A color conversion type organic EL display can comprise an organic EL substrate that includes a substrate, a lower reflective electrode, a bank, and an organic EL layer sandwiched between the lower reflective electrode and an upper transparent electrode. The color conversion type organic EL display can further comprise a color filter substrate in which a black matrix and a color filter are formed in a pattern on a transparent substrate by a photo process, and which has a pixel region separated by the black matrix. The organic EL substrate and the color filter substrate can be bonded together and positioned such that the pixel region of the EL substrate and the pixel region of the color filter substrate are opposed.

In recent years, active research aimed at commercialization of organic EL devices has been conducted. Organic EL devices can achieve high current densities at low voltages, and so are expected to make possible high emission brightnesses and high emission efficiencies, and in particular, the commercialization of organic multicolor EL displays capable of high-definition multicolor or full-color display is expected. One example of methods to achieve multicolor or full-color display of organic EL displays is a method in which a plurality of types of color filters which transmit light in specific wavelength regions (color filter method) are used. When applying the color filter method, the organic EL device used is required to emit, as multicolored light, so-called "white light", which contains light in three primary colors (red (R), green (G), and blue (B)) in a good balance.
In order to obtain a multicolor-emission organic EL device, the following, and similar, are being studied:
(a) methods of using an emission layer containing a plurality of light-emitting dyes, and simultaneously exciting the plurality of emitting dyes (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 2991450 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-243563);
(b) methods of using an emission layer containing a host emission material and a guest emission material, exciting the host emission material and causing emission, and simultaneously moving energy to the guest material, causing the guest material to emit light (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,823, Specification);
(c) methods of using a plurality of emission layers containing different emitting dyes, and exciting the emitting dyes in the respective layers; and
(d) methods of using an emission layer containing an emitting dye and a carrier transport layer adjacent to the emission layer and containing an emissive dopant, and from the excitons generated by carrier recombination in the emission layer, a portion of the excitation energy is moved to the emissive dopant, and the emissive dopant is caused to emit light (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-93583 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-86380).
However, the above-described multicolor-emission organic EL devices rely on either simultaneous excitation of a plurality of types of emissive materials, or on movement of energy between a plurality of types of emissive materials. It has been reported that in such devices, the balance of emission intensities among emissive materials changes with the passage of time during driving or with the current passed, and that there are concerns that the hues obtained may change.
As other methods of obtaining a multicolor-emission organic EL device, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-75643, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-217859 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-230172 propose color conversion methods in which a monochromatic-emission organic EL device and a color conversion film are used. The color conversion film used is a layer containing one, or a plurality of color conversion materials which absorb short-wavelength light and convert the light to longer wavelengths. As methods of formation of color conversion films, application of an application liquid in which color conversion material is dispersed in a resin, and use of dry processes such as evaporation deposition or sputtering to deposit color conversion materials, are being studied.
However, as the concentration of the color conversion material in a color conversion film rises, a phenomenon called concentration quenching occurs, in which the absorbed energy repeatedly moves between the same molecules without resulting in emission, and deactivation occurs. In order to suppress this phenomenon, the color conversion material is dissolved or dispersed in some medium to lower the concentration, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-230172 and elsewhere.
Here, if the concentration of the color conversion material is lowered, the absorbance of the light to be absorbed is reduced, and adequate converted light intensity cannot be obtained. To address this problem, the color conversion film is made thick, the absorbance is increased, and color conversion efficiency is maintained. When using such a thick color conversion film (film thickness approximately 10 μm), such problems as disconnection of electrode patterns at step portions, difficulty in increasing definition, and residual water or solvent in the film (when combined with an organic EL device, residual water or solvent causes alteration of the organic EL layer, resulting in display faults) exist. On the other hand, from the standpoint of reducing viewing angle dependence, there is also a conflicting demand for a thinner color conversion film.
In order to provide a color conversion film which can maintain adequate converted light intensity, use of a method of evaporation deposition of a host-guest system color conversion film having a film thickness of 2 μm or less is being studied in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2007-157550. However, when forming a color conversion film using an evaporation deposition method, if the film is formed over the entirety of the display face, division into three primary colors to cause emission is not possible, and so some means for forming a fine pattern corresponding to specific pixels becomes necessary.
At present, as a method of forming a pattern in a thin film of evaporation-deposited material, methods of selective application using a metal mask have long been used. However, due to limits on the mask material and thickness, the fineness of the pattern of the metal mask used has a limit of a definition level of 150 ppi. Application of selective application methods using metal masks to patterns with definitions higher than this entail such problems as increased difficulty, extreme difficulty when increasing the area, and reduced yields.
As a method of patterning a thick-film color conversion layer, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-32021 studies a method in which a relief pattern is formed on a supporting substrate, color conversion material is applied to the relief pattern portion, causing the depressed portions to be buried by the color conversion material, and then the color conversion layer is polished to planarize the surface and perform patterning. However, in the above method, there are the problems that the efficiency of material utilization of expensive color conversion material is poor, and moreover that the color conversion performance is degraded by direct polishing of the color conversion layer.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-353594 proposes a method in which barrier walls are formed in the vicinity of pixels on a substrate, and an inkjet method is used to selectively apply phosphor material between barrier walls to perform patterning. When performing patterning of a color conversion film using this method, because a dilute solution of color conversion material is used in the inkjet method, the need arises to make the height of the barrier walls approximately 10 times higher than the film thickness required for the color conversion material, in order to prevent flowing into adjacent pixels during dispensing. As a consequence, even in cases when (a) bonding with a separately manufactured organic EL device substrate, or (b) a planarization layer is provided on the color conversion layer, and an organic EL device is formed thereupon, a gap occurs between the color conversion layer and the organic EL device equal to the height of the barrier walls and the film thickness of the planarization layer. This gap causes the problems of crosstalk phenomena in which light from the EL device leaks into adjacent pixels, and of the phenomenon of losses due to inadequate incidence of light from the EL device onto the color conversion layer.
Recently, as means for resolving these problems, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-32010 has proposed an organic EL display structure in which a color filter and color conversion layer are formed, directly on the upper transparent electrode of a top-emission structure organic EL device in which an organic emission layer is sandwiched between a cathode and an anode on a substrate, and light with three primary colors is emitted. This method has advantages for increasing definition, but because low-molecular-weight organic EL material is presented as an example of the emission layer, the annealing temperature during formation of the color filter and color conversion layer is limited to 100° C. or lower. Consequently it is difficult to adequately remove from the color filter and color conversion layer the moisture and solvents which exert the most adverse effects on the organic EL material, and these can easily be imagined to critically degrade the device lifetime.

Color conversion type organic EL display


In a distortion compensating amplifier that compensates for distortion occurring in main amplifiers, a first amplifying unit amplifies, with a first main amplifier, a first signal consisting of a main signal to be amplified and detects distortion occurring in the first main amplifier, a distortion adjusting unit subjects the distortion detected by the first amplifying unit to vector adjustment, a second amplifying unit combines a second signal consisting of the main signal to be amplified and the distortion supplied from the distortion adjusting unit and amplifies a combined signal with a second main amplifier, and a combining unit combines an amplified signal supplied from the first amplifying unit and an amplified signal supplied from the second amplifying unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a distortion compensating amplifier that compensates for distortion occurring in an amplifier that amplifies a signal, and, more particularly to a highly efficient distortion compensating amplifier that realizes highly accurate distortion compensation.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, in a base station apparatus and a relay station apparatus for mobile communication, a multi-carrier signal including a large number of carrier waves, which are properly modulated at predetermined frequency intervals, respectively, is transmitted by radio after being subjected to high-frequency amplification. When linearity of an amplifier used for the high-frequency amplification is not sufficiently high, various kinds of distortion such as intermodulation distortion occur. This distortion hinders realization of normal and high-quality communication. Therefore, an amplifier used for amplification of a multi-carrier signal is required to have high linearity over an entire frequency band to which the multi-carrier signal belongs.
As one method of realizing an ultra-low distortion amplifier suitable for amplification of a multi-carrier signal, there is a feed forward (FF) amplification system.
For example, a signal path extending from a signal input terminal to a signal output terminal through a main amplifier, that is, a signal path for transmitting a signal that should be amplified and an amplified signal, is called a main line. In the FF amplification system, a distortion detection loop for connecting a signal branching from a certain point at a post-stage behind the main amplifier on the main line and a signal branching from a certain point in a pre-stage before the main amplifier on the main line is provided. If electrical lengths of signal paths through which both the signals are transmitted are equal to each other and both the signals have opposite phases at the same amplitude, it is possible to extract a signal equivalent to distortion occurring in the main amplifier and peripheral circuits thereof by canceling carrier wave components according to an operation of the signal combination.
In the FF amplification system, a distortion compensation loop is further provided to recombine the signal extracted in the distortion detection loop, that is, the signal equivalent to distortion, with the signal on the main line. When a signal delay in the distortion compensation loop is compensated on the main line and adjustment of an amplitude or a phase is performed in the distortion compensation loop or the main line such that distortion components included in the signal on the main line and a signal obtained from the distortion compensation loop have opposite phases at the same amplitude, it is possible to compensate for the distortion occurring in the main amplifier according to an operation of the signal recombination.
FIG. 5 is a diagram of an example of a circuit configuration of a feed forward amplifier (FF amplifier).
In the FF amplifier in this example, a distortion detection loop L1 and a distortion compensation loop L2 are formed using three hybrids 61, 66, and 71. In FIG. 5, a signal path extending from a signal input terminal IN to a signal output terminal OUT through a main amplifier 64 and a coaxial delay line 67 is a main line. A signal path extending from the input terminal IN to an output terminal of the hybrid 66 through a coaxial delay line 65 is the distortion detection loop L1. A signal path extending from the output terminal of the hybrid 66 to an output terminal of the hybrid 71 through an auxiliary amplifier 70 is the distortion compensation loop L2. Dummy loads 81 and 82 have impedances equal to a characteristic impedance of the line and are used for a trailing end of a terminal of the hybrid 61 and a trailing end of a terminal of the hybrid 71, respectively. The main amplifier 64 and the auxiliary amplifier 70 are constituted by combining, for example, plural amplification elements 91a to 91d and plural amplification elements 92a to 92d, respectively.
When, for example, a multi-carrier signal is applied to the signal input terminal IN as a signal, this signal is inputted to a variable attenuator 62 and a variable phase-shifter 63 via the hybrid 61. The signal is subjected to adjustment of an amplitude and a phase by the variable attenuator 62 and the variable phase-shifter 63 and amplified by the main amplifier 64. The signal amplified by the main amplifier 64 is inputted to the hybrid 66 and, at the same time, inputted to the hybrid 71 via the coaxial delay line 67. The signal is outputted to a circuit at a post-stage from the hybrid 71 via the signal output terminal OUT. The coaxial delay line 67 is a delay line for compensating for a signal delay occurring in, in particular, the auxiliary amplifier 70 that is a circuit constituting the distortion compensation loop L2.
A signal inputted from the signal input terminal IN is divided into two signals by the hybrid 61. The two divided signals are the same in terms of a frequency configuration of components. Whereas the divided signal supplied to the main line side is amplified by the main amplifier 64, the divided signal supplied to the distortion detection loop L1 side is supplied to the hybrid 66 from the hybrid 61 via the coaxial delay line 65 while generally keeping an amplitude thereof. The coaxial delay line 65 is a delay line for compensating for a signal delay occurring in, in particular, the main amplifier 64 that is a circuit on the main line side. The signal supplied to the hybrid 66 via the coaxial delay line 65 is combined with a signal including distortion components by the hybrid 66.
The hybrid 66 divides the signal including the distortion components outputted from the main amplifier 64 into two signals. The two divided signals are the same in terms of a frequency configuration of components. One divided signal is supplied to the main line side and the other divided signal is supplied to the distortion compensation loop L2 side. In supplying the other divided signal to the distortion compensation loop L2, the hybrid 66 combines this signal and the signal supplied through the coaxial delay line 65 to thereby extract the distortion components from this signal while canceling carrier wave components in this signal.
A signal obtained as a result of this combination is supplied from the hybrid 66 to the variable attenuator 68, the variable phase-shifter 69, and the auxiliary amplifier 70 constituting the distortion compensation loop L2. The signal is subjected to adjustment of an amplitude and a phase by the variable attenuator 68 and the variable phase-shifter 69, amplified by the auxiliary amplifier 70, and inputted to the hybrid 71. The signal inputted to the hybrid 71 is combined with the signal supplied through the coaxial delay line 67 in the hybrid 71. Consequently, the distortion is canceled and an amplified signal after distortion compensation is outputted from the signal output terminal OUT.
In order to cancel the carrier wave components and extract the distortion occurring in the main amplifier 64 and the like by combining the divided signal of the output signal supplied from the main amplifier 64 and the signal supplied through the coaxial delay line 65, a predetermined number of carrier wave components included in the divided signal of the output signal supplied from the main amplifier 64 and the same number of carrier wave components included in the signal supplied through the coaxial delay line 65 are required to have the same timing, the same amplitude, and opposite phases at the point of the combination in the hybrid 66. The coaxial delay line 65 is means that sets carrier wave components at the same timing.
As another example, there is a cross-cancel system that is a distortion compensation system higher in efficiency than the FF amplification system. Briefly, the cross-cancel system is a system in which the main amplifier 64 of the FF amplification system shown in FIG. 5 is divided into two amplifiers to combine main signals and cancel only distortion components. Compared with the FF amplification system shown in FIG. 5, since the auxiliary amplifier 70 for amplifying distortion components is unnecessary, the cross-cancel system has higher efficiency.
An example of a circuit configuration of an amplifier of the cross-cancel system is shown in FIG. 6A.
The cross-cancel system is different from the FF amplification system shown in FIG. 5 mainly in that the main amplifier 64 is divided into two amplifiers and used as a first main amplifier 104 and a second main amplifier 110 instead of the main amplifier 64 and the auxiliary amplifier 70. The auxiliary amplifier 70 used in the FF amplification system is not used. The cross-cancel system is also different from the FF amplification system in that a 3 dB coupler or a combiner is used as a hybrid 111. The main amplifiers 104 and 110 are constituted by combining, for example, plural amplification elements 131a to 131c and plural amplification elements 132a to 132c, respectively.
In the amplifier of the cross-cancel system in this example, the distortion detection loop L1 and the distortion compensation loop L2 are formed using three hybrids 101, 106, and 111. In FIG. 6A, a signal path extending from the signal input terminal IN to the signal output terminal OUT through the first main amplifier 104 and a coaxial delay line 107 is a main line. A signal path extending from the signal input terminal IN to an output terminal of the hybrid 106 through a coaxial delay line 105 is the distortion detection loop L1. A signal path extending from the output terminal of the hybrid 106 to an output terminal of the hybrid 111 through the second main amplifier 110 is the distortion compensation loop L2. Dummy loads 121 and 122 have impedances equal to a characteristic impedance of the line and are used for a trailing end of a terminal of the hybrid 101 and a trailing end of a terminal of the hybrid 111, respectively.
An example of an operation in the cross-cancel system is described below.
When, for example, a multi-carrier signal is applied to the signal input terminal IN as a signal, this signal is inputted to a variable attenuator 102 and a variable phase-shifter 103 via the hybrid 101, subjected to adjustment of an amplitude and a phase by the variable attenuator 102 and the variable phase-shifter 103, and amplified by the first main amplifier 104. The signal amplified by the first main amplifier 104 is inputted to the hybrid 111 via the hybrid 106 and the coaxial delay line 107. A signal on the main line generated at this point is set as A (in this explanation, representing a vector) and distortion components at this point are set as B (in this explanation, representing a vector). The coaxial delay line 107 is a delay line for compensating for a signal delay occurring in, in particular, the second main amplifier 110 that is a circuit constituting the distortion compensation loop L2.
A signal inputted from the signal input terminal IN is divided into two signals by the hybrid 101. The two divided signals are the same in terms of a frequency configuration of components. Whereas the divided signal supplied to the main line side is amplified by the first main amplifier 104, the divided signal supplied to the distortion detection loop L1 side is supplied from the hybrid 101 to the hybrid 106 via the coaxial delay line 105 while generally keeping an amplitude thereof. The coaxial delay line 105 is a delay line for compensating for a signal delay occurring in, in particular, the first main amplifier 104 that is a circuit on the main line side. The signal supplied to the hybrid 106 via the coaxial delay line 105 is combined with a signal including distortion components by the hybrid 106.
The hybrid 106 divides a signal including distortion components outputted from the first main amplifier 104 into two signals. The two divided signals are the same in terms of a frequency configuration of components. One divided signal is supplied to the main line side and the other divided signal is supplied to the distortion compensation loop L2 side. In supplying the other divided signal to the distortion compensation loop L2, the hybrid 106 combines this signal and a signal supplied through the coaxial delay line 105 to thereby cancel carrier wave components in this signal and extract the distortion components from this signal.
A signal obtained as a result of this combination is supplied from the hybrid 106 to the variable attenuator 108, the variable phase-shifter 109, and the second main amplifier 110 constituting the distortion compensation loop L2. The signal is subjected to adjustment of an amplitude and a phase by the variable attenuator 108 and the variable phase-shifter 109, amplified by the second main amplifier 110, and inputted to the hybrid 111. A signal on the main line at this point is set as C (in this explanation, representing a vector) and distortion components at this point are set as D (in this explanation, representing a vector).
Since the first main amplifier 104 and the second main amplifier 110 are the same amplifiers, amplitudes of the main signal and the distortion components are fine-tuned by the variable attenuator 108 to be the same.
An example (i) of spectra of a signal after being amplified by the first main amplifier 104, an example (ii) of spectra of a signal after being amplified by the second main amplifier 110, and an example (iii) of spectra of a signal after being combined by a coupler serving as the hybrid 111 are shown in FIG. 6A.
In the examples, |A vector| is equal to |C vector|. The vectors are amplitude components of the main signal. |B vector| is equal to |D vector|. The vectors are amplitude components of the distortion components.
A phase of the A vector is set as θ1, a phase of the B vector is set as θ2, a phase of the C vector is set as θ3, and a phase of the D vector is set as θ4.
In this example, phases of respective main signal components are adjusted to the same phase to combine the main signal components. In other words, θ1 and θ3 are set to be equal.
In this example, phases of the distortion components are adjusted to opposite phases to cancel the distortion components. In other words, for example, θ2 is set equal to θ4—180 degrees.
An example of a state of combination of distortion components is shown in FIG. 6B.
JP-A-2004-15506 is a patent document describing the technique described above.
In the past, for example, distortion compensation by the cross-cancel system higher in efficiency than the FF amplification system has been examined as described above. However, in the conventional cross-cancel system, it is impossible to control a signal and distortion components on the main line separately. Thus, it is extremely difficult to sets main signal components in the same phase and set the distortion components in opposite phases.


Technologies are generally described for transmitting a handwritten input. In some examples, a method performed under control of a handwriting device may include receiving a handwritten input including a first part including a text message, recognizing the text message, identifying a user of the handwritten input, determining an emotion attribute of the identified user based on the handwritten input, determining a font information regarding a font of the first part based on the emotion attribute, generating a data file including the text message and the font information and transmitting the data file to a receiving device.

As touch-based electronic devices are being more widely used, interest in creating, storing and transmitting handwritten notes is increasing. When transmitting a handwritten note, the handwritten note may be stored on one device as an image file that includes a sizeable amount of data, from which the image file may be transmitted to another device. In such cases, the handwritten note can be transmitted, though transmission thereof may require significant bandwidth. A receiving party may recognize an author of the handwritten note and even the emotional state of the author just from the handwritten note. In other cases, a text message may be extracted from a handwritten note and may be further stored as a text file on a device, which is of a much small data size (i.e., as a plain text), from which the text file may be transmitted to another device. In these cases, bandwidth requirements for such a file transmission may be relatively smaller, but the receiving party receives a plain text only.


A rotary tool includes a motor having an output shaft, the output shaft defining an axis of rotation. The motor is configured to rotate the output shaft in a first direction about the axis of rotation. An accessory tool retention mechanism is attached to a distal end portion of the output shaft and configured to releasably retain an accessory tool in alignment with the axis of rotation. A fan mechanism includes a plurality of fan blades attached to the accessory tool retention mechanism and extending radially outwardly therefrom. The plurality of fan blades are configured to move air forwardly in a direction that is generally parallel to the axis of rotation as the accessory tool retention mechanism is rotated in the first direction by the output shaft.

In general, rotary power tools are light-weight, handheld power tools capable of being equipped with a variety of accessory tools and attachments, such as cutting blades, sanding discs, grinding tools, and many others. These types of tools typically include a generally cylindrically-shaped main body that serves as an enclosure for an electric motor as well as a hand grip for the tool. The electric motor drives an output shaft to rotate at high speeds. The output shaft is equipped with an accessory attachment system that enables various accessory tools to be releasably secured to the power tool. As the output shaft is rotated, an accessory tool attached to the tool holder is driven to perform a particular function, such as sanding, grinding, or cutting, depending on the configuration of the accessory tool.
While using rotary tools, it is common for dust and debris to gather at the contact point between the accessory tool and the work surface. This gathering of dust can adversely impact the visibility of the work area and make it difficult to perform certain tasks, such as following an outline on the work surface, that require accuracy and/or precise positioning of the tool in relation to the work surface. In many cases, the user has to stop using the rotary tool to remove dust from the area with a vacuum or bare hand in order to maintain adequate visibility of the work surface. Dust can also gather on the hands of the user of the rotary tool during use and be transferred to other areas and surfaces, thus increasing the area and amount of cleanup required.
What is needed is a device incorporated into the rotary tool that can eliminate dust from the area surrounding the contact point between the tool accessory and the work piece while not impeding tool performance, visibility of working area, usage of tool, and post job cleanliness of working area and that does not significantly increase the cost and complexity of the rotary tool.


Personalizing machine translation via online adaptation is described herein. According to some embodiments, methods for providing personalized machine translations may include receiving translator feedback regarding machine translations generated by a machine translation system for a translator, determining translator feedback that improves translations generated by the machine translation system, and incorporating the determined translator feedback into the translation methodology of the machine translation system to personalize the translation methodology.

The quality of translations produced by machine translation systems often depends upon the quality of the translation methodologies utilized by the machine translation systems. Commonly utilized translation methodologies may comprise language models, translation memories, parallel corpora, translation dictionaries, phrase tables, and so forth. Additionally, translations produced by machine translation systems may be improved by adding new information to the translation methodologies utilized by the machine translation systems. The present technology contemplates utilizing translator feedback regarding machine translations to improve and/or personalize the translations produced by these machine translation systems.

Personalized machine translation via online adaptation


The sidecar/stroller (200) includes a first wheel support assembly (222) which is movable between two positions. When the wheel support assembly (222) is in its first position, the apparatus is usable as a sidecar for bicycles, with upper and lower connections extending between the bicycle and the sidecar/stroller (200). When the wheel support assembly (222) is in its second position, forward of its first position, a rear wheel assembly (278) is secured to the sidecar/stroller and the apparatus is then useful as a stroller.

There has historically existed a desire as well as a need for sidecar-type vehicles for use with, for instance, motorcycles and bicycles. Such sidecar vehicles, which are used primarily to carry passengers, are known in a variety of configurations and in varying complexity. Sidecar vehicles particularly adapted for use with bicycles are of increasing interest, due to the emphasis on bicycle riding in general, particularly for fitness purposes, and the accompanying need to conveniently accommodate children who are not large enough or otherwise capable of riding their own bicycle.
While the traditional child bicycle seat, mounted over the rear tire of the bicycle, to some extent satisfies this need, such an arrangement does place the child out of view of the user of the bicycle and sometimes creates problems with the balance of the bicycle, particularly with larger children. The rear bicycle seat may also be more dangerous than a sidecar arrangement. However, sidecars for bicycles have not been heretofore particularly favored, since they are often cumbersome to operate with the bicycle, and do not accurately follow the movement of the bicycle, particularly as the bicycle leans in one direction or the other.


The invention relates to end user controlled handling of personal data on e.g. the Internet. Web services are offered in a controlled manner from a service broker (250) provided with appropriate security mechanisms. The broker contains end user controlled policies related to personal data/services, while the actual data is arranged at different locations in the network. Web service information is published in an open registry (256) at the broker. When an application provider (220) finds a desired service in the registry, its service request is guided to the appropriate service broker. The broker returns the policy for the requested service, whereafter the service provider (240) can be contacted, preferably through an encapsulated SOAP message. A preferred embodiment performs common sign on authentication when a new application is contacted.

Web service technologies have recently attracted an explosive interest and are sometimes said to be revolutionizing the Internet. A web service is basically a network accessible interface to application functionality implemented through standard Internet technologies. By means of web services, one piece of software can access objects and methods from another piece of software irrespective of long distances and intermediate firewalls, enabling distributed software systems.
Most web services are packaged in a format based on the Extensible Markup Language (XML) and therefore sometimes referred to as XML web services. A very common protocol for implementing web services is the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), which is built on XML and typically carried by the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).
It is plain to see that web services hold the potential to increase the availability of data and services on the Internet, which is not only very advantageous for application developers and data service providers but would eventually also imply that better application services are offered to end users. However, using HTTP, XML and SOAP allows anyone to access a service that has been published as a web service. This might be fine for some content providers like search engines for instance, but typically a straight "line" to the actual data source is not desirable. In particular, person-related data, such as the content of a positioning system, a customer database or a mobile commerce platform, must not be handed out without proper checks.
There are many shortcomings of conventional XML web services, in particular related to security, privacy and transaction processing. (See e.g. [1] for a more elaborate discussion on the shortcomings of web services.) Control of who is allowed to use a particular service, in what way the service may be used, etc, are some of the issues that need to be taken care of for web services to become widely spread in the future.
To be able to exploit the advantages of web services without compromising the end user integrity would thus be very desirable. This object is addressed in several prior-art solutions, such as standard encryption tools, Private Key Infrastructure (PKI) with signatures and certificates, etc. These conventional techniques all focus on a situation where the interacting parties know each other, which in particular for a (mobile) Internet approach is less suitable. The rapidly growing market for web services requires support of "mass partnering", which implies that new approaches are needed.
Another drawback of conventional web service solutions is that while addressing one or a few aspects of web service security, e.g. encryption or signing, they fail to offer a comprehensive approach considering aspects like dynamic routing, exchanging digital user identities or enforcing privacy policies. Yet another problem associated with security solutions for web services is that they typically require special adaptations at both ends and therefore are rather complicated to implement. Moreover, security measures in the prior art are comparatively cumbersome and time demanding.
Accordingly, the security mechanisms of conventional telecommunication systems are far from satisfactory and there is a considerable need for an improved procedure for handling personal data on the Internet.


One object of the present invention is to perform compartmental analysis of the dynamics of a tracer in the brain, and the present invention provides a compartmental analysis system including a measurement apparatus that measures the strength of an electromagnetic wave from a tracer and a compartmental analyzer that performs compartmental analysis of the dynamics of the tracer in the brain on the basis of the strength of the electromagnetic wave, wherein the compartmental analyzer includes a rate constant calculation unit that calculates a rate constant when the tracer moves between compartments on the basis of the strength of an electromagnetic wave in a first compartment corresponding to the cerebral blood vessel in the brain or an input function in the first compartment, the strength of an electromagnetic wave in a second compartment corresponding to the brain tissue in the brain, and the strength of an electromagnetic wave in a third compartment corresponding to the cerebral sulcus or cerebral ventricle in the brain.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compartmental analysis system, a compartmental analysis method, a compartmental analyzer, a program, and a recording medium. In particular, the present invention relates to a compartmental analysis system that performs compartmental analysis of the dynamics of a tracer in the brain, a compartmental analysis method and a compartmental analyzer that perform compartmental analysis of the dynamics of a tracer in the brain on the basis of the strength of an electromagnetic wave from a tracer in the brain measured by a measurement apparatus, a program causing a computer to function as the compartmental analyzer, and a recording medium on which the program is recorded.
2. Description of Related Art
Diseases, such as cerebrovascular disorder or dementia, may be evaluated using cerebral blood flow as an index. As a method of analyzing the cerebral blood flow, a method of performing compartmental analysis of the dynamics of cerebral blood flow exuded from cerebral blood vessels is known (for example, refer to Michio Senda, "The 20th influx and distribution volume", [online], December 2009, nuclear medicine document information seminar, [accessed on Oct. 6, 2011], the Internet, <URL:http://www.asca-co.com/nuclear/2009/12/post-22.html> and Michio Senda, "The 24th imaging of cerebral blood flow and metabolism", [online], April 2010, nuclear medicine document information seminar, [accessed on Oct. 6, 2011], the Internet, <URL:http://www.asca-co.com/nuclear/2010/04/post-26.html>). More specifically, the dynamics of cerebral blood flow is measured by positron emission tomography using a radioactive chemical as a tracer, for example. In addition, the dynamics of cerebral blood flow is analyzed by a two-compartment model formed by two compartments of cerebral blood vessels and brain tissue. In the analysis using the two-compartment model, it is assumed that all arterial blood arriving at a section of the brain moves to the brain tissue.
In the method of analyzing the dynamics of cerebral blood flow using the two-compartment model, a detailed anatomical stereoscopic image of the patient's brain, that is, a morphological image, is generally captured by an X-ray CT (Computed Tomography) apparatus. In addition, each region of the cerebral blood vessels and brain tissue in which the dynamics of cerebral blood flow needs to be analyzed is determined with reference to the image captured by the X-ray CT apparatus. Then, a functional image of the brain is captured by injecting a radioactive chemical as a tracer into the patient. Then, a temporal change in the amount of radiation in each region of the cerebral blood vessels and brain tissue is measured. In addition, a rate constant K1 when the tracer moves from the cerebral blood vessel to the brain tissue and a rate constant K2 when the tracer moves from the brain tissue to the cerebral blood vessel are calculated on the basis of the measured amount of radiation. In addition, the calculated rate constants K1 and K2 are used to calculate the cerebral blood flow (which means the amount of radioactive tracer that flows from the blood vessel and reaches the brain cell tissue).
The rate constants K1 and K2 calculated by the analysis using the two-compartment model are useful parameters to analyze the dynamics of cerebral blood flow in the brain. Here, the dynamics of cerebral blood flow in the brain is associated with the dynamics of cerebrospinal fluid in the cerebral sulcus or cerebral ventricle. However, the analysis using the two-compartment model described above focuses on only the dynamics of a tracer between cerebral blood vessels and brain tissue. Therefore, it is difficult for very useful parameters to analyze the dynamics of cerebral blood flow in the brain to be calculated.

Compartmental analsys system, compartmental analysis method, compartment analyzer, program, and recording medium


A hollow fiber for use in production of hydrogen gas. The hollow fiber contains a porous support layer having an outer surface and an inner surface, a catalyst layer coated on the outer surface, and a selection layer coated on the inner surface. Also disclosed is a method of preparing such a hollow fiber.

Catalytic membrane reactors are useful for producing hydrogen gas, a green energy source.
A conventional membrane reactor typically contains a catalyst bed, either packed inside the tubular support of the reactor or arranged outside the tubular support, and a palladium or palladium-alloy membrane coated on the outer surface of the tubular support. The membrane reactor converts hydrocarbons to hydrogen gas by the reforming reaction in the catalyst bed. The hydrogen gas thus generated is separated from the reaction mixture through the palladium or palladium-alloy membrane. See Amiridis et al., International Patent Application Publication WO 1999/043610 A1; and Hattori et al., US Patent Application Publication US 2008/0241058 A1.
During the reforming reaction, residual carbonaceous materials, formed and deposited in the catalyst bed, cause coke formation, which gradually deteriorates catalyst efficiency and leads to a dangerous pressure build-up inside the membrane reactor. Further, in a conventional membrane reactor, the palladium or palladium-alloy membrane is subjected to cracking as it is on the outside surface of the tubular support and exposes to catalyst particles and high temperature. Such reactors are therefore not durable. See Nakamura et al., US Patent Application Publication 2008/0226544 A1.
There is a need to develop a safe and durable membrane reactor useful for producing hydrogen gas.


A refrigerator having a door for loading/unloading goods to be stored into/from a chamber is comprised of a handle 20 provided at a front surface of the door 112 with a first end 24 of the handle 20 connected with the door 112 by a hinge 21, an air passage 30 formed at a predetermined area of the door 112 which corresponds opposite to a second end 26 of the handle 20 for receiving outside air at the onset of opening the door 20, a sealable member 40 which is connected to the second end 26 of the handle 20 and is inserted in the air passage 30, and the sealable member 40 blocks the air passage 30 when the door 112 is closed and opens the air passage 30 at the onset when the door 112 is opened, and a net shape support member 50 connected with a second end 26 of the sealable member 40 for enabling the sealable member 40 to be elongated when the door 112 is being opened.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerator. More specifically, the invention relates to a refrigerator having easy open door in which an air passage formed at the door is opened by the pulling of a handle at the opening of the door, and the outside air flows into a goods receiving chamber.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, a refrigerator utilizes a goods receiving chamber of the refrigerator as a cold source and outside of the refrigerator as a hot source. Saturated vapor or working fluid having a low evaporation point is compressed by a compressor to enter a condenser. The potential heat of the high temperature and pressure vapor is rejected to the outside and is changed into the liquid. The working liquid flows through a capillary tube to acquire a low temperature and pressure and then enters to an evaporator. The working fluid in the evaporator absorbs the heat from the goods receiving chamber, and changes into a evaporated vapor. A series of these processes repeats to maintain the temperature of the goods receiving chamber at a proper low temperature.
FIG. 4 illustrates a refrigerator 100 having a conventional handle. A door 112 is provided for closing/opening a goods receiving chamber (not shown) of a body 111, and a handle is provided at a front surface of the door 112 for enabling the door 112 to be easily opened.
Further, a gasket 113 is attached along the front edge of the body 111, on which the door 112 makes contact. A magnet (not shown) is housed in the gasket 113.
Therefore, the door 112 moves toward the body 111 owing to the magnetic force of the magnet when the door 112 is being closed. The contact of the door 112 to the body 111 is maintained, thus enabling the door 112 to remain closed.
The goods may be removed from the goods receiving chamber or put into the goods receiving chamber, and thereafter no cool air in the refrigerator 100 escapes.
However, according to the conventional refrigerator, the user repeatedly and consecutively opens/closes the door 112 in a short time, and the outside air having a relative high temperature rather than the lower temperature inside of the refrigerator flows into the refrigerator 100. The volume is significantly reduced when the warm air is changed into the cool air. The magnetic force is strongly applied between the body 111 and the door 112, and when the door is opened some inconvenience during opening of the door occurs. At worst, the body 111 of the refrigerator 100 is moved forward following the movement of the door 112.
A refrigerator for solving the above problems is disclosed at U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,323. However, the refrigerator still has a problem employing an excessive number of components.


A sealed monolithic electrochemical system is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the sealed monolithic electrochemical system includes an electrically insulating substrate; an electrically conducting pattern arranged to support a plurality of blocks of porous structures arranged on the substrate, wherein each porous structure includes a working electrode, an insulating layer and a counter electrode, and wherein an electrolyte is at least partially filled in the blocks of porous structures for forming a plurality of electrochemical cells; and an encapsulation covering the plurality of blocks of porous structures. In at least one embodiment, each block includes at least one porous structure, where the blocks may be individually disconnected and a method individually disconnecting such a system.

The limited supply of fossil fuels and the problems that arise upon combustion of such fuels have caused intensive research in order to find alternative energy sources, such as wind, water, solar and nuclear energy. Using solar cells to convert solar radiation energy into electric energy is a promising method for achieving emission-free and renewable production of electricity.
Solar cell technologies can be divided into first, second or third generation. First generation solar cells are based on silicon. These solar cells have quite high degree of efficiency. However, the supply of the required high-quality silicon is at present limited and not sufficient for the fast growth of the industry. Moreover, the silicon solar cells are too expensive to manufacture and are therefore not yet close of being economically competitive with conventional sources of energy.
The solar cells of the second generation are so-called thin layer solar cells, e.g. CIS or CIGS solar cells. Using this type of solar cells allows reducing the material consumption and thus the manufacturing costs, since the layer of the semi-conducting material is very thin (<1 μm). The layer is applied directly on a substrate by e.g. vaporization. The size of the produced module is therefore no longer limited by the size of the silicon wafer sheet, and the module can thus be widely varied depending on the device design and the size of the glass sheet of choice. Additionally, very high efficiencies have been obtained. The drawbacks of the technology are the extremely high investment cost for initiating production, and the difficulty to reduce the costs to a level where the products financially may compete with conventional energy sources.
The third generation solar cells may be defined as the ones being in the R&D phase, with the ambition of lowering the costs for producing electricity from solar energy. One of the most-promising technologies of the third generation solar cells are photo-electrochemical systems, also known as dye-sensitized solar cells. These cells comprise a nanoporous semi-conducting material that is soaked with a light-absorbing dye, a counter electrode and an electrolyte. The potential of photo-electrochemical systems is defined by especially three factors: a low investment cost for initiating production, a lack of significant cost barriers that cannot be broken, and a flexible design, allowing manufacturing of devices of different size. Despite that the efficiencies of dye-sensitised solar cells still are lower than the ones obtained with the first and second generation solar cells, there is a high potential that the overall costs for generating electricity from solar cells may become competitive with conventional energy sources.
Monolithic electrochemical systems are photo-electrochemical systems where the working electrode and the counter electrode are assembled in a single integrated body, and are previously known in the art. The working electrode and the counter electrode are separated by means of an intermediate layer of a porous insulating material. The working and the counter electrodes are made of porous structures and an electrolyte is at least partially filled in the porous structure, which is a monolith comprising a layer forming the working electrode, a layer forming the counter electrode and an insulating layer separating the counter electrode from the working electrode.
An early example of a monolithic photo-electrochemical system is disclosed in WO97/16838 that describes a battery of photovoltaic cells consisting of a monolithic assembly of a plurality of serial-connected photovoltaic cells. Traditionally photo-electrochemical systems include a first substrate provided with a first electrode and a second substrate provided with a second electrode. The first and second substrates are positioned so that the electrodes are facing each other and separated by a small gap in between. In order to ensure that the gap is of a magnitude within a desired range, a spacer can be used to separate the substrates by a certain distance. The system is sealed at the edges of the first and second substrate and between adjacent cells to prevent the electrolyte from making connections between the cells, and/or to avoid unwanted contact between the electrolyte and current collectors of the cells. In order to create photo-electrochemical systems having uniform properties over the entire active area of the system, it is essential that the distance between the electrodes is kept within a narrow range, which aggravates production. Another important aspect to keep in mind is that the electrolyte should be prevented from making contacts between adjacent serial-connected cells. The horizontal and vertical positioning of the two substrates must thus be made with very high precision, which also makes production difficult. A further drawback with this traditional, bilithic type of photo-electrochemical systems is that the electrolyte normally is introduced after assembly of the system. The openings of the passages where the electrolyte is introduced must be well sealed after the introduction of the electrolyte to prevent the electrolyte from leaking and to protect the cell against penetration by water or impurities. Also, separate openings are required for each cell resulting in a large number of openings for a system with many cells. Besides, introduction of electrolyte through narrow passages into the essentially closed space between the substrates may lead to creation of air pockets in the system or to uneven distribution of electrolyte. All these factors make production difficult and may deteriorate the quality of the system.
Monolithic electrochemical systems allow very compact and simple design, eliminating the need for the first substrate being positioned at a specific distance from the second substrate. In this case, the electrochemical system can be constructed by applying a multi-layer structure to a substrate, after which the electrochemical system is closed. Electrolyte is preferably introduced before closing the electrochemical system. The structure can suitably be closed by means of a flexible sheet of at least one polymer layer, which is preferably applied to said structure in the presence of heat and sub-atmospheric pressure.
Experiments have shown that it is difficult to manufacture arrays of monolithic photo-electrochemical cells so that the cells have identical properties or properties within a desired range, even though they are manufactured simultaneously on the same substrate. A single photo-electrochemical cell is characterised by its current-voltage-characteristics. The current-voltage-characteristics for a cell vary with the light intensity and the light spectrum. Important parameters that describe the current-voltage-characteristics of a photo-electrochemical cell are the short-circuit current (Isc), the open-circuit voltage (Uoc), and the maximum power point (Pmax). The term fill-factor (ff) is often used to describe the curve as ff=Pmax/(Uoc*Isc). In order to reduce differences in the current-voltage-characteristics of individual cells arranged on a common substrate, the production requires high purity of the chemical components and clean production environment and production processes. Such measures lead to a much more expensive production. An important example is the necessity of having a perfect control of the deposition of the working electrode, the insulating layer and the counter electrode, in order to prevent the counter electrode from partially penetrating the insulating layer and by that touching the working electrode and/or the intermediate conducting layer on the substrate, causing energy losses and thus differences of the current-voltage characteristics of the individual cells on a common substrate. This becomes even more critical since a thin insulating spacer layer is desirable in order to obtain the best cell performance by facilitating the diffusion of the redox-couple electrolyte between the working and the counter electrodes. Another important example is the necessity of having a perfect control of the encapsulation procedure to avoid defects such as pinholes. Pinholes may create unwanted contact between the electrolyte and current collectors in the device leading to decreased efficiency and/or stability. It may also lead to electrolyte wandering from one cell to another, so-called electrophoresis. The problem with defects in the encapsulation becomes more difficult as the size of the solar device increases.
Since the technique for manufacturing monolithic photo-electrochemical systems is relatively inexpensive, the costs for production of large structures of solar cells are quite low. Considering the experimental experiences above implies, however, that the failure frequency of single cells is quite high. In the case where cells are serial-connected, the errant cells might work in negative direction, i.e. a negative voltage value is obtained for a given current value. If the decrease of performance is large due to the errant cells, the system must be discarded, which leads to decreased production yield and increased production costs. A reduced performance of the photo-electrochemical system may also be obtained due to different ageing of the cells and/or partial shading of the system, where in both cases, cells may work in negative direction since they produce too little current in relation to the other cells in the system.
A solution to this problem might be a disconnection of errant cells in a photo-electrochemical module system.
Disconnection of solar battery strings in case of ground fault is previously disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,593,520. The document describes a solar battery string formed by a plurality of series-connected solar panels, a detector for outputting an abnormality detection signal upon detection of a ground fault in the solar battery string, and at least one intermediate switch provided midway along the string that is shifted to an open state by the abnormality detection signal. Outputs from the solar battery strings are collected by the collector box comprising intermediate switches, string switches, ground fault abnormality detectors and the like. In other words, all the strings are connected to an external controlling device.

Sealed monolithic electrochemical system


A tool for oil and fuel filters includes a generally cylindrical body having an open upper and a closed lower end. The body includes an interior chamber having a plurality of tapered radial projections that extend longitudinally within the interior chamber. The projections include respective tapered gripping surfaces that engage filters having respective diameters at corresponding depths within the chamber. The chamber defines a reservoir for collecting fluid that leaks when the filter is removed.

Virtually all motorized land vehicles and marine vessels employ fuel and oil filters. Periodically, these components require removal and replacement. Removing a hot oil filter can be an especially messy and hazardous task. As the filter is removed, engine oil tends to leak onto and coat the exterior of the filter. This makes the filter extremely messy and slippery to handle. A person using his or her bare hands may find it difficult to quickly and firmly remove or reattach the filter. The outer wall of the filter also tends to be extremely hot and can cause a serious burn if it is handled directly.
In addition to the foregoing problems, a previously installed filter is often secured tightly to the engine block and, as a result, is quite difficult to remove without the assistance of a wrench. Various filter wrenches are currently available. Although these devices provide improved torque and facilitate removal of the filter, they typically do not address the problems associated with oil that drips or leaks from the engine when the filter is removed. Oil in an engine is usually under some pressure and leakage is almost invariably exhibited any time the filter is removed, even if most of the oil has already been discharged through a drain. Not only does the oil that leaks from the oil filter receptacle coat the outer wall of the filter, some of the oil is apt to be spilled into the environment (e.g. soil, body of water, etc.). This obviously pollutes the environment and is extremely undesirable. A device is needed which catches the fluid that is normally discharged from an engine into the environment when the filter is removed from the engine.

Tool with integral fluid reservoir for handling oil and fuel filters


A method monitors a sensor clock signal in a sensor unit, which is generated and output for a data transfer between the sensor unit and a control unit with a predefined period duration. A reference clock signal having a predefined reference period duration is received. The sensor clock signal is compared to the reference clock signal. Based on the comparison, a deviation of the current period duration of the sensor clock signal from a target period duration is detected. Based on the detected deviation, a counting pulse or a reset pulse is emitted.

Peripheral Sensor Interface 5 (PSI5) is an open standard. Based on the previous PASO protocol, the PSI5 standard supports applications in which up to four sensors per bus node in different configurations can be queried by a control unit. A bidirectional communication is provided for sensor configuration and diagnostics.
In airbag systems, for example, data are evaluated from pressure sensors or accelerometers that communicate with the control unit via current-modulated two-wire buses using a Manchester encoded protocol. The PSI5 standard also specifies possible operating modes. These initially differ in synchronous and asynchronous operating modes. Depending on the connection of the sensors to the control unit, the synchronous operating modes result in three operating types: Parallel BUS Mode, in which the sensors are connected in parallel, Universal BUS Mode, in which the sensors are connected serially, and Daisy Chain BUS Mode. Combined with other parameters, such as the total number of time slots, data rate, data word length, parity/CRC monitoring, the PSI5 standard allows different realization possibilities. The use of a 10-bit data word length is widespread.
Modern-day pressure, acceleration and/or rotation rate sensors typically include an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a microcontroller, as well as a sensor element. These components are housed in a modular housing. The modules, in turn, are soldered or cold-contacted on a printed circuit board or on a holder. There is a plastic housing with a plug around the printed circuit board or module. The sensor unit is connected to the control unit via the plug and by means of a harness. In practice, a sensor clock oscillator of a sensor unit may drift off or break. As a result, the signals of the sensor units on the PSI5 bus can be distorted.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Device and method for monitoring a sensor clock signal


The invention relates to a device for closing a tap hole of a metallurgical vessel, in particular a converter, for the purpose of separating a molten metal and slag, having a slag stopper 1, which is situated outside the vessel, which provides an actuable closure element 8 that can be inserted into a tap hole, leaving an annular gap relative to the wall of the tap hole, and which provides a number of lines, in particular a pressurized-gas line 10 intended for the supply of the closure element, the slag stopper 1 comprising a connecting frame 2, which carries and fixes the parts of the slag stopper, this connecting frame, for its part, being secured releasably at a connecting point 11 on the metallurgical vessel 12. This allows a significant reduction in the time required for servicing or changing the slag stopper.

Device for closing a tap hole of a metallurgical vessel, in particular a converter, for the purpose of separating a molten metal and slag, having a slag stopper, which is situated outside the vessel, which provides an actuable closure element that can be inserted into a tap hole, leaving an annular gap relative to the wall of the tap hole, and which provides a number of lines, in particular a pressurized-gas line intended for the supply of the closure element.
In the course of commercial development, the system requirements associated with a steel plant have focused increasingly on durability. This development is driven primarily by the enormous progress made in the area of materials technology. A second area on which attention has been concentrated is that of logistics as it relates to internal operations, which has been subject to intense monitoring and optimization. Maintenance and repair work on so-called wearing components, in particular, should have as little effect as possible on the flow of production during operation.
One wearing component of particular importance in steel production is the so-called slag stopper, which is intended to separate metal and slag as the material is poured out of a metallurgical vessel, and is known in the prior art from EP 0010535 A. While the life of a slag stopper was approximately the same as that of a converter, it was possible to remove the slag stopper from the converter without losing too much operating time. However, now that the life of converters, especially the life of linings, has been considerably increased by the use of particularly suitable materials, it is necessary to service the slag stopper on the converter while it is in operation. Removing and servicing the slag stopper known in the prior art are involved and time-consuming.
The object on which the present invention is based is therefore to develop a device for closing a tap hole of a metallurgical vessel, in particular a converter, for the purpose of separating a molten metal and slag, having a slag stopper, which is situated outside the vessel, which provides an actuable closure element that can be inserted into a tap hole, leaving an annular gap relative to the wall of the tap hole, and which provides a number of lines, in particular a pressurized-gas line intended for the supply of the closure element, a device which can be replaced or serviced in a simple and time-saving manner on the converter.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by virtue of the fact that the slag stopper comprises a connecting frame, which carries and fixes the parts of the slag stopper, this connecting frame, for its part, being secured releasably at a connecting point on the metallurgical vessel.
By virtue of the fact that the slag stopper, which includes the closure element itself and a number of lines and means required for correct operation, is fixed on a supporting frame or housing, all the important wearing parts can be replaced simply and with the minimum expenditure of time by replacing the frame or housing with all the parts attached to it, i.e. by replacing one system component. In a particularly advantageous refinement of the invention, all the lines required for the operation of the slag stopper are included in it and are thus also attached to the frame or housing.
According to another feature of the invention, the connecting frame has a, preferably flat, fixing part, by means of which the connecting frame is fixed at the connecting point on the metallurgical vessel.
According to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the subject-matter of the invention, a further, preferably flat, fixing part, in the simplest case a connection plate, is provided at the connection point on the metallurgical vessel, in particular the converter, this fixing part being used to fix the slag stopper on the metallurgical vessel. As well as being used to fix the slag stopper, this fixing part also serves to fix all important lines and connections required for operation of the slag stopper. For simplicity of mounting and removal, the fixing of the slag stopper on the metallurgical vessel is embodied in such a way that it will take a fitter about one hour to replace the slag stopper on the converter, allowing for any technical aids and assuming optimum conditions.
Suitable adjustment of the slag stopper at the connecting point on the metallurgical vessel is particularly important here, this being the only way of mounting it in such a short time. According to another feature of the subject-matter of the invention, this adjustment is accomplished by the formation of one or more hollow spigots on the connections of the lines of the slag stopper and by the formation of one or more sleeves on the connections of the lines at the connecting point on the metallurgical vessel or vice versa. In a preferred embodiment, the connections are each integrated into the fixing parts. According to one feature of the invention, O-rings, preferably made of copper, are used to seal the joints of the mutual connections.
To allow the slag stopper to be fixed releasably on the metallurgical vessel, in particular on the converter, use is preferably made of bolts and particularly preferably of so-called hammer-head bolts, which are distinguished by their ease of handling. One fixing part is advantageously fixed on the corresponding fixing part by means of the said fixing means.
A large number of ways both of adjusting and fixing the slag stopper on the converter apart from those mentioned are conceivable, one example being centring by means of suitable guide pins or similar devices.
According to one feature of the invention, the pressurized-gas line and the actuable closure element are connected to one another by a swivel joint. The swivel joint, preferably a suitably adapted xe2x80x9cswivel rotary jointxe2x80x9d, is distinguished, on the one hand, by its flexibility plus a very small space requirement and high reliability.

Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH and Co


The invention is directed to a process of manufacturing a three-dimensional object by depositing and solidifying molten polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) to form a support structure depositing and solidifying a molten thermoplastic polymer on the support structure to form a three-dimensional preform dissolving the support structure to from the three-dimensional object characterized in that the polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) has an alkaline acetate content of less than 0.5 wght %.

3D printing processes of thermoplastics are gaining more and more importance in production of plastic parts. Due to the process of depositing molten thermoplastic polymers, certain structures like hollow sections can not be built directly from the thermoplastic polymer. In such cases, first a support structure is printed on or around the final structure from the thermoplastic polymer is build. The support structure is prepared from a thermoplastic polymer which can be removed by thermal treatment or solvents which do not affect the thermoplastic polymer providing the desired structure.
Thermoplastic polymers which can be used as support structure are for example waxes, polyethylene glycole, High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS), polylactid acid, poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazolidone) or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose as disclosed in WO2015/108768A1.
Furthermore, it is known to utilize polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) as support material in 3D printing processes, since PVOH is a thermoplastic material with a broad melting range which can be easily removed from the final printed structure by dissolving in water or aqueous alkaline solution. In this respect the use of amorphous PVOH as support material in a 3D printing processes is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,404,171.
The printing process i.e. depositing molten thermoplastic polymer is usually performed at temperatures around 200° C. Accordingly, the PVOH used as support material should not melt under these printing conditions and/or should have a melting point as high as possible, otherwise the precision of the support structure can be imparted. Furthermore, the PVOH should be removable without residues by a fast and chemically non-destructive solution process.
Surprisingly it was found that a lower the ash content of PVOH, has a positive influence on both the thermal stability of PVOH as support structure in 3D printing and the subsequent solution process.
The ash content of PVOH originates from its production process, in which polyvinyl acetate is hydrolyzed (or saponified) by strong bases like alkaline hydroxide. The resulting alkaline salts like sodium acetate is mostly removed from the desired PVOH, but some traces may remain in the material. In order to control the quality of the hydrolyzation process, the PVOH is burned and the remaining, non-combustible material weighted as "ash content". However, the ash obtained by this process originates from the hydrolyzation process as alkaline acetate and can be easily measured by conductivity of an aqueous solution of PVOH.
Object of the invention is therefore a process of manufacturing a three-dimensional object by                depositing and solidifying molten polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) to form a support structure        depositing and solidifying a molten thermoplastic polymer on the support structure to form a three-dimensional preform        dissolving the support structure to from the three-dimensional object
wherein the polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) has an alkaline acetate content of less than 0.5 wght %.
Such printing processes are called "dual material printing" and are in general known to the person skilled in the art.
The term "alkaline acetate" refers to any alkaline or earth alkaline salt obtained in the hydrolysation process of polyvinyl acetate to yield polyvinyl alcohol PVOH, like sodium acetate, potassium acetate or magnesium acetate.
The alkaline acetate for example, the sodium acetate (NaOAc) content of PVOH is determined by measuring the conductivity of a 4-20 wt. % solution of polyvinyl alcohol in deionized water. As sodium acetate (NaOAc) is the only significant ionic compound in PVOH, the conductivity of the solution is proportional to the NaOAc concentration. Thus, the NaOAc content can be calculated from the measured conductivity by reference to calibration measurements.
Dual material printing requires that with one print head is active depositing molten material, while the other print head is in idle mode. Idle mode means that no material flow is taking place in this nozzle. Usually, the temperature of the idle print head needs to be reduced to avoid thermal degradation of the polymer material still present in the print head. This however slows down the entire printing process due to frequent reheating of the nozzle. PVOH having a low content of alkaline acetate allows a more reliable printing process, especially by reducing the risk that the printing nozzle gets blocked due to thermally degraded PVOH.
With improved thermal stability of the PVOH, the idle temperature of the print head can be higher or even no reduction of temperature is necessary for certain idle times. Furthermore, the idle times of PVOH being heated in the print head without material flow during printing with the other print head can be longer.
The alkaline acetate/ash content of PVOH can be reduced by extensive, repetitive washing, for example with methanol, methyl acetate or mixtures thereof.
Preferable, the polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) composition used in the process of the invention has one or more of the following properties:                an vinyl actetate content of at least 10 mol %, at least 15 mol % or at least 20 mol %, with an upper limit of 50 mol % to allow water solubility        a degree of polymerization of 200-3000 or 250-2000 or 300-1500        a degree of hydrolysis DH of 60-99 or 70-95% or 72-90%        a viscosity of a 4% aqueous solution of 2-20 mPa s or 3-10 mPa s        an alkaline acetate content of less than 0.5 wght %, less than 0.3 wght % or even less than 0.1 wght %.
The polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) composition may comprise one or more PVOH grades, differing in vinyl actetate content and/or degree of polymerization and/or degree of hydrolysis and/or viscosity. Further, the polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) may contain as repeating units vinyl alcohol, vinyl acetate and up to 20 Mol % of olefinic monomers. Suitable repeating units are for example, but not limited to: ethylene, 1-olefins (e.g. propylene, 1-butene, isobutylene), 1-butene-3,4-diacetate, 1-butene-3,4-diol, vinyl ethers (e.g. methyl vinyl ether, ethyl vinyl ether, n-propyl vinyl ether, isopropyl vinyl ether), N-vinyl amides (e.g. N-vinylpyrrolidone, N-vinylcaprolactam), isopropenyl acetate, isopropanol, allyl acetate, allyl alcohol. The exact composition can be adjusted as necessary for the printing process so long as the total alkaline acetate content is in the described ranges.
Due to the low alkaline content, the molten polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) can be deposited in the process of the invention at a temperature of at least 170° C., preferable least 180° C. or more preferred at least 190° C.
The thermoplastic polymer may then be deposited on the support structure at a temperature of at least 140° C.
Optionally the polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) composition may comprise up to 20% by weight (based on the total weight of the composition) of one or more plasticizers. Any compound known to plasticize PVOH such as water, glycerine, diglycerine, sorbitol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol, propylene glycol, trimethylolpropane, di-trimethylolpropane, triethanolamine may be used for the purpose of the invention.
As thermoplastic polymer, any polymer selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid (PLA), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), polyamides (PA), polycarbonates (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene terephthalate copolymers (PETG), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), wood filled composites, metal filled composites, carbon fiber filled composites, polyvinylbutyral (PVB), thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU), polyolefins, polypropylenes (PP), acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, and mixtures thereof can be used.
After the printing process, the support structure i.e. the polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) is dissolved in water and only the three-dimensional object remains.

Use of polyvinyl alcohol having a low sodium acetate content in 3D printing process


Disclosed herein are methods, compositions, and kits for treating a skin condition caused by a bacterial infection at a skin depth with a topical ointment comprising vancomycin hydrochloride. Also disclosed herein are methods, compositions, and kits for testing susceptibility of vancomycin for treating a bacterial infection at a skin depth, and of optimizing a topical ointment therapeutic regimen.

The skin serves as an intricate habitat to a plethora of bacteria. These bacteria are generally commensal, symbiotic or parasitic in nature. However, when the natural defense of the skin is breached, altered, or under moist occlusive conditions, the skin can support the growth of pathogenic bacteria, leading to cutaneous infection. Vancomycin is an antibiotic used for the treatment of bacterial infection.

Topical vancomycin formulation and methods of use


The grain structure of electrical steel strip is tested by inducing a magnetic flux field into the strip by pole pieces at opposite sides of a permanent magnet. A magnetic detector head between the pole pieces responds to the leakage of flux as the steel strip and/or magnetic detection undergoes relative movement. A recorder is used to identify banding and mixed grain structures which cause a smaller flux leakage amplitude than larger desired grains.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a magnetic flux scanning method and apparatus for examining the grain structure of an electrically conductive metallic workpiece and, more particularly to the use of a magnetic field for detecting sites where there are a concentration of small grains in an electrical steel sheet product, such as a silicon steel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The desired electrical properties for electrical steels are the result of a special manufacturing techniques including melting, rolling and heat treating procedures to establish relatively large grains with a very little dispersion of small grains in the final texture annealed silicon steel strip. Specific grain structure is developed and refined to impart desired electrical properties to the steel strip. Conventional grain oriented silicon steel has a typical grain size on the order of 3 to 5 mm and high permeability grain oriented steel on the order of 10-15 mm. Sometimes occurrences, such as inclusions of impurities or rolling and heat treating process deviations, may allow non-uniform grains to develop across the width and length of the strip. In particular, for example, a concentration of small grains or a mixture of large grains with many small grains and/or orientation of grains exhibit magnetic flux boundaries caused by the grain boundaries. As a result, there exists unwanted flux barriers that downgrade the intended electric properties. Not only may the grain size vary appreciably, but also there are poor qualities of material that appear as coarsened primary grains known as "banding". It is desirable to locate and accurately identify the unacceptable sites of banding and mixed grains structure so that bad material can be sheared, cut or otherwise extracted from the metal strip.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,312 there is disclosed a testing apparatus for determining magnetic characteristics for a strip of moving material. A flux inducing and pick-up device is used for measurement of the flux induced into the strip of moving material. A magnetization coil is used to induce magnetic flux into the strip, two flux pick-up coils are arranged to respond to different flux characteristics at about the same area of the strip. Voltage outputs corresponding to the two different characteristics are processed in an electrical circuit to derive an output signal according to a mathematical formula. Such a continuous strip testing device is well suited to identify that poor quality magnetic properties of the strip exist within a broad area. However, this testing procedure can not be used to identify the specific site or nature of the deficient magnetic properties. Particularly important is the fact that the device can not differentiate between banding or mixed grain structures in silicon steel. It has been found that for silicon steel strip, banding and mixed grain structure can occur in very small sections, but those sections may be known to exist only generally within a broad area of a strip through the use of the device shown in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,312.
Others have attempted to develop an on-line grain size measuring system for electrical steel production. Particularly, an ultrasonic device is suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,510 to measure a distribution of crystal grains in a metal sheet. An estimate is made of grains orientation based on the estimate of the magnitudes of amplitude of interferant multiple reflected waves. The frequency of bursts of ultrasonic pulses is related to the sheet-thickness and applied in the direction of the sheet thickness to obtain the reflected waves.
What is needed is a device that can locate and identify irregularities that exist in the grain structure on a continuous basis on a production line at strip speeds of 100 to 450 feet per minute (30.48 to 137.16 meters/min.). It is also desirable that such a device be useful in conjunction with other continuous strip testers, such as for measuring magnetic properties, to better understand the irregularities in the grain structure and the quality of the electrical sheet product.
Therefore an object of the present invention is to provide a flux scanning procedure and device to locate, identify the severity, and differentiate between banding and mixed grain structures in a grain oriented silicon steel strip.

Method and apparatus using magnetic flux scanning to test grain structure of magnetic sheet material


A network system comprises dynamic power management controllers respectively configured for usage in a Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) and a Powered Device (PD) coupled by a network cable in a configuration that transfers power and communication signals from the PSE to the PD. The dynamic power management controllers are configured to communicate power management information over the network cable at a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) layer and/or a Media Access Control (MAC) layer.

Many networks such as local and wide area networks (LAN/WAN) structures are used to carry and distribute data communication signals between devices. Various network elements include hubs, switches, routers, and bridges, peripheral devices, such as, but not limited to, printers, data servers, desktop personal computers (PCs), portable PCs and personal data assistants (PDAs) equipped with network interface cards. Devices that connect to the network structure use power to enable operation. Power of the devices may be supplied by either an internal or an external power supply such as batteries or an AC power via a connection to an electrical outlet.
Some network solutions can distribute power over the network in combination with data communications. Power distribution over a network consolidates power and data communications over a single network connection to reduce installation costs, ensures power to network elements in the event of a traditional power failure, and enables reduction in the number of power cables, AC to DC adapters, and/or AC power supplies which may create fire and physical hazards. Additionally, power distributed over a network such as an Ethernet network may function as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to components or devices that normally would be powered using a dedicated UPS.
Additionally, network appliances, for example voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VOIP) telephones and other devices, are increasingly deployed and consume power. When compared to traditional counterparts, network appliances use an additional power feed. One drawback of VOIP telephony is that in the event of a power failure the ability to contact emergency services via an independently powered telephone is removed. The ability to distribute power to network appliances or circuits enable network appliances such as a VOIP telephone to operate in a fashion similar to ordinary analog telephone networks currently in use.
Distribution of power over Ethernet (PoE) network connections is in part governed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard 802.3 and other relevant standards, standards that are incorporated herein by reference. However, power distribution schemes within a network environment typically employ cumbersome, real estate intensive, magnetic transformers. Additionally, power-over-Ethernet (PoE) specifications under the IEEE 802.3 standard are stringent and often limit allowable power.
An IEEE 802.3af specification defines requirements for designing PoE equipment. The standard sets forth two types of devices including Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) and Powered Devices (PD). According to the standard, the PSE supplies 48 volts with a current limit of 350 mA to the PD which may be one of a wide variety of devices such as Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) telephones, wireless access points, and many others. The standard limits the PSE to a continuous maximum power delivery of 15.2 watts, which after line losses amounts to a power delivery of 12.95 watts at the PD interface.
Different devices can require significantly different power levels. For example, a VoIP telephone can typically consume four to six watts while a dual-radio wireless access point can have a requirement of about 14-18 watts. In a conventional system, several power classification levels can be specified using handshakes between the PSE and the PD. The handshake operations typically begin when a PD product is connected to a PoE cable. The PSE reacts by sending a test voltage to determine whether the PD has a valid IEEE 802.3af signature. The detection signature results from a small current-limited voltage that is applied to the network cable. The voltage responds to the presence of a 25 KΩ resistor in the PD.
Such probing by the PSE can create erroneous results for various reasons such as variations in cable length, presence of diode bridges at the PD interface, and other conditions or phenomena can potentially lead to errors in selection of supplied power, either failure to supply adequate power or, more typically, supplying of substantially more power than is necessary. For example, the output voltage for the PSE to drive the PD varies for different cable lengths. The diode bridge, which is required under the IEEE 802.3 standard to supply polarity protection in case a connector is attached backwards and to enable operation with a PSE that sources either −48V or +48V, also can result in a voltage drop that may be difficult to quantify using static techniques.
If the PD responds with to the PSE detection signal with a valid signature, a test is performed to determine the PD power consumption classification. During the classification test, the PD attempts to sink a known current according to the IEEE 802.3af classification table. If the PD does not supply a proper current sink, the PSE assumes a default type of Class 0 for the PD. The PSE supplies 48V to the PD only after results of the classification test are complete.
In the conventional operation, power allocation is a static process. The classification current identifies the amount of power to be supplied. A PD is designed to request a typically worst-case amount of power during the classification test, an amount that is typically estimated with a sufficient margin, often twenty to fifty percent, to prevent inoperability or failure due to lack of power due to coarse steps defined in the power classification table. Often the margin is extended to account for variability in actual power delivered by identical power supply models, a variability that may be significant even within the products of a particular manufacturer and within a particular model from the same manufacturer.
In the standard power management process, IEEE 802.3af handshake operations between the PSE and PD operate in the physical layer to set up a current, measure a current, then request a power supply level based on the measured current. The current can only be changed by terminating the link, then reinstating the link, and initializing using the handshake operation. Accordingly, the standard system is inherently static and cannot easily respond to dynamically changing demand without terminating the link.

Dynamic power management in a power over ethernet system


A security system for not enabling, enabling or disabling electrical devices for deterring theft, or preventing unauthorized use of such devices. The security system comprises a plurality of electrical devices which are operationally linked via a bi-directional communication medium, which may be via a mains power supply or a microwave or radiowave medium. Programmable means are provided for controlling operation of the operative parts of the electrical devices. The programmable means may have a signal transmitting and receiving means associated with it for transmitting and receiving control signals over the communication medium.

International patent application publication number WO 02/11093 AI discloses a theft deterrent system for mains powered appliances that incorporates a separate dedicated controller and one or more controlled appliances. The controller includes an automatic reset feature whereby, when left plugged in to the mains power supply, the controller will automatically transmit a reset signal to one or more appliances immediately after the mains power supply is restored to the controller following a mains power supply interruption. That is, operation of the reset feature occurs in the event of a mains power interruption and normal restoration thereof. For theft deterrence the appliance controller may include a motion sensing means and a battery which will prevent the automatic re-setting of the appliances should the controller be moved whilst the mains power is disconnected.
A problem with this known theft deterrent system is that it is of limited versatility because all theft or non-theft events upon which a consequential system action occurs are wholly dependent upon the controller, that is, the system primarily operates via control signals transmitted from the controller and received by the protected appliance(s) in a master-slave relationship. Thus, for example, the automatic reset feature, the context for operation of which is interpreted as a non-theft event, requires a power interruption to the controller but without disconnection of the controller from the mains. When there is disconnection of the controller from the mains, which is interpreted as a theft event, the automatic reset feature is disabled.
An object of the present invention is to provide a security system (or methods of operation, or program products) for not enabling, enabling or disabling electrical devices (for example, household appliances) of the system for deterring theft of such devices, which is more versatile than the above described known system. The present invention includes various aspects (see below), which generally include a feature that a bi-directional communication protocol is followed before an electrical device protected by the system either remains inoperable, or is enabled or disabled. Another object is to provide an embodiment wherein all the electrical devices of the system will be disabled upon the detection of an unauthorised event in respect of only one of those devices.
The discussion herein of the background to the invention is included to explain the context of the invention. This is not to be taken as an admission that any of the material referred to was known or part of the common general knowledge in Australia as at the priority date of any of the claims of the present application.


A first line card of a first network device may receive packets to be transmitted to a second line card of a second network device. The first line card may predict an earliest satisfaction time for satisfaction of a first packet quantity threshold of one or more packet quantity thresholds. The first line card may transmit the packets to the second line card. The first line card may determine whether a quantity of transmitted packets transmitted by the first line card satisfies the first packet quantity threshold. Based on whether the quantity of transmitted packets satisfies the one or more of the one or more packet quantity thresholds, the first line card may perform one or more actions related to modifying a security key, or may perform one or more other actions related to monitoring transmission of the packets.

A communication protocol is a system of rules that allow two or more devices to communicate. The protocol defines the rules, syntax, semantics, and synchronization of communication, and possible error recovery methods. Media access control (MAC) security (MACsec) is one protocol that network devices use to communicate with each other over a secured Ethernet link.

Distributed predictive packet quantity threshold reporting