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The present invention relates to a technology for reproducing contents by means of equipment connected with a network.
Accompanying with spreading of BS (Broadcast Satellite) and CATV (Cable Television), a number of broadcast stations of TV (Television) broadcasting is increasing. Further, in recent years, it is possible to receive a stream through a network, and also to reproduce various kinds of contents stored in other equipments in a house, such as, a HDR (Hard Disk Recorder), etc., for example, or to select one from an innumerable number of contents within a stream contents distribution server out of the house, thereby to reproduce it.
In this manner, under the circumstance of being able to select and for reproducing a large number of broadcast stations/contents, in particular, with a method of selecting a receiving contents by designating a channel number, while liking the channels with the broadcast stations/contents, there is drawback that an enormous number of channels is necessary and is bad in an operability when designating.
As a technology for dissolving this problem, there is one of memorizing data of the plural number of channels, substantially at the same time, while exchanging the receiving channel of one (1) unit of a tuner, and is disclosed, for example, in the following Patent Document 1. With using the technology disclosed in the Patent Document 1, it is possible to display six (6) kinds of pictures of broadcast contents, each being reduced down to ⅙ or less, for example, for each channel (hereinafter, being called “a reduced list display”) on one (1) screen).
Also, in the stream contents distribution service, there is a method of distributing high-definition contents for the full screen to be reproduced, but after distributing a plural number of low-definition contents for a reduced screen, to be displayed as the reduced list display, for a user to select one therefrom.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-245226 (see page 1, and FIG. 2). | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a chip part that includes a substrate whose sidewall is coated with an insulating film, and relates to a method for manufacturing a chip part.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a small-sized electronic part that is referred to as a so-called chip part, in order to secure insulation properties against the outside of the electronic part and to protect a functional element formed inside of the electronic part, there is a case in which an insulating film is formed on a surface of the main body of the electronic part. For example, JP2011216821A discloses a chip part that includes a main element body in which a functional element is formed, an insulating film formed on a surface of the main element body, and a terminal electrode formed on an end surface of the main element body. | {
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As is known, operating electronic components, such as electronic devices, produce heat. This heat should be removed from the devices in order to maintain device junction temperatures within desirable limits, with failure to remove heat effectively resulting in increased device temperatures, and potentially leading to thermal runaway conditions. Several trends in the electronics industry have combined to increase the importance of thermal management, including heat removal for electronic devices, including technologies where thermal management has traditionally been less of a concern, such as CMOS. In particular, the need for faster and more densely packed circuits has had a direct impact on the importance of thermal management. For example, power dissipation, and therefore heat production, increases as device operating frequencies increase. Also, increased operating frequencies may be possible at lower device junction temperatures. Further, as more and more devices are packed onto a single chip, heat flux (Watts/cm2) increases, resulting in the need to remove more power from a given size chip or module. These trends have combined to create applications where it is no longer desirable to remove heat from modern devices, and electronic system containing such devices, solely by traditional air cooling methods, such as by using air cooled heat sinks with heat pipes or vapor chambers. Such air cooling techniques are inherently limited in their ability to extract heat from electronic components with moderate to high power density. Liquid-cooling of one or more electronic components may be beneficially employed in combination with, or even as a replacement to, conventional air-cooling of components. | {
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The present invention relates to a front attachment of a field chopping machine for picking and transporting stalk fruits standing in a row.
The DE-GM No. 7,118,507 discloses a front attachment of a field chopping machine, particularly a multi-row corn picking attachment, for a harvester in which outer hoods serving as outer stalk dividers are arranged pivotally on a supporting chassis of the picking attachment and are turnable inwardly to the central hoods. As a result of this, the width of the attachment can be reduced for street transportation to a value which does not exceed the legally required maximum width of 3 meters. The disadvantage of this proposal is, however, that the reduction of the entire width of the harvesting attachment can be provided by at most 50 cm, inasmuch as the supporting frame for the outer hoods which is provided with endless rotatably driven transporting elements is rigidly connected with the remaining supporting chassis of the attachment. With an operational width of the harvesting attachment over 3.5 m, or in other words in a harvesting attachment provided with more than four transporting passages, a reduction of the transporting width to the legally prescribed maximum value is no longer possible. For this case, the entire front attachment must be moved for the street transport by a special trailer in a known manner. | {
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Among shaking machines, those which have shaking tables to be are shaken in circular orbital movements are each provided with a drive shaft, having at the upper end an eccentric shaft portion formed to have a predetermined off-center value, supported by a pair of bearings disposed to the top and bottom of a frame, with the eccentric shaft portion being fitted in a bearing attached to the lower surface of the shaking table. However, according to this constitution only, although the shaking table is caused to start a circular orbital revolving movement by the rotation of the drive shaft, it begins to autorotate before long to rotate integrally with the drive shaft and ceases shaking.
Accordingly, the above-described shaking machine is provided, at three or more positions around the drive shaft, with driven shafts each having an eccentric shaft portion with the same off-center value as in the counterpart in the drive shaft, and the eccentric shaft portions of the driven shafts are fitted not to the bearing described above but to other bearings attached to the lower surface of the shaking table, respectively, so that the eccentric shaft portions of the driven shafts may rotate in the same phase with respect to the eccentric shaft portion of the drive shaft to regulate autorotation of the shaking table and allow the shaking table to be shaken in a circular orbital revolving movement.
However, since this shaking machine uses one drive shaft and three or more driven shafts, all having eccentric shaft portions with the same off-center value, machining accuracy is strictly required in each shaft. Further, in order to obtain smooth shaking of the shaking table, phase adjustment accuracy is strictly required in the drive shaft and driven shafts in the step of assembling them. Accordingly, assembling and adjustment of the parts take time. Further, insufficient measures have been taken against vibration of the shaking machine itself caused by the eccentric movement of the shaking table.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a shaking machine which can give smooth shaking of the shaking table using a simple structure and which can reduce the number of parts and the machining and assembling time, leading to reduction of its cost as a product and also vibration of the shaking machine itself. | {
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The present invention relates to an extrusion blow molding machine used for manufacturing many different products in the polymer industry, and particularly to an electrically-driven extrusion blow molding machine and an extrusion blow molding method realized using the machine.
Blow molding is one of the three major molding technologies used for the polymeric materials. Extrusion blow molding accounts for a large proportion in the blow molding area. The parison thickness programming and mold-clamping apparatuses are both hydraulically-driven in most of the available extrusion blow molding machines. The hydraulically-driven apparatus has some disadvantages, such as poorer control accuracy and repeatability, higher energy consumption and noise, unsuitable for “clean room” manufacturing environments, and so on. Therefore, for some applications, the hydraulically-driven apparatus is facing competition from the electrically-driven one. However, the available electrically-driven blow molding machines still have some disadvantages, such as a complicated structure and a high manufacturing cost. The parison thickness programming apparatus in the available electrically-driven blow molding machine is generally driven by a servo motor. The frequent start and stop and frequent normal and opposite running of the servo motors result in their heating and so shorten their service life. Moreover, the mold-opening/closing and mold-moving assemblies of the mold-clamping apparatus in the available electrically-driven blow molding machines are generally driven by a set of separate electric transmission device including a servo motor, respectively. | {
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The present invention relates to piezoelectric polymers in the form of single or multilayer films. Piezoelectric properties are manifested when these films are placed between two electrodes and an electrical voltage is applied to the latter. Deformations then occur in a direction perpendicular to the faces and in two directions contained in the plane tangential to the faces. Conversely under the action of a mechanical stress a voltage proportional to the stress is produced by a reverse piezoelectric effect. The obtaining of piezoelectric properties devolves from the existence of a permanent dipolar orientation which does not exist when the material crystallizes from the molten state. Thus, at this stage the polymer material is in a non-polar .alpha. phase.
Among the polymer materials which are able to acquire piezoelectric properties reference can be made to polyvinyl chloride PVC, polyvinyl fluoride PVF, polyvinylidene fluoride PVF.sub.2 and its copolymers with polytetraluoroethylene PTFE, polytrifluoroethylene PT.sub.r FE, polyvinyl fluoride PVF and mixtures using polymethyl methacrylate PMMA.
It is known to carry out two successive treatments of these materials, particularly polyvinylidene fluoride PVF.sub.2 by exerting a pulling action thereon in order to obtain irreversible elongations which can reach 300 to 500%, which transforms the initial phase into a polarizable phase and said phase is then oriented under the action of a strong electric field close to the dielectric strength limit of the film.
The conventional production operations are generally carried out successively and independently. They consist of the formation by melting of granular materials and the cooling under a press of a plate-like blank, the mechanical stretching of the blank between the jaws of a pulling machine and polarization of the stretched film by applying a voltage between electrodes deposited on the film or by corona discharge.
In connection with the stretching of the film a continuous treatment operation is possible, which consists of winding the film from a supply reel on to a take-up reel, which rotates at a higher speed. Bearing in mind the forces involved it soon becomes clear that this method can only be used for thin films whose thickness does not exceed 50 microns and provided that the said films are heated to temperatures equal to or above the thermoplasticity threshold.
With regards to the continuous polarization it is possible to pass the previously stretched film between a supply reel and a take-up reel revolving at the same speed. The application of a corona discharge to the unwound film makes it unnecessary to apply a metal coating to at least one of the faces of the film. Metallization of the stretched film can also be obviated by passing it between two fixed electrodes or two conductive rollers. However, none of these polarization processes is completely satisfactory, because the electric field necessary for obtaining satisfactory piezoelectric coefficients are too close to the breakdown fields. It is necessary to select an adequate polarization temperature to enable the bipolar orientation mobility to take place, which leads to a temperature of at least 80.degree. C., in the case of polyvinylidene fluoride. At this temperature the ionic conductivity lowers the dielectric breakdown threshold in such a way that the electric field which can be applied in practice is the result of a compromise. Unless a complete dipolar orientation takes place the piezoelectric coefficients obtained in a reproducible manner are for d.sub.33 below 18 pc N.sup.-1 and by increasing the field with a breakdown risk below 22 pc N.sup.-1. On the basis of what has been stated hereinbefore it is apparent that there is a considerable need for a continuous production process having a reproducibility level close to unity making it possible to treat films which are as thick as 1 mm and which produces oriented films, whose piezoelectric coefficients exceed the hitherto obtained values. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a test apparatus, a test method, and a computer readable medium.
2. Related Art
When testing a plurality of semiconductor chips en masse on a semiconductor wafer, a probe card is used that has a large number of bumps corresponding to the test pads of the semiconductor chip.
Since the test pads and the bumps are extremely small, in order to accurately align the bumps with the corresponding test pads, alignment marks are formed on both the semiconductor wafer and the probe card, and these alignment marks are used to set the positions of the semiconductor wafer and the probe card, as shown in Patent Documents 1 to 3. Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 4187718 Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H07-231019 Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H11-154694
Even when the semiconductor wafer and the probe card are positioned with a high degree of accuracy, misalignment can occur between the test pad and the bumps due to manufacturing errors in the semiconductor wafer, the probe card, or the alignment mark or due to deformation of the semiconductor wafer or the probe card as the result of a temperature change. | {
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1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an MCM (Multi-chips Module) package. More particularly, the present invention is related to an MCM package with bridge connection.
2. Related Art
Integrated circuit (chip) packaging technology is becoming a limiting factor for the development in packaged integrated circuits of higher performance. Semiconductor package designers are struggling to keep pace with the increase in pin count, size limitations, low profile, and other evolving requirements for packaging and mounting integrated circuits.
Originally, the electrical connection between the chips comprises wire bonding connection and flip chip connection. In wire bonding connection, a wire bonder is disposed above the chip and then the tip of the conductive wire is melting to shape into a ball. Next, the conductive wire is bonded onto the bonding pad of the chip. Then, the wire bonder is moved and disposed above another bonding pad of the chip, and then another conductive wire will be bonded onto the corresponding bonding pad of the chip in the same way as mentioned above. In flip chip bonding, a plurality of bumps are formed on the bonding pads of the chip, and then flipped and bonded to another chip by a reflow process.
Next, a well-known wire bonding method utilized in a conventional MCM assembly package will be disclosed as below. As shown in FIG. 1, it illustrates the cross-sectional view of the conventional MCM package with wire bonding connection. The MCM package comprises a carrier 10, a first chip 12, a second chip 14, a plurality of conductive wires 160, 162 and 164, an encapsulation 18 and a plurality of solder balls 107. The carrier 10, for example a substrate and a lead frame, has an upper surface 102 and an opposite lower surface 104, a plurality of contacts 106, a first die paddle 105 and a second die paddle 109. The contacts 106, the first die paddle 105 and the second die paddle 109 are formed on the upper surface 102, and the first die paddle 105 and the second paddle 109 are encompassed with the contacts 106. As mentioned above, the first chip 12 has a first active surface 122, a first back surface 124 and a plurality of first bonding pads 126 formed on the first active surface 122. It is should be noted that the first chip 12 is mounted onto the first die paddle 105 of the carrier 10 via an adhesive 105 and electrically connected to the carrier 10 via the conductive wire 160. Therein one end of the conductive wire 160 is bonded to the bonding pad 126 and the other end of the conductive wire 160 is bonded onto the contact 106 of the carrier 10.
Similarly, the second chip 14 is mounted onto the second die paddle 109 of the carrier 10 via an adhesive (not shown) and electrically connected to the carrier 10 via the conductive wire 162. Therein one end of the conductive wire 162 is bonded to the bonding pad 146 and the other end of the conductive wire 162 is bonded onto the contact 108 of the carrier 10. In addition, the first chip 12 is electrically connected to the second chip 14 through the conductive wire 164. Furthermore, an encapsulation 18 encapsulates the first chip 12, the second chip 14 and the upper surface 102 of the carrier 10 and said conductive wires 160, 162 and 164.
In the above-mentioned MCM package, the first chip 12 is electrically connected to the second chip 14 through the conductive wire 164. However, the cross-sectional area of the conductive wire 164 is small and the length of the conductive wire 164 is long so as to cause the characterization impedance to be mismatched and to cause the signal to be attenuated. Besides, when the high-frequency circuits are performed, the parasitics of the inductance and the capacitor will be induced to cause the signal to be reflected. In addition, the cross-sectional area of the conductive wire for connecting the first chip is so small that the grounding connection will become worse.
Therefore, providing another MCM package to solve the mentioned-above disadvantages is the most important task in this invention. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an integrated multimedia notetaking system. The invention is more particularly related to a notetaking system that utilizes digital video and ink as references and notes. The invention is further related to a notetaking system utilizing video feeds for provision of illustrative notes, book marking, and indexing material. The invention is still further related to the indexing of at least one of notes and a video feed via the use of thumbnails, timestamps, and background snaps. The invention is yet further related to a notetaking system having a slide detection process for automatic notetaking, and as a feed mechanism for frame rate compression for optimizing bandwidth when presenting material to the notetaking system.
2. Discussion of the Background
Multimedia notetaking systems typically capture audio and video during a meeting and slides are created from the captured material (For example, Tivoli, a system running on LiveBoard, see Moran, T. P., Palen, L., Harrison, S., Chiu, P., Kimber, D., Minneman, S., van Melle, W., and Zellweger, P. xe2x80x9cI""ll get that off the audioxe2x80x9d: a case study of salvaging multimedia meeting records. Proceedings of CHI ""97 CM, New York, pp. 202-209). Tivoli is designed to support working meetings rather than presentation meetings. The ink strokes in Tivoli, which are indexed to the audio, along with any prepared material on the Tivoli slides become the group notes to the meeting. A participant using a laptop may xe2x80x9cbeamxe2x80x9d typed text comments onto a slide in Tivoli.
In a similar example, Classroom 2000, images of presentation slides and audio are captured, but video is not used (see Abowd, G. D., Atkeson, C. G., Brotherton, J., Enqvist, T., Gulley, P., and LeMon, J. Investigating the capture, integration and access problem of ubiquitous computing in an educational setting. Proceedings of the CHI ""98 Conference. ACM, New York, pp. 440-447; and Abowd, G. D., Atkeson, C. G., Feinstein, A., Hmelo, C., Kooper, R., Long, S., Sawhney, N., and Tani, M. Teaching and learning as multimedia authoring the classroom 2000 project. Proceedings of the ACM Multimedia ""96 Conference. ACM, New York, pp. 187-198). In addition, Classroom 2000 requires effort by the presenter to prepare the slides in a standard graphics format. The slides are displayed on a LiveBoard and note-taking is done with PDA devices pre-loaded with slides These notes are later synchronized to the audio and the slides which have been annotated by the professor lecturing in front of the LiveBoard.
In yet another example, the Forum (see Isaacs, E. A., Morris, T., and Rodriguez, T. K. A forum for supporting interactive presentations to distributed audiences. Proceedings of CSCW ""94. ACM, New York, pp. 405-416), is a system uses video as a means for distributed presentations. Everyone, including the speaker, sits in front of a workstation during a presentation. Slides have to be prepared in a specified format. The slides can be annotated with text and marks drawn with a mouse, but the video images cannot be annotated.
In another example, the STREAMS (see Cruz, G., and Hill, R. Capturing and playing multimedia events with STREAMS. Proceedings of the ACM Multimedia ""194 Conference. ACM, New York, pp. 193-200), is a system for presentation capture that uses video from room cameras. These cameras are also used to capture any presentation content on display. This method has problems when activity in the room obscures the display. Note-taking during the presentation is not supported, although the captured video streams can be annotated during review by adding text comments. None of these systems allow interactive integration of live images from cameras and presentation material into the notes.
In addition, there are also several known stand alone ink and audio note-taking systems. For example, FXPAL Dynomite (see Wilcox, L. D., Schilit, B. N., and Sawhney, N. Dynomite: A Dynamically Organized Ink and Audio Notebook. Proceedings of CHI ""97. ACM, New York, pp. 186-193); and Audio Notebook (see Stifelman, L. The Audio Notebook: Paper and Pen Interaction with Structured Speech. PhD Thesis. MIT, 1997), which uses paper with audio recording. Filochat (see Whittaker, S., Hyland, P., and Wiley, M. Filochat: handwritten notes provide access to recorded conversations. Proceedings of CHI ""94. ACM, New York, pp. 271-276), is a PC computer with a pen tablet in which audio is indexed with handwritten notes; and NoTime (see Lamming, M., and Newman, W. Activity-based information technology in support of personal memory. Technical Report EPC-1991-103, Rank Xerox, EuroPARC, 1991), was designed to key the user""s ink strokes to recorded audio or video.
Also known are video annotation systems. Marquee (see Weber, K., and Poon, A. Marquee: a tool for realtime video logging. Proceedings of CHI ""94. ACM, New York, pp. 58-64) is a pen-based system for making annotations while watching a videotape. A later version of Marquee has modifications to take timestamps on digital video streams from the WhereWereWe multimedia system (see Minneman, S., Harrison, S., Janssen, B., Kurtenbach, G., Moran, T., Smith, I., and van Melle, B. A confederation of tools for capturing and accessing collaborative activity. Proceedings of the ACM Multimedia ""95 Conference. ACM, New York, pp. 523-534).
Vanna (see Harrison, B., Baecker, R. M. Designing video annotation and analysis systems, Graphics Interface ""92. Morgan-Kaufmann, pp. 157-166); and EVA (see MacKay, W. E. EVA: An experimental video annotator for symbolic analysis of video data, SIGCHIBulletin, 21 (2), 68-71. 1989. ACM Press) are text based systems. VideoNoter (Trigg, R. Computer support for transcribing recorded activity, SIGCHI Bulletin, 21 (2), 68-71. 1989. ACM Press) displays and synchronizes different streams of activity (video, figures whiteboard drawings, text), but requires post-production to transcribe text from the audio or extract drawings from a whiteboard. These systems are limited by their design based on using videotapes rather than digital video. None of these systems allow interactive integration of video images into the notes. Sharp Zaurus (Zaurus Operation Manual. Sharp Corporation, 1996) is a commercial product, which is a PDA with a digital camera attached. Digital photos can be taken and linked to handwritten notes.
The present inventors have realized that note-taking is a common activity that can be made more powerful with video. The present inventors have also realized the need to provide a fully integrated digital video and ink notetaking system.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a multimedia notetaking system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a notetaking system that allows the user to annotate images captured from a media stream input to the notetaking system.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a notetaking system having a timeline that identifies significant events occurring during a notetaking session.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a notetaking system that captures live multimedia steams and utilizing framerate compression to provide the multimedia streams to a notetaking device and to automatically summarize events such as slide changes into a timeline.
And it is still further yet another object of the present invention to allow a user to bookmark points in a captured multimedia stream in a notetaking device.
These and other objects are accomplished by a system for note-taking with digital video and ink (also referred to as NoteLook). The invention includes a notetaking device that includes, a media input mechanism configured to retrieve at least one media stream, at least one user input mechanism configured to accept user inputs, and a control device configured to allow the user to at least one of manipulate, connote, and summarize the at least one media stream via the user inputs.
In one embodiment, NoteLook includes a client application that runs on a pen-based notebook computer. NoteLook has a display with a main area resembling a paper notebook page for writing, capturing, and annotating images. There is a small video window for viewing the active video. The user may change channels to view different video streams. The user can grab a frame that is showing in the video window as a small thumbnail in the margin of a note page or as a large background.
The thumbnails, background images, and ink strokes are time stamped and provide indexes into the video. The video source is handled by a NoteLook server, which runs on a computer that has the video input. The NoteLook server also transmits the video, audio, as well as meta data (times of slide changes, or speaker changes, for example) to the NoteLook client application, typically via a wireless or wired network. These streams of multimedia data are archived by the NoteLook server and can be randomly accessed by the clients during playback. Multiple instances of NoteLook clients and servers can operate together. The video source can be captured in a variety of ways: from a room camera or document camera, from a tap into a rear projector, TV, VCR or any video stream, or from a small portable camera attached to a pen computer.
In meetings, presentations and classes, the NoteLook digital video and ink note-taking system can be used to snap still images of the speaker, room activity, and presentation material and integrate them into the notes. The snapped images and ink strokes can be timestamped and linked to the recorded video for easy browsing and retrieval. Video can capture gestures, nonverbal activity, and show context. Video provides a versatile means of capturing the presentation content in a variety of forms. PowerPoint slides, Web pages, overhead slides, whiteboard, and more dynamic media such as animation and video can all be captured with video.
Demonstrations during presentations and training sessions are also effectively captured by video. In order for a digital ink and video note-taking system to be usable, it must be unobtrusive for the note-takers and other participants in the room and require minimal preparation from the speaker. | {
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The present invention relates to a method for anonymously reading database records, wherein each record has different access control permissions.
When controlling access to a sensitive resource, it is clear that the applicable access control policies can already reveal too much information about the resource. An example is a medical database containing patient records, where the access control list (ACL) of each record lists the names of the treating doctors. The fact that a patient's record has certain specialists in its ACL leaks information about the patient's disease. Many patients want to hide the fact that they are being treated by a plastic surgeon or a psychiatrist. Also, doctors treating a celebrity want to remain anonymous to avoid being approached by the press. As another example, in a multi-user file system, it can be desirable to hide the owner of a file or the groups that have access to it to prevent social engineering attacks, coercion, and bribery. In a military setting, knowing which files are classified “top secret”, or even just the percentage of “top secret” files in the system, can help an attacker to focus his attack.
But confidentiality of the stored data is not the only security concern. Privacy-aware users accessing the database can be worried about malicious database servers prying information from the query traffic. For example, the frequency that a patient's record is accessed gives a good idea of the seriousness of his condition, while the identity of the doctors that access it most frequently can be an indication of the nature of the disorder. Users can query the database anonymously, i.e., hiding their identity, roles, permissions, etc. from the database server, as well as hiding the index of the queried record. At the same time, the database server can be confident that only permitted users have access to the data, and that they cannot find out whom else has access to the data.
Oblivious transfer (OT) protocols in their basic form offer users access to a database without the server learning the contents of the query, but place no restrictions on who can access which records. In the paper by J. Herranz, “Restricted adaptive oblivious transfer”, Cryptology ePrint Archive, Report 2008/182, 2008, access control restrictions were added to records the first time, but users have to authenticate openly (i.e., non-anonymously) to the server. Later, Coull et al. (“Controlling access to an oblivious database using stateful anonymous credentials”, in PKC 2009, LNCS, vol. 5443, 501-520, Springer, 2009) and Camenisch et al. (“Oblivious transfer with access control”, in ACM CCS 09, 131-140, ACM Press, 2009) proposed OT protocols with anonymous access control. In all of these works, however, the access control policies are assumed to be publicly available to all users, and the server notices when a user attempts to access a record for which she does not have the right credentials.
There is a line of work devoted to access control with hidden policies and hidden credentials, but none of them consider oblivious access to data, i.e., the server learns which resource is being accessed. In trust negotiation systems two parties establish trust through iterative disclosure of and requests for credentials. Hidden credentials systems are designed to protect sensitive credentials and policies. However, full protection of policies is not provided in the sense that the user learns (partial) information about the policy if her credentials satisfy it. The protocol of Frikken et al. (“Attribute-based access control with hidden policies and hidden credentials”, IEEE Trans. Computers, 55(10):1259-1270, 2006) does provide full protection, but for arbitrary policies it requires communication exponential in the size of the policies.
One can always implement a protocol with all desired properties by evaluating an especially designed logical circuit using generic two-party computation techniques (A.C. Yao, “Protocols for secure computations”, in 23rd FOCS, 160-164, IEEE Computer Society Press, 1982), but the cost of this approach can be prohibitive. In particular, the computation and communication cost of each record transfer can be linear in the number of records in the database N, whereas the efficiency of our transfer protocol is independent of N.
It is therefore desirable to combine the advantages of an oblivious access control protocol with hidden ACLs. But for example the protocol of Camenisch et al. relies heavily on zero-knowledge proofs of knowledge that a user's credentials satisfy the applicable ACL. Such approaches no longer work for hidden ACLs because the user does not know the statement that has to be proven. In fact, the user does not even know whether the statement is true at all. | {
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Thermal evaporation is a well-known approach to forming a number of materials such as III-V solid-state semiconductors via molecular beam epitaxial (MBE) growth. Another commercial application of this technique is the evaporation of aluminum (Al) onto polymer foils for the packaging industry or other metals onto polymer foils for capacitor manufacturing. In these applications, the sources are typically point sources either of the Knudsen cell design or the open boat design. Point sources are also used in manufacturing of thin-film photovoltaic (PV) devices, in particular copper indium gallium selenide (CuInxGa1-xSe2 or CIGS) devices. In addition, large area organic light-emitting diode (OLED) devices are often fabricated using thermal evaporation sources. Due to their large-area substrates and required uniformity of the deposited layers, thermal evaporation sources utilized for OLEDs are typically of the linear type.
Some materials commonly deposited via thermal evaporation are difficult to heat up or cool down due to their poor heat capacity and poor thermal conductivity. Prime examples of such materials are phosphorous (P), sulfur (S), and selenium (Se). All of these elements have low heat capacities common for most solid elements coupled with rather poor thermal conductivities. Other group V elements, in particular arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb), also common in thermal evaporation, exhibit two orders of magnitude higher thermal conductivities. Tellurium (Te) is also of importance in various applications and has a moderate thermal conductivity one order of magnitude lower than As and P and one order of magnitude higher than P, S, and Se. Table 1 below provides exemplary values of heat capacities and thermal conductivities for these materials. In comparison, copper (Cu) has a molar heat capacity of 24.44 J mol−1 K−1 (0.385 J g−1 K−1) and a thermal conductivity of 401 W m−1 K−1 at room temperature.
TABLE 1Molar HeatSpecific HeatThermalcapacityCapacityConductivityElement[J · mol−1 · K−1][J · g−1 · K−1][W · m−1 · K−1]P23.820.7690.236S22.750.7050.205As24.570.32850Se25.350.3210.519Sb25.200.20724Te25.650.2013
Furthermore, the temperature/vapor pressure relationship for P, S, As, Se, and Te is significant when compared to metals such as Sb, Cu, or refractory metals such as molybdenum (Mo). As FIG. 1 shows, the vapor pressures of P, S, As, Se, and Te increase very rapidly with increasing temperature. In summary, thermal energy couples poorly into P, S, and Se (and Te), but when it does the vapor pressure of the material increases rapidly. These thermal properties for P, S, and Se complicate control of the evaporation rate in a thermal-evaporation process for these elements. In addition, the heat-up and cool-down times for large amounts of feedstock of these materials are long.
Given the cost sensitivity of commercial products—in particular for PV—manufacturing requires long system run times and short system turnaround (“green-to-green”) times. Thus, evaporation sources typically hold significant volumes of feedstock to enable long-run campaigns. Coupled with the desire to increase throughput, high deposition rates and large-area substrates are essential to enabling lower manufacturing costs. Therefore, conventional high-throughput thermal evaporation sources have significant thermal mass and/or utilize continuous feed of the source material. For some materials continuous feed is a possibility (e.g., Al wire feed), while for many others it is not.
Conventional systems with high thermal mass have the added advantage that control of the thermal evaporation process is simplified as temperature fluctuations based on power fluctuations to the heaters are typically negligible. Highly effective thermal insulation further reduces sensitivity to incoming power fluctuations. Such thermal insulation also reduces heat losses to the surroundings, i.e., it increases thermal coupling efficiency of the electrical heater power to the material to be evaporated, leading to lower operating costs. In summary, high thermal mass and highly effective thermal insulation are important aspects of conventional industrial thermal evaporation processes.
In addition, turnaround times typically need to be short for industrial deposition processes. However, if the thermal evaporation source has a high thermal mass and highly effective insulation, the cool-down of the source between deposition runs will necessarily be slow. The impact is most severe if an unscheduled maintenance event necessitates shutdown of the equipment with the large-volume sources still holding significant amounts of feedstock. But even if the feedstock has been depleted, the bodies of the evaporation sources themselves still have significant thermal mass.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for improved thermal-management systems and techniques for thermal evaporation that maintain high-quality insulation (and concomitant insensitivity to power fluctuations) during deposition cycles and that provide faster cooling and higher turnaround times between deposition cycles. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Biological deposits generally refer to deposits of material of biological origin, such as plaque, bacteria, tartar, and calculus that are generally regarded as undesirable for dental hygiene. Dental plaque is a complex organic deposit generated in part by the activity of bacteria upon surfaces of the oral cavity, such as on the teeth, or upon contamination from, for example, food deposits on the teeth, gums, tongue, or cheek. Plaque is an undesirable precursor to tooth decay and the development of dental caries.
It is desirable to detect plaque deposits in the oral cavity to direct action for removal, for example by using toothbrushes (manual or power), tooth floss, tooth picks, or oral irrigators, as detection indicates the areas at which dental cleaning effort should be focused. Such deposits can be difficult to detect in situ/in vivo on the teeth, gums, tongue, or cheek. It is especially important to detect dental plaque. For detection of plaque it is known to use fluorescence measurement, in which incident radiation is directed at the surfaces of the oral cavity, and fluorescence radiation having characteristics associated with the presence of biological deposits is emitted from the surfaces and is detected.
In the state of the art there are two general methods for detecting dental plaque. One method uses primary fluorescence, where the fluorescence of dental plaque or other dental material itself is monitored. The other method uses secondary fluorescence, where surfaces in the oral cavity suspected of bearing plaque are treated with a fluorescent label material which preferentially binds to dental plaque, and the fluorescence emission of the label material on the oral cavity surfaces to which it has bound is detected to indicate the presence of dental plaque. Also known are toothbrush heads having a bundle of optical fibers extending through it to direct incident radiation at a test tooth surface, and to collect emitted radiation from the test tooth surface.
A requirement of such methods is that incident radiation is directed at the surfaces of the oral cavity under examination and that consequent fluorescence emission radiation from those surfaces is collected. The amplitude of that radiation is a function of the amount of biological deposit located on the surface, as well as the distance the light source and detectors are from the surface. Consequently, the actual plaque value detected will fluctuate depending upon such factors, thereby resulting in a plaque value which may not truly depict the condition of plaque on the surface of the oral cavity. Known devices are not known to compensate for distances between the source of radiation and/or sensors and the surface of the oral cavity when determining the amount of biological deposit on the oral cavity surfaces.
Devices and methods for detecting and removing plaque in the oral cavity according to the invention described and claimed herein provide improved methods of cleaning teeth, particularly where plaque is detected and removed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In general, in a system in which a plurality of master processors are commonly coupled to one serial bus for communicating between the masters, one master processor at a time is granted authority to transmit data over the bus. By way of example, an integrated system on a single chip, such as a microcontroller, typically comprises several types of functional blocks. To minimize the size of the chip, such system architecture generally comprises a common data bus.
A system, such as a microcontroller, generally has an arbiter for performing an arbitrating operation to control access to the common bus by the integrated functional blocks (or masters). In such systems, to perform arbitration, a bus master that uses a common data bus can be classified with an importance level (or priority level) based on the rate at which the master uses the common bus, wherein a fixed preference arbitrating method is typically used to perform arbitration based on such priorities.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a conventional system for arbitrating between a plurality of masters for access to common bus. The system includes a common bus 10 and first through nth masters (20-1˜20-N) that are connected to the common bus 10. The masters communicate with each other over the common bus 10. Each of the masters (20-1˜20-N) individually generate first through nth bus request signals (Request_1˜Request_N), respectively, and output the bus request signals to an arbiter 30. The arbiter 30 receives bus request signals (Request_1˜Request_N) from the masters (20-1˜20-N), and then outputs bus grant signals (Grant_1˜Grant_N) to the first through nth masters (20-1˜20-N), respectively, according to a designated preferential order (predetermined priority). The master that receives a bus grant signal is authorized to access the common bus 10 and communicates with other masters.
There are various disadvantages to the system architecture of FIG. 1. For instance, data can be lost and the bus use efficiency can decrease when a master having a lower preferential order has difficulty in receiving timely authority to use the bus. These problems are enhanced as the amount of masters using the bus increases. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to integrated circuits, and more particularly to techniques used to determine the internal workings of an integrated circuit through analysis electro-magnetic emissions.
2. Description of the Background Art
Integrated circuits (IC) are miniaturized electronic circuits consisting mainly of semiconductors and passive devices. Due to their relatively small size, high performance, and low cost, ICs have become quite common in almost every electronic device manufactured today. In most instances, ICs range in size from only a few square millimeters up to around 250 square millimeters. While this small size is great for packaging within electronic devices, it often makes troubleshooting and quality control very difficult.
The testing of ICs is typically done at least twice during the manufacturing process; once at the wafer stage, and once as the individual ICs are packaged in an electronic device. Automated test equipment (ATE) such as wafer probes are the most common means for testing ICs. A wafer prober uses a probe card as an interface between the electronic test equipment and an IC. The problem with wafer probing is that it requires highly sophisticated and expensive test equipment, and it is very time consuming. Additionally, the equipment must also be calibrated such that it does not damage the IC during testing.
In order to reduce the time and costs associated with IC testing, ICs are often designed with testability features. The problem with testing only the testability features is that it is often difficult to determine if the IC is indeed operating properly by only testing a select few features. This type of testing more typically filters functional devices from non-functional devices.
One of the largest obstacles in IC testing is the testing of clock signals. Integrated circuits often include one or more clock signals for coordinating the actions of two or more circuits. These clock signals oscillate between a high and low state at a predetermined clock rate (cycles per second, as measured in Hertz). The clock signal(s) are used to synchronize different parts of the circuit, and also to account for delays in transmission. As ICs become more complex, a particular IC may have many clock signals present, with various different clock rates. It is often difficult to determine if the clock rates are operating properly via known test procedures.
As may be appreciated, if a clock signal is operational, but is either inaccurate or not properly synchronized, certain functions or calculations may not be performed correctly by the IC, resulting in a functional, yet defective device. Such devices are often difficult to diagnose or identify through known test procedures.
Additionally, often times manufacturers may find it necessary to reverse engineer products. Whether it be their own ICs, competitor's ICs, or vendor's ICs, reverse engineering is a useful tool in designing, diagnosing, and improving IC's. This practice up until now has included much of the previously described IC testing procedures, as well as some dissection type procedures. The problem has been that in addition to the expensive test equipment required, the process is typically destructive, and may require multiple trained professionals to decipher functions from parts. Indeed, this destructive type reverse engineering may be particularly troublesome if there is only one sample to work with.
What is needed, therefore, is a non-destructive system and method for testing the operation of internal clocks of integrated circuits. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to forming conjugates of polymers and biologically active compounds, and to functional polymer precursors therefore.
2. Description of the Related Art
We have described in WO-A 2003/062290 (unpublished at the priority date hereof) the concept of taking a biologically active drug molecule and reacting it with a compound so as to functionalise it with an appropriate brominated moiety. The modified drug is capable of initiating an atom transfer radical polymerisation (ATRP) with monomers such as 2-methacryl-oyloxyethyl-2′-trimethylammonium ethyl phosphate inner salt. The compound 2-bromo-2-methyl propionic acid bromide is one such bromine-functionalising agent, the acid bromide portion reacting with any active hydroxyl group on the drug compound to produce a brominated analogue of a methacrylate moiety that has been shown to be eminently suitable for initiating ATRP (see works of Matyjaszewski, Armes and Haddleton). With this functionalising agent, this reaction is only possible in cases where the drug molecule and the 2-bromo, 2-methyl propionic acid bromide are both soluble in some organic solvent that is not reactive towards the acid bromide. In that specification we also describe a bromine-functionalising agent which is used to acylate an amine group, namely of a protein. The subject matter has a common priority date as claims of the present case and of example 4 herein.
It may be desirable to functionalise large biological entities such as proteins and antibodies with polymers. Roche and Schering-Plough both have on the market successful interferon-based products that have been modified by PEGylation of the biological entity. The attachment of polyethylene glycol chains to interferon has improved its plasma half-life (i.e. reduced the rate at which the body removes the antibody from the bloodstream), essentially by reduced renal clearance and lowering opsonisation (protein binding). It is of interest to modify such biological entities with other polymers, particularly those based on phosphorylcholine because of their enhanced haemocompatibility.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,310,149 ATRP processes are described in which the initiator comprises a functional group which is a derivative of an organic acid. The acid may be a carboxylic acid or alternatively a phosphorus based acid or sulphonic acid. Examples of initiators are esters of various acids. Monomers which are polymerised include methylmethacrylate, styrene, benzylmethacrylate and 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate. The polymerisations appear to be solvent-free, that is liquid monomer is the liquid medium for the polymerisation reaction.
Wang, J-S, et al in Polym. Mater. Sci. Eng. 73 (1995) 416 to 417 describe the use of bis-functional initiators for ATRP, whereby the residual group derived from the initiator may be used in subsequent reactions. Examples of end groups or precursors thereof are carboxyl groups, hydroxyl groups and cyano groups. | {
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Medical imaging is used extensively to diagnose and treat patients. A number of modalities are well known, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), and Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT). These modalities provide complementary diagnostic information. For example, PET and SPECT scans illustrate functional aspects of the organ or region being examined and allow metabolic measurements, but delineate the body structure relatively poorly. On the other hand, CT and MRI images provide excellent structural information about the body, but provide little functional information.
PET and SPECT are classified as “nuclear medicine” because they measure the emission of a radioactive material which has been injected into a patient. After the radioactive material, e.g., a radiopharmaceutical, is injected, it is absorbed by the blood or a particular organ of interest. The patient is then moved into the PET or SPECT detector which measures the emission of the radiopharmaceutical and creates an image from the characteristics of the detected emission.
A significant step in conducting a PET or SPECT scan is the step of acquiring the radiopharmaceutical. Examples of radiopharmaceuticals include FDG (2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose), 13N ammonia, 11C carbon, 15O gas, and 15O water.
The half lives of these radiopharmaceuticals range from two minutes to two hours. Thus, the injection into the patient and the imaging must take place within a very short time period after production of the radiopharmaceutical. Hospitals without the facilities to manufacture radiopharmaceuticals must order them to be delivered by ground or air transport from nearby manufacturing facilities, which can be very expensive.
In response to the growing practice of using nuclear medicine imaging, such as PET, many hospitals have built their own radiopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. This option is also typically very expensive; however, due to certain requirements of the facility, such as the structure required to support the massive cyclotron, the air circulation system for the facility which cannot return air into the hospital space, and the shielding requirements arising from the radioactive nature of the radiopharmaceutical. Some hospitals have built separate structures to house radiopharmaceutical production. However, this option, while generally easier to achieve than converting existing hospital space, still requires extensive planning to satisfy all the structural, functional, legal, and regulatory requirements placed on radiopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities.
Accordingly, there is a need for a cost effective method for producing radioactive materials such as radiopharmaceuticals which may be implemented easily by organizations requiring them, such as hospitals and medical imaging practices. | {
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The present invention relates generally to the detection of extravasation of fluids injected into the vascular system, and, more particularly, to extravasation detection devices and methods in medical injection procedures using electrical energy transmission through tissue in the vicinity of an injection site or other site.
In many medical diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, a physician or other person injects a patient with a fluid. In recent years, a number of injector-actuated syringes and powered injectors for pressurized injection of contrast medium in procedures such as angiography, computed tomography, ultrasound and NMR/MRI have been developed.
Extravasation is the accidental infusion of an injection fluid such as a contrast medium into tissue surrounding a blood vessel rather than into the blood vessel itself. Extravasation can be caused, for example, by fragile vasculature, valve disease, inappropriate needle placement, or patient movement resulting in the infusing needle being pulled from the intended vessel or causing the needle to be pushed through the wall of the vessel. Furthermore, high injection pressures and/or rates of some modern procedures increase the risk of extravasation. In computed tomography, for example, contrast injection flow rates can be in the range of 0.1 to 10 ml/s.
Moreover, extravasation can cause serious injury to patients. In that regard, certain injection fluids such as contrast media or chemotherapy drugs can be toxic to tissue if not diluted by blood flow. It is, therefore, very important when performing fluid injections to detect extravasation as soon as possible and discontinue the injection upon detection.
Several extravasation techniques are known in the art. Two simple and very useful techniques for detecting extravasation are palpation of the patient in the vicinity of the injection site and simple visual observation of the vicinity of the injection site by a trained health care provider. In the palpation technique, the health care provider manually senses swelling of tissue near the injection resulting from extravasation. By visual observation, it is also sometimes possible to observe directly any swelling of the skin in the vicinity of an injection site resulting from extravasation.
In addition to palpation and observation, there are a number of automatic methods of detecting extravasation that include automatically triggering an alarm condition upon detection. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,281 discloses subcutaneous temperature sensing of extravasation to trigger such an alarm. In this method of extravasation detection, an antenna and a microwave radiometer instantaneously measure the temperature of the subcutaneous tissue at the site where fluid is injected. An algorithm periodically determines the temperature difference between tissue and injected fluid, and compares the difference to a fixed threshold. An alarm processor uses the comparison to determine an alarm condition.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,141 discloses a microwave extravasation detection system employing a reusable microwave antenna and a disposable attachment element for releasably securing the microwave antenna to a patient""s skin over an injection site. The attachment element holds the antenna in intimate contact with the patient""s skin to optimize microwave transfer therebetween, while shielding the antenna from environmental noise signals.
Several plethysmographic detection techniques are available in addition to known temperature sensing techniques. For example, mercury strain gauge plethysmographs measure the volume change resulting from venous blood flow in a cross sectional area of a limb of a patient. Air cuff or pulse volume recorder plethysmographs measure the changes in pressure within a recording cuff caused by the change in volume of a limb or digit as a result of extravasation. Photo-plethysmographs measure the optical scattering properties of capillary blood to detect the presence of extravasated fluids in tissue. An example of a photo-plethysmograph is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,034.
Impedance plethysmographs measure changes in the electrical impedance in a defined tissue volume of a limb. In this method, an impedance change of a certain level in the vicinity of the injection site is interpreted as being an extravasation. A change in impedance occurs during extravasation because injection fluid in the tissue of the patient changes both the volume and the electrical impedance properties of the tissue. An example of an impedance measurement device for sensing extravasation of radiographic contract medium is the EDA(trademark) patch manufactured by E-Z-EM, Co. of Westbury, N.Y. Maintaining suitable electrical contact between the electrodes of similar impedance plethysmographs and the skin of the patient, however, is often very difficult in such impedance measuring devices.
Although the EDA patch is capable of providing extravasation detection at speeds required by high injection-rate procedures when good electrical contact is maintained, the placement of the patch over the injection site prevents simultaneous performance of unobstructed palpation and visual examination by the health care provider. Other automatic methods for detecting extravasation also result in obstruction of the injection site and prevent palpation and visual observation. In the case of the photo-plethysmograph, for example, it is also critical to make direct contact with the skin to sense small changes in light scattering from the superficial layers of tissue. Unfortunately, preventing palpation and visual observation eliminates a valuable warning of the occurrence of extravasation.
It is, therefore, very desirable to develop improved devices and methods for detecting extravasation during the high flow rate procedures (1 to 10 ml/sec) typically encountered in angiographic, CT, ultrasound, and MR imaging procedures.
The present invention provides generally a device and method for the detection of extravasation in an injection procedure including at least a first energy source for supplying energy to tissue in the vicinity of a site and at least a first receiver to measure a signal resulting from changes in the energy supplied to the tissue by the first energy source. The signal will change when extravasation occurs due to a change in the bulk electrical properties of tissue and injected fluid in the region of the extravasation. Unlike prior devices for the detection of extravasation, the first energy source and the first receiver are positioned in a manner so that the vicinity of an injection site or other site is available for manual palpation and is visible for visual inspection.
In several embodiments, the energy source and the receiver contact the skin of a patient. In one embodiment, the device includes a base (for example, a patch) incorporating a sensor or transducer including the first energy source and the first receiver. Such a base or patch preferably has an open portion so that the vicinity of a site is available for palpation and is visible for visual inspection. Alternatively, the first energy source may be incorporated in a first base or patch and the first receiver may be incorporated in a second base or patch so that the vicinity of the site is unobstructed.
The device of the present invention preferably includes at least a second energy source to supply energy to tissue in the vicinity of the site, and at least a second receiver to measure a second signal resulting from the energy supplied to the tissue by the second energy source. The multiple energy source/receiver pairs of the present invention can be incorporated in a single or multiple bases or patches as described above. The energy source/receiver pairs are preferably oriented differently with respect to the tissue in the vicinity of the site.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the first energy source and the first receiver do not contact the skin of a patient and, therefore, keep the vicinity of the site available for palpation and visible for visual inspection. For example, the first energy source may include a source of radio frequency energy and the first receiver may include a coil. In this embodiment, the device measures inductive impedance of a region of the tissue. The first receiver may also include two coils so that the device measures the inductive coupling of the two coils.
The present invention also provides a device for the detection of extravasation in an injection procedure including a first energy source to supply energy to tissue in the vicinity of an injection site or in the vicinity of another site remote from the injection site and a first receiver to measure a first signal resulting from the energy supplied to the tissue by the first energy source. The device further includes at least a second energy source to supply energy to tissue in the vicinity of the site and at least a second receiver to measure a second signal resulting from the energy supplied to the tissue by the second energy source. The first energy source and first receiver pairing are orientated differently with respect to the site from the second energy source and second receiver pairing. In this manner, measurements across different orientations of the tissue in the vicinity of the site can be maintained. Preferably, the first energy source and first receiver pairing is oriented generally orthogonal to the second energy source and second receiver pairing.
The present invention also provides a device for the detection of extravasation in an injection procedure including a first layer of a material with relatively high dielectric constant. Preferably, the first layer of material has a dielectric constant of at least approximately 5. An example of a suitable material for the first layer is vinylidene fluoride film (for example, Kynar(trademark) available from Elf Atochem), having a dielectric constant of approximately 7. The device also includes a second layer of a relatively low dielectric material. Preferably, the material of the second layer has a dielectric constant of less than approximately 4. An example of a suitable material for the second layer is a polyimide film (for example, Kapton(trademark), available from Dupont, Inc.), having a dielectric constant of approximately 3.5. The device further includes at least one energy source/receiver pairing as described above. The energy source and the receiver are positioned between the first layer and the second layer. The second layer is positioned outside of the first layer relative to the tissue. A layer of a hydrogel material may be positioned between the first layer and the tissue to improve electrical coupling.
The device may further include a third layer of a conductive material such as a thin film of indium-tin oxide. The third layer is positioned outside of the second layer relative to the tissue and is of sufficient conductivity to shield the device from stray capacitance which can drain electrical energy from the exposed combination of electrodes and tissue, thereby reducing the sensitivity of measurement.
The present invention still further provides a device for the detection of extravasation in an injection procedure including an energy source/receiver pairing as described above and a layer of a conductive material to shield the device from stray capacitance.
In some patients, extravasation sometimes occurs at a site remote from the catheter insertion point (that is, the injection site). The present invention thus also provides a method for detecting extravasation in an injection procedure comprising the step of positioning at least a first sensor adapted to detect extravasation at a position or site remote from an injection site, but along a path of potential extravasation. A second sensor adapted to detect extravasation is preferably also positioned in a vicinity of the injection site.
The present invention also provides a system for the detection of extravasation in an injection procedure including a first sensor positioned to detect extravasation in the vicinity of an injection site and at least a second sensor positioned to detect extravasation at a site remote from the injection site. An array of such sensors or transducers can be provided along a path of potential extravasation.
Such sensors can be formed as described above. For example, the first sensor may include at least a first energy source to supply energy to tissue in the vicinity of a site and at least a first receiver for measuring a signal resulting from the energy supplied to the tissue by the first energy source. The first energy source and the first receiver are preferably positioned in a manner so that the vicinity of the site is available for palpation and is visible for visual inspection.
The present invention also provides a method of detecting extravasation in an injection procedure including the steps of: positioning a first energy source and a first receiver in a manner so that the vicinity of a site is available for palpation and visible for visual inspection, applying energy to tissue in the vicinity of the site via the first energy source, and measuring a signal resulting from the energy supplied to the tissue by the first energy source with the first receiver.
The present invention further provides a method for detecting extravasation in an injection procedure comprising the steps of: positioning a first sensor in a first orientation relative to a site, positioning at least a second sensor in a second orientation, different from the first orientation, relative to the site. As described above, the first sensor may include a first energy source to supply energy to tissue in the vicinity of the site and a first receiver to measure a first signal resulting from the energy supplied to the tissue by the first energy source. Likewise, the second sensor may include a second energy source to supply energy to tissue in the vicinity of the site and a second receiver to measure a second signal resulting from the energy supplied to the tissue by the second energy source.
The present invention also provides a method for detecting extravasation in an injection procedure performed on a patient including the steps of: positioning an energy source and a receiver between a first layer of a high dielectric material and a second layer of a low dielectric material, the second layer being positioned outside of the first layer relative to the patient, supplying energy to tissue in the vicinity of an injection site via the energy source, and measuring a resulting signal with the receiver.
Still further, the present invention provides a method for detecting extravasation in an injection procedure comprising the steps of: supplying energy to tissue in the vicinity of an injection site via an energy source, measuring a resulting signal with a receiver, and shielding the energy source and the receiver from stray capacitance with a conductive material.
The present invention and its attendant advantages will be further understood by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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A base station of a wireless communication system transmits a signal having an average power which is largely different from a peak power. In recent years, it is considered to employ a Doherty amplifier in order to enhance efficiency of a transmitting amplifier which is used in a transmitter of the base station, etc.
In the Doherty amplifier, a signal distributor distributes an input signal into two amplifiers. A carrier amplifier always amplifies one signal, and a peak amplifier amplifies only signal with a predetermined higher power level in the other signal.
Besides, in the Doherty amplifier, an output of the carrier amplifier is combined with an output of the peak amplifier through a Doherty combiner, and an impedance transformer is placed between the power combining point and a load (e.g. refer to Patent Literature 1 and Non Patent Literature 1). The impedance transformer is placed in order to mutually transform characteristic impedance between Z0 and (½)×Z0.
The Doherty combiner and the impedance transformer are basically composed of a quarter wavelength transmission line.
Besides, each of the characteristic impedance Z0 of the Doherty combiner and the impedance transformer is determined on the basis of desired impedance transformation ratio depending on a configuration of the Doherty amplifier. In the technology described in Patent Literature 1, for example, the characteristic impedance Z0 of the Doherty combiner is set at 50Ω and the characteristic impedance Z0 of the impedance transformer is set at 35.4Ω (=(50×25)^(½)). | {
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Image processing devices generally recognize the shape and type of object obtained as image information in two steps: first, they establish a so called `window` to designate the region of the input image which is to be recognized; and second, they measure various feature parameters of the image within the window such as its surface area and center of gravity.
FIGS. 11A-11C illustrate a process used to establish a window. In FIG. 11a the input image 1 is obtained by imaging the given object through an appropriate imaging device. The input image 1, having an identifiable portion 1a, is then displayed on the display screen of a video monitor of the image processing device (not shown).
While viewing the display screen, as shown in FIG. 11B, the operator uses a mouse or other appropriate input device to enter various points P.sub.i which define the region(s) which the system recognizes, i.e., image comparisons with scanned objects that are to be performed. This region consists of the area in and around portion 1a of the image. The coordinates of points P.sub.i are then sent to the image processing device, which creates a polygonal window 2 by connecting the operator-identified points P.sub.i to each other with straight lines.
Another embodiment which can be used to create such a window is shown in FIG. 11C. In this embodiment, the operator can input predetermined standard shapes 3 and 4, which may be circles, squares, or other geometrical shapes large enough to contain portion 1a of the image. The image processing device then creates a window 5 in a fashion similar to that described above by combining standard FIGS. 3 and 4.
When the first conventional embodiment shown in FIG. 11B is used, the operator must enter a large number of points P.sub.i, which is a troublesome process. In other words, if only a small number of points P.sub.i are entered, it is difficult to create a window 2 which conforms to the shape of the portion 1a of the image. In this case, there is a danger that the portion 1a of the image will protrude over the edge of the window 2 which has been generated. Beyond being inexact, the process is usually time consuming.
With the latter embodiment of FIG. 11C, a number of standard figures must be combined if the shape of portion 1a of the image is at all complex. This process can become unwieldy, and it is difficult to create, using only the standard figures, a window 5 which conforms to the contour of portion 1a.
FIGS. 12A-12C illustrate another embodiment for creating a window which eliminates the aforementioned problems. In this embodiment, the object is imaged and a gray image 6 is generated in FIG. 12a which will in turn be used to create a recognition window. The gray image 6 is binarized, and the binary image 7 is stored in the image memory (FIG. 12B).
In FIG. 12C, the same binary image is sent to the window memory, where an expanding or shrinking process is performed on it to create the expanded image 8 (FIG. 12D) or a shrunken image 9 (FIG. 12E). Images 8 and 9 are both binary images. The portion labeled 10a is the region 8 the image containing the black pixels; the white area labeled 10b is the region containing the white pixels. Images 8 and 9 are established as windows for input image 11.
To use these windows, for example, if an operator was inspecting objects for burrs or bulges, he would use a window consisting of the aforementioned expanded image 8 since these defects are accentuated. By totalling the black pixels within the window and comparing the total with a reference value, it would be possible for him to detect the presence or absence of burrs or bulges. If a operator was inspecting an object for chips or dents, he would use a window constructed from the aforementioned shrunken image 9 since the chips or dents would be more apparent. By totalling the black pixels within the window and comparing the total with a reference value, it would be possible to detect the presence or absence of chips or dents.
However, the embodiments using the windows described above suffer from the following problem. When the defects, whether they be burrs, bulges, chips, dents, etc., are microscopic, the difference between the total of number black pixels 10a within the window for a normal object and for a defective piece would not be obvious. For this reason it is difficult to perform a highly accurate inspection for defects. As a result, an inspection with a high degree of accuracy is impossible to perform. | {
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Media presentation systems such as set-top boxes today provide parental control services. However, such systems tend to be simplistic in nature and generally provide blocking of media content by standard media content ratings (e.g., G, PG-13, etc.). Given the advent of smart phones and tablets, exposure to unrestricted media content is much greater than before, which may raise concerns for parents who wish to control consumption of media content across multiple media devices of their children. | {
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} |
The present invention relates to a signal evaluation circuit for a motion detector which contains a sensor and whose sensor signal contains a relatively large direct current portion and a small alternating current portion, having means for filtering out the direct current portion, having an analogue-to-digital converter and having an amplifier for the alternating current portion of the sensor signal.
The sensor signal of motion detectors of this type is composed of an highly erratic and temperature-dependent direct current component and of an alternating current portion. The direct current portion which makes no contribution to the useful signal cannot be anticipated and is unstable for a relatively long period of time, and the alternating current portion which delivers the useful signal in order to trigger the alarm is at a level of approximately one per thousand of the direct current portion and therefore has to be amplified to a correspondingly intensive degree. Generally the signal evaluation circuit contains a series of capacitors which act as high-pass filters and gradually filter out the direct current portion. The remaining alternating current signal is then digitized and amplified. Owing to the low useful frequencies, the filtering process requires large coupling-electrolyte capacitors which are not only expensive and problematic from the electrical point of view but which also cannot be integrated and thus render it impossible to construct the evaluation circuit as an integrated circuit (IC) which would be desirable for reasons of cost. | {
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The present invention relates generally to the field of explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics and more particularly to reducing the hazards of handling, manufacturing, storage, transporting, using and demolition of these materials.
Since the time of Nobel, much effort in research and development has been expended to develop more efficient and reliable explosives. These ends have been achieved in part, but little or no real comparable progress has been made until the instant invention in the area of hazard prevention in the manufacture, storage, transportation, demolition and demilitarization of explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics commensurate with the development of these materials.
In the manufacture of these materials the hazards were and still are being viewed as being existent and that explosive and conflagration accidents are inevitable and unavoidable. The objective, until the present invention, has been to minimize them. This has been done by providing manufacturing buildings with concrete walls 3 feet thick. Roofs and ceilings have been designed with like strength and like safety factors, or alternatively designed to blow off. Internally, certain precautions have been taken. For example, 1 foot thick concrete or cement block dividing walls have been used to partially localize accidental blasts and fires. The effects of blasts such as overpressure and the effects of rapid fires are generally vented outdoors, above the dividing walls, or through a portion of the roof which is designed to give way. One contemporary installation has an outside wall which extends from one dividing wall to the other built of frangible material so that the pressures from the blast and fires are vented therethrough. Other wall designs instead of pure concrete are also in use. The concrete walls have been reinforced with welded steel reinforcements which enables the concrete to withstand more explosive force inasmuch as it is weak in tension. Alternatively, hollow walls have been constructed and used with some success. They comprise spaced inner and outer panels of either steel or wood with sand filling the space therebetween. The assembly lines are generally segmentized in plural of the aforementioned buildings and for within each building structure. This is and has been done with safety in mind, i.e., in the event of an explosion and/or fire only one portion of the assembly line is destroyed. Within one building structure it is conventional to pass the assembly line transverse to and through these dividing walls. Through heavy wall and divider construction, a measure of hazard prevention has been had. Even in view thereof, ever present danger to personnel life and plant demolition still plagues the explosive propellant and pyrotechnic manufacturing community. This is so, because the concept of Quantity-Distance (Q-D) is still the only guide employed to protect adjacent structures against major structural damage.
In the storage of partially or fully assembled, munitions and explosives, it is and has been common practice to provide storage magazines under the earth. The magazine comprises a concrete structure with an entranceway, with walls, a floor, and a roof 2 to 3 feet thick. The roof is generally dome shaped, and the entranceway is closed by a heavy door which is designed to give way if a blast occurs. The roof is generally covered with 3 to 4 feet of packed earth. Though a measure of safety is had by these storage efforts, the possibility of explosive blasts and fires causing harm to persons and property considerable distances from the storage area still exists.
In the field of transporting explosives, propellants, pyrotechnics and munitions, where the material or the munition either has deteriorated to an unsafe condition or it has become obsolete, very uneconomical and stringent safety measures are and have been taken. Isolated and uninhabited sites in the plains and within valleys with high ground or mountainous perimeters have served this end. So also, strong structures with high safety factors have been neutralizing, "provided for blasts", where the above sites are inaccessible or the economic factors make it prohibitive. Though these measures have served to prevent harm to the general population and to valuable real and personal property, real and present danger always exists to the needed personnel. Aside from the use of all-metal imperforate thick shields between the exploding medium and the personnel doing the detonating, tremendous danger exists due to flying debris (fragments, firebrands, etc.) and from the flame or fire effects.
The effort to alleviate and eliminate harm to persons and property as outlined above, has led us to the development of our new explosive and fire shielding techniques which we believe are a breakthrough in hazard protection and prevention in the explosive, propellant and pyrotechnic fields. Until the instant invention, confinement of the explosion or fire in its entirety was the aim. Thus, the percussion forces resulting from the rapid release of energy caused conflagration and debris to be spread over a wide area. This required the specification of "quantity distance" which necessitates large areas of real estate to be set aside as buffer zones in order to achieve a safe environment. Our invention is a departure therefrom. We, according to our invention, confine 100% of the flying debris (fragments) within the immediate vicinity of the explosion and bleed or dissipate, and baffle the pressure differential to reduce the force thereof to a negligible level. By the use of our innovative shield, hazards of blasts and combustion will be reduced tenfold. With our invention, personnel working near hazardous material manufacturing, storage, demilitarization and demolition areas and those using and transporting hazardous materials will be able to survive resulting explosions, blasts, and fires of these materials with little or no personal harm. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of hybrid carnation botanically known as Dianthus caryophyllus, and referred to by the cultivar name ‘CFPC Aztec’.
‘CFPC Aztec’, identified as selection no. 020254, originated from a cross made by Roy Stahlhut in a controlled breeding program in Salinas, Calif.
The female parent of the new variety is the unpatented variety known as ‘CFPC Invitation’ and the male parent is the unpatented variety known as selection no. 000271. The new variety ‘CFPC Aztec’ has been asexually reproduced by vegetative side shoot cuttings in Salinas, Calif. and the distinguishing characteristics are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. | {
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The present invention relates to eye-examining methods in general, and more particularly to a method of determining the proper individually given positions of dioptric portions on eyeglasses, especially on pantoscopic eyeglasses for the close-range positions of the eyes of an examinee.
Pantoscopic eyeglasses usually have a relatively small close-range or reading-range regions, such regions having, for instance, a diameter of 6 millimeters.
In the close-range or reading-range position of the eyes, in which the eyes are moved somewhat downwardly and also somewhat inwardly because of the shorter observation distance, the close-range regions should be arranged within the observation direction as exactly as possible. When the close-range region or portion is positioned exactly on the respective eyeglass, the user of the eyeglasses can sharply discern the respective line of writing or print from the beginning of the line to the end thereof during normal sweep of the eyes, provided that the length of the line is within a certain limit which is determined by the size of the close-range dioptric portion and hence by the angle through which the respective eye can move while still looking through the respective close-range dioptic portion. To satisfy the above condition, it must be assured that, as the eyes are moved from side to side while reading the respective line, the points of intersection of the line of direct vision, which moves in accordance with the angular displacement of the respective eye, with the respective eyeglass are still located within the close-range dioptric portion of the respective eyeglass. On the other hand, when the angular displacement of the respective eye is more pronounced, the above-discussed points of intersection become located outside of the close-range dioptric portion so that the user of the eyeglasses sees the script or the like only as a blurred image.
Heretofore, it was resorted to the use of experimental values for determining the positions of the dioptric portions on the pantoscopic eyeglasses in the reading position of the eyes of the examinee. These experimentally obtained values were used to locate the center of the close-range dioptric portion with respect to the center of the far-range portion of the respective eyeglass as a whole. For instance, it was heretofore customary to measure 2.5 millimeters inwardly and 14 millimeters downwardly from the center of the far-range portion of the respective eyeglass to determine the location of the center of the close-range portion of the eyeglass.
This method which is based on experience and on experimentally obtained values is sufficiently accurate when used, for instance, for manufacturing bifocal eyeglasses. This is attributable to the fact that in these bifocal eyeglasses the close-range portion is substantially larger than in pantoscopic eyeglasses. The situation is different for pantoscopic eyeglasses where difficulties are often encountered in view of the fact that it is not possible to establish the proper positions of the close-range dioptric portions with a sufficient degree of accuracy. This is further aggravated by the fact that the proper positions of the close-range dioptric portions vary from one individual to another so that an exact and individual determination of the proper position of the close-range dioptric portions is impossible to achieve by resorting to the use of experimental values. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The invention relates to a system and method of digital image processing; more particularly, to automatic color dropout using luminance-chrominance space for high speed document scanning.
In document image processing there is a need to extract textual information from an image that has color content in the background. Removal of certain color content is useful in specific applications, such as forms processing, where the color content on the form, which is used to facilitate data entry, adds no value to subsequent data processing. Color dropout reduces the image file size, eliminates extraneous information, and simplifies the task of extracting textual information from the image for the reader or processing system.
One application where color dropout is important is in the field of optical character recognition (OCR). The electronic color form dropout is a desired feature in form processing because it eliminates the interference of form structure from the text of interest, which reduces the complication of optical character recognition (OCR) application. In the OCR process, a document is scanned electronically, which converts the data on the form to a digital image. Once the data is captured in electronic form, the information to be read is separated from the background information, such as boxes and text with instructions on how to complete the form. This process results in the elimination of all but the desired information. Once this separation is accomplished, the text fields of the image are extracted and processed by an OCR algorithm.
A scanning system capable of capturing an image in color produces a digital image file with three color components, such as red, green and blue (xe2x80x9cRGBxe2x80x9d). The number of pixels in the color image depends on the resolution of dots per inch resolved by the camera optics and detector. The numerical value at each pixel of a color component represents the amount of the particular primary color detected at that pixel. In cases where all three color components have the same value, the resultant image is said to be a shade of gray. As the intensity of each color component is reduced, the gray appearance turns black.
Business forms are often printed with some background color, for example, a pastel color. One way of eliminating this background color is to use an optical filter in the electronic scanner, matched to the background color to be eliminated. The color filter prevents the scanner detector from discerning information printed in that particular color, therefore, the pastel background appears white to the scanner. The text printed in black or any color other than the filter color is captured by the scanner. This system limits the dropout colors to the particular filter installed on the scanner, which must match the background color on the forms. In other words, this system requires different filters for different color forms and is limited to dropping a single color.
Other available systems and methods that automatically identify the color of the desired data and eliminate background colors do not address certain needs. One such system/method for extracting data from business forms is automatic color dropout using luminance-chrominance space. Typically, the digital image generated is bi-tonal, such as black and white, or two different grayscale values. However, special problems are created by business forms that have been typed on various brands and styles of typewriters. Also, people use different types of pens and inks, such as dark blue ink, to fill in and sign business forms. This can also create problems in character and color recognition. Colors may vary from form to form. Also, achieving high resolution occurs at the expense of document scanning throughput.
Another problem with conventional systems and methods is that they do not address the adverse effects of inherent color noises on the precision and reliability of electronic color dropout. Inherent color noises are frequently induced in a scanning process by chromatic aberration and mis-registration of red, green, and blue (RGB) signals. A business form normally contains a finite number of uniform colors. Analysis of an electronic version of a business form that has been captured by flatbed scanners or rotary-type scanners reveals thousands of extra colors on the edges of image objects, such as lines and characters. These extra colors are called color fringes. Color fringes do not exist in the original business form documents. The occurrence of these false colors results in confusion of color dropout algorithms based on the minimum distance measures adopted in certain conventional methods, as described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,035,058, Savakis et al, issued Mar. 7, 2000. For example, the color of an image pixel near an edge to be retained may be identical to the color of interest to be dropped out. These extra colors generated in a scanning process illustrate the difficulty in attempting to achieve perfect color dropout without losing some edge pixels of image objects. The color dropout technique of the present invention minimizes image information loss while eliminating the color of interest. In addition, the present invention supports dropping multiple colors and is even capable of determining the colors to be dropped.
The method of the present invention includes a color dropout technique suitable for high speed document scanning, which minimizes image information loss while completely eliminating the color of interest, even given a wide variety of color business forms. The present invention allows color dropout in two or, if desired, three dimensions. The two dimensional system allows simplification of the hardware required to achieve consistently clear images of data on a variety of business forms. With the present invention, hardware and look-up tables are smaller when compared to other available systems, and system implementation is simpler. In the method of the present invention, a stack of documents is distinguished, colors are selected based on the particular form, colors are detected by original scanning of the form in a color space, and then the image is processed to obtain two-dimensional color maps.
The present invention is an automatic method for processing a color image, comprising the steps of:
a) detecting color in a color form by scanning the color form in color space, preferably in red, green, and blue (RGB) color space, forming a digital color image, and converting the digital color image to a two-dimensional binary image in chrominance space, and, optionally, a three-dimensional binary image in luminance-chrominance space to determine the color or colors to be dropped; and
b) conducting a color form dropout process.
An image processing system for automatic color dropout is also included herein. It includes:
1) a color detection system, comprising:
(1a) a color scanner for scanning a color document and providing a digital image;
(1b) a means for converting the color digital image into luminance-chrominance space;
(1c) a means for detecting a background gray level, and assigning it to a Background Value;
(1d) a means for measuring color distribution;
(1e) a means for detecting the number of colors and their distributions;
(1f) a means for generating a color drop table for each color present; and
2) a color dropout system, comprising:
(2a) a color scanner for scanning a color form document and providing a digital image;
(2b) a means for converting the color digital image into luminance-chrominance space;
(2c) a means for storing the color drop table;
(2d) a means for accessing the color drop table;
(2e) a means for applying a color dropout map to the digital image; and
(2f) a means for replacing a pixel value with the Background Value based on the color drop table. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication system and a communication method for the same and a mobile station and a base station used for the same, and more particularly, to the improvement of a communication channel quality informing system for informing a downlink communication channel quality of a plurality of different frequency-bands in downlink packet communication using a shared channel in a mobile communication system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As a packet communication system for performing a communication as a plurality of mobile stations share a radio band, a HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) or a LTE (Long Term Evolution) that are standardized with the 3GPP are known. In such a packet communication system, the mobile station measures the receiving quality of a pilot channel transmitted in the downlink and informs the measurement in the uplink as a communication channel quality (CQI: Channel Quality Indicator).
Correspondence between the receiving quality and the CQI is decided in advance, for example, CQIs by the 30 levels (information in five bits) are defined in the HSDPA. The radio base station uses a CQI informed from the mobile station for packet scheduling for performing allocation of transmission opportunities, and for adaptive modulation for changing a modulating method and a coding rate for the communication channel coding. By using the communication channel quality in such a manner, a communication can be provided according to the communication channel for each mobile station; thus, a radio band can be efficiently used.
For the access system in the downlink of the LTE, the OFDM is considered. The radio band allocated to the system is divided into a plurality of small radio bands (RB: Resource Block) so that the mobile station informs a CQI for each RB to the radio base station. As a mobile station is allocated to each RB, the frequency division multiplex is realized. For example, relationship between the system band and the RB is shown in FIG. 54. Here, K represents the total number of RBs.
Related documents include 3GPP TSG RAN, TR25.814 ver. 1.2.0, “Physical Layer Aspects for Evolved UTRA”, February 2006.
As a wireless band allocated to the system is getting wider, however, the transmission rate in the downlink increases and also the number of RBs increases. For example, in the LTE, the band of the RB is around 375 kHz, and in the system band of 5 MHz, it is divided into twelve. The band of the RB depends little on the width of the system band. Thus, as the system is getting to have a wider band, the number of CQIs for the mobile station needs to inform increases.
The mobile station uses the uplink to inform the CQI. In the LTE, however, the uplink is also a shared channel and uses the frequency division multiplex, thus, the number of the mobile stations that can transmit at a time is limited. Specifically, as the number of mobile stations to connect with the base station increases, a cyclical transmitting method is also used for increasing the number of multiplexing in the uplink.
On the other hand, as the CQI is used for scheduling or adaptive modulation in the downlink, if the CQI cannot inform the communication channel quality in an appropriate cycle, no scheduling nor adaptive modulation adapted to the communication channel quality of the mobile station is realized. Thus, it lowers a throughput in the downlink.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for informing a communication quality which can transmit CQI required for scheduling or adaptive modulation in short cycles even if the number of the mobile stations to be connected with increases by reducing the amount of transmission for a time of transmission. | {
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A Unified Theory of Stress, Coagulation, Inflammation, Wound Healing, Embryological Development and Tissue Maintenance
Stress, n.: 1. —The reaction of the animal body to forces of a deleterious nature, infections and various abnormal states that tend to disturb its normal physiologic equilibrium (homeostasis). 2. —The resisting force set up in a body as a result of an externally applied force.(1)
Disorder is the basic law of the universe. Living creatures are ordered forms that employ combinations of information systems, chemical reactions, and mechanical mechanisms to acquire energy from their environment to maintain their structural integrity and function, and replicate. To be alive is to be unceasingly stressed by the demands of energy acquisition and structural maintenance.
Occam's Razor, a key concept in scientific philosophy, suggests that the best approach to a complex problem is to assume that the simplest explanation, or set of explanations, is correct until proven otherwise.
It has long been understood that humans and animals are equipped with physiological mechanisms that enable them to resist and repair the damaging effects of stressful stimulus, including coagulation, inflammation, scab formation, wound repair, and tissue maintenance. The observed reactions to stress are numerous, confusing and inter-related(2,3), and thus far no attempt has been made to describe a single mechanism that can explain these various phenomena. This manuscript will present a theory (“Stress Theory”) that endeavors to explain the biological reaction to stressful stimuli in terms of a simple, unified physiologic mechanism. The formulation of the theory was inspired by the author's observations of the clinical benefits of opioid-based anesthetic strategies, and has been greatly facilitated by recently published studies. It is intended to inspire new research that may lead to improved surgical outcome as well as general advance of medical understanding.
The Stress Theory may provide fresh insights to the nature of embryology, neonatology(4), physiology, immunology, pharmacology, and pathology. It may offer improved understanding of the mechanisms of drug actions, systemic vascular resistance, blood flow and distribution, blood pressure, atherosclerosis, thromboembolism, capillary homeostasis, apoptosis, embryological tissue development, muscle hypertrophy, athletic cardiovascular “conditioning”, blood coagulation, tissue inflammation, wound healing, Virchow's Triad, the “Fight or Flight” stress syndrome of Hans Seyle, Surgical stress, tissue remodeling and maintenance and numerous manifestations of pathology by describing all these in terms of the effects of a cohesive stress-opposing mechanism that operates continuously to maintain homeostasis and tissue integrity in the animal body(5).
Presently accepted coagulation “Cascade” theory provides an incomplete description of the coagulation process that defines coagulation Factors VII and VIII and thrombin as enzymatic proteins that react with one another and other blood-borne proteins to effect clot formation. Stress Theory is predicated on the alternate hypothesis that coagulation factors VII and VIII are blood-borne stress agents that respectively cause local and systemic elevations of thrombin levels and synergize each other's actions to produce hyper-elevations of thrombin at the site of stress (injury), and that thrombin is responsible for the numerous symptoms and effects exerted by the stress mechanism. Stress Theory offers a simpler and more complete explanation of hemostasis and coagulation than presently prevailing Cascade Theory, plus a simple explanation of wound healing, tissue maintenance, and important aspects of embryological development that is presently lacking.
Stress Theory assigns a role to Factor VII that might be compared to the “Extrinsic” cascade. It circulates in flowing blood and is separated from exposure to the underlying collagen that constitutes the major component of blood vessel structure by the vascular endothelium, which is only one cell layer in thickness. Disruption of the vascular endothelium therefore exposes factor VII to collagen, causing its activation. Its activity is normally localized and it focuses the effects of the Stress Mechanism at the site of injury (stress).
Likewise, the role of Factor VIII loosely corresponds to the “Intrinsic” cascade. It is a hormone that is produced and released directly into the blood by the vascular endothelium, a gland, under the control of the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS), so that its blood level varies in accord with the tone and activity levels of the SNS. Its activity is systemic and its function is to regulate the activity level of the Stress Mechanism.
Both Factors VII and Factor VIII activate thrombin, and their combined effects cause localized hyper-elevations of thrombin that focus the effects of the stress mechanism at the site of stress and injury. The role of thrombin thus corresponds to the “Final Common Pathway” as described by Cascade Theory.
Stress Theory hypothesizes that thrombin is the primary enzymatic effecter agent of the stress mechanism. Thrombin is the known cause of numerous effects, including platelet activation(6), cell mitosis(7), cell hypertrophy, increased cell metabolism, inflammation(2), collagen production, and the conversion of fibrinogen to insoluble fibrin(8). It is closely associated with embryological development, wound healing, coagulation, malignancy, and tissue maintenance. Stress Theory hypothesizes Is that thrombin produces these multiple effects by means of a common mechanism that has yet to be identified.
Stress Theory postulates two mechanisms of hemostasis, both of which are controlled by blood levels of thrombin and “insoluble” fibrin. These are: 1. Capillary Hemostasis, which is initiated by closure of a molecular level Capillary Gate Mechanism governed by varying levels of “insoluble” fibrin and 2. Systemic Hemostasis, which is manifested by the familiar blood clot formation process that occurs in larger vessels. This is initiated by declines in blood turbulence and mixing that are initiated by increased blood levels of “insoluble” fibrin, a three-dimensional molecule with physical properties absent in its precursor, “soft” fibrin, and further enhanced by the formation of fibrin strands that connect various blood components to one another as turbulence and mixing decline.
The theory implies that changes in systemic vascular resistance occur in accord with the operation of the Capillary Gate mechanism and the degree of capillary hemostasis(9) as opposed to muscular contraction or relaxation of larger blood vessels. It asserts that the rapidly reversible physical properties of the three-dimensional matrix structure of insoluble fibrin, as controlled and facilitated by varying levels of Factor VIII, enable it to open and close the hypothesized Capillary Gate Mechanism to produce capillary hemostasis and indirectly regulate capillary perfusion. Simultaneously, insoluble fibrin increases systemic blood viscosity, which reduces blood turbulence and mixing, thereby increasing blood coagulability and thereby inducing clot formation. Hyper-elevations of insoluble fibrin in the immediate vicinity of stressful stimulus (injury), determined by the combined effects of Factors VII and VIII, reduce turbulence and mixing below a critical threshold, whereupon fibrin strands form inter-connections among blood components that further reduce turbulence and mixing, and clot formation proceeds to completion .
Chronic systemic elevations in blood viscosity, caused by persistent stressful stimulus and other factors cause reductions in blood turbulence and mixing that accelerate atherosclerosis in the arterial tree and increase the risk of thromboembolism in the venous system(10). Systemic vascular resistance and blood pressure(11) vary directly, and cardiac output and tissue perfusion vary inversely(12), with the degree of closure of the Capillary Gate mechanism as determined by the level of stress, SNS activation, and Factor VIII release.
Although thrombin plays an essential role in coagulation, most thrombin generation occurs after clot formation, suggesting that it may have additional functions(13,14). Stress Theory postulates that thrombin initiates coagulation and inflammation as a prelude to wound healing, and attracts various wound-healing cell types to the site of injury(15,16). It subsequently induces fibroblast mitosis, metabolism, proliferation and collagen production(17) as an integral part of the wound healing process. Thrombin levels continue to be elevated at the site of stress to regulate the wound-healing process in accord with continued collagen exposure to flowing blood, which maintains Factor VII activation. When wound healing is substantially complete, and collagen is sealed from exposure to flowing blood, thrombin levels fall. The decline in thrombin levels induces fibroblast apoptosis, signaling an end to the “active phase” of wound healing(18,19).
Maintenance levels of thrombin may stimulate collagen replenishment and tissue maintenance and remodeling, as evidenced by skin necrosis and ulceration and disturbances of wound repair(20) that sometimes result from treatment with coumadin, which exerts anti-thrombin effects(21-23).
Growing evidence suggests that the embryological development of complex multi-celled eukaryotic organisms may be largely governed by genetic programming contained in “junk” DNA in the form of “introns” that in the case of humans constitutes 95 percent or more of the genome(24). The introns may exert their effects on embryological development by controlling the timing of developmental processes, such as stem cell maintenance, cell proliferation, and apoptosis(25). Thrombin has been shown to be closely associated with cell maintenance(26), metabolism(27), hypertrophy(28-30), proliferation(31), angiogenesis(32) and apoptosis(19), and thrombin appears to play an important role in embryological development, as evidenced by fetal developmental defects that are associated with the administration of thrombin inhibitors to pregnant females and studies that demonstrate the role of thrombin in embryological development(31,33,34). I therefore hypothesize that introns control embryological development by controlling localized thrombin levels at precise time intervals. The stress mechanism, which also governs thrombin levels, may play a complimentary and synergistic role in embryological development by stimulating newly-developed organs and tissues to grow and enlarge in response to the stresses associated with fetal development. Assuming the presence of thrombin-sensitive growth and mitosis receptors common to all cells, the combined effects of introns and the stress mechanism to regulate thrombin levels may provide a simplified explanation of embryological development in complex organisms.
Nearly all forms of disease cause activation of the stress mechanism, typically manifested by a triad of 1. elevated blood levels of Factor VIII, 2. increased blood viscosity and 3. increased blood coagulability. These are often accompanied by a wide variety of seemingly unrelated pathological symptoms(35) due to inflammation, fibrin generation, and fibroblast proliferation. The stress mechanism may account for these symptoms. The Stress Mechanism is powerful, and may cause pathological effects, including malignancy, that are at odds with its healing function. Understanding the cause of these symptoms may offer insight into the nature of several hitherto mysterious stress-related diseases, such as rheumatoid disease(36), the tissue damage of diabetes, ARDS, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease(37-39), malignancy, eclampsia(40) and DIC. It may explain how stress-related conditions appear to exaggerate the incidence and severity of one another, as in diabetes and pregnancy, or in CREST syndrome(41). It may explain the fact that patients afflicted with one form of cancer are at increased risk of additional forms of cancer, how conditions that activate the stress mechanism may increase the risk of atherosclerosis and malignancy(42) and how environmental factors may increase the risk of stress-related disease(43,44). It may explain the associations between hypertension, systemic vascular resistance, blood viscosity(5), blood coagulability, atherosclerosis, and heart disease(45,46). It may suggest new forms of treatment and research. Finally, it may offer a logical way to employ anesthesia and surgical techniques to control stress and improve surgical outcome. | {
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The present invention relates to a developing method for visualizing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image-bearing member surface with a magnetic developer including a magnetic toner and magnetic carrier in an electrophotographic method, an electrostatic recording method, and an electrostatic printing method, etc.
Conventionally, in a typical electrophotographic method, an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive material surface is visualized with colored resin particles called toners, and the resulting toner image is fixed to a transfer sheet such as a plain paper by heating or pressurizing means to obtain a fixed image. Various methods of developing such an electrostatic latent image have been proposed so far. Among them, there is a method in which magnetic toner consisting of toner particles comprising a binder resin and magnetic powder is supplied onto a non-magnetic sleeve, to form a magnetic brush on the sleeve by a relative rotation of the sleeve and a permanent magnet member disposed inside the sleeve, and an image-bearing member surface is in slidable contact with this magnetic brush, thereby permitting the toner particles to attach to the electrostatic latent image.
In this one-component magnetic toner system, a chargeable magnetic toner, which contains a charge-controlling agent so that the toner may be strongly charged in a particular (positive or negative) polarity, is used, and the development of an electrostatic latent image is carried out by utilizing a triboelectric charging phenomenon due to the contact of the toner particles with a sleeve or a doctor blade member. However, when the chargeable magnetic toner is used alone, the toner particles are likely to be agglomerated by electric charging, so that streaks are formed on the image due to a shortage of toner on the sleeve. To obviate this problem, it has been proposed to use a developer comprising magnetic toner and magnetic carrier (for instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,640,880 and 5,053,305).
In such a method of developing an electrostatic latent image by using a developer comprising a chargeable magnetic toner and a magnetic carrier, it is typical that a magnetic carrier having a relatively high conductivity is used, and that the toner concentration is not particularly controlled. Accordingly, the toner concentration is in a wide range of 10-90% by weight in a developing region which is formed between the image-bearing member and the sleeve. When a permanent magnet material is fixed and a sleeve is rotated around it, an image quality is greatly affected by the toner concentration. Therefore, in this case, the toner concentration should be restricted to 30 weight % or less by utilizing toner-controlling means.
Also, since the magnetic toner has an insulating property from the viewpoint of transferability, the electric resistance of the entire developer becomes extremely high as the toner concentration increases. Thus, in order to obtain an image having a high image density and a good quality by using such a developer, efficient development of an electrostatic latent image is required. For this purpose, at least one of the non-magnetic sleeve and the permanent magnet member is usually rotated at a high speed to increase a speed of conveying the developer, thereby improving the development efficiency.
However, when either one of the above members is rotated at a high speed, the developer is likely to be severely damaged which can shorten its life, and large noises tend to be generated in the driving system. There also is a problem that in a case where foreign particles such as paper powder, etc., are accumulated at a doctor blade member, streaks are formed on the image due to a shortage of toner on the sleeve, thereby decreasing the image quality. | {
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} |
For light emitting devices, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), and especially deep ultraviolet light emitting diodes (DUV LEDs), minimizing a dislocation density in the semiconductor layers increases the efficiency of the device. To this extent, several approaches have sought to grow dislocation free semiconductor layers on patterned substrates. Some approaches have proposed various patterning of the underlying substrate. For example, FIGS. 1 and 2 show uses of an overgrowing technique according to the prior art. The technique of FIG. 1 uses patterning of convex protrusions on the underlying substrate and overgrowing a gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor layer. In the approach of FIG. 2, buildup of semiconductor material in patterned depressions is allowed. A reduction of dislocations may result due to an overall reduction of stress in the semiconductor layer. Another approach uses patterned nanopillars to reduce stress of an epitaxial layer.
Other approaches have used microchannel epitaxy (MCE). FIG. 3 shows an illustration of microchannel epitaxy according to the prior art. In these approaches, a narrow channel is used as a nucleation center containing low defect information from the substrate. An opening in a mask acts as a microchannel, which transfers crystal information to the overgrown layer, while the mask prevents dislocations from transferring to the overgrown layer. As a result, the overgrown layer can become dislocation free. The three-dimensional structure of the MCE also provides another advantage to stress release. The residual stress can be released effectively since the overgrown layer easily deforms. In another approach, a mask is applied at a location of a large concentration of dislocation densities to block their further propagation.
Another approach for controlling dislocations in aluminum nitride (AlN) and aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) layers first places seeds including dotted masks on the substrate or a template layer, and then grows the AlN or AlGaN layer over the substrate. The dislocations are attracted towards the center of the seeds and are accumulated there, thereby reducing the dislocation density at other portions of the layers. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
(i) Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to stable external medicinal preparations useful for the healing of damaged skin (hereinafter abbreviated as "wounds" for the sake of brevity) such as burns, decubitus and open wounds. More specifically, it is concerned with wound-healing preparations which contain a sugar and povidone-iodine (polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine complex) as effective ingredients.
(ii) Description of the Prior Art:
Sugars such as honey and molasses have conventionally been used, as folk therapy, for the treatment of burns and open wounds. These sugars have also been known to have bacteriostatic action and granulation tissue growth-promoting effects. Povidone-iodine is a drug employed extremely widely as an antiseptic throughout the world.
It has recently been reported that excellent wound-healing effects were achieved when granulated sugar was mixed with povidone-iodine preparations such as "Betadine" (trade mark of The Purdue Frederick Co., Norwalk, Connecticut, U.S.A.) ointment, "Betadine" solution and "Isodine Gel" (trade mark; product of Meiji Seika Kaisha, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) and the resultant mixtures were applied to various wounds [R.A. Knutson et al., "Southern Medical Journal", 74(11), 1329-1335 (1981); and Kiyokazu Sone et al., "Byoin Yakugaku (Hospital Pharmacology)", 10(5), 315-322 (1984)].
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 141409/1980 of Nov. 5, 1980, which corresponds in part to U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,651 issued on Aug. 30, 1983, discloses a composition composed of 20 parts by weight of granulated sugar, 5 parts by weight of "Betadine" ointment and 2 parts by weight of "Betadine" solution. Although "Betadine" ointment and solution are povidone-iodine preparations produced and marketed in U.S.A. by The Purdue Frederick Co., they are not commercially available in Japan. Details of their ingredients are hence unknown to the present inventors.
The following problems were however found on compositions, which had been prepared respectively by mixing commercial povidone-iodine preparations available to the present inventors with a sugar in accordance with the formulation described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 141409/1980 referred to above.
(1) The content of povidone-iodine in each of the commercial povidone-iodine preparations was not constant. The ratio of the sugar to povidone-iodine in the resulting composition hence varied from one production lot to another, whereby it was difficult to obtain compositions of uniform quality.
(2) The mixture of each of the commercial povidone-iodine preparation and the sugar has an extremely high viscosity. A special apparatus was therefore needed to perform uniform kneading. Furthermore, it was difficult to produce the composition in a large volume by a single mixing operation.
(3) When stored at room temperature, each of the compositions separated into two layers or was rendered like starch syrup and moreover, its effective ingredient underwent decomposition to reduce the drug efficacy. It was thus necessary to store the compositions in a cool and dark place. The effective ingredient was however decomposed in several months even when stored in the above manner. It was hence essential to prepare the compositions before use.
Among these problems, the problem (3) which requires the preparation of a composition before use is an extremely serious problem. The problem (3) has therefore led to such inevitable drawbacks that the composition cannot be prepared except for large hospitals equipped, for example, with the above-mentioned kneader, aseptic manipulation facilities, sterilization equipment and the like and patients must attend hospitals whenever administration is required. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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It is well known that the thermal efficiency of an internal combustion engine is very low. The energy that is not extracted as usable mechanical energy is typically expelled as waste heat into the atmosphere.
The greatest amount of waste heat is typically expelled through the engine's hot exhaust gas and the engine's coolant system. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Oncostatin M (OSM) and Interleukin-31 (IL-31) are members of the IL-6 superfamily and share a receptor subunit, oncostatin M receptor-β (OSMR) (Dillon et al., Nat. Immunol. 5(7): 752-60, 2004). All of the members of this family, except IL-31, share the common chain of glycoprotein 130 (gp130) in their multimeric receptor complexes. OSM signals through a heterodimeric receptor complex containing OSMR and gp130, while IL-31 utilizes a gp130-like receptor, IL-31R, in combination with OSMR (Dillon et al., supra; Dreuw et al., J. Biol. Chem. 279(34): 36112-20, 2004). In general, OSMR and gp130 are expressed fairly ubiquitously across tissues and cell types, and can be induced under a variety of stimulation conditions. IL-31R expression appears to be relatively more restricted and tightly regulated. In human and mice alike, IL-31R mRNA expression is detectable at low levels in tissues such as trachea, skeletal muscle, thymus and bone marrow (Dillon et al., supra). Although the level of expression is starkly different, both IL-31R and OSMR are co-expressed on a multitude of tissues, including skin and intestinal epithelial cells, suggesting those tissues should respond to IL-31 (Dillon et al., supra; Dambacher et al., Gut 56(9): 1257-65, 2007). While OSMR is expressed constitutively in the lung on epithelial cells, IL-31R expression is at negligible to low levels in the lung tissue, but upregulated upon various methods of airway challenge (Dillon et al., supra; Jawa et al., J. Interferon Cytokine Res. 28(4): 207-19, 2008).
Secreted primarily by T lymphocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils, OSM and IL-31 are both upregulated in a variety of disease states that involve inflammation. OSM has been implicated in diverse biological roles including bone formation, cartilage degradation, cholesterol uptake, pain and inflammation (Cawston et al., Arthritis Rheum. 41(10):1760-71, 1998; Hasegawa et al., Rheumatology (Oxford) 38(7): 612-7, 1999; Levy et al., J. Hepatol. 32(2): 218-26, 2000; Manicourt et al., Arthritis. Rheum. 43(2): 281-8, 2000; de Hooge et al., Am J. Pathol. 160(5):1733-43, 2002; Luzina et al., Arthritis Rheum 48(8): 2262-74, 2003; Morikawa et al., J. Neurosci. 24(8): 1941-7, 2004; Kong et al., J. Lipid Res. 46(6): 1163-71, 2005). OSM has been demonstrated to be a potent modulator of extracellular matrix (ECM) in a variety of contexts, suggesting that OSM is able to mediate seemingly opposite pathological consequences, including fibrosis (an excess of ECM) and cartilage degradation (a breakdown of ECM). Depending on tissue type and environmental milieu, both of these effects have been observed when OSM has been overexpressed or exogenously administered into lungs or joints of mice, respectively (Richards et al., Biochem. Soc. Trans. 30(2): 107-11, 2002; Hui et al., Arthritis Rheum. 48(12): 3404-18, 2003; Rowan et al., Am. J. Pathol. 162(6): 1975-84, 2003). In addition, OSM has previously been shown to be upregulated in human pathologies where these types of consequences exist (Cawston et al., supra; Hasegawa et al., supra; Levy et al., supra; Manicourt et al., supra; Luzina et al., supra). Predominantly, a locally-acting cytokine, OSM is upregulated in the synovial fluid from joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (Cawston et al., supra; Manicourt et al., supra), in the broncheoalevolar lavage (BAL) fluid of patients with scleroderma-associated interstitial lung disease (Luzina et al., supra), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and in the livers of patients with cirrhosis (Levy et al., supra). The proposed impact on ECM by OSM can be attributed in part to the ability of OSM to shift the balance between matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs). TIMPs bind to MMPs in a 1:1 ratio with a high affinity that results in a loss of MMP proteolytic activity. TIMP-1 and TIMP-3 have been previously shown to be differentially regulated by OSM, resulting in an increase in TIMP-1 and a decrease in TIMP-3 (Gatsios et al., Eur. J. Biochem. 241(1): 56-63, 1996). In addition to regulating the digestion of extracellular matrix components, MMPs are also implicated in the cleaving and subsequent activation of a number of proteins, including TGF-β, a potent pro-fibrotic cytokine (Leask et al., FASEB J. 18(7): 816-27, 2004). OSM has also been reported to be capable of directly inducing the transcription of type I collagen in vitro (Hasegawa et al., J. Rheumatol. 25(2): 308-13, 1998).
Expression of both OSM and IL-31 has been found in the skin of patients with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, and mutations in OSMR and IL-31R have been linked to systemic cutaneous amyloidosis. System-wide transgenic overexpression of IL-31 induced a pruritic inflammatory response in the skin of mice. Both OSM and IL-31 both signal through OSMR on neurons where they have been suggested to promote nociceptive and pruritic responses.
Collectively, these links to human diseases and the ability of OSM and IL-31 to promote a diverse array of pathologies, including at least inflammation, extracellular matrix remodeling, pain, and pruritis, suggest blockade of OSMR is a useful target for therapeutic intervention in many diseases and disorders associated with OSMR. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In general, the present invention relates to an information-processing apparatus, an information-processing method, a memory card and a program storage medium. More particularly, the present invention relates to an information-processing apparatus allowing a desired function to be added to a memory card by using existing USB standards, an information-processing method adopted in the information-processing apparatus, the memory card and a program storage medium for storing the information-processing method.
In recent years, among memory cards each based on a flash memory, there has been proposed a compound-type memory card mounted on a device having functions such as Bluetooth (a trademark) conforming to contemporary radio communication specifications, a camera function and a GPS (Global Positioning System) function. This compound-type memory card is provided with extensibility for an information home appliance field""s products such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) and a DTV (Digital television).
By the way, providing an existing memory card with another function raises a problem that, if a peculiar interface is determined independently, it inevitably takes time to set the peculiar interface""s specifications themselves.
In addition, since it is necessary to provide an IC such as a controller for controlling the peculiar interface, there is also raised a problem of a hindrance to speedy introduction of the memory card to the market in spite of the fact that such speedy introduction is necessary for today""s information home appliances.
Thus, also on the device-manufacturer side, it unavoidably takes time to understand the specifications of a peculiar interface. In addition, it also inevitably takes time to solve a problem caused by data incompatibility on the host-unit side and the device side.
It is thus an object of the present invention addressing the problems described above to provide an information-processing apparatus and an information-processing method that allow a desired function to be added to a memory card by using the existing USB standards and are capable of downloading a device driver stored in the memory card.
In order to attain the object described above, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information-processing apparatus exchanging first or second data with a memory card mounted on the information-processing apparatus, the apparatus comprising: first communication means for exchanging the first data with a first pin employed in the memory card; and second communication means for exchanging the second data with a second pin employed in the memory card.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information-processing method adopted in an information-processing apparatus exchanging first or second data with a memory card mounted on the information-processing apparatus, the information-processing method comprising: a first communication step of exchanging the first data with a first pin employed in the memory card; and a second communication step of exchanging the second data with a second pin employed in the memory card.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program storage medium for storing a computer-readable program executable by a computer for controlling an information-processing apparatus exchanging first or second data with a memory card mounted on the information-processing apparatus, the program comprising: a first communication step of exchanging the first data with a first pin employed in the memory card; and a second communication step of exchanging the second data with a second pin employed in the memory card.
With these configurations, first data is exchanged through a first pin of a memory card whereas second data is exchanged through a second pin of the memory card. As a result, a device driver can be downloaded with ease from the memory card.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a memory card connected to an information-processing apparatus, the memory card comprising: connection means connected to the information-processing apparatus by a plurality of first and second pins; first communication means for exchanging first data with the information-processing apparatus through the first pin employed in the connection means; and second communication means for exchanging second data with the information-processing apparatus through the second pin employed in the connection means.
With this configuration, the memory card is connected to an information-processing apparatus by a plurality of first and second pins, wherein first data is exchanged through the first pin of the memory card whereas second data is exchanged through the second pin of the memory card. As a result, a desired function can be added to the memory card with ease.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts or elements denoted by like reference symbols. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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A cover that can be attached, usually in a wrap-around fashion, to a portable electronic device, such as a tablet or a smartphone, may increase the longevity of such a device by mitigating or avoiding damage throughout the course of usage of the device. Typical covers can be bulky and while they can be removed, end-users tend to keep their devices covered at all times. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to a vehicle multimedia system, and in particular to a vehicle multimedia system that includes a plurality of multimedia units that communicate over a data bus, and at least one of these multimedia units includes at least two transceiver modules that are controlled by a single network controller.
Motor vehicles such as for example cars, trucks, and buses may include a multimedia system that is configured as a ring-shaped data network. This network structure links several multimedia units to one another, which function as data source, data sink, or transceiver, as needed for the multimedia system.
A ring-shaped data network in a motor vehicle can link multimedia units such as for example a radio receiver, a television set, monitors, a CD player, a DVD player, a CD or DVD changer, a cassette recorder, active loudspeakers, a navigation system, a car telephone, a wireless telephone, as well as operating and control units. Two or more transceivers can be connected in series in the units enumerated above, although the unit outwardly has only one input and one output. However, from the point of view of the network, the transceivers in one unit are regarded as independent network subscribers. This makes it necessary to accommodate within this unit a network controller for all the transceivers present in this unit. However, this puts a heavy load on the processor of the unit.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved technique for connecting multimedia units of a vehicle multimedia system. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates in general to a method and apparatus for providing an improved disk caching system within a mass storage system. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing client-directed staging to improve non-sequential access performance in a caching disk storage system.
Modern data processing systems typically comprise a host computer, consisting of an arithmetic and logic unit and a main memory unit for containment of data and instructions presently being processed, and mass storage means for storage of data and processing instructions at other times. The mass storage means is typically connected to the host computer by means of a channel. When the host desires a particular data set or record, it issues a command over the channel to the mass storage means, which then reads the data, from whatever medium it is stored upon, e.g., magnetic disk or tape memory media, over the channel into the main memory of the host. The substantial length of time required to retrieve data from long term storage limits the throughput or usage of the host computer. To minimize this loss of use of the host computer, the host will typically issue a series of requests for data and then perform other tasks while the data is being retrieved from long term disk or tape media. However, even when this xe2x80x9cqueuingxe2x80x9d is performed there is substantial host computer computation time lost due to the time required for accessing data.
Many computer systems use a variety of different memory or data storage devices arranged in a hierarchy. For example, each processor of the computer system has dedicated registers to hold relatively small amounts of data which is frequently and rapidly accessed during processing. In addition random access memory (RAM) is also provided to hold greater amounts of information which can be accessed on a somewhat slower but nonetheless relatively rapid basis. Cache memory is used to hold even greater amounts of data which is accessed less frequently but which nonetheless must be rapidly accessed to avoid significant restrictions in the performance of the computer system. Main memory is employed to hold massive amounts of data, any particular part of which is typically accessed infrequently.
Access time for a memory refers to the amount of time for the processor to gain access to the memory in response to an input request to receive or read data from the memory, or to gain access to the memory in response to an output request to record or write data into the memory. In general, access time is that time which occurs after an input/output (I/O) request and before a read/write operation is accomplished. The amount of access time of a computer system is dependent upon the inherent speed characteristics of the memory device itself, and the ability of the system as a whole to accommodate the I/O request. To increase the amount of data processing, it is important to minimize the access time. Increased access times result in greater time periods of inactivity from the computer system, thereby decreasing its performance.
The hierarchy of memory devices is intended to reduce access times and improve computer system performance by minimizing the non-productive times when the processor is waiting to read or write data. Because the registers associated with the processors are written to and read from frequently and continually during processing, the registers are typically solid state devices which have very quick access times comparable to the clock or cycle times of the processor. The RAM which is also solid state memory provides greater data holding capacity and still obtains relatively quick access times. Cache memory typically has a much higher capacity than the RAM but has slower access times. The cache memory is typically implemented larger amounts of slower solid state memory. The main memory may be one or more mass storage disk drives, tape reel devices, a library of tape cartridges and other types of extremely high capacity mass storage devices.
In general, as the capacity of the memory increases the access time also increases. It is therefore important to attempt to move the data which is more likely to be needed for a particular processing operation up the hierarchy of memory, to make that data more rapidly available in less access time when it is needed for a processing operation. In general, higher performance computer systems use memory management control processors associated with cache and main memory to process I/O requests and transfer data from the main memory to the cache memory, so that the transferred data will be more quickly available for processing.
Because of the reduced access time of the cache memory, as compared to the main memory, the overall performance of the computer system is greatly enhanced if all I/O requests may be satisfied from cache memory. Each successful satisfaction of an I/O request from cache memory is sometimes referred to as a xe2x80x9chitxe2x80x9d. When it is not possible to satisfy an I/O request through the cache memory, further processing by the host computer is stopped or xe2x80x9cblockedxe2x80x9d. A blocked I/O request results in a system xe2x80x9cdisconnect,xe2x80x9d during which time the cache memory is disconnected from the processor. A system disconnect is required to read the requested information from the main memory and to write it to the cache memory. A system disconnect also occurs when previously recorded data in the cache memory is eliminated or discarded by freeing space from the cache memory in order to accommodate an output request from the processor. A disconnect can account for hundreds of milliseconds of time delays while the demand for data not presently contained in the cache memory or the demand for free space not presently contained in the cache memory is resolved.
Data caching as part of mass storage devices is a well known technique for eliminating delays in memory access due to mechanical limitations of a storage device. For example, in the case of a disk drive, plural disks rotate at a fixed speed past read/write heads which may either be stationary with respect to the disk or move radically back and forth with respect to the disk in order to juxtapose the heads to various portions of the disk surfaces. In either case, there is a finite average time (access time) required for a particular data record to be located and read from the disk. This xe2x80x9caccessxe2x80x9d time includes the time for a head to move to the correct cylinder (seek time) and the time required (or latency) for the disk to rotate with respect to the head until the beginning of the particular record sought is juxtaposed to the head for reading and writing.
Cache data storage eliminates these inherent delays by storing records in frequently accessed tracks in a high speed system memory (e.g., solid-state RAM). The idea is simply to allow as many memory accesses as possible to immediately retrieve data from the high speed system memory rather than wait for the data to be transferred (or staged) from the slower disk storage device to the high speed system memory. To accomplish this task, data may be staged into the high speed system memory before data access is required (i.e., pre-staged).
Clearly, the effectiveness of the cache data storage system is limited by the system""s ability to anticipate the needs of future memory accesses and transfer those data records from disk storage to the high speed system memory prior to the memory access. If a sequence of memory accesses is random in nature, the cache data storage system cannot anticipate future memory accesses. Accordingly, one method of anticipating future memory accesses is to identify sequential or near sequential memory accesses. Once a sequential or near sequential access is identified, future records/tracks in the sequence can be immediately pre-staged into the high speed system memory in advance of future memory accesses.
Since the memory subsystem utilized for cache buffers has a smaller capacity than the total capacity of the mass storage system, the memory subsystem is managed by a local CPU which attempts to keep the most recently accessed data in the cache buffers. When the cache buffers become filled, older data in the cache buffers must be discarded to make room for newer, more recently accessed, data to be stored in cache buffers. To make room for new data in the cache buffers, the local CPU of the memory subsystem of prior designs locates the least recently referenced (typically referred to as least recently used or LRU) cache buffer and discards it. New data, more recently referenced is then placed in the vacated cache buffers.
Prior methods used to locate the LRU cache buffer maintain various linked list data structures, one data structure per cache buffer in the memory subsystem. As each cache buffer is referenced by a request from a host computer system, that data structure is unlinked from the linked list in its current position and relinked to the top of the linked list. Over time, these methods migrate the more recently used cache buffers toward the top of the list and the least recently used cache buffers toward the bottom of the list. Some prior methods have maintained a doubly linked list to reduce the processing time required for moving a data structure from its current position in the list to the top of the linked list. All of these methods for trying to predict which data located on mass storage devices will be requested by a host computer fail to effectively predict the location of this data under different circumstances. While each method is effective under some circumstances, all methods are likely to fail under some other set of data processing environments.
It is against this background of information that the improvements in managing the use of cache memory in a computer system according to the present invention have evolved.
To overcome the limitations in the prior art described above, and to overcome other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present invention discloses a method and apparatus for providing client-directed staging to improve non-sequential access performance in a caching disk storage system.
A system in accordance with the principles of the present invention includes a method for providing a client-directed pre-stage operation of a cache memory used to access data blocks from a mass data storage device attached to a host computer through a channel control processor, the method comprises determining a set of data files to be retrieved from the mass storage device, retrieving a set of track locations comprising the set of data files to be retrieved from the mass storage device, generating the cache bitmap for transfer to the channel control processor, transmitting a cache bitmap from the host computer to the channel control processor, the cache bitmap comprises a plurality of bits, causing the channel control processor to pre-stage into the cache memory data blocks from the mass data storage device corresponding to bits in the cache bitmap set to a logical one, and retrieving one or more byte of data from the data blocks pre-staged into the cache memory.
Other embodiments of a system in accordance with the principles of the invention may include alternative or optional additional aspects. One such aspect of the present invention is a method for providing a client-directed pre-stage operation of a cache memory used to access data blocks from a mass data storage device attached to a host computer through a channel control processor, the method comprises receiving a cache bitmap from the host computer to the channel control processor, the cache bitmap comprises a plurality of bits, processing the cache bitmap by the channel control processor to pre-stage into the cache memory data blocks from the mass data storage device corresponding to bits in the cache bitmap set to a logical one, and providing one or more byte of data to the host computer from the data blocks pre-staged into the cache memory.
Another aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for providing a client-directed pre-stage operation of a cache memory used to access data blocks from a mass data storage device attached to a host computer through a channel control processor. The apparatus comprises the channel control processor for retrieving data blocks from the mass storage device to be pre-staged within the cache memory, a channel interface coupled between the channel control processor and the host computer, a mass storage device interface coupled between the channel control processor and the mass storage device, and the cache memory coupled between the channel interface and the mass storage interface; the cache memory is further coupled to the cache control processor to provide the cache control processor access to data stored within the cache memory.
These and various other advantages and features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and form a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages, and the objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form a further part hereof, and to accompanying descriptive matter, in which there are illustrated and described specific examples of an apparatus in accordance with the invention. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Periodic signals are used in a variety of electronic devices. One type of periodic signals are clock signals that can be used to establish the timing of a signal or the timing at which an operation is performed on a signal. For example, data signals are typically coupled to and from memory devices, such as synchronous dynamic random access memory (“SDRAM”) devices, in synchronism with a clock or data strobe signal. More specifically, read data signals are typically coupled from a memory device in synchronism with a read data strobe signal. The read data strobe signal typically has the same phase as the read data signals, and it is normally generated by the same memory device that is outputting the read data signals. Write data signals are typically latched into a memory device in synchronism with a write data strobe signal. The write data strobe signal should have a phase that is the quadrature (having a phase 90-degrees relative to the phase) of the write data signals so that a transition of the write data strobe signal occurs during a “data eye” occurring at the center of the period in which the write data signals are valid.
Internal clock signals generated in electronic devices, for example, memory devices or memory controllers, are often synchronized or have some other controlled phase relationships relative to external or internal clock signals. For example, with reference to a memory device, a quadrature clock signal used for both latching write data and outputting read data may be generated in the memory device to which the data are being written. The quadrature clock signal is typically generated in the memory device from an internal clock signal that is also derived from the system clock signal.
Internal clock signals having synchronized or some other controlled phase relationships with external and internal clock signals may also be used for applications other than for use as a write data strobe signal. For example, a “frequency doubler” circuit, which generates an output clock signal having twice the frequency of an input clock signal, can be implemented using an appropriate logic circuit that receives the input clock signal and quadrature versions of the input clock signal. Internal clock signals may also be generated having other than a quadrature phase relationships. Generally, any phase relationship between output clock signals can be used.
Various techniques can be used to generate a quadrature clock signals or read/write data strobe signal. If the frequency of the internal clock signal is fixed, quadrature clock signals can be generated by a timing circuit that simply generates a transition of the quadrature clock signals a fixed time after a corresponding transition of the internal clock signal. However, synchronous memory devices are typically designed and sold to be operated over a wide range of clock frequencies. Therefore, it is generally not practical to use a fixed timing circuit to generate quadrature signals from the internal clock signal. Instead, a circuit that can adapt itself to an internal clock signal having a range of frequencies must be used.
An example of such a circuit is a multi-phase clock signal generator. A multi-phase clock signal generator, as known, generates multi-phase clock signals to provide several clock signals having fixed phase relationships to a reference clock signal, such as an external or internal clock signal. In operation, a multi-phase clock signal generator should be initialized to ensure the generated clock signals have the correct phase relationship. A conventional method of initializing a multi-phase clock signal generator will now be described with reference to FIG. 1. The conventional multi-phase clock signal generator 100 includes a delay line 105 having a plurality of delay elements 110a-d coupled in series with each other. Each of the delay elements 110a-d has two inputs, two outputs, and a control input (not shown). Each delay element 110a-d has two inputs and two outputs to provide for a double-ended configuration where both a clock signal 120 and its complement 121 are received and processed. A single-ended configuration may also be used.
Each of the delay elements 110a-d couples a signal from its input to its output with a delay corresponding to a delay control signal applied to its control input. The input of the initial delay element 110a receives a clock signal 120 and its complement 121. The outputs of all but the last delay element 110d is coupled to the input of the subsequent delay element. The output of each delay element 110a-d forms a respective tap of the delay line 105 to provide four clock signals C90, C180, C270, and C360, respectively C360 is a one clock delayed version of C0 at lock status. As indicated by their names, the C90 signal has a 90 degree phase difference with the input clock signal 120. The C180 signal has a 180 degree phase difference with the input clock signal 120, the C270 signal a 270 degree phase difference, and the C360 signal a 360 degree phase difference. As explained in greater detail below, the amount of voltage-controlled delay provided by each of the delay elements 110a-d sets a minimum and maximum amount of delay that can be achieved by the delay line 105.
To ensure the proper phase relationships are maintained between the four provided clock signals, a two-step locking phase detector 130 receives the input clock signal 120, the C180 signal and the C360 signal. The phase detector 130 will first lock the C180 signal to the C0 signal, and then in the second step, lock the C360 signal with the C0 signal. To lock the C0 and C180 signal, the phase detector 130 produces an error signal corresponding to a mismatch between the falling edge of the C180 signal and the rising edge of the C0 signal. The error signal is used to adjust the delay of the delay elements 110a-d such that the C0 and C180 signals are 180 degrees apart. As shown in FIG. 1, the error signal is converted to a control signal by a charge-pump and loop filter 140. The control signal is used by a bias voltage generator 150 to couple a VBIAS signal to the control inputs of the delay elements 110a-d. Once the rising edge of the C0 and the falling edge of the C180 signals are synchronized, in the second step of operation of the phase detector 130, an error signal is generated corresponding to a mismatch between a rising edge of the C0 signal and a rising edge of the C360 signal. In a similar manner, the error signal is used to adjust the delay of the delay elements 110a-d. This two-step locking process may be sufficient in some cases where the duty cycle of the signal is at or near 50 percent or slow locking time is not an issue. However, difficulties occur when the incoming clock signal contains some duty cycle distortion, as will now be explained with reference to FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 is a timing diagram illustrating signals from FIG. 1. A clock period is shown in FIG. 2 as tCK, between t0 and t2. The incoming clock signal, C0 has an amount of duty cycle distortion shown by tDCD. That is, in the case where the C0 signal had an ideal, 50 percent duty cycle, the high pulse would extend from time t0 to time t1 in FIG. 2. However, as shown, the C0 high pulse is significantly shorter. The phase detector 130 then locks the falling edge of the C180 signal with the rising edge of the C0 signal at time t2, as shown by arrow 210. The phase detector 130 will lock the signals within a tolerance, shown by ±tPDmin in FIG. 2. Due to the duty cycle distortion, the rising edge of the C180 signal is tx1 off from time t1, where the signal should be for a 180 degree phase difference. Accordingly, the C180 signal has been delayed tx1 too much. Recall that adjusting the control voltage applied to the delay elements 105 of FIG. 1 adjusts the delay of all the delay elements 110a-d. The C360 signal will now be 2*tx1 off from locked with C0, as shown in FIG. 2. The second step of operation of the phase detector 130 will be to adjust the delay of the delay elements 110a-d such that the C360 signal is synchronized with the C0 signal, by matching the rising edge of the C0 signal with the rising edge of the C360 signal, as shown in the second timing diagram of FIG. 2 by the arrow 220.
Duty cycle distortion in incoming clock signals is not uncommon, and, taking signal jitter into consideration, could be a significant portion of reference clock period. With duty cycle distortion, the two-step locking phase detector 130 may cease to function properly. The delay line 105 may have insufficient range to accommodate the lengthy tx1 and 2*tx1 delay times that should be compensated for according to FIG. 2. One solution to this problem is to place a duty-cycle control element prior to and in series with the multi-phase clock signal generator 100. This may ensure the multi-phase clock signal generator receives a clock signal with a correct duty cycle. However, a duty cycle control element also has a limited working range and takes much longer time to achieve corrected output signals. Accordingly, this solution may also become impractical as speeds increase and timing requirements tighten.
There is accordingly a need for an improved system and method for providing multi-phase clock signals. | {
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The fluid rearrangement and entangling of fibers to produce non-woven fabrics has been commercially practiced for many years. See for instance, Kalwaites, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,862,251 and 3,033,721; Griswold et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,081,500; Evans, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,485,706; and Bunting et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,493,462. This basic technology has been used to produce a wide variety of non-woven fabrics.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,486,168 discloses an unapertured ribbed entangled non-woven fabric. The fibers are supported on a "grill" during entangling. In one embodiment the fabric comprises parallel entangled ribs with a substantially continuous array of fibers extending between the ribs. U.S. Pat. No. 3,498,874 discloses an apertured ribbed entangled non-woven fabric. During entangling the fibers are supported on a plain weave carrier belt having heavier wires or filaments in one direction and three to five times as many finer wires or filaments extending in the other direction. The fabric formed thereon displays zig-zag entangled ribs extending in said one direction. Co-pending application Ser. No. 602,877 filed Apr. 23, 1984 discloses an apertured entangled non-woven fabric comprising two series of fibrous bands that are substantially perpendicular to each other. Each band contains segments in which the individual fibers are substantially parallel to each other, these segments alternate with regions of entangled fibers which occur when the band of one series intersects a band of the other series. The fabric is entangled on a plain weave belt.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,799 to Holmes et al. utilizes fluid rearrangement and entanglement to provide a non-woven fabric having the appearance of ribbed terry cloth, by carrying out the fluid rearrangement/entanglement on a woven belt having fine threads or filaments extending in one direction and fine threads or filaments and heavier threads extending in the other direction. The non-woven fabric provided therein is characterized by a repeating pattern of spaced, paralleled, raised ribs which extend continuously in one fabric direction, with the ribs being interconnected by spaced bundles of straight, substantially parallel fiber segments, said bundles being substantially parallel to one another and substantially perpendicular to said ribs. Adjacent bundles and the ribs they interconnect form apertures. The fibers in the ribs are almost wholly entangled throughout. On a macroscopic scale when viewing the fabric as a whole, the ribs are uniform and substantially non-patterned. The fabric of Holmes et al. are described as having typical basis weights of 1.5 oz. to 6 oz. per square yard.
The fabric of the present invention is made on the particular type of carrier belt described in Holmes et al. The fabric of the present invention have a basis weight of from 0.3 to 1.5 oz/yd.sup.2. They are made from a starting web of carded fibers comprising at least 75% polyester or polyolefin staple fibers. While the fabrics of the present invention do not display ribs which are almost wholly entangled throughout, they exhibit excellent strength in both the machine and cross direction. | {
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This invention relates to a method for encoding digital information to be transmitted from a first device to a second device, wherein the digital information is mapped according to a map of rows and columns which define a plurality of cells and wherein each of said cells has a pixel value.
In particular this invention relates to a method for compressing bitmapped images in order to transmit them from a fast computing device (server), to a relatively slow computing device (client).
It is known to encode a series of pixel values by using Runlength encoding (RLE) method.
RLE method takes raw data, as for example a series of pixel values, and encodes the series as a series of (count value) pairs so that long sequences of the same value can be represented by a relatively small amount of data. For example, the series of values: 12 12 12 100 100 100 100 100 30 30 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 could be run-length encoded as:
(3,12) (5,100) (2,30) (14,4)
Such RLE method is a standard technique developed in the 50s and used in many different areas including, for example, fax machines.
It is also known from background research (using both the World Wide Web and traditional journals and textbooks) that many ideas have been presented under the names xe2x80x98area codingxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98two-dimensional run-length encodingxe2x80x99. Unfortunately, no specific implementation details or academic references are available from any of the sources consulted. Moreover, the sources indicate that other efforts in this area use complex recursive algorithms which emphasise optimal solutions at the cost of long runtimes, and also that these other efforts are not geared for the transmission of images for real-time rendering by relatively slow computers.
This invention addresses the problem of transmitting bitmapped images from a relatively fast computing device (the server) to a relatively slow computing device (the client) in such a way that these images can be rendered quickly on the client.
Therefore it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a method for encoding bitmapped information which is simple, effective and useful for relatively slow computers for rendering of two dimensional images.
According to the present invention, there is provided a method for encoding digital information characterised by the following steps:
starting from a predetermined first cell having a certain pixel value, to determine the largest area of cells, adjacent to said first cell, having the same pixel value as said first cell;
to generate a code indicative of the row-column position of said first cell, of the dimensions of said largest area and of said pixel value common to all the cells of said area;
to proceed to a second cell, adjacent to said area and having a pixel value different from the pixel value of said first cell; and
starting from said second cell, to determine another largest area of cells, adjacent to said second cell, having the same pixel value as said second cell;
to generate a code indicative of the row-column position of said second cell, of the dimensions of said largest area and of said pixel value common to all the cells of said area;
to repeat said steps until all cells of said digital information have been encoded.
According to a variant of the present invention, in an initial step, the most prevalent pixel value V is determined, either exactly by fully enumerating all pixel values, or probabilistically by enumerating a randomly selected subset of the pixel values. All cells with pixel value V are then ignored in the basic encoding process and the output is augmented with the value V and the overall dimensions of the input.
According to a second variant of the present invention, the background pixel value V is determined by running the basic method of the invention and choosing the pixel value which appears in the greatest number of said largest areas, rather than simply the most prevalent value on a pixel-by-pixel basis. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Rubber additives such as pigments, fillers, reinforcement agents, processing aids and the like are generally processed to be highly dispersible in rubber compositions. In the past, such additives were made highly dispersible by being formed into fine powders. These fine powders, although meeting the requirements of being easily dispersible, pose significant problems in handling and may potentially cause health problems for workers who are exposed to the dust products of these materials.
The use of silica additives has become increasingly important to the rubber industry. Silica, which may be in the form of silica pigments, is commonly used in the rubber industry to provide reinforcing and stiffening properties to various types of rubber compositions. Additionally, incorporating silica into rubber compositions has been found to be advantageous in that such compositions do not deteriorate under heating as rapidly as do most other rubber additives.
Silica in a free flowing powder form will disperse readily into rubber compounds. However, when utilizing conventional silica products, their dustiness becomes a problem due to the handling and compounding of rubber formulations. Concerns by manufacturers who utilize any small particle size material, such as silica pigment, have led to the development of more dust-free forms of such products.
The most common method used to reduce the dustiness of compounds is particle agglomeration or pelletization. A pelletized product is easily handled in a production environment and creates little dust.
A pelletized version of precipitated silica will minimize dust problems and facilitate handling and therefore would be highly desirable to rubber manufacturers. However, there remains an important requirement that such a pelletized form of the silica must break down and redisperse in the powder form. Attempts to improve silica products for use in rubber manufacturing include chemically treating silica in order to affect good dispersibility. Heretofore an acceptable dust-free, highly dispersible pelletized form of rubber additive, particularly silica, has not been developed for the rubber industry.
The present invention addresses the need of a dust-free, highly dispersible pelletized form of silica and is directed to a unique process and apparatus by which such silica may be produced. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Several publications and patent documents are cited throughout the specification in order to describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains. Each of these citations is incorporated herein by reference as though set forth in full.
Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that affects about 1.1 percent of the U.S. population. People with schizophrenia sometimes hear voices others don't hear, believe that others are broadcasting their thoughts to the world, or become convinced that others are plotting to harm them. These experiences can make them fearful and withdrawn and cause difficulties when they try to have relationships with others.
People with schizophrenia may not make sense when they talk, may sit for hours without moving or talking much, or may seem perfectly fine until they talk about what they are really thinking. Because many people with schizophrenia have difficulty holding a job or caring for themselves, the burden on their families and society is significant as well.
Available treatments can relieve many of the disorder's symptoms, but most people who have schizophrenia must cope with some residual symptoms as long as they live. Clearly, a need exists for improved compositions and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of this devastating neuronal disorder. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor power device, and particularly to an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (hereinafter, referred to as an IGBT) being a MOS Bipolar composite functional device capable of performing high-speed operations in a medium electric power area of breakdown voltage 1200 V or more.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Lately, MOS composite devices such as an IGBT, a MOS Controlled Thyristor (MCT), an Emitter Switched Thyristor (EST), or the like have been developed. Since these are voltage-driving power devices and easy to use, requirements for developing these new MOS composite devices have fairly been made from a system operation side and its development has abruptly been advanced in response thereto.
The IGBT is a transistor having a unit cell cross-sectional structure as represented in FIG. 13, and has a composite structure provided with a MOSFET structure in its upper part and a bipolar transistor structure in its lower part. This structure and basic operations are disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 57-120369 Official Gazette. On the basis of this description, a conventional N-channel IGBT will be explained. In FIG. 13, a high-resistivity N.sup.- base region 2 having low impurity concentration is formed in a P-type collector region 1. On the surface of the N.sup.- base region 2, a P-type base region 3 is formed by a Double Diffusion Self Alignment method so as to expose its surface. Furthermore, an N.sup.+ emitter region 4 is formed in the P-type base region 3 so as to expose its surface. On the surface of the P-type base region 3, a polysilicon gate electrode 6 is provided on a thin insulation film 5 such as SiO.sub.2 etc. This gate electrode 6 overlaps the P-type base region 3 and is disposed so as to cover from the N.sup.- base region 2 to the N.sup.+ emitter region 4. A metal emitter electrode 7 is provided so that the N.sup.+ emitter region 4 may be short-circuited with the P-type base region 3, and a metal gate 8 connecting to the polysilicon gate electrode 6 and a metal collector electrode 9 connecting to the P-type collector region 1 are provided, respectively. Also, in a structure as depicted in FIG. 14, an N.sup.+ buffer region 20 is provided between the P-type collector region 1 and N.sup.- base region 2 and such IGBT has generally been known. A general method of manufacturing these conventional N-channel IGBTs will be described below. First, the P-type silicon semiconductor substrate 1 having a thickness of about 150 .mu.m and impurity concentration of about 10.sup.18 to 10.sup.20 cm.sup.-3 is used as a P-type collector region. A semiconductor layer 2 is formed in vapor-phase epitaxy on this semiconductor substrate 1 to act as the N.sup.- base region. In the embodiment of FIG. 14, after a semiconductor layer 20 being an N.sup.+ buffer region has formed in vapor-phase epitaxy, the semiconductor layer 2 will be formed. Thus, a P-N.sup.- (or P-N-N.sup.-) wafer is formed. Next, the insulation film 5 such as SiO.sub.2 etc. is formed on the surface of the N.sup.- base region 2, and further the polysilicon gate electrode 6 is formed thereon. Next, the polysilicon gate electrode 6 and insulation film 5 are partially opened, and with the use of the polysilicon electrode 6 as a mask, the P-type base region 3 is formed, and further two N.sup.+ emitter regions 4 are formed within the P-type base region 3. Next, the insulation film 5 is formed again on the polysilicon gate electrode 6 and P-type base region 3, and further the insulation film 5 formed on the P-type base region 3 containing the polysilicon gate electrode 6 and N.sup.+ emitter region 4 is partially removed. Thereafter the window parts in the insulation film on the P-type base region 3, N.sup.+ emitter region 4 and the polysilicon gate electrode 6 are deposited with a metal such as aluminum etc. to form the metal gate electrode 8 and metal emitter electrode 7. Thereafter, the metal collector electrode 9 is formed in the P-type collector region 1 to obtain the conventional IGBT as shown in FIGS. 13, 14.
Next, an operation of the IGBT will be explained. The metal emitter electrode 7 is connected to the ground and a positive voltage for the metal emitter electrode 7 is applied to the metal gate electrode 8 in a condition that a positive voltage is applied to the metal collector electrode 9, whereby a turn-on of the IGBT can be realized. When a positive voltage is applied to the metal gate electrode 8, an inversion channel is formed on the surface of the P-type base region 8 in the same manner as the MOSFET and electrons flow into the inside of the N.sup.- base region 2 through the inversion channel from the N.sup.+ emitter region 4. As a result, holes occur to inject into N.sup.- base region 2 from the P-type collector region 1, and a PN junction between the P-type collector region 1 and the N.sup.- base region 2 or N-type buffer region 20 (in the embodiment of FIG. 14) becomes in a forward bias state, and the N.sup.- base region 2 causes a conductivity modulation so that the IGBT is guided into a conductive state. As described above, since the resistance in the high-resistivity N.sup.- base region 2 become extremely small due to the conductivity modulation, even if the element has lower concentration of the N.sup.- base region 2 and is thick with high breakdown voltage, a characteristic of extremely small on-resistance can be obtained by the IGBT. On the other hand, a negative voltage for the metal emitter electrode 7 is applied to the metal gate electrode 8, whereby a turn-off of the IGBT can be realized. When a negative voltage is applied to the metal gate electrode 8, the inversion channel is vanished and electrons stop flowing into the N.sup.- base region 2 from the N.sup.+ emitter region 4. However, electrons have existed as before within the N.sup.- base region 2. Most of the holes stored within the N.sup.- base region 2 pass through the P-type base region 3 and flow into the emitter electrode 7, however a part thereof is recombined with electrons existing within the N.sup.- base region 2 and disappears. At the time when all the holes stored within the N.sup.- base region 2 disappear, the IGBT becomes in a blocking state to complete the turn-off.
The high-voltage IGBT is an excellent element which is extremely low on-resistance, however there are some drawbacks that, since it is a minority carrier device, a turn-off time is elongated. A part of a minority carriers (holes) which are injected from a collector region to an N.sup.- base region is stored within the N.sup.- base region as excessive minority carriers. Accordingly, even if a gate voltage is reduced to zero in order to turn off this IGBT and the channel is closed to stop a flow of electrons, an off-state is not available until the stored minority carriers have been discharged. Furthermore, when the electrons existing in the N.sup.- base region 2 pass through the collector region at this turn-off time, new holes are induced to inject from the collector region to consequently elongate the turn-off time. Therefore, in the IGBT, a current can flow about 10 times as much as the normal MOSFET, however the IGBT has drawbacks that its turn-off time comes to elongate 10 times or more as much as the normal MOSFET. In the case where such IGBT is applied to, for instance, switching devices such as an inverter, since the turn-off time is elongated as described above, high switching frequency cannot be obtained, so that its application field is limited. As a method of improving the turn-off time of the IGBT, a method of shortening a carrier life time is generally adopted in the prior art. Specifically, a heavy metal diffusion method such as Au, Pt is taken, or the carrier life time is shortened by radioactive ray such as neutron rays, .gamma. rays or electron beams. Although the turn-off time is improved in this method, the degree of conduction modulation in the N.sup.- base region is simultaneously lowered and the low on-resistance characteristic which is the maximum advantage of the IGBT is deteriorated. Also, as another method, there is a method that the injection of holes from the P-type collector region is suppressed reducing the impurity concentration in the P-type collector region. With reference to FIG. 12, total impurity amount dependence in a collector region for a turn-off time of IGBT will be explained. The axis of ordinates denotes a turn-off time (.mu.s) and the axis of abscissas denotes total impurity dose Q.sub.D in the case where it is estimated per 1 cm.sup.2 of the entire area of a unit cell D in a collector region of IGBT. A curve as shown in this diagram is the characteristics of IGBT in which the collector region with a depth of 0.1 .mu.m is formed on the entire surface of a second main surface of a semiconductor substrate and further a carrier life time shortening is employed to obtain the turn-off time of 10 .mu.s. A numerical value Cs on the curve denotes impurity concentration in the collector region. Also, the total impurity dose in the collector region on the axis of abscissas is a vale when ions of .sup.11 B.sup.+ are implanted at 20 KeV through an oxide film having a film thickness 100 nm. From a viewpoint of FIG. 12, it is understood, as one method of improving the turn-off time, that it is necessary to reduce the impurity concentration in the collector region in order to suppress injection efficiency of holes from the collector region. However, when the impurity concentration in the P-type collector region is reduced, the contact resistance between the semiconductor collector region and metal collector electrode is increased and its amount of scatter are also extended, whereby this poor contact deteriorates the on-resistance characteristics of the IGBT. This is because the junction depth should be shallow, or 0.1 .mu.m, with such a low total impurity dose in collector region 1 of about 10.sup.12 to 10.sup.14 cm.sup.-2, to obtain high surface impurity concentration required to make a good ohmic contact. And if the junction depth is shallowed like this, the metal material of collector electrode penetrates through the collector region to produce a spike or a piping. Then, it is apprehensive that the N.sup.- base region is short-circuited and it is difficult to stably manufacture the device.
In addition, there is another method of increasing the impurity concentration of the N-type buffer region. However, since the controllability of the present vapor-phase epitaxy method is low, it is impossible to stably manufacture devices. Also, impurities in the N-type buffer region diffuse within the N.sup.- base region by thermal hysteresis in an IGBT manufacturing process, and finally the concentration off the N-type buffer region 20 is decreased and its thickness is increased, so that some problems occur that expected effects are not obtained. Furthermore, in the case of a high voltage IGBT having breakdown voltage BV.sub.CES 1200 V or more between the collector and emitter, a thick N.sup.- base region having very low concentration of 5.times.10.sup.13 atm/cm.sup.3 or less and a thickness of 100 .mu.m or more is required, and it is difficult to form such thick epitaxial layer or to stably manufacture devices by the present vapor-phase epitaxy. Also, in a structure as shown in FIG. 15, a double diffusion type DMOS structure is formed on one main surface of an N.sup.- semiconductor substrate having low concentration and the P-type collector region 1 is formed on the other main surface by implanting ions, and such structure has been disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2-7569 Official Gazette. However, since, in such structure, the total impurity dose in the P-type collector region 1 per unit area is low, or about 10.sup.12 to 10.sup.14 cm.sup.-2, the junction must be shallowed, or 0.1 .mu.m to make an ohmic contact with the metal collector electrode 9, and then it is apprehensive that the metal collector electrode penetrate through the P.sup.+ collector region 1 and that the P.sup.+ collector region 1 is short-circuited with the N.sup.- base region 2, therefore there occur some problems that it is impossible to manufacture stably devices. Also, in the case where the junction is deep, or set at about 3 .mu.m, the surface concentration of the P.sup.+ collector region 1 becomes very low, or about 5.times.10.sup.15 to 1.times.10.sup.16 atm/cm.sup.3, therefore it becomes difficult to make an ohmic contact with the metal collector electrode 9, and as a result, there are drawbacks that the on-voltage of the IGBT becomes high.
And there is another IGBT called "the corrector-short IGBT" as shown in FIG. 16, the P-type collector region 1 is partially provided and the metal collector electrode 9 is formed so that the P-type collector region 1 may be short-circuited with the N.sup.- base region 2. In the embodiment of this structure, as a main current flows into a shunt resistor formed in a short part, there occur some problems that the on-resistance becomes high by the voltage drop caused by this. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for detecting leaks in the inner tanks of double-walled tanks, and more particularly to photoelectric apparatus for detecting such leaks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
(It is to be particularly noted that the term "prior art" as used herein or in any statement made by or on behalf of applicant means only that any document or thing referred to as prior art bears, directly or inferrentially, a date which is earlier than the effective filing date hereof.)
The recent general public awareness of the pervasiveness of the problem of storage tanks and the like leaking into public water supplies, aquifers, and the like, has brought about the development of many systems for detecting leakage from such tanks.
Some of these systems, however, are unnecessarily elaborate and expensive or difficult to retrofit to existing tanks or are otherwise not well adapted to use in connection with particular types of tanks or particular stored fluids. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to a display arrangement for a video system. In particular, the invention provides for a holographic video screen, which appears black, gray or colored in ambient light, as a display system for information systems.
Various types of display apparatus and display video screens (displays) are known. For example, it is known to use cathode ray tubes, which require a relatively large amount of energy and space. Furthermore, LCD-displays are also known. Other display possibilities are fixedly mounted and are not easily changed. In addition, display systems are known which use a (preferably white) projection surface to display an image for reasons of good backscatter characteristics. Therefore, to achieve a high contrast, it is necessary to provide an operational environment which is as dark as possible, in order to avoid the backscattering of ambient light and to provide a brilliant display of the image.
German Patent applications 197 00 162.9 and 197 03 592.2, which are not prior publications, disclose a holographic video screen for a laser front projection and a laser rear projection. In normal ambient light, the video screen is black. However, for certain wavelengths of light, this video screen may be constructed such that the light is transmitted and transmitted back within a certain solid angle. In the embodiments disclosed in these two patent applications, the video screen need not have a planar construction; rather, it may have an almost arbitrary surface contour. This arrangement has the advantage that the virtual display of the image can be applied at almost any arbitrary distance.
An object of the present invention is to provide a display arrangement for an information processing system which is compact, energy efficient and easily changed.
Another object of the invention is to provide a display arrangement which can be arranged at a virtually arbitrary spacial position relative to an image provided thereby.
These and other objects and advantages are achieved by the display arrangement according to the invention in which a holographic image is used to provide an output display in an information processing system. The display according to the invention, comprising a holographic device, may appear as black, gray or colored in ambient light; if the video screen appears in color, it is advantageous that it appear in a dark color, to achieve good contrast. | {
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It is heretofore been known to provide gates on manure spreaders that fit forwardly of the beater mechanism and prevent material within the box from moving out the open rear end of the spreader box. It has also been known to provide such gates that are mounted on fore-and-aft extending arms fixed to the upper edges of the manure spreader box and hydraulically operated to raise and lower the arms along with the gate so as to move the gate in and out of material-blocking position with respect to the open rear end. In many such arrangements, the hydraulic cylinders are mounted on the sides of the spreaders and a bell crank connection is provided in conjunction with the lift arms for the gate so that as the cylinder extends and retracts the arms and the gate move correspondingly.
One of the general problems that exists with such an arrangement of hydraulic cylinders is that damage may occur to the cylinders both due to the rust and corrosion caused by material that is contained in the spreader box and due to the normal type loading of the spreader box. In many instances, power loaders are used to move manure from a barnyard into the box. The power loaders generally are composed of a pair of lift arms mounted on opposite sides of a tractor and a bucket that is positioned forwardly of the tractor. The lift arms are raised and lowered and manure is scraped into the bucket. The bucket is then raised to a level above the spreader box and the material in the bucket is dumped into the box. Ofter times the area in which the spreader and loader is being used is rather confined. Also, in many instances, the visibility of the tractor operator that is loading the spreader is blocked by the superstructure of the power loader and consequently damage accidentally occurs to the sides of the spreader box and in many instances contact is made between the loader and the hydraulic cylinders that operate the tailgates thereby causing damage to the cylinders. Logs, stones and other heavy material may fall from the spreader or loader bucket to cause additional damage to the gate cylinders. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stamp-face forming apparatus, a method of forming a stamp face, and a stamp-face forming system, which form a stamp face on a stamp face material held in a stamp-face material holder.
2. Description of the Related Art
Saving troublesome work to put ink on a stamp face of a stamp every time a user fixes his/her stamp, rubber stamps have been used widely, which use a porous sponge sheet previously impregnated with ink as a stamp face.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 10-100464 has proposed a plate making apparatus for forming a stamp face. The plate making apparatus is provided with a thermal head having plural heating elements. A stamp produced by this plate making apparatus consists of a block with a stamp face material (stamp plate) attached thereon, wherein the stamp face material is made of a porous sheet. While making the stamp plate, the plate making apparatus holds the block with the stamp face material attached thereon and moves the plural heating elements of the thermal head so as to slide on the surface of the porous sheet of the stamp face material, while resiliently pressing the heating elements against the surface of the porous sheet, and selectively heats the plural heating elements to heat the stamp face material, thereby making non-porous portions preventing ink from permeating there through and porous portions allowing ink to permeate there through. In this way, the plate making apparatus forms a stamp face consisting of the non-porous portions preventing ink from permeating there through and the porous portions allowing ink to permeate there through.
In the plate making apparatus disclosed by Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei10-100464, the stamp consists of the block with the stamp plate made of a square stamp material sheet, attached thereon, and the plate making apparatus makes the stamp plate while the stamp plate is attached to the block, and therefore, the plate making apparatus has to be large in scale. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates generally to fluid bed boilers, particularly improved fluidizing nozzle or bubble cap assemblies for air distribution grids in fluid bed boilers.
An air distribution grid is an important feature of a fluid bed boiler. Its purpose is to achieve a uniform air distribution across the bed plan area to fluidize the bed material in the furnace and to prevent backsifting of the bed material into the windbox. The most typical air distribution grid design is an array of bubble cap assemblies attached to a water-cooled membrane panel. Designs of bubble cap assemblies vary widely; two examples are shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. A bubble cap assembly comprises bubble cap 1 and stem 2 that connects the cap 1 to an opening 3 in membrane 4 which is welded to water-cooled tubes 5.
During a start-up, if the boiler uses in-duct start-up burners, the air distribution grid is subjected to hot gases with a temperature that can exceed 1600° F. The bubble cap assemblies (typically made of stainless steel) have essentially the same temperature as these gases. Membrane 4, welded to tubes 5 and protected from direct contact with the hot gases by refractory 10 in the design shown in FIG. 2, would have a temperature close to the saturation water temperature in tubes 5, i.e. somewhere from 500° F. to 650° F., depending on the drum pressure. Membrane 4 is typically made of carbon steel. Welding stems 2, typically made of stainless steel, to the carbon steel membrane 4 creates dissimilar metal welds where the material with a higher thermal expansion coefficient (stainless steel) is at a much higher temperature than the material with a lower thermal expansion coefficient (carbon steel) thus resulting in high thermal stresses and a corresponding potential for cracking.
In order to avoid the weld cracking, the design shown in FIG. 2 features tack welding 15 of stem 2 to membrane 4, allowing their independent thermal expansions. Accommodating these expansions during start-up requires a gap 20 between the outside of the stem and the inside of the opening in the membrane 4. The stems' expansion at start-up and contraction at normal operation (when the stem temperature is somewhere from 300° F. to 500° F., depending on the temperature of the air flow through the stems at normal operation) results in a gap 25 between stem 2 and refractory 10. Therefore, the design shown in FIG. 2 is prone to air leakage through these gaps, with the leakage air bypassing the bubble caps 1. Lowering air flow through the bubble caps 1 leads to lowering the pressure drop across the bubble caps 1; this is conducive to bed material backsifting through the bubble caps 1 into the windbox. The backsifting can also result in plugging and erosion of the bubble caps 1.
Thus, there is a need for a system which avoids weld cracking. A system not prone to air leakage is also needed, so as to avoid the resultant lowering of pressure drop across the bubble caps, and reduce the potential for bed material backsifting as well as plugging and erosion of the bubble caps. | {
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Audio-visual content is available for consumption from a seemingly endless number of different content providers. Content providers deliver audio-visual programming to viewers via one or more channels. The various channels can be transmitted using a number of different methods, including over-the-air broadcasts, cable broadcasts, satellite broadcasts, and streaming Internet broadcasts. In some cases, a single content provider can offer two or more channels with each channel delivering different programming. In some cases, a single content provider can offer two or more channels with the same programming, but delivered via different transmission methods. | {
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Nanotubes, in particular carbon nanotubes (CNTs), are essentially one-dimensional metallic or semiconducting materials. The electrical properties of nanotubes are dependent on, amongst others, their dimensions and orientation. When properly formed and oriented, nanotubes provide great electrical current handling capability, high thermal conductivity and high mechanical strength. These properties make nanotubes an ideal material for molecular or nano-scale electronic devices. Examples of electronic devices that have been implemented using CNTs include CNT transistors and CNT sensors.
In the past, nanotubes in the devices were formed by spin-coating or other like techniques. The formed nanotubes were randomly distributed, highly entangled and had unpredictable electrical properties. More recently, however, nanotubes have been controllably assembled into hierarchical arrays. Such assembly is typically done using methods that fall in one of two categories: in situ synthesis and post synthesis. In situ synthesis methods typically involve catalyst patterning and chemical vapour deposition (CVD). However, their high processing temperature (typically >800° C.) significantly limits the choice of substrate materials. Furthermore, the as-grown nanotubes usually have many defects and, as such, have varying conductivity.
Post-synthesis methods are typically solution-based methods. One example method that is specific to nanowires is disclosed in an article entitled ‘Directed Assembly of One-Dimensional Nanostructures into Functional Networks’ by Lieber et al (Science, 291, 630-633 (2001)). In that method, a substrate is first chemically patterned to have amine-functionalized nanopatterns and bare methyl-functionalized areas. The pattern is made using electron beam lithography and immersing the substrate in a solution of 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES). A micropatterned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mold is then provided over the substrate such that a channel is formed between the mold and the substrate. A nanowire suspension is then controllably flowed inside the channel to assemble the nanowires into arrays of individual nanowires. The method of Lieber et al is, however, not suitable for nanotubes because it relies on the nanowires' inherent rigidity, which nanotubes do not have. The unsuitability of the method of Lieber et al for nanotubes has been noted in an article entitled ‘Self-Assembled, Deterministic Carbon Nanotube Wiring Networks’ published by Heath et al (Angewandte Chemical International Edition, 41, 351-356 (2002)). In particular, Heath et al noted that Lieber et al used rigid nanowires with controlled length and diameter, and that these were not conditions that could be replicated for nanotubes due to the flexibility and lack of dimensional control of individual nanotubes. | {
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1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to an improved actuating mechanism for ball valves, particularly the type that are employed in subterranean wells.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
A ball valve which is rotatable between an open and closed position with respect to a fluid conduit is employed in many industrial applications, but finds particular utility when employed as a safety valve in a subterranean well. The typical ball valve has a cylindrical flow passage through its center and is rotatable between an open position, wherein the flow passage is aligned with the fluid conduit in which the ball valve is mounted, and a closed position wherein the fluid passage is disposed transversely with respect to the bore of the fluid conduit. To prevent leakage around the exterior of the ball in its closed position, it is common to provide a so-called flow tube which carries in its end an annular seal for sealingly engaging the periphery of the ball in its closed position. Appropriate seals are provided for effecting the sealed engagement of the flow tube in the tubular conduit, hence fluid leakage around the exterior of the ball in the closed position is effectively prevented.
It has long been recognized that it is desirable to remove the annular seal carried by the flow tube from pressured engagement with the ball surface prior to effecting rotational movement of the ball. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,038 to Evans, wherein a single angular piston is employed to axially shift an actuating sleeve which first engages the ball sealing elements of the flow tube to move them out of engagement with the ball surface and then a cam slot in the actuating sleeve engages the ball rotation pins to effect the rotation of the ball to its open position.
The use of a conventional annular flow tube mechanism does have certain disadvantages, however. In the first place, through the employment of an annular piston, which necessarily must be of greater internal diameter than the bore of the flow conduit, relatively expensive and short-lived sealing elements must be employed to effect the necessary seals around the piston to insure its actuation by an applied control fluid pressure. Additionally, the utilization of a common piston to first shift the flow tube away from the ball and then to rotate the ball has the disadvantage that any jamming of the flow tube will prevent the ball from being rotated. | {
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Display screens are the primary visual display interface to a computer. One problem with these visual display screens is that they are limited in size, thus presenting a challenge to user interface design, particularly when larger amounts of information is to be displayed. This problem is normally referred to as the “screen real estate problem”.
Well known solutions to this problem include panning, zooming, scrolling or combinations thereof. While these solutions are suitable for a large number of visual display applications, these solutions become less effective where the visual information is spatially related, such as maps, newspapers and such like. In this type of information display, panning, zooming and/or scrolling is not as effective as much of the context of the panned, zoomed or scrolled display is hidden.
A recent solution to this problem is the application of “detail-in-context” presentation techniques to the display of large surface area media, such as maps. Detail-in-context presentation techniques take on many forms and are useful for displaying large amounts of information on limited size computer screens, and are becoming more important with the increased use of hand held computing devices such as personal digital assistance (PDA's) and cell phones.
Now, in the detail-in-context discourse, differentiation is often made between the terms “representation” and “presentation”. A representation is a formal system, or mapping, for specifying raw information or data that is stored in a computer or data processing system. For example, a digital map of a city is a representation of raw data including street names and the relative geographic location of streets and utilities. Such a representation may be displayed visually on computer screen or printed on paper. On the other hand, a presentation is a spatial organization of a given representation that is appropriate for the task at hand. Thus, a presentation of a representation organizes such things as the point of view and the relative emphasis of different parts or regions of the representation. For example, a digital map of a city may be presented with a region magnified to reveal street names.
Detail-in-context presentations allow for magnification of a particular region of interest (the “focal region”) in a representation while preserving visibility of the surrounding representation. In other words, in detail-in-context presentations focal regions are presented with an increased level of detail without the removal of contextual information from the original representation. In general, a detail-in-context presentation may be considered as a distorted view (or distortion) of a portion of the original representation where the distortion is the result of the application of a “lens” like distortion function to the original representation. A detailed review of various detail-in-context presentation techniques may be found in a publication by Carpendale, Marianne S. T., titled “A Framework for Elastic Presentation Space” (Burnaby, British Columbia: Simon Fraser University, 1999) and incorporated herein by reference.
Thus, detail-in-context presentations of data using techniques such as Elastic Presentation Space (“EPS”) are useful in presenting large amounts of information on limited-size display surfaces. Detail-in-context views allow magnification of a particular region of interest (the “focal region”) in a data presentation while preserving visibility of the surrounding information. Development of increasingly powerful computing devices has lead to new possibilities for applications of detail-in-context viewing. At the same time, the development of new compact, mobile computing platforms such as handheld computers, typically with reduced computing performance and smaller display surfaces as compared to desktop or mainframe computers, has motivated research into alternate implementation techniques and performance improvements to detail-in-context data presentation technologies. Consequently, one shortcoming of current EPS graphics technology and detail-in-context presentation methods is that being computationally inefficient, they are not optimized for newer compact, mobile computing platforms (e.g. handheld computers) that have reduced computing power. Considerable computer processing is required to distort a given presentation so as to produce a detail-in-context “lens”, and to move the lens through the data with adequate performance to provide an acceptable level of interactivity to the user.
A need therefore exists for a method and system that will allow for the effective implementation of EPS graphics technology on computing platforms having variable levels of computing power. Consequently, it is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least some of the above-mentioned disadvantages. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display apparatus for use with a computer system, and more particularly to a computer monitor for supplying a power supply voltage from an internal power supply therein to computer peripherals via universal serial bus USB hubs.
2. Description of the Related Art
A personal computer serving as a host may have an associated monitor serving as a display apparatus, a keyboard and a printer, a light pen or a plotter. The monitor is connected to the computer via a video cable and the computer provides video signals and the overall information required to control the monitor through the video cable along with information indicative of the monitor processed results from the monitor.
In addition to the keyboard and the monitor, if other peripheral devices, such as a printer, a light pen, a plotter or the like, are connected to the computer, it is complicated to connect the computer to the peripheral devices. Also, since the computer is not provided with a plug and play function, it is difficult for a user to connect the peripheral devices to the computer. To solve the above described problems, a universal serial bus (USB) system has been developed.
A monitor circuit not having a USB system has five main sections, a power supply, a video signal processor, a horizontal/vertical synchronization signal processor, a monitor controller and a CRT (cathode ray tube).
The monitor may also have an audio unit for generating an audio signal and a voice input unit for converting an audio signal into an electrical signal.
Such a monitor has the above described problem such as the difficulty of use for PC peripheral expansion and the like. Also, the monitor does not have connectors for communicating with the peripheral devices, such that plug and play functions can not be performed.
In order to solve the above described problem, an earlier invention by the same inventor as that of the present invention adds a hub system used for expansion of computer peripherals. The hub system incorporated into the computer monitor comprises three main sections, a USB system controller, a power switch and a plurality of input/output ports.
The controlling operation is performed in the USB controller. The USB controller receives and analyzes a power control signal from the computer system and the control provides a power switching control signal to the power switch which is composed of a multiplexer circuit and a microcomputer. The power switch designates corresponding ports of the downstream ports in response to the power switching control signal so that power from the power supply can be supplied through the designated ports. The USB controller checks whether the voltage at the designated port is above the limit value of voltage and if so, the control provides an abnormal voltage indicating signal to the computer system and the computer system receives the abnormal voltage indicating signal and generates a cut-off control signal. The cut-off control signal is provided to the computer monitor so that power supply through the designated downstream ports of the monitor is cut off.
In the above described computer monitor; when the power supply voltage is cutoff and the power supply of the monitor, during the power-off of the monitor during the power saving mode, a power supply voltage provided from the power supply or the hub port connected to the host is not supplied to the USB devices which are respectively connected through the hub ports connected to the USB controller. Thus, the USB devices are not operated.
The following patents each disclose features in common with the present invention but do not teach or suggest the specifically recited computer monitor for supplying a power supply voltage from an internal power supply to computer peripherals via a universal serial bus hub as in the present invention: U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,704 to Pierce et al., entitled Active Power Down For PC Card I/O Applications, U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,573 to Gephardt et al, entitled Power Management Message Bus For Integrated Processor, U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,040 to Frager et al, entitled Power Management Control Unit For A Computer Peripheral, U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,333 to Choi et al., entitled Method And Control Apparatus For Generating Power Management Signal Of Computer Peripheral Equipment In A Computer System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,022 to Dunstan et al., entitled Power Management Coordinator System And Interface, U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,081 to Carls, entitled Drive Current Detection And Optimization Circuit For Computer Systems, U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,859 to Seigel, entitled Power And Data Interface For Peripheral Devices, U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,656 to Oprescu et al., entitled System For Managing Power Consumption Of Devices Coupled To A Common Bus, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,271 to Shibasaki et al., entitled Power Source Control System For Electronic Device And Expansion Unit Connected Thereto. | {
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With the introduction and the development of optical networks it is a goal to reduce the cost and complexity of data transmission within voice and data networks. A major factor for achieving this is to reduce the number of signal transformations between optical and electrical signals. Such a reduction will reduce the number of components within the networks elements and reduce the need for electronic signal processing. Further a reduction in the number of components within the networks element will result in a reduction of the sources of errors, and hence reduced need for service and maintenance and an increased operational time. These factors will again result in a potentially reduced cost.
The traffic volume of Internet is reported to show a significant increase despite the downturn of the telecommunication industry. Hence, ingreasing parts of the traffic in the transport network origins from packet data. For obvious economic reasons, new switching techniques should first be introduced at the time they show maturity and cost effectiveness. Hence there is a need to develop flexible optical networks supporting a seamless migration from an optical circuit switched (OCS) to an optical packet switched (OPS) backbone network.
Thus replacing electronical network element with optical network elements it is necessary that the optical network elements have a functionality which can operate effectively within a packet switched network. In the last few years intensive research have been spent on optical packet switching (OPS), and optical burst switching where packets or bursts of packets are switched directly in the optical layer with optical switches. These techniques are expected to be commercially of interest within approximately four years.
The Five Dimensions
As optical signal processing is still immature there are very restricted possibilities for signalling different types of information such as address information. Dimensions available for transfer of information in an optical fibre are: intensity, time, frequency, phase and polarization. All these dimensions are through the years suggested used for different purposes.
The formats of modulation used in optical links and networks are today based on NRZ- and RZ-formats where intensity varies between a minimum- and maximum level. The signals are time divisional multiplexed (TDM) with a data rate between 2.5 and 40 Gb/sec. In optical line switched networks the available and useable optical frequency spectrum is used for multiplexing a number of TDM-channels within one fibre, so called Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM). The optical frequency is also suggested used as a label with optical networks where the framework from MPLS is used. Phase and frequency are suggested used as a form of modulation as to increase spectral efficiency likely in combination with polarization.
Optical Package Switching, Address, QoS and Signalling.
In connection with optical package switching transfer of address information in the form of a header or a label is a problem for discussion. Normally, in an electronic router the header will be transferred at the beginning of the package or the frame, and the address information and payload is thereby time multiplexed. Demultiplexing in the time domain is difficult using optical components. Transfer of address information separated from payload is therefore suggested carried out in different manners such as:
1a) Address and payload are separated by the use of separate optical wavelengths; this gives however a bad utilization of the wavelengths.
1b) Usage of a separate frequency within the optical wavelength, so-called Sub Carrier Modulation (SCM), utilizing the optical wavelength more efficiently than when a separate wavelength is used. However, this solution may lead to a deterioration of the payload signal.
1c) In the EU-sponsored project “STOLAS” it is suggested to use frequency modulation for modulation of package header separated from the payload; however this method may also give a deterioration of the signal quality within the payload. STOLAS is an ongoing project within EUs 5th general plan “IST”. Reference for this theme within the project: Sulur, T. K. et al. “IM/FSK Format for Payload/orthogonal Labelling IP Packets in IP over WDM Networks Supported by GMPLS-based LOBS.” ONDM 2003, Feb. 3-5, 2003, Budapest, Hungary.
Several techniques have been proposed for in-band header encoding, like serial header, SubCarrier Modulation (SCM), and Frequency Shift Keying (FSK). However, they require advanced components for separation of header and payload, and reinsertion of new headers. To erase old header, before a new one can be inserted, per input wavelength, serial header requires a fast optical gate e.g. a Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA), while SCM and FSK need an optical wavelength converter. This increases component count of complex and yet technologically immature components. Furthermore, if separation of packets belonging to different QoS classes is desirable, it will normally be done based on electronic processing of the header information, hence not all-optical.
Known Principles
1) Use of polarization of multiplexing/demultiplexing of two data channels (multiplexing by polarization) on one fibre is a known principle.
2) Use of polarization to find a start and stop on a bit-sequence is known, consequently by changing state of polarization.
3) To separate different optical data channels by polarization in the same manner as different optical data channels may be separated on its wavelength. Optical ad/drop entities based on separation between orthogonal polarizations like similar entities which are distinguished by the use of wavelength demonstrated and referred to in the literature.
4) Separation of header- and payload by the use of polarization is patented.
Introduction
In a statistical multiplexed packet switched network, services like constant delay, and no packet loss, can not be guaranteed due to the very nature of statistical multiplexing. This may preclude the use of strict real-time applications, where delay is critical, and packet loss should be at an absolute minimum, like e.g. for remotely controlled surgery. Guaranteed service (GS), without contention causing packet loss, and a fixed delay, can however be offered if the packets are sent through a network following a path with pre-assigned resources, like in a Static or Dynamic Wavelength Routed Optical Network (S-WRON or D-WRON). D-WRONs increases throughput efficiency, compared to S-WRONs, by dynamically reconfiguring the wavelength paths to adapt to the traffic demands. However, the control plane operates on an ms to s timescale, and cannot be optimized to the bursty traffic patterns of OPS, where packet durations are typically in the μs range. Therefore, not even D-WRONs can achieve the throughput efficiency and granularity of statistical multiplexing.
The Package Switch
A package switch may be partial optical and partial electronic or fully optical.
In EP 07944684 A1 it is described an optical package switched network with one or several nodes and a transmitter sending polarized package signals. The package signals comprising a header- and a payload separated from each other by way of orthogonal polarizing. Further it is known from CA 2352113 an optical method of communication where it is utilized a high speed polarized bit stuffing method. The method describes a way of using polarized bit-stuffing for separation of data package instead of multiplexing data streams from different modulators. This increases the speed for transferring of data within an optical network.
Optical packet switching (OPS) is promoted as a way to overcome the electronic bandwidth bottleneck. However, if OPS nodes are to be realised, they must also prove to be cost effective. The present invention proposes to use polarisation multiplexing for a low-cost separation and reinsertion of control information in OPS, as well as for optical differentiation between Quality of Service (QoS) classes. The two applications can be performed simultaneously or separately.
In the present invention it is proposed to combine the properties of a statistically multiplexed packet switched network (OPS) with the GS enabled by optical circuit switched networks (like S-WRON/D-WRON) in a single optical network layer. This requires that the circuit switched GS packets and the OPS packets efficiently share the data layer resources. A node design that allows full sharing of link bandwidth is proposed, and that allows a migration from an S-WRON to the more efficient combined network, by adding OPS capability. The efficiency of the node is studied using a simulator.
The technique proposed here, as presented in the present invention, overcomes the drawbacks as described above by using orthogonal States of Polarisation (SOP) for separating packets and sending control information. By using a Polarisation Beam Splitter (PBS) per wavelength for header/payload separation, the complexity and cost may be reduced significantly, compared to the solutions mentioned above. | {
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There are many disease states that cause bone defects in the spinal column. For instance, osteoporosis and other metabolic bone conditions weaken the bone structure and predispose the bone to fracture. If not treated, certain fractures and bone defects of the vertebral body may produce intolerable pain, and may lead to the development of deformity and severe medical complications.
Bone weakening may also result from benign or malignant lesions of the spinal column. Tumors often compromise the structural integrity of the bone and thus require surgical stabilization and repair of defects with biocompatible materials such as bone grafts or cements. Bone tumors of the spine are relatively common, and many cause vertebral compression fracture.
More than 700,000 osteoporotic compression fractures of the vertebrae occur each year in the United States—primarily in the elderly female population. Until recently, treatment of such fractures was limited to conservative, non-operative therapies such as bed rest, bracing, and medications.
One surgical technique for treating vertebral compression fracture can include injecting or filling the fracture bone or bone defect with biocompatible bone cement. A relatively new procedure known as “vertebroplasty” was developed in the mid 1980's to address the inadequacy of conservative treatment for vertebral body fracture. This procedure involves injecting radio-opaque bone cement directly into a fracture void, through a minimally invasive cannula or needle, under fluoroscopic control. The cement is pressurized by a syringe or similar plunger mechanism, thus causing the cement to fill the void and penetrate the interstices of a broken trabecular bone. Once cured, the cement stabilizes the fracture and eliminates or reduces pain. Bone cements are generally formulations of non-resorbable biocompatible polymers such as PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate), or resorbable calcium phosphate cements which allow for the gradual replacement of the cement with living bone. Both types of bone cements have been used successfully in the treatment of bone defects secondary to compression fractures of the vertebral body.
One technique which has gained popularity in recent years is a modified vertebroplasty technique in which a “balloon tamp” is inserted into the vertebral body via a cannula approach to expand or distract the fractured bone and create a void within the cancellous structure. Balloon tamps are inflated using pressurized fluid such as saline solution. The inflation of a balloon membrane within the bone produces radial expansion forces on the surface of the membrane and forms a cavity in the bone. When deflated and removed, the membrane leaves a cavity that is subsequently filled with bone cement. The formation of a cavity within the bone allows for the injection of more viscous cement material, which may be relatively less prone to leakage.
In certain instances, such as the treatment of acute or mobile fractures, the balloon is also effective at “reducing” the fracture and restoring anatomic shape to a fractured body. In particular, balloon dilatation in bone is maximally effective if the balloon device is targeted inferior to, or below, the fracture plane. In this instance, the balloon dilatation may distract, or lift, a fracture bone fragment, such as the vertebral body endplate.
One limitation to the use of such balloon dilatation has been the difficulty in effectively targeting the location within the bone at which the cavity should be created prior to dilatation of the balloon. In the specific case of vertebral body fracture, there are anatomical challenges to targeting with minimally invasive instrumentation. Safe passage of instruments and balloon catheters from the posterior surgical approach is generally achieved through a straight cannula positioned within the pedicle of the vertebral body, or just lateral to the pedicle to avoid potentially dangerous penetration of the cannula in the spinal canal. This anatomically defined trajectory often does not align with, or target, the fracture within the vertebral body. This limits the effectiveness of such techniques in effectively targeting a fracture. | {
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In a radio system using code division multiple access (CDMA), a plurality of transmitting and receiving stations are able to communicate in the same frequency band of the radio spectrum. A spreading code is reserved for each user for the duration of a connection, enabling the user to spread the information in a base-frequency signal. A receiver of the signal, in turn, is able to identify the information sent by the user by despreading it with a despreading code corresponding to the spreading code. Advantages of CDMA include efficient utilization of the frequency band, and system security. A disadvantage is that users interfere with each other's transmissions because of lack of orthogonality between spreading codes and lack of synchronization between transmitters. Interference, in turn, affects the utilization of the capacity of a radio system and the quality of connections.
Several methods exist for interference cancellation (IC) in CDMA systems. For example U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,304 discusses serial interference cancellation (SIC). In the solution presented in the publication, in each interference-cancelling stage, the signal of one or more users is removed in a receiver from a received combination signal of all signals. One or more strongest signals are removed from the received signal in each interference-cancelling stage. This allows a user of weaker signals to be identified in later interference-cancelling stages from a signal from which users that sent the strongest signals have been removed.
Interference cancellation methods based on multi-user detection (MUD) are effective. The idea in MUD-based interference cancellation methods is to utilize the information of several other users in the detection of each user signal. In the first stage, user signals are subjected to a detection stage by multiplying a combination signal by each user's spreading code to generate first symbol estimates. The symbol estimates are generated on the basis of symbols transmitted on a pilot channel or in bursts and known to the transmitter and receiver. After the detection stage, the user signals are subjected to one or more interference-cancelling stages, during which attempts are made to improve the symbol estimates of the user signals. In each interference-cancelling stage, the user signals are respread by regenerators or respreaders by means of symbol estimates, channel estimates and user spreading codes generated in a preceding detection stage or interference-cancelling stage. The regenerated user signals are combined to generate an interference signal. Parallel interference cancellation (PIC) methods generate an interference signal and utilize the generated interference signal in various ways depending on the method. In some solutions, the interference signal generated is subtracted from the combination signal, and the residual signal generated is used in the generation of user signal estimates specified in a detection step of the interference cancellation stage. The specified user signal estimates are generated by means of correlators that receive as input, in addition to a combination signal or a residual signal, a despreading code for each user. Code generators are used to generate both the spreading code for the regenerators and the despreading code for the correlators. Specified user signal symbol estimates and a residual signal, generated from the received combination signal by subtracting the regenerated user signals from it in the interference-cancelling stage, are thus obtained as output of each interference-cancelling stage.
Prior art solutions for multi-stage interference cancellation have a drawback. The necessary interference cancellation equipment, such as regenerators, code generators and correlators, has to be duplicated for each interference-cancelling stage. This increases significantly the costs of the interference cancellation equipment, and essentially increases the complexity of the equipment. | {
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The invention relates to an improved system and method for voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) calibration in a phase-locked loop (PLL) for time base generator applications. In particular, the invention calibrates a VCO center frequency to a reference frequency in a dynamic integrated circuit environment.
VCO circuits are well known in the art and are typically used in applications where a stable, controllable, high frequency signal is required. For example, a VCO may be used as part of a PLL in a frequency synthesizer to provide high frequency clock signals. PLLs use phase to lock on to a signal to generate synchronous clocking of digital signals. In a typical application, these clock signals may be applied to the clock inputs of integrated circuit chips in a particular system to synchronize their operations.
It is well known in the art of integrated circuit design to use fuses (low resistance, e.g. 200.OMEGA., connections in an unblown state) in conjunction with other circuit elements to adjust circuit operating parameters, such as voltage or current gain. See e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,594. By selectively blowing fuses, circuits may be "trimmed" after manufacture to accommodate desired parameters. When blown, fuses become high resistance elements (e.g., 10 K.OMEGA. to 20 M.OMEGA.), thus isolating other elements or sections from the rest of the circuit. In particular, fuse trimming circuits have traditionally been used to reduce the overall center frequency error in VCO circuits due to post-manufacture non-ideal circuit and process variations.
Such prior art fuse trimming circuits inherently have several disadvantages, however. First, the fuse trimming method increases production costs. Because it is necessary to physically contact the fuse with a probe in order to blow it, fuse trimming typically occurs as part of wafer probe during the manufacturing process. In the case of VCO adjustment, frequency measurements will also have to be performed during wafer probe as part of the fuse trimming method. Also, additional test time will be required to achieve accuracy in high frequency measurements.
Second, because fuse trimming is an irreversible, one-time process, the trimmed circuit is limited to a particular data rate and nominal conditions. Data rate changes occur, for example, when a computer system changes zones on a disk drive. As the head of the disk drive moves from the outer zone of the disk to the inner zone, the data rate slows down. Data rate changes and other dynamic characteristics, must therefore fall within limited tolerances allowed by the specifications of the trimmed circuit, because it will be difficult or impossible to further adjust the circuit after wafer probe has been completed.
Moreover, many applications pack these integrated circuits in plastic or other encapsulation materials. Such packaging may vary circuit parameters after trimming has occurred. While reverse trimming methods have been developed in an effort to counter these problems, such methods do not always resolve satisfactorily many inherent circuit inconsistencies.
Third, fuses that are blown or marginally-blown exhibit varying resistance characteristics from chip to chip. In addition, marginally-blown fuses may exhibit lower resistivity as a result of regrowth. VCO circuits are sensitive to "open" fuse resistance, which typically varies from 10 K.OMEGA. to 20 M.OMEGA.. Such broad variation in resistivity limits a designer's flexibility when designing compatible circuits.
Finally, given the uncertainty of blown or marginally-blown fuses, circuit reliability problems exist. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains in general to a method of synchronizing remote stations in a communications system and, more particularly, to a method for measuring delay between two remote stations in a communications system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Clock synchronization for stations at different localities with that of a central reference clock is required for many communications systems, such as synchronization of satellite clocks in a global positioning satellite (xe2x80x9cGPSxe2x80x9d) system, and synchronization of base stations and handsets in a Time Division Multiple Access (xe2x80x9cTDMAxe2x80x9d) or a Code Division Multiple Access (xe2x80x9cCDMAxe2x80x9d) cellular system. In the absence of an ideal clock, e.g., an atomic clock, synchronization is difficult to achieve without delay measurements.
For many cellular systems, such as the IS-95, CDMA2000, both developed by Qualcomm, Inc., and the Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephone (xe2x80x9cDECTxe2x80x9d) system of the European Telecommunication Standards Institute (xe2x80x9cETSIxe2x80x9d) standard, various methods have been proposed, including using the GPS system, making delay measurements through echo detection, and achieving synchronization using Integrated Services Digital Network (xe2x80x9cISDNxe2x80x9d) or High-Data-Rate Digital Subscriber Line (xe2x80x9cHDSLxe2x80x9d) interfaces aided by delay measurements to achieve base station synchronization. Each method has its merits and drawbacks.
GPS is accurate and stable but GPS signals cannot be detected indoors. Delay measurements through echo detection require a wire or a finite bandwidth for synchronization at the time of measurement. This measurement is not a simple peak detection task but rather a signal processing task requiring certain factors to be taken into consideration, such as severe distortion and noises. Furthermore, it is difficult to embed a delay measurement mechanism in an existing interface without having to redesign it. The third method of using synchronous data interfaces appears to be cost-effective because interfaces are already available in wireless communications systems. However, the algorithms implemented require a separate apparatus to measure an absolute delay.
In addition to base station synchronization, handset synchronization is also desirable for improving CDMA and TDMA systems. Base station and handset synchronization would also reduce the delay spread of handset frames at the base station. To achieve synchronization, delay measurement between the base station and the handset would be required. Synchronous CDMA systems are proposed to reduce interference and simplify implementation in a multi-user environment. Currently, uplink synchronous transmission scheme is an alternative technology in the third generation wide band CDMA standard.
The DECT system was designed for micro-cells, each cell having a base station. A synchronous DECT can also operate in large cells as may be required in a wireless local loop (xe2x80x9cWLLxe2x80x9d), where the handset to base station distance may be greater than 10 Km. However, according to interference calculations with the DECT design specifications, the system breaks down when frame synchronization from the handset is off by 11 microseconds. If the base stations are synchronized and the only source of timing error is due to air propagation delay difference between the nearest handset and the most-distant handset to the common base station, the largest cell radius is approximately 3 Km. In a 7-cell cluster, for example, there would require a central controller, and the maximum radius would be approximately 9 Km. This assumes the ideal case where the base station is only responsible for the handset in the cell. In a real fading environment where dynamic channel allocation prevails, the real radius of the DECT 7-cell cluster must be smaller than 9 Km because the delay spread may be as large as the diameter of the cluster. Therefore, handset synchronization is as important as base station synchronization in larger cells in a WLL using DECT or any other type of TDMA scheme.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a method for synchronizing two remote stations in a communications system that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
To achieve these and other advantages, and in accordance with the purpose of the invention as embodied and broadly described, there is provided a method of measuring delay between a first station and a second station in a communications system, wherein the distance between the first station and the second station is more than negligible. The method includes transmitting a first signal from the first station to the second station and simultaneously resetting a counting clock in the first station, receiving a delayed first signal at the second station, transmitting the delayed first signal to the first station, receiving a further delayed first signal at the first station and simultaneously stopping the counting clock, calculating the number of counts elapsed in the counting clock between the resetting and the stopping of the counting clock, wherein the duration of each count of the counting clock equals the period of the counting clock, and multiplying the number of counts with the period of the counting clock to obtain the delay.
In one aspect of the invention, the simultaneously resetting a counting clock includes providing a first clock to reset the counting clock, wherein the first clock has a period equal to or greater than the delay between the first station and the second station.
In another aspect of the invention, the first station includes a first transceiver transmitting the first signal to the second station and providing the first clock signal to reset the counting clock.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the simultaneously stopping the counting clock comprises providing a second clock to stop the counting clock, wherein the second clock has a preferred period equal to the first clock.
As a preferred option the simultaneity in resetting and stopping is realized by using the rising or falling edge of input clock signals. Therefore, the preferred implementation of the signals is the rising or the falling edges of the clocks.
In still another aspect of the invention, the method further includes receiving at a third transceiver, coupled to a fourth transceiver in the second station, the delayed first signal from the first station and the fourth transceiver transmitting the delayed first signal to the first station.
Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of measuring delay between a first interface pair and a second interface pair in a communications system, wherein the first interface pair includes a first interface and a second interface and the second interface pair includes a third interface and a fourth interface, and wherein the distance between the first interface pair and the second interface pair is more than negligible. The method includes transmitting a first signal from the first interface and simultaneously providing a first clock signal to reset a counting clock, receiving a delayed first signal at the third interface, transmitting the delayed first signal from the fourth interface, wherein the distance between the third interface and the fourth interface is negligible, receiving a further delayed first signal at the second interface, and simultaneously stopping the counting clock, calculating the number of counts elapsed in the counting clock between the resetting and the stopping of the counting clock, wherein each count of the counting clock equals the period of the counting clock, and multiplying the number of counts with the period of the counting clock.
In one aspect of the invention, the method also includes applying delay locking to the first signal.
Further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of synchronizing a handset to a base station in a wireless communications system that includes transmitting a first signal from the base station and simultaneously resetting a counting clock in the base station, receiving a delayed first signal at the handset, transmitting the delayed first signal from the handset, receiving a further delayed first signal at the base station and simultaneously stopping the counting clock, calculating the number of counts elapsed in the counting clock between the resetting and the stopping of the counting clock, wherein each count of the counting clock equals the period of the counting clock, and multiplying the number of counts with the period of the counting clock.
In one aspect of the invention, there includes repeating a predetermined number of repetitions of the calculating of the number of counts and adding the number of counts for the predetermined number of repetitions to obtain a sum, and dividing the sum by the predetermined number of repetitions to get the average count.
Further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of synchronizing a first station with a second station in a communications system, wherein the distance between the first station and the second station is more than negligible that includes providing a first interface in the first station, the first interface transmitting a first signal and simultaneously providing a first clock signal to reset a counting clock in the first station, providing a second interface in the first station, providing a third interface in the second station, the third interface receiving a delayed first signal and transmitting the delayed first signal, providing a fourth interface coupled to the third interface in the second station, the fourth interface receiving the delayed first signal and transmitting the delayed first signal, wherein the distance between the third interface and the fourth interface is negligible, receiving a further delayed first signal at the second interface, and simultaneously stopping the counting clock, providing a counter to determine the number of counts elapsed in the counting clock between the resetting and the stopping of the counting clock, wherein each count of the counter equals the period of the counting clock, and multiplying the number of counts with the period of the counting clock.
In one aspect of the invention, the method also includes providing the first interface as a U-transceiver.
In another aspect of the invention, the method includes providing the first interface and the second interface as a master-slave pair.
Additionally in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a communications system that includes a first station transmitting a first signal and resetting a counting clock in the first station, a second station receiving a delayed first signal from the first station and transmitting the delayed first signal to the first station, the first station simultaneously stopping the counting clock upon receiving a further delayed first signal from the second station, wherein the distance between the first station and the second station is more than negligible, a counter coupled to the first station to determine the number of counts elapsed in the counting clock between the resetting and the stopping of the counting clock, wherein each count of the counter equals the period of the counting clock, and arithmetic means coupled to the counter for multiplying the number of counts with the period of the counting clock.
In one aspect of the invention, the first station is a base station.
In another aspect of the invention, the second station is a handset.
Still in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for delay measurements that includes a first interface pair including a first interface and a second interface, the first interface transmitting a first signal and simultaneously resetting a counting clock, a second interface pair including a third interface and a fourth interface, the third interface receiving a delayed first signal from the first interface, and the fourth interface transmitting the delayed first signal to the second interface, wherein the distance between the third interface and the fourth interface is negligible, the second interface receiving a further delayed first signal and simultaneously stopping the counting clock, a counter coupled to the first interface pair to calculate the number of counts elapsed in the counting clock between the resetting and the stopping of the counting clock, wherein each count of the counting clock equals the period of the counting clock, and arithmetic means for multiplying the number of counts with the period of the counting clock.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structures and methods particularly pointed out in the written description and claims thereof, as well as the appended drawings. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to technology relevant to decoding Low Density Parity codes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Communication technology has become more important and has received greater attention as more people communicate via computer networks, telephone networks and various wireless networks. The goal is to communicate data in a reliable and efficient manner. However, data being communicated can be corrupted. For example, wireless data (e.g. digital or analog, voice or non-voice) is subject to noise.
There are two broad classes of solutions for insuring that data is communicated accurately. First, there is ARQ, which includes re-transmitting data if there is a problem. Second, there is Forward Error Correction (FEC), which includes using codes with the data to detect and, possibly, correct, corrupt data.
The problem being solved with FEC is how much redundancy to add in an intelligent manner to make sure that the data arrives correctly. Long codes do a better job insuring correctness, but are more complex and harder to work with. Thus, most codes used are shorter codes operating on smaller block lengths.
There are at least two classes of larger codes being used for FEC: Turbo codes and Low Density Parity Codes (LDPC). Low Density Parity Codes were proposed by Gallager in the early 1960s. R. G. Gallager, “Low-density parity-check codes,” IRE Trans. Inform. Theory, vol. IT-8, pp. 21-28, January 1962. The structure of Gallager's codes (uniform column and row weight) led them to be called regular LDPC codes. Gallager provided simulation results for codes with block lengths on the order of hundreds of bits. However, these codes were too short for the sphere packing bound to approach Shannon capacity, and the computational resources for longer random codes were decades away from being broadly accessible.
Following the groundbreaking demonstration by Berrou et al. (C. Berrou, A. Glavieux, and P. Thitimajshima, “Near Shannon limit error-correcting coding and decoding: Turbo codes,” in Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. Commun., Geneva, Switzerland, May 1993, pp. 1064-1070) of the impressive capacity-approaching capability of long random linear (turbo) codes, MacKay (D. J. C. MacKay, “Good error-correcting codes based on very sparse matrices,” IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory, vol. 45, pp. 399-431, March 1999) re-established interest in LDPC codes during the mid to late 1990s. Luby et al (M. Luby, M. Mitzenmacher, A. Shokrollahi, and D. Spielman, “Improved low-density parity-check codes using irregular graphs,” IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory, vol. 47, pp. 585-598, February 2001) formally showed that properly constructed irregular LDPC codes can approach capacity more closely than regular codes. Richardson, Shokrollahi and Urbanke (T. Richardson, A. Shokrollahi, and R. Urbanke, “Design of capacity approaching irregular low density parity check codes,” IEEE Trans. on Inform. Theory, vol. 47, pp. 618-637, February 2001) created a systematic method called density evolution to analyze and synthesize the degree distribution in asymptotically large random bipartite graphs under a wide range of channel realizations.
In his original work, Gallager also introduced several decoding algorithms. One of these algorithms has since been identified for general use in factor graphs and Bayesian networks (J. Pearl, Probabilistic Reasoning in Intelligent Systems: Networks of Plausible Inference. San Francisco, Calif.: Morgan Kaufmann, 1998) and is often generically described as Belief Propagation (BP). In the context of LDPC decoding, messages handled by a belief propagation decoder represent probabilities that a given symbol in a received codeword is either a one or a zero. These probabilities can be represented absolutely, or more compactly in terms of likelihood ratios or likelihood differences. The logarithmic operator can also be applied to either of these scenarios. Due to the complexity of the associated operator sets and word length requirements, the log-likelihood ratio form of the Sum-Product algorithm is the form that is best suited to VLSI implementation. However, this form still posses significant processing challenges as it employs a non-linear function that must be represented with a large dynamic range for optimal performance. Throughout the rest of the document, unaltered log-likelihood belief propagation with the described as Full BP.
FIGS. 9-14 depict bipartite graphs, which include variable nodes and constraint nodes. FIGS. 15-31 depict the use of bipartite graphs for massage passing decoding.
Even Full-BP algorithms suffer performance degradation as compared to the optimum Maximum Likelihood (ML) decoder for a given code. This is due to the fact that bipartite graphs representing finite-length codes without singly connected nodes are inevitably non-tree-like. Cycles in bipartite graphs compromise the optimality of belief propagation decoders. The existence of cycles implies that the neighbors of a node are not in general conditionally independent (given the node), therefore graph separation does not hold and Pearl's polytree algorithm (J. Pearl, Probabilistic Reasoning in Intelligent Systems: Networks of Plausible Inference. San Francisco, Calif.: Morgan Kaufmann, 1998) (which is analogous to Full-BP decoding) inaccurately produces graph a-posteriori probabilities. Establishing the true ML performance of LDPC codes with length beyond a few hundred bits is generally viewed as an intractable problem. However, code conditioning techniques (T. Tian, C. Jones, J. Villasenor, and R. D. Wesel, “Characterization and selective avoidance of cycles in irregular LDPC code construction,” International Conference on Communications (ICC) 2003) can be used to mitigate the non-optimalities of iterative decoders and performance that approaching the Shannon capacity is achievable even with the presence of these decoding non-idealities. | {
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Component alignment is of critical importance in semiconductor and/or MEMS (micro electromechanical systems) based optical system manufacturing. The basic nature of light requires that light generating, transmitting, and modifying components must be positioned accurately with respect to one another, especially in the context of free-space-optical systems, in order to function properly and effectively in electro-optical or all optical systems. Scales characteristic of semiconductor and MEMS necessitate sub-micron alignment accuracy.
Consider the specific example of coupling a semiconductor diode laser, such as a pump laser, to a fiber core of a single mode fiber. Only the power that is coupled into the fiber core is usable to optically pump a subsequent gain fiber, such as a rare-earth doped fiber or regular fiber, in a Raman pumping scheme. The coupling efficiency is highly dependent on accurate alignment between the laser output facet and the core; inaccurate alignment can result in partial or complete loss of signal transmission through the optical system.
Moreover, such optical systems require mechanically robust mounting and alignment configurations. During manufacturing, the systems are exposed to wide temperature ranges and purchaser specifications can explicitly require temperature cycle testing. After delivery, the systems can be further exposed to long-term temperature cycling and mechanical shock.
Solder joining and laser welding are two common mounting techniques. Solder attachment of optical elements can be accomplished by performing alignment with a molten solder joint between the element to be aligned and the platform or substrate to which it is being attached. The solder is then solidified to xe2x80x9clock-inxe2x80x9d the alignment. In some cases, an intentional offset is added to the alignment position prior to solder solidification to compensate for subsequent alignment shifts due to solidification shrinkage of the solder. In the case of laser welding, the fiber, for example, is held in a clip that is then aligned to the semiconductor laser and welded in place. The fiber may then also be further welded to the clip to yield alignment along other axes. Secondary welds are often employed to compensate for alignment shifts due to the weld itself, but as with solder systems, absolute compensation is not possible.
Further, there are two general classes of alignment strategies: active and passive. Typically in passive alignment of the optical components, registration or alignment features are fabricated directly on the components or component carriers as well as on the platform to which the components are to be mounted. The components are then mounted and bonded directly to the platform using the alignment features. In active alignment, an optical signal is transmitted through the components and detected. The alignment is performed based on the transmission characteristics to enable the highest possible performance level for the system.
In general, according to one aspect, the invention features an optical component installation process. This process comprises lithographically patterning and etching or otherwise forming a substrate to define a structure comprising a base and an optical component interface. The optical component is then installed on this interface. The structure is installed on an optical bench and the optical component is then positioned in an optical path above that bench.
In the preferred embodiment, the optical component is installed on the interface prior to the structure being installed on the optical bench. The structure is installed on the bench preferably using a pick-and-place machine and then affixed there using some bonding process, such as solder bonding.
One problem, however, is the fact that these conventional clips or similar structures for holding the optical components are typically expensive. Moreover, it is difficult to engineer these structures with a specified mechanical behavior to facilitate the typically rigorous optical system alignment processes.
In general, according to one aspect, the invention features an optical component installation process. The process comprises lithographically defining a structure, which comprises a base and an optical component interface. Thereafter, an optical component is installed on the interface and the structure is installed on the optical bench, such that the optical component is positioned in an optical path above the bench.
In the preferred embodiment, the step of lithographically defining the structure comprises exposing a resist material with a pattern for the structure and then developing the resist material. In the preferred embodiment, the LIGA process is used in which the resist material is electroplated to form the structure and the resist material thereafter removed.
In the preferred embodiment, for one class of optical components, the optical component is installed on the interface prior to the structure being installed on the optical bench. Presently, this sequence is used when the optical component is a passive component, such as a filter or mirror, or an active component, such as a MEMs type device, such as a MEMs filter. For other classes of optical components, such as optical fibers, the structure for holding the optical fibers first installed on the optical bench and then the fiber is subsequently installed in the structure.
Presently, the structure is installed on the bench using a pick-and-place machine and affixed to the bench using solder bonding, such as eutectic solder bonding, although other processes, such as a polymeric or resin bonding and laser welding are used alternatively.
In the preferred embodiment, the structure comprises nickel or a nickel alloy, although gold and gold alloys are an alternative. Nickel has certain advantages associated with the fact that it can be easily gold plated and has desirable deformation characteristics.
In one embodiment, the optical component is affixed to the interface of the structure via solder bonding. Here again, however, other modes of attachment are used in other implementations, such as polymeric/resin bonding and laser welding.
The above and other features of the invention including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, and other advantages, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular method and device embodying the invention are shown by way of illustration and not as a limitation of the invention. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. | {
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The present invention relates to a technique of controlling the quantity of light when a person approaches the path of projection rays emitted from a projector.
A projector widely used for presentation is an image display apparatus that projects light (projection rays) representing an image in response to an image signal output from an image supply apparatus, such as a computer, so as to display the image. The user performs the presentation while pointing out the image projected on the screen.
When the image is projected onto the screen from the projector located in front of the screen (such projection is referred to as xe2x80x98front projectionxe2x80x99), there is a space between the projector and the screen to allow the pass of the projection rays. The user or another person may thus approach the path of the projection rays. In such cases, when the person shifts the line of sight toward the projector, the projection rays directly enter the filed of vision of the person. The person may directly look at the projection lens to check if the projector normally works. In this case, the person may be dazzled and feel unpleasant. The designed luminous flux of the projection rays output from the projector tends to gradually increase, which may worsen the user""s feeling of unpleasantness.
The object of the present invention is thus to solve the above drawbacks of the prior art technique and to provide a technique of controlling the output luminous flux of projection rays output from a projector, so as to relieve the unpleasantness due to the direct incidence of the projection rays into the field of vision of a person.
At least part of the above and the other related objects of the present invention is attained by a projector including an electro-optic device that outputs rays modulated according to a given image signal, an image processing unit that transmits the image signal to the electro-optic device, and a luminous flux control device that controls an output luminous flux of projection rays, which are output from the electro-optic device and projected. The luminous flux control device has: a detector unit that detects a person who approaches a path of the projection rays; and a controller unit that controls the output luminous flux of the projection rays when the detector detects the approach of the person.
When a person approaches the path of the projection rays and the projection rays directly enter the filed of vision of the person, the projector of the present invention detects the approach of the person and controls the output luminous flux of the projection rays. This arrangement effectively relieves the unpleasantness due to the direct incidence of the projection rays output from the projector into the field of vision of the person.
In a first preferable application of the projector of the present invention, the detector unit includes: a luminance detector having a light receiving unit that is disposed in a neighborhood of a projection lens, from which the projection rays are output, and receives reflected rays obtained by reflection of the projection rays, the luminance detector outputting a reflection luminance of the reflected rays received by the light receiving unit as a reflection luminance signal; a reference luminance level generator that specifies a reference luminance based on a luminance signal level of an image signal corresponding to the projection rays, and outputs the specified reference luminance as a reference luminance signal; and a luminance comparator that compares the reflection luminance signal with the reference luminance signal. The controller unit controls the output luminous flux of the projection rays according to an output of the luminance comparator.
This arrangement facilitates the construction of the detector unit and the controller unit of the luminous flux control device.
The reflection luminance of the reflected rays detected by the luminance detector varies with a variation in output luminous flux of the projection rays. It is accordingly desirable that the reference luminance signal output from the reference luminance level generator varies with the variation in output luminous flux of the projection rays. The reference luminance level generator in the first application specifies the reference luminance based on the luminance signal level of the image signal corresponding to the projection rays. This arrangement thus enables the output reference luminance signal to be varied with a variation in output luminous flux of the projection rays.
In a second preferable application of the projector of the present invention, the image processing unit has a reference image signal generator that generates a reference image signal, which is used to output the projection rays corresponding to a preset luminance signal level, and transmits the reference image signal to the electro-optic device. The detector unit includes: a luminance detector having a light receiving unit that is disposed in a neighborhood of a projection lens, from which the projection rays are output, and receives reflected rays obtained by reflection of the projection rays, the luminance detector outputting a reflection luminance of the reflected rays received by the light receiving unit as a reflection luminance signal; a reference luminance level generator that registers, as a reference luminance signal, a reflection luminance output from the luminance detector when the projection rays corresponding to the preset luminance signal level are output in response to the reference image signal; and a luminance comparator that compares the reflection luminance signal with the reference luminance signal. The controller unit controls the output luminous flux of the projection rays according to an output of the luminance comparator.
Like the first application, the second application facilitates the construction of the detector unit and the controller unit. While the reference luminance level generator in the first application varies the reference luminance signal with a variation in output luminous flux of the projection rays, the reference luminance level generator in the second application sets the reflection luminance in response to the preset luminance signal level to the reference luminance signal. The second application, however, exerts the similar functions and effects to those of the first application.
In a third preferable application of the projector of the present invention, the detector unit includes: a luminance detector having an infrared emission unit and an infrared receiving unit that are disposed in a neighborhood of a projection lens, from which the projection rays are output, the infrared receiving unit of the luminance detector receiving reflected rays of infrared radiation emitted from the infrared emission unit, the luminance detector outputting a reflection luminance of the received reflected infrared rays as a reflection luminance signal; and a luminance comparator that compares the reflection luminance signal with a preset reference luminance signal. The controller unit controls the output luminous flux of the projection rays according to an output of the luminance comparator.
In a fourth preferable application of the projector of the present invention, the detector unit includes: an ultrasonic wave detector having an ultrasonic wave transmitter unit and an ultrasonic wave receiver unit that are disposed in a neighborhood of a projection lens, from which the projection rays are output, the ultrasonic wave receiver unit of the ultrasonic wave detector receiving a reflected wave of an ultrasonic wave transmitted from the ultrasonic wave transmitter unit, the ultrasonic wave detector measuring a strength of the received ultrasonic wave; and an ultrasonic wave comparator that compares the measurement of the received ultrasonic wave strength with a preset reference received ultrasonic wave strength. The controller unit controls the output luminous flux of the projection rays according to an output of the ultrasonic wave comparator.
In a fifth preferable application of the projector of the present invention, the detector unit includes: an ultrasonic wave transmitter unit that is disposed in a neighborhood of a projection lens, from which the projection rays are output; an ultrasonic wave receiver unit that is disposed in the neighborhood of the projection lens and receives a reflected wave of an ultrasonic wave transmitted from the ultrasonic wave transmitter unit; a time measurement unit that continues measuring time between transmission of the ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic wave transmitter unit and receipt of the ultrasonic wave by the ultrasonic wave receiver unit; and a time comparator that compares the observed time by the time measurement unit with a preset reference time. The controller unit controls the output luminous flux of the projection rays according to an output of the time comparator.
Like the first and the second applications, these third to fifth applications simplify the construction of the detector unit and the controller unit.
In accordance with one preferable embodiment of the projector, the luminous flux control device further has an information unit that, when the controller unit controls the output luminous flux of the projection rays, informs the person of the controlled output luminous flux of the projection rays.
This arrangement readily informs the person of the fact that the person approaches the path of the projection rays and thereby the output luminous flux of the projection rays is controlled. | {
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A computer game is a general term for an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate feedback on any type of a display device, such as a raster display device, an LCD, or the like, associated with a television, a computer display, a handheld device, or others. Preferably, the computer game is played by a user for recreational purposes.
The electronic systems used to play video games are generally referred to as platforms or gaming platforms, and may include personal computers, video game consoles, handheld devices or the like.
Some games utilize an input device, also referred to as a game controller, with which a human player may manipulate the game. Known game controllers include standard input output (I/O) devices such as a keyboard or a pointing device (e.g., a mouse), dedicated gaming devices such as joystick, or motion-detection held devices held by the player such as WII™ controllers. Other gaming platforms, such as Microsoft Kinect™, use a motion sensor game controller which need not be held or otherwise carried by the player. Motion-sensor game controller may utilize a camera such as a webcam or other sensor for sensing the user's motions without requiring the user to hold or touch a physical controller, and pass the user's motions to the video game console. Some gaming platforms may also enable oral commands by the player, use of a phone interface and a touch screen, or the like.
Developing computer games is a labor intensive process. Generally, the developer has to provide a user interface (UI) module, for receiving the user's motions or activities and generate corresponding commands or instructions; a logic module for receiving and interpreting the user's commands and determining the course of the game; and a display module for displaying the game on the display device, including for example displaying characters, objects, scenes, menus or other selection options for a user, or the like.
A developer that has developed a computer game, may wish to maximize his or her revenues by offering a corresponding game adapted for other platforms. For example, a developer may wish to offer a game developed for a WII™ platform also to a Kinect™ or Sony PS3™ platforms.
Another need for porting may arise from a provider of platforms or devices, such as a mobile device, a new gaming platform, or the like, who wishes to supply the platform with a multiplicity of games. However, the provider may wish that at least some of the games be known and attractive to players, and in addition may wish to reduce time to market and obtain a significant number of games as soon as possible. For achieving this goal, porting games existing for other platforms may provide an efficient solution.
The ported game should provide a player with an experience which is as similar as possible to the original game experience.
However, porting and specifically porting the UI module may pose significant challenges, among which is that the new platform may not have the same or even corresponding input devices to those of the original platform. For example, a player playing a WII™ game may provide input to the game by waving his hands or performing other three dimensional (3D) motions. However, a Sony PS3™ only has a controller with some buttons or other controls which may be pressed or otherwise activated. | {
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Human cancers are by their nature comprised of normal cells that have undergone a genetic or epigenetic conversion to become abnormal cancer cells. In doing so, cancer cells begin to express proteins and other antigens that are distinct from those expressed by normal cells. These aberrant tumor antigens can be used by the body's innate immune system to specifically target and kill cancer cells. However, cancer cells employ various mechanisms to prevent immune cells, such as T and B lymphocytes, from successfully targeting cancer cells.
Human T cell therapies rely on enriched or modified human T cells to target and kill cancer cells in a patient. Various technologies have been developed to enrich the concentration of naturally occurring T cells capable of targeting a tumor antigen or genetically modifying T cells to specifically target a known cancer antigen. These therapies have proven to have modest, though promising, effects on tumor size and patient survival. However, it has proven difficult to predict whether a given T cell therapy will be effective in each patient.
Cyclophosphamide can be administered alone or in combination with other agents, including carmustine (BCNU) and etoposide (VP-16). As a monotherapy, cyclophosphamide can be administered by IV at 40-50 mg/kg (1.5-1.8 g/m2) as 10 to 20 mg/kg/day for 2-5 days.
Recent studies have shown that preconditioning a patient with one or more immunosuppressive chemotherapy drugs prior to T cell infusion can increase the effectiveness of the transplanted T cells. Rosenberg et al., Clin. Cancer. Res. (2011). However, current methods rely on high doses of toxic and non-specific drugs, which cause painful and sometimes deadly adverse events. As a result, there remains a need to identify an effective preconditioning regimen for improved T cell therapies. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dielectric resonator, and more particularly, to a dielectric resonator having a thin film multi-layered electrode and a dielectric filter and duplexer including the dielectric resonator which are applicable to communication apparatuses and the like for use in base stations of a cellular telephone system, and a communication device including the dielectric filter.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a dielectric filter which is related to the present invention. The dielectric filter is described in the co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/924,040 filed Aug. 29, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,052,041, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference. However, the art disclosed in the '040 application was not publicly known on the filing date of Japanese Patent Application No. H10-38810, the priority application on which the present invention is based. In FIG. 9, a dielectric filter 110 comprises a metallic case 111, dielectric resonators 112 disposed inside of the case 111, a ground plate 113, coupling probes 114, and external connectors 115 attached to the outside wall of the case and connected to the probes 114, respectively. The case 111 comprises a trunk 111a and an upper lid 111b. On the upper and under sides of each dielectric resonator 112, thin film multilayered electrodes are formed, respectively. Each thin film multilayered electrode is composed of dielectric layers and conductor layers alternately laminated to each other. The detailed structure of the thin film multilayered electrode is described in the co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/604,952 filed Feb. 27, 1996, now pending (international application number PCT/JP94/00357). The disclosures of the '952 and '357 applications are incorporated herein by reference.
The ground plate 113 is made of a metallic plate. For the purpose of reducing the temperature dependency of the filter characteristics, the ground plate has a coefficient of linear expansion equal to that of the dielectric resonators 112. The dielectric resonators 112 are fixed to the ground plate 113 by soldering. The ground plate 113 is sandwiched between the trunk 111a and the lid 111b, and thereby, the dielectric resonators 112 are disposed in the case 111. The ground plate 113 is placed on the trunk 111a so that gaps are formed between the dielectric resonators 112 and the trunk 111a.
Each coupling probe 114 is made of a metallic wire and extends into the gap between a corresponding dielectric resonator 112 and the trunk 111a. The coupling probe 114 and the dielectric resonator 112 are capacitively coupled. The two dielectric resonators together function as a dielectric filter. If the external connectors 115 are connected through a .lambda./4 line 117, the dielectric filter functions as a band elimination dielectric filter.
In order to fix the dielectric resonators to the ground plate, soldering techniques are generally used as described above. For the purpose of making the best use of the characteristics of the thin film multilayered electrodes, it is preferable to consider the following points. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line W--W of FIG. 9. Solder is coated onto the upper side of the dielectric resonator 112 with a soldering iron and retained there so as to short-circuit the under side of the ground plate and the resonator. As a result, the respective electrodes of the thin film multilayered electrode are short-circuited. The solder may be permeated between the resonator 12 and the ground plate 113 according to re-flow techniques. However, excess solder reaches the side of the resonator to short-circuit the respective electrodes of the thin film multilayered electrode.
The thin film multilayered electrode is provided for the purpose of enhancing the non-loaded Q of the dielectric filter, by reduction of the conductor loss in the electrode due to the skin effect. The thicknesses of the respective electrode layers are strictly set. Therefore, the short-circuiting of the respective electrode layers as described above should be avoided.
In the event that a stress, caused by external vibration or impact, is applied to the ground plate, the stress is transmitted to one or more side edges of the thin film multilayered electrode, since the ground plate is flat. The thin film multilayered electrode is susceptible to being peeled apart at its side edges. Thus, there is a possibility that the thin film multilayered electrode may be peeled apart, or peeled off of the ground plate, at a side edge thereof. | {
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This invention is directed to a young tree support which supplies support to the lower portion of the trunk of a young tree.
Nursery trees are grown close together in containers so as to produce a tall tree in a short growing time. Young trees are sold from the nursery when they are about 6 feet tall. They are usually in a 5-gallon pot and have a trunk about the thickness of a man""s thumb. There is sufficient heavy branching and foliage at the top of the tree so that, when separated from the group, the tree is not self-supporting. It is conventional to plant such trees between two tall stakes which hold the crown of the tree in place until the trunk is sufficiently strong to support the crown. These supporting stakes are traditionally as tall as the crown. It has been found that flexure of the trunk helps the trunk to gain strength to support the crown. The full-height support does not encourage gain in strength of the trunk.
In order to aid in the understanding of this invention, it can be stated in essentially summary form that it is directed to a young tree support which is comprised of an elongated flexible polymer member. The first end of the member is anchored to the ground close to the trunk. The flexible member is wound up the trunk, preferably to a height which is between one-third and one-half the distance from the ground to the crown. The supporting member is pulled to the windward and is anchored away from the tree. The connection between the member and the second anchor is preferably resilient. The member is preferably a tube.
It is, thus, a purpose and advantage of this invention to provide a young tree support which is of simple construction and ease of installation to adequately support the lower portion of the trunk of a young tree so that some flexure is permitted to encourage trunk growth.
It is another purpose and advantage of this invention to provide a young tree support which is resilient in the way in which it wraps around the tree trunk so as to avoid bark damage during growth.
It is a further purpose and advantage of this invention to provide a young tree support which is resiliently connected to a second anchor on the windward side.
Other purposes and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following portion of the specification, the claims and the attached drawings. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Absorbent fibers useful as components in advanced wound care dressings are known in the art, particularly fibers based on alginic acid, carboxymethylcellulose, and carboxymethylchitosan, and salts thereof.
Dressings based on fibers of alginic acid or its salts have good overall absorbency of wound fluid, but suffer from slow absorption due to the need to exchange multivalent ions binding the fibrous structure together with sodium ions present in wound fluid. Although this ion exchange renders the fibers swellable in ion-containing aqueous media, allowing significant absorption of fluid, the mechanical strength of the gelled fibers is compromised, and it is not routinely possible to remove a saturated dressing in one piece. Frequently, the dressing must be irrigated with saline to wash it away, and this can be traumatic for the patient.
Carboxymethyl cellulose fibers have also been used as the main component in advanced wound care dressings, and these too have significant absorptive capacity for wound fluid. Their advantage over alginate-type dressings is that absorption of fluid is virtually instantaneous since no ionic exchange is required to render the fibers gellable. In addition, those fibers based on a highly crystalline cellulose, such as lyocell, and in particular those described in EP0616650 and EP0680344, tend to retain a higher level of mechanical strength and therefore may be removed from the wound site in one piece. However the absorptive capacity of this class of material is strongly dependent on the pH of the wound fluid, reducing dramatically at acidic pH. This is a serious drawback since chronic wound fluid pH can range between 4 and 8 depending on the state of healing. Furthermore, it has been recognized that artificially lowering the pH of the wound environment may lead to improved healing outcomes. For instance, it has been found (Tsioras et al, article presented at 19th Annual Symposium on Advanced Wound Care, San Antonio, Tex., Apr. 30, 2006-May 3, 2006) that applying a wound dressing containing a pH adjusting cream of pH 2.8 decreased the time it took for the wound to close. In another study, burn wounds healed quicker when treated with fluid having a pH of 3.5 (Kaufman et al., Burns Incl Therm Inj, 12(2) 84-90 (1985)). Indeed, preparations are commercially available for use in conjunction with absorbent dressings to reduce the pH of the wound environment. For instance, CADESORB® available from Smith & Nephew has a pH of about 4.35.
It is desirable for an absorbent dressing to perform well at acidic pH, and preferably for it to perform well over a wide range of pH. Since absorbent dressings based on carboxymethylcellulose do not perform well in low pH environments, there is a need for an instantly gelling, absorptive dressing that continues to absorb to a good level at reduced pH.
It is desirable for absorbent fibers for use in absorbent dressings to be obtained from a renewable resource, to be inexpensive and also biodegradable. Hence, there is considerable interest in cellulose as a renewable and biodegradable source of absorbent material. U.S. southern pine fluff pulp is used as an absorbent material in the personal care industry. However, it is commonly used in conjunction with other absorbent materials, and commonly materials that are not renewable and biodegradable, for example acrylic acid polymers. The reason for this is that absorbed liquid is not effectively retained in materials that are made exclusively of cellulosic fibers.
The cellulose fiber can be modified by sulfonation, for example by substitution with an alkyl sulfonate at one or more of the hydroxyl groups on the anhydroglucose monomers that make up the cellulose backbone, forming ether linkages. Cellulose derivatives of this type are known as cellulose sulfonates or cellulose alkyl sulfonates.
Commercially available cellulose ethers are, as a rule, water-soluble compounds. In particular, cellulose ethyl sulfonate is known to be water-soluble.
Herzog et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,609 describes cellulose ethyl sulfonates of high solution quality, which are prepared by addition to cellulose of an alkylating agent and subsequently addition of alkali. The process is compared to the two-stage process for the production of cellulose ethyl sulfonate described in SU757540.
Cellulose ether sulfonates have been modified further in order to produce water insoluble products. For instance Glasser et al., U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2006/0142560 refers to absorbent fibers based on mixed cellulose alkylsulfonates in which the cellulose is substituted by two different groups, an alkyl sulfonate and a hydroxyalkyl sulfonate, specifically ethyl sulfonate and 2-hydroxypropyl sulfonate. Water insolubility of the modified cellulose is believed to result from the presence of the 2-hydroxypropyl sulfonate group.
Shet et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,225 refers to a water-insoluble sulfonated cellulose that is a hydroxy sulfonic cellulose in which both the sulfur atom of a sulfonic group and a hydroxyl group are directly attached to a carbon atom on the cellulose chain.
To be suitable for use in wound dressings, absorbent materials must retain their integrity and hence be water-insoluble. The principal disadvantage of the water insoluble cellulose alkyl sulfonates that have been developed for use as absorbent materials to date is the requirement for substitution of the cellulose with at least two different groups. Compared to substitution with a single substituent, additional reactants and additional processing steps are not desirable, and are likely to increase the cost of manufacture. Furthermore, as the cellulose is increasingly modified, benefits associated with the natural fiber, such as its biodegradability, may be impaired. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Couplings adapted for engagement with the outer surface of a polymeric pipe are well known. The couplings generally include a sub-assembly of a compression sleeve, a resilient gasket ring permanently attached to the inner end of the compression sleeve, a gripping member, and a nut. The gasket ring encounters an abutment in a socket in the body as the nut is tightened, and further tightening of the nut radially compresses the gripping member so that its inwardly directed barbed projections engage the outer surface of a pipe to which the coupling is attached. The end of the pipe is freely insertable through the gripping member and sleeve and into the socket in the body. There are also provided abutment surfaces within the body coupling and the nut that abut inner and outer surfaces of a flange outstanding from the outer end of the compression sleeve.
These couplings have proven to be very successful, both technically and commercially and have achieved great success.
A practical problem that is frequently encountered with such couplings is that the coupling is too long for particular applications, such as homes and meter boxes. However, the nature of plastic couplings is such that common knowledge assumes that they require length to provide for the strength needed.
Thus, in applications where size is important metal fittings have been used whose strength properties allows them to be much shorter. These are however significantly more expensive than moulded plastic couplings.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for a pipe coupling that overcomes at least some of the abovementioned problems or provides the public with a useful alternative, by providing a plastic coupling that is significantly shorter than hitherto known. This results in significant cost savings in that less plastic raw material is needed. Other advantages of shorter plastic couplings relate to issues of stocking, warehousing, transportation, and weight. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is data processing, or, more specifically, methods, apparatus, and products for analyzing simulated operation of a computer.
2. Description of Related Art
Today operation of a computer is, from time to time, simulated. Such may be the case, for example, when a computer program originally designed for execution by one type of processor is desired to be executed by another type of processor. Such simulation presently requires a great amount of computer processing overhead and computer resources. Further, user requirements for performance of such are becoming more difficult to achieve. In some instances, analysis of the simulation may be helpful to improve the simulated software or the simulation software itself. Such analysis however is currently inefficient and greatly impacts performance of the simulation itself. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present application is directed to the mechanical and electrical arts, and more particularly to structural designs and arrangements, as well as methods, to form stretchable, conformal electrical interconnects. More particularly, it is noted that as demand for wearable electronics is increasing, there is a need to improve the designs of electrical interconnects to be stretchable and robust under strain due to wearer's motion.
One particular description of such electrical interconnects is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/581,542, titled “Method For Roll-To-Roll Production Of Flexible, Stretchy Objects With Integrated Thermoelectric Modules, Electronics And Heat Dissipation.” Described herein are designs and printing fabrication methods for interconnects that are suitable for a wearable temperature regulation system. Another description is found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,743,982, issued Jun. 1, 2004 to Biegelsen, entitled “Stretchable Interconnects Using Stress Gradient Films Describes A Method And System For A Sensor Array Which Employs Stretchable Interconnects To Connect Contacts Of One Electronic Device To Another Electronic Device.”
The present application provides additional methods and designs for improved stretchable, conformable electrical interconnects which may be employed in the field of wearable electronics, as well as for other uses. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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There have heretofore been proposed various constructions for clasps for personal ornaments or furnishings. For example, bolt-ring and swivel types are known and they resort to mechanical means for coupling. These types, therefore, are relatively high in coupling force, but, on the other hand, since they are complicated in construction, the coupling and decoupling operation is troublesome, sometimes making it impossible for the user to put on and take off the ornament or furnishing without calling for a helping hand. Another type which utilizes magnetic attraction for coupling purposes has also been proposed. Although this type is easy to couple and decouple, it is so low in coupling force that there is a danger of the ornament or furnishing falling off the wearer of itself during use. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a transponder/cathodic protection system that generates surface detectable signals that can be used to monitor and measure the effectiveness of a buried cathodic protection circuit for buried metal objects, in particular, buried metal pipes. The transponder, which is buried, converts the voltage and amperage generated by a typical cathodic protection circuit into radio frequency waves that can be detected remotely above ground by any suitable transmitter-receiver tuned to the transponder frequency.
2. Description of Prior Art
Underground metal objects, such as natural gas distribution and transmission pipelines, tend to build up electrical charges caused by the earth's magnetic field. The metal object also serves as a conductor between soils of differing chemical composition and conductivity, in effect, forming a battery and setting up circulating currents in the pipe-soil system. After a length of time, depending upon soil conductivity and conditions, the metal object will become sufficiently charged such that an electrical discharge will occur from the metal object to the ground, causing corrosion of the metal object. In the case of buried metal pipes, the electrical discharge causes metal particles to be carried away from the pipe, thereby pitting the pipe which, in turn, can cause a hole to develop at the point of discharge. Various devices have been used to counteract this electrolytic process, the most common of which is an electrical power supply, more commonly called a cathodic protection rectifier, which produces a rectified low voltage DC current. The DC current output of the rectifier is then connected to the metal object to effectively counteract or negate the electrical charge build up in a manner which prevents damage to the metal object. The metal object is, thus, made cathodic so that plating action occurs at the metal object and deplating occurs at a buried sacrificial anode.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,370 teaches a cathodic protection monitoring system which provides IR drop free cathodic protection potential measurements which are indicative of the effectiveness of the cathodic protection system. The system measures the polarized potential between a reference electrode and a coupon subsequent to decoupling the coupon from the protected structure. The system controls the time or times at which the potential is measured in order to ensure that the potential is measured only after the polarized potential has achieved a relatively steady state value. The system includes an above ground test module including a timing circuit and voltmeter, the test module being removably electrically attached to a switch network by way of terminals. The reference electrode is electrically coupled to the test module by way of an electrical cable; similarly, the coupon and metal structure are electrically coupled to the switch network using electrical cables.
A cathodic protection measurement system including a coupon buried near and electrically connected to a pipeline so as to receive the same level of cathodic protection current as the pipeline is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,048. A test wire is connected to the pipeline and routed to a normally closed contact switch located at an access point of an above ground test station. The switch is also connected to a coupon wire, which is routed and connected to the coupon to complete the electrical connection. A reference electrode having a measuring surface contacting the soil close to the buried coupon includes an electrode wire provided to the access point, the access point comprising a tubular access tube which penetrates the soil and extends to the pipeline being protected. A voltmeter is connected between the switch and the reference electrode wire, and the switch is then opened to electrically isolate the coupon from the pipeline. U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,247 teaches an apparatus for measuring cathodic protection voltage levels on a concealed conductive structure which includes a probe having a standard half cell reference electrode, a working electrode, and an auxiliary electrode mounted in a fixed spacial relationship to each other, wherein the reference electrode, working electrode and auxiliary electrode are each in contact with an electrolytic solution. A voltage measuring device is provided for receiving the voltage from the reference electrode. A switch is included for connecting and disconnecting the working electrode to the common reference point. See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,369 which also teaches a corrosion monitoring system.
Conventional cathodic protection surveying in an urban environment is a complicated and expensive process. Paving often renders it impossible to use a portable reference electrode. Buried reference electrodes can be lost as landmarks and paving shift over time. Monitoring the state of the cathodic protection of buried metallic gas distribution and transmission systems is an operation that is carried out by all system operators. The most widely accepted method of demonstrating adequate protection is to measure the pipe to soil potential with respect to a reference electrode. In practice, the reference electrode is placed in contact with the soil and a lead wire is attached to the main. The voltage between these two points is measured with a high impedance voltmeter. If the main voltage is correct with respect to the particular type of reference electrode, for example 850 millivolts for copper/copper-sulfate, the main is adequately protected. This measurement can be taken by either steady state or instant-off methods.
The urban environment offers particular challenges to carrying out the operation of cathodic protection monitoring. Often, a portable reference electrode can not be used when there is no unpaved soil nearby in which to insert the electrode. Measurements can be taken using a permanently buried electrode if lead wires are brought to the surface from the pipe and the electrode. One practice is to bring both of these lead wires to the surface in a common valve box that can be opened when a cathodic protection survey is being performed. These valve boxes can be buried, paved over, or otherwise "lost" in the shifting urban landscape.
In the case of pipelines located in remote areas, where physical connection to the cathodic protection system may not be possible and most certainly is not desirable, various devices have been used for visual observation from airplanes that routinely patrol the pipeline right-of-way to make a determination as to whether or not the systems are operating properly. The most common device utilized is simply a red light disposed on top of a pole that burns if the system is functioning properly and goes out if the system fails. Similar systems utilizing spinning pinwheels or the like which are motor driven from the output of the cathodic protection circuit are also known. Thus, when the circuit fails, the pinwheel will no longer spin. U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,912 teaches a power supply monitoring device for monitoring remote power line connected cathodic protection rectifier operation along a pipeline from pipeline patrol vehicles. The device comprises transmitter means disposed adjacent to each power supply rectifier and operably connected to the power line for transmitting a signal, monitoring means operably connected to the output of the cathodic protection rectifier for sensing the output current thereof, signal modulating means operably connected between the monitor means and the transmitter means for modulating the transmitter signal in accordance with the rectifier current level, receiver means disposed within the patrol vehicle for receiving the output of the transmitter means when the patrol vehicle is in the near proximity of the rectifier, and audio output means operably connected to the receiver means for indicating the cathodic protection rectifier current level. As in the case of other known devices, a significant portion of the monitoring device is disposed above ground and is physically connected to the below ground components. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Controllers are used on a wide variety of devices and systems for controlling various functions in homes and/or buildings and their related grounds. Some controllers have schedule programming that modifies device parameters such as set points as a function of date and/or time. Some such device or system controllers that utilize schedule programming for controlling various functions in homes and/or buildings and their related grounds include, for example, HVAC controllers, water heater controllers, water softener controllers, security system controllers, lawn sprinkler controllers, and lighting system controllers.
In a typical HVAC application, for example, such controllers can be employed to monitor and, if necessary, control various environmental conditions occurring within a home or office building. The controller may include a microprocessor that interacts with other components in the system to regulate the temperature, humidity, venting, and/or air quality occurring at one or more locations. An internal sensor located within the controller and/or one or more remote sensors may be employed to sense when the temperature and/or humidity level reaches a certain threshold level, causing the controller to send a signal to activate or deactivate one or more components in the system.
The controller may be equipped with a user interface that allows the user to monitor and adjust various parameters of the controller. With more modern designs, the user interface typically comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD) or light emitting diode (LED) display inset within a controller housing that contains a microprocessor or the like, an I/O interface, and other components of the controller. The user interface may include a menu-driven interface that allows the user to scroll through one or more menus or screens to adjust the different settings on the controller. In some cases, a program within the controller prompts the user at each menu or screen to input various commands into the interface to adjust the controller settings.
In certain designs, the user interface can be configured to permit the user to program the controller to run on a certain schedule. For example, the controller can include a scheduling routine that allows the user to adjust the heat and cool set points for one or more periods during a particular day in order to conserve energy. Once the parameters for that day have been programmed, the user can then repeat the process to change the settings for the other remaining days. With some designs, the controller may include a feature that allows the user to program a separate schedule for weekday and weekend use, or to copy settings for a particular day and apply those settings towards other days of the week.
Interaction with the user interface can often prove difficult, discouraging many users from attempting to program the controller to run on a schedule. While some modern controllers allow the user to copy settings from one day to another, the number of steps typically required to program the controller are often deemed too complex or time consuming. In some cases, the user interface may not allow the user to select multiple days outside of the normal weekday/weekend scheme. Accordingly, there is an ongoing need in the art to decrease the time and complexity associated with programming a controller to run a multiple-day schedule. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Generic gas generators according to the present invention are described, for instance, in the DE 20 2004 001 017 U1 and are used e.g. in vehicle occupant restraint systems for inflation of airbags or activation of seat belt tensioners. They are preferably employed as driver-side generators and often are in the shape of a toroid. If a sensor detects presence of unusual acceleration values or a crash, a propellant is ignited in the gas generator releasing a pressurized gas. Due to the pressure of the released gas a gas flow is directed outwardly through outflow openings provided in the housing and is directed, for instance, into an air bag which inflates. So as to prevent undesired discharge of the particles produced during combustion, a filter is installed inside the gas generator between the combustion chamber where the propellant is ignited and the outflow openings of the housing. The filter prevents the aforesaid discharge through the outflow openings and simultaneously serves as heat sink. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to preparing printed circuit boards for the mounting of semiconductor devices thereon. More particularly, the present invention is directed to the preparation and fabrication of printed circuit boards to reduce warpage caused by the application of epoxy encapsulant material placed upon the surface of the printed circuit board.
2. State of Art
The fabrication of integrated circuits on areas of a wafer to form a discrete semiconductor die thereon is a long and complex process. One of the last steps in the process is that of encapsulating the semiconductor die as a semiconductor device and then attaching the die to a printed circuit board (PCB) or other type die carrier.
Conformal coatings and encapsulants are typically applied as one of the last major processes of the fabrication of either the printed circuit board or other type of die carriers. In either case, the combination of the semiconductor device attached to a printed circuit board or other type die carrier has increased the value of the assembly over the value of the separate components. Therefore, the mounting of the semiconductor device and the encapsulation thereof on the printed circuit board or other type die carrier must have a high reliability and high yield, respectively.
Encapsulation of the semiconductor device protects the semiconductor device during any subsequent processing and prevents mechanical damage while providing protection from the operating environment for the semiconductor device.
Conformal coatings are used to encapsulate and protect various types of electronic packages, primarily from their operating environments. Specialized coatings have been developed to provide an enhanced protection from direct attack of hostile gases and liquids on critical surfaces of the packages. Polymeric films act only as semihermetic barriers because of reduced solubility or permeability of a hostile reactant in the polymeric material, or both.
Polyamides, polyamide-imids, and silicones have been developed for applications that can tolerate high cure temperatures and that need protection at elevated temperatures. These types of materials are most frequently used either directly on the semiconductor die at the die level as passivating layers thereon or at the die carrier level. Polyurethanes, fluoropolymers, silicones, accrolades, and epoxies are most commonly used for components and printed circuit boards. These materials are typically applied from solution by emersion or spray coating or they may be applied via stencil coating or direct spreading. After curing, most coatings used on the semiconductor devices and a printed circuit board or other type carrier are difficult to remove because they become cross-linked during the curing process.
Materials typically used to encapsulate semiconductor dice mounted on various types of lead frames and to seal metal cans housing semiconductor dice and their carrier, as well as many other components, including potting and molding compounds as well as glob top encapsulants, must provide protection from handling damage for the semiconductor dice and their carrier in the post processing environment and any subsequent operating environment. Semiconductor dice are most frequently electrically connected to the lead frame by bonding wires between the bond pads on the semiconductor die and the leads of the lead frame (wire bonding). Flip chips use small solder balls as interconnects to a substrate and tape automated bonding using thermal compression bonding to form interconnections between the circuits located on the tape and the bond pads of the semiconductor die. Interconnections between substrates and semiconductor dice, as well as other components, are fragile and subject to stress failures. The encapsulant must not generate catastrophic stresses due to the chemical curing process of the encapsulant material or stresses due to differing rates of thermal expansion of the semiconductor die, substrate, and encapsulant during the thermal cycling thereof.
Initially, rigid epoxies were primarily used for encapsulation. Epoxies have the advantages of relatively little shrinkage, high resistance to processed chemicals, and good mechanical properties. Since semiconductor device package sizes are growing, highly filled epoxies with reduced thermal expansion have been developed to reduce stresses in these packages.
Unfortunately, even the best of epoxies still has some level of shrinkage that results in warpage of the underlying substrate, such as a printed circuit board (PCB). The warpage of a printed circuit board can stress the board enough to either cause it to fail or to cause any of the attached semiconductor devices to fail. Failure of semiconductor devices typically occurs because the solder links between the semiconductor device and the circuits on the printed circuit board failed due to the stress caused by the warpage of the board. Conformal coatings may also incur stress on a surface mounted chip (SMC) during thermal cycling of the chip and printed circuit board, causing the solder joints to crack or the components to fracture. Differences between the coefficients of thermal expansion of the encapsulant, the coating, the printed circuit board, and a semiconductor device mounted thereon cause greater stress during thermal cycling. A coating that has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) nearly matching that of the substrate and the semiconductor devices mounted thereon will produce less stress therebetween and attendant cracking when subjected to thermal cycling. Larger surface-mounted chips are more vulnerable to damage from stresses during curing of the encapsulant material and thermal cycling of the chip and substrate due to the differences in the coefficients of thermal expansion of the chip and substrate causing stresses therebetween.
The thicker the coating or encapsulant thickness of a semiconductor device, the greater the likelihood of stress on the semiconductor device and its connections or interconnects to the substrate from shrinkage of the coating or encapsulant. Some surface-mounted chips may not be able to withstand mechanical stresses induced during curing of thick coatings, which may also result in the warpage of the printed circuit board upon which the chip is mounted. If the solder interconnections between a semiconductor device and the circuits of a printed circuit board are closely spaced, conventional coating materials and encapsulant materials may move the semiconductor device, thereby cracking the solder joints as such material cures. In addition, thicker material coatings or thicker encapsulant material may act as barriers to heat transfer from densely packed surface mount chips during the operation thereof.
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for preventing board warpage during the application and curing or drying of liquid epoxies, or the like, on printed circuit boards. A clamping fixture assembly, which includes at least one clamping fixture support and at least one clamping fixture overlay, is used to restrain the printed circuit board on a flat surface during the curing of the epoxy. If desired, a plurality of printed circuit boards may be processed using an appropriate clamping fixture assembly. Furthermore, the clamping fixture may be constructed so a slight bow or curvature thereof can counter either a convex or concave bow or curvature of the printed circuit board.
In the method, at least one printed circuit board is mounted to a clamping fixture support where a clamping fixture overlay is placed on top of the first printed circuit board. Next, an aperture in the clamping fixture overlay allows for the application of an encapsulation material, such as an encapsulant epoxy, to be spread within an area bordered by an epoxy dam. Next, the epoxy is cured or dried on the printed circuit board. Such curing or drying can be performed within an oven for a predetermined period of time at a predetermined temperature sufficient to optimize curing or drying of the epoxy without excessive board warpage, such warpage being limited by the printed circuit board being retained in the clamping fixture assembly. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The application of various polymeric coatings to metallic substrates, including metal cans such as food, beverage and cosmetic containers, to retard or inhibit corrosion is well established. Coatings are applied to the interior of such containers to prevent the contents from contacting the metal of the container. Contact between the metal and the food, beverage or cosmetic can lead to corrosion of the metal container, which can then contaminate the product. This is particularly true when the contents of the container are acidic in nature, such as tomato-based products and soft drinks.
Certain coatings, particularly in the packaging industry, must undergo extreme stresses in the course of preparation and use of the packaging containers. In addition to flexibility, packaging coatings may also need resistance to chemicals, solvents, and pasteurization processes used in the packaging of beer and other beverages, and may also need to withstand retort conditions commonly employed in food packaging. In addition to corrosion protection, coatings for food and beverage containers should be non-toxic, and should not adversely affect the taste of the food or beverage in the can. Resistance to “popping”, “blushing” and/or “blistering” may also be desired.
Bisphenol A (“BPA”) contributes to many of the properties desired in packaging coating products. The use of BPA and related products such as bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (“BADGE”), however, has recently come under scrutiny in the packaging industry. Substantially BPA-free coatings having properties comparable to coatings comprising BPA are therefore desired. A reduced use of formaldehyde in coatings is also desired. | {
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Hard disk drives are common information storage devices having a series of rotatable disks that are accessed by magnetic reading and writing elements. These data transferring elements, commonly known as transducers, are typically carried by and embedded in a slider body that is held in a close relative position over discrete data tracks formed on a disk to permit a read or write operation to be carried out. In order to properly position the transducer with respect to the disk surface, an air bearing surface (ABS) formed on the slider body experiences a fluid air flow that provides sufficient lift force to “fly” the slider and transducer above the disk data tracks. The high speed rotation of a magnetic disk generates a stream of air flow along its surface in a direction substantially parallel to the tangential velocity of the disk. The air flow interacts with the ABS of the slider body which enables the slider to fly above the spinning disk. In effect, the suspended slider is physically separated from the disk surface through this self-actuating air bearing. The ABS of a slider is generally configured on the slider surface facing the rotating disk, and greatly influences its ability to fly over the disk under various conditions.
As shown in FIG. 1 an ABS design known for a common catamaran slider 100 may be formed with a pair of parallel rails 102 and 104 that extend along the outer edges of the slider surface facing the disk. Other ABS configurations including three or more additional rails, with various surface areas and geometries, have also been developed. The two rails 102 and 104 typically run along at least a portion of the slider body length from the leading edge 106 to the trailing edge 108. The leading edge 106 is defined as the edge of the slider that the rotating disk passes before running the length of the slider 100 towards a trailing edge 108. As shown, the leading edge 106 may be tapered despite the large undesirable tolerance typically associated with this machining process. The transducer or magnetic element 110 is typically mounted at some location along the trailing edge 108 of the slider as shown in FIG. 1. The rails 102 and 104 form an air bearing surface on which the slider flies, and provide the necessary lift upon contact with the air flow created by the spinning disk. As the disk rotates, the generated wind or air flow runs along underneath, and in between, the catamaran slider rails 102 and 104. As the air flow passes beneath the rails 102 and 104, the air pressure between the rails and the disk increases thereby providing positive pressurization and lift. Catamaran sliders generally create a sufficient amount of lift, or positive load force, to cause the slider to fly at appropriate heights above the rotating disk. In the absence of the rails 102 and 104, the large surface area of the slider body 100 would produce an excessively large air bearing surface area. In general, as the air bearing surface area increases, the amount of lift created is also increased.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, a head gimbal assembly 202 often provides the slider with multiple degrees of freedom such as vertical spacing, or pitch angle and roll angle which describe the flying height of the slider. As shown in FIG. 2, a suspension 204 holds the HGA 202 over the moving disk 206 (having edge 208) and moving in the direction indicated by arrow 210. In operation of the disk drive, as shown in FIG. 2, an actuator 212 moves the HGA over various diameters of the disk 206 (e.g., inner diameter (ID), middle diameter (MD) and outer diameter (OD)) over arc 214.
The lapping process pre-defines the ABS on a slider during slider fabrication. With the increase in the disk-drive capacity, the current requirements of the ABS, such as surface finish and the reduction of smearing, scratching, and pitting, have become even more demanding. Since this surface flies over the magnetic media during the drive operation, it has to be de-voided of all the above mentioned problems which are typically related to lapping.
The ABS surface also affects the pole-tip-recession (PTR) of the slider. This parameter defines a portion of the magnetic spacing in the disk, requiring keeping the PTR at a minimum and consistent value during the process. The PTR of the slider is a direct result of the quality of the lapping process parameters, such as slurry type, size, shape, lapping plate, pressure, etc. The effect from each lapping process parameter to the PTR and surface finish is difficult to quantify experimentally.
Conventionally, lapping has been performed using diamond slurry on a soft lap, which is typically an alloy of tin-bismuth or tin-antimony. FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of a system 300 for performing the soft lap. A charging ring 310 may be used to charge the lapping plate 320 as weights 330 apply pressure. The lapping plate could be textured using various techniques. During charging, diamond slurry 340 is added to the lapping plate 320 from a slurry feed 350. The size, shape, and distribution of diamond slurry can be specific to the user. Not only does this plate have to impart defect free surface finish to the resulting head but it also has to have a long lasting plate life.
A typical lapping process is shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4. The free-diamond slurry is introduced into the lapping process, with the floating slurry the main mechanism for increased removal rates (Block 410). The speed is lowered (Block 420). The floating diamond slurry is replaced with lapping oil (Block 430). The cutting mechanism is now dominated by the pre-charged lap since the floating diamond slurry is wiped off from the lapping interface (Block 440). Hence, the PTR and surface finish now become a function of the pre-charged diamond, lubricant, lapping pressure and the lapping plate. The pre-charged plate should retain the diamonds for an enhance plate life. In course of time, the diamonds may come out of the plate and start changing the surface characteristics of the final slider.
With the demand of smoother and scratch free surfaces, the industry is driving towards using small diamond sizes in the range of 0.1 microns or lower. A softer lap poses problems such as diamond pull out and the ability to maintain a flat surface during lapping, which could potentially result in loss of geometry control, scratching, and non-uniform pressure on the row bar. Also, getting rid of the floating diamond slurry during the polishing cycle is difficult to achieve practically. | {
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A digital network is comprised of a group of switches (nodes) that are connected to each other through a variety of interfaces. Asynchronous Transfer Mode (“ATM”) or “cell switching” is a technology designed for transmitting digital information such as voice, video, and data at high speeds through the digital network. The digital information is segmented into cells (fixed-length packets) and transmitted from a source node (originating node) through various intermediate nodes to a destination node. The path traversed through the network is known as a connection. Connections occasionally fail due to various causes. In a large network with many nodes, there are often multiple routes to the same destination and connection failures (and other problems) are very hard to identify and resolve.
FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of an exemplary digital network in accordance with the prior art. Network portion 100 includes a plurality of nodes A–H that are interconnected by network connections (links) 101–110. In general, the network 100 may include a variety of networks (e.g., ATM) coupling a plurality of users. A connection between users (or between particular nodes) may be established by traversing various combinations of intermediate nodes and links. For example, a connection between nodes A (e.g., source node) and node E (e.g., destination node) may be comprised of nodes B–D and links 101–105 and 111 or may be comprised of nodes F–H, and links 101 and 107–110. Additionally, nodes may be connected through multiple links as illustrated by nodes A and B, connected by links 101 and 102, and nodes D and E, connected by links 105 and 106. This increases the number of possible paths through which a connection may be established.
A particular path is dynamically selected based upon a number of different criteria so that the source node and the destination node of the connection are known, but the intermediate nodes are not known. Therefore, when a connection fails to be established, it is very difficult to determine which node generates the failure in order to effect debugging.
The network signaling protocol (e.g., Private Network to Network Interface (PNNI)) may use a number of different connection failure messages to indicate that a connection has failed. For example for a point-to-point connection a “RELEASE” or “RELEASE COMPLETE” message may be used, depending on what state the connection is in (whether a “CALL PROCEEDING” message has been sent). A “DROP-PARTY” or “ADD PARTY REJECT” message may be used for a point-to-multipoint connection.
When a connection fails (connection is released), a connection failure message is sent to the source node. The connection failure message includes a “cause code” that may explain why the connection was released. Such causes may include configuration error, software module failure, or a resource limit (e.g., node link-capacity exceeded). Many failure scenarios are possible and debugging may require a node-by-node analysis.
The ATM Forum standard “path trace” notes the path of a particular connection so that if an intermediate node releases the connection. The connection failure message then contains the path of the connection up to the failure node. Once the failure node is known, it can be examined to determine the cause of failure. The path trace is limited in that it provides only the identification of the failure node but does not provide other information needed for debugging (e.g., which software module is rejecting the connection). As such, a significant amount of debugging is still needed at the failure node to determine the cause of connection failure. | {
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Pressure sensors are used in a variety of harsh environments. For example, in oil drilling operations, it is desirable to obtain pressure measurements at the bottom of the well hole being drilled. This requires pressure sensors capable of withstanding the extreme heat (greater than 225° C.) and pressure (greater 20 KSI) found at the bottom of these well holes, which can be over five miles deep.
In addition to withstanding harsh environments, these pressure sensors are required to provide highly accurate pressure measurements and operate over long periods of time with minimal drift. Such pressure sensors also need a small diameter footprint in that multiple sensors are needed in the tools used in down hole applications, for example. These pressure sensors also need long life and ruggedness because a failed sensor is very difficult to access if replacement is necessary, such as in down hole operations.
In conventional approaches, the pressure sensor devices employed typically fail to meet one or more of the foregoing requirements. For example, pressure sensors formed in silicon dies are typically mounted to glass pedestals using thermoelectric bonding technology. For high pressure, high temperature sensor devices using this configuration, the glass mechanical properties are not adequate to allow the stability and performance required of these devices.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved pressure sensors that operate successfully and have a long life under harsh environmental conditions. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a superconducting thin film of compound oxide and a process for preparing the same. More particularly, it relates to an improved superconducting thin film of Bi-containing compound oxide deposited on a substrate and a process for preparing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
When oxide superconductors are utilized in electronics devices or the like, it is indispensable to prepare their thin films. Thin films of the compound oxides deposited on single crystal substrates of oxides such as SrTiO.sub.3, MgO or the like exhibits relatively higher superconducting property because of the following reasons:
Firstly, bad influence of diffusion or migration of elements of which the substrate is made is relatively lower, although such diffusion or migration of substrate elements is inevitable when the compound oxides are deposited on substrates.
Secondly, it is rather easy to prepare well-oriented or well-ordered thin films of polycrystals or single crystals of superconducting compound oxides when these compound oxides are deposited on predetermined planes of such single crystal substrates of SrTiO.sub.3, MgO or the like. In fact, so-called epitaxial growth is rather easily realized when the thin films of compound oxides are deposited on such single crystal substrates of SrTiO.sub.3, MgO or the like, so that the superconducting thin films deposited on these substrates become single crystals or polycrystals which have very well ordered crystalline structure and show improved superconducting property. Still more, anisotropy of the superconducting property which is inherent in these compound oxide superconductors can be controlled.
Film formation of these oxide superconductors is effected usually by physical vapour deposition technique such as sputtering, ion-plating and chemical vapour deposition technique such as MO--CVD.
However, oxide superconductor thin films prepared by known processes are difficultly applicable to electronics devices because their surfaces are not smooth. Such surface unevenness of superconductor thin film may be caused by influence of surface roughness of the substrates and by mismatch of lattice constants between substrate crystal and superconductor crystal.
Namely, the surface of the single crystal substrate of oxide is not smooth in the atomic level. In fact, even if the surface of the single crystal substrate of oxide is polished completely, its diffraction pattern observed by a reflective high-energy electron diffraction analyzer (RHEED) is a spotty pattern but is not a streaky pattern which reflect surface smoothness. The mismatch of lattice constants between substrate crystal and superconductor crystal is another cause of surface unevenness because a stress in the thin film which can be absorbed at an early stage of film formation is released when the thin film becomes thicker.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,609 proposes to insert a layer of W, Mo or Ta between a superconducting compound oxide layer and a silicon single crystal substrate.
Japanese patent laid-open No. 63-239,840 proposes to oxidize a copper substrate to form a CuO layer thereon and then a superconducting compound oxide layer is deposited on the CuO layer.
These prior arts, however, neither describes not mentions surface smoothness of the superconducting thin films.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the problems of known processes and to provide an improved oxide superconductor thin film having a smooth surface. | {
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The field of the invention relates to engine air/fuel control systems including systems which rapidly warm the catalytic converter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,011 discloses a system in which the fuel delivered to an engine is alternated between rich and lean values while ignition timing is retarded to more rapidly heat the catalytic converter.
The inventors herein have recognized numerous problems with the above approach. For example, fuel modulation, under certain operating conditions, may cause an excessively lean shift in engine air/fuel ratio resulting in rough engine operation. Still another problem recognized by the inventors is that the air/fuel ratio may drift lean and cause misfires, or may drift rich causing excessive emissions. | {
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The invention relates generally to calling card dialing for cellular telephones and more specifically to a method and apparatus for automatic execution of same.
Calling cards are issued, for example, to subscribers of long distance service so that they may access a long distance carrier from any local network. The primary advantage to having a calling card account is the ability to make long distance calls at favorable rates through any local exchange. Consolidation of billing is yet another advantage. Known procedures for making calls with a calling card account require that the subscriber dial a predetermined number to access the independent carrier network. A successful connection to the carder network is usually signified by the transmission of a tone or prompt. Upon receipt of this tone or prompt, the user or subscriber then dials the telephone number of the call to be placed. The carrier network then responds with another prompt to the subscriber to enter a verification code depending on the card used. If the user responds with a valid number, the desired connection is then completed through the independent carrier network.
By the way, for purposes of this discussion, the terms user and subscriber are used interchangeably. It is understood that the user need not be a subscriber to a particular carrier network, he/she can be the person who is using the telephone at a given time.
A disadvantage to the usage of a calling card account is that the procedure required to complete a call requires many keystrokes. The user must also be able to recall both the access number and the user identification number to successfully make use of the service. With regard to the use of calling card accounts on cellular mobile telephones, it is a matter of safety and convenience to reduce as much as possible the number of keystrokes required for making a call. A problem can arise, particularly in cellular telephones used in automobiles, where it is dangerous to divert the driver's attention from the road to the telephone. As an additional benefit, any simplification to the procedure for placing calls through a calling card account would likely result in increased usage thereof and a maximum of cost savings.
It is desirable to provide a simple, automatic procedure that would allow a user to place calling card calls. That each carrier may have a different procedure for executing calling card calls presents a challenge to the automation of the procedure. This is further complicated by the need to make any sequence of operations easy to program by a novice user. Some cellular telephones have one (or more) special memory locations intended to be used for calling card codes (the contents of such can be changed or viewed by first entering a personal code). The OKI 1150 Handheld Telephone User's Guide and Warranty, OKI Telecom, Suwanee, Ga., pp. 24, 26, 31, describes a calling card mode which can be entered from a menu. Once in the calling card mode, all successive numbers are automatically charged to a preprogrammed sequence, until the calling card mode is turned off. This operation is disadvantageous because the mode must be turned on to make long distance calls and turned off before attempting to make non-calling card calls. If the mode is not disabled, an error may result and some calls will be erroneously billed to the credit card.
It is desirable to provide an automatic calling card sequence which does not require a special mode. It is also desirable to provide an initial sequence which alerts the telephone to the automatic calling card sequence. It is further desirable to provide an automatic calling card sequence which is easy to invoke and is only valid for each time the sequence is initiated. | {
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Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are becoming increasingly dominant in advanced visualization devices. LCDs offer favourable characteristics with respect to image quality (high luminance, high resolution, colour and grey scale capability), power consumption as well as dimensions and weight (flat panel displays). The use of commercial LCDs has become widespread, e.g. in automotive and telecommunication instruments, as well as in monitors of notebooks, desktop computers, television sets, etc. Today the need for LCDs in television applications is rapidly growing. Recently developed LCD modes possess high potentials in achieving fast response times, wide viewing angles and high luminance. Amongst other newly developed LCD modes, the MVA (multi-domain vertical alignment) mode appears to be the most promising for the use in modern television applications.
In the MVA mode the liquid crystal molecules are usually nearly vertically aligned with respect to the surface of the substrates. By using protrusions (or other alignment subdivisions) on the surface of the substrate, the liquid crystal molecules become locally pre-tilted within a single cell in more than one direction, leading to domains switchable in different directions. This multi-domain configuration exhibits very good display performance, with wide viewing angles of up to 160° in any direction, short response times (below 20 ms), high contrast ratios (up to 700:1) and high brightness.
However, by means of using protrusions only, it is difficult to clearly define the domain space within a single pixel. Therefore the MVA mode demands additional manufacturing steps to ensure shape effects as well as electrical field effects on both the upper and lower substrate; hence all in all leading to complex manufacturing procedures.
In order to by-pass this technical challenge, the availability of an alignment layer would be desirable, which directly leads to pre-defined alignment directions within each pixel domain and having well controllable off-axis angles with respect to the normal axis of the substrate.
Methods for the preparation of orientation layers for liquid crystal materials are well known to the skilled person. Customarily used uniaxially rubbed polymer orientation layers, such as for example polyimides, however, do have a series of disadvantages, like the formation and deposition of dust during the rubbing process and concomitant partial destruction of the thin film transistors.
Scratches due to brushing is another issue associated with this technique, which is particularly evident when the pixels are of the order of 10 microns or even lower, like e.g. in micro-display applications. Because of the strong optical magnification, which is required to visualize the displayed information, scratches easily become visible and are also the cause for the reduction of the contrast level. Furthermore, the rubbing process does not allow the production of structured layers.
The production procedure for obtaining orientation layers in which the direction of orientation is induced by irradiation with polarized light is not faced with the problems inherent to the rubbing process. With the irradiation technique it is furthermore also possible to create areas having different orientation and thus to structure the orientation layer as described for example in Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 31 (1992), 215-564 (Schadt et al).
Using the linearly photo-polymerizable alignment (LPP) technique, the possibility of realizing a four-domain vertical aligned nematic (VAN) LCD was demonstrated some years ago (K. Schmitt, M. Schadt; Proceedings of EuroDisplay 99, 6-9 Sep., 1999). The four-domain VAN-LCD exhibits an excellent off-state angular brightness performance.
Apart from the current display performance requirements to be fulfilled in modern TV applications, the use of appropriate LPP materials is furthermore also guided by the necessity to achieve specific optical and electro-optical properties, e.g. with respect to the compatibility with the TFT (thin film transistors). Other important characteristics of the materials must also be taken into consideration, i.e. those crucial parameters directly related to and dependent on the molecular properties of the material. Primarily such characteristics are: High voltage holding ratio (VHR), i.e. VHR of >90% (measured at 80° C.) High stability of the induced pre-tilt angle against light and heat Low alignment energy profile (short irradiation time and/or low irradiation energy)
In the case of LCDs of thin-film transistor type a certain amount of charge is applied over the course of a very short period of time to the electrodes of a pixel and must not subsequently drain away by means of the resistance of the liquid crystal. The ability to hold that charge and thus to hold the voltage drop over the liquid crystal is quantified by what is known as the “voltage holding ratio” (VHR). It is the ratio of the RMS-voltage (root mean square voltage) at a pixel within one frame period and the initial value of the voltage applied.
Photo-reactive materials for orientation layers with improved voltage holding ratios (VHR) are described in WO-A-99/49360, JP-A-10-195296 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,696, JP-A-10-232400 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,772, WO-A-99/15576 and WO-A-99/51662. In WO-A-99/49360, JP-A-10-195296 and JP-A-10-232400 blends of polymeric compounds are described, containing photo-reactive polymers and polyimides.
In WO-A-99/15576 and WO-A-99/51662 polyimides having photo-reactive cinnamate groups incorporated in their side chains are described. WO-A-99/15576 for instance discloses photo-active polymers which contain as side-chain specific photo-cross-linkable groups and of which a typical monomer unit is 6-{2-methoxy-4-[(1E)-3-methoxy-3-oxoprop-1-enyl]phenoxy}hexyl 3,5-diaminobenzoate. | {
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The allure of hydrogen as a fuel flows from the most basic of chemical formulae: hydrogen plus oxygen equals water. This formula suggests that many of our vehicle related air quality problems could be eliminated simply by fueling conventional internal combustion engines with hydrogen gas.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. Gaseous hydrogen burns faster and hotter than hydrocarbon fuels. Air is 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen with traces of a variety of other gases and thus hydrogen plus air yields a variety of other end products in addition to water, the most undesireable of which are nitrogen oxides (NOx). In addition, gaseous hydrogen displaces up to a third of the air in the cylinder of an internal combustion engine. This creates an additional complication. If a conventional internal combustion engine is fueled with hydrogen rather than gasoline, the hydrogen burns rapidly which results in unacceptable levels of NOx, and the release of significantly less energy.
A theoretical solution to this problem that is known in the art is fueling the internal combustion engine with water and hydrogen. The addition of water lowers both the rapidity of the combustion as well as its maximum temperature. This makes it possible to increase the power output and simultaneously reduce the high NOx emissions generally associated with hydrogen's fast heat release rate. Realizing this theory has proven difficult.
The specifics of one hydrogen/water fueling system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,882 to Billings (“the '882 patent). The '882 patent describes the use of a first stage carburetor for mixing H2 and air directly connected to a second stage carburetor that meters water into the H2-air mix. This second stage carburetor is connected to a conventional manifold from which the H2-air-water mix is distributed to the cylinders (the '822 patent, col. 2, lines 16-35). Also described is the use of a first mechanical or electronic fuel injector to inject H2 and a second injector to inject water into the cylinder head (the '822 patent, col. 4, lines 15-21).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,919 to Woolley, et al. (“the '919 patent”), describes a carburetor designed to mix hydrogen, gas, and air, and feed the mixture to an engine intake manifold (col. 2, lines 25-19). The '919 patent also describes the use of an injector to inject water into the hydrogen-air stream in place of the carburetor (col. 3, line 66 to col. 4, line 5; and FIG. 3).
Still another hydrogen/water fueling system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,064 to Watanabe (“the '064 patent”). The '064 patent describes a cylinder 1 having an inlet valve 4 and an exhaust valve 5; a first injector 6, and a second injector 7 port directly into a cylinder (col. 3, lines 25-35). Air flows into the cylinder 1 through the inlet valve which then closes; during the compression stroke the hydrogen gas and water are injected simultaneously or at staggered times and ignited by an ignition plug (col. 3, lines 39-46).
The suggested methods and apparatus of the '882 and the '919 patents solve the back fire and knocking problems that plagued early hydrogen fueled internal combustion engines. However, this can only be achieved by limiting the maximum output to about 60% of the output achieved from a comparably sized gasoline engine. (See, the '064 patent, col. 1, lines 39-59.) The '064 patent indicates that the problems encountered in the '882 and '919 patents are overcome by separately injecting hydrogen gas and liquid water via separate injectors so that the mixing, vaporization of the water, combustion of the hydrogen, etc. all take place in the combustion chamber (col. 2, lines 21-45).
While the '882, '919, and '064 patents all reduce NOx emissions, none of the metering systems described are accurate enough to reduce NOx emissions to a level that would meet current US standards and simultaneously produce maximum power. (Note, current US NOx emission standards are roughly 1/10 of the current allowable levels in Europe.) Further, all of these prior art systems are too large, require too much space, and cost too much. | {
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(R)-(-)-4-Cyano-3-hydroxybutyric acid esters are known to be easily converted to the active lactone site of Compactin, Mevalotin and Pravastatin which are attracting attention as a cholesterol depressant or an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor. For example, it is reported that an (R)-4-cyano-3-hydroxybutyric acid ester with its hydroxyl group protected with a trialkylsilyl group, a tetrahydropyranyl group, etc. is hydrolyzed to form an amide which is then treated with an acid to obtain (R)-4-hydroxy-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,067.
It is also reported that an HMG-CoA reductase-inhibitor containing a phosphorus atom in the molecule thereof is obtained by halogen exchange- of methyl (S)-4-bromo-3-hydroxybutyrate prepared from isoascorbic acid with its hydroxyl group protected to obtain a corresponding iodide compound, which is then converted to a Wittig-Hornor reagent, followed by several additional steps, as disclosed in J. Med. Chem., Vol. 33, p. 2952 (1990).
EP 0 330 172 A discloses that a 4-cyano-3-hydroxybutyric acid derivative with its hydroxyl group protected is reacted with a malonic acid derivative to obtain a 6-cyano-3-oxohexanoic acid derivative, which is further led to a cholesterol biosynthesis inhibitor.
Known processes for synthesizing optically active 4-cyano-3-hydroxybutyric esters include a process comprising leading arabinose or ascorbic acid as an asymmetric source to methyl (S)-4-bromo-3-hydroxybutyrate according to the technique described in Acta Chem. Scand., Vol. B37, p. 341 (1983) and, after protecting the hydroxyl group with a tetrahydropyranyl group, a trialkylsilyl group, an alkyl group, etc., reacting the protected compound with sodium cyanide according to the technique as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,067 and a process comprising reacting L-ascorbic acid with hydrogen peroxide and calcium carbonate to form calcium L-threonate monohydrate and reacting the compound with hydrogen bromide to obtain a dibrominated compound, which is then led to a bromohydrin compound according to the process disclosed in Carbohydrate Res., Vol. 72, p. 301 (1979), followed by the above-mentioned protection of the hydroxyl group and reaction with sodium cyanide.
Preparation of ethyl 4-cyano-3-hydroxybutyrate is reported in Bull. Soc. Chim. Fr., (4) 33 (1923), 732, which comprises hydrolyzing 4-chloro-3-hydroxybutyronitrile to obtain a carboxylic acid, converting the carboxylic acid into its ethyl ester, and reacting the ethyl ester with potassium cyanide. However, the yield reported is low, and the literature makes no mention of optical activity.
The activity of the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors is known to owe much to the steric configuration(s) of the hydroxyl group of the lactone moiety or of the two hydroxyl groups of the precursor .beta., .delta.-dihydroxycarboxylic acid.
For example, reduction in inhibitory activity depending on the steric configuration of the hydroxyl group is mentioned e.g., in J. Med. Chem., Vol. 30, p. 1858 (1987) and J. Org. Chem., vol. 51, p. 4931 (1986). That is, it is required to have high activity that the Steric configuration of the hydroxyl groups at the .beta.- and .delta.-positions of .beta.,.delta.-dihydroxycarboxylic acid forms a cis-configuration.
EP 0 024 348 A and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,611,068 and 4,855,481 describe that the 4-hydroxyl group of the lactone ring of Compactin or Mevinolin must have an (R)-configuration to manifest the inhibitory activity and that conventional synthesis not only involves separation of the desired optically active compound which is accompanied with formation of an undesired isomer but also requires a very long reaction route.
In view of these reports made to date, the conventional processes have required protection of a hydroxyl group or separation of an optically active compound and involved many steps for obtaining a lactone ring moiety having high inhibitory activity. It has therefore been demanded to develop an economical synthetic process which consists of a short reaction route and is easy to carry out. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
A production system for an expert system and, more particularly, a method for integrating flow descriptions in a procedural language and production rules is described which simplifies programming. A method for converting such a program into a form executable in conventional production systems is also disclosed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A representation of conditional knowledge expressed by a form "IF A THEN B" is called a production rule (hereinafter referred to simply as a rule), where A is called a "condition" and B an "action". The condition and the action are related to each other for solving a problem in a given application domain based on an expert's knowledge. A production system, as shown conceptually in FIG. 15, makes inferences based upon a set of rules and performs knowledge processing.
In FIG. 15 the reference numeral 1 indicates a production memory for storing a plurality of rules and numeral 2 indicates a working memory for storing a plurality of working memory elements each composed of a class name and a plurality of attribute values. An inference unit 3 matches the condition parts of all the rules with all of the working memory elements, instantiates and groups those of the rules whose conditions are all satisfied into a conflict set 4, selects one of the rules based on a certain strategy and executes an operation described in the action part of the rule thus selected. Such execution of the action part of a rule is called firing of the rule and firing usually causes a change in the contents of the working memory. The conflict set is produced and the inference processing is repeatedly performed regardless of whether or not the contents of the working memory undergo a change.
FIG. 16 is a flowchart of the above-mentioned operation. In Step 1: a Matching step (ST1), the data (working memory elements) are compared with the condition of each of the rules. Next, in Step 2: a Resolution of conflict step (ST2), a particular rule to be executed is selected. Next, in Step 3: an Execution step (ST3), the selected rule is executed and the data of the working memory is accordingly updated.
Typical production systems obtain desired results by repeatedly performing the above-mentioned steps 1 through 3, while at the same time updating the working memory elements. When no rule is satisfied (i.e. not all of the conditions after "IF" are true) or the action (the part after "THEN") which contains a description stopping the process, however, the production system typically terminates the process regardless of the result.
The condition part of a rule often contains a combination of plural conditions, hereinafter each referred to as a condition element. In creating such a condition, a programmer needs only to list the desired condition elements. In the action part, he only needs to write actions to be executed corresponding to the condition elements in the condition part in the order of their execution. In this context, it is not necessary to write anywhere how to produce the conflict set, that is, how to match the condition parts of the rules with the working memory elements. The reason for this is that the execution sequence of the rules is automatically determined based on an expert knowledge contained in each of the rules, and the selection of one of the rules out of the conflict set is based on a predetermined strategy. For example, the rule having the largest number of condition elements is selected first. Hence, the rules need not be arranged in any predetermined sequence but may be arbitrarily sequenced.
The above is an advantage in the rule base description, allowing much ease in the description of a process for which an ordinary procedural language would incur complex and troublesome programming. However, the idea of the basic production system described above has such drawbacks as follows.
That the rules may be arranged in any sequence means that they are all equal in the possibility of being selected. In practice, however, the situation frequently arises where it is necessary to ignore a particular group of rules or select a rule from a particular group of rules. That is, it is often needed that during execution of a process only rules related thereto be honored as candidates for selection, but in the case of the rule base, it is very difficult for a programmer to select such a particular group of rules arbitrarily and explicitly. In other words, much difficulty is encountered in controlling the selection of rules in a rule base, and it is difficult to collect only those rules for sequentially executing particular processes, for instance, inputting, counting and printing processes (hereinafter referred to as subtasks) and handle them as a module for selection. It is therefore necessary to use a special programming technique in performing a process including a branch or loop with respect to a plurality of subtasks as in the case of the conventional procedural language, and a method called "cluster control", for example, has been employed in the past.
The cluster control is a rule base programming technique in which rules necessary for executing each of several subtasks are defined as a cluster and the name of the cluster to which the rule belongs is described in its condition part. More specifically, a control working memory element is prepared for specifying which cluster is to be executed, and its class name, attribute name and attribute value are defined as, for example, Control, now and Cluster A, respectively. Only those of the rules which have a condition element "& Control now=Cluster A" in their condition part are intended as the candidates for instantiation. This condition element means, "If there exists a working memory element which has the class name `Control` and a value `Cluster A` of the attribute now." Incidentally, only one control working memory element is employed for cluster control, and upon completion of processing in a certain cluster, the attribute value of the control working memory element is updated or changed to the cluster name to be invoked next. Thus, different clusters are selected one after another.
A description will now be given of an example of processing which is performed through utilization of such cluster control.
FIG. 17(a) is a flowchart for executing subtasks A and B in this order and FIG. 17(b) shows rules corresponding thereto. In FIG. 17, reference numerals 5 and 6 indicate the subtasks A and B, and rule names Ar1 to Arn denote rules belonging to a cluster A and Br1 to Brm rules belonging to a cluster B. The rule Ar1 begins with "DEFINE RULE Ar1", identifying the rule name followed by descriptions of a condition part 7 and an action part 8, ending with an "END". The condition part 7 starts with "IF" indicating the beginning of the condition part followed by the condition element "& Control now=Cluster A" indicative of the existence of the working memory element which has the class name "Control", the attribute name " now" and the attribute value "Cluster A", then followed by another condition element "Acl" denoting a plurality of condition elements in general form, and the condition part 7 ends with an "END". The action part 8 starts with "THEN", followed by a group of actions Ar1 denoting a plurality of actions in general form, terminating with "END". Other rules are also described in the same fashion as mentioned above.
In this example, the letter "A" in "Ar1" indicates the cluster A and "r" stands for a rule, and "c" in "Ac1" and "a" in "Aa1" stand for a condition and an action, respectively. The same applies to other rules.
For a condition element indicating the absence of the working memory element, "?" is used in place of "&" as referred to later on.
For executing a process through use of the rules shown in FIG. 17, a control working memory element is prepared as depicted in FIG. 17(c). Assuming its class name and attribute name are, for instance, "Control" and " now", respectively, if the value of the attribute " now" is the Cluster A, then only rules which have the condition element "& Control now=Cluster A" in their condition part will be the candidates for instantiation, and rules without such a condition element will not be instantiated. On the contrary, where the value of the attribute " now" is the Cluster B, rules which have a condition element "& control now=Cluster B" become the candidates for instantiation, whereas rules without such a condition element will not be instantiated.
In the above example, the condition element "& Control now=Cluster A" is described in the condition part of each of the rules concerning the subtask A, and the condition element "& Control now=Cluster B" is described in the condition part of each of the rules concerning the subtask B. Moreover, in the action part of the rule Arn which is fired at the end of the execution of the subtask A, an action 9 "MODIFY 1 now Cluster B" changes the value of the attribute " now" of the control working memory element to "Cluster B", whereas an action 10 "STOP" described in the action part of the rule Brm is fired at the end of the execution of the subtask B. The numeral immediately following "MODIFY", "1" in this example, indicates the line number of the condition element with which the working memory element updated should match. This method permits omission of the class name of the working memory element whose attribute value is to be updated.
With the programming technique described above with respect to FIG. 17(b), when the initial condition is "& Control now=Cluster A", the attribute value of the control working memory element is updated to Cluster B upon completion of the execution of the cluster A and then the cluster B is executed. Even if the number of clusters is three or more, they can similarly be executed in a sequential order.
FIG. 18(a) is a flowchart including a branch and FIG. 18(b) rules corresponding thereto. In FIG. 18 reference numeral 11 indicates a process of conditional branch, which is a procedure for selectively executing either one of clusters C12 and D13, depending on whether or not both the condition "& Control now=Cluster J" and a condition Jc1 described in the condition part of each rule of the cluster J are satisfied. Rule names Jr1 and Jr2 denote rules which form the cluster J, and these rules both have the condition "& Control now=Cluster J" in their condition part, but the rule Jr1 has the condition that a condition Jc1 holds as well, whereas the rule Jr2 has the condition that Jc1 does not hold as well.
The execution of the above-mentioned process starts if the initial condition "& Control now=Cluster J" holds, and either the rule Jr1 or Jr2 is fired depending on whether or not a working memory element satisfying the condition Jc1 is present in the working memory.
As a result of this, the process is branched to the cluster C or D for execution, by updating the value of the control working memory element in accordance with the action described in the action part of the rule fired as mentioned above. Rules corresponding to the cluster C12 and D13 and the way they are executed are similar to the example shown in the FIG. 17, and hence no description will be repeated here.
FIG. 19(a) is a flowchart of a process including a loop and FIG. 19(b) shows rules corresponding thereto. In FIG. 19 reference numeral 14 indicates a process of conditional branch for selecting the execution of a cluster E15 or termination of the process depending on whether or not a condition "& Control now=Cluster J" and a condition Jc1 described in the condition part of each rule of the cluster J are satisfied in the production system. Rule names Jr1 and Jr2 denote rules in the cluster J. These rules are similar to those in the case of FIG. 18, and hence no further description will be given of them. A rule Ern is to be fired at the end of the execution of the cluster E. Upon completion of this step, the value of the attribute now of the cluster control working memory element is updated for the cluster J, and then the process returns to the decision step 14.
This step begins with firing the rule Jr1 or Jr2, depending on whether or not a working memory element satisfying the condition Jc1 is present in the working memory, assuming the initial condition "& control now=Cluster J" holds.
As a result of this, in accordance with the action described in the action part of the rule fired as mentioned above, either cluster E is executed by updating the value of the control working memory element, or the process is finished without updating. After execution of the cluster E, the value of the working memory element is updated by "MODIFY 1 now Cluster J". Thus, the decision of the branching condition is repeated, since the looping process is repeated until the branch condition is satisfied.
It is mandatory, however, that the above-described three examples call for a cluster control working memory element which have the class name "Control" and the attribute " now". It is also necessary to include in the condition part of each rule a condition element for cluster control such as "& Control now=Cluster A", in addition to the condition Ac1. Moreover, for executing the cluster B after the cluster A, it is also necessary to describe in the rule to be executed at the end a control action for modifying the value of the attribute " now", such as "MODIFY 1 now Cluster B."
While in the example in FIG. 18 the attribute " now" of the cluster control condition has been assumed to take only three values ("Cluster J", "Cluster C" and "Cluster D") for the sake of brevity, a large number of clusters are needed for an actual production system to perform required processes. It is almost impossible in practice to predetermine the order of execution of all clusters used, classify the clusters for each branch or loop, and append a cluster control condition and an action to each rule. In other words, the production system in principle is capable of performing procedural processes through utilization of cluster control, but since there is a limit to man's programming ability, only production systems composed of hundreds to thousands of rules at most have been the largest ever implemented regardless of the scale and capabilities of the computer used. In sum, it has been very difficult to implement large scale production systems which call for complicated sequence control. | {
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An electronic device such as a mobile phone uses an antenna module for RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) to mount a near field contactless communication function thereon.
The antenna module performs communication with an antenna coil mounted on a transmitter such as a reader/writer by using inductive coupling. More specifically, in the antenna module, the antenna coil receives a magnetic field from the reader/writer to make it possible to drive an IC that converts the magnetic field into an electric power to function as a communication processing unit.
The antenna module must receive a magnetic flux having a certain value or more from the reader/writer to reliably perform communication. For this purpose, in the antenna module according to the conventional technique, a loop coil is arranged in the housing of the mobile phone to receive a magnetic flux from the reader/writer with the coil.
However, in an antenna module built in an electronic device such as a mobile phone, since magnetic fluxes from the reader/writer are reflected by an eddy current generated when a metal contained in a circuit board in the device or a buttery pack receives a magnetic field from the reader/writer, a smaller number of magnetic fluxes reach the loop coil. In this manner, since the number of magnetic fluxes reaching the loop coil becomes small, the antenna module requires a loop coil having a certain size to collect required magnetic fluxes. Furthermore, the number of magnetic fluxes must be increased by using a magnetic sheet.
As described above, magnetic fluxes from a reader/writer are reflected by an eddy current flowing in a circuit board of an electronic device such as a mobile phone, some magnetic field components face an surface direction of the circuit board are present on a housing source of the electronic device. A coil that receive the components to function as an antenna is proposed in Patent Document 1. More specifically, in Patent Document 1, in order to reduce an occupied area of a coil, an antenna structure obtained by winding a coil on a ferrite core is proposed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless power and data transmission system for transmitting electric power and data, a power transmitting apparatus, and a power receiving apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
It has been attempted to transfer electric power necessary to operate an electric device wirelessly or in a non-contact manner (contactlessly). For example, in the fields of electric shavers, electric tooth brushes and the like, products adopting a wireless power transfer method using the principle of electromagnetic induction described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-206233 (hereinafter, such a wireless power transmission method will be referred to as an “electromagnetic induction method”) have been put on the market and have successfully improved the convenience for users.
Recently, a wireless power transmission method using the resonance phenomenon in an electromagnetic field are known (e.g., U.S. Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2010/0141042). This wireless power transmission method has advantages that the transfer distance is extended and that the degree of freedom in the relative locations of a power transmitting device and a power receiving device can be improved as compared with the electromagnetic induction method. This wireless power transmission technology also referred to as the resonant magnetic coupling method has been currently on research and development, and wireless power transmission is expected to be applied in a wider range of fields.
According to the resonance magnetic coupling method, a power transmitting device and a power receiving device each include a resonator. Only when the resonance frequency of the resonator in the power transmitting device (transmitting-side resonator) and the resonance frequency of the resonator in the power receiving device (receiving-side resonator) match each other, power is transferred from the transmitting side to the receiving side by use of the resonance phenomenon.
In general, the efficiency of the wireless power transfer is in proportion to kQ, which is the product of the coupling coefficient k between the transmitting-side resonator and the receiving-side resonator and the Q factor (Quality Factor) of the resonators. Generally for the resonant magnetic coupling method, resonators having the Q factor in the order of several thousands are used. Owing to this, even when the coupling coefficient k is small because the power transmitting device and the power receiving device are away from each other by a long distance or because the axis of the coil of the transmitting-side resonator and the axis of the coil of the receiving-side resonator are shifted from each other, a high power transfer efficiency can be achieved.
According to the resonant magnetic coupling method, as disclosed in Takehiro IMURA et al., “Proposal of Wireless Power Transfer via Magnetic Resonant Coupling in kHz-MHz-GHz”, The 2010 Proceedings of The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, BS-9-5, March 2010, the resonance frequency of the resonators can be set to any frequency. It is now assumed that the resonators are designed by use of a frequency in the band of several tens of megahertz as the resonance frequency, such that the 3 dB bandwidth of the frequency characteristic of the resonators is several hundred kilohertz to several megahertz. In this case, data communication can be made in which a magnetic carrier wave for power transfer is modulated with data having a transfer rate of several hundred kilobits per second to several megabits per second. In this manner, overlay transfer of power and data can be realized. Hereinafter, such transmission will be referred to as “wireless power and data transmission”.
An example of data transferred by means modulation of a magnetic carrier wave is an audio signal. An audio signal is in a band of 20 Hz to 20 kHz, and therefore can be sufficiently transferred by wireless power and data transmission by the resonant magnetic coupling method using a band of several tens of megahertz. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-153056 discloses an example of wireless power and data transmission of an audio signal. A system disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-153056 includes a power transmitting apparatus for performing AM (Amplitude Modulation) modulation on a magnetic carrier wave used for wireless power transfer and transferring the resultant magnetic carrier wave, and a power receiving apparatus for receiving an audio signal having a sufficiently level of power to drive a speaker from the magnetic carrier wave transmitted from the power transmitting apparatus. By use of the power transmitting apparatus and the power receiving apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-153056, a wireless speaker apparatus which does not need a power supply such as a batter or the like is realized.
According to the wireless power transfer system disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-206233, data which authenticates that the power transmitting device and the power receiving device are both proper devices is transferred together with the power. Owing to such a structure, power transmission to an unauthorized power receiving device, to a power receiving device which does not need power, an item other than a receiving device or the like can be avoided. Therefore, the safety of wireless power transfer is improved.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-206305 discloses a power transmitting apparatus for transmitting 0 and 1 of binary data as being distinguished from each other by using different frequencies for the magnetic carrier wave for 0 and 1. The frequency characteristics of resonators are frequency-selective with the resonance frequency fo being the peak. Therefore, when the frequency of a magnetic carrier wave is changed, the amplitude of the magnetic carrier wave is also changed. A power receiving apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-206305 can transmit 0 and 1 of binary data to the power transmitting apparatus as being distinguished from each other by use of an amplitude change of the magnetic carrier wave which is caused by a switch on the load of the power receiving circuit (load modulation).
In order to realize the above-described wireless power and data transmission, data such as an audio signal, control information or the like needs to be transferred by use of a magnetic carrier wave for transmitting power. Now, a case where, as in the apparatus described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-153056, a magnetic carrier wave for power transfer is AM-modulated with an audio signal will be discussed. When the magnetic carrier wave which has been AM-modulated is further modulated with data such as a control signal or the like by the power transmitting device, the amplitude of the magnetic carrier wave is changed. As a result, a problem occurs that the sound reproduced by the receiving-side speaker is changed in the volume, is distorted, or includes noise.
This problem is not limited to a system for transmitting an audio signal to a speaker, and occurs in substantially the same manner in any system for transmitting data as being overlaid on power. Namely, there is a problem that when the magnetic carrier wave is modulated with data to be transmitted, the amplitude of the power received by the power receiving device is changed, which destabilizes the power transfer. | {
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A polycarbonate-polyorganosiloxane copolymer has high impact resistance, high chemical resistance, and high flame retardancy, and has been expected to find utilization in a wide variety of fields, such as the field of electrical and electronic equipment and the field of an automobile.
The polycarbonate-polyorganosiloxane copolymer can be produced by, for example, an interfacial polymerization reaction (Patent Document 1). The polycarbonate-polyorganosiloxane copolymer obtained after the polymerization can be subjected to a powdering/granulation treatment with a kneader or the like to be turned into a powder. The powder is subjected to various steps while being, for example, pneumatically transported, and then the resultant is separated into a gas and a powder with a separator. Thus, a target polycarbonate-polyorganosiloxane powder can be obtained. The resultant powder can be, for example, further pelletized with a pelletizer or the like to be turned into various molded bodies. The pneumatic transportation has advantages over mechanical transportation, such as the simplification of a transportation line, the prevention of the scattering of harmful dust, and the prevention of the inclusion of foreign matter into a substance to be transported. | {
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Technical Field
Embodiments disclosed herein are related to improved visualization for vitreo-retinal, glaucoma, or other ophthalmic surgeries. More specifically, embodiments described herein relate to a microscope-less wide-field-of-view surgical optical coherence tomography (OCT) visualization system.
Related Art
Developing techniques to assist ophthalmic surgery with imaging and visualization is one of the hottest areas of development and innovation. One class of ophthalmic surgeries, the vitreo-retinal procedure, involves vitrectomy, the removal of the vitreous body from the posterior chamber to access the retina. The successful execution of vitrectomy requires an essentially complete removal of the vitreous, including the most challenging regions near the vitreous base. Using imaging techniques and devices can be of substantial help to improve the efficiency of the vitreous removal.
However, assisting vitrectomy with imaging is particularly challenging for several reasons. One of them is that the vitreous is transparent. Another challenge is that visualization of the periphery requires imaging beams with a high angle of obliqueness. Similar visualization issues exist during membrane peeling procedures. At present, typically microscope or video-microscope imaging is used to address the former challenge, and wide angle contact-based or non-contact based lenses are used to address the latter challenge, in each case with limited success.
Improvement of the imaging can be achieved by using optical coherence tomography (OCT), a technique that enables visualization of the target tissue in depth by focusing a laser beam onto the target, collecting the reflected beam, interfering the reflected beam with a reference beam and detecting the interference, and measuring the reflectance signature within the depth of focus of the beam. The result is a line scan in depth, a cross-sectional scan, or a volumetric scan.
OCT has become common practice in the clinic as a diagnostic tool. Surgeons take pre-op images into the operating room for reference. OCT scanning is currently not available in the operating room, and thus does not support decision making during surgery. Pre-op images have limited utility following morphologic modifications to the target during a procedure.
Efforts to develop real-time intra-surgical OCT systems are being made by multiple companies ranging from startups to large corporations. The approaches to intra-surgical OCT to date have been microscope-based or endoprobe-based. However, standard surgical microscopes are designed for visible wavelength and, therefore, may not provide satisfactory near-infrared (NIR) performance for OCT imaging. Accordingly, integrating OCT into standard surgical microscopes can require substantial modifications of the microscope. Further, these modifications can be microscope specific dependent on the particular features and optical elements of each microscope.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved devices, systems, and methods that facilitate real-time, intra-surgical, wide-field of view OCT imaging by addressing one or more of the needs discussed above. | {
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In various cymbal stands such as a high-hat stand in which two upper and lower cymbals are brought to butt against each other by a stepping-on operation of a pedal and a cymbal stand in which each cymbal is independently arranged thereon to play the cymbal, there has been conventionally employed a holding structure for holding a cymbal on a cymbal supporting rod in which a fastener having a screw hole is screwed with a bolt portion of the cymbal supporting rod, and the cymbal is fastened through a felt washer or the like (for example, refer to Patent Documents 1 to 3).
Since cymbals in these stands largely vibrate due to striking impact received during a performance, a fastener easily gets loosened. Especially in a high-hat stand, large vibration is generated due to butting between upper and lower cymbals. Therefore, in order to prevent a fastener from getting loosened, a double nut structure is employed in an upper cymbal holding structure for holding the cymbal. Further, since even such a double nut structure is not sufficient to prevent the loosening of a fastener, there has also been proposed a structure that includes a cutout groove which communicates with a screw hole to be screwed with a bolt portion of a cymbal supporting rod, and a pair of screw mounting units which are opposed to each other across the cutout groove. In this structure, these screw mounting units are connected to each other by a fastening screw to narrow a distance between the mounting units so that the screw hole is pressed against the bolt portion (refer to Patent Document 4).
However, not only in the double nut structure described above, but also in the structure described in Patent Document 4, a tool for fastening a fastening screw with a large torque and force for the fastening are required, and the fastening is a complicated operation using both hands. For example, in a cymbal holding structure for an upper cymbal in a high-hat stand, the cymbal is held using upper and lower bolts so as to be sandwiched between the bolts. The upper bolt serves as a screw for adjusting the cymbal fastening force, and the lower bolt serves as a screw for supporting the cymbal as well as used in detachment of the cymbal. However, these operations of adjustment of the cymbal fastening force and attachment/detachment of the cymbal are made to be complicated.
Further, since a cymbal is fastened by frictional pressure-contact force of a screw in all of these structures, it is not possible to reliably prevent the loosening of a fastener. Therefore, a performer cannot always play the cymbal without anxiety. In addition, a large torque is required for the fastening in order to prevent the loosening of a fastener. Therefore, a screw portion may be deformed while repeatedly using the structure, and the attachment operation may not be smoothly performed over time. | {
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This application claims the benefit of the Korean Applications No. P2000-83907 filed on Dec. 28, 2000 and No. P2000-83908 filed on Dec. 28, 2000, which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioner which can dispose of condensed water from an evaporator within the air conditioner itself, and improve an air conditioner efficiency.
2. Background of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, in general, the air conditioner is an apparatus provided with a compressor 1, a condenser 2, a capillary tube 3, and an evaporator 4, for forming a series of refrigerating cycle by subjecting refrigerant to compression at the compressor 1, to isobaric condensing at the condenser 2, to adiabatic expansion at the capillary tube 3, and to isobaric evaporation at the evaporator 4.
In the meantime, there is condensed water formed on a surface of the evaporator 4, for removal of which the air conditioner is provided with additional condensed water disposal device. Though not shown, the condensed water disposal device is, as known, provided with a separate condensed water storage chamber for collecting the condensed water formed at the evaporator 4 and discharge to outside of the air conditioner at fixed intervals.
However, the condensed water disposal device has the following problem.
Since the condensed water formed at the evaporator 4 is, not disposed of within the air conditioner itself, but drained to outside of the air conditioner, installation and use of the air conditioner have been complicated. That is, there has been a complicacy in installation of the air conditioner as a separate drain hose is required for guiding the condensed water formed at the evaporator 4, and a hole is punctured in a wall for passing the hose, and a complicacy in use as re-routing of the hose is required when the air conditioner is re-positioned.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an air conditioner that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner which can dispose of condensed water from an evaporator within the air conditioner itself without discharging to outside of the air conditioner, and improve an air conditioner efficiency.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the air conditioner includes a condenser which generates a high temperature heat, an evaporator which absorbs an external heat, and forms condensed water on a surface thereof by a temperature difference with an external air, and condensed water self disposal means for transferring the condensed water on the surface of the condenser to a condenser side, and evaporating the condensed water from the surface of the condenser by the high temperature heat from the condenser, thereby disposing of the condensed water within the air conditioner itself.
The condensed water self disposal means may include a guide flow passage for guiding the condensed water formed at the evaporator to a condenser side, and a condensed water spraying unit provided on a side of the condenser for spraying the condensed water guided from the guide flow passage onto the surface of the condenser.
The condensed water self disposal means may require no additional device for transferring condensed water formed at the evaporator to the condenser, but to fit the evaporator over the condenser so that the condensed water falls down from the evaporator to a surface of the condenser by gravity, and evaporates, and disappears by the high temperature heat from the evaporator.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to protein purification. In particular, the invention relates to a method for purifying a polypeptide (e.g. an antibody) from a composition comprising the polypeptideand at least one contaminant using the method of ion exchange chromatography.
2. Description of Related Art
The large-scale, economic purification of proteins is increasingly an important problem for the biotechnology industry. Generally, proteins are produced by cell culture, using either mammalian or bacterial cell lines engineered to produce the protein of interest by insertion of a recombinant plasmid containing the gene for that protein. Since the cell lines used are living organisms, they must be fed with a complex growth medium, containing sugars, amino acids, and growth factors, usually supplied from preparations of animal serum. Separation of the desired protein from the mixture of compounds fed to the cells and from the by-products of the cells themselves to a purity sufficient for use as a human therapeutic poses a formidable challenge.
Procedures for purification of proteins from cell debris initially depend on the site of expression of the protein. Some proteins can be caused to be secreted directly from the cell into the surrounding growth media; others are made intracellularly. For the latter proteins, the first step of a purification process involves: lysis of the cell, which can be done by a variety of methods, including mechanical shear, osmotic shock, or enzymatic treatments. Such disruption releases the entire contents of the cell into the homogenate, and in addition produces subcellular fragments that are difficult to remove due to their small size. These are generally removed by differential centrifugation or by filtration. The same problem arises, although on a smaller scale, with directly secreted proteins due to the natural death of cells and release of intracellular host cell proteins in the course of the protein production run.
Once a clarified solution containing the protein of interest has been obtained, its separation from the other proteins produced by the cell is usually attempted using a combination of different chromatography techniques. These techniques separate mixtures of proteins on the basis of their charge, degree of hydrophobicity, or size. Several different chromatography resins are available for each of these techniques, allowing accurate tailoring of the purification scheme to the particular protein involved. The essence of each of these separation methods is that proteins can be caused either to move at different rates down a long column, achieving a physical separation that increases as they pass further down the column, or to adhere selectively to the separation medium, being then differentially eluted by different solvents. In some cases, the desired protein is separated from impurities when the impurities specifically adhere to the column, and the protein of interest does not, that is, the protein of interest is present in the xe2x80x9cflow-throughxe2x80x9d.
Ion exchange chromatography is a chromatographic technique that is commonly used for the purification of proteins. In ion exchange, chromatography, charged patches on the surface of the solute are attracted by opposite charges attached to a chromatography matrix, provided the ionic strength of the surrounding buffer is low. Elution is generally achieved by increasing the ionic strength (i.e. conductivity) of the buffer to compete with the solute for the charged sites of the ion exchange matrix. Changing the pH and thereby altering the charge of the solute is another way to achieve elution of the solute. The change in conductivity or pH may be gradual (gradient elution) or stepwise (step elution). In the past, these changes have been progressive; i.e., the pH or conductivity is increased or decreased in a single direction.
The present invention provides an ion exchange chromatographic method wherein a polypeptide of interest is bound to the ion exchange material at an initial conductivity or pH and then the ion exchange material is washed with an intermediate buffer at a different conductivity or pH, or both. At a specific point following this intermediate wash, and contrary to ion exchange chromatography standard practice, the ion exchange material is washed with a wash buffer where the change in conductivity or pH, or both, from the intermediate buffer to the wash buffer is in an opposite direction to the change in conductivity or pH, or both, achieved, in the previous steps. Only after washing with the wash buffer, is the ion exchange material prepared for the polypeptide molecule of interest to be eluted by the application of the elution buffer having a conductivity or pH, or both, which differ from the conductivity or pH, or both, of the buffers used in previous steps.
This novel approach to ion exchange chromatography is particularly useful in situations where a product molecule must be separated from a very closely related contaminant molecule at full manufacturing scale, where both purity and high recovery of polypeptide product are desired.
Accordingly, the invention provides a method for purifying a polypeptide from a composition comprising the polypeptide and a contaminant, which method comprises the following steps performed sequentially:
(a) binding the polypeptide to an ion exchange material using a loading buffer, wherein the loading buffer is at a first conductivity and pH;
(b) washing the ion exchange material with an intermediate buffer at a second conductivity and/or pH so as to elute the contaminant from the ion exchange material;
(c) washing the ion exchange material with a wash buffer which is at a third conductivity and/or pH, wherein the change in conductivity and/or pH from the intermediate buffer to the wash buffer is in an opposite direction to the change in conductivity and/or pH from the loading buffer to the intermediate buffer; and
(d) washing the ion exchange material with an elution buffer at a fourth conductivity and/or pH so as to elute the polypeptide from the ion exchange material. The first conductivity and/or pH may be the same as the third conductivity and/or pH.
Where the ion exchange material comprises a cation exchange resin, the conductivity and/or pH of the intermediate buffer is/are preferably greater than the conductivity and/or pH of the loading buffer; the conductivity and/or pH of the wash buffer is/are preferably less than the conductivity and/or pH of the intermediate buffer; and the conductivity and/or pH of the elution buffer is/are preferably greater than the conductivity and/or pH of the intermediate buffer. Preferably, the conductivity and/or pH of the wash buffer is/are about the same as the conductivity and/or pH of the loading buffer.
Preferably elution of the contaminant and of the polypeptide is achieved by modifying the conductivity of the intermediate buffer and of the elution buffer, respectively, while keeping the pH of these buffers approximately the same.
The invention also provides a method for purifying a polypeptide from a composition comprising the polypeptide and a contaminant, which method comprises the following steps performed sequentially:
(a) binding the polypeptide to a cation exchange material using a loading buffer, wherein the loading buffer is at a first conductivity and pH;
(b) washing the cation exchange material with an intermediate buffer at a second conductivity and/or pH which is greater than that of the loading buffer so as to elute the contaminant from the ion exchange material;
(c) washing the cation exchange material with a wash buffer which is at a third conductivity and/or pH which is less than that of the intermediate buffer; and
(d) washing the cation exchange material with an elution buffer at a fourth conductivity and/or pH which is greater than that of the intermediate buffer so as to elute the polypeptide from the ion exchange material.
In addition, the invention provides a method for purifying an antibody from a composition comprising the antibody and a contaminant, which method comprises loading the composition onto a cation exchange resin, wherein the amount of antibody loaded onto the cation exchange resin is from about 20 mg to about 35 mg of the antibody per mL of cation exchange resin and, optionally, further comprising eluting the antibody from the cation exchange resin. The method preferably further comprises an intermediate wash step for eluting one or more contaminants from the ion exchange resin. This intermediate wash step usually precedes the step of eluting the antibody.
The invention further provides a composition comprising a mixture of anti-HER2 antibody and one or more acidic variants thereof, wherein the amount of the acidic variant(s) in the composition is less than about 25% and preferably less than about 20%, e.g. in the range from about 1% to about 18%. Optionally, the composition further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Small-structured, automotive working devices for soil compaction of the afore-mentioned type are controlled by one operating person who walks with the working device. The operator steers the device in the direction of movement and controls the device functions by means of a guide lever. The guide lever is usually designed as a height-adjustable drawbar. The control and operating elements are arranged on the head of the drawbar.
Since vibrations emanate from such working devices, particularly dynamic compacting machines, the guide levers must be designed to be vibratory damped. The use of elastic materials for this purpose, preferably the use of the so-called rubber-metal combinations has proved to be advantageous. Such elements have good damping characteristics particularly in the case of shearing loads.
Known design forms of the combinations of the working device and the guide lever load the damping elements preferably in the axial direction. The overlaying stress that is mostly present (pressure, shearing, torsion) is not suitable for achieving good damping characteristics.
Also another arrangement is known in which the damping elements are arranged coaxial to each other. Here the guide lever is connected via an intermediate component to both the damping elements. However, the disadvantage of the layout that provided technical protection from vibrations is that the steering efforts have to be transferred to the working device via the damping elements and this essentially leads to increased stresses.
In accordance with a suggestion in CH 426 660 a metallic component should be additionally inserted below the damping equipment in such an arrangement. The metallic component should be able to accommodate the guide lever (drawbar) in a slot-shaped recess. In order to transfer steering efforts in such an arrangement the guide lever leans against the side surface of the recess and transmits the steering efforts directly. The disadvantage is that during the application of steering forces the decoupling of the vibrations of the working device is adversely affected. Other disadvantages are the additional guide component increases the costs of the device and works only in a limited angular range.
The combination of the guide lever with the damping elements simultaneously forms the setting device for the guide lever. For a desirable adjustment of the setting angle of the guide lever to ergonomic conditions it is necessary to detach the fixed connection of the guide lever to the damping elements and to reattach it after readjustment. Otherwise an adjustment of the position is possible only in the corresponding length of the guide lever by applying external forces and the consequent torsion of the damping elements. The existing technical conditions call for either an optimized layout in relation to the vibration damping or an increased mobility of the guide lever. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Efficient allocation of network resources, such as available network bandwidth, has become critical as enterprises increase reliance on distributed computing environments and wide area computer networks to accomplish business critical tasks. The widely-used TCP/IP protocol suite, which implements the world-wide data communications network environment called the Internet and is employed in many local area networks, omits any explicit supervisory function over the rate of data transport over the various devices that comprise the network. While there are certain perceived advantages, this characteristic has the consequence of juxtaposing very high-speed packets and very low-speed packets in potential conflict and produces certain inefficiencies. Certain loading conditions degrade performance of networked applications and can even cause instabilities which could lead to overloads that could stop data transfer temporarily.
In order to understand the context of certain embodiments of the invention, the following provides an explanation of certain technical aspects of a packet based telecommunications network environment. Internet/Intranet technology is based largely on the TCP/IP protocol suite. At the network level, IP provides a “datagram” delivery service—that is, IP is a protocol allowing for delivery of a datagram or packet between two hosts. By contrast, TCP provides a transport level service on top of the datagram service allowing for guaranteed delivery of a byte stream between two IP hosts. In other words, TCP is responsible for ensuring at the transmitting host that message data is divided into packets to be sent, and for reassembling, at the receiving host, the packets back into the complete message.
TCP has “flow control” mechanisms operative at the end stations only to limit the rate at which a TCP endpoint will emit data, but it does not employ explicit data rate control. The basic flow control mechanism is a “sliding window”, a window which by its sliding operation essentially limits the amount of unacknowledged transmit data that a transmitter is allowed to emit. Another flow control mechanism is a congestion window, which is a refinement of the sliding window scheme involving a conservative expansion to make use of the full, allowable window. A component of this mechanism is sometimes referred to as “slow start.”
The sliding window flow control mechanism works in conjunction with the Retransmit Timeout Mechanism (RTO), which is a timeout to prompt a retransmission of unacknowledged data. The timeout length is based on a running average of the Round Trip Time (RTT) for acknowledgment receipt, i.e. if an acknowledgment is not received within (typically) the smoothed RTT+4*mean deviation, then packet loss is inferred and the data pending acknowledgment is re-transmitted. Data rate flow control mechanisms which are operative end-to-end without explicit data rate control draw a strong inference of congestion from packet loss (inferred, typically, by RTO). TCP end systems, for example, will “back-off,”—i.e., inhibit transmission in increasing multiples of the base RTT average as a reaction to consecutive packet loss.
A crude form of bandwidth management in TCP/IP networks (that is, policies operable to allocate available bandwidth from a single logical link to network flows) is accomplished by a combination of TCP end systems and routers which queue packets and discard packets when some congestion threshold is exceeded. The discarded and therefore unacknowledged packet serves as a feedback mechanism to the TCP transmitter. Routers support various queuing options to provide for some level of bandwidth management. These options generally provide a rough ability to partition and prioritize separate classes of traffic. However, configuring these queuing options with any precision or without side effects is in fact very difficult, and in some cases, not possible. Seemingly simple things, such as the length of the queue, have a profound effect on traffic characteristics. Discarding packets as a feedback mechanism to TCP end systems may cause large, uneven delays perceptible to interactive users. Moreover, while routers can slow down inbound network traffic by dropping packets as a feedback mechanism to a TCP transmitter, this method often results in retransmission of data packets, wasting network traffic and, especially, inbound capacity of a WAN link. They can only explicitly control outbound traffic and cannot prevent inbound traffic from over-utilizing a WAN link. A 5% load or less on outbound traffic can correspond to a 100% load on inbound traffic, due to the typical imbalance between an outbound stream of acknowledgments and an inbound stream of data.
In response, certain data flow rate control mechanisms have been developed to provide a means to control and optimize efficiency of data transfer, as well as allocate available bandwidth among a variety of business applications. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,216 discloses a method for explicit data rate control in a packet-based network environment without data rate supervision. Data rate control directly moderates the rate of data transmission from a sending host, resulting in just-in-time data transmission to control inbound traffic and reduce the inefficiencies associated with dropped packets. In addition, bandwidth management devices classify network traffic and allow for explicit data rate control for flows associated with a particular traffic classification. U.S. Pat. No. 6,046,980, for example, teaches systems for managing bandwidth utilization at the network, transport and application layers in a packet-based network environment. Bandwidth management devices allow network administrators to specify policies operative to control and/or prioritize the bandwidth allocated to individual data flows according to traffic classifications. In addition, certain bandwidth management devices allow network administrators to divide available bandwidth into partitions. These partitions ensure a minimum bandwidth and/or cap bandwidth as to a particular class of traffic. An administrator specifies a traffic class (such as FTP data, or data flows involving a specific user or application) and the size of the reserved virtual link—i.e., minimum guaranteed bandwidth and/or maximum bandwidth. Such partitions can be applied on a per-application basis (protecting and/or capping bandwidth for all traffic associated with an application) or a per-user basis (protecting and/or capping bandwidth for a particular user). Furthermore, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/198,090, identified above, teaches methods and systems for automatically discovering and classifying network traffic to facilitate management of network bandwidth.
As the various applications, services and functionality deployed across computer network environments evolve, network traffic identification functionality must be augmented and/or modified in order to recognize new network traffic types or changes to existing network traffic types. Administration of bandwidth management devices to ensure that they have been upgraded to execute the latest traffic identification functionality, however, can become quite cumbersome. A network administrator often tasked with a variety of time-consuming responsibilities has to be notified or otherwise made aware of updated traffic identification functionality. The network administrator then must take the time to evaluate whether the updated functionality is worth the time and effort to install on the bandwidth management devices within the administrative domain. Finally, assuming the network administrator decides to upgrade the software of the bandwidth management device(s), he or she must then install the upgrade on the bandwidth management device(s). Indeed, the difficulties associated with bandwidth management device upgrades is exacerbated for network administrators managing multiple bandwidth management devices within the same administrative domain. Often, such administrative domains include multiple bandwidth management devices running different software versions and/or builds, requiring the network administrator to locate, download and install multiple, version- and/or build-specific upgrades. Given the foregoing, network administrators may decide that the effort to upgrade bandwidth management functionality on their networks may not be worth the time and effort, especially if the network administrator perceives that such bandwidth management devices are functioning adequately. This circumstance creates the undesirable trade off between the convenience or time-savings associated with not upgrading the bandwidth management devices versus the resulting decline in the capabilities of such devices as time progresses and the characteristics of network traffic evolve.
In light of the foregoing, a need exists in the art for methods, apparatuses and systems that facilitate the distribution of updated traffic identification functionality to bandwidth management devices. Embodiments of the present invention substantially fulfill this need. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Computing systems have dramatically changed the way in which we live. The first wave of computers was prohibitively expensive, and was only cost effective for use in business settings. As computers became more affordable, the use of personal computers both in the workplace and at home have become so widespread that computers have become as common as desks in the office and kitchen tables in the home. Microprocessors have been incorporated in all aspects of our daily lives, from use in television and other entertainment systems to devices for regulating the operation of our automobile.
The evolution of computing devices, from data crunching devices that occupied entire floors of large office facilities, to laptop computers or other portable computing devices, has dramatically impacted the manner in which documents are generated and information is stored. Portable computing capabilities have enabled individuals to type letters, draft memorandum, take notes, create images, and perform numerous tasks in places other than the office using these computing devices. Professionals and nonprofessionals alike are empowered to perform tasks while on the move using devices that fulfill their computing needs in any location.
Typical computer systems, especially computer systems using graphical user interface (GUI) systems, such as Microsoft® Windows, are optimized for accepting user input from one or more discrete input devices such as a keyboard (for entering text), and a pointing device (such as a mouse) with one or more buttons for activating user selections.
One of the original goals of the computing world was to have a computer on every desk. To a large extent, this goal has been realized by the personal computer becoming ubiquitous in the office workspace. With the advent of laptop computers and high-capacity personal data assistants, the office workspace has been expanded to include a variety of non-traditional venues in which work is accomplished. To an increasing degree, computer users must become masters of the divergent user interfaces for each of their computing devices. From a mouse and keyboard interface for the standard personal computer to the simplified resistive stylus interface of personal data assistants and even to the minimalistic keys of a cellular telephone, a user is confronted with a variety of different user interfaces that one needs to master before he can use the underlying technology.
Despite the advances in technology, most users tend to use documents printed on paper as their primary editing tool. Some advantages of printed paper include its readability and portability. Others include the ability to share annotated paper documents and the ease at which one can archive printed paper. One user interface that is bridging the gap between advanced computing systems and the functionality of printed paper is a stylus-based user interface. One approach for the stylus-based user interface is to use resistive technology (common in today's PDAs). Another approach is to use active sensors in a laptop computer. One of the next goals of the computing world is to bring the user interface for operating the computer back to the user.
A drawback associated with the use of a stylus is that such devices are tied to the computing device containing the sensor board. In other words, the stylus may only be used to generate inputs when used in conjunction with the required sensor board. Moreover, detection of a stylus is affected by the proximity of the stylus to the sensing board.
Prior portable computing devices may lack a specific form of identification for multiple user configurations. As such, if two such portable computing devices operated simultaneously, a host computer becomes confused and senses the annotations to be from the same computing device. If one user annotates a document with the computing device and then a second user annotates the same document with a second computing device, the host PC that receives the data frames from the computing device interprets the data as originating from the same computing device. Without an ability to identify the computing device from which an annotation occurs, a host PC cannot track changes specifically to a particular computing device.
Prior portable computing devices may lack the ability to track writing that a user may perform on top of existing ink. Prior computing devices may track writing of a user on clean, ink free surfaces; however, the image capturing capabilities of these devices cannot track writing that occurs on existing ink. Further, prior portable computing devices may lack the ability to handle perspective that naturally exists when a writing implement, such as a pen, is held. An image sensor of an associated computing device operates efficiently when a user holds the computing device at an angle that is perpendicular to the writing surface. However, most individuals do not hold a pen at a 90 degree angle to a surface. As such, perspective becomes a problem for the sensor to adequately compensate for the angle of the computing device.
There is a need in the art for a portable computing device that may function as an input device for any one of a variety of computing devices and which may operate in a variety of situations. There is a further need in the art for a portable computing device that can be identified by a specific identification in order to allow for multiple users to operate on a document and/or within an application program simultaneously. Also there is a need in the art for a portable computing device that may decrease the effect of perspective in capturing images on a surface and may be configured to track writing by a user on existing ink. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a hydraulic type antivibration device, more particularly to the one capable of exhibiting a good vibration control effect to both low frequency, large amplitude vibrations and high frequency, fine amplitude vibrations.
2. Description of Related Art
Hitherto as a hydraulic antivibration device, for example, installed between an automotive transmission and a car body frame, there is known such an antivibration device that is made up of a first attachment part, a cylindrical second attachment part, a vibration isolating base made of rubber-like elastomer interconnecting the former two, a diaphragm attached to the second attachment fitting to form a liquid-filled chamber between the diaphragm and the vibration isolating base, a partition comparting the liquid-filled chamber into a first liquid chamber on the vibration isolating base side and a second liquid chamber on the diaphragm side, and an orifice putting the first liquid chamber and the second liquid chamber into communication with each other, and wherein the partition includes an elastic partition membrane and a pair of displacement-regulating members for regulating the displacement amount of the elastic partition membrane from both sides of its both membrane faces, the pair of the displacement-regulating members being pierced by respective openings. In this antivibration device, when a large amplitude vibration is generated owing to irregularity of the road face during travelling, the liquid flows through the orifice between both liquid chambers and the vibration is dampened by reason of the liquid fluidization effect. On the other hand, when a fine amplitude vibration is generated, the liquid does not flow between both liquid chambers, but the elastic partition membrane undergoes reciprocating deformation and absorbs the internal pressure of the first liquid chamber to dampen the vibration.
In this hydraulic type of antivibration device, when the elastic partition membrane collides with the displacement-regulating members, strange or unusual sounds are liable to be generated. In the circumstances, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,245 (Patent Reference 1), in order to diminish the contact area of the elastic partition membrane with grid-like displacement-regulating members, a technology of providing the displacement-regulating members with radial ribs is proposed. According to this proposed construction, strange sounds can be reduced to some degree, but the contact area between the elastic partition membrane and the displacement-regulating members cannot be diminished so much, so that strange sounds cannot be suppressed sufficiently. Moreover the area of the opening for transmitting the liquid pressure of the first liquid chamber to the elastic partition membrane is narrowed by the space amount of the grids of the displacement-regulating members, and consequently, it is hard to absorb the internal pressure of the first liquid chamber.
Further, in JP Patent Publication 2003-294078 A (Patent Reference 2) it is disclosed that in order to prevent leakage of liquid between through-holes at grid-like displacement-regulating members, spider web-like ribs surrounding the respective through-holes over a full periphery thereof are provided on faces of the elastic partition membrane. In this construction, because the ribs surround the respective through-holes over the full periphery thereof, the contact area of the elastic partition membrane with the displacement-regulating members is large, so that the dynamic load increases largely with the result that strange sounds are likely to be generated.
Furthermore in JP Patent Publication 2003-74617 A (Patent Reference 3) there is disclosed the construction that in order to suppress the tendency toward a high dynamic spring characteristic in a higher frequency range than the tuning frequency of the orifice while ensuring sufficiently the vibration controlling effect by the orifice, the elastic partition membrane is formed of a central thick-walled section, a thin-walled section at the outer periphery of the former, and a stationary section at the outer peripheral margin thereof, and an outer peripheral margin of the thick-walled section and the stationary section are pinched by a pair of displacement-regulating members over a full periphery of both in a compressed state in the thickness direction. In this case, the outer peripheral margin of the thick-walled section is pinched by the displacement-regulating members over a full periphery thereof, and consequently, the effective area of the opening for transmitting the liquid pressure of the first liquid chamber to the elastic partition membrane is small and the thick-walled section is difficult to move. As a consequence, a dynamic spring constant in a high frequency range (e.g., on the order of 100 Hz) is increased and a buzzing noise is prone to be generated.
Meanwhile, from U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,100 (Patent Reference 4) such a construction is known that a plurality of small protrusions are provided on either face (front face and reverse face) of an annular thick-walled section of the elastic partition membrane equally in the circumferential direction in a distributed manner so that the small protrusions may abut against a pair of the displacement-regulating members. However, this Reference is distinct from this invention regarding the fundamental structure of the elastic partition membrane in that slits or cuts are provided in the central area thereof and besides, the thick-walled section is provided with small protrusions abutting against the displacement-regulating members. Thus this Reference is different from this invention in the position relation of the elastic partition membrane to the displacement-regulating members as well as the constitution of the elastic partition membrane.
Further JP UM Application Publication 64-36737 (Patent Reference 5) describes that the elastic partition membrane is constructed of a central thick-walled section and a thin-walled section around it, but in the antivibration device of this Reference, no displacement-regulating members are provided, and consequently, no mention is made of ribs at the elastic partition membrane, still less of a position relation between the elastic membrane and displacement-regulating members. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to image processing apparatus and method and recording medium for controlling positions of dots constructing image information in pseudo halftone representation.
In recent years, an image in pseudo halftone representation is widely used upon printing by an ink-jet printer or the like. By virtue of high-speed computer processing and advanced printing technology, high-resolution and pseudo halftone multilevel representation have been achieved, and further, various schemes for pseudo halftone processing have been proposed.
In addition to the above-described improvements in quality of printed image, various purposes of image have been proposed. For example, proposed are schemes for embedding information (bits) different from an original image by e.g. adding a particular frequency component (dot pattern) to a particular region of image information or adding an image including a particular dot arrangement to the image information.
However, in the conventional art, in a low density region of pseudo-halftone processed image, the number of dots constructing the image region is extremely small. Accordingly, in such image region having a density equal to or less than a predetermined level, it is difficult to add an image including a particular frequency component in a manner the added image is inconspicuous by using the dots or form a particular dot arrangement.
On the other hand, in an image region of a density higher than the predetermined level, the number of dots constructing the image region is extremely large. Accordingly, a region to which dots can be newly added is limited, and it is difficult to add a dot pattern having a frequency component which can be extracted later to such image region or to form a particular dot arrangement. For example, in an ink-jet printer, as the size of dots to be added may increase in comparison with the resolution of image to which the dots are to be arranged, it is difficult to discriminate the added dots in an image region having a density equal to or greater than a predetermined level.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above conventional art, and has its object to provide image processing apparatus and method and recording medium for dot arrangement control in image information in pseudo halftone representation while eliminating a density region where a predetermined dot pattern cannot be easily embedded.
Further, another object of the present invention is to provide image processing apparatus and method and recording medium for easily embedding a predetermined dot pattern in quantized image information by converting pixel values of the image information such that the pixel values stand within a predetermined range and then quantizing the image information.
In order to attain the above described objects, the image processing apparatus of the present invention comprises; pixel value conversion means for converting an input pixel value of input image information to a pixel value within a predetermined range; quantization means for quantizing the pixel value of a pixel of interest of the image information converted by the pixel value conversion means; and dot position control means for controlling a dot position of a dot formed by an image forming apparatus based on the image information quantized by the quantization means.
In order to attain the above described objects, the image processing apparatus of the present invention comprises; pixel value conversion means for converting an input pixel value of input image data to a pixel value within a predetermined range; quantization means for quantizing the pixel value of a pixel of interest of image data converted by the pixel value conversion means; and dot arrangement control means for controlling a dot arrangement for forming an image corresponding to the image data so as to form a predetermined dot pattern in the image data quantized by the quantization means.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same name or similar parts throughout the figures thereof. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to an interactive electronic shipment planner. The invention is a computer based application that enables efficient management and tracking of shipments using a convenient and easy to read calendar interface. The invention can be accessed globally via the Internet at anytime using standard computer hardware, software, and communications equipment. The invention is further applicable for personal events scheduling. Moreover, the calendar display format of the shipment planner can be readily customized to suit the needs of the user. Unlike traditional planners, the present invention effects electronic filtering of information contained in a data repository to display only a select portion of the information to the user. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector for a circuit board.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A prior art connector for a circuit board is, as shown in FIG. 5, and is constructed such that a plurality of lead terminals 2A, 2B are pressed into a connector housing 1. Projecting portions of the lead terminals 2A, 2B are bent into an L-shape behind the rear surface of the connector housing 1, and the leading ends thereof serve as board mount portions 5A, 5B to be fitted into through holes 4 formed in a circuit board 4.
In the prior art connector of FIG. 5, the lead terminals 2A, 2B are arranged on upper and lower levels. The lead terminals 2B on the lower level have base end portions 6B that extend a short distance from the rear surface of the connector housing 1 to the bent portions. On the other hand, base end portions 6A of the lead terminals 2A on the upper level are made longer to avoid interference with the lead terminals 2B on the lower level. Accordingly, there is a likelihood that the relatively long base end portions 6A of the lead terminals 2A on the upper level can be deformed due to the interference from the outside.
The present invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to prevent the deformation of base end portions of preferably L-shaped lead terminals. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to an improvement in pop-out handle locks of the type typically employed in vending machines such as utilized in connection with soda pop vending machines and the like. These types of handle locks permit the operator to insert a key, unlock the lock in order to cause the handle to pop forward, afterwhich the operator may grasp the handle and by rotating the handle in a counterclockwise direction, gain entry to the box of the vending machine.
Handle locks of the pop-out type are well-known, especially in connection with vending machines as mentioned previously. Threadedly locked into position, the handle may be pushed forwardly until it is in its locked position within the confines of a collar. In the past, such handles have attempted to thwart unauthorized entry by eliminating any surface area where an unauthorized person may apply a chisel or other devise for the purpose of exerting force upon the lock in order to gain unauthorized entry. Typically, such types of pop-out handle locks may include a lock mechanism formed by a lock stud which is spring loadedly mounted in the door of the vending machine. The box of the vending machine includes a housing which includes grasping members for grasping the handle lock in order to lock the same, typically consisting of a lock nut held in a cage, such that the lock stud which is threaded, may be screw threadedly engaged into the nut in the housing. Conversions of such types of lock assemblies including for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,089,330, which is directed to a lock assembly for a refrigerated cabinet or other such vending machine, shows the typical pop-out handle lock mechanism having the pop-out handle at the exterior portion of the lock mechanism and the threaded lock stud along the internal portion of the lock mechanism. As is particularly shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings of U.S. Pat. No. 3,089,330, the lock stud is screw threaded into a fixed cage nut incident to the locking process. It will therefore be appreciated that the locking and unlocking process requires that the handle be unlocked in order to pop forward, such that the operator may manipulate the handle in order to rotate the lock stud either in a clockwise direction for locking, or in a counterclockwise direction for unlocking.
Other prior art patents show similar types of pop-out handle lock assemblies, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,316,742, which shows another version of a pop-out handle lock which includes an actually movable clutch mechanism allegedly representing an improvement in such lock assemblies, and also as is further shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,550,412, which again is intended to show certain improvements to such lock mechanisms. However, in each of such prior art instances, the typical pop-out handle lock mechanisms require that the lock stud be screw threadedly engaged into a fixed cage nut in order to lock the same, and require a counterclockwise rotational movement in order to unlock the device.
Further prior art attempts have now been made in order to improve upon such types of pop-out handle lock mechanisms. Principal attempts have been in the area of rendering such locking mechanisms automatic in terms of the locking process. The current example of such types of automatic locking handles as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,888, wherein the lock stud is similarly provided with a plurality of male threads, while the housing in the cabinet portion of the vending machine is provided with a plurality of grasping members which are spring loaded. We observed that once the lock stud having the male thread portions thereon is inserted into the housing containing the grasping members, the grasping members, which consist of a split nut, are actually moved out of position by the thrust of the lock stud into the housing, and then are spring urged back into grasping position under the threads of the lock stud. The lock stud may then further be rotated in a clockwise direction in order to tighten the door relative to the box of the vending machine in order to improve the seal of the door relative to the cabinet. This is important in such types of vending machines as soda pop machines, or other refrigerated boxes which require a tight seal in order to maintain the integrity of the product contained within the vending machine.
However, it is still deemed necessary to further improve upon such pop-out handle locks for the reason that while attempts are now being made to make such locks automatic in terms of the locking process, it will be observed that in order to unlock the mechanism in order to permit entry into the cabinet of the vending machine, the lock stud must still be rotated in a counterclockwise direction in order to unthread the threads from the grasping members within the housing in order to open the box. Hence, while the lock assembly has been improved in order to render the closing procedure automatic, such improvements have yet to deal with the unlocking process in order to obviate the difficulties of having to rotate the lock stud in a counterclockwise direction for the opening process. It is therefore deemed important to create both an automatic locking procedure for such locking assemblies, as well as an automatic unlocking procedure such that both the locking and unlocking procedures may be rendered automatic. The present invention is therefore intended to further improve upon such pop-out handle lock assemblies by providing a lock mechanism which permits the automatic locking engagement of the lock stud to the lock mechanism thereby eliminating the need for the operator to screw thread the lock stud in a clockwise direction to effect the locking process, and to further provide an automatic unlocking process thereby further eliminating the need for the operator to unthread the lock stud from the lock nut incident to the opening procedure. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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