A pluggable optical transceiver module is provided. The pluggable optical transceiver module is fitted to and removed from a receptacle having a clamp at an end in an optical communication system body and includes a housing frame having an adaptor at which a light emitting diode (LED) display unit and an optical transceiver element are installed; a rotary lever comprising a handle at one side and a pressing portion at another side so that the rotary lever rotates by a predetermined angle with respect to one side of the housing frame; and an elastic arm which is pivoted on the housing frame to be rotated by the rotary lever and includes one end contacting the pressing portion according to rotation of the rotary lever and another end coupled with or separated from the clamp of the receptacle by the rotation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical transceiver module for an optical communication system, and more particularly, to a pluggable optical transceiver module which can be fit into or removed from a receptacle formed at the platform of an optical communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In optical communication, optical transceiver modules having both functions of transmitting and receiving an optical signal have been developed in various forms and have recently been standardized to a small and thin shape. In particular, a pluggable optical transceiver module is a standard suggested in the newest one among related multisource agreements (MSAs), which include a small form-factor pluggable (SFP)-MSA used for a transfer rate of 2.5 Gbps or less and a 10 gigabit small form-factor pluggable (XFP)-MSA used for a transfer rate of about 10 Gbps.
A pluggable optical transceiver module conforming to the SFP-MSA usually has a structure for receiving a duplex-LC connector used in a long-distance network. With the spread of an access network afterward, it is anticipated that the pluggable optical transceiver module has a form of a single optical fiber with a bi-directional optical transmission function.
An SFP optical transceiver module has an optical receptacle for fiber connector or a pigtailed fiber at one end and an electrical male connector at another end. The SFP optical transceiver module is mechanically and electrically coupled with an optical communication system through a electrical receptacle and a cage on the system board for preventing electromagnetic interface(EMI). Such pluggable method in which the optical transceiver module is coupled to the platform of the optical communication system is more convenient for test measurement and replacement than a method of fixing an optical transceiver module through soldering. In addition, pluggable electric connector is more advantageous in transmitting a high speed signal than a conventional pin-type connector.
The SFP MSA defines mechanical and electrical standards that should be complied with for an optical transceiver module, a cage assembly and an electrical connector, which are provided to fit the optical transceiver module to a platform of an optical communication system, so that compatibility can be accomplished regardless of manufactures and users. However, even if optical transceiver modules are the same SFP types, individual products may have different characteristics, merits, and demerits according to their manufacturers. In particular, since the SFP MSA was published on Sep. 14, 2000, various patents about a method of easily detaching an optical transceiver module from a cage assembly or a method of manufacturing and assembling a cage have been applied and registered.
Moreover, SFP optical transceiver modules may be connected using various types of connectors such as LC, SC, MT-RJ, BNC/TNC, and fiber channel or a fiber pigtail for interface with an outside. This allows that the SFP MSA is applied in various application fields. Also various types of optical transceiver modules and driving circuit boards may be combined internally. Accordingly, different SFP packages are manufactured and used according to the structure of parts included therein and the form of a connector.

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Insttute


A set including a filter candle for separating a compressed gas and a disperse phase present therein, and a bottom cap placed on a lower side of the filter candle. The filter candle contains a filter medium containing a coalescence medium for coalescing the disperse phase and a drainage medium for draining the coalesced disperse phase in a downward direction to the bottom cap, where at least one drainage opening is provided in the bottom cap at a position corresponding to the drainage medium for discharging coalesced liquid from the drainage medium. A side of the bottom cap facing away from the filter medium is provided with a drip-off position and with at least one drainage profile which extends from the at least one drainage opening, where the drainage profile is provided for discharging the coalesced disperse phase from the at least one draining opening to the drip-off position.

The use of coalescence filters for coalescing a disperse phase from a mixture of two immiscible phases, a continuous and a disperse phase, is well-known. Examples of practical applications include separating oil aerosol drops from compressed air from air compressors and crankshafts, separating water as a disperse phase of fuel as a continuous phase in fuel-water systems, or separating oil as a disperse phase from a water-oil system with water as continuous phase.
Coalescence of the disperse phase is induced by a coalescence medium, which usually comprises a multitude of layers of one or more porous, fibrous substrates, which may be wetting (oleophilic or hydrophilic or compatible with the disperse phase or adsorbent) or non-wetting (oleophobic or hydrophobic or repellent to the disperse phase). The fibrous substrate of the coalescence medium and the pore system present therein have a surface that induces aggregation or coalescence of the disperse phase. When using the coalescence filter, a dispersed fluid containing drops of a disperse phase is moved together with the continuous phase or carrier of the fluid through the coalescence medium. A practical example is purifying oil contaminated air by sending the air through a coalescence filter. The disperse phase often coalesces in the first layers on the fibres of the coalescence medium. With continuous supply of dispersed fluid, the smaller drops grow into larger drops. The drops are transported throughout the filter with the air flow, and as soon as they reach a size such that the droplets no longer stick to the fibres of the coalescence medium, they leave the filter via the drainage medium, normally under the influence of gravitation.
Coalescing filters can be embodied in various types of materials, for example organic and inorganic fibrous or porous materials. These materials are available in various forms, for example as homogeneous, heterogeneous, layered or folded or pleated or rolled materials, sintered materials, laminates and combinations thereof.
Forms suitable for use as coalescence filter are typically a membrane, cloth, cylinder, prismatic or other simple or complex geometric shape. The separation capacity of a filter material depends on various parameters including the composition and orientation of the fibres in the filter or coalescence medium, the yield of the filter material under the practical conditions, the concentration of the disperse phase (contaminants) in the carrier or continuous phase, the pressure to which the filter material is subjected and the volume of continuous phase to which the filter is exposed in the course of time.
In vertically positioned coalescing filters, the filter medium, i.e. the coalescence medium and the drainage medium, is usually held between an upper end cap and a lower shell or end cap for collecting the oil draining from the drainage medium. The lower and/or upper end caps are often attached to the coalescence medium and/or drainage medium by adhesive bonding.
After a while, a coalescence filter usually reaches a stationary state, where the accumulation rate of the disperse phase drops in the coalescence medium corresponds to the draining rate of coalesced disperse phase from the filter. Coalesced drops typically have a droplet diameter of 5 to 1000 μm. However, with such filters, the problem arises that discharge or drainage of coalesced oil from the drainage medium is too slow and that a lower part of the drainage medium becomes saturated with oil. The air coming from the coalescence medium flows forcedly through the drainage medium, a lower part of which is saturated with oil in the vicinity of the bottom cap. This not only leads to a re-uptake of oil through the purified air flowing through part of the drainage medium but can also lead to the bursting of oil droplets on the outer surface of the drainage medium, which form oil particles on the outgoing, clean side of the filter and which are then carried along by the purified air.
WO93/10881 describes a cylindrical filter for purifying an air stream contaminated with an oil mist of oil aerosol. WO93/10881 describes that it is possible to largely reduce an overlap between the coalescent layer and an oil-saturated band or so-called "wet zone" at the bottom of the drainage medium, if a lower part of the drainage medium is not disturbed and is in a quiet area that is axially lower than the coalescence layer. Disturbance of the drainage medium can be caused, among other things, by pressure changes, but also by local compression of the drainage medium, and the design of the drainage medium, for example, indentation or grooving of the lower edge of the drainage system. For example, compression of the lower part of the drainage medium may occur when the material is being mounted in the filter head, or by clogging the lower part of the drainage medium so that oil is drained along the sides and not along the bottom end of the drainage medium. The obstruction of the lower end of the drainage medium can also lead to an increase in the wet zone, because oil can only flow away via the side and not through the bottom of the drainage layer.
The filter described in WO93/10881 comprises a layer of a microporous coalescence material for coalescing the oil mist present in the air, a layer of a macroporous drainage material for absorbing the coalesced liquid from the coalescence material and discharging it to a lower part of the filter, from where the coalesced liquid drains in the form of drops. The filter is closed at the bottom by an end cap in which the coalescence medium is glued. The end cap connects gas-tight to the filter layer and closes the lower part of the filter. To reduce oil transfer from the filter to the air flowing through the filter, the drainage layer has a lower part that is placed at a distance from the coalescence medium, and separated from the coalescence medium by a raised edge of another, non-permeable material.
However, the filter described in WO93/10881 has the disadvantage that the drainage layer is compressed near the end cap. This prevents efficient drainage, and capillary action creates a so-called wet-band that can become a few mm to a few cm high. The compression of the drainage layer contributes to the formation of an oil-saturated strip at the bottom of the drainage layer. As a result, there is a risk that oil present in this zone will be re-entrained by the purified air flow leaving the filter via the drainage layer.
WO2016/181820 describes an end cap of which the side facing the filter material comprises a central protrusion extending to and in the interior space of the filter candle, and which serves to demarcate a central space around which the filter material is arranged. In addition, the end cap contains an outer peripheral wall, with an outer and an inner ring which are connected to each other by means of a multitude of radially-routed extending connections. Drainage openings are provided between the connections. The end cap described in WO2016/181820 does not contain a drip-off position and no means for removing oil from the drainage openings to the drip-off position, because of which oil drainage from the drainage medium is insufficient and too slow.
US2017/144128 describes a pre-filter for a fuel tank comprising a first end cap with a central opening. Along the circumference of the end cap a liquid flow channel is provided, of which part of the bottom is step-shaped, and a part is ring-shaped. The coalesced fluid can flow through the end cap, through a gap between the step-shaped channel part and the ring-shaped channel part. However, US2017/144128 does not describe how to provide a drip-off position and means for discharging oil from drainage openings to the drip-off position such that oil drainage from the drainage medium is insufficient and too slow.

ATLAS COPCO AIRPOWER, NAAMLOZE VENNOOTSCHAP


Aspects of the present disclosure involve a transparent structure. The structure may include at least one light source, a transparent light-carrying guide layer optically coupled with the at least one light source. The structure may include refractive layers where a light absorbing feature is operably associated with the light-carrying guide layer to absorb any light not internally reflected in the light guide layer, at least adjacent the light source.

Transparent media, such as glass windows or panes, plexiglass panels, and the like, typically facilitate the largely undistorted passage of light to promote vision of objects while preventing other aspects of the environment (e.g., precipitation, wind, some sound) from passing through the media. Further, some newer types of transparent media technology, such as the various versions of "smart glass" now available, may be configured on-the-fly by way of a voltage selected by a user to allow the passage of varying levels and qualities of light, from transparent, to translucent, to opaque. Functional, aesthetic and other demands in countless areas ranging from automotive to architecture are exceeding the capabilities of conventional transparent media technologies.

Transparent structure with controllable lighting


A radiation module capable of resisting reverse flow of hot fluid includes a fan, a radiator and a retaining tool. The fan provides an inlet and an outlet. The radiator is connected to the outlet of the fan. The retaining tool secures the radiator to a heat generation part. At least a baffle is provided in the radiation module. The fluid enters the fan via the inlet and flows toward the radiator via the outlet to cool the heat-generating component and the hot fluid moving outward the radiator is resisted entering the inlet with the baffle part so as to enhance heat dissipation efficiency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal (also called a hand-held phone) with a multi-input unit and method of using the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-input unit capable of performing entry and search functions and method of using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, a user enters desired text data using a key entry unit on their mobile terminal when entering desired text data. When searching for a desired menu of the mobile terminal, the user searches for a corresponding menu using arrow keys installed in the mobile terminal. In this manner, a variety of keys necessary for corresponding functions have been installed in the mobile terminal, such that the size of a display of the mobile terminal has become smaller. Also, following the current trend of rapidly increasing the number of multimedia services provided, the user has some difficulty in enjoying fast and convenient multimedia services using their mobile terminal with the conventional key entry unit.

Mobile communication terminal with multi-input device and method of using the same


A gas discharge panel capable of high-speed driving at a low drive voltage, while suppressing the occurrence of write errors in a write period, and a manufacturing method for the same. To achieve this, in the gas discharge panel of the present invention, a secondary gas formed from at least one of carbon dioxide, water vapor, oxygen and nitrogen is induced into discharge spaces 30 evacuated until the residual gas pressure is 0.02 mPa or less, and an He—Xe or Ne—Xe rare gas (discharge gas) is induced into discharge spaces 30. The amount of the secondary gas included within discharge spaces 30 when, for example, carbon dioxide is included therein, is suitably set in terms of both a discharge starting voltage and an electron emission ability, so that the partial pressure of the carbon dioxide is in a range of 0.05 mPa to 0.5 mPa inclusive.

In recent years, gas discharge panels, and in particular plasma display panels (PDP), have become widely used a display devices.
PDPs are divided broadly into direct current (DC-type) and alternating current (AC-type), although presently the AC-type, which can adopt a minute cell structure and is suited to high-definition image display, is more prevalent.
An AC-type PDP is structured so that a front panel and a back panel are disposed parallel to and facing each other with a gap therebetween, the panels being sealed together around an outer periphery.
The front panel is structured with display electrodes arranged in a stripe pattern on one main surface of a front glass substrate, a dielectric glass layer covering the display electrodes, and a dielectric protective film (MgO) covering the dielectric glass layer.
On the other hand, the back panel is structured with data electrodes arranged in a stripe pattern on one main surface of a back glass substrate, a dielectric glass layer covering the data electrodes, and barrier ribs provided on the dielectric glass layer in a direction parallel with the data electrodes. Also, red (R), green (G) and blue (B) phosphor layers are formed on the side and bottom surfaces of grooves formed by the dielectric glass layer and the barrier ribs.
The gap between the front panel and the back panel is a discharge space, and this discharge space is filled with a primary gas (rare gas) that acts as a discharge gas. Characteristics demanded of the rare gas include allowing for the radiation of strong ultraviolet rays, the reduction of self-absorption, the reduction of visible light emission, and chemical stability. A mixed gas (Ne—Xe, He—Xe, etc.) and the like having a xenon (Xe) base is generally used in panels as a rare gas that satisfies these conditions. After sealing both panels together around an outer periphery, the discharge space, which has been evacuated to 0.1 mPa, is filled at a required pressure (e.g. 40 kPa to 80 kPa inclusive) with the mixed gas.
In an AC-type PDP having the above structure, each discharge cell can only express the two gradations of on/off. Thus, to display an image in a PDP, an intraframe time-division gradation display method is used, in which a single frame (one field) is divided into a plurality of frames (subfields), and intermediate gradations are expressed by varying the combinations of on/off discharge cells in each subfield. Also, with an AC-type PDP, discharge cells are turned on/off in each subfield using wall charge. Technology relating to this is disclosed, for example, in Japanese patent no. 2756053.
In Japanese patent no. 2756053, the subfields each have (i) a write period in which a write pulse having a selective write voltage lower than a discharge starting voltage is applied between an address electrode (data electrode) and a scan electrode which cross over one another in a pixel to be turned on, thus generating a write discharge for making the pixel emit discharge light, and wall charge as a result of the write discharge, and (ii) a sustain-discharge period in which the pixel selectively written in the write period is made to emit discharge light by applying a sustain pulse having opposite polarity to the wall charge generated by the write discharge and a lower voltage than the discharge starting voltage between the sustain electrodes (as common electrodes X) and all of the scan electrodes (Y1-Yn).
That is, discharge cells in which wall charge has been generated as a result of the write discharge in the write period emit light as a result of the sustain pulse applied in the sustain-discharge period.
However, with the above AC-type PDP, a variety of investigations are being conducted into shortening the write period, with the aim of achieving the high driving speeds that enable lower voltages and higher definition.
In an attempt to solve this problem, improving the characteristics of the dielectric protective film in the front panel of an AC-type PDP, for example, allows electrons to be readily emitted from the film surface, even when an electric field is not applied to the dielectric protective film; that is, the dielectric protective film is made to have a high electron emission ability. A dielectric protective film having a high electron emission ability is necessary for generating gas discharges within discharge cells, and allows for the presence of a large number of initial electrons.
Consequently, with an AC-type PDP having the above dielectric protective film, it is possible to shorten the discharge delay time of write discharges in the write period, and high-speed driving thus becomes possible.
However, when attempts are made to shorten the discharge delay time of the write discharge in the write period of an AC-type PDP, the negative absolute value of the potential of the dielectric protective film surface is reduced as a result of electrons being emitted from the dielectric protective film surface, in the event of electrons, which are charged particles, having accumulated on the film surface as wall charge. That is, the potential of the dielectric protective film surface changes electrically in a positive direction. As a result, the tendency in the above discharge cells is for the absolute amount of negative charge in the wall charge to decrease.
Consequently, even if a sustain pulse is applied to the electrodes in the sustain-discharge period, write errors occur in which discharge cells are not turned on because of the aggregate of wall charge and sustain pulse potential not being able to exceed the discharge starting voltage due to the reduction in wall charge.

Gas discharge panel and manufacturing method for the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A light-transmitting assembly of a display device, a signal indicator, and the display device are provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure. The light-transmitting assembly of the display device includes: a light-transmitting adjustment member including a plurality of first patterns, a light transmittance of each first pattern is less than a light transmittance of a region of the light-transmitting adjustment member other than the first pattern, and each light-shielding area ratio of the first patterns is a ratio of a sum of areas of all the first patterns in any one region of the light-transmitting adjustment member to an area of the any one region.

Along with the development of display and lighting technology, more and more electrical devices and electrical products each includes a signal indicator, and in particular, household electrical appliances, such as televisions, displays and air conditioners, each includes a display panel and a corresponding signal indicator, and these devices having the display function all belong to display devices.

Light-transmitting assembly of display device, signal indicator and display device

Hefei BOE Vision-Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.


A method and system for detecting fraud in a credit card transaction between consumer and a merchant over the Internet. The method and system comprises obtaining credit card information relating to the transaction from the consumer; and verifying the credit card information based upon a variety of parameters. The variety of parameters are weighted so as to provide a merchant with a quantifiable indication of whether the credit card transaction is fraudulent. In so doing, an integrated verification system is provided which allows a merchant, or the like, to accurately and efficiently determine the validity of a transaction over the Internet.

Credit card transactions are being utilized in a variety of environments. In a typical environment a user provides a merchant with a credit card, and the merchant through various means will verify whether that information is accurate. For example, referring now to FIG. 1, a typical credit card verification system 10 is shown. In such a system, a merchant 12 receives a credit card from the customer 14. The merchant then verifies the credit card information through an automated verification system AVS 16.
These systems work well in a credit card transaction in which either the customer has a face-to-face meeting with the merchant or the merchant is actually shipping a package or the like to the address of a customer. The verification procedure typically includes receiving at the AVS system address information and identity information. However, when downloading information from an online service or the Internet, the address and identity information are not enough to adequately verify that the customer who is purchasing the goods is actually the owner of the credit card. For example, an individual may have both the name and the address of a particular credit card holder and that information in a normal transaction may be sufficient for authorization of such a transaction. However, in an Internet transaction it is possible to obtain all the correct information related to the particular credit card holder through unscrupulous means, and therefore, be able to fraudulently obtain information.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method that overcomes the problems associated with a typical verification system for credit card transactions particularly in the Internet or online services environment The system should be easily implemented within the existing environment and should also be straightforwardly applied to existing technology. The present invention addresses such a need.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for detecting fraud in a credit card transaction over a computer network


An apparatus, system and method for measuring a feature of a three-dimensional object, such as a wafer carrier, are provided. The apparatus is for use with an optical scanner and comprises a mounting structure adapted to be disposed on the scanner. The mounting structure has a calibration mark adapted to be read by the scanner and is adapted to position the object so that it is at a first pre-determined distance from the calibration mark. In one aspect of the present invention, the mounting structure further comprises an alignment surface adapted to abut the object. The alignment surface is disposed at a second pre-determined distance from the calibration mark. In another aspect of the present invention, the alignment surface is adapted to abut the object at a point spaced apart from the scanning surface.

The need for obtaining highly accurate measurements of three-dimensional objects in a short period of time arises in many industries and fields of endeavor, especially in the manufacturing sectors. One example can be found in the semiconductor processing industry wherein there is a need for accurate measurements of semiconductor wafer carriers.
Wafer carriers include wafer cassettes which can be used for 200 mm semiconductor wafers, and front opening universal pods (FOUPs) which can be used for 300 mm wafers. These wafer carriers hold a number of semiconductor wafers in a substantially rigid housing. Typically these carriers include a plurality of slots into which the wafers are inserted.
Different wafer carrier types may be used depending upon the nature of the processing a wafer is undergoing. For example, during chemical cleaning stages, a wafer carrier constructed of a chemical resistant plastic material is typically used. However such wafer carriers can be subjected to high temperatures as well as physical stresses during the course of wafer processing. As a result, carriers can become warped or deformed after repeated use. For example, such warpage or deformation may cause the carrier slots to vary in alignment which in turn may alter the spacing and alignment of the wafers themselves when placed in the slots. If so, the locations of the wafers inside the carriers can vary outside the tolerance range of automated wafer handling devices, such as wafer handling tools and wafer carrier handling tools, which are used to transfer wafers from one carrier to another or to another location in the manufacturing process, or to transfer wafer carriers to another location.
These automated transfer devices often require the wafers to be seated within the wafer carriers at specified positions within certain tolerances. If the wafers are seated outside these tolerances as a result of carrier distortion or any other reason, then the wafer handling device, which typically operates at high speeds, may mishandle the wafer. Mishandling of the wafers can result in scratches on the wafers or wafer breakage. Moreover, chips or breakage from one wafer can cause damage to other wafers in the carrier thus resulting in substantial financial loss relative to both the value of the wafers themselves as well as production delays.
In order to reduce or eliminate the use of wafer carriers which, for any reason, may fall outside specified tolerances, it is desirable to measure certain features of the carriers, such as warpage, with a high degree of accuracy. While the prior art has provided mechanisms to measure such features, such mechanisms generally are either relatively expensive and slow, on the one hand, or are limited in their measuring abilities, on the other hand.


A method and apparatus for an efficient optical proximity correction (OPC) repair flow is disclosed. Embodiments may include receiving an input data stream of an integrated circuit (IC) design layout, performing one or more iterations of an OPC step and a layout polishing step on the input data stream, and performing a smart enhancement step if an output of a last iteration of the OPC step fails to satisfy one or more layout criteria and if a number of the one or more iterations satisfies a threshold value. Additional embodiments may include performing a pattern insertion process cross-linked with the OPC step, the pattern insertion process being a base optical rule check (ORC) process.

Layout design data must be corrected to compensate for image errors due to light diffraction or process effects. OPC refers to a resolution enhancement technique utilized to change a mask pattern in order to maintain the integrity of the original design. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional repair flow 100 utilizing separate OPC and optical rule check (ORC) processes for optical verification. The input to the repair flow 100 is a binary layout design data (e.g., GDSin). A retargeting (e.g., global bias correction) is first performed (step 101). Following the retargeting, dummy pattern or assist feature enhancements are made to the layout design data (step 103). Next, isolated or nested patterns in the layout design data are corrected for selectivity bias (step 105). In step 107, an OPC process is executed to generate the output layout design data 109 (e.g., GDSout). If the output layout design data 109 fails to satisfy an optical verification process (step 111), the output layout design data 109 or the OPC process recipe is modified offline (step 113) and fed back into the repair flow 100 for another iteration of steps 101 through 111. The optical verification process in a conventional repair flow typically utilizes critical dimension (CD) as a measure of the output quality.
The repair flow 100 is expensive in terms of both computing resources and processing time. Layout designs can be very large, running into the gigabytes. Performing an OPC process even once on a design is computationally intensive. Repeating the OPC process to correct remaining potential print errors adds significant time to finalize the layout design. In addition, it is well known that CD is an insufficient measure when determining potential errors in the layout data. This is especially true for off-nominal process conditions.
A need therefore exists for a high quality and efficient repair flow methodology and apparatus that reduces OPC overall cycle times.

Efficient optical proximity correction repair flow method and apparatus


For disposal of waste material including water, volatile components and vitrifiable components, the waste material is heated in a dehydrator to remove the water, heated in a high-temperature dryer to vaporize hydrocarbon liquids, and then fed to the focus point of a primary plasma reactor where plasma arc jets are focused on the surface of a pool of the vitrifiable components. At the focus point the vitrifiable components are melted, and the volatile components are volatized. The melted vitrifiable components are received in a quench chamber where they solidify on a quench roller and are broken into chips and delivered to a receiving area. Heat from the quench chamber is transferred to the dehydrator and high-temperature dryer. The hydrocarbon liquids and volatized components are fed to a secondary plasma reactor where they are disassociated into their elemental components. The effluent from the secondary plasma reactor is scrubbed to remove hydrogen sulfide and halogens, and residual components, together with excess water vapor, are extracted in an absorber and fed back for further processing in the secondary plasma reactor.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to the disposal of hazardous waste that includes both vitrifiable and volatile components. Specifically, the present invention relates to the decomposition of such waste by the application of an extremely high temperature plasma arc such as the flame of a plasma torch.
2. Background Art
One known method of decomposing hazardous waste is thermal free radical pyrolysis. Hazardous waste materials such as PCB's and dioxin are disassociated into their elemental constituents when subjected to high temperatures such as temperatures in excess of 10,000.degree. F. provided by a plasma arc. Upon cooling under controlled conditions, the elemental constituents will recombine into elemental forms and simple, non-hazardous compounds.
In many cases the pyrolysis of hazardous waste materials is complicated by the presence of a vitrifiable solid component such as silica. Although gasses and vapor are readily disassociated into their elemental constituents when passed through the gap between the electrodes of a non-transferred plasma torch, the vitrifiable solids such as silica, aside from being highly abrasive, tend to melt and clump together, forming an insulating coating on the electrode surfaces. Therefore it is impractical to process the vitrifiable component by passing it through the gap between electrodes of a non-transferred plasma torch.
The next best alternative is to heat the vitrifiable component in a large crucible or basket with a transferred plasma arc or a gaseous plasma arc jet of a non-transferred plasma torch. The crucible or basket is generally lined with a refractory material. Nevertheless, care must be exercised to avoid the destruction of the refractory lining by erosion from the super high temperatures of the plasma arc jet. This problem has been addressed by rotating the support so that the plasma arc jet is not focused upon the same location of the support for an undue length of time. Unfortunately this method of avoiding erosion of the support leads to excessive heat loss from areas of the melt not in direct contact with the flame at any given time. The problem is further multiplied when the crucible size is increased in an effort to increase the batch size because the plasma jet flame is only a few square inches while the area of a large crucible may be several thousand square inches.
A further problem is introduced by the nature of the melt thus formed. The melt is extremely viscous and may solidify into a glass-like material upon slight cooling. In the solid state the thermal conductivity of the material is very low and further cooling may be extremely slow. Thus, handling and continuous removal of the material is a difficult problem.
Batch processing has been accomplished by pouring the melt into a slag bucket. Not only is this method limited in throughput capability, but also all of the heat content of the melt is lost, rendering the process, extremely uneconomical. Moreover, a significant amount of the melt remains in the crucible and does not drain, which further reduces the batch size.

Plasma arc decomposition of hazardous wastes into vitrified solids and non-hazardous gasses


A marker composition for selecting a living modified organism allows transformation and the production of a target product without antibiotics or antibiotic resistance genes. The marker composition for selecting a living modified organism may basically prevent problems caused by the use of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes and produce a target product at a high yield.

Recently, for industrial production of useful materials, LMOs has been mostly used. In this case, in order to enhance expressions of a metabolic pathway and a target product biosynthetic pathway, related genes are induced using various expression vectors (plasmids). In this case, the vectors have antibiotic resistance genes as a selection marker, and antibiotics are added to a culture liquid to stably maintain the plasmids in a host cell during the culture. However, when using antibiotics in the cultural process, there are problems such as an increase in production costs due to the use of expensive antibiotics, environmental pollution due to antibiotic leakage, a risk of a generation of antibiotic resistance mutations in the natural world, a need for additional separation and purification processes due to antibiotics remaining in the final product, difficulties in using antibiotic resistance gene marker-containing strains and acquiring a permission.
Further, if a cultural time is increased in a case of cultivation using antibiotics, a loss of plasmids containing antibiotic resistance genes as a selection marker occurs due to degradation and modification of antibiotics, and thereby causing a drastic decrease in productivity in the second half of the culture. The degradation and modification of the antibiotics are caused by enzymes expressed in antibiotic marker genes and by spontaneous instability of antibiotics, which result in serious problems such as a generation of secondary products in cultural processes requiring a long-term fermentation.
In order to solve these problems, there is a method of inserting foreign genes necessary for the production of the target product into chromosomes of a host organism, but this method has problems such as a decrease in an expression amount of proteins due to a reduction in an amount of genes, difficulties in introducing and expressing a number of genes into the chromosomes compared to the introduction of plasmids having a plurality of copies of the genes.
Due to the above-described reasons, developing antibiotic marker-free organisms has become an issue in the bioprocess industry in recent years. However, to date, there are no or very limited antibiotic marker-free systems that can be stably and usefully used in the industry. Although auxotrophic selection markers may be used in place of the antibiotic markers in auxotrophic selection mutant strains, there is a disadvantage that complex media, which is a commonly used industrial medium, cannot be used.
Another example is StabyExpress™, developed by Delphi Genetics. This uses ccd operons (ccdA and ccdB), which are antidote/poison systems present in bacteria. However, they are operated only in some bacteria, and are not operated frequently if an expression ratio of the ccdA/ccdB is not exactly correct.

Marker composition for selecting living modified organism, living modified organism, and transformation method

INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION GYEONGSANG NATIONAL UNIVERSITY


An electroless silver plating solution comprises a silver(I) complex, a thiosulfate salt, and a sulfite salt. This electroless silver plating solution uses a novel reducing agent combination of thiosulfate and sulfite. It shows a plating rate and a plating solution stability far superior to those of conventional silver plating solutions containing formaldehyde, reducing sugars, borohydride, hydrazine, and other reducing agents.

The present invention relates to an electroless silver plating solution, and more particularly, to a silver plating solution which uses a novel reducing agent system which is low in toxicity and very stable.
Many types of reducing agents have previously been suggested. These have included sodium hypophosphite, hydrazine, reducing sugars, glyoxal, thiourea, sodium borohydride, formaldehyde, sodium thiosulfate, monomethylamine borane, dimethylamine borane, and others. None of these baths are truly stable or commercially useful on a large scale. Most have very short effective plating lives, often in the range of hours or a few days. The solution, once made, will spontaneously and rapidly plate all surfaces with which it is in contact, including the container (Pearlstein and Weightman, Plating, 61, 154-7).
Most of the presently known commercial electroless silver plating solutions contain ammonia either as a stabilizer, a main complexing agent, or both. This is known to result in a major problem, as silver-amine complexes are known to be very shock sensitive explosives when dried. Explosions have occurred even when a glass stir rod is lifted from against the side of a beaker, disturbing the dried film.
Electroless silver plating solutions are generally considered to be borderline catalytic electroless metals (Cheng, et al, Plating and Surface Finishing, 77,130-132 (1990). True electroless metals such as copper and nickel can continuously build total metal thickness to indefinitely thick coatings of 25 microns (0.001 inch) or more. The freshly deposited metal is fully catalytic and remains capable of initiating further electroless metal deposition. Electroless silver baths, by contrast, rapidly lose autocatalytic activity. The freshly deposited silver metal is rarely able to continue catalytic activity beyond 0.25 microns (0.000010 inch).


An ear tag for recognizing livestock individual is provided. The ear tag for recognizing livestock individual according to the present invention includes a cover unit including a first cover unit and a second cover unit, where the first cover unit faces a skin side of livestock, and the first cover unit and the second cover unit integrally coupled with each other, a wireless communication unit arranged between the first cover unit and the second cover unit and including at least one wireless communication chip, a male plug configured to penetrate through a part of a body of the livestock and a through hole formed on the first cover unit and including a distal end configured to be engaged with a space of a female unit formed on the second cover unit, and a folding portion including at least one first folding line formed in a groove with a predetermined length on an outer surface of the cover unit between a head area of the cover unit corresponding to the male plug and a body area of the cover unit corresponding to the wireless communication unit to allow a stress caused by an external force to be concentrated on the folding portion so that the cover unit is folded along the first folding line when the cover unit is bent.

In general, a farm that breeds livestock such as cattle and pigs facilitates management of the livestock by attaching an identification tag including information on livestock individual on an ear or the like of the livestock.
In recent years, with development of various wireless communication technologies, the wireless communication technology has been grafted onto the identification tag for managing the livestock individual, which has led to a development of various types of identification tags in order to improve the efficiency in the management of the livestock individual.
Among the technologies for managing the livestock individual onto which the wireless communication technology has been grafted, livestock individual management technology to which an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology is applied is widely employed, because this technology has various advantages over other technologies.
The RFID technology includes an RFID tag and an RFID reader, and recognizes information from a distance, in which the RFID tag records information in an integrated circuit and transmits the information to the reader via an antenna. When the reader receives the information, the received information is used to identify a subject to which the RFID tag is attached.
That is, a difference between the RFID and a barcode system is that the RFID reads the information by using radio wave instead of using light. Therefore, unlike the barcode reader that works in a short distance, the RFID is capable of reading the information from a distance and even receiving the information through an intervening object between the RFID and the subject.
The RFID can be classified depending on a type of power used. An RFID that reads information from a chip performs a communication based on a power of the reader is classified as a passive RFID.
An RFID that includes a built-in battery to read information from a chip based on a power of the battery and performs a communication based on a power of the reader is classified as a semi-passive RFID.
Lastly, an RFID that reads information from a chip and performs a communication based on a power of the tag is classified as an active RFID.
The RFID can also be classified depending on a frequency of the radio wave used in the communication instead of the type of power used. An RFID using a low frequency is referred to as an "LF RFID (Low-Frequency Radio-Frequency Identification), which uses a radio wave of 120 kHz to 140 kHz. An HF RFID (High-Frequency Radio-Frequency Identification) uses a radio wave of 13.56 MHz, and a UHF RFID (Ultrahigh-Frequency) that uses an even higher frequency uses a radio wave of 868 MHz to 956 MHz.
In a livestock individual management system employing the RFID technology, each livestock individual is provided with an RFID tag, i.e., an identification tag including an antenna and a chipset that is an integrated circuit for RFID communication. Normally, the identification tag for the livestock is attached through a hole perforated on an ear of the livestock individual, and hence it is also referred to as an "ear tag".
Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2013-0019970 (2013 Feb. 27) describes an ear tag including a first cover unit facing a skin side of livestock individual, a second cover unit bonded with the first cover unit, and a wireless communication chipset between the first cover unit and the second cover unit.
In such a conventional ear tag, a male plug that is coupled with a bonded structure of the first cover unit and the second cover unit is provided through a hole perforated on an ear of the livestock individual, which is a part of a body of the livestock individual, the first cover unit includes a through hole for passing the male plug, the second cover unit includes a female unit having a space for receiving the male plug, and an unplug preventing member that interferes with the male plug inserted through the through hole to prevent the male plug from being unplugged is provided in the space of the female unit.
However, in such a conventional ear tag, the first and second cover units bonded together to include the wireless communication chip therebetween are made of soft material such as polyurethane, and hence the first and second cover units that are straight are easily bent in a U-shape by an external force. When the first and second cover units are bent, the bending stress is concentrated on the wireless communication chip that is arranged roughly at the center of the first and second cover units, and the concentrated stress may damage the wireless communication chip that is a core part of the ear tag, which causes degradation of the product reliability.
In particular, a feedbox for storing feed for the livestock such as cattle and pigs is provided outside a cowshed with bars therebetween in the livestock industry environment, and hence an external impact is transferred to the wireless communication chip due to a bending by an external force when the ear tag attached on the ear of the cattle is bumped into the bars or folded with the ear while the cattle puts its head in and out of a space between the bars to take the feed.
Further, when the livestock sleeps or moves while lying on the floor in the cowshed, the ear having the ear tag is folded to cause a bending of the cover unit, which transfers an impact on the wireless communication chip.
Therefore, the wireless communication chip provided in the cover unit is damaged by the external impact transferred from a bending of the ear tag attached on the ear of the cattle due to such external environmental factors in the livestock industry environment. The repeated bending of the ear tag damages the chip and the bonding surface, which eventually disables the wireless communication function.

Ear tag for recognizing livestock individual


Various systems and methods are described for controlling an engine in a vehicle which includes an exhaust passage and an exhaust gas recirculation system. One example method comprises adjusting an engine operating parameter based on an exhaust gas recirculation amount, the exhaust gas recirculation amount based on a first humidity and a second humidity, the first humidity generated from a first humidity sensor at a first location and the second humidity generated from a second humidity sensor located in the exhaust passage of the engine.

Internal combustion engines may utilize exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in order to reduce emissions such as nitrogen oxides (NOx). Although EGR may be beneficial, an inaccurate determination of the amount of EGR may be detrimental to overall engine performance, resulting in increased emissions and decreased engine driveability.
One example approach for determining an amount of EGR is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,566. In this example, EGR flow is determined based on humidity during conditions in which the engine is operating with a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. Specifically, an exhaust gas sensor is employed to measure a relative amount of water vapor in an exhaust gas/intake air mixture as a relative amount of water in the exhaust gas/intake air mixture is dependent on the relative amount of EGR. Additionally, a second sensor is employed to determine a relative amount of water vapor in the air surrounding the vehicle (e.g., ambient water vapor). In this way, the amount of EGR may be accurately determined by adjusting the first measurement based on the relative amount of ambient water vapor.
During engine operation, however, the air-fuel ratio may fluctuate from stoichiometry (e.g., it may become lean or rich). Under such conditions, the relationship between exhaust gas recirculation and humidity changes due to variations in products of combustion. As such, the above method may produce an erroneous estimate of the amount of exhaust gas recirculation resulting in degraded engine performance including a loss of power and increased emissions. Further, the above method assumes a fuel of 100% gasoline and does not account for varying amounts of alcohol in the fuel (e.g., E85, which is 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline). Fuel blends comprising varying amounts of alcohol also affect the products of combustion which may lead to an inaccurate determination of exhaust gas recirculation when utilized by the above approach.
The inventors herein have recognized the above problems and have devised an approach to address them. Thus, in one example, a method for determining an amount of exhaust gas recirculation based on humidity with regard for variable parameters such as air-fuel ratio and fuel blend is disclosed. The method comprises determining an exhaust gas recirculation amount based on a first humidity generated from a first humidity sensor in an intake manifold of an engine and a second humidity generated from a second humidity sensor in an exhaust manifold of the engine. A third humidity sensor may also be positioned outside of the engine in order to generate an ambient humidity.
In this way, an accurate exhaust gas recirculation amount may be determined based on a balance of an ambient water mass and an exhaust water mass in the intake manifold. For example, an indication of the amount of exhaust gas in the intake air may be generated once the intake, exhaust, and ambient humidities are determined as the intake air may be composed of exhaust gas and ambient air. Therefore, accurate EGR amounts can be determined even when the combustion air-fuel ratio varies widely and/or the fuel type varies widely, since the EGR determination is based on an approach that has low sensitivity to these factors. After an accurate EGR amount is determined, various engine operating parameters may be adjusted in order to maintain or increase engine efficiency.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.


The present invention relates to a method for quickly determining cAMP content or an adenylate cyclase activity in a biological sample containing non-cyclic adenine nucleotides without the use of radioactive agents.

Measurement of adenylate cyclase activity is carried out by quantitative determination of cAMP produced from ATP as a substrate. Methods for measurement of cAMP are grouped into two methods using as a substrate (1) labeled ATP and (2) non-labeled ATP.
In the method using labeled ATP as a substrate (1), using ATP labeled by a radioactive element, for example, [α-32P] ATP, as a substrate, and cAMP ([32P] cAMP) generated from radioactively labeled ATP is separated and determined. See Y. Salomon et al., Anal. Biochem., 58, 541 (1974; R. A. Johnson et al., In Method in Enzymology, 195, 3 (1991)). The method employs sequential affinity chromatography with ionic exchange resin and aluminum oxide columns for separation of [32P] cAMP from [α-32P] ATP.
Although this method is sensitive, it relies upon dangerously and costly radioactively labeled compounds.
On the other hands, the methods using non-labeled ATP are classified into (1) radioimmunoassay wherein radioactively labeled cAMP is subjected to antigen-antibody reaction competitively with anti-serum including cAMP generated from non-labeled ATP and then radioactivity of binding antibody is assayed to determine cAMP content, and (2) protein-binding assay wherein radioactivity of 3H-cAMP bound with cAMP-dependent protein kinase is measured using specific binding between cAMP-dependent protein kinase and cAMP. See A. G. Gilman et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 67, 305 (1970).
The method using the substrate non-labeled ATP can not compensate decomposition of cAMP by cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase and therefore the method is not appropriate for samples including strong phosphodiesterase activity.
Given the safety and environmental concerns, the use of radioactive materials should be avoided. A need exists for a highly sensitive non-radioactive assay to measure adenylate cyclase activity and cAMP as an index of adenylate cyclase activity.
However, it is very difficult to determine cAMP without using radioactive compounds because of the extremely low concentration of cAMP in most mammalian tissues. In addition, since non-cyclic adenine nucleotides such as AMP, ADP and ATP in a biological sample are present in several hundred to several hundred thousand times the concentration of cAMP and also those chemical structures are similar to the that of cAMP, they act as interfering substances in assay of cAMP. Particularly, ATP is present in one hundred million times the concentration of cAMP and therefore it is substantially impossible to exactly determine cAMP without complete removal of endogenous ATP.
On the other hand, cAMP is converted into AMP by action of phosphodiesterase. An assay for AMP without radioactive compounds has been disclosed. Lowry et al. have developed a sensitive assay based on the fluorescence of reduced pyridine nucleotide. See O. H. Lowry et al., A Flexible System of Enzymatic Analysis, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York (1972); F. M. Matschinsky et al., J. Histochem. Cytochem., 16, 29 (1968). The assay depends on it that absorbency of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) at 340 nm is 0.617 per 0.1 mmol and an absolute concentration of NADPH is calculated on absorbency of a sample.
An assay for AMP is disclosed which depends upon the stimulatory effects of AMP on glycogen phosphorylase, the enzyme that converts glycogen into glucose-1-phosphate in the presence of inorganic phosphate (Pi). See E. Helmrich et al., Biochemistry, 52, 647 (1964); ibid., 51, 131 (1964); M. Trus et al., Diabetes, 29, 1 (1980). According to the method, glycogen phosphorylase activity is determined by an amount of glucose-1-phosphate generated from glycogen and AMP can be assayed using the glycogen phosphorylase activity as an index. Lurie also have developed a sensitive assay for AMP. See K. Lurie et al., Am. J. Physiol., 253, H662 (1987).
A method to increase the analytical sensitivity and specificity for cAMP or adenylate cyclase have employed enzymic degradatiom of non-cyclic adenine nucleotides or their removal by chromatography. See N. D. Goldberg et al., Anal. Biochem. 28, 523 (1969); B. Mcl. Breckenridge, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 52, 1580 (1964).
In the conventional analysis, since interfering endogenous ADP or ATP could not be completely removed, it has been considered that measurement of cAMP should be impossible. Therefore, there has been substantially no method for highly sensitive measurement of cAMP content and adenylate cyclase activity based on the amount of cAMP without using radioactive substances.
From a completely different point of view, the inventor and others previously attempted to develop assays for adenylate cyclase activity and cAMP and as a results of an intensive study, they had found a method for highly sensitive measurement of cAMP content and adenylate cyclase activity based on the amount of cAMP with using only enzymatic and chemical reactions, which comprises removing selectively interfering substances, endogenous non-cyclic adenine nucleotides, such as ATP, ADP and the like using enzymes, converting AMP into ATP, converting ATP into glucose-6-phosphate through fructose-6-phosphate, converting NADPH, determining NADPH concentration and correlating with cAMP concentration (WO94/17198).
According to the method, cAMP at an amount of μg order in a biological sample can be strictly measured at a level of pmol or fmol. See A. Sugiyama et al., Anal. Biochem., 218, 20 (1994); A. Sugiyama et al., J. Clin. Lab., 8, 437 (1994); A. Sugiyama et al., Anal. Biochem., 225, 368 (1995); A. Sugiyama et al., Yamanashi Med. J., 10, 11 (1995).
The reaction schemes of the conventional method above are described below.

The method as stated above was very excellent as a method for quantitative analysis in a principle of methodology and theoretically correct. However the method takes long time for a cleaning reaction or a reaction mixture gets cloudy when an enzyme has been deactivated by heating after a cycle reaction.

Enzymatic fluorometric assay for cAMP and adenylate cyclase

Abstract: Particularly, the present invention provides a method of determining cAMP content or an adenylate cyclase activity in a biological sample containing non-cyclic adenine nucleotides selected from the group consisting of cAMP produced by endogenous adenylate cyclase, and AMP, ATP, ADP and a mixture thereof, which comprises (1) combining a biological sample with effective amounts of apyrase, adenosine deaminase and alkaline phosphatase to enzymatically remove non-cyclic adenine nucleotides other than cAMP, and glucose-6-phosphate in the sample; (2) enzymatically converting cAMP into AMP; (3) determining an amount of AMP without the use of radioactive agents, and a kit to carry out the method.


An inexpensive timer unit which can operate stably in the event of a power failure. The timer unit acts to switch the operation times of two valve mechanisms for opening and closing fluid passages. The unit comprises a rotatable windup shaft, a torsion coil spring, an eddy-current-generating governor mechanism, and two cams. Energy is stored in the spring by rotating the windup shift through a given angle so as to tighten the spring. The speed of rotation of the windup shaft when the tightened spring is released is adjusted by the governor mechanism. At this time, the rotation of the windup shaft is transmitted to the cams. The profiles of the cams are determined according to the operation times of the valve mechanisms.

a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a timer unit for mechanically controlling the operation times of valves, respectively, which act to switch the condition of fluid passages.
b) Background Art
A toilet bowl equipped with a flushing device is required to store water in its flush tank and also in its cleaning warmed water tank. The amount of water stored in the flush tank differs from the amount of water stored in the cleaning water tank. Tap water supplied from a single tap is guided into the two tanks by controlling the operation times of valves, or the times for which their respective valves are opened, according to the capacities of the tanks. The valves are mounted between the tap and their respective tanks.
An electrical timer unit is incorporated in each valve mechanism mounted in the fluid passage extending from the tap to each tank to control the valve mechanism. A different time is set into each timer unit. In particular, the valve for a flush tank requiring a large amount of water is set up so that it is opened for a long time. The valve for a cleaning warmed water tank requiring a relatively small amount of water is set up so that it is opened for a short time.
In this way, electrical timer units are known which control their respective valves in such a manner that liquid supplied from a single liquid supply port is divided into two dissimilar amounts of liquid discharged from plural delivery ports. All of these electrical timer units are equipped with a control printed board.
Where a valve is opened and closed under the control of an electrical timer unit, the timer fails to operate in the event of a power failure. For example, where valves in a flush toilet are controlled by electrical timer units, supply of water to the tanks is impossible in the event of a power failure. This is a fatal problem with the flush toilet. To make preparations for a power failure, it is necessary to provide a manual valve. However, this makes the appliance large and increases the cost.


The present invention provides methods for preparing complexed diaryl boronic acids from alkyl diarylborinates.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods for preparing alkyl diarylborinates and methods for preparing complexed diarylboronic acids, which are useful as antibacterial agents.
2. Description of the Related Art
N—O complexed diarylboronic acids are known to be effective pharmaceutical agents. For example, such compounds are capable of inhibiting adenine DNA methyltransferases in bacterial cells and thus exhibit antibacterial, growth-inhibitory properties against any bacterial species that produces an adenine DNA methyltransferase. Antibacterial diarylboronic acids are described in International Application Publication No. WO 00/75142.
Currently available methods for the preparation of N—O complexed diarylboronic acids require the use of dichloroborane methyl sulfide complex as a starting material. The use of dichloroborane methyl sulfide complex has several disadvantages, including the formation of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) as a side product of the reaction. Further, dichloroborane methyl sulfide reacts violently with water to produce flammable and harmful gases and has a repugnant odor that causes great discomfort for any lab personnel working with the material.
The formation of DMS as a side product makes the process of isolating a reaction product without contaminating the working area with DMS extremely difficult. Like dichloroborane methyl sulfide complex, DMS also has a foul odor. Further, DMS is a cancer suspect agent.
A need exists, therefore, for a method for preparing N—O complexed diarylboronic acids, and complexed diarylboronic acids in general, that is safer, more versatile and friendlier to lab personnel than currently known methods.

Methods for the preparation of alkyl diaryl borinates and complexed diarylboronic acids


An insulating label stock or sleeve formed from such label stock includes a thermal insulating layer, which may a fiberfill batt. The batt is laminated to at least one layer of heat shrinkable material, such as a film. The insulated packaging material may be coated with a coating material to enhance printing capabilities. The insulating label stock or sleeve is installed around a container, and after being activated by heating, conforms to the contours of the container. The insulating label stock retains its hot and cold insulative properties after being heat-shrunk.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an insulated packaging material which comprises a thermal insulating layer which is laminated to a heat-shrinkable face material. The face material can be coated with a coating material so that it is printable, thus imparting both insulating properties and print capability to the packaging material. The packaging material can be heat-shrunk to conform to complex curved surfaces.
2. Description of Related Art
Insulated enclosures for containers are known, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,597. This enclosure includes a first, or inner-most fabric layer, a second inner-most insulating layer which includes a polymeric foam, a third inner-most metallized polymer film reflective layer, and an outer-most fabric mesh layer. However, the use of four different layers, although providing good insulation for the container, can be cumbersome, which limits the flexibility of the container.
Also known in the film art is a thin electrical tape which comprises a polyester web-reinforced polyester film, as disclosed in 3M Utilities and Telecommunications OEM. However, this tape, which at its thickest is 0.0075 inch (0.0190 cm.), is not suitable for use as an insulated packaging material.
Thus, there exists a need to design an insulated packaging material which is inexpensive to manufacture. Such an insulator would be thick enough to provide adequate insulation, but thin enough to be flexible. It also would be advantageous to have such a material that may be heat-shrunk to fit over containers with simple and/or complex contours without losing insulation properties.

Heat shrinkable insulated packaging material


The present invention relates to an optical waveguide module constructed in the structure that can reduce the number of package components for housing an optical waveguide device for optically interconnecting optical fibers and that can protect the optical waveguide device against stress caused by change of ambient temperature and against impact acting from the outside. This waveguide module comprises a reinforcing member directly adhered to a buffer protector covering the optical waveguide device. This reinforcing member is a plate member bent so that the both ends face each other, and it houses the whole of the optical waveguide device covered by the buffer protector in the internal space thereof.

The conventional optical waveguide modules are arranged to comprise an optical waveguide device, which is utilized for branching, coupling, or the like of signal light, for optically interconnecting optical fibers being transmission lines, and a case for enclosing the optical waveguide device therein. Further, a space between the case and the optical waveguide device is filled with a buffer protector. The buffer protector functions to absorb impact or the like exerted from the outside of the case on joint portions and the like between an optical waveguide incorporated in the optical waveguide device and optical fibers.
Here, the above optical waveguide device comprises a waveguide substrate having an optical waveguide provided in its upper surface and having the function of branching, coupling, etc. of signal light, a silicon V-grooved support member (first support member) for optically connecting one end of the optical waveguide with one end of an input optical fiber, attached to the tip of the input optical fiber, and a silicon V-grooved support member (second support member) for optically connecting the other end of the optical waveguide with one end of an output optical fiber, attached to the tip of the output optical fiber. The first and second support members are fixed to the both end faces of the waveguide substrate with the optical waveguide being axially aligned with the input and output optical fibers (or in an optically interconnected state).
The structure of optical waveguide module as described above is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 5-27139.

Optical waveguide module with reinforcing member and buffer protector


A mold for forming a molded body from a slurry including an impermeable mold part having a cavity for retaining the slurry and a permeable mold provided on a side of a molding surface with a membrane filter. A method of forming a molded body from a slurry includes steps of introducing the slurry into a cavity of a mold including an impermeable mold part and a permeable mold part provided on a side of a molding surface with a membrane filter, and removing a solvent medium of the slurry through the permeable mold part. A pressure casting molding method of forming a high dense ceramic molded body by pouring a ceramic slurry into a mold through a pouring portion thereof and pressurizing the ceramic slurry on a side of the pouring portion while removing a solvent medium of the slurry on the other side of the mold through a permeable mold part of the mold. The method includes steps of filling a hydrophobic pressurizing medium in the pouring portion after pouring the ceramic slurry into the mold for pressurizing the ceramic slurry through the hydrophobic pressuring medium, and/or removing the solvent medium and/or removing the solvent medium through a membrane filter provided on a side of a molding surface of said permeable mold part of the mold.

This invention relates to a mold using a membrane filter for forming ceramic bodies, a method for forming ceramic bodies by the use of the mold and/or a pressure casting molding method for ceramic bodies by means of a hydrophobic medium.
Molds made of plaster, synthetic resins, ceramics and the like have been known for forming inorganic materials such as ceramic materials and the like into predetermined shapes by means of potters wheels or by casting, wet press forming and the like. Such molds generally have a permeability to remove a solvent medium included in a forming body (slurry) of the inorganic material such as a ceramic material. Dewatering and mold release of a molded body are effected by suction or pressurizing. In other cases, the dewatering and mold release are effected by congregating particles of the blank material with the aid of ion exchange between ions in the mold and the slurry at surfaces of the mold.
Recently, a forming mold has been proposed which is of a two layered construction consisting of an outer layer having coarse pores and an inner layer having fine pores in order to prevent blank material particles from entering the mold to prevent the mold from being clogged and to improve the dewatering efficiency (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 14,451/81).
In recent years, the pressure casting molding method has been noticed. With such a pressure casting method, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a ceramic slurry 25 is poured through a pouring portion 22 into a mold 27 having a required inner cavity and the poured slurry 25 in the cavity is pressurized by a gas such as air introduced through the pouring portion 22 to remove a solvent medium through a permeable mold 23 at the other end of the mold, thereby obtaining a ceramic molded body of a high density.
However, these molds of the prior art have the following disadvantages. The plaster mold is poor in mechanical strength and therefore the mold can be repeatedly used only very few times. Moreover, the mold of a synthetic resin or a ceramic material is likely to be clogged every time when it is used and therefore cleaning of the mold is required. As the number of times the mold is used increases, the time required for casting is progressively increased, thus lowering the moldability of the material. Further, as it is difficult to obtain desired fine pores, the time required for casting is different for each mold so that control of a number of molds is difficult.
On the other hand, with the mold consisting of two layers, these layers are substantially integrally formed, so that the clogging of pores is not eliminated. Moreover, as the number of times the mold is used increases, the moldability decreases.
Furthermore, with the pressure casting of the prior art above described, the cast slurry is directly pressurized by air, gas and the like, so that when the pressure is higher than 10 kg/cm.sup.2, the use of the mold is limited by high pressure gas regulations and there is a large risk of explosion or the like. Accordingly, this kind of the mold is difficult to use.
In order to simplify the release of a molded body from the impermeable mold or to simplify the release of the molded body from the permeable mold after removal of a solvent medium, surfaces of the impermeable or permeable mold in contact with a ceramic slurry are previously coated with a mold release agent. However, the mold release agent is extended through the permeable mold by pressurizing or by pressurizing and sucking in pressure casting, so that the release of the molded body from the impermeable or permeable mold becomes difficult. The release of the molded body often becomes more difficult dependent upon the shape and size of the molded body.
Moreover, when the slurry is pressurized by the air through the pouring portion to remove the solvent medium through the permeable mold, the air passes through parts of boundary surfaces between the impermeable or permeable mold and the molded body which is about to complete its molding. Therefore, the parts of the boundary surfaces are locally promptly dried so that cracks tend to occur in these parts.


A magnetostrictive actuator is provided comprising an actuator base, a magnetostrictive assembly, an actuator frame, and a flexible disk. The magnetostrictive assembly includes a magnetostrictive element. A first end of the magnetostrictive element is mechanically coupled to the actuator base. A first portion of the actuator frame is mechanically coupled to the actuator base. The flexible disk includes a perimetrical disk portion and a bearing surface portion. The perimetrical disk portion is mechanically coupled to the second frame portion and the bearing surface portion is mechanically coupled to the second magnetostrictive element end portion. The magnetostrictive actuator comprises a magnetostrictive material portion and a plurality of cooling fluid bores formed within the magnetostrictive material portion. Further, the magnetostrictive actuator may comprise an epoxy matrix, a plurality of cooling fluid bores formed within the epoxy matrix, and a plurality of magnetostrictive rods formed within the epoxy matrix.

The present invention relates to an improved actuator and, more specifically, to a magnetostrictive actuator.
A conventional mechanical test system, commonly known as the Unholtz-Dickie test frame, is illustrated in FIG. 8. The conventional system utilizes an electrodynamic shaker 10 mounted to a support 12 to produce periodic actuation of a first workpiece grip 14 and transfer a periodic load to a workpiece or specimen 16 held at its opposite end by a second grip 18. The load characteristics are sensed by a force gauge 20 and a conventional load cell 22. A workpiece alignment assembly 24 is provided to ensure precise alignment of the first and second grips 14, 18 along a common vertical axis. A 4500 lb (2025 kg) aluminum crosshead 26 is hydraulically clamped to the support 12 and the support 12 is supported on air pad feet 28. A pneumatic cylinder 30 is provided for applying an offset load to the workpiece 16 via the first grip 14.
The electrodynamic shaker 10 of the conventional system contains relatively high mass moving parts, e.g. an armature assembly, which, typically, must be restrained by bearing arrangements. Transverse restraint of the armature and other moving parts must be provided to ensure uniform axial actuation. However, transverse restraints often limit the amount of input energy reaching the workpiece 16 because significant energy damping is introduced by the transverse restraints. Similarly, the mass of the moving parts of the conventional system limits the range of available loading frequencies, the response time of the actuation mechanism, and demands a significant amount of energy to produce mechanical actuation. Finally, because of the limitations of the conventional mechanical test system noted herein, a test workpiece may merely be periodically loaded at maximum accelerations ranging from 100 to 200 G (980-1960 m/s.sup.2).
Accordingly, there is a need for an actuator wherein transverse restraint of the actuation element is not required, massive moving parts are eliminated, response time of the actuator is improved, a significant amount of input energy is transferred to the test workpiece, and wherein a test workpiece may be periodically loaded at maximum accelerations well above 100 to 200 G (980-1960 m/s.sup.2).


A centrifugal, shaft-driven clutch apparatus includes an engine shaft for providing rotary power, the engine shaft having a free end portion and an open ended bore that communicates with the free end portion. A centrifugal clutch assembly includes a clutch bushing member having a shaft bore for affixing the bushing member to the shaft. The bushing member provides an internal bore and an outer surface. The clutch assembly includes a clutch housing member with an internal bore, and the clutch housing rotates upon the clutch bushing member at the internal bore. A first port extends between the shaft bore and the clutch bushing for transmitting lubricant from the shaft bore to the clutch bushing member. A second port extends through the bushing member bore to the outer surface thereof. A channel forms a communication between the first and second ports for transporting lubricant between the first and second ports. A fitting provides an inlet portion for receiving lubricant, and is attached to the shaft bore. The fitting includes an enlarged head portion that retains the clutch assembly upon the shaft during use.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to small, chain-driven carts (sometimes referred to as "go-carts"), and the like having an internal combustion engine of, for example, five-ten (5-10) horse power that drives the cart rear wheels via an axle and centrifugal clutch. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved engine shaft, clutch, and chain-driven axle assembly for powering small motorized carts wherein an improved lubrication arrangement allows grease to be injected through an engine drive shaft (or a short intermediate shaft or "jack" shaft) of the cart via a porting system so that the clutch is lubricated when rotating at high speeds, namely, when the cart is at rest and the engine idles.
2. General Background
Small chain-driven motorized carts are commercially available from a number of manufacturers. These carts are used primarily for off road motoring at relatively low speeds. They are frequently used for backyard and off road family fun, and can be found at amusement parks and fairs on occasion.
These small chain-driven carts include a metal frame that is generally of welded steel, using square and round tubing and plate steel, for example. Such small carts use an internal combustion engine for power, usually on the order of five to ten (5-10) horse power, as an example. The cart frame is constructed very low to the ground for stability purposes. The engine on such a cart is usually a commercially available internal combustion engine, having a drive shaft that carries a centrifugal clutch. A sprocket on the clutch engages an endless belt or chain. Another sprocket rigidly affixed to the axle also engages the endless belt or chain. When the engine of the cart idles, the centrifugal clutch by design is disengaged. When the user presses a throttle (e.g., foot pedal) the engine revolutions increase and the clutch engages so that the sprocket of the clutch rotates and drives the endless belt or chain and its associated axle sprocket and attached axle.
By placing the cart low to the ground, equipping the cart with relatively small wheels, and by using the cart in a off road environment, the centrifugal clutch is subjected to dirt, sand, dust, and debris which accumulates in and around the clutch assembly. This produces an abrasive environment which can quickly wear out the clutch parts. The centrifugal clutch is typically rotated at high speeds when the cart idles. The clutch engages upon increasing engine revolutions so that centrifugal members engage the clutch and it forms a rigid connection with the drive shaft of the cart.
Typically, these carts use a horizontal shaft engine. The drive shaft extends horizontally from one side of the engine. However, it should be understood that a short separate intermediate drive shaft sometimes referred to a "jack-shaft" can be used to drive the carts. A "jack-shaft" is simply a short shaft mounted between bearings and in spaced-apart position away from the horizontal shaft of the engine. The "jack-shaft" is driven by the motor shaft using a belt or sprockets and a chain, for example. In either situation, the present invention is designed to provide an improved lubrication arrangement for the engine shaft, and/or a "jack-shaft" used with the engine drive.


It is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic garnet single crystal at a reduced Pb content, and a method for producing the same and an optical element using the same. The object is attained with a magnetic garnet single crystal represented by the chemical formula BiαNaβM13-α-βFe5-γM2γO12 (M1 is at least one element selected from Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu; and M2 is at least one element selected from Si, Ge and Ti, provided that 0.5<α≦2.0, 0<β≦0.8, 0.2≦3−α−β<2.5, and 0<γ≦1.6).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic garnet single crystal and a method for producing the same as well as an optical element using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Faraday rotator is an optical element with a function to rotate the polarization plane of transmitting light and is used in optical devices such as optical isolator, optical attenuator, optical circulator and photo-magnetic field sensor for communication. Faraday rotator is generally prepared by using a plane-like bismuth (Bi)-substituted rare-earth iron garnet single crystal. The Bi-substituted rare-earth iron garnet single crystal is grown by the liquid phase epitaxial (LPE) process as one of flux processes. Single crystals are grown at atmospheric pressure by the flux processes.
In growing the Bi-substituted rare-earth iron garnet single crystal by the solution process (the LPE process) such as flux processes, generally, lead oxide (PbO), bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) and boron oxide (B2O3) are used as the solvents so as to stably grow such garnet single crystal while the solvents are maintained at their supersaturation states. During the growth of the magnetic garnet single crystal, therefore, a small amount of lead (Pb) contaminates in the resulting crystal. In Faraday rotators for use in optical devices for communication, magnetic garnet single crystals at a Pb content "y" of about 0.03 to 0.06 in the chemical formula Bi3-x-yM11xPbyFe5-z-wM12zM13wO12 have been used conventionally. See Patent Reference 1: JP-A-2001-044026; Patent Reference 2: JP-A-2001-044027; and Patent Reference 3: JP-B-6-046604.
Following the upsurge in the recent environmental protection movement, however, efforts are now directed toward the reduction of the content of Pb as an environmental load substance in any of industrial products. Therefore, a trace amount of contaminating Pb in magnetic garnet single crystals grown by the LPE process draws concerns as a factor of environmental pollution. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce or eliminate the amount of Pb contained in magnetic garnet single crystals as materials constituting Faraday rotators.

Magnetic garnet single crystal and method for producing the same as well as optical element using the same


A communication system including a constellation of a plurality of artificial satellites orbiting the Earth, each artificial satellite having communication apparatus providing communication with the Earth, characterized in that the plurality of artificial satellites are in triply-geosynchronous (TGS) orbits having a period of eight sidereal hours, or twice-triply-geosynchronous (TTGS) orbits having a period of sixteen sidereal hours, which orbits are inclined with respect to the Equator and synchronized with the Earth's rotation such as to exploit the natural spacing of approximately 120.degree. in longitude of the major land masses of Europe, North America and the Far East for communication with the artificial satellites to provide for higher elevation angles in such land masses than in other areas.

The present invention relates to a communication system comprising a constellation of a plurality of artificial satellites orbiting the Earth, and particularly to a communications system for use with mobile stations and land vehicles.
Fixed (as distinguished from mobile) ground stations communicating with satellites usually have their antennas in specially selected locations where an undisturbed line-of-sight to the satellite exists. In contrast, mobile stations (e.g., in land vehicles) have to be able to communicate from almost anywhere and so could be severely affected by shadowing from mountains and buildings and by propagation impairments due to foliage. These effects are severe at the low elevation look-angles to the satellite, especially in the northern latitude countries, looking at a satellite in geostationary orbit. The low elevation angles also cause multipath fadings and distortions making communication difficult; they may also cause interference with terrestial communications.
Satellite-based systems for communication with mobile stations, such as ships, aircraft or vehicles, are well-known, in use, or being developed. Examples are the INMARSAT-MARISAT network, the planned M-SAT in the USA, and location and data-communication systems like GEOSTAR, OMNITRACS, and ESA-PRODATA. All these systems use equatorial geosynchronous satellites (i.e., having 24-hour orbits) which are almost fixed in the sky relative to an Earth station. However, equatorial orbits produce low elevation angles at the higher latitudes where most of the highly developed areas of Europe, North America and Japan are located, thus making them disadvantageous for use with mobile ground stations which require high elevation angles as indicated above. High elevation angles also make it possible to use simpler upward-pointing antennas on the mobile ground stations, and simpler satellite antennas, and also reduces interference with communication links on land.
Non-equatorial orbits are also known. A doubly geosynchronous (12-hour) inclined elliptical orbit was first used by the USSR-MOLNIYA satellites to obtain coverage at all latitudes of the country. The constellation required three satellites, each being used for eight hours in one out-of-two orbits, the second orbit passing over the Pacific Ocean without being useful. Proposals for using similar inclined elliptical 12-hour orbits are being studied mainly to improve communications at higher latitudes and also to relieve congestion of the geosynchronous orbit; examples of such latter constellations include the German LOOPUS, the British T-SAT proposals and the ESA-ARCHIMEDES concept. Another elliptical inclined orbit is the ESA-proposed TUNDRA, which is a 24-hour orbit at higher apogee altitudes, similar also to the French SYCOMORES proposal.
Elliptical orbits are usually inclined about 63.4.degree. to the Equator for minimizing the fuel requirements to avoid perigee drift. For best coverage of the northern hemisphere, the perigee is kept at the most southern point of the orbit, and drifts in longitude can be adjusted by changes in the orbit period. However, constellations of three (or four) satellites would provide continuous communication only in the European area at an elevation angle of about 60.degree., which elevation angle would drop to about 45.degree. if the Middle East and North Africa are included. In order to cover also North America and the Far East, nine to twelve satellites would be required.
Recently, MOTOROLA proposed the IRIDIUM global mobile communication system using a constellation of 77 satellites in low earth orbits at about 765 Km altitude. However, such a constellation could assure continuous world-wide mobile communication with an elevation angle of only 20.degree. in the middle latitudes, and even down to only about 10.degree. globally. It appears that for higher elevation angles, an impractically large number of satellites would be required. Other proposals were also recently made using low Earth orbits and similar large constellations with low elevational angles.

Artificial satellite communication system


Method, device, and storage medium for processing a driver on a terminal device side are provided. A method includes obtaining connection information between a peripheral device corresponding to the driver and a terminal device; determining, according to the connection information, driver installation options capable of successfully installing the driver; and displaying the driver installation options capable of successfully installing the driver.

A peripheral device needs to be connected to a terminal, and the terminal can be a computer. A peripheral device needs to receive job data released by the terminal before starting to complete an image forming process, for example, before performing a printing operation. Opening and editing of documents in the terminal are usually completed by some document operation application programs. The document operation application programs can be applications including, for example, Word, WPS, PhotoShop, Adobe, etc. How to have the documents opened by the application programs in the terminal directly sent to the peripheral device requires the installation of a driver in the peripheral device.
In existing technologies, the terminal device can display all installation modes supported by a current driver installation package. For example, the terminal device displays that the current driver installation package supports a wireless connection and a universal serial bus (abbreviated as "USB") connection. Then, the user selects a connection mode and further complete a connection between the terminal device and the peripheral device.
However, in existing technologies, the terminal device only displays the installation modes supported by the current driver installation package, but the installation modes supported by the driver installation package are not installation modes actually supported. Thus the driver installation failure may occur. In addition, the display mode provided in existing technologies may also mislead the user. For example, some peripheral device hardware does not support a wired network function or a wireless network function, but the display interface corresponding to the current driver installation package still displays network installation options. This may cause the users to mistakenly think that their peripheral device supports a network function. When a driver installation is performed under a network installation option, the users may complain the device provider instead, causing unnecessary disputes between the users and the peripheral device provider.

Method, device, and storage medium for processing driver on terminal device side


A biometrically encrypted access policy is provided. A commercial transaction request to access a client-supported institution received from a client device is identified. A database structure associates each of a plurality of client-supported institutions with one or more respective biometric tokens for authentication. A one-time password is associated with the client-supported institution based on biometric tokens. An encrypted code is associated with the client-supported institution based on biometric tokens. A encrypted OTP is transmitted to client device, and instructions to capture a biometric scan data via the client device are generated based on parameters of biometric tokens. A decryption key is generated via the client device, and the decryption key is determined to authenticate the user of the client device, and, in response, the commercial transaction request to access the client-support institution is approved.

The present invention relates generally to the field of methods and devices for secure transactions of information, and more particularly to authorization and authentication methods and systems using biometrics.
As technology has evolved, the prevalence of electronic commerce transactions has increased. For example, through the use of mobile phones and computing equipment, large numbers of commercial requests and transactions are conducted every day. As the popularity of online retail transactions has increased, there has been a proportionate emphasis placed on the security of such transactions. Online transaction requests may require personal identifying information to be supplied in a digital form in order to authenticate a user and complete a transaction. In contrast, identity verification for an in-person transaction can be accomplished by the user producing an ID card with a photograph of the user or by a hand-written signature being produced by the person making the purchase.

System to effectively validate the authentication of OTP usage

International Business Machines Corporation