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Industrial cutting or bending machines typically operate by the transfer of energy stored in a rotating flywheel to a drive shaft by which the cutting or bending tool is moved through its operating cycle. The flywheel and shaft are coupled together when a cutting or bending operation is required by the closure of a clutch; when the operation has been completed, the drive shaft is braked to bring the machine back to a condition in which it is ready for another cutting or bending operation. Separate clutch and brake devices can be mounted for example at opposite ends of the drive shaft, or alternatively, a combined clutch and brake unit can be employed. Such combined units can be of compact design so that there is a substantial space saving as compared with separate clutch and brake devices. Moreover, the cost of the combination unit can be significantly less than that for the two separate devices.
It is of course normally desired to operate cutting and bending machines at the highest available production rate, but this places heavy demands on the clutches and brake devices in particular. A specific maximum torque is developed by frictional engagement of frictional material with metal surfaces, urged together by actuators. Considerable heat is necessarily generated in the process and the number of operations per minute that the machine is capable of sustaining can be limited by the amount of heat that can be dissipated.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a combined clutch and brake unit from which heat could readily be dissipated, without substantial prejudice to the compactness and low cost of the unit. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Mechanized knitting of fabrics and apparel has been a commercially available technology for a long time. Changing fashions and consumer desired products have created a void in available knitted fabrics and apparel commercially available. Apparel styles change frequently and new technologies for medical treatments, personal comfort, and advances in electronics can be integrated into the knitted fabrics and apparel and made available to consumers commercially if they can be made affordably and over a great array of designs and types of apparel. What is needed is a new generation of mechanized knitting machines with integrated controls to affordably integrate the fabrics and apparel production with over a vast selection of fabrics, styles and apparel variations to fit the changing fashions and consumer desired products. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Existing data flow analysis systems use data flow to analyze the source code of an entire program. Typically, an entire program is analyzed to determine where all data is used and where it originates. These methods are called interprocedural data flow analysis, and they utilize significant resources such as memory and execution time.
Additionally these prior methods limit data analysis to the abstract syntax trees derived from the source of a program. They do not analyze the data flow after the program has been transformed into binary code. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Many studies and developments have been conducted for a wide range of applications of so-called biosensors and bioreactors that utilize molecular recognition ability and substance-converting ability of biological substances such as enzymes and antibodies as well as nucleic acid molecules (e.g., DNA and RNA) including genes.
For the biosensors, there are growing demands on further technical developments for applications on various detection targets in conjunction with growing interests in health as well as matters of environmental pollutants and public safety thereof. Recently, furthermore, the bioreactors have attracted much attention as eco-friendly clean processing technologies. Therefore, for example, there are increasing demands on further technical developments such as those in processes of producing products utilizing various bioprocesses.
For the biosensors, specifically, detectors for detecting objective ones by utilizing the selective molecular recognition of respective biological substance molecules have been developed extensively. For example, detectors developed on the basis of various kinds of detection procedures include a DNA sensor chip that utilizes a base-sequence-dependent complimentary hydrogen bonding between deoxyribonucleic acid (hereinafter, referred to as DNA) sequences (i.e., a hybridization reaction between the complimentary strands), an antibody sensor that detects a disease marker or the like to be eluted in blood, by utilizing a molecular recognition ability, originated from a specific binding ability between a protein molecule and a low-molecular substance or between protein molecules such as an antigen-antibody reaction, and an enzyme sensor for detecting the level of a substrate substance by utilizing an oxidation-reduction enzyme or a hydrolytic enzyme, as typified by a glucose sensor for a diabetic patient.
Currently, the biosensor that makes use of any of these biological substances, generally employs a system of using, in the form of a biological substance-immobilized substrate, a biological substance to be used, for example a nucleic acid molecule such as DNA, or proteins of antibodies, enzymes, etc., which is immobilized on the surface of a substrate such as a flat plate, a sphere or a materials, or the like.
In addition, one of the performance qualities required for the biosensors being developed nowadays is “high sensitivity and downsizing”, which is typified by μ-TAS. For attaining an object of “high sensitivity and downsizing”, an important technical issue is how to effectively utilize a minute space of a reaction field or detection field and how to increase the sensitivity of the biosensor.
For instance, in the detection field where the biological substance is immobilized on the substrate, in addition to the specific binding to a target substance to be detected, there is a possibility of causing much non-specific adsorption of biological substances except the substance to be detected or a possibility of causing a non-specific binding of the substance to be detected itself on the substrate. These non-specific adsorbing phenomena will become one of the factors that decrease a Signal/Noise ratio of the biosensor. In particular, the total amount of the specific binding of the target substance to be detected falls off as the detection field decreases. Therefore, the biosensor tends to be influenced by noises due to the non-specific adsorption, resulting in difficulty in high sensitive measurement. Also, in terms of an effective utilization of a sample in minute amounts, it is difficult to carry out measurement at a sufficiently high accuracy when the non-specific adsorption of the target substance to be detected is caused in large quantities. Hereafter, therefore, an important technical problem which remains to be improved is to reduce or prevent the non-specific adsorption phenomenon.
On the other hand, for the bioreactors, there have developed procedures for producing food additives such as amino acids, candidate substances for medicines and antibiotics by enzymatic reactions that mainly employ the position-selective catalytic functions of enzymes as one type of proteins instead of procedures that utilize microorganisms having the abilities of producing objective products. Besides, the applications of enzymatic reactions to the productions of chemicals and polymer materials have been also under study. In the development of bioreactors using such enzymatic reactions, because the development of devices suitable for high-mix low-volume production has been also mainstream, for example, with the spread of a technique for screening a candidate substance by means of combinatorial chemistry, there are increasing demands for miniaturizing individual biosensors by means of a device on which an enzyme to be used in a reaction just as in the case with the biosensor described above is immobilized (i.e., for high-mix low-volume production).
In addition, materials, which can be employed for substrates, flat plates, spheres and porous materials, or the like, for biological substance-immobilized substrates to be used in the biosensors and bioreactors, generally include organic polymers, glass, ceramics, metal flat plates, and other materials known in the art, depending on the types and applications of the biological substances.
As a method of immobilizing a biological substance such as protein, on the surface of substrate, for example, there is an immobilizing procedure using physical adsorption, which includes the steps of forming a coating layer of a protein solution on the surface of a substrate by using means for dipping the substrate into the protein solution or applying the protein solution thereon, and then removing a solvent from the coating layer and drying it to allow the protein to be immobilized on the surface of the substrate as a result of physical adsorption. Alternatively, there is another procedure that includes next two steps, the first step is chemically modifying the surfaces of a substrate or the protein molecules to provide the high activity functional groups, and second step is immobilization of the protein molecules on the surface of the substrate through the chemical bonding by forming of chemical bonding between the introduced the high activity functional groups and other functional groups. These procedures have been hitherto known as those for immobilizing biological substances on the surfaces of substrate. As an example of the immobilizing method using physical adsorption, JP 06-003317 A discloses a method of manufacturing an enzymatic electrode by the application of a method including the steps of forming a charge-transporting organic complex layer on the surface of a conductive substrate and then applying a protein solution on the charge-transporting organic complex layer, followed by drying the protein layer to allow an enzyme protein to be physically adsorbed and immobilized on the surface of the substrate through the charge-transporting organic complex layer.
As an example of the immobilizing method using the chemical bonding, Sensor and Actuators B15-16 p 127 (1993) discloses a method including the steps of subjecting a platinum-deposited surface of a silicon substrate to treatment with an amine-based silane coupling agent and then coupling between an amino group derived from the amino-silane coupling and a peptide chain by means of a cross-linking agent such as glutaric aldehyde to carry out immobilization. In addition, for making a detector such as a biosensor-composed of antibodies immobilized on a glass substrate, a method is applied, in which reactive functional groups are introduced to the surface of the glass substrate by means of treatment with a silane coupling agent and a peptide chain is immobilized through a chemical bonding using a cross-lining agent as described above.
However, in the immobilizing method based on physical adsorption or the chemically-immobilizing method based on chemical cross-linking, the portion of a protein, which is used for adsorption or binding to the substrate can be selected at random. Therefore, when a portion, which directly or indirectly relates to the binding ability required for the protein, the enzymatic activity of the protein, or the like, also becomes one relating to the binding to the surface of a substrate, there is a fear that a desired function of the protein will deteriorate remarkably if the protein binds to the substrate.
Therefore, it becomes important to develop means for previously determining an immobilizing portion of a molecule to be immobilized, which will be used for binding to the surface of the substrate, for example, a technology capable of previously controlling the orientation of a biological substance to be immobilized on the surface of the substrate.
Furthermore, for attaining “high sensitivity and downsizing”, the biological substance should be integrated very densely in a very small area on the surface of the substrate and then immobilized thereon.
As an example of a method of integrating the biological substance very densely and immobilizing the same, there is a method well known in the art, where a substrate having a large specific surface area, for example a porous material having a regular nanoporous structure, is adopted as a substrate, and a biological substance is then immobilized on the surface having a porous structure with a large specific surface area. As a conventional method for forming the porous structure having regularity with a scale in the order of nanometers, which can be used for the above purpose, a polymer membrane filter, porous glass, anodized aluminum oxide film, and so on are well known in the art. For the anodized aluminum oxide film, in particular, the pore size thereof can be regulated by means of a voltage applied at the time of oxidation to make a film having a given pore size in the order of nanometers.
Making the porous material into the substrate enables a reaction field on which a biological substance is immobilized in an amount enough for high-sensitivity detection even in a very small area.
Conventional examples of the method using the porous substrate described above as a substrate, particularly the method by which a biological substance such as a protein is immobilized on an anodized aluminum oxide film, include the following procedures:
As an example of a procedure for covalently binding a protein using a cross-linking agent after surface treatment with an amino-silane coupling agent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,225,131 discloses a method including the steps of providing a commercially-available aluminum oxide film as a substrate, subjecting the surface thereof to treatment with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS), and covalently binding anti-human chorionic gonadotropin mouse monoclonal antibodies using glutaric aldehyde as a cross-linking agent to immobilize them on the surface of the substrate.
Furthermore, as an example of a procedure using intermolecular binding between an organic substance and a peptide, US 2002/0106702 A1 discloses a method by which an organic thin film for binding a protein is arranged on an aluminum oxide film to immobilize a protein fused with a peptide chain having affinity to an organic substrate that constitutes an organic thin film described above.
The above substrate having a large specific surface area, such as a porous material having a regular nanoporous structure, is adopted as a substrate to allow a larger amount of the biological substance to be immobilized on the surface of the substrate. However, when the biological substance immobilized on the substrate does not take an orientation suitable for the binding to a target substance to be detected, the detection sensitivity corresponding to the amount of the biological substance immobilized may not be attained. Also, when a biological substance does not have an orientation suitable for the substrate substance on which the biological substance acts, the reactivity corresponding to an amount of the biological substance to be immobilized is not attained in some cases. That is, unless a biological substance to be immobilized on a substrate is immobilized after controlling the orientation suitable for the use thereof, the biological substance will be insufficient to exert its advantage accompanying immobilization of a larger amount of the biological substance on the surface of the substrate through the use of a substrate having a large specific surface area.
In other words, unless a biological substance to be immobilized on a substrate is immobilized after controlling the orientation suitable for the use thereof, it becomes necessary to further increase the amount of the biological substance to be immobilized on the substrate to obtain the desired detection sensitivity or reactivity. Thus, there is a possibility that an excess amount of the biological substance per unit area of the substrate should be immobilized or the area of the substrate on which the biological substance is immobilized should be excessively extended. When the area of the substrate on which the biological substance is immobilized is extended excessively, it may become a large obstacle to the downsizing of a device itself.
Furthermore, in the case of ingredients in the biological substance, which will cost high upon their preparation, there is a possibility of increasing the total cost of the device when they will be used in large amounts. Furthermore, a procedure of forming an additional adhesion layer for binding an organic substance to a substrate (i.e., a layer formed between the substrate and the organic substance and having a configuration different from that of the organic substance to be immobilized) may involve an increase in the number of steps required and become a large obstacle to a decrease in device cost.
In addition, a high technical level is also required for completely forming the adhesion layer on the inner-wall surface of the porous portion of the nanoporous structure. If the formation of the adhesion layer in the inside of the pore is insufficient, an effect obtained by increasing the specific surface area by means of the porous structure may be insufficiently exerted.
In view of the present situation, such a problem cannot be coped with any publicly known technology of immobilizing ingredients in the biological substance by means of chemical bonding between the ingredients and the substrate with physical adsorption through the adhesion layer or non-specific modification using a cross-linking agent.
Therefore, it has been desired to provide a structure composed of a substrate and an organic substance immobilized on the surface of the substrate such that the molecular orientation of the organic substance is regulated so as to exert its desired functions, and a concise immobilizing procedure that allows the organic substance to be immobilized on the surface of the substrate. | {
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In the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), high-speed downlink data transfer in a WCDMA (Wideband Code-Division Multiple Access) mobile communication system is realized by HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) and high-speed uplink data transfer is realized by E-DCH (Enhanced Dedicated Channel).
High-speed downlink packet access is normally referred to as “HSDPA.” In HSDPA, a radio base station (hereinbelow referred to as “Node-B”) generates a radio physical channel referred to as an HS-DSCH (High-Speed Downlink Shared Channel) and loads downlink data or control signals on this HS-DSCH to transmit to a radio terminal (hereinbelow referred to as “UE (User Equipment)).”
In HSDPA, a plurality of UEs share the use of one or a plurality of codes, and HSDPA therefore has the advantages not only enabling the realization of high-speed data transfer but also of economizing radio code resources compared to a case in which one UE has exclusive use of one or a plurality of radio codes.
By means of HSDPA, data flow referred to as HS-DSCH MAC (Medium Access Control)-d flow is transferred in a network from a MAC-d entity in a radio base station controller (hereinbelow referred to as “RNC (Radio Network Controller)”) to a MAC-hs (Medium Access Control-high-speed) entity in Node-B. Here, data flow refers to the flow of data transferred over a prescribed path.
FIG. 1 shows an example of data transfer by HSDPA in a mobile communication system. In the example of FIG. 1, a serving RNC and a drift RNC are generated by the movement of UE. HS-DSCH MAC-d flow is then transferred from the MAC-d entity of the serving RNC via the drift RNC to the MAC-hs entity in Node-B that is under the control of the drift RNC.
In this case, the drift RNC only provides a transport bearer for the lur interface and lub interface for transfer as simple data flow without any awareness of the content of the HS-DSCH MAC-d flow.
FIG. 2 is a view for explaining an example of communication that uses HSDPA.
As shown in FIG. 2, one example of communication that uses HSDPA is the transfer of control signals of RRC (Radio Resource Control) protocol or a NAS (Non-Access Stratum) by an SRB (Signaling Radio Bearer; see 3GPP TS 25.331V6.8.0 (2005-12), Radio Resource Control (RRC) Protocol Specification, Release 6, pp. 40-41 (6.3 Signaling Radio Bearers)). NAS is control protocol between a UE and a CN (Core Network) and is not interpreted by an RNC.
A MAC-d entity on an RNC is made up from UE units. A MAC-hs entity on Node-B is constructed for each cell. A MAC-d entity multiplexes the SRB relating to the corresponding UE with the HS-DSCH MAC-d and transmits to the MAC-hs entity at Node-B. The MAC-hs entity multiplexes the HS-DSCH MAC-d flow on the HS-DSCH and transmits wirelessly.
By using HSDPA, an RNC can transmit control signals realized by HS-DSCH to a UE via Node-B. The advantage of this type of communication is that, because radio codes are shared among a plurality of UE, radio code resources can be economized.
In communication that uses this type of HSDPA, an RNC places SRB that is applied as input to a MAC-d entity in correspondence with the HS-DSCH MAC-d flow that is supplied from a MAC-d entity. For this purpose, the RNC saves information regarding the correspondence between an SRB ID and an HS-DSCH MAC-d flow ID. The RNC-then uses this correspondence information to identify which SRB is to be transferred by which HS-DSCH MAC-d flow.
The MAC-hs entity at Node-B then identifies data that have been transferred in from the RNC by using the ID of the HS-DSCH MAC-d flow that transfers these data. For example, if the HS-DSCH MAC-d flow ID is a prescribed value, the MAC-hs entity can recognize the data transferred from the RNC as RRC protocol control signals.
In FIG. 2, for example, it is assumed that SRB1 is an RRC protocol control signal, SRB2 is an NAS call connection signal, and SRB3 is an NAS short message. A MAC-hs entity of Node-B can recognize the SRB by the HS-DSCH MAC-d flow ID, and in multiplex control, can preferentially multiplex the HS-DSCH MAC-d flow #1 for transferring SRB1 of RRC protocol having high importance in the HS-DSCH to the UE.
An E-DCH is also referred to as HSUPA (High-Speed Uplink Packet Access).
By means of E-DCH, data flow that is called E-DCH MAC-d flow in a network is transmitted from a MAC-e entity in Node-B to a MAC-es entity in the RNC. In the RNC, the MAC-es entity performs reordering of the E-DCH MAC-d flow and transmits the data flow that has undergone reordering to the MAC-d entity. Here, reordering is a process of viewing and rearranging the order of sequence numbers.
FIG. 3 shows data transfer by an E-DCH in a mobile communication system. In the example of FIG. 3, the serving RNC and drift RNC are generated by movement of the UE. A MAC-e entity in Node-B that is under the drift RNC then receives the data of the E-DCH from the UE, separates the E-DCH MAC-d flow from these data, and transfers the E-DCH MAC-d flow to the MAC-es entity in the serving RNC via the drift RNC. The MAC-es entity of the serving RNC performs reordering of the E-DCH MAC-d flow that has been received from the MAC-e entity in Node-B and then transmits to the MAC-d entity.
In this case as well, the drift RNC only provides a transport bearer to the lur interface and lub interface for transfer without awareness of the content of the E-DCH MAC-d flow.
FIG. 4 is a view for explaining an example of communication that uses an E-DCH.
As shown in FIG. 4, examples of communication that uses an E-DCH include cases of transferring RRC protocol or NAS control signals by an SRB.
The MAC-d entity on the RNC is made up from UE units as previously described. In addition, the MAC-e entity is also made up from UE units.
The MAC-e entity of Node-B that has received E-DCH data from a UE separates into E-DCH MAC-d flow and transmits this to the MAC-es entity of the RNC. The MAC-es entity performs reordering of the E-DCH MAC-d flow and transmits to the MAC-d entity.
In this communication that uses an E-DCH, the RNC places in correspondence the E-DCH MAC-d flow that is applied as input to the MAC-es entity and the SRB supplied from the MAC-d entity. To this end, the RNC maintains information regarding the correspondence between SRB IDs and E-DCH MAC-d flow IDs.
By means of this correspondence information, the RNC then identifies which SRB is transferred in and by which E-DCH MAC-d flow.
In the state in which a serving RNC and drift RNC are generated as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the data transfer path becomes long, and this gives rise to a delay in the transfer of data. In addition, a band of the circuit is allotted to transfer paths that have become longer than necessary, resulting in a state in which band resources are not efficiently used. To eliminate such states, relocation may be implemented to shorten the data transfer path and use resources efficiently (for example, refer to 3GPP TS23. 060 v6.11.0 (2005-December), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Service Description Stage 2, Release 6, pp. 77-94 (6.9.2.2 Serving RNC Relocation Procedures)).
FIG. 5 is a sequence chart showing the relocation operation in a mobile communication system. In the example of FIG. 5, as the initial state, the serving RNC and UE perform HSDPA and E-DCH communication via a drift RNC.
From this state, the serving RNC determines to implement relocation to, for example, optimize the path. In the relocation procedure, the serving RNC acts as the source RNC, and the drift RNC acts as the target RNC.
When the serving RNC (source RNC) transmits the message “Relocation Required” to the CN, a “Relocation Request” message is transmitted from the CN to the drift RNC (target RNC).
The drift RNC, having received the “Relocation Request” message, performs allocation of radio resources based on this message, and then returns a “Relocation Request Acknowledgement” message to the CN. The CN, having received the “Relocation Request Acknowledgement” message, transmits a “Relocation Command” message to the serving RNC.
Upon receiving the “Relocation Command” message from the CN, the serving RNC transmits a “Relocation Commit” message to the drift RNC, Upon receiving this “Relocation Commit” message, the drift RNC both transmits a “Relocation Detect” message to the CN and transmits a “UTRAN Mobility Information” message to the UE.
Upon receiving the “UTRAN Mobility Information” message, the UE returns a “UTRAN Mobility Information Response” message to the drift RNC, and the drift RNC thereupon returns a “Relocation Complete” message to the CN.
When relocation has been completed by the procedure of the above-described example, the drift RNC acts as the serving RNC and thus can communicate with the UE. Although an example has here been described in which relocation is implemented from a state in which both HSDPA and E-DCH are carried out, relocation can also be implemented from a state in which only one of the two is carried out. | {
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Field effect transistor (FET) power amplifiers can operate in either class AB, class B, or class C and so on. These amplifiers normally require two voltage sources for proper biasing. The drain voltage of the FET is always positive and requires three to twelve volts DC. The gate voltage requires a negative voltage of about 0.5 to 4 volts DC. In any event conventional self biased amplifiers utilizing a single voltage source have been used in low noise and class A applications. The conventional self biased amplifier is not capable of producing appreciable RF power due to the negative feedback effect in the bias caused by the applied RF power. This is of a particular concern for microwave operation or operation for frequencies in the range between 1 GHZ to 2 GHZ or more. As one can ascertain microwave FETs such as gallium arsenide (GaAs) devices are capable of extremely high frequency operation and are relatively low noise devices because only the majority carriers participate in the operation of such devices.
For example, devices as GaAs MESFETs and other such devices have been widely employed in the microwave frequency band. A microwave amplifier usually consists of a cascade of several active devices with interstage and input/output matching networks. The design and operation of such amplifiers in the various classes as indicated above is well known. However, the design of the bias circuits for monolithic ICs (MMICs) amplifiers in microwave technology is as important as the design of the matching networks. A good RF design becomes useless if the amplifier oscillates due to an improper bias network design. The bias circuit determines the device operating point, (power or low noise), amplifier stability particularly at lower microwave frequencies, temperature stability and often gain. Depending on the application for low noise, high gain, and class operation (A, AB, or B) and for efficiency an optimum DC operating bias point exists. Various networks for biasing FET amplifiers are well known and as indicated above normally require at least two sources namely a positive drain source and a negative gate source or alternatively a positive drain source and a positive source electrode voltage. Examples of typical FET biasing circuits for microwave frequencies can be had by reference to a text entitled GaAs Integrated Circuits-Design and Technology edited by Joseph Mum published by McMillan Publishing Company (1988), chapter 4 entitled "Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit Design or MMIC Design". Page 251, Figure 4.37 depicts various FET biasing circuits. In any event, as one will understand power amplifier design is considerably more complex than small signal linear amplifier design due to many factors.
In contrast to small signal amplifier design, power amplifiers are generally designed to provide maximum power to a load at high efficiency. The bias point of the device has a major impact on the device output power and efficiency. While class A operation produces the highest power, class AB or more accurately, class B usually results in the highest efficiency.
In any event, conventional self biased amplifiers utilizing a single voltage source when used in low noise and class A applications are not capable of producing RF power as indicated above due the negative feedback effect in the bias caused by the applied RF power.
The dual bias designs (two voltage supplies) require a power up and down sequence whereby the gate bias is first applied for power up and the drain bias must first be removed for power down. This sequence must be followed to prevent degradation of the device or actual destruction of the device due to the resultant high drain currents. Thus the scheme which is utilized for dual bias devices requires extra bias circuitry to assure such synchronization.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a power amplifier utilizing a single bias voltage source which exhibits improved power gain and power operation. | {
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A detailed background of the invention is found in the parent application, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/220,139, incorporated by reference herein.
The definitions set forth in section 5.0 of the Background of the Invention section of the '139 application are also incorporated by reference herein.
All of the patents, patent applications, technical papers and other references referenced in the '139 application and herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. | {
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The present invention is directed to communication systems and methods.
Over the last few decades, the use of communication networks exploded. In the early days of the Internet, popular applications were limited to emails, bulletin board, and mostly informational and text-based web page surfing, and the amount of data transferred was usually relatively small. Today, Internet and mobile applications demand a huge amount of bandwidth for transferring photo, video, music, and other multimedia files. For example, a social network like Facebook processes more than 500 TB of data daily. To move a large amount of data, optical communication networks are often used.
With high demand for communication networks came high demand for quality networking devices. In high-speed communication systems, having optimized optical transceivers can meaningfully improve performance. For example, various parameters of optical transmitter, such as bias voltages for modulator and laser devices, can be adjusted and optimized in a communication system for improved performance.
Over the past, there have been various techniques for optimizing parameters and settings for optical transceivers. Unfortunately, existing techniques are inadequate for reasons explained below. Improved methods and systems for optimizing optical communication devices are desired. | {
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It is desirable for television set-top terminals (STTs) to be able to store a large number of video presentations (e.g., movies) in digital form. One way to enable a STT to store a large number of digital video presentations is to include in the STT a storage device having a storage capacity sufficient to accommodate a large number of video presentations. This approach, however, may not be cost effective and/or may not enable the storage of as many video presentations as desired by a user. Therefore, there exists a need for systems and methods for addressing this and/or other problems associated with the storage of digital video presentations. | {
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A meibomian gland is lipid-producing gland enclosed in both the upper and lower eyelids (palpebra), and secretes a lipid through an opening situated on a conjunctiva side from eyelashes of eyelids. A lipid layer constituting a tear fluid contains a lipid supplied from the meibomian glands as a component, and prevents the tear fluid from evaporating from an eye surface. It is known that patients with meibomian gland dysfunction or meibomitis develop hyperevaporative dry eye, keratoconjunctiva epithelial disorder, corneal epithelial erosion and corneal ulcer, which are associated with dry eye, and the like, since the meibomian gland shows functional deterioration and secretes a lipid at a lower level.
In addition, the cornea consists of epithelium and an external limiting membrane (Bowman's membrane), stroma, a internal limiting membrane (Descemet's membrane) and endothelium. Since the cornea is located at the frontmost part of the eyeball, it is susceptible to external environmental influence, as a result of which various disorders are developed. Examples of the diseases associated with wound or defect of corneal epithelial cells include dry eye syndrome, corneal ulcer, superficial punctuate keratitis, corneal epithelial erosion, ocular allergic diseases associated with corneal lesion such as vernal conjunctivitis, atopic keratoconjunctivitis etc., and the like.
On the other hand, PPAR is one kind of intranuclear receptors expressed in most vertebrates, and is considered to be a transcription factor group closely related to the intracellular sugar or lipid metabolism and cell differentiation. As the subtype, α, δ and γ-types are known. PPARδ is sometimes indicated as PPARβ (non-patent document 1).
As for the distribution of PPAR in the ocular tissue, expression of PPARα and β in the corneal epithelial cells of rabbit is known (non-patent document 2).
There have been reported that 5-[4-(6-methoxy-1-methyl-1H-benzimidazol-2-ylmethoxy)benzyl]thiazolidine-2,4-dione considered to mainly have a PPARγ activation action can be utilized as a therapeutic agent for keratoconjunctival disorders (patent documents 1 and 2), and PPARα, δ or γ agonist is administered for the treatment of ocular diseases (conjunctivitis, dry eye syndrome, keratitis etc.) (patent document 3). In addition, it is known that PPARα is distributed in the liver, kidney and the like, and acts on lipid metabolism and transportation. Furthermore, it has also been reported that an agonist thereof can be utilized as a therapeutic agent for corneal diseases (patent document 4). PPARδ agonists have been reported to promote proliferation and differentiation of rat sebaceous gland epithelial cells (non-patent document 3) and promote wound healing of the skin (non-patent document 4). Besides the above, a method of stimulating proliferation of β-cell by administering a non-thiazolidinedione PPAR ligand and a GLP-1 derivative (patent document 5), inhibition of proliferation of leukemia cell, prostate cancer cell and the like by pioglitazone (PPARγ agonist) (patent document 6) and the like are known.
However, many aspects of the expression and function of PPARα, δ or γ in each animal species and each tissue or cell are yet to be clarified, and whether a PPARδ agonist is useful for ocular diseases in human is not correctly known. patent document 1: WO2005/039574 patent document 2: JP-A-2001-39976 patent document 3: WO2002/076177 patent document 4: JP-A-2005-008570 patent document 5: WO2002/69994 patent document 6: WO1998/25598 non-patent document 1: J Med Chem 2000, 43: 527-550 non-patent document 2: J Biol Chem 2000, 275: 2837 non-patent document 3: Molecular Genetic and Metabolism 2001, 74: 362-369 non-patent document 4: Am J Clin Dermatol 2003, 4(8): 523-530 | {
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The present invention relates to a brake apparatus for a vehicle, and more particularly to the apparatus capable of applying a regulator pressure regulated by a regulator valve device to an assisting chamber formed backward of a master piston.
In general, as for the brake apparatus capable of applying the regulator pressure to the assisting chamber formed backward of the master piston, it is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3101205, for example. That is, the brake apparatus includes a master piston, which is fluid-tightly slidably disposed in a cylinder body, to form a pressure chamber in front of the master piston and a power chamber behind it, and moved in response to operation of a manually operated braking member, to discharge a hydraulic braking pressure from the pressure chamber, an auxiliary hydraulic pressure source which pressurizes the brake fluid up to a predetermined pressure, and discharges a power pressure, a control piston which is fluid-tightly slidably accommodated in the cylinder body and arranged to be moved in response to movement of the control piston, and regulator valve means which introduces the power pressure discharged from the auxiliary hydraulic pressure source into a regulator chamber, to regulate the power pressure into a predetermined pressure in response to movement of the control piston. The hydraulic pressure regulated by the regulator valve means is applied to the power chamber of the master cylinder, to assist the operation of the manually operated braking member. With respect to the brake apparatus capable of applying the regulator pressure regulated by the regulator valve means to the power chamber (assisting chamber) as described above, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 11-180290 discloses hydraulic pressure relationships among various parts, in detail.
Recent vehicles require an automatic braking control, which is adapted to measure a distance or speed difference between a vehicle by a driver and another vehicle traveling ahead thereof to determine a necessity for decreasing the vehicle speed, and perform a braking operation automatically to decrease the vehicle speed, unless a vehicle driver operates an accelerator pedal, and which is called as “ACC” (abbreviation of “Adaptive Cruise Control”). And, a control apparatus which is capable of performing the automatic braking control is getting popular. During the automatic braking control operation as described above, when a vehicle driver operates a brake pedal, the automatic braking operation shall be cancelled, and shifted to the braking operation performed in response to operation of the brake pedal by the vehicle driver.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2000-108859 proposes a braking control apparatus, which is aimed to perform the automatic braking operation, and cancel it, when it is detected that the brake pedal has been operated by a driver, and discloses an embodiment using a hydraulic booster as an actuator. According to this braking control apparatus, the vehicle can be braked automatically, so as to keep a certain distance between the vehicle driven by the driver and another vehicle traveling ahead thereof detected by a sensor, and can be braked to provide an emergent braking operation.
Also, Japanese Patent No. 3296235 proposes a braking force control apparatus, which is aimed to produce a hydraulic braking pressure larger than a normal pressure, when the emergent braking operation was performed by the vehicle driver, and reflect an intention of the vehicle driver on the hydraulic braking pressure, and which is capable of performing a so-called brake assist control. For example, there are provided an increased assisting pressure state for holing the hydraulic braking pressure larger than the normal pressure, and a decreased assisting pressure state for decreasing the hydraulic braking pressure irrespective of operation of the brake pedal.
As described in the Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2000-108859 or Japanese Patent No. 3296235, as for the automatic braking control apparatus for performing an automatic pressure increasing control as required, irrespective of operation of the brake pedal, to perform the braking operation automatically, various types of the apparatus have been known heretofore, so that their controlling state are different depending upon their objects, and their responses, which are taken when the automatic braking operation is shifted to the brake pedal operation by the vehicle driver, are different from each other. Particularly, in the case where the brake pedal is operated by the driver, in such a state that the braking operation is being performed, as a result of determination that the distance between the vehicle driven by the driver and another vehicle traveling ahead thereof has become to be smaller than a predetermined distance, for example, such as the above-described automatic braking control, it is desired that a smooth brake feeling shall be given to the driver.
However, according to the braking control apparatuses as disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2000-108859 or Japanese Patent No. 3296235, when the braking operation is shifted to the one operated by the brake pedal, there may be a case where the smooth brake feeling can not be expected. As described in paragraphs [0054] and [0055] of the Publication No. 2000-108859, for example, when the hydraulic pressure is fed from an accumulator to all of front and rear wheels, the brake pedal will hardly stroke, to provide a so-called “depressing board” state, which is inappropriate. Also, the Publication No. 2000-108859 discloses an embodiment, where the brake pressure shall not be supplied to a front wheel brake cylinder not to be controlled, during the automatic braking operation. According to this embodiment, the brake pressure will be supplied only to rear wheel brake cylinders, during the automatic braking operation, so that a desired braking operation may not be performed.
Furthermore, the braking control performed by the apparatus as described in Japanese Patent No. 3296235 is different from the braking control according to the present invention, which is performed by the braking control apparatuses as described in Japanese Patent No. 3101205 and Publication No. 11-180290, so that the relationships of the pressures in the braking control apparatuses are different from each other. Therefore, countermeasures as described in Japanese Patent No. 3296235 can not be employed, as they are. Particularly, while the brake assist operation is being performed in case of the emergent braking operation, the communication between the master cylinder and wheel brake cylinder is forced to be blocked, so that the “depressing board” feeling will be given to the driver. In order to avoid this, such a countermeasure as providing a so-called stroke simulator will be required. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Known from the state of the art, as represented, for example, by German application DE 102006005365 A1, are methods for updating the firmware of a field device. German application DE 102005018910 A1 discloses a method for equipping a software controlled device with new software code. In such case, an old version of the software is completely replaced by a new version.
Disadvantageous, in such case, is that always a complete version of the software must be transferred to the field device and stored there. This causes a higher data loading of a communication connection to the field device and a greater memory requirement in the field device. This is, however, contrary to the well-known scarcity of resources typically existing in automation technology and its field devices.
Additionally, it is not possible to expand just individual functions of a field device without completely replacing the existing firmware. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The following description relates to determining a location of motion detected from wireless signals based on wireless link counting.
Motion detection systems have been used to detect movement, for example, of objects in a room or an outdoor area. In some example motion detection systems, infrared or optical sensors are used to detect movement of objects in the sensor's field of view. Motion detection systems have been used in security systems, automated control systems and other types of systems. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a surface shape measurement device, and more particularly to a device that measures the shape of the surface of plate-shaped articles such as constructional materials or steel plates.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of a conventional surface shape measurement device is shown in FIG. 18. In FIGS. 18(a), and 18 (b)21a to 21e are a plurality of distance measuring devices. Measurement subject 22 moves in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the page, and the dotted line indicates a reference plane of measurement subject 22. These distance measuring devices 21a to 21e respectively measure the distance to the measurement surfaces 22a to 22e of measurement subject 22, whose surface shape is thereby found. The principle of the distance measurement is selected depending on the measurement conditions. Examples are triangulation, the optical section method, and the range finder method. This will be referred to as the first prior art example.
As one example of the first prior art, the triangulation is described in detail referring to FIG. 18(b). In this Figure, distance measuring devices 21a to 21e are constructed by scanners 31a to 31e and receivers 32a to 32e, respectively. Scanners 31a to 31e and receivers 32a to 32e are arranged perpendicularly to the direction of the movement of measurement subject 22 shown by an arrow X, respectively. Each pair of scanners 31a to 31e and receivers 32a to 32e in distance measuring device 21a to 21e is arranged in parallel to the direction shown by the arrow X and is arranged separately from each other by a length 1. Receivers 32a to 32e detect the time when measurement surfaces 22a to 22e are lighted by scanning beams from scanners 31a to 31e, respectively. Then distances to the measurement surfaces 22a to 22e from the reference plane are determined based on the detected times, respectively, and the surface shape of the measurement subject 22 is thereby found.
In a second prior art example, a laser beam etc. is used to describe a track on the surface of the measurement subject. This track is picked up by a CCD camera, and the surface shape is found from the bending of the track.
In the first prior art example, a plurality of distance measuring devices are needed. Indeed, to determine the surface shape in detail, a large number of distance measuring devices are required, resulting in high cost. In the triangulation described above, space longer than the length l is required in the direction of the movement of measurement subject 22 for arranging distance measuring devices 21a to 21e.
A system can be adopted in which the light source is scanned, but this also requires a plurality of photodetectors, so the problem is not solved. Also, in the second prior art example, the measurement takes time and so is unsuitable where the measurement subject is moving at high speed. Additionally, the light source usually needs a large amount of power. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Epidemic and pandemic influenza occurs annually and is a cause of significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Influenza viruses are highly pleomorphic particles composed of two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). The HA mediates attachment of the virus to the host cell and viral-cell membrane fusion during penetration of the virus into the cell. Therefore, an influenza vaccine typically contains an effective amount of HA that matches the diseases strain to induce production of neutralizing antibodies against the disease strain.
Single-radial-immunodiffusion (SRID) assays have been used to determine the Hemagglutinin (HA) content in the influenza vaccine and to measure potency of influenza virus vaccines licensed by the Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States since 1978. Specifically, SRID determines HA content in an influenza vaccine by using specific anti-HA antibodies. Samples of vaccines are applied onto an agar plate containing a strain-specific antiserum. The plates are typically incubated in a moist chamber at room temperature to allow diffusion of the antigen. Reaction of the antigen with the antibody produces a zone of precipitation (which is in form of precipitation ring). The amount of HA in the vaccine samples can be quantified by comparing the ring diameters of samples with the diameters of known concentrations of the reference HA protein. A potency value for the vaccine tested can be obtained based on the amount of HA. | {
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In general, a compression refrigerator includes at least a compressor, a condenser, an expansion mechanism (such as an expansion valve), and an evaporator, or further includes a drier, and is structured so that a mixed liquid of a refrigerant and lubricating oil (refrigerator oil) circulates in the closed system. In such compression refrigerator, the temperature in the compressor is generally high, and the temperature in the condenser is generally low, though such general theory is not applicable to a certain kind of such compression refrigerator. Accordingly, the refrigerant and the lubricating oil must circulate in the system without undergoing phase separation in a wide temperature range from low temperature to high temperature. In general, the refrigerant and the lubricating oil have regions where they undergo phase separation at low temperature and high temperature. Moreover, the highest temperature of the region where the refrigerant and the lubricating oil undergo phase separation at low temperature is preferably −10° C. or lower, or particularly preferably −20° C. or lower. On the other hand, the lowest temperature of the region where the refrigerant and the lubricating oil undergo phase separation at high temperature is preferably 30° C. or higher, or particularly preferably 40° C. or higher. The occurrence of the phase separation during the operation of the refrigerator adversely affects the lifetime or efficiency of the refrigerator to a remarkable extent. For example, when the phase separation of the refrigerant and the lubricating oil occurs in the compressor portion, a movable part is insufficiently lubricated, with the result that baking or the like occurs to shorten the lifetime of the refrigerator remarkably. On the other hand, when the phase separation occurs in the evaporator, the lubricating oil having a high viscosity is present, with the result that the efficiency of heat exchange reduces.
A chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), a hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC), or the like has been heretofore mainly used as a refrigerant for a refrigerator. However, such compounds each contain chlorine that is responsible for environmental issues, so investigation has been conducted on a chlorine-free alternative refrigerant such as a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC). A hydrofluorocarbon typified by, for example, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, difluoromethane, pentafluoroethane, or 1,1,1-trifluoroethane (hereinafter referred to as “R134a”, “R32”, “R125”, or “R143a”, respectively) has been attracting attention, and, for example, R134a has been used in a car air conditioner system.
However, because the influence of the HFC is also concerned from the viewpoint of the global warming, so-called natural refrigerants such as carbon dioxide have attracted attention as alternative refrigerants suitable for environmental protection. The carbon dioxide requires high pressure, and hence cannot be used in the current car air conditioner system.
A refrigerant having a specific polar structure in the molecules such as an unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbon compound (see, for example, Patent Document 1), a fluorinated ether compound (see, for example, Patent Document 2), a fluorinated alcohol compound, or a fluorinated ketone compound has been found to be a refrigerant which has a low global warming potential and can be used in a current car air conditioner system.
The lubricating oil for a refrigerator that uses the refrigerant is demanded to have favorable sealing property, a low coefficient of friction in a sliding part, and excellent stability as well as excellent compatibility with the refrigerant. Patent Document 1: 2006-503961 A Patent Document 2: JP 7-507342 A | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Flash memory can retain the stored data even after power to the memory is removed, and allows data erasing and writing functions. With these advantages, the flash memory has been broadly applied in various electronic products. A conventional flash memory is divided into multiple memory blocks and each memory block is constituted by a number of memory cells, and each cell is used to store a bit data. The memory cell has a control gate, a floating gate, a source and a drain. The stored data in the memory cell is determined according to the storage amount of charges in the floating gate.
However, the typical memory cell is fabricated with two stacked polysilicon layers to be the control gate and the floating gate, which needs another polysilicon process in comparison with the manufacturing process of a typical metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistor of a logic circuit, so that the process is more complicated and the memory cell is hard to integrate with the manufacturing process of the logic circuit and thus must be fabricated separately. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Compounds of general structure I ##STR1## wherein Ar represents an aromatic (substituted or unsubstituted) or heteroaromatic (substituted or unsubstituted) ring system exhibit herbicidal activity against a variety of weed species.
While some of the compounds in this family may be prepared by a conventional, convergent approach via the requisite substituted 2-amino-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine, as described in copending application Ser. No. 574,232 filed Jan. 26, 1984, now abandoned, many analogs cannot be made following this approach. The highly insoluble nature of many of the appropriate substituted 2-amino-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines prohibit their reaction with the less reactive and less stable aromatic sulfonyl chlorides. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to plain bearings and to their method of manufacture and more particularly to multilayer engine bearings of the type having a metal backed layer of copper-lead or aluminum alloy lining overplated with a softer bearing metal for use in internal combustion engines.
2. Related Prior Art
Plain engine journal bearings for use in high load engine applications, such as connecting rod, main and accessory or balance crankshaft bearings of high torque diesel or high performance gasoline engines, typically include a base lining member having a lining of either copper-lead or aluminum alloy formed on a surface of a steel backing. The lining is overplated with a softer bearing metal typically comprising a single layer of a lead-tin-copper alloy having a thickness of about 25 .mu.m. Often, a nickel diffusion barrier or copper bonding layer is interposed between the lining and overplate. As a final step, the bearing is typically coated with a micro-thin layer of tin or lead-tin flash plating having a thickness of about 1 .mu.m or less. The flash plating is primarily cosmetic, giving the product a bright, pleasing appearance. It also provides a level of corrosion protection to the steel backing. The micro-thin flash plating applied to the overplate quickly dissipates within the first few hours of engine break-in, and as such does not contribute to the bearing properties of the overplate.
In service, such multilayer crankshaft bearings are subjected to dynamic loads that vary in magnitude and direction due to the inertial loads applied by the piston and connecting rod mechanism and by the cylinder gas. The softer overplate layer enables the bearing surface to continually change and conform under high load forces to any misalignments or changes in profile or loading of the member being journaled, so that the loads are distributed across a greater surface area of the bearing. This property is generally known as "conformability". The overplate also allows any foreign particles of dirt or metal that may come between the bearing surface and the member it journals to become embedded or absorbed into the bearing surface, so as to protect the bearing and journal from excessive wear or damage. This property is known as "embedibility".
It is generally accepted that conformability and embedibility are dependant upon overplate thickess, with a thicker overplate being preferred. It is also generally known that as the thickness of the overplate increases, so does the susceptibility to bearing fatigue (i.e., the fracturing of the bearing surface when under load). Resistance to fatigue cracking requires that the bearing surface exhibit sufficient tensile strength to enable it to undergo minor configuration changes without cracking. Thus, it is necessary to balance the competing properties of conformability/embedibility and fatigue resistance when designing an engine bearing, particularly one that is to be subjected to high dynamic loading.
For many high load engine applications, it has been found that the single layer, 25 .mu.m thick lead-tin-copper overplate described above provides excellent conformability and embedibility characteristics and good fatigue resistance. However, as the output and efficiency of engines continually increases, the dynamic loads placed on the crankshaft bearings also increase, as does the potential for bearing fatigue. It has been found that under extreme loading conditions the conventional bearings described above having a single layer overplate of lead-tin-copper are prone to fatigue. Efforts to alleviate fatigue by simply decreasing the thickness of the lead-tin-copper overplate layer to less than the 25 .mu.m thickness while at the same time preserving an acceptable level of conformability and embedibility have been largely unsuccessful to date.
Thus, there exists a need in the industry for an improved journal bearing that can perform under such extreme high dynamic loading conditions without experiencing fatigue and while maintaining good conformability and embedibility characteristics. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Initiating operation of a computer system is referred to as “booting” (or “rebooting”) the computer system. The computer system is booted in response to an event (“boot event”). Such a boot event may be, for example, a user “turning on” the computer system (e.g. the user causing application of electrical power to the computer system by switching an on/off button of the computer system). Alternatively, such a boot event may be receipt by the computer system of a command to initially execute the operating system software. For example, the computer system may receive such a command from the user (e.g. through an input device), or from a computer application executed by the computer system, or from another computer system (e.g. through a network).
In response to a boot event, the computer system initiates execution of software (e.g. operating system software such as Microsoft Windows). The computer system may read the software from a computer-readable medium, such as a hard disk or a floppy diskette. During the booting of the computer system and prior to execution of the operating system, the computer system may enter a system setup program. The system setup program is a program recorded as part of the basic input-output system (BIOS) that changes the setup options of the computer system. The setup program is executed by actuating a special key combination (usually shown on screen) as the computer system boots up. To execute the system setup program, it is important to actuate the key combination at the appropriate time during power on self test (POST). After the time has passed, then the computer system initiates the execution of the software and to execute the system setup program it is generally necessary to reboot the computer system. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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There are a variety of known ways to print hard copy in black and white and in color. The traditional techniques include letterpress printing, rotogravure printing and offset printing. These conventional printing processes produce high quality copies. However, when only a limited number of copies are required, the copies are relatively expensive. In the case of letterpress and gravure printing, the major expense results from the fact that the image has to be cut or etched into the plate using expensive photographic masking and chemical etching techniques. Plates are also required in offset lithography. However, the plates are in the form of mats or films which are relatively inexpensive to make. The image is present on the plate or mat as hydrophilic and hydrophobic (and ink-receptive) surface areas. In wet lithography, water and then ink are applied to the surface of the plate Water tends to adhere to the hydrophilic or water-receptive area of the plate creating a thin film of water there which does not accept ink. The ink does adhere to the hydrophobic areas of the plate and those inked areas, usually corresponding to the printed areas of the original document, are transferred to a relatively soft blanket cylinder and, from there, to the paper or other recording medium brought into contact with the surface of the blanket cylinder by an impression cylinder.
Most conventional offset plates are also produced photographically. In a typical negative-working, subtractive process, the original document is photographed to produce a photographic negative. The negative is placed on an aluminum plate having a water-receptive oxide surface that is coated with a photopolymer. Upon being exposed to light through the negative, the areas of the coating that received light (corresponding to the dark or printed areas of the original) cure to a durable oleophilic or ink-receptive state. The plate is then subjected to a developing process which removes the noncured areas of the coating that did not receive light (corresponding to the light or background areas of the original). The resultant plate now carries a positive or direct image of the original document.
If a press is to print in more than one color, a separate printing plate corresponding to each color is required, each of which is usually made photographically as aforesaid. In addition to preparing the appropriate plates for the different colors, the plates must be mounted properly on the print cylinders in the press and the angular positions of the cylinders coordinated so that the color components printed by the different cylinders will be in register on the printed copies.
The development of lasers has simplified the production of lithographic plates to some extent Instead of applying the original image photographically to the photoresist-coated printing plate as above, an original document or picture is scanned line-by-line by an optical scanner which develops strings of picture signals, one for each color. These signal are then used to control a laser plotter that writes on and thus exposes the photoresist coating on the lithographic plate to cure the coating in those areas which receive light. That plate is then developed in the usual way by removing the unexposed areas of the coating to create a direct image on the plate for that color. Thus, it is still necessary to chemically etch each plate in order to create an image on that plate.
There have been some attempts to use more powerful lasers to write images on lithographic plates by volatilizing the surface coating so as to avoid the need for subsequent developing. However, the use of such lasers for this purpose has not been entirely satisfactory because the coating on the plate must be compatible with the particular laser which limits the choice of coating materials. Also, the pulsing frequencies of some lasers used for this purpose are so low that the time required to produce a halftone image on the plate is unacceptably long.
There have also been some attempts to use scanning E-beam apparatus to etch away the surface coatings on plates used for printing. However, such machines are very expensive. In addition, they require the workpiece, i.e. the plate, be maintained in a complete vacuum, making such apparatus impractical for day-to-day use in a printing facility.
An image has also been applied to a lithographic plate by electro-erosion. The type of plate suitable for imaging in this fashion and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,733, has an oleophilic plastic substrate, e.g. Mylar brand plastic film, having a thin coating of aluminum metal with an overcoating containing conductive graphite which acts as a lubricant and protects the aluminum coating against scratching. A stylus electrode in contact with the graphite containing surface coating is caused to move across the surface of the plate and is pulsed in accordance with incoming picture signals. The resultant current flow between the electrode and the thin metal coating is by design large enough to erode away the thin metal coating and the overlying conductive graphite containing surface coating thereby exposing the underlying ink receptive plastic substrate on the areas of the plate corresponding to the printed portions of the original document. This method of making lithographic plates is disadvantaged in that the described electro-erosion process only works on plates whose conductive surface coatings are very thin and the stylus electrode which contacts the surface of the plate sometimes scratches the plate. This degrades the image being written onto the plate because the scratches constitute inadvertent or unwanted image areas on the plate which print unwanted marks on the copies.
Finally, we are aware of a press system, only recently developed, which images a lithographic plate while the plate is actually mounted on the print cylinder in the press. The cylindrical surface of the plate, treated to render it either oleophilic or hydrophilic, is written on by an ink jetter arranged to scan over the surface of the plate. The ink jetter is controlled so as to deposit on the plate surface a thermoplastic image-forming resin or material which has a desired affinity for the printing ink being used to print the copies. For example, the image-forming material may be attractive to the printing ink so that the ink adheres to the plate in the areas thereof where the image-forming material is present and phobic to the "wash" used in the press to prevent inking of the background areas of the image on the plate.
While that prior system may be satisfactory for some applications, it is not always possible to provide thermoplastic image-forming material that is suitable for jetting and also has the desired affinity (phyilic or phobic) for all of the inks commonly used for making lithographic copies. Also, ink jet printers are generally unable to produce small enough ink dots to allow the production of smooth continuous tones on the printed copies, i.e. the resolution is not high enough.
Thus, although there have been all the aforesaid efforts to improve different aspects of lithographic plate production and offset printing, these efforts have not reached full fruition primarily because of the limited number of different plate constructions available and the limited number of different techniques for practically and economically imaging those known plates. Accordingly, it would be highly desirable if new and different lithographic plates became available which could be imaged by writing apparatus able to respond to incoming digital data so as to apply a positive or negative image directly to the plate in such a way as to avoid the need of subsequent processing of the plate to develop or fix that image. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to a holding device for studs which have a radially projecting flange section, comprising a collet component which has a clamping section and a hollow insertion section, it being possible for a stud to be inserted via the insertion section to the clamping section, and the clamping section being designed in order to exert a radially inwardly directed clamping force for clamping the stud in place, a securing device, past which a flange section of the stud can be directed, being arranged on the insertion section and being designed with respect to the clamping section in such a way that a flange section which is directed past the securing device is mounted in a secured manner in a securing position between the securing device and the clamping section.
Such a holding device is disclosed by document EP 1 495 828 B1.
The present invention also relates to a joining head for joining studs to workpieces, comprising such a holding device, and also relates to a method of feeding a stud to a joining head.
In the field of joining technology, it is known to join studs to the surface of a workpiece. This includes “stud welding”, in which a stud is welded to the surface of a workpiece. Alternative joining techniques include, for example, the adhesive bonding of a stud to the surface of a workpiece.
Such processes are frequently carried out in an automated manner, for example in the motor vehicle industry, where a multiplicity of such studs are joined to the vehicle sheet in order to provide anchors for fastening means, paneling, etc. The automated joining of studs to workpieces as a rule includes the provision of a joining head on a robot. The joining head is in this case connected to a supply unit which provides, for example, the electric welding current and other control signals. Furthermore, it is preferred to feed the studs to the joining head in an automated manner. As a rule, this is effected by compressed air through feed tubes. For high cycle times, it is appropriate in this case to feed the studs from the rear, as it were, into a holding device of the joining head. The holding device serves to shift the stud into a defined ready position, starting from which a joining process can be initiated.
The diameter of the feed passages is as a rule slightly larger than the diameter of the flange section in order to make it possible to transport the stud therein with an easy motion. In the holding device, too, the inside diameter of the insertion section is as a rule slightly larger than the outside diameter of the flange section. This may result in a stud fed to the holding device coming into an oblique position in the holding direction and first having to be oriented (centered) again with a welding axis before the stud can be transferred into the ready position. In some situations, it may be the case that this centering does not succeed, the result of which is that the fed stud then has to be ejected from the holding device. In the process, the stud falls downward in an uncontrolled manner, either onto the floor or also, for example in automobile construction, into the body. The ejected studs then lie distributed on the floor and are swept up and thrown away. Studs left lying in a body may subsequently lead to disturbing noises during driving.
The holding device which has been disclosed by document EP 1 495 828 B1 has a securing device in the form of a collet element arranged inside a collet cover. The collet element has a plurality of axially extending arms which can be expanded radially relative to one another. | {
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The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for increasing the reliability and improving the behavior of software programs. More particularly, the present invention relates to exception-handling systems and methods which assist software developers in the task of ensuring that programs operative on digital computers can recover from exceptions (also known as runtime errors).
Before a digital computer may accomplish a desired task, it must receive an appropriate set of instructions. Executed by the computer's microprocessor, these instructions, collectively referred to as a "computer program," direct the operation of the computer. Expectedly, the computer must understand the instructions which it receives before it may undertake the specified activity.
Owing to their digital nature, computers essentially only understand "machine code," that is, the low-level, minute instructions for performing specific tasks--the sequence of ones and zeros that are interpreted as specific instructions by the computer's microprocessor. Since machine language or machine code is the only language computers actually understand, all other programming languages represent ways of structuring "human" language so that humans can get computers to perform specific tasks.
While it is possible for humans to compose meaningful programs in machine code, practically all software development today employs one or more of the available programming languages. The most widely-used programming languages are the "high-level" languages, such as C or Pascal. These languages allow data structures and algorithms to be expressed in a style of writing which is easily read and understood by fellow programmers.
A program called a "compiler" translates these instructions into the requisite machine language. In the context of this translation, the program written in the high-level language is called the "source code" or source program. The ultimate output of the compiler is an "object module," which includes instructions for execution by a target processor. Although an object module includes code for instructing the operation of a computer, the object module itself is not in a form which may be directly executed by a computer. Instead, it must undergo a "linking" operation before the final executable program is created.
Linking may be thought of as the general process of combining or linking together one or more compiled object modules to create an executable program. This task usually falls to a program called a "linker." In typical operation, a linker receives, either from the user or from an integrated compiler, a list of object modules desired to be included in the link operation. The linker scans the object modules from the object and library files specified. After resolving interconnecting references as needed, the linker constructs an executable image by organizing the object code from the modules of the program in a format understood by the operating system program loader. The end result of linking is executable code (typically an .exe file) which, after testing and quality assurance, is passed to the user with appropriate installation and usage instructions.
Development of programs is largely a trial and error process. Errors that emerge from this program development cycle can be divided into three broad classes: compile-time errors, linkage errors, and runtime errors. Proper development methodologies and quality controls will remove both compile-time errors (such as syntax and format violations) and linkage errors (such as library and global naming inconsistencies), but runtime errors are less amenable to systematic elimination. Indeed, the supreme importance of runtime errors stems from the fact that they are usually discovered by, and provide major frustration to, the end user. Unless handled properly, runtime errors simply abort (terminate) execution, leaving the system in a questionable state and the user uncertain as to what went wrong and what to do next.
There are many reasons for the intractability of the runtime error problem. First, it is difficult to predict every user action during program execution. Although the conscientious programmer guides the user with helpful menus and prompts, and aims to insert code that checks the validity of each user response, in practice, considering the complexities of current graphical user interfaces, it remains a major programming challenge to anticipate and respond to arbitrary user input.
Second, it is difficult, and often impossible, to predict the availabilty of the diverse hardware and software resources required as program execution unfolds. For instance, the running program might request RAM (random access memory) and disk storage allocations at diverse points of its execution, in the absence of which the program cannot usefully continue. Similarly, the running program might call operating system, library, or other routines that are, for various reasons beyond the programmer's control, unavailable at that moment. A common error, for instance, occurs when a program seeks access to a file that is not available. As with hardware resource exceptions, the program must either take evasive action or simply terminate (exit or abort). Exceptions of this type are especially common in modern computing environments where a set of independent user applications, or a set of independently executing threads within the same program, must share the same resources.
Apart from resource availability and unpredicted user actions, a further source of runtime errors involves genuine coding bugs not detectable during compilation or linkage. For example, an arithmetical expression, accepted as legal by the compiler, may produce a runtime error for certain values of its variable components. Typical cases are the "divide-by-zero" error and similar situations where the expression cannot be correctly evaluated. Such errors are predictable and avoidable in theory. In practice, however, traditional exception-handling solutions have involved a hard-coded plethora of conditional tests of variable values before each expression is evaluated, followed by ad hoc routines to bypass invalid evaluations. For example:
______________________________________ if (X != 0) Y/X; // OK to divide by X else // problem: how/where to handle the divide- // by-zero exception? }; ______________________________________
The approach is at best tedious and prone to error.
Most of the high-level languages currently used for program development exploit the concept of modularity whereby a commonly required set of operations can be encapsulated in a separately named subroutine, procedure, or function. Once coded, such subroutines can be reused by "calling" them from any point in the main program. Further, a subroutine may call a subsubroutine, and so on, so that in most cases an executing program is seldom a linear sequence of instructions. In the C language, for example, a main() program is written which calls a sequence of functions, each of which can call functions, and so on. If all goes well, control eventually returns to main(). This nesting of function calls simplifies the construction of programs but, at the same time, complicates the handling of exceptions. The essence of a function call is that it must pass any arguments (or parameters) to the target function, transfer control to the memory section holding the function's executable code, return the result of the call, and at the same time, store sufficient information to ensure that subsequent execution resumes immediately after the point where the original function call was made. This function-calling mechanism, as is well-known in the art, is usually achieved by pushing and pulling data and memory addresses on and off a stack prior to, during, and after, the call. A stack is simply a dedicated portion of memory organized as a LIFO (last in, first out) data structure. The stack is not normally manipulated directly by the programmer, but its contents are changed as a result of the function calls coded by the programmer. Programs do have direct access to another portion of memory, called the heap, and a key element in exception handling involves the management of this vital resource.
After a successful function call, the stack is unwound, that is to say, all data which were "pushed" onto the stack are "popped" off in reverse order, leaving the stack in its pre-call state ready for further function calls; execution resumes in the function which made the call. Note that, since function calls can be nested to arbitrary levels, the stack must maintain a vital, complex sequence of return values and instruction pointers essential to the proper execution of the program. Eventually, absent any problems, control ends back in main(), and after the final successful function call in main(), the program terminates. Any interruption to this unwinding process leads to an unbalanced stack with unpredictable results. For instance, a called function expects to find its arguments in a particular section, known as the function's stack frame, at the top of the stack; if the stack is unbalanced, the function will pull off erroneous data, further compounding the runtime error.
Clearly, exceptions occurring in a nested function can create a particularly difficult problem. Expectedly, several exception-handling approaches have been attempted to address the problem. One approach, for instance, is to have each function return an error indication, either in a separate variable, or as a special range of values for the normal return value. The immediate onus of exception handling then rests on the calling function. If the calling function is unable to cope, it must return an error indication to its calling function, and so on up the chain until either a function is reached that can handle the exception, or until main() is reached. If main() cannot correct the problem, it terminates as gracefully as possible, perhaps displaying an explanatory message for the user.
As an illustration, suppose that main() calls funcA() which, in turn, calls funcB(). funcB() is programmed to return, say, zero for success or a positive number indicating the reason for failure. For example, funcB() might return 1 for "insufficient memory," 2 for "file not found," and so on. funcA() always tests the value returned by funcB(). If this test indicates success, funcA() carries on and eventually returns control to main(). If funcA () detects that funcB() suffered an "insufficient memory" error, it may well be able to correct the situation (by "collecting garbage" or by defragmenting the heap) and then call funcB() again. But if funcA() detects the "file not found" error, it may have no means of handling this situation other than displaying a warning. Unable to continue, funcA() must then return an error value to main(). What, if anything, main() can do with this error will, of course, depend on the particular application.
The merit of this "error chaining" scheme is that the stack is always unwound correctly, but there are several serious disadvantages. Each function in the chain is saddled with code that "looks" for exceptions occuring in its called functions. This code must also "decide" which exceptions can be handled and which ones have to be returned to the calling function. When the function calls are deeply nested, and the number of different exception types increases, the testing and chaining of exceptions becomes a major, error-prone programming headache. A significant obstacle to well-formulated, easy-to-read, maintainable code is apparent from the simple example outlined above. If main() is left to handle an exception returned by funcA(), it may need to know both the type of exception and where the exception occurred. The type of exception is clear from the error code, but the fact that it occurred in funcB() and not in funcA() or, as the program is changed and extended, some other function in the chain, is not immediately apparent without additional error encoding.
One response to this problem is the global (or long) goto label instruction that can transfer control from any point of any function to a routine residing anywhere in memory, at the address given by the identifier, label. Under this regime, the funcB() of the preceding example need not return error codes up the function chain, but, on detecting an error can send control directly to an appropriate exception handler:
______________________________________ retVal funcB ( ) // suggestive code only; not legal C serr = `B`; // optional: identify this function . . . // request memory here if (no.sub.-- mem) goto no.sub.-- mem.sub.-- handler; . . . // try to access file here if (no.sub.-- file) goto no.sub.-- file.sub.-- handler; . . . // funcB does its thing return result; // return to calling function } main ( ) { . . . no.sub.-- mem.sub.-- handler: { // check value of serr and handle exception } no.sub.-- file.sub.-- handler: { // check value of serr and handle exception } . . . } ______________________________________
The routine at no.sub.-- mem.sub.-- handler is presumed to handle all "insufficient memory" errors and, if necessary, use the value of serr to determine in which function the error occurred. In the current terminology, funcB() "throws" the "insufficient memory" exception, while the routine at no.sub.-- mem.sub.-- handler "catches" the exception.
This simple global goto approach has the merit of offering a single, readable place for each exception handler, but in practice it creates more problems than it solves. First, the standard goto instruction in the C and C++ languages operates only within a function; it lacks the required, long-distance power to transfer control between functions. Second, as it stands, the direct transfer to a handler fails to correctly unwind the stack, as described earlier. Finally, and related to the first two objections, additional mechanisms to allow control to return, if necessary, to the throwing function are needed. In order to resume execution in the throwing function on those occasions when the handler is able to "correct" the error, the exception-handling mechanism must allow the preservation and restoration of the state or context of the throwing function.
When funcB() throws an exception, for example, its local variables will hold particular values. As the name implies, the scope and existence of local variables is limited to the "life-span" of the function: they disappear when the function yields control. These local values and other parameters such as the current values in the registers of the central processor constitute the state of funcB(). In particular, the state includes the stack status and the current IP (instruction pointer) that marks the place in memory where execution must be resumed. This state must be completely saved before the handler is called, and then completely restored before execution of funcB() can be safely resumed.
Some of the deficiencies of the global goto "solution" have been alleviated by the introduction of two Standard C library functions, setjmp() and longjmp(). setjmp() can be called in any function at the point at which control should be resumed if a matching longjmp() is called in another function. Typically, longjmp() is called when an exception is thrown. setjmp() takes as an argument the address of (pointer to) a programmer-supplied memory buffer in which the state of the current function will be saved. As discussed earlier, this state holds the processor registers, including the current IP (instruction pointer), needed to resume execution immediately after the setjmp() call. longjmp(), unlike goto, can transfer control across different functions as follows: longjmp() takes as one of its arguments the same buffer address which is used in the matching setjmp(). When longjmp() is called, it recovers the state saved by setjmp(), and transfers control to the address found in the stored IP, namely the instruction following the setjmp() call. Further, longjmp() takes a second numeric argument which can be tested in the function that called setjmp(), thereby providing a mechanism for determining which particular longjmp() caused the jump. The following program snippet illustrates the use of these functions:
______________________________________ #include <setjmp.h> // makes the setjmp ( ) and longjmp ( ) library functions // available jmp.sub.-- buf aJmpBuf; // create a state (jump) buffer void fna ( ) int retval; retval = setjmp(aJmpBuf); // store current state in state buffer if (retval) { printf("Got here via longjmp( ).backslash.n"}; exit(-1); } fnb ( ); fnc ( ); } ______________________________________
In fnb(), fnc(), or in any function they call, or in any function these functions call (and so on), the statement EQU longjmp(aJmpBuf, status);
ensures that the setjmp() in fna() will be "recalled" under special circumstances in order to return value status in retval, following which, control will revert to the if (retval) line in fna(). In the absence of any longjmp() calls in subsequent functions, setjmp() returns zero (false), so that the if (retval) test fails. Thus, the setjmp() and longjmp() pair offer a global goto method for exception handling. Exception handlers can be encapsulated into any convenient set of functions, and after suitable handling, control can, if required, be safely transferred back to the functions in which the exception occurred.
However, the setjmp()/longjmp() solution has pronounced disadvantages. First, there is no guarantee that the function to which longjmp() returns is still active. In the previous example, it is possible that fna() has already returned, relinquishing its place on the stack, before a matching longjmp() is encountered. The only solution to this problem is to restrict setjmp() calls to the main() program. Second, the stack unwinding problem in the presence of nested setjmp ()s and longjmp ()s requires careful explicit programming. Third, setjmp() and longjmp() are not compatible with the Microsoft Windows API (Applications Programming Interface). Finally, many popular program overlaying and virtual memory techniques employ special stacks, so that a function's status is not completely stored by setjmp(). All told, present-day approaches have failed to adequately address the problem of handling exceptions. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and an apparatus of selecting an item of a portable terminal, and more particularly, to a method and an apparatus of selecting a plurality of items among items which are arranged one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, portable terminals are being developed into multimedia devices such as a smart phone that allow various supplementary services, such as a digital organizer function, a game function, a schedule management function, etc., to be provided. As portable terminals provide various supplementary services as described above, a user interface (UI) is essential to manage and use the various kinds of supplementary services more conveniently.
There are a plurality of applications that show specific items such as music, photographs, moving images, e-mail, etc. in a list form using a smart phone in which, after directly selecting a plurality of files in a corresponding list, a user executes various functions such as deletion, movement, transmission, sharing, etc.
In such a case, when it is desired to select or cancel a plurality of files from an application (file explorer, gallery or the like) that shows various files existing in the portable terminal, it is necessary to directly select or cancel individual items as illustrated in FIG. 1A (list form) or FIG. 1C (grid form), or select or cancel all the files at once as illustrated in FIG. 1B.
A conventional method of selecting a plurality of list items in the UI appearing in a list form, as described, is to select individual list items one by one, or to select all the list items through an overall selection option and then cancel unnecessary list items to perform selection.
When the list items are selected using the conventional method, as described above, it is not very inconvenient when the number of overall list items is small. However, it is easy to encounter a case where a plurality of files are to be transmitted or applications have a number of list items in a smart device equipped with a high-performance processor and a high-capacity memory. In such a case, the following problems may be encountered.
First, when there are many list items and many of them are selected, it is necessary to select each of the items individually. For example, when there is a list that shows 200 files and it is desired to select 100 files, there is an inconvenience in that a user must directly select 100 list items to be selected unconditionally.
Second, there is a problem in that it is not possible to confirm how many list items have been selected up to now in the overall list, and which files have been selected. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Spectacle lenses for the correction of blurred vision of distant objects conventionally employ two surfaces of spherical form when the eye is free of astigmatism, or one surface of spherical form and the other of toroidal form when astigmatism requiring correction is present. For a given value of back vertex power, the curvatures of the surfaces comprising a lens of this type are fixed by the designer using a predetermined standard of optical performance for vision through the peripheral areas of the lens ("off-axis performance"). Such lenses are termed "best form" lenses.
Conventional best form lenses tend to be bulky and cosmetically unattractive in the higher powers. Table 1 illustrates the point for typical best form hard-resin lenses (refractive index n=1.498) having back vertex powers of +5.00 D and -5.00 D. The curvatures of the spherical surfaces of these lenses have been chosen, in the absence of chromatic aberration, to minimize the sum .vertline.MOE.vertline.+.vertline.OAE.vertline., where MOE is the mean oblique error [arithmetic mean of the tangential (T) and saggital (S) errors] and OAE is the oblique astigmatic error (T -S).
TABLE I ______________________________________ CHARACTERISTICS OF BEST FORM LENSES OF REFRACTIVE INDEX 1.498 AND 71 MM DIAMETER. CENTER OF ROTATION DISTANCE = 28.5 MM. OBJECT DISTANCE = 10,000 M. 1.53 power Edge Center Flat plate Back vertex of front thickness thickness thickness power (D) surface.sup.(1) (D) (mm) (mm) (mm) ______________________________________ +5.00 9.80 1.0 8.2 14.3 5.00 3.90 9.8 2.2 14.5 ______________________________________ .sup.(1) 1.53 surface power is an industry standard defined by the expression (n - 1)/r, where n = 1.53 and r is radius of curvature (in meters)
The table suggests that the +5.00 D lens will be bulbous in appearance owing to the relative strong front surface power (i.e., short radius of curvature), and the -5.00 lens will seem massive owning to its relatively thick edge. Both lenses exhibit a large flat plate thickness. (Flat plate thickness is the separation of two flat plates held against opposite sides of the lens.)
It is well known that the cosmetic appearance of the best form lenses can be improved by employing an aspherical surface of appropriate form in conjunction with a conventionally formed spherical or toroidal second surface. Davis (U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,442) discloses the basic concept of combining an aspheric surface with base curve selection to obtain desired design characteristics while maintaining optical performance. A specific lens series of the aspheric type described by Jalie (U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,387) utilizes a convex hyperboloidal front surface for plus power lenses, with the prescription to be formed on the back surface, and a concave hyperboloidal back surface for minus power lenses, with the prescription to be formed on the front surface. The use of the hyperboloidal surfaces provides lenses having reduced edge, center and flat plate thicknesses relative to those of their conventional best form counterparts. Moreover, by an appropriate choice of the "conic constant" associated with the hyperboloidal surface, the off-axis performance of the aspherical lens series can be made comparable to that of the conventional best form series.
The use of a concave hyperboloidal surface for minus power lenses presents a problem for prescription lens processing laboratories in that most laboratories lack the machinery necessary to generate, grind and polish the convex front surfaces of prescription lenses. The processing problem is resolved by incorporating a convex oblate ellipsoid on the front side of the lens, rather than a concave hyperboloid on the back side. Unfortunately, although the off-axis performance of such a lens can be adjusted by varying the conic constant of the oblate ellipsoid, the performance is not, in general, as good as that of the lens with concave hyperboloidal back surface. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Smart energy (“SE”) devices and networks have been deployed in homes and businesses as utilities and consumers attempt to better understand and control energy use. SE networks are typically a collection of monitoring, control, and reporting devices located, for example, in a home. Typical SE devices include, for example, thermostats and water, gas, and electric meters. The SE devices generally implement one or more communications protocols to communicate with each other and ultimately the utility or consumer.
In order to safeguard utilities from incidental or malicious interference from SE networks, SE networks and SE devices are secured using various methods. One such method is to encrypt communications between the SE devices on a SE network. Typically, SE devices are preconfigured, by the manufacturer, with a symmetric cipher key, called a link key, to encrypt the SE device's communications until another key used by the SE network, often called a NetKey, can be given to the SE device after it joins the SE network.
A smart energy device joins the smart energy network through an energy services interface (“ESI”), which may also be known as an energy services portal (“ESP”), the ESI also communicating with a utilities' automated metering infrastructure (“AMI”) network. In order for the ESI to join a SE device to the SE network, the ESI needs to be configured to identify the SE device and, at least, with the SE device's link key. Typically this process is done by a human installer of the SE device. The installer may determine the SE device's information from the product packaging. The installer may then connect to the AMI network and input the SE device information for the given SE network which is typically identified by an ESI for the SE network. Typically, the AMI network may then push the SE device information down to the ESI. Then the installer activates the SE device which then begins the joining process. For drivers specific to the SE device, the installer may also need to load these to the ESI in a manner similar to configuring the link key. This cumbersome process is then repeated for each SE device added to the SE network. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to new and improved dessert premixes and mixes. More specifically, the invention relates to new dessert premixes and mixes preferably containing only natural products which are capable of being converted to frozen products having very attractive properties.
More particularly, the invention provides new dessert premixes and mixes based on natural products preferably containing no added sucrose or glucose and having attractive consumer properties, such as reduced calorie content and improved sweetness and taste. The new dessert mixes comprise dehydrated powders or aqueous solutions having a solids content made up of butterfat; nonfat dry milk solids, a portion of which are preferably whey protein concentrate; a sweetening agent consisting of at least 75% by weight fructose; and one or more stabilizers which preferably contain at least a stated amount of microcrystalline cellulose. A premix powder consisting of whey protein concentrate, fructose, stabilizers and other additives such as egg solids, flavoring agents and other milk solids is first prepared. The new mixes are prepared by combining the premix with appropriate amounts of milk and/or cream, heating the mixture to effect pasteurization and then homogenizing the mixture to form the desired dispersion. The new invention also provides valuable products, such as soft dessert ice cream mixes, hard ice cream, etc., prepared by subjecting the aforementioned solutions to a freezing process. In addition, the homogenized solutions may be dehydrated to form a powdered mix which can be rehydrated and then frozen.
2. Prior Art
A great variety of different types of dessert mixes which can be frozen to produce soft and hard ice cream products has been prepared in the past. Most of these products have been based on the use of sucrose and have a high caloric content. In the interest of weight reduction, attempts have been made to produce products by substituting materials for the sucrose, but the attempts, heretofore, have not been entirely satisfactory. In many cases, these products have been deficient in taste or body and texture, and either it has been difficult to freeze them, or retain their composition at the freezing temperatures, or too expensive to produce them for large scale consumption.
Arbuckle, Ice Cream, 3rd Edition, AVI Publishing Co., Inc., 1977, pp. 80-91, discloses various sources of sweetener solids for use in making ice cream. Various mono- and di-saccharides in numerous stages of refinement are listed. Arbuckle recites that authorities consider an acceptable zone of sweetness for ice cream to be between about 13 and 20% by weight concentration based on sucrose. Considering sucrose to have a sweetening value of 100, fructose has a relative sweetness of 173, and invert sugar (a mixture of glucose anf fructose obtained by the hydrolysis of sucrose) has a relative sweetness of 127. Glucose has a sweetening value of 74.
Because glucose and invert sugar (mixture of glucose and fructose) are monosaccharides or monosaccharide mixtures having a relative low molecular weight of 180.1, they tend to depress the freezing point of ice cream more than higher molecular weight sugars such as sucrose, lactose, maltose and converted corn syrup solids. Arbuckle states that this effect on freezing point limits the amount of monosaccharide in ice cream to about 25% of the total desired sugar. In other words, at least 75% of the sweetening agent must be a di- or oligosaccharide.
Moreover, the relative sweetness of monosaccharides does not necessarily transfer proportionately when substituted for sucrose. Arbuckle states that it requires 1.05 pounds of invert sugar to equal one pound of sucrose even though invert sugar is purportedly 1.27 times as sweet as sucrose. However, invert sugar contains 25% to 30% water. Arbuckle also states that it takes 1.25 pounds of glucose to replace one pound of sucrose. Therefore, due to the lowering of the freezing point and the lack of direct translation of sweetening powers, it is not recommended to prepare an ice cream having a monosaccharide as the only added sugar. Arbuckle states that invert sugar should not replace more than 33% of the sucrose when making ice cream and that dextrose, i.e., glucose, should not replace more than 35% of the sucrose. By the same reasoning, Arbuckle states that honey, which is a mixture of 17.5% moisture, 74.5% invert sugar (glucose and fructose), 2% sucrose, 2% dextrin and 3.8% miscellaneous matter requires 1.4 pounds to equal one pound of sucrose and should not replace more than 30% of sucrose in ice cream.
Arbuckle makes several sugar (sucrose)-saving suggestions to stretch a manufacturer's allotment of cane or beet sugar (sucrose), such as replacing sucrose with corn sugar or corn syrup solids; replacing part of the sugar with milk solids and inverting up to 1/3 of the sucrose. None of the suggestions teaches or even indicates that sucrose can be entirely replaced or even replaced by a majority of a monosaccharide such as fructose. In fact, Arbuckle states on page 38 that an appropriate ice cream sweetener can be obtained only by using some sucrose in the blend. The percentage of sweetening agent which can be blended with sucrose depends upon various factors such as desired sugar concentration, total solids content, effect on physical properties such as freezing point, viscosity and whipping ability and the inherent relative sweetening power of the sweetening agent. All illustrations and tables in Arbuckle indicate that at least two-thirds of the sweetening agent must be sucrose.
Koerver, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,500,315, teaches an ice cream with an increased lactose (milk sugar which is a disaccharide) content, and Decker, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,510,316 teaches a nonfat dairy dessert where part of the sugar (sucrose) is replaced by a less sweet corn syrup (28 DE). According to Arbuckle, about 80% of a low-conversion corn syrup is made up of polysaccharides consisting of three or more monosaccharides linked together.
However, none of the prior art surveyed suggests that sucrose can be replaced entirely, or even substantially, as a sweetener for ice cream by another sugar or blend of sugars.
Arbuckle states that about 25% of the MSNF (milk solids not fat) content of ice cream may be supplied by dried whey which is listed as being 13.4% protein (lactalbumin), 76.1% lactose and 10.5% mineral salts. In the same paragraph, MSNF is listed as 35.8% protein (27.1% casein and 8.7% lactalbumin), 54.4% lactose and 9.8% mineral salts. Arbuckle further states that a high quality, good flavored dry buttermilk can be used to replace all of the MSNF of a mix without affecting texture or taste. The use of sodium caseinate and low lactose skim milk is also mentioned. Sodium caseinate is said to produce a slight undesirable flavor in finished ice cream products. However, there is no mention that a product rich in whey proteins, such as a whey protein concentrate or isolated whey proteins, can be utilized at all. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
According to the Swedish patent applications 73112401 it is known to control a display panel for running characters by means of a keyboard, which is connected to a computer. It is then possible for the operator to both control the text at the display panel, similar to commonly used inquiry terminals in computer systems, and also to control the optical parameters for the running characters, such as the running speed etc. When the running speed is adjustable it is also possible to use rather few character positions whereby the physical dimensions of the device can be reduced.
A drawback for such known display panels, as also for the display panels with stationary characters, is the difficulty to produce complete lines and curves for the characters or other indications. Through increasing the number of light points, it is of course possible to produce rather complete character forms or other curve forms, but this will always be done through loss of space and control circuits. It would therefore be desirable to be able to use rather few light spots and nevertheless provide complete lines and curves for the characters. This can also be said in another way that it would be desirable to use the optical phenomena for the running characters to form lines and curves in such a way as cannot be made by stationary characters.
It is an object of this invention to provide a display panel for running characters whereby a rather few light spots are used to provide complete line and curve formations preferably for character representations.
It is another object for the present invention to provide an optical display panel whereby the light spots are arranged nonsymmetrically.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a display panel, whereby phase shifts are used between the switch on and switch off control signals for the light spots.
It is still an object of the present invention to provide an optical display panel with rows and columns, whereby the light spots are arranged in only a few number of cross points for the lines and columns.
The characteristic part of the present invention is disclosed in the attached claims. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The rich complexity of quantum states and processes enables powerful new protocols for processing and communicating quantum information, as illustrated, for example, by Shor's factoring algorithm, quantum simulation. algorithms, and others. However, the same rich complexity of quantum processes that makes them useful also allows a large variety of errors to occur. Errors in a quantum computation arise from a variety of sources, including decoherence and imperfect control, where the latter can lead to coherent (unitary) errors. Fault-tolerant quantum computation can be performed in the presence of such errors provided they occur with at most some maximum threshold probability. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Such an exhaust line is provided to equip an internal combustion engine, for example a diesel engine. It includes a catalyst provided to reduce the nitrogen oxides and an injector placed upstream from the catalyst. The injector is designed to inject a reagent, in particular a reducing agent or substance producing a reducing agent of the nitrogen oxides, such as urea, in the exhaust line. The urea consecutively undergoes two chemical reactions, thermolysis and hydrolysis, and is converted into ammonia. Within the catalyst and when the exhaust gases reach a certain temperature, the ammonia reacts chemically with the nitrogen oxides, reducing them into nitrogen and water.
In an exhaust line including an SCR system, i.e., the catalyst performing the selective reduction of the nitrogen oxides, the injection of the reducing agent is generally located downstream from the mechanical decoupling element to prevent damaging the latter, for example to avoid the risks of corrosion and mechanical failure. Such an arrangement nevertheless has the major drawback of increasing the startup time for the conversion of nitrogen oxides due to the distance of the SCR system from the engine.
In light of the aforementioned constraints, the architecture of such an exhaust line including an SCR system makes it more difficult to obtain an effective increase in the conversion of nitrogen oxides NOx when the vehicle is traveling under urban conditions, as it is not possible to reach the threshold or minimum temperature authorizing the injection of the reducing agent quickly.
In this context, the invention aims to propose an exhaust line whereof the operation is more satisfactory, with a more effective conversion of the nitrogen oxides. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Broadly speaking, reflective materials for lighting systems are known; see for example, published U.S. Patent Application, 2009-0227050 to Shin, et al. Such reflective materials are generally used to enhance and redirect light into a desired direction. Conventional reflective surfaces include metal coatings, white pigmented polyethylene terephthalate, and white pigmented polyamides. Conventional reflective surfaces can be problematic for any one of a number of reasons, such as:
i. insufficient whiteness, ii. insufficient reflectance, iii. poor reflectance and poor color stability upon thermal exposure over time (i.e. poor thermal aging), iv. poor mechanical properties, v. poor color stability upon UV exposure (i.e. poor UV aging), and vi. deformation or discoloration during soldering. A need therefore exists for improved reflective materials for lighting system assemblies. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The audio stream reading technology is a technology for allowing a playback apparatus to read a compressed encoded audio stream from a recording medium such as an optical disc, and to output the read audio stream to another apparatus. In general, the playback apparatus is provided with a decoder for decompressing the compressed encoded audio stream, obtains a non-compressed LPCM-format digital audio with the decoding by the decoder, and outputs the obtained non-compressed LPCM-format digital audio or an analog audio signal to another apparatus.
A televisions or a speaker in a home theater system takes in the non-compressed LPCM-format digital audio or the analog audio signal that is output from the playback apparatus in this way, and outputs sounds/voices. The document identified below discloses one of prior art technologies for reading an audio stream recorded on a recording medium and playing back the read audio stream. Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-228656 | {
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The present invention relates to the handling of printed sheets in the graphics industry.
Technology advances in the graphics industry have made it possible for individuals and companies to create and print there own output. Traditionally, this printing was performed by a dedicated print company with large, capital-intensive facilities requiring large quantity runs.
The recent availability of computers, digital cameras, and high quality printers (both desktop and larger stand-alone) have made it cost effective to print on demand with very small required runs. These new printers center around ink jet technology. Small printers use primarily sheets of paper in the range of 8½×11 to 11×17 inches. Larger ink jet printers can print images having a length dimension of 2–6 feet and primarily use rolls of paper. The market for these large printers is being driven by demand for in-store graphics, trade show graphics and fine art and photography limited-edition prints. The roll paper for these applications vary in construction from traditional poly-coated photographic paper to 100% cotton rag fine art paper. The papers are usually put on a small 2–3 inch diameter roll (core) and may be 5 yards to 20 yards in length. All these papers have some degree of roll set or curl to them when taken off a roll. There has been no reliable way to take the curl out of these papers either before or after they are printed.
Much of this printed paper output is sold to artists or photographers who frame the prints for the art market. Many of the large “non art” prints are processed by mounting and/or protecting the imaged surface by over-laminating with clear, thin films. In any case, a flat print is certainly easier to process and store.
Present attempts to take the curl out of printed sheets include wetting the back of the sheet of the paper to re-orient the paper fibers and let the sheet dry in a flat plane. This is time consuming, messy and risky since the printing inks may be water based (ink jet) and subject to water damage. One may put a flat weight on the curled print and wait 24 hours. This works to some degree but is time consuming and will never give a perfectly flat print. Some have tried to re-roll the print by itself and stick it in the center of an empty three-inch paper roll core. This does not work well because it is very difficult to roll the paper against the curl without kinking it. Even if one is successful with re-rolling the paper and placing it in a tube center the paper will never come out flat, because the front and back edges for approximately six inches will not be de-curled by this method. The paper must also stay in this roll center for many hours to take some curl out. It is impossible to roll this heavy paper up by itself by hand in a small diameter roll like 1½ inches and not destroy the paper. This is a typical diameter needed to de-curl paper in seconds rather than hours. | {
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The regulation of exhaust gas of internal combustion engines such as engines of motor vehicles is gradually tightening in all the world, and under the circumstances, exhaust-gas recirculation systems (so-called EGR: Exhaust Gas Recirculation) are being used, which recirculates exhaust gas to intake for reducing NOx contained in the exhaust gas. For example, there has been suggested, e.g., an exhaust-gas recirculation system including a takeoff passage of exhaust gas communicating with an exhaust port in an internal combustion engine; an introducing passage communicating with an intake port of the engine; an opening and closing valve provided between the takeoff passage and the introducing passage; and a control means for controlling an opening and closing operation of the opening and closing valve; wherein the exhaust-gas recirculation system is arranged such that the introducing passage is branched, on an outlet side of the opening and closing valve, correspondingly to the number of the exhaust port of the internal combustion engine (see Patent Document 1, for example).
Technological contents disclosed in this Patent Document 1 is that exhaust gas from an EGR passage admitted to a source of exhaust is introduced, through an EGR valve, into a plurality of air-gas intake passages provided, correspondingly to the number of cylinders of the internal combustion engine.
In the engine having such an arrangement, it has an fear of an aggravation originated from fall-off of negative pressure (getting near to the atmospheric pressure) at the intake port, caused by taking an intake in another cylinders, which invites lowering of the amount of air to be taken in by inertia.
Patent Document 1: JP-A62-294757
The conventional exhaust-gas recirculation system is thus arranged as mentioned above, and therefore, the EGR-gas introducing passages thereof are in communication with one another between mouths of a plurality of inlet valves located at positions spaced away from the valve. Therefore, the communication with another inlets through another EGR gas introducing passages incurs an aggravation of an intake efficiency, when observing an arbitrary EGR-gas introducing passage.
The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an exhaust-gas recirculation system able to ravel out the aggravation of the intake efficiency with a simple mechanism. | {
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The present invention relates to a digital first order hold circuit for digitally controlling the control voltage provided to a servo and like analog devices. The invention also relates to circuits useful for waveform synthesis using digitally controlled approximation techniques and is especially useful in severe environmental applications and where long duty service makes prolonged use of analog control devices infeasible.
Waveform generators of the prior art include those which have used either analog or digital control techniques. Analog waveform generators are known which use a voltage controlled oscillator to generate an analog waveform. However, voltage controlled oscillators, and other analog components, have been susceptible to voltage drift, extreme ambient temperature sensitivity, and errors which increase with duty cycle and aging. As an example of a waveform generator using a voltage controlled oscillator, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,779 which describes a frequency synthesizer apparatus and method useful in ultrasonic imaging applications.
Aside from the difficulties relating to analog synthesizers, digitally controlled waveform synthesizers typically have been complex and accordingly expensive. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,173 discloses a phase locked loop circuit wherein the synthesized frequency bears a non-linear relationship to a reference frequency. As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,787 discloses a frequency synthesizer having N identical digital module stages wherein each stage generates one digit of the final digital frequency.
As another example, it has been determined that the phase locked loop circuit is generally not useful for controlling frequencies in a widely varying environment because the phase locked loop lacks the required circuit stability to accomplish precise frequency control of its output with the rapidity dictated by the very short use times appropriate in employment in certain systems. Thus, one of the limitations of the phase locked loop circuit is that the phase locked loop circuit, in and of itself, is not capable of very rapidly changing from one selected frequency to another. Known attempts to resolve the problem of rapid flexibility for phase locked loop circuits, such as that described in frequency synthesizer circuit, U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,779 have required extremely complicated digital processing circuitry. However, as digital processing becomes more complicated, problems of dedication of central processing time, data acquisition and delay, and the probability of generation of data error, become significant design considerations.
In addition to the foregoing limitations, prior art digital waveform synthesizers have lacked the ability to self correct for the impact of analog generated errors, such as voltage drift, or for digital generated errors, such as transient data or erroneous data input.
Accordingly, there exists a general need for a digitally controlled waveform synthesizer having reduced dependence on analog techniques such that voltage drift, temperature sensitivity, and performance during extreme environmental applications can be optimized.
There also exists a need for a digitally controlled waveform synthesizer having a simple design which is useful for high speed data processing applications and which keeps the delay time for acquiring and processing data to a minimum.
There also exists a need for a device having self-correction features to minimize the impact of error generation.
There also exists a need for a digital first order hold circuit for providing a frequency responsive representation of a waveform over an approximation interval.
What is further desired is a simple digitally controlled waveform synthesizer and method for permitting rapid response to changing frequency requirements without involving very complex digital processing circuitry. | {
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1. Field of Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of magnetic memories. More particularly, this invention relates to a an improved reference layer structure in a magnetic storage cell.
2. Art Background
A magnetic memory such as a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) typically includes one or more magnetic storage cells. Each magnetic storage cell usually includes an active layer and a reference layer. The active layer is usually a layer of magnetic material that stores magnetization patterns in orientations that may be altered by the application of magnetic switching fields. The reference layer is usually a layer of magnetic material in which magnetization is fixed or "pinned" in a particular direction.
The logic state of such a magnetic storage cell typically depends on its resistance to electrical current flow. Its resistance usually depends on the relative orientations of magnetization in its active and reference layers. A magnetic storage cell is typically in a low resistance state if the overall orientation of magnetization in its active layer is parallel to the orientation of magnetization in its reference layer. In contrast, a magnetic storage cell is typically in a high resistance state if the overall orientation of magnetization in its active layer is anti-parallel to the orientation of magnetization in its reference layer. Such a magnetic storage cell is usually written to a desired logic state by applying magnetic switching fields that rotate the orientation of magnetization in its active layer. It is usually desirable that a magnetic switching field of a predictable magnitude in one direction switch a magnetic storage cell to its low resistance state and a magnetic switching field of the same predictable magnitude in the opposite direction switch the magnetic storage cell to its high resistance state. Such switching behavior may be referred to as symmetric switching characteristics. Unfortunately, a variety of effects commonly found in prior magnetic storage cells may disrupt magnetization in an active layer and create asymmetric switching characteristics.
For example, the reference layer in a typical prior magnetic storage cell generates demagnetization fields that push the magnetization in the active a layer toward the anti-parallel orientation. These demagnetization fields usually increase the threshold magnitude of the magnetic switching field needed to rotate the active layer to the low resistance state and decrease the threshold magnitude of the magnetic switching field needed to rotate the active layer to the high resistance state. This typically increases the power needed to write the magnetic storage cell to the low resistance state and may cause accidental writing to the high resistance state. In extreme cases, these demagnetization fields may cause a magnetic storage cell to remain in the high resistance state regardless of the applied magnetic switching fields history.
In addition, coupling fields between the reference layer and the active layer in a prior magnetic storage cell usually push the magnetization in its active layer toward the parallel orientation. These coupling fields usually increase the power needed to write a magnetic storage cell to the high resistance state and may cause accidental writing to the low resistance state. In extreme cases, these coupling fields may cause a magnetic storage cell to remain in the low resistance state regardless of the applied magnetic switching fields history.
Moreover, the degree of disruption to the magnetization in an active layer caused by demagnetization and coupling fields may vary among the magnetic storage cells in an MRAM array. In addition, such disruptions may vary between different MRAM arrays due to variation in the patterning steps and/or deposition steps of device manufacture. Such variations typically produces uncertainty as to the behavior of individual magnetic storage cells during write operations. | {
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A user equipment (UE, also called as user terminal or terminal) of machine type communication (MTC) is also called as machine to machine (M2M) user communication equipment, which is a main application form in current Internet of things. In recent years, since long-term evolution (LTE)/long-term evolution advance (LTE-advance or LTE-A) has high spectral efficiency, more and more mobile operators select LTE/LTE-A as an evolution direction of a broadband wireless communication system. Various MTC data services based on LTE/LTE-A will be more attractive.
In an existing LTE/LTE-A system, transmission is performed by dynamic scheduling based on each subframe, i.e. each subframe can transmit different control channels.
A physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and an enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) are defined in LTE/LTE-A. Information carried in a physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) is used for indicating the number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols of the PDCCH transmitted in one subframe. A physical hybrid-automatic repeat-request (ARQ) indicator channel (PHICH) is used for bearing acknowledge/negative acknowledge (ACK/NACK) feedback information of uplink transmission data. The downlink control channel adopts blind detection, and a terminal tries to demodulate the downlink control channel by virtue of different aggregation levels and candidates in a certain search space.
An existing UE-specific search space is shown in Table 1 and Table 2. The search space is composed of candidates corresponding to different aggregation levels. The terminal needs to demodulate each of the candidates until demodulation is accurate while demodulating the control channel, otherwise it should be believed that a control channel belonging to the UE is not received.
TABLE 1Search space Sk(L)Number of PDCCHTypeAggregation level LSize [in CCEs]candidates M(L)UE-specific16621264828162
The search space of the EPDCCH (One Distributed EPDCCH-PRB-set—Case 3) is shown in Table 2:
TABLE 2Number of EPDCCH candidates Mp(L) for Case 3NRBXpL = 1L = 2L = 4L = 8L = 16284210445421844422
The PDCCH/EPDCCH is used for bearing downlink control information (DCI) including uplink and downlink scheduling information and uplink power control information.
Generally, a MTC terminal can obtain the DCI by demodulating the PDCCH/EPDCCH in each subframe, thereby realizing demodulation of a physical downlink share channel (PDSCH) and obtaining scheduling indication information of a physical uplink share channel (PUSCH).
Among MTC application terminals, one type of terminals cannot receive signals or channels transmitted in full bandwidth and coverage performance thereof is obviously decreased due to limited radio frequency reception bandwidths and limited locations or self-characteristics. For example, most of intelligent meter-reading MTC terminals are fixedly installed in a basement or other low-coverage-performance environments, mainly transmit packet data, have a low requirement on data rate and can tolerate a great data transmission delay. Since such type of terminals has low requirement on the data rate, with respect to a data channel, accurate transmission of the packet data may be ensured in manners such as a low modulation coding rate, repeated transmission in time-domain and the like.
With respect to a problem of receaving and detecting a control channel by a coverage-enhanced MTC terminal in case of transmission at different repeat times in the existing art, no effective solution exists at present. | {
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In order to improve a performance of an ABS used in a vehicle, it is considered to be effective to control lock and unlock states in a condition where friction coefficient of a road surface be as large as possible. The friction coefficient of the road surface depends on a slip rate of a tire/wheel assembly under a certain condition of the road surface and therefore the ABS is designed to control lock and unlock states of braking near a slip rate providing the maximum friction coefficient of the road surface.
For this reason, it is a common practice for the conventional ABS to measure a speed of the vehicle and a revolution of the tire/wheel assembly, calculate the slip rate based on the measured values, and automatically control the braking so as the slip rate to fall within a certain range.
However, the method for estimating the frictional coefficient of the road surface from the slip rate has a problem in which the relationship between the slip rate and the friction coefficient of the road surface drastically changes depending on a road surface condition to vary the slip rate corresponding to the optimum friction coefficient of the road surface depending on the road surface condition, so that the optimum friction coefficient of the road surface cannot be obtained from the slip rate alone. Although approaches for solving this problem such as separately estimating the road surface condition as well has been made, satisfactory means have not been proposed yet.
Meanwhile, in connection with this point, an approach for more directly measuring and estimating the friction coefficient of the road surface. Such an approach is known from the disclosure of Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 06-288798A. According to this disclosure, a strain gauge is attached to a suspension suspending the tire/wheel assembly and a strain occurring on this is measured to give a component parallel to the friction force of the road surface or a component perpendicular to the former component of a force acting on the suspension. The means estimate the friction coefficient of the road surface based on these measured values by assuming the values as the friction force of the road surface and the vertical force, respectively.
However, although the method with using a strain gauge is a more direct estimating method as compared with the method of estimating the friction coefficient with the slip rate, there are problems in which the point of measuring the force is far from a vicinity of tire which is the actual point of action of the friction force, so that a measuring result having been influenced by disturbances applied between the point of action of the friction force and the point of measuring the force is obtained, and that the strain gauge is applied on the suspension in which a generated strain is small, and the generated strain is converted to the force, so that its accuracy is not sufficient.
The present invention has been made in view of these problems. It relates to a method for directly estimating friction coefficient of a road surface independently from the slip rate, and its object is to provide a method of real-timely and more accurately estimating the friction coefficient of the road surface by measuring the friction force of the road surface and the vertical force at a region near the tire as well as accurately measuring these forces, and a method and a device of multiplex transmission of signals upon transmitting a measurement signal of a force measured in the vicinity of tire to the ABS displaced on the vehicle body side. | {
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Recently, as an optical medium for recording music information or video information, an optical medium corresponding to regulations of a compact disc (CD), a digital versatile disc (DVD), and the like is being produced. Such an optical medium has a recording layer for recording information and recently an optical medium having the multi-layered recording layers to record large amount of information has been developed.
Conventionally in an optical medium having multi-layered recording layers, assuming that a side on which laser beam is irradiated is upper surface, when given information is recorded in a lower layer recording layer (hereinafter simply referred to as “lower layer”), transmissivity of the beam differs depending on the recording condition of the upper recording layer (hereinafter simply referred to as “upper layer), assuming that a side on which laser beam of the recording layer is irradiated is upper surface. Therefore, there is a case where power of the laser beam irradiated on the recording layer is changed and the given information cannot be appropriately recorded. Moreover, when given information recorded in a lower layer recording layer of an optical medium having multiple layers is reproduced, due to the same reason as the above, there is a case where information cannot be appropriately reproduced.
In such a case, to appropriately record or reproduce the given information to/from the recording layer, an information recording/reproducing device needs to carry out power control of laser beam on the basis of recording condition of the upper layer of the recording layer. Specifically, when recording in a lower layer of recording layers of an optical medium having multi-layered recording layers, the information recording/reproducing device irradiates optical beam to the optical medium and receives optical beam reflected by the optical medium as reflected light to control power of light beam for recording by reflection ratio of the reflected light (Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-148133 | {
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The present disclosure relates to power supply control systems, and specifically to power supply control in an electronic apparatus including a power supply device, and a semiconductor integrated circuit which operates based on an output voltage of the power supply device.
FIG. 22 illustrates an application circuit described in LM5005—High Voltage 2.5 Amp Buck Regulator, Datasheet, [online], National Semiconductor, March 2006, [retrieved on 2011 Apr. 28], Retrieved from the Internet: <URL: http://www.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/pdf/180844/NSC/LM5005.html>. In this power supply system, a smoothing coil 2203, a smoothing capacitor 2204, and a resistive voltage divider circuit 2205 which are mounted on substrates are connected to a power supply output terminal 2202 of a power supply IC 2201. Moreover, a power supply terminal 2208 of a system-on-a-chip (SoC) section 2207 is connected to a node 2206 to which the resistive voltage divider circuit 2205 is connected, thereby supplying a power supply voltage to the SoC section 2207. The power supply IC 2201 mainly composed of analog circuits generates an output voltage of a magnitude in accordance with a voltage VFB obtained by dividing an output voltage by the resistive voltage divider circuit 2205, and the SoC section 2207 operates in response to the output voltage as the power supply voltage received as a reference. In this type of electronic apparatus, the resistive voltage divider circuit 2205 includes a fixed resistor, and the divided voltage ratio is fixed, so that it is not possible to dynamically control a set output voltage. Moreover, accuracy of the power supply voltage is ensured only when the resistive voltage divider circuit 2205 is disposed in the immediate vicinity of the power supply IC 2201, and the power supply voltage is measured at the node 2206 near the power supply IC 2201. Thus, impedance of a power supply interconnect extending from the power supply IC 2201 to the SoC section 2207 or accuracy of components such as a resistive element of the resistive voltage divider circuit 2205 may cause variations in the power supply voltage of the SoC section 2207. As a result, the performance of the SoC section 2207 significantly depends on accuracy of the power supply potential of the power supply system. Thus, there has been demand to dynamically and accurately control the power supply voltage of the SoC section 2207 in accordance with the accuracy of the components and the impedance of the power supply interconnect.
FIG. 23 illustrates a configuration of a system described in LP5552—PWI 2.0 and PowerWise Technology Compliant Energy Management Unit, Datasheet, [online], National Semiconductor, May 20, 2008, [retrieved on 2011 Apr. 28], Retrieved from the Internet: <URL: http://www.alldatasheetnet/datasheet-pdf/pdf/239791/NSC/LP5552.html>. This power supply system has a configuration as an electronic apparatus capable of dynamically and accurately controlling a power supply voltage. A power supply IC 2301 has a power management (PM) function by which the power supply voltage can be dynamically controlled. Moreover, a SoC section 2302 includes a performance monitor circuit (HPM) 2303 configured to monitor characteristics such as circuit delay. The power supply IC 2301 for PM includes a digital control circuit 2305 in which a digital feedback signal 2304 output from the SoC section 2302 is digitally processed. A signal 2306 obtained after the digital processing in the digital control circuit 2305 is converted to an analog signal 2307 by a built-in D/A converter (DAC) circuit, and is controlled so that an output voltage 2308 is a voltage according to demanded performance of the SoC section 2302. Based on a result of the monitoring by the performance monitor circuit 2303, the SoC section 2302 determines a voltage value necessary for normal circuit operation of the SoC section 2302, and outputs the voltage value as the digital feedback signal 2304 to the power supply IC 2301 for the PM. With this power supply system, the output voltage 2308 can be controlled so that Vdd is in the range from about 0.6 V to about 1.2 V.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-201455 proposes that a digital signal processing operation of a power supply voltage and a substrate voltage which minimize power of a power supply circuit (regulator) and a SoC section is performed, and a resistance value in a resistive voltage divider circuit of the regulator is changed to vary a reference voltage so that the power supply voltage has a desired power supply voltage value, thereby reducing power of a system. | {
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As the integration level of microelectronic devices increases, interconnects for these devices, which can significantly influence the speed, product yield, and reliability of the device, increasingly employ a multi-layered structure. Conventional techniques for forming such a multilevel interconnect typically employ a planarization process to increase resolution and depth-of-focus in photolithography. In particular, a planarization process using spun-on-glass (SOG) has been widely applied because of advantages of low cost, process simplification, no need for a poisonous gas, and tendency to form a low defect density when compared with other planarization processes.
In a typical planarization process using SOG, liquid SOG is coated on a semiconductor substrate to form an SOG layer, which is then baked in a range of 150-400.degree. C. to remove solvents and moisture. During this process, the SOG is condensed and tensile stresses may develop in the SOG layer, producing fine cracks in the SOG layer, especially in SOG layers having thicknesses of 3,000 .ANG. or more.
The SOG layer tends to form more thickly in areas adjacent to the edge of a semiconductor wafer. As thin films are continuously deposited, very large steps, that is, steps of 2.0 .mu.m or more, may be formed between the edge of a semiconductor wafer and adjacent areas for forming devices thereon, as the edge of the semiconductor wafer typically is not exposed in photolithography. Consequently, an SOG layer formed in this area may have a thickness of 2.0 .mu.m or more, and thus may be more susceptible to cracks.
To reduce formation of such fine cracks, an organic SOG containing an organic group such as a methyl (CH.sub.3) group or a phenyl (C.sub.6 H.sub.5) group is usually used instead of an inorganic SOG which lacks such a group. However, organic SOG typically is more volatile and harder to contain than inorganic SOG.
FIGS. 1-3 are cross-sectional views showing a conventional method for forming a multilevel interconnects in a semiconductor device. Referring to FIG. 1, a conductive pattern 30 is formed on a semiconductor substrate 10 having a first insulation layer 20 formed thereon. A second insulation layer 40 is then formed to a uniform thickness on the overall surface of the resultant structure, covering the conductive pattern 30. Steps are typically formed in the second insulation layer pattern 40 due to the presence of the conductive pattern 30. A first area H is defined where the height between the surface of the semiconductor substrate 10 and the surface of the second insulation layer 40 is relatively high, and a second area L is defined where the height is relatively low.
Subsequently, lower conductive patterns 50a, 50b, and 50c are formed on the second insulation layer 40. Here, the first lower conductive pattern 50a is formed in the first area H, and the second and third lower conductive patterns 50b and 50c are formed in the second area L. The second lower conductive pattern 50b is positioned between the first and third lower conductive patterns 50a and 50c.
A third insulation layer 60 is formed, covering lower conductive patterns 50a, 50b, and 50c. An SOG layer 70 is then formed by coating an inorganic or organic SOG on the third insulation layer 60 using a spin-on process. Here, SOG typically flows into the second area L due to its high fluidity, making the SOG layer thicker in the second area L than in the first area H. Therefore, the SOG layer 70 tends to be relatively planar, and is thickest in a portion A of the area L adjacent to the first area H.
The SOG layer 70 is then baked at between 150 and 400.degree. C. to remove solvents and moisture from the SOG layer 70. During this baking process, the thicker portion A of the SOG layer 70 tends to be more susceptible to fine cracks. Though fine cracks can be reduced by forming the SOG layer 70 of an organic SOG instead of an inorganic SOG, it is difficult to efficiently reduce the stress-induced fine cracks due to the thickness of the portion A of the SOG layer 70.
Referring to FIG. 2, a planarization layer 70a is formed by uniformly etching back the overall surface of the SOG layer 70 to a predetermined depth until the third insulation layer 60 on the third lower conductive pattern 50c is exposed. The reason for etch-back is to further planarize the surface of the SOG layer 70 and reduce the aspect ratio of a later-formed via hole.
Because the SOG layer 70 is thinner on the first lower conductive pattern 50a than on the third lower conductive pattern 50c, the third insulation layer 60 on the first lower conductive pattern 50a is typically exposed. However, because the SOG layer 70 is thicker on the second lower conductive pattern 50b than on the third conductive pattern 50c, the third insulation layer 60 on the second lower conductive pattern 50b typically is not exposed.
A fourth insulation layer 80 is then formed on the surface of the resultant structure. A photoresist layer pattern 90a is formed on the fourth insulation layer 80 to expose the fourth insulation layer 80 on the second and third lower conductive patterns 50b and 50c. Referring to FIG. 3, a fourth insulation layer pattern 80a having via holes for exposing the second and third lower conductive patterns 50b and 50c, respectively, a planarization layer pattern 70b, and a third insulation layer pattern 60a are formed by sequentially etching the fourth insulation layer 80, the planarization layer 70a, and the third insulation layer 60, using the photosensitive layer pattern 90a as an etching mask.
To simultaneously expose the second and third lower conductive patterns 50b and 50c, the upper portion of the second lower conductive pattern 50b typically is further etched. When etching is performed for the purpose of exposing the third lower conductive pattern 50c, the second lower conductive pattern 50b may not be exposed. On the other hand, when etching is performed for the purpose of exposing the second lower conductive pattern 50b, the upper portion of the third conductive pattern 50c may be over-etched, and the via hole for exposing the third lower conductive pattern 50c may become wider, potentially resulting in formation of a connection between the via hole and an adjacent via hole (not shown), or exposing another conductive layer which should not be exposed.
First and second upper conductive patterns 100a and 100b are then formed on the fourth insulation layer pattern 80a to make contact with the second and third lower conductive patterns 50b and 50c through the via holes, respectively.
If the SOG layer 70 is formed of an organic SOG to reduce fine cracks on the planarization layer 70a in area A, high molecular weight substances may be produced during forming the via hole for exposing the second lower conductive pattern 50b. These high molecular weight substances may locally accumulate on the second lower conductive pattern 50b, thereby increasing contact resistance. High molecular weight substances typically are formed because silicon (Si) and oxygen (O) components of the organic SOG are vaporized as silicon fluoride (SiF.sub.4) and carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) during etching by a carbon fluoride (CF.sub.4 or C.sub.2 F.sub.6 ) etching gas, whereas organic components of the organic SOG are not removed.
According to the conventional method described above, the SOG planarization layer 70a in area A is susceptible to fine cracks. The second lower conductive pattern 50b may not make contact with the first upper conductive pattern 100a. In addition, the via hole exposing the third lower conductive pattern 50c may be larger than intended. | {
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Hitherto, making of lithographic printing plates has been performed using a system for exposing printing plate materials to light via litho films as intermediate materials. However, with the recent rapid progress of digitization in the field of graphic arts, the process of making printing plates is on its way to shifting to a CTP system that digital data input into a computer and manipulated therein are output directly to printing plate materials. Further, with a view toward ever-more rationalizing the platemaking process, lithographic printing plate materials of the type which are exposed to light and subjected to printing operations without development processing, namely the type which eliminate the need for development processing, are being developed.
As a method of eliminating the processing operation, there is a method referred to as on-press development wherein an exposed printing plate material is mounted on the plate cylinder of a printing press and thereto dampening water and ink are supplied as the plate cylinder is rotated: as a result, removal of the unexposed area of the image-forming layer is effected on the press. More specifically, this method is a manner of platemaking in which after exposure the printing plate material is mounted on a printing press as it is and development thereof is completed in the process of a usual printing operation. Lithographic printing plate materials suitable for such on-press development are required to have image-forming layers soluble in dampening water and ink solvents, and besides, it is advantageous that the plate materials are sensitive to infrared laser because they are developed on a printing press placed in an illuminated room, and so required to have illuminated room handling suitability.
As a lithographic printing plate material capable of the on-press development, for instance, Japanese Patent No. 2,938,397 discloses the heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate having a hydrophilic support provided with a hydrophilic image-forming layer containing fine particles of a thermoplastic hydrophobic polymer dispersed in a hydrophilic binder polymer. In such a heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate, the fine particles of a thermoplastic hydrophobic polymer are fused and coalesced by heating caused upon exposure to infrared laser; as a result, a lipophilic imaging area is formed. When the resultant plate is mounted on the plate cylinder of a printing press as it is and a printing operation is started, the unexposed area is removed by dampening water and/or ink to begin with, namely on-press development is performed, and prints of good quality are obtained by further continuation of the printing operation.
In addition, JP-A-2001-277740 discloses the on-press developable heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate whose press life is improved by use of thermally reactive compound-enclosed microcapsules.
Further, JP-A-2002-29162 discloses that a satisfactory press life can be attained with the on-press developable heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate having an image-forming layer containing microcapsules in which a vinyloxy group-containing compound is enclosed, a hydrophilic resin and an acid precursor.
Furthermore, JP-A-2002-46361 discloses that a satisfactory press life can be attained with the on-press developable heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate having an image-forming layer containing microcapsules in which an epoxy group-containing compound is enclosed, a hydrophilic resin and an acid precursor.
Additionally, JP-A-2002-137562 discloses that a satisfactory press life can be attained with the on-press developable heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate having an image-forming layer containing microcapsules in which a radical-polymerizable group containing compound is enclosed, a hydrophilic resin and a heat-sensitive radical generator. | {
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It is necessary in many situations to precisely detect the amperage in an at least periodically current-carrying conductor. This is done, for example, in automotive engineering to determine electrical parameters of generators and electrical drives while these units are in operation. A contactless, low-loss and potential-free measurement of the electrical current is needed for this purpose.
According to the related art, shunt resistors are currently used to measure currents. Their high power loss and additional self-inductance are undesirable, especially at high amperages. In addition, they do not ensure electrical isolation between the measuring circuit and the main circuit.
Magnetic field sensors, e.g., Hall sensors, lateral magnetotransistors, magnetoresistive resistors, etc., which are able to precisely measure the magnetic field effect of a current-carrying conductor, are also known. The advantage of these sensors lies, in particular, in the electrical isolation between the measuring circuit and the main circuit, the low or even completely non-existent power loss, and the absence of quantities influencing the current to be measured, for example inductive feedback or resistance.
However, a problem with the use of magnetic field sensors to measure current is that interference, i.e., stray, fields of additional current conductors located adjacent to the conductor to be measured exist or are generated by rotating magnetic fields in the vicinity of generators. This makes it difficult to discriminate between the magnetic field to be measured by the magnetic field sensor and parasitic stray fields in the surrounding area.
One known method of avoiding such difficulties is to shield the magnetic field sensor against interfering magnetic fields and to concentrate the magnetic field to be measured, using a magnetic circuit. However, shielding for highly sensitive sensors is very complex and expensive. Magnetic circuits are also expensive and, in addition, not only take up a great deal of mounting space but are difficult to assemble. A further disadvantage of magnetic circuits is the fact that they have a tendency to become saturated and thus introduce a certain non-linearity between the amperage and magnetic field strength into the measurement. | {
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This invention relates generally to firearms and more particularly to attachments which tailor the firearm to particular uses.
The use of automatic and semi-automatic rifles is commonly known to be prevalent with military, law enforcement and security forces, as well as civilian collectors, sportsmen and competitive marksmen. One such prolific design is the family of rifles based on the U.S. Military M16 rifle, including the M4 carbine, the civilian AR15, and the larger AR10 and all improvements, modifications and variations of these. Any of these rifles can be further adapted for single shot action. Variations of these rifles are found in numerous military, commercial and experimental calibers.
While there are many conventional firearms that have an integral mounting rail and hand guard, the M16/AR15 family of rifles uses a distinctly separate mounting rail and hand guard assembly. The conventional mounting rail mounts by tabs to the lower receiver, the rifle's barrel mounts to the mounting rail and the conventional hand guards mount to the barrel. This arrangement places the hand guard mounted to the barrel and in contact with the rifle barrel, which is detrimental to accuracy. This method also does not provide for solid mounting or consistent positioning of peripheral devices mounted to the hand guard.
Earlier developments have provided improved hand guard systems that utilize replacement hand guard assemblies that attach by clamping, screwing or slipping over a standard or proprietary barrel nut, clamping to the front or rear sight mounting platforms, or both. These hand guard systems often include multiple rails for attachment of peripheral devices. More current developments have provided monolithic receiver and hand guard platforms, these efforts are manufactured from a solid, homogeneous piece of stock. This manufacturing technique requires the use of a proprietary barrel and does not allow for the use of standard M16/AR15 barrels.
It is clear from the foregoing that there is a need for a more versatile firearm. | {
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In general, a motor is classified into a direct-current electric motor or an alternating-current electric motor, depending on the kind of electric power applied thereto. In addition, such a motor is classified into an inner rotor-type motor or an outer rotor-type motor, depending on the arrangement of the stator and the rotor thereof.
An inner rotor-type motor has an arrangement in which the rotor is rotatably installed inside of the stator, and an outer rotor-type motor has an arrangement in which the rotor is rotatably installed outside of the stator.
Among the various types of motors described above, the outer rotor-type motor is employed in various fields as a direct-coupled motor for a washing machine, an in-wheel motor for an electric vehicle, or the like.
Among the above-mentioned outer rotor-type motors, the in-wheel motor can be improved in performance if the cooling efficiency thereof is increased. However, because such a conventional in-wheel motor is poor in cooling efficiency, it is difficult to maximize the performance thereof.
Especially, in order to improve the performance of an outer rotor-type motor, it is most effective to increase the cooling efficiency of the stator thereof. However, because such an outer rotor-type motor is adapted to cool the stator thereof by forming ventilation openings in the rotor thereof in the prior art, the cooling effect achieved thereby is insufficient for obtaining the substantial improvement of the performance of the motor.
Furthermore, because the ventilation holes are formed in an area where the rim wheel of a vehicle wheel is positioned, the air outside of the stator is very minutely introduced into the stator when the vehicle runs. Consequently, it is natural that the practical cooling efficiency is poor. | {
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Heretofor, a variety of types of accumulating conveyor systems have been used, some of which employ a series of carrier rollers, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,650,376; 4,133,425; and 4,148,391, while others utilize parallel rows of roller chains which support and transport cartons or other types of loads, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,056,483; and 3,690,439. Still other systems incorporate "walking beam" type arrangements wherein articles are moved intermittently in stepwise fashion from a first station to a second station with provisions for varying the spacing between articles for precise positioning thereof, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,008, or with provisions for accumulating the articles for individual or group transfer, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,241. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field
The present application relates generally to wireless communications, and more specifically to systems, methods, and devices for selecting data communication pathways between network elements for data exchange between a device and a data network.
2. Background
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice and data. Typical wireless communication systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power). Examples of such multiple-access systems may include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, and the like. Additionally, the systems can conform to specifications such as third generation partnership project (3GPP), 3GPP2, 3GPP long-term evolution (LTE), LTE Advanced, etc.
Generally, wireless multiple-access communication systems may simultaneously support communication for multiple mobile devices. Each mobile device may communicate with one or more base stations via transmissions on forward and reverse links. The forward link (or downlink) refers to the communication link from base stations to mobile devices, and the reverse link (or uplink) refers to the communication link from mobile devices to base stations.
As the demand for high-rate and multimedia data services rapidly grows, there has been an effort toward implementation of efficient and robust communication systems with enhanced performance. For example, in recent years, users have started to replace fixed line communications with mobile communications and have increasingly demanded high voice quality, reliable service, and low prices.
To accommodate increasing demand, evolution of core networks of wireless communication systems followed from evolution of radio interfaces. For example, System Architecture Evolution (SAE) lead by 3GPP aims to evolve a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM)/General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) core network. The resultant Evolved Packet Core (EPC) is a multi-access core network based on the Internet Protocol (IP) that enables operators to deploy and utilize one common packet-based core network with a plurality of radio access technologies. The EPC provides optimized mobility for mobile devices and enables efficient handovers between different radio access technologies (e.g., between LTE and High Rate Packet Data (HRPD)). In addition, standardized roaming interfaces enable operators to offer services to subscribers across a variety of access technologies.
As the number and types of devices capable of communicating data via the radio network to the core network, a need exists to perform such communications in an efficient manner. | {
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In optical disc technologies, data can be read out from a rotating optical disc by irradiating the disc with a relatively weak light beam with a constant intensity and detecting the light that has been modulated by, and reflected from, the optical disc. On a read-only optical disc, information is already stored as pits that are arranged spirally during the manufacturing process of the optical disc. On the other hand, on a rewritable optical disc, a recording material film, from/on which data can be read and written optically, is deposited by evaporation process, for example, on the surface of a substrate on which spiral lands or grooves are arranged. In writing data on a rewritable optical disc, data is written there by irradiating the optical disc with a light beam, of which the optical power has been changed according to the data to be written, and locally changing the property of the recording material film.
It should be noted that the depth of the pits and tracks and the thickness of the recording material film are both smaller than the thickness of the optical disc substrate. For that reason, those portions of the optical disc, where data is stored, define a two-dimensional plane, which is sometimes called a “storage plane” or an “information plane”. However, considering that such a plane actually has a physical dimension in the depth direction, too, the term “storage plane (or information plane)” will be replaced herein by another term “information storage layer”. Every optical disc has at least one such information storage layer. Optionally, a single information storage layer may actually include a plurality of layers such as a phase-change material layer and a reflective layer.
In a recordable or rewritable optical disc, when data is going to be written on its information storage layer, the information storage layer is irradiated with such a light beam, of which the optical power has been modulated as described above, thereby recording an amorphous mark on a crystalline phase change material layer. Such an amorphous mark is recorded there by heating a portion of the information storage layer that has been irradiated with a writing light beam to a temperature that is equal to or higher than its melting point and then rapidly cooling that portion. If the optical power of a light beam that irradiates the recorded mark is set to be relatively low, the temperature of the recorded mark being irradiated with the light beam does not exceed its melting point but the recorded mark will turn crystalline again after having been cooled rapidly (i.e., the recorded mark will be erased). In this manner, the recorded mark can be rewritten over and over again. However, if the optical power of the light beam for writing data (i.e., optical recording power) had an inappropriate level, then the recorded mark would have a deformed shape and sometimes it could be difficult to read the data as intended.
Such an amorphous recorded mark has a different reflectance from its surrounding crystalline portions. For that reason, when a read operation is performed, the intensity of the reflected light varies depending on whether or not a recorded mark is there. In an area where data has already been written (which will be referred to herein as a “recorded area”), there is a series of recorded marks and spaces, of which the lengths are variable with the contents of the data to be written. For that reason, the optical properties (i.e., the optical reflectance and transmittance) of such a recorded area are different from those of an area where no data has been written yet (which will be referred to herein as an “unrecorded area”).
To read data that is stored on an optical disc or to write data on a rewritable optical disc, the light beam always needs to maintain a predetermined converging state on a target track on an information storage layer. For that purpose, a “focus control” and a “tracking control” need to be done. The “focus control” means controlling the position of an objective lens along a normal to the surface of the information plane (such a direction will sometimes be referred to herein as “substrate depth direction”) so that the focal point (or at least the converging point) of the light beam is always located on the information storage layer. On the other hand, the “tracking control” means controlling the position of the objective lens along the radius of a given optical disc (which direction will be referred to herein as a “disc radial direction”) so that the light beam spot is always located right on a target track.
In order to perform such a focus control or a tracking control, the focus error or the tracking error needs to be detected based on the light that has been reflected from the optical disc and the position of the light beam spot needs to be adjusted so as to reduce the error as much as possible. The magnitudes of the focus error and the tracking error are represented by a “focus error (FE) signal” and a “tracking error (TE) signal”, both of which are generated based on the light that has been reflected from the optical disc.
Dual-layer optical discs, in which two information storage layers are stacked one upon the other, have already been put on the market recently. And now, so-called “multilayer optical discs”, including a stack of three or more information storage layers, are also being developed. In the following description, however, an optical disc in which N layers (where N is an integer that is equal to or greater than two) are stacked one upon the other (i.e., any optical disc with at least two layers) will be referred to herein as a “multilayer optical disc”.
When data is being read from, or written on, a target one of the information storage layers of a multilayer optical disc, the optical disc drive needs to set the focus position of the light beam on the target information storage layer and form a tiny light beam spot on that information storage layer. As a single multilayer optical disc has multiple information storage layers, if the focus position of a light beam is set on the deepest information storage layer, for example, that light beam should pass all of the other information storage layers that are shallower than the deepest layer.
Unless the intensity of a light beam (i.e., the optical recording power) is optimized when data is going to be written, a recorded mark will be deformed as described above, and therefore, the read error rate will rise. Thus, in order to optimize the optical recording power, data are sometimes tentatively written on a test write area of an information storage layer of an optical disc with the optical recording power changed into multiple different values and the data thus written are read. In this manner, a read error index may be set on the test write area and an optical recording power associated with the best index may be selected. Strictly speaking, however, the optical recording power optimized in this manner is nothing but “initial optical recording power”. That is to say, after data has started to be written on a user data area with the initial optical recording power thus determined, the initial optical recording power will be corrected as needed into a more appropriate level based on a β value to be described later, for example. Such processing to be performed by an optical disc drive on the test write area in order to determine the initial optical recording power will be referred to herein as “optimum power control (OPC)”.
FIG. 1(a) illustrates a multilayer optical disc 10 and FIG. 1(b) is a schematic cross-sectional view thereof. The multilayer optical disc 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a first information storage layer L0, which is located deepest under the disc surface 10a on which a light beam is incident, and a second information storage layer L1, which is located closest to the disc surface 10a. The multilayer optical disc 10 has a user data area on which user data will be written and a test write area, which will also be referred to herein as a “power calibration area (PCA)” and which is located inside of the user data area. Although the multilayer optical disc 10 actually has other management areas in addition to the PCA, those areas are not shown in FIG. 1 for the sake of simplicity.
FIG. 2 illustrates in further detail a portion of the cross section of the multilayer optical disc 10 shown in FIG. 1(b). In FIG. 2, illustrated schematically are three light beams that are respectively focused on three different areas a, b and c on the information storage layer L0. Specifically, the area a is a part of the PCA on which no data has been written yet on any of the two information storage layers L0 and L1 (i.e., an unrecorded area). Likewise, the area b is a part of the user data area on which no data has been written yet on any of the two information storage layers L0 and L1 (i.e., an unrecorded area). Meanwhile, the area c is a part of the user data area on which data has been written on the information storage layer L1 (i.e., a recorded area).
Portions of the information storage layer L1 on which data has been written have a different optical transmittance from the rest of the same layer L1 on which no data has been written yet. In the majority of optical discs, a recorded area has a lower optical transmittance than an unrecorded area. Thus, the light beam focused on the area c of the information storage layer L0 has been transmitted through a portion of the information storage layer L1 that has a decreased optical transmittance. As a result, the intensity of the light beam on the information storage layer L0 is lower in the area c than in the area b.
In this manner, the quantity of light that the light beam focused on the information storage layer L0 can give to that information storage layer L0 changes depending on whether or not data has been written on the information storage layer L1 that is located shallower (i.e., closer to the disc surface) than the information storage layer L0.
FIG. 3 is a graph showing how the rate of errors caused by reading data from the information storage layer L0 changes with the optical recording power. In FIG. 3, the abscissa represents the optical recording power (which will be sometimes simply referred to herein as “power”) and the ordinate represents the error rate during reading (which is the error rate of the L0 layer). Specifically, one curve shown in FIG. 3 indicates results that are obtained in the areas a and b, which are unrecorded areas, and the other curve shown in FIG. 3 indicates results that are obtained in the area c, which is a recorded area.
As can be seen from FIG. 3, in the areas a and b, the error rate is the lowest when the optical recording power is PWb. In other words, it can be seen that the optical recording power is preferably set to be PWb in the unrecorded areas a and b. In the area c, on the other hand, the error rate is the lowest when the optical recording power is PWc. That is to say, it can be seen that the optical recording power is preferably set to be PWc, which is greater than PWb, in the recorded area c. Consequently, it is preferred that data be written on the recorded area c with higher optical recording power than on the unrecorded areas a and b.
According to currently available techniques, when data is going to be written on a target location with a particular address in the user data area of a given optical disc, it is not clear whether that location falls within a recorded area or an unrecorded area. That is why the initial optical recording power to start writing data with is set to be the best value for the unrecorded area (e.g., PWb in the example illustrated in FIG. 3). In that case, after data has started to be written on the user data area, the optical recording power is corrected at short intervals by reference to an index indicating a read signal waveform while reading the data.
FIG. 4(a) illustrates a cross section of the multilayer optical disc 10 just like FIG. 2. FIGS. 4(b) and 4(c) show how the optical recording power needs to be, or need not be, corrected with time in two different situations where data has started to be written on the area b, which is an unrecorded area, and on the area c, which is a recorded area, with the initial optical recording power PWb in both cases.
In the example illustrated in FIG. 4(b), the optical recording power is maintained at PWb, which is the optimum value for the area b. On the other hand, in the example illustrated in FIG. 4(c), the optical recording power is corrected so as to increase toward the optimum value PWc for the area c.
The greater the number of information storage layers included in a multilayer optical disc, the more and more often there are two or more information storage layers that are located shallower than the deepest information storage layer L0 when a light beam is focused on that layer L0. For that reason, in the recorded areas on those shallower information storage layers, the optical transmittance will decrease more and more significantly.
FIG. 5(a) schematically illustrates a cross section of a multilayer optical disc with three information storage layers L0, L1 and L2. FIGS. 5(b) and 5(c) show how the optical recording power needs to be, or need not be, corrected with time in two different situations where data has started to be written on the area b, which is an unrecorded area, and on the area e, which is a recorded area, with the initial optical recording power PWb in both cases.
In the example illustrated in FIG. 5(c), the optical recording power is corrected so as to increase toward the optimum value PWe for the area e. However, it might take a longer time for the optical recording power to reach that optimum value PWe than in FIG. 4(c). The reason is that as data has already been written in the area e on both of the information storage layers L1 and L2, the optical transmittance would decrease significantly in that area and the optimum optical recording power value PWe for the area e could be quite different from the optimum optical recording power PWb for the areas a and b.
The number of information storage layers included in a multilayer optical disc should continue to increase from now on. And most multilayer optical discs could have four or more information storage layers in the near future. Even so, the same problem should arise in those multilayer optical discs. That is to say, if data started to be written with the optical recording power PWb that has been optimized for an unrecorded area a, the optical recording power could not be corrected into a more appropriate value in a reasonably short time. Thus, to overcome such a problem, Patent Document No. 1 discloses a technique for performing an OPC on the PCA for every possible combination of recorded and unrecorded areas.
Besides adopting the technique disclosed in Patent Document No. 1, Patent Document No. 2 also teaches managing the addresses of the recorded and unrecorded areas so as to determine whether the target location falls within a recorded area or an unrecorded area and then changing the initial optical recording power based on a result of that decision.
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
Patent Document No. 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2008-108388 Patent Document No. 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2008-192258 | {
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Compact electronic equipment normally is assembled mechanically and requires high density and automatic mounting of various electronic components on a printed circuit board. Consequently, surface mount type electrical connectors have become important components in such electronic equipment.
Conventionally, a surface mount electrical connector includes a dielectric housing which is mounted to the printed circuit board and includes a plurality of terminals projecting out of one side of the housing. The terminals are bent downwardly in such a manner that leg portions or contact feet of the terminals may be soldered to the circuit traces on the printed circuit board.
One of the problems with surface mount connectors of the character described is that uneven or nonuniform contact forces often are created between the contact sections or terminal feet and the circuit traces on the printed circuit board. This is caused primarily because the terminals are individual or discrete components and it is difficult to maintain the contact sections or feet of the terminals in a coplanar array. Attempts have been made to solve this particular problem by establishing a "spring back" in the terminal legs, after forming, to resiliently bias the legs against a surface, thereby aligning the contact sections of the legs in the same plane and consequently ensuring that the feet of the legs are coplanar. However, such provisions are costly because of the requirement of separate steps in the manufacture of the connector, and the connector is made unnecessarily bulky because of the additional surfaces against which the legs are aligned.
Another problem with surface mount connectors having conventional stamped and formed terminals is that it is very difficult from manufacturing and assembly standpoint to align terminal ends which contact conductive traces on a printed circuit board in a single row on small centers.
This invention is directed to solving the above problems by using flexible circuitry which not only provides coplanar contact pads for engaging the circuit traces on the printed circuit board and aligns terminal ends in a single row, but the connector assembly itself can be maintained quite compact. | {
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In arrangements of this type the problem exists that the insertion of the plug-in connector into the appropriate electrical device is complicated by the corresponding protective tubes and often cannot be accomplished in a space containing a plurality of plug-in and socket connectors. It is of particular significance that an arrangement with protective tubes for electrical shielding or for lightening protection of electrical connections cannot be interrupted by the terminal or connector elements. | {
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Current vehicle maintenance practices require operators to return the vehicle to a maintenance location (if possible) prior to beginning the maintenance process. This process normally requires oral reporting which may be entered into a database before actual maintenance activities begin. Additionally, current logistic practices for re-supplying vehicles with consumables such as fuel, oil, oxygen, and expendables such as in the case of tactical aircraft or tactical units, ordinance, chaff, flares, or other like known expendables, require manual database input and are not initiated until a vehicle returns to the servicing location. This manual process results in a time delay between the use and accounting of the consumables and expendables. This delay in turn further delays the re-supplying or servicing vehicles.
Additionally, mechanical faults experienced in the field are typically not reported until a vehicle or other unit returns from the field to its servicing depot. Once the asset has been returned from operation in the field to the servicing depot, maintenance faults and diagnostic programs may be run in order to isolate faults associated with individual components or modules within the asset. This also results in delay and slower returns to service as the asset must continue to operate with the fault until identified at the servicing depot with analysis by a diagnostic team to determine the source of the fault.
Newly fielded communication systems often provide unpredicted utility in ways never envisioned by the original planners. Long-range communication capabilities provided by emerging commercial satellite communication (SATCOM) systems have improved effectiveness of these communications. For example, in operations with forward air controllers of Special Forces, commercial SATCOM offers the potential for extended and enhanced communications with deployed assets. Current UHF radio systems allow terrain to mask low-elevation-angle, line-of-sight, direct communications with in-bound tactical aircraft. In this case, information will not be available until UHF communications are established as the tactical aircraft approach the servicing area.
Therefore, a need exists for a system and method with which to more timely coordinate the servicing of vehicles or other assets returning from a sortie or mission. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to container monitoring and anomaly detection, and more particularly to container monitoring and anomaly detection using physics-based location signatures for authentication and location verification.
2. Description of the Related Art
International trade has become an increasingly important engine for economic growth in the U.S. Thirty years ago imports and exports accounted for only 8 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). By 1999, foreign trade was almost 27 percent of GDP. Economists predict that trade will double by 2010.
Each year, more than 16 million containers arrive in the United States by ship, truck, and rail. Ninety-five percent of U.S. international cargo, by volume, is transported by ocean. More than half of these goods arrive by ocean-going cargo containers. In 2001, U.S. Customs processed more than 214,000 vessels and 5.7 million sea containers. While ports connect consumers with global products, and farmers and manufacturers with overseas markets, ports also serve as local economic engines.
Ports generate jobs and opportunities that allow businesses to flourish. Small businesses and manufacturers send their products to global market through ports. Commodities such as fruit, corn, forest products, iron ore, machinery and mobile homes move across the country and are loaded on vessels bound for other countries. Today, containerships carry about 55 percent of U.S. international maritime trade based on value, and eight percent in terms of tonnage. Containerized shipments in the U.S. doubled in the last ten years and are expected to double again every 10 to 15 years. The large economic and social dependence that the United States and other countries place on containerships, combined with the large volume and worldwide access, make these containers a natural target for acts of terrorism.
Terrorist groups have vowed to cripple the U.S. and world economy. A terrorist attack using a sea container can prove detrimental to this portion of the global trading system by bringing the worldwide movement and processing of ocean-going cargo containers to a halt. The strategic placement of an explosive device within a container that is carried into a port of high population such as New York or Los Angeles, followed by a carefully timed detonation, can have disastrous results in the loss of human lives and on the worldwide economy as shipping comes to a virtual standstill.
Hence, a proactive stance by Customs in screening sea containers can significantly contribute to the agency's overall efforts to secure the borders against dangers that might be introduced through commercial traffic. To this end, plastic labels, paper labels, and mechanical seals have been developed to assist Customs in sea container screening. Unfortunately, classic plastic labels, paper labels, and mechanical seals are easily compromised and replaced with “dummy” or “twin” seals. Moreover, this entire class of tamper-evident technologies typically requires one-by-one inspections of the seals as the containers are removed. As a result, these technologies do not provide the level of security and awareness required in today's high threat environment.
Another prior art approach has been the use of electronic locks and seals with radio frequency identification (RFID) capabilities. These devices allow the locks and seals to be “pinged” or queried by remote transmitters. When combined with additional sensors of vibration, light level, heat, and humidity, these locks can provide valuable information about the state of each container. These locks typically have battery backup, memory and time and date stamps so that all openings and closings of the lock can be recorded for later queries.
Unfortunately, these devices contain no information about the location of the container either within the shipping vessel or in terms of geo-location. Moreover, these devices do not protect the data stored within the lock/seal or the communication with the querying tool. Consequently, interception and masquerading of signals and the status of each container can be compromised.
There is a need for a non-spoofable electronic handshake between each container and the authorized querying device so that interception and eavesdropping cannot occur. Moreover, there is a need to add the ability of both the querying tool and each container to “recognize” the authenticity of the other party in a communication in a non-spoofable manner.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for systems and method for authenticating that the contents of containers, such as those commonly used in the shipping and transportation industries, have not been tampered with since they were sealed. The method should provide an authorized monitoring system to continually communicate with and sense the status of these containers in a manner that immediately notifies a local or remote authority should a breach occur. This notification should further provide detailed geo-location and time coordinates for the container at the time of breach. In order to avoid opportunities for electronic fraud, there is also a need to include in the communication between the authorized monitoring system and each container a signature that is uniquely generated by the monitoring system and can be “recognized as authentic” by the container in real time or in a subsequent audit. Moreover, there is a need to facilitate the rapid location and identification of containers whose security has been breached. Finally, it is imperative that vessels whose contents have maintained their integrity during shipment be granted an “expedited” entry through a perimeter security system above those ships whose contents are suspect or otherwise unable to provide a high level of assurance that the contents are secure and trustworthy. | {
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When functioning normally, the heart produces rhythmic contractions and is capable of pumping blood throughout the body. However, due to disease or injury, the heart rhythm may become irregular resulting in diminished blood circulation. Arrhythmia is a general term used to describe heart rhythm irregularities arising from a variety of physical conditions and disease processes. Cardiac rhythm management systems, such as implantable pacemakers and cardiac defibrillators, have been used as an effective treatment for patients with serious arrhythmias. These systems typically comprise circuitry to sense electrical signals from the heart and a pulse generator for delivering electrical stimulation pulses to the heart. Leads extending into the patient's heart are connected to electrodes that contact the myocardium for sensing the heart's electrical signals and for delivering stimulation pulses to the heart in accordance with various therapies for treating the arrhythmias.
Cardiac rhythm management systems operate to stimulate the heart tissue adjacent to the electrodes to produce a contraction of the tissue. Pacemakers are cardiac rhythm management systems that deliver a series of low energy pace pulses timed to assist the heart in producing a contractile rhythm that maintains cardiac pumping efficiency. Pace pulses may be intermittent or continuous, depending on the needs of the patient. There exist a number of categories of pacemaker devices, with various modes for sensing and pacing one or more heart chambers.
When a pace pulse produces a contractile response in heart tissue, the contractile response is typically referred to as capture, and the electrical cardiac signal corresponding to capture is denoted the evoked response. Superimposed with the evoked response may be a pacing artifact signal including, for example, the signal associated with post pace residual polarization. The magnitude of the pacing artifact signal may be affected by a variety of factors including lead polarization, after potential from the pace pulse, lead impedance, patient impedance, pace pulse width, and pace pulse amplitude, for example.
A pace pulse must exceed a minimum energy value, or capture threshold, to produce a contraction. It is desirable for a pace pulse to have sufficient energy to stimulate capture of the heart without expending energy significantly in excess of the capture threshold. Thus, accurate determination of the capture threshold is required for efficient pace energy management. If the pace pulse energy is too low, the pace pulses may not reliably produce a contractile response in the heart resulting in ineffective pacing. If the pace pulse energy is too high, the result may be patient discomfort as well as shorter battery life.
Capture detection allows the cardiac rhythm management system to adjust the energy level of pace pulses to correspond to the optimum energy expenditure that reliably produces a contraction. Further, capture detection allows the cardiac rhythm management system to initiate a back-up pulse at a higher energy level whenever a pace pulse does not produce a contraction.
A fusion beat is a cardiac contraction that occurs when two intrinsic cardiac depolarizations of a particular chamber, but from separate initiation sites, merge. When the heart is being paced, a fusion beat may occur when an intrinsic cardiac depolarization of a particular chamber merges with a pacer output pulse within that chamber. Fusion beats, as seen on electrocardiographic recordings, exhibit various morphologies. The merging depolarizations of a fusion beat do not contribute evenly to the total depolarization.
Pseudofusion occurs when a pacer output pulse artifact is superimposed upon a spontaneous P wave during atrial pacing, or upon a spontaneous QRS complex during ventricular pacing. In pseudofusion, the pacing stimulus is ineffective because the tissue around the electrode has already spontaneously depolarized and is in its refractory period.
During normal pacing, the presence of fusion and pseudofusion beats may be of little consequence except for wasted energy due to the generation of unnecessary pace pulses. However, detection of fusion and pseudofusion beats may be required during an automatic capture or threshold determination procedures. Fusion and pseudofusion beats may cause false detection of capture and may lead to erroneous capture threshold values.
Capture may be verified by detecting if a cardiac signal following a pace pulse indicates an evoked response. However, the evoked response must be discerned from the superimposed post pace residual polarization, denoted herein as a pacing artifact. In addition, fusion or pseudofusion beats may further obscure evidence of capture. It is desirable to detect the evoked response and thereby verify capture so that an effective pace pulse energy may be chosen and appropriate back up pacing delivered. For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the present specification, there is a need in the art for a method and device that reliably and accurately detects capture in a patient's heart by sensing an evoked response in the presence of the post pace residual polarization and possible fusion or pseudofusion beats. There exists a further need for such an approach that is adaptive and accommodates changes in the patient's capture threshold over time. The present invention fulfills these and other needs. | {
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The present invention relates to a conventional I.V. infusion set or blood collection assembly. Such an assembly includes an elongated small gauge plastic flexible tubing material having at one end thereof a needle and a body for holding the needle. Usually, the needle body is adhered to the one end of the flexible tube by friction. At any rate, the needle body includes wings extending on either side for the phlebotomist or user to grasp and hold the needle body for inserting the needle into a patient. Such assemblies may be used for infusing medication into a patient or for collecting blood from a patient. Generally, at the end of the flexible tube opposite the needle body is a female luer connection for connecting supplies of fluid to be infused or for connecting some sort of apparatus for collecting blood, as required.
As everyone knows who has any connection with the medical field in the last several years, there is great concern that users of such devices as described above may be contaminated with the blood of a patient by accidental sticks of the contaminated needle. For this reason, many developments have taken place for providing some sort of covering for the contaminated needle, once it is removed from the patient. These structures usually involve some sort of shield arrangement which moves in place over the contaminated needle, once it has been removed from the patient. Representative of such arrangements include, for example, the device shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,993 which is a fairly early structure utilizing a rather involved locking slot arrangement for moving the contaminated needle into a covered position.
Two fairly simple structures for retracting a contaminated needle into a sleeve protection arrangement include, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,676,783 and 4,781,692 both of which utilize a friction engagement structure for holding the covering shield over the contaminated needle. However, it has been found that neither one of these structures provide a positive locking arrangement for insuring that the needle does not become uncovered. That is, the frictional engagement is not positive enough in many instances to prevent accidental slippage of the needle out of the shield under certain circumstances in a hospital environment, for example.
A fairly recent structure for covering contaminated needles includes the device shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,283. This structure does not accommodate the usual handling wings normally utilized for blood collection, but rather a finger control structure which may not be satisfactory for some phlebotomists who wish to have the conventional wing structure for control. Other fairly recent arrangements for covering the contaminated needle in an infusion and/or blood collection assembly of the kind discussed herein, include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,888,001 and 4,834,708. The former has a wing structure with cooperating grooves on the wings and cooperating locking abutments on the wings which allow for the wings to be folded to cover and lock over a contaminated needle. This structure is desirable in the sense that it provides a positive covering of the needle against the needle being uncovered by some unpredictable movement. However, the structure is very expensive to make for the kind of environment where many thousands of such needles are used daily. Moreover, the arrangement is somewhat unwieldy to handle during the covering procedure for covering the contaminated needle. Finally, the '708 patent mentioned above provides positive covering of the needle but includes a very involved and expensive structure for manufacture in the environment which this invention is directed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,881 issued Jul. 17, 1990 includes a tube mounted I.V. infusion set with a protective sheath similar to that taught and claimed in the present application. The structure includes foldable wings which are utilized by the phlebotomist to grasp and maneuver the needle for insertion into a patient for use of the needle. When withdrawing the needle from the patient, the wings must be folded and held in place for movement in the folded position through a slot back to a locking position. While this arrangement provides positive locking of the needle inside an enclosed shield once the wings are moved to the locking position, it does require positive camming of the wings in a folded position for the rearward movement of the contaminated needle together with the associated wings from the use position to the locked position. Such maneuvering may be ponderous in the environment of removing a needle from the skin of a patient and attempting to handle the needle and the patient simultaneously.
With this invention, by contrast, an I.V. infustion and/or blood collection assembly is provided with a very inexpensive two-part semi-flexible shield assembly. The arrangement is such that the two parts may be joined together at one end with a flexible hinge, and connected at the opposite end with a fixed locking arrangement, so that the shield is closed over the needle body of a blood collection set. The arrangement is such that the cooperating parts of the shield form a forward non-locking use position for the wings and a rearward fixed locking position for moving the needle into a protected permanently locked position. The two locking positions are joined by flexible slots which allow the movement of the wings, without any flexing thereof or handling, from the use position to the locked position. Thus, the assembly provides simple rearward movement of the needle body and wings, which is the automatic movement of the contaminated needle into a shielded positively locked position for subsequent disposal.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connector technology, and more particularly to an easy-pull male network connector that can be conveniently pulled out of the mating female network connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
A male network connector insertable into a mating female network connector for data transmission may be equipped with a safety structure made in the form of a resilient clip. A commercial male network connector is known comprising a male connector body electrically connected to one end of a cable, a protective jacket surrounding the male connector body around the cable, and a resilient clip located at one end of the male connector body. After insertion of the male network connector into an insertion hole of a mating female network connector, the resilient clip is forced into engagement with a retaining groove inside the insertion hole to lock the male network connector to the female network connector. When wishing to remove the male network connector from the female network connector, press down the resilient clip to disengage the resilient clip from the retaining groove and then pull the male network connector out of the insertion hole of the female network connector. However, if the female network connector is disposed in an area where the user's hand cannot access to the resilient clip of the male network connector conveniently, the user will be difficult to remove the male network connector from the female network connector. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to low gloss coating compositions used as basecoats or clearcoats and more particularly directed to low gloss crosslinkable liquid coating compositions that produce low gloss coatings having smooth surfaces.
2. Description of Related Art
Coating compositions have long been used to produce coatings having desired coating characteristics. For instance, coating compositions have been used to enhance surface appearance, such as providing high gloss or low gloss. High gloss surfaces reflect a high proportion of the light directed at them specularly. By contrast, low gloss surfaces reflect a low proportion of the light directed at them specularly. Low gloss coatings that produce less image impairment are aesthetically more pleasing. In the past, coating compositions relied on including flatting agents, such as amorphous silicon dioxide, to produce low gloss coatings. By increasing the loading of the flatting agent in a coating composition, the gloss can be reduced. To attain low gloss in clear coats, coating compositions have to be loaded with an excess amount, typically more than 6 weight percent based on the total weight of the composition of the flatting agent. Unfortunately, the flatting agent in these excessively loaded coating compositions tends to coagulate. As a result, the conventional low gloss coatings resulting therefrom have visually unacceptable seedy appearance. Furthermore, the presence of the excessive amount of these flatting agents in a coating composition tends to make the resultant coatings more brittle than conventional coating compositions. Thus, a need exists for durable low gloss coatings that do not have seedy appearance. The present invention addresses the problem of conventional low gloss coatings having a seedy appearance by producing low gloss coatings that have smooth surface.
Attempts have been made to produce low gloss coatings. For example, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,776 teaches the use of a mixture of slightly incompatible polymers applied over photographs for producing low gloss substantially transparent protective films that are laminated to photographs. However, the use of such mixtures does not result in low gloss coatings having desired coating properties, such as those required for use in automotive topcoats or basecoats. Therefore, a need still exists for a coating composition that not produce a low gloss coating having desired coating properties, such as scratch and mar resistance.
The present invention is directed to a low gloss crosslinkable coating composition that produces a low gloss coating upon cure comprising:
(a) a binder component which comprises a combination of at least two partially compatible crosslinkable components retained in an evaporable medium, whereby said low gloss coating exhibits a 60xc2x0 specular gloss that is at least 5% lower than gloss of coatings from coating compositions containing any one of said crosslinkable components, and
xe2x80x83wherein the first of said crosslinkable components in said combination is:
(i) a polar polymer selected from the group consisting of a polar acrylic polymer having at least two crosslinkable functionalities, a polar polyester having at least two crosslinkable functionalities, polar polyurethane having at least two crosslinkable functionalities and a combination thereof; and
xe2x80x83wherein the second of said crosslinkable components in said combination is:
(ii) a non-polar silane polymer, non-polar acrylic polymer having at least two crosslinkable functionalities, non-polar polyester having at least two crosslinkable functionalities, non-polar polyurethane having at least two crosslinkable functionalities or a combination thereof; and
(b) a crosslinking agent selected from the group consisting of monomeric melamine, polymeric melamine, polyisocyanate, and blocked polyisocyanate.
The present invention is also directed to a method of producing a low gloss coating on a substrate, said method comprising the steps of:
(I) applying a layer of a low gloss crosslinkable coating composition comprising:
(a) a binder component which comprises a combination of at least two partially compatible crosslinkable components retained in an evaporable medium, whereby said low gloss coating exhibits a 60xc2x0 specular gloss that is at least 5% lower than gloss of coatings from coating compositions containing any one of said crosslinkable components, and
xe2x80x83wherein the first of said crosslinkable components in said combination is:
(iii) a polar polymer selected from the group consisting of a polar acrylic polymer having at least two crosslinkable functionalities, a polar polyester having at least two crosslinkable functionalities, polar polyurethane having at least two crosslinkable functionalities and a combination thereof; and
xe2x80x83wherein the second of said crosslinkable components in said combination is:
(iv) a non-polar silane polymer, non-polar acrylic polymer having at least two crosslinkable functionalities, non-polar polyester having at least two crosslinkable functionalities, non-polar polyurethane having at least two crosslinkable functionalities or a combination thereof; and
(b) a crosslinking agent selected from the group consisting of monomeric melamine, polymeric melamine, polyisocyanate, and blocked polyisocyanate;
(II) evaporating said medium from said layer; and
(III) curing said layer into said coating, which has a surface reflectance of less than 70 when measured at 60xc2x0 angle of incidence under ASTM D-523-67.
The present invention is also directed to a low gloss coating on a substrate produced from the aforedescribed low gloss crosslinkable coating composition.
As used herein:
xe2x80x9cCrosslinkable componentsxe2x80x9d refer to monomers, oligomers or polymers that are provided with one or more crosslinkable functionalities. These crosslinkable functionalities can be pendant from or in the backbone of the component. The term xe2x80x9ccrosslinkable functionalitiesxe2x80x9d relates to those functionalities present in the component that, during cure, react with other crosslinkable functionalities present in another component of the coating composition to form a crosslinked structure.
xe2x80x9cTwo-pack coating compositionxe2x80x9d means a solvent borne crosslinkable coating composition comprising two or more crosslinkable components stored in separate containers. These containers are typically sealed to increase the shelf life of the components of the coating composition. The components are mixed prior to use and applied as a layer, typically through a spray nozzle, of desired thickness on a substrate surface, such as an autobody. After application, the solvent from the layer evaporates and the layer cures under ambient conditions, or it can be UV cured, or bake cured at elevated temperatures to form a coating on the substrate surface having the desired coating properties, such as desired gloss, scratch resistance and resistance to environmental etching.
xe2x80x9cOne-pack coating compositionxe2x80x9d means a solvent borne crosslinkable coating composition comprising two or more crosslinkable components that are stored in the same container. The crosslinkable functionalities on one or more of the crosslinkable components are not reactive at the storage temperature. After application of a layer of the one-pack coating composition on a substrate, the layer is exposed to elevated temperatures to form a coating having the desired coating properties, such as desired gloss, scratch resistance and resistance to environmental etching.
xe2x80x9cCrosslinkable component solidxe2x80x9d refers to the solid portion a crosslinkable component that remains after removing the evaporable portion.
xe2x80x9cLow gloss coatingxe2x80x9d refers to a coating having a surface with a reflectance of less than 70, preferably less than 40, more preferably in the range of from 20 to 50 when measured at 60xc2x0 angle of incidence under ASTM D-523-67 test with a glossimeter supplied by Byk-Gardner.
xe2x80x9cCompatibilityxe2x80x9d means the ability of two or more crosslinkable components of a coating composition to remain retained within one another or in a solvent, such that a coating resulting therefrom does not cause appreciable scattering of light. The term xe2x80x9cretainedxe2x80x9d means dissolved, dispersed or suspended. Contacting two or more immiscible crosslinkable components results in gross incompatibility and contacting two or more miscible crosslinkable components results in total compatibility.
xe2x80x9cEvaporable mediumxe2x80x9d refers to a liquid medium of one or more miscible solvents that carries the various components of a coating composition and which can retain the partially compatible components, described below.
xe2x80x9cPartially compatible componentsxe2x80x9d refers to two or more crosslinkable components of a coating composition retained in an evaporable medium, such that a low gloss coating resulting therefrom exhibits a 60xc2x0 specular gloss that is at least 5% lower, preferably at least 50% lower, more preferably at least 60% lower and most preferably at least 70% lower than the gloss of coatings from coating compositions containing any one of the crosslinkable components.
xe2x80x9cGPC weight average molecular weightxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cGPC number average molecular weightxe2x80x9d means a weight average molecular weight (Mw) and a number average molecular weight (Mn), respectively measured by utilizing gel permeation chromatography. A high performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) supplied by Hewlett-Packard; Palo Alto, Calif. can be used. Unless stated otherwise, tetrahydrofuran was used as the liquid phase and polystyrene was used as the standard.
Although compatibility or incompatibility of polymers in solvents is a well-recognized phenomenon, the prior art does not disclose coatings prepared from blends of partially compatible crosslinkable components. On the contrary, in general the prior art teaches that partial compatibility is undesirable and is to be avoided.
Applicants have unexpectedly discovered that a low gloss coating described above is produced from a crosslinkable coating composition that includes a binder component containing a combination of at least two partially compatible crosslinkable components retained in an evaporable medium.
Applicants have discovered that a composition containing a combination of at least two partially compatible components produces micro-regions in the coating that scatters light without any significant image distortion or attenuation. As long as the micro-regions are smaller than the wavelength of the light passing through the coating, no significant image impairment results from the light scatter. In other words, though the coating appears substantially transparent having no perceptible haze, it still has gloss lower than coatings prepared from any one of the crosslinking components. Applicants have discovered that to create the aforedescribed micro-regions, the difference in the incompatibility between the two or more crosslinking components should not be too substantial, i.e., if the difference is too substantial, such crosslinking components tend to form large islands. As a result, the coating tends to become grainy and produces an image that is muddy or blurred. By contrast, if the differences in the incompatibility between the crosslinking components are too insubstantial, the resultant coating would be glossy having no appreciably lowered gloss to the degree defined earlier.
The combination of at least two partially compatible components results from including in the binder component at least one polar component and at least one non-polar component. The combination can be produced by adjusting the amount of polar component added to the amount of the non-polar component, by choosing a combination polar and non-polar component on the basis of their degree of polarity in the evaporable medium, or by a combination thereof. Other means, such as by adding a modestly polar or non-polar compatibilizing component could be also employed where more than partial compatibility exists between the crosslinkable components, so long as the result of the combination produces the desired partial compatibility, necessary for reducing the gloss to the degree defined earlier.
Suitable polar components include a polar acrylic polymer, a polar polyester, a polar polyurethane or a combination thereof, wherein all of them are provided with at least two, preferably in the range of from 2 to 10, more preferably in the range of 2 to 6 crosslinkable functionalities. Some of the suitable crosslinkable functionalities include hydroxyl, amine and urethane functionalities.
The polar acrylic polymers are preferably polymerized from a monomer mixture containing hydroxyl alkyl (meth)acrylate; and polar monomers, such as alkyl (meth)acrylate, wherein an alkyl group has up to 3, preferably 1 to 3 carbon atoms. More preferred polar acrylic polymers are polymerized from a monomer mixture containing hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate; and methyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, ethyl methacrylate, propyl methacrylate, or a combination thereof.
The non-polar acrylic polymers are preferably polymerized from a monomer mixture containing hydroxyl alkyl (meth)acrylate; and non-polar monomers, such as styrene and alkyl (meth)acrylate wherein an alkyl group has at least 4, preferably 4 to 18, and more preferably 4 to 12 carbon atoms. More preferred non-polar acrylic polymers are polymerized from a monomer mixture containing hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate; and butyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl methacrylate, styrene or a combination thereof.
The polar and non-polar acrylic polymers preferably have a GPC weight average molecular weight in the range of from 1000 to 7000, preferably in the range of from 1500 to 5000. The acrylic polar and non-polar acrylic polymers preferably have a Tg varying in the range of from of xe2x88x9220xc2x0 C. to 100xc2x0 C. and more preferably varying in the range of from 20xc2x0 C. to 80xc2x0 C.
The polar and non-polar acrylic polymers are generally solution- and emulsion-polymerized using free-radical initiators. One such well-known process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,782, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The polar polyesters are preferably polymerized from a monomer mixture containing polar polyols and polyacids having up to 8, preferably 3 to 8 and more preferably 3 to 6 carbon atoms. More preferred polar polyesters are polymerized from a monomer mixture containing one or more of neopentyl glycol, butanediol and trimethylol propane, and one or more of phthalic anhydride and isophthalic acid.
The non-polar polyesters are preferably polymerized from a monomer mixture containing polar polyols and polyacids having at least 9, preferably 9 to 40 and more preferably 9 to 36 carbon atoms. More preferred non-polar polyesters are polymerized from a monomer mixture containing 1,12-dodecanediol and one or more of dodecanedioic acid and dimer fatty acid.
The polar and non-polar polyesters preferably have a GPC number average molecular weight in the range of from 800 to 10,000, preferably in the range of from 800 to 2500.
The polar and non-polar polyesters suitable for use in the present invention can be conventionally polymerized from suitable polyacids, including cycloaliphatic polycarboxylic acids and suitable polyols, which include polyhydric alcohols. The details of polyester suitable for use in the present invention are further provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,820, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The polar polyurethanes are preferably polymerized from a monomer mixture containing polar polyols, polyacids having up to 8, preferably 3 to 8 and more preferably 3 to 6 carbon atoms, and polyisocyanates having up to 14, preferably 6 to 14 methylene units. The polar polyurethane polymerized from a monomer mixture containing one or more of neopentyl glycol, butanediol and trimethylol propane; one or more of phthalic anhydride and isophthalic acid; and one ore more of hexane diisocyanate and isophorone diisocyanate, is more preferred.
The non-polar polyurethanes are preferably polymerized from a monomer mixture containing polar polyols, polyacids having at least 9, preferably 9 to 40 and more preferably 9 to 36 carbon atoms, and polyisocyanates having at least 15 preferably 15 to 20 methylene units. The non-polar polyurethane polymerized from a monomer mixture containing 1,12-dodecanediol; one or more of dodecanedioic acid and dimer fatty acid; and isocyanurate of hexane diisocyanate, is more preferred.
The polar and non-polar polyurethanes are conventionally produced by methods known in the art.
The low gloss crosslinkable coating composition includes a crosslinking agent. When the low gloss coating composition of the present invention is formulated as a two-pack coating composition, the crosslinking agent is packed separately and when the low gloss coating composition of the present invention is formulated as a one-pack coating composition, the crosslinking agent is not reactive at the storage temperature, such that it can be packed in the same container. Suitable crosslinking agent is selected from the group consisting of monomeric melamine, polymeric melamine, unblocked polyisocyanate and blocked polyisocyanate.
The amount of polymeric or monomeric melamine that can be used is 20 weight percent to 60 weight percent, preferably 20 weight percent to 50 weight percent and more preferably 30 weight percent to 40 weight percent of binder component solids.
Some of the suitable monomeric melamines include alkoxyl and alkylated monomeric melamines. Alkoxyl monomeric melamines are preferred.
In the context of the present invention, the term xe2x80x9calkoxyl monomeric melaminexe2x80x9d means a low molecular weight melamine which contains, on an average three or more methylol groups etherized with a C1 to 5monohydric alcohol such as, methanol, n-butanol, or isobutanol per triazine nucleus, and has an average degree of condensation of up to about 2 and preferably about 1.1 to about 1.8, and has a proportion of mononuclear species not less than about 50 percent by weight.
Some of such suitable monomeric melamines include highly alkylated melamines, such as methylated, butylated, isobutylated melamines and mixtures thereof. More particularly hexamethylol melamine, trimethylol melamine, partially methylated hexamethylol melamine, and pentamethoxymethyl melamine are preferred. Hexamethylol melamine and partially methylated hexamethylol melamine are more preferred and hexamethylol melamine is most preferred.
Many of these suitable monomeric melamines are supplied commercially. For example, Cytec Industries Inc., West Patterson, N.J. supplies Cymel(copyright) 301 (degree of polymerization of 1.5, 95% methyl and 5% methylol), 303, 325, 327, 350 (degree of polymerization of 1.6, 84% methyl and 16% methylol), and 370, which are monomeric melamines. Another suitable monomeric melamine includes high amino (partially alkylated, xe2x80x94N, xe2x80x94H) melamine known as Resimene(trademark) BMP5503 (molecular weight 690, polydispersity of 1.98, 56% buytl, 44% amino), which is supplied by Solutia Inc., St. Louis, Mo.
Suitable polymeric melamines have an average degree of condensation of more than 1.9. Cytec Industries Inc. also supplies Cymel(copyright) 1130 @80 percent solids (degree of polymerization of 2.5), Cymel(copyright) 1133 (48% methyl, 4% methylol and 48% butyl), both of which are polymeric melamines.
Applicants have also discovered that polymeric melamines tend to be more polar than monomeric melamines and thus, can be more effective in reducing gloss than the monomeric melamines.
Suitable polyisocyanates have at least two isocyanate groups and can include both compounds and polymers. Any of the conventional aromatic, aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, isocyanates, trifunctional isocyanates and isocyanate functional adducts of a polyol and a diisocyanate can be used. Typically useful diisocyanates are 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate, isophorone diisocyanate, 4,4xe2x80x2-biphenylene diisocyanate, toluene diisocyanate, bis cyclohexyl diisocyanate, tetramethylene xylene diisocyanate, ethyl ethylene diisocyanate, 2,3-dimethyl ethylene diisocyanate, 1-methyltrimethylene diisocyanate, 1,3-cyclopentylene diisocyanate, 1,4-cyclohexylene diisocyanate, 1,3-phenylene diisocyanate, 1,5-naphthalene diisocyanate, bis-(4-isocyanatocyclohexyl)-methane and 4,4xe2x80x2-diisocyanatodiphenyl ether.
Typical trifunctional isocyanates include triphenylmethane triisocyanate, 1,3,5-benzene triisocyanate and 2,4,6-toluene triisocyanate. Trimers of diisocyanates also can be used, such as the trimer of hexamethylene diisocyanate, which is supplied by Bayer Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., under the trademark Desmodur(copyright) N-3390. Other suitable polyisocyanates include Desmodur(copyright) N-3300, and Z-4470BA polyisocyanates. Polyisocyanate acrylic copolymer derived from isocyanatoethyl methacrylate (commercially available as TMI) can also be used.
As indicated above, the polyisocyanate can optionally be blocked. Examples of suitable blocking agents are those materials which would unblock at elevated temperatures, for example, lower aliphatic alcohols, such as methanol, phenols, oximes, such as methylethyl ketone oxime, ketoximes, and lactams, such as epsiloncaprolactam. Blocked isocyanates can be used to form one-pack coating compositions. Polyfunctional isocyanates with free isocyanate groups can be used to form two-pack coating compositions curable under ambient conditions.
The relative amount of crosslinking agent used in the coating composition is preferably adjusted to provide a molar equivalent ratio of NCO/active hydrogen such as OH and NH in the range of from 0.5 to 2, preferably in the range of from 0.75 to 1.5 and more preferably in the range of from 0.85 to 1.25.
The coating composition preferably includes one or more catalysts to enhance crosslinking of the components during curing. Generally, the coating composition includes 0.005 percent to 2 percent, preferably 0.01 to 1 percent and more preferably 0.02 percent to 0.7 percent of the catalyst, the percentages being in weight percentages based on the total weight of the binder component and crosslinking agent solids. These catalysts are preferably added to the binder component.
Some of the suitable catalysts include the conventional acid catalysts, such as aromatic sulfonic acids, for example dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid, paratoluenesulfonic acid and dinonylnaphthalene sulfonic acid, all of which are either unblocked or blocked with an amine, such as dimethyl oxazolidine and 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol, n,n-dimethylethanolamine or a combination thereof. Other acid catalysts that can be used are strong acids, such as phosphoric acids, more particularly phenyl acid phosphate, which may be unblocked or blocked with an amine.
When polyisocyanate is used as a crosslinking agent it preferably includes a small amount of one or more organo tin catalysts, such as dibutyl tin dilaurate, dibutyl tin diacetate, stannous octate, and dibutyl tin oxide. Dibutyl tin dilaurate is preferred. The amount of organo tin catalyst added generally ranges from 0.001 percent to 0.5 percent, preferably from 0.05 percent to 0.2 percent and more preferably from 0.1 percent to 0.15 percent, the percentages being in weight percentages based on the total weight of composition solids.
The evaporable medium of the coating composition includes at least one organic solvent typically selected from the group consisting of aromatic hydrocarbons, such as petroleum naphtha or xylenes; aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as hexane and mineral spirit; ketones, for example, methyl amyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, methyl ethyl ketone or acetone; esters, such as, butyl acetate or hexyl acetate; and glycol ether esters. Such as propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate. The solvents can be blended to produce the desired degree of partial compatibility between the crosslinkable components described earlier. The amount of organic solvent added depends upon the desired solids level as well as the desired amount of VOC of the composition. The amount of solvent added to the coating composition can be adjusted to provide the composition with a VOC (volatile organic content) in the range of from 0.12 kilograms (1.0 pounds per gallon) to 0.78 kilograms (6.5 pounds per gallon) of the solvent per liter of the coating composition.
The coating composition of the present invention can also contain conventional additives, such as UV stabilizers, UV absorbers, rheology control agents, flow agents, toughening agents and fillers. Any additives that would adversely effect the clarity and low gloss of the coating will not be included if the composition is to be used for producing clear coatings.
The binder component and the crosslinking agent of the composition of the present invention when formulated as a two-pack coating composition are mixed just prior to use or about 5 to 30 minutes before use. A layer of the composition is typically applied to a substrate by conventional techniques, such as spraying, electrostatic spraying, roller coating, dipping or brushing. Spraying is preferred since it allows uniform application of thin layers that upon cure result in low gloss coatings having a typical thickness of 30 to 60 microns.
The layer of the coating composition substantially cures under ambient conditions in about 30 minutes to 24 hours to form a coating on the substrate having the desired coating properties. It is understood that the actual curing time depends upon the thickness of the applied layer and on any additional mechanical aids, such as fans that assist in continuously flowing air over the coated substrate to accelerate the cure rate. If desired, the cure rate can be further accelerated by exposure to UV light or by baking the coated substrate at temperatures generally in the range of from about 60xc2x0 C. to 150xc2x0 C. for a period of about 15 to 90 minutes. The foregoing baking step is particularly useful under OEM (Original Equipment Manufacture) conditions.
The low gloss coating of the present invention is also well suited for variety of substrates, such as steel, aluminum, plastics and wood substrates.
The low gloss coating of the present invention is especially suited for automotive OEM and refinish coating applications, such as automotive fenders and automotive side boards typically employed in cars, sport utility vehicles, pick-up trucks and trucks. | {
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Electric machines and generators in general are becoming more compact due to competitive pressures. The smaller these machines get, the greater the heat density they will generate. Nowadays, with the advancement of power electronics, electric machines are being driven by means of variable speed drive units presenting an additional heat source due to the harmonics supplied by the inverter. When such machines are operated at low speed the cooling performance is further negatively affected. All of these factors lead to a temperature rise in the machine which will greatly affect its performance and life expectancy.
In air cooled electric machines and especially in wind turbine generators most heat losses arise from so called copper losses. The exceeding heat has to be removed to avoid so called “hot spots” or insulation wearing.
Therefore, the stator laminate or stator stack is generally air cooled by blowing air through the end windings into the air gap as well as through radial ducts disposed within the stator. Alternatively, direct water cooling of stators by means of pipes or hollow copper strands is known for this purpose. | {
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The present invention relates to an image display apparatus and, more particularly, to a portable head- or face-mounted image display apparatus which can be retained on the user's head or face.
In recent years, helmet- and goggle-type head-mounted image display apparatuses, which are designed to be retained on the user's head or face, have been developed for the purpose of enabling the user to enjoy virtual reality or a wide-screen image by oneself.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 03-191389 (1991) discloses an image display apparatus which has, as shown in FIG. 12, a two-dimensional image display device 1 for displaying the content of information, a concave mirror 2 provided to face the display device 1 to project the display content on a user's eyeball as an enlarged image, and a semitransparent mirror 3 disposed between the display device 1 and the concave mirror 2, thereby enabling a wide-screen image to be obtained with a compact structure. If the semitransparent mirror 3 is adapted to pass also an outside world image, the user can observe the outside world image superimposed on the image displayed on the display device 1. To increase the working distance between the user's eyeball and the ocular optical system, the semitransparent mirror 3 may be replaced with a beam splitter prism 4 having a semitransparent surface, as shown in FIG. 13. In such a case, a reverse reflecting mirror 5 is used in place of the concave mirror 2. These ocular optical systems are designed on the assumption that the angle of view is about 30.degree. in the horizontal direction, that is, in the direction of the x-z plane. The view angle of 30.degree. is equivalent to a view angle where one watches a 26-inch television at a distance of 1 m. FIG. 14 graphically shows spherical aberration, astigmatism, distortion and lateral aberration at the horizontal view angle of 30.degree. in the ocular optical system arranged as shown in FIG. 13.
In order to further enhance the feeling of being at the actual spot, which is given to the user when viewing the displayed image, the horizontal view angle of the image that is projected on the user's eyeball as an enlarged image must be made larger than 30.degree.. The above-described conventional ocular optical system is compact, and yet it is capable of effectively correcting various aberrations, as shown in FIG. 14; this is a very important feature for a head-mounted image display apparatus. Accordingly, it is important to make the horizontal view angle greater than 30.degree. while effectively using the advantageous feature. It is obvious in an actual ocular optical system having the above-described arrangement that the size of the prism increases as the angle of view is increased. The increase in the size of the prism causes the ocular optical system to increase in both size and weight; this is a fatal problem. The problem may be solved by providing a positive lens between the user's eyeball and the prism to bend the rays of light so that the prism can be made as compact as possible. However, in such an optical system, the most off-axis distortion becomes 10% or more, so that the distortion of the image at the edge of image field becomes large. Thus, the image provided by the optical system fails to allow the user to enjoy the feeling of being at the actual spot. The results of actual observation made by the present applicant have revealed that as long as the distortion is not larger than about 5%, the user can enjoy watching the displayed image without impairing the feeling of being at the actual spot. Thus, it is essential to reduce the distortion to about 5% by aberration correction even in a case where the angle of view is 30.degree. or more. | {
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1. Field of Invention
The present disclosure relates to power electronic technology. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a switch unit including a contact switch.
2. Description of Related Art
With the ever-increasing seriousness of energy-related problems in recent times, the development of new ways in which to generate energy (e.g., wind energy, solar energy, etc.) is attracting the attention of those involved in research and development in various areas. In a power generation system, the amplitude and frequency of the output AC (alternating current) of the power generator is not consistent with those of the AC power grid. Therefore, the output AC power of the power generator is converted into a DC (direct current) power by means of a converter, and subsequently the DC power is inverted into another AC power which is consistent with the AC power grid in frequency and phase, so as to realize grid-connected power generation. In the process of converting the AC power into the DC power and subsequently inverting the DC power into another AC power, electronic components (e.g., power switching valves) are controlled by PWM (pulse width modulation), and the AC-DC conversion and DC-AC conversion are realized by turning on or off these power switching valves.
In a wind power generation system, for example, a traditional wind power converter is directly connected with a wind turbine or a controllable contact switch is connected in series between the wind power converter and the wind turbine. When the system fails, if the wind power converter is directly connected with the wind turbine, the rate of rotation of the wind turbine is limited in a range only by adding external loadings. For example, when the wind turbine rotates at a high speed, the voltage at the input interface of the converter is also very high. Thus, in order to protect the power components in the converter from being damaged when subjected to high voltage, typically, a set of dump loads is additionally arranged at the input interface of the wind turbine and the converter, or on the post-grade bus of a rectifier bridge, so that the voltage at the interface is reduced to an operation range which is allowed by the power component. However, since the wind turbine is directly and continuously connected with the converter, and the power of the dump loads is limited, the voltage limiting capacity of the dump loads is also limited. Furthermore, the switching response rate of the dump loads is slow, so that once the system fails unexpectedly, the reliability thereof cannot be ensured.
Furthermore, the contact switch includes a control terminal and a main contact, and the control terminal may be a coil. When an active signal (for example, power on of the coil) is provided to the control terminal, the main contact starts to operate so as to turn on the contact switch. When an invalid signal (for example, power down of the coil) is provided to the control terminal, the main contact starts to operate so as to turn off the contact switch. When the controllable series connected contact switch is used, a special arc extinction device is needed, so as to reliably cut off the electric connection between the converter and the wind turbine when a fault happens. However, such a contact switch is mostly applied to a high power-grade wind power generation system, and the cost of a contact switch having an arc extinction function is high. Additionally, if a controllable contact switch is directly used as the input switch (having no arc extinction device), since the wind turbine winding itself has a large equivalent inductance (for example, a 20 kW power generator has an equivalent inductance of about 18 mH to 40 mH), at the point in time that the switch is turned off, the energy stored by the equivalent inductance cannot be released in time, so that the generated arc voltage is loaded on two ends of the contact switch and thus the contact switch cannot operate normally or the usage life of the contact switch is reduced.
In view of this, many in the industry are endeavoring to find ways in which to design a novel switch unit, so as to quickly cut off the electric connection between the wind turbine and the converter when the system fails and thereby protect the contact switch. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the manufacture of ophthalmic lenses. Specifically this invention relates to a dual ophthalmic lens machining platform and a method of simultaneously manufacturing pairs of ophthalmic lens.
2. Background Information
In the art of ophthalmic lens manufacture, finished ophthalmic lenses are usually made from finished uncut lenses or from semi-finished lens blanks. Finished uncut lenses are lenses that are optically finished on both front and back surfaces and only need to be edged to the proper shape and edge contour to become finished lenses. Semi-finished lens blanks have optically finished front surfaces; however, the back surfaces of these blanks need to be generated and fined and are then polished and/or coated to produce finished uncut lenses. The finished uncut lenses are then edged to the proper frontal shape and edge contour to fit into spectacle frames or other mounting structures. Within the meaning of the present application the terms spectacle, eyeglasses, or glasses can be used interchangeably. Single vision lenses that are outside the normal range of inventoried finished uncut lenses, and most multi-focal lenses, are made from semi-finished lens blanks. Semi-finished lens blanks are made with various front surface curve radii, and have various topographies including spherical, aspheric, hyperbolic, irregular aspheric such as progressive add lenses, and poly-spheric, such as executive type segmented bifocals and trifocals. Any specific semi-finished lens blank can be finished into a range or species of finished lens whereby each blocked lens blank is associated with a species of eyeglass prescriptions.
In order to generate a desired lens according to a specific prescription, calculations are required to determine the topography of the back surface of the lens. Such calculations typically involve variables that include the front surface radii of the semi-finished blank, the index of refraction of the lens blank material, prescription values of the desired lens, statutory values regarding minimum lens thickness, and the physical dimensions of the frame or mounting structure. In the art, various mechanisms have been devised to accomplish the physical process of producing a back surface of optical quality. Most of these methods begin by generating a back surface that approximates the desired back surface topography and surface smoothness. This approximate surface is then fined to a more perfect approximation in both curvature and surface smoothness. After the appropriate accuracy and smoothness is achieved in the fining process, the surface is then polished or surface coated to produce a surface of optical quality. The optically finished lens blank is then edged to the proper shape and edge profile to fit into the frame for which it was made. Finished lens may be further coated with tinting coatings, photo-chromic coatings, scratch resistant coatings (i.e. hard coats).
Many business entities that sell ophthalmic lenses do lens finishing as a profit center activity and as a way to expedite delivery of single vision lenses. Only a small percentage of these entities also do surfacing of ophthalmic lenses. The business volume of most of these entities cannot justify the costs of acquiring and operating a conventional surfacing laboratory as known in the art. Surfacing laboratory setup costs have heretofore been several times the cost of setting up a laboratory for edging only.
Hiring qualified technicians for ophthalmic lens finishing or training personnel to perform ophthalmic lens finishing is relatively easy. However, hiring and training optical technicians to operate a surfacing laboratory is not easy. In many communities it is very difficult to find personnel that are trained in surfacing on conventional equipment. Technicians who are qualified to do surfacing are generally remunerated at higher pay scales than technicians skilled only in edging.
In addition to the significantly higher equipment and personnel costs of a surfacing lab, there are also higher ongoing costs for the additional lab space required. At least several hundred square feet of operational space and storage space have heretofore been required for a full service surfacing and edging ophthalmic lens laboratory. Consequently there is a need for a system and method of ophthalmic lens manufacture that would significantly reduce the investment required to acquire a surfacing and edging laboratory. There is a further need for a system and method of ophthalmic lens manufacture that significantly reduces the costs associated with operating a surfacing and edging laboratory. Further, there is a need for a system and method of ophthalmic lens manufacture that is operative to perform surfacing and edging by an operator with little skill in the art.
Further, in the prior art, the processes of surfacing and edging are done on at least two separate machines. In the prior art, blocking for surfacing and edging required two separate blocking devices. Also in the prior art, the individual processes of lap tool surfacing and lens cribbing and safety beveling and edge grooving and edge polishing and lens engraving each requires its own machine or device or machine augmentation. Consequently, there is therefore a need for a system and method of ophthalmic lens manufacture that reduces the need to employ a plurality of expensive and complex machines to manufacture lenses.
Prescription lenses for patients are generally generated in pairs (i.e. right and left lenses) for a spectacle frame. Prior art systems typically generate each lens independently. Production cycle times for generating lenses may be reduced by employing multiple, independent, surfacing and edging machines in the laboratory to generate pairs of lenses, however duplication of equipment at least doubles the acquisition and operational costs of the laboratory. Thus there exists a need for a system and method of ophthalmic lens manufacture that provides for reduced production cycle times for pairs of prescription lens without significantly increasing costs for the laboratory. | {
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In the context of cooking and other areas regarding food preparation, it will be appreciated that spices and/or minerals may be used, such as salt or pepper. Depending on the situation or the dish being prepared, it will be appreciated that different amounts or grain sizes of spices or minerals may be desired. Furthermore, in many cases, salt may be sold in the form of larger crystals and pepper may be sold in the form of peppercorns. In order for larger spices and minerals to be used, they must be ground prior to using them in cooking.
While a variety of grinders have been made and used, it is believed that no one prior to the inventor(s) has made or used an invention as described herein.
The drawings are not intended to be limiting in any way, and it is contemplated that various embodiments of the invention may be carried out in a variety of other ways, including those not necessarily depicted in the drawings. The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements shown. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a piezoelectric transformer used for various types of power supplies. Particularly, it relates to a small-sized, thin-formed, and light-weight power supply capable of a large-capacity output.
2. Background Art
Conventionally, a wire-wound type electromagnetic transformer has been used as a transformer device used in electronic instruments such as various types of household electrical appliances or audio visual systems. Since such electromagnetic transformer is structured by winding a lead wire around a magnetic core, it is necessary to increase the number of lead wires to be wound for realizing a high transformation ratio. In addition, it has been very difficult to realize a small-sized, thin-formed electromagnetic transformer due to the need to assure a withstand voltage.
In contrast to such electromagnetic wound transformer, a piezoelectric transformer has been proposed (see Patent Document 1). This piezoelectric transformer has a principle of operation utterly different from that of the conventional electromagnetic transformer. FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a structure of a single plate type piezoelectric transformer, which is what is called a Rosen-type piezoelectric transformer. The structure of such piezoelectric transformer will be hereafter described with reference to the drawing.
The portion provided with planar electrodes 35 on the top and bottom surfaces of a piezoelectric body refers to a driving portion 4, and it is polarized in the thickness direction thereof. Further, the portion sandwiched between an end face electrode 36 provided on an end portion of the piezoelectric body and the driving portion 4 is a power-generating portion 8, and it is polarized in the length direction thereof. In the piezoelectric transformer with such structure, a support 40 is attached to a node point during resonance of longitudinal vibration with respect to the length direction, and it is fixed to a transformer substrate (not shown). In this state, by applying an alternating voltage having a resonance frequency of the longitudinal vibration with respect to the length direction of the piezoelectric body between an external input electrical terminal 37 connected to the upper planar electrode and an external common electrical terminal 38 connected to the lower planar electrode, a voltage is generated between the external common electrical terminal 38 and an external output electrical terminal 39 connected to the end face output electrode 36. However, the piezoelectric transformer with such single plate structure as shown in FIG. 5 has an output current of on the order of several mA. Thus, it is not suitable for a power supply such as an AD adapter that requires an output current of on the order of several A.
Use of a piezoelectric transformer having a multilayer structure has been a means of making a piezoelectric transformer capable of large-capacity output. For example, Patent Documents 2 and 3 disclose such piezoelectric transformer having a multilayer structure. In the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2, a step-down voltage is generated by generating vibration in the length direction of a power-generating portion in conjunction with vibration in the length direction of a driving portion. An alternating voltage having a primary resonance frequency with respect to the length direction is applied to the driving portion via an external input electrical terminal, and a step-down voltage is generated at the power-generating portion via an external output electrical terminal. The technology disclosed in Patent Document 3 is characterized in that an alternating voltage having a tertiary resonance frequency is applied.
Patent Document 1: U.S. Pat. No. 2,830,274
Patent Document 2: JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 8-153914 A (1996)
Patent Document 3: JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 5-235432 A (1993) | {
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Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-229664 discloses a known technique for preventing unauthorized operations of an electronic apparatus. The technique employs a lock system that makes it impossible to remove removable media from the electronic apparatus unless a predetermined authorization procedure is followed. The predetermined authorization procedure may be a process that requires a password to remove the removable media.
The technique disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-229664 may protect against unauthorized removal of removable media from an electronic apparatus, and thereby help prevent such removable media from being stolen. It is difficult, however, to avoid increases in cost, size, and complexity of such electronic apparatus if a mechanical lock system, such as the system disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-229664, is employed in order to prevent unauthorized removal of removable media. | {
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This invention relates generally to conversational dialog between a computer or other processor-based device and a user, and more particularly to such dialog without requiring push-to-talk functionality.
Speech recognition applications have become increasingly popular with computer users. Speech recognition allows a user to talk into a microphone connected to the computer, and the computer translating the speech into recognizable text or commands understandable to the computer. There are several different types of uses for such speech recognition. In one type, speech recognition is used as an input mechanism for the user to input text into a program, such as a word processing program, in lieu of or in conjunction with a keyboard. In another type, speech recognition is used as a mechanism to convey commands to a programxe2x80x94for example to save a file in a program, instead of selecting a save command from a menu using a mouse.
In yet another type of use for speech recognition, speech recognition is used in conjunction with help applications such as an on-screen agent or automated assistant. For example, the agent may ask the user whether he or she wishes to schedule an appointment in a calendar based on an electronic mail the user is readingxe2x80x94e.g., using a text-to-speech application to render audible the question through a speaker, or by displaying text near the agent such that it appears that the agent is talking to the user. Speech recognition can then be used to indicate the user""s acceptance or declination of The agent""s offer.
In these and other types of uses for speech recognition, an issue lies as to when to turn on the speech recognition enginexe2x80x94that is, as to when the computer should listen to the microphone for user speech. This is because in part speech recognition is a processor-intensive application; keeping speech recognition turned on all the time may slow down other applications being run on the computer. In addition, keeping speech recognition turned on all the time may not be desirable, in that the user may accidentally say something into the microphone that was not meant for the computer.
One solution to this problem is generally referred to as xe2x80x9cpush-to-talk.xe2x80x9d In push-to-talk systems, a user presses a button on an input device such as a mouse, or presses a key or a key combination on the keyboard, to indicate to the user that it is ready to speak into the microphone such that the computer should listen to the speech. The user may optionally then be required to push another button to stop the computer from listening, or the computer may determine when to stop listening based on no more speech being spoken by the user.
Push-to-talk systems are disadvantageous, however. A goal in speech recognition systems is to provide for a more natural manner by which a user communicates with a computer. However, requiring a user to push a button prior to speaking to the computer cuts against this goal, so it is unnatural for the user to do so. Furthermore, in applications where a dialog is to be maintained with the computerxe2x80x94for example, where an agent asks a question, the user answers, and the agent asks another question, etc.xe2x80x94requiring the user to push a button is inconvenient and unintuitive, in addition to being unnatural.
Other prior art systems include those that give the user an explicit, unnatural message to indicate that the system is listening. For example, in the context of automated phone applications, a user may hear a recorded voice indicating various command options such as xe2x80x9cPress 1 now for choice A.xe2x80x9d While this may improve on push-to-talk systems, it nevertheless is unnatural. That is, in everyday conversation between people, such explicit messages to indicate that one party is ready to listen to the other is rarely heard.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.
The invention relates to conversational dialog with a computer or other processor-based device without requiring push-to-talk functionality. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method first determines that a user desires to engage in a dialog. Next, based thereon the method turns on a speech recognition functionality for a period of time referred to as a listening horizon. Upon the listening horizon expiring, the method turns off the speech recognition functionality.
In specific embodiments, determining that a user desires to engage in a dialog includes performing a probabilistic cost-benefit analysis to determine whether engaging in a dialog is the highest expected utility action of the user. This may include, for example, initially inferring a probability that the user desires an automated service with agent assistance. Thus, in one embodiment, the length of the listening horizon can be determined as a function of at least the inferred probability that the user desires automated service, as well as a function of the acute listening history of previous dialogs.
Embodiments of the invention provide for advantages not found within the prior art. Primarily, the invention does not require push-to-talk functionality for the user to engage in a dialog with the computer including engaging in a natural dialog about a failure to understand. This means that the dialog is more natural to the user, and also more convenient and intuitive to the user. Thus, in one embodiment, an agent may be displayed on the screen, ask the user a question using a text-to-speech mechanism, and then wait for the listening horizon for an appropriate response from the user. The user only has to talk after the agent asks the question, and does not have to undertake an unnatural action such as pushing a button on an input device or a key on the keyboard prior to answering the query.
The invention includes computer-implemented methods, machine-readable media, computerized systems, and computers of varying scopes. Other aspects, embodiments and advantages of the invention, beyond those described here, will become apparent by reading the detailed description and with reference to the drawings. | {
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1 Technical Field
The present invention relates to a battery characteristics learning apparatus that learns circuit constants of an equivalent circuit of a rechargeable battery (or secondary battery).
2 Description of Related Art
There has been known a method of calculating the internal resistance of a rechargeable battery and diagnosing the operating life (or service life) of the rechargeable battery based on the calculated internal resistance. Moreover, there also has been known a method of calculating the OCV (Open Circuit Voltage) of a rechargeable battery based on the internal resistance of the rechargeable battery, the terminal voltage of the rechargeable battery (or the voltage across the two terminals of the rechargeable battery) and the current flowing through the rechargeable battery and estimating the SOC (State of Charge) of the rechargeable battery based on the calculated OCV.
An equivalent circuit of a rechargeable battery is comprised of a perfect voltage source and circuit constants (i.e., ohmic resistance components and capacitance components) representing the internal resistance of the rechargeable battery. To calculate the internal resistance of the rechargeable battery in a transient response state where the current flowing through the rechargeable battery changes, it is necessary to first calculate the circuit constants of the equivalent circuit of the rechargeable battery. Further, there has been known, for example from Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP2011047820A, a method of sensing both the terminal voltage of the rechargeable battery and the current flowing through the rechargeable battery for a predetermined time period and calculating the circuit constants based on values of the sensed terminal voltage and current.
Specifically, according to the method disclosed in the above patent document, the present values of the circuit constants R1 and C1 are calculated based on a regression line; the regression line is determined, on a two-dimensional coordinate plane (C1R1, R1 ) whose center point is represented by the previous values of C1R1 and R1, using a plurality of points in proximity to the center point.
Moreover, the circuit constants of an equivalent circuit of a rechargeable battery define a plurality of time constants that are different from each other. However, according to the method disclosed in the above patent document, the circuit constants are calculated based on the values of the sensed terminal voltage and current which are acquired without considering the time constants defined by the circuit constants. In other words, the time constants are not taken into account in the calculation of the circuit constants. Consequently, when the values of the sensed terminal voltage and current are acquired immediately after a change in the current flowing through the rechargeable battery, those circuit constants which define a large time constant cannot be accurately calculated whereas those circuit constants which define a small time constant can be accurately calculated. In contrast, when the values of the sensed terminal voltage and current are acquired after a long time from a change in the current flowing through the rechargeable battery, those circuit constants which define a small time constant cannot be accurately calculated whereas those circuit constants which define a large time constant can be accurately calculated. That is, in either case, it is impossible to accurately calculate all the circuit constants of the equivalent circuit of the rechargeable battery. | {
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Air precleaners and methods that centrifugally separate heavier-than-air particles from the air to be used in internal combustion engines, ventilation systems, and other apparatus that draw in air laden with debris, are known. These include powered air precleaners which employ a motor-driven fan for drawing debris laden air into the air precleaner as well as air precleaners which rely solely upon a vacuum applied to the precleaner by the device being supplied with clean air, such as an internal combustion engine, for drawing debris laden air into the precleaner. The known air precleaners can include a filter, and/or be used in combination with a device downstream of the clean air outlet of the precleaner having a filter, for removing additional debris from the air. Examples of assignee's prior air precleaners are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos.:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,050
U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,315
U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,304
U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,745
U.S. Pat. No. 6,406,506
U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,943
U.S. Pat. No. 6,878,189
U.S. Pat. No. 7,056,368
U.S. Pat. No. 7,452,409.
Drawbacks of the known air precleaners include that they can be too big for limited space applications and they can require custom manufacturing of an individual air precleaner for a particular application due to variations in configuration and performance requirements. This limits the applications of the air precleaners and adversely effects the time and cost for their manufacture. Examples of air precleaner variations between applications which require individual customization include the required direction of ejection of centrifugally separated particulate debris from the precleaner to atmosphere, the orientation of the clean air outlet for providing clean air from the precleaner to the device with which it is used, the size of a filter in the device, the location of the available supporting structure for mounting the air precleaner, and the clean airflow rate required from the precleaner. In the case of powered air precleaners, the life of the motor of the motor-driven fan in the precleaner has been found to be reduced due to debris/dirt buildup on the motor which lowers the cooling thereof. Further, it has been found that the ejection ports for ejecting debris laden air centrifugally separated from the rotating airflow in the air precleaner are subject to being clogged thereby lowering operational efficiency and decreasing filter life.
There is a need for an improved air precleaner and air cleaning method which overcome these drawbacks and limitations of the known air precleaners. More particularly, there is a need for an improved air precleaner that is compact permitting its use in limited space applications, and is versatile for use in applications with different configurations and clean airflow rate requirements thereby obviating the necessity of a complete custom manufacturing of an individual air precleaner for each application and reducing the time and expense of manufacturing. There is a need for a powered air precleaner which can extend the motor life of a motor driven fan therein. There is also a need for an improved air precleaner and air cleaning method which will facilitate restoring the precleaner to its full operating potential in the event the ejector ports of the precleaner have become clogged.
The improved versatile compact air precleaner, air cleaning method and disposable air filter cartridge of the present invention address these needs. The versatile compact air precleaner of the invention for separating heavier-than-air particulate debris from debris laden air to provide a clean airflow in accordance with a disclosed embodiment comprises a flow path extending through the precleaner from an inlet to an outlet, a motor-driven fan with a fan blade to draw particulate debris laden air into the inlet and flow the debris laden air along the flow path, and an airflow management structure positioned along the flow path to rotate debris laden air drawn into an inlet about an axis to form a rotating flow that stratifies the debris laden air with the heaviest particles in the outermost orbits of the rotating flow. A separator chamber in the flow path centrifugally separates and removes particulate debris laden air from the rotating flow. At least one ejector port is provided through which particulate debris laden air is ejected from the rotating flow in the separator chamber. The flow path for air passing through the separator chamber is retroflexed en route to the outlet. The precleaner of the disclosed embodiment is elongated in the direction of the axis with the inlet and the at least one ejector port located at opposite ends and the outlet located intermediate the ends. By retroflexing the flow path in this manner the air precleaner is more compact permitting use in applications with limited space.
Connection of the air precleaner to a supporting structure/device is facilitated by the provision of at least one mount on the precleaner for mounting the precleaner on the support/device. Versatility is improved for using the device in various configurations in that the air precleaner has means for independently adjusting a radial position of each of the outlet, the at least one ejector port and the at least one mount about the axis of the precleaner to configure the precleaner for mounting on the device and connection to the inlet thereof. In the disclosed embodiment, the means for independently adjusting a radial position includes a housing having a plurality of housing sections arranged sequentially along the axis of the air precleaner and means for releasably connecting and adjustably rotating the sections with respect to one another about the axis. The inlet is located on a housing section apart from that of the at least one ejector port and the outlet and is releasably connected to the precleaner. Accordingly, the inlet configuration can be readily changed permitting adaptation of the air precleaner for ingress of air directly from the atmosphere or indirectly from an air supply conduit connected to the inlet. The adjustability afforded by these features allows the use of a single air precleaner in many different applications/configurations and also facilitates, with only minimal changes, the use of different sizes of filters within the air precleaner and changeover of the air precleaner to meet different airflow rate requirements.
The disclosed, preferred embodiment of the air precleaner of the invention comprises a motor-driven fan with a fan blade mounted on an output shaft of a motor. The fan blade is located in the flow path upstream of the separator chamber and draws particulate debris laden air into the inlet and flows the debris laden air along the flow path. The motor-driven fan is supported on a shroud of the airflow management structure. The shroud tapers outwardly with respect to the axis downstream of the fan blade and shields the motor of the motor-driven fan from the incoming air. A plurality of stationary vanes of the airflow management structure rotate the incoming debris laden air about the axis, compressing the volume of debris laden air to increase the air velocity and centrifugal force acting on the airborne particles. The motor of the motor-driven fan beneath the shroud is in the flow path downstream of the separator chamber, which advantageously reduces dirt and debris buildup on the motor for improved cooling and longer motor life.
The air precleaner of the embodiment further comprises an air filter which forms an inner wall of the separator chamber for filtering air from the innermost orbits of the rotating flow. The flow path for air through the separator chamber is retroflexed en route to the outlet after passing through the filter. The filter is tubular, preferably cylindrical and has a longitudinally extending internal passage for flowing filtered air from the separator chamber toward an outlet of the air precleaner.
The separator chamber includes a separator chamber end section which includes the at least one ejector port. The separator chamber end section is connected to one end of the air filter and is, together with the air filter, removably connected with the air precleaner as a disposable air filter cartridge. Thus, the ejection ports are thrown away with the filter at filter change thereby restoring the air precleaner to its full operating potential if the ports have been clogged during the past filter cycle.
An air cleaning method of the present invention comprises drawing heaver-than-air particulate debris laden air into an inlet of an air precleaner, flowing the particulate debris laden air along the flow path in the precleaner, rotating the flow of the debris laden air about an axis in the precleaner to form a stratified rotating flow with the heaviest particles in the outermost orbits of the rotating flow, ejecting particulate debris laden air from the outermost orbits of the stratified rotating flow through at least one ejector port of the precleaner, filtering air from the innermost orbits of the stratified rotating flow through an air filter extending along said axis within the rotating flow, flowing the filtered air along the flow path toward an outlet of the air precleaner, including utilizing a removable, disposable air filter cartridge in the air precleaner wherein the air filter and the at least one ejector port are integral parts of the removable, disposable air filter cartridge. In accordance with the method, the filtered air leaving the air filter is flowed past the motor of the motor driven fan en route to the outlet of the air precleaner.
A disposable air filter cartridge according to the invention for use in an air precleaner as part of a separator chamber wherein particulate debris laden air is centrifugally separated and removed from a rotating flow of debris laden air through at least one ejector port located within a wall of the separator chamber, comprises a tubular air filter for forming an inner wall of the separator chamber in the air precleaner and filtering air from the innermost orbits of a rotating flow of debris laden air in the separator chamber, the tubular air filter having a longitudinally extending internal passage for flowing filtered air from the separator chamber toward an outlet of the air precleaner, a separator chamber end section securely connected to one end of the tubular air filter and extending radially outwardly from the filter for forming a portion of the wall of the separator chamber, at least one ejector port formed in the separator chamber end section for removal of debris laden air from the rotating flow in the separator chamber, and means permitting releasable connection of the air filter cartridge to the air precleaner.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. | {
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Client computing devices may be used to request content pages and other network-accessible content from content servers. Content pages can include text, images, videos, animations, and the like. In a typical application, a client device transmits a request for a content page to a content server. The request can be formatted and communicated according to standard protocols understood by both the client computing device and the content server, such as the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (“HTTP”). In response to some requests, the content server can prepare a response in the form of a Hypertext Markup Language (“HTML”) document. HTML documents may have embedded references to separate files and objects, such as images, executable code files, and the like. An HTML document may be transmitted to the client computing device in response to an HTTP request. The client computing device can process the HTML document, identify embedded references to separate files and objects, and request those files and objects, e.g., by issuing HTTP requests to the same server or to a different server.
Conventionally, content pages, such as those defined by HTML documents, may be tested and debugged by executing a debugging application on the same computing device that is rendering or executing content to be debugged. For example, a debugging application may launch a browser application to render an HTML file and execute any embedded reference. The debugging application may have access to the state of the browser application during rendering and execution, and can inspect element values, execute instructions, and perform other debugging operations. In some cases, a separate computing device may access the state of a browser application during rendering and execution. For example, a first client computing device may execute a debugging application, and a separate client computing device, connected to the first client computing device via a universal serial bus (“USB”) cable or some other direct communication link, may execute a browser application that renders an HTML file. The separate client computing device may be configured to allow the debugging application, running on the first client computing device, to perform debugging operations (read/write program state, execute commands, etc.) | {
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Integrated circuit designers use a variety of components to implement desired circuit functionality. These components may include bipolar and field-effect transistors, junction diodes, capacitors, and resistors.
Capacitors are used in a wide variety of applications which require charge storage elements. An integrated circuit capacitor and integrated circuit resistor form a characteristic time constant useful as a delay element or for signal frequency filtering applications. Capacitors are particularly useful for power supply decoupling of digital complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuits which draw large transient current spikes during switching. A large capacitance connected between the power supply and ground can supply much of the charge drawn during these transient switching events, thereby smoothing the power supply voltage. Charge pump circuits are another application in which capacitors may be used. In charge pump circuits, MOS switches or pn junction diodes are used to control conduction of charge; the capacitors may be switched to convert an input power supply voltage to an output power supply of different voltage or polarity.
Integrated circuit capacitors can be implemented in a variety of different ways. A parallel plate capacitor constructed from two conductive plates separated by a dielectric layer. The conductive plates may each be composed of a metal, one conductive plate could be conductively doped polysilicon and the other conductive plate could be metal, or both conductive plates may be composed of conductively doped polysilicon. Such parallel plate capacitors may require additional process steps in forming a thin dielectric between the conductive plates, or in forming the conductive plates. In a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) process, a MOS field-effect transistor (FET) having drain, gate, source, and body regions may also be used as a capacitor (MOS capacitor). Use of a MOS capacitor is advantageous since no process complexity is added to implement the capacitor; only existing process steps are used.
In FIG. 1, a schematic cross-sectional view of one embodiment of an n-channel MOS (NMOS) FET is illustrated. The NMOS FET has a conductively doped polysilicon gate region 100 formed on a thin dielectric region 110 which is formed on a lightly p-type doped substrate 120. Source region 130 and drain region 140 comprise heavily n-type doped diffusion regions.
In FIG. 1, the NMOS FET device is capable of being used as a capacitor. Such an NMOS capacitor 145 has a top plate comprising the conductively doped polysilicon gate 100. The bottom plate comprises the lightly doped semiconductor substrate 120 (body region of the FET). The top plate and bottom plate of the NMOS capacitor 145 are separated by the thin dielectric region 110.
The NMOS capacitor 145 bottom plate comprises a lightly doped semiconductor substrate 120 which has distinct regions of operation: accumulation, depletion, and inversion. These regions of operation are defined by the voltage applied to the NMOS capacitor 145. The NMOS capacitor 145 has a capacitance value which depends on the applied voltage, as described in Ben G. Streetman, Solid State Electronic Devices. 3rd ed., Prentice-Hall (1990).
FIG. 2 illustrates the NMOS capacitance 150 as a function of a voltage 160 which is applied to the gate 100 of the NMOS capacitor 145 with the bottom plate, substrate 120, held at ground voltage potential at 0 V. In particular, as a positive dc voltage is applied to gate 100, the NMOS capacitance between the gate 100 and the substrate 120 decreases until a characteristic threshold voltage (Vt) 170 is reached, beyond which capacitance increases. Because of its reduced capacitance for positive voltages less than Vt applied to the gate 100, the NMOS capacitor 145 is most useful for such voltages which exceed Vt. Thus, the Vt of the NMOS capacitor 145 limits its useful voltage range.
Similarly, FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a p-channel MOS (PMOS) FET device. The PMOS FET has a conductively doped polysilicon gate region 180 formed on a thin dielectric region 190 which is formed on a lightly n-type doped substrate 200. Source region 210 and drain region 220 comprise heavily p-type doped diffusion regions. The PMOS FET device is capable of being used as a capacitor. The top and bottom plates of PMOS capacitor 225 are separated by the thin dielectric region 190.
FIG. 4 illustrates the PMOS capacitance 230 as a function of a voltage 240 which is applied to the gate 180 of the PMOS capacitor 225 with the bottom plate, substrate 200, held at ground voltage potential. In particular, as a negative dc voltage is applied to gate 180, the PMOS capacitance between the gate 180 and the substrate 200 decreases until a characteristic threshold voltage (Vt) 250 is reached, beyond which capacitance increases. Because of its reduced capacitance for voltages between Vt and 0 V applied to the gate 180, the PMOS capacitor is most useful for voltages more negative than Vt. Thus, the magnitude of the threshold voltage Vt of the PMOS capacitor limits its useful voltage range.
As semiconductor technology progresses and device dimensions are scaled downward, power supply voltages are typically reduced to keep electric fields within the FET devices within an acceptable value. Power supplies are also lowered to reduce power consumption of integrated circuit die used in portable electronic devices. As the power supply voltages are reduced, the effect of the magnitude of Vt on the useful voltage range of the MOS capacitor becomes increasingly important. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of a photoelectronic device for separating a semiconductor layer from a substrate, and relates more particularly to a method for separating a semiconductor from a substrate by using wet-etching process.
2. Description of the Related Art
The word epitaxy derives from a combination of two Greek words, epi (“upon”) and taxis (“ordered”), meaning that one material is arranged in an ordered manner upon another material. In the semiconductor industry, the epitaxial growth process is used during manufacture for depositing a film material upon a substrate. The epitaxial growth process is different from crystal growth by using the Czochralski process. The epitaxial growth processes can be categorized into three categories: (1) liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) process; (2) vapor phase epitaxy (VPE) process; (3) molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) process. The VPE process can be further categorized according to reaction type into (a) chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and (b) physical vapor deposition (PVD). By using the epitaxial growth process, a semiconductor film can be grown by controlling reaction parameters to have an amorphous crystal structure, a poly crystal structure or a single crystal structure, and dopants can be directly added during the process, eliminating the need for diffusion and ion implantation processes.
However, during the epitaxial process, a semiconductor layer may have lattice dislocation and thermal stress issues because the semiconductor layer and its heterosubstrate have different lattice constants and coefficients of thermal expansion. Conventionally, substrates used for eptiaxial processes usually have characteristics that are insufficient or unsuitable for the later processing steps of manufacturing an optoelectronic device or for the application of semiconductor components. Therefore, many techniques have been developed for separating semiconductor layers and attempting to solve said problem.
For example, a paper by Yablonovitch, et al. published in Appl. Phys. Lett. 51, 2222 (1987) proposes to implement AlAs sacrificial layers in the GaAs/AlAs material system during the production process, which can then be dissolved by using wet chemical means. This makes it possible to separate layers or structures from the substrate. However, because of the low lateral etching rate, this process is very time-consuming.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,636 describes a process for removing metal films from a substrate. First, the metal film is heated by light. An organic sacrificial layer between the substrate and the metal film is vaporized by the heat and allows the metal layer to be removed. Such organic intermediate layers cannot be employed, however, in the epitaxial growth of group III nitrides.
A comparable process has been described for removing silicon dioxide layers from gallium arsenide in Y. F. Lu, Y. Aoyagi, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 34, L1669 (1995). In this process, an organic intermediate layer is heated by light absorption and the SiO2 layer is lifted off.
A paper by Y. F. Lu, Y. Aoyagi, published in Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 33, L324(1994) proposes a method that uses an Excimer laser beam to separate silicon oxide strips from a GaAs layer.
Specifically for group III nitrides, Leonard and Bedair, Appl. Phys. Lett. 68, 794 (1996) describe the etching of GaN with a laser pulse under HCl gas so as to perform a separation process.
Although many separation methods, including the above, have been introduced, such methods suffer from deficiencies such as high cost, limited availability of material required by the methods, low efficiency, and excessive destruction of semiconductor structures. Therefore, a new method is required to overcome the limitations of prior methods. | {
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The present invention relates to an electronic testing apparatus which can, for instance, be adapted to test the function and performance of an artificial satellite station for affirmation on the ground.
It is generally known that a conventional testing apparatus for an artificial satellite station as described, for example, in the article entitled "ETS-1; ISS Checkout Apparatus" to be found in Mitsubishi Denki Gihoo (Mitsubishi Electric Technical Periodical) Vol. 47, No. 3, 1973, comprises, as generally shown in FIG. 12, subsystem test units for testing subsystem by subsystem a satellite station to be tested, and a data processing unit for the processing of data from these subsystem test units. This drawing diagrammatically shows an artificial satellite station designated by reference numeral 1 which is tested from the ground in connection with the function and performance thereof, a series of subsystem testing units 2 for testing in terms of each of the subsystems that comprise the satellite station such items as, for example, the power source for supplying each subsystem with electric power, the control subsystems for controlling the attitude and/or the orbit of the satellite, etc., and a data processing unit 3.
More specifically, each of the subsystem testing units 2 is adapted to perform a test on the ground to check whether the subsystems of the satellite station for the power supply system, the telemetry/command system, the attitude and orbit control system, the propulsion system, the heat control system and the like are operating properly as designed.
In the function test conducted on, for example, a test subsystem for the attitude and orbit control system, a test is undertaken to ensure that its designed ability for attitude control is operating properly through tests on such elements as attitude detection sensors, attitude control electric circuits, attitude control drive mechanisms, etc. Similarly, during the performance test, a test is conducted to check whether the accuracy of attitude control and of control velocity comes within the range of the design parameters.
All data output from the tests on each subsystem as noted above will then be supplied to the data processing unit 3. This data processing unit 3 incorporates testing data processing means based on suitable software which is specifically adapted to undertake data processing and/or editing of the test data output. The output data obtained from the test conducted on, for instance, the attitude and orbit control subsystem, such as analog data including voltage values indicating the data output by the attitude detection sensor and electric current and voltage values observed at many points of the electric circuits, etc., are input together with binary digital data indicating the current ON/OFF status of each switch, binary digital data on the revolution numbers indicating the current control velocity and the like to the above-mentioned data processing unit 3, where the data are subjected to processing and/or editing as noted above. In general, the data processing unit 3 may be a general purpose large-sized computer or minicomputer, and all the data output from this unit may be processed and/or edited by way of binary digital representation.
More specifically, the nature of this data processing unit 3 provided for data processing and/or editing is principally that binary data is converted into decimal digits by virtue of the engineering system of the units, various data collected at certain points in time are classified to be shown in tables, and the behavior of data on variable values is edited to be represented in graphs. Once such data has been processed and/or edited in this manner it may then be output by way of a line printer or a cathode ray tube (CRT) in a visual form.
With such data made available in this manner, specialists in the artificial satellite field may readily perform a diagnostic review of the thus-prepared data obtained from the tests. This diagnostic review of the test data allows a decision to be made as to whether or not the function and performance of each of the functional subsystems incorporated in an artificial satellite station is in a good condition in accordance with the overall design, and the data employed in the system design may be adapted to be employed as the criteria for this determination. In addition, when the test data fails to satisfy the requirements of the system design, a prediction regarding which part of a subsystem is out of order can be made by taking account of precedents and/or technical knowledge related thereto.
Conventional test apparatus used for artificial satellite stations are generally constructed in the manner noted above, and the diagnostic review of the test data obtained on each subsystem of a satellite is in practice done by humans. Thus, it is left to specialists in the artificial satellite field to determine whether or not test data are satisfactory and to predict which part is out of order when appropriate.
It is common practice for engineers or designers of an artificial satellite station to make a trade-off or compromise in regard to the allocation of functions or performance at the design and engineering stages as between the functions and performance essential for a subsystem incorporated in the overall system and a construction that is sufficiently practical to be employed in actuality. For this purpose, functional block diagrams may be prepared. In the conventional design of test apparatus for satellite stations, while it has been common for a trade-off of this type to be made when considering the various design data that could be used in the original design, means of preparing the necessary functional block diagrams have not been incorporated in the design system by way of readily available software. In this connection, all the steps of reviewing the design and engineering stages which involve reexamining the results of implementing a certain design and identifying unsuitable features that need to be corrected have been left to the personnel concerned, and there has been no means available in the conventional test apparatus allowing such design reviews to be undertaken by way of software for the purpose of dispensing with the need for human effort in this work. More specifically, since no means has been adopted capable of making use of such software as the so-called "Failure Mode and Effect Analysis" which is adopted at the time of system design, these steps have to be taken by humans, which naturally means that efficient utilization of the design data cannot be ensured.
As discussed above, the design of conventional artificial satellite test apparatus having the construction noted above involves the diagnostic review of an enormous amount of test data by humans which has required that many specialists in the artificial satellite field have been employed in such diagnostic work. Consequently, a significant problem has been that, owing to the man hours involved in the diagnostic review of such a vast amount of test data, it takes a substantial time for the specialists to complete these tasks in comparison with the completion of the original design drawings and design and engineering data. In order to determine if the test data are satisfactory, to predict the location of any possible defective parts in the system, and to complete similar work, many specialists have been required to expend many man hours. Moreover, since such design and testing work have not been operatively coordinated as the various tasks are done by different departments of an organization, there has been a significant problem in that the design results have not been made fully available for testing operations.
The present invention is essentially directed to the provision of a useful solution to the inevitable problems noted above. This is achieved by having a data diagnosis unit connected operatively to a data processing unit in an attempt to reduce and automate the design and design review jobs, and by making good use of the design data accumulated at the design stage in the testing operations that follow, and by automating the diagnosis of test data obtained, thus contributing to a reduction in the number of steps to be undertaken in the test operations and to a shortening of the period required for testing. | {
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A smart phone is an intelligent mobile terminal incorporating functions of Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) and enabling the user to browse web pages and to send/receive e-mails. The smart phone can provide functions in addition to voice communication and facilitate provision of value-added services by telecommunication operators. In implementing these functions, the smart phone adopts an architecture in which an application processor and a communication processor are incorporated and the communication processor serves as a peripheral device of the application processor. Accordingly, functions like playing audio/video, reading and processing documents are performed by the application processor, and the communication processor provides the application processor with communication paths to implement communication functions. Therefore, the smart phone can operate either in an operation mode in which the application processor and the communication processor cooperate or in an operation mode in which only the application processor operates. In this way, users' demands on both mobile computing capability and communication can be satisfied.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the architecture of an existing smart mobile terminal. The smart mobile terminal based on this architecture is designed to have an application processor (AP) as its master device. In addition, an storage, a USB interface for connecting a keyboard and a mouse, a display device (a LCD with T/P), an audio device and other peripheral devices (such as WiFi/BT/GPS) are each connected with the AP via an Input/Output (I/O) interface. The communication processor (CP) is also connected, via the I/O interface, with the AP as its peripheral device. It can be seen from the above architecture of the smart mobile terminal that, in the conventional techniques, the CP is configured as a peripheral device of the AP and thus can only operate in an operation state at the same time as the AP, i.e., it cannot operate alone and independently. The power consumption for the AP is much higher than that for the CP. Also, with the increasing computing/processing capability of the CP, when the smart mobile terminal only needs to perform communication functions (i.e., only the CP functions are required), it may result in great redundant power consumption, because the AP has to be started up as the master device prior to using the CP functions according to the existing architecture. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a computer and a power source, and more particularly to a portable computer to be driven by a specific battery pack or ordinary batteries.
2. Related Art
Computer systems are information handling systems that are utilized by many individuals and businesses today. A computer system can be defined as a microcomputer that includes a central processing unit (CPU) component in combination with some or all of the following additional components: a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory such as read only memory (ROM), a display monitor, a keyboard or keypad, a mouse or other input device such as a trackball, a floppy diskette drive, a compact disc-read only memory (CD-ROM) drive, a modem, a hard disk storage device, and a printer. A computer system's main board, which is a printed circuit board known as a motherboard, is used to electrically connect the above-referenced components together. A computer system can be a desktop computer, a personal computer, a portable computer such as a notebook computer or palm-sized computer, or other type of computer.
A small portable computer which can fit in a pocket can be a wallet personal computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a hand-held personal computer (HPC), a palm-sized computer, or other portable computer. Such small, palm-sized computers are becoming more popular because the small size makes them more portable than medium-sized notebook computers.
Such palm-sized computers are usually driven by a portable power supply with a limited capacity such as a rechargeable battery. The consumed battery should be replaced by a new one or recharged. Generally, I have found that a rechargeable battery pack specifically designed for use in one particular type of computer cannot be used with other types of computers. In other words, such a specific rechargeable battery pack is not compatible with other types of computers.
I have found that certain sizes and incompatibilities of battery packs and batteries can make a portable computer inconvenient to use. Efforts have been made to improve battery pack structures and batteries.
One exemplar recent efforts in the art is U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,267 for BATTERY STORAGE PACK ADAPTER FOR A PORTABLE COMPUTER issued to Lee. In particular, the aforementioned Lee '267 proposed an additional battery casing for mounting ordinary batteries in a portable computer. However, the additional battery casing adversely affects miniaturization of the portable computer. In other words, the additional battery casing prevents a certain reduction in size of the portable computer.
Additional exemplars of recent efforts in the art include U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,806 for BATTERY REPLACEMENT SYSTEM FOR BATTERY-POWERED DIGITAL DATA HANDLING DEVICES issued to Stewart et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,604 for BATTERY ACCOMMODATING STRUCTURE issued to Nakanishi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,817 for ELECTRONIC APPARATUS SYSTEM INCLUDING AN EXPANSION DEVICE REMOVABLY CONNECTED TO A REMOVABLE BATTERY PACK issued to Hosoi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,200,883 for PORTABLE COMPUTER HAVING AN EXTERNAL BATTERY MOUNTING PORTION AND OPTIONAL DEVICE MOUNTING PORTION issued to Kobayashi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,294 for PORTABLE COMPUTER POWERED BY RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES issued to Nanno et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,633,572 for BACK-UP POWER SUPPLY WITH REPLACEABLE BATTERY PACK issued to Steele et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,626 for BATTERY CONNECTING DEVICE FOR A COMPUTER SYSTEM AND A METHOD OF SWITCHING BATTERIES issued to Odaohara, U.S. Pat. No. 5,786,984 for MODULAR PORTABLE PERSONAL COMPUTER issued to Bonardi et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,007 for SELECTION CIRCUIT FOR DUAL BATTERIES IN A BATTERY POWERED ELECTRONIC DEVICE issued to Kim.
In a portable computer not requiring any additional battery casing, let us suppose that a first battery pack has been consumed. At this time, the portable computer shall require either a recharging of the consumed first battery pack or a second battery pack which is compatible with the portable computer. This requirement can cause inconvenience and economic hardship to the user. The user either must spend the time to recharge the first battery pack, or must spend money to purchase a second battery pack which is specifically compatible with that particular portable computer.
While the above-referenced related art provides advantages, I note that such related art fails to adequately provide a portable computer which can conveniently use either a specific battery pack or ordinary batteries. | {
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The present invention relates to a rotary machine integral with a control device, and more particularly to a rotary machine and control device combination which comprises a rotary machine such as a pump, a fan, or the like and an operation control device such as an inverter device for controlling the rotational speed of the rotary machine.
It has widely been practiced to combine a rotary machine such as a pump, a fan, or the like with an inverter device for converting the frequency and voltage of a commercial AC power supply into an arbitrary frequency and voltage thereby to control the rotary machine to rotate at a variable speed. Since the inverter device is capable of changing the rotational speed of a motor which actuates the pump or fan, the inverter device can operate the pump or fan at a rotational speed optimum for the load on the pump or fan, and hence can save more energy as compared with operating the pump or fan at a rated speed.
It is known that various water supply apparatus are operated according to a constant pump discharge pressure control process. In the constant pump discharge pressure control process, a pressure sensor is located-at the outlet port of a pump, and a PI controller sends a rotational speed signal to an inverter device in order to equalize a detected signal from the pressure sensor to a pressure setting. The inverter device controls the rotational speed of a pump to control the discharge pressure of the pump at a constant level. It is also known that various water supply apparatus are operated according to a constant estimated terminal discharge pressure control process. In the constant estimated end discharge pressure control process, a target pump discharge pressure is successively changed on the basis of a flow sensor signal or a rotational speed for thereby controlling the water pressure supplied to an end consumer at a constant level.
Furthermore, it is known that air-conditioning systems or the like are operated according to a constant temperature control process. In the constant temperature control process, a temperature sensor is located at the outlet port of a fan, and a PI controller controls an inverter device to control the rotational speed of the fan in order to coincide the temperature of air discharged by the fan with a predetermined temperature setting.
If a variable-speed pump or variable-speed fan which is equipped with such an inverter device is incorporated in a water supply apparatus or an air-conditioning system, then the variable-speed pump or variable-speed fan needs to be operated according to various control processes. For example, if such a variable-speed pump is incorporated in a water supply apparatus, then the variable-speed pump is operated or stopped by an operation or stop command sent from a control station remote from the pump. These operation statuses need to be displayed. For automatically operating the pump to keep the discharge pressure constant, it is necessary to supply a signal from a pressure sensor at the outlet port of the pump to a control device in the water supply apparatus, so that the control device controls the rotational speed of the pump under variable-speed control to keep the discharge pressure constant. When an amount of water to be supplied, which represents a load on the pump, becomes very small, since the pump would otherwise operate in a shut-off mode, it is necessary to store water in a pressure tank connected to the outlet port of the pump and stop the pump.
Therefore, if a variable-speed pump equipped with an inverter device is incorporated in a water supply apparatus, then the water supply apparatus needs an operation control device which generally comprises a CPU and a memory.
Operation control specifications for a water supply apparatus which employs a variable-speed pump vary greatly depending on conditions of the installation site. Therefore, data to be stored in the memory for controlling the operation of the water supply apparatus need to be set depending on facility details at the installation site. Actually, the operation control device requires a CPU and a memory for controlling the inverter device, and a CPU and a memory for controlling the pump. However, it has been difficult to employ a common CPU and a common memory for those CPUs and memories because of the facility details at the installation site. Since the operation control details vary from pump type to pump type and also from operation control condition to operation control condition at the installation site, it is necessary to use memories (ROMs or the like) storing programs suitable for the operation control specifications.
In the water supply apparatus, furthermore, if facilities are to be added or modified to meet demands for an increased amount of water to be supplied, for example, then data stored in the memories need to be changed accordingly. However, it has not been easy to change the data stored in the memories because the control data are stored in the ROMs or the like.
The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional drawbacks. It is an object of the present invention to provide a rotary machine integral with a control device, which is effective to reduce the cost of manufacture of a water supply apparatus or the like employing a variable-speed pump or the like, and allows control programs to be easily established at the installation site.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rotary machine and control device combination which comprises a rotary machine such as a pump, a fan, or the like and a control device integral therewith, the control device comprising an inverter device for operating the rotary machine, a memory for storing a control program for the inverter device and a program for controlling operation of the rotary machine, a CPU operable according to the programs stored in the memory, an input and output unit connected to sensors and switches positioned in said rotary machine, one or more serial ports connected to the CPU, and means for rewriting contents stored in the memory.
The memory may store the control program for the inverter and the program for controlling operation of the rotary machine.
The memory may comprise a flash memory.
The rotary machine and control device combination may comprise a plurality of rotary machines and control devices integral therewith, with the rotary machines having serial ports connected to each other for coordinated operation according to a machine adding and relieving process, an alternate machine operating process, and a failure machine-switching process.
An electronic circuit section including the memory and the CPU of the control device may be encased by molded resin.
With the above rotary machine and control device combination, since the control device has the means for rewriting contents stored in the memory based on a signal entered from the serial port or ports, both a control program for the inverter and an operation program for starting and stopping the rotary machine can be written into the memory. Because only one set of a memory and a CPU, rather than two sets of memories and CPUs that have heretofore been required, is sufficient, the cost of manufacture of the control device is reduced.
Since the memory is associated with the means for rewriting the programs stored therein, the control program can be modified to suit the operating status of the rotary machine at the installation site, and only one set of hardware is needed to provide a water supply apparatus that can be controlled by software to meet demands under various different operating conditions. Therefore, the hardware arrangement can be mass-produced and hence its cost can be lowered. Furthermore, the user of the rotary machine can easily add a pump, for example, to meet a change in the demand for water to be supplied from the water supply apparatus. Therefore, the rotary machine can be made highly flexible for the user.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rotary machine and control device combination which comprises a rotary machine such as a pump, a fan, or the like and a control device integral therewith, the control device comprising an inverter device for operating the rotary machine, a memory for storing a plurality of control programs, a CPU operable according to the programs stored in the memory, an input and output unit connected to sensors and switches positioned outside of the control device, one or more serial ports connected to the CPU, and means for externally selecting a control program to be used among the control programs.
The memory may store a control program for the inverter and a program for controlling operation of the rotary machine.
The rotary machine and control device combination may comprise a plurality of rotary machines and control devices integral therewith, with the rotary machines having serial ports connected to each other for coordinated operation according to a machine adding and relieving process, an alternate machine operating process, and a failure machine-switching process.
An electronic circuit section including the memory and the CPU of the control device may be encased by molded resin.
With the above rotary machine and control device combination, since the control device has the means for selecting a control program to be used among the control programs stored in the memory, and switching programs to operate the CPU with the selected program, it is possible to select a control program most suited to the type of the pump or operating conditions of the installation site. Therefore, pump control devices having a plurality of control programs may be mass-produced in advance, and it is possible to select, at the installation site, a necessary control program to be used among those control programs. Only one set of hardware is needed to provide a water supply apparatus that can be controlled by software to meet demands under various different operating conditions. Therefore, the hardware arrangement can be mass-produced and hence its cost can be lowered. Furthermore, the user of the rotary machine can meet specifications of many types manufactured in small lots at the installation site. Furthermore, the user can easily add a pump, for example, to meet a change in the demand for water to be supplied from the water supply apparatus. Therefore, the rotary machine can be made highly flexible for the user.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inverter device which comprises an inverter section having a power device, a driver circuit for operating the power device, a control circuit including a CPU for controlling the driver circuit, and an interface circuit, the inverter section being mounted on a circuit board, the circuit board with the circuit components thereon being encased by molded resin, with only input and output lines and interface terminals being disposed outside of the molded resin.
The molded resin may accommodate a protective circuit for monitoring an operating status thereof and protecting.
The molded resin may further accommodate a converter section comprising a rectifier, and a rush current prevention circuit.
The inverter device may comprise a converter section comprising a rectifier and a rush current prevention circuit, wherein the converter section is mounted on a circuit board, and the circuit board with the circuit components thereon are encased by molded resin, with only input and output lines disposed outside of the molded resin.
The inverter device may comprise a combination of resin-encased module of the inverter section and a resin-encased module of the converter section, with a capacitor connected between the converter section and the inverter section.
The control circuit may have an electrically rewritable memory for storing a program, the program stored in the electrically rewritable memory being rewritable from outside of the molded resin via the interface circuit. | {
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This invention relates to an improvement in a traverse for a thickness gauge and more particularly to a nuclear gauge traverse drive that rapidly moves the gauge from measurement point to measurement point where the gauge resides for the considerable time necessary to measure thickness. Reducing the time that a traverse takes to make a single pass across continuously moving product being manufactured will improve system response time by enabling quicker response to tolerance departures in the measured parameter or trends toward out of spec product and hence improve the performance of any closed loop control used with the traverse.
An extruder makes plastic sheet by heating plastic in the manner well-known in the art and forcing it through a die that is in the form of a narrow slit. The thickness of the sheet at each point is determined by a number of factors such as the temperature of the die lips, the viscosity of the plastic at that point, surface finish on the die lips, etc., but it is also determined in large part by the spacing between the die lips at the point in question.
To have the thickness of the sheet as uniform as possible across the width is important in extruding sheet, otherwise subsequent use of that sheet will have highly variable results. No die can be made absolutely perfect, and to allow some means for adjusting the die opening at the various points across the width, it is customary to build slight flexibility into one of the lips and mount a series of bolts across the width so that the die lips may be flexed slightly to increase or decrease spacing between the lips at that point. Typical spacing of these die bolts along the width (i.e. the direction transverse to the direction of movement of the extruded product) is 1 1/8". There may be 67 die bolts across the width of a 75" die. Thirty inch (30") wide dies have 26 die bolts.
Nuclear thickness gauges are used to monitor the thickness of extruded sheet. To measure the thickness profile accurately across the width of the sheet, the gauge is mounted on a traverse that carries the gauge across the sheet. A monitoring device such as the Harrel CP-680 DIGIPANEL sheet thickness controller used with the gauge notes the thickness reading as the gauge passes points across the sheet width corresponding to each die bolt position and creates a profile display that is a histogram or bar chart of thickness in each die bolt position.
In a manually adjusted system the operator notes where the sheet thickness deviates from the norm and adjusts the appropriate bolt or bolts manually to eliminate the discrepancy. Harrel, Incorporated, the assignee of this invention, makes two types of automatic control systems which can adjust the thickness profile automatically. One uses the "AUTO-FLEX" die system available from Extrusion Dies, Incorporated. This die system uses die bolts made from a metal having a high co-efficient of thermal expansion. Changing the heat applied to the bolt by a heater wrapped around such a die bolt makes it possible to adjust the die lip spacing by remote control.
The second system, developed by the assignee Harrel, uses heaters along the die lips. The temperature of the die lip at each point also affects the amount of plastic which comes through at that given point, and hence the thickness at that point. A modern digital controller such as the Harrel CP-680 DIGIPANEL system can, by dictating the current to each heater, change the lip temperature at each heater location and accomplish the same result as if the spacing of the die lips had been changed. Here it is the location of the heaters that is of interest in measuring thickness at points across the sheet width. Sheet thickness should be measured at locations corresponding to the heaters. In any case, one is interested in 60 or so discrete locations in a 90" wide die, for example.
A thickness gauge that is used for thickness measurements of the type described is known as a gamma backscatter gauge. The Harrel TG-600 nuclear is such a gauge. This gauge requires an appreciable time to reach equilibrium. Time constants of 1 and 3 seconds are common. They might range as widely as 0.5 to 10 seconds. A time constant of 1 second, for example, means that if the plastic is thicker opposite a particular die bolt, one has to stay in the vicinity of the measurement point corresponding to that die bolt for at least 3 seconds to measure 99% of the discrepancy. This requirement sets the ultimate limit on how fast one can afford to run a traverse, which operates at constant speed. The gauge cannot go from one measurement point to the next in less than 5 seconds or so. With 60 bolts this means that the gauge only makes one scan and measures one thickness profile in about 300 seconds or 5 minutes, and even this is a compromise. Even the use of a constant speed traverse in a faster than ordinary case, say a gauge travelling slowly enough to be in proximity to each measurement point for just one time constant of 0.5 seconds will, when used with 20 or more measurement points result in a very slow source of control information by the standards of closed loop controls. Even that control would benefit appreciably from the connection described herein. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit and method for protecting semiconductor integrated circuits. More particularly, the present invention relates to a circuit and a method for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection within semiconductor integrated circuits.
2. Description of the Related Art
Because of high level integration of semiconductor integrated circuits, product reliabilities are more and more important for the circuits. One concern to the integrated circuits is the vulnerability to electrostatic damage (ESD). An ESD pulse occurs once the pins or input/output bond pads of the integrated circuits are charged with a high voltage or current resulting from a body or material that is statically charged. Usually the voltage charged is more than 100V and in a short period time about 10 to several hundred nanoseconds (ns). Due to the sharp but short voltage or current pulse, the internal devices of the integrated circuits cannot withstand the abnormal voltage drop and are frequently destroyed. Therefore, ESD protection circuits are designed and connected to input/output (I/O) pads and internal integrated circuits to provide an additional current path for bypassing the voltage or current pulse.
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art ESD protection circuit. An I/O pad 100 is connected to an ESD protection circuit. The ESD protection circuit includes a P-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) transistor 150 and a stacked NMOS (ST NMOS) transistor 110. The ST NMOS has been proposed and used for tolerating an ESD pulse in mixed-voltage I/O circuits. The ST NMOS transistor 110 includes a first NMOS transistor 130 and a second NMOS transistor. The gate terminal of the first NMOS transistor 130 is coupled to a Vcc terminal, and the gate terminal of the second NMOS transistor 140 is coupled to an output of a NMOS pre-driver circuit 160. The source terminal of the second NMOS transistor 140 is coupled to a Vss terminal. The PMOS 150 has a gate terminal coupled to a PMOS pre-driver circuit 120, and a source terminal coupled to the Vcc terminal. When a positive ESD pulse is applied to the I/O pad 100, the first NMOS transistor 130 and the second NMOS transistor 140 turn on and create an additional current path whereby the current is conducted to the Vss terminal. If a negative ESD pulse is charged to the I/O pad 100, the PMOS 150 will turn on and create an additional path conducting the current from the Vcc.
However, in positive ESDIVss zapping event, the ESD protection circuit shown in FIG. 1 is more vulnerable to an ESD pulse. The vulnerability of the ESD protection circuit results from the fact that a current crowds at the channel region of the first NMOS 130, so as to disturb the performance of the ESD protection circuit. This phenomenon is called gate voltage-induced current crowding (GVICC) effects.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a circuit or a method for ESD protection which eliminates or substantially reduces the GVICC effects. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pulse arc welding apparatus for arc-welding by feeding a consumable electrode to a workpiece (a part to be welded) with a constant rate, and applying a welding current between the consumable electrode and the workpiece.
2. Description of the Related Art
A pulse arc welding method for welding by feeding a consumable electrode with a constant rate implements a welding by superimposing a pulse current equal to or more than a critical current value which is called a transition current, on a base current of maintaining an arc.
In the pulse arc welding method, such welding cases of combining workpieces of different plate thicknesses and of combining workpieces of different materials are increasing. Also, in the welding apparatus, automation of welding by a robot or an automatic-machine is greatly increasing, and thus is needed a technology of controlling the welding conditions (such as current, voltage, travel speed, etc.), in a preset or in a real-time, in response to a change of a joint of the workpiece, by a combination of vision sensors and the like.
Recently, in a welding procedure of a welding system in which the robot and various sensors are combined, the procedure of welding by changing the welding conditions to equal to or more than that of the conventional welding procedure, according to the changes of plate thicknesses, materials and gaps, in one of successive welding joints, is increasing. Accordingly, it is necessary to stabilize promptly to an arc length which is suited to the conditions when changing the set values of the welding conditions, and in addition, for a wire stick-out length which changes relative to the plate thickness and the joint shape, the necessity of keeping it to a proper arc length is increased. That is, control of the arc length must be fast.
The applicant of the present application has already proposed the technology to greatly increase the arc length control in the pulse arc welding (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-23850). In this prior art, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 thereof, in order to ensure a stable weld of one pulse-one droplet transfer, setting an upper limit value and a lower limit value in a pulse current with a constant voltage characteristics are set. When the arc length has been changed suddenly, in the case of an extremely short or long arc length as to reach the upper limit value or the lower limit value, based on a different signal between the set value and the detected value of the pulse current, in addition to a control of increasing/decreasing a pulse frequency f, increasing/decreasing a predefined value .DELTA.f in the pulse frequency f, and increasing a variational range of an average current value, greatly control of the arc is greatly increased.
However, in the modern welding procedure, a large fluctuation in the welding condition set value or in the wire stick-out length can not be compensated by only increasing/decreasing the predefined value .DELTA.f in the pulse frequency, as described in the above mentioned pre-filed patent application, and it will take too much time until a proper arc length can be achieved. For this reason, in a case where the arc is long, a welding bead will be dented, and a concentration of the arc will vanish, and thus there exist weak points such that the beads are broken off, and the deflection beads occur. Also, in a case where the arc length is short, the welding beads will also be conveyed, and the arc shortage will occur, or the burn-through will occur for thin workpieces. In either case, it has been very difficult to obtain a good welding result. | {
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The present invention relates generally to infrared scanning systems and more specifically to panoramic surveillance systems for detecting heat producing bodies.
Surveillance systems have been of prime importance to the Navy in both detecting and recognizing enemy and friendly ships and aircraft. Numerous methods and devices have been developed to accomplish these ends. For example, complex monopulse radar systems have been developed that operate at x-band frequencies which can distinguish minute detail of targets at great distances. However, these systems often require expensive computer processing equipment to process the high frequency signals for display. In addition, the monopulse hardware is extremely complex and expensive.
Infrared scanning systems have also been used to detect potential targets. Basically two types of systems have been known to the prior art. One type uses a linear array of detectors located along the elevation axis which are electronically scannd for data as they are mechanically rotated in the azimuthal plane. This electronically scanned data is then fed to a television monitor at a remote location for viewing in real time. The great advantage of the infrared scanners over radar apparatus giving similar results is that they are relatively inexpensive in comparison, while still giving detailed target information in nonvisible conditions, e.g., night, haze, etc., at moderate distances. The other type of scanning system uses a linear array of detectors connected to light emitting diodes (LED's) which are subsequently scanned by a television camera which transmits the picture to a television monitor at a remote location. These systems however show only a narrow sector of the azimuthal plane at any given instant of time. It is desirable to display the entire 360.degree. azimuthal plane at once so that the viewer can search a much larger volume of space. To display the entire azimuthal plane simultaneously, a system with a much larger signal bandwidth is necessary to be compatible with the flicker fusion rate of the human eye. The bandwidth of the prior art infrared systems would allow scanning rates of only about one per second where the flicker fusion rate requires at least 30 scans per second. Although it is possible to trick the eye through different techniques, i.e., flashing a non-refreshed frame twice before presenting a second frame, placing large amounts of memory into the display, etc., the possibility of rotating the scanner head at large angular rates has been explored instead.
One of the problem areas in driving a system at large angular rates is how to pick off the signals from each detector in the array. Normally, a mechanically rotating system uses slip rings to accomplish this objective. However, the use of a large number of slip rings, one for each channel, in a rapidly rotating system would introduce noise and mechanical problems that are best avoided.
Additionally, the use of slip rings resigns the designer to rotating not only the optics but all the electronic preamp circuits and the detector/cooler assembly at these high rates. It was decided therefore to seek another solution.
Another problem arising out of such a system is how to display, in real time, all the information gathered. A cursory examination of the bandwidth requirements will show, that the display must be capable of handling several hundred megahertz. Bandwidth considerations alone rule out the use of a conventional CRT display. A multigun CRT was considered. However, even a ten gun CRT is inadequate to handle the required bandwidth. | {
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This invention relates generally to an intelligent network and in particular to a flexible intelligent network and method of operation thereof.
The value of intelligent networks is based in part on the following fundamental beliefs:
1. Rapid Service Deployment: intelligent networks provide the network operator with the ability to rapidly rollout new services, which results in significant market advantage.
2. Vendor Interoperability: intelligent networks allow the network operator easily to deploy network components, such as Service Switching Points (SSP), Service Control Processor (SCP), and Intelligent Peripheral devices (IP) from multiple vendors. The use of intelligent networks should, therefore, result in both a cost reduction and greater choice of solutions.
However, neither of these beliefs has been fully realised, due to the difficulty in ensuring functional compatibility between different vendors components, as well as compatibility between components within a given vendor""s product portfolio.
The primary issues which are left un-addressed by currently available intelligent networks include, the following:
1. The set of intelligent network operations and parameters which are supported for a given service.
For example: The Service Control Processor service logic places demands on the supported set provided by the Service Switching Point.
The Service Switching Point requires a certain information content in the Service Control Processor intelligent network messages.
There are several aspects of the components functional behaviour which is considered xe2x80x9cnetwork specificxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cbeyond the scopexe2x80x9d of the intelligent network specification.
There are several aspects of the intelligent network specification that are vague enough to result in different interpretations and implementations by the intelligent network components.
2. The assumed component behaviour.
For Example: If the Service Control Processor does not explicitly instruct the Service Switching Point on how to behave functionally, when is its default behaviour invoked.
If the Service Switching Point explicitly provisions some functional behaviour, what happens if the Service Control Processor provides conflicting instructions.
In short, what are the rules of engagement, particularly considering that the specification indicates that the Service Control Point is the final control of Service Switch Point functional behaviour.
The result is a need for an unexpectedly high level of hand crafting of the operations, parameters and functional behaviour supported by the individual intelligent network components in order to ensure their inter-operability. This may be necessary on a per-service, per-market, or per-configuration basis.
Often the determination as to whether two components will interact properly is only made as a result of analysis, and may be followed by incremental development on the part of one or both components to ensure interoperability. This difficulty may compromise the perceived benefits of intelligent networks for the network operator.
Several solutions to this problem have been attempted, with varying degrees of limited success.
Solution 1: White Book Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) Context Negotiation: The intelligent network standards proposes a strategy for component/vendor inter-working which is based on the notion of a xe2x80x9cContextxe2x80x9d. This pre-defined context is negotiated between two intelligent network components during the establishment of the TCAP dialogue. In cases where one component is unable to support the Context attempted by the other component it will re-select a less-advanced Context.
Solution 1 Shortcoming: The problem with Context Negotiation is that it is too limited in addressing all of the potential problems as earlier described. It only allows for the selection of a set of operations and parameters. The permutation and combinations required to address all possible network component behavioural requirements would be immense. In short it is only practical for well-controlled network configurations, where the network operator has defined very specific behaviour. One example is the Austria Telecom network, where a subset of Context Negotiation was mandated by the Telco.
Solution 2: Default to the lowest common denominator: The functional behaviour of the individual network components is analysed. For example, if one component does not support a function required by the Service Control Processor service, the part of the service which requires that function must not be invoked on the Service Control Processor.
Solution 2 Shortcoming: The network operator is not provided with the required functions.
Solution 3: Incremental Development on one of the intelligent network component platform to ensure compatibility for the given configuration.
Solution 3 Shortcoming: This is a very cumbersome and expensive way to ensure interoperability. Alteration of the behaviour of one of the intelligent network components for a specific configuration is orthogonal to the spirit of having open interfaces driven by standards.
It is an object of the present invention to address the problem of excessive hand crafting of nodes within a telecommunications network.
It is a further object of the present invention to address the problem of excessive datafilling of nodes within a telecommunications network.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a telecommunications network including a service control processor and a plurality of network nodes, in which the network is arranged to operate under a programmable intelligent network protocol, incorporating a hierarchical control relationship in which the nodes incorporate a degree of intelligence.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of operating a telecommunications network including a service control processor and a plurality of network nodes, in which the network is arranged to operate under a programmable intelligent network protocol, incorporating a hierarchical control relationship in which the nodes incorporate a degree of intelligence.
According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a program for a computer stored in a computer readable medium, which is arranged, when run on a computer in a telecommunications network including a service control processor and a plurality of network nodes, to cause the computer to operate the network under a programmable intelligent network protocol, incorporating a hierarchical control relationship in which the nodes incorporate a degree of intelligence.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a service switching point for use in a telecommunications network including a service control processor and a plurality of network nodes, in which the service switching point is arranged to operate under a programmable intelligent network protocol, incorporating a hierarchical control relationship in which the service switching point incorporate a degree of intelligence.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided a service control processor for use in a telecommunications network including said service control processor and a plurality of network nodes, in which the service control processor is arranged to operate under a programmable intelligent network protocol, incorporating a hierarchical control relationship in which the service switching point incorporate a degree of intelligence.
Preferably, the nodes include service switching points.
Preferably, the behaviour of a service switching point is controllable using service profiles, which govern specific operation within the service switching points.
Preferably, the specific operations of the service switching point which are governed by the service profiles include: Parameters for Initial Query, or subsequent response; Trigger detection points supported; Billing behaviour; Signalling Connection Control Part Global Title Translation (SCCP GTT) network routing strategy; Re-Triggering capability.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the format of information in parameter establishing profiles is also an efficient mechanism for minimisation of provisioned datafill at the Service Switch Point. There is no need to datafill more that the minimum number of profiles, if the profiles are linked in some vendor-specific manner to the specific attribute of the service invocation (e.g. ServiceKey). | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming device, such as a display using an electron beam and, more specifically, to an image forming device including spacers.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known image forming device using an electron emitter is a flat display panel. The known flat display panel comprises an electron source substrate including a plurality of cold cathode electron emitters and an anode substrate including an anode electrode and phosphors. The electron source substrate and anode substrate are disposed parallel to each other. A vacuum is generated between the electron source substrate and the anode substrate. Generally known cold cathode electron emitters are surface-conduction type emitters, field electron emission (FE) type emitters, and metal-insulator-metal (MIM) type emitters. The flat display panel including known cold cathode electron emitters is light-weight and has a large display area compared to other widely used CRTs. Moreover, the flat display panel is brighter and is capable of displaying higher quality images compared to other flat display panels using liquid crystal and flat display panels such as plasma displays and electroluminescent displays.
In general, the above-described image forming device comprises a face plate and a rear plate facing each other. The face plate is the display surface for displaying an image. The face plate includes a metal back, which receives an acceleration voltage Va, and a fluorescent film. The rear plate is the electron source for generating light from the phosphors. The rear plate includes cold cathode electron emitters and wires, wherein the wires electrically connect the electron emitters and run in the longitudinal and horizontal directions. Sidewalls seal the circumference of the face plate and the rear plate, forming a vacuum vessel. Spacers are interposed between the face plate and the rear plate to maintain the plates apart from each other at a predetermined distance and to support the plates against atmospheric pressure. The spacers are usually interposed between and are in contact with the conductor of the rear plate (e.g., the wires in the horizontal direction) and the electrode on the face plate (e.g., the metal back) (for example, refer to U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,614,781 and 5,742,117 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 08-180821).
In such an image forming device, sometimes the spacers emit a secondary electron when a part of an electron beam or a reflected electron strikes the surface. This secondary electron generates an electric potential in the area where the secondary electron was emitted from. Accordingly, the electric potential distribution at the spacer and the vicinity is distorted. As a result, not only the trajectory of the electron beam becomes unstable but also an electric discharge will occur inside the image forming device.
To prevent electrical charging of the spacers, the spacers may be formed of an insulating substrate covered with a high-resistance film, which is capable of preventing electrical charging. This method of preventing electrical charging is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,614,781 and 5,742,117 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 08-180821.
The inventors propose a more preferable method for preventing electrical charging of spacers in which spacers formed of an insulating substrate covered with a high-resistance film are disposed intermittently in contact with the conductors on the rear plate (refer to Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-136741).
However, when the contact area of the spacer actually in contact with the conductor is small in comparison with the surface area (including the contact area) that faces the conductor, electrical currents are converged (or, in other words, current crowding occurs) at the edge of the contact area. This current crowding occurs, for example, when the spaces contact the conductors intermittently, as described above, or when the thickness (width) of the planer spacers is greater than the width of the conductors in contact.
FIG. 11 illustrates the latter case in which the contact area of a spacer 1020 contacting a conductor (horizontal wire 1013) on a rear plate 1015 or an electrode (metal back 1019) on a face plate 1017 is smaller than the area of the surface including the contact area. In such a case, current crowding occurs at the edges of the contact area (points b in the drawing). Due to current crowding, heat is generated locally at the points b and the vicinity. Therefore, depending on the type of material used for a high-resistance film 1001, the property of the film (such as resistance) may change when the high-resistance film 1001 is used for a long period of time (i.e., when Va is applied for a long period of time). As a result, the electric field in the vicinity of the spacer 1020 is distorted, causing the formed images to be distorted. FIG. 11 also illustrates an insulating substrate 1000, a fluorescent film 1018, a longitudinal wire 1014, and an insulating layer 1021.
Current crowding that occurs at some of the edges of the high-resistance film even when the high-resistance film is disposed on the edge of the spacer, as illustrated in FIG. 11, is known to be caused by the relationship of electric properties between the high-resistance film on the side of the spacer, the film on the edge of the spacer, and the conductor in contact with the spacer in addition to the above-described case in which the contact area of the spacer is only partially in contact with the rear plate or the face plate contact. When the entire end surface of the spacer is a contact area, it is desired to effectively use the entire high-resistance film on the end surface as a current path. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to circuit breaker panelboard installations and, more particularly, is concerned with an improved circuit breaker switch actuating assembly in a circuit breaker panelboard.
2. Description or the Prior Art
Circuit breaker installations wired to major lighting, heating and electrical equipment in industrial facilities are typically enclosed by panelboards to provide protection of and restrict unauthorized access to the circuit breaker switches. In a typical panelboard installation, the switches are parts of modules arranged in a pair of parallel vertical columns. The "on" and "off" positions of the switches in one column of modules are opposite to the "on" and "off" positions of the switches in the other column of modules.
One prior art circuit breaker panelboard for enclosing the columns of circuit breaker modules includes a rear housing defining a cavity, and a front cover hingedly mounted to the rear housing for opening and closing relative thereto. The rear housing supports the circuit breaker modules in the pair of parallel columns in the cavity. Thus, the circuit breaker switches are thereby also arranged in the pair of parallel columns. The front cover has a plurality of closely-spaced holes arranged in a pair of vertical columns. The holes in the vertical columns are disposed in general alignment with the switches of the circuit breaker modules in the pair of vertical columns.
Also, the panelboard includes a plurality of operating members rotatably mounted through the plurality of closely-spaced holes of the front cover. Therefore, the operating members are arranged in a pair of vertical columns corresponding to the pair of vertical columns of the holes. One operating member is provided for each circuit breaker switch. Each operating member basically includes an elongated shaft rotatably mounted through a respective one of the holes in the front cover, a lever or handle attached to an outer end of the shaft and thereby disposed on the exterior side of the front cover where it can be gripped by a user's fingers, and a bifurcated trip arm attached to an inner end of the shaft and thereby disposed on the interior side of the front cover. The bifurcated trip arms are disposed at the same angular orientation on the elongated shafts of the operating members.
The bifurcated trip arm of each of the operating members is releasably coupled directly with one of the circuit breaker switches. By rotating the handle of an operating member in one direction, the respective one switch is moved linearly and arcuately from an "on" position to "off" position, whereas by rotating the handle of the operating member in the opposite direction the one switch is moved linearly and arcuately in reverse from the "off" position to the "on" position. The handles of the operating members in one column must be rotated in a direction opposite to the direction in which the handles of the operating members in the other column must be rotated in order for all circuit breaker switches of both columns of modules to move either to their respective "on" positions or to their respective "off" positions. To protect the operating members from unauthorized movement, latches are typically mounted to the front cover for use in locking the handles of the operating members at the desired one of their "on" or "off" positions.
There are several major drawbacks with a panelboard having the above-described construction. One drawback is that due to the closeness of adjacent operating members in each of the columns thereof, it is difficult to easily and quickly grip a desired one of the handles in order to move a selected one of the circuit breaker switches between its "on" and "off" positions.
Another drawback is that due to the closeness of the holes in the front cover which mount the operating members, stresses that are normally induced in the portions of the front cover surrounding the mounting holes tend to concentrate at these front cover portions and initiate cracks which can propagate and cause premature fractures of the front cover between the holes. Such fractures can interfere with properly functioning of the operating members and integrity of the cover and so typically necessitate replacement of the front cover and operating members of the panelboard.
Consequently, a need exists to provide an improvement of the construction of the above-described prior art circuit breaker panelboard which will eliminate the above-described drawbacks of the prior art without introducing new ones in their place. | {
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The present invention relates to a binocular having a plurality of movable lens units which are a part of one telescope optical system.
There is a known binocular having a plurality of movable lens units which are part of one telescope optical system. These movable lens units are respectively moved for adjustment purposes such as focus adjustment, diopter correction or the like.
In such a binocular, due to movement of the movable lens units, misalignment of the optical axis of one movable lens unit with the optical axis of the other movable lens unit may occur. If such misalignment occurs, the performance of the binocular may be lowered. | {
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In addition to widely-used amorphous silicon (a-Si), amorphous (non-crystalline) oxides comprising for example at least one kind of indium (In), gallium (Ga), zinc (Zn), tin (Sn) and so on are recently used for a semiconductor layer of a thin film transistor (TFT). Such an oxide semiconductor thin film comprising the oxide used for a semiconductor layer in a TFT has excellent semiconducting properties including high field-effect (carrier) mobility. In addition, the oxide semiconductor thin film has a wide optical band gap and film formability at low temperatures, which makes the formation on a plastic substrate or a film substrate possible.
However, as compared with a case of using a-Si, an oxide semiconductor thin film is liable to vary in terms of electrical characteristics and has a problem of low reliability when used for a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. It has been pointed out for example in Patent Document 1 that if there is a variation (shift) of threshold voltage (which is a gate voltage necessary to turn a transistor to the on-state) in a semiconductor element such as a transistor before and after light irradiation or bias-thermal stress test (BT test), the on/off state may not be controlled in a normal manner, resulting in significant deterioration of the reliability of the transistor. For an oxide semiconductor thin film, it is desired the threshold voltage (Vth) does not shift in I-V characteristics (drain current-gate voltage characteristics: variation in drain current with respect to change in gate voltage), that is excellent stress stability, when an oxide semiconductor thin film is subjected to the stress test in which a semiconductor element such as a transistor is subjected to being kept under light irradiation or continuous application of gate bias.
On the other hand, it is thus essential from the point of view to improving the productivity to evaluate properties of deposited oxide semiconductor thin films, to feedback the results of the evaluation, to develop a material for a semiconductor device or to adjust manufacturing conditions by optimizing a process, and to control film quality in the manufacturing process of the display devices. Desired for an oxide semiconductor thin film is a technology to accurately measure or predict and evaluate variation of the electrical property (amount of threshold voltage shift ΔVth) induced by the stress in a semiconductor device.
In a conventional evaluation method for evaluation of electrical properties of an oxide semiconductor thin film, the properties such as mobility and threshold voltage are measured in an actual TFT or a device simulating the TFT for which a gate insulator film or a passivation insulator film and contact electrodes are formed on the semiconductor thin film. It takes, however, enormous amount of time and cost to form contact electrodes in such contacting type evaluation methods that require actual fabrication of the devices. Forming the electrodes is also liable to induce additional defects in the oxide semiconductor thin film. In addition, it requires time to form the electrodes in the devices. It has thus been required from the point of view to improving fabrication yield to establish a contactless-type evaluation method in which formation of contact electrodes is not necessary.
In view of these circumstances, evaluation methods by microwave photo conductivity decay method (μ-PCD method) utilizing laser and microwave have been proposed as a method for evaluating the characteristics of a semiconductor thin film in a non-contact manner (Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3).
Among these, the method according to Patent Document 2 has been proposed to evaluate the crystal quality of a crystalline semiconductor thin film such as polycrystal silicon. A specimen comprising the crystalline semiconductor thin film is irradiated with a laser. The crystal quality of the semiconductor thin film is evaluated by measuring the change in reflectance of the microwave which depends on the excess carriers generated by the laser irradiation.
Further, the technology of Patent Document 2 has been modified in Patent Document 3 so that irradiation conditions of excitation light is properly set for an oxide semiconductor thin film for the purpose of evaluating characteristics of the oxide semiconductor thin film which is amorphous. Specifically, Patent Document 3 discloses (I) a method comprising irradiating both excitation light and microwave radiation to a specimen on which an oxide semiconductor thin film is formed, measuring the maximum value (peak value) of reflected wave of the microwave radiation, which varies with the irradiation of the excitation light, from the oxide semiconductor thin film, then stopping the irradiation of the excitation light, and thereafter measuring a variation in the reflectance of the microwave radiation reflected by the oxide semiconductor thin film after the stopping, and evaluating mobility of the oxide semiconductor thin film by calculating lifetime value (1/e of change in the reflectance) from the measured value; and (II) a method of evaluating mobility of an oxide semiconductor thin film by irradiating both excitation light and microwave radiation to a specimen on which an oxide semiconductor thin film is formed, and measuring the maximum value (peak value) of reflected wave of the microwave radiation, which varies with the irradiation of the excitation light, from the oxide semiconductor thin film. | {
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Many companies and other organizations operate computer networks that interconnect numerous computing systems to support their operations, such as with the computing systems being co-located (e.g., as part of a local network) or instead located in multiple distinct geographical locations (e.g., connected via one or more private or public intermediate networks). For example, data centers housing significant numbers of interconnected computing systems have become commonplace, such as private data centers that are operated by and on behalf of a single organization, and public data centers that are operated by entities as businesses to provide computing resources to customers or clients. Some public data center operators provide network access, power, and secure installation facilities for hardware owned by various clients, while other public data center operators provide “full service” facilities that also include hardware resources made available for use by their clients. However, as the scale and scope of typical data centers has increased, the tasks of provisioning, administering, and managing the physical computing resources have become increasingly complicated.
The advent of virtualization technologies for commodity hardware has provided benefits with respect to managing large-scale computing resources for many clients with diverse needs, allowing various computing resources to be efficiently and securely shared by multiple clients. For example, virtualization technologies may allow a single physical computing machine to be shared among multiple users by providing each user with one or more virtual machines hosted by the single physical computing machine, with each such virtual machine being a software simulation acting as a distinct logical computing system that provides users with the illusion that they are the sole operators and administrators of a given hardware computing resource, while also providing application isolation and security among the various virtual machines. Furthermore, some virtualization technologies are capable of providing virtual resources that span two or more physical resources, such as a single virtual machine with multiple virtual processors that spans multiple distinct physical computing systems. As another example, virtualization technologies may allow data storage hardware to be shared among multiple users by providing each user with a virtualized data store which may be distributed across multiple data storage devices, with each such virtualized data store acting as a distinct logical data store that provides users with the illusion that they are the sole operators and administrators of the data storage resource.
While embodiments are described herein by way of example for several embodiments and illustrative drawings, those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments are not limited to the embodiments or drawings described. It should be understood, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit embodiments to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope as defined by the appended claims. The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word “may” is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include”, “including”, and “includes” mean including, but not limited to. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hand-held flossing device, which has a floss advancing mechanism and a simple-to-use tensioning mechanism for providing the floss with sufficient tension to be of practical use.
2. Description of the Related Art
Flossing regularly is important to dental health. However, flossing by holding the floss tightly between the user's two hands is cumbersome because it is hard to reach back teeth, and it is often hard to achieve sufficient tension without hurting one's hands. Moreover, it is not a sterile practice because the user's hands touch both fresh and used floss. To simplify flossing and avoid some of these problems, many flossing aids have been developed. In fact, an early flossing device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 754,851 issued Mar. 15, 1904 to Bessonet, which provides for a manually threaded fork and a tensioning screw to tighten the floss when threaded. Because in this device the floss must be manually advanced and threaded, its use is cumbersome.
Another flosser is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,666,877 to Cummer, which issued in 1928. Cummer notes that floss holders have the problem of maintaining the floss taut as it can stretch during use. He uses a spring-loaded actuator arm to try to solve the problem. U.S. Pat. No. 3,746,017 to Casselman, issued in 1973, discloses a floss holder that includes a floss take-up reel for used floss. A new floss spool is insertable into and a used spool is removable from the device by means of a removable cover, which provides access to the spools. New floss is pulled from the supply spool, threaded through the device and wrapped onto a take-up reel. A slide is movable to a position where the supply reel can rotate freely so that floss can be advanced by rotating the take-up reel with the user's fingers. The slide is then moved to a position where the supply reel is locked in place and tension on the floss may be increased by further rotating the take-up reel, due to a spring ratchet system. A problem with this system is maintaining tension. In addition, new floss must be threaded onto or separately provided on a supply reel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,681 to Westbrook, et al. discloses a flosser that includes a take-up reel actuated to advance floss by a user pressing forward and downwardly on an actuator knob, which has notches that engage and advance the take-up reel. To lock the reel, the user lets go of the knob which then retracts upwardly and rearwardly due to a spring bias, and locks the reel into place. The device is difficult to enhance the tension on the floss after the user releases the knob.
Yet another flosser is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,331 to Tanriverdi issued in 1993. It has supply and take-up reels. The floss is advanced by manually advancing the take-up reel. A locking member prevents any rotation of the supply reel independent of the take-up reel. The take-up reel is rotated to feed new floss by manual advancement. Tension may be provided by pressing and holding down a bulged portion of the case where the supply reel is located.
Other flosser devices are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,790,336; 5,038,806; 5,105,840; 4,660,584; 4,898,196; 5,029,593; 4,005,721; 4,817,642; 3,881,502; 3,592,203; 4,518,000; 4,151,851; 4,178,947; 4,008,728; 3,908,677; and 4,508,152.
What is needed is a flossing device that is simple to use in that it is easy to advance floss and easy to provide enhanced tension to enable one to floss. What is also needed is a flossing device which is easy to hold, safe to use, separates the new and used floss, is easy to manufacture and is compact. | {
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This application claims the entire benefit of Japanese Patent Application Number 2008-294678 filed on Nov. 18, 2008, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention is related to the testing of audio equipment and, in particular, analog to digital converters (ADC), digital to analog converters (DAC), digital audio processors or recorders, audio amplifiers, and the like. | {
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The present invention relates to a truss brace for use to brace and accurately space trusses during construction of buildings or the like and to provide support for trusses after their installation.
Trusses are used in construction of buildings or the like to provide support for decking such as roof sheathing and flooring. Such trusses tend to be very long and although designed to adequately support downward loading, their length permits lateral movement of the trusses and truss components affecting the spacing therebetween. Bracing trusses is important to insure efficient construction. Accurate spacing of the trusses is also important because roof sheathing and flooring secured to trusses is typically precisely cut to standard dimensions, e.g. four foot by eight foot sheets of plywood or OSB (oriented strand board). Also, some roofing, e.g., sheet metal, is also precisely dimensioned likewise requiring accurate placement of trusses in order to install and secure the roofing in place. When preformed trusses are erected to form a roof for example, a first truss is placed in position on supporting walls in an upright position and held upright with suitable bracing. A second truss is then erected in position and held to the first truss with inter-truss bracing. Typically, inter-truss bracing for wood roof trusses is an elongate board, e.g., a 1xc3x974, that is secured to a truss chord and extends laterally from the trusses to provide bracing for several trusses, the bracing being held in place with supplemental mechanical fasteners. In the construction of metal truss systems, an elongate rolled section of metal, e.g. a hat channel is used instead of the wood 1""4. It is secured in place to multiple trusses with mechanical fasteners. Although both of these brace systems are effective in achieving truss bracing, the overhang of an elongate board or channel for bracing requires extra labor in maneuvering subsequent trusses into place to avoid hitting the inter-truss bracing. The brace, because of its projecting into the area where the next truss is to be positioned, blocks freedom of movement of the subsequent trusses to position them in the proper location where the brace is projecting. An alternate and less desirable brace for wood trusses included short brace strips which were cut to a length generally at the construction site. The length is generally equivalent to the center-to-center spacing of the trusses and nailed into place onto two truss chords and spanned between only two trusses, immediate nailing being required to hold them in place. This required additional labor to maintain bracing as well as proper spacing. Even though the use of bracing that spanned several trusses was more effective at bracing and spacing, it caused the aforementioned inefficiency in maneuvering the trusses into place. Further, wood bracing if positioned on top of the truss chords had to be removed to install the sheathing so the sheathing would lie flat on the trusses. An example of a roof truss and truss brace are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,448 and is designed to be used with wood trusses. It utilizes integral nails for securement to the sides and tops of the truss top chords. This brace provides an improved brace, but still requires some additional effort and time upon installation to drive the nails into the sides of the truss members.
Increasingly, formed metal components are being used in place of wood in construction and are not readily adapted for use with accessories designed for use with wood components. Accessories for use with metal components such as truss braces need to be easy to position and secure since fastening requires special fasteners and the brace cannot easily be temporarily tacked in place and then moved to a final position for final securement. An example of such a fastener is a self tapping screw, e.g. a Tek(copyright) screw. In order to improve efficiency in construction, the quantity of fasteners should be kept low to reduce labor costs. Further, braces should be easy to position both preliminarily and finally and hold in alignment to brace the trusses against movement and to accurately position the trusses to reduce labor cost and provide good quality construction in the finished structure. Once finally positioned, the braces should be easy to secure in position. Further, such braces would also desirably help brace the trusses against lateral movement after construction of the truss system is completed. In order to reduce cumulative error over wide surfaces that span many truss systems, e.g., in roof construction, the braces would desirably be self squaring to the trusses to facilitate their installation. Moreover, it would be desirable to have the braces interlock and thereby form a run or row of braces in line to also facilitate construction of a truss system.
Thus, there is need for a simple brace for use with formed metal trusses that is efficient and simple to use to reliably brace trusses to form a truss system. The brace should also reliably space the trusses on predetermined centers along their length and be inexpensive to manufacture.
Generally the truss structure of the present invention utilizes a plurality of generally parallel trusses with braces secured to and extending between the chords of adjacent trusses for bracing and to position and maintain the trusses in generally parallel relationship. The braces utilize a snap lock preferably on both ends to secure and position themselves on to adjacent trusses. The snap locks can each include a channel for capturing a truss therein preventing lateral movement of one truss relative to the other truss. A brace bridging a pair of trusses will interlock with a brace bridging one of the bridged trusses with another adjacent truss and then additional braces will be used between the other erected trusses to fix the trusses in place after erection. The braces will retain themselves in place where preliminarily positioned until permanently secured in placed with fasteners. The fasteners and portions of the braces overlying the trusses are sufficiently thin that they will not interfere with the sheathing secured to the trusses. Moreover, the braces can be positioned where the edges of adjacent sheets of sheathing abut to help support the edges of the sheathing and to place some of the fasteners at the gaps between the sheathing members to provide space for the fasteners to further reduce curving of the sheathing at the fasteners.
Among the several objects and features of the present invention may be noted the provision of a brace for securing trusses at predetermined center spacings; the provision of a brace for use with metal trusses; the provision of a brace that will automatically square itself on the truss and between two adjacent trusses; the provision of a brace that will interlock with another brace to form a brace run extending across and spacing a series of generally parallel trusses; the provision of a brace that will retain itself in a preliminary or final position before being finally secured in place; the provision of a brace that is inexpensive to manufacture; the provision of a brace that can be formed as one piece from metal sheet; the provision of a brace that will provide a snap lock connection to a truss; and the provision of a truss system that utilizes such a brace with metal trusses to position a plurality of trusses in generally parallel relationship.
The present invention involve the provision of a brace for use in spacing structural trusses in a truss system. Each truss is formed by truss components. The brace comprises a beam having opposite first and second ends. A first retainer extends from the first end of the beam and has a transversely extending channel adapted to receive a truss component therein to connect the brace to a truss in a self-retaining position on the truss such that the beam extends generally perpendicularly outwardly from the truss toward an adjacent truss in the truss system. A second retainer extends from the second end of the beam and is adapted for engaging the adjacent truss for holding the adjacent truss and the truss in spaced relation relative to each other within the truss system.
The invention also involves the provision of a brace for use in spacing structural trusses in a truss system with each truss being formed by truss components. The brace comprises a beam having opposite first and second ends. A first retainer extends from the first end of the beam and a second retainer extends from a second end of the beam opposite the first end. The first retainer is adapted to hook onto a component of a first truss of the truss system without penetrating the truss component. The second retainer is adapted to hook onto a component of a second truss of the truss system without penetrating the truss component. The beam is constructed for extending between the first and second trusses for maintaining a substantially fixed space between the first and second trusses.
In another aspect of the invention, a truss system comprises trusses arranged in spaced apart, generally side-by-side relation in a structure. Elongate braces are provide with each brace extending between adjacent trusses and engaging the trusses for maintaining a desired spacing therebetween. The braces are arranged in a row extending generally orthogonally to the sides of the trusses such that the longitudinal axes of the braces are generally coincident. At least some of the braces in the row overlap each other where both engage the same truss. A first retainer is on a first end of the brace and is adapted to engage a truss component and to connect the brace to a truss in a self-retaining position on the truss. A second retainer is on a second end of the beam and is adapted for engaging the adjacent truss for holding the adjacent truss and the truss in spaced relation relative to each other within the truss system.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a brace for use in spacing structural trusses in a truss system, each truss being formed by truss components. The brace comprises a beam having opposite first and second ends. A first retainer extends from the first end of the beam and is constructed to be in a self-retaining position on the truss such that the beam extends outwardly from the truss toward an adjacent truss in the truss system. A second retainer extends from the second end of the beam and has a transversely extending channel adapted to receive a truss component therein to connect the brace to a truss holding the adjacent truss and the truss in spaced relation relative to each other within the truss system.
Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. | {
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Construction jobsites typically contain a variety of elements such as equipment, power lines, structures, building materials, and personnel. Depending on the phase of a project, there are changing arrangements of these elements while the building project itself progresses toward completion. During any given phase, however, a crane operator is required to take safety precautions so as not to run the boom into obstacles during operation of the crane. To do so, the crane operator often requires another worker on the ground that spots and watches for any impending problems, such as coming too close to an obstacle. This worker may then signal to the crane operator to move away from the obstacle or to shut the crane down. This includes inefficiencies and the need to pay the worker for just monitoring crane function visually.
The ability to alter crane functions with respect to defined areas or forbidden zones within the operational radius of cranes has been made generally available to the construction industry. This capability has evolved as the use of electronics and software for control systems has progressed. This capability is utilized in an operator aid device that can be referred to as a Working Range Limiter or WRL. When a WRL typically defines a forbidden zone it is seen as a map as viewed from above the jobsite.
A traditional WRL is useful for avoiding obstacles when the obstacles occur in the plane of movement, but fails when the geometry becomes more complicated. For example, if a building is marked as a forbidden zone to prevent a boom from impacting the building, a mobile crane will never be able to lift a load to the top of the building because to do so necessarily entails a portion of the crane entering the forbidden zone. If instead, the building is not designated as being in the forbidden zone, the crane could accidently swing into building when swinging the boom.
It would be beneficial to develop a system that inhibits collisions between a crane and obstacles like a traditional WRL system, while allowing the crane to extend into what would traditionally be considered a forbidden zone. | {
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Refrigerators typically include an insulated cabinet structure, an electrically powered cooling system, and one or more doors that are movably mounted to the cabinet structure to provide user access to the refrigerated space within the refrigerator. Known cabinet structures may include a sheet metal outer wrapper and a polymer inner liner. Closed-cell foam or other suitable insulating material is disposed between the metal wrapper and the polymer liner. Refrigerator doors often have a similar construction and include a sheet metal outer wrapper, polymer inner liner, and foam disposed between the sheet metal wrapper and polymer liner.
Refrigerator doors may include one or more shelves that are configured to hold food and/or other items such as jugs of milk and/or other types of cans, jars, and the like. These items may be quite heavy, and refrigerator doors and hinges are typically therefore rigid and structurally sound to support the loads. | {
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1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sound signal encoding apparatus for and a sound signal encoding method of encoding and transmitting a sound signal, and more particularly to a sound signal encoding apparatus for and a sound signal encoding method of encoding and transmitting a sound signal such as a music sound signal data in a manner that the sound signal is encoded at a relatively high quality and smoothly transmitted to other electrically operating units via computer network.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have so far been proposed a wide variety of sound signal encoding apparatuses of this type one typical example of which is shown in FIG. 20. The conventional sound signal encoding apparatus comprises sound signals dividing means 101, first sound signal sections analyzing means 102, sampling rate selecting means 103, and sound signal sampling means 104. The sound signals dividing means 101 is operative to divide each of two different sound signals into a plurality of sound signal sections along a time axis for each of the sound signals to be taken for receiving therein. The sound signals consist of a first channel signal and a second channel signal. The first sound signal sections analyzing means 102 is designed to analyze each of the divided sound signal sections based on the sound signal characteristics inherent in the sound signal. The sampling rate selecting means 103 is adapted to select one arbitrary sampling rate for each of the sound signal sections from among predetermined sampling rates. The sound signal sampling means 104 is operative to sample each of the analyzed sound signal sections at the sampling rate selected by the sampling rate selecting means 104.
The conventional sound signal encoding apparatus further comprises second sound signal sections analyzing means 105, frequency components calculating means 106, and quantization bit numbers allocating means 107. The second sound signal sections analyzing means 105 is operative to analyze a masking threshold level for each of the divided sound signal sections based on a psycho acoustic model obtained by taking advantage of human's hearing characteristics.
The frequency components calculating means 106 is operative to calculate frequency components with two different information consisting of first and second signals for each of the sound signal sections sampled at the selected sampling rate, the above first signal being indicative of intensities, while the above second signal being indicative of frequencies. The quantization bit numbers allocating means 107 is designed to allocate quantization bit numbers for each of the calculated frequency components for each of the sound signal sections.
The conventional sound signal encoding apparatus further comprises first frequency components compressing means 108, and second frequency components compressing means 109. The first frequency components compressing means 108 is adapted to compress the frequency components for each of the sound signal sections with two different information consisting of first and second signals. The second frequency components compressing means 109 is operative to compress the frequency components for each of the sound signal sections with two different information consisting of first and second signals. The above first signal is indicative of the addition of each of the frequency components for the first channel signal and each of the frequency components for the second channel signal, while the above second signal is indicative of the difference between each of the frequency components for the first channel signal and each of the frequency components for the second channel signal.
The conventional sound signal encoding apparatus further comprises frequency components quantizing means 110 and frequency components encoding means 111. The frequency components quantizing means 110 is operative to quantize each of the frequency components for each of the sound signal sections at the predetermined quantization bit numbers. The frequency components encoding means 111 is operative to encode the quantized frequency components for each of the sound signal sections to a multiplexed bit stream. The multiplexed bit stream is constituted by the sound signals for each of the sound signal sections and general information needed for the sound signals to be encoded and decoded.
The sound signal is encoded by the conventional sound signal encoding apparatus in accordance with the MPEG2 AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) decided by the Motion Picture Experts Group, and is then transmitted at a predetermined transmitting bit rate to other electrically operating units via computer network.
The conventional sound signal encoding apparatus thus constructed in the above encounters such a problem that the sound signal tends to be encoded at a relatively low quality. The reason is due to the fact that the first frequency components compressing means 108 is operative to compress the frequency components for each of the sound signal sections with two different information consisting of the first and second signals. The above second signal is intended to indicate the intensity ratio of one of the frequency components for the first channel signal and the frequency components for the second channel signal to the other of the frequency components for the first channel signal and the frequency components for the second channel signal. The compression of the sound signal thus performed by the first frequency components compressing means 108 results in an excessive compression to the sound signal, and contributing to a wasteful load to computers building the network and deteriorating a music sound quality when the sound signal is decoded. | {
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Nonlinear dynamics, in conjunction with microfluidics, play a central role in the design of the devices and the methods according to the invention. Microfluidics deals with the transport of fluids through networks of channels, typically having micrometer dimensions. Microfluidic systems (sometimes called labs-on-a-chip) find applications in microscale chemical and biological analysis (micro-total-analysis systems). The main advantages of microfluidic systems are high speed and low consumption of reagents. They are thus very promising for medical diagnostics and high-throughput screening. Highly parallel arrays of microfluidic systems are used for the synthesis of macroscopic quantities of chemical and biological compounds, e.g., the destruction of chemical warfare agents and pharmaceuticals synthesis. Their advantage is improved control over mass and heat transport.
Microfluidic systems generally require means of pumping fluids through the channels. In the two most common methods, the fluids are either driven by pressure or driven by electroosmotic flow (EOF). Flows driven by EOF are attractive because they can be easily controlled even in complicated networks. EOF-driven flows have flat, plug-like velocity profile, that is, the velocity of the fluid is the same near the walls and in the middle of the channel. Thus, if small volumes of multiple analytes are injected sequentially into a channel, these plugs are transported as non-overlapping plugs (low dispersion), in which case the dispersion comes mostly from the diffusion between plugs. A main disadvantage of EOF is that it is generated by the motion of the double layer at the charged surfaces of the channel walls. EOF can therefore be highly sensitive to surface contamination by charged impurities. This may not be an issue when using channels with negative surface charges in DNA analysis and manipulation because DNA is uniformly negatively charged and does not adsorb to the walls. However, this can be a serious limitation in applications that involve proteins that are often charged and tend to adsorb on charged surfaces. In addition, high voltages are often undesirable, or sources of high voltages such as portable analyzers may not be available.
Flows driven by pressure are typically significantly less sensitive to surface chemistry than EOF. The main disadvantage of pressure-driven flows is that they normally have a parabolic flow profile instead of the flat profile of EOF. Solutes in the middle of the channel move much faster (about twice the average velocity of the flow) than solutes near the walls of the channels. A parabolic velocity profile normally leads to high dispersion in pressure-driven flows; a plug of solute injected into a channel is immediately distorted and stretched along the channel. This distortion is somewhat reduced by solute transport via diffusion from the middle of the channel towards the walls and back. But the distortion is made worse by diffusion along the channel (the overall dispersion is known as Taylor dispersion).
Taylor dispersion broadens and dilutes sample plugs. Some of the sample is frequently left behind the plug as a tail. Overlap of these tails usually leads to cross-contamination of samples in different plugs. Thus, samples are often introduced into the channels individually, separated by buffer washes. On the other hand, interleaving samples with long buffer plugs, or washing the system with buffer between samples, reduces the throughput of the system.
In EOF, flow transport is essentially linear, that is, if two reactants are introduced into a plug and transported by EOF, their residence time (and reaction time) can be calculated simply by dividing the distance traveled in the channel by the velocity. This linear transport allows precise control of residence times through a proper adjustment of the channel lengths and flow rates. In contrast, dispersion in pressure-driven flow typically creates a broad range of residence times for a plug traveling in such flows, and this diminishes time control.
The issue of time control is important. Many chemical and biochemical processes occur on particular time scales, and measurement of reaction times can be indicative of concentrations of reagents or their reactivity. Stopped-flow type instruments are typically used to perform these measurements. These instruments rely on turbulent flow to mix the reagents and transport them with minimal dispersion. Turbulent flow normally occurs in tubes with large diameter and at high flow rates. Thus stopped-flow instruments tend to use large volumes of reagents (on the order of ml/s). A microfluidic analog of stopped-flow, which consumes smaller volumes of reagents (typically μL/min), could be useful as a scientific instrument, e.g., as a diagnostic instrument. So far, microfluidic devices have not be able to compete with stopped-flow type instruments because EOF is usually very slow (although with less dispersion) while pressure-driven flows suffer from dispersion.
In addition, mixing in microfluidic systems is often slow regardless of the method used to drive the fluid because flow is laminar in these systems (as opposed to turbulent in larger systems). Mixing in laminar flows relies on diffusion and is especially slow for larger molecules such as DNA and proteins.
In addition, particulates present handling difficulty in microfluidic systems. While suspensions of cells in aqueous buffers can be relatively easy to handle because cells are isodense with these buffers, particulates that are not isodense with the fluid tend to settle at the bottom of the channel, thus eventually blocking the channel. Therefore, samples for analysis often require filtration to remove particulates. | {
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Cost-effective development of new pharmaceutical agents depends closely on the ability to prescreen drug candidates in high throughput cellular based assays. The compounds are tested not only for their ability to induce the desired effect on the target tissue, but also for a low side-effect profile in unrelated metabolic systems.
Since the liver controls the clearance and metabolism of most small-molecule drugs, a cornerstone of the screening process is to evaluate the effect on liver cells. One objective is to determine whether the compounds or their metabolites have any potential for hepatotoxicity—measured by an effect of the compound on cell viability, morphology, phenotype, or release of metabolites and enzymes that correlate with a compromise in cell function. Another objective is to evaluate the profile of metabolites produced from the compound, since the metabolites may have collateral effects on other cell types.
For this reason, there is a high commercial demand for high quality hepatocytes by the pharmaceutical industry. Tumor cell lines and cells from non-human mammals are often unsuitable for this process, and so pharmaceutical companies are often forced to use clinical samples and primary cultures of human cells. Because of supply and consistency issues, there is a strong need to identify a source that could provide large quantities of human hepatocytes having standardized and reproducible criteria of quality.
Unfortunately, culture systems for expanding human hepatocytes have been difficult to develop. European Patent Application EP 953 633 A1 proposes a cell culturing method and medium for producing proliferated and differentiated human liver cells, apparently from donated human liver tissue. In most people's hands, the replication capacity of human hepatocytes in culture has been disappointing. As a remedy, it has been proposed that hepatocytes be immortalized by transfecting with large T antigen of the SV40 virus (U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,243). Alternatively, it has been proposed that a line of hepatocytes be developed that has had its replicative capacity increased using telomerase reverse transcriptase (WO 02/48319).
Geron Corporation has been working on a different model to supply hepatocytes to the pharmaceutical industry. Pluripotent stem cells (exemplified by embryonic stem cells) can be grown almost indefinitely in culture, providing a virtually limitless supply of uniform source material. Thomson et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,843,780; Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92:7844, 1995) were the first to successfully culture human embryonic stem (hES) cells (Science 282:114, 1998). These cells are capable of ongoing proliferation in vitro without differentiating, they retain a normal karyotype, and they retain the capacity to differentiate to produce all adult cell types. However, if allowed to differentiate in vitro, hES cells form a heterogeneous mixture of phenotypes, representing a spectrum of different cell lineages.
This disclosure shows how hES cells can be directed to differentiate into cells of the hepatocyte lineage en masse, generating high quality cell populations with reproducible standards. This will provide the pharmaceutical industry with a reliable and scalable source of human hepatocytes that have standardized characteristics. The technology will allow the hepatic toxicity and metabolic profile of new drugs to be determined in vitro, before initiation of human clinical trials. It will also set the stage for development of the hepatocytes themselves as therapeutic compositions to supplement liver function in patients affected by hepatic failure. | {
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With the rapid development of mobile communications and terminal technologies, a mobile terminal is increasingly widely applied. As the mobile terminal develops rapidly, some drawbacks occur in some applications. For example, if a user needs to make a voice call when driving a car, security of the user is affected. To resolve this problem, an increasingly large quantity of vehicles are equipped with an in-vehicle device, such as in-vehicle Bluetooth.
In the prior art, when a user carries a mobile terminal into a car, based on pre-configured information, the mobile terminal may be connected to the car by using in-vehicle Bluetooth; when the mobile terminal receives a voice call and establishes a voice call, voice information may be transmitted to an in-vehicle device and broadcast by using a voice-output device (for example, a speaker or a sound) of the car, and a voice-input device (for example, a microphone) of the car may also receive the voice information of the user and transmit the voice information to the mobile terminal by using the in-vehicle device, so as to implement the voice call. Because an environment of a same car may change, for example, the car is usually taken by a family member, according to the pre-configured information, it is more convenient to complete a voice call by using an voice input/output device of the car; however, if the car is taken by a colleague or a neighbor sometime, completing a voice call by using the voice input/output device of the car may cause leakage of user privacy and further reduce a user experience effect. | {
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The disclosed embodiments relate to a method and apparatus for inhibiting perianal tissue damage. The child birthing process is a traumatic event for a women's body and can result in tissue damage; such as fissures, tears and bulging, in and around the anus as a result of pushing the baby into and/or through the birthing canal. Even when labor does not result in a vaginal delivery, the process of pushing during labor may also result in the development of or increase in severity of hemorrhoids. Current birthing techniques do not provide an apparatus or method for supporting the soft perianal tissues near the anal orifice.
Thus, there is a need for devices and methods that provide support to the perianal tissues. In some aspects, these devices and methods may be useful in preventing or reducing the severity of hemorrhoids and other tissue damage, during the child birthing process. | {
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Poor quality bar codes and damaged bar codes such as those shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are more difficult for a bar code reader to read. This results in decreased throughput at the retail point of sale. Referring to FIG. 2, an effective way to improve the ability to read such bar codes is to use an elongated laser beam 10 in the cross-sectional direction (shown up and down) of laser beam scanning motion (left to right as shown), so as to help average out spatial noise and improve the signal to noise (SNR) of laser scanning bar codes reading system.
A traditional arrangement for generating an elongated laser beam 10 is depicted in FIG. 3. In this arrangement, a Visible Laser Diode (VLD) 14 generates laser light. The VLD 14 is fitted within a yoke 18. The laser light passed through a collimator lens 22 that causes the light rays from VLD 22 to be parallel to each other. The collimated light finally passes through an aperture in a barrel 26 to cylindrical lens 30 to emerge as the elongated laser beam 10. This arrangement is discussed in greater detail in U.S. Pat. No. 8,376,233 to Horn et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference. In this arrangement, in order to get an extremely elongated laser beam, a cylindrical Lens or a cylindrical fold mirror (CFM) is used in the optical path. Unfortunately, this contributes to the part count for the assembly and also increases the difficulty of alignment of the optical system. | {
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The present invention relates to an anti-lock control apparatus for an air over hydraulic brake system.
An anti-lock control apparatus for an air over hydraulic brake system is conventionally known, as shown in FIG. 4. This anti-lock control apparatus is arranged as follows: A brake valve 2 is connected to an air pressure source 1, while the brake valve 2 is connected to an pneumatic chamber 13 of an air master cylinder 10 through a first air pressure line 4. A hydraulic chamber 14 of the air master cylinder 10 is connected to a liquid input port 21 of a modulator 20, and a check valve is interposed in a passage between the liquid input port 21 of the modulator 20 and a liquid output port 22 thereof. This check valve is arranged such as to be capable of being opened by a hydraulic piston fitted in the modulator 20. A pneumatic piston is connected to the hydraulic piston, and the liquid output port 22 of the modulator 20 is communicated with the hydraulic chamber of the modulator 20 and is connected to a wheel cylinder 26. The pneumatic chamber of the modulator 20 is connected to the first air pressure line 4 via a hold valve 41 constituted by a normally open-type solenoid valve so as to form a second air pressure line 40. In addition, the pneumatic chamber of the modulator 20 is connected to an external part via a decay valve 42 constituted by a normally close-type solenoid valve. In addition, Japanese Patent Publication No. 1824/1976 (a Japanese application based on West German Patent No. 2040206.6) is known as another prior art.
With the control apparatus shown in FIG. 4, since the modulator 20 is provided for anti-lock control, the second air pressure line 40 branching off from the first air pressure line 4 and leading to the modulator 20 is required in addition to the first air pressure line 4 extending from the brake valve 2 to the air master cylinder 10. For this reason, there has been a drawback in that the internal volumes of the air pipes and the modulator 20 increase, with the result that the rising rate of the braking hydraulic pressure during braking and the falling rate of the braking hydraulic pressure during release of braking decrease, and that the amount of air consumed increases. | {
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T cells recognize tumors or infected cells and prevent onset of disease by killing these target cells. However, the interplay of tumors or pathogens and the immune system is complex, as demonstrated by cancer or chronic infections developing in the presence of specific T cells, whereby the pathogens or tumors obviously could evade T-cell surveillance.
The ability of T cells to detect virtually any pathogenic invader is granted by its extraordinarily diverse receptor repertoire, which allows the T-cell pool to recognize a vast number of peptides upon presentation by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. Still, signaling through the T-cell receptor (TCR) (signal 1) is not sufficient for adequate T-cell activation, as costimulatory molecules provide indispensable signals for proliferation, survival, and differentiation (signal 2). In fact, naive T cells that only receive signal 1 without signal 2 are rendered anergic (unresponsive) or die through apoptosis. The integration of signals 1 and 2 is required for full T-cell activation, and the strength of these signals shapes the size of the ensuing T-cell pool. Moreover, full differentiation into effector T cells is generally dependent on a third signal, which is supplied by the antigen-presenting cell (APC) in soluble form and provides instructive signals for the type of effector T cell that is required. This ‘three-signal’ concept depicts a model for the activation of naive T cells and the subsequent formation of effector T cells. Yet, the immune system provides a plethora of diverse costimulatory molecules and these various types of signal 2 and 3 all contribute in their own unique manner to the quality of the T-cell response. Costimulatory signals and soluble forms of signal 3 can act on particular aspects of T-cell activation, such as survival, cell cycle progression, type of effector cell to be developed, and differentiation to either effector or memory cell.
It is now generally accepted that mature antigen-presenting dendritic cells (DCs) have to be “helped” by other lymphocytes, including CD4+ T cells NK cells and NKT cells, in order to induce long-lived memory CD8+ T cells. This “help” induces the mature DCs to differentiate further, a process known as licensing. “Helper” signals has multiple effects on DCs, including the upregulation of costimulatory molecules, the secretion of cytokines, and the upregulation of several antiapoptotic molecules, all of which cumulatively potentiate the ability of DCs to optimally activate cognate T cells, especially CD8+ T cells. Moreover, “helper” lymphocytes may also express or secrete factors that directly affect T cell survival, cell cycle progression, type of effector cell to be developed, and differentiation to either effector or memory cell.
One strategy for fighting chronic infections or aggressive cancer is adoptive T-cell therapy, which involves the transfer of effector T cells to restore specific T-cell responses in the host. Recent technical developments to obtain T cells of wanted specificities have created increasing interest in using adoptive T-cell therapy in different clinical settings. Adoptive cell transfer therapy is the administration of ex vivo activated and expanded autologous tumor-reactive T cells. There are several potential advantages with the use of adoptive cell transfer therapy in cancer treatment. Tumor specific T cells can be activated and expanded to large numbers ex vivo, independently of the immunogenic properties of the tumor, and functional and phenotypic qualities of T cells can be selected prior to their adoptive transfer.
After adoptive transfer, several events must occur for T cells to cause the regression of established tumors. More specifically:—T cells must be activated in vivo through antigen specific restimulation, —the T cells must then expand to levels capable of causing the destruction of significant tumor burdens, —antitumor cells must survive long enough to complete the eradication of all tumor cells.
Previously, the criterion used to selecting cells for adoptive transfer to patients with solid tumors was the ability of the antitumor T cells to release IFN-γ and kill tumor cells upon coculture. However, it is now clear that these criteria alone do not predict in vivo efficacy. Gattinoni et al., J. Clin. Invest. 115:1616-1626 (2005), found that CD 8+ T cells that acquire complete effector properties and exhibit increased antitumor reactivity in vitro are less effective at triggering tumor regressions and cures in vivo.
Methods according to prior art requires restimulation one or more times to reach clinically relevant levels of tumor specific cytotoxic T cells. See for example Ho et al. (Journal of Immunological Methods, 310 (2006), 40-50) and Gritzapis et al. (J. Immunol., 2008; 181; 146-154) wherein restimulation 1-2 times were necessary to reach a level of tumor specific CD8+ T cells of about 19%. Restimulation makes the cells less active and closer to apoptosis.
The transfer of genes into primary human lymphocytes permits the introduction of tumor antigen receptor molecules that can endow the engineered cell with antitumor specificity (Vera et al., Curr Gene Ther. 2009; 9:396-408.; Sadelain et al., Nat Rev Cancer. 2003; 3:35-45; Murphy et al., Immunity. 2005; 22:403-414.). Autologous peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) can be modified to express a tumor antigen-reactive T-cell receptor (TCR). Yang et al., (J. Immunother., 2010, vol. 33; 648-658) discloses a method of generating antitumour T cells by in vitro transduction. They use a lentiviral mediated system to genetically modify CD8+ T cells to express antitumor T-cell antigen receptors (TCRs). In order to efficiently expand CD8+ T cells, a rapid expansion (REP) protocol (Ridell et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,642; 1998), consisting of irradiated feeder cells from allogeneic peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) plus anti-CD3 antibody, was used. However, even if highly efficient in expansion of T cells in vitro, the REP protocol usually induces T cells with sub-optimal ability to survive and expand after reinfusion (Robbins et al, Journal of Immunology, 2004, 173:7125-30).
There is a therefore a great need for a method of preparing a T cell population for use in adoptive immunotherapy that increases proliferation and survival of antigen-specific T cells after reinfusion. | {
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The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Recently, there have been demands for technologies such as detecting and warning a passenger, a companion animal, and/or the like if the passenger, the companion animal, and/or the like remains in a rear seat.
Thus, a system of having a radar sensor or the like around a room lamp in a vehicle and detecting a passenger and/or a companion animal which remains in a rear seat has been developed.
However, due to properties of the radar sensor, an iron product may be detected, but there may be a shadow region where an object which remains in a rear seat is not detected by a headrest, a seat frame, and the like if a driver or a passenger alights from a vehicle in a state where a driver seat or a passenger seat is inclined backward.
Particularly, if an infant, a companion animal, or the like with a small body is located in the shadow region, it may be difficult to detect them through the radar sensor. | {
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Numerous references describe tools located above a drill bit in a drillstring for periodically interrupting all or most of the drilling fluid flow to the bit. These tools fall into three general categories, based on their intended application. In the first category are hammer drills that periodically divert drilling fluid flow to reciprocate the drill bit against the bottom of the borehole. This concept was first presented by Wolski in his 1902 U.S. Pat. No. 699,273. More recent developments in downhole hammers by SDS Pty. Ltd. and Novatek Inc. are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,188 (McInnes, 1998); U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,965 (Hall et al., 1995); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,425 (Davies, 1993). The second category includes measurement-while-drilling (MWD) systems that interrupt fluid flow to the bit to generate mud pulses in the fluid column to facilitate telemetry signals transmitted from the downhole equipment to receiving systems on the surface. An early form of this type of system is described by Jakosky in U.S. Pat. No. 1,963,090 (1934). Many patents have been granted since then that utilize mud pulse telemetry in some form. The third category of tools interrupt flow to the bit causing pressure fluctuations in the borehole at the bit face that enhance drilling efficiency. It is clear that the third category of tool provides a substantial benefit, and it would be desirable to provide further apparatus and a method based on interrupting flow to the bit to generate pulses so as to enhance drilling efficiency.
The benefits of interrupting all or most of the drilling fluid flow to the bit for the purpose of creating pressure fluctuations or pulses in the borehole are well understood and are described in references such as those noted above. These benefits relate to the following points: When the pressure below the bit rapidly decreases to less than the rock pore pressure, a brittle rock formation is encouraged to fracture due to the differential pressure across the surface of the borehole; A reduced pressure below the bit produces a downward force on the bit that increases the load on the cutters, improving their cutting efficiency; and Rapidly changing pressures produce a “water hammer effect” or impulse that is transmitted to the drill bit and its cutters to also improve the cutting efficiency and fracturing of the rock by the bit.
The following list includes brief descriptions of some of the more significant patents that describe using drilling fluid pulses to enhance drilling. 1. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,789 (1972), Chenoweth describes a hydraulic pulse generator that uses a shuttle valve to direct drilling fluid either up and out to the annulus or down to the bit. The shuttle valve changes position rapidly due to “the pressure pulse waves generated in the passages between its upper and lower positions.” 2. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,739 (1989), Jeter describes a “drilling fluid pulse generator for use above a drill bit to produce pulsations in drilling fluid flow.” Jeter's pulse generator valve is auto-cycling at a frequency determined by a spring-mass system and the system pressure variations caused by the opening and closing of the valve. 3. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,261 (2000), Walter describes a flow pulsing tool that uses a spring-mass system wherein a poppet periodically blocks drilling fluid flow to the bit, creating pressure pulses above and below the valve that travel at the speed of sound in the fluid.
In each of the tools described in the above-noted references, oscillation of the pulse generator valve is caused by pressure fluctuations in the tool, usually enhanced by the action of a spring. Another class of pulse generator tool can be described as a pilot-operated poppet valve. In a pilot-operated valve, fluid drives a pilot valve that controls the action of a main poppet valve, which provides a more positive valve action that is self-starting and regulated by the timing of fluid ports in the valve. The use of this type of valve to produce negative pressure pulses in the borehole is described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,701 (2001), in which Kollé et al. describe various embodiments of a pilot valve/poppet valve based downhole hydraulic impulse generator for borehole applications, the disclosure and drawings of which are hereby specifically incorporated herein by reference. The primary benefits of the hydraulic impulse generator are associated with the rapid reduction in borehole pressure under the bit. The benefits of this negative pressure pulse for drilling as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,701 include: Increased rate of penetration; Early identification of potential gas kicks; Downhole seismic signal generation while drilling;Additional applications of the negative pressure pulse in borehole applications other than drilling include: De-scaling of tubulars; and Formation cleaning.The rapid reduction of borehole pressure that occurs in the invention described in this patent is accomplished by providing a flow of low compressibility fluid, such as water or drilling fluid, through a conduit in the borehole and momentarily blocking the fluid flow with a pilot-operated poppet valve that reciprocates between open and closed positions. If the poppet valve closes in a time that is equal to or shorter than the two-way travel time of an acoustic wave in the annulus between the conduit and borehole, a negative impulse pressure is generated in the borehole beneath the discharge of the conduit. The annular flow passage may be restricted to increase flow velocity in the annulus and increase the magnitude of the resulting negative impulse pressure. If the tool is used for drilling, the length of the restricted flow area may be limited to be less than 1.5 meters to reduce torque. In this case, the two-way travel time of an acoustic pressure pulse in the restricted flow annulus is about 2 milliseconds. The poppet must therefore close completely in less than 2 milliseconds for the tool to be completely effective. The poppet valve is dynamically unstable; when closed, it is energized to open, and when open, it is energized to close. A pilot spool directs drilling fluid to either side of the poppet spool to energize it. The pilot spool is also dynamically unstable. As the valve oscillates between open and closed positions, the passages in the poppet spool direct drilling fluid to either end of the pilot spool to energize it from one position to the other. The pulse generator valve self-starts from any position and runs at a frequency determined by the flow rate of drilling fluid through the valve mechanism.
One embodiment of the valve disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,701 is incorporated in a drillstring within a housing including high speed flow courses. The valve closes in about one millisecond. Valve closure stops the flow of drilling fluid through the bit and through high speed flow courses in the housing around the bit. Stopping the upwards flow of drilling fluid through the flow courses generates a negative pressure pulse around the drill bit. This patent discloses that the valve closing time must be less than the two-way travel time of a pressure wave in the flow courses so that an intense negative pressure is generated below the bit. The valve disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,701 can provide pulse amplitudes of from about 500 psi to about 1500 psi, with a cycle rate of from 15 to 25 times per second.
Although the relative locations of the pilot and poppet spools are not claimed with specificity in U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,701, a preferred embodiment described therein and early working models are configured with the pilot and poppet spools vertically in-line and physically separated from each other in interconnected housings. The in-line configuration requires multiple long intersecting passages to carry drilling fluid to and from the pilot and poppet spools. Transverse cross-port passages are required for interconnecting the various axial fluid passages. These cross-port passages are plugged from the outside to seal the internal pressure. Multiple sealing elements are required to seal the interconnecting fluid passages between housings.
While functional, the in-line configuration is extremely complex and is correspondingly difficult to manufacture and assemble. The housings are difficult to align, and the seal elements between the housings are prone to premature failure, particularly in the unforgiving environment associated with drilling operations. The long, interconnecting fluid passages and cross-drilled holes are subject to rapid erosion by the drilling mud at each change of flow direction. The valve is also subject to large pressure drops due to fluid friction through the long, complex passages. It would thus be desirable to provide a pilot valve/poppet valve based downhole hydraulic impulse generator for enhancing oil and gas drilling that does not suffer from the disadvantages of the embodiment described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,701.
Oil and gas casing and production targets are commonly determined by reference to seismic data. These data are conventionally obtained by conducting seismic reflection and refraction studies using surface sources such as vibrator trucks or air guns. Such sources create pressure waves in the earth that travel at different speeds, depending upon properties of the strata such as density and porosity. The vertical scale in a seismic image is measured in terms of seconds of travel time for the seismic waves. To be useful for planning drilling operations, these seismic images must be depth-corrected using assumptions regarding the velocity of seismic waves. The computed depth to a seismic target may differ from the actual depth by 20 percent or more.
If a well borehole is available in the vicinity of a seismic test, depth correction information can be obtained from a check shot survey, in which a seismic receiver is placed in the well and the travel time from a surface source to the receiver is observed. A vertical seismic profile (VSP) of velocity is obtained by moving the receiver to various depths in the well. A reverse vertical seismic profile (rVSP) provides the same information by placing the source in the well and a receiver on the surface. Conventional seismic profiling requires that drilling stop while the survey is carried out.
A tricone drill bit can provide the seismic source for rVSP in real time, allowing continuous depth correction of seismic profiles, as described by W. H. Borland in an article (Butsuri Tansa (1988) 51:1). Two seismic-while-drilling (SWD) systems, (Tomex from Baker-Atlas, and DBSeis from Schlumberger), rely upon the seismic energy generated by tricone bits, as described by J. W. Rector and B. P. Marion in “The use of drill bit energy as a downhole seismic source” (Geophysics (1991) 86:5). The bit creates acoustic noise as it bounces and scrapes against the rock. The acoustic signal is transmitted through the drillstring to the surface, where it is recorded by an accelerometer or other receiver. The drillstring signal is cross-correlated with signals received by geophones on the surface to create a seismic record. Current SWD techniques, which employ the drill bit as a source, provide seismic profiles that are helpful in detecting abnormal pressure trends, but do not provide a look-ahead capability. U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,557 (Rector et al., 1993) describes enhanced signal processing that is required to use a rig reference sensor with a drill bit seismic source for VSP and seismic imaging. While SWD systems can provide acoustic data while drilling, it would be even more desirable to provide a drill tool that can both enhance drilling performance and act as a seismic source during the drilling operation.
Drag bits (representing about 80 percent of offshore drilling) do not create a useable seismic signal, while tricone bits do not create a useful signal in soft formations. Furthermore, roller cone bits only produce a dipole radiation pattern along the axis of the drillstring, which limits the placement of seismic receivers to locations near the drill rig (a seismically noisy area due to pumps and other rig activity) and restricts the use of bit seismic techniques to vertical wells where the target formations occur in planes perpendicular to the borehole axis. It would be desirable to provide a drill tool that can both enhance drilling performance and act as a seismic source in which the seismic radiation pattern produced by the tool is not so limited.
Deep drilling operations are subject to blowouts when formation pressures become greater than the pressure of drilling fluids in the borehole. Methods for determining pore pressure ahead of the drill bit presently rely upon interpretation of seismic reflection data. Increased pore pressure causes a reduction in compression wave velocity, so VSP techniques can be used to identify abnormal pore pressure trends in a formation. This procedure also requires drilling to be stopped. SWD, using the drill bit as a source, has been attempted for imaging formations ahead of the bit. In many formations and under common operating conditions, tricone bits do not generate a signal-to-noise ratio that is usable for SWD. In particular, the drill bit seismic signal is limited to relatively low frequencies (under 80 Hz) and is incoherent, requiring significant post-processing. At a frequency of 80 Hz, the depth resolution in a 3 km/s formation is 37.5 meters (approximately four 9-meter joints of drill pipe), which is not useful to drillers.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that an ideal seismic source for profiling, reflection imaging, or refraction studies should be a point source and have a broad bandwidth. A broadband signal may be generated by a single impulse source, by sweeping a sinusoidal source over a broad range of frequencies, or by generating multiple impulses with a cycle period that varies over a full octave. It would be desirable to provide a drill tool that can both enhance drilling performance and act as a seismic source for SWD, providing a broad range of frequencies, to more readily facilitate the imaging of formations ahead of the bit.
The use of a swept impact seismic technique for surface applications using a mechanical impact tool with a variable cycle rate has been suggested in the prior art (Park, C. B., Miller, R. D., Steeples, D. W., and Black, R. A., 1996, Swept Impact Seismic Technique (SIST) Geophysics, 61 no. 6, p. 1789–1803). Varying the rate of a pure impulse signal over a full octave generates a continuous broadband signal. The received signal can be cross-correlated with the impact signal to generate a seismic record with high signal-to-noise ratio. The signal-to-noise ratio can be increased substantially by operating the source over a long period of time. U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,221 (Cosma, 2002) discloses a technique and apparatus for generating a swept impact axial or radial load at the bottom of a borehole using an electrically actuated hammer. This tool is designed to be clamped in a borehole at various depths for seismic profiling.
A number of references disclose variable frequency downhole seismic sources. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,429 (Farr, 1977) describes a drillstring with a sleeve containing a helical pattern of holes that periodically align with holes in the drillstring. Rotation and translation of the string through the sleeve create a signal that sweeps over a broad range of frequencies up to 80 Hz, depending on the drillstring rotation speed. Significantly, the apparatus described in the Farr patent requires an interruption in the drilling process to actuate the tool. U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,401 (Masak et al., 2000) describes the use of a downhole MWD mud pulse telemetry system to generate a sinusoidal frequency sweep over a range of frequencies from 1 to 50 Hz. Masak's device uses an electric motor to drive a rotor at variable rotation rates. The rotor interacts with a stator to restrict the mud flow to the bit. Restricting the flow generates axial shaking loads of up to 3000 lbf. These loads are transmitted through the bit to the formation. The coupling between the bit and the formation is limited by the relative axial stiffness of the drillstring and the reference discloses the use of a thruster subassembly to increase coupling. As with drill bit seismic, axial shaking of the drillstring generates primarily a dipole signal that propagates along the borehole axis. Seismic receivers must therefore be located near the drill rig, which is a source of substantial masking of seismic noise.
A number of options have been studied for generating a strong seismic signal while drilling. Most options involve stopping the drilling process to actuate a downhole source such as a piezoelectric vibrator, hydraulic or mechanical jarring tools, or dropping the drillstring. All of these options interrupt the drilling process and increase the potential for borehole instability. Frequent drilling interruptions would not be an acceptable practice for most operators.
Prior art SWD techniques result in low signal-to-noise ratios, and the resulting signals require substantial processing and interpretation. It would be desirable to provide a broadband high-amplitude SWD source that enables unambiguous real-time interpretation of formation velocity and reflections ahead of the bit. | {
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The invention concerns sewer sludge materials being recovered or the cellulose material being hydrolyzed to hemi-cellulose, carbohydrates, alcohol, glycerol, glycols, fatty oils and acids, carbon dioxide, fertilizer, etc. by a suitable economical method wherein heat, water and catalyst are recoverable and reused. This method consist of mixing the sewer sludge with a recovered aqueous catalyst or acid catalyst, then heat the mixture while agitating to evaporated off excess water from the sewer sludge filtered cake. The heat is controlled and reused by means of a heat exchange system. The dried sewer sludge contains about 20 percent inorganic materials and the rest organic materials. About 70-80 percent of the cellulose materials and other organic materials in the sewer sludge is hydrolyzed to water soluble products by catalyst and heat. The carbohydrates produced by hydrolyzing the cellulose may be crystalized out from a concentrated aqueous solution of the hydrolyzed sewer sludge. The carbohydrates maybe used as animal feed or fermented to alcohol. The polysaccharides may be further hydrolyzed to monosaccharides.
This invention relates to an improved and an economical process to recover products and to hydrolyzed cellulose found in the sewer sludge to water soluble hemicellulose, carbohydrates, alcohol, resinous products, fatty oils and acids, glycerol, glycols and CO2. There is a need to utilize the sewer sludge to produce useful product because the disposal of sewer materials have became a serious problem for cities. Other inventors have utilized acids to break down the lignin-cellulose to carbohydrates or may use an alkali metal hydroxide to separate the lignin from cellulose then using an acid such as sulfuric acid to break down the cellulose from lignin-cellulose to carbohydrates. In the improved process of this invention, the raw material is sewer cellulose material in the sewer sludge instead of lignin-cellulose materials. The solid sewer material is first concentrated by any suitable means such as precipitating, or centrifuge or coagulating the solid material to form a concentrated sewer sludge then the concentrated sewer sludge is filtering to remove excess water. There are several commercial products available to assist in coagulating or precipitating the sewer solids. The concentrated solid sewer sludge is usually in the form of a filter cake. The filter cake may be further dried in a filter cake drier to remove the desired amount of water and to sterilize the sewer sludge. This process is different from the Blount""s process in U.S Pat. No. 4,321,360, because in the processes of this invention utilizes sewer sludge instead of lignin-cellulose material and also produces and recovers ethanol, glycerol, glycols, lactic acid, fatty oils and acids and fertilizer. In this process there is no need to break the lignin-cellulose bonds and remove the lignin. When the method of this invention is compared to other methods using alkali or acid catalysts, there is no need for pre-treatment, there is a utilization of much less energy for heating the reactants, uses less catalyst because there is no need to break the lignin-cellulose bond and to remove the lignin as is needed in other methods. The hydrolysis of the cellulose material in sewer sludge by means of a dilute acid such as 1-5% sulfuric acid is the most cost-effective. Hydrolysis of the cellulose maybe done with concentrated sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid. The hydrolysis of the cellulose material by alkali catalyst may also be cost-effective when the alkali catalyst is recovered. The alkali and/or acid catalyst utilized in this process are recovered to be reused in this process. The sulfuric acid catalyst may be neutralized with ammonia and with the urea and the non-soluble sewer sludge may be utilized as fertilizer.
The carbohydrates produced by this process may be utilized to produce ethanol by fermentation, used as a food for animals and humans or utilized to produce polyols, urethane foams and other products. The carbohydrates and hemi-cellulose may be further reacted with organic epoxides, mono- and polysubstituted organic compounds, aldehydes or reacted with amino compounds and/or phenol and aldehydes, isocyanates, polyamines, polyisocyanates, mono- and polysubstituted organic compounds such as polyhalides, monohalides organic anhydrides, epihalohydrins, halohydrins and other organic compounds to produce useful resins which may be utilized as adhesives, as laminates as coating agents, as molding agents, as foams.
The pentoses and hexoses carbohydrates can be fermented but the di, tri and polysaccharides must be broken down by splitting the glycosidic bond into monosaccharides through hydrolysis. Sucrose, a disaccharide can be hydrolyzed into glucose and fructose. Futher hydrolysis can take place by adding concentrated enzymes or acids to the cellulose materials or polysaccharides.
Carbohydrates, glycerol, glycols lactic acid and alcohol are produced by reacting the following components:
Component (a): concentrated or dried sewer sludge;
Component (b): An alkali or acid catalyst;
Component (c): A salt-producing compound to adjust the pH;
Component (d): Fermentation agent;
Component (e): Alkaline earth metal oxide or hydroxide;
Component (f): water.
Any suitable sewer sludge may be utilized in this process. The sewer sludge may be in the form of a concentrated aqueous solution, filter cake or dried sewer sludge. The parts by weight are based on the weight of dry sewer sludge.
Any suitable alkali or acid catalysts that will convert the fiber and hemi-cellulose material in the sewer sludge into a carbohydrate may be used in this invention. Alkali metal compounds, such as alkali metal oxides, alkali metal hydroxide and mixtures thereof may be utilized. Mixtures of sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate and other sodium salts may be used. Suitable alkali metal hydroxides include sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and mixtures thereof. Sodium hydroxide or sodium oxide are the preferred alkali metal compounds. The alkali metal hydroxide such as sodium hydroxide is recovered in this process as an aqueous alkali metal solution and reused.
Any suitable acid catalyst may be used in this invention. Concentrated or dilute sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid may be utilized. Sulfuric acid is preferred. The acid catalyst may be recovered and reused. The sulfuric acid may also be reacted with ammonia and used as fertilizer. The hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide may be reacted to form salt and mixed with carbohydrates and feed to cattle.
Any suitable salt-forming compound may be used to adjust the pH of the hydrolyzed sewer material to be fermented. Acidic salt forming compound that react with the alkali catalyst and then will react with calcium oxide or hydroxide to regenerate the alkali metal oxide or hydroxide is preferred. Suitable salt-forming compounds include carbon dioxide, mineral acids, organic acid, organic acid halides, hydrogen-containing acid salts, e.g., sodium hydrogen sulfate, potassium hydrogen sulfate and, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, sulfur dioxide, sulfurous acid, acid sulfites and mixtures thereof. Carbon dioxide and mineral acids are preferred, especially sulfur oxyacids such as sulfuric acid. Any suitable basic salt forming compounds that will react with the acid catalyst maybe used to adjust the pH of the hydrolyzed sewer material to be fermented. Suitable basic salt forming compounds include but not limited to alkali metal compounds and their salts, alkaline earth metal compounds and their salts and ammonium containing compounds. Ammonia is used to adjust the pH when the remaining sewer material after fermentation is to be recovered and used as a fertilizer
Any suitable method or fermenting agents may be used to convert the carbohydrates produced by the process of this invention to produce ethanol. Any suitable yeast which ferments a carbohydrate to produce ethanol may be added to an aqueous solution containing 10% to 40% by weight of carbohydrates produced by the process of this invention, then 5 grams of yeast per 1 to 5 gallons of the aqueous solution of carbohydrates are added. The yeast may be sprinkled on top of the solution at a temperature of 70xc2x0 F.-80xc2x0 F. for 12 hours, then stirred in after 12 hours. Stir extremely well and make a lot of bubbles in the mixture. Oxygen from the air helps the yeast grow. The mixture is fermented for up to 2 weeks or until the carbohydrates are used up. The ethanol is then recovered by distillation or by membrane technology. Other method may be use such as using microbial conversion or simultaneous saccharification and fermentation. There are many types of suitable yeast which are commercially available such as PREMIER CUV""EE, MONTRACHET, PASTEUR CHALMMPAGNE, COTE des BLANCS, PASTEUR RED AND LALVIN K1-V-1116 and LALVIN 71 B-1122.
Any suitable alkaline earth metal oxide may be used in this invention that will react with the alkali metal salt produced in this process to produce alkali metal oxide or hydroxide. Calcium oxide is the preferred alkaline earth metal oxide.
The process to produce carbohydrates from a concentrated or dried sewer sludge is to mix about 100 parts by weight of dried ground particles sewer sludge with an aqueous solution containing 20 to 40 parts by weight of a alkali metal hydroxide to wet and distribute the alkali metal hydroxide through out the sewer sludge or add 20 to 40 parts by weight of an alkali metal hydroxide to the aqueous concentrated solid sewer sludge containing about 100 parts by weight of dried sewer material. The mixture is heated at ambient pressure, elevated pressure or reduced pressure to remove the excess water, sterilize the sewer sludge and breakdown the cellulose and semi-cellulose to carbohydrates. The heating is continued at a temperature of 100xc2x0 C. to 240xc2x0 C. while agitating for about 30-60 minutes or until the reaction becomes exothermic, then heating is stopped and cooling may be necessary. The mixture becomes a bubbling thick fluid mass. Care has to be taken so that the mixture doesn""t become too hot and start burning. A heat exchange system is useful to control the temperature of the mixture and capture the heat for further use in the system. The sewer sludge is converted to a solid mixture containing some un-reacted cellulose, hemi-cellulose, , carbohydrates, urea, fatty oils and acids, glycerol, glycols, lactic acid waxes, urea and other products. Most of the cellulose material in the sewer sludge is converted to carbohydrates which are water soluble. Any suitable temperature or pressure may be used in this process to hydrolyze the cellulose material to produce carbohydrates.
About 200-500 pans by weight of water is added to the above hydrolyzed sewer sludge mixture. 70-80% of the reacted mixture is water soluble, and is filtered, decanted or centrifuged off the remaining solid sewer sludge. The remaining solid sewer sludge is re-reacted with the next batch of sewer sludge or utilized as fertilizer or burned for heat.
The pH of the aqueous solution containing the carbohydrate, fatty oils and acids, glyerol, glycols, lactic acid, cellulose resinous products, catalyst and salt is adjusted with a acidic or basic salt forming compound to a pH of 3 to 7 or to the pH recommended for the fermentation process. The cellulose resinous products, fatty oils and acids and other organic compounds floats to the top of the aqueous solution and is skimmed off. Any suitable acidic or basic salt forming compound may be used to adjust the pH, but carbon dioxide and/or a sulfur oxyacid, such as sulfuric acid, is preferred, except when the material after fermentation is to be used for fertilizer then ammonia is used.
The aqueous solution containing the carbohydrates maybe fermented to produce ethanol. The carbohydrates may also be crystalized out of the solution by evaporating off most of the water, under any suitable method, such as heating under reduced pressure. The carbohydrates, glycerol, lactic acid and glycols may also be separated from the salts by the technology of membrane filtration. The carbohydrates are allowed to crystallize out of the aqueous solution, and recovered by filtration or decantation. The aqueous solution still contains soluble carbohydrates and salt, and maybe reconcentrate and more carbohydrates will crystalize out. The waxes, resinous products and fatty oils and acids may be skimmed off the top of the solution. The carbohydrate and salt (NaCl when HCI is used) solution may be evaporated to a concentrated solution or solid, then mixed with cattle feed and used to feed cattle, horses, sheep, goats, rabbits, etc. The carbohydrates may be separated from the salt by crystalizing out the carbohydrates or by membrane technology and used for food. The carbohydrates may also be reacted with organic epoxides to produce polyols which are used in the production of rigid polyurethane foams and resinous products. The aqueous solution of the carbohydrates and urea may be reacted with polyisocyanates to produce polyurethane foams.
The aqueous carbohydrate and salt solution and/or the carbohydrate crystal in water may be fermented by any suitable means, such as with yeast, to produce ethanol. There are many types of yeast that are used to ferment the carbohydrates of this invention and are commercially available. The carbohydrates may be converted to a more desirable carbohydrate by enzymes. Genetically engineered strains of E. coli maybe used to convert the carbohydrates to ethanol. The ethanol is removed from the aqueous solution by evaporation or by membrane filtration technology.
The aqueous solution containing salt is heated to evaporate the water from the salt by any suitable means or may be separated by using a membrane technology. The water is recovered and reused. The salt is mainly sodium carbonate and sodium-acidic salt forming compound, such as carbonate, sodium acetate or sodium sulfate. An alkaline earth metal oxide such as calcium oxide is added and mixed with the salt in an amount about equal to the mols or greater than the mols of the salt present then reacted to recover the alkali metal hydroxide. The mixture is heated in a recovery furnace until the organic matter is burned then the alkali metal salts are recovered. The aqueous alkali metal salts are reacted with alkaline earth metal oxide to recovery the alkali metal hydroxides.
The object of this invention is to produce carbohydrates, glycols, glycerol, lactic acid, urea, fertilizer, ethanol and other extracts from the sewer sludge. Another object is to produce carbohydrates which may be used for food, in the production of ethanol and as the intermediate in the production of other useful organic polymers such as polyols, polyurethane foam, epoxides and other products.
The sewer sludge is hydrolyzed using an alkali or acid catalyst into useful products such as cellulose, hemi-cellulose, carbohydrates, fatty acids and oils, glycerol, glycols lactic acid and alcohol by the following steps:
1. Preparation of Sewer Sludge:
Sewer sludge is recovered from the sewer material by precipitating, centrifuge or coagulating the solid particles then filtering out the solid particle in the form of a wet filter cake. The sewer sludge filter cake may be used as is or may be partially dried or completely dried in a filter cake drier. The sewer sludge filter cake is placed in a digester or heating vessel in the amount of about 100 parts by weight, parts by weight based on weight of dry sewer sludge.
2. Adding Alkali or Acid Catalyst:
An alkali catalyst is utilized by adding an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide containing 20 to 40 parts by weight of alkali metal hydroxide is added to 100 parts by weight of the dried sewer sludge while being agitated or 20 to 40 parts by weight of alkali hydroxide is add to the concentrated sewer sludge solids containing about 100 parts by weight of dried sewer sludge.
When an acid catalyst is utilized in a concentrated sewer sludge solids, a dilute sulfuric acid is utilized. The sulfuric acid is utilized in the amount of 1% to 5%. Concentrated sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid is utilized as the catalyst with dried sewer sludge.
3. Converting Sewer Sludge:
The mixture containing the alkali catalyst is heated to above the boiling point of water to evaporate off excess water and to sterilize the sewer sludge, then the heating continues under ambient pressure or elevated pressure and continues until the mixture is heated to about 140xc2x0-200xc2x0 C. or until the mixture begins to bubble and liquify. The heating is stopped and the reaction is exothermic. The temperature is controlled by an heat exchanger to prevent the sewer sludge from catching on fire. A small amount of carbon dioxide and ammonia are produced in this reaction. Some of the carbon dioxide reacts with the sodium hydroxide and some escape. Thereby producing a solid mixture of some cellulose, hemi-cellulose, fatty oils and acids, glycols, glycerol, lactic acid, waxes, urea, inorganic compounds and carbohydrates.
When a dilute sulfuric acid catalyst is utilized with the concentrated sewer sludge solids the mixture is heated to 100xc2x0 to 240xc2x0 at ambient or elevated pressure for various length of time until the cellulose materials has been hydrolyzed. When concentrate sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid is used as the catalyst with dried sewer sludge, it is carried out at a lower temperature such as 30xc2x0 C. to 100xc2x0 C. at ambient or elevate pressure.
4. Dissolving Reacted Sewer Sludge:
About 300-400 parts by weight of water is added to the said solid mixture to dissolved the water soluble material containing, fatty oils and acids, glycols, glycerol,waxes, urea, inorganic and other organic materials and carbohydrates. The water soluble material is centrifuges and filtered or decanted from the unsoluble sewer sludge material. The unsoluble sewer sludge is re-washed and water soluble material is filtered off. The unsoluble sewer sludge may be used as fertilizer.
5. Adjusting pH:
An acidic or alkali salt forming compound is added to the aqueous mixture of the water soluble material until the pH is 3-7 or to the pH required for the yeast to function proper.
6. Separating Components:
The organic material that floats to the top is skimmed of. The water soluble carbohydrates and salts are separated by decanting or centrifuge and filtering off the non-water soluble materials precipitated by the acid or alkali compound. Fermentation may take place following this step if desired. The carbohydrates may be separated from the salt by membrane technology. When fermentation takes place at this stage the alcohol is recovered by distillation or by membrane separation. The remaining aqueous material with the alkali catalyst is processed to reclaim the alkali hydroxide. When a dilute sulfuric acid catalyst is used the solution could be neutralized with ammonia and the remaining material utilized as a fertilizer containing ammonium sulfate, urea and other nitrogen products.
7. Crystalizing Carbohydrates:
Water is evaporated from the carbohydrates, salt and other products by any suitable means until a concentrated solution is obtained. The carbohydrates crystalize out of the concentrated solution, and the aqueous solution containing the salts and other products is filtered or decanted off the crystals. The aqueous alkali salts are to be reconverted to sodium hydroxide.
8. Fermentation:
Water is added to the carbohydrate crystals to form an aqueous solution containing 15-40% carbohydrates. The aqueous solution of carbohydrates are fermented by yeast and ethanol and carbon dioxide are produced. The ethanol is evaporated from the aqueous solution by any suitable means and the water is re-used. The carbon dioxide may be collected. Genetically engineered strains of E-coli may be used to hydrolyze the carbohydrates to ethanol.
9. Recovering Ethanol:
Ethanol is evaporated from the water by any suitable means such as heating under reduced pressure or by membrane technology. The alcohol is dehydrated by azeotropic distillation.
10. Recausticizing:
The aqueous salts are heated and most of the water and volatile organic compounds are evaporated off or separated by membrane technology, then it is add to a recovery furnace/boiler if desired. The solid or molted salts is dissolved in water and reacted with an alkaline earth metal oxide such as lime. The alkaline earth oxide react with the alkali metal carbonate and alkali metal acid salt to produce alkali metal hydroxide and alkaline earth metal salt which is insoluble. The alkali metal hydroxide is decanted or filtered off and reused in this process.
11. Alkaline Earth Metal Recovery:
The insoluble alkaline earth metal is heated in the lime kiln and converted back to alkaline earth metal oxide to be reused in this process. The carbon dioxide may be captures, purified and stored for use in the process.
Fermentation may take place at different steps of this process such as in steps 6 before the salt is removed and in step 8. Membrane filtration may be utilized in a number of different steps of this process. Membrane filtration systems are source selective molecular size or molecular weight. Molecules of different weight and sizes are stopped and concentrated. Membrane filtration used in the saccharification stage, byproduct recovery stage and fermentation stage to retain enzymes, carbohydrates, salts, yeast and allows water and ethanol to penetrate the membrane. By trapping the yeast, fermentation can proceed continuously at a fraction of the conventional time of 40-50 hours. The membrane filtration technology can be deployed to recover byproducts such as glycerol, glycol, lactic acid, urea and others. It also reduces the amount of solids going to the evaporator. This technology reduces the cost and increases the revenue.
Evaporation of the water may take place by any suitable means to conserve energy, such as by heating at ambient pressure, increased pressure or lower than ambient pressure or by a multiple-effect evaporators which is preferred. The multiple-effect evaporators remove the bulk of the water by operating in series while at different pressures. Therefore the vapor from one evaporator body can be the steam supply for the next unit. In this approach the original feed steam performs the final concentration and the vapor becomes the steam for the next less-concentrated evaporator. Heat can also be supplied to the evaporator from the digester""s heat which is recovered by a heat exchange.
The recovery boiler is utilized to evaporate the residual moisture from the aqueous salt material, then burn the unsoluble organic material to supply heat for steam generation, to recover inorganic chemical in solid or molten form and conditioning the products of combustion for minimal chemical carryover. The solid or molten inorganic salts flows into the dissolving tank to be filtered and recausticizing by the addition of alkaline earth metal oxide such as lime to react with the carbon dioxide radical and acid radical thereby producing sodium hydroxide. The lime mud is precipitated and the aqueous sodium hydroxide is filtered or decanted off and reused. The lime mud is re-burned to form CaO and carbon dioxide may be recovered.
Fatty acids and oils, waxes and cellulose resinous products usually floats to the top of the aqueous salt solution during processing and is skimmed off and processed else where. It is used in soaps and paper sizing.
My invention will be illustrated in detail by the specific examples which follow, it being understood that these preferred embodiments are illustrative of, but not limited to, procedures which may be used in the production of glycol, glycerol, waxes, fatty acids and oils, lactic acid, fertilizer, carbohydrates and ethanol. Parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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