X-ray detector system 18 with improved spatial resolution for a computed tomography systems is provided. Detector system 18 may include pairs of first and second detector arrays 50 and 52, with each array containing detector elements of a different design. In one embodiment, the first array 50 may comprise a first, relatively thin and continuous (i.e., monolithic) scintillation layer 70 with an array of individual diodes 74 positioned to receive light generated within the scintillation layer 70. The second array may comprise a second, relatively thick scintillation layer 80 formed of separate scintillator elements 82. An array of diodes 86 may be positioned to receive radiation from the scintillation layer 80 such that each diode element 82 is aligned to primarily receive radiation from one scintillator element 82 in the layer 80. The structural arrangements of the detector system may also be adapted for applications involving direct conversion of x-ray energy.

In digital radiographic imaging systems a source projects a beam of x-rays toward a subject or object under study, such as a patient or a piece of luggage. After being attenuated by the subject or object, the beam impinges on multiple radiation detector elements, each of which produces an electrical signal indicative of beam attenuation. The x-ray detector system typically includes a collimator disposed above the sensing elements for limiting the spread of the x-ray beam before it traverses the sensor media in which x-rays are converted to electrical signals. Typically the detector elements are uniformly spaced apart in a series of arrays along an imaging plane. Resulting electrical signals are processed to render an image formed of discrete pixels, with each pixel having a brightness level based on the signal received from a detector element. Nominally, the limiting spatial resolution of the image formed in a radiographic imaging system is set by the width of the detector elements.
In contemporary computed tomography (CT) systems, the x-ray source and the array of detector elements are rotated on a gantry and around the subject. The CT image is formed by a reconstruction algorithm applied to data acquired on multiple views at different gantry angles. Spatial resolution of the CT image is a function of the detector element size, as a smaller detector size enables an increased number of detector elements per unit area and improved image resolution. However, the relative cross-talk across element boundaries increases as the element size decreases.
Improved spatial resolution of the CT image may also be had by reconstructing an image based on data collected at first and second detector array positions with a complementary arrangement. The second position may be slightly offset with respect to the first position, i.e., offset by a fraction of the spacing between adjacent detector elements. That is, such offset pixel imaging, providing a higher sampling of the incident radiation, renders greater spatial resolution in the reconstructed image. It is typical for a CT system to implement this offset by a quarter-element angular offset of the detector centerline in the gantry system. Data acquired in views 180 degrees (one-half rotation) apart are then complementary with half-element offset.
In an indirect conversion detector system, x-rays are first converted to light in scintillation elements. The scintillation elements are packaged in an array with reflective bonding materials between the elements. Light-responsive diode elements, also formed in an array, are each positioned to receive light energy from an adjacent scintillator element. The diode elements produce electrical signals in response to the level of generated light. That is, each diode element predominantly receives light energy from one scintillator element and generates an electrical signal corresponding primarily to the light energy in that single element. In a direct conversion detector system, semiconductor sensor elements generate the electrical signals without the need for scintillator and diode elements. In both indirect and direct conversion systems, the brightness resulting from each detector element corresponds to the level of incident radiation impinging on that element's area.
In the past, image resolution in CT systems has been a function of cost and dose efficiency. Higher resolution detectors have required denser arrays of smaller detector elements resulting in higher cost. In addition, the area surrounding the perimeter of each detector element is not responsive to x-ray energy and, as detector elements get smaller, the proportion of area on the array which becomes non-contributing to signal generation increases markedly. By way of example, the collimator may block x-rays in the perimeter region and, for an indirect conversion detector system, the reflector-filled gaps between scintillator elements are not x-ray responsive. As the non-responsive portion of a detector system increases, a higher radiation dose must be applied to the imaged object in order to sustain a desired image quality.
Detector systems may also be applied to discriminate the energy of received x-rays. Typically, several signal bins are provided for each detector element. Each bin corresponds to the received x-rays within some specified energy range. Typically, two to five bins are found in such systems. The measurement of x-ray energy provides for characterization of the imaged object's material composition. Material discrimination is possible in such a system in addition to the formation of the conventional CT image.

Multi-layered detector system for high resolution computed tomography


Apparatus and method for grinding levelling of paper, cardboard or a similar continuous web manufactured from vegetative based fibrous raw-material, said apparatus comprising a plurality of grinding means such as rolls or belts preferably arranged on both sides of the web, said means being deviated from the moving direction of the web or the web being deviated from these by means of squeeze rolls and which rolls are characterised by being trioelectrically charged with a similar electrical charge as the ground surface. The web tension can be regulated by moving the grinding means or the web from its direction of movement and the dust generated at the grinding is removed by a vacuum system.

The present invention concerns an apparatus and equipment for grinding of paper; cardboard or similar continuous webs made of fibrous raw material.
The invention also concerns a grinding method.
The present invention relates to treatment of paper and cardboard and similar fibre-based webs, in particular by grinding one or both sides thereof. In our earlier patent applications, PCT/FI98/00341 and FI 980044 we have dealt with the advantages obtainable by grinding of paper surfaces and by means of which it is possible partially or totally to substitute the calendering used for smoothening of the surface without impairing the strength properties of paper and cardboard and without deteriorating opacity. We have also shown that it is easier to attach various coating layers to a ground surface and that similarly a coating polymer film is more easily attached to a ground surface than to a conventional surface. This is, e.g., because fibrils are released from the surface fibres of the web, whereby there is formed a very fine fluff on the surface which increases the surface available for attachment of the coating pigments. Typically, the surface coarseness of paper and cardboard is about 6 microns and by grinding it can be reduced to even one micron. Since the internal structure of the paper is not compressed, the stiffness and strength properties are preserved and, in some cases, even improved by 10%. Coarsed or risen fibres are nearly completely removed. This is important for the manufacture of, e.g. liquid container cardboard and corresponding coated packaging material.
In principle, grinding can be carried out in many different ways. Thus, it is possible to use a grinding belt or a grinding roll, which is coated with an abrasive or grinding agent, or a grinding stone. These solutions represent purely mechanical grinding processes. It is also possible to grind by using different pigments which simultaneously or later on are used for coating for example by wedging pigments at great speed against the paper web.
If, however, the aim is to achieve grinding by simultaneously subjecting the paper surface to calibration, a belt or roller grinder or a grinding stone are the only alternatives worth considering. The essentially most advantageous of these are the grinding rolls or sets of grinding rolls.
A problem associated with the known wood grinders is that they become clogged or blocked by the wood resins together with hemicelluloses and possibly lignin and in combination with the fine dust formed during grinding. If grinding is too effective, the surface temperature of the web becomes too high which gives rise to the above mentioned clogging. It is important to regulate the grinding pressure also so that it becomes possible to remove only a part of the surface layer of the web without otherwise damaging the web.
The present invention aims at eliminating the problems of the prior art and to provide a completely novel kind of technical solution for grinding of paper and cardboard webs and similar continuous, fibrous webs.
The present invention is based on the idea that the grinding material is selected in such a way that the grinding particles, i.e. the particles on the surface of the grinding roll or belt, become charged and they provide triboelectrically the removed paper dust or fibres with a charge that is the same or which is close to the charge adopted by the fibres. Paper is always slightly negatively charged during brusing, rubbing and grinding. By contrast, it may be mentioned as an example that asbestos fibres always become strongly positively charged.
A second and very important finding of the invention is that the grinding pressure can be more easily arranged by subjecting the web to tension by using stretch rolls or by arranging a different stretching angle between each grinding roll and the paper and by further regulating the inherent tension in the paper. A cascade of rolls or a belt grinder are more advantageous, because it is rather difficult exactly to calibrate the dimension and shape of one grinding means, and the errors of the preceding grinding means can be levelled by the following grinding means.
Aluminium oxide, beryl and many other aluminium oxide compounds also become negatively charged. In connection with our tests we have surprisingly found that, when this is the situation, grinding dust and fibres and fibrils released from the surface fly away from the ground surface and the ground surface does not become clogged when wood-free webs are being treated. This is also true for surface sized papers when the surface size used comprises known alkyl ketene-dimers, anhydrides of alkyl succinic acid and/or starch or cationized starch and combinations thereof. All of these will become electrically charge and fly away from the surface, whereby it is simple to remove them by suction produced by, a vacuum extractor close to the grinding roll. Due to electrical charging, the dust is so strongly released and removed that there are no dustings problems in the environment.
For wood-free papers complete triboelectric cleaning can be obtained with aluminium oxide (Al2O3) or a corresponding grinding surface.
Identical results have also been reached with papers made partially from wood-containing fibres or from chemical pulp which still contained residual lignin. The grinding rolls were not contaminated and the interstices between the grinding particles were not blocked during testing which involved running over 40 km of different papers through a grinder. It should, however, be emphasised that for wood-containing papers or for papers containing resins and polymers the other methods described in the present invention may become necessary.
The matter was studied also by using coloured papers, whereby it was found that the papers having coloured fibres did not at all change the colours of the grinding rolls.
Since the hardness of alumina on the Mohs scale is 9 and, e.g. that of beryl (Al2Be3SiO18) is 8, beryl powder is a very suitable additive for alumina because then the wear of the grinding pigments becomes uneven and the grinding surface becomes self-sharpening when the wear of the grinding surface progresses. Any additive or binding agent softer than alumina is suitable provided that it does not make the grinding layer electrically conducting. The following examples of additives of said kind can be mentioned: titanium dioxide and iron oxide. It is also possible to use mixtures of said compounds but only to the extent that the electrical resistivity of the grinding layer is not essentially lowered.
The grinding surface of all grinders is continuously slightly worn, and consequently the worn surface takes up less and less material from the material which is subjected to grinding. This makes it possible, and this is also an essential feature of the present invention, to make each worn grinding roll the last roll of the grinding roller cascade when there are 2 to 8 successive rolls in use. The first two rolls will do most of the grinding of, e.g., the paper surface and the next ones will grind less and less. The rollers following the two first rollers will subject the paper surface to removal of fibres and fibrils, and after said rollers the surface of the ground paper contains less released fibres than a completely untreated raw paper. A paper surface ground with a number of rolls exceeding two is free from risen fibres and fibrils to a larger extent than even a conventional sized surface. This feature is readily comprehended by the paper makers.
According to the present invention an apparatus is therefore used which comprises a plurality for grinding means which are in a deviated position from the straight direction of motion of the web and which can be contacted with the web. The grinding means are fitted in such a way that they can be moved transversally towards the web and away from the web in order to regulate the web tension and, thus, the effectiveness of the grinding. Alternatively, the grinding means can be in fixed position, and the web tension is adjusted by mobile rolls or other support means, such as press rolls. Advantageously, there is on an average a maximum of 1.5 microns of material removed with each grinding means.
The surface which has been subjected to grinding can be polished and easily provided with desired patterns, such as micropatterns which can be provided with an identification medium, such as a fluorescent powder. The apparatus according to the present invention also incorporates, in addition to the above-described grinding unit, a post-treatment unit for modification of the surface of the ground surface.
The invention will provide considerable advantages. By means of the invention it becomes possible exactly to separate the desired amount of substance from the surface of a paper or cardboard web. By regulating the grinding pressure the temperature increase and the clogging of the grinding means can be reduced. By controlling the temperature increase it becomes possible to avoid clogging of the grinding surface. In connection with the present invention there are also provided solutions for cleaning of the grinding means, which will provide for rapid and efficientxe2x80x94and even continuousxe2x80x94removal of substance which has been adhered to the grinding surface. The surface of the web becomes extremely even, because the grinding means will remove material from the highest (thickest) portions of the web. The levelling effect is of a different kind than in calendering in which the thickest parts of the web are compressed together and the density of the web increases more at these portions than at the thinner portions. The microcoarseness of the surface fibres of the web improves the result of coating carried out subsequent to grinding and bonds the coating particles to the web by forming a larger bonding surface while still removing the loose fibres from the surface.
By combining a post-treatment with the grinding it is also possible to achieve considerable advantages. Thus, the post-treatment of a ground surface is much more easily effected than the post-treatment of the surface which has not been subjected to grinding. The post-treatment can be carried out by methods known per se, such as soft calendering and belt calendering. The post-treatment of the surface can also be effected by other means, such as by pressing into the surface 2 to 10 micron notches or imprints, which can later on be filled with a coating or with another indicator chemical or identification colour. Thus, a pattern is formed on the surface which cannot be seen with the bare eye but which can be identified with fluorescence or another analysis. A normal calendered, smooth surface cannot be subjected to a surface forming method of this kind because the surface will swell when it takes up water and then the even embossing pattern will disappear.
Further processing of the surface can be performed by grinding in such a way that a shaping roll rotates with exactly the same speed as the web and grinds the surface by vibrating in the directions of the x, y or z axes.
Next the invention will be more closely studied with the aid of a detailed description and with reference to the attached drawings.

Apparatus and method for grinding webs made of fiber material


An iron-based powder mixture for powder metallurgy, comprising: an iron-based powder, and from 0.05 to 0.50% by weight of a thermoplastic resin powder which comprises 50% or more by weight of units of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic esters, methacrylic esters, and aromatic vinyl compounds, and whose average primary particle size is from 0.03 to 5 .mu.m, whose average agglomeration particle size is from 5 to 50 .mu.m, and whose average molecular weight measured by the specific viscosity of a solution is from 30000 to 5000000.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an iron-based power mixture for powder metallurgy comprising a lubricant which does not contain any metal components, and exhibiting excellent flowability and property that the mixture is smoothly discharged from a hopper.
2. Related Art
An iron-based powder mixture for powder metallurgy is in general prepared by mixing powder for alloy, such as copper powder, graphite powder or iron phosphide powder and a lubricant such as zinc stearate with iron-based powder as a base, and optionally adding powder f or improving cutting property into the resultant.
However, such a mixture has the following drawbacks.
The first drawback is that such a mixture easily segregates in terms of its particle size, its particle shape and its chemical composition. In other words, the mixture contains plural sorts of powders different in their size, shape and density, and consequently the powders are not distributed uniformly in the mixture when the mixture is transported, put into a hopper or taken out from it after the mixing, or the mixture is charged into a mold and then subjected to press-molding process. Thus, the aforementioned segregation is caused.
As regards, for example, the mixture of iron powder and graphite powder, in transportation by truck, the iron powder and the graphite powder are freely moved and shifted in a transporting container by vibration, so that they will not be distributed uniformly. Thus, segregation is caused. It is especially well-known that the graphite powder having a small density rises to the surface of the mixture. As is also well known, in the mixture put into a hopper, segregation is caused by movement thereof in the hopper, and thus the concentration of the graphite powder in the mixture discharged from the hopper varies among the early stage, the middle stage and the late stage of the discharging.
When the mixture wherein the segregation is caused is press (compression)-molded and then the resultant molded bodies are sintered to prepare sintered bodies as final products, the composition, size and strength of the sintered bodies vary among the respective products. Thus, inferior products are prepared. All of the mixed copper powder, graphite powder and iron phosphide powder have a small particle size than that of iron powder; therefore, the specific area of the mixture is increased so that its flowability drops. The drop in the flowability of the mixture results in the drop in the speed of charging the mixture into a mold. As a result, the productivity of molded bodies, which may be called green compacts as the case may be, is lowered.
To prevent segregation of such a mixture, Japanese Patent Publication (JP-B) No. 5-27682 discloses an improved powder composition comprising an iron based powder, at least one powder for alloy, and a binder for the iron-based powder and the powder for alloy, and prepared by mechanically mixing the binder with the iron-based powder and the powder for alloy, characterized in that the binder is methacrylic polymer which is substantially water-insoluble and the binder is contained in an amount of about 0.005-1.0% by weight. The column of "Detailed explanation of the inventions" in this publication discloses a homopolymer of methylmethacrylate (poly(methylmethacrylate)) as a methacrylic polymer. However, this mixture disclosed in JP-B-No. 5-27682 contains methyl polymethacrylate as the binder for bonding the powder for alloy to the iron-based powder but not as powder. Methyl polymethacrylate as the binder naturally causes segregation to be prevented, but property of causing the mixture to be smoothly discharged from any hopper, which will be referred to as the hopper discharging property hereinafter, is insufficient. Thus, it needs to be improved. There also remains another problem that the resin as the binder is dissolved in an organic solvent and then the resultant is applied to the surface of the iron-based powder thinly so that the cost for collecting the organic solvent will be raised.
As another segregation preventing technique, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 1-219101 discloses a mixture powder wherein graphite powder is bonded to the surface of iron-based powder with zinc stearate as a binder. Furthermore, the present inventors proposed a method wherein a metallic soap and a fatty acid are used as a binder in JP-A-No. 3-162502. However, the mixtures disclosed in these publications contain compounds containing zinc or other metal elements as the binder. Thus, the metal elements in the binder are turned into oxides during sintering a molded body, so that the oxides will cause contamination inside a sintering furnace and change in the chemical composition of the sintered body.
To overcome these problems, mixtures wherein a binder containing no metal element is used are proposed in JP-A-No. 60-502158 and JP-A-2-217403. In the techniques described in these publications, however, zinc stearate is finally added as a lubricant since the binder itself does not have any lubricating effect. Thus, the problem about the aforementioned hopper discharging property is not overcome.
In the light of these problems, the present inventors disclosed a solution for these problems in JP-A-No. 5-148505, that is, an iron-based mixture for powder metallurgy prepared by mixing a powder for alloy and an iron-based powder with at least one binder selected from the group consisting of stearatic acid, oleamide, stearamide, a melted mixture of stearamide and ethylenebis(stearamide), and ethylenebis(stearamide), heating and subsequent cooling the resultant so that the powder for alloy and the like are bonded to the iron-based powder with the hardened binder, and adding into this the same sort of powder as the binder and a powder such as zinc stearate, as a lubricant, and mixing the resultant; and a method for preparing this mixture. The inventors proposed that lithium stearate should be used as the lubricant in the case of using hot-melted zinc stearate, higher fatty acid, amide of higher fatty acid, or wax, as the binder.
Even by this technique, however, the contamination inside the sintering surface cannot be completely eliminated since the mixture still contains a metallic soap such as zinc stearate or lithium stearate in a small amount. In the case of using a lubricant containing no metallic soap such as zinc stearate or lithium stearate, that is, a lubricant consisting of only organic substances without any metal component being contained, the flowability and the hopper discharging property of the obtained iron-based powder mixture are deteriorated.

Iron-based powder mixture for powder metallurgy and process for preparing the same


In certain aspects, the present invention provides compositions and methods for inducing utrophin expression in muscle with an ActRIIB protein as therapy for muscular dystrophy. The present invention also provides methods of screening compounds that modulate activity of an ActRIIB protein and/or an ActRIIB ligand.

Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disease that results from a variety of different mutations in the gene coding for dystrophin. Dystrophin is a large cytoskeletal protein that provides structural integrity to contracting muscle fibers. DMD patients produce little, if any, functional dystrophin, resulting in fragility of the sarcolemmal membranes that surround each muscle fiber. As a consequence of this fragility, DMD patients exhibit progressive degeneration of skeletal and cardiac muscles, with onset typically at age two to six. The disease causes generalized weakness and muscle wasting. Survival is rare beyond the early 30s.
In a related and somewhat milder condition, Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD), the patient produces some functional dystrophin, but not enough to provide normal durability and maintenance of muscle tissue. BMD patients usually have a longer lifespan than DMD patients.
While DMD and BMD are presently incurable diseases, one therapeutic approach under investigation involves treatment with agents that increase the levels of a protein called utrophin. Utrophin is structurally and functionally similar to dystrophin. Moreover, utrophin is normally present in muscle fibers during fetal development and remains in the mature fibers at neuromuscular junctions. At sufficient levels and with appropriate localization to the sarcolemma, utrophin shows evidence of partially compensating for the absence of dystrophin in animal models of DMD.
DMD and BMD patients have a normal utrophin gene, and it may be possible to increase the strength of muscle fibers in patients by increasing utrophin production.
Thus, there is a need for agents that increase utrophin production and/or sarcolemmal localization of utrophin.

Methods of increasing sarcolemmal utrophin


The present invention provides compositions and methods for decreasing oxidative damage to an organ during cold storage.

Increased oxidant production contributes to organ damage prior to and following organ transplantation. Most organ transplants are performed using deceased donor organs that undergo an extensive period of cold preservation/ischemia (while a suitable transplant recipient is found) as well as a period of warm ischemia during the surgical procedure. Damage to the organ during this time frame limits the number of organs available for transplant and can inhibit the function of a transplanted organ. Consequently, there is a need in the art for compositions and methods for decreasing the oxidative damage to an organ during cold storage. This could lead to increased numbers of organs available for transplant (reduce the number of discarded organs) and better performance of transplanted organs.

Organ cold storage composition and methods of use

BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS


In an automotive structural member, weight efficiency of impact resistance is improved. An automotive structural member includes: a hollow member having plane portions; and an FRP member joined to at least one section of the plane portions, wherein: the FRP member is joined to a region of at least 0.1L1 to 0.9L1 of a length L1 in a longitudinal direction of the hollow member; the plane portion is formed with an FRP joint portion being a portion to which the FRP member is joined and an FRP non-joint portion being a portion to which the FRP member is not joined, in the region of 0.1L1 to 0.9L1; a total width of the FRP joint portion is 8 to 60% of a full width of the plane portion, in the plane portion; and a flexural rigidity of the FRP member in the FRP joint portion is 30 times or more a flexural rigidity of the plane portion excluding the FRP member in the plane portion.

An automotive structural member demands impact resistance for protecting occupants at a time of collision. For example, a floor cross member as illustrated in FIG. 1 demands the impact resistance at the time of side collision, and a floor tunnel and a side sill demand the impact resistance at the time of front collision and at the time of rear collision. Further, a front side member is constituted of a front side member front and a front side member rear, and the front side member rear demands the impact resistance at the time of the front collision. In order to further enhance collision safety of an automobile, it is important to improve the impact resistance of the respective structural members.
As a technique of improving the impact resistance, Patent Document 1 discloses a floor cross member formed of a hat-shaped member joined on a vehicle-interior side of a floor panel and a U-shaped member joined to an upper portion of the hat-shaped member. In the floor cross member in Patent Document 1, an impact load input at a time of side collision of an automobile is dispersed and transmitted to the hat-shaped member and the U-shaped member, thereby improving the impact resistance.
Further, Patent Document 2 discloses an impact absorbing member having a composite structure in which an FRP member (high-strength lightweight material) is joined to a hollow frame (impact absorber) made of an aluminum alloy. The technique described in Patent Document 2 discloses a formation in which the FRP member is joined about 100% in a longitudinal direction of the hollow frame, and this makes an impact energy absorbing function and a deformation preventing function compatible with each other.
Further, Patent Document 3 discloses a technique of bonding a reinforcing material made of a CFRP to a wall portion of a hollow frame made of metal. In the technique described in Patent Document 3, pasting the reinforcing material on only a position on which a tensile load concentrates makes reduction in weight and load resistance compatible with each other.
Further, Patent Document 4 discloses a metal-CFRP composite member put to practical use for an automobile member. The technique described in Patent Document 4 can reduce a residual shear stress of a thermosetting adhesive for bonding a reinforcing material (CFRP).
In addition, Patent Document 5 discloses a vehicle body manufacturing method of reinforcing a vehicle body member of an automobile by using a patch made of a CFRP. In the technique described in Patent Document 5, pasting or bolting the patch on a tensile surface of a stress concentration portion makes it possible to increase a reinforcing effect and easily adjust the size of the reinforcing effect.


An apparatus and method photochemically converts a first hydrocarbon into at least one other hydrocarbon, such as the conversion of methane to ethane and other higher hydrocarbons. The first hydrocarbon is injected through a high-temperature nozzle into a first reaction chamber surrounded by a first array of optical parametric oscillator/lasers (OPOLs). The secondary radiation of the OPOLs is directed into the first reaction chamber and dissociates the first hydrocarbon into the at least one other hydrocarbon. For the conversion of methane to ethane, the secondary radiation of the OPOLs is preferably within the region of approximately 3.0 microns. In a recirculating stage, residual first hydrocarbon released from the first reaction chamber is circulated through a second reaction chamber surrounded by a second array of optical parametric oscillator/lasers (OPOLs) to further dissociate the residual second hydrocarbon into the at least one other hydrocarbon. The higher hydrocarbons, such as ethane, are removed and collected by distillers after being released from each reaction chamber.

Methane is a relatively plentiful natural resource. Methane rich gas is formed as a byproduct during coal gasification and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, and methane is also the primary constituent of both natural gas and the associated gas resulting from crude oil production. These gases have little value, however, unless they can be converted into a transportable form or converted into other more commercially desirable and transportable chemicals. In many places in the world, abundant natural gas is being flared because it is too costly to transport to the site of conversion or utilization as a fuel. This is a significant waste by any standard. The direct conversion of methane to liquid fuels and chemicals of commercial importance has been an intensely sought after goal.
A principal theme of current work on direct conversion is catalytic conversion. Haggin, J., C & E N, "Direct Conversion of Methane to Fuel, Chemicals Still Intensely Sought", pp. 33-35, Apr. 27, 1992. The various reported methods of catalytic conversion use sulfide molybdenum catalysts, and metal oxide catalysts, for example. So far, the known methods of catalytic conversion have been too inefficient to attract significant commercial investment.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks and disadvantages of known methods of converting methane to ethane and other higher hydrocarbons, and similar methods of conversion.

Photochemical process and sytem for performing a photochemical process


A ceramic heater in which a damage in a joining portion between a heating portion and a lead portion is suppressed and the reliability is excellent is provided.

Conventionally, a sheath heater in which a heating coil embedded in insulating powder is placed in a bottomed cylindrical metal sheath is used for starting a diesel engine. In such a sheath heater, however, the thermal conductivity is low, and a long time is required for raising the temperature because the heating coil is embedded in the insulating powder. Recently, it is requested to raise the heating temperature of the heater to 1,000° C. or more, and the time period of afterglow in which the heater generates heats even after the engine is started tends to be prolonged. For the requests, a sheath heater has a problem in durability because the heating coil is made a metal.
Therefore, a ceramic heater has been developed in which a heating portion essentially comprising: a conductive ceramic material such as molybdenum carbide or molybdenum silicide; and an insulative ceramic component such as silicon nitride is embedded in a support made from silicon nitride ceramic that has highly corrosion resistant at a high temperature, whereby the thermal conductivity is improved and a rapid temperature rise is enabled.
An example in which, in such a ceramic heater, a lead portion to be connected to an internal heating portion is configured only by a metal wire such as tungsten (W), and that in which such a lead portion is configured by both a low-resistance ceramic material and a metal wire are disclosed (for example, see Patent References 1 and 2).
Patent Reference 1: JP-A-4-268112
Patent Reference 2: JP-A-2002-334768

Ceramic heater, method of producing the same, and glow plug using a ceramic heater

Abstract: In a ceramic heater (1) including: a rod-shaped support (2) which is made from an insulative ceramic; and a resistor member (3) including a heating portion (31) embedded in a tip end part of the support (2), and a pair of lead portions (33) which extend from the heating portion (31) toward a rear end side of the support (2), the heating portion (31) and the lead portions (33) are made from the same conductive ceramic.


A method of using a socket to electrically interconnect a microelectronic assembly having electrically conductive joining units and a substrate having electrically conductive contacts includes providing a socket having a plurality of apertures with deflectable, resilient lip regions, and positioning the socket over the substrate so that the plurality of apertures are in substantial alignment with at least some of the electrically conductive contacts of the substrate. The microelectronic assembly is then juxtaposed with the substrate so that the socket is between the microelectronic assembly and the substrate and so that the joining units of the microelectronic assembly confront the contacts of the substrate. The joining units of the microelectronic assembly are then inserted into the apertures of the socket so that the conductive joining units deflect the deflectable lip regions of the socket for allowing the plurality of joining units to pass through each aperture, whereby the conductive joining units of the microelectronic assembly are held in electrical contact with the contacts of the substrate by the resilience of the deflectable lip regions contacting the conductive joining units.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sockets for use in connecting semiconductor chip assemblies to substrates and the methods of making such sockets.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/254,991 filed on Jun. 7, 1994, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein, discloses a connector for mounting a microelectronic element to a substrate. In certain embodiments, the connector includes a sheet-like dielectric body having a plurality of holes, an array of resilient contacts secured to the dielectric body and an array of terminals electrically connected to the contacts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,631, which issued on May 27, 1997, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein, discloses, in certain embodiments, a contact comprising a base portion and a plurality of asperities protruding upwardly from the surface of the base portion. The base portion may include a ring-like anchor region and a plurality of tabs extending inwardly from the anchor region to a common center. The asperities may be disposed on the tabs. The ""631 patent also discloses a connector which includes a connector body and at least one of the contacts described above and wherein the anchor region of each contact is fixed to the connector body and the tabs are free to bend. When a mating contact element (such as a lead or solder ball) is forced against the contact, the tabs bend and the mating contact element is wiped across the asperity causing the sharp edges of the asperity to scrape the mating contacting element so that an electrical connection to the mating contact element can more easily be made.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,824, which issued on Apr. 1, 1997, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein, discloses a method of making an electrical connection. In a preferred embodiments, the method comprises the steps of engaging a first element having a plurality of solder masses and a second element having a plurality of resilient contacts; heating the elements so that the contacts penetrate the solder masses; and cooling the assembly. The second element may be comprised of a connector body having a plurality of holes. Each resilient contact may have one or more tabs which project over one of such holes. The tabs bend during the engaging step and spring back as the contacts penetrate the solder masses. Each contact may be covered by a solder mask made of a dielectric material that is a thermoplastic.
Certain embodiments disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/862,151, filed on May 22, 1997 disclose a connector for a microelectronic assembly which includes a sheetlike body having a plurality of contacts, a substrate having leads, and a support structure extending between sheetlike element and the substrate. The contacts may include several sheetlike metallic projections extending inwardly around a hole in the sheetlike element one side of the sheetlike element. A support structure, such as an array of non-collapsing structural posts is on another side of the sheetlike element. Each of the contacts is surrounded by several posts. The posts keep the sheetlike element spaced away from a substrate to which the posts are attached. The disclosure of the ""151 application is incorporated herein.
Many of the sockets described in the disclosures set for above as well as many other sockets of the prior art rely upon pressure to maintain an electrical contact between the device to be tested and the contacts of the socket. A lid or other backing element is placed over the device and pressure is applied to the lid to insure that the electrical contact between the device and the contacts on the socket are maintained. Some sockets may, in the alternative or in addition, have a mechanism for engaging the sides of the chip or the device. While the above mentioned socket designs are important improvements to socket technology, further improvements are desirable.
The present invention relates to methods of using sockets for connecting a semiconductor chip assembly to an external substrate such as a printed circuit board. Such semiconductor chip assemblies have a plurality of electrically conductive joining units such as bumped leads or ball leads. Semiconductor chip assemblies which may be connected to an external substrate using the socket of the present invention include, for example, flip chip assemblies, ball grid arrays and assemblies, such as those disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,148,265 and 5,148,266. The semiconductor chip assembly may comprise a single semiconductor chip, a plurality of semiconductor chips or wafer. The socket of the present invention can be used to permanently connect a semiconductor chip assembly to an external substrate, such as a printed circuit board; or to temporarily connect such an assembly to an external substrate, such as a test circuit board, for testing purposes. The socket of the present invention incorporates a grabbing or locking feature that is capable of capturing the joining units of the chip assembly. In certain embodiments, the socket of the present invention is lidless because it does not require a lid or any other mechanism for applying pressure to a semiconductor chip assembly in order to maintain an electrical contact between the terminals of the chip assembly and the socket.

Lidless socket and method of making same


A cooling system and a superconducting magnet apparatus employing the same. The cooling system includes: a thermal shield unit for thermally shielding a superconducting coil; a recondensing unit for recondensing an extremely low temperature refrigerant that cools down the superconducting coil. A cryocooler includes a body and an end portion extending from the body and inserted into the recondensing unit in order to directly contact the extremely low temperature refrigerant. A refrigerator chamber penetrates through the thermal shield unit and to which the cryocooler is attachably and detachably provided. A sealing member is disposed between the cryocooler and the refrigerator chamber to seal the recondensing unit.

1. Field
One or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a cooling system and a superconducting magnet apparatus employing the same. More particularly, one or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a cooling system having an improved mounting structure of a cryocooler, and a superconducting magnet apparatus employing the cooling system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A superconducting apparatus, such as a magnet resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus or a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) apparatus, uses a superconducting magnet. Superconductivity is a phenomenon where zero electrical resistance and expulsion of magnetic fields occurs in certain materials when cooled below a characteristic critical temperature. Superconductivity is characterized by the Meissner effect, in which the complete ejection of magnetic field lines from the interior of the superconductor occurs as it transitions into the superconducting state. Since the superconducting magnet maintains a superconducting phenomenon at an extremely low temperature, such as 4.2 K (−452.11° F.), a cooling system is required to maintain such an extremely low temperature. A currently commercialized cooling system generally cools down a superconducting magnet by using liquid helium.
A two-stage cryocooler that is generally employed in a cooling system may include a first stage operating at a temperature ranging from 40 K to 50 K, and a second stage operating at a temperature of 4 K. The second stage cools down a superconductor by both direct and indirect thermal contact (i.e., a superconducting coil), and the first stage cools down via a thermal shield unit that suppresses heat transfer between a room temperature and the superconductor. In the two-stage cryocooler, the second stage is often directly placed into a helium space so as to directly contact and condense a helium gas.
In order to locate a second stage of a general cryocooler in a helium space, the general cryocooler is perpendicularly mounted on a chamber of a superconducting magnet apparatus. If the general cryocooler is not perpendicularly mounted on the chamber, a body of the general cryocooler needs to be in a vacuum space so as to prevent loss of helium. In this case, the second stage of the general cryocooler does not directly contact the helium steam, and thus, a thermal interface is required between the second stage and the helium steam. However, since the thermal conductivity of the thermal interface is limited, a cooling power of the general cryocooler deteriorates.

Cooling system and superconducting magnet apparatus employing the same


A vehicle driving force control apparatus is configured to prevent co-rotation of the motor caused by rotation of a pair of wheels when a clutch connecting the wheels and the motor is released (disconnected). When the clutch is released, the motor is braked by short circuiting the armature. The motor is then braked again by setting the field current of the motor to 0 when the rotational speed of the motor reaches 0. After the clutch is released, a braking-direction field current is applied to the motor in accordance with the decreasing rotational speed of the motor such that the braking force is decreased as the rotational speed of the motor decreases.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a vehicle drive force control apparatus in which either the front wheels or the rear wheels are driven by an engine and the subordinate drive wheels can be connected to and driven by an electric motor. More specifically, the present invention is well-suited to a four-wheel drive vehicle having main drive wheels that are driven by an engine and subordinate drive wheels that can be braked and driven by an electric motor.
2. Background Information
One example of a so-called motor-driven four-wheel drive vehicle in which the front wheels (hereinafter also called "main drive wheels") are driven by an engine and the rear wheels (hereinafter also called "subordinate drive wheels") are driven by an electric motor in an auxiliary manner is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-253256. The vehicle disclosed in that publication is designed such that a clutch (connecting device) installed between the rear wheels and the electric motor is released when the traveling speed of the vehicle reaches or exceeds a prescribed value, thereby preventing the electric motor from rotating at a speed exceeding its maximum tolerable rotational speed.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved vehicle drive force control apparatus. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.


A process for the examination of biocompartments (1), having a micro-flow chamber (2) which contains a biocompartment (1) which is continually or intermittently subjected to the through-flow of a culture medium. In a culture medium zone proximal to the biocompartments (1), an electrical potential is applied in such a manner, that from a substance in the culture medium which is released or consumed by the biocompartments (1), OH− and/or H+ ions are formed. During the application of the potential, a first measurement (pH−1, pH−3) for the pH value of the culture medium is measured. The potential is then switched off or changed in such a manner that the formation of OH− and/or H+ ions from the said substance is stopped. Before or after the measuring of the first measured value, (pH−1, pH−3) with switched off electrical potential, a second measured value (pH−2, pH−4) is measured for the pH value of the culture medium. After the entire measurement is repeated at least once, then from the first and second measurement values, the concentration change of the substance in the culture medium and the acidification or alkalinization of the culture medium is determined.

The invention concerns a process for examining of membrane enclosed biocompartments, wherein the biocompartments are arranged in a micro-flow chamber. This micro-flow chamber is subject to the through-flow of a culture medium containing an active agent and which is in contact with the said biocompartments and possibly has an effect thereon. Further, the pH value of the culture medium present in the micro-flow chamber can be measured. In this arrangement, the biocompartments can hold, for instance, biological cells, microorganisms (fungi, bacteria), biochemical compartments and/or mitochondria.
EP 0 394 406 B1 discloses a process of the type known in the art, in which living, biological cells are placed in a micro-flow chamber being subjected to the through-flow of a culture medium and which chamber has a silicon sensor on its bottom. A reference electrode is provided in the micro-flow chamber, which is in continual contact with the culture medium. In the case of this previously known process, in a first process step, the through-flow of the culture medium is stopped in the micro-flow chamber. Under these circumstances, the pH value, serving as a metabolic indicator of substance change in the culture medium residing in the micro-flow chamber, is determined by measurement of the electrical potential between the silicon-sensor and a reference electrode. With this process, it is possible to measure, for instance, the action of a cell-affecting agent on the metabolism of the cells. A detriment, however, lies in the fact, that the process enables only one determination in regard to a yield of acid metabolic products, while other changes caused by the metabolism of the cells are not given consideration.
DE 44 17 078 A1 makes known a process wherein biological cells in a micro-flow chamber are simultaneously examined by means of a plurality of different micro-sensors. As this is carried out, in addition to the acidification, at the same time the respiration of the cells in the culture medium is monitored, which enables a more exact investigation of the action on the cells of an agent contained in the culture medium. This procedure, however, has the disadvantage, that the measured values for pH and oxygen content are determined at different places and thus of differing biological cells present in the micro-flow chamber. Cell cultures, cell divisions, tissues and the like which are to undergo examination as biological material are, however, often heterogenous, that is, different cells can yield different signals. In this known procedure, on this account, imprecisions in the investigation of an agent in the culture medium can occur if the pH value and/or the oxygen content at the points of determination of the sensors deviate in pH and oxygen content from one another.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Process for examining membrane enclosed biocompartments


A valve characteristic controller including an oil pump, a valve timing varying mechanism, and a valve timing control unit is disclosed. The valve timing varying mechanism varies the valve characteristic value of intake valves in an engine based on the hydraulic pressure of hydraulic oil supplied from the oil pump. The valve timing control unit includes a storage and a detector. The storage stores computation maps used to calculate a target value for the valve characteristic value based on a plurality of engine control values. The detector detects the temperature of the hydraulic oil. The computation maps include a first map and a second map. The varying amount of the valve characteristic amount corresponding to a change in the engine control value in a low speed range of the engine speed is set to be smaller in the second map than the first map. The valve timing control unit switches the computation maps from the first map to the second map when the detected temperature of the hydraulic oil is relatively high.

Internal combustion engines installed in recent vehicles often incorporate a valve characteristic varying mechanism for varying a valve characteristic value of intake valves or exhaust valves. For example, patent document 1 describes an internal combustion engine incorporating a valve timing varying mechanism that varies the opening and closing timings of intake valves and exhaust valve, or the so-called valve timing. Referring to FIG. 10, the valve timing varying mechanism 1 includes a pulley 2 and a rotor 4, which is connected to a camshaft 3 so as to be integrally rotatable with the camshaft 3. The pulley 2 and rotor 4 are coupled to be relatively rotatable. The pulley 2 is connected to and driven by an output shaft of the internal combustion engine by a timing belt, which is not shown in the drawings. The pulley 2 is rotated in synchronism with the output shaft. In FIG. 10, an arrow indicates the rotational direction of the pulley 2. A plurality of vanes 5 extend radially outward from the center of the rotor 4. The pulley 2 includes a plurality of cavities 6, each of which retains a corresponding vane 5. As shown in FIG. 10, in each cavity 6, the corresponding vane 5 defines an advancing hydraulic pressure chamber 7, which is located at the side of the vane 5 that is opposite to the rotational direction of the pulley 2, and a retarding hydraulic pressure chamber 8, which is located at the side of the vane 5 that is in the rotational direction of the pulley 2.
In the valve timing varying mechanism 1, the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic oil supplied to the advancing hydraulic pressure chambers 7 and the retarding hydraulic pressure chambers 8 is adjusted to vary a relative phase a of the rotor 4 and camshaft 3 relative to the pulley 2. As a result, by varying the rotation phase of the camshaft 3 as the output shaft of the internal combustion engine rotates toward the advancing side or the retarding side as indicated by the arrows shown by broken lines, the valve timings of the intake valves or exhaust valves may be varied to timings suitable for the engine operation state. By varying the valve timing in this manner, the engine output and fuel efficiency may be improved.
The valve timing varying mechanism 1 is driven by hydraulic pressure supplied from an engine-driven hydraulic pressure pump, which is driven using the torque of the engine output shaft. Thus, when the engine speed is low, the amount of hydraulic oil pumped out of the hydraulic pressure pump decreases. This lowers the hydraulic pressure supplied to the hydraulic pressure chambers 7 and 8. Further, when the temperature of the hydraulic oil is high, the viscosity of hydraulic oil becomes low and thereby increases the amount of hydraulic oil leaking out from various parts of the engine. This further lowers the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic oil supplied from the hydraulic pressure pump. As a result, the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic oil supplied to the valve timing varying mechanism 1 may become insufficient.
In this manner, when the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic oil becomes insufficient, the responsiveness of the valve timing varying mechanism 1 is lowered, and variations cannot be accurately made in accordance with changes in the target value of the relative phase α. This may cause hunting and lower the engine performance, which includes engine output and fuel efficiency.
Such problems caused by insufficient hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic oil may occur not only in valve timing varying mechanisms such as that described above but also in other types of valve characteristic varying mechanisms operated by hydraulic pressure supplied from an engine-driven hydraulic pressure pump.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9-324612

Valve performance controller for internal combustion engine


A method for ordering a print product comprises displaying a video that includes an exhibited physical product; comparing a feature or attribute associated with the exhibited product with a feature or attribute associated with the available product; displaying a digital overlay in the video and in association with the displayed exhibited product if the displayed exhibited product corresponds to the digital representation of the available product; allowing for the selection of the digital overlay and then a digital image; establishing a print order including an identification of the displayed exhibited product associated with the selected digital overlay and the selected digital image; and allowing for the fulfillment of the print order to produce a print product using a printing device, wherein the print product includes the selected digital image disposed on a selected physical product representative of the displayed exhibited product associated with the selected digital overlay.

Photo kiosks are an interactive computer-based platform that may be physically located within retail stores, drug stores and grocery stores (hereinafter "retail store location"). They are a convenient platform because they offer a customer the ability to upload digital images located in the user's mobile computing device or access digital images that were previously uploaded by the customer to the kiosk or third party social media website, and customize a print product using the uploaded digital images without having to interact with store personnel. This allows the user to take the necessary time to select a print product without being pressured. Further, depending on the capabilities of the kiosk and the print product ordered by the consumer, the kiosk may include a printing device that allows for the fulfillment of the print product on the spot. For example, a kiosk may be capable of instantly printing various sized image prints while the consumer waits providing instant satisfaction to the consumer.
While photo kiosks provide many advantages to the consumer, they do provide some drawbacks. For instance, when a customer is using a kiosk to select a product to associate with a digital image, the product is typically presented in digital form on a display of the kiosk. Viewing the product in digital form could make it difficult for the customer to envision the actual physical dimensions of the product and create hesitation on the part of the consumer to purchase the product. This results in underutilization of kiosks. Also, there is a significant cost in designing, manufacturing, and integrating a kiosk into a photofinishing system. Kiosks include many of the same hardware components and peripherals that are in a typical computing device, with the addition of an integrated printing device that is configured to produce print products on the spot. It is not uncommon for kiosks to be placed in multiple retail store locations for a given retail chain, and the total cost of providing kiosks at each of these locations is substantial. When a kiosk is installed in a retail store, it is typically placed in a high-traffic, premium location so that it can attract the attention of customers and be easily accessible for use. This premium floor space that the kiosk occupies is valuable and potentially is taking away from the retailer's ability to sell other products.
Accordingly there is a need for a system and method for ordering a print product while located in a retail store location without the need to use a kiosk. The present invention fills these needs as well as other needs.

System and method for ordering a print product including a digital image utilizing augmented reality


A restoration filter generation device that generates a restoration filter for a restoration process on the basis of a point spread in an optical system, the restoration process being performed on luminance system image data as image data concerning a luminance which is generated on the basis of image data for each color of plural colors acquired by an image pickup device having the optical system, the restoration filter generation device includes a first transfer function acquisition device, a correction information acquisition device, a second transfer function acquisition device, a third transfer function calculation device, and a restoration filter generation device that generates the restoration filter for the restoration process on the basis of the third transfer function calculated by the third transfer function calculation device.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a restoration filter generation device and method, an image processing device, an imaging device, a restoration filter generation program, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and particularly relates to a technology of generating a restoration filter for performing a restoration process on an image captured via an optical system on the basis of a point spread function (PSF) or optical transfer function (OTF) of the optical system.
Description of the Related Art
The restoration process on the image captured is a process in which characteristics of degradation (PSF/OTF) caused by aberration and the like of the optical system (imaging lens) are founded in advance and a captured image (image having degradation) is subjected to a restoration process by use of a restoration filter generated on the basis of the PSF/OTF so as to restore to a high resolution image.
The PSF and the OTF are in relation of the Fourier transform, and the PSF is a function of a real variable and the OTF is a function of a complex variable. Examples of those having information equivalent to these include a modulation transfer function or amplitude transfer function (MTF) and a phase transfer function (PTF), each of which represents an amplitude component and phase component of the OTF. Combination of the MTF and the PTF has an amount of the information equivalent to the OTF or the PSF.
The restoration process using the restoration filter generated on the basis of the PSF/OTF may be classified roughly into a "frequency restoration" and a "phase restoration". The "frequency restoration" is for equalizing MTF characteristics degraded by the optical system, and the "phase restoration" is for moving an image with frequency dependence such that an asymmetry PSF shape is restored to points as much as possible.
Since the aberration of the optical system varies depending on wavelength, it is ideally desirable to use a restoration filter different for each of color images of red (R), green (G) and blue (B). However, because of a large arithmetic load in the processes for the respective colors, it has been considered that only a luminance component having a large visual effect is to be subjected the restoration process.
Since the PSF shape with respect to the luminance cannot be defined, some criteria need to be considered in order to find a tradeoff such that a restoration performance is not adversely affected.
As a solution to this problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-140442 (hereinafter referred to as PTL 1) discloses a method for finding the PSF with respect to a luminance component image in which a transformation formula for a luminance is used as it is to mix the PSFs for the respective colors of RGB.
In a case of performing the restoration process on the luminance, correction corresponding to magnification chromatic aberration correction cannot be performed, and thus the magnification chromatic aberration correction needs to be separately performed.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-129932 (hereinafter referred to as PTL 2) describes a technology in which the restoration process and the magnification chromatic aberration correction are separately performed.
In the image processing method described in PTL 2, a restoration filter is generated on the basis of a point spread function of which a difference between color components of the point spread function is reduced by way of a relative parallel translation, or a restoration filter is generated from an optical transfer function whose linear component corresponding to the magnification chromatic aberration is removed. In other words, a restoration filter is generated which performs only the "frequency restoration", but does not perform the "phase restoration". Then, an input image is subjected to the restoration process by use of the generated restoration filter, and thereafter, a color shift corresponding to the magnification chromatic aberration of the image after the restoration process is detected and a correction (magnification chromatic aberration correction) is performed to reduce the detected color shift.
As another embodiment, the magnification chromatic aberration correction is performed on an input image by use of a color shift correction amount depending on the magnification chromatic aberration of design of the optical system, and subsequently, the restoration process is performed by use of the restoration filter performing only the "frequency restoration". However, since the color shift possibly remains due to an image degrading factor such as variations in manufacturing or variations in light source spectra of the optical system even if the restoration process is performed by use of the above magnification chromatic aberration correction and restoration filter, the color shift of the image after the restoration process is detected and the magnification chromatic aberration correction is performed to reduce the detected color shift.

Restoration filter generation device and method, image processing device, imaging device, and non-transitory computer-readable medium


A microreactor comprises a reaction chamber, into which prescribed materials are introduced, a production chamber, and a channel for connecting the reaction chamber and the production chamber together. A plurality of temperature adjusting devices (e.g., Peltier elements), each of which can be independently controlled in temperature, are arranged at prescribed positions with prescribed distances therebetween on a substrate in proximity to the reaction chamber, the production chamber, or the channel. Herein, the reaction chamber causes reaction of the materials in response to differences of boiling points, differences of state changes, or difference of solubility, thus producing a new substance, which is transmitted from the reaction chamber to the production chamber via the channel while being adequately controlled in temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to microreactors having reaction chambers causing chemical reactions using materials. This invention also relates to substance production methods for producing substances by use of microreactors.
This application claims priority on Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-208306, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, various types of structures have been developed with respect to microreactors having reaction chambers causing biochemical reactions using materials. The typical type of the conventionally-known microreactor comprises an injection port, an exhaust port, and a channel, in which etching is performed on a silicon substrate so as to process a reaction chamber, wherein the microreactor is sealed in an air-tight manner by using a heat-resisting glass, for example. This microreactor is designed such that cells are divided in response to specific functions therefor so as to perform a plurality of biochemical reactions in parallel. In addition, a temperature adjusting device such as a temperature adjuster is applied to a part of the silicon substrate as necessary. This is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H10-337173 (see pages 3–4, and FIG. 3 in particular).
Another type of the microreactor comprises a plurality of chambers and fine reaction channels, wherein the prescribed liquid is selectively delivered from the chamber(s) by use of a pump (or pumps) and is sent into the fine reaction channels, thus causing reaction with the other liquid given from the other channel(s). In this microreactor, the fine reaction channel provides reaction phases and solvent phases, which are alternatively arranged. That is, the solvent phase is intervened between the two reaction phases, thus allowing a small amount of reaction solution to be extracted in response to different conditions. Herein, a temperature adjusting device can be arranged in the fine reaction channel as necessary. For example, it is possible to provide a Peltier element as a cooling device, which acts as the temperature adjusting device. This is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-340753 (see pages 2–3, and FIG. 1 in particular), for example.
In the conventionally known microreactor as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H10-337173, a temperature control device for a reaction cell is formed as a part of a silicon substrate; that is, it is not designed to produce a temperature gradient in the overall area of the microreactor. In addition, the other microreactor as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-340753 is designed to use a heating device or a cooling device as necessary in order to produce a substance therein, wherein it is very difficult to produce a temperature gradient.
That is, the conventionally known microreactors have difficulties in producing new substances through reactions using materials in response to temperature differences, which are caused to occur upon realization of a temperature gradient (for the sake of temperature control) in channels allowing materials to pass therethrough.
In the above, reactions are performed using temperature differences in the following manners.    (i) It is possible to use differences of boiling points between different materials.    (ii) It is possible to apply state changes on materials by use of temperature differences applied to materials.    (iii) It is possible to use differences of solubility of materials due to temperature differences applied to materials.

Microreactor and substance production method therewith


An image-forming apparatus in which a replacement part is loaded includes a discrimination unit that discriminates whether or not identification data registered in the loaded replacement part correspond to either inherent data or group data registered in the image-forming apparatus; a determination unit that, when no correspondence is found in the discrimination unit, determines in accordance with a registration condition whether or not a value of the identification data is registered as the group data; and an establishment unit that establishes approval or disapproval of use of the loaded replacement part on the basis of a result of discrimination performed in the discrimination unit or determination performed in the determination unit.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a technology for controlling whether or not to enable use of a replacement part loaded in an image-forming apparatus.
2. Related Art
An image-forming apparatus such as a printer or a copier performs printing while replacement parts, such as a toner cartridge, a drum, and a heating roller, are attached thereto. In general, such replacement parts can be attached to any image-forming apparatus of the same type.

Image-forming apparatus, control method thereof, and control program storing medium for image-forming apparatus


The pressure gauge of a tire pressure indicator includes a casing which has a hollow adaptor to be attached to the pneumatic tire, an air inlet and a finger piece for opening an inflating valve of the tire. A diaphragm is disposed inside the casing adjacent to the air inlet and is movable, in response to an inlet pressure entering through the air inlet, between a first position in which the inlet pressure is below a predetermined low pressure limit and a second position in which the inlet pressure is above a predetermined high pressure limit. A spring-loaded push rod is movably mounted inside the casing and is moved by the diaphragm. A signal producing unit is provided inside the casing and has first and second switch devices which are controlled by the movement of the push rod. The first switch device activates the signal producing unit when the diaphragm is in the first position. The second switch device activates the signal producing unit when the diaphragm is in the second position.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a tire pressure indicator, more particularly to a tire pressure indicator which generates an alarm signal whenever a tire is under- or over-inflated.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,457 discloses an electronic signal device for a set of pneumatic tires, which signal device includes a pressure gauge attached to each of the pneumatic tires and which transmits an electrical signal whenever the tire is under-inflated. The signal transmitted by the pressure gauge is received by a receiver circuit found inside the driver room of the vehicle. The receiver circuit activates a display means so as to indicate to the driver which one of the tires is under-inflated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,244 and co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/704,195, both by the applicant, disclose a tire pressure indicator which generates a light signal when the tire to which the tire pressure indicator is attached is under-inflated.
Note that the above-cited references are capable of generating an alarm signal when the tire is under-inflated. However, none of the above-cited references are capable of generating an alarm signal when the tire is over-inflated.


A computer system includes a main memory, at least one processor, and at least one level of cache. The system contains at least one segment table having multiple segment entries recording the assignment of segments in an address space. At least some segment table entries include pre-fetch data indicating which portions of a segment should be pre-fetched. Preferably, a segment table entry contains a list of pages for pre-fetching. Preferably, pre-fetching a listed page causes address translation data for the page to be cached in at least one address translation caching structure. Pre-fetching may also cause data contents of the page to be loaded into a cache.

In the latter half of the twentieth century, there began a phenomenon known as the information revolution. While the information revolution is a historical development broader in scope than any one event or machine, no single device has come to represent the information revolution more than the digital electronic computer. The development of computer systems has surely been a revolution. Each year, computer systems grow faster, store more data, and provide more applications to their users.
A modern computer system typically comprises a central processing unit (CPU) and supporting hardware necessary to store, retrieve and transfer information, such as communications buses and memory. It also includes hardware necessary to communicate with the outside world, such as input/output controllers or storage controllers, and devices attached thereto such as keyboards, monitors, tape drives, disk drives, communication lines coupled to a network, etc. The CPU is the heart of the system. It executes the instructions which comprise a computer program and directs the operation of the other system components.
From the standpoint of the computer's hardware, most systems operate in fundamentally the same manner. Processors are capable of performing a limited set of very simple operations, such as arithmetic, logical comparisons, and movement of data from one location to another. But each operation is performed very quickly. Programs which direct a computer to perform massive numbers of these simple operations give the illusion that the computer is doing something sophisticated. What is perceived by the user as a new or improved capability of a computer system is made possible by performing essentially the same set of very simple operations, but doing it much faster. Therefore continuing improvements to computer systems require that these systems be made ever faster.
The overall speed of a computer system (also called the "throughput") may be crudely measured as the number of operations performed per unit of time. Conceptually, the simplest of all possible improvements to system speed is to increase the clock speeds of the various components, and particularly the clock speed of the processor. E.g., if everything runs twice as fast but otherwise works in exactly the same manner, the system will perform a given task in half the time. Early computer processors, which were constructed from many discrete components, were susceptible to significant clock speed improvements by shrinking and combining components, eventually packaging the entire processor as an integrated circuit on a single chip, and increased clock speed through further size reduction and other improvements continues to be a goal. In addition to increasing clock speeds, it is possible to increase the throughput of an individual CPU by increasing the average number of operations executed per clock cycle.
A typical computer system can store a vast amount of data, and the processor may be called upon to use any part of this data. The devices typically used for storing mass data (e.g., rotating magnetic hard disk drive storage units) require relatively long latency time to access data stored thereon. If a processor were to access data directly from such a mass storage device every time it performed an operation, it would spend nearly all of its time waiting for the storage device to return the data, and its throughput would be very low indeed. As a result, computer systems store data in a hierarchy of memory or storage devices, each succeeding level having faster access, but storing less data. At the lowest level is the mass storage unit or units, which store all the data on relatively slow devices. Moving up the hierarchy is a main memory, which is generally semiconductor memory. Main memory has a much smaller data capacity than the storage units, but a much faster access. Higher still are caches, which may be at a single level, or multiple levels (level 1 being the highest), of the hierarchy. Caches are also semiconductor memory, but are faster than main memory, and again have a smaller data capacity. One may even consider externally stored data, such as data accessible by a network connection, to be even a further level of the hierarchy below the computer system's own mass storage units, since the volume of data potentially available from network connections (e.g., the Internet) is even larger still, but access time is slower.
Data is moved from mass storage, to main memory, to cache, for use by the processor. Ideally, data is moved into the cache level closest the processor before it is needed by the processor, so that when it is needed, the processor does not have to wait for a relatively long latency data access to complete. However, since the capacity of any of the cache levels is only a small fraction of the capacity of main memory, which is itself only a small fraction of the capacity of the mass storage unit(s), it is not possible to simply load all the data into the cache. Some technique must exist for selecting data to be stored in cache, so that when the processor needs a particular data item, it will probably be there.
A cache is typically divided into units of data called lines, a line being the smallest unit of data that can be independently loaded into the cache or removed from the cache. In simple cache designs, data is loaded into a cache line on demand, i.e. upon the occurrence of a cache miss. I.e., when the processor needs some piece of data which is not in the cache (a cache miss), the required data is obtained from a lower level of cache, or from memory, and loaded into a cache line. This necessarily means that an existing line of cache data must be selected for removal. Various techniques and devices exist for selecting an existing cache line for removal.
Loading on demand is conceptually simple, but results in a high number of cache misses, and resultant idle time while the processor waits for the necessary data. Accordingly, many sophisticated processor designs employ some form of pre-fetching of cache data. Pre-fetching simply means that a predictive technique exists whereby data which is considered likely to be needed soon is loaded into one or more of the cache levels, before the processor actually requires the data. If the predictive technique is accurate and timely, data will be in the L1 cache before an L1 cache miss occurs, or in some other level of cache from which it can be accessed much faster than from main memory.
Several known pre-fetching techniques exist, which can be used alone or in combination. One technique is sequential pre-fetching, i.e., the next sequential line of address space is pre-fetched, on the theory that this is the most likely data needed next. A confirmation bit may be used with sequential pre-fetching, whereby the bit is set on if data in the cache line was actually accessed when it was last pre-fetched into cache and otherwise set off. If the confirmation bit for the next sequential line of data is set on, the line will be pre-fetched to cache.
Another technique involves the use of a branch target buffer. The branch target buffer is a set of branch target addresses, each address associated with a respective cache line. The branch target buffer records the address referenced by the processor immediately after referencing the associated cache line. When a cache line is referenced, its associated branch target address is a good candidate for pre-fetching. The branch target buffer is more general than sequential pre-fetching, since the branch target may be any address, but it requires substantially more overhead to implement.
Yet another pre-fetching technique, known as "technical stream pre-fetching", requires the use of a special technical stream address buffer. Each buffer entry is a list of addresses previously accessed by the processor in sequence. If a first address on the list is referenced by the processor, then the remaining addresses are good candidates for pre-fetching. Like the branch target buffer, this technique involves some overhead to implement.
Although conventional pre-fetching techniques such as these have some predictive value, they are still very limited. It has been observed that in many environments, the processor spends the bulk of its time idling on cache misses. Substantial performance improvement would be possible with more accurate and comprehensive pre-fetching techniques, which would significantly reduce the frequency of cache misses.

Apparatus and method for pre-fetching page data using segment table data

International Business Machines Corporation


A narrow gate FET is formed on a substrate by providing a first layer of polysilicon on the active device regions of the substrate and doping the polysilicon by ion implantation. An etch/polish stop layer of silicon oxide and is deposited on the first layer of polysilicon. Openings are formed in the etch/polish stop layer and the first polysilicon layer to expose the surface of the substrate. An anneal is performed to diffuse N-type impurities from the first layer of polysilicon into the substrate. The heavily doped portions of LDD source/drain regions are formed partially within the substrate and partially within portions of the first layer of polysilicon left on the surface of the substrate. Next, a first implantation of N-type impurities is made across the opening in the first layer of polysilicon. A layer of silicon nitride is deposited over the first layer of polysilicon and within the openings in the first polysilicon layer. Etching is performed to provide nitride spacers on the sidewalls of the openings. A second implantation of P-type impurities is performed to counterdope the channel and to laterally define the lightly doped portions of the source/drain regions. A gate oxide layer is formed on the substrate within the openings. A second layer of polysilicon is deposited on the device, onto the surface of the insulating spacer structures within the openings in the mask, and onto the gate oxide layer at the bottom of the openings. The second polysilicon layer is etched or polished in a process stopping on the etch/polish stop layer to form gate electrodes, with the gate electrodes extending between the spacers in the openings in the first polysilicon layer. The spacers are removed by wet etching and a third implantation of P-type impurities is made to form halo regions around the lightly doped portions of the source/drain regions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to reduced dimension MOS field effect transistors and to the formation of field effect transistors having narrow gate electrodes and reduced dimension source/drain structures.
2. Description of the Related Art
Field effect transistors, generally referred to as FETs or MOSFETs, are the most common devices in modern integrated circuit devices. One conventional configuration of a FET is illustrated in FIG. 1. Field isolation regions 12 are formed by the local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) method at the surface of a substrate 10, defining the active device regions and providing lateral isolation between adjacent devices formed in and on the surface of the substrate 10. A gate oxide layer for the FET covers the active device regions of the substrate 10 and a gate electrode 16 of doped polysilicon is formed on the gate oxide layer 14. Oxide spacer structures 18 are generally provided on either side of the gate electrode 16. The inner edges of source/drain regions 20 define a channel region at the surface of the substrate, with a source/drain region extending from either side of the gate electrode 16 to the field isolation regions 12. Frequently, the source/drain regions 20 have a lightly doped drain (LDD) structure in which an inner, more lightly doped portion of the source/drain region is aligned with the edge of the gate electrode 16, and a more heavily doped portion of the source/drain region 20 is aligned with the oxide spacer structure 18. A P-pocket or halo implant 22 extends slightly below and toward the FET channel from each of the LDD source/drain regions. The P-pocket or halo implant reduces the short channel effects in the FIG. 1 FET.
Generally, the FET structure shown in FIG. 1 is prepared by first forming a field isolation mask on the surface of the substrate 10, with openings in the mask exposing the substrate over regions where the field isolation structures will be formed. The field isolation structures are then formed either using a local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) process, as illustrated, or a shallow trench isolation method. The field isolation mask is then stripped and various implantations may be made into the active regions of substrate 10 to adjust the doping profile of the substrate within the active regions. A gate oxide layer 14 is then grown on the cleaned surfaces of the active regions of the substrate 10. Polysilicon is blanket deposited by a low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) technique over the gate oxide layer and the field isolation regions. The polysilicon layer is doped, typically by ion implantation, and photolithography is used to define gate electrodes 16 over the active regions. The source/drain regions 20 are formed in a two-stage implantation process. A first ion implantation is made using the gate electrode and the field isolation regions to mask the substrate, forming the more lightly doped portions of the LDD source/drain regions 20. A layer of CVD oxide is then deposited over the gate electrodes and over the surface of the device. An etch back process forms spacer structures 18 from the CVD oxide layer on either side of the gate electrode 16. A second ion implantation is performed to form a more heavily doped region aligned to the oxide spacer structures 18 and completing the source/drain regions 20. In the illustrated NMOS device, the source/drain regions 20 may be doped with any N-type dopant or combinations of different N-type dopants might be used to achieve different diffusion profiles. Finally, the P-pocket region 22 is formed by angular ion implantation of boron ions with the implantation made so that the ion flux is at an angle of approximately 30.degree. from normal (perpendicular) to the substrate.
Improvements in device density and reductions in the cost of manufacturing integrated circuits are closely linked to reducing the size of devices within the integrated circuits. The width of gate electrode 16, as well as the sizes of other device structures, are determined by conventional lithography processes. Shrinking the size of the FET shown in FIG. 1 generally cannot proceed beyond the resolution and alignment limitations of the particular process technology used in forming the FIG. 1 device. Thus, the width of the gate electrode 16 is typically designed to be a width d equal to the design rule for the particular process used in making the gate electrode. Further reductions in the size of the gate electrode are desirable to decrease device size and to improve the density of the integrated circuit. Adoption of higher resolution lithography techniques, which could facilitate forming smaller gate electrodes, is very expensive, and may only be economically justified for very high volume manufacturing. Smaller volume manufacturing operations and specialty or low-profit margin circuits might not cost effectively implement such high cost processes. Thus, even with the introduction of higher resolution lithography techniques, it may be difficult to further reduce the size of the FIG. 1 FET.
Another disadvantage of the device illustrated in FIG. 1 and of the method of making the device is that the source/drain electrodes require a significant implantation to ensure that their resistance is sufficiently low to provide good device performance. The required high level of ion implantation causes a variety of problems. For example, the heavy ion implantation dosage renders the substrate amorphous where the source/drain regions are to be formed. Recrystallization of the substrate in the source/drain regions is then performed in an annealing process which can produce defects in the recrystallized material, or which can lead to excessive levels of diffusion from the source/drain regions. Excessive diffusion from the source/drain regions can make the channel region beneath the gate electrode 16 narrower than is desired, compromising device performance. A further disadvantage with the FIG. 1 structure is that the P-type halo implant 22 overlaps with a considerable portion of the source/drain region 20. This extended overlap is undesirable for a variety of reasons, including the size of the P/N junction formed between the halo implant 22 and the source/drain region 20, which impairs the FET's performance by reducing switching speeds.


A method of determining respiratory rate from a photoplethysmograph signal includes filtering the photoplethysmograph signal to create a filtered photoplethysmograph signal. The method also includes detecting peaks and valleys in the filtered photoplethysmograph signal to extract predetermined features from the filtered photoplethysmograph signal. The method also includes obtaining variation waveforms from the predetermined features. The method also includes removing outliers from each of variation waveforms. The method also includes interpolating for the outliers removed from each of the variation waveforms to acquire a frequency estimation of each of the variation waveforms. The method also includes determining a respiratory rate based on the frequency estimation of each of the variation waveforms. The method also includes determining a weighted average of the respiratory rate the variation waveforms to determine an estimated respiratory rate.

The present disclosure relates to respiratory devices and particularly, to respiratory devices that use a photoplethysmograph signal to determine a respiratory rate of a patient.
Respiratory devices that provide positive pressure to a person's airway are known. For example, there are Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices that apply positive pressure to a person's airway at a substantially constant level during the person's inhalation and exhalation. There are also Bi-Level CPAP devices that apply varying levels of positive pressure to a person, such as applying a first amount of positive pressure during inhalation and a second amount of positive pressure during exhalation.
Respiratory devices that provide negative pressure or suction to a person's airway are also known. One category of such devices is mechanical insufflation/exsufflation (MIE) devices. These devices are sometimes referred to as cough assist devices. This is because application of positive pressure followed by application of negative pressure to a person's airway simulates a cough and assists the person in expelling mucus from their airway. One such known cough assist device is the VITALCOUGH™ System available from Hill-Rom Company, Inc. In this regard, see U.S. Pat. No. 8,539,952 which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Respiratory devices that are capable of applying both positive and negative pressure to a person's airway sometimes have a pressure source, such as a blower, and at least one valve that changes position to selectively connect either the outlet of the blower or the inlet of the blower to a patient interface, such as a mask or mouthpiece and related tubing, to apply the positive pressure or the negative pressure, respectively to the person's airway. Other respiratory devices have separate positive pressure and negative pressure sources.
Some respiratory devices include additional structural elements, such as one or more valves, diaphragm pumps, acoustic devices, or piezoelectric devices that operate to provide oscillations in the baseline pressure levels being applied to the person's airway. These additional structural elements to produce the oscillations add cost, size and weight to the respiratory device. Patients and caregivers, therefore, may appreciate respiratory devices capable of producing oscillatory pressures, such as positive pressures or negative pressures or both, but that are smaller, less expensive, and lighter in weight than known respiratory devices.
It is desirable in some respiratory devices to measure respiration rate. It also desirable to measure respiration rate without the need of additional equipment that would not otherwise be in use with the patient. That is, it is desirable to measure respiration rate using existing equipment in the patient room. Thus, there is an ongoing need for improvements in the respiration rate measurement techniques of respiratory devices.

Respiration rate estimation from a photoplethysmography signal