An ultrasonic probe includes an ultrasonic transmitting/receiving element which uses a piezoelectric member constituted by a solid-solution based single crystal of zinc lead niobate-lead titanate, so that low-frequency driving can be achieved, the thickness of the piezoelectric member in the direction of vibration can be decreased, matching with a transmitting/receiving circuit can be easily made, and the sensitivity can be improved. The ultrasonic probe includes an ultrasonic transmitting/receiving element having a piezoelectric member constituted by a solid-solution based single crystal of zinc lead niobate-lead titanate and a pair of electrodes formed on an ultrasonic transmitting/receiving surface of the piezoelectric member and a surface opposite to the transmitting/receiving surface, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe and, more particularly, to an ultrasonic probe useful in a medical diagnosing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ultrasonic probe has an ultrasonic transmitting/receiving element having a piezoelectric element. The ultrasonic probe is used for imaging the internal state of a target by radiating an ultrasonic wave toward the target and receiving an echo reflected by an interface having a different acoustic impedance of the target. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus incorporating such an ultrasonic probe is applied to, e.g., a medical diagnosing apparatus for inspecting the interior of a human body and an inspecting apparatus for inspecting the interior of a metal welding portion.
As an example of the medical diagnosing apparatus, in addition to the tomographic image (B mode image) display of the human body, there has been recently developed an apparatus employing the "Color Flow Mapping (CFM) method" capable of performing two-dimensional color display of the speed of the blood flow of, e.g., the heart, liver, and carotid artery, by utilizing a Doppler shift in ultrasonic wave caused by the blood flow. The diagnosing performance has been remarkably improved by this medical diagnosing apparatus. The medical diagnosing apparatus employing the CFM method is used for diagnosis of all the internal organs, e.g., the uterus, liver, and spleen, of the human body. Further studies are in progress aiming at an apparatus capable of diagnosing coronary thrombus.
In the case of the former B mode image, a high-resolution image must be obtained at a high sensitivity so that even a small change to a morbid state and a body cavity at a deep location caused by a change in body can be clearly seen. In the latter Doppler mode capable of obtaining a CFM image, since the echo reflected by a small blood cell having a diameter of about several fm is used, the obtained signal level is lower than that obtained in the B mode image, and thus a higher sensitivity is required.
Conventionally, ultrasonic transmitting/receiving elements having the structures as follows are used in terms of their performance:
(1) Ultrasonic attenuation caused by irradiating a living body with an ultrasonic wave by an ultrasonic probe is about 0.5 to 1 dB/MHz.cm except in bones. Thus, in order to obtain a high-sensitivity signal from the living body, it is preferable to decrease the frequency of the ultrasonic wave radiated by the ultrasonic transmitting/receiving element. When, however, the frequency is excessively decreased, the wavelength of the frequency is increased to sometimes degrade the resolution. Therefore, an ultrasonic wave having a frequency of 2 to 10 MHz is usually radiated.
(2) The piezoelectric member of the ultrasonic transmitting/receiving element must be constituted by a material having a large electromechanical coupling coefficient and a large dielectric constant so that loss caused by cables and the stray capacitance of the apparatus is small and that the piezoelectric member be easily matched with a transmitting/receiving circuit. For this reason, the piezoelectric member is mainly constituted by a titanate lead zirconate (PZT)-based ceramic.
(3) An array-type ultrasonic probe constituted by arranging several tens to about 200 ultrasonic transmitting/receiving elements each having a strip-shaped piezoelectric member has a high resolution.
However, the conventional utrasonic probe has the following problems.
(a) The ultrasonic transmitting/receiving element usually radiates an ultrasonic wave by utilizing resonance of the vibration of the piezoelectric member in the direction of thickness. To decrease the influence of the attenuation in ultrasonic wave from a living body, the frequency of the ultrasonic wave must be decreased, as described above. To decrease the frequency of the wave, the piezoelectric member must be thicker. For example, in order to radiate an ultrasonic wave having a frequency of 2.5 MHz, the thickness of the piezoelectric member comprising the PZT-based ceramic must be set to 600 .mu.m in the direction of vibration. When the thickness of the piezoelectric member is increased in this manner, various problems occur. More specifically, to form a strip-shaped piezoelectric member from a PZT-based ceramic block, a dicer used in dicing a semiconductor silicon wafer and the like is used. When the thickness of the piezoelectric member in the direction of vibration is increased, the depth of cut when dicing is performed at a predetermined pitch is increased. If, for this reason, dicing is performed by using a thin blade, the cutting groove becomes oblique, the cut portion winds, or the piezoelectric member can be damaged. If dicing is performed by using a thick plate in order to avoid them, the cutting amount is increased. Then, since the size of the PZT-based ceramic blocks before dicing is predetermined, the area of the ultrasonic transmitting/receiving surface of each piezoelectric member is decreased. As a result, the sensitivity is decreased, and the side lobe (grating lobe) level is increased.
(b) When the array-type ultrasonic probe is brought into contact with the living body, since the diameter of the ultrasonic wave radiating surface cannot be increased, as the number of ultrasonic transmitting/receiving elements is increased, the impedance per piezoelectric member is increased, and matching with the transmitting/receiving circuit becomes difficult to obtain. Regarding matching, poor matching can be avoided by using the PZT-based ceramic having a large relative dielectric constant as the piezoelectric member. However, since the electromechanical coupling coefficient of the PZT-based ceramic is decreased when the relative dielectric constant exceeds 3,000, the sensitivity is decreased, thus causing another problem.
Regarding the problem (b) described above, matching with the transmitting/receiving circuit is obtained by forming the piezoelectric member as a multilayered structure or by incorporating an impedance converter. However, in a multilayered structure, although the transmitting sensitivity is increased in accordance with the number of layers, the receiving sensitivity is inversely proportional to the number of layers. Therefore, the application of the multilayered piezoelectric member is limited to special cases, e.g., a case wherein the piezoelectric member is smaller than usual and a case wherein the cable is long. When an impedance converter such as an emitter-follower is used, the size of the ultrasonic probe is increased, and the frequency band is narrowed due to the frequency characteristics inherent to the impedance converter.
It is known that a piezoelectric member constituted by a polymeric material, e.g., lead metaniobate, polyvinylidene fluoride, or a copolymer thereof, has a small frequency constant and that its thickness ca be smaller than that constituted by a PZT-based ceramic even if it has a low frequency. However, the polymeric material has a small dielectric constant and a small electromechanical coupling coefficient and is not thus practical.
As described above, when a high-sensitivity low-frequency driving ultrasonic probe which causes small attenuation in ultrasonic wave in a living body is to be obtained, if a conventional PZT-based ceramic is used, the thickness of the probe becomes large. For this reason, if a thin blade is used to perform dicing to obtain strip-shaped piezoelectric members, the cutting groove becomes oblique, the cut portion winds, or the piezoelectric member can be damaged. If dicing is performed by using a thick plate, as the cutting portion is increased, the area of the ultrasonic wave transmitting/receiving surface of each piezoelectric member is decreased. Then, the sensitivity is decreased, and the side lobe level is increased. Furthermore, when the thickness of the piezoelectric member is increased, the electric impedance is increased, and matching with the transmitting/receiving circuit becomes difficult to obtain.


The present invention provides a pyrolysis system and method thereof which are capable of converting an entire rubber tire into several energy resources in an environmentally-friendly manner. The system includes a tire transporting unit, a waste to energy conversion unit, and a energy collection unit. The waste to energy conversion unit includes a conversion housing having a reaction chamber for receiving the rubber tire for pyrolysis processing to decompose the rubber tire into fuel oil, methane gas and carbon black, while metal wire from the rubber tire are resided for recycling use.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a waste processing system and the method thereof, and more particularly to a pyrolysis system and method thereof which are capable of converting an entire rubber tire into several energy resources in an environmentally-friendly manner.
2. Description of Related Arts
Trash processing has become one of the most pressing problems for almost all developed countries. There are two conventional methods in treating trash, first, trash is transported to specific plants for burning, second, trash of appropriate categories is transported to certain landfill zones for landfill.
One particularly difficult issue of trash processing is how to deal with used rubber tires. According to the California Integrated Waste Management Board Report, people in California wear out roughly 28 million tires per year. Across the country, there are altogether 240 million old tires which are replaced each year. Thus, one can see the huge amount of used rubber tires in the US.
Given the huge demand of motor vehicles, the amount of dumped rubber tires are indeed tremendous. The above-mentioned conventional methods, such as burning and landfill, have been proven to be unsatisfactory. For example, burning of dumped rubber tires releases huge amount of pollutants which inevitably increases the problem of air pollution in the region.
Referring to the burning processing, as a matter of conventional practices, dumped rubber tires are first shredded before burning. This has the advantage of easy handling of the waste materials. However, it is almost impossible to effectively recycle those useful substances contained in the rubber tires. For instances, once the rubber tires have been shredded, such useful substances as steel wire are as well shredded. This makes engineers very difficult to recycle those shredded steel wires into high quality materials for other purposes.
Referring to the landfill method, it may temporarily resolve the problem of trash processing. However, as the amount of garbage and rubber tires are ever-increasing, there is simply not enough land for being filled with garbage. As land is one of the most important forms of property in any developed society like the US, this by no means an efficient and ideal way of processing garbage, including rubber tires. Moreover, it is important to point out that most landfill garbage is meant to be easily degradable. The fact that rubber tires are not easily degradable means that they are even not suitable for landfill.
As a result, one may appreciate that the conventional treatment method of dumped rubber tires are expensive, inefficient, and produces a substantial amount of pollutants which can seriously pollute the environment.

Rubber tire to energy pyrolysis system and method thereof


A papermaker's fabric of a type for use in high temperature operations and including interwoven machine direction (MD) and cross-machine direction (CMD) yarns that define a base fabric and a paper support layer. The fabric is characterized by the paper support layer including high temperature MD yarns woven in a repeat pattern that includes a float over at least seven CMD yarns.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a woven fabric designed for use in a papermaking machine. More particularly, the present invention relates to a woven fabric for use in a high temperature section of a papermaking machine. Most particularly, the present invention relates to a woven fabric for use in an impulse drying press section of a papermaking machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional papermaking machine forms a web by depositing a slurry of pulp fibers to be formed into a paper sheet on a traveling forming wire. After initial dewatering on the forming wire, the paper sheet or web is transferred to a press section where the web passes through a number of press nips formed between roll couples. The press nips serve to consolidate the solid ingredients of the paper and at the same time to increase the dewatering of the slurry. Thereafter, the web passes over a series of heated dryer drums and possibly through a calendar. While there are many variations in the various sections of the machine, in a typical machine, the web usually arrives at the press section with about 80% wet base moisture and leaves the press section with approximately 60% wet base moisture. The remaining moisture is removed in the dryer section as the web passes over a series of heated drums.
To reduce the number of heated drums, a method of dewatering known as "impulse drying" has been introduced. In impulse drying, a paper sheet is passed through press rolls having at least one of the rolls being a high temperature roll having a typical surface temperature of 300.degree. F. or greater.
As a result of impulse drying, the paper sheet leaves the press nip at a substantially lower moisture content than with conventional pressing technology. The effectiveness of the system is such that the total number of dryer drums in a papermaking machine can be substantially reduced. Under certain conditions, improved paper properties can also result. The major drawback to this method is the high temperature of the press roll produces severe operating conditions for the press fabric. As such, standard press fabrics generally degrade rapidly when subjected to the high temperature and moisture conditions of an impulse drying section. Traditional high temperature fabrics do not provide the necessary resiliency and paper forming characteristics required in an impulse press section.
Accordingly, there is a need for a press fabric which can withstand impulse drying techniques while maintaining the necessary characteristics of a press fabric.

Multilayer press fabric including long floats of high temperature MD yarns in the paper support layer


A capacity control valve device for a variable capacity swash plate compressor which includes at least one piston, a suction port, a suction chamber, and a refrigerant inlet passage communicating the suction port with the suction chamber, in which each piston has its stroke changed to control delivery quantity of the compressor. The control valve device is arranged at an intermediate portion of the refrigerant inlet passage, for controlling differential pressure between the suction port and the suction chamber. The control valve device includes a valve element, a first urging member for urging the valve element in a valve-opening direction, an accumulator for accumulating high-pressure refrigerant gas having higher pressure than pressure within the suction chamber to build up pressure therein for urging the valve element in a valve-closing direction, a high-pressure passage for introducing the high-pressure refrigerant gas into the accumulator, and a pilot valve arranged at an intermediate portion of the high-pressure passage for controlling a flow rate of the high-pressure refrigerant gas into the accumulator in dependence on the pressure in the suction port. The pilot valve has a valve element, and a second urging member for urging the valve element in a valve-closing direction. The control valve device comprises a pressure control passage opened by the pilot valve for permitting the high-pressure refrigerant gas accumulated within the accumulator to escape, when the pilot valve operates in the valve-closing direction.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a capacity control valve device for variable capacity swash plate compressors, and more particularly to a capacity control valve device of this kind, which changes the stroke of pistons of a variable capacity swash plate compressor to thereby control delivery quantity of the variable capacity swash plate compressor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIGS. 1 and 2 are conceptual views showing a conventional capacity control valve device of a variable capacity swash plate compressor. FIG. 1 shows the capacity control valve device in a state in which the valve opening of a main valve thereof is small, and FIG. 2 shows the capacity control valve device in a state in which the valve opening of the main valve is large.
The capacity control valve device is arranged within a rear head 103 of the variable capacity swash compressor. As shown in FIG. 1, the capacity control valve device is comprised of a main valve 130 having a valve element 131 and a spring 132 for urging the valve element 131 in a valve-opening direction (downward as viewed in FIG. 1), an accumulator 133 for accumulating high-pressure refrigerating gas therein to build up pressure for urging the valve element 131 in a valve-closing direction, a high-pressure passage 134 for introducing the high-pressure refrigerant gas from a discharge chamber 112 into the accumulator 133, a pilot valve 140 arranged at an intermediate portion of the high-pressure passage 134 for controlling a flow rate of the high-pressure refrigerant gas flowing into the accumulator 133 in dependence on pressure in a suction port 103a, the pilot valve having a valve element 135 and a spring 125 for urging the valve element 135 in a valve-closing direction (i.e. upward as viewed in FIG. 1), and a pressure control passage 131a formed through the valve element 131 for permitting the high-pressure refrigerant gas within the accumulator 133 to escape to a suction chamber 113.
The suction port 103a is constantly communicated with a crank case (not shown), and the pressure in the suction port 103a and pressure within the crank case are maintained equal to each other.
When thermal load on the compressor decreases to decrease the pressure Pe in the suction port 103a, the pilot valve 140 is opened, as shown in FIG. 1, to permit the high-pressure refrigerant gas to flow from the discharge chamber 112 into the accumulator 133 through the high-pressure passage 134. Part of the high-pressure refrigerant gas which has flowed into the accumulator 133 escapes to the suction chamber 113 via the pressure control passage 131a formed through the valve element 132. However, the flow rate of high-pressure refrigerant gas which escapes from the accumulator 133 is smaller than that of high-pressure refrigerant gas flowing therein, so that the pressure within the accumulator 133 builds up. Further, when the pressure Pe in the suction port 103a decreases, force urging the valve element 131 downward, i.e. in the valve-opening direction decreases, whereby the valve element 131 is moved upward i.e. in the valve-closing direction to reduce the valve opening of the main valve 130. The valve element 131 of the main valve 130 is thus moved in the valve-closing direction up to a position in which the pressure within the accumulator 133 and the sum of the pressure Pe in the suction port 103a and urging force Fp of the spring 125 become equal to each other.
The condition in which the pressure Pe in the suction port 103a is low (see FIG. 1) can be expressed as follows: EQU Pd.times.Sd>Pe.times.Se+Fp
where Pd: pressure within the discharge chamber, Sd: a pressure-receiving area of the valve element of the pilot valve on the Pd side, Pe: pressure in the suction port, Se: a pressure-receiving area of the valve element of the pilot valve on the Pe side, and Fp: urging force of the spring.
On the other hand, when the thermal load on the compressor increases to increase the pressure in the suction port 103a, the pilot valve 140 is closed, as shown in FIG. 2, to cut off the flow of the high-pressure refrigerant gas from the discharge chamber 112 to the accumulator 133, so that the pressure within the accumulator 133 is progressively reduced as the high-pressure refrigerant gas within the accumulator escapes to the suction chamber 113 through the pressure control passage 131a of the valve element 131. As a result, the valve element 131 of the main valve 130 is moved in the valve-opening direction (downward as viewed in FIG. 2) to increase the valve opening of the main valve 130, whereby the flow rate of refrigerant gas from the suction port 103a to the suction chamber 113 is increased.
The condition in which the pressure Pe in the suction port 103a is high (see FIG. 2) can be expressed as follows: EQU Pd.times.Sd<Pe.times.Se+Fp
As described above, according to the conventional capacity control valve device, when the pilot valve 140 opens, the high-pressure refrigerant gas flows from the discharge chamber 133 into the accumulator 112 through the high-pressure passage 134. However, since part of the high-pressure refrigerant gas flowing into the accumulator 133 escapes to the suction chamber 113 through the pressure control passage 131a, the pressure within the accumulator 133 rises slowly. Therefore, it takes a considerable time period before the valve element 131 of the main valve 130 is moved in the valve-closing direction to decrease the valve opening the main valve 130, which results in degraded response of the device.
Further, according to the above capacity control valve device, when the pilot valve 140 closes, the flow of high-pressure refrigerant gas from the discharge chamber 112 to the accumulator 133 is cut off, and the high-pressure refrigerant gas within the accumulator 133 escapes to the suction chamber 113 through the pressure control passage 131a, whereby the pressure within the accumulator 133 is reduced. However, the pressure within the accumulator 133 decreases slowly, and hence it takes a considerable time period before the valve element 131 is moved in the valve-opening direction to increase the valve opening of the main valve 130, which also results in degraded response of the device.

Capacity control valve device for variable capacity swash plate compressors


Devices and techniques for coupling radiation to intraband quantum-well semiconductor sensors that are insensitive to the wavelength of the coupled radiation. At least one reflective surface is implemented in the quantum-well region to direct incident radiation towards the quantum-well layers.

This specification relates to devices and techniques of coupling radiation energy to a quantum-well radiation sensor.
An infrared quantum-well semiconductor sensor usually includes a quantum-well structure formed of alternating active and barrier semiconductor layers. Such a quantum-well structure can have different energy bands. Each can have multiple quantum states. An intraband transition between a ground state and an excited state in the same band (i.e., a conduction band or a valance band) can be used to detect infrared ("IR") radiation by absorbing IR radiation at or near a selected resonance IR wavelength. The absorption of the radiation generates electric charge indicative of the amount of received radiation. The radiation-induced charge can then be converted into an electrical signal (e.g., a voltage or current) to be processed by signal processing circuitry.
The compositions of lattice-matched semiconductor materials of the quantum well layers can be adjusted to cover a wide range of wavelengths for infrared detection and sensing. In comparison with other radiation detectors, quantum-well structures can achieve, among other advantages, high uniformity, a low noise-equivalent temperature difference, large format arrays, high radiation hardness, and low cost. Infrared quantum-well sensing arrays may be used for various applications, including night vision, navigation, flight control, environmental monitoring.
A quantum-well infrared sensor usually responds to incident radiation with a polarization that is perpendicular to the quantum well layers, i.e., parallel to the growth direction. This is because this polarization can induce an intraband transition at a desired infrared wavelength. In applications based on imaging at focal plane arrays, the photodetector array is often oriented perpendicular to the scene to be imaged. Since the electric vector is essentially parallel to the quantum well layers in this arrangement, the quantum well layers absorb little or no light.
Hence, a coupling mechanism is often implemented to couple incident radiation in a way that at least a portion of the incident radiation becomes absorbable by the quantum well layers. The coupling efficiency of the coupling mechanism can be characterized by the percentage of absorbable radiation, but not what is actually absorbed, of the total incident radiation. One way to provide proper coupling is to use random reflectors or corrugated surfaces to scatter a portion of the incident radiation into the correct polarization for absorption. Alternatively, one-dimensional or two-dimensional grating couplers can also be used to convert normally-incident radiation to waves have components that propagate along the quantum well layers.
However, the coupling efficiencies of these coupling schemes are sensitive to the wavelength of the radiation. Hence, their applications are limited to detection of radiation at a single selected wavelength or a narrow spectral range and hence cannot be used for detection of radiation of multiple colors. In addition, these coupling schemes direct only a portion of the incident beam to be parallel to the absorbing quantum well layers and hence limit the coupling efficiency to an upper limit that is determined by the percentage of the portion of radiation propagating parallel to the quantum well layers.

Wavelength-insensitive radiation coupling for multi-quantum well sensor based on intersubband absorption


A centrifugal fan includes a motor, an impeller, a circuit board, and a casing. The motor has a stator and a rotatable rotor. The impeller is fixed to and rotates with the rotor. The casing has a lower casing recessed downward and provided with a board housing portion accommodating the circuit board. The impeller includes a boss portion, blade portions, an upper shroud, and a lower shroud. The blade portions are disposed at intervals in the circumferential direction on an outer peripheral surface of the boss portion and extend radially outside. The upper shroud is connected to at least a portion of each of the blade portions on the upper side. The lower shroud is connected to at least a portion of the blade portion on the lower side. At least a portion of the lower end surface of the blade portion faces the upper surface of the circuit board.

A centrifugal fan has a structure in which an impeller having a plurality of blades arranged on the circumference thereof is accommodated between an upper casing in which an air intake port is formed and a lower casing. As the impeller rotates, the centrifugal fan discharges air introduced through an opening portion to a side of the impeller. The lower casing is a metal plate and has a recessed portion recessed downward. A motor is attached to a bottom surface of the recessed portion. A portion of a stator of the motor and a circuit board on which a drive circuit of the motor is mounted are accommodated in the recessed portion. The recessed portion is provided with a hole portion through which a supplier that supplies electric power for rotating the motor passes.
In a configuration in which impeller blade portions are between an upper shroud and a lower shroud, in the case where the impeller is formed as a single member, a lateral slide mechanism is used for the mold and the mold structure becomes complicated. In addition, there is a restriction that an undercut portion in the vicinity of the air intake port is provided. On the other hand, in the case where the impeller is formed of two members, geometrical problems that arises when the impeller is formed as a single member are able to be reduced or solved. However, the difficulty of manufacturing an impeller formed as two members increases because two molds are used and a method, such as welding, for fastening the two members is also used.
On the other hand, in high-output motors, because the electronic components used are becoming larger, the size of the circuit board increases in accordance with the increase in the size of the electronic components. In the case where a circuit board is made larger, with the configuration of the existing centrifugal fan, the recessed portion is enlarged for accommodating the circuit board. As a result, a space is generated between the peripheral edge of the recessed portion and the impeller, and the wind guiding function of the lower casing is reduced or lost. Thus, there is a possibility that static pressure characteristics, air volume characteristics, and noise characteristics deteriorate when the circuit board is increased in size.
As a countermeasure against this, in some instances the space between the peripheral portion of the recessed portion and the impeller is filled by extending the lower shroud of the impeller radially outside. However, in this method, an undercut portion is generated in the upper shroud and the lower shroud, which causes a problem that the mold structure becomes complicated in some instances. In addition, the height of the blade portions is shortened and there is a possibility that the airflow rate in a thin centrifugal fan decreases.


Titanium is deposited onto a semiconductor interconnect to form a salicide structure by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The reactant gases, including titanium tetrachloride, hydrogen and optionally argon, are combined. A plasma is created using RF energy and the plasma contacts the rotating semiconductor material. This causes titanium to be deposited which reacts with exposed silicon to form titanium silicide without any subsequent anneal. Other titanium deposited on the surface, as well as titanium-rich silicon compositions (TiSi.sub.X wherein X is <2), are removed by chemical etching. If only about 40 .ANG. of titanium is deposited, it will selectively deposit onto the silicon structure without coating the oxide spacers of the interconnect. In this embodiment the need to chemically etch the substrate is eliminated.

Self-aligned silicides, commonly referred to as salicides, are formed when metal is deposited over an MOS structure and reacted with exposed silicon areas such as the source and drain, as well as exposed polysilicon areas on the gate, to form silicides. Oxide structures along the gate, known as oxide spacers, prevent the gate and source/drain areas from being electrically connected by avoiding silicide formation on the oxide. Following the silicide formation, a selective etch is used to remove unreacted metal without attacking the silicide.
The most widely used silicide for the salicide process is TiSi.sub.2, although platinum and molybdenum silicides are also employed. Titanium silicide is attractive for this application because it exhibits the lowest resistivity of the refractory metal silicides. Since it can reduce native oxide layers, it is the most widely accepted refractory metal for reliably forming a silicide on both poly- and single-crystalline silicon by thermal reaction.
In the salicide structure, the silicide is formed in the diffusion areas and on the polysilicon gate. The oxide spacers separate these two regions by only about 2,000-3,000 .ANG.. Thus, any lateral formation of silicide can easily bridge this separation and cause the gate to become shorted to the source/drain. It has been observed that if titanium silicide is formed by conventional furnace annealing in an inert gas atmosphere, such lateral titanium silicide formation rapidly occurs. By annealing in an ambient of nitrogen, the titanium absorbs a significant amount of nitrogen and, at the same time, reacts with the nitrogen and forms a nitride phase on the titanium surface. Once the titanium is fully reacted with the nitrogen, lateral silicide reaction is essentially suppressed.
Unfortunately, during the annealing process silicon can diffuse from the source, drain and gate regions and into the titanium which covers the oxide region. Thus, titanium silicide can be formed over the isolation oxide and sidewall spacers, as well as over the source, drain and gate regions. This silicide is not etched away by the selective etch. Therefore, when the second high-temperature anneal is performed, the silicide is converted to the low resistivity C54 phase. If this low resistivity silicide provides a continuous electrical path between the source, drain and gate regions, then the device will fail.
These problems can be reduced by controlling the rate of nitridation of the titanium. The titanium must be nitrided quickly enough to suppress the silicide formation over the oxide, yet slowly enough to permit sufficient silicide to form in the source, drain and gate regions. This is a very delicate process. The process can be better controlled by limiting the thickness of the sputtered titanium. This allows the titanium over the oxide to be quickly nitrided. Once it is nitrided, it cannot be silicided. However, if the sputtered titanium is too thin, then the thickness of the silicide formed over the source, drain and gate regions will be insufficient to provide low resistance.


A three-way valve for high pressures and having a plug member rotatable within a valve housing. A seal arrangement is offset from the plug member to define a space in which system fluid pressure may be trapped for the purpose of acting on the plug member to offset system fluid pressure applied in an opposite direction to the plug member. Accordingly, frictional engagement of the plug member with the valve housing is reduced.

The present invention pertains generally to valves used in high pressure systems where substantial loads are applied to the movable element of the valves.
In valves controlling fluid flows above 1000 PSI a problem exists by reason of the movable valve member being heavily biased, often by pressure in a downstream line, against a surface of the valve body. Accordingly, considerable torque may be required to position the plug member or other movable member of the valve. Valves actuated by mechanical or pneumatic actuators accordingly may require an actuator of a size incompatible with the space available. In the past, valve plug members have been coated to provide a lubricated surface between a valve housing surfaces and the movable plug member. Such reliance on a surface applied lubricant encounters the risk of contaminating a fluid flow through the valve.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,705,075 and 5,037,067 issued to one of the present inventors are of interest in that they disclose plug valves for use in high pressure systems.

Three-way valve with pressure balanced plug member


The image-processing device comprises a quantization threshold produce unit producing quantization threshold values corresponding to each pixel of multivalued image data according to a dither threshold matrix, a random dither quantize unit quantizing the multivalued image data in multivalues by a random dither process using the quantization threshold values so as to output quantized data, and a resolution convert binarize unit converting the quantized data into binary image data having a resolution higher than that of the multivalued image data. The resolution convert binarize unit determines the number of dot-on pixels to be output in a plural-pixel field of the binary image data according to the quantized data value of a pixel being processed of the multivalued image data. The plural-pixel field corresponds to the pixel. The resolution convert binarize unit also controls the order of arranging the dot-on pixels in the plural-pixel field according to a position on the dither threshold matrix corresponding to the pixel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a field of image processing, and more particularly, to a field of an image forming or displaying device applicable to a laser printer, a digital copying machine, a color laser printer and a facsimile device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, the dither method, the density pattern method, and the random dither method are generally used as a middle-tone reproducing method in an image-forming device, such as a laser printer, a digital copying machine, a color laser printer and a facsimile device.
The dither method expresses the gradation with a plurality of pixels, and expresses colors with the combination thereof in a color image. The dither method used in a general printing is excellent in granularity, and expresses a smooth middle-tone image. In the so-called area gradation methods represented by the dither method, a resolution is deteriorated in exchange for obtaining a gradation. Additionally, with respect to a print image like dots, the dither method producing periodic images tends to generate moirés.
The random dither method is a method for expressing gradation while maintaining resolution. The random dither method is suitable to a reproduction of a text image because the random dither method can obtain a resolution faithful to the original image. However, the random dither method may possibly produce a peculiar texture with respect to a halftone image such as a photographic part because isolate dots are scattered or arranged in irregular connections to deteriorate granularity. Especially in an electrophotographic printer, since an image is formed by isolate dots, a deterioration of granularity or a banding tends to occur in the unstable image due to uneven density.
By the way, regarding an image-forming device and the like, it may sometimes be desired to convert multivalued image data of low resolution into binary image data of high resolution. Applying the random dither method to this case conceivably involves a method of providing the multivalued image data with high resolution prior to a random dither process. However, the random dither process is a complicated and time-consuming process because the random dither process performs a product-sum calculation to diffuse quantization errors of peripheral pixels. Specifically, the number of pixels in a unit area increases as the resolution of the binary image data becomes higher, and the calculation amount and the processing time of the random dither process increase in approximate proportion to the number of pixels in a unit area. Thus, for example, when the resolution varies from 600 dpi to 1200 dpi and 2400 dpi, the number of pixels in a unit area increases 4 times and 16 times, respectively, in proportion to the square of the resolution; therefore, the calculation amount and the processing time have to increase largely. Hence, in order to maintain productivity, the process needs to be performed at a higher speed to compensate for the increased calculation amount and restrain the increase in the processing time.
An effective method to restrain the increase in the processing time is quantizing the multivalued image data of low resolution by the random dither process, and thereafter converting the multivalued image data of low resolution into the binary image data of high resolution, because this method reduces a calculation amount and a circuit scale required for the random dither process, compared to quantizing image data of high resolution.
An example of a device realizing such a conventional technology can be found in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 07-295527. In this technology, after multivalued image data of low resolution (600 dpi) is quantized in multivalues by the random dither process, the multivalued image data is converted into binary image data of high resolution (1200 dpi) by the density pattern method or the dither method.
Another example of a method realizing such a conventional technology can be found in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 11-155064. In this technology, after data of low resolution (600 dpi) is binarized by the random dither process, the data is converted into binary image data of high resolution (1200 dpi) by pattern matching.
Objects of the above-mentioned device (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 07-295527) are to increase the processing speed, reduce the calculation time, and prevent the circuit scale from increasing due to a buffer memory, while achieving binary image signal having sufficient gradations at a high speed. Another object of this device is to inhibit moirés and Rosetta patterns. In order to achieve these objects, this conventional device performs a gradation process reducing the number of gradations per pixel by the multivalued random dither process, and based on the result thereof, performs another gradation process, i.e., the density pattern method. However, since dots are arranged by a simple method, such as the density pattern method or the dither method, it is difficult to increase the quality of an image formed by a printer performing a high-density writing of 1200 dpi or more, especially an electrophotographic printer in which dots are reproduced less clearly as the dots become denser. Additionally, arranging dots by the density pattern method or the dither method inflicts periodicity on an image, and may possibly generate moirés.
The above-mentioned method (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 11-155064) attempts to make a large improvement in granularity at a highlight part by using a little buffer memory and performing a few processes. However, no particular change or remarkably improved quality can be observed in an output image, compared to the random dither process of 600 dpi.

Image-processing device using quantization threshold values produced according to a dither threshold matrix and arranging dot-on pixels in a plural-pixel field according to the dither threshold matrix


The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes receiving a current frame, the current frame including one or more macroblocks, analyzing the current frame using a first set of image characteristics to determine if logo detection can be performed on the current frame, and performing the logo detection on the current frame if the current frame satisfies the first set of image characteristics to determine presence of a logo macroblock among the one or more macroblocks.

Video data transmission has become increasingly popular, and the demand for video streaming also has increased as digital video provides significant improvement in quality over conventional analog video in creating, modifying, transmitting, storing, recording and displaying motion videos and still images. A number of different video coding standards have been established for coding these digital video data. The Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG), for example, has developed a number of standards including MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 for coding digital video. Other standards include the International Telecommunication Union Telecommunications (ITU-T) H.264 standard and associated proprietary standards. Many of these video coding standards allow for improved video data transmission rates by coding the data in a compressed fashion. Compression can reduce the overall amount of video data required for effective transmission. Most video coding standards also utilize graphics and video compression techniques designed to facilitate video and image transmission over low-bandwidth networks.
Video compression technology, however, can cause visual artifacts that severely degrade the visual quality of the video. One artifact that degrades visual quality is blockiness. Blockiness manifests itself as the appearance of a block structure in the video. One conventional solution to remove the blockiness artifact is to employ a video deblocking filter during post-processing or after decompression. Conventional deblocking filters can reduce the negative visual impact of blockiness in the decompressed video. These filters, however, generally require a significant amount of computational complexity at the video decoder and/or encoder, which translates into higher cost for obtaining these filters and intensive labor in designing these filters.

Logo detection for macroblock-based video processing


An information processing apparatus that is capable of reducing power consumption. A power supply unit supplies electric power to devices including first and second devices of the apparatus. A power-state-switching unit switches a power state of the apparatus among a first power state in which the power supply unit supplies power to the devices, a second power state in which the power supply unit does not supply power to the first device without supplying power from a secondary battery to the devices, and a third power state in which the secondary battery supplies power to the second device. A control unit controls so that the secondary battery is charged by the power supplied from the power supply unit in the first power state, and to control so that the secondary battery is not charged by the power supplied from the power supply unit in the second and third power states.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that is provided with a power control unit, a control method therefor, and a storage medium storing a control program therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an image forming apparatus (for example, a printer or a multifunctional peripheral device) that is one of information processing apparatuses is provided with a power control unit for controlling the power consumption.
The power control unit makes the image forming apparatus shift from a standby state to a sleep mode with less power consumption than the standby state, when a predetermined condition is satisfied (when a predetermined time elapsed, for example) after the image forming apparatus enters the standby state. This reduces the power consumption of the image forming apparatus (power-saving).
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2007-62243 (JP 2007-62243A) discloses an image forming apparatus that supplies electric power to sections that are necessary to operate in the sleep mode (an IO control ASIC, an operation panel, an I/F circuit, for example) using a secondary battery (a rechargeable battery) in order to reduce the power consumption in the sleep mode.
The image forming apparatus disclosed in the publication charges the secondary battery when remaining battery power lowers regardless of the state of the image forming apparatus.
The image forming apparatus converts commercial power (AC power) into DC power by a power supply circuit and supplies it to respective internal units. For example, the power supply circuit converts the AC power of which voltage varies between 100 V and 230 V depending on a nation or an area into the DC power in low voltages, such as 3.3 V, 5 V, and 12 V. Then, the DC current is used to charge the secondary battery, too.
AC/DC conversion efficiency decreases as the power consumption in the image forming apparatus decreases in general. Accordingly, when the secondary battery is charged regardless of the state of the image forming apparatus (the state of the power consumption) as disclosed in JP 2007-62243A, the total power consumption including the power used for charging the secondary battery increases.

Information processing apparatus with power control unit, control method therefor, and storage medium storing control program therefor


Communities attributes are inserted into a packet in a predetermined sequence. A receiving device extrapolates policy information from the sequence of communities attributes for making intelligent routing decisions.

In today's information age, communication networks carry vast amounts of information. Communication networks typically include various types of networking devices, such as routers and switches, that send and receive information based upon various types of routing information. The routing information is computed by the networking devices based upon various routing protocols.
A large communication network typically includes a number of sub-networks that operate somewhat independently of one another. For convenience, such a sub-network is often referred to as an autonomous system (AS). Networking devices within an AS compute internal routes based upon an internal routing protocol. Network devices at the border of each AS compute external routes based upon an external routing protocol. One such external routing protocol is commonly known as the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP). BGP is described in Rekhter et al., A Border Gateway Protocol 4 (BGP-4), Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Request For Comments (RFC) 1771, March 1995, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. A border device of an AS using BGP is often referred to as a BGP speaker.
Within BGP, a group of destinations that share some common property is referred to as a community. Each AS administrator may define the community or communities to which a particular destination belongs. A BGP speaker may use community information to control which routing information it accepts, prefers, or distributes to other neighboring border devices.
Community information may be carried within BGP packets, specifically within one or more BGP community attributes in a BGP packet. BGP community attributes are described in Chandra et al., BGP Communities Attribute, Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Request For Comments (RFC) 1997, August 1996, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Aside from certain reserved values, a BGP communities attribute is a 32-bit value that is encoded using an AS number in the first two octets and an attribute value in the second two octets. Attribute values can be defined by the AS, and therefore the same attribute value can mean two different things in two different autonomous systems. The use of BGP communities attributes is optional. A BGP speaker can insert, modify, or replace a BGP community attribute in a BGP packet. When BGP communities attributes are used, there is no specified mechanism for placing the BGP communities attributes in the BGP packet. For example, the BGP communities attributes can be inserted, modified, or replaced differently by each BGP speaker, and multiple BGP communities attributes are not placed in the BGP packet in any particular location or order. A border device that receives a BGP packet with one or more BGP communities attributes can use the community information to make certain routing decisions.

System, device, and method for routing information in a communication network using policy extrapolation


New purine retinoid compounds according to the formula: ##STR1## wherein R is a purine derivative, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof, are provided which exhibit cancer-inhibiting activity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel retinoids, as coumarin retinoids and/or purine retinoids, and compositions thereof, which exhibit therapeutic and/or biological activity on cancer or precancer cells, as well as to methods of using same.
2. Description of the Related Background Art
Retinoids play an important role in the development and differentiation of epidermal cells, as well as in reversing precancerous lesions. Clinical trials have been conducted using N-(4-carboxyphenyl) retinamide in the treatment of some precancerous lesions, oral leukoplakia, vulval leukoplakia, atypical dysplasia of the cervix and the gastric mucosa, and the like (Han et al., in vivo 4:153-160 (1990)). Other retinoids, such as isoretinoin and etretinate, are in current use as prescription drugs for the treatment of acne and psoriasis (Gander et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,693).
However, retinoids have a significant level of toxicity, and treatment using known retinoid agents suffers from problems due to the level of toxicity and side effects which accompany administration of known retinoid compounds. Accordingly, there exists a need to provide novel compounds having retinoid activity but which have less toxicity and/or side effects.
Smith et al., J. Clin. Oncol. 10 (5):839-864 (1992), reviews the use of retinoids in cancer therapy with most of the emphasis on anti-tumor effects in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Smith et al. reports that the natural retinoid, all-trans-retinoic acid (RA), ##STR2## induces cell differentiation in some human acute myeloid leukemia (AML), neuroblastoma, teratocarcinoma, melanoma, and rat rhabdomyosarcoma cells and also appears to play an essential role in the normal differentiation of epithelial cells. Clinical toxicities associated with the use of RA in dermatologic studies are listed in Table 6 of the Smith et al. reference with disclosure in the text that retinoids are recognized as powerful teratogens.
Kizaki et al., Seminars in Oncology 19 (1):95-105 (1992), reports that retinoids are potent anti-carcinogenic agents in many experimental models and that they inhibit growth and induce differentiation of transformed neoplastic cells. A number of references specifically relate to retinoic acid derivatives as anti-cancer agents. Just et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,385,175, discloses esters of retinoic acid with azetidinones useful as anti-cancer agents. Philippe et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,713, discloses retinoic esters of L-cladinose which exhibit anti-tumor activity. The Paust Canadian Patent No. 1,127,170, is specifically directed to retinic acid N-(carboxy)-phenylamindes and 7,8-dehydro-retinic acid N-(carboxy)-phenylamides, and discloses that, while the retinic compounds are predominantly directed toward preventing cancer, they may be used for therapeutic treatment of tumors of the bladder, the mammary gland, the skin and the mucous membranes.
A number of references disclose retinoids being used in cancer prophylaxis and as inducers of cell differentiation. For instance, Newton et al., Cancer Res. 40:3413-3425 (1980) discloses a long list of esters, amines and amides of retinoic acid and their activity in cancer prophylaxis. None of the listed compounds are related to flavonoids or chalcone retinoids. Du et al., Inst. Mater. Med. Chinese Acad. Med. .Sci. Beijing 17:331-337 (1982), discloses the retinamides R.sub.II (N-4(hydroxycarbophenyl)retinamide) and R.sub.I (4-(ethoxycarbylphenyl)-retinamide) and their utility as cancer preventatives. Song et al., Inst. Mater. Med. Chinese Acad. Med. Sci. Beijing 19:576-581 (1984), also relates to the property of the retinamides R.sub.I and R.sub.II as cell differentiation inducers. The Shealy patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,083, discloses derivatives of retinoic acid as cell differentiation agents for cancer prevention and treatment and the Shealy et al. publication, J. Med. Chem. 31:1124-1130 (1988), discloses the chemopreventative activity of bifunctional retinoic acid esters. Dawson, J. Med. Chem. 27:1516-1531 (1984), Dawson et al., J. Med. Chem. 24:583-592 (1981), Kagechika et al., J. Med. Chem. 32:1098-1108 (1989), Skrede et al., Eur. J. Clin. Investig. 21:574-579 (1991) and Loev et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,042, all disclose various retinoid compounds which are cell differentiation agents. Gander, U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,581, discloses the use of N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-all-trans-retinamide for treatment of breast cancer while in U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,546, Gander discloses the use of N-(4-acyloxyphenyl)-all-trans-retinamide in the prevention of epithelial cancer. The Gander et al. patents, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,126,693 and 4,190,594, relate to other properties of esters and amides of retinoic acids.
Furthermore, Blazsek et al., Biomed. Pharmacother. 45:169-177 (1991), Degos, Biomed. Pharmacother. 46:201-209 (1992), Castaigne et al., Blood 76 (9):1704-1709 (1990), Chomienne et al., Blood 76 (9):1710-1717 (1990), and Lo Coco et al., Blood 77 (8):1657-1659 (1991) all disclose using retinoic acid in differentiation therapy for patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).
Some flavonoids and chalcones have been found to have anti-tumor properties. Middleton et al., Biochem. Pharmacol. 43:1167-1179 (1992), relates to the anti-tumor effects of flavonoids, and Harvey et al., J. Org. Chem. 53:3936-3943 (1988) and J. Org. Chem. 55:6161-6166 (1990), and Nair et al., Carcinogenesis 12 (1):65-69 (1991) relate to anti-carcinogenic coumarin and flavone compounds. Jing et al., Chinese J. Pharmacol. Toxicol. 6 (4):278-280 (1992) discloses that an isoflavone, diadzein, inhibits melanoma cell growth. The Ishizuka et al. patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,924, discloses anti-cancer effects of a substituted 2-benzopyrinone. Ito et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,908, Briet et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,602,034, 4,783,533, and 5,116,954, and Kramer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,465, all teach 4-benzopyrinone compounds as anti-cancer agents.
Preuss-Ueberschar et al., Drug Res. 34:1305-1313 (1984) discloses that benzopyrones, which include coumarin, are not teratogenic. The pharmacology of coumarin-related compounds is reviewed by Egan et al. which indicates that coumarin-related compounds are known to inhibit the carcinogenicity of carcinogens and that coumarin has been tested for treatment of melanoma.
Edwards et al., J. Med. Chem. 33:1948-1954 (1990) relates to the anti-mitotic action of chalcones. Cassady et al. and Ito et al., Abstract Collection of International Symposium on Recent Advance in Chemistry and Molecular Biology of Cancer Research, Beijing, China, 1991, pp. 5-6 and 68-69, respectively, relate to the anti-mitogenic effects of various flavonoids, including biochanin A.
Han et al., Chinese J. Cancer Res. 2 (3):51-53 (1990), reports the effects of an isoflavone, S86019, which is an active component of a medicinal herb used in China, Pueraria lobata. The structure of S86019 is not disclosed. In a different publication, in vivo 4:153-160 (1990), Han et al. evaluates the R.sub.II retinamide compound as a cancer prevention agent and as a cancer chemotherapeutic agent and discusses the induction of cell differentiation of HL60 cells using a combination treatment of R.sub.II with S86019. The combination of R.sub.II with S86019 acts synergistically in inducing cell differentiation and it is reported that this combination may have clinical applications with minimal patient toxicity.
Citation of any document herein is not intended as an admission that such document is pertinent prior art, or considered material to the patentability of any claim of the present application. Any statement as to content or a date of any document is based on the information available to applicant at the time of filing and does not constitute an admission as to the correctness of such a statement.


Bioactive, hydroforming luminal liner compositions are formed of high molecular weight crystalline, absorbable copolyesters dissolved in a liquid derivative of a polyether glycol that undergoes transformation into a tissue-adhering, resilient interior cover or liner for the controlled release of its bioactive payload at clinically compromised conduits in humans as in the case of bacteria- and yeast-infected vaginal canals, esophagi, and arteries following angioplasty.

Liquid formulations of amorphous solid and viscous liquid copolyesters, which undergo precipitation or hydrogel formations in aqueous media, respectively, have been described in the prior art as carriers for the controlled release of bioactive agents. These entailed (a) solutions of essentially amorphous lactide/glycolide copolymers in liquid cyclic compounds, such as N-methyl pyrrolidone (U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,763); and (2) viscous liquids of polyether-esters with or without the incorporation of lower viscosity liquid diluents comprising lower molecular weight polyether-ester (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,612,052 and 5,714,159). However, the solid polyester-based composition of U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,763 required the use of a cyclic tissue-irritating solvent and the low molecular weight of the polymers did not support the formation of resilient, adhering films or mechanically compatible luminal liners, that are defined as a continuous internal cover for biological conduits. Meanwhile, the hydrogel-forming compositions of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,612,052 and 5,714,159 were not designed to a yield resilient, tissue-adhering, mechanically compatible luminal liner but rather gel-like materials. This provided an incentive to pursue the study, subject of the present invention, which is directed to the use of special solutions of crystalline, high molecular weight copolyesters mixed with non-reactive liquid polymers as carriers of bioactive agents, which, upon application onto the luminal surface of biological conduits, transform in the presence of water (hydroform) into a tissue-adhering, cohesive, resilient internal cover or liner that is capable of the controlled release of its bioactive payload as required for treating the application sites. Shortly after the release of the bioactive agents, the liner degrades to compliant microlamella.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Absorbable crystalline copolyester-based bioactive hydroforming luminal liner compositions


A communication terminal device includes a first display part configured to display streaming sub information, a second display part configured to display streaming main information related to the streaming sub information, a sub information reception unit configured to receive the streaming sub information sequentially transmitted from an information providing device and to display the received streaming sub information on the first display part, a request transmission unit configured to transmit to the information providing device an information request signal for requesting the streaming main information related to the streaming sub information displayed on the first display part, and a main information reception unit configured to receive the streaming main information and to display the streaming main information on the second display part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication terminal device configured to receive and display streaming main information, an information providing device configured to transmit the streaming main information to the communication terminal device, and a cellular telephone system including the communication terminal device and the information providing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with remarkable developments of information technologies in recent years and practical application of active matrix liquid crystal display devices which can achieve high-definition color display, cellular telephones are becoming able to achieve higher performances, smaller sizes, lighter weights, and lower power consumption. In particular, display screens can achieve high-contrast and clear display by use of active matrix liquid crystal display devices, and smooth display without afterimages and flickers upon movie display.
A cellular telephone generally includes two liquid crystal display panels, namely, a main display panel and a sub display panel. Moreover, each of the display panels performs bright and clear display in a light transmission method mainly using a backlight when the display panel is in use, and performs display with low power consumption in a light reflection method without using the backlight when the display panel is not in use. Incidentally, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-303863 discloses a liquid crystal display device applying the light transmission method.
As described above, in terms of a cellular telephone which is likely to achieve higher performances and lower power consumption, research and development to achieve even higher performances while maintaining lower power consumption is now in progress. Particularly, there is a demand that a user who does not always browse a cellular telephone wishes to browse an image at once when necessary.
For example, in a case where a soccer game is taking place, a user does not watch relayed images of the soccer game all the time but wishes to browse an image of scoring a goal at once when the user recognizes the goal. However, a conventional cellular telephone cannot allow the user to browse such an image of scoring a goal at once.

Communication terminal device, information providing device, and cellular telephone system

Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd.


A floating manure agitator that floats on the surface of a manure lagoon and that may be remotely controlled to agitate manure supernatant into a slurry with sludge settling on the bottom of the lagoon. The agitator is provided with a plurality of fluid outputs, the direction of which may be controlled to motivate and steer the agitator. The outputs are angled to develop vortices of supernatant into the sludge to further mix the materials into a slurry.

Livestock produce a large amount of manure. The high nitrogen content of the manure makes it useful as a fertilizer on agricultural fields. While manure is continually produced, it is only needed as fertilizer during certain times of the year. During the times it is being produced and not yet needed, it must be stored. It is also desirable to break down the manure prior to application as a fertilizer. One method of storing and breaking down livestock manure is a manure lagoon. Manure lagoons are sloped, fluid impermeable pits fifteen to thirty-five feet deep and may be several hundred feet across.
Manure from a livestock operation is pumped into a lagoon where anaerobic bacteria digest, liquefy, and convert a portion of the manure to carbon dioxide, methane, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide. The resulting supernatant contains nitrogen and calcium. The resulting solids form a sludge that rests on the bottom of the manure lagoon. The sludge is made up of several biodegradable organic solids, including lignin and cellulose. The sludge also contains high concentrations of phosphorous. After anaerobic bacteria breaks down the manure, the manure is pumped from the lagoon to a tank for transport and then applied to an agricultural field.
To prevent an undesirable buildup of sludge at the bottom of the lagoon, it is known in the art to place an agitator within the lagoon to create a slurry by moving solids in sludge into suspension within the supernatant. Prior art methods of agitating the manure include attaching a shaft with a propeller or auger to the power takeoff of a tractor or other farm vehicle resting on the shore. The rotating propeller or auger forces the supernatant down into the sludge, causing the solids within the sludge to move upward into suspension within the supernatant. While this method does place some solids into suspension, the method has several drawbacks. One drawback is that the propeller or auger forces sludge up from the bottom of the lagoon in only a narrow area. While the propeller or auger may be moved to provide a more even distribution of solids within the supernatant, moving the propeller or auger is time consuming.
Alternatively, the propeller or auger may be rotated at an increased speed to move more sludge to move into suspension. One drawback associated with increasing the speed of rotation of the propeller or auger is the increased risk to the bottom of the lagoon. If the speed of the rotation of the propeller or auger is increased too much, the bottom of the lagoon may be damaged, allowing the manure to leak into the ground water. Yet another drawback associated with the prior art is mixing sludge at the center of the lagoon. Prior art agitators are typically operated from shore. Even with long agitators it is difficult to mix sludge at the center of the lagoon, which leads to a buildup of sludge at the center of the lagoon. It would, therefore, be desirable to provide deep agitation at the center of the lagoon, to more thoroughly suspend the sludge solids within the supernatant.
It is also known in the art to provide a large vehicle that may be lowered into the lagoon. The vehicle may be equipped with a fluid intake, a pump and a fluid output to draw supernatant into the pump and force the supernatant at high speed downward toward the sludge. The vehicle is typically moved with cables by operators on the shore.
One drawback associated with such devices is that these devices are not easily maneuverable. Another drawback associated with such prior art devices is the difficulty associated with controlling such devices. Often elaborate systems of wires and securement posts must be erected near the shores of the manure lagoon to provide a guide for the vehicle to move during the agitation process. As the vehicle typically makes several passes across the lagoon, several guide wires and posts must be set up to accommodate multiple passes. The devices can be difficult to steer during passes across the lagoon.
It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a vehicle which floats on the manure pond and which is maneuverable. It would also be desirable to provide the vehicle with multiple outlet nozzles to direct the fluid downward into the lagoon a sufficient distance to agitate the solids in the bottom of the lagoon into suspension and create vortices within the lagoon to assist in carrying solids within the sludge into suspension in the supernatant. It would additionally be desirable to direct the nozzles to create vortices that mix the solids of the sludge into suspension with the supernatant, while minimizing the amount of unpleasant smelling hydrogen sulfide rising to the surface and escaping into the air.
It would further be desirable to provide a floating vehicle for the mixing of sludge solids into suspension with the supernatant that may be quickly and readily transported to a manure lagoon, launched into the lagoon, used to suspend sludge solids into suspension with the supernatant, and removed from the lagoon onto a trailer. It would also be desirable to provide a floating vehicle configured to the standard, height, weight and width restrictions associated with highway travel. Additionally, it would be desirable to provide a floating manure agitation vehicle that may be remotely controlled and guided to specific portions of the lagoon to move solids of the sludge into suspension with the supernatant as desired.
The difficulties encountered in the prior art discussed hereinabove are substantially eliminated by the present invention.


An acetabular cup kit for use during hip replacement surgery includes a polar component with a socket for receiving a femoral head of a femoral prosthesis. A metal shell has a cavity which is configured for receiving the polar component therein. The metal shell also includes an annular face bounding the cavity. A metal ring is attachable with the metal shell at the annular face. The metal ring is configured to retain the polar component within the cavity when attached with the metal shell. The metal ring includes at least one secondary fixation device, such as a flange, allowing fixation of the metal ring with a pelvic bone. A plastic ring is also attachable with the metal shell at the annular face. The plastic ring is configured to retain the polar component within the cavity when attached with the metal shell.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an orthopaedic implant assembly, and, more particularly, to an acetabular cup assembly used during hip replacement surgery.
2. Description of the Related Art
An orthopaedic implant assembly in the form of an acetabular cup assembly is implanted within a prepared acetabulum of a patient and receives the femoral head of a femoral implant. The acetabular cup includes an outside diameter which is placed against the prepared pelvis and an inside diameter which receives the femoral head. A polymeric bearing surface may be disposed at the inside diameter of the cup because of improved wear and reduced friction properties associated therewith.
An acetabular cup may include a portion defining an annular face or rim radially adjacent to the femoral head receiving cavity which is either formed from metal or plastic. Forming the rim from a plastic material has an advantage of preventing metal-to-metal contact between the neck of the femoral implant and the rim when the femoral implant is articulated within the acetabular cup. On the other hand, a metal rim is more rigid and allows secondary fixation devices such as bone screws to be placed through flanges or straps which project radially from the cup. Regardless of whether the rim surrounding the femoral head receiving cavity is formed from metal or plastic, the acetabular cup is formed as a unitary structure which is then implanted into a prepared acetabulum in the patient. The surgeon is not given a choice of whether to use the cup portion with a metal rim or a plastic rim surrounding the femoral head receiving cavity.
What is needed in the art is an acetabular cup with modular components allowing the surgeon to choose either a metal rim or a plastic rim surrounding the femoral head receiving cavity immediately prior to implantation into a prepared acetabulum, thereby allowing the surgeon to optimize the configuration of the implanted acetabular cup during surgery.

Acetabular cup kit for use during hip replacement surgery


The present invention is directed to generating audience analytics that includes providing a database containing a plurality of user input pattern profiles representing the group of users of terminal device, in which each user of the group is associated with one of the plurality of user input pattern profiles. A clickstream algorithm, tracking algorithm, neural network, Bayes classifier algorithm, or affinity-day part algorithm can be used to generate the user input pattern profiles. A user input pattern is detected based upon use of the terminal device by the current user and the user input pattern of the current user is dynamically matched with one of the user input pattern profiles contained in the database. The current user is identified based upon dynamic matching of the user input pattern generated by the current user with one of the user input pattern profiles. The present invention processes each user input pattern profile to identify a demographic type. A plurality of biometric behavior models are employed to identify a unique demographic type. Each user input pattern profile is compared against the plurality of biometric behavior models to match each user input pattern profile with one of the biometric behavior models such that each user input pattern profile is correlated with one demographic type. Audience analytics are then based upon the identified demographic types.

Currently, audience analytics are carried out by a few large companies across several different media, most notably television (TV) audience measurement carried out by Nielsen Media Research. The data is collected in several different ways, including electronic devices attached to televisions (people meters) that require each member of the household (and visitors) to enter in codes corresponding to themselves, at each instance when a particular viewer watches a program. Additionally, this conventional method can require paper diaries that viewers keep listing all of the programs viewed. In all cases, the people participating are selected in a controlled manner that attempts, by sampling methods, to be representative of the TV viewing public as a whole.
The main drawback to this approach is the expense associated with selecting and maintaining a sample size large enough to yield statistically significant results. For example, as cable and satellite options have expanded the number of available choices for the viewer, the audience for each station has become further fragmented to the point where the existing sample sizes used in audience analytics become too small to produce statistically significant results for these stations. The decreasing audience sample sizes also make it difficult for advertisers to clearly determine what kind of audience certain stations possess. Likewise, cable operators, satellite system providers, and multiple system operators (MSOs) have no precise way of knowing which stations to add or drop from their lineup or how best to package stations into service tiers.
The limitations of sample size can be overcome by choosing a much larger sample. However, to avoid the cost of creating a very large representative sample, a sampling service must select people at random in a cost effective manner, requiring an inexpensive data collection mechanism that includes low-cost incentives for people to join a sampling panel. One company, ComScore, has attempted this on the Internet by constructing a large panel of over a million users. ComScore generates panels by giving people incentives to download the tracking software ComScore uses to monitor their Internet Web surfing activities. However, critics point out that panels constructed employing methods such as ComScore's are statistically un-useful because only certain types of people would give up their privacy in exchange for money or free software. Also, the reliability of data provided by services such as ComScore is suspect, since they must rely on users to provide accurate information when joining. For example, each new user provides demographic information by completing a survey, but there is no accurate method of verifying that users told the truth.
To date, legal and technical issues have impeded accurate measurement of television audience demographic information. For example, regulations set strict limits on how a MSO can utilize personally identifiable information, thereby preventing a MSO to easily or cost-effectively obtain the required consent from the millions of people needed to create a useful sample group. It would be desirable to create passive methods and systems for generating audience analytics by analyzing user identifiable information. It would also be desirable to provide a system that creates analytics anonymously, whereby the analytics can be sold to others, used to deliver targeted content or advertising, or used for other additional purposes.


A particularly advantageous power converter, suitable for use in an engine powered generator system. A signal simulating a desired AC waveform is produced by a converter circuit at first and second converter output terminals. The converter circuit, responsive to respective switching signals applied thereto, selectively effects current paths between a juncture node and one of the first and second converter output terminals and between a common rail and the other of the first and second converter output terminals. A controller selectively generates control signals to the converter circuit and to a mechanism for varying the magnitude of the juncture node voltage, to create a predetermined waveform at the converter output terminals simulating the desired AC waveform. A number of alternative embodiments for producing a simulated sine wave are described, as well as accommodations for inductive loads, and mechanisms for minimizing power dissipation during the switching interval.

The present invention relates to power converter systems, and, more specifically, to power conversion systems capable of providing a desired output waveform over a wide range of input and load conditions.
In general, power conversion systems comprising a generator and an energy source, such as a motor or turbine, are well known. The generator typically comprises a rotor and stator arranged for relative rotation. Generally, the rotor is driven by the energy source, often mounted on the shaft of the motor. The rotor typically generates a magnetic field (using either permanent magnets or windings), which interacts with windings maintained on the stator. As the magnetic field intercepts the windings, an electrical current is generated. The induced current is typically applied to a bridge rectifier, sometimes regulated, and provided as an output. In some instances, the rectified signal is applied to an inverter to generate an AC output.
Generators which use permanent magnets to generate the requisite magnetic field tend to be lighter and smaller than traditional wound field generators. However, the power supplied by permanent magnet generator has historically been difficult to regulate or control. The voltage supplied by the generator varies significantly according to the speed of the rotor. In addition, the voltage tends to vary inversely with the current delivered, i.e., as the current increases to a given load, the voltage drops.
For example, it is desirable to employ permanent magnet generators in electric welders. However, electric welders typically require a particular current to voltage relationship. For example, arc welders require an inverse slope of current to voltage, whereas metal inert gas (MIG) welders (wire feed welders) require a constant voltage and variable current and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welders require a constant current and variable voltage. Since permanent magnet generator's outputs are dependent upon motor speed, they are typically not suitable for electric welder applications. This is particularly true with respect to multipurpose welders that provide a plurality of electrical welding types.
It is also particularly desirable that a generator be able to accommodate wide and rapidly occurring variations in load, and hence output current. For example, when an incandescent lamp with a cold filament is "plugged in" to the generator, the generator is presented with extremely low resistance, resulting in an extremely high current, often in excess of ten times the average output current draw. In the absence of special provisions, components typically must be rated for the anticipated peak currents rather than the much lower magnitude of the average output current. The requirement for components rated for peak voltages much higher than the average output current tends to add considerable expense to the generator.
In addition, the load encountered by the generator is often inductive in nature, e.g., an induction motor. Accordingly, the phase of the current tends to lag the phase of the voltage. However, the switching devices in the inverter bridge are typically responsive to the voltage wave form, and often shut off, i.e., are rendered nonconductive, before the relevant portion of the current cycle has been completed. Accordingly, otherwise available energy is effectively lost. For example, when the load is an inductive motor, magnetism, and thus torque, ceases at the point that the current ceases to flow.
Moreover, generators capable of starting motor vehicles are typically ungainly, and heavy, weighing on the order of 180 pounds or more.
The present invention provides a particularly advantageous power converter, suitable for use in an engine powered generator system.
A signal simulating a desired AC waveform is produced by a converter circuit at first and second converter output terminals. The converter circuit, responsive to respective switching signals applied thereto, selectively effects current paths between a juncture node and one of the first and second converter output terminals and between a common rail and the other of the first and second converter output terminals. A controller for selectively generates control signals to the converter circuit and to a mechanism for varying the magnitude of the juncture node voltage, to create a predetermined waveform at the converter output terminals simulating the desired AC waveform.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a simulated sine wave is provided. For example, in one embodiment, control signals are generated in sequence to (a) cause the converter to effect a current path between the juncture node and the first converter output terminal and between the common rail and the second converter output terminal, with the magnitude of the juncture node voltage initially at a first level; (b) increase magnitude of the juncture node voltage to a second level; (c) change in the magnitude of the juncture node voltage back to the first level; (d) cause the converter to effectively break at least one of the current paths between the juncture node and the first converter output terminal and between the common rail and the second converter output terminal; and (e) cause the converter to effect a current path between the juncture node and the second converter output terminal and between the common rail and the first converter output terminal. By way of further example, in another embodiment, a charging path to a capacitor is effected during dead time periods when there is no current path between the juncture node and one of the first and second converter output terminals, and a discharge path from the capacitor to the juncture node selectively effecting during a predetermined portion of the periods when one of the power switch circuits effect a current path between the juncture node and one of the first and second converter output terminals. By way of yet another example, in a further embodiment, a current path is selectively effected from the juncture node through a capacitance to the common rail to vary the magnitude of the juncture node voltage. In some applications, the capacitance may be controllably discharged to facilitate rapid generation of a relatively low magnitude juncture node voltage.
Another aspect of the present invention provides an accommodation for inductive loads. For example, in one embodiment, control signals are generated to cause the converter to effectively break the current path between the juncture node and the first converter output terminal, and thereafter, but before effect a current path between the juncture node and the second converter output terminal and between the common rail and the first converter output terminal cause the converter to effectively break the current path between the common rail and the second converter output terminal.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, power dissipation during the switching interval is minimized. For example, in one embodiment, the power switching devices are quickly driven into a saturated state when the associated control signal changes state.


Diamond is grown on a substrate (S) from a mixture of a carbon-containing gas and hydrogen gas, by a DC plasma enhanced CVD process of applying a DC voltage between a stage electrode (12) for holding the substrate (S) and a voltage-applying electrode (13). During the step of growing diamond by applying a DC voltage, a single pulse voltage of opposite polarity to the DC voltage for diamond growth is applied between the stage electrode and the voltage-applying electrode at a predetermined timing. Diamond of quality is produced at a stable growth rate.

Diamond has a wide bandgap of 5.47 eV and a very high dielectric breakdown electric field strength of 10 MV/cm. Its thermal conductivity is the highest among materials. Thus diamond may be advantageously used to construct high-power electronic devices.
Furthermore, diamond is the most advantageous as a high-speed electronic device among semiconductors because of high drift mobility and Johnson's figure of merit. The Johnson's figure of merit indicates a velocity of carrier migration in device, with a higher figure of merit corresponding to a higher migration velocity. For this reason, diamond is believed to be the ultimate semiconductor suitable for high-frequency/high-power electronic devices.
Attention is paid on multilayer laminates including a substrate overlaid with a diamond film or the like. Most single crystal diamonds currently used for the fabrication of diamond semiconductor are type Ib diamonds synthesized by the high pressure method. Since type Ib diamonds contain more nitrogen impurity and can only be produced in a size of the order of 5 mm squares, they find few applications.
By contrast, the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method has the advantage that polycrystalline diamond can be produced as a diamond film of a large area having a diameter of about 6 inches (150 mm) and of high purity. The CVD method, however, is difficult to synthesize single crystal diamond, which is suitable for most electronic devices. This is because single crystal silicon is typically used as substrate in the art. Since silicon and diamond are largely different in lattice constant (a mismatch of 52.6%), it is very difficult to heteroepitaxially grow diamond on silicon substrates.
Efforts were made to overcome the problem. For example, Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 report that a diamond film is effectively formed on an undercoat of platinum (Pt) or iridium (Ir) by the CVD method. At the present, the research on iridium has been most advanced. The method involves the steps of providing a substrate of single crystal MgO, heteroepitaxially growing an iridium film thereon, pretreating the Ir film surface, i.e., effecting bias treatment with hydrogen-diluted methane gas by a DC plasma enhanced CVD method, and depositing a diamond film on the pretreated iridium film. There are obtained diamonds having a size of submicron order at the early stage to several millimeters at the present. The thickness of a diamond portion is several microns to about 100 microns (μm). In Non-Patent Document 3, for example, deposition is continued for 8 hours until a diamond film of about 100 μm thick is obtained.
However, when diamond deposition is continued for several hours or more in a conventional DC plasma enhanced CVD apparatus, electric charge builds up on the substrate surface because the deposited diamond is an insulator. A foreign substance is also formed on the surface of the counter electrode, causing charge buildup. Such charge buildup functions to retard the growth rate of diamond and allows for frequent occurrence of sparks, causing to introduce defects and fissures in diamond.

Diamond producing method and DC plasma enhanced CVD apparatus


The present invention provides DNA molecules isolated from Oryza sativa plants and useful for expressing transgenes in plants. The present invention also provides expression constructs containing the DNA molecules useful for expressing transgenes in plants. The present invention also provides transgenic plants and seeds containing the DNA molecules useful for expressing transgenes in plants.

While previous work has provided a number of regulatory elements useful to affect gene expression in transgenic plants, there is still a great need for novel regulatory elements with beneficial expression characteristics. In particular, there is a need for regulatory elements that are capable of directing expression of transgenes in transgenic crop plants at high levels and in particular tissues, organs, or during specific developmental stages of plant growth.
Useful regulatory elements can be isolated from genes having a desired pattern and/or level of expression of the gene. For present invention inventors looked at the plant cuticle genes due to the function of plant cuticle gene in the nature. All plant cuticles contain waxes, i.e. highly lipophilic compounds that lie both within the cuticular matrix and on its surface as an amorphous film. These films render the plant surfaces hydrophobic. They prevent the formation of stable, macroscopic water phases and, hence, the germination of many plant pathogens. Regulatory elements from genes involved in wax production can provide unique expression pattern that can be utilized for modifying plant phenotypes by expressing transgene controlled by such elements.
One such gene involved in wax production is CUT1 which was described by Millar et al., Plant Cell, 5:825-838 (1999) and Fiebig et al., Plant Cell, 12:2001-2008 (2000). A rice CUT1 gene was used for isolating regulatory elements of the present invention to obtain a desired expression pattern of a transgene as presented here in.


A pelvic stabilizer for quickly stabilizing fractures of the human pelvis and preventing excessive blood loss. The pelvic stabilizer comprises first and second curved arms which are rotatably attached to each other at first ends by an adjustable locking mechanism. The locking mechanism permits free second ends of the first and second curved arms to be adjustably spaced from each other. A first mounting pin and a second mounting pin are adjustably attached at the second ends of the first and second curved arms respectively.

The following invention relates to the mechanical compression and stabilization of pelvic fractures and, in particular, to an apparatus for rapidly stabilizing fractures of the pelvis to help reduce blood loss.
The human pelvis can be fractured from severe impacts such as those that occur in traffic accidents, falls and industrial accidents. When such a fracture occurs, it is usually accompanied by severe pain and a great deal of blood loss. In many cases, prompt action to stabilize the fracture must be taken in order to prevent the loss of life.
Among the ways in which such fractures are treated is through the use of an external fixator which is applied over the pelvis. The external fixator compresses the pelvis to close the fracture and firmly hold the pelvis in place until it has healed. Previous external fixators have employed a variety of designs, many of which comprise a plurality of interconnected bars. One such design, shown in the Slatis et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,144, utilizes a trapezoidal frame having two protrusions which can be applied over the pelvis and a threaded adjustment mechanism which is used to compress the pelvis.
A problem with most such external fixators is that they take a great deal of time to properly adjust and apply over the pelvis, resulting in excessive blood loss. In addition, many such devices require more than one person and a considerable amount of dexterity to operate. Further, many have a tightening mechanism which cannot be quickly operated to hold the pelvis in place. While such devices may be suitable for long-term stability during healing, they are not well suited for emergency and short-term applications where speed in stabilization is important.