In a distributed computer network having a large number of intercommunicating distributed nodes and a smaller number of control nodes in which each distributed node reports status information to a particular one of the control nodes, a method is provided for guaranteeing that at least one control node receives a status message from a distributed node despite the unavailability of the particular control node to which the distributed node normally sends its status messages. Each distributed node associates a serial number and time stamp and an identification of itself with each message it originates, and each distributed node retains copies of the messages. Should a distributed node be unsuccessful in transmitting to its normal control node it attempts to transmit to other control nodes until it transmits successfully. A control node assigned to assume the functions of an failed control node requests a distributed node formerly associated with the unavailable control node to resend all messages it originated within a period of time sufficiently long that at least all messages sent to the failed control since its failure are resent. Since replicate messages may be sent to a plurality of control nodes under this method, replicates are resolved by comparing the time stamps and originating node identifications.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to distributed computer networks, particularly to enhancing the reliability and functionality of network management functions in such networks by providing an inter-process message transmission method which guarantees that a message originated by a node will be received by at least one other node.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The invention is embodied in an EFTPOS (Electronic Funds Transfer/Point of Sale) system such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,716, "Resilient Data Communications System", issued Nov. 7, 1989 to McNally et al (hereinafter, "the McNally patent").
A large number of point-of-sale (POS) terminals are distributed over a very large geographical area, perhaps on the order of an entire continent. A communications network is provided which transports data over the entire geographical area, and all the POS terminals are connected to it, through telephone lines and intelligent line concentrators (called network access controllers or "NACs"). Also connected to the communications network are computers operated by financial institutions.
The POS terminals are typically placed into service by merchants, who then accept transactions from consumers who carry plastic credit cards or debit cards which bear in machine-readable form an identification of a financial institution which maintains an account for the consumer, and an identification of that account. The primary function of the system is to forward from the POS terminals to the financial institution computers information identifying a consumer's account and a transaction the consumer wishes to make in that account, and to return from the financial institution to the POS terminal either an acceptance or rejection of that transaction.
A merchant wishing to place a POS terminal into service typically obtains the necessary equipment (the terminals and associated modems, etc.) from a "service provider" organization. Such an organization might have no role in the EFTPOS system beyond that of providing equipment, or larger merchants and financial institutions might function as service providers; in that case the latter role is kept separated from the former.
In addition to line concentrators for POS terminals and computers of financial institutions being connected to the communications network as described above, two other classes of equipment are connected to it which exist ancillarily to the system's aforementioned primary function: network management systems (NMSs), and management workstations (WSs). (WSs are not specifically discussed in the McNally patent, but are at the heart of Subscriber Access Facilities (SAFs) 12 and are attached to NMSs 14 to provide an interface between operators and NMSs.)
NMSs are responsible for overall control and monitoring of the EFTPOS system; WSs are used by the network provider organization and service provider organizations to control and monitor particular equipment and communication paths for which they are responsible. As described in the McNally patent, the NACs can be dynamically reconfigured and can report their present status; operators and administrators at the WSs may enter commands to reconfigure the systems or commands requesting information on the current status of the systems. Commands originating at a WS are passed to an NMS for verification that the action or information requested is within the purview of the requesting organization, and are acted upon by the NMS following that verification.
The WSs and NMSs have software running in them to effect the entry of such commands and the responses to them. Each particular type of command typically invokes a particular path through the software, causing the execution of executable paths that are provided to perform particular functions required for a particular command. A software entity dedicated to a discrete function is known in the software arts as a "process".
WSs and NMSs are distributed throughout the geographical area served by the system. The NMS in a particular region of the geographical area generally exercises direct control and monitoring of the POS terminals and NACs in that particular region. A request pertaining to such a terminal or NAC and originating from a process in a WS or NMS in a different region must be forwarded over the communications network to a process in the NMS having cognizance of the target NAC, and a response must be forwarded back to the requesting process.
To enhance reliability of the EFTPOS system, provision exists to reconfigure NMSs, and the allocation of other system equipments to particular NMSs, in the event that one of the NMSs fails. The total number of NMSs is a function of total network size, within the constraints of system considerations: it would be operationally convenient to employ a small number of NMSs, each managing as many entities as possible, because this minimizes the number of inter-NMS transfers; but this represents a large unit of potential failure, and to guard against this a larger number of NMSs, each managing fewer entities, might be employed even though this is operationally inconvenient because it increases the number of inter-NMS message transfers required.
In the present embodiment, most of the entities being managed by NMSs are NACs, each NMS typically managing hundreds of NACs. NACs do not require constant management; management of a NAC typically entails the occasional forwarding of configuration commands, and periodic (presently, on the order of once every ten minutes) polling of each NAC's status. However, a NAC may occasionally request immediate attention, as when it detects an alarm condition and forwards an alarm message to an NMS, which may constitute a request for corrective action.
NMSs are also managed entities, inasmuch as each NMS monitors the others checking for continued functionality, and inasmuch as the NMSs exchange and respond to configuration information with each other.
Should an NMS become non-functional, requests and messages destined for it will not be honored until the system is reconfigured to reallocate the processes formerly performed by that NMS. There might therefore be a period of time during which alarm messages forwarded from a NAC to an NMS are lost--namely, the period from when that NMS becomes non-functional until the completion of the system reconfiguration to reallocate that NMSs functions. Although a NAC could retransmit those messages after such reconfiguration, it would be unable to request corrective action for the alarm condition until such time as reconfiguration is effected.

Guaranteed message delivery from a data handling computer to management computer by monitoring the management computer with the data handling computer and other management computer


An integrated circuit chip comprising a bond wire and a mass of magnetic material provided on the bond wire, wherein the mass of magnetic material increases the inductance of the bond wire.

Various electronic devices comprise power supplies that convert electricity from one form into another. For example, most computing devices, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, and personal digital assistants comprise power supplies that convert voltage into a form that can be used by the various components of the devices, such as central processing units (CPUs) or other processors. Conversion may comprise alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) conversion, as well as DC to DC conversion. In the former case, AC voltage, for example from a wall outlet, is converted into DC voltage, which is used by the internal components of the electronic device. In the latter case, the DC voltage is reduced to a level required by the internal components.
Current power supplies comprise various discrete components, such as inductors and capacitors, that are separately manufactured and then mounted, for example, on a circuit board. Due to the aggregation of the various discrete components, such power supplies are relatively large and heavy. Although not necessarily a critical concern in terms of larger electronic devices such as desktop computers, the size and heft of conventional power supplies can be disadvantageous for some applications, such as mobile electronic devices.
System-on-chip (SOC) is an emerging trend of integrating all components of an electronic system including digital, analog, mixed-signal, communication, and sensor functions into a single integrated circuit. The proliferation of the SOC concept has generated interest in integrating power management into integrated circuit chips. Power SOCs that monolithically integrate all active and passive components using low-cost semiconductor manufacturing processes would provide an extremely attractive solution with significant improvement in performance, as well as an unprecedented reduction in board space, parts count, and time to market. Unfortunately, the development of power SOCs is seriously hindered by a few major technical barriers. One such barrier is development of a cost effective means of integrating inductors and transformers onto a silicon chip while achieving adequate performance in terms of inductance, DC series resistance, maximum saturation current, and quality factor (Q factor), which is the ratio of reactive impedance to equivalent series resistance (ESR), and therefore provides a measure of inductor performance.
Current research on integrated magnetics for power SOCs has predominantly focused on utilizing micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) micromachining technology as a post-processing step after the completion of a chip (e.g., a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) chip) containing all power switching devices and control circuitry. The high DC resistance (typically 0.5 to 5 ohms (Ω)) and poor Q factor (typically 3 to 8) of the MEMS inductors/transformers, however, severely limit the current handling capability and efficiency of the power SOC. Furthermore, the large increase of fabrication complexity and cost associated with the MEMS post-processing approach raises questions as to the feasibility of large scale commercialization of the power SOC.

University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.


The present invention is directed to a method of increasing the in vivo immune response of lymphocytes by stimulating the lymphocytes in vitro in the presence of an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody for less than about 24 hours to form stimulated lymphocytes; infusing the stimulated lymphocytes into a tumor-bearing mammal; and administering IL-2 to the mammal. As a result of this method, the anti-CD3 stimulated lymphocytes display enhanced immunotherapeutic, e.g., cytotoxicity or lymphokine production, in vivo as represented by a decrease in the number of tumors by at least about 20%.

T lymphocytes, i.e., T cells, are central players in the immune response by virtue of their ability to recognize antigens with a high degree of specificity, to act as effector cells in the lysis of specific target cells, and to regulate the nature and intensity of the immune response. Once research clarified the role of T lymphocytes in the immune system, it became useful to stimulate selected lymphocyte populations and subpopulations that could play a role in immune responses, especially in response to tumors.
Interleukin-2 (IL-2), a lymphokine produced by helper T cells, stimulates the growth of T cells and NK cells that bear IL-2 receptors, either in vivo or in vitro. The in vitro incubation of resting lymphocytes in media containing IL-2 for three to four days induces the generation of lymphocytes capable of lysing fresh tumor cells, but not normal cells. These lymphocytes are referred to as lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells. See, for example, I. Yron et al., J. Immunol., 238 (1980); M. T. Lotze et al., Cancer Res., 41, 4420 (1981); and S. A. Rosenberg et al., Natl. Cancer Inst., 75, 595 (1985). This ability of IL-2 to induce the proliferation of lymphocytes with immune reactivity and with the ability to lyse fresh autologous, syngeneic, or allogeneic natural killer (NK) cell resistant tumor cells, but not normal cells, has resulted in further developments in the area of adoptive immunotherapy, i.e., cell transfer therapies.
Typical adoptive immunotherapy involves the administration of immunologically active cells to an individual for the purpose of providing a beneficial immunological effect to the individual, e.g., reduction or control of cancerous or diseased tissue. These immunologically active cells, e.g., lymphokine-activated killer cells and tumor infiltrating cells, are typically taken either from the individual to be treated, known as an autologous treatment, or from another individual, known as an allogenic treatment. Lymphokine-activated killer cells are typically taken by venipuncture or leukophereses. Tumor infiltrating cells are taken from tumors removed during surgery. The lymphocytes are cultured to increase their number and activate their antitumor activity, and infused back into the patient. Thus, the majority of conventional efforts in adoptive immunotherapy are directed at increasing the number of activated cells in vitro followed by infusion back into the patient.
Animal experiments transferring immunologically active cells, e.g., LAK cells, from healthy animals to animals with cancerous tumors have suggested that adoptive immunotherapy can elicit an antitumor effect in certain tumor models with a high degree of effectiveness. Furthermore, the administration of IL-2 in addition to LAK cells has proven effective in the treatment of a variety of murine malignancies. IL-2 also leads to the in vivo proliferation of transferred LAK cells. These initial animal studies were repeated with humans in clinical trials.
The human studies demonstrated that LAK cells plus IL-2, or IL-2 alone, can be effective in mediating the regression of established metastatic cancer in selected patients. See, for example, S. A. Rosenberg, "Immunotherapy of Patients with Advanced Cancer Using Interleukin-2 Alone or in Combination With Lymphokine Activated Killer Cells" in Important Advances in Oncology 1988, J. B. Lippincott Co., 217, (1988).
Although adoptive immunotherapy has met with certain success, a difficulty with many of the experimental protocols is that a large number of cells is required in the therapy. Furthermore, conventional protocols have proven less than desirable because of the large amount of culture medium, the large amount of IL-2, the large number of hours involved in culturing cells to develop LAK activity, the time involved in clinical treatment, and the side effects of treatment. The infusion of LAK cells also frequently results in the development of respiratory difficulty. These cells are large and sticky and bind to the vascular system in the lungs causing severe damage that can result in the patient requiring intensive care management.
To overcome some of these difficulties, advances have been made to improve the in vitro culturing process. For example, T cells cultured in the presence of IL-2 and monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) against the antigen receptor complex CD3, i.e., anti-CD3 MoAb, have been found to proliferate and demonstrate LAK activity on a per cell basis. See, for example, P. M. Anderson et al., Cancer Immunol. Immunother., 27, 82 (1988); P. M. Anderson et al., J. Immunol., 142, 1383 (1989); and A. C. Ochoa et al., Cancer Res., 49, 963 (1989).
Some efforts have been aimed at activating in vivo antitumor mechanisms; however, there has been limited success in this area. For example, patients have received high doses of IL-2 with significant toxicity. The direct infusion of anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody alone induces nonspecific antitumor function in mice. See, for example, D. W. Hoskin et al., Cancer Immunol. Immunother., 29, 226 (1989). Based on the positive results in murine models, direct infusion of anti-CD3 MoAb has been attempted in humans. Although patients who have directly received the anti-CD3 MoAb OKT3 have experienced the activation of some T cells in vivo. the toxicity of intravenous OKT3 reaches the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) before immune efficacy develops. It is believed that the free OKT3 is responsible for the majority of these toxic effects. In addition, the infusion of anti-CD3 induces the production of endogenous antibodies which neutralize the effect of the anti-CD3 thus complicating the possibility for repeated therapy.
Although direct infusion of anti-CD3 results in significant levels of toxicity, cells activated by anti-CD3 outside of the body are useful in adoptive immunotherapeutic techniques. Anti-CD3 induces, at least in part, activation of tumoricidal T cells as well as activated NK (LAK cells). Conventional IL-2 therapy, however, only activates LAK cells. Furthermore, some studies have shown that certain tumor target cells are more susceptible to anti-CD3 activated T cells than LAK cells. See, for example, J. Stankova et al., Cell. Immunol., 121, 13 (1989).
A comparison of the efficacy of cells stimulated with IL-2 for four days, with anti-CD3 for 72 hours, as well as the antitumor activity induced by the direct infusion of anti-CD3 MoAb has been undertaken. See, for example, S. Gallinger et al., Cancer Res., 50, 2476 (1990). It has been determined that in this murine model the most effective way of reducing tumor is direct infusion of anti-CD3. Infusion of cells stimulated with anti-CD3 was less effective while infusion of cells cultured in IL-2 was least effective.
It has been shown that anti-CD3 induced effector cells acquire cytolytic activity in vitro within 24 hours of incubation of murine lymphocytes with anti-CD3. It has also been shown that in vitro incubation of peripheral blood lymphocytes of normal donors with the anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody OKT3 for 45 minutes resulted in the acquisition of lytic activity against fresh leukemic cells. See, E. Lotzova et al., Nat. Immun. Cell Growth Regul., 6, 219 (1987). It is generally believed, however, that for effective in vivo activity, cells must be incubated with anti-CD3 for at least about 72 hours.
Thus, conventional methods of activating cells in vitro or in vivo have not to date successfully eliminated the need for convenient, effective, and safe therapeutic methods. In general, conventional methods require the development of immunotherapeutic function, e.g., lytic activity, in cells before they are used in adoptive immunotherapy. Because of this limitation, culturing of cells can last for several days before they can be infused back into a patient. A need therefore exists for a more convenient, less time consuming, and more efficient method of culturing cells. That is, a need exists for a method of producing lymphocytes capable of proliferation and enhanced immunotherapeutic efficacy that: (1) is not time consuming; (2) is less expensive; (3) has fewer, if any, side effects; (4) is simple and convenient; and (5) does not require prolonged in vitro culture.

Short-term anti-CD3 stimulation of lymphocytes to increase their in vivo acitivity

The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services


The stacking device for printed products includes a rotatable turntable platform for stacking articles, an ejection assembly for ejecting stacks of articles from the platform, and a positioning device for positioning the turntable for two direction ejection. The positioning device allows the turntable to be arranged for ejecting stacks either parallel or normal to a direction in which articles are fed into the stacking device. This versatility of output allows the stacking device to be incorporated into a plant arrangement more easily and reduces floor space and expense of the entire system. The stacking device also includes an article receiving portion which receives and accommodates articles of differing heights without changing an infeed location of the stacking device. According to one embodiment, the stacking device includes an ejection assembly including two chains received in tracks in the turntable and two posts mounted on the chains which eject the stacks without imparting a rotational moment to the stacks.

The present invention relates to the field of article stacking devices, and more particularly to stacking devices for assembling a stream of printed products into stacks and ejecting the stacks of printed products.
Newspapers and other printed matter which is ejected from a printing press or inserting machine is generally folded and delivered in a continuous stream with the papers in an overlapped relationship. The papers from the printing press are received and stacked by a stacking apparatus which must operate at very high speeds. The stacking apparatus generally forms the papers into stacks and ejects the stacks of papers in two directions from the stacker at a rate which exceeds one stack ejected per second.
The known stacking apparatuses generally operate by moving a fork into the continuous stream of papers to collect a desired number of papers which form a batch. The forks are generally spring mounted to a chain drive which rotates to continually receive and deliver batches of papers. After a predetermined count of papers are received on a fork, a next fork intercepts the paper stream and begins collecting papers for a next batch. The forks move downward as the papers are collected and drop the completed batches onto a turntable which collects the papers in a stack.
Since newspapers and other printed materials generally have a thickness which is greater along the folded side or sides of the papers than on the unfolded sides of the papers, two or more batches are generally stacked on the turntable with the folded edges of the successive batches rotated 180.degree. with respect to one another to achieve a stack with an even height. In order to form an even stack with rotated batches, the stacking platform or turntable is driven by a heavy duty motor which rotates the turntable 180.degree. between dropping of successive batches by the forks.
Once a predetermined stack size is reached, the stack is ejected from the stacking machine by pushing the stack off of the turntable with a pusher bar. The pusher bar of known stackers extends vertically through the turntable by passing through a clearance gap provided between two halves of the turntable platform. The pusher bar is driven by a chain drive to push the stack from the turntable onto one of two conveyors which are arranged to receive the stacks in two directions which are 180.degree. from each other.
The known stacking apparatuses are generally designed to operate with newspapers or other flat articles which vary in size, shape, weight, and conformity, and are not dimensionally stable. Therefore, the turntables of stackers generally include adjustable side walls or guides on all four sides of the stack which align and stabilize the stack. The end guides provided on the opposite ends of the stack are mounted on springs so that these end guides will open to allow the stacks to be ejected.
One drawback of known stacking apparatuses is the fact that the stacks are ejected only in the two directions which are normal to the direction in which the stream of newspapers enters the stacker. Thus, for many printing setups, the stream of incoming papers must be turned 90.degree. before entering the stacker. Alternatively, the two streams of stacks exiting the stacker may have to be turned 90.degree.. This need to rotate either the stream of papers or the two streams of stacks for some plant setups adds to the complexity, expense, and space taken up by the entire line.

Stacking device for printer products and the like


An electrical power module and transport refrigeration system. The electrical power module is used for an apparatus powered by a battery or/and a fuel, has a working mode and includes: a DC buck module configured to step-down a DC at least provided by the battery to a low-voltage output DC for output, or/and a DC boost module configured to step-up a low-voltage input DC provided by the apparatus powered by the fuel to a high-voltage DC for output; and a control module connected to a transport refrigeration unit, and configured to, in the working mode, control the operation of the DC buck module or/and the DC boost module.

A transport refrigeration unit may be installed on transport vehicles such as an electric truck for refrigerating goods during transport. Such a transport refrigeration unit is typically provided with apparatus or devices such as a compressor, an electric heater, fans, valves, and a logic control board. Generally, an inverter is required to drive the compressor in the transport refrigeration unit to operate, a low-voltage DC power source is then used to provide electrical power to fan motors, valves and the like in the transport refrigeration unit, and another electrical power device is used to drive the electric heater and the like in the transport refrigeration unit. This will result in very complex harness connections between these components, devices or apparatuses and a large space occupied, and make them not easy to operate, inspect and maintain.
In addition, for transport vehicles such as an electric truck using a battery power platform, they may directly use a battery to provide electrical power for the transport refrigeration unit; however, for transport vehicles such as a diesel truck using a fuel power platform, they usually use a low-voltage DC generator (such as 12V, 24V or 48V) to provide electrical power for the transport refrigeration unit. Therefore, between the above two types of transport vehicles using different power platforms, there are also problems of harness connections of the transport refrigeration unit and incompatibility of related components.

Power module device and transport refrigeration system


The present invention relates to a continuous in-situ process for reducing the viscosity, corrosivity and density of heavy oils comprising the steps of (a) contacting a heavy oil with an aqueous alkaline earth, Group IIA metal hydroxide at a temperature of about 380.degree. to about 450.degree. C. for a time sufficient to form the corresponding alkaline earth metal sulfide, recovering the reduced sulfur feed and regenerating the alkaline metal hydroxide for recycle to treat additional feed. Beneficially, the process removes heteroatoms (sulfur and nitrogen).

The quality of residuum feeds, particularly heavy oils, suffers from high levels of heteroatoms (nitrogen and sulfur). Such feeds are also high in naphthenic acid contents (measured by total acid number--TAN) which presents corrosion problems in handling (e.g., refineries). These are highly viscous crudes that also possess relatively high densities or low API gravities. Transporting such heavy oils typically requires the blending with costly diluent which reduces the viscosity for pipelining.
Much work has been done utilizing molten caustic to desulfurize coals. For example, see "Molten Hydroxide Coal Desulfurization Using Model Systems," Utz, Friedman and Soboczenski, 51-17 (Fossil Fuels, Derivatives, and Related Products, ACS Symp. Serv., 319 (Fossil Fuels Util.), 51-62, 1986 CA 105(24):211446Z); "An Overview of the Chemistry of the Molten-caustic Leaching Process," Gala, Hemant, Srivastava, Rhee, Kee, Hucko, and Richard, 51-6 (Fossil Fuels, Derivatives and Related Products, Coal Prep. (Gordon and Breach), 71-1-2, 1-28, 1989 CA 112 (2):9527r; and Base-catalyzed Desulfurization and Heteroatom Elimination from Coal-model Heteroatomatic Compounds,"51-17 (Fossil Fuels, Derivatives, and Related Products, Coal Sci. Technol., 11 (nt. Conf. Coal Sci., 1987), 435-8, CA 108(18):153295y).
Additionally, work has been done utilizing aqueous caustic to desulfurize carbonaceous material. U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,980 discusses desulfurizing, deasphalting and demetallating carbonaceous material in the presence of molten potassium hydroxide, hydrogen and water at temperature of about 350.degree. to about 550.degree. C. U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,965 discloses a method for removal of nitrogen and sulfur from oil shale with a basic solution comprised of one or more hydroxides of the alkali metals and alkaline earth metals at temperatures ranging from about 50.degree. to about 350.degree. C.
Methods also exist for the regeneration of aqueous alkali metal. See e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,043 discussing regeneration of aqueous solutions of Na, K and/or ammonium sulfide by contact with Cu oxide powder yielding precipitated sulfide which is separated and re-oxidized to copper oxide at elevated temperatures and an aqueous solution enriched in NaOH, KOH or NH.sub.3. Romanian patent RO-101296-A describes residual sodium sulfide removal wherein the sulfides are recovered by washing first with mineral acids (e.g., hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid) and then with sodium hydroxide or carbonate to form sodium sulfide followed by a final purification comprising using iron turnings to give insoluble ferrous sulfide.
The costs for handling such feeds can be exorbitant. Hence, reducing viscosity and naphthenic acid content have become critical targets. Thus, there is a need for low-cost processes which upgrade oils to reduce the dependence on diluent addition and to produce more profitable feedstocks. Other upgrading targets include the reduction of nitrogen and sulfur.

Process for upgrading heavy oil using alkaline earth metal hydroxide


Disclosure is a multi-objective semiconductor product capacity planning system and method thereof. The system comprises a data input module, a capacity planning module and a computing module. The machine information of the production stations, the product information and the order information are input by the data input module. According to the demand quantity of order, capacity information and product information, the capacity planning module plans a capacity allocation to determine the satisfied quantity of orders. The capacity allocation information is used to form a gene combination by chromosome encoding method. The computing module calculates the gene combination several times to generate numerous candidate solutions by a multi-objective genetic algorithm. The numerous candidate solutions sorts out and generates a new gene combination, and repeats the calculation to form candidate solution set until stop condition is satisfied. The candidate solution set is transformed into numerous suggestive plans as options.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a semiconductor product capacity planning system and method thereof, in particular with respect to a multi-objective semiconductor product capacity planning system and method thereof obtained under evaluation criteria of multi planning objectives.
2. Description of the Related Art
In accordance with the regular procedure of semiconductor company, the sales may determined the demand quantity of order based on the product category, and then the production control department arranged the purchasing material into production plan and satisfied it with the capacity limit. The manufacture department produced the amount of finished products according to the production schedule than delivered to the customer. However, if some details in the process go wrong, the departments have to coordinate with each other to make up for the mistake and therefore wastes time and money. Besides, the outcome is often disappointed. Because each department only concerns about their own objectives and the final result usually cannot contribute to the company.
Presently, when planning a production schedule, the personnel can only provide a capacity planning alternatives for the demand quantity offered by the sales department along with capacity amount comes from the manufacturing department. The decision-maker is usually lacking in relevant statistics while have to do something about the planning alternatives. If decision-makers can consider the relating financial index before planning, they can get the optimal goal for the company.
As a result, a multi-objective semiconductor product capacity planning system and method thereof of the present invention is provided to generate planning alternatives for different capacity arrangements by means of multi limits to the object, and thus the decision-maker can choose the optimal capacity planning alternatives.

Multi-objective semiconductor product capacity planning system and method thereof


A studio to transmitter link (STL) that comprises a relatively low error rate communication channel implements error correction techniques at the studio side which are designed to reduce errors in the combined low error rate STL channel and a relatively high error rate communication channel used by the transmitter.

Electromagnetic transmission facilities (e.g., television, radio, cellular telephone, and the like) are often situated in geographically remote locations due to various technical and political reasons. As such, the source (e.g., a studio or control center) of a signal or signals to be transmitted may be many miles away from the transmission facility. A studio to transmitter link (STL) is used to deliver signals from the source to the transmission facility.
The STL may be implemented using, e.g., microwave, optical fiber, subscriber networks or other technologies depending upon, e.g., the type of signals being delivered via the STL and the amount of information contained in those signals. The technology employed by the STL may use some type of error correction to help correct errors which may occur. In multilayered STL systems, where several communication technology systems are used, multiple error correction schemes may be employed. In addition, the STL may be implemented using redundant channels to protect against a catastrophic failure of a single channel. However, the use of multilayered systems or redundant channels increases the cost and complexity of the STL.
A new television standard, the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) Digital Television Standard (ATSC A/53 Specification), has been proposed, tested and recommended for use in the United States. This standard is a constrained subset of the ISO/IEC International Standards 13818-1 specification for "Generic Coding of Moving Pictures and Associated Audio" and is generally referred to as ATSC A/53. Television studios producing signals in compliance with this new standard must be able to deliver the signals to appropriate transmission facilities for subsequent broadcast. Such signals will make substantial bandwidth or bitrate demands on an STL, possibly driving up STL costs and complexity.
Therefore, a need exists in the art for an STL method and apparatus having a reduced level of cost and complexity.

Studio transmitter link method and apparatus


A process cartridge includes a protective agent, a photoconductor, a charging unit, a development unit, a cleaning unit, and an application unit. The protective agent includes paraffin as main component. The photoconductor has a surface including polycarbonate applied with the protective agent. The development unit develops a latent image on the photoconductor. The cleaning unit removes materials remaining on the photoconductor. The application unit applies the protective agent to the surface of photoconductor. One peak in a given binding energy range is used to determine a coating condition of the photoconductor coated by the agent. The coating condition is determined by comparing an area ratio A0 before applying the agent and an area ratio A after applying the agent, each of which is an area ratio with respect to a total area of C1s spectrum of the photoconductor. The coating ratio of the photoconductor is computed by (A0−A)/A0×100.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure generally relates to a process cartridge used for an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a process cartridge having a function of applying a protective agent to a photoconductor.
2. Description of the Background Art
Typically, an image forming apparatus using electrophotography produces an image by sequentially conducting a series of processes such as a charging process, an exposure process, a developing process, and a transfer process to a photoconductor such as an OPC (organic photoconductor). After conducting the transfer process, by-products generated by discharging during the charging process or toner particles remaining on the photoconductor are removed by a cleaning process. Such cleaning process can be conducted by using a cleaning blade, such as a rubber blade, which has a relatively simple and inexpensive structure but which cleans well.
However, such cleaning blade has a short lifetime and itself reduces the useful life of the photoconductor because the cleaning blade is pressed against the photoconductor to remove residual materials remaining on the photoconductor. More specifically, frictional pressure between the cleaning blade and the photoconductor causes abrasion on the rubber blade and a surface layer of a photoconductor.
Further, small-sized toner particles, used for coping with demand for higher quality images, may not be effectively trapped by such a cleaning blade, referred to as "passing of toner" or "toner passing." Such toner passing is more likely to occur by insufficient dimensional or assembly precision of the cleaning blade or when the cleaning blade vibrates unfavorably due to an external shock or the like. If such toner passing occurs, higher quality images may not be produced.
Accordingly, to enhance the lifetime of the photoconductor and to produce higher quality images over time, frictional pressure on the photoconductor or cleaning blade needs to be reduced, and a cleaning performance of the photoconductor needs to be enhanced, by which degradation of the photoconductor or cleaning blade can be reduced and the aforementioned "toner passing" can be reduced.
In view of such frictional pressure reduction and cleaning performance enhancement, in general, a lubricant is applied to the photoconductor to form a lubricant layer on the photoconductor using the cleaning blade. Such lubricant layer can protect the surface of the photoconductor from an effect of frictional pressure caused by the cleaning blade pressing against the photoconductor, which abrades the photoconductor, or from a discharge energy effect during a charging process, which degrades the photoconductor. Further, the photoconductor having such lubricant layer can enhance lubricating performance of the photoconductor surface, by which an unfavorable vibration of cleaning blade can be reduced, and thereby toner passing amount can be reduced.
In general, a metallic soap such as zinc stearate is used as the lubricant. However, zinc stearate may adhere to a charge roller of an image forming apparatus and cause unfavorable charging condition, which may result in a lower quality image, for example an image having black streaks.
Research indicates that paraffin can be used as a protective agent providing good lubrication and protection. However, paraffin requires more time to coat the surface of photoconductor compared to zinc stearate after application, by which the photoconductor has some areas coated with paraffin and other areas not coated with paraffin. Such uneven coating may occur when an image forming apparatus, newly shipped from a factory, is used for an image forming operation for the first time. In view of such coating condition, a photoconductor coated with paraffin in advance can be prepared when assembling the image forming apparatus.
Accordingly, the state of the lubricant application on the photoconductor, such as application amount, needs to be evaluated. When zinc stearate is used as the lubricant, a lubricant amount of zinc stearate applied to a photoconductor is analyzed using XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), in which the amount of zinc element as a percentage of all elements on the surface of photoconductor is measured.
In XPS analysis, elements other than hydrogen element existing in a top and a sub-surface of a sample can be detected. When an OPC (organic photoconductor) coated with zinc stearate is analyzed using XPS, an element amount profile detected by XPS varies depending on a coating amount or coating ratio of zinc stearate. For example, when no zinc stearate is applied to the OPC, the element amount profile shows an element distribution of the OPC itself, whereas when zinc stearate is applied to the OPC, the element amount profile shows a mixture of the element distribution of the OPC and the element distribution of the zinc stearate. If the zinc stearate is applied to the entire surface of the OPC (i.e., OPC is coated with zinc stearate 100%), the element amount profile only shows the element distribution of the zinc stearate, and therefore an upper limit of zinc amount or ratio on the OPC becomes a zinc amount or ratio of the zinc stearate. Accordingly, when zinc stearate, which has a chemical composition of C36H70O4Zn, coats the entire surface of the photoconductor, theoretically the ratio of zinc to all elements should be 2.44%, which is computed from the ratio of elements in zinc stearate (C36H70O4Zn) excluding hydrogen.
However, when a protective agent, such as paraffin, not containing metal component is applied to the OPC, XPS analysis shows only peak values for carbon (C) and oxygen (O), and therefore the amount of protective agent applied to the photoconductor may not be correctly evaluated.
If the amount of protective agent on a photoconductor cannot be correctly evaluated, a photoconductor having an insufficient amount of protective agent may be assembled in a process cartridge or an image forming apparatus, and such photoconductor can cause image quality degradation.
As such, a conventional analysis method may not be suitable for detecting an amount of a protective agent, such as paraffin, not including metal component. In view of such background, a method of correctly evaluating a surface condition of a photoconductor coated with a protective agent not including metal component is desired.

Process cartridge including photoconductor pre-coated with protective agent and image forming apparatus using same


Methods are described for producing reduced, methylated, biologically active forms of folate, including 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (i.e. 5-methyltetrahydropteroylglutamic acid), 5-formyltetrahydrofolate, 10-formyltetrahydrofolate and tetrahydrofolate. Edible mushroom-producing fungi are cultivated to enhance the uptake of pteroylmonoglutamate (synthetic folate) into edible portions of the plants. The mushroom-producing fungi reduce and methylate the pteroylmonoglutamates into activated folates. The cultivated mycelia or mushrooms of the mushroom-producing fungi are harvested, and may be consumed directly or processed into oral dosage formats (capsules, tablets, softgels, powders, gel packets, liquids, nutritional bars, beverages) for use as functional foods or nutritional supplements.

Folic acid is a B vitamin found in many foods. The term folate refers to folic acid and a large family of related compounds. The term folic acid, folate or folacin are the generic terms used for a group of heterocyclic compounds based on the 4-[(pteridin-6-ylmethyl)amino]benzoic acid skeleton conjugated with one or more L-glutamate units. The definition of the term "folic acid" by the IUPAC-IUB Joint Commission on Biochemical Nomenclature (JCBN) states: "The term folates may also be used in the generic sense to designate any members of the family of pteroylglutamates, or mixtures of them, having various levels of reduction of the pteridine ring, one-carbon substitutions and numbers of glutamate residues."
Folates are an important component of the human diet, and several adverse health effects can occur if there is a folate deficiency in the diet. Folates are widely distributed in almost all natural foods, but the highest concentrations are found in yeast, liver, fresh green leafy vegetables, asparagus and lettuce. Moderate sources include beef, veal and wheat. Deficiencies in folic acid levels can result from improper diet, diseases of the upper small intestine (for example, celiac disease or tropical sprue) or increased physical demands (for example, pregnancy, infancy, adolescence or alcoholism).
For people having a folic acid deficiency, biochemical abnormalities may be observed in addition to reductions in blood folic acid and erythrocyte concentrations. The primary role of folic acid is in the metabolism of compounds by transfer of a one carbon group from one compound to another in a process referred to as methylation. Folic acid is required for enzymes that are involved in nucleic acid synthesis and subsequent DNA synthesis. Therefore, deficiency of folic acid may result in neural tube defects, reduced production of pyrimidines, reduced catabolism of serine, tryptophan and histidine, and elevation of homocysteine. Folic acid has a long history of use, in conjunction with vitamin B12, for treatment of macrocytic (or megaloblastic) anemia.
Folic acid deficiencies are generally addressed by enriching foods in folates or by use of dietary supplements containing folates. However, the form of folate used to enrich foods and used in dietary supplements is not the form typically found in foods. The folates found in foodstuffs are typically polyglutamates. Synthetic folates used in dietary supplements and to enrich foods are folic acid or folacin, which contain only one glutamic acid attached to the p-aminobenzoic acid-pteridine ring unit. Therefore, supplements containing synthetic folates may not be effective to meet human metabolic requirements, or to fully correct a folic acid deficiency. Moreover, folic acid supplementation using synthetic folates can mask anemia caused by a vitamin B12 deficiency, which can result in megaloblastic anemia.
While synthetic folates may be processed and used in some people having folate deficiencies, in people who have the 677 TT genotype (that is, in people having a reduced capacity to convert 5, 10-methylene-THF to 5-methyltetrahydrofolate), synthetic folates are not processed for use. Methylated, or activated, folates, such as 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF), circumvent the 677 gene defect, and therefore methylated folates are particularly useful in addressing the folate deficiency and higher homocysteine in persons having this gene variant.
5-MTHF, which is also sometimes referred to as Methyltetrahydropteroylglutamic acid or methylfolate, is one of the most prevalent and important folate in foodstuffs. A form of water soluble B vitamin, 5-MTHF is the predominant form of folate in human circulation. In the folic acid family, 5-MTHF is the reduced and methylated form. As with all forms of folic acid, 5-MTHF has vitamin activity. The vitamin activity is based on the presence of a pterin structure and at least one glutamyl residue linked via peptide bonds to p-aminobenzoic acid. Unlike synthetic folic acid, 5-MTHF does not mask a vitamin B12 deficiency. 5-MTHF requires vitamin B12 to be converted to tetrahydrofolate (THF) in order to enter the cell. In the case of a vitamin B12 deficiency, 5-MTHF would not convert into THF, and therefore it would not enter the cell.
Animal pharmacokinetic data indicates that orally administered 5-MTHF is readily absorbed from the intestinal tract without degradation. Intestinal uptake of 5-MTHF is accomplished by both active, carrier-mediated transport and through passive diffusion. The general characteristics of 5-MTHF in intestinal transport are similar to that of folic acid. In blood serum, 5-MTHF is nonspecifically bound to proteins.
As described above, folic acids are involved in one-carbon metabolism, also known as methylation. 5-MTHF is involved in the synthesis of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM-e). A methyl group from 5-MTHF is donated to homocysteine, which produces the essential amino acid methionine. Methionine is converted by methionine adenosine tranferase (MAT) into SAM-e. The one-carbon transfers are also especially important in purine and pyrimidine synthesis.
Folate-mediated methylation of homocysteine requires the presence of methionine synthetase and vitamin B12 (as a cofactor). The methylation reactions are:
1. 5-MTHF+B12 (cobalamin)→CH3-B12 (methylcobalamin)+tetrahydrofolate
2. CH3-B12 (methylcobalamin)+Homocysteine→B12 (cobalamin)+Methionine
Methylation by folic acid is also important for the de novo biosynthesis of the nucleotides purine and pyrimidine. As a result, folic acid plays an important role in DNA replication and cell division.
To avoid the drawbacks associated with folic acid supplements containing synthetic folates, it would be desirable to develop a supplement containing an enhanced level of natural activated folates in a biologically active form. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome one or more drawbacks or disadvantages of the prior art by providing a functional food or a nutritional supplement containing an activated folate that is readily absorbed in the intestines of a human, and which is reduced by natural, non-synthetic processes. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the detailed description of the invention set forth below.

Methods of producing edible fungi containing activated folates and nutritional supplements containing activated folates


A universal decoy includes a base, a stake attached to and extending vertically from the base, and a decoy attached to the upward end of the stake. The decoy has a sound system and a decoy movement mechanism.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to decoys. Particularly, the invention relates to an automated decoy system.
2. Background Information
The existing decoy technology and products are believed to have significant limitations and shortcomings. A need therefore exists for the present invention.
All US patents and patent applications, and all other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are incorporated by reference in their entirety.


A device for material processing, such as welding, joining, cutting, inspecting and the like, includes an energy beam source and one or more energy beam transfer devices. The one or more transfer devices may direct an energy beam at one or more predetermined locations on a workpiece. In one embodiment of the present invention, the transfer device may be rotated around or moved relative to the workpiece on a movable frame. In another embodiment of the present invention, an inspection device may be moved or rotated around a workpiece on a movable frame. A further material processing device may include a material processing system directed along a predetermined path. The material processing device may also include an inspection system adapted to move along the predetermined path.

This invention relates to the field of material processing, such as welding, joining, cutting, inspection and the like, and more particularly to a material processing device and method.
Material processing operations, such as welding, joining, cutting, inspection, or similar operations in some environments, such as outer space, can be very difficult and require a high level of skill and training. Additionally, equipment or devices for such operations may not be easily portable and may be cumbersome and awkward to use, particularly if the user is wearing special equipment such as a space suit or the like. Further, an energy beam for cutting or welding or other emissions from material processing operations can present hazards, particularly in outer space applications.
Reliability and continued operational performance are also major factors for current and future manned space vehicles and habitats. Specifically, facilities such as the International Space Station (ISS) and space vehicles such as the Space Shuttle lack equipment suitable for fabrication, repair, and inspection operations that meet desired safety, usability and reliability constraints. Thermal control, operational, and life support fluid line systems, for example, call for equipment with zero-leak repair and nondestructive inspection capabilities. Additionally, the ISS includes exterior surfaces referred to as ISO grid skins. An ISO grid skin has a surface that has a grid of ribs, or ridges, with recessed areas between the ribs. An impact to the skin could produce a structurally weakened area, generate a hole, or create a stress crack between the ISO grid ribs and result in loss of an operational segment of the ISS unless the ISO grid can be safely and reliably repaired and inspected in space. Further, quick disconnect fittings or flexible lines may also need to be safely and reliably removed and replaced on the ISS, and spot repairs to exterior fluid lines or other repairs may need to be performed safely and reliably, as well as inspection of such repairs.


An active rinse shield designed to protect electrofill chemical baths from excessive dilution during rinse sprays on the semiconductor wafer. The shield uses overlapping blades to cover the bath, making a physical barrier between the bath chemistry and the wafer rinse water. The blades are interconnecting ribs that actuate around a common pivot axis. A linear mechanical actuator controls the blade movement, moving the top-most blade, which in turn, moves an adjacent lower blade. Each upper blade is interconnected to an adjacent lower blade by upper and lower ledges, a pivot boss and interlocking cut, and a curved ledge on each blade's body surface. The interconnecting features allow the blades to move one another out for extension or in for retraction. The interlocking blades are inclined above one another, forming grooves to redirect the rinse water away from the chemical bath.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of wet chemical processing, and more specifically to an apparatus for controlling wafer rinse water from entering an electrofill chemical bath.
2. Description of Related Art
Machines for cleaning and processing wafers in the electronics industry are generally well known. Conventional processes involve plating a metal layer on a semiconductor wafer surface using a plating apparatus. One goal of wafer plating is to uniformly fill the holes and trenches with a conductive material. Thin film plating of copper into sub-micron holes and trenches has become more difficult in ULSI chip processing, particularly when the feature size is below 0.25 μm. In the field of chemical processing, and chemical plating in particular, it is important that the composition and concentration of various constituents be controllable. This includes the integrity and consistency of the chemical bath constituents and concentrations used for plating. After each processing step, it is often desirable to thoroughly clean, rinse, and dry the workpiece to ensure that debris is removed from the workpiece. Thus, methods and apparatus for cleaning, rinsing, and drying wafers have been made available in the art to minimize wafer damage and process degradation. For example, in a wet chemical deposition process, after a substrate is treated with chemicals, it is rinsed, generally in a de-ionized water spray although other post-treatments are used, such that the chemicals are washed off the substrate by the spray shower. Conventionally, in a wet process of semiconductor fabrication where the de-ionized water spray rinse is performed in the same tool as the chemical bath, this causes the problem of diluting the chemical bath with excess water runoff. In an electrofill tool, a wafer is generally placed into copper-acid bath chemistry where copper is plated to the wafer surface using electric current. The need to rinse wet chemical fluids is unique to the electrolytic process. Both before and after a plating process, the wafer surface is rinsed with water in the same tool where the chemical bath is the lowest chamber. If too much of this water enters the copper-acid bath, it will cause dilution of the chemistry, which must be controlled tightly to maintain uniform plating. Similarly, a sulfuric acid bath is sometimes used to remove organics from the wafer. Again, rinsing the wafer in a chamber above a sulfuric acid bath would dilute the acid bath. Thus, a portion of the rinse needs to be deflected from the bath in order to maintain the bath's original chemical concentration. Furthermore, since there are at least two steps in a deposition process to introduce de-ionized water, pre- and post-treatments, there are at least two opportunities for dilution, which must be mitigated. Generally, a pre-rinse limits impurities and defects from forming on the deposition surface, and a post-rinse, performed after deposition, decreases the corrosive effect on the wafer.
The present invention contemplates a device for shielding the chemical bath from dilution during the rinse process steps in an electrofill tool where the rinsing occurs in the same apparatus as the plating.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for limiting the dilution of a chemical bath due to rinse washes on wafers in an electrofill tool.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for controlling the chemistry of a chemical bath.
A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that maintains uniform plating chemistry during electrofill deposition.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus to facilitate pre- and post- rinses during wet-chemistry deposition.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.

Active rinse shield for electrofill chemical bath and method of use


A utility truck is specially modified in order to accommodate a lift, hoist or crane unit. Portions of the utility truck elongated lateral tool boxes and compartments are cut out and shelving is provided to support the lower portions of the lift or crane. The design allows a load such as a large electrical or telephone box to be transported and unloaded by a single operator. The design enables protection from the harsher winter conditions of colder parts of the earth such as the north U.S. and Canada.

The present invention is generally related to the crane, lift or hoisting arts and, in particular, to the application of such arts in combination with a utility truck or a service vehicle.
As is known in the art, utility trucks or service vehicles comprise a low-riding, heavy duty vehicle with larger side tool and equipment boxes.
Utility trucks are of the type utilized by electric power companies, telephone companies and many other equipment service and replacement organizations.
In addition to normal installation and repair duties, utility trucks are often called into service during or in the aftermath of serious weather conditions such as snow storms, blizzards, tornados, hurricanes and the like.
Utility trucks are often utilized when new electric power equipment or telephone equipment must be installed as rapidly and efficiently as possible to restore critical power and telephone services to customers on line.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to describe a utility truck capable of carrying and unloading a new equipment box without the need for a separate unloading crane, lift or hoist unit.
It is a further object of the invention to set forth a utility truck having top portions of the lateral tool boxes cut out to accommodate a specially designed hoist or lift apparatus.
It is a further object to describe a combined utility truck and hoist/lift system in which the hoist or lift is provided with a solid mounting base and is positioned for maximum lifting capabilities. The described system and method also enables the loading of a damaged or non-functioning equipment box onto a utility truck for removal as needed.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated by those of skill in the utility and service truck arts.

Utility truck combined with hoist, lift or crane elements


In a method for injecting a plurality of spacecraft into different circum-earth or interplanetary orbits individually in a single launch, a plurality of spacecraft coupled to an assist module are injected into an interplanetary orbit having a periodicity synchronous with the earth's revolution period. Then, in a maneuver allowing the assist module to re-counter with and pass near to the earth (Earth swing-by), the assist module appropriately performs an orbital change maneuver and a separation maneuver for each of the spacecraft in a sequential order. Through these maneuvers, a closest-approach point to the earth is changed for each of the spacecraft so as to drastically change a subsequent orbital element for each of the spacecraft. The assist module takes a sufficient time to determine a target orbit for each of the spacecraft with a high degree of accuracy until a half month to several days before a closest-approach time in the Earth swing-by. Based on the determined orbit, the assist module makes an orbit correction of about several m/sec in a sequential order, and then separates the spacecraft therefrom in a sequential order. In this process, an inertia navigation is performed based on an accelerometer mounted in the assist module and information about attitude.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a space system including a single assist module coupled to a plurality of space-vehicles or spacecraft, and more particularly to a method of launching the single assist module together with the plurality of spacecraft and then controllably guiding the spacecraft into different desired orbits, such as interplanetary orbits, individually.
2. Description of the Background Art
A problem to be solved by the present invention is a difficulty in, after launching a plurality of spacecraft all together, injection them into different orbits, such as circum-earth orbits or interplanetary orbits, individually. A conventional solution of this problem has involved the need for equipping each of the spacecraft with its own rocket (launch vehicle), and inevitably led to significant increase in cost. Particularly, in an operation for injection a plurality small-size spacecraft into a variety of different orbits individually, it has been essentially required to equip each of the spacecraft with its own launching means. Thus, such an operation has been regarded as unrealizable because of extremely poor efficiency and unacceptable cost performance.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 07-187091 (Patent Publication 1) discloses a method of launching a plurality of space satellites, particularly, a technique of reducing a fuel consumption in an orbit-control propulsion system (orbital maneuvering system) for orbital transfer.
In this technique disclosed in the Patent Publication 1, two satellites S1, S2 mounted on a single common rocket and launched simultaneously are injected into a parking orbit P having a semi-major axis length less than those of first and second target orbits A1, A2. Then, when the parking orbit P comes close to being in plane with the first target orbit A1, an in-plane orbit control is performed using a propulsion system for the first satellite S1 to move the first satellite S1 to the first target orbits A1 via a transfer orbit A1′ to the first target orbits A1. Then, in the same manner, when the parking orbit P comes close to being in plane with the second target orbit A2, the second satellite S2 is moved to the second target orbits A2 via a transfer orbit A2′ to the second target orbits A2.
Fundamentally, the technique disclosed in the Patent Publication 1 is not designed to change an inclination of a circum-earth orbit. In contrast, the present invention is premised on a system capable of changing an orbital element by means of a perturbation effect arising from a gravitational field of the earth.
In addition to the above problem in principle about incapability of maneuvering an inclination of an established orbit, the technique disclosed in the Patent Publication 1 is not originally designed to inject a plurality of spacecraft into different interplanetary orbits individually.

Method of injecting plurality of spacecraft into different orbits individually


A monitoring network is able to provide surveillance of IP phone calls, which span plural backbone networks, which may embody different transmission techniques. An agent connected through a monitor center to one backbone network enters a request for surveillance (i.e. wiretapping) of a particular network connected to another backbone network. A WatchDog program is associated with each backbone network. These WatchDogs all communicate with other watchdogs associated with other backbone networks. All these watchdogs interact with one another to set up the surveillance connections. The watchdog of the requester""s backbone network receives the surveillance request and flows/transmits the request to a watchdog function of the terminating backbone network of the specific caller to be monitored establishing a point-to-point connection, through as many backbone networks as needed. The terminating WatchDog of the termination backbone network flows/transmits the request to a destination WatchDog associated with an IP address mapping checkpoint of the target telephone number to be surveillanced. The destination watchdog communicates with the requesting WatchDog using predefined protocols spanning the intervening backbone networks. The destination WatchDog replicates the packets of the target telephone and transmits them to the originating monitor center.

This invention relates to surveillance of telephone calls over a public communications link and is particularly concerned with providing assistance for such surveillance to law enforcement agencies. It particularly concerns surveillance of voice over IP (i.e., cable) networks.
Requirements for enabling surveillance of electronic communications have been enacted into public law (e.g., Public Law 103-414 enacted Oct. 25, 1994; CALEA Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act) reciting requirements for assuring law enforcement access to electronic communications. Such access is required to be in real time, have full time monitoring capabilities, simultaneous intercepts, and feature service descriptions. The requirements specifically include capacity requirements and function capability. It is incumbent upon communication carriers to provide such capability and capacity.
While initially limited in scope, at present, to certain communications technology it is almost assured that it will be extended to new emerging communication technologies such as IP telephony. These new technologies are plural and will exist side by side with other new technologies as well as traditional technologies. They will be plurally encountered along all stages of the network. It is important that surveillance techniques be able to operate in these combined pluralities of technologies.
A monitoring network, embodying the principals of the invention, is able to provide surveillance of IP phone calls, which span plural backbone networks, which may embody different transmission techniques.
An agent connected through a monitor center to one backbone network enters a request for surveillance (i.e. wiretapping) of a particular network connected to another backbone network. A WatchDog program is associated with each backbone network. These WatchDogs all communicate with other watchdogs associated with other backbone networks. All these watchdogs interact with one another to set up the surveillance connections.
The watchdog of the requester""s backbone network receives the surveillance request and flows/transmits the request to a watchdog function of the terminating backbone network of the specific caller to be monitored establishing a point-to-point connection, through as many backbone networks as needed. The terminating WatchDog of the termination backbone network flows/transmits the request to a destination WatchDog associated with an IP Address Mapping Check Point of the target telephone number to be surveillanced. The destination watchdog communicates with the requesting watchdog using predefined protocols spanning the intervening backbone networks. The destination watchdog replicates the packets of the target telephone and transmits them to the originating monitor center.
In an aspect of the invention the target IP telephone being monitored is connected to the network through a hybrid fiber coax (HFC). HFC is a local connection medium in which a cable connection to the subscriber location is joined to a fiber connection to a backbone network.
In the instant embodiment flowing/transmitting is indicative of proper rate control and protocol control a well as connection. Hence the WatchDogs are a dynamic control element as well as a xe2x80x9cdirection of packetsxe2x80x9d routing interface element to/from and joining backbone networks. A backbone network may connect to a local device or network or to another backbone and is normally considered a long haul heavily trafficked network element.

Flexible packet technique for monitoring calls spanning different backbone networks


A pixel structure includes at least a pixel electrode, and at least an aligning electrode. The pixel electrode, which has a central opening, is disposed on a substrate. The aligning electrode, which is disposed between the pixel electrode and substrate, includes an aligning part disposed under and corresponding to the central part of the pixel electrode. The aligning voltage applied to the aligning electrode is greater than the pixel voltage applied to the pixel electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pixel structure of a liquid crystal display panel, and more particularly, to a pixel structure of a multi-domain vertical alignment liquid crystal display (MVA LCD) panel having an aligning electrode.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have been commonly utilized in various electronic products including cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and notebook computers. As the market demand for large-scale display panels continues to increase, LCDs become more and more important due to the advantages e.g. small size and light weight. In fact, LCDs have gradually replaced the conventional cathode ray tube (CRT) displays that had dominated the market for so many years. However, the conventional LCD suffers from narrow viewing angle, which limits its application. As a result, multi-domain vertical alignment (MVA) display capable of orientating liquid crystals in various directions has been proposed to address the narrow viewing angle problem.
With reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a pixel structure of an MVA LCD panel according to the prior art. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the pixel structure 10 of a conventional MVA LCD panel includes a first substrate 12, a second substrate 14 and a liquid crystal layer 16. The liquid crystal layer 16 is interposed between the first substrate 12 and the second substrate 14. A pixel electrode 18 is disposed on the first substrate 12. A color filter 20, a common electrode 22 and an alignment protrusion 24 are disposed on the second substrate 14. The liquid crystal layer 16 can be aligned in multiple directions due to the additional arrangement of the alignment protrusion 24. Besides, a black matrix pattern layer 26 is additionally disposed on the second substrate 14 and corresponding to the alignment protrusion 24 so as to shield the light leakage generated on the periphery of the alignment protrusion 24.
Conventionally, the pixel structure 10 utilizing the alignment protrusion 24 to implement multi-domain alignment has the following disadvantages: First, the manufacturing process cost will increase due to the step of further forming the alignment protrusion 24 on the second substrate 14; In addition, the size of the black matrix pattern layer 26 must be greater than that of the alignment protrusion 24 so as to efficiently shield the light leakage generated on the periphery of the alignment protrusion 24. However, the aperture ratio is sacrificed accordingly. Furthermore, the size of the alignment protrusion 24 is limited by the manufacturing process limitation, and therefore the installation of alignment protrusion 24 in a high-resolution LCD panel would accordingly lower the aperture ratio.

Liquid crystal display panel and pixel structure thereof


A touch device includes a touch panel that includes driving lines, sensing lines, a virtual key, a self-sensing line, and a shielding line. The touch panel has a display region and a non-display region. The driving lines extend along a first direction in the display region and further extend into the non-display region. The sensing lines extend along a second direction in the display region and extend into the non-display region. The first direction is different from the second direction. The virtual key is located in the non-display region and between the driving lines and the sensing lines to shield the driving lines from the sensing lines. Each of the self-sensing line and the shielding line is located in the non-display region, connected to the virtual key, and located between the driving lines and the sensing lines to shield the driving lines from the sensing lines.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device and a driving method thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to a touch device and a driving method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Based on different sensing ways, touch panels are generally categorized into resistant touch panels, capacitive touch panels, optical touch panels, sonic wave touch panels, and electromagnetic touch panels. Among these touch panels, the capacitive touch panels have drawn attention from the public due to the rapid growth in the smartphone market.
In general, the touch panel includes an active region and a peripheral region. The active region includes sensing electrodes respectively extending along the X direction and the Y direction for locating a touch position of a target object, and the peripheral region includes signal lines and peripheral circuits connected to the signal lines. In response to market demands, virtual keys acting as function keys may be configured in the peripheral region of the existing touch panel. The virtual keys, however, often occupy a significant area in the peripheral region, and thus the area of the signal lines has to be reduced. As a result, it is rather difficult to reduce the area occupied by the peripheral region and enlarge the display screen.


A squeeze contour seal assembly includes a container and a cap. The container has a neck portion which forms an opening. The neck portion has first and second wall thicknesses and screw threads for engaging the cap. The first wall thickness is greater than said second wall thickness. The cap has grooves for engaging the screw threads and a plug seal for releaseably engaging the opening when the screw threads and the grooves are threadably engaged. The second wall thickness engages a slot formed between the plug seal and the cap, thereby creating an interference fit between the neck portion and the plug seal and providing a leak free seal.

Conventional liquid filled plastic bottles which utilize a threaded plastic cap have typically had problems with leaking. Seals such as plug seals and conventional gaskets are known and reduce the problem; however, neither plug seals nor conventional gaskets provide a leak free seal when using closures that are twisted to a particular position and not a specific torque. As a result, conventional plug seals and gaskets will leak when rocked or wobbled. Typically, rocking the bottle to one side will cause the seal on the opposite side to be broken. As a result, the plug seal and gasket will leak.
Another problem with using conventional gaskets to alleviate the problem with leaking is that the gasket increases the complexity of the design and the cost. In addition, if the gasket is not aligned properly, the leaking problem will actually be increased.
Therefore, what is needed is a seal which is leak free regardless of rocking or wobbling of the bottle.

Interference squeeze contour seal assembly closure having a dual thickness neck portion


A furnishing to cover and substantially conceal the underside of a top bunk bed comprises a generally rectangular frame and a sheet affixed to the frame. The interchangeable sheet has sleeved borders with slits in the corners for the insertion of side-support members, end-support members, and corner joints of the rectangular frame. The sheet may be embellished with artwork, characters or designs, and may have apertures to accommodate mechanisms for hanging or attaching the frame and sheet to the underside of the top bunk bed.

The present invention relates to furnishings, specifically to furnishings used to cover or conceal the underside of a top bed of a bunk bed assembly. The contents of the underside of the top bunk bed, such as springs, boards, mattress, and other structural members have traditionally been exposed to the view of the individual occupying the lower bunk bed. This sight is unpleasant, and at times is distracting and even upsetting for the individual, especially a child who occupies the lower bunk bed. In addition, since the underside of the top bunk is exposed, it may accumulate dirt and needs to be cleaned from time to time.
Accordingly, the present invention is intended to address these problems by providing an inexpensive, visually attractive, easy to install, and interchangeable covering for the underside of the top bunk bed.

Cover for the underside of the top bed of a bunk bed


A display package for a flashlight includes a shell having a transparent display surface, a sidewall and a backing that together define a package interior volume. The package volume encloses at least the light source portion of a flashlight in a preselected orientation. A reflector is affixed to the shell to receive light emission from the flashlight light source so a potential consumer can evaluate flashlight illumination.

The purchase decision with respect to a flashlight is largely driven by the functional aspect of illumination power. Existing flashlight display packaging is incapable of offering a prospective purchaser information about flashlight light flux. Instead, existing flashlight packaging typically presents a flashlight separate from batteries or packages batteries within the unified package but incapable of completing an electrical circuit with the light source.
As a result of the limitations of existing packaging, a potential purchaser must rely on past experience to gauge the likely light flux from a given flashlight. The general rule governing purchase decisions based on light flux is that the larger the battery, the greater the light flux from the flashlight. While this general rule holds true for incandescent light sources, new light sources such as halogen, light emitting diode, and cold cathode emitters defy the experience developed with regard to incandescent flashlights. As such, there is an even greater need to educate a potential purchaser about the light flux associated with these compact, high efficiency flashlights.
Even in the extreme instance when a consumer handles an operative flashlight independent of packaging, it is difficult for a potential purchaser to assess the light output of a flashlight absent a well-defined reflective surface. The problem of gauging light output is further complicated by the bright lighting associated with retail settings.
In order to educate a prospective purchaser as to the light output of a flashlight in general and a non-incandescent flashlight in particular, there exists a need for a package system providing a measure of flashlight light output.


A mixer device for materials made up of various divided solid waste, in a vertical silo (1). The device includes the following: a central working area extending along the entire height of the silo (1); a peripheral zone; elements (6) which are distributed vertically at different successive levels (n1, n2, n3 . . . n21) of the working area, along the entire height of the silo (1) and which can lift materials from each of the levels of the working area and release the materials; elements (1a, 19) for bringing matter from the upper part of the peripheral area to the lower center part of the silo (1).

It is known that in many industrial processes and notably in the field of chemical engineering, various exchanges and transfers are greatly improved by applying within reactors, systems capable of mixing or stirring the reacting material. In these reactors, one often resorts to stirrers with blades.
However, when the material which one desires to submit to stirring, comprises a significant portion of solid phases, these stirring means prove to be unsuitable, notably owing to hydrodynamic effects which remain limited in the vicinity of the stirrer and to the magnitude of the torque required for setting this solid phase into motion.
Mounting the reactor on a horizontal or tilted axis and providing rotation of the latter around this axis, were also proposed. Application of such devices however is unwieldy and therefore costly, and connecting them with external units is delicate. Moreover, they may be used with difficulty in the case of mixtures dealing with large amounts of material.
When the material to be mixed consists of various solid phases, it is known that notably due to gravity, the material is packed in the bottom of the reactor, so that the homogeneity of the solid phase is difficult to ensure and there follows generation of zones inside these reactors which develop, each at their own rate, finally producing differently transformed batches of material.
Moreover, it is known that during transformation of divided solids, the material frequently includes aggregates either existing initially or having formed gradually, either under the effect of chemical or biochemical reactions which release new substances, or because of the addition of a liquid phase directed to promote or cause the sought-after reactions.
Various systems applicable to the treatment of divided solid materials also comprising liquid or even gas phases, and including aggregates of materials, have been proposed.
Extracting the solid material from the reactor for example by means of devices with buckets, shovels, or worm-screws, and then turning up this material in order to fragment it by suitable means and then reload it into the reactor, were thus proposed.
So-called "counter-rotary" kneading devices which essentially consist of two coaxial mixing units, positioned in a vertical axis cylindrical reactor, i.e., a scraping unit positioned at the periphery of the reactor and a central unit consisting of three superimposed propellers, were also proposed, both of these units being provided with opposite directions of rotation so as to submit the material to be mixed to shear stress enabling the aggregates to be broken up. Such a device is however complex, so that it is unwieldy to manage both as regards investments and operation.

Syndicat Intercommunal pour la Valorisation & l'Elimination des Dechets du Centre Ouest Var.


The present invention relates to a topical skin care formulation comprised of micronized calcium citrate and salicylic acid. This composition provides a method for treating acne as well as providing for a variety of skin beautification products which are especially applicable to sensitive skin.

Skin care formulations have been previously formulated utilizing a great variety of components including salicylic acid. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,265,571, 4,318,907, 2,942,008 and 3,236,730 all disclose formulations which incorporate salicylic acid in their acne treating compositions calcium citrate is also found in a variety of products and is included in the "Generally Regarded as Safe" (GRAS) classification by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It has been utilized as a source of calcium for humans rather than as an active ingredient in medications. An exception to its use as a medicament is U.S. Pat. No. 2,719,811 which discloses the use of a variety of water soluble metal complexes including calcium citrate which is used as a stimulating agent for cellular respiration.
The applicant of the instant formulation holds U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,045, which is a process in which the lining of mollusk shells were admixed with the extrudate of citric acid and was found to be effective in the treatment of skin care symptoms such as acne. After the issuance of the above patent, applicant found that it would be advantageous to include a keratolytic agent such as salicylic acid in the composition. The inventor found that by combining the calcium citrate with salicylic acid in the manner shown herein, that the results effected by each ingredient alone, were enhanced, not only as to effectiveness but also as the variety of application for skin care and topical analgesic products.
No patents to the knowledge of applicant have recognized the synergistic combination of calcium citrate and salicylic acid in the formulation of skin care and beautification products especially in regard to their utility in the cosmetic, detergent and topical remedy treatment of sensitive skin.


A driving voltage control device includes a first to fourth capacitor, and an output section. In the first mode, the first capacitor receives a first voltage and stores a corresponding amount of charge, the second capacitor receives a second voltage and stores a corresponding amount of charge, and the output section supplies either one of a voltage according to the amount of charge stored in the first capacitor or second capacitor to a first output node according to a predetermined timing. In the second mode, the third capacitor receives a third voltage and stores a corresponding amount of charge, the fourth capacitor receives a fourth voltage and stores a corresponding amount of charge, and the output section supplies either one of a voltage according to the amount of charge stored in the third capacitor or fourth capacitor to a second output node according to a predetermined timing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and method for controlling a driving voltage, and more particularly to a device and method for outputting a suitable driving voltage for each of a plurality of devices (e.g., liquid crystal display panels).
2. Description of the Background Art
Driving voltage control devices in which the bias current of an operational amplifier is controlled so as to reduce the power consumption while the circuit area is reduced so as to prevent an increase in cost are known in the art (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-216256). With a driving voltage control device disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-216256, it is possible to suitably drive a single liquid crystal display panel.
Recently, more portable devices such as mobile telephones have more than one liquid crystal display panels. With such a product, it is necessary to supply an optimal driving voltage to each of the liquid crystal display panels. Conventionally, the same number of driving voltage control devices as the number of liquid crystal display panels are provided.
However, with a mobile telephone having two liquid crystal display screens, one on the front and one on the back, for example, it is often the case that the main liquid crystal display screen (main liquid crystal display panel; hereinafter referred simply as "main panel") and the sub-liquid crystal display screen (sub-liquid crystal display panel; hereinafter referred simply as "sub-panel") are not viewed at the same time. In such a case, providing a single driving voltage control device capable of supplying an optimal driving voltage to one of the liquid crystal display panels that is being viewed by the user is preferable in terms of cost, for example, to providing the same number of driving voltage control devices as the number of liquid crystal display panels.
Conventional Driving Voltage Control Device
FIG. 10 shows a general configuration of a conventional driving voltage control device 9. The device 9 includes a timing control section 901, a VCOM voltage generation section 902, a VCOMH operational amplifier 903H, a VCOML operational amplifier 903L, smoothing capacitors C904-H and C904-L, switches SW5 to SW8 and output terminals 905M and 905S. The device 9 supplies a different set of optimal driving voltages VCOMH and VCOML to the counter electrode (not shown) of the main panel and to that of the sub-panel (i.e., the device 9 generates two different sets of driving voltages VCOMH and VCOML). The driving voltages VCOMH and VCOML are voltages that are used for driving the counter electrode of the main panel and that of the sub-panel.
The VCOM voltage generation section 902 generates the driving voltages VCOMH and VCOML according to the control signals Sa and Sb output from the timing control section 901. For example, the VCOM voltage generation section 902 may be an RDAC (Resistance Digital Analog Converter) and have a configuration as shown in FIG. 2.
The smoothing capacitors C904-H and C904-L each have a capacitance value on the order of . F (microfarads).
Operation
Next, an operation of the driving voltage control device 9 shown in FIG. 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 4A to FIG. 4D and FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B.
Period T1-T4
During the period T1-T4, the driving voltage control device 9 controls the driving voltages VCOMH and VCOML to be output to the counter electrode of the main panel.
When a state indicating signal STATE is received, the timing control section 901 outputs the control signals Sa and Sb to the VCOM voltage generation section 902 and brings control signals S7 and S8 to "H level" and "L level", respectively. The timing control signal Sa indicates the voltage value of the driving voltage VCOMH to be generated by the VCOM voltage generation section 902. The control signal Sb indicates the voltage value of the driving voltage VCOMH to be generated by the VCOM voltage generation section 902. In the illustrated example, during the period T1-T4, the control signal Sa indicates a voltage value of "+3 V" and the control signal Sb indicates a voltage value of "−3 V".
Then, the VCOM voltage generation section 902 generates the driving voltages VCOMH and VCOML according to the control signals Sa and Sb.
Then, the VCOMH operational amplifier 903H outputs the driving voltage VCOMH generated by the VCOM voltage generation section 902. The VCOML operational amplifier 903L outputs the driving voltage VCOML generated by the VCOM voltage generation section 902. Thus, the smoothing capacitor C904-H stores an amount of charge according to the voltage value (+3 V) of the driving voltage VCOMH, and the smoothing capacitor C904-L stores an amount of charge according to the voltage value (−3 V) of the driving voltage VCOML.
In response to a timing signal TIMING, the timing control section 901 alternately brings control signals S5 and S6 to "H level". Therefore, the output from the output terminal 905M alternates between "−3 V" and "+3 V" at intervals of one time segment, as shown in FIG. 11A.
Period T6-T9
During the period T6-T9, the driving voltage control device 9 controls the driving voltages VCOMH and VCOML to be output to the counter electrode of the sub-panel.
When the state indicating signal STATE is received, the timing control section 901 outputs the control signals Sa and Sb to the VCOM voltage generation section 902 and brings the control signals S5 and S6 to "H level" and "L level", respectively. In the illustrated example, during the period T6-T9, the control signal Sa indicates a voltage value of "+2 V" and the control signal Sb indicates a voltage value of "−2.5 V".
Then, the VCOM voltage generation section 902, the VCOMH operational amplifier 903H and the VCOML operational amplifier 903L perform an operation similar to that during the period T1-T4. Thus, the smoothing capacitor C904-H stores an amount of charge according to the voltage value (+2 V) of the driving voltage VCOMH, and the smoothing capacitor C904-L stores an amount of charge according to the voltage value (−2.5 V) of the driving voltage VCOML.
In response to the timing signal TIMING, the timing control section 901 alternately brings control signals S7 and S8 to "H level". Therefore, the output from the output terminal 905S alternates between "−2.5 V" and "+2 V" at intervals of one time segment, as shown in FIG. 11B.
Period T5
In the period T5, the timing control section 901 newly receives the state indicating signal STATE indicating "sub-panel driving operation", and changes the control signals Sa and Sb. Specifically, the voltage value indicated by the control signal Sa is changed from "+3 V" to "+2 V", and the voltage value indicated by the control signal Sb is changed from "−3 V" to "−2.5 V". The voltage values of the driving voltages VCOMH and VCOML generated by the VCOM voltage generation section 902 are changed as described above.
Thus, the conventional driving voltage control device 9 supplies the driving voltages VCOMH and VCOML of suitable values to the counter electrode of each of the main panel and the sub-panel.

Driving voltage control device, display device and driving voltage control method

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.