A change in orientation or reorientation operation is applied to 3D models while maintaining constant zoom level of model display. The orientation is provided by a computer-based tool or GUI widget formed of a transparent container element and a miniaturized depiction of the 3D model. The transparent container element encapsulates the miniaturized depiction and enables see through view of the miniaturized depiction illustrating real time orientation of the 3D model. The container element is user-interactive to effect change in orientation of the 3D model concurrently displayed in a work area of a screen view. The zoom level of the displayed 3D model in the work area remains constant avoiding or omitting zoom to extents throughout user interaction with the GUI widget.

Computer-aided design (CAD) software allows a user to construct and manipulate complex three-dimensional (3D) models. A number of different modeling techniques can be used to create a 3D model. These techniques include solid modeling, wire-frame modeling, and surface modeling. Solid modeling techniques provide for topological 3D models, where the 3D model is a collection of interconnected topological entities (e.g., vertices, edges, and faces). The topological entities have corresponding supporting geometrical entities (e.g., points, trimmed curves, and trimmed surfaces). The trimmed surfaces correspond to the topological faces bounded by the edges. Wire-frame modeling techniques, on the other hand, can be used to represent a model as a collection of simple 3D lines, whereas surface modeling can be used to represent a model as a collection of exterior surfaces. CAD systems may combine these and other modeling techniques, such as parametric modeling techniques. Parametric modeling techniques can be used to define various parameters for different features and components of a model, and to define relationships between those features and components based on relationships between the various parameters.
CAD systems may also support two-dimensional (2D) objects that are 2D representations of 3D objects. Two- and three-dimensional objects are useful during different stages of a design process. Three-dimensional representations of a model are commonly used to visualize a model in a physical context because the designer can manipulate the model in 3D space and can visualize the model from any conceivable viewpoint. Two-dimensional representations of a model are commonly used to prepare and formally document the design of a model.
A design engineer is a typical user of a 3D CAD system. The design engineer designs physical and aesthetic aspects of 3D models, and is skilled in 3D modeling techniques. A 3D model is formed of a hierarchy of assemblies, subassemblies, and parts. The design engineer creates parts and may assemble the parts into a subassembly. A subassembly may also consist of other subassemblies. An assembly is designed using parts and subassemblies. Parts and subassemblies are at times herein referred to as components.
The position of a part (its location and orientation) in the 3D model dictates angles of view and access of the part for a user of the CAD system. For example, a part that is embedded in a subassembly on the bottom side of the 3D model is viewed and accessed by a design engineer or other user as follows. Beginning with a screen view showing the totality of the 3D model (i.e., the view of the 3D model is at a zoom level such that outer extents of the model are simultaneously visible without the need to scroll the screen), the user orients the model to expose and show the bottom surface. The user navigates the cursor through the bottom surface side of the assembly that comprises the subject subassembly and zooms in to the subassembly (changes zoom level of the view of the 3D model). As part of the navigation, the user rotates or otherwise changes orientation of the 3D model. The user continues to navigate through the subject subassembly and eventually to the part of interest using a combination of changing orientation of the model and changing zoom level.
In some instances, the state-of-the-art zoom function does not hold zoom level stable with respect to certain model operations such as changing orientation of the 3D model. Consequently, each time the user rotates (i.e. applies a change in orientation operation to) the 3D model, the CAD system removes the existing (current) zoom level of the display view of the 3D model. Some CAD systems perform a 'zoom to extents' of the 3D model initializing the model for applying the change in model orientation operation. After changing the 3D model to the user-specified orientation, the operation ends with the 3D model newly oriented and displayed at a neutral or default zoom level different from the initial zoom level used before user application of the change in model orientation operation. Thus the resulting display view of the 3D model is relatively changed in zoom level (e.g., zoomed out) from the view of the model before changing model orientation. This unrequested change in zoom level is very disorienting to the user and disrupts the user's progress toward viewing and accessing the subject part. Consequently, in each iteration of orient and zoom-in, the user must re-navigate a portion of the 3D model in order to regain the view of the model at the zoom level used immediately prior to applying the change in model orientation operation. So the fairly straightforward task of iteratively orienting and zooming-in to progressively navigate to the subject part becomes labor-intensive and inefficient with constant intermediate recovery of zoom level as a side effect of the change in model orientation operation.

Graphical user interface tool for orienting computer-aided design model

DASSAULT SYSTEMES SOLIDWORKS CORPORATION


The present disclosure describes an adjustable plumbing shield system comprising an adjustable shield component including a flexible sheet terminating at opposing ends with first connection parts. The system also includes two second connection parts configured to mate in a readily removable manner with the first connection components of the shielding. In various embodiments, the system is adjustable in one or more ways. The system can be configured, for instance, so that a vertical positioning of the shield component can be adjusted easily, without adjusting connections between a wall and the second connection parts. In another aspect, the shield component can be bowed, and the second connection parts arranged on the wall, to accommodate any of a variety of desired spacing and covering of under-sink fittings.

Stop valves, supply lines, and drainage components such as faucet tailpieces and traps for sinks are commonly shrouded by a cabinet or permanent pedestal. Cabinets or pedestals are often connected to the floor or wall and configured to connect to or fit snugly against a basin of the sink.
In some circumstances, under-sink plumbing is left exposed beneath an installed sink. This may be the case when the owner prefers the look of having the plumbing visible, for instance. Plumbing is also sometimes left uncovered after an initial sink installation, or uncovered temporarily when a cabinet or pedestal is removed as part of a renovation. Plumbing is also exposed in certain situations due to a design of the vanity or the "vessel" stand not being conducive to being covered by conventional means.
Leaving under-sink plumbing exposed can have drawbacks however. The facilities of public and commercial entities in the United States, for example, must comply with relevant accessibility standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Regarding plumbing fixtures, the Act includes requirements pertaining to restroom design and protection of the legs and feet of wheel-chaired individuals using sinks and lavatories.
Regarding exposed pipes and under-sink surfaces, specifically, the ADA requires that hot water and drain pipes under lavatories be insulated or otherwise configured to protect against contact with an individual using the plumbing fixture.
Another scenario in which exposed plumbing is disfavored, is when a new owner of a property does not like, or an existing owner no longer prefers, the look of having the pipes visible.
A cabinets or pedestal can be added in some cases, but doing so has associated challenges. Adding cabinets or pedestals is relatively expensive, and often cost prohibitive. Cabinets and pedestals are also generally permanent, whether connected fixedly connected to the sink basin, wall, and/or floor.
Moreover, design restraints or related form factors limit an ability to use such relatively complex conventional under-sink structures. In ongoing operation, cabinets and pedestals also inhibit access to the pipes for replacement or maintenance.
For situations in which covering is not required by law, owners also have an option of using expensive decorative drainage components (e.g., faucet tailpieces and traps) and stop valve assemblies. These products can be shaped and designed in aesthetic manners, such as by having expensive plating on the fittings. These products can be up to ten times more expensive than regular fittings. And use of these products can still lead to potential drawbacks down the road, such as becoming unsightly or being outside of new code.

Adjustable systems and associated methods for shielding under-sink plumbing


Disclosed are methods, systems and devices for channel state information feedback to facilitate, for example, high-performance beamforming or precoding in multiple input multiple output (MIMO) systems. One example method includes performing multiple transmissions of a channel measurement report on multiple transmission occasions. Another example method includes performing multiple receptions of a channel measurement report on multiple reception occasions, where the multiple receptions at a network node correspond to multiple transmissions from a wireless device. In both exemplary methods, a timing of the multiple transmissions is based on at least one of a number of the multiple transmission occasions, a time gap between adjacent transmission occasions of the multiple transmission occasions, and one or more timeslots that include the multiple transmission occasions.

Wireless communication technologies are moving the world toward an increasingly connected and networked society. The rapid growth of wireless communications and advances in technology has led to greater demand for capacity and connectivity. Other aspects, such as energy consumption, device cost, spectral efficiency, and latency are also important to meeting the needs of various communication scenarios. In comparison with the existing wireless networks, next generation systems and wireless communication techniques need to provide channel state and control information for increased capacity and enhanced performance.

Channel state information feedback methods and systems


An electrical connection is made by connecting a metal element to a second element to which the electrical connection is desired to be made by means of a conductive material disposed onto one or both of the metal element and the second element so as to contact and disperse about or through the metal element thereby providing both an electrical and a mechanical connection. The metal element may be a strip or pad with openings or knurls formed such as by stamping, a wire that is flattened and knurled, or a mesh material such as a wire mesh. In a preferred embodiment, the conductive material is a metal capable of withstanding harsh, high temperature environments, such as a noble metal. In another preferred embodiment, the second element is a ceramic element, preferably with a noble metal conductive pad thereon, to which the metal element is attached.

In high temperature environments, it is often necessary to provide electrical connections in or to equipment or instrumentation that must operate in the environment. For example, sensors are often used to monitor the properties of exhaust gas of internal combustion engines where the exhaust temperature can reach 1000° C. Such sensors generally require electrical connections as an integral part of the sensor and/or to connect the sensor to a lead wire for transmission of the sensor output signal. Electrical connection requirements of such sensors can be complicated by the fact that it is often necessary to make the electrical connection to a ceramic element of the sensor.
Mechanical connections are often not sufficiently robust to maintain their performance in the harsh conditions of the high-temperature environment, so wire bonding of a wire to a sensor element is typically employed to provide the electrical connection. Alternatively, brazing techniques may be used to provide the electrical connection. Both of these methods can be expensive and time-consuming to implement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,543 to Schonauer et al. entitled "Electrically Conducting Connection" describes an electrically conductive connection made between a metal connector and a metal layer applied and bonded by sintering to a ceramic substrate comprising glass and/or vitreous ceramic in small quantities. An adhesion-promoting layer having a glass and/or vitreous ceramic and metal particles is applied and bonded by fusion to the ceramic substrate. The metal layer with the sintered bond is then applied to the ceramic substrate and the connector is welded to the metal layer by laser welding.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,437,681 to Wang et al. entitled "Structure and Fabrication Process for an Improved High Temperature Sensor" describes a temperature sensor including an aluminum oxide substrate and a thin-film resistor having a specific temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) disposed over the substrate. The temperature sensor further includes an aluminum oxide stress-relief layer covering the thin film resistor. The temperature sensor further includes a passivation layer covering the aluminum oxide stress-relief layer. The aluminum oxide stress-relief layer further has at least one resistor-trimming trench formed by removing a portion of the aluminum oxide stress-relief layer and thin-film resistor therefrom and the resistor-trimming trench is filled with a material of the passivation layer. The temperature sensor may further include a set of dummy pads for resistance-trimming measurement disconnected from the thin film resistor disposed on the substrate near the thin film resistor covered by the passivation layer. The temperature sensor may further include a set of sensor bonding pads disposed on the substrate electrically connected to the thin film resistor covered by the passivation layer. The temperature sensor further includes a set of platinum chip-leads bonded to the sensor bonding pads for temperature measurement connections.
The disclosures of the foregoing are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
A need remains in the art for a simple, inexpensive, and effective way of establishing electrical connections in harsh environmental conditions.


A plasma display panel includes first and second substrates provided opposing one another with a predetermined gap therebetween. Address electrodes are formed on the first substrate. Barrier ribs defining discharge cells are mounted in a display region between the substrates. Further, discharge sustain electrodes are formed on the second substrate substantially perpendicular to the address electrodes. The electrodes are formed into groups of a predetermined number, and the electrodes include effective segments positioned in the display region, terminal segments positioned in a terminal region outside the display region and having a smaller pitch than that of the effective segments, and intermediate segments interconnecting these segments. In at least one group, lengths of elements of the terminal segments increasingly decrease as a distance from a center of the group is increased.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display panel (PDP), and more particularly, to a terminal area structure of electrodes in a PDP.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A PDP is a display device that uses vacuum ultraviolet rays generated by gas discharge in discharge cells to excite phosphors, thereby realizing the display of images. With its ability to realize high-resolution images, the PDP is emerging as one of the most popular flat panel display configurations used for wall-mounted televisions and other similar large-screen applications. The different types of PDPs include the AC-PDP, DC-PDP, and hybrid PDP. The AC-PDP, utilizing a triode surface discharge structure, is becoming the most common configuration.
In the AC-PDP with a triode surface discharge structure, address electrodes, barrier ribs, and phosphor layers are formed on a rear substrate corresponding to each discharge cell. Sustain electrodes comprised of scanning electrodes and common electrodes are formed on a front substrate. A dielectric layer is formed covering the address electrodes on the rear substrate, and another dielectric layer is formed covering the sustain electrodes on the front substrate. In addition, discharge gas (typically an Ne—Xe compound gas) is filled in the discharge cells.
Using the above structure, an address voltage Va is applied between an address electrode and a scanning electrode to select a discharge cell. If a sustain voltage Vs is applied between the common electrode and the scanning electrode of the selected discharge cell, plasma discharge occurs in the discharge cell. Vacuum ultraviolet rays are emitted from the excited Xe atoms created during plasma discharge. The vacuum ultraviolet rays excite phosphors so that they glow (i.e., emit visible light) and thereby enable the display of predetermined images.
FIG. 10 is a partial enlarged plan view of a conventional PDP, and FIG. 11 is a partial enlarged plan view of electrodes shown in FIG. 10.
With reference to FIG. 10, the PDP structured and operating as described above includes substrates having display region 1 where images are generated, and terminal region 3 formed outside display region 1. One end of electrodes 2 is extended into terminal region 3 for connection to connecting member 5 such as a flexible printed circuit (FPC) or a chip-on-film (COF). Electrodes 2 receive voltages from a drive circuit board (not shown) via connecting member 5. The voltages are used to drive the PDP.
Electrodes 2 have a pitch in display region 1 of the substrate that is different from a pitch in terminal region 3. In particular, electrodes 2 have pitch P1 in effective segments 7 thereof positioned in display region 1, and pitch P2 in terminal segments 9 thereof positioned in terminal region 3. Pitch P2 is smaller than pitch P1. Electrodes 2 make this transition from larger pitch P1 to smaller pitch P2 through intermediate segments 11 thereof. That is, if electrodes 2 are grouped together by a predetermined number of the same (one such group is shown in FIG. 10), intermediate segments 11 of electrodes 2 to the outside of a set number of electrodes 2 positioned in the center of the particular group and which progress linearly to terminal segments 9 are slanted inwardly at predetermined angles toward intermediate segments 11 of these center electrodes 2.
Pitch P2 of terminal segments 9 of electrodes 2 is made small for the following two reasons. First, it is necessary to form an align mark (not shown) in terminal region 3 for better connection of connecting member 5, and space (obtained by smaller pitch P2) is required for the align mark. Further, with use of a plurality of connecting members 5, it is necessary that there be sufficient room between adjacent connecting members 5 to prevent electrical interference between the same.
In the PDP with the above electrode structure, with reference to FIG. 11, if display region 1 is enlarged in an attempt to make better use of the substrates, or if the number of electrodes is increased to realize better picture quality, pitch P3 in intermediate segments 11 is made even smaller at outer electrodes of each grouping of electrodes than pitch P3′ at center areas thereof.
Therefore, when manufacturing the PDP (i.e., during exposure and developing processes for the electrodes), because a distance between intermediate segments 11 or terminal segments 9 is very narrow, it becomes increasingly difficult to design a pattern of terminal segments 9 and of intermediate segments 11 of electrodes 2 that does not have serious flaws. In addition, short circuits may occur in electrodes 2 because of poor shapes of manufactured segments 9, 11.
Hence, the conventional structure places limitations on the degree to which the display region may be increased relative to the terminal region. Stated differently, there are limits to any attempts at making more effective use of the substrate. Furthermore, there are also restrictions with respect to increasing the number of electrodes in an effort to improve picture quality.


A hydrostatic seal configured to be disposed between relatively rotatable components. The seal includes a base. The seal also includes a shoe operatively coupled to the base and extending axially from a forward end to an aft end to define an axial length.

Exemplary embodiments pertain to the art of gas turbine engines and, more particularly, to a hydrostatic seal having an extended housing to shorten a seal shoe.
Hydrostatic seals exhibit less leakage compared to traditional knife edge seals while exhibiting a longer life than brush seals. Some hydrostatic seals may be used between a stator and a rotor within a gas turbine engine. The hydrostatic seal is mounted to the stator to maintain a desired gap dimension between the hydrostatic seal and the rotor. The hydrostatic seal has the ability to 'track' the relative movement between the stator and the rotor throughout the engine operating profile when a pressure differential is developed across the seal.
Hydrostatic seals involve motion of a spring-attached shoe whose response is based on aerodynamic forces developed between the seal shoe and a rotor surface during operation. When properly designed, the hydrostatic seal will maintain tight clearances across the operating range of the engine. Because of the dynamic response of the seal shoe, the seal is susceptible to flutter-type events should the seal experience forcing that reinforces its motion at seal natural frequencies. Such events will compromise the behavior of the seal and lead to premature wear.


A machining tool includes a power transmission mechanism, a circular machining belt, a tightening mechanism and a contact mechanism for tool contact with an object to be machined. The power transmission mechanism of the machining tool has a mechanical connection with a rotational power source. The contact mechanism and the power transmission mechanism have a desired distance therebetween. The circular machining belt is looped between the contact mechanism and the power transmission mechanism for causing the circular machining belt to move between the contact mechanism and the power transmission mechanism in response to the rotation of the power transmission mechanism for machining the object. The tightening mechanism is configured to press sections of the circular machining belt between the contact mechanism and power transmission mechanism towards each other.

1. Field
The invention relates to a machining tool.
2. Description of the Related Art
A machining tool such as a belt grinder which is repeatedly connectable to and releasable from a robotic arm has a grinding belt rotating over rollers. One of the rollers is at a tip of a contact arm for bringing the grinding belt in contact with the surface of a machined object. Another roller is a power transmission roller which provides kinetic energy with the grinding belt when it is rotating. The machining tool has also a motor for rotating the power transmission roller. The motor is typically an electric motor or an air motor. Such a robotic machining tool arrangement has problems. For example, opening a mechanical coupling between the machining tool and the robotic arm is not enough for separating the machining tool from the robotic arm but the electric wires or pressure hoses must also be separately released. Correspondingly, after a mechanical coupling between the machining tool and the robotic arm a separate electrical or pneumatic coupling must be made manually which is frustrating and complicated.
Furthermore, the grinding belt must be properly tensioned when it is used for grinding. Similar to coupling and decoupling of the machining tool, the tensioning is also manual work. The grinding belt is tightened by extending the contact arm between the rollers. However, a grinding belt may need tightening several times during use which is impractical and bothersome. It is also a disadvantage that the change in length of the contact arm also changes the location of the grinding contact to the object from the machining tool point of view. That makes it difficult or impossible for the robot to automatically aim the machining tool to a desired place on the machined object which may lower or spoil the quality of the end product.
Hence, there is a need for a better machine tool.


An interactive content distribution system with handheld charging device and docking station. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for an interactive content distribution system comprising a venue paging system comprising one or more handheld charging devices and docking station. In certain embodiments, the docking station serves as a communications hub between a remote server, the handheld charging devices, an administrator computing device, and one or more peripheral devices. Certain embodiments of the system may enable an administrator user to configure various systems controls of the handheld charging devices, including variable charging speed controls and geo-fencing boundaries for the handheld charging devices. In certain embodiments, a user of a mobile electronic device may be presented with digital content via the handheld charging device and/or a user application executing on the mobile electronic device.

Restaurants, bars, and other entertainment venues often provide different types of electronic consoles on tables and/or may distribute electronic consoles to patrons who are waiting for service. Certain prior art systems provide for consoles that include audio/visual output devices to provide customers with multimedia content, such as games, video and/or advertisements.
Customers may interact with the electronic consoles while visiting restaurants, bars, and other entertainment venues that utilize such devices.

Interactive content distribution system with mobile charging device interface


Nutritionally enhanced nutraceutical Hydrophilic and Lipophilic Rice Bran Fractions from rice bran are provided, as well as a method of using the same to reduce Insulin Resistance in animals, especially humans with pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes or others with symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome. Provided in various example embodiments are mixtures of elevated levels of nutraceutical compounds, including but not limited to gamma-oryzanol, inositol, ferulic acid, tocotrienols and phytosterols and pharmaceutical and nutritional compositions thereof. Steps are provided including evaluating insulin resistance parameters, initiating therapy including providing therapeutic amounts of Hydrophilic and Lipophilic Rice Bran Fractions from rice bran to treat pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes or others with symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome, managing compliance with the therapy, and monitoring and reevaluating the therapy.

Insulin resistance is a physiological condition where the natural hormone insulin becomes less effective at lowering blood sugars. Depending on physical activity and dietary conditions, blood glucose levels may rise outside the normal range and cause adverse health effects. Fat and muscle cells require insulin to absorb glucose. In a dietary state of energy overabundance, cells internally create a cascading process in which insulin receptors on the cell membrane no longer properly interact with insulin. When these cells fail to respond adequately to circulating insulin, glucose is not adequately absorbed, consequently blood glucose levels rise. For many, long periods of insulin resistance precede clinical Type 2 diabetes. During this latent period of insulin resistance blood glucose may be maintained at near normal levels by overcompensation of insulin. It is widely accepted that the diabetic state greatly increases the risk for cardiovascular disease. This process is a continuum and the prediabetic subject also has increased cardiovascular disease risks and inflammation that is primarily associated with insulin resistance.
Convincing evidence has established that insulin resistance is a pre-diabetic state that can predict incident Type 2 diabetes relatively far into the future. Of the diabetic population in the U.S., 90 to 95% suffer from Type 2 diabetes. According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, up to 80% of Type 2 diabetics are insulin resistant. Numerous studies have documented the development of insulin resistance as a result of increased intake of dietary fats. In both animals and humans, there is an inverse relationship between fasting plasma triglyceride concentration and insulin sensitivity. This medical research associating triglycerides and insulin resistance has practical applications. A multifaceted diabetic medical nutrition therapy program that simultaneously addresses lipids, triglycerides, and insulin resistance can greatly increase the efficacy of a diabetic management program. Recent clinical studies have shown excellent sensitivity at measuring insulin resistance with a triglyceride/glucose index. Others have observed the connections between oxidative stress indicators and lower antioxidant levels.
Elevated Body Mass Index (BMI) is well associated with and the primary contributor to insulin resistance but the initial events triggering the development of insulin resistance and its causal relations with deregulation of glucose and fatty acids metabolism remain unclear. There is clear evidence that insulin resistance is associated with increased oxidative stress and that oxidative stress is the causal agent for insulin resistance. Oxidative stress also disrupts internal antioxidant mechanisms.
Numerous studies have linked increased oxidative stress to insulin resistance. In diabetics, oxidative stress increased and antioxidant defenses are diminished. In both normal individuals and Type 2 diabetic patients, reduction of oxidative stress improved insulin sensitivity as well as improved Beta-cell function. Most Type 2 diabetics are significantly influenced by insulin resistance. A number of researchers have demonstrated that the activities of pathways for reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and oxidative stress increase in liver, muscle and fat tissue in animals and humans before the onset of insulin resistance. Reducing insulin resistance also offers a protective effect on beta-cells. This is very important for the long-term preservation of insulin secretion. Clinical trials have demonstrated improvement of insulin sensitivity in insulin resistance and diabetic patients treated with antioxidants.
Recent landmark research from M.I.T. and the Harvard Medical School indicates that increased oxidative stress levels are an important trigger and causal agent for insulin resistance in numerous physiological settings and that antioxidants were able to decrease insulin resistance caused by oxidative stress. Other researchers have also found that glycemic control and oxidative stress are seen to be tightly related, and improving glycemic control is associated with a lowering of oxidative stress. Reducing oxidative stress can also improve glycemic control. Antioxidants have been shown to reduce oxidative stress and in turn improve insulin secretion and decrease insulin resistance in diabetics. Accordingly, medical nutrition therapy for humans concerned with diabetes should include decreasing fatty acids and increasing intake of effective antioxidants.
Antioxidants should be administered in an effective manner. Many antioxidants work only in specific chemical reactions within the body. Thus, single antioxidant dosages may overload the body with one antioxidant, and saturate that one chemical reaction, but not address the more complex and holistic oxidative stress problem. Some oxidative stress occurs within the cell with over-production of mitochondrial NADH. Many antioxidants are not able to provide intracellular relief of oxidative stress. Antioxidants have demonstrated the ability to decrease oxidative stress, thus preserving Beta-cell function, increasing insulin sensitivity, protecting vascular cell integrity, and repairing nerves in diabetes damaged organs. Additionally, oxidative stress has been documented to inversely affect mitochondrial activity and oxidative stress has been found to be a relevant negative regulator of insulin secretion. Because of the negative effects of oxidative stress, nutrition experts suggest that daily intake should be at least 3,000 to 5,000 Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity ("ORAC") units to have a significant impact on plasma and tissue antioxidant capacity. According to estimates however, the average American consumes only 1,000 to 2,000 ORAC units per day. What is needed therefore is a nutritional supplement that makes up for this deficiency in daily antioxidant intake of ORAC units.

Nutritionally enhanced fraction from rice bran and method of lowering insulin resistance using same


A motor driving apparatus for a cleaning appliance includes a battery source and a power controller. The battery source supplies the power controller with an output having a first voltage which decreases as the battery source is discharged. The power controller modulates the output to produce a drive signal for driving a motor that has a second voltage and a variable duty cycle. The power controller increases the duty cycle of the drive signal as the first voltage decreases in order to maintain the second voltage at a substantially constant average value per unit time. By providing the above arrangement, the motor can be supplied with a constant voltage throughout the available run time of the battery. When forming part of a cleaning appliance having a motor, the above arrangement allows the motor to operate at a substantially constant speed throughout the run time of the battery.

Handheld vacuum cleaners are well known and have been manufactured and sold for several years. Typically, a handheld vacuum cleaner comprises a body which houses a motor and a fan unit for generating an airflow. The airflow enters the vacuum cleaner via an inlet. A separator such as a filter, bag or cyclonic separator is located downstream of the inlet to separate dirt and dust from the airflow. An example of this type of vacuum cleaner is shown in GB 1 207 278.
It is common for a handheld vacuum cleaner to be battery powered. In many cases, a rechargeable battery is provided. However, a known disadvantage of battery powered vacuum cleaners is that the voltage supplied by the battery can drop significantly during use. Further, the rate at which the voltage drops increases as the charge remaining in the battery decreases. A reduction in battery voltage may result in a reduction in motor speed, leading to a reduced airflow through the vacuum cleaner and a corresponding reduction in the cleaning performance of the vacuum cleaner. This is inconvenient for a user because the vacuum cleaner will perform a less effective cleaning operation.
JP 2001-353111 discloses a rechargeable battery arrangement for driving a motor of a vacuum cleaner. The arrangement is able to compensate for a reduction in current supplied by the battery as the battery is drained in use. This is achieved by varying the duty of the current as the current from the battery reduces in order to supply a constant current to the motor.


Production of methanol from a stream of crude glycerol. The crude glycerol is preferably a side product (waste product) that results from the production of biodiesel from vegetable oils and animal fats. The crude glycerol stream is combined with superheated steam and oxygen to produce a synthesis gas that is then passed to a methanol synthesis reaction zone to produce methanol.

There has been an increasing interest in biodiesel fuels as a supplement to, or replacement for, traditional fossil fuels. The term "biodiesel" is used for a variety of ester-based oxygenated fuels made from vegetable oils, fats, greases, or other sources of triglycerides. It is a nontoxic and biodegradable substitute and supplement for petroleum diesel. Even in blends as low as 20% biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel (B20), biodiesel can substantially reduce the emission levels and toxicity of diesel exhaust. Biodiesel has been designated as an alternative fuel by the United States Department of Energy and the United States Department of Transportation, and is registered with the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a fuel and fuel additive. It can be used in any diesel engine, without the need for mechanical alterations, and is compatible with existing petroleum distribution infrastructure.
Biodiesel processing involves the production of alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids by reacting the source acid with a low molecular weight alcohol, such as methanol or ethanol. A traditional process for manufacturing fatty acid alkyl esters involves the transesterification of triglycerides using methanol, in the presence of an alkali catalyst. In addition to the desired fatty acid alkyl esters, this process produces an effluent stream comprising glycerol (glycerol), excess alcohol, water, alkyl esters and a mixture of mono, di and triglycerides resulting from the transesterification step. The rapid worldwide expansion of the production of biodiesel fuel since 2000 is creating a rapidly growing supply of byproduct crude glycerol. Over the past year or so the value of crude glycerol has decreased and it is anticipated that biodiesel producers may receive little or no value for this material. A biodiesel plant producing approximately 30,000,000 gallons per year of product generates approximately 22 million pounds of crude glycerol and requires approximately 26 million pounds of methanol (460,000 gallons).
At one time there was a valuable market for glycerol, which assisted the economics of the biodiesel process as a whole. However, with the increase in global biodiesel production, the market price for crude glycerol has crashed. Thus, there is a need in the art for processes capable of converting crude glycerol to more valuable products as well as for reducing the amount of methanol purchased by biodiesel producers from third party sources.

Production of methanol from the crude glycerol by-product of producing biodiesel


Clip-on sunglasses are retained from a vehicle sun visor and accessed from the sun visor for connection to conventional eyeglasses. A case or pouch may be attached to the sun visor to contain eyeglasses, while the clip-on sunglasses are attached to the exterior of the pouch. Magnetic attraction between a flange of a retainer attached to the sun visor or to the pouch and a slot in a connection body attached to the clip-on sunglasses retains the clip-on sunglasses and permits access to the clip-on sunglasses.

Clip-on sunglasses are formed by colored lenses and a frame structure for the colored lenses. Clip-on sunglasses do not include the typical temples which extend from the lens frame structure to behind the ears of a user, as is the case with conventional eyeglasses. Instead, clip-on sunglasses are intended to clip over the front of the clear lenses of conventional eyeglasses, to convert the conventional eyeglasses into sunglasses. When protection from intense sunlight is no longer needed, the clip-on sunglasses are detached from the conventional eyeglasses.
Originally, clip-on sunglasses included a mechanical clip arrangement which mechanically attached the colored lenses and their frame structure to the conventional eyeglasses. A variety of different types of mechanical clip arrangements have been used, including some which permit the clip-on sunglasses to pivot forward from lenses of the conventional eyeglasses. The pivoting movement removes the colored lenses from the line of sight through the clear lenses of the conventional sunglasses, but does not detach the clip-on sunglasses from the conventional eyeglasses. More recently, clip-on sunglasses have been formed with small magnets to hold the clip-on sunglasses to the metallic frame of the eyeglasses. Such magnetic attachments eliminate the need for mechanical clip arrangements and therefore are usually more compact.
The magnetic attachment permits a close fit between the colored lenses of the clip-on sunglasses and the frame of the eyeglasses. Excess space is not consumed by mechanical clip arrangements. The magnetically-connected clip-on sunglasses are more closely positioned with respect to the lenses of the eyeglasses, allowing the colored lenses in the clip-on sunglasses to be shaped to coincide with the shape of the frame structure and the lenses of the conventional eyeglasses. Under these circumstances, the conventional eyeglasses with the magnetically-attached clip-on sunglasses are almost the same in appearance as conventional sunglasses. The similarity in appearance between eyeglasses with magnetically-attached clip-on sunglasses and conventional sunglasses has enhanced stylistic appeal and demand for magnetically-attached clip-on sunglasses.
The magnets have been positioned in a variety of different locations on the frame of magnetically-attachable clip-on sunglasses. The number of the magnets also varies according to the different types of magnetically-attachable clip-on sunglasses. The more magnets and the more locations of those magnets on the clip-on sunglasses limit the possibilities for attaching the clip-on sunglasses to conventional eyeglasses, because a corresponding magnetically attractable structure must be located on the frame structure of the conventional eyeglasses to assure that the magnets of the clip-on sunglasses will securely attach to the frame structure of the conventional eyeglasses. If the magnets are not positioned at the appropriate location to interact with the frame structure of the conventional eyeglasses, or if multiple magnets are needed to obtain the necessary force to hold the clip-on sunglasses firmly to the frame structure of the conventional eyeglasses, the magnetic connection arrangement may appear bulky, may not locate the colored lenses of the clip-on sunglasses in close adjacency to the clear lenses of the conventional eyeglasses, may not permit the colored lenses of the clip-on sunglasses to assume the same shape as the clear lenses of the conventional eyeglasses, and may otherwise generally diminish the style and appearance characteristics of the clip-on sunglasses, thereby making the clip-on sunglasses less appealing to the user.
One very effective magnetic attraction technique for attaching clip-on sunglasses to conventional eyeglasses involves the use of a magnetically attractable connection body attached to the bridge portion of the clip-on sunglasses frame structure. The bridge portion of the clip-on sunglasses frame structure extends between the bands of the frame structure which surround the colored lenses. The magnetically attractable connection body has a slot, and the slot is adapted to fit within and magnetically attract to a nose-bridge portion of the wire frame structure of conventional eyeglasses. The nose-bridge portion of the conventional eyeglasses frame structure extends across the wearer's nose and connects the bands which extend around the clear lenses of the conventional eyeglasses. With the magnetically attractable connection body of the clip-on sunglasses positioned over the nose-bridge portion of the metallic frame structure of conventional eyeglasses, the clip-on sunglasses are securely attached to the conventional eyeglasses. When attached in this matter, the colored lenses of the clip-on sunglasses are close to the clear lenses of the conventional eyeglasses, and do not appear to be attached to the conventional eyeglasses, creating the appearance that the clip-on sunglasses are almost an integral part of the conventional eyeglasses and contributing to the style and appeal of using the clip-on sunglasses.
The nose-bridge magnetically attractable connection body is particularly beneficial in allowing clip-on sunglasses to be used with wire frame conventional eyeglasses, because wire frame eyeglasses generally do not have sufficient mechanical structure to support mechanical clip-on attachments or do not have sufficient mechanical structure to permit many other types of magnetic clip-on sunglasses with magnets located in other positions to be effectively connected to wire frame eyeglasses. The nose-bridge magnetically attractable connection body also permits the colored lenses of the clip-on sunglasses to assume essentially the same shape as the lenses of the conventional eyeglasses.
Photochromatic lenses have been used in conventional eyeglasses to avoid the need for separate sunglasses and clip-on sunglasses. Photochromatic lenses respond to ultraviolet radiation present in intense natural sunlight to darken the color of the lenses. The darkened lenses simulate conventional sunglasses. Upon moving indoors or out of intense direct sunlight, the lack of ultraviolet radiation causes the photochromatic lenses to return to a clear condition.
While photochromatic lenses are generally very effective, they are not particularly effective when driving an automobile or otherwise operating a vehicle. When operating a vehicle, only a small amount of ultraviolet radiation penetrates into the cabin or compartment of the vehicle where the driver is located. Consequently, the photochromatic lenses do not darken sufficiently to provide adequate protection from intense sunlight for the operator's eyes. Consequently, users of photochromatic lenses are forced to use a separate pair of sunglasses when driving a vehicle, or to use clip-on sunglasses with their photochromatic eyeglasses in the same way that users of conventional eyeglasses use clip-on sunglasses. Users of photochromatic lenses have no need for conventional sunglasses or clip-on sunglasses when not operating the vehicle because the photochromatic response of the lenses provides the necessary eye-protective darkening effect in other intense-sunlight environments.
Using a separate pair of conventional sunglasses or clip-on sunglasses with photochromatic lenses is somewhat difficult because the user must keep track of the extra sunglasses or the clip-on sunglasses. Furthermore, many users of conventional clear-lens eyeglasses do not encounter a bright sunshine environment except when operating a vehicle. Keeping track of the separate conventional sunglasses or the clip-on sunglasses during those times when not operating a vehicle is inconvenient, especially since conventional sunglasses or clip-on sunglasses are used when operating a vehicle. Keeping track of and protecting clip-on sunglasses is more difficult, because they are smaller than conventional sunglasses, and they are more delicate and easier to damage than conventional eyeglasses or sunglasses.
One known technique of making sunglasses and conventional eyeglasses readily available to vehicle operators is to attach a pouch or case within which to keep the sunglasses or eyeglasses to a sun visor of the vehicle. In this matter, the sunglasses or eyeglasses are immediately accessible whenever the vehicle is operated. However, the driver must open the case or pouch to retrieve the sunglasses or eyeglasses, and such manipulation may distract attention from operating the vehicle. Repeatedly accessing the pouch or case may be particularly bothersome on partially overcast days where the vehicle moves through alternating areas of shade and intense sunlight. Connecting the clip-on sunglasses to the conventional eyeglasses or substituting conventional sunglasses for conventional eyeglasses when encountering areas of intense sunlight, and then disconnecting the clip-on sunglasses or making the eyewear substitution in areas of shade, can be very distracting to the operation of the vehicle since most operators attempt to accomplish such transitions in eyewear while continuing to operate the vehicle. Furthermore, the tendency is not to replace the previously-used eyewear in a case or pouch, because of the distraction of accessing the case or pouch while operating the vehicle. Instead, the vehicle operator will typically lay down the previously-used eyewear on the seat or instrument panel of the vehicle, and thereafter may have difficulty remembering or locating where the eyewear was temporarily placed.
While a case or pouch attached to a vehicle sun visor may be used to hold clip-on sunglasses, the somewhat fragile nature of many of the clip-on sunglasses will not permit repeatedly sliding the clip-on sunglasses into and out of a pouch or case without risking bending, distorting, damaging or breaking the clip-on sunglasses. Furthermore, the relatively small size of the more stylish types of clip-on sunglasses makes them difficult to locate within the typical pouch or case, since a typical case or pouch has a size that is large enough for containing full-size sunglasses or eyeglasses. The small size of the clip-on sunglasses may result in the stately inserting full-size sunglasses or eyeglasses into the same case or pouch as the clip-on sunglasses, thereby damaging or bending the clip-on sunglasses or scratching the lenses of the conventional eyeglasses or clip-on sunglasses.
The consideration and recognition of these and other background factors have led to the present invention.

Apparatus and method for retaining and accessing clip-on sunglasses


Systems and methods eliminate vibrations produced by coolant fluid flowing through a short stroke stage and prevent change in thermally-induced distortion of the short stroke stage by maintaining the temperature and temperature distribution within the short stroke stage constant regardless of actinic heat load incident on a reticle. This is done by: (1) conducting heat through the reticle and short stroke stage components, (2) radiatively transferring heat from the short stroke stage to a long stroke stage, and (3) using convection and a cooling system to dissipate heat from the long stroke stage. The short stroke stage can be magnetically levitated from the long stroke stage. This way there is no physical contact, but the long stroke stage's movements can still control the short stroke stage's movements. By not physically contacting the long stroke stage, the short stroke stage is not affected by vibrations in the long stroke stage caused by the flowing coolant.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to heat dissipation from a reticle in an extreme ultra violet lithography tool.
2. Background Art
In advanced optical lithography, a master pattern on a substrate, referred to as a reticle, is copied onto a wafer by projecting deep ultra violet (DUV) light through, or reflecting extreme ultra violet (EUV) light off of the reticle, and then passing that light through imaging optics on to a wafer. The requirement to copy on to the wafer sub-micron features requires the wafer and reticle be held in a precise relationship with respect to the imaging optics. In the case of a DUV step and scan lithography tool the reticle is usually held to a reticle stage by vacuum, but for an EUV tool, where a vacuum is required for EUV transmission, electrostatic force is used in place of vacuum. The mechanical interface between the reticle and its stage is called a chuck.
In general, the reticle is heated by the exposure illumination and as a result the reticle is distorted. For most DUV tools the reticle substrate is low expansion fused silica and the temperature rise of the reticle is limited by heat transfer mechanisms enhanced by the atmosphere so that the resulting distortion is kept to acceptable levels. For a EUV tool, however, where features smaller than 30 nm will be imaged, and where the heat load on the reticle is higher, thermal distortion is a greater problem. EUV reticles are typically near zero expansion materials such as Ultra Low Expansion (ULE) glass. Even with this advantage, given the vacuum environment, and low infrared emissivity of the reticle, thermal distortion requires more attention to cooling.
In a typical EUV chuck design the reticle is held by electrostatic force against the pimpled surface of an electrostatic clamp. Gas may be injected between the reticle and clamp to promote good heat transfer from the reticle to the reticle stage. Further cooling fluid may be circulated in passages in the chuck behind the electrostatic clamp to limit temperature rise and resultant distortion. The electrostatic clamp is attached to a rigid, near zero expansion structure that also holds the metrology references for the reticle stage positioning system.
To achieve the required accuracy the reticle stage may incorporate magnetic levitation to allow ultra precise control of the reticle position. The magnetically levitated portion of the reticle stage is referred to as the short stroke stage and is made up of a low expansion stiff structure, force actuators, metrology references, and the reticle chuck. The short stroke module reacts against a long stroke stage that moves along the scanning axis. The short stroke stage can be designed with an integral chuck, or a separate chuck module the can be removed from the short stroke structure. In either case, it is highly desirable not to run liquid on to the short stroke because the vibration introduced by the fluid flow and the dynamic characteristics of the connecting hoses reduce pattern positioning accuracy. Cooling fluids are run to the long stroke stage to cool actuator coils and because of the high degree of isolation provided by magnetic levitation cause no significant problem.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional system 100 including a short stroke stage portion 102. The short stroke stage portion 102 includes a reticle 104 and a thin front plate 106 of a chuck (a combination of elements 108 and 112), the two being separated by a gas gap 106. Water flows through a heat removal section 110 positioned "below" front plate 108. Below heat removal section 110 there is a stiff structure 112 of the chuck.
Reticle 104 is placed on a reticle stage that includes the short stroke stage (interchangeably referred to as short stroke stage or SS throughout) for fine positioning and a long stroke stage (not shown in this figure) (interchangeably referred to as long stroke stage or LS throughout) for coarse positioning. Typically, these stages are connected together and at least one is cooled using a flowing fluid. In most cases, optics are used between the reticle and the wafer to reduce the pattern before exposure and to compensate for any distortion of the pattern. Exposure is done for a series of patterns to fabricate the various layers used to form electrical devices on the wafers. In order for the fabricated devices to work properly the patterns must be overlaid with only slight variations from ideal. This is even more important in extreme ultra violet (EUV) systems because the characteristic dimensions of the devices being fabricated can be on a scale of less than 50 nanometers (nm). Even a shift of less than 10 nm from a desired to an actual position of each layer of the patterns can render all the devices on a wafer unusable.
In lithographic systems, light used for exposure can be absorbed by optical elements as well as by ambient gas. To reduce the absorption effects in EUV, the exposure process is performed in vacuum and a reflective reticle is used. An EUV reticle typically reflects less than about 60 percent of the incident light. The interaction of the light with the reticle (also called the actinic heat load) raises the temperature of the reticle, which can distort the patterns on the reticle, and thus the copied patterns on the wafers. This distortion is more troublesome in a EUV system because, as discussed above, there is very little tolerance allowed during the copying of the patterns. Also, although other systems that operate at longer wavelengths than EUV use transmissive reticles, which are far less sensitive to distortion, they cannot be used with EUV light due to complete absorption.
Cooling systems have been developed to compensate for increases in reticle temperature caused by exposure to the light. Typical cooling systems run a liquid through channels in the long and/or short stroke stage to keep the stages cool, which also cools the reticle on the short stroke stage. Unfortunately, the cooling systems vibrate the stages because of the constant flow of liquid. The vibrations can blur patterns being exposed on the wafer. Even if the cooling system is moved to the long stroke stage, vibration may still be transferred through physical connections between the long stroke stage and the short stroke stage.
Therefore, what is needed is a system and method of controlling thermal distortion of the reticle in an EUV tool without utilizing a liquid cooled reticle chuck.
Therefore, what is also needed is a system and method for providing enough surface area on a radiative coupling device of a short stroke stage to allow for effective radiative heat transfer from a reticle and through the short stroke stage. Also, what is needed is a cooling system and method for a short stroke stage holding a reticle that does not require any fluid flow through the short stroke stage and that does not require the short stroke stage to be connected to the long stroke stage to reduce unwanted vibrations.

Method and apparatus for cooling a reticle during lithographic exposure


An automatic document feeder (ADF) for use with an electrophotographic copier, digital copier or similar image recorder for selectively feeding ordinary documents in the form of separates sheets and a continuous document in the form of computer form (CF) paper. Sprocket holes formed through the CF paper are sensed to controllably transport and stop the CF paper on the basis of the number of sensed holes. Even when the first print area of the CF paper is set on a platen by hand, the paper can be surely transported and stopped page by page to the last print area. Regarding the last print area, the stop position is determined on the basis of the number of sprocket holes having been counted until the trailing edge thereof has moved away from a sensor. Hence, whatever the deviation of a print area relative to the CF paper may be, all the print areas including the last print area can be accurately set on the platen to reproduce complete images.

The present invention relates to an automatic document feeder (ADF) for use with an electrophotographic copier, digital copier or similar image recorder for selectively feeding ordinary documents in the form of separate sheets and a continuous document in the form of computer form (CF) paper.
An ADF is extensively used with the above-described kind of image recorder for automatically feeding a document to a glass platen of the image recorder while preventing it from jamming the path or from being damaged, then stopping it on the glass plate, and then discharging it after an image printed thereon has been scanned. Documents usable with the ADF include ordinary documents in the form of separate sheets and elongate documents such as CF paper. Generally, CF paper has a number of sprocket holes formed through a marginal area thereof. Specifically, the sprocket holes are positioned one after another in an intended direction of paper feed to mesh with the teeth of a sprocket which drives the CF paper. A sensor is located on the transport path of the CF paper to sense the sprocket holes, so that the transport of the paper may be controlled in response to the output of the sensor. An ADF having a capability for transporting such CF paper to the glass platen is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 72455/1984. A drawback with a prior art ADF having such a capability is that the document transport control cannot be readily implemented for each of different kinds of documents. Moreover, it is difficult to accurately position a document in a predetermined position of a glass platen for imagewise exposure. Especially, sequentially locating consecutive pages provided on CF paper in the particular position on the platen is extremely difficult.

Automatic document feeder capable of feeding a document in the form of a computer form


A wall mounted tool rack having a plurality of pivotally attachable panels is disclosed. The tool rack includes an open rectangular frame mountable on a vertical wall, wherein the frame includes a number of horizontal mounting apertures which are spaced to match a spacing of a wall stud and accept a fastener used to mount the frame flush to the vertical wall, and a number of pivot apertures. The pivot apertures accept top and bottom pins of a mounting rail which is attached to a panel, and allows the panel to rotate about a vertical axis through at least 120 degrees of rotation. The panels may be composed of peg-board and may accept mounting clips which provide a means to attach or hang tools of different sizes, shapes, and weights to the panel.

Storage and organization of tools and other equipment is important to job efficiency, allowing quick and convenient retrieval of a specific tool when needed. Hanging objects from peg boards is a common method for storing items such as tools in an organized, easily visible manner. In fact, workshops and even home garages often include peg board walls for storing tools and other equipment. While convenient, such means for storage requires a large amount of wall space and can make retrieval of an item difficult and/or time consuming as a user walks to and fro retrieving different items.
Various prior art solutions have been suggested which provide storage for items on a plurality of pivotally attached panels. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,155 discloses a system which includes a plurality of panels that are set into channels running along the floor and ceiling so that the panels may rotate on a vertical axis centered along a side edge of each panel. While such a solution does provide a large amount of surface area for storage of a number of items, much of the storage space is either near the floor or ceiling. Furthermore, this solution still occupies a fair amount of space in a workshop or home garage as it requires installation of channels along both the floor and ceiling.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,441 discloses smaller wall mounted tool holding modules which may be individually attached to a wall, or may be coupled to adjacent modules to make a portable tool chest. The tools are positioned and held between spring loaded clamps on each panel, which also retain the tools securely during transport of the modules when coupled as a portable tool chest. While this solution provides a compact means for storing and transporting smaller tools, this latter function as a tool chest puts limits on the size of each panel and thus the number, weight, and size of the tools that may be stored (i.e., limited carrying capacity of a user). Furthermore, each tool is stored in a specific location between the spring loaded clamps, so placement of additional tools is not straightforward and often not possible as the clamps may not accept certain type of tools.
Alternatively, U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,910 discloses a wheeled tool box which encloses a plurality of pivotally mounted panels for attaching tools. Since these panels are positioned within the tool box, each panel will have a limited range of motion, making it difficult to see or access many areas of the panels (e.g., tools stored near the back of the panels). Furthermore, the size of the tool chest places a limit on the number and size of the panels that may be used to store tools, and on the number and size of the tools that may be stored.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,330 discloses a tool rack assembly that may be placed on a work bench which includes a number of pivotally attached peg-board panels useful for storing tools. The bulky design of the disclosed frame precludes a large range of motion for the panels, and additional spacer rods further limit this range of motion. Furthermore, the mounting means for pivotal attachment of the panels to the frame requires more than one peg board per panel, increasing the overall weight and cost of the tool rack. And finally, the tool rack is limited to placement on a bench, table or shelf that is positioned against a wall as the overall weight of the tool rack necessitates additional support through attachment to the wall.
Storage solutions for light weight items are prevalent, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,514,883, and 3,391,796, and 6,394,291. Each discloses a system for pivotally attaching a plurality of display panels about a vertical axis to a support frame. However, each solution is configured to hold and display only very lightweight panels and items, typically informational papers, posters, or pictures, and thus lack means to attach items such as tools to a panel, or means to support the weight and/or bulk of such items.
Thus, while several of these devices and systems disclose structures for holding items, none of the above storage solutions is designed to compactly store a large number of items such as tools in an economical and efficient manner.


An integrated optical transceiver comprising: a laser cavity formed between first and second feedback elements (3,7), wavelength selective means, eg a diffraction grating (4), within the laser cavity for determining a lasing wavelength thereof and a light receiver (10), one of the feedback elements (3) being partially transmissive at the lasing wavelength to enable the transceiver to emit radiation at the lasing wavelength, and the wavelength selective means (4) being arranged to receive light through the feedback element (3) and transmit light of a selected wavelength, differing from the lasing wavelength, to the light receiving means (10).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an integrated optical transceiver and more particularly a transceiver employing an inter cavity demultiplexer resonator for use in optical communication systems.
2. Background of the Related Art
Multi-wavelength optical communication networks can significantly increase transmission capacity, enhance system flexibility and allow for more flexible and novel system management schemes. A major problem with the costeffective effective realizatiion of such systems is the achievement of stable multiwavelength wavelength transceiver and detector devices with accurate channel wavelength definition and low temperature sensitivity. The latter is to conserve wavelength registration and so allow communication of different devices at different parts of the system that may be at different temperatures. Wavelength selected Distributed Feed Back (DFB) devices used in the prior art suffer from requiring accurate temperature control, lack of wavelength definition on fabrication and high coupling losses on coupling the channels into a single output.
Integration of active or passive wavelength selective devices within laser or detector structures to form integrated multi-wavelength transmitter or receiver devices capable of transmitting or detecting a number of wavelengths simultaneously has been proposed. It is also known that such wavelength selective devices can be formed inside a laser cavity to allow laser oscillation on a number of wavelength channels. The wavelength selective device used in such arrangements is usually a grating based structure typically integrated with lenses or mirrors to perform the required beam manipulation.
The present invention aims to improve upon such devices by providing an integrated multi-wavelength transceiver.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an integrated optical transceiver comprising a laser cavity formed between first and second feedback elements, wavelength selective means within the laser cavity for determining a lasing wavelength of the laser cavity and light receiving means, at least one of the feedback elements being partially transmissive at the lasing wavelength so as to permit the transceiver to emit radiation of the lasing wavelength, and the wavelength selective means being arranged to receive light through one of the feedback elements and transmit light of a selected wavelength, differing from the lasing wavelength, to the light receiving means.
Such a transceiver is capable of detecting incoming data on one or a set of wavelengths and simultaneously transmitting data on a different wavelength or set of wavelengths.
The wavelength selective means determines the lasing wavelength by being part of the laser cavity and also determines the selected wavelength transmitted to the light receiving means, and therefore determines both the wavelength transmitted by the transceiver and the wavelength received by the transceiver.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a matched pair of such transceivers.
Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.


Lambdoid phage comprising a matrix of proteins encapsulating a genome encoding first and second polypeptides of an autogenously assembling receptor and a receptor comprised of the first and second polypeptides surface-integrated into the matrix via a lambdoid phage tail protein matrix anchor domain fused to at least one of the polypeptides.

The expression of polypeptides fused to the surface of filamentous bacteriophage provides a powerful method for recovering a particular sequence from a large ensemble of clones (Smith et al., Science, 228:1315-1517, 1985). Peptides binding to avidin or antibodies have been selected from large libraries by the relatively simple method of panning (Scott et al., Science, 249:386-290, 1990; Devlin et al., Science, 249:404-406, 1990; and Cwirla et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 87:6378-6382, 1990). Larger proteins, such as antibodies (McCafferty et al., Nature, 348:552-554, 1990; Lowman et al., Biochemistry, 30:10832-10838, 1992; and Kang et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 88:4363-4366, 1991) and human growth hormone (Bass et al., Proteins, 8:309-314, 1990), have also been fused to surface proteins of filamentous phage which can then be used for the selection of particular sequences from a large number of variants.
In these filamentous phage systems, the foreign protein or polypeptide is fused to the amino-terminus of either coat protein III or coat protein VIII of the filamentous phage M13 and the fused protein is secreted through the Escherichia coli cytoplasmic membrane into the periplasmic space. Most of the proteins successfully fused with filamentous phage surface proteins have been secreted proteins and, although Rebar and Pabo (Science, 263:671-673, 1994) have recently used pIII to display three zinc fingers of Zif268 (a DNA-binding protein), many cytoplasmic proteins will interfere with the passage of the fusion product from the cytoplasm to the periplasm.
Furthermore, cDNA gene products cannot be directly expressed as fusion proteins to the amino-terminus of the viral coat proteins due to transcriptional stop sites present at the 3′ end of non-translated regions in eukaryotic cDNA obtained by poly(A+) selection of mRNA followed by poly(A) priming (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Second Edition, Maniatis et al., eds., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989). These facts prevent the use of filamentous phage systems developed thus far for cDNA library screening.
Herein described is a lambda vector system useful for the expression of a foreign protein on its surface which should be more appropriate for proteins that fold in the cytoplasm. The lambda vector of this invention could therefore complement the filamentous phage system in the identification of novel polypeptides with a biological activity.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Lambdoid bacteriophage vectors for expression of foreign proteins


The present invention relates to sperm specific surface proteins, nucleic acid sequences encoding those proteins and antibodies raised against those proteins. Compositions comprising the sperm specific proteins or inhibitors of said proteins can be used in contraceptive applications.

Substantially continuous attention is focused on the development of improved contraceptive methods. One widely exploited technology is the use of spermicides, essentially a chemical barrier that prevents penetration of sperm to the uterus or egg, or inhibits the activity thereof, thereby precluding fertilization. One of the most widely used spermicides is a detergent, Nonoxynol-9. Reports indicate an increased incidence of urogenital infections and cervicovaginal inflammation in women employing this detergent spermicide. McGroarty et al, Journal of Urology, 152(3):831-833 (1994).
As an alternative to chemical detergents, authors have suggested the use of monoclonal antibodies as likely safe active agents for topical applications, such as use in topical spermicides. See, e.g., Cone et al, Am. J. Reprod. Immunol., 32:114-131 (1994). Studies conclude that in addition to the reduction or elimination of unwanted immune reactions, human monoclonal antibodies should present safe spermicides since their dose and duration of application can be readily controlled, topical delivery minimizes systemic exposure and the monoclonal antibody can be selected for safety and efficacy. Therefore, a sperm-active monoclonal antibody delivered as a topical spermicide may produce desired anti-fertility effects without the negative side effects accompanied by detergent spermicides. See generally, Alexander, Scientific American, September:136-141 (1995). Accordingly, a goal in the art continues to be the provision of a safe and effective spermicide employing monoclonal antibodies.
Many investigators around the world are looking at the possibility of the development of contraceptive vaccines based on sperm antigens. See, e.g., Aitken et al, British Medical Journal, 49:88-99 (1993), Freemerman et al, Biol. Reprod., 50:615-621 (1994) and Herr, Fertility Control, pp. 431-452 (Second Edition 1994). In this connection, work continues on human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) as a contraceptive vaccine for women. Talwar, Current Opinion in Immunology, 6:698-704 (1994) and European Patent 86304274.3. While clinical vaccine trials are underway with this potential vaccine, the hCG immunogen employed functions as an abortifactant, that is, immune responses induced by inoculation with this vaccine induce abortion of the early embryo or fetus. This may constitute an unacceptable form of contraceptive for many individuals.
As an alternative, a variety of sperm surface antigens have been employed in studies involving primate and rodent models. Thus, decreased fertility rates resulted from the immunization of test animals with sperm surface antigens such as LDH-C4, O'Hern et al, Biol. Reprod., 52:331-339 (1995), PH-20, Primakoff et al, Nature, 335:543,546 (1988), RSA-1, O'Rand et al, J. Reprod. Immunol., 25:89-102 (1993) and fertilin, Ramarao et al, Mol. Reprod. Dev., 43:70-75 (1995). Disappointingly, in primates, the highest rate of efficacy observed with a sperm antigen is about 75 percent inhibition of fertility, O'Hern et al, supra. Thus to date there has not been identified a human sperm antigen that functions as a contraceptive vaccine with a level of efficacy comparable to that of oral contraception. Thus, it remains an object of those of skill in the art to provide a safe and effective contraceptive vaccine with a high rate of fertility inhibition, on the order of the level of efficacy given by oral contraceptives.
Additionally, because those receiving a contraceptive vaccine will require periodic monitoring of serum antibody to determine if they are "safe", use of the sperm specific antigen as a target in assays to measure antibody concentration in persons receiving the vaccine is desirable.
"Over the counter" assay or diagnostic kits for the detection of hormones associated with pregnancy (hCG and others) have achieved wide-spread success in the marketplace, as an alternative or a first-step to potentially embarrassing, inconvenient and expensive visits to medical offices. In recent years, attention has been focused on assays for the presence, and concentration of sperm in a users ejaculate. Both from the point of view of fertility counseling, as well as clinical diagnosis in the case of rape, or for the purposes of assaying for the presence and effectiveness of a vasectomy, a convenient test kit, that could be safely and reliably employed at home, for the detection of sperm in a sample, has become increasingly desirable. In accordance with the present invention, a test kit employing a monoclonal antibody against any of the sperm antigens disclosed herein, is also within the scope of the present invention.
Purification of the sperm specific antigens is the first step in preparation of an effective vaccine. The purified antigen, incorporated in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, can be administered to patients desiring vaccination for contraception. Repeated vaccination results in the generation of antibodies against sperm, highly effective in the binding of sperm. To monitor the development of an effective level of antibodies, the purified antigen may be used as a test standard reagent, to determine the presence and amount of antibodies present in the patient, through conventional diagnostics.
Definitions
In describing and claiming the invention, the following terminology will be used in accordance with the definitions set forth below.
As used herein, "nucleic acid," "DNA," and similar terms also include nucleic acid analogs, i.e. analogs having other than a phosphodiester backbone. For example, the so-called "peptide nucleic acids," which are known in the art and have peptide bonds instead of phosphodiester bonds in the backbone, are considered within the scope of the present invention.
The term "peptide" encompasses a sequence of 3 or more amino acids wherein the amino acids are naturally occurring or synthetic (non-naturally occurring) amino acids. Peptide mimetics include peptides having one or more of the following modifications:                1. peptides wherein one or more of the peptidyl —C(O)NR— linkages (bonds) have been replaced by a non-peptidyl linkage such as a —CH2-carbamate linkage (—CH2OC(O)NR—), a phosphonate linkage, a —CH2-sulfonamide (—CH2—S(O)2NR—) linkage, a urea (—NHC(O)NH—) linkage, a —CH2-secondary amine linkage, or with an alkylated peptidyl linkage (—C(O)NR—) wherein R is C1-C4 alkyl;        2. peptides wherein the N-terminus is derivatized to a —NRR1 group, to a —NRC(O)R group, to a —NRC(O)OR group, to a —NRS(O)2R group, to a —NHC(O)NHR group where R and R1 are hydrogen or C1-C4 alkyl with the proviso that R and R1 are not both hydrogen;        3. peptides wherein the C terminus is derivatized to —C(O)R2 where R2 is selected from the group consisting of C1-C4 alkoxy, and —NR3R4 where R3 and R4 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1-C4 alkyl.
Naturally occurring amino acid residues in peptides are abbreviated as recommended by the IUPAC-IUB Biochemical Nomenclature Commission as follows: Phenylalanine is Phe or F; Leucine is Leu or L; Isoleucine is Ile or I; Methionine is Met or M; Norleucine is Nle; Valine is Vat or V; Serine is Ser or S; Proline is Pro or P; Threonine is Thr or T; Alanine is Ala or A; Tyrosine is Tyr or Y; Histidine is His or H; Glutamine is Gln or Q; Asparagine is Asn or N; Lysine is Lys or K; Aspartic Acid is Asp or D; Glutamic Acid is Glu or E; Cysteine is Cys or C; Tryptophan is Trp or W; Arginine is Arg or R; Glycine is Gly or G, and X is any amino acid. Other naturally occurring amino acids include, by way of example, 4-hydroxyproline, 5-hydroxylysine, and the like.
Synthetic or non-naturally occurring amino acids refer to amino acids which do not naturally occur in vivo but which, nevertheless, can be incorporated into the peptide structures described herein. The resulting "synthetic peptide" contain amino acids other than the 20 naturally occurring, genetically encoded amino acids at one, two, or more positions of the peptides. For instance, naphthylalanine can be substituted for trytophan to facilitate synthesis. Other synthetic amino acids that can be substituted into peptides include L-hydroxypropyl, L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanyl, alpha-amino acids such as L-alpha-hydroxylysyl and D-alpha-methylalanyl, L-alpha.-methylalanyl, beta.-amino acids, and isoquinolyl. D amino acids and non-naturally occurring synthetic amino acids can also be incorporated into the peptides. Other derivatives include replacement of the naturally occurring side chains of the 20 genetically encoded amino acids (or any L or D amino acid) with other side chains.
As used herein, the term "conservative amino acid substitution" are defined herein as exchanges within one of the following five groups:                I. Small aliphatic, nonpolar or slightly polar residues:                    Ala, Ser, Thr, Pro, Gly;                        II. Polar, negatively charged residues and their amides:                    Asp, Asn, Glu, Gln;                        III. Polar, positively charged residues:                    His, Arg, Lys;                        IV. Large, aliphatic, nonpolar residues:                    Met Leu, Ile, Val, Cys                        V. Large, aromatic residues:                    Phe, Tyr, Trp
As used herein, the term "purified" and like terms relate to the isolation of a molecule or compound in a form that is substantially free of contaminants normally associated with the molecule or compound in a native or natural environment.
As used herein, the term "C7/8 polypeptide" and like terms refers to polypeptides comprising SEQ ID NO: 2 and biologically active fragments thereof.
As used herein, the term "SAMP32 polypeptide" and like terms refers to polypeptides comprising SEQ ID NO: 9 and biologically active fragments thereof.
As used herein, the term "C58 polypeptide" and like terms refers to polypeptides comprising SEQ ID NO: 16 and biologically active fragments thereof.
As used herein, the term "biologically active fragments" or "bioactive fragment" of an C7/8, SAMP32 or C58 polypeptide encompasses natural or synthetic portions of those polypeptides that are capable of specific binding to at least one of the natural ligands of the native polypeptide.
"Operably linked" refers to a juxtaposition wherein the components are configured so as to perform their usual function. Thus, control sequences or promoters operably linked to a coding sequence are capable of effecting the expression of the coding sequence.
As used herein, the term "pharmaceutically acceptable carrier" encompasses any of the standard pharmaceutical carriers, such as a phosphate buffered saline solution, water and emulsions such as an oil/water or water/oil emulsion, and various types of wetting agents.

University of Virginia Patent Foundation


An inlet flow structure can comprise: a plurality of bellmouth elements, each of the plurality of bellmouth elements including a bellmouth and a diffuser; a plurality of supply plenums, each of the plurality of supply plenums surrounding a respective one of the plurality of bellmouth elements, wherein the plurality of supply plenums are divided by a wall which provides equivalent air flow to each bellmouth element. The inlet flow structure comprises an inlet plenum disposed on the plurality of supply plenums and an outlet plenum disposed on the plurality of bellmouth elements.

For a large Industrial Gas Turbine (IGT) test, it is sometimes necessary to accurately measure the air massflow into the engine. A bellmouth is a typical device for accurately measuring air massflow, however, due to limitations in manufacture and calibration, a single bellmouth is not practical. Therefore, a bellmouth array (due to the large flow for an IGT) is necessary. The intent of the bellmouth array is to provide an accurate air massflow measurement. The overall system performance can be compromised to meet the measurement accuracy goal. A bellmouth array has a unique system calibration due to their close proximity and mutual interaction which makes the system calibration not simply a sum of the individual bellmouths. A conventional bellmouth array would be calibrated as a system to compensate for the location in the array and the amount of flow interference from a neighboring bellmouth. Locating the bellmouth elements of the array further apart to minimize the interference would eliminate the need for a system calibration, but not practical on a large IGT due to geometric constraints and other size limitations.
A calibrated inlet bellmouth is a conventional way to measure mass flow. Manufacturing constraints limit the practical size of the bellmouth and lead to the use of bellmouth arrays for larger mass flow applications. While a single bellmouth intakes from an "infinite source" and can be calibrated accurately, the individual bellmouths in an array interact with each other, so the calibration is adversely affected. Extensive calibration for various flow rates is necessary, and increases the uncertainty in the flow measurement.

Inlet flow measurement structure for an industrial gas turbine


Zipper is the time-synchronized frequency-division duplex implementation of discrete multi-tome (DMT) modulation. Two communicating Zipper modems transmit DMT symbols simultaneously with a common clock. When all transmitters are time synchronized, the near end cross-talk (NEXT) and near end echoes injected into the received signal are orthogonal to the desired signal. The present invention provides a telecommunications transmission system using zipper and having at least two VDSL systems. Each VDSL system comprises a pair of zipper modems communicating over a cable transmission path. The telecommunications transmission system handles zipper transmission transmitted over the common cable; at least partly mitigates NEXT; and permits transmissions in a first VDSL system which are asynchronous with transmissions in a second VDSL system.

In our co-pending patent application WO 9706619, there is described a procedure for suppressing near-end crosstalk (NEXT) when using duplex communication, in twisted pair wire networks, in which different subcarriers are used in the two transmission directions, and in which the subcarriers are orthogonal. Preferably a number of sub-carriers are transmitted in each transmission direction. Alternate sub-carriers are used in each direction. The number of sub-carriers used in one transmission direction may be greater than the number used in the other transmission direction.
In our co-pending patent application, referenced above, the use of Zipper VDSL with time synchronization is described. The present invention complements the earlier invention, in that it enables VDSL Zipper duplex transmission, as described in our co-pending patent application, without time synchronization between different modem pairs over the same twisted copper pair cable, i.e. in the same binder group.
Zipper is a time-synchronized frequency division duplex implementation of discrete multi tone (DMT) modulation. Two communicating Zipper modems transmit DMT symbols simultaneously with a common clock. The Zipper scheme implies that every carrier, in the total set of carriers in the DMT signal, is exclusively chosen to be used for either for the upstream, or the down-stream, direction. When all transmitters are time synchronized, the near end cross-talk (NEXT) and near end echoes, injected into the received signal, are orthogonal to the desired signal. To ensure the orthogonality between the signal and all the noise sources originating from DMT signals in the opposite direction, the guard time, with cyclic extension of the symbols between consecutive symbols, must be dimensioned for the maximum propagation delay of the channel. Further, the size of the guard time is minimised by applying timing advance.
Several duplex VDSL systems may share the same twisted pair copper cable. Such systems are referred to as belonging to the same binder group. VDSL systems, using Zipper, which belong to the same binder group, are affected by line attenuation, near end echo and crosstalk. In known Zipper transmission systems, when timing advance is used, all transceivers, in a binding group, start the transmission of each frame at the same time.
There are three types of signal that affect the length of the cyclic extension in each frame:                the received signal;        the echo signal caused by imperfect balance of the hybrid and impedance discontinuities in the line; and        the NEXT signal.
Orthogonality, between the received signal, the echo signal and the NEXT signal, is preserved if each sampled DMT symbol is disturbed by a single frame from each one of the near-end transmitters. Because of this, in order to preserve orthogonality, the cyclic extension has to be dimensioned to cover all impulse responses from the line, the echoes and the NEXT.


An apparatus for attaching a key member to a nuclear fuel assembly grid and detaching the same therefrom is disclosed. The apparatus includes a supply and recovery mechanism, an inserting and removing mechanism, and a rotating mechanism. The supply and recovery mechanism operates to supply the key member to a prescribed position adjacent to the grid and recover the same. The inserting and removing mechanism is disposed between the supply and recovery mechanism and the grid, and operates to insert the key member supplied from the supply and recovery mechanism into the grid and remove the key member from the grid to recover the same to the supply and recovery mechanism. The rotating mechanism is disposed adjacent to the inserting and removing mechanism, and operates to rotate the key member inserted in the grid in a prescribed direction about the longitudinal axis to attach the same to the grid and rotate the same in a direction opposite to the prescribed direction to detach the same from the grid.

The present invention pertains to an apparatus for attaching a key member to a nuclear fuel assembly grid and detaching the same therefrom.
FIG. 4 depicts a known nuclear fuel assembly which includes a pair of top and bottom nozzles 1 and 2 arranged in vertically spaced relation to each other. A plurality of control-rod guide thimbles 3 are arranged so as to extend between the top and bottom nozzles 1 and 2, and fixedly secured thereto. A plurality of grids 4 are arranged on the vertically intermediate portions of the control-rod guide thimbles 3 so as to be vertically spaced from one another.
Each grid 4 is formed as follows. A plurality of straps 7, each of which is in the form of a thin strip sheet and has a plurality of slits 8 formed therein in longitudinally equally spaced relation from one another, are assembled perpendicularly to each other into a grid by mutually fitting the slits 8 thereof to define a number of grid cells 5. Dimples 9 and springs 10 for supporting a fuel rod 6 are formed on the walls defining each grid cell 5, and the fuel rod 6 inserted in the grid cell 5 is supported by being urged to the dimples 9 by the springs 10.
An assembly method of the nuclear fuel assembly thus constructed will next be described.
First, the grids 4 are arranged in equally spaced relation to each other so as to define a prescribed spacing therebetween. The control-rod guide thimbles 3 are then inserted into and fixed to predetermined grid cells 5 of the grids 4, which correspond to each other. The grids 4 are thus supported by the control rod guide thimbles 3. Thereafter, the fuel rods 6 are inserted into the other corresponding grid cells 5 of the grids 4 while bringing the fuel rods 6 into sliding contact with the springs 10 and the dimples 9. In this manner, the fuel rods 6 are fixedly arranged in corresponding grid cells 5 through the springs 10 and the dimples 9. After the completion of insertion of all the fuel rods 6, the top nozzle 1 and the bottom nozzle 2 are securely fixed to the opposite ends of the control-rod guide thimbles 3.
In the conventional assembly method as described above, inasmuch as the fuel rods 6 are inserted into the grid cells 5 of the grids 4 while bringing the fuel rods 6 into sliding contact with the springs 10 and the dimples 9, the outer peripheral surface of each fuel rod 6 may be scratched. Therefore, a method of inserting key members to deflect the springs 10 and subsequently inserting fuel rods while keeping the springs deflected is proposed in order to prevent the scratching. However, since the insertion of the key members is carried out by hands, the work has been labor-intensive, resulting in low efficiency.

Apparatus for attaching key member to nuclear fuel assembly grid and detaching same therefrom


A control for controlling a multi-zone HVAC system, wherein the heating or cooling equipment is operable in multiple stages, takes the demand on the system over time into account when determining an appropriate stage. In particular, a time integral of the system demands is utilized along with a current system demand to determine an appropriate stage. In this manner, a weakness in the prior art of allowing a long-term, small difference between the desired set point and the actual temperature in the various zones is addressed.

This application relates to a control for a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system wherein the control takes in demands from several zones, and determines which of several capacity stages are appropriate given the existing demands. In particular, the present inventive control better meets the demand in that it considers the existence of demand over time in determining whether to change the stage.
HVAC controls are becoming more sophisticated. A basic HVAC control is operable to take in a requested temperature, and compare a requested temperature, or set point, to an actual temperature. The difference is known as the demand. A control then controls the heating or cooling equipment to meet that demand.
More sophisticated systems have several zones, each of which may have an individual demand. As an example, several rooms within a building may each have a set point control that allows a user to select a desired temperature for that particular zone. Each zone may have a sensor to sense the actual temperature. The difference between the desired temperature, or set point, and the actual temperature is known as the zone demand. The demands from the several zones are sent to a control, and the control evaluates how to meet those several demands.
One other feature of modern HVAC systems is that the heating or cooling equipment has several available capacity stages. To ensure the most efficient operation, the control would tend to operate the heating or cooling equipment in the lowest stage that can adequately meet the demand. As the demand increases, then the stage would also increase. Examples of stages might be a furnace provided with several optional heating elements, or an air conditioning system that can be operated in several different capacity modes.
In the prior art, a control for determining the recommended stage looks at a variable known as the system demand. In this prior art control, the system demand is taken from the various zone demands across the system, and calculated utilizing a particular formula. The system demand is considered by a stage control algorithm that selects a desired stage based upon the system demand. The stage control algorithm takes the system demand and multiplies it by some multiplier. The output of this multiplication is a requested stage number. Thus, as the system demand increases, the indicated stage would also increase.
This known control is well suited for low load operations, and when operating at low stages. However, the known control has the potential problem of allowing "droop." Droop occurs when the system is unable to fully meet the demand, but is within a degree or two of the set points. Particularly when operating at a high stage with the known control, a few degrees difference may never be sufficient to move into the next higher stage operation. Thus, the system can operate for long periods of time without ever fully meeting the demand. It would be desirable to provide a stage control algorithm that is better suited for actually meeting the demand.
One simple HVAC system does include a control for determining a recommended stage that looks not only to a current demand, but also to the existence of a demand over time, or the integral of the demand. This control, however, has not been associated with a multiple zone HVAC system. Instead, the known control only provided a control in a single zone system.

Control of multi-zone and multi-stage HVAC system