A graft polymer is prepared by grafting, onto a polymeric substantially saturated hydrocarbon backbone, a free-radical polymerizable vinyl nitrogen monomer, which grafting takes place with improved efficiency in the presence of minor amounts of a volatile aliphatic hydrocarbon substituted aromatic solvent capable of free-radical hydrogen atom chain transfer. The modified hydrocarbon based polymer finds utility as an additive for lubricating oils, particularly as dispersant-viscosity improvers for engine oils.

Many polymer materials are known. Numerous polymers have found use in lubricating oils as viscosity improving agents. These materials are also often referred to as viscosity index improvers. Multifunctional additives that provide both viscosity improving properties and dispersant properties are likewise known in the art. Such products are described in numerous publications including Dieter Klamann, "Lubricants and Related Products", Verlag Chemie Gmbh (1984), pp 185-193; C. V. Smalheer and R. K. Smith, "Lubricant Additives", Lezius-Hiles Co (1967); M. W. Ranney, "Lubricant Additives", Noyes Data Corp. (1973), pp 92-145, M. W. Ranney, "Lubricant Additives, Recent Developments", Noyes Data Corp (1978), pp 139-164; and M. W. Ranney, "Synthetic Oils and Additives for Lubricants", Noyes Data Corp. (1980), pp 96-166. Each of these publications is hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
The viscosity of lubricating oils, particularly the viscosity of mineral oil based lubricating oils, is generally dependent upon temperature. As the temperature of the oil is increased, the viscosity usually decreases. The function of a viscosity improver is to increase the kinematic viscosity of an oil at elevated temperatures with minimal increases in viscosity at low temperature. Thus, a viscosity improver enables an oil containing it to resist significant changes in viscosity with changes in temperature.
Dispersants are also well known in the lubricating art. Dispersants are employed in lubricants to keep impurities, particularly those formed during operation of an internal combustion engine, in suspension rather than allowing them to deposit as sludge.
One type of compound having both viscosity improving and dispersancy properties is comprised of a polymer backbone onto which backbone has been attached one or more monomers having polar groups. Such compounds are frequently prepared by a grafting operation wherein the backbone polymer is reacted directly with a suitable monomer.
Several methods for preparing such grafted polymers are known. One method involves thermal grafting of an activated olefin monomer onto a backbone containing unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds by a process known as the "ene" reaction. For example, maleic anhydride can be grafted onto an ethylene propylene diene modified (EPDM) polymer backbone. Usually the succinic derivative so obtained is further reacted with polar group containing reagents, such as amines, alcohols, etc. to provide dispersant-viscosity improvers. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,019 and U.S. Pat. No.4,357,250.
Another method for preparing graft copolymers for use as dispersant-viscosity improvers involves reacting a hydrocarbon based polymer backbone with a monomer containing a polar group in the presence of a free radical initiator. Numerous patents deal with the subject including U.S. Pat. No. 3,089,832; U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,618; and U.S. Pat. No.4,358,565.
The free-radical graft process is, in principle, a simple way to provide a measured degree of polarity to a hydrocarbon backbone polymer. In practice, however, several problems are encountered. Often the free-radical initiator will cause significant cross-linking of the polymer backbone, resulting in poor oil solubility and reduced effectiveness as a viscosity improver.
Furthermore, the use of alkyl peroxide initiators at high temperatures (in the range of 120-180.degree. C.) frequently results in degradation of the polymer backbone, diminishing the average molecular weight and resulting in an undesirable loss of thickening power in the final product.
Other problems arise if the polar vinyl monomer itself undergoes significant homopolymerization or oligimerization rather than participating in the grafting process. As mentioned above, the purpose of the free radical graft process is to impart a measured degree of polarity to a hydrocarbon polymer when it is successfully attached to backbone. Ideally, the graft monomer will attach to the backbone polymer in monomeric units. Homopolymerization of the graft monomer is detrimental in several ways, and can adversely affect the nature of the products:
1. The polar homopolymer so produced is usually insoluble, and the resulting product is nonhomogeneous and hazy in appearance. Filtration of a highly viscous polymer solution to try to improve clarity by removing the suspended homopolymer is an undesirable processing step since it presents handling difficulties, increased time cycles and relatively poor efficiency.
2. The homopolymers so introduced are frequently detrimental to performance in lubricants, particularly when used at high temperatures or under oxidizing conditions.
3. Monomers converted to homopolymer are not available for grafting onto the resin substrate, and the effect of the polar group in providing the desired dispersancy is lost.
4. The grafting process becomes inefficient with respect to the utilization of raw materials.
The grafting process is often carried out in the presence of a solvent. The solvents employed in the prior art have generally been the same solvents used for preparing the backbone polymer. That is, they are present to reduce viscosity and to facilitate processing. These solvents are often specified as saturated hydrocarbons (e.g., cyclohexane) or haloaromatic compounds, neither of which normally undergo hydrogen-atom transfer to any significant degree. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,565, which teaches that the grafting process, carried out in the presence of free radical polymerization initiator, is suitably carried out in solvents which have a very low reactivity towards free radicals, e.g., dichlorobenzene, benzene and preferably, cyclohexane.
The problem of gelling has been recognized. European Patent Application 171167 teaches that gelling can be reduced by conducting the reaction in the presence of a free radical initiator and a chain stopping agent. Aliphatic mercaptans are preferred. Tertiary mercaptans and N,N-diethyl hydroxylamine are most preferred. Other chain stopping agents disclosed are cumene, alcohols, phenols, etc. This European Patent Application deals with chain stopping agents as a general class and prefers certain reactive materials as chain stopping agents. As will be discussed hereinafter, reactive chain stopping agents are not desirable when the graft polymer, prepared in the presence of these agents, is intended for use in lubricating oil compositions, and because they may interact in an adverse manner with the vinyl-nitrogen monomer.

Graft copolymers and lubricants containing such as dispersant-viscosity improvers


An optical filter that includes a resonator cavity comprised of a saturable absorber material is provided. An input signal waveguide, a non-resonant wavelengths output waveguide, and a resonant wavelength output waveguide are coupled to the cavity. A refractive index of the saturable absorber material is altered so that a resonant wavelength output is directed down the resonant wavelength output waveguide and non-resonant wavelengths are directed down the non-resonant wavelengths output waveguide.

The enormous increase in data traffic, largely due to the growth in Internet traffic, has spurred rapid growth in broadband communication technologies. Fiber optics, which offers the largest bandwidth of any communication system, is the medium of choice for carrying the multitude of data now being sent through networks.
A method of increasing the amount of bandwidth in a fiber optic communication system is to transmit multiple streams of information-bearing data on different wavelengths in the same physical optical transmission system. This technique, referred to as Wavelength Division Multiplexing ("WDM"), uses many wavelength channels within the same fiber to simultaneously transmit information over many streams. Thus the total bandwidth of the fiber is increased by a factor given by the number of wavelengths being used.
There are several components that make WDM systems possible, including tunable narrow band lasers, wavelength multiplexors/demultiplexors, add/drop filters, wavelength converters, and tunable receivers. All of these components are wavelength channel specific, and are used to guide the information on specific channels from the source to the destination.
Add/drop filters in WDM systems can be placed in front of an incoherent receiver and used to select a particular signal from many arriving signals. Filters can also be used to control which path though a network a signal will take.
One type of device that can be used as a filter in a WDM system is a Fabry-Perot filter, also referred to as an "Etalon". A Fabry-Perot filter includes two highly reflective parallel mirrors that form a Fabry-Perot cavity. As input light is directed toward the first mirror; some of the light enters the cavity and some is reflected away. The light in the cavity is either transmitted through the second mirror or is reflected back toward the first mirror, which either leaves or is reflected again. Interference patterns are set up which cause the desired wavelength to be passed by the cavity but other wavelengths to destructively interfere and cancel. The desired wavelength is the resonant wavelength of the cavity.
Another known filter is a Fiber Bragg Grating ("FBG") filter. An FBG filter is a very simple, extremely low cost, wavelength selective filter. It has a wide range of applications that both improve the quality and reduce the cost of optical networking. An FBG is a piece of single mode fiber a few centimeters in length. The grating is constructed by varying the refractive index of the core lengthwise along the fiber. Light of the specified wavelength traveling along the fiber is reflected from the grating back in the direction from which it came. Wavelengths which are not selected are passed through with little or no attenuation.
Another known filter is a thin-film resonant cavity filter ("TFF"), or a Fabry-Perot interferometer, or Etalon, where the mirrors surrounding the cavity are realized by using multiple reflective dielectric thin-film layers. This device acts as a bandpass filter, passing through a particular wavelength and reflecting all the other wavelengths. The wavelength that is passed through is determined by the cavity length.
Another type of filter is a Mach-Zehnder interferometer ("MZI"), which is an interferometric device that makes use of two interfering paths of different lengths to resolve different wavelengths. Mach-Zehnder interferometers are typically constructed of integrated optics and consist of two 3-dB directional couplers interconnected through two paths of different lengths.
Still another type of filter is an arrayed waveguide grating ("AWG"), which uses the same principle as the Mach-Zender interferometer. An AWG consists of two multiple-input, multiple-output couplers that are connected together by an array of waveguides, each having different lengths. The AWG has multiple copies of the same signal shifted in phase by different amounts added together, while the MZI has only two.
In general, one problem with many of the above-described filters is a lack of tunability. Specifically, in many of the above-described filters the wavelength channels that are selected for transmission must be selected during manufacturing and cannot be changed or tuned when placed in a network. Many of these filters also suffer from being large in size and therefore difficult to implement.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need for an improved optical add/drop filter that can be used in a WDM system.


The present invention provides pH-sensitive micro-capsules, compositions containing them, methods for their preparation and methods for their use.

Microencapsulation is a well known method used to formulate water-immiscible materials. Microcapsules are usually designed to prevent their active ingredients from permeating the capsule wall during the storage period before use. For example, the active ingredient present in microcapsules which are formulated as a suspension concentrate may leak from the capsules during storage and cause undesirable changes in the toxicological properties and/or physical properties of the suspension. In particular, active ingredient leakage may effect the flow, viscosity and appearance of the suspension, and lead to crystal growth. Crystal growth is especially problematic because it increases the viscosity of the suspension, causes sediment formation in the suspension and may cause blockages in the equipment used to distribute the suspension.
In the past, thick walled microcapsules have been used to prevent permeation of water-immiscible active ingredients. However, thick walled microcapsules are not entirely satisfactory because they do not readily and/or completely release their active ingredients when used for their intended purpose.
Certain pH-sensitive poly(styrene) microcapsules are described by Kokufuta, et al in Biotechnology and Bioen-gineering, 32, 289-294 (1988). That paper discloses that poly(styrene) microcapsules are coated with a polyelectrolyte to make them pH sensitive. However, water-immiscible materials cannot be encapsulated by the process described by Kokufuta, et al.
Poly(L-lysine-alt-terephthalic acid) microcapsules which exhibit pH dependence are described by Miyauchi, et al, in Journal of Microencapsulation, 9 (3), 329-333 (1992). However, that paper only describes the preparation of water-containing microcapsules and does not disclose a method for the preparation of microcapsules containing a water-immiscible material.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide microcapsules which contain water-immiscible materials and rapidly release their contents when used for their intended purpose.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide storage stable, aqueous microcapsule compositions which do not readily crystallize. Those and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description thereof set forth below.
The present invention provides pH-sensitive micro-capsules which comprise a water-immiscible active ingredient within a shell wall wherein said shell wall has free carboxylic acid groups incorporated therein.
The present invention also relates to the pesticidal use of those microcapsules, compositions containing those microcapsules and a method for the preparation of those microcapsules.


According to one embodiment, an active material for a battery includes a titanium composite oxide. The titanium composite oxide contains a monoclinic β-type titanium composite oxide as its main phase and has a ratio (A2/A1) which is 0.4 or less, where A1 is an area intensity of a first peak existing in a frequency range of 105 cm−1 to 133 cm−1 and A2 is an area intensity of a second peak existing in a frequency range of 134 cm−1 to 154 cm−1 on a Raman spectrum measured using an argon laser having a wavelength of 514.5 nm.

Titanium oxide (represented by TiO2(B)) having a monoclinic β-type structure has recently attracted much attention as an active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte battery. Spinel type lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12), which is currently in practical use, is limited to 3 in the number of lithium ions which can be inserted and desorbed per unit chemical formula. For this reason, the number of lithium ions which can be inserted and desorbed per titanium ion is ⅗ (0.6) which is a theoretical maximum. In the case of TiO2 (B), on the other hand, the number of lithium ions which can be inserted and desorbed per titanium ion is 1.0 at maximum. Therefore, TiO2 (B) has a theoretical capacity as high as about 335 mAh/g.
However, the practical electrode capacity of TiO2 (B) is about 170 to 200 mAh/g, which is significantly lower than the theoretical capacity. This is because, though there are many sites which can serve as Li hosts in a crystal structure of TiO2 (B), mobile Li ions are reduced because the diffusibility of Li ions in a solid is low, and also, Li ions are trapped by impurity phases and crystal grain boundaries. Accordingly, the initial irreversible capacity is large, and therefore a high capacity cannot be obtained.

Active material for battery, non-aqueous electrolyte battery and battery pack


The transistor comprises a source and a drain separated by a lightly doped intermediate zone. The intermediate zone forms first and second junctions respectively with the source and with the drain. The transistor comprises a first gate to generate an electric field in the intermediate zone, on the same side as the first junction, and a second gate to generate an electric field in the intermediate zone, on the same side as the second junction.

The invention relates to an I-MOS-type transistor comprising a source formed by a first zone doped by a first type of doping, a drain formed by a second zone doped by a second type of doping, and a lightly doped intermediate zone arranged between the source and drain, the intermediate zone forming first and second junctions respectively with the source and drain, the transistor comprising a first gate to generate an electric field in the intermediate zone, on the same side as the first junction.

Transistor of the I-MOS type comprising two independent gates and method of using such a transistor


A refrigerator including an improved lower cover. The refrigerator comprises a main body having a storage compartment defined therein, and a lower cover mounted to the lower end of the front part of the main body such that the front part of the lower cover and the front part of the main body together form the same plane, wherein the lower cover is provided with an engaging member bent from the upper end of the lower cover toward the rear of the main body while being extended a prescribed length, the engaging member being successively formed in the lateral direction thereof, and wherein the main body is provided at the bottom part thereof with an engaging groove corresponding to the engaging member of the lower cover, the engaging member of the lower cover being engaged with the engaging groove of the main body. The lower cover is not protruded from the front part of the main body, and fixed parts of the lower cover are not exposed to the outside, whereby an aesthetic appearance of the refrigerator is provided, and formation of a gap between the lower cover and the lower end of main body is prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly to improvement to a lower cover for covering the space between the bottom part of a main body of the refrigerator and a floor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a refrigerator includes a main body disposed on a floor by means of a plurality of supporting legs while the bottom part of the main body is spaced apart from the floor. To the lower end of the front part of the main body is mounted a lower cover for covering the space between the main body and the floor, by which the aesthetic appearance of the refrigerator is provided, and preventing noise, which is generated from the rear of the main body, from being transmitted to the front of the main body through the space between the main body and the floor.
The front part of the lower cover is generally protruded from the front part of the main body so that the front parts of the lower cover and the main body together form the same plane when the door of the refrigerator is closed. The lower cover is fixed to the lower end of the main body by means of a plurality of fixing screws or by means of engaging units provided between the main body and the inner part of the lower cover.
However, the above-mentioned conventional refrigerator does not provide an aesthetic appearance since the lower cover is protruded forward from the lower end of the front part of the main body. The lower cover may be broken or separated from the main body when a child steps on the lower cover while the door of the refrigerator is opened.
Furthermore, the other parts of the lower cover except the fixing screws or the engaging units may be deformed since the lower cover of the conventional refrigerator is fixed to the main body by means of the plurality of fixing screws, which are provided at several positions, or by means of the engaging units, which are locally provided, with the result that a gap is formed between the main body and the lower cover. Also, the conventional refrigerator does not provide an aesthetic appearance since screw-engaging parts fixed by means of the fixing screws are exposed to the outside.


Some embodiments provide a method for a network forwarding integrated circuit (IC). The method receives packet data with an instruction to copy a portion of the packet data to a temporary storage of the network forwarding IC. The portion is larger than a maximum entry size of the temporary storage. The method generates a header for each of multiple packet data sections for storage in entries of the temporary storage, with each packet data section including a sub-portion of the packet data portion. The method sends the packet data sections with the generated headers to the temporary storage for storage in multiple separate temporary storage entries.

Forwarding elements are designed to process packets and forward those packets to their appropriate destination (or next hop). In addition, the administrator of a network may want to observe the packets that are processed by the forwarding element. While various devices exist to intercept packets on the wire (i.e., before being received by the forwarding element or after the forwarding element has transmitted the packets to their next destination), observing packet data during processing by the forwarding element is more difficult, and may require changes to the forwarding element structure and/or configuration itself.


An apparatus is provided for femoral artery compression having an inflatable bladder, a cooling member and a rigid panel disposed within a sterile envelope and securable to a patient about the wound site via a detachable strap. The envelope can be pre-cooled as a unit and located over the wound such that the rigid panel focuses compressive force against the artery, trapping it between the panel and the pelvic bone rim. The bladder is adjustably inflatable by a conventional squeeze bulb valve arrangement and forces the cooling member against the rigid panel and the tissue in the wound vicinity. The rigid panel includes ridge structure to restrict sliding movement with respect to the cooling member. The envelope includes separate chambers for each of these components so as to restrict their movement once the envelope has been properly positioned. The envelope and its components are preferably constructed from inexpensive materials such that the entire apparatus is conveniently disposable after a single use.

The present invention relates generally to medical and therapeutic devices and, more particularly, to devices for regulating the temperature and applied pressure to body tissue. The present invention is particularly suited for use in closing cuts, punctures and incisions in the femoral artery incident to arterial access procedures.
The femoral artery is a preferred access site of arterial catheters and other devices inserted into the cardiovascular system for inspection and surgical procedures. Generally speaking, that artery is initially cut, punctured or otherwise opened to allow devices to be inserted into and along the artery for certain lengths. When the device is removed, the opening in the artery must be closed and sealed quickly and efficiently. There is considerable variance in the difficulty of this closure, depending, for example, upon the physical condition of the patient.
Properly done, the artery opening is closed and compressed just sufficiently to stop bleeding, but not compressed so far as to significantly constrict the flow of blood downstream of the artery opening. Often, this compression must be maintained for a considerable length of time in order for the healing process to progress sufficiently especially where the patient's blood has been subject to anti-clotting treatment incident to the surgery. Previously, this closure procedure has been done manually by a nurse applying pressure through his or her fingers while immersed in an ice field about the artery opening. In addition to lacking sterility and precision, on occasion this manual pressure must be maintained for several hours, effectively immobilizing the nurse along with the patient and being an extremely uncomfortable experience for the nurse.
Various apparatus have been suggested as alternative procedures, but each of these has had significant drawbacks. For example, bovine collagen patches will provide instant coagulation but require precise placement on the artery or else it will introduce blood clots into the blood stream. In addition to thus producing a major health risk, these patches tend to be relatively expensive.
Other apparatus are known which permit normal coagulation over extended lengths of time, but lack reliability and precise control over the amount of compression applied. For example, it has been suggested to apply various rigid clamps to the patient to provide consistent arterial pressure. However, such clamps require complete patient immobility over an extended period of time to avoid leakage and, thus, can be extremely uncomfortable for the patient. Further, such clamps fail to fully accommodate the normal pulsating motion of the artery itself. Various flexible corsets or belts have also been suggested, but these often require careful installation prior to surgery, are uncomfortable for the patient to wear for long periods of time, restrict patient transfer, preclude optimum application of ice or cold compresses, provide only an arbitrary pressure based upon component elasticity and/or substantially block visibility of the artery vicinity.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved apparatus and method for femoral artery compression, including a device which:
1. is inexpensive to manufacture, PA1 2. is minimally restrictive to visibility of the puncture area, PA1 3. accommodates patient movement without significant loss of compression, PA1 4. is comfortable for the patient to wear for extended periods of time, PA1 5. provides precise pressure at a fixed location, PA1 6. is readily adjustable with respect to applied pressure, PA1 7. permits adequate application of pressure and reduced temperature without constant involvement of hospital staff, PA1 8. is sterile and easy to install after the operation, and PA1 9. is constructed of familiar components so as to be user friendly as well as easy to repair and adjust.
These and other objects of the present invention are attained by the provision of an apparatus for femoral artery compression having an inflatable bladder, a cooling member and a rigid panel disposed within a sterile envelope and securable to a patient about the wound site via a detachable strap. The envelope can be precooled as a unit and located over the wound such that the rigid panel focuses compressive force against the artery, trapping it between the panel and the pelvic bone rim. The bladder is adjustably inflatable by a conventional squeeze bulb valve arrangement and forces the cooling member against the rigid panel and the tissue in the wound vicinity. The rigid panel includes ridge structure to restrict sliding movement with respect to the cooling member. The envelope includes separate chambers for each of these components so as to restrict their movement once the envelope has been properly positioned. The envelope and its components are preferably constructed from inexpensive materials such that the entire apparatus is conveniently disposable after a single use.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will now be readily apparent to those of skill in the art from the attached drawings and detailed description below.

Method and apparatus for cold compression treatment of wounds


Hunting apparel constructed from antimicrobial fabrics and methods of making and using such hunting apparel.

Hunters go to great lengths to mask or reduce the emanation of odors when hunting big game. Many animals have a well developed sense of smell and are thereby able to avoid predators, such as hunters.
While a number of different products have been developed in an effort to mask or reduce odors emitted by hunters, from urine-based animal scents to body-suits containing activated charcoal, a substantial need continues to exist for a safe, simple, comfortable and cost effective means of reducing the emanation of body odors.


Flame retardant urethane compositions of this invention are produced by reacting a urea and/or urea condensate, a bio based compound and a polyisocyanate. The urea condensation compositions are produced by heating urea or heating urea to produce isocyanic acid and/or cyanic acid which reacts with urea to form urea condensates. The bio based compound are environmentally friendly, replaceable compound such as vegetable oils, molasses, sugar, lignin and hemi-cellulose. The urea and/or urea condensation compounds may be mixed with or reacted with carbonization auxiliaries. For example, polyurethane foams can be rendered less flammable with urea and/or urea condensation compounds and utilized as insulating and sound proofing materials.

The urea and urea compounds produced by heating of urea to produce urea condensation compounds, such as a mixture of urea, biuret, cyanuric acid and cyamelide, is known in the arts, but the use of these compounds with bio based compounds as a flame retardant is novel. The urea condensation compounds and their phosphorus and/or boron salts are used as flame retardant compounds in plastics and natural products. Urea and melamine were utilized as a flame retardant compound by Fracalossi, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,385,131. Melamine was utilized as flame retardant compounds in polyurethanes by Yukuta, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,875 and by Grinbergs et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,133. Amino phosphates was utilized by Blount in U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,113.
What is lacking and what is needed are useful inexpensive nitrogen containing organic compounds with a plurality of nitrogen moieties to be mixed with bio based compounds then reacted with polyisocyanates to produce novel flame retardant urethane products. What is additionally lacking are compositions having such urea compounds and/or their salts with bio based compounds employed therein.

Flame retardant urea-bio based urethane compositions


In a process for producing a tetrabromophthalic diester composition, a liquid reaction mixture is prepared comprising tetrabromophthalic anhydride (TBPA), a C2 to C6 polyhydric aliphatic alcohol (PAA) and an alkylene oxide (AO) selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, said reaction mixture being substantially free of an organic solvent. While agitating the reaction mixture, the temperature of the reaction mixture is raised to at least 50° C. to allow the TBPA to react with the PAA and AO to produce a diester composition. The reaction is terminated when the diester composition has an acid value equal to or less than 0.25 mg KOH/gm of the diester composition.

Hydroxyl-terminated derivatives of tetrabromophthalic anhydride are well known flame retardants. Thus tetrabromophthalic anhydride (TBPA) has a high bromine content (68.9%), by which it or its derivatives can be used to impart flame retardancy to a variety plastic systems, such as polyurethanes and especially polyurethane foams. Particular examples of commercial flame retardants based on hydroxyl-terminated derivatives of tetrabromophthalic anhydride are PHT-Diol™ supplied by Chemtura Corporation (a mixed ester of tetrabromophthalic anhydride with diethylene glycol and propylene oxide) and Saytex® RB-79 supplied by Albemarle Corporation (a mixed ester of tetrabromophthalic anhydride with diethylene glycol and propylene glycol).
Because diesterification of TBPA is difficult using conventional esterification techniques, the art has turned to a method which involves reacting TBPA with a polyhydric alcohol (e.g. glycols) to form a half-ester and, subsequently, reacting the half-ester with an alkylene oxide such as propylene oxide or ethylene oxide to form the diester. An example of such a process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,455,886, in which an anhydride is first reacted with a polyhydric alcohol at a temperature of 80 to 150° C. and, only when substantially all of the anhydride has reacted with the alcohol, is an epoxide added to the reaction mixture and the reaction to form the final diester completed at a temperature of 60 to 160° C.
More recently a single step, batch wise process for producing tetrabromophthalic diester compositions has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,859. This process comprises (a) preparing a first batch by reacting, in an inert organic solvent, normally toluene, at a temperature up to about 150° C., tetrabromophthalic anhydride (TBPA), a C2 to C6 polyhydric aliphatic alcohol (PAA) and an alkylene oxide (AO) selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, said reacting being in a PAA:AO:TBPA mole ratio of 1.6-1.9:1.3-1.5:1, so as to obtain a reacted mixture including the tetrabromophthalic diester composition and the organic solvent; (b) recovering the organic solvent from the reaction mixture by distillation; (c) analyzing the recovered organic solvent to determine the level of its AO content; and (d) preparing a second batch by repeating step (a) above wherein the organic solvent used includes the recovered organic solvent from the previous batch and wherein its determined AO level is accounted for in achieving the PAA:AO:TBPA mole ratio.
The diester product of the process of the '859 patent is a viscous liquid which becomes less viscous with increasing temperature. Typically, the product has a viscosity at 25° C. ranging from 80,000 to 150,000 cps, which imposes significant problems in handling the product during processing. As a result, formulators generally have to heat the product to move it through plant equipment. In addition, they add modifiers to reduce the viscosity of their formulated products. It would therefore be desirable to develop an improved single step process for producing tetrabromophthalic diester compositions in which the viscosity of the product can be reduced.
According to the present invention, it has now been found that, by conducting the single step process of the '859 patent in the absence of the toluene solvent, a lower viscosity product can be produced. Even in the absence of the toluene solvent, the remaining raw materials form a solution that is viscous but can be stirred. Therefore, the toluene is not necessary for agitation purposes. By removing the toluene from the process entirely, the process step to distill and recover toluene from the product is also eliminated. Not only does this avoid the costs associated with the toluene removal, but also having to remove toluene at the end of the reaction appears to be important to the viscosity of the product. In particular, it is believed that holding the reaction product at toluene strip temperatures for an extended period results in further reaction of any excess alkylene oxide and hence extension of the diol side chains. As the side chains get longer, increased chain entanglement is possible which results in higher viscosity at any given temperature.

Tetrabromophthalic diester flame retardants and their production


A disk drive uses a running OPC control recording technique for obtaining an optimum recording power level. The disk drive irradiates an optical disk with an optical spot, detects a front power level and a rear power level of a reflected optical spot, calculates an index of the recorded state of the mark formed by the recording power of the optical spot, and controls the recording power based on the index of the recorded state.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for recording data on an optical disk by using a running optimum power control (OPC) technique and, more particularly, to a technique for recording data on an optical disk by controlling the recording optical power based on the results of detection of the recorded state of data (mark) on the optical disk. Th present invention also is relates to an optical disk drive using the running OPC technique.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Known parameters representing the recorded state of the mark recorded on the track of an optical disk include "asymmetry" and "β", which represent the asymmetry of the waveform of the radio frequency (RF) signal reproduced from the optical spot reflected from the mark on the optical disk.
FIG. 10 exemplifies a graph of the power margin characteristic showing the relationship between the parameter β (%) and the jitter of the RF signal. It is shown therein that the jitter of the RF signal exceeds a threshold Th if the parameter β deviates from a suitable range. In FIG. 10, the power margin shown therein corresponds to the range of the parameter β (or asymmetry instead), which provides an allowable value for the jitter, i.e., below the threshold Th.
The power margin has a significant range of variation depending on the type of the optical disk. If the optical disk has a narrow range of power margin, it is required that the parameter β or asymmetry be more uniform and stable over the entire recording area of the optical disk, because a larger range of fluctuation in the parameter β or asymmetry causes a serious problem. Recently, along with the development of higher speed recording on the optical disk, there is a tendency of reduction of the power margin for the optical disk, thereby requiring more uniform and stable value for the parameter β over the entire recording area of the optical disk.
In the mean time, for achieving the higher speed recording, a zone-constant linear velocity (Z-CLV) recording scheme or constant angular velocity (CAV) recording scheme is generally used, which causes, however, a difficulty in the power control so as to obtain a suitable recorded state providing a uniform and stable parameter for β.
In the circumstances as described above, an optimum power calibration technique is generally used wherein trial data recording is performed in a selected power calibration area of the optical disk before actually recording desired data. The desired data is recorded on the recording area of the optical disk by using the fixed level of the optimum recording power obtained by the optimum power calibration technique.
In the optimum power control (OPC) technique, there may arise problems such that the characteristic of the optical disk fluctuates within the recording area, that the plane of the recording surface fluctuates due to radial skew or warp of the optical disk, that the OPC recording causes a temperature change of the optical disk to change the characteristic thereof, and that the V-CLV or CAV recording technique involves a velocity fluctuation during the OPC recording. Such problems do not provide an optimum recorded state irrespective of employing the OPC recording scheme.
For solving the above problems in the conventional techniques, a technique using a running OPC recording scheme is proposed wherein the recorded state is detected while the recording is performed on the optical disk by using a variety of techniques, thereby correcting the recording optical power based on the detected recorded state to maintain the optimum recorded state while running or continuing the recording.
Patent Publication JP-A-10-40548, for example, describes a running OPC recording technique wherein a maximum light intensity and a sampled light intensity of the optical spot reflected from a plurality of pits (marks) are detected over several frames in the actual recording area at the start of recording, a reference maximum light intensity and a reference sampled light intensity are then determined based on these detected intensities, and the laser power is corrected based on the results of comparison of a maximum light intensity and a sampled light intensity detected during the OPC recording against the reference maximum light intensity and the reference sampled light intensity, respectively, thereby achieving an accurate correction.
In the running OPC recording technique described in JP-A-10-40548, the reference maximum light intensity and the reference sampled light intensity are determined in the actual recording area, and used as fixed levels in the actual recording area, as described above. This causes a difficulty in controlling the recording optical power to obtain a stable and uniform recorded state in the whole actual recording area if the optical disk has a significant rage of variation in the disk characteristics or the plane of the disk surface fluctuates due to the inclined pivotal axis or warp of the disk.
JP Patent Application 2001-018620 proposes another running OPC recording technique wherein a signal representing the sum of the reflected optical power of the main beam is detected, and the stable level (Sp) of the reflected optical power obtained from the rear portion of the pit during the recording, the space level (Ss) of the reflected optical power obtained from the space during the recording and the power level of the laser at the objective lens are used as parameters for detecting the recorded state of the mark during the running OPC recording on the optical disk.
In the another running OPC recording technique described in JP Patent Application 2001-018620, since the space level (Ss) is used for correcting the fluctuation of the stable level (Sp) caused by fluctuation of the reflectivity of the disk, a stable reproducing power level is required during the recording operation for obtaining a stable correction. However, the reproducing power level, i.e., the reproducing optical power at the exit of the objective lens which is relatively low so as not to form a pit, is difficult to control at a fixed level due to an insufficient frequency characteristic of the front monitor. Thus, under the condition where the recording velocity changes, as in the case of Z-CLV or CAV recording scheme, the reproducing power level cannot be well controlled during the recording.
JP Patent Application 2001-020097 proposes another running OPC recording technique wherein side beams (sub-beams) are used instead of the main beam to obtain the parameters for detecting the recorded state during recording the data on the optical disk. In this technique, the recording optical power is controlled based on the ratio between the intensity of the front side beam and the intensity of the rear side beam, in view that the front side beam incident onto the unrecorded areas of the subject track and the adjacent outer track is reflected therefrom and the reflected beam is subjected to diffraction by the recorded pit and that the reflected beam of the rear side beam is subjected to the diffraction by the recorded pit.
In the technique described in Patent Application 2001-020097, since the side beams are used as the parameter for detecting the recorded state, there arises a problem in that the target value for the running OPC recording cannot be measured sometimes. More specifically, if the optical disk is a CD-R, it is prescribed that the OPC recording technique use test areas in the order from the peripheral area toward the central area without using the actual recording area. Thus, since the test area for the OPC test recording may be located adjacent to another test area for which OPC test waveform has been recorded, the front side beam is affected by diffraction only by the recorded track and not by the unrecorded area, whereby there is a difference between the cases of the OPC recording and the actual recording on the recording area. In addition, since the side beams are located between adjacent groove tracks to be recorded, or since a de-track amount may vary the amount of affection by diffraction by the adjacent track, the track pitch of the optical disk may be varied between the central area and the peripheral area of the disk, thereby preventing the stable running OPC recording.
It is to be noted that the running OPC technique of the present invention also uses well-known standard technologies such as described in JP-A-2001-351242 for recording data on the optical disk in addition to the technologies in the running OPC techniques as described above.

Method for recording data on an optical disk by using a running optimum power control technique


A semiconductor device includes a first signal generator that generates a plurality of second signals having a delay relative to a first signal and having states that change at different timings. A second signal generator generates a third signal having a delay relative to the first signal. A detector detects a delay amount based on the states of the second signals when a state of the third signal changes. The first signal generator and the second signal generator are different from each other in an amount of change in delay relative to a change in an operating state.

A semiconductor device that is intended to overcome a problem of local characteristic variations has been known. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-141013 discloses a semiconductor device having a plurality of sensor circuits that are arranged evenly therein to detect local characteristic variations at their respective positions as delay information and an output interface circuit that collects the delay information detected by the sensor circuits and outputs the collected information. In addition, the semiconductor device has, at its outside, an arithmetic operating section that statistically processes the detected delay information and generates a control code by determining conditions such as variations in the manufacturing process and so on, an output voltage controller that determines a voltage to be output in accordance with a control code recorded in a nonvolatile memory, and a power supply voltage generator that supplies a power-supply voltage and a ground potential to the semiconductor device.
In the related art, however, there is a problem in that a slew rate, a signal delay, and so on cannot be controlled based on a result of detection of changes in operating conditions such as a voltage and a temperature of a circuitry. In addition, the semiconductor device of the related art requires a large number of sensor circuits, a circuit for supplying clock signals having different phases to a plurality of sensor circuits, and a circuit for generating a test signal. Thus, there are problems in that the circuit configuration is complicated and the circuit scale is increased.

Semiconductor integrated circuit and signal adjusting method


An exemplary device that operates as a differential splitter includes a plurality of differential signal conductors. Each of the conductors is coupled to at least one other of the conductors by a connector and a resistor. The coupled conductors are impedance matched by a combination of a spacing between the connector and the resistor, an impedance of the conductors and a resistive value of the resistor. An input is associated with two of the differential signal conductors. A plurality of outputs are each associated with a respective two of the differential conductors.

Differential mode signals are useful in a variety of contexts including in communication devices. Differential mode signals typically propagate through a pair of conductors such as circuit traces or transmission lines. One conductor carries a signal while the other carries a signal that is theoretically the opposite (i.e., 180° out of phase). Differential signals are used in clock circuitry, for example.
Distributing differential signals in electronic circuitry to multiple loads can be challenging. There are integrated circuits available that provide differential signal distribution such as one-to-two differential splitters. Known devices of this type, however, have limitations on the maximum frequency of operation, the frequency bandwidth and impedance. Additionally, such devices require DC power to operate. It would be useful to be able to distribute differential signals without such limitations.

High speed wideband differential signal distribution


The method for removing a spinal column from a block of meat which includes detecting the position and shape of the spinal column in the block of meat that includes at least a part of the spinal column and cutting the block of meat in the vicinity of the spinal column in a V-letter form from two directions by three-dimensionally controlling the position of a cutter based on data concerning the detected position and shape of the spinal column.

Slaughtered animals such as cows, pigs and sheep are cut in the longitudinal direction by dividing the spinal column into two as two animal-half-bodies to be used for food. Then, the animal-half-body including the spinal column is cut into three in the longitudinal direction so as to be divided into three parts of shoulder loin part, loin/rib part, and thigh part for making three blocks of meat. Subsequently, the spinal column, the ribs, and other bones are removed from each block of meat. Conventionally, the spinal column has been removed by cutting the meat in parallel with the spinal column using a round edge cutter as in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 5-153901.
Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 5-153901,

Spinal column removing method and spinal column removing apparatus


A smoking article includes a fuel rod coaxially aligned with and circumscribing two insulating tubes of different heat transfer coefficients wherein the inner most insulating tube is filled with an aerosol generating composition including flavor vaporizing materials therein.

This invention relates to improvements in smoking articles, particularly smoking articles which have the appearance of a traditional cigarette. More particularly, the present invention relates to a smoking article which includes a composition therein which upon heat and without combustion releases selected flavor generated vapors.
Over the past few years there have been a number of smoking articles devised which look like cigarettes, but upon ignition the products of combustion resulting therefrom are not inhaled by the user of the smoking article. Instead, the heat of combustion from the burnable materials creates sufficient heat to vaporize selected flavors which are included within the smoking article but separated from the burning portion. The vaporized flavors are ingested by the user of the smoking article, not the products of combustion from the heat generated source.
Much of the early work done in the area of non-smoking cigarette type products are disclosed in a number of U.S. patents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,258,015 teaches a smoking device which includes a combustible tobacco column having a concentric smoke-impermeable tube therethrough wherein the tube is fabricated of a heat conducting material, such as copper or aluminum and filled with tobacco including aerosol generating materials. Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 3,356,094 teaches a smoking article which includes a tobacco column having a concentric tube therethrough and the interior wall surface of the tube is coated with a flavoring material and an aerosol generating material, but in this case the tube is made of an inorganic salt, such as magnesium sulfate heptahydrate. Even further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,679 teaches a smoking article including a tobacco column circumscribed by a paper wrapper within a tube fabricated of a heat conducting material, a ceramic, or metal, or granular material pressed or molded to shape extending concentrically through the tobacco column. There are also at least two patents which teach cigarettes, wherein tobacco rods are circumscribed by heat insulating materials. U.S. Pat. No. 2,098,619 teaches a cigarette including a tobacco rod circumscribed by an inflammable wrapper which is in turn circumscribed by a corrugated outer wrapper of heat insulating material. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 2,890,704 teaches a cigarette including a tobacco rod circumscribed by a wrapper of non-combustible material, such as interwoven glass fibers.


An exercise equipment comprising: a column body that is hollow and has a plurality of engaging ribs protruding at outer surface of the column body. One end of the column body has a U-shaped handle that has two through holes on both sides of the column body corresponding to the engaging ribs of the column body, so that the handle is able to conjugate the engaging ribs at the outer surface of the column body through the through holes. A cover layer covers outer surface of the column body, wherein inner surface of the cover layer has recessed slots corresponding to the engaging ribs, so that the cover layer can tightly cover the outer surface of the column body through the engagement of the engaging ribs and the recessed slots to avoid sliding and misalignment between the column body and the cover layer.

In general, various auxiliary aids and assistive devices are often needed in yoga, aerobics exercise or balance exercise to stretch exerciser's muscles. Among the auxiliary aids and assistive devices, rods and column structure are most widely used, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The column structure mainly has a column body (40) and buffer foam (41) covered outer surface of the column body (40) to absorb the impact force generated by the rolling column body (40). However, conventional column structure has the following drawbacks: when the column body (40) and buffer foam (41) are conjugated together, the buffer foam (41) is glued on the column body (40) or squeezed onto the column body (40), so that there is no structure to position of the buffer foam (41) and the column body (40), which will easily cause sliding and misalignment when the column body (40) is rolling. Thus, there remains a need for a new and improved exercise column structure to overcome the problems above.


A cowling for an outboard marine engine includes an upper motor cover and a lower motor cover that cover an engine, and a gear case that houses a drive mechanism. The upper motor cover detachably mates with the lower motor cover along corresponding edges. At least one mating edge on one side of each cover has a non-linear profile for assisting with cover alignment during assembly. The lower motor cover is configured to be assembled to one of a plurality of upper motor covers depending on engine size, and each upper motor cover is configured to be assembled to one of a plurality of top caps depending on whether the engine uses an electric starter or a pull starter.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to outboard marine engines. In particular, this invention relates to the cover or cowling for such an engine.
2. Description of Related Art
Outboard marine engines are generally self contained engines that have a propulsion device, such as a propeller, a turbine, or a jet propulsion unit, that is powered by an internal combustion engine or electric motor, for example. Outboard engines are generally mounted on small to midsize watercraft to provide driving power to the watercraft. The degree of sophistication of such engines varies widely from basic pull start engines to high-end electronically controlled engines, which can include an electric starting mechanism.
Outboard engines typically have three main sections: the top portion; the middle portion; and, the lower portion.
The top portion, known as the upper motor cover, houses at least a top portion of the engine. The upper motor cover may be made from a single piece of material or it may have a separate top known as the top cap. The top cap can have an opening therethrough to accommodate a pull rope to be used to start the engine.
The upper motor cover usually has an opening that functions as the air intake for the engine. This intake opening must be configured to prevent water from entering into the engine. To prevent entry of water, a tortuous conduit is generally provided in the upper motor cover to define an indirect path between the opening and the engine.
The middle portion is known as the lower motor cover. This portion houses the bottom of the engine, the exhaust housing, and the vertically oriented driveshaft. This portion also functions as the exhaust conduit. Exhaust gases are channeled from the engine to the exhaust housing, where they are exhausted to the atmosphere through a gasket or directly into the water through the gear case. The lower motor cover is typically made of two halves attached to each other along a vertical plane of the motor.
The lower motor cover is attached to the upper motor cover by fitting the upper motor cover onto the top of the lower motor cover. Conventionally, the joint between the upper motor cover and the lower motor cover is horizontally oriented and forms a straight line. The upper motor cover is secured to the lower motor cover by one or more locks with a seal therebetween. The locks are usually positioned at the front and/or the back of the cowling.
The lower portion is known as the gear case and includes the propeller. The gear case houses the propeller shaft and the transmission. The transmission consists of two bevel gears facing each other on the propeller shaft and a third bevel gear disposed between the first two bevel gears at the end of the driveshaft. The third bevel gear has an axis perpendicular to the propeller shaft. A mechanism is used to selectively engage one or the other of the bevel gears on the propeller shaft with the bevel gear on the driveshaft to control the direction of rotation of the propeller.
Prior art outboard engine cowlings are difficult to close when the engine is mounted on a watercraft. Since the joint is straight and horizontal, it is hard for an operator standing in a watercraft, especially when the watercraft is floating in a body of water, to align the upper motor cover with the lower motor cover to lock them together. Therefore, there is a need for an outboard engine with an upper motor cover that is easily closed and locked to the lower motor cover.
Prior art outboard engine cowlings are also difficult to lock once they are closed. Locks located at the back of the cowling are hard to reach from inside the watercraft, and locks located at the front of the cowling are hard to reach from behind the watercraft, when the watercraft is mounted on a trailer for example. Further, traditional upper motor cover locks are configured with a hook mounted on the lower motor cover and a hook-engaging member attached to the upper motor cover. If the upper motor cover is not perfectly aligned with the lower motor cover, it is difficult to latch the upper motor cover onto the lower motor cover and obtain a secure connection. Accordingly, there is a need for a cowling that provides an upper motor cover that is more easily locked onto the lower motor cover.
As there are two common versions of small to mid-size outboard engines, the electric starter type and the pull starter type, most outboard engines are available with two different upper motor covers, depending on the type of starter mechanism for that particular engine. The same is also true for large size outboard engines (more than 90 hp), although it is less common to have such engines with pull starters. However, the other parts of the engine, especially the other parts of the cowling, may be the same. This is also true for engines that are available, for example, as two-cylinder or three-cylinder versions of the same engine, which require different height covers. To accommodate this, manufacturers must have interchangeable upper motor covers for different versions of essentially the same engine, which adds to manufacturing and distribution costs. There is a need for reducing the added costs incurred by engines that are offered in different versions.
Another problem with conventional outboard engines is the lack of a light source. Large boats generally have electrical systems and accordingly have light sources. In fact, watercraft above a certain length are required by the U.S. Coast Guard to have lights. However, outboard engines are often used on small watercraft, typically small boats, especially without an on-board electrical system. Thus, these boats have no lighting, except for the U.S. Coast Guard required hand held flashlight. Some attempts have been made at incorporating lights to outboard engine cowlings, but these require that the cowling be specially molded to incorporate the light, which can be expensive and inconvenient for those who would like to retrofit their current outboard engine cowling. This poses at least an inconvenience when operating a boat in dark or dim lighting or when additional lighting would be desirable for making repairs or preparing for fishing, for example. At worst, this poses a hazard while operating the boat as there is no indication to other watercraft of the boat's presence. Thus, there is a need to provide an auxiliary light source for watercraft.


Provided is a refrigerator, which includes a main body, a door, an evaporator, a defrosting heater, a defrosting sensor, and a control part. The main body includes a food storage space and an evaporation compartment. The door selectively closes the food storage space. The evaporator is disposed in the evaporation compartment. The defrosting heater is disposed at a side of the evaporator to remove frost from an outer surface of the evaporation compartment or the evaporator. The defrosting sensor is disposed at a side of the evaporation compartment or the evaporator to sense a frost formation amount. The control part receives a sensed value transmitted from the defrosting sensor, and controls an operation of the defrosting heater according to the sensed value. A sensing period of the defrosting sensor is varied according to a frost formation amount sensed by the defrosting sensor.

The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator.
Refrigerators store food at a low temperature in an inner storage space closed by a door. The inner storage space can be maintained at a low temperature by continually supplying cold air thereinto. The cold air is generated by heat exchange between air and refrigerant through a cooling cycle of compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation. The cold air supplied into the refrigerator is uniformly dispersed within the refrigerator through convection, so that food can be stored at a desired temperature in the refrigerator.
An evaporator constituting the cooling cycle is disposed in an evaporation compartment such that refrigerant exchanges heat with air circulating within the refrigerator. Since a surface temperature of the evaporator is significantly lower than an indoor temperature, while the evaporator exchanges heat with air circulating within the refrigerator, condensate water is generated on the outer surface of the evaporator. The condensate water is frozen on the evaporator or the evaporation compartment, so as to form frost. When frost is accumulated on the evaporator, heat exchange efficiency between the evaporator and inner air of the refrigerator is decreased.
To remove frost from the evaporator, a defrosting heater may be disposed at a side of the evaporator, or the cooling cycle may be reversely performed for a certain period of time, thereby melting frost formed on the evaporator. Such condensate water formed on the evaporator, or defrosted water formed by melting frost is collected in a drain pan attached to the bottom of the evaporator, and is dropped to the bottom of a machinery chamber through a drain hose.
The defrosting heater may be operated with a certain time interval, or be operated when a temperature of the evaporation compartment is equal to or lower than a specific temperature. Alternatively, whether to operate the defrosting heater may be determined according to time depending on the number of opening and closing a refrigerator door and an operation rate of the refrigerator. A defrosting sensor installed on the evaporator may sense a defrosting end time. Since such a defrosting sensor included in a typical refrigerator continuously senses a frost formation amount, power consumption is unnecessarily increased.
The defrosting sensor is disposed in a position on an evaporator where a large amount of frost is formed, and a control part starts or ends a defrosting process based on a result sensed by the defrosting sensor. In this case, the defrosting sensor cannot entirely sense the evaporator or an evaporation compartment. Thus, when the defrosting process is performed based on a result sensed by the defrosting sensor, frost formed on the evaporator or the evaporation compartment may be insufficiently removed.
In addition, the defrosting process may be performed over a defrosting time based on a result sensed by the defrosting sensor in order to ensure defrosting reliability. As a result, the power consumption is increased to operate a defrosting heater, and cooling efficiency of the refrigerator is decreased.


A buffer architecture and latency reduction mechanism for buffering uncompressed/compressed information. This combination provides for proficient division of the encoding task and quicker through put time. A single chip digital signal processing device for real time video/audio compression comprises a plurality of processors, including a video input processor, a motion estimation processor, a digital signal processor, and a bitstream processor, wherein processing and transfer of the signals within the device is done in a macroblock-by-macroblock manner. The device can include a multiplexing processor that is comprised of a storage unit which buffers a compressed video bitstream and a processor which retrieves the compressed video bitstream from the storage unit and produces a multiplexed data stream whereby the compressed video bitstream is processed in a pipeline manner.

Methods for encoding an audio-visual signal are known in the art. According to these methods, a video signal is digitized, analyzed and encoded in a compressed manner. These methods are implemented in computer systems, either in software, hardware or combined software-hardware forms.
Most hardware encoding systems consist of a set of semiconductor circuits arranged on a large circuit board. State of the art encoding systems include a single semiconductor circuit. Such a circuit is typically based on a high-power processor.
Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which is a block diagram illustration of a prior art video encoding circuit 10.
Encoding circuit 10 includes a video input processor 12, a motion estimation processor 14, a digital signal processor 16 and a bitstream processor 18. Processors 12–18, respectively, are generally connected in series.
Video input processor 12 captures and processes a video signal, and transfers it to motion estimation processor 14. Motion estimation processor 14 analyzes the motion of the video signal, and transfers the video signal and its associated motion analysis to digital signal processor 16. According to the data contained within the associated motion analysis, digital signal processor 16 processes and compresses the video signal, and transfers the compressed data to bitstream processor 18. Bitstream processor 18 formats the compressed data and creates therefrom an encoded video bitstream, which is transferred out of encoding circuit 10.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that such an encoding circuit has several disadvantages. For example, one disadvantage of encoding circuit 10 is that bitstream processor 18 transfers the encoded video bitstream, data word by data word, directly to an element external to encoding circuit 10. Accordingly, each time such data word is ready, the encoded video data word is individually transferred to the external element. Transfer of the encoded video in such a fashion greatly increases the data traffic volume and creates communication bottlenecks in communication lines such as computer buses. Additionally, circuit 10 requires a dedicated storage/bus which is allocated on a full time basis, hence, magnifying these disturbances.
Another disadvantage is that encoding circuit 10 is able to perform the encoding of video signals, only. Usually, moving picture compression applications include multiframe videos and their associated audio paths. While the encoding circuit 10 performs video compression and encoding, the multiplexing of compressed video, audio and user data streams are performed separately. Such an approach increases the data traffic in the compression system and requires increased storage and processing bandwidth requirements, thereby greatly increasing the overall compression system complexity and cost.
Reference is now made to FIG. 2, which is a block diagram of a prior art video input processor 30, as may be typically included in encoding circuit 10. Video input processor 30 includes a video capture unit 32, a video preprocessor 34 and a video storage 36. The elements are generally connected in series.
Video capture unit 32 captures an input video signal and transfers it to video preprocessor 34. Video preprocessor 34 processes the video signal, including noise reduction, image enhancement, etc., and transfers the processed signal to the video storage 36. Video storage 36 buffers the video signal and transfers it to a memory unit (not shown) external to video input processor 30.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that such video input processor has several disadvantages. For example, one disadvantage of processor 30 is that it does not perform image resolution scaling. Accordingly, only original resolution pictures can be processed and encoded.
Another disadvantage is that processor 30 does not perform statistical analysis of the video signal, since in order to perform comprehensive statistical analysis a video feedback from the storage is necessary, thus allowing interframe (picture to picture) analysis, and processor 30 is operable in "feed forward" manner, only. Accordingly, video input processor 30 can not detect developments in the video contents, such as scene change, flash, sudden motion, fade in/fade out etc.
Reference is now made to FIG. 3 which is a block diagram illustration of a prior art video encoding circuit 50, similar to encoding circuit 10, however, connected to a plurality of external memory units. As an example, FIG. 3 depicts circuit 50 connected to a pre-encoding memory unit 60, a reference memory unit 62 and a post-encoding memory unit 64, respectively. Reference is made in parallel to FIG. 4, a chart depicting the flow of data within circuit 50.
Encoding circuit 50 includes a video input processor 52, a motion estimation processor 54, a digital signal processor 56 and a bitstream processor 58. Processors 54 to 58, respectively, are generally connected in series.
In the present example, video encoding circuit 50 operates under MPEG video/audio compression standards. Hence, for purposes of clarity, reference to a current frame refers to a frame to be encoded. Reference to a reference frame refers to a frame that has already been encoded and reconstructed, preferably by digital signal processor 56, and transferred to and stored in reference memory unit 62. Reference frames are compared to current frames during the motion estimation task, which is generally performed by motion estimation processor 54.
Video input processor 52 captures a video signal, which contains a current frame, or a plurality of current frames, and processes and transfers them to external pre-encoding memory unit 60. External pre-encoding memory unit 60 implements an input frame buffer (not shown) which accumulates and re-orders the frames according to the standard required for the MPEG compression scheme.
External pre-encoding memory unit 60 transfers the current frames to motion estimation processor 54. External reference memory unit 62 transfers the reference frames also to motion estimation processor 54. Motion estimation processor 54, reads and compares both sets of frames, analyzes the motion of the video signal, and transfers the motion analysis to digital signal processor 56.
Digital signal processor 56 receives the current frames from the external pre-encoding memory 60, and according to the motion analysis received from motion estimation processor 54, processes and compresses the video signal. Digital signal processor 56 then transfers the compressed data to the bitstream processor 58. Digital signal processor 56 further reconstructs the reference frame and stores it in reference memory 62. Bitstream processor 58 encodes the compressed data and transfers an encoded video bitstream to external post-encoding memory unit 64.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that such an encoding circuit has several disadvantages. For example, one disadvantage of encoding circuit 50 is that a plurality of separate memory units are needed to support its operations, thereby greatly increasing the cost and the complexity of any encoding system based on device 50.
Another disadvantage is that encoding circuit 50 has a plurality of separate memory interfaces. This increases the data traffic volume and the number of external connections of encoding circuit 50, thereby greatly increasing the cost and the complexity of encoding circuit 50. Another disadvantage is that encoder circuit 50 does not implement video and audio multiplexing, which is typically required in compression schemes.
Reference is now made to FIG. 5, a block diagram illustration of a typical interlaced formatted video in a normal encoding latency mode. The top line depicts the video fields before encoding, while bottom line depicts compressed frames after encoding.
Video is generally received in a progressive or interlaced form. Typical interlaced rates are 60 fields/sec for NTSC standard and 50 fields/sec for PAL standard.
In order to minimize encoding latency, encoding circuits should begin processing of an image immediately after receipt of the minimal amount of image data. Video is comprised of a plurality of fields, wherein each frame has a top and bottom field, referenced herein as top m and bot m. The video fields illustrated in FIG. 5 are referenced top 0 and bot 0, top 1 and bot 1, etc. such that each pair of associated top and bot refers to a single frame.
Encoding circuits begin the encoding process after capturing M pictures, where M is defined as M=I/P ratio. I is defined as an I picture, which is the Intra frame or the first frame (frame 0) of the series of frames to be encoded, and P is a P picture, which is the predictive frame (frame 1), and is referenced from frame 0. The I/P ratio refers to a distance between successive I/P frames in video sequence. Typically, prior art encoding circuits, such as encoding circuit 10 or encoding circuit 50 begin processing the image after receipt of 2 or more pictures. Note that in FIG. 5, the I picture appears after the progression of 3 pictures, and as such, M=3.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that such an encoding latency is a lengthy time period, and hence, has several disadvantages. One such disadvantage is that a large amount of storage is required to accumulate frames. Another disadvantage is that large latency does not enable use of encoding circuit 50 in time-sensitive interactive applications such as video conferencing and the like.

Video encoding and video/audio/data multiplexing device


The present invention relate to a methane synthesis catalyst preparation method, comprising a preparation step for a catalytic body and a prereduction step. The prereduction step comprises: calcining the catalytic body to form a nickel aluminate spinel-containing catalyst precursor; and prereducing the catalyst precursor to acquire the methane synthesis catalyst. The catalyst prepared in the preparation method can be used in high-temperature and high liquid-to-gas ratio conditions, shows performance stability, and obviates the need for a further step of high-temperature reduction during vehicle operation. Also provided is the methane synthesis catalyst precursor. The catalyst precursor contains nickel aluminate spinel.

In the methane synthesis catalyst system, a nickel-based catalyst is essential since it has a better catalytic activity and has an activity being next only to ruthenium catalyst. In the methane synthesis catalyst commonly used at domestic and abroad, the active component nickel is present mostly in the form of nickel oxide. Nickel present in the form of nickel oxide can be readily reduced, and most of nickel in an oxidation state will be reduced at 450° C. However, the action between nickel and the support is too weak to be sintered and inactivated at high temperatures and high liquid to steam ratio.
The reduction equation is stated as follows:NiO+H2Ni+H2O+3.52 KJ/mol
Thus a novel method for preparing a catalyst needs to be provided.

Methane synthesis catalyst preparation method and catalyst precursor

XINDI ENERGY ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


Certification processing hardware is connected to a game apparatus utilized for connecting with a game server in a network game environment to execute a user certification process. The certification processing hardware includes: a storing unit which stores certification information of the user, such as a user ID and a password; a certification information transmitting unit which encrypts the certification information with an encryption key from the game server to transmit it to the game server; a certification result information receiving unit which receives certification result information from the game server; and a certification result decryption processing unit which decrypts the certification result information. Components of the certification information cannot be referred to and copied from outside the certification processing hardware, thereby ensuring the confidentiality of the certification information. Security can be remarkably improved compared to a user certification method in which the user inputs the user ID and password by hand.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a security control technique including user certification and use period management in a network game.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, a user can access a game server via the Internet with a terminal device such as a household game apparatus to enjoy various games by utilizing a network. Such a game environment is called a "network game environment" in a wide sense. There are various ways in which the user utilizes the network in practice.
The first method is that the user plays the game on-line. Namely, with keeping the game apparatus connected to the game server, the user communicates data for game processing with the game server and plays the game. In this manner, normally, whenever the user accesses the game server to start the game, a user certification process is needed. Namely, it is checked whether the user accessing the game server is a registered user who has completed a user registration or not, and whether the user actually accessing the game server is a real registered user or not. Such a user certification is generally executed in such a way that the user inputs a user ID and a password, which are generally issued during the user registration, to the game apparatus to transmit them to the game server. The game server checks whether the user ID and the password which are received are those of the registered user, and executes the user certification.
On the other hand, in the second method, the user does not play the game on-line, but utilizes the network as a distribution means of a game program. That is, the user accesses the game server via the network and selects a desired game to download a program of the desired game into his or her game apparatus. Once the downloading has been completed, as a rule, the user does not have to access the game server in order to play the game because the game program itself is already in the game apparatus of the user.
There are some problems in the game which utilizes the network. One of the problems is the user certification. As described above, in the first manner, the user certification is generally executed by a combination of the user ID and the password. However, in view of security, a user certification process which utilizes the user ID and the password is very weak for the following reasons.
First of all, it is easy for a third person to copy and falsify the user ID and the password. The user ID and the password are mere character strings. Besides, since the user ID and the password are determined on the assumption that the user inputs them to the game apparatus by hand, those lengths are usually 10 letters at most. Thus, if the third person unfairly pretending to be the registered user guesses and inputs various character strings to play the games, he or she can relatively easily guess the user ID and the password of others. Additionally, once known to the third person, the user ID and the password are in danger of being rapidly spread out to others. Since plural persons can use the single user ID and the single password at the same time, anyone can use the user ID and the password to unfairly play the game if the user ID and the password are spread out.
If the number of the letters of the user ID and the password is increased, it becomes difficult to guess them. However, since the user generally has to memorize and input the user ID and the password by hand, input errors and password loss (forgetting it) can easily happen if the user ID and the password are long. After all, such a long user ID and password cannot be used in practice, and there naturally exists a limit of the security.
Further, it is possible that the third person unfairly plays the game by intercepting and obtaining the user ID and the password which the user transmits from the game apparatus to the game server during communicating on the network and by transmitting false certification result information as if he or she succeeded in the user certification to the game apparatus by preparing and using a dummy certification server.
On the other hand, as in the second method, the use period management of the game to the user may be a problem when the network is utilized as the distribution means of the game program. The game program which the user downloads is usually not free, and a system which permits playing the game in a predetermined period (including an indefinite period) on condition that the user pays a necessary fee is common. In that case, one of the methods for managing an expiry date is, first of all, that the user is obliged to access the game server and perform the certification process before playing the game. As soon as the game server is accessed by the user, the game server checks the expiry date for the user to play the game. Before the expiry date, the game server transmits information to permit playing the game to the game apparatus. As a result, the user can play the game.
However, it is troublesome for the user to access the game server whenever he or she starts the game, and it costs money to communicate the data. Therefore, it is desirable that the user does not have to access the game server after paying the fee, and a use expiry date is managed only by the game apparatus side.

Certification processing hardware, certification processing system and use management hardware


Compact powered caulking gun comprising of a body consisting of two clamshells. A removable cartridge cradle with a three position, rheostatic extrusion speed regulator, Forward-On, Off, Reverse-On switch attached to the body. A motor operatively coupled to an actuator shaft with two oppositely pitched threads thereon. An upper link member actuator with a pitched thread formed therewithin, rotatably situated on the actuator shaft. A lower link member actuator with a pitched thread formed therewithin, rotatably situated on the actuator shaft. A scissor-type mechanism, with a pusher plate, operatively connected to the upper link member actuator and operatively connected to the lower link member actuator for the purpose of dispensing caulk, adhesive and other viscous materials.

The present invention relates to motor driven caulking gun and the like for dispensing caulk, adhesive and other viscous materials.
There have been attempts in the past to invent a compact motor driven caulking gun that does not have a plunger rod protruding at the back of the motor driven caulking gun. Examples of such caulking guns are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,307, invented by Steven J. Wilson and John H. Klock; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,321,945, invented by Gaston Girouard and Elinor Girouard; and U.S. Pat. Application No. US 2002/0108971 A1, invented by Luc Lafond. Unfortunately, all these inventions have their inherent impractical drawbacks. Additionally each of the aforementioned patents possesses a bulky handle, which sometimes can be in the way when applying caulk in tight spaces.

Compact powered caulking gun with scissor type dispensing mechanism


An anchor bolt connection in a framed building which includes a concrete foundation for supporting and anchoring a framed building against uplift forces and an anchor bolt for connecting the frame of the building to the concrete foundation. The anchor bolt is formed with an offset so that a substantial portion of the embedded portion of the anchor bolt is at an angle to the axis of the upper portion of the anchor bolt. In an optimum form of the invention, substantially all of the embedded portion of the anchor bolt is at an angle to the upper portion. In a preferred form of the anchor bolt connection, indicia marks are placed on the anchor bolt so that the rotational orientation of the anchor bolt can be inspected before, during and after the concrete is poured.

In those areas of the country subject to earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, or tidal action which impose upward forces on building structures, it has become standard practice to tie the structure to the concrete foundation.
The oldest and probably still the most common practice is to set anchor bolts threaded at their upper end in the foundation. When the concrete has hardened, holes are drilled in the wood mudsill and the mudsill is placed on the foundation with the anchor bolts extending through the holes. A washer and nut are placed on the anchor bolt and the bolt tightened down to hold the mudsill to the foundation.
Anchor bolts are sold in basically four different configurations; viz. J-bolt, L-bolt, hex head bolt and threaded rod with two nuts and washer.
The early construction practice was to simply toe nail the studs to the wood mudsill. It was soon learned, however, that in too many instances after an earthquake or hurricane, that the mudsill stayed anchored to the foundation, but the toe nailed studs were unable to hold the frame of the house to the mudsill. Several types of metal connectors followed which connected the studs to the anchor bolt, culminating in the holdown disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,672 granted May 19, 1987 to Alfred D. Commins, Tyrell T. Gilb, and Karen W. Colonias.
With increased loads being transferred to the foundation anchor bolt through holdowns connected to the framing studs, it became apparent that greater attention must be paid to the connection of the anchor bolt in the foundation.
Anchor bolts with end protrusions such as the J-bolt and L-bolt which have greater anchorage in the foundation than straight bolts, can only achieve the increased load anchorage if the end protrusions are located inwardly from the edge of the concrete. If for example, the end protrusion of the anchor bolt comes too close to the edge of the foundation, bursting of the side of the foundation can occur at less than design loads. Further, an anchor bolt which is very close to the edge of the concrete or even protrudes through the concrete is more subject to corrosion. There is presently no means, however, to determine the orientation of the bolt after the concrete has been poured and hardened. Inspection to determine proper orientation of prior art bolts is impossible.
Another problem with the prior art anchor bolts is that the portion of the bolt which extends vertically, whether it is a straight bolt, a J-bolt, or an L-bolt or any other configuration, contributes limited pull out resistance. Only the friction between the sides of the bolt and the concrete resists pull out in the vertical portion.

Offset anchor bolt and method of orientation


Apparatus for use in testing a semiconductor device located on a wafer. The apparatus includes a wafer body. A device contact region is located on the wafer body. Further, an active component region is coupled to the device contact region. A mechanism is provided for coupling the active component region to a remote testing device. The active component region may include test signal conditioning circuits and device testing circuits. The active component region may be formed integral the wafer body by silicon wafer processing techniques, such as silicon doping.

The present invention deals broadly with the field of electrical interconnect and testing systems for integrated circuits. More narrowly, however, the invention is related to an active wafer level contacting system for coupling an integrated circuit device positioned on a wafer with a tester intended to effect test analysis of the integrated circuit device. The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an active wafer level contact system having at least a portion of the signal conditioning or integrated circuit test system located on the active wafer level contacting system.
In a typical semi-conductor production facility, each integrated circuit is tested using a tester apparatus. The tester apparatus may be connected to the integrated circuit through an interconnection system. The tester apparatus may test the functionality and performance of an integrated circuit through the interconnection system.
As modern semi-conductor devices increase in performance, for example speed, the manufacturer's ability to test these devices "at speed" has become increasingly more difficult. The testing of high performance semiconductor devices require precise impedance matching and minimal parasitic capacitance to limit distortion of the performance characteristics of the device under test.
Typically, integrated circuits are mass produced on a silicon wafer using integrated circuit wafer processing techniques. After the manufacturing of the integrated circuits is completed, each integrated circuit is removed from the silicon wafer for packaging. It has been proven to be highly cost effective and less time consuming to test the individual integrated circuits while they are still positioned on the wafer.
One prior art wafer level contacting device is a probe card contacting system. The probe card contacting system includes an opening which is larger than the integrated circuit device under test. Extending from the probe card through the opening are relatively rigid, fixed position metallic pins having sharpened points. The number of pins correspond to the number of input/output (I/O) pads on the semiconductor device. As the probe card is positioned over the integrated circuit device, the sharpened points on the metallic pins make direct contact with the corresponding I/O pads on the integrated circuit device under test, with the long cantilevered pins conducting electrical signals between the integrated circuit device under test and the probe card.
Coupled to the probe card is a tester for testing various performance characteristics of the integrated circuit device under test. The probe card may also include termination circuits, for example, resistors and capacitors, to condition the test signal output to the tester.
It is desirable to provide a wafer level contacting system for testing of high performance integrated circuit devices "at speed". The wafer level contacting system should provide signal conditioning, including precise impedance matching and minimal parasitic capacitances. Further, it is desirable to have an "active" wafer contacting system having active circuit devices integrated into the wafer level contacting system for a highly efficient, economical testing system.
It is to these dictates and shortcomings of the prior art that the present invention is directed. It is an active wafer level contacting system which addresses the dictates of the prior art and resolves problems thereof.


Various embodiments of a reverse thermostat for use in restricting hot water in a plumbing system from being delivered to cold water fixtures are disclosed.

Conventional plumbing thermostats are designed to allow water that is above 100° F. in temperature to be released to a plumbing fixture, such as a faucet, in order to maintain a constant operating temperature of the water throughout the plumbing system. However, prior to accessing hot water from a hot water fixture an excessive amount of cold water is stored in the plumbing line is wasted before the hot water arrives at the plumbing fixture.
It is with these observations in mind, among others, that various aspects of the present disclosure were conceived and developed.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding elements among the view of the drawings. The headings used in the figures do not limit the scope of the claims.

Systems and methods for a reverse thermostat


A system comprised of multiplexed communication control units and a communication control unit for such multiplexing, where the switching between the stand-by unit and the active unit at the time of an abnormality can be performed in a short time and the cause of a breakdown obstructing operation can be grasped from the condition of the transmission line and the switching made conditional on that condition, thereby enabling highly reliable communication. The communication control units are connected in a multidrop configuration and both of the active unit and the stand-by unit are kept activated (communicable in state). The stand-by communication control unit transmits a frame through the transmission line at a timing not obstructing the communications, so it is possible to detect an abnormality in the active unit and rapidly switch to the stand-by unit at the time of an abnormality using the unit switching processing unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication control unit provided in a computer system for increasing its efficiency, a communication control system consisting of multiplexed communication control units, and a method for switching communication control units.
In general, when an active unit in a duplex configuration of communication control units of a computer system breaks down, the active unit is switched to a stand-by unit based on some sort of error information. It is desirable that the units be switched quickly and without any interruption of the communications.
2. Description of the Related Art
As will be explained in detail later with reference to the drawings, conventional duplex configuration computer systems are provided with an active communication control unit (CCU) and a stand-by communication control unit (CCU) connected with each other in a central processing unit (CPU) in the computer.
In such a computer system, when trying to detect conditions disabling communications for some reason other than hardware abnormalities, the CPU has to use a timer for monitoring or perform polling processing on the active communication control unit so as to detect if the communication control unit fails to make a response or makes an abnormal response.
With monitoring using a timer, however, it is difficult to determine the monitoring time. If the time is set too long, detection of abnormalities will be delayed, while conversely if set too short, a problem occurs of erroneous detection in the middle of processing a large amount of data. Further, when detecting an abnormality by polling processing, there is the problem that the excess load due to the polling processing ends up burdening both the CPU and the active communication control unit. Further, it was not possible to confirm the validity of the communication function itself either with the timer monitoring or the polling processing.

Communication control unit switched between active and stand-by functions automatically in response to monitored status of a different communication control unit connected to a common network