In a method for operating an exhaust-gas cleaning unit of a diesel engine including a particle filter and a nitrogen oxide storage device arranged upstream of the particle filter, wherein sulfur regeneration of the nitrogen oxide storage device is performed periodically at raised exhaust gas temperatures and, in certain phases, with a rich exhaust gas composition, and also soot regeneration of the particle filter is performed at raised exhaust gas temperatures with a lean exhaust gas composition, at least some of the sulfur regeneration and the soot regeneration phases are performed in a combined soot and sulfur regeneration phase, and for the sulfur regeneration, at least temporarily, a rich exhaust-gas composition with a temperature higher than the temperature of the lean exhaust gas composition is provided for the soot regeneration of the particle filter.

European Published Patent Application No. 0 758 713 describes an exhaust gas cleaning unit in which an oxidation catalytic converter is connected upstream of the particle filter, as seen in the direction of flow of the exhaust gas, and the nitrogen oxide store is connected downstream of the particle filter. As an alternative to the nitrogen oxide store, a nitrogen oxide reduction catalytic converter may be used. The oxidation catalytic converter is used to convert nitrogen monoxide which is contained in the exhaust gas in soot regeneration phases of the particle filter into nitrogen dioxide, which promotes the soot burn-off in the particle filter. The nitrogen oxide store or the nitrogen oxide reduction catalytic converter is used to collect or convert nitrogen monoxide which is formed by the reaction of the nitrogen dioxide with the soot particles. The soot regeneration operations occur, for example, every 60 minutes for about three minutes with a lean exhaust gas composition and temperatures of between approximately 400° C. and 500° C. Conventional nitrogen oxide regeneration phases for the nitrogen oxide store are performed approximately every 10 seconds to every few minutes, in each case for approximately 0.5 seconds, with a rich exhaust gas composition. When a nitrogen oxide regeneration phase of this type falls in the period of a soot regeneration phase, it is performed, by an additional increase in temperature, as a correspondingly short sulfur regeneration phase, in order to prevent gradual sulfur poisoning of the nitrogen oxide store.
Various methods for nitrogen oxide (NOx) regeneration and sulfur regeneration of a nitrogen oxide store are conventional. For example, German Published Patent Application No. 197 50 226 describes a method for NOx regeneration in which a desired, rich exhaust gas composition is generated substantially only by engine measures, including suitable control of exhaust gas recycling.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new type of exhaust gas cleaning unit and a corresponding operating method for this unit.

Method of operating an exhaust gas cleaning unit with particle filter and nitrogen oxygen store


Provided are turbine engines and methods of operating thereof by heating and evaporating liquid fuels in a controlled manner prior to burning. Specifically, a fuel is heated and evaporated while avoiding coking. Coking is caused by pyrolysis when the fuel contacts a metal surface within a certain temperature range, which is referred herein to a coking temperature range. In the described methods, the fuel is transferred from one component, maintained below the coking temperature range, to another component, maintained above this range. The fuel is airborne and does not contact any metal surfaces during this transfer, and coking does not occur. In some examples, the fuel is also mixed with hot air during this transfer. The heated fuel, e.g., as an air-fuel mixture, is then supplied into a combustor, where more air is added to reach flammability conditions.

A turbine engine is a specific type of internal combustion engines that typically has a high power-to-weight ratio and very few moving parts in comparison, for example, to a piston engine. Furthermore, turbine engines can run on almost any liquid or gas fuel. These advantages have led to wide adoption of turbine engines for aircraft, ship, and electrical generators. In some instances, turbine engines have almost complete displaced piston engines. At the same time, turbine engines are not used for automotive applications. One reason is high operating speeds of turbine engines, which complicates direct integration into mechanical drivetrains. Furthermore, turbine engines have a slow throttle response, which is not useful for dynamic driving conditions of a typical car. Finally, turbine engines are generally inefficient when operating at low power levels.
A recent widespread adoption of automotive electrical drivetrains brought a new focus on turbine engines for range extending applications. However, unlike other current applications of turbine engines (e.g., aircraft operation and power generation), the automotive industry follows strict emission requirements around the world. Using liquid fuels, such as diesel, in turbine engines in a conventional manner typically results in high emission of nitrogen oxide and/or particulates. As such, different types of turbine engines and/or different operating regimes, such as preparation of liquid fuels, are needed in order to use the turbine engines in an environmentally friendly manner.

Controlled evaporation and heating of fuels for turbine engines


Provided are a method, system, and program for allocating physical storage units to a data set, wherein one or more extents of storage units are assigned to the data set. A request is received to allocate additional storage units to the data set and a determination is made of a range of available storage units to allocate to the data set in response to the request. A determination is made of one pre-existing extent allocated in the data set before receiving the request and of whether at least one storage unit in the determined range can be allocated to the determined pre-existing extent. At least one storage unit in the determined range is allocated to the determined pre-existing extent if the at least one storage unit can be allocated to the determined pre-existing extent.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a method, system, and program for allocating storage units to a data set.
2. Description of the Related Art
In certain operating systems, such as the International Business Machines Corporation® ("IBM") Enterprise Systems Architecture (ESA), as z/OS™, OS/390®, etc., a logical data set may be defined to include non-sequential tracks in storage.** In such operating systems, to allocate physical storage space to a data set, the file system, such as the Data Facility Storage Management Subsystem (DFSMS), makes a call to obtain additional physical space. In the DFSMS file system the call is made to a Direct Access Device Space Management System (DADSM). To allocate space to a data set, a Data Set Control Block (DSCB) may be created in a file allocation table, such as a Volume Table of Contents (VTOC). The VTOC is a file allocation table defining physical storage space associated with logical volumes, files, etc. The file system will create an extent identifying a number of contiguous tracks allocated to the data set defined by the DSCB. Multiple extents may be included within a DSCB, such that the tracks included in each extent are sequential, however tracks between extents may be non-sequential. **IBM, Z/OS and OS/390 are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corp.
In the prior art file systems, if all the available space in a data set is used, the file system will allocate additional space to the data set and generate and add a new extent to the DSCB entry in the file allocation table, such as a VTOC, for the data set to expand. The new extent will be allocated sufficient available sequential tracks to satisfy the request for additional space. If one new extent is not enough to satisfy the request for additional space, then the file system will locate additional ranges of sequential tracks to allocate to further extents, where the tracks between extents may be non-sequential although the tracks within one extent are sequential. If the DSCB is using the maximum number of allowed extents in the DSCB, then the file system will assign and create a new DSCB for the data set to include new extents to satisfy the request for additional space. A pointer to the new DSCB will be added to the pre-existing DSCB for the data set to allow for a chain of DSCBs to be associated with a data set.
There is a continued need in the art to provide improved techniques for optimizing the use of the data structures used to define data sets and other logical units.

Method, system, and program for allocating storage units to a data set


This invention features a sound reproduction system in which both signals of a stereo pair of signals are radiated with a directional radiation pattern having a first order gradient characteristic over the frequency range where interaural time difference cues dominate localization in the human auditory system. The directional radiation patterns have main radiation lobes pointing in different directions.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to apparatus and methods for reproducing two channel or multi-channel audio signals from a loudspeaker array. The invention is useful for stereo music reproduction and for reproducing surround sound audio program material that accompanies movies and television. The invention is an optimized configuration for the reproduction of two channel audio program material from closely spaced sources. The current invention includes an array of loudspeaker elements, generally (but not limited to being) centrally located with respect to a listening area, where the array is generally displaced toward the front of the listening area, and associated signal processing circuitry that allows the array to generate a spacious sound field while maintaining left(right imaging ability and a solid center image. The invention is capable of generating perceived sound source locations that are located far outside the array physical location. The perceived sound source locations are stable and do not degenerate as a listener turns his head or moves about the listening room. A user control is provided that allows the spatiousness and localization characteristics of the system to be adjusted by the end user.
2. Discussion
Typical stereo reproduction systems use two loudspeakers that are displaced to the left and right of a center listening axis for reproduction of a left and right stereo pair of audio signals. These systems are capable of generating virtual sound source locations that are generally limited to areas located between the two speakers. This is accomplished by adjusting the relative amplitude of a signal simultaneously presented to both channels. The virtual sound sources generated by controlling the relative amplitudes of the loudspeaker outputs do not remain stable throughout the listening environment. The images tend to collapse toward the near loudspeaker location as a listener moves off the center line between the two speakers.
Other systems have been constructed (Shivers.sup.1, Hafler.sup.2, Klayman.sup.3, and others) in an attempt to generate a more spacious sound field by adding various configurations of loudspeakers fed some form of difference signal (the difference between the left and right channel signals). It is generally acknowledged that the difference signal contains ambiance information, and that adding loudspeakers to the system that reproduce this signal can enhance the sense of spaciousness generated by the system. The addition of separate sources reproducing the L-R signal usually increases the sense of spaciousness, but it is often at the expense of left/right localization ability. The prior art systems do not attempt to control the radiation pattern of the different speaker systems in any way. The directions in which left and right channel signals, and difference signals, are radiated into space by systems that include these extra sources are random and un-controlled. These systems also require the use of additional loudspeakers to reproduce these difference signals, which increases their cost.
Still other inventors have tried to develop a centrally located loudspeaker array that is capable of generating an increased sense of spaciousness (Klayman.sup.3, Holl, Short et al..sup.4). These systems are designed primarily for use with video systems. These systems are capable of generating a spacious sound field but are not capable of achieving a strong left/right localization capability. They do not take into account the effect of element spacing, relative level, and relative phase between the array elements on the radiation pattern of the array. The net overall radiation pattern of these systems is not controlled and the ability of these systems to generate localization cues to simulate stable virtual sound sources located outside the physical array position is minimal. The effect of the interaction between the different array elements on the total radiated power of the array is not taken into account in these systems. The total power response of these systems is not controlled in any way.
Still other prior art systems have tried to extend the range of possible virtual sound source locations that can be generated by a stereo pair of loudspeakers by introducing interaural crosstalk cancellation. The intent is to obtain direct control over the signals presented to each ear of a listener and adjust them in such a way that the signals represent what would actually be at the listeners ears if a real source were located at the position of an intended location of a virtual source. Systems have been constructed to attempt this electrically using signal processing (Atal and Schroeder.sup.5, Cooper.sup.6, and others), or through the use of particular geometrical arrangements of loudspeakers (Polk.sup.7). These systems rely on the canceling of signals at a particular point in space that are generated by different physical sources. The cancellation that occurs is strongly dependent on the listening position and the orientation of the listeners head. The effect generated by all of these systems occurs for a single "sweet spot". The improved spatial performance degenerates rapidly with small changes in listener position or orientation. This degeneration does not occur for the present invention.
The crosstalk cancellation systems work by adding a slightly delayed and inverted version of the left channel signal to the right channel signal. By symmetry, a slightly delayed and inverted right channel signal is added to the left channel signal as well. The delay is calculated to be the time difference between the arrival of the signal at the ear closer to the source and the arrival of that same signal at the farther ear. Each signal is also equalized to take into account the effect of head diffraction. The intent of the processing is to cause the delayed left channel signal to arrive at the listener's right ear with exactly the same shape and at exactly the same time as the crosstalk signal from the left speaker, but inverted in polarity so that the two signals cancel. The same is intended for the left ear. It can be seen that the system relies on the precise timing of signal arrivals, along with the orientation and position of the listeners head, in order for the cancellation to work. The cancellation can only work over a relatively small area because of the precise timing of signal arrivals required.
There are some embodiments discussed in Cooper.sup.6 that superficially resemble some embodiments of the invention of this disclosure. Upon closer examination, they are found to be significantly different. In one embodiment, Cooper uses a monopole and a dipole speaker where the monopole is fed an equalized L+R (sum) signal and the dipole is fed an equalized L-R (difference) signal. The combination of a monopole and dipole speaker, where the monopole is fed an equalized sum signal and the dipole is fed an equalized difference signal also appears in the present invention. However, the equalization used in the present invention and that used in Cooper differ significantly. As a result, the behavior of the two systems differ significantly.
The equalization described by Cooper and others depends on the spacing between a listeners ears, and the angle of the loudspeakers with respect to the listeners head, and is designed solely to compensate for the diffraction of signals around the listeners head. The equalization used in the present invention however, depends solely on the physical spacing between the loudspeaker array elements. There is no dependence on the geometry of the listeners head whatsoever. As a result, the form of the equalization is different in the present invention than that required by the cross talk cancellation schemes, and the behavior of the systems is different as well.
The equalization used in the crosstalk cancellation systems is only concerned with the control of the direct sound arrival from the loudspeakers, at a particular point in space, to generate specific frequency responses at the location of the listeners ears. The crosstalk cancellation schemes are not concerned with radiation from the loudspeakers in any direction other than directly at the listener. The crosstalk cancellation systems do not attempt to deal with listening locations distributed throughout a listening room. The crosstalk cancellation systems are not concerned with the total power radiated by the combined loudspeaker elements. The crosstalk cancellation systems do not consider the effect of loudspeaker element spacing on the radiation pattern and total radiated power of the combined loudspeaker elements. The equalization shown in Cooper and described by others will cause significant coloration of sound, because of their failure to consider the radiated power and radiation pattern of the complete system.
The intent of the present invention is to use particular array configurations, and equalization that directly depends on the array configuration, to control the overall radiation pattern of the array in a specific fashion (which will be described later). The present invention is concerned with controlling the sound radiated in all directions from the loudspeaker array, not just directly at a specific listening position. The primary intent of the invention is to radiate different signals in different directions, to alter the reflected to direct energy ratio heard by listeners throughout the listening room. The reflected to direct energy ratio is controlled in an attempt to steer the localization of signals to the location of the reflections, away from the source of direct sound. It is also the intent of the current invention to provide a system that has a flat power response as a function of frequency over the frequency range where the radiation pattern of the array is being controlled. Controlling the radiated power of the system helps minimize frequency response aberrations throughout the listening area. The system radiated power remains flat, regardless of the adjustment of the spatial controls. (Spatial controls are described later as part of the overall discussion of the different embodiments of the invention. The function of the spatial controls is to alter the radiation patterns generated by the array in a useful manner, which is also described later.)
It will be shown later that the choice of element spacing is a trade off between efficiency at low frequencies and radiation pattern control at high frequencies. There are different embodiments that will use different element spacing for operation over different frequency ranges. The frequency response of the equalization required in the present invention will be shown to directly depend on desired operating frequency range of the array, which is directly determined by the array element spacing. This direct dependence of equalization on the orientation of the individual loudspeaker elements is of key importance in the present invention, and is not known in the prior art.
Still other prior art systems attempt to alter the reflected to direct sound ratio of the sound radiated from a single loudspeaker by using multiple radiating elements, where the majority of the elements are faced away from the primary listening position. An example of such a system is the Bose 901 loudspeaker, marketed by Bose Corporation. This loudspeaker uses a total of nine full range 4.5 inch transducers, where one transducer is pointed at the listening area and the other eight are faced away from the listening area. This system will be capable of increasing the reflected to direct sound ratio, but only at higher frequencies. At low frequencies, the loudspeaker will radiate omni directionally, as the sources are small compared to the wavelength of sound at low frequencies. The relative magnitude and phase of the different element outputs are not manipulated in any way in an attempt to control the radiation pattern at low frequencies. All the elements operate in phase over their entire operating frequency range. It will be shown later that the low frequency range is precisely the frequency range where the reflected to direct sound ratio needs to be controlled in order to generate localization cues that are displaced away from the physical location of the loudspeaker. It is precisely the directivity pattern of the loudspeaker array at low frequencies that is controlled in the present invention.

Loudspeaker array with signal dependent radiation pattern


The method of forming a MOS transistor in a semiconductor substrate with the self-aligned silicide contact for ESD protection includes the following steps. At first, an isolation region is formed to separate an ESD protective region and a functional region. A gate insulator layer and a polysilicon layer are formed. The polysilicon layer is then patterned to form a gate structure. The substrate is doped to form a lightly doped region and the ESD protective region is then doped to have a junction region. A covering layer is then formed over the ESD protective region and a first dielectric layer is formed. A portion of the first dielectric layer is removed to form a spacer structure. A silicidation process is performed to form a metal silicide layer and the metal silicide layer is then doped. A second dielectric layer is formed and a thermal process is then performed to form a junction region in the functional region.

With the progress in the semiconductor integrated circuits reaching ULSI (ultra large scale integration) level or even higher level, the integrity of the integrated circuits rises in an amazing rate. The capacity of a single semiconductor chip increases from several thousand devices to hundreds of million devices, or even billions of devices. Taking DRAM (dynamic random access memories) for example, the increasing integrity in manufacturing extends the capacity of a single chip to step from earlier 4 megabit to 16 megabit, and further to 256 megabit or even higher.
Integrated circuits devices like transistors, capacitors, and connections must be greatly narrowed accompanying with the advancement. The increasing packing density of integrated circuits generates numerous challenges to the semiconductor manufacturing process. Every element or device needs to be formed within smaller area without influencing the characteristics and functionality of the integrated circuits. The demands on high packing density, low heat generation, and low power consumption devices with good reliability and long operation life must be maintained without any degradation in the functionality. These achievements are expected to be achieved with simultaneous developments and advancements in the photography, the etching, the deposition, the ion implantation, and the thermal processing technologies, the big five aspects of semiconductor manufacturing. The present technology research focus mainly on the sub-micron and smaller semiconductor devices to manufacture highly reliable and densely arranged integrated circuits.
Transistors, or more specifically metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors, are the most important and frequently employed devices in the integrated circuits. However, with the continuous narrowing of device size, the sub-micrometer scale MOS transistors have to face many risky challenges. As the MOS transistors become narrower and thinner accompanying with shorter channels, problems like the junction punchthrough, the leakage, and the contact resistance reduce the yield and the reliability of the semiconductor manufacturing. The technologies like the self-aligned silicide (salicide) and the shallow junctions are utilized in combating the undesirable effects to fabricate the densely packed devices with good yield.
The electrostatic discharge (ESD) attacking becomes a serious problem as the feature size of the MOS transistors scales down. A semiconductor device having the input/output pad connections with external circuitry and devices is subject to the problem of the ESD. The ESD is easily conducted through the input/output and the power lead connections into the internal devices and causes some problems to the semiconductor devices, especially serious ones like the gate oxide breakdown and the overheat damages. The high voltage gradient generated between the contacts and the channels from the ESD causes the gate oxide electron injection and the carrier acceleration effect in the channel. The characteristics and operations of the devices are easily damaged by the inducing effects of the ESD. A high level of ESD with several hundred volts to a few thousand volts, which is easily transferred to the pins of an IC package during handling can bring a permanent destruction to the internal devices. For preventing the devices from the ESD damaging, a built-in ESD protection circuits are connected between the input/output pads and the internal circuitry. A high level of undesired discharge conducted into the pins of an IC package is kept out by the ESD protection circuits from flowing into the devices. The discharges are guided through the ESD protection circuits to the ground and the damage to the semiconductor devices is eliminated.
Several improvements in combating the ESD problem by forming the ESD protection devices have been provided previously. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,559,352 to C. C. Hsue and J. Ko disclosed a method of forming an ESD protection device with reduced breakdown voltage. Their invention employed a lightly implanted region of opposite conductivity type with the source/drain regions centered under the heavier implanted source/drain region. As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,892 to J. D. Walker and S. C. Gioia disclosed a lightly doped drain ballast resistor. A field effect transistor with an improved electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection using a ballast resistor in the drain region is identified. The ballast resistor laterally distributes current along the width of the drain during an ESD pulse, which reduces local peak current density and reduces damage. But the operation speed problem with small feature size devices is still not solved. In addition, for applying most of the improvements, great efforts are needed with the variations needed in the semiconductor manufacturing circuits and the costs are raised.
In manufacturing the sub-micron feature size semiconductor devices, the salicide technology is a vital application to improve the operation speed of the ULSI/VLSI MOS devices. As mentioned in the work of P. Fornara and A. Poncet, the salicide process is one of the most efficient ways of obtaining self-aligned low resistive contacts in CMOS and BiCMOS technologies ("Modeling of Local Reduction in TiSi2 and CoSi2 Growth Near Spacers in MOS Technologies: Influence of Mechanical Stress and Main Diffusing Species", IEDM Tech. Dig., P. 73, 1996).
Unfortunately, there exists some trade-off in employing the technologies like self-aligned silicide when facing the ESD problem. The devices with the self-aligned silicided contacts show a worse ESD performance than the non-salicided devices. In general, thicker salicide has a negative effect on the ESD protection and makes the semiconductor devices to be more sensitive to the ESD voltage and damaged easily by that. The details are explored by the investigation of A. Amerasekera et al. ("Correlating Drain Junction Scaling, Salicide Thickness, and Lateral NPN behavior with the ESD/EOS Performance of a 0.25 .mu.m CMOS Process.", IEDM Tech. Dig., p. 893, IEEE 1996) Their investigation presents the physical mechanisms involved in the degradation of ESD performance with shallower junctions, thicker salicides, and different epitaxial thicknesses. The ESD challenge of salicide technology with the smaller scale devices can be clearly understood by referencing their work.

Method for forming self-aligned silicided MOS transistors with asymmetric ESD protecting transistors


A detector system for sensing the presence of a toxic gas, such as carbon monoxide, and sounding an alarm. The presence of the gas is detected by passing light through a biomimetric sensing material that darkens in the presence of the gas. The system includes a housing containing a light emitter, a light detector and a mechanism for sounding an alarm. The sensing material is contained in a cell, which, together with a battery to power the system, are mounted in a drawer insertable into the housing, which has openings permitting ambient air to reach the sensing material. When fully inserted, the drawer positions the cell between the emitter and detector and brings battery contacts into connection with contact s for the light emitter and alarm. Both the battery and sensing material must be replaced periodically, typically about once every three years. The drawer is configured so that it cannot be inserted without a battery in place. Both the battery and cell are easily replaced in the drawer. A microporous filter is preferably placed between the cell and ambient air to prevent contamination by large airborne particles.

This invention relates in general to sensors for toxic gases and, more particularly, to a detector system for toxic gases permitting convenient, reliable, replacement of a battery and gas sensor in a housing containing the system.
Airborne toxic gases and vapors, such as carbon monoxide, mercury, ethylene oxide, volatile organic compounds, hydrogen sulfide, etc. are difficult to detect, especially where they are odorless or present at levels that cannot be smelled or are masked by other odors. The danger of these is becoming increasingly apparent, especially in industrial plants, mines, well-sealed homes and office buildings, recreational and other vehicles and other environments in which people are present for long periods.
Recently, a solid-state biomimetric sensor has been developed by the inventor of the present application which has an extended useful life and which mimics the human response to various toxic gases and vapors. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,164 this sensor comprises a porous, semi-transparent substrate with a self-regenerating chemical sensing reagent impregnated into the substrate. The optical density of the chemical sensor changes in response to contact with the toxin. This patent describes a variety of sensing reagents and substrates. Some perform at optimum levels under high humidity conditions, while others require low humidity for optimum performance.
The sensor has a relatively long useful lifetime, typically about three years, approximately equivalent to the useful life of typical alkaline battery.
Other gas sensing compositions have been developed, such as those described by Shuler et al in U.S. Pat. 4,043,934. The disclosed sensing reagents effective with certain gases, such as reducing gases like carbon monoxide, producing a color change upon exposure. These materials, however, tend to have a short useful life, typically 2-4 months.
In order to apply these toxic gas sensor materials in practical applications, such as home or recreational vehicle use, compact, reliable, easily serviced sensing and alarm systems are needed. The system must provide accurate and reliable detection of optical transmission characteristics and/or color changes. Characteristics of certain sensor materials, such as variable response depending on ambient humidity, must be accommodated. Ease of servicing, e.g., replacement of the sensing material and battery, battery pack or main power supply, assurance that a battery or power supply is in place, is an important consideration where unskilled persons are maintaining the system.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a simple and reliable system for detecting toxic gases. Another object is to a provide system which is easily serviced to replace the sensor and battery at appropriate intervals and prevents the use of the system without a battery in place. A further object is to provide a system which can accommodate sensing materials of different types, e.g., color change, optical density change and different humidity sensitivity.

Toxic gas detector system having convenient battery and sensor replacement


An improved high input voltage instant start electronic ballast uses a substantially lossless snubber circuit. The substantially lossless snubber circuit is incorporated into the ballast to reduce turn off losses and increase the efficiency of the ballast. The snubber circuit includes two capacitors connected in parallel with respect to the two switching transistors or FETS in the inverter of the ballast. A series-resonant lamp voltage sensing circuit is also provided that uses a voltage dividing capacitor to accomplish lossless monitoring of the open circuit voltage of the ballast. A cable compensation circuit minimizes variations in the open circuit voltage due to the connecting and disconnecting of a cable to the ballast by limiting the turn on times of the transistors during high voltage conditions.

One problem with prior art electronic ballasts is that the open circuit voltage of an instant-start ballast needs to be controlled when there is not a lamp coupled to the ballast. Unfortunately, prior art methods of providing this open circuit voltage control cause substantial variations in the open circuit voltage when used in conjunction with different lengths of cable, or require a high value resonant capacitor which results in a high circulating current. A high circulating current is undesirable in that it increases the conduction losses in the ballast and may result in damaging capacitive mode switching occurring during the striking transients. Therefore, an improved method and apparatus for controlling the open circuit voltage of a high input voltage electronic ballast without increasing the switching losses or creating high value circulating currents is needed.
In some prior art ballasts, the voltage on the lamp voltage sensing resistor is used to control the open circuit voltage during striking when no lamp is connected. To accomplish this, the pulse width of one switch of the half bridge is typically controlled. Controlling the pulse width controls the open circuit voltage indirectly by using inductor current to control the voltage on the capacitor. As a result, large open circuit voltage variations often result when external connections to the fixture, such as a connecting cable, add extra capacitance. In ballast implementations that can afford to use a large resonant capacitor and a small inductor, the open circuit voltage variation problem is generally not too significant. However, potentially damaging hard switching or capacitive mode switching is often observed in these high capacitance types of prior art open circuit voltage controlled ballasts. Furthermore, the use of a large resonant capacitor makes the resonant tank difficult to design. As a result, these types of ballasts suffer from more conduction losses and/or hard switching during the striking of the lamp than do typical ballasts. Conduction losses and hard switching are undesirable in that they may cause the ballast to fail. A large resonant capacitor, with a striking voltage of two lamps across it, stores a substantial amount of energy. When the striking attempt occurs when there is no load, the striking energy is transferred to the resonant inductor and can saturate the inductor. The result is undesirable hard switching occurring during the striking. Even though a MOSFET can survive the high stress transients in ballasts with a 460V bulk voltage, hard switching is undesirable and should be avoided if possible. Furthermore, for some types of ballasts, it is critically important to avoid hard switching due to their particular susceptibility to damage from transients. Thus, in many of the prior art ballasts, the resonant capacitor value is minimized and a cable compensation circuit is utilized to control the open circuit voltage such that it is constant with various lengths of connected cable attached having varying amounts of capacitance. However, these circuits are often complex and decrease the efficiency, while increasing the cost, of the ballast. Therefore, an improved method and apparatus for controlling the open circuit voltage of a ballast and compensating for any attached cables is needed.
Therefore what is needed is a new and improved electronic ballast that overcomes the above mentioned deficiencies of the prior art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Electronic ballast with lossless snubber capacitor circuit


Disclosed is a method for producing folic acid, comprising incubating yeast having the ability to produce folic acid of 0.3 mg or more or incubating bacteria having the ability to produce folic acid of 1 mg or more per liter of the culture, thereby accumulating folic acid in the culture.

Folic acid as referred to herein includes all substances having folic acid activities and shall not be limited to only pteroylglutamic acid (hereinafter referred to as PteGlu) which is generally said to be folic acid in the narrow sense of the word. In addition to PteGlu, it includes, for example, pteroyl-poly-.gamma.-glutamic acid (hereinafter referred to as PteGlun with n=from 2 to 8), tetrahydrofolic acid, 5-formyl-tetrahydrofolic acid, 10-formyl-tetrahydrofolic acid, 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolic acid, etc.
At present, PteGlu of folic acids is industrially produced through chemical synthesis. Briefly, three components of 2,4,5-triamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine, 1,1,3-trichloroacetone and p-aminobenzoylglutamic acid are condensed in the presence of sodium nitrite in a solution of sodium acetate to give a crude product of folic acid, PteGlu, and the product is purified through recrystallization.
There are some reports disclosing that bacteria of the genera Pseudomonas, Micrococcus, Gluconobacter, Corynebacterium, Aeromonas and Bacillus produce a minor amount (from several tens to one hundred and several tens .mu.g/liter) of a substance having folic acid activities in their cultures (see J. of Bacteriol., 104, 197-201 (1970); Kor. J. Appl. Microbiol. Bioeng., (16), 5, 352 (1988)).
A conventional method for producing folic acid through chemical synthesis is known, in which, however, the raw materials to be used are expensive and the yield of the product is low. Therefore, it is difficult to say that the method is advantageous. As has been mentioned hereinabove, there are some reports disclosing that several species of bacteria produce a substance having folic acid activities in their cultures, but the amount of the substance to be produced is extremely small. Therefore, the proposals disclosed are problematic in that they could not be directly led to the industrial production of the substance.


A new and improved spray can control apparatus includes a handle assembly, a telescopically extensible extension assembly connected to the handle assembly, and a spray can holding assembly connected to the extension assembly. A spray control actuation assembly includes a hand-operated actuator assembly supported by the handle assembly, a flexible member connected to the hand-operated actuator assembly and extending along the extension assembly, and a can nozzle actuator assembly connected to the flexible member and supported by the extension assembly. The can nozzle actuator assembly actuates a can nozzle when the hand-operated actuator assembly is actuated. The handle assembly includes a first hand-held handle member connected to the extension assembly, two strut members attached to the first hand-held handle member and projecting therefrom, and a second hand-held handle member connected to the two strut members. The first hand-held handle member, the two strut members, and the second hand-held handle member define a hand-resting area. The hand-operated actuator assembly includes a pivot connected to the handle assembly and includes an actuator member pivoted on the pivot, such that the actuator member is retained in the hand-resting area and is capable of being squeezed by fingers of a hand that grasps the second hand-held handle member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for controlling spray cans, and more particularly, to a device especially adapted for remotely operating a spray can so the can be used to spray areas too high to be reached by person holding a spray can in a hand.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Spray cans are popular dispensers for spraying a wide variety of materials. Spray cans are widely used for dispensing paint. A building includes surfaces that need to be painted and that are too high to be reached by person holding a spray can of paint in a hand. In this respect, either a ladder must be used, or a device must be used to essentially extend the length of the person's arms to apply paint from the spray can at otherwise out of reach locations.
Many people seek to avoid the use of ladders for a number of reasons. They are expensive, they are heavy and difficult to raise and lower, and their may be dangerous. One always runs the risk of falling off of the ladder and being subjected to serious injury. In this respect, it would be desirable if a spray can control apparatus were provided that provided adequate control of a spray can at significant heights without using a ladder.
A number of devices are disclosed in the prior art which are designed to essentially extend the length of a person's arms to apply paint from the spray can at otherwise out of reach locations. For example, the following U.S. patents are known: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,510,028; 4,023,711; 4,089,440; 4,092,000; and 4,789,084.
More specifically, the above-mentioned patents disclose and number of extension tools for aerosol dispensers. Although these devices do the basic job of effectively extending the arm of the user, with each of these devices a user would have difficulty viewing the area that is being sprayed with a straight on view. With these devices, the user would be seeing the area sprayed from below the area at a glancing or grazing angle. However, when spraying occurs, it would be desirable if the person doing the spraying could view the area being sprayed at an angle straight on or normal to the surface being sprayed. In this respect, it would be desirable if a remotely operated spray can control device were provided that permitted a user to view the surface being sprayed at an angle substantially normal or perpendicular to the surface being sprayed.
Another problem associated with the use of remotely operated spray can control devices is the lack of control over the spray can that the user has. When a user holds a can directly in the hand, movement of the hand directly controls movement of the spray can. However, when a spray can is at the end of a remotely operated spray can control device, the extension portion of the device inherent provides a leverage action such that a slight movement of the hand of the user is multiplied to become a large movement at the spray can end of the device. In this respect, it would be desirable if a remotely operated spray can control device were provided that provided improved movement control of the spray can end of the device.
In using a remotely operated spray can control device, the user must accomplish several distinct tasks with the hands. First, one must move the spray can to the proper area to be sprayed. Second, one must begin, continue, and end the spraying operation. Third, one must control movement of the can near the surface being sprayed to carry out a satisfactory spraying operation. In this respect, it is important that the handle assembly of the device be designed to facilitate the combined tasks of spray can positioning, spray control, and movement of the can during the spraying operation.
When a person holding a spray can wants to stop spraying, the user simply releases pressure on the valve actuator. However, with a remotely operated spray can control device, the device can get stuck in the spray actuation position. This result is extremely undesirable, and a remotely operated spray can control device should include design features that preclude a spray can from being stuck in the spraying mode.
Normally when a spray can is used, the can should be held a prescribed distance from the surface being sprayed. However, when a remotely operated spray can control device is employed, it is difficult, from a distance, to ascertain the prescribed distance. In this respect, it would be desirable if a remotely operated spray can control device were provided with means for maintaining the prescribed distance between the surface being sprayed and the spray can during the spraying operation.
A remotely operated spray can control device may be employed for spraying a surface that is not too far out of reach of the user; or the device may be employed for spraying a surface quite far from, and substantially out of reach from, the hands of the user. In this respect, it would be desirable if a remotely operated spray can control device were provided that had an adjustable, extensible length.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use remotely operated spray can control devices, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a remotely operated spray can control apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) provides adequate control of a spray can at significant heights without using a ladder; (2) permits a user to view the surface being sprayed at an angle substantially normal to the surface being sprayed; (3) provides improved movement control of the spray can end of the device; (4) has a handle assembly that facilitates the combined tasks of spray can positioning, spray control, and movement of the can during the spraying operation; (5) has features that preclude a spray can from being stuck in the spraying mode; (6) has means for maintaining a prescribed distance between the surface being sprayed and the spray can during the spraying operation; and (7) has an adjustable, extensible length. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique remotely operated spray can control apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.


The present invention provides methods for aiding in the diagnoses of the neoplastic condition of a lung cell and methods of screening for a potential therapeutic agent for the reversal of the neoplastic condition.

Despite numerous advances in medical research, cancer remains the second leading cause of death in the United States. In the industrialized nations, roughly one in five persons will die of cancer. Traditional modes of clinical care, such as surgical resection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, have a significant failure rate, especially for solid tumors. Failure occurs either because the initial tumor is unresponsive, or because of recurrence due to regrowth at the original site and/or metastases.
Lung cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide and is the second leading cause of cancer death in man. See, American Cancer Society, Cancer facts and figures, 1996, Atlanta. Approximately 178,100 new cases of lung cancer were to be diagnosed in 1997, accounting for 13% of cancer diagnoses. An estimated 160,400 deaths due to lung cancer would occur in 1997 accounting for 29% of all cancer deaths. The one-year survival rates for lung cancer have increased from 32% in 1973 to 41% in 1993, largely due to improvements in surgical techniques. The 5 year survival rate for all stages combined is only 14%. The survival rate is 48% for cases detected when the disease is still localized, but only 15% of lung cancers are discovered that early. Among various forms of lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for nearly. 80% of all new lung cancer cases each year. For patients diagnosed with NSCLC, surgical resection offers the only chance of meaningful survival. On the other hand, small cell lung cancer is the most malignant and fastest growing form of lung cancer and accounts for the rest of approximately 20% of new cases of lung cancer. The primary tumor is generally responsive to chemotherapy, but is followed by wide-spread metastasis. The median survival time at diagnosis is approximately 1 year, with a 5 year survival rate of 5%.
In spite of major advances in cancer therapy including improvements in surgical resection, radiation treatment and chemotherapy, successful intervention for lung cancer in particular, relies on early detection of the cancerous cells. Neoplasia resulting in benign tumors may be completely cured by removing the mass surgically. If a tumor becomes malignant, as manifested by invasion of surrounding tissue, it becomes much more difficult to eradicate. Therefore, there remains a considerable need in the art for the development of methods for detecting the disease at the early stage. There also exits a pressing need in the art for developing diagnostic methods to monitor or prognose the progression of the disease as well as methods to treat various conditions. However, the vast variability in the nature of the disease has rendered the search for cellular markers, such as genes that are preferably overexpressed in primary lung cancer cells and useful for diagnostic and therapeutic methods, difficult.
Tumor often results from genetic alterations occurring spontaneously, or from viral infection, or in response to, chemical carcinogens or radiation. Genes responsible for transforming a normal cell to a cancer (or neoplastic) cell are known as oncogenes. With the advent of recombinant DNA technology, a large number of oncogenes have been identified, cloned and sequenced. In most cases, the identified oncogenes are in fact altered form of one of the same native cellular genes, known as the proto-oncogenes. Related techniques have revealed that cell transformation can also be caused by overproduction of certain normal gene products. Overexpression of proto-oncogene may result from an amplification of the gene copies, or from a chromosomal rearrangement that has brought the proto-oncogene under the control of an inappropriate regulatory element, such as a constitutively activated promoter. The present invention provides the first identification of proto-oncogenes that are preferably overexpressed in primary lung cancer cells. In addition, the methods described herein provide a significant contribution to the area of lung cancer diagnosis, monitoring and treatment.

Methods for the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine


A high-performance portable microwave communication unit, consists of a directional antenna, RF transceiver and high-speed data/video processing unit for use in terrestrial point-to-point communications or as a ground station in a satellite communication system. For transportation, the unit is disassembled, folded down and stowed in two airline-checkable hard-shell cases. Each case can be equipped with shoulder straps such that it can be carried like a backpack, a set of wheels so it can be rolled, attached to a MOLLE frame so that it can be carried as a backpack and which allows attachment of accessories. The cases and their interiors have been designed to provide protection for the communication unit, while the construction of the unit itself involves novel mechanical features that allow for compact stowage as well as for rapid disassembly and assembly.

Due to the high performance demands, Satellite News Gathering (SNG) systems, systems for logging and transmitting data from remote exploration sites, certain portable military communication systems, and other systems using transmission of high bit rate data require large parabolic antennas, high-power RF amplifiers and complex electronics, and therefore are relatively large.
Prior art portable communications systems require relatively large containers or cases that allow for only short manual handling between transportation between vehicles. One of the best-packaged systems of this type, using only one (25″×24.5″×16″) suitcase is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,633,891. Such a suitcase cannot be checked onto an airplane with regular luggage. More compact systems exist, (e.g. European Patents EP1440612 and EP1380123) however, they are not very robust and are inconvenient to transport. They are therefore inappropriate for many applications, such as SNG and military applications.
Also known in the prior art are "wearable" communication systems. Such systems usually have their electronics permanently stowed in a backpack-type container. However, such systems (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 5,864,481 and US patent applications 20040088780 and 20040113836) are used for specialized military purposes, requiring electronics operating at lower frequencies and small antennas, (e.g. personal protection devices, location beacons, etc.). Such systems are totally inadequate for applications requiring transmission of data at high bit rates.
More generally, the prior art also includes "convertible" luggage systems that can be used either as a suitcase, backpack, and/or a wheeled suitcase (e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,749,503; 6,742,684; and 6,530,507). However, these do not provide any protection for sensitive communications equipment. Specifically, such prior art systems do not provide for a hard shell case necessary to protect communications equipment.
Accordingly, the present invention addresses the above drawbacks of the prior art by providing a novel mechanical design of the communication unit and containment system, resulting in a rugged and portable high performance system for high speed data and/or video communications.

Portable high-speed data and broadcast-quality video terminal for terrestrial and satellite communications


A method for developing a manufacturing process includes measuring, in a first testing environment, a primary property of a nano-engineered material at one or more positions to provide one or more measurements. The method also includes determining whether the one or more measurements satisfy a first tolerance criterion and taking a further action based on whether the one or more measurements satisfy the first tolerance criterion. Additionally, a method of measuring thermal properties of a nano-engineered material includes irradiating a nano-engineered material with laser radiation, wherein the laser radiation impinges on a first surface of the nano-engineered material at one ore more locations, capturing at least one image of the nano-engineered material, and analyzing the at least one image to characterize the thermal properties of the nano-engineered material.

This invention relates generally to methods of developing manufacturing processes for materials and more specifically to methods of developing manufacturing processes for nano-engineered materials or other articles or materials that include nanostructures.
In recent years, there has been significant scientific interest and research in the area of nanostructures. Some of this interest has been due to the novel electrical, mechanical, thermal, and field emission properties of these nanostructures. In particular, the thermal conductivity of carbon nanotubes has been studied by various research groups. Much of this research has been limited to academic and other non-industrial research environments. Often these research environments have not selected fabrication repeatability and reliability of the manufactured product as important factors in the research program. As nano-materials development transitions from the research to the manufacturing phase, eventually resulting in the production of commercial products, methods and systems for developing manufacturing and production processes for nano-materials become important.

System and method for developing production nano-material


A thermostat device includes a valve housing with a cooling water passage of an internal combustion engine, a built-in thermally expansive body thermally expanded or contracted by temperature change of cooling water, a piston rod slid by thermal expansion/contraction of the expansive body, and a valve body subjected to opening/closing operation by the piston rod in accordance with volume change of the expansive body. A valve seat shape on downstream side than the valve seat, which is an internal wall face forming the passage is formed in a shape that in valve open condition the cross-sectional area of the passage between an inlet seal of the valve seat and the top face of the valve body gradually decreases with reference to the maximum passage cross-sectional area on upstream side and that the cross-sectional area of the passage at the face perpendicular to the top face gradually increases.

In automobile engines, in order to cool these, typically a cooling system of the water-cooling type using a radiator is employed. Conventionally, in a cooling system of this type, a thermostat or the like, employing a thermally expansive body whereby the flow rate of cooling water circulated to the radiator was adjusted, was employed in order to control the temperature of the cooling water that was introduced into the engine.
Specifically, a control valve such as a thermostat employing a thermally expansive body as described above is inserted in part of the cooling water passage, such as for example at the inlet or outlet of the engine, and, if the cooling water temperature is low, this control valve is closed so that the cooling water is circulated through a bypass passage without passing through the radiator and, if the cooling water temperature is high, the control valve is opened, so that the cooling water is circulated through the radiator: in this way, the temperature of the engine cooling water can be controlled to a desired condition.
In a conventional thermostat device of this type, there are provided a thermoelement in which is sealed a thermally expansive body that is operated in response to temperature change of the fluid and a main body frame that holds this; first and second valve bodies that respectively present substantially umbrella shapes are provided at both ends of the thermoelement. This thermoelement comprises a rod that is advanced and retracted by means of an expanding/contracting thermally expansive body that is used to sense the temperature of the fluid and is arranged such that the aforesaid valve body opens/closes a fluid passage in a manner that is linked to the movement of this rod (see for example patent reference 1).
[Patent reference 1] Japanese Patent No. 3225386


A medicament reservoir module for attachment to a pumping and control module includes a conventional medicament vial closed at one end by a penetrable stopper, which is inserted to operate as a piston in the vial. A hollow needle, attached to an adaptor that releasibly connects to the stopper, pierces the stopper and provides a medicament flow path via a slack length of flexible tubing from the vial to a peristaltic pump in the pumping and control module. A housing supports the vial, encloses the adaptor, hollow needle, and slack tubing, and releasibly connects to the pumping and control module. Thereby, a detachable reservoir module is provided, permitting quick and reliable resupply of medicament directly from filled standard vials.

The present invention relates to a drug delivery system, particularly a system utilizing pumps of the negative pressure type for continuous delivery of drugs.
It is known in the prior art to administer fluids to a patient in a number of ways. For example, a solution such as saline, glucose or an electrolyte in a glass or flexible container is fed intravenously by gravity to a patient's venous access site via a length of flexible plastic tubing such as polyvinylchloride tubing. Flow from the container to the patient may be regulated by means of a roller clamp.
However, such gravity-feed type systems are of limited application. This is particularly so where continuous or controlled application of drugs is required. For example, in the treatment of pain related conditions, it is known in the art to use a number of electro-mechanical pumping systems to deliver drugs to the patient. A number of positive pressure pumps, e.g. of the plunger type, are known in the field. An example thereof is the pump sold under the trade designation "Lifecare PCT+2 Infusion System" available from Abbott Laboratories. However, such positive feed systems suffer from a number of difficulties. For example, with positive pressure systems, after the pump stops, flow contents of the system may continue to be expelled or sucked back because of the positive pressure already created in the syringe, thus making control less accurate. Further, with systems such as the Abbott Lifecare system, specially designed drug vials must be utilized.
It is also known in the prior art to utilize negative pressure pump systems for the delivery of drugs. The drug is drawn from a vial rather than being expelled. For example, a peristaltic pumping action is particularly well suited for this purpose. An advantage is provided because peristaltic pumping action may be applied externally of the tubing carrying the intravenous or like fluid. Thus, sterile conditions of the fluid are maintained within the tubing while imparting propulsion to the fluid. Also, the peristaltic pumping action may be applied at any point along the tubing.
In a common type of peristaltic pump known in the prior art, a driving motor is connected to an array of cams angularly spaced from each other. The cams in turn drive cam followers connected to corresponding pressure fingers, which act on a flexible tubing that is carrying the intravenous fluid. The pump elements cooperate to impart a linear wave motion on the pressure fingers that moves the fluid along in a pulsatile flow.
Whereas such negative pressure systems provide significant advantages over the positive pressure systems known in the art, difficulties still remain with the peristaltic pump type arrangements. For example, containers utilized with the peristaltic systems are flexible bags, which are initially empty and which must be filled with fluid by the operator. Such containers are inconvenient to fill, difficult to use, and increase the danger of inadvertent spillage or contamination.

Reservoir module for a drug delivery system


The invention is related to a continuous casting nozzle for casting of aluminum killed steel without clogging of the bore of the nozzle. The surface layer of the bore of the continuous casting nozzle contacting with the molten steel is composed of a refractory comprising graphite from 10 to 35 wt %, a neutral or basic aggregate from 30 to 50 wt % such as Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and pottery stone as the remaining part of the refractory.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a continuous casting nozzle for permitting effective prevention of narrowing or clogging of the nozzle bore through which molten steel passes from tundish to mold while performing continuous casting of molten steel containing aluminum such as aluminum-killed steel.
2. Description of the Related Art
A continuous casting nozzle for casting molten steel is used for the following purposes. A continuous casting nozzle, which is a means for feeding molten steel from a tundish to a mold, is used for the purpose of preventing the molten steel from being oxidized when contacting the open air and from splashing when the molten steel is poured from a tundish to a mold, and for the purpose of rectifying the flow of the molten steel poured for preventing non-metallic inclusion and slag present near or on the mold surface from being entrapped in the cast steel strand.
Material of a conventional continuous casting nozzle for casting molten steel comprises such material as graphite, alumina, silica, silicon carbide and recently zirconia. However, there are following problems in the case of casting aluminum-killed steel and the like.
As for the aluminum-killed steel and the like, aluminum, which is added as a de-oxidizer to molten steel, reacts with oxygen existing in the molten steel to produce non-metallic inclusion such as alpha-alumina. Therefore, in casting the aluminum-killed steel and the like, the non-metallic inclusion such as alpha-alumina adheres and accumulates onto the surface of the bore of the continuous casting nozzle, so that the bore is narrowed or clogged in the worst case, which makes stable casting difficult. Furthermore, the non-metallic inclusion such as alpha-alumnina, adhered or accumulated onto the surface of the bore, peels off or falls down, and is entrapped in the cast steel strand, thus degrading the quality of the cast steel strand.
For the purpose of preventing the above-mentioned narrowing or clogging of the bore caused by the non-metallic inclusion such as alpha-alumina, there is a commonly used method for preventing the non-metallic inclusion such as alpha-alumina existing in the molten steel from adhering or accumulating on the surface of the bore of the nozzle by ejecting inert gas from the inner surface of the nozzle bore toward the molten steel flowing through the bore. An example of this method is described in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 6-59533/1994. However, the following for the above-mentioned method wherein inert gas is ejected from the inner surface of the nozzle.
A large amount of the ejected inert gas causes entrapment of bubbles produced by the inert gas in the cast steel strand, resulting in defects based on pinholes. On the other hand, a small amount of the ejected inert gas causes adhesion and accumulation of the non-metallic inclusion such as alpha-alumina onto the surface of the bore of the nozzle, thus causing narrowing or clogging, in the worst case, of the bore.
Additionally, it is constructionally difficult to uniformly eject the inert gas from the inner surface of the nozzle bore toward the molten steel flowing through the bore. Also, in the case that the casting is performed over a long period of time, a stable control of the amount of ejected inert gas becomes gradually more difficult as the composition and the structure of the material consisting of the continuous casting nozzle degrades. Moreover, it becomes difficult to eject inert gas uniformly from the inner surface to the nozzle bore. As a result, the non-metallic inclusion such as alpha-alumina adheres and accumulates onto the surface of the bore of the nozzle so that the bore is narrowed or clogged at the end.
It is thought that the clogging of the nozzle by the non-metallic inclusion, especially by the alumina inclusion, is caused as described below.
(1) Alumina inclusion is produced from aluminum in the steel by secondary oxidation, such as oxidation by entrapped air passing through a refractory junction and refractory structure. PA1 (2) In addition, silica contained in conventional alumina-graphite material of a nozzle reacts with the graphite to produce silicon-monoxide(SiO), which oxidizes aluminum in steel to produce alumina. PA1 (3) Alumina inclusion is produced by diffusion and cohesion of the alumina particles produced in the above process. PA1 (4) Graphite on the surface of the nozzle bore vanishes and the surface of the bore becomes rough thus, the alumina inclusion is apt to accumulate on the rough surface of the bore.
On the other hand, as a counterplan in view of nozzle material, a alumina-graphite nozzle containing a non-oxide raw material (SiC, Si.sub.3 N.sub.4, BN, ZrB.sub.2, SIALON, etc.) that has low reactivity with aluminum oxide, or a nozzle consisting of the non-oxide material itself is proposed. An example of this type of counterplan is described in Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 61-38152/1986. However, this counterplan is not practical in the case of the alumina-graphite nozzle because the adhesion preventing effect is not recognized and further corrosion resistance is decreased unless much of the non-oxide material is added.
Also, a nozzle consisting of only the non-oxide material is not suitable for practical use in view of material cost and manufacturing cost, although a substantial effect is expected.
A nozzle consisting of graphite-oxide raw material containing CaO has been proposed. A low-melting-point material is produced by a reaction of CaO in the oxide raw material containing CaO (CaO.ZrO.sub.2, CaO.S.sub.i O.sub.2, 2CaO.S.sub.i O.sub.2 etc.) with Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, which is easily separated from the steel. An example of this is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 62-56101/1987.
However, the reactivity of CaO with Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 is apt to be influenced by a temperature condition of the molten steel in casting, and there is a case in which the amount of CaO is not sufficiently secured for satisfying spalling resistance and corrosion resistance when high levels of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 inclusion is contained in the steel.

Continuous casting nozzle for casting molten steel


An axle housing assembly includes a cast iron tube having a pocket that is formed proximate a first end of the cast iron tube. The pocket is disposed generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the cast iron tube. The axle housing assembly also includes an insert made of steel connected to the pocket. The steel insert permits the cast iron tube to be coupled to a cast iron carrier housing by welding steel plugs positioned in the carrier housing to the steel inserts.

An axle housing assembly can include the carrier assembly and two tube assemblies that can be press-fit into the carrier assembly. The carrier assembly can hold a differential gear set and each of the tube assemblies can hold an axle shaft that can connect the differential gear set to each of a pair of wheels. Traditionally, the carrier assembly is made of cast iron and the tube assemblies are made of steel. Multiple components made from steel can be formed from or welded to each of the steel tube assemblies, for example steering knuckles, suspension brackets and/or hydraulic connectors.
In addition to coupling each of the tube assemblies to the carrier assembly with the press-fit, each of the tube assemblies can be slug-welded to the carrier assembly. Slug-welding, for example, can include forming a plurality of holes at two locations where each of the tube assemblies couples to the carrier assembly. Steel plugs can be inserted into the plurality of holes and contact each of the steel tube assemblies. The steel plugs can then be welded to each of the tube assemblies to further secure each of the tube assemblies to the cast iron carrier assembly.
In another example, each of the tube assemblies can be made from cast iron. Forming the tube assemblies from cast iron can reduce complexity and therefore save cost, but renders the connection of steel plugs to the tube assemblies somewhat more complex.


The invention relates to a hydrostatic axial piston machine having a cylinder block which can be rotated about a first axis, the cylinder block being provided with a plurality of cylinder bores which extend in the axial direction and which are arranged on a partial circle which is concentric in relation to the first axis, in addition to a plane which can be rotated about a second axis, whereon a number of pistons associated with the bores, can be articulated in a pivotable manner on a second partial circle which is concentric in relation to the second axis and form a ring. Also provided is a device for synchronizing the rotation of the cylinder block about the first axis and the drive shaft about the second axis. The cylinder block and the drive shaft can be adjusted in a continuous manner using both axes, between a first position, wherein both axes are parallel, and a second position, wherein both axes together form a maximum pivoting angle which is different from zero.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of axial piston machines. It refers to a hydrostatic axial piston machine according to the preamble of claim 1 and to the use of said machine.
2. Description of Related Art
Continuously variable hydrostatic power-branched transmissions, particularly in vehicles used for construction or agricultural purposes, have long been known from the prior art (see, for example, the publications DE-AS-1 113 621, DE-C2-29 04 572, DE-A1-37 07 382, DE-A1-43 43 401 and EP-A1-1 195 542). In these transmissions, the transferred power is apportioned to a mechanical branch and a hydrostatic branch of the transmission as a function of the driving speed, transferred and subsequently combined again.
The hydrostatic power transfer branch of the transmission comprises conventionally two hydrostatic axial piston machines which are connected hydraulically to one another and one of which operates in each case as a pump and the other as a motor. The two machines can in this case interchange their roles, depending on the driving step.
The hydrostatic axial piston machines constitute an essential component of the hydrostatic power-branched transmission and decisively influence the properties of the transmission, such as, for example, the efficiency, the overall size, the complexity, the speed range covered, the type and number of driving steps and the like. Examples of hydrostatic axial piston machines of this type are disclosed in DE-A1-198 33 711 or DE-A1-100 44 784. The functioning and theory of the hydrostatic axial piston machines and a power-branched tractor transmission equipped with them are described in a publication of TU Munich from the year 2000 by H. Bork et al., "Modellbildung, Simulation und Analyse eines stufenlosen leistungsverzweigten Traktor-getriebes" ["Modeling, simulation and analysis of a continuously variable power-branched tractor transmission"].
In the hydrostatic axial piston machines, the cylinder block, into which the axial pistons penetrate, can be pivoted with respect to the driving flange, on which the axial pistons are mounted pivotably, over a pivot angle out of the axially parallel basic configuration. Depending on the pivot angle, in the case of a constant rotational speed, an axial piston machine operating as a pump conveys more or less volume per unit time. In an axial piston machine operating as a motor, the pivot angle influences the torque output and the rotational speed. Owing to the cooperation of two axial piston machines operating as a pump and as a motor in a power-branched transmission, the driving speed can be set independently of the engine rotational speed of the driving internal combustion engine, in that the pivot angles of the pump and motor are suitably varied. Thus, in a tractor, it is possible, for example, in spite of a changing driving speed, to keep the rotational speed of the diesel engine constant and to operate the engine at the most beneficial operating point, or to adapt the rotational speed of the take-off shaft optimally to the work task of the accessory driven by means of the take-off shaft.
The maximum possible pivot angle of the axial piston machine determines the operating range of the axial piston machine and therefore also the properties of the transmission. In axial piston machines known hitherto, the maximum pivot angle is restricted to values equal to or lower than 45°. This leads to a restriction in power and in the range of variation. The result of this, too, is that the power-branched transmissions in which the axial piston machines are used are restricted in efficiency, cover a restricted speed range per driving step and entail a comparatively high outlay in terms of construction and space requirement.
The object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a hydrostatic axial piston machine which is distinguished by markedly improved properties, as compared with the known axial piston machines, and, when used in a power-branched transmission, leads to corresponding improvements in the transmission properties.

Hydrostatic axial piston machine and use of said machine


Disclosed is a method for generating high resolution point cloud data for electro-anatomical mapping comprising receiving sparsely measured point cloud data having a plurality of data points. Surface mesh data comprising mesh points defining triangles on a myocardial surface is generated. The point cloud data is mapped to the surface mesh data. For each point of the surface mesh data that cannot be mapped to the point cloud data because there is a missing data point in point cloud data, an interpolation operation is performed based on the point cloud data within the neighbourhood of the point to generate a value for the missing data point. The interpolation operation is repeated N times. For every repetition, a difference between the value for the missing data point generated from the current iteration and the value for the missing data point generated from the immediately preceding iteration is compared, until the difference is below a threshold.

Electro-anatomical mapping (EAM) systems utilize various technologies to facilitate cardiac mapping and ablation. Data provided by EAM systems may include cardiac chamber reconstruction, tagging of important anatomic landmarks and ablation lesions, display of diagnostic and mapping catheters without using fluoroscopy, activation mapping, and voltage (or scar) mapping.
EAM depends upon data collection for procedural success (activation mapping, substrate mapping, cardiac geometry).
EAM systems generate cardiac geometry using point cloud data comprising a set of points wherein each point is defined by its spatial position within a coordinate system. In order to generate the point cloud data, a catheter is moved within the intra-cardiac space while its position is tracked within the said space through magnetic sensing. Typically, the catheter has a magnetic field-sensing tip whose spatial location can be tracked. The mapping process collects electrical recordings at a discrete at measurement sites where the catheter tip is in contact with the myocardial surface.
The electrical recordings from the measurement sites are analysed and enhanced with analytic metrics (calculations or measurements) to aid a clinician in determining underlying arrhythmia mechanisms. In order to accurately visualize the electrical wave front propagation and metric distributions on an electro-anatomical map, one must build estimated metric values at surface points on a high resolution surface with no measurement recordings.

System and method for generating point cloud data for electro-anatomical mapping


The invention is directed to a guide wire having at least two different polymeric jackets that impart different handling characteristics to the portions of the guide wire they surround. Preferably, the guide wire may have jackets of different grades of polymer, such as polyurethane 55D and 90A. Alternatively, the guide wire may have jackets of different types of polymers such as polyurethane and polytetrafluoroethylene, or may have a single polymeric jacket with continuously varying properties along its length. The invention also comprises methods of making such guide wires.

This invention relates to the field of guide wires for advancing intraluminal devices such as stent delivery catheters, balloon dilatation catheters, atherectomy catheters and the like within body lumens.
In a typical percutaneous procedure, a guiding catheter having a preformed distal tip is percutaneously introduced into a patient""s peripheral artery, e.g. femoral or brachial artery, by means of a conventional Seldinger technique and advanced therein until the distal tip of the guiding catheter is seated in the ostium of the desired coronary artery. There are two basic techniques for advancing a guide wire into the desired location within the patient""s coronary anatomy, the first is a pre-load technique which is used primarily for over-the-wire (OTW) devices and the bare wire technique which is used primarily for rail type systems.
With the pre-load technique, a guide wire is positioned within an inner lumen of an OTW device such as a dilatation catheter or stent delivery catheter with the distal tip of the guide wire just proximal to the distal tip of the catheter and then both are advanced through the guiding catheter to the distal end thereof. The guide wire is first advanced out of the distal end of the guiding catheter into the patient""s coronary vasculature until the distal end of the guide wire crosses the arterial location where the interventional procedure is to be performed, e.g. a lesion to be dilated or a dilated region where a stent is to be deployed. The catheter, which is slidably mounted onto the guide wire, is advanced out of the guiding catheter into the patient""s coronary anatomy by sliding over the previously introduced guide wire until the operative portion of the intravascular device, e.g. the balloon of a dilatation or a stent delivery catheter, is properly positioned across the arterial location. Once the catheter is in position with the operative means located within the desired arterial location, the interventional procedure is performed.
With the bare wire technique, the guide wire is first advanced by itself through the guiding catheter until the distal tip of the guide wire extends beyond the arterial location where the procedure is to be performed. Then a rail type catheter, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,395 (Yock) and the previously discussed McInnes et al. which are incorporated herein by reference, is mounted onto the proximal portion of the guide wire which extends out of the proximal end of the guiding catheter which is outside of the patient. The catheter is advanced over the guide wire, while the position of the guide wire is fixed, until the operative means on the rail type catheter is disposed within the arterial location where the procedure is to be performed. After the procedure the intravascular device may be withdrawn from the patient over the guide wire or the guide wire repositioned within the coronary anatomy for an additional procedure.
Further details of guide wires, and devices associated therewith for various interventional procedures can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,986 (Morrison et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,622 (Samson et al.): U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,503 (Abrams); U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,818 (Abrams et al.); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,945 (Hodgson, et al.) which are hereby incorporated herein in their entirety by reference thereto.
Conventional guide wires for angioplasty, stent delivery, atherectomy and other vascular procedures usually comprise an elongate core member with one or more tapered sections near the distal end thereof and a flexible body member such as a helical coil or a tubular body of polymeric material disposed about the distal portion of the core member. A shapeable member, which may be the distal extremity of the core member or a separate shapeable ribbon which is secured to the distal extremity of the core member extends through the flexible body and is secured to the distal end of the flexible body by soldering, brazing or welding which forms a rounded distal tip. Torquing means are provided on the proximal end of the core member to rotate, and thereby steer, the guide wire while it is being advanced through a patient""s vascular system.
A problem confronting designers of successful guide wires is the desirability to provide different physical characteristics for different parts of the guide wire. For example, many guide wires have a highly flexible leading tip designed not to damage or perforate the vessel. Further, the portion behind the distal tip is increasingly stiff to better support a balloon catheter or similar device. The more proximal portion of the guide wire must also have sufficient torsional rigidity to allow the tip to be steered through the coronary vasculature.
One solution that has been employed is to provide a guide wire having a core member with tapered diameters as discussed above. However, it can be difficult to obtain the desired handling characteristics on the basis of core wire dimensions alone. Other solutions have involved the use of different materials for different portions of the guide wire. These attempts raise new problems in obtaining appropriately secure connections between the different materials while maintaining the desired low profile. Further, it can be important to provide a smooth transition between regions of different stiffness in a guide wire to minimize the potential of kinking.
It is also desirable to provide a guide wire with a lubricious coating to facilitate advancement of the guide wire through the tortuous coronary vasculature. However, placing suitable coatings on metal guide wires raises significant manufacturing problems. Typically, the metal surface must be pretreated to allow adhesion of the lubricious coating. This adds to the expense and difficulty of producing. guide wires. The present invention solves these and other problems.
This invention is directed to an elongate intraluminal device having an elongate core member with a proximal portion, an intermediate portion and a distal portion with a first polymeric jacket and a second polymeric jacket disposed about the core member. In a preferred embodiment, the first polymeric jacket is disposed about the intermediate portion of the elongate core and the second polymeric jacket is disposed about the distal portion of the core. Preferably, the intraluminal device is a guidewire and the first polymeric jacket is composed of a different polymer than the second polymeric jacket, or the first polymeric jacket has different polymeric properties than the second polymeric jacket. The use of different polymers or polymer properties imparts different handling characteristics to the various portions of the guide wire. Preferably, the first polymeric jacket is harder or has a higher shore hardness than the second polymeric jacket so that the distal portion of the guide wire is more flexible than the intermediate portion.
The polymeric jackets may comprise any suitable polymers such as polyurethanes or fluoropolymers. In one preferred embodiment, the first jacket comprises polyurethane having a shore hardness of up to about 70D, preferably about 50D to about 60D. The second jacket is generally is of a softer or more flexible material than the first jacket. Typically a polyurethane having a shore hardness of about 75A to about 100A, preferably about 85A to about 95A is used for the second jacket. In a typical embodiment, a first jacket of shore hardness 55D is used with a second jacket having a durometer of 90A. While the use of two discrete polymer jackets is preferred, the invention is also directed to the use of three or more polymer jackets as well as a single polymer jacket having a continuously varying shore hardness over a longitudinal length of the single polymer jacket. In another preferred embodiment, the first jacket is made of polyurethane while the second jacket is made of a fluoropolymer. In embodiments where the guide wire has a shapeable coil at the distal tip, the second jacket should cover the coil.
The invention also includes a processes for making guide wires having multiple polymeric jackets or a jacket of continuously varying characteristics to impart differing handling characteristics to different portions of the guide wire. Preferably, the process involves jacketing the guide wire by hot die necking. In embodiments where the guide wire has a shapeable coil over a core member, it may be desirable to configure the process so that gaps between the turns of the coil and between the coil and the core member are filled with polymeric material to minimize any air voids.

Guide wire with multiple polymer jackets over distal and intermediate core sections


A network system is provided with a joint connector for branching a communication line to plural lines respectively linked with plural nodes, the joint connector is provided with terminals for respectively linking with plural nodes, and circuits respectively having characteristic impedances, the circuits respectively linking adjacent pairs of the terminals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention in general relates to an integrated branching network system and a joint connector used therein, and in particular relates to an art for reduction of distortions of a waveform at the joint connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicles are these days equipped with network systems for communication of signals for controlling various electronic equipments. Such a network system is typically provided with a main line and a plurality of nodes and branching points linking the nodes with the main line. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-151153 discloses an art of the network system. In these network systems, distortions of waveforms of data signals are investigated in certain cases and often cause occurrence of data errors.

Integrated branching network system and joint connector


A wiring substrate includes a substrate, a first insulating layer formed on the substrate, wiring patterns formed on a first surface of the first insulating layer, and a second insulating layer formed on the first surface of the first insulating layer. The second insulating layer covers the wiring patterns and includes a first opening that partially exposes adjacent wiring patterns as a pad. A projection is formed in an outer portion of the substrate located outward from where the first opening is arranged. The projection rises in a thickness direction of the substrate.

Various light emitting devices have been proposed in the prior art. A light emitting device includes a light emitting element mounted on a substrate. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-092011 describes an example of a light emitting device in the related art. In the light emitting device, a wiring pattern is formed on an insulating layer applied to a metal substrate, and a light emitting element such as a light emitting diode (LED) is mounted on the wiring pattern.
In the above light emitting device, a thin substrate is used to increase the heat conductivity. This lowers the rigidity of the entire light emitting device. As a result, the substrate may easily be warped and deformed when heat contraction or the like occurs.

Wiring substrate, light emitting device, and method for manufacturing wiring substrate


The invention relates to a camera unit, comprising an image sensor (10), a mechanical shutter (16), a host module (12), and connections between them, in particular a data and control connection (D1, C1) between the image sensor and the host unit. In the image sensor (10), there is a photoelectric pixel matrix (101), a timing unit controlling it, an electronic shutter (ERS), and a ‘global reset’ circuit for resetting the pixels simultaneously. The said data and control connection comprises: a data connection (D1) based on a series bus, a control connection (C1) based on a series bus, and a global-reset signal connection (G1, G2) separate from these. The invention also relates to a method for controlling an image sensor in a camera unit.

In camera units, either an electrical or a mechanical shutter can be used. If a mechanical shutter is used, precise synchronization is required between the global reset of the image sensor and the mechanical shutter. This global reset resets all the pixels (charge values) simultaneously, when the exposure of the image begins. Image exposure ends by closing the mechanical shutter. Typically a timing unit connected to the camera sensor controls all the imaging functions.
In digital still cameras and also in some palm computers, a mechanical shutter is used. The traditional connection of an image sensor to the host system is a parallel bus while synchronized imaging is used to connect HSYNC, VSYNC signals to the parallel bus. In addition, the global-reset command is conventionally implemented by means of two external signals.
Application US 2005/0057680 (Agan) discloses a method and device for controlling the imaging time in an image sensor. A row decoder and column controller controlled by the timing unit are connected to a CMOS cell. The difference between the start and end-state charge of the pixels is transferred to an ADC converter, from where it is transferred in a digital form to an image compressor. In this case, the image sensor is connected to a common bus (FIG. 7). All the other computer components, i.e. CPU, RAM, hard disk, I/O device, and CD-ROM drive are connected to the same bus too. This means that the connection of the image sensor contains as many as tens of signal leads, which clearly interferes with the miniaturization of the device.
Image sensors and their internal construction and control circuits are described in the manufacturers' data sheets. The Canon DIGIC II presents a CMOS sensor host module, which contains a considerable amount of image-processing functions. The image sensor is connected to this with quite a large number of leads. A 3.1 Megapixel CMOS image sensor, in which there is not only a pixel matrix, but also a timing unit controlling imaging, an ADC conversion unit, and a control register, is known under the name Micron MT9012. The circuit is equipped with I/O circuits for transmitting/receiving data, control commands, and timing data. Due to the parallel I/O of the ADC circuit, the number of signal leads becomes quite large.
Synchronization between a mechanical shutter system and an image sensor demands several I/O pins and there is often quite a long delay between the command signal and the actual exposure of the image. Generally, a considerable number of I/O pins are required between the host module and the image sensor.

Camera unit and method for controlling an image sensor in a camera unit


Provided are a seat cover for an automobile and a manufacturing method therefor, the seat cover comprising a surface-treated layer, a cover layer, a soft foam layer, and a rear layer and comprising an embossing pattern formed on the top surface, wherein the soft foam layer comprises 15 to 20 foam cells per unit area of 1 mm2 of the surface thereof.

Recently, automobiles are regarded as a second residential space. A seat cover for an automobile occupies a large part in the vehicle, and it is an area directly touching the human body, so the consumer's interest is increasing. Researches on the seat cover for an automobile have been actively carried out in order to obtain a clean environment in the vehicle and properties not harmful to the human body. Korean Patent No. 10-0546863, for example, discloses a seat cover for an automobile, which can reduce static electricity frequently occurring at a portion where clothes and sheets are in contact with each other at the time of getting in and out of a car, and also can shield electromagnetic waves generated from electronic parts embedded in the automobiles. In addition, as interests in indoor air quality in the automobiles steadily increases, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs (Republic of Korea) published the "Standards for New Indoor Air Quality Management." As a result, it was recommended to keep volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and formaldehyde below the regulated values from new cars manufactured after Jul. 1, 2009.

Seat cover for automobile and manufacturing method therefor


The present invention provides a high-pressure blower comprising a fan arrangement which includes a fan, and a fan housing for conveying working air. An electromotor drives the fan via a motor shaft to provide motor self-ventilation by generating a cooling air stream flowing through the motor due to a cooling wheel driven by the rotor. A wall section separates the interior space of the fan housing accommodating the fan airtight from the interior space of the blower accommodating the electromotor so that the cooling air stream flowing through the electromotor is separated and independent of the air flow of the working air conveyed to the fan.

The present invention relates to a blower, especially high-pressure blowers, comprising of a fan arrangement consisting of a fan and a fan housing for conveying working air. The invention moreover relates to a cooling arrangement for an electromotor with means for motor self-ventilation accomplished by generating a cooling air stream flowing through the motor, especially by means of a cooling wheel provided on the rotor.