Systems and methods for inducing and detecting sample analyte(s) identifying fluorescence are disclosed. In particular, a system which includes at least two fiber optic means, within a "throw-away" modular component system component with at least four ports, in which sample analyte fluorescence is caused to occur, by the application of energy to sample analyte(s), is disclosed. The present invention system provides that sample analyte(s) fluorescence inducing energy be entered via an optic fiber means and that produced fluorescence be provided to a detector system via a second optic fiber means. A preferred source of sample analyte(s) fluorescence inducing energy includes lasers, and a preferred method by which to provide sample analyte(s) to the present invention system involves electrophoresis.

The use of fiber optic means to transport electromagnetic wavelengths is well known. In the area of chemical analysis, for instance, various Patents describe the use of fiber optics to carry electromagnetic wavelengths from a source thereof, to a system in which said electromagnetic wavelengths are caused to interact with a sample analyte. As well, various Patents describe the use of fiber optic means to carry said electromagnetic wavelengths which have interacted with said sample analyte to a detecting means. For instance, a Patent to Zare et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,300 describes a method of detecting laser excited fluorescence in an electrokinetic separation system. Said electrokinetic system involved orients a fiber optic means other than axially with respect to an orientation of a flow containing a sample analyte. It is noted that sample analyte flow is effected in the Zare et al. system by application of an electrical potential between a source of sample analyte containing solution, and an outflow container therefore.
A long path flow cell is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,169 to Evens et al. Said Evens et al. system is described as a metal body containing a circular opening at each end extending perpendicularly into a center bore, adapted to receive a sample into the center bore and discharge sample from said center bore. As well, opposing fiber optic probes, each with an external sapphire window which is sealed into said metal body, are present. In use light is piped into one said fiber optic probe, caused to pass axially through said metal body, and exit via said opposing fiber optic probe. Appropriate analysis of a change effected in said light between entry and exit from said metal body allows sample analyte caused to be present in said metal body to be identified.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,671 to Kane et al., provides that light carrying optical fibers axially enter light to a system which contains a chemical sensor. Axially oriented exiting optical fibers are also present such that in use entered light is caused to interact with said chemical sensor, and then exit therethrough. Interaction with said chemical sensor effects a change in the light between entry thereto and exit therefrom, and chemicals to which the chemical sensor is sensitive affect the properties of the chemical sensor. Said 671 Patent discloses that the sensor can operate utilizing fluorescence. In use the presence of chemicals to which the chemical sensor is sensitive can then be detected.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,777 to Jones describes a system which utilizes fiber optics to carry light axially into and out of a chamber in which the pressure or temperature can be altered. Changes in light entered to and exiting from said chamber are related to changes in pressure or temperature in said chamber.
A Patent to Buckles, U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,099 describes a system in which an optical fiber is contained in a system into which a fluid is entered. Said fluid causes change in the optical properties of said optical fiber, and detecting changes of light caused to pass therethrough in use, before and after entry of said fluid, is related to the properties of the entered fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,709 to Leighton et al., describes a housing with orifices present therein through which liquid is caused to flow in use. An axially oriented light source and a facing sensor are also present. Said system is utilized in measurement of optical density or light scattering measurements in a turbulently entered liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,895 to Costello describes a system in which a fiber optic probe carries light into and out of a system. Present within said system is a sample chamber into which sample is entered during use. Said sample chamber essentially comprises a gap in said fiber optic probe pathway. In use light is entered into one end of said fiber optic probe and the light exiting said fiber optic probe is affected by what sample is placed into said sample chamber. The change in light between entry and exit from said fiber optic probe is identifying of said sample.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,869 to Glass describes an immunoassay apparatus which employees total internal reflectance of excitation radiation at the interface between an optically conductive rod or fiber and a surrounding liquid. In use radiation is launched onto an unsupported end of a cantelivered rod or fiber and fluorescence radiation tunneling into the unsupported end of the rod or fiber is observed at the same end of the fiber.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,545 to Saito et al. describes microflow cell for application in capillary electrophoresis comprising an outer cylinder disposed on the outer periphery of a cylindrical flow cell, with a filling material present between the outer cylinder and the flow cell.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,068,542, to Ando et al., describes use of a fiber optic to intercept axially provided light produced by a laser system. The fiber optics which carry light to a detector involved are not present inside an axially oriented sample containing tube, however. It is noted that the system in Ando et al. does not provide an open ended tube. Either end caps are present on both ends thereof to support liquid inlet and outlet means, or one end thereof is closed with an optical fiber secured therein and the other end thereof has an end cap thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,068,542 to Ferrari et al. describes a system in which end caps affixed to a tube contain light fibers which both carry light from a source thereof, and to a detector. It is noted that the system in Ferrari et al. does not provide an open ended tube, in that end caps are present on both ends thereof to support present fiber optic means.
Patents which arguably describe modular elements from which project ports are U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,493 to Evens et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,474 to Lange et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,272 to Klein and PCT Application No. WO 97/28477. However, none of said references identify use in a sample analyte identifying fluorescence inducing system.
Also, it is noted that two additional U.S. Pat. No. 5,068,542 to Ando et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,821 to Ferrari et al. describe the presence of optical fibers which extend only a short distance into the effective systems thereof, (ie. into end caps (116) & (114) in Ferrari et al. and into tube (1) of Ando et al. This is beneficial to operation of the both the 542 and 821 Patent Inventions as fluid flow through the respective tubes is not blocked or impeded by optical fibers in use.
Finally, a paper by Yeung et al, titled "Laser Fluorescence Detector For Capillary Electrophoresis", J. Chromatography, 608(1992), 73-77, describes a laser-based fluorometer for use in detection in capillary electrophoresis. While laser induced fluorescence, in combination with electrophoresis mediated provision of sample analyte into the described system is reported to be a very efficient approach to sample analyte identification, the use of axially oriented optical fibers in a system for detection of sample analyte identifying fluorescence is not described.
The above discussion of known Patents and Articles shows that while the use of optical fibers in systems for use in sample analysis is known, no known system or method provides that axially oriented fiber optic means should be present within at least a majority of an axially oriented modular component of a sample analysis system in which sample analyte fluorescence is caused to occur by the application of energy to a present sample analyte. This is particularly true where fluorescence inducing energy is entered along a pathway other than parallel to a longitudinal direction of a system for use in sample analysis, and where sample analyte investigated is caused to enter a modular component of a sample analysis system by electrophoresis. Neither does any known system or method describe use of a system with at least four ports, each of which ports projects from a common volume, two of said ports having the fiber optic means present therein, and two of which provide access to sample analyte containing sample solution. The present invention provides such systems and methods of its use.

Modular component fiber optic fluorescence detector system, and method of use


Methods and systems for autonomous cardiac mapping are disclosed. An example system for autonomous cardiac mapping of a heart chamber includes a processor being configured to acquire a representative geometric shell of the heart chamber, control a robotic device to autonomously navigate a mapping probe to a plurality of locations within the heart chamber based at least in part on the representative geometric shell, and generate a three-dimensional electroanatomical map of the heart chamber based on electrical data collected by the probe at the plurality of locations.

Use of minimally invasive procedures, such as catheter ablation, to treat a variety of heart conditions, such as supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias, is becoming increasingly more prevalent. Such procedures involve the mapping of electrical activity in the heart (e.g., based on cardiac signals), such as at various locations on the endocardium surface ("cardiac mapping"), to identify the site of origin of the arrhythmia followed by a targeted ablation of the site. To perform such cardiac mapping a catheter with one or more electrodes can be inserted into the patient's heart chamber.
Conventional three-dimensional (3D) mapping techniques include contact mapping and non-contact mapping, and may employ a combination of contact and non-contact mapping. In both techniques, one or more catheters are advanced into the heart. With some catheters, once in the chamber, the catheter may be deployed to assume a 3D shape. In contact mapping, physiological signals resulting from the electrical activity of the heart are acquired with one or more electrodes located at the catheter distal tip after determining that the tip is in stable and steady contact with the endocardium surface of a particular heart chamber. In non-contact-based mapping systems, using the signals detected by the non-contact electrodes and information on chamber anatomy and relative electrode location, the system provides physiological information regarding the endocardium of the heart chamber.
Location and electrical activity is usually measured sequentially on a point-by-point basis at about 50 to 200 points on the internal surface of the heart to construct an electroanatomical depiction of the heart. The generated map may then serve as the basis for deciding on a therapeutic course of action, for example, tissue ablation, to alter the propagation of the heart's electrical activity and to restore normal heart rhythm. Various types of three-dimensional electroanatomical maps are known in the art. These include voltage maps, activation maps, and fractionation maps.
Typically, to generate these maps, the catheter is manually manipulated in the heart chamber by a clinician, such as a doctor. However, due to the movement of the heart during the cardiac mapping or other unwanted movement of the clinician, the manual manipulation of the catheter can be difficult and/or inaccurately administered. Thus, there is an ongoing need to provide additional mapping techniques to improve the cardiac mapping of the heart chamber.

Systems and methods for autonomous cardiac mapping


The present invention teaches electroless liquid vapor deposition/etching process for depositing on a reactive or non-reactive substrate surface or etching a film on a substrate surface in a bathless deposition apparatus during ULSI processing by the steps of: applying liquid chemical precursor solutions to the surface of the substrate, the liquid chemical precursor solutions are reactive to one another and enter the chamber of the inert atmosphere deposition apparatus separately; spinning the substrate during the application of the liquid chemical precursor solutions; and depositing or etching the film. The process may be implemented in inert atmosphere by enclosing the whole arrangement in a chamber and flowing inert gases such as Ar, He, and N.sub.2, etc.

Electroless deposition of various metal films (including Ni, Al, Cu, Au and Pd) from liquid chemical precursors consisting of metal ions and reducing agents has been demonstrated. For example, it has been shown that selective electroless deposition of copper on surfaces of metals such as Al, Wsix, etc. is accomplished when the substrates are immersed in liquid baths containing solutions of copper EDTA+formaldehyde, etc. Insulating surfaces such as SiO.sub.2, Si.sub.3 N.sub.4, and BPSG do not get coated with copper.
As a second example, when using this technique to deposit Ni onto Al, three critical aspects must be considered. First, the Al surface must be free of oxide, which can be accomplished by performing a dilute HF dip. Second, the Al surface must be activated since Al is not catalytic for Ni deposition, which can be done by first depositing Pd. Third, the solution to deposit the Ni containing the concentrations of Ni ions and reducing agents will determine the deposition rate. Deposition is followed by an anneal step to remove traces of the solution while improving the adhesion of Ni to the Al.
These examples have common problems in that by using a conventional liquid bath arrangement, the supply of liquid chemicals is not very well controlled and the process does not meet the across the wafer uniformity and cleanliness standards required for advanced ULSI metallization. Also, low life time chemical solutions/mixtures cannot be used in a bath as, unfortunately, chemical degradation will occur.
The following two articles discuss electroless deposition and are herein incorporated by reference. One article entitled "SELECTIVE ELECTROLESS METAL DEPOSITION FOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT FABRICATION" by Ting et al., J. Electrochem. Soc., Vol. 136, No. 2, February 1989, pp. 456-461, discusses selective electroless metal deposition process compared to selective metal deposition by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Another article entitled "ON THE TEXTURE OF ELECTROLESS COPPER FILMS" by Junginger et al., Solid State Science And Technology, Vol. 135, No. 9, September 1988, pp. 2304-2308, discusses the textures of electroless copper films as a function of bath parameters and of the plating base.
The present invention allows for the use of chemically incompatible liquids (thus unsuitable for deposition using a liquid bath as they will react with one another once they come in contact to another) to deposit quality films on a substrate surface. The present invention also allows the use of chemically incompatible liquids for the etching of films.

Liquid vapor deposition or etching method


A system and method are provided for treating an aneurysm or other vessel disease or defect. The present disclosure includes an expandable device for placement in a vessel, where the mechanically expandable device includes a membrane. Also disclosed is a delivery device constructed and arranged to position the expandable device such that the exterior surface of the expandable device engages with the inner surface of the vessel and maintains a fluid pathway through said vessel.

Vascular diseases include aneurysms causing hemorrhage, atherosclerosis causing the occlusion of blood vessels, vascular malformations and tumors. Vessel occlusion and rupture of an aneurysm within the brain are causes of stroke. Aneurysms fed by intracranial arteries can grow within the brain to a point where their mass and size alone, without rupture, can cause a stroke or the symptoms of stroke, requiring surgery for removal of the aneurysms or other clinical intervention. Additionally, these expanding vessels can exert pressure on surrounding nerves which can lead to conditions such as diplopia, ptosis, pounding headaches, delirium, and hemi-paresis, just to name a few.
Occlusion of coronary arteries, for example, is a common cause of heart attack. Diseased and obstructed coronary arteries can restrict the flow of blood in the heart and cause tissue ischemia and necrosis. While the exact etiology of sclerotic cardiovascular disease is still in question, the treatment of narrowed coronary arteries is more defined. Surgical construction of coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG) is often the method of choice when there are several diseased segments in one or multiple arteries. Conventional open-heart surgery is, of course, very invasive and traumatic for patients undergoing such treatment. Therefore, alternative, less traumatic methods are highly desirable.
One of the alternative methods is balloon angioplasty, a technique in which a folded balloon is inserted into a stenosis, which occludes or partially occludes an artery. The balloon is inflated to open the occluded artery, restoring or otherwise improving blood flow. Another alternative method is atherectomy that is a technique in which occlusive atheromas are cut from the inner surface of the arteries. Both methods suffer from reocclusion with a certain percentage of patients.
A recent preferred therapy for vascular occlusions is placement of an expandable metal wire-frame within the occluded region of blood vessel, to maintain patency after an occlusion treatment. The implant is delivered to the desired location within a vascular system by a delivery means, usually a catheter. These interventional procedures avoid the various complications of surgery, including heart-lung by-pass, opening the chest, and general anesthesia.
When inserted and deployed in a vessel, duct or tract (hereinafter "vessel") of the body, for example, a coronary artery after dilatation of the artery by balloon angioplasty, an implant acts as a prosthesis to maintain the vessel open. The implant usually has an open-ended tubular form with interconnected struts as its sidewall to enable its expansion from a first outside diameter, which is sufficiently small to allow the implant to traverse the vessel to reach a site where it is to be deployed, to a second outside diameter sufficiently large enough to engage the inner lining of the vessel for retention at the site. An implant is typically delivered in an unexpanded state to a desired location in a body lumen and then expanded. The implant is expanded via the use of a mechanical device such as a balloon, or the implant may be self-expanding.
Usually a suitable implant for successful interventional placement should possess features of relatively non-allergenic reaction and other biocompatibility, sufficient radiopacity to be visualized with X-ray, freedom from distortion when using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), sufficient flexibility to be intraluminally advanced to an implantation site, strong resistance to vessel recoil, and sufficient thinness to minimize obstruction to flow of blood (or other fluid or material in vessels other than the cardiovascular system).
Implantable medical devices have been utilized for delivery of drugs or other agents for different clinical applications. Typically, the agents are coated onto the surfaces of the implantable devices or mixed within polymeric materials that are coated onto the surfaces of the implants. Current devices experience uncontrolled release of agent, have limitations on types of agents used, and may comprise a bulky agent delivery mechanism.
There is a need for systems, methods and devices that provide improved treatment of blood vessels, including improved treatment of neurovascular aneurysms.

Devices and methods for treating an aneurysm


An intraosseous access system can include a hub coupled to a cannula that can be introduced into a bone of a patient. The system further includes a securement device that can couple with the hub when transitioned from an open orientation to a closed orientation. The securement device includes a first segment and a second segment that are spaced apart from each other when the securement device is in the open orientation and are approximated and secured to each other when the securement device is in the closed orientation. The first segment includes a first receptacle that receives a portion of the hub therein and contacts the hub to restrain movement of the hub relative to the securement device when the securement device is coupled with the hub in the closed orientation. The first segment also includes a first arm coupled to the first receptacle, the first arm biasing the first receptacle toward the hub when the securement device is coupled with the hub in the closed orientation.

Various devices, systems, and methods have been developed to secure medical apparatus, such as vascular access devices, to a patient after those instruments have been introduced into the patient. Such devices, systems, and methods can prevent the medical apparatus from being inadvertently removed from the patient. Known devices, systems, and methods, however, suffer from one or more drawbacks that can be resolved, remedied, ameliorated, or avoided by certain embodiments described herein.

Securement devices, systems, and methods


An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member and a developing device. The developing device includes a developing roller to supply a developer to the photosensitive member and a casing defining an external appearance of the developing device. A first auger section is defined in the casing to agitate and convey the developer, and a second auger section is defined in the casing and divided from the first auger section. A developer delivery unit is provided on the outside of the casing to deliver the developer from the first auger section to the second auger section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developing device and an image forming apparatus with the same, and, more particularly, to delivery of developer in a developing device, and an image forming apparatus with the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Of conventional electro-photographic image forming apparatuses such as, e.g., copiers, facsimiles, printers, or multi-functional print devices, or the like, the most widely used examples of developer include, e.g., a binary developing type, which uses a binary developer composed of toner and magnetic carriers, and a hybrid developing type, in which a binary developer composed of nonmagnetic toner and magnetic carrier is used, in both of which types the charged toner is carried by a developing roller, and is applied to an electrostatic latent image so as to develop the electrostatic latent image.
In such binary developing type image forming apparatus, for example, after an outer circumferential surface of a photosensitive drum (i.e. latent image carrier) is uniformly charged, the photosensitive drum is subjected to an exposure process using, e.g., a laser scanning unit, etc., to form an electrostatic latent image thereon representative of an image to be recorded. The toner, magnetized via a carrier and adhering to an outer circumferential surface of a developing sleeve (i.e. developer retainer) of a developing device, is supplied to the photosensitive drum via the rotation of the developing sleeve, to develop the electrostatic latent image. The resulting toner image is transferred, and is fixed by heat and/or pressure, to a recording medium, such as for example, a sheet of paper, thus completing the recording of the image.
An example of the developing device included in the above-described image forming apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. JP-H06-051634 to Shintaro et al. ("Shintaro").
Shintaro discloses a developing device that includes a developing roller installed to oppose an electrostatic latent image retainer, on which an electrostatic latent image is formed as charge potential differences. The developing roller is provided in the housing of the developing device, in which the binary developer composed of nonmagnetic toner and magnetic carrier is stored, and receives an amount of the developer magnetically adhering on the surface of the developing roller such that a magnetic brush is formed. The disclosed developing device further includes a developer regulating member to regulate the amount of the developer adhering to the developing roller, a first agitating chamber having a first auger to convey the developer along the rotational axis direction of the developing roller, and a second agitating chamber separated vertically from the first agitating chamber by a partition so as to be located below the first agitating chamber, the second agitating chamber having a second auger.
In a developing device having the above-described configuration, the developer moves upward from the second agitating chamber to the first agitating chamber via operation of the first and second augers, and then, is supplied from the first agitating chamber to the developing roller. The extraneous remaining developer after development is conveyed from the developing roller back to the second agitating chamber. This circulation of the developer may prevent possible deterioration of the developer, which can result from the developer remaining stationary in the first agitating chamber.
However, since the developer in the second agitating chamber is pushed upward to the first agitating chamber through a passage defined in a corner of the second agitating chamber, the developer in the passage may be subjected to a high pressure, causing deterioration of the developer.
Another example of the developing device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. JP 2002-014527 to Akihiro et al. ("Akihiro"). Akihiro discloses a developing device that includes a developing roller installed to oppose an electrostatic latent image retainer, and to which developer magnetically adheres, a first agitator disposed near the developing roller to agitate and convey the developer, a second agitator, which is installed below the first agitator, and which is adapted to receive the developer at a downstream end of the first agitator in a developer conveyance direction so as to agitate and supply the developer to the developing roller, and a developer elevator, which is installed at the center of vertical direction between the first agitator and the second agitator, and which is adapted to receive the developer at a downstream end of the second agitator in the developer conveyance direction so as to supply the developer to the second agitator.
The above-described developing device of Akihiro may have the effect of preventing deterioration of the developer due to the high pressure applied to the developer resulting in developing devices such as the above-described example of Shintaro by allowing the developer elevator to carry the developer magnetically adhered to the outer circumferential surface thereof to supply the developer directly from the first agitator to the second agitator. However, this necessitates a seal to prevent leakage of the developer from the developer elevator.
The developer elevator requires a complex magnet arrangement to allow the first agitator to have the developer to adhere thereto and the second agitator to release the developer, and also requires a sleeve to encase the magnet, and to form the outer circumferential surface, adding complexity and cost in manufacturing.

Developing device and image forming apparatus with the same


A method for synchronizing a distributed system is provided. The distributed system includes distributed analyzers. Each analyzer has a synchronization decoder circuit, a medium access controller, and a central processing unit. The distributed system synchronization method comprises receiving multicast information, generating local synchronization signals, receiving control data packets, and beginning processing of monitored data packets. The synchronization decoder circuit receives the multicast information, decodes the multicast information, and responsive to the multicast information, generates local synchronization signals. The decoder synchronization circuit of a first analyzer completes the decoding and the generating in a first time. The first time is adapted to enable the central processing unit of the first analyzer to start and end processing of monitored data packets at a first start time and a first end time. The first start time differs from a start time corresponding to any other analyzer by less than a maximum synchronization time. The first end time differs from an end time corresponding to any other analyzer by less than a maximum synchronization time. The maximum synchronization time comprises a parameter related to a smallest useful packet size and a network speed. The medium access controller receives control data packets. Each control data packet corresponds to a data stream. The monitored data packets are transmitted in a data stream selected for monitoring. Responsive to the local synchronization signals and the control data packets, the central processing unit for each analyzer processes monitored data packets.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to network analyzers, and more specifically to synchronizing distributed systems for monitoring and analysis.
2. Description of Related Art
Local Area Network (LAN) analysis instruments are used to measure, characterize and test data streams on LAN systems. A prior art analyzer can have a control port that allows a remote entity, typically a personal computer (PC) executing the appropriate analysis software, to control the analyzer. The connection between the PC and the analyzer is usually a physical communications link, such as an RS-232 (presently referred to as an EIA/TIA 232) serial port, or a 10/100 megabits per second Ethernet link.
Certain tests, using test systems including two or more LAN analyzers, require that a test be started and stopped on multiple system analyzers at the same time. This requirement ensures that the data gathered from multiple data streams can be correlated together. Moreover, the internal timers of the multiple analyzers need to be synchronized together to ensure that time references from multiple measurements can be correlated.
Prior art systems for synchronization of distributed network analyzers include special and distinct cabling to provide the appropriate electrical signals between analyzers in a collection of analyzers for a particular network. The prior art cabling is also designed for specific analyzer requirements. For example, the Wandel & Goltermann Technologies, Inc., (located in Research Triangle Park, N.C.) DA-30 network analyzer provides clock synchronization and counter coordination by placing two analyzers in the same cabinet with the controller computer. The controller computer's clock is used to run both analyzers.
The network analyzers described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,535,193 and 5,590,116 operate most effectively when a bus, completely separate from the network to be analyzed, interconnects the analyzers. The bus for these systems preferably comprises several multiconductor computer cables that extend between parallel ports on each analyzer and the compatible port of the control computer, forming a daisy-chain parallel connection.
One disadvantage of the prior art occurs for daisy-chained, or bussed analyzers because these configurations place a limit on the number of analyzers that can be physically connected. For example, certain bus structures such as Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) buses, or IEEE 488 instrumentation buses limit the number of analyzers based on current drive and voltage limitations. For example, SCSI buses typically accommodate no more than eight analyzers. Prior art systems also typically use separate cables for control and clock information.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System, analyzer, and method for synchronizing a distributed system


A thermoplastic elastomer includes (A) a hydrogenated triblock copolymer, (B) a non-aromatic oil, (C) a polyolefin resin, (D) an inorganic filler, (E) a polyphenylene ether resin, and (F) a silicone resin. The thermoplastic elastomer can have good abrasion resistance and antimicrobial activity while possessing low hardness and high strength. Also provided is a molded article using the thermoplastic elastomer.

Thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) are materials that have rubber elasticity at room temperature like vulcanized rubbers and can be injection molded at high temperature like plastic materials. That is, thermoplastic elastomers are intermediate materials between rubbers and plastics.
Due to such characteristics, thermoplastic elastomers can be used in various applications where ductility is required, including sporting goods, food packages, medical devices, portable IT external devices, and home appliances. In addition, thermoplastic elastomers can be injection molded into articles, which are impossible to produce from vulcanized rubbers, in a short time. Furthermore, thermoplastic elastomers can also be recycled and thus cause no environmental problems, unlike vulcanized rubbers.
In recent years, attempts have been made to use thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) as materials for door diaphragms of washing machines and dryers. Such a diaphragm is illustrated in FIG. 1. The diaphragm 10 is a member disposed between a door and a water tank of a washing machine. The diaphragm is required to have a function to absorb impact and vibration while preventing water stored in the water tank from leaking toward the door.
Thermosetting resins have been used as materials for diaphragms. Such materials are susceptible to abrasion and are impossible to recycle. Thermoplastic elastomers as materials for diaphragms should have a surface hardness (Shore A) of 50 A or less. Such low hardness enables thermoplastic elastomers to absorb vibration from motors and reduce noise during operation.
However, thermoplastic elastomers having a surface hardness (Shore A) of 50 A or less exhibit poor physical properties (such as elongation permanent set) at high temperatures compared to vulcanized rubbers, which limits their application range.
In attempts to overcome such limitations, thermoplastic elastomers have been alloyed with other resins. However, the alloys have thus far failed to provide satisfactory thermal properties at high temperatures and even lose surface ductility, which is one of the inherent advantages of thermoplastic elastomers.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005-0288393 discloses a thermoplastic elastomer composition including a thermoplastic resin, a block copolymer, a core-shell copolymer, and an oil. However, the composition is not suitable for use in electrical/electronic parts, particularly, diaphragms for washing machines, due to its surface hardness (Shore A) exceeding 70.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004-0151933 discloses a thermoplastic elastomer composition including a thermoplastic resin, a rubbery elastomer, a saturated elastomer, and an oil. However, the surface hardness (Shore A) of the thermoplastic elastomer composition cannot be maintained at 50 A or less, which limits the use of the composition.

Low-hardness, high-strength thermoplastic elastomer with good abrasion resistance and diaphragm including the same


The present invention describes a novel, simplified method for detecting and monitoring whether the presence of nitrosylated proteins, such as S-nitrosoproteins, in a biological sample using fluorescence detection. The present invention further describes a method which can both quantify and identify the nature of nitrosylated proteins, which method is useful for monitoring both normal and disease states, in the development and screening of potential therapeutic drug species.

Nitric oxide (NO) has relatively recently been recognized as a biological messenger that reacts with a variety of sulfhydryl-containing molecules and enzymes to produce S-nitrosylated compounds. Since NO has a short half-life under physiological conditions, it generally exists in biological systems as adducts of amino acids, peptides, and proteins ("NO equivalents"). These NO equivalents are usually biologically active in that they behave as NO donors, and thereby possess unique pharmacological properties. The various targets for nitrosylation include serum albumin, tissue-type plasminogen activator, transcriptional activators, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, human immunodeficiency virus protease, hemoglobin, and protein-phosphotyrosine phosphatase.
Nitrosylation can alter protein conformation, leading to the activation or inactivation of enzymes or receptor proteins. Like phosphorylation, the nitrosylation reaction behaves like a "chemical switch" that allows cells to transmit stimuli from the plasma membrane to the nucleus in a highly regulated manner. However, the functions and processes of nitrosylation are difficult to deconvolute, due to the high number of closely-related kinases, and due to the lack of currently available technology to easily and accurately measure the extent or presence of protein nitrosylation.
Sulfhydryl groups (—SH, also referred to as "thiol") are among the most reactive groups found in protein molecules. S-nitrosoproteins, S-nitrosothiols, and protein S-nitrosylation reactions are terms that refer to compounds with linkages through the thiol (—SH) group. These types of compounds play important roles in cell signaling processes such as neurotransmission, anion channel regulation, host defense and gene regulation. The chemical modification of the —SH group in proteins thus has important regulatory implications and can be used as a tool in the discovery of novel therapeutics.
Chemical modification of thiol groups occurs physiologically via oxidation reactions yielding either mixed disulfides or S-nitrosylated compounds. Alternatively, modification can occur through persulfide and trisulfide bond formation. The "S-nitrosylation" of proteins refers to the transfer of nitric oxide (NO) to sulfhydryl groups on proteins.
By way of example, some cysteine proteases such as caspase-3 and cathepsin K have been demonstrated to be inhibited by NO donors. (See Wang, Peng et al., Inhibition of Papain by S-Nitrosothiols, J. of Biol. Chem., 275, 2000 pp 20467-20473). Cysteine proteases play important roles in various biological processes. Elevated proteolytic activity of cysteine proteases is associated with many disease conditions, such as muscular dystrophy, inflammation, and rheumatoid arthritis. The active sites of cysteine proteases contain a cysteine sulfhydryl group which is highly sensitive to oxidation.
Compounds such as S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) are relevant biological molecules involved in nitrosylation reactions under physiological conditions. These compounds are also known to fluoresce, which would theoretically make their detection facile in samples derived from biological systems. However, identification of S-nitrosoproteins and measurement of their concentration following certain cellular events has proven to be extraordinarily cumbersome, thus extremely limiting its potential utility.
In light of the significant physiological implications of NO levels, it would be useful to have a diagnostic technique that can readily detect levels of NO or NO equivalents, such as S-nitrosothiols and other nitrosylated NO equivalents, to determine whether levels are normal for normal physiological conditions, or whether a patient has an existing or predisposition towards a pathophysiological condition. There is a particular need for procedures that are affordable and manageable, yet sensitive enough to detect levels of NO, or NO-adducts such as S-nitrosothiols. (See Beckman, J. S. et al., Methods in Nitric Oxide Research, Feelisch and Stainler, Wiley, Chichester, U.K., 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,735 to Stamler).
Representative of prior art approaches to monitoring of nitrosylation, U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,076 to Stamler et al. (incorporated herein by reference) describes a detection method that requires pretreatment with mercurous ion and a protein-precipitating agent. The samples are then monitored by chemiluminescence. This method involves cumbersome pretreatment procedures with a toxic mercury compound and, thus, presents considerable difficulties in application. It would be useful to have a simple procedure with minimal manipulation and without the use of additional chemicals.
The present invention is directed to a practical electrophoresis-based separation and identification system for cellular nitrosoproteins. The detection system meets a recognized need in the art for monitoring of NO in normal states and in disease states, provides a method for identifying and quantifying NO in normal and in disease states, and would facilitate the understanding of these processes for the development of better therapeutic drug species.

System for detection of nitrosylated proteins

University of Virginia Patent Foundation


A tool pack assembly for use in the manufacture of two piece metal can bodies. The tool pack assembly of the present invention is constructed and arranged for use in a body maker assembly to form parts of metal cans. The tool pack assembly of the invention includes an improved die module structure. The improved die module includes compressible dampening structures to thereby float a die element to center and align the metal body with the die element.

The present invention relates generally to ironing mechanisms for use in the manufacture of metal containers. Particularly, the invention relates to a tool pack assembly used in the drawing and ironing of bodies for two piece steel and aluminum cans. More particularly, the invention relates to improved floating die module assemblies for use in a tool pack assembly for the manufacture of metal containers.
The tool pack assembly of the present invention is an improvement of the tool pack assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,815 ('815 Patent) to Weishalla, entitled Tool Pack Assembly and assigned to the assignee of Applicant's present Application. The tool pack assembly of the '815 Patent, incorporated by reference herein, utilizes floating ironing and guiding dies which axially realign within the internal housing area subsequent withdrawal of the ram from the formed container. Specifically, the centering and guiding means of the die modules of the tool pack assembly have been improved by the teachings of the present invention.
Tool pack assemblies typically house fixed and/or movable die elements which engage with rapid cycling softer materials positioned about a ram device for decreasing thickness of the material. Spatial control of the die elements along and normal to the axis of movement of the ram, is imperative for manufacturing production, quality and efficiency. The tool pack assemblies and die modules of the present invention improve these manufacturing parameters by providing improved dampening means to center and bias the die modules of the tool pack.
The improved dampening means of the invention for biasing a die assembly comprises an elastomeric spring member and a cooperating rigid contact member. The elastomeric urethane dampening member provides advantages over the coil springs used in the prior art, i.e., increased life, wider range of spring forces, and increased reliability of performance. The contact members further provide a plurality of wear surfaces which further increase the performance and life of the dampening structure. The cooperating dampening means components are positioned and held in die module housing cavities in which the components are easily accessible for maintenance and replacement in contrast to the coil springs used in prior art tool pack assemblies.
The die module housing of the present invention also has an improved structure by utilizing wear plates which are easily removable, thereby providing a more effectively serviceable and maintainable die module assembly. In the past, upon wear the entire module housing required grinding, for example, whereas in the module housing of the present invention only the wear plates need to be serviced. The tool pack assembly of the present invention provides improvements and advantages over those of the prior art.


An electrode with a porous protective film includes an electrode in which an active material layer is disposed on a collector and a porous protective film which is disposed on a surface of the active material layer and which contains fine particles, a binder, a surfactant, and a thickener. A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a negative electrode in which a negative electrode active material layer is disposed on a negative electrode collector, a positive electrode in which a positive electrode active material layer is disposed on a positive electrode collector, a nonaqueous electrolyte, a separator, and a porous protective film which is disposed on at least one of a surface of the negative electrode active material layer or a surface of the positive electrode active material layer and which contains fine particles, a binder, a surfactant, and a thickener.

The present application relates to an electrode with a porous protective film, a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, and a method for manufacturing an electrode with a porous protective film. In particular, the present application relates to an electrode with a porous protective film, the electrode including an electrode, in which an active material layer is disposed on a collector, and a porous protective film, which is disposed on a surface of the active material layer and which contains fine particles, a binder, a surfactant, and a thickener, a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, and a method for manufacturing an electrode with a porous protective film.
In recent years, enhancement of performance, miniaturization, and enhancement of portability of electronic equipment have progressed because of the advance of electronic technology. Consequently, requirements for increases in the energy densities of batteries used for such electronic equipment have become intensified.
As for secondary batteries used for such electronic equipment in the related art, aqueous electrolytic solution secondary batteries, e.g., nickel-cadmium batteries and lead batteries, have been used.
These secondary batteries exhibit low discharge voltages and, therefore, are unsatisfactory from the viewpoint of production of secondary batteries having high energy densities.
Hence, research and development on nonaqueous electrolytic solution secondary batteries as an alternative to the nickel-cadmium batteries and the like have been conducted recently.
Examples of the above-described nonaqueous electrolytic solution secondary batteries include a secondary battery in which a carbon material is used as a negative electrode active material, a lithium cobalt composite oxide is used as a positive electrode active material, and a nonaqueous electrolytic solution is prepared by dissolving a lithium salt into a nonaqueous solvent.
This secondary battery has advantages that the battery voltage is high and self discharge is at a low level, and thereby, a high energy density can be realized. In the case where the above-described carbon material and the lithium cobalt composite oxide are actually used as active materials, they are made into powders having average particle diameters of 5 to 50 μm, and the powders are dispersed into solvents together with binders, so as to prepare each of a negative electrode mix slurry and a positive electrode mix slurry. Subsequently, the individual slurries are applied to metal foil serving as respective collectors, so as to form a negative electrode active material layer and a positive electrode active material layer. A negative electrode and a positive electrode prepared by forming the negative electrode active material layer and the positive electrode active material layer, respectively, on the collectors are separated with a separator therebetween, and they are held in a battery can while being in that state.
Here, regarding the above-described nonaqueous electrolytic solution secondary battery, it should be noted that the electrical conductivity of a nonaqueous electrolytic solution used therefor is about two orders of magnitude smaller than the electrical conductivity of an aqueous electrolytic solution.
Therefore, it is desirable that the structure of the battery is made optimum for movement of an electrolyte.
Consequently, in the above-described nonaqueous electrolytic solution secondary battery, a very thin separator having a thickness of about 10 to 50 μm is used as a separator for separating the positive electrode and the negative electrode.
As described above, regarding the nonaqueous electrolytic solution secondary battery, an electrode is produced by applying a mix slurry containing an active material powder to a collector so as to form an active material layer and, thereafter, is held into a battery can.
At this time, the electrode provided with the active material layer passes through various steps, e.g., a step of laminating the electrode and a separator and a cutting step to cut into a predetermined electrode shape, until the electrode is held into the battery can.
However, during running of a raw electrode band in the lamination step and the cutting step, an inconvenience occurs in that the active material is dropped from the active material layer because of contact of the active material layer with a guide roller and the like and a part of the dropped active material adheres again to a surface of the electrode. Furthermore, in the step of holding the electrode into the battery can, an inconvenience occurs in that fine metal particles intrude into the battery. Moreover, the dropped active material, which adheres to the electrode surface again, and the fine metal particles intruded into the battery have particle diameters of 5 to 200 μm which are larger than or equal to the thickness of the separator. Consequently, a problem occurs in that they penetrate the separator in an assembled battery and cause physical internal short-circuit.
Accordingly, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 7-220759 proposes disposition of a porous protective film produced by applying a fine particle slurry containing a binder and fine particles to a surface of any one of the negative electrode active material layer and the positive electrode active material layer and conducting drying.
In addition, the air permeability of this porous protective film is selected so as to become about 680 sec/100 ml in the related art.

Electrode with porous protective film, nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, and method for manufacturing electrode with porous protective film


A sensor aggregation framework for autonomous driving vehicles is disclosed. In one embodiment, sensor data is collected from one or more sensors mounted on an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV) while the ADV is moving within a region of interest (ROI) that includes a number of obstacles. The sensor data includes obstacle information of the obstacles and vehicle data of the ADV. Each of the vehicle data is timestamped with a current time at which the vehicle data is captured to generate a number of timestamps that correspond to the vehicle data. The obstacle information, the vehicle data, and the corresponding timestamps are aggregated into training data. The training data is used to train a set of parameters that is subsequently utilized to predict at least in part future obstacle behaviors and vehicle movement of the ADV.

Vehicles operating in an autonomous mode (e.g., driverless) can relieve occupants, especially the driver, from some driving-related responsibilities. When operating in an autonomous mode, the vehicle can navigate to various locations using onboard sensors, allowing the vehicle to travel with minimal human interaction or in some cases without any passengers.
Motion planning and control are critical operations in autonomous driving. However, conventional motion planning operations estimate the difficulty of completing a given path mainly from its curvature and speed, without considering the differences in features for different types of vehicles. Same motion planning and control is applied to all types of vehicles, which may not be accurate and smooth under some circumstances.
The operations of motion planning and control require a number of sensors to perform as each sensor has its respective limitations. For example, multiple sensors can collaborate to accurately identify and track objects (or obstacles) within an environment of a vehicle. The collaboration of the sensors generally requires multi-sensor fusion that involves timestamps alignment and sensor data aggregation. Conventionally, however, timestamps alignment is difficult to perform correctly and effectively, and sensor data aggregation generally creates conflicting results among the sensors.

Sensor aggregation framework for autonomous driving vehicles


In a liquid crystal display device, a second substrate has detection electrodes of a touch panel, each of pixels has a pixel electrode and a counter electrode divided into a plurality of blocks. The counter electrodes of the respective blocks are commonly provided for the respective pixels of plural continuous display lines, the counter electrodes of the respective blocks double scanning electrodes of the touch panel, and a driver circuit that applies a counter voltage and a touch panel scanning voltage to the counter electrodes of the respective blocks is provided. The driver circuit sequentially applies the touch panel scanning voltage to the counter electrodes of the respective blocks in plural times, while a drive pulse for displaying an image on a liquid crystal display panel is not varied, and drive frequencies of the respective touch panel scanning voltages are different from each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly to a technique effectively applied to an in-cell liquid crystal display device with a built-in touch panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
A display device having a device (hereinafter also referred to as "touch sensor" or "touch panel") that enters information by conducting touch operation (touch pressing operation, hereinafter referred to simply as "touch") on a display screen by the aid of a user's finger or a pen is used for mobile electronic devices such as a PDA or a mobile terminal, a variety of home electric appliances, and automated teller machines.
As the touch panel of this type, there has been known a capacitance type that detects a change in capacitance of a touched portion and is described, for example, in JP2011-36038. As the capacitance type touch panel, there has been known a liquid crystal display device having a so-called in-cell type touch panel in which a touch panel function is incorporated in a liquid crystal display panel. In the in-cell type touch panel, a counter electrode (also called "common electrode") formed on a first substrate (so-called "TFT substrate") configuring the liquid crystal display panel is divided for use as scanning electrodes of the touch panel.


A short circuit detection circuit and a short circuit detection method for a multi-phase rectifier are provided, which are used for detecting conditions of a spectrum of a FWR signal outputted from the multi-phase rectifier in the frequency domain. Next, determining whether the detected signal indicating the amplitude of the frequency of the AC signal is greater than or equal to the reference signal, so as to determine whether the multi-phase rectifier has a short circuit condition. Therefore, the short circuit detection circuit and the short circuit detection method do not have any requirements for configuring a short circuit detection element on each current path of the multi-phase rectifier, so that the power loss and the cost can be reduced effectively.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a short circuit detection circuit and short circuit detection method, in particular, to a short circuit detection circuit and a short circuit detection method for a multi-phase rectifier at alternator or Integrated Starter Generator (ISG) application.
2. Description of Related Art
A multi-phase rectifier of an alternator or an ISG is composed of many pairs of rectifying elements (e.g., diodes, MOSFETs, IGBTs, and etc.) to convert alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC) and then the direct current charges the battery connected to the multi-phase rectifier. When the multi-phase rectifier becomes short, it generates excessive heat loss causing safety issues (e.g., damaging the whole alternator). The multi-phase rectifier's short circuit detection is necessary to raise the alarm for this abnormal condition. In order to detect the multi-phase rectifier's short circuit, each current path of the multi-phase rectifier will be equipped with a short circuit detection element to detect whether the multi-phase rectifier is short circuit.
Generally speaking, short circuit detection methods for detecting whether a multi-phase rectifier is shorted out use either a sensing resistor or hall-effect sensor. For clarity, the following regards the rectifying element as a diode. For one diode which is configured in a current path, as shown in FIG. 1A, the sensing resistor R1 is configured in serial with the diode D1 so that the current I1 will flow through the diode D1 as well as the sensing resistor R1. Then the operational amplifier (op-amp) OP1 amplifies the voltage across the sensing resistor R1 to generate a detected signal Sd1. Next, the comparator CP1 receives the detected signal Sd1 and compares the detected signal Sd1 with a reference signal Vref1 (i.e., the short circuit threshold voltage) to output a result signal OUT1, so as to determine whether the diode D1 is short. Because the short circuit detection method has to add the additional sensing resistor R1 which is configured in the current path, it will cause (I12*R1) power loss in the current path. Furthermore, the sensing resistor R1 is required low resistance and high current operation generally and is usually expensive. For complete short circuit detection each multi-phase rectifier must have the above configuration respectively. So that, this will cause more power loss and cost.
Using the other method, as shown in FIG. 1B, the hall-effect sensor HF is configured near a current path of a diode D2 to detect a current I2 of the current path using the magnetic field measurement method and then generate a detected signal Sd2. Next, the comparator CP2 receives the detected signal Sd2 and compares the detected signal Sd2 with a reference signal Vref2 (i.e., the short circuit threshold voltage) to output a result signal OUT2 indicating whether the diode D2 is shorted out. Comparing the short circuit detection method using the hall-effect sensor with that of using the sensing resistor, the short circuit detection method using the hall-effect sensor has less power loss, but the hall-effect sensor HF is also expensive.
Therefore, if the power loss and the cost can be reduced effectively during the processing of the short circuit detection method, the efficiency of the multi-phase rectifier can be enhanced greatly.
To address the above issues, the inventor strives via associated experience and research to present the instant disclosure, which can effectively improve the constraints described above.

Short circuit detection circuit and short circuit detection method for multi-phase rectifier at frequency domain


A memory element capable of operating at high speed and reducing power consumption and a signal processing circuit including the memory element are provided. As a writing transistor, a transistor which is formed using an oxide semiconductor and has significantly high off-state resistance is used. In a memory element in which a source of the writing transistor is connected to an input terminal of an inverter, a control terminal of a transfer gate, or the like, the threshold voltage of the writing transistor is lower than a low-level potential. The highest potential of a gate of the writing transistor can be a high-level potential. When the potential of data is the high-level potential, there is no potential difference between a channel and the gate; thus, even when the writing transistor is subsequently turned off, a potential on the source side hardly changes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory element including a semiconductor device and a signal processing circuit including the memory element.
2. Description of the Related Art
It has recently been discovered that a transistor formed using an oxide semiconductor with a large band gap has significantly high off-state resistance, and it has been suggested that the transistor is used to form a memory element or a signal processing circuit (see References 1 to 4). In addition, with a highly thin polycrystalline silicon film, a transistor whose off-state resistance is three or more orders of magnitude higher than that of a conventional transistor has been formed, and its application to a gain cell has been suggested (see Reference 5).
Owing to the high off-state resistance of the transistor in such a memory element, it takes a long time for electric charge accumulated in a capacitor to be lost, and this makes it possible to eliminate the consumption of electric current required for a conventional flip-flop circuit such as an SRAM to maintain memory storage and makes it possible to reduce power consumption. Alternatively, a very large capacitor required for a DRAM is not necessary, which allows the size of a circuit to be reduced, the manufacturing process to be simplified, and the yield to be improved.

Signal processing circuit and method for driving signal processing circuit

SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.


A display unit that includes an image display part and a light-transmitting protective part arranged on the image display part. A cured resin layer is arranged between the display part and the protective part. The cured resin layer has a transmittance of 90% or higher in the visible range and a storage modulus at 25° C. of 1×107 Pa or less. The cured resin layer is formed from a resin composition that has a cure shrinkage of 5% or less.

As this type of display unit, a liquid crystal display unit 101 as shown in FIG. 4 is known. The liquid crystal display unit 101 includes a liquid crystal display panel 102 and a transparent protective part 103 arranged on the liquid crystal display panel 102. The protective part 103 is made of, for example, glass or plastic.
To protect the surface of the liquid crystal display panel 102 and a polarizer (not shown), a spacer 104 is arranged between the liquid crystal display panel 102 and the protective part 103 to form a gap 105 between the liquid crystal display panel 102 and the protective part 103.
However, the gap 105 between the liquid crystal display panel 102 and the protective part 103 scatters light, resulting in decreased contrast and luminance of the display unit. The presence of the gap 105 also makes it difficult to design thinner display units.
To address these problems, it has been proposed to fill the gap between the liquid crystal display panel and the protective part with a resin (see, for example, Patent Document 1). However, the stress generated when the resin cures and shrinks causes the deformation of the liquid crystal display panel, resulting in disrupted orientation of the liquid crystal material and other image defects.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-55641.


A single die MR sensor having three MR elements each being preferably composed of a number of serially connected MR segments for use in linear position sensing schemes. The MR sensor is, generally, aligned in the direction of movement of a magnetic target. The middle MR element is the actual position sensor. The two outer MR elements serve as reference sensors which sense the magnetic field at the limits of the position sensing range. The cooperating magnetic target assures that one of the two outer MR elements is always exposed to some maximum magnetic field, BMAX, corresponding to a position XMAX, and the other MR element is always exposed to some minimum magnetic field, BMIN, corresponding to a position XMIN, and wherein a portion of the middle MR element is exposed to BMAX and another portion of the middle MR element is exposed to BMIN, wherein the position, X, of the target is computed assuming uniformity of the middle MR element along its length.

The present invention relates to magnetoresistor devices used for magnetic position sensors.
The use of magnetoresistors (MRs) and Hall devices as position sensors is well known in the art. For example, a magnetically biased differential MR sensor may be used to sense angular position of a rotating toothed wheel, as for example exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,835,467, 5,731,702, and 5,74,042.
In such applications, the magnetoresistor (MR) is biased with a magnetic field and electrically excited. typically. with a constant current source or a constant voltage source. A magnetic (i.e., ferromagnetic) object moving relative and in close proximity to the MR, such as a toothed wheel, produces a varying magnetic flux density through the MR, which, in turn, varies the resistance of the MR. The MR will have a higher magnetic flux density and a higher resistance when a tooth of the moving target wheel is adjacent to the MR than when a slot of the moving target wheel is adjacent to the MR.
Increasingly more sophisticated spark timing and emission controls introduced the need for crankshaft sensors capable of providing precise position information during cranking. Various combinations of magnetoresistors and single and dual track toothed or slotted wheels (also known as encoder wheels and target wheels) have been used to obtain this information (see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,570,016, 5,731,702, and 5,754,042).
The shortcoming of MR devices is their temperature sensitivity. They have a negative temperature coefficient of resistance and their resistance can drop as much as 50% when heated to 180 degrees Celsius. Generally, this led to the use of MR devices in matched pairs for temperature compensation. Additionally, it is preferable to drive MR devices with current sources since, with the same available power supply, the output signal is nearly doubled in comparison with a constant voltage source.
To compensate for the MR resistance drop at higher temperatures, and thus, the magnitude decrease of the output signal resulting in decreased sensitivity of the MR device, it is also desirable to make the current of the current source automatically increase with the MR temperature increase. This is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,102 in which an active feedback circuit automatically adjusts the current of the current source in response to temperature variations of the MR device. It is also known that air gap variations between the MR device and ferromagnetic materials or objects will affect the resistance of MR devices with larger air gaps producing less resistance and decreased output signals.
Single element magnetic field sensors composed of, for example, an indium antimonide or indium arsenide epitaxial film strip supported on, for example, a monocrystalline elemental semiconductor substrate, are also known. The indium antimonide or indium arsenide film is, for example, either directly on the elemental semiconductor substrate or on an intermediate film that has a higher resistivity than that of silicon. A conductive contact is located at either end of the epitaxial film, and a plurality of metallic (gold) shorting bars are on, and regularly spaced along, the epitaxial film. Examples thereof are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,153,557, 5,184,106 and 5,491,461.
Many kinds of measurements cannot be performed with common magnetic sensors comprising a single sensing element. However, compound semiconductor MRs, such as those manufactured from InSb, InAs, etc. are simply two-terminal resistors with a high magnetic sensitivity and, thus, are very suitable for the construction of single die MR sensors (in most cases one terminal of all the MR elements can be common).
Ultimately, such MR sensors could be integrated on the same die with appropriate processing circuitry. For example, if the MR array was fabricated on a Si substrate then the processing circuitry would be also Si based. For higher operating temperatures, silicon-on-insulator (SOI) could be used. A potentially lower cost alternative to the SOI approach would be to take advantage of the fact that MRs are currently fabricated on GaAs, a high temperature semiconductor, and thus, to fabricate the integrated processing circuitry from GaAs (or related InP) using HBT (Heterojunction Bipolar Tiansistor) or HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor) structures. This technology is now easily available and inexpensive through the explosive growth of the cellular phone industry.
Accordingly, what remains needed is a compact and inexpensive die having three magnetic sensing elements and configured to provide a linear position sensor capable of self compensation over wide ranges of temperature and air gaps, including tilts.
The present invention is a compact and inexpensive single die having three MR elements, wherein each MR element thereof is preferably composed of a number of serially connected MR segments.
The present invention is a magnetoresistor linear position sensor incorporated on a single die capable of self compensation over wide temperature ranges and air gaps, including tilts. It employs three MR elements with (preferably) one common bias magnet. The MR sensor is, generally, aligned in the direction of movement of a magnetic target. The middle MR element is the actual linear position sensor. The two outer MR elements serve as reference sensors which sense the magnetic field at the limits of the position sensing range. The cooperating magnetic target assures that one of the two outer MR elements is always exposed to some maximum magnetic field, BMAX, corresponding to a position XMAX, and the other outer MR element is always exposed to some minimum magnetic field, BMIN, corresponding to a position XMIN, and wherein the middle MR element has a portion exposed to BMAX and another portion exposed to BMIN wherein the relative proportion of the portions vary with the position, X, of the target. The effective resistance of the second MR element is proportional to the linear position of the target. Thus, the present invention provides an MR sensor composed of three MR elements for sensing linear displacement of a selected target.
According to a preferred method of fabrication, an indium antimonide epitaxial film is formed, then masked and etched to thereby provide epitaxial mesas characterizing the MR elements. Shorting bars, preferably of gold, are thereupon deposited, wherein the epitaxial mesa not covered by the shorting bars provides the MR segments. The techniques for fabricating epitaxial mesas with shorting bars are elaborated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,557, issued Oct. 6, 1992. U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,106, issued Feb. 2, 1993 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,461, issued Feb. 13, 1996, each of which being hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an MR die comprising three MR elements capable of detecting one-dimensional position of a magnetic target along an alignment axis of the MR elements.
This and additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following specification of a preferred embodiment.

Magnetoresistor die composed of two reference mangetoresistors and a linear displacement sensing magnetoresistor


A method for enabling a feature provided by a first presentation layer protocol, within a session established according to a second presentation layer protocol includes intercepting, by a hooking component executing on a first machine, a request, by an operating system executing on the first machine, for an indication whether the first machine established a session with a second machine according to a first presentation layer protocol. The method includes determining that the first machine established a session according to a second presentation layer protocol. The method includes identifying a type of a function within the operating system that generated the request for the indication. The method includes indicating that the first machine established the session according to the first presentation layer protocol, responsive to the identification of the type. The method includes enabling functionality provided for use in sessions established according to the first presentation layer protocol.

FIG. 1A illustrates one embodiment of a typical installation of a MICROSOFT WINDOWS operating system in which an operating system executing on a computing device queries a function to determine whether a connection to a second computing device exists, whether any such connection is active, or a type of presentation layer protocol according to which the two computing devices communicate; the function returns the appropriate responses. The operating system may, for example, directly call a function via an applications programming interface; alternatively, and in some environments, the operating system calls a hooking component 202, which makes the determination. The operating system may determine whether or not to enable certain functionality based upon a type or status of a presentation layer protocol session.
In some embodiments, either a component within the operating system or a component external to the operating system asks the operating system to determine if there is a remote session or not. In one of these embodiments, the operating system will then query a metrics acquisition function—for example, via an API or a hooking component 202—to determine whether there is an active presentation layer protocol session; the operating system returns the response to the component that made the query. In another of these embodiments, the component may determine whether or not to enable certain functionality based upon a type or status of a presentation layer protocol session. The operating system and its sub-components do not typically provide access to functionality intended for use in a session maintained according to a first presentation layer protocol when a session is maintained according to a second presentation layer protocol.

Methods and systems for enabling features provided by a first presentation layer protocol in a session implemented according to a second presentation layer protocol


The structure of the seat proper of a vehicle seat comprises:                a frame for a seat proper, the frame including a side cheek plate; and        a coupling system comprising a link mounted to pivot on a base to enable the seat proper to move at least vertically relative to said base.

On a vehicle seat including a seat proper provided with such a structure, a user can adjust the vertical position (the height) of the seat proper relative to the floor, thereby enabling users of different sizes to occupy the seat under conditions that are good for each of them. A seat with a seat proper whose height is adjustable is described, for example, in French Patent Application FR 2 737 868. That seat is provided with four such links coupled together in pairs between two side cheek plates of the seat frame.
Such seats have already been used successfully in the past in various vehicles. In addition, in order to adapt more easily to the space inside vehicles, seat-integrated seatbelt systems have recently been developed that make it easy for a seat containing a seatbelt to be mounted in a vehicle. Since the belt is mounted directly on the seat, it is possible to ignore constraints related to the geometrical shape of the structure of the vehicle that can arise when a seatbelt is to be mounted in the vehicle around the seat as already installed.
An essential condition for implementing such integrated seatbelts is to guarantee safety in the event of frontal impact because the seatbelt is no longer connected to the (rigid) structure of the vehicle itself, but only to the seat. In a seat provided with a seat proper of the above-mentioned type, it was foreseen that such an integrated seatbelt, when driven violently upwards by the occupant in the event of frontal impact, would pivot the links of the seat proper that are used for adjusting the seat vertically. Therefore, a system as described, for example, in DE 100 25 676 was proposed. Unfortunately, such a system is not really effective because its operation relies on lugs having two pivot points, i.e. it is a system that is not only complex, but that also does not guarantee the necessary robustness in the event of impact. An effective system is thus needed in order to guarantee safety for the occupant of such a seat provided with an integrated seatbelt.

Vehicle seat structure, and a vehicle provided with a seat having such a structure

Abstract: The coupling system has a first latch surface.

Abstract: The seat structure further comprises an anchoring element provided with a second latch surface.

Abstract: The anchoring element is mounted to move on the cheek plate between a locked position and an unlocked position.


An apparatus for removing a pin from a target location is described. The apparatus includes a rod; a clamp that includes multiple arms and attached to a one end of the rod; a sleeve coupled to the rod and adapted to enclose the clamp, where the arms of the clamp are pushed towards each other to engage with a pin in the enclosed position. The apparatus further includes a clip member to couple with the rod for removing the pin from the clamp by disengaging the clamp from the sleeve. The clip member includes a first arm coupled to a second arm via a pivot member, the clip member being adapted to couple to the rod between the sleeve and a hammer. The hammer is coupled to the rod and adapted to strike a force on the clip member to disengage the clamp from the sleeve.

Dowel pins are employed at various target locations, such as engine heads and blocks, to precisely position component parts of a structure during assembly operation. However, over a period of time, the dowel pins are worn, bent, or otherwise damaged, thereby requiring removal and replacement during the assembly operation. In order to remove the dowel pin from the target location, an appropriately formed dowel-pin removing tool is attached to the dowel pin to remove it from the target location. However, for further use of the dowel removing tool, the dowel pin needs to be disengaged from the dowel removing tool. Accordingly, for the purpose of removing the dowel pin from the dowel removing tool, a traditional hammer is employed to strike a force on a rod of the dowel removing tool.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,529,497 ('497 patent) describes a dowel removing tool. The dowel removing tool of the '497 patent includes a dowel gripping member which is radially contractible to grip the dowel pin and radially expands to release the dowel pin. The dowel removing tool of the '497 patent also includes a reaction means provided on the dowel removing tool in a oppositely spaced relation with respect to the dowel gripping member and an impact means slidably mounted on the dowel removing tool between the dowel gripping member and the reaction means for manually actuating reciprocal movement against the dowel gripping member to contract the same tightly about a dowel and subsequently to remove the dowel by engagement of the impact means against the reaction means. Although the '497 patent fails to disclose methods for removing the extracted dowel from the dowel removing tool, it will be understood by a person skilled in the art that the traditional hammer still needs to be employed by the operator to strike a force on the dowel removing tool for removing the extracted dowel from the dowel removing tool.

Apparatus for removing pin from target location


Arranged in a hydraulic circuit is a valve with an L-shaped duct arrangement, which is formed by a transverse duct 2 and a longitudinal duct 3. Formed in extension of the longitudinal duct 3 is a holding and guiding bore 4, in which a throttling element, comprising a throttle slide 10 and a valve piston 21 that can be displaced therein, can be displaced longitudinally. The valve piston 21 has a passage hole 25, which is connected to the interior of the throttling element and two proportionate annular chambers 17a and 17b. Of these, the proportionate annular chamber 17b is connected to a pilot control valve via a control duct 19. Depending on the direction and pressure of the hydraulic fluid flowing through the L-shaped duct arrangement, the throttling element is moved in or out and extended or compressed in the process. In this way, the valve arrangement acts as a throttling valve in the event of flow in the direction from the transverse duct 2 to the longitudinal duct 3, while the flow in the opposite flow direction is not throttled.

The invention relates to a valve arrangement in a hydraulic circuit, its use and also an arrangement for controlling a hydraulic vehicle drive.
In hydraulic control systems there is a need for a valve arrangement which acts as a throttling valve when the pressure of the hydraulic fluid flowing through exceeds a specific threshold value. One important application of this is arrangements for controlling hydraulic vehicle drives. The latter generally have a closed hydraulic circuit which has a variable displacement pump driven by a diesel engine, a hydraulic motor driving the drive wheels of the vehicle and two lines connecting the variable displacement pump and the hydraulic motor for the hydraulic fluid, it being possible for each of the lines, depending on the direction of travel of the vehicle, to be the flow or the return line for the hydraulic motor (DE 199 30 997 A1). In hydraulic circuits of this type, the hydraulic motor can act as a pump when the vehicle changes from the normal driven state to trailing or overrun operation. The vehicle then attempts to accelerate the variable displacement pump and therefore also the diesel engine, which can lead to damage to the diesel engine.
For this reason, it has already been proposed, according to DE 199 30 997 A1, to insert into the return line of the hydraulic circuit a pressure regulating valve which acts as a throttle and which acts in the event of increased pressure of the hydraulic fluid flowing from the hydraulic motor to the variable displacement pump. In the pressure regulating valve acting as a throttle, the energy of the hydraulic fluid flowing from the hydraulic motor to the variable displacement pump is partly converted into heat, which means that further undesired overrunning of the diesel engine is prevented. If, during normal driving operation, the usual lower pressures are present in the return line, the throttling action remains nonfunctional. However, if the direction of travel of the vehicle is reversed, the return line then has to serve as a flow line, which is under increased pressure and in which a throttling action would be undesirable. For this reason, in the known vehicle drive according to DE 199 30 997 A1, a line with a nonreturn valve is provided in parallel with the valve arrangement, so that the pressure regulating valve remains inactive when the flow direction is reversed. If it is intended to secure the vehicle against overrunning of the diesel engine in both directions of travel, then the arrangement described of the pressure regulating valve with the parallel-connected nonreturn valve is required in a dual arrangement. This parallel connection of the two functions by means of valves which are designed separately and independently of each other needs a great deal of installation space or leads to a restriction of the flow cross sections, associated with corresponding hydraulic-mechanical power losses.
The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a valve arrangement which acts as a throttle in only one flow direction, with which installation space is saved and at the same time the effort for mounting is reduced, in addition the greatest possible flow cross sections becoming possible in a small available installation space.
According to the invention, this object is achieved in by a valve arrangement in a hydraulic circuit, having an L-shaped duct arrangement, in which a throttling element whose length can be adjusted can be displaced in the direction of one arm of the L-shaped duct arrangement in accordance with the position of a pilot control valve, the adjustment of the length of the throttling element being made under the influence of the pressure of the hydraulic fluid entering its interior and the design being such that the throttling element is pushed into the duct arrangement when a specific threshold pressure of the hydraulic fluid is exceeded, irrespective of the flow direction of the hydraulic fluid, but its length is shortened when the inflow to its end takes place at a pressure higher than the threshold pressure.
The valve arrangement according to the invention is distinguished by the fact that hydraulic fluid under increased pressure can flow through it in both flow directions but a throttling action occurs only in one flow direction. The throttling action does not occur if the inflow against the adjustable length throttling element is from one end. In this case, the throttling element automatically adjusts to a shorter length. A throttling action is prevented if, in accordance with the increased pressure of the hydraulic fluid, the throttling element assumes its extended position overall. In this way, a line led in parallel and having a nonreturn valve can be saved.
With the valve arrangement according to the invention, the same action is thus achieved as with the nonreturn valve located in a bypass line in an arrangement according to the prior art. However, the outlay on construction is lower; space is saved and larger flow cross sections can be implemented.
The fact that a pilot control valve is provided in the valve arrangement according to the invention presents no obstacle to this, since the said pilot control valve is expedient in any case for registering a specific threshold pressure of the hydraulic fluid.
Advantageous refinements and structural details of the valve arrangement according to the invention are specified in the claims that refer back.
The invention also covers the use of a valve arrangement in a closed circuit of a hydraulic drive.
In this case, this can be, for example, the drive of a machine tool which is equipped with a hydraulic transmission. A particularly preferred field of application of the valve arrangement according to the invention is, however, vehicle drives. Therefore, the invention also extends to the arrangement for controlling a hydraulic vehicle drive.
The arrangement for controlling a hydraulic vehicle drive, according to the invention, comprises a closed hydraulic circuit which has a variable displacement pump driven by a diesel engine, a hydraulic motor driving the drive wheels of the vehicle and lines connecting the variable displacement pump and the hydraulic motor for the hydraulic fluid, it being possible for each of the lines to be the flow or return line of the hydraulic motor, depending on the direction of travel of the vehicle, a valve arrangement being provided in at least one of the lines.
If the vehicle is to be secured against impermissibly high rotational speeds of the diesel engine in overrun operation in both directions of travel, a valve arrangement according to the invention must be incorporated in each of the lines.

Valve arrangement in a hydraulic circuit, use of the same and arrangement for controlling a hydraulic vehicle drive


A demodulation sensor (30) is described for detecting and demodulating a modulated radiation field impinging on a substrate (31). The sensor comprises the means (1,7,15) for generating, in the substrate, a static majority current assisted drift (Edrift) field, at least one gate structure (33) for collecting and accumulating minority carriers (21), the minority carriers generated in the substrate by the impinging radiation (28) field. The at least one gate structure comprises at least two regions (4,9,18) for the collection and accumulation of the minority carriers (21) and at least one gate (5,6,8) adapted for inducing a lateral electric drift field under the gate structure, the system thus being adapted for directing the minority carriers (21) towards one of the at least two regions (4,9) under influence of the static majority current assisted drift field and the lateral electric drift field induced by the at least one gate, and a means for reading out the accumulated minority carriers in that region.

The behavior of many systems in technology is investigated by means of demodulation techniques, whereby the system is excited with a modulated signal and the properties of the reflected radiation are used to determine the characteristics of the system under investigation.
A particular example of measuring techniques which require the demodulation of a temporally modulated electromagnetic radiation field are the time of flight (TOF) distance measurements, based on the fact that the speed of light is finite and constant in a given medium. In a time of flight experiment, the scene is illuminated by a high frequency modulated light source which is usually located near the detector. The signal reflected from the object travels back to the detector with a delay proportional to the distance. After the demodulation of the received signal, the phase difference between the received and sent signal is obtained, and the distance to the object can be calculated. The distance of the object can be expressed asD=c·TOF/2
Several sensor architectures with demodulation capabilities were proposed so far. A CCD based device capable of demodulation of the impinging light signal was described in Spirig, "Apparatus and method for detection and demodulation of an intensity-modulated radiation field", U.S. Pat. No. 5,856,667. Another example of the similar approach is described in Seitz, "Four-tap demodulation pixel" GB 2389960. The light impinging on the device creates hole-electron pairs in the bulk of the semiconductor, those that diffused to the top of the sensor are forwarded to the destination potential storage well by means of the lateral electric field under the gates. The drawbacks of this approach are the slow diffusion of the photo-generated charge carriers to the top of the sensor, the presence of the gates over the sensitive area which reduce the responsivity of the sensor and the large gate capacitance that should be driven on each toggling of the control voltage. The same slow diffusion process to the top of the sensor is present in the demodulation device described in Buettgen, "device and method for the demodulation of modulated electric signals", US20080247033, where the photo-generated charge carriers are forced to drift to a particular detection region by providing an alternating potential to different gate contacts of a demodulation gate structure.
Another approach of the implementation of the demodulating sensor is disclosed in Kuijk, "Detector for electromagnetic radiation assisted by majority current", U.S. Pat. No. 6,987,268. The electric field induced in the substrate lifts up the deeply generated carriers and accelerates them in the direction of the detection nodes. The drawback of this approach is the alternating current which has to be supplied to maintain an alternating electric field in the substrate.

Method and system for demodulating signals


A synthetic grass implant/marker that serves as a surface mounted visual marker for a feature or device located nearby or underground and has all the features and advantages of such a synthetic grass implant, and that additionally includes an internally mounted RFID device such as an RFID tag or chip that can programmed with information concerning the feature or device it is marking, and which information can be obtained by utilizing an RFID reader to obtain the stored information from the implant/marker.

Synthetic grass implants for marking grassed or sodded surfaces comprising a body to be set up in the ground and having artificial grass blades protruding above the ground surface, are known, for example, from WO 95/12441 and WO02008068296A1 incorporated herein by reference.
WO 95/12441 discloses an implant/marker comprising a body to sink into the ground, on which are fixed blades of artificial grass. The upper part of the body is installed flush with the ground surface and the lower portion is pointed, its general shape is generally conical. The placement of the implant and its replacement is very easy and does not need to prepare the soil or digging because of its small size. It does not interfere with the traffic of people and vehicles on the marked surface.
The filaments of such devices are usually made from a polymeric material having, after obtaining the desired thickness of the filaments (a few tenths of millimeters to one or two millimeters), the characteristics of rigidity and flexibility to that they are prepared to rest and he bowed to the passage of a user of the land marked without risking injury to the user or damage to the device. Another feature of these devices is that the filaments are resilient and return to their position immediately after the passage of the user.
These devices, originally designed to be implanted on grassy surfaces and guide each tracing land boundaries, such as sports, are proving to be useful for other applications, in particular to provide various marking delineations on the ground. For example locations for campsites, the boundaries of a park or visualizing a path could be achieved by such devices.
Although such prior art implants/markers are very well suited for marking points or even lines in the top surface of grassed areas, they are less useful in marking underground features such as underground electrical lines, underground water, sewer or gas pipes, or other underground or hidden from view features or devices.
Although these prior art markers may provide a top surface indication that there is some feature or device located/buried nearby or underneath the marker, the marker does not provide any detailed information such as, for example, how deep the device or feature is; how big it is; how long it is; what date it was installed or the like. For such underground or hidden devices or features, it would be advantageous and desirable to have a very detailed information about what the implant/marker is marking.
Accordingly, what is needed is a synthetic grass implant/marker that serves as a surface mounted visual marker for a feature or device located nearby or underground and has all the features and advantages of such a synthetic grass implant, and that additionally includes a device such as an internal RFID tag or chip that can programmed with information concerning the feature or device it is marking, and which information can be obtained by utilizing an RFID reader to obtain the stored information from the implant/marker.

Synthetic grass implant with RFID tag for ground-marking in grassed areas


A plurality of credentials is retrieved for a user by a computing device, wherein each of the plurality of credentials is associated with a loyalty program. For each loyalty program, itinerary data is retrieved from a server associated with the loyalty program using the credentials associated with the loyalty program from the plurality of credentials. The retrieved itinerary data retrieved for each of the loyalty programs is aggregated into an itinerary. The itinerary is presented to the user at the computing device. Loyalty points may be awarded to a user based on interaction with an application running on the computing device where the loyalty points may be redeemed for goods and services. Advertisers may be provided compensated based on the redemption of the loyalty point by users at their physical or virtual stores.

Customers have many options as to which products and services they choose to spend their money on. For example, travelers can choose from a variety of airlines, hotels, and rental car companies to use on any given trip. Based in part on the rise of the Internet, customers are able to quickly determine the products and services having the best price. Therefore, it is important for a company to develop customer loyalty to attract and retain customers if they are unable or unwilling to provide their product or service at or below the price offered by their competitors.
One popular way that companies have developed to improve customer retention is through loyalty or incentive based programs, where customers earn reward points for purchasing the services or products offered by a company. Such loyalty programs are commonly used by airlines and hotels to reward frequent flyers or hotel guests. Loyalty programs are often popular among business travelers who are often reimbursed for the cost of the hotel or flight, but are permitted to retain any rewards earned.
While these loyalty programs are effective, they may be difficult to manage for users. For example, a business traveler may use a website affiliated with their preferred airline to book a flight for a business trip, a second website affiliated with their preferred hotel to book a hotel room for the business trip, and yet another website affiliated with their preferred rental car company to book a car for the trip. The total corpus of information concerning the user's trip is now stored across the three different websites forcing the user to log into each separate websites to retrieve desired information about the trip. For example, if the user forgets the address of their rental car location, they have to log into the website of the rental car company, or if the user needs the phone number of their hotel they have to log into the website of their hotel. Even with advanced technologies such as smart phones, accessing the disparate sources may be time consuming and frustrating.

System and method for securely managing delivery and redemption of location-based incentives and customer loyalty rewards to mobile devices