A partition-type heating apparatus has advantageous effects in that a material to be heated, i.e., a reaction gas used in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, is pre-heated and the pre-heated reaction gas flows through a flow channel defined by the vertical and horizontal partitions so that the flowing reaction gas is heated by the transfer of heat generated from a hot wire during the flow of the reaction gas, thereby securing heating performance required for a small-sized heating apparatus.

In general, there is proposed a heating apparatus as shown in FIG. 1 for pre-heating a reaction gas in the CVD process. That is, the conventional heating apparatus includes a quarts tube 30 through which a reaction gas flows, a line heater 50 wound around the outer circumferential surface of the quarts tube 30, and ceramic balls 40 disposed inside the quarts tube 30.
In this case, the line heater 50 transfers heat to the ceramic balls 40 which in turn supplies the heat to the reaction gas for heating the reaction gas.
However, such a conventional heating apparatus as described above entails a demerit in that its volume increases, and it is difficult to extend the length of the quartz tube 30 and to have a large number of ceramic balls 40 disposed inside the quartz tube 30, which makes it difficult to sufficient heat the reaction gas flowing inside the quartz tube 30.


Provided is a novel separating agent obtained by using core/shell particles as a support and fixing any of various ligands to the support by physical adsorption. The separating agent contains a support and a ligand fixed to the surface of the support by physical adsorption, and is characterized in that the support is core/shell particles each formed of a core constituted of a nonporous inorganic substance and a porous shell, the shell having a pore diameter of 30 nm or larger, the shell being constituted of a hydrolyzate of a polyalkoxysiloxane, and the ligand is an optically active polymer, an optically inactive polyester, a protein, or a nucleic acid.

In the industrial fields related to medicines, agrochemicals, and biochemicals, it is an extremely important problem to separate/purify a target substance to be produced, and methods using separating agents have been conventionally employed as techniques for such separation. Examples of principles on which a substance to be separated is separated using such separating agents include one in which affinity between a separating agent and a target substance is utilized, and one in which the optical activity of both a separating agent and a target substance is utilized.
Separating agents, in which wholly porous silica gel is used as a support and various ligands are fixed to the support in accordance with a target substance to be separated, are conventionally known as such separating agents.
Known as such a separating agent obtained using wholly porous silica gel as a support is, for example, a separating agent containing an optically active polymer fixed therein. In the case of using such a separating agent in which an optically active polymer is fixed to a support, optical resolution can be performed.
Having been reported as the optically active polymer are polysaccharide derivatives derived from polysaccharides such as cellulose (see, for example, patent document 1), optically active poly(meth)acrylamides (see, for example, patent document 2), optically active poly(amino acid)s (see, for example, patent document 3), and optically active polyamides (see, for example, patent documents 4 and 5).
Meanwhile, a separating agent for optical isomers is also known in which an optically active low-molecular-weight compound (e.g., a compound having a binaphthyl structure or crown ether structure) is bonded to a support by chemical bonding (see, for example, patent document 6).
Furthermore reported is a separating agent which contains, as a support, particles constituted of a synthetic polymer having a crosslinked structure and further contains, as a ligand fixed thereto, either a protein or a glycoprotein having a sugar chain (see, for example, patent document 7).
With respect to separating agents obtained by fixing a nucleic acid to a support, a technique in which DNA is immobilized to a glass substrate through chitosan is, for example, known (see, for example, patent document 8).
Moreover, with respect to chips for use in identifying ionic polymers, a technique in which DNA, RNA, or the like is fixed to a support such as glass is also known (see, for example, patent document 9).
Wholly porous silica gel has conventionally been used as a support to be used for fixing ligands thereto. Regarding this, also known besides such wholly porous particles are core/shell particles each including a nonporous core and a porous shell covering the outer surface thereof (see, for example, patent document 10). Also known is a separating agent for optical isomers which is obtained by fixing cellulose tris(4-chloro-3-methylphenylcarbamate) to such core/shell particles which have a pore diameter of 10 nm (for example, non-patent document 1).
Patent Document 1: WO 2008/102920
Patent Document 2: WO 02/088204
Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H10-128089
Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H11-335306
Patent Document 5: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-91535
Patent Document 6: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-327675
Patent Document 7: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2012-18135
Patent Document 8: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2010-77022
Patent Document 9: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-284552
Patent Document 10: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. S49-36396
Patent Document 11: Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. H4-077737
Non-patent document 1: K. Lomsadze, G. Jibuti, T. Farkas, B. Chankvetadze, J. Chromatogr. A 1234 (2012) 50
Non-patent document 2: B. Chankvetadze, E. Yashima, Y. Okamoto, J. Chromatogr. A 670 (1994) 39
Non-patent document 3: Y. Okamoto, M. Kawashima, K. Hatada, J. Chromatogr. 363 (1986) 173
Non-patent document 4: Y. Okamoto, R. Aburatani, K. Hatada, Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn. 63 (1990) 955
Non-patent document 5: B. Chankvetadze, E. Yashima, Y. Okamoto, J. Chromatogr. A 694 (1995) 101
Non-patent document 6: Y. Okamoto, R. Aburatani, T. Fukumoto and K. Hatada, Chem Lett., (1987) 1857


A spindle motor includes a spindle motor hub that supports one or more disks, and has a contact area reduction portion that minimizes the area of contact between the hub and a disk when the disk is mounted to the hub. The spindle motor hub includes a hub body having a cylindrical sidewall that includes a contact section around which the disk extends and a non-contact section. The non-contact section is constituted by the contact area reduction portion. An outer diameter of the cylindrical hub body at the contact section is greater than an outer diameter of the cylindrical hub body at the contact area reduction portion of the non-contact section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hard disk drive. More particularly, the present invention relates to a disk pack of a hard disk drive which includes a spindle motor hub and disks mounted to the spindle motor hub.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hard disk drives (HDDs) are memory devices which record and reproduce data by converting digital electric pulses to a magnetic field and vice versa. To this end, a hard disk drive includes at least one disk having a number of tracks along which data is recorded, a spindle motor for rotating each disk, a read/write head which can write magnetic data onto the disk and read magnetic data from the disk, and an actuator arm for positioning the head above a particular track of the disk and maintaining the read/write head a predetermined height above the disk while the head is reading or writing data from or onto the disk. With such components, HDDs can access a large amount of data quickly. Therefore, HDDs have been widely used as auxiliary memory devices of computer systems.
Recent advances in the fabrication of hard disks have increased the number of TPI (tracks per inch) and BPI (bits per inch; a measure of the amount of data that can be recorded along a track). That is, recent advances have increased the capacity of HDDs so that HDDs can be made more compact and therefore, can be employed in a wider range of devices. In particular, there is a large demand for compact HDDs which can be used in portable electronic devices such as notebooks, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and mobile phones. In fact, a compact HDD whose disk has a diameter of 0.8 inches, i.e., a diameter similar to that of a coin, has been recently developed for use in mobile phones.
As briefly mentioned above, the disk is rotated by a spindle motor when the HDD is operating. Therefore, vibrations are generated due to the rotation of a disk. These vibrations must be attenuated to ensure that the HDD operates reliably and at full capacity. Problems related to disk vibrations will now be discussed below with reference to a conventional HDD shown in FIG. 1. The conventional HDD has two disks 111 and 112 coupled to a spindle motor. Also, an annular spacer 114 is disposed on the spindle motor hub 120 between the disks 111 and 112. A clamp (not shown) is disposed the spindle motor hub 120 and the second disk 112. The clamp is secured by a screw (also not shown) onto the spindle motor hub 120 so as to press down against the upper surface of the second disk 112 and thereby clamp the disks 111 and 112 to a flange of the spindle motor hub 120. Therefore, the disks 111 and 112 rotate together with the spindle motor hub 120 during the operation of the HDD.
In the conventional HDD, however, a gap G is present between the disks 111 and 112 and a side wall 121a of the spindle motor hub 120 due to the tolerance provided to facilitate the mounting of the disks 11 and 112 onto the spindle motor hub 120. The gap G prevents at least one of the disks 111 and 112 from rotating at a constant speed because, for example, the disk rotates while inclined relative to the axis of rotation. As a result, vibrations are produced at one side of the disk during its rotation.
It is relatively easy to mount the disks 111 and 112 to the spindle motor hub 120 when the gap G is large, i.e., when the inner diameter of each of the disks 111 and 112 is much larger than that of the spindle motor hub 120. In this case, however, the rotation of the disks 111 and 112 becomes severely eccentric relative to the axis of rotation of the spindle motor hub 120. As a result, the disks 111 and 112 vibrate excessively, thereby preventing the HDD from functioning properly. Tightening the screw that secures the clamp to the spindle motor hub 120 can obviate this potential problem. However, if the clamp screw is tightened too much, the inner circumferential (ID) portion of each of the disks 111 and 112 is pressed hard against the side wall 121a of the spindle motor hub 120. In this case, the ID portion of each of the disks 111 and 112 is likely to warp, thereby reducing the capacity and reliability of the HDD.
Thus, the gap G should be as small as possible to ensure that the disks 111 and 112 will rotate smoothly with the spindle motor hub 120. That is, the inner diameter of each of the disks 111 and 112 should be matched as close as possible to the outer diameter of the upper end portion of the spindle motor hub 120. However, such tight tolerances compromise the ability of the disks 111 and 112 to be mounted to the spindle motor hub 120. In particular, the first disk 111 may scratch the side wall 121a of the spindle motor hub 120 as the first disk 111 is lowered onto the upper portion of the spindle motor hub 120. In this case, particles are generated which causes other problems in the HDD.

Spindle motor hub, disk pack, and hard disk drive having the same


An agricultural sprayer implement which includes a wheeled main body and a cantilevered boom. The cantilevered boom has a plurality of sections which fold with respect to one another and place significant torsional stress on one or more of the boom sections. The interior boom sections have a cylindrical tube as a lower member and preferably a square tube as an upper member with a plurality of braces extending between them. The cylindrical tube resists the torsional stress which is maximized during folding of the boom. The square tube resists particularly an upward/downward bending moment.

Conventional booms for agricultural sprayer implements are typically truss-like in structure. That is, the boom has three or more stringer or structural members extending the length of a section of the boom. The stringers are tied together by various angles, braces and/or other structure. Such three dimensional truss-like booms have height and depth and are commonly heavy so as to provide sufficient strength for up/down movement and forward/backward movement. A heavy boom implies that the entire implement is heavier as it crosses a field and can, therefore, create deeper ruts, as well as take more fuel. There is greater chance to damage young crops.
Thus, there is a need to simplify boom structure for the big-long booms of agricultural sprayer implements.


Mono-ester and asymmetrically substituted diesters of dihydrexidine, dinapsoline and A-86929 and substituted derivatives thereof are described. The novel ester/diester derivatives exhibit improved pharmacokinetic characteristics relative to their unesterified parent compounds and can be formulated into pharmaceutical compositions useful for the treatment of a wide variety of dopamine related disorders.

Dopamine is an important neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS), as where it is involved with motor function, perception, arousal, motivation and emotion. Dopamine imbalance is believed to play a key role in a number of CNS-related disorders such as schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, drug abuse, eating disorders and depression. Dopamine also has several important roles in the peripheral nervous system, such as in the control of blood to the kidneys and in autotonomic ganglion transmission.
Dopamine receptors in the CNS have traditionally been divided into two general categories, designated D-1 and D-2 receptors, based on biochemical and pharmacological differences between the two receptor types, and more recently from the study of the molecular biology of dopamine receptors in the CNS. (For a review of the classification and function of dopamine receptor subtypes, see C. Kaiser and T. Jain, "Dopamine Receptors: Functions, Subtypes and Emerging Concepts", Medicinal Research Reviews, 5:145–229, 1985.) Recent additional evidence has suggested an even greater heterogeneity of the dopamine receptors with three additional dopamine receptors being defined through molecular cloning techniques: the D3 and D4, which are classified as D2-like, and the D5, which exhibits D1 receptor-like pharmacology (D. Sibley and F. Monsma, "Molecular Biology of Dopamine receptors", in TIPS, Vol. 13, pp. 61–69, 1992). Attempts to understand the physiological and pathophysiological roles of the various dopamine receptors are continuing to unveil new avenues for novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of dopamine-related disorders.
A particular dopamine-related problem involves the loss of striatal dopamine within the basal ganglia, the region of the mammalian brain that is involved with motor control, which has been established as the fundamental deficit in Parkinson's Disease and primary to the etiology of that disease state.
This deficiency is addressed via dopamine replacement therapy, primarily with L DOPA (3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine), which is converted to dopamine within the brain. L-DOPA has been the cornerstone of Parkinson's Disease therapy, and the successes achieved with its therapy have led to the testing of other compounds capable of eliciting the post-synaptic receptor actions of dopamine.
Bromocriptine, the most widely used direct-acting dopamine agonist for the treatment of Parkinson's Disease, is administered adjunctively with L-DOPA in order to lower dosage of L-DOPA required to achieve the desired therapeutic response. Bromocriptine alone has been shown to relieve Parkinson's Disease symptoms in some patients, allowing for a delay in the onset of L-DOPA therapy, but the response to bromocriptine alone is not as great as that observed with L DOPA. The current therapies for Parkinson's Disease, including L-DOPA and bromocriptine, are, however, unfortunately associated with a number of serious side-effects and limitations, such as the development of dyskinesias, severe response fluctuations (on-off phenomenon) and diminishing efficacy during treatment.
An excess of dopamine in the brain, on the other hand, has bean identified, as a result of the pioneering work of Carlsson and others in the 1960's, as the cause of schizophrenia, a psychiatric illness involving disturbance of thought processes, hallucinations and loss of touch with reality. Chronic abuse of stimulants, such as amphetamines, known to enhance dopaminergic activity in the brain, can lead to a paranoid psychosis that is clinically indistinguishable from classic paranoid schizophrenia, further supporting this dopamine theory of schizophrenia.
Anti-schizophrenic drugs are postulated to exert their effects by blocking the dopamine receptors (i.e., acting as receptor antagonists), and consequently preventing excess receptor stimulation (G. P. Reynolds, "Developments in the drug treatment of schizophrenia", in TIPS, :116–121, 1992). These antipsychotic agents frequently produce undesirable side-effects, however, the most common of which are the extrapyramidal effects that include bizarre involuntary movements and Parkinson-like states, as well as sedation and hypotension. Because of these often severe side-effects and the high incidence of patients unresponsive to dopamine blocking drugs, novel and improved therapies continue to be sought.
One such complement to dopamine receptor antagonists has included the use of low doses of dopamine agonists, such as apomorphine and bromocriptine. which have been reported to produce anti psychotic effects, possibly due to preferential activation of dopamine presynaptic receptors resulting in decreased dopaminergic activity (M. Del Zompo et al, "Dopamine agonists in the treatment of schizophrenia", Progress in Brain Research, E:41–48, 1986 end H. Y. Meltzer, "Novel Approaches to the Pharmacology of Schizophrenia", Drug Development Research, 9:23–40, 1986). In addition, the dopamine D1-selective agonist, SKF 38393, when used in conjunction with the antipsychotic drug, haloperidol, a D2 antagonist, has been shown to ameliorate the undesired side-effects of the haloperidol (M. Davidson, "Effects of the D-1 Agonist SKF-38393 Combined With Haloperidol in Schizophrenic Patients", Arch Gen. Psychiatry, 42:190–191, 1990).
Growing evidence (reviewed by R. A. Wise and P. P. Rompre in "Brain Dopamine and Reward", Annual Review of Psychology, 40:191–225, 1989) suggests that dopamine also has a central role in the brain's reward system. For example, animals trained to self-administer cocaine will increase their consumption of this drug after treatment with either a D-1 or a D-2 receptor antagonist, presumably in order to maintain the elevated dopamine levels responsible for the drug's euphorigenic and reinforcing properties (D. R. Britten et al, "Evidence for Involvement of Both D1 and D2 Receptors in Maintaining Cocaine Self-Administration", Pharmacology Biochemistry & Behavior, 89:911–915, 1991). The D-1 agonist, SKE 38393, has also been reported to decrease food intake by rats, presumably by direct action of the drug on neural feeding mechanisms. Because of this interrelationship between dopamine and reward, dopaminergic agents would be useful for the treatment of substance abuse and other addictive behavior disorders, including cocaine addiction, nicotine addiction and eating disorders.
Affective disorders, the most common psychiatric disorders in adults, which are characterized by changes in mood as the primary clinical manifestation, result from a reduction in the central nervous system of certain biogenic amine neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin. Currently available antidepressants work primarily by raising biogenic amine neurotransmitter levels, by either inhibiting their uptake or preventing their metabolism. No antidepressant drug to date, however, can substitute for electroconvulsive shack therapy for the treatment of severe, suicidal depression.
Currently-available drugs for treating affective disorders, unfortunately, suffer from delayed onset of action, poor efficacy, anticholinergic effects at therapeutic doses, cardiotoxicity, convulsions and the possibility of overdosing. A large number of clinically depressed individuals remain refractory to currently-available therapies.
A role for direct-acting dopamine agonists in antidepressant therapy has been suggested based on the effects observed for several dopamine agonists In various animal models (R. Muscat et al., "Antidepressant-like effects of dopamine agonists in an animal model of depression", Biological Psychiatry, 31:937–946, 1992).
A role for dopamine has also been established in cognition and attention mechanisms. Animal studies support the role of dopamine in attention-related behaviors involving search and exploratory activity, distractibility, response rate, discriminability and the switching of attention. Treatment of cognitive impairment and attention deficit disorders via dopamine-based therapy has been proposed and is under active investigation (F. Levy, "The Dopamine Theory of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)", in Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 2:277–283, 1991).
In addition, dopamine has been identified with a number of effects in the periphery, and has been used in the treatment of shock, congestive heart failure and acute renal failure. Stimulation of the peripheral D-1 receptors causes vasodilation, particularly in the renal arid mesenteric vascular beds where large numbers of these receptors are found. The utility of dopamine has been limited, however, by its ability to cause vasoconstriction at higher concentrations, presumably due to its secondary effects on adrenergic receptors, and by its emetic effects due to peripheral D-2 stimulation. Agents selective for the peripheral D-1 receptors appear to offer significant advantages over currently used treatments for these and other related disorders.
Also, dopamine in combination with diuretics has been reported to reverse radio-contrast media-induced acute renal failure in patients (Talley at al., Clin. Res., 18:518, 1970); thus suggesting that dopamine agonists may be similarly useful.
A wide variety of structures has been disclosed that are dopamine receptor ligands (H. E. Katerinopoulos and D. I. Schuster, "Structure-Activity Relationships for Dopamine Analogs A Review", in Drugs Of The Future, Vol. 12, pp. 223–253, 1987) and include the thienopyridines, SKF 86926 (4-(3′,4′-dihydroxyphenyl) 4,5,6,7-tetrahydrotheno (2,3-c)-pyridine) and SKF 86915 (7-(3′,4′dihydroxyphenyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrothlieno (3,2-c)-pyridine) (P. H. Andersen et al, European Journal of Pharmacology, 137:291–292, 1987, U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,600, to L. M. Brenner and J. R. Wardell, Jr., issued 1982, and U.S. Pat No. 4,282,227, to L. M. Brenner, issued 1981). Nichols at al. have disclosed certain substituted trans-hexahydrobenzo[a]-phenanthridine compounds as dopaminergic ligands (U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,536, to D. E. Nichols, issued 1991; W. K. Brewster al., "trans-10, 11-dihydroxy-5,6,6a,7,8,12b-hexahydrobenzo[a]phenanthridine: A Highly Potent Selective Dopamine D1 Full Agonist", in Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, D:1756-1784, 1990).
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,047,536 and 6,194,423, incorporated herein, describe and claim the dopamine D1 agonists dihydrexidine (Formula I) and dinapsoline (Formula II) and their optionally substituted derivatives, respectively. PCT/US94/02894 describes the dopamine D-1 agonist A-86929 (Formula III), its diacylated derivated form (Formula IV) and other optionally substituted derivatives of A-86929. For the purpose of describing and specifying this invention, Formulas I–III shall be representative of dihydrexidine, dinapsoline, A-86929, respectively, and the various N- and C- substituted derivatives thereof described in the above-mentioned patent literature.

Each of the "parent" compounds (R1═R2═H) of Formulas I–III and their D-1 receptor agonist substituted derivatives/analogs share a common structural feature: adjacent phenolic hydroxy groups. The present invention is directed to monoester and asymmetrically substituted diester derivatives of such compounds and their receptor agonist substituted derivatives and analogs, where either one of the hydroxy groups is acylated with an ester-forming group or each of the adjacent phenolic hydroxy groups is acylated with a different ester-forming group. The compounds of the present invention exhibit unexpectedly improved pharmacokinetic properties, as compared to the previous described unacylated "parent" compounds.

Mono-ester and asymmetrically substatuted di-ester pro-drugs of dopamide D1 receptor agonists


A base station includes a controller that performs multicast service SC-PTM transmission, and a transmitter that transmits SC-PTM configuration information related to a configuration of the SC-PTM transmission via a SC-PTM control channel, which is a logical channel different from a MCCH, and transmits multicast data via a traffic channel for the SC-PTM transmission. Each of the SC-PTM control channel and the traffic channel is mapped on a DL-SCH. The transmitter transmits a SIB related to the SC-PTM control channel via a BCCH, transmits first resource allocation information for transmitting the SC-PTM configuration information via a PDCCH, where a predetermined RNTI for the SC-PTM control channel is applied to transmission of the first resource allocation information, and transmits second resource allocation information for transmitting multicast data by the SC-PTM transmission via the PDCCH. A G-RNTI different from the predetermined RNTI is applied to transmission of the second resource allocation information.

In the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) which is a standardization project of a mobile communication system, Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) is specified to provide multicast/broadcast service.
In the current MBMS, multicast/broadcast data is transmitted via a PMCH (Physical Multicast Channel) in units of a MBSFN (Multicast-Broadcast Single-Frequency Network) including a plurality of cells (MBSFN transmission).
Meanwhile, in order to provide efficient multicast service, SC-PTM (Single Cell Point to Multi-point) transmission is studied. According to the SC-PTM transmission, multicast data is transmitted in cell units via a PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method for updating identity information of a packet gateway, an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server and a packet gateway. The method includes: a decision-making network element receiving a message which carries user equipment (UE) capability indication information and is sent by an information transmission network element; the decision-making network element deciding whether to update identity information of the packet gateway or not according to the UE capability indication information carried in the message and/or local information. The technical solution can be applied to distinguish R11 UE and R12 UE, and to ensure supporting both the R11 UE and the R12 UE normally accessing to a 3GPP core network through a 3GPP access system and a non-3GPP access system simultaneously.

The Evolved Packet System (EPS) in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) consists of Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN), Mobility Management Entity (MME), Serving Gateway (S-GW), Packet Data Network Gateway (PDN GW, also referred to as P-GW), and Home Subscriber Server (HSS).
The EPS supports interworking with the non-3GPP system, as shown in FIG. 1, wherein, the interworking with the non-3GPP system is implemented with the S2a/b/c interface, and the PDN GW works as an anchor point between the 3GPP system and the non-3GPP system. In the EPS system architectural diagram, the non-3GPP system access is divided into untrusted non-3GPP access and trusted non-3GPP access; wherein the untrusted non-3GPP access needs to go through the evolved packet data gateway (ePDG) in order to connect with the PDN GW, the interface between the ePDG and the PDN GW is S2b; the trusted non-3GPP access can directly connect with the PDN GW through the S2a interface, and the S2a interface uses the Proxy Mobile Internet Protocol (PMIP) for information exchange; in addition, the S2c interface provides user plane related control and mobility support between the User Equipment (UE) and the PDN GW, and its supporting mobility management protocol is the Mobile IPv6 Support for Dual Stack Hosts and Routers (DSMIPv6), which can be used for both the untrusted non-3GPP access and the trusted non-3GPP access.
The Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) can be used as a non-3GPP system to access to the Evolved Packet Core (EPC), and this involves a lot of interconnection issues of the fixed mobile convergence that are concerned by many operators.
Currently, there is a lot of study on the process and policy interoperability of the S2b interface and the S2c interface, but there is little study on the S2a interface. The Study on S2a Mobility based On GTP & WLAN access to EPC (SaMOG) is mainly to study the interconnection problem in the case that the WLAN works as a trusted non-3GPP IP access network (TNAN) and the UE accesses to the EPC through the S2a interface. In the related art, as shown in FIG. 2, there are primarily two modes for the process of the UE accessing to the 3GPP EPC through the non-3GPP access network if differentiating according to how to trigger the non-3GPP access network to initiate a tunnel establishment to the PDN GW, and the two modes are specifically described as follows:
mode one: after the UE completes the non-3GPP specific process and the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) authentication process, the Layer 3 (L3) message is executed between the UE and the TNAN network element, then after the TNAN receives the L3 message, it initiates a tunnel establishment process to the PDN GW of the mobile core network.
Mode two: besides of the L3 messages, the Layer 2 (L2) messages such as the EAP messages can also be used as a triggering mode. After the UE completes the non-3GPP specific process and the EAP authentication process, and after the TNAN receives the EAP authentication success message, it initiates a tunnel establishment process to the PDN GW of the mobile core network.
The research scheme of the SaMOG is divided into scheme that has no effect on the UE and scheme that has an effect on the UE. The so-called scheme having no effect on the UE means that the UE does not support transmitting the Access Point Name (APN) information, additional Packet Data Network (PDN) connection, as well as the handover process between the access systems, and so on, and such a UE corresponds to the UE prior to the Release 11 (R11) of the 3GPP standards, and is referred to as R11 UE hereinafter; while the scheme having an effect on the UE refers to that the UE supports transmitting the APN information, the additional PDN connection, as well as the handover process between the access systems, and so on, such a UE corresponds to the UE in the Release 12 (R12) of the 3GPP standard, and is hereinafter referred to as R12 UE; in the related art, a specific implementation to ensure the UE subsequently performing a seamless handover between the access systems is as follows: when the UE first accesses to the 3GPP system or the non-3GPP system, after it selects the PDN GW, the PDN GW needs to update the PDN GW identity to the HSS; then, when the UE switches, the target access system of the handover acquires the previously saved PDN GW identity from the HSS. Moreover, if the PDN GW identity that is saved by the HSS and associated with the same APN is to be updated, the HSS updates the PDN GW identity to the MME or to the non-3GPP network element via the AAA server.
For the scheme having no effect on the UE, although the UE does not support the handover procedure, it can independently access to the 3GPP core network via the WLAN access system and the 3GPP access system simultaneously; moreover, the UE may use the same APN, but access to different PDN GWs. In the related art, if the PDN GW does not receive a handover indication form the UE, it considers that both of the different accesses are the first access of the UE, therefore when the UE first accesses via the WLAN access system, the PDN GW updates the PDN GW identity to the HSS; then, when the UE accesses via the 3GPP access system, the PDN GW updates the PDN GW identity to the HSS again, at this time, the new PDN GW identity overwrites the previously saved PDN GW identity; moreover, the HSS finds out that the PDN GW identity selected by the UE based on the same APN changes, and it sends the updated PDN GW identity to the access gateway of the WLAN via the AAA server, in turn, this causes an exception process in the WLAN network; whereas, when the UE accesses via the 3GPP access system firstly and later accesses via the WLAN access system, the HSS finds out that the PDN GW identity selected by the UE based on the same APN changes, it sends the changed PDN GW identity to the MME, in turn, this causes an exception process in the 3GPP network.
In addition, the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) also support interworking with the non-3GPP system; the difference is, the Serving General Packet Radio Service Support Node (SGSN) is used to replace the MME and the S-GW, and the Gateway General Packet Radio Service Supporting Node (GGSN) is used to replace the P-GW.
Therefore, the problem of the UE that does not support the handover accessing to the mobile core network via the UMTS and the non-3GPP system simultaneously also exists.

Method for updating identity information about packet gateway, AAA server and packet gateway


The present invention relates to a packing spacer for washing machines, of the type having a monolithic structure obtained from one material, comprising a tubular cylindrical stem (1) with enlarged head (2), both crossed by an axial conduit for a fixing screw (V); said spacer (D) being provided, on the cylindrical stem (1), with a section (4, 40, 400) that collapses elastically when the spacer is subjected to axial compression.

As it is known, washing machines are internally provided with a rotary drum that is designed to be filled with dirty laundry and is exactly housed inside a basically cylindrical oscillating assembly.
In particular, such a drum is provided on the bottom wall with a shaft that, after crossing the bottom wall of the oscillating assembly that contains it, is connected to an electrical motor that drives it into rotation.
Considering that the drum of washing machines is subjected to quite high rotational speed (especially during the spin drier cycle), it appears evident that the rotations generate significant mechanical stress for the oscillating assembly that contains the drum.
In order to prevent the said stress from damaging the structure, the oscillating assembly is mounted inside the case of the appliance with the interposition of suitable elastic connection elements that act as shock absorbers.
Because of the high intensity of the stress, the said elastic elements must be adjusted loosely, in such a way to allow the oscillating assembly to be displaced, including significantly, inside the case.
Although the fact that the oscillating assembly is mounted on the said elastic elements preserves the structural integrity of the oscillating assembly during the operation of the washing machine, it must be noted that such a solution causes a problem during the packing and transport operations of the appliance.
During the said operations, the oscillating assembly of a washing machine is exposed to such strong shaking that it can hit the internal walls of the case of the appliance, causing serious damage.
In order to prevent this problem, when the assembly of the washing machine has been completed, a common practice consists in mounting inside the washing machine some devices designed to stop the oscillations of the oscillating assembly, which are able to neutralise the presence of the said shock absorbers.
Of course, the said devices are designed to operate only during the packing and transport operations of the appliance, and are immediately removed before the appliance is put in operation, when the oscillating assembly is subjected again to the shock absorbing action of the elastic elements fixed to the cabinet.
An especially popular type of the said devices is represented by a spacer that practically consists in a cylindrical pin made of rigid plastic material and provided with enlarged head.
Such a spacer is crossed by an axial hole with circular section, in which a fixing screw is inserted, with suitable length to come out shortly from the front end of the hole.
Such a spacer must be horizontally inserted inside one of the holes provided on the back wall of the cabinet of a washing machine, until the enlarged head touches the external side of the back wall, in such a way to prevent the uncontrolled insertion of the entire spacer inside the appliance.
Following to the said insertion, the tip of the screw inserted in the spacer penetrates inside a hole obtained in corresponding position in the oscillating assembly contained inside the cabinet.
Then the screw of the spacer is screwed, in such a way that the front end of the spacer energetically interfered against the surface of the oscillating assembly and the enlarged head energetically adheres against the external side of the back wall of the cabinet of the appliance.
Evidently, such a spacer obtains a rigid connection between the oscillating assembly and the cabinet of the appliance.
It must be noted that, in order to make the said spacers effective, each of them is provided with an insert that is able to be elastically compressed, causing a bulge on the internal wall of the cabinet, when the screw is engaged in the hole obtained on the oscillating assembly to be stopped.
Generally, the elastically deformable insert consists in a rubber collar designed to be inserted along the same screw that crosses the cylindrical rigid body of a spacer.
In many instances the collar is provided with an enlarged head and for this reason it is designed to be mounted upstream the said cylindrical rigid body, in such a way that the enlarged head interferes against the external side of the back wall of the cabinet during the installation of the spacer.
In any case it must be noted that, when the spacer is screwed against the back side of the oscillating assembly, the elastic insert is subjected to a compression load that causes circumferential expansion, thus strengthening the connection between the oscillating assembly of a washing machine and the corresponding cabinet.
In fact, also when the oscillating assembly is subjected to stress that tends to push it against the back wall of the cabinet, the spacer is no longer free to move backwards and come out of the insertion hole, the said backward movement being prevented by the annular bulge suffered by the said insert under compression.
The said spacers are classified by the experts of the art as "bi-components", because that they are formed of two components: a bearing rigid element and an insert made of elastically expandable material under compression.
A "bi-component" spacer of this type is illustrated in patent WO 2006/129176.
Other models of spacers are known, being characterised in that they have a monolithic structure that comprises a cylindrical stem and an enlarged circular head, both crossed by an axial conduit for the screw used to fix the spacer between the oscillating assembly and the back wall of the cabinet of the washing machine.
In order to provide secure coupling between the circular head and the back wall of the cabinet, the head is provided with an annular groove, whereas the back wall of the cabinet is provided with a "keyhole"-type hole, with "eye" having the same diameter as the cylindrical stem of the spacer, and the width of the slot that starts from the said "eye" is the same as the diameter of the said annular grove.
This means that, once the cylindrical stem of the spacer has been inserted into the eye of the "keyhole-type" hole, the installer must slide the spacer laterally, in parallel direction, in order to insert the edges of the slot into the annular groove of the head of the spacer, which is interlocked in the back wall of the cabinet.
A spacer of this second type is disclosed in patent EP 0916760.
Although this second type of spacer is preferred to the first one because of its monolithic structure, which is simple and inexpensive to make, it is impaired in that it requires the drilling of "keyhole"-type holes on the back wall of the cabinet.


A capacitive device including at least one actuator structure formed on a substrate is provided. The capacitive device further includes a moveable structure formed on the substrate and mechanically coupled to the at least one actuator structure. The moveable structure includes a moveable capacitive plate and a bridge, formed substantially planar to the moveable capacitive plate. The bridge is used to mechanically and electrically couple the moveable capacitive plate to a signal line formed on the substrate such that the moveable capacitive plate moves up or down based on a force generated by the at least one actuator structure.

1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to MEMs devices, and more specifically, to a MEMs capacitor device with a conductively tethered moveable capacitor plate.
2. Related Art
A MEMS capacitor is one of the most important tunable devices required by re-configurable radio-frequency (RF) systems. In a piezoelectrically actuated MEMS capacitor device, the mechanical formation is predominantly determined by the requirements of the actuator design, the mechanical formation including material choices, thicknesses and stresses of the thin film layers of the moveable structures. As a result, this makes it very difficult to use the same material composites to design a good quality moveable MEMS capacitor plate that meets its own corresponding mechanical, thermal and electrical/RF requirements.
For improved RF performance, a transmission line for use in connecting the moveable MEMS capacitor plate to another part of the RF circuit will most likely require a different metal material and thickness than corresponding ones of the piezoelectric actuator electrodes. This makes it difficult to design a moveable connection structure that has minimum impact to the thermal mechanical performance of the overall device. At the same time, an electrically isolated (i.e., electrically "floating") capacitor plate design significantly reduces the capacitance density of the MEMS capacitor.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus for overcoming the problems in the art as discussed above.

MEMS capacitor with conductively tethered moveable capacitor plate


A model train operating, sound and control system that provides a user with increased operating realism. A novel remote control communication capability between the user and the model trains. This feature is accomplished by using a handheld remote control on which various commands may be entered, and a Track Interface Unit that retrieves and processes the commands. The Track Interface Unit converts the commands to modulated signals in the form of data bit sequences (preferably spread spectrum signals) which are sent down the track rails. The model train picks up the modulated signals, retrieves the entered command, and executes it through use of a processor and associated control and driver circuitry. A speed control circuit located inside the model train that is capable of continuously monitoring the operating speed of the train and making adjustments to a motor drive circuit, as well as a novel smoke unit. Circuitry for connecting the Track Interface Unit to an external source, such as a computer, CD player, or other sound source, and have real-time sounds stream down the model train tracks for playing through the speakers located in the model train.

Model trains have had a long and illustrious history. From the earliest model trains to the present, one of the primary goals of model train system designers has been to make the model train experience as realistic as possible for the user.
The typical model train has an electric motor inside the train that operates from a voltage source. The voltage is sent down the model tracks where it is picked up by the train's wheels and rollers, then transferred to the motor. A power source supplies the power to the tracks. The power source can control both the amount (amplitude) and polarity (direction) of the voltage, so that the user may control both the speed and direction of the train. Some systems use a DC voltage applied to the track. In others, the voltage is an AC voltage, and is usually the 60 Hz AC voltage available from standard U.S. wall outlets. In these systems, a transformer is necessary to reduce the amount of voltage provided to the system.
Using the above-described system, an early method of operating model trains is now referred to as "legacy" mode. As the user increases or decreases the amount of voltage applied to the track through manipulation of a throttle on the power source, the train will gain or lose speed as it travels along the track. This is a straightforward operation whereby the user directly controls the amount of voltage applied to the train's motor. Such a mode of operation requires the user to constantly monitor and adjust the amount of voltage applied to the tracks. For example, a train approaching a curve in the track may de-rail if the train is moving too fast. The user must therefore reduce the amount of voltage received by the train's motor by cutting back on the power source throttle prior to the train reaching the curve. Similar situations may occur elsewhere on the track layout, such as when the train approaches an upgrade (which may require the user to increase the amount of voltage applied) or when the train is attached to a heavy load.
In addition to being able to control the speed and direction of model trains, early train systems enabled the user to operate a whistle (or horn) and later a bell located on the train. In AC-powered systems, this was done by applying a DC offset voltage superimposed on the AC voltage applied to the track. In later systems, the train had circuitry that distinguished between the polarities of the DC offset voltage. Thus, for example, the whistle (or horn) would blow when a +DC offset voltage was applied to the track, and the bell would ring when a −DC offset voltage was applied. Typically, the user would press a "horn" or "bell" button located on the power source to effect the desired sound.
It should be apparent that the above-described system provided the user with only limited control over the operation of the train, and further required constant manual manipulation of the power source in-order to maintain the train on the track layout. Later-developed systems therefore attempted to address these shortcomings and thereby increase the realism of the model train experience.
Two examples of such systems include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,856 to Young et al., and Marklin's Digital line of model trains. These systems enabled the user to have remote control operation of the train. This was accomplished by inserting a control unit between the power source and the tracks. The control unit responded to commands entered by the user on a hand-held remote control. These types of systems generally utilized microprocessor technology. A microprocessor or receiver located in the model trains would have a unique digital address associated with it. The user would enter the train's address and a command for the train on the remote control, such as "stop," "blow whistle," "change direction," and so on. The address and commands would be implemented as infra-red (IR) or radio frequency (RF) signals. The control unit would receive the commands and pass the commands through the tracks in digital form, where the model train corresponding to the entered address would pick up the command. The microprocessor inside the model train would then execute the entered command. For example, if the user had entered a command such as "turn on train light," the microprocessor would send a signal to the light driver circuit located inside the train, and the light driver circuit would turn on the light.
In the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,856, the user is able to control the speed of the train through the remote control. This is accomplished through the use of a triac switch located inside the control unit. The power source is set to a maximum desired level. In response to input from the user, the triac switch inside the control unit switches the AC waveform from the power source at appropriate times to control the AC power level and impose a DC offset. The speed of the trains will then change in accordance with the change in power applied to the track. The aforementioned Marklin system, on the other hand, controls the speed of the trains by use of pulse width modulation (PWM) and fullwave rectifier circuits located inside the train. The duty factor of the output signal from the PWM circuit varies between 0 and 15/16 at a frequency that is 1/16 of a counter frequency that remains constant. This allows the user a 16-step speed control for each train.
Many other advances have been made in model trains beyond those described here. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,431 to Severson et al. describes the use of a state machine in the train that increases the number of control signals available to the user for control over train features such as sound volume, couplers, directional state, and various sound features. U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,142 discloses, among other things, ways to improve the quality and realism of sounds made by the train during operation. Still, further advances in the area of model trains are desirable, in order to approach the desired goal of realism during operation.

Control, sound, and operating system for model trains


The invention provides a technique that enables a correct discrimination of reception data, when the supply voltage of a semiconductor integrated circuit having a simultaneous bi-directional interface is decreased. The data transmission system is provided with input circuits constituting a simultaneous bi-directional interface by the number of reference voltages used. Each of the input circuits is supplied with a fixed reference voltage, the input circuit supplied with a higher reference voltage employs a differential amplifier with n-channel MOSFETs served as input differential devices, and the input circuit supplied with a lower reference voltage employs a differential amplifier with p-channel MOSFETs served as input differential devices, in which selectors switch the outputs of the two differential amplifiers in correspondence with the output data of their own. Thus, the system attains the reception data.

The present invention relates to a technique effective for use in a digital signal transmission or a signal transmission taking on more than three levels of a transmission line, for example, to a technique effective for use in a simultaneous bi-directional data transmission system or a signal transmission system by multi-value levels.
Conventionally, a simultaneous bi-directional interface called SBTL is known which permits simultaneous data transmissions from both ends of the transmission line. In the simultaneous bi-directional interface, a bi-directional data transmission is carried out on one transmission line, and the level on the transmission line assumes any one of three levels, namely, low level, high level, and the medium level of the two, in accordance with the combination of the two data transmitted from the both ends. Therefore, a system is adopted which provides two reference voltages (logic determination levels) to the input buffer (comparator) on the reception end to thereby discriminate reception data.
The conventional simultaneous bi-directional interface includes an output buffer OBF and an input buffer IBF and a reference voltage generation circuit VRG in each chip, as shown in FIG. 11, and varies the reference voltages generated by the reference voltage generation circuit VRG in accordance with the self transmission data TDATA-A, TDATA-B as illustrated by the dotted lines in FIG. 12(a) and FIG. 12(b), and thereby discriminates the reception data RDATA-B, RDATA-A, which is a generally applied system.
However, the switching system of the reference voltages involves a problem that the switching of the reference voltages increases the jitter (shift in varying timing) of the reception data. This is because the switching of the reference voltages with one input buffer creates a deviation in the timing of determination (point of the reception data waveform crossing the reference voltages), when the reference voltages are high and low even with the same reception data. In case the reference level varies when the reception data vary, the timing of determination deviates in the case that the varying direction of the reference level is coincident with the varying direction of the reception data, and also in the case opposite to the former case.
On the other hand, as a simultaneous bi-directional interface proposed conventionally, a technique is disclosed in the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 8 (1996)-107346, which provides two input buffers (comparators) having different reference levels, brings both the two input buffers into operation, switches the selectors in the post-stage in accordance with the self transmission data, and thereby takes in data determined by the reference level according to the transmission data.


To ensure that a radio altimeter indicates zero altitude when the aircraft is on the ground, an on-ground calibration system utilizes a calibration switch to initiate a calibration radio altimeter signal from the radio altimeter's transmitter section which is reflected off of the ground and received by the altimeter's receiver section. The time delay between transmission and reception of the signal is measured and a value representing the delay is stored in the altimeter's microprocessor. This value corresponds to zero altitude and can be used as the relative zero point for calculating altitudes of the aircraft when it is in flight.

Radio altimeters determine altitude by transmitting a radio signal and timing the delay of the return echo. The time delay of the return echo is influenced by the height of the antenna above ground and by the amount of delay caused by the antenna cables.
Radio altimeters are installed at different distances from the ground depending on the aircraft and the particular installation parameters. Therefore, radio altimeters require calibration during installation. Calibration ensures that the radio altimeter indicates zero feet when the aircraft is on the ground. Current radio altimeter calibration technology requires the radio altimeter to be calibrated by adjusting the length of the cable connecting the radio altimeter to its antenna during installation. This calibration approach typically requires an excess length of antenna cable which is commonly referred to as an Aircraft Installation Delay (AID) cable. The calibration cable length must be calculated, then the cable must be trimmed to a precise length. As a result this technique often results in more antenna cable length than would otherwise be required, which results in excess weight and cost.

On-ground radio altimeter calibration system


Radiation pulses from a high energy therapeutic ultrasound system are used to stimulate tissue motion by radiation pressure. The tissue motion is monitored using a diagnostic ultrasound system.

This invention relates to ultrasonic characterization of tissue and particularly to characterization of the mechanical properties of tissue during treatment thereof with therapeutic ultrasound. In a paper entitled xe2x80x9cSonoelasticity Images Derived from Ultrasound Signals in Mechanically Vibrated Tissues,xe2x80x9d by R. M. Lerner, S. R. Huang and K. J. Parker published in Ultrasound Medical Biology, vol. 16, pp. 231-239, 1990 there is described a technique for measuring the mechanical properties of tissue by inducing mechanical vibrations therein and measuring ultrasonic echos from within the tissues during vibration thereof. Such procedures can sense the effective stiffness of tissue constituents and produce cross-sectional images depicting induced displacement or strain.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,569, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention, there is described a combined transducer for providing diagnostic imaging using ultrasound, and for providing therapeutic application of high intensity focused ultrasound for treatment of tissue by producing lesions therein.
In a paper entitled xe2x80x9cElastography Imaging of Thermal Lesions in Soft Tissue: A Preliminary Study In Vitroxe2x80x9d in Ultrasound Medical Biology, vol. 24, pp. 1449-1458 (1998) Stafford et al. have shown that internal thermal lesions induced by high intensity focused ultrasound could perturb the elastic moduli of normal tissue and produce ultrasonically detectable changes in displacement, measured after the treated tissue was imbedded in a gel block. These studies used a large paddle to mechanically induce external displacement of the tissue.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method for measuring the mechanical properties of tissue using ultrasound, and in particular a method for providing measurement of induced lesions in tissue during therapeutic application of high intensity focused ultrasound thereto.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a method for evaluating tissue characteristics, which includes operating an ultrasonic therapeutic transducer to insonify a region of tissue and cause induced tissue displacement. An ultrasonic diagnostic transducer is operated to observe the tissue displacement and thereby evaluate the mechanical characteristics of the tissue.
According to a preferred method the therapeutic transducer insonifies the tissue along a radiation axis and the diagnostic transducer transmits and receives ultrasonic signals along the same radiation axis. Preferably the ultrasonic therapeutic transducer is operated during a first selected time interval and the ultrasonic diagnostic transducer is operated during a second selected time interval immediately following the first selected time interval.
According to the invention there is provided a method for ultrasonic treatment of tissue including locating a tissue region to be treated using diagnostic ultrasound, radiating the tissue region using high power therapeutic ultrasound radiation and observing mechanical characteristics in the tissue region using the diagnostic ultrasound to evaluate effectiveness of the therapeutic ultrasound radiation.
In a preferred method of treatment, locating the tissue region is done by observing baseline mechanical characteristics of the tissue region. In addition there may be provided a reduced energy stimulus pulse of the therapeutic ultrasound radiation to irradiate the tissue during a first selected time interval. Mechanical characteristics of the tissue are observed during a second selected time interval immediately following the first time interval using diagnostic ultrasound thereby to observe baseline characteristics of the tissue region. After ultrasonic treatment of the tissue the tissue characteristics can be observed by irradiating the tissue with a reduced energy stimulus pulse of the therapeutic ultrasound radiation and thereafter observing mechanical characteristics of the tissue region using diagnostic ultrasound. In practicing the treatment method of the invention the location of the focal volume of the therapeutic ultrasound radiation within tissue may be determined. A reduced energy pulse of therapeutic ultrasound radiation may be supplied to the tissue during a first selected time interval and the mechanical response of the tissue region to be treated will be observed during a second selected time interval immediately following the first selected time interval using the diagnostic ultrasound to thereby locate the focal volume of the therapeutic radiation in the tissue.
For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects, reference is made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Ultrasonic sensing by induced tissue motion


An air cargo container comprising a skeleton structure of interconnected frame members to which are arranged face panels forming at least one wall between the frame members. At least one of the walls comprises an opening providing access to the interior of the container, whereby the opening covers substantially the complete surface area of said wall between the outermost of the frame members. Parts of the outermost frame members forming the peripheral edge of the opening are provided with a connector for connecting a stiffening member to the peripheral edge, said stiffening member being provided to link said parts under tension.

Typically, air cargo containers, often referred to as Unit Load Devices (ULDs) are shaped as boxes which can include appropriately sloped surfaces that conform the air cargo container to the aircraft's fuselage when the air cargo container is placed in the aircraft's cargo compartment. ULDs meant to be loaded into an aircraft's lower deck cargo compartment—lower deck containers—in general are equipped with sloped lower side walls, joining the edge of the base to the vertical upper side walls. Upper deck containers on the other hand have sloped upper side walls and vertically upward extending lower side walls attached to the ULD's base panel.
Essentially, the container is made of several panels which are joined together to form the air cargo container and define an enclosed or partially enclosed volume. Additionally, an air cargo container typically has a door which allows it to be opened for placing e.g. cargo or baggage in the air cargo container or for removing the payload from the air cargo container. Air cargo containers must conform to various national and international standards and specifications. These standards and specifications are set forth in amongst others the National Aerospace Standard (NAS) 3610 and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) ULD Technical Manual. In these documents, the required characteristics of air cargo containers, such as for instance the ability to sustain defined vertical and lateral loads and impacts, shear forces and fire resistance are set out. Likely the most severe load criterion is the downward load case. In case of an upper deck container, the vertical downward load is exerted fully on the base panel of the container. In case of a lower deck container on the other hand, the vertical downward load is partially exerted on the base, and partially on the—sloped—lower side walls. Heavy loading of the sloped lower side walls may result in substantial deformation.
Presently there are roughly two known types of air cargo containers. The first and most common type is equipped with a so-called shear panel that spans over part of the front surface of the air cargo container to obtain the necessary stiffness, and as such forms an integral part of the container's structure. The remaining part of the front surface is used as access opening. To close the opening off when loaded, a flexible fabric door spanning the opening may be used. An air cargo container of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,998 for instance. Another air cargo container having a shear panel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,405, which shows a collapsible container having a shear panel in the form of an outboard wing or 'pallet extension'. The pallet extension extends outwardly of the container base so that the container assumes a so-called 'LD3' unit load device configuration. As can be seen in FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,405, the pallet extension 26 blocks a part of the available maximum opening surface area, which is undesirable. Another example of this type of container is disclosed in DE 20214619U1, see FIG. 1, and in EP0127936 A1, see FIG. 1. EP 1061009A1 discloses a further example of a collapsible container having a shear panel to obtain the necessary rigidity. As is clear from FIG. 1 of EP 1061009A1, the shear panel blocks part of the front opening extending between walls 4, 8, 7 (and 5, 6).
A second type of air cargo container is equipped with a solid door, often constructed from aluminium or an aluminium alloy and comprising a top and bottom part, connected by a hinge. This type of air cargo container is for instance known from GB 1470448.
Air cargo containers with a solid door provide the required rigidity but are significantly heavier than those with a flexible fabric door. Air cargo containers with a flexible door are lighter but require a shear panel to provide the necessary rigidity. The shear panel necessarily blocks part of the available opening however, and access to the interior of the container is therefore limited. This reduced access hinders loading and offloading and may lead to important time losses, in particular when using mechanical loading and offloading devices. Also, such mechanical devices may not always be suitable for use in conjunction with containers equipped with shear panels.
It would be highly desirable to provide an air cargo container combining the advantages of the container having a flexible door (low weight) and of the container equipped with a solid door (allowing optimal access to the entire interior of the air cargo container), and at the same time providing sufficient structural rigidity to comply with the abovementioned standards and specifications. This is particularly the case for so-called (half width) lower deck aircraft containers, having sides sloping outward and upward from the base—to which it is restraint.

Air cargo container and flexible door for use in such a container


The present disclosure relates to an organic electroluminescence element including: a substrate having a light transmissive property; a light diffusion layer; a light transmissive electrode; a light reflective electrode; and multiple light emitting layers spaced from each other. With regard to the m-th light emitting layer being the m-th closest light emitting layer to the light reflective electrode, relations defined by following expressions (2) and (3) are satisfied. In the following expressions, λm represents the weighted average emission wavelength, Ø(λm) represents the phase shift, nm(λm) represents the average refractive index of a medium filling a space between the light reflective electrode and the m-th light emitting layer, and dm represents the distance from the light reflective electrode to the m-th light emitting layer. l is an integer equal to or more than 0.

In a generally known structure of an organic electroluminescence element (hereinafter referred to as "organic EL element"), an anode made of a transparent electrode, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron injection layer, and a cathode are stacked on a surface of a transparent substrate in this order. In this organic EL element, light is produced in an organic light emitting layer in response to application of voltage between the anode and the cathode, and the produced light passes through the transparent electrode and the transparent substrate and emerges outside.
Generally, the organic EL element has the light-outcoupling efficiency in the range of about 20% to 30%. Such low light-outcoupling efficiency means that 70% to 80% of the total amount of produced light does not effectively contribute to light emission. This is because, due to total reflection at interfaces between materials with different refractive indexes, light absorption by materials, and the like, light cannot be effectively propagated to an outside in which light emission is observed. Consequently, it is considered that improvement of the light-outcoupling efficiency causes a great increase in the efficiency of the organic EL element.
There is studied and developed actively to improve the light-outcoupling efficiency. Especially, there have been many efforts to increase the amount of light which is produced in the organic layer and reaches the substrate layer. Generally, the refractive index of the organic layer is equal to or more than about 1.7, and normally the refractive index of the glass layer serving as the substrate is about 1.5. Therefore, a loss caused by total reflection at the interface between the organic layer and the glass layer (thin film waveguide mode) probably reaches about 50% of the total amount of radiated light. In view of this, it is possible to greatly improve the light-outcoupling efficiency of the organic EL element by decreasing the loss caused by the total reflection between the organic layer and the substrate.
Use of interference is considered as one of means for improving the light-outcoupling efficiency. For example, patent literature 1 (JP 2004-165154 A) discloses adjusting optical thicknesses by use of the interference in view of differences of phases so as to maximize a component of light.

Organic electroluminescence element and lighting device using same

Abstract: [              FORMULA                                                  1            ]                                                                              ϕ                                                  (                                      λ                    m                                    )                                            ×                                                λ                  m                                                  4                                                                                π                                                      +                                                            l                  +                  0.1                                2                                                          λ                m                                              ≤                                                    n                m                                                          (                                  λ                  m                                )                                      ×                          d              m                                ≤                                                    ϕ                                                  (                                      λ                    m                                    )                                            ×                                                λ                  m                                                  4                                                                                π                                                      +                                                            l                  +                  0.6                                2                                                          λ                m                                                                          (          2          )                                                                                n                  m                                                                  (                                      λ                    m                                    )                                            ×                              d                m                                      ≥                          0.6                                            λ                m                                                                          (          3          )


The present invention relates to compounds of the formula I or II: (I) (II) processes for their preparation and their use as pharmaceutical agents or compositions in the treatment, of neurological disorders.

Neurological disorders including neurodegenerative disorders can undergo pathologically related reactions between proteins and the redox-active metal ions, such as zinc, copper or iron. These reactions generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which have the capacity to damage cellular components by oxidizing proteins, lipid bilayers, and DNA. This can result in alterations of protein conformations, enzyme activities and cause protein aggregation.
ROS include free radicals such as superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical and other molecular species such as hydrogen peroxide (Bush and Goldstein (2001)). Hydroxyl radicals are the most reactive and damaging generated ROS. They are predominantly formed by a Fenton reaction between transition metals (usually iron(II) or copper(I)) and hydrogen peroxide.
Whilst cells possess antioxidant systems to protect against ROS damage, including protective enzymes such as copper-zinc superoxide dismutase, these enzymes contain metals. Cells must therefore maintain a careful balance between free and bound pro-oxidant versus antioxidant metal ions, which are critical to cellular homeostasis. It is generally considered that the aging brain has a slow and progressive imbalance between antioxidant defenses and intracellular concentrations of ROS.
There is a need to identify compounds designed to manage and modulate ionic biological metals that, when unregulated, have an established association with a growing number of diseases including those characterized by the presence of oxidative stress, protein aggregation and intracellular or extracellular metal imbalance.


A band rejection filter with attenuation poles includes a plurality of series resonant circuits having end terminals connected in common and other end terminals connected in series via a plurality of transmission lines each having a length that is an odd multiple of about the one-quarter wavelength at the resonance frequency of the plurality of series resonant circuits, and a jump-coupling circuit for roughly coupling two of the plurality of series resonant circuits, which are not adjacent to each other, to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a band rejection filter with attenuation poles that is provided with two or more resonant circuits.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, band rejection filters provided with two or more resonant circuits are known (for example, refer to "Microwave Filters, Impedance-Matching Networks, and Coupling Structures", G. Matthaei, et al., Artech House Publishers, 1980, pp. 735). In general, a band rejection filter is provided with two or more series resonant circuits 200 connected in series via a transmission line 201, as shown in FIG. 11. The transmission line 201 is the one that has a length equal to the one-quarter wavelength at the resonance frequency of the two or more series resonant circuits 200. The band rejection filter is also provided with an input/output terminal 203 having an impedance Zo.
Since the electric nodes of each series resonant circuit 200 are electrically short-circuited at the resonance frequency of the two or more series resonant circuits 200, the band rejection filter exhibits characteristics of having an infinite attenuation at the resonance frequency of the two or more series resonant circuits 200 and having a limited attenuation in the vicinity of the resonance frequency. A problem with the conventional band rejection filter mentioned above is that in some cases the number of series resonant circuits required to obtain a desired attenuation in a certain frequency band has to be increased and therefore the circuit scale has to be increased. Another problem is that a so-called attenuation pole that provides a maximum attenuation is always formed only at the resonance frequency of the plurality of resonant circuits, and it is therefore difficult to provide a sufficient attenuation in a frequency range of frequencies close to the resonance frequency.

Band rejection filter with attenuation poles


Compositions of xanthine and mercapto-allopurinol and methods of using same, for controlling the growth of pest insects which salvage, store, or excrete their nitrogenous wastes via the purine metabolic pathway.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to the regulation of the growth of pest insects which utilize the purine metabolic pathway to salvage, store, or excrete their nitrogenous wastes. It comprises bringing into contact with the pest insects, formulations containing growth-controlling amounts of compositions comprising purines, purine metabolic-enzyme inhibitors, and inhibitors of enzymes which regulate production of specific co-factors of this pathway.
2. Description of the Background Art
Despite the recent development and great promise of each advanced insect-controlling techniques as chemical sterilants, pheromones, and ecologically-based control strategies, the use of chemical insecticides still plays a predominant role. However, rising public awareness of environmental issues, more stringent government regulations, and increasing insect resistance to conventional modalities are driving the pest control industry to seek safer alternatives to these conventional chemical insecticides.
Others have attempted to identify and evaluate the efficacy of insect growth inhibitors. However, given the continuous need for increased selectivity and effectiveness of insect control agents, it became desirable to engage in rational formulation of control agents based on an understanding of key insect nutritional and metabolic pathways.

Compositions and methods for controlling pest insects

Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.


A signal scrambling method and apparatus, and a signal descrambling method and apparatus are disclosed. In the signal scrambling method, a communications apparatus scrambles a signal by using a scrambling sequence, and sends the scrambled signal. In the signal descrambling method, a communications apparatus receives a signal, and descrambles the signal by using a scrambling sequence. An initial value of the scrambling sequence is determined based on a time unit number corresponding to a frame structure parameter used for transmitting the signal, so that different scrambling sequences can be used to scramble signals that are transmitted by using different frame structure parameters. Therefore, interference randomization can be implemented for signal scrambling, and this can be applicable to various application scenarios in 5G NR to improve performance.

To ensure communication reliability, scrambling signals transmitted in a communication process is an important step.
In a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communications system, signal scrambling is generally performed according to parameters such as a signal type, a cell identity (ID), a terminal identity, and a slot number. The LTE communications system has a fixed frame structure parameter. A subcarrier spacing, a cyclic prefix (CP) length, a symbol quantity, and a slot quantity corresponding to the frame structure parameter are all fixed. However, in a 5th Generation (5G) new radio (NR) communications system, given different subcarrier spacings, a system bandwidth may be divided into one or more bandwidth parts (BWP). In addition, to support different services, different BWPs may use different frame structure parameters. Therefore, the foregoing signal scrambling mode in the LTE communications system is not applicable to the 5G NR any longer.

Signal scrambling method and apparatus, and signal descrambling method and apparatus


A hybrid chip having at least two different types of semiconductor devices co-located on a common substrate, and a method therefor, are disclosed. The devices have different multiple epitaxial layer structures so that each different type of device is first grown on a separate appropriately-selected substrate, and then attached to the common substrate. According to the method, a first device is attached to the common substrate using flip-chip bonding methods. Flip-chip bonding involves attaching the device and the substrate at bonding pads, flowing a flowable hardener between the first device and the common substrate and allowing it to harden, and then removing the substrate upon which the first device was grown. The hardener is removed before attaching the second type of device via flip-chip bonding.

One way to improve the performance of large processing or telecommunications switching systems is to interconnect integrated circuits (Ics) using optics. Optically interconnecting ICs in this manner relieves the communication bottleneck that exists in such large electronic switching and computing systems by increasing the data rate for each I/O.
Hybrid CMOS silicon (Si)/gallium arsenide (GaAs) photonic chip technology has recently been developed that allows direct optical input/output from fiber bundles onto logic circuits. That photonic chip technology introduced "smart pixel" chips wherein p-i (multiple quantum well MQW!)-n modulators are used both as input detector and output device. See Goossen et al., "Demonstration of Dense Optoelectronic Integration to Si CMOS for direct Optical Interfacing of Logic Circuits to Fiber Bundles," Proc. 21st Eur. Conf. Opt. Comm. (ECOC'95 Brussels), pp. 181-188.
The aforementioned smart pixels represent an important step in the development of optoelectronic/VLSI chip technology. It would be desirable, however, to have a smart pixel utilizing different devices for detection and output. One reason for this is that such separate devices can be individually optimized for their function, i.e., input or output. In fact, such optimization may be necessary as the gate length and supply voltage of CMOS shrinks. Moreover, if separate input/output devices could be so integrated on chip, surface emitting lasers (SELs) could be introduced onto the chip. While very desirable for use as output devices, SELs do not function well as detectors, and consequently can not be used in prior art smart pixels.
The desired opto-electronic chips would thus comprise a silicon substrate that supports silicon-based electronics, with at least two different types of photonics devices, typically gallium-arsenide (GaAs) or indium-phosphide (InP)-based, disposed thereon. The different types of photonics devices would be co-located or interleaved, i.e., situated in the immediate vicinity of one another. As explained below, there have been impediments to developing opto-electronic chips having different input and output devices that are co-located.
First, there are difficulties with growing group III-V semiconductors, such as GaAs and InP, on nonpolar substrates, such as silicon. As such, if a III-V device is to be attached to a silicon substrate, such a device is grown on an appropriate substrate and then attached to the silicon. To create an opto-electronic chip having two different types of co-located III-V devices, the two devices would be typically grown on the same substrate and then attached to a silicon substrate.
Second, the photonics devices of interest, such as surface emitting lasers (SEL) and p-i-n diodes, have differing multiple epitaxial layer structures. It is not feasible, at least from a commercial point of view, to grow such dissimilarly-structured devices on a single substrate. To do so would require multiple growth steps, one for each different type of device, and further may affect device yield and performance, all of which increases manufacturing costs.
There is, therefore, a need for a commercially-viable method for attaching such differently-configured devices to a silicon substrate so that hybrid chips incorporating such devices can be produced.


A kickstand (17) and bike comprising such a kickstand. The kickstand comprises                a base (18) connected or connectable to a bike frame (2);        a stand (19) movable relative to the base between a standing position and a retracted position; and        a latch (20) latching the stand in the standing position. The latch is pivotable about a horizontal rotational latch axis (RL) between a latching position and a release position.

While most bikes are usually provided with a side stand kickstand, cargo bikes typically comprise a center stand kickstand, providing a more stable and robust parking position. Such a center stand kickstand typically comprises a pair of legs or a U-shaped bracket lifting the front or rear wheel off the ground when in use. An example of such a center stand kickstand is disclosed in CN 200988519. JP 2923829 discloses a kickstand for a motorbike comprising a latching mechanism operable by means of a Bowden-cable.
It is an object of the invention to provide a kickstand, which is easy to use, providing a more robust and safe parking position, in particular for cargo bikes.


A method for freight vehicle monitoring includes obtaining historical telecommunications data, performing vehicle location identification using the historical telecommunications data, wherein performing the vehicle location identification comprises using a machine learning based algorithm to determine one or more meaningful vehicle locations, identifying, based on the one or more meaningful vehicle locations, if one or more telecommunications devices are those of a freight vehicle occupant, and tracking a location of the one or more telecommunications devices identified as those of a freight vehicle occupant.

Freight traffic requires a large portion of road and highway usage in the United States as well as around the world. For example, in the U.S., approximately 60% of freight is carried by trucks. It is helpful for agencies such as, for example, the U.S. Department of Transportation, to identify and monitor in real-time, freight vehicles on roads so that the agencies can optimize traffic patterns, reduce traffic congestion, plan road maintenance and maintain functioning road networks.
Currently, there is no efficient way of monitoring freight traffic. A known solution is to require that each freight company install their own global positioning system (GPS) tracking devices on their vehicles. This solution can be costly given the requirement of dedicated tracking devices and constant data connectivity (e.g., 3G data connectivity) from tracking devices to freight control centers. This solution is not scalable since freight companies may be unwilling to share the location of their vehicles with other agencies due to hardware limitations or business concerns.

Freight vehicle monitoring using telecommunications data

International Business Machines Corporation


A method of forming silicon nitride nanodots that comprises the steps of forming silicon nanodots and then nitriding the silicon nanodots by exposing them to a nitrogen containing gas. Silicon nanodots were formed by low pressure chemical vapor deposition. Nitriding of the silicon nanodots was performed by exposing them to nitrogen radicals formed in a microwave radical generator, using N2 as the source gas.

The size of semiconductor memory devices, and the thin dielectric films that comprise these devices, has been scaled down over the past years in order to fulfill the requirements of diminishing feature size. Further scaling down presents serious problems. One large problem, in floating gate memory devices, is that the charge retention characteristics of the devices are very sensitive to the presence or absence of defects in the tunnel oxide. A reduction in the thickness of the tunnel oxide, to allow for further scaling down, increases the risk of defects occurring in the tunnel oxide.
One partial solution to this problem is to store the charge in a floating gate comprised of a plurality of nanodots, instead of a monolithic floating gate. This plurality strongly reduces the sensitivity of the device to incidental defects in the tunnel oxide. In such a situation, when a defect is present, a nanodot immediately adjacent the defect might lose its charge but the other nanodots are not affected. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,842 to Shin et al., issued Dec. 26, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 5,714,766 to Chen et al., issued Feb. 3, 1998.
Nanodots made from silicon have been useful in making such gates. In recent years, a significant amount of research has been done in the area of silicon nanodots. Silicon nanodots are generally produced by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) and the process conditions can be readily optimized to produce silicon nanodots of a desired size and with a desired density. See, e.g., Baron et al., "Low pressure chemical vapor deposition growth of silicon quantum dots on insulators for nanoelectronic devices," APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE, Vol. 164, pp. 29–34 (2000).
More recently, one group has investigated the option of blended, or heterogeneous, silicon nitride nanodots. See, e.g., Koga et al., "Silicon Single-Electron Memory and Logic Devices For Room Temperature Operation," IEDM 01–143, pp. 7.1.1–7.1.4 (2001). Silicon nitride nanodot devices show superior memory characteristics over silicon nanodot devices. Data retention characteristics are better and write characteristics show that a large memory window is attainable in each SiN dot device because multiple traps are formed in each SiN dot. Another advantage is that the silicon nitride dots are not as susceptible to oxidation. This can be important, for instance, in the case of a doubly stacked, floating dot memory device, where an upper dot is formed over a silicon layer. In the creation of such a device, the silicon layer is mostly oxidized, except for a lower silicon dot where the lower area is shielded from oxidation in a self-aligned manner by the upper dot. However, when the upper dot is formed of pure silicon, the upper dot will partially oxidize during the process and thus, size control of the lower dot is difficult. Using a silicon nitride dot as the upper dot largely eliminates this problem, as silicon nitride is very resistant to oxidation.
The current practice for the creation of these silicon nitride dots is to use low pressure chemical vapor deposition. However, the manufacturing of silicon nitride dots by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) has several disadvantages. First, the deposition temperature for the silicon nitride LPCVD process is significantly higher than the deposition temperature for the silicon process, resulting in higher consumption of the thermal budget of the wafer, which is undesired. Second, the LPCVD seed conditions that produce SiN nanodots of a desired size and density are largely unknown and still need to be explored. Finally, the visibility of silicon nitride nanodots on a silicon oxide film, either with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) or with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), is rather poor, as compared to the visibility of silicon nanodots, thus making the silicon nitride dots hard to examine.

Method of fabricating silicon nitride nanodots


The present invention provides a defect inspection method and device for a display panel. The defect inspection method comprises: A) obtaining an edge image of the display panel and obtaining a grayscale value of each pixel of the edge image; B) selecting a specific area in the edge image and obtaining a grayscale value of each pixel in the specific area; C) obtaining an average grayscale value of all pixels in the specific area; D) executing binarization for the grayscale value of each pixel in the specific area to obtain some boundary lines based on the average grayscale value, wherein the grayscale values of pixels on the boundary lines are different from grayscale values of the other pixels which are not on the boundary lines; E) filtering horizontal and vertical lines of the boundary lines to obtain some remaining boundary lines; and F) fitting a defect specification line for the remaining boundary lines, wherein, if widths of the remaining boundary lines are not smaller than a width of the defect specification line, confirming that the remaining boundary lines are defect lines.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the technical field of defect inspection for a display panel; and more particularly to a defect inspection device for a display panel and a method for the same.
2. Description of Related Art
With the rapid development of technology in the display field, the display panel with high-quality image (e.g., LCD panel) has become increasingly popular. However, according to conventional manufacturing techniques of display panel, to completely avoid display defects is very difficult and impractical. Therefore, in the manufacturing process of the display panel, executing a step of display defect inspection for a display panel is necessary.
The prior art, it generally utilize the light source to illuminate the display panel, and obtain a corresponding greyscale image, and then it determines if the display panel exists defect according to if the greyscale image appear the grayscale difference.
However, due to some kinds of defects (e.g., the protrusion or shell cracking at the terminal side of the display panel) that the grayscale difference of the corresponding greyscale image is small when the light source illuminates the display panel so that it is cannot easily be distinguished and easily to be missed. Thereby, it reduces the defect inspection capability of the display panel.

Defect inspection device for display panel and method for the same

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd


An article is described herein which comprises a substrate, a character sequence disposed on the substrate, a scratch-off coating disposed at least in part over at least one portion of the character sequence, and at least one conductive trace disposed at least in part over the at least one portion of the character sequence.

Scratch-off coatings are sometimes used to hide codes, or portions of codes, that can be used to identify accounts, cards, prizes or other items. Manufacturers, suppliers, and distributers hide the identity of these codes to allow only the end-user (e.g., customer) to possess the entire code. Thus, the code may be protected from theft throughout the supply chain including a retail environment. In the case of gift cards, the code may be used to redeem card value online and/or in-store where codes are readable using a device such as bar code scanner.

Scratch-off design for tamper identification


Method, apparatus and computer program product for detecting vulnerability and predicting maintenance in an industrial control system are described herein.

In industrial control systems (ICS) and industrial internet of things (IIoT) environments, identification of vulnerable industrial computing product running in the computing environment has historically been difficult. In ICSs, the resources that can be devoted to vulnerability analysis are often limited, for example, due to issues such as lack of Internet activity, interoperability issues, limitations on computing resources such as central processing unit (CPU), memory, input/output (I/O) constraints, or the like. Moreover, regular maintenance checkups that may address potential vulnerability in the ICSs are generally infrequent, at least in part because these maintenance checkups may require downtime may lead to loss of productivity in the industrial production sites associated with the ICSs.
Applicant has identified a number of deficiencies and problems associated with vulnerability detection/prediction and maintenance prediction in ICSs. Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, many of these identified problems have been solved by developing solutions that are included in embodiments of the present disclosure, many examples of which are described in detail herein.

Methods and apparatuses for vulnerability detection and maintenance prediction in industrial control systems using hash data analytics