been taught over the years to produce a variety of effects. Hot smoke will cook, dry, and dehydrate the flesh. Cold smoke will keep the meat moist and succulent. Components of the smoke emitted from various types of fuel will enhance the taste and preserve the color of the food. The combinations and variations in temperature from sub-freezing to over 200 degrees Fahrenheit (111 degrees Centigrade), fuel types, humidity, circulation and exposure times are great. In every case prior to this invention the result has been a smoke flavored food.
On Jun. 18, 1991, the Association of Food and Drug Officials, a national U.S. public sector organization, adopted a model code prepared by its Retail Food Subcommittee entitled "Good Manufacturing Practices for Cured, Salted, and Smoked Fish Establishments." Section 5.4 (a) (2) of this model code states that "The temperature in the smoking chamber does not exceed 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Centigrade) during a drying and smoking period that does not exceed 24 hours," . . .
The longer the smoking period in this model code, the lower the maximum smoking temperature. For smoking periods of 30 to 48 hours the maximum smoking temperature declines to as low as 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Centigrade). Thus, it has been established since 1991 that maximum cold smoking temperatures for smoking periods of 24 to 48 hours can vary from 32 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (0 to 10 degrees Centigrade) in order to keep the meat moist, succulent, and free from bacterial degeneration or contamination.
Cold smoking is an obvious choice for fresh seafood which normally requires constant cold storage to slow down decomposition and discoloration as evidenced by Section 4.1 (c) of this model code which states "Fresh fish, except those to be immediately processed, shall be iced or otherwise refrigerated to an internal temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit or below (3 degrees Centigrade or below) upon receipt and shall be maintained at that temperature until the fish are to be processed."
Section 4.2 states that "all operations involving the receiving, holding, processing and packaging of processed fish shall be conducted utilizing clean and sanitary methods and shall be conducted as rapidly as practical and at temperatures that will not cause any material increase in bacterial or other micro organic content or any degeneration or contamination of such processed fish." In addition, the 1994 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.) Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and controls Guide recommends a thorough organoleptic examination of seafood product that exceeds 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Centigrade) at any time during processing.
In 1989 Alkar Inc. of Wisconsin designed and built a laboratory smokehouse for Iowa State University with specifications allowing for smoking at temperatures as low as 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Centigrade). In this design Alkar utilized a refrigeration coil inside the smoking chamber to cool the smoke down and maintain it at these low temperatures. Subsequent commercial smokehouses throughout the industry have been outfitted with return air ducts with cooling coils to allow for cold smoking of fresh fish at temperatures specified in the model code above.
Furthermore, smokehouses have equipment for purifying the smoke during, and at the exhaust, of the smoking process. In 1995 Alkar presented a paper entitled "An Overview of Air Pollution Control Equipment for Smokehouses" and described all current types of exhaust control equipment divided into two major classes--particulate collection equipment, and gaseous control equipment. Particulate collection equipment includes electrostatic precipitators, venturi scrubbers, and ionizing wet scrubbers. Gaseous control equipment includes absorption systems such as packed columns and incinerators.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,619 to Yamaoka et al discloses a method and apparatus that use extra low temperature smoking of fish and meat to sterilize and prevent decomposition and discoloration while imparting an agreeable smoked taste and smell.
U.S. Pat. No. 889,828 to Trescott discloses a device for curing edible matter comprised of a curing apartment, a smoke supply source, and a combined smoke cooling, purifying, and drying chamber where a portion of moisture and carbon soot condenses on the walls of the chamber. Trescott's method and apparatus, as with Yamaoka's, utilizes partially purified smoke containing odor and taste imparting particulate matter and vapors flowing freely in contact with the edible matter, imparting a smoke flavored taste.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,835 to Woodruff et al teaches a method of maintaining redness in fish and red meat by first subjecting such fish or meat to an oxygen deprived atmosphere and then exposing the fish or meat to a modified atmosphere containing a small amount of carbon monoxide. Industrially manufactured carbon monoxide gas is produced using caustic chemicals and can contain toxic impurities. Treatment of seafood or meats with carbon monoxide gas is therefore prohibited by the U.S. F.D.A. and the Japan Ministry of Public Health.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,122,748 to Beebe relates to a method of treating red meat with carbon monoxide to achieve the appearance of meat that has been freshly cut. As with Woodruff, Beebe's method utilizes a gas that is prohibited for such use in the U.S. and Japan. Conversely, treatment of seafood, poultry, or meat with a natural smoking process is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. F.D.A. and the Japan Ministry of Public Health.
Soviet Patent SU 847973 to Kichkar, Nasibov, and Bunin discloses a method for the cold curing of fish products by stabilizing the temperature and velocity of the smoke in a smoking chamber kept in a range of approximately 32 to 36 degrees Fahrenheit (0 to 2 degrees Centigrade). Kichkar et al's cold smoking process results in phenol levels rising in the body of salmon more quickly than earlier methods reducing processing time and producing quality smoked taste, color, and preservative characteristics.
German Patent DE 3826211 to Schich teaches a smoking process using a condenser cooled filtered smoke. Smoke from a smoke generator is passed through a cooling condenser maintained at 5 to 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 to -15 degrees Centigrade) to form a condensate of carbon, other suspended materials, tar and gum which is discharged. Schich's method removes substantially all tar, pollutants and carcinogens and does not impact the taste and aroma imparting ingredients in the smoke.
The burning of wood sawdust, in an oxygen restricted retort has been empirically discovered to be the most efficient way to produce high quality smoke from an organic material. However, other organic materials such as leaves, bagasse from sugar cane, pineapple husks, and rice hulls can all be used successfully to produce a volume of smoke in any substantially oxygen free chamber at a lesser amount than the volume achieved from burning wood sawdust in a retort.
The smoke produced from burning wood and other organic material fuels is a function of combustion temperature and amount of air intake. FIG. 1 shows the composition of wood smoke emissions at varying combustion temperatures. The formation of deleterious polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHS), and oxidation of organic vapors, including both condensable organic compounds as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be prevented by combusting below 850 degrees Fahrenheit (454 degrees Centigrade). If wood is combusted above this temperature level and these compounds are formed, they can be successfully filtered later in the process.
To minimize formation of these compounds and to conform to empirical data from our laboratory tests, an operable combustion temperature range of 400 to 950 degrees Fahrenheit (204 to 510 degrees Centigrade), a preferred range of 500 to 800 degrees Fahrenheit (260 to 571 degrees Centigrade), and an optimal range of 650 to 750 degrees Fahrenheit (343 to 399 degrees Centigrade) are established for the process described herein.
Typical wood fuels for smoking contain primarily a hydrocarbon composition of hydrogen and carbon along with other elements of sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, and ash compounds of silicon dioxide, ferrous trioxide, titanium dioxide, aluminum trioxide, manganese tetrioxide, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, sodium oxide, potassium oxide, sulfur dioxide, and chloride as shown in Table is
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ TYPICAL WOOD FUEL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS Oak Spruce Chips Chips ______________________________________ Analysis (dry basis), % by weight Proximate Volatile matter 76.0 69.5 Fixed carbon 18.7 26.6 Ash 5.3 3.8 Ultimate Hydrogen 5.4 5.7 Carbon 49.7 51.8 Sulfur 0.1 0.1 Nitrogen 0.2 0.2 Oxygen 39.3 38.4 Ash 5.3 3.8 Heating value, Btu/lb 8,370 8,740 Ash Analysis % by wt SiO.sub.2 11.1 32.0 Fe.sub.2 0.sub.3 3.3 6.4 TiO.sub.2 0.1 0.6 Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 0.1 11.0 Mn.sub.3 O.sub.4 Trace 1.5 CaO 64.5 25.3 MgO 1.2 4.1 Na.sub.2 O 8.0 8.0 K.sub.2 O 0.2 2.4 SO.sub.3 2.0 2.1 Cl Trace Trace ______________________________________
Source: "Wood residue--fired steam generator particulate matter control technology assessment, U.S. E.P.A., 1978.
The smoke produced from burning wood and other organic material fuels contains water vapor, CO.sub.2, CO, CH.sub.4 (methane); tiny particulates of creosote, tar, soot, and trace elements; and over 390 microscopic compounds occurring in either, or both, particulate and gaseous (vapor) phases. Larson and Koenig compiled "A Summary of the Emissions Characterization and Noncancer Respiratory Effects of Wood Smoke" in 1993. Table 2 from this report summarizes all the reported constituents in wood smoke and the ranges of their emission rates.
CO.sub.2, CO, NO.sub.2, NO, and monoaromatic phenols constituents in wood smoke all have preservative effects on treated seafood and meat. CO.sub.2 is the preservative of choice in modified atmosphere packaging of fresh seafood as it is easily absorbed into the meat displacing oxygen and inhibiting bacterial growth. Phenols, which are present in much smaller amounts than CO.sub.2, operate similarly as bacteria inhibitors. CO, NO.sub.2, and NO undergo chemical reactions with myoglobin to retard decomposition.
The invention described herein is primarily concerned with super-purifying smoke to eliminate the flavor and aroma components of both the smoke and the seafood or meat subsequently treated. Maga compiled a comprehensive review of the literature in 1988 in "Smoke in Food Processing." In this review, he cites thirteen researchers who conclude that the most important flavor components of smoke are monoaromatic phenols occurring in both the particulate and gaseous vapor phases.
The phenolic particulate phase has lower odor and taste recognition thresholds than the gaseous vapor phase indicating that a smaller quantity of particulate is required to produce the same level of smoke odor and taste as the gaseous vapor phase. The particulate phase also contains high levels of undesirable pollutants including tar, soot, ash, and char which are desirably filtered.
Therefore, it is typical in smoking of foods to filter pollutants from the phenolic particulate phase while retaining the gaseous vapor phase for characteristic smoke flavoring. The amounts of tar, soot, ash, char and other microscopic particulates have been filtered and minimized by many methods in current practice including tar settling systems, baffling systems, and washing systems in the line from the smoke generator to the smoking chamber. In addition, cooling and storage reduces the concentrations of phenolic particulate through settling. Some of these filtering methods remove substantially all the tar and particulate from wood smoke leaving only the gaseous vapor phase which produces the characteristic smoke flavor.
Daun isolated the phenolic fraction from both the vapor and particulate phases of wood smoke and through dilution determined, with the aid of a sensory panel, their recognition threshold and most desirable concentration for both odor and taste sensations. These data are summarized in Table 3.
Yamaoka et al claim a smoking method comprising a step "passing the produced smoke through a filter to remove mainly tar." Such tar filters are standard elements in smoke generating systems sold today. However, since the flavor producing, monaromatic phenols in the gaseous vapor phase remain, Yamaoka's method imparts an "agreeable taste and smell" and does not produce tasteless smoke or tasteless food as does the process described herein.
Kichkar et al achieve up to 304 milligrams of phenols combined from both the particulate and gaseous vapor phases of wood smoke absorbed into the body of a salmon of approximately five kilograms, or 60.8 parts per million (ppm). This is the desirable concentration for quality smoked taste. Since the invention described herein is concerned with eliminating any flavor or aroma imparted to the treated seafood or meat, we have determined empirically that the recognition threshold for phenols in seafood or meat is approximately 9.4 ppm. However, even if the phenols in the seafood or meat are below this recognition threshold, they still exert positive preservative effects as bacteria inhibitors.
TABLE 2 ______________________________________ CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF WOOD SMOKE Species 1 g/kg wood 2 Physical State 3 Reference ______________________________________ Water Vapor 35-105 v 2 Carbon Dioxide 70-200 v 2 Carbon Monoxide 80-370 v 4,5 Methane 14-25 v 5 VOCs (C2-C&) 7-27 v 5 Aldehydes 0.6-5.4 v 4,6 Formaldehyde 0.1-0.7 v 4,6 Acrolein 0.02-01 v 6 Propionaldehyde 0.1-0.3 v 4,6 Butryaldehyde 0.01-1.7 v 4,6 Acetaldehyde 0.03-0.6 v 4,6 Furfural 0.2-1.6 v 7,8 Substituted Furans 0.15-1.7 v 5 Benzene 0.6-4.0 v 9 Alkyl Benzenes 1-6 v 9 Toluene 0.15-1.0 v 7 Acetic Acid 1.8-2.4 v 7 Formic Acid 0.06-0.08 v 4,5 Nitrogen Oxides 0.2-0.9 v 4 (NO, NO2) Sulfur Dioxide 0.16-0.24 v 10 Methyl chloride 0.0-0.04 v 9 Napthalene 0.24-1.6 v 9 Substituted 0.3-2.1 v/P 9 Napthalenes Oygenated 1-7 v/P 11 Monoaromatics Guaiacols 0.4-1.6 v/P 11 Phenols 0.2-0.8 v/P 11 Syringols 0.7-2.7 v/P 11 Catechols 0.2-0.8 v/P 5 Total Particulate 7-30 P 12 Mass Oxygenated PAHs 0.15-1.0 v/P 13 PAHS Fluorene 0.00004-0.017 v/P 13 Phenanthrene 0.00002-0.034 v/P 13 Anthracene 0.00005-0.021 v/P 13 Methylan- 0.00007-0.008 v/P 13 thracenes Fluoranthene 0.0007-0.042 v/P 13 Pyrene 0.0008-0.031 v/P 13 Benzo(a) 0.0004-0.002 v/P 13 anthracene Chrysene 0.0005-0.01 v/P 13 Benzo- 0.0006-0.005 v/P 13 fluranthenes Benzo(e)pyrene 0.0002-0.004 v/P 13 Benzo(a)pyrene 0.0003-0.005 v/P 13 Perylene 0.00005-0.003 v/P 13 Ideno(1,2, 0.0002-0.013 v/P 13 3-cd)pyrene Benz(ghi) 0.00005-0.011 v/P 13 perylene Coronene 0.0008-0.003 v/P 13 Dibenzo(a,h) 0.0003-0.001 v/P 13 pyrene Retene 0.007-10.03 v/P 14 Dibenz (a,h) 0.00002-0.002 v/P 13 anthracene Trace Elements Na 0.003-0.018 P 15 Mg 0.0002-0.003 P 15 Al 0.0001-0.024 P 15 Si 0.0003-0.031 P 15 S 0.001-0.029 P 15 Cl 0.0007-0.21 P 15 K 0.003-0.086 P 15 Ca 0.0009-0.018 P 15 Ti 0.00004-0.003 P 15 V 0.00002-0.004 P 15 Cr 0.00002-0.003 P 15 Mn 0.00007-0.004 P 15 Fe 0.0003-0.005 P 15 Ni 0.000001-0.001 P 15 Cu 0.0002-0.0009 P 15 Zn 0.00007-0.004 P 15 Br 0.00007-0.0009 P 15 Pb 0.0001-0.003 P 15 Particulate Ele- 0.3-5 P 16 mental Carbon Norma1 Alkanes 0.001-0.006 P 17 (C24-C30) Cyclic di- and triterpenoids Dehydroabietic 0.001-0.006 P 18 acid Isopimaric 0.02-0.10 P 18 acid Lupenone 0.002-0.008 P 18 Friedelin 0.000004- P 18 0.00002 Chlorinated 0.00001-0.00004 P 19 dioxins Particulate 0.007-0.07 P 20 Acidity ______________________________________
1.Some species are grouped into general classes as indicated by italics. PA0 2. To estimate the weight percentage in the exhaust, divide the g/kg value by 80. This assumes that there are 7.3 kg combustion air per kg of wood. Carbon dioxide and water vapor average 12 and 7 weight percent respectively. PA0 3. At ambient conditions: V=vapor, P=particulate, and V/P=vapor and/or particulate (i.e., semi-volatile). PA0 4. DeAngelis (1980) PA0 5. OMNI (1988) PA0 6.Lipari (1984), values for fireplaces PA0 7. Edye et al (1991), smoldering conditions; other substituted furans include 2-furanmenthanol, 2 acetylfuran, 5-methyl-2furaldehyde, and benzofuran. PA0 8.value estimated for pine from Edye et al (1991) from reported yield relative to guaiacol, from guaiacol values of Hawthorne (1989) and assuming particulate organic carbon is 50% of total particle mass. PA0 9.Steiber et al (1992), values computed assuming a range of 3-20 g of total extractable, speciated mass per kg wood. PA0 10. Khalil (1983) PA0 11. Hawthorne (1989), values for syringol or hardwood fuel; see also Hawthorne (1988) PA0 12. Core (1989), DeAngelis (1980), Kalman and Larson (1987) PA0 13. From one or more of the following studies: Cooke (1981), Truesdale (1984), Alfheim et al (1984), Zeedijk (1986), Core (1989), Kalman and Larson (1987); assuming a range of 7 to 30 grams particulate mass per kg wood when values were reported in grams per gram of particulate mass. Similar assumptions apply to references 14, 15, and references 17-19. PA0 14. Core (1989), Kalman and Larson (1987) PA0 15. Watson (1979), Core (1989, Kalman and Larson (1987) PA0 16. Rau (1989), Core (1989) PA0 17. Core (1989) PA0 18. Standley and Simoneit (1990); Dehydroabietic acid values for pine smoke, lupenone and isopimaric acid values for alder smoke, and friedelin values for oak soot. PA0 19. Nestrick and Lamparski (1982), from particulate condensed on flue pipes; includes TCDDS, HCDDS, H7CDDs and OCDDs. PA0 20. Burnet et al (1986); one gram of acid =one equivalent of acid needed to reach a pH of 5.6 in extract solution.
TABLE 3 ______________________________________ ODOR AND TASTE RECOGNITION THRESHOLDS (ppm) AND MOST DESIRABLE CONCENTRATIONS (ppm) OF THE PHENOLIC FRACTION ISOLATED FROM THE VAPOR AND PARTICULATE PHASES OF WOOD SMOKE Most desirable Recognition threshold concentration ______________________________________ Odor Vapor Particulate Vapor Particulate 10.4 7.8 20.8 16.7 Taste Vapor Particulate Vapor Particulate 2.3 1.4 15.6 8.3 ______________________________________ Adapted from Daun, H., Lebensm. Wiss. Technol., 5, 102, 1972
The seafood or meat treated with wood smoke has myoglobin molecules with open receptors that can undergo a chemical reaction with a variety of compounds present in the smoke--O.sub.2, CO, NO, NO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O. It is important in cold smoking to keep the meat raw and uncooked to maximize the amount of vital cells available for this reaction. The myoglobin in its natural state is purple. When the myoglobin binds with O.sub.2 it produces oxymyoglobin which is bright red; with CO it produces carboxymyoglobin which is red; with NO and NO.sub.2 it produces nitric oxide myoglobin and nitrogen dioxide myoglobin which are also red; and with H.sub.2 O it produces metmyoglobin which is brown.
Carboxymyoglobin is preferred because of its stable organoleptic freshness characteristics as well as its stable red color. The organoleptic "sniff test" shows significant retardation of decomposition of cold smoked product high in carboxymyoglobin. For example, cold smoked and vacuum packed salmon can be refrigerated for several months without any decomposition.

Process for manufacturing tasteless super-purified smoke for treating seafood to be frozen and thawed


Example methods of advanced DBVC for WiFi relate to one or more of avoiding beacon collisions between a repeater and a root AP, optimizing traffic flows based on buffers queued within hardware, optimizing TCP throughput through DPI and prioritization of TCP ACK packets, or optimizing transmissions through a trigger-based mechanism.

Unless otherwise indicated in the present disclosure, the materials described in the present disclosure are not prior art to the claims in the present application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
DBVC for WiFi, also sometimes referred to as Virtual Concurrent Dual Band (VCDB), is a time division multiple access (TDMA)-type protocol which typically applies on top of a WiFi connection, to provide dual band operations on a device which contains only a single radio. The DBVC protocol works by dividing time into on channel periods of time and off channel periods of time to support both an access point (AP) role and a wireless station (STA) role in a network. In more detail, a repeater in a WiFi network may service clients or a downlink during the on channel periods of time during which the repeater acts as an AP and may therefore be referred to as a repeater AP when in this role. Further, the repeater may service an uplink or root AP during the off channel periods of time during which the repeater acts as a STA and may therefore be referred to as a repeater STA when in this role.
Problems associated with DBVC operation include scheduling issues, optimization of performance in a time divided network, and timing/resource clashes which can cause link instability. Additional problems may exist when interoperating with various third-party devices (such as legacy WiFi clients), whereby certain standards-based and proprietary operations which are useful to provide a seamless WiFi experience are not supported. The overall goal for a DBVC system is to lower the total cost of a WiFi system such as an industrial repeater by removing the need for two separate physical radios on a given frequency band, while providing the best support for legacy devices which do not support more advanced channel management features such as Channel Switch Announcement (CSA).
The subject matter claimed in the present disclosure is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one example technology area where some implementations described in the present disclosure may be practiced.

Advanced dual band virtual concurrent for WiFi

Abstract: An example method may include receiving a transmission from a root AP. The method may include obtaining a next root AP TBTT of a next beacon to be sent by the root AP from the transmission. The method may include determining an amount of time to delay a next repeater TBTT of a next beacon to be sent by a repeater to avoid conflict between the next root AP TBTT and the next repeater TBTT. The method may include delaying the next repeater TBTT based on the determined amount of time.

SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC


A method and system is disclosed for monitoring one or more characteristics associated with a fluid. An insulating layer comprising non-conducting diamond is positioned within a housing and has a surface exposed directly or indirectly to the fluid. A plurality of microelectrodes made of electrically conducting diamond each have a surface exposed directly or indirectly to the fluid. An electrical circuit in electrical communication with each of the microelectrodes is adapted to convert electrical signals from the microelectrodes into at least one signal associated with a characteristic being monitored. The sensing system is well suited to hydrocarbon wellbore related applications, but can also be used in other applications.

The use of carbon electrodes for electrochemical sensing is known. For example, see: Richard L. McCreery, "Carbon electrodes: structural effects on electron transfer kinetics", in "Electroanalytical Chemistry", Ed. Allen J. Bard, Volume 17, pp 221-374, 1991, Marcel Dekker, New York. In addition, it has been proposed to reduce the size of graphite electrodes as is described in: S. Fletcher and M. D. Horne, "RAM Electrodes—An Introduction", CSIRO Minerals, ISBN 0 642 20197, May 1995. However, we have found that carbon materials such as graphite tend to become quickly fouled when used in the harsh conditions of the oilfield. For example, under the pressures and temperatures in a hydrocarbon well, the chemicals present may absorb onto the surface of the graphite electrode.
Various configurations of diamond material have also been recently proposed as electrodes. See, Soh, Kang, Davidson, Wong, Wisitora-at, Swain and Cliffel, "CVD diamond anisotropic film as electrode for electrochemical sensing", Elselvier Science B.V., 2003; Cvacka, Quaisorova, Park, Show, Muck and Swain, "Boron-Doped Diamond Microelectrodes for Use in Capillary Electrophoresis with Electrochemical Detection", Analytical Chemistry, Vo. 75. No. 11, American Chemical Society, June 2003; and Shin, Sarada, Tryk, and Fujishima "Application of Diamond Microelectrodes for End-Column Electrochemical Detection in Capillary Electrophoresis", Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 75, No. 3., American Chemical Society, February 2003. The Soh et al. article discloses the use of a diamond based electrode which is about 0.2 sq. centimeters. We have found that the signal to noise ratio is often too low with this type of design. The Cvacka et al. article discloses depositing a thin film of boron doped diamond on electrochemically sharpened platinum wires. This design suffers from relatively low signal to noise ratio, and it is believed that the geometry would be relatively fragile in many applications. The Shin et al. article discloses single boron doped diamond electrode which will generally require a large amplification circuit and will not be robust enough for certain application, especially downhole.

System and method for sensing using diamond based microelectrodes


A connector for connection to a mating connector in such a manner that said connector is attached to a fixing member, said connector comprising: a connector housing for connection to said mating connector; a fixing portion for being attached to said fixing member; and connecting portions interconnecting said connector housing and said fixing portion, wherein said connector housing, said fixing portion and said connecting portions are integrally formed of an elastically-deformable material, and each of said connecting portions has a first flexing portion extending in a first direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of connection of said connector to said mating connector, and a second flexing portion extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said direction of connection to said mating connector and said first direction.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector used for electrically connecting electric units together.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a connector is used for electrically connecting electric units together (for example, for electrically connecting a body of a vehicle and an instrument panel). For example, for interconnecting two units, connectors are provided on these units, respectively, and the two units are electrically connected together by connecting the connectors together.
In one proposed method of connecting the connectors together, the connectors are beforehand fixed to the units, respectively, and the position of fixing of each connector to the associated unit is so determined that housings of the two connectors can be fitted together when interconnecting the two units.
In this method, however, if there is even a slight error in the position of mounting of the connector on the associated unit, it is possible that the two connectors fail to be connected together. And besides, even if each connector is mounted in position on the associated unit, it is very difficult to interconnect the first and second units while properly fitting the housings of the two connectors together. Therefore, there are occasions when two units are often forcibly connected together although the two housings are not properly fitted together, so that the connector housing may be damaged.
Therefore, there have heretofore been proposed various constructions in which one connector is fixed to one unit in an ordinary manner whereas the other connector is mounted on the other unit in such a manner that this connector is displaceable relative to the one unit in a direction perpendicular to a connector-connecting direction (see Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. 64-27982).
One such example is shown in FIG. 7. In this Figure, a first connector C3, having a female housing, is completely fixed to a first unit U1, and a second connector C4, having a male housing, is so mounted on a second unit U2 that it can be displaced in a direction perpendicular to a connector-connecting direction (in an upward-downward direction in the drawing). More specifically, a flange 90 is formed at a proximal end of the housing of the second connector C4, and a holder portion 92, holding the flange 90, is formed on the second unit U2. Springs 94 are provided inwardly of the holder portion 92, and the connector C4 is held in position by the resiliency of the springs 94.
In this construction, even if there is a slight error in the position of fixing of the first connector C3 in the first unit U1 or in the position of holding of the second connector C4 in the second unit U2, this error can be absorbed by the displacement of the second connector C4 against the resiliency of the springs 94.
In the above construction, the second unit U2 must be formed into a complicated shape so that the second connector to C4 can be displaceably mounted on the second unit U2. And besides, the springs 94 must be provided in order to hold the second connector C4 in a neutral position, and therefore there are encountered disadvantages that the number of the component parts is increased and that the mounting operation is complicated.

Harness System Technologies Research Ltd.


A liquid crystal display device comprises: a first substrate including a first display area having a first side, a second side adjacent to the first side and third and fourth sides, and a first non-display area at the first and second sides of the first display area; a second substrate facing the first substrate and including a second display area corresponding to the first display area and having the first to the fourth sides, and a second non-display area at one of the third and the fourth sides of the second display area; a thin film transistor over an inner surface of the first substrate; a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor; a common electrode over an inner surface of the second substrate, the common electrode disposed in the second display area and the second non-display area; and a liquid crystal layer between the pixel electrode and the common electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, and more particularly, to an LCD device and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
LCD devices are favored as display devices because they are light weight, have a thin profile, and do not consume much power. In general, an LCD device is a non-emissive display device that displays images using a refractive index difference incorporating optically anisotropic properties of liquid crystal material that is interposed between an array (TFT) substrate and a color filter (CF) substrate. Among the various types of LCD devices commonly used, active matrix LCD (AM-LCD) devices have been favored because of their high resolution and superiority in displaying moving images. The AM-LCD device includes a thin film transistor (TFT) per each pixel region as a switching device, a first electrode for ON/OFF, and a second electrode called a common electrode.
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a related art LCD device, and FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an LCD device according to the related art.
In FIGS. 1 and 2, an LCD device 1 includes a first substrate 11, a second substrate 61 facing the first substrate 11, and a liquid crystal layer 90 between the first and the second substrates 11 and 61 respectively. Specifically, the first substrate 11 includes a first display area "DA1" having a first side "S1" and a second side "S2" adjacent to the first side "S1," and third and fourth sides "S3" and "S4," and a first non-display area "NDA1" at the first and the second sides "S1 and S2."
The second substrate 61 includes a second display area "DA2" corresponding to the first display area "DA1" and having the first to fourth sides "S1" to "S4."
A seal pattern 85 is substantially formed to surround the first to fourth sides "S1" to "S4" of the first and the second substrates 11 and 61.
A gate electrode 15, a gate insulating layer 20, a semiconductor layer 23 and a source electrode 33 and a drain electrode 35 are sequentially layered on an inner surface of the first substrate 11 and constitute a thin film transistor "Tr."
A gate line 13 is connected to the gate electrode 15. A data line 30 is connected to the source electrode 33 and crosses the gate line 13 to define a pixel region "P."
A passivation layer 40 is formed on the thin film transistor "Tr" and has a drain contact hole 43 that exposes a portion of the drain electrode 35. A pixel electrode 50 is formed on the passivation layer 40 in the pixel region "P" and is connected to the drain electrode 35 via the drain contact hole 43.
A black matrix 63 is formed on an inner surface of the second substrate 61 and includes a first black matrix pattern 63a in a first non-pixel region (not shown) at a boundary between the pixel regions P and a second black matrix pattern 63b in a second non-pixel region (not shown) in a periphery of the second display area "DA2." A color filter layer 66 is formed on the black matrix 63 and includes red, green and blue sub-color filters 66a, 66b and 66c. The first black matrix pattern 63a is substantially disposed between the red, green and blue sub-color filters 66a, 66b and 66c.
A common electrode 70 is substantially formed on the black matrix 63 and the color filter layer 66. The common electrode 70 and the pixel electrode 50 may include a transparent conductive material.
Furthermore, a gate pad 52 extends from an end portion of the gate line 13 and a data pad 54 extends from an end portion of the data line 30 and are formed in the first non-display area "NDA1" corresponding to the first and the second sides "S1" and "S2," respectively.
As explained above, the first substrate 11 has the first non-display area "NDA1" displaced from the second display area "DA2" of the second substrate 61. In other words, whole areas of the second substrate 61 correspond to the first display area "DA1" of the first substrate 11. Therefore the second substrate 61 does not have an extended region exposed from the first substrate 11.
A common voltage is provided to the common electrode 70 through a common line (not shown) formed in the first non-display area "NDA1" corresponding to the first side "S1" or the second side "S2" through silver (Ag) dots 83 disposed at four corners between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 61 to connect the common electrode 70, respectively, and the common line (not shown) formed in the first display area "DA1" and the second display area "DA2."
Accordingly, the LCD device 1 according to the related art has the Ag dot 83 substantially on an inner portion of the seal pattern 85, therefore, it is practically impossible to measure whether or not the common voltage is normally applied to the common electrode 70.
Further, upon forming the Ag dot 83, the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 61 may not be electrically connected to each other due to an insufficient amount of Ag dots 83.
Accordingly, when Ag dot 83 defects are increased, image quality of the LCD device 1 is reduced because of increased resistance of the common electrode 70.
In other words, it is impossible to measure whether or not the common voltage is normally applied to the common electrode 70 through the Ag dot 83. Consequently, defects arising from the Ag dot 83 cannot be measured through the related art LCD structure.

Liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same


An SOI chip having an isolation barrier. The SOI chip includes a substrate, an oxide layer deposited on the substrate, and a silicon layer deposited on the oxide layer. A gate is deposited above the silicon layer. A first metal contact is deposited above the gate to form an electrical contact with the gate. Second and third metal contacts are deposited to form electrical contacts with the silicon layer. The isolation barrier extends through the silicon layer and the oxide layer, and partially into the substrate, to block impurities in the oxide layer outside the isolation barrier from diffusing into the oxide layer inside the isolation barrier. The isolation barrier surrounds the gate, the first metal contact, the second metal contact, and the third metal contactxe2x80x94which define an active chip area inside the isolation barrier. A method of manufacturing the SOI chip is also disclosed.

The present invention relates generally to a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) chip and, more particularly, to an SOI chip having an isolation barrier to prevent the diffusion of impurities into active regions of the chip.
As the scale of integration increases in the manufacture of integrated circuits, devices become smaller and more sensitive to impurities. During the packaging of a semiconductor chip, impurities from the packaging environment can enter the chip, diffuse into silicon junctions, and compromise the reliability and performance of the integrated circuit. Semiconductor manufacturers have known this for some time and invest in manufacturing equipment to minimize the introduction of impurities during integrated circuit manufacturing.
Typical impurities include mobile ions such as Na, Fe, or other diffusing species. One conventional process of providing a barrier preventing these impurities from entering the chip includes coating the chip with a passivation layer around the outside and top of the chip. Typical materials used as a passivation layer include silicon nitride or metal levels formed during the chip wiring. Such a barrier works for conventional semiconductor chips which do not have a buried oxide layer (or BOX).
A BOX is endemic to the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) chip structure and represents a path for the migration of impurities if exposed. Indeed, this path is laid open to just such exposure when the individual chips are diced from the wafer before packaging. A conventional SOI chip 1, illustrated in FIG. 1, includes a silicon substrate 10 and an oxide layer 12 deposited above substrate 10. A silicon layer 14 is deposited above oxide layer 12. Silicon layer 14 includes at least one shallow trench 34 extending through silicon layer 14 to electrically separate active regions within silicon layer 14 from one another. These active regions typically include transistors formed in silicon layer 14. Trenches 34 are typically filled with an insulative oxide material.
A gate 18 is deposited above silicon layer 14. A passivation layer 26 is deposited above silicon layer 14 and around gate 18. A barrier material 20 is deposited above passivation layer 26. Barrier material 20 is typically a dielectric material such as phosphosilicate glass (PSG), BPSG, nitride, or other similar material. Gate metal contact 30 is deposited above gate 18, as illustrated in FIG. 1, such that gate metal contact 30 extends from the top of SOI chip 1 through barrier material 20 and passivation layer 26 to form an electrical contact with gate 18. Second and third metal contacts 40 are then deposited above silicon layer 14, as illustrated in FIG. 1, such that metal contacts 40 extend from the top of SOI chip 1 through barrier material 20 and passivation layer 26 to form electrical contacts with selected areas of silicon layer 14.
Unlike other types of semiconductor chips, an SOI chip 1 is not adequately protected from impurities by merely coating the outside and top of the SOI chip 1 with a passivation layer 26. This is because SOI chips 1 are manufactured by dicing, which causes SOI chips 1 to have diced edges, such that edges 42 of oxide layer 12 buried within the SOI chip 1 are exposed to the outside environment. The exposed edges 42 act as an entryway for impurities notwithstanding coating of the outside and top of the SOI chip 1 with a passivation layer 26. Once inside oxide layer 12, the impurities may diffuse into various regions of the SOI chip 1.
The SOI chip 1 is particularly sensitive to contamination from these impurities after chip dicing but before packaging. Contamination at this particular juncture of the manufacturing process can result in loss of manufacturing yield. Accordingly, there is a need for an additional barrier to impurities diffusing into the SOI chip 1 from along the edges 42 of oxide layer 12.
A process of passivating SOI chips 1 to prevent contamination by mobile ions before chip packaging has been described by K. Motonori in Japanese Published Patent Document No. 6-177242. Montonori describes a device in which an ion diffusion barrier is deposited alongside a silicon-buried oxide layer to protect this layer from mobile ion contamination. This device, although it protects the exposed edges of the chip and may fulfill the desired function, has several significant drawbacks.
The process of exposing the edges of SOI chips before dicing involves several potentially defect-producing steps which may reduce the overall manufacturing yield of the integrated circuits. First, the process described by Motonori, for passivating the edges of the SOI integrated circuits, requires two photolithography steps and two etching steps involving reactive ion etching. The etching steps consist of etching through many insulator films, a total thickness of well over 10,000 angstroms, and exposing the completed integrated circuit to charging damage due to the long duration of the reactive ion etching plasma steps.
Second, Motonori describes a process by which the diffusion barrier is removed from the chip dicing area just before dicing, which requires a second photolithography step and alignment to the regions to be removed. The addition of this step increases the size of the dicing region, leaving less area on each wafer for integrated circuits. This leads to larger xe2x80x9cfootprintxe2x80x9d or die sizes. Larger die sizes often decrease the amount of chips available per wafer, causing manufacturing cost to increase.
Finally, the conformality, or ability to deposit a uniform film of the ion diffusion barrier on a vertical surface over 10,000 angstroms deep, is critical to the effectiveness of the barrier. Any break in the film would risk contamination of the final chip by mobile ions.
To overcome the shortcomings of conventional SOI chips, a new SOI chip is provided. An object of the present invention is to provide a mobile ion barrier between the edges of the exposed SOI integrated circuit and the integrated circuits within the exposed SOI integrated circuit. A related object is to provide an integrated diffusion barrier within the SOI chip itself, having a shallow depth, minimal lateral dimensions, and a planar surface. It is another object of the invention to provide an isolation groove structure as the integrated diffusion barrier and to fill the isolation groove with films that are part of the existing semiconductor fabrication sequence. It is a further object of the invention to provide an integrated diffusion barrier, within the integrated circuit area, which does not require additional area in the dicing channels for either a barrier layer or any photolithography steps which would increase the size of the integrated circuit area.
To also overcome the shortcomings of conventional processes of manufacturing SOI chips, a new process of manufacture is provided. An object of the present invention is to reduce processing steps. A related object is to manufacture an integrated diffusion barrier using a single photolithography mask and a single reactive ion step. Another object is to subject the integrated circuit to less charging due to reduced exposure to reactive ion etching.
To achieve these and other objects, and in view of its purposes, the present invention provides an SOI chip including a substrate, a buried oxide layer deposited above the substrate, and a silicon layer deposited above the oxide layer. A gate oxide layer is deposited above the silicon layer. A gate is deposited above the gate oxide layer. A gate metal contact is deposited above the gate to form an electrical contact with the gate. Second and third metal contacts are deposited to form electrical contacts with the silicon layer. The SOI chip has an isolation barrier extending through the silicon layer and the buried oxide layer to prevent diffusion of impurities into the buried oxide layer. The isolation barrier surrounds the gate, the first metal contact, the second metal contact, and the third metal contact, to define an active chip area inside the isolation barrier.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, but are not restrictive, of the invention.

Silicon-on-insulator chip having an isolation barrier for reliability

International Business Machines Corporation


A power supply device includes: a regulator transformer; a primary switch for selectively supplying a current to the regulator transformer; a control circuit for reducing to 0, following each election made at the primary switch, the minimum value of a current output by the secondary side of the regulator transformer; and a coupling transformer for magnetically coupling routes along which a plurality of loads are connected in parallel to the secondary side of the regulator translator in a direction in which magnetic flux along each of the routes is offset by a current change. In this case, the control circuit increases the maximum value of the output current on the secondary side larger than twice of the target value of the current supplied to the loads.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a power supply device and a vehicle lamp.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, a vehicle lamp employing a light-emitting diode device is well known (see, for example, JP-A-2002-231013). When the vehicle lamp is turned on, the light-emitting diode element generates a forward voltage based on a predetermined threshold voltage at both ends.
A wide discrepancy appears in the forward voltage generated by individual light-emitting diode devices. Therefore, to cope with the discrepancy in the forward voltage, the vehicle lamp should be turned on by controlling the current for the light-emitting diode device. However, there is a case wherein, because of light distribution design, a vehicle lamp employs a plurality of light-emitting diode devices connected in parallel. In this case, wherein a separate circuit must be designated for supplying a current to each row, the circuit size would be increased, and accordingly, the cost of the vehicle lamp would be increased.


A display apparatus includes a first substrate, a second substrate disposed on the first substrate, and a controllable layer disposed between the first and second substrates. The first substrate includes a pixel. The pixel includes a display region and a non-display region. The first substrate further includes: a transistor disposed in the non-display region; a protection layer disposed on and covering the transistor; a first electrode disposed on the protection layer; and a second electrode disposed on the first electrode, the second electrode being insulated from the first electrode and including a slit disposed in the display region. One of the first electrode and the second electrode is electrically connected to the transistor via a contact hole extending through the protection layer. The other of the first electrode and the second electrode is configured to receive a common voltage. The contact hole and the slit do not overlap one another.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments relate to display technology, and, more particularly, to a display panel configured to improve display quality and a display apparatus including the same.
2. Discussion
Conventional liquid crystal displays typically include two substrates and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the two substrates. The intensity of an electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer may be controlled to control the intensity of light transmitted through the liquid crystal layer from a light source, such as a backlight. An image may be displayed based on the intensity of the light transmitted through the liquid crystal layer.
Liquid crystal displays typically have narrower viewing angles than other types of conventional flat panel displays. In-plane switching methods have been utilized to address this issue. For instance, an in-plane switching method may horizontally apply an electric field to the liquid crystal layer to rearrange liquid crystal molecules in a plane. It is also noted that fringe field switching (FFS) or plane-to-line switching (PLS) modes of the in-plane switching method have been developed. In the FFS or PLS mode, a first electrode and a second electrode including a slit may be transparently formed to improve transmittance and color reproducibility.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the inventive concept, and, therefore, it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Display panel and display apparatus including the same


The present invention to relates mutant human cytochrome P450 2B6 (CYP2B6) proteins, and fusion proteins comprising said mutant CYP2B6 proteins. In particular, fusion proteins comprising mutant CYP2B6 and NAPDH-cytochrome P450 reductase are provided. The invention also relates to methods of treatment of cancer and the use of said proteins and fusion proteins in the treatment of cancer, in particular via virus-directed enzyme prodrug therapy.

The cytochrome P450 (CYP) family of enzymes is a diverse group of enzymes most of which catalyse the oxidation of organic substances, including metabolic intermediates and toxins such as drugs. CYPs catalyse oxidation reactions via electron transfer from NADPH by a reductase, usually NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase.
CYPs are the main enzymes involved in drug metabolism and bioactivation. They have thus found use in enzyme prodrug therapy, a tumour therapy aimed at reducing the systemic side-effects of antitumour medication. Medication is administered as a noncytotoxic prodrug and converted to its active form by drug-metabolising enzymes which are targeted to the tumour cells. Generally, tumour cells are transfected with a gene encoding the enzyme which is capable of bioactivating the inactive prodrug, followed by treatment of the patient with the prodrug (gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy or GDEPT). Viral vectors are often used for transgene introduction, a strategy known as virus-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (VDEPT). This strategy can increase both the specificity and sensitivity of drug treatment, thus reducing side effects and improving efficacy.
CYP2B6 metabolises a range of toxic substances, including nicotine and the anticancer drugs cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide and thiotepa. Because of this activity, CYP2B6 has been used in models of VDEPT using the chemotherapeutic agent cyclophosphamide (CPA), which requires activation by CYP2B6 in order to render it cytotoxic. In patients treated with CPA in the standard way, activation by CYP2B6 occurs in the liver, and the active drug is then transported to the tumour site via the blood stream. Such non-specific administration can cause serious side effects due to cytotoxic activity on non-tumour cells, including cardiotoxicity, renal toxicity, bone marrow suppression and neurotoxicity. CYP2B6 is thus an ideal candidate for VDEPT, and has been successfully used in in vivo models of VDEPT using cytotoxicity assays (Waxman et al, Drug Metab Rev 1999, 31: 503-522; Tychopoulos et al, Cancer Gene Ther 2005, 12: 497-508).
One of the disadvantages of using CYP2B6 in a VDEPT strategy is the relatively low affinity of CYP2B6 for CPA, which shows a high Km. Modification of the CYP2B6 enzyme to increase its catalytic efficiency (Vmax/Km) for 4-hydroxylation of CPA has therefore been attempted, in order to improve the therapeutic effect of CYPB26 when used in VDEPT. The inventors have previously produced a double active site mutant (I114V/V477W) by mutagenesis of the active site of CYPB26 which had a four-fold increase in CPA-4-hydroxlation efficiency compared to the wild-type enzyme, mainly as a result of an increase in enzyme affinity (Nguyen et al, Mol Pharmacol 2008, 73: 1122-1133).
Another possibility for improving the efficiency of CYP2B6-mediated VDEPT is to co-transfect tumour cells with NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase (RED) in order to supply CYP2B6 with electrons, as basal cellular reductase activity may be insufficient and may thus be a limiting factor for CYP2B6 activity. Earlier work by the inventors has shown that supplying external RED in this way can increase CYP2B6-mediated toxicity. Two approaches were successfully used to supplement intratumoral RED activity and increase CYP2B6 activity: co-transfection of separate RED and CYB2B6 proteins, and creation of a CYP2B6-RED fusion protein which has both 4-hydroxylase activity and reductase activity (Tychopoulos et al, Cancer Gene Ther 2005, 12: 497-508).
These studies have shown that there is scope for improving the efficiency of CYP2B6 when used in enzyme-directed prodrug therapy. Such improvement could permit known drugs to be used on new tumour targets, as well as improving the response of known targets to drug therapy. Modulation of CYP2B6 activity is thus of great potential clinical importance and represents a useful potential tool in treating cancer.

Mutant cytochrome P450 2B6 proteins and uses thereof

Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)


A wireless LAN control device includes a wireless LAN control unit having a transmitting/receiving unit performing communications with a plurality of wireless LAN access points belonging to different user groups and a wireless LAN connection control unit. The wireless connection control unit executes control of transferring a user authentication request received by the transmitting/receiving unit via one of the plurality of wireless LAN access points and given from a wireless LAN terminal belonging to one of the user groups toward an authentication server that should execute an authentication process in response to the user authentication request, and transmitting an authentication result given from the authentication server in response to the user authentication request to the wireless LAN terminal via one of the plurality of wireless LAN access points.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to user authentication and access control in a wireless access system.
2. Background Art
A device generally called a [wireless LAN switch] is given as a device having a control function of a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) access point and a LAN frame switching function.
FIG. 17 shows an example of an architecture of a communication system to which the wireless LAN switch is applied. In FIG. 17, the wireless LAN switch accommodates a plurality of wireless LAN access points. Further, the wireless LAN switch is connected via a router or a switch to an authentication server (Radius (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) server), a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server and an SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) server. Further, the wireless LAN switch is connected to the Internet via the router or the switch and equipment of a common carrier.
The wireless LAN switch has a function of managing the plurality of wireless LAN access points. The management function includes a function of managing the authentication of a user trying to connect to a network by use of one of the wireless LAN access points in an integrated fashion. The wireless LAN switch, in the case of receiving a connection request from the user, performs the user authentication in communication linkage with the authentication server. When the user authentication gets successful, the wireless LAN switch leases, from the DHCP server, an IP (Internet Protocol) address that should be used by the user. Once the IP address is assigned to the user, the communications can be performed via the wireless LAN switch. Further, for example, if the user desires to use an IP telephone, the user performs the communications with the SIP server via the wireless LAN switch, thus establishing an IP telephone call on the Internet.
The wireless LAN switch is installed in an enterprise network for the purpose of providing staff members of an enterprise with an access service to the Internet and the Intranet, and manages a plurality of wireless LAN access points installed within the enterprise. The staff member of the enterprise can utilize the Internet and the Intranet via the wireless LAN switch by connecting a wireless LAN terminal to one of the wireless LAN access points.
As described above, the wireless LAN switch is installed for providing the staff members of the enterprise with usage environments of the Internet and the Intranet. Therefore, it is not assumed to provide the usage environments of the Internet and the Intranet with respect to accesses from persons (such as staff members of other enterprises and customers of the enterprises) other than the staff members of the enterprise concerned.
Over the recent years, in the services provided by the common carriers, there have arisen needs for employing the wireless LAN switch. One of the services is a mobile centrex service. In the mobile centrex service, the wireless LAN access points are installed within the enterprise, and extensions are actualized by the wireless IP telephony. One other service is an FMC (Fixed Mobile Convergence) service. The FMC service is a service in which fixed communications are merged with mobile communications. In the FMC service, the wireless LAN is placed as one of access lines, and a network of the common carrier accommodates a wireless LAN in the enterprise, a public wireless LAN and a wireless LAN in a home.
The following technologies described in the following documents are given as the prior arts related to the invention.
[Patent document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-172782
[Patent document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-179882

Wireless network control device and wireless network control system


An actuator includes;                a cylinder connected to an ignition device;        a piston slidably accommodated inside the cylinder, the piston having, in a desired section in the length direction, an enlarged diameter portion in which an outer diameter is enlarged; and        a cylindrical stopper attached to an inner peripheral surface of the cylinder. The stopper includes,                    a main body portion fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder, and            a nail portion which inwardly projects from the main body portion and is formed of an elastic material, wherein            before activation of the ignition device, the piston is inhibited from moving in an axial direction by causing the nail portion to contact a part of the enlarged diameter portion, and            after activation of the ignition device, the piston is inhibited from moving in a backward direction by causing the nail portion to contact another part of the enlarged diameter portion.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an actuator used in an 3 airbag type restraining device or the like.
2. Description of Related Art
As an occupant restraining device or a pedestrian protection device of a vehicle, there are, in addition to an airbag type restraining device, a device for lifting up the hood of a vehicle in order to protect a pedestrian and a device for retracting the steering wheel (shaft/column), and a pyrotechnic actuator is used in such devices.
There is a known actuator in which a pin (piston) is pushed out or retracted upon activation, and, in either case, it is necessary to fix the piston before activation so that it does not move.
In an actuator combined with the above-mentioned restraining device, even after driving the piston, the piston needs to be prevented from returning to its initial position, thus it is preferred, in terms of size and weight reduction of the entire device, that the structure for inhibiting the movement of the piston before and after the activation be simple.
US-B1 No. 6,675,692 relates to a pyrotechnic actuator. As shown in FIG. 1, there is disclosed an actuator in which a piston 2 is slidably disposed within a housing 1 and is driven by a detonator 3. An oblong cavity 2b is formed on the piston 2, and a projection 9 is caused to pass therethrough. A lock (locking element) 8 is disposed so as to surround the projection 9. When a free end 8a abuts on the projection 9 before activation, the piston is inhibited from moving. In FIG. 2, an object corresponding to the lock 8 shown in FIG. 1 is formed in plurality.
In FIG. 7, two studs 2z that are attached to the piston 2 are bent inward by at least a certain amount of force and pass through the piston 2 with respect to the projection. There is disclosed in the 11th through 17th lines of Column 5 that the piston 2 is fixed by the studs 2z before and after activation.
In the actuator of EP-B1 No. 1162333, a piston is disposed within a cylinder and a piston fixing member 13 locks a piston 2 prior to activation (upper left of the drawing). The fixing member 13 is in the form of a washer, and by fitting an inner peripheral portion thereof into an annular groove 12 formed on the piston 2, the piston is inhibited from moving before activation.


An antenna for a communications device with a design to minimize human exposure to emitted electromagnetic energy. The antenna incorporates a shield wall and directing buds having the property of reflecting, deflecting or absorbing RF frequency waves. The shield wall and directing buds direct transmitted communication signals away from the immediate user and other bystanders in the vicinity of the communications device while simultaneously directing a stronger signal towards a receiver. Alternative embodiments of the antenna include the ability to extend or swivel. These features allow the antenna to be positioned to maximize transmission/reception while simultaneously minimizing human exposure.

This invention relates to antennas used on portable devices. More specifically, the invention involves the design of an antenna for a portable transceiver device to reduce the exposure of its user and bystanders to electromagnetic transmissions emitted from the device.
Technological progress in the field of electronics has broadened the availability of affordable yet sophisticated portable communication devices. For example, consider the cell or wireless phone. Such transceiver devices provide users with the convenient ability to talk with associates, family and friends even while on the move. More recently, these devices have offered users the ability to send and receive digital information including electronic mail and even surf the Internet from almost any location. Thus, it is no surprise that the devices are widely used. Moreover, while the number of present users of such devices is staggering, with new advancements and improvements, the numbers will only continue to grow.
However, increased convenience should not come at the cost of personal safety. In recent years, the proliferation of such devices has generated some cause for concern. Since each transceiver device requires the ability to transmit information to some external location without the use of a physical channel or wire, each device must be equipped with a radio-frequency (RF) transmitter. Typically, these RF transmitters generate Ultra High Frequency (UHF) electromagnetic carrier waves in the region of 300 to 3000 MHz. Since these waves emanate from these devices in close proximity to their users and bystanders, the potential negative health effects of UHF radiation exposure has entered the public arena. For example, the effect of UHF radiation as a cause of cancer is addressed in JE Moulder et al: Cell Phones and Cancer: What Is the Evidence for a Connection? Radiation Research 151(5):513-531, May 1999; see also KR Foster and JE Moulder: Are mobile phones safe? IEEE Spectrum, August 2000, p. 23-28.
At least one prior art antenna has attempted to minimize the risks of cancer due to the exposure to RF radiation transmitted from a hand-held communications device. In the patent to Chang, U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,340, an antenna with a semi-cylindrical shield is used to limit the direction of radiating RF waves of a cell phone. The shield is intended to cover the side of the core of the antenna that faces the cell phone user. However, the antenna has an important shortfall. The antenna provides only limited protection. As designed, the antenna provides no shielding for non-users of the phone who are still in close proximity to the RF radiation from the side of the core opposite the shield.
An objective of the present invention is to provide an antenna for a portable communications device that reduces the user""s exposure to RF radiation emitted from the device.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide an antenna for a portable communications device that reduces bystanders"" exposure to RF radiation emitted from the device.
A still further objective of the present invention is to provide such an antenna while maintaining the antenna""s effectiveness.
An additional objective is to provide an antenna with improved signal transmission capabilities.
Additional objectives will be apparent from the description of the invention as contained herein.
In its broadest aspects, the present invention involves an antenna for hand-held communications devices such as a cell phone, beeper, portable computer/organizer with RF transmission capabilities, portable Internet access device or other transmitter emitting RF radiation. In its preferred embodiment, the antenna utilizes a unique directing shield with a design intended to minimize RF radiation exposure by users and bystanders in close proximity to the device while simultaneously maximizing directional transmission toward the intended receiver of the signal. In general, the directing shield combines a concave shield wall with one or more semi-conic buds. The shield wall and semi-conic buds are treated with or molded from a transmission blocking/reflecting material. The directing shield is positioned over a linear cylindrical rod or conducting member of the antenna. The combined directing shield and conducting member are encased by a resin or plastic shell. The conducting member extends from the encasing for connection to RF transmission circuitry of a communications device.
In one embodiment of the invention, the antenna is configured with a bend angle to maximize transmission in the desired direction and away from its user and bystanders. while the portable device is in use. In another embodiment, the antenna has a collapsible/extendible portion to allow the antenna to be raised and lowered. In a further embodiment, the antenna can swivel at its base so that the directional alignment of the bud or buds may be adjusted when the portable device is used in alternative positions.

Antenna for hand-held communications devices to reduce exposure to electromagnetic radiation