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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to implantable cardiac devices, such as implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). The present invention more particularly relates to inhibiting voltage delay in a battery of an implantable cardiac device.
2. Background Art
Implantable cardiac devices, such as implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), are well known in the art. Such devices are generally implanted in a pectoral region of the chest beneath the skin of a patient within what is known as a subcutaneous pocket. The primary components of an ID include a monitoring and detection mechanism, a capacitor, a battery, a sensing system for detecting an arrhythmia, and a control system for controlling delivery of a capacitive discharge electrical shock in response to a detected arrhythmia by charging and then discharging the capacitor. The implantable devices generally function in association with one or more electrode carrying leads which are implanted within the heart. The electrodes are positioned within the heart for making electrical contact with the muscle tissue of their respective heart chamber. Conductors within the leads couple the electrodes to the device to enable the device to deliver the desired electrical therapy.
Implantable devices, such as ICDs, pose a unique demand on the battery power supply. The battery must be capable of operating at low current drains for long periods of time, and simultaneously be capable of providing high current pulses. The battery must sustain the provision of the high current pulses and must be available whenever a patient requires defibrillation.
Batteries that are used in current ICD""s can develop high internal impedance or equivalent series resistance (ESR) over the lifetime of the ICD. This is undesirable because a battery with an excessively high ESR will ultimately be unable to deliver sufficient current to the circuitry of the ICD leading to a potentially catastrophic result to the patient. Batteries with an ESR that is higher than normal also take longer to charge the capacitor of the ICD, thus potentially delaying the delivery of vital therapy to the patient. Under normal operations, a battery in an ICD should be capable of charging a capacitor in less than about fifteen seconds. Batteries with a higher than normal ESR may take twice as long. Note, many ICD""s are programmed to xe2x80x9ctime outxe2x80x9d after a certain charge time to save energy. For example, an ICD""s may be programmed to stop capacitor charging after 30 seconds. The time interval at the start of a discharge during which the working voltage of a battery cell is below its steady value (which is caused by the higher than normal ESR) is referred to as the xe2x80x9cvoltage delay.xe2x80x9d ESR will also increase when the battery is completely discharged. However, this ESR is not associated with voltage delay which is normally a phenomenon that occurs in the middle of the discharge curve.
Accordingly, it is imperative to limit the development of a high ESR in ICD batteries to thereby inhibit voltage delay. Generally, when a battery reforms a capacitor on a periodic basis, the battery system itself reduces its ESR through the usage. While this technique is effective in reducing battery ESR, it should not be used more often than about once a month because the process is extremely energy-inefficient. For example, each reforming charge of the capacitor may require the withdrawal of 30-40 joules of energy from the battery. If this is performed on a regular schedule to limit ESR development in the battery, it would squander a large amount of battery energy.
While existing ICD batteries have proven effective, it would be desirable to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of ICD batteries by limiting ESR development in ICD batteries such that the batteries are maintained at a predetermined ideal state of voltage and current delivery capacity. In other words, it is desirable to inhibit battery voltage delay in a manner that wastes as little battery energy as possible.
The present invention is directed towards methods and devices for inhibiting voltage delay in a battery of an implantable cardiac stimulation device. These methods and devices of the present invention can also be used to reform a capacitor of the implantable cardiac stimulation device. Such a capacitor (which is typically implemented as two capacitors in series for increased voltage handling capability) is charged using the battery. The charge on the capacitor can then be used to shock the heart of the patient within which the stimulation device is implanted. If the capacitor was charged for a reason other than for delivering a shock (e.g., for inhibiting battery voltage delay and/or reforming the capacitor), then the charge on the capacitor can be allowed to slowly dissipate or discharged using a dump circuit.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the capacitor begins to be charged at a time determined based on a comparison between a time since a last charge of the capacitor and a threshold time between charges. For example, the capacitor may begin to be charged when the time since the last charge of the capacitor equals the threshold time between charges. A charge on the capacitor is then measured at a predetermined time since the capacitor began charging. The capacitor continues to be charged until a threshold charging time since the capacitor began charging is reached, at which point charging stops. The threshold charging time is then adjusted based on the measured charge on the capacitor. This threshold charging time can be adjusted prior to or after the stopping of the charging of the capacitor.
In an alternative embodiment, rather than adjusting the threshold charging time, the threshold time between charges is adjusted based on the measured charge (i.e., voltage) on the capacitor. In another embodiment, both the threshold charging time and the threshold time between charges are adjusted. | {
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In the course of making castings, for example, the crankcase of an internal combustion engine, it is often necessary to have cored holes in the finished casting as a result of the need to support internal cores, for example, for the cores performing the coolant passages, during the casting process. These cored holes generally are required to be sealed, especially if they are in the side of the crankcase but often even when located in the top deck of the crankcase which interfaces with the cylinder head gasket and cylinder head.
A conventional method of sealing cored holes is to first machine a counterbore and then press a metal cup plug which is retained against the machined side walls of the castings by an interference fit. Another method is to insert a Welch or expansion plug, a concave disk, in the machined bore and flatten out the disk as shown in Welch U.S. Pat. No. 1,058,210. However, each of these methods requires a machined counterbore since these metal plugs will not seal an as-cast surface. Additionally, as a practical matter, the holes have to be circular and an as cast hole may not be circular especially if the mold parting line passes along a diameter of the hole.
It is also known to seal holes of various types with elastomeric plugs, for example, those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,200,984, 3,578,027, 4,287,996, and 4,736,865. However, such plugs generally held in place by the compression of the elastomeric material against the side walls and are more susceptible to being blown out by internal pressure, for example, the coolant pressure in the crankcase, especially if installed in a tapered hole as might result from the draft angle of an as-cast hole. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a bearing unit for wheel for supporting a wheel (regardless of a drive wheel or a driven wheel) of an automobile.
2. Description of Related Art
As shown in FIG. 30, a drive shaft 1 for transmitting power from an engine to a drive wheel has a configuration in which a fixed type constant velocity universal joint J1 on an outboard side (a vehicle body side part in a vehicle width direction) and a slidable type constant velocity universal joint J2 on an inboard side (vehicle body center in the vehicle width direction) are connected with an intermediate shaft 2. The constant velocity universal joint J1 on the outboard side is connected to a hub wheel 4 that is supported in a freely rotatable manner by a wheel bearing 3, and the constant velocity universal joint J2 on the inboard side is connected to a differential 5.
The wheel bearing 3 has an inner ring 3a fixed to an outer periphery of the hub wheel 4, an outer ring 3b fixed to a knuckle member 6 that extends from a suspension device on the vehicle body side, and a rolling element 3c arranged in double rows between the inner ring 3a and the outer ring 3b. Normally, the inner ring 3a is fixed to the outer periphery of the hub wheel 4 by being press fit thereinto. The outer ring 3b is usually fixed to the knuckle member 6 by bolting a flange 3b1 of the outer ring 3b to the knuckle member 6.
The conventional drive shaft 1 is assembled to the vehicle by inserting a shaft end on the outboard side (a stem portion 7a of an outer joint member 7) of the drive shaft 1 into an inner periphery of the hub wheel 4 and screw-fitting a nut 8 to the shaft end that projects from the hub wheel 4 with the hub wheel 4 and the wheel bearing 3 being fixed to the knuckle member 6 in advance (see, e.g., Patent Document 1). With tightening of the nut 8, the entire drive shaft 1 slides to the outboard side, and a shoulder portion 7b of the outer joint member 7 contacts an end face of the inner ring 3a. The outer joint member 7 and the hub wheel 4 are thereby positioned in an axial direction, and a predetermined pre-load is applied to the wheel bearing 3. An outer peripheral surface of the stem portion 7a of the outer joint member 7 and an inner peripheral surface of the hub wheel 4 are connected with each other by a spline (not shown), and a drive power of the engine transmitted to the outer joint member 7 is transmitted to the spline, and furthermore, to the wheel via the hub wheel 4.
A pilot portion 4a is formed at the shaft end on the outboard side of the hub wheel 4. Inner peripheral surfaces of a brake rotor 9 and a wheel W are each fitted into the outer peripheral surface of the pilot portion 4a. [Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-270855 | {
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In recent years, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, etc. in which an electricity storage device, such as a battery, a capacitor, etc., and an inverter, and a motor driven by the inverter are mounted as motive power sources, are drawing attention as environment-friendly motor vehicles.
A hybrid vehicle equipped with an external charging function of charging the battery through the use of an external electric power source is known. According to the hybrid vehicle equipped with the external charging function, if the battery can be charged, for example, from the household commercial electric power source, various merits will be achieved, including improved fuel economy, reduced frequency of going to petrol stations for refueling, etc.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-8-154307 discloses such an external charging function-equipped hybrid vehicle. This hybrid vehicle includes a battery chargeable by an external charger, an electric motor that drives wheels by electric power from the battery, the control means for controlling the working of the electric motor, an internal combustion engine that is directly or indirectly used to drive the vehicle, and traveling time-related amount calculation means for calculating an amount related to the traveling time after the battery has been charged by the external charger. The control means restricts the output of the electric motor if the traveling time-related amount calculated by the traveling time-related amount calculation means reaches a predetermined amount.
In this hybrid vehicle, if the vehicle travels for a long time without external charging, the output of the electric motor is restricted. If inevitably the travel is continued while the internal combustion engine consumes fuel, the output of the electric motor is restricted, so that the driver is urged to perform the external charging. Therefore, according to this hybrid vehicle, the degree of dependence on the internal combustion engine can be reduced.
A hybrid vehicle disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-8-154307 is a vehicle that reduces the degree of dependence on the internal combustion engine, that is, a vehicle that actively uses the electric power (commercial electric power) supplied from an external electric power source (generally, a commercial electric power source) as a power source. However, in the generation of commercial electric power, a large amount of carbon dioxide is generated in the fire power generation in which electric power is generated by burning petroleum, a gas, etc. Therefore, for true contribution to environmental protection, there is a need for considering the generating process of electric power as well.
In order to cope with fluctuations in the demand for electric power depending on the season and the time of day, or the like, the power generation by electric power companies is carried out by a plurality of electric power generation methods such as the fire power generation, the atomic power generation, the hydraulic power generation, etc. The emission amount of carbon dioxide per unit electric power varies depending on the electric power generation methods. As stated above, the emission amount of carbon dioxide is particularly large in the fire power generation. Therefore, in an electric vehicle equipped with an external charging function that is capable of charging the battery from a commercial electric power source, if merely the amount of charging from the commercial electric power source is increased, there is a possibility of insufficient contribution to environmental protection. | {
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The invention is related to providing a signal processing system of a multiplexed fiber Bragg grating sensor using a CDMA(Code Division Multiple Access), including a LED (Light Emitter Diode) as a light source and for enabling a CDMA approach for stabilizing a signal process thereto, thereby simplifying a system configuration. | {
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Nitrogen oxides (e.g., NOx) may be present in exhaust gases of a vehicle. NOx may form in engine cylinders when nitrogen (N2) and oxygen (O2) are exposed to elevated temperatures and pressures. The NOx may be processed via a selective reduction catalyst (SCR) in the vehicle's exhaust system into N2 and H2O. The SCR may co-operate with a reductant such as ammonia (NH3) to reduce the NOx when there is sufficient temperature within the SCR. However, if there is an insufficient amount of NH3 present at the SCR, a higher amount of NOx than is desirable may pass through the SCR. On the other hand, if excess NH3 is directed to or stored on the SCR, NH3 may slip past the SCR. Thus, it may be desirable to provide the SCR with an amount of NH3 that reduces a desirable portion of NOx from engine feedgas, yet is small enough to keep NH3 from slipping through the SCR.
One way to provide NH3 to a SCR is to model the engine feedgas emissions and model operation of the SCR. In a model based system, the NH3 may be released to the SCR (through urea injection control) based on the estimated operating state of the SCR. However, it may be difficult to accurately estimate chemical reactions, temperatures, and similar conditions for a SCR for a variety of reasons. On the other hand, rather than a model, a NOx sensor may be placed downstream of a SCR in an effort to determine if NOx is passing through a SCR. Nevertheless, NOx sensors have a cross sensitivity to NH3 so that the NOx sensor outputs a signal when NH3 is present in the absence or presence of NOx. Thus, the output of the NOx sensor may make it difficult to distinguish whether a SCR is slipping NOx or NH3.
The inventors herein have recognized the above-mentioned disadvantages and have developed a method for indicating a concentration of a gas, comprising: providing a NH3 concentration of a gas from an output of a first NOx sensor and an output of a second NOx sensor, the first and second NOx sensors having cross sensitivity between NOx and NH3, the first NOx sensor located upstream of the second NOx sensor in a direction of gas flow.
By considering an appropriately designed distribution that extracts the time dependent correlation in phase between the signals of the two NOx sensors it may be possible to distinguish between NOx and NH3. The sampled version of this distribution is designed to retain properties of both a short time Fourier Transform as well as the coherence function, thereby retaining both frequency correlation as well as phase information in time over short interval windows.
The present description may provide several advantages. For example, the approach may reduce engine NOx and NH3 emissions by providing feedback of NOx and NH3 exiting a SCR so that delivery of NH3 can be controlled responsive to use. Further, the approach may reduce system cost since both NOx and NH3 may be monitored via NOx sensors and without a NH3 sensor. The method may also reduce the amount of NH3 used within the SCR since NH3 injection can be reduced when NH3 is sensed.
The above advantages and other advantages, and features of the present description will be readily apparent from the following Detailed Description when taken alone or in connection with the accompanying drawings.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a method and device for controlling slave devices with a master device and, more particularly, to a method and device for controlling operations of slave devices with a master device, providing a predetermined user interface (UI) so as to allow a user to control any concerned slave device through the master device connected to the concerned slave device through a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally in order to control plural slave devices connected to a master device, slave devices 11, 12 and 13 and a master device 20 in connection with the slave devices 11, 12 and 13 are controlled by means of separate remote controls thereto 31, 32, 33 and 34 as illustrated in FIG. 1.
However, when separate remote controls are used to separately control the slave devices 11, 12 and 13 and the master device 20, the user needs to have basic knowledge about the separate remote controls, such as how to use them. This makes the use of separate remote controls inconvenient.
To solve such an inconvenience, the slave devices 41, 42 and 43 and a master device 50 in connection with the slave devices 41, 42 and 43 may be controlled by means of a universal remote control 60. The use of the universal remote control 60 allows the user to switch a mode of the universal remote control 60 and set up the mode adaptively to a device that the user desires to control, as illustrated in FIG. 2.
Use of a universal remote control 60 is advantageous in that slave devices 41, 42 and 43 and a master device 50 can be controlled through a single remote control. However, the user has to switch a mode of the universal remote control 60 and set up and adapt the mode to any concerned device in order to control the concerned device. This makes it inconvenient to use the universal remote control. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motor-operated stapler having a driver which reciprocates and drives out a staple toward a sheet bundle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, such a motor-operated stapler as shown in FIG. 11 has been known. This known stapler is provided with a forming plate 1 for forming a staple in U shape, a driver 8 for driving out the U-formed staple toward a sheet bundle 2, a link mechanism 4 which causes the forming plate 1 and the driver 3 to reciprocate, and a table having a clincher (not shown) for clinching leg portions of the staple which has pierced the sheet bundle 2.
The link mechanism 4 has a link cam 6 mounted on a driving shaft 5 and a link member 8 mounted pivotably between a pair of frames 7. At a rear portion of the link member 8 is mounted a roller R rotatably in abutment against the link cam 6. The link member 8 is urged by means of a biasing member (not shown) in a direction in which the roller R is kept in abutment against the link cam 6. With rotation of the link cam 6, the link member 8 pivots about a shaft 8A, as shown in FIG. 12.
A shaft 9 is held in an elongated hole 8B formed in a front end portion of the link member 8. As the link member 8 pivots about the shaft 8A, the shaft 9 moves vertically along elongated holes 7A formed in the frames 7. The forming plate 1 and the driver 3 are secured to the shaft 9 and move vertically with a vertical movement of the shaft 9.
The link cam 6 is formed with a home position portion 6A for keeping the forming plate 1 and the driver 3 located at their position (home position) shown in FIG. 11, an advancing portion 6B for moving the forming plate 1 and the driver 3 downward and driving out a staple, a hold-down portion 6C for holding down the driven-out staple, and a retreating portion 6D for moving the forming plate 1 and the driver 3 upward. With one rotation of the link cam 6, the forming plate 1 and the driver 3 reciprocate once up and down.
In such a conventional motor-operated stapler, plural cams, etc. other than the link cam 6 are mounted on the driving shaft 5, so even when the motor turns OFF, the rotation of the driving shaft 5 does not stop immediately due to inertia for example. For this reason it has so far be necessary that the range of the home position portion (home position zone) 6A be taken wide. For example, even with use of a motor brake or the like, one-ninth or more of the entire rotational angle (360xc2x0) of the link cam 6 is needed and a rotational angle (an angle falling under the range of the advancing portion 6B) used for drive-out becomes narrower, thus giving rise to the problem that the rotational angle range used for other controls is narrowed.
Even if an attempt is made to rotate the link cam 6 with use of a dedicated motor as a separate drive source for diminishing inertia, a wide home position zone is required due to accumulation of accuracy errors in a transfer system for transferring the rotational force of the motor to the link cam.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a motor-operated stapler which permits narrowing the range of a home position zone of a cam.
According to the present invention there is provided a motor-operated stapler including a driver adapted to reciprocate and drive out a staple toward a sheet bundle and a drive mechanism for actuating the driver, the driver being reciprocated once with rotation of a driving cam mounted on a driving shaft in the drive mechanism, characterized by further including a brake means which brakes the rotation of the driving shaft mechanically when the driver returns to a home position thereof. | {
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The present invention relates to membrane electrode assemblies and, more particularly to such assemblies for fuel cells, especially for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells.
PEM fuel cells include a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) which typically includes an anode and cathode on either side of a membrane wherein fuel is fed to the anode, and oxygen to the cathode, and the resulting reaction generates electricity.
Unfortunately, current membrane technology produces stacks of cells including such membranes having useful lifetimes as short as about 1,000 hours which is well short of ultimate goals. When a membrane fails, failure occurs suddenly and ends the useful life of the cell, thereby necessitating immediate intervention. Cells can be excised from a stack for replacement, but will require great care and nevertheless will be accompanied by potential loss of adjacent cells. This type of replacement process is not a viable field service, and it is likely that once membrane failure begins, a stack replacement will be required.
It is clear that the need remains for membranes for fuel cell assemblies and the like which have longer useful lifetimes.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a membrane electrode assembly having enhanced useful lifetime.
Other objects and advantages will appear hereinbelow. | {
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1. The Field of the Art
The present invention relates to an integrated outlet that allows external appliances to be attached to electrical power and communications lines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of outlets are known for establishing electrical connection with AC and DC power. Similarly, outlets are known for establishing communications with digital communications lines.
In order to make installation of wiring in homes simpler, it has been proposed to install a cable having a multitude of conductors that can supply both electrical power and communications signals to various parts of a building, such as a house. In order to access the power and communications signals that are transmitted along a cable such as this, a special type of outlet is necessary.
An example of one type of proposed outlet exists in U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,536. This outlet provides a simple way of establishing an electrical connection to a ribbon cable containing various conductors that transmit both power and communications signals. However, this outlet only provides a simple connection, so that an external device can be connected to the receptacles. Thus, the 120 V AC or 240 V AC power that is transmitted along the line is also always transmitted to the receptacle. Thus, because the power receptacle is always "hot", an electrical short can easily occur.
Furthermore, it is necessary to attach many appliances, switches and sensors directly to the cable containing power and communications conductors rather than through an external receptacle in a convenient and standardized format.
Thus a new outlet that can establish electrical connections in various ways to a cable having both power and communications conductors is necessary. | {
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Ultrasound devices operate with frequencies from 0 to 200 mHz up to several gigahertz and are used in many different fields. In the medical field, ultrasound can be used for therapeutic procedures and imaging of internal structures. For example, ultrasound can be applied to a patient's skin to stimulate the tissue beneath the skin's surface using very high frequency sound waves.
Ultrasound is applied using a device that includes a transducer or applicator that is put in contact with a patient's skin. Gel is dispensed on the patient's skin to cover the area and on all surfaces of the device's head to couple the device with the skin, to reduce friction, and to assist transmission of the ultrasonic waves. The gel is squeezed out of a bottle and spread over the patient's skin. Since the gel is a fluid, it is difficult to contain within a desired area of the skin and the thickness of the gel cannot be controlled. Lack of a consistent and desired thickness of the gel can lead to a less than optimal ultrasound application. Gel that is too thin or too thick can affect the quality of images produced by the device, therapeutic values, and/or efficacy. Furthermore, when the ultrasound procedure is completed, the patient is required to clean up and wipe off the gel from the patient's skin. Typically, the gel is not completely removed and the cleaning process is uncomfortable. | {
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1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to the in-situ removal of contamination from ground water and soil. More specifically, the invention is a process and apparatus that enhances the oxygen, temperature, and other subsurface conditions to promote the physical, biotic, and abiotic removal of organic and some inorganic contamination from ground water and soil.
2. Background Art
Soil and ground water may be contaminated as a result of a release of compounds due to spills; leakage from storage, leaching of waste materials or by intentional acts such as dumping. Biodegradation of organic compounds by aerobic process can occur in the first three (3) feet below the earth's surface where oxygen is available from exchange with ambient air. However, if not isolated or removed that portion of the contamination below three feet largely remains unaffected by natural processes and commonly spreads. Oxygen normally can not reach this depth and conditions needed for anaerobic decomposition of the contamination are commonly not present (e.g., sufficient heat, mass of organics, nutrients, etc.).
Many methods and apparatus exist for decontaminating soil and ground water from compounds such as hydrocarbons and other organic and inorganic compounds. Common to these inventions are complex and elaborate means for achieving such decontamination by introducing heat and oxygen to a targeted area.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,382 to Corte et al. teaches an in-situ thermal system for decontaminating soil utilizing a sunlight transmitting, non-porous cover that allows solar energy to enter. Removal of contamination occurs as a result of a greenhouse effect in which trapped solar energy heats the interior air within the covering and in-situ soil below, vaporizing contaminants in the soil near the surface. This system is limited to decontamination of soil near the surface through assisted heating.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,902 to Ely et al., teaches an in-situ biodegradation system for hydrocarbon contaminated soil. Removal of contamination from soil occurs by evacuation of gas at high rates from bore holes drilled into the contaminated soil using a pump as a vacuum source. Evacuation of gas from the bore holes draws oxygen into the contaminated zone from the ground surface. Hydrocarbons and soil moisture are removed by evaporation, biodegradation, or creation of a hydrocarbon aerosol. This system requires significant power usage to create the vacuum needed and is limited to decontamination of soil. Removal by biodegradation is limited by the low temperatures that naturally occur below the earth's surface, and by the availability of moisture under vacuum conditions.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,593,760, to Visser et al, and 4,183,407 and 3,980,138, both to Knopic teach a system where evaporation of hydrocarbons in underground soil may be achieved by forced venting. However, this process is limited by the vapor pressure of the spilled hydrocarbons and the amount that can be evaporated. Since there is a limit on the amount of hydrocarbon that can be evaporated by venting, there is no incentive to go above a flow rate that provides the maximum evaporation. This system requires power usage for forced venting and is limited to decontamination of soil. Removal by biodegradation is limited by the low temperatures that naturally occur below the earth's surface.
Biodegradation has also been disclosed for underground hydrocarbons. U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,569, to Jhaveri et al, discloses a method and apparatus for treating hydrocarbon contaminated ground and ground water. Patentees disclose adding nutrients and gases to water that is flowed through the contaminated soil. A process of this type can be disadvantageous because: the irrigation water washes some hydrocarbons or other contaminants (toxic metal salts, etc.) into the water table; water carries a limited amount of oxygen (8 ppm) into the soil which limits the amount and the rate of degradation that may take place, irrigation can limit biodegradation by physically channeling oxygen-carrying fluids away from the hydrocarbon contaminated (oily) dirt.
Accordingly, there is the need for a process that will remove contamination from both soil and ground water though enhancement of natural removal mechanisms in an efficient and environmentally acceptable manner. This need has now been satisfied by the invention that is described below. Although each of the foregoing patents disclose devices and processes which are satisfactory for their intended purposes, none discloses a method or apparatus for decontaminating soil and ground water in the manner that is claimed herein: | {
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The price of oil price in the last few years has continued to rise. Even if the oil price falls partly in the interim, a high oil price must be assumed in the long term so that alternative methods for the production of fuel will become of greater interest in the future.
The best known method for the alternative production of fuel is the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The Fischer-Tropsch process is an industrial scale method for the conversion of synthesis gas (CO/H2) into liquid hydrocarbons. It is a synthesis reaction of CO/H2 mixtures on iron- or cobalt catalysts to form paraffins, alkenes and alcohols.
The chemical mechanism of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction (polymerisation) leads mainly to long-chain, only slightly branched (i.e. essentially linear) hydrocarbon molecules. Different chain lengths are found in the product mixture. The chain length range of C5-C20 is of particular interest for the production of fuels. The chain length can be adjusted by choice of catalyst (cobalt, iron, with promoters) and synthesis conditions (above all temperature, synthesis gas composition, pressure). The primary Fischer-Tropsch synthesis products are then processed chemically in the direction of higher fuel yields and qualities (e.g. hydrocracking, isomerisation, i.e. methods of crude oil processing).
Because of the characteristic feature of the chemical synthesis mechanism of forming mainly only slightly branched hydrocarbon molecules, the product is particularly suitable as a high-quality diesel fuel with a high cetane number and extremely low contents of sulphur and aromatics. Product mixtures with different hydrocarbon chain lengths can furthermore be specified with respect to vapour pressure, and/or distillation curves, inter alias by applying the highly developed crude oil refinery methods. These synthetically produced diesel fuels have the advantage of being particularly low-pollution and hence environmentally friendly.
At the moment, South Africa is the only country which covers a large part of its fuel requirements by means of the Fischer-Tropsch reaction. The synthesis gas for the synthesis is produced there from coal.
In Germany, the company Choren has developed a method for producing synthesis gas for the first time from biomass with the Carbo-V process and then fuel (so-called SunDiesel) with the help of the Fischer-Tropsch process. The Carbo-V® process is a three-stage gassing process with the partial processes: low temperature gassing, high temperature gassing and endothermic flue flow gassing
The biomass (water content 15-20%) is carbonised in the first process step continuously by partial oxidation (carbonising) with air or oxygen at temperatures between 400 and 500° C., i.e. broken down into tar-containing gas (volatile components) and solid carbon (biocoke).
In the second process step, the tar-containing gas is reoxidised in a combustion chamber above the ash-fusion point of the combustible materials substoichiometrically with air and/or oxygen to form a hot gasification medium.
In the third process step, the biocoke which is ground to form pulverised fuel is blown into the hot gasification medium. Pulverised fuel and gasification medium thereby react endothermally in the gasification reactor to form synthesis crude gas. This can be used then after corresponding conditioning as combustible gas for the production of current, steam and heat or as synthesis gas with the help of the Fischer-Tropsch process for the production of SunDiesel. Disadvantages of this process are that the gasification takes place in several steps and the biocoke must be ground up. In addition, this method is not suitable for gasification of wastes of all types.
It is hence an object of the present invention to provide a method which allows gasification of waste and also subsequent synthesis of fuels, as far as possible the entirety of the waste being able to be used. | {
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This disclosure relates to polycarbonates comprising aliphatic diols, and in particular to isosorbide-based polycarbonates, and methods of manufacture thereof.
Polycarbonate homopolymers and copolymers of aliphatic diols, particularly isosorbides (i.e., 2,6-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-4,8-diol and isomers), are of great interest to the chemical industry because such aliphatic diols can be produced from renewable resources, namely sugars, rather than from petroleum feed stocks as for most presently used bisphenol monomers.
However, the homo- or copolycarbonate incorporating isosorbide needs to be of sufficiently high molecular weight to have properties of practical importance. There have been several previous attempts to produce polycarbonates from isosorbide, but each of these attempts has had its difficulties, and therefore at present, such polycarbonates are not produced commercially. For instance, the primary method for preparing polycarbonates generally uses interfacial polymerization in methylene chloride/water using phosgene and alkali. In this method, one or more diols (e.g., bisphenols) in an aqueous alkaline solution are mixed thoroughly, with stirring, in methylene chloride or other suitable halogenated solvent and can be converted to high molecular weight polycarbonates by introducing phosgene. However, this method is not suitable for preparing homopolycarbonate derived from isosorbide because the isosorbide solubility in water is too high, impeding the interphase transfer, and its acidity too low to proceed at an adequate rate in pH ranges suitable for interfacial phosgenation.
Isosorbide polycarbonate homopolymer has been prepared by solution polycondensation in pyridine containing solvent mixtures at low temperatures. It has also been prepared by converting isosorbide to the bischloroformate and polymerized by interfacial polymerization. The polymer obtained exhibited a Tg of 144 to 155° C. (See e.g., Angew. Makromol. Chem, 1993, vol. 199, p. 191; U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,066; Macromolecules 1996, vol. 29, p. 8077). Attempts have also been made to prepare copolycarbonates of isosorbide with bisphenol A by interfacial method in an alkaline water/methylene chloride mixture with phosgene. Only bisphenol A polycarbonate was obtained and no incorporation of isosorbide was observed (U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,066).
An alternative method of synthesizing polycarbonates is by use of melt polymerization. The reaction of a bisphenol with a source of carbonate units such as diphenyl carbonate (DPC) in the presence of a catalyst and the absence of solvent are typical of melt polymerization method. A first attempt to prepare isosorbide polycarbonate by melt transesterification reaction with DPC was reported in 1967. The polycondensation was carried out without the use of catalyst at 221° C. and the pressure was reduced from atmospheric pressure to 1 mm Hg. (Great Britain Patent No. 1,079,686). A brown white powder containing higher melting and cross-linked constituents was obtained. Further attempts to prepare copolycarbonates of isosorbide with BPA, 4,4′-dihydroxydiphenyl sulfide, and 4,4′-dihydroxy biphenyl by condensation with DPC at a temperature up to 200° C. using disodium salt of bisphenol A as transesterification catalyst was carried out and resulted in the formation of oligocarbonates. The phenylcarbonate end groups of the oligocarbonates were hydrolyzed and polymerized by interfacial polymerization to high molecular weight copolycarbonates. (German Patent No. OS 3,002,276). The melt polycondensation approach was repeated in 1981 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,066), wherein isosorbide was condensed with DPC at 220° C. and a pale brown polymer along with insoluble constituents was obtained. In this study, it was presumed that during melt polymerization conditions branching had occurred and leads to the formation of insoluble inhomogeneous product. Thus, it was concluded that melt polycondensation is not suitable for the preparation of isosorbide homo- and copolycarbonates. Further evidence to this comes from the detailed polymerization work carried out by Kricheldorf et. al. (Macromolecules 1996, vol. 29, p. 8077). One-step polycondensation of isosorbide diphenyl carbonate with various diphenols catalyzed by ZnO was carried out. This study also led to the formation of product which was insoluble in all common solvents tested.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,138,479 disclosed an activated carbonate melt process to synthesize isosorbide based copolycarbonate which had random arrangements of structural units. However, the attempts to synthesize isosorbide homopolycarbonate using this method only resulted in relatively low molecular weight isosorbide carbonate homopolymer. Examples 1 and 2 in Table 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 7,138,479 disclosed Mw values (gel permeation chromatography, polystyrene standards) of 16,060 g/mol and 20,678 g/mol, prepared using non-activated and activated melt polymerization processes, respectively; however, such Mw values are not sufficiently high for practical use in most, if not all, commercial applications. | {
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It has been proved by modem research that magnetism has significant influence upon human body as well as other living things, water, and chemical materials. Existing magnetism therapeutic apparatus usually includes one or more pair of permanent-magnets for producing static magnetic field, and the object to be treated is placed at a position Surrounded by said permanent-magnets. Magnetic field produced in this manner (as shown in FIG. 1 and 2) can either penetrate uniformly into the object to be treated, or act only on the outer surface of the object. Since, on the one hand, the magnetic field is not variable and therefore has less effective on the object to be treated, on the other hand, it is impossible to concentrate magnetism specifically on predetermined position to be treated. The known apparatus are not able to produce significant treating results.
A magnetism therapeutic apparatus provided by Chinese Patent No. 88216746.4 includes three permanent-magnets with a conical front portion and a cylindrical rear portion. Said three permanent-magnets are fixed on a rotatable support which is driven by a motor to produce rotating magnetic field. The same poles of the three permanent-magnets are arranged in such a manner that their magnetic lines are concentrated to the forward tip of a main magnetic needle located at the central point of the three magnets, so as to form a magnetic beam. This kind of magnetism therapeutic apparatus can only be used to treat limited portion of human body, for example acupuncture points, and is not suitable for treating inside organs of human body because the volume of its permanent-magnets is not large enough.
Chinese patent No. 86206534 provides a magnetism therapeutic apparatus including a number of cylindrical permanent-magnets which are fixed on a rotatable means driven by a motor to produce rotating magnetic field. Said cylindrical permanent-magnets have a diameter of 8-12 mm and a height of 5-10 mm and are made of magnetic material with superior magnetic properties, therefore a relatively strong magnetic intensity may be obtained. However, since said cylindrical permanent-magnets are still small in volume, therefore this kind of apparatus is only suitable for treating some illness like pain caused by strike, dizzy, rheum-arthritis, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,181 provides a magnetism therapeutic apparatus which includes a number of curved permanent-magnets fixed on a rotatable table driven by a motor to produce a rotating magnetic field. This kind of apparatus normally produces a magnetic field of 50 gauss at the portion to be treated, and is specifically designed for reducing pain caused by arthritis.
In conclusion, the analgesic effect of magnetism therapy is well known. The existing therapeutic apparatus, however, have only limited treating effect on pain occurring at some shadow portions of a patient and are not effective on pain from inside organs of human body, such as severe pain of a late patient of cancer, because those apparatus do not make use of large magnets and particularly there is no adequate technique available in the prior art to concentrate and unify the magnetic lines produced by magnets, which is indispensable for large magnet to be used in this kind of apparatus. As a general rule, the magnetic intensity will decrease rapidly once leaving away from the surface of a magnet, which in turn will limit treating depth and width of magnetism therapy. In addition, the treating depth and width of magnetism therapy may not be adjusted in known apparatus. | {
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Example embodiments of inventive concepts relate to a nonvolatile memory device and/or a driving method thereof.
A semiconductor memory device may be volatile (hereinafter, referred to as a volatile memory device) or nonvolatile (hereinafter, referred to as a nonvolatile memory device). A nonvolatile memory device retains contents stored therein even at power-off. Data stored in the nonvolatile memory device may be permanent or reprogrammed according to the fabrication technology used. Nonvolatile memory devices may be used for program and microcode storage in a wide variety of applications in the computer, avionics, telecommunications, and consumer electronics industries. | {
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In public facilities it is desirable to have toilet paper dispensers in which a spare roll is held in an inoperative stored position so that when one roll is exhausted the extra roll can readily be moved into a dispensing position. It is also desirable to have one roll exhausted before access is obtainable to the second roll. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,698,653 and 3,677,485 are illustrative of dispensers of this type. In public dispensers it also is desirable that the core of the consumed spool be retained within the dispenser so that the attendant can properly dispose of the core so that it can't be used for clogging plumbing.
It is also desirable that dispensers of this type be inexpensive and involve a minimum of moving parts to minimize service and reduce expense. | {
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Compared with linear regulators, switching mode power supplies have the advantages of smaller size higher efficiency and larger output power capability.
Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) is one of major control architectures applied in switching mode power supplies. Emitter drive PWM control has the advantage of fewer pin counts compared with base drive PWM control.
FIG. 1 is an emitter drive switching mode power supply system which includes an emitter drive PWM controller coupled with a primary winding of the transformer through a high voltage NPN power transistor. Energy is transferred to secondary winding from the primary winding in a manner controlled by the PWM controller to provide a constant DC output voltage. The auxiliary winding is coupled with an opto-coupler which provides a bias signal and feedback signal to the PWM controller.
In FIG. 1, the system comprises a PWM controller 100, transformer 102, power transistor 124, shunt voltage regulator 121, opto-coupler 101 and feedback loop composed of 108, 109, 117, 121, 110, 112 and 113.
The PWM controller 100 drives power transistor 124. When Vout rises, the opto-coupler 101 will deliver more current to the capacitors associated with the VCC/FB pin of the PWM controller 100, so as to reduce the duty cycle and the energy transferring to the secondary side to stabilize the Vout.
FIG. 2 is the block diagram of the PWM controller of the prior art. The PWM controller 200 comprises a start-up circuit 201 which is connected between the supply/feedback pin VCC and emitter drive pin OUT. The PWM controller 200 also comprises a hysteresis UVLO comparator 203. During startup phase, capacitors connected to VCC pin are charged by the startup current from OUT pin through start-up circuit 201. The UVLO comparator 203 ends the startup phase by disconnecting the charging path between OUT and VCC and enable the HICCUP comparator 213 when VCC voltage exceeds the upper triggering voltage of the UVLO comparator.
After the start-up phase, the PWM controller 200 starts to operate and VCC pin also receives voltage feedback signal. When Vout falls due to output load current increase, opto-current decreases, VCC/FB voltage will decrease, the duty cycle will increase. When Vcc falls below the lower triggering voltage of the UVLO comparator 203, PWM controller 200 will disable the switching of the power transistor 124 and enable the startup circuit 201. The system reenters the startup phase.
The PWM controller 200 also comprises a peak current comparator 210 which will compare internal current in each switch cycle.
The PWM comparator 205 will adjust the duty cycle according to the feedback voltage and emitter current signals.
The OUT pin will drive the power transistor 124 with varied duty cycle according to the output of PWM comparator 205.
In switching mode power supplies, the function of limiting both instantaneous and average input power is essential during short circuit operation for system reliability. In the prior art of FIG. 1, input power limiting during short circuit operation is implemented by monitoring the voltage at OUT pin when power transistor 124 is off. The resistor divider 212 and HICCUP comparator 213 will detect the OUT voltage during power transistor 124 off time. In the case that the OUT voltage drops below a pre-defined low value (HICCUP voltage) before Vcc drops below to its minimum operating voltage (lower UVLO voltage), the HICCUP comparator 213 will output a low voltage level to disable the PWM comparator 205, thus disables the drive circuit and the whole PWM controller 200. The system will then enter into repeated startup phase. This is called a hiccup mode of the system and the pre-defined voltage of OUT pin is called the HICCUP voltage of the system. The VCC/FB and OUT waveforms in HICCUP mode are illustrated in FIG. 3.
The VCC and OUT waveforms without HICCUP mode are illustrated in FIG. 4.
In either case of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the instantaneous system input power is determined by the maximum turn-on time of the PWM pulses. The average system input power is determined by the total turn-on pulses and the charging time of the VCC cap 113 and 112 to the upper UVLO triggering voltage level.
The charging time of the VCC capacitor 113 and 112 to the upper UVLO voltage level is a function of the initial voltage of capacitor 111 when the VCC drops below the lower UVLO voltage level or the OUT pin drops below the HICCUP voltage. In application systems, the coupling among the primary, secondary and auxiliary windings will determine the initial voltage of capacitor 111 when the VCC drops below UVLO voltage or the OUT pin drops below the HICCUP voltage. The VCC restart-up frequency will speed-up for some kind of transformers with higher voltage of capacitor 111. The average short circuit input power will then increase. Especially, when the input line voltage is high, the short circuit power will be larger in the prior art for some kind of transformer design. It may cause PWM controller 200 or power transistor 124 or other device failure and degrade system reliability.
Accordingly, what is needed in the present invention is a PWM controller 200 with both instantaneous and average short circuit input power limiting functions which are transformer insensitive so as to improve system reliability.
This short circuit protection mechanism of the prior art is based upon the hypothesis that the auxiliary winding has good coupling with the secondary winding of transformer. If the coupling between auxiliary winding and secondary winding is not very well, the OUT pin may not drop below the HICCUP voltage during short circuit operation. In this case, VCC voltage will continue to drop until it reaches the lower voltage level of UVLO comparator. The instantaneous system input power will be significantly larger than the case in normal operations because the lower voltage level of the UVLO voltage may be significantly lower than the mean VCC voltage under the condition of maximum output current and normal output voltage. The average system input power will be determined by the mean input power in startup phase multiplied by Ton/(Ton+Toff), where Ton is the time when UVLO comparator outputs high voltage level, and Toff is the time the UVLO comparator outputs low voltage level. | {
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The present invention relates to a rotary abrasive drilling bit for the purpose of boring the ground, which is devised to perform the drilling of the object face by constantly rubbing said face with the teeth equipped thereon.
An apparatus of this kind in the prior art, as exemplified in FIG. 1, is provided with a bit 101 which is constructed by planting a plurality of square cutting elements or chips 109 made of cemented tungstencarbide on a bit body 102 by arranging them so as to leave a desired interspace along the direction of circumference of said bit body and to let the edge of the respective chips slightly project from the top face of the bit body 102. In the case of an apparatus of such a construction, the length of a locus of the section of each chip 109 is more than about 5 millimeters and the sectional area of each chip 109 is relatively large as compared with the top face of the bit body 102, and there is admittedly caused no inconvenience in the initial stage of drilling work. However, when the edge of the respective chips 109 is worn down to become round with the progress of the drilling work, the boring efficiency lowers remarkably and at times the cutting operation comes to a halt. As a result, notwithstanding there still remains a sufficient portion of cemented tungstencarbide which constitutes the chips 109, the chips 109 must be replaced only because of abrasion of their edges. Accordingly, it has various disadvantages such that the work efficiency thereof is low and a large portion of cemented tungstencarbide is wasted without being fully utilized for the drilling. | {
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The present invention relates generally to the field of photograph metadata, and more particularly to encryption of photograph metadata.
Photograph metadata is data that has been written into a digital image file. Multiple photographic metadata standards exist and each include different sets of data written to the photograph. Data written to the photographs may include, but is not limited to, an owner of the photograph, copyright information, contact information for the photograph owner, a camera serial number, exposure information, and GPS location indicating where the photograph was taken. Some new technologies may identify the people in the photographs and include the names of those photographed in the metadata.
Metadata maintained with the digital image file can be accessed and read by most computing devices. Photographs uploaded to websites, including social media platforms, may maintain the metadata written to the digital image file by the camera. The rise of photograph sharing via social media has revealed a privacy concern for users who are unaware of what information is shared when the photograph is published.
Metadata may be removed from digital image files by some social media platforms. Once the metadata is removed from the photograph by the social media platform the metadata cannot be retrieved for that file. Unless a secondary copy of a digital image file is maintained by the user, the metadata can be lost. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates generally to cooling integrated circuits.
Electroosmotic pumps use electric fields to pump a fluid. In one application, they may be fabricated using semiconductor fabrication techniques. They then may be applied to the cooling of integrated circuits, such as microprocessors.
For example, an integrated circuit electroosmotic pump may be operated as a separate unit to cool an integrated circuit. Alternatively, the electroosmotic pump may be formed integrally with the integrated circuit to be cooled. Because the electroosmotic pumps, fabricated in silicon, have an extremely small form factor, they may be effective at cooling relatively small devices, such as semiconductor integrated circuits.
Thus, there is a need for better ways of cooling integrated circuits. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computers and computer networks. More particularly, the invention relates to profiling Internet traffic flows to identify network applications responsible for the traffic flows.
2. Background of the Related Art
The evolution of the Internet in the last few years has been characterized by dramatic changes to the way users behave, interact and utilize the network. When coupled with the explosion of new applications sitting on the wire and the rising number of political, economic, and legal struggles over appropriate use of network bandwidth, it is easy to understand why now, more than ever, network operators are eager to posses a more precise and broader-in-scope information on which network applications are using their networks. The commercial world answered to this growing demand providing high-speed packet inspection appliances able to process up to 40 Gbps (gigabits per second) of traffic and supporting hundreds of packet content signatures. Still they appear to struggle in keeping up with the exponential rate at which new applications appear in the network. As a result, the attention of the research community has diverted to flow-based behavioral analysis techniques by applying sophisticated data mining algorithms that work on traffic flows (i.e., ignore packet content) to extract and analyze hidden properties of the traffic either in the forms of “social interaction” of hosts engaged in the communication or in the forms of “spatial-temporal analysis” of features such as flow duration, number and size of packets per flow, inter-packet arrival time. Apart from problems such as false positive and false negatives, these techniques are principally aimed at classifying a traffic flow with a broader application class (e.g., “P2P” (peer-to-peer) application class) rather than revealing the specific application (e.g., “P2P-KaZaA” of the many applications in the P2P application class) responsible for the traffic flow.
The demand for bandwidth management tools that optimize network performance and provide quality-of-service guarantees has increased substantially in recent years, in part, due to the phenomenal growth of bandwidth-hungry P2P applications. It is, therefore, not surprising that many network operators are interested in tools to manage traffic such that traffic critical to business or traffic with real-time constraints is given higher priority service on their network. Furthermore, security is becoming a challenge. Networks and institutions of any size are constantly being targeted with more and more sophisticated attacks. Critical for the success of any such tool is its ability to accurately, and in real-time, identify and categorize each network flow by the application responsible for the flow. Identifying network traffic using port numbers and protocol (e.g., layer-four protocols, such as TCP, UDP, etc.) was the norm in the recent past. This approach was successful because many traditional applications (e.g., layer-seven applications, such as HTTP, SMTP, etc.) use port numbers (e.g., port 80, port 25, etc.) assigned by or registered with the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). For example, this technique labels all traffic on TCP port 80 to be HTTP traffic, all traffic on TCP port 25 to be SMTP, and so on. This approach is extremely simple to implement and introduces very little overhead on the classifier. The accuracy of this approach, however, has been seriously reduced because of the evolution of applications that do not communicate on standardized ports. Many current generation P2P applications use ephemeral ports, and in some cases, use ports of well-known services such as Web and FTP to make them indistinguishable to the port-based classifier. For example, BitTorrent® (a registered trademark of BitTorrent, Inc., San Francisco, Calif.) can run on TCP port 80 if all the other ports are blocked. In addition, applications can use or abuse random ports for communication. For example, BitTorrent® can communicate on any TCP or UDP network port that is configured by the user. Furthermore, applications can tunnel traffic inside other applications to prevent detection and/or for ease of implementation. For example, BitTorrent® can send all its data inside a HTTP session. These strategies at the application-level have essentially made port number based traffic classification inaccurate and hence ineffective.
To overcome these issues with port-based approach, techniques that rely on application payload have been developed. Typically, a payload content based signature is developed for a given application by reverse engineering the application/protocol. These signatures are agnostic to the application port usage and are usually accurate (i.e., low false positive and false negative rates). However, this approach faces the problem of scalability. In other words, keeping up with the number of applications that come up everyday is impractical due to the laborious manual reverse engineering process. For example, several hundred new P2P and gaming protocols have been introduced over the last several years. Reverse engineering all these applications in a timely manner requires a huge manual effort. In addition, reverse engineering these applications becomes increasingly difficult when applications use encryption to avoid detection. As a consequence, keeping a comprehensive and up-to-date list of application signatures is infeasible.
As is known to those skilled in the art, the web (or “World Wide Web”) is a system of interlinked hypertext documents (i.e., web pages) accessed via the Internet using URLs (i.e., Universal Resource Locators) and IP-addresses. The Internet is composed of machines (e.g., computers or other devices with Internet access) associated with IP-addresses for identifying and communicating with each other on the Internet. The Internet, URL, and IP-addresses are well known to those skilled in the art. The machines composing the Internet are called endpoints on the Internet. Internet endpoints may act as a server, a client, or a peer in the communication activity on the Internet. The endpoints may also be referred to as hosts (e.g., network hosts or Internet hosts) that host information as well as client and/or server software. Network nodes such as modems, printers, routers, and switches may not be considered as hosts. In vast majority of scenarios, information about servers such as the IP-address is publicly available for user to access. In peer-to-peer based communication, in which all endpoints can act both as clients or servers, the association between an end point and the P2P application becomes publicly visible. Even in the classical client-server communication scenario, information about clients such as website user access logs, forums, proxy logs, etc. also stay publicly available. Given that many forms of communication and various endpoint behaviors do get captured and archived, enormous amount of information valuable for profiling or characterizing endpoint behavior at a global scale is publicly available but has not been systematically utilized for such purpose. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to a resin-encapsulation semiconductor device using a lead frame and a method for fabricating the same. More particularly, it relates to a resin-encapsulation semiconductor device in which a die pad for mounting a semiconductor element is exposed from an encapsulation resin and a method for fabricating the same, and furthermore, it relates to a thin and highly reliable resin-encapsulation semiconductor device in which a semiconductor element with a large package area ratio can be packaged and a method for fabricating the same.
Recently, in order to cope with downsizing of electronic equipment, semiconductor components such as a resin-encapsulation semiconductor device are required to have a high packaging density. Also in accordance with the downsizing, the semiconductor components have become small and thin. Furthermore, the semiconductor components are required to have a multi-pin structure in spite of their compactness and small thickness, and there is a demand for a compact and thin resin-encapsulation semiconductor device with a high density.
Now, a conventional resin-encapsulation semiconductor device with an exposed die pad will be described with reference to FIGS. 8A through 8C. FIG. 8A is a plan view of the conventional resin-encapsulation semiconductor device, FIG. 8B is a bottom view thereof and FIG. 8C is a cross-sectional view thereof taken along line VIIIC-VIIIC′ of FIG. 8B.
As shown in FIGS. 8A through 8C, in the conventional resin-encapsulation semiconductor device, a semiconductor element 102 is mounted on a support 101a formed on a die pad 101 of a lead frame, and the semiconductor element 102 is electrically connected to inner leads 103 through metal wires 104. The resin-encapsulation semiconductor device of FIGS. 8A through 8C has an exposed die pad with the semiconductor element 102 disposed on the die pad 101 and the inner leads 103 encapsulated within an encapsulation resin 105, a side face of the encapsulation resin 105 and the outside edges (ends) of the inner leads 103 are disposed on the same plane, and the bottom of the die pad 101 is exposed from the encapsulation resin 105.
The die pad 101 has the support 101a elevated within its plane, and the support 101a is formed by pressing above a semi-cut plate portion of the die pad 101. In other words, the resin-encapsulation semiconductor device shown in FIGS. 8A through 8C has an upset structure for placing the bottom of the mounted semiconductor element at a higher level than the upper faces of the inner leads 103. Each metal wire 104 connected to the semiconductor element 102 is connected to a portion in the vicinity of a groove 103a formed on the upper face of the inner lead 103.
In the bottom view of FIG. 8B, portions exposed at the respective comers of the encapsulation resin 105 of the package correspond to exposed bases of supporting leads 106 supporting the die pad 101.
Next, a method for fabricating the conventional resin-encapsulation semiconductor device will be described with reference to FIGS. 9A, 9B and 10A through 10D.
FIGS. 9A and 9B show a lead frame for use in the fabrication of the conventional resin-encapsulation semiconductor device. FIG. 9A is a plan view of the lead frame and FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view thereof taken along line IXB-IXB′ of FIG. 9A. FIGS. 10A through 10D are cross-sectional views for showing procedures in the fabrication of the conventional resin-encapsulation semiconductor device using the lead frame of FIGS. 9A and 9B.
First, the lead frame for use in the fabrication of the conventional resin-encapsulation semiconductor device will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the conventional lead frame includes a die pad 101, supporting leads 106 and a plurality of inner leads 103. The die pad 101 has, within its plane, a support 101a provided inside a plate-like outer frame made from a metal plate for mounting a semiconductor element. Each supporting lead 106 supports the die pad 101 at the tip thereof and is connected to the outer frame at the base thereof The tips of the plural inner leads 103 are respectively arranged so as to oppose the sides of the die pad 101, and the bases of the plural inner leads 103 are connected to the outer frame. A plurality of grooves 103a are formed on the upper face of each inner lead, and the tip of each inner lead is tapered. The conventional lead frame has a thickness of approximately 200 through 300 μm.
A plurality of lead frames each having the structure as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B are continuously formed in a matrix inside one outer frame.
Next, the method for fabricating the conventional resin-encapsulation semiconductor device using this lead frame will be described.
First, as shown in FIG. 10A, the above-described lead frame is prepared. Specifically, the prepared lead frame includes, inside the metal plate outer frame, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the rectangular die pad 101 having, on the upper face thereof, the support 101a for mounting a semiconductor element; the supporting leads for supporting the die pad 101; and the inner leads 103 in the shape of beams to be electrically connected to the mounted semiconductor element through connecting means such as metal wires.
Next, as shown in FIG 10B, a semiconductor element 102 is bonded onto the support 101a of the die pad 101 of the lead frame with an adhesive such as a silver paste (which procedure is designated as a die bonding step).
Then, as shown in FIG. 10C, each electrode pad (not shown) disposed on the upper face of the semiconductor element 102 mounted on the die pad 101 is connected to an upper portion at the tip of the inner lead 103 of the lead frame through a metal wire 104 (which procedure is designated as a wire bonding step). In this case, the metal wire 104 is connected to a space between the grooves 103a provided on the upper face of the inner lead 103.
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 10D, the die pad 101, the semiconductor element 102 and the inner leads 103 are encapsulated within an encapsulation resin 105 with an encapsulation sheet adhered onto the bottom of the lead frame.
This procedure is performed so as to individually encapsulate each semiconductor element disposed on the lead frame and not to entirely encapsulate the whole upper face of the lead frame. Also, since the encapsulation sheet is adhered onto the bottom of the lead frame in this procedure, an encapsulated region includes the die pad 101 excluding the bottom thereof, the supporting leads, the semiconductor element 102, the inner leads excluding the bottoms thereof and connecting regions with the metal wires 104, and hence, the bottom of the die pad 101 is exposed from the bottom of the encapsulation resin 105 after the encapsulation.
After the encapsulation, the bases of the supporting leads and the inner leads 103 connected to the outer frame are cut, resulting in obtaining a resin-encapsulation semiconductor device in which the ends (the outside edges) of the supporting leads and the inner leads 103 are disposed on substantially the same plane as the side face of the encapsulation resin 105.
However, the present inventors have found, through examination on the structure of and the fabrication method for the conventional resin-encapsulation semiconductor device, the following: Since the conventional die pad has the elevated support formed by the semi-cut pressing, when a semiconductor element is disposed on the support of the die pad, the entire thickness of the resin-encapsulation semiconductor device is increased by a thickness corresponding to the upsetting extent of the support, which can be a restriction in attaining a desired small thickness. In particular, when a large semiconductor element is packaged, the thickness of the resin-encapsulation semiconductor device is greatly affected, and hence, it is impossible to attain, by using this structure, a small thickness with a large semiconductor element packaged.
Furthermore, the inner leads are encapsulated substantially on the single side, and hence, external impact or stress caused within the encapsulation resin may apply stress to the metal wires connected onto the inner leads, so that there may be fear of break and degradation of the reliability in the connection. In the conventional resin-encapsulation semiconductor device, a plurality of grooves are provided on the upper face of each inner lead and the metal wire is connected to a space between the grooves, so as to cancel or release the applied stress. However, in consideration of the area of each lead included in a small package, it is very difficult to form a plurality of grooves on each inner lead and further secure a bonding area for the connection to a metal wire. In addition, in the resin-encapsulation semiconductor device with the one side encapsulation structure, it is necessary, in accordance with the downsizing of leads, to improve the connection reliability of metal wires.
Also, in the conventional method for fabricating the resin-encapsulation semiconductor device, in particular, in the resin encapsulating procedure, the entire lead frame is not encapsulated but the semiconductor elements disposed within the lead frame are individually encapsulated. Therefore, in order to separate each resin-encapsulation semiconductor device from the lead frame after the encapsulation, it is necessary to cut the lead frame with a mold, which can be an obstacle to improve the fabrication efficiency.
The present invention was devised in consideration of these disadvantages, and a principal object is providing a resin-encapsulation semiconductor device in which a larger semiconductor element is packaged to increase the package area ratio for realizing a CSP (chip size package) while suppressing increase in the thickness of the resin-encapsulation semiconductor device itself, and a method for fabricating the same. | {
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Assessment of methylation of DNA is useful in many research, diagnostic, medical, forensic, and industrial fields. Particularly, methylation of cytosine in genomic DNA has been correlated with lack of gene expression, and in some instances can be indicative of early and frequent alterations found in some cancers. Thus, the ability to assess the methylation status of DNA is significant.
Key to this assessment is converting cytosine to uracil. One basic method for such conversion, employing sodium bisulfite, is well known. Over the years, the method has been improved in attempts to overcome disadvantages that include tedious procedures, lengthy reaction times, and DNA degradation. The most commonly used protocol is taught by J. Herman, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 93, 9821-26 (1996), incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This method involves denaturation, reaction with sodium bisulfite in the presence of hydroquinone, and subsequent completion of the modification by treatment with NaOH. Despite the attempts to improve the protocol, current procedures require pre-denaturation of the genomic DNA (gDNA) to single stranded DNA (ssDNA), preparation of fresh solutions of sodium bisulfite (NaHSO3), typically about 3M, and inclusion of an antioxidant (e.g., hydroquinone). The protocol also involves long reaction times and tedious clean-up procedures.
In addition, the currently employed sodium bisulfite protocols are plagued by reports of incomplete conversion, irreproducible results, and other problems. In some cases, the reaction can result in significant DNA degradation (reportedly as high as 96%), making it difficult to obtain enough sample for further analysis. See. S. J. Clark et al. Nucleic Acid Research 2001, 29 no. 13, e65. Given the importance of assessment of DNA methylation, it can be seen that there is a need for improved methodologies for conversion of cytosine to uracil.
It has been discovered that bisulfite methods that employ magnesium bisulfite, polyamine compounds, and/or quaternary amine compounds provide useful alternatives to sodium bisulfite conversion reactions. These discoveries are the subjects of co-owned applications entitled “Method And Materials For Polyamine Catalyzed Bisulfite Conversion Of Cytosine To Uracil” (U.S. application Ser. No. 60/499,113 filed Aug. 29, 2003, and also application Ser. No. 60/520,942 having the same title and filed Nov. 17, 2003), “Method And Materials For Quaternary Amine Catalyzed Bisulfite Conversion Of Cytosine To Uracil” (U.S. application Ser. No. 60/499,106 filed Aug. 29, 2003, and also application Ser. No. 60/523,054 having the same title and filed Nov. 17, 2003), and “Method and Materials for Bisulfite Conversion of Cytosine to Uracil” (U.S. application Ser. No. 60/499,082 filed Aug. 29, 2003, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Improvements in clean-up procedures associated with conversion of cytosine to uracil are also the subject of co-owned applications entitled “Improved Bisulfite Method” (U.S. application Ser. No. 60/498,996 filed Aug. 29, 2003 and also application Ser. No. 60/520,941 having the same title and filed Nov. 17, 2003) all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. | {
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This invention relates to ball and socket pivot joints and more particularly to preloaded ball and socket pivot joints providing variable preload.
With reference to prior art FIG. 1 a conventional metal ball and socket pivot joint is shown at 10' designed for mechanical devices such as automotive suspension systems. The ball joint 10' includes a one-piece ball stud unit 12' received in a housing 13' formed with a socket 21' having an upper opening 14' and a lower opening 15' concentrically aligned on socket principal axis A'. The ball stud unit includes a ball-shaped head 16' having a stem 18' extending therefrom through the housing lower opening 15' The head 16' has its lower semi-spherical portion seated on a lower bearing seat 20'. The housing socket 21' has an upper cylindrical-shaped portion 22' terminating in the upper opening 14' closed by annular cap 24' An upper pressure plate, shown schematically at 26', is formed with an upper bearing seat (not shown) seating a top portion of the head 16'. A rubber pressure ring 36', compressed between the upper cap 24' and the pressure plate 26' exerts a predetermined preload on the ball stud 12'. The pressure ring 36' is preloaded to both take up wear of the bearing surfaces and to prevent unseating of the ball stud 12' during extreme angular movements of the ball stud.
A "side effect" of increasing the ball joint preload is a corresponding increase in angular torque as the amount of angulation increases between the elements interconnected by the joint. It is desirable in automotive suspension systems to reduce the angular torque in a middle range of ball stud angular movement which corresponds to moderate driving speeds and/or passenger loads. At high driving speeds and/or passenger loads, however, the amount of angulation increases between the suspension elements interconnected by the ball joint. As the ball stud approaches its maximum angular movement, increased ball joint preloading is necessary to avoid unseating of the ball stud. Accordingly, a variable preloading arrangement for a suspension ball joint is desirable for both maintaining minimal preload in the middle range of ball stud angular movement while increasing preload during extreme ball stud angular movement. | {
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The present disclosure generally relates to spring cushions and more particularly, to spring cushions including flat springs to provide resilient support to a user thereof to enhance the comfort of the cushion. The flat springs generally have an arcuate shape, e.g., an elliptical or parabolic shape and are paired to provide vertical displacement.
Various constructions of cushions for use in seating, sofas, mattresses, and the like have evolved very little in the past fifty years. For example, a standard mattress generally includes a set of metal coil springs mounted either on a base under a foam pad, or sandwiched between a pair of foam pads. The metal springs and foam pad or pads are then covered with a batting material. The entire structure is then sewn into a cloth cover and the edges are wrapped and sewn.
The limitations of metal coil spring mattresses combined with improved quality and durability of foam products has led to the relatively recent development of the foam core mattress as a viable alternative to the coil spring mattress. A foam core mattress can provide significant improvements in body contour, elimination of pressure points, and improved comfort and support compared to conventional spring-based mattresses. A basic foam mattress typically includes one or more layers of foam having desirable properties assembled into a fabric cover which often appears identical to a standard coil metal spring mattress. A foam mattress may include a center core of relatively high resilience foam sandwiched between two layers of lower resilience foam encased in a fabric shell. This construction allows for a reversible mattress.
While foam cushions such as the mattress described above overcome some of the disadvantages of coil spring cushions, they can exhibit other disadvantages including excessive firmness, difficulty adjusting the firmness, and a lack of air flow through the foam core trapping body heat within the cushion. There is, therefore, a continuing need for improved cushion designs overcoming the disadvantages of coil spring and foam cushions. | {
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A laser light source to have a semiconductor laser, in which a lens is provided in the light emission part, and an SHG (second harmonic generation) element of an optical waveguide-type, which performs wavelength conversion of light that is emitted from the semiconductor laser, is known (see, for example, JP-2010-262252-A).
With the above laser light source, the semiconductor laser and the SHG element are subject to position matching adjustment, so that the incidence part of the optical waveguide of the SHG element matches the focus position of the lens provided in the semiconductor laser. JP-2010-262252-A (FIG. 1) | {
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FIG. 25 shows a schematic arrangement in a conventional transparent document image reading apparatus. Referring to FIG. 25, a transparent document 142 such as a positive film, negative film, or the like placed on a platen glass 141 is illuminated with light emitted by a transparent document illumination lamp 144 via a diffusion plate 143 set above the document, and light transmitted through the transparent document 142 is guided to a CCD 150 via a mirror 147, inverted-V mirrors 148, and imaging lens 149. The light is converted by the CCD 150 on which a large number of solid-state image sensing elements line up into an electrical signal, thus obtaining an image signal in the main scan direction.
In this case, image reading in the sub-scan direction is done by mechanically moving the transparent document illumination lamp 144 and mirror 147 in the sub-scan direction with respect to the transparent document 142 while maintaining an identical velocity and phase, and making the inverted-V mirrors 148 track at the half scan velocity in the sub-scan direction so as to maintain a constant optical path length (conjugate relationship) from the transparent document 142 to the CCD 150. In this way, a two-dimensional image is read in combination with the process in the main scan direction.
The aforementioned transparent document image reading apparatus can read a so-called reflecting document which is described on an opaque material and is illuminated with light so as to process the light reflected by the material. In this case, a reflecting document is placed in place of the transparent document 142, and is illuminated with a direct light beam emitted by a reflecting document illumination lamp 145, which is turned on in place of the transparent document illumination lamp 144, and with a light beam reflected by a reflector 146. The light reflected by the reflecting document is read by the CCD 150, thus forming an image in the main scan direction as in the transparent document.
Especially, as a color reading method, a 3-line color image reading method is prevalent. That is, the reflecting document illumination lamp 145 uses a lamp having white spectral characteristics, and the CCD 150 uses a 3-line type CCD having R, G, and B color filters. Three colors (R, G, and B) of image information are simultaneously read by a single scan, and R, G, and B color signals on an identical line are superposed by an image processing circuit, thus forming a color image.
In order to correct any defects of an image due to dust, scratches, and the like on a transparent document in the aforementioned transparent document image reading apparatus, the only effective method is to retouch them using image edit software after the image is read. For this reason, a very long time is required to correct such defects.
In recent years, as such transparent document image reading apparatus, an image reading apparatus having a so-called dust/scratch reduction function of detecting dust present on a transparent document and scratches on a film surface (such detection will be referred to as “dust/scratch detection” hereinafter), and reducing the influences of such dust and scratches by an image process has been developed.
FIG. 26 shows a conventional image reading apparatus 1 having a dust/scratch detection function. The same reference numerals in FIG. 26 denote the same parts as in FIG. 25, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
Referring to FIG. 26, reference numeral 151 denotes an infrared lamp which comprises an LED having an emission intensity peak at a wavelength of about 880 nm.
FIG. 27 is a block diagram showing the functional arrangement of a dust/scratch reducer 2 for implementing dust/scratch reduction using image data obtained by the image reading apparatus 1. Referring to FIG. 27, reference numeral 21 denotes an interface (I/F) for inputting image data read by the image reading apparatus 1; 22, an image memory for storing an image read using the transparent document illumination lamp 144 or reflecting document illumination lamp 145 (to be referred to as a “normal image” hereinafter); 23, an infrared image memory for storing an image read using the infrared lamp 151 (to be referred to as an “infrared image” hereinafter); 24, a threshold value holding unit for holding a predetermined threshold value; 25, a dust/scratch detection unit; and 26, a dust/scratch correction unit.
FIG. 28 shows the spectral intensity distributions of the transparent document illumination lamp 144 and infrared lamp 151, and the characteristics of these lamps are represented by the solid and dot-dash-curves, respectively. FIG. 29 shows the spectral transmittance characteristics of cyan, yellow, and magenta dyes of a general negative/positive film, and the peak wavelength (about 880 nm) of the spectral intensity distribution of the infrared lamp 151. As is apparent from FIG. 29, most light components emitted by the infrared lamp are transmitted through a general color film irrespective of an image on the film since all dyes have very high transmittance at about 880 nm.
The transparent document reading operation including dust/scratch reduction will be explained in detail below with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG. 30.
In step S10, the reflecting document illumination lamp 145 and infrared lamp 151 in FIG. 26 are turned off, and the transparent document illumination lamp 144 is turned on. At this time, an illumination light beam emitted by the transparent document illumination lamp 144 is uniformly diffused by the diffusion plate 143, and that diffused light beam is transmitted through the transparent document 142. The transmitted light beam passes through the mirror 147, inverted-V mirrors 148, and imaging lens 149, and is projected onto the CCD 150. An image projected onto the CCD 150 is converted into an electrical signal, which is temporarily stored in the image memory 22 via the I/F 21 in FIG. 27. Note, if the transparent document is a negative film, the read negative image is inverted to a positive image and then stored in the image memory 22.
In step S20, the reflecting document illumination lamp 145 and transparent document illumination lamp 144 in FIG. 26 are turned off, and the infrared lamp 151 is turned on. An illumination light beam emitted by the infrared lamp 151 with the characteristics shown in FIG. 28 is uniformly diffused by the diffusion plate 143. The diffused light beam is transmitted through the transparent document 142, and passes through the mirror 147, inverted-V mirrors 148, and imaging lens 149. The light is then projected onto the CCD 150. Hence, the illumination light beam emitted by the infrared lamp 151 is transmitted through the transparent document 142 irrespective of an image (exposure) of the transparent document 142 such as a negative film, positive film, or the like, as shown in FIG. 29, and an image of dust, scratch, or like, which physically intercepts the optical path, is projected onto the CCD 150 as a shadow. The infrared image projected onto the CCD 150 is converted into the electrical signal, which is temporarily stored in the infrared image memory 23 via the I/F 21 in FIG. 27.
In step S30 and subsequent steps, dust/scratch detection and correction are executed. The principle of dust/scratch detection will be described in detail below.
FIGS. 31A to 31C illustrate the relationship between dust or the like, and the gray levels of images read using the transparent document illumination lamp 144 and infrared lamp 151, which are plotted in the main scan direction. In FIG. 31A, reference numeral 181 denotes a positive film; and 182, dust on the positive film 181. FIG. 31B shows the gray level obtained when a corresponding portion in FIG. 31A is read using the transparent document illumination lamp 144. The gray level assumes a lower value as an image becomes darker. The gray level of the dust portion 182 is low irrespective of an image on the positive film. FIG. 31C shows the gray level obtained when the portion in FIG. 31A is read using the infrared lamp 151. The dust portion 182 has low gray level since no infrared light is transmitted through there, and a portion other than the dust 182 has a nearly constant level 183 since infrared light is transmitted through there. Hence, a threshold value 184 is set at a gray level lower than the level 183, and a defect region 185 formed by dust can be detected by extracting a portion having a gray level equal to or lower than the threshold value 184.
The threshold value 184 is held in advance in the threshold value holding unit 24. Therefore, the dust/scratch detection unit 25 reads out this threshold value 184 from the threshold value holding unit 24, and compares it with infrared image data in turn in step S30, thus detecting the defect region 185.
If the infrared image data is smaller than the threshold value 184 (NO in step S30), the influence of dust 182 is eliminated by executing, e.g., an interpolation process of the defect region 185 based on a normal region around it in step S40. The comparison process is executed for all infrared image data, and when any defect region is detected, the corresponding normal image data undergoes interpolation (step S50).
However, no prior art fully examines the ON/OFF sequences of a visible light source and an invisible light source such as an infrared source. A rise sequence has not been optimized for a combination between a visible light source which requires a relatively long rise time and an invisible light source which requires a relatively short rise time. The position of a lens which corrects the difference in optical path length between visible and invisible light shifts toward the optical axis, complicating the structure. No extensive studies have been made for a sequence of reading a film using visible and invisible light, detecting dust and scratches on a film on the basis of the read image using the invisible light (referred to as “invisible light image”, hereinafter), and correcting a portion of the read image using the visible light (referred to as “visible light image”, hereinafter) corresponding to the detected dust and scratches. A stable, high-precision dust/scratch reduction function is difficult to supply.
To detect dust and scratches based on an invisible light image, a single document must be read twice using invisible light and visible light. The document must be scanned by a scanning unit including at least some of a photoelectric converter, optical system, and processing circuit. This generates a shift due to a poor operation precision of the scanning unit between an image obtained by invisible light scan reading for detecting dust and scratches and an image obtained by visible light scan reading for acquiring actual image information. As a result, dust and scratches cannot be satisfactorily reduced.
Further, an invisible light image may be influenced by the shadow of a film holder. More specifically, a shadow portion of a visible light image that is not a defect by dust or a scratch may be erroneously corrected.
Furthermore, a document read at a high designated resolution provides large image data, which requires a very long time to detect the positions of dust and scratches on visible light and invisible light images.
Further, only a uniform setting of whether to perform dust/scratch reduction cannot achieve a process suitable for an individual film. In general, a scratch portion is higher in infrared transmittance than a dust portion. It is therefore difficult to set parameters for properly processing both scratches and dust. If a dust/scratch portion is to be interpolated by neighboring data within a range much larger than the dust/scratch portion so as to completely correct the dust/scratch portion, detailed data within the range other than the dust/scratch is undesirably lost, making the image look unnatural. In addition, the dust/scratch reduction range to be corrected should vary depending upon the resolution and is difficult to set the range to a detected dust/scratch portion plus a specific number of pixels surrounding the dust/scratch portion. | {
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Industry increasingly depends upon highly automated data acquisition and control systems to ensure that industrial processes are run efficiently, safely and reliably while lowering their overall production costs. Data acquisition begins when a number of sensors measure aspects of an industrial process and periodically report their measurements back to a data collection and control system. Such measurements come in a wide variety of forms. By way of example the measurements produced by a sensor/recorder include: a temperature, a pressure, a pH, a mass/volume flow of material, a tallied inventory of packages waiting in a shipping line, or a photograph of a room in a factory. Often sophisticated process management and control software examines the incoming data, produces status reports, and, in many cases, responds by sending commands to actuators/controllers that adjust the operation of at least a portion of the industrial process. The data produced by the sensors also allow an operator to perform a number of supervisory tasks including: tailor the process (e.g., specify new set points) in response to varying external conditions (including costs of raw materials), detect an inefficient/non-optimal operating condition and/or impending equipment failure, and take remedial actions such as move equipment into and out of service as required.
Typical industrial processes are extremely complex and receive substantially greater volumes of information than any human could possibly digest in its raw form. By way of example, it is not unheard of to have thousands of sensors and control elements (e.g., valve actuators) monitoring/controlling aspects of a multi-stage process within an industrial plant. These sensors are of varied type and report on varied characteristics of the process. Their outputs are similarly varied in the meaning of their measurements, in the amount of data sent for each measurement, and in the frequency of their measurements. As regards the latter, for accuracy and to enable quick response, some of these sensors/control elements take one or more measurements every second. When multiplied by thousands of sensors/control elements, this results in so much data flowing into the process control system that sophisticated data management and process visualization techniques are required.
Highly advanced human-machine interface/process visualization systems exist today that are linked to data sources such as the above-described sensors and controllers. Such systems acquire and digest (e.g., filter) the process data described above. The digested process data in-turn drives a graphical display rendered by a human machine interface. An example of such system is the well-known Wonderware IN-TOUCH® human-machine interface (HMI) software system for visualizing and controlling a wide variety of industrial processes. An IN-TOUCH HMI process visualization application includes a set of graphical views of a particular process. Each view, in turn, comprises one or more graphical elements. The graphical elements are “animated” in the sense that their display state changes over time in response to associated/linked data sources. For example, a view of a refining process potentially includes a tank graphical element. The tank graphical element has a visual indicator showing the level of a liquid contained within the tank, and the level indicator of the graphical element rises and falls in response to a steam of data supplied by a tank level sensor indicative of the liquid level within the tank. Animated graphical images driven by constantly changing process data values within data streams, of which the tank level indicator is only one example, are considerably easier for a human observer to comprehend than a steam of numbers. For this reason process visualization systems, such as IN-TOUCH, have become essential components of supervisory process control and manufacturing information systems.
Loss of data access to a process control system essentially blinds the HMI systems, and thus human managers, to the current status of a process control system. Therefore, maintaining reliable uninterrupted access by the above-described HMI systems to process control elements is very important, if not essential to the overall viability of a supervisory process control system. As a result, many systems incorporate redundancy, and an automated fail-over mechanism, into their data/control paths to ensure that human access to an automated process control system is not disrupted due to a single path/machine failure.
Such redundancy/fail-over functionality has been implemented in systems wherein duplicate components operate in parallel on separate machines in a same network area. In one redundant data delivery host implementation a second data delivery host system operates as an equivalent copy of the primary data delivery host system. Such implementation required duplicated communications, hardware, and software. Furthermore, the redundancy was not transparent to the clients of the data delivery system. As a result, each of the clients of the redundant data delivery system was required to be aware of the distinctly identified/named active and standby systems. Configuring/implementing/relocating redundant hosts in such systems substantially increases the cost of the system and the networks within which such systems operate. | {
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The present invention relates to a single regulation power supply with load compensation of an auxiliary voltage output.
Multiple output power supplies are well known and widely used in the electronic industry.
The most sophisticated and expensive of these prior art power supplies provide independent regulation of each output; in other cases they provide precise voltage regulation of the main output, but with some consequential regulation effects on auxiliary outputs, and further provide post regulation circuits for the auxiliary outputs to achieve the desired regulation level.
In several instances, it is necessary to limit the cost of these power supplies; to this end voltage regulation is provided for only the main output and no post regulation is provided for the auxiliary outputs.
In order to minimize "cross regulation" (a deceptive term which indicates more than regulation), the variations caused in an auxiliary unregulated output by load variation of the main regulated output, an arrangement is often used in which an auxiliary voltage of an auxiliary output is generated as the sum of the regulated main voltage output and an unregulated secondary voltage output.
In this manner, a fraction of the auxiliary voltage is precisely regulated and unaffected by load changes in the main or auxiliary outputs, and "cross regulation" is reduced at some extent.
An example of such multiple output power supplies is discussed in the article "A Multiple Output Converter with Load Compensated Gain to Achieve Stability Under Light or No Loading Conditions" by K. H. Kuster, published in Intelec, International Telecommunication Energy Conference, Washington, D.C. U.S.A., 3-6 Oct. 1982, pp. 125-130.
Nevertheless, the effect of load changes in the auxiliary outputs of these prior art power supplies appears to be unavoidable unless some form of post regulation is utilized with the main output regulation. | {
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1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to sportsballs, and more particularly to a durable sportsball adapted for mass production, wherein the sportsball can retain its spherical shape and distribute an impacting stress throughout the ball.
2. Description of Related Arts
Sportsball such as soccer ball and volleyball generally comprises a ball cover and a bladder disposed inside the ball cover. The ball cover, which is preferably made of leather or synthetic leather, has a valve hole provided thereon and consists of a plurality of panels connected edge to edge by machine sewing to form a roundness shape wherein the ball cover is composed of an outer coating, an intermediate layer, and an inner lining layer to strengthen and support the intermediate layer.
Accordingly, the sportsball further comprises an exterior web layer integrally adhered on an outer surface of the bladder wherein the web layer has at least an elongating strengthened thread evenly wound around and around the outer surface of the bladder. So, the strengthened thread is overlapped with each other to form the web layer to entirely embrace the bladder for supporting the ball cover and resisting the stress and impact force of the sportsball.
Since the panels are edge to edge connected together, the ball cover cannot be formed as a prefect spherical interior such that when the bladder is received in the ball cover, the inflated bladder will not fit into the ball cover in full contact, especially at the edges of the panels of the ball cover. Thus, the edges of the ball cover will affect the roundness of the sportsball.
Furthermore, the leather or the thickness and hardened synthetic leather ball cover may make the players feels hurt and pain while contacting the sportsball, especially to children and those training players.
A main object of the present invention is to provide a sportsball which comprises a ball cover well supported by a strengthened bladder. Therefore, no additional lining is required to adhere onto the ball cover, so as to lower the material and manufacturing cost of the sportsball.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a sportsball which has a stress absorbing layer to reduce the painful during contact, especially suitable for children and training players.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a sportsball wherein the bladder has a better flexibility and impact resisting ability.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a sportsball wherein the stress absorbing is adapted for fittedly filling a gap between the ball cover and the bladder so as to provide a better roundness of the sportsball.
Another object of the present invention is provide a sportsball wherein since the stress is distributed on the stress absorbing layer and the bladder but not the ball cover, the expensive leather panels of the ball cover can be thinner to lessen the cost.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method of a sportsball which enables the ball cover to be sewn by sewing machine, and thus it is suitable for mass production.
Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a sportsball, comprising:
a ball cover having a valve hole provided thereon and a plurality of panels connected edge to edge to form a roundness shape, wherein each of the panels having a predetermined shape has an outer coating layer, an inner lining layer, and an intermediate layer which is integrally formed between the outer coating layer and the inner lining layer and is strengthened and supported by the inner lining layer;
a bladder which is disposed inside the ball cover comprising a bladder ball, an exterior web layer integrally attached on a predetermined area of an outer surface of the bladder ball, and a valve stem which is mounted on the bladder ball and is outwardly extended to an exterior of the ball cover through the valve hole for air inflation, wherein the web layer comprises at least an elongated strengthened thread evenly wound around the outer surface of the bladder ball in such a manner that the strengthened thread is overlapped to form the web layer to entirely embrace the bladder ball for supporting the ball and resisting the stress and impact force applied to the sportsball; and
a stress absorbing layer comprising a plurality of absorbing pad having a flexibility ability fittedly attached to the panels respectively for filling up a gap between the ball cover and the bladder, so as to increase the contact area therebetween and reinforce the roundness shape of the sportsball.
Thus, the present invention also provides a specific manufacturing method for producing the sportsball, which comprises the steps of:
(1). Inflate a bladder ball which has a valve stem provided thereon.
(2). Coat at least an elongated strengthened thread such as nylon threads with glue.
(3). Wind the strengthened thread evenly around an outer surface of the bladder ball until the bladder ball is embraced by a web layer of the strengthened thread to form a strengthened bladder.
(4). Heat the bladder in a mold until the web layer is permanently and rigidly united with the outer surface of the bladder ball.
(5). Cut a ball cover material, such as leather or synthetic leather made of foaming PU or PVC sponge material, into a predetermined number of panels in predetermined shape. For soccer ball, 12 pieces of pentagonal panels and 20 pieces of hexagonal panels are cut. For volleyball, 18 pieces of panels in two kinds of rectangular shape are cut.
(6). Sew the panels edge to edge together by sewing machine to form a ball cover which has a valve hole provided thereon, wherein a section of panels is remained unsewn to form an inlet opening.
(7). Cut a stress absorbing layer into a predetermined number of absorbing pads and shapes corresponding to the panels of the ball cover.
(8). Attach the absorbing pads of the stress absorbing layer to the panels of the ball cover.
(9). Heat the ball cover and turn the ball cover right side out.
(10). Insert the strengthened bladder into the ball cover through the inlet opening.
(11). Align and glue the valve stem of the bladder with the valve hole of the ball cover.
(12). Semi-inflate the bladder to ensure that the inflated bladder is adapted for propping against the ball cover.
(13). Sew the inlet opening of the ball cover together by hand.
(14). Fully inflate the sportsball to more than a standard pressure within a shaping mold to ensure a permanent structure and shape of the bladder and the ball cover. | {
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1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to noise attenuation and, more particularly, to an acoustic panel (sometimes also referred to as “an acoustic liner”) for attenuating noise generated by, for example, a gas turbine engine for an aircraft propulsion system.
2. Background Information
Acoustic panels may be used in various applications to attenuate noise. An acoustic panel, for example, may be configured with a nacelle of an aircraft propulsion system to attenuate noise generated by a gas turbine engine. Such an acoustic panel typically includes a honeycomb core connected between a perforated face skin and a solid, non-perforated back skin. The honeycomb core includes a plurality of resonating chambers. These resonating chambers are tuned by selecting a desired chamber length and, thus, core thickness that corresponds to a specific target frequency of noise to be attenuated. Increasing the core thickness, for example, will typically tune the resonating chambers for attenuating lower frequency noise. Conversely, decreasing the core thickness will typically tune the resonating chambers to attenuate higher frequency noise.
Recent trends in aircraft engine design such as higher bypass ratios, larger fan diameters, slower rotating fans and/or fewer number of fan blades have resulted in those aircraft engines generating relatively low frequency noise. Relatively strict space constraints (e.g., loft envelope) for those engines, however, typically limit or prohibit increasing the thickness of an acoustic panel to tune its resonating chambers for such relatively low frequency noise. There is a need in the art therefore for an acoustic panel operable to attenuate relatively low frequency noise while utilizing the same or less space than previous acoustic panels. There is a further need to provide a panel configuration capable of reducing panel assembly time, complexity and cost. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a barcode communication interface system for transmitting barcode information received from a barcode decoder to a host computer. In particular this barcode communication interface system and method transmit barcode information received from a barcode decoder in an asynchronous manner by using an asynchronous communication controller.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, a barcode reader comprises a barcode detector that detects a barcode and a barcode decoder that decodes the barcode.
The barcode detector scans the barcode by a laser beam and uses a photodiode to detect the reflected laser beam. The detected signal is amplified and differentiated and then converted into a digital signal through a comparator. The decoder receives this digital signal from the barcode detector, converts it into the original barcode information signal, and then transmits the signal to a host computer.
Most conventional communication interface systems are NOT compatible with both the gun-type and the fixed-type barcode reader. Since the communication interface system must be individually adapted to work with a particular type of barcode reader, the circumferential circuits for processing and transmitting the output signals of the decoder to the host computer are relatively complicated, causing the whole circuit configuration to be complicated. Moreover, in order to execute a serial communication in an asynchronous fashion by using a RS-232C, an extra power source (.+-.10-.+-.12 V) to drive the RS-232C is required, in addition to the power source (5 V) of the decoder. | {
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Networked devices such as, for example, multi-function devices, scanners, photocopy machines, client devices, file servers, print servers, and work flow engines are employed in a wide variety of production environments such as, for example, print shops, offices, education institutions, drug stores, libraries, computer labs, and the like. Such networked rendering devices can be communicatively linked with a client device, for example, in order to assist in providing various rendering operations such as printing, scanning, and other operations within a network.
Conventionally, a job can be manually transmitted from one device to another in a network; however, quality issues may result in customer or user dissatisfaction with the transmitted job. Additionally, manual redirection of a job from one device to another can be frustrating, time consuming, and generic rather than specific to the immediate usage profile of the devices in complex rendering applications. Alternatively, networked devices can be configured into clusters, wherein the devices in each cluster are physically proximate to one another. A program routine executed by a network server may direct the job to another device in the cluster. A network server may select the device to which the task is diverted based on device availability. Such prior art approaches do not securely transfer the job and communications between the server and the networked devices typically occur external to a customer or user firewall.
Based on the foregoing, it is believed that a need exists for an improved system and method for automatically redirecting a job in a community of networked devices, as described in greater detail herein. | {
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} |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to the technical field of blind flange valves. Blind flange valves are typically used on pipelines in order to be able to shut down a fluid flow through the pipeline. Typical fields of use are on board chemical vessels, product tankers, supply ships and drilling rigs. They can also be used on onshore facilities, in particular within the process industries such as refineries, terminals and chemical plants. Often they will be designed into the piping and are installed during construction of the plant/vessel. But retrofit is definitely also possible. The valves are designed for liquids, petroleum products, solvents, chemicals, gases, vapour and water. When fluid flow is in progress the valve element of a blind flange valve is not present within the valve housing, i.e. that the valve element is displaced out of the flow path and parked into a chamber.
2. Description of Background Art
Normally blind flange valves are used on places and in situations where the valve is to remain in open or closed position over an extended period of time between each time the valve is operated. Other kinds of valves, for example a butterfly valve, will possibly get stuck due to deposits and corrosion (rust) after stand still in the same position for a long time. In this respect, a blind flange valve is far more reliable since direct access to the valve element is present, even though it is more elaborate to operate. When a blind flange valve is to be operated, the fluid flow through the blind flange valve first of all needs to be shut off. This is effected in that an externally operated valve is closed, for example a butterfly valve. After that the housing of the blind flange valve can be opened and the valve element installed or removed. The butterfly valve can then be opened again. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Mitotic checkpoint genes have become widely studied for their roles in development as well as for their potential role in disease such as cancer. The mitotic checkpoint involves a number of different mechanisms to ensure proper cellular division. For example, the spindle assembly checkpoint modulates the timing of anaphase initiation in response to the improper alignment of chromosomes at the metaphase plate. If defects are detected, a signal is transduced to halt further progression of the cell cycle until correct bipolar attachment to the spindle is achieved. Initially identified in budding yeast, several mammalian spindle checkpoint-associated proteins have recently been identified and partially characterized. These proteins associate with all active human centromeres, including neocentromeres, in the early stages of mitosis prior to the commencement of anaphase. The proteins associated with the checkpoint protein complex (BUB1, BUBR1, BUB3, MAD2), the anaphase-promoting complex (Tsg24, p55CDC), and other proteins associated with mitotic checkpoint control (ERK1, 3F3/2 epitope, hZW10), were found to specifically associate with only the active centromere, suggesting that only active centromeres participate in the spindle checkpoint. Saffery R et al., Hum Genet. 107:376-84 (2000).
Tyrosine threonine kinase (TTK), a protein kinase, phosphorylates serine, threonine, and tyrosine hydroxyamino acids (Mills et al,. Biol. Chem. 267:16000-6 (1992)). The kinases most closely related to TTK include SPK1 serine, threonine, and tyrosine kinase, the Pim1, PBS2, and CDC2 serine/threonine kinases, and the TIK kinase (Mills et al. J. Biol. Chem. 267:16000-6 (1992)). The nucleotide and amino acid sequences of human TTK are provided at, for example, GenBank Accession No. M86699. Expression of TTK is markedly reduced or absent in resting cells and in tissues with a low proliferative index (Hogg et al. Oncogene 9:89-96 (1994)). TTK mRNA is expressed in human testis, thymus, bone marrow, and other tissues that contain a large number of proliferating cells and is not detected in tissues that contain few or no dividing cells. TTK expression was detected in several rapidly proliferating cells lines, including various cancer cell lines. TTK expression was also detected and in samples tissue samples from two patients with malignant ovarian cancer (Mills et al., ibid.; Schmandt et al. J. Immunol. 152:96-105 (1994)). TTK expression is correlated with cell proliferation, and plays a role in cell cycle control (Hogg et al., ibid.). Very low levels of TTK mRNA and protein are present in starved cells. When cells are induced to enter the cell cycle, levels of TTK mRNA, protein, and kinase activity increase at the G1/S phase of the cell cycle and peak in G2/M. TTK mRNA levels, as well as kinase activity, drop sharply in early G1, whereas protein levels are largely maintained. TTK is a human homologue of the S. cerevesiae kinase mps 1 and the S. pombe protein mph1, both of which are involved in cell cycle spindle assembly checkpoint, thus indicating that TTK is a spindle checkpoint gene (see, e.g., Cahill et al. Genomics 58:181-7 (1999).
Although mitotic checkpoint impairment has been detected in human cancers (e.g., such impairment is present in about 40% of human lung cancer cell lines) mutations in the MAD mitotic checkpoint genes and the BUB gene family are infrequent. Haruki N et al., Cancer Lett. 162:201-205 (2001); Mimori K et al., Oncol Rep. 8:39-42 (2001); Cahill et al., ibid.). There is thus a need for identification of mitotic checkpoint genes that have a role in human cancers, as they can serve as informative diagnostic and/or prognostic indicators, and therapeutic targets. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector used in the internal wiring of small-sized equipment, and more particularly to a connector for connecting flexible flat cables, tape cables and other flat multicore cables.
2. Description of Related Art
In the past, flexible flat cables, tape cables and other flat multicore cables (hereinafter "cables") have been used in the internal wiring of notebook computers and other types of small-sized equipment. In such cables, single wires, double wires, coaxial wires and other wiring materials are arranged in a row inside an insulator, and because the cable wiring is flexible, the advantage is that the density of wiring inside a device can be increased.
In the past, terminal conductors of such cables and electrode terminals on a substrate have been connected by crimping or coupling.
However, the crimping operation involves achieving connection by crimping the terminal conductor of a cable against an electrode terminal, and is thus disadvantageous in that it requires special tools and involves complicated mounting procedures. Coupling also requires special tools for crimping numerous conductors at the same time.
Thus, conventional connection processes are disadvantageous in that they require special tools for connecting electrode terminals and the terminal conductors of cables, and that mounting requires considerable time and labor. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of refrigerators and, more particularly, to an assembly for automatically shifting a bail arm of an automatic ice maker upon repositioning an ice storage bin.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the art of refrigerators, it is widely known to incorporate an automatic ice maker system wherein ice cubes are formed and collected within a storage bin from which the cubes can be accessed either manually or through a dispenser. With such a system, provisions are commonly made to sense the level of ice cubes within the storage bin and to automatically terminate the formation of additional ice cubes until the level falls below a certain height. Typically, the automatic ice maker will have an associated bail arm which is raised and lowered based on the level of the ice in the storage bin. When the bail arm is shifted upward a predetermined distance, the formation of ice will be temporarily terminated. In any event, when it is desired to withdraw the ice storage bin from or subsequently insert the ice bin into the freezer compartment, the bail arm can actually obstruct the movement of the bin.
To address this concern, it has been proposed to enable the bail arm to be raised to and maintained in an upper, non-ice producing position. In this manner, prior to removing the bin, the bail arm need only be manually shifted to this upper position. After the bin is replaced within the freezer, the bail arm can again be lowered to allow the production of more ice. Other arrangements known in the art configure the bin to coact either directly with the bail arm or a sensing member attached to the bail arm in order to at least automatically raise the bail arm upon removal of the bin from the freezer compartment.
Although the prior art discloses ways in which to automatically shift a bail arm of an automatic ice maker out of the way in order to enable an ice storage bin to be slid into and out of a position beneath the ice maker as needed, there still exists a need in the art for an improved bail arm raising apparatus to be used in connection with a slidable ice storage bin. There particularly exists a need for an automatic bail arm raising apparatus used in connection with an ice storage bin that is movably mounted with a pull-out basket or drawer for a refrigerator freezer compartment, wherein the raising apparatus is specifically designed to keep the bail arm above the level of the ice in the bin as the bin is shifted, thereby preventing the bail arm from being dragged through the ice.
The present invention is directed to an assembly for automatically shifting a bail arm of an automatic ice maker upon repositioning an ice storage bin, particularly an ice storage bin carried by a slidable freezer drawer or basket. In the most preferred form of the invention, a refrigerator includes a cabinet defining an upper fresh food compartment and a lower freezer compartment. The lower freezer compartment is provided with at least one drawer or shelf within which food items can be stored. A portion of the drawer is taken up by a ice storage bin or bucket which is adapted to be positioned beneath an automatic ice maker, provided in the freezer compartment, when a door for the freezer compartment is closed. Most preferably, the drawer is constituted by a wire basket supported upon rails. In any event, additionally provided is a device, which can be attached to or formed integral with either the basket or ice bin, for automatically raising the bail arm out of the way whenever the basket and ice bin is shifted relative to the refrigerator cabinet.
In accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention, the bail arm raising apparatus is located to the rear of the ice bin and includes a wedge member arranged just above a rear wall of the bin, preferably between the bin and the back of the basket. The wedge member defines a frontal wedge portion that generally tapers laterally and rearwardly from a wide section to a narrow section. As the bin is shifted out of the freezer compartment, the bail arm of the ice maker initially engages the wide section of the frontal wedge portion and, as the bin is continually pulled farther from the freezer compartment, the bail arm rides up the frontal wedge portion, whereupon the bail arm can rest upon the raising apparatus. As the bin is still further removed, the bail arm is permitted to ride along an opposing, rear wedge portion of the wedge member. This action is reversed upon sliding the bin back into place beneath the ice maker. That is, when the bin is repositioned within the freezer compartment, the bail arm will be caused to ride up the rear wedge portion in order to raise the bail arm to the top storage level for the ice. As the bin continues back into the freezer compartment, the bail arm will first ride along the raising apparatus and then will be guided downward along the frontal wedge portion, thereby being gently repositioned over the ice bin.
In accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the shape of the bail arm raising apparatus is altered such that the wedge member, in addition to including frontal and rear wedge portions, is provided with an arcuate or curved incline portion. This configuration is considered advantageous when used in connection with an ice maker having a relatively short bail arm as compared to the height of the ice bin. With this arrangement, the bail arm would need to be raised relatively high in order to reach an automatic shut-off position. In accordance with this embodiment, the bail arm will be caused to ride along the incline portion, as well as the frontal and rear wedge portions, upon removing the ice bin from and repositioning the bin into the freezer compartment.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views. | {
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The present invention is directed to a functionalized metal substrate and method for detection of anions of concern in environmental samples.
Perchlorate (ClO4−) has been detected recently in groundwater, surface water, and soils and, more ominously, in plants, food products and human breast milk in many areas of the United States and the world. Most perchlorate is manufactured for use as a primary ingredient of solid rocket propellant and explosives. However, perchlorate is also used in pyrotechnic devices, such as fireworks, highway flares, gun powder, air bags, and in a wide variety of industrial applications such as tanning and leather finishing, rubber manufacturing, and paint and enamel production. Naturally-occurring perchlorate is also known to exist. As a result, the widespread use and the presence of both natural and anthropogenic perchlorate have caused widespread contamination in groundwater and drinking water supplies. For example, the entire Lake Mead and the lower Colorado River are contaminated with perchlorate, affecting millions of people and agricultural lands. Because of its potential health affect on thyroid function and hormone production by interfering with iodide uptake, the widespread occurrence of perchlorate in the environment has resulted in intense public debate and far-reaching ramifications, ranging from public health issues to liabilities that could be imposed by environmental cleanup needs.
Perchlorate is also exceedingly mobile in aqueous systems and can persist for many decades under typical groundwater and surface water conditions. Many states have already set regulatory or advisory levels of perchlorate in drinking water, ranging from 1 to 18 μg/L (e.g., 1 μg/L in Maryland, Massachusetts, and New Mexico, and 6 μg/L in California). Therefore, methods for a rapid and sensitive assay of this contaminant are urgently needed to allow continuous monitoring and detection of this contaminant in groundwater and drinking water. At present, ion chromatography (IC) with conductivity detection is the recommended method by EPA for quantitative analysis of perchlorate. Its detection of perchlorate is based on the retention-time when perchlorate is eluted off an IC column. Therefore, this method is not only non-selective but also requires a lengthy analytical time. IC has a detection limit of ˜1 ppb for perchlorate in a relatively pure water analysis but exhibits problems for analysis in some environmental samples due to interferences from other dissolved ions or species in water. For example, in fertilizer analyses, the concentration of perchlorate is typically orders of magnitude less than that of other oxyanions (e.g., nitrate, sulfate, and phosphate) that are usually present in the fertilizer extracts. At high TDS (total dissolved solids) concentration, the IC peaks broaden due to column overloading to the extent of obscuring the less-prominent perchlorate peak. Even when the perchlorate peak is not completely obscured, tailing associated with column overload may add errors in peak area integration. In addition, the detector overload due to high TDS concentration may severely affect baseline response. Therefore, to successfully perform an analysis for perchlorate at a high TDS concentration, a tedious pretreatment including dilution, cleanup procedures is required. Such a pretreatment significantly increases the total time and labor required for analysis. Other problems that IC exhibits for analysis of perchlorate in complex matrices include retention time migration with column deterioration, detector fouling, and long data acquisition time. IC coupled with mass spectrometry (IC-MS) has also be used with a better sensitivity (˜0.01 ug/L) but the analytical cost is enormous, and the analysis is also subjected to interferences by the presence of other ions and impurities in environmental samples
For long-term monitoring, it is desirable to detect perchlorate ions in situ to minimize sample volume, handling time, and costs. Based on recent studies of the inventors, an effective method for rapid, sensitive, and in situ detection of ClO4−, as well as other anionic contaminants including radioactive technetium and uranium, can include surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) analysis. Portable Raman spectrometer systems coupled with fiber-optic probes are now commercially available and are relatively inexpensive, robust, and require only minimal sample preparation and handling. The characteristic vibration frequency of the symmetric stretch for ClO4− at ˜950 cm−1 (dehydrated) and ˜934 cm−1 (in aqueous solution) makes the technique especially selective. Using unfunctionalized silver nanoparticles as substrates, we recently reported a detection limit of 100 μg/L by SERS. An even lower detection limit (˜10 μg/L) was achieved by first concentrating ClO4− onto a bifunctional anion-exchange resin followed by the normal Raman spectroscopic detection.
Accordingly, there exists a need for sensitive and stable SERS substrate materials in order to enhance the detection limit of perchlorate and other anionic chemical species in the environment. | {
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The present disclosure describes systems and techniques relating to balancing caching load in peer-to-peer based network file systems.
A server system can export one or more file systems over a network to client systems. The server system can include one or more data storage devices such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD). Various examples of a server system include a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device and a server configured to service a network file system (NFS). The server servicing the NFS can be referred to as a NFS server. NFS servers are frequently used in data centers for data access and sharing data among clients.
Multiple client systems can mount a NFS exported by a NFS server. A client system can run a NFS client to connect with one or more NFS servers to mount one or more NFSs. An operating system can provide access to local and network file systems to one or more applications such as a web server, e-mail server, database, or an operating system process. For example, an operating system can access one or more system files on a NFS. Typically, an application is agnostic regarding whether a file system is a network file system or a local file system. | {
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The present invention relates to bipolar semiconductor devices, in particular bipolar transistors and semiconductor diodes, which are electrically isolated or confined by trenches.
When manufacturing bipolar transistors one can use a highly doped inner layer, a bottom diffusion or xe2x80x9cburied layerxe2x80x9d. The purpose of this bottom diffusion layer is to reduce the collector series resistance for NPN-transistors and to serve as a base connection for corresponding lateral PNP-transistors. By introducing a highly doped bottom diffusion, in the cases usually of type N+, the performance of the components can be considerably improved. Such a bottom diffusion, which is produced before an epitaxial layer is grown on the silicon plate, on which the components are built, is then connected from the component surface through a region comprising a deep diffusion of type N+. In this region a doping has first been made at the surface and then the atoms introduced in the doping process have been made to diffuse deeply down into the silicon plate by a suitable heat treatment. The individual components manufactured on the same silicon plate can be isolated from each other by areas comprising deep P-diffiusions, which extend through the epitaxial layer down to the inner or interior material of the silicon plate, i.e., the substrate, which in these cases is silicon of P-type.
For the NPN-transistor shown in FIG. 1, the highly doped inner layer or bottom diffusion layer 1 is produced by diffusion from the surface of the P-substrate 3, before the epitaxial layer 5 of N-type is grown on the silicon plate 3. The bottom diffusion 1 is located under the whole active area 7 of the collector and is intended to reduce the series resistance of the collector connection. This series resistance is for NPN-transistors normally determined by a rather thin region of the weakly doped silicon layer of N-type, which forms the active collector area 7. By shunting in this way the weakly doped, very collector layer 7 by a highly doped bottom diffusion 1 which has a lower resistivity and is type N+ for NPN-transistors, component performance can be considerably improved, i.e., the resistance between the exterior collector contact 9 and the active portion 7 of the collector is reduced. The bottom diffusion 1 of type N+ is then connected from the surface of the component through a deep localized diffusion 11 of type N+ for obtaining a so called collector plug, the upper surface of which is connected to the exterior collector contact 9. The bottom diffusion layer 1 is furthermore located so that it extends under all of the active area of the transistor. It thus extends under all of the very base in the P-layer 13 and under the emitter layer 15, which is doped to N+. The individual transistors are isolated from each other by deep localized diffusion regions 17 of type P+, which extend through the epitaxial layer 5 down to the substrate 3, which, as has already been indicated, in the standard case is P-type silicon.
In some IC-applications also lateral bipolar transistors of PNP-type are also used, see FIGS. 2a and 2b. In this case the bottom diffusion layer 21, which also in this case is of type N+, constitutes a connection to the very base 23, which is an epitaxial N-layer. In order to further reduce the contact resistance to the base 23 here a deep localized diffusion 25 of type N+ is also used, which extends from the surface of the component down to the bottom diffusion 21. The bottom diffusion 21 also in this case extends under all of the active area of the transistor, i.e., under the very collector 27 of type P+ and all of the emitter 29, which is also doped to P+. The bottom diffusion 21 is as above produced by diffusion from the surface of the P-substrate 31. In the plan view of FIG. 2b the generally square layout of the PNP-transistor appears, the various regions or areas forming square structures or square frame-like or annular structures.
The advantages of using a bottom diffusion in this case comprise:
i) that the base resistance is reduced
ii) that the concentration of holes in the connection intermediate region or junction between the epitaxial layer 23 which is of N-type and the substrate 31 of P-type is reduced. Thereby, the current gain is reduced for the vertical-parasitic PNP-transistor, which is formed by substrate-base-emitter or substrate-base-collector.
In that way a better current amplification and a better frequency behavior are obtained in the PNP-transistor.
Also in this case the components can be isolated from each other by deep P-diffusions, not shown, which extend through the epitaxial layer 23 down to the substrate 31, which is P-type silicon.
When manufacturing high frequency transistors, for which one wants to obtain very high performance, it is common to replace the isolating, deep localized diffusions 17 of type P+, as mentioned above in conjunction with FIG. 1 and intended for isolating individual components such as transistors, by ditches etched deeply down into the silicon having at least in their upper portions substantially vertical side walls, so called xe2x80x9ctrenchesxe2x80x9d, see FIG. 7 and e.g. P. C. Hunt and M. P. Cooke, xe2x80x9cProcess HE: A highly advanced trench isolated bipolar technology for analogue and digital applicationsxe2x80x9d, Proc. of IEEE 1988, Custom and Integr. Circuits Conf., N.Y., May 16-19. Thereby, the capacitance between the bottom diffusion and the substrate can be considerably reduced at the same time as the dimensions of the individual transistor can be reduced, in particular its extension in lateral directions, i.e., in directions along the surface of the silicon plate, and a better isolation mutually between components is obtained.
In directions along the surface of the structure in all these designs a lot of area is consumed for producing both the collector plug and the base connection diffusion, respectively, and devices for isolating transistors from each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,365 discloses a bipolar transistor of NPN-type. The connection to the N-collector area 6 is obtained by the fact that a trench, which is isolated by means of oxide on its sidewalls, is filled with electrically conducting polysilicon of type N+. A hole exists in the oxide layer in a sidewall of a trench, from which a limited region has been diffused from the filling material in the trench. This region obtains an approximatively semi-cylindrical shape, having the flat surface extending along a diameter plane located at the sidewall of the trench. Producing this hole in the sidewall oxide requires a plurality of extra processing steps. The transistor takes, owing to the connection of the collector through a trench, a small area on the substrate surface. By the fact that furthermore all of the width of the trench is used for connecting, the isolating function thereof is reduced and can result in undesired capacitances to the substrate.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,745 a bipolar transistor is disclosed having a bottom diffusion 22 located under the active collector layer 23, where the bottom diffusion is directly connected to a contact plug 35 outside trenches, which define the collector layer. The transistor takes a large area of the substrate surface.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,554 which corresponds to the published European patent application 0 303 435 a bipolar NPN-transistor having a buried collector region is disclosed. In FIGS. 3-5 it is illustrated how the collector region is connected to the exterior electrical contact through a recess made at least partly in an isolating trench, the recess being made at the inner sidewall of the trench. This construction results in a reduced area of the transistor produced and reduced parasitic capacitances.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a trench isolated transistor having improved performance.
In particular it is an object of the present invention to provide a trench isolated transistor having good performance which takes a little area on a substrate.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a trench isolated transistor which has a capacitance between substrate and collector which is as small as possible.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device and a method for connecting to an inner conducting layer in a trench isolated semi-conductor device, which can be easily produced and can be carried out in a simple way, respectively, using a minimum number of extra steps when manufacturing the semi-conductor device.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device and a method for the connecting an inner conducting layer in a trench isolated semi-conductor device, which gives a minimum influence on the electric characteristics of the device, in particular the isolation thereof from other devices manufactured on the same substrate.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a transistor isolated by a trench, in which the trench and trenches can be produced in an efficient way.
A bipolar device is of the general kind as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,554 cited above. It has an electric connection, having a small resistance, to an inner layer such as a bottom diffusion in a transistor and the connection takes a small area at the surface of the substrate. Thereby, also the transistor will take a small area of the substrate, and thereby the length of the bottom diffusion laterally can also be reduced resulting in a reduced capacitance to the substrate.
A problem to be solved by the invention is how it will be possible to provide a connection having small requirements of space, which at the same time can be produced in a simple way, using as few additional processing steps as possible and also using processing steps which can be easily executed.
In order to obtain an electric connection to an interior region or an interior layer, which has a good electric conductance and is located inside a bipolar semi-conductor device which is isolated by trenches, in particular a bottom diffusion, which forms a subcollector or a base contact, a hole in a trench is used. The interior region or layer is generally located under all of the active region of the bipolar device. The hole is filled with electrically conducting material and extends from the surface of the device as far down, that the electrically conducting material therein comes in contact with the interior region or the layer having a high conductivity. As in the patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,554 cited above thereby a semi-conductor device is obtained, which takes a small space laterally on a substrate. By the fact that the lateral length of the bottom diffusion thereby can also be reduced, since the connection is made at a side surface of the bottom diffusion and no area thereof in the direction of the surface is required for connecting, also the capacitance of the bottom diffusion to the substrate is reduced. Producing the hole may require one extra processing step, but the filling of the hole can be made at the same time as some layer is applied, which is required for producing other details of the bipolar device, for example at the same time as material is deposited in an emitter opening or that metal material is deposited for exterior connections. The hole can also, if required, be filled in an extra processing step.
The hole is advantageously located at the sidewall of the trench at the border surface thereof to the surrounding material, and then also forms an opening in the oxide layer, which an isolating trench conventionally has at its sidewalls. This opening in the oxide layer has an edge at the upper free surface of the device. A sidewall of the hole then coincides with an imagined portion of the side surface of the trench, i.e., a former side surface, which existed before the hole was produced. Thereby, the electrically conducting material in the hole comes in electrical contact with that region in the device outside the trench, which is located at the hole. By using a selective etching process only attacking material in trench but not material in the region laterally adjacent to the trench, this results in a simple production process. The hole in the trench thus extends from the opening of the trench at the surface of the device perpendicularly to the surface thereof downwards at a side of the trench, and it is further located at a distance from an opposite side of a trench, so that at the opposite side a region remains comprising the electrically isolating of semi-isolating material. Owing to this region which is considerably thicker than a thermal surface oxide, the capacitance of the material of the contact hole to the substrate material will be low.
The recess for contacting the interior such as a bottom diffusion is, e.g., for a lateral PNP-transistor made as a closed groove and thus has a ring shape. It extends around an active area of the device and confines by a first sidewall the active area of the device and thus has a direct border to the active area.
The electrically conducting material in the recess can include some type of highly doped silicon, such as doped amorphous silicon and/or doped microcrystalline silicon and/or doped polysilicon or even metal, in particular tungsten. The recess can, in one embodiment, be defined and etched at the same time as other contact holes to active areas of the device, and furthermore the recess can be filled at the same time as other contact holes by depositing tungsten using CVD-methods, so that no extra processing step is required for making the recess.
The trenches used in the device can be produced in the usual way by etching. Thereafter, on the walls of the trenches a laminated layer of at the bottom thermally grown silicon oxide and thereon a thin silicon nitride layer are applied by means of deposition. Finally the remaining main portions of the trenches are filled by applying a silicon oxide layer over the surface of the plate, for example by depositing of a suitable kind. The silicon nitride layer then acts as an etch stopping layer in a following planarizing etching step for planarizing that silicon oxide layer, with which the main portion of the trenches is filled. Furthermore, if the silicon oxide material used in the filling process would have impurities, the silicon nitride layer prevents that they diffuse into the substrate material. Such a diffusion could reduce the electrically isolating effect of the trenches.
The sidewalls of the annular groove can, as seen from above, be substantially parallel to each other and be located at a uniform distance from each other around all of the active area. The sidewalls extend advantageously along the outlines of two concentric rectangles or squares placed inside each other. Rectangular corners in the outline of the outer sidewall can be bevelled by 45xc2x0, so that this sidewall will always extend along a polygon, the inner angles of which all are equal to 135xc2x0, in order to facilitate, when producing the device, the refilling of the groove with the electrically conducting material. The same can advantageously also be true for the sidewalls of the trench. Generally, the corners of the exterior sidewall of the groove and also of the trench should have angles substantially exceeding 90xe2x80x2, in particular angles of substantially 135xc2x0 or at least 135xc2x0 in order to facilitate, when producing the device, the refilling of the groove or of the trench respectively with material.
When the device is a lateral PNP-transistor the emitter area and/or collector area of the transistor can, as to its extension laterally along the surface of the device, be determined by a lithographically defined opening in an electrically isolating surface layer. In the common way the emitter and collector areas can be surrounded, seen along the surface of the device, by thick field oxide regions, and then the electrically isolating surface layer extends up over and beyond the surrounding field oxide regions in a direction towards the active area, so that a strip of the electrically isolated surface layer is placed between the emitter or collector area, respectively, and the field oxide areas located most adjacent to this area. The electrically isolating surface layer comprises advantageously a laminate of silicon nitride and silicon oxide.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the methods, processes, instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. | {
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This invention relates to a new polymerization catalyst system comprising an aluminum compound and a transition metal compound on an alumina-based aerogel support, a process for preparing the polymerization catalyst system and use of the polymerization catalyst system for polymerization and copolymerization of alpha-olefins. Another aspect of this invention relates to a heat-activated alumina-based aerogel useful as a catalyst support and having a morphology by transmission electron microscopy comprising film, platelets and needles and substantially free of spherical particles and having a high BET surface area, high pore volume, and low bulk density.
It is well known that alpha-olefins may be polymerized and copolymerized in the presence of a Ziegler-Natta type catalyst comprising Group III metal compound such as Al(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.3 and a transition metal compound such as titanium tetrachloride on an inorganic oxide support such as alumina, silica, titania, magnesia, etc. The polymerization reaction may be carried out in suspension, in solution or even in the gas phase. (See, for example, Professor Natta's article in Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, Volume 4, at pages 137 to 150, (1971) J. Wiley & Sons, Inc., and articles in Volume 13, at pages 13 to 122 and Volume 15, at page 133 ibid.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,506,633 (Matuura, et al.) discloses a polymerization catalyst having a Cl/Ti ratio of 2.5 to 3.5 that is prepared by reacting TiCl.sub.4 with a substantially amorphous alumina xerogel having a total pore volumn less than 0.7 cm.sup.3 /g.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,031 (Reginato, et al.) discloses a polymerization catalyst system containing an organo-metallic compound such as an alkyl aluminum compound and a co-catalyst formed by reacting a heat-activated halogenated alumina having an atomic ratio of halogen to aluminum of from 0.1 to 1, such as fluoronated alumina, and a transition metal compound such as TiCl.sub.4.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,812 (Matuura, et al.) discloses preparation of an olefin polymerization catalyst by impregnating a titanium or a vanadium compound such as TiCl.sub.4 onto a solid carrier formed by treatment with SO.sub.3 of an oxide or mixture of oxides of Group II-IV metals such as alumina.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,669 (Reginato, et al.) discloses an olefin polymerization catalyst system containing an organo-metallic compound such as trialkyl aluminum and a supported catalyst prepared by reaction of a halogen-containing transition metal compound such as TiCl.sub.4 with a heat-activated alumina having an internal pore volume greater than 0.8 cm.sup.3 /g so that the ratio of halogen to transition metal in the supported catalyst is greater than that of the halogen-containing compound.
All of the above-mentioned U.S. patents disclose polymerization catalysts that are characterized by relatively low productivity in the low pressure (<1000 psi) polymerization of ethylene. In commercial production of ethylene, the use of catalysts having a high productivity (which is a measure of the grams of polymer produced per gram of catalyst per hour) is frequently the difference between making an acceptable or a non-acceptable product. The higher the catalyst productivity, the lower the concentration of catalyst remaining in the polymer. Very low concentrations of catalyst residue in the polymer are innocuous and, consequently, need not be removed by expensive de-ashing procedures. For this reason, the polyolefin industry has ongoing research efforts on developing polymerization catalysts having high productivity for the low pressure polymerization of ethylene.
An inorganic hydrated oxide, precipitated from an aqueous solution of the corresponding metal cation washed and then dried in an oven (in air or in vacuum) is very often obtained in a divided state as a porous gel. The general name of xerogel is given to these materials by A. Freundlich (Colloid and Capillary Chemistry), Duttom, N.Y. 1923). However, the texturial characteristics (pore volume and surface area) of the xerogel is considerably poorer than that of the wet gel before the elimination of the solvent (water). It is theorized that the evaporation of the solvent creates a vapor-liquid interface inside the pores and that the surface tension of the solvent is responsible for a partial collapse of the pore structure. In order to eliminate the liquid-vapor interface inside the pores, Kistler (J. Phys. Chem., 36 (1932) 52) disclosed an efficient process of evacuating the solvent from the system under supercritical conditions in an autoclave. The general name of aerogel is given to solids dried in this way. S. J. Teichner et al. (article entitled "Inorganic Oxide Aerogels" in Advances in Colloid and Interface Science, Volume 5, 1976) 245-273) disclosed a general method for preparation of inorganic oxide aerogels such as SiO.sub.2,Al.sub.2 O.sub.3,TiO.sub.2,ZrO.sub.2,MgO and mixed inorganic oxides by dissolving in an organic solvent such as alcohol or benzene the corresponding alcoholate of the metal, hydrolyzing same at room temperature and evacuating the solvent under supercritical conditions in an autoclave. The method disclosed by Ieichner is simpler than the complicated method of Kistler in that the hydrolysis reaction is carried out directly in an organic medium such as alcohol or benzene and there is no need for the substitution of an organic solvent for the initial aqueous medium which was previously used in the preparation of aerogels. U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,646 (Teichner et al.) disclosed preparation of NiO-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 aerogels useful as catalysts for the hydrogenation or the controlled oxidation of olefins. See also M. Astier et al. in Preparation of Catalysts, edited by B. Delmor et al., Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company (1976) Amsterdam, at pages 315 to 328.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,672 (Moser) discloses a hydrodesulfurization catalyst having an alumina-containing support prepared by a thermal decomposition of aluminum alcoholates in a manner analagous to that disclosed by Teichner et al. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mobile phone with FM antenna, and more particularly, to a mobile phone with FM antenna providing broadband FM reception.
2. The Related Art
Nowadays, most mobile phones are integrated to be multifunctional, such as taking images, listening to music, etc. among which FM (Frequency Modulation) broadcasting radio receiving function has come first to be the most popular function. Thus, most mobile phone manufacturers combine the mobile phones with FM function so that the mobile phones are capable of receiving FM broadcasting besides telephone communication to cater to the need of customers.
Conventional mobile phones themselves have no FM antenna to receive FM radio signals. So the conventional mobile phone must be equipped with a pair of external earphones that serve as an FM antenna and transmitting audio signals. When using the FM function of the conventional mobile phone, consumers should firstly insert the pair of earphones into earphone jacks of the conventional mobile phone, thereafter, the consumers can use the mobile phone to receive the FM radio and listen to the FM broadcasting.
However, as the earphone is used as an FM antenna as well as an earphone function to transmit audio signals in the meanwhile, the efficiency of the FM antenna is badly effected while the earphone transmits the audio signals, and otherwise, other electronic components, such as antistatic electricity components of the earphone, also bring negative impact on the performance of the FM antenna. For example, the FM antenna has lower gain, louder noise, and poor receiving efficiency.
Another obvious disadvantage of the conventional mobile phone with FM function is that FM function rarely works unless the earphone is inserted into the earphone jack as an FM antenna to receive FM radio signals. So it is necessary to carry the earphone all the time while using the FM function, otherwise the FM function does not work. Therefore, the FM function of the conventional mobile phone is inconvenient for the consumers to use. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a method of packaging and packages produced thereby; and more specifically concerns the packaging of surgical articles which must be contained under sterile and/or aseptic conditions.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The packaging of surgical articles and like materials which are subsequently sterilized and maintained under aseptic conditions within the package is well-known; see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,332,549; 3,338,400; 3,490,580; 3,613,879; and 3,697,223. In general, the prior art methods and packages are designed to contain articles which may be sterilized by the same means. When it is desired to provide in a single unit, diverse sterile articles which require different methods of sterilization, the most common practice heretofore has been to package the diverse articles separately. The separate packages are then sterilized and packaged together in a third package which may be sterilized again if subsequent use demands that the inner packages themselves be maintained under sterile conditions.
By the package and method of my invention it is now possible to package surgical articles in a single unit, even if the articles are diverse in nature and require diverse means of sterilization. This is accomplished without the need for containing the packaged diverse articles in a third package and also assures that the desired articles will remain together in a single unit. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a turbocharging system for an internal combustion system equipped with an internal combustion engine and a plurality of turbochargers.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a conventional turbocharging system for an internal combustion engine equipped with an internal combustion engine and a plurality of turbochargers, there is a two-stage turbocharging system having a small size turbocharger on a high-pressure stage, and a large size turbocharger on a low-pressure stage. For instance, Patent Documents 1 and Patent Document 4 disclose a two-stage turbocharging system of this type.
An example structure of the conventional two-stage turbocharging system having the large size turbocharger and the small size turbocharger is explained in reference to FIG. 8 and FIG. 12. FIG. 8 illustrates an example of the conventional two-stage turbocharging system. As shown in the drawing, the conventional two-stage turbocharging system comprises an internal combustion engine 1, and two turbochargers 2A and 2B driven by exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine. The two-stage turbocharging system further comprises three control valves V1 to V3 for switching flow paths of intake gas drawn into the internal combustion engine 1 and flow paths of the exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine 1, and a control unit 3 which controls the control valves V1 to V3 and the turbocharger 2A and 2B. Herein, the control valves V1 to V3 respectively function as a bypass valve, flow control valve and a wastegate valve.
Further, the two-stage turbocharging system further comprises an intercooler 5 which is arranged on an upstream side of the internal combustion engine 1 (in an intake path) and cools the air having been heated by compression by the turbochargers while maintaining the pressure of the air. Furthermore, the two-stage turbocharging system comprises an air cleaner 4A which is arranged on the compressor side of the turbocharger 2B, and a muffler 4B. The air cleaned in the air cleaner 4A is fed to the turbocharger 2B and the exhaust gas from the turbochargers 2A and 2B is introduced to the muffler 4B.
Now, control patterns with use of the two-stage turbocharging system of the above configuration are explained hereinafter.
FIG. 9 illustrates a gas flow in a complete two-stage turbocharging state in which the rotation speed of the engine is approximately 1000 to 1250 rpm. In this state, all the control valves V1 to V3 are closed. And the intake air is introduced through the compressor side of the turbochargers 2A and 2B respectively and then fed into the intercooler 5. Next, the intake air is introduced into the internal combustion engine 1. The exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine 1 is discharged to outside of the system after passing through the turbine side of the turbochargers 2A and 2B respectively and the muffler 4B. In FIG. 9, the turbocharger 2A and the turbocharger 2B are connected in series and the turbocharger 2B is bigger than the turbocharger 2A.
FIG. 10 illustrates a gas flow in a variable two-stage turbocharging state in which the rotation speed of the engine is approximately 1250 to 2500 pm. In this state, the control valves V1 and V3 are closed and the control valve V2 is half-open. The control valve V2 is a flow control valve and thus the flow of the exhaust gas can be adequately controlled by changing the opening of the valve. With use of the control valve V2, the flow rate of the exhaust gas to the turbocharger 2A can be controlled, thereby controlling the turbine output. And the exhaust gas through the turbocharger 2A and the exhaust gas through the control valve V2 flow into one before entering the turbocharger 2B. The exhaust gas introduced to the turbocharger 2B is discharged to outside via the muffler 4B.
FIG. 11 illustrates a gas flow in such a state that the rotation speed of the engine is approximately 2500 to 3500 pm. In this state, the control valve V3 is closed and the control valves V1 and V2 are open. In this case, the flow paths having the control valves V1 and V2 have a larger cross-sectional area than the flow paths going through the turbocharger 2A, and thus a majority of the air and the exhaust gas flow through the flow paths having the control valves V1 and V2. As a result, the turbocharger 2A is not operated much and is in an idling state.
FIG. 12 illustrates a gas flow in such a state that the rotation speed of the engine is approximately 3500 rmp or above. In this state, the control valves V1 and V2 are full-open and the control valve V3 is half-open. The control valve V3 is controlled so as to control the flow rate of the exhaust gas to the turbine of the turbocharger 2B, thereby controlling the output of the turbocharger 2B.
As shown through FIG. 9 to FIG. 12, the internal combustion engine 1 is in the two-stage turbocharging state at a low/medium speed (1000 to 2500 rpm), and is in the one-stage turbocharging state at high speed (2500 rpm and above). In the one-stage turbocharging state, only the turbocharger 2B (low pressure turbo) is activated. Alternatively, only the turbocharger 2A (high pressure turbo) may be used instead of the turbocharger 2B in the single-state turbocharging state. As a result, this turbocharging system has a lot of flexibility to meet load change.
Moreover, the two-stage turbocharging system disclosed in Patent Document 4 operates both the turbines in series in a low speed/low load operation, and operates the turbines in parallel in a high speed/high load operation. | {
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Many companies and other organizations operate computer networks that interconnect numerous computing systems to support their operations, such as with the computing systems being co-located (e.g., as part of a local network) or instead located in multiple distinct geographical locations (e.g., connected via one or more private or public intermediate networks). For example, distributed systems housing significant numbers of interconnected computing systems have become commonplace. Such distributed systems may provide back-end services to servers that interact with clients. Such distributed systems may also include data centers that are operated by entities to provide computing resources to customers. Some data center operators provide network access, power, and secure installation facilities for hardware owned by various customers, while other data center operators provide “full service” facilities that also include hardware resources made available for use by their customers. As the scale and scope of distributed systems have increased, the tasks of provisioning, administering, and managing the resources have become increasingly complicated.
The advent of virtualization technologies for commodity hardware has provided benefits with respect to managing large-scale computing resources for many clients with diverse needs. For example, virtualization technologies may allow a single physical computing device to be shared among multiple users by providing each user with one or more virtual machines hosted by the single physical computing device. Each such virtual machine may be a software simulation acting as a distinct logical computing system that provides users with the illusion that they are the sole operators and administrators of a given hardware computing resource, while also providing application isolation and security among the various virtual machines. With virtualization, the single physical computing device can create, maintain, or delete virtual machines in a dynamic manner.
While embodiments are described herein by way of example for several embodiments and illustrative drawings, those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments are not limited to the embodiments or drawings described. It should be understood, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit embodiments to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope as defined by the appended claims. The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word “may” is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning “having the potential to”), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning “must”). Similarly, the words “include,” “including,” and “includes” mean “including, but not limited to.” | {
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This invention relates generally to injection syringes comprising a cylindrical barrel provided at its open rear end with a finger rest region where a finger rest is disposed. An inserted or permanently fitted cannula or a conical fitting for the subsequent fixing of a cannula is located at the forward end of the barrel. A plunger closes the open rear end of the barrel and is slidably displaceable by a ram.
Such injection syringes are used in medical practice for the administration of injectants subcutaneously, intramuscularly, intravenously or in other conventional ways.
Generally, these syringes are made of glass and sometimes or synthetic plastics. Their principal functional parts are the barrel which serves for the reception of the injectant in liquid or solid form, and the plunger which can be moved from the outside by the ram to displace the injectant through the outlet opening in the barrel neck or through a terminal fitting into the body by a cannula.
As is well understood such an injection syringe is manipulated with one hand and must therefore be provided with a surface for applying pressure with the thumb and with a finger rest for the index and middle fingers of the operator's hand.
This finger rest is a component which is either integrally formed with the barrel of the syringe or separate therefrom and adapted to be fitted over the end of the barrel and to be thus secured. In such a case the finger rest need not be made of glass like the barrel of the syringe, instead of which it may consist of a synthetic plastics or some other suitable material.
For ensuring that the separate finger rest is a firm fit, a known practice is to form a projecting ring on the end of the barrel of the syringe. However, the presence of such a projecting ring is open to the objection that conventional machines are unsuitable for producing and further working a syringe with a barrel of such a kind.
The attachment of a finger rest to the cylindrical barrel having a projecting ring requires special machines which significantly raises the cost of production. | {
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The present invention pertains to any carpet constructed with a primary backing material and includes tufted carpet and non-tufted carpet such as needle punched carpet. Although specific embodiments are amenable to tufted and non-tufted carpet, tufted carpet is preferred.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, tufted carpets are composite structures which include yarn (which is also known as a fiber bundle), a primary backing material having a face surface and a back surface an adhesive backing material and, optionally, a secondary backing material. To form the face surface of tufted carpet, yarn is tufted through the primary backing material such that the longer length of each stitch extends through the face surface of the primary backing material. Typically, the primary backing material is made of a woven or non-woven material such as a thermoplastic polymer, most commonly polypropylene.
The face of a tufted carpet can generally be made in three ways. First, for loop pile carpet, the yarn loops formed in the tufting process are left intact. Second, for cut pile carpet, the yarn loops are cut, either during tufting or after, to produce a pile of single yarn ends instead of loops. Third, some carpet styles include both loop and cut pile. One variety of this hybrid is referred to as tip-sheared carpet where loops of differing lengths are tufted followed by shearing the carpet at a height so as to produce a mix at uncut, partially cut, and completely cut loops. Alternatively, the tufting machine can be configured so as to cut only some of the loops, thereby leaving a pattern of cut and uncut loops. Whether loop, cut, or a hybrid, the yarn on the back side of the primary backing material comprises tight, unextended loops.
The combination of tufted yarn and a primary backing material without the application of an adhesive backing material or secondary backing material is referred to in the carpet industry as raw tufted carpet or greige goods. Greige goods become finished tufted carpet with the application of an adhesive backing material and an optional secondary backing material to the back side of the primary backing material. Finished tufted carpet can be prepared as broad-loomed carpet in rolls typically 6 or 12 feet wide. Alternatively, carpet can be prepared as carpet tiles, typically 18 inches square in the United States and 50 cm. square elsewhere.
The adhesive backing material is applied to the back face of the primary backing material to affix the yarn to the primary backing material. Typically, the adhesive backing material is applied by a pan applicator using a roller, a roll over a roller or a bed, or a knife (also called a doctor blade) over a roller bed. Properly applied adhesive backing materials do not substantially pass through the primary backing material.
Most frequently, the adhesive backing material is applied as a single coating or layer. The extent or tenacity to which the yarn is affixed is referred to as tuft lock or tuft bind strength. Carpets with sufficient tuft bind strength exhibit good wear resistance and, as such, have long service lives. Also, the adhesive backing material should substantially penetrate the yarn (fiber bundle) exposed on the backside of the primary backing material and should substantially consolidate individual fibers within the yarn. Good penetration of the yarn and consolidation of fibers yields good abrasion resistance. Moreover, in addition to good tuft bind strength and abrasion resistance, the adhesive material should also impart or allow good flexibility to the carpet in order to facilitate easy installation of the carpet.
The secondary backing material is typically a lightweight scrim made of woven or non-woven material such as a thermoplastic polymer, most commonly polypropylene. The secondary backing material is optionally applied to the backside of the carpet onto the adhesive backing material, primarily to provide enhanced dimensional stability to the carpet structure as well as to provide more surface area for the application of direct glue-down adhesives.
Alternative backing materials may also be applied to the backside of the adhesive backing material and/or to the backside of the secondary backing material, if present. Alternative backing materials may include foam cushioning (e.g. foamed polyurethane) and pressure sensitive floor adhesives. Alternative backing materials may also be applied, for example, as webbing with enhanced surface area, to facilitate direct glue-down adhesive installations (e.g., in contract commercial carpeting, automobile carpet and airplane carpet where the need for cushioning is ofttimes minimal). Alternative backing materials can also be optionally applied to enhance barrier protection respecting moisture, insects, and foodstuffs as well as to provide or enhance fire suppression, thermal insulation, and sound dampening properties of the carpet.
Known adhesive backing materials include curable latex, urethane or vinyl systems, with latex systems being most common. Conventional latex systems are low viscosity, aqueous compositions that are applied at high carpet production rates and offer good fiber-to-backing adhesion, tuft bind strength and adequate flexibility. Generally, excess water is driven off and the latex is cured by passing through a drying oven. Styrene butadiene rubbers (SBR) are the most common polymers used for latex adhesive backing materials. Typically, the latex backing system is heavily filled with an inorganic filler such as calcium carbonate or Aluminum Trihydrate and includes other ingredients such as antioxidants, antimicrobials, flame retardants, smoke suppressants, wetting agents, and froth aids.
Conventional latex adhesive backing systems can have certain drawbacks. As one important drawback, typical latex adhesive backing systems do not provide a moisture barrier. Another possible drawback, particularly with a carpet having polypropylene yarn and polypropylene primary and secondary backing materials, is the dissimilar polymer of latex systems along with the inorganic filler can reduce the recyclability of the carpet.
In view of these drawbacks, some in the carpet industry have begun seeking suitable replacements for conventional latex adhesive backing systems. One alternative is the use of urethane adhesive backing systems. In addition to providing adequate adhesion to consolidate the carpet, urethane backings generally exhibit good flexibility and barrier properties and, when foamed, can eliminate the need for separate underlayment padding (i.e., can constitute a direct glue-down unitary backing system). However, urethane backing systems also have important drawbacks, including their relatively high cost and demanding curing requirements which necessitate application at slow carpet production rates relative to latex systems.
Thermoplastic polyolefins such as ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers and low density polyethylene (LDPE) have also been suggested as adhesive backing materials due in part to their low cost, good moisture stability and no-cure requirements. Various methods are available for applying polyolefin backing materials, including powder coating, hot melt application and extruded film or sheet lamination. However, using polyolefins to replace latex adhesive backings can also present difficulties. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,530, Table A at Col. 10, indicates that ordinary polyolefin resins possess inadequate adhesion for use in carpet construction. Additionally, relative to latex and other cured systems, ordinary polyolefins have relatively high application viscosities and relatively high thermal requirements. That is, ordinary thermoplastic polyolefins are characterized by relatively high melt viscosities and high recrystallization or solidification temperatures relative to the typical aqueous viscosities and cure temperature requirements characteristic of latex and other cured (thermosetting) systems.
Even ordinary elastomeric polyolefins, i.e. polyolefins having low crystallinities, generally have relatively high viscosities and relatively high recrystallization temperatures. High recrystallization temperatures result in relatively short molten times during processing and, combined with high melt viscosities can make it difficult to achieve adequate penetration of the yarn, especially at conventional adhesive backing application rates.
One method for overcoming the viscosity and recrystallization deficiencies of ordinary polyolefins is to formulate the polyolefin resin as a hot melt adhesive which usually involves formulating low molecular weight polyolefins with waxes, tackifiers, various flow modifiers and/or other elastomeric materials. Ethylene/vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, for example, have been used in formulated hot melt adhesive backing compositions and other polyolefins compositions have also been proposed as hot melt backing compositions. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,051, Taft et al. disclose that a composition comprising an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, atactic polypropylene and vulcanized rubber is useful as a hot melt carpet backing adhesive.
Unfortunately, hot melt adhesive systems are generally considered not completely suitable replacements for conventional latex adhesive backings. Typical hot melt systems based on EVA and other copolymers of ethylene and unsaturated comonomers can require considerable formulating and yet often yield inadequate tuft bind strengths. However, the most significant deficiency of typical hot melt system is their melt strengths which are generally too low to permit application by a direct extrusion coating technique. As such, polyolefin hot melt systems are typically applied to primary backings by relatively slow, less efficient techniques such as by the use of heated doctor blades or rotating melt transfer rollers.
While unformulated high pressure low density polyethylene (LDPE) can be applied by a conventional extrusion coating technique, LDPE resins typically have poor flexibility which can result in excessive carpet stiffness. Conversely, those ordinary polyolefins that have improved flexibility, such as ultra low density polyethylene (ULDPE) and ethylene/propylene interpolymers, still do not possess sufficient flexibility, have excessively low melt strengths and/or tend to draw resonate during extrusion coating. To overcome extrusion coating difficulties, ordinary polyolefins with sufficient flexibility can be applied by lamination techniques to insure adequate yarn-to-backing adhesion; however, lamination techniques are typically expensive and can result in extended production rates relative to direct extrusion coating techniques.
Known examples of flexible polyolefin backing materials are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,390,035; 3,583,936; 3,745,054; and 3,914,489. In general, these disclosures describe hot melt adhesive backing compositions based on an ethylene copolymer, such as, ethylene/vinyl acetate (EVA), and waxes. Known techniques for enhancing the penetration of hot melt adhesive backing compositions through the yarn include applying pressure while the greige good is in contact with rotating melt transfer rollers as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,551,231.
Another known technique for enhancing the effectiveness of hot melt systems involve using pre-coat systems. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,684,600; 3,583,936; and 3,745,054, describe the application of low viscosity aqueous pre-coats to the back surface of the primary backing material prior the application of a hot melt adhesive composition. The hot melt adhesive backing systems disclosed in these patents are derived from multi-component formulations based on functional ethylene polymers such as, for example, ethylene/ethyl acrylate (EEA) and ethylene/vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers.
Although there are various systems known in the art of carpet backings, there remains a need for a thermoplastic polyolefin carpet backing system which provides adequate tuft bind strength, good abrasion resistance and good flexibility to replace cured latex backing systems. A need also remains for an application method which permits high carpet production rates while achieving the desired characteristics of good tuft bind strength, abrasion resistance, barrier properties and flexibility. Finally, there is also a need to provide a carpet structure having fibers and backing materials that are easily recyclable without the necessity of extensive handling and segregation of carpet component materials. | {
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The present invention relates to a device for reversibly linearly moving a clipping module of a clipping machine as described herein.
In practice, it is known that, for example in the production of sausage-shaped products, like sausages, filling material is fed by a filling machine through a filling tube of a clipping machine into a tubular packaging casing which is stored on the filling tube and which is closed at its front end, i.e. the end pointing in the feeding direction of the filling material by at least one closure means, like a closure clip. The tubular packaging casing is pulled-off from the filling tube by the feeding pressure while being filled. After a predetermined volume of filling material has been filled into said tubular packaging casing, a displacer arrangement or gathering means, respectively with a first and a second displacer unit which can each be formed by a pair of reversibly moveable displacement elements, a plait-like portion of the tubular packaging casing is formed which is at least substantially free of filling materials. The clipping machine then places and closes at least one closure clip at the plait-like portion forming the rear end of the sausage shaped product, i.e. the end pointing against the feeding direction by respective closing tools which are reversibly movable towards the plait-like portion.
From DE patent 197 38 298, a clipping machine is known, wherein the first and the second closing tool, a punch and a die, are mounted to first ends of respective closing levers. Said closing levers are coupled by their second ends to a common pivot axis. For reversibly moving the closing tools between their opened and closed position, in order to place and close a closure clip on the filled and gathered tubular packaging casing, the closing levers are driven by a cam plate. The closing levers with the closing tools and the gathering means are integrate into the clipping machine and are driven by a common drive.
From DE laid open document 196 44 074, a clipping machine is known, wherein the first and second closing tools are linearly moved between their opened and closed position. The closing tools are driven by respective piston/cylinder drives. The gathering means are also linearly movable by a respective separate drive means. Also in this known clipping machine, the closing tools and the gathering means are integrate into the clipping machine.
In this known clipping machines, the closing tools as well as the gathering means are positioned in fixed relation to the filling tube, i.e. in a defined distance to the end of the filling tube facing the clipping tools. For removing a casing brake from the filling tube or for refilling tubular casing material to the filling tube, the clipping tools and the gathering means have to be moved in axial direction requiring respective additional space.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention, to provide a device and a method with which the above mentioned drawbacks can be overcome and which allows a compact construction of a clipping machine. | {
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In recent years, a number of techniques have been proposed for extending the refrigerated shelf life of food products which might contain pathogenic bacteria, spoilage bacteria, or both. Swartzel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,425, for example, suggests that extended refrigerated shelf life on the order of four weeks or more can be imparted to foods such as, for example, liquid whole egg. According to Swartzel et al., this can be accomplished by combining so-called "ultrapasteurization" conducted on continuous flow, high temperature, short time pasteurization equipment with aseptic packaging. Although it is somewhat difficult to determine exactly what holding temperature and time constitute "ultrapasteurization", from the discussion contained in Swartzel et al., it is clear from a review of the examples provided in Table II thereof that heating was conducted on conventional high temperature, short time commercial plate-type heat exchange thermal processing systems at temperatures in excess of 146.degree. F. and up to approximately 162.degree. F. and holding times ranging from about 2.7 seconds to about 3.2 minutes.
Dunn et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,154 and its parent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,472 take a different approach. Dunn et al. discuss methods and apparatus for extending the shelf life of fluid food products including eggs by the repeated application of high voltage, high current density, discrete electric pulses to food products. Field strengths used are, at minimum, 5,000 volts/cm and voltages as high as, for example, 37,128 volts are disclosed. Direct current densities of at least about 12 amps/cm.sup.2 are also disclosed as are pulse frequencies of between about 0.1 and 100. Preferably, the treatment involves the application of at least two and, more preferably, at least five discrete high energy pulses to the food being treated.
Dunn et al. suggest that different forms of energy, e.g. the application of different types of pulses, can result in different effects on the treated food. For example, Dunn et al. disclose the use of flat-top electric field pulses where heating is to be kept to a minimum, and exponentially decaying pulses where heating by electric field is beneficial.
Dunn et al. recognize the problems associated with electrolysis of the electrodes and the food being treated during the application of the pulsed energy high energy fields. Dunn et al. therefore propose a device including plate electrodes separated from the food being treated by a membrane and having an electrolyte placed therebetween in an attempt to mitigate this problem.
Dunn et al. teach that an extended refrigerated shelf life may be obtained in egg containing preservatives by the use of 30 pulses of electric energy having a peak voltage of 36,000 volts or more, a peak current of at least 9,600 amps and a final temperature of 136.4.degree. F. Dunn et al. suggest, based on this test, that fluid egg product containing additives which is elevated in temperature to approximately 60.degree. C. and stored at temperatures of about 4.degree. C. can provide liquid egg with an extended refrigerated shelf life of 28 days or more.
The additives used in accordance with Dunn et al. are potassium sorbate and citric acid which are termed chemical preservatives. The effects of such additives on the refrigerated shelf life of liquid egg is demonstrated in FIG. 13 of Dunn et al. where a control which was treated using pulsed electric fields but which did not contain additives (1302-control) is compared to liquid egg containing additives which had been similarly treated and stored (1306-treated). A significant shelf life extension appears to be directly attributable to the presence of these additives. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying apparatus or a printer, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus in which the heater of the fixing device does not require electric power supply while in a standby state waiting for the input of a print signal.
2. Related Background Art
In the image forming apparatus such as copying apparatus, printer or fascimile, as the thermal fixation device for thermally fixing an unfixed toner image, formed by a suitable image forming process such as electrophotographic process, electrostatic recording process or magnetic recording process corresponding to desired image information and deposited on a recording material (sheet member such as a transfer sheet, a photosensitive paper, an electrostatic recording paper or a printing paper) by a transfer method (indirect method) or a direct method, there is widely employed a device of contact heating type utilizing a heating roller or a heating film.
In particular, the Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 63-313182, 2-157878, 4-44075 and 4-204980 propose a thermal fixation method utilizing the film heating method in which a film is provided between a heater and a pressure roller for fixing the toner image on the recording material, thereby dispensing with the electric power supply to the heat fixation device in the standby state and minimizing the electric power consumption.
FIG. 14 is a schematic view showing the configuration of the principal portions of such device, in which provided are a heating member (hereinafter called heater) 11 fixed and supported by a stay holder (support member) 12, and an elastic pressure roller 20 pressure contacted with the heater 11 via a heat-resistant thin film (hereinafter called fixing film) 13, forming a nip portion (fixing nip) N of a predetermined nip width. The heater 11 is heated and maintained at a predetermined temperature by electric power supply. The fixing film 13 is a cylindrical or endless belt-shaped member, or a rolled web-shaped member, transported in a direction shown by arrow a, by unrepresented drive means or by the rotating force of the pressure roller 20, in sliding contact with the surface of the heater 11 at the fixing nip portion N.
In a state in which the heater 11 is adjusted to the predetermined temperature and the fixing film 13 is transported in the direction indicated by the arrow, a recording material P constituting a material to be heated and bearing an unfixed toner image t is introduced in the fixing nip portion N between the fixing film 13 and the pressure roller 20, whereby the recording material P is in close contact with the surface of the fixing film 13 and is transported, together with the fixing film 13, in the fixing nip portion N. In the fixing nip portion N, the recording material P and the toner image t are heated by the heater 11 through the fixing film 13 whereby the toner image t on the recording material P is thermally fixed thereto. The portion of the recording material, that has passed the fixing nip portion N, is peeled off from the surface of the fixing film 13 and is transported.
The fixing device of such film heating method can employ, as the heating member, a so-called ceramic heater having a low heat capacity and showing fast temperature rise, and, as the film 13, a thin film also of a low heat capacity, and can realize quick starting in comparison with other heating devices such as of heating roller type, because heating is only required in the nip portion N formed between the heater 11 and the pressure member 20 across the film 13. Therefore, such fixing device is very practical realizing on-demand thermal fixation.
Also the electric power consumption is very low, because the heater need not be powered in the standby state waiting for the entry of the print signal.
However, the pressure roller becomes cold in the standby state because the heater is not powered. Also the temperature is often low immediately after the start of power supply to the image forming apparatus, particularly in a low-temperature atmosphere.
In case the printing operation is started while the pressure roller is cold, the heater is heated to the predetermined temperature capable of fixation immediately after the start of power supply, but the pressure roller shows slower temperature elevation. It is found that, when a first paper sheet is introduced into the nip, the moisture contained in paper evaporates by the heat of the heater and the evaporated moisture condenses and forms dew on the surface of the still cold pressure roller. It is also found that such condensed dew causes slippage of the second and ensuring sheets, thereby inducing unevenness in the image fixation. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the technical field of boundary scan test interface and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for accessing hidden data in a boundary scan test interface.
2. Description of Related Art
Since chip packages and multi-level printed circuit boards (PCBs) have become complicated more and more, the conventional in-circuit test using a bed-of-nail is not satisfactory as it is difficult to accurately contact the nodes on a PCB. In addition, due to the advance of surface mount technology (SMT), most ICs are mounted directly on the surface of a circuit board, which causes a problem that internal signals of the ICs cannot be tested directly. To overcome this, boundary scan technique has been developed. For example, the Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) boundary scan, formally known as IEEE-Std-1149.1, and IEEE1149.4 Digital Test Access Port interface, to define available boundary scan test interfaces for IC testing, which applies serial scan chain for testing the internal modules of an IC. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a typical JTAG interface. In FIG. 1, the JTAG interface uses five signal pins (TDI, TDO, TMS, TCK and nTRST) in scan chain data operation, i.e., TDI pin as a serial data input, TDO pin as a serial data output, TMS pin as a mode selection input, TCK pin as a clock input and nTRST pin as a system reset. As shown in FIG. 1, the JTAG interface includes a test access port (TAP) controller 11, a test data register 12, an instruction register 13 and a decoder 14.
The test data register 12 includes a scan chain register 121 as a scan chain to store serial data received by the TDI pin, an ID code register 122 storing special numbers to output, a bypass register 123 to directly forward the serial data from the TDI pin to the TDO pin for output.
The instruction register 13 stores a serial instruction received by the TDI pin. The decoder 14 decodes the serial instruction to thus control operations of the TAP controller 11.
The TAP controller 11 performs state transition based on the TMS pin's input and operates with the data of the register 12 and the outcome of the decoder 14. FIG. 2 is a state transition diagram of the TAP controller 11, where state transition occurs in sampling TMS signals at rising edges of a TCK signal output. As shown in FIG. 2, initially, the TAP controller 11 is at Test-Logic Reset state. Next, the controller 11 can enter states of idle process 21, data register process 22 and instruction register process 23. As TMS=1, the Test-Logic Reset state is unchanged, and when TMS=0, the state is transited to Run-Test/Idle state of the idle process 21. Next, the Run-Test/Idle state is unchanged as TMS=0, and transited to Select-DR-Scan state of the data register process 22 as TMS=1. In the Select-DR-Scan state, as TMS=0, the state is transited to Capture-DR state for processing of the register 12, and conversely, as TMS=1, the state is transited to Select-IR-Scan state of the instruction register process 23. In the Select-IR-Scan state, as TMS=0, the state is transited to Capture-IR state for processing of the register 13, and conversely, as TMS=1, the state is transited to the initial Test-Logic Reset state.
The aforementioned JTAG can transfer control signals or access registers through TDI and TDO pins for data read and write. However, data read and write through TDI and TDO pins are in sequential and can easily be detected. Thus, such secret register data cannot be protected. However, current processor development needs to protect equipment for development from steal by others. Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved apparatus and method to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems. | {
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Heretofore, various healthy goods have been proposed. For example, there have been proposed adhesive plasters using magnetic material or granular semiconductor material (germanium, silicon or the like) of red bean size for giving magnetic stimulation or effects similar to finger-pressure therapy.
In consideration of the contact-potential difference which is exhibited by germanium and silicon upon contact with the human body, the present invention contemplates to facilitate the deposition of pulverized particles of these materials on cloth and the setting of the concentration of the semiconductor material when combining the same with a printing color paste or an organic polymer resin liquid, while diversifying the pole of potential difference, thereby to provide effective healthy clothes or healthy goods.
Although proposals of this sort have been made before, they all remain in the sphere of mere conception, without clarifying a particular form of the semiconductor material, a particular form of other material for fixedly depositing the same on an object article, or a particular method for fixedly depositing the same on an object article. Therefore, there have been a number of problems to be solved before reducing the concepts to practice. | {
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Although OFDM communication is known and used in earth-based communication systems using higher order (hierarchical) modulation, it presents a problem for transmission of such hierarchically modulated signals from an earth-orbiting satellite to an earth based receiver. The OFDM modulation scheme has a high peak-to-average power ratio, due to the number of active carriers that are transmitted simultaneously. For power amplifiers, it is highly desirable to run the output at or near saturation, since this typically maximizes the power added efficiency: RF output power/DC power. However, running at saturation poses a problem for OFDM systems, because the higher peaks tend to clip; and any clipping in time causes a distortion over all the active carriers. Thus, typically, a terrestrial system will use a 6 dB back-off from saturation to allow only strong peaks to get clipped. But this reduces broadcast signal strength, and thus coverage area. To improve coverage area in land-based systems, more repeaters are used.
The solution of more repeaters is not very practical for satellite-based transmitters, since the cost of a satellite is very high, and having the maximum RF output power is thus desired. There have been proposals to operate satellite-based OFDM transmitters with a 3 dB back-off from saturation, but this smaller back-off causes significantly more distortion than the traditional 6 dB back-off. To compensate for this smaller back-off, a more powerful forward error correcting (FEC) code (Turbo or LDPC) can be used. This works well for traditional signals but poses a problem for hierarchical modulation of the type wherein a primary (high priority) signal is modulated by a secondary (low priority) signal of lower power and the resulting modulated signal itself modulates the carrier(s). Such hierarchical modulation allows for various levels of performance in the overall system. However, when the power amplifier is backed off too much from saturation, the higher power (primary) signal is clipped; and this causes distortion equally on both the high power primary signal and the lower power secondary signal. This clipping appears as additional noise that can render the secondary signal unrecoverable by a receiver.
It is known in the prior art that one may decrease the data transmission rate of the secondary data modulated onto the primary data in hierarchical modulation by providing known instances where the secondary modulation signal has no energy, but this process of the prior art does not optimally address the problem of clipping in hierarchically modulated OFDM communications when operating the transmitter power amplifier close to saturation. Clipping of a hierarchically modulated OFDM sample creates noise that is spread across all the OFDM carriers and can completely obscure the low priority (secondary) data in the symbol. An optimal solution concentrates on reducing the clipping rather than reducing the low priority data rate relative to the high priority data rate. | {
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Field
Embodiments generally relate to methods for forming three dimension structures with desired materials on a semiconductor substrate. More specifically, embodiments relate to methods for forming three dimension structures on a semiconductor substrate with different materials at different locations of the structure by a selective atomic layer deposition process utilizing patterned self assembled monolayers and a directional plasma process for fin field effect transistor (FinFET) semiconductor manufacturing applications.
Description of the Related Art
Reliably producing sub-half micron and smaller features is one of the key technology challenges for next generation very large scale integration (VLSI) and ultra large-scale integration (ULSI) of semiconductor devices. However, as the limits of circuit technology are pushed, the shrinking dimensions of VLSI and ULSI technology have placed additional demands on processing capabilities. Reliable formation of gate structures on the substrate is important to VLSI and ULSI success and to the continued effort to increase circuit density and quality of individual substrates and die.
As circuit densities increase for next generation devices, the widths of interconnects, such as vias, trenches, contacts, gate structures and other features, as well as the dielectric materials therebetween, decrease to 45 nm and 32 nm dimensions, whereas the thickness of the dielectric layers remain substantially constant, with the result of increasing the aspect ratios of the features. In order to enable the fabrication of next generation devices and structures, three dimensional (3D) stacking of features in semiconductor chips is often utilized. In particular, fin field effect transistors (FinFET) are often utilized to form three dimensional (3D) structures in semiconductor chips. By arranging transistors in three dimensions instead of conventional two dimensions, multiple transistors may be placed in the integrated circuits (ICs) very close to each other. Recently, complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) FinFET devices have been widely used in many logic and other applications and are integrated into various different types of semiconductor devices. FinFET devices typically include semiconductor fins with high aspect ratios in which the channel and source/drain regions for the transistor are formed thereover. A gate electrode is then formed over and along side of a portion of the fin utilizing the advantage of the increased surface area of the channel and source/drain regions to produce faster, more reliable and better-controlled semiconductor transistor devices. Further advantages of FinFETs include reduced short channel effect and higher current flow.
FIG. 1A depicts an exemplary embodiment of a fin field effect transistor (FinFET) 150 disposed on a substrate 100. The substrate 100 may be a silicon substrate, a germanium substrate, or a substrate formed from other semiconductor materials. In one embodiment, the substrate 100 may include p-type or n-type dopants doped therein. The substrate 100 includes a plurality of semiconductor fins 102 formed thereon isolated by shallow trench isolation (STI) structures 104. The shallow trench isolation (STI) structures 104 may be formed by an insulating material, such as a silicon oxide material, a silicon nitride material or a silicon carbon nitride material.
The substrate 100 may include a portion in NMOS device region 101 and a portion in PMOS device region 103 as needed, and each of the semiconductor fins 102 may be sequentially and alternatively formed in the NMOS device region 101 and the PMOS device region 103 in the substrate 100. The semiconductor fins 102 are formed protruding above the top surfaces of the shallow trench isolation (STI) structures 104. Subsequently, a gate structure 106, typically including a gate electrode layer disposed on a gate dielectric layer, is deposited on both of the NMOS device region 101 and the PMOS device region 103 and over the semiconductor fins 102.
The gate structure 106 may be patterned to expose portions 148, 168 of the semiconductor fins 102 uncovered by the gate structure 106. The exposed portions 148, 168 of the semiconductor fins 102 may then be doped with dopants to form lightly doped source and drain (LDD) regions using an implantation process.
FIG. 1B depicts a cross sectional view of the substrate 100 including the plurality of semiconductor fins 102 formed on the substrate 100 isolated by the shallow trench isolation (STI) structures 104. The plurality semiconductor fins 102 formed on the substrate 100 may be part of the substrate 100 extending upwards from the substrate 100 utilizing the shallow trench isolation (STI) structures 104 to isolate each of the semiconductor fins 102. In another embodiment, the semiconductor fins 102 may be individually formed structures disposed on the substrate 100 that are made from materials different than the substrate 100 using suitable techniques available in the art. In the embodiment wherein different materials of the semiconductor fins 102 are required to be formed on different surfaces 120, including a first sidewall 120a and a second side wall 120b connected by a top surface 110, additional process steps may be performed to alter the materials of the semiconductor fins 102 formed on the different surfaces 120 of the semiconductor fins 102.
A conventional method for selective deposition may be performed to locally form a material layer on only certain locations of a planer surface on a substrate made from a material different than the substrate material. FIG. 2A-2C depict an existing process utilized to perform the deposition process. The process utilizes self assembled monolayers (SAM) as a surface modification layer to selectively modify surface properties of the different surface materials, exposed on the substrate. For example, a substrate 202 may include a feature 204 formed from a first material (e.g., a silicon oxide layer) disposed on the substrate 202 formed from a second material (e.g., silicon), as shown in FIG. 2A. The feature 204 has an opening 208 defined therein exposing a surface 206 of the substrate 202. Self assembled monolayers (SAM) 210 may then be formed on the substrate 202 by a solution based precursor, as shown in FIG. 2B. Generally, the self assembled monolayer (SAM) 210 may only be formed on the surface that has chemical reaction capability with the molecules from the self assembled monolayer (SAM) 210. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2B, the precursor utilized to form the self assembled monolayer (SAM) 210 is selected to only chemically react with a surface 212 of the feature 204, (e.g., a silicon oxide material), rather than the surface 206 of the substrate 202 (e.g., a silicon material). By doing so, the self assembled monolayers (SAM) 210 may be predominantly formed on the feature 204 on the substrate 202, leaving the surface 206 of the substrate 202 free of self assembled monolayers (SAM) 210. Subsequently, an atomic layer deposition (ALD), which is a process highly sensitive to surface conditions, having selected precursors, is then performed to form a structure 214 selectively on the designated surface 206 of the substrate 202, as shown in FIG. 2C.
By utilizing the self assembled monolayers (SAM) 210 formed the features 204, the structure 214 may be formed selectively on only designated surface 206 of the substrate 202. However, in cases when a substrate only contains one type of material, the self assembled monolayer (SAM) 210 may be globally formed on the entire surface of such substrate, thereby making the selective material deposition difficult to achieve. In other words, in the case wherein a structure on a substrate is formed by a single type of material, selective deposition via utilization of the self assembled monolayers (SAM) may not be successfully enabled, as the self assembled monolayer (SAM) is to be globally applied across without selectivity. For example, the fin structure 102 as depicted in FIG. 1B may be formed by one type of material. However, when only one type of material is desired to be selectively formed only on one side wall or one top or bottom surface, either the first sidewall 120a, top surface 110 or the second sidewall 120b of the fin structure 102, utilization of the self assembled monolayer (SAM) may not be successful as the self assembled monolayer (SAM) may globally formed on the whole outer surface 120 of the fin structure 102 without selectivity.
Thus, there is a need for improved methods for a selective deposition process suitable for three dimensional (3D) stacking of semiconductor chips or other semiconductor devices. | {
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The present invention relates to a method for correcting crosstalk as one of layout corrections to render crosstalk between wires harmless in layout designing of a semiconductor integrated circuit.
In recent years, with the miniaturization in semiconductor manufacturing technology, crosstalk cannot be ignored. Crosstalk exerts an influence via coupling capacitance between adjacent wires by the transition of signals thereof in a semiconductor integrated circuit. This phenomenon causes delay variation, timing limitation infringement, or the function error that logic is inverted.
Accordingly, in the layout design of a semiconductor integrated circuit, there has been needed crosstalk correction for correcting the layout in order not to cause the timing limitation infringement or logic inversion due to crosstalk as well as the detection of the occurrence of crosstalk.
In a conventional method for correcting crosstalk, a repeater buffer is inserted into a net affected by the occurrence of crosstalk, and the wiring thereof is divided to reduce the coupling capacitance between the wires, thereby suppressing crosstalk (referred to as buffer insertion, for example, refer to patent literature 1).
In addition, there is provided shield wiring fixed to a constant voltage at one or both sides of wiring affected by the occurrence of crosstalk to reduce the coupling capacitance with affecting wiring (referred to as shielding).
Furthermore, in some cases, the following methods have been used: the current driving capability of a cell which drives a net affected by crosstalk is increased to hardly exert a crosstalk influence by the transition of signals in adjacent wires (referred to as cell sizing) or wiring is detoured to avoid an occurrence position of crosstalk (referred to as wiring detour, refer to non-patent literature 1).
(Patent Literature 1)
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 3175653
(Non-patent Literature 1)
Synopsys, Inc., “AstroPrimer Introduction to Astro Timing Optimized Layout Release 2001.2), users manual, U.S., SynopsysCorporation, February 2001, pages 13 to 20
However, the above-mentioned conventional methods for preventing crosstalk have problems that layout resources are consumed for the insertion of buffers or shield wiring, or the upgrade of the cell, that the area is increased, or that an increase in the capacitance and the use of a cell with large current driving capability lead to increased power consumption. Furthermore, as for the wiring detour, new coupling capacitance with another wiring is generated in the detour to thereby cause new crosstalk, which deteriorates the convergence of timing design. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating photovoltaic solar cells equipped with surface collector grids. More particularly, the invention relates to a method of coating the surface of a silicon substrate with a metal collector grid in a manner which obscures only a minimum of the surface while at the same time providing good conduction of carriers to the external circuitry of the silicon solar cell.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, photovoltaic devices such as solar cells have been prepared by depositing collector grids on the surface of the photovoltaic substrate of the cell by vacuum evaporation or sputtering of a metal or conductive substance. The deposition step is frequently followed by a step in which the substrate is further plated with a conductor to further increase the current conducting capacity of the collector system. No matter how the collector system is fabricated, the function of the collector is to provide nearby available conductors for the carriers which are generated by the absorption of photons of light in the semiconductor substrate. In the past, the impurity concentration or doping level of the wafer from which a photovoltaic silicon solar cell is fabricated, has been substantially limited to a level such as about ten ohm-centimeter resistivity. If the level of doping is increased such that a lower resistivity material is formed, the conversion efficiency of the device is reduced because or recombination losses of electrons which are unable to reach the widely-spaced collector grid wires. One method of overcoming this problem has been to provide a grid collector system containing more numerous collectors which are more closely spaced. However, it would be more desirable to be able to employ solar cells which are more heavily doped such that they possess a resistivity on the order of 1.0 or 0.1 ohm-cm. A type of collector system which would be ideal is a grid-like surface collector which would obscure a minimum area of the surface of the substrate exposed to light while providing a low-resistance current path for the carriers. The lifetime characteristics of the carriers is an important property to consider in the perparation of a collector system so that the carriers will be able to reach the collector wires of the system and flow through the external circuitry of the photovoltaic system to perform work. One of the most significant deficiencies of the prior art collector systems is that many of the carriers are lost before they can be collected, even in the best of the current collector designs. Collector systems are generally designed with the main conductor or channels being of relatively large current conducting capacity with many more smaller current conductors attached to the main conductive channels.
Methods are known in the art for providing photovoltaic substrates with a transparent or at least translucent layer which functions as one of the electrodes necessary for the passage of the current generated by incident photons on the device. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 3,811,953 shows a photovoltaic device coated with a conductive, transparent layer of Cd.sub.2 SnO.sub.4 which functions as a conductive electrode. U.S. Pat. No. 2,766,144 shows a photovoltaic device coated with a translucent coating of a Group III element such as indium or Group V elements such as antimony as a conductive electrode. U.S. Pat. No. 2,870,338 shows a transparent conductive layer of a material such as tin oxide on a photovoltaic substrate. However, these devices have the disadvantage that such transparent, conductive surfaces as Cd.sub.2 SnO.sub.4 and SnO.sub.2 lack highly conductive channels within or on the conductive layer which adversely affects the ability of the device to effectively transport the current generated by the incident photons to the external circuitry of the device. Moreover, photovoltaic substrates which are coated with a layer of a Group III or V element have the disadvantage that the current generating ability of the device is diminished because of the reduced transparency of the layer.
The present invention meets the need for an improved collector system for photovoltaic devices in that it has the advantages of the high conductivity of a metallic mesh, it is designed to obscure only a minimum area of the surface of the photovoltaic device exposed to light with opaque material while providing good conductivity for the carriers generated by light photons to th external circuitry of the device and it maintains the advantage provided by a transparent electrically conductive coating in contact with the total active diffused surface of the photovoltaic substrate. | {
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The following description is related to wireless communications. In the background art, SMS-related procedure could not be fully and properly supported in certain types of wireless communication systems. Further, the so-called Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications or Machine Type Communications (MTC) could not be fully and properly supported in certain types of wireless communication systems. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This present invention relates, in general, to repairing or sealing leaking elongate hollow members such as control rod drive housings and in-core monitor housings in a reactor pressure vessel of a nuclear reactor such as a boiling water reactor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Boiling water nuclear reactors typically may include a reactor core located within a reactor pressure vessel (RPV). A known RPV may include a substantially cylindrical shell. The shell, for example, can be about twenty feet in diameter and about seven inches thick.
The cylindrical shell may be closed at its top end by a removable top head. The top head may be removable so that components, such a fuel bundles, located in the RPV can be accessed. The RPV cylindrical shell may be closed at its bottom end by a dome shaped bottom head assembly welded to the shell.
A plurality of openings may be formed in the bottom head dome so that components, such as control rod drive assemblies, can extend within the RPV. Typically, a substantially cylindrical stub tube having a bore extending there through may be welded to the bottom head dome so that the tube bore aligns with an opening in the bottom head dome. The cylindrical stub tube may typically be fabricated from a corrosion resistant material such as stainless steel or Ni—Cr—Fe.
As an example, for a control rod drive assembly, the control rod drive housing, e.g., a tube, may be inserted through the bottom head dome opening and stub tube bore, and the housing may extend into the RPV. The control rod drive (CRD) housing may be welded to the stub tube to maintain the housing in a desired position. The stub tube thus may serve as a transition piece between the bottom head dome, which typically may be fabricated from low alloy steel, and the CRD housing, which typically may be fabricated from stainless steel such as 304 stainless steel with a high carbon content.
Inter-granular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) is a known phenomenon occurring adjacent to stub tube welds connecting the bottom head dome to the stub tube and connecting the stub tube to the CRD housing. Particularly, the stub tube welds may be subject to a variety of stresses associated with, for example, differences in thermal expansion, the operating pressure needed for the containment of the reactor cooling water, and other sources such as residual stresses from welding, cold working and other inhomogeneous metal treatments. Such stresses may, at times, cause cracks adjacent the stub tube welds.
If stress corrosion cracks adjacent stub tube welds are not sealed, such cracks may cause potential leakage paths between the stub tube and the bottom head dome, and the stub tube and the CRD housing, respectively, which is undesirable. Accordingly, upon detection of any such cracks, it may be desirable to re-seal the control rod drive housing, for example, to the bottom head dome.
Type 304 stainless steel stub tubes in some plants have become furnace sensitized as a result of vessel post weld heat treatment. This has left the stub tube in an inter-granular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) susceptible state, and has led to leaking cracks. Cracking has been observed in the heat affected zone of the stub tube at the CRD housing attachment weld of this susceptible material. This results in a reactor coolant leakage path to the under-vessel area. Restoration of the defective area is virtually impossible due to the location of the stub tubes and the existing material condition.
One known method of repairing or re-sealing CRD housings within the bottom head dome includes completely replacing the stub tube and CRD housing. This method, however, is time consuming, tedious, and expensive. Particularly, the housing and associated stub tube are partially cut-off and removed from the bottom head dome, and the material remaining in the bottom head assembly is inspected to ensure that such material can be welded without damaging the bottom head. A weld build-up may then be formed over the remaining material and machined so that a new stub tube can be welded to the weld build-up. Several weeks can be required to perform the replacement process of just one penetration tube. Moreover, much of the replacement work must be performed within the RPV, which requires completely unloading the RPV and is undesirable.
Another known method of repairing or re-sealing a CRD housing within the bottom head dome includes welding a sleeve to the CRD housing and the stub. This method, however, only addresses stress corrosion cracks adjacent the interface between the stub tube and the CRD housing. Moreover, installing the sleeve must be performed entirely within the RPV which, as explained above, is undesirable.
Another known method of repairing or re-sealing a CRD housing within the bottom head dome includes rolling the CRD housing into the bottom head dome. While this method may be quicker than replacing the stub tube and CRD housing, rolling the CRD housing into the bottom head dome does not create as tight a seal as a weld between the CRD housing and the dome. Moreover, the rolled CRD housing may become separated from the bottom head dome after continued RPV operation, and must then be re-rolled. Re-rolling a CRD housing, however, often is neither desirable nor practical.
Another known method of repairing or re-sealing a CRD housing within the bottom head dome includes removing and replacing a lower portion of the CRD housing within the bottom head dome. Particularly, a lower portion of the CRD housing is cut-off and removed so that an upper portion of the CRD housing remains inserted in an opening in the bottom head dome and welded to the stub tube. The bottom head dome is then cleaned, and the lower end of the remaining CRD housing upper portion is machined so that a replacement bottom portion of CRD housing can be welded to the remaining upper portion.
The replacement bottom portion of CRD housing is similarly machined so that it can be welded to the remaining upper portion. The replacement bottom portion of CRD housing is then inserted into the bottom head dome opening and positioned beneath the remaining upper portion. The replacement bottom portion and the remaining upper portion of CRD housing are temper bead welded to each other and to the bottom head dome.
Temper bead welding the remaining upper portion to the replacement lower portion and the bottom head dome may have the undesirable effect of causing high stresses because of thermal growth mismatch between the CRD housing and the bottom head dome, which are fabricated from different materials. Such temper bead welding also has the undesirable potential effect of trapping water within a leakage path and in contact with the weld between the remaining upper portion and the bottom head dome. | {
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1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to surface conditioning and, in particular, to an apparatus for abrading a surface.
2. Description of Related Art
Indoor surfaces, such as floors inside a building, including wood, concrete or granite floors, and outdoor surfaces, such as decks and walkways, including wood, concrete or granite outdoor surfaces, often require renovation.
Renovating a wooden floor often involves sanding the wooden floor, and renovating a concrete or granite surface often involves grinding the surface.
Conventional schemes for sanding and grinding surfaces often require the use of multiple machines due to the limitations of each conventional machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,772 issued to Barnes et al. discloses a machine that is useable to sand hardwood floors and includes two covers mounted above a main housing. The added height of the two covers impedes the ability of the machine of Barnes et al. to sand a hardwood floor in height-restricted spaces, including beneath an overhanging fixture such as a cabinet or heating unit. Overhanging fixtures in buildings typically overhang between four and six inches above the floor surface. Such overhanging fixtures are often already in place when sanding or grinding is required, such as in the case of a renovation. If the sanding or grinding machine cannot fit under an overhanging fixture, an additional machine such as an edge sander must be used to complete the sanding or grinding task. Thus, there is an unadressed need in the art for a single machine that can sand and grind an entire surface, including in height restricted spaces. | {
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Wireless system design, e.g., 5G system design, focuses heavily on energy-efficiency both on the network and the User Equipment (UE) side. Extending battery life is an important objective for most types of wireless devices, from smartphones to IoT devices. Depending on usage scenarios, idle or active mode energy consumption may dominate the overall energy budget. Regardless of the individual UE product scenarios, the UE platform must ensure high energy efficiency in both operating modes to meet operator Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
Selective transmissions, e.g., transmitting signals from a selected subset of antenna ports of a multi-antenna UE, provide one opportunity for reducing energy consumption for wireless devices. In multi-antenna UEs, multiple antenna ports may be defined for UE channel sounding. In a straightforward solution, for example, all the ports may be included in the sounding process to provide an Access Node (AN) with as much information as possible. In exemplary systems, transmissions from different antenna ports may be multiplexed in time, frequency, or using different time/frequency comb patterns. Some of the antenna ports in the UE may radiate energy towards the serving AN collecting the sounding information, while some others may not. Current discussions in 3GPP standards, e.g., 3GPP R1-1610151 “Views on RS for CSI acquisition,” RAN1 #86bis, 14 Oct. 2016, propose allocating Sounding Reference Signals (SRSs) transmission power on a limited number of “good” antenna ports, and omit transmitting SRSs over other antenna ports. For example, the “good” antenna ports may be identified or defined based on Down Link (DL) measurements of the individual antenna ports, dynamically allocated each subframe, and SRS transmissions may be omitted for antenna ports that contribute negligible energy or are unlikely to “reach” the serving AN. Such selective SRS transmission improves transmission power utilization and SRS coverage, and reduces interference in directions other than the target AN.
While the above-described selective SRS transmission reduces the overall transmission power of a device, and thus reduces power consumption, such selective transmission may not sufficiently address or reduce the power consumption of the device. For example, during subframes where certain antenna ports are not transmitting, RF chains of the respective antenna ports are generally still turned on and thus consume energy. Thus, the selective SRS transmission approach improves SRS power allocation and reduces interference, but UE energy efficiency remains suboptimal. Naïve approaches of always turning off transmission components of the RF chains coupled to the inactive antenna ports are not usable in many scenarios because the transient durations required to turning them back on again may be prohibitively long and thus may cause performance degradation. Thus, there remains a need for solutions that improve the battery efficiency of wireless devices. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data communications, and more particularly, to detection of transmission paths compatible with digital modulation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Much of the public switched telecommunications network (PSTN) is implemented using digital data transport. Nonetheless, significant portions of the PSTN are still based on analog technology. For example, the “local loop” portion of PSTN that connects a telephone subscriber to a central office (CO) is typically an analog loop. Additionally, analog portions may exist at other points along a communications path, e.g., as an analog channel in an otherwise digital circuit.
The current generation of 56 Kbps modems (e.g., those based on K56flex™ or x2™ technology or conforming to ITU-T Recommendation V.90) no longer assume that both ends of a communications path may be analog and suffer impairment due to quantization noise introduced by analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). Instead, such modems assume that there is only one (1) analog portion in a downstream transmission path from a digitally connected server modem to a client modem connected to an analog local loop. This assumption is reasonable in areas where most Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and business customers are digitally connected to the network and allows data signaling rates of up to 56 Kbps in the downstream transmission path. K56flex is a trademark of Lucent Technologies Inc. and x2 is a trademark of 3Com Corporation.
Although a variety of similar designs are available, modems conforming to the ITU-T Recommendation V.90 are illustrative. See generally, ITU-T Recommendation V.90, A Digital Modem and Analogue Modem Pair for Use on the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) at Data Signalling Rates of up to 56 000 Bit/S Downstream and up to 33 600 Bit/S Upstream (09/98), the entirety of which in incorporated by reference herein. Recommendation V.90 defines a method for signaling between a modem connected to an analog loop (the analog modem) and a modem connected to the digital trunk (the digital modem). Modems in accordance with Recommendation V.90 take advantage of this particular arrangement to increase the data signaling rate from the digital modem towards the analog modem. The quantization noise from a mu-law or A-law PCM converter typically limits the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to about 38 dB. However, the detrimental effect of quantization noise can be avoided in certain cases. If there are no analog-to-digital conversions in the downstream path from the digital V.90 modem to the analog modem, the PCM codes from the digital modem are converted to discrete analog voltage levels in the local CO and are sent to the analog modem via the analog local loop. The analog modem's receiver then reconstructs the discrete network PCM codes from the analog signals received. Using current techniques, 56 Kbps signaling rates can be achieved.
There is no specific means provided in Recommendation V.90 by which the analog client modem is to decide whether PCM signaling can be supported by the downstream channel. Rather, the client modem must make an inference about the condition of the channel during the training process. For example, one technique apparently used by some modem manufacturers is to use the L1L2 signal which is transmitted as part of probing and ranging in phase 2 of startup procedures specified in Section 9.2 of Recommendation V.90 to estimate the high-end frequency response of the channel. A channel over which PCM operation is possible will typically exhibit less roll-off at frequencies near the upper edge of the voice band (0–4000 Hz) than will channels that cannot support PCM. There is no assurance, however, that good high-frequency response will correlate with good PCM operation, and poor high-frequency response by itself does not prelude PCM operation. Therefore, such methods assume a relationship between high-frequency response and PCM operation that is not valid in many practical cases. If the client modem fails accurately to assess the channel, then subsequent data exchange either will fail or will occur at less than optimal speeds. | {
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US 2012/0,156,575A discloses a fuel cell system, in which a gas amount discharged from the anode system is computed based on a pressure change inside the anode system in the downstream from the hydrogen supply valve while a supply of hydrogen to the fuel cell stops by closing the hydrogen supply valve. | {
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A number of handheld educational products exist on the market today. One handheld product is called Pixter™, which is produced by Mattel, Inc. This product is similar to a PDA (or personal digital assistant). It has a body with a display screen and a stylus that allows a child to select items displayed on the display screen. A number of different games can be played with the product.
While the Pixter™ product is useful and entertaining, a number of improvements can be made. For example, because the stylus is the only means by which data can be input into the product by a child, the number and types of programs that can be played with the product are limited. Moreover, the users of the product are typically children and it is desirable to facilitate game play and refine fine motor skills. Since only one input mechanism is present, the product's ability to enhance those fine motor skills is limited. It would also be desirable to provide for a handheld gaming apparatus that has different input mechanisms so that a child's interaction with the apparatus is enhanced.
Embodiments of the invention address these and other problems. | {
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The present application relates generally to an improved magnetic structure for an interleaved transformer/inductor.
A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors or coils. A varying current in the first or primary winding creates a varying magnetic flux in the transformer and thus a varying magnetic field through a second or secondary winding. This varying magnetic field induces a varying electromotive force (EMF), or “voltage,” in the secondary winding. This effect is referred to as inductive coupling. Transformers range in size from on-chip transformers occupying the area less than one square millimeter to huge units weighing hundreds of tons used to interconnect portions of power grids.
An inductor is a passive two-terminal electrical component that resists changes in electric current passing through it. An inductor comprises a conductor such as a wire, usually wound into a coil. When a current flows through an inductor, energy is stored temporarily in a magnetic field in the coil. When the current flowing through an inductor changes, the time-varying magnetic field induces a voltage in the conductor, according to Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction, which opposes the change in current that created it.
However, regardless of size, all transformers operate on the same basic principles and, although the range of transformer designs is wide, currently existing structured transformers, when coupled together with inductor flux, exhibit issues, such as magnetic saturation, noise/ripple voltage, and/or poor efficiency. | {
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Passenger vehicles include a powertrain that is comprised of an engine, multi-speed transmission, and a differential or final drive. The multi-speed transmission increases the overall operating range of the vehicle by permitting the engine to operate through its torque range a number of times. The number of forward speed ratios that are available in the transmission determines the number of times the engine torque range is repeated. Early automatic transmissions had two speed ranges. This severely limited the overall speed range of the vehicle and therefore required a relatively large engine that could produce a wide speed and torque range. This resulted in the engine operating at a specific fuel consumption point during cruising, other than the most efficient point. Therefore, manually-shifted (countershaft transmissions) were the most popular.
With the advent of three- and four-speed automatic transmissions, the automatic shifting (planetary gear) transmission increased in popularity with the motoring public. These transmissions improved the operating performance and fuel economy of the vehicle. The increased number of speed ratios reduces the step size between ratios and therefore improves the shift quality of the transmission by making the ratio interchanges substantially imperceptible to the operator under normal vehicle acceleration.
Six-speed transmissions offer several advantages over four- and five-speed transmissions, including improved vehicle acceleration and improved fuel economy. While many trucks employ power transmissions having six or more forward speed ratios, passenger cars are still manufactured with three- and four-speed automatic transmissions and relatively few five- or six-speed devices due to the size and complexity of these transmissions.
Seven-, eight- and nine-speed transmissions provide further improvements in acceleration and fuel economy over six-speed transmissions. However, like the six-speed transmissions discussed above, the development of seven-, eight- and nine-speed transmissions has been precluded because of complexity, size and cost. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a display device, and particularly to a flexible and bendable display device. Furthermore, one embodiment of the present invention relates to an electronic device including a display device.
One embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above technical field. The technical field of one embodiment of the invention disclosed in this specification and the like relates to an object, a method, or a manufacturing method. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a process, a machine, manufacture, or a composition of matter. Specifically, examples of the technical field of one embodiment of the present invention disclosed in this specification include a semiconductor device, a display device, a light-emitting device, a lighting device, a power storage device, a memory device, a method for driving any of them, and a method for manufacturing any of them.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent display devices are expected to be applied to a variety of uses and become diversified. For example, display devices for portable electronic devices and the like are required to be thin, light, and robust. In addition, novel application is required.
Patent Document 1 discloses a flexible active matrix light-emitting device in which an organic EL element and a transistor serving as a switching element are provided over a film substrate. | {
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U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,750 discloses the use of esterases in the stereoselective hydrolysis of esters of 2-arylpropionic acids. In this document the enzyme responsible for the hydrolysis of (S)-naproxen esters is characterized. The corresponding esterase gene was obtained from the Bacillus subtilis Thai 1-8 strain (CBS 679.85). This gene encoding the enzyme responsible for the stereoselective conversion of (R,S)-naproxen ester was cloned in E. coli and Bacillus subtilis. It was found that the esterase activity was improved by introducing multiple gene copies in several Bacillus subtilis (a.o. CBS 673.86). The suitability of the microorganism and the enzyme derived therefrom for use in a process to hydrolyse S-naproxen ester was therefore also improved.
In said U.S. patent only low substrate concentrations (naproxen or ibuprofen) are used. In contrast, commercial applications require high product concentrations in order to obtain economically attractive results. However, during tests at high substrate concentrations (commercial conditions) irreversible inactivation of the enzyme has been noticed. For example, carboxyl esterase obtained from Bacillus Thai I-8 was almost completely inactivated within one hour when 30 g/l naproxen ester was added (pH=9, T=40.degree. C. and Tween 80 (TM) medium). The esterase as such is stable at pH=9 and T=40.degree. C. (with and without Tween 80 (TM)) for several hours. During the stereoselective hydrolysis of (R,S)-naproxen ester, the enzyme was inactivated by the naproxen formed during the hydrolysis. High yields of naproxen could not therefore be obtained.
The enzyme carboxyl esterase may be used in several other stereospecific esterase hydrolysis reactions. However, it is found that the product (the acid) of these reactions often inactivates the enzyme when the reaction takes place at commercially interesting starting concentrations of the ester.
The carboxyl esterase can be used in the stereospecific hydrolysis of diclofop esters, resulting in the corresponding enantiomeric pure (S)-acid, which process is described in EP-A-0299559. The diclofop formed will inactivate the enzyme under commercially attractive conversion conditions.
Other compounds that inactivate the enzyme are, for example, 2-naphthoxy acetic acid, ibuprofen, 2-naphthol and phenol.
In the literature enzymes are known to become inactivated because of their low thermal stability. At elevated temperatures unfolding of the enzyme may take place. Heat treatment causes especially the hydrogen bonds to break (see e.g. R. D. Schmid, Advances in Biochemical Engineering 12, Ghose, Fiechler & Blakebrough (Eds), Springer, Berlin (1979) pp. 41-115). Thermo unfolding of enzymes can, however, be diminished by immobilization or cross-linking of the enzyme. For example, cross-linking with glutaraldehyde improved the thermostability of Papain (Royer et al., FEMS Lett. 80 (1977) 1) and Subtilopeptidase (Boudrant et al., Biotechnol. Bioeng. 18 (1976) 1719).
Even the mechanism of thermostabilisation is not well understood. E. T. Reese and M. Manders (Biotechnol. Bioeng. 22 (2) 1980 pp. 326-336 showed that cross-linking (glutaraldehyde treatment) did not result in an increase of thermostability and activity of cellulase. Similar results were found by N. W. Ugarova (Biokhimiya 42 (7), 1977 pp. 1212-1220) who reported that modification of peroxidase with glutaraldehyde gave a 2.5-fold decrease in thermostability.
The prior art presents only very specific solutions for specific problems (immobilization and cross-linking techniques) which are not generally applicable. Moreover it has been noticed that the carboxyl esterase is not thermally inactivated at normal reaction conditions (up to 45.degree. C.) but is only inactivated by certain compounds at reaction conditions. The prior art is silent on such kind of inactivations.
When the amino acid residue which is the cause of inactivation of the protein is known, an alternative approach to chemical modification is available. In that case one can replace the residue for another one by site-directed mutagenesis, as described for instance by Ausubel et al. (Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley & Son Inc., 1987, New York). In this way e.g. the oxidation resistance of B. alcalophilus serine protease was improved by replacing a methionine residue by a serine residue (European patent application 0328229).
The known stabilization techniques cannot be applied as such to the present enzyme because the nature of the inactivation is different when inactivation by chemical compounds plays a role. | {
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This invention relates to carton loading machines.
Carton loading machines are commonly used to load a carton through an open end. In the known mechanisms, difficulty has been experienced in attempting to load cylindrical-shaped items such as cans or bottles through an open end of a carton without providing a substantial clearance between the load and the side walls of the carton. While a substantial clearance facilitates the loading of the carton, this same clearance is undesirable when the items are loaded into the carton because it permits the items to move within the carton when the carton is loaded and this is very undesirable. The freedom of movement within the carton can result in the containers colliding with one another to a sufficient extent to damage or break the container. Furthermore, this freedom of movement can be very dangerous when transporting a large load of cartons by means of a transport vehicle because it permits the load to shift relative to the vehicle.
A further difficulty which is experienced in carton-loading machines is that while a load may be correctly positioned for transfer into a carton, the carton may not be located in the carton confining compartment into which the load is to be transferred. In these circumstances, it is necessary to interrupt the operation of the carton loading machine in order to remove the load which cannot be accommodated. This interruption reduces the productivity because it create downtime. | {
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Vehicle wheel rim-tire assemblies are radially balanced for preventing vertical bounce of the wheel during various speeds, known as Static Imbalance or Shake. Another form of imbalance is known as Couple Imbalance or Shimmy. Radial balancing of the wheel rim-tire assembly may be accomplished by many well-known methods, such as but not limited to using a spin balance machine also known as a radial balance machine or a dynamic balancing machine, or a static bubble-type wheel balancer. Radial balancing determines the weight and the angular location for placement of the weight on the wheel rim-tire assembly for radially balancing the wheel rim-tire assembly. Wheel weights are typically placed on the inner or outer wheel lips of the wheel rim-tire assembly. Wheel weights may also be placed in an arbitrarily lateral manner on the inside of the rim surface.
It is well known in the art that a variety of types of correction weights are available for placing on the vehicle wheel to correct the measured imbalance. For example, adhesive-backed weights, patch balance weights, clip-on weights, and hammer-on weights are available from a number of different manufacturers.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, it is normally good practice to place balance weights at a particular angular location on both an inner plane 22 and outer plane 26 of a wheel rim-tire assembly 10. This may prevent creating a lateral imbalance; such a lateral imbalance may occur if balance weights are added to only an inner plane 22 or only to an outer plane 26 of the wheel rim-tire assembly 10. A lateral imbalance in the wheel rim-tire assembly can lead to a noticeable shake or shimmy, that sometimes can be extreme and potentially hazardous, and often cannot be alleviated by simply vertically balancing a wheel rim-tire assembly using current dynamic spin balancing or static balancing methods. If the lateral balance plane 14 of a wheel rim-tire assembly 10 is not coincident with the geometric centerline 18 of the wheel rim-tire assembly 10, and then placing balance weights on both an inner plane 22 and outer plane 26 of the wheel rim-tire assembly 10 may still lead to lateral imbalance causing or worsening the shake or shimmy of the wheel rim-tire assembly. Additionally, some currently popular wheel rim styles may lose some or much of their aesthetic appeal if the balance weights are installed in a manner to make the balance weights clearly visible. Additionally, today's automotive manufacturers and wheel manufacturers are equipping newer high-performance models with substantially wider and larger diameter wheels. This causes even greater occurrences of laterally imbalanced wheel rim-tire assemblies. Additionally, with the advent of lost lead wheel weights due to improper adhesion, wheel weight loss in the State of California alone, constitutes over 500,000 pounds annually (circa 2008). Because of this, environmental and health concerns are at an all time high with lead wheel weights being identified as the largest new route of lead releases into the environment (Center for Environmental Health, circa 2008).
Thus, there is a need for a wheel rim that overcomes these and other disadvantages. | {
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The present invention relates to content delivery over a cellular radio network, particularly although not exclusively a broadband digital broadcast network.
In a cellular radio network, each cell may be capable of transmitting content on a particular frequency chosen to meet the frequency re-use requirements of the network. The spectral efficiency of such a network is reduced if the network is capable of delivering content, as in the case of a broadband digital broadcast network, as a broadcast to every cell in the network or as a multicast to a subset of cells in the network Such a situation arises in the case of the well-known terrestrial Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB-T) system found in Europe.
FIG. 1, illustrates a prior art broadband digital broadcast network which lacks spectral efficiency as the same content is being delivered using different frequencies in different cells. Thus, in the Figure, the network 1 is made up of a plurality of cells A to K utilising seven frequencies f1 to f7 and content is being multicast to terminals in cells A, B and C on three respective frequencies namely f1, f2 and f3. | {
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It is known that new enterprise data centers store ever-larger amounts of critical data that must be immediately and continuously available. To ensure continued connectivity this may necessitate multiple paths between hosts and data storage arrays. For example, this may require multiple physical connections to two or more storage processors within a storage array. This may ensure continued connectivity to the storage array even if there is a failure of a single physical connection or a storage processor.
If an array comprises two or more storage processors it is known to include host-based failover software on the attached hosts to achieve port failover in the event of a failure of a single physical connection or a storage processor. However, this approach requires each attached host to have correctly configured failover software installed. This can be expensive and extremely inconvenient. | {
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1. Field of Endeavor
The present invention relates to phosphoric acid fuel cells and more particularly to electro-mechanical systems phosphoric acid fuel cells.
2. State of Technology
U.S. Pat. No. 6,833,204 to Hiroyuki Oyanagi et al, assigned to Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kasha, issued Dec. 21, 2004; as well as U.S. Pat. No. 6,703,152 and United States Patent Applications Nos. 20040009377, 20020012823, and 20020012822; provide the following state of technology information: “The phosphoric acid fuel cell has a power-generating cell which is provided with an electrolyte-electrode assembly comprising an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and an electrolyte layer interposed between the both electrodes. The electrolyte layer is generally constructed such that pores of a porous silicon carbide member is impregnated with concentrated phosphoric acid (liquid electrolyte). However, another type of the electrolyte layer is also known, in which a membrane of basic polymer such as polybenzimidazole is impregnated with phosphoric acid or sulfuric acid (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,436). In the phosphoric acid fuel cell, a predetermined number of the power-generating cells are electrically connected in series with each other to provide a fuel cell stack which is accommodated in a container. When the phosphoric acid fuel cell is operated, at first, the hydrogen-containing gas is supplied to the anode electrode, and the oxygen-containing gas is supplied to the cathode electrode.
The hydrogen in the hydrogen-containing gas is ionized on the anode electrode in a manner as represented by the following reaction formula (A). As a result, the hydrogen ion and the electron are generated.2H2→4H++4e (A)The hydrogen ion is moved toward the cathode electrode via the electrolyte layer. On the other hand, the electron is extracted by an external circuit which is electrically connected to the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. The electron is utilized as the DC electric energy to energize the external circuit, and then it arrives at the cathode electrode. The hydrogen ion moved to the cathode electrode and the electron arrived at the cathode electrode via the external circuit cause the reaction as represented by the following reaction formula (B) together with the oxygen in the oxygen-containing gas supplied to the cathode electrode.O2+4H++4e→2H2O (B)The reaction according to the reaction formula (B) is slow as compared with the reaction formula (A). That is, the reaction represented by the reaction formula (B) constitutes the rate-determining step in the overall cell reaction of the phosphoric acid fuel cell.” | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a noise suppressor which suppresses noise transmitted through a first current-carrying wire and a second current-carrying wire.
2. Description of the Related Art
Power electronics devices such as switching power supplies, inverters, lighting circuits for lighting fixtures include a power converter circuit which converts power. The power converter circuit includes a switching circuit which converts a direct current into an alternating current with a rectangular wave. Therefore, the power converter circuit produces a ripple voltage with a frequency equivalent to the switching frequency of the switching circuit or noise associated with the switching operation of the switching circuit. The ripple voltage or noise adversely affects other devices. Therefore, it is necessary to arrange a means for reducing the ripple voltage or noise between the power converter circuit and the other devices or lines.
Moreover, recently as a communications technology used for the establishment of a home communication network, power line communications holds promise, and the development of the power line communications has been advanced. In the power line communications, a high frequency signal is superimposed on a power line to establish communication. In the power line communications, noise is produced on the power line by the operations of various electrical and electronic devices connected to the power line, and the noise causes a decline in communication quality such as an increase in error rate. Therefore, a means for reducing noise on the power line is necessary. Moreover, in the power line communications, it is necessary to prevent a communication signal on an indoor power line from being leaked to an outdoor power line.
Noise transmitted through two current-carrying wires includes normal mode (differential mode) noise which causes a potential difference between two current-carrying wires and common mode noise transmitted through two current-carrying wires at the same phase.
Arranging a line filter on a power supply line, a signal line or the like is effective in preventing the noise. As the line filter, a filter including an inductance device (inductor) and a capacitor, that is, a so-called LC filter is commonly used.
FIG. 20 shows an example of a LC filter for normal mode noise prevention in a related art. The LC filter includes a first inductor L101 disposed on a first current-carrying wire 103 and a first capacitor C101 having one end connected to the first current-carrying wire 103 and the other end connected to a second current-carrying wire 104.
FIG. 21 shows an example of a LC filter for common mode noise prevention in a related art. The LC filter includes a first inductor L101 disposed on a first current-carrying wire 103 and a first capacitor C101 having one end connected to the first current-carrying wire 103 and the other end connected to ground. The LC filter further includes a second inductor L102 disposed on a second current-carrying wire 104 and a second capacitor C102 having one end connected to the second current-carrying wire 104 and the other end connected to ground. The first inductor L101 includes a first winding wire 111, and the second inductor L102 includes a second winding wire 112. The first and the second winding wires 111 and 112 are magnetically coupled to each other through winding the first and the second winding wires 111 and 112 around a common core 100 so as to prevent common mode noise in cooperation, thereby the first and the second winding wires 111 and 112 form a common mode choke coil.
The basic structure of such a LC filter is shown in “Transistor Gijutsu SPECIAL No. 44”, CQ Publishing Co., Ltd., issued on Mar. 1, 1994, p 5 (FIG. 6). | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for managing user created mini-games in a game cloud executed system based on user interactions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cloud systems, using computing resources (hardware and software), deliver services over a network (typically the Internet). The services, in the context of gaming, enable streaming of content to remote clients, wherein most processing is done on servers, which may be distributed. Input provided at the remote clients will in turn drive execution of the game, without the need for dedicated gaming hardware at the client's location. Cloud gaming, therefore, has been increasing in popularity because users find it easier to access more titles without complex hardware restrictions and game suppliers find it easier manage game code from centralized locations.
It is in this context that embodiments of the invention arise. | {
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Play sets for toy vehicles are popular toys which are known to provide entertainment and excitement to a user. These play sets typically include a track configuration intended to guide a propelled toy vehicle, such as a 1/64 scale die-cast metal toy vehicle, through a course. The track configurations may include closed-loop continuous track arrangements and open-end arrangements. Toy vehicles are placed on these play set tracks and propelled across the configuration by hand or by an external propulsion means.
To bring increased entertainment and excitement to these play sets, the track configurations may include features such as intersecting tracks, jumps, and other types of track configurations.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a track set for toy vehicles that can propel multiple toy vehicles into unique stunt arrangements to provide an enhanced play factor for the user. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a time recorder for recording in-time/out-time on a time card, and in particular to a time recorder equipped with a radio wave clock for receiving time data through radio wave and correcting time to be displayed on display means.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, time recorders for printing in-times/out-times of employees on time cards in order to record their attendance statuses have been known. Such a time recorder is provided with a time recorder main body having clocking means for performing clocking, a card insertion opening in which a time card is inserted and a time displaying device, and recording means provided in the time recorder main body for recording current time on a time card which has been inserted from the card insertion opening, and it is for displaying time on the basis of clocking of the clocking means on the display device and printing operated time on the time card by the recording means.
Regardless of a mechanical or electrical configuration of the clocking means, an advance or delay error always occurs more or less in time due to clocking error but it is necessary to always print correct time on the time card in view of the nature of the application of the time recorder and wrong time must be corrected such that the time recorder displays and prints correct time by any means such as manual time announcement adjustment.
In order to display time without delay or advance, radio wave clocks have become popular which receive correct time data notified by standard time radio wave sending time information by long waves or short waves periodically to correct the clocking means automatically and display correct time.
Time recorders with such a radio wave clock, each correcting wrong time automatically, have been used in recent years. In such a time recorder with a radio wave clock, time data is received from standard radio wave for each predetermined time elapse and the time is corrected on the basis of the time data so that correct time is always displayed and printed.
However, when a time recorder with a radio wave clock of this type is used, there occur the following problems in view of its configuration
One problem is that it is popular that time display of a clock such as a time recorder is advanced by 5 or 10 minutes for punctuality by keeping a schedule with time to prevent lateness. In such a case, in a time recorder equipped with a radio wave clock, even when time to be displayed is adjusted such that 5 minutes are advanced, the time to be displayed is returned back to a correct time on the basis of the time data received from the standard time radio wave at a reception time of the radio wave, so that the advanced time for punctuality is cancelled at the reception time.
Also, when a time recorder equipped with a radio wave clock is used at a place difficult to receive standard time radio wave or it is used near another electronic equipment, there may occur a drawback that correcting operation is not performed correctly due to poor reception of the standard time radio wave and erroneous operation occurs. In such a case, it is desired that the correcting function performed on the basis of the radio wave clock of the time recorder is stopped.
Furthermore, since a time recorder is a precision machine, it is generally arranged in a room. However, due to the arrangement of the time recorder, there may occur a case that reception of the radio wave including the standard time is prevented. Also, there is an indication that, when there is a specific home electric equipment near the time recorder, the time recorder is affected by noises generated from the home electric equipment and the standard time radio wave can not be received satisfactorily. For this reason, when time is corrected by the standard time radio wave, such a countermeasure that the time recorder is moved at a window side near which there is no home electric equipment and where the radio wave can be received relatively satisfactorily is required according to the conditions for arrangement of the time recorder. However, there often occurs a problem about usage in view of convenience of users at a window side or a space for arrangement.
In view of the above circumstances, the present invention has been made and a first object thereof is to provide a time recorder equipped with a radio wave clock where a selection about whether or not a time correcting function of a radio wave clock is used can be made easily.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a time recorder equipped with a radio wave clock which can be used in a state where clocked time and displayed time are made different from each other by performing addition/subtraction of a predetermined time, while correct elapse is maintained by receiving time data from standard time radio wave.
A third object of the invention is to provide a time recorder with a standard time radio wave receiving action where receiving status of standard time radio wave regarding arrangement of the time recorder is not necessary to take in consideration.
In order to achieve the first object of the invention, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a time recorder equipped with a radio wave clock comprising clocking means which performs clocking, time data receiving means which receives time data from radio wave, displaying means which displays time, printing means which prints time displayed on the displaying means, and control means which displays time on the displaying means on the basis of the time obtained by the clocking means and which can correct the time displayed on the displaying means on the basis of the time data from the time data receiving means, the time recorder further comprising switching and selecting means which performs switching and selecting about whether or not the time is corrected on the basis of the time data from the radio wave, wherein, when setting is made so as not to correct the time on the basis of the time data from the radio wave by the switching and selecting means, the control means is set so as not to correct the time on the displaying means even when the time data receiving means receives the time data from the radio wave.
Also, in order to achieve the second object of the invention, according to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a time recorder equipped with a radio wave clock comprising clocking means which performs clocking, time data receiving means which receives time data from radio wave, displaying means which displays time, printing means which prints time displayed on the displaying means, and control means which displays time on the displaying means on the basis of the time obtained by the clocking means and which can correct the time displayed on the displaying means on the basis of the time data from the time data receiving means, the time recorder further comprising data adjusting means which adjusts the time, wherein, when there is adjusting data effected by the data adjusting means and the time data receiving means receives time data from the standard time radio wave, the control means corrects time to be displayed on the displaying means by adding the adjusting data to the time data, whereby, while correct time elapse is maintained by receiving the time data from the standard time radio wave, the time recorder can be used in a state where clocking time and displaying time are made different from each other by performing addition/subtraction of a predetermined time.
Furthermore, in order to achieve the third object of the invention, according to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a time recorder with a standard time radio wave receiving function, comprising a time recorder main body having a card insertion opening in which a time card is inserted, and printing means which is provided in the time recorder main body for printing time on the time card which is inserted from the card insertion opening, wherein a mounting unit is attachably/detachably mounted on the time recorder main body and clocking means for performing clocking and time radio wave receiving means for receiving standard time radio wave are provided in the mounting unit, wherein the time of the clocking means is corrected on the basis of the standard time radio wave received by the time radio wave receiving means, the time recorder main body is arranged at the most preferable position for use thereof, and, for correcting the clocking means, the mounting unit is separated from the time recorder main body and moved to the most preferable position for receiving the standard time radio wave to perform the correction of the clocking means, whereby it is unnecessary to take into consideration receiving conditions of standard time radio wave due to arrangement of the time recorder. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an optical cross-connect for setting and switching over a route of photo signals by use of an optical switch, and a method of switching over the optical path by use of this optical cross-connect. The present invention relates more particularly to an optical cross-connect and a using method thereof, which are capable of confirming a connectivity of the route concerned when switching over the route of the photo signals. The present invention also relates to an optical ADM (Add/Drop Multiplexer) using the optical cross-connect, and to an optical cross-connect network system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an optical ADM (Add/Drop Multiplexer) using an optical switch and an optical cross-connect network system are combined with a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology, and are thereby capable of processing a large capacity of signals. Besides, the large capacity of signals can be switched over by the optical switch, and hence setting of a signal route (path) can be facilitated. This being the case, a variety of studies and developments of the optical cross-connect network system have been made.
A technical emphasis of the optical cross-connect network system has been so far placed on a point of how much efficiently a node-to-node signal route can be set and functions such as a protection can be actualized. On the occasion of structuring the optical cross-connect network system described above, however, an operation in the case of switching over the route of the photo signals, especially the operation in case a system failure and mis-setting happen, are not necessarily objects to be examined.
A literature cited showing the construction of this type of optical cross-connect described above may be exemplified such as, e.g., Chungpeng Fan, xe2x80x9cExamining an integrated solution to optical transport networking.xe2x80x9d, Wavelength Division Multiplexing: (The first ever European meeting place for WDM Systems, Network, Marketing and Engineering Professionals), November 1997, London; reference pages: pp. 18-23, Satoru Okamoto et al., xe2x80x9cOptical path cross-connect node architectures for photonic transport network.xe2x80x9d, Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol. 14, No. 6, June 1996, pp. 1410-1422, FIGS. 4, 12.
In the conventional optical cross-connect, however, if the mis-setting is done in the optical switch, the mis-setting can be corrected for the time being. However, a given period of time is needed till the mis-setting is corrected since there was received an alarm that a desired service signal is cut off, resulting in such a problem that the service signal 1 is temporarily cut off. In the case of switching over the optical path for the photo signals, it is of much importance to confirm beforehand a connectivity of the optical path. Nevertheless, there has been no example in which that was recognized as a subject and specifically examined.
It is a first object of the present invention to provide an optical cross-connect capable of enhancing a reliability on an optical transmission system using an optical switch by making it feasible to confirm a connectivity before switching over an optical path.
To accomplish the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, an optical cross-connect comprises at least two photo signal input terminals for respectively inputting photo signals, at least two photo signal output terminals for respectively outputting the photo signals, and an optical switch for switching over an optical path between the photo signal input terminal and the photo signal output terminal. The optical switch incorporates a bridge connecting function of, if the optical path is switched over to a switchover target photo signal output terminal to which an optical path is newly connected from a pre-switchover photo signal output terminal through which the photo signal input terminal and the optical path are connected before the switchover, temporarily connecting the optical path to both of the pre-switchover photo signal output terminal and the switchover target photo signal output terminal.
The optical cross-connect of the present invention further comprises a second monitor circuit, disposed between the optical switch and the photo signal output unit, for monitoring a state of the output photo signal outputted from the optical switch. The optical cross-connect still further comprises a first monitor circuit, disposed between the optical switch and the photo signal input terminal, for monitoring a state of the input photo signal inputted to the optical switch.
A contrivance of the optical cross-connect according to the present invention is, in the case of switching over the optical path between the I/O terminals of the photo signals, not that the optical path is not switched over at one time but that there is performed a bridge connection of temporarily connecting the optical path to both of the pre-switchover photo signal output terminal and the switchover target photo signal output terminal. The monitor circuits for monitoring a state of the photo signals are disposed anterior and posterior to the input terminal and the output terminal of the optical switch, and are capable of monitoring the connectivity of the optical switch by comparing the states of the photo signals before and after the switching over the optical path with each other, especially the state of the photo signal outputted to the output terminal of the switch over target output terminal with the state of the photo signal before inputting to the optical switch.
In particular, with the connectivity monitor circuit being provided, it is feasible to monitor the connectivity of the optical switch from the connectivity information contained in the output photo signal and the input photo signal. The connectivity monitor circuit, if the connectivity information satisfies a predetermined fiducial quality of signal, outputs a control signal to a control circuit so that the optical switch executes a complete switchover from the pre-switchover photo signal output terminal to the switchover target photo signal output terminal.
Herein, the optical cross-connect of the present invention further comprises a photo signal cut-off unit, disposed between the photo signal input terminal and the optical switch, for cutting off the photo signal inputted to the optical switch from the photo signal input terminal. With this arrangement, other signals are inhibited from being inputted to the same optical path during the bridge connection. The control circuit controls the photo signal cut-off unit to cut off the photo signal inputted to the photo signal cut-off unit corresponding to the photo signal input terminal connected to the switchover target photo signal output terminal before switching over the optical path. Note that the connectivity information may be either an optical level of each of the input photo signal and the output photo signal or header information added to the input photo signal and to the output photo signal.
A wave-guide type optical switch can be applied as the optical switch incorporating the bridge connecting function used for the optical cross-connect of the present invention. A wave-guide type optical switch with a substrate composed of lithium niobate may be exemplified as the wave-guide type optical switch.
The optical cross-connect of the present invention may take such a configuration that the first monitor circuit includes a first optical splitter for splitting a part of the input photo signal and outputting the split input photo signal, and a light receiving element for monitoring the split input photo signal. The optical cross-connect may also take such a configuration that the first monitor circuit includes an optical level monitor circuit for monitoring an optical level of the input photo signal, a photoelectric converter for converting the input photo signal into an electric signal, and an electro-optic converter for converting the electric signal into a photo signal. Still another configuration which can be conceived is that the first monitor circuit includes a photoelectric converter for converting the input photo signal into an electric signal, an electric signal monitor circuit for monitoring the electric signal, and an electro-optic converter for converting the electric signal into a photo signal. Further, in the optical cross-connect, the first monitor circuit includes a photoelectric converter for converting the input photo signal into an electric signal, a header terminating circuit for terminating a header added to the photo signal, and an electro-optic converter for converting the electric signal into a photo signal.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, an optical cross-connect comprises a transmission-path-side input terminal for inputting a transmission path input photo signal transmitted from an optical transmission path, a transmitter-side input terminal for inputting a transmission photo signal transmitted from an optical transmitter, a transmission-path-side output terminal for outputting a transmission path output photo signal transmitted to the optical transmission path, a receiver-side output terminal for outputting a receiving photo signal transmitted to an optical receiver, and an optical switch for switching over an optical path between a photo signal input terminal including the transmission-path-side input terminal and the transmitter-side input terminal, and a photo signal output terminal including the transmission-path-side output terminal and the transmitter-side output terminal.
In the optical cross-connect having this construction according to the present invention, the optical switch has a bridge connecting function of, when the optical path is switched over to a switchover target photo signal output terminal to which the optical path is newly connected from a pre-switchover photo signal output terminal through which the optical path is connected to the photo signal input terminal before the switchover, temporarily connecting the optical path to both of the pre-switchover photo signal output terminal and the switchover target photo signal output terminal.
The optical cross-connect according to the second aspect of the present invention likewise further comprises a photo signal cut-off unit for cutting off an input of the transmission photo signal to the optical switch during a period for which the bridge connecting function of the optical switch works to temporarily connect the optical path to both of the pre-switchover photo signal output terminal and the switchover target photo signal output terminal. The connectivity information, the monitor circuits and the optical switch may take the same structures as those described above.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, an optical ADM (Add/Drop Multiplexer) can be constructed of a plurality of optical cross-connects of the present invention on the premise that the transmission path input signal, the transmission photo signal, the receiving photo signal and the transmission path output signal are inputted to one optical cross-connect and classified as photo signals belonging to the same wavelength band, and that the transmission path photo signals inputted to each optical cross-connect have wavelengths different from each other. Under this premise, the optical cross-connect may comprise an optical demultiplexer for demultiplexing transmission path input photo signals which are wavelength-multiplexed and outputting the demultiplexed photo signals to each of the optical cross-connects, and an optical coupler for coupling the transmission path output signals and outputting the coupled photo signals, thus constructing the optical ADM.
Furthermore, an optical transmission device can be also constructed of the optical ADM, described above. The optical ADM comprises a transmitting unit disposed at a transmitting-side terminal of the transmission path, and a receiving unit disposed at a receiving-side terminal of the transmission path. The transmitting unit includes an optical transmission terminal node for transmitting the photo signals belonging to the respective wavelength bands, and a transmitting-side optical coupler for coupling the photo signals and transmitting wavelength-multiplexed photo signals to the transmission path. On the other hand, the receiving unit includes an optical demultiplexer for demultiplexing the wavelength-multiplexed photo signals into the photo signals belonging to the respective wavelength bands, and an optical receiving terminal node for receiving the respective photo signals. In addition to the transmitting unit and the receiving unit, at least one optical ADM of the present invention is disposed on the transmission path, whereby the optical transmission device can be structured by use if the optical ADM.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, an optical ADM comprises, as a basic construction, a plurality of transmission-path-side input terminals for inputting transmission path input photo signals transmitted respectively from a plurality of optical transmission paths, a transmitter-side input terminal for inputting a transmission photo signal transmitted from an optical transmitter, transmission-path-side output terminals for outputting the transmission path output photo signals respectively outputted to the plurality of optical transmission paths, a receiver-side output terminal for outputting the receiving photo signal transmitted to an optical receiver, and an optical switch for switching over an optical path between a photo signal input terminal including the transmission-path-side input terminal and the transmitter-side input terminal, and a photo signal output terminal including the transmission-path-side output terminal and the receiver-side output terminal.
In such a construction, the optical switch has a bridge connecting function of, when the optical path is switched over to a switchover target photo signal output terminal to which the optical path is newly connected from a pre-switchover photo signal output terminal through which the optical path is connected to the photo signal input terminal before the switchover, temporarily connecting the optical path to both of the pre-switchover photo signal output terminal and the switchover target photo signal output terminal.
The optical transmission device using the optical ADM involves the use of the photo signals having the single wavelength but can be applied to the wavelength multiplexing transmission using the photo signals belonging to the wavelength bands different from each other. In the above-described construction, the transmission path input photo signals are defined as the wavelength-multiplexed photo signals in which the photo signals belonging to the wavelength bands different from each other are wavelength-multiplexed. The optical cross-connect incorporating the optical ADM function includes the optical transmitters the optical receivers, the transmission path input terminals, the transmission path output terminals, the transmitter-side input terminals and receiver-side output terminals, of which the numbers each correspond to the number of the photo signals belonging to the wavelength bands. The optical cross-connect further includes an optical demultiplexer, disposed between each of the transmission paths and the photo signal input terminal, for demultiplexing the wavelength-multiplexed photo signals into the photo signals having the respective wavelength bands, and an optical coupler, disposed between the photo signal output terminal and the transmission path, for wavelength-multiplexing the photo signals and outputting the wavelength-multiplexed photo signals to the transmission path.
Under this construction, the optical switch has a bridge connecting function of, when the optical path is switched over to a switchover target photo signal output terminal to which the optical path is newly connected from a pre-switchover photo signal output terminal through which the optical path is connected to the photo signal input terminal before the switchover between the photo signal input terminal and the photo signal output terminal of the photo signals belonging to the same wavelength band, temporarily connecting the optical path to both of the pre-switchover photo signal output terminal and the switchover target photo signal output terminal.
In the optical ADM of the present invention, in the same way as what has already been described, the monitor circuits are disposed between the optical switch and the photo signal output terminal and between the photo signal input terminal and the optical switch, and monitor the states of the photo signals before and after switching over the optical path. With this configuration, the connectivity monitor circuit is capable of monitoring the connectivity of the optical switch from the connectivity information contained in the output photo signal and the input photo signal. Similarly, the photo signal cut-off unit is disposed between the photo signal input terminal and the optical switch, whereby the photo signal inputted to the optical switch from the photo signal input terminal can be cut off.
The plurality of optical ADMs are arranged and connected as a network through the transmission paths, whereby an optical cross connect network system can be constructed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The phrase “a renewable resource” as used herein means any renewable resource, including, but not limited to, corn sugar or a fibrous residue remaining after sugarcane or sorghum stalks are crushed to extract their juice.
The present invention relates to a novel and unique personalizable stacked tire shaped ice chest, and methods of constructing and utilizing same.
It is a desideratum of the present invention to avoid the animadversions of conventional ice chests, and at the same time to provide a very convenient and unique personalizable stacked tire shaped ice chest. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laundry dryer, and more particularly, to a laundry dryer having a condenser assembly that is designed to prevent high temperature/moisture circulating air passing through a condenser and/or low temperature interior air introduced by a cooling fan from leaking through a gap formed on a front and/or rear sides of the condenser.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a drum-type laundry dryer is designed to perform the drying operation while rotating laundry loaded in a dry drum. The laundry rotates and drops by the rotation of the laundry drum. High-temperature dry air introduced into the dry drum is mixed with the laundry to vaporize the moisture soaked in the laundry. The laundry dryer may be classified into a condenser-type dryer and an exhaust-type dryer. The former is designed such that the air in the dry drum is directed to a condenser and a heater and is then returned to the dry drum. That is, the air circulates in the dryer without being exhausted out of the dryer. The latter is designed such that the air in the dry drum is directed to the condenser so that the moisture contained in the air can be eliminated and is then exhausted out of the dryer.
Describing in more detail, in the condenser-type dryer, the air circulating in the dryer absorbs the moisture from the laundry loaded in the drum and passes through the condenser to be lowered in its temperature by a heat-exchange. As the temperature of the air is lowered, the moisture contained in the air is condensed. The condensed water is pumped out by a condensing pump and is then exhausted to an exterior side.
In the exhaust-type dryer, high-temperature high-moisture air absorbing moisture from the laundry in the drum is exhausted out of the dryer via a lint filter.
In both the exhaust-type and condenser type dryers, as the laundry lifts and drops by the rotation of the drum, heat-exchange is briskly incurred.
Particularly, in the condenser type dryer, the condenser functioning to condense interior air formed into high temperature/moisture state while passing through an inside of the drum should be designed to maintain a perfect seal when it is assembled in a condenser receiving unit. When the perfect seal is not realized, the condensed water generated when the air in the drum passes through the condenser cannot be transferred to the sump but leaked out of the dryer. The moisture contained in the circulating air that is leaked out of the condenser may be condensed on a surface of a base in which the condensed water is received.
In addition, when the condenser is assembled in the dryer, frictional force is generated as a bottom of the condenser surface-contacts a bottom of the condenser receiving unit, thereby making it difficult to easily assembly the condenser in the dryer.
In addition, there is a need for a handle that can be used to remove the condenser when it is intended to clean and replace the condenser. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to medical imaging systems, and more particularly to diagnostic imaging systems which combines Computed Tomography (CT) with a Nuclear Medicine (NM) Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) system.
In CT imaging, a patient is placed in a gantry. The gantry can comprise a stationary frame for supporting a rotary member. The rotary member includes a central opening, or bore, large enough to receive a patient extending along the scanning axis. The rotary member is rotated about a patient during a scanning or imaging procedure. An x-ray tube can be positioned on the rotary member diametrically across the central opening from an array of x-ray detectors. As the rotary member rotates, the x-ray tube projects a beam of energy, or x-rays, along a scan plane, through a patient, and to the detector array. By rotating the x-ray source about the scanning axis and relative to the patient, x-rays are projected through a patient from many different directions. An image of the scanned portion of a patient can be constructed from data provided by the detector array using a computer.
In NM imaging, such as SPECT or PET imaging, radiopharmaceuticals are administered internally to a patient. Detectors (e.g., gamma cameras), typically installed on a gantry, capture the radiation emitted by the radiopharmaceuticals and this information is used, by a computer, to form images. The NM images primarily show physiological function of, for example, the patient or a portion of the patient being imaged.
In a NM system, it can be advantageous to collect CT information for purposes of attenuation correction, body shape planning, scouting specific organs, and other known benefits of CT data. It is needed to provide such a system that is low-cost and efficient. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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High power density requirements in III-Nitride lasers and light-emitting diodes, transistors, and solar cells has led to the demand for solid state cooling technology, in particular, for nitride-based alloys that can be integrated with GaN devices. In recent years thermoelectric devices have drawn significant attention due to their use in electronic cooling and heat recycling for electric power generation. A thermoelectric device creates a voltage when there is a different temperature on each side of the device. Conversely when a voltage is applied to it, it creates a temperature difference (known as the Peltier effect). This effect can be used to generate electricity, to measure temperature, and to heat or cool objects. Because the direction of heating and cooling is determined by the polarity of the applied voltage, thermoelectric devices make very convenient temperature controllers.
Much materials and structures research has been undertaken with respect to thermoelectric devices and the number of device applications has grown dramatically. The thermoelectric and device cooling applications of III-Nitride based alloys is yielding some promising results because they are non-toxic, highly thermally stable and radiation proof. III-Nitride devices in particular have been widely applied in high power, high temperature environments, and efficient thermal management is required for such broad applications in photonics, optoelectronics and electronics.
The thermoelectric properties for RF-sputtered AlInN have been reported (see, e.g., S. Yamaguchi, Y. Iwamura, and A. Yamamoto, Appl. Phys. Lett., 82, 2065 (2003); S. Yamaguchi, R. Izaki, K. Yamagiwa, K. Taki, Y. Iwamura, and A. Yamamoto, Appl. Phys. Lett., 83, 5398 (2003); S. Yamaguchi, R. Izaki, N. Kaiwa, S. Sugimura and A. Yamamoto, Appl. Phys. Lett., 84, 5344 (2004); and S. Yamaguchi, R. Izaki, Y. Iwamura, and A. Yamamoto, Physica Stat. Solidi (a), 201, 225 (2004)), as have the thermoelectric properties for MOVPE-grown InGaN (see, e.g., B. N. Pantha, R. Dahal, J. Li, J. Y. Lin, H. X. Jiang, and G. Pomrenke, Appl. Phys. Lett., 92, 042112 (2008), and B. N. Pantha, R. Dahal, J. Li, J. Y. Lin, H. X. Jiang, and G. Pomrenke, J. Electro. Mater., 38, 1132 (2009)).
AlInN prepared by an RF-sputtering method (leading to polycrystalline AlInN material) results in a material that has a poor Z*T value (=0.005, T=300K), which is unacceptable for thermoelectric devices. MOVPE-grown InGaN results in a single crystal InGaN material that has a poor Seebeck coefficient, which is also unacceptable for use in thermoelectric devices. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a feature extracting apparatus, a feature extracting method, an image processing apparatus, and a computer program for CALCULATING PIXEL FEATURES OF IMAGE.
2. Description of the Related Art
Techniques for extracting features of an image have conventionally been known. For example, a process of recognizing an object captured in an image includes two steps: extracting features from the image and recognizing the object using the extracted features. It is difficult to restore the information lost in the feature extracting process, which is previously performed, during the recognition process, which is subsequently performed. Thus, the feature extracting process, which is performed previously, is important to perform the recognition process properly.
A feature extracting method for recognizing human individuals and other objects in an image is disclosed by Navneet Dalal and Bill Triggs, “Histograms of oriented gradients for human detection,” the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR) 2005, vol. 1, pp. 886-893, 2005, as an example of the feature extracting process. Dalal et al. discloses that the image is divided into a plurality of areas in a grid pattern so that the values of bins in a luminance gradient direction histogram calculated for each area are used as features.
JP-A 2000-207566 (KOKAI) and “A Novel Shape Feature for Image Classification and Retrieval” by Rami Rautkorpi and Jukka Iivarinen in Proceedings of the International Conference on Image Analysis and Recognition, Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) 3211, Part I, pages 753-760, Porto, Portugal, Sep. 29 to Oct. 1, 2004 disclose a feature extracting method used for classifying various types of texture images. According to JP-A 2000-207566 (KOKAI), a matrix (i.e., a co-occurrence matrix) is used as features. The matrix has elements comprises the number of combinations expressed as P(i, j), where “j” denotes a gray level of a point obtained as a result of a parallel translation, of a predetermined distance and in a predetermined direction, from a point within the image of which the gray level is “i”. In texture images, because similar patterns repeatedly appear at regular distance intervals, the features expressing a co-occurrence of gray-level values in two points that are positioned away from each other by the distance of the regular interval are effective in the recognition of the texture. According to Rautkorpi et al., it is possible to extract a feature that is robust even in changes caused by, for example, illuminations, using a co-occurrence matrix of luminance gradient directions, instead of the gray-level values of the image.
According to Dalal et al., however, the feature is extracted for each of the areas that are divided and arranged in the form of a grid. Thus, each of the features reflects only the information in the corresponding area. To perform the recognition process properly, it is necessary to use not only local information but also global information that expresses relationships with distant areas.
In addition, according to JP-A 2000-207566 (KOKAI) and Rautkorpi et al., because the texture images are used as targets, a recognition process performed on an object that has few repeatedly-appearing patterns (e.g., a person) is not taken into consideration. | {
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As display technique advances, more and more AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode) display panel appears on the market, in comparison to the conventional TFT LCD (Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display), the AMOLED display panel has advantages of low energy consumption, low production cost, self-luminescence, wide viewing angle and fast response etc. With development of the touch screen technique and as required by the market, overall module thinning is a market development trend, thus the touch architecture develops from touch sensor plug-in to touch sensor built-in, as such, not only thinning of thickness of the touch panel can be implemented, meanwhile costs of the touch screen technique can also be reduced to a large scale, currently, there are three main types of the built-in touch panel: resistive touch panel, capacitive touch panel, and optical touch panel. Therefore, the built-in touch control technique being integrated into the organic electroluminescent display panel can syncretize the advantages of the two, enhance market competitiveness.
However, in a pixel circuit that drives OLED to emit light, because of the manufacturing process and aging of the components, as well as other reasons such as temperature change during operating process, a threshold voltage Vth of a driving transistor in the pixel circuit has unevenness, which results in that a current that flows through OLED at each pixel dot changes so that display brightness is uneven, thus display effect of an entire image is affected. Furthermore, in general, a touch electrode of the built-in touch panel adopting the self-capacitance touch control technique has a parasitic capacitance, which mainly comes from signal lines for transmitting various control signals on the touch panel, so, in order to improve touch control performance of the touch panel, it needs to reduce the parasitic capacitance of the touch electrode.
Accordingly, how to integrate the touch control function into the organic electroluminescent display panel and improve touch control display performance of the display panel is an urgent problem that needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a rapidly advancing technology which provides new opportunities for the enhanced visualization of anatomic, physiologic, and pathologic features by using a single diagnostic imaging modality. This technology is based on the principle that protons within body tissues and fluids can absorb and then subsequently emit radio frequency (RF) signals when placed in a strong magnetic field. It is the detection of the emitted RF signals from three-dimensional tissue voxels that provides data for the spatial location and contrast discrimination of specific tissues, which are ultimately displayed as pixels comprising a two-dimensional MR image. The intensity of each individual pixel is determined by several biophysical characteristics of the tissue within the voxel. These characteristics include longitudinal relaxation rate (T.sub.1), transverse relaxation rate (T.sub.2), proton density, and flow velocity and direction. To emphasize contrast patterns of specific tissues, different image acquisition parameters or pulse sequences are utilized to produce various types of "weighted" images. The selection of different pulse sequences allows for the generation of spin echo images that are T.sub.1 -weighted, T.sub.2 -weighted, or proton density weighted. Furthermore, gradient echo pulse sequences, or "fast scans", can be utilized to obtain images that possess additional unique tissue-contrast patterns. In each type of image, individual tissues appear differently based on their own inherent biophysical characteristics.
Because the intensity characteristics of individual tissues in different types of MR images are dependent on the pulse sequence parameters selected for image acquisition, various persons have attempted to develop both gray-tone and color display methods for tissue characterization, based on pattern recognition or multispectral analysis techniques using multispectral MR image sets. In color cathode ray tube (CRT) systems and in color raster graphics, the process of additive color mixing creates a spectrum of colors through the superimposition of red, green, and blue visible light regions. Additive color mixing has also been utilized in the National Aeronautic and Space Agency (NASA) LANDSAT satellite imagery system to generate color composites from multispectral image sets. In this system, multiband infrared images are remapped to each of the three primary colors and then superimposed on one another to form a single image possessing a spectral scheme that is based on additive RGB color combinations of spatially aligned pixels. Because of their multiband nature, this same type of image processing has been utilized to generate RGB composites from sets of different types of MRI. Advantages include the potential for a more realistic appearance in computer-generated images, enhanced ability of the viewer to interpret different types of data present in an image, and since color images may display variable hue, saturation, and brightness values much more information may be conveyed to the viewer.
Vannier et al have demonstrated computer-generated color displays by producing classified images with enhanced discrimination of different body tissues and fluids, as set forth in Multispectral Magnetic Resonance Image Analysis, (Crit. Rev. Biomed. Eng., 15:117-144, 1987). Vannier has produced color composites by assigning red or green or blue (RGB) to two or three channels to produce the composite. A problem with this type of system is that the arbitrary and simple direct assignment of one image to red, another to green, and a third to blue, limits the channels to three, and usually does not provide desired visual characteristics to allow for semi-natural tissue appearances. Furthermore, Koenig et al in Pattern Recognition for Tissue Characterization in MR Imaging (Health Care Instrum., 1:184-187, 1986) investigates the area of pattern recognition for tissue classification. Koenig et al classified four types of tissue by pixels defined by a feature vector which contained information from computed MR parameters. These parameters were represented by gray value, neighborhood relations and texture. The image acquisition parameters or pulse sequences used were non-standard or not the routine protocol for brain MR imaging. In Koenig's methods, multiplication of a feature vector by different functions maps a pixel into a decision space so that pixelwise classification is accomplished by the decision for the maximum components of the estimation factor. In other words, this is a statistical classification scheme which creates high contrast, gray-tone masks which map the highest probability class based on a priori training of a classifier function. Such classification methods are important and hold promise but are generally not clinically feasible due to the requirement for training the classifiers, the inherent problems of "computer diagnosis" and consequent physician non-acceptance. Since it segments tissue types by a strictly mathematically method, there is a potential for misclassification of volume averaged or continuous gradient intensities which are common in MRI. Kamman et al in Unified Multiple-feature Color Display for MR Images (Magn. Reson. Med., 9:240-253, 1989) has proposed a color display method based on calculated T.sub.1 and T.sub.2 relaxation times, as well as the proton density, of particular tissues of interest. Color images that simultaneously represent both T.sub.1 and T.sub.2 relaxation times were generated by mixing the primary colors of R, G, B. However, a color scale is required to interpret color "code" and this method is limited to three channels, T.sub.1 and T.sub.2 comprised of images which are not in the same visual format (calculated images) as would be viewed for standard and routine MRI diagnostic evaluation.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,150, issued Sep. 1, 1987 in the name of Mayo, Jr., a method of producing a color overlayed image taken from a monochrome image is described. The method includes the steps of scanning for the image, i.e., MRI, storing the image in memory, and thereafter filtering the image by utilizing a dividing circuit and an average value circuit. The divided image along with the background information is sent to several ROMs associated each with the red, green and blue outputs. The ROMs include look-up tables which determine the values of the red, green and blue. Thereafter, the output signals from the RGB are sent to digital to analog converter for display on a CRT monitor. The patent produces a pseudocolor component thematic mapping limited to two channels in which a second image treatment is modulated by its pixel values' relationship to corresponding pixel values of the first image. The pseudocolor images produced provide two images which convey to different parameters.
A second U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,831 issued Dec. 6, 1988 in the name of Mayo, Jr. describes a similar method to his previously mentioned method in that a first image is used as an intensity image while a second image is used to tint the first image. This hue being determined by the sign and magnitude of deviation of the second from the first image. This method appears to be limited to two images (T.sub.1 and T.sub.2), does not produce seminatural color assignments and may create visually confusing color images.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,165, issued Mar. 5, 1991 in the name of Linstrom discloses a method of selectively changing monochrome color signals to color in diagnostic imaging. The method includes receiving the video signal of a monochrome image, stripping- the synchronizing signal therefrom, and sending same through an analog and digital converter for digitization of each pixel. The signal is thereafter sent to three memories each associated with red, green and blue and each comprising a different look-up table depending upon the magnitude of the monochrome image. The look-up tables assign a value to each of the pixels depending upon whether it is a low, medium or high magnitude in the video signal, i.e., intensity. The output of the RGBs are sent to a digital to analog converter thereafter to a monitor. The Linstrom patent is basically a pseudocolor method to apply color to a single achromatic or gray-tone image so that the single image pixel intensity values have been assigned colors. The application of this method appears to be primarily for single parameter modalities. It is therefore limited to a single channel or image.
Although the color display methods previously described have yielded images with enhanced differentiation of various tissues and fluids, most of the images that have been generated possess unnatural color combinations that often require special legends or understanding the often complex algorithms used in order to facilitate their interpretation by the viewer. Furthermore, many of the methods produce either pseudocolor or arbitrarily assigned false color composites. The pseudocolor is applied to single parameter images, and produces unnatural boundaries or contours non-existent in the original image based upon applying color by using ranges of pixel values. In false color, when R, G, B are each assigned to an image the following results are expected.
If a spatially corresponding pixel has a high intensity on all images, the composite pixel is white, if one pixel is high and red, a second is medium intensity and green, and a third is dim and blue the false color composite will be orange, etc. The composite color is simply based on the linear combination of the component monochrome pixels' hues, saturations and intensities (colors) into a resultant voxel.
The problem with pseudocolor images is that with multiple pulse sequence MR the difference in pixel value ranges within one image conveys only spatial information for that "weighting". Using the intensity of a pixel as an address for color look-up table assignments produces a single parameter image displayed as sharply designated regions indicating some finite number of divisions of pixel intensity range. This is fine for single parameter displays such as thermography. However, this creates visually confusing spatial images with artificial contours. Furthermore, reference to a color code table would be required for interpretation as in thermography. For there reasons, pseudocolor methods do not produce semi-natural, visually coherent, or intuitively transparent color images. The artificial graded contours in what should have been smooth gray-tone transition introduces false and misleading spatial information. This is very troublesome in diagnostic radiology.
Additionally, the information which is intended to be conveyed is the relative intensity of corresponding pixels in each of the channels or images of the multiparameter set. This point is well appreciated in the prior art as multispectral analysis, pattern recognition and other statistical classifications algorithms. These are important and appropriate applications for multiparameter data. However, the same introduction of artificial contours, the subjectivity to inhomogeneous field strength and other instrumental variations pose very significant problems for a strictly quantitative statistical classification approach to providing a thematic map representing specific tissues and fluids.
Advantages of color image display, in contrast to achromatic or monochromatic presentation, include the potential for a more realistic appearance, enhanced information processing, and increased ability of the viewer to discriminate and interpret related and unrelated data. Moreover, while each display point in a gray-tone image possesses intensity as its only variable, each display point in a color image has three variable attributes hue, saturation, and intensity, which allows greater information capacity within the display. | {
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Conventionally, as one method of mechanically and electrically interconnecting first and second circuit boards 8 and 9 whose surfaces are at least partially opposed to each other as shown in FIG. 7, there is known a method using a connector structure by which a first connector block 81 one-piece formed with the first circuit board 8 is connected to a second connector block 91 one-piece formed with the second circuit board 9 (see, e.g., JP Patent No. 4059522).
The first connector block 81 includes conductor protrusions 81a making electrical conduction with circuit patterns 8a of the first circuit board 8 and protruding from one surface of the first circuit board 8.
The second connector block 91 includes slit portions 9b formed in the second circuit board 9 to have a substantially cross-like shape, conductor portions 9c (see FIG. 8) formed on one surface of the second circuit board 9 along the peripheral edges of the slit portions 9b to make electrical conduction with circuit patterns 9a of the second circuit board 9, and a reinforcing plate 9e made of a substantially flat metal plate and bonded to the other surface of the second circuit board 9. The reinforcing plate 9e has insertion holes 9d formed in alignment with the slit portions 9b.
If the conductor protrusions 81a of the first connector block 81 are inserted into the slit portions 9b at one side of the second connector block 91, the conductor protrusions 81a and the slit portions 9b are fitted and connected to each other. The conductor protrusions 81a and the conductor portions 9c make electrical conduction with each other. Thus the first circuit board 8 and the second circuit board 9 are electrically and mechanically connected to each other.
In the connector structure using the first and second connector blocks 81 and 91 one-piece formed with the first and second circuit boards 8 and 9, it is however impossible to replace only the first connector blocks 81 and/or the second connector block 91 when a trouble is generated in the first connector block 81 and/or the second connector block 91. This poses a problem in that the first circuit board 8 or the second circuit board 9 needs to be replaced as a whole.
Due to the formation of the slit portions 9b, the strength of the second circuit board 9 is reduced in the vicinity of the slit portions 9b. This imposes a restriction in that electronic parts such as an IC and the like cannot be mounted to the second circuit board 9 near the second connector block 91 having the slit portions 9b. This leads to a problem in that the degree of freedom of circuit design gets lowered. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to integrated circuit (IC) testing, and in particular is concerned with an apparatus for burn-in of integrated circuits mounted on a carrier tape.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A known method of bonding and packaging integrated circuits or chips is tape automated bonding or "TAB". In this method, chips are bonded to a carrier tape for form a supply. The tapes are stored on reels for use in automated operations in known manners.
Generally, the carrier tapes range in width from 8 mm. to 70 mm. and are multi-layered structures with an insulating film base and a conductive layer (typically gold-plated copper). Desired patterns are formed in the tape to define chip mounting locations on the tape. The conductive layer is patterned to define leads which will make contact with the chip and then fan out. An IC chip is positioned adjacent the mounting location so that chip contact pads are aligned with the leads. In a single operation, all pads are thermally bonded to their respective leads simultaneously.
The TAB process provides a convenient way of handling IC components in automated assembly operations. The webs of tape with mounted ICs may be wound as reels and may be transported to desired locations for testing and assembly and the like. Utilization of a TAB system provides an economical and reliable means of assembling, bonding, and handling integrated circuits.
It is common to perform "burn-in" of integrated circuit (IC) chips by subjecting the chips to elevated temperatures for an extended period of time while electrically exercising them. This may involve either dynamic or static exercising of the IC chips. The purpose of burn-in is to cause failure of those chips which would exhibit an unacceptably short life in normal operation. Any chip which fails during burn-in is weeded out as a reject during subsequent testing, after the chip has been removed from the burn-in environment.
In the past, this burn-in procedure has been performed by mounting the ICs in individual sockets of a burn-in circuit board. This has required, in the case of ICs mounted on tape using a TAB process, that the ICs be severed from the tape at the time of burn-in, and that the ICs be handled individually thereafter. | {
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The present invention relates to a combined wall mount and electrical outlet box unit.
By way of background, in the past wall mounts having the general outer configuration shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings were supplied with a solid front wall having score marks thereon. In use, the installer had to cut out an opening in the shape of the perimeter of the electrical outlet box from the front wall. However, this was a time-consuming and tedious task because the wall mounts were fabricated of tough polyethylene plastic or metal. Thereafter, a separate conventional electric outlet box was slid into the opening which was cut out in the wall mount. This outlet box was of conventional shape, and, as noted above, it had an outer perimeter which was the size of the opening which was cut into the face of the wall mount. There were no connections between the wall mount and the electrical outlet box other than the contact therebetween at the cutout portion in the face of the wall mount. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a novel class of antibacterial compounds and more specifically, the present invention is directed to a novel class of antibacterial compounds which are termed soft N-chloramino alcohol derivatives as described later. The term "antibacterial" as employed in this application, includes both "antifungal" and "antibacterial" activity.
2. Description of the Prior Art
N-chloramines such as the N-chlorinated naturally occurring amino acids as well as their derivatives are presently known. However, in the main, these compounds have not been isolated, or if isolated, can undergo rapid and often explosive decomposition. Illustrative of such a compound undergoing explosive decomposition upon isolation is methyl N-chlorosarcosinoate. James J. Kaminski, Nicolae Bodor and Takeru Higuchi; J. Pharm. Sci., 64, 0000 (1975).
Similarly, simple chloramines (e.g., chloramine per se) can undergo disproportionation, providing as one by-product NCl.sub.3, a well-known toxic material.
Due to the low water solubility and low boiling point of simple chloramines, they simply evaporate too quickly from an aqueous solution, and as such, a sterilizing aqueous solution containing a simple chloramine is characterized by extremely low persistency.
Moreover, the simple chloramines (e.g., NH.sub.2 Cl, NHCl.sub.2) are known to be readily deactivated by denaturing agents (e.g., horse serum), thus quickly diminishing the antibacterial activity of such compounds.
Methyl-.alpha.-N,N-dichloroaminoisobutyrate is also known, but only to the extent that it has been used to study the mechanism and kinetics of the dimerization of N,N-dichloro derivatives in strong bases. As such, no known antibacterial utility has been recognized for this compound. See, A. M. Pinchuk, L. N. Markovskii and G. K. Bespalko, Zh. Org. Khim., 7, 2263 (1971) and Julius J. Fuchs, U.S. Pat. No. 3,530,162 (1970). | {
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This invention relates in general to devices used for cathode sputtering and in particular to a new and useful target for cathode sputtering apparatus.
The invention relates to a target plate for cathode sputtering. Such target plates are made from the material to be sputtered in a respective apparatus in which a layer of this material or, with the presence of a chemically active residual gas in the sputtering apparatus, a chemical compound of the target material with the active gas is to be deposited on substrate surfaces.
With apparatus of large capacity, the cathode plates, being bombarded with ions, are frequently exposed to a very high thermal load and must be cooled, to dissipate the thermal energy in excess. Nevertheless, with high performances, the problem arises that the cathode plates, when pressed against a cooled support while being rigidly clamped at their edges, as usual, warp due to thermal expansion and disengage from this support, so that the cooling ceases to be satisfactory and the target material is heated to a too high temperature. The material then becomes plastically deformable and may finally even melt.
To prevent a failure of this kind, it has already been attempted to braze or weld the backside of the target plate to the cooled support. Such a connection however, must be made very carefully, otherwise the target plate may still disengage from the support; in any case, this brazing or welding is expensive. Up to now, it has proved most satisfactory to firmly screw the target plate to the cooled support at the periphery and also to provide securing with screws at the center of the plate, to prevent detachment in this area. | {
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A 3rd generation partnership project long term evolution (3GPP LTE) (hereinafter, referred to as ‘LTE’) communication system which is an example of a wireless communication system to which the present invention can be applied will be described in brief.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a network structure of an Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (E-UMTS) which is an example of a wireless communication system. The E-UMTS is an evolved version of the conventional UMTS, and its basic standardization is in progress under the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The E-UMTS may be referred to as a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system. Details of the technical specifications of the UMTS and E-UMTS may be understood with reference to Release 7 and Release 8 of “3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network”.
Referring to FIG. 1, the E-UMTS includes a User Equipment (UE), base stations (eNode B; eNB), and an Access Gateway (AG) which is located at an end of a network (E-UTRAN) and connected to an external network. The base stations may simultaneously transmit multiple data streams for a broadcast service, a multicast service and/or a unicast service.
One or more cells exist for one base station. One cell is set to one of bandwidths of 1.44, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 MHz to provide a downlink or uplink transport service to several user equipments. Different cells may be set to provide different bandwidths. Also, one base station controls data transmission and reception for a plurality of user equipments. The base station transmits downlink (DL) scheduling information of downlink data to the corresponding user equipment to notify the corresponding user equipment of time and frequency domains to which data will be transmitted and information related to encoding, data size, and hybrid automatic repeat and request (HARQ). Also, the base station transmits uplink (UL) scheduling information of uplink data to the corresponding user equipment to notify the corresponding user equipment of time and frequency domains that can be used by the corresponding user equipment, and information related to encoding, data size, and HARQ. An interface for transmitting user traffic or control traffic may be used between the base stations. A Core Network (CN) may include the AG and a network node or the like for user registration of the user equipment. The AG manages mobility of the user equipment on a Tracking Area (TA) basis, wherein one TA includes a plurality of cells.
Although the wireless communication technology developed based on WCDMA has been evolved into LTE, request and expectation of users and providers have continued to increase. Also, since another wireless access technology is being continuously developed, new evolution of the wireless communication technology will be required for competitiveness in the future. In this respect, reduction of cost per bit, increase of available service, use of adaptable frequency band, simple structure and open type interface, proper power consumption of the user equipment, etc. are required.
In order to assist an eNB and efficiently managing a wireless communication system, a UE periodically and/or aperiodically reports state information about a current channel to the eNB. The reported channel state information may include results calculated in consideration of various situations, and accordingly a more efficient reporting method is needed. | {
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A fuel delivery module is a device inside a fuel tank that allows a vehicle to perform under conditions of low fuel remaining in the fuel tank. The module includes a reservoir that is kept continuously full by, for example, a jet pump, even when the remainder of the tank is nearly empty. For these devices to function properly, an opening in the bottom of the reservoir is typically provided to allow fuel to flow from the tank into the reservoir. When the vehicle is turned off, this opening must be closed to contain fuel in the reservoir so that the fuel pump can receive fuel when the vehicle is restarted. A valve is used to keep the fuel from back-flowing from the reservoir to the fuel tank.
The valve in the reservoir can be contaminated and made not to function by large particles of dirt or debris that cause the valve to stick open. Thus, there is a need to prevent large particles from reaching the valve. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the information introducing device of an electronic flash unit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An electronic flash unit to be mounted on a camera to illuminate an object has recently become designed to exchange a plurality of bits of information with the camera and moreover, the types of information are in a tendency toward increase. The information transmitted includes a synchro signal produced in response to the shutter mechanism of the camera, a charging completion signal of the flash unit, and a signal warning of the impropriety of the set value of the shutter speed of the camera and in addition, in an electronic flash unit having the function of automatically controlling the quantity of emitted light so as to be fit for the object being photographed, information such as film speed and aperture value supplied from the camera body. Such information is usually transmitted as electrical signals through a plurality of electrical contacts provided in the coupling portion between the camera and the flash unit. However, as the types of information exchanged increase, the number of the electrical contacts and the number of the electric circuits including the electric circuit necessary for the supply of the information and the electric circuit necessary for the detection of the information increase to complicate the device.
On the other hand, some of such information is manually set by moving or displacing an operating member provided on the camera body or the flash unit. In most cases, the setting of exposure factors such as, for example, film speed and shutter speed is accomplished by rotating a dial device provided on the upper portion of the camera body. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,147 (German Pat. No. 29,16,353), applicant has proposed the technique of transmitting the amount of displacement of the film speed setting dial on the camera body to the flash unit inresponse to the mounting of the flash unit onto the camera. | {
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A half slotted container (HSC) is a common construction for forming corrugated cardboard containers. This type of container is typically formed from a blank that includes front, back and side wall panels connected in series at vertical edges along fold lines, and lower flaps may extend from lower edges of the panels for folding inwardly to form a container bottom. The blank can be folded about the vertical edges to position an end of the blank defining an edge of a side panel in association with an opposing end of the blank defining an edge of one of the front or back panels to form a joint that is typically adhered together by a manufacturer to form a rectangular tube. The blank formed with the manufacturer's joint can be collapsed and provided to an end user where the blank can be reconfigured to a rectangular tube and the flaps folded perpendicular to the panels to form a bottom surface for the container. | {
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The present invention relates to medical diagnostic X-ray imaging. In particular, the present invention relates to photon counting and energy discrimination to image selected and specific types of tissue or other structure.
Today, doctors and technicians commonly have access to very sophisticated medical diagnostic X-ray imaging devices. Typically during the operation of an X-ray imaging device, an X-ray source emits X-ray photons under very controlled circumstances. The X-ray photons travel through a region of interest (ROI) of a patient under examination and impinge upon a detector. In the past, X-ray imaging devices employed rudimentary film based detectors. However, recent developments have led to solid state detectors comprised of a grid of discrete detector elements that individually respond to exposure by X-ray photons. Regardless of the detector used, however, the goal remains the same, namely, to produce a clear resultant image of preselected structures of interest (e.g., specific types of tissues) within the ROI.
There is an inherent difficulty associated with producing a clear resultant image, however. In particular, because the X-ray photons travel through the entire patient, the image formed on the detector is a superposition of all the anatomic structures through which X-ray photons pass, including the preselected structures of interest. The superposition of anatomic structures is sometimes referred to as xe2x80x9canatomic noisexe2x80x9d. The effect of anatomic noise on the resultant image is to produce clutter, shadowing, and other obscuring effects that render the resultant image much less intelligible than the ideal clear resultant image.
Past attempts to reduce the effects of anatomic noise included, for example, xe2x80x9cdual-energyxe2x80x9d imaging. When employing dual-energy imaging, a doctor or technician acquired two images each with different average X-ray photon energies. Because different internal structures absorb different X-ray photon energies to different extents, it was possible to combine the two resultant images to suppress anatomic noise. Past dual-energy techniques typically proceeded in one of two ways.
A first approach used two stacked detectors. A single exposure then produced a first image in the first detector. Some X-ray photons continued through the first detector to impinge upon the second detector. The first and second detectors were designed to sense different average energies, thereby producing two images of the ROI corresponding to the two average X-ray photon energies. However, beyond the additional cost and complexity stemming from use of two stacked detectors, it was often difficult to obtain a large X-ray photon energy response separation between the two detectors. This caused the images produced by combining the two images using an algorithm designed to reduce anatomic noise to have poor contrast to noise ratio.
A second approach used a single detector and two exposures each with different average X-ray photon energy. Although this approach avoids the difficulties associated with the stacked detector, it suffers from its own problems. For example, patients often moved between exposures, thereby producing images of somewhat different internal structure between the two exposures. Furthermore, the X-ray source had to include additional circuitry to support selection of the specific X-ray photon energy to be produced.
A need has long existed in the industry for an imaging method that addresses the problems noted above and previously experienced.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides, for an X-ray imaging system, a method for energy dependent imaging of a region of interest. The method includes the step of exposing an X-ray detector to X-ray photons during an examination period, and separating the X-ray photons into two groups, those with energies above a selected energy threshold, and those with energies below a selected energy threshold.
The X-ray photons with energy above the threshold are counted to provide a first energy photon count, while the X-ray photons with energy below the threshold are counted to provide a second energy photon count. The method stores the first energy photon count and the second energy photon count in a memory as examination data, and produces an image by applying an image processing technique to the examination data.
Another preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an X-ray imaging system adapted for energy dependent imaging of a region of interest. The imaging system includes an X-ray detector responsive to X-ray photons during an examination period, an X-ray energy photon discriminator (with a variable energy threshold control input) coupled to the X-ray detector, and a memory connected to a processor.
The memory stores instructions for execution by the processor for reading a first energy photon count of X-ray photons above a selected energy threshold, and for reading a second energy photon count of X-ray photons below the selected energy threshold. The memory also includes instructions that direct the processor to store the first energy photon count and the second energy photon count in the memory as examination data, and apply an image processing technique to the examination data to produce an image. | {
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To understand how prior art brackets for venetian blinds have worked, one must first understand the construction of venetian blind headrails. The headrails typically extend the full width of the venetian blind. They typically are U-shaped comprising a bottom web having two parallel flanges extending perpendicular from the respective edges of the web. Finally, the flanges terminate in inwardly curled lips. The resulting structure forms a channel into which the inwardly curled lips extend.
Heretofore, brackets for venetian blind headrails have usually been mounted at the ends of such headrails. Such conventional brackets have usually been supplied in pairs of differing configuration, one for each end of the headrail. Said brackets frequently have had a hinged door, which when opened, encapsulate the U-shaped channel of the headrail.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,423 to Vecchiarelli disclosed a typical bracket of this type. Because the end brackets extend above the headrail, they are readily observable. Thus, such brackets must be painted to match the headrail. This is a disadvantage by virtue of the large quantities of various colored brackets that must be kept in inventory. The use of such brackets also leave a gap between the top of the headrail and the ceiling to which they are attached thereby allowing excessive light to enter the room. Therefore, inventors have created several types of brackets in order to overcome the aforementioned problems:
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,818 to Georgopoulos discloses a bracket that has two shelves on which the lips of the headrail rest. The headrail is secured to the Georgopoulos bracket by causing one of the flanges to ride up on the edge of one of the shelves until the lip of the flange is resting on the shelf while the other flange is already suspended from the opposite shelf.
Since the support shelves described in the Georgopoulos Patent are not flexible, the flanges of the headrail must be flexible or else the headrail cannot be attached to the bracket. Removal of the headrail is only accomplished by rotating the bracket within the channel of the headrail with a tool, such as a screwdriver, so as to remove the support shelves from under the lips of the headrail. This seriously limits the removal of the bracket to situations where the top of the channel is openly accessible so that the bracket can be manually rotated within the channel. Because of the need to rotate the bracket for removal, the bracket cannot be tightly affixed to the mounting surface. Another problem is that the Georgopoulos bracket must be attached to another angled bracket for vertical mounting.
Another example of a relevant prior art bracket is U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,644 to Oskam. Oskam discloses a complex bracket which causes a U shaped channel to be attached at any place along the open side. However, the bracket is made by the combination of several separate pieces, which make it expensive to produce and difficult to mount.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,224,974 to Anderson, et al. discloses a bracket which uses parallel tangs to lock the bracket in the channel of the headrail, and which releases the bracket from the channel by rotating the base member until the tangs become disengaged. However, in order to release the channel there must be access to the base member so that the base can be rotated. This is not always possible where the channel is necessarily recessed.
To mount the Anderson, et al. bracket to a vertical surface, an additional bracket must be used. Unfortunately, the bracket allows excessive light to enter from above the channel as a result of the base member extending above the channel. Moreover, because the base member must rotate in order to remove the headrail, the bracket cannot be tightly affixed to the mounting surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,706 to Anderson discloses a bracket that may be secured to the headrail at any point along the channel. However, the bracket is made by a combination of separate parts. Thus, it is expensive to produce and subject to sticking and binding. By necessity, the bracket extends above the top of the U-shaped channel thus causing excessive light to enter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,443 issued to Rowe, while covering a form of venetian blind bracket, does not possess the snap on characteristics of the present invention. Rowe utilizes a cumbersome two-piece structure requiring additional time and energy to assemble. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to lithography for semiconductor fabrication, and in particular, to utilizing a liquid medium through which a semiconductor substrate is illuminated during optical lithography. More particularly, the present invention relates to an immersion lithography method and apparatus that employs a contained wafer immersion cell to increase the numerical aperture while minimizing sources of photolithographic light obstruction.
2. Background Information
Lithography, in the context of building integrated circuits (ICs) such as microprocessors and memory chips, is a highly specialized printing process used to put detailed patterns onto silicon wafers. An image containing the desired pattern is projected onto the wafer through a mask defining the pattern. Prior to light projection through the mask, the wafer is coated with a thin layer of photosensitive etch resistant material called “photoresist” or “resist”. For a positive acting resist, for example, the bright parts of the image pattern cause chemical reactions which cause the resist material to become more soluble, and thus dissolve away in a developer liquid, wherein the dark portions of the image remain insoluble. After development, the resist forms a stenciled pattern across the wafer surface which accurately matches the desired mask pattern. Finally, the pattern is permanently transferred onto the wafer surface in an etching process wherein, for example, a chemical etchant is used to etch the portions of the wafer surface not protected by resist; or the pattern may be transferred by ion implantation in which the resist pattern prevents ions from reaching portions of the wafer surface.
With the image resolution of lithography as a limiting factor in the scaling of IC devices, improvements in lithographic components and techniques are critical to the continued development of more advanced and compact ICs. The optical lithography scaling limitation for feature width is expressed by the Rayleigh equation:
W = k λ NA where k is the resolution factor, λ is the wavelength of the exposing radiation, and NA is the numerical aperture. NA may be determined by the acceptance angle of the lens and the index of refraction of the medium surrounding the lens, as follows:NA=n sin α where n is the index of refraction of the medium between the lens and the image plane and α is the acceptance angle of the lens.
Faced with problems and limitations relating to using shorter wavelength light sources, optical lithography developers have increasingly looked for ways of increasing the NA of lithography systems. Having low radiation absorption characteristics and for ease of implementation, air has traditionally been used as the transmitting medium. However, having an index of refraction n=1, air as the transmitting medium presents a clear limit to the NA and consequently to the minimum scaling size. Immersion lithography, in which a liquid having a higher index of refraction is used as the medium, is therefore rapidly emerging as an important candidate for upcoming semiconductor lithography applications.
Several immersion lithography techniques are known in the art. One approach, sometimes referred to as the “swimming pool” method, involves wholly or partially submerging the wafer stage, wafer and lens in a pool of immersion fluid, typically water. This technique is referred to as the “bathtub” method when the pool is circulating. Another approach, commonly referred to as the “shower” method, employs nozzles to inject water between the lens and the wafer wherein a suction port for liquid recovery uptakes the injected liquid on the opposite side of the lens after it passes under the lens.
While the foregoing techniques represent progress in the development of this new technology, a number of practical implementation issues remain, including maintaining a pure, non-obstructing transmission medium and compatibility of the tools and wafer with the liquid medium. Purified and degassed water, having a light absorption of 5% at working distances up to 6 mm and an index of refraction n=1.47, may be a suitable medium for immersion lithography. However, problems remain relating to the tendency to form bubbles during the scanning processing. The stage on a lithography exposure tool steps from location to location across a wafer scanning the reticle image for each field. To achieve high throughput, the stage must accelerate rapidly through the immersion fluid, move accurately to the next field location, settle, scan the image and then step to the next location all in a short period of time.
A water medium is susceptible to forming micro bubbles and nano bubbles in the cavitation prone water layer near the moving surfaces, resulting in imaging obstruction and anomalies. Anomalous effects can include absorption, scatter, or an induced birefringent effect with the directional flow of the fluid. Microbubble formation is particularly acute on or adjacent the cavities present in the relatively rough topography at the resist/wafer surface. In addition to problems associated with maintaining purity of the liquid, prior art immersion lithography techniques require substantial redesign of stages for compatibility in a submerged liquid environment requiring significant re-engineering and adding to development costs. Included among the many issues posed by conventional immersion lithography are modifications to lens design and lens casing for compatibility with the resist and immersion liquid, and maintaining immersion liquid properties such as purity, temperature, etc.
From the foregoing, it can be appreciated that a need exists for an improved immersion lithography system and method that substantially increases the NA while minimizing obstruction and distortion of the scanned image. The present invention addresses such a need. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Agrochemical active ingredient: in the context of this invention, this expression refers to any substance with an activity on soil, fauna, or flora, which could refer to (without being limited thereto) a molecule with a herbicidal, pesticidal, or fungicidal effect, a fertilizer, or a defoliant. For the sake of better comprehension, the Application may use the shortened expression “active ingredient”, in order to designate the “agrochemical active ingredient”.
HASE: acronym for Hydrophobically Alkali Swellable Emulsion. This term refers to acrylic thickeners based on a (meth)acrylic acids, an ester of these acids, and a monomer comprising at least one hydrophobic unit. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a cast molding apparatus by which a molded article is obtained by infusing (pouring) a liquid resin into a mold, wherein the resin is then hardened by exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally speaking, in processes for developing new products, in order to undertake various confirmations of the appearance and so forth of the product, reproductions of the product must first be manufactured. For example, a method of vacuum cast molding in which silicon rubber is used as a forming matrix has been widely known. More specifically, first a master model, which is a prototype of the molded product, is manufactured, and the master model is then embedded inside a liquid silicon rubber composite which is hardened by being subjected to additional applied heating. Subsequently, after the silicon rubber composite article has hardened, the master model is removed therefrom and a heat-curable resin is poured into the mold, wherein the heat curable resin becomes hardened under the application of applied heat, thereby obtaining the reproduced article.
Incidentally, it is desirable to manufacture such reproduced articles within a short time period. However, the hardening of heat-curable resins requires considerable time. Therefore, for example, a manufacturing method is known according to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 3-11471, wherein according to this reference, an ultraviolet curable liquid resin (an epoxy resin or an acrylic reactant resin) is infused into a mold made from a transparent RTV silicon composite (curable at room temperature), thereby obtaining a product which is hardened by irradiation with ultraviolet rays.
However, the molding device which is put to use in the above technique ordinarily is equipped for use only under a vacuum. For example, after the ultraviolet curable liquid resin is infused into the mold inside of a vacuum chamber, an operator must then transfer the mold to an ultraviolet irradiation exposure apparatus. Furthermore, after the hardening treatment has been performed using the ultraviolet irradiation apparatus, the operator must then extract the hardened product from the mold, and must again transport the mold back into the vacuum chamber. Thus, operations for transporting the mold add considerable complications, in addition to time expenditures, thus pointing to the problem that the molded product cannot be produced efficiently within a reasonably short time period. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to means for testing transmissive optical fibers, and more particularly to the high resolution measurement of Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD) values in single mode optical fibers.
Single mode optical fibers are used to transmit large quantities of information over significant distances. In order to preserve the integrity of such transmissions, it is desirable to eliminate distortion. It is impossible, however, to remove all forms of distortion from transmissive media. Therefore, it is necessary to measure the distortion, either to determine the suitability of a transmissive medium maximum information capacity, or to determine the most satisfactory manner of handling the distortion. For a fiber optic communications system, the most significant specification for determining the information carrying capacity of the system is the bit-error rate. The bit-error rate is increased by, among other factors, the pulse broadening caused by dispersion in a fiber. Use of a single mode fiber eliminates modal dispersion, but not chromatic dispersion or polarization mode dispersion (PMD). PMD is a bandwidth limiting effect that is present to some degree in all single mode fibers that are suitable for optical transmissions. It is, therefore, a potential source of signal distortion in optical communications systems.
Current methods exist for measuring dispersion in optical fibers, for example, the system of U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,833 issued Jun. 14, 1988 to Roger S. Jones. Jones describes a method and apparatus for measuring transmissive dispersion, such as chromatic or polarization dispersion. A light source modulated at a first frequency is synchronously varied at a lower frequency back and forth to and from a first and a second value of a transmissive parameter, e.g. source wavelength or polarization state. Relative phases of the first modulation signal and the light transmitted through the fiber under test are measured by a phase detector. A lock-in amplifier compares the phase detector output to the lower frequency signal to provide a direct current output indicative of dispersion. This method and apparatus proved to be superior in resolution than a system measuring time differences. However, with progress in the art, a method and apparatus for measuring PMD with a resolution at least an order of magnitude higher than achievable with a relative phase or time measurement system are highly desirable. Indeed, the present invention contemplates measurement of PMD with approximately two orders of magnitude better resolution than that afforded by the above-described relative phase method.
Other current methods of measuring polarization mode dispersion in optical fibers, include Interferometry, Jones Matrix Eigenanalysis, the Wavelength Scanning (WS) cycle counting method, and the WS Fourier method. Interferometry uses the time domain to employ a low-coherence light source and a Michelson or Mach-Zehnder Interferometer to observe output in the form of the autocorrelation function of the time distribution, and the PMD of the fiber may be obtained from this data. Interferometry is limited at the low end by the coherence time, typically 0.15 ps, of the broadband source used.
Jones Matrix Eigenanalysis uses a polarimetric determination of the instantaneous polarization transmission behavior, in the form of a Jones matrix with two eigenstates called Principal States of Polarization (PSP). By measuring the wavelength variation of the Jones matrix and hence the PSPs, the differential delay between PSPs may be determined. This delay is averaged over a specific wavelength scan to establish the fiber PMD value. Jones Matrix Eigenanalysis is limited by polarimetric accuracy and resolution to 0.01 ps.
The WS cycle counting and the WS Fourier methods both use a light power transmission through the fiber using a linearly polarized source and a polarization analyzer before the light detector. The fiber gives rise to an oscillation pattern whose oscillation frequency is related to PMD. In the WS cycle counting method, the number of complete oscillations in a given wavelength interval is counted to determine PMD. The WS cycle counting method is limited to a minimum of three cycles in the wavelength scan, typically 0.09 ps. In the WS Fourier method, however, wavelength scanning PMD is determined by a frequency analysis technique on the oscillation pattern based on a Fourier transform. The Fourier method is limited to a minimum one cycle in the wavelength scan used, typically 0.03 ps. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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