text
stringlengths 2
806k
| meta
dict |
|---|---|
Digital signage systems and networks make use of display screens that are controlled to present different manners of content. Often these systems display advertising materials, and are part of a network of displays on which an advertiser can buy display time. The displays are often controlled by computer systems and are presented to a viewer in such a fashion that it appears that the screen is an autonomous device. Digital signage is used for a number of other purposes including corporate displays used to provide information and direction to users, industrial displays used to display real time production data, conference displays used to display upcoming meetings, airport displays that provide incoming flight information as well as numerous other uses known to those skilled in the art.
Prior art digital signage networks and systems are deployed with the objective of optimizing a limited network to deliver a particular type of data that is considered to be the primary driver of content. Thus, if a system is designed for playback of video, other information types such as stock tickers, weather forecasts or static (or statically revolving) still images receive a lower transmission priority in the network. If systems employ control mechanisms that allow display feedback and centralized control, the control data is often assigned the lowest priority of all data types, as this information is not seen as driving revenues.
Conventional digital signage is either based around a template, or a full screen video playback. Template driven implementations employ templates to define the type of content displayed in portions of the screen. The templates also define background patterns and other look and feel implementations. Each region of the screen is typically employed for a different type of data, so a video may play in a portion of the screen, while a weather forecast is displayed in a second portion, and a stock ticker or news crawl is run in a third portion. Each portion of the screen is thus segmented on the basis of its data type or the input stream. Full screen playback implementations typically make use of a pre-recorded video stream that is played in a loop, and updated periodically. These systems do not typically rely on live data, and though they may appear to rely on a template, the appearance of the template is a part of the video stream.
Control of the distributed nodes in prior art digital signage systems has typically been directed to the distribution of advertising content to displays from a central content source, while communications from the displays to a central server are commonly directed to providing audit information to confirm that advertisements have been played. Each display in the network is typically provided an address, and programming of the display is managed from the central content source. This central provisioning allows control of the content to be maintained. When location specific data, such as weather forecasts, is transmitted to displays, it is commonly done in one of two ways. The centralized provisioning of the display can be set to ensure that the correct location specific data is extracted from a collection of all location specific data and then transmitted to the individual display. Though this is a transmission efficient mechanism, it relies upon centralized administration that becomes onerous as more displays are added. Furthermore, if displays are relocated to different locations, the new location data must be reset centrally to ensure that the correct location specific data is transmitted to the screen. In an alternate solution, the location is programmed into the display, and the collection of all location specific data is transmitted to the display. This allows for a much easier provisioning, as centralized control no longer needs to ensure that a specific data stream is sent to the display. Unfortunately, this easy to administer approach results in the consumption of large amounts of bandwidth. This becomes a problem as the signage network grows, and a centralized server is responsible for transmitting unnecessary data to each display.
Conventionally, if a display is provisioned to retrieve only its location specific data, the display generates traffic on the network when it checks to see if new data is available on the content server. This polling of a centralized content server generates a small amount of traffic, but as the number of nodes in the network grows, the bandwidth consumed by this polling increases. Unless the time gap between polling events is increased as the network increases in size, the scalability of the system decreases.
Existing advertising networks rely on central provisioning for a number of reasons, but one of the foremost reasons is that with the correct provisioning tools, the administrator of a subset of the overall network could errantly program the displays on another portion of the network. The provisioning tools are thus created in various versions so that the central authority can access all functions and devices, and so that administrators of subsets are provided certain access rights to the screens they have authority over. This allows for centralized control, but results in great difficulty if a small number of screens are needed to display a customized selection of data, or are needed to use a customized template specific only to those screens.
Communications between the displays and the centralized content sources in existing display networks tend to be direct connections. Each node directly obtains content from the centralized data source, requiring that the centralized data source be able to support a high bandwidth connection open to all the nodes. When new nodes are added, they are provided an address at which the server can connect to them. The balance of the provisioning is performed as a server side task. This centralization provides the administrator of the network with the knowledge of all nodes in a network as no node receives data without being centrally provisioned.
Animation effects and rendering of content is often pre-prepared centrally and distributed to the displays from the central content source. The rendering of the prepared video stream is done locally as it is often display specific. Content is restricted to the section of a display template that it is designed for. Overlaying one type of data on another (e.g. a translucent text display over a video stream) is achieved by creating a flattened video stream at the content source and then distributing the flattened content to the display. This simplifies the rendering functionality employed at the display nodes, but results in an inability to have live data displayed in anything other than a specifically defined portion of a template.
The design decisions made in existing networks of digital signage displays have been made for a number of differing design decisions. Often the objective is to achieve a uniformity that eases administration and reduces the likelihood of a display being out of order. These systems were often designed for smaller distributions of screens. Networks that claim to have a common administrator often have distinct infrastructures to avoid bottlenecks, and to allow for better network specific templates and content issues.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a digital display network having nodes that reduce the unnecessary consumption of bandwidth and provide additional flexibility in the rendering of content and manner in which they are provisioned. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Portable computers have long been used for storage and playback/creation of music, video, still images, and other forms of data. As used herein, “portable computers” include laptops, a variety of portable media players (e.g., the iPod™ and iPhone™ devices manufactured by Apple™, Inc.), cellular phones, and portable video players. Portable computers are generally used for ease of portability and to enable users to access data files while away from home. In practice, however, portable computers only allow outputting of data files to a single room/zone, typically through headphones, built-in speakers and/or a built-in display.
Portable computers can also be considered lifestyle devices, which facilitate the convenient transportation of data from one source/player to another, and allow local output of music, video, and other media through associated headphones and/or built-in monitors. In general, data is uploaded to portable computer by connection to a data source, typically a desktop computer. Once the data is loaded on to the portable computer, the data is downloaded (played) through headphones. For example, the iPod™ has a built-in monitor and headphone port to allow for single zone/room audio/video distribution.
While portable computers are useful to record and play media, these computers fail to take advantage of the portability and other features of the computer as a source of high quality music and video. In addition, these single-zone audio systems are also typically characterized by computer-specific docking stations connected to a local amplification/speaker distribution system.
The evolution of home entertainment systems has seen the introduction of sophisticated digital signal processors, adapted to interface with a wide range of audio/video equipment, and controllers therefore. Such equipment includes the Sonance Model DAB 1 audio controller/amplifier, the Sonance Navigator Harbor switch and the Sonance Navigator K1 and K2 controllers, marketed by Dana Innovations. Such equipment allows for selective distribution of audio programming about a multi-zone system, with local zone controllers operative to regulate local, remote or system wide operation. The distribution of such controllers about the audio system allows for distributed control of the audio system from any zone.
A useful enhancement to contemporary audio/video systems would be an apparatus which allows the flexibility, sophistication and audio/video reproduction quality of multi-zone media systems to be merged with the convenience and portability of portable computers. In this manner, the lifestyle qualities of the portable computer can be used to enhance the enjoyment of the multi-zone media entertainment system. In addition, because many contemporary portable computers have unique shapes or electrical interfaces, there is a need in the art to interface the portable computers to the entertainment system in order to accommodate different portable computers, both mechanically and electrically.
Additionally, there is a need in the art to provide a device which can readily interface with a variety of different portable computers without the need for a computer-specific electrical interface and control system. There is also a need for infrared (IR) or radio frequency (RF) control systems that respond to signals from various receiver locations to regulate operation of the portable computer, whether disposed locally or remote from a user and without the need for development of a unique electrical interface or any modification of the device's circuitry.
Further, there is a need for an interface that is wall mountable to facilitate convenient viewing of the portable computer and facilitate access to manual controls of the portable computer.
It is further desirable that the multi-zone entertainment system allow for engagement to a plurality of portable computers, whereupon audio and/or video inputs from each of the portable computers are selectively communicated to different zones of the multi-zone entertainment system, for simultaneous distribution of different audio/video programming to different audio/video zones.
The present invention is directed to achieving these and other goals within a simple, configurable device that consumes no table space and can be architecturally compatible with flush-mounted in-wall/in-ceiling audio and video systems. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Wood frame construction has long been the norm for the erection of buildings such as dwellings. The wood frame construction utilizes dimensional lumber to provide the framework and supporting structure in erecting a building.
The wood frame construction, as its name implies, is in effect an assembly of frames. Walls, ceilings, roofs, floors are all frames of one sort or another. Most often, the frames are erected or fabricated at the dwelling site by skilled carpenters. The frames are joined together to form the framework of a building. The framework of the building is covered on the exposed exterior portion with suitable materials, such as siding on the walls, shingles on the roof and so forth. Similarly the interior of the framework is suitably covered with conventional finishing materials well known in the trade. Insulating material is mounted within the framework, such as between the studs of the walls, between the floor joists of the floor and so forth. The labor to erect a dwelling coupled with the increased cost of the building material has rapidly placed ownership of a home out of reach to many prospective homeowners.
Attempts have been made to lower the cost of housing by producing modular units at a factory and then shipping the units to an erection site. The modular units may be in the form of sections of a building or sections of a structural component such as a wall. In either case, the same wood frame construction is utilized. The savings is generally in labor, since the same materials are utilized.
There is a need for low cost material and method of erecting buildings such as dwellings. The present invention fills that need. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ink jet printing apparatus employing a plurality of cooperative print/cartridges and more particularly to control systems for coordinating the printing of such print/cartridges during transversing passes across a print medium
2. Background Art
Commonly assigned and concurrently filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 945,136, entitled "Ink Jet Printer for Cooperatively Printing with a Plurality of Insertable Print/Cartridges", by M. Piatt describes a highly useful approach for ink jet printing with a plurality of insertable print/cartridges. In general, that approach employs the physical positioning of each inserted print/cartridge so that its linear orifice array each is aligned: (i) precisely perpendicular to the direction of line traverse, (ii) at a precise predetermined distance from a reference surface parallel to the direction of line traverse and (iii) at a generally predetermined spacing from the printing zone. This aspect of the Piatt approach prevents printing artifacts caused by misalignments of the cooperative print/cartridges in the vertical page direction. To prevent artifacts due to misalignments along the horizontal page direction, the Piatt approach utilizes detections of the relative transverse locations of the linear orifice arrays of inserted print/cartridges and coordination of the print/cartridges printing actuations based on such detections. Commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 945,134, entitled "Multiple Print/Cartridge Ink Jet Printer Having Accurate Vertical Interpositioning", and concurrently filed in the names of Piatt, Houser and McWilliams, describes particularly preferred systems for attaining the above-described physical positioning of insertable print/cartridges. Commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 945,137, entitled "System for Determining Orifice Interspacings of Cooperative Ink Jet Print/Cartridges", and concurrently filed in the names of Piatt, Theodoras and Ray, describes highly useful systems for scanning inserted print/cartridges and computing and storing the relative transverse locations of the orifice arrays thereof to enable coordination of the drop placements during line printing traverses. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Various aspects described herein relate to satellite communication, and more particularly but not exclusively, to handoff for non-geosynchronous satellite communication.
Conventional satellite-based communication systems include gateways and one or more satellites to relay communication signals between the gateways and one or more user terminals. A gateway is an earth station having an antenna for transmitting signals to, and receiving signals from, communication satellites. A gateway provides communication links, using satellites, for connecting a user terminal to other user terminals or users of other communication systems, such as a public switched telephone network, the Internet and various public and/or private networks. A satellite is an orbiting receiver and repeater used to relay information.
A satellite can receive signals from and transmit signals to a user terminal provided the user terminal is within the “footprint” of the satellite. The footprint of a satellite is the geographic region on the surface of the Earth within the range of signals of the satellite. The footprint is usually geographically divided into “beams,” through the use of beamforming antennas. Each beam covers a particular geographic region within the footprint. Beams may be directed so that more than one beam from the same satellite covers the same specific geographic region.
Geosynchronous satellites have long been used for communication. A geosynchronous satellite is stationary relative to a given location on the Earth, and thus there is little timing shift and Doppler frequency shift in radio signal propagation between a communication transceiver on the Earth and the geosynchronous satellite. However, because geosynchronous satellites are limited to a geosynchronous orbit (GSO), which is a circle having a radius of approximately 42,164 km from the center of the Earth directly above the Earth's equator, the number of satellites that may be placed in the GSO is limited.
As alternatives to geosynchronous satellites, communication systems which utilize a constellation of satellites in non-geosynchronous orbits, such as low-earth orbits (LEO), have been devised to provide communication coverage to the entire Earth or at least large parts of the Earth. In non-geosynchronous satellite-based systems, such as LEO satellite-based systems, the satellites move relative to a communication device (such as a gateway or a user terminal (UT)) on the ground. Thus, a UT may be handed-off from one satellite to another. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Besides processors, memories are main parts of computing systems and electronic devices. The performance of a memory, such as capacity, access speed, power consumption, etc. has an impact on the overall performance of the system or electronic device. Developments are constantly sought to improve memory performance. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention lies in the field of telemetering electical signals from the bottom of a deep borehole to the surface. More particularly, it concerns the in situ measurement of temperature, pressure and/or other parameters, frequency modulating a high frequency carrier in accordance with the values of these parameters. This high frequency F.M. signal is generated and coupled to the bottom end of the power conductors that supply power to the drive motor. A coupling means picks off this high frequency F.M. signal at the surface and demodulates it to provide the original parameter values, which can then be displayed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art there are a number of examples of instruments for making such parameter measurements at the bottom of a deep borehole, and transmitting them by means of cable to the surface where they can be utilized. Some of the transducers or sensors are of a well known design which produce a DC voltage or current which varies with the parameter. While these are simple instruments, they do offer considerable difficulty in their transmission because of the variable conditions along the conductor to the surface including variation of resistance of those conductors and insulation leakage.
Furthermore, in the particular conditions under which this instrumentation is to operate, there will be a submerged pump and drive motor, the power for which is carried down along side of the tubing that supports the pump and motor by means of a polyphase cable. The presence of the power conductors for the motor obviate the need for a separate conductor to carry the parameter signals. However, on the basis of the ohmmeter-type sensor construction, they still require careful processing of the data in order to avoid the variations in surface amplitude of signal due to varying losses along the cable.
Coupling a small direct current signal from the sensors to the motor power conductors in the power cable has heretofore required considerable coupling apparatus which is bulky and expensive. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to oil and gas exploration, particularly to methods and systems for estimating fracture apertures in the formations and for assessing fracture aperture changes in response to well stress.
2. Background Art
Fractures in the formation may be storage sites for hydrocarbons or they may enhance permeability of formations by connecting pores that might contain hydrocarbons. Therefore, identification and characterization of fractures is an important part of formation characterization. Fractures are cracks or surface breakages within rocks. When there is relative movement (displacement) of the rocks across the fracture face, the fracture may be referred to as a fault or joint, depending on the relative movement. For convenience, “fracture” will be used in a general sense in this description to include fractures, faults, joints, or other similar geological features.
Locating the intervals where the borehole intercepts large and/or numerous fractures (e.g., fracture swarms) is important to characterize the fractured reservoir and to optimize completion and production operations.
Determining natural fracture aperture is also essential to estimate permeability in Fractured Reservoir Formation. In the case where fracture is the primary, or an important contributor, to the reservoir storage, natural fracture aperture is also essential to determine the formation porosity.
Various methods have been proposed to detect fractures and estimate their aperture from resistivity log (Sibbit and Faivre, 1985, “The Dual Laterolog Response in Fractured Rock,” Transaction of SPWLA 26-th Annual Logging Symposium, 1985, Dallas, paper T), borehole image (Luthi and Souhaite, 1990, “Fracture aperture from electrical borehole scans,” Geophysics, 1990, vol 55; Cheung and Heliot, 1990 “Workstation-based Fracture Evaluation Using Borehole Images and Wireline Logs,” SPE 20573), and sonic measurement (Hornby and Johnson, 1986, Winkler K, Plumb R., “Fracture Evaluation using reflected Stoneley Wave arrivals,” Geophysics, 1986, vol 54.).
Seismic data is commonly used for acquiring information about subsurface structures. Changes in the elastic properties of subsurface rocks appear as seismic reflections. Such changes in the properties of the rocks typically occur at boundaries between geologic formations, at fractures and at faults. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,668,619 describes the rotation of a logging tool having a single acoustic transducer that senses the reflected acoustic energy to detect fractures. U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,363 describes a method for locating a subsurface fracture based on an orbital vibrator equipped with two orthogonal motion sensors and an orientation detector.
Sonic measurements are sensitive to natural fractures (Hornby B. et al, 1986), but also to stresses and local borehole damage, making it difficult to use them systematically to quantify fracture characteristics.
In addition to seismic or sonic measurements, other measurements have also been used to locate fractures. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,144 uses the measurement of hydraulic impedance to determine fractures. U.S. Pat. No. 2,244,484 measures downhole impedance to locate fractures by determining propagation velocity. Resistivity tools are particularly useful in this regard. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,798,208, issued to Omeragic, which discloses a method for detecting a fracture in an earth formation using a propagation tool. The method includes the steps of producing electromagnetic fields using a transverse magnetic dipole (TMD) transmitter in the tool; measuring corresponding voltage signals detected with one or more TMD receivers in the tool; determining harmonics from the measured signal responses by shifting the responses (e.g. by 90 degrees) and performing an addition or subtraction using the shifted response.
Separation between shallow and deep laterolog readings has also been used as an indicator of natural fractures (Sibbit and Faivre, 1985). It is often used to help distinguish natural and induced fractures after those fractures have been picked on borehole image (Cheung and Heliot, 1990). However, this type of measurement does not provide any quantitative assessment of the fracture extent and aperture.
Borehole images allow one to identify, pick and characterize individual fractures as seen on the borehole wall. Techniques exist to quantify the aperture of each fracture based on the images (Luthi and Souhaite, 1990; Cheung and Heliot, 1990). However, those measurements have a very shallow depth of investigation, making it difficult to differentiate the natural fracture characteristics from the borehole damages.
The sensitivity of multi-component induction measurement to a fracture has been demonstrated by numerical modeling and field examples. (Wang et al. 2005) Discussion centers on the sensitivity of coplanar-coil (XX and YY) and co-axial-coil (ZZ) measurement to fractures. The numerical modeling is for one individual fracture, with application primarily to hydraulic fracture.
Because fractures often contain hydrocarbons, identification and quantification of the fractures in formations penetrated by a well can provide valuable information for optimal production of the wells. Therefore, it is desirable to have methods that can detect and quantify the presence of fractures. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a method for modulating the activity of one or more enzymes that produce precursors of lipid metabolites associated with gastric inflammation, to reduce the deleterious effects of gastric inflammation and to enhance animal and human growth or improve feeding efficiency.
Enhancing animal growth or feed efficiency, can have substantial impact on, for example, the animal meat industry by reducing the high cost of feeding food-producing animals and directly improving profitability. For example, in the poultry industry, even a slight increase in broiler growth rate coupled with reduced feed consumption brings the broiler to market maturity faster at lower cost. With approximately seven billion broilers raised annually in the United States, significant savings are realized.
Methods are known for controlling feeding behavior by modulating the activity of gut peptides that control gastrointestinal motility. These gut peptides include cholecystokinin (CCK), the avian pancreatic polypeptide (aPP), bombesin, gastrin, somatostatin, and neuropeptide Y. Duke, G. E., "Recent Studies on Regulation of Gastric Motility in Turkeys," World's Poultry Science Association Invited Lecture, pp. 1-8 (1991); Baile et al., "Hormones and feed intake," Proc. Nutr. Soc., 42:113-27 (1983). The effect upon feeding behavior of physiological regulators other than the gut peptides is largely unknown.
One set of such regulators include inflammatory metabolites such as the leukotrienes and the prostaglandins which can have beneficial, as well as damaging, effects on the host.
In animals, linoleic acid is converted to arachidonic acid. Arachidonic acid is released (as arachidonate) from the sin 2 position of membrane phospholipids by phospholipase A.sub.2 (PLA.sub.2) and is converted by lipoxygenase or cyclooxygenase into precursors for biologically active prostaglandins and leukotrienes. Perhaps as a result of artificially high dietary linoleic acid levels, animals can contain high levels of the prostaglandin and leukotriene precursors.
Prostaglandins are C.sub.20 fatty acids formed from arachidonic acid by cyclooxygenase activity. Prostaglandins cause inflammatory effects during gastrointestinal traumas, such as colitis and ulcers, and are involved in vasodilation, vasoconstriction, and stimulation of intestinal or bronchial smooth muscle. Prostaglandins are found in inflammatory exudates and can induce fever and erythema. Leukotrienes, which are formed from arachidonic acid in response to immunological or non-immunological leucocytes and macrophages stimulation, cause contraction of smooth muscle, such as intestinal smooth muscle, attract leukocytes and stimulate vascular permeability.
It may be possible to reduce inflammation by reducing gastrointestinal prostaglandin synthesis, perhaps by using selective inhibitors of cyclooxygenase-2, an enzyme expressed at inflammation sites. This would reduce or eliminate the need for standard nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which are known to have ulcerogenic side effects. However, Reuter et al. have shown that inhibition of cyclooxygenase products, such as prostaglandin, exacerbated colitis and increased inflammation-associated colonic injury. Reuter et al., "Exacerbation of Inflammation-associated Colonic Injury in Rat through Inhibition of Cyclooxygenase-2," J. Clin. Invest., 98(9):2976-85 (1996). Likewise, Uribe et al. have shown that using indomethacin to inhibit prostaglandin synthesis causes intestinal ulcers. Uribe et al., "Endogenous Prostaglandins and Microflora Modulate DNA Synthesis and Neuroendocrine Peptides in the Rat Gastrointestinal Tract," Scand. J. Gastro., 32:691-99 (1997). Other research has shown that prostaglandins are necessary for gut function repair. Blikslager et al., "Prostaglandins I.sub.2 and E.sub.2 Have a Synergistic Role in Rescuing Epithelial Barrier Function in Porcine Ileum," J. Clin. Invest., 100(8): 1928-33 (1997).
These findings suggest that downregulating prostaglandin activity would be deleterious to an animal's gastrointestinal system. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to a vegetation cutting tool and to a blade therefor.
Although a main use for the present invention and the following description is in relation to a vegetation cutting tool known as a brush cutter, it is to be understood that as used herein the expression xe2x80x9cvegetation cutting toolxe2x80x9d is not limited to a tool for use with a brush cutter per se. It is to be understood to refer in general to cutting tools which connect to a rotating shaft in a variety of cutting appliances such as, for example, brush cutters, lawn or grass mowers, garden edgers etc.
A brush cutting tool including a circular hub and a nylon cord is well known. As the hub spins on the shaft of a brush cutter, the nylon cord assumes a radial orientation due to centrifugal force and acts as the cutting member. A major drawback with nylon cord brush cutting tools is that the cord lacks robustness and must be regularly replaced. Furthermore, nylon cord brush cutters struggle to cut through tougher weeds and other vegetation.
Also known is a brush cutting tool including a circular hub and a fixed radial blade member. Whilst such arrangements can generally deal with tougher weeds and are more robust than the nylon cord cutters, they suffer a number of disadvantages including the undesirable tendency to transmit impact shock to the brush cutter in the event that the blade member strikes a rock or the like.
Also known are grass mowers having as the cutting tool a hub with blade members mounted thereto.
In one aspect this invention resides broadly in a vegetation cutting tool including:
a hub adapted to be mounted on the shaft of a vegetation cutter or the like for rotation therewith, and
a blade removably mounted to the hub, the blade being manually movable between an operative cutting position and a dismount position in which the blade can be dismounted from the hub.
In the preferred embodiment movement of the blade from the operative position to the dismount position involves pivoting of the blade relative to the hub and translation of the blade relative to the hub.
In the preferred embodiment said translation prior to said pivoting is prevented by abutment means such that said pivoting must occur first.
In the preferred embodiment the blade and the hub are mounted together via a post and slot arrangement. The hub preferably includes a post having an enlarged head and the blade includes a slot dimensioned to receive the post, the slot having an enlarged portion adapted to receive the enlarged head of the post. The slot preferably extends in a generally radial direction when the blade is in the operative position and the enlarged portion of the slot is located at the radially outer end of the slot. It is preferred that in said dismount position, the enlarged portion of the slot is aligned with the enlarged head of the post. Preferably the enlarged head is eccentric with respect to the post and the enlarged portion of the slot is offset from the centreline of the slot.
In another aspect the invention resides in a blade for a rotating vegetation cutting tool, the blade including:
first end including means for mounting the blade to the vegetation cutting tool; and
a second end having a radius of curvature less that the radius of the cut made by the blade in use.
Preferably, the radius of curvature of the second end of the blade is between 25 to 75 percent of the radius of the cut made by the blade in use. In the preferred embodiment the radius of curvature of the second end of the blade is approximately 50 percent of the radius of the cut made by the blade in use.
It is preferred that the blade includes cutting edges extending between the first and second ends, the cutting edges diverging towards the second end. The blade may also include a cutting face inclining inwardly of the cutting edges.
Preferably the cutting edges have opposed cutting faces inclining inwardly of each cutting edge. The blade may also include abutment faces extending inwardly from the circumferentially opposed end points of the second end to meet respective cutting faces, said abutment faces being substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the vegetation cutting tool.
In another aspect the invention resides in a blade for a rotating vegetation cutting tool, the blade being manually removable from the vegetation cutting tool.
In another aspect the invention resides in a blade for a rotating vegetation cutting tool, the blade including:
a first end including means for mounting the blade to the vegetation cutting tool;
a second end; and
cutting edges extending between the first and second ends, the cutting edges diverging towards the second end.
In another aspect this invention resides broadly in a blade for a rotating vegetation cutting tool, the blade including:
first end including means for mounting the blade to the vegetation cutting tool;
a second end;
cutting edges extending between the first and second ends, and
opposed cutting faces inclining inwardly of each cutting edge.
In another aspect this invention resides broadly in a blade for a rotating vegetation cutting tool, the blade including:
a first end including means for mounting the blade to the vegetation cutting tool;
a second end;
cutting edges extending between the first and second ends;
cutting faces inclining inwardly of said cutting edges, and
abutment faces extending inwardly from the circumferentially opposed end points of the second end to meet respective cutting faces, said abutment faces being substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the vegetation cutting tool.
In another aspect the invention resides in a vegetation cutting tool including a blade as defined above.
In another aspect this invention resides in a vegetation cutting tool including:
a hub adapted to be mounted on the shaft of a vegetation cutter or the like for rotation therewith;
a link member pivotably mounted with respect to the hub; and
a blade member pivotably mounted with respect to the link member;
wherein the hub includes two diametrically opposed lobes, each lobe including mounting means for pivotably mounting a link member.
Preferably, the link member is pivotably mounted with respect to the hub for relative rotation about a first axis and the blade member is pivotably mounted with respect to the link member for relative rotation about a second axis, the first and second axes being spaced and parallel. Preferably also, the hub, link member and blade member lie in a common plane, the plane being perpendicular to the first and second axes. Also the link member preferably includes a pair of spaced arms which straddle the hub and the blade member.
Preferably, the hub, link member, and blade member jointly define a leading edge adapted to cut vegetation, and wherein the leading edge is shaped such that cut vegetation may slide outwardly along the leading edge.
It is also preferred that there is a smooth transition between the portion of the leading edge defined by the hub and the portion of the leading edge defined by the link member. Also there is preferably a smooth transition between the portion of the leading edge defined by the link member and the portion of the leading edge defined by the blade member. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In thermal printheads, a plurality of heating dots are arranged linearly with a predetermined pitch. The dots are selectively actuated in accordance with printing data for performing printing. The printing may be performed by a heat transfer method using ink ribbon or by a more direct method using thermosensitive recording paper. The printing is performed for one line at a time. The printing speed is increased as the printing cycle for one line is shortened. Accordingly, the feeding speed of the recording paper is increased. Recently, an effort has been made to provide a thermal printhead having thus increased printing speed to meet the requirement of a higher-speed printer.
In general, heating dots of a thermal printhead tend to accumulate heat because of the presence of a glaze layer. When the printing speed is increased, such a heat-accumulating tendency of the heating dots will give rise to the following problem.
It is now assumed that each of the heating dots is simply heated equally in accordance with the printing data. In case where the printing is performed to make printing dots consecutive in the secondary printing direction (which is the direction in which the recording paper is fed relative to the head), a drive energy is repetitively given to the heating dot which has been already heated by the immediately preceding drive of the heating dot for the primary scanning (in the direction of the array of heating dots) before the temperature of the heating dot drops, resulting in the increased heat accumulation at the heating dot. As a result, even if a printing operation for the next line is not expected according to the printing data, in other words, even if the consecutive driving operations of the heating dot are completed, the so-called trailing phenomenon will occur in which printing is performed on the recording paper due to the accumulated heat.
Various methods of controlling driving of a thermal printhead have been proposed to avoid the above problem, even in performing high-speed printing.
Typical examples are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 61-116555 and 4-305471 for instance. According to these, the printing energy to be given to the currently selected printing dot is controlled by referring to the previous ones of the printing data for the selected heating dot and for the adjacent heating dots, or in other words by referring to the history information about whether printing was performed by these dots for the last printing line and the printing line before last, or further for more previous printing lines. With such a controlling method in general, the energy to be given to the currently selected heating dot is reduced as the number of times printing was previously performed by the selected heating dot and the adjacent heating dots, for the purpose of reducing a possibility of the above-mentioned trailing phenomenon.
However, even when the above controlling method capable of reducing the trailing phenomenon is adopted, it is still difficult to completely avoid the trailing phenomenon when printing is performed at much higher speeds. Further, the following problem will occur. Specifically, the trailing phenomenon is such an occurance that printing is erroneously performed in a non-printing region near the boundary between the printing region and the non-printing region as viewed in the secondary scanning direction. However, the following problem due to the heat accumulated in the selected heating dot will occur across the boundary from the non-printing region to the printing region.
Specifically, even if a certain printing energy is given to the selected heating dot to print the first line of a printing region that is adjacent to the last line of the previous non-printing region, the heating dot may fail to be sufficiently heated up due to the shortened printing cycle for much faster printing performance. As a result, it is possible that the printing dot supposed to be printed for the first line is not formed on the recording paper. Unless such a problem taking place at the boundary from a non-printing region to a printing region is overcome, serious inconvenience as follows will result even if the trailing phenomenon can be avoided. Specifically, in an instance where high-speed printing is performed to print a bar code in the direction perpendicular to the bars, a relatively narrow bar may not be printed at all or be reduced in width more than a predetermined value, so that the specific information the bar code is supposed to represent as a whole may be altered in its meaning.
In order to prevent such a problem taking place at the boundary from the non-printing region to the printing region, it may be possible that a relatively larger amount of energy is given to the selected heating dot for printing the first line of the printing region. However, according to such a method, it is necessary to prepare a power source capable of giving such increased printing energy to all of the arrayed heating dots. This is very disadvantageous in terms of the cost. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to optical systems for controlling with propagation of light beams. Pointing and positioning systems are enabling components for most laser applications. Conventionally, this is accomplished using mirrors, scan wheels, optical wedges, and other two-axis gimbal arrangements as exemplified, for example, in the U.S. Pat. No. 7,319,566 to Prince et al. These opto-mechanical systems are complex, bulky and heavy for large area beams. For example, the prism apex angle, hence its thickness is increased to achieve larger deflection angles. The electromechanical systems for rotation, translation or oscillation of such mirrors, prisms, and other optical components require high electrical power for their operation. They are relatively slow and have limited range of angles that could be covered within given time period.
Thus, there is a need for thin, light-weight, fast, and inexpensive pointing, positioning, and switching systems for light beams, particularly, for laser beams. The state-of-the-art developments include all-electronics systems and rotating diffraction gratings. The all-electronics systems with no moving parts, as reviewed in P. F. McManamon, P. J. Bos, M. J. Escuti, J. Heikenfeld, S. Serati, H. Xie, E. A. Watson, A Review of Phased Array Steering for Narrow-Band Electrooptical Systems, Proceedings of the IEEE, Vol. 97, pages 1078-1096 (2009), require a large number of high efficiency diffraction gratings and spatial light modulators and/or electrically controlled waveplates. As a result, the overall transmission of these systems is reduced along with their radiation damage threshold, and their speed is limited by the speed of liquid crystal spatial light modulators and variable retarders.
Rotating diffraction gratings as described in J. C. Wyant, “Rotating diffraction grating laser beam scanner,” Applied Optics, 14, pages 1057-1058 (1975), and in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,486 to Bramley, partially solves the problem of obtaining larger diffraction angle in thinner optical system, compared, for example to the system of Risley prisms. The light beam diffracted by the first grating in the path of the beam is further diffracted by the second grating. Depending on orientation of those gratings with respect to each other, the deflection angle of the beam can thus be varied between nearly 0 to double of the diffraction angle exhibited by a single grating. The problem with such systems is that phase gratings typically diffract light into multiple orders that need to be blocked along with the 0th order beam. High efficiency Bragg type gratings have narrow spectral and angular range as described in the U.S. Pat. No. 7,324,286 to Glebov et al., and can be used practically for laser beams only, expanded and collimated to minimize divergence. Blazed gratings such as proposed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,792,028 to Cook et al., still exhibit a multitude of diffraction orders due to their discontinuous structure and do not improve considerably on the width of angular selectivity and diffraction efficiency.
The cycloidal diffractive waveplates (CDWs), essentially, anisotropic plates meeting half-wave condition but with optical axis orientation rotating in the plane of the waveplate in a cycloidal manner, as described in the review S. R. Nersisyan, N. V. Tabiryan, D. M. Steeves, B. R. Kimball, “Optical Axis Gratings in Liquid Crystals and their use for Polarization insensitive optical switching,” J. Nonlinear Opt. Phys. & Mat., 18, 1-47 (2009), do not have the disadvantages of conventional phase gratings. Moreover, DWs, referred to also as optical axis gratings and polarization gratings, can provide nearly 100% diffraction efficiency in micrometer thin layers. Furthermore, due to their waveplate nature, their diffraction spectrum is broadband, and can even be made practically achromatic. Due to their thinness and high transparency, they can be used in high power laser systems.
Thus, replacing Risley prisms, wedges, mirrors and/or phase gratings with DWs, provides many advantages for manipulating with light beams and imaging. As shown in S. R. Nersisyan, N. V. Tabiryan, L. Hoke, D. M. Steeves, B. Kimball, Polarization insensitive imaging through polarization gratings, Optics Express, 17, 1817-1830 (2009), not only laser beams, but complex images can be steered over large angles without light attenuation or image deformation. The paper further showed that utilizing a pair of closely spaced CDWs, one of them with switchable diffraction, it is possible to manipulate with transmission of unpolarized beams and images through apertures. This concept suggested and demonstrated in S. R. Nersisyan, N. V. Tabiryan, L. Hoke, D. M. Steeves, B. Kimball, “Polarization insensitive imaging through polarization gratings,” Optics Express, 17, 1817-1830 (2009) was subsequently cited and tested in C. Oh, J. Kim, J. F. Muth, M. Escuti, “A new beam steering concept: Riesley gratings,” Proc. SPIE, vol. 7466, pp. 74660J1-J8 (2009). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Field
The present invention relates generally to detonating cord, and more particularly to explosive assemblies formed from detonating cord, and further, to explosive assemblies forming a grid from detonating cord.
Description of the Problem and Related Art
The general concept of using detonating cord to make an explosive matrix as an explosive counter charge is well known, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,455,354; 3,242,862; 4,768,417; 5,437,230; and 6,182,553; and by the U.S. Navy's Distributed Explosives Technology, described in “Distributed Explosive Technology (DET) Mine Clearance System (MCS) Ex 10 Mod 0 Program Life Cycle Cost Estimate for Milestone III” (Jun. 4, 1999). These prior designs were created for large military applications. Such applications require significant manpower and financial resources. These prior art explosive matrices must be manufactured well in advance of their usage. Field assembly is not practical because they are a complex of multiple lengths of detonating cords joined together. Moreover, due to cost, complexity and time of manufacturing, these prior art explosives matrices have been infeasible for commercial use as a blasting charge. In addition, these prior art explosive matrices are heavy and cumbersome to transport. They use rope or cord to hold the detonating cord together, creating undesirable bulk and weight.
Another shortcoming of these matrices results from the fact that detonating cord detonates linearly from the point of initiation, proceeding therefrom along the cord. Consequently, detonating cord can fail to propagate the detonation wave where the cord makes sharp turns, especially when large grain detonating cord is used. In some prior art designs, in order to assure sufficient transfer of the detonating wave between intersecting cords, clamps were used at all points of intersection of detonating cord. This adds further complexity and bulk to these prior art designs.
On the other hand, use of low grain non-propagating detonating cord is not always possible in prior art explosive matrices. Some prior art devices initiate at one point, in one direction, and use multiple lengths of detonating cord coupled together, which compromises reliability. To increase reliability, other explosive matrices incorporate multiple initiation points and multiple lengths of detonating cord, again making the design more complex and the assembly more complicated and expensive.
A later example that addressed many of these shortcomings is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 7,913,624 to the inventor hereof, wherein the explosive matrix assembly permits the construction of explosives counter charges which are more efficient, safer and less costly than the above mentioned prior art explosive matrices. It is typically assembled from a single length of detonating cord formed into a grid-like matrix pattern, and a small number of cable ties and or tape are required to force the detonating cord into 90 degree angles and to hold the assembly together. However, the detonating cord must be forced into position, which may be made easier with a field assembly tool, but the design of the field assembly tool sometimes creates less than perfect right angles throughout the matrix assembly. Furthermore, due to the geometric design of the grid, the matrix will always have intersections that consist of four over-laid sections of detonating cord, while two of the outer sides will always have three over-laid sections of detonating cord. This makes the charge non-uniform. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of electronic circuits, and more particularly, to phase-locked loop circuits, which may be used in a variety of computer system applications and electronic circuit applications.
2. Art Background
A typical prior art phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit is comprised of a phase and frequency detector, a low-pass filter, and a voltage controlled oscillator. The phase and frequency detector (PFD) compares two input signals, a reference signal and a feedback signal, and generates a phase error signal that is a measure of their phase difference. The phase error signal from the PFD is filtered by the low-pass filter and fed into the control input of the voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). The VCO generates a periodic signal with a frequency controlled by the filtered phase error signal. The VCO output is coupled to the feedback input of the PFD, thereby forming a feedback loop. The feedback loop may contain other components such as clock buffers or clock distribution networks. If the frequency of the feedback signal is not equal to the frequency of the reference signal, the filtered phase error signal causes the VCO frequency to deviate toward the frequency of the reference, until the VCO finally "locks" onto the frequency of the reference signal.
Applications for PLL circuits are many and varied. They include clock circuits for high speed computer systems, tone decoding, demodulation of AM and FM signals, frequency multiplication, frequency synthesis, and pulse synchronization of signals from noisy sources.
However, prior art PLL circuits are unreliable under conditions that cause the VCO control to be abnormally high. System power-up or reset can cause the VCO control to go higher than normal. This condition may also occur when the system returns from test mode. A higher than normal VCO control results in higher than normal VCO frequency, which can cause reduced loop gain because components in the loop may not be able to distribute a high frequency signal. The distribution network can severely attenuate the signal to the point where the feedback signal is not detected the PFD. As a consequence, the VCO may run faster as the normal response to a high control, or the VCO may stall. In either case, the PFD detects the large difference in frequency between the reference and feedback signals and increases the VCO control, which causes an increase in the VCO frequency and thereby worsens the problem.
Moreover, the standard digital PFD used in some prior art PLL circuits is vulnerable to an internal race condition during PFD reset. The standard edge triggered lead-lag digital PFD is composed of logic gates that are interconnected to form a set of four latches, two latches in the lead portion of the PFD and two latches in the lag portion. A PFD reset gate resets all four latches after the PFD has sampled the reference and feedback signals. The standard prior art PFD reset gate is a four input NOR logic gate. Two inputs to the PFD reset gate indicate that the latches in the lead portion of the PFD have reset, while the remaining two inputs indicate that the latches in the lag portion have reset. The PFD reset signal is asserted when all four inputs to the PFD reset gate are low. However, if any one of the four inputs goes high the PFD reset de-asserts. It can be appreciated that if one portion of the PFD is faster than the other, the PFD reset will de-assert before both portions have reset. This can cause the PFD to miss the next cycle of the reference or feedback signals and fail to detect their phase difference.
A common method of guarding against this race condition is to add extra gates to the output of the PFD reset gate in order to widen the pulse width of the reset signal, in the hope that both portions of the PFD will reset during the extra reset time. However, a wider reset pulse does not guarantee that both portions of the PFD will reset during the expanded reset time; it just makes it more likely. Also, increasing the reset pulse reduces the capture range of the PFD since the reference and feedback signals cannot be sampled during reset.
As will be described, the present invention overcomes problems associated with prior art PLL circuits by providing a hyperactivity detection and correction circuit that corrects an abnormally high VCO control, and a PFD reset gate that is not vulnerable to the internal race condition described above. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
It is known to have food products such as rations for back-packer, adventurers and military forces, which comprise sealed packages of pre-cooked food. Conveniently, the food is hermetically sealed, within a vacuum; the food can be heated, on demand, since the food will not need to be cooked, as such. Such food products and apparatus are collectively referred to as Meals-Ready-to-Eat (“MRE”). In addition to the above uses, the products can be used as emergency rations for shelters and for heating of non-food products. Whilst meals, ready-to-eat are used extensively in the military as a method of providing meals to soldiers while in the field, they are also finding their way into use by others, such as campers, boaters, and disaster response teams.
Typically meals ready to eat food sachets are provided on a personal basis, since heat transfer issues may arise in larger packages. Food is heated to a sufficient temperature—around 70° C. or more—to make it a more pleasurable experience, compared with eating such food cold, which can incidentally, be done. Furthermore, there is a danger of burning when the outer wall of the exothermic material storage portion is not sufficiently thermally insulated. Accordingly such foods are typically prepared by heating with flameless heaters, using exothermic chemical reactions.
In one known type of flameless ration heater, an exothermic reaction is provided by calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate, calcium oxide and aluminium powder mixture can be employed. In another type of flameless ration heater, readily oxidized metals such as magnesium which is activated by adding water and is contained within a pouch. The iron plays a catalytic role in the heater mix; salt can be added to facilitate the reaction. To activate the reaction, in either case, an amount of water is added.
To heat an MRE meal, an emergency services personnel/explorer/soldier simply inserts the heater and the MRE pouch back in to a bag provided with the heater, adds a required amount of water into the bag in and, a short time later, dinner can be served—typically from the same container in which the product was heated!
As can be seen, both types of known heater generate hydrogen as a by-product, which is undesirable in view of the tendency of hydrogen to cause explosions and burn as a visible flame. Recently, there have been made attempts to reduce or ameliorate the production of hydrogen.
WO2009003481 (Moeller) teaches of a catalytic heating system comprising a main catalyst for flameless catalytic burning of fuel gas and a triggering system for initiating the catalytic burning, the triggering system comprising an electrical power source, but this is not suitable for MRE applications, with temperatures in excess of 300° C. being achieved. Moreover, it would appear problems associated with hydrogen are replaced by problems associated with fuel gas.
Generally, the compositions for heaters as presently known comprise mixtures of powdered substances that are activated by the addition of water whereby to produce heat. These known devices all involve the principle of hydrolytic oxidation of a reactive metal to provide heat; the reactive metal is commonly aluminium with alkaline media, or magnesium, used with a copper alloy and electrolytic solutions. In each of these types of heating units, there is an incidental production of a molar equivalent of hydrogen from the metal. In view of the risk of the hydrogen burning explosively, this by-product is unwanted. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
An apparatus for calibrating or sizing a tubular foil balloon in the blowing of a thermoplastic foil can comprise a pair of iris-type aperture calibrating devices or a segment-type calibrating device.
The iris aperture calibrating devices are spaced from each other and each have a plurality of iris aperture leaves which are movable and adjustable by a positioning ring which is mounted in an iris aperture housing.
The segment calibrating device has a plurality of curved segments which make up a polygonal structure, which are connected to a plurality of supporting or carrying members and which are adjustable with the aid of an adjusting lever system.
The iris aperture leaves are generally sickle or crescent shaped. The iris aperture calibrating devices are commercial calibrating devices which operate according to the iris aperture principle (see for example Meyers Encyclopedia Dictionary, Volume 4, Page 334 (1972)--Meyers enzyklopadisches Lexikon 1972, Band 4, Seite 334).
The edges of the iris-type aperture leaves, which are usually sickle shaped, together make up a curve which approximates a circle. The approximation is all the more exact the greater the number of iris-type aperture leaves and also depends on the aperture opening. The aperture opening of the iris-type aperture calibrating devices can be adjusted by hand or by an adjusting motor.
These known calibrating apparatuses are provided independently of one another. They have different design purposes, and, depending on need, one can use either the iris-type aperture calibrating device or the segment-type calibrating device.
Thus, according to the plastic material of the foil it has been necessary heretofore to provide either an iris-type aperture calibrating device or a segment-type calibrating device.
In a conventional manufacturing unit for tubular balloons the segment-type calibrating device is customarily located beneath the iris-type aperture calibrating devices. It operates with an adjusting lever system in which the components are constructed for their part like scissors levers. This adjusting level system is connected to a single drive (German Patent Document No. DE-OS 31 17 806). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Paclitaxel (taxol) is a well known chemotherapeutic agent having efficacy against a broad range of cancers. It has been shown to be clinically effective against ovarian and breast cancer, and has exhibited promising activity against a number of other types of cancers such as liver, peritoneal, cervical, prostate, colon and esophageal.
Conventionally, taxol is obtained by extraction from the bark of the Pacific Taxus brevifolia. However, the isolation of taxol from the tree bark is a difficult, low-yield and expensive process. Further, the scarcity of the yew has prompted, scientists to explore alternate routes.
Although paclitaxel is a promising drug for the treatment of ovarian and breast cancers, the low water solubility of paclitaxel can be problematic. In a quest for new derivatives with potentially enhanced solubility, one of the sites on the molecule where attention has been directed is the ketone function at the C-9 position, or conversion at the C-10 acetate group on the taxane nucleus to a hydroxyl group.
Previous attempts to improve water solubility have also relied on the preparation of water soluble pro-drugs, which are converted to paclitaxel under physiological conditions, or novel drug formulations.
An alternative method of increasing water solubility of palitaxel would be to replace one of the hydroxyl groups with an amino group; salts of the resulting amine would have improved water solubility.
In the search for alternative solutions, the discovery of new taxol derivatives having broader spectrum, enhanced in vivo activity and improved water solubility and stability have been reported. Among the compounds reported, those belonging to the 9-dihydrotaxane family show great promise. Thus far, only limited members of that family, including 9-dihydrotaxol and 9-dihydrotaxotere, have been successfully synthesized. The ability to synthesize a greater number of 9-dihydrotaxane compounds having superior pharmacologic properties would be a valuable asset. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pump for providing spring water by hand-worked pumping action, and more particularly to, a hand-worked spring water pump which provide a smooth pumping action, prolonged useful life, and reliability of the product.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, spring water which is used as drinking water is clearer than tap water and is good for the health. Spring water which is natural water is filled in a water container and provided to general houses.
Spring water put in the water container can be poured into a small vessel such as a cup by using an electric-powered or hand-worked pump so as for an user to easily drink.
The electric pump has a structure that a motor is rotated by electric power from a battery disposed in a housing and an impeller drivingly mounted on a lower end portion of the motor is rotated so that spring water is pumped up from the water container.
The hand-worked pump has a structure that a pumping member of bellows type is repeatedly compressed and expanded by the user's repeatedly pressing action, so that spring water is pumped up by sucking force and discharged from the water container. The hand-worked pump is widely used, because it does not need to change its consumptive articles such as the battery.
The hand-worked pump comprises: a housing sealably connected to a water container and having a sealing member for sealing the connected portion between the water container and the housing; a push cap exposed over the housing and pressed by the user's pressing action; a pressure member of bellows type located inside the housing and being compressed by the user's push cap pressing action and expanded by its elasticity; a connecting pipe having an upper end mounted at the pressure member and a lower end positioned in spring water in the water container, the connecting pipe drawing up spring water by sucking force generated due to difference in the inside air pressure of the water container; a discharging pipe for discharging spring water from the water container through the connecting pipe.
When the pressure member of bellows type exposed over the housing is pressed by the user's push cap pressing action, inside pressure of the water container which keeps equilibrium state with atmospheric pressure by a valve (shown in FIG. 1) is higher than atmospheric pressure because applied air pressure of the pressure member. Therefore, spring water in the water container is discharged through the connecting pipe and the discharging pipe to the outside of low pressure, so that the user can drink spring water from the water container through the discharging pipe.
When the user releases the user's hand from the push cap, the pressure member of bellows type is expanded in virtue of its restitutive force or elasticity of a spring. Air sucking force occurs inside the pressure member due to expansion of the pressure member, and the inside air pressure of the water container becomes low. Therefore, the inside air pressure of the water container is equal to the atmospheric pressure, so that spring water in the water container cannot be discharged any more.
The previously described pumping action is performed by sliding of the push cap exposed over the housing. However, the conventional hand-worked spring water pump does not have guiding means for smoothly sliding the push cap along the inner wall of the housing.
Therefore, the hand-worked pump has a disadvantage that a push cap does not slide in a straight line, but is inclined to one direction in the housing during pumping action.
The hand-worked pump has another disadvantage that the push cap is rotated or twisted, so that the pump cannot provide smooth pumping action.
The hand-worked pump has a further disadvantage that, because the push cap is inclined or twisted during pushing, pressure is dispersed, and the pump requires more pressure to discharge spring water outside, so that the user feels fatigue.
The hand-worked pump has a still further disadvantage that the push cap is contacted with other components of the pump due to forced sliding and inclination of the push cap, so that the contacted portion of the components made of synthetic resin material are crushed.
The hand-worked pump has a still further disadvantage that the crushed fragments are caught between the inner wall of the housing and the push cap to restrain sliding action of the push cap or entered into the water container to pollute spring water in the water container. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to new crystals of nateglinide (the chemical name: N-(trans-4-isopropylcyclohexylcarbonyl)-D-phenylalanine) and methods for producing nateglinide B-type crystals from them. More specifically, the present invention relates to nateglinide A-type crystals, M-type crystals and P-type crystals, methods for producing them and methods for producing nateglinide B-type crystals from those crystals.
Nateglinide represented by general formula 1 given below is used as a therapeutic agent for diabetes in Japan and also in Western countries because it effectively lowers blood glucose. This compound is described in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 4-15221. According to this publication and Japanese Patent No. 2,508,949, it is known that this compound has B-type and H-type crystals. It was confirmed that B-type crystals are obtained by, for example, crystallizing them from methanol/water and then drying them under heating and that the melting point of the crystals is 129-130° C. On the other hand, nateglinide H-type crystals are described in Japanese Patent No. 2,508,949 and the melting point thereof is confirmed to be 136 to 142° C.
| {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Integrated circuits are made possible by processes which produce intricately patterned material layers on substrate surfaces. Producing patterned material on a substrate requires controlled methods for removal of exposed material. Chemical etching is used for a variety of purposes including transferring a pattern in photoresist into underlying layers, thinning layers, or thinning lateral dimensions of features already present on the surface. Often it is desirable to have an etch process that etches one material faster than another facilitating, for example, a pattern transfer process. Such an etch process is said to be selective to the first material. As a result of the diversity of materials, circuits, and processes, etch processes have been developed with a selectivity towards a variety of materials.
Etch processes may be termed wet or dry based on the materials used in the process. A wet HF etch preferentially removes silicon oxide over other dielectrics and materials. However, wet processes may have difficulty penetrating some constrained trenches and also may sometimes deform the remaining material. Dry etches produced in local plasmas formed within the substrate processing region can penetrate more constrained trenches and exhibit less deformation of delicate remaining structures. However, local plasmas may damage the substrate through the production of electric arcs as they discharge or if a high enough selectivity is not achievable.
Thus, there is a need for improved systems and methods that can be used to produce high quality devices and structures. These and other needs are addressed by the present technology. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of Application
The present invention relates to a fault detection apparatus for detecting failure of an A/D (analog-to-digital) converter, and in particular to a fault detection apparatus for an A/D converter which operates from an externally supplied clock signal, whereby the fault detection apparatus can detect failure caused by loss of that clock signal.
2. Description of Related Art
A type of A/D converter is known, for example as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-304365 (referred to in the following as reference document 1), having three or more channels with respective input terminals, for inputting respective analog voltage signals, with the analog voltage signals being converted to digital values. With the apparatus of reference document 1, failure of the A/D converter is detected as follows. At least two analog voltages are predetermined, and the respectively corresponding digital values that result from A/D conversion of these analog voltages (i.e., when the A/D converter is operating normally) are also predetermined. A/D conversion is applied to the two analog voltages and the relationship between the digital values resulting from that conversion is compared with a predetermined relationship. If the detected relationship does not correspond to the predetermined relationship, then it can be determined that there is failure of the A/D converter.
In the case of an A/D converter which performs conversion in synchronism with an externally supplied clock signal (referred to in the following simply as an external clock signal), if the signal lead through which the external clock signal is supplied should become open-circuited, the A/D conversion will cease to be synchronized with the external clock signal. Hence, digital data will be outputted which have been derived through A/D conversions performed at random timings. Thus is necessary to be able to detect such an occurrence, as a failure of the A/D converter. However the apparatus of reference document 1 does not detect an A/D converter failure that results from an open-circuit of the connecting lead that supplies the external clock signal. Furthermore, the failure detection method that is used with reference document 1 is applicable only to an A/D converter having three or more signal input channels, and in particular, cannot be used in the case of an A/D converter having a single input channel. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photosensitive resin composition, a light-shielding color filter and a production process therefor, and an image sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A color filter used in a liquid crystal display device comprises a light-shielding film called a black matrix for the purpose of improving contrast by shielding light between color pixels, etc. Furthermore, in an image sensor which is also called a solid-state image sensor, a light-shielding film is provided for the purpose of preventing the occurrence of dark current (noise) due to stray light and improving image quality.
As a composition for forming a black matrix for a liquid crystal display device or a light-shielding film for an image sensor, a photosensitive resin composition comprising a black color material such as carbon black or titanium black is known (ref. e.g. JP-A-10-246955, JP-A-9-54431, JP-A-10-46042, JP-A-2006-36750, and JP-A-2007-115921) (JP-A denotes a Japanese unexamined patent application publication). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
There are numerous golf practice putting systems or devices which allow a golfer to practice his or her putting at home or away the golf course. Many of these devices include a “cup” with a short ramp to the cup that can be placed on a carpet or rug to allow the golfer to practice putting on the carpet. While these practice devices have some value, they do not allow the golfer to practice while putting on sloped or contoured surfaces, thus practice putts with such prior art devices are essentially flat.
Various golf practice systems have been devised, however, in which tilting or adjustment of the slope of the surface on which the golfer is practicing is possible. Thus, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,518,245; 5,333,876; 5,046,741; and 2,937,875 all disclose tiltable practice surfaces on which a golfer can practice hitting up-hill or down-hill lies with various non-putter clubs. These systems tend to be based upon the use of a tiltable platform or table, but they are not intended for putting practice.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,146,284; 5,431,403; 4,709,538; 3,366,388; and 2,334,540 disclose devices which are designed to enable putting practice and they disclose structures which enable adjustment of the slope or contour of the putting green. These systems range in sophistication and complexity from a relatively simple tiltable surface of U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,403 to complex contour adjustable systems as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,538. Most of these systems, however, have tended to be unduly complex and costly, and therefore, they often are not well suited for home use.
An example of a commercially available practice putting green is the system sold under the trademark PUTTGOLF. The PUTTGOLF system is capable of adjustment of both the slope and contour of the putting surface. It employs a plurality of support rods and adjustable feet and can be assembled at home and adjusted periodically by the user. While capable of a wide range of adjustments, the PUTTGOLF system is time-consuming to assemble and tedious to adjust.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable contour and slope putting device which can be easily assembled and in which at least one of the contour and the slope of the putting surface can be rapidly adjusted.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable practice putting green assembly which is durable, capable of length adjustments as well as slope and contour adjustments, is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and can be easily transported from place to place and reassembled and used.
The adjustable practice putting green assembly and method of the present invention have other objects and features of advantage which will become apparent from, and are set forth in more detail in, the following description of the Best Mode of Carrying Out the Invention and the accompanying drawing. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
A conventional connection structure for connecting a circuit board or some other type of plate to a chassis or a motherboard includes a fixing element, such as a screw or a rivet, for connecting to between the circuit board/plate and the chassis/motherboard, so that the circuit board/plate is fixedly mounted on the chassis/motherboard. That is, the circuit board/plate is not freely movable once it is connected to the chassis/motherboard. Presently, however, in many cases of installing or mounting the circuit board/plate, the circuit board/plate must be slidable to a predetermined position and then be fastened to the chassis/motherboard. Therefore, the conventional connection structure can no longer meet the current connection requirement, and it is necessary to develop newer connection structures that must not be too complicate in design in order to be cost effective. Moreover, in many cases, the circuit board/plate must be installed in a vibration-proof manner. Therefore, the new connection structure should not only satisfy the above-described slidable, locating and fastening function, but also be vibration-proof or shock-absorbing. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to develop a connection structure with fastening and shock-absorbing functions for connecting to between two plate members, such that one of the plate members can be slid relative to the other one to a predetermined position for connecting to the other plate in a vibration-proof manner. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In order to prevent, when a plug connector and a receptacle connector of a wire-to-wire connector are fitted, for example, the plug connector and the receptacle connector from disengaging unintentionally, a lock structure has been used to restrict the plug connector and the receptacle connector from moving in insertion and extraction directions for secure fitting in the related art. Such a lock structure is known that includes a locking projection formed on a connector housing, and a lock arm formed on another connector housing to engage with the locking projection.
In Patent Document 1, described below, an engaging claw 4 is formed as a locking projection on a connector housing. When the engaging claw 4 engages with a locking piece 7 formed as a lock arm on another housing, a receptacle connector and a plug connector fit and lock to each other. In here, a coupling piece part 11 formed on the locking piece 7 directly engages with the engaging claw 4. The coupling piece part 11 is supported by a support leg 8 and a pair of lock arm parts 10 each extending in the insertion and extraction directions of the connector so as to be swingable relative to the housing of a plug 3. A finger hooking part 17 to be pressed so that the locking piece 7 swings is connected to the coupling piece part 11 with a triangular blade part 14 via a release lever part 16 extending outside the two lock arm parts 10.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Publication No. H2-54180 | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to spark plug cable insulators, particularly a spark plug boot having a rigid shell for adding structural strength to an elastomer boot used to protect the connection between a spark plug cable terminal and a spark plug.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional spark plug cables are very flexible in order to permit a mechanic to run spark plug cables from a spark plug to a distributor in a convenient manner. This flexibility, however, results in occasional difficulty for the mechanic who is attempting to seat the spark plug cable terminal onto the spark plug. Particularly, this problem arises when the spark plug is in a somewhat inaccessible area in the engine compartment, or when the spark plug is located within a well of the engine block. The common practice in the art of using an elastomer boot attached to the end of the spark plug cable for covering the spark plug cable terminal and a received spark plug only exasperates the aforementioned problem of installation difficulty. This is because the boot is also flexible and the tight fit between the boot and the spark plug frequently results in a false sensation that a properly seated connection with the spark plug has been achieved, when in fact this is not the case.
An additional problem arises with conventional spark plug cable systems, in that removal of the spark plug cable from the spark plug is frequently difficult. This is because the elastomer boot tends to seal onto the spark plug, creating both suction and adhesion. In situations of limited accessibility, the mechanic frequently chooses to pull on the spark plug cable a considerable distance away from the spark plug terminal, causing fatigue to the electrical connections within the spark plug cable.
There have been a number of attempts in the prior art to devise a successful spark plug cable connection system.
One class of spark plug cable connection systems involves spark plug cable terminal protectors where the terminal is bent at an angle of 90.degree. relative to the spark plug.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,245,931 to Lanman, is directed to the problem of a spark plug being subject to injury from falling objects and water short circuiting. Lanman solves this problem by providing an L-shaped metal sheath which clamps to both the spark plug cable and the spark plug.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,376,844 to Weber, is directed to the problem of making good electrical contact between the spark plug and the spark plug cable. Weber solves this problem by providing an L-shaped insulator having at one end the spark plug cable and at the other end an aperture into which the spark plug inserts, thereby making contact with the spark plug cable terminal.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,301,570 to Nowosielski, is directed to the problem of difficulty of making good mechanical and electrical connection of spark plug cables to spark plugs, as is required in aircraft engines. Nowosielski solves this problem by providing an electromagnetic shield, a cover, a wire piercing element, an insulator, and bushing for the spark plug cable to pass through. The bushing coupled with the cover is designed to be permanently attached to the spark plug, and is not independent of the spark plug cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,323,399 to Jacobi, is directed to the problem of electromagnetic wave propagation from spark plug terminals. Jacobi solves this problem by using a shield composed of two layers; an inner rubber shield and an outer conductive rubber shield.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,382,805 to Mosthaf, is directed to the problems encountered in aircraft engine operating environments. Mosthaf solves these problems by providing a sheathing of kiln fired ceramic over the spark plug cable and the spark plug upper end.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,686,511 to Platner, is directed to the problem of spark plug terminal shields being blown off during engine operation. Platner solves this problem by providing a cover over the spark plug. A steel shield within the cover has axially positioned therein the spark plug cable which is covered by a ceramic.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,047 to Hofmann, is directed to the problem of the spark plug terminal becoming deformed during removal from the spark plug. Hofmann solves this problem by providing a two-piece L-shaped boot covering. The boot covering conforms to the already present shape of the boot and the direction of the spark plug cable and supplies a handhold to aid removal from the spark plug.
A second class of spark plug cable connection systems involves protectors for spark plug cable terminals which are straight (that is, 180.degree.) in relation to the spark plug.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,685,872 to Berstler, is directed to the problem of electrical leakage from spark plugs. Berstler teaches that this can be solved by using a two part insulator surrounding the spark plug components. Specifically, his teachings are directed to an improved type of spark plug, wherein a base insulator is made of a machinable material and an upper insulator is made of a cheaper type of insulator material.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,076,113 to Candelise, is directed to the problem of loss of dielectric effectiveness of the spark plug cable boots over time. Candelise solves this problem by providing, interior to the spark plug itself, the spark plug cable terminal. A protective rubber boot is also provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,128,139 to Estes, is directed to the problem of electromagnetic waves emanating from the spark plug. Estes teaches that this problem may be solved by providing a metallic shield over the spark plug cable terminal attachment area.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,803,529 to Rohrig et al, is directed to the problems associated with spark plug terminals in which moisture and conductor kinking can occur. Rohrig et al solve these problems by providing two insulating layers. One is a body and the other is a casing, where both are made of a thermal setting material. An elastomeric material fills in any gaps therebetween. An end portion is made a metal shield.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,914,003 to Loy, is directed to the problem of the interior of the spark plug terminals becoming brittle and deteriorating over time. Loy solves this problem by providing an exterior thermal setting plastic and an interior elastomeric plastic. Loy surrounds the upper extremity of the spark plug with the thermal setting plastic, using the elastomeric plastic to protect only the spark plug cable conductors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,881 to Johansson et al, is directed to the problem of prior art elastomer boots being of a size which causes a tight fit with the spark plug, resulting in difficulty during removal therefrom. Johansson et al solve this problem by providing a stiff material which surrounds an elastomeric material. The elastomeric material extends between the upper end of the spark plug to the beginning of the spark plug cable, but is not co-extensive with the spark plug cable. The outer material combines with the inner material only for sealing purposes.
Devices have been developed to protect electrical connections by means of a shield against both operational and environmental problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,459 to Normann, is directed to the problem of female sockets suffering from dielectric breakdown and mechanical fatigue from insertion of oversized male connectors. Normann solves this problem by providing a bridged insulator which surrounds the female electrical connector. A suggested material is Teflon.RTM.. This invention, though not specifically directed to spark plug wires, is of interest for showing a rigid dielectric covering over the electrical contact.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,392 to Moore, is directed to the problem of protecting an electrical connection from well fluids. Moore solves this problem by providing an elastomer cover which snaps together. The covering has an outer protective skin.
None of the above cited references teach a solution to the spark plug accessibility problems enumerated above. Accordingly, there remains in the art the need to provide a rigid shell for adding structural strength to elastomer boots so as to permit easy accessibility to remotely located spark plugs. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention is directed toward apparatus for edging reinforced elastomeric stock, hereinafter referred to as a gum edger. With the exception of modern, cast elastomer technology, which does not require reinforcement, it has been well recognized that conventionally employed elastomeric stocks, e.g., rubber, do not possess the inherent strength either to maintain their integrity during the processing steps necessary to obtain the desired article or ultimately to function as an acceptable product when subjected to normal use. Thus, the elastomers have been reinforced in sheet form, generally referred to as reinforced elastomeric fabric, by the inclusion of embedded fibers, mono or polyfilament, which are considerably less extensible than the elastomer. These filaments, or reinforcing cords, include materials such as cotton, synthetics such as rayon, nylon, aramid, polyamides and polyesters, fiberglass and metallic wire, particularly steel, either single strand or cabled.
Calendering has been the historic way in which to make reinforced elastomeric fabric, especially for tire plies. When the elastomer is calendered the reinforcing cords are oriented parallel to the length of the sheet emanating from the calender. As such, in order for the reinforcing cords to be angularly or perpendicularly inclined with respect to a circumferential reference plane when the reinforced elastomeric fabric is incorporated in a tire, it is necessary to cut it either on the bias, or perpendicular to the longitudinal strands of reinforcement.
A more recently developed apparatus for making reinforced elastomeric fabric involves the manufacture of a relatively narrow reinforced ribbon which is cut into strips of predetermined length which strips are subsequently joined and may be stitched together to form the fabric in desired widths wherein the strands of reinforcement are oriented angularly or perpendicularly to the length of the fabric. Suitable apparatus for making fabric in this manner is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,803,965 and U.S. Ser. No. 676,903, owned by our comon assignee, The Steelastic Company.
Irrespective of the apparatus and method employed, i.e., calendering or assembly of strips of reinforced ribbon, when the reinforcing filaments are metallic, it has been recognized that the exposed ends of reinforcement along the cut edges of the reinforced elastomeric fabric cause an adverse effect upon the products, most particularly radial or bias tires, within which they are incorporated. Metallic reinforcing generally employed is steel wire either monofilament or cabled and tire manufacturers have long striven to obtain good adhesion between the elastomer and embedded metallic reinforcement by incorporating certain rubber soluble cobalt containing salts within the elastomer. Although the wire is plated or coated with brass to resist rusting or an adhesive for enhancement of adhesion, where the wire has been severed, an exposed surface is presented which immediately begins to oxidize upon contact with the atmosphere. While adhesion between chemically clean steel and some elastomers may be acceptable, such oxidation is to be avoided inasmuch as the elastomeric material in which the wire is embedded does not adhere to the wire as it becomes oxidized.
In the manufacture of steel belted bias and radial tires, one or more circumferentially oriented belts are located beneath the tread stock to maintain the integrity and shape of the tire during inflation and subsequent load. The steel reinforcement in these belts is commonly disposed at an angle from the length of the belt, and subsequently with respect to a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis of the tire, and thus, when the belt is constructed, all of the severed ends of steel reinforcement are exposed along both sides of the belt. In addition to making such belts difficult to handle by the worker, oxidation of these exposed ends before the belt can be incorporated in a tire, gives rise to subsequent belt edge separation in the tire.
Belt edge separation is a condition which presently accounts for not only a majority of failure of radial passenger, truck and off-the-road tires but also, for the decrease in tires acceptable for retreading. During use of the tire for distances often exceeding 50,000 to 100,000 miles (80,500 to 161,000 km), these once exposed ends of reinforcement, now surrounded by underlying carcass plies and overlying tread, fail to adhere to the elastomer. With constant flexing and extension of the elastomeric material as well as the steel reinforcement, attendant use of the tire, the edges of the belt eventually break loose from the carcass plies in the region of the shoulder of the tire. Although the condition once started is not curable, if it is not detected or if it be ignored and the tire is not replaced, failure of the tire results by either partial or total separation of the tread from the body of the tire during high speed continued operation.
The latter result is highly intolerable on the highway and has been experienced in this country an appreciable extent on passenger car tires, as well as in other countries where upper speed limits are not posted it is not uncommon for speeds of 100 mph (161 kmph) to be driven for several hours, precipitating such failure with a high probability of disasterous results. While such use of tires may not be expected in this country, that fact alone does not obviate the need to eliminate belt edge separation in steel belted radial tires.
Oxidation of the exposed ends of the steel wire reinforcing may be minimized by incorporating the fabric into the tire soon after it has been made or, by carefully controlling the environment surrounding the fabric prior to its intended use. However, such efforts are rarely practical and the fabric is often stored for a time of from several days to perhaps several months in a warehouse prior to its use and it is during this period that oxidation of the exposed wire reinforcement occurs.
One method developed and employed to eliminate oxidation of the exposed wires is to calender a sheet of a suitable elastomer from which strips may be cut, to be applied to the exposed edges of the reinforced elastomeric fabric, e.g., carcass ply or tread belts. Such strips, referred to as cushion gum, have been relatively wide, e.g., 3.75-5.0 cm wide and approximately 0.038 cm thick, are applied to one side of the edge of the fabric, subsequently folded over onto the other side and are then stitched thereto. However, when the cushion gum is folded over the edge of the fabric, alignment as well as handling is difficult due to the inherent tack of both surfaces, fabric and gum, and inevitably results in an air pocket at the edge where, first, the desired adhesion between steel and elastomer is not obtained and, secondly, wherein oxidation is neither abated nor precluded.
Adhesion-enhancing additive materials are most feasibly employed in cushion gum which is to be applied immediately after the wire shearing operation which provides a chemically clean steel surface for a short period of time. Although this cushion gum is, however, often applied to the belts at the time of tire construction, after the fabric may have been stored for a time sufficient for oxidation of the exposed wire ends to have occurred, failure of the belts in tires so constructed has been found, nevertheless, to be significantly reduced. However, the treatment is not without its faults, which are increased costs in both labor and materials; increased thickness of the ply at the edges; and, the presence of air pockets in the area of the gummed edges which permit oxidation. Moreover, work with the application of various elastomers has demonstrated that the more suitable compounds cannot be calendered into thin strips for subsequent gum edging. Despite many attempts by the industry, gum edging remains a costly, time-consuming process and the disparity between these facts and the benefits gained by the employment of the process remains great enough to limit gum edging to only steel reinforced elastomeric belts for radial truck tires. Considering the benefits in terms of longer tire life and safety, it becomes highly desirable to employ the process of gum edging for all tire manufacture, commerical, e.g., truck tire and off-the-road, and passenger.
Another problem inherent in tires is their adverse effect to internal discontinuities, such as regions where hinge points exist. Hinge points frequently coincide with abrupt endings of the fabric, e.g., endings of the ply turn-ups, endings of break and shock plies, and of belt edges. The recent trend toward reducing tire plies, i.e., 2-ply and 1-ply (radial) passenger car tires in lieu of 4-ply, and 4-ply, 6-ply and 1-ply (radial) in lieu of 12-ply for many of the truck tire sizes, has been greatly facilitated by the use of cord reinforcement of greater diameter, e.g., 1260/3 rather than 840/2, with a consequent increase in the gauge of the elastomeric fabric which, in turn, has contributed significantly to the development of hinge points.
The problem is particularly apparent in the construction of a typical truck tire wherein several plies are cut to a common width and then offset to provide a step-off. When the plies are turned up about the bead region, one side has an exposed step-off and the other side has a buried step-off. Ply endings in the turn-up region not only lead to the possibility of air entrapment, but also, ply distortion in the case of buried turn-ups and an abrupt change in bending stiffness. The overlying ply must make a sharp bend over the buried and exposed step-offs creating a hinge point and tending to trap air. While gum strips may be applied to cover the terminal regions of the plies, and to provide elastomer to flow, the disadvantages are increased cost, a tendency to entrap air and the creation of another edge.
Another ply construction very sensitive to the abrupt ending of the fabric is the buried shock ply--a partial width ply placed within the body of the tire, extending from mid-sidewall to mid-sidewall and lying between the second and third plies. The ends of such plies create a possibility for distortion, air entrapment and hinge points. The application of a gum strip may provide sufficient elastomer to flow for the elimination of some distortion but, in and of itself, provides another discontinuity.
Again, gum edging could be the solution to the elimination of abrupt termination of the plies with a suitable apparatus and method for the application of an elastomer in a configuration and quantity which would facilitate a transition substantially free from distortion between ply endings and overlying plies. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The Advent of HD (High Definition) has brought the spotlight on enhanced resolution and quality of the Video and Audio components of a broadcast signal or Audio Video Stream.
When it comes to Audio quality an important element is the intricate tapestry of sounds that accompanies the intensity and emotion of key impact related events, hereinafter impact events, perceived in the Visual. These sounds, referred to hereinafter as event sounds, are typically added from a sound effects library as part of the post production process for movies and other non-live media productions. In live production such as sporting events, an attempt is made to capture event sounds for key impact events (e.g., a football player kicking a ball), using microphones.
Ensuring the right mixing volume for the event sound is of great importance. Unlike ambience sounds which reflect the general ambience, event sounds serve to accentuate the audio-visual experience of impact events as seen in the visual and must be in close harmony with the visual dynamics of the impact event. This is therefore a significant challenge on two counts. Firstly, it is desirable that the volume must be harmonious with the visual proximity of the perceived impact event. Secondly, one has to account for background audio accompanying the impact event which can be present at varying loudness levels.
Current techniques for estimating the right mixing volume for event sounds is based on a manual mix and match approach which is cumbersome, time consuming and relies heavily on human expertise. The problem is exacerbated for live productions where, unlike in the case of post productions (e.g. Movies), the estimation of mixing volume for event sounds has to be instantaneous.
The instant invention therefore proposes a system and method to overcome the above-mentioned problems. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to heating apparatuses for heating various targets, such as paper and a film; fixing apparatuses; image forming apparatuses, such as a copying apparatus, a printer, and a facsimile apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses, such as a copying apparatus, a printer, and a facsimile apparatus, include a process for forming an image on a heating target, such as a sheet of regular paper and OHP paper. In such image forming apparatuses, although various image formation methods are employed, an electro-photographic method is widely adopted from viewpoints of speed, image quality, cost, and so on.
In the electro-photographic method, a toner image that is to be fixed is formed on the heating target, such as a sheet of regular paper and OHP paper, and a fixing process fixes the toner image on the heating target by heat and pressure applied by a fixing apparatus. As the fixing apparatus, a heat roller is widely adopted for rapidity and safety.
The fixing apparatus adopting the heat roller includes a nip part that is constituted by a heating roller heated by a heating unit, such as a halogen heater, and a pressurization roller that counters the heating roller. The heating target is passed between the heating roller and the pressurization roller such that the toner image on the heating target is fixed by heat and pressure. The nip part carries out pressure welding.
When fluoride system resin as a release agent layer covers the metal core of the heating roller of the fixing apparatus of the heat roller method, since the fluoride system resin is hard, a problem of image quality arises as follows. The toner image on the heating target has microscopic unevenness. If the surface of the heating roller is hard, the surface cannot follow the unevenness, and microscopic compliance with the uneven surface of the heating roller becomes low. For this reason, the toner image after being fixed to the heating target contains uneven gloss between a portion where the heating roller makes contact, and a portion where the heating roller does not make contact.
In conventional monochrome copying apparatuses, since required quality of an image is not so high as compared with full color copying apparatuses, the heating roller including the core metal covered with fluoride system resin is acceptable. However, as the speed of the apparatuses is raised, and a monochrome copying apparatus is used for printing, requirements for high-definition production are becoming high.
On the other hand, requirements for producing high-definition images are higher for full color copying apparatuses than for the monochrome copying apparatuses. A high quality fixed image without uneven gloss is obtained by providing close contact between the surface of the heating roller and a toner layer on the heating target, which is realized by covering the core metal of the heating roller with an elastic layer (heat-resistant rubber), the elasticity of the rubber of a heating roller providing the close contact. This technology has been applied to monochrome copying apparatuses.
However, the metal core of the heating roller is made of a metal, such as iron and aluminum, having a high heat capacity. For this reason, the heat roller method has a shortcoming in that it takes a long starting time of several minutes, sometimes longer than ten minutes, for the temperature of the heating roller to rise to about 180 degrees C.
To cope with this problem of the image forming apparatus, power is continuously supplied to the heating roller, even if a user does not use the image forming apparatus, i.e., during standby, such that the temperature of the heating roller is maintained at a preheating temperature, which is set at a little lower than the operational temperature, so that the temperature can be quickly raised to the operational temperature when the heating roller is used. While this solution shortens the waiting time of the user, excessive energy is wasted during the standby period. In addition, an investigation report says that the consumption of energy during the standby period often ranges about 70 to 80 percent of the consumption energy of the image forming apparatus in operation.
Recently and continuing, energy-saving regulations are enacted from the rise of environmental protection consciousness in countries worldwide. In Japan, the Law concerning the Rational Use of Energy is being revised and strengthened, and in the U.S., energy-saving programs, such as energy star and ZESM (Zero Energy Star Mode), are being enacted. In order to meet these regulations and programs, it is desirable to suspend the power supply to the heating roller while the image forming apparatus is in the standby mode. Given that the power consumption during the standby mode is considerably high, such suspension will greatly contribute to power-saving.
However, if the power is not supplied to the heating roller during the standby mode in the case of the conventional fixing apparatus, it takes the long time for the temperature of the heating roller to rise at the time of reuse, and the long waiting time reduces user-friendliness. For this reason, an energy-saving type image forming apparatus wherein the temperature of the heating roller quickly rises is desired. For example, ZESM requires a re-starting time of 10 seconds or less.
In order to shorten the temperature rising (heating) time of the heating roller, it is effective to lower the heat capacity of the whole fixing apparatus including the pressurization roller. Japanese Provisional Patent No. H11-133776 discloses a fixing apparatus that realizes high-definition image production, improvement in speed, energy saving, and long service life by preparing a fixing roller containing an elastic layer, a pressurization belt constituting a nip part, and a pressurization unit arranged inside the pressurization belt, wherein a heating target is passed between the fixing roller and the pressurization belt.
Further, Japanese Patent No. 2001-92281 discloses a fixing apparatus that fixes a toner image on a transfer medium by heating and pressurization, providing high definition, energy saving, and a long service life, which includes: a film-like rotational unit that is prepared enclosing a fixed heating element, and a rotational unit having a roll-like structure for heat ray fixing, which further includes a heat ray irradiation unit for emitting heat rays installed countering the film-like rotational unit, a transparent cylindrical unit that transmits the heat rays, a transparent elastic layer prepared outside of the transparent cylindrical unit, and a heat ray absorption layer for absorbing the heat rays prepared outside of the transparent elastic layer.
The temperature rising time of the heating roller can be shortened by increasing injection energy per unit time, i.e., rated power, provided to the heating element that heats the heating roller. In fact, high-speed image forming apparatuses using a power supply voltage of 200 V are available, wherein the temperature rising time of the heating roller is shortened. However, in Japan, generally available commercial power supply is at 100 V 15 A, and a 200 V power supply is available only after a special installation. Thus, expecting a voltage higher than 100 V is not realistic.
Further, image forming apparatuses that raise the total power injected to the heating element of the fixing apparatus, using two systems of the commercial power supply of 100 V 15 A are also available. However, availability of two separate power line systems is not common.
Furthermore, when the supply power to the heating element of the fixing apparatus is simply increased, safety precautions become more important. The temperature of the heating roller rises quickly as a result of supplying high power to the heating element. When a system hangs up, and control of the supply power to the heating element becomes impossible, the probability of ignition becomes considerably high. If the temperature rise of the heating roller is too quick, the temperature of the heating roller may exceed the ignition temperature of paper before safeguards, such as a temperature fuse and a thermostat, operate.
As mentioned above, conventionally, there is a limit to the amount of the injection energy for raising the temperature of the heating roller in a short time.
In order to realize energy savings when increasing the maximum power supplied to the heating element, using an auxiliary power supply for supplying power to the heating element is proposed, wherein a rechargeable battery is used as the auxiliary power supply. As the rechargeable battery, a lead storage battery, a NiCd battery, etc., are typical ones.
However, since it takes several hours to fully charge the rechargeable battery, the problem is that it cannot be used repeatedly in a day. Further, the rechargeable battery is deteriorated through repeated recharging, the capacity being decreased, and has the nature that the greater is the discharge current, the shorter the service life becomes. In the case of a NiCd battery, which is generally considered to have a long service life and being capable of providing a large current, the number of times of recharging is about 500–1000. If recharging is performed 20 times a day, the service life is about a month. Accordingly, time and effort for battery replacement are required, and operating costs, such as battery costs, become high. Further, since it takes a long time to charge the rechargeable battery, recharging is often performed at night, with the rechargeable battery being taken out of the apparatus. Further, the rechargeable battery is capable of discharging little by little, but it has difficulty providing high power for a short duration. Further, if charging is continued without discharging, gas is generated, causing a failure and being unsafe. Furthermore, the lead storage battery uses liquid sulfuric acid, which is not desirable for use in an office apparatus. Due to the shortcomings as described above, it is practically difficult to employ a rechargeable battery for supplying power to the heating element.
In order to solve the shortcomings of the rechargeable battery, proposals have been made that a mass capacitor, such as an electric double layer capacitor, be used by the fixing apparatus, as an auxiliary power supply. In the case of the mass capacitor, the number of times of recharging is almost unlimited, with almost no degradation of charging characteristics, dispensing with periodic maintenance. Further, the mass capacitor can be charged in a short period of time, such as from several seconds to dozens of seconds, which compares favorably with the rechargeable battery requiring several hours of charging time. Further, the electric double layer capacitor is capable of supplying a large current, such as dozens of amperes to hundreds of amperes, which enables power supply in a short time. Further, the mass capacitor does not generate gas and the like, and is safe even when charging is continued. Furthermore, since stored energy of the electric double layer capacitor automatically declines as electric discharge is carried out for a predetermined time, voltage falls, and power supplied is reduced, which provides high safety.
As described above, if a capacitor is used as the auxiliary power supply, power greater than the power that the commercial power supply can provide becomes available to the fixing apparatus during a short time of several seconds to dozens of seconds when the fixing apparatus is heated. Further, since the mass capacitor uses up the stored energy in a short period of time, the power available is reduced after the predetermined time from the start of the electric discharge, realizing a safe configuration of the heating roller, which is not excessively heated. In this manner, a fixing apparatus featuring a short starting time, reliability, durability, and high safety is realized.
Japanese Provisional Patent No. H5-232839 discloses a heating apparatus wherein an auxiliary power supply provides power to a second heating element, rather than increasing the power to a first heater for heating the fixing roller.
Japanese Provisional Patent No. H10-10913 discloses an energy-saving type fixing apparatus that employs an auxiliary power supply. With this fixing apparatus, the rechargeable battery serving as the auxiliary power supply is provided in order to obtain two levels of power from a single power supply. It does not aim at supplying power greater than the power available from only the main power supply.
Japanese Provisional Patent No. H10-282821 discloses an image forming apparatus that uses an auxiliary power supply, such as a rechargeable battery and a primary battery, in addition to the main power supply for providing various functions.
Japanese Provisional Patent No. 2000-315567 discloses a heating apparatus using a mass capacitor in addition to the main power supply as an auxiliary power supply. According to this heating apparatus, the auxiliary power supply assists the commercial power supply at the time of starting; thereby heating time is shortened, saving energy.
Japanese Provisional Patent No. 2000-075737 discloses an image forming apparatus equipped with a power supply based on the commercial power supply and a storage battery, including storage battery checking means for determining presence of the storage battery, and charge capacity surveillance means for supervising charging capacity of the storage battery, wherein productivity is reduced during the charging of the storage battery based on determinations of the storage battery checking means and the charge capacity surveillance means.
Further, according to Japanese Provisional Patent No. 2000-075737, charging a storage battery is carried out externally and during night hours, for charging the storage battery takes a long time.
As a fixing system that realizes the temperature rise of the image forming apparatus in a short period of time, there is a configuration such that a heat-resistant resin film is wound around the circumference of a plate-like ceramic heater. Since the heat capacity of the ceramic heater is made small in this manner, the starting time is shortened. The configuration is put in practical use with low speed image forming apparatuses that deliver 30 sheets a minutes or less.
However, when the configuration is to be applied to a high-speed image forming apparatus, the heat-resistant resin film (the film) has to be thick such that the film is prevented from breaking. Since thermal conductivity of the resin is less than metal, the temperature of the film has to be raised before the film is fed into the nip part, otherwise the heat cannot be transmitted to the heating target in the nip part. For this reason, the area of the plate-like part of the heater becomes large, and high power is required to quickly raise the temperature.
(Objective of the Invention)
With a fixing apparatus and a heating apparatus using the mass capacitor mentioned above as an auxiliary power supply, the following problems are now clear.
In order to shorten the starting time, while reducing the heat capacity of the fixing roller (heating roller), it is necessary to provide high power to the fixing roller. Then, in order to obtain high power from the auxiliary power supply, a high voltage is more desirable than a large current in view of the load of wiring and a circuit.
However, in a case that an auxiliary power supply employing a mass capacitor is used, and the fixing roller temperature is controlled by turning on/off the power supply, high power is supplied to the heater, which causes sharp changes of the temperature of the fixing roller, as shown by FIG. 4. Accordingly, when the temperature of the fixing roller changes in the middle of fixing an image on the heating target, unevenness of image quality develops, and the image quality is degraded.
As mentioned above, a heating roller, having a core metal covered by an elastic layer (heat-resistant rubber) is available, which prevents gloss unevenness from occurring, and provides a high quality image. However, the elastic layer has poor thermal conductivity, and as many sheets are processed, the surface temperature of the heating roller tends to fall, causing poor fixing. In order to avoid this poor fixing, some image forming apparatuses secure fixing quality by reducing process speed, when the surface temperature of the heating roller becomes lower than a predetermined temperature. Thus, the poor thermal conductivity of the elastic layer of the heating roller works against the speed.
Further, in order to use up the energy that the mass capacitor holds at the starting time that lasts several seconds to dozens of seconds, a configuration that takes out high power from the mass capacitor is required. Since the power=voltage×current, high power can be obtained from the mass capacitor by making output voltage of the mass capacitor high, and increasing the output current of the mass capacitor.
However, the maximum current of a halogen heater that is usually used for heating of the heating roller is about 10 A through 12 A, and it is difficult to increase the maximum current. This is because the life of the halogen heater becomes short if a large current is supplied to the halogen heater. Therefore, in order to supply high power to the halogen heater, the voltage needs to be raised.
However, the mass capacitor has an inherent characteristic in that the voltage per one capacitor cell is as low as about several volts, a little more than 1 V in the case of a hydro-system, and a little less than 3 V in the case of an organic system. The low voltage is for preventing an electrolytic solution from forming inside the capacitor cell of the mass capacitor. For this reason, when the halogen heater conventionally used is to generate heat for heating, dozens of the mass capacitor cells are connected in series to make a power supply unit capable of supplying about 50 V through 100 V to the halogen heater.
Installing the power supply unit of a high voltage in the apparatus, however, poses the following problems. Although an access to the inside of the apparatus is in many cases performed by a maintenance person, a power supply terminal may be inadvertently touched during maintenance work, and an electric shock accident may occur. Further, it is conceivable that a general office worker accesses inside the apparatus for removing a jammed sheet of paper, and the like. For this reason, a preventive measure against an electric shock is required.
Further, as the storage capacity of a capacitor cell of the mass capacitor is becoming large, the number of the capacitor cells to be connected in series for obtaining the high voltage and high power is decreasing, and the fewer number of capacitor cells are capable of raising the temperature of the heating target. However, in order to obtain the high voltage using the mass capacitor, it is necessary to increase the number of the capacitor cells, and in other words, an excess capacity of the capacitor cells has to be provided as the configuration of the power supply unit. At present, since the energy density of the mass capacitor is still low, the size is large, and the cost is still high, it is essential to reduce the number of capacitor cells.
That is, where a halogen heater is employed as the heating element, in order to raise the supply voltage to the halogen heater, capacitor cells capable of providing excess energy are needed, and the power supply for supplying power to the halogen heater becomes large in size and high in cost.
Further, another important objective is related to preventing an overshoot of the temperature. At present, a thermistor is used for detecting the temperature of the fixing roller. Although the size of the thermistor is quite small and reaction speed is improved, the temperature detecting speed of the thermistor is still low for the configuration where power supplied to the halogen heater is high, and the temperature rises quickly. Thus, the overshoot of the temperature is another problem to be solved. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
One conventional form of product dispenser for spices, condiments and other similar dry particulate materials includes a container with a round server lid screwed onto its neck. The round server lid is often known and referred to as a "closure" by those skilled in the art. In the product dispensing art, round closures include one or more dispensing ports for such purposes as sifting, pouring or spooning spices or other condiments from the container. These closures also include one or more vertically movable flaps that snap close over the dispensing ports to keep the product in the container. In this particular server lid closure art it is conventional that the round closure is screwed onto the neck of a container. One reason for this convention is that a separate plastic or foil seal strip is often applied over the entire open end of the container. The plastic or foil seal strip serves the purpose of maintaining the freshness or shelf-life of the product inside the container. Prior to first use, the closure is removed by unscrewing it, the plastic or foil seal strip is removed, then the closure replaced. An exemplary product dispenser including a closure as described above is generally disclosed in VerWeyst et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,292, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Round closures as disclosed in the '292 patent to VerWeyst et al. work very well and are highly practical for the consuming public. However, as is recognized by the '292 patent to VerWeyst et al., round screw-on closures present certain difficulties from an automated assembly standpoint. In particular, when the closure is screwed on the container, the resilient plastic material in the closure tends to deflect or shift after the closure engages the top lip of the container towards the end of the screwing motion. Occasionally too much torque is applied (a condition known as over-torquing) which results in the hinged flaps undesirably popping open. The '292 patent to VerWeyst et al. discloses an improved locking arrangement to address this problem and better maintain the hinged flaps in the closed position during assembly. Although the locking arrangement taught by VerWeyst et al. reduces the number of open flaps occurring during assembly, an undesirable number of flaps still inevitably open during assembly operations even with this improvement. This specific locking arrangement also reduces the number of design options possible for the port configuration of the dispensing ports of the closure. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Railroad freight transportation is an important support of national economy in each country, and how to improve the economic benefits of railroad transportation is the top priority in railroad industry.
The important measures to improve the economic benefits of railroad transportation is to improve efficiencies of transportation, while building high-grade lines is the premise of improving efficiencies of railroad transportation. Thus, there is a need to improve the transportation efficiencies of the vehicle for building railroad and meanwhile ensure safety of railroad building operation. Since ballast hopper car is currently the special vehicle for transporting materials such as ballast while building the railroad, improvement of transportation efficiencies of the ballast hopper car and operation safety are highly demanded.
Ballast hopper car discharge door control system, configured to control opening or closing of ballast hopper car discharge door, is an important part to ensure operation safety of ballast hopper car. In the prior art, air source pressure provides power to control system, and remote control device and manual control device transmit control signal to control box in the control system, so as to control opening or closing of discharge door. In the practical application, however, such control manner cannot ensure to quickly change the working states of the whole control system in case of man-made false operation, cannot prevent false control on opening or closing of discharge door caused by false operation, and cannot ensure the isolation of power supply from the control box when the control box goes wrong or needs maintenance, thus cannot ensure safety of the operation.
The conventional ballast hopper car usually comprises eight discharge doors, four of which are provided on the front end of the middle part of the vehicle body, the rest of which are provided on the rear end of the middle part of the vehicle body. The conventional remote control device usually comprises eight control buttons, each control button controls the opening or closing of one discharge door, and these discharge doors cannot be controlled in groups but only can be controlled one by one, therefore, the efficiency is relatively low. In addition, the ballast hopper car cannot discharge ballast in the middle of the railroad, but only at two sides of the railroad, and in the process of railroad building, ballast at two sides of the railroad is transported to the middle of the railroad by means of manual operation, therefore, the efficiency is low.
The conventional ballast hopper car discharge door control system is not provided with a car charger for a storage battery of the remote control device, and the ballast hopper car spends most of the time on field operation, thus it is inconvenient when the remote control device runs out of the storage battery and is unable to be recharged in no time. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Conventionally, a technique is known, in which an electrochemical sensor implanted, for example, in belly (abdomen) or arm of an examinee is utilized to continuously measure the numerical information in relation to a test substance contained in a body fluid, for example, the glucose concentration (so-called blood sugar level or blood glucose level) in an interstitial fluid of the examinee. The electrochemical sensor is a sensor capable of detecting a minute amount of current by utilizing the electrochemical reaction, which is suitable for the detection of a minute amount of chemical substance that causes an oxidation reduction reaction.
A biosensor, in which an enzyme is immobilized to a sensor unit to be arranged while being implanted subcutaneously beneath the skin and the enzyme reaction thereof is utilized to detect a test substance contained in a sample, is used in many cases as the electrochemical sensor for measuring the glucose concentration. Usually, the biosensor of this type has a working electrode and a counter electrode, and the enzyme (for example, glucose oxidase) is immobilized to the working electrode. A voltage is applied between the working electrode and the counter electrode, and the glucose concentration can be measured on the basis of a response current obtained thereby.
The glucose oxidase produces gluconic acid by selectively reacting on the glucose under an existence of oxygen. On this occasion, the oxygen is reduced, while hydrogen peroxide proportional to a quantity of the glucose is generated. The hydrogen peroxide can be oxidized electrochemically easily and can be therefore measured by use of a pair of electrodes. Namely, the response current value can be obtained by the electrochemically oxidizing the hydrogen peroxide generated by the enzyme reaction of the enzyme as described above. Then, the glucose concentration can be calculated based on a sampling current obtained by periodically sampling the electric current from the continuously acquired response current values.
The measuring apparatus, which is provided to continuously measure the test substance contained in the sample, for example, the glucose concentration or the like as described above, is used in many cases for the way of use of the so-called continuous monitoring (measurement) in which the glucose concentration is measured in succession over a somewhat long period of time. The continuous monitoring as described above has the following advantage. That is, the glucose concentration can be measured automatically and continuously in succession, for example, even when an examinee (user) is asleep. It is possible to always monitor the blood sugar level (blood glucose level) of the examinee.
Conventionally, a driving source, which is provided to drive such a glucose continuous monitoring apparatus, uses the electric power of a primary battery (so-called dry battery or the like) in many cases (see, for example, Patent Document 1). It is a matter of course that the measuring apparatus cannot be driven when the electric power energy of the primary battery is discharged and exhausted. Therefore, it is necessary that the primary battery should be exchanged with a new primary battery. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to analysis methods wherein it is desired to determine characteristics, such as kinetic properties or affinity for various interactions in multi-component systems. In particular it relates to methods for the analysis of interactions between species in a liquid environment, such as a compound and a target. The invention also relates to the analysis of site specific binding between species, e.g., compounds and targets. More particularly it relates to a method and apparatus for determining kinetic properties or affinity by providing a pulsed gradient of a sample containing a compound of interest, whereby the target molecule is exposed to the gradient of the compound with which it can interact, and detecting a result of said interaction.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the study of candidates for new drugs (screening) it is often the case that substances exhibiting weak binding are encountered, leading to rapid events, exhibiting small time constants. Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) is a powerful technique for the study of affinity between substrates and targets, but typically designed for slower events. Instruments utilizing the principle of SPR (e.g., the instruments supplied by the assignee of the present invention, Biacore AB, Uppsala, Sweden) measure changes in refractive index of the medium next to a sensor chip, resulting from altered mass concentration at the surface.
In conventional SPR assays (e.g., using the systems from Biacore AB, Uppsala, Sweden), one sample injection corresponds to one concentration of the selected compound, and the injection comprises one single segment or “plug” of sample liquid. In most cases of kinetic and affinity determination, a few injections of different concentration are sufficient to obtain reliable results of interaction rate or strength (i.e., association rate constant, dissociation rate constant and dissociation constant). However, when studying molecules with low affinity or exhibiting fast kinetics, many such measurements need to be performed. This is a relatively time-consuming process, with considerable sample losses. With the injection exhibiting the highest precision of the available injection methods, every injection requires 40 μl of sample in addition to the desired injection volume to prevent dispersion with buffer.
In an article by Shank-Retzlaff et al, in Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 72, No. 17, pp. 4212-4220, entitled “Analyte Gradient-Surface Plasmon Resonance: A One-Step Method for Determining Kinetic Rates and Macromolecular Binding Affinities”, a method for determining kinetic rates and equilibrium affinities using SPR is disclosed.
It is a one-step method making use of a gradient such that under continuous-flow conditions, the concentration of compound to be analyzed (analyte) passing over the sensor surface increases linearly with time. The rate at which analyte binds to the immobilized receptors is measured by monitoring the change in the surface plasmon resonance minimum as the analyte concentration increases. Kinetic rates are determined by fitting data to a modified version of a two-compartment model.
Although representing an improvement, it still suffers from a lack of capability to perform measurements on systems exhibiting relatively fast kinetic behavior, and also in that relatively large sample quantities are needed for a full titration. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Interleukin-6 is a multi-functional cytokine (Kishimoto, T. and T. Hirano, Ann. Rev. Immunol., 6:485 (1988)). Included among its diverse biological activities is the induction of the terminal differentiation of B cells to plasma cells, the differentiation of killer T cells and nerve cells, as well as the acute phase protein synthesis of hepatocytes. It also stimulates the growth of hybridoma/plasmacytoma/myeloma cells, T cells, and hematopoietic stem cells. Differentiation inducing activity on megakaryocytes, leading to the production of platelets, has also been reported recently (Ishibashi, T., et al., Blood 74:1241, (1989)).
One example of glycosylated proteins or polypeptides possessing interleukin-6 activities is human interleukin-6 (hereafter referred to as hIL-6). There are a number of reports on processes for producing hIL-6; for example, production by human T cell hybridoma cells (Okada, M., et al., J. Exp. Med., 157:583 (1983)) or by human T cells transformed with human T cell leukemia virus (Japanese patent application, KOKAI NO. 61-115024). Human IL-6 may also be produced by recombinant DNA technologies which comprise transforming mammalian or bacterial cells with a vector carrying a DNA sequence encoding hIL-6 and then culturing these cells to obtain recombinant hIL-6. The resultant hIL-6 is a glycosylated protein if produced by mammalian cells, and an unglycosylated polypeptide if produced by bacterial cells. Both forms have been demonstrated to have interleukin-6 activities (EP 257406; WO 88/00206).
The mature fully functional hIL-6 polypeptide has 184 amino acid residues as predicted from the nucleotide sequence of its cDNA. However, polypeptides with one or more additional amino acid residues or (at most) 27 amino acid deletions at their N-terminus, as well as polypeptides with at most 50 amino acid deletions (or substitutions) at their C-terminus, are known to retain IL-6 activity (EP 257406; WO 88/00206; EP 363083; Brakenhoff, J. P. J., J. Immunol., 143:1175 (1989)).
Several methods have been used to try to prolong the plasma half-life of certain intravenously administered high molecular weight polypeptides. These include modification of the polypeptide with polyethylene glycol (PEG), dextran, poly[Glu-Lys], pullulan, modified polyaspartate or fatty acids, as well as coupling with gamma-globulin. The chemical modification with PEG of a few non-human derived enzymes, such as asparaginase, superoxide dismutase, or uricase, resulted in increased plasma half-life. However, a number of problems have been observed with PEGylation. Acylation of tyrosine residues on the protein can result in a lowering of the biological activity of the protein; certain PEG-protein conjugates are insufficiently stable and therefore find no pharmacological use; certain reagents used for PEGylation are insufficiently reactive and therefore require long reaction times during which protein denaturation and/or inactivation can occur. Also, the PEGylating agent may be insufficiently selective. Difficulties can also arise as a result of the hydrophobicity of the protein to be PEGylated; in an aqueous medium hydrophobic proteins resist PEGylation at physiological pH. The criteria for effective PEGylation include not only whether the conjugated molecule has a combination of increased serum half-life and decreased immunogenicity, but also whether it is in fact a more potent pharmacological agent than its unmodified parent molecule. Given the broad range of differences in the physical characteristics and pharmacokinetics among proteins, it is impossible to predict in advance whether a protein can be successfully PEGylated and/or whether the PEGylated protein will still retain its biological activity without inducing untoward immunological responses.
For example, in WO87/00056, relating to the solubilization of proteins for pharmaceutical compositions using polymer conjugation, the adverse effect of PEGylation on the in vitro activity of IL-2 is described in Example IIB (Table I, page 20). Example IC (page 19) references the IL-2 cell proliferation bioassay used. The results demonstrate that as more amino groups of the IL-2 are substituted with PEG, the PEGylated IL-2 undergoes a nearly 10-fold decrease in activity as compared to the activity of unmodified IL-2.
The covalent modification of lysine residues causes a reduction in bioactivity of certain proteins. Lysine modification with activated PEG-esters is random, difficult to control, and often results in reduced bioactivity of the modified protein. Goodson, R., et al., Bio/Technology, 8:343 (April 1990).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,584 (Feb. 27, 1990) describes a process for preparing PEGylated polypeptides. However, the process requires a premodification of the polypeptides by first preparing LDVs (lysine depleted variants) to obtain a polypeptide having a "suitable" number of reactive lysine residues. No evidence is presented that PEGylated derivatives were actually obtained; nor is their any evidence that these proposed modified polypeptides retained any biological activity. Further, there is no exemplification of the production of PEG-IL-6 nor any exemplification of retained activity.
As the in vivo half-life of IL-6 in blood is very short (Castell, J. V. et al., Eur. J. Biochem., 177:357 (1988)), it is desirable to increase hIL-6 plasma half-life and to thereby improve the pharmacokinetics and therapeutic efficacy of IL-6. To date, however, no one has been successful in so doing. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to a wire rope equalizer socket and, more particularly, a socket which allows for two ropes to be equalized within a single socket.
The present system where twin rope hoisting or dragging mechanism is utilized, requires two separate sockets with an equalizer and another link to perform the same function that the inventive socket provides.
Although twin rope sockets are known--see U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,850,896; 2,838,819; and 3,214,812, none of them have provided an equalizing function.
The invention allows for equalization of length and tension without the use of a standard equalizer. The system includes a large socket or housing which contains two standard wedges and one double tapered wedge, all of which are movable. This allows for attachment of two separate ropes in a single socket.
When ropes of slightly different lengths are inserted into the socket, and tension is applied, the shorter rope carries a higher proportion of the load. Because of this higher load, the wedge and rope move forward, causing lateral displacement of the double tapered wedge. The wedge from the other rope is forced outward until the two lengths of rope are pulling with equal tension.
Other objects and advantages of the invention may be seen in the details of the ensuing description. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
A microwave multiplexing network is used to combine or separate microwave frequency bands (i.e. those that exist in the range of 100 MHz to 100 GHz) and typically consists of a plurality of channel filters operatively coupled to an interconnect such as a waveguide manifold. Usually, the channel filters are sequentially arranged along the waveguide manifold according to center frequencies with the highest frequency channel or with the lowest frequency channel positioned adjacent to the shorting plate of the waveguide manifold. However, non-sequential arrangement is also feasible.
Channel filters are devices that are tuned to pass energy in a desired frequency range (i.e. the passband) and to reject energy at unwanted frequencies (i.e. the stopband). Channel filters are also designed to meet various performance criteria such as a particular level of insertion loss (IL), which is also known as rejection or isolation, and return loss (RL). The order of the channel filter is equivalent to the number of poles in the transfer function and the higher the order the more rejection a channel filter can provide. The number of poles can be seen by looking at a graph of the return loss wherein each peak represents one pole in the transfer function. For each pole there is a physical electrical cavity present in the channel filter. For example, a four-pole filter will have four electrical cavities and a five-pole filter will have five electrical cavities.
As conventionally known, a higher order filter provides greater rejection (i.e. insertion loss) than that of a lower order filter. Accordingly, the use of a high order filter allows for the bandwidth of the channel filter to be expanded since the extra pole(s) provide extra rejection. Overall this results in increased filter bandwidth. At the same time, reasonable filter rejection is maintained. For example, a five-pole filter provides a larger filter bandwidth than that of a four-pole filter because the fifth pole provides extra rejection that allows for the widening of the passband of each channel filter. While the overall filter rejection level associated with the five-pole filter will be reduced due to the widening of the passband, the filter rejection level will still be higher than that of a four-pole filter. In this way, the passband performance is significantly enhanced due to the wider bandwidth and a reasonable level of filter rejection is maintained.
As shown in FIG. 1A, the four electrical cavities of a four-pole filter will each result in a peak in the filter's return loss. As shown in FIG. 1B, the five electrical cavities of a five-pole filter will also each result in a peak in the filter's return loss. Finally, as shown in FIG. 1C, the five-pole filter will provide more insertion loss (5 POLE IL in FIG. 1C) (i.e. more rejection) than the four-pole filter (4 POLE IL in FIG. 1C).
Microwave multiplexing network filter performance is particularly important in satellite applications since an increase in the insertion loss of the channel filters in the microwave multiplexing network results in a reduction of Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) emitted by the satellite and accordingly a reduction in the amount of radio frequency (RF) transmission power that is converted to thermal dissipation. Insertion loss also limits the transmission of spectral regrowth from the power amplifiers that drive the filters.
Conventional design techniques achieve increased filter rejection by increasing the order of the filter, for example from 4-poles to 5-poles. However, in order to do this, extra resonators are added to realize an additional pole. This approach typically increases the weight and size of the multiplexer which is a significant drawback for extremely weight sensitive satellite applications. Accordingly, prior art microwave filters and multiplexer design processes typically involve optimization of physical cavity structures for a particular channel such that the same filter order is maintained. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The performance of certain electrical resistors can be degraded by elevated temperatures. The resistance may significantly change, thereby adversely affecting a circuit in which the resistor functions. The temperature of a resistor may rise due to heat from the environment or due to heat generated in the resistor itself as it dissipates electrical power. To reduce operating temperatures, a resistor may be attached to a heat spreader that helps carry heat away from the resistor. There is a need to carry the heat away as efficiently as possible if reduced operating temperatures are desired. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to apparatus, method and program for supporting review of materials (documents or the like) and more particularly to apparatus, method and program for efficiently performing a series of work operations such as review, minutes preparation, pending issue management, and correction of review documents.
JP-A-7-146860 discloses that pieces of information for review of a designated document by a plurality of reviewers are taken out in accordance with a display command so that, on the basis of position information in these pieces of review information, a corresponding display position in original document displayed on the screen may be determined to make a display area vacant and the review information may be displayed in the vacant display area, and that it is commanded whether the review information by the plural reviewers displayed on the original document in correspondence with the reviewers is adoptable or non-adoptable and the display form is changed in accordance with the adoption or non-adoption so that only review contents commanded as being adoptable may be extracted to correct the original document in accordance with the review information.
JP-A-6-274493 discloses a document management apparatus in which a plurality of document review processors used by a plurality of document review members to perform review work are mutually connected through a network, one of the plurality of document review processors is defined as a server having a common comment database prepared and used in review work, the server and the plural document review processors constituting the document management apparatus, wherein each of the plurality of document review processors includes review member managing means for managing access to the database of the server from review members cooperatively participating in work of reviewing individual review object documents, means for enabling an examinatorial reader to prepare comments necessary for review, answer preparing means for enabling an answerer to make a response to a comment, comment searching means for searching only a necessary comment from a large amount of comment data, comment display means for adjusting retrieved results and displaying them, comment managing means for managing comments prepared by a plurality of examinatorial readers and data of answers prepared by a plurality of answerers and for printing review results, and review notifying means for managing forwarding of various notice documents necessary for adjusting the work between the review members.
In review, obscurities in a review object document and a solution thereagainst must be clarified. In addition, a series of work operations of putting together the review results in a minutes and a pending issue list and eventually correcting the review object document must be fulfilled.
The aforementioned prior arts, however, fail to describe that a system (application) for editing an object document into which comments are to be inserted differs from a system (application) for displaying and editing the comments collectively. Further, none of the aforementioned prior arts disclose a plurality of object documents prepared by different systems (applications).
Further, in the JP-A-7-146860, review information can be post-scribed in a specified range in a review document but the review information is information for document substitution by which adoption or non-adoption of the review document is determined.
With the JP-A-6-274493, when such work as examinatorial read request, examinatorial read completion, answer request and answer completion is carried out through mail notification, interchange of mails is necessary for a participant to prosecute examinatorial read work. Accordingly, for performing examinatorial read, at least four mail interchange operations of examinatorial read request, examinatorial read completion, answer request and answer completion are necessary. In other words, a considerable amount of work operations are needed for examinatorial read. Further, much time is lost in interchange of mails. In addition, to respond to a comment, a review reader selects an answerer and forwards a mail to the answerer. In failure to obtain any answer, work for reselecting another answerer is needed and expectantly, re-work operations will be done many times. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
With the widespread use of electronic devices, such as smartphones and tablet terminals, games for such electronic devices, in addition to those for home video game machines, are actively being developed. Among a number of games of various genres that are being developed, three-dimensional puzzle games have gained popularity recently, and numerous three-dimensional puzzle games are being developed.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-101677 discloses a game apparatus that runs a game using eight types of regular hexahedrons which are displayed as three-dimensional computer graphics. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-136049 discloses a puzzle game in which a puzzle is solved by arranging a plurality of displayed images and guessing the whole picture of an object that is present in virtual space.
Existing three-dimensional puzzle games have shortcomings in that their rules and operation are too complicated. For example, the game apparatus described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-101677 provides a puzzle game in which a plurality of regular hexahedrons having complex regularity are rotated, which is difficult to play. Similarly, in the puzzle game described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-136049, operations needed to play the puzzle game are complicated, and therefore, the puzzle game is also difficult to play.
Regarding games, such as existing three-dimensional puzzle games, for which players need to understand complicated rules or perform complicated operations, players may hesitate to start playing the games and tend to become tired of continuously playing the games. Accordingly, it is desired to implement a quick enjoyable three-dimensional game by simplifying rules and operation while maintaining the attractiveness of three-dimensional games. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Drill chucks can be used in conjunction with power drills for releasably engaging various tools, such as drill bits and the like. Conventional drill chucks can also require a special tool for tightening and loosening the drill chuck onto the tool. Recently, drill chucks have been designed to be tightened by hand wherein a user can rotate a chuck sleeve of the drill chuck to cause the jaws of the drill chuck to engage and disengage the tool. The user of the power drill must rotate the adjustable chuck sleeve with one hand while holding a tool inside the jaw members until the tool is locked in place. In some examples, it may be difficult for a user to ascertain whether the tool has been sufficiently clamped. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Knee prostheses have been produced in numerous different types, the vast majority of which have distinct generally vertical and generally horizontal hinge axes. Such an arrangement of hinges does not provide for a realistic hinging movement between the femur and tibia and therefore does not sufficiently accurately replicate the function of a natural biological knee.
In an apparent attempt to overcome this shortcoming of most knee prostheses, the company MUTARS has made available a knee prosthesis in which a femoral component and a tibial component are attached by way of a ball and socket joint. The socket is formed in a generally cylindrical plastic element that is received in a transverse complementary passage passing generally horizontally through the shaped end of a femoral component. The axis of the generally cylindrical plastic element and that of a stem supporting the ball are therefore at right angles to each other.
The ball and socket formations do indeed provide for a more realistic hinging movement between the femur and tibia. However, the structural configuration of the plastic element and femoral component whereby the socket is provided has some serious drawbacks in the event that the prosthesis needs to be maintained or a component thereof needs to be replaced or serviced in some way. In such an event extensive surgery is required and, in fact, the surgery necessary is substantially as extensive as the original implant surgery.
An improved ball and socket formation is also presented by MUTARS, where the socket is a metallic cylindrical component inserted and locked in-between the intracondylar space of the femoral condyles and a half-spherical metal bearing which is attached to the tibila implant. However, metal-on-metal articulation is not desirable in implants of this nature. Design specifications of this configuration allows flexion, extension and rotation of the knee, but again replacement of worn parts requires complete dismantling of the prosthesis and major time-consuming surgery.
There is a need therefore for a knee prosthesis that is better configured for maintenance or repair purposes. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to satellite communications and, more particularly, to personal safety devices
(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 Schlager, U.S. Pat. No. 5,963,130, Oct. 5, 1999, Self-locating remote monitoring system Curcio, Joseph, U.S. Pat. No. 6,414,629, Jul. 2, 2002, Tracking Device Burks U.S. Pat. No. 6,317,050 Nov. 13, 2001 Water entry alarm system McClure, U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,941, Aug. 27, 2002, Automated fail-safe sea rescue flotation system
The Schlager patent discusses a man-over-board system. The remote has a navigational receiver and a radio transmitter. The monitor has a radio base station for receiving the signal from the remote. The remote and monitor radios are in constant radio contact.
The alarm at the monitor is triggered when; the radio signal between the two radios goes below a settable signal level (establishing a geo-fence), or a GPS (navigational satellite) location is correlated to exceed a settable distance, or the transmit/receive time between the units exceeds a settable limit, or a curfew time is exceeded, or a sensor on the remote is triggered (by water, smoke, heartbeat or other sensor), or the person hit a “panic button”.
The remote and monitor radios must have line-of-site. The embodiments as a child monitor at a pool or a medical patient monitor demonstrate the short range of the device. In the man-over-board embodiment, the monitor has a display showing location of the remote.
All these embodiments require the remote and monitor radio are within line-of-sight. This means that the system is a very local. The remote is also very battery limited because of the need for constant radio communications. Ground or sea-level radio systems are very limited in distance; it is a few miles at best and a few hundred feet in swells.
The embodiment of a wireless (cell) phone or radio-telephone in the remote which allows it to call a preset 911-like number imposes a similar line-of-sight restriction as of having of a monitor with a cellular transceiver. That is, if the remote does not have line-of-sight with the cell system or radio-telephone of the monitor, the remote is lost. At sea or on land, this is limited to a few miles at best.
The monitor, especially in the case of man-over-board embodiment, must have radio equipment that is installed, manned, powered, and maintained. These is a burden for any vessel and useless to a lone-pilot or life raft situation. In any situation where the monitor must have working equipment and competence in its usage for this system to work, the remote is at risk even if the remote equipment is good working order.
Another embodiment is this system's use as a weather monitor; again we are at the mercy of a working monitor to gather then information from the remotes via line-of sight radio. To work over any large area we must install an infrastructure of monitor sites.
The Wearable Satellite Tracker has the novel approach from Schlager that it does not require any local monitoring. There is no local monitoring equipment that will need monitored, powered or maintained. In the Wearable Satellite Tracker all monitoring of the remote is done over satellite to a Central Tracking Monitor that monitor all Wearable Satellite Tracker in the world or with a spec.
Monitoring the Wearable Satellite Tracker by satellite allows it to be monitored any where in the world for a central point where monitoring resources can be focused to provide full period service with qualified personnel.
Nowhere is the term satellite used in the Schlager patent. The Schlager patent is limited to a one remote to one monitor ratio.
Curcio, Joseph, U.S. Pat. No. 6,414,629, Jul. 2, 2002, Tracking Device
This patent has a GPS tracking unit and transmitter on the remote and a local receiver. The local receiver determines the heading and direction to the remote. The receiver then provides the monitor a compass heading and distance to the remote. The radio communications path between the remote and monitor radios is line-of-sight. The monitor must be paying attention to the device and the tracking equipment must be in good working order.
The difference is that Curcio patent is for a local tracking, the remote and monitor must have radio with line-of-sight between the two. In the case of a lone-pilot or no one noticing someone falls overboard, the device will not work. Line of sight on a flat surface like a calm ocean is limited to a few miles if the monitor has an antenna on a very tall mast on a ship. However, if the seas have swells the line of site distance is very limited.
If the ship, which contains the monitoring device, should sink, this device is useless in informing authorities of the location of the survivors. Additionally, at sea, this device requires that each vessel or using the device must buy equipment for both the remote and monitor. The monitor equipment must be properly installed, powered, manned and maintained. If the monitors circuits, batteries, antenna should fail, the remote is useless. Full redundancy of monitoring equipment is needed to ensure a high reliability of service. This is a sufficient cost for each vessel to bear in terms of equipment, space and manpower. The device is also useless for lone-ship pilots, air-plane crews, or life rafts adrift where no monitor is available.
On land the tracking distance for this system will be very limited by ground obstructions and only good for short distances when the monitor equipment is available, manned, powered and maintained.
Burks U.S. Pat. No. 6,317,050 Nov. 13, 2001 Water entry alarm system
Burks water enter alarm system is a harness intent for children in a pool area. The remote (child with a water entry harness on) will trigger the alarm on the monitor radio if the remote does one of the following; enters the water, or the belts are unhooked, or the radio signal from remote to monitor is absent.
This patent is also dependent on a line-of-site radio transmission between the remote and monitor. There is always a local monitor radio receiver needed. The patent is intended only for short ranges for children in a local pool or water danger area. It does not envision itself as a global tracking for rescue service, but as a very local monitor.
It is therefore an object of the Wearable Satellite Tracker to provide a greater degree of personal safety by providing a central management of the satellite tracker rather than relying on local availability of monitoring equipment and personal seen in previous inventions | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field
Embodiments relate to the execution of critical tasks based on the number of available processing entities.
2. Background
A storage system may control access to storage for one or more host computational devices that may be coupled to the storage system over a network. A storage management application that executes in the storage system may manage a plurality of storage devices, such as disk drives, tape drives, flash drives, direct access storage devices (DASD), etc., that are coupled to the storage system. A host may send Input/Output (I/O) commands to the storage system and the storage system may execute the I/O commands to read data from the storage devices or write data to the storage devices.
The storage system may include two or more servers, where each server may be referred to as a node, a storage server, a processor complex, a Central Processor Complex (CPC), or a Central Electronics Complex (CEC). Each server may be included in a cluster. Each server may have a plurality of processor cores (also referred to as cores) and the servers may share the workload of the storage system. In a two server configuration of the storage system, either server can failover to the other if there is a failure or a planned downtime for one of the two servers. For example, a first server may failover to a second server, if there is a failure of the first server.
A computational device, such as a host or a server of a storage system, may include a plurality of processors and form a multiprocessing system. A computational device may have a processor complex that may have a single core or a plurality of cores, where a core may correspond to a central processing unit (CPU). For example, a dual-core processor complex has two central processing units, so that the dual-core processor complex may appear to the operating system as two CPUs.
A process (or task) is an instance of a computer program that is being executed. Depending on the operating system, a process may be made up of multiple threads of execution that execute instructions concurrently. Multiple threads may exist within the same process and share resources such as memory. A thread is what the CPU actually runs, whereas a process has the allocated memory for instructions and data. A process may need one or more threads because that is what is actually run by the CPU. Multiple threads corresponding to a process implies that the process gets more time slices on the same CPU or gets to run on more CPUs concurrently. A process needs at least one thread that the CPU executes. In a multi-core processor complex, a different process may use a different core at the same time to speed up the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,276,142 describes a method that includes scheduling a thread to run on a core of a multi-core processor. U.S. Pat. No. 8,250,347 describes asymmetric hardware support for a special class of threads. US Patent Publication 2005/0015768 describes a method for scheduling tasks. U.S. Pat. No. 6,212,544 describes a method for performing computer processing operations in a data processing system having a multithreaded processor and thread switch logic. U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,215 describes a method using a combination of processing threads, polling, and a use of interrupts to allocate the use of processing resources fairly among competing functions. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
It has become relatively common for individuals to possess a number of different devices through which they communicate. For example, a person may have a home telephone, a wireless telephone, a pager and an office telephone. As the population becomes increasingly mobile, making contact with a person through one of these communication devices has become more difficult.
Call forwarding is one method of addressing this problem. Certain telephone systems allow users to enter another number to which a call is forwarded if not answered by a specified number of rings. This should allow an individual with multiple telephone devices to forward the call to such devices until the telephone at which the individual is located finally rings. However, if several telephones are involved, this approach becomes complicated. Moreover, it requires the calling party to remain on the line for a significant period of time if the call is to be forwarded multiple times. Furthermore, it is necessary that call forwarding capabilities exist on each of the individual's telephones. In addition, this approach requires that all telephones involved be reprogrammed each time an individual desires to initiate call forwarding. A significant drawback to this forwarding strategy is that, in each leg of the forwarded call, the calling party is terminated on the last device or network in the chain. It follows that the final number in the forwarding scheme is responsible for all available enhanced services or voice mail available to the caller. Accordingly, although a call may have been initially placed to an office telephone equipped with voice mail and/or operator assist, all such enhanced services of the corporate network are lost once the call is forwarded off the corporate PBX (e.g., to the user's wireless telephone).
Travel can also exacerbate the difficulty of establishing communication with an individual having access to multiple telephone devices. Upon checking into a hotel, the telephone in a traveler's hotel room becomes available as yet another potential means of contact. Unfortunately, this forces a calling party to decide whether to attempt to contact the traveler through his or her room telephone or other telephone device (e.g., wireless telephone or pager). If the traveler does not answer the called telephone, the calling party then must decide whether to leave a message (unaware of when, or if, the message will be retrieved) or instead attempt to reach the traveler via his or her other telephone. Likewise, if the traveler is expecting an important call but is unsure whether it will be placed to his room telephone or wireless telephone, the traveler may feel compelled to remain within his room until the call has been received. In addition, if the traveler's wireless telephone does not support certain types of long distance calls (e.g., to various foreign countries), the traveler may be able to place certain types of calls only from his or her hotel room.
The office telephone is the primary point of contact of most business people. Typically, corporations invest significantly in their office telephone infrastructure, which often includes voice mail, paging and unified messaging systems. In addition, most corporations have negotiated contracts with their telephone carriers (e.g., local and long distance carriers) to ensure they obtain the lowest possible rates for calls placed via their corporate network. However, because the corporate workforce is becoming increasingly mobile, more business people are using wireless telephones to conduct their business when they are out of the office. This has resulted in corporations spending a larger portion of their telecommunications budget on wireless communications, with far less favorable negotiated rates than the rates of their corporate network. In addition, wireless communication systems often lack the enhanced conveniences (e.g., interoffice voice mail, direct extension dialing, etc.) that corporate users have come to expect in the office environment.
A solution to the aforementioned problems would be to allow wireless telephony devices (e.g., wireless telephones or pagers) to access an office telephone system as though they were desktop telephones connected to the company's PBX. It is desirable to incorporate wireless devices into the PBX network so that users may place and receive telephone calls using the office PBX telephone system even though they are at a remote location (e.g., out of the office). This would allow the enhanced conveniences of today's PBX networks (e.g., interoffice voice mail, direct extension dialing, etc.) to be available on wireless devices—something which is desperately needed in today's society.
There have been recent attempts to incorporate wireless telephones into PBX networks. One system provided by Ericsson, requires the creation of a mini-cellular network within the confines of the enterprise. A cellular switching unit, unique wireless telephones and an auxiliary server are required to route inbound telephone calls to a wireless handset serving as a remote office telephone.
An in-building wireless system has been proposed by Nortel Networks. This system requires the wiring of pico-cells throughout the enterprise's building. The system routes inbound telephone calls to specialized wireless telephones serving as additional office PBX telephones. The wireless telephones cannot be used as conventional standard wireless telephones until they leave the premises.
These systems allow inbound calls to be routed to an office telephone and a wireless telephone, but they are not without their shortcomings. For example, each system requires specialized cellular equipment and wireless handsets. Moreover, the systems only use the wireless telephones for inbound telephone calls. In addition, these systems cannot use the wireless telephone as a conventional wireless telephone (i.e., not part of the enterprise's PBX network) within the building. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In a cellular communication network, mobile devices (also known as User Equipment (UE) or mobile terminals, such as mobile telephones) communicate with remote servers or with other mobile devices via base stations. An LTE base station is also known as an ‘enhanced NodeB’ (eNB), which is coupled to an LTE core network also known as an Enhanced Packet Core (EPC) network.
In their communication with each other, LTE mobile devices and base stations use licensed radio frequencies, which are typically divided into frequency bands and/or time blocks. Depending on various criteria (such as the amount of data to be transmitted, radio technologies supported by the mobile device, expected quality of service, subscription settings, etc.), each base station is responsible for controlling the transmission timings, frequencies, transmission powers, modulations, etc. employed by the mobile devices attached to the base station. In order to minimise disruption to the service and to maximise utilisation of the available bandwidth, the base stations continuously adjust their own transmission power and also that of the mobile devices. Base stations also assign frequency bands and/or time slots to mobile devices, and also select and enforce the appropriate transmission technology to be used between the base stations and the attached mobile devices. By doing so, base stations also reduce or eliminate any harmful interference caused by mobile devices to each other or to the base stations.
Current mobile devices typically support multiple radio technologies, not only LTE. The mobile devices might include, for example, transceivers and/or receivers operating in the Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) radio bands, such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi transceivers. The term ‘Bluetooth’ refers to the standards developed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, and the term ‘Wi-Fi’ refers to the 802.11 family of standards developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). If such a non-LTE communication technology is supported, instead of communicating via LTE base stations, mobile devices may also communicate with remote servers or with other mobile devices using non-LTE communication means, e.g. using an appropriate ISM communication technology. For example, the mobile devices may communicate via an access point (e.g. a Wi-Fi AP) operating in accordance with the 802.11 family of standards by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Recently, a so-called ‘dual mode’ base station has been introduced comprising an LTE home base station (HeNB) part (e.g. a pico/femto base station or other low-power node) and a non-LTE access point part (e.g. a Wi-Fi AP). Such a combined HeNB/AP base station may also sometimes be referred to as a dual mode femto access point (FAP) or dual FAP.
ISM and other radio technologies (hereafter commonly referred to as non-LTE technologies) use frequency bands close to or partially overlapping with the LTE frequency bands, as illustrated in FIG. 12. Some of these non-LTE frequency bands are licensed for a particular use (e.g. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) bands) or might be unlicensed bands and can be used by a number of radio technologies (such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi standards using the same range of ISM frequency bands). The manner in which these non-LTE frequency bands are used are, therefore, not covered by the LTE standards and are not controlled by the LTE base stations (e.g. a HeNB of a dual FAP). However, transmissions in the non-LTE frequency bands might, nevertheless, still cause undesired interference to (or suffer undesired interference resulting from) transmissions in the LTE bands, particularly in the overlapping or neighbouring frequency bands.
In particular, such undesired interference may be experienced between LTE and non-LTE (ISM) radio communications in at least the following scenarios: LTE Band 40/41 radio transmitter causing interference to ISM radio receiver; ISM radio transmitter causing interference to LTE Band 40/41 radio receiver; LTE Band 7 radio transmitter causing interference to ISM radio receiver; ISM radio transmitter causing interference to LTE Band 7 radio receiver; and LTE Band 7/13/14 radio transmitter causing interference to GPS radio receiver.
When such undesired interference arises as a result of communication occurring concurrently in the same mobile device or in the same base station (for example, as a result of concurrent use of LTE and non-LTE radio technologies) the interference is sometimes referred to as ‘in-device coexistence (IDC) interference’ which causes an ‘in-device coexistence (IDC) situation’.
In order to be able to alleviate the problems due to IDC interference, the mobile device may be configured to attempt to address such IDC problems on its own and, if the mobile device cannot solve the problem on its own, with the assistance of its serving base station. For example, an IDC problem may be addressed by the base station selecting a different frequency (FDM solution) for the mobile device, by reconfiguring its transmissions (e.g. apply discontinuous reception (DRX) and/or change its subframe pattern) (TDM solution), and/or by adjusting the base station's (and/or the mobile device's) transmission power (Power Control solution).
The inventors have realised that difficulties may arise in simultaneously operating both the LTE and non-LTE parts of such dual FAPs due to the potentially severe interference experienced in some of the (neighbouring or overlapping) frequency bands used by both the LTE and the non-LTE communication technologies.
Such difficulties are particularly likely to occur with respect to dual FAPs implementing both an LTE base station and a non-LTE access point as part of the same network node. In this case, the above (FDM/TDM/Power Control) solutions are not always applicable because any change in the operation of the LTE base station (of the dual FAP) may still cause (or continue to cause) unexpected interference for communications using the access point part of the dual FAP.
The inventors have also realised that whilst it is possible to co-ordinate some of the operations of LTE base stations and other base stations operating in accordance with an earlier standard from which LTE has been derived, e.g. due to the inherent backward compatibility between such related standards, it is particularly difficult to ensure optimal communication characteristics (e.g. signal quality, error rate, interference level) for dual FAPs implementing both an LTE base station and a non-LTE access point because of the differences between the operation of the LTE and the non-LTE parts. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of soldering an electric cable to an electronic circuit board directly and, particularly, to a soldering method with using a heater chip of a heated soldering device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a case where an electric cable such as flat cable is soldered to an electronic circuit board, it is usual to directly solder core conductors of the flat cable to a wiring pattern on the electronic circuit board. In such case, however, a portion of a coating of the electric cable in the vicinity of soldered portions is melted by soldering heat and the corresponding portion of the core conductors to the melted coating are exposed. As a result, mechanical strength of the core conductors in the vicinity of the connecting portions is degraded, leading breakage of the conductors.
In order to solve the problem of breakage of the conductors around the soldered portions, an electric cable protecting method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Sho 60-95869 published on May 29, 1985, in which a hot-melt of a plastic material which becomes a molten state by heat and then solidified is fixed on a tip portion of an electric cable. The hot-melt is melted by heat given to the solder connecting portion of the electric cable, flows to a peripheral portion of core conductors of the cable to fill it and, then, is solidified. With such hot-melt, the core conductors around the connecting portion is reinforced and the conductor breakage is prevented.
In this method, however, there is a problem that a molten hot-melt flows onto a surface of the circuit board, so that the board surface is contaminated. Further, since it is impossible to control the flowing direction of the molten hot-melt, there may be another problem that hot-melt adheres to undesirable portions of the circuit board which are not to be covered by such hot-melt.
On the other hand, when an electric cable is to be soldered to a circuit board by utilizing a heater tip of a heated soldering device, there is a problem that solder dregs remain on the heater tip, leading to defective soldering. Therefore, the heater tip must be cleaned frequently. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a cellular telephone calling system which verifies credit card data and charges the user's credit card upon completion of the telephone call to the third party.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,336 to D'Avello (herein D'Avello) discloses a cellular phone coupled to a credit card reader. A processor in the phone initially verifies the credit card information, i.e., expiration date etc. The phone has lighted indicators informing the user (a) to swipe the card through the reader, (b) to "Please wait," and (c) "Sorry." A visual display also shows "Hello." The processor determines if the new card data matches the last card validated by the unit. If so, the processor permits the user to call from the cellular phone. If the card data does not match, the cellular phone dials up a registration computer. A two way communications link is established such that the registration computer validates the card, by checking the computer's data base, and then sends a validation code to the cellular phone. The registration computer, after validation or rejection of the card, disconnects the cellular telephone link with the phone. The cellular phone then permits the user to place as many phone calls as necessary. The cellular phone, before or after validation, permits 911 calls. The phone has an electronic lock-out which prohibits calls if a call timer limit is exceeded, if the car door is open or after a power-up of the phone (unless the card matches the last validated card). The phone can be programmed by the registration computer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,821 to Bishop discloses a cellular phone installed in a rental car. The cellular phone has a credit card reader 234. The phone detects an open car door. The user selects a rental car and the phone issues visual indicators prompting the customer to insert his or her credit card. The phone initially validates the card, i.e., checks the expiration date. The phone also issues voice prompts to instruct the user regarding the steps to rent the car. The phone communicates with another computer via a cellular network. This computer validates the card and determines whether the car selected by the user conforms to a corporate profile stored in the computer. For example, is the user permitted to rent a luxury car, or has his or her company limited rentals to compact cars? After validation, the computer communicates with the processor in the phone and validates the transaction. The user drives the car to a booth at the exit of the lot and receives and signs a car rental agreement. This agreement is also electronically stored in the phone. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Checkpointing is a fault olerance technique in computing systems. Checkpointing typically includes storing a snapshot of a current application or system state, for example, by copying memory to a secondary location to generate a memory version, and using the memory version at a later time for re-executing the application in the event of failure. For example, a calculation process may use checkpoints to store memory versions of calculated data at various points during the calculation process. In the event of an application or system failure, the calculation process can become corrupted and/or generate inconsistent results. To avoid having to restart the calculation process, the memory version corresponding to the latest checkpoint prior to application or system failure is restored, and the calculation process is continued from the restored checkpoint. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Various types of computing devices exist today. For example, various mobile devices exist, from different mobile phones to personal digital assistants (PDAs) to portable computers. With the variety of devices that may operate under numerous different environments, applications to be executed on a computing device are now developed for multiple types of devices. For example, an application may be developed to execute within a specific runtime environment operating on a computing device, wherein the operating environment may be executed on various types of devices.
As a result of the variety of device architectures and operating environments, an application may execute differently on different devices. Hence, an application may be tested on an emulated device to ensure that the application executes properly on the device. When testing an application, a developer may take a display capture of the emulated device. Therefore, when reviewing the test results for an application, the developer may review the display capture to determine if there are any inconsistencies or problems with the application.
Since the application is to be consistent across the devices, the application must be tested for each device. A display capture may be used to review testing of the application on a device-by-device basis. One problem is that the developer may not be able to accurately compare the display captures from different devices in order to compare the test results for all of the emulated devices executing the application. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for driving a plasma display panel (PDP) used as a flat plasma display device such as a television, computer or a like, its driving circuit and a plasma display device having the driving circuit and more particularly to the method for an alternating current (AC) driving surface-discharge type plasma display, its driving circuit and the plasma display device provided with the driving circuit of such plasma display.
The present application claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-372118 filed on Dec. 6,2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 14 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing configurations of a conventional AC driving surface-discharge type PDP 1 disclosed in, for examples Japanese Patent No. 3036496 or Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. Hei 11-202831. FIG. 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing one display cell of the conventional PDP 1. The display cell is a minimum unit making up a display screen. It should be noted that FIG. 15 shows a view obtained by cutting the PDP 1 illustrated in FIG. 14 in a longitudinal direction with its components being not resolved and obtained by viewing its right cross section.
In the PDP 1 shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, a plurality of stripe-shaped scanning electrodes 3 (31-3n) (may hereinafter referred to as the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n)) and stripe-shaped sustaining electrodes 41-4n may hereinafter referred to as the sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n)) each being constructed of a transparent conductive thin film made of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), tin oxide or a like, is formed at established intervals alternately on an under surface of a front insulating substrate 2 made of glass in a row direction (in a right to left direction in FIG. 14) and, in order to decrease a resistance value of the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) and sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) each having low conductivity, a plurality of trace electrodes 5 and 6 each being made up of a metal film such as a silver thick film or a like is formed on end side of an under surface of the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) and the sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) The under surface of the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) and the sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) and an under surface of the front insulating substrate 2 on which the scanning electrodes 3 and the sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) are not formed, is coated with a transparent dielectric layer 7 and an under surface of the dielectric layer 7 is coated with a protection layer 8 made from magnesium oxide which is used to protect the dielectric layer 7 from ion bombardment at a time of discharging.
On the other hand, a plurality of stripe-formed data electrodes 101-10m(may hereinafter referred to as the data electrode 10 (101-10m)) made up of silver films or a like is formed on an upper surface of a rear insulating substrate 9 made from glass in a column direction (in a left to right direction in FIG. 14), that is, in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) and the sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) are formed and an upper surface of the data electrode 10 (101-10m) and the upper surface of the rear insulating substrate 9 on which the data electrode 10 (101-10m) are not formed is coated with a dielectric layer 11. Moreover, stripe-shaped ribs (partitioning walls) 12 (hereinafter referred to as the rib 12) used to partition the display cell are formed on an upper surface of the dielectric layer 11 except an upper portion of the data electrode 10 (101-10m) and three kinds of fluorescent layers 13R, 13G, and 13B each converting ultra-violet rays produced by discharge of discharging gas into visible light having three primary colors including a red (R) color, green (G) color, and blue (B) color are formed on the upper surface of the di electric layer 11 existing in an upper portion of the data electrode 10 (101-10m) and on sides of the rib 12. The fluorescent layers 13R, 13G, and 13B are formed in order of the fluorescent layer 13R, fluorescent layer 13G and fluorescent layer 13, in a row direction sequentially and repeatedly, and fluorescent layers 13R, 13G, and 13B used to convert ultra-violet rays into visible light having a same color are formed successively in a column direction. A discharging gas space 14 is secured which is formed by an under surface of the protection layer 8, by an upper surface of each of the fluorescent layers 13R, 13G, and 13B, and by side walls of two ribs 12 being adjacent to each other. The discharging gas space 14 is filled with a discharging gas containing helium, neon or xenon or its mixed gas. A region made up of the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n), the sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n), the trace electrodes 5 and 6, the data electrode 10 (101-10m), the fluorescent layer 13R, 13G, and 13B, and the discharging gas space 14 serves as the display cell described above.
FIG. 16 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of configurations of a driving circuit of the conventional AC driving surface-discharge type PDP 1 of FIG. 14. In the PDP 1 shown in FIG. 16, n pieces (xe2x80x9cnxe2x80x9d is a natural number) of the scanning electrodes 31 to 3n and n pieces (xe2x80x9cnxe2x80x9d is a natural number) of the sustaining electrodes 41 to 4n are formed at established intervals in a row direction and m pieces (xe2x80x9cmxe2x80x9d is a natural number) of the data electrodes 101 to 10m are formed at established intervals in a column direction and the number of the display cells on an entire display screen is (nxc3x97m) pieces.
The driving circuit of the PDP 1, as shown in FIG. 16, chiefly includes a driving power source 21, a controller 22, a scanning driver 23, a scanning pulse driver 24, a sustaining driver 25, and a data driver 26. The driving power source 21 produces a logic voltage Vdd of 5 Volts and, at a same time, a data voltage Vd of about 70 Volts, and a sustaining voltage Vs of about 180 Volts and also generates, based on the sustaining voltage Vs, a priming voltage VP of about 400 Volts, a scanning base voltage VbW of about 100 Volts and a bias voltage Vsw of about 195 Volts, and feeds the logic voltage Vdd to the controller 22, the data voltage Vd to the data driver 26, the sustaining voltage Vs to the scanning driver 23 and the sustaining driver 25, the priming voltage VP and scanning base voltage Vbw to the scanning driver 23 and the bias voltage Vsw to the sustaining driver 25.
The controller 22 produces, based on a video signal Sv fed from an outside, scanning driver control signals SSCD1 to SSCD6, scanning pulse driver control signals SSPD11 to SSPDin and SSPD21 to SSPD2n, sustaining driver control signals SSUD1 to SSUD3, data driver control signals SDD11 to SDD1m and SDD21 to SDD2m and then feeds the scanning driver control signals SSCD1 to SSCD6 to the scanning driver 23, the scanning pulse driver control signals SSPD11 to SSPD1n and SSPD21 to SSPD2 to the scanning pulse driver 24, the sustaining driver control signals SSUD1, to SSUD3 to the sustaining driver 25, the data driver control signals SDD11 to SDD1m and SDD21 to SDD2m to the data driver 26.
The scanning driver 23, as shown in FIG. 17, includes switches 231 to 236. One terminal of the switch 231 is supplied with the priming voltage Vp and the other terminal of the switch 231 is connected to a positive line 27. One terminal of the switch 232 is supplied with the sustaining voltage Vs and the other terminal of the switch 232 is connected to the positive line 27. One terminal of the switch 233 is connected to a negative line 28 and the other terminal of the switch 233 is connected to a ground. One terminal of the switch 234 is supplied with the scanning base voltage VbW and the other terminal of the switch 234 is connected to the negative line 28. One terminal of the switch 235 is connected to the positive line 27 and the other terminal of the switch 235 is connected to a ground. One terminal of the switch 236 is connected to the negative line 28 and the other terminal of the switch 236 is connected to a ground. Each of the switches 231 to 236 is turned ON/OFF, based on the scanning driver control signals SSCD1 to SSCD6, and applies voltages each having a predetermined waveform through the positive line 27 and negative line 28 to the scanning pulse driver 24.
The scanning pulse driver 24, as shown in FIG. 17, includes n pieces of switches 2411 to 241n, n pieces of switches 2421 to 242n, n pieces of diodes 2431 to 243n and n pieces of diodes 2441 to 244n. Each of the diodes 2431 to 243n is connected in parallel to both ends of each of corresponding switches 2411 to 241n. Each of the diodes 2441 to 244n is connected in parallel to both ends of each of corresponding switches 2421 to 242n. The switch 2411 is daisy-chained to the switch 2421. The switch 2412 is daisy-chained to the switch 2422. The switch 2413 is daisy-chained to the switch 2423. Similarly, the switch 241n is daisy-chained to the switch 242n. The switches 2411 to 241n are connected to the negative line 28 with all of one terminal of each of the switches 2411 to 241n being connected to each other and the switches 2421 to 242n are connected to the positive line 27 with all of one terminal of each of the switches 2421 to 242n being connected to each other. Moreover, a connecting point between the switch 2411 and the switch 2421 is connected to a first scanning electrode 31 of scanning electrodes 3 (31-3n) Of the PDP 1 (as shown in FIG. 14). As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, a connecting point between the switch 2412 and the switch 2422 is connected to a second scanning electrode 32 of scanning electrodes 3(31-3n). A connecting point between the switch 2413 and the switch 2423 is connected to a third scanning electrode 33 of scanning electrodes 3(31-3n). Similarly, a connecting point between the switch 241n and the switch 242n is connected to an n-th scanning electrode 3n. Each of the switches 2411 to 241n is turned ON/OFF in response to each of the scanning pulse control signals SSPD11 to SSPD1n to be fed from the controller 22. Each of the switches 2431 to 243n is turned ON/OFF in response to each of the scanning pulse control signals SSPD21 to SSPDn to be fed from the controller 22. Then, each of the switches 2411 to 241n and the switches 2421 to 242n feeds each of the pulses PSC1 to PSCn each having a predetermined waveform sequentially to each of the scanning electrodes 31 to 3n of the PDP 1.
The sustaining driver 25, as shown in FIG. 18, is made up of three pieces of switches 251 to 253. One terminal of the switch 251 is supplied with the sustaining voltage Vs and another terminal of the switch 251 is connected to all the sustaining electrodes 41 to 4n of the PDP 1. One terminal of the switch 252 is connected to all the sustaining electrodes 41 to 4n of the PDP 1 and another terminal of the switch 252 is connected to a ground. One terminal of the switch 253 is supplied with the bias voltage Vsw and another terminal of the switch 253 is connected to all the sustaining electrodes 41 to 4n. Each of the switches 251 to 253 is turned ON/OFF in response to the sustaining driver control signals SSUD1 to SSUD3 and feeds a sustaining pulse PSU having a predetermines waveform to all the sustaining electrodes 41 to 4n (shown in FIG. 16)of the PDP 1 in response to each of the sustaining driver control signals SSUD1 to SSUD3.
The data driver 26, as shown in FIG. 19, includes m pieces of switches 2611 to 261m, m pieces of switches 2621 to 262m, m pieces of diodes 2631 to 263m and m pieces of diodes 2641 to 264m. Each of the diodes 2631 to 263m is connected in parallel to both ends of each of corresponding switches 2611 to 261m. Each of the diodes 2641 to 244m is connected in parallel to both ends of each of corresponding switches 2621 to 262m. The switch 2611 is daisy-chained to the switch 2621. The switch 2612 (not shown) is daisy-chained to the switch 2622 (not shown). The switch 2613 (not shown) is daisy-chained to the switch 2623. The switch 261m is daisy-chained to the switch 262m. The switches 2611 to 261m are connected to a ground with all of one terminal of each 2611 to 261m being connected to each other and the switches 2621 to 262m are supplied with the data voltage Vd with all of one terminal of each of the switches 262l to 261m being connected to each other. Moreover, a connecting point between the switch 2611 and the switch 2621 is connected to a first data electrode 101 (FIG. 16) of data electrodes 10 (101-10m) of the PDP 1. A connecting point between the switch 2612 and the switch 2622 is connected to a second data electrode 102 of data electrodes 10 (101-10m). A connecting point between the switch 2613 and the switch 2623 is connected to a third data electrode 103 of data electrodes 10 (101-10m). Similarly, a connecting point between the switch 261m and the switch 262m is connected to the mth data electrode 10m (FIG. 16) of data electrodes 10 (101-10m). Each of the switches 2611 to 261m is turned ON/OFF in response to each of the data driver control signals SDD11 to SDD1m to be fed from the controller 22. Each of the switches 2621 to 262m is turned ON/OFF in response to each of the data driver control signals SDD21 to SDD2m to be fed from the controller 22 (FIG. 16). Then, each of the switches 2611 to 261m and the switches 2621 to 262m feeds each of the pulses PD1 to PDm each having a predetermined waveform sequentially to each of the data electrodes 101 to 10m of the PDP 1. Each of the above switches 231 to 236, 2411, to 241m 2421 to 242m, 251 to 253, 2611 to 261m and 2621 to 262m is turned ON while the fed control signal is high and OFF while the fed control signal is low. Instead of these switches, not only physical switches but also switching elements such as a bipolar transistor, field effect transistor or a like can be used.
Next, operations performed immediately after a supply of power-ON the driving circuit of the PDP 1 will be described by referring to a timing chart shown in FIG. 20. In the PDP 1, since luminance of each color of light emitted by each of the display cells is proportional to the number of light emitting pulses, gray-scale display can be produced by changing the number of light emitting pulses in one frame period during which a frame F making up one screen is displayed. To achieve this, one period for the frame F is so configured as to be made up of a plurality of subfield periods SF and binary images are displayed during each of the subfield periods SF and a weight is assigned to light emitting time of each of the display cells for every subfield period SF. Such the method for producing the gray-scale display is called a xe2x80x9csubfield methodxe2x80x9d. FIG. 20 shows a waveform of each of signals fed during a first subfield period SF immediately after the supply of power. However, amplitudes of the pulse Psck (k is a natural number and 1xe2x89xa6kxe2x89xa6n), shown in (1) in FIG. 20, to be fed to a scanning side and the sustaining pulse PSU fed to the scanning side shown in (2) in FIG. 20 are determined in a relative manner and, since states of these signals are ones obtained immediately after the power-ON, voltage values of the sustaining voltage Vs, priming voltage Vp, and bias voltage Vsw are transitory ones which have not yet reached predetermined values. The above subfield period SF includes a priming period Tp which is a period required for causing feeble discharge to occur in order to reduce an amount of wall charges being deposited on both the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) and sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) (FIG. 14) after priming discharge has occurred, an address period TA which is a period required for selecting the display cell used for light emitting, a sustaining period Ts which is a period required for causing the selected display cell to emit light, an electric charge erasing period TE which is a period required for erasing wall charges being deposited on the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) and sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) of the selected display cell during the sustaining period Ts.
As shown in FIG. 16, when power is turned ON, the driving power source 21 first starts feeding the logic voltage Vdd to the controller 22. Then, as shown in FIG. 20, the controller 22, after having initialized its internal circuits, produces, based on the video signal Sv to be fed from an outside, the scanning driver control signals SSCD1 to SSCD6 shown in (3) to (8) in FIG. 20, the sustaining driver control signals SSUD1 to SSU3 shown in (9) to (11) in FIG. 20, the scanning pulse driver control signals SSPD11 to SSPD2n shown in (12) to (17) in FIG. 20, the high-level data driver control signals SDD11 to SDD1m (not shown) used to cause a black color to be displayed on the entire PDP 1 and the low-level data driver control signals SDD21 to SDD2m (not shown) used also to cause the black color to be displayed on the entire of the PDP 1 and then starts feeding each of the corresponding control signals to each of the scanning driver 23, sustaining driver 25, scanning pulse driver 24, and data driver 26.
Next, the driving power source 21, when a few hundred milliseconds have elapsed after having started feeding the logic voltage Vdd to the controller 22, begins feeding the sustaining voltage Vs, priming voltage Vp, scanning base voltage Vbw, bias voltage Vsw and data voltage Vd to each of the scanning driver 23, sustaining driver 25 and data driver 26. As a result, during the priming period Tp, since the switch 231 of the scanning driver 23 is turned ON (see FIG. 17) in response to the scanning driver control signal SSCD1 (see (3) in FIG. 20) and the switch 252 of the sustaining driver 25 is turned ON (see FIG. 18) in response to the high-level sustaining driver control signal SSUD2 (see (10) in FIG. 20), a priming pulse PPRP of positive polarity is applied to all scanning electrodes 31 to 3n and a priming pulse PPRN of negative polarity (see (2) in FIG. 20) is applied to all sustaining electrodes 41 to 4n (FIG. 15). Therefore, the priming discharge occurs in the discharging gas space 14 (FIG. 15) in the vicinity of a gap between the scanning electrodes 31 to 3n and the sustaining electrodes 41 to 4n, which causes active particles inducing easy occurrence of discharging in the display cell to be produced and causes wall charges of negative polarity to be accumulated on the scanning electrodes 31 to 3n and wall charges of positive polarity to be also accumulated on the sustaining electrodes 41 to 4n.
Then, when the sustaining driver control signal SSUD2 (see (10) in FIG. 20) becomes a high to a low, the switch 252 of the sustaining driver 25 is turned OFF and when the sustaining driver control signal SSUD1 (see (9) in FIG. 20) becomes a low to a high, the switch 251 of the sustaining driver 25 is turned ON (see FIG. 18). Then, since the switch 233 of the scanning driver 23 is turned ON (see FIG. 17) in response to the high-level scanning driver control signal SSCD3 (see (5) in FIG. 20), after the voltage of all the sustaining electrodes 41 to 4n is maintained at about 180 Volts, a first charge erasing pulse PEEN1 (see (1) in FIG. 20) is applied to all the scanning electrodes 31 to 3n of negative polarity. As a result, feeble discharge occurs in all the display cells, which causes wall charges of negative polarity on the scanning electrodes 31 to 3n and wall charges of positive polarity on the sustaining electrodes 41 to 4n to be completely erased.
Next, during the address period TA, since the switch 253 of the sustaining driver 25 is turned ON (see FIG. 18) in response to the high-level sustaining driver control signal SSUD3 (see (11) in FIG. 20) and, at the same time, the switches 234 and 235 are turned ON (see FIG. 17) in response to the scanning driver control signal SSCD4 and SSCD5, (see (6) and (7) in FIG. 20) being supplied from a latter half of the priming period Tp, the bias pulse PEP of positive polarity is applied to all the sustaining electrodes 41 to 4n (see (2) in FIG. 20) and the voltage of the pulses Psc1 to PSCn to be applied to all the scanning electrodes 31 to 3n is maintained at the scanning base voltage Vbw, as shown in (1) in FIG. 20).
In such a state as described above, in order to perform writing to each of the display cells in every line, the switches 2411 to 241n of the scanning pulse driver 24 are sequentially turned OFF and the switches 2421 to 242n are sequentially turned ON (see FIG. 17) in response to the low-level scanning pulse driver control signals SSPD11 to SSPD1n and the high-level scanning pulse driver control signals SSPD21 to SSPD2n being fed with timing shown in (12) to (17) in FIG. 20. Moreover, though not shown, the switches 2611 to 261n of the data driver 26 are sequentially turned ON and the switches 2621 to 262n are sequentially turned OFF (see FIG. 19) in response to the high-level data driver control signals SDD11 to SDD1m and the low-level data driver control signals SDD21 to SDD2m, all of which are used to display a black color on the PDP 1, to be fed with the same timing with which the corresponding scanning pulse driver control signals SSPD11 to SSPDin and SSPD21 to SSPD2n are supplied. Therefore, though a writing scanning pulse PWSN is applied to the scanning electrodes 31 to 3n in a line on which the writing is performed, for example, to the scanning electrode 3K as shown in (1) in FIG. 20, since a data pulse of positive polarity is not applied to any data electrodes 101 to 10m, neither facing discharge nor surface discharge as writing discharge between the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) and the sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) to be triggered by the facing discharge occurs in any display cell. Therefore, an amount of the wall charges accumulated on the scanning electrodes 31 to 3n and sustaining electrodes 41 to 4n making up all the display cells is very small because there is left only the wall charge accumulated after the wall charge was erased in response to the first charge erasing pulse PEEN1 of negative polarity.
Next, during the sustaining period TS, since the switches 232 and 236 of the scanning driver 23 are turned ON/OFF (see FIG. 17) two or more times alternately in response to the scanning driver control signals SSCD2 to SSCD6 to be fed with timing shown in (4) and (8) in FIG. 20 and, at the same time, the switches 251 and 252 of the sustaining driver 25 are turned ON/OFF (see FIG. 18) two or more times alternately in response to the sustaining driver control signals SSUD1 to SSUD2 to be fed with timing shown in (9) and (10) in FIG. 20. Therefore, as shown in (1) in FIG. 20, a sustaining pulse PSUN1 is applied two or more times to all the scanning electrodes 31 to 3n and a sustaining pulse PSUN2 of negative polarity is applied two or more to all the sustaining electrodes 41 to 4n. However, during the address period TA, since no writing is performed on all the display cells, the amount of wall charges accumulated on the scanning electrodes 31 to 3n and sustaining electrodes 41 to 4n making up all the display cells are very small and, as a result, no sustaining discharge caused by superimposing of a voltage of the sustaining pulse PSUN1 or PSUN2 of negative polarity on a voltage of the wall charge occurs and the display cell does not emit light accordingly.
Next, during the electric charge erasing period TE, since the switch 233 of the scanning driver 23 is turned ON (see FIG. 17) in response to the high-level scanning driver control signal SSCD3 (see (5) in FIG. 20), a second charge erasing pulse PEEN2 of negative polarity shown in (1) in FIG. 20 is applied to all the scanning electrodes 31 to 3n. Therefore, feeble discharge occurs in all the display cells and, as a result, the wall charges of negative polarity accumulated on the scanning electrodes 31 to 3n and the wall charges of positive polarity accumulated on the sustaining electrode 41 to 4n making up the display cell that had emitting light during the sustaining period Ts are completely erased and a state of the charge in the display cells making up the PDP 1 is made uniform.
The conventional driving circuit of the PDP 1, immediately after power is turned ON, operates on a precondition that, when the power is turned ON, electric charges have not been accumulated on the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n), sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) and data electrode 10 (101-10m) making up each of the display cells. However, in reality, for example, as shown in FIG. 21A, some electric charges reside on the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n), sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n), and data electrode 10 (101-10m) making up some of the display cells. In the example shown in FIG. 21A, electric charges being equivalent to xe2x88x9250 Volts of negative polarity reside on the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n), electric charges being equivalent to 30 Volts of positive polarity reside on the sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) and electric charges being equivalent to 30 Volts of positive polarity reside on the data electrode 10 (101-10m). In this case, a potential difference in the wall charges between the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) and sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) being adjacent to each other is xe2x88x9280 Volts. Such the residual wall charges are produced mainly due to differences in time taken when each of the priming voltage Vp, sustaining voltage Vs and scanning base voltage Vbw applied to the scanning driver 23, sustaining voltage Vs and bias voltage Vsw applied to the sustaining driver 25 and data voltage Vd applied to the data driver 26, which had been fed from the driving power source 21, drops from a predetermined level to 0 Volts at a time when the power is turned OFF in the driving circuit of the PDP 1 and, therefore, it is almost impossible to completely erase the above residual wall charges at the time when the power is turned OFF.
Therefore, during the above address period TA, in the state where the difference in voltage, caused by the residual wall charges, between the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) and sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) being adjacent to each other is xe2x88x9280 Volts, since the bias pulse PBP of about 195 Volts of positive polarity is applied to all the sustaining electrodes 41 to 4n and since the writing scanning pulse PWSN of 0 Volts of negative polarity is applied to the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) in a line on which the writing is performed, a voltage of 275 Volts in total is applied between the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) and sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n). If a discharge starting voltage is 220 Volts, though the high-level data driver control signals SDD11 to SDD1M and the low-level data driver control signals SDD21 to SDD2m are fed to the data driver 26 in order to cause a black color to be displayed on the entire PDP 1, surface discharge occurs between the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) and sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) as shown in FIG. 21B and, as a result, wall charges of positive polarity are accumulated, which act to counter voltages being already applied, on the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) making up the display cell in which the surface discharge has occurred and wall charges of negative polarity are accumulated, which also act to counter voltages being already applied, on the sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) making up the display cell in which the surface discharge has occurred (see FIG. 21C). In the example shown in FIG. 21C, a voltage of 60 Volts of positive polarity is accumulated on the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) and a voltage of xe2x88x9260 Volts of negative polarity is accumulated on the sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n).
Next, during the sustaining period Ts, in the display cell in which the surface discharge has occurred during the above address period TA, since the wall charges of positive polarity are accumulated on the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) making up the display cell and the wall charges are accumulated on the sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) also making up the display cell, the sustaining pulse PSUN1 of 180 Volts of positive polarity is applied to all the scanning electrodes 31 to 3n and, when the sustaining pulse PSUN1 of 0 Volts of negative polarity is applied to all the sustaining electrodes 41 to 4n, since the applied sustaining pulse PSUN2 is superimposed on the wall charges of negative polarity being accumulated on the sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n), a total of 300 Volts being a sum of the difference (120 Volts) produced by the wall charges between the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) and sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) and the difference (180 Volts) in the applied voltage between the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) and sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) is applied between the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) and sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) Therefore, as shown in FIG. 21C, the surface discharge occurs between the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) and sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n). As a result, the wall charges of negative polarity are accumulated, which act to counter the applied voltage, on the scanning electrode 3 (31-3n) making up the display cell in which the surface discharge has occurred and the wall charges of positive polarity are accumulated, which act to counter the applied voltage, on the sustaining electrode 4 (41-4n) making up the display cell in which the surface discharge has occurred. Thereafter, same operations as above are repeated, which cause the display cell to erroneously emit light and a useless display to be produced in the PDP 1. This phenomenon occurs due to following reasons.
That is, originally, the residual wall charges ought to be erased together at the same time when the wall charges accumulated on the scanning electrodes 31 to 3n and sustaining electrodes 41 to 4n based on the priming discharge occurred in a first half of the priming period Tp are erased by the first charge erasing pulse PEEN1 in the latter half of the priming period Tp. However, since the driving power source 21 causes both the sustaining voltage VS and bias voltage VSW to rise at almost the same time, the sustaining voltage VS does not fully reach a predetermined voltage in the latter half of the priming period Tp occurring, in terms of time, before the address period TA and, as a result, the above residual wall charges cannot be completely erased. Nevertheless, there is a case where the bias voltage VSW has reached the predetermined voltage value and, in this case, the surface discharge occurs easily.
To solve this problem, a method is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 2823126 in which image display in the PDP 1 is prohibited during at least one period of a vertical sync signal after power is turned ON. However, in this method, though the image display is merely and mechanically prohibited during at least one period of the vertical sync signal after the power has been turned ON, no consideration is given to a characteristic of the PDP 1 or its driving circuit, in particular to a rising characteristic, to be observed at the time when the power is turned ON, of the sustaining voltage VS to be fed from the driving power source 21, priming voltage Vp, scanning base voltage Vbw and bias voltage Vsw. Therefore, even by using the disclosed method, it is impossible to completely prevent the useless display occurring at the time when the power is turned ON.
This requires strict specifications of characteristics of the driving power source 21 so as to meet conditions defined by the characteristic of operations of the PDP 1 or its driving circuit, however, in that case, the driving power source 21 has to be prepared individually for every PDP 1 or its driving circuit, which causes a loss of general versatility of the driving power source 21. Moreover, since there is a likelihood that the rising characteristics of the sustaining voltage Vs, priming voltage Vp, and scanning base voltage Vbw at the time of the power-ON are changed not only by the single characteristic of the driving power source 21 but also by capacitance of capacitors making up smoothing circuits being connected to the driving power source 21 or parasitic capacitance produced by routing of wirings, unless considerations are given to these factors, it is impossible to achieve a complete prevention of the useless display appearing when the power is turned ON.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a circuit for driving a PDP, and a plasma display device having the driving circuit which are capable of preventing a useless display occurring at a time of power-ON, irrespective of characteristics of a driving power source.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for driving a plasma display panel, the plasma display panel including a plurality of pairs of surface discharge electrodes each pair of the surface discharge electrodes being made up of a scanning electrode and a sustaining electrode and each scanning electrode and sustaining electrode being formed successively in a column direction and being parallel to a row direction and a plurality of data electrodes each being formed successively in the row direction and being parallel to a column direction, forming pixels at intersections of the plurality of the data electrodes and the plurality of the pairs of surface discharge electrodes, and discharge space existing in a gap between a plane on which the plurality of the pairs of surface discharge electrodes is formed and a plane on which the plurality of the data electrodes is formed, including:
a step of applying, immediately after power is turned ON, a pulse having an erasing pulse which causes a maximum potential difference between the sustaining electrode and the scanning electrode being adjacent to each other to reach at least a sustaining voltage, to the scanning electrode.
In the foregoing, a preferable mode is one wherein, after power is turned ON, the pulse having the erasing pulse is applied repeatedly to the scanning electrode until the sustaining voltage reaches a predetermined voltage value.
Also, a preferable mode is one, wherein, after power is turned ON, the pulse having the erasing pulse is applied to the scanning electrode repeatedly for predetermined time.
Also, a preferable mode is one wherein, the pulse having the erasing pulse and being applied to the scanning electrode has a priming period, address period, and sustaining period; and wherein the erasing pulse is produced during the priming period.
Also, a preferable mode is one wherein, the pulse having the erasing pulse and being applied to the scanning electrode has a first priming period, second priming period, address period, and sustaining period, and wherein the erasing pulse is fed during the first priming period and is made up of a priming pulse which causes a maximum potential difference between the scanning electrode and the sustaining electrode being adjacent to each other to reach at least priming voltage in order to cause priming discharge to occur during the second priming period and of a second erasing pulse used to reduce wall charges accumulated both on the scanning electrode and sustaining electrode being adjacent to each other caused by the priming discharge.
Also, a preferable mode is one wherein, after the pulse having the erasing pulse has been applied, a pulse having a priming period and address period and having a writing scanning pulse which causes a potential difference between the scanning electrode and the sustaining electrode being adjacent to each other during the address period to become a sustaining voltage, is applied during the address period to the scanning electrode.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a circuit for driving a plasma display panel, the plasma display panel having a plurality of pairs of surface discharge electrodes each pair of the surface discharge electrodes being made up of a scanning electrode and a sustaining electrode and each scanning electrode and sustaining electrode being formed successively in a column direction and being parallel to a row direction and a plurality of data electrodes each being formed successively in the row direction and being parallel to the column direction, forming pixels at intersections of the plurality of the data electrodes and the plurality of the pairs of surface discharge electrodes, and discharge space existing in a gap between a plane on which the plurality of the pairs of surface discharge electrodes is formed and a plane on which the plurality of the data electrodes is formed, including:
a controller to produce, immediately after power is turned ON, a control signal used to apply a pulse having an erasing pulse which causes a maximum potential difference between the sustaining electrode and the scanning electrode being adjacent to each other to reach at least a sustaining voltage, to the scanning electrode.
In the foregoing, a preferable mode is one that wherein includes:
a voltage detection circuit to detect, after power is turned ON, the sustaining voltage which has reached a predetermined voltage; and
wherein the controller produces the control signal repeatedly until the voltage detection circuit detects the sustaining voltage that has reached a predetermined voltage value.
Also, a preferable mode is one that wherein includes a timer to measure predetermined time after power is turned ON and wherein the controller produces the control signal repeatedly until the timer has measured the predetermined time.
Also, a preferable mode is one wherein the pulse having the erasing pulse and being applied to the scanning electrode has a priming period, address period and sustaining period; and wherein the erasing pulse is produced in the priming period.
Also, a preferable mode is one wherein, the pulse having the erasing pulse and being applied to the scanning electrode has a first priming period, second priming period, address period, and sustaining period, and wherein the erasing pulse is fed during the first priming period and is made up of a priming pulse which causes a maximum potential difference between the scanning electrode and the sustaining electrode being adjacent to each other to reach at least a priming voltage in order to cause priming discharge to occur during the second priming period and of a second erasing pulse used to reduce wall charges on the scanning electrode and sustaining electrode being adjacent to each other caused by the priming discharge.
Also, a preferable mode is one wherein the controller, after applying the pulse having the erasing pulse, produces a control signal having a priming period and address period and writing scanning pulse to cause a potential difference between the scanning electrode and the sustaining electrode being adjacent to each other to become a sustaining voltage during the address period.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plasma display device being provided with a driving circuit of a plasma display stated in any one of the second aspect.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plasma display panel device being equipped with a controller which produces a control signal used to apply, immediately after power is turned ON, a pulse having an erasing pulse causing a maximum potential difference between a scanning electrode and a sustaining electrode being adjacent to each other to reach a sustaining voltage to the scanning electrode.
With above configurations, a pulse having an erasing pulse which causes a maximum potential difference between a sustaining electrode and a scanning electrode being adjacent to each other to reach at least a sustaining voltage, is applied, immediately after power is applied, to the scanning electrode and therefore a useless display can be prevented at a time of power-ON, irrespective of characteristics of the driving power source. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs) or other devices. In such a case, a patterning device (e.g., a mask) may contain or provide a circuit pattern corresponding to an individual layer of the device (“design layout”), and this circuit pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g. comprising one or more dies) on a substrate (e.g., silicon wafer) that has been coated with a layer of radiation-sensitive material (“resist”), by methods such as irradiating the target portion through the circuit pattern on the patterning device. In general, a single substrate contains a plurality of adjacent target portions to which the circuit pattern is transferred successively by the lithographic apparatus, one target portion at a time. In one type of lithographic apparatus, the circuit pattern on the entire patterning device is transferred onto one target portion in one go; such an apparatus is commonly referred to as a wafer stepper. In an alternative apparatus, commonly referred to as a step-and-scan apparatus, a projection beam scans over the patterning device in a given reference direction (the “scanning” direction) while synchronously moving the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this reference direction. Different portions of the circuit pattern on the patterning device are transferred to one target portion progressively.
Prior to the device fabrication procedure of transferring the circuit pattern from the patterning device to the substrate of the device manufacturing process, the substrate may undergo various device fabrication procedures of the device manufacturing process, such as priming, resist coating and a soft bake. After exposure, the substrate may be subjected to other device fabrication procedures of the device manufacturing process, such as a post-exposure bake (PEB), development, and a hard bake. This array of device fabrication procedures is used as a basis to make an individual layer of a device, e.g., an IC. The substrate may then undergo various device fabrication procedures of the device manufacturing process such as etching, ion-implantation (doping), metallization, oxidation, chemo-mechanical polishing, etc., all intended to finish off the individual layer of the device. If several layers are required in the device, then the whole process, or a variant thereof, is repeated for each layer. Eventually, a device will be present in each target portion on the substrate. If there is a plurality of devices, these devices are then separated from one another by a technique such as dicing or sawing, whence the individual devices can be mounted on a carrier, connected to pins, etc. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
As such a kind of driving tool, there is known a tool including a head valve which controls a flow of compressed air into a cylinder. When a trigger of the driving tool is manipulated, the head valve is operated to open a supply passage into the cylinder. Accordingly, the compressed air flows into the cylinder to operate a piston, and thus a fastener is driven. At this time, an exhaust passage communicating with the inside of the cylinder is closed by the head valve. When the driving is completed, and the head valve returns to an initial position, the supply passage into the cylinder is closed, and the exhaust passage communicating with the inside of the cylinder is opened to discharge the compressed air in the cylinder.
In such a structure, it is ideal that the exhaust passage communicating with the inside of the cylinder is closed at the same time when the supply passage into the cylinder is opened. However, it is difficult to perform the operation in a strictly simultaneous manner due to the problem such as dimension management. Therefore, in practice, a structure is adopted in which the exhaust passage is closed after the supply passage is opened or the supply passage is opened after the exhaust passage is closed.
However, in the structure that exhaust passage is closed after the supply passage is opened, there is a timing when the supply passage and the exhaust passage are not sealed, and thus a problem occurs in which the compressed air supplied from the supply passage leaks from the exhaust passage, and an air consumption amount is increased.
On the other hand, in the structure that the supply passage is opened after the exhaust passage is closed, a slide resistance in a seal portion is increased, and thus a problem occurs in which the response of the head valve is delayed to cause an energy loss or a discharge delay.
In Japanese Patent Publication (JP-B) No. 4706604 as a technology relating thereto, the description is given about a technology having a structure that the leg portion extending from the outer circumference of the head bumper has a ring-shaped seal member extending toward the main valve (head valve), and the seal member performs sealing by contacting the inner wall surface of the main valve.
According to such a technology, in the structure that the exhaust passage is closed after the supply passage is opened, the seal member extending toward the head valve is provided so that the timing when the supply passage is opened can be set close to the timing when the exhaust passage is closed and the leakage of the compressed air into the exhaust passage can be suppressed.
In the technology described in JP-B-4706604, however, sealing is performed by contacting the rubber seal portion with the inner wall surface of the head valve, and thus a problem occurs in which it is necessary to severely manage a dimension. That is, there is a concern that the rubber is changed in a dimension by an error in production or a temperature change. When the dimension is changed, a problem occurs in which the slide resistance with the head valve is increased to affect an operation, or conversely, the seal portion is apart from the head valve so that it becomes difficult to secure airtightness.
In this regard, an object of the disclosure is to provide a driving tool, of which a structure that the exhaust passage is closed after the supply passage into a cylinder is opened, and in which it is suppressed that compressed air leaks from an exhaust passage after a supply passage is opened and it is not necessary to severely manage a dimension in producing. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Technical Field
This invention relates to cryptographic protocols for use, for example, in performing effective content level encryption (e.g., on MPEG-4 bit streams).
2. Summary
In particular, the invention relates to a method of generating cryptographically protected digital data encoding content and arranged into messages, each message being decodable by a decoder application on a client terminal having a service interface to assemble each message for the decoder application, the method including: retrieving a message from a machine-readable medium; encrypting at least part of the message; and providing the encrypted messages as output in a format enabling a server service interface to arrange the message into at least one packet including at least one header and a payload, each payload including at least part of the message, at least one header including information enabling the service interface on the client to assemble each message for the decoder application from the payload of the packets.
The invention further relates to a server for enabling decryption of cryptographically protected data encoding content and arranged into messages, generated by means of such a method.
The invention also relates to a system for generating cryptographically protected digital data encoding content and arranged into messages, each message being decodable by a decoder application on a client terminal having a service interface to assemble each message for the decoder application, the system being configured to: retrieve a message from a machine-readable medium; encrypt at least part of the message; and to provide the encrypted messages as output in a format enabling a server service interface to arrange the message into at least one packet including at least one header and a payload, each payload including at least part of the message, at least one header including information enabling the service interface on the client to assemble each message for the decoder application from the payload of the packets.
The invention further relates to a method of distributing digital data encoding content and arranged into messages from a server to one or more client terminals through a network, each message being decodable by a decoder application on a client terminal, said method including: transmitting a plurality of data packets from the server through a network through a network interface of the server, each packet including at least one header and a payload, each payload including at least part of a message; providing each message to a first of a series of at least one service interface between two layers in a protocol stack, installed on the server, each service interface configured to add at least one packet header to the packet encoding information enabling the client to process the remainder of the packet, the method further comprising transmitting packets including at least one header including information enabling a service interface on the client to assemble each message for the decoder application from the payload of the packets.
The invention also relates to a server for distributing digital data encoding content and arranged into messages to one or more client terminals through a network, each message being decodable by a decoder application on a client terminal, said server including: a network interface for transmitting a plurality of data packets from the server through a network, each packet including at least one header and a payload, each payload including at least part of a message, the server further including a series of at least one service interface between two layers in a protocol stack, each service interface configured to add at least one packet header to the packet encoding information enabling the client to process the remainder of the packet, the server being configured to transmit packets including at least one header including information enabling a service interface on the client to assemble each message for the decoder application from the payload of the packets.
The invention also relates to a client terminal for receiving and processing digital data encoding content and arranged into messages, each message being decodable by a decoder application, comprising an interface for receiving a plurality of data packets, each packet including at least one header and a payload, the terminal further including a series of at least one service interface between two layers in a protocol stack, each service interface configured to remove at least one packet header from the packet and process the remainder of the packet using information encoded in the removed packet header, including a service interface configured to assemble the messages for the decoder application from the payload of at least one packet, using information included in at least one header of the packet.
The invention also relates to a method for receiving and processing in a client terminal digital data encoding content and arranged into messages, each message being decodable by a decoder application, comprising receiving a plurality of data packets by means of an interface of the client terminal, each packet including at least one header and a payload; providing each packet to a first of a series of at least one service interface between two layers in a protocol stack, each service interface configured to remove at least one packet header from the packet and process the remainder of the packet using information encoded in the removed packet header, including a service interface configured to assemble the messages for the decoder application from the payload of at least one packet, using information included in at least one header of the packet.
The invention also relates to a computer program loadable into a computer and having the potential, when run on the computer, to provide the computer with the functionality of such a system, server or client terminal.
The invention lastly relates to a computer program loadable into a computer and having the potential, when run on the computer, to enable the computer to execute one of the above-mentioned types of methods.
Examples of such systems and methods are known, e.g. from international standard ISO/IEC 14496-1, known as MPEG (Moving Pictures Expert Group)-4.
MPEG and MPEG-4 are standards that have been proposed and, in the case of MPEG, are widely used in the distribution of video and, to a lesser degree, other forms of content. Moreover, applications such as distributing digital content over the Internet and others, have created a need for encrypting content, whether in the MPEG, MPEG-4 or any other format.
The MPEG-4 standard specifies an architecture of which the basic building blocks are formed by a scene description and elementary streams that convey streaming data. To distribute the streaming data, it is conveyed in SL-packetised streams (SPS). The packets contain elementary stream data partitioned in access units as well as side information, e.g. for timing and access unit labelling. The timing model relies on clock references and time stamps to synchronise audio-visual data conveyed by the one or more elementary streams. The concept of a clock with its associated clock references is used to convey the notion of time to a receiving terminal. Time stamps are used to indicate the precise time instants at which the receiving terminal consumes the access units in decoding buffers. An object time base (OTB) defines the notion of time for a given data stream. The resolution of this OTB can be selected as required by the application or as defined by a profile. All time stamps that the sending terminal inserts in a coded data stream refer to this time base. The OTB of a data stream is known at the receiving terminal by means of object clock reference (OCR) time stamps in the SL packet headers for this stream or by means of an indication of the elementary stream from which this object descriptor stream inherits the time base.
The object description framework consists of a set of descriptors that allows to identify, describe and properly associate elementary stream to each other and to audio-visual objects used in the scene description. Object descriptors are a collection of descriptors that describe one or more elementary streams that are associated to a single node in the scene. An elementary stream descriptor within an object descriptor identifies a single elementary stream. Each elementary stream descriptor contains the information necessary to initiate and configure the decoding process for the elementary stream, as well as intellectual property identification. Intellectual Property Management and Protection (IPMP) information is conveyed both through IPMP descriptors as part of the object descriptor stream and through IPMP streams, elementary streams that carry time variant IPMP information, in particular content encryption keys. Keys are associated with the content or other streams via appropriate IPMP stream descriptors. These keys must be synchronised with the content stream. The existing MPEG-4 model is used for delay and synchronisation management. Thus, the decryption application in the receiving terminal must appropriately manage time stamping.
The MPEG-4 bit stream syntax in its current form offers no explicit support for resynchronisation of the decryption process in the event that parts of the encrypted content bit stream are lost during transmission. Since the transport layer is not specified by MPEG-4 it is not possible to utilize characteristics of the underlying transport protocol for synchronization. MPEG-4 media may also be played back locally, in which case there is no transport involved. In an error-prone environment, the loss of a single bit would effectively destroy the remainder of the frame. There are many ciphers and associated modes that cannot perform self-synchronization, but that are very attractive under a wide range of evaluation criteria. Currently, these must all be ruled out, simply because there is not support in the extensions for the synchronization of the decryption process in the event of data loss. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
It has been known for many years to paint walls, ceilings, canvasses and other surfaces with rollers as opposed to brushes, sponges or other devices. While some rollers are intended for single use, others are intended to be reused, and must be cleaned. Depending on the thickness and type of material used in the nap of the roller cover, cleaning of the roller covers in particular can be messy and time consuming, and can utilize an inordinate amount of solvent.
Numerous devices have been developed over the years for cleaning roller covers. One such device is the paint spinner, which engages a roller cover from one end, and rotates it along its longitudinal axis with sufficient rapidity to expel the paint from the cover by centrifugal force. It is known to use such paint spinners under a water faucet, in the open air, or inside a bucket or solvent container which is capable of catching the expelled paint. It is also known to use various means of spinning the roller cover, including adaptations to electric drills, hand powered rotary drills, and what is colloquially known as a Yankee screwdriver mechanism.
In the Yankee screwdriver mechanism, a spiraled or twisted driving rod is reciprocated inside a hub, causing a chuck or clamp to rotate in a single direction. Mechanisms operating according to this principle have been known for many years, particularly with respect to hand-operated screwdrivers and drills, and its application to paint spinners is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,794,295, 2,884,709 and 2,912,769 to Kruger, each of which are incorporated herein in their entirety. Paint spinners utilizing the Yankee screwdriver mechanism are commercially successful, and are generally available through outlets catering to commercial painters.
One major advantage of the Yankee screwdriver mechanism is that it is hand operated, and it can therefore be utilized without proximity or connection to an electrical outlet. One of the drawbacks, however, of using a hand-operated as opposed to a motor operated paint spinner is that the roller cover can only be spun at a relatively slow speed. Commercially available paint spinners utilizing the Yankee screwdriver mechanism, for example, rotate the roller cover at only about 400 revolutions per minute. This is adequate for roller covers having an outer diameter of about two inches or more, but is inadequate for rotating roller covers of significantly smaller diameters, such as "weenie" roller covers having an outer diameter of only about one inch. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to re-entrant geometry gate electrodes for integrated circuit structures and the formation of same. More particularly this invention relates to re-entrant geometry gate electrodes formed by selective implantation of a semiconductor material prior to etching the semiconductor material to form the re-entrant gate electrode structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Implantation of atoms, such as, for example a dopant, into a crystalline structure, such as a single crystal silicon substrate or an epitaxial layer, or a polycrystalline structure such as polysilicon, disrupts the crystalline structure of the material being implanted. The local level of damage to the crystalline structure continues to increase during the implantation until destruction or disappearance of local order is completes, i.e., all crystallinity is gone and an amorphous state, e.g., of silicon, exists in that implanted region of the structure. Normally the disrupted crystalline structure is then subjected to an anneal which restores the crystalline structure to its previous form, i.e., remedies the damage done to the particular crystalline structure.
However, if the damaged crystalline structure is etched after such an implantation, without an intervening anneal step, the etching step is found to be non-uniform, with the portion of the crystalline structure damaged by the previous implantation step responding to the etch treatment at an accelerated rate, i.e., the damaged portion of the crystalline structure etches at a faster rate. This exhibited selectivity is believed to be because many of the atomic bonds have been broken during the implantation in the implanted region of the substrate, thus allowing bonding to plasma species to occur more readily than in regions where, for example, the silicon--silicon bonds first must be broken before additional reaction occurs. Normally this is not a desirable feature and is avoided by first annealing the damaged structure prior to the etching step. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication device, a communication system, a communication method, and a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-191819, a mobile communication system enabling a user of the mobile object to transmit information of the mobile object to a general-purpose portable terminal, which the user owns, is known in the related art. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present disclosure relates to methods and devices for endoscopic surgery, in particular to methods and devices for dissecting tissue to create a working space for endoscopic instruments. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Electronic directories or directory servers are becoming important tools to manage network resources. The term Directory Service refers to a collection of software, hardware, and processes that store information about an enterprise or an organization and make the information available to users. A directory service generally includes at least one instance of Directory Server and one or more directory client programs. Client programs can access names, phone numbers, addresses, and other data stored in the directory. For example, one common directory service is a Domain Name System (DNS) server. A DNS server maps computer host names to Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. Thus, all of the computing resources (hosts) become clients of the DNS server. The mapping of host names allows users of an organization's computing resources to easily locate computers on an organization's network by remembering host names rather than numerical IP addresses. It should be noted, however, that while the DNS server stores only two types of information, namely, names and IP addresses, a true directory service stores virtually unlimited types of information.
A directory server forms a central information repository that provides data warehousing functionality to access users and groupings to which users belong. By thus becoming a central point where network, security and application services are able to obtain information, the directory has emerged as a key component of an integrated distributed computing environment. Additionally, the centralization of information has enabled ease of administering the information. Several uses of directories are known: (1) as naming service e.g., Directory Naming Service for Internet host addresses; (2) as user registry for storing information of all users in a system of interconnected computers; and (3) a Yellow Pages service, which allows E-mail clients to perform look-up to find destination addresses.
A directory service uses a namespace, which provides for efficient referencing and retrieval of collections of related information, such as a person's name, organization, physical address, and e-mail address. Corporate directories have been evolving independent of any standardized protocol to access them. On corporate Local Area Networks (LANs), each e-mail system has its own directory, which is not interoperable with those of other vendors. On larger systems using TCP/IP, there is no single directory standard—certainly not one that is routinely used on the scale of intranets.
Standardized Directory Access Protocols (DAP) such as the X.500—which is the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-T) standard for directories—are designed to provide a uniform method of accessing the directory servers from any application program executing on any computer system. These protocols are designed to overcome the problems of incompatible host systems and access procedures. Referring to FIG. 1, applications and users access a directory service by making a request to a Directory User Agent (DUA), which transfers the request to a Directory System Agent (DSA), using the DAP. The directory itself can include one or more DSAs. The DSAs can either communicate among themselves to share directory information, or can direct the DUA to use a specific DSA. This latter mechanism is called a referral. Referrals can happen when DSAs are not set up to exchange directory information, such as in cases where administrators did not agree on how to interwork with these components, or due to security concerns.
As shown in FIG. 2, in X.500, there are 17 base object classes such as Country, Organization, Organizational Unit, Locality, and Person. These object classes can have one or more of the 40 attribute types such as Country, Organization Name, Organizational Unit Name, Locality Name, and Common Name. FIG. 3 shows a hierarchically arranged instance of X.500 data tree.
X.500 forms the application layer of the well-known 7-layer Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) protocol stack, and requires a large amount of memory and operational overhead. Moreover, X.500 addressing has become quite complex. In X.500, the namespace is explicitly stated and is hierarchical. Such namespaces require relatively complicated management schemes. The naming model defined in X.500 is concerned mainly with the structure of the entries in the namespace, not the way the information is presented to the user.
The complete set of all information held in a Directory is known as the Directory Information Base (DIB). It should be noted that not all of this information is visible to normal users of the Directory. Referring to FIG. 4, in a Directory User Information Model, an entry holds information about an object of interest to users of the Directory. These (Directory) objects might typically be associated with, or be some facet of, real world things such as information processing systems or telecommunications equipment or people. So there can be a Directory entry for an X.400 Message Transfer Agent (MTA), and another one for the manager. However, it is very important to note that Directory objects do not necessarily have a one-to-one correspondence to real world things. This has typically caused a lot of confusion to non-experts, many of whom assume that every entry in the Directory contains all the relevant information about one real world thing. This is not necessarily so. Directory objects, and hence entries, can have a one-to-one correspondence with real world things, or can have a many-to-one or one-to-many relationship with real world things. For example, a Directory object/entry may be a mailing list containing the names of many real people (one-to-many correspondence). Alternatively, a real person may be represented in the Directory as both a residential person object/entry and an organisational person object/entry (many-to-one correspondence). In the latter case, the organisational person Directory entry would hold information that is relevant to describing the person in their working environment, holding their office room number, internal telephone extension number, electronic mail address, and the department etc., the residential person Directory entry would describe the person in their residential capacity, holding their home postal address and home telephone number etc. Objects that have similar characteristics are identified by their object class. Every object entry in the Directory is a member of at least one object class. So, for example, there is an ‘organizational person’ object class for organizational person entries, and a ‘residential person’ object class for residential person entries. This organizational person object will be explained in detail below.
Also shown in FIG. 4 are entries. Every entry in an X.500 Directory Information Tree (DIT) is a collection of attributes, each attribute composed of a type element and one or more value elements. Because it was designed to accommodate all types of directories, in case of the X.500, the DAP has become too general to be easily configured to work with specialized applications. These reasons have resulted in a limited user acceptance of X.500. Each piece of information that describes some aspect of an entry is called an attribute. An attribute comprises an attribute type and one or more attribute values. An example of an attribute type might be ‘telephone number’ and an example of a telephone number attribute value might be ‘+91 861 324 251’.
The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) has emerged as an open standard from the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) to provide directory services to applications ranging from e-mail systems to distributed system management tools. LDAP was created as a protocol for accessing X.500 directories so that clients could run on desktop computers without affecting performance. LDAP is based on a client-server model in which a client makes a TCP/IP connection to a Directory server, sends requests, and receives responses. The LDAP information model, in particular, is based on the concept of a “target entry”, which contains information about some object. In this application, an unqualified reference to an “entry” means that a reference is made to a “target entry.”
Entries are typically organized in a specified tree structure, and each entry is composed of attributes. In an LDAP-compliant directory server, each user and group in an organization or an enterprise is represented by a Distinguished Name (DN) attribute. As defined in Request for Comment (RFC) 1779, DN attribute is a text string that contains unambiguous identifying information for an associated user, group, or object. DNs are used when a change is made to a user or group directory entry. Directory server entries are typed by an objectclass attribute, which allows searching for those entries with a particular value to the objectclass attribute. To search a company's sales department of a United States corporation, for example, an Directory server query in the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) format: ldap://ldap.corp.com/ou=sales,o=corp,c=us??sub?objectclass=person
This returns all person entries in the directory tree below the entry named by Organizational Unit Name=sales; Organization Name=corp; and Country Name=US. After entries are made for a directory, administration of these entries can be made easier by grouping these entries.
As shown before in FIG. 3, typical directory tree organizes entries only hierarchically. This structure may not be optimal for short-lived or changing organizations where groupings can be made based on an arbitrary user attribute. Moreover, in a typical directory system, a client application is tasked with determining the type of groupings desired and providing the logic for search requests to achieve the desired results. One could garner some efficiencies in the client application logic by pushing some complexity to the server side. But there is no known system that provides such a solution. Accordingly, there is discovered a need for an advancement in the art. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Grouping of social connections to form social networks have become useful in many contexts. Better understanding of a user's social connections can provide better insight into the user. Such insight can facilitate the placement of the user into optimal social networks so that the user can enjoy association with similar social connections. Such insight can also provide a competitive edge for existing and emerging businesses that depend on their ability to tailor goods and services to the particular needs of the user. As a result, it is important to understand the social connections among individuals, both in the real world and in cyberspace.
Conventional approaches in the grouping of social connections are associated with certain limitations. Some conventional techniques take a global view of social connections among a user's contacts, which can cause low grouping accuracy. In this regard, a connection between a user and his or her particular contacts of the user may be overshadowed by the relationship between the user and all of his or her contacts in the entire social network. In addition, other conventional techniques may raise privacy concerns as a user's social connections are identified by analyzing data stored in a system controlled by others. User data uploaded to such a system exposes personal information of the user to a higher risk of privacy violations and data breach. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Polyrotaxane is comprised of pseudopolyrotaxane, which comprises a linear molecule (axis) and cyclic molecules (rota) in which the linear molecule is included in the cavities of cyclic molecules in a skewered manner, and capping groups, each of which locates at each end of the pseudopolyrotaxane (each end of the linear molecule) in order to prevent the dissociation of the cyclic molecules. For example, a polyrotaxane having α-cyclodextrin (hereinafter cyclodextrin may be simply abbreviated as “CD”) as cyclic molecules, and polyethylene glycol (hereinafter may be abbreviated as “PEG”) as a linear molecule has been intensively studied in recent years for its various characteristics.
Polyrotaxane is usually prepared as follows: the —OH group at each end of PEG is substituted by a —NH2 group to obtain H2N-PEG-NH2 having at each end a —NH2 group, the H2N-PEG-NH2 is mixed with α-CD(s) to obtain pseudopolyrotaxane included in α-CD(s), and then the pseudopolyrotaxane is reacted with a capping group having a —COOH group (Bl-COOH), such as adamantane acetic acid, to obtain polyrotaxane in which each end of the PEG site of the pseudopolyrotaxane is capped by a —NH—CO—O-Bl group (see Patent Document 1).
The amidation between a —NH2 group and a —COOH group is commonly conducted by nucleophilically attacking of the unshared electron pair of amine onto the positively charged carbonyl carbon of an activated carboxyl group. In such an instance, a large excess of amine is often added to the activated carbonyl (see Non-Patent Document 1).
H2N-PEG-NH2 having at each end a —NH2 group is commercially available, but the variation is poor with regard to the molecular weight of PEG, in particular, those having a higher molecular weight PEG are insufficient. Therefore, the —OH group at each end of PEG was modified with N,N′-carbonyldiimidazole and ethylenediamine to prepare H2N-PEG-NH2 having various PEG molecular weights, in particular, those having higher PEG molecular weights (see Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 2). They are used in a manner similar to the above-described manner to prepare a polyrotaxane having various molecular weights. Patent Document 1: WO 01/83566. Non-Patent Document 1: P. Bulpitt, D. Aeschlimann, J. Biomed. Mater. Res., 47 (1999), 152-169. Non-Patent Document 2: H. Fujita, T. Ooya, N. Yui, Macromolecules 32 (1999), 2534-2541. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Implantable leads represent the electrical link between an implantable medical device (often referred to simply as “IMD”) and a subject's cardiac or other tissue, which is to be sensed or stimulated. An implantable lead may include a single or multiple conductors that are connected to an electrode or an electrode assembly at a lead intermediate portion or a lead distal end portion. A connector is included at a lead proximal end portion to form an electrical connection (via the conductor(s)) between the electrode or electrode assembly and the IMD.
Over the years, a large number of different mechanisms and methods for interconnecting conductors and electrodes have been proposed. It is desirable that such connections between the conductor and the electrode provide a highly reliable electrical connection, with good mechanical properties including high tensile strength. It is also desirable that such connections allow for the lead assembly itself to retain a high degree of tensile strength through the area of the electrode. This is because cardiac (and other) leads undergo considerable stresses due to repetitive flexing caused by, for example, the motion of a beating heart and forces applied to the lead during an implantation, repositioning, or lead extraction procedure.
Typically, conductors in commercially marketed pacing and defibrillation leads have taken the form of single or multi-filar wire coils. Recently, there has been a high level of interest in designing leads having lead bodies with a reduced size (i.e., lead body diameter) or additional electrodes. Lead body size can be reduced by employing stranded wire conductors such as cables, in lieu of coiled wire conductors. However, such stranded wire conductors present new challenges not faced by the use of coiled wire conductors. As one example, it has been a great challenge to electrically and reliably connect a small multi-strand conductor cable (often times having a cable outer diameter on the order of thousandths of an inch) to a ring electrode or a multi-filar shock coil electrode. Being of such small size, the connection is a very difficult one to make and fragile, if made incorrectly.
With respect to single or multi-filar wire coiled conductors, when such conductors are used to electrically connect a distal (tip) electrode to the IMD, portions of the distal electrode typically are polymer bonded (e.g., via an adhesive) to provide additional axial strength to the electrode. However, even with such additional polymer-provided strength, the distal electrode/lead body connection may still fall short of the axial strength necessary to resist permanent deformation or in order to pass industry standards (e.g., CEN/CENELEC 45502-2-1, §23.3). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The robotic garden tools, for example, but not limited to, robotic lawnmowers are widely used for grass cutting applications in a lawn. Typically, a robotic lawnmower is an autonomous robotic tool and uses a battery as the power source. Based on the operating load and duration, there is a need to recharge the battery of the robotic lawnmower periodically. As an autonomous robotic lawnmower work unattended, it is required to find a path to a charging station in case the battery power level falls below a threshold power level during operation.
There are many techniques which are currently used to find a path to the charging station. Firstly, an antenna built on the charging station may be used to navigate the robotic lawnmower to the charging station. However, the antenna may have a limited range in a vicinity of the charging station and thus, there is a possibility that the robotic lawnmower is may take long time to find the antenna signals. Another limitation is the complexity in manufacturing the antenna in a close proximity of a charging plate. This may increase the cost of charging plate and thus, the overall cost of the system may also increase.
Another technique employed for overcoming the above mentioned disadvantage is that the robotic lawn mower may follow one or more guide wires or a boundary wire to reach the charging station. However, the robotic mower may follow a same path each time and this may result in undesirable permanent tracks and/or makings on the lawn.
Another technique to find the path to the charging station may use a global positioning system (GPS), but such system has complexity of integrating the GPS system to the robotic lawnmower. Apart from that, the GPS system is expensive and difficult to install, which in turn may add to the overall cost of the robotic lawnmower. Alternatively, a local positioning system, which uses local services such as Wi-Fi or a cellular network, may be utilized. In this case, the robotic garden tool has accurate positioning data but has added limitations of circuits and interfaces which are needed to be added to the system, which may again increase the cost as well as complexity of the entire system.
In light of the foregoing, there is a need for an improved method and system to find a path to a charging station, which will overcome the disadvantages of complex integration, increased cost and permanent tracks on the grass surface. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Medicament delivery devices (e.g., pen injectors, syringes, auto-injectors, etc.) that contain a selected dosage of a medicament are well known devices for administering the medicament to a patient. Safety devices for covering a needle of the delivery device before and after use are also well known. Typically, a needle shield of the safety device is either manually moved or automatically to surround the medical needle. Various attempts have been made to develop an optimally sized and functioning safety device. However, there remains a need for an optimal safety needle assembly. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector including a stationary connector housing to be attached to an opening in a panel and a detachable connector housing which is provided with a waterproofing seal member and is adapted to be fitted to the stationary connector housing.
(2) Statement of the Prior Art
For convenience of explanation, a conventional connector provided with a waterproofing construction will be described below by referring to FIGS. 4 and 5.
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional connector, illustrating a state of the connector attached to a panel having a relatively small thickness. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional connector, illustrating a state of the connector attached to a panel having a relatively large thickness.
In the conventional connector shown in FIG. 4, the male connector housing 1 has a flange la on an upper end periphery of a hood 1b which is opened at an upper face. The flange 1a is attached to the rear periphery around an opening 2a in a panel 2 to secure the housing 1 to the panel 2. On the other hand, a female connector housing 3 is covered with a waterproofing cover 4 at its upper face and is provided around an upper periphery with a waterproofing rubber seal member 5.
In this case, the female connector housing 3 is coupled to the male connector housing 1 through the panel 2 by fastening a bolt 6 on a center front side of the panel 2 into a nut 7 on a center rear side of the panel 2. At this time, terminals (not shown) in the both connector housings 1 and 3 are interconnected and the seal member 5 closely contacts with a front periphery around the opening 2a in the panel 2 with the member 5 being compressed by a given amount, thereby preventing water on the outside from entering the housings.
However, the panel 2 on which the connector is mounted has various thicknesses. For example, there are not only a panel 2 shown in FIG. 4 which is relatively thin but also a panel 2 shown in FIG. 5 which is relatively thick. However, if the thickness of the panel 2 is changed, a distance between the flange la of the male connector housing 1 and the surface of the panel 2, that is, a lower end of the seal member 5 is changed in accordance with the thickness in the above conventional construction.
If a connector in which a dimension and a shape of the seal member 5 are set to be suitable for, e.g. a thin panel 2 shown in FIG. 4 is attached to a thick panel 2 shown in FIG. 5, a compression amount of the seal member 5 becomes great to cause a creep in the member. Also, it is impossible to couple the female connector housing 3 to the male connector housing 1 sufficiently and to obtain an effective contact area between the terminals. On the other hand, if a connector in which the dimension and shape of the seal member 5 are set to be suitable for a thick panel 2 is attached to a thin panel 2, it will be difficult to obtain a close contact of the seal member 5. This results in a poor waterproofing effect. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Embodiments of the present invention relate in general to computer memory and more specifically to memory mirror invocation upon detecting a correctable error (CE) in a memory.
In order to deliver powerful computing resources, computer architects must design robust computing systems capable of tolerating and recovering from equipment errors. To build error-tolerant computing systems, computer architects often user memory mirroring technology. Memory mirroring technology employs the use of two redundant memory modules separately storing the same memory contents. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates generally to water treatment apparatus, and more particularly to an improved high pressure oxygen-saturated water treatment apparatus for providing super-saturated oxygen treatment to waste water. Such apparatus may find a wide variety of usages in the treatment of waste water containing human waste, rejuvenation of swamps, cleansing water for cat fish farming, or for agriculture, and/or during mining operations and for a wide variety of usages where it is desirable to purify waste water, or to provide oxidizing and entraining bubbles of oxygen about solid particulate material.
Governmental authorities and others have been making sustained efforts in recent years to limit the volumes and strengths of waste water discharges to bodies of water, such as lakes, rivers and streams. The largest source of contamination of these bodies of water is the category of wastes known as deoxygenating wastes. These materials, which include human sewage as well as certain types of industrial waste water, are typically high in their biochemical oxygen demand, and in their suspended solids levels.
Sewage treatment plants are concerned for the most part with effecting substantial reductions in biochemical oxygen demand and suspended solids levels of raw sewage and industrial waste water before the treatment plant effluent is discharged to a river or the like. Pollution control regulations in effect throughout the United States set limits on permissible levels of biochemical oxygen demand and suspended solids that will be tolerated. Sewage treatment personnel, and industrial waste water treatment firms, are continuously alert for more efficient and economical ways of reducing the concentration and quantity of biochemical oxygen demand containing materials in waste water.
One area which has previously been investigated to some extent involves creation of oxygen-enriched clean water, followed by contact of the oxygen-enriched water with waste water to be treated. The excess oxygen in the enriched water brings about rapid degradation of the wastes, and thereby cleanses the waste water to acceptable contaminant levels.
As indicated, the present invention is concerned with provision of an oxygen-enriched water stream useful for contacting and for the resultant cleansing of waste water. Typically, the waste water to be treated contains suspended solids along with dissolved inorganic and organic contaminants. These contaminants represent a high demand for any available oxygen. Thus, the waste water has relatively high biochemical oxygen demand and relatively high chemical oxygen demand, which are parameters of the polluting characteristics of the waste water.
Upon contact of the waste water with an oxygen enriched water stream, the contaminants of the waste water tend to undergo oxidation. The oxygen-enriched stream tends to satisfy the oxygen demand of the waste water. Thus, the inorganic contaminants oxidize to less soluble oxides, while the organic components are converted to carbonaceous residues and carbon dioxide. The insolublized components then generally rise to the surface of the waste water where they may be removed by any of several techniques, such as surface skimming, for example, which are known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
The gas-liquid combination system of the present invention, which generates the oxygen-enriched cleansing water, utilizes in a novel manner several well-known physical principles. The principal mechanisms by which the oxygen-enrichment is created are believed to be through diffusion and dissolution of the oxygen component of air in water. In the process of diffusing air in water, the system relies on both Henry's Law and Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures.
Under Henry's Law the amount of gas dissolved in a liquid is directly proportional to the pressure of the gas. At standard temperature and pressure (1 atm. at 20 degrees C.), the solubility of air in water is approximately 24. mg/liter. This relationship is linear at constant temperature--i.e., as the pressure increases, so does solubility. As the temperature changes, so does the solubility. The rate of dissolution is inversely proportional to temperature, and approaches zero at both the boiling and freezing points of water. The highest rate of gas dissolution occurs at approximately 4 degrees C., below which temperature the solubility rapidly approaches zero.
Since air is a mixture of gases (approximately 79 percent nitrogen, 20 percent oxygen, and 1 percent rare gases and contaminants), the partial pressure of each gas must be evaluated using Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures. According to this Law, the total pressure of a confined gas mixture equals the sum of the pressures each gas would exert alone in the same volume.
Applying Dalton's Law to the oxygen (molecular weight 16) and nitrogen (molecular weight 14) contents of air, and combining these results with the application of Henry's Law, the following maximum solubilities of these gases in water (at standard temperature of 20 degrees C.) are found:
______________________________________ Gas Pressure Dissolved Air Molecular Fraction psi mg/l O.sub.2 mg/l N.sub.2 mg/l ______________________________________ 14.7 24.0 4.8 19.2 20 33.6 6.7 26.9 40 100.8 20.1 80.7 60 168.0 33.5 134.5 80 235.2 46.9 188.3 100 302.4 60.3 242.1 120 369.6 73.7 295.9 140 436.8 87.1 349.7 ______________________________________
In a diffused solution, the dissolved gas tends to remain in solution so long as the equilibrium pressure remains undisturbed. Thus, the amount of oxygen dissolved in water in a sealed vessel at, for example 100 P.S.I., will tend to stay in the water until the diffused solution is discharged from the vessel into another vessel under lower pressure or into the atmosphere. Upon such reduction of the pressure to atmospheric, for example, some of the dissolved gas escapes and forms small microscopic-size bubbles (the gaseous form of lowest energy is spherical, hence the formation of bubbles). These bubbles behave in a way predictable by the Nucleus Theory, according to which a gas coming out of solution from a liquid tends to form bubbles of finite nuclei. This concept is used to advantage in utilization of the product of the present invention, as such bubbles tend to collect about small particles of solid material, in this case the suspended waste solids, to form larger particles of lesser specific gravity which tend to rise to the surface, resulting in clarification of the liquid. Such highly air-entrained waste can then readily be skimmed off for disposal.
Accordingly, it is one object of the improved high pressure oxygen-saturated water treatment apparatus of the present invention to provide apparatus which will provide super-saturated oxygen for mixing with waste water to remove suspended waste from such waste water.
It is also an object of the improved high pressure oxygen-saturated water treatment apparatus of the present invention to provide such super-saturated oxygen treatment under substantial pressure to be injected into a containment tank having a reduced pressure, and accordingly to permit such oxygen to come out of solution in the form of tiny bubbles around nuclei of such waste particles, whereby such waste particles may be entrained and floated to the surface.
It is a yet further object of the improved high pressure oxygen-saturated water treatment apparatus of the present invention to provide venturi means which will combine the pressurized oxygen-containing stream with recirculation waste water in a stream under pressure to form a combined injection stream of pressurized water which is super-saturated with oxygen, to be injected into treatment water contained within a treatment tank for substantially oxidizing the oxidizable material contained therewithin.
Upon further review of the specification hereof, additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Citrus fruits have long been recognized as valuable sources of important nutrients. More recently, health benefits and disease-retarding or -treating benefits of citrus sources have come to be more fully recognized as advantageous and beneficial when ingested. Accordingly, there is a general belief that increasing the intake of citrus-originating foods is a beneficial and important objective in the overall scheme of human health. Citrus fruits also are enjoyed by many consumers simply because they are flavorful.
One convenient way to ingest citrus products is in the form of juice. Juice can be made easily and can be transported and consumed conveniently. Fresh, or ‘not-from-concentrate’ juice, is prized for its flavor and quality. Juice also can be concentrated and then reconstituted at the consumer's convenience. Concentrated juice also is distributed from the source to consumer in an efficient and cost-effective way. Also, juice may be more easily consumed than fruit by persons who have difficulty eating solid foods.
However, some consumers dislike certain characteristics of citrus juices, such as bitterness, acidity, off-flavor notes, astringency, browning, and a thick consistency. All citrus fruits, including grapefruits, oranges, tangerines, limes, and lemons, can present these concerns. Some consumers prefer juices that have a low level of sweetness, whereas others prefer a very sweet product. Further, it often is difficult to achieve consistency in the flavor characteristics, for example, from early in the season to late in the season.
Bitterness often is a primary concern for consumers. A low level of bitterness may provide a desirable contribution to the organoleptic properties and characteristics of juice for many consumers. Such consumers enjoy the piquant flavor note of a low level of bitterness. However, most consumers also agree that excessive bitterness adversely affects the organoleptic properties and characteristics of juice, making it unpleasant to consume. Consumers often also associate bitterness with lack of freshness, with concentrated juice, and/or with lower quality juice.
Bitter flavors are found in each kind of citrus fruits in varying quantities. There are differences in the concentrations of these flavors between cultivars of the same fruit and between fruits of the same cultivar from early in the season to late in the season. Therefore, the source of the fruit, the time of the season, and other variables, affect the concentrations of bitter flavors in fruit.
Astringency is a characteristic of juices, particularly citrus juices, that consumers often find objectionable. In particular, astringency in citrus juice often is characterized as a velvety, mouth-coating sensation. This mouthfeel is considered unpleasant by many consumers.
Consumers also are concerned with acidity of fruit juice. Citrus juices often are considered acidic by consumers. Consumers often associate acidity not only with an objectionably sharp taste but also with feelings of upset or discomfort in the stomach and eructation.
To date, limited efforts have been made to reduce bitterness, acidity, and other objectionable organoleptic properties and characteristics, typically by removal of selected compounds. Limonin is one such compound. Other methods exclude parts of the fruit, such as seeds and peels, from the juice source, to minimize the concentration of the bitter flavor.
Also, freshness is a characteristic desired by consumers. Often, juice from concentrate is considered to be of lower quality than fresh juice. Various methods for treating frozen juices and juice concentrates are known. However, to date, juice from concentrate suffers deleterious effects on flavor, and no completely satisfactory juice, whether fresh or frozen, has been made commercially available.
Thus, there exists a need for a juice in which bitter flavor is controlled to within limits that consumers generally find pleasing and not excessively bitter. There also exists a need for a juice that tastes fresh. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to kitchen and cooking accessories and, more particularly, is concerned with a pasta making accessory functioning dually as a paper towel holder/dispenser.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of structures have been developed over the years principally for the purpose of air drying clothes and other similar items indoors. Such structures were especially significant in the years prior to the advent of automatic clothes dryers.
Diverse purposes, however, may be fulfilled by these types of structures. In recent years fairly compact structures have been developed to meet food preparation requirements such as for drying freshly made pasta.
Representative examples of these types of structures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. to Crossman et al (773,787), Trager (1,326,808), Gilmore, Jr. (2,469,298) and Duggan (Des. No. 267,768). The Crossman et al, Trager and Gilmore, Jr. structures each address the requirements for a clothes drying structure. Each basically provides an upright structure with collapsible arms radially extendable from a stabilizing central vertical member. The Duggan structure serves dual functions as a pasta drying rack and as a trivet for placement under warm casserole dishes and the like. This structure provides a pair of opposed collapsible racks extending from a straight member.
While potentially adaptable for purposes other than clothes drying, the Crossman et al, Trager and Gilmore, Jr. structures are all rather complicated in design and construction and thus costly in manufacture. The Duggan structure provides a simple design, but the specific drying rack features non-removable, closely spaced drying sticks. This dense structural arrangement tends to restrict the adequate flow of air through the pasta strips, thus inhibiting their proper drying.
Consequently, a need exists for a pasta making accessory which is simple in design and construction, using readily available materials, for inexpensive manufacture and ease in use by the average person. The accessory should provide flexible drying features such that freshly prepared food items such as pasta can be dried sufficiently and efficiently to meet mealtime schedules. The accessory should be easy to clean so that it can be used frequently. The accessory should also provide compact storage features for the specific drying elements so as to fit neatly into kitchen counter arrangements. An available dual feature of the accessory such as a holder/dispenser for paper towels would be an added benefit for a kitchen cooking area. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
One conventional approach to controlling access to a sensitive resource requires a human to (i) enter a personal identification number (PIN) into the human's authentication token, and then (ii) provide a one-time use passcode (OTP) from the human's authentication token to prove that the human is authentic (i.e., not a fraudster). If the provided OTP matches an expected OTP, the human is granted access to the sensitive resource. If the provided OTP does not match the expected OTP, the human is denied access to the sensitive resource.
Accordingly, the above-identified conventional access control approach requires the human to be in possession of two different types of authentication factors. In particular, the human must provide a PIN, i.e., the human provides a “what you know” factor (the human knows the PIN). Additionally, the human must provide a OTP from the human's authentication token, i.e., the human provides a “what you have” factor (the human has the authentication token). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The ability to deliver precise amounts of biomolecules and nanofabricated probes into living cells offers tremendous opportunities for biological studies and therapeutic applications. It may also play a key role in the non-viral generation of engineered stem cells and induce pluripotent stem cells with high efficiency and non-carcinogenic properties.
A variety of cell transfection techniques have been developed including: viral vectors, chemical methods (e.g. complexes with lipids, calcium phosphate, polycations or basic proteins) and physical methods (e.g., particle bombardment, micro-injection and electroporation). Except for micro-injection these techniques are based on bulk stochastic processes where cells are transfected randomly by a large number of genes (>108/cell). A disadvantage of such methods is that the injected dose cannot be controlled.
Classical chemical transfection methods including lipoplex and polyplex based nanoparticles are often inefficient, and the level of cytotoxicity of many chemicals used is still unclear. In comparison, physical approaches are capable of delivering genes safely and efficiently because these methods can directly transfer naked genes into cells. Among them, biolistic transfection (i.e. hand-held gene gun) can be applied to a wide variety of cell/tissue types, but it causes significant physical damages to cells, and gold/tungsten particle carriers may have a negative impact on cell functions. Micro-injection is the most accurate and precise existing tool which has been widely used to generate transgenic animal models for biomedical research. Pronuclear micro-injection, in particular, is to inject a piece of manipulated DNA (also called “transgene”) into one of the pronuclei of mouse donor zygote. The injected zygotes are then transferred into recipient surrogate mice that carry the manipulated embryos to terms. The advantage of such technique is that the gene of
interest is directly and precisely delivered into mammalian cells or specific tissues via a least complicated procedure. Nevertheless, it requires specialized equipment, highly skilled practitioner; the quantity of injected cells is limited within a fixed time, and most unfortunately the efficiency is low. For instance, only about 1% of injected embryos develop into transgenic mice (10-20% of pups born), while transgenic livestock is in the range of 5-10% offspring born. On the other hand, electroporation (EP) is the most widely used method to physically transfect cells because of its technical simplicity, fast delivery, and almost no limitation for cell types and the size of delivery materials. It has been used as a research tool for investigating the biological functions of various potential therapeutic materials in stem cells and in cancer cells. In addition to in vitro study, electroporation is also used as a clinical tool for delivering anticancer drugs (e.g., bleomycin and cisplatin) for cancer therapy and DNA, RNA or DNA vaccines for gene therapy and DNA vaccination.
However, the transport of material is relatively nonspecific resulting in low cell viability and non-uniform transfection.
Bulk electroporation (BEP) is the most widely used physical method to transfect cells because of its technical simplicity, fast delivery, and almost no limitation on cell types and size. Recently, microfluidics-based electroporation (MEP) has emerged as a new technology developed by a number of researchers to transfect individual cells. In MEP, a cell is located next to a small aperture (dimensions of a few micrometers) that focuses the porating electric field to a corresponding area on the cell membrane. MEP offers several important advantages over BEP including lower poration voltages, better transfection efficiency, and a sharp reduction in cell mortality. However, the MEP delivery mechanism is similar to that in BEP: it is diffusion dominated, electric field strengths for the two processes are similar, and for large transfection agents such as nucleic acids or quantum dots, entry into the cytosol is (likely) effected through an attachment onto the outside of the cell membrane followed by an endocytosis-like process. Precise dose control has not been demonstrated using MEP.
None of the aforementioned methods has the ability to deliver a precise amount of therapeutic/detection agents to multiple cells with a wide range of cell size.
One-dimensional nanostructures such as nanochannels (and nanotubes) are characterized by extremely small transverse size and resultant high degree of spatial confinement that endow them a unique set of properties. When patterned laterally, these nanostructures are widely used as critical transport devices for a variety of applications such as sensing, nanomanipulation, and information processing. While numerous fabrication techniques have been developed, few can generate large and highly ordered arrays of both nanochannels and nanowires with no defects and low-cost. The most notable high-resolution lithographic techniques include electron beam lithography (EBL) and focused ion beam milling (FIB), but they are associated with either low throughput or high-cost. Another lithographic technique, nanoimprint lithography (NIL), is of high throughput and relatively low-cost, but it requires use of highly specialized equipment and molds prepared typically by EBL. Many inexpensive techniques have been developed, but they are inadequate in terms of high precision, low defect rate, or large area fabrication of both nanochannels/tubes and nanowires/strands. Moreover, these nanostructures need to be connected to the micro/macro scale structures, such as reservoirs and channels, to form functional devices. This is not a trivial task and the lack of a low-cost solution to this problem significantly limits the applicability of many available nanoconstructs. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Steam-heated and induction-heated rollers are used in the paper making, printing, paper, film, and foil converting industries. Some examples are: web heating rollers, drying rollers and drums, laminating rollers, embossing rollers, and cast film extrusion rollers.
Internally heated fuser rollers are used in the copier industry. The fuser roller melts the toner and presses it into the paper. The typical fuser roller consists of an aluminum or non-magnetic metal core with an internal quartz heating lamp. The inner diameter of the core has a special coating to absorb heat from the lamp. The roller is coated with a non-stick elastomeric material (e.g. silicone rubber) to provide a pressure nip with an opposing roller and to release the toner to the paper.
Heating rollers for xerography and other applications are disclosed in the following U.S. Patents, Satomura, No. 4,628,183; Nagaska, et al., No. 4,743,940; Lee, et al., No. 4,791,275; Kogure, et al., No. 4,813,372; Urban, et al., No. 4,810,858; Urban, No. 4,820,904, Yoshikawa, et al., No. 4,841,154; Landa, et al., No. 5,089,856.
There is a technical problem in controlling the heat within the roller under varying and continuing operating conditions, so that the roller does not become overheated, particularly in the area of the operating surface, and the desired temperature is maintained.
The present invention is directed to improved constructions of heater rollers for controlled heating of the heater roller under various operating conditions. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a foldable, portable optical instrument, and more particularly to an optical apparatus for providing video signals corresponding to an original image, the video signals being input to a video monitor or a video deck to display the image.
There are various types of foldable and portable optical instruments, such as an image input apparatus for transmitting video signals of an original image provided by a video camera to a CRT monitor or a video deck or overhead projectors for projecting an image onto a remote screen. Some such image input apparatuses are portable and are covered to protect their optical systems and video cameras when not in use.
An image input apparatus of the just-mentioned type is provided with a cover pivotably mounted on a box-like body casing, enabling pivotal movement for opening and closing the body case. The casing of the image input apparatus has a table for placing an original thereon. The cover incorporates a lighting system for illuminating the original placed on the table and a reflective mirror for reflecting and directing an image of the original to a video camera disposed in the body casing.
Such foldable, portable optical instruments have poles, fixedly mounted on body casings for holding lighting systems to illuminate an original and a video camera to take an image of the illuminated original. To provide a sharp and clear image, various types of lighting systems are prepared to cooperate with such instruments or are incorporated therein to provide even illumination over the document.
In order to avoid flaring or ghosting of the image, the optical instruments usually are provided with shading members to prevent an original placed on the table from receiving ambient light or light from room lamps. With the recent improvement of image sensor elements, the image input apparatus has become lighter and more compact. To facilitate portability, such lighting systems and/or shading members are adapted to be disassembled and stored in a carrying case of the optical instrument.
Also, the foldable, portable optical instruments are provided with carrying handles which can be brought down when they are not in use, for ease of carrying.
Generally, it is difficult to make the above noted optical instruments more compact, and especially thinner, and to illuminate an original uniformly. Further, these instruments are structually and mechanically weak because the carrying handles are mounted on brackets which, though required to support a heavy instrument, usually are small and weak because of the need for compactness of the instruments. Therefore, the carrying handle and its associated parts are broken easily.
In addition to the above noted drawback, the optical instruments with foldable lighting systems are somewhat difficult to fold and unfold. Further, the shading member for use with the foldable, compact optical instruments is relatively small in size and, therefore, is not effective to shut off undesired illumination, so that flaring or ghosting often is created. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to cutoff saws. In particular, the invention involves an improved device and method for clearing away cutoff debris in the cutting vicinity of a cutoff saw, thereby minimizing machine jamming and allowing faster throughput. The invention allows cutoff debris to be cleared immediately after cutting, even prior to the blade returning to its non-cutting position, thus preventing the debris from falling into the saw blade slot. The invention is useful, for example, in a cutoff saw such as the one disclosed and claimed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/792,610, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,445, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The yield obtainable for a given cutoff saw directly depends on how fast the saw is capable of running. One significant limitation on a saw's running speed is its ability to clear cutoff debris from the conveyance path. Cutoff debris typically includes wood pieces varying in size from small wood dust particles to relatively large excised board sections. As the saw's running speed is increased, the tendency for cutoff debris to jam the machine increases. When jamming occurs, the machine must be stopped, thus negating the goal of increasing yield, i.e., board throughput.
Another problem caused by wood debris in the conveyance path is that it can adversely affect cutting accuracy. Wood debris which remains on the conveyor or which becomes lodged in the vicinity of the saw blade may displace the object board causing deviations from the desired cutting line.
Prior attempts to solve the problems discussed above have proven unsatisfactory. For example, prior cutoff saws have included mechanisms for clearing cutoff debris from the downstream conveyor. This approach is flawed because by the time the debris reaches the downstream conveyor it is often too late to avoid jamming. Others have tried to employ a vacuum mechanism for removing cutoff debris downstream from the saw blade. This approach is also quite limited because, although it may be capable of removing fine particles such as wood dust, it is not satisfactory for removing larger cutoff debris such as knots or excised board sections which are the primary causes of machine jamming. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
A virtual machine can be created from a source machine, using a network. The source machine may be a physical machine or a virtual machine. Challenges may arise when copying the source machine to the virtual machine. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
As discussed in detail in applicants' aforementioned copending applications, each of which hereby is expressly incorporated herein by reference, microwave radiation is uniquely advantageous for the investigation of biological targets since facsimile images indicative of the physiologic and pathophysiologic states thereof may be produced by the noninvasive microwave interrogation and imaging techniques invented by applicants. However, a major source of image contamination using microwave imaging techniques is multipath propagation. It is thus a principal object of the present invention to minimize such image contamination.
A further object of the present invention is to allow unambiguous determination of the time delay and attenuation of microwave energy propagating through biological targets. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Water absorbent resins are used owing to their absorbing property, water retaining property and gelling ability, in various fields, for example in absorbent articles such as paper diapers, incontinence pads, sanitary napkins and breast milk pads, and in drip absorbents, freshness preservatives, sheets for pets, excretion treatment agents, waste blood gelling agents, etc. However, while absorbent resins are excellent in the ability to absorb and retain urine, blood, body fluids, menstrual blood and the like, they can hardly show deodorant function. Therefore, since such liquids as urine, blood and body fluids have unpleasant characteristic odors and, further, are apt to readily rot under the influence of air and/or bacteria to give off offensive odors due to decay, the advent of a material capable of producing both absorbent and deodorant effects has been awaited from a hygienic viewpoint.
As means of satisfying both these requirements, the following have been proposed, among others: a mixture of an absorbent resin in powder form and zeolite in powder form (Japanese Kokai Publication Sho-57-25813, Sho-59-179114 and Sho-59-189854), a composition comprising active carbon coated with an absorbent resin (Japanese Kokoku Publication Sho-56-31425), a composition comprising an absorbent resin and an antimicrobial agent (Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-03-14867) and like compositions to be applied in absorbent articles; and an absorbent material prepared by admixing a zeolite slurry with a polymerization solution prior to polymerization and, after effecting polymerization, spraying the reaction mixture to a nonwoven fabric, followed by drying (Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-02-84957).
However, when these compositions are applied to absorbent articles, the deodorant effect obtained is not always satisfactory. That is to say, in the case of the mixture of an absorbent resin and zeolite, body fluids such as urine, blood, body fluid, menstrual blood is mostly absorbed and retained by the absorbent resin, since zeolite has little absorbent function. Therefore, in spite of the fact that the body fluid occurring within the absorbent resin is an odor source, the deodorant component zeolite exists apart from the odor source. This is presumably the reason why the deodorant effect cannot be produced to a satisfactory extent. Furthermore, the mixture of an absorbent resin and zeolite powder, when given vibrations or shock, may possibly separate into both components or, when applied to absorbent articles, may possibly allow localization of the absorbent resin and, therefore, of zeolite, with the result that the deodorant effect can be produced only to an unsatisfactory extent. For the production of a much better deodorant effect, it is desirable that the deodorant component should be disposed in contact with the body fluid odor source.
As for the composition comprising active carbon coated with an absorbent resin, active carbon itself is scanty in deodorant effect and, in addition, there is a problem that only limited kinds of odors can be adsorbed.
As regards the composition comprising an absorbent resin and an antimicrobial agent, those containing certain kinds of antimicrobial agents are effective to a certain extent in preventing bacteria and the like from causing decay but are scarcely effective against the characteristic odors intrinsic to body fluids itself. In addition, it is a draw back of such composition that no effect can be observed at all against those odors which result from the oxidative action of air.
Finally, a problem of the absorbent material prepared by admixing a zeolite slurry with a polymerization solution prior to polymerization and, after effecting polymerization, spraying the reaction mixture to a nonwoven fabric, followed by drying is that since the polymerization is carried out after dispersing zeolite in the polymerization solution, low-molecular-weight polymerizable monomers are adsorbed on pore inside surfaces of zeolite particles and thereafter polymerized to block up the pores and thus decrease the deodorant effect. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to multiple screen displays, and more particularly, to an electronic device and method for displaying multiple screens.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electronic device may include a plurality of displays and display a screen on each of the displays. In addition, the electronic device may set a plurality of screen areas on a single display and display a screen on each of the set display areas.
When the electronic device displays a screen including a control object, e.g., an icon or button, the position of the control object within the screen is fixed, regardless of the position of the screen being displayed. The fixed position of the control object may create an inconvenience for a user to select the control object.
For example, in an electronic device including two display areas, i.e., a left display area and a right display area, when a screen including a control object is displayed on the right display area is moved to the left display area, the accessibility of the control object within the screen can be degraded, e.g., because it is not easily reached by the user's finger. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel strain of mycoplasma isolated from a patient with AIDS. The mycoplasma does not appear to be related to any other species of human or animal mycoplasma. This novel mycoplasma is referred to hereinafter as M. penetrans.
The invention also relates to use of the mycoplasma M. penetrans in detecting specific antibodies in sera of patients with AIDS or sub-acute and acute fulminant systemic diseases and/or animals and its use as a vaccine against infection by the mycoplasma. The invention further relates to M. penetrans-specific antibodies and cross-reactive M. penetrans antibodies (i.e. antibodies to homologous antigenic determinants), including monoclonal antibodies of each, which are useful in detecting M. penetrans antigens in infected tissues and specimens of patients or animals. The invention also relates to M. penetrans DNA probes which are useful in detecting M. penetrans genetic materials in infected tissues, blood or body fluids of patients or animals. M. penetrans genetic materials may also be detected in infected humans or animals by using M. penetrans DNA sequences or a homologous M. penetrans DNA sequence and the polymerase chain reaction ("PCR") (U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,202 incorporated herein by reference).
The ability to monitor AIDS or other acute fulminant systemic disease status can be of great value. In addition to improving prognostication, knowledge of the disease status allows the attending physician to select the most appropriate therapy for the individual patient, e.g. highly aggressive or less aggressive therapy regimens. Because of patient distress caused by more aggressive therapy regimens, it is desirable to distinguish those patients requiring such therapies.
Mycoplasma is a genus of cell wall-less sterol-requiring, catalase-negative pathogens commonly found in the respiratory and urogenital tracts of man and other animals. The cells of Mycoplasma are typically non-motile and pleomorphic, ranging from spherical, ovoid or pear-shaped to branched filamentous forms. Filaments are the typical forms in young cultures under optimal conditions, which subsequently transform into chains of coccoid cells which later break up into individual cells that are capable of passing through membrane filters of pore size 0.45 .mu.m or even 0.22 .mu.m.
A trilaminar cytoplasmic membrane contains sterols, phospholipid and proteins. Therefore, the cells are generally susceptible to polyene antibiotics and to lysis by digitonin.
Replication of the Mycoplasma genome may precede cytoplasmic division resulting in multinucleate filaments before individual cells are delimited by constriction. Budding can also occur.
Most Mycoplasma species are facultatively anaerobic, and all known species are chemoorganotrophic. The fermentative species of Mycoplasma utilize sugars such as glucose, while non-fermentative species can hydrolyze arginine. Only a few species of mycoplasma can utilize both glucose and arginine to grow.
Known mycoplasmas may be grown on complex media, such as Hayflick medium, while fastidious mycoplasmas may be grown on diphasic SP-4 medium. The colonies are usually of the "fried egg" type, i.e., an opaque, granular central region, embedded in the agar, surrounded by non-granular surface growth. The optimal growth temperature of mammalian strains is 36.degree.-37.degree. C.
Many species of Mycoplasma produce weak or clear hemolysis which appears to be due to the secretion of H.sub.2 O.sub.2. This H.sub.2 O.sub.2 secretion is believed to be responsible for some aspects of the mycoplasmas' pathogenicity. Known mycoplasmas are commonly sensitive to chloramphenicol and tetracyclines.
The Mycoplasma genus currently consists of more than 60 known species which are differentiated on the basis of various tests, including utilization of glucose and mannose, arginine hydrolysis, phosphatase production, the "film and spots" reaction and haemadsorption.
Mycoplasmas are the smallest and simplest free-living organisms known. Mycoplasmas are not obligatory intracellular microorganisms and are usually found extracellularly, but can be found intracellularly in the infected tissues (Mycoplasma, Eds. Wolfgang, J. J., Willette, H. P., Amos, D. B., Wilfert, C. M., Zinsser Microbiology 19th Ed. 1988, Appleton and Lange, 617-623). The term mycoplasma apparently was first used by B. Frank in 1889 (Frank B., Dent, Bot. Ges., 7, 332 (1889) and Krass, C. J. et al., Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 23, 62 (1973)). Frank, after careful microscopic observation, began writing about invasion of plants (legume) by these microorganisms and stated: "the changed character of the protoplasm in the cortical cells arising from infection, I will designate as mycoplasma". Later, he had more explicitly defined mycoplasma as a mixture of small fungus-like microorganisms and cell protoplasm (Frank, B., Landwirt. Jahrb. 19 523 (1890)). The description reflected the difficulty of differentiating this unique microorganism from the infected host cells morphologically.
Even today with electron microscopy, it is still often difficult to differentiate the mycoplasmas from the cellular protoplasmic processes or the subcellular organelles of the infected host, because ultrastructurally, these microorganisms have protoplasm-like internal structures and are bounded by only an outer limited membrane (unit membrane) without a cell wall. Thus, there have been few electron microscopic studies of mycoplasmas identified directly in the infected tissues of animals or humans.
It has been reported that ultrastructural examination of infected tissues has failed to localize the microbe, even in tissues where very high titers (>10.sup.9 /gm) of microorganisms were recovered in culture (Elizan, T. S. et al., Pro. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 139, 52 (1972) and Schwartz, J. et al., Pro. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 139, 56 (1972)). Therefore, morphologically, the microbe might be mimicking certain normal cellular or subcellular structures in the infected host tissues and preventing direct identification.
In addition to the natural difficulty of morphological differentiation between the microorganisms and the protoplasm of infected cells, the often poorly preserved formalin-fixed clinical materials present further limitations to any attempt to directly visualize mycoplasma organisms in the tissues.
Mycoplasmas cause a variety of diseases in animals, plants and insects. However, the roles of known human mycoplasmas except for M. pneumoniae in causing a typical pneumonia are difficult to assess. Urines or urogenital swabs from healthy people and patients with a variety of different diseases have already been examined extensively. U. urealvticum and M. hominis were the most commonly found mycoplasmas. Taylor-Robinson, D., et al., Nature 222, 274 (1969); Tarr, P. I., et al., J. Infec. Dis 133, 419 (1976); Taylor-Robinson, D., et al., N. Eng. J. Med. 302, 1003 (1980); Fiacco, V., et al., J, Clin. Microbiol. 20, 862 (1984). Although a wide variety of urogenital and reproductive disorders have been associated with urealyticum and M. hominis, it has been difficult to establish a definite etiological role for them because they are often found as frequently in patients without disease as in those with disease. Taylor-Robinson, D., et al., N. Eng, J. Med. 302, 1003 (1980). M. genitalium was also isolated from two patients with non-gonococcal urethritis. However, most patients with urogenital diseases do not have clear evidence of M. genitalium infection. Tully, J. G., et al., Lancet 1, 1288 (1981). On the other hand, mycoplasmas are known to be extraordinary pathogens, capable of causing chronic debilitating diseases and producing a variety of clinical manifestations in animals and frequently suppressing host immune defense mechanisms. The Mycoplasmas, Vol. IV, Razin, S., Barile, M. F., eds., Academic Press, pp. 203-286 (1983).
Recent studies suggest mycoplasmas may play an important role in the disease progression of AIDS. Lo, S-C., et al., Am. J, Trop. Med. Hyg. 40, 213 (1989); Lo, S-C., et al., Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 41, 601 (1989), Montagneir, L., et al., C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris 311, 425 (1990); Chowdhury, M. I. H., et al., Lancet 336, 247 (1990); Bauer, F. A., et al., Hum. Pathol. 22, 63 (1991); "Mycoplasma and AIDS--what connection?" [editorial], Lancet 337, 20 (1991); Lo, S-C., et al., Science 251, 1074 (1991). For example, Mycoplasma fermentans systematically infects many patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), appears to be associated with diseased conditions in various organs and tissues, and was recently associated with development of nephropathy in AIDS patients. Lo, S-C., et al., Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 40, 213 (1989); Lo, S-C., et al., Am J, Trop. Med. Hyg. 41, 601 ( 1989); Bauer, F. A., et al., Hum. Pathol. 22, 63 (1991). Examination of polymerase chain reactions and cultures of urines revealed a high prevalence of M. fermentans infection in AIDS patients but not in non-AIDS controls. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Field
The disclosed embodiments generally relate to circuits that facilitate information-processing. More specifically, the disclosed embodiments relate to a neuromorphic circuit that facilitates routing and processing information contained in current pulses transferred between neural circuit elements.
Related Art
In recent years, a significant amount of research has been directed toward “neuromorphic circuits” that attempt to mimic the behavior of neurons in the human brain. Neuromorphic circuits typically comprise a collection of circuit elements that model individual neurons, wherein each circuit element receives input current pulses from upstream neurons and generates output current pulses that are directed to downstream neurons. (We refer to these circuit elements as “neural circuit elements” or “neurons.”) Researchers have attempted to vary the functional characteristics of such neurons, and the interconnections between them, in an effort to reproduce the information-processing mechanisms within the human brain.
Some of this research has uncovered interesting collective behavior of such neurons. However, techniques for performing basic information-processing operations using collections of such neurons still need to be developed. For example, these basic information-processing operations include: (1) routing operations for routing information between neurons; (2) storage operations for storing information in collections of neurons; and (3) computational operations for performing computations on information contained in collections of neurons.
Hence, what is needed are techniques for efficiently and effectively performing these basic information-processing operations in collections of neurons. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air-fuel ratio control apparatus for an internal combustion engine. For example, the air-fuel ratio control apparatus is mounted in a vehicle. In particular, the present invention relates to a technique for maintaining purification ratio of NOx at a high level even if a three-way catalyst is deteriorated.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional air-fuel ratio control apparatus includes: a three-way catalyst (hereinafter, simply referred to as “catalyst”) provided in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine for purifying HC, CO, and NOx in an exhaust gas at the same time; a first air-fuel ratio sensor for detecting a first air-fuel ratio at a position upstream of the catalyst; a second air-fuel ratio sensor for detecting a second air-fuel ratio at a position downstream of the catalyst; and a controller for controlling the air-fuel ratio. An oxygen storage amount of the catalyst is calculated based on the first air-fuel ratio and an intake air amount for controlling the air-fuel ratio for the internal combustion engine such that the oxygen storage amount matches a target oxygen storage amount (for example, see JP 2001-234789 A).
Operation of the conventional apparatus will be described.
As well known in the art, purification performance of the catalyst is high near the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. If an operating point deviates from the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, its purification efficiency lowers. Therefore, in order to address a problem due to temporal deviation of the air-fuel ratio, the catalyst has an oxygen storage capacity.
With the oxygen storage capacity, the catalyst takes in the oxygen in the exhaust gas when the operation is carried out on a lean side of the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, so the catalytic atmosphere can be maintained at the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio until the oxygen storage amount is saturated.
The catalyst releases the oxygen when the operation is carried out on a rich side of the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, so the catalytic atmosphere can be maintained at the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio.
The controller calculates the amount of oxygen absorbed into or released from the catalyst by integration based on an excess oxygen rate determined by conversion from the first air-fuel ratio and the intake air amount at this point. The controller controls the oxygen storage amount to a target oxygen storage amount for maintaining the catalytic atmosphere at the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio.
Further, since the first air-fuel ratio sensor is exposed in high temperature exhaust air, fluctuation occurs in outputs of the detection signal. In order to correct the fluctuation, the controller corrects the deviation from the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio using the second air-fuel ratio sensor, and keeps the air-fuel ratio at a position downstream of the catalyst at the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio.
Next, description will be made of purification characteristics for HC and NOx when the catalyst is in a new condition, and in a deteriorated condition.
For example, when the catalyst is in the new condition, and when the air-fuel ratio detected by the second air-fuel ratio sensor is near the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, the HC purification rate is a maximum state. The HC purification ratio decreases as the air-fuel ratio further deviates from the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio toward the rich side or the lean side. However, the margin of the decreased purification ratio is small, and the HC purification rate has substantially flat characteristics.
On the other hand, when the air-fuel ratio is near the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, the NOx purification rate is the maximum. The NOx purification rate reduces gradually on the rich side, and reduces sharply on the lean side.
As the deterioration of the catalyst progresses, the HC purification rate lowers in comparison with the HC purification rate when the catalyst is in the new condition. However, the purification rate is high when the air-fuel ratio is near the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio.
On the other hand, the NOx purification rate reduces significantly when the air-fuel ratio is not near a predetermined value (on the rich side of the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio). Even if the air-fuel ratio is near the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, the purification rate reduces significantly.
In consideration of the NOx purification characteristics in correspondence with the deterioration level of the catalyst, as the deterioration level increases, the purification rate at the air-fuel ratio deviated from the predetermined value reduces much more. Even if the air-fuel ratio is near the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, the purification rate reduces significantly.
As a result, when the air-fuel ratio is at the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, if the catalyst is in the new condition, the nearly maximum NOx purification ratio is maintained. However, as the deterioration of the catalyst progresses, the NOx purification rate reduces significantly.
That is, when the catalyst is in the new condition, the purification rates of HC, CO, and NOx are designed to be high as long as the air-fuel ratio is near the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. However, in the actual condition in use, the purification performance of the catalyst lowers owing to the deterioration of the catalyst due to various factors.
For example, hot exhaust air is a thermal deterioration factor. Since the particle structure of noble metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium in the catalyst deforms gradually, the purification performance of the noble metals lowers.
Further, components in the fuel such as lead, sulfur, and phosphor are poisonous deterioration factors. Those components are attracted to the noble metals, and the noble metals are poisoned. Therefore, the purification performance of the noble metals lowers.
That is, in the conventional apparatus, since the air-fuel ratio at a position downstream of the catalyst is controlled at the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, the purification rate is kept at a high level when the catalyst is in the new condition. However, when the deterioration of the catalyst progresses, it is not possible to maintain the initial purification performance.
In the conventional air-fuel ratio control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, since the air-flow ratio at a position downstream of the catalyst is controlled at the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, when the catalyst is in the new condition, the high purification ratio is maintained for each of HC and NOx. However, if the catalyst is in the deteriorated condition, the high purification rate is maintained for HC, but the NOx purification ratio reduces significantly. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Senior executives and officials constantly strive to keep sensitive, confidential intellectual property and trade secrets protected. During personal conferences involving the discussion of sensitive matters, for example matters relating to strategic approaches, advertising, new products or the like, for example those typically held in offices and elsewhere, the confidentiality of communications, such as oral communications with others must be maintained. However, at the same time, staying in contact with one's coworkers is, more than ever, typically being done by cellular or mobile wireless devices. These individuals thus need to keep their devices connected to the network and be able to recognize and respond to certain calls and messages even when otherwise having sensitive and confidential discussions with others. However, such devices present a threat to security, whether through hacking not authorized by the owner of the device, or through surreptitious use of the device by its owner. More particularly, the technology exists today for the unauthorized conversion of another's smartphone or other handheld device into a “bug” enabling the hacker to listen in on a conversation being carried on in the proximity of the hacked device.
Typically, such hacking involves enabling the microphone in a smartphone and establishing a connection between the smartphone and a recording device being operated by the hacker. In this manner, the hacker can make a recording of the conversation available to, for example, competitors, hostile government officials, or other industrial, political or military espionage services.
Today more and more devices are capable of multiple functions and a growing number of devices are capable of being manipulated remotely by using the microphone in the device as a remote listening device. In addition to such conversion of the device's built-in microphone to allow room sounds to be picked up and transmitted to a remote location, the possibility also exists for the smartphone's built-in video camera to be converted to perform a military, political or industrial espionage function. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to chlorination or chlorosulfonation of olefin polymers. In particular, this invention relates to a process for preparation of chlorinated or chlorosulfonated olefin polymers in suspension in perfluorinated alkane, perfluorinated ether, or perfluorinated trialkyl amine media in the presence of fluorinated surfactants.
Chlorinated and chlorosulfonated olefin homopolymers and copolymers are well-known compositions useful as elastomers, coatings, adhesives, and inks. The chlorinated polymers are prepared on a commercial scale by reaction of chlorine with olefin polymers in either solution or aqueous suspension, while the chlorosulfonated analogues are prepared by reaction of olefin polymers with chlorine and sulfuryl chloride or sulfur dioxide in solution. Reactive extrusion and solventless processes have also been disclosed, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,347,835 and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,326. In addition, chlorination and chlorosulfonation of solvent-swollen ethylene polymers in fluids consisting of fluorocarbons having 1-4 carbon atoms has been disclosed in British Patent 1,325,579.
Each of these prior art processes has disadvantages. Specifically, solution processes require large volumes of organic solvents, generally chlorinated solvents such as carbon tetrachloride, which must be recovered and recycled. In addition, many chlorinated solvents are not inert to further chlorination. This leads to production of unwanted byproducts which must be removed. For example, hydrofluorocarbon solvents undergo appreciable chlorination resulting in the production of undesirable chlorofluorocarbons. In addition, due to the environmental hazards associated with these halogenated materials, stringent control of emissions and substantial investments in pollution control equipment are necessary. Aqueous suspension processes, on the other hand, cannot be used for preparation of chlorosulfonated olefin polymers. Further, chlorinations in aqueous suspension produce non-homogeneously chlorinated products. Reactive extrusion processes are not attractive because they are either limited to production of compositions containing low levels of chlorine, e.g. as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,326, or they are not adaptable for use on a commercial scale without major modification, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,347,835. Solventless processes are also not adapted to commercial scale exploitation. Finally, the process disclosed in British Patent 1,325,579, wherein fluorocarbon-swollen ethylene polymers are chlorinated or chlorosulfonated is unsuitable for preparation of a significant number of chlorinated ethylene copolymer resin types, in particular copolymers of vinyl acetate and methacrylic acid, because the surface tack of these polymers causes severe agglomeration during chlorination. In addition, these materials dissolve a portion of the chlorinated resin products resulting in sticky particle surfaces and necessitating additional isolation steps.
A slurry process which overcomes many of these disadvantages is disclosed in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 010,966, filed on Jan. 29, 1993 in the name of Edward Gus Brugel, entitled "Process for Chlorination and Chlorosulfonation of Olefin Polymers in the Presence of Fluorinated Surfactants", wherein the use of perfluorinated higher alkanes, perfluorinated ethers, and perfluorinated amines as reaction media for chlorination and chlorosulfonation of olefin polymers is described. Although this process eliminates use of undesirable chlorinated solvents, it too has its drawbacks. In particular, the process is not suitable for chlorination or chlorosulfonation of low molecular weight olefin polymers, i.e. those having weight average molecular weights below 10,000. Such polymers are tacky and tend to agglomerate which results in production of non-homogeneously chlorinated resins. In addition, in those cases wherein the chlorination is performed at temperatures above the softening temperature of the olefin polymers agglomeration often occurs.
It has now been found that polymer agglomeration can be substantially eliminated in chlorinations and chlorosulfonations conducted in perfluorinated liquid media if the processes are performed in the presence of fluorinated surfactants. This allows the slurry process to be extended to preparation of a broader spectrum of chlorinated and chlorosulfonated olefin polymers and permits more efficient production of these polymers under a wider range of reaction conditions than was formerly possible. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Liquid crystal displays perform display by making a displaying side substrate and a liquid crystal driving side substrate face to each other, enclosing a liquid crystal compound between the two to form a thin liquid crystal layer, and electrically controlling the liquid crystal alignment within the liquid crystal layer with the liquid crystal driving side substrate to change the amount of transmitted light or reflected light of the displaying side substrate selectively.
Such a liquid crystal display includes various driving methods such as the static driving method, the passive matrix, and the active matrix. In recent years, a color liquid crystal display using a liquid crystal panel of the active matrix or the passive matrix is rapidly getting in prevalence as a flat display for such as a personal computer or a portable information terminal.
FIG. 3 is one example of a liquid crystal display panel of the active matrix. A liquid crystal display 101 assumes the structure of being a color filter 1 serving as a displaying side substrate and a TFT array substrate 2 serving as a liquid crystal driving side substrate facing each other with a gap portion 3 of about 1 to 10 μm in between, and this gap portion 3 is filled with a liquid crystal L, and the surroundings thereof are sealed with a sealing material 4. The color filter 1 assumes the structure of a black matrix layer 6 formed into a predetermined pattern to shield the boundary portion between the pixels against light, a pixel portion 7 in which a plurality of colors (typically, three primary colors of red(R), green(G), and blue(B)) are arranged in a predetermined order to form each pixel, a protective film 8, and a transparent electrode film 9 are laminated on a transparent substrate 5 in this order from the side near to the transparent substrate.
On the other hand, the TFT array substrate 2 assumes the structure of being TFT elements aligned on a transparent substrate, and a transparent electrode film is disposed (not illustrated). Also, an alignment film 10 is disposed on the inner surface side of the color filter 1 and the TFT array substrate 2 facing thereto. Then, a color image is obtained by controlling the light transmittance of the liquid crystal layer that lies in the background of the pixels colored in each color.
Here, the thickness of the gap portion 3, i.e. the cell gap (the gap distance between the displaying side substrate and the liquid crystal driving side substrate) is no other than the thickness of the liquid crystal layer. Therefore, in order to prevent display mura such as color mura or contrast mura and to impart good display performances such as uniform display, fast responsiveness, high contrast ratio, and wide viewing angle to the color liquid crystal display, one has to maintain the cell gap to be constant and uniform.
As a method of maintaining the cell gap, a method in which numerous spherical or rod-shaped particles 11 made of glass, alumina, plastic, or the like and having a predetermined size are dispersed in the gap portion 3 as spacers; the color filter 1 and the TFT array substrate 2 are bonded; and a liquid crystal is injected is known. With this method, the cell gap is determined and maintained by the size of the spacers.
However, the method of dispersing particles in the gap portion as spacers involves various problems such as a tendency of the spacer distribution being deviated. As a method of solving these problems of the particulate spacers, columnar spacers 12 having a height corresponding to the cell gap in a region (non-display region) that is located on the inner surface side of the color filter 1 and overlaps with the position where the black matrix layer 6 is formed are begun to be formed, as illustrated in FIG. 4. The columnar spacers 12 have been formed within the region where the black matrix layer is to be formed, i.e. the non-display region, by applying a photosetting resin in a uniform thickness on a transparent substrate of a color filter and exposing and setting the obtained coating film in a pattern by photolithography.
In recent years, such a liquid crystal display has been rapidly increasing its display area. When the substrate area increases in this way, it will be difficult to adopt a mechanic press method that has been conventionally carried out in curing the sealing material and enclosing the liquid crystal, in view of ensuring the uniformity of the curing of the sealing material, problems of equipment, and the like. Therefore, it is now often carried out by the vacuum press method. However, with the vacuum press method, the load applied onto the cells is extremely small as compared with the mechanic press method, so that the liquid crystal that has been superfluously injected into the cell cannot be squeezed out. Typically, when the cells are assembled by mechanic pressing, they are sealed in a state in which a sufficient load is imposed on the cells, so that the columnar material will not depart from the opposing substrate even if the liquid crystal undergoes thermal expansion due to energization of the backlight or the like. However, when the cells are assembled by the vacuum press method, the load applied onto the cells is weak, so that the opposing substrate will depart from the columnar material when the liquid crystal undergoes thermal expansion. By this, the liquid crystal will be present in deviation in the lower part of the liquid crystal panel, thereby causing display mura called gravity defect.
As a method of solving such a problem, one can conceive a method in which the density of the number of the above-described columnar spacers is reduced so as to keep the substrates parallel even with a weak load such as by the vacuum press method. However, when the density of the number of columnar spacers is reduced, there will be a problem in the uniformity of the panel particularly in the case of a large-size liquid crystal display, so that the method cannot be adopted.
On the other hand, one can conceive a method of reducing the hardness of individual columnar spacers, a method of reducing the size of the columnar spacers themselves, or the like method. However, when such a method is adopted, the amount of plastic deformation will typically be large, thereby raising a problem such as generation of display defect when a local load is applied, for example, in the case of a pressure resistance test such as finger pressing test.
Here, no prior art documents regarding the present invention have been found. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Obesity is a life-threatening disorder in which there is an increased risk of morbidity and mortality arising from concomitant diseases such as type II diabetes, hypertension, stroke, cancer and gallbladder disease.
Obesity is now a major healthcare issue in the Western World and increasingly in some third world countries. The increase in numbers of obese people is due largely to the increasing preference for high fat content foods but also, and this can be a more important factor, the decrease in activity in most people's lives. In the last 10 years there has been a 30% increase in the incidence of obesity in the USA and that about 30% of the population of the USA is now considered obese.
Whether someone is classified as overweight or obese is generally determined on the basis of their body mass index (BMI) which is calculated by dividing body weight (kg) by height squared (m2). Thus, the units of BMI are kg/m2 and it is possible to calculate the BMI range associated with minimum mortality in each decade of life. Overweight is defined as a BMI in the range 25-30 kg/m2, and obesity as a BMI greater than 30 kg/m2 (see TABLE below).
CLASSIFICATION OF WEIGHT BYBODY MASS INDEX (BMI)BMICLASSIFICATION<18.5Underweight18.5-24.9Normal25.0-29.9Overweight30.0-34.9Obesity (Class I)35.0-39.9Obesity (Class II)>40Extreme Obesity (Class III)
As the BMI increases there is an increased risk of death from a variety of causes that is independent of other risk factors. The most common diseases with obesity are cardiovascular disease (particularly hypertension), diabetes (obesity aggravates the development of diabetes), gall bladder disease (particularly cancer) and diseases of reproduction. Research has shown that even a modest reduction in body weight can correspond to a significant reduction in the risk of developing coronary heart disease.
There are problems however with the BMI definition in that it does not take into account the proportion of body mass that is muscle in relation to fat (adipose tissue). To account for this, obesity can also be defined on the basis of body fat content: greater than 25% in males and 30% in females.
Obesity considerably increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases as well. Coronary insufficiency, atheromatous disease, and cardiac insufficiency are at the forefront of the cardiovascular complication induced by obesity. It is estimated that if the entire population had an ideal weight, the risk of coronary insufficiency would decrease by 25% and the risk of cardiac insufficiency and of cerebral vascular accidents by 35%. The incidence of coronary diseases is doubled in subjects less than 50 years of age who are 30% overweight. The diabetes patient faces a 30% reduced lifespan. After age 45, people with diabetes are about three times more likely than people without diabetes to have significant heart disease and up to five times more likely to have a stroke. These findings emphasize the inter-relations between risks factors for NIDDM and coronary heart disease and the potential value of an integrated approach to the prevention of these conditions based on the prevention of obesity (Perry, I. J., et al., BMJ 310, 560-564 (1995)).
Diabetes has also been implicated in the development of kidney disease, eye diseases and nervous-system problems. Kidney disease, also called nephropathy, occurs when the kidney's “filter mechanism” is damaged and protein leaks into urine in excessive amounts and eventually the kidney fails. Diabetes is also a leading cause of damage to the retina at the back of the eye and increases risk of cataracts and glaucoma. Finally, diabetes is associated with nerve damage, especially in the legs and feet, which interferes with the ability to sense pain and contributes to serious infections. Taken together, diabetes complications are one of the nation's leading causes of death.
The first line of treatment is to offer diet and life style advice to patients such as reducing the fat content of their diet and increasing their physical activity. However many patients find this difficult and need additional help from drug therapy to maintain results from these efforts.
Most currently marketed products have been unsuccessful as treatments for obesity owing to a lack of efficacy or unacceptable side-effect profiles. The most successful drug so far was the indirectly acting 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) agonist d-fenfluramine (Redux™) but reports of cardiac valve defects in up to one third of patients led to its withdrawal by the FDA in 1998.
In addition, two drugs have recently been launched in the USA and Europe: Orlistat (Xenical™), a drug that prevents absorption of fat by the inhibition of pancreatic lipase, and Sibutramine (Reductil™), a 5-HT/noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitor. However, side effects associated with these products may limit their long-term utility. Treatment with Xenical™ is reported to induce gastrointestinal distress in some patients, while Sibutramine has been associated with raised blood pressure in some patients.
Serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission plays an important role in numerous physiological processes both in health and in psychiatric disorders. 5-HT has been implicated in the regulation of feeding behavior for some time. 5-HT appears to work by inducing a feeling of fullness or satiety so eating stops earlier and fewer calories are consumed. It has been shown that a stimulatory action of 5-HT on the 5HT2C receptor plays an important role in the control of eating and in the anti-obesity effect of d-fenfluramine. As the 5-HT2C receptor is expressed in high density in the brain (notably in the limbic structures, extrapyramidal pathways, thalamus and hypothalamus i.e. PVN and DMH, and predominantly in the choroid plexus) and is expressed in low density or is absent in peripheral tissues, a selective 5-HT2C receptor agonist can be a more effective and safe anti-obesity agent. Also, 5-HT2C knockout mice are overweight with cognitive impairment and susceptibility to seizure.
It is believed that 5HT2C may play a role in obsessive compulsive disorder, some forms of depression, and epilepsy. Accordingly, agonists can have anti-panic properties, and properties useful for the treatment of sexual dysfunction.
In sum, the 5HT2C receptor is a validated and well-accepted receptor target for the treatment of obesity and psychiatric disorders, and it can be seen that there is a need for selective 5HT2C agonists which safely decrease food intake and body weight. The present invention is directed to these, as well as other, important ends. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to limited slip differentials, and more particularly, to such differentials of the type having means for retarding differentiating action, and actuating means for actuating the retarding means.
Limited slip differentials of the type to which the present invention relates typically include a gear case defining a gear chamber and disposed therein a differential gear set including at least one pinion gear and a pair of bevel side gears. A clutch pack is typically disposed between each of the side gears and the adjacent surface of the gear case, such that the clutch pack is operable to retard rotation between the gear case and the side gears.
In many limited slip and/or locking differentials, some sort of actuating mechanism is provided to actuate or move the clutch pack to its engaged condition. One of the current trends in the field of vehicle traction modifiers involves the desire to be able to actuate the clutch packs in response to an external signal, rather than in response to the sensing of a predetermined speed differential as has typically been the case in the prior art.
A typical prior art limited slip differential, actuated in response to an external fluid pressure signal, is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,991,664. Although it is considered possible to produce a somewhat satisfactory limited slip differential in accordance with the teachings of the prior art, there are distinct disadvantages of the prior art design which limit its commercial desirability. In the cited prior art, the clutch pack is actuated by a pressure-actuated piston, disposed adjacent the end of the clutch pack. Therefore, it is necessary to communicate the external fluid pressure signal into the differential gear case, thus requiring rotating seals. In addition, the hydraulic pressure acting on the clutch pack is acting in opposition to the gear reaction forces which inherently occur during differentiation. The result is a need for an even greater fluid pressure, further increasing the likelihood of fluid leakage.
Another disadvantage is that most limited slip differentials would need major redesign of the gear case and associated structure in order to utilize the actuation means of the cited reference. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
A knife is a sharpened instrument typically having a handle portion and a blade. In knives which are not of the foldable or retractable type, the blade permanently extends outwardly from the handle and the knife is stored in a case or the like. Another type of knife is a foldable knife in which the position of the blade may be varied. Folding knives are an attractive option as these types of knives typically permit the blade to be conveniently and safely carried on a person's body (e.g., in a pocket of pants or a jacket) or in a member that is carried by the person (e.g., tackle box, backpack, toolbox, etc.) as well as permitting the knife to be safely stored at a location removed from the person (e.g., drawer, etc.). In many folding knife designs, the blade is positionable between an open position where the blade is extended and a closed position where the blade is retracted into the knife's handle.
A locking mechanism which is part of the handle permits the blade to be locked in the open position as well as the closed position so that the blade cannot freely move and extend from the handle. Folding knives with blades which automatically lock are desirable for safety purposes in that the blade is prevented from closing on the person's hand or fingers during use. However, there may be times when it is not desirable to have the blade locked in the open position, for example, when using the blade for performing a simple task, such as cutting a piece of string or tape or opening a container, like a box. In such situations, closure of the blade would not require the separate deactivation of a blade locking member, which may be the case had the blade been locked.
One of the disadvantages of conventional folding knives is that the task of opening and extending the blade can be a difficult task for some users. For example, this task can require significant pulling force to extract the blade from the folding knife housing. For some users, this is a difficult task and also presents the possibility that the user may become injured while exerting great effort in retracting the blade.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a folding knife having means for allowing the user to readily open the blade, even when the user is wearing gloves or in situations where the user's hand is disabled to an extent which limits the mobility of the user's fingers in grasping and extracting a conventional blade from a folding knife. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a brightness and color control system and method therefor, and more particularly to a brightness and color control system of a point light source (for example, a multi-wavelength diode light source) and method therefor.
2. Related Art
The currently used diode lighting module as light source adds greater value to liquid crystal panels due to the advantages of high luminance, mercury free, high color reproducibility, and high resolution refinement, etc., such that the applications of the diode lighting module go beyond the field of portable electronic product and quickly extend to other fields, such as transportation equipment (vehicles, aircrafts, and mass rapid transit etc.), displays, mini-projection systems, televisions, and so on. However, the problem of unsteady brightness caused by temperature, aging, etc., affects the lighting quality of the diode lighting module. Therefore, it has become a trend for future research to effectively control the brightness of the monochrome luminous diode, to compensate for unsteady brightness, thereby improving the lighting quality of the diode lighting module.
Referring to U.S. Pat. No. 6,753,661, it discloses a backlight illumination feedback control system, wherein a multi-wavelength diode driver and a group of three-wavelength sensors are used to read the luminous intensity and color components for computing, thereby feed-back controlling the multi-wavelength diode driver, thus achieving the effect of uniform, steady brightness and color. Multiple groups of three-wavelength sensors are used in this method to read the luminous intensity and color components, such that it is relatively complicated in calibration, and it cannot be applied to the color sequence technique.
Referring to U.S. Pat. No. 6,894,442, it discloses an illumination control system, wherein a multi-wavelength diode driver and a multi-wavelength monitor are used to effectively read, compute, and control the duty cycle of each wavelength, thereby achieving the effect of steady brightness and color. However, the multi-wavelength monitor used in this method must cooperate with several photosensors in different wavelengths, such that it is still relatively complicated in calibration, with high cost, and it cannot be applied to the color sequence technique.
Therefore, it is one of the problems to be solved by researchers how to provide a brightness and color control system and method therefor, to reduce the number of photosensors, thereby reducing the cost of the control system, simplifying the calibration process, and meanwhile improving the lighting quality of the diode lighting module. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a cryogenic process to produce nitrogen at elevated pressure and oxygen, where nitrogen recovery is high, typically greater than 70%, preferably greater than 85%, and oxygen recovery is significantly less than 100%, typically less than 70% and preferably less than 55%. In certain industrial applications, i.e., the electronics or petrochemical industry, there is a need for nitrogen and, sometimes, a small amount of oxygen. The complete separation of nitrogen and oxygen from an air feed (from a full recovery plant) would be highly inefficient when there is no market for the produced oxygen in excess of the required oxygen. Therefore, there is a need for an efficient air separation plant with a high nitrogen recovery and a relatively low oxygen recovery.
There are several processes in the art for the production of nitrogen, but very few relate to processes where small quantities of oxygen are simultaneously coproduced.
Nitrogen generators may consist of one, two or more distillation columns. The improvement of the present invention relates to nitrogen generators consisting of two or more columns.
In a double column nitrogen generator, each of the columns can be a full size distillation column or it can be reduced to a smaller fractionator containing as few as one fractionation stage (in addition to a reboiler or condenser, if applicable).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,117 teaches a cycle consisting of a single column with a prefractionator that creates new feeds (of different compositions) to the main column.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,848,996 and 4,927,441 each teach a nitrogen generator cycle with a post-fractionator. The post-fractionator, which is thermally integrated with the top of the rectifier, separates oxygen-enriched bottom liquid into even an more oxygen-enriched fluid and a vapor stream with a composition similar to air. This "synthetic air" stream is then warmed, compressed and recycled back to the rectifier.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,756 teaches a classic double column process cycle for nitrogen production. In the classic double column cycle, the objective of the first (higher pressure) column is to separate feed air into a nitrogen overhead vapor and an oxygen-enriched liquid that is subsequently processed in the second column (usually operated at a lower pressure) to further recover nitrogen.
GB Patent 1,215,377 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,453,957; 4,439,220; 4,617,036; 5,006,139 and 5,098,457 teach various other embodiment of a double column nitrogen generator. The concepts taught in these patents vary in the means of thermal integration of columns, e.g., using different media in reboilers/condensers and applications of intermediate or side reboilers in the columns. Other differences are in the means of supplying refrigeration to the plant, e.g., by expansion of different media.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,410 teaches another double column nitrogen generator process schemes. In this taught generator, the recovery of a high pressure nitrogen product is increased (at the expense of the recovery of the lower pressure nitrogen) by pumping back liquid nitrogen from the lower pressure column to the higher pressure column.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,069,699; 5,402,647 and 5,697,229, as well as, EP 0701099 each teach nitrogen generators schemes which contain more than two columns. The additional column or a section of a column is used either to further increase the recovery and/or the pressure of nitrogen product or to provide an ultra high purity nitrogen product.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,932 teaches a cryogenic process for the production of moderate pressure nitrogen together with a high recovery of oxygen and argon. The increase in nitrogen pressure, in comparison with the art referenced above, is achieved by expanding a portion of nitrogen from the high pressure column, however, the process is a full recovery cycle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,173 teaches the principle of producing ultra high purity oxygen from any cryogenic air separation plant. In particular, the improvement comprises removing an oxygen-containing but heavy contaminant-free stream from one of the distillation columns and further stripping this stream from light contaminants in a fractionator to produce ultra high purity oxygen. The heavy contaminant-free stream is obtained by withdrawing the stream from a position above the heavy contaminant-containing feed(s).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,595 teaches the use of a double column air separation process, where boilup for the lower pressure column is supplied by a portion of a feed air (a "split column"), to produce nitrogen and, optionally, some oxygen. All the oxygen product is produced from the lower pressure column along with at least some of the nitrogen product. The oxygen product is withdrawn from (or near) the bottom of the lower pressure column as liquid and then vaporized at the top of this column. If the purity of the oxygen product is greater than 97%, the patent teaches that the product can be withdrawn from the bottom of the low pressure column. Any excess oxygen may be withdrawn from the lower pressure column in a waste stream. This waste stream contains also nitrogen which reduces significantly nitrogen recovery from this column. The improvement of this patented invention manifests itself in that the lower pressure column operates at elevated pressure, providing nitrogen product at elevated pressure. Therefore, the waste stream contains excess pressure energy and is expanded to provide the necessary refrigeration for the plant. If the refrigeration is provided by other means (e.g., a liquefier), the waste expander is no longer necessary and can be eliminated.
Single column nitrogen generators are not relevant to the process of the present invention, because they are unable to provide a high recovery of nitrogen. Nevertheless, to provide a more complete review of the background art, the patents teaching single column nitrogen generator cycles are provided.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,560,397 and 4,783,210 each teach process schemes for the coproduction of oxygen using a single column nitrogen generator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,397 teaches a process for the production of elevated pressure nitrogen, together with ultra high purity oxygen. In this process, a two-column cycle is used, where the first, higher pressure, column is devoted to nitrogen production and the oxygen product is withdrawn from the second, lower pressure, column, at a point above the liquid sump, to avoid heavy impurities.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,210 teaches a single column nitrogen generator where an oxygen-enriched liquid from the bottom of the nitrogen generator is partially boiled in a reboiler-condenser on top of the nitrogen generator, resulting in a vapor waste stream, and in a second oxygen-enriched liquid that is eventually purified in an additional column. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Until recently, poly(alkylene carbonates) have had limited commercial application. They have been used as sacrifice polymers in the electronics industry but in few other applications. Other applications of these polymers have been limited, among others, by their relative thermal instability.
The present inventors have realised that these poly(alkylene carbonates) offer environmentally friendly potential. The use of carbon dioxide in the formation of poly(alkylene carbonates) provides a useful sink for carbon dioxide and therefore these polymers offer an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuel based materials such as a polyolefin. There are therefore significant benefits to using PACs industrially.
As noted above, commercial applications of poly(alkylene carbonates) are limited by their low thermal stability. Furthermore, thermal decomposition of these polymers occurs at rather low temperatures, e.g. at 180° C. for poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC). These properties severely limit the processability of PACs on a commercial scale. Methods of broadening the properties and processing window so as to enhance the applicability of PACs are therefore sought. Crosslinking the PAC is one route which has been investigated and, to date, some progress has been achieved.
There remains, however, a need for new methods to produce significant quantities of PAC's, which possess advantageous properties such as improved thermal stability. In particular, the inventors sought new processes which produce PAC's with higher glass transition temperatures and/or enhanced higher temperature thermal stability over those known in the art are needed.
The present inventors have surprisingly established that careful control of polymer purification procedures can give rise to polymers with improved thermal properties. The resulting materials exhibit beneficial properties, in particular in terms of rigidity and thermal stability.
Moreover, the inventors have found that purification can be successfully effected in the absence of organic solvents. In typical purification procedures for aliphatic polycarbonates, the use of organic solvents is normal. The polymer formed contains catalyst residues and in order to remove these, organic solvents are routinely used, in particular chlorinated solvents such as chloroform and dichloromethane. These solvents are potentially toxic but are definitively expensive. Moreover, the quantities of solvent employed can be vast. Even if the solvent is recycled, there are still expensive separation and purification procedures needed to reuse solvent.
Organic solvents are also believed essential to remove certain impurities from the formed polycarbonate. For example, the polymerisation of propylene oxide and carbon dioxide forms polypropylene carbonate and may also form propylene carbonate. This compound is believed to cause melt fracture, act as a plasticizer and make the resin tacky. To remove this impurity, the use of dichloromethane and methanol or other solvents and antisolvents is conventional. Typically, the process involves a liquid-liquid extraction. After dissolution in the solvent, the polycarbonate material is washed with an aqueous acid and subsequently a non solvent such as methanol is added to precipitate the polycarbonate.
These organic solvents also dissolve oligomeric portions of the polycarbonate however. They also remove portions of the PAC in which there is a high ether linkage content. Whilst removing some of these oligomeric compounds might be regarded as advantageous in order to reduce migration, the amounts lost in organic solvent may be significant. Valuable PAC is simply being removed with the organic solvent.
Peng, Polymer degradation and stability 80 (2003) 141-147, suggests end capping as a means for improving polymer stability by decreasing the chain unzipping from the hydroxyl end groups in the PAC at low temperatures Peng achieves end capping in organic solvent. In a similar disclosure Yao et al, J Appl Polm Sci vol 120, 3565-3573 (2011) achieves that result by melt blending with maleic anhydride. Further more, thermal stability can be further improved by the addition of calcium stearates and stearic acid according to Yu et al in J Appl Polm Sci vol 120, 690-700 (2011).
There are therefore various methods available to improve thermal stability. However, the amount of acid applied, in particular to cause end capping, is high. Resins from the prior art with reported enhancement of thermal stability, suffer from the presence of acid residues that may represent a problem for further processing (corrosion of machinery) and application (migration of acid residues).
In the present invention, the amount of acid residues present will be lower since the products have been subjected to a thorough washing as part of the treatment. Additionally, the processes used in the prior art may be insufficient in the removal of unwanted side products and may likewise leave undesirable high solvent residues in the polymer. Also, the prior art precipitation method from solvent mixtures may not give polymer particles suitable for further handling as agglomeration is an issue. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine having one or more reciprocating valves. It is common to provide springs for urging such valves to the closed position and to provide a cam mechanism for opening the valves. The disadvantages of these known arrangements are well known.
There have been proposed alternative arrangements for operating reciprocating valves which do not rely upon biasing of the valves by means of springs. An example of such a proposal is disclosed in an article in the Journal "Motor Cycle" issued 1st May 1958. This article describes an arrangement proposed by one R. Gardner and is referred to herein as the "Gardner arrangement". In the Gardner arrangement, there is provided for each valve a rocker mounted adjacent to one of its ends for rocking about a fixed pivot axis and connected adjacent to its opposite end with a stem of the valve. An intermediate portion of the rocker is of annular form and defines an internal cam track. The cam track is engaged at diammetrically opposite positions by two rollers which are moved around a circular path, centered on an axis of a camshaft. The cam track is non-circular so that the rocker is caused to rock about its pivot axis as the rollers move around the camshaft axis.
A relatively large space must be provided in the engine to accommodate the rockers of the Gardner arrangement. This limits the choice in the disposition of other parts of the engine, for example in the routing of inlet ducts and exhaust ducts. Each rocker inevitably possesses considerable mass and so quite large forces have to be exerted to overcome the inertia of the rocker. A further disadvantage of the Gardner arrangement is that the motion of the rocker relative to the camshaft axis is along an arcuate path centered on the pivot axis. The rocker executes angular motion relative to the corresponding valve. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The accurate registration of the inkjets in multiple printheads within a printer enables the printer to produce high quality printed images. Registration refers to the positioning and orientation of the printheads with reference to the other printheads in the printer to ensure accurate alignment of the ink drops ejected by the inkjets in one printhead with the ink drops ejected by the inkjets in another printhead. This accurate alignment is required for precise resolution of an ink image as well as reliable and consistent color production arising from the close proximity of ink drops of different colors. During operation of a printer, the positioning and orientation of the printheads are tested from time to time to help ensure proper registration of the printheads. Once the printheads are properly positioned relative to one another, further adjustments can be made to maintain accurate placement of ink drops in the process direction. One of these adjustments includes timing the firing of different inkjets in the printheads to compensate for characteristics in some inkjets that affect the flight of ink drops from the inkjets.
To adjust the timing for the firing of the inkjets, the printer operates the inkjets to form ink marks, also referred to as test patterns, on the surface of an image receiving member. In some printers, the image receiving member is print media, while in other printers, the image receiving member is a rotating endless belt or drum. An optical sensor is positioned opposite the image receiving member. This optical sensor typically includes a plurality of optical detectors that extend across the surface of the image receiving member in the cross-process direction. Each optical detector receives light reflected from a portion of the surface of the image receiving member that is opposite the detector and generates digital image data corresponding to the amount of reflected light received. These digital image data of the image receiving member surface are used to identify the locations of the marks on the image receiving member in both the process direction and the cross-process direction. A digital controller identifies a distance between the actual positions of ink marks and the expected positions of the ink marks and then adjusts the timing of the firing of the inkjets to enable the inkjets to eject the ink drops closer to the expected positions.
While the optical sensor enables the printer to identify registration errors in the printed test patterns, the optical sensor may have defects that produce inaccurate image data. For example, the optical sensor can be skewed at an angle relative to the cross-process direction across the image receiving surface, the optical sensor may deform and bow, and individual optical detectors may be offset in the process direction relative to the other optical detectors in the sensor. An optical sensor that exhibits one or more of these defects generates image data with inaccurate process direction locations of markings in test patterns on the image receiving surface. Thus, the digital controller adjusts the operation of the printheads to correct for the errors identified from the inaccurate data, but these adjustments introduce new errors since the optical sensor generates inaccurate image data for the new ink drop positions. Thus, improvements to inkjet printers to reduce or eliminate errors in image data that are generated due to defects in the optical sensor would be beneficial. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In the art of thermal ink jet printing, it is known to provide a bladder type of ink reservoir for supplying ink to a thermal ink jet printhead. The printhead will typically include a thin film resistor (TFR) substrate having a plurality of heater resistors therein, and a barrier layer and orifice plate member is usually mounted on top of the thin film resistor substrate. This member will typically include the ink reservoirs which are disposed above the heater resistors and further defines the corresponding drop generator nozzles for ejecting ink onto a print medium.
The bladder reservoir for supplying ink to the entire printhead may, for example, take the form of a rubber thimble which is located within the housing to which the thermal ink jet printhead is affixed. This type of reservoir and printhead construction is disclosed, for example, in the Hewlett Packard Journal, Volume 36, Number 5, May 1985, incorporated herein by reference.
Whereas these bladder type reservoirs have proven generally satisfactory for certain types of thermal ink jet (TIJ) printers, they nevertheless take up too much space and are unable to hold a sufficiently large volume of ink for other types of printer applications. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates generally to support apparatus. More particularly, this invention relates to support apparatus particularly useful, by way of example and not by way of limitation, for supporting equipment typically found on the top of a building, or in direct contact with the ground. Still more particularly, this invention relates to support apparatus, which may be grounded to provide a ground for the supported equipment.
Telecommunication receivers/transmitters, and other equipment, radio broadcasting equipment, antennae, wave guides, falling-ice guards, walkways, electric wiring raceways, heating/cooling equipment, ductwork, piping, and other equipment are commonly located on the tops or roofs of buildings. Support apparatus are required to support such equipment on the building roofs or tops and preferably the support apparatus distributes the weight or load from such equipment over more than one area or location to prevent the occurrence of point loads with their attendant localized stresses which can cause damage to the building roof systems or tops. Further such equipment may require grounding to protect the equipment against lightning strikes or other transient high-voltage power surges produced by or to which the equipment may be subjected. Further, equipment in need of support, or in need of support and grounding, may be located beside buildings, on top of water tanks, or on raw land sites, at petrochemical plants, offshore drilling rig platforms, electrical transformer locations, highway lighting installations, satellite uplink and downlink stations. Additionally, support apparatus, which may or may not be grounded, is needed for supporting oil, gas and water pipes, acid carrying pipes, dry powder conveying apparatus, high and low voltage electrical transmission lines and chemical lines. The above is set forth merely by way of example and should not be construed as limiting the application of the support apparatus of the present invention.
Importantly, groundable support apparatus are needed to connect the supported equipment directly to a ground field, ground leads, or ground rods to create an equi-potential ground field. This is particularly useful in protecting the supported equipment against the above-noted lightning strikes or other transient high voltage power surges. Further, support apparatus are needed to support equipment of the type noted generally above which allows the supported equipment to expand or move due to thermal expansion, wind forces, water loading such as water flowing over a roof, and which support apparatus can support such equipment without causing damage to the roof membrane upon which the support apparatus resides or the underlying insulating material, such as in the above-noted building roofing systems.
As is further known, the telecommunication industry is currently engaged in installing innumerable transmission and receiving sites across the United States and worldwide. Typically these sites involve the construction of a tower with antennae attached to receive and send cellular and digital signals. The tower holds the actual antennae connected by wires and cabling to the transmission and broadcasting equipment located at the base of the tower. In many instances, multiple antennae will be attached to a singular tower, each requiring its own cabling, transmission and broadcasting equipment, and associated tower cabinets. Such transmission and broadcasting equipment, and their associated power cabinets, battery back-up cabinets and electrical switchgear, are typically mounted on a steel platform attached to a concrete pier or base. Support apparatus of the type noted above are needed to support this equipment and additional equipment may be used to provide a ground for such equipment if desired or required.
As is further known, commonly on commercial buildings or on raw land sites for new equipment installations and co-locations of equipment on rooftops and raw land sites can be structures upon which the above-noted telecommunication transmission and receiving equipment is installed. Such equipment is typically subjected to various elements, forces and stresses. These forces over time may damage the equipment itself or the surface structures if no counter measures are taken. Equipment that is placed on the ground or fastened to concrete slabs is subjected to faulty grounding technique, ambient temperature retention, and degradation of the cabinets caused by ponding water. Some of the forces that affect roof top equipment include thermal expansion and cooling cycles, building deflection, wind loading, and loading and stress forces associated with rain, snow and ice. In particular, problems can arise when apparatus supporting such equipment is permanently attached to the roof, such as by the use of screws or similar penetrating devices, or by adhering it directly to the roof membrane with adhesives. Over time, the combination of relative motion due to various external forces and differences in coefficients of thermal expansion between the roof and the apparatus supporting such equipment can result in the breakdown of the roof or roof support system. Re-roofing practices are made difficult with equipment that is fixed or attached to the rooftop. Support apparatus for such equipment is needed to overcome this equipment support problem.
The support apparatus of the present invention satisfies the support apparatus needs noted above for grounding and supporting equipment of the types noted above and also the support apparatus of the present invention may be grounded to provide a ground for such supported equipment.
More particularly, support apparatus of the present invention may include a base, a receptacle for receiving and supporting an object, such as the above-noted equipment, a plurality of spaced apart buttresses connected to the base and receptacle, the buttresses mount the receptacles perpendicularly with respect to the base and spaced outwardly therefrom to cause force received by the receptacle from the supported object, such as the above-noted equipment, to be transferred and distributed to different portions of the base by the buttresses. The number of buttresses included on a base is dependent on the amount of weight to be distributed. At least a portion of the base may be made of electrically conductive material and provided with a ground connector for being connected to ground by a ground lead to provide a ground connection for the supported equipment. The ground lead may be sufficiently strong so as to secure the support apparatus to a retaining structure for security or seismic risks. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a deer lure device that is clampable and reusable as means to attract deer while using a deer scent.
2. Description of Related Art
Hunting is a recreational sport enjoyed by many individuals. Most recreational hunters practice hunting during the hunting season designated by their particular state. Hunting involves the tracking, stalking and killing of animals for sport and/or food. Hunters pursue various types of game such as a small game such as squirrels, rabbits or other small varmints. Some hunters pursue fowl and other hunters pursue larger game such as deer, moose or bears to name a few.
In relation to deer hunting, one particular technique used to assist the deer hunter is the application of deer scent to attract bucks to a particular area. Most deer scent currently used comes in the form of a liquid and the hunter must spread the deer scent into a particular area in order to attract the deer. The deer scent comes in all varieties and may be in the form of urine, estrous, or tarsal gland. The scents are principally applied through the use of liquids and placed at particular points in the woods to attract the deer. The liquid is applied through the use of bottles, gels and in certain instances sprays. Also many deer hunters use dispensers that are actually dragged through the woods as a means to dispense the liquid in a particular area.
One drawback to using the scenting products of the prior art is that the liquid products and gels may become wasteful and impractical due to the frequent reapplications that must be executed by the hunter when using them. It would therefore be advantageous to have a device that could contain the desired scent and be placed in a stationary position for retrieval by the hunter upon completion of the hunting expedition. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an arrow rest for an archery bow, and more particularly to a laterally adjustable arrow rest with an arrow support that moves away from the fletching upon release of an arrow and automatically returns to its initial position after discharge. The lateral adjustment of the arrow rest may be readily achieved in the field and without the use of tools due to the nature of the mounting of the arrow rest through the handle area of the bow. The entire arrow rest of the present invention may be replaced in the field with assurance of correct positioning and alignment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An arrow rest is generally secured to the handle area of an archery bow, and often includes a rigid notch or ledge which supports and guides an arrow as it is discharged from the bow. However, rigid arrow rests may introduce an undesirable vertical and horizontal force component to the arrow when the shaft and fletching passes over the arrow rest, causing an unwanted deflection of the arrow and damage to the fletching.
Flexible arrow rests which deflect both vertically and horizontally by spring action when the arrow passes over the arrow rest decrease this undesired deflection, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,074,674, 3,871,352, and 3,935,854. Spring biased arrow rests deflecting in a generally horizontal plane are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,769,956 and 3,828,757. Also, arrow rests may be mechanically deflected away from the arrow when the arrow is shot, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,504,659.
An arrow may travel laterally with respect to the bow if the arrow rest is not properly aligned on the handle. Prior arrow rests which may be laterally adjusted require the use of tools or are rigid rests, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,285,237, 3,871,352, 3,232,286 and 3,757,764. A spring-biased plunger for lateral placement of an arrow on a fixed rest is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,482,563.
Prior arrow rests have been secured to the bow handle area with adhesive, screws, or the like, and when replacement of the arrow rest is necessary due to breakage or wear, there is no assurance that the new arrow rest, even if of the same style as the old arrow rest, will be properly positioned for shooting without essentially complete realignment. The prior art does not suggest an arrow rest which may be easily laterally adjusted in the field without the use of tools and provide a movable arrow support arm which automatically returns to its initial position after discharge of the arrow. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Voice operated systems are typically utilized in communication devices, such as phone devices and computers, as well as in toys. These systems typically comprise such main constructional components as an A/D converter for receiving an input analog voice signal, a vocoder, an operating system, a communication interface associated with an output port, and a voice recognizer (typically implemented as a separate DSP chip).
During a transmission operational mode of the communication device (e.g., mobile phone), the input analog voice signals (e.g., generated by a microphone) are digitized by the converter. In the conventional devices, the digitized voice signals are supplied to the vocoder for compression of the voice samples to reduce the amount of data to be transmitted through the interface unit to another communication device (e.g., mobile phone), and are concurrently supplied to the voice recognizer. The latter receives the digitized voice samples as input, parameterizes the voice signal and matches the parameterized input signal to reference voice signals. The voice recognizer typically either provides the identification of tie matched signal to the operating system, or, if a phone number is associated with the matched signal, provides the associated phone number.
A technique utilizing the application of a voice recognition function to a compressed digitized signal has been developed and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,004 assigned to the assignee of the present application.
It is a well-known problem of voice operated systems that background noise added to speech can degrade the performance of digital voice processors used for speech compression, recognition, authentication, etc. Thus, to improve the quality of voice recognition, it is necessary to reduce the background noise in a speech signal.
Various noise reduction techniques have been developed and disclosed, for example, in the article S. F. Boll “Suppression of Acoustic Noise in Speech Using Spectral Subtraction”, IEEE Transactions in Acoustics, Speech and Signal processing, 1979, V. 27, N. 2, pp. 113-120. According to the known techniques, the noise suppression of the digital signal is typically carried out before the signal is supplied to the vocoder (i.e., prior to signal compression). This approach is therefore computationally intensive and slow. This is a serious drawback when dealing with mobile phones, since the processing requirements of noise suppression and voice recognition pose a severe processing load on the mobile phone and may obstruct its operation. It is known to use an additional DSP chip for noise suppression. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
It is often difficult to acquire a global positioning system (“GPS”) signal, even with a high-quality receiver and antenna, in very low (i.e., “deep fade”) signal environments, such as in urban canyons, underground, and inside steel-reinforced buildings. In the limited situations where a GPS signal can be acquired indoors (e.g., away from steel structures and near windows), far more electrical energy is typically required to acquire the signal and calculate position than is required for “blue sky” conditions, and positional accuracy can be compromised.
Certain algorithmic approaches have been implemented to improve receiver acquisition performance under deep fade conditions, but the improvements are generally limited. There can be many reasons for acquisition and correlation failure on the receiver side in deep fade conditions. The acquisition capability in a well-designed system using high-quality detection algorithms is, however, typically limited by the frequency drift and phase noise generated by the receiver's local oscillator. The uncertainty caused by the local oscillator frequency and phase translates into a receiver bit-error rate, degrading the correlation strength of the coded signal. For weaker satellite signals, the acquisition fails, or a repeatable correlation cannot be found and large position errors are introduced.
In general, phase noise can be viewed as random thermal noise or temperature drift in a resonant element that is converted to random phase shifts or frequency drifts in oscillator output. Very low frequency phase noise (i.e., less than approximately 1 Hz) is usually labeled “frequency drift,” and temperature change in the resonant element is the most significant cause of this frequency drift. For example, if the resonant element is a quartz crystal, rapid thermal fluctuations in the crystal lattice displacement amplitude create rapid phase fluctuations. Thermal fluctuation noise that occurs at harmonics of the resonator oscillation frequency contributes most strongly to the higher frequency phase noise. If the quartz crystal temperature is also slowly changing during operation, the resonant frequency will gradually change, introducing frequency drift.
There has, in general, been little progress with work done on systematic high frequency phase-noise reduction in frequency sources appropriate for portable, small, and low-power applications, such as GPS systems. However, some progress has been made with reducing frequency drift (i.e., low frequency phase noise) in frequency sources for portable receivers. In most high performance GPS systems, quartz crystal-based oscillators called “Temperature Controlled Crystal Oscillators” (TCXOs) use lumped circuit elements to partially compensate for temperature-induced resonant frequency drift in the crystal. The typical TCXO shows about 1/10th the frequency change of an uncompensated crystal over a typical operating temperature range. “Oven-Controlled Crystal Oscillators” (OCXOs) employ physical temperature control of the resonator, and they generally reduce the temperature-variation-induced frequency drift even more than TCXOs. The typical OCXO has from 1/10th to 1/100th the frequency change of a TCXO over a typical operation temperature range.
A battery-powered GPS receiver can be enhanced with a very stable, low frequency drift local-oscillator frequency source. With precise knowledge of time derived from the stable source, the Doppler shift in satellite transmitter frequency may be accurately determined from ephemeris (orbit) data. Consequently, the frequency search space needed to acquire the GPS signal is sharply reduced, leading to significant savings in battery energy. Then, after acquisition is achieved, minimal frequency drift in the local oscillator frequency source during satellite data collection also allows for more rapid and accurate determination of receiver position. This again saves battery energy.
Stable frequency sources also benefit most battery-powered infil digital receivers and exfil transmitters and beacons. For example, the position of a fixed-beacon transmitter deduced by Doppler shift in a passing aircraft typically requires a collection time of seconds to minutes. Consequently, the frequency of the transmitted signal must be stable on this time scale to maintain beacon location accuracy.
In general, conventional OCXOs offer the necessary level of frequency stability, but they generally require relatively high average power, particularly at low environmental temperatures. Moreover, since the OCXO must generally operate at all times, the battery requirements for operating over extended periods of time become prohibitive.
Conventional OCXOs require high average power because of the way in which they are operated. Their crystals (usually quartz) are typically maintained at a temperature of 15° C. to 20° C. higher than the highest temperature rating of the transmitter or receiver unit. Resistive heating elements have been assumed to offer the best combination of low cost and minimum size, so the crystal temperature must be maintained above the highest specified ambient temperature. Since the specified upper range of operating temperature in many applications can be as high as 70° C., the crystal operating temperature is often set at 90° C. or higher. The high crystal operating temperature of the OCXO also requires that the resonant frequency of the crystal stabilize when the OCXO is first powered “on,” i.e., if the OCXO is activated from room temperature in an effort to save power between uses, the temperature and strain fields must generally be allowed to thermally stabilize at the high operating temperature before the resonant frequency is fully stabilized. This stabilization time can be on the order of several minutes, an unacceptably long waiting period for many applications.
A higher-than-ambient-temperature crystal, as used in a conventional OCXO, implies high heat transfer and high continuous energy loss to the environment. This loss may be mitigated by using thermal insulation. However, in applications where the size of the crystal unit is critical, a significant volume of thermal insulation is unacceptable. Consequently, OCXOs are almost never used in miniaturized portable receivers and transmitters where only battery power is available.
Reduced temperature has been shown to reduce high frequency (i.e., greater than approximately 1 Hz) phase noise in quartz, sapphire, and rubidium resonators. The temperature at which high frequency phase noise is reduced significantly depends on the practical details of the resonator material. For example, the level of contaminants and crystal defects in quartz will generally impact the temperature at which the high frequency phase noise is reduced. Cryogenic cooling systems, which are usually mechanical, are often used for cooling crystals in specialized receivers intended for receiving signals from deep-space probes, and this cooling is effective at reducing high frequency phase noise. However, such systems generally consume significant electrical power (i.e., many watts) and take up substantial volume (i.e., many cubic centimeters), which is generally unsuitable for portable, small, and low power applications, such as GPS systems.
Accordingly, needs exist for improved devices, systems, and methods of i) maintaining a constant resonant element temperature, and ii) reducing the temperature of the resonant elements used in portable, small, and low-power applications, such as GPS systems, so as to efficiently reduce frequency drift and higher frequency phase noise contributed by those resonant elements. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Numerous procedures requires the use of different types of medical devices and the preferred approach is to have systems that can accommodate the need to rapidly convert from one apparatus type to another during procedures.
It is therefore desirable to provide a guidewire for such procedures, which works with a novel catheter system to allow for different functional aspects to be exercised through a common set-up. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
There have been many devices and systems developed that are geared to the protection and recovery of valuable assets. Among the most novel of these are those used for the protection of currency and other small high-value objects such as jewelry where the recovery device is embedded directly into the object that is being protected.
There are numerous methods available for protecting high-value assets such as currency at a banking establishment. These include but are not limited to: 1) training; 2) surveillance cameras; 3) reward program; 4) unarmed guards; 5) police tellers; 6) off-duty police officers; 7) bandit barriers; 8) bait money; and 9) explosive devices and tracking systems. Training is the cornerstone to robbery prevention and safety. By maintaining proper security protocols, cash control (to minimize cash loss) and safety precautions, bank personnel can be the most instrumental in robbery avoidance and, in the case where a robbery takes place, apprehension of the criminal. Surveillance cameras placed throughout a bank branch are usually employed as an apprehension tool although there may be some unquantified deterrent effect, especially in the queue line. Given the prevalence of surveillance cameras it sometimes serves as the only record of the bank robbery and the only evidence for the police to use to identify the thief. It is a standard policy for many industries with highly valuable assets to offer a reward program to provide a reward if a robber is identified. Several instances have been reported where a person involved in a robbery actually knew the robber and the reward system helps encourage witnesses to come forward. Unarmed security guards are used primarily as deterrents to robbers for banks and other institutions. During an incident they are instructed primarily to “observe and report”. Chances are that the presence of a security guard in a location will redirect the robber to go to another location without a guard. Police tellers are used by banks in particular to “observe and report” during an incident but unlike a security guard they are trained as full tellers and work in plain clothes. They are off-duty police officers and hired at a police salary rate. They share the same service and sales responsibilities as regular tellers. They are commonly used in frequently robbed locations. Off-Duty police officers are sometimes used as armed guards for locations with substantial robbery problems. A good source of personnel for this is the local police department. If not possible, a security firm made up of retired police is a good source for well-trained armed personnel. This can be a very expensive undertaking. Bandit barriers are permanent, bullet-proof shields between assets being protected and the robber. These have been particularly effective in locations where other methods like guards have proven ineffective as a deterrent. With an initial cost of about $1,000 per linear foot, setup is high. The payback for such an investment is first the savings in cash from a frequently robbed location. Also there is the added benefit of avoiding associated costs from a robbery such as lost time and teller fatigue and turnover. Bait money is a cash reserve in a teller's drawer with pre-recorded serial numbers to be handed out in case of a robbery. If the robber is apprehended the serial numbers can be used to trace it back to a particular robbery and aid in conviction. This is purely a method for identification after apprehension.
Banks also use explosive devices and tracking systems both for apprehension (and recovery) as well as prevention. They can be used in prevention when word is leaked that these devices are used in a particular area. It is stressed that training in this case is critical because many bank robbers present instructions to not pass “bait money or dye packs” since knowledge of these methods are apparently fairly well known. Each bank establishes their own policies and methods for training and passing these devices to a robber. The dye pack was invented to stain stolen currency in a manner that “renders a bank robbery pointless” as taught by Robeson (U.S. Pat. No. 3,564,525) and Howett (U.S. Pat. No. 1,923,979). It does this by exploding a colored dye that stains the money, making it obvious that it has been involved in a robbery. In some devices, tear-gas is included in the dye to not only mark the presence of the stolen currency but also show a colored cloud for searching by law-enforcement. A dye pack consists of a hollowed-out stack of real bills with chemicals and electronics inside, usually with one or two bills stuck on the top and bottom of the stack. The dye pack sits idle in “safe mode” while in the teller drawer on a magnetic plate until a robbery occurs. During the robbery the teller is supposed to subtly slip the device in with other money. Removing the device from the magnetic plate does not cause the dye to be released; it is simply armed at that point. When the bank robber passes a radio activation field near the front door the device is programmed to start a timer for later release, allowing time for the bank robber to get some distance from the bank before the money is stained. In many cases the hands and/or clothing of the bank robber are stained making identification easier. Initially these devices were rigid but development in electronic design have allowed for the device [Keniston, S. E., “Bendable currency security dye pack”, U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,828] and even the chemical pouches [Keniston, S. E., “Bendable currency security dye pack”, U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,143] to be flexible, thus allowing them to be passed during a robber with low chance of detection by the robber (who is often an “amateur”). An alternate activation method would be to have a local RF transmitter near the pack to keep it inactive. When an adequate distance is achieved between the pack and the RF transmitter, and the pack is no longer sensing the RF signal, the pack would activate. While a very useful tool, it has to be noted that this type of device is explosive and requires special handling. For that reason some banks have not adopted this technology to protect their employees and customers.
The other prevalent in-drawer cash protection system employed by banks is the miniature RF beacon. As in the case of the dye pack it sits idle in the teller drawer until activated by lifting off of a magnetic plate. Local receiving towers in the proximity of the bank pick up the small RF transmission of the device [Allen, M. F., “ELECTRONIC DETECTION AND TRACING MEANS”, U.S. Pat. No. 3,618,059]. This would immediately start the transmission of a signal received by a network of stations located through a city both near the bank and along likely escape routes for the robber. The police could also be equipped with receivers to tell if they are close to the stolen currency pack. Later refinements allowed the pursuers to not only determine they are close, but also determine range and direction to the stolen device [Culpepper, J. W., Currie, H. A.; Heathcock, W. F., “Beacon tracking system”, U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,807]. While the transmission device in the cash can be extremely small, one of the most significant limitations to this technology is the requirement for receiver stations to be placed around the area of operation. If the device should get outside of the installation region, it can no longer be tracked. To cover the whole lower-48 states of the US, assuming a 5-mile radius of receiver coverage would take a minimum of 40,000 stations (excluding line-of-sight issues that would substantially increase the number of stations). It is probably financially impossible to place receiving stations throughout the country for a single application. Therefore it is likely that only local areas will be covered which leaves the system vulnerable to coverage gaps.
As an augmentation to the miniature RF-beacon approach, Grimm (U.S. Pat. No. 6,801,129) proposed using a cellular data transmission system transmitting location information from a Global Positioning System receiver. The Global Positioning System (or GPS as it is commonly known) is comprised of a number of satellites circling the Earth that radiate timing signals that are controlled by a network of ground stations. By measuring the arrival of these signals at a receiver, it is possible to determine the location of the receiver to very high precision. While Mohan (U.S. Pat. No. 6,121,922) teaches the combined use of GPS and a mobile transmitter in a compact form-factor, Grimm extended this concept to include a RF beacon that allowed for the local isolation of stolen device with far greater precision than can be achieved with a cellular network location or GPS position fix. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,665,613, 6,480,147, 6,271,757 teach different variations of defining regions within a tracking device which upon the device getting a GPS location (or any kind of position determination) outside of the region certain actions will occur including, but not limited to, reporting to a network, sending alerts, or sounding an alarm. All these patents teach that there is some alarm mechanism in which some security organization or law enforcement agency can be alerted to a theft of the asset under protection by the tracking device. However, none of these references teaches how such a device came to be installed at a particular fixed location and how a device is associated with a law enforcement agency in a given jurisdiction. It is unclear if these devices were pre-programmed at the factory to be matched with their end location. Since security or law-enforcement agencies need to respond to a particular location (for example, a specific bank branch involved in a robbery), it is clear that some relationship existing between the asset tracking and the location must be established but no information is given on this method or system. These patents also do not teach how these security devices could be serviced and tested without sending non-robbery related alerts to security or law enforcement and they do not teach how unintentional activations not related to a theft could create selective alerts to support personnel but not result in an alarm going to the police. Alternatively, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,292,159, 7,283,047, 7,283,046, 7,138,914 teach that service and maintenance records can be kept on a central server for update or later recall. However, none of them teaches how alerting can be averted or changed based on servicing at a specific location. The cost of police and other law enforcement responding to false alarms continues to be high. Many municipalities have enacted ordinances to charge owners of alarm systems the cost to respond to alerts that are not tied to an active burglary or crime. Some cities have stopped responding to automated alerts altogether.
The sequence of events in a robbery are: 1) the initial assault, device activation and transfer to robber; 2) robber egress; 3) activation and notification to server; 4) server processing; 5) alert processing; 6) law enforcement, police and security dispatch; 7) RF beacon co-location; 8) suspect isolation; and 9) suspect apprehension and recovery. The critical aspect is that this is a system. Many elements act in concert to make the recovery possible. Careful planning and cooperation of multiple organizations are necessary for ultimate success. Having multiple inadvertent alerts go from a bank (or similar installation of a valuable asset) to law enforcement (or similar private security firm) can reduce effectiveness by increasing response time and possibly costs because of fees responding to false alarms.
The design of the system needs to be near-real-time to enable pursuit by police and other law enforcement agencies such as the FBI. Latencies from the measurement of location and velocity to the display at the tracking site of a minute or more could allow for enough separation in a chase to confuse the pursuers. Tests conducted in trials indicated a delay of 15 seconds or less was required. This provided an extremely short timeline to send location information to some central location then disseminate it to the necessary law-enforcement officers. Communication channels would have to be chosen to ensure that controlled (or at least reliable) latency could be maintained.
It is understood by the one skilled in the art that GPS represents a larger set of Global Navigation Satellite Systems or GNSS that are currently fielded and under planning such as GLONASS in Russia, GALILEO in Europe, Beidou in China as well as others. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Fishing reels with various drag constructions are known in the art. However, earlier drag constructions have proven to be inefficient when a torque load is applied to the spool as a result of line being pulled from the reel.
One prior art construction includes a plurality of brake pads and washers contained within the cylinder of the spool. Such a configuration does not provide effective and controlled drag for the spool.
In other prior art constructions, unbalanced and uneven braking force is applied to the spool. These reels fail to perform efficiently when a torque load is applied to the spool. When line is pulled off of the spool and the line travels across the spool cylinder, torque force is applied to different areas of the spool. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Subsets and Splits
No saved queries yet
Save your SQL queries to embed, download, and access them later. Queries will appear here once saved.