A network traffic shaper for shapping transmission of network messages includes a system time generator for generating a system time, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) for computing a transmission start time for each network message in response to the system time, and a retrieve time generator adapted to increment a retrieve time at a rate faster than the system time. As network messages are received, they are stored in a queue along with an associated transmission start time for each message. A forwarding trigger transmits a store network messages when its associated transmission start time matches the retrieve time. Alternately, a second transmission start time representing an excess bandwidth transmission start time may be computed for each network message. If excess bandwidth is detected, a message may be transmitted when its second transmission start time matches the retrieve time.

Enterprises, including businesses, governments and educational institutions, rely on computer networks to share and exchange information. A computer network typically comprises a plurality of entities interconnected by a communications media. An entity may consist of any device, such as a host or end station, that sources (i.e., transmits) and/or receives network messages over the communications media. A common type of computer network is a local area network ("LAN") which typically refers to a privately owned network within a single building or campus. In many instances, several LANs may be interconnected by point-to-point links, microwave transceivers, satellite hook-ups, etc. to form a wide area network ("WAN") or subnet that may span an entire city, country or continent. One or more intermediate network devices are often used to couple LANs together and allow the corresponding entities to exchange information. A bridge, for example, may be used to provide a "bridging" function between two or more LANs. Alternatively, a switch may be utilized to provide a "switching" function for transferring information between a plurality of LANs at higher speed. Typically, the bridge or switch is a computer that includes a plurality of ports, which may be coupled to the LANs. The switching function includes receiving data at a source port that originated from a sending entity, and transferring that data to at least one destination port for forwarding to a receiving entity.
Another intermediate network device is called a router. A router is often used to interconnect LANs executing different LAN standards and/or to provide higher level functionality than bridges or switches. To perform these tasks, a router, which also is a computer having a plurality of ports, typically examines the destination address and source address of messages passing through the router. Routers typically operate at the network layer of the communications protocol stack utilized by the network, such as the Internet Protocol (IP) layer of the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Reference Model. Furthermore, if the LAN standards associated with the source entity and the destination entity are dissimilar (e.g., Ethernet and Token Ring), the router may also alter the format of the packet so that it may be received by the destination entity. Routers also execute one or more routing protocols or algorithms, which are used to determine the paths along which network messages are sent.
To interconnect dispersed computer networks and/or provide Internet connectivity, many organizations rely on the infrastructure and facilities of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) rather than purchase and configure this equipment themselves. ISPs typically own one or more backbone networks that are configured to provide high-speed connection to the Internet. To interconnect private networks that are geographically diverse, an organization may subscribe to one or more ISPs and couple each of its private networks to the ISPs' equipment. Recently, some ISPs have also begun offering web-hosting services. Here, the ISP provides one or more web servers having Internet connectivity to an organization wishing to establish a presence on the Internet or World Wide Web. The organization and ISP typically enter into a service level agreement (SLA) that includes one or more traffic specifiers guaranteeing a level of service from the ISP and/or placing limits on the amount of resources that the subscribing organization will consume for a given charge. For example, an organization may agree that the traffic from its web site will not exceed a certain bandwidth (e.g., 1 Mbps). The ISP then monitors the traffic from the organization's web site to ensure that it complies with the relevant traffic specifiers and is thus "in-profile". Traffic that exceeds the specifier (i.e., traffic that is "out-of-profile") may be policed (i.e., dropped) or shaped (i.e., held until the traffic returns to its specified rate). Alternatively, the out-of-profile traffic may be subject to an accounting change (i.e., charged a higher rate) or marked, but nonetheless allowed to proceed by the ISP. If there is congestion, the ISP may drop such marked traffic first in an effort to relieve the congestion.
The policing and/or shaping of network traffic is typically performed in software by one or more intermediate devices within the ISP's network, such as routers and switches executing the Internetwork Operating System (IOS®) from Cisco Systems, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. First, the intermediate device identifies network messages as belonging to a given traffic flow by examining 5 network and transport layer message parameters (e.g., source and destination IP addresses, source and destination Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) or User Datagram Protocol (UDP) port numbers and transport protocol). For web-hosting services, the ISP is most interested in IP source address and TCP/UDP source port, which are sufficient to associate the traffic flow with a specific web server and site. Based on this information, the software may perform a look-up to identify a corresponding SLA and traffic specifier that applies to this flow. The software also processes the traffic to determine whether it is in or out of profile. If the traffic is in-profile, the software directs the intermediate device to forward it. If the traffic is out-of-profile, the software directs the intermediate device to drop it, buffer it until it is in-profile, or mark it, as provided by the applicable traffic specifier.
With the explosive growth of the Internet and the World Wide Web, some ISPs have begun to host many hundreds of web sites, each generating hundreds if not thousands of traffic flows at any given time. Many ISPs have also started to install and run high-speed equipment, such as fiber optic transmission links and high-speed transmission protocols to boost the performance of their networks. Some equipment, for example, can support Gigabit transmission speeds. In particular, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has started development on a new standard, the 802.3z standard, called "Gigabit" Ethernet. This standard is intended to support transmission speeds up to 1000 Mbps (i.e., 1 Gbps). The current software solutions for performing traffic shaping are becoming less efficient at performing their message processing tasks as transmission rates reach such high speeds. Accordingly, a need has arisen for traffic shaping solutions that are capable of operating efficiently at the high transmission speeds of current and future ISP equipment.

Method and apparatus for performing high-speed traffic shaping


An inflator (10) having an inflator body (12) with a plurality of elongate chambers (16, 18, 20, 22) and bores (17, 19, 21) formed therein. In a preferred embodiment, the bores (17, 19, 21) are formed in ends (12a, 12b) of the inflator body (12) and positioned co-radially with adjacent chambers, fluidly connecting the same and providing for a reversing axial flow in the inflator (10) for inflation gas.

Inflatable occupant restraint systems in motor vehicles typically utilize a gas generator or inflator to provide an inflation gas to an airbag, thereby cushioning a vehicle occupant in the event of a crash. A multitude of designs for such systems is known in the art. Generally, a pyrotechnic gas generant material is housed within a relatively robust metallic structure capable of withstanding the temperatures and forces associated with rapid combustion of the material and the associated gas production. Most gas generant materials used in these systems have an extremely rapid burn rate and, accordingly, it is often desirable to control the rate at which inflation gas is ejected from the inflator body. Rather than an extremely rapid output of hot gas, it is in some systems desirable to actually slow the burn rate of the gas generant material, or attenuate its ejection from the inflator body. Various filters, heat sinks and similar items are used in inflator systems to lower the temperature of the inflation gases, as well as to throttle back the gas output.
A related concern involves the chemical composition of the gas stream supplied to the airbag. With certain gas generant formulations, undesirable quantities of carbon monoxide and/or nitrogen compounds (NOX) may be produced in relatively rapidly activating systems. The inflation gas is directed to the inflatable restraint device, and can ultimately end up in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Because the proportions of these compounds can vary based on the response time and burn rate inside the inflator, attempts have been made to design inflator systems whereby a reduced amount of these gases is produced.


A musical tone waveform sample is generated at each sampling time by the use of a processing unit carrying out an arithmetic operation every repetition period that is longer than the sampling time. An envelope characteristic of a waveform of a musical tone to be generated is approximated by a polygonal line formed by a plurality of segments each of which has a length corresponding to the repetition period. An envelope value of a first waveform sample of waveform data of the musical tone to be generated for the repetition period is determined. The envelope value of the first waveform sample is multiplied by a predetermined attenuation factor to obtain an envelope value of a last waveform sample of the waveform data for the repetition period. Each of the segments of the polygonal line is determined by the envelope value of the first waveform sample and the envelope value of the last waveform sample. A difference between the envelope values of the first and last waveform samples is calculated. A decremental or incremental value per the each sampling time is obtained based on the difference. The envelope value of the waveform at the each sampling time is determined by adding the decremental or incremental value to an immediately preceding value of the envelope value of the waveform.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a musical tone-generating method and a musical tone-generating apparatus for generating waveform samples of musical tones through arithmetic operations by the use of a programmable processing unit, such as a CPU (central processing unit) and a DSP (digital signal processor).
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, musical tones have been electronically generated by a tone generator incorporating a processing unit, such as a CPU (central processing unit) or a DSP (digital signal processor), which executes waveform-generating operations to generate waveform samples of musical tones, or by a general-purpose computer, such as a PC (personal computer), which executes a musical tone-generating program to generate musical tones without using special-purpose hardware.
To electronically generate musical tones, it is required to supply waveform samples generated by arithmetic operations to a DAC (digital-to-analog converter) whenever a sampling period elapses, i.e. in synchronism with digital-to-analog conversion timing of the DAC. This requires a very large amount of operation to be executed by the processing unit (hereinafter referred to as "the CPU"). In other words, to generate musical tones, the CPU has to execute processing for preparing musical tone control information and processing for generating waveform samples in response to performance information input thereto, such as MIDI event information.
For example, in the case of a tone generator employing a waveform memory method, the processing for generating waveform samples is executed in the following manner: Based on tone control information prepared from performance information, waveform-determining operations are executed for each tone generation channel by an LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator), a filter EG (envelope generator), a volume EG, etc. Waveform data is read from a waveform memory (waveform table) corresponding to the input performance information, while executing interpolation on the waveform data read from the waveform memory, if required. The resulting waveform data is multiplied by various kinds of EG waveform samples to thereby generate waveform sample data for a specific tone generation channel. These operations are repeatedly carried out for all the tone generation channels, and waveform sample data is accumulated for all the channels to thereby generate waveform data comprised of waveform samples each corresponding to a single sampling time period, i.e. the above-mentioned digital-to-analog conversion timing.
Now, a manner of calculating waveforms by the filter EG or the volume EG will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 1C. FIG. 1A shows an example of an envelope divided into four portions: an attack (A) portion, a decay (D) portion, a sustain (S) portion, and a release (R) portion. The level of each of the (A), (D), (S) and (R) portions is expressed by a logarithmic function,. and a musical tone generated based on the logarithmic function is recognized by the human ear as a linear level curve. In the figure, the ordinate represents frequency or amplitude, and the abscissa time. To calculate a value of the level of the envelope (hereinafter referred to as an or the "envelope value(s)") at each sampling time, the following method has been conventionally employed:
FIG. 1B shows an example of method of calculating envelope values on a logarithmic axis. According to this method, data of envelope are stored as logarithmic values, and as depicted in the figure, envelope values are calculated by sequentially adding an amount of change s per one sampling period, such that the calculated adjacent values have equal differences. The envelope values thus calculated and expressed in logarithm are converted to linear values by the use of a predetermined conversion table or by executing arithmetic operations on these values.
FIG. 1C shows another method of calculating envelope values, in which each envelope value obtained at the immediately preceding sampling time is sequentially multiplied by a rate of change a.sup.S per one sampling period to thereby calculate an envelope value at each sampling time. In this method, data of the envelope are not expressed in logarithmic values, but in normal values of amplitude or frequency.
As stated above, the amount of operation executed by the CPU for generating waveform samples of musical tones by arithmetic operations is very large. Further, the amount of operation dynamically varies depending upon the number of channels being used for sounding and the contents of tone-generating operations being executed.
Such a large processing load on the CPU causes the following inconveniences: It is impossible to increase the number of channels which can be used for tone generation. When a software tone generator program (hereinafter referred to as "software tone generator") is executed by a general-purpose computer in parallel with other application programs, the operations of these application programs can be made unstable due to a variation (particularly, an increase) in the amount of operation to be executed by the software tone generator.
Further, the FIG. 1B method calculating envelope values on the logarithmic axis uses addition, and therefore high-speed arithmetic operations can be achieved. However, it requires converting the results of the calculation to linear values, which makes it necessary to provide a conversion table or execute converting operations on the envelope values calculated. The FIG. 1C method uses multiplification which takes a longer time to execute. Although the use of a multiplier can shorten the time for the envelope value calculation, this requires additional provision of hardware, i.e. the multiplier.

Musical tone-generating method and apparatus capable of approximating envelope characteristic of a waveform of a musical tone by a polygonal line


A method of forming a synthetic resin formed article having a double-layer structure of a base portion and a covering portion which covers an outer periphery of the base portion and which has an inwardly curved portion for covering an end portion of the base portion. The method includes the steps of forming a sheet-like material into a predetermined shape by the vacuum forming to obtain a preliminary covering portion; trimming an end portion of the preliminary covering portion obtained in the previous step to obtain the covering portion of the formed article; setting the covering portion of the formed article on one of a pair of dies which constitute a press-type forming die with the curved portion of the covering portion being supported by a slide core located at a forefront position; setting a molten resin which is forming material of the base portion into a gap between the one die and the other die in a state in which the covering portion of the formed article is being set on the one die; clamping the press-type forming die in a state wherein the slide core is in contact with the other die at the forefront position immediately after or in synchronism with the molten resin setting step and causing the molten resin to set to form it; and opening the forming die and then removing the formed article obtained in the clamping step from the press-type forming die.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of forming synthetic resin formed articles, i.e., a method of in-mold forming synthetic resin formed articles. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a method of in-mold forming synthetic resin formed articles having a double-layer structure consisting of a base portion and a covering portion for covering the outer periphery of the base material including the end portion thereof, such as instrument panels, console boxes, undercovers, or glove doors for automobiles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Japanese Patent Unexamined No. 58-171921 discloses the injection molding method of in-mold molding synthetic resin molded articles having a double-layer structure consisting of a base portion and a covering portion which covers the outer periphery of the base portion and which has an inwardly curved portion for covering an end portion of the base portion.
However, this injection molding method has a disadvantage in that the covering portion is readily broken due to the injection pressure, deteriorating yield of the products. Therefore, there has been a demand for forming the above-described types of formed articles by the press type forming method (such as stamping forming method which is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Unexamined No. 59-7047).

Method of forming synthetic resin formed articles


An optical fiber ribbon splitting tool for selectively separating optical fibers of an optical fiber ribbon into one or more subsets of optical fibers. The ribbon splitting tool comprises a housing, a shearing device movably mounted within the housing, and an actuator for actuating the shearing device such that a subset of optical fibers is separated from the optical fiber ribbon. The shearing device may comprise a plunger having at least one shearing edge profile and a platen. A ribbon splitting tool for use at a cable access point of a fiber optic cable in which at least one optical fiber ribbon is accessible for splitting.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to optical fiber ribbon splitting tools, and more particularly, to optical fiber ribbon splitting tools operable for separating ribbons into one or more subsets of optical fibers and tools for use in splitting fiber ribbons at cable access points.
2. Technical Background
Fiber optic networks are being developed that include cable assemblies having network access points along the cable length for providing access to optical fibers within the cable. These cable access points serve as an entry point into a cable in order to handle, sever and split pre-selected optical fibers so that they may be withdrawn through the cable access point. The pre-selected optical fibers are typically preterminated and spliced to optical fibers of a tether, thus providing a tap or branch off of a cable used to extend the optical network. Cable assemblies including network access points are commonly used in Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) applications. These cable assemblies are typically pre-engineered and include factory installed cable access points substantially encapsulated within flexible bodies, thus providing cable assemblies including flexible network access points, or "FlexNAPs."
Cable assemblies may include various fiber optic cable types. The term "distribution cable" is commonly used to describe the cable that is accessed, and the term "tether" or "tether cable" is commonly used to describe the cable added at a network access point. A tether typically contains a lesser number of optical fibers than a distribution cable. One example of a fiber optic distribution cable used in a cable assembly includes a flat ribbon cable having at least one optical fiber ribbon therein. As is generally understood by those skilled in the art, optical fiber ribbons may be created by arranging a plurality of optical fibers in a planar relationship (e.g., twelve or twenty-four fibers) and extruding a common matrix coating, such as a UV curable acrylate material, about the arranged optical fibers. The distribution cable may further include at least one strength member arranged about parallel to the at least one optical fiber ribbon. Oftentimes, splicing or connectorization of the preterminated optical fibers requires that the optical fibers be reduced to a smaller subset. While this subset reduction may be readily accomplished with a stand-alone ribbon, subset reduction is exceedingly more difficult at a network access point at which access to the ribbon is limited.
Conventional ribbon splitting devices are not easily applied to cable assembly applications. Conventional devices generally include a housing and a reciprocal member formed of many parts mounted thereon. The reciprocal member is generally movable along a defined line of action when a pressing force (applied by a technician) is applied to a button or actuator. Ribbon receiving slots are typically arranged to receive a single optical fiber ribbon of a flat ribbon distribution cable. The reciprocal member typically includes a plurality of blades fastened thereto. The plurality of blades are designed to shear apart a subset of the optical fibers from the ribbon in a shearing stroke of the reciprocal member. Cooperating with and hingedly mounted to the housing is a pair of cover members that are separated by a slit. Each cover member generally includes respective shearing blades that cooperate with the blades of the reciprocal member to effect the shearing of optical fiber ribbon. Maintaining pressure on the button or actuator, and at the same time pulling sheared optical fiber ribbon to its end, results in a lengthwise separation of optical fiber ribbon into two optical fiber subsets. Each of the two subsets has a number of optical fibers therein, for example, the two subsets may include six fibers each for a twelve fiber ribbon.
Conventional ribbon splitting tools have several disadvantages. First, if numerically different subsets of optical fibers are needed, the blades must be replaced with different sized blades that correspond to numerically different subsets of optical fibers. Blade replacement is a time consuming procedure, moreover, an expensive inventory of different sized blades must be maintained. Additionally, as the cover members and blades are separated, the covers may move independently of each other, consequently, the blades may become misaligned during the shearing stroke, possibly causing damage to optical fiber ribbon and optical fibers. Further, prior art shearing devices include many parts (e.g., multiple blades), some of which are machined metal parts, the manufacture and assembly of which is expensive and time-consuming. Still further, prior art splitting tools may not conveniently be utilized along a mid-span access point of a flat ribbon distribution cable due to the limited amount of space available. Typically, such task requires that a small breach or access point be made into the cable and the separation tool must thereafter be capable of being manipulated about the optical fiber ribbon for separation.
While conventional ribbon splitting devices are suitable for splitting a ribbon removed from a cable, it would be desirable to have a ribbon splitting tool capable of splitting a ribbon within a cable through a cable access point. Further, it would be desirable to have a universal ribbon splitting tool capable of splitting ribbons into distinct subsets of fibers. Still further, it would be desirable for a ribbon splitting tool to be able to work in cooperation with cable access point fiber grasping and severing tools.


Medical devices, systems and kits for filling tissue are disclosed. The device has a first configuration wherein the device can pass through a small catheter or needle placed in the tissue to be filled and a second configuration in which the device is expandable to a predetermined or customizable shape. In one application, the device is adapted to be placed into the skin to reduce facial wrinkles or augment facial features such as the lips. Kits and systems include multiple device sizes, filler tubes, and filler media.

There is a growing demand for cosmetic procedures which augment soft tissue to enhance facial appearance. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reports nearly 8.3 million aesthetic procedures were performed in 2003, and increase of 20% from the year before. The most common of these procedures are intended to remove facial wrinkles and lines or augment the lips to restore a more youthful appearance.
Botulinum toxin is used to paralyze the small facial muscles around dynamic wrinkles in the forehead and around the eyes. Materials that have been used to smooth non-dynamic wrinkles or augment facial tissues (nasolabial lines, lips, etc.) include injectable soft tissue fillers such as silicone, collagen in a variety of forms and formulations such as Inamed Corporation's CosmoDerm and CosmoPlast, hyaluronic acid derivatives such as Restylene and Hyaloform, and calcium hydroxylapatite microspheres such as Radiance. Autologous fat can also be taken from a donor site by liposuction and then injected in the targeted facial tissue. While these injectable fillers are convenient, and some can even be done as a simple office procedure, the results are temporary and once injected, the filler cannot be removed.
Implanted artificial tissue fillers are well known and are generally placed through surgical incisions. These include ePTFE-based tubes, fibers or sheets, including Gore Subcutaneous Augmentation Material (S.A.M.), Advanta, marketed by Atrium Medical, and Ultrasoft and Softform marketed by Tissue Technologies, now Integra Life Sciences. Surgically implanted tissue fillers can also be derived from biologic sources such as Alloderm from LifeCell Corp. and DuraDerm from Collagensis, Inc.
Surgically implanted fillers have a number of limitations such as prolonged recovery time due to bruising and swelling which is unacceptable to many patients, risk of infection or granuloma formation, erosion, shrinking and migration. Many patients cannot accept the fact the implant is palpable under the skin because it is firmer than the surrounding skin. The implanted fillers may also be difficult to remove, should the patient wish, or a complication arises that demands its removal.
The ideal facial tissue filler would be: completely biocompatible; easy to place through a relatively small needle, as opposed to through a surgical incision; would be permanent but could be removed either at the time of the procedure to allow for re-positioning, or at some time in the future; would have a very low risk of infection or immunologic response; would not expand, contact or migrate over time; would not erode; and would not be noticeable to the patient.
Biocompatible medical devices that have a small enough profile to fit into a catheter, yet self-expand or are made to expand when such a device is released from the distal end of the catheter, are ubiquitous in vascular, cardiovascular and neurovascular intervention. Such devices include various types and configurations of self-expanding or balloon expandable stents, and embolization coils. These devices are often constructed of a metal and can be covered with a polymer such as a sleeve of e-PTFE.
However, there remains a need for a device of a similar nature that can be placed within a non-vascular space such as dermal tissue, which can be enlarged in situ to provide a desired cosmetic or therapeutic result.

Systems and devices for soft tissue augmentation


In certain embodiments, the invention is directed to composition comprising stable particles comprising ganaxolone, wherein the volume weighted median diameter (D50) of the particles is from about 50 nm to about 500 nm.

Positive modulators of GABAA receptors have long been used in the treatment of disorders of the central nervous system, including epilepsy, anxiety, sleep disorders, abnormal muscle tone including spasticity, and the alcohol withdrawal syndrome (Macdonald and Olsen, 1994; Mehta and Ticku, 1999; Mohler et al., 2001). Such pharmacological agents also have medical uses to induce anesthesia and amnesia (Chapouthier and Venault, 2002; Rudolph and Antkowiak, 2004). Typical positive modulators of GABAA receptors include neuroactive steroids, benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepine benzodiazepine-site agonists, barbiturates, propofol, chlormethiazol, and anesthetic agents such as etomidate, propofol, isoflurane and sevoflurane (Trapani et al., 2000; Lambert et al., 2003; Hemmings et al., 2005; Johnston, 2005; Rudolph and Antkowiak, 2005). γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the nervous system. GABA acts on several targets, including GABAA receptors. GABAA receptors are ionotropic receptors that transport chloride ions across neuronal cell membranes, which induce hyperpolarization and shunts excitatory inputs, thus inhibiting the excitability of neurons. GABAA receptors are heteropentamers that are generally composed of three of more different subunits. The subunit composition of GABAA receptors is a major determinant of the pharmacological sensitivity of the receptor (Mohler et al., 2001; Sieghart and Sperk, 2002). For example, sensitivity to benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepine benzodiazepine-site agonists requires the presence of a γ2 subunit and there is no responsiveness if α4 or α6 subunits substitutes for the more common α1, α2 and α3 subunits. By contrast neuroactive steroids that act as GABAA receptor positive modulators do not require α2 and are sensitive even if receptors contain α4 and α6 (Lambert et al., 2003). Although GABAA receptors that contain the δ subunit do not respond to benzodiazepines or benzodiazepine-site ligands, (Jones-Davis et al., 2005), they are more sensitive to neurosteroids than are receptors containing the more abundant γ2L subunit (Adkins et al., 2001; Brown et al., 2002; Wohlfarth et al., 2002).
Neurosteroids, and particularly ganaxolone, act on different populations of GABAA receptors than do benzodiazepines. The distribution of benzodiazepine sensitive GABAA receptors is distinct in the brain from the distribution of neuroactive steroid sensitive receptors (Sieghart and Sperk, 2002). In addition, benzodiazepines enhance the physiological activity of GABAA receptors through different effects on the gating of the receptor than do neuroactive steroids (Twyman and Macdonald, 1992; Wohlfarth et al., 2002). Barbiturates act preferentially on GABAA receptors containing δ subunits as partial agonists (Feng et al., 2002, 2004). However, barbiturates, unlike benzodiazepines and neurosteroids, act on other molecular targets than GABAA receptors, most notably voltage-dependent calcium channels (French-Mullen et al., 1993; Rudolph and Antkowiak, 2005). Thus, the major classes of drugs that act on GABAA receptors each have distinct spectrums of activity, and neuroactive steroids act on a set of targets that does not overlap with any other class. In addition, pharmacological studies have shown that these various classes of drugs interact with heteromeric GABAA receptor complexes at pharmacologically distinguishable sites (Lambert et al., 2003). Specifically, the actions of neuroactive steroids occur at sites on GABAA receptors that are distinct from the site of action of benzodiazepines or barbiturates. Another important distinction between the mode of action of benzodiazepines and neuroactive steroids is that benzodiazepine appears to act largely at synaptic GABAA receptors and thus directly modulate inhibitory GABAergic. By contrast, neuroactive steroids may act more prominently on extrasynaptic or perisynaptic GABAA receptors that do not mediate inhibitory synaptic transmission, but rather generate a tonic chloride current that sets the general level of excitability of the neuron (Stell et al., 2003; Ferrant and Nusser, 2005).
Neuroactive steroids have a different pattern of selectivity for the various GABAA receptor isoforms (subunit combinations) from other types of positive allosteric modulators of GABAA receptors. In addition, the functional effects of neuroactive steroids differ from those of other GABAA receptor modulators. For example, neuroactive steroids have greater efficacy than benzodiazepines (Kokate et al., 1994) and they act in specific ways to alter the gating of GABAA receptors (Bianchi and Macdonald, 2003). Neuroactive steroids are not known to affect other ion channels and receptor systems within the same range of concentrations at which they affect GABAA receptors, whereas other GABAA receptor modulators have effects on diverse molecular targets. An additional difference between neuroactive steroids and other GABAA receptor positive modulators is that tolerance does not occur to the anticonvulsant effects neuroactive steroids in general (Kokate et al., 1998) and the neurosteroid ganaxolone in particular (Reddy and Rogawski, 2000). Tolerance does occur to the sedative effects of ganaxolone in human subjects (Monaghan et al., 1999). By contrast, tolerance develops rapidly to the sedative activity of benzodiazepines and more slowly to their anticonvulsant activity.
Ganaxolone, a neurosteroid also known as 3α-hydroxy-3β-methyl-5α-pregnan-20-one, is the 3β-methylated, synthetic analog of the endogenous progesterone metabolite, 3α-hydroxy-5α-pregnan-20-one (3α,5α-P, Allopregnanolone). It is a member of a novel class of neuroactive steroids, which act as positive allosteric modulators of the γ-aminobutyric (GABAA) receptor complex in the central nervous system through interaction with a unique recognition site that is distinct from the benzodiazepine and barbiturate binding sites (Carter et al., 1997). Ganaxolone has been shown to exhibit potent anticonvulsant, anti-anxiety and anti-migraine activity in preclinical models. Ganaxolone has also been shown to extend the life of mice with a lysosomal lipid storage disease that is due to disruption of the mouse homolog of the NPC1 gene, a loci linked to Niemann Pick C in humans. In addition, ganaxolone has been used clinically in adults for the treatment of refractory complex partial seizures and children with refractory infantile spasms and other types of epilepsy. Appropriate ganaxolone formulations also have the potential to treat sleep related disorders.
Ganaxolone is different from other neurosteroids in that the alcohol in the 3 position is blocked from oxidation to the ketone. The 3-keto functionality imparts meaningful steroidal activity, so ganaxolone is distinct from the endogenous neurosteroid (3α, 5α-P) which can be metabolized in vivo to a steroid active compound. Thus, ganaxolone not a steroid and does not have to be handled with the same care and protection as a steroid during its manufacturing and packaging.
It has been very difficult to formulate therapeutically effective dosage forms specific for neurosteroids such as ganaxolone. Ganaxolone is a poorly soluble drug that does not provide good blood levels upon oral administration. Previous dosage forms of ganaxolone have also shown particularly large exposure differences in fed and fasted subjects. Based upon this difficulty, there exists a need in the art for improved ganaxolone formulations and dosage forms. Herein are described solid dosage ganaxolone formulations which address this need and which provide improved pharmacokinetic properties which maintain efficacy while reducing side effects and enhancing subject compliance.
All references discussed herein are incorporated by reference in their entireties for all purposes.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Liquid ganaxolone formulations and methods for the making and use thereof


Cellulosic fiber-containing fabrics are made wrinkle resistant by a durable press wrinkle-free process which comprises treating a cellulosic fiber-containing fabric with formaldehyde, a catalyst capable of catalyzing the crosslinking reaction between the formaldehyde and cellulose and a silicone elastomer, heat-curing the treated cellulose fiber-containing fabric, preferably having a moisture content of more than 20% by weight, under conditions at which formaldehyde reacts with cellulose in the presence of the catalyst without a substantial loss of formaldehyde before the reaction of the formaldehyde with cellulose to improve the wrinkle resistance of the fabric in the presence of a silicone elastomeric softener to provide higher wrinkle resistance, and better tear strength after washing, with less treatment.

1. Field of invention
This invention relates to a durable press/wrinkle-free process for cellulosic fiber-containing fabrics and more particularly to a process which permits high treatment level amounts of formaldehyde and catalysts to impart wrinkle resistance to the cellulosic fiber-containing fabrics while reducing the loss in both tensile and tear strength normally associated with such treatment processes.
2. Description of related art
There are a number of known process for treating cellulosic fiber-containing fabrics, such as cotton-containing fabrics, to make them wrinkle-free. These treatment processes include resin or polymer treatment of the fabric, but these are costly and unsatisfactory. Another process for treating cellulosic fiber-containing products relies on formaldehyde to provide durable crosslinking of the cellulose molecules and to thereby impart durable crease resistant and smooth drying characteristics to these products. However, problems have been encountered with the known processes. A simple, reproducible, completely satisfactory low-cost formaldehyde durable press process has not yet been achieved.
It has long been known to treat cellulosic materials with formaldehyde, as is evidenced by U.S. Pat. No. 2,243,765. This patent describes a process for treating cellulose with an aqueous solution of formaldehyde containing a small proportion of an acid catalyst under such conditions of time and temperature that the reaction is allowed to approach its equilibrium. It is further stated that, in carrying out this process, the proportion of the solution of formaldehyde to the cellulose must be at least such that the cellulose is always in a fully swollen state. It is also stated that the time and temperature of the treatment with the solution of formaldehyde and acid catalyst will vary with one another, the time required increasing rapidly as the temperature diminishes. When it is desired, the product may be isolated by washing and drying; preferably at a temperature of about 212.degree. F. The products obtained according to this process are said to show no increase in wet strength and possess a high water inhibition, an increased resistance to creasing and a slight increase in affinity to some direct dyes.
In recent years additional methods have been devised for treating cellulosic fiber-containing products in order to impart durable crease retention, wrinkle resistance and smooth drying characteristics to these products. As discussed, formaldehyde has been crosslinked with cellulose materials to produce these products. It is also known to treat cellulose materials with resins or precondensates of the urea-formaldehyde or substituted urea-formaldehyde type to produce a resin treated durable press product. As noted in U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,832, while formaldehyde has made a significant contribution to the cotton finishing art, the result has been far from perfect. For instance, in some cases the formaldehyde crosslinking treatment has tended to lack reproducibility, since control of the formaldehyde cross-linking reaction has been difficult. As noted in U.S. Pat. No. 4, 396,390, lack of reproducibility is especially true on a commercial scale.
Moreover, unacceptable loss of fabric strength has also been observed in many of the proposed aqueous formaldehyde treatment processes. When high curing temperatures were used with an acid or potential acid catalyst, excess reaction and degradation of the cotton often happened which considerably impaired its strength. On the other hand, when attempts were made to achieve reproducibility at temperatures of 106.degree. F. or less, much longer reaction or finishing times were usually required, rendering the process economically relatively unattractive. A solution to this is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,598, the entire disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.


An article includes a substrate, e.g. a glass sheet having a first major surface and an opposite second major surface having a textured surface to provide a predetermined pattern on the second surface of the substrate, and an overlay, e.g. a coating over the pattern. The percent of visible light transmittance, and percent visible light reflectance, of the substrate and the overlay is selected such that the pattern is visible when the article is viewed through one of the surfaces of the substrate or overlay. In one non-limiting embodiment, the substrate is glass and the article has a metallic appearance. In another non-limiting embodiment, the overlay is a transparent coating deposited on the second surface of the glass sheet into grooves of the pattern. Other non-limiting embodiments include the substrate having a Delta % haze of greater than 15%, and a protective overcoat over the coating.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a coated non-metallic sheet having a brushed metal appearance, and coatings for, and method of making, the coated non-metallic sheet, and more particularly, to a glass sheet having a textured surface, and a coating applied over the textured surface to provide a coated sheet having a brushed metal appearance.
2. Discussion of the Present Technology
Metal sheets having a textured surface (hereinafter also referred to as "textured metal sheets") have a striking and eye catching appearance which makes them desirable for use as part of the interior and exterior decor of buildings, in the manufacture of furniture, and in the manufacture of appliances. Although the textured metal sheets have acceptable appearance, there are drawbacks. For example and not limiting to the discussion, the textured metal sheets are opaque, excluding their use for transparent areas where viewing and/or transmitting visible light is desired. Another drawback is that the textured metal sheets are expensive, and still another drawback is that the exposed textured surface can be scratched and/or dented detracting from the textured pattern on the metal surface.
As is appreciated by those skilled in the art, it would be advantages to provide a coated non-metallic sheet or article having a textured metal appearance without having the drawbacks of the presently available textured metal sheets.

Coated non-metallic sheet having a brushed metal appearance, and coatings for and method of making same


A semiconductor device includes a wiring board, a first semiconductor chip mounted on the wiring board via a first adhesive member, and second semiconductor chip stacked on the first semiconductor chip via a second adhesive member. The first adhesive member is a die attach film having an adhesive layer formed on both surfaces of an insulating base, and the second adhesive member is an adhesive paste.

This invention relates to a semiconductor device and particularly to a MCP (Multi Chip Package)-type semiconductor device.
An MCP-type semiconductor device is known having a plurality of semiconductor chips stacked on a wiring board.
This type of semiconductor device uses, for example, an adhesive member having an adhesive layer on both surfaces on an insulating sheet member (die attach film) in order to fix the stacked semiconductor chips to each other. Such a semiconductor device is described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-099697. Alternatively, a paste-type or film-type adhesive may be used. Such a semiconductor device is described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-078106, No. 2004-356529, or No. 2005-101312.

Multi Chip Package-type semiconductor device


A method to provide a stoichiometric mixture of water, lime and cement for making an in-site piling. Water to supplement existing ground water is supplied by an augur as it drills into the ground so that a substantially uniform concentration of water exists for the full depth. Then the augur, while turning, returns to the surface while it injects and stirs into the wet soil the stoichiometric amounts of lime and cement.

The stabilization of soils in order to accommodate roadways and light structures is of worldwide importance, and numerous techniques are used to provide a suitable soil base. When excessive water is the problem and a suitable gradient is available, drains and wells are commonly used.
However, many areas cannot be serviced suitably by mere drainage means, and even if they are, localized conditions including slope, contour, and soil permeability, often forestall such a straight-forward arrangement. This is especially the situation in areas where the water table is quite close to the surface.
Such a large and pervasive problem has occasioned a large number of proposals to stabilize such soils. One of the most prominent and promising processes is the lime/cement column technique, on which this invention is an improvement. It has been widely used in Scandinavia with considerable success.
In this process, an augur is rotated as it is pressed into the soil. The term "augur" as used herein is not intended in the sense of a drill or other tool which removes material from a bore and leaves an open shaft or hole. Removal of material is not done in this process. Instead, the augur is intended to loosen the soil as it enters the structure, and, as it withdrawn, still rotating, it injects lime and cement into the soil, either dry or as a slurry, stirring this total mixture as it rises to the surface. Thereafter the material sets up as a solid column, and as such stabilizes the soil structure.
For its major applications this is not a small scale operation. The machinery used for practical application is very large and very powerful. Depths of in-situ pilings up to 60 feet, with diameters up to 4 feet are regularly accommodated. It is a rapid process, usually taking less than five minutes to form a 60 foot deep in-situ piling.
A logical process, and one which has been extensively used, is to inject a slurry of water, lime and cement into the soil while the augur is being withdrawn. A major problem with this system is that a large mixing device must accompany the augur. It requires water, lime and cement, and must be cleaned at least daily. It is a large and undesirable appendage. And then, what if the soil is already quite wet.? In such event a slurry injected into a very wet soil might not set up appropriately, having an unsuitable stoichiometric ratio when mixed with water already present in the soil. Accordingly, a process which injects a slurry into the soil involves extra equipment and is limited in its applicability.
Then suppose that dry lime and cement are infected into the soil, rather than as part of a slurry. Then there may not be sufficient water to react with the lime and cement. While such an arrangement would dispense with the slurry operation, it would not necessarily provide a proper mixture for the entire depth of the in-situ piling.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention for the augur to provide water to the soil in a proper amount when combined with water already present as the augur is pressed into the structure. Thereafter as the augur is removed, it supplies dry lime and dry cement to the soil to provide a stoichiometric mix which will set up to form a useful in-situ piling.
With this process, water in an appropriate amount is injected into the soil separately from the lime and cement. The water is injected and stirred into the soil on the way down, and the lime and cement are infected and stirred into the soil/water mixture on the way up. There need be no slurry unit, and there is no need for cleanup. The water, lime, and cement are kept dry and separate from water until they are injected.

Lime/cement columnar stabilization of soils


Packers may be inflated within the wellbore to engage and isolate a portion of the wellbore casing. Charges included within the packers may then be fired to perforate the casing. According to certain embodiments, the charges may be located within drains in the packers that can be subsequently employed to induce and measure pressure changes within the casing and surrounding formation. The pressure measurements in turn can be used to determine the integrity and/or permeability of the casing.

Sequestration, otherwise known as geo-sequestration or geological storage, involves injecting a material, such as carbon dioxide, directly into underground geological formations. Declining oil fields, saline aquifers, and un-minable coal seams may serve as potential storage sites. For example, CO2 may be injected into declining oil fields to increase oil recovery. The geological barrier that prevents upward migration of oil also may serve as a long-term barrier to contain the injected CO2. To inhibit leakage at the injection wells, or other wells where potential leakage can occur such as current or disused production wells and/or monitoring wells, isolating cement is provided in the annular region between the well casing and the subterranean formations.

Perforating packer casing evaluation methods


An apparatus for separating liquid from a liquid/gas mixture by establishing a laminar flow within a curved channel. Entrained liquid droplets, that have higher inertia than the gas, follow a trajectory, deviate from the gas flow lines, and impinge on the wall. The liquid droplets coalesce and migrate to the inner radius under the influence of shear from the secondary flow, where the liquid is collected and retained in an artery by capillary action. The liquid is then forced through bleed ports into the liquid drain line. The term liquid/gas mixtures is intended to include liquid/vapor mixtures as well.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the separation of a liquid from a liquid/gas mixture, and more particularly to impingement separators. A separator with a curved flow passage provides for removing entrained droplets from a flow mixture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Droplets are conventionally separated from gas mixtures by diffusion, directed motion in an electric field, and inertial motion. Separators in these forms are already known and may be desirable for the preservation of the environment, reasons of economy, operational safety, as well as plant safety.
Electrostatic precipitation is a process by which the separation of droplets or particles from the gas phase is effected by electrical forces.
A second type of separation process involves diffusional deposition which is based on a combination of inertial, interception and diffusion effects. The inertia effect results when inertia of a droplet causes it to deviate from the streamline of the gas and strike a collection surface. The interception effect results when the streamline passes close by the collection surface which causes individual droplets within the streamline to contact the collection surface. The diffusion effect, also known as Brownian movement, results when droplets move at random within the streamline and are subsequently forced onto the collection surface by the streamline. Electrostatic and diffusional filters are used for the separation of relatively small droplets (in the sub micron range), are associated with high costs, and are only feasible for limited installations.
A third type of separation process is inertial separation which relies on flow diversion and the momentum of the liquid droplet to impinge the droplet on a collection surface. Impingement separators such as cyclone, fin deflector, packed bed, scrubbers, and wire/fiber filters show a large variation with respect to their design and geometry and are, therefore, used for a wide range of applications. Cyclone separators and wet scrubbers are also used in the separation of dust particles. Thus, the described principals of inertial separation applies for both dust particles and droplets. Separation efficiency increases as the relative velocity between the droplet and gas increases. Large droplet diameter, high droplet density and gas velocity, and low gas viscosity provide the most favorable conditions for this separation process. Thus, impingement separators have the following limitations: cost increases as droplet size decreases; liquid is drained from the system by gravity (limiting orientation of the system); high pressure drops result from the high velocity of the gas flowing through the system; liquid flooding occurs when system drainage cannot keep up with the gas flow; and, there is a possibility of re-entrainment of the separated droplets at the liquid/vapor interface due to shear.
Cost and operating considerations of the above-identified separation processes and equipment are summarized within chapter 14, "Practical Experience with Droplet Separators in the Chemical Industry", of Armin Burkholz' book entitled Droplet Separation. This chapter also gives examples of various applications appropriate for the different separation processes and equipment. Chapter 14 of this book is incorporated herein by reference.
Descriptions of several patented separators are listed below. These patented separators use some of the separation processes noted above. These separators have intendant disadvantages in their use in a wide range of applications.
A fin deflector separator is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,215 and comprises a series of sinusoidal shaped fins that extend transversely to the direction of the fluid flow and have liquid collection channels in the longitudinal direction. The collection channels are open at the downstream side of the deflector and are arranged so that they will not produce undesirable eddying of the mixture. The liquid is impinged on the collection surface, requiring high velocity flows for the droplets to overcome the main channel flow. The draining liquid flows in the opposite direction of the main channel flow, under the influence of gravity, in the collection channel. The fins are mounted vertically and, in this case, the maximum permissible stream velocity is lowered. At higher vapor velocities, the liquid may be re-entrained from the baffles and carried out of the separator.
Another type of separator is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,285 for the inertial separation of condensable vapors from a gas mixture. The method and apparatus include a mixture of gas and condensable vapor introduced tangentially into an expansion chamber for isentropic expansion and cooling. Isentropic expansion can be achieved in a nozzle with the expansion energy used to accelerate the gas to very high velocities. A swirling nozzle is used to reach low temperatures through expansion and to utilize the expansion energy by accelerating the tangential component of the flow. The swirling effect means, however, that the nozzle performance will not be isentropic. In addition, cooling will be limited by the size of the inlet relative to the nozzle throat.
The cooled gas mixture enters a cylindrical separation chamber where the centrifugal force impinges the condensed vapors on the wall. The liquid is then removed from the separation chamber through perforations in the wall. Because the vapors are removed in a high pressure region, the dynamic pressure tangential to the wall of the tubular separator will tend to overcome capillary forces and gas will likely enter the liquid chamber. To aid the passage of liquid into the collection chamber it is suggested that a conduit at the upper portion of the chamber be connected to a low pressure region of the expansion chamber to provide a partial vacuum. This is not feasible, however, because the location suggested is a point of stagnation in the rotating gas. A more feasible alternative was suggested in another embodiment that includes a vacuum pump to aid liquid removal.
A certain percentage of the droplets cannot be effectively separated using the centrifugal separation chamber. The droplets experience the highest centrifugal force farthest from the axis of rotation. This value decreases as the distance from the axis of rotation to the droplet decreases. In addition, there is a velocity component directed towards the center of rotation that increases resistance to separation. Thus, as droplet size decreases, the limiting core radius from which no droplets can be separated, increases. For relatively small droplet sizes, such as those resulting from this type of condensation process, extremely high gas velocities and long channel lengths are required to induce separation. These, in turn, lead to high pressure drop and shear induced re-entrainment.
The droplets that do overcome resistance to separation and follow a trajectory, impinge on the collection surface provided the following is true: the separation chamber is sufficient in length for the liquid droplets to coalesce and become large enough to overcome the drag force and the chamber is sufficient in length such that the time required for the droplet trajectory to reach the wall is less than the time required to travel the length of the tubular separator. Once separated, the liquid flows under the influence of gravity into the liquid collection chamber, limiting liquid removal to specific gravitational orientation.
Another type of separator is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,449. The invention generally relates to the transformation of a fluid flow of one type to a fluid flow of another type, and more particularly to cyclone dust separators. The dust-containing gas enters the separator at a relatively high pressure and a turbulent flow is formed that moves spirally within the collection chamber. The dust is collected on the circumferential wall of the chamber due to centrifugal force. The clean gas leaves the separator through an axial passage at a relatively low pressure. The exiting gas flows counter to the dust particles; thus, a higher drag force limits particle separation to large particles and requires high velocity flows. As with fin deflector separators, separation relies on gravity limiting orientation. In addition, large pressure drops and size requirements further limit the use of cyclone separators.
Another type of separator is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,345,803 for degassing viscose. This invention generally relates to the removal of entrained gasses from liquids, and more particularly to the removal of small gas bubbles from a viscous liquid. A laminar flow of viscose, containing gas bubbles, is established in a closed channel. A shear gradient is imposed upon the viscose between the outer and inner regions of the channel and the gas bubbles migrate inward to the regions of low shear. The gas is collected in the axial direction after the viscose has traveled a sufficient distance along the channel and the gas bubbles have accumulated in the center of the flow channel. The flow channel is formed in a spiral for compactness, but does not aid in the separation of the gas bubbles from the viscose; shear, not secondary flow, aids in the separation process.
Another spirally compact flow channel used for gas/oil separation is described within U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,920. This separator uses a vacuum pump to draw the oil/gas mix through the spiral channel. The separator is used exclusively to deaerate oil where the gas content in solution is 8 to 10 percent by volume. Dissolved air is accomplished by reducing pressure. The deaerator includes a flow passageway with a flow restricting device at its inlet to induce an initial pressure drop. The oil is propelled by a vacuum pump, also lowering the pressure on the oil. This separator is not an inertial separator.


The present invention relates to a process for deinking waste paper comprising treating the waste paper with a peroxide compound in an aqueous alkaline medium in the presence of a first polymer (A) comprising a Ca-binding polymer in the form of a polycarboxylate polymer and a second polymer (B) comprising a poly-alfa-hydroxyacrylic acid or a salt thereof or the corresponding polylactone, said process additionally comprising treating the waste paper with at least one non-ionic surfactant or with at least one combination of a non-ionic surfactant and a fatty acid or a salt thereof to promote ink detachment and/or ink removal.

In the past deinking of waste paper was mainly practiced to obtain cheap raw material for newsprint production. In North America, washing system was practiced. In Europe, flotation system, which used alkali, sodium silicate and hydrogen peroxide in repulping of waste paper, was used. This kind of deinking did not normally comprise any bleaching stage within the main deinking system, but possibly a post-bleaching with sodium dithionite. During the past decade deinked pulp (DIP) has found increasingly place as a raw material for higher grade papers such as supercalandered (SC) and light weight coated (LWC) papers, which are used in magazines, catalogues etc., and in the production of fine papers, which are essentially woodfree and in tissue production. This has meant higher brightness target with high cleanness requirements. Flotation deinking and flotation deinking with two flotation stages comprising also an alkaline hydrogen peroxide bleaching stage has become more and more popular.
In order to detach the ink from the repulped waste paper alkali is added to swell the fibers and hydrogen peroxide is added for preventing alkali darkening. Sodium silicate (water glass) is added to buffer the system, to stabilize peroxide, to collect the ink and to prevent the redeposition of ink particles on fibers. In the deinking of woodfree (WF) papers, such as office papers, hydrogen peroxide and sodium silicate (water glass) is seldom used. In order to collect the disintegrated ink from the repulped waste paper, fatty acids as their calcium soaps were used as ink collectors. The calcium was separately added in the past, but since the current waste papers contain a lot of calcium containing pigments and fillers, a separate addition of calcium salts are seldom any more needed. In addition hard water and the closure of water circulations have contributed to the content of calcium.
At the moment the most used method for deinking waste paper is the flotation deinking. The configuration of the system depends much on the raw material and on the end use of the deinked pulp.
The most used system covers the following units. An alkaline repulping of waste paper in the presence of alkali and silicate for buffering and ink dispersion and in the presence of hydrogen peroxide for reducing alkali darkening of pulp. A surface active agent is also in general added into the pulping equipment. This is still quite often a fatty acid, which needs to be in form of a calcium salt in order to collect the disintegrated ink particles, though non-ionic synthetic surfactants are also used. After the repulping, the cleaning and screening section are following. There is, after this unit, the first flotation unit, flotation I, where the surfactant can also be added. After cleaning and screening a kneader or disperger is used to detach more residual ink. If higher brightness is needed for the deinked pulp, e.g. if the deinked pulp is not used for newsprint, but e.g. as raw material for SC or LWC paper or if mixed office paper is used as raw material, an alkaline hydrogen peroxide bleaching stage is followed, which is followed by the flotation II. This can then be followed by a reductive sodium dithionite bleaching stage, which is often practiced when deinked pulp is targeted for newsprint production and the process does not include the peroxide bleaching stage. The deinking can also be carried out at only one flotation stage and the process can also include washing stages, which are very common when deinked pulp is used for tissue production, when the low ash content in the tissue paper is important to the tissue properties. When colored papers are deinked the last bleaching stage can also be carried out by a reductive sodium formamidine sulfinic acid (FAS) for effective color reduction. If the production of DIP is connected to a paper mill the water introduced to the DIP process comes as so called white water from the paper mill. The DIP mills having two flotation units comprise normally two recycling water loops, which nowadays most often also comprise a microflotation unit for cleaning the waters to be recycled.
The conventional deinking process can also be such one that the repulping is carried out without hydrogen peroxide, but after the repulping of the wastepaper and the cleaning and screening section there is a disperger/kneader or soaking tower. The bleaching of the pulp is either carried out in the disperger or in the soaking tower, which is followed by only one flotation unit. This system is very much practiced when old newsprints or when old newsprint and magazines are deinked in order to produce pulp for newsprint production.
For every special application the DIP has a certain brightness target, but important parameters in the deinking is the residual ink content, speck count or area and yield. For the production efficiency as high yields as possible with target pulp properties is the goal in order to obtain good profitability. This means that as little as possible loss of fines and pigments and fillers present in the raw material waste paper, should occur. This is not always the case, when tissue is made, since the different tissues have specific low ash requirements. A part of this is achieved by selecting low ash containing waste papers such as low ash containing office paper as the raw material. Since the papers varies, the DIP process for tissue production, always comprise one or more washing stages, which will decrease the yield by removing fillers and pigments.
Also in deinking office papers, normally the so-called mixed office waste (MOW), which can contain at maximum 10-15% wood containing grades and other fiber materials such as different board materials, the low ash content is also an aim, since the mineral fillers and pigments can adversely affect the high brightness requirements and other pulp properties. Also, in deinking old news paper (ONP) and old magazine paper (OMP) raw materials for production of deinked pulp for production of SC and LWC paper, low ash content can also be the aim, since the ash can adversely affect strength properties.
A lot of different equipment, which have not been mentioned above can be used in the deinking processes.
Generally following chemicals are used in deinking:
Alkali is used in repulping in order to swell the fibers and thus to alleviate the detachment of ink from the fibers.
Sodium silicate (water glass) is used for buffering the system, for ink dispersion from the fibers, ink agglomeration, preventing ink redeposition and preventing decomposition of the used peroxide.
Hydrogen peroxide to counteract the darkening caused by alkali. Hydrogen peroxide is used also in a separate bleaching stage.
A flotation agent, i.e. a surfactant to collect the ink.
A foaming agent, if needed, to improve the function of the ink collector in the separation of foam.
Calcium ions to obtain collector properties, when fatty acids are used as ink collectors.
A chelating agent to prevent the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide by transition metal ions.
A biocide or an anticatalaze agent to inhibit the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide by catalaze enzyme.
The normal terms used, when making deinking performance studies are:
ERIC (Effective Residual Ink Concentration) in ppm.
Hyperwash, a special efficient washing, in which the loosely bound ink can be eliminated and the measurements done for the pulp describes the pure deinked pulp.
Dirt or speck count and area or image analysis depicting the contamination by residual ink etc.
Brightness or R 457 value.
Yield of the pulp based on the used amount of waste paper.
Problems associated with the use of sodium silicate and the current status of the technology.
As described earlier water glass is abundantly used in deinking of waste papers due to the many beneficial properties. Water glass causes also many problems, since it gives very easily deposits, especially in the presence of calcium in the fiber line and the carry-over of silicate with the water-containing pulp from the fiber line can cause runnability problems in the paper machine. Therefore it would be advantageous to replace the silicate, but this has not yet succeeded.
The surfactants used as ink collectors can be divided into the following classes:
Anionic surfactants including soaps, linear alkylbenzene sulphonates (LAS), fatty alcohol sulphates (FAS) and fatty alcohol ether sulphates (FEAS).
Cationic surfactants including quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC).
Ampholytic surfactants including ampholytic surfactants (AMPH).
Non-ionic surfactants including fatty alcohol ethoxylates (FAEO) and propoxylates (FAPO) and combinations thereof (FAEPO), nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEO), and other surfactants, such as alkoxylated polyesters, fatty acid ethoxylates and propoxylates, ethoxylated vegetable oils etc.
Soap is still the dominant surfactant at least when old newsprint (ONP) and old magazines (OMG) are deinked, but it requires calcium ions in order to function as ink collector, but the calcium soap has among other things the drawback of causing deposit problems and negatively affecting the sheet properties, when deinked pulp is used in paper making. All the other surfactants have also some drawbacks, but they are used in special applications, e.g. in deinking of mixed office waste (MOW), in tissue production etc and in some countries and combined with certain kind of equipment when the certain benefits can be obtained and the normal drawbacks, such as the reduced yield of fillers is not of importance.
The use of sodium salt poly-(α-hydroxyacrylic acid) (PHAS) and the corresponding polylactone in deinking of ONP and OMG mixture is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,099 (Solvay, 1976). The deinking has been carried out in the presence of a fatty acid at specific hardness and also in the presence of a foaming agent.
It is also set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,099 that the PHAS and the ink collector can totally be omitted and a polyacrylic acid can be used in instead of PHAS. The only properties, which have been measured, are brightness and hydrogen peroxide consumption, in addition to the pH. The deinking is a complex process and also other parameters such as the yield, the amount of residual ink and speck area should be measured in order to assess the performance of the deinking process. It can also be noticed that different deinking systems are specific for the used waste papers and sometimes also for inks used in printing the paper. In addition to the required pulp properties, the yield in a deinking process is a very important factor, since the yield will define a part of the cost efficiency of the process. When ONP based only on old newsprints is deinked, a yield of 90-95% can be obtained. When waste papers containing fillers and mineral pigments, i.e. OMG, are used together with ONP, an average yield of 85% is obtained, while making deinked pulp for tissue production from this kind of raw materials the yield can be as low as 50%. In deinking of wood free grades, the yield is not always very important, e.g. when the deinked pulp is used for making uncoated fine paper. One tries to guarantee good properties of the end product paper and therefore the filler and pigments content, measured as ash content should be relatively low. This means that the yield can be below 80%, depending on the original filler and pigment content of the used raw material waste paper.


The invention relates to a silicon-containing polyimide resin comprising (I) 0.1 to 100 mole % of structural units represented by the formula: ##STR1## where Ar.sup.1 is a tetra valent organic group having at least one aromatic ring, R independently represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group free of aliphatic unsaturated bonds, X is selected from an alkyleneoxyalkylene or an alkylene group having 2 or more carbon atoms, Y is an oxygen atom, an alkyleneoxyalkylene group, or an alkylene group having 2 or more carbon atoms, l, m, n are each integers having a value of 1 to 10, p is an integer having a value of 1 to 80, and a is 0 or 1; and (II) 99.9 to 0 mole % of structural units represented by the formula: ##STR2## where Ar.sup.2 is a tetravalent organic group having at least one aromatic ring, and Ar.sup.3 is a divalent organic group having at least one aromatic group.

Polyimide resin possesses excellent mechanical characteristics and heat-resistant properties and therefore it finds wide application as a molding, film-forming, and coating material. This resin, however, is unsatisfactory from the point of view of its molding, water-repellant properties, flexibility, and solubility. It was proposed to improve the aforementioned properties by copolymerizing it with polyorganosiloxane as a soft segment having amino groups on both molecular terminals (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Heisei 4-36321). It was impossible, however, to effectively improve the properties of the silicon-containing polyimide resin obtained by the aforementioned method. This is because the polyorganosiloxane as a part of the molecular skeletal structure of the silicon-containing polyimide resin has a limited degree of freedom. It was proposed to solve this problem by graft-polymerizing the polyorganosiloxane chain to the side chain of the silicon-containing polyimide resin (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Heisei 1-204931). However, even in this silicon-containing polyimide resin, the polyorganosiloxane chain did not have a sufficient degree of freedom.

Silicon-containing polyimide resin and silicon-containing polyamic acid


Described are techniques used for detection of inconsistent data structures. The state of a data structure is determined as “inconsistent” in accordance with a defined specification. In the event that a data structure is determined to be inconsistent, the data structure may be repaired. In the event that the repair fails in connection with a read or a write operation, the executing program may optionally take steps to allow the program to continue execution. In connection with a read operation, any value may be returned as a result of the read. In connection with a write operation, the data to be written is discarded such that no write of data is performed and program execution continues. The detection and repairs are determined in accordance with user specifications.

1. Technical Field
This application generally relates to computer systems, and more particularly to a computer program that executes in a computer system.
2. Description of Related Art
Computer systems may be used in performing a variety of different tasks and operations. As known in the art, a computer system may execute instructions to perform a task or operation. A program may include instructions which are loaded into memory and executed by a processor in the computer system. The program may be produced using any one or more known techniques. These techniques include, for example, using a computer programming language with other tools, such as a compiler and linker, or interpreter, and the like. The instructions of the program, when executed, may use data stored in data structures. During execution of the program, the data structures may become inconsistent for any one or more reasons. A data structure that is "inconsistent" may be characterized as a data structure including unexpected or invalid data with respect to a known or expected state of the data structure. It may be the case that when a data structure is inconsistent, the program may not be able to continue execution productively, if at all.
Thus, it may be desirable to provide techniques in connection with detecting inconsistent data structures in accordance with a known or expected state. Upon detection of an inconsistent data structure, it may be desirable to repair the data structure such that program execution may attempt to continue. It may also be desirable to include a technique for one or more specified operations to possibly allow a program to continue execution in the event that a previous repair was unsuccessful, or otherwise insufficient, to allow the program to continue proper execution.

Specification based detection and repair of errors in data structures


In one embodiment of the present invention, a reading device and a method for determining an identity code is disclosed arranged at a package for a product. At least one embodiment of the present invention is based on capacitive measurements performed in capacitors formed between antennas of the reading device and communication areas of the identity code. The reading device is provided with an antenna or activation element for decoupling or minimizing perturbation signals generated in an electrically conductive foil of the package.

The present invention relates to a device and a method for reading a code arranged e.g. at a package for a product, in particular for minimizing a perturbation signal induced in an electrically conductive layer in the vicinity of the code.
Identity codes comprising a set of (or a series of) code elements or symbols are commonly placed on product packages to provide information about the products contained in these packages. These identity codes can be used in e.g. supermarkets for keeping track of the products or in industry for "track-and-trace" purposes in packaging production lines. The identity code can be made of e.g. a series of parallel lines, a geometrical arrangement of dots or of concentric circles, and be comprised between a start and a stop marker. Each of the code elements usually represents one bit of information of the identity code. Using e.g. a series of lines, the width of each of the lines and the spacing between the lines can be varied to represent different bits of information of the identity code, often called bar code. The identity code can then be read and decoded to retrieve the information about the product, such as e.g. its name. In bar code systems using optical reading methods, such as laser scanning or linear imaging, the identity code is scanned or imaged, respectively, to read the information. Thus, such methods require line-ofsight, which implies that the identity code has to be placed at an exterior surface of the product package to allow scanning or imaging. However, identity codes based on visual identification are not desirable since they can easily be reproduced and thereby facilitate counterfeiting of products. Further, identity codes are preferably not located at the exterior surface of the product package because of esthetical issues and risks for damages that would result in loss of information.
An alternative technique to optical bar code systems is a technique based on capacitance measurements using capacitance coupled radiofrequency identity systems, called capacitance coupled RFID systems in the following. In this technique, the code is composed of a series of or a set of code elements where each code element typically is comprised of two electrically conductive plates, either connected to each other or not connected to each other. The reader typically has a series of, or a geometrical arrangement of, pairs of antennas corresponding to the arrangement of the code elements of the code on the package where one of the antennas of said pairs capacitively induces a communication signal into the code element, and where the other antenna receives an input signal induced in response to the communication signal, if the two plates of the code element are connected. In this case, a bit of information corresponding to a value of "1" is received. If the two plates are not connected to each other, no signal is induced in the receiver antenna and a bit of information corresponding to a value of "0" is received. As capacitive connection is used, the code can be placed inside the packaging material of a product and therefore be both hidden and protected from e.g. scratches. However, capacitance coupled RFID systems are not used in applications where electrically conductive foils are comprised in the package of the product since the reliability of the technique is considerably reduced, due to the addition of a disturbing signal to the input signals received by the reader because of the presence of the electrically conductive foils. This problem is usually solved by increasing the input signals induced in response to the communication signals, which can be achieved by employing larger antennas in the reader and larger code elements in the code.

Device and method for capacitive reading of a code


The present invention features a new lead wire for use with class F motors, coils and transformers. The new motor lead wire has the UL-required temperature rating of at least 150.degree. C. and a voltage rating of approximately 600 volts. The lead wire is characterized by a thinner and less costly insulative construction. The motor lead wire has a conductive core member that is overcoated with a primary insulation layer of polyolefin. The polyolefin layer is of a reduced thickness, generally below the standard 30 mils. The polyolefin insulation thickness can be reduced by half, to about 15 mils. This reduced insulation layer is then protected with a jacket of polyvinylidene fluoride or a polyvinylidene fluoride copolymer having an approximate maximum thickness of 0.005 inches. The primary insulation is cross-linked and stabilized with zinc salt of methylmercaptobenzimidazole and a hindered phenol oxidant.

Class F motor lead wires are manufactured to conform to UL specifications subject 758, such as Style 3289, which specifies a 600-volt rating and 150.degree. C. temperature rating. The cables are approved by UL for use as motor leads or internal wiring of appliances.
Present UL standard class F motor lead wires, having Average Wire Gauges (AWGs) 9 through 30, have an insulation wall thickness of 0.030 inches. Larger-sized wires require greater wall thicknesses, as shown below:
______________________________________ MINIMUM AVERAGE CONDUCTOR SIZE INSULATION THICKNESS (AWG) (MILS) ______________________________________ 30-9 30 8 45 7-2 60 1-0000 80 ______________________________________
The insulation used on these lead wires is generally a cross-linked polyolefin. The insulations are usually connected to the stator of the motor; they are subjected to a varnish bake process, which comprises a polyester or epoxy base. The insulations are usually coated with a releasing agent, such as Vydax (fluorotelomer dispersion), to protect them from the varnish. They can also be protected by either a fluorocarbon or silicone rubber sleeve.
One problem associated with the above wire construction is the failure to adequately protect the insulation from the varnish. Due to inadequate coating or sleeving, there is a resultant sticking of the varnish to the lead wire, which then often causes the lead wire to crack upon bending.
Another fabrication problem observed with the above-mentioned process is the possible migration of the antioxidant to the insulation surface. Migrating antioxidant prevents the hardening of the varnish during the bake cycle; hence, the uncured varnish will thereafter remain tacky.
The present invention has modified the above wire fabrication process to eliminate the two cited problems. The instant invention also provides a construction having a thinner and less costly insulation.


An ultrasonic vibration composite processing tool is disclosed wherein at least one small-sized processing member is arranged for carrying out processing of a processed material while applying vibration to the processed material, to thereby ensure stable operation of the processing tool to accomplish efficient processing of the processed material even when the processed material is large-sized. A processing structure and a vibration structure are arranged. The processing structure includes a rotatable base having a rotation axis and at least one processing member including a micro-cutting surface. The processing member is arranged on one surface of the base so as to be positioned in a circumferential direction of the base about the rotation axis of the base. The vibration structure functions to vibrate the processing member in directions of the processed material.

This invention relates to a processing tool for processing a material to be processed (hereinafter referred to as "processed material") represented by a hard and brittle material (hereinafter referred to as "brittle material") such as glass or ceramic, a metal material, or the like, and more particularly to an ultrasonic vibration composite processing tool for carrying out processing of a processed material by grinding, polishing, cutting or the like while applying vibration to the processed material during processing of the processed material.
In order to ensure satisfactory processing of a processed material such as a brittle material, a metal material or the like into a predetermined or desired size by infeed and permit a surface of the processed material which has been subject to processing to exhibit properties of a desired level, it is required to reduce processing force which is applied to the processed material during the processing, to thereby permit a processing member to exhibit a satisfactory processing performance, resulting in eliminating dressing as much as possible when the processing member is, for example, a grinding wheel.
In general, when a vibrator is used to apply vibration to a processing member, an increase in diameter of the processing member to a degree as large as, for example, 100 mm or more renders smooth processing substantially impossible. This causes advantages such as a reduction in processing force and the like obtained due to the vibrator to be lost.
A substrate such as a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display device, a glass substrate for a plasma display device, a glass substrate for a thermal head, a ceramic substrate for a hybrid IC or the like tends to be increased in size with the years. Unfortunately, a processing tool for uniformly processing a surface of the substrate at an increased speed has not been developed in the art.

Ultrasonic vibration composite processing tool


A method of controlling micromirrors of reset groups of a spatial light modulator (SLM) digital micromirror array is disclosed. In a first reset operation, the positions of a first subgroup of micromirrors of a reset group are set based on a first portion of a first bitplane and the positions of a second subgroup of micromirrors of the same reset group are set based on a first portion of a second bitplane. Then, in a second reset operation, the positions of the first subgroup are set based on a second portion of the second bitplane and the positions of the second subgroup are set based on a second portion of a first bitplane. In one example, subsets of alternating rows of micromirrors of the same reset group are successively set according to alternating data corresponding to different ones of first and second bitplanes.

This relates to pulse width modulation methods for image display systems, especially suitable for application to loading spatial light modulators with image data.
Many modern image display systems utilize spatial light modulators (SLMs). SLMs comprise arrays of individually addressable and controllable pixel elements that modulate light according to input data streams corresponding to image frame pixel data.
Digital micromirror devices (DMDs) are a type of SLM, and may be used for either direct-view or projection display applications. A DMD has an array of micromechanical pixel elements, each having a tiny mirror that is individually addressable by an electronic signal. Depending on the state of its addressing signal, each mirror element tilts so that it either does or does not reflect light to the image plane. Other SLMs operate on similar principles, with arrays of pixel elements that may emit or reflect light simultaneously with other pixel elements, such that a complete image is generated by sequences of addressing the pixel elements. Another example of an SLM is a liquid crystal display (LCD) which has individually driven pixel elements. Typically, displaying each frame of pixel data is accomplished by loading memory cells so that pixel elements can be simultaneously addressed.
In a typical SLM display system, pulse-width modulation (PWM) techniques are used to achieve intermediate levels of illumination, between white (ON) and black (OFF), corresponding to gray levels of intensity. A basic PWM scheme involves first determining a rate at which images are to be presented to a viewer. This establishes a frame rate and a corresponding frame period. For example, in a standard television system, images may be transmitted at 30 frames per second, and each frame lasts for approximately 33.3 milliseconds. Then, an intensity resolution for each pixel element is established. For example, to achieve an intensity resolution of n bits per frame, the frame time may be divided into 2n-1 equal time slices. Thus, for a 33.3 millisecond frame period and n-bit intensity values, each time slice has a duration of 33.3/2n-1 milliseconds.
Once the desired resolution (number of intensity bits per pixel per frame) and time slice duration (milliseconds per time slice) are determined, pixel intensities are quantized for each pixel of each frame with a least significant bit (LSB) corresponding to one time slice. For example, black having minimum intensity with illumination for zero time slices may be represented with all bits=0, and white having maximum intensity with illumination for all time slices (2n-1 time slices) may be represented with all bits=1. Each pixel's quantized intensity determines its on-time during a frame period. Thus, during a frame period, each pixel with a quantized value of more than 0 is ON for the number of time slices that correspond to its intensity. The viewer's eye integrates the pixel brightness so that the image appears the same as if it were generated with analog levels of light.
For addressing SLMs, PWM calls for the data to be formatted into "bit-planes," each bit-plane corresponding to a bit weight of the intensity value. Thus, if intensity is represented by an n-bit value, each frame of data has n bit-planes. Each bit-plane has a 0 or 1 value for each pixel element. In the basic PWM scheme described above, during a frame, each of the n bit-planes is separately loaded and the pixel elements addressed according to their respective associated bit-plane values. For instance, in a simple example, the bit-plane representing the LSBs of each pixel is displayed for 1 time slice, whereas the bit-plane representing the MSBs (most significant bits) may be displayed for 2n/2 time slices. Because a time slice is only 33.3/255 milliseconds long, the SLM must be capable of loading the LSB bit-plane within that time period. The time for loading the LSB bit-plane is the peak data rate.
A high peak data rate puts high throughput demands on the design of SLMs. To minimize the peak data rate, modifications to the above-described loading scheme have been devised. These loading schemes are acceptable only to the extent that they minimize visual artifacts in the displayed image.
One such modification uses an SLM whose pixel elements are grouped into reset groups that are separately loaded and addressed. This reduces the amount of data to be loaded during any one time, and permits the LSB data for each reset group to be displayed at a different time during the frame period. This configuration is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,301, incorporated herein by reference.
Another method of PWM of frames of data used by a spatial light modulator having individually addressable pixel elements is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,172, incorporated herein by reference. In that approach, the display period for each frame of data is divided into a number of time slices. Each frame of data is formatted into bit-planes, with each bit-plane having one bit of data for each pixel element and representing a bit-weight of the intensity value to be displayed by that pixel element. Each bit-plane has a display time corresponding to a number of time slices. The bit-planes are then sub-formatted into reset groups, each reset group having data for a group of pixel elements to be addressed at a different time from other pixel elements. The display times of reset groups from bit-planes of one or more of the more significant bit weights are segmented into two or more segments, which permits those display times to be distributed throughout the frame period. The loading of memory cells associated with the pixel elements is then performed in three phases. First, front-frame loading loads about half of the segments, such that, for all reset groups, segments having the same bit weight are loaded at substantially the same time. Then, mid-frame loading loads the reset groups of bit-planes of one or more of the less significant bits. Finally, end-frame loading loads the remaining segments, such that for all reset groups, segments having the same bit-weight are loaded at substantially the same time. This approach provides the advantage that it successfully implements data loading for split reset configurations. It provides good picture quality, both when the image is in motion and when it is still, by combining features of different data loading methods. The method does not require increased bandwidth or result in lower light efficiency, as compared to other split reset addressing methods.
An inherent problem with displays using Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) usually involves a tradeoff between brightness, color separation, PWM power consumption, and PWM temporal artifacts. Optimizing one of these parameters typically results in degradation in performance of the others.
It is well known that the power consumption attributed to the PWM sequence is linearly proportional to the number of bit splits in the sequence. For battery powered systems (e.g. handheld pico projectors), reducing the PWM power consumption can lead to longer "run" times between charges by decreasing the number of bit splits in the PWM sequences. This, however, introduces visible PWM artifacts using present day display methods.
Likewise, when the display time for a color is small relative to the system's load time, the likelihood of image quality artifacts is greatly increased. Such artifacts become easier to see with each successive generation of products as brightness improves.
Additionally, due to the processor-to-DMD bandwidth limitations of some systems, the amount of PWM bit splitting is limited by the hardware due to the excessive time it takes to load the DMD. For such systems (e.g. a pico projector embedded in a cell phone) a new technique must be found that addresses the poor PWM image quality resulting from reduced bit spitting.
All of the PWM temporal artifacts mentioned above are the result of large time separations between PWM bit planes. Decreasing the time separation between PWM bit planes of the same color leads to better PWM performance.
Additional background is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,115,083 and 6,201,521, the entireties of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Spatial and temporal pulse width modulation method for image display