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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for drying and curing of crops and particularly to wood-burning apparatus associated with such operations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been the practice for many years to employ oil or gas, e.g., bottled gas, fired burners for drying and curing of crops. Bulk curing tobacco barns, for example, have been heated in this manner for many years. Before the advent of oil and gas burners, it was also, of course, known to dry and cure crops with heat obtained by burning wood. However, to applicant's knowledge, no barn system has yet been developed and commercialized, particularly for bulk curing of tobacco, which provides for an auxiliary wood furnace to be used in conjunction with a conventional oil or gas burner system. Therefore, the provision of a crop-drying or curing barn system which incorporates an auxiliary wood furnace as a sole or supplemental heat source becomes the principal object of the invention. Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to laundry appliances and in particular consumer laundry appliances for the drying of damp textile articles, such as items of clothing, towels and bed linen.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
Prior art clothes drying machines are generally of a type having a rotatable metal drum supported within a rectangular cabinet. The rotatable drum includes an open end facing the front of the cabinet and a substantially closed end at the rear of the cabinet. Access is gained to the open end of the drum by opening a door or hatch on the front face of the cabinet.
The prior art clothes dryer has a significant ergonomic disadvantage to a top loading laundry appliance. It is a particular disadvantage when washing has to be transferred from a top loading clothes washing machine to a front loading clothes dryer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,514,867 describes a drum type clothes dryer including a belt tensioning arrangement enabling reversal.
JP 2-274294 describes an automatic door opening and closing arrangement for a rotary drum which requires stopping the drum at a rotary position for operating a door stopper provided on the drum door. Operation of the door stopper into an engagement released state also brings the drum door into a non-movable state relative to the cabinet.
WO 0028127 describes a laundry appliance including a rotating cylindrical drum with a hatch forming part of the cylindrical surface. The drum is stopped to allow disengagement of the hatch from the drum and engagement relative to the cabinet at the commencement of an opening operation. It is also stopped for the reversed process at the end of a closing operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,430 describes a top loading automatic washer with the drum provided to rotate on a horizontal axis. The laundry carrying drum has a hinged opening and is retained within a water collection tub with a spring loaded flexible sliding tub door.
EP 483909 describes a device for halting the drum of a top loading horizontal axis laundry machine in a loading and unloading position.
FR 2478151 describes a drum and hatch construction for a top loading horizontal axis washing machine.
WO 00/28126 describes a top loading horizontal axis washing machine wherein user access to the drum is provided by moving the drum at least partially out of a surrounding cabinet to expose an access opening. Rocking, pivoting and sliding arrangements are described.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,870 describes a retractable self levelling assembly for supporting a laundry appliance. The assembly has two spaced apart upwardly and outwardly angled slots for slidably receiving pins which connect supporting feet to opposite ends of an adjustable tension bar.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,923 describes a self levelling assembly for an appliance with legs slidably received through channels for vertical movement. Each leg is provided with outwardly extending pins engaged within upwardly converging slots of a stabiliser bar.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,241 describes a self adjusting levelling assembly for an appliance with includes a pair of mounting brackets each provided with a vertically shiftable, floor engaging leg member. The leg members are interconnected by a cable such that they are free to shift vertically relative to their corresponding brackets in a reciprocal relationship when not supporting a normal proportional share of the weight of the appliance.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,275 describes a leveller for a ladder which has a pair of sliding legs telescopically engaged in respect of upright tubes. A wire rope is fixed to upper regions of the legs and extends between the tubes. The wire is engaged with a support guide fixed relative to the ladder structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,962 describes a self levelling mechanism for an appliance cabinet which includes a polypropylene foot at each corner of the cabinet. Each foot is interconnected by a continuous cable for vertical movement in unison relative to the cabinet and to each other. A locking wedge is provided for each foot for locking each foot in fixed relation with the cabinet.
WO 95/08016 describes a bulk lint collector for a clothes dryer. An annular lint filter rotating with the dryer drum extends from one end of the drum and encircles the dryer door. Lint is collected in a cavity in the dryer door and removable by removing an outer face panel of the door.
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Conventionally, there have been video game systems in which a video signal from a game apparatus is inputted to a video input terminal of a television receiver via an AV cable and a game image is displayed on a screen of the television receiver.
In a conventional video game system, in order to play a video game (hereinafter, simply referred to as a game), it is necessary to display a game image on a screen of a television receiver. Accordingly, there is a problem that while a user is playing a game, another user is unable to use the television receiver for a use (for example, viewing a television program, viewing video images reproduced by a DVD player) other than the game. Conversely, there is a problem that while a user is using the television receiver for a use other than a game, another user is unable to play the game.
An object of the exemplary embodiment is to provide a computer-readable storage medium, an information processing apparatus, an information processing system and an information processing method which can provide a user with an image even in a situation where a stationary display device such as a television receiver cannot be used.
The above object can be attained by, for example, the following configurations.
A first exemplary configuration is a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein an information processing program which causes a computer of an information processing apparatus capable of outputting an image to a portable display device and a stationary display device to function as a processor, a main image generator, a mode selector, and a display controller.
The processor executes a predetermined information process. The main image generator generates a main image in accordance with the predetermined information process. The mode selector selects a mode of operation from among a plurality of modes of operation including a first mode for displaying the main image on the portable display device and a second mode for displaying the main image on the stationary display device. The display controller (A) outputs the main image to the portable display device in the first mode and (B) outputs the main image to the stationary display device in the second mode.
The information processing program may further cause the computer to function as a mode switching instruction receiver for receiving a mode switching instruction from a user. The mode selector may switch the mode of operation based on the mode switching instruction.
The mode selector switches, when the mode switching instruction is inputted, the mode of operation without temporarily ends the predetermined information process being executed by the processor.
The portable display device may include an operation section. The processor may execute the predetermined information process based on a signal from the operation section of the portable display device at least in the first mode.
The information processing apparatus may include a controller. The processor may (A) execute the predetermined information process based on the signal from the operation section of the portable display device in the first mode and (B) execute the predetermined information process based on a signal from the controller in the second mode.
The main image generator may generate, in accordance with the mode of operation selected by the mode selector, the main image in a format suitable for a display device to which the main image is to be outputted.
The display controller may output the main image to the stationary display device in a general-purpose output format and output the main image to the portable display device in an output format specific to the portable display device.
The information processing program may further cause the computer to function as a sub image generator for generating a sub image in accordance with the predetermined information process, and the display controller may (A) output the main image to the portable display device in the first mode and (B) output the main image and the sub image to the stationary display device and the portable display device, respectively, in the second mode.
The portable display device may include an operation section. The mode selector may be configured to select, in addition to the first mode and the second mode, a stationary display device control mode for remotely controlling the stationary display device by using the operation section of the portable display device. The display controller may output, in the stationary display device control mode, an image for control for controlling the stationary display device to the portable display device.
The processor may suspend, when the first mode or the second mode is switched to the stationary display device control mode, the predetermined information process being executed, and resume, when the stationary display device control mode is switched to the first mode or the second mode, the predetermined information process from a state immediately prior to being suspended.
The portable display device may include a marker having one or more light emitters. The information processing apparatus may include a controller having an imaging section which takes an image of the marker. The information processing program may further cause the computer to function as a designated position calculator for calculating a designated position on the main image designated by a user based on a position of light, from the light emitter, which appears on an image taken by the imaging section. The processor may execute the predetermined information process based on the designated position calculated by the designated position calculator.
The portable display device may include a first marker having one or more light emitters. The stationary display device may have, in the vicinity thereof, a second marker having one or more light emitters. The information processing apparatus may include a controller having an imaging section which takes an image of the first marker and the second marker. The information processing program may further cause the computer to function as: a marker controller for (A) causing only the first marker of the first marker and the second marker to emit light in the first mode and (B) causing only the second marker of the first marker and the second marker to emit light in the second mode; and a designated position calculator for calculating a designated position on the main image designated by a user based on a position of light, from the light emitter, which appears on an image taken by the imaging section. The processor may execute the predetermined information process based on the designated position calculated by the designated position calculator.
The information processing apparatus may include a plurality of controllers. The processor may be configured to execute the predetermined information process based on signals from the plurality of controllers at least in the second mode.
The predetermined information process may be game processing.
The display controller may output the main image to the portable display device via wireless transmission.
The display controller may compress the main image and output the compressed main image to the portable display device.
A second exemplary configuration is an information processing apparatus capable of outputting an image to a portable display device and a stationary display device. The information processing apparatus includes a processor, a main image generator, a mode selector and a display controller.
A third exemplary configuration is an information processing system capable of outputting an image to a portable display device and a stationary display device. The information processing system includes a processor, a main image generator, a mode selector and a display controller.
A fourth exemplary configuration is an information processing method which is executed on an information processing system capable of outputting an image to a portable display device and a stationary display device. The information processing method includes the steps of processing, generating a main image, selecting a mode of operation, and controlling display.
In the step of processing, a predetermined information process is executed. In the step of generating the main image, the main image is generated in accordance with the predetermined information process. In the step of selecting the mode of operation, a mode of operation is selected from among a plurality of modes of operation including a first mode for displaying the main image on the portable display device and a second mode for displaying the main image on the stationary display device. In the step of controlling display, (A) the main image is outputted to the portable display device in the first mode and (B) the main image is outputted to the stationary display device in the second mode.
According to the exemplary embodiment, a user can be provided with an image even in a situation where a stationary display device such as a television receiver cannot be used.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the exemplary embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Some fluoropolymers, such as poly(vinyl fluoride), are only moderately soluble in conventional solvents. According, such polymers are generally cast into their final configuration from a dispersion, and coalesced to form an integral structure.
In the preparation of poly(vinyl fluoride) films for which a high degree of clarity is required, the use of propylene carbonate as the solvent or dispersant has been found to be particularly useful. However, while films and coatings prepared from propylene carbonate dispersions are generally characterized by excellent clarity, occasional defects, in the form of pin holes or "fish eyes," result in yield loss.
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The present invention relates to computer network systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel and improved system and method for migrating software applications, files, settings, and configurations thereof from one computer platform to another.
The personal computer, or xe2x80x9cPC,xe2x80x9d has become an ubiquitous tool in personal and business life. However, as PC technology continues to rapidly evolve, almost every PC user will, at some point in time, have to upgrade from one computer system to another, usually more advanced computer system. The reasons for upgrading a computer system are varied, and include improved processor speed and capacity, improved and increased memory, and new, improved applications with increased functionality.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9csystemxe2x80x9d relates to high-level software used to operate and maintain a computer platform, including the operating system and utility programs. The term xe2x80x9capplicationxe2x80x9d relates to a computer program product employed on a computer platform to perform a specific applied function, as distinguished from system-wide functionality.
For example, WINDOWS(trademark) is an operating system promulgated by Microsoft Corporation, and is employed in nearly eighty percent of personal computers used today. At every few years, Microsoft releases an upgraded version of WINDOWS(trademark) with enhanced capabilities and increased functionality. However, many of the core functions will remain the same.
Systems and applications allow for a high degree of user customization, whereby a user will tailor system and application software to the user""s specific computing environment. In one example, a user might customize a dictionary for use with a particular word processing application. Customization can be an exhaustive process where most attributes to be customized must be done so manually.
Normally, when software is migrated from one computing platform to another, or when a user has upgraded a computing platform with a newer version of already-installed software, most or all of the customizations performed on the old platform or version must be manually reaccomplished. Upgrading or migrating computer software is usually a time-consuming, elaborate procedure. In large institutions, where global upgrades of large computing networks are common, the upgrading or migrating process can become extremely expensive.
Thus, as can be seen from the above discussion, there is a need for a method and system whereby upgrades and migrations may be made without requiring manual reaccomplishment of customizations. Such a method and system can reduce man-hours and time involved in software migratory endeavors. Further, there is a need for greater user control of the migration process.
The present invention provides a method and system for performing automatic mass migration of a computing environment from a source computing platform to a destination computing platform. In one embodiment of the present invention, a method of migrating includes the steps of deriving at least one script that defines at least one software system or application stored on the source computing platform, parsing the script to resolve specific user-selectable settings of the at least one software system or application, generating genetic data representing the resolved settings of the at least one software system or application, and selectively applying the genetic data to a corresponding software system or application stored on the destination computing platform to automatically provide similar settings thereon.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a computing environment migration system includes a network including a source computing platform and a destination computing platform, and a migration utility resident on the network and responsive to user inputs. The migration utility is configured to locate and electronically connect, via the network, the source computing platform to the destination computing platform. Further, the migration utility is configured to derive at least one script that defines at least one software system or application stored on the source computing platform, parse the script to resolve specific user-selectable settings of the at least one software system or application, generate genetic data representing the resolved settings of the at least one software system or application, and selectively apply the genetic data to a corresponding software system or application stored on the destination computing platform to automatically provide similar settings thereon.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a system for describing a computing environment for migration over a network includes at least one script that defines a software system or application and includes instructions for identifying the defined software system or application, and settings thereof, and a script engine running the at least one script. The script engine is configured to scan a storage area of the source computing platform according to the instructions, and represent the defined software system or application, and settings thereof, as a genetic data file.
In still yet another embodiment of the present invention, a computer program product includes program code for defining processes of displaying a view of a space on the display coupled to the computer system, accepting signals from the user input device coupled to the computer system, the signals specifying a destination computing platform and a source computing platform, and deriving at least one script that defines at least one software system or application stored on the source computing platform. Further, the computer program product includes program code defining processes of parsing the script to resolve specific user-selectable settings of the at least one software system or application, generating genetic data representing the resolved settings of the at least one software system or application, and selectively applying the genetic data to a corresponding software system or application stored on the destination computing platform to automatically provide similar settings thereon. The computer program product may be stored on a computer-readable medium.
In still yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method of migrating a computing environment from a source computing platform to a destination computing platform, includes the steps of retrieving a registry of settings for software applications on the source computing platform selected for migration, and storing the registry on the destination computing platform.
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A common architecture for a light-emitting device includes an anode, which acts as hole injector; a hole transport layer disposed on the anode; an emissive material layer disposed on the hole transport layer; an electron transport layer disposed on the emissive material layer; and a cathode, which also acts as electron injector, disposed on the electron transport layer. When a forward bias is applied between the anode and cathode, holes and electrons are transported in the device through the hole transport layer and electron transport layer, respectively. The holes and electrons recombine in the emissive material layer, which emits light.
When the emissive material layer includes an organic material, the light-emitting device is referred to as an organic light emitting diode (OLED). When the emissive material layer includes nanoparticles, sometimes known as quantum dots (QDs), the device is commonly called either a quantum dot light emitting diode (QLED, QD-LED) or an electroluminescent quantum dot light emitting diode (ELQLED).
In order to include QLEDs in multicolor high-resolution displays, different manufacturing methods have been designed. These methods are based on disposing three different types of QDs in three different regions of a substrate such that they emit (through electrical injection, i.e., by electroluminescence) at three different colors: red (R), green (G), and blue (B). Sub-pixels that respectively emit red, green, or blue light may collectively form a pixel, which in-turn may be a part of an array of pixels of the display.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,910,400 (Kwon et al., published Mar. 22, 2011) describes that QD films can be made more uniform using wet-type film exchanging ligand processes where QDs can be connected to each other using organic ligands with particular functional groups at both ends (e.g. thiol, amine, carboxyl functional groups).
United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2017/0155051 (Torres Cano et al., published Jun. 1, 2017) describes that QDs can be synthesized with polythiol ligands, and can lead to better packing when deposited and further cured by thermal processes.
International Application Publication No. WO 2017/117994 (Li et al., published Jul. 13, 2017) describes that through an external energy stimuli (e.g. pressure, temperature or UV irradiation) QDs which emit different colors can be selectively attached to bonding surfaces. Surfaces and ligands of QDs must contain particular ending functional groups (e.g. alkenes, alkynes, thiols) in order to be selectively strongly bonded to each other through chemistry reactions.
This concept is further expanded in International Application Publication No. WO 2017/121163 (Li et al., published Jul. 20, 2017), where QDs with R, G and B emission colors can be patterned separately using cross-linkable ligands and organic connectors through chemistry reactions that are activated selectively with UV radiations at different monochromatic wavelengths.
Park et al., Alternative Patterning Process for Realization of Large-Area, Full-Color, Active Quantum Dot Display, Nano Letters, 2016, pages 6946-6953 describes that QDs with R, G and B emission colors are patterned combining conventional photolithography and layer by layer assembly. QD layers are deposited selectively on activated (charged) surfaces.
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Sensors are increasingly being adopted across multiple computing platforms (including standalone sensors for use in gaming platforms, mobile phones, etc.) to provide multi-dimensional image data (e.g., three dimensional data, etc.). Such image data is computationally analyzed to localize objects and, in some cases, to later identify or otherwise characterize such objects. However, both localization and identification of objects within multi-dimensional image data remains imprecise.
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During the laundering process, substantive dyes from fabrics may be released into the wash liquor and redeposit onto other fabric surfaces. This dye transfer phenomenon leads to various problems including degradation of whiteness, shifts in hue of colored items and loss of contrast at the interfaces between regions of different color within the same item. Some dye control agents (or dye transfer inhibitors) are known, but they may have negative interactions with other components of the cleaning composition and may not perform as well. There is a need for improved cleaning compositions that provide improved control of fugitive dyes in laundering processes.
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Smart objects are devices whose primary function is augmented with intelligent behavior and communication capabilities. Many everyday devices can be utilized more effectively, or in new ways, by embedding some intelligence in them. This trend is already apparent in some lighting products for the home and office market. Examples are daylight sensing or presence detection. These are simple examples of combining several objects with communication capabilities and making them more than the sum of their parts. As more and more devices will be equipped with micro processors and communication capabilities, more complex inter-device behaviors will emerge.
A very likely candidate for a new communication backbone is the Internet, enabled through Ethernet or other LAN networking. Ethernet has the major advantage that it is everywhere, and due to the massive volumes involved, equipping a device with Ethernet communication means can be easily done at low costs. Ethernet was developed around 1975 by Xerox and has seen multiple upgrades and improvements since. Ever since Ethernet transitioned to the well known 8P8C/10BASE-T (or RJ45) connector and cabling, it has enjoyed full backward compatibility with older devices. Due to the enormous amount of devices compatible with this technology, this form of Ethernet is supposed to survive for many more years.
A very interesting recent addition to Ethernet is the capability to also deliver DC power over the Ethernet cables, while remaining fully compatible with equipment that does not make use of this. Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) is an IEEE standard (IEEE 802.3.af and IEEE 802.3.at) which allows supplying DC low voltage over low cost Cat5/6 cables. The current IEEE 802.3at standard allows for a delivered power of 25.5 W (at 42.5V-57V) to a powered device (PD). As the industry is more and more discussing DC distribution as an efficient future alternative for the well known AC mains also supplying power to lighting devices via PoE may get used widely.
Power efficiency in PoE systems is becoming ever more important. There are many factors that determine power efficiency in a PoE system. Among others, PoE system performance depends on the overall system installation performance between the power sourcing equipment (PSE), e.g., PoE switches, and the PD's, e.g., luminaires. A badly installed system (e.g., too long cables, bad cables/connections, wrong cable type, etc.) can have a major impact on power efficiency of the total system, including maintenance.
However, the length and quality of cables are often overlooked. As an example, the installer may simply use standard length cables that are too long (leading to energy losses) instead of cutting them at the right length or a standard length cable of appropriate length. As a further example, the installer may use lower quality cables than required (e.g. by the customer). During (and after) installation it would therefore be worthwhile to get feedback related to this aspect.
The US 2008/172564 A1 discloses a system and method for controlling delivery of power to a powered device in a Power over Ethernet Broad Reach (PoE-BR) application. Cabling power loss in the PoE-BR application is related to the resistance of the cable itself. A PHY can be designed to measure electrical characteristics (e.g., insertion loss, cross talk, length, etc.) of the Ethernet cable to enable determination of the cable resistance. The determined resistance in a broad reach cable can be used in increasing a power budget allocated to a power source equipment (PSE) port. Thereby, dynamic power location in dependence on the cable resistance can be achieved to provide the required power budget at each port.
Additionally, the EP 1 928 121 A2 discloses a similar system which can be used for diagnostic of cabling infrastructure so as to determine a capability to handle a specific application.
Moreover, the US 2008/229120 A1 discloses another similar system where the cable resistance is determined to determine whether the cable has exceeded specific operating thresholds (e.g. cable heating). Furthermore, a diagnostic capability is provided to determine deterioration of a cable.
In addition, the EP 1 936 861 A1 discloses another similar system where a power budget allocated to a PSE port is adjusted based on a determined type of Ethernet cable. Furthermore, a diagnostic tool is provided, which can be used to identify the Ethernet cable which is connected to a PSE port.
Furthermore, the EP 2 498 444 A1 discloses a still further similar system where link diagnostic capability information (e.g. cable type) is exchanged to enable a pair of powered devices to coordinate and leverage link-related information generated by their link diagnostics.
Additionally, the EP 2 439 496 A1 discloses a system for detecting loss in a network by analyzing received average measured voltage and current values from points of consumption by using calculated conductivity parameters to detect any deviations of measured current values from calculated current values with respect to a given point of consumption or point of supply.
Finally, the US 2008/170509 A1 discloses a PoE system capable of determining a cable type based on measured electrical characteristics. The determined cable type can be used in diagnosis of cabling infrastructure or dynamic configuration.
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Field of the Invention
This invention relates to windshield wipers and especially to a system for proper placement of the windshield solvent with respect to the windshield wiper blade.
The conventional present manner of washing windshields of automobiles is to provide a reservoir which has a cleaning fluid, usually alcohol-water combination, a pump, rubber tube connectors connecting the pump to a centrally located spray nozzle at a fixed position which when activated squirts the solution onto the entire windshield between swipes of the wiper blade. The problem with the present conventional system sold on most cars is that about forty percent of the solution is sprayed outside the wiper blade contact area and is wasted. If the spray nozzle is not properly set, or if the vehicle is moving, a large portion of the solution goes over the top of the car and is wasted. Even if the nozzle is correctly set, the spray is thin and not concentrated and is gone by the first wipe of the wiper blade. In the winter time upon the falling of freezing rain, snow and sleet, the movable working parts of the wiper blade holder can become stuck together by freezing so that the flexible action and spring tension is lost and therefore proper contact with the windshield is lost. The spray nozzle is most often covered over and does not function. Even if the nozzle does spray, the solution is so diversified and thin that it is essentially useless as a deicer.
Various means have been devised to attempt to overcome these deficiencies of a wiper and washer system used on essentially all automobiles today. Some of those are disclosed in the patents listed in the Disclosure Statement. Although most of these patents have been issued for some time, none of the system described therein to applicant's knowledge is available commercially.
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This specification relates to cloud computing.
In cloud computing, data can be distributed to a system of multiple computers connected by one or more communications networks. Each computer processes a portion of the data. The computers can process the data in parallel. Such a distributed system can handle web-oriented and data-intensive applications deployed in a virtualized environment. For example, a distributed system can be configured to perform functions of a relational database management system (RDBMS) over the Internet. Some challenges of a distributed system replacing a conventional RDBMS include performing data synchronization among multiple computers in the system, achieving low latency over a wide area network (WAN), scalability, and handling different schemas of multiple users.
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a trip bar interlock for a circuit breaker and, more particularly, it pertains to a device for automatically tripping a circuit breaker if removed from its location.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Although many different types of circuit breakers are manufactured, they all are comprised of five primary components: molded case (frame), operating mechanism, arc extinguishers, contacts, trip elements, and thermal connectors. The function of the trip element is to trip the operating mechanism in the event of a prolonged overload, short circuit current, or damaging around faults. To accomplish this, an electro-mechanical or a solid state trip is provided.
Manifestly, trip elements, whether they are electro-mechanical or solid state, are necessary to ensure safe operation and protect electrical circuits as well as personnel. In addition, it sometimes happens that circuit breakers are dismounted from their positions on a mounting surface without preliminarily determining whether or not the circuit breaker has been tripped. Accordingly, there is a need for automatically tripping a circuit breaker, if and when it is removed from its location.
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Printers and related products, such as MFP's, have an architecture that defines the placement orientation of the unit relative to user access. For example, generally a printer is configured such that the most significant interactions, such as operation or setting selection via control panel or display and adding media to the input tray, faces what would be considered the front of the unit. Printers do not typically have a square footprint so the placement orientation, driven by primary user interfaces, determines which of the narrow or wide surfaces is the unit front. The aspect ratio is often an outcome of the paper path, its direction generally along the long axis. A narrow front with the paper path front to back, is often preferred for desks and limited table space. The wider orientation with a left-right paper path, is more flexible for auto document scanners and when equipping the unit with optional finishers (including, for example, sorting devices, collating devices, stapling devices, etc.) and high capacity input trays.
Most printers require access to multiple sides of the unit for maintenance, service and consumables replenishment, or other replaceable components that have limited life. The top and front surfaces are typically most important to satisfying user interfaces such as operation control and settings, retrieving printed output, replenishing input media and, for multi-function units, scanning and copying. Those primary interface requirements generally dictate how the product is placed on a desk or table, or how a standalone unit is oriented relative to typical access and user interaction space.
Solid ink printers often have a simplified paper path through the print engine. In most office size solid ink printers, media moves from the front to an output tray at the top-rear, as typically oriented. This front-back transport orientation may be termed North-South (N-S) and, in one exemplary embodiment, this also means media flow from one narrow end toward the other narrow end of an essentially rectangular product, regardless of viewing orientation. Rectangular product shape isn't a requirement of the present disclosure, however, and other product shapes are also possible. Standard media sizes are generally rectangular and functional areas of media trays and the typical A/A4 printing products are oriented so the short side is the leading edge in the feed path.
When such a printer is reconfigured as a multi-function printer (MFP), the copy scan module is routinely oriented left-right or East-West (E-W) for access purposes. When this module is placed above a N-S oriented print engine, the print engine is oriented with the narrow surface at the front while the copy module is oriented with the wide surface at the front. This results in a large projected footprint that is not ideal for stated orientation considerations.
A printer built with an E-W configuration matches the copy module orientation with common paper path flow direction and reduces the projected footprint but now requires placement in an E-W manner. The E-W printer configuration puts the wide side at the front and is not desk or space efficient in most applications. It should be appreciated that the depth of the unit is significantly less important on a desk since space behind the product is essentially unused. It has been found that transitioning the print engine design and resultant models from a N-S to E-W configuration has become desirable to emphasize MFP sales, but the orientation requirement is a compromise that has a negative effect on some customers, significantly, those that place a printer on a work station desk where width is limited.
Designing and building the described printer with an E-W architecture can be done by reconfiguring the enclosure, moving the controls and/or display panel and designing the paper tray to pull out from the wide side, now the front. This can be done while retaining the paper pick and transport system as it existed in the N-S product. A desirable feature of the E-W printer is complementary fitment with copy/scan modules and finishers. A drawback, however, is this new printer architecture generally forces an orientation that is incompatible with the narrow front many customers prefer, or are forced into for placement efficiency, on desks or limited space tables.
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One method of handling a large volume of foods, such as, for example, fruits and vegetables, is after selection, to transport these various food stuffs by an aqueous medium to transport the food stuffs through various cleaning, handling, and processing steps and environments. For example, in specific applications, fresh fruits and vegetables can be transported through water streams by food handling equipment used at a processing plant. After picking, fruits and vegetables are introduced into a flume system wherein water acts as a transport medium and a cleaning medium. Water can be used to support and transport the fruits or vegetables from an unloading site to a final storage or packing or processing location. During the transport, water can take a food item from an initial location through a series of somewhat separate stages to a final station where the produce is removed from the water and packed. The water within each stage may carry a varying degree of organic load in the form of any number of sediments and soluble materials. This water is generally recycled.
Water can also be used in some of processing stages to further clean, cool, heat, cook, or otherwise modify the food in some fashion prior to packaging. Process water as defined above can sometimes be used once and discarded. However, often times a major portion of this process water is re-used and is, therefore, subject to organic and microbial contamination. In some stages this process water stream is also used to transport the food. In other stages, the process water can be a separate stream and is recycled apart from the transport water. In either situation, the process water becomes contaminated with organic matter from the food, providing nutrients for microbial growth in the water.
Given the nature of the food as well as the presence of sediments and soluble materials, the water, flume, and other transport or processing equipment may be subject to the growth of unwanted microorganisms. Water that is untreated and recycled during transport or processing accumulates debris and increased microbial populations. Left untreated, recycled water tends to clean produce early in a shift but contaminates produce later in the shift. In fact, flume water has been identified as a potential source of coliform, E. coli and Salmonella contamination or cross contamination during cider production. These and other microorganisms are generally undesirable to the food, the water, the flume and can cause buildup on all water contact surfaces of slime or biofilm, which requires frequent cleaning to remove.
Microbial contamination or cross contamination of fruits and vegetables via water continues to be a major concern for produce packers, processors and end users. Although washing fresh produce with water can reduce potential contamination, the wash water can also serve as a source of contamination or cross contamination. If pathogenic microorganisms in water are not removed, inactivated or otherwise controlled, they can spread to surrounding produce, potentially contaminating them. Further, handling or processing steps that pool many individual fruits or vegetables tend to increase the risk that a single contaminated item may contaminate the entire lot. Immersing or spray-washing fruits and vegetables in fresh water can help reduce surface populations of microorganisms. However sterilization by repeated washing, even with sterile water, cannot be achieved because microorganisms within tissues of produce remain in place.
The addition of antimicrobial agents to recycled handling or process water can inactivate most vegetative cells in water, helping avoid cross contamination. Ideally, an antimicrobial agent or compound used in such a system will have several important properties in addition to its antimicrobial efficacy. The compound or agent should have no residual antimicrobial activity on the food. Residual activity implies the presence of a film of antimicrobial material which will continue to have antimicrobial effect which may require further rinsing of the food product. The antimicrobial agent preferably should also be odor free to prevent transfer of undesirable odors onto food stuffs. If direct food contact occurs, the antimicrobial agent should also be composed of food additive materials which will not effect food if contamination occurs, nor affect humans should incidental ingestion result. In addition, the antimicrobial agent should preferably be composed of naturally occurring or innocuous ingredients, which are chemically compatible with the environment and cause no concerns for toxic residues within the water.
In the past, transport and process water apparatus have generally been treated with sodium hypochlorite and chlorine dioxide. Generally, these materials are effective in preventing the unwanted growth of microorganisms. However, the use rate of these chlorine-based antimicrobials is very high because they tend to be rapidly consumed by the high organic load included in both the fruits or vegetables and soil. Further, upon consumption, compounds such as chlorine dioxide decompose producing byproducts such as chlorites and chlorates, while hypochlorite produces trichloromethanes which may be toxic in very low concentrations. Lastly, chlorine dioxide is a toxic gas with an acceptable air concentration limit of 0.1 ppm. Exposure to ClO2 often leads to headaches, nausea, and respiratory problems, requiring expensive and intricate safety devices and equipment when it is used.
Further, the efficacy of these common antimicrobial agents on the surface of fruits and vegetables is often limited. For example, some workers have reported that chlorine dioxide effectively controlled microbial build-up in the cucumber hydrocooling water but had little effect on microorganisms on or in the fruit. Other workers showed that chlorine treatment had little effect on surface microflora of tomatoes and oranges during a packing operation. Another group concluded that commonly used antimicrobial agents have only minor effects and should not be relied upon to eliminate microorganisms from produce. Washing raw produce with chlorinated water is effective in reducing the microbial load, as long as the proper amount of residual chlorine is maintained.
An antimicrobial agent being used more commonly in fresh produce transport or process water is peroxyacetic acid. The EPA approved a peroxyacetic acid-based composition in 1996 for controlling microbial growth and reducing biofilm formation in fruit and vegetable transport or process waters. From a historical perspective, peroxyacetic acid has been used for food contact surface sanitizing, aseptic packaging and medical device cold-sterilization, among other things. In addition to its biocidal properties, the environmentally-friendly decomposition byproducts and good stability in the presence of vegetable debris helped gain acceptance of this technology among fruit and vegetable packers, handlers, and processors.
Nevertheless, there remains a need for improved antimicrobial compositions for treating waters used for transporting or processing fruits or vegetables.
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In the 1920's, a series of experiments were conducted on human sight that led to the specification of what is called the CIE xyz color space. This color space contains all perceivable colors (or gamut) that the human eye can detect. Most computer monitors, televisions and other similar devices use and RGB (red/green/blue) color space model, which is a subset of the CIE xyz color space due to the fact that these devices cannot recreate every possible human perceptible color. By combining different values of three primary colors (red, green, and blue), any color within the RGB color space gamut can be created. Not to be overlooked, white is the combination of all three primary colors and black is the absence of any color.
Most electronic displays in use today represent color with 8 bits of precision; that is, the intensity of each color channel (red, green, or blue) can be represented as an 8-bit number (0-255 decimal, or 0x00-0xFF hex). A modern electronic display is capable of producing on the order of 16.7 million distinct colors using this method.
In order to transmit data through a display device, the sequential presentation of colors representing encoded data must be presented as a “video” color stream, or alternatively, presented via dedicated software to mimic a “video” color stream—at a frame rate that can be reproduced reliably on a given display device. The refresh rate of a given display device will dictate the highest achievable video frame rate, with 60 Hz being a common baseline on desktop computer displays. 15-30 frames per second (or more) video can be reliably displayed on such devices, meaning that raw data transfer rates on the order of a few tens to a few hundred bits per second could be achieved assuming a data encoding density of 3 to 8 bits per distinct color. By increasing either or both data encoding density and number of frames displayed per second, the data transfer rate can be increased accordingly.
Many different electronic sensors are capable of detecting colors, and most work off of the same principle—a photo-sensitive device behind one or more color filters. For example, an imaging sensor that you would find in a digital camera consists of thousands (or millions) of pixels, with each individual pixel being behind a red, green, or blue color filter. By counting the number of photons hitting the sensor over a given period of time (integration), a relative digital count of each red, green and blue pixel can be ascertained—the combination of which would yield a digital representation of the sensed color.
Other than common multi-pixel imaging sensors, there also exists a class of device which is basically a dedicated “single-pixel” color sensor; that is, a sensor that is only able to detect a single color at a time. These sensors typically use an array of photo-sensitive elements, each with a corresponding red, green, or blue (and sometimes also clear) color filter—the output of such sensors is a digital count representing the overall illumination of each color channel. An example of such a sensor is the TCS3414 digital color sensor manufactured by Austria Micro Systems (AMS). Similar sensors are also manufactured by Hamamatsu and Avago Technologies as well as others. They are generally available in very small packages (approximately 2 mm.times.2 mm square) and at very low price points (a few dollars each). These sensors are used in industry for a number of purposes including monitor backlight color temperature monitoring/correction, industrial process control, instrumentation (colorimeters), consumer toys, etc.
Most electronic sensors described above do not respond equally to a given primary (red, green or blue) color. The exhibited unequal channel response, together with potential inconsistent repeatability and overall sensitivity characteristics can create challenges if such single pixel sensors were to be used to sense and decode a stream of encoded “video” color stream data. Additionally, inconsistencies between display devices (display technology, spectral response, brightness, contrast, gamma response, etc.) further complicate matters. What is needed is a novel method considering such challenges inherent in the color sensor and the transmitting display that will allow the sensor to operate at relatively high frequencies of 15-30 frames per second (or more) to decode a single-color “video” color stream, and effectively to become a single-pixel “video camera”.
In recent years, much of the research and development in the communications industry has been concentrated in the area of digital signal transmission. As is well known in the art, digital signal transmission typically involves transmission of data with a carrier frequency. The carrier frequency is modulated by data so that a frequency bandwidth is occupied by the transmitted signal. The growing demand for access to data and communication services has placed a significant strain on the available bandwidth in traditional channels. Moreover, there is an ever increasing demand for increased data communication rates for the purpose of decreasing the data transmission time. An increase of the rate of the data typically results in an increased bandwidth requirement, placing a further strain upon the available bandwidth for transmission of signals. In the case of this invention, there is no true “carrier” to modulate on top of—the changing sequence of colors themselves (the color stream) becomes an embedded “clock”.
In an effort to increase the data rates without sacrificing the available bandwidth, a number of increasingly sophisticated coded modulation schemes have been developed. For example, quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), traditionally implemented over RF or audio channels, employs both amplitude and phase modulation in order to encode more data within a given frequency bandwidth. Another modulation technique involves multiple phase shift keying (MPSK) to increase data capacity within a given bandwidth. These high level modulation schemes are very sensitive to channel impairments. That is, the information encoded by means of such techniques is often lost during transmission due to noise, Rayleigh fading and other factors which are introduced over the communication medium.
In order to compensate for the increased sensitivity of these high level modulation schemes, various forward error correction coding techniques have been employed. One such error coding technique is trellis coded modulation (or TCM). Trellis coded modulation is desirable since it combines both coding and modulation operations to provide effective error control without sacrificing power and bandwidth efficiency. Furthermore, it has been shown that trellis coded modulation schemes perform significantly better than their un-coded equivalents with the same power and bandwidth efficiency. Trellis codes have been developed for many of the high-level, high-rate modulation schemes, including well-known 8-PSK modulation and Square 16 QAM modulation in addition to others.
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The following U.S. patents and patent applications are incorporated herein by reference, in entirety.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/521,797 discloses a marine propulsion device having an internal combustion engine that discharges exhaust gases, a driveshaft housing that is located vertically below the engine, and a catalyst that is sandwiched between opposing castings of the device that face each other at a split-line. The exhaust gases flow through the catalyst parallel to the split-line.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/543,453 discloses an outboard marine propulsion device that comprises an internal combustion engine having a cylinder head and a cylinder block, and an exhaust manifold that discharges exhaust gases from the engine towards a vertically extending catalyst housing. The exhaust manifold has a plurality of horizontally extending inlet runners that receive the exhaust gases from the engine, and a vertically extending collecting passage that conveys the exhaust gases from the plurality of horizontally extending inlet runners to a bend that redirects the exhaust gases downwardly towards the catalyst housing.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0166935 discloses an outboard motor that includes a multi-cylinder engine which includes cylinders longitudinally oriented and vertically paralleled in a cylinder block, a cylinder head arranged at a rearward position of the cylinder blocks, and a crankcase arranged at a forward position of the cylinder block, the cylinder head having an outlet of an exhaust port at one side thereof. An exhaust system for the outboard motor includes an exhaust manifold which communicates the outlet of the exhaust port with an exhaust outlet opening, the exhaust manifold including a first exhaust gas passage extending in a vertical direction for gathering exhaust gas discharged from the outlet of each exhaust port and a second exhaust gas passage extending in a vertical direction adjacently to the first exhaust gas passage. A catalyst unit is provided on the way of the second exhaust gas passage.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,444,447 discloses an outboard motor that includes an engine, an exhaust guide, and a catalyst. The engine includes a cylinder and crankshaft. The crankshaft is disposed along a vertical direction. The exhaust guide is arranged to support the engine from below. The catalyst is disposed in an interior of the engine. The engine includes a cylinder body. The cylinder body includes a housing portion arranged to house the catalyst. The cylinder body includes a first exhaust passage that includes an interior of the housing portion. The catalyst is inserted into the housing portion from below and is sandwiched from above and below by the housing portion and the exhaust guide.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,298,026 discloses an outboard motor that includes an engine, an exhaust guide, and a catalyst. The engine includes a cylinder and crankshaft. The crankshaft is disposed along a vertical direction. The exhaust guide is arranged to support the engine from below. The catalyst is disposed in an interior of the engine. The engine includes a cylinder body. The cylinder body includes a housing portion arranged to house the catalyst. The cylinder body includes a first exhaust passage that includes an interior of the housing portion. The catalyst is inserted into the housing portion from below and is sandwiched from above and below by the housing portion and the exhaust guide.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,038,493 discloses a catalyzed exhaust system for an outboard motor engine that locates its catalyst device in a catalyst housing above an adapter plate which supports the engine and separates it from the driveshaft housing. The exhaust gas is directed initially in an upwardly direction and then is turned downwardly to provide space for location and easy access to the catalyst device. A coolant, such as water drawn from a body of water, is reversed in direction of flow several times in order to advantageously fill certain cooling channels in an upward direction. In addition, various coolant channels are vented to remove potential pockets of air in their upper regions.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,954,314 discloses an engine with a cavity so that a catalyst member can be contained within the engine when an engine head portion is attached to an engine block portion. This attachment of the engine head portion and engine block portion, which forms the engine structure, captivates the catalyst member within the cavity without the need for additional brackets and housing structures. The cavity is preferably located above or at the upper regions of first and second exhaust conduits which direct exhaust upwardly from the engine head portion toward the cavity and downwardly from the cavity within the engine block portion. The first and second exhaust conduits are preferably formed as integral structures within the engine head portion and engine block portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,704,111 discloses an outboard motor that includes a multi-cylinder engine which includes cylinders longitudinally oriented and vertically paralleled in a cylinder block, a cylinder head arranged at a rearward position of the cylinder blocks, and a crankcase arranged at a forward position of the cylinder block, the cylinder head having an outlet of an exhaust port at one side thereof. An exhaust system for the outboard motor includes an exhaust manifold which communicates the outlet of the exhaust port with an exhaust outlet opening, the exhaust manifold including a first exhaust gas passage extending in a vertical direction for gathering exhaust gas discharged from the outlet of each exhaust port and a second exhaust gas passage extending in a vertical direction adjacently to the first exhaust gas passage, and a catalyst unit is provided on the way of the second exhaust gas passage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,555 discloses a catalyzer arrangement for an engine that includes an improved construction that does not require a large space for furnishing a relatively large volume catalyzer. The engine is surrounded by a protective cowling. A cylinder body of the engine has a plurality of cylinder bores spaced apart from each other. The engine also has an exhaust manifold to gather exhaust gases from the respective cylinder bores. An exhaust passage is coupled to the manifold and extends, at least in part, within a space defined between a side surface of the cylinder body and the protective cowling. At least one catalyzer is disposed in the exhaust passage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,355 discloses a catalyst exhaust system that includes a catalyst housing having an inlet end, an outlet end, and a passage there through. The outlet end includes a valve seat, and a water jacket surrounds the catalyst housing. A valve housing is in flow communication with the outlet end and in flow communication with said water jacket to accommodate a valve configured to allow passage of exhaust gases but prevent water from entering the catalyst housing passage and reaching a catalyst therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,185 discloses a marine propulsion device comprising a propulsion unit including a propeller shaft, a housing including an exhaust gas inlet and an exhaust gas outlet, a catalytic element supported in the housing for reorientation from a first orientation to a second orientation different from the first orientation, and structure for reorienting the element from the first orientation to the second orientation.
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an imaging element, and an imaging device and an imaging method using the same.
2. Related Art
Recently, as the resolution of a solid-state imaging element such as a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor and a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor becomes higher, a demand for an information device having an imaging function such as a digital still camera, a digital video camera, a cellular phone such as a smart phone, and a personal digital assistant (PDA) is rapidly increasing. In the meantime, the information device having an imaging function as described above is referred to as an imaging device.
However, a focus control method which focuses on a main subject includes a contrast auto focus (AF) method and a phase difference AF method. Since the phase difference AF method may detect a focusing position with high precision at a high speed as compared with the contrast AF method, the phase difference AF method is widely employed in various imaging devices (see, for example, Patent Literature 1 (JP-A-2010-169709)).
Patent Literature 1 discloses a so-called micro lens scaling method which displaces a position of a micro lens which is mounted on a pixel cell for phase difference detection toward a center of a solid-state imaging element as the position goes toward peripheral part of the solid-state imaging element.
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This invention relates to methods and apparatus for biasing a semiconductor region and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for improving electron collection efficiency at a semiconductor region to reduce junction leakage.
Integrated circuits (ICs) are typically fabricated on a semiconductor wafer. The wafer typically is cut to form multiple semiconductor substrates or "IC chips". Semiconductor devices are formed on the wafer. Although the label "semiconductor" is used, the devices are fabricated from various materials, including electrical conductors (e.g., aluminum, tungsten), electrical semiconductors (e.g., silicon) and insulators (e.g., silicon dioxide). The semiconductive silicon wafer is subjected to deposition, etching, planarizing and lithographic processes to achieve the many semiconductor devices.
In fabricating semiconductor devices, substrates typically are doped to form various n-type and p-type regions. One layout structure is a well. FIG. 1 shows a p-type substrate 10 having a triple well. A center p-well 16 is surrounded by an n-well 20, which in turn is surrounded by another p-well 18. An n-tub 24 conjoins the n-well 20 and is formed below the center p-well 16. The center p-well 16 is separated from the p-type substrate 10 by the n-tub 24. Typically, one or more other doped regions 26 are included in the center p-well 16 to form an array of devices.
During normal operation, the n-tub 24 is biased to improve performance of a device array in the p-well 16. Specifically, the biasing voltage sets up an energy potential well in the n-tub 24 which collects electrons. As electrons fall into the energy potential well, they go into a lower energy state. Such electron collection reduces leakage of electrons across the junction into the p-well 16. For an array of DRAM cells, for example, the electron collection allows for a longer refresh period. Accordingly, it is desired that electron collection at the n-tub 24 be efficient.
The wider and deeper the energy potential well created, the more electrons that are collected. The factors determining the energy potential well performance include the biasing voltage and the doping level of the n-tub. Conventionally, the biasing voltage is limited to the supply voltage level. The doping level typically is limited to keep the n-tub from spreading too close to the surface.
When forming the p-well 16 and n-tub 24, the p-substrate 10 typically is doped in an area which is to become the n-tub. The n-tub, thus, defines a separation between pre-existing p-type regions. The doping process is an implantation of atoms. Implantation power defines how deep into the substrate the atoms are injected. Dosage level defines the number of atoms being injected, which affects the width of the n-tub junction for a given diffusion time. Typically, the implantation power is limited (e.g., 3 MeV maximum power) and, correspondingly, a maximum depth is defined. To maximize electron collection efficiency, it would seem that very high doping levels would be desired. However, because the doping level affects the width of the n-tub junction, excessive doping would expand the n-tub junction too close to the surface. More particularly, the n-tub junction would expand too close to other n-type regions formed or to be formed in the center p-well. FIG. 2 shows such an example. Beyond a given n-tub 24' thickness, an adjacent p-well 16' separation gets too small. Specifically, the p-well 16' separating the n-tub 24' from a nearby n-type region 28 in the p-well 16' becomes less than a minimum spacing required for region isolation. For a separation in the p-well 16' region between n-tub 24' and n-type area 28 which is less than the threshold separation, the local area defines an undesired "parasitic" leakage path (in effect, an undesired npn device 30). In order to avoid such a leakage path, the dosage for the n-tub is typically scaled back during the design process to keep the n-tub thickness to an acceptable level. A disadvantage of scaling the dosage back, however, is that the n-tub is comparatively less effective in collecting electrons.
Accordingly, there is need for improving collection of electrons at an n-tub.
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This invention provides an improved cutter design for size reduction equipment as used in plastic or other waste material recovery systems. A first objective of the invention is to provide a cutter arrangement which provides predetermined, uniform granulate size for subsequent processing equipment. Other objectives will be shown in the following description.
Size reduction equipment has recently been developed for plastic and related industries which offers significant advantages over the prior art. An example of this size reduction equipment is Model BC-30 manufactured by Allegheny Recycling and Waste Reduction Equipment, Inc. of Delmont, Pa. (The aforementioned equipment is based on the patents of John W. Wagner, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,018,392, 4,669,673, 4,729,515, and 4,750,678.) This equipment enhances reprocessing production by providing uniform granulate size among that portion of the granulate which has been properly formed. However, an inherent disadvantage of this equipment is the inadvertent production of a mix of properly formed granulate with improperly formed shreds.
The present invention is a further refinement of the cutter area of this newer equipment which eliminates shred formation. The result is a granulate with a predetermined, uniform size.
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1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the field of wire dot matrix print heads. More particularly, this invention relates to an improvement in print actuating means wherein multiple armatures for driving the print wires are constructed from a single piece of sheet metal, and a multifunctional constraint for all the armatures is provided by a one piece molded plastic cap which is uniformly spring loaded by a one piece spring and retaining ring.
2. Background Art
Wire dot matrix print heads have been in use for many years and are noted for their versatility and low cost. In the prior art, wire dot matrix print heads are known to include a circular arrangement of electromagnets which are selectively energized to attract a moving core mounted on an armature. The attraction of the moving core urges the armature against a print wire. The print wire is driven against a ribbon which leaves a single dot on a record medium such as paper. The accumulation of dots produces printed characters. Examples of dot matrix print heads are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,770,092; 3,892,175; 4,244,658 and 4,569,605.
In dot matrix print heads of the prior art, individual armatures or actuating levers are provided. The individual armatures are radially aligned about a center point with each armature extending inwardly to a tip. The tip of the armature engages the end of a print wire. Electromagnetic coils are positioned relative to the armatures so that energization current passing through the coils creates a magnetic field attracting the armature toward the coil. The armature, moving under the attractive influence of the magnetic field, drives the print wire toward a print position. Each of the armatures of the prior art functions as a cantilever in that the armature is supported at the base, along the periphery of the print head, by a leaf spring.
The objectives in the design of a print head are to combine high speed and efficiency with ease of manufacture. One way to achieve higher print speeds and efficiency is to minimize both the armature mass and the gap between the core and armature. As the armature mass decreases, speed and efficiency increase, especially when operating in the ballistic mode and core/armature gap decreases, but there is a concomitant increase in the difficulty of manufacturing the print head due to the smaller, lighter weight, more fragile components. This invention makes the print head easier to manufacture by combining all of the armatures and their individual return springs into one assembly, and also by combining all the constraining members into a one piece molded plastic cap. The result is a faster, more efficient print head that is easy to manufacture.
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The present application describes systems and techniques relating to generating new data values for an image region, for example, generating replacement data values to heal defective pixels using boundary conditions and/or using a sample of textured data values.
Traditional techniques for removing unwanted features from images include wire removal techniques such as used in movies, dust and scratches filters used in software applications such as PHOTOSHOP(copyright), provided by Adobe Systems, Inc. of San Jose, Calif., inpainting and other algorithms. In typical replacement pixel data generation techniques, selected pixels in an image are regenerated based on values of the pixels bordering the selected pixels, and first and second order partial differential equations (e.g., the Laplace equation). For example, traditional inpainting techniques generally are based on second order the Laplace equation and/or anisotropic diffusion. These techniques typically result in noticeable discontinuities at the edges of the inpainted region.
Other techniques of generating replacement data values in an image region include applying area operations such as blurring or performing median calculations (e.g., using Gaussian filters and median filters) at each pixel in the selected region. The image area, or neighborhood, used for the area operation generally will include one or more selected pixels with undesirable data values. Thus, the neighborhood needs to be large enough to swamp the contributions of the undesirable pixel data. Oftentimes, a user must specify how large to make the neighborhood to minimize the effects of the undesirable data values. For example, techniques that are based on frequency domain separations generally require that the user specify a neighborhood size that will be used by the filter that separates gross details from fine details.
Some conventional techniques also apply a high-frequency component from another image to a healed region after it has been modified to replace defective pixel values. But the results of such traditional techniques for removing unwanted features of an image often do not reflect the true properties of most images. Areas of images that are filled-in using conventional techniques frequently have discontinuities at the boundary of the filled-in region and/or look blurred or otherwise appear to lack detail. These filled-in areas are often easily noticed and do not look like a natural part of the image, either because the surrounding areas are textured, or because pixel intensity changes sharply at the boundary of each filled-in area.
In one aspect, a selected image region is healed by propagating values in a boundary region into replacement data values for the selected image region by iteratively applying a procedure or algorithm (e.g., iteratively applying one or more kernels), such that values in the boundary region are continuously put back into the iterative calculations. An example of such a function uses kernels to generate replacement data values having multiple orders of continuity at the boundary. Optionally, replacement data values for an image region to be healed are generated based on a difference between existing data values and texture data values, thereby introducing texture (e.g., pattern, noise) components to a resulting healed region in the image. Mutiresolution processing and tiling can also be used to enhance performance.
In another aspect, a method of processing an image includes determining boundary pixels bounding a modification region in an image, the boundary pixels having values and being outside the modification region, and generating new pixel values for the modification region using the boundary pixel values such that a rate of a rate of change in pixel values is minimized from the boundary pixel values to new modification region pixel values. The generation of new pixel values can be performed for multiple channels to create similar overall gradations of color and illumination from the boundary pixel values to new modification region pixel values. The generation of new pixel values also can be performed by iteratively applying multiple kernels.
Multiresolution processing can be used to improve performance. If the image can be an image saved using a lossy compression technique (e.g., a JPEG image), this can be detected and the modification region can automatically set equal to one or more compression artifact regions between compression blocks.
In another aspect, a method of processing an image includes subtracting texture pixel values from pixel values corresponding to at least a portion of an image, generating new pixel values for a modification region of the image using the texture-subtracted pixel values, adding texture pixel values to the new pixel values, and writing the texture-added new pixel values to the image. The texture pixel values can be pixel values from a texture image having high frequency components or a repeating or non-repeating pattern. The new pixel value generation can be performed by iteratively applying a kernel.
The new pixel value generation can be performed by iteratively applying multiple kernels to create a continuous rate of change in pixel values from boundary pixel values to new modification region pixel values. The new pixel value generation can be performed by iteratively applying the multiple kernels at multiple resolutions of the image, starting with a lowest resolution version of the image. Each kernel can be applied separately to the multiple resolutions of the image, starting with the smallest kernel. Image tiling can be used, including padding between tiles to accommodate a largest kernel from the multiple kernels.
Conversion to a higher precision value representation (e.g., a fixed point value representation) can be performed before applying the multiple kernels. Each image can be blurred before applying the multiple kernels at a level. These techniques can be used to process multiple channel images.
Implementations of the systems and techniques described here may occur in hardware, software or a combination of both, and may include machine instructions for causing a machine to perform the operations described.
One or more of the following advantages may be provided. The systems and techniques described may result in significantly improved healing of image regions having unwanted features. Images healed using these systems and techniques may have a smooth transition from inside a healed region to outside the healed region. When applied to multiple channels in a color image, the resulting image may have similar overall gradations of color and illumination across the boundary of the selected region. Texture components may be added to a healed region allowing it to blend in with its surroundings, thereby making the healed region visually unnoticeable.
In addition, these systems and techniques may result in reduced processing time, and may reduce memory usage. For instance, generating replacement data values based on the difference between existing data values and texture data values may reduce processing time by half. Other than designating the pixels to be healed, and optionally a corresponding texture image, no filter parameters are required, because the shape of the healing region can be used to determine all remaining parameters needed to heal the image.
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Cloud computing and storage solutions provide enterprises with various capabilities to store and process data. However, there are security concerns associated with cloud computing and enterprise networks. The infrastructure must be properly configured, managed and secured, and the data and applications must also be protected. An efficient security architecture should recognize and address issues that arise but that is not always the case. Although the number of security attacks detected every day have increased with the use of security information and event management (SIEM) software tools and services, the significance of any one attack is not easily discerned. The deluge of attacks alone often precludes IT professions from ascertaining which attacks are the most significant. Moreover, the security logs, alerts and other virtual machine (VM) and network data logged for security purposes via SIEM often lose their functional context as to what machines or appliances produced them which further obscures the significance of many of the attacks.
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1. Technical Field
Aspects of this document relate generally to photovoltaic systems.
2. Background Art
FIG. 1 describes a typical photovoltaic (PV) grid-tied 100 or off-grid 110 system. A PV system consists of a number of modules 101; each module by itself generates power when exposed to light. A series of modules is wired together to create a higher voltage string 102. Multiple PV strings may be wired in parallel to form a PV array 103. The PV array connects to a DC-disconnect switch 104, and the DC disconnect switch feeds power to a grid-tied inverter 105 which converts the DC power from the array to AC power for the grid.
Off-grid systems 110 connect the PV array 103 to the DC disconnect, and on to a battery charger 111, which stores the electrical energy in batteries 112. Off-grid residential systems typically use an off-grid inverter 113 that produces AC electricity for AC loads connected to an AC main panelboard 106.
Inside a silicon cell based module 200, shown in FIG. 2, there is a series of photovoltaic cells 201, the basic building block in solar electric systems. Each cell is producing approximately 0.5 volts and a few amps (e.g. 5 A). The PV cells are also wired in series and in parallel within the module to achieve a desired voltage and current, and each module has a positive and negative module terminal 202 to connect to the PV system. A typical module used in a residential or commercial power generating system will produce in the order of 18-50V DC at 90-200 W at its electrical connectors. There are two terminals one positive and the other negative. Arrays used in residential installations will typically produce power in the range of 2 kW-10 kW with voltages up to 600V DC (grid-tied). The module voltage and power output is true for other module architectures such as thin-film (CdTe, CIGS, etc.)
When a PV array is installed and operational, the PV system generates power whenever there is light present. Furthermore, it is impractical to disable the system beyond shutting off the AC mains or the DC disconnect. Once wired, the array itself is never able to fully shut down in the presence of light even with the DC disconnect in the open position. The string wiring connecting all the modules in series, the wiring to the DC disconnect, and the array will all continue to generate lethal levels of voltage when exposed to light.
In the case of a damaged array from fire or natural disaster, an open (non-insulated) wire of the array's circuits may present itself. The exposed circuits provide a higher likelihood of an unintended electrical circuit path to ground (ground fault), and a human can become a part of this path to ground either by touching or through exposure to water. With a human body in a ground fault circuit it is very likely to be lethal. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E defines “low voltage” somewhere near ˜50V. This low voltage is the threshold where one is able to generally survive a shock and “let go” (˜9 mA). PV systems are well above this level. This poses a serious and very real problem for firefighters when they encounter a building on fire with a PV array.
Even an operational and properly insulated system poses a potential problem for service technicians in the case of a PV array in need of service. In the case of the need to replace a defective module the person may be exposed to high voltages even with the DC disconnect in the “off” or “open” position.
In the case of earthquakes, floods, or other natural disasters, partially destroyed PV systems pose a threat to the occupants of a structure and any rescue personnel, especially untrained civilians.
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Many battery-powered portable electronic devices, such as laptop computers, Portable Digital Assistants, cell phones, and the like, require memory devices that provide large storage capacity and low power consumption. To reduce the power consumption and thereby extend the battery life in such devices, the devices typically operate in a low-power mode when the device is not being used. In the low-power mode, a supply voltage or voltages applied to electronic components such as a microprocessor, associated control chips, and memory devices are typically reduced to lower the power consumption of the components, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Although the supply voltages are varied to reduce power consumption in the low-power mode, data stored in the electronic components such as the memory devices must be retained.
Because large storage capacity is typically desired to maximize the amount of available storage in portable devices, it is typically desirable to utilize dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which has a relatively large storage capacity, over other types of memories such as static random access memories (SRAM) and non-volatile memories such as FLASH memory. In a DRAM, the data is “dynamic” because the data stored in memory cells in the DRAM must be periodically recharged or “refreshed” to maintain the data, as will now be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of a conventional DRAM memory-cell array 100 including a plurality of memory cells 102 arranged in rows and columns, one of which is shown in FIG. 1. The memory cell 102 includes an access transistor 104 and a storage capacitor 106 connected in series between a digit line DL and a reference voltage VCC/2. The storage capacitor 106 includes a first conductive plate 107 coupled to the access transistor 104 and a second conductive plate 109 coupled to the reference voltage VCC/2.
A word line WL activates the access transistor 104 in the memory cell 102, and also activates the access transistors of all other memory cells (not shown) contained in the same row of the array 100 as the memory cell 102. To write data into the memory cell 102, a sense amplifier 108 drives the digit line DL and a complementary digit line DL* to complementary voltage levels corresponding to the data to be stored in the memory cell. The word line WL is then activated, turning ON the access transistor 104 and transferring charge through the access transistor to charge the storage capacitor 106 to the voltage level on the digit line DL corresponding to the data to be stored. The word line WL is thereafter deactivated, turning OFF the access transistor 104 and isolating the storage capacitor 106 from the digit line DL to thereby store the data in the form of a voltage across the storage capacitor.
To read data from the memory cell 102, the sense amplifier 108 equilibrates the digit lines DL, DL* to a predetermined voltage level and thereafter activates the word line WL to turn ON the access transistor 104. In response to the access transistor 104 turning ON, charge is transferred between the storage capacitor 106 and the digit line DL, causing the voltage on the digit line DL to be slightly higher or lower than the voltage on the digit line DL*. The sense amplifier 108 senses the difference between the voltages on the digit lines DL and DL* and drives the voltages on the digit lines to complementary levels in response to the sensed difference. For example, assume a voltage VCC/2 corresponding to a binary 1 is stored across the capacitor 106. In this situation, when the access transistor 104 is activated the equilibrated voltage on the digit line DL will increase slightly relative to the equilibrated voltage on the digit line DL*. As a result, the sense amplifier 108 will drive the voltage on the digit line DL to a supply voltage VCC and will drive the complementary digit line DL* to a reference voltage. The complementary voltages on the digit lines DL, DL* thus correspond to the data stored in the memory cell 102, and the sense amplifier 108 thereafter applies these signals to other circuitry (not shown) to thereby provide the circuitry with the data stored in the memory cell.
As previously mentioned, the data stored in the memory cell 102 in the form of the voltage across the capacitor 106 must be periodically refreshed. This is true because once the data is stored in the form of a voltage across the capacitor 106 and the access transistor 104 is deactivated, leakage currents ILK result in this stored voltage changing over time and, if not refreshed, may result in a different binary state of data being stored in the memory cell. These leakage currents ILK arise, for example, from the flow of charge stored on the conductive plate 107 of the capacitor 106 through the access transistor 104 even when the access transistor is turned OFF, and may also arise from the flow of charge from the conductive plates 107, 109 to ground, as well as the flow of charge from the plate 107 through a dielectric (not shown) to the plate 109, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. From the above description of the conventional DRAM memory cell 102, it is seen that each time data is read from the memory cell the storage capacitor 106 is again charged to the proper voltage corresponding to the data stored in the cell. Thus, to refresh memory cells 102, the memory cells are merely accessed as in a read operation with the sense amplifier 108 driving digit lines DL, DL* to complementary voltages corresponding to the data stored in the memory cell and thereby charging the storage capacitors 106 to the proper voltage.
The rate at which the data restored in the memory cells 102 must be periodically refreshed is known as the refresh rate of the cells, and is a function of a number of different parameters, including the operating temperature of the DRAM containing the array 100, the number of rows of memory cells in the array, and the value of the supply voltage VCC applied to the DRAM, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. For example, if the array 100 includes N rows of memory cells 102 and each memory cell must be refreshed every M milliseconds, the refresh rate is M/N milliseconds/row, meaning that one row must be accessed every M/N milliseconds in order to properly refresh the memory cells, with every row being accessed at least once every M milliseconds. As the supply voltage VCC decreases, the refresh rate increases due, for example, to a reduced voltage being stored across the storage capacitors 106 and the need to refresh this voltage more frequently to ensure the stored voltage does not decay to an insufficient level due to the leakage currents ILK. The refresh rate also must increase as the supply voltage VCC decreases due to the possibility of restoring incorrect data into the memory cell 102, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
When the memory-cell array 100 is contained in a DRAM, a memory controller typically reads data from desired memory cells 102 in response to requests from a microprocessor or other control circuit, each accessed memory cell being automatically refreshed as previously described. The data stored in all the memory cells 102 and not just those accessed by the memory controller, however, must be periodically refreshed. As a result, during normal operation the memory controller will periodically apply a refresh command to the DRAM containing the array 100, causing control circuitry (not shown) to access each memory cell 102 as previously described and thereby refreshing the memory cells. Even when the memory controller is not accessing the DRAM, the memory cells 102 must still be periodically refreshed. To refresh the memory cells 102 in this situation, the memory controller applies a self-refresh command to the DRAM, placing the DRAM in a self-refresh mode of operation during which circuitry internal to the DRAM (not shown in FIG. 1) refreshes the memory cells 102 periodically, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
As previously described, in portable and other electronic devices containing DRAM, the supply voltage VCC applied to the DRAM is typically reduced during a low-power mode of operation to reduce power consumption and extend battery life of the device. Notwithstanding the reduced supply voltage VCC, the memory cells in the DRAM must be adequately refreshed to ensure the integrity of the stored data. There is a need for an improved circuit and method for controlling the refresh rate of dynamic data stored in a DRAM or other integrated circuit when the supply voltage is reduced to a very low level during a low-power mode of operation.
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The field of this invention relates to a home workshop which is constructed of a plurality of different wood working tools mounted on a single frame. The subject matter of this invention is deemed to be an improvement over U.S. Pat. No. 3,299,918, entitled MACHINE SHOP CONSTRUCTION, issued Jan. 24, 1967, by the present inventor
While there have been known different types of workshop units, it is not believed that there has been such a unit which is as versatile as the present invention, which permits a substantial number of different wood working operations to be performed and which can be manufactured at a most reasonable cost.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope comprising, as an image-transmitting member, a multifilament type plastic optical fiber cable in which the section of an image-transmitting portion has a circular or substantially circular shape, which endoscope has a good elasticity can observe even the interior of a narrow blood vessel, and can be effectively utilized as a medical endoscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the recent increase of the number of patients suffering from heart diseases, the development of a blood vessel endoscope capable of observing the interior of the coronary arteries is urgently required, and an endoscope comprising, as an image-transmitting member, an optical fiber bundle composed of a great number of bundled glass type optical filaments having a diameter of 10 to 50 .mu. has been developed. Nevertheless, since the glass type optical fiber bundle is rigid and easily broken, it is difficult to pass an endoscope comprising an image-transmitting member composed of glass type optical filaments bundle through the curved and bent coronary arteries, and even if the endoscope can be passed through the coronary arteries, if the filaments are broken this will be life-endangering, and thus the endoscope cannot be practically used. Although a throwaway type blood vessel endoscope is desirable, for example, to avoid infection with AIDS and the like, this desire cannot be satisfied by the glass type optical fiber due to the high cost thereof.
An endoscope comprising an image-transmitting member composed of a multifilament type plastic optical fiber cable also is being developed, and among multifilament type plastic optical fiber cable regarded as being capable of transmitting images, those having a circular section in the image-transmitting portion are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 56-39505 and Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 59-14570. Nevertheless, in these multifilament type plastic optical fiber cable, as shown in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 59-14570, the sections of islands acting as light-transmitting paths in the section of the image-transmitting portion are deformed from the circular shape and have a polygonal shape, and therefore, the light-transmitting characteristics of the light-transmitting paths at the center of the section of the image-transmitting portion of the multifilament type optical fiber cable are substantially different from those of the light-transmitting paths in the peripheral portion of the section of the image-transmitting portion. Accordingly, it is impossible to transmit a sharp image, and such a multifilament type optical fiber cable cannot be utilized as the image-transmitting member of a blood vessel endoscope.
Blood vessel endoscopes having improved performances have been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,740, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63-197190 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 64-908, and in the plastic image-transmitting member used for these endoscopes, light transmitting paths having a substantially circular sectional shape are arranged in a hexagonal staggered form structure in the section of a multifilament type optical fiber cable having an image-transmitting portion having a substantially rectangular peripheral shape, and therefore, the respective light transmitting paths have a substantially circular shape to hexagonal sectional shape. A multifilament plastic optical fiber cable of this type has superior image-transmitting characteristics to those of the conventional multifilament type plastic optical fibers, and it is thought that the plastic optical fiber cable of this type can be used for an endoscope.
Nevertheless, as the result of the investigation made by the present inventors, it was found that multifilament type plastic optical fiber cable as mentioned above have a anisotropy of the flexural regidity and the flexural rigidity in a direction diagonal in the rectangular section of the image-transmission portion that is too large for use as an image-transmitting member of an endoscope, and therefore, it is very difficult to put these plastic optical fibers to practical use.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotary piston internal combustion engine with a housing consisting of two side parts and a casing mantle part having a dual-arc trochoidal-shaped casing mantle runway inner surfacing. The housing has an eccentric shaft that passes axially therethrough and is mounted or journalled by the two side parts. An eccentric upon the eccentric shaft has a triangular piston thereon controlled by a synchronous drive transmission with corners of the triangular piston in continuous engagement as sliding along the casing mantle runway inner surfacing. The synchronous transmission consists of a hollow gear stationary on the piston and the pinion stationary in one side part located concentrically around the eccentric shaft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The hollow gear of the synchronous transmission drive is conventionally connected with the piston by screw threads, pressure welding or pressing-in. The piston and hollow gear consist of materials having different characteristics. In order to take up the impact loads thereon, which arise during pressure reversal in the working chambers, especially upon encountering the combustion cycle with internal combustion engines, there were also proposed elastic connections between the hollow gear and piston, for example via sleeve springs installed in aligned bores in the piston and hollow gear. These arrangements respectively required a considerable production or finishing and assembly cost and complexity and consequently must be considered to be unsuitable and not adapted for inexpensive mass production most of all as to small series machines. The heat loading of the piston via the combustion procedures results in a further constructive problem, both with different materials for the hollow gear and piston as most of all with the eccentric bearing of which the bearing sleeve on the entire outer surfacing thereof is subjected to the contact heat of the piston. The bearing however cannot be permitted to be heated-up or warmed to the conversion- or destruction or disintegration temperatures of the lubricating oil, which most of all is critical with roller bearings, which are not cooled by the lubricating oil flowing therethrough as with slide bearings.
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As shown in FIG. 1, a two-layer cover umbrella is popular for releasing wind pressure by use of the space between two covers. This two-layer cover umbrella can then prevent the frame from damage by strong wind. The conventional structure usually includes a branch rib (1), which has inner end a connector (11) as shown in FIG. 2 to 4. A rivet (12) is used to joint the connector (11) with a primary rib (2). Hence, the branch rib (1) is capable of connecting the upper cover. A drawback of this umbrella is that the connecting strength between the branch rib (1) and the primary rib (2) is weak. If strong wind occurs, the branch rib (1) will be still broken. Further, the connector (11) is obviously projected as a step from the primary rib (2). The upper cover will be easily broken and the outlook of the umbrella is not good.
The present invention is to provide an improved rib structure for using in a two-layer cover umbrella, which can solve the problem of the prior art and obtains improvement and utilization. Now, accompanying with the following drawings, the character of the present invention will be described here and after.
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Conventionally known is an electrical junction box in which a circuit assembly with electronic components mounted in a conductive path of a circuit board is accommodated in a case (see JP 2003-164039A). The electronic components generate heat during their activation, and thus a heat dissipation plate is attached to the circuit assembly. Heat generated in the electronic components is dissipated by this heat dissipation plate.
If an electronic component is mounted on a relatively thin circuit board for example, there is a concern that the circuit board will warp.
The technology disclosed in this specification is based on the above-described circumstances, and its object is to provide a circuit assembly or an electrical junction box in which warping of the circuit board is suppressed.
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Fuel nozzles are located on the upstream end of gas turbine engine combustor. A fuel nozzle guide is required to maintain the position of the fuel nozzles with respect to the bulkhead and bulkhead liner at the upstream end of the combustor.
With an annular combustor having the bulkhead wall tilted with respect to the gas turbine axis the bulkhead forms a conical surface. The bulkhead liner has a similar shape.
Fuel nozzle guides are usually rotated to engage a fuel nozzle guide retainer. These are screwed in from the combustor side of the bulkhead liner. A plane surface for interaction between the liner and the fuel nozzle guide facilitates the assembly by permitting rotation of the guide and tightening to any position, with the ability to stop and lock at any point in the rotation. The plane surface of the two mating parts also permits sliding movement in all directions in this plane of contact.
Copending application Ser. No. 08/356,093 describes an assembly for retaining fuel nozzle guides.
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The printer of the invention is a high-speed printer intended for use in high-volume office environments where printing speeds of up to 120 pages per minute are required. In order to achieve the necessary throughput, document transmission from a host device, such as a desktop computer, and document rasterization are decoupled, with the rasterization process occurring in the printer itself. Further, because of the high resolution of the printheads, pages must be printed at a constant speed to avoid creating discontinuities. To effect this, document rasterization is, in turn, decoupled from document printing. Once again, the rasterization occurs in the printer and a page is not printed until it is fully rasterized.
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(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to additives for lubricating oils having extreme pressure, antiwear and antioxidant properties. In one aspect, this invention is directed to additives for lubricating oils which are thiophosphorous, disymmetric bisulfides. As a further aspect, this invention relates to a process for the preparation of the additives as well as lubricating compositions containing such additives.
(2) Description of the Related Art
It is known to add additives to lubricating oils for improving the resistance to oxidation and wear of such oils. Thus, the zinc dialkyldithiophosphates such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,436,400; 4,466,895; 4,587,062 and in Belgian Patent 896,226 have an antiwear and antioxidant effect. But those additives lose their effectiveness when the lubricated metal parts are subjected to high stresses. Therefore, they cannot be used as extreme-pressure additives. Besides, these metal salts in certain cases interact with the dispersants having a base of amines or polyamines thus altering the antiwear properties of the dithiophosphates. In addition, the presence of metals can lead to the appearance of ashes which counteracts the effect sought.
Unlike the above, another kind of additive, the polysulphurated olefins described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,097,387; 4,119,545; 4,119,550 and 4,198,305, can be used in conditions of extreme pressure. These products are good antiwear and extreme-pressure addditives, but they have no antioxidant effect.
An additive has now been found for lubricating oils which has at the same time, an antiwear, antioxidant and extreme-pressure effect.
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Ever since the concept of paid-for data access has been first implemented, content providers have had to work a delicate balance between inconveniencing legitimate users by excessive access constraints and implementing a sufficient number of protective techniques to stop or at least to slow down the ever more creative data pirates.
For example, one of the major inconveniences of a traditional video rental model is the necessity to return a rented video or a videogame to the rental outlet on time. By demanding a timely return of the rentals, the content providers ensure that the duration of the rental period is properly enforced (creating a major hassle for their customers in the process). To mitigate the inconvenience resulting from the necessity to return rented tapes and DVDs, a rent-by-mail service is currently offered by Netflix Inc. and WalMart Inc., where a client pays a monthly fee for the right to hold several video DVDs. When some of the DVDs are mailed back to a warehouse, new rentals can be ordered. GameFly Inc. and GamesForRent Inc. offer similar rent-by-mail service for videogames. Even though the rent-by-mail model has advantages over the traditional rental model, it still requires customers to return rented material, increasing the overall costs and creating the blackout periods during DVDs shipping time.
While shipping costs have been steadily growing over the years, the prices of digital storage media, such as DVD-R disks, have been falling. Eventually it will be more economical to discard the data storage medium after the expiration of the data rental period than to return the used data storage medium to the data provider. There is, however, a necessity to come up with a method and a system which would allow data providers to enforce the terms of the rental agreements without reclaiming the rented data storage media. A well researched way of data distribution involves a dedicated set-top box which electronically receives encoded data from a central location, stores a large read-only library of data, or reads data from freely distributed data media, such as CDs or DVDs. When a subscriber selects a data file for usage, the set-top box contacts the central computer to request the decoding key or to process a billing request. In order to mass-customize the production of optical disks, a unique code may be formed on an optical disk mass-molded from a master substrate by removing the reflective coating from selected portions of the information recording area to form a code pattern. The sophistication of the processing set-top device and the general complexity of this method render it practically unusable.
One way to slow down the piracy, discussed in a number of US patents, is to encode data on perishable media. A typical perishable medium would have a reactive compound which changes from an optically transparent state to an optically opaque state when subjected to readout light and/or atmospheric oxygen, or decays after a certain pre-determined time interval. In the alternative embodiment, an unstable compound temporarily flattens the textured surface and enables the optical readout of the data. With time the optical transmission through the surface is reduced, as the unstable compound is gradually removed via sublimation and the texture of the surface is revealed. In another variation, a light-changeable compound is incorporated into a section of an optical medium. The compound temporarily distorts the digital data output from a section of the recording layer. As most optical media players are pre-programmed to re-sample data areas of the recording layer to assure correct copying, the varying output from the disclosed optical medium prevents copying. The more exotic alternative includes a breakable reservoir with chemical agent that interacts with the data storage portion to render it unreadable after a specified period of time. The concept of perishable data medium, while attractive in principle, suffers from several drawbacks. In many cases the manufacturing process has to take place in the oxygen-free atmosphere, increasing costs. The timing of the decay may vary depending on the surrounding conditions. For example, while the medium may be designed to decay within a certain number of days at room temperature, it may decay much slower at lower temperatures. A street smart user could simply keep his movie library in a freezer, circumventing the intended data usage agreement. Alternatively, the media designed to decay in laboratory conditions from exposure to oxygen may stay virtually decay free if intentionally covered with a microscopic layer of machine oil which would prevent atmospheric oxygen from reaching its intended target.
With the advances in home computer technology, an average consumer having an average PC will soon be able to make an exact replica of a rented or purchased DVD, containing a video, videogame or any other video content. As such technology becomes widely available, the current video distribution model no longer protects the content providers from data piracy. A similar problem is already evident in the case of the music industry: an audio CD can no longer be safely rented (or even sold), since it offers virtually no protection against illegal copying. In a remarkable show of desperation, the Recording Industry Association of America disclosed a method and system of marking data media products by introducing a tracing substance into a polycarbonate or polystyrene composition during the manufacturing stages of CDs or DVDs a technique commonly reserved for tracking explosives by Government anti-terrorist agencies. Therefore, there is a pressing need for new ways to enforce the copyright protection of data.
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1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to controlling memory access prioritization, and particularly to a system and method for dynamically varying memory access prioritization in a controller for a disk drive device.
2. Background of the Invention
Existing hard disk drive systems typically include a hard disk controller for, among other things, receiving and storing data retrieved from the storage disk prior to the retrieved data being transported to a host external to the disk drive system. Hard disk drive controllers conventionally include a read channel interface block for receiving data retrieved from the storage disk and placed on a read channel, and a buffer for temporarily storing the retrieved data and including a memory controller for controlling a separate memory device, such as a random access memory (RAM). The hard disk controller further includes a host interface for sending the retrieved data to the external host. A processing element in the hard disk controller performs functions that are not handled in hardware, such as processing servo information regarding the location of the head relative to the tracks on the storage disk, recovering from error conditions and configuring the disk drive system after power up.
The processing element typically utilizes off-chip memory, such as flash memory, that is dedicated to storing instructions and data for execution by the processing element. Because a dedicated flash memory is substantially slower than the RAM device associated with the buffer, existing or planned hard disk controllers have utilized the memory device associated with the buffer for storing some instructions and related data for execution by the processing element.
The RAM device associated with the buffer may store information corresponding to a number of different sources and/or function blocks within the conventional hard disk controller. Due to the fact that different sources/function blocks have different timing and bandwidth requirements in performing their intended functions, the buffer typically includes an arbitration block to prioritize memory access requests depending in part upon the particular sources/function blocks submitting the memory access requests. In this way, sources/function blocks within the hard disk controller access the RAM device based upon the individual timing and bandwidth requirements thereof.
In conventional hard disk controllers, the processing element is provided a relatively low priority to access the RAM device associated with the buffer. In most instances the processing element is capable of performing as planned while having assigned a lower priority relative to the other function blocks in the hard disk controller. The performance of the processing element and the hard disk controller in general is adversely affected, however, when the processing element processes certain interrupts. In particular, the processing element occasionally needs to relatively quickly handle certain interrupts, such as interrupts which indicate that the disk drive device has moved or that there is a problem with the spin speed of the disk drive device. If the processing element is waiting to complete a fetch from the RAM device when such an interrupt arrives, the processing element must wait until the fetch operation is complete before handling the interrupt. Because the processing element may oftentimes have to wait for an extended period of time before being granted access to the RAM device, the time delay before the processing element handles the interrupt may substantially hinder the performance of the disk drive system. Based upon the foregoing, there is a need for the processing element to effectively handle certain events without adversely effecting the performance of the other function and/or functional blocks in the hard disk controller.
The present invention overcomes the shortcomings in prior systems and thereby satisfies a significant need for a hard disk controller in which the processing element thereof relatively quickly performs certain operations, such as handling certain interrupts, without noticeably impacting the performance of other portions of the hard disk controller. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hard disk controller dynamically modifies the priorities assigned to memory requests submitted by various function blocks in the hard disk controller in response to a particular function block, having submitted a memory request that was assigned a lower priority, requiring the memory request be completed sooner than the request would otherwise be completed.
Specifically, the hard disk controller includes a priority modification block which asserts a control signal upon the occurrence of an event. The event may be the reception, at the processing element, of one or more particular interrupts. The asserted control signal causes an arbitration block within the buffer to change the priorities of pending memory requests so that a memory request previously submitted by the processing element is assigned a higher priority relative to a priority level initially assigned to the memory request submitted by the processing element. The priority modification block de-asserts the control signal upon the memory request of the processing element being completed. Thereafter, memory requests subsequently submitted by the processing element are assigned the lower priority as before.
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Septic shock is a life-threatening complication of bacterial infection. The reported number of incidences has been increased since the 1930's. Septic shock is presently the most common cause of mortality and morbidity in non-coronary intensive care units in the U.S. Recent estimates suggest incidence of 70,000 to 300,000 cases per year in the U.S. alone. The overall mortality due to gram negative bacteremia is approximately 20%, with the occurrence of septic shock, which occurs in 15% of bacteremic patients, mortality is 50-70%.
Bacteremia is typically defined as bacteria in the bloodstream, and is usually determined by a positive blood culture. Sepsis refers to physiological alterations and clinical consequences of the presence of microorganisms or their products in the bloodstream or tissues. When sepsis is associated with hypotension and signs of poor tissue perfusion, it is called septic shock. Septic shock has traditionally been recognized as a consequence of infection with gram-negative bacteria, but it may also be caused by gram positive bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa.
The pathogenesis of septic shock is complex and has not been fully understood. One of the complicating factors is that overlapping and sometimes even opposing effects can be present. Diverse microorganisms can generate toxins such that the release of potential mediators would act on vasculature and myocardium. Studies in both animals and humans have shown that endotoxin is the primary factor that precipitates the shock state. Endotoxin is a lipopolysaccharide molecule that is contained in the cell wall of all gram-negative bacteria. It is released from a focus of infection when gram-negative bacteria are phagocytized by either circulating macrophages or cells of the reticuloendothelial systems.
In the past, the conventional approach in treating endotoxin induced shock had been to administer intravenous injections of excess amounts of glucocorticoids, such as methylprednisolone at dosages of about 30 ml per kilogram. However, this method has been considered largely ineffective.
It has long been known that endotoxin will activate the complement cascade, and via the release of components of the complement system many of the effects of sepsis occur. After invading the bloodstream, microorganisms would begin a cascade of events leading to the release of microbial toxins and harmful host mediators that produce sepsis. The early mediators are thought to consist of microorganism-oriented extoxins and endotoxin, and host effectors such as neutrophils and macrophages, which produce cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin 1 (IL-1). The release of cytokines in low dose is normally a protective response. However, in the presence of endotoxins the massive release of TNF and subsequent activation of immune cells can lead to persistent uncontrolled systemic inflammation resulting in wide tissue injury and metabolic derangement.
Once released, cytokines would trigger a complex array of further host substances, such as prostaglandins, coagulative and fibrinolytic cascades, nitric oxide (NO), endorphins, interferons, platelet-activating factors. Overall, this network of mediators and toxins affect the systemic and pulmonary vasculatures, the myocardium, and the structures of endothelium, producing hypotension and resulting in death. NO is a potent endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF); it may play a major role in the regulation of microcirculation. In the past, In vitro and in vivo studies have suggested that endotoxin-induced loss of vascular responsiveness is due to the activation of NO which is synthesized from L-arginine and can be blocked by NO synthase inhibitors L-arginine analogues, such as N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). Several studies have shown that NO has a major effect in cardiovascular performance in endotoxemia. Inhibition of NO synthesis thus has been considered as being a potentially useful method in the treatment of sepsis.
None of the prior art methods can claim a proven record of success. Therefore, other therapies must be considered to improve survival and reduce morbidity. In recent years, immunotherapy and immunoprophylaxis have been advocated. It was shown that human antiserum and monoclonal antibodies could be effective against endotoxins and TNF reduced death from gram-negative bacterial infection.
Several U.S. patents have discussed the prophylaxis and treatment of endotoxin induced shock. U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,318 ('318 patent) issued to Koyama, et al. disclosed a method of treating endotoxin shock with a pyrimido-pyrimidine derivative. The basis of the '318 patent is that central adrenergic neurons influence peripheral sympathetic nerve activity and thus cardiovascular regulation. The inhibition of alpha adrenergic receptors in vasomotor centers mediates a decrease in blood pressure, heart rate and peripheral sympathetic activity. Since E. coli endotoxin may exert its hypotensive effect by activating the central autonomic blood pressure regulatory circuits, the administering of a pyrimido-pyrimidine derivative, which has a central hypertensive effect acting on the medullary cardiovascular regulatory systems, may stimulate central alpha adrenergic receptors leading to inhibition of brain stem sympathetic pathways that participate in the baroreceptor reflex system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,776 ('776 patent) issued to Cerami and Kawakami disclosed an endotoxin-induced mediator substance, which they suggested may be utilized in procedures as a screening agent to test for potentially effective anti-shock agents. In the '776 patent, it was suggested that the mediator substance can be used to produce antibodies to themselves in rabbits, goats, sheep, chickens, or other mammals. These antibodies may be used as a test for the presence of the mediator substance and administered in pharmaceutical compositions in response to shock produced by viruses, bacteria, protozoa, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,627 ('627 patent) discloses a method using arginine derivatives as arginine antagonists for prophylaxis or treatment of systemic hypotension associated with nitric oxide production or endothelial derived relaxing factor. One embodiment of the inhibitor disclosed in the '627 patent is N.sup.G -substituted arginine or an N.sup.G,N.sup.G -disubstituted arginine which is administered to animal possibly developing or having a systemic hypotension induced by a biological response modifier. The '627 patent followed the commonly accepted belief that arginine is the physiological precursor of nitric oxide synthesis; it, therefore, concluded that substituted or disubstituted arginine antagonists, such as N.sup.G -aminoarginine, N.sup.G -nitroarginine, N.sup.G -methylarginine, N.sup.G -ethylarginine, N.sup.G -propylarginine, N.sup.G -butylarginine, etc., could inhibit the production in the animal or patient of nitrogen oxide from arginine thus obviating the hypotensive effects of nitrogen oxide.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,068,314 discloses an arginine derivative, which functions as a lipopolysaccharide-binding polypeptide, for removing endotoxin. U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,183 discloses lipoxygenase inhibiting compounds, including N-aryl, N-heteroaryl, N-arylalkyl-, N-heteroarylalkyl, N-aryulcyclopropyl and N-heteroaryl-cyclopropyl-N'-hydroxyurea compounds, in treating disease states including endotoxin shock. U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,739 discloses a method for treatment of endotoxin-associated shock and prevention thereof using a BPI protein effective to bind endotoxin. U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,571 discloses phenol derivatives which have therapeutic and prophylactic activities against endotoxin shock.
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1. Field
The present specification generally relates to image processing systems and, more particularly, to image processing systems employing wavelet transformation, quantization, and distortion estimation.
2. Technical Background
An image processing system may compress an image to form a compressed representation of the image and/or decompress a compressed representation of the image to reconstruct the image. It may be desirable for an image processing system, such as a large-scale surveillance image processing system to compress and/or decompress an image in real time. When algorithmically complex compression and/or decompression algorithms are utilized to compress and/or decompress large images in real time, it may be desirable for the image processing system to employ fast compression and/or decompression algorithms.
For example, an image processing system may employ JPEG 2000 compression and/or decompression. JPEG 2000 algorithms may result in enhanced compression efficiency compared to other compression algorithms. In order to achieve such enhanced compression efficiency, JPEG 2000 compression algorithms may be substantially more algorithmically complex than other image compression algorithms, such as JPEG compression algorithms. Similarly, JPEG 2000 decompression algorithms may be substantially more algorithmically complex than other image decompression algorithms, such as JPEG decompression algorithms.
A typical image compression algorithm may employ floating point-based wavelet transform, quantization, and encoding steps. The wavelet transform may use floating point computation to transform integer pixel values into floating point wavelet coefficients that represent the original image. The quantization step may use floating point computation to modify the floating point wavelet coefficients so that the modified wavelet coefficients represent the original image with the least amount of precision required to represent the image with a desired image quality after reconstruction. The encoding step is applied to represent the quantized wavelet coefficients in an efficient way in order to achieve further compression. As part of the encoding step, distortion estimates, which are used subsequently in the image compression algorithm, may be generated using floating point processing. Image compression algorithms that utilize such floating point computation during the wavelet transform, the quantization step, and distortion estimation may be computationally intensive and may extend the time required for image compression.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative image processing systems.
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For many applications and in many contexts, it can be desirable to know the absolute speed of a person or vehicle. For instance, a pedestrian or a driver may simply want to know how fast they are moving (i.e., a speedometer). For 2D and/or 3D positioning purposes, it can be advantageous to fuse an absolute speed measurement with information from other position- or motion-dependent sensors. For instance, absolute speed measurements can be used to bound position drift in an inertial navigation system (INS).
Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation schemes are currently utilized in a large number of broadcast and 2-way radio frequency (RF) communication systems. Therefore, it can be beneficial to exploit OFDM for the purpose of speed estimation. However, current techniques of doing so can be difficult to implement due to the computational and memory requirements.
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Industrial equipment or assets, generally, are engineered to perform particular tasks as part of industrial processes. The design and implementation of these assets often takes into account both the physics of the task at hand, as well as the environment in which such assets are configured to operate and the specific operating control these systems are assigned to. Various types of control systems communicate data between different sensors, devices, user interfaces, etc. in order to enable control operations of the industrial asset and other powered systems.
Often the control systems require applications for the execution thereof. The applications executing in control systems are typically applications for executing real-time systems of the asset or non-real-time systems of the asset. The data associated with the real-time system may be transmitted within an isolated real-time data plane, while the data associated with the non-real-time system may be transmitted within an isolated non-real-time data plane. As such, it may be challenging to communicate between the isolated data planes.
It would be desirable to provide systems and methods to improve the sharing of data between real-time and non-real-time systems.
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{
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As people's work and personal lives become increasingly dependent upon computing devices and information networks, securing access to computing devices and information networks becomes increasingly important.
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{
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a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for changing and setting a peeled, warm or hot hard-boiled egg into a desired shape.
B. Description of the Prior Art
There has been widely practiced to use boiled eggs as ornamental foods not only in the cuisine of Japan but also of many other countries. For the purpose of using boiled eggs as ornamental foods, there has been devised various ways and patterns of cutting boiled eggs. It is, however, troublesome and time-consuming to change the original natural shape of the boiled egg into a desired shape by cutting it with a knife. Thus, it has been difficult to produce variation-rich shapes of boiled eggs in a simplified manner by cutting boiled eggs.
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This invention generally relates to a method of operating a receiver/transmitter that sends and receives signals to a remote transmitter.
A remote keyless entry system includes a receiver/transmitter disposed within a vehicle that communicates with a remote transmitter such as for example a key fob or other remote signaling device. The receiver sends out a Low Frequency (LF) signal to the remote actuation device, and the remote transmitter answers the receiver/transmitter by transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal in recognition of the LF signal sent by the receiver/transmitter. Typically, the remote transmitter utilizes an Amplitude Shift Keyed (ASK) modulated RF signal for transmitting information to the receiver. The signal includes information utilized by the receiver/transmitter and system controller to initiate actuation of door locks, or other remotely controlled devices such as a remotely operated trunk, hatch or sliding door. A received signal strength indicator (RSSI) measures and decodes the incoming ASK modulated signal.
Disadvantageously, interference from surrounding RF signals such as for example garage door openers can overload the RSSI and prevent the desired ASK signal from being cleanly received resulting in difficulties remotely operating functions of the vehicle.
Accordingly, there is a need to develop a method of preventing unwanted signals from disrupting and preventing accurate and reliable communication between a receiver/transmitter and a remote actuation device.
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The present disclosure relates to a puncture assisting device and a puncture device set which can be used for subcutaneous injection of a drug.
In the related art, when a drug (drug solution) is subcutaneously injected, a puncture device is used that includes a needle for puncturing the skin so as to intracutaneously or subcutaneously inject the drug through the needle (for example, refer to JP-A-2008-295590).
When the drug is subcutaneously injected by using this puncture device, as an injection site, an upper arm, an abdomen, a thigh, a hip, and the like are mainly selected, since their regions are wide and are located at an easily visible position. The reason is that the drug is easily administered thereto and the skin is likely to be pinched when the needle of the puncture device punctures the skin.
However, in most of these sites, the skin cannot stretch so much. In general, it is known that the upper limit of a drug amount which can be administered is 1 ml. In addition, even if the drug amount to be administered is limited, the administered drug invasively pressurizes a free end of a subcutaneous nerve or causes severe pain due to features of the drug (pH or a surfactant). The subcutaneous injection is basically carried out without anesthesia. In addition, in many cases, the drug has to be continuously injected multiple times. Accordingly, pain relief during the injection has been required.
Therefore, a method has been proposed in which the subcutaneous injection is carried out through the skin of an elbow joint stretching portion at an elbow instead of the above-described sites. The skin of the elbow joint stretching portion at the elbow is more likely to stretch than the skin of other sites, and does not have anatomically major nerves or blood vessels which are present therein. Therefore, a large amount of the drug can be subcutaneously injected without causing pain, compared to other sites.
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This invention relates to a method and apparatus to help Internet users communicate with hearing and speech-impaired individuals while such individuals are using a Baudot-based device.
In an effort to make the benefits of communications technology available to everyone, regardless of any disability that a particular person may have, most communications carriers offer a service called xe2x80x9cTelecommunications Relay Servicexe2x80x9d TRS for short. In essence, the service allows sound-impaired persons, i.e., hearing- and/or speech-impaired individuals, to communicate with each other as well as with sound-unimpaired persons using special user-based devices and customized network-based facilities. User-based devices typically used by sound-impaired persons are Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf (TDD), better known as Text Teletypewriters (TTY). Such a device is a specialized terminal with a keyboard on which text characters are typed for conversion to tones using well-known Baudot-format. A TTY device is generally coupled to a communications line that carries the tones across a communications network to a corresponding TTY where the tones are re-converted to characters that are displayed on the screen of the corresponding TTY device. Force of habit and governmental subsidies that help defray the cost of each TTY device have made such device the preferred communications device of the majority of sound-impaired persons.
The customized network-based facilities that serve sound-impaired individuals are either Operator Services for the Deaf (OSD) or Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS). The OSD facility relays text communications back and forth between TTYs being used by two sound-impaired individuals. The TRS facility permits conversation between a sound-unimpaired individual and a sound-impaired person. Such conversation is generally facilitated by a communications assistant who types the speech signals received from the sound-unimpaired individual for delivery to the TTY of the sound-impaired individual, and correspondingly reads the text data that is received from the sound-impaired individual, for delivery to the telephone set of the sound-unimpaired individual.
The active participation of the communications assistant in a conversation between a sound-impaired user and a sound-unimpaired person, although beneficial, is nevertheless expensive and intrusive. The relatively high cost associated with the participation of a communications assistant in the conversation is due to the fact that an assistant must be dedicated to each conversation. Although the cost of providing TRS facility is typically governmentally subsidized, sound-impaired individuals fully realize that, absent the current governmental generosity, the mere existence of universal communications service for the sound-impaired may be in jeopardy.
In response to this problem, some network designers have proposed the concept of implementing Speech-To-Text (STT) and Text-To-Speech (TTS) conversion technology at the TRS platform. Unfortunately, while TTS technology has been successfully implemented in a wide variety of applications, STT technology is still in its infancy due to a variety of technical issues, including problems related to vocabulary independence and speech recognition for signals transmitted via communications lines. Furthermore, sound-impaired individuals tend to use some idiomatic expressions that are not easily recognizable by the general public and that are not easily adaptable to existing SST systems.
Sound-impaired users have long complained about the lack of privacy in their conversation with sound-unimpaired persons due to the active participation of the communications assistant who is in effect a non-invited, albeit needed, eavesdropper to a private conversation. Thus, a problem of the prior art is lack of an intruder-free, affordable, universally available system to provide communications services to sound-impaired individuals
We have realized that while the vast majority of sound-impaired individuals use TTY devices for their telecommunications needs, a significant number of sound-unimpaired communications users who place calls to sound-impaired individuals are Internet users.
The present disclosure is directed to a communications system that allows Baudot-formatted text data from TTY devices to be carried over the Internet after such text data has been converted to the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) required for communications over the Internet. Analogously, TCP/IP packets that originate from a sound-unimpaired Personal Computer (PC) and that are destined for the TTY of a sound-impaired person are received at a server on the Internet where such packets are converted to Baudot-formatted text data for delivery to the TTY of the sound-impaired person.
In an embodiment of the principles disclosed herein, a sound-impaired person wishing to communicate with a sound-unimpaired person directs a call and associated call setup information to a TRS platform. The call setup information includes the telephone number of the desired called party, i.e., the sound-unimpaired person. Upon receiving the call setup information, the TRS platform launches a query to a database that maps the called party""s telephone number to the IP address of the called party. Upon retrieving the IP address of the IPS server, the TRS platform instructs its protocol conversion server to access a commercially available web site to ascertain whether the called party is presently using the Internet. If so, the called party is alerted to the presence of the call from the sound-impaired person. Upon receiving a signal indicative of the willingness of the called party to answer the call via the Internet network, the TRS platform establishes a two-leg virtual connection between the called party""s PC and the TTY of the caller, i.e., the sound-impaired person. The first leg of the connectionxe2x80x94a circuit-switched connectionxe2x80x94couples the caller""s TTY to the protocol conversion server while the second leg of the connectionxe2x80x94a packet-switched connectionxe2x80x94couples the protocol conversion server to the called party""s PC. After the two-leg connection is established, the TRS platform separates itself from the connection.
If the called party is not currently using the Internet, the TRS platform places a conventional call to the called party urging such party to establish an immediate Internet connection to the protocol conversion server. When such connection is established, the TRS platform bridges the caller""s TTY to that connection and drops out of the loop.
When a sound-unimpaired caller wishes to communicate with a sound-impaired called party, the caller can either place a conventional TDD call or an Internet-TDD call. If the call is a conventional TDD call, the call is completed to the TRS platform, which delivers an announcement to the caller to inform such caller that an Internet call to the TTY user would afford the caller more privacy at a cheaper rate. The announcement also communicates to the caller the Universal Resource Locator (URL) of the Internet-TDD website on the protocol conversion server. Thereafter, the TRS platform completes the call in a conventional manner. If the call is an Internet call, an Internet connection is established from the caller""s PC to the protocol conversion server. Once the connection is established, IP data packets received from the caller are converted to Baudot format characters at the protocol conversion server before being forwarded to the called party""s TTY. Correspondingly, Baudot-format characters received from the called party""s TTY are packetized in conformance with the IP protocol before being forwarded to the Internet caller.
Advantageously, the present disclosure eliminates the need for sound-unimpaired persons who communicate frequently with sound-impaired individuals to purchase a TTY whose use is dedicated to such communications.
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This invention relates generally to solenoid actuated valves, and more particularly, to solenoid actuated valves including an external sleeve armature.
Spool valves are commonly used for controlling the delivery of fluid, particularly in applications requiring a relatively fast operating time. Spool valves are solenoid operated valves which include a valve spool located within a valve body and movable relative to the valve body between fluid flow permitting and fluid flow preventing positions. The valve spool determines flow paths and as such dictates the size of the valve ports. Because the valve spool is located within the valve body, the outer diameter of the valve spool has to be smaller than the inner diameter of the valve body.
Many fluid flow control applications require rapid shifting movement of the valve spool. One factor in determining the operating time of a direct acting solenoid operated valve is the magnetic force produced by the solenoid. Because the magnetic force is proportional to the cross-sectional areas of coextensive portions of the valve spool and the pole member, when the valve spool is small in size, the magnetic force is also small with the spool acting as an armature. Another factor in determining the operating time of a solenoid operated valve is the mass of the movable valve member, such as a valve spool. The larger the mass of the valve spool, the greater the magnetic force must be to accelerate the valve spool in the desired direction.
One application of spool valves is in the field of inflatable safety restraints for occupants of a vehicle for reducing the possibility of injury to such occupants during a crash. Typical inflatable restraint systems include an inflatable restraint, a source of pressurized gas, and a control mechanism. The control mechanism couples the inflatable restraint to the source of pressurized gas to rapidly inflate the inflatable restraint with the pressurized gas if the vehicle is subjected to a high rate of acceleration or deceleration, as may be caused by a crash, for example.
Many inflatable restraint systems use mechanical or pyrotechnic systems to control inflation of the inflatable restraint. This is partly attributable to the relatively slow response time of known electronically controlled valves. In some valves, mechanical springs are used to bias the valve to its closed position. The force of the spring bias must be overcome to allow the valve to be operated to its open condition. However, the use of spring bias increases the response time for the valve. In addition, the use of a bias spring to move the valve member to one of its positions results in less control, particularly when a shuttling type of operation is desired.
Moreover, the use of a conventional spool valve in inflatable restraint systems can be detrimental because of the small size of the valve spool. In applications such as inflatable restraint systems, particulate matter flows through the valve during operation. The spool bore inlets or outlets can become clogged with the particulate matter during operation of the valve, affecting the distribution pattern for the high pressure fluid being supplied to the inflatable restraint by the valve.
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Arrangements of a compressor and a drive unit therefor on a frame are known (for example, see Patent Document 1). Additionally, for large equipment that include a compressor and a drive unit therefor, a module structure in which a compressor and a drive unit therefor are assembled is employed as a floor member on which maintenance workers stand.
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As local energy sources, in particular alternative energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines, are becoming more widespread in Europe, in the US, and in the rest of the world, the demand for effective and inexpensive technologies for connecting these local energy sources to already existing electrical networks is increasing as well. Many local energy sources, such as solar modules, and also the electrical energy storage devices provide, and in the latter case require, direct current (DC) power. On the other hand, electrical networks, in particular the external electrical grid maintained and administered by an external power provider, work with alternative current (AC) power. In order to convert between DC power and AC power, use is made of power inverters, in the following also just called inverters.
In addition to converting between DC and AC power, modern inverters fulfill a range of other functions. They are able to automatically adjust the output voltage and synchronize with the electrical grid. It is furthermore possible to program them for controlled input and output depending on various electrical and environmental parameters detected through appropriate sensors. Most inverters have to utilize a transformer in one form or the other for creating the appropriate output voltage. This applies especially in cases where a specific inverter technology developed for the European market, where power grids are generally based on the three-phase electric power standard, is modified and adapted for the US market, where power grids are generally based on a split-phase electric power standard. The modification to the inverter then involves utilizing a transformer for converting the three-phase grid connection of the inverter to split-phase standard.
However, the use of transformers makes power inverters heavy and expensive. Transformers can also be an additional source of loss, which can lower the efficiency of an inverter. An example for a transformer-less, unidirectional power inverter is disclosed in US 2011/0299312 A1. This known inverter is a 3-level neutral point clamped (NPC) inverter designed for connecting a solar cell array to a power grid. The DC output of the solar cell array is converted to an AC voltage using pulse width modulation.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide devices and methods for converting between DC power and AC power, which are diversely and flexibly applicable, in particular for use with batteries. They should further be cost effective and have low electrical loss.
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Evaluation of human blood cells is a valuable medical procedure. For example, detection of morphological changes in certain cells or abnormal counts of certain types of cells can lead to diagnoses of certain diseases. But blood cell evaluation is a labor-intensive procedure that involves various instruments, such as centrifuges, spectrophotometers, counting chambers with etched grids, and stained wedge smears of blood. Also blood cell evaluation requires that various reports on red cell indices, white cell counts, white blood cell differentials, and platelet counts be collected.
Hospitals usually rely on automated instruments to perform testing on blood smears. Most automated hematology instruments employ one of the following two methods to measure blood cells. The first method uses an impedance technique to measure the number of blood cells in a test sample. During a test, as blood cells pass through an aperture in a single file, the momentary reduction in conductivity caused by each passing blood cell is detected and counted. The second method relies on optical means. During a test, hydrodynamic focusing technique is used to force the diluted blood cells in the test sample to pass through a flow cell/chamber one by one. As the cells pass through the flow chamber, light beams are focused on the blood sample. As the light beams are scattered by the blood cells in the sample, both forward and side scattered light is analyzed to study the sizes, numbers, and granularities of both white and red cells in the test sample.
Automated blood cell analysis can be performed with little or no human intervention. And the entire analysis only lasts for several minutes. But, according to Patrick C. J. Ward6, automated hematology is not a perfect technology even 40 years after its invention. Identifications of irregular cells, such as immature red or white blood cells, blast cells, circulating lymphoma cells, or atypical lymphocytes, still require a hematologist. Usually, when detecting an irregular cell, an automated device would flag the test for further review by a hematologist. According to a 2006 study conducted by the College of American Pathologists, of the 263 laboratories surveyed, an average of 29% of the automated CBC (complete blood count) results required a manual review. The percentage of test results requiring a manual review could increase dramatically in certain pathology studies. Further, in cases where abnormal lymphoid populations are present, most automated hematology analyzers cannot distinguish between small lymphoid blasts, circulating small lymphoma cells, and normal lymphocytes, and often fail to flag these conditions for further diagnosis.
In today's blood tests, examinations by technicians to identify white blood cell differentials and morphology of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets are essential. During a manual slide review, a technician well trained in morphologic hematology can distinguish abnormal red cell shapes induced during a staining process from pathologically abnormal red cells. Other challenging tasks that call for a manual blood slide review include identifying fragmented cell forms indicating angiopathic hemolytic anemia (e.g., those associated with disseminated intravascular coagulation) and detecting the presence of immature red and white blood cells and blasts, an indicator of myelodysplastic syndromes or acute leukemia.
Further a manual slide review requires blood films to be prepared in advance, which is a challenging task as well. Wedge blood smear, cover glass smear and spun blood smear methods are three methods commonly used to prepare blood films. The wedge blood smear method can be used in both manual and automated tests. In the wedge blood smear method, a drop of blood is placed about 0.5 inch from one end of a first slide. A second spreader slide is then used to spread the blood into a thin film. The second spreader slide is at about 30°-45° angle relative to the first slide. The blood film generated by the spreader slide sliding along the first slide has a variable thickness. Generally, the part of the film farthest away from the starting point will be too thin, which may cause morphological alterations. The part of the film close to the start of the push will be too thick for microscopy examination. A technician or an automatic slide inspector must find the optimal area for inspection. Also in a wedge blood smear test, the quality of the blood smear depends on a number of factors, for example, the technique used, the viscosity of the blood, the blood smear drying process, the staining process and the environment (such as temperature and humidity). Reference U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,982 describes an automatic blood smear preparing apparatus.
The second method is the cover glass method. In a cover glass method, a small drop of blood is first spread using capillary action generated between two cover glasses. The cover glasses are then pulled apart smoothly in a horizontal plane. However, the cover glass slides used in a cover glass method are often small and difficult to label. In addition, the cover glass method involves higher biohazard risk than the wedge blood smear method. The cover glass method is generally not recommended and has become almost obsolete.
The third method is the spun blood film method. The spun blood film method has been described as an alternative to the wedge blood smear method. It can be automated just as the wedge blood smear method. In a spun blood film method, the blood cells in a test sample are spread over a glass using centrifugal forces. The blood cells form a monolayer that can be stained before microscopic examination. When properly prepared, the morphological condition of all cell types in a spun blood film is generally excellent, although care has to be taken to avoid the formation of smudge cells. However, the instruments used to generate spun blood films, the so-called “cell spinners”, are hazardous because of the formation of droplets and blood aerosols. Also the interior of a cell spinner is almost always contaminated with blood from previous tests, which may cause cross contaminations among test sample and is a potential source of biohazard. Prior art U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,305,722 and 4,016,828 describe a method of preparing blood films on a microscope slide using the spun blood film method.
Conventionally, an automatic blood smear preparation method uses microscope slides as the substrate for carrying the blood film. Microscope slides are a convenient media for manual examination because they have already been used with manual microscopes for other purposes and they can be stored for later review. However, microscope slides take up valuable lab storage space and it is often a tedious task to retrieve a stored slide for review. As such, conventional microscope slides often seem inefficient and outdated.
In hematology analyzers that are currently available, up to 30% of blood test samples are flagged by automatic hematology analyzers for need of human review. Also processes of smear making, smear staining, and blood cell image recording are carried out separately on conventional microscope slides. There is a need for improvements on current hematology analyzers.
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The present invention relates to a dot-matrix printer with a font cartridge unit which reads out, e.g., high-density character pattern data stored in the font cartridge unit in advance and performs dot printing in accordance with the readout data.
Some dot-matrix printers can perform high-density dot printing corresponding to the printing quality of a fully formed character obtained by a fully formed character printer. Such a dot-matrix printer comprises a read-only memory (ROM) storing high-density character pattern data in addition to character pattern data corresponding to standard characters. The dot-matrix printer reads out desired character pattern data from this ROM, and performs high-density dot printing corresponding to the readout data.
Printing characters usually have different patterns varying, e.g., with countries. For this reason, if the dot-matrix printer comprises a ROM storing character pattern data for respective countries, a ROM requiring large capacity is needed, resulting in high total cost of the printer. In order to overcome such a drawback, ROMs respectively storing character pattern data corresponding to the respective countries are prepared in advance, and the corresponding ROM is selected as needed and is mounted on the dot-matrix printer. However, in this case, a storage capacity of the ROM mounted on the printer is fixed, and the number of types of fonts of characters to be printed is limited.
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(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an armrest unit, and more particularly to an armrest unit having a decorative top plate with patterns simulating grains of wood so as to enhance the appearance and texture of the armrest.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Office chairs generally have the chair structure as shown in FIG. 1 due to consideration of space and convenience. The chair C may or may not be provided with armrests A. The armrests A are injection molded from plastics and then locked to both sides of the chair C. Plastic injection molded armrests are widely used and competitive in the marketplace because they can be mass produced and inexpensive to manufacture as compared to metal and wooden armrests. However, plastic armrests are not so appealing in texture as wood armrests. Use of chairs with wooden armrests for offices will be very uneconomical because wood especially mahogany is very expensive. Besides, the strength of wooden armrests is not as good as that of plastic injection molded armrests.
Although some manufacturers have attempted to mold plastic armrests having natural wood grains to enhance their appearance and texture, since armrests have curvatures, it is very difficult to form wood grain patterns on the armrests during injection molding. As for use of transfer printing or other techniques to form wood grain patterns on the armrests, there are also difficulties or the quality of the resultant products are not satisfactory.
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A display device is provided with a display panel including a plurality of pixels. In case that each of the pixels includes a red sub-pixel R, a green sub-pixel G and a blue sub-pixel B, the sub-pixels can be arranged in a strip-shaped arrangement manner as illustrated in FIG. 1(a) in which the sub-pixels are arranged in arrays or can be arranged in a triangle-shaped arrangement manner as illustrated in FIG. 1(b). For the strip-shaped arrangement manner, in a row direction, the sub-pixels are arranged repeatedly in a sequence according to colors; and in a column direction, sub-pixels of a same color are arranged with alignment. For the triangle-shaped arrangement manner, in a row direction, the sub-pixels are arranged repeatedly in a sequence according to colors; and in a column direction, adjacent sub-pixels have different colors and locations offset from each other with a half of one sub-pixel. A color mixture of the sub-pixels in the triangle-shaped arrangement manner is more uniform than that of the sub-pixels in the strip-shaped arrangement manner, thus the triangle-shaped arrangement manner can improve an image quality.
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This application is based on and incorporates herein by reference Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-320806 filed Oct. 18, 2001.
The present invention relates to a rotary electric machine used as motors or power generators in vehicles, aircraft, industrial tools and the like where compactness and high efficiency are highly required.
Motors and generators as rotary electric machine used in vehicles are greatly needed to be compact, light weight and high performance. Magnetic flux governs the performance of the motor and the generator. To attain compactness and increase of magnetic flux, a rotor having a Lundell-type magnetic field core is used. This core comprises a boss press-fit around a rotary shaft, disc portions extending from the boss and claw-shaped magnetic poles connected to the disc portions. In this core, magnetic flux is generated by a magnetic field winding which is wound in a simple centralized winding, and the magnetic flux is generated in parallel to magnetic circuits which are formed with respective claw-shaped magnetic poles. Thus, it realizes high magnetizing ampere-turns at respective claw-shaped magnetic poles.
However, when using the Lundell-type rotor, in case the rotor is determined to a certain diameter, a diameter of the boss governing quantity of magnetic flux is not able to be enlarged so much in order to acquire necessary radial thickness of claw-shaped magnetic poles and quantity of the magnetic field winding. As a result, the magnetic flux easily saturates in the boss, thereby limiting improvement of the output. In addition, as the magnetic field core comprising claw-shaped magnetic poles is a mass as a whole, eddy currents develop in the surface of the claw-shaped magnetic poles when the magnetic flux fluctuates. As a result, it experiences more magnetic pole losses than general layered magnetic poles.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a rotary electric machine, which attains high performance and minimizes loss of magnetic flux.
According to the present invention, a rotary machine has a stator having an annular stator core which is wound with multi-phase windings and a rotor disposed radially inside the stator core to generate rotating magnetic fields. The rotor has a rotor shaft, a boss, disc portions, cylindrical parts and a magnetic field winding. The boss is press-fit around the rotor shaft. The disc portions extend radially from an outer periphery of the boss. The cylindrical parts are disposed radially outside the boss in connecting with the disc portions and are continuous in a circumferential direction. The magnetic field winding is disposed between the boss and the cylindrical parts. The rotor has a shape or structure to give a cyclic change of magneto-resistance corresponding to a cycle of an electric angle 2 xcfx80 of the multi-phase windings at the outer peripheries of the cylindrical parts. Hereby the cylindrical parts are used as magnetic poles instead of Lundell-type claw-shaped poles. Therefore, when centrifugal forces act on the rotor, tensile stresses to widen the whole cylindrical parts radially outward develop instead of immense bending moments which affect the claw-shaped poles formerly. Thus, the magnetic poles formed on the rotor are equipped with certain resistance to centrifugal forces.
In addition, the magnetic poles are able to be made thinner than the claw-shaped poles to carry the same quantity of magnetic flux as the claw-shaped poles do because the whole portions of the cylindrical parts lead the magnetic flux. Therefore, when the field winding is wound in the same condition, the diameter of the boss is enlarged, which results in increase of the quantity of magnetic flux passing through the boss which governs output performance eventually, and thus, performance of the rotary electric machine is improved.
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Due to strong multipath, there are limitations in implementing terrestrial digital transmission system requiring a high data rate. Also, it is difficult to transmit data at a high speed due to time dispersion of a channel. As a data rate becomes higher, inter-symbol interference (ISI) increases and a signal distortion and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a channel are degraded, causing limitation in the amount of information to be transmitted over a transmission bandwidth of the channel. To overcome these limitations, an OFDM scheme was proposed. The OFDM scheme is a multi carrier modulation scheme that transmits data using a large number of subcarriers. Specifically, European Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DVB-T) standard and Korean Terrestrial Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (T-DMB) standard adopted the OFDM modulation scheme and are used in digital audio broadcasting, satellite broadcasting, high-speed wireless LAN, mobile communications, and so on.
A T-DMB system is based on a Eureka-147 Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) system and utilizes an OFDM transmission technique. The T-DMB system is used for smoothly receiving broadcasting signals in poor environments, e.g., downtown surrounded by high buildings, express highway, etc.
A T-DMB receiver utilizes a differential detection technique for demodulation. A coherent detection technique was recently proposed for improving reception performance. Channel equalization for coherent detection is performed in a frequency domain using a one-tap equalizer. A tap coefficient of the equalizer can be obtained by estimating a reception channel and calculating a reciprocal of the estimated channel coefficient. The reciprocal of the estimated channel coefficient may become very large in a deep fading channel even though the channel estimation is accurately performed. This may cause noise amplification in a channel equalization procedure.
Noise component remaining after the channel estimation serves as a factor that degrades a reception performance of the T-DMB receiver. The T-DMB receiver performs the channel estimation using a known symbol, called a pilot. The channel estimation is achieved by a pilot signal extraction and channel coefficient estimation. The channel estimation performance is determined by noise component remaining in the channel coefficient estimated in association with SNR. Thus, it is very important to reduce the remaining noise component.
A baseband configuration of a T-DMB system will be described below with reference to FIG. 1. An OFDM transmitter groups and maps binary bits in accordance with a modulation scheme. After pilot insertion, the modulated data is transmitted to an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) block and then converted into a time-domain signal. By copying a portion of the end of the OFDM symbol, a guard interval is inserted for eliminating inter-symbol interference (ISI).
The generated OFDM signal is transmitted over a frequency selective fading channel with Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN). An OFDM receiver removes the guard interval from a received signal and performs an FFT operation to obtain a frequency-domain signal.
In the OFDM-based communication system, the transmitter inserts a pilot known to the receiver in order for channel estimation, and the receiver estimates a channel using the pilot inserted by the transmitter and compensates for channel distortion. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the inserted pilot signal may be classified into a block-type pilot pattern 2A and a comb-type pilot pattern 2B according to pilot arrangement. The T-DMB system utilizes the block-type pilot pattern 2A. As illustrated in FIG. 3, a pilot block is inserted at the same positions in every 76 OFDM symbols.
Referring to FIG. 2, since the pilot symbols in the block-type pilot pattern 2A are inserted into the entire OFDM symbols at regular time intervals, the block-type pilot pattern 2A is suitable for slow-fading channel estimation. The block-type pilot pattern 2A is used in the T-DMB system. The channel estimation is carried out by applying a Least Squares (LS) or Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) method to a corresponding frequency-domain channel coefficient in the pilot-inserted OFDM symbols.
Since the pilot symbols in the comb-type pilot pattern 2B are inserted into all OFDM symbols, the comb-type pilot pattern 2B is suitable for fast-fading channel estimation. The comb-type pilot pattern 2B is used in the DVB-T system. However, since the pilots in the comb-type pilot pattern 2B are inserted into one OFDM symbol at regular frequency intervals, the channel estimation using the pilots is impossible in a data interval between the pilots.
In order to estimate the channel coefficient in the data interval, an interpolation method is carried out to estimate a coefficient value corresponding to a subcarrier frequency between adjacent pilots using the channel coefficient value estimated through an LS or MMSE method. Thus, the channel estimation performance of the OFDM system with the comb-type pilot pattern 2B is different according to the interpolation method. Linear interpolation, Lagrange interpolation, cubic interpolation, Spline interpolation, and Gaussian interpolation are generally used.
A conventional LS estimation method, which is most widely used for the channel estimation in the OFDM system, will be described below with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7.
FIG. 4 illustrates an LS channel estimation according to a pilot insertion pattern, and
FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of a conventional channel estimation apparatus in a block-type pilot pattern. FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of a conventional channel estimation apparatus in a comb-type pilot pattern, and FIG. 7 illustrates a conventional interpolation channel estimation in a comb-type pilot pattern.
Referring to FIG. 5, which shows the channel estimation in the block-type pilot pattern 2A, a pilot extractor 51 extracts a pilot signal YP from a received signal Y, a pilot generator 52 generates a known pilot signal XP, and a pilot estimator 53 estimates a channel coefficient
Ĥ
using the extracted pilot signal YP and the generated pilot signal XP, based on an LS method expressed as Eq. 1 below.
MathFigure 1
H ^ = [ H ^ ( 0 ) H ^ ( 1 ) … H ^ ( N - 1 ] ) T = [ Y P ( 0 ) X P ( 0 ) Y P ( 1 ) X P ( 1 ) … Y P ( N - 1 ) X P ( N - 1 ) ] T [ Math . 1 ]
whereĤ(=[Ĥ(0)Ĥ(1) . . . Ĥ(N−1)]T)
is the estimated channel;XP(=[XP(0)XP(1) . . . XP(N−1)]T)
is the pilot signal known to the transmitter and the receiver;YP(=[YP(0)YP(1) . . . YP(N−1)]T
is the pilot signal extracted from the received signal;
N represents the number of subcarriers of the OFDM symbol; and
T represents a transpose.
Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, which show the channel estimation in the comb-type pilot pattern 2B, a pilot extractor 61 extracts a pilot signal YP from a received signal Y, a pilot generator 62 generates a known pilot signal XP, and a pilot estimator 63 estimates a channel coefficient
ĤP
using the extracted pilot signal YP and the generated pilot signal XP, based on an LS method expressed as Eq. 2 below. An interpolator 64 estimates a channel coefficient Ĥ
of a received channel containing a channel coefficient of a subcarrier on which data is loaded.
MathFigure 2
H ^ P = H ^ P ( 0 ) H ^ P ( 1 ) … H ^ P ( N P - 1 ] ) T = [ Y P ( 0 ) X P ( 0 ) Y P ( 1 ) X P ( 1 ) … Y P ( N P - 1 ) X P ( N P - 1 ) ] T [ Math . 2 ]
whereĤP(=[ĤP(0)ĤP(1) . . . {circumflex over (H)}P(NP−1)]T)
is the estimated channel;XP(=[XP(0)XP(1) . . . XP(NP−1)]T)
is the pilot signal known to the transmitter and the receiver;YP(=[YP(0)YP(1) . . . YP(NP−1)]T
is the pilot signal extracted from the received signal;
NP represents the number of subcarriers, on which data is loaded, among N subcarriers of the OFDM symbol; and
T represents a transpose.
Generally, the OFDM system utilizes the one-tap equalizer in the frequency domain in order for channel equalization, and the tap coefficient of the equalizer is obtained using the reciprocal of the frequency domain of the estimated channel coefficient Ĥ. Thus, the channel equalization performance is directly influenced by the channel estimation performance.
However, if a deep fading exists in the received channel, the coefficient value for channel equalization becomes very large even though the channel estimation is accurately performed. This may cause noise amplification in the channel equalization procedure. Further, noise component always remains in the estimated channel, and such a noise component may degrade the performance of the equalizer.
Consequently, there is a need for channel estimation apparatus and method that can prevent noise amplification phenomenon caused by the deep fading channel and reduce noise component remaining in the estimated channel.
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U.S. soldiers under mortar or missile attack do not have an effective method of determining the origin of the attack. Usually, it is too late by the time the source of the attack has been located.
It would be desirable to be able to track incoming ordnance, e.g., missiles and mortar, and reverse interpolate where these ordinance originated. Presently, radar cannot track small objects like these.
It is also desirable to be able to determine the destination of airborne objects in real time as well as enabling automated navigation for vehicles, planes and robotic vehicles.
Presently, there are no known systems designed to track and reverse interpolate the origin of incoming ordinance. U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,951 uses two sensors to determine the location of a lightning event. This device is only capable of determining the average location of the lightning event.
If this device were to be used for tracking incoming ordinance, it would not have the accuracy and resolution required to be able to pinpoint the ordinance trajectory.
It is therefore desirable to store real-time trajectory data to be used to predict target destination and calculate target origin.
It is also desirable to measure the exact location of stationary objects for navigation and surveying.
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Inspection systems identify and classify defects on semiconductor wafers to generate a defect population on a wafer. A given semiconductor wafer may include hundreds of chips, each chip containing thousands of components of interest, and each component of interest may have millions of instances on a given layer of a chip. As a result, inspection systems may generate vast numbers of data points (e.g. hundreds of billions of data points for some systems) on a given wafer. Further, the demand for ever-shrinking devices leads to increased demands on inspection systems. The demands include the need for increased resolution and capacity necessary to infer the root causes of identified defects without sacrificing inspection speed or accuracy. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method for curing shortcomings such as those identified above.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a self lubricating bearing configuration. More specifically, the self lubricating bearing assembly integrates a lubrication system into a bearing carrier, wherein the bearing carrier collects a lubricant from a surface of a guiding tube during an axial motion and transfers the collected lubricant to the bearing.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Bearings integrate an outer ring, an inner ring, and a plurality of rolling elements assembled therebetween. The assembly enables ration of one ring respective to the other ring. The outer ring is inserted into an interior of a first element and a second element is inserted into an interior diameter of the inner ring. This configuration enables controlled rotation of the first element and second element respective to one another.
Bearings are employed in a wide variety of applications. The applications can vary from an occasional use to continuous commercial operations. Bearings comprise rolling elements that rotate against a bearing raceway of each of the inner ring and the outer ring. The longevity and reliability of the bearings can be enhanced through maintenance, which includes lubrication. Many of the bearing applications have a negative impact on lubrication. Commercial operations are desired to minimize downtime, thus limiting any time available for maintenance; including lubrication. Other applications integrate the bearings into complex assemblies. The complex assemblies are generally difficult and time consuming to dismantle to access and lubricate the bearings.
Centralizer bearings are employed to guide and retain rotating components in a radial direction. The centralizer bearings can also be employed in an axial direction by enabling a sliding motion. Centralizer bearings can be integrated into complex assemblies, making lubrication difficult. The motion of elements within the system and location of the centralizer bearing further aggravates the potential for solutions for lubricating the centralizer bearing. Lubrication may be applied to one portion of the assembly, but is not easily transferred to the opposite part of the assembly to lubricate the centralizer bearing.
Thus, what is desired is a simple, self-lubricating solution for applying a lubricant to a centralizer bearing or any other bearing integrated into a complex machine.
The solution provides several advantages, including reduced downtime for maintenance. The continuous lubrication ensures the bearing remains properly and adequately lubricated during extending periods of operation. The self-lubrication increases the time period for operation, thus increasing equipment uptime. The increased uptime increases productivity and the return on investment of the equipment. The self-lubricating design retains the lubricant within the machine, resulting in a cleaner maintained machine. Grease and other lubricants that could accumulate on exterior surfaces of the equipment attract and retain dirt and other contaminants. The dirt and other contaminants can creep into areas between moving parts increasing friction and wear. The contaminants can prematurely degrade the elements of the equipment causing premature failure.
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(Not Applicable)
The present invention relates generally to repair pressure applicators, and more particularly to a repair pressure applicator having an inflatable bladder for applying pressure against a repair patch.
Typically the surface repair process includes filling a damaged surface region with an adhesive or other filler material so as to bring the surface of the damaged area flush with that of the adjacent undamaged surface areas. A repair patch is formed to substantially conform to the contour. The repair patch formed so as to overlap onto the adjacent undamaged surface area to obtain a metal-to metal (or composite-to-composite, as the case may be) bond region adequate to hold the repair patch in place. The repair patch is then adhesively bonded to the damaged area with a curing adhesive. The term adhesive is contemplated to include, but not limited to, epoxy resin, glue, cement and other bonding agents. Commonly, the adhesive requires heat to be applied to properly cure the adhesive or to accelerate the curing process.
In addition, trapped air is commonly encountered in the bondline between the structure and the repair patch. This may take the form of small bubbles and volatiles which produce porosity in the bondline. This process which occurs during curing and/or heating processes is sometimes described as volatile evolution or gas migration. During the curing process, however, these small bubbles may grow to become large bubbles or voids which significantly reduce the quality of the adhesive bond. It is known in the art that the application of uniform pressure to the repair patch during the curing process tends to squeeze out the trapped air in the bondline or otherwise mitigate the growth of the air bubbles into larger ones. Thus, the quality of adhesive bonding depends largely upon the application of substantially uniform pressure over the repair patch during the adhesive curing process.
A conventional method of applying pressure to the repair patch on-aircraft repair involves using a flexible vacuum bag or cover. The vacuum bag is positioned over the repair patch and sealed around the perimeter. A vacuum or negative pressure source is applied to the vacuum bag so as to evacuate the vacuum bag, thereby collapsing the vacuum bag and forcing the vacuum bag against the repair patch. The amount of pressure applied to the repair patch is limited by the amount of vacuum pressure which may be achieved. For example, where there are holes or otherwise porous surfaces within the vacuum bagged area, such holes must be sealed prior to achieving adequate vacuum pressure. In addition, the sealing of the perimeter of the vacuum bag may present problems, especially where significant vacuum pressures are required to achieve a corresponding desired repair patch pressure.
Another method of applying pressure to a repair patch involves using tooling constructed specifically for a given repair. Obviously, such repair specific tooling is costly, labor intensive and inefficient.
Where the adhesive is a heat-curing adhesive, a heat source is additionally applied to the repair patch in conjunction with a pressure applicator. A conventional method for applying heat is through the use of a heating blanket.
Furthermore, surfaces in need of repair, such as those of aircraft, often are not located on smooth, flat, upward-facing areas. As such, repairs typically need to be effectuated surfaces which may be vertical or even downward facing. In addition, where the repair surface is located at an area which is contoured, the repair patch may be oriented significantly different from those surfaces immediately adjacent to the repair patch. For example, the convex curvature at the leading edge of an aircraft wing and the concave curvature where the wings intersect aircraft fuselage present potential repair areas where the aircraft surface at the repair patch is significantly different from adjacent surface areas. Conventional pressure applicator devices may not be readily deployable at such contoured regions.
It is therefore evident that there exists a need in the art for a pressure applicator device for applying pressure to a repair patch during the curing process which facilitates repairs, applies substantially uniform pressure to the repair patch, accommodates the use of a heat source, such as a heating blanket, and is deployable adjacent a variable contoured surface.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a pressure applicator device for applying pressure to a repair patch of a surface. The pressure applicator device is provided with a suction member for providing suction attachment to the surface about the repair patch. The pressure applicator device is further provided with a cover member which is disposable above and across the suction member. The cover member is attached to the suction member. The pressure applicator device is further provided with a flexible pressure bladder formed of a generally fluid tight elastic material which is disposed beneath the cover member and interior to the suction member. The pressure bladder defines upper and lower chambers. The upper chamber is disposed between the cover member and the pressure bladder. The lower chamber is disposable between the pressure bladder and the surface. The pressure bladder is sized and configured to apply pressure to the repair patch upon fluid evacuation of the lower chamber. In addition, the pressure bladder may be sized and configured to extend towards the cover member upon fluid evacuation of the upper chamber.
It is contemplated that the fluid conditions within the upper and lower chambers may be selectively controlled. In this regard, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pressure applicator device is further provided with an lower port in fluid communication with the lower chamber for selectively controlling pressure within the lower chamber. The lower port is ventable to ambient fluid conditions external to the pressure applicator device. Further, the lower port is attachable to a vacuum source for fluid evacuation of the lower chamber, and attachable to a pressure source for fluid increasing the fluid pressure within the lower chamber. Similarly, the pressure applicator device is further provided with an upper port in fluid communication with the upper chamber for selectively controlling pressure within the upper chamber. The upper port is ventable to ambient fluid conditions external to the pressure applicator device. Further, the upper port is attachable to a vacuum source for fluid evacuation of the upper chamber, and attachable to a pressure source for fluid increasing the fluid pressure within the upper chamber.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the suction member is generally annular and a generally annular gasket is disposed between the pressure bladder and the suction member. Lower port is integrally formed with the gasket and extends radially inward towards the lower chamber through the gasket.
Further, the suction device may be provided with a generally annular outer seal disposable around the repair patch, and a generally annular inner seal disposable radially interior to the outer seal and around the repair patch. The outer seal and the inner seal are configured to form a vacuum seal within the annular region therebetween. In this regard, the suction device facilitates a significant attachment area for allowing secure attachment of the pressure applicator device. In addition, a heat source may be disposed adjacent the pressure bladder for transferring heat to the repair patch upon application of pressure to the repair patch by the pressure bladder. In this regard, the heat source may take the form of a heat blanket which may be integrated with the pressure bladder.
The present invention overcomes limitations associated with prior art pressure applicator devices. The limitations encountered with the vacuum bag method of applying pressure are mitigated in that the pressure applied to the repair patch is not limited by the vacuum bag seal achieved. In fact, the pressure applicator of the present invention may be deployable on top of a vacuum bag arrangement for applying additional pressure beyond that applied by the vacuum bag. Advantageously, the present invention facilitates the selective application of pressure by the pressure bladder to the repair patch. Further, the environment within the upper and lower chambers are controllable. In this regard, the lower chamber may be subject to a vacuum draw. Such lower chamber vacuum draw may be effectuated without the application of downward pressure on the repair patch, as the upper chamber may be evacuated for maintaining the pressure bladder in an upward position away from the repair patch. It is contemplated that such lower chamber vacuum draw encourages the release of volatiles from the repair patch and facilitates the removal of such volatiles. Subsequently, the vacuum draw within the upper chamber may be removed and vented to atmospheric pressure. In this regard, the pressure bladder is contemplated to apply a positive atmospheric pressure to the repair patch. Should further pressure be desired, the pressure within the upper chamber may be increased and thereby increasing the pressure exerted by the pressure bladder to the repair patch. Further, as mentioned above, the pressure bladder may be utilized with the addition of a heat source. As such, it is contemplated that the present invention facilitates a broad range of curing processes which include the combinations of applications of pressure, temperature and volatile venting previously not available by a single tool or device.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a coil insertion device for inserting a stator coil into a slot defined within a stator core of an electric rotary machine. More specifically, the invention relates to an improvement of a mechanism for inserting a stator coil into a slot.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) 63-43988 discloses a coil insertion device which forms a background art of the present invention.
FIG. 1 shows the conventional coil insertion device. The device in FIG. 1 is illustrated in a position prior to inserting a coil. The shown construction will be discussed herebelow. In the exemplary construction, the device includes twelve blades 11 circumferentially arranged at predetermined intervals, for forming an annular body 13. The annular body 13 is fixed on a base plate 14 by means of an annular holder 15, and a stripper 16 is disposed within the interior of the annular body is for axial movement with respect thereto. Twelve projections 17 extend radially from the outer periphery of the stripper 16 for engagement with clearances in the annular body 13 defined by the intervals between the respective adjacent blades 11, and each of the projections 17 has a tapered shoulder 18 at the top end thereof. Wedge pushers 19 are formed integrally with the stripper 16 and extend radially from the lower end portion of the stripper. The stripper 16 is rigidly connected to a drive shaft 20 which is, in turn, connected to a hydraulic cylinder (not shown) for driving the stripper in the vertical direction. A stator core 21 is mounted on the blades 11, and defines a plurality of slots 22. A stator coil 23 is to be inserted into the respective corresponding slots 22 of the stator core 21, and wedges 24 are provided to be inserted into the slots 22 to thereby secure the associated stator coil 23.
The operation of the device set forth above will be discussed herebelow. When the stator coil 23 and the wedges 24 are to be inserted into the plurality of slots 22 in the stator core 21, by the thus-constructed coil insertion device, the wedges 24 are set on the wedge pushers 19, the stator coil 23 is hooked between the respective clearances between the adjacent blades 11, and the stator core 21 is engaged with the outer peripheries of the blades 11. FIG. 2 shows the positionin in which the coil is inserted by means of the conventional coil insertion device as set forth above. As seen from this figure, the drive shaft 20 is driven upward by the hydraulic cylinder, to thereby push the stripper 16 upward, and during this upward travel of the stripper 16, the tapered shoulders 18 of the projections 17 push the associated stator coil into the slots 22.
There are growing requirements for a higher quality insertion device with a smaller size, lighter weight, higher output, and so forth, but when an attempt is made to obtained higher density of coils in the stator core, by using of the conventional coil insertion device, the following problems may be encountered. FIG. 3(a) through 3(c) are side elevation views showing the process of the insertion of the coil by the conventional coil insertion device. As shown in FIG. 3(a), a plurality of the stator coils 23 are pushed toward the associated slots 22 by the tapered shoulders 18 of the stripper 16, and thus inserted into the slots 21, and by a further upward travel of the stripper 16, the respective stator coils 23 are forced to rotate into a vertical position to be set within the slot 22 of the stator core 21, as shown in FIG. 3(b). During this process, discrepancies such as a displacement can occur between the portions of the stator coils 23 directly pushed by the tapered shoulders 18 and the portions of the stator coils positioned away from the tapered shoulders, and as a result, the stator coils 23 can not be positioned precisely vertical, and thus are at an oblique angle with respect to the axis of the stator core 21, as shown in FIG. 3(c). Furthermore, as can be seen from FIGS. 3(b) and 3(c), the constituent conductors of the stator coils 23 set within the slots 22 are arranged at random. FIG. 4 shows a partial plan view of the stator core 23, in which the stator coils 23 are set in the slots 22. This figure shows the part of stator core 21 formed with a plurality of slots 22. The stator coils 23 are inserted into every two slots 22 by the projections 17 of the stripper 16 extending through the interval clearances 25 between the blades 11. As can be seen from FIG. 4, it was inevitable, in the conventional coil insertion device, that a relatively wide spaces to be occupied by the stator coils 23 be randomly arranged within the slots 22, and this hinders an increase of the density of the stator coils.
Furthermore, since the stator coils 23 and the wedges 24 are driven simultaneously with the common stripper, the dimensions can be fixed by a jig. This clearly limits the range of application of the axial length of the stators, for which the coil can be inserted with the common jig. Further, since all stator coils and all wedges are simultaneously driven, a substantial operating force, e.g. 2,000 kg to 4,000 kg, is required due to a high frictional resistance. Also, a tool is required for positioning the stator, but an adjustment of the position of the stator by the tool becomes difficult after the insertion of one or two layers. Therefore, there is a need for a way of adjusting the coils while avoiding interference by the tool.
Furthermore, as set forth above, the conventional coil insertion device inserts the stator coils 23, with a necessary number of conductors, simultaneously with the wedges 24. To obtain a higher quality, it is necessary to divide the required number of conductors of the stator coils into several units, to thereby insert these units one-by-one through a plurality of stages of the insertion operation, rather than inserting the necessary number of conductors at a one stage of the inserting operation. When this is performed by the conventional coil insertion device, the inserted coil unit can be forced out of the associated slot 22 by the wedge 24 simultaneously inserted with the coil.
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1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to novelty darts and similar projectiles that are tipped with a suction cup. More particularly, the present invention relates to the structure of such novelty darts and the materials used in the formation of the suction cup.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Rubber suction cups were first used on the tip of projectile toys at the beginning of the 20th century. Toy darts and toy arrows tipped with a suction cup have unique advantages. A dart tipped with a suction cup is relatively safe, being unlikely to cause damage to any person or object it strikes. The suction cup acts as a large blunt rubber tip. However, unlike other blunt tip configurations, a toy dart or arrow with a suction cup has the ability to stick to a smooth flat surface. Darts and arrows with suction cup tips, therefore, have more play value than similar toy darts and arrows that have simple blunt tips.
In early toys, suction cups were structures of rubber having a concave face. In later years, synthetic rubber and other elastomeric materials, such as silicone, were used. When the face of the suction cup struck a hard, flat object, the concave face of the suction cup would partially flatten and the rubber would seal against the impacted surface. The pressure inside the suction cup would, therefore, be lower than the air pressure surrounding the suction cup and the suction cup would adhere to the impacted surface. As air leaked back into the suction cup, it would detach from the impacted surface.
Traditional suction cups made from elastomeric materials work well if they squarely impact a hard, flat surface, such as a window pain or the metal door of a refrigerator. However, traditional suction cups work very poorly on semi-smooth surfaces such as painted walls and rough surfaces, such as concrete walls. When a traditional suction cup impacts a non-smooth surface, such as a painted wall, the elastomeric material cannot create an air tight seal around the perimeter of the suction cup. Therefore, the suction cup either fails to adhere to the surface or only adheres for a second or two before falling away.
In order to make traditional suction cups more effective on semi-smooth surfaces, children often wet the suction cup. However, wet suction cups quickly become dirty as the moisture on the suction cup attracts dirt and grime. Dirty suction cups then create circular stains on impacted surfaces, such as ceilings and walls. This common scenario has caused suction cup toys to lose favor with many parents who want to keep the surfaces of their home stain free.
In modern toy design, some projectiles are made completely out of foam. Such projectiles are commonly used by Hasbro, Inc, of Rhode Island in their Nerf® line of toys. Foam projectiles are extremely lightweight and are therefore very unlikely to cause injury. However, due to their light weight, such prior art foam projectiles do not travel far. Furthermore, prior art projectiles that have suction cups made of foam use a completely closed cell foam. Closed cell foams were believed to be the only type of foam that could be used in forming a suction cup because it is the only foam that is air impervious and capable of maintaining suction.
The main disadvantage of using a closed cell foam is that such foams tend to be stiff. Suction cups made of such foams, therefore do not deform much on impact and thus create poor surface seals. Consequently, projectiles with foam suction cups rarely adhere to any surface, unless the surface is ultra-smooth, such as a sheet of glass.
A need therefore exists for a suction cup configuration that is safe when impacting a child, yet is capable of adhering to semi-smooth and rough surfaces, such as walls, without having to be wet. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below.
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{
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The invention relates generally to hole saw arbors and more particularly to a method and apparatus for mounting a hole saw to a hole saw arbor.
It has been known to provide hole saw arbors with pin locking mechanisms to prevent on-axis rotation of the hole saw relative to the arbor. Nevertheless, off-axis wobble still exists. In high speed applications, off-axis wobble causes vibration which can effectively reduce the life of the hole saw, the arbor, and even the drill itself. The vibration also reduces the accuracy of the cut.
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1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention are directed generally to methods for preparing, purifying, amplifying, and detecting biological molecules of interest such as nucleic acids and, more particularly, to such methods performed using microfluidic devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of molecular diagnostics has expanded greatly since its inception in the early 1980s, particularly as a means to permit the detection of slow growing or fastidious bacteria responsible for infectious diseases. The detection of viral pathogens, including viral load testing has also been significantly improved by molecular diagnostics. As more data have become available regarding the human genome, the use of molecular diagnostics in pharmacogenomics, companion diagnostics, and other personalized medicine applications continues to gain momentum.
Nucleic acid amplification is a standard technique known in the art by which nucleic acids may be isolated and more accurately and efficiently manipulated for use in molecular diagnostics and other nucleic acid screening purposes. Various methods have been described in the literature for amplifying nucleic acids, such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA), present in a sample. Among these, the most widely practiced is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,195 (Mullis et al., entitled “Process for amplifying, detecting, and/or cloning nucleic acid sequences,” issued Jul. 28, 1987) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,202 (Mullis, entitled “Process for amplifying nucleic acid sequences,” issued Jul. 28, 1987). Briefly, PCR consists of amplifying denatured, complementary strands of target nucleic acid by annealing each strand to a short oligonucleotide primer, wherein the primers are chosen so as to flank the sequence of interest. The primers are then mediated by a polymerase enzyme to yield extension products that are themselves complementary to the primers and hence serve as templates for synthesis of additional copies of the target sequence. Each successive cycle of denaturation, primer annealing, and primer extension essentially doubles the amount of target synthesized in the previous cycle, resulting in exponential accumulation of the target.
PCR methodologies in general suffer from several limitations that are well-known in the art. One such limitation is owing to the poor fidelity of commonly used, thermostable polymerase enzymes, such as Taq. This results in nucleotide base misincorporations that are propagated from one cycle to the next. It is estimated that such misincorporations may occur as often as once per one thousand bases of incorporation. A second limitation is that different cDNAs are amplified with different efficiencies, resulting in underrepresentation of some cDNA sequences and overrepresentation of others in the amplified product. Even a small difference in efficiency may result in a several-thousand fold differential in the representation of these cDNAs in the product after only as few as 30 cycles of amplification.
Another limitation is the presence of inhibitors of PCR in the starting material (e.g., hemoglobin in blood). These inhibitors are often carried through purification and either limit or completely impede amplification reactions performed with the nucleic acids derived from the purification. Therefore this provides another rationale for needing better upstream purification strategies (see e.g., J. Bessetti, Profiles in DNA, PCR Inhibition, An Introduction to PCR Inhibitors, Promega Corporation, March 2007).
Also significant is that nucleic acid amplification is only as accurate as the starting sample of nucleic acid to be amplified. Nucleic acid (e.g., DNA or RNA) of low purity will yield amplification products that may not reflect the composition of the starting sample, and therefore, cannot be used (or relied on) for diagnostic purposes.
It is also recognized that the conventional practice of biochemistry and molecular biology can require physical process resources on a scale that are frequently inversely proportional to the size of the subject being studied. For example, the apparatus and process chemistry associated with the preparation and purification of a biological sample such as a nucleic acid fragment for prospective analysis may easily require a full scale bio-laboratory with sterile facilities. Furthermore, an environmentally isolated facility of similar scale may typically be required to carry out the known nucleic acid amplification procedures such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for amplifying the nucleic acid fragment.
There is therefore a need in the art for improved methods of nucleic acid purification for use in nucleic acid amplification techniques, so that nucleic acids may be more accurately and efficiently purified, identified and manipulated for use in molecular diagnostics and other nucleic acid screening purposes. There also exists a need for improved microfluidic systems for processing fluids for analysis of biological or chemical samples, and in particular, in the detection and analysis of biologically active macromolecules derived from such samples such as DNA, RNA, amino acids and proteins. It is beneficial and advantageous that the systems are mass producible, inexpensive, and preferably disposable; that the systems be simple to operate and that many or substantially all of the fluid processing steps be automated; that the systems be customizable, and be modular such that the system can be easily and rapidly reconfigured to suit various applications in which the detection of macromolecules is desired; and, that the systems be able to provide straightforward and meaningful assay results. A more thorough discussion of the challenges and shortcomings in the art, as well as exemplary solutions that may be utilized in conjunction with the teachings of the instant invention, are disclosed in applicant's copending U.S. application Ser. No. 13/033,165 (Pub. No. US2011/0275058) entitled “Self-contained Biological Assay Apparatus, Methods, and Applications,” the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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The present invention relates generally to radio receivers in which intermediate frequency signals are processed digitally, and more specifically to an automatic gain control circuit that compensates for edit wideband signal power.
Modern radio receivers, such as used in cellular telephone, wireless Local Area Network (LAN), wireless Internet access systems, and similar equipment typically now employ digital signal processing techniques to some degree. Digital signal processing permits the replacement of physically large, costly, and unpredictable analog filtering components with their digital counterparts. These receiver architectures require high speed, wideband, analog-to-digital converts (ADCs) and digital filters. Present day ADC technology permits sampling at Intermediate Frequency (IF) or even greater frequency ranges. However, by replacing traditional analog filters with digital filters implemented after digitization, the ADC potentially also samples out-of-band unwanted signal components. These unwanted signal components may consist of adjacent channels, extra noise, or even jamming signals along with the desired signal of interest.
Direct application of analog receiver architectures to a digital implementation therefore, is often not sufficient to provide the required signal filtering properties. One difficulty stems from the fact that analog demodulation techniques are not directly adaptable to digital receivers. For example, clipping of a received signal lowers out the probability of correctly detecting the signal of interest and the data derived therefrom.
To reduce clipping, digital receivers often include one or more variable gain amplifiers that permit the gain of the receiver to be adjusted by a feedback control signal. The process of adjusting the received signal in this fashion is called Automatic Gain Control (AGC). In the typical digital receiver, the AGC circuitry measures an output signal power of the variable gain amplifier. This measured value is then compared with a value representing the desired signal power to derive an error signal. The error signal is then used to control the variable amplifier gain so that the output signal strength coincides with the desired output signal power. In the typical desired arrangement, the AGC circuit therefore may hold the amplitude of the output close to the full dynamic range of the analog-to-digital converter.
In the presence of out-of-band signal components, standard gain control loop architectures are often insignificant to guarantee proper analog-to-digital converter operation. Especially in the cellular environment, a digital receiver may receive signals that exhibit rapid and wide variation in signal power. For example, in Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) mobile wireless communications, it is necessary to precisely control the power level of transmitted signals for proper capacity management.
Some have proposed the use of an AGC circuit wherein the filter bandwidth may be changed. In particular, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,211, the filter coefficients of a digital signal processor are switchable between a first wideband within a second narrower bandwidth. A post-filter level detector is responsive to the filtered signal and provides a control signal for selecting one of the banks of filter coefficients. Thus, the circuit reduces the effect of adjacent channel interference by narrowing the bandwidth of a filter in the receiver, which reduces the signal content from the adjacent channel propagating through the receiver.
This type of circuit provides an effective method of filtering out of band signals after the ADC. However, gain control in this circuit is based entirely on the signal power present at the input to the ADC, rather, its digital output. This requires an adaptive filtering technique to switch to the proper coefficients as needed. Often, cases arise in which multiple sets of filter coefficients are not available due to signal processing or memory resource restrictions.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lithium battery comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a nonaqueous electrolyte and more particularly, to a lithium battery adapted for dissolution and deposition of lithium metal in the negative electrode, the battery directed to a suppressed formation of lithium dendrite on the negative electrode and to a suppressed reaction between the lithium metal in the negative electrode and a solvent in the nonaqueous electrolyte in the lithium dissolution/deposition process associated with the charging and discharging of the battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a novel secondary battery of high power and high energy density, a lithium battery have gained widespread use. Such a battery employs the nonaqueous electrolyte and is capable of being charged and discharged through oxidation/reduction of lithium.
This lithium battery uses a variety of negative-electrode materials for forming the negative electrode.
Where lithium metal is employed as the negative-electrode material, the battery can achieve the highest theoretical capacity of 3.86 Ah/g. Accordingly, studies have been made on the use of lithium metal as the negative-electrode material.
However, if the lithium battery employing lithium metal as the negative-electrode material is subjected to repeated charging/discharging processes involving lithium-metal dissolution/deposition in the negative electrode, the negative electrode encounters a gradual growth of lithium dendrite thereon. The lithium dendrite will further grow through a separator to come into contact with the positive electrode. Furthermore, the dendrite growth leads to an increased contact area between the lithium metal of the negative electrode and the solvent of the nonaqueous electrolyte so that the lithium metal of the negative electrode is more likely to react the solvent of the nonaqueous electrolyte. As a result, the lithium battery is decreased in the charge/discharge efficiency and hence in the cycle performance.
More recently, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.11-3713(1999) has proposed a lithium battery employing a negative electrode collector formed from a porous material, such as carbon, for suppression of the formation of lithium dendrite during charging and discharging of the lithium battery.
Unfortunately, the lithium battery with the negative electrode collector formed from the porous material, such as carbon, still suffers the drawback that the charge/discharge efficiency is decreased due to the reaction between the solvent or the like in the nonaqueous electrolyte and the lithium metal retained at the negative electrode collector or the porous material, such as carbon, forming the negative electrode collector.
A first object of the invention is to prevent the growth of lithium dendrite on the negative electrode during charging/discharging of the lithium battery adapted for the dissolution/deposition of lithium metal in the negative electrode.
A second object of the invention is to prevent the reaction between the lithium metal in the negative electrode and the solvent in the nonaqueous electrolyte in the lithium battery adapted for the dissolution/deposition of lithium metal in the negative electrode.
A third object of the invention is to enhance the charge/discharge efficiency and thence the cycle performance of the lithium battery adapted for the dissolution/deposition of lithium metal in the negative electrode.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a lithium battery comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode with a negative electrode collector retaining lithium metal, and a nonaqueous electrolyte, wherein an activated carbon with a minimum pore size in the range of 5 xc3x85 to 16 xc3x85 is used as the negative electrode collector.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, a lithium battery comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode with a negative electrode collector retaining lithium metal, and a nonaqueous electrolyte, wherein an activated carbon with a specific surface area in the range of 960 m2/g to 2000 m2/g is used as the negative electrode collector.
With the minimum pore size of 5 xc3x85, the activated carbon used as the negative electrode collector has a specific surface area of about 960 m2/g. With the minimum pore size of 16 xc3x85, the activated carbon used as the negative electrode collector has a specific surface area of about 2000 m2/g.
If the activated carbon with the minimum pore size in the range of 5 xc3x85 to 16 xc3x85 and the specific surface area in the range of 960 m2/g to 2000 m2/g is used for forming the negative electrode collector of the negative electrode, as in the lithium batteries of the first and second aspects hereof, lithium ions with the solvent desorbed therefrom are inserted into the activated carbon pores so as to be deposited as lithium metal in the activated carbon pores when the lithium battery is charged for lithium metal retention at the negative electrode collector. Thus, the growth of lithium dendrite on the negative electrode is suppressed while the lithium metal deposited in the activated carbon pores is prevented from reacting the solvent in the nonaqueous electrolyte. Hence, the lithium battery is not degraded in the charge/discharge efficiency, accomplishing the improved cycle performance.
If the negative electrode collector is formed from the activated carbon with the minimum pore size of less than 5 xc3x85, lithium ions are not readily inserted in the activated carbon pores, resulting in the deposition of lithium metal on the surface of the activated carbon.
Consequently, the lithium dendrite is formed on the negative electrode or the lithium metal of the negative electrode is in contact with the solvent in the nonaqueous electrolyte, reacting the same. If, on the other hand, the negative electrode collector is formed from the activated carbon with the minimum pore size in excess of 16 xc3x85, solvated lithium ions are inserted into the activated carbon pores to be deposited as lithium metal. The resultant lithium metal is in contact with the solvent and the like of the nonaqueous electrolyte infiltrating into the activated carbon pores and the reaction therebetween occurs. Hence, both of the above cases entail the decreased charge/discharge efficiency and thence, the degraded cycle performance of the lithium battery.
The activated carbon for use in the negative electrode collector may take any form of grains, fibers and the like so long as the aforementioned properties are |presented. However, a fibrous activated carbon may be preferred from the standpoint of easy handling when used for forming the negative electrode collector.
In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, a lithium battery comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode with a negative electrode collector retaining lithium metal, and a nonaqueous electrolyte, wherein a graphitized carbon is used as the negative electrode collector.
If the graphitized carbon is used as the negative electrode collector as in the lithium battery of the third aspect hereof, the lithium dendrite growth on the negative electrode is suppressed during charging of the lithium battery for lithium metal retention at the negative electrode collector. In addition, the negative electrode collector is prevented from reacting the solvent and the like in the nonaqueous electrolyte during charging. Thus, the lithium battery is improved in the charge/discharge efficiency.
Where graphitized carbon is used as the negative electrode collector, the higher the graphitization degree of the graphitized carbon, the greater the effect of suppressing the reaction between the negative electrode collector and the solvent and the like in the nonaqueous electrolyte during charging. The graphitized carbon having spacing d002 of lattice planes (002) in the range of 3.35 xc3x85 to 3.43 xc3x85 or more preferably of 3.35 xc3x85 to 3.36 xc3x85, or containing crystallite whose size along the c-axis length (Lc) is not less than 40 xc3x85 or more preferably of not less than 700 xc3x85, in particular, may be employed to achieve an even greater suppression of the reaction between the negative electrode-collector and the solvent and the like in the nonaqueous electrolyte during charging. Thus, the lithium battery is further improved in the charge/discharge efficiency.
It is noted that the lithium batteries of the first to third aspects hereof are characterized by the negative electrode collectors for use in the negative electrode and therefore, no particular restriction is posed on the positive electrode or the nonaqueous electrolyte of the lithium batteries.
The above lithium batteries may employ any of the known positive electrode materials conventionally used in the art. For example, metal oxides capable of absorbing and desorbing lithium ions are usable, including metal oxides containing at least one of manganese, cobalt, nickel, iron, vanadium, niobium and the like, and lithium-containing transition metal oxides such as lithium-containing LiCoO2, LiNiO2, LiMn2O2 and the like. Particularly if any one of the above lithium-containing transition metal oxides is used as the positive electrode material, the lithium in the transition metal oxide is retained by the negative electrode collector, negating the need for previously providing a lithium metal portion retained by the negative electrode collector. Therefore, the lithium battery may be fabricated without using lithium metal.
The above lithium batteries may employ, as the nonaqueous electrolyte, any of the known nonaqueous electrolytic solutions comprising a solvent and a solute dissolved therein, and of gel or solid state polymeric electrolytes.
The nonaqueous electrolyte may employ any of the known solvents commonly used in the art. Examples of a usable solvent include organic solvents such as ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, butylene carbonate, vinylene carbonate, cyclopentanone, sulfolane, dimethylsulfolane, 3-methyl-1,3-oxazolidine-2-one, xcex3-butyrolactone, dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, ethyl methyl carbonate, methyl propyl carbonate, butyl methyl carbonate, ethyl propyl carbonate, butyl ethyl carbonate, dipropyl carbonate, 1,2-dimethoxyethane, tetrahydrofuran, 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran, 1,3-dioxolane, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate and the like. These solvents may be used either alone or in combination of two or more types.
Any of the known solutes commonly used in the art may be dissolved in the above solvent. Examples of a usable solute include lithium compounds such as lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate LiCF3SO3, lithium hexafluorophosphate LiPF6, lithium perchlorate LiClO4 lithium tetrafluoroborate LiBF4, lithium trifluoromethanesulfonimide LiN(CF3SO2)2 and the like.
Any of the known polymers commonly used in the art are usable as the gel or solid state polymeric electrolyte.
Examples of a usable polymer include polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide, crosslinked polyethylene glycol diacrylate, crosslinked polypropylene glycol diacrylate, crosslinked polyethylene glycol methylether acrylate, crosslinked polypropylene glycol methylether acrylate and the like.
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Background concerning the need for the invention of the PARENT Application
There are many devices available to provide direction and navigation assistance available in the current market place. But in emergency situations directions that are based on the normal situation of a location or venue are insufficient. Current information concerning the exact situation where a person is located, the nature of the emergency and all available clues for escaping to safety are desired. Historically, people have been willing to accept risks that would not be accepted today. Even though many hazardous situations and sudden dangers are relatively rare compared to daily events, many people are concerned about risks and want to have as much protection as possible.
Background concerning the need for the CURRENT invention
When a party offers to allow another party to be in a venue, use a product or be availed of a privilege, the first party often has an interest in the manner in which this is done. It is often necessary to communicate the expectations of the first party to the second party, but establishment of rules that describe the expectations is typically incomplete and difficult. An embodiment of these expectations in a information structure is called herein a standard. The most common such embodiment is a set of rules to be followed by the second party. These are as complete as possible given the limitations of particular situations. For example, a dress code to be communicated in one sentence on a sign at an entrance may only be able to require “normal hair appearance.” Such a description is very vague and agreement as to when it applies may not occur. Replacement with more details is only slightly helpful, and there are many dimensions such as length, color, cleanliness, etc. Additional levels of detail may be required but in turn are insufficient requiring distinctions such as rejecting shaving of limited areas while allowing a natural bald area.
In many situations the compilation of objection rules to describe the physical situation which should be deemed to be compliant is so burdensome that no serious attempt is made. This leaves persons who wish to be compliant with no way to know prior to submission to the judgement process, if they will comply. In particular, the judgement process may occur just before granting of the privilege conditional on compliance and long after the period where preparation for compliance can be accomplished. As an example, a person failing a dress code may have to return home to change clothes. This would be extremely inconvenient when only one of a party arriving at a restraint is denied admittance. In the past, certain restaurants maintained a stock of men's jackets to allow compliance. Use of these jackets involved substantial embarrassment and was obvious to other diners.
Another type of embodiment of a standard is a model developed in the memory of a machine learning system as described below. This avoids the necessity of writing explicit rules, communicating the rules to a second party, understanding of the rules by the second party and manual determination of compliance. The advantages of such a system can include the ability to share the system allowing predetermination of the state of compliance and elimination of suspicion of bias on the part of judges of compliance.
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Small, portable devices such as personal digital assistants (PDA), multi-function cell phones, digital cameras, music players, etc. have become widely available. These devices use a central processing unit (CPU) or microcontroller and a mass-storage memory such as a hard drive or flash memory. These small devices are often cost and size sensitive.
FIG. 1A is a schematic circuit block diagram illustrating an electronic data storage medium disclosed in the parent application. The electronic data storage medium with fingerprint verification capability can be accessed by external computer 9 using input/output interface circuit 5, which may use a Universal Serial Bus (USB) or similar interface. The electronic data storage medium can be located inside or outside of the external computer. Card reader 6 may be attached to external computer 9 or may act as a substitute for external computer 9 through the host computer link with a Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) USB-Attached-SCSI (UAS) bus, which has one set of two pairs of differential serial buses:
(i) a first pair differential serial bus with a first pin carry + signal and a second pin carry − signal, and
(ii) a second pair differential serial bus with a first pin carry + signal and a second pin carry − signal.
Card reader 6 accepts card body 1. The card reader interface can connect with various standard bus such as Secure Digital (SD) bus, Compact Flash (CF) card, Serial ATA (SATA) bus, Serial SCSI (SAS) bus, etc.
The electronic data storage medium is packaged in card body 1, and includes processing unit 2, memory device 3, security unit 4, and input/output interface circuit 5.
Memory device 3 can be a flash memory device that stores data files. Security and encryption/decryption unit 4 can assist with AES, IEEE 1667, fingerprint, or other kinds of security functions, such as encryption and description and password verification or management. Processing unit 2 connects to other components and can operate in various modes, such as a programming mode, a data retrieving mode, and a data-resetting mode. Power source 7 can be a DC-DC converter that converts from a higher voltage, such as 5 volts, to a lower voltage such as 3.3 or 1.8 volts or some other value that can be used by other units.
The electronic data storage medium packaged in card body 1 includes processing unit 2, memory device 3, and input/output interface circuit 5. While useful, various additions can increase the usefulness of the device. For example, audio playback can be supported. When coupled with security unit 4, the audio playback can have added security features.
Memory device 3 may be a solid-state flash memory rather than a rotational hard drive. Using flash memory provides lighter weight, lower power, and more rigidity than the rotational hard drive. Data files such as audio, video, and text may need security. Also, alternative features such as audio/video capability may replace the fingerprint verification feature on some alternatives of the device.
Hard disks and other mass storage devices are being replaced or supplemented with solid-state mass storage such as flash memories. Flash memories use non-volatile memory cells such as electrically-erasable programmable read-only memory, (EEPROM), but are not randomly accessible at the byte level. Instead, whole pages or sectors of 512 bytes or more are read or written together as a single page. NAND flash memory is commonly used for data storage of blocks. Pages in the same block may have to be erased together, and limitations on writing may exist, such as only being allowed to write each page once between erases.
These small portable electronic devices often are able to connect to a host computer such as a personal computer (PC). While a proprietary connector may be used, a connector for a standard expansion bus is preferable. Universal-Serial Bus (USB) is often used to connect such portable flash-memory devices to a PC.
The USB 3.0 bus standard uses two pairs of differential lines that are time-duplexed, or used for transmission in both directions, but at different times. This may limit performance when data needs to be sent in both directions at the same time. The older USB 2.0 standard provides that the host, such as the PC, controls the bus as the bus master, while USB devices plugged into the host act as slave devices. A USB controller on the host PC generates data transfer transactions and waits for USB devices to respond, either by transmitting requested data to the host, or by writing host data into the USB device's memory.
Often a host system contains several different buses. For example, the host may have a Peripheral Components Interconnect Express (PCIE) bus, a Universal-Serial Bus (USB), an Integrated Device Electronics (IDE) bus, and an AT bus. Peripherals using the Small-Computer System Interface (SCSI) that connect to a host through USB are known as USB-Attached-SCSI (UAS).
Some buses may be enhanced with a revised version of the protocol specification. For example, USB has a version 2.0 and a newer version 3.0 that improves performance by using a full-duplex differential bus, and by eliminating polling. In the future when the interface needs more bandwidths such as 40 Gbps and the copper wires cannot support the necessary speed, high bandwidth fiber with optical, either single-mode or multi-mode, may be used.
For the situation of USB using the optical fiber communication protocol, the flash memory controller of an electronic flash memory card is operable selectively in a programming mode, a data retrieving mode, and a resetting mode. When the flash memory controller is in the programming mode, the flash memory controller activates the input/output interface circuit to receive the data file from the host computer, and to store the data file in the flash memory device. A programming mode in which the flash memory controller activates the input/output interface circuit to receive the data file from the host computer, and to store the data file in a physical address of the flash memory device associated with a logical address and transfer length received with a USB optical protocol write command issued from the host computer to the flash memory controller. When the flash memory controller is in the data retrieving mode, the flash memory controller activates the input/output interface circuit to transmit the data file read from the flash memory device to the host computer. A data retrieving mode in which the flash memory controller receives a USB optical protocol read command issued from the host computer including the logical address and transfer length, and activates the input/output interface circuit to transmit the data file read from the physical address of the flash memory device associated with the logical address to the host computer. In the data resetting mode, the data file is erased from the flash memory device. A data resetting mode in which data from one or more memory cells is erased from the flash memory device, wherein the data resetting mode is initiated and performed by the flash memory controller after receiving the USB optical protocol write command using arbitration logic and data that is stored on the flash memory device.
Devices to convert one bus type to another bus type are known as bridges. Legacy host systems are not equipped for the newer bus protocols since these legacy systems are older and were designed before the new bus protocols were available.
Bridges are often slow since all protocol layers may be present and are traversed. Data packets must flow up through the stack of protocol layers and then back down another stack of protocol layers for the other bus. When multiple bus standards are present on a host system, several bridges may be used in series, causing increased delays for multiple successive format conversions by multiple bridge devices.
The parent application, U.S. Ser. No. 11/926,636 described a bridge to the new USB 3.0, or Enhanced USB (EUSB) as it was described therein.
FIG. 1B is a block diagram of host with a EUSB receptacle that supports single-mode EUSB communication. EUSB card 934 could be plugged into EUSB receptacle 950 of host 951. Host 951 could be a cell phone or a digital camera, etc. EUSB receptacle 950 supports single-mode EUSB communication.
Host 951 has a processor system 968 for executing programs including EUSB management and no-polling programs. EUSB protocol processor 960 performs protocol processing such as conversions to EUSB or USB 3.0 over bus 903 for host processor system 968.
EUSB card 934 is a EUSB device with a plug that supports EUSB communication. EUSB card 934 has EUSB protocol processor 980 for executing programs including device initializations and bus-response programs. Single-personality bus interface 973 communicates processed data from EUSB protocol processor 980 using the EUSB protocol to its plug 970. Data is ultimately stored in flash memory 990.
FIG. 1C is a block diagram of a USB UAS card reader with a flash-serial buffer bus in parallel with the CPU bus. One or more flash-card controllers 850, 854 connect to both CPU bus 838 and to flash-serial buffer bus 840. When a flash-memory card is inserted, embedded, or surface mounted into slot A of card reader 200, flash-card controller 850 can transfer data, while when a flash-memory card is inserted into slot B, flash-card controller 854 can transfer data. CPU 10 sends commands over CPU bus 38 to flash-card controllers 850, 854 using their slave ports 851, 855 and CPU master port 815.
What is desired is a solid-state-drive (SSD) that has extra pipes for commands, status, and control to allow data pipes to pass data through with a higher bandwidth. It is desired to use these extra pipes for extended modes of operation. It is desired to use the extra pipes for extended modes such as UAS mode when EUSB, or USB 3.0 is supported. It is also desired to support legacy host systems such as USB 2.0 by sending commands, status, and control through the data pipes for these legacy hosts.
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In current database systems, data may be stored only after the structure of the database has been designed. This is a task that generally requires a fairly high degree of technical knowledge as well as an investment in time and effort. Such structure typically includes definitions of tables and the fields contained within the tables. Additional work is required to define the relationships between different tables. Heretofore, no system or method has been developed to collect data from an electronic document and store the data in a dynamically organized data structure.
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The invention relates to communications systems and methods, and more particularly to a data communications system and method in which channel impairments are treated based on at least a measure of a digital loss in transmitted signals imposed by a switch in a central office.
It is well known that a public switched telephone network (PSTN) comprising T1 facilities can form a basis for a virtual digital network providing 64 kb/s channels. For example, by synchronizing a pulse code modulation (PCM) modem to an 8 kHz sampling rate provided in a central office and using 8-bit PCM words for data transmission, the modem can theoretically achieve a data rate up to 64 kb/s.
However, in practice, due to power constraints and such channel impairments as echo and intersymbol interference, the highest data rate achievable by the PCM modem is about 56 kb/s. This rate may be further reduced as the central office periodically xe2x80x9crobsxe2x80x9d the least significant bit (LSB) of the PCM words and substitutes it with a signaling bit. As is well known, the robbed bit signaling is necessary for indicating call statuses to effect call administration in the PSTN.
To reduce echo interference in traditional voice communications, especially far echo interference due to a long-distance feedback of a voice signal through the PSTN, the level of the voice signal from the PSTN is attenuated in a central office switch before it is passed onto an analog loop connected to telephone equipment. Such attenuation by the central office switch is known as a xe2x80x9cdigital loss.xe2x80x9d
While the above robbed bit substitution does not cause significant distortion in voice communications, it causes significant degradation in data communications because of the loss of transmitted bits occasioned thereby. Similarly, while the above digital loss helps reduce the far echo interference in voice communications, it causes the levels of transmitted signals representing data to be attenuated, resulting in erroneous data recovery in data communications if the digital loss is not taken into account in the PCM modem.
Although the digital loss is built into each central office switch and the underlying attenuation factor is invariant as far as the switch is concerned, this factor may vary from one switch to another depending on its type and manufacturer. As a result, a PCM modem which is pre-adjusted during manufacture thereof to allow for the digital loss by a particular switch may not function properly when connected to a different switch in the field. In addition, an accurate measure of the actual digital loss in the field is needed in some PCM modems to properly update an echo canceller therein. Further, by knowing the actual amount of digital loss, the level of the signal to be transmitted may be boosted, in anticipation of the digital loss, to exploit the full range of the power level allowed by the analog loop, thereby increasing the signal to noise ratio of data transmission and thus accuracy of data recovery. However, a measurement of the digital loss is often ineffective as it is obscured by the robbed bit signaling, which affects the transmitted signal level from time to time.
Accordingly, there exists a need for, apart from properly treating the robbed bit signaling and the digital loss in data communications, a methodology for effectively measuring the digital loss, notwithstanding that such a measurement is obscured by the robbed bit signaling.
In accordance with the invention, a digital loss imposed by a central office switch is effectively measured using a signal level conversion table, which is created in a xe2x80x9clevel learningxe2x80x9d process, forming part of training of a PCM modem before its operation. This table contains (a) each allowable transmitted signals representative of data which are subject to robbed bit signaling and affected by the digital loss, and (b) the received signal level corresponding thereto. In addition, any transmitted signals which are actually affected by the robbed bit signaling, and the corresponding received signals, are identified in the level learning process.
It is well known that the digital loss may cause different signal levels of transmitted signals representing different data to be attenuated to virtually the same signal level. That is, transmitted signals having different signal levels may emerge from the central office switch with virtually the same signal level because of the digital loss, even though they represent different data. As a result, the received signal levels in the signal level conversion table corresponding to different transmitted signals may be repetitive. The amount of the digital loss is a function of the number of sets of repetitive received signal levels.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the received signal levels which correspond to those transmitted signals unaffected by the robbed bit signaling are selected from the signal level conversion table. One or more sets of repetitive signal levels are identified from the selected received signal levels. The amount of the digital loss is determined based on the number of sets identified.
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to duct hangers, and it more particularly relates to an easy to manufacture and install expandable duct hanger.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most buildings, whether residential or commercial construction, contain ducts as part of their heating, ventilating and cooling systems. These ducts are generally suspended from the floor joists. Installation of these ducts becomes complex in situations where the distance between the joists is not uniform. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,163,386, an adjustable duct hanger is disclosed which is manually adjustable to fit the distance between a pair of adjacent floor joists. This duct hanger has prongs welded onto either end which are pounded into the floor joists. One problem with this prior art is that the welded prongs tend to break due to fracturing of the weld. Another problem is that the duct hanger is complicated to manufacture, particularly in an efficient and practical manner. A further problem is that adjusting this duct hanger to the desired size during installation is difficult because the high area of surface contact between the sliding parts results in friction which impairs the ease of movement between the sliding parts. The present invention solves these problems in a unique manner.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an easy to manufacture expandable duct hanger.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an expandable duct hanger which is sturdy and durable.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an expandable duct hanger such that the duct hanger is inexpensive to manufacture, and easy and economical to produce.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an expandable duct hanger whose parts slide easily when connected, making adjustment of the duct hanger simple.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an expandable duct hanger which is strong and will not break during installation.
Other objects will be apparent from the description to follow and from the appended claims.
The foregoing objects are achieved according to a preferred embodiment of the invention by means of a two piece expandable duct hanger having one piece with a ridge which slides into a channel in the other piece, each piece also having a prong on one end to secure and hold the duct hanger into the floor joists.
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{
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Cellulose is an important industrial raw material and a source of renewable energy. The physical structure and morphology of native cellulose are complex and the fine details of its structure have been difficult to determine experimentally. However, the chemical composition of cellulose is simple, consisting of D-glucose residues linked by beta-1,4-glycosidic bonds to form linear polymers with chains length of over 10,000 glycosidic residues.
In order to be efficient, the digestion of cellulose requires several types of enzymes acting cooperatively. At least three categories of enzymes are necessary to convert cellulose into glucose: endo (1,4)-beta-D-glucanases (EC 3.2.1.4) that cut the cellulose chains at random; cellobiohydrolases (EC 3.2.1.91) which cleave cellobiosyl units from the cellulose chain ends and beta-glucosidases (EC 3.2.1.21) that convert cellobiose and soluble cellodextrins into glucose. Among these three categories of enzymes involved in the biodegradation of cellulose, cellobiohydrolases are the key enzymes for the degradation of native crystalline cellulose.
Exo-cellobiohydrolases (Cellobiohydrolase I, or CBH I) refer to the cellobiohydrolases which degrade cellulose by hydrolyzing the cellobiose from the reducing end of the cellulose polymer chains.
It is an object of the present invention to provide improved polypeptides having cellobiohydrolase I activity and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The improved polypeptides may have improved specific activity and/or improved stability—in particular improved thermostability. The polypeptides may also have an improved ability to resist inhibition by cellobiose.
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{
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For many years, small wagons or carts have been extremely popular and widely used by individuals of all ages. Due to the ability of these small wagons or carts, typically mounted on four wheels, to be able to transport a variety of objects with ease and convenience, many individuals have found the small wagons or carts to be extremely convenient and highly useful. Unfortunately, one drawback that exists with prior art products, which has continuously bothered users and has detracted from increased sales and broader use, is the inability of most wagons or carts to be capable of being stored in a small, compact space.
Although prior art attempts have been made to produce portable carts or wagons which are capable of being either partially or fully folded, the prior art attempts have failed to satisfy all of the consumer demands. In particular, due to the typical consumer needs for transporting a wide variety of objects, some of which are heavy, the prior art products have produced inferior wagon constructions which are incapable of supporting and transporting such heavier objects, while also being completely foldable.
In addition, prior art wagons or carts have been found to be incapable of being fully and completely folded into a small, compact area as is desired by consumers. Instead, these prior art products are only partially foldable, requiring a substantial storage area for the wagon or cart when in its folded configuration. Furthermore, other prior art carts are constructed in a manner which requires substantial effort in disassembling the wagons or carts in its entirety in order to enable the wagon/cart to be stored in a limited area. As a result, these prior art carts have failed to satisfy consumers needs and desires.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a wagon or cart which is capable of being employed to transport heavy objects easily and conveniently.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a wagon or cart having the characteristic features described above which is also capable of being quickly and easily folded into a small, compact area.
A further object in the present invention is to provide a wagon or cart having the characteristic features described above which is capable of being completely folded in its entirety, without requiring any removal or component part disassembly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a wagon or cart having the characterisitic features described above which incorporates an integrally formed and automatically deployed support member which imparts added rigidity and strength to the wagon/cart when in its fully erected and operational position.
Other and more specific objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field
The following description relates to a wireless charging system and to an apparatus and a method for charge control.
2. Description of Related Art
An explosive increase in the use of electronic devices has spurred research on wireless power transmission technology to alleviate the inconvenience of providing wired power supplies in electronic devices and the limited capacity of batteries. One wireless power transmission technology uses resonance characteristics of radio frequency (RF) devices in order to transmit power wirelessly. For example, a wireless power transmission system using resonance characteristics may include a source configured to supply power, and a target configured to receive supplied power.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In B-mode ultrasound imaging, two-dimensional images of tissue are created in which the brightness of a pixel is based on the intensity of the echo return. During conventional two-dimensional imaging, gain adjustments provide overall image changes. The gain is typically adjusted after beamforming and before signal processing, i.e., prior to envelope detection. Gain adjustment in the axial direction, known as "time gain compensation" (TGC), is carried out by increasing or decreasing gain as a function of depth. In addition, "lateral gain compensation" (LGC) can be used to adjust the gain setting as a function of lateral position.
The TGC block at the output of the beamformer is basically a depth-dependent gain control designed to compensate the received signal to correct for the attenuation caused by tissues at increasing depths. It is often set based on a nominal tissue attenuation factor (e.g., 0.5 dB/cm-MHz) and beam diffraction losses as a function of depth. The objective is to produce uniform tissue image brightness from the near field to the far field. In practice, the tissue attenuation properties may deviate from the assumed constant factor (or an application-dependent internal TGC curve), and may vary significantly with depth, especially if macroscopic structures and reflectors are present. Further, if the far-field regions are very noisy, it is desirable to suppress their pixel intensities for best overall image presentation. For these reasons, manual TGC adjustment is usually provided via a column of "slide pots" (potentiometers) or rotary knobs on the front panel, for different depth zones. The externally adjusted TGC for different depth zones is usually graphically displayed as a TGC curve in the monitor display. The TGC graphic is generated, for example, by a graphic processor as an overlay to the image display.
For cardiac sector imaging, the cardiac tissues/borders that run parallel to the ultrasound beam often do not produce strong echoes. Therefore, in addition to TGC, LGC adjustment has also proven useful for boosting cardiac borders within selected image sectors, while leaving the chambers dark. LGC allows the user to control gain in the lateral plane by adjusting the gain setting as a function of lateral position. For example, gain is controlled in small user-selected sectors across the image. LGC can be implemented at the same point as TGC in the B-mode processing path. A graph of the LGC curve similar to the TGC curve is also often displayed on the video monitor.
While state-of-the-art scanners provide the user with a host of selectable imaging parameters, including transmit frequency, acoustic output, external TGC and LGC controls, frame averaging level, dynamic range, edge-enhancing filters and video gray mapping, all of which can significantly affect the sensitivity, uniformity and feature enhancements of an image, the sonographer usually does not have the time (or training) to fully optimize all the available controls. To improve the ease-of-use and efficiency of the ultrasound examination, there is a need to automate some of the basic imaging parameter selection based on actual image data.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a semiconductor device.
Note that one embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above technical field. The technical field of one embodiment of the invention disclosed in this specification and the like relates to an object, a method, or a manufacturing method. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a process, a machine, manufacture, or a composition of matter. Specifically, examples of the technical field of one embodiment of the present invention disclosed in this specification include a semiconductor device, a display device, a liquid crystal display device, a light-emitting device, a lighting device, a power storage device, a storage device, an imaging device, a method for operating any of them, and a method for manufacturing any of them.
In this specification and the like, a semiconductor device generally means a device that can function by utilizing semiconductor characteristics. A transistor and a semiconductor circuit are embodiments of semiconductor devices. In some cases, a storage device, a display device, an imaging device, or an electronic device includes a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a technique for forming a transistor by using an oxide semiconductor has attracted attention. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for forming a transistor by using an In—Ga—Zn-based oxide semiconductor.
Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for forming a storage device by using a transistor including an oxide semiconductor.
Patent Document 3 discloses an imaging device in which a transistor including an oxide semiconductor and having extremely low off-state current is used in part of a pixel circuit and a transistor including silicon with which a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuit can be formed is used in a peripheral circuit.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Many potential lignocellulosic feedstocks are available today, including agricultural residues, woody biomass, municipal waste, oilseeds/cakes and seaweed, to name a few. At present, these materials are often under-utilized, being used, for example, as animal feed, biocompost materials, burned in a co-generation facility or even landfilled.
Lignocellulosic biomass includes crystalline cellulose fibrils embedded in a hemicellulose matrix, surrounded by lignin. This produces a compact matrix that is difficult to access by enzymes and other chemical, biochemical and/or biological processes. Cellulosic biomass materials (e.g., biomass material from which the lignin has been removed) is more accessible to enzymes and other conversion processes, but even so, naturally-occurring cellulosic materials often have low yields (relative to theoretical yields) when contacted with hydrolyzing enzymes. Lignocellulosic biomass is even more recalcitrant to enzyme attack. Furthermore, each type of lignocellulosic biomass has its own specific composition of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin.
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{
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Automotive seating arrangements generally comprise an inner core constructed from a resilient foam material and a soft trim cover. The cover is usually formed from a number of parts stitched to each other by seams along join lines. The threads of the seams are typically adapted to attach to portions of the foam core, thereby holding the cover in a fixed position with respect to the foam core.
The seam construction on automotive seating arrangements is typically carried out using either a Deck seam construction, or a French seam construction. An example of a Deck seam construction 15 is shown in FIG. 1. As shown therein, adjacent cover parts 17 and 19 are aligned along an edge 21 of each cover part, and placed with the outer surfaces of each cover part in mutual abutting contact. An overlapping margin region is thereby defined, and a first stitch line 23 applied, generally spaced from, and extending generally parallel to the aligned edge. This arrangement creates two seam flaps 25 and 27 which are then folded underneath one of the cover parts 19, and a second stitch line 29 is applied with the overlapping margin region and transverse to a top surface of the cover parts, to affix the seam flaps 25 and 27 underneath one of the cover parts 19. Thus, a two-part seam creation process is required, wherein the first stitch line 23 joins two adjacent cover parts 17 and 19, and a subsequently applied stitch line 29 adjoins the seam flaps 25 and 27 underneath one of the cover parts 19, providing a decorative finish to the seam construction.
An example of a French seam construction 30 is shown in FIG. 2. As seen therein, a French seam construction 30 is similar to the Deck seam construction 15, except that respective seam flaps 32 and 34 are folded underneath corresponding cover parts 36 and 38 (i.e., the flaps are folded in opposite directions). A first stitch line 40 is used to join the cover parts 36 and 38. Second 42 and third 44 stitch lines are subsequently applied to affix the respective seam flaps 32 and 34 to the corresponding cover parts 36 and 38. Thus, there is one join stitch line 40 and two decorative stitch lines 42 and 44 adjoining the folded over seam flaps 32 and 34 of each cover part 36 and 38 to a bottom surface of the respective cover part 36 or 38.
Both the Deck, and French seam constructions require two separate and distinct operations to complete the seam. That is, in the first operation, join stitching is applied to join the adjacent cover portions, and in a subsequent operation, a decorative stitching is applied to fix the seam flap to one, or both of the cover parts. The decorative stitching may be applied in a pattern, or with a coloured thread, which provides for a finished look to the seam construction.
There is a need in the art for an automotive seat seam construction which can be applied in a single operation, and without the need for manipulating portions of the cover parts, such as by folding or otherwise rotating the cover parts. There is a further need in the art for a seam construction which produces less waste material, as is created by the need for one or more seam flaps as need in a Deck or French seam.
In attaching the seat cover to the foam core, a fixing element is formed with, or formed to interact with, the seam construction, and thereby prevent the seat cover from shifting with respect to the foam core. One such construction and fixing element is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,581 issued on May 13, 2003 to Michot et al. FIGS. 5 to 7 of Michot et al. show a hook device arranged on a tape, which is secured to the foam core at a position arranged to coincide with the seam construction of the seat cover. The hook device has a lobed end which engages the stitching of the seam construction and thus prevents relative movement between the seat cover and the foam core. In forming the stitching of the Deck seam construction, additional stitch lines are provided on the seam flap, having a loop portion which can be adapted to engage the hook device.
There is a need in the art for a simplified seam construction, which can have integrated therewith a fixing element for interaction with a foam core, or can interact with a fixing element positioned on the foam core. There is a further need in the art for a seam construction which can be applied easily and in a single operation to join adjacent cover parts and any additional elements to be integrated with the seam, such as those used for decoration, or for engaging with the foam core.
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The present invention relates to novel cyclic peptide compounds with potent activity against antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
Methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (USA) cause infections that are refractory to standard anti-staphylococci antibiotics, and in many cases vancomycin is the antibiotic of last resort. Consequently, it is of great concern that vancomycin-resistant strains of MRSA may develop.
Infections due to enterococci have been difficult to treat for many years because these organisms are intrinsically resistant to many antibiotics. Ampicillin has been the mainstay for treatment of uncomplicated enterococcal infections, but many strains have now become resistant to ampicillin. Vancomycin is again the only effective treatment for these ampicillin-resistant enterococcal infections. In the past few years, vancomycin-resistant enterococcal strains (VRE) have begun to appear and they are rapidly spreading across North America. There are no effective antibiotics currently available for such organisms and the recent report of an outbreak of VRE with a 73% mortality rate has highlighted the seriousness of the situation. See Edmond, M. B. et al., Clinical Infectious Diseases 20:1126-33, 1995.
One area where new drugs are desperately needed is in the treatment of antibiotic-resistant strains of gram positive human pathogens. The present invention is directed to fulfilling this need, and provides related advantages as described herein.
In a first aspect, the invention is directed to isolated cyclic decapeptides of the formulas (1), (2) and (3):
(1): cyclo [L-Val-L-Orn-L-Leu-D-Tyr-L-Pro-L-Phe-D-Phe-L-Asn-Asp-L-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:1);
(2): cyclo [L-Val-L-Orn-L-Leu-D-Tyr-L-Pro-L-Phe-D-Phe-L-Asn-L-Asp-L-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:2); and
(3) cyclo [L-Val-L-Orn-L-Leu-D-Tyr-L-Pro-L-Trp-D-Phe-L-Asn-L-Asp-L-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:3).
The decapeptide of Formula (1) is referred to herein as Loloatin A. The decapeptide of Formula (2) is referred to herein as Loloatin B. The decapeptide of Formula (3) is referred to herein as Loloatin C.
The invention is directed to the above-identified cyclic decapeptides in an isolated, i.e., substantially purified form, preferably in a quantity of more than about 1 gram, more preferably in a quantity of more than about 10 grams, still more preferably in a quantity of more than about 100 grams, and yet still more preferably in a quantity of more than about 1 kilogram. A substantially purified form is a composition wherein the above-listed cyclic decapeptides constitute at least about 1 weight percent of the composition, preferably at least about 10 weight percent, more preferably at least about 30 weight percent, still more preferably at least about 50 weight percent, yet still more preferably at least about 70 weight percent, and yet still more preferably at least about 95 weight percent, and most preferably at least about 99 weight percent.
The invention is also directed to the above-identified cyclic decapeptides in a pharmaceutical composition. A pharmaceutical composition of the invention may not necessarily contain the cyclic decapeptide in a substantially purified form because the composition may contain diluent and/or other materials commonly found in pharmaceutical compositions.
The invention is also directed to a method of treating bacterial infection, comprising administering to a patient having a bacterial infection, an amount of the above-identified cyclic decapeptides effective to relieve symptoms associated with or due to the bacterial infection.
In another aspect, the invention is directed to various derivatives and analogs of Loloatin A, B and C.
Loloatin derivatives of the invention include the solvates, salts (either acid- or base- addition salts, depending on whether the amino acid sidechain being converted to a salt is basic or acidic, respectively), esters (derivatives of amino acid sidechains containing a carboxylic acid group), amines (derivatives of amino acid sidechains containing an amino group), ethers (derivatives of amino acid sidechains containing an hydroxyl group) and amides (derivatives of amino acid sidechains containing either an amine or carboxylic acid group) of Loloatin A, B or C.
For example, the invention provides for a salt of a compound selected from the group:
cyclo[L-Val-L-Orn-L-Leu-D-Tyr-L-Pro-L-Phe-D-Phe-L-Asn-L-Asp-L-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:1);
cyclo[L-Val-L-Orn-L-Leu-D-Tyr-L-Pro-L-Phe-D-Phe-L-Asn-L-Asp-L-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:2); and
cyclo[L-Val-L-Orn-L-Leu-D-Tyr-L-Pro-L-Trp-D-Phe-L-Asn-L-Asp-L-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:3).
The salt may contain at least one negatively charged ion selected from chloride, bromide, sulfate, phosphate, C1-15carboxylate, methanesulfonate and p-toluenesulfonate, which are exemplary only. Exemplary C1-15carboxylates include acetate, glycolate, lactate, pyruvate, malonate, succinate, glutarate, fumarate, malate, tartarate, citrate, ascorbate, maleate, hydroxymaleate, benzoate, hydroxybenzoate, phenylacetate, cinnamate, salicylate and 2-phenoxybenzoate.
The salt may contain at least one positively charged ion selected from lithium, sodium, potassium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium and quaternary ammonium ions, which are exemplary positively charged ions. Exemplary quaternary ammonium ions cinlude tetraallylammonium, and trialkylaralkylammonium ions.
The invention also provides for derivatives of a compound selected from
cyclo[L-Val-L-Orn-L-Leu-D-Tyr-L-Pro-L-Phe-D-Phe-L-Asn-L-Asp-L-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:1);
cyclo[L-Val-L-Orn-L-Leu-D-Tyr-L-Pro-L-Phe-D-Phe-L-Asn-L-Asp-L-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:2); and
cyclo[L-Val-L-Orn-L-Leu-D-Tyr-L-Pro-L-Trp-D-Phe-L-Asn-L-Asp-L-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:3).
For example, the derivative may have the amine group of the ornithine sidechain being a secondary, tertiary or quaternary amine group, and other amino acid sidechains are optionally in a derivative form as well. Exemplary ornithine sidechains have the formula xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94NHR3, xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94N(R3)2 or xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94N(R3)3 wherein R3 is an alkyl group that may be of straight chain, or where possible, of cyclic or branched structure and may contain one or more alkene, alkyne, or aromatic functionalities; or an acyl group that may be of straight chain, or where possible, of cyclic or branched structure and may contain one or more alkene, alkyne, or aromatic functionalities.
In other derivatives, the hydroxyl group of one or more tyrosine sidechains has been converted to an ether or ester group, and other amino acid sidechains are optionally in a derivative form as well. For example, at least one tyrosine sidechain may have the formula xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C6H4xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94R2, wherein C6H4 is an aromatic ring and xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94R2 is in the para position, and R2 is a C1-15 alkyl group so as to form an ether, where the alkyl group may be of straight chain, or where possible, of cyclic or branched structure and may contain one or more alkene, alkyne, or aromatic functionalities; or a C1-15 acyl group so as to form an ester, where the acyl group may be of straight chain, or where possible, of cyclic or branched structure and may contain one or more alkene, alkyne, or aromatic functionalities.
In other derivatives, the carboxyl group of the aspartic acid sidechain has been converted to an amide or ester group, and other amino acid sidechains are optionally in a derivative form as well. For example, the aspartic acid sidechain may have the formula xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)Oxe2x80x94R1, and R1 is a C1-15 alkyl group that may be of straight chain, or where possible, of cyclic or branched structure and may contain one or more alkene, alkyne, or aromatic functionalities; or an aryl group. In another example, the aspartic acid sidechain has the formula xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)Nxe2x80x94R1, and R1 is a C1-15 alkyl group that may be of straight chain, or where possible, of cyclic or branched structure and may contain one or more alkene, alkyne, or aromatic functionalities; or an aryl group.
The invention also provides for a pharmaceutical composition comprising a salt, derivative or analog of any of Loloatin A, Loloatin B and Loloatin C, as set forth above, in admixture with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
The invention also provides for a method for the treatment of a patient afflicted with a bacterial infection comprising the administration to said patient of a therapeutically effective amount of a salt, derivative or analog of any of Loloatin A, Loloatin B and Loloatin C, as set forth above
The invention also provides for the use of a salt, derivative or analog of any of Loloatin A, Loloatin B and Loloatin C, as set forth above, in the manufacture of a medicament, where the medicament may be used to treat bacterial infection.
The Loloatin analogs include cyclic decapeptides having a xe2x80x9cnon-naturalxe2x80x9d stereochemistry at one or more of the xcex1-carbons of the component amino acids, where the xe2x80x9cnaturalxe2x80x9d stereochemistry is as indicated by the L- or D- designations preceding the name of each of the amino acids in the formulas for Loloatin A, B and C set forth above. Collectively, these Loloatin analogs are represented by the formulae:
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Try] (SEQ ID NO:75);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:76); and
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:77).
Furthermore, the invention is directed to various analogs of the above-identified compounds, where preferred analogs have the formulas listed below. In the below-listed structures, no stereochemistry is designated because the analogs of the invention may have any possible stereochemistry at each atom capable of having more than one stereochemical arrangement of substituents. However, looking at the below listed sequences from left to right as written, preferred analogs have the stereochemistry L-, L-, L-, D-, L-, L-, D-, L-, L- and L-. For example, cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-xcex2-Phenylserine] (SEQ ID NO:74), as written below preferably has the stereochemistry cyclo[L-Val-L-Orn-L-Leu-D-Tyr-L-Pro-L-Trp-D-Phe-L-Asn-L-Asp-L-xcex2-Phenylserine] (SEQ ID NO:74).
Preferred analogs have one amino acid residue present in Loloatin A, B or C replaced with a different amino acid residue. Preferred analogs are:
cyclo[Butyrine-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:4),
cyclo[Butyrine-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:5);
cyclo[Butyrine-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:6);
cyclo[Val-diaminobutyric aicd-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:7);
cyclo[Val diaminobutyric aicd-Leu-Try-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:8);
cyclo[Val-diaminobutyric aicd-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:9);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Isoleucine-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:10);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Isoleucine-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:11);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Isoleucine-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:12);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Alloisoleucine-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:13);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Alloisoleucine-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:14);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Alloisoleucine-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:15);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Norvaline-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:16);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Norvaline-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:17);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Norvaline-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:18);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Cyclopropylalanine-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:19);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Cyclopropylalanine-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:20);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Cyclopropylalanine-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:21);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Norleucine-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:22);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Norleucine-Try-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:23);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Norleucine-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:24);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Norleucine-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:22);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Norleucine-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:23);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Norleucine-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:24);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-p-fluorophenylalamine-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:25);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-p-fluorophenylalamine-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:26);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-p-fluorophenylalamine-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:27);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tryptophan-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:28);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tryptophan-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:29);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tryptophan-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:30);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Thienylalanine-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:31);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Thienylalanine-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:32);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Thienylalanine-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:33);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Azetidine-2-carboxylic acid-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:34);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Azetidine-2-carboxylic acid-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:35);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Azetidine-2-carboxylic acid-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:36);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pipecolic acid-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:37);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pipecolic acid-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:38);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pipecolic acid-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:39);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-trans-3-Methylproline-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:40);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-trans-3-Methylproline-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:41);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-trans-3-Methylproline-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:42);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-trans-4-Fluoroproline-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:43);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-trans-4-Fluoroproline-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:44);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-trans-4-Fluoroproline-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:45);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Tyr-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:46);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Tyr-Pher-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:47);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-p-Fluorophenylalanine-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:48);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-p-Fluorophenylalanine-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:49);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:50);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:51);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Thienylalanine-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:52)
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Thienylalanine-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:53)
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-xcex2-Phenylserine-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:54);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-xcex2-Phenylserine-Phe-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:55);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Tyr-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:56);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Tyr-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:57);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Try-Phe-p-Fluorophenylalanine-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:58);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Try-Phe-p-Fluorophenylalanine-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:59);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Trp-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:60);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Trp-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:61);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Thienylalanine-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:62);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Thienylalanine-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:63);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Try-Pro-Phe-xcex2-Phenylserine-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:64);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Try-Pro-Phe-xcex2-Phenylserine-Asn-Asp-Trp] (SEQ ID NO:65);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Tyr] (SEQ ID NO:66);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-p-Fluorophenylalanine] (SEQ ID NO:67);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-p-Fluorophenylalanine] (SEQ ID NO:68);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe Asn-Asp-Phe] (SEQ ID NO:69);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Phe] (SEQ ID NO:70);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-Thienylalanine] (SEQ ID NO:71);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-Thienylalanine] (SEQ ID NO:72);
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-Asn-Asp-xcex2-Phenylserine] (SEQ ID NO:73); and
cyclo[Val-Orn-Leu-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-Asn-Asp-xcex2-Phenylserine] (SEQ ID NO:73).
The present invention is also directed to derivatives of the above-listed Loloatin analogs (i.e., analog derivatives), including the solvates, salts (either acid- or base- addition salts, depending on whether the amino acid sidechain being converted to a salt is basic or acidic, respectively), esters (derivatives of amino acid sidechains containing a carboxylic acid group), amine (derivatives of amino acid sidechains containing an amino group), ethers (derivatives of amino acid sidechains containing an hydroxyl group) and amides (derivatives of amino acid sidechains containing either an amine or carboxylic acid group) of the Loloatin A, B and C analogs listed above.
Collectively, the above-identified Loloatin A, B and C derivatives, analogs and analog derivatives are referred to herein as compounds of Formula (A), or compounds of the invention.
The invention is also directed to the compounds of the invention in an isolated, i.e., substantially purified form, preferably in a quantity of more than about 1 gram, more preferably in a quantity of more than about 10 grams, still more preferably in a quantity of more than about 100 grams, and yet still more preferably in a quantity of more than about 1 kilogram. A substantially purified form is a composition wherein the above-listed compound of the invention constitutes at least about 1 weight percent of the composition, preferably at least about 10 weight percent, more preferably at least about 30 weight percent, still more preferably at least about 50 weight percent, yet still more preferably at least about 70 weight percent, and yet still more preferably at least about 95 weight percent, and most preferably at least about 99 weight percent.
The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of the invention.
The invention is also directed to a method of treating bacterial infection, comprising administering to a patient having a bacterial infection, an amount of a compound of the invention effective to relieve symptoms associated with or due to the bacterial infection.
The compounds of the present invention contain multiple asymmetric carbon atoms and thus exist as enantiomers and diastereomers. Unless otherwise noted, the present invention includes all enantiomeric and diastereomeric forms of the compounds. Pure stereoisomers, mixtures of enantiomers and/or diastereomers, and mixtures of different compounds of the invention are included within the scope of the present invention.
The synthesis procedures described herein, especially when taken with the general knowledge in the art, provide sufficient guidance to those of ordinary skill in the art to perform the synthesis, isolation, and purification of the compounds described herein and other analogous compounds. Individual enantiomers may be obtained, if desired, from mixtures of the different forms by known methods of resolution, such as the formation of diastereomers, followed by recrystalisation. Alternatively, isomerically pure starting materials may be employed in the synthesis of a compound of the invention.
The compounds of the invention may be in the form of a solvate or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, e.g., an acid- or base- addition salt. Such salts may have at least one negatively charged ion such as chloride, bromide, sulfate, phosphate, C1-15carboxylate, methanesulfonate and p-toluenesulfonate, where exemplary C1-15carboxylate ions are acetate, glycolate, lactate, pyruvate, malonate, succinate, glutarate, fumarate, malate, tartarate, citrate, ascorbate, maleate, hydroxymaleate, benzoate, hydroxybenzoate, phenylacetate, cinnamate, salicylate and 2-phenoxybenzoate. The salt may have at least one positively charged ion such as lithium, sodium, potassium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium and quaternary ammonium ions, where exemplary quaternary ammonium ions are tetraalkylammonium, and trialkylaralkylammonium ions.
The invention is also directed to the above-identified cyclic decapeptides and derivatives thereof in a pharmaceutical composition. A pharmaceutical composition of the invention may not necessarily contain the cyclic decapeptide or derivative thereof in a substantially purified form because the composition may contain diluent and/or other materials commonly found in pharmaceutical compositions, such that the above-identified cyclic decapeptides and derivatives thereof constitute less that 1 weight percent of the pharmaceutical composition.
The invention is also directed to a method of employing the compounds of the invention as an antibiotic.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Memory devices are typically provided as internal storage areas in computers. The term memory identifies data storage that comes in the form of integrated circuit chips. In general, memory devices contain an array of memory cells for storing data, and row and column decoder circuits coupled to the array of memory cells for accessing the array of memory cells in response to an external address.
One type of memory is a non-volatile memory known as flash memory. A flash memory is a type of EEPROM (electrically-erasable programmable read-only memory) that can be erased and reprogrammed in blocks. Many modern personal computers (PCs) have their BIOS stored on a flash memory chip so that it can easily be updated if necessary. Such a BIOS is sometimes called a flash BIOS. Flash memory is also popular in wireless electronic devices because it enables the manufacturer to support new communication protocols as they become standardized and to provide the ability to remotely upgrade the device for enhanced features.
A typical flash memory comprises a memory array that includes a large number of memory cells arranged in row and column fashion. Each of the memory cells includes a floating-gate field-effect transistor capable of holding a charge. The cells are usually grouped into blocks. Each of the cells within a block can be electrically programmed on an individual basis by charging the floating gate. The charge can be removed from the floating gate by a block erase operation. The data in a cell is determined by the presence or absence of the charge on the floating gate.
Because memory devices typically contain millions, if not billions, of memory cells, it is common to have one or more levels of multiplexing in coupling memory cells to an input/output (DQ) line of the memory device. For example, target memory cells, may be selectively coupled to a multiplexer through their associated bit lines. Outputs of the multiplexer are often provided to sensing devices, e.g., that sense the data values of the target memory cells and provide signals indicative of the data values on outputs. As feature sizes of memory devices continue to decrease, the difficulty of making the multiplexer connections may increase.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for alternative processes for interconnecting successively adjacent bit lines.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Patent Literature 1 describes a switch including a housing, which has a compartment, a common stationary contact and an individual stationary contact, which are arranged on the inner bottom of the compartment in a manner electrically independent of each other, a drive, which is removably inserted in the compartment, and a moving contact, which comes in slide contact with the common stationary contact and the individual stationary contact as the drive is inserted into and removed from the compartment.
The moving contact of the switch includes a second contact and a third contact, which are independent of each other and hold and come in slide contact with the individual stationary contact. The individual stationary contact includes a first contact point for arc erosion, which comes in contact with the second contact of the moving contact, and a second contact point, which comes in contact with the third contact of the moving contact later than the second contact. This structure prevents the individual stationary contact from being damaged by an arc that occurs when the individual stationary contact comes in contact with or separates from the moving contact.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates generally to microchip and, more particularly, to a microchip assembly construction wherein an electrical circuit element is provided in a hermetically sealed cavity.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Many current semiconductor processes are performed at a temperature that is different than ambient temperature. For example, certain processes may be best performed in a cold environment, such as below 0° C., while others are best performed in a hot environment, such as above 500° C. Often, it is not the temperature of the ambient environment, but rather the actual temperature and/or the temperature uniformity of the workpiece that is of interest. Thus, monitoring the temperature of the workpiece itself may be beneficial.
Techniques for workpiece temperature measurement are limited by the processing environment. For example, thermocouples attached to the workpiece are impractical if the workpiece moves. Alternatively, thermocouples mounted to the supporting structure are of limited use, as the temperature of the supporting structure may differ from that of the workpiece due to problems associated with establishing good thermal contact between the supporting structure and the workpiece. Additionally, the optical properties of silicon make the application of common infrared techniques difficult or impossible. Additionally, in some embodiments, test workpieces are used to empirically measure the temperature of a workpiece, which is then assumed to be representative of all workpieces. However, in some embodiments, determination of an actual temperature of a workpiece being processed, and not a test workpiece, may be advantageous.
Thus, any system or method that allows for measurement of the temperature of a workpiece as that workpiece is being processed would be beneficial. Further, it would be advantageous if the measurement could occur while the workpiece is undergoing other processes, so as to maximize throughput.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Inventions disclosed herein pertain to shaping sheet glass and sheet thermoplastic materials through application of heat to soften the sheet and use of a fluid or gas to form it. As used herein, the term thermoplastic refers to any material whose viscosity changes as a function of temperature, including silicate glasses such as borosilicate glass and fused silica, and polymeric materials such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).
Glass sheets are used in a wide range of applications, such as flat panel displays, hard disk drives, car windshields, decorative ornaments, and optics used in x-ray telescopes. Different applications require different tolerances on the final shape of the sheets. The flat panel display and space telescope industries require thin sheets to minimize weight, yet substrates used in such applications require tight tolerances on their thickness uniformity and surface flatness in order to meet the required specifications for each field.
In the case of liquid crystal flat panel displays, two glass sheets are separated by a small gap of less than 10 μm in thickness, whereby this gap is filled by the liquid crystal. In order to prevent display mura such as color mura or contrast mura and to impart good display performances such as uniform display, high contrast ratio, and wide viewing angle to the color liquid crystal display, one has to maintain the gap between the two glass sheets to be constant and uniform. This becomes a challenge when the glass sheets used have wavy surfaces which result in a variation in the gap size.
The shaping of glass and thermoplastic materials by applying heat and allowing the material to sag by gravity into a mold or mandrel is well known. This process is also known as slumping. The temperature of the workpiece is raised close to its softening point, and the heated sheet sags by gravity to conform to the shape of a mold, which can be of any general shape. Some methods use forces other than gravity, such as vacuum or a moveable plunger onto the surface of the thermoplastic sheet, to facilitate and accelerate the shaping process. In this process it is important that the mold be fabricated of a material which is able to withstand a temperature above the softening temperature of the sheet without damage or significant deformation. After the desired shape has been achieved, the sheet and mold are slowly cooled below the softening temperature of the sheet resulting in the solidification of the thermoplastic material into the desired shape.
Slumping onto mandrels of any shape and whose surface has been ground and polished to a desired tolerance can be used as a method to improve the surface flatness of thermoplastic sheets. Glass sheets manufactured using different processes, such as the float process, the fusion process and the slot-draw process, are commonly used as substrates for flat panel displays and space telescopes. The slot-draw and fusion processes have minimal or no contact between the glass sheet and any tools as the glass is formed. This is particularly important for the flat panel display industry because it eliminates the introduction of impurities or damage to the glass sheet, leaving its surface pristine and smooth and of a fire-polished quality.
Slumping such glass or thermoplastic sheets onto a mandrel to change the shape of the sheet or to improve its flatness can compromise the quality of the sheet's surface. Contact with the mandrel at the elevated temperatures required for the process of slumping can mar the surface of the sheet. The presence of dust particles and other particulate impurities or thin contaminant materials sandwiched between the sheet and the mandrel can result in ripples in the final surface of the sheet after slumping. The removal of all dust particles and contaminants from the surface of the mandrel and the thermoplastic sheet can be difficult in a manufacturing environment.
In some cases, the complete removal of dust particles, for example by thorough cleaning and use of a clean room environment, can result in fusion of the mandrel with the workpiece being formed. For example, see Ralf K. Heilmann et al., Novel methods for shaping thin-foil optics for x-ray astronomy, Proc. SPIE, Vol. 4496 (2001). Fusion of the mandrel with the workpiece can also result from a slumping procedure which is excessively long or proceeds at too high of a temperature. This problem is well known to practitioners of the art of glass and thermoplastic molding. For example, glass artisans commonly apply a thin coating to the mold made of a slurry of fine refractory particles to prevent sticking during slumping. For another example, thin coatings of organic release agents are commonly applied to molds during the forming of thermoplastic polymers to prevent sticking. For another example, graphitic release agents are commonly applied to molds used during the forming of glass automobile windshields. In all these cases, however, the coating's roughness and the aforementioned effects of particulates and other surface contaminants can compromise the figure and surface quality of the final product.
Inventions disclosed herein eliminate the deleterious effects of contact by the workpiece with the mandrel by introducing a thin film of moving fluid, such as air, between the sheet and the mandrel. The mandrel thus acts as a fluid bearing with the bearing fluid being a liquid or a gas. It is important to select a fluid that can withstand the high temperatures needed for the process, which temperatures must exceed the softening temperature of the thermoplastic material. For example, for the case of polymeric materials, the fluid may be water or oil. For the case of a borosilicate glass, the fluid may be a gas such as air or nitrogen.
It is also important that the gap between the mandrel and the sheet be controlled to a dimension that is larger than the typical maximum size of particulate impurities in the manufacturing environment. This condition allows the thin layer of fluid to envelop or absorb the impurity particles, thus preventing such particles or surface contaminants from transmitting forces between the mandrel and workpiece. The fluid layer also provides the required force to shape the surface of the glass or thermoplastic material.
A primary object of inventions disclosed herein is to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of known processes used for shaping sheet glass or sheet thermoplastic materials.
Another object of inventions disclosed herein is to shape sheet glass or sheet thermoplastic materials on a fluid bearing by using the force from a moving layer of fluid, such as air sandwiched between the sheet and the reference mandrel. The fluid bearing can be made of porous material or of machined or fabricated materials.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to ticket handling systems and pertains particularly to a ticket diverter module for such systems.
Automated ticket handling systems are becoming more prevalent throughout the world today. Such ticket handling systems are useful in conjunction with transportation systems, entertainment and sporting events, and banking and other similar operations.
The utilization of automated equipment is becoming more popular in order to reduce labor costs involved in ticketing and the like, and to reduce losses due to theft and pilferage. In order to be feasible, such automated ticketing systems must be highly reliable, durable and easily repaired. The approach of the present invention to the problem of reliability and easy repair is the construction of systems in modular units that are quickly and easily removable and replaceable within the system. This approach is to separate the various functions involved in the system into separate and distinct functions performed by separate and distinct modular units. This quickly and easily isolates functional failures into modular units which can be quickly and easily removed and replaced to quickly correct the functional problem.
It is also desirable that such units be as simple and inexpensive as possible.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Most desk chairs with a relatively simple structure have a backrest immovably connected to a seat. That is, the backrest is not adjustable relative to the seat, and therefore might not be able to comfortably support a user's back. Some desk chairs are improved by pivotally connecting the backrest to the seat and providing at the pivotal connection with an elastic element to support the backrest, so that the backrest is allowed to elastically swing rearward when a force is applied to the backrest. This type of backrest functions like a rocking chair to support the user's back, and is more comfortable for use. However, the backrest could not always support the users' back at a most suitable position due to different figures of users. For some relatively high or short users, the backrest of a general desk chair usually does not provide good support to the back and waist. There are developed some chairs with the backrest and the seat thereof being independently adjustable. However, the user has to leave the seat to operate the chair and achieve the purpose of adjustment. This is of course inconvenient for the user to do so.
It is therefore tried by the inventor to develop a backrest adjusting mechanism to overcome the drawbacks existed in the conventional chairs.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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For the convenience of cleaning dust on automobile or workpiece surfaces, a used cleaning tool is required to be used for cleaning and dust absorption. For example, a Chinese patent 028301978 discloses a nozzle and a spray apparatus. The structure provides a dual-purpose gun for blowing dust and cleaning to blow dust and clean automobiles or workpieces. When compressed air is used alone, air is sprayed from a spray head to remove granular powder dust and dust on the automobile or workpiece surfaces. When the compressed air and the cleaning solution are used simultaneously, the cleaning solution is sucked out by negative pressure through the compressed air and sprayed to a dirt part at high pressure for decontamination.
However, the dual-purpose gun with the above structure has the following defects during use: 1. the convolutional swinging amplitude of a free end of an outer nozzle is in direct proportion with the size of pressure of the compressed air; an air pump with large pressure is required to be supplied; a cleaning point cannot be accurately aligned during use; a cleaning scope cannot be controlled according to requirements; and cleaning speed and quality are directly influenced. 2. The automobile or workpiece surfaces cannot be subjected to coating processing such as waxing, oiling and the like in the existing dual-purpose gun. In view of the above problems, many manufacturers and people of vision specially conduct development and manufacture, but no ideal product emerges so far.
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{
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This invention relates to nucleic acid and amino acid sequences of a human goose-type lysozyme and to the use of these sequences in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of autoimmune/inflammatory, renal, and adrenal disorders and cancer.
Lysozymes are a family of enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of certain mucopolysaccharides of bacterial cell walls, specifically the beta (1-4) glycosidic linkages between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetylglucosamine, and cause bacterial lysis. Lysozymes occur in diverse organisms including viruses, birds, and mammals. In humans, lysozymes are found in spleen, lung, kidney, white blood cells, plasma, saliva, milk, tears, and cartilage. (Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) #153450 Lysozyme; Weaver, L. H. et al. (1985) J. Mol. Biol. 184:739-741.)
The two known forms of lysozymes, chicken-type and goose-type, were originally isolated from chicken and goose egg white, respectively. Chicken-type and goose-type lysozymes have similar three-dimensional structures but different amino acid sequences. (Nakano, T. and Graf, T. (1991) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1090:273-276.) In chickens both forms of lysozyme are found in neutrophil granulocytes (heterophils), but only chicken-type lysozyme is found in egg white. An analysis of the expression pattern of chicken-type and goose-type lysozyme mRNA in chicken was performed. Chicken-type lysozyme mRNA is found in both adherent monocytes and macrophages and nonadherent promyelocytes and granulocytes as well as cells of the bone marrow, spleen, bursa, and oviduct. Goose-type lysozyme mRNA is found in non-adherent cells of the bone marrow and lung. The goose-type lysozyme gene cloned from chicken encodes a 211 amino acid protein containing a putative 26 amino acid N-terminal cleavable signal sequence. Homologous goose-type lysozymes are found in chicken, black swan, goose, and ostrich. Conserved residues include the three catalytic center residues Glu99, Asp112, and Asp123 (numbering from the chicken goose-type lysozyme precursor) and four cysteines that are known to form two disulfide bonds in the black swan goose-type lysozyme. Several isozymes have been found in rabbits, including leukocytic, gastrointestinal, and possibly lymphoepithelial forms. (OMIM #153450, supra; Nakano (1991) supra; and GenBank g1310929.) A human lysozyme gene has been cloned that encodes a protein that is similar to chicken-type lysozyme. (Yoshimura, K. et al. (1988) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 150:794-801.)
Lysozymes have several disease associations. Nakano (supra) suggested a role for lysozyme in host defense systems. Older rabbits with an inherited lysozyme deficiency show increased susceptibility to infections, especially subcutaneous abscesses. (OMIM #153450, supra.) Human lysozyme gene mutations cause hereditary systemic amyloidosis, a rare autosomal dominant disease in which amyloid deposits form in the viscera, including the kidney, adrenal glands, spleen, and liver. This disease is usually fatal by the fifth decade. The amyloid deposits contain lysozyme with amino-acid substitutions. Renal amyloidosis is the most common and potentially the most serious form of organ involvement. (Pepys, M. B. et al. (1993) Nature 362:553-557; OMIM #105200 Familial Visceral Amyloidosis; Cotran, R. S. et al. (1994) Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease, W. B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, Pa., pp. 231-238.) Goose-type lysozyme is expressed in avian promyelocytes transformed with avian myeloblastosis virus containing the L106 mutant form of the v-myb oncogene. (Nakano, T. and Graf. T. (1992) Oncogene 7:527-534; and Nakano (1991) supra.)
The discovery of a new human goose-type lysozyme and the polynucleotides encoding it satisfies a need in the art by providing new compositions which are useful in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of autoimmune/inflammatory, renal, and adrenal disorders and cancer.
The invention is based on the discovery of a new human goose-type lysozyme (GOLY), the polynucleotides encoding GOLY, and the use of these compositions for the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of autoimmune/inflammatory, renal, and adrenal disorders and cancer.
The invention features a substantially purified polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:1.
The invention further provides a substantially purified variant having at least 90% amino acid sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO: 1. The invention also provides an isolated and purified polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO: 1. The invention also includes an isolated and purified polynucleotide variant having at least 70% polynucleotide sequence identity to the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO: 1.
The invention further provides an isolated and purified polynucleotide which hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO: 1, as well as an isolated and purified polynucleotide which is complementary to the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO: 1.
The invention also provides an isolated and purified polynucleotide comprising the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:2, and an isolated and purified polynucleotide variant having at least 70% polynucleotide sequence identity to the polynucleotide comprising the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:2. The invention also provides an isolated and purified polynucleotide having a sequence complementary to the polynucleotide comprising the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:2.
The invention further provides an expression vector comprising at least a fragment of the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:1. In another aspect, the expression vector is contained within a host cell.
The invention also provides a method for producing a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:1, the method comprising the steps of: (a) culturing the host cell comprising an expression vector containing at least a fragment of a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:1 under conditions suitable for the expression of the polypeptide; and (b) recovering the polypeptide from the host cell culture.
The invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising a substantially purified polypeptide having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:1 in conjunction with a suitable pharmaceutical carrier.
The invention further includes a purified antibody which binds to a polypeptide comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:1, as well as a purified agonist and a purified antagonist of the polypeptide.
The invention also provides a method for treating or preventing an autoimmune/inflammatory disorder, the method comprising administering to a subject in need of such treatment an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising substantially purified polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:1.
The invention also provides a method for treating or preventing a renal disorder, the method comprising administering to a subject in need of such treatment an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising substantially purified polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:1.
The invention also provides a method for treating or preventing an adrenal disorder, the method comprising administering to a subject in need of such treatment an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising substantially purified polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:1.
The invention also provides a method for treating or preventing a cancer, the method comprising administering to a subject in need of such treatment an effective amount of an antagonist of the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:1.
The invention also provides a method for detecting a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:1 in a biological sample containing nucleic acids, the method comprising the steps of: (a) hybridizing the complement of the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:1 to at least one of the nucleic acids of the biological sample, thereby forming a hybridization complex; and (b) detecting the hybridization complex, wherein the presence of the hybridization complex correlates with the presence of a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:1 in the biological sample. In one aspect, this method further comprises amplifying the polynucleotide prior to the hybridizing step.
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The invention relates to hydraulic assemblies used in connection with marine apparatus. The invention also relates to systems for controlling the trim of a marine propulsion device.
It is known to automatically control the trim of a marine propulsion device in response to various conditions, such as boat speed. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,872.
Attention is also directed to the following U.S. patents:
______________________________________ Sherrill 3,046,928 July 31, 1962 Wintercorn 3,468,282 September 23, 1969 Wenstadt et al. 4,318,699 March 9, 1982 Olson et al. 4,718,872 January 12, 1988 Griffiths et al. 4,861,292 August 29, 1989 Newman et al. 4,872,857 October 10, 1989 Newman et al. 4,939,660 July 3, 1990 ______________________________________
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It is known to provide flexible resilient members to link the temples of spectacles to the front frame thereof. These flexible resilient members allow a hinged attachment of the temples to the spectacle frame, thus allowing the temples to be pivoted between an inward stored position in which the temples extend parallel to and along the frame, and an operative position in which the temples extend perpendicularly to and away from the frame to engage the wearer's head above his ears. The flexible resilient hinges have the advantage of further allowing the temples to be pivoted outwardly away from the spectacles frame beyond their operative position without damaging the hinge. This is useful in cases where the temples are accidentally moved beyond their operative position, to prevent the hinge, the temples and/or the frame from being damaged.
These resilient hinges also offer a spring-back effect that will continuously bias the temples towards the respective sides of the head of the person wearing the spectacles, which helps to securely hold the spectacles against the wearer's head. Some such spectacles with temples having this spring-back effect are called sports glasses due to the fact that they will hold on to the wearer's head even under sudden movements of the head such as those that occur during sporting activities.
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A process for preparing cumene by reacting benzene with propylene, a process for preparing cumene hydroperoxide by oxidizing cumene and a process for preparing phenol and acetone by acid decomposing cumene hydroperoxide are publicly known, and a process combining these reactions is a phenol preparation process generally called a cumene process. At present, this cumene process is the mainstream of the phenol preparation process.
This cumene process is characterized in that acetone is simultaneously produced, and this is advantageous when acetone is needed at the same time, but this is economically disadvantageous when acetone is in excess. Then, in order to lead a difference in price between an olefin as a raw material and a ketone produced simultaneously to an advantageous direction, there has been proposed, for example, a process in which secondary butylbenzene obtained from n-butene and benzene is oxidized and acid decomposed to obtain phenol and methyl ethyl ketone at the same time (see patent document 1 and patent document 2). In this process, however, the selectivity of the aimed secondary butylbenzene hydroperoxide obtained by the oxidation of secondary butylbenzene is only about 80%, and in addition, not less than 15% of acetophenone is formed as a side product. Therefore, this process is inferior, as the phenol preparation process, to the cumene process in yield.
Further, there has been also proposed a process in which cyclohexylbenzene obtained from cyclohexene and benzene is oxidized and acid decomposed to obtain phenol and cyclohexanone. In this process, phenol is obtained by dehydrogenating the resulting cyclohexanone, so that formation of a ketone as a side product can be avoided formally. In this process, however, the yield of the aimed cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide obtained by the oxidation reaction of cyclobenzene is much lower, and its industrial value is low.
Accordingly, in order to avoid problems of propylene that is a raw material and acetone that is produced simultaneously while maintaining an advantage of the cumene process wherein the yields of oxidation and acid decomposition are highest, there have been proposed processes in which acetone simultaneously produced is recycled as a raw material of the cumene process by the use of various methods. Acetone can be readily converted into isopropanol by hydrogenation, so that a process in which isopropanol is further subjected to dehydration reaction to convert it into propylene, then the propylene is reacted with benzene to obtain cumene and the propylene is recycled as a raw material of the cumene process has been proposed (see patent document 3). In this process, however, there is a problem that the two steps, i.e., a hydrogenation step and a dehydration step are further required.
Accordingly, a process in which isopropanol obtained by hydrogenation of acetone is directly reacted with benzene to obtain cumene has been proposed (see patent document 4 and patent document 5). Especially in a patent document 6, there has been described a process in which acetone simultaneously produced is converted into isopropanol, then the isopropanol is reacted with benzene to obtain cumene, and using the cumene, phenol is prepared. In this process, however, a hydrogenation step is required in addition to the original cumene process.
In contrast with the above, as a process in which acetone simultaneously produced is recycled without increasing the number of steps of the conventional cumene process, that is, a process in which acetone is directly reacted with benzene, there has been disclosed a process for preparing an alkylated aromatic compound, comprising reacting an aromatic compound with a ketone and hydrogen in the presence of a solid acid substance and a catalyst composition containing copper (see patent document 7). As the Cu-based reduction catalyst in the examples, however, a Cu-based catalyst containing, as a second component, Cr or Al and a slight amount of Zn is only disclosed. Further, it is described that zeolite can be used as the solid acid substance, but β-zeolite is only disclosed in the examples. The present inventors used the copper-chromium catalyst in the examples and chabazite as the solid acid substance, but cumene was not formed virtually. Moreover, among zeolites, there is one having much smaller pore diameters as compared with molecular diameters of benzene or cumene (non-patent document 1), so that it is readily presumed that the reaction itself is impossible with such a catalyst. As described above, formation of cumene is not satisfactory in the case of a solid acid substance different from the examples. As a result of actual inspection by the present inventors, a hydrocarbon derived from acetone is formed as a side product by any of the above catalysts, and the processes proved to be unsatisfactory as industrial production processes. That is to say, the selectivity of cumene is extremely low in the case of the conventional catalysts, and the industrial level has not been reached at all.
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 91972/1982
Patent document 2: U.S. Pre Grant Patent No. 0162448/2004
Patent document 3: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 174737/1990
Patent document 4: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 231442/1990
Patent document 5: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 35497/1999
Patent document 6: National Publication of International Patent No. 523985/2003
Patent document 7: National Publication of International Patent No. 513116/2005
Non-patent document 1: ZEOLITES, Vol. 4, pp. 202-213, 1984
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Matrix metalloproteinases (sometimes referred to as MMPs) are naturally-occurring enzymes found in most mammals. Over-expression and activation of MMPs or an imbalance between MMPs and inhibitors of MMPs have been suggested as factors in the pathogenesis of diseases characterized by the breakdown of extracellular matrix or connective tissues.
Stromelysin-1 and gelatinase A are members of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) family. Other members include fibroblast collagenase (MMP-1), neutrophil collagenase (MMP-8), gelatinase B (92 kDa gelatinase) (MMP-9), stromelysin-2 (MMP-10), stromelysin-3 (MMP-11), matrilysin (MMP-7), collagenase 3 (MMP-13), TNF-alpha converting enzyme (TACE), and other newly discovered membrane-associated matrix metalloproteinases (Sato H., Takino T., Okada Y., Cao J., Shinagawa A., Yamamoto E., and Seiki M., Nature, 1994;370:61-65). These enzymes have been implicated with a number of diseases which result from breakdown of connective tissue, including such diseases as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, periodontitis, multiple sclerosis, gingivitis, corneal epidermal and gastric ulceration, atherosclerosis, neointimal proliferation which leads to restenosis and ischemic heart failure, and tumor metastasis. A method for preventing and treating these and other diseases is now recognized to be by inhibiting metalloproteinase enzymes, thereby curtailing and/or eliminating the breakdown of connective tissues that results in the disease states.
The catalytic zinc in matrix metalloproteinases is typically the focal point for inhibitor design. The modification of substrates by introducing zinc-chelating groups has generated potent inhibitors such as peptide hydroxamates and thiol-containing peptides. Peptide hydroxamates and the natural endogenous inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) have been used successfully to treat animal models of cancer and inflammation. MMP inhibitors have also been used to prevent and treat congestive heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases, U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,780.
A major limitation on the use of currently known MMP inhibitors is their lack of specificity for any particular enzyme. Recent data has established that specific MMP enzymes are associated with some diseases, with no effect on others. The MMPs are generally categorized based on their substrate specificity, and indeed the collagenase subfamily of MMP-1, MMP-8, and MMP-13 selectively cleave native interstitial collagens, and thus are associated only with diseases linked to such interstitial collagen tissue. This is evidenced by the recent discovery that MMP-13 alone is over expressed in breast carcinoma, while MMP-1 alone is over expressed in papillary carcinoma (see Chen et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2000;122:9648-9654).
There appears to be few selective inhibitors of MMP-13 reported. A compound named WAY-170523 has been reported by Chen et al., supra., 2000, and a few other compounds are reported in PCT International Publication No. WO 01/63244 A1, as allegedly selective inhibitors of MMP-13. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 6,008,243 discloses inhibitors of MMP-13. However, no selective or nonselective inhibitor of MMP-13 has been approved and marketed for the treatment of any disease in any mammal. Accordingly, the need continues to find new low molecular weight compounds that are potent and selective MMP inhibitors, and that have an acceptable therapeutic index of toxicity/potency to make them amenable for use clinically in the prevention and treatment of the associated disease states. An object of this invention is to provide a group of selective MMP-13 inhibitor compounds characterized as being alkynes.
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I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to dentistry and, more particularly, to an improved dental control unit with means to facilitate cleaning and disinfecting after patient use.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Virtually all dentists utilize dental control units, such as dental carts, of one sort or another. These dental carts typically comprise an elevated housing having a plurality of side walls and defining an interior compartment. A lid is pivotally secured to one of the side walls and is movable between an open and a closed position. In its open position, the dentist gains access into the housing compartment. Conversely, when the lid is in its closed position, the lid overlies and covers the open top of the housing.
Additionally, a plurality of gauges, knobs, buttons, outlets, etc., hereinafter collectively referred to as "control members" are provided along one side wall of the dental cart housing. These various control members enable the dentist to set suction pressure, water pressure and the like in order to satisfy the individual preferences of the dentist. Typically, however, once these control members are set by the dentist, further adjustment is rarely, if ever, required.
In the modern day practice of dentistry, it has become increasingly important to disinfect the dental work station after each patient use and, especially, after treatment of a patient with an infectious disease. The disinfection of the dental work station is typically accomplished by wiping a disinfectant on all areas adjacent the dental work station, including the dental cart. The dental cart, however, is especially difficult to disinfect due to the various control members along one side of the cart's side wall. More specifically, in order to completely disinfect the cart, it is necessary to remove the control member knobs and to carefully wipe around all of the crooks and crannies formed by and adjacent the control members. Consequently, this procedure is not only time consuming but also relatively difficult to achieve complete disinfection of the dental cart.
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This invention relates to the soldering of printed circuit boards or the like in which the boards are passed sequentially through a fluxer section, a preheater section and a wave soldering section.
Prior machines of this type have been developed in which some of the process parameters have been controlled automatically but, as far as is known, no prior machine has been developed which is capable of completely automatically processing the boards through the various steps necessary to ensure efficient and reliable soldering. Perhaps one reason for this is that prior machines have not been able to achieve the degree of accuracy necessary in preheating the boards to ensure proper soldering. The following discussion with bring out the importance of preheating control.
A wave soldering machine is a machine for soldering components premounted on a printed circuit board to that board. The board is held near horizontal with components on the top surface and their leads projecting through holes in the board. Sometimes small components (chips) may be cemented to the bottom surface of the board. This board is passed over the solder wave, just skimming its surface. During this passage strong, conductive solder joints have to be formed between the components and the board. A well soldered board has the following joint characteristics.
1. All exposed copper of the board and component leads are well wetted.
2. All joints are continuous.
3. Solder has flowed through the holes in the pcb, partly by capillary action, to make nice through connections to the top surface of the board.
4. There is no bridging between component leads, pads, or tracks on the pcb causing a false circuit.
5. There are no whiskers or drips, of frozen solder hanging from the bottom of the board.
6. None of the components have been damaged by the temperature of the process.
7. There is no excessive alloying between the leads, or copper of the board and the solder.
8. There are no inclusions or impurities in the solder.
Quite a number of these qualities are affected by the temperature of the board when it meets the solder wave.
Obviously if the board is cold and is taken through the solder wave quickly the solder will freeze onto the cold board without flowing into cracks and holes and will not be forming good joints between well wetted parts.
To maintain a reasonable soldering speed and therefore production rate of boards per day the boards need heating prior to soldering. The heating has to achieve a balance between damage by thermal shock and high temperature to the board and components, or excessive soldering time required to transfer heat from the solder of the solder pot to the board.
Heating the board prior to soldering also increases the activity of the flux which improves the general solderability.
The temperature of the board is a dynamic parameter, with temperature gradients through the board which vary with time. The temperature gradients will decay with time so that a long gap between board heating and soldering will give a cooler, ever temperatured board, whereas heating in the solder wave will given a hot lower surface and cold tap surface to the board, with therefore large thermal gradients.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus for recording a video signal, an audio signal and the like onto an optical recording disk, and relates, more particularly to, a technique for reducing an influence of a tilt of a disk in a circumferential direction applied to a recording and reproduction of information, in a recording apparatus for carrying out a recording and reproduction of information by transmitting a laser beam onto a transparent substrate of the disk.
2. Description of the Related Art
A recording and reproduction of information onto and from an optical disk is carried out by irradiating laser beams onto the optical disk. The laser beams irradiated onto the optical disk are collected on the optical disk.
In order to increase the recording density of information recorded on the optical disk, the numerical aperture of an objective lens is made larger and the diameter of a light spot formed on the optical disk is made smaller. With this arrangement, it is possible to record the information on the optical disk as a smaller mark. As a result, it is possible to increase a spatial frequency in the circumferential direction of a recording signal and to narrow a track pitch. This method has been widely known in general as a method of increasing the recording density of information.
However, the increasing the numerical aperture of an objective lens has a problem of making larger an influence of a tilt of the disk applied to a recording and reproduction of information. More specifically, when a tilt is generated on the disk, the quantity of aberration generated at a light spot becomes large, and when the diameter of the light spot becomes larger, the distribution of the light spot does not become symmetrical. As a result, it becomes difficult to accurately carry out a recording and reproducing processing of information.
Regarding a tilt of a disk in a radial direction of the disk, it is possible to correct the tilt by adjusting the angle of a pickup or the disk whenever necessary, so that it is possible to reduce an influence of this tilt. On the other hand, regarding a tilt of the disk in a circumferential direction of the disk, it is difficult to correct this tilt by a mechanical adjustment as the speed of variation of the tilt is fast.
When information is recorded on an optical disk in the status where the disk is tilted in a circumferential direction, there is a case where a mark to be recorded on the disk by an irradiation of laser beams is deviated from a position at which the mark should be originally recorded. Such a deviation in the recording spot appears as a jitter of information at the time of reproducing the information, and this jitter degrades the quality of a reproduced signal. A problem like this also occurs when an optical disk has not a flat surface but has a variation in the thickness of the disk, not only when the disk is tilted.
Further, the quantity of aberration generated by the tilt of the optical disk is proportional to the thickness of a transparent substrate constituting the optical disk. Therefore, it is possible to make smaller the quantity of the aberration by reducing the thickness of the transparent substrate. However, when the thickness of the transparent substrate is made smaller, there arises a problem that the performance of the optical disk is lowered due to a hurt or a stain on the disk surface.
Further, the quantity of aberration may be made smaller by reducing the total thickness of the optical disk. However, when the total thickness of the disk is reduced, there arises a problem that the disk as a whole or the disk substrate is easily distorted.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical recording apparatus capable of correctly recording information onto a recording disk even when there is generated a tilt in the recording disk in a circumferential direction of the disk.
An optical recording apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes: a tilt detecting device for detecting a circumferential direction component of a tilt of a recording medium with respect to a laser beam light axis; a recording pulse signal generating device for generating a recording pulse signal by coding an information signal to be recorded and outputting the generated recording pulse; a modulating device for receiving the recording pulse from the recording pulse signal generating device, and modulating an intensity of a laser beam based on the received recording pulse signal; a laser beam irradiating device for applying the modulated laser beam onto the recording medium; and a recording pulse signal control device for controlling a sending timing at which the recording pulse signal is sent from the recording pulse signal generating device to the modulating device, based on the circumferential direction component detected by the tilt detecting device.
In this optical recording apparatus, the recording pulse signal generating device carries out an encoding of an information signal to be recorded, and generates a recording pulse signal. The modulating device modulates the intensity of a laser beam based on this recording pulse signal. The laser beam irradiating device irradiates the laser beam whose intensity has been modulated, to the recording medium. As a result, the information signal is recorded.
The recording of an information signal onto a recording medium is carried out by first heating the recording medium by a laser beam to change optical characteristics of the material of the recording medium, thereby to form marks onto the recording medium. Thus, the information signal is recorded onto the recording medium. Accordingly, when the irradiated surface of the recording medium has a tilt in the circumferential direction of the disk, the center of the spot light quantity of the laser beam is deviated from a proper position due to a generation of aberration.
In the above aspect of the optical recording apparatus according to the present invention, the deviation of the center of the light quantity of the light spot is overcome in the following manner. When the tilt detecting device has detected a circumferential direction component of a tilt of the optical disk with respect to the laser beam light axis, the recording pulse signal control device controls the sending timing of the recording pulse signal to the modulating device, based on a detection output of the circumferential direction component of the tilt. For example, when the center of the light quantity of the light spot has deviated in a direction to gain time, the recording pulse signal control device delays the sending timing of the recording pulse signal from the reference timing. On the other hand, when the center of the light quantity has deviated in a direction to lose time, the recording pulse signal control device advances the sending timing of the recording pulse signal from the reference timing.
As a result, a temperature gradient on the recording medium changes in a similar manner to that of the case where there is no tilt, so that an edge position of a mark to be recorded becomes at a proper position. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent an occurrence of a jitter at the time of a reproduction and to prevent an increase in the error rate. Further, it is possible to carry out a stable recording and reproduction of an information signal even when a disk having a large deformation quantity is used. Furthermore, it is possible to compensate the disk for a warp, so that it is possible to carry out a recording and reproduction of an information signal onto and from a thin disk.
The aforementioned optical recording apparatus in accordance with the present invention, the circumferential direction component may include a component indicating a tilt angle of a recording surface of the recording medium. Furthermore, when the recording surface at a front side of a laser beam in a relatively proceeding direction of the laser beam is tilted in a direction to leave away from the laser beam irradiating device from a reference horizontal position with the light axis as a center, the recording pulse signal control device may delay the sending timing from a predetermined reference timing as the tilt angle becomes larger. Moreover, when the recording surface at the front side of a laser beam in a relatively proceeding direction of the laser beam is tilted in a direction to come closer to the laser beam irradiating device from a reference horizontal position with the light axis as a center, the recording pulse signal control device may advance the sending timing from a predetermined reference timing as the tilt angle becomes larger.
When the recording surface of a recording medium at the front side of a laser beam in a relatively proceeding direction of the laser beam is tilted in a direction to leave away from the laser beam irradiating device from the reference horizontal position with the light axis as a center, the center of the spot light quantity of the laser beam is positioned at a rear side of the laser beam in a relatively proceeding direction thereof with respect to the recording medium from the center of the light axis, due to the influence of aberration. In this case, the recording pulse signal control device delays the sending timing of the recording pulse signal from a predetermined reference timing as the tilt angle in this direction becomes larger. As a result, the mark is recorded at a proper position. On the other hand, when the recording surface at the front side of a laser beam in a relatively proceeding direction of the laser beam is tilted in a direction to come closer to the laser beam irradiating device from the reference horizontal position with the light axis as a center, the center of the spot light quantity of the laser beam is positioned at a front side of the laser beam in a relatively proceeding direction of the laser beam with respect to the recording medium from the center of the light axis, due to the influence of aberration. In this case, the recording pulse signal control device advances the sending timing of the recording pulse signal from a predetermined reference timing as the tilt angle in this direction becomes larger. As a result, the mark is recorded at a proper position. Thus, it is possible to record the mark at a proper position by canceling a deviation of the center of the spot light quantity of the laser beam due to the aberration.
In the aforementioned the optical recording apparatus in accordance with the present invention, the recording pulse signal control device may include (i) a memory device having a plurality of memory units, and (ii) a data read/write control device for sampling the recording pulse signal generated by the recording pulse signal generating device at a predetermined sampling rate and then writing the sampled recording pulse signal into any of the plurality of memory units in the memory device, and for reading the sampled recording pulse signal from any of the plurality of memory units in the memory device at a predetermined reading rate. Furthermore, the data read/write control device may repeat a writing of the sampled recording pulse signal into any of the plurality of memory units and reading of the sampled recording pulse signal from any of the plurality of memory units, and changes a predetermined time interval provided between an end of the writing and a start of the reading to change the sending timing.
The recording pulse signal generated by the recording pulse generating device is sampled at a predetermined sampling rate by the data read/write control device, and is written into the memory device at each predetermined memory unit. Further, the sampled data of the written recording pulse signal is read for each predetermined memory unit in the memory device at a predetermined reading rate by the data read/write control device.
Then, the data read/write control device provides a predetermined time interval between an end of the writing and a start of the reading in each memory unit, and reads out the data by reducing this time interval from a predetermined reference time interval, thereby to advance the sending timing of the recording pulse signal. The data read/write control device also reads out the data by extending the time interval from the predetermined reference time interval, thereby to delay the sending timing of the recording pulse signal. Thus, the data read/write control device adjusts the sending timing by changing the read timing after the recording pulse signal has been once stored in the memory device. As a result, it is possible to easily carry out the control of the sending timing.
In the aforementioned the optical recording apparatus in accordance with the present invention, the recording pulse signal control device may further includes (i) a conversion table for showing a relationship between a tilt angle and a quantity for changing a sending timing, and (b) a conversion device for converting a value of the tilt angle detected by the tilt detecting device into a quantity of change of the predetermined time interval, based on the conversion table.
When a detection output for showing the degree of a tilt angle has been obtained by the tilt detecting device, the recording pulse signal control device converts the degree of the tilt angle into a changing quantity of the time interval, based on the conversion table. As mentioned above, because the relationship between the value of a detection output of the tilt detecting device and the changing quantity of the time interval has been determined in advance by the conversion table as described above, it is possible to promptly obtain the changing quantity of the time interval, so that it is possible to carry out a prompt control of the sending timing.
The nature, utility, and further feature of this invention will be more clearly apparent from the following detailed description with respect to preferred embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings briefly described below.
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The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant, botanically known as a Dahlia (hybrid), and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bahamas’. The new cultivar ‘Bahamas’ is a product of a planned breeding program and was selected by the Inventor, Jan Skjold Knudsen, in Fyn, Denmark. The new cultivar ‘Bahamas’ originated from a cross made by the Inventor between the Dahlia cultivar designated ‘Borneo’ (unpatented) as the female parent and the Dahlia cultivar designated ‘Lauren’ (patented as ‘DAPADRED’ in the U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,671) as the male parent.
Asexual reproduction by cuttings of the new variety in Fyn, Denmark has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as described herein for ‘Bahamas’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new variety reproduces true to type.
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In the processing of a semiconductor wafer to form integrated circuits, charged atoms or molecules are directly introduced into the wafer in a process called ion implantation. Ion implantation normally causes damage to the lattice structure of the wafer, and to remove the damage, the wafer is normally annealed at an elevated temperature, typically 600xc2x0 C. to 1100xc2x0 C. Prior to annealing, material properties at the surface of the wafer may be measured, specifically by using the damage caused by ion implantation.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,463 granted to Rosencwaig et al. (that is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) describes a method for measuring a change in reflectance caused by a periodic change in temperature of a wafer""s surface (see column 1, lines 7-16). Specifically, the method uses xe2x80x9cthermal waves [that] are created by generating a periodic localized heating at a spot on the surface of a samplexe2x80x9d (column 3, lines 54-56) with xe2x80x9ca radiation probe beam . . . directed on a portion of the periodically heated area on the sample surface,xe2x80x9d and the method xe2x80x9cmeasures] the intensity variations of the reflected radiation probe beam resulting from the periodic heatingxe2x80x9d (column 3, lines 52-66).
As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,710 to Opsal et al. (also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) describes a method wherein xe2x80x9cthe density variations of a diffusing electron-hole plasma are monitored to yield information about features in a semiconductorxe2x80x9d (column 1, lines 61-63). Specifically, Opsal et al. state that xe2x80x9cchanges in the index of refraction, due to the variations in plasma density, can be detected by reflecting a probe beam off the surface of the sample within the area which has been excitedxe2x80x9d (column 2, lines 23-31) as described in xe2x80x9cPicosecond Ellipsometry of Transient Electron-Hole Plasmas in Germanium,xe2x80x9d by D. H. Auston et al., Physical Review Letters, Vol. 32, No. 20, May 20, 1974.
Opsal et al. further state (in column 5, lines 25-31 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,710): xe2x80x9cThe radiation probe will undergo changes in both intensity and phase. In the preferred embodiment, the changes in intensity, caused by changes in reflectivity of the sample, are monitored using a photodetector. It is possible to detect changes in phase through interferometric techniques or by monitoring the periodic angular deflections of the probe beam.xe2x80x9d
A brochure entitled xe2x80x9cTP-500: The next generation ion implant monitorxe2x80x9d dated April, 1996 published by Therma-Wave, Inc., 1250 Reliance Way, Fremont, Calif. 94539, describes a measurement device TP-500 that requires xe2x80x9cno post-implant processingxe2x80x9d (column 1, lines 6-7, page 2) and that xe2x80x9cmeasures lattice damagexe2x80x9d (column 2, line 32, page 2). The TP-500 includes xe2x80x9c[t]wo low-power lasers [that] provide a modulated reflectance signal that measures the subsurface damage to the silicon lattice created by implantation. As the dose increases, so does the damage and the strength of the TW signal. This non-contact technique has no harmful effect on production wafersxe2x80x9d (columns 1 and 2 on page 2). According to the brochure, TP-500 can also be used after annealing, specifically to xe2x80x9coptimize . . . system for annealing uniformity and assure good repeatabilityxe2x80x9d (see bottom of column 2, on page 4).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,074 discloses focusing a probe beam onto a sample surface withn an area periodically excited by an intensity modulated generation beam. The power of the reflected probe beam is measured by a photodetector, and the modulated optical reflectivity of the sample is derived. Measurements are taken at a plurality of pump beam modulation frequencies. In addition, measurements are taken as the lateral separation between the pump and probe beam spots on the sample surface is varied.
At column 3, lines 23-30, U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,074 states that xe2x80x9cin the prior art, the modulation range was typically in the 100 KHz to 1 MHz range. Some experiments utilized modulation frequency as high as 10 MHz. In the subject device, it has been found useful to take measurements with modulation frequencies up to 100 MHz range. At these high frequencies, the thermal wavelengths are very short, enabling information to be obtained for thin metal layers on a sample, on the order of 100 angstroms.xe2x80x9d
At column 8, lines 22-27, U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,074 further states xe2x80x9cOnce all measurements at various spacings and modulation frequencies have been taken and stored, the processor will attempt to characterize the sample. Various types of modeling algorithms can ve used depending on the complexity of the sample. Optimization routines which use iterative processes such as least square fitting routines are typically employed.xe2x80x9d
Abruptness of a junction in a semiconductor wafer can be measured by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) in which a wafer is milled away using an ion beam, and the removed material is analyzed. Alternatively, abruptness of a junction can also be determined from electrical characteristics of transistors or other test structures on a completely fabricated integrated circuit (IC) device, having contacts.
An apparatus and method in accordance with the invention use a computer to determine a coefficient in a function that relates measurements from a wafer, to values of a parameter used in making the measurements, and use the coefficient to evaluate the wafer (e.g. to accept or reject the wafer for further processing), and/or to control fabrication of another wafer. For example, the apparatus and method may use a second order coefficient of a power series function to control operation of a wafer processing unit (that may include, e.g. an ion implanter), or a heat treatment unit (such as a rapid thermal annealer).
In one embodiment, two beams are used to make measurements that are input to the computer: one beam (called xe2x80x9cgeneration beamxe2x80x9d) of photons having an intensity modulated at a frequency sufficiently low to avoid creation of a wave of charge carriers in the wafer, and another beam (called xe2x80x9cprobe beamxe2x80x9d) used to measure the concentration of charge carriers created by the generation beam. Specifically, a photosensitive element located in a path of a portion of the probe beam that is reflected by the charge carriers (and that is therefore also modulated) generates an electrical signal indicative of the concentration. Such measurements are related by the above-described function to the above-described parameter (which may be, for example, power of the generation beam, power of the probe beam, or spot size).
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1. Field
The present application relates generally to biological rhythm disorders. More specifically, the present application is directed to a system and method to define a rotational source associated with a biological rhythm disorder, such as a heart rhythm disorder.
2. Brief Discussion of Related Art
Heart (cardiac) rhythm disorders are common and represent significant causes of morbidity and death throughout the world. Malfunction of the electrical system in the heart represents a proximate cause of heart rhythm disorders. Heart rhythm disorders exist in many forms, of which the most complex and difficult to treat are atrial fibrillation (AF), ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF). Other rhythm disorders are more simple to treat, but may also be clinically significant including atrial tachycardia (AT), supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), atrial flutter (AFL), supraventricular ectopic complexes/beats (SVE) and premature ventricular complexes/beats (PVC).
Previously, treatment of heart rhythm disorders—particularly complex rhythm disorders of AF, VF and polymorphic VT—has been difficult because the location in the heart that harbors the source of the heart rhythm disorder could not be identified. There have been various theories of how complex rhythm disorders function and clinical applications for treating these complex rhythm disorders. However, none of the applications proved fruitful in the treatment of complex rhythm disorders.
Recently, there has been a breakthrough discovery that for the first time identified sources associated with complex heart rhythm disorders. This technological breakthrough successfully reconstructed cardiac activation information (onset times) in signals obtained from electrodes of catheters introduced into patients' heart to identify rotational activation patterns (rotational sources) that cause a large percentage of the heart rhythm disorders worldwide. Treatment of the heart rhythm disorders can thus be targeted to the rotational sources in the patients' heart to eliminate the heart rhythm disorders. Such treatment can be successfully delivered by ablation, for example.
While a rotational source of a complex heart rhythm disorder can be identified as described above, the extent or breadth of the propagation of the rotational source and its likely center of rotation have not been defined. In some instances, a rotational source may have one or more diffuse sections (activation wave fronts) that generally appear to rotate around a subjective rotation center, but tend to spread out diffusely about a section of the patient's heart. While the diffuse activation wave fronts are associated with the source of the complex rhythm disorder, they may contribute insignificantly to driving the heart rhythm disorder than one or more other activation wave fronts of the rotational source.
There are no known systems or methods to define a rotational source associated with a heart rhythm disorder, including a rotational path and a likely center of rotation associated with the rotational source.
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Since the history of man, people are making constructions of all kinds. In order to make constructing easier, a construction was divided into elements. These elements were standardized to make production easier. Examples of this standardisation are, for buildings for instance, bricks for building a house, beams and roof tiles, and more recently concrete parts like floor panels, window, but also doors and other parts of a building. This concept of standardized parts is also used for other types of constructions, like cars, computers, and, in fact, all industrially produced constructions.
A problem with most of these elements is that they require handling. Furthermore, the elements are used for a specific construction, or a specific use, like toys. Furthermore, often the known elements are not reusable.
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Single rack unit (1 RU) switches, or pizza boxes, are ubiquitous in offices and businesses and there has been a push by manufacturer's to add more and more features while driving down costs. Current 1 RU switches provide 48 ports for connecting to end-devices. Additionally, the units must provide uplinks to connect to backbone or core routers or switches. Generally, two uplinks are required to provide redundancy.
The dimensions of the front face of a single RU switch are only 1.75″×17.5″. The actual space available for 48 ports and uplinks is smaller because the product itself includes a bezel facing that includes graphics and other items comprising a user interface that is similar to previous products.
Previous uplink I/O devices, such as the GBIC (Gigabit Interface Converter) or the SFP (Small Form Factor Pluggable) module, have a relatively small form factor and sufficient space is available on the front face of the 1 RU switch for both the 48 ports and the dual uplinks. However, with the advent of 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GE) the uplink I/O device size has increased.
One type of 10 GE uplink I/O device is the MSA (Multi-Source Agreement) X2, which is defined in the X2 MSA specification which is hereby incorporated by reference. The X2 system utilizes a side rail support system which is mounted on a PCB (printed circuit board) with a connector disposed to receive the connector end of the X2 transceiver. The X2 transceiver is inserted into a switch and guided by the rail system so the X2 transceiver connector mates with the PCB connector. The module includes a bezel on the front which is used to hold a gasket for EMI protection.
Because of the increased size of the X2 10 GE I/O device it has not been possible to provide two 10 GE uplinks in a 48 port 1 RU switch.
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This invention relates to a hot stamping process and apparatus for forming sheet metal alloys with low formability at room temperature. In particular, this invention relates to a warm/hot sheet forming operation with rapid pre-heating process on the press table by direct electric current application to the workpiece using two electrode sets contacting at two opposite edges of the workpiece.
In the plastic forming processes of various metal parts, heating is sometimes necessary before a forming operation. In the metal deformation processes such as forging, extrusion, rolling etc. the workpiece is heated above its recrystallization temperature prior to subsequent forming operation and these processes are generally referred as hot working.
In common hot forming techniques, the metal workpiece is heated in a fuel-fired or electric furnace before mechanical forming operation performed by forging, rolling, extrusion, drawing etc. During the period in which the workpiece is removed from the furnace and placed on the press table between the dies, a considerable amount of heat is lost from the workpiece. Generally, heat loss is proportional to surface area of the workplece. Heat is held by the mass of the original workpiece and heat loss occurs in peripheral area of the workpiece by radiant, convective and conductive means. Increase in peripheral area/mass ratio of the metal workpieces results in more rapid cooling phenomena during handling from furnace to forming machi ne, and thus, hot forming of such thin metal workpieces become difficult or practically impossible in some cases. Radiant heat loss becomes dominant at high temperatures, because it is proportional to fourth power of the workpiece temperature, and while conductive heat loss is linearly proportional to temperature of the workpiece.
Hot forging including preheating at a furnace, handling to forming machine and then compression forming is a widely used hot working process for a long time all around the world. In such a process heat loss of the hot bulk workpiece can be kept in an acceptable level and does not prevent the operation.
In hot working of a sheet metal workpiece with thickness between 0.6 and 3 mm such as articles used in automotive industry, peripheral area/mass ratio is too much and such a workpiece cannot keep its temperature sufficiently during handling of hot blank to be placed between dies after furnace heating. A hot blank sheet loses a considerable amount of heat and its temperature rapidly decreases below hot working temperature range within a few seconds. Most of high strength alloy steels, aluminum and magnesium alloys are temperature sensitive and they are only formable within narrow ranges of temperature. Such a heat loss becomes particularly severe for high strength and thin alloy sheets, and thus, subsequent hot working becomes practically impossible. Therefore, there is not a widely used hot stamping method in use for production articles made from high strength alloy sheet for particularly automotive industry.
In practice, such a thin sheet can keep its temperature only a few seconds for subsequent forming process. For example, in a steel blank sheet in 1100xc2x0 C. temperature with 1 mm thickness, temperature decrease rate is more than 100xc2x0 C./sec. Heating the workpiece to higher temperatures is not a solution, because radiant heat loss varies with fourth power of the temperature and temperature fall becomes more severe. On the other hand, overheating may alter microstructure (grain size, structure, elongation rate, formability, strength etc.) of the workpiece or cause surface oxidation.
Although there are much higher strength steel and aluminum alloys, currently used stamping technology can not form such metal thin sheets by currently used sheet stamping technology due to lack of formability. Thin sheets made of such alloys can offer very higher strength up to three or four times more strength than of currently used sheets in automotive production. Such metal blanks principally can only have adequate formability in high temperature rates and within tight range.
The most important utilization area of the invention is the automotive industry. One of the main challenges for the today""s automotive industry is xe2x80x9cHow to produce lightweight and stiff auto chassis and body construction in mass production with high quality low costxe2x80x9d. Stamped sheet articles consist of (app. % 50 -60) most of auto body weight. There are many weight loss programs carried out by car companies, suppliers etc all around the world in efforts to make new production technologies more responsive to needs of the low fuel consuming vehicles of tomorrow. There are many technical teams in the automotive world, in collaboration with the national labs, universities and suppliers, are working to reduce vehicle weight as compared to today""s compact and midsize family sedans. Therefore, there is a widespread tendency to use widespread tendency to use relatively higher strength steels and light aluminum and magnesium alloys in the automotive industry.
From aspect of safety, energy rate that can be absorbed elastically during a crash by a metal auto part until plastic deformation limit is proportional to second force of its yield strength. However, a single part made of relatively higher strength metal might require more stamping stages than a comparable part or the part may have to divide into two or more pieces that are then joined together. Nevertheless, these solutions add time and cost to the manufacturing process. Thus, engineers have been trying to find other methods to replace or complement the conventional mechanical stamping process in order to fully realize the potential weight savings of using of higher strength steel and aluminum components. On the other hand, such materials cause more wrinkles and tears during manufacture and require significant try-out modification and completion works for dies and tools requiring higher cost, time and labor.
The main principle of the invention is to achieve both direct heating of the blank by current application on the press table and hot stamping operation performed as subsequent process achieved in one place (press table) without requiring any handling operation of the workpiece resulting severe temperature fall preventing such an hot shaping process. Temperature fall at the hot thin sheet during handling from pre-heating furnace to press table is so severe that it is practically impossible to keep its heat sufficiently until end of the stamping process between two dies.
For example, steel sheet thickness, 1 mm , T=1100xc2x0 C., Temperature decrease rate =110xc2x0 C./sec Heat Energy Equation of this process: R ( 1 + α * * Δ xe2x80x83 T ) I 2 Heat rate generated
inside the Workpiece
by Current = [ m c * * ⅆ T / ⅆ t ] Heat rate held mass
of the workpiece + { 2 A * * 4.96 k * * [ ( T s / 100 ) 4 Heat loss by
radiation - ( T e / 100 ) 4 } + A β * * Δ xe2x80x83 T Heat loss by
Convection
where R electric resistance of the workpiece (Cold), xcex1 Resistance increase coefficient by temperature, xcex94T temperature increase of the sheet, I current, m mass of the workpiece, C Specific thermal capacitance, A Area (one side) of the WP, Ts temp of the sheet, Te peripheral temperature, xcex2 Convection coefficient, k radiant heat transfer coefficient.
The process ensures instant temperature rate of the hot sheet at the stamping moment by controlling principal parameters of the process such as, current, current application time, stamping time etc within one machine. This process can be applied in mass production of articles made from high strength alloy sheets for automotive industry, because whole process including, heating, stamping, cooling within dies is performed in one machine within a few seconds. It""s very important to prevent thermal or mechanic distortions of formed article during cooling after hot stamping. Cooling must be performed without any distortion and preferably; formed sheet should be removed from the dies after sufficient temperature fall. Dimensional stability and sufficient strength (after cooling) should be ensured during removing of the stamped part. Particularly, automotive industry demands strict dimensional tolerances. This process achieves instant cooling of the workpiece without distortion by means of cooling under pressure of cold dies. The dies are kept within a previously determined temperature range that is fairly lower than forming temperature of the workpiece. A little amount of heat is gained by dies by contact of the hot workpiece at each process cycle. On the other hand, the dies continuously lose heat because their temperature will be slightly higher than room temperature during mass production.
The process starts with current application to the workpiece for a few seconds and temperature of the blank sheet is reached previously determined rate to provide sufficient formability characteristics in the workpiece such as elongation rate, yield strength etc. Until this certain temperature rate is provided in the workpiece, the dies are not in contact with hot workpiece. At least one die is moved toward the hot sheet and sheet is stamped. Temperature of the dies is fairly lower than hot forming temperature and slightly higher than room temnperature. An instant cooling process is achieved at the end of the stamping while the sheet is being completely compressed with two dies and it is very important to prevent thermal or mechanical distortions in order to provide strict dimensional tolerances.
Similar heating process is also needed in sheet bending and prototype production processes if the blank sheet is made from high strength alloy metal. In bending process of such blanks, similar heating operation is applied before bending. In prototype production with use of one die, the main principle of the invention is applied and these processes are explained below.
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Various glycosidases are known as an enzyme which is widely distributed in animal cells, microorganisms, viruses, etc. In mammalian animals, it has been considered that glycosidases control a great variety of physiological mechanisms, including canceration of normal cells, metastasis of cancer cells, viral or bacterial infection, immunological functions, fertilization of an ovum, and others in which glycoproteins and glycolipid-glycosyl chains participate through the carbohydrate metabolism. Moreover, certain glycosidases participate in the digestive mechanism of food through the degradation of polysaccharides such as starch, sucrose, and oligosaccharides etc. Furthermore, it has been found that a substance inhibitory to a glycosidase which can liberate the glycosyl chains as combined in a cell membrane is possible to have an immunomodulating action and an action which controls the metastasis of cancer cells, as well as an action which controls infection of an AIDS virus or an influenza virus. Moreover, substances inhibitory to a glycosidase having catabolism which participates in the digestive mechanism of food are found to be important, since they are useful as an antidiabetic agent or an antiobestic agent.
Thus, in view that a glycosidase is an enzyme which is important in the living body, it is also important to study physiological properties of a glycosidase. In the study of the properties of a glycosidase, use can be made of such a substance having an action which inhibits the enzymatic activity of a glycosidase. Moreover, it can be expected that certain glycosidase-inhibitory substances can be utilized as an inhibitor to the metastasis of cancer cells. Therefore, it has been keenly demanded to provide such a novel compound which is of low toxicity, which is water-soluble and which has a potent glycosidase-inhibitory activity.
It is an object of this invention to provide a novel siastatin B derivative which exhibits a potent activity inhibitory to a glycosidase. Moreover, it is another object of this invention to provide processes for producing such a new siastatin B derivative.
It are still another objects to provide a pharmaceutical composition comprising as an active ingredient said siastatin B derivative having the glycosidase-inhibitory activity, and also to provide a glycosidase inhibitor consisting of said siastatin B derivative.
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{
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Zeolites are crystalline aluminosilicate compositions which are microporous and which are formed from corner sharing AlO2 and SiO2 tetrahedra. Numerous zeolites, both naturally occurring and synthetically prepared, are used in various industrial processes. Synthetic zeolites are prepared via hydrothermal synthesis employing suitable sources of Si, Al and structure directing agents such as alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, amines, or organoammonium cations. The structure directing agents reside in the pores of the zeolite and are largely responsible for the particular structure that is ultimately formed. These species balance the framework charge associated with aluminum and can also serve as space fillers. Zeolites are characterized by having pore openings of uniform dimensions, having a significant ion exchange capacity, and being capable of reversibly desorbing an adsorbed phase which is dispersed throughout the internal voids of the crystal without significantly displacing any atoms which make up the permanent zeolite crystal structure. Zeolites can be used as catalysts for hydrocarbon conversion reactions, which can take place on outside surfaces as well as on internal surfaces within the pore.
One particular zeolitic material, classified as ZSM-5, is disclosed in Beck, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,180,550, issued on Jan. 30, 2001. The zeolite comprises a synthetic porous crystalline material having a composition involving the molar relationship:X2 O3:(n)YO2,wherein X is a trivalent element, such as aluminum, boron, iron and/or gallium, preferably aluminum; Y is a tetravalent element such as silicon and/or germanium, preferably silicon; and n is less than 25, and Wherein the slope of the nitrogen sorption isotherm of the material at a partial pressure of nitrogen of 0.4 to 0.7 and a temperature of 77° K is greater than 30.
While there are many types of zeolites, new zeolites provide for improved reaction conditions in the conversion of lower value hydrocarbon streams to higher value hydrocarbon products.
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{
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Variable length instructions refer to instructions that have variable word length. For example, in a variable length instruction set, the length of the instructions may be 1 byte, 2 bytes, 3 bytes, 4 bytes, or even more bytes. Fixed length instructions refer to instructions that have fixed word length. For example, the length of every instruction is 4 bytes in a fixed length instruction set. In general, a variable length instruction set is used in Complex Instruction Set Computer (CISC), whereas a fixed length instruction set is used in Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC).
Generally, every instruction in the fixed length instruction set completes an operation (or an action), thereby better utilizing efficiency of pipeline execution; whereas some instructions in the variable length instruction set often need to complete multiple operations (or actions) in steps, causing a pipeline in a pause status, thereby reducing pipeline throughput and the overall performance of a processor system.
One solution of the above problem is that a central processing unit (CPU) core (also called processor core) which executes the instructions in the fixed length instruction set is used to generate a variable length instruction address. Based on the variable length instruction address, an instruction is obtained from a memory. Before executing the variable length instruction, the variable length instruction is converted to one or more fixed length instructions. Then, the CPU core executes these fixed length instructions, thereby increasing the pipeline throughput. However, the conversion may increase the depth of the pipeline. Thus, more pipeline stages need to be cleared when branch prediction is wrong, thereby reducing the overall performance of the processor system.
In addition, a cache is generally used to duplicate a part of content from a lower level memory in current processor architectures, so that the duplicated content in the cache can be quickly accessed by a higher level memory or the CPU core and thus to ensure pipeline for continuous execution. In a basic cache structure, after a cache miss occurs, contents in the lower level storage medium is filled into the cache, such that the pipeline has to pause to wait for miss contents to be filled into the cache. Some new cache structures, such as victim cache, trace cache and prefetching, are introduced based on the above cache structure, improving the above structure. Therefore, with a widening gap between processor speed and memory speed, the current computer architectures, especially various kinds of cache misses, become still the most serious bottleneck in increasing the performance of modern processors.
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